UGA’s Dallmeyer appointed to national committee studying the effects of over fishing

Friday, April 22, 2005 WRITER: Heidi Murphy, 706/542-5172, hmurphy@uga.edu CONTACT: Dorinda Dallmeyer, 706/542-5141, dorindad@uga.edu UGA’s Dallmeyer appointed to national committee studying the effects of over fishing ATHENS, Ga. – Dorinda G. Dallmeyer, associate director of the University of Georgia Dean Rusk Center - International, Comparative and Graduate Legal Studies, has been appointed by the Ocean Studies Board of the National Research Council to a nine-member national committee evaluating the impact of fisheries on coastal and ocean ecosystems. Ecosystems are inherently complex and any disturbance, such as the removal of a target species by a fishery, is likely to have effects on other components of the system, according to Dallmeyer. “The over fishing of a particular species can have a wide range effects, including changes to predator-prey relationships, the impacts of bycatch and cascading changes in marine food webs. Indirect effects are mediated through complex food web interactions, the relative impacts of fish removals and the loss or degradation of habitats,” she said. The Ocean Studies Board’s charge is to explore the science, policies and infrastructure needed to understand and protect coastal and marine environments and resources. This study will review and evaluate current literature on the impacts of modern fisheries on the composition and productivity of marine ecosystems. The committee’s report, scheduled to be released next March, will discuss the relevance of these findings for U.S. fisheries management, identify areas for future research and analysis, and characterize the stewardship implications for living marine resources. #