126 Book reviews / J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 254 (2000) 123 –127
Compiled by Committee on Ecosystem Management for Sustainable Marine Fisheries, Ocean Studies Board, Commission on Geosciences, Environment, and Resources, National Research Council: National Academy Press, Washington D.C.; 1999; 164 pp.; GBP 17.95; ISBN 0-309-05526-1
This book begins by painting a somewhat gloomy picture of the world’s marine fisheries from severe depletion through to fishery closures and the international disputes that have often resulted as a consequence. To address the wider implications of this problem, The Ocean Studies Board (OSB) of the National Research Council (NRC) of the USA established a Committee on Ecosystem Management for Sustainable Marine Fisheries. This book is a report of the work of that committee. Sustainable fisheries are defined as ‘‘fishing activities that do not cause or lead to undesirable changes in biological or economic productivity, biological diversity or ecosystem structure and functioning from one human generation to the next . . . ’’. The committee also preferred to use the term ecosystem-based management rather than ecosystem management since it is human activities that are managed.
Chapter 2 provides a global overview of the current status of marine fisheries. It begins with a compilation of global facts and figures on landings, other sources of mortality and degree of utilisation and then goes on to look specifically at the fisheries of the United States before ending with a brief description of the Canadian cod moratorium. Overall this short chapter is an excellent source of these facts and figures that many readers often require when writing or lecturing on fisheries topics.
Book reviews / J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 254 (2000) 123 –127 127 Having established that many of the world’s marine fisheries are over-exploited the report then analyses the contributory factors under the headings of scientific, manage-ment and socioeconomic matters. This chapter does not attempt to deal with these matters in depth but rather gives a succinct overview of all the difficulties and uncertainties and illustrates them with a few well chosen examples. A large number of topics are dealt with under the title ‘‘Options for achieving sustainability’’. The concept of marine protected areas of ‘‘no-take zones’’ is very topical at the present time and this report has a useful section dealing with them and pointing out many of the uncertainties and practical considerations associated with their role as a tool for management.
The committee concluded that an overall reduction in fishing mortality would be the best immediate ecosystem-based approach to rebuilding and sustaining fisheries and marine ecosystems. Recommendations of specific actions, incorporating an ecosystem approach, for reducing the impact of fisheries are all dealt with in the final chapter.
I found that the content of this book was well balanced and structured. It is written in a style that can be easily followed by anyone with an interest in the fishing industry. For the scientist it is a valuable source book on the increasingly important subject of ecosystem-based fisheries management.
John D.M. Gordon
Senior Research Fellow Scottish Association for Marine Science P.O. Box 3
Oban PA34 4AD
UK
