How are decisions made when one million fish swim together and act as one unit?

The tsunami in the Indian Ocean west of Sumatra on December 26, 2004, hit Indonesia, especially the Province of Aceh, with enormous force. Human and material losses were great, and there were fears that the tsunami had also damaged the marine ecosystem, destroying the basis of the regional fisheries in the process.

Every December and January, sexually mature Northeast Arctic cod migrate from the Barents Sea to their spawning grounds between Finnmark and western Norway. The most important of these grounds are in Lofoten and Vesterålen.

The current cooperation between Norwegian and Russian marine scientists began fifty years ago, and on August 21–22, the Institute of Marine Research (IMR) and the Russian marine research institute Pinro in Murmansk, will hold a jubilee symposium in Tromsø to mark this halfcentury of collaboration.

For 30 years, the Nansen Programme has been supporting development in fisheries management and research in developing countries. The unique programme has assisted coastal states all over the world to survey their fish stocks, develop national research competence and establish management systems. On September 21, the Nansen Programme will be receive the Swedish seafood award for its sustained and successful efforts.

How are decisions made when one million fish swim together and act as one unit?