Fifth Larkin Lecture: 2001

The paper begins with a short history of global fisheries developments and various events leading to the contemporary view of the status of marine fishery resources and the environment. This is followed by discussion of factors which contributed to significant level of overfishing during the 1960 through 1990 period, including institutional paralysis, uncertainty in science, the rapidity of fishery and technological developments and the inability of national and international fisheries management entities to monitor and enforce fishery regulations.

During the 1900s, a new living resource management paradigm took root in the U.S.; it appears to be spreading to other areas of the world. This paradigm, which incorporates the concepts of the precautionary approach, responsible fishing practices, coupled with uncertainty is currently driving the decisions in fisheries management institutions, as well as in U.S. courts. These management decisions appear more acceptable to the environmental and conservation community. Powerful political forces and scientific uncertainty, factors frequently associated with overfishing, are now the underpinnings of a new fisheries management paradigm. It is not clear that fishery science will play a more important role in the new management process or that decisions will be rooted in the "best available science." The likely consequences of the shifting management philosophy should result in reduced fishing mortality on many stocks, lower bycatch levels and a decline in capture fisheries. Will our society be better off and does the new paradigm have lasting qualities? As many marine fish stocks have collapsed or been overfished, concerns associated with fishery collapses, overfishing and threats to the ocean environment have given rise to the growth and enrichment of the natural sciences.

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Larkin Lectures

Fifth Larkin Lecture: 2001

Abstract