Over the last few years I have been studying seaweed and its harvesting worldwide on the internet.
A number of things stand out very clearly through contacts with universities, businesses the scientists concerned and many state and private organizations involved with marine protection and welfare –
The first is that there is no coordinated information on seaweed harvesting, its effects and worldwide activities.
Some of the state organizations are amazingly ill-informed.
There seems to be no information on the effects of over-harvesting, and very little historical data.
Universities and researchers seem to be so focused on parts of their particular subject that they seem to be completely unaware of major issues directly concerned with their subject coming from other major research institutions and organizations freely available on the internet. Many research subjects are duplicated.
Research is dependent on complete openness and honesty – good researchers rely on status and qualifications. If facts and figures are called into doubt then the credulity of the scientists involved is also called into doubt – status is very important.
The scientific world is extremely conservative in outlook and approach – whilst this is a plus for integrity it is open to exploitation.
Information is easy to control as it relies on funding, many of the Norwegian state funded research institutions have industrialists sitting on their boards.
Most environmental problems seem to be involved with business in one way or another.
The penalties for withholding information or falsifying information seem to be very minor. Any large concern caught lying can carry on with business as normal.
Public outlook and awareness is exploited by organizations and businesses involved with marine harvesting to cover up the effects of their activities.
