The Tuna/Porpoise Controversy: How Tuna Fisherman Were Caught in the Government's Net and Fought to Survive. - Softcover

August Felando And Harold Medina

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0615371736 ISBN 13: 9780615371733

Publisher: WESTERN SKY PRESS, 2011

Synopsis

The fishery for tunas in the Pacific Ocean is an extremely important part of the history of California and the nations of the Pacific coast of Latin America. The catches of tunas in the eastern Pacific Ocean have exceeded 600,000 metric tons in some years. This wealth from the sea has stimulated the economies of the nations that participate in the fishery. Thousands of men have been employed as fishermen, and thousands of other people have been employed as cannery workers, shipyard workers and suppliers of gear. fuel, and food. Also consumers all over the world have benefited from the availability of a nutritious and low-cost source of protein. There are many fascinating aspects to the 100-year history of the fishery. Prior to World War II, the catches were much less than they are now. Nearly all of the vessels of that period were registered in the United States. Technical developments during the 1950s made it feasible to fish for tuna with large nets, called purse seines, and by 1963, virtually all of the larger vessels had been converted to purse seiners. The catches increased dramatically, mostly due to off-shore expansion of the are in which fishing took place, but so did the problems. Environmentalists were concerned about the fact that the nets were often set around mixed aggregations of tunas and porpoises, and porpoises were sometimes killed in the process. During the 1960s and 1970s, the coastal nations of Latin America increased their involvement in the tuna fishery. Political disagreements among governments occurred on important issues, including coastal State covereignty over the ocean and its resources and limits on the numbers of vessels permitted to fish, and these have not been resolved.

About this edition

• Publisher: WESTERN SKY PRESS
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 0615371736
• ISBN 13: 9780615371733
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 305