The Empty Ocean

From Publishers Weekly
This is not just another apocalyptic ecology book, lamenting the decline and extinction of too many sea species and the concomitant pollution of their watery habitats. Rather, Ellis (Imagining Atlantis) uses his considerable narrative skills, along with his deft illustrator's hand, to recount the worldwide saga of human predation in the oceans. This is a historical compendium rich in anecdote, lore and details of the natural life of water-dwelling creatures. The animals discussed are not limited to the commonly known, commercially important fish and the familiar intelligent sea mammals, but also looks into the fate of lesser known seabirds and the delicate limestone formations we know as coral reefs. Geographically the book ranges from the frigid North Atlantic of Newfoundland to the rich waters of New Zealand. The stories of human overuse and abuse of the sea are legion, from North America's loss of the penguin-like great auk, due to overhunting beginning in the 15th century and ending in the 19th century, to unintentional drowning of leatherback turtles by Asian fishing nets. Yet the author does not lock into the typical maudlin rant of modern-day environmental Cassandras. Rather, Ellis explains and details through both historical and scientific data the scope of the problem and offers some realistic alternatives to continued misuse and apathy. Illus. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
Ellis--ocean lover, artist, and prolific author--has been introducing readers to the wonders of marine life for decades, a mission that has now become urgent. Humankind has always felt free to kill vast quantities of marine creatures, a habit turned diabolical with the development of ever more sophisticated and destructive fishing-and-hunting technologies. 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. He deftly introduces an astonishing spectrum of once abundant, now dwindling marine creatures, such as sardines, cod, sea turtles, seabirds, fur seals, whales, and, in a particularly fascinating chapter, the rarely studied family of sea horses. Pollution, bioinvaders, overkilling, and underthinking have put the entire marine world, which, as Ellis writes, is "more intricately woven" than a rain forest, in peril, and the only hope for reversing this catastrophic loss is to channel the informed concern aroused by Ellis, Carl Safina, and other knowledgeable champions of the sea into a campaign for reform. Donna Seaman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved


From Book News, Inc.
Ellis, a research associate at the American Museum of Natural History, describes the losses the world's oceans have suffered in terms of reduction and extinction of species and explains what can be done to help the oceans recover. Through portraits of marine creatures, he introduces readers to many forms of sea life that human beings have fished, hunted, and collected. The book is illustrated with Ellis' b&w drawings.Copyright © 2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR


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.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

From codfish to tuna, and sea turtles to seals, entire populations of marine creatures are being driven to the brink of extinction. In this alarming, yet hopeful book, acclaimed author and artist Richard Ellis ventures from the depths of the Chesapeake Bay to the bustling aisles of Tokyo's Tsukiji Fish Market and beyond to reveal the way the hunting, fishing, and collecting of aquatic animals is rapidly emptying the ocean of its inhabitants. Likened by critics to Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, The Empty Ocean presents an impassioned, compelling plea for a more prudent approach to the world's sea creatures.

SYNOPSIS

Ellis, a research associate at the American Museum of Natural History, describes the losses the world's oceans have suffered in terms of reduction and extinction of species and explains what can be done to help the oceans recover. Through portraits of marine creatures, he introduces readers to many forms of sea life that human beings have fished, hunted, and collected. The book is illustrated with Ellis' b&w drawings. Annotation ©2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

FROM THE CRITICS

The New York Times

Near the end of his book, Ellis writes in summary, ''We mourn the loss of rain forests and timberlands; we watch helplessly as urban sprawl encroaches on meadows and prairies … but the rampant destruction of the ocean floor and its endemic fauna is one of the greatest environmental disasters in history, and it is occurring virtually unnoticed.'' The destruction may have gone unnoticed until now, but with the publication of The Empty Ocean it will at least be easier to imagine, and to mourn. — Thurston Clarke

Publishers Weekly

This is not just another apocalyptic ecology book, lamenting the decline and extinction of too many sea species and the concomitant pollution of their watery habitats. Rather, Ellis (Imagining Atlantis) uses his considerable narrative skills, along with his deft illustrator's hand, to recount the worldwide saga of human predation in the oceans. This is a historical compendium rich in anecdote, lore and details of the natural life of water-dwelling creatures. The animals discussed are not limited to the commonly known, commercially important fish and the familiar intelligent sea mammals, but also looks into the fate of lesser known seabirds and the delicate limestone formations we know as coral reefs. Geographically the book ranges from the frigid North Atlantic of Newfoundland to the rich waters of New Zealand. The stories of human overuse and abuse of the sea are legion, from North America's loss of the penguin-like great auk, due to overhunting beginning in the 15th century and ending in the 19th century, to unintentional drowning of leatherback turtles by Asian fishing nets. Yet the author does not lock into the typical maudlin rant of modern-day environmental Cassandras. Rather, Ellis explains and details through both historical and scientific data the scope of the problem and offers some realistic alternatives to continued misuse and apathy. Illus. (May 13) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal