A fathom is a unit of length used to measure the depth of water or the depth of objects underwater. In the international nautical mile system, one fathom is equal to exactly 1.8288 meters or approximately 6 feet. However, in the United States, the customary value for a fathom is often rounded to 6 feet.
Fathoms are commonly used in navigation, maritime activities, and underwater exploration to measure the depth of bodies of water, the draft of ships, and the depth of diving. Sailors, fishermen, and divers often use this unit to assess water depths.
A perch is a unit of length that was historically used in some English-speaking countries, primarily in the United Kingdom. It is equivalent to 5.5 yards or 16.5 feet (about 5.0292 meters). The term "perch" is relatively old and is not commonly used in modern measurements.
Perches were often used in land measurement, particularly in agriculture and real estate. They were also sometimes used in surveying. However, the use of the perch as a standard unit of measurement has largely been replaced by more modern and standardized systems such as the metric system or the imperial system based on feet and yards. As a result, the perch is considered an archaic or historical unit of measurement today.