By examining historical data for the price of fish as mobile-phone coverage was extended down the coast of Kerala in southern India between 1997 and 2001, for example, Robert Jensen of Harvard University showed that access to mobile phones made markets much more efficient, eliminating wasted catches and thereby bringing down consumer prices by 4% and increasing fishermen's profits by 8%.

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Goodwin immediately gave Fish the green light over the phone and pitched to RBS' board.

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So in 2002 McNitt flew to Los Angeles, grabbed a phone book and started canvassing fish stalls.

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