Product Description
The story of generations of a Scottish fishing community.The story of several generations of a Scottish West Coast fishing community -- taking us from the last century when fishermen went off to sea in rowing boats through to the present day, in which fishing vessels are electronic masterpieces.Echo sounders have now taken over from instinct, but the old traditions and superstitions still apply: family links are still strong; the same fishermens' names appear generation after generation. And the women still play their part, but no longer follow the boats from harbour to harbour to gut the fish; instead they stay at home, listening to the weather forecast on the radio, anxious about the terrors of crowded shipping lanes and the dangers of iced-up fishing gear. ... Read more

Product Description
The death, a year before, of Weem Lowrie, husband to Jess and father to James, Bethany and Innes, has, in words that the fishing community of Buckie might use, left his wife and children adrift and rudderless. As well as being the head of the family and the centre of their lives, Weem also dominated his three children from birth and shaped them as he saw fit. Now that he has gone they must come to terms with what he has made of them. Frustrated and unhappy in the marriages that their father had forced them into, James and Bethany must try and alter the course of their lives - James longs to take over his father's place and be skipper of the drifter but he is frustrated by his Uncle Albert, who keeps a tight grip on his own position of power. Bethany, meanwhile, longs to escape from the life all the local women lead and instead find an outlet for her pent-up ambitions and energy. Innes, the youngest, hates the sea and must find the courage to cope with his brother and sister's scorn. For Jess, change comes in the form of Jacob, her childhood sweetheart.Every bit as ambitious and charismatic as Weem was, he still wants Jess and is armed with the power and wealth to split her family apart... ... Read more

Product Description
This practical guide gives expert advice on providing the right living conditions for tropical fish. The book provides information on setting up, stocking and maintaining a freshwater aquarium, as well as including information on all aspects of fish care, health, nutrition and breeding. Identified and described are some of the most spectacular fishes from Asia, Africa and America as well as more popular and hardy aquarium fish like barbs, guppies, swordtails and catfish. ... Read more

Product Description
250 color photos and drawings9 x 9
* Worldwide freshwater species with a focus on Europe
* Atlantic salmon, trout, smallmouth/largemouth bass, many more

This attractive book provides detailed coverage of major families of freshwater fish found around the world, arranged in scientific order and according to their importance for fishing within each family. With stunning, full-color illustrations, Freshwater Fish explains breeding, feeding, growth and longevity, and predators of each species. It also addresses conservation issues, making it the ideal book for anglers and naturalists alike. Especially useful for travelers to the United Kingdom and continental Europe.

Malcolm Greenhalgh has studied fish and fishing throughout Europe, North America, and the West Indies and regularly demonstrates at major angling shows in Britain and Europe. He writes for Fly-Fishing and Fly-Tying and Salmon, Trout and Sea Trout magazines and has written numerous books on fly fishing. ... Read more

Product Description
From the acclaimed eco-journalist Rick Carey, a fascinating chronicle of a fast-disappearing fish-and of the people whose lives and livelihoods depend on it

Since the days of the Persian Empire, caviar has trumpeted status, wealth, prestige, and sex appeal. In this remarkable journey to caviar's source, Carey immerses himself in the world of sturgeon, the fish that lays these golden eggs. The sturgeon has a fascinating biologic past-and a very uncertain future. Sturgeon populations worldwide have declined 70 percent in the last twenty years. Meanwhile the beluga sturgeon, producer of the most coveted caviar, has climbed to number four on the World Wildlife Fund's most-endangered species list.

A high-stakes cocktail of business, crime, diplomacy, technology, and the dilemmas of conservation, The Philosopher Fish is the epic story of a 250-million-year-old fish struggling to survive.

"A wild upstream adventure." (New York Post)

"Hard to imagine that a story about fish eggs could be 'fast paced,' not to mention prophetic. But this piece of environmental journalism is both.... It's a book about America in microcosm.... Caviar, it turns out, is not just tasty. In Carey's hands, it's luminous." (Kirkus Reviews) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Good read but focuses more on legal battles and less on the fish.
The Philosopher Fish is a well-written and entertaining look at sturgeon, sturgeon conservation and caviar. Gets a little too much into legal battles across borders and illegal caviar traffic, but still worth a read. I would give it 5 stars if it focused on the fish a little more.

Sexy & Insightful
I expected it to be a rather dry account, but the intro reels you in to the struggle of commercial fishing and regulation from a very personal perspective. Electric!

The Gilded Morsel
In THE PHILOSOPHER FISH, Richard Adams Carey has written an epic chronicle of the sturgeon--a fish species rapidly approaching extinction wherever it swims--as well as of its precious product, caviar. Selling for as much as one hundred dollars an ounce, caviar has become an icon of status and success, and as such, it has led to the inevitable decline of that curious and prehistoric fish: the sturgeon.

Carey exams both the fish as a species as well as the industry that seeks to exploit it. The fascinating and ancient phylogeny of the sturgeon notwithstanding, this fish is clearly in trouble. In the last two decades, sturgeon populations have shrunk to less than one third of what they were. Much of U.S. trade in caviar, as elsewhere, is illegal, but up until now, those who are working to save the sturgeon are largely ineffective. As in the drug trade, the potential rewards to be reaped by the caviar industry have led to energetic smuggling operations, the mislabeling of sturgeon species on caviar tins, as well as other shenanigans. Among the many storylines covered in THE PHILOSOPHER FISH, Carey follows the efforts of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to stymie the illegal trade in caviar, though as a result of 9/11, their resources have largely been diverted elsewhere.

Carey also follows several of the sturgeons' champions in this world as they seek to improve the fish's plight. There is some slight hope in the efforts of those that hatchery-spawn sturgeon species for aquacultural purposes and possibly for future restocking projects. In his search for every sturgeon-related experience he could find, Carey even ice-fishes for sturgeon in Lake Winnebago, one of the few places in the world where this can be done (strict quotas make the season as short as only 2 days a year), but he clearly feels conflicted about it (he didn't catch anything). He drinks vodka along the shores of the Volga River as he observes the trade, both legal and illegal, of the world's most famous caviar locales.

THE PHILOSOPHER FISH takes the reader around the world, from Sacramento to the shores of the Caspian Sea. Many of the stories involve intrigue and espionage of the highest order. Others are humorous or bitter-sweet. Still others offer hope. All are intensely interesting. I enjoy reading books that tell me more than I ever wanted to know about one circumscribed subject. THE PHILOSOPHER FISH is such a book, and I give it my highest recommendation.

Jeremy W. Forstadt

Sturgeon natural history is examined

The sturgeon has been associated with the luxury food caviar since the days of the Persian Empire, with both wealth and sex appeal associated to its ingestion over the centuries - but today it's a fast-vanishing fish, threatening to take with it the people who depend on it for a living. Sturgeon natural history is examined by Carey, who journeys around the world to uncover its habits, habitat, and those profiting from it. Anticipate more than a natural history alone though: international politics, economics, and world diplomacy are all deftly examined with the sturgeon at the heart of all issues.

The Food Of Gods...And the Rich.
Cavier is the choice of the rich.It is merely the sturgeon's eggs.Sturgeon populations have declined 70% in the last twenty years because of the gluttony of obese, wealthy connoiseurs of fish.It is now becoming a most-endured species.

Harvard grad Richard Carey informs us of the people both profiting from the cavier producing business and shows a high-stakes cocktail of business, crime, diplomacy, technology an dthe problems of conservation.As the public appetites gorw and more people now can afford this staple to their diets which was once a luxury, it soon may become extinct.

Fish has always been my favorite food since the days of cowboys movies around Market Square and the lunch at a diner, always fish.Being a Southerner, I love to eat catfish and hush puppies.Having no way to get to the specialty fish places in East Tennessee, I have to depend on Captain D's and Long John Silver's.Usually I go to the nearest, CD, but today I rode a long bus ride to rach LJS , and it was worth it.CD may produce a larger fish sandwich, but LJS tastes better.

Sturgeon was plentiful in the waters around the Persian Empire 250 million years ago.Today it has declined drastically in the Caspian Sea where it had survived against all odds.The large salaries of 2005 enable more gluttons to afford something which sells for $100 an ounce.It corresponds with sex appeal among the high and mighty.

The sturgean has seen more years when it first spawns than many fish see in a lifetime.In East Tennessee, the carp are enormous, and people don't have the rich tasts -- though you may find it at some of the gatherings of the social groups at KMA.

This was the pap of life, the milk of wonder as the food of the gods.They spawn only in rivers of a world without sin.Soon they will all die out, becaues some people don't practice restraint in their culinary desires.And there is no place on this earth without sin, and the presumptuous who think they know it all.Even though they certainly do not! ... Read more

Product Description
Fish and shellfish comprise annually nearly 70-million tons of the world's edible animal protein. However, because of this demand, previously vast stocks have often been exhausted to the point of near extinction. The first book of its kind in the area of freshwater/marine biodiversity, this extensive work reviews the present status of genetic resource management, its needs and constraints, various intervening human factors such as pollution and overfishing, and problems posed by different species and life-styles. This discussion of the conservation of fish and shellfish resources is illustrated by four diverse groups: Atlantic salmon, cupped oysters, common and Chinese carp, and Nile tilapia. These results, produced by the collaboration of nine leading population and production geneticists, aquaculturists, and behavioral and developmental ecologists should become a fundamental resource useful to biologists, scientists and advisors exploring current issues in the fishery sciences.

Key Features
* Four page color plate section
* Database of key organizations for contact purposes
* Foreword by Dr. Mike Strauss, Am. Assoc. for the Advancement of Science; and Dr. Peter Day, Rutgers University
* Four in-depth case studies by international experts
* Editors are major names in marine/freshwater fisheries science
* Originally sponsored and reviewed by U.S. National Academy of Sciences ... Read more

Product Description
No other developed area in the world matches the Puget Sound region's combination of beauty, wealth, natural resiliency, and history of environmental concern. Saving Puget Sound develops a practical proposal to conserve the Puget Sound region's most important ecosystems in the face of long-term population growth, drawing lessons that are relevant across the Northwest and in other parts of the country. It provides both a vision for conservation and a detailed review of the political and legal issues that must be at the core of any practical strategy to achieve it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Serious Passion for saving the Sound
This is a must read for any concerned citizen or environmental activist living in Puget Sound. Lombard's innovative action plans really should be taken seriously by area officials!

An outstanding survey.
SAVING PUGET SOUND: A CONSERVATION STRATEGY FOR THE 21ST CENTURY at first glance might seem specific only to Washington collections - but its conservation issues and lessons hold wider insights for any natural spot in the country, and so SAVING PUGET SOUND is a top pick for any library - especially at the college level - specializing in conservation issues and applied strategies. Chapters analyze the Endangered Species Act, apply it to local endangered species, and reveal land use and management issues which go far beyond the usual constraints and topics. Quotes from source studies, footnoted references, and reviews of conservation processes and legal challenges alike make for an outstanding survey.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch ... Read more

Product Description
"A marvelous, compelling tale"(Rocky Mountain News) from the New York Times bestselling author of Salt and Cod.

Gloucester, Massachusetts, America's oldest fishing port, is defined by the culture of commercial fishing. But the threat of over-fishing, combined with climate change and pollution, is endangering a way of life, not only in Gloucester but in coastal cities all over the world. And yet, according to Kurlansky, it doesn't have to be this way. Engagingly written and filled with rich history, delicious anecdotes, colorful characters, and local recipes, The Last Fish Tale is Kurlansky's most urgent story, "an engrossing multi-layered portrait of a fishing community that can be read for pure pleasure as well as being a campaigning plea for the environment" (Financial Times). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Great tale of a tragic loss
Similiar in nature to his "The Big Oyster," this book recounts the glory days and tragic demise of the succulent and valuable cod fish.I was very grieved over this ecological and economic disaster, brought on as usual, by human greed and thoughlessness.

Now of course, I can't go to the fish market without feeling guilt which is terrible since he gives the reader wonderous Early American recipes for stews, cheeks, and the wonderful salted cod dishes indigenous to Brazilians, Basques and Africans who have loved this trade fish for centuries.

Another great one....
This guy can't write a bad book.....Cod, Salt, The Big Oyster and now this....a great run of writing for Mr. Kurlansky

"From the beginning they saw fish as limitless...The only obstacles to catching more were the limitations of technology."
Walking the fine line between those who want to preserve the renowned fishing industry of Gloucester, Massachusetts, long into the future and those who see that industry as already nearly dead, NY Times reporter Mark Kurlansky examines the history of the community, its ties to the sea, and its very uncertain economic future.At the same time, he also worries about the future of the Atlantic Ocean itself as a resource, one now so endangered that unless the federal government institutes"overall eco-system management," and not just quotas on specific catches, it will soon die.The government has wasted too much time on short-term "remedies," he believes, and has done no comprehensive long-term planning for the eco-system on which the industry depends.Ultimately, the "scientists" responsible for the health of our ocean have made too many mistakes, and fishermen in Gloucester and elsewhere are paying the price.

Kurlansky describes Gloucester (pronounced "GLOSS-ter") from its earliest discoveries by the Vikings to its first settlements, emphasizing its colonial fishing industry, a time in which people would routinely catch cod that were four or five feet long and halibut weighing 200 - 400 pounds.Between colonial times and 1991, when the unexpected Perfect Storm struck, the city has lost six thousand Gloucester fishermen and many hundreds of vessels at sea, yet the fishing industry persists.The evolution of large trawlers and draggers, and the arrival of mammoth ships from Japan and Russia to fish just offshore, led the local industry to try to protect itself by getting exclusive fishing zones and the two-hundred mile limit established, but "[continued] stern dragging has endangered two-thirds of the world's fish stocks," and the prospects for the future look bleak.

Waves of Jewish, Sicilian, and Portuguese immigrants have kept the city socially vibrant, and the fishing boats filled with willing workers. Their cultural contributions and festivals, especially St. Peter's Fiesta in July, described in detail here, are part of the fabric of society and a fully-attended joy for the entire community.The city also has a long history as an art colony, with Fitz Hugh (Henry) Lane, Winslow Homer, William Morris Hunt, Childe Hassam, John Henry Twachtman, Emile Gruppe, and even Edward Hopper taking advantage of the special light reflected off the sea to give luminosity to their paintings.T. S. Eliot vacationed in Gloucester, Rudyard Kipling wrote Captains Courageouswhile living in Gloucester, and NY playwright Israel Horovitz has produced his plays in Gloucester for almost forty years.

Still, the community sees itself almost exclusively as a fishing port and wants to remain one. In the 1980s, the fishing community convinced the city to zone the entire waterfront for commercial maritime activities only."Someday fishing will improve," they believe, and then they will have the land they need to expand."Otherwise it will turn into Newport."With these zoning regulations in place, there's no possibility that that will happen or that tourism will become an industry to fill the economic gap left by the decimated fishing industry.There are no docking facilities for pleasure boats, and the extensive waterfront is a weedy wasteland with no new building and no hotel.In 2008, the battle continues to rage between the "preservationists" who want to preserve the fishing industry and its control of the waterfront and those who believe that a mixture of uses might better serve both the community and the economy.So far the fishermen are hanging tough, hoping for a renewal of their fishing stocks.n Mary Whipple

Bear of the Sea : Giant Jim Pattillo and the Roaring Years of the Gloucester-Nova Scotia Fishery by Joe Garland
North Shore Fish by Israel Horovitz
North Shore Fish, film with Tony Danza
Captains Courageous, with Lionel Barrymore, Spencer Tracy
The Perfect Storm [Blu-ray] with George Clooney

Gloucester and Fishing History Well Told
The author, in writing about the history of Gloucester, captures the feel of the city and its inhabitants well. Beginning with the discovery of the town, and progressing through the history, the author demonstrates well some of the ups and downs that have occurred in Cape Ann over the past several centuries.

From the history of the city, the author slips gently into the reasons that fish stocks are declining and discusses the animosity found between government regulators and the people who earn a living fishing. While not detailed, it does present an easy to understand look at the problems associated with fish stock management.

In addition, the book compares similar towns in other countries to allow the reader to realize that this is not a problem that exists strictly within the northeast portion of the US or with a single port. He also examines the effect of tourism on the towns and the problems tourism can create in working fishing villages.

This book is a good general look at the history of Gloucester, as well as fish depletion. It is a recommended read to anyone who is interested in the life style in a fishing community as well as how the fishing industry is in trouble.

For people who are interested in more detail on the plight of the New England fish stocks, and the views of both government regulators and the fishermen, I would highly recommend "The Great Gulf: Fishermen, Scientists, and the Struggle to Revive the World's Greatest Fishery by David Dobbs. It is a detailed look at the problems from both sides and goes into detail on the subject.

Another winner from Mark Kurlansky
Anyone with a passion for coastal United States will appreciate Mark Kurlansky's portrait of Gloucester. He captures the essence of Gloucester and at the same time the challenges of its fishing community. While most newsjournalistssimply write off this great working port, Kurlansky leaves us with an appreciation of not only Gloucester's robustpast but its link to today. The Last Fish Tale is tough to put down once you start.The Last Fish Tale: The Fate of the Atlantic and Survival in Gloucester, America's Oldest Fishing Port and Most Original Town ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Great book for responsible cooks!
I'm a Personal Chef specializing in dinner parties and I bought this book as inspiration for fine seafood entrees.

What originally attracted me to this book is that almost all the recipes are illustrated and the overall theme: no fish in this book is in danger of being over harvested.I like the idea of being a responsible cook.

All the recipes I've tried (including the pistachio encrusted trout with cilantro-citrus hollandaise) have been accurately written and the end result matches what's described in the recipe.It's obvious that the recipes in this book are tried & true and not just a bunch of random recipes thrown together in a book.

I highly recommend this book for the experienced cook who's looking new ways to prepare great seafood.

Seafood endorsed by the Monterey Bay Aquarium!
Access to fresh seafood is a 'must' for complete appreciation of OCEAN FRIENDLY CUISINE: SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD RCIPES FROM THE WORLD'S FINEST CHEFS - but those with such access will find here an exceptional guide which explains different seafood available to cooks. The Monterey Bay Aquarium endorses the contents of a guide to how seafood is harvested and how chefs prepare dishes cooked with seafood from fish farms. Each dish has been designed by a leading chef - and each explores the possibilities of seafood. Color sidebars of information comment on environmental status of each fish while introductions and color photos provide discussions of the ecology and nature of each: a perfect - and unusual - compliment to the gourmet dishes.

Great book for environmentally conscious cooks.
I have tried a number of the recipes in the book and they are delicious and not difficult to make (no exotic or hard to find items).Ihave also found myself looking for the"friendly" fish when purchasing and avoiding the ones identified as endangered or stressed.I would recommend this book to anyone.

The love of food
Ocean Friendly Cuisine is a great overview of fresh and saltwater bounty that can be enjoyed without the descimation of a species. The recipes reflect the inspirations of a lot of good chefs and organizations that quite simply love to cook and to present a variety of seafood that reflects the complexity of what is fish and shellfish. It's important to free ourselves from sinking into a culinary sameness that seeks to destroy specific species of fish such as the Orange Roughy, Chilean "Sea bass" not a bass, Red Snapper, Black Grouper, Atlantic halibut, bluefin tuna and wild abalone to name a few. This cookbook shows the way.
There are more fish in the sea than we are usually exposed to and the insights of this book, the Montery Aquarium, Seafood Choices Alliance, Sea Web and the chefs and restaurants involved in this effort go a long way to show how great the underutilized seafoods are today. I am lucky enough to have recipe included in this book, and can attest that the recipes represent the best of contemporary cuisine, cuisine well worth cooking both at home and professionally. If we shop wisely and dine with attention to the details of sustainable seafood then we can make a mark on making this a better world through taste and farming/fishing. As M. Cousteau tells us in the forward, seafood is our last hunted species commercially sold in markets and restaurants and we should respect the life cycle of our greatest food.

To J. Fraioli's credit he brings it all togther. There are so many flavors and textures in so many different seafoods that it is amazing how cooks are lured into preparing the same fish over and over, and Ocean Friendly Cuisine joins the ranks of interesting and easy to use books that inform, teach, show, and lead the cook towards being better at cooking and at being a part of the world. Tilapia, trout, farmed abalone, PEI mussels, wild coho/chinook/silverbrite/sockeye salmon, Opah, trevally, blue crab, stone crab, farmed oysters, clams, striped bass, white bass, octopus, sea urchin sablefish,white sturgeon (farmed), wahoo/ono, and this is just to name a few, a few who each have a distinct flavor and texture all it's own. The book has ample illustrations to show how beautiful fresh seafood looks. Ocean Friendly Cuisine explores the suggested seafood and shows how to ask questions when you shop either in the International markets, by purveyor, butcher shop, grocery store, or online for the best possible fish of the day. We should always be able to have a true fresh fish of the day, and by respecting what is sustainable this will always be possible.

Love to Cook
This is a beauiful and informative book with scrumptious recipes.
It gives detailed information on sustainable seafood and offers insights into eating choices that are environmentally friendly.Packed with exquisite photographs and high quality recipes, this book is a must for any seafood lover. ... Read more

Product Description
Part lyrical true-life adventure, part social and philosophical manifesto, TOTEM SALMON tells of a watershed community that worked for two decades to save one of the last purely native stocks of salmon in California.Amazon.com Review
Freeman House lives in an out-of-the-way place. Tucked awaywhere Highway 101 diverts inland from the Northern Californiacoastline to avoid the 4,000-foot peaks of the King Range is a damp,verdant landscape of rolling hills, towering forests, and isolatedpockets of humanity. The Mattole River drains much of the area,greeting the Pacific at the Lost Coast. For thousands of years, theriver formed the connective tissue of human settlement--first for thenative tribes, and later for Euro-American pioneers. Each year, salmonswam up the river to their natal spawning beds, marking the passage oftime and providing sustenance for the people along the banks. Then, inthe early 1970s, the salmon stopped returning. House found himselfbanding with other like-minded citizens in an effort to bring theonce-prolific runs back. Their organization fought for curbs onlogging in the watershed and more restrictions for the way timber canbe harvested (buffer zones along streams, for example). They plantedvegetation on the banks to provide shade and added structure to theriver for protection.

Totem Salmon is House's memoir ofriver stewardship. It's also a blueprint for grassroots environmentalaction. And finally, it is a well-crafted and lyrical piece of writingthat treats a regional problem with personal perspective andcandor. --Langdon Cook ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Save the salmon
Excellent book. Interesting read. Inspiring call to action.

Powerful
Briefly...as an environmentalist from both the non-profit, agency and barefoot,dreadlocked worlds I really appreciated this book.The author brings out the complexity and poetry of the technical, natural and spiritual mosaic involved in watershed work in the northwest (and eveywhere for that matter).For anyone who has ever (or even never) been through similar experiences that the author describes, it brings shivers up the spine with the descriptive imagery and his obvious intimacy with the Mattole.I highly recommend this book.

Wonderful Read Out Loud Quotes
I read a lot, but I almost never pin my husband down to read him sections of a book. When I was reading Totem Salmon, I couldn't help it. I kept saying, "Listen to this one." I owned a home in the Mattole RiverWatershed in the late 70's and early 80's. I was amazed at how well FreemanHouse captures the essence of the area and the people without caricaturingeither.Over and over he writes a few sentences which really "get itright" in explaining the landscape, the weather or the people of thearea. This is not an easy "how-to" book on bringing back thesalmon, but it brings out why it is worth the effort for as long as ittakes.

Learning from Life, Nurturing Place
The book is a first-person account telling the story of a group of people who have dedicated themselves to rehabbing a river, a watershed, and saving some special strains of wild Pacific salmon stock.They decided to usesalmon-hatchery technology (and other procedures) as a way to learn fromthe native salmon, rather than to introduce non-native species to theirriver.Freeman House is a truly impressive thinker and writer.Hisengaging intelligence is not just wide and deep, like a rockclimber hisawareness gets into some unfamiliar and little-explored crevices of life -nature and human nature.House and his cohorts are questers who mayultimately discover something as important as did William Harvey or SirAlbert Howard.I'm tempted to call the book a riveting read, but theexperience is warmer than that metaphor implies.It's hopeful.Astrangely wise book.

Salmon splash in your heart.
From "Totem Salmon - Life Lessons from Another Species" by Freeman House -

"My straining senses slow down the sound so that each of itsparts can be heard separately. A hiss, barely perceptible, asthefish muscles itself right out of its living medium; silence like a dozen monks pausing too long between the strophes of a chant as the creature arcs through the dangerous air; a crash as of a basketballgoingthrough a plate glass window as he or she returns to thevelvet embrace ofthe water; and then a thousand tiny bells struckonce only as the shardsof water fall and the surface of the streamregains its viscousintegrity."

"I flick on my headlamp and the wholebackwater pool seems toleap toward me. The silver streak that crosses theenclosure in aninstant is a flash of lightning within my skull, one whichheals thewound that has separated me from this moment -- from any moment.The encounter is so perfectly complex, timeless, and reciprocal thatittakes on an objective reality of its own.I am able to walkaround it asif it were a block of carved stone.If my feelingscould be reduced to achemical formula, the experience would be aclear solution made up ofequal parts of dumb wonder and cleanexhilaration, colored through with asense of abiding dread.Icould write a book about it."

Andhere it is.

The Mattole River, where this story takes place, flowsfrom thenorthwestern tip of California's Mendocino County, first a dozen miles northeast and then about sixty miles northwest through remoteruralHumboldt County to its mouth at Petrolia.What keeps theriver fromreaching the Pacific Ocean any sooner is the King Rangerisingprecipitously from the "Lost Coast", a stretch of beach frequented only by hikers and the occasional small plane.

Gettingto the Mattole from the freeway is at least an hour'sdrive on windingcountry roads.This area, like much of HumboldtCounty, was logged in thefifties and sixties, and in the latesixties and seventies a substantialportion of it was sold to urbanrefugees, "reinhabitants".Overthe next three decades, quite a fewof them committed to the task ofrestoring the watershed to health. Two of these were David Simpson andFreeman House who togetherconceived and founded the Mattole WatershedSalmon Support Group."Totem Salmon" tells the story of thiswork.

Salmon are an indicator species.Their health, as apopulation,closely tracks the health of the watershed to which theyreturn. Ifyou want to know how well a river valley is doing in thePacificNorthwest, look at the salmon runs, if there are any left.The principal enemy of the salmon is silt, produced by erosion usuallyfrombadly built roads and culverts, and from logging.Salmon needcleangravel in the streambed for eggs to survive and hatch.Wellforestedvalleys with little erosion provide the best stream habitatfor hatchingand rearing salmon.

In 1950, before logging, it is recalled by theolder Mattolevalley residents, that, when they were running, "youcould walkacross the river on the backs of the salmon".In 1980,beforerestoration work began, the runs were down to perhaps 200 fish.More, those fish were the last wild salmon run in the state.

Lookingback after reading the book, one could see the firstphrase, "I amalone...",as a key to the work.Rooted in anexplicit sense ofself, spiraling out through sensory subtleties ofimmediate nature, to thelarger cultural complexities, Mr. Housemelds what are usually seen asdistinct worlds into a coherentportrait of a personal and multi-speciesreality.Like the salmontraversing the several worlds of ocean, river,air and creek, thepersonal, philosophical, cultural, historical,administrative,ecological, and cosmic threads are finely woven into anarrativeyielding a shimmering presence of spirit and nature.

Thebook is a deeply enjoyable memoir of a long personalrelationship withsalmon.Along the way we see the history of theEuro-Americanrelationship with this species, and that of theNative-American people whowere here managing these watersheds longbefore.We learn of the stateand federal administrative context ofsalmon management and the history ofour, first, ignorance, andthen, study of the anadromous species and theirrivers.In clearand moving images, and with affection and humor, we seethe peopleon the Mattole River who have joined hands for eighteen yearstorescue this last wild run of salmon from extinction.Lastly we see the hopeful results and the tenuous circumstances of their work.

Wemight expect it to be a text for salmon restoration, andwhile thespecifics are there they are widely scattered throughoutthe book.Moreattention is given to the wider question of how wegot here, and how wecan get through this to a more wholesome,rooted, and appreciative life inour particular place.If it is atext -- and Mr. House would say it isnot -- it is ameta-instructional one, showing a way to become a peoplewho will dothe right thing for the watershed and thus for the salmon. Thepersonal explorations in the book demonstrate by example the message beneath the text: by immersing ourselves in the reality of our local valley we can rescue both the health of our watersheds and our senseofourselves.In the end, we see that they are the same journey;the salmonreflect to us our understanding of self and place.

The epiloguequotes Paul Schell, Mayor of Seattle, "Ironically,as we work to savethe salmon, it may turn out that the salmon saveus." ... Read more

Product Description
Saskia is intrigued by an invitation to visit her great-aunt Alessandra. She realizes how little she knows about her roots but she needs to understand the past if she is to find the direction for her future. Her great-aunt must reveal the secrets of the past, only then can Saskia break the cycle. ... Read more

Product Description
Keeping aquarium fish is an absorbing and popular pastime. This guide provides detailed information on the optimum requirements for breeding success, with 100 species described, according to their region of origin - South, Central and North America, Africa, tropical Asia and Australia. Each fish is described, with details supplied of the main coloration and varieties of each species. The text provides details of conditions for keeping the fish, their breeding and feeding requirements and information concerning their habits, particularly where these affect their suitability for the aquarium. Also included are chapters on the origin of the major tropical fish species, the correct choice of water, how to set up an aquarium and the nutrition and diseases of fish. ... Read more

Product Description
Provides definitions and examples, reviews legislation and regulations, and includes lessons learned from fisheries on the U.S. East Coast, Alaska, Iceland, New Zealand, and other regions. Discusses the public trust doctrine, management of common-pool resources, alternative and complementary approaches to the IFQ. DLC: Fishery management--U.S. ... Read more

Product Description
The guru of earth ponds explains how to site, design, shape, and plant these beloved fixtures of rural landscapes--and make them fit your property and your life.

In the decades since he wrote his acclaimed Earth Ponds, Tim Matson has designed scores of ponds, each unique to its site and its owners. In Landscaping Earth Ponds, he shares what he has learned to make these captivating ponds truly fit into their landscapes and into the lives and lifestyles of their owners.

Ponds have long been valued for their charm and utility: how else can you simultaneously enliven your landscape, create recreational opportunities, help the environment, and increase your property value? Earth ponds are increasingly recognized for the full range of gardening, landscaping, and ecological promise they hold. As pond-building methods have been perfected, more homeowners are restoring existing ponds or digging new ones. With dozens of color photographs, Matson shows you how to site a pond in right relation to your house, offering surprisingly simple ways to visually link the two.

His proven methods and designs reflect the many moods water evokes. Screen your pond for privacy, create a sandy beach and natural diving platform, encourage wetland gardens, line the shores with moisture-loving perennials, or design your gardens and paths to create a sense of mystery and adventure. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Repairing Dam on Earth Pond (Lake)
My dam on the lake collapsed on April 1st 2005.
I have been looking for a book with information on how to build (re-build) an earthen dam.This book has a lot of good ideas on how to build an earthen dam and it doesn't hurt to know that the author has been building them for over 20 years.The neighbors said that the dam has been re-built 2 times, and they still have not learned from their mistakes.With this book I can point out the problems and try to rebuild it to last longer than 2 years.Can't wait to try his techniques.

Strongly recommended for anyone searching for an all-inclusive instructional guide to pond building
Tim Watson draws upon more than 25 years of experience and expertise building ponds and developing wetlands in Landscaping Earth Ponds: The Complete Guide. Here is a informative, step-by-step, profusely illustrated reference for creating a more lively and beautifying diverse landscapes and home-area garden areas with ponds. Providing "user friendly" information on how ponds work to enhance a landscape, create recreational opportunities, help the environment, and increase property values, Landscaping Earth Ponds offers a complete and readily accessible account of a variety of methods and techniques to employ in the creation of a pond. An important addition to any personal, professional, or community library reference collection, Landscaping Earth Ponds is very strongly recommended for anyone searching for an all-inclusive instructional guide to pond building and encouraging natural beauty through the development of a customized pond appropriate to the rest of the landscaping environment.
... Read more

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The awe-inspiring history of whales and whaling, and today's epic struggle to end the slaughter.

From one-hundred-fifty-ton barnacled Blues to the sleek, embattled Minke, whales have been hunted worldwide to near extinction. Despite efforts to halt the killing, the future of these majestic mammals--known as "mind in the water"--is again in jeopardy.

With passion and engaging detail, Andrew Darby profiles each species of whale and its place in this great drama. From the wooden harpoons of aboriginals in "cockleshell" vessels, to the high-tech killing machines of today's lawless Russian whalers and smooth-talking Japanese "scientific" crews, Darby chronicles the evolving pursuit of whales and its significance to our humanity. Fans of well-written history, as well as those fascinated by whales and the fierce international conflict surrounding them, will be swept into the very heart of whaling. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Review of "Harpoon: Into the Heart of Whaling"
Book Review:"Harpoon: Into the Heart of Whaling" by Andrew Darby, De Capo Press, Cambridge MA, 300 pp.

By Mark J. Palmer
Associate Director
International Marine Mammal Project
Earth Island Institute
Berkeley, CA

Andrew Darby is a reporter from Tasmania who has followed environmental issues for a variety of newspapers in Australia.One of the best-informed journalists on whaling issues, Darby has been following the meetings of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) for many years.

His new book "Harpoon: Into the Heart of Whaling" is a detailed history of the IWC up to 2007.The IWC was established in 1949 with the dual (and diametrically opposed) purposes of protecting whales and promoting the whaling industry.

In its first few decades, the IWC was largely a club for the whaling industry to divvy up whale stocks, particularly in the rich waters of the Antarctic Ocean, for the annual slaughter.With the advent of Earth Day 1970, whales became the international symbol of all the greed, anti-science, and ignorance humans have used to exploit natural "resources".The cry of "Save the Whales" led to many countries, including the US, UK, Australia, and South Africa, to drop their whaling industry and instead advocate at the IWC for protection of whales.In 1982, a resolution was finally passed with three-quarters majority voting to end all commercial whaling for a long-term moratorium (the resolution went into effect in the 1985-86 Antarctic season).

Unfortunately, under the IWC Convention, there are many loopholes through which the now diminished whaling industry could drive their catcher-boats.Norway and later Iceland continued whaling under provisions allowing a country to file an "objection" to any restrictions whatsoever in the IWC regulations.Japan became even more creative, switching from killing whales for commerce to killing the same whales for "scientific research," in which (in order not to "waste" the meat) the dead carcasses resulting from this lethal (and quite unnecessary) "research" wound up in supermarkets anyway.

In more recent years, the balance of conservation versus exploitation in the IWC has been shifting back and forth, with Japan literally bribing many small, third-world nations with millions of yen in fisheries aid to join the IWC and support the position of Japan in favor of whaling (including such unlikely pro-whaling countries as Mali and Mongolia, neither of which has a shoreline).

Darby discusses these events in detail, being a journalist observer in the annual IWC meetings and a researcher roaming the world to get answers to some of the questions raised by the fight over whaling.He includes extensive documentation of his work in the Notes section of the book.

Like all such "up-to-the-minute" books, "Harpoon" necessarily ends in mid-stream, with further machinations on the horizon for the IWC, as outlined in Darby's Epilogue.There will likely be many more opportunities in the future to add to further editions of "Harpoon."

For those interested in the latest maneuvering by conservationists and whalers alike, "Harpoon" provides the best description of the problems of the IWC, surely one of the worst examples of international cooperation on our planet.It presents insights into the difficulty of maintaining our oceans as healthy ecosystems while economic engines of destruction continue to grind away.Highly recommended!

Interesting anecdotes
This is a very interesting book about the debates at the International Whaling Commission. Particularly insightful are the sections on Soviet and Japanese whaling. While expressing his own anti-whaling preferences, Darby tries to express the Japanese whaling position for his readers. He goes beyond the news to explain the national interests and philosophies driving Japan. My only wish is that the author had focused more on these issues rather than other topics he addresses, such as Australian whaling.

A survey of international debates about whaling and its ethics
Societies have hunted whales over the centuries. In "Harpoon: Into the Heart of Whaling" environmental reporter Andrew Darby covers the history of the commercial whaling industry around the world, from early wooden arrows to the grenade-tipped harpoons of the Japanese industry. Even more important is a survey of international debates about whaling and its ethics, making "Harpoon: Into the Heart of Whaling" a top pick for any library strong in environmental history.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

A Great History Read
"Harpoon" does a wonderful job of exploring whaling from the hey day of the 19th century to the factory fleets of the mid 20th to the current days of "scientific" whaling.

The book is roughly broken into sections according to whale species, and one of the best parts of "Harpoon" is reading about the different major whale species.Darby gives us a glimpse into the lives of these whales, from the days when one could see Right whales off the Australian coasts every day up until the current day, when scientific seach planes are hard pressed to find them.

In addition to telling us the whales, and the nuts and bolts of whaling itself, Darby follows the evolution of the International Whaling Committee, and all the diplomatic drama around trying to preserve, utilize, and protect the world's whales.

This was an incredibly informative book, and not a page went by where I didn't learn something new.While very anti-whaling, Darby does not demonize whalers themselves, up to the point of interviewing retired whalers themselves.This is an excellent read anyone who is interested in whales, whaling, or nautical history would enjoy. ... Read more

Product Description
The second edition of a bestseller, The Everglades Handbook: Understanding the Ecosystem continues to provide a wealth of information on the entire ecosystem of the Everglades. With an emphasis on natural history, the text is unified around themes of biogeography and ecosystem functions of the plant and animal communities. It presents current and historical geology, discussions of human impacts, ecosystem degradation, planned restoration, and covers the socioeconomic aspects of the Everglades ecosystem. The successful style of the first edition has been maintained with significant updating related to Everglades restoration initiatives and new chapters covering Big Cypress Swamp and Lake Okeechobee. INV STAT: Not yet published ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

A welcome, professional addition to college library and environmental studies shelves
Now in an updated third edition, The Everglades Handbook: Understanding the Ecosystem is an exhaustive, scholarly reference packed cover to cover with scientific information about the ecosystem of the Everglades - taking into account how drastically the Everglades has changed, and how it can be restored and safeguarded to promote sustainable use. Full-color photography illustrates the extensively researched text. The new third edition includes information about agriculture in historic Everglades lands, the latest information about and difficulties with the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan, and a brand new chapter titled "Peripheral Ecosystems of the Everglades". A welcome, professional addition to college library and environmental studies shelves.

Essential book to understanding Everglades
Excellent book, readable for both Environmental text or average person wanting to understand a unique ecosystem that is the Everglades.

The book starts out with a quote that reads "In the end, we conserve only what we love.We love only what we understand.We understand only what we are taught."

Reading this book will fill in the missing pieces of understanding needed to appreciate...and thus love....the Everglades.

Essential resource
Having enjoyed the prior edition of this book, I was delighted to receive the Third Edition which is even better with marvellous photos and graphics.This is essential reading for anybody trying to understand the challenges we face in restoring this unique ecosystem.The text is well writtten and reflects the author's scientific studies as well as his passion for the River of Grass.It is also an excellent source of information about the fauna and flora of the Everglades. it is delightful to browse through prior to a trip to Florida.

Satisfactory
I hae been reading several pages in this book so far for my enviromental science class.I have found the pages very helpful in understanding the Everglades enviroment.

A Wonderful Guide to Understanding the Everglades
As an environmental consultant, I found the first edition of The Everglades Handbook to be very useful, and the second edition even better!There are new chapters and very important new information, such as the new chapters on the Big Cypress Swamp, Lake Okeechobee, and "Synthesis" with its diagrams of succession and food chains, and the updated final chapter with details of human history in South Florida.I especially looked forward to the updated information on the Everglades restoration - it was excellent.The new edition is well worth the price (I heard that CRC Press reduced the price by 10%!).I can't recommend this book more highly for those people wanting to become familiar with how the Everglades works as an ecosystem. ... Read more

Product Description

In this intimate portrait of an island lobstering community and an eccentric band of renegade biologists, journalist Trevor Corson escorts the reader onto the slippery decks of fishing boats, through danger-filled scuba dives, and deep into the churning currents of the Gulf of Maine to learn about the secret undersea lives of lobsters.

Customer Reviews (43)

Melt the butter!
A good book for breezy summer reading. Just a work detailing the scientific study of lobsters and how that science has affected the fishery in Maine. Well written, well researched and fun to read.
Highly recommended.

A Winner
How anyone can give this less than a 5 star review is beyond me. This was on the shelf in the cottage where I'm staying in Maine, and once I picked it up and I couldn't put it down. I was expecting dry science but this book talks about the lives of lobster fishermen and as well as researchers, both of whom have spent their lives involved with this crustacean. Lots of great anecdotes, interesting facts, and fun!

Amazing!
I was surprised to have found the book an ecologically splendid read. Corson does an excellent job of describing the lobster fisheries through the eyes of lobstermen, biologists, and the government agencies trying to manage lobster populations.

It was an eye-opening read. The anatomy, physiology, and behavior of the lobster are amazing. It was an interesting experience to read about these biological traits that make up their ecology and affect their numbers and eventually the lobster fishing industry. The history, future, and current status of the lobster are all splendidly explored in a book that is engaging to read.

Most interesting, I think, were the perspectives of different people all fighting for the conservation of the lobster. Men and women who make their living off of catching lobsters understand the need to protect and understand the animals to ensure the future of the fishery. Scientists study the ecological characteristics to know what to do to protect to animals. Government manages the species by setting regulations in response to knowledge gained from the scientists work in conjunction with the lobstermen. It's just a good example of working together to manage a species that is considered overfished.

Lobster Review
This nonfiction book follows the story of lobstermen and lobster scientists who come together to work towards a common goal - the preservation of the American Lobster.The setting is a place in Maine called Little Cranberry Island, where the lobstermen live and near where they catch the lobsters.It is also near where much lobster research takes place. The book explains much about the art of catching lobsters and what a typical day aboard a lobster boat is like also about the lobsters themselves, with section headings such as: "Trapping", "Mating", "Surviving", and "Brooding".

I learned a lot of neat things about lobsters from this book and it was interesting to see into the lives of the people, however I was a frustrated by the ways that the author referred to the mating of the lobsters.He added some innuendos in this section that I didn't appreciate.There is also some swearing in this book.

The author researched scientific articles and cited as accurately as possible, yet I do not consider this a scientific book in a strict sense.It is a factual book and a report on others' research.Not a bad read but I might not read again.

Natural and Human History Combined
The Secret Life of Lobsters successfully interweaves natural history, politics, and the lives of real people. Upon finishing the book, I realized that I had learned quite a bit about the natural history of lobsters from egg to old age. At the same time, I had been introduced to actual Maine lobstermen, with their lives vividly portrayed, and I understood how the lobster "fishery" manages to be simultaneously profitable and sustainable. Being a dedicated nerd, I found the information itself worth the read, but Corson imparts all of this knowledge while telling a story that keeps the reader turning the pages for the "plot" alone. For those who enjoy books such as Kurlansky's "Cod" or Heinrich's "Mind of the Raven," this book is a must.

Steven Mlodinow ... Read more