History of Marine Animal Populations aims to enhance knowledge and understanding of how and why the diversity, distribution and abundance of marine life.

History of Marine Animal Populations History of Marine Animal Populations

aims to enhance knowledge and understanding of

how and why the diversity, distribution and abundance of marine life in the oceans

change over the long term

Global Scope of ProjectGlobal Scope of ProjectGlobal Scope of ProjectGlobal Scope of Project

HMAP has grown in the past 18 months to encompass the HMAP has grown in the past 18 months to encompass the globe. We are about 100 historians, archaeologists, and globe. We are about 100 historians, archaeologists, and

marine scientists, working on 16 case studiesmarine scientists, working on 16 case studies

2007 Scientific Results2007 Scientific Results

• Bluefin Tuna Used to Bluefin Tuna Used to be Common in be Common in Northern European Northern European Waters Waters

Danish bluefin tuna fishery, 1949Danish bluefin tuna fishery, 1949© Danmarks Radio Archives© Danmarks Radio Archives

Development of bluefin tuna fisheries in northern European waters

click here to play movie

2007 Scientific Results2007 Scientific Results

Taxonomic Composition of Fish Bones Recovered From Taxonomic Composition of Fish Bones Recovered From Stone Age (7000-3900 BC)Stone Age (7000-3900 BC)

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Ven

dsys

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fjord

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utla

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Fun

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Sjæ

lland

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nhol

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% gadids % flatfish

•gadids (cod, haddock, pollock, whiting, saithe) were very common gadids (cod, haddock, pollock, whiting, saithe) were very common even though temperatures were 2-3 higher than noweven though temperatures were 2-3 higher than now

•We can have cod in future if exploitation is reducedWe can have cod in future if exploitation is reduced

Enghoff, MacKenzie and Niesen, in pressEnghoff, MacKenzie and Niesen, in pressFish. Res.Fish. Res.

2007 Scientific Results2007 Scientific Results

Early Human Impact on MegamolluscsEarly Human Impact on Megamolluscs

Steps Toward Project SynthesisSteps Toward Project Synthesis

Steps Toward Realm SynthesisSteps Toward Realm Synthesis

History of Nearshore History of Nearshore ProgramProgram

A joint HMAP-NaGISA initiative A joint HMAP-NaGISA initiative to identify specific local sites to identify specific local sites

on which historical (pre 1980) records of biodiversity are on which historical (pre 1980) records of biodiversity are available available

and to resample them under the auspices of the NaGISA and to resample them under the auspices of the NaGISA project, project,

thus including them in NaGISA`s global nearshore thus including them in NaGISA`s global nearshore database and ongoing monitoring efforts database and ongoing monitoring efforts

while assessing specific regional trends in biodiversitywhile assessing specific regional trends in biodiversity

www.nagisa.coml.org/history_of_the_near_shore.htmwww.nagisa.coml.org/history_of_the_near_shore.htm

Synthesis OutputsSynthesis Outputs

Oceans Past, Earthscan (London) 2007Fisheries Science 2007

Mega-Mollusks, British Archaeological Reports 2007

1) historical baselines in as many ecosystems as possible2) relative exploitation level of as

many ecosystems as possible3) changes in size composition of species in as many

ecosystems aspossible through historical time

4) Fishing method and fishing effort development around theglobe through historical time

Visualization & CommunicationVisualization & Communication

Pieter Pieter BrueghelBrueghelthe Elder, the Elder, Big Fish Big Fish Eat LittleEat LittleFishFish

Visualization & CommunicationVisualization & Communication

• ”…”…probably all the probably all the great fisheries are great fisheries are inexhaustible; that is inexhaustible; that is to say that nothing we to say that nothing we do seriously affects do seriously affects the number of fish”. the number of fish”.

• Thomas Henry Huxley Thomas Henry Huxley 18831883

Jackson, Brave New Ocean, Diversitas conference, Oaxaca 2005

Science ImpactScience ImpactScientific impactScientific impact

• We now know that the distribution and abundance of marine animal populations experience dramatic changes over time• Changes are attributed to climatic and human forces

• , and while few marine species have gone extinct, conservationists worry that entire marine ecosystems have been depleted beyond recovery

• An understanding of historical patterns of resource exploitation is key to identifying what has actually been lost in the habitat

• and is an essential part of developing and implementing recovery plans for depleted marine ecosystems and ecosystem attributes.

• The HMAP approach offers a means to obtain a broader theoretical and analytical perspective on marine ecosystems

• to inform present and future environmental management policies.

Scientific impactScientific impact

• Marine environmental history is now recognized as a necessary complement to ecosystem analysis and as a major new contribution to the field of environmental history

• V. Winiwarter et al., Env. & History 10, 501-530 (2004)

• J. R. McNeill, Env. History 10 (2005)• J. W. Bolster, Env. History 11, 567-597 (2006)• M. Schrope, Nature 443, 622-624 (2006)

Societal Impact of Results to DateSocietal Impact of Results to DateSocietal Impact of ResultsSocietal Impact of Results

• Potential users of HMAP results will include the scientific community, conservation organisations, and national, international and inter-governmental fisheries and ecosystem management agencies.

• US-NOAA, Canada DFO, the European Commission, the Helsinki Commission for the Protection of the Baltic Marine Environment (Helcom), the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), the Mediterranean Science Commission (CIESM), the International Whaling Commission, and UN-FAO

Societal Impact of Results to DateSocietal Impact of Results to Date

• How much is it worth to us?

Project Data Available in OBISProject Data Available in OBIS

Published in OBIS Number Date published (month, year)

a) Datasets 8 to 09/07

b) Species with location data 73

c) Unique locations 10462

d) Total species by location records

73

To be published in OBIS

Number Anticipated date (month, year)

a) Datasets 20 2: 11/072: 12/0710: 07/086: 01/09

b) Species with location data

c. 85

c) Unique locations

c.30000

d) Total species by location records

c. 85

Education & OutreachEducation & Outreach

Courtesy of Danish National Archive, Copenhagen.Photo: Maibritt Bager.Photo: Maibritt Bager. Courtesy of Courtesy of lokalarkivet i Skagelokalarkivet i Skagen n

Weight reduction by species and method

64 66 68

70 72 74 76

78 80 82

Cod Haddock Plaice

pct. Olavius 1787

Method 2005

Next StepsNext Steps

• develop a broad global perspective of the changes in (exploited) marine animal populations and ecosystem exploitation status over centuries and decades, and across systems and taxa

• examine the ecological and socio-cultural-political basis for recovery of marine animal populations and ecosystems around the world

Limits to KnowledgeLimits to Knowledge

• Our knowledge of the past relies on Our knowledge of the past relies on interpretations of evidence that has survived the interpretations of evidence that has survived the attrition of time and economyattrition of time and economy• Inevitably, therefore, it is partial knowledgeInevitably, therefore, it is partial knowledge

• Can we overcome the conflict of scientific Can we overcome the conflict of scientific approaches?approaches?• History - an ideographic exerciseHistory - an ideographic exercise

• Sift the evidence to establish (unique) factSift the evidence to establish (unique) fact• Biology - a nomothetic endeavourBiology - a nomothetic endeavour

• recognise recurrent patterns that can be generalised into a recognise recurrent patterns that can be generalised into a modelmodel