[Cortinaboy]

Glad to stimulate some debate. I’m actually a scientist (nothing to do with fisheries) and I honestly find it strange that people would decide not to help scientists find out about fish stocks in case the outcome doesn’t suit them. The latest report didn’t rely on questionnaires though. It was first hand observation of the fish. The facts are that fish stocks keep falling, so if the status quo continues, there will be less places to fish anyway. It’s disappointing people actually believe scientists are in cahoots together to achieve a political outcome, green or otherwise. Rest assured that one of the best ways for a scientist to boost their career is to find something new about what they are studying. This means proving something that others have not seen or understood and not just confirming what others are saying. Therefore, if most scientists agree on something, it doesn’t mean they’ve all gathered in a darkened room to come up with a bullishit story; it means different scientific groups have looked at the issue and come to the same conclusion.