What is it about?
This paper describes an attempt to investigate why cod, haddock and whiting stocks are declining on the west coast of Scotland. We used an ecosystem model to investigate if the declines were caused by grey seals, bycatch or overfishing. We discovered that fishing may be one cause, but it is not the only cause. Further investigation is needed on potential environmental influences.
Featured Image
Why is it important?
As humans, we depend on the continuation of these fish to provide us with valuable protein. If we can discover why cod, haddock and whiting are declining, then we can ensure the sustainability of these species into the future and ensure our children, and their children, are still able to catch and eat these fish.
Perspectives
Given that overfishing is one of the main challenges that the world is facing today, it was unsurprising to find that fishing was a key driver of the ecosystem on the west coast of Scotland. What I found more surprising was the importance of the role of primary production. Primary producers (the organisms at the bottom of the food chain) also appear to be driving the ecosystem and we don't yet know enough about the environmental variables, and predation pressures, which drive them.
Dr Karen A Alexander
University of Tasmania
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Investigating the recent decline in gadoid stocks in the west of Scotland shelf ecosystem using a foodweb model, ICES Journal of Marine Science, September 2014, Oxford University Press (OUP),
DOI: 10.1093/icesjms/fsu149.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
