Alaska pollock are doing better. So say the scientists charged with studying them. I wonder if those who predicted a pollock collapse are going to say something positive?
Nah, seeing fish do better isn't quite such a good story as predicting collapse.
Just like the Fraser River sockeye boom, more pollock this year doesn't mean that everything is fine. These fish have declined to about 1/3 of peak levels seen in the last 20 years, and they're only about halfway back. Scientists expect further increases in the next few years, perhaps back to peak levels. So we should wait and see about further increases before we get out the pom-poms and start cheering.
But let's be honest and say fish are doing better when they are doing better. And we should begin to ask whether predictions of impending collapse were perhaps just a bit too pessimistic.
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3 comments:
Too pessimistic??
Nah--time to hammer the fishery again!
The slighest indication of a recovery means its full speed ahead!
Hard to believe that someone who portends to be in fabvor of conservation would make such a comment...
Brad
(loves the sea)
"And we should begin to ask whether predictions of impending collapse were perhaps just a bit too pessimistic."
hard to believe that someone who portends to be a conservationist would make such a statement...
What is it about the history of fisheries collapse do you not get?
Can you name ONE substantial collapse that did not follow such a proclamation???
"And we should begin to ask whether predictions of impending collapse were perhaps just a bit too pessimistic."
hard to believe that someone who portends to be a conservationist would make such a statement...
What is it about the history of fisheries collapse do you not get?
Can you name ONE substantial collapse that did not follow such a proclamation???
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