Book Description
In The Empty Ocean, acclaimed author and artist Richard Ellis tells the story of our continued plunder of life in the sea and weighs the chances for its recovery. Through fascinating portraits of a wide array of creatures, he introduces us to the many forms of sea life that humans have fished, hunted, and collected over the centuries, from charismatic whales and dolphins to the lowly menhaden, from sea turtles to cod, tuna, and coral.
Rich in history, anecdote, and surprising fact, Richard Ellis’s descriptions bring to life the natural history of the various species, the threats they face, and the losses they have suffered. Killing has occurred on a truly stunning scale, with extinction all too often the result, leaving a once-teeming ocean greatly depleted. But the author also finds instances of hope and resilience, of species that have begun to make remarkable comebacks when given the opportunity.
Written with passion and grace, and illustrated with Richard Ellis’s own drawings, The Empty Ocean brings to a wide audience a compelling view of the damage we have caused to life in the sea and what we can do about it. "
Review Quotes
"It is also a splendid example of history illuminating ecology, with well-chosen facts that enable us to picture a largely invisible catastrophe."
New York Times Book Review
"Read this book and be inspired, informed, and entertained, but watch out. The latest, most powerful tribute to the sea by Richard Ellis could forever change the way you think about the ocean, about yourself, and about the future we share with the sea."
Sylvia Earle, Explorer in Residence, National Geographic Society
"Now . . . as Richard Ellis bluntly argues in this important and aptly named book, we have the . . . wherewithal to so reduce so many species of ocean life that the ecological consequences are incalculable."
Mother Jones
"A book that gives voice to the thousands of species of marine life that have been hunted and fished to near extinction."
E-The Environment Magazine
"As the human population has increased, the marine population has plummeted, and Ellis tells the complex story behind this equation for disaster with a vast array of facts, unfailing eloquence, and bracing frankness."
Booklist
Contents
Preface
Introduction
Chapter 1. Gray Whales in the Atlantic
PART I. Emptying the Ocean
Chapter 2. Decline of the Fisheries
-The Lowly Menhaden
-The Great and Wonderful Tuna
-The Mighty Swordfish
-Shark-Eating Men
-The Codfish
-The Patagonian Toothfish
-The Orange Roughy
-Sea Horses
-The Atlantic Salmon
Chapter 3. The Plight of the Sea Turtles
-Leatherback
-Green Turtle
-Kemp's Ridley
-Olive Ridley
-Hawksbill
-Loggerhead
-Flatback
Chapter 4. Missing Marine Birds
-The Labrador Duck
-The Great Auk PART II. Killing the Marine Animals
Chapter 5. Steller's Legacy
-The Last of the Sea Cows
-The Sea Otter
-The Northern Fur Seal
Chapter 6. Slaughter of the Southern Seals
Chapter 7. Lions and Elephants
-Hooker's Sea Lion
-Australian Sea Lion
-California Sea Lion
-South American (Southern) Sea Lion
-Steller's Sea Lion
-Elephant Seals
Chapter 8. Seals
-Harps and Hoods
-The Grey Seal
-Caribbean Monk Seal
Chapter 9. Little Cetaceans in Peril
Chapter 10. The Tuna-Porpoise "Problem"
Chapter 11. The Hunting of Whales
PART II. Ecology In Trouble
Chapter 12. What Is Killing the Coral Reefs?
Chapter 13. Deepwater Corals
Chapter 14. Biological Invaders
PART IV. Is This the End?
Bibliography
Index
