<![CDATA[Grist - Comment Feed for Migrating pollock could endanger Alaskan fishery, international relations]]> Grist Comment Feed en Comment #1 by jhocevar http://www.grist.org/article/pollock/ Wed, 22 Oct 2008 03:22:58 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/pollock/1 The case of the missing pollock

The case of the missing pollock: Did they jump or were they pushed?

Ken Weiss is absolutely right that global warming is having an impact on our oceans and fisheries (Migrating Alaskan pollock are creating the potential for a new dispute with Russia, L.A. Times).  

With pollock, as with most fish, the impacts of global warming are compounded by decades of heavy fishing pressure.  The Alaska pollock caught in 2004 alone weighed twice as much as the entire population of New York City.

Pollock populations in the eastern Bering Sea have declined  about 20% per year since 2003, with 2008 surveys looking even worse.  Species that feed on pollock, such as endangered Steller sea lions, are in jeopardy as well.

The fishing industry has tried to have their fish and eat them too, blaming declines on climate change while refusing to take a more precautionary approach in the face of climate-driven uncertainty.  It's time for an ecosystem-based approach, starting with safer catch limits and establishment of no-take marine reserves.

John Hocevar
Oceans Campaign Director
Greenpeace USA

]]> The case of the missing pollock

The case of the missing pollock: Did they jump or were they pushed?

Ken Weiss is absolutely right that global warming is having an impact on our oceans and fisheries (Migrating Alaskan pollock are creating the potential for a new dispute with Russia, L.A. Times).  

With pollock, as with most fish, the impacts of global warming are compounded by decades of heavy fishing pressure.  The Alaska pollock caught in 2004 alone weighed twice as much as the entire population of New York City.

Pollock populations in the eastern Bering Sea have declined  about 20% per year since 2003, with 2008 surveys looking even worse.  Species that feed on pollock, such as endangered Steller sea lions, are in jeopardy as well.

The fishing industry has tried to have their fish and eat them too, blaming declines on climate change while refusing to take a more precautionary approach in the face of climate-driven uncertainty.  It's time for an ecosystem-based approach, starting with safer catch limits and establishment of no-take marine reserves.

John Hocevar
Oceans Campaign Director
Greenpeace USA

]]> Comment #2 by Tom Blees http://www.grist.org/article/pollock/ Tue, 28 Oct 2008 05:34:30 -0700 http://www.grist.org/article/pollock/2 A red herring

The Steller sea lion issue is a red herring when it comes to pollock. There are a number of reasons for the decline in Steller populations, but lack of pollock isn't one of them. In fact, the overfishing of high-fat herring and capelin (sea lions need high-fat fish) allowed low-fat pollock to take over their ecological niche. Captive Stellers were fed as much pollock as they wanted in an experiment and they ended up starving. Arguably it would be better (from the Stellers' point of view) for fishermen to overfish the pollock to the point that herring and capelin could make a comeback. There's also the issue of the global distillation effect pouring organochlorines into the northern latitudes that can have a devastating effect on sea lion pups. We saw that in the Baltic Sea, and much the same thing may be affecting the Stellers. Note that the pollock fishery is certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council. Greenpeace's agenda of ending factory fishing is perhaps at play here. And don't get me wrong, I agree that factory fishing is having a devastating effect in countless fisheries around the world. But when a state regulates their fishing as well as Alaska does, one should step back from agendas and see if the alarm is justified on a case by case basis. Alaska's fisheries management could arguably be held up as a model for sustainable fishing.

]]> A red herring

The Steller sea lion issue is a red herring when it comes to pollock. There are a number of reasons for the decline in Steller populations, but lack of pollock isn't one of them. In fact, the overfishing of high-fat herring and capelin (sea lions need high-fat fish) allowed low-fat pollock to take over their ecological niche. Captive Stellers were fed as much pollock as they wanted in an experiment and they ended up starving. Arguably it would be better (from the Stellers' point of view) for fishermen to overfish the pollock to the point that herring and capelin could make a comeback. There's also the issue of the global distillation effect pouring organochlorines into the northern latitudes that can have a devastating effect on sea lion pups. We saw that in the Baltic Sea, and much the same thing may be affecting the Stellers. Note that the pollock fishery is certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council. Greenpeace's agenda of ending factory fishing is perhaps at play here. And don't get me wrong, I agree that factory fishing is having a devastating effect in countless fisheries around the world. But when a state regulates their fishing as well as Alaska does, one should step back from agendas and see if the alarm is justified on a case by case basis. Alaska's fisheries management could arguably be held up as a model for sustainable fishing.

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