Marine

Iambic Pentameter Meets the ICES North Sea Lemon Sole Benchmark

February 14, 2018 by Marine Scotland Communications No Comments | Category Marine Directorate Science, Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths_STEM

Last year we introduced you to our Sea Fisheries Programme Manager, Dr Coby Needle. When he isn’t dealing with fish stock and assessment, or even sometimes when he is, he also writes. So here, in something a little different, we introduce you to the work of the ICES Benchmark Workshop on North Sea Stocks in poetry.

Attend, good sirs and ladies, while I tell,
Of Microstomus kitt, the lemon sole,
I’faith a shortish tale it is, I own,
So best to hear it partial not, but whole.

We met one morn in coldest København,
Avowed to seek the truth by hook or crook,
‘Twas yet the first of benchmarks for the stock,
For useful data did we search and look.

Alas, alack, the ages’ samples sought,
Were few and far between, though try we may,
Forsooth, the surveys seemed the safest bet,
And survey-based assessment ruled the day.

A SPiCT assessment did not pass the test,
The IBTS survey was too brief,
And lackéd contrast in the index seen,
Much work was lost, yet gave we not to grief.

So SURBAR cameth forth, as well it might,
The status of the stock did it suggest,
Advice be based on rule of 3-to-2,
A valid scheme for kitt from east to west.

And finally to homeland we were bound,
A useful ICES venture once again,
The fate of lemon sole looks safe enough…
Till meeting May in Belgian town Ostend.

Further Information

• Read more about Coby in his previous blog
• Coby’s biographical details

Tags: fish stocks, poetry, research, science

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