1. Articles summarizing the larger picture
and theoretical perspectives:
Seal Hunt
Ecologically Irresponsible - corrupt "science advisory
process" at Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) allows
"managers" to ignore modern scientific understanding of the ecosystem.
This highlights a longstanding fundamental problem, whereby management
practice still allows the fox to guard the henhouse.
Where
have the Fish gone? A fresh look at the Ocean
Summary of evidence that marine primary production has undergone a
long-term decline over recent decades and centuries, and rationale for
thinking that fishing may have been an important cause of this.
Multi-Million Dollar Questions and broad
changing patterns in marine life On the need for a
holistic approach to the study of marine ecology with a strong focus on
plankton dynamics, rather than the recent shortsighted Canadian initiative
to try "seal exclusion zones" as an aid to rebuilding cod stocks. (May
8/03)
Thinking 'outside the box' ...in the case of the
mysterious loss of the Canadian cod stocks. Specific
suggestion for a change in research focus in fishery science.
Seals and Cod Scientific
evidence is shown to support the argument that seals are far more
beneficial than harmful to the health of cod stocks.
Advice on Atlantic cod to the Fisheries Resource
Conservation Council Suggestions to the
FRCC regarding recommendations they may consider for science research
priorities. Focused on the reality that starvation is now having a major
effect on cod and other fish, and suggesting how this relates to overall
ecosystem productivity.
The Marine Nutrient Cycle
A look at the interdependent nature of all marine life, and the extent of
potential ramifications of prolonged human fishing. Emphasized here
(and often missed today) is the need for taking an honest historical
perspective on this issue: the wealth of marine life that existed a few
short centuries ago is beyond the comprehension of most people living
today.
Strangelove Ocean Introducing the most
radical conclusion of the extent to which the destruction of marine life
may have impacted on the biosphere, it is argued that carbon dioxide
uptake by the ocean from the atmosphere has been insidiously hampered by
the massive removal of marine life.
Challenging Basic Assumptions Marine nitrogen
cycling: checks and balances in the complex living system tend to
maintain stability of parameters such as the concentration of dissolved
nutrients. Emphasized is the importance of biological driving forces for
marine production, in contrast to the prevailing view that marine
productivity is essentially controlled by physical forces.
Fish Eggs: The
Perfect Food? Exploring the dependence of smaller marine creatures
on the existence of the larger ones...their fearsome "predators" are also their
food providers when the large fish produce millions of tiny spawn that
help to nourish their tiny "prey" species. Therefore removing the "top" of
the food web may also unexpectedly undermine the "bottom."
Vertical Migration of
Zooplankton: A Biphasic Feeding Strategy Involving the alternate
exploitation of Particulate organic material and Dissolved organic
material, that enhances new production? (nitty gritty argument written for submission to science
journal)
Fisheries Research Priorities
A letter to the Canadian Minister of
Fisheries and Oceans offering a few concrete suggestions for appropriate
new directions for fisheries research.
2. Patterns of change in unexploited marine
species, that attest to a total ecosystem change as opposed to simply
changing abundances of commercially exploited species (the focus of most
attention today). It is argued that these changes cannot simply be
attributed to "global warming" or "pollution."
Seaweed Update 2005 Continuing decline of perennial
seaweeds is a signal of negative change in ocean health - July 12, 2005
Hungry humpbacks?
Conflict between whales and herring fishermen in the Bay of
Fundy may force a new conservation strategy - August 25, 2004
The Barnacle Zone Dramatic evidence in unpolluted rocky intertidal zones of a long term decline in marine productivity. The
disappearance of the barnacle belt is shown in photographs taken over 50
years apart in Atlantic Canada.
Changing Marine Algae Broad changing trends in seaweeds and phytoplankton (including harmful
algae blooms) are shown to be consistent with natural shifts that would be
predicted in a scenario of declining nitrogen availability...contrary to
the usual interpretation today.
Dying Seaweed A
shorter piece focused on the gradual decline and breakdown of perennial
brown seaweeds in Atlantic Canada, showing remarkable color changes.
Cod mysteriously
'freeze' to death in Newfoundland Predictable consequences of
zooplankton decline are the increasing starvation of cod, their
concentration in inshore locations, and their vulnerability to hypoxic
bottom water that can result from an un-moderated 'natural' phytoplankton
bloom. Update added April 11/03.
Why are there So Many
Lobsters? The current rise in the
abundance of many crustaceans reflects both the decline of their natural
predators and their ability to feed at very "low" levels of the food web.
Who Has Seen the
Mackerel? (a fish story) Written in
2000, a critique of today's dogma in fisheries science that the Atlantic
mackerel is currently very healthy, underexploited and at a very high
biomass level.
Atlantic Mackerel
Update 2001 The official Canadian
mackerel stock assessment in 2001 confirms the unexplained trend of
declining age and size of mackerel...but this writer sees an alarming
trend in mackerel, a decline that echoes what happened to the groundfish
as they "crashed" a decade ago.
Floundering Around
in a Starving Ocean Small flatfish,
such as the yellowtail flounder, enjoy an advantage today in a diminished
ecosystem subjected to repeated destructive bottom dragging by fishing
gear.
