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Article: One small step for ecosystem-based management.(From the town landing)
- Article from:
- National Fisherman
- Article date:
- November 1, 2007
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2007 Diversified Publications. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Forage fish, the poor cousins of the fish world, are finally getting some respect. From our human perspective, they seem smaller and less appetizing than their more delectable relatives. But from an ecosystem perspective they are a crucial rink in the marine food web.
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Forage fish are preyed upon by the fish consumers love to eat and fishermen, therefore, love to catch. Without forage fish, cod and haddock go hungry.
Until 2001, herring were subject to an ineffective mishmash of federal and interstate management. Only in the past six years has the fishery come under coordinated management by the New England Fishery ...