cyberfish

is the idea that fish, when they become nodes within vast technological commodification structures (defined with documentation, laws, and even rights) undergo what amounts to an ontological mutation, a new stage in their evolution.

. . .. the spectacular metamorphosis of fish, by what can be seen as nothing less than h their ontological mutation. The initially invisible and slippery fish, to which it was difficult to attach property rights, were progressively transformed into identifiable, graspable fish that accommodated such rights. They became 'distributed' fish, which Holm suggests calling cyberfish. Cyberfish are traceable, identifiable, predictable and controllable. They correspond to a new stage in the ongoing process of evolution of the species. This latest mutation has required a huge effort involving documentation, fleets of boats to observe catches, cohorts of statisticians to implement the models and make them work, airplanes for watching the fishermen, traceability tools so as not to lose the elusive fish along the way, international institutions and negotiations to ensure that the calculations were right and to take the 'necessary' decisions. To achieve all of this, it has been necessary to transform the dark and mysterious ocean into a transparent aquarium. When fishermen turn into homines economici, they are able to live well only when seas are reconfigured as aquariums.' (in Callon 2006: 34)

Petter HolmThinkers

Petter Holm