Large Marine Ecosystems of the World: Trends in Exploitation, Protection, and Research

The Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs) of the world annually produce 95% of usable global marine biomass. LMEs are presently being subjected to stresses from unsustainable fishing, climate change, coastal eutrophication, toxic algal blooms and degradation of critical habitats, resulting in significant losses of socioeconomic benefits to coastal countries.

The volume provides assessments of the changing states of selected polar, temperate and tropical LMEs using the case study method. From the studies of changes in biomass yields and environmental health, new insights are provided on the causes of the changes and actions presently underway to improve the health and sustainability of LMEs.

Twelfth in the series on LMEs (see http://www.lme.noaa.gov), this book is essential reading for scientists and students in marine relevant fields, conservationists, marine resource managers, policy makers and others interested in the fate of ocean ecosystems.

Gotthilf Hempel is Science Advisor, Senate of Bremen, Germany, Professor Emeritus Bremen and Kiel Universities, Executive Council of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, served as Director Alfred-Wegner Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven; Director Institute for Baltic Research, Rostock; Director Tropical Marine Ecology Center, Bremen University; and President, International Council for the Exploration of the Sea.

Kenneth Sherman is Director of the Narragansett Laboratory and the Office of Marine Ecosystem Studies of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); and adjunct professor of oceanography, Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island.