Un Océan de Combats, the book which summarizes the awe-inspiring and novelesque life of FishBase Founder Daniel Pauly, has recently been published and launched for circulation to the public. Compiled and written by David Grémillet, it is the fruit of 2 years of research and dozens of interviews over 4 continents. In 366 pages, Grémillet thoroughly described the extraordinary life story of a child born to a working-class Frenchwoman and an African American GI just after the Second World War –Daniel Pauly’s storyline took an unexpected turn. He dedicated his life struggling to determine the magnitude and significance of overfishing, making him known as one of the greatest whistle-blowers of our time.
The book which is a first accessible account of overfishing as a global issue, both for society and for the planet, draws the inevitable connection between the environmental crisis and the political and social inequality between the global North and the global South.
“An iconoclastic fisheries scientist who is so decidedly global in his life and outlook
that he is nearly a man without a country.”
-The New York Times-
“Never afraid to ruffle feathers, Pauly is outspoken about ocean conservation and willing to point fingers
at the huge multinational companies that control much of the world’s fishing industry.”
-Nature-
“Pauly’s insights into global fisheries provide an understanding of the root causes of our unsustainable
ocean fishery and are an essential guide to sustain this vital resource.”
-David Suzuki-
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| Childhood in Switzerland | First global projects in the Philippines | Crowning achievements |
Meanwhile, DP’s latest book which was published by Greystone last May 2019, “Vanishing Fish: Shifting Baselines and the Future of Global Fisheries” was one of Nature’s Top 5 Science Picks of The Week. Barbara Kiser’s review on Vanishing Fish is copied below:
“In 1995, marine biologist Daniel Pauly coined the term ‘shifting baselines’ to describe perceptions of environmental degradation: what is viewed as pristine today would strike our ancestors as damaged. In these trenchant essays, Pauly trains that lens on fisheries, revealing a global ‘aquacalypse’. A “toxic triad” of under-reported catches, overfishing and deflected blame drives the crisis, he argues, complicated by issues such as the fishmeal industry, which absorbs a quarter of the global catch. If current subsidies were redirected to sustainable ends, he avers, the worst outcomes might be avoided.”
The book is described by Greystone as, “a fascinating analysis of our collapsed global fisheries and a revolutionary vision for their future. It provides practical recommendations for a way forward—a vision of a vibrant future where small-scale fisheries can supply the majority of the world’s fish.” Click here to read the full description.
Other reviews:
“Daniel Pauly is a friend whose work has inspired me for years. This new book of his—despite its forbidding title
—is optimistic, because it shows that we know how we could make our fisheries sustainable, and save ocean biodiversity.”
—Ted Danson—
Actor and Ocean Activist
“Over the years, studying the issues he lays out here in Vanishing Fish, Daniel Pauly has always been someone
I turned to—consistently interesting and insightful.”
—Mark Kurlansky—
Journalist and Author of “The Last Fish Tale and World Without Fish”
“This wonderfully personal and accessible book by the world’s greatest living fisheries biologist
summarizes and expands on the causes of collapse and the essential actions that will be
required to rebuild fish stocks for future generations.”
—Dr. Jeremy Jackson—
Ocean Scientist and Author of Breakpoint
“Marine biologist Daniel Pauly coined the term ‘shifting baselines’ to describe perceptions
of environmental degradation: what is viewed as pristine today would strike our ancestors as damaged.
In these trenchant essays, Pauly trains that lens on fisheries, revealing a global ‘aquacalypse.’”
—Nature—
“A dive into Vanishing Fish is a chilling reality check. But it shows us how to push our heads above water.”
—Globe & Mail—
“Vanishing Fish is an eloquent call to do a better job of caring for and protecting the Earth’s resources.”
—Foreword Reviews—
“Pauly’s insights into global fisheries provide an understanding of the root causes of our unsustainable
ocean fishery and are an essential guide to sustain this vital resource.”
—David Suzuki—
