Design of Experimental Investigations of the Effects of Line and Spear Fishing on the Great Barrier Reef

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Design of Experimental Investigations of the Effects of Line and Spear Fishing on the Great Barrier Reef CRC REEF RESEARCH TECHNICAL REPORT DESIGN OF EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATIONS OF THE EFFECTS OF LINE AND SPEAR FISHING ON THE GREAT BARRIER REEF B.D. Mapstone1, R.A. Campbell2, & A.D.M Smith2 1CRC Reef Research Centre c/- James Cook University of North Queensland, Townsville, QLD 4811 2CSIRO Division of Fisheries, Hobart, TAS 7000 A report funded by the CRC Reef Research Centre. The CRC Reef Research Centre was established under the Australian Government's Cooperative Research Centres Program. The Centre, established in 1993, undertakes an integrated program of applied research and development, training and education, aimed at increasing opportunities for ecologically sustainable development of the Great Barrier Reef and providing an improved scientific basis for Reef management and regulatory decision making. CRC Reef Research Centre c/- James Cook University TOWNSVILLE QLD 4811 Phone: (077) 81 4976 Fax: (077) 81 4099 Email: [email protected] ? Cooperative Research Centre for Ecologically Sustainable Development of the Great Barrier Reef National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in- Publication entry Mapstone, Bruce D. (Bruce David). Design of experimental investigations of the effects of line and spear fishing on the Great Barrier Reef. Bibliography. Includes index. ISBN 1 876054 05 0. 1. Fisheries - Research - Queensland - Great Barrier Reef - Methodology. I. Smith, A.D.M. (Anthony David Miln), 1953- . II. Campbell, Robert Alan, 1957 - . III. Cooperative Research Centre for Ecologically Sustainable Development of the Great Barrier Reef (Australia). IV. Title. (Series: CRC Reef Research technical report; 7). 639.20720943 This publication should be cited as: Mapstone, B.D., Campbell, R.A. and Smith, A.D.M. (1996) Design of experimental investigations of the effects of line and spear fishing on the Great Barrier Reef CRC Reef Research Centre Technical Report No. 7 Townsville; CRC Reef Research Centre, 86pp. This work is copyright. The Copyright Act 1968 permits fair dealing for study, research, news reporting, criticism or review. Selected passages, tables or diagrams may be reproduced for such purposes provided acknowledgement of the source is included. Major extracts of the entire document may not be reproduced by any process without written permission of the Director, CRC Reef Research Centre. Published by the Cooperative Research Centre for Ecologically Sustainable Development of the Great Barrier Reef. Further copies may be obtained from CRC Reef Research Centre, c/- James Cook University Post Office, Townsville, QLD 4811. Printed by James Cook University of North Queensland. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................. 1 PREVIOUS PROPOSALS FOR FISHING EXPERIMENTS ................................................ 5 EVALUATION OF POTENTIAL EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNS ......................................... 9 OBJECTIVES OF FUTURE REEF-SCALE EXPERIMENTS..............................................10 Selection of Design Alternatives ...........................................................................................11 Potential Treatments...................................................................................................... 11 Constraints on Design Options ..................................................................................... 13 Duration ....................................................................................................................... 13 Logistics........................................................................................................................ 13 Generality of Results..................................................................................................... 14 Availability of suitable reefs.......................................................................................... 15 Impacts of Experiments ................................................................................................. 15 Cost............................................................................................................................... 15 Designs Examined......................................................................................................... 16 Computer Simulations ..........................................................................................................17 Population Dynamics ................................................................................................... 19 Initialisation ................................................................................................................. 20 Larval Supply ............................................................................................................... 20 Recruitment .................................................................................................................. 22 Mortality ...................................................................................................................... 23 Migration ..................................................................................................................... 24 Management and Experimental Treatments .................................................................. 24 Sampling Variation....................................................................................................... 25 Monte-Carlo Simulations.............................................................................................. 26 Necessity of Imposed Fishing Pressure......................................................................... 29 Sensitivity to variation in recruitment........................................................................... 29 Sensitivity to management and fishing parameters ....................................................... 32 Effects of experimental design..................................................................................... 32 Analyses of Simulation Data......................................................................................... 33 Existing Information & Demographic Parameters for Simulation Models .................................34 Variation in Larval Supply & Recruitment.................................................................... 34 Mortality ...................................................................................................................... 35 Natural Mortality ......................................................................................................... 35 Fishing Mortality.......................................................................................................... 36 Inter-reef movement...................................................................................................... 37 Inter-reef & inter-cluster variation in estimated abundance......................................... 38 Sampling Variation....................................................................................................... 39 Trawling mortality ........................................................................................................ 39 RESULTS OF SIMULATIONS ..........................................................................................40 Necessity of Imposed Fishing Pressure ......................................................................... 40 Sensitivity to variation in recruitment & inter-reef movement........................................ 41 Sensitivity to management and fishing parameters ........................................................ 44 Effects of experimental design ..................................................................................... 46 DISCUSSION........................................................................................................................48 Preferred Designs ...............................................................................................................48 Implementation of Experiments.............................................................................................52 Imposing Fishing Treatments........................................................................................ 52 Critical Data ................................................................................................................ 55 Fishery-independent Estimates of Abundance .............................................................. 55 Fishery-dependent estimates of Abundance & Fishing Behaviour................................ 56 Size- and Age-structure Data ....................................................................................... 57 Background Fishing Effort .......................................................................................... 58 Reproductive Biology ................................................................................................... 57 Logistic Considerations & Coordination...................................................................... 60 CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS.........................................................................62 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.......................................................................................................62 REFERENCES.......................................................................................................................63 APPENDIX 1: MODELLING POPULATION DYNAMICS..................................................69 Larval Supply & Recruitment
Recommended publications
  • Letter from Canadian Scientists to Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin
    Open Letter to the Right Honorable Paul Martin, Prime Minister of Canada and the Honourable Geoff Regan, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada The Right Honourable Paul Martin Prime Minister’s Office Langevin Block 80 Wellington Street Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A2 613-995-0101 [email protected] The Honourable Geoff Regan Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada Minister’s Office, Centennial Tower 200 Kent Street Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0E6 Fax: 613-990-7292 [email protected] October 17th, 2005 Dear Prime Minister Martin and Minister Regan, We urge you to take advantage of a historical opportunity to secure significant protection for the world’s deep-ocean ecosystems on the high seas – the two-thirds of the world’s oceans that lie beyond the jurisdiction of any nation. We are calling on you to exercise Canadian leadership in the negotiation of a moratorium on deep-sea bottom trawl fishing on the high seas at the United Nations General Assembly this year. Supporting a moratorium would address the effects of foreign overfishing of straddling stocks that cross Canada’s EEZ on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. In addition, such an action would be in keeping with Canada’s national and international commitments to biodiversity protection. We further urge you to take action in Canadian waters, by recognizing the effects of trawling and implementing habitat protection measures, gear restrictions and supporting the use of alternative and less destructive gear types. Both actions would be strongly supported by the Canadian public and Canada would truly be seen as a leader in the global movement to restore, conserve and protect the marine environment.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 Transcript Of
    i 126th Council Meeting Minutes Ala Moana Hotel Honolulu, Hawaii March 14-17, 2005 TABLE OF CONTENTS TITLE PAGE 1. Introductions . 1 2. Approval of Agenda . .. 1 . 3. Approval of 124th and 125th Meeting Minutes . 1 4. Island Reports A. American Samoa . 2 B. Guam . 3 C. Hawaii . 6 D. Northern Mariana Islands . 7 5. Reports from Fishery Agencies and Organizations A. Department of Commerce . 10 1. National Marine Fisheries Service a. Pacific Islands Regional Office . 10 b. Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center . .. 13 2. National Marine Sanctuary Program a. Pacific National Marine Sanctuaries Update . 140 3. NOAA General Counsel SWR . .. 17 B. Department of Interior - Fish and Wildlife Service . 20 C. State Department . …. 22 D. Report from the GBR Marine Park . 24 ii 6. Enforcement/VMS A. USCG Activities . 34 B. NOAA OLE Activities . 38 TITLE PAGE 6.B.1 OLE Report . .. 39 C. Enforcement Activities of Local Agencies . .. .. 40 D. Status of Violations . … . .. 41 E. HI Shallow-set Operational Plan . .. .. 43 F. American Samoa Limited Entry Program . .. .. 46 G. Bottomfish Fishery Permits and Reporting Requirements . .. 47 H. Update on Electronic Logbooks Amendment . .. 48 I. Standing Committee Recommendations . .. .. 48 J. Council Discussion and Action . .. 261 7. Pelagic Fisheries (Domestic and International) A. Bigeye Overfishing Plan . 51 B. Institutional Arrangements for Pelagic Management in the WCPO . .110 C. Am. Samoa & Hawaii Longline Fisheries . 69 1. 2004 Third and Fourth Quarter Reports . 69 2. Shallow-set Longline Set Definition . 77 3. Proposed Changes to Hawaii-based Longline Fishery Closed Area . 79 D. International Issues 1. Prepcon 7/WCFMC1 . 91 2. FAO Technical Consultation on Turtles .
    [Show full text]
  • American Fisheries Society • Management
    VOL 33 NO 5 MAY 2008 Fish News Legislative Update Journal Highlights FisheriesAmerican Fisheries Society • www.fisheries.org Calendar Job Center Demonstration Flow Assessment: Judgement and Visual Observation in Instream Flow Studies Management Concerns about Known and Potential Impacts of Lead Use in Shooting and Fishing Activities Fisheries • v o l 33 n o 5• m a y 2008 • w w w .f i s h e r i e s .o r g 209 Bringing Back Winter Flounder Hatchery reared winter flounder are tagged with fluorescent red Visible Implant Elastomer to distinguish them from wild fish after release. Dr. Fairchild releases the flounder into shallow coastal waters at a length of about 40 mm. now evaluating how well the released fish contribute The winter flounder Pseudopleuronectes americanus to the natural populations and developing strategies is an important commercial and recreational fish to maximize post release survival3. along much of North America’s Atlantic coast. Inshore habitat degradation and overfishing An essential aspect of the investigation is the ability contributed to stock declines throughout their range, to identify individuals derived from the release leaving catches at a fraction of historical levels. program. This is achieved using NMT’s Visible Reducing fishing mortality and protecting essential Implant Elastomer (VIE). Critical characteristics of habitat have helped stocks to begin recovery, but VIE include the ability to tag small fish, the capacity they still have a long way to go. to identify different batches of fish, the rapid rate of tagging that can be achieved, and the low cost tag. To accelerate the recovery of winter flounder, researchers in New Hampshire, led by Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • Foundations of Fisheries Science
    Foundations of Fisheries Science Foundations of Fisheries Science Edited by Greg G. Sass Northern Unit Fisheries Research Team Leader Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Escanaba Lake Research Station 3110 Trout Lake Station Drive, Boulder Junction, Wisconsin 54512, USA Micheal S. Allen Professor, Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences University of Florida 7922 NW 71st Street, PO Box 110600, Gainesville, Florida 32653, USA Section Edited by Robert Arlinghaus Professor, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries Department of Biology and Ecology of Fishes Müggelseedamm 310, 12587 Berlin, Germany James F. Kitchell A.D. Hasler Professor (Emeritus), Center for Limnology University of Wisconsin-Madison 680 North Park Street, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA Kai Lorenzen Professor, Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences University of Florida 7922 NW 71st Street, P.O. Box 110600, Gainesville, Florida 32653, USA Daniel E. Schindler Professor, Aquatic and Fishery Science/Department of Biology Harriett Bullitt Chair in Conservation University of Washington Box 355020, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA Carl J. Walters Professor, Fisheries Centre University of British Columbia 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY BETHESDA, MARYLAND 2014 A suggested citation format for this book follows. Sass, G. G., and M. S. Allen, editors. 2014. Foundations of Fisheries Science. American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, Maryland. © Copyright 2014 by the American Fisheries Society All rights reserved. Photocopying for internal or personal use, or for the internal or personal use of specific clients, is permitted by AFS provided that the appropriate fee is paid directly to Copy- right Clearance Center (CCC), 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, Massachusetts 01923, USA; phone 978-750-8400.
    [Show full text]
  • Challenges in Adaptive Management of Riparian and Coastal Ecosystems Author(S): Carl Walters Source: Conservation Ecology, Vol
    Resilience Alliance Inc. Challenges in adaptive management of riparian and coastal ecosystems Author(s): Carl Walters Source: Conservation Ecology, Vol. 1, No. 2 (Dec 1997) Published by: Resilience Alliance Inc. Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/26271661 Accessed: 18-08-2018 18:51 UTC REFERENCES Linked references are available on JSTOR for this article: https://www.jstor.org/stable/26271661?seq=1&cid=pdf-reference#references_tab_contents You may need to log in to JSTOR to access the linked references. JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at https://about.jstor.org/terms This article is licensed under a Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/. Resilience Alliance Inc. is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Conservation Ecology This content downloaded from 70.79.145.98 on Sat, 18 Aug 2018 18:51:57 UTC All use subject to https://about.jstor.org/terms Table of Contents Challenges in adaptive management of riparian and coastal ecosystems............................................................0 ABSTRACT...................................................................................................................................................0
    [Show full text]
  • Fisheries Centre Report 1993-2000
    19931993 -- 20002000 ReportReport TheThe FFisheriesisheries CentrCentree UnivUniversityersity ofof BritishBritish ColumbiaColumbia Forewords want to congratulate all the members of the Fisheries Centre whose Iachievements are recorded in this excellent report. Over a very short time period, the Centre has contributed many exciting new initiatives in the areas of sustainable development and the planned growth of our fisheries. British Columbia is a vast treas- ure-house of natural resources, but we must exercise responsible stewardship over the complex ecosystems that surround us if we hope to preserve that treasure for future generations. The Fisheries Centre brings together government agencies, First Nations, and the University in a vital collaboration, offering an excellent model of how to ad- dress an issue of both regional and global importance through multidisciplinary research and teaching. Many problems lie ahead, but this report gives us reason to be optimistic about our ability to find solutions. DR MARTHA PIPER PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA am delighted that, in its first eight years, the Fisheries Centre is successfully Ifulfilling its mandate as one of 26 interdisciplinary research units within the Faculty of Graduate Studies. The output reviewed in this report not only underlines the Centres influential global role in its field, but also reflects the remarkable drive and enthusiasm of its members. An internal report in 1996 identified poor accommodation as one of the main weaknesses and so we are pleased to see reported here the success in attracting Canada Foundation for Innovation funding that will provide a new home for Fisheries Centre members. The Faculty of Graduate Studies is proud to provide con- tinuing support for the Fisheries Centre in its activities.
    [Show full text]
  • Conservation Ecology: Chall
    Conservation Ecology: Challenges in adaptive management of riparian an... http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol1/iss2/art1/ Home | Archives | About | Login | Submissions | Notify | Contact | Search ES HOME > VOL. 1, NO. 2 > ART. 1 Copyright ©1997 by The Resilience Alliance * Walters, C. 1997. Challenges in adaptive management of riparian and coastal ecosystems. Conservation Ecology [online]1(2):1. Available from the Internet. URL: http://www.consecol.org /vol1/iss2/art1/ Synthesis Challenges in adaptive management of riparian and coastal ecosystems Carl Walters 1 1Fisheries Centre, University of British Columbia Abstract Introduction Barriers to Modeling for Reliable Assessment of Best Use Policies Costs and Risks of Large-Scale Management Experiments Self-Interest in Research and Management Organizations Fundamental Conflicts in Ecological Values Conclusions and Questions for Readers Responses Acknowledgments Literature Cited ABSTRACT Many case studies in adaptive-management planning for riparian ecosystems have failed to produce useful models for policy comparison or good experimental management plans for resolving key uncertainties. Modeling efforts have been plagued by difficulties in representation of cross-scale effects (from rapid hydrologic change to long-term ecological response), lack of data on key processes that are difficult to study, and confounding of factor effects in validation data. Experimental policies have been seen as too costly or risky, particularly in relation to monitoring costs and risk to sensitive species. Research and management stakeholders have shown deplorable self-interest, seeing adaptive-policy development as a threat to existing research programs and management regimes, rather than as an opportunity for improvement. Proposals for experimental management regimes have exposed and highlighted some really fundamental conflicts in ecological values, particularly in cases in which endangered species have prospered under historical management and would be threatened by ecosystem restoration efforts.
    [Show full text]
  • Mr. Rashid Sumaila Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries University of British Columbia
    UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT AD HOC EXPERT MEETING ON TRADE IN SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES Geneva, 29 Sept–1 Oct 2015 SUBSIDIES WEAKEN THE SUSTAINABILITY OF GLOBAL FISHERIES WHILE INCREASING INEQUALITY AMONG FISHERS Mr. Rashid Sumaila Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries University of British Columbia SUBSIDIES WEAKEN THE SUSTAINABILITY OF GLOBAL FISHERIES WHILE INCREASING INEQUALITY AMONG FISHERS U. Rashid Sumaila Fisheries Economics Research Unit & Global Fisheries Cluster Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, the University of British Columbia 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada [email protected] Abstract First, this note provides a summary of the importance of fisheries to people and argues that our interactions with fisheries are currently unsustainable. Next, it identifies the provision of capacity-enhancing subsidies as one of the key policy failures that have intensified the degradation of marine fisheries while also increasing inequality among fishers. The paper then provides reasons why all fishing nations (developing, developed, small and large) need to discipline their capacity-enhancing subsidies. Finally, the note provides suggestions on how to make progress in disciplining subsidies. How important are fisheries to people? Ocean and coastal biomes provide us with food, fuel and biological resources, climate regulation and biogeochemical processes (e.g. CO2 uptake and carbon storage), and cultural services (e.g. recreational, spiritual and aesthetic enjoyment) while supporting other indirect ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling (Gattuso et al. 2015). In particular, fish support human well-being by contributing to (i) food and nutritional security for the poor and rich alike (Srinivasan et al. 2010); (ii) social security by supporting millions of jobs and serving as an employer of last resort in many fishing communities around the world (Béné et al.
    [Show full text]
  • RC080 British Columbia Overescapement Hurts Salmon
    lllll'l1SD Cf)tlJ)IBI.A {,:;;,,t~f..Yrf i_, Ac RC O8 o by MICHEL DROUIN a y,'c:/ A-i.efs--+vJ..... Prol: overescapement doesn't help salmon, hurts industrv r:-:-...ing hard is good: It might not be what a lot of environmen­ the sockeye is false, Walters said. In fact, he nd your awrage fish-hugger want to hear, but a prominent said, consistently putting too rnc1ny spawners i~es biologist maintains that in tlw long run, fishing hard for into a system is bad for the fish. salmon i5 actually good for stocks. "Actu,1lly, lower producti,·ity results from Speaking on Dec. 6 at the annual convention of the United increased fertilization because that produc­ Fishermen and Allied Workers' Union-Unifor, University of British es more insects, which in turn produces more rainbow trout th..it Columbia professor emeritus Carl Walters said the Fisheries and hammer the juvenile sock.eye," he said. Oceans Canada (DFO) policy of severely restricting salmon fishing .j, .j, .j, .j, to put more spawners on the grounds did not produce more fish Charity herring sale: The fourth annuc1I Fishermen and only cost fishermen money. Helping Kids ,,.·ith Cancer (FHKWC) herring s,,le was ht•ld What is surprising is that Walters was once a firm advocate of on Dec. 6 in Richmond and Victoria. The event sold 70 tons of "precautionary manage­ herring and raised $70,000 ment," severely control­ in sales receipts and dona­ ling fishing effort to plug tions to BC Children'!> the spawning grounds Hospital in Vancouver.
    [Show full text]
  • Issn 1198-6727
    ISSN 1198-6727 ISSN 1198-6727 FisheriesCenb'e Volume 4 Numher2 Fisheries ~ ~ ;~ ~ ~ edited by 1 , j ~ The Fisheries Centre.) University of British Columbia ~ j:j 2204 Main Mall ~ Vancouver.,B. C,.) Canada ISSN 1198-6727 ~ c:.~ CONTENTS ill Acknowledgements and Dedication OVERVIEWS OF REINVENTING FISHERIESMANAGEMENT 1 Reiriventing Fisheries Management: the Symposium Tony Pitcher 2 Synopsis of the Symposium '..."'..' '.'.' ".'.."'."..."'.' Craig Harris 10 New contexts, New tools ..., Nigel Haggan 11 Reinventing the Tree Nigel Haggan TRELA ~N LECTURE 15 Fisheries managementafter 2000: will new paradigms apply? (Abstract) John Caddy ABSTRACTS AND DISCUSSION THEME 1: THE PRODUcrION BASEAND ECOSYSTEMMANAGEMENT Keynote Address 16 The trophic cascadeand food web management JamesKitchell 17 Discussion Points of View -Theme 1 21 The control of undesirable introduced speciesin small freshwater lakes: what we should learn from past experiments Pierre Magnan 22 Constraints on the intensity of trophic linkages in lake food webs Bill Neill 23 Ecosystemmanagement: the next step Daniel Pauly & Villy Christensen 24 The understanding and prediction of marine production: considerations for the future , James Scandol 25 A new method to identify individual natal stream sources of salmonids and migration patterns of fish (posten Sam Wang & R.Brown 26 Using mass-balance (ECOPATH)food web models to structure dynamic (ECOSIM)simulation models (demonstration) ""'."""..""""""""""'" Carl Walters. Villy Christensen & Daniel Pauly 26 General Discussion of Theme 1 Kathy Heise & Alida Bundy THEME 2: AsSESSMENT,RISK AND ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT Keynote Address 30 Rediscovering adaptive management: a framework linking science and decision making in . a remventedfi sh enes.K management. , eI.thS' amsb ury 31 Discussion Points of View -Theme 2 33 An overview of tuna assessmentand managementworld wide Alain Fonteneau 35 Predictive models of growth, survival and reproduction.
    [Show full text]
  • Curriculum Vitae
    CURRICULUM VITAE Ray William Hilborn Date of Birth December 31, 1947 Education B.A. (Biology) Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa (1969) Ph.D. Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia (1974) Employment History 1987-present Professor, School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington. 1985-1987 Senior Fisheries Scientist, Tuna and Billfish Program, South Pacific Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia 1980-1985 Adjunct Associate Professor, Institute of Animal Resource Ecology, University of British Columbia. 1975-1980 Policy Analyst, Departments of Environment and Fisheries, Government of Canada. Concurrently Honorary Lecturer, Institute of Animal Resource Ecology, University of British Columbia. 1974-1975 Research Scholar. International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Laxenburg, Austria. Major Professional Activities 2013-2014 Member Blue Ribbon Panel, World Bank Global Partnership for Oceans 1999-present Member Editorial Board, Fish and Fisheries. 1993-present Member Editorial Board, Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries 2007-present Member Senior Advisory Council, Natural Resource Modeling. 1999-2014 Member Independent Advisory Panel, Commission for Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna 2010-present Guest Editor for Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 2006 – 2013 Member Board of Reviewing Editors, Science Magazine 2002 - 2013 Associate Editor, Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 2011-2013 External Advisory Board, National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (NSF synthesis center),
    [Show full text]
  • The Last Northern Cod Thomas R
    The Last Northern Cod Thomas R. McGuire The collapse of the northern cod stocks (Gadus morhua) off Newfoundland resulted in an indefinite moratorium that has affected 40,000 fishers and fish plant workers in Atlantic Canada. This poses theoretical and methodological challenges for the emergent field of political ecology. A cottage industry of postmortems has arisen since the collapse, and we are very close to 20-20 hindsight about the causes of the catastrophe. Thus it is possible to ask whether a rigorous application of a political ecology could have foreseen the event. I will argue to the contrary. Political ecology, as it is now developing, has privileged its political economic ancestors at the expense of its cultural ecologic ones. And in its ideological concern for the environmental consequences of capitalist extraction and production, it has left little scope for the examination of quite reasonable people doing quite reasonable things.1 Of no mean consequence to the story were technologically innovative people. Political ecology is emerging from the study of environmental destruction in the Third World. Michael Painter has provided a useful enumeration of the now familiar elements posed by Marianne Schmink and Charles Woods (1987) for such study: (1) the nature of production in a region, and, in particular, the degree to which it is oriented toward simple reproduction or capital accumulation; (2) the class structure of the society...and the lines of conflict over access to productive resources; (3) the extent and kinds of market relations in which producers are involved...; (4) the role of the state in defining and executing policies that favor the interests of certain classes or resource users over others; (5) international interests...that may support particular patterns of resource use; and (6) the ideology that orients resource use...and what groups benefit from that ideology (M.Painter 1995:8).
    [Show full text]