Shifting Baselines

by Jackson, Jeremy B. C.; Alexander, Karen E.; Sala, Enric

• ISBN13: 9781610910002
• ISBN10: 1610910001
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-08-29
• Publisher: Island Pr

Summary

Shifting Baselinesexplores the real-world implications of a groundbreaking idea: we must understand the oceans of the past to protect the oceans of the future. In 1995, acclaimed marine biologist Daniel Pauly coined the term "shifting baselines" to describe a phenomenon of lowered expectations, in which each generation regards a progressively poorer natural world as normal. This seminal volume expands on Pauly's work, showing how skewed visions of the past have led to disastrous marine policies and why historical perspective is critical to revitalize fisheries and ecosystems. Edited by marine ecologists Jeremy Jackson and Enric Sala, and historian Karen Alexander, the book brings together knowledge from disparate disciplines to paint a more realistic picture of past fisheries. The authors use case studies on the cod fishery and the connection between sardine and anchovy populations, among others, to explain various methods for studying historic trends and the intricate relationships between species. Subsequent chapters offer recommendations about both specific research methods and effective management. This practical information is framed by inspiring essays by Carl Safina and Randy Olson on a personal experience of shifting baselines and the importance of human stories in describing this phenomenon to a broad public. While each contributor brings a different expertise to bear, all agree on the importance of historical perspective for effective fisheries management. Readers, from students to professionals, will benefit enormously from this informed hindsight.

Author Biography

Jeremy B.C. Jackson is Director of the Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Karen E. Alexander is a historian who is currently Project Coordinator of the Gulf of Maine Cod Project. Enric Sala is a National Geographic Society Explorer-in-Residence.

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Importance of Shifting Baselines	p. 1
The Problem Defined	p. 9
A Shoreline Remembrance	p. 13
The "March of Follyö in Global Fisheries	p. 21
If a Frond Falls in the Kelp Forest (does it make any sound?)	p. 33
Anchovies and Sardines	p. 43
The Sardine-Anchovy Puzzle	p. 47
Variations in Fisheries and Complex Ocean Environments	p. 59
Cod	p. 77
The Historical Abundance of Cod on the Nova Scotian Shelf	p. 79
History and Context: Reflections from Newfoundland	p. 115
Methods in Historical Marine Ecology	p. 135
Uncovering the Ocean's Past	p. 137
Whales, Logbooks, and DNA	p. 163
From Fisheries Management to Ecosystems	p. 175
Management in the Gulf of Maine	p. 177
Lessons from Coral Reefs	p. 193
Epilogue: Shifting Baselines for the Future	p. 205
Notes	p. 207
Contributors	p. 275
Index	p. 283
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