Sciblogs tab clearing

New Zealand kelp forests under threat

Last year the Ministry of Fisheries, following a period of consultation, entered giant kelp into the [Quota Management System]
...
the Ministry produced three options for total allowable catch for the management area that extends from a point near Kaikoura all the way down to Slope Point at the southern most tip of the South Island. These options were 1) 375.8 tonnes, 2) 40 tonnes, and 3) 17 tonnes.
...
the Minister’s announcement yesterday that the total allowable catch for the east coast of the South Island had been set at… wait for it…. 1,238 tonnes!!! TA DAAAAA!!!! But hang on a minute, wasn’t the largest option put forward by his own advisors 375.8 tonnes?
...
It takes a lot of time and research to write a submission that is based on current scientific knowledge. I personally feel like the effort that my colleagues and I put into this process was a complete and utter waste of time.

What's that line from Soylent Green? "The oceans are dead, we killed them."?
Although National has done this I'm not convinced Labour would have been any better. I wonder who bought and paid for this decision?
Note that his happens to many other species in the QMS. A veneer of legality to raping the ecosystem.
~~~
Less rage-inducing, a good explanation of why wind circles areas of low pressure instead of flowing straight into them.

~~~
Finally, making the point that academic research careers are the exception for science PhDs, and I think the principle can comfortably be extended to cover 'lesser' degrees (eg Masters) and other disciplines as well.