Lament for An Ocean

"I fought hard to get access to the tagging databases because I knew I could infer crucial information on fishing mortality and mitigation rates. However, I was not allowed access to this data, even though I was a DFO (Department of Fisheries and Oceans) employee and was the best qualified person to do this analysis. This was extremely hard on a personal level, to fight to do your job on what was perhaps the most important issue for Newfoundland. After the collapse of the cod, I did get access to the data, and published three papers. And yes, it did show that fishing mortality was very high. But it was too late." --Dr. Ransom Myers as quoted in Lament For An Ocean: The Collapse of the Atlantic Cod Fishery by Michael Harris, 1999 edition, page 254

Hero of the Seas

Author Michael Harris on RAM: "You hear a lot of loose talk these days about heroes.

Like saints, heroes are not nearly as plentiful as the nightly news would have you believe. They almost never look like Tom Cruise. Unlike their cartoon counterparts, they have only one precarious life.

Somewhere in a Halifax hospital a true Canadian hero is lying in bed awaiting either a miracle or the end. Just before Christmas, this 54-year-old scientist was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour and is now in critical condition. His name is Ransom Myers.

In his time, Myers was the bureaucracy's worst nightmare..."

For the rest of the article, go to Ottawa Sun: http://www.ottawasun.com/News/Columnists/Harris_Michael/2007/01/19/pf-3406153.html Michael Harris is the author of Lament for an Ocean, an investigation of why the cod fishery in AtlanticCanada was destroyed by political incompetence/treachery and short-sightedgreed.