{"id":654,"date":"2019-05-01T16:22:40","date_gmt":"2019-05-01T16:22:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/web.colby.edu\/presence\/?p=654"},"modified":"2019-05-01T16:22:40","modified_gmt":"2019-05-01T16:22:40","slug":"trophy-fish","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/web.colby.edu\/presence\/2019\/05\/01\/trophy-fish\/","title":{"rendered":"“Trophy Fish”"},"content":{"rendered":"

Professor McClenachan\u2019s lecture on the history of marine ecology was both extremely entertaining as well as enlightening. As a professor of environmental science, Professor McClenachan explained how she devoted her research and studies to marine life, in both the past and the future. Of all the lectures thus far, this was by far the easiest to understand. Many of the previous topics have been relatively complex and intricate. However, professor McClenachan\u2019s talk was very straightforward: Earth is doomed if we do not protect environmental\/ecological habitats. Professor McClenachan began the lecture by posting two different photos of ecosystems. Both were taken from an aerial shot and both provide a lot of context clues; it was easy to tell which forest was green and which wasn\u2019t. Professor McClenachan repeated this process several times, each time asking \u201cwhich picture was more environmentally and ecologically intact\u201d. The answer was always easy to figure out until she posted two pictures of differing coral reefs (above the surface). One body of water was more blue than the other. But otherwise, it was quite difficult to tell how well the ecosystem was operating under the surface. With underwater photographs, Professor soon showed up which was which. Her point was to emphasize the fact that we, as humans, never see the direct impact happening in the ocean, under the surface. Professor McClenachan talked about a specific reef in the Dominican Republic that was almost entirely dead. She explained how we have gone on to lose more than 80% of all coral reefs in the past 25 years! This statistic absolutely blew my mind; it is frightening to see the reality of the situation, especially given how quickly this entire process has occurred. <\/span><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, Professor McClenachan did not give hope for the future. Her personal work and studies were actually quite alarming and disturbing. She discussed in great lengths the outscope of her job and what she does. She emphasized how much of it was considered \u201cground work\u201d and how she enjoyed participating in events and studies first hand. She then took us on \u201ca trip\u201d to the Florida Keys and showed us many of her observations throughout the years of her studies. She started off by comparing a \u2018successful fishing day\u2019 in 2007 to a \u2018successful fishing day\u2019 in 1985. The results were breathtaking; the fish in \u201885 were more abundant, larger in size, and monstrous in width when compared to 2007. The 2007 picture honestly looked like a board of bait fish, when in turn, it was supposed to be a board of \u201ctrophy fish\u201d. Professor McClenachan did this exercise several times over, showing us fish from 1979 and even the early 1950\u2019s. Everytime she moved another decade into the past, the fish got bigger and more abundant. It was truly heart wrenching to see the progression that the marine life has undergone in just one small area! Professor McClenachan explained how there has been a MAJOR loss of perspective from just one generation to the next. In total, the average fish has loss about 50% in length and almost 90% in weight; the studies are simply astounding. I could barely fathom the difference in fish from the 1950 photo to the 2007 photo. I can only imagine what fish are looking like today in 2019. Someone mentioned after in the question and answer session that these images should be displayed on a forum for millions to see. In my eyes, the visual imagery sends a clear enough message; no one can look at these photos and not help but feel a sort of helplessness. The works of people like Professor McClenachan need to publized and shared globally because if people do not wake up soon, it will be too late. The scariest part is that we are approaching the point of no return; we are almost at a point where it is too late to see fish like we did in 1979. I admire the works of Professor McClenachan as well as her colleagues as they\u2019re working to fight a battle that has, unfortunately, proven to be almost impossible to overcome. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Professor McClenachan\u2019s lecture on the history of marine ecology was both extremely entertaining as well as enlightening. As a professor of environmental science, Professor McClenachan explained how she devoted her research and studies to marine life, in both the past and the future. Of all the lectures thus far, this was by far the easiest … <\/p>\n

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