Sea Around Us B 80 km north of north Venezuela80 km tiny islandofBonaireThe islocated had theirannualmeeting Conservation in Marine This year, thePew Fellows economy ofold. have replaced theslave (oil refininginCuraçao), Bonaire), ortransformation (marinesaltin extraction tourism, andresource Antilles, wherediving constitute theNetherlands the fewspecksoflandthat incorporating into Bonaire most tenacious, these, theDutchwere the ofEuropeans.the arrival Of have to been peopledprior notto The islandappears evolving into endemics. with many speciessoon faunaandflora, terrestrial to acquirea started million years later, whenit years agobutemerged 30 Bonaire: 90millionyears, The Sea Around Us Project Newsletter Project Us Around Sea The plus afewdaystothink magma 90million boilof underwater onaire beganasan Issue 14 – November/December 2002 November/December – 14 Issue By Daniel By this month’s issueof the Centre (see run byAmanda of Vincent 4) “Action for theocean” and SeaWeb (www.seaweb.org); results”, byBaron of Nancy 3) “Communication of (www.coral.org); Alliance Reef deMeyer of Kalli The Coral ”, by 2) “Community-based Diversity; Convention onBiological ofthe the Secretariat Cyriaque Sendashonga, of by fellow Member Advisory and agreements” of international treaties 1) “Maneuvering themaze workshops: concurrent went onwithfour et al.2001),themeeting in article based onhismuch-cited by Jeremylecture Jackson, Fellow) andkeynote Johannes (a1993Pew Robert to thelate withatribute After starting map). Venezuela’s coast(see of north kilometres isolated island, 80 days onthat few October the privilegeofspendinga Committee,Advisory Ihad the Pew Fellows Program’s in Bonaire. Asamemberof Science (Jackson , organized , University of University Washington’s featured Hilborn, Ray ofthe ‘Advocacy.’speakers The ‘Science’between and to addresstherelation subsequent event, meant everybody’s interest inthe aswell.worthwhile Hence three workshops hadbeen later, showed that theother discussions, heldaday and reports The plenary message across. way ofgettingaworthy standinthe nerdic) often see us(caveat-ridden and ourselves asothersmay to see our inability prejudices asscientists, and documenting how our mock-interviews the presentations and experiencetohear learning York Times Science Editor at the including Cornelia Dean, science journalists, invited astellargroup of attended, Baron had Nancy Number Three, whichI example, inworkshop resource persons. For interesting groupof organizers hadbroughtan Each oftheworkshop byPewactivities Fellows. identifying potentialjoint FishBytes Continued onpage2-Bonaire ), anddevotedto . wasquite a It New Sea Around Us – November/December 2002 Page 2

Bonaire - Continued from page 1 wins. This leaves the one so great damage to coral reefs. named to scream in rage that Indeed, the feral goats and School of Aquatic and Fisheries he or she is NOT BEING donkeys have done just that on Science, and three Pew Fellows EMOTIONAL!!! land, through centuries of including our own . uncontrolled grazing, gradually This séance, in which we were Rather, I joined a group of Pew turning Bonaire’s flat warned of the perils of Fellows who had offered to countryside into a likeness of an commitment, was, however, a discuss, with our colleagues inner-city vacant lot. Similarly, bit of a letdown. Colleagues from Bonaire, the major issues sport- for billfish and have been too often dismissed facing the island’s marine park marlin can deplete nearby as ‘advocates’ because they and fisheries: fishing as surely as a were picking up inconvenient Even small - The gradual erosion of the commercial long line , issues, while those in favor of fisheries can live coral cover and (large) though it usually takes longer the status quo tended to be damage abundance on the reefs, both to get there. presented as dispassionate key to the success of the coral reefs ... proponents of the facts. One SCUBA-diving dependent However, nothing of this sort but nothing example of an outstanding and tourist sector; and can do the damage that EU committed scientist given the of this sort - The current negotiations fleets roaming in the Bonaire treatment was Rachel Carson, can do the between Bonaire’s local Exclusive Fishing Zone would. the author of the book after damage that government and the European The prospect of this happening which the Sea Around Us project Union, the result of an EU may have been diminished a bit EU fleets is named. Thus, I am pleased to attempt to acquire access rights by Pew Fellow Rodrigo would say that I did not participate in for Spanish fishing vessels. Bustamante’s account of foreign that specific discussion - it fleet activities in the waters reminded me too closely of It was a pleasure (but not a around the Galápagos Islands those debates where the first to surprise) to see Pew Fellow (another national park, by the employ the rhetorical ploy of lay out the case way). My account of the effects calling the other “emotional” for the creation of a marine of foreign fleets off West Africa reserve as a tool to address the may have also helped there, first of these issues, although I especially as it came with a must mention that I also made The Sea Around Us project newsletter is a convincing case for the need published by the Fisheries Centre at the Uni- to estimate present catches versity of British Colum- from the reefs (no, the Bonaire bia. Included with Marine Park authorities do not the Fisheries Cen- know how much is presently tre’s newsletter taken out by the commercial FishBytes,six is- and subsistence fisheries from sues of this news- the reefs and marine park letter are pub- surrounding the island, and by lished annually. recreational fisheries further The late Bob Johannes, with Daniel Pauly, Subscriptions are offshore). at last year’s Pew Fellows Annual Meeting in free of charge. Nova Scotia, and to whom this year’s meeting in Bonaire was dedicated. Our mailing address is: UBC Fisheries Cen- The point is that, one fish at a Photo by Amanda Vincent tre, 2204 Main Mall, Vancouver, British Co- time, even small fisheries can do Continued on page 3 - Bonaire 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 – November/December 2002

Bonaire - Continued from page 2 science and advocacy. Clearly, Jackson, J.B.C., M.X. Kirby, W.H. scary Powerpoint presentation scientists should not jump over Berger, K.A. Bjorndal, L.W. Rotsford, featuring ’s it - there are lots of strong, nasty B.J. Bourque, R. Cooke, J.A. Estes, T.P. maps of declining fish characters on the other side, Hughes, S. Kidwell, C.B. Lange, H.S. off West Africa (see Pauly 2002), Lenihan, J.M. Pandolfi, C.H. and one of them, say Goliath, and the key points of EU-West Peterson, R.S. Steneck, M.J. Tegner, may decide to cut off our African agreements (extracted and R.R. Warner. 2001. Historical credibility and who knows what from Kaczynski and Fluharty and the recent collapse else. But nothing should 2001). of coastal ecosystems. Science. 293: prevent us from passing a few 629-638. pebbles over to the occasional Kaczynski, V.M. and D. L. Fluharty The people of Bonaire do not David. That much I learnt in 2001. European policies in West want EU fleets in their waters, Bonaire. Africa: who benefits from fisheries and the information provided agreements. Marine Policy. 26.:75- should help support their 93. References Pauly, D. 2002. A Symposium with position in the next round of Anon. 2002. Opinion: good for Results. Sea Around Us Newsletter Bonaire-EU negotiations – the Antilles, but bad for Bonaire. 12, August/September 2002: 1-4. which brings us back to the The Bonaire Reporter. October 11- issue of the wall between 18, 2002. Sea Around Us dances with Minister of isheries By Dirk Zeller and Villy Christensen

uring the first two-year Mer (), and Department significant role in Faroese phase of the Sea Around of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO, culture and society. The DUs project (1999-2000), Canada). The purpose of the government utilizes a spatial- Commercial we focused extensively on the workshop was to bring together and effort-based system of North Atlantic. While the project expertise on ecosystems, management for their demersal and has since expanded its regional modelling, and on the Faroe fisheries, and explicitly subsistence focus, our previous marine environment. It was also incorporates ecosystem fisheries collaborative involvements in an opportunity to present and considerations in their policies. play a the North Atlantic region discuss Faroese ecosystems, Given the importance of fishing significant (Guénette et al. 2001; Zeller et identify gaps in knowledge of to the Faroe economy and al. 2001) continue to have importance for modelling the culture, considerable interest role in interesting ‘after-shocks’. Thus Faroese ecosystems and to has been expressed in the Faroese Villy Christensen and Dirk Zeller formulate projects to fill these evaluation of these culture and received an invitation from the gaps. management measures at the society ‘Fiskirannsóknarstovan’ ecosystem level, and hence this (Fisheries Laboratory) of the The Faroes, located in the event. Faroe Island government to northeastern Atlantic between participate in a fully sponsored Scotland and Iceland, consist of The workshop consisted of two workshop on ecosystem a group of 18 islands inhabited days of presentations, followed modelling of Faroese waters, by approximately 46,000 by one day of working held in the Faroese capital people and covering about subgroup sessions and forum Tórshavn in September, 2002. A 1,400 km2. However, the Faroe discussion. On the first day, local wide range of people were Islands have responsibility for scientists presented general invited, including the marine resources in an EEZ overviews of Faroese waters representatives from ICES/ of over 270,000 km2. Fishing and their ecosystems, and the GLOBEC, Trondhjem Biological represents the major available data sets. These Station (Norway), Nansen commercial activity, accounting presentations covered topics Environmental and Remote for over 95% of exports and ranging from physical Centre (Norway), University of over 44% of GDP. Furthermore, oceanography, planktonic and Rostock (Germany), Station both commercial and benthic studies, through Zoologique de Villefranche-sur- subsistence fisheries play a Continued on page 4 - Faroe Islands Sea Around Us – November/December 2002 Page 4

Faroe Islands - Continued from page 3 Atlantic (Guénette et al. 2001; undertook an excellent effort in summaries of fish assemblages, Christensen et al. 2002). Dirk exposing we visitors to as many all the way up the marine food Zeller presented his local customs, delicacies web to seabirds and marine experiences in modelling the (including whale meat!) and mammals (both of which are Faroe marine ecosystem using vistas as possible, through an hunted for local consumption). the Ecospace routine based on excellent after-hours social On the second day, the invited his collaborative work with the program. Clearly, the social experts gave presentations on Faroe Fisheries scientist Jákup highlight of this workshop was their area of a memorable dinner followed expertise, with by lessons in traditional Faroe emphasis on the dances and songs, held in one Faroe Island of the oldest houses in the ecosystems. These Faroes (dating back to well presentations before 800 A.D.). This evening included topics such was well attended by as: fronts and frontal participants and workshop dynamics (Ken sponsors, as well as the Faroe Drinkwater, DFO); Minister of Fisheries. Indeed, primary production rarely do scientists get the in the Nordic Seas opportunity to dance The local (Egil Sakshaug, traditional dances arm in arm organizing Trondhjem Biological with a cabinet member, committee Station); a review of especially one who can sing! modelling undertook zooplankton References an excellent dynamics to Christensen V., Guénette S., effort in represent matter flow Heymans J.J., Walters C.J., Watson exposing we to higher trophic R., Zeller D., Pauly D. 2002. Hundred- year decline of North Atlantic visitors to as levels (Francois Carlotti, Station predatory . Fish and Fisheries, Images from the Faroe Islands. The harbour at Torshavn (top) - in press. many local small boats nearly outnumber the population on the Faroe Zoologique); three Guénette S., Christensen V., Pauly customs, dimensional Islands. The islands are renowned for dramatic landscapes such as this (bottom), with villages depending on a mix of D. 2001. Fisheries Impacts on North delicacies modelling of fishing and farming. Photos by Villy Christensen Atlantic Ecosystems: Models and and vistas as zooplankton Analyses. Fisheries Centre Research possible distribution Reports 9(4). Fisheries Centre, (Wolfgang Fennel, University of Reinert (Zeller and Freire 2001; University of British Columbia, Rostock); climate change in the Zeller and Reinert in review). Vancouver, 344 pp. Atlantic-Arctic region (Helge Zeller D., Freire K. 2001. A Drange, Nansen Environmental The outcome of this workshop preliminary North-East Atlantic marine : Faroe was very positive from the and Remote Center); review of Islands and ICES Area Vb. In: ecosystem linkages that may perspective of the Sea Around S.Guénette, V. Christensen, D. Pauly matter in management (Jake Us project, as the Director of the (eds) Fisheries Impacts on North Rice, DFO); and environmental Faroe Fisheries Laboratory, Hjalti Atlantic Ecosystems: Models and influences on the Faroe cod Jákupsstovu, expressed a strong Analyses. Fisheries Centre Research stock and comparisons with interest in continuing and Reports 9(4), pp 207-212. other cod stocks (Keith Brander, possibly expanding a Zeller D., Reinert, J. (in review) GLOBEC). The Sea Around Us collaboration devoted to Modelling spatial closures and presentations focused on our further refining the existing fishing effort restrictions in the Faroe Islands marine ecosystem. , Ecosim and Ecospace use of and experience with Ecological Modelling. Ecopath with Ecosim as an model applications to the Faroe Zeller D., Watson R., Pauly D. ecosystem modelling tool. Villy Islands. 2001. Fisheries Impacts on North Christensen presented an Atlantic Ecosystems: Catch, Effort overview of the use of Ecopath Besides the interesting and and National/Regional Data Sets with Ecosim modelling diverse presentations and Fisheries Centre Research Reports approaches for ecosystem professional interactions 9(3). Fisheries Centre, University of based management of fisheries, among all participants, the local British Columbia, Vancouver, based on our work in the North organizing committee 254 pp. Page 5 Sea Around Us – November/December 2002 Update on the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment By Jackie Alder

n the last newsletter (Issue and the model-builders – with It was interesting to learn about 13) Daniel Pauly introduced both camps exchanging ideas the range of models and their Ithe Millennium Assessment and discussing issues in plenary applications currently in use (MA) and its activities. Needless sessions. This proved to be a throughout the world. It was to say it has not taken long for very efficient approach. also interesting to note what is the Sea Around Us project to currently modelled (e.g. food quickly involve itself in MA The number of scenarios was consumption for a range of activities. The Second Global reduced to four, based on the cereal crops and water flows) Scenarios Workshop for the time and resources available to and what is not modelled (e.g. Millennium Assessment was members of the working group. water quality). held in Bangkok from October 7 The four scenarios represent to October 11, with me the spectrum of plausible A small group of the model- attending on behalf of the Sea future storylines ranging from builders developed a concept Around Us project. The “Learn and Leap” (where to link biodiversity, area and The group workshop had an auspicious adaptive learning dominates ecosystem services. We are now were experts start with a deluge of morning and traditional knowledge is developing the concept and rain combined with a king tide incorporated) at one end of the will test it over the next few in their fields creating flood conditions spectrum to “Techno-garden” months, so watch this space for and they around our hotel and (where technology dominates an update on its progress. In the came with a reinforcing what might happen and the role of the environment meantime, the Sea Around Us commitment in the future if policy makers do is weakened) at the other end. project will be attending the to further the not take action to maintain our In between we have “Economic “Conditions and Trends” ecosystems globally. Optimism” (where ecosystem working group meeting in Sao working management is crises-driven Carlos, Brazil in November and I group’s The “Scenarios” working group’s and reactive, not proactive, but hope to report on that in the efforts role is to assess the impact on there is a high capacity to next newsletter. Plans are also ecosystem service delivery in respond) and “Elites” (where underway for the Sea Around Us the coming decades, under developed nations protect their project to host a Millennium different sets of intervention interest through inequitable Assessment workshop for the options. The second meeting policies and property rights and “Marine and Coastal Conditions” was: with little regard for the needs working group in April of next i) to define the different and interests outside of their year. intervention scenarios; own region). The workshop also ii) to identify the models that identified some key Stop the Press! could be used to assess these assumptions such as human Bonaire reverses scenarios; and populations will continue to iii) to determine how these grow but will level out later this position on EU fleets scenarios could be quantified century. The number of We have just received correspondence using key indicators. assumptions was kept small to from Mr G. DeSalvo, of the Bonaire allow greater flexibility within Nature Alliance, informing us that the The three objectives of the the groups to explore the statistics and advice provided by the meeting sound very daunting. scenarios presented. participants of the Pew Fellows meeting has been an important factor However, the members of the in the Bonaire majority party’s decision group that assembled in Model-builders spent much of to reverse its stand on allowing foreign Bangkok were experts in their the week identifying the drivers fishers into the Netherlands Antilles fields and they came with a and ecosystems that could be Exclusive Fishery Zone. Mr DeSalvo hails this as “a victory for our commitment to further the modeled and what modeled environment” and thanks us on behalf working group’s efforts. The outcomes are needed to of the Bonaire Nature Alliance and all workshop broke into two major provide key indicators for supporters of sustainable fishing in camps: the scenario-builders quantification of the scenarios. Bonaire’s waters. Daniel Pauly Sea Around Us – November/December 2002 Page 6 A CD-ROM on the Marine Ecosystems of the Northwest African Subregion By Maria Lourdes (Deng) Palomares

e are pleased to ii) Ecopath models, vi) Selected documentation of announce the incorporating the results of the the fisheries of the subregion, in Wcompletion of our CD- ‘Ecopath Module’ of the SIAP both French and English. ROM, The Marine Ecosystems of project, for the continental the Northwest African Subregion, shelves of the member This CD-ROM went through an which was designed to help countries, most covering two exhaustive pre-distribution implement findings of the time periods with different testing cycle (S. Booth, M.L.D. International Symposium on ecosystem structures and Palomares and D. Zeller for the Comprehensive Marine Fisheries, Ecosystems and biomasses; English version, and L. regional and Societies in West Africa: Half a iii) Time-series of FAO catches Morissette and D. Pauly for the national lists Century of Change (see Sea (1950-2000) allocated to EEZs of French version) and multimedia of marine Around Us newsletter, Issue 12). West African countries from production phase (Cindy The CD-ROM was prepared by Morocco to South Africa, using Young). fishes, me, Deng Palomares, with the a procedure developed by Dr Ecopath assistance of other members of Reg Watson and colleagues of For a copy of this CD-ROM, models, time- the Sea Around Us project and the Sea Around Us project, as a please contact me series of FAO funding from the EU-Northwest contribution to the ‘StatBase ([email protected] ). catches, African ‘SIAP Project’. Among Module’ of the SIAP project; For more information about the the important features of this iv) The raw data and full Dakar Symposium, please see Guinean bilingual (French/English) CD- documentation of the ‘Guinean http://saup.fisheries.ubc.ca/ Trawl ROM are: Survey’ (1963-1964), as Dakar/index.htm. Survey ... i) Comprehensive regional and a contribution to the ‘TrawlBase national lists of marine fishes, Module’ of the SIAP project; incorporating the results of the v) Powerpoint presentations of ‘FishBase Module’ of the SIAP selected contributions project (i.e., covering the seven presented during the member countries of the NW International Symposium on African subregion, and Marine Fisheries, Ecosystems and providing common names in Societies in West Africa: Half a various local languages); Century of Change; and Sea Around Us in Nature again Continuing on a wave of recent high-profile publications, including two co-authored papers in Nature (Watson and Pauly 2001; Pauly et al 2002) and a personal profile in Science (Malakoff 2002), Daniel Pauly has once again brought the Sea Around Us project and its goals to the attention of the world. This time, his perspectives on issues of marine conservation appear prominently in a special feature in Nature (Schiermeier 2002), which highlights the current failure of the world’s fisheries scientists and managers to halt the unsustainable practices of today’s fishing fleets. Drawing on the opinions of fisheries experts from around the world, the article covers the key issues facing contemporary fisheries decision-makers, including the need to reduce effort and set aside protected areas, while fostering better dialogue between fishers, scientists and the public. The current global debate and growing awareness about the state of the world’s fisheries has been fuelled in part by the work of the Sea Around Us project and we are glad that Nature has chosen to pick up the issue in recent months. We hope that this is a continuing trend that will eventually lead to action on the part of those with the power to bring about change. References Malakoff, D. 2002 Going to the Edge to Protect the Sea. Science 296, 458-461. Pauly, D., V. Christensen, S. Guénette, T. J. Pitcher, U. R. Sumaila, C. J. Walters, R. Watson, D. Zeller 2002. Towards sustainability in world fisheries Nature 418, 689-695. Schiermeier, Q. 2002. How many more fish in the sea? Nature 419, 662-665. Watson, R. and D. Pauly 2001. Systematic distortions in world fisheries catch trends Nature 414, 534-536.