September 17, 2024 — An article just published in the respected science journal Marine Policy highlights the need for objective and reliable fisheries science to ensure conservation and sustainable development.
It says the publication of flawed papers, some in high-profile journals, is cause for concern, and that misleading science can misinform policy and the public.
The authors, who include well-known US fisheries scientist Professor Ray Hilborn, call for the rigour of peer reviews and editorial management to be strengthened, and say journal publishers must ensure the reliability of papers they publish.
“The prevalence of papers conveying unjustified messages and with the potential to influence public perceptions and policies is concerning,” they say, providing examples where flawed methodology led to the exaggeration of negative impacts on ecosystems by the fishing industry – which was often then sensationalised by campaigners.
In all of the examples quoted, a rebuttal was subsequently published.
Read the full article at Fishing News