The Bering Sea Ecosystem

The Bering Sea, which lies between the United States and Russia, is one of the most productive ecosystems in the world and has prolific fishing grounds. Yet there have been significant unexplained population fluctuations in marine mammals and birds in the region. The book examines the Bering Sea ecosystem's dynamics and the relationship between man and the ecosystem, in order to identify potential reasons for the population fluctuations as well as identify ways the Sea's living resources can be better managed by government. Table of ContentsFront MatterExecutive Summary1 Introduction2 Marine Ecosystems: A Conceptual Framework3 The Bering Sea Ecosystem: Geology, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology of Lower Trophic Levels4 Biology of Higher Trophic Levels5 Human Use - Fisheries6 Causes and Effects in the Bering Sea Ecosystem7 Implications for Management Policy and Institutional Arrangements8 Gaps in Knowledge and RecommendationsReferencesAppendix A Biographical Sketches of the Committee MembersAppendix B Organizations and Individuals that Provided Information to the Committee