Welcome

[Steve O'Shea]

Hi

Welcome to Marine Conservation. This is an entirely new forum for the site, established by Tony so that we may discuss aspects of marine conservation that might not directly apply to cephalopods. However, because everything is linked, ultimately anything that impacts the marine environment will impact the cephalopod.

There is a global movement to outlaw such barbaric and medieval practices as bottom trawling, and I would imagine that this forum will enable both cephalopod experts, specialists in different disciplines, and general naturalists to voice their concerns in their areas of expertise.

Conservation is a huge field, and neither Kat nor I are experts in it. What we are trying to do here is start the ball rolling, and provide people with somewhere to express their concerns, view others, and collaborate with data. The forum has been seeded with a few popular conservation-oriented threads from Physiology and Biology; it has the potential to become quite significant for those with an interest in marine conservation.

We look forward to further posts. Read on, enjoy, and thanks for tuning in.

Us

 

[Jean]

Cool!

J

 

[TPOTH]

Neat-O !

TPOTH

 

[cthulhu77]

In the sea of cortez, the mexican government (which has proven itself to be quite conservational lately, due to president Fox) finally put its foot down on the trawling in the north end of the sea...when the shrimpers came in (as they had been for years) to poach , they were warned off by coast guard cutters...they ignored them and began trawling...what a suprise when the next morning, a destroyer showed up in the bay, and sunk one of the shrimpers (after forcing the crew to leave) !!! The other shrimpers put into port, and began a massive demonstration...blocking roads, burning and overturning cars...mexican and american alike. Rocky Point is a popular destination, and some friends were blocked in for the better part of a week while the authorities got everything straightened out...all of this happened just two days after I had left, come back, and posted those O. digueti pics...

 

[DO_U_EAT_FISH]

Thank's to fishaman

I all just like to thank the commercil fishaman of New Zealand It appears that some some people dont appreciate there voluntary commitment and importance, of the even "bottom trawling" thay are constantly provided us and scientists with lots of new specimens, and important research imformation, over a year a quota owner would pay $20,000 in levies $10,000 of that is conservation levies, alot of that money goes back in to the industy, to scientists researchers exporters,training providers, and stock managment, so cheers to those bottom trawlers and meny people who have a difference to the industry over the years and help make the NZ fisheries industry, the world leader today..............not looking for a squid, maybe you should stop eating fish ,,,,

 

[Steve O'Shea]

Actually, many of us have stopped eating fish.

Tell us a little more about yourself.

How old are you?
Are you a fisherman yourself?
If so, what is your usual target fishery?

I know many fishermen, and, until recently, got along famously with them (many were friends); I have been at sea on many commercial and research vessels throughout our EEZ, working the deck and processing plants, so have a pretty good idea of what goes on out there. Nobody need know your name, and we don't, so anything you say is guaranteed to be anonymous (and many retired commercial fishermen will tell you 'off the record' that the oceans are empty, the coral gone, and generally things are grim).

If you are a commercial fisherman can you honestly say:
1) That you really believe what you posted above.
2) That you really think scientists owe you a favour for saving stuff that has been ripped from the seafloor.
3) That things have not changed for the worse over time.
4) That all is well in New Zealand fisheries.
5) That bottom trawling is an environmentally friendly, appropriate means of harvesting fish.

I'll ask you one final question.
Why is it that New Zealand vessels are travelling further afield, and working deeper than they have in the past? My answer to this is because the larder is bare around our coast. Am I wrong?

Debate is good. Let's not use bad language (many kids read these forums too).

 

[DO_U_EAT_FISH]

thank the fishaman

Did you no the ocean covers more than 90% of this planet??? And that Man has explored more of outer space??? fishaman did found the coral in the first place, because of them, we have discoverd, what thay have explored,

 

[Gaetan P.]

Money cannot save the fish population

So YOu are saying (Do U eat Fish) because of the money you are paying out...everything should be on the "up and up" with scientists and fisherman..well...what about the Earth in general..fishing out a species will impact the rest of the ecosystem..

Good Fisherman are not just great hunters..they also manage their fisheries will the utmost importance.

For example..take a look at the lobster fishery in MAINE, NJ
Years of fishing...still abundance of Lobster..good fish management?

Peace, Eat fish, but know about the fish you eat, where it came from, and how it was fished. I often drive the fish monger crazy..

peace,
Gaetan

 

[a rabid squid]

my dad is actually the guy who buys and processes 40 percent of all the fish caught in california. a very small percent of the fish is caught by bottom trawlling. right now we (meaning netmakers) are working on new drag nets that reduce bycatch and almost eliminate damage to the bottom of the ocean. i have to admit that bottom trawling is pretty bad for the ocean floor but most of the time theyre just going over the same spot hundreds of times. also, my dad being one of the few conservation-oriented people in the industry keeps quotas very low because if he lets more squid or fish live for longer they get bigger and are easier to sell to the very picky japanese people. And, did you know that 10 percent of the united states' entire export is seafood.but, to be completely honest im on Do U eat Fish's side. He's right, dont say anything until you stop eating fish. but i respect your side of the story, Steve.

 

[Gaetan P.]

Why?

Why must we keep our opinions down unless we stop eating fish?

Can't we eat fish and Manage the fisheries in the right way so we don't wipe out a species, which would inadvertantly throw a monkey wrench in the food chain??

Ask your dad?

Peace and Green Earth,
Gaetan

 

[DO_U_EAT_FISH]

steve, think about it!... lots of fishaman are quoter holders and have big money invested, iam sure thay must, do all thay could to help the fisheries for there future aswell as yours

 

[DO_U_EAT_FISH]

Gaetan, thats what new zealand has done, Manage the fisheries in the right way, so we can eat the fish, over in scotland and england management was far to late, and look what happend to there fishery

 

[Gaetan P.]

so....all is well in NZ? The fisheries are fine?

 

[WhiteKiboko]

so....all is well in NZ? The fisheries are fine?

not that im the most educated on the subject, but that might get a slight rise out of Master O'Shea....

 

[Gaetan P.]

well, DO U EAT FISH is stating that they are...I'm just trying to get the facts...

G