Dingle conference delves into fish history

ACADEMICS gathered in Dingle last week to share findings on the value and signifigance of marine resources and their impact on coastal communities across different periods of time spanning hundreds of years.

Experts from Norway to Portugal and Ireland to Estonia gathered in the Skellig Hotel for the four-day conference entitled ‘Deep Time – Historical Exploitation of Marine Resources’, which was organised by Dr Paul Holm, Professor of Environmental History at Trinity College, Dublin, and co-hosted by John B Roney, Professor of History in Sacred Heart University and co-chairman of SHU in Dingle.

According to Prof. Roney, the ability to study and report on fish populations over a spread of hundreds of years has been revolutionised in the last 15 years. Breakthroughs in natural sceince, trace element analysis, fish bone archaeology and genetic studies means that scientists are able to produce a deeper picture of what stocks were like in different areas of the oceans at different periods of time.

Studying the effects of climate and political stability, the Little Ice Age in the 17th Century and the effects of wars such as the Anglo-French war in the 1700s and the direct effects of these events on coastal communities at the time helps scientists to deepen their understanding of the relationship that exists between coastal communities and the oceans.

“This is central to the work and future goals of Sacred Heart University in Dingle” said Prof Roney. “Working with other universities and people working in the marine area, we hope to develop innovative ways to improve and develop sustainable relationship between coastal comunities and their environment as well as gathering research and producing reports and scholarship on the interaction of people with their environment.”

For more information see: https://www. tcd.ie/history/opp/; http://cehresearch. org/norfish.html