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SCIENCEFriday 2 October 2015
Officials: Key fishing area for Atlantic cod in dire shape
PATRICK WHITTLE knew cod stocks in Georg-
Associated Press es Bank were thin, but new
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — data from the Northeast
One of the two critical ar- Fisheries Science Cen-
eas where New England ter says research boats
fishermen search for cod caught less of the fish this
may be in even worse past spring than in all but
shape than suspected. one spring season dating
Fishing managers already back to 1968.
Lead scientist of Pluto
expedition has
book deal
NEW YORK (AP) — You’ve scheduled for publication
seen the images from Plu- in spring 2017. David Grin-
to. Now, the lead scientist spoon, a planetary scien-
of the historic NASA expe- tist and award-winning sci-
dition is ready to tell the ence writer, will co-write
whole story. the book.
Alan Stern, principal inves- July’s unprecedented en-
tigator of the New Horizons counter with the dwarf
mission, has a deal with planet was the last stop
Picador for a “behind the on NASA’s long tour of our
scenes” account of July’s solar-system, dating back
flyby. to when Pluto was a full-
The publisher announced fledged planet. Scientists
Thursday that the book is in charge of New Horizons
called “Chasing New Ho- have hoped the new ob-
rizons: Inside Humankind’s servations will restore Plu-
First Mission to Pluto.” It’s to’s honor.q
Researchers: carbon In this Nov. 15, 2013 file photo, fishermen Ed Stewart, left, and Tannis Goodsen mend
pledges lower groundfishing nets on Merrill Wharf in Portland, Maine.
warming forecast Associated Press
A report from the cen- It’s more bad news for of New England, is also in
ter states that the boats the faltering fishery, which
caught about 3.3 pounds generations of New Eng- dire shape — the National
of cod each time the net land fishermen have re-
went in and out of the wa- lied upon to make a living. Marine Fisheries Service
ter last spring, compared Regulators and marine
to more than three times scientists have said over- scientists said last year the
that amount two years fishing hit the stock hard
earlier. Those numbers and warming oceans amount of cod spawning
were routinely more than could be making it worse.
20 pounds per trip in the “Is that coming as a sur- in the Gulf was estimated
late 1980s. prise from anybody who
STOCKHOLM (AP) — A cli- the group calculated that The status of cod in Georg- knows what the water to be 3 to 4 percent of its
mate research group says there would be an addi- es Bank, a broad swath of temperature is out there?
carbon emissions cuts tional 0.5-1.1 C (0.9-2.0 F) elevated sea floor off of No, it shouldn’t be,” said target level.
pledged by governments of warming. Massachusetts, could mo- David Goethel, a New
could rein in global warm- Currently, temperatures tivate regulators to again Hampshire-based fisher- The Northeast Fisheries
ing by up to 1 degree C are about 1.8 C (3.2 F) lower catch quotas for the man. “These fish are de-
(1.8 degrees F) by 2100. warmer than in pre-indus- area. Quotas have plum- clining because of cli- Science Center gave
On Thursday — the dead- trial times. meted from more than mate change.”
line for submitting pledges A separate analysis this 4,800 metric tons in 2012 Regulators say the Gulf of the report to The Associ-
for a U.N. climate pact week by the U.S.-based to less than 2,000 metric Maine, home of the other
— the Climate Action Climate Interactive group tons this year. key cod fishing ground off ated Press on Tuesday.
Tracker group said if fully projected 3.5 C (6.3 F) of
implemented, the emis- warming based on the cur- The status of the Georges
sions targets would result rent pledges.
in 2.7 C (4.9 F) of warming All major carbon polluters Bank cod was the sub-
compared to pre-industrial except India submitted tar-
times. Without those cuts, gets by Thursday.q ject of a presentation to
federal fishing managers
on Wednesday in Plym-
outh, Massachusetts.
The New England Fishery
Management Council will
likely set a fishing quota
for Georges Bank cod in
December.q
