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Founding assumptions:
1/5)I'm assuming that zooplankton play, as portrayed by Debbie MacKanzie, a
startlingly central role in limiting nutrient ferrying to the phytoplankton-
rich surface.
2/5)I'm also assuming that satallite photo reports of increased
phytoplanktonic chlorophyll, with dragnet reports of reduced zooplankton
may, instead of contradicting each other, indicate that more phytoplankton
are feeding less zooplankton because the phytoplankton have less food value
per unit, because the attenuation of zooplankton's nutrient ferrying has
left phytoplankton less preyed upon, yet less well nourished, and this to
such an extent as to lower productivity overall.
3/5)I further assume that, in general, over-fishing has taken
preportionately more from the fourth trophic level - filter-feeder eaters -
than from the third trophic level - filter-feeders. This temporarily
released filter-feeders to deplete zooplankton stocks. Depleted zooplankton
ferried lesss limiting nutrients, reducing overall productivity, including
filter-feeders.
4/5)The smaller cod, etc. now making up fish stocks, are functionally more
on the third trophic level, and so tend to further deplete the zooplankton,
yet are not preyed upon much by now-lacking fourth trophic level predetors.
5/5) Complete cessation of Banks fishing now is politically impossible,
unfortunately.
Proposal:
Shift catches from fourth to third trophic level consumers, to directly and
indirectly release zooplankton biomass to rebound and then ferry more
limiting nutrients to phytoplankton, and thus allow either greater
productivity, (or at least slower productivity destruction).
This shifting of catches to lower-value, smaller, less popular, and
sometimes less US-consumer favored filter-feeders (herring, mackerel,
butterfish, squid, etc.) would be more politically possible than complete
cessation of catches.
Perhaps a media emphasis on content of bioaccumulated pollutents, (mercury,
etc.) would lead consumers to greater third-trophic level fish consumption,
and lessen fourth trophic level fish consumption, while protecting consumer
health.
Brian Cady
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