In 1819, the 238-ton Essex set sail from Nantucket on a routine voyage for whales. Fifteen months later, the unthinkable happened: in the farthest reaches of the South Pacific, the Essex was rammed and sunk by an enraged sperm whale. Its twenty-man crew, fearing cannibals on the islands to the west, decided instead to sail their three tiny boats for the distant South American coast. They would eventually travel over 4,500 miles. The next three months tested just how far humans could go in their battle against the sea as, one by one, they succumbed to hunger, thirst, disease and fear. ... This is a timeless account of the human spirit under extreme duress, but it is also a story about a community and about the kind of men and women who lived in a forbidding, remote island like Nantucket. -- Dust jacket.

A Boston Globe Best Non-Fiction Book of 2007 Amazon.com Editors pick as one of the 10 best history books of 2007 Winner of the 2007 John Lyman Award for U. S. Maritime History, given by the North American Society for Oceanic History "The best history of American whaling to come along in a generation." --Nathaniel Philbrick

Drawing on interviews, official records, private archives, and the author's own family history, this is the definitive story of how the feared and despised "killer" became the beloved "orca", and what that has meant for our relationship with the ocean and its creatures

Tide and Current chronicles ten years in the life of author and artist Carol Araki Wyban, during which she lived with, learned about, and came to love the fishponds of Hawai‘i. In lyric prose and art, the book captures the essence of the timeless ecological truths she discovered. The author relates her experiences from the viewpoint of an entrepreneur, but one with a deep commitment to the past and to the legacy given to us by ancient Hawaiians regarding the use of fishponds as food production systems. Unlike other native cultures that hunted and gathered over vast territories, Hawaiians developed renewable, sustainable, and comprehensive management of their natural resources in the islands’ limited space. They were innovators who took a great step from catching fish to raising fish. Wyban presents not only the daily routine of life at a commercial fishpond, but also an in-depth look at how Hawaiians managed their resources, the technology they developed, and the myths, legends, and kapu associated with their fishponds. Originally published in 1992, this paperback reprint includes a new introduction by the author that reflects on the ensuing changes and flourishing interest in restoring fishponds.

Ninety percent of the large fish in the world's oceans have disappeared in the past half century, causing the collapse of fisheries along with numerous fish species. In this hard-hitting, provocative expos�, Charles Clover reveals the dark underbelly and hidden costs of putting food on the table at home and in restaurants. From the Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo to a seafood restaurant on the North Sea and a trawler off the coast of Spain, Clover pursues the sobering truth about the plight of fish. Along with the ecological impact wrought by industrial fishing, he reports on the implications for our diet, particularly our need for omega-3 fatty acids. This intelligent, readable, and balanced account serves as a timely warning to the general public as well as to scientists, regulators, legislators--and all fishing enthusiasts.

An extensively rewritten, revised and updated version of the original FAO Catalogue of Sharks of the World. This volume reviews all 15 families, 25 genera and 57 species of living bullhead, mackerel and carpet sharks, including certain well-established but currently undescribed species, mainly from Australia.

In this intimate portrait of an island lobstering community and an eccentric band of renegade biologists, journalist Trevor Corson escorts the reader onto the slippery decks of fishing boats, through danger-filled scuba dives, and deep into the churning currents of the Gulf of Maine to learn about the secret undersea lives of lobsters. In revelations from the laboratory and the sea that are by turns astonishing and humorous, the lobster proves itself to be not only a delicious meal and a sustainable resource but also an amorous master of the boudoir, a lethal boxer, and a snoopy socializer with a nose that lets it track prey and paramour alike with the skill of a bloodhound. The Secret Life of Lobsters is a rollicking oceanic odyssey punctuated by salt spray, melted butter, and predators lurking in the murky depths.

'Who would ever think that a book on cod would make a compulsive read? And yet this is precisely what Kurlansky has done' Express on Sunday The Cod. Wars have been fought over it, revolutions have been triggered by it, national diets have been based on it, economies and livelihoods have depended on it. To the millions it has sustained, it has been a treasure more precious that gold. This book spans 1,000 years and four continents. From the Vikings to Clarence Birdseye, Mark Kurlansky introduces the explorers, merchants, writers, chefs and fisherman, whose lives have been interwoven with this prolific fish. He chronicles the cod wars of the 16th and 20th centuries. He blends in recipes and lore from the Middle Ages to the present. In a story that brings world history and human passions into captivating focus, he shows how the most profitable fish in history is today faced with extinction.

As a practicing professional in the field of marine science you need easily accessible, accurate and up-to-date information at your fingertips. Practical Handbook of Marine Science, Third Edition provides a comprehensive reference containing the critical information necessary to meet the multidisciplinary research needs of all marine scientists, researchers, and anyone involved in managing marine resources. Consisting of a user-friendly multi-sectional format, this single volume databook offers extensive, illustrative, and tabular reference material covering all the major disciplines related to the sea. What's new in the New Edition Presented in an easy-to-use, logically arranged format Practical Handbook of Marine Science, Third Edition serves as a quick reference to all disciplines of marine science. While building on the strong base provided by the previous editions, this is a completely updated version that includes: Completely revised text to reflect the latest knowledge in marine science Extensive references from recent sources (1995-2000) Current tables A wealth of new illustrations and tables Highlighting the interdisciplinary nature of marine science, this handbook covers a wide range of topics and is a quick and easy reference to a multitude of marine science subjects. Although this state-of-the art reference has been designed for marine scientists; administrators and other professionals who deal with the management of marine resources - and the investigation of anthropogenic impacts on marine systems - will find the information accessible and useful. The Practical Handbook of Marine Science, Third Edition is your first resource when you need current, concise, and detailed data.

The oyster trade worldwide is of huge commercial importance, and the demand for high quality oysters is rising all the time. With wild stocks depleted, the ever-increasing multi-million dollar oyster farming industry is serving this demand. Oyster Culture is a thorough review of the subject, providing a huge wealth of practical and commercially vital information of importance to all those involved in this expanding industry. Based on a lifetime's work in the industry, George Matthiessen has written a much-needed and comprehensive book covering all major aspects of the subject. The book covers the biology, distribution, husbandry and disease of cultured oysters and looks in detail at recent developments in oyster culture as well as considering the limits to oyster production. Separate chapters deal in detail with a) oyster culture in the Far East, the Indo-Pacific Region, Western Europe, North America and tropical areas and b) a history of production methods by a New England-based oyster company. This important book will be a vital tool and reference work for all those involved in the culture of oysters, including oyster farm managers and workers; biologists working on oysters and other bivalve shellfish and invertebrates; regulatory personnel and all those serving the industry, including personnel in aquaculture equipment and feed companies. Copies of the book should also be available in libraries of universities, research establishments and government laboratories where aquaculture is studied or taught. George C. Matthiessen PhD, has for 30 years been President of Ocean Pond Corporation, Fishers Island, New York, U.S.A.