[elliekelly]

This is really concerning. The fishing industry is fairly manual but many fish populations are already pushed to the brink. I went to Antartica a few months ago and I was shocked at how many squid boats we could see at night on our way down. Hundreds and hundreds with huge bright lights to lure them to their machinery. Overfishing is a real problem to the point that the current situation is almost unsustainable. I worry automation will push it over the edge.

[eldavido]

Overfishing is a regulatory, not technical, problem.

Though I do think many of the hardest problems today are regulatory (climate, health, digital political advertising), not necessarily technical.

[elliekelly]

I disagree. Regulations and technology go hand-in-hand. Often the technology comes first and regulations try to keep up.

[eloff]

I don't think technology is the issue here, it will just exacerbate an already existing problem of unsustainable fisheries management.

[briandear]

Less incentive to overfish when fewer people depend on the industry for their jobs. And, just curious, is overfishing squid an actual problem? Seems like there is a problem with squid overpopulation in fact. http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/05/world-octopus-and-squ...

[elliekelly]

I think the overpopulation in that article is more in the Pacific Ocean. The way it was explained to me (in Spanish, and I'll admit I'm not exactly fluent) was that squid fishing off the coast of Argentina and nearing Antartica is not at all regulated and they use much bigger and more powerful lights to attract them than what they'd be permitted to use elsewhere.

I don't think they're technically "allowed" to use those sorts of lights in Southern Ocean either but each nation is responsible for enforcing the treaty and most governments don't. It's also my understanding that Japan is pretty open and notorious in their Antarctic fishing in violation of international treaties but everyone just sort of shakes their head without doing much to stop them.

Edit: Not particularly detailed but mentions the lack of regulation/overfishing in the area: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/shortcuts/2016/oct/...

[nine_k]

You can actually and legitimately sink a robotic fishing boat if it does unlawful fishing.