In praise of science communicators

Microbiologist Dr Siouxsie Wiles was awarded New Zealander of the Year in 2021 for her cut-through science communications during the information overload of COVID-19.

She and other extraordinary science communicators like NanoGirl (Michelle Dickinson) are inspiring young people to enter science education and careers, and bringing science into our homes, conversations and thinking.

And then there is Professor Ray Hilborn. While he hasn't yet reached the same household name recognition as Siouxsie Wiles in New Zealand, Ray is a world-leading academic and science comms rockstar in the field of aquatic and fisheries science. He has the knack of making this highly specific subject relevant to a wider audience, and his passion for natural resource management and conservation compel him to take time out from the rigours of research and writing at the University of Washington, and move into the spotlight.

In the seafood sector we are fortunate to have the attention of this leading scientist who is also a skilled science communicator. As a keynote speaker at the Deepwater Symposium on Seafood Production in February this year[1] Professor Hilborn had the attention of everyone in the room - fishers, government officials, industry, NGOs and media.

And this month, in Sealord's Seas Matter public information campaign he explains the science behind the fact that New Zealand wild-caught fish has the highest nutritional value and the lowest environmental impact of any meat protein.

Professor Hilborn has researched global fisheries for over 50 years, providing empirical evidence to government and international organisations on ocean and fisheries management. Along the way he has written several books that, like his published academic work, are accessible and readable by non-scientists.

Late last month, Professor Hilbornhad apaper published in the ICES Journal of Marine Science as the lead author in an international team of 11 scientists who compared the impact of bottom trawling to other forms of fishing, and other food production systems.

While intended for an academic readership, the paper contains features of science communication best-practice, such as the organisation of dense research findings into succinct sections, including, 'Is the trawl footprint expanding?', 'Can other fishing methods replace bottom trawling?' and 'Environmental impacts compared to alternative foods'.

If you only have five minutes, the conclusion offers clear take-aways from the evidence examined: Bottom-trawling in well-managed fisheries such as New Zealand's is sustainable, with target fish stocks increasing and seafloor habitats remaining in good condition.

The researchers conclude that overall, concerns about trawling impacts can be significantly mitigated by changing technical gear design and adopting management measures such as spatial controls.

This research is relevant to New Zealand fisheries management as a nation that relies on this important method for much needed food, jobs, and export revenue for the country. Those who call for prohibitions on trawling avoid engaging with such research and instead resort to simplistic notions that trawling is plainly bad because it has some impact on the natural environment.

By similar reasoning does that mean all food production is bad? Thanks to good science communicators like Ray, reliable information from experts is increasingly accessible and applicable, and the capacity for more nuanced policy decisions becomes available.

[1] Professor Hilborn's symposium presentation can be read in the Proceedings from the 2023 Deepwater Symposium of Seafood Production.