Actually, I think you'd find that the naval traffic might be more in some areas, but less in others.
Lurker could obviously give a feel for it.
Bottom line is that there were very many more noncombatants at sea than warships at any moment in RL, and his is TROM based. Since the japanese didn't adopt convoys except invasion forces, etc, until 43 to limited extent, and 44 more so, lone merchants would still be pretty likely since at any moment there should be 200-400 merchants at sea or so I reckon, most alone.
tater
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