American Fisheries Society

Burbot; ecology, management, and culture.

The burbot is the only freshwater cod in existence and is found all over the world. From a 2005 symposium in Alaska, the studies presented here reflect efforts to keep it so. Edited by Paragamian, a research biologist with the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, and Bennet (fish and wildlife, U. of Idaho), the contributions consider the quality of burbot life in North America, with one essay on France. They begin with the biology of the fish and move on to living conditions in the wild and in fish farms. The book concludes with several studies of the harvesting of burbot, including by Native Americans. All of the articles remind the reader of the place of the burbot in the natural order, and several point out the damage that human intervention and over-fishing have caused the burbot population. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Reconciling fisheries with conservation; proceedings; 2v.

The papers in this two-volume proceedings were first presented at the Fourth World Fisheries Congress, held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in May 2004. The papers assess theory and practice on many issues and specific cases relating to the larger theme of conservation. A sampling of topics includes the establishment and role of marine protected areas, a solution to the protection of gray seals in the Baltic, issues of data sources in the Gulf of Mexico, models for estimating maximum sustainable yield, ecosystem modeling for South Africa fishery management, and the role of predation in the shrimp stock collapse in the Gulf of Mexico. A number of papers concern artificial reefs, in various locations worldwide; and the question of indigenous fishing rights is also addressed in multiple papers. Many of the papers discuss specific cases, but a large number concern broader theoretical and practical issues, making this an excellent resource for scientists and policy makers in the field. Not indexed. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)

Red snapper ecology and fisheries in the U.S. Gulf Mexico.

The 22 papers of this volume present an in-depth source to current research on the life history, ecology, population dynamics and structure, and fisheries management and conservation of this critically important and dangerously overfished species. The basic biology of the fish, its site fidelity, the history of the fishing of red snapper, assessments of population, patterns of habitat, and assessment of recent management actions — including artificial reefs — are among the major themes. Overviews of the main section topics are provided and each article includes an abstract and bibliography. The volume is not indexed. (Annotation ©2008 Book News Inc. Portland, OR)