Could web-connected fishing boats solve the overfishing problem?

Last year's tsunami absolutely devastated the Japanese fishing industry, leaving fishermen without ports to sell their catch. One company's innovative method of finding replacement buyers in the wake of disaster could wind up solving an even bigger environmental issue: overfishing.

After seeing the majority of its fleet destroyed by the 2011 Japanese tsunami, fish company Sanriku Toretate Ichiba equipped its remaining four boats with laptops and webcams. As the ships catch fish, they post information about the catch on the web in real time for customers to view.

At first, the online tracking system was used simply to help the company create a new way to sell its wares. Since then, the system has evolved to the point where the fisherman are better able to track demand and only catch the amount of fish which can be sold. If the boat catches more than it can sell, it returns the excess live fish to the ocean, minimizing the boat's impact on the environment.

Not everyone is convinced that the online system will benefit the planet — fishing industry observers are concerned the convenience of online purchasing could increase the already high demand for fish. And there is concern that much of the fish caught by trawlers, a common type of fishing boat, are killed as they are caught. Still, there is hope that by having an accurate read on ever-changing demand, the Japanese fishing industry may one day eliminate the problem of overfishing.

[Image credit: Tomas Fano]

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