Posted by shark-92107 on December 06, 2002 at 12:24:10:
In Reply to: CA Marine reserves. Think on this one. posted by seahunt on December 05, 2002 at 11:40:04:
What is overpopulation depends on one's frame of reference. Instead of comparing the number of lobsters in LJ Cove now with the number that can be seen outside the reserve, why don't you make the comparison with the number of lobsters in LJ Cove in the 1940's or 1950's. The stories told by divers from that era are amazing.
Or consider giant sea bass. For the first 12 years I was diving, I saw none. In the last 2-3 years, I've seen a few of them regularly (although not on every dive). One might charaterize this increase as 1000% or more. But I don't draw the conclusion that GSB have an overpopulation problem because I know that a frame of reference based solely on my diving experience would be misleading.