The Sea Around Us interactive graphs now have a new feature.

A black line that indicates reported catch is now visible in the graphs..

This can be used to better gauge the difference between reported and reconstructed catch.

A review previously done by FAO staff recommended that a line be included to indicate what the reported catch was, and for it to overlay the reconstructed catch graphs.

As can be seen in the following graph, in the waters of Senegal in 1980, where multiple countries fish, the reported catch was around 550,000 metric tonnes, while the reconstructed catch was 1,200,000 metric tonnes. A difference of close to 650,000 metric tonnes.

For more information on the Senegal EEZ,  click here to view the reconstructed catch data.

To better understand how the Mapping Tool works, take a look at this 5 minute YouTube tutorial.

The Mapping Tool allows users to:

• View the catch of multiple countries at the same time.
• View multiple taxa in the same search.
• Drag the Map to focus on specific areas of the world.
• Zoom in and out.
• Link to accompanying graphs, which show changes of catch per country through time (1950-2010).
• Search by commercial group or functional group, rather than just taxa.

 
The Sea Around Us updated its mapping tool with two new features to allow for easier use.

The mapping tool allows users to view where in the world countries fish, and how their fishing has changed geographically through time.

The first change was made to the “timeframe indicator,” which now allows you to change the year manually to every year between 1950-2010, without having to wait and update the map (image below).

Therefore, if you are looking for information on a specific year, whether it be where Japan caught yellowfin tuna in 1968, or where Canada caught cod in 1979, you can now search with greater specificity.

The second change was made to the color scheme. While the previous color palet showed a gradient of red, the new one shows a multi-color gradient.

This new color scheme provides greater clarity as to which areas of the ocean are heavily fished, compared to those where minimal fishing occurs.

Also, it just looks really good!

For those in government, academia or even NGO’s, this map provides a remarkable tool for understanding fish catch on a global scale.

We are aware that the data being displayed by this tool may contain errors or omissions, which is a common feature of global fisheries data. We continually update and validate these data, and appreciate any feedback regarding observed omissions and errors.

 
A recent front page story in the New York Times highlighted both the successes and perils that small island nations face when confronted with foreign fishing poachers.

The story, titled “Palau vs. the Poachers,” opens with a man named Bjorn Bergman sitting at his desk in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, using satellite data to track a Taiwanese pirate ship fleeing authorities in Palau. Continue reading →

Credit, Charos Pix, Flickr.

Many people have heard of the Great Pacific garbage patch, the amorphous mass of plastic waste that according to conservative estimates, is the size of Texas, and floats within a system of circular currents within the northern Pacific Ocean.

According to new research, however, by the year 2050 the amount of garbage polluting our oceans could get even worse. Continue reading →