Fish Conservation: A Guide to Understanding and Restoring Global Aquatic Biodiversity and Fishery Resources

by Gene S. Helfman

Fish Conservation offers, for the first time in a single volume, a readable reference with a global approach to marine and freshwater fish diversity and fishery resource issues. Gene Helfman brings together available knowledge on the decline and restoration of freshwater and marine fishes, providing ecologically sound answers to biodiversity declines as well as to fishery management problems at the subsistence, recreational, and commercial levels. Written in an engaging and accessible style, the
considers the value of preserving aquatic biodiversity
offers an overview of imperiled fishes on a taxonomic and geographic basis
presents a synthesis of common characteristics of imperiled fishes and their habitats
details anthropogenic causes of decline
examines human exploitation issues
addresses ethical questions surrounding exploitation of fishes
The final chapter integrates topics and evaluates prospects for arresting declines, emphasizing the application of evolutionary and ecological principles in light of projected trends. Throughout, Helfman provides examples, explores case studies, and synthesizes available information from a broad taxonomic, habitat, and geographic range.

Fish Conservation summarizes the current state of knowledge about the degradation and restoration of diversity among fishes and the productivity of fishery resources, pointing out areas where progress has been made and where more needs to be done. Solutions focus on the application of ecological knowledge to solving practical problems, recognizing that effective biodiversity conservation depends on meeting human needs through management that focuses on long term sustainability and an ecosystem perspective.

688 pages, Paperback

First published July 15, 2007

Reviews

[Stamatis Zogaris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hands down, the BEST review of fish conservation ever! And a wonderful read- not outdated since 2007. It is an absolute distilled, near-perfect work of scholarship, science and art. It is a kind of writing - lively, straight, western - that I envy. It the life-work of a man who you feel you know by reading this "technical" review text. Mr. Helfman please consider a Second Edition...

[Joseph Peters · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a required reading for my graduate class FW573-FISH ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION at Oregon State University. I thought this was a great text reviewing the issues fish populations face and actions that have been taken to conserve fish populations.