"Increased attention on aquatic organisms used for food production, and on the unique genes they may contain, combined with rabid biotechnological development, has raised the level of concern for aquatic genetic resource conservation. Greer (an independent legal consultant) and Harvey (president, World Fisheries Trust) explore management and conservation policies that deal with aquatic plants and animals and provide a mechanism for putting these policies into practice. Their book comprises seven chapters, starting with an explanation of the problem and illustrations of current approaches to managing aquatic resources. The middle three chapters examine the impacts of local and national laws on aquatic genetic resources and their importance to different parts of the global community; case studies offer effective examples. The final chapter provides a set of principles and an approach that the authors believe should be used in managing and conserving the world's aquatic biodiversity. The book covers a very broad set of circumstances, making organizational continuity a little circuitous at times. Throughout the book the authors use a plant model for genetic resource conservation that is extremely well developed; however, there should be mention of and comparisons to programs for conservation of animal gene resources. Summing Up: Recommended.

Researchers/faculty and professionals/practitioners."--W. K. Hershberger, United States Department of Agriculture in CHOICE.