Industry capture of marine science: what price independence?

摘要: Imagine attending a meeting at your university to consider acollaborative project with large company working in themarine environment (e.g. fishing or mining company). Theuniversity stands gain research funding and the researchresults will help become more competitive. Inaddition, expects its interests be represented onrelevant committees.Those favour point out that government theuniversity’s budget are shrinking commercialfunding would fill gap. In addition, there manygovernment incentives for universities withcompanies. But how this affect university’s researchand teaching agenda, reputation among future students andability provide independent advice on marine conservation?This scenario is based loosely collaboration betweena pharmaceutical (Stuart, 2004).I have adapted it science setting because similarsituations occur routinely our field of study, manyscientists industries. For example,Professor Ray Hilborn from University Washingtonstates his website ‘Since 1990 we assisted theNew Zealand industry developing stock assessmentmethods major commercial fisheries’ ‘over recentyears I usually 2–3 spend several months inNew February May involved stockassessment process’ (Hilborn, 2010). He explains ‘Thiswork funded by New Seafood IndustryCouncil’, whose states ‘The ZealandSeafood Industry Council works behalf seafood industry, helping shape policy andregulatory frameworks. The Council’s brief look after theinterests diverse exciting promote itshealthy growth’ (Seafic,