非文學類
更新日期:
2018-06-20
The Last Lobster: Boom or Bust for Maine’s Greatest Fishery?
Christopher White
St. Martin’s Press
June 2018
256pp
書籍編號:
03-10527
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● 內文簡介

From the author of Skipjack & The Melting World comes a mystery: the curious boom in America’s beloved lobster industry and its probable crash

Maine lobstermen have happened upon a bonanza along their rugged, picturesque coast. For the past five years, the lobster population along the coast of Maine has boomed, resulting in a lobster harvest six times the size of the record catch from the 1980s—an event unheard of in fisheries. In a detective story, scientists and fishermen explore various theories for the glut. Leading contenders are a sudden lack of predators and a recent wedge of warming waters, which may disrupt the reproductive cycle, a consequence of climate change.

Christopher White’s The Last Lobster follows three lobster captains—Frank, Jason, and Julie (one the few female skippers in Maine)—as they haul and set thousands of traps. Unexpectedly, boom may turn to bust, as the captains must fight a warming ocean, volatile prices, and rough weather to keep their livelihood afloat. The three captains work longer hours, trying to make up in volume what they lack in price. As a result, there are 3 million lobster traps on the bottom of the Gulf of Maine, while Frank, Jason, and others call for a reduction of traps. This may in turn boost prices. The Maine lobstering towns are among the first American communities to confront global warming, and the survival of the Maine Coast depends upon their efforts.

It may be an uphill battle to create a sustainable catch as high temperatures are already displacing lobsters northward toward Canadian waters—out of reach of American fishermen. The last lobster may be just ahead.

 

● 作者簡介

Christopher White has written numerous books, including Skipjack: The Story of America’s Last Sailing Oystermen and The Melting World: A Journey Across America’s Vanishing Glaciers. His articles have appeared in Audubon, The Baltimore Sun, The New Mexican, National Geographic, and Exploration. He grew up on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay.

 

● 媒體報導

“In this illuminating volume, White sets out to capture the look and feel of traditional Maine lobster villages [...] White conveys the significance of lobsters to people all over the world in this enjoyable sojourn with the lobster folk.” —Publishers Weekly

“An affecting report on the way humans have mismanaged marine resources.” ¬––Kirkus

“An in-depth look at the state’s most significant fishery [...] Lobsters are intrinsically linked to the soul of Maine, and White’s thoughtful chronicle gives both the highly desired marine crustaceans and the people who seek them their due.” —Booklist

“A fascinating and personal study that also provides important ecological and environmental information. For readers who enjoy learning about fisheries and the ecology of the sea.” —Library Journal

“It is clear from the opening pages that Christopher White researched exhaustively and interviewed a wide range of players […] My hat’s off to White for tackling this subject with a clear appreciation for the industry, the culture and all of its players” ––National Fisherman