From abundance to scarcity : a history of U.S. marine fisheries policy

"The management of coastal and ocean fisheries is highly contentious. Industry interests focus on maximizing catches, while conservationists and marine scientists have become increasingly concerned about dramatic declines in fish stocks and the health of ecosystems. Although charged with mediating among those interests, government agencies have themselves been torn between the mutually incompatible goals of exploiting the oceans for maximum economic benefit and conserving marine resources."
"From Abundance to Scarcity examines the historical evolution of this conflict within U.S. fisheries policy and institutions from the late nineteenth century to the present day, with an emphasis on changes since World War II. Based on archival research and interviews with dozens of key players in marine policymaking, it traces the thinking, legislation mandates, and people that have shaped the various agencies governing fisheries in the United States."--Jacket.