Latest news with #A.Pettit
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
'Every single dot is a boat…': NASA astronaut captures China's expansive fishing fleet from space
Source: X An eye-opening recent image from the International Space Station (ISS) revealed the enormous extent of China's distant-water fleet of fishing vessels. This is captured by astronaut Don Pettit and uploaded to the internet by his son, A. Pettit, the photo shows a breathtaking number of bright spots scattered against the blackness of the sea, each an individual fishing boat. Unlike what would be mislaid as glinting urban lights of a coastal city, the spectacle then actually captures hundreds of trawling fishing vessels, dispersed out from the sea and out aggressively searching the seabed. NASA astronaut observes China's fishing fleet from space The sheer visual effect of this image has provoked international reaction. Only from space is the clarity of view sufficient to portray the vast size and glittering extension of the fishing fleet, visible from space, which attests to the international extent and power of industrial fishing. Japanese astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, in response to the bittersweet photo, uploaded a video of an analogous scene during his own ISS expedition. He did so quote-sharp as Charles Dickens: "It is the best of times for fishing, it is the worst of times for fish." The cultural allusion underscores the irony of human progress: advanced gadgetry and global supply chains on one hand, pollution on the other. World's largest far-water fishery fleet China has the world's largest far-water fishery fleet. More than 2,700 Chinese ships are known to fish far from China's coasts and net and longline their way through nearly all ocean basins. Their harvest typically consists of valuable species such as squid, tuna, and some kinds of deep-sea fish, with catches even being transported thousands of miles away to Chinese ports or overseas. Compared to coastal or near-shore fisheries, far-flung operations usually go without effective regulation. The reach of such fleets enters international waters and the EEZs of other nations, raising eyebrows as to their environmental and geopolitical impacts. How satellite technology exposes the hidden world of 'going dark' in global fishing Satellite imaging and radio-frequency tracking equipment made it possible to monitor the travel and activities of fishing vessels globally. One trend, though, has been evident in the case of most Chinese vessels: the "going dark" practice. This tactic is a disabling of onboard Automatic Identification Systems (AIS), used to prevent collisions and encourage maritime transparency. Since ships disable AIS, they become invisible to the authorities and to surveillance agencies. The application has been typically linked to illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, which is depleting the world's fishery resources and evading global law. China's distant-water fleets and their impact on marine ecosystems In highly biodiverse waters such as the South China Sea and seas surrounding the Galápagos Islands, China's distant-water fleets have been blamed for: Overfishing and depleting susceptible species, some of which are slow to replenish or already vulnerable. Damaging marine ecosystems such as coral reefs and seamounts through bottom trawling and other harmful methods. Disturbing regional economies, particularly in developing countries where coastal communities depend substantially on small-scale, sustainable fisheries. Excessive fishing of jointly managed fish stocks can have spillover impacts on marine food webs, destabilize ecosystems, and heighten tensions between bordering states. China's distant-water fleets Besides ecological concerns, security specialists suggest China's distant-water fleets are able to fill broader strategic roles. According to some experts, some analysts believe the fleets follow a concept dual in purpose both economically and geopolitically. Chinese fishing vessels were reportedly detected within contested seafloors where they are speculated to augment claims, engage in spying operations, or back up naval functions. Such actions are a source of concern to nations with competing claims in contested waters, particularly the South China Sea, whose maritime boundaries are extremely contentious. Satellite views of industrial fishing spark calls for regulation The satellite images are more than an awe-inspiring view—they're a sobering look at the scale and complexity of industrial fishing and its effect on the well-being of oceans and global stability. As such images go viral on social networks and among eco-circles, they reinforce calls for international cooperation, regulation, and technology disclosure in managing the world's seas. As man grasps for the stars, the perspective back toward Earth highlights that some of our biggest challenges remain connected to the waters below. Also Read | NASA's rare look inside Uranus reveals fascinating new discoveries
India Today
12-05-2025
- Science
- India Today
Mega Chinese fishing fleet seen from space: Every dot is a fishing boat
A striking image captured from the International Space Station (ISS) has brought global attention to the sheer scale of China's distant-water fishing by A. Pettit, whose father astronaut Don Pettit took the photograph during his recent ISS mission, the image shows hundreds of bright dots scattered across the dark ocean-each one a fishing boat trawling the seabed, not a city spectacle is so vast and luminous that it is visible from space, underscoring the magnitude of China's maritime I saw this with my own eyes, one thought that came to mind was the famous opening line from A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens: It is the best of times for fishing, it is the worst of times for fish Chun (@satofishi) May 12, 2025 Reacting to the image, Japanese astronaut Satoshi Furukawa shared a video of the fleet from his own mission, reflecting on the scene with a quote from Charles Dickens: 'It is the best of times for fishing, it is the worst of times for fish'The haunting view highlights not just the technological prowess of modern fishing, but also the immense pressure it places on marine distant-water fishing fleet is the largest in the world, with an estimated 2,700 ships operating across oceans far from and radio-frequency tracking have revealed that many of these vessels operate in tightly packed formations, often switching off their tracking systems to evade detection and skirt international 'going dark' tactic has been linked to illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, raising alarms among environmentalists and neighboring frame from this video over the South China Sea!Fishing fleets are very distinct from orbit. A. Pettit (@PettitFrontier) May 12, 2025In regions like the South China Sea and near the Galpagos Islands, such fleets have been accused of depleting fish stocks, damaging sensitive marine habitats, and undermining local experts also warn that these fleets, operating under civilian guise, may serve dual roles in intelligence gathering and asserting China's territorial images from space make clear, the scale of industrial fishing-and the challenges it poses to ocean health and maritime security-has never been more visible.
