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Everyone has heard of environmentalism, but what is it? Is it
ideology or religion? Like socialism, environmentalism is a
political program, but even more diffuse. Environmentalists hold
diverse opinions, from wanting to take care of nature in human
interest to putting nature above man. The latter is religious
environmentalism, with nature taking the place of the supernatural.
This book is a critique of this type of environmentalism,
appropriately named ecofundamentalism. This may be a minority or
even marginal opinion, but it seems to shape people's thinking to
an unwarranted degree. In the worst of cases, it would bring the
end of civilization as we know it. Without massive monocultures,
supported by pesticides and fertilizer, we could never feed
ourselves. Almost 90 percent of our primary energy comes from
fossil fuels, without which there would be no air travel, cars and
trucks, reliable electricity, and even much of our food supply.
Putting a premium on biodiversity and getting serious about
greenhouse gas emissions would force us to go without these things,
putting us back in the Middle Ages. Fortunately, there is no need
to heed any of these environmentalist prescriptions. Contrary to
the notion that economic growth is unsustainable and our core
problem, it is actually the core solution. Economic growth and
technology has made it possible for food production to outpace
population growth since the industrial revolution. Economic growth
is one reason why population growth worldwide has fallen so that
the "population bomb" may never explode. It has also made us
largely independent of the weather except for growing our crops.
Meanwhile, ecofundamentalism would cause more harm than good.
Everyone has heard of environmentalism, but what is it? Is it
ideology or religion? Like socialism, environmentalism is a
political program, but even more diffuse. Environmentalists hold
diverse opinions, from wanting to take care of nature in human
interest to putting nature above man. The latter is religious
environmentalism, with nature taking the place of the supernatural.
This book is a critique of this type of environmentalism,
appropriately named ecofundamentalism. This may be a minority or
even marginal opinion, but it seems to shape people's thinking to
an unwarranted degree. In the worst of cases, it would bring the
end of civilization as we know it. Without massive monocultures,
supported by pesticides and fertilizer, we could never feed
ourselves. Almost 90 percent of our primary energy comes from
fossil fuels, without which there would be no air travel, cars and
trucks, reliable electricity, and even much of our food supply.
Putting a premium on biodiversity and getting serious about
greenhouse gas emissions would force us to go without these things,
putting us back in the Middle Ages. Fortunately, there is no need
to heed any of these environmentalist prescriptions. Contrary to
the notion that economic growth is unsustainable and our core
problem, it is actually the core solution. Economic growth and
technology has made it possible for food production to outpace
population growth since the industrial revolution. Economic growth
is one reason why population growth worldwide has fallen so that
the "population bomb" may never explode. It has also made us
largely independent of the weather except for growing our crops.
Meanwhile, ecofundamentalism would cause more harm than good.
To date, research on the economic implications of climate change on
fisheries has been both limited and fragmented. The contributors to
this volume remedy the lack of attention by investigating the
economic consequences of pelagic fish fluctuations in the recent
past in order to understand how to adapt and respond to future
climate changes. Small pelagic fish constitute approximately 30 per
cent of the world's fish catch, have a global distribution, and are
characterized by dramatic fluctuations in response to ocean
climate. Despite this, countries adjust to changes in fish
abundance, regardless of the cause, at variable time scales. These
adjustments are often uncoordinated. The contributors address these
concerns in chapters that cover a range of topics including:
historical fluctuations of Atlanto-Scandian herring, management
adaptations to climate regime shifts, differential consequences of
pelagic fishery collapses in Southeast Asia, and the globalized
nature of fishmeal markets. The case studies are complementary and
yet self-standing, highlighting the need for a more coordinated
assessment of impacts, and calling for more focused research.
Students and scholars of climate change and environmental and
resource economics will find this cohesive volume an instructive
and enlightening resource. Policymakers and those in the fisheries
management community will find the case studies and analyses useful
in determining future goals and responses.
The fishing industry's critical dependence on the natural
environment makes it very different from other economic sectors.
How it can optimally exploit a common resource while ensuring its
sustainability raises many economic challenges. This book, suitable
for undergraduate and postgraduate courses on fisheries economics
and management, provides an introduction to the economics of the
fishing industry and the role of fisheries in the world economy.
The book's primary focus is on capture fisheries, although the
discussion brings in wider aquaculture for comparative analysis.
The key economic concepts that drive the industry, most notably
sustainable yield, are explained in detail, before examining how
the industry puts them into practice in a complex regulatory
environment. The variability of fish stocks is considered and case
studies of some spectacular stock crashes are discussed. The law of
the sea is explained and how the movement of fish stocks across
ocean boundaries has created regulatory bodies to manage
international fisheries. At the heart of this management lies the
quota system and the book outlines how it works and how,
controversially, such quotas have become transferable. The book
offers readers a comprehensive and rigorous guide to the economic
considerations motivating the industry and highlights the
environmental challenges facing the sector as global consumption of
fish continues to rise.
The fishing industry's critical dependence on the natural
environment makes it very different from other economic sectors.
How it can optimally exploit a common resource while ensuring its
sustainability raises many economic challenges. This book, suitable
for undergraduate and postgraduate courses on fisheries economics
and management, provides an introduction to the economics of the
fishing industry and the role of fisheries in the world economy.
The book's primary focus is on capture fisheries, although the
discussion brings in wider aquaculture for comparative analysis.
The key economic concepts that drive the industry, most notably
sustainable yield, are explained in detail, before examining how
the industry puts them into practice in a complex regulatory
environment. The variability of fish stocks is considered and case
studies of some spectacular stock crashes are discussed. The law of
the sea is explained and how the movement of fish stocks across
ocean boundaries has created regulatory bodies to manage
international fisheries. At the heart of this management lies the
quota system and the book outlines how it works and how,
controversially, such quotas have become transferable. The book
offers readers a comprehensive and rigorous guide to the economic
considerations motivating the industry and highlights the
environmental challenges facing the sector as global consumption of
fish continues to rise.
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