Transatlantic Diplomacy, North Atlantic Environments, and the Fisheries Dispute of 1852 (October 2018)
From American independence the fisheries of the North Atlantic were a sticking point between the United States and Great Britain. Diplomats met periodically to redefine when and where American fishermen could ply their trade in the hopes of easing transatlantic tension. Yet these agreements were out of date as soon as the ink had dried. The ever-changing marine environment, not the dictates of diplomats, shaped when, where, how, and for what Americans fished. The two countries nearly came to blows over the subject during the summer of 1852, showing how vitally important environmental concerns were, and continue to be, in understanding international politics. For many observers, at the time and subsequently, this episode was merely part of a larger history of Great Britain using this maritime resource as a carrot in its drive to incorporate the United States into the international free trade order. The conditions that created this context, however, were intimately tied to the nonhuman world. Across the first half of the nineteenth century, mackerel began to surpass cod in its importance in commercial fishing. The particular biology and ecology of mackerel predisposed the fish to dwelling in waters that were, by treaty, off limits to Americans. As Americans ignored those limitations in pursuit of their catch, the conditions were right for direct confrontation between the two nations. This article demonstrates the close linkages between the environment and diplomacy and in doing so shows the problems of expecting static treaties to regulate dynamic environments.
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