Papers and Projects

Opportunities in Marine Environmental History. Environmental History 11.3 (2006): 567-597.

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The ocean may be the next frontier for environmental historians. People have depended on the ocean for centuries and quietly reshaped it. Recently the tragic impact of overfishing, habitat destruction, and biological invasions has become apparent. Arguing that marine environmental history can complement on-going research in historical marine ecology, this essay invokes recent scientific work while staking out distinct terrain for historians.

The History of Ocean Resources: Modeling Cod Biomass Using Historical Records. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. 3.2 (2005): 78-84.

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In this article, we use historical sources to understand ecosystem trends and establish biological indicators for marine species prior to the industrialization of fishing. We combined historical research methods and population modeling to estimate the biomass of cod on Canada's Scotian Shelf in 1852. Mid 19th-century New England fishing logs offer geographically specific daily catch records, describing fleet activity on fishing grounds with negligible incentive to falsify records. Combined with ancillary fishery documents, these logs provide a solid, reliable basis for stock assessment. Based on these data we estimate a biomass for cod of 1.26 million metric tons in 1852 - compared with less than 50,000 metric tons of total biomass today. In the current policy debate about rebuilding depleted fisheries and restoring marine ecosystems, it is important to recognize that fisheries for key commercial species like cod were far more productive in the past. As we attempt to rebuild these fisheries, our decisions should reflect real and realistic goals for management, not just recently observed catch levels.

Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (SBNMS) Historical Ecology Project

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This project seeks to document the historical environment of Stellwagen Bank. The marine environment and animal populations of the bank have been affected significantly by human actions, particularly over the last 500 years. The purpose of our initial research phase is to identify the extent and location of historical sources relevant to the fishing history and historical marine ecology of SBNMS. To date, we have found hundreds of documents in federal, state, and local repositories. These data will be used to map and document changes in fish species composition, distribution, biodiversity, size, and seasonality. Historical scientific cruise data will be used to analyze changes in surface and bottom conditions in SBNMS. In addition, historical sources will be used to understand and document past human interactions with the marine environment, such as fishing effort, behavior, and response to marine environmental degradation.

Rainsford Island (Boston Harbor) Archaeological Survey

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In 2001-2002, a survey by the Boston Landmarks Commission and Institute of Maritime History mapped the above-ground and underwater landscapes and archaeological sites of Rainsford Island. The survey used aerial and marine remote-sensing mapping techniques in order to document changes in the prehistoric and historic marine environment of Rainsford Island and Boston Harbor.

Fishing Heritage Festivals, Tourism, and Community Development in the Gulf of Maine

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No formal studies have been conducted previously to assess the social and economic impact of fishing heritage events on Gulf of Maine fishing communities. This paper documents how fishing communities in the Gulf of Maine celebrate a centuries-old yet declining traditional maritime way of life. In February 2005, a telephone survey of 13 gulf fishing communities was conducted as a first step toward understanding the social and cultural significance of fishing heritage festivals. The respondents' answers provide a glimpse into the symbolic, religious, and socio-cultural significance of fishing-related festivals and ceremonies. The survey qualifies the economic impact or demand for fishing heritage tourism through attendance estimates and records, and documents the conflicts that have resulted between heritage tourism and fishing communities. This paper provides planners and policy-makers with new information about public interests in fishing heritage and an indication of the potential socio-economic impacts of heritage event development on fishing communities in the Gulf of Maine.