Shifting Baselines explores the real-world implications of a groundbreaking idea: we must understand the oceans of the past to protect the oceans of the future. In 1995, acclaimed marine biologist Daniel Pauly coined the term ""shifting baselines"" to describe a phenomenon of lowered expectations, in which each generation regards a progressively poorer natural world as normal. This seminal volume expands on Pauly's work, showing how skewed visions of the past have led to disastrous marine policies and why historical perspective is critical to revitalize fisheries and ecosystems.
Edited by marine ecologists Jeremy Jackson and Enric Sala, and historian Karen Alexander, the book brings together knowledge from disparate disciplines to paint a more realistic picture of past fisheries. The authors use case studies on the cod fishery and the connection between sardine and anchovy populations, among others, to explain various methods for studying historic trends and the intricate relationships between species. Subsequent chapters offer recommendations about both specific research methods and effective management. This practical information is framed by inspiring essays by Carl Safina and Randy Olson on a personal experience of shifting baselines and the importance of human stories in describing this phenomenon to a broad public.
While each contributor brings a different expertise to bear, all agree on the importance of historical perspective for effective fisheries management. Readers, from students to professionals, will benefit enormously from this informed hindsight.
Introduction: The Importance of Shifting Baselines
PART I. The Problem Defined Chapter 1. A Shoreline Remembrance Chapter 2. The ""March of Folly"" in Global Fisheries Chapter 3. If a Frond Falls in the Kelp Forest (Does It Make Any Sound?)
PART II. Anchovies and Sardines Chapter 4. The Sardine-Anchovy Puzzle Chapter 5. Variations in Fisheries and Complex Ocean Environments
PART III. Cod Chapter 6. The Historic Abundance of Cod on the Nova Scotian Shelf Chapter 7. History and Context: Reflections from Newfoundland
PART IV. Methods in Historical Marine Ecology Chapter 8. Uncovering the Ocean's Past Chapter 9. Whales, Logbooks, and DNA
PART V. From Fisheries Management to Ecosystems Chapter 10. Management in the Gulf of Maine Chapter 11. Lessons from Coral Reefs
Epilogue: Shifting Baselines for the Future Notes Index
"Shifting Baselines is a stimulating and necessary volume for anyone interested in the issues surrounding marine conservation, ecosystem-based management, or how societies may set ambitious but realistic targets for biodiversity."
