Tues, Nov 30: Coastal Matters lecture series – The skeptical fisherman
12:30 – 1:30 pm, Room 104, RecPlex, Grenfell Campus, Corner Brook
In a recent editorial in the Globe and Mail, entitled “Cod in Newfoundland: Already seen that drama” columnist Jeffrey Simpson argued a typical line: The cod fishery in Newfoundland collapsed because: there were too many parties, and too many politicians, with vested interests in ignoring science, or playing it down, or claiming that the results were biased.” Jeffrey claims that “They are still around, and vocal [but] …None of these individuals or groups has separate, better scientific data. They have only anecdotal reports from fishermen, claiming fish to be more abundant than the scientists do.” There is much to protest in Simpson’s column but he is simply reflecting what most serious commentators on the Newfoundland cod fishery and other fisheries around the world believe. It is clear how people can live sustainably with fish, listen to the scientists with the best scientific data and ignore the fishermen with their anecdotes about abundant fish stocks. This presentation will explore the consequences of this worship of science and dismissal of fishermen and their qualitative observations using the history of the Newfoundland cod fishery as an exemplar. Join presenter Dr. Dean Bavington, Canada Research Chair in Environmental History. The Coastal Matters series is sponsored by Humber Arm ACAP. For further information contact info@acaphumberarm.com or 637-2883.