Gulf of Maine (GoM) Fishery Status Updates Look forward to reading your comments on this subject Economic Wellbeing of the Downeast Seafood Supply Chain The People. Public Policy. Economics. The Communities. Climate Change. National Security Topic The GoM Seafood Supply Chain “economic state-of-the-state.” Human Belief Systems & Perspectives Trying to accurately assess the past is difficult, if not impossible - for instance the concept of human evolution. Evolution and human social belief systems arose together and in conjunction with the development of villages and communities. Social belief systems may influence institutions and cause seen, and unforeseen barriers as well as consilience within the halls of other institutions like - marriage, business, science, public policy, religion, finances, education, and fishery management. There are an abundance of skeptics as well as proponents to the framework of human evolution. To date humans have identified and analyzed and set forth an array of impressive data points, with patterns that human and non-human fossils that when put in juxtaposition with one another can show and do tell a more complete picture of human evolution. But its the perspective and belief systems each individual or group follow that determines how to frame and / or justify what “we think” fossils may or may not reveal. This great diversity, in thought, emotion, beliefs and perspectives has brought us as a race here today. Not a lack of diversity. Not a lack of care. Not a lack of success. Instead we are here due to the multitude of failures we as a race have been able to learn from and not repeat. Although our luck in the lack of making big mistakes twice has given humans’ time to literally rule the planet. Historical examples abound of large unforeseeable and one-mistake wonders that cost untold millions of human lives like Bubonic plague, Krakatoa, Hiroshima, Dust Bowl, Potato Famine, and World Wars. But social belief systems changed during each of the aforementioned killer episodes in human history. Humans forged new perspectives that allowed human settlements to adapt or face potential annihilation. Do we live in a black and white world, or do we as humans still wander in a fog? How do we make decisions with imperfect information? Artifacts unearthed or discovered 100’s of years ago are just today revealing new layers of information that have always been in front of us. As humans, all we need are new ways to look at things. Tools. With new tools come new types of analysis, and new experimental processes, that bring into view new risks, new opportunities, new understandings, new perspectives, and new belief systems. But as humans we always have and continue to ask questions. And no we cannot predict if we as humans ask the correct questions - much less the important questions. I know I feel this way when dealing with my children as well as when conducting business negotiations – we all lack information when decision-making. We all seek better tools as we make decisions. Nonetheless we still need to ask questions, but. What questions should we ask? How are we going to build these new decision making tools? Who is designing these new tools? How are these tools going to be used? Master of the globe Today we have the tools that peel away layers of information on human artifacts and skeletons to reveal and guide us to new methodologies, processes, and analysis. For instance how we trace the human evolutionary timeline. In the 19th century the analysis of evolution looked at macroscopic patterns, like human phenology, to make sense of hominid evolution. Today evolutionary scientists employ tools that include microscopy, and various forms of high-resolution imaging. In conjunction with artifacts from the past and present that in total reveal new secrets, sometimes presenting us a completely new perspective and snapshot, a new piece of the so called puzzle. Yes I do believe humans do wander in the fog even though we have made extraordinary strides on our way to master of the globe. Human social beliefs and perspectives of the world have changed often through written history. History reveals such shifts that were successful, others that were failures. Re-writing our history as our perspective and tools reveal change, and unravel the puzzle of our human past. With an emphasis placed upon: Why, and who succeeds during times when human adaption is pushed to the brink of monumental changes in social belief systems and institutional shifts? As well as: Why and who fails during social belief and institutional belief shifts? When entering into a decision-making process we all lack information. Suffice to say that individual as well as group based social belief systems influence each of our decisions daily. Since each issue we face is seen from a different perspective due to our unique life experiences. Therefore no matter the issue human social belief is a personal viewpoint. Whether it concerns our belief in human evolution or the GoM seafood supply chain. Seafood supply chain management: Do what is important, FIRST. Sustainable Fishery Supply Chain Management in the GoM Even though each person within the Downeast Maine seafood supply chain may see the seafood fishery supply chain in a different light. It does not exclude the fact and reality that there are common core values that bind individuals throughout the chain even though each of their respective perspectives may be different. But on the other hand it doesnt mean that individuals from differing perspectives within the chain will collaborate for the greater common good, or our children’s future, or the greater good for “the Commons”. Therefore finding methods to unite people based upon common core values that permeate the seafood supply chain is critical. Pictured diagram is a representation of a potential common core value – economic wellbeing. A value that almost all seafood supply chain participants want to realize as a goal. Unfortunately this goal is far from being realized today in Downeast Maine. Maine seafood supply chain lags behind Massachusetts in Harvester, and Primary Dealer economic health in the hundreds of millions of dollars, annually. Massachusetts seafood supply chain economic momentum is greater than Maine’s at this point in time . (See Figure 3. and Figure 4.). DE Seafood Supply Chain Common Core Value and Belief System Assessing the Economics of the Downeast GoM Seafood Supply Chain If we may, lets now turn our attention and look at the current economic, social and environmental health of the Downeast Maine seafood supply chain through the lens and pillars of sustainable management practices and principles. All economic numbers below were obtained through NOAA Fisheries Service. Conclusion The disparity in economic impacts between Massachusetts and Maine seafood supply chain is troubling if you are a Downeast Maine Harvester and / or Primary Seafood Distributor. Over the five-year time frame 2007 – 2012 Maine seafood supply chain did lag $3B ($3,000,000,000) behind Massachusetts in productivity. Supply chain productivity that includes total sales, total income and innovation that adds value to the fishery, piece of fish by piece of fish meat. Should the components of the Maine seafood supply chain find common ground for inter and intra collaboration that is inclusive - dealers, fishermen, public policy makers, finances, and end users – then Maine stands a fighting chance to bolster its wilting seafood sector. But first each individual within the seafood supply chain must tweak and adjust their belief systems and perspectives to align with their personal needs – economic wellbeing. As well as the greater good – the health of the “Marine Commons” – a god given right that we all have the right to access in perpetuity. Look forward to reading each of your comments. Gerald Posner, MSSM Columbia University, Master in Sustainable Science Management Cornell University, B.S. Agriculture & Life Science Diagrams : 1) Seafood Harvesters (all numbers in $1,000’s) 2) Economic Impact Indicators of Seafood Supply Chain for Massachusetts and Maine 3) Massachusetts Primary Seafood Dealers from 2007 – 2012 beat Maine economically in all NOAA Impact categories to the tune of $768.2M dollars 4) Representation of Downeast Maine seafood supply chain actors. 5) Representation of key pressures and drivers upon Downeast, Maine seafood supply chain 6) Can Economic Wellbeing be a common core value that unites the Downeast Maine seafood supply chain?
Posted on: Wed, 14 Jan 2015 02:33:22 +0000