Press Releases

RENOWNED CANADIAN FISHERIES SCIENTIST, DR. MICHAEL SINCLAIR, TO SPEAK ON ECOLOGY OF FISHERIES MANAGEMENT AT WHALING MUSEUM




NEW BEDFORD, MA - (April 6, 2009) -- The New Bedford Whaling Museum welcomes the public to attend a free presentation by Dr. Michael Sinclair, Regional Director, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, entitled "The Ecosystem Approach to Management: the Scotian Shelf Experience" on Wednesday, April 15, at the Museum Theatre at 3:00 p.m. Dr. Sinclair, the Regional Director of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in Canada for the Atlantic Provinces, will provide an overview of the pragmatic ecosystem approach to fisheries management and the research challenges. Light refreshments will be available.

A guest of Dr. Brian Rothschild, Montgomery Charter Professor of Marine Science, School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST) University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (UMD) and the UMD Department of Fisheries Oceanography, Dr. Sinclair developed an alternative theory explaining marine population dynamics which he details in his book, "Marine Populations: An Essay on Population Regulation and Speciation." According to Dr. Rothschild, Dr. Sinclair's theory "links the oceanographic environment with larval distribution and provides an alternative to classical theory on marine population evolution."

Dr. Sinclair's particular areas of research include marine biology, fisheries science, evolution, marine population dynamics, and marine ecology. He was previously the head of the stock assessment group dealing with invertebrates and marine plant resources off the coasts of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

James Russell, president of the New Bedford Whaling Museum, noted, "The greater New Bedford community has historically had very deep ties to the sea, and scientists like Dr. Sinclair offer valuable insights and understanding into the ecology of fisheries management, a subject that has far-reaching effects for the entire region. The New Bedford Whaling Museum is pleased to have this opportunity to host Dr. Sinclair and thanks UMass Dartmouth, SMAST, the Marine Fisheries Institute, the Department of Fisheries Oceanography and Dr. Rothschild for the opportunity to offer this important presentation."

The New Bedford Whaling Museum is the world's most comprehensive museum devoted to the global story of whales and whaling. The cornerstone of the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, the Museum is located in the heart of the city's historic downtown at 18 Johnny Cake Hill and is open daily, year round. The public are invited to become part of the Whaling Museum online community at flickr.com, facebook.com, and blog at www.whalingmuseumblog.org. For a complete calendar of events, visit the Museum online at www.whalingmuseum.org