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A Tale of Two Fisheries
1998, 16 minutes
The groundfishery has never been worse, the lobster fishery has never been better, but the paths these two fisheries took are markedly different. Although cod and other groundfish were thought to be inexhaustible, relentless harvesting has caused those stocks to collapse. Lobster stocks crashed over 50 years ago, prompting dramatic changes which lead to management of the resouce. Within the lobstering community a conservation ethic evolved. More sustainable practices became law and this law is now locally enforced. Today's lobstermen speak with pride as the caring conservers of the lobster resource which is now a booming industry. In this video, we hear groundfishermen realizing they must manage the resource if the harvest is to continue for future generations.
The FISHING FOR THE FUTURE is a 3 x 15 minute series that explores the overlaps among fisheries, in light of historic changes of the late 20th century and an emerging approach to the "fishery commons" called ecosystem management. A companion teacher's guide has been published. The series was re-versioned for broadcast on PBS, with the title FISHING FOR THE FUTURE.
Organizations That Appear In Production: Maine Lobstermen Association
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