Fig. 2

a Ratio map of higher-income vessels’ apparent fishing effort comparative to lower-income vessels’ apparent fishing effort (hours fished) within Exclusive Economic Zones. This figure uses Global Fishing Watch AIS data for the 2019 calendar year. Based on World Bank data, green land mass delineates a low or lower-middle income country (light or dark green, respectively) and purple land mass delineates a high or upper middle-income country (light or dark purple, respectively). The same classifications are applied to all fishing vessel flag states in 2019 and that fishing effort in hours is separated based on flag state income group classification. A ratio of higher- and lower-income fishing effort is taken. The red ratio represents the further extent of higher-income fishing intensity when subtracting lower-income fishing effort (in hours) within each analysis cell; the darkest red indicates fishing is almost exclusively undertaken by higher-income countries. The blue ratio represents the further extent of lower-income fishing intensity when subtracting higher-income fishing effort (in hours) from each analysis cell; the darkest blue indicates fishing is almost exclusively undertaken by lower-income countries. The transparent color indicates equal ratios across income groupings. Figure 2 does not show density of fishing effort, which is depicted in Fig. 1. b Illustrates areas in the Eastern Atlantic off of the West Coast of Africa where there are both high concentrations of higher-income flags as well as high concentrations of lower-income flags. Insets (c) and (d) illustrate that in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, the ratio of fishing intensity tilts strongly toward higher-income flags. This is despite trends in both ocean regions in which foreign capital invests in local flags. Mapping by Gabrielle Carmine.