Robert L. Shipp

In the following viewpoint Robert L. Shipp argues that for many fish species traditional methods of conservation such as size limits and quotas more effectively restore overfished stocks than “no-take” marine reserves that close ocean areas to fishing. Advocates of no-take reserves, a type of Marine Protected Area, claim that protected species will spill over into adjacent areas where they can be fished; however, sedentary fish, which in many cases are most in need of protection, do not spill over, Shipp claims. Therefore, he asserts, no-take reserves do little to promote sustainable fishing. Shipp, chair of the Department of Marine Sciences at the University of South Alabama, was chairman of the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. According to Shipp...