#ChangingTimes

[aknobloch]

#ChangingTimes

I think “changing times’ is an appropriate all-around term for fisheries. Fisheries in general are always changing, biotic and abiotic factors fluctuate. Whether those are natural or human induced, they can all affect local fisheries. This can be seen in fishing down food webs, shifting baselines, and as well as factors involving climate change. Bailey noted in his book, when discussing the collapse of the Donut Hole pollock population in the mid 1980’s, that pollock fell victim to advances in acoustic technology and trawler efficiency. The improvements of fishing technology were not taken into account and the results were larger amounts of fish being taken from the sea. Change is inevitable, and with the human population growing exponentially the direct impact humans have with the marine environment is only going to intensify. Whether that be through warmer waters, increased fishing pressure, or advancements in technology the fishing industry is likely to see significant change over the next 50 years. There is very rarely an instance where you cannot reflect on past experiences and going forward managers need to be able to access previous stock declines and perhaps implement practices that may help prevent future collapses.

[smoswald2]

I like this hashtag because it can refer to the past and can be applied to the future. There were many changes, like you mentioned, that contributed to the demise of pollock in certain areas because advanced technology allowed for larger catches. Today, we have to worry about ocean warming and increasing human population and demand which is definitely a changing time for management.

[Author]

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