Sea Around Us T Palomares, Reg Watson and Christensen,Villy Deng also involved in theMA: Us Around Sea ofthe Several members CLA for theCoastal chapter. in Washington D.C. isthe a private consultantbased chapter and Tundi Agardy, for(CLA) theMarine coordinating leadauthor Us Around DanielPauly ofthe participants. andcoastal the marine of outside oftheexpertise and issuesrelated to areas questions to helpclarify different and perspective a meeting toprovide attended this MA reports the variouschaptersin for and leadauthors(LA) coordinating Several systems throughout. such asmarine componentsspecific of theMAinclude ensure thatallfacets five, designedto of third inaseries workshop was the Workshop. The Cross-Cutting andCoastalMarine Assessment’s (MA) the Millennium update: Marine and Coastal and Marine update: The Sea Around Us Project Newsletter Project Us Around Sea The his April, the project hosted project Around Us Sea Cross-Cutting workshop Cross-Cutting Millennium Assessment Millennium project is project project are project Issue 16 – March/April 2003 March/April – 16 Issue Sea workshop. andAndrewBakunA raven (right)tothe (left) dancer greetsRichardDugdale 20 dedicated researchers, While thegroupofover happen intheMA. ensure thatthisdoesnot workshop, however,will studies. The results ofthis forgottenare often inglobal world’s oceansandcoasts 70%marine,being the surface theearth Despite marine realmandcoasts. ecosystemsspecific –the was thefirstto focuson biodiversity. Thisworkshop human healthissuesand werecutting workshops on The previous two cross- work. thescenarios furthering of bothchapters aswell to contribute tothewriting workshop andwillcontinue myself inthe participated by Jackie Alder Jackie by coastal work.Many ofthe strengthen themarineand which willfurther marine andcoastalissues, different to perspective other fieldsprovided a from addition ofexperts groups.working The andresponses scenarios ofthe tuned thework the otherchapters, and expanded thecoverage of strengthened and trends report, planned conditionsand coastal chaptersofthe and ofthemarine writing progresssignificant onthe workshops,two we made smaller thantheprevious them ofthe ‘wet’ sort), was (andnotallof expertise from awiderange of Continued onpage2-MA Photo by J. Alder Sea Around Us – March/April 2003 Page 2

MA - Continued from page 1 participants who did not have a marine background commented on how much they had learned and how they now have a better appreciation of marine and coastal issues. The workshop was launched The at the First Nations House of evening’s Learning with welcoming entertainment remarks from the University of provided British Columbia’s Michael Goldberg, Director of Participants at the MA Marine and Coastal Crosscutting Workshop with members of visitors with International Affairs and Dick the Lax Kaien Tsimshian Dancers. a glimpse of Carson, Pacific Regional Manager the of Ocean Policy, Department of with a dinner of traditional (see Sea Around Us Issue 14: importance and Oceans. The aboriginal food and The Lax www.saup.fisheries.ubc.ca/ Kaien Tsimshian Dancers. The of the coast Longhouse venue, combined Newsletters/newsletter.htm). with BC’s rich history of evening’s entertainment Because of the limited and offshore and the spiritual values of BC’s provided visitors with a glimpse knowledge of marine systems resources to First Nations, provided an of the importance of the coast combined with even less aboriginals inspiring start to the workshop, and offshore resources to knowledge of the impacts of in British especially since the MA has been aboriginals in British Columbia some of the proposed and set the scene for a Columbia working hard to ensure that initiatives for such systems, the aboriginal needs are recognized productive week. scenarios breakout group came and included. The first day of The workshop then moved to to a consensus that any of these the workshop was concluded St John’s College for the scenarios will have considerable remainder of the week and much uncertainty about how marine work was accomplished. The systems will behave. But under current drafts of the three major all four scenarios, it was agreed, reports on ‘Conditions and fish landings would not The Sea Around Us project newsletter is Trends’, ‘Scenarios’ and increase above what they published at the Fisher- ‘Responses’ were reviewed in currently are. ies Centre, University detail, including The crosscutting workshop of British Colum- recommendations on also made substantial progress bia. Six issues of incorporating important marine in defining marine and coastal this newsletter are and coastal aspects. The group concepts and clarifying a published annu- reviewing the Scenarios report number of terms that are used ally, included with found it quite a challenge to in the MA. The MA authors from the Fisheries Cen- determine the likely events that outside of the marine and tre’s newsletter would play out for the four coastal chapters highlighted a FishBytes. Subscriptions scenarios that have been number of concepts that they are free of charge. proposed by the MA’s Scenarios were not familiar with. Terms Our mailing address is: UBC Fisheries Cen- Working Group. The scenarios such as ‘production’ or ‘harvest’ tre, 2204 Main Mall, Vancouver, British Co- have previously been described Continued on page 3 - MA lumbia, Canada, V6T 1Z4. Our fax number is (604) 822-8934, and our email address is he Sea Around Us project is a Fisheries Centre partner- [email protected]. All queries (in- ship with the Pew Charitable Trusts of Philadelphia, cluding reprint requests), subscription re- USA. The Trusts support nonprofit activities in the areas of quests, and address changes should be ad- T culture, education, the environment, health and human serv- dressed to Robyn Forrest, Sea Around Us ices, public policy and religion. Based in Philadelphia, the Trusts Newsletter Editor. make strategic investments to help organisations and citizens The Sea Around Us website may be found develop practical solutions to difficult problems. In 2000, with at saup.fisheries.ubc.ca and contains up-to- approximately $4.8 billion in assets, the Trusts committed over date information on the project. $235 million to 302 nonprofit organisations. Page 3 Sea Around Us – March/April 2003

MA - Continued from page 2 how they should be presented. The Sea Around Us project is are used extensively in the Some of the MA workshop pleased that, through hosting terrestrial realm to define the participants took advantage of the workshop, it could make a output of cultivated systems. In the weather and spent a few significant contribution to the the marine sector, they do not hours on Wednesday afternoon progress of the Millennium have the same meaning. touring the Fraser Inlet and Assessment. The workshop Gathering marine and coastal coast. It was a beautiful allowed us to make a major experts from different areas afternoon: the weather, sun and leap forward in making sure allowed identification of a marine wildlife cooperated so that marine and coastal systems The Sea range of datasets that will be that participants were given a are considered throughout the Around Us useful for other researchers glimpse of the coast of MA. It also highlighted the fact project is participating in this MA as well Vancouver - a mix of industry, that there is considerably more pleased that as for providing baseline data recreation, urban and port work to be done to make sure it could for subsequent MAs. development. Within this that decision-makers in the The workshop also provided seascape they saw a real false public and private sectors, the make a the CLAs with the opportunity killer whale, seals and a wide major end-users of the MA, significant to meet with colleagues who variety of sea birds and waders. have the most up-to-date and contribution are contributing to the marine Participants from the United best advice available to ensure to the and coastal chapters and to States were thrilled to see bald the sustainability of oceans and progress of highlight information gaps and eagles, their national bird, in coasts. No doubt the Sea approaches to fill those gaps as such numbers while others Around Us through its part- the well as to reach a consensus on were amazed that such wildlife icipation in the MA has much to Millennium what are the major issues and could be seen so close to a city. contribute to this end! Assessment

In a Perfect Ocean: The Sea Around Us now available in paperback

Long-term readers of this newsletter may remember a story published in May/June 2001 (Sea Around Us, Issue 9, p. 3), where scientific writer Jay Maclean is described as working feverishly through the night, during a Sea Around Us workshop in Nanaimo, to finish the first draft of In a Perfect Ocean: The State of Fisheries and Ecosystems in the North Atlantic Ocean. Those who have been waiting ever since for the book’s publication will be glad to know that it has just been published by Island Press. In a Perfect Ocean, by and Jay Maclean, presents the first comprehensive empirical assessment of the status of ecosystems in the North Atlantic ocean. Drawing on the results of the work of the Sea Around Us project, the book provides a picture of an ocean whose ecology has been dramatically altered by fishing. In addition to presenting some of the many maps and graphs produced by members of the Sea Around Us, including Reg Watson, Villy Christensen, Rashid Sumaila, Kristin Kaschner and Dirk Zeller, the book provides a snapshot of the past health of the North Atlantic and compares it to its present status; presents scientific assessments based on the key criteria of fisheries catches, and trophic level; discusses the factors that have led to the current situation; and discusses the policy options available for halting the decline. The book is intended to be the first in a series of assessments by the world’s leading marine scientists. Sea Around Us – March/April 2003 Page 4 And Kenneth Arrow was in the audience! by

n the past year or so I’ve presentation is that incorporating the concerns for given talks in various parts of conventional discounting future generations within the Ithe world on how results in the ‘front loading’ of economic framework, policy discounting may affect our benefits and the ‘back loading’ makers can determine what they ability to manage marine of costs. This in turn leads to a have to give up in terms of resources sustainably, for the situation where the interest of economic efficiency in order to benefit of both current and future generations is meet crucial societal objectives future generations. In January compromised. It should be such as intergenerational equity. I think I 2003, I gave one such talk at noted that I am not the first to Another interesting point, Stanford University on the make this point; many others made by Kenneth Arrow and succeeded in invitation of the Institute for have been concerned about the others, was that most of the convincing International Studies. Given that effect of discounting on observed in various the audience the lecture was very early in benefits to be received from parts of the world is due to the that it is both the semester, my host, Dr natural systems in the distant open access nature of fisheries ineffective Rosamond Naylor, informed me future (e.g. Clark, 1973; and not the way we value the not many people were likely to Weitzman, 2002). To deal with flow of benefits. I think I fisheries attend. To our pleasant surprise this problem, I presented the succeeded in convincing the management we ended up with a full house, newly developed audience that it is both and the way with several Stanford intergenerational discounting ineffective we discount economists, including Nobel approach of Sumaila (2001) and and the way we discount flows of flows of net Laureate Kenneth Arrow, in Sumaila and Walters (2002), and net benefits that contribute to attendance. results from an analysis of the over-fishing. Another comment benefits that I began my talk by asking the Icelandic model mentioned worth mentioning is that a contribute to question: do economic models earlier, using the conventional member of the audience over-fishing of marine resource use and intergenerational encouraged me to try to link the adequately capture the discounting approaches. idea of discounting clocks to interests of future generations? In the discussion that Daniel Pauly’s “shifting baseline In other words, are economic followed. First, a point was syndrome”. Rather coincidentally, models altruistic? I discussed made that discounting as Daniel and I had already what the literature says, and conventionally practiced is discussed a joint contribution to presented fisheries data to meant to demonstrate the do just that. examine the empirical evidence economic efficiency of I had a wonderful time at regarding this question. I then environmental projects and Stanford and I believe that my proceeded to introduce the policies, and nothing more. visit has created the potential for concept of intergenerational Concerns such as inter- and future collaboration between the discounting, which has the intra-generational equity and Fisheries Centre and the Institute potential to solve the vexing ecosystem sustainability should for International Studies at problem of discounting of flows be dealt with outside the Stanford. of net benefits from natural and economic valuation framework. environmental resources. My response to this is that, References Finally, I used results from a while there is a need for policy Clark, C.W. (1973) The model of the Icelandic makers to know the state of economics of overexploitation. ecosystem to illustrate the environmental projects with Science 181, 630-634. benefits from restoration regards to economic efficiency, Sumaila, U.R., (2001) programs for the ecosystem, there is also a need for Generational Cost Benefit compared to those from evaluation approaches that Analysis for Evaluating Marine maintaining the status quo explicitly include legitimate Ecosystem Restoration fishing strategy (Sumaila, 2001). policy questions as part of the In: T.J. Pitcher, U. Sumaila, and D. A key message of my framework of economics. By Continued on page 5- Stanford Page 5 Sea Around Us – March/April 2003 The ishBase Consortium was in Malta? by Maria Lourdes (Deng) Palomares

es, it was! I went to sunny Europaea Bureau; and d) the 5- experiences in the building and and beautiful Malta. member Fauna Europaea Newly maintenance of their databases. YDon’t get me wrong, I went Accessing States (to the Special attention was given to there to work ! The invitation to European Union) panel. future plans of collaborations and give a FishBase overview to the The Fauna Europaea Bureau synergies between these various Fauna Europaea Third End-users presented the prototype of the databases. I presented FishBase, Forum Meeting, 7-10 March 2003, online interface which will using Maltese examples, notably was welcomed and accepted provide access to their database the many Maltese common with much enthusiasm names supplied by Fisheries ... an insight (especially since I had never been Centre graduate student, Yvette to that part of the world). Rizzo, who is from Malta. I also into what Organizers were Dr Patrick J. outlined some of the reasons for users of Schembri and Marika J. Gauci the success of FishBase as an biodiversity from the University of Malta. information and biodiversity databases The purpose of this meeting database. I emphasized the want and was to obtain an insight into what lessons we learned through the users of biodiversity databases in 12 years of working with a how they Europe want, and how they complex, ‘data hungry’ database - would like would like the access of notably that quality is not the access of information provided. The compromised by the quantity of information meeting was attended by: a) a 9- containing scientific names as data encoded and that all provided ... member Maltese end-user panel, well as information on the collaborators, data providers and consisting of representatives distribution of all European authors of the various from the Ministry of Agriculture fauna. This primarily taxonomic publications used in FishBase are and Fisheries, the Natural History database will link to similar given explicit credit. I also Museum of Malta, the University databases ( e.g. Species 2000, stressed the importance of of Malta, and two national NGOs; and others like FishBase) vernacular names: the primary b) a panel of 3 invited speakers providing more in-depth reason for the more than 6 million from the FishBase Consortium (I biological and geographical FishBase hits in February 2003. represented the Fisheries Centre, information for each species. FishBase was well received as a and there were also One of the many important ‘model’ database and my representatives from the questions addressed and presentation generated a University of Agricultural resolved in this meeting was the number of queries and offers of Sciences,Vienna, and from the inclusion of common names in collaboration from the Maltese European Topic Centre on Nature the different languages of the colleagues, notably, Mr. Darrin Protection & Biodiversity region. Stevens, from the Convention on (European Environment Agency, All of the invited speakers Biological Diversity for Malta. Paris); c) the 5-member Fauna were asked to present their In addition to the opportunity of presenting FishBase to a Stanford - Continued from page 4 receptive audience, who could Pauly (eds) Fisheries Centre Advancement of Science, not have resisted enjoying the Research Reports 9(5), 3-9. Boston. February, 2002 sun, the clear blue skies (www.saup.fisheries. (www.aaas.org/meetings/2002/ contrasting with the limestone ubc.ca/report/impactpolicy/ MPE_01_PRINT.html). buildings of the old city of the sumaila1.pdf). Weitzman, M.L. (2001) Knights of St. John, the fantastic Sumaila, U.R., C. Walters Gamma Discounting. The blue waters of the Mediterran- (2002) Intergenerational American Economic Review. ean Sea and the friendly smiles of Discounting. Presentation at 91(1): pp 260-272. the Maltese people? I am American Association for the happy I went … Sea Around Us – March/April 2003 Page 6 Sea Around Us posters Sea Around Us members presented several posters at the Fisheries Centre Open House in February this year. Here we present a selection of these, representing some of the diversity of research interests in the Sea Around Us team.

“This poster introduces an initiative to establish a catalogue of late 18th to early 19th century oceanographic expeditions and early 20th century scientific surveys and also the detailed work of recovering baseline fish occurrence data from these expeditions and surveys. It can be downloaded at www.saup.fisheries.ubc.ca/ ExpeditionsPoster.pdf. A website on this work is currently under construction - watch this space!” Deng Palomares.

“My research uses GIS tools to investigate the degree of trophic overlap between marine mammals and fisheries on a global scale. This poster shows some preliminary results for the North Atlantic in the 1990s and demonstrates how spatially explicit modeling of trophic overlap may improve the assessment of potential impacts of fisheries on marine mammal populations. The poster can be downloaded at www.saup.fisheries.ubc.ca/ FisheriesMammalOverlap.pdf.” Kristin Kaschner. “We designed this poster to give a geographical depiction and comments on the spatial and temporal trends in global fisheries that have been revealed through our research with Daniel Pauly and other Sea Around Us members. Interactive maps of this work can be viewed under ‘Web Products’ at www.saup.fisheries.ubc.ca. You can also download the poster at www.saup.fisheries.ubc.ca/ GlobalTrendsPoster.pdf”. Reg Watson (left) and Adrian Kitchingman.