Fishery managers too often develop fishing rules expecting that the same species will be found in roughly the same place every year. Setting catch limits for fishing requires some assumptions – and until recently, one of them has been that the vast ocean, while subject to cycles, is basically stable over time. But new information challenges that notion, as scientists and some policymakers have grown increasingly aware of long-term shifts in the ocean environment… “It occurred to us that there was another story in there,” said Rutgers University scientist Dr. Malin Pinsky. “By looking at data that already existed from a new and different angle, we could pinpoint where fish populations were found – and if those locations changed over time.”… Fish, even of the same species, can spread across a large geographic range, but scientists can calculate where most of the population is concentrated – the geographic centerpoint. By comparing the location and depth of the trawl to the centerpoint of the population, Pinsky’s analysis shows how different fish populations have shifted over time.
Archives for November 2015
Christie Vetoes Water Bill, Saying It Gives Too Much Power to Advisory Panel
Gov. Chris Christie’s conditional veto of a bill that would have required the state to accept scientific recommendations on the safe level of a toxic chemical may represent the governor’s latest effort to loosen government control of the chemical industry, or could be a signal to the Legislature to stay out of technical matters… DWQI chairman Dr. Keith Cooper, a Rutgers University toxicologist, said he had not seen the governor’s statement so could not comment on it, but noted the DWQI’s role is limited under the law to providing recommendations… Under Cooper’s leadership, the DWQI resumed its work in April 2014 and is now meeting more regularly after a hiatus of nearly four years during which environmentalists accused it of being “shut down” by the Christie administration, which wanted to avoid further regulation of the chemical industry.
Cumberland County 4-H Directs High Impact School Outreach Model
Cumberland County 4-H Program Assistant Donna Griebau visited Saint Mary’s School to begin a series of classes that explored electricity… The series is part of an effort to refocus on school-based 4-H programs using a new model which is intended to bring the benefits of 4-H club experience into the classroom… The 4-H Youth Development Program is part of the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station and Rutgers Cooperative Extension and is the oldest positive youth development program in the country. 4-H is a leader in experiential learning programs and helps youth learn how to run a meeting using parliamentary procedure, develop public speaking skills, engage in community service work, set goals, complete project work, and benefit from recognition opportunities for their efforts… “Cumberland 4-H will continue to work with area schools providing one-time, hands-on enrichment programs,” said Julie Karavan, County 4-H Agent.
Tasting History: Rutgers Celebrates 250 Years With Journey Through New Jersey Food
First, a butternut squash soup with apple cider and a bacon crumble… Next, roast bobwhite quail with cornbread stuffing that’s paired with a medallion of venison, cranberry compote, and a Madeira wine sauce… “I’m about to try venison for the first time,” says Greg Farrell, diving into the second course. He takes a bite and instantly nods his head in approval. “Oh, it’s good. Yeah.”… But Farrell is in the Rutgers Neilson Dining Hall on Douglass Campus. He’s one of 60 students enrolled in the freshman course “Rutgers 250: A Taste of Culinary History.”… The course, designed by William Hallman, chair of the Rutgers Department of Human Ecology, and ecology professors Cara Cuite and Mary Nucci, is part of the lead up to Rutgers’ 250th anniversary celebration that kicks off Tuesday… The best part Hallman says, was how often his lectures contained discussions of the impact both Rutgers and New Jersey have had on food evolution – from Rutgers’ role in developing tomatoes for the Campbell’s Soup Company in the 1930s, to Vineland, New Jersey being the birthplace of Welch’s Grape Juice.
Criminal Beliefs? NY’s Probe of Exxon Targets Big Oil Over Global Warming Stance
A government probe of ExxonMobil, which authorities say is aimed at finding out if the energy giant misled the public about the threat of global warming, is really an attempt to scare companies into silence, according to critics… Alan Robock, a meteorologist who signed a petition by 20 scientists in September calling for a federal investigation, explained his reasoning to FoxNews.com… “Exxon, which funded climate change research decades ago and understood the science, chose instead to fund a disinformation campaign to confuse the public… so as to continue to sell their products and make money,” Robock said, pointing to apparently-leaked Exxon documents which show that, at times, Exxon employed scientists who did worry about man-made warming, but that later on some of their scientists said the models had too much uncertainty to be relied on.
How Can the Jersey Shore Live with Massive Storms, Rising Sea Level?
Challenges the Jersey Coast faces post-Sandy and ways to better prepare for future storms, rising sea levels and other climate changes will be discussed in a unique debate-style forum being held in Ocean County later this month… The free, two-day con…
Climate Change and Extreme Weather: 32 Takes on 28 Events from 2014
The science of deciphering how much long-term climate change influences shorter-term weather and climate events continues to blossom. On Thursday, the American Meteorological Society (AMS) released its fourth annual special issue of the Bulletin of the AMS devoted to these attribution studies. Launched in 2012 as an experiment, the project hit a nerve: researchers and the public were both intensely interested in the connection between human-produced greenhouse gases and high-profile, high-impact weather… The authors present their findings as an alternative to the “Francis hypothesis”–the concept put forth by Jennifer Francis (Rutgers University) and colleagues that a weaker, more meandering jet stream attributed to polar warming and reduced Arctic sea ice is leading to greater extremes and more “stuck” weather patterns. If anything, these authors suggest, high-latitude effects might be tamping down extremes rather than goosing them. “The decrease in variance is a plausible consequence of polar amplification of global warming, since a decrease in the pole-to-equator temperature gradient reduces the strength of fluid dynamical instabilities,” they write.
Gliders From Rutgers Scan the Seas
The world’s oceans cover more than two-thirds of its surface, and they’re home to Earth’s largest heat reservoirs and vast natural resource deposits. Yet, much about them remains a mystery to us… “The ocean essentially regulates all life on earth and we don’t really know how it works,” said Professor Oscar Schofield, an oceanographer with Rutgers University’s Coastal Ocean Observation Laboratory, or COOL. “Going to sea on a ship to do research can be dangerous, it’s very expensive, and it removes you from your family.”… But those days of logging long, arduous hours on a research vessel may be over, thanks to Rutgers’ fleet of ocean-going, submersible robots, which they call gliders.
Rutgers Master Gardeners of Union County Celebrate Outstanding Volunteers
The Rutgers Master Gardeners of Union County have been part of the Union County community for almost 30 years, and last month the outstanding members of this all volunteer program received some well-deserved recognition from their peers, and Joint Legislative Resolutions in their honor from the New Jersey Senate and Assembly… The joint resolution was introduced by Assemblywoman Annette Quijano and supported by Senator Raymond Lesniak and Assemblyman Jamel Holley. It reads in part: “Throughout many seasons of change and countless hours of volunteer service, the Rutgers Master Gardeners of Union County have worked tirelessly and effectively in benefit of the community and are recognized and saluted for their exemplary dedication and motivation.”… Anyone can join the Master Gardeners. The program is run by Rutgers University experts through the Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County, supported in part by the Freeholder board. No previous experience in horticulture — or gardening — is needed. Each volunteer receives University-level training leading to certification as a Master Gardener.
Rutgers Plant Breeder Joseph Goffreda Named “Inventor of the Year” for Patented Peach
Joseph Goffreda, associate professor of plant biology and pathology and director of the Rutgers Fruit and Ornamental Research Extension Center in Cream Ridge, NJ, was one of seven individuals recently honored with the “Inventor of the Year Award” by the New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame… Goffreda was honored for breeding a hybrid peach (NJF16) marketed under the name TangOs which has a combination of attributes attractive to commercial producers and consumers, yet is resistant to major diseases, particularly bacterial spot. His 12 patented peaches, bred for pest resistance and hardiness in Northeast locales, have helped establish New Jersey as a major peach-producing state… The process of growing and breeding peaches is lengthy and complicated, and involves quite sophisticated technology, explains Brad Hillman, director of research at NJAES and professor in the Department of Plant Biology and Pathology.