Marine Protected Areas

Marine Protected Areas
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 289
Release: 2001-06-01
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0309072867

Although the ocean-and the resources within-seem limitless, there is clear evidence that human impacts such as overfishing, habitat destruction, and pollution disrupt marine ecosystems and threaten the long-term productivity of the seas. Declining yields in many fisheries and decay of treasured marine habitats, such as coral reefs, has heightened interest in establishing a comprehensive system of marine protected areas (MPAs)-areas designated for special protection to enhance the management of marine resources. Therefore, there is an urgent need to evaluate how MPAs can be employed in the United States and internationally as tools to support specific conservation needs of marine and coastal waters. Marine Protected Areas compares conventional management of marine resources with proposals to augment these management strategies with a system of protected areas. The volume argues that implementation of MPAs should be incremental and adaptive, through the design of areas not only to conserve resources, but also to help us learn how to manage marine species more effectively.

Aquaculture, Resource Use, and the Environment

Aquaculture, Resource Use, and the Environment
Author: Claude Boyd
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 364
Release: 2015-02-23
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 0470959193

Aquaculture, Resource Use, and the Environment places aquaculture within the larger context of global population growth, increased demand for sustainable, reliable sources of food, and the responsible use of natural resources. Aquaculture production has grown rapidly in recent decades as over-exploitation and environmental degradation have drastically reduced wild fish stocks. As fish production has increased, questions have persisted about the environmental sustainability of current aquaculture practices. Aquaculture, Resource Use, and the Environment is a timely synthesis and analysis of critical issues facing the continued growth and acceptance of aquaculture practices and products. Chapters look at the past, present, and future demands for food, aquaculture production, and tackle key issues ranging from environmental impacts of aquaculture to practical best management practices in aquaculture production. Providing broad coverage of issues that are essential to the continued development of aquaculture production, Aquaculture, Resource Use, and the Environment will be vital resource for anyone involved in the field of aquaculture.

Sustaining Marine Fisheries

Sustaining Marine Fisheries
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 189
Release: 1999-03-19
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 0309055261

Fluctuations and declines in marine fish populations have caused growing concern among marine scientists, fisheries managers, commercial and recreational fishers, and the public. Sustaining Marine Fisheries explores the nature of marine ecosystems and the complex interacting factors that shape their productivity. The book documents the condition of marine fisheries today, highlighting species and geographic areas that are under particular stress. Challenges to achieving sustainability are discussed, and shortcomings of existing fisheries management and regulation are examined. The volume calls for fisheries management to adopt a broader ecosystem perspective that encompasses all relevant environmental and human influences. Sustaining Marine Fisheries offers new approaches to building workable fisheries management institutions, improving scientific data, and developing management tools. The book recommends ways to change current practices that encourage overexploitation of fish resources. It will be of special interest to marine policymakers and ecologists, fisheries regulators and managers, fisheries scientists and marine ecologists, fishers, and concerned individuals.

Conservation of Fish and Shellfish Resources

Conservation of Fish and Shellfish Resources
Author: J. E. Thorpe
Publisher: Elsevier
Total Pages: 229
Release: 1995-06-20
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 008052981X

Fish and shellfish comprise annually nearly 70-million tons of the world's edible animal protein. However, because of this demand, previously vast stocks have often been exhausted to the point of near extinction. The first book of its kind in the area of freshwater/marine biodiversity, this extensive work reviews the present status of genetic resource management, its needs and constraints, various intervening human factors such as pollution and overfishing, and problems posed by different species and life-styles. This discussion of the conservation of fish and shellfish resources is illustrated by four diverse groups: Atlantic salmon, cupped oysters, common and Chinese carp, and Nile tilapia. These results, produced by the collaboration of nine leading population and production geneticists, aquaculturists, and behavioral and developmental ecologists should become a fundamental resource useful to biologists, scientists and advisors exploring current issues in the fishery sciences. - Four page color plate section - Database of key organizations for contact purposes - Foreword by Dr. Mike Strauss, Am. Assoc. for the Advancement of Science; and Dr. Peter Day, Rutgers University - Four in-depth case studies by international experts - Editors are major names in marine/freshwater fisheries science - Originally sponsored and reviewed by U.S. National Academy of Sciences

Fish Conservation

Fish Conservation
Author: Gene S. Helfman
Publisher: Island Press
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2007-07-15
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9781559635967

Fish Conservation offers, for the first time in a single volume, a readable reference with a global approach to marine and freshwater fish diversity and fishery resource issues. Gene Helfman brings together available knowledge on the decline and restoration of freshwater and marine fishes, providing ecologically sound answers to biodiversity declines as well as to fishery management problems at the subsistence, recreational, and commercial levels. Written in an engaging and accessible style, the book: considers the value of preserving aquatic biodiversity offers an overview of imperiled fishes on a taxonomic and geographic basis presents a synthesis of common characteristics of imperiled fishes and their habitats details anthropogenic causes of decline examines human exploitation issues addresses ethical questions surrounding exploitation of fishes The final chapter integrates topics and evaluates prospects for arresting declines, emphasizing the application of evolutionary and ecological principles in light of projected trends. Throughout, Helfman provides examples, explores case studies, and synthesizes available information from a broad taxonomic, habitat, and geographic range. Fish Conservation summarizes the current state of knowledge about the degradation and restoration of diversity among fishes and the productivity of fishery resources, pointing out areas where progress has been made and where more needs to be done. Solutions focus on the application of ecological knowledge to solving practical problems, recognizing that effective biodiversity conservation depends on meeting human needs through management that focuses on long term sustainability and an ecosystem perspective.

Sea Otter Conservation

Sea Otter Conservation
Author: Shawn Larson
Publisher: Academic Press
Total Pages: 468
Release: 2014-12-23
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 0128016876

Sea otters are good indicators of ocean health. In addition, they are a keystone species, offering a stabilizing effect on ecosystem, controlling sea urchin populations that would otherwise inflict damage to kelp forest ecosystems. The kelp forest ecosystem is crucial for marine organisms and contains coastal erosion. With the concerns about the imperiled status of sea otter populations in California, Aleutian Archipelago and coastal areas of Russia and Japan, the last several years have shown growth of interest culturally and politically in the status and preservation of sea otter populations. Sea Otter Conservation brings together the vast knowledge of well-respected leaders in the field, offering insight into the more than 100 years of conservation and research that have resulted in recovery from near extinction. This publication assesses the issues influencing prospects for continued conservation and recovery of the sea otter populations and provides insight into how to handle future global changes. - Covers scientific, cultural, economic and political components of sea otter conservation - Provides guidance on how to manage threats to the sea otter populations in the face of future global changes - Highlights the effects that interactions of coastal animals have with the marine ecosystem

The Endangered Species Act

The Endangered Species Act
Author: Stanford Environmental Law Society
Publisher: Stanford Environmental Law Soc
Total Pages: 296
Release: 2001
Genre: Law
ISBN: 9780804738439

This handbook is a guide to the federal Endangered Species Act, the primary U.S. law aimed at protecting species of animals and plants from human threats to their survival. It is intended for lawyers, government agency employees, students, community activists, businesspeople, and any citizen who wants to understand the Act--its history, provisions, accomplishments, and failures.