Upon first glance of the satellite image of the South Atlantic Ocean off the coast of South America, the formation of lights looks like the result of some unnatural phenomenon. Conspiracy theorists and alien hunters would surely marvel at the scene if there was no logical explanation for it. The answer, however, is more shocking than the silly speculations that could easily arise.
The lights, captured by Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite on the Suomi NPP satellite, are actually a large collection of squid fishermen.
NASA explains, "There are no human settlements there, nor fires or gas wells. But there are an awful lot of fishing boats."
According to Yahoo! News, the night fishermen are hunting for Illex argentinus, a species of short-finned squid that forms the second largest squid fishery on the planet. The squid are found tens to hundreds of kilometers offshore from roughly Rio de Janeiro to Tierra del Fuego (22 to 54 degrees South latitude). They live 80 to 600 meters (250 to 2,000 feet) below the surface, feeding on shrimp, crabs, and fish. In turn, Illex are consumed by larger finfish, whales, seals, sea birds, penguins ... and humans.
Fishermen use the powerful lights, "generating as much as 300 kilowatts of light per boat," to draw the plankton and fish that the squid eat toward the surface.
-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary
Satellite spots light show in the middle of the ocean - Yahoo! News
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