Welcome to Fish and Fisheries!

This course is designed primarily for non-science majors. As such, the material will focus primarily on the fundamental concepts in ecology, physiology and evolution that underlie fishing, a vital part of the world’s economy. Although non-biological factors will be discussed especially as case studies and paper topics, this is primarily a biology class.

Note that “fisheries” deal with a wide variety of organisms from crayfish and whales to mussels and seabirds. We will deal mostly with “finfish” in this course.

Labs for this course are a mixture of dissections, field experiences, class discussions and computer modelling. The success of the labs entirely depends on your participation! Field trips are hampered by travel time, so do NOT be late or YOU WILL BE LEFT BEHIND!!! If you have an injury or are otherwise unsure if you can physically participate, please call me ASAP and I will do everything I can to have you participate in a meaningful and safe manner (see GAC’s policy on the American Disabilities Act). Finally, please dress appropriately for field work: shoes with strong ankle support, comfortable clothes that cover skin from sunburn, don’t wear anything that can’t get muddy. You may wish to bring sunscreen, raingear, gloves, insect repellent, etc.

Course Goals: Upon completion of the course, students are expected to:
  • Gain a rigorous biological foundation of fisheries science, specifically:
  • Understand the diversity of fishes (evolution and systematics)
  • Understand the adaptations of fishes to the aquatic realm (physiology and behavior)
  • Understand how fish and their environment is interrelated (community ecology)
  • Understand how fish populations are maintained (population biology)
  • Understand how fish are caught, and how sustainable catches are estimated (fisheries science, stock assessment)
  • Appreciate the difficulty of species management
  • Actively apply critical thinking to oral discussions and in writing
  • Actively participate in discussions and help mould the course structure when necessary
  • Learn detailed information about habitats and organisms that you may have never heard of


What is expected during this course?

Attendance: I expect that all classes and labs be attended.

Exams: The 75 points of an exam are approximately equally divided between definitions, multiple choice, short answer and essay formats. A sample exam will be provided to you once. You may argue for points on your exam only during the four days after it is handed back.

Lab Practicals: You will have two “Practicals” in which students will have 1-3 minutes to examine a preserved fish and answer one or two fill in the blank questions about the specimen. Then you will rotate to a different desk and different fish, and so on. The first practical (20 pts) tests you on fish parts; the second (40 pts) tests fish evolution and names.

Homeworks: In addition to some homeworks, each student will identify the management issues relevant to a single fisheries topic, and then decide what to do about it. Overall, you are to demonstrate your knowledge of class material. More on this later.

Make-Up Exams, Missed Assignments, Extra Credit: None.

Make-up exams are possible with written documentation (dean’s, doctor's or coach’s notice) but are not recommended as their difficulty and length is much increased.

Instructor Expectations of Dr. Carlin: I promise to provide as current and relevant information as possible and deliver it in a timely and (hopefully) interesting fashion. I promise to try and make all appointments on time (my employers may sometimes hamper this). I promise to listen carefully to questions and be otherwise courteous. I promise to admit when I don’t know something (this will probably happen often) and try to find out the answer for you (if said answer actually exists). I promise that I am going to have fun, despite the horrible creeping brainstrain that I might cause you.


Grades:

Assignments

  • Lecture Exams (2 exams at 75 pts. each): 150
  • Fish Anatomy Practical: 20
  • Fish Diversity Practical: 40
  • Lab & Homework Assignments (5 to 25 pts. each): 50
  • Final Exam (semi-cumulative; 120): 120
  • Participation: 20
  • Course Total: 400

Grading Scale

  • A+ 387-400, A 373-386, A- 360-372 pts.
  • B+ 347-359, B 333-346, B- 320-332 pts.
  • C+ 307-319, C 293-306, C- 280-292 pts.
  • D 240-279, F <240


Class Resources:

Instructor: Dr. Joel L. Carlin (address as "Joel" or "Dr. Carlin," whatever you prefer)

Office: Nobel Hall of Science 336; Phone: 933-6305; E-mail: jcarlin@gustavus.edu

Office hours: TBA

Accessibility: I prefer to consult with you during posted office hours. Outside of these posted hours, an open office door means that you are welcome to ask questions, otherwise please e-mail me for an appointment. I am very willing to make appointments for odd hours, although this is not in effect after 5pm the night before an exam!



Course Readings (a small selection)

Oakley BA. 1996. The Izumrudny. Pp. 11-32 in Hair of the Dog: Tales from Aboard a Russian Trawler. WSU Press.

Ross MR. 1997. The use of regulations. Pp. 159-181 in Fisheries Conservation and Management. Prentice Hall.

Williams N. 1998. Overfishing disrupts entire ecosystems. Science 279:809

Pauly D, V Christensen, J Dalsgaard, R Froese, F Torres, Jr. 1998. Fishing down marine food webs. Science 279:860-863.

Stiassny MLJ. 2004. Saving Nemo. Natural History 113(2): 50-55.

Allen C. 2003. Columbia River Indian fishing rights and the geography of fisheries mitigation. Oregon Historical Quarterly 104(2) :196.

Van Dyke F. 2003. Legislation and management for freshwater environments. Pp. 243-248 in Conservation Biology: Foundations, Concepts, Applications. McGraw Hill.

Ross MR. 1997. The framework for fisheries conservation and management. Pp. 137-158 in Fisheries Conservation and Management. Prentice Hall.

Hardin G. 1968. The tragedy of the commons. Science 162(3859): 1243-1248.

Beaver M. 2001. Staying afloat. Pp. 1-22 in LL Fields (ed.), Out on the Deep Blue: True Stories of Daring, Persistence, and Survival from the Nation’s Most Dangerous Profession. Thomas Dunne Books.

SRSF. 2002. Fishing families and the changing social fabric of small boat fishing. SRSF FactSheet 11, Social Research for Sustainable Fisheries, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish Nova Scotia, Canada.

Boudreau V, K Wallace, and J Wagner. 2002. Fishermen’s associations: independent agents or paper tigers? SRSF FactSheet 10, Social Research for Sustainable Fisheries, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish Nova Scotia, Canada.



Links, Downloads and Assignment Resources:
We will learn about the evolution of vertebrates and how to manage their populations sustainably.










Students will gain experience sampling aquatic habitats.










Marine and freshwater ecology are important components of the class.










The seafood industry is a major economic player, especially in the developing world.









Lab emphasizes adaptations to the environment, and how to recognize them.