The Bering Sea, which lies between the United States and Russia, is one of the most productive ecosystems in the world and has prolific fishing grounds. Yet there have been significant unexplained population fluctuations in marine mammals and birds in the region. The book examines the Bering Sea ecosystem's dynamics and the relationship between man and the ecosystem, in order to identify potential reasons for the population fluctuations as well as identify ways the Sea's living resources can be better managed by government.
- Front Matter
- Executive Summary
- 1 Introduction
- 2 Marine Ecosystems: A Conceptual Framework
- 3 The Bering Sea Ecosystem: Geology, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology of Lower Trophic Levels
- 4 Biology of Higher Trophic Levels
- 5 Human Use—Fisheries
- 6 Causes and Effects in the Bering Sea Ecosystem
- 7 Implications for Management Policy and Institutional Arrangements
- 8 Gaps in Knowledge and Recommendations
- References
- Appendix A Biographical Sketches of the Committee Members
- Appendix B Organizations and Individuals that Provided Information to the Committee