In addition to spying on neighbors and looking at the outside of their houses—from inside their houses—researchers at the University of British Columbia have found yet another practical use for Google Earth technology.
Using the satellite imagery scientists have discovered that large fish traps in the Persian Gulf could be netting nearly six times more fish than official statistics report. The research is part of a larger project led by marine biologist Daniel Pauly that aims to construct more reliable estimates of the global fish catch, which is often underestimated in official reports.
“In this case we have a really simple, easy-to-use method that countries can use to improve their catch statistics. Basically anyone that’s got a little patience and access to the Internet can do this.”
Tom Bie is the founder, editor, and publisher of The Drake. He started the magazine in 1998 as an annual newsprint publication based in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. He then moved it to Steamboat, Colorado (1999), Boulder, Colorado (2001), and San Clemente, California (2004), as he took jobs as managing editor at Paddler, Senior Editor at Skiing, and Editor-in-Chief at Powder, respectively. Tom and The Drake are now both based in Denver, Colorado, where The Drake is finally all grows up(Swingers, 1996) to a quarterly magazine.