Indeed, in just the past few months, researchers have used
that data to [...] identify supply chains where vessels
offload catches to each other at sea, and to show that the
creation of marine protected areas can lead to a wave of
pre-emptive overfishing.
How long until some fishermen begin to claim a right to privacy? I don't mean that flippantly. Logically speaking, it's a stretch to go from a personal right of privacy as the EU is slowly enshrining to one that protects the economic activity of commercial actors. But as a practical and political matter I don't think it's insurmountable. In America we're experts at reframing these rights issues in a way that benefits corporations. Europe might not be immune to these pressures, simply behind the curve.
