What could they get? Old rusted oil rig parts? They’re not capable of living on land and stuff corrodes quickly in salt water without maintenance. They’re not strong enough, dextrous enough or smart enough to get items in shipping containers with a padlock.
That’s a good point about the sea corroding everything though, they’d have to move to land for industry.
It would start with farming. They already use tools, building fish and mollusc farms would be a likely start.
They can scurry across land in short bursts already. Bringing salt so they can explore freshwater streams and rivers seems possible. Digging canals they can travel in up further into the land seems possible.
They actually wouldn’t even need to mine, humans have already done most of that already. They just need to salvage.
What could they get? Old rusted oil rig parts? They’re not capable of living on land and stuff corrodes quickly in salt water without maintenance. They’re not strong enough, dextrous enough or smart enough to get items in shipping containers with a padlock.
They are absolutely smart and dexterous enough.
That’s a good point about the sea corroding everything though, they’d have to move to land for industry.
It would start with farming. They already use tools, building fish and mollusc farms would be a likely start.
They can scurry across land in short bursts already. Bringing salt so they can explore freshwater streams and rivers seems possible. Digging canals they can travel in up further into the land seems possible.
This is starting to feel more and more like the lion/tuna conversation in “the other guys”