Some people view the current environmental state of our planet as a crisis situation.
Yet, we continue to pursue research that is narrow in scope and focused on self-gratification. I will use the worldwide decline in fisheries to illustrate how we as scientists have ignored the urgency of many major environmental problems, and have continued to perform research as usual. I suggest that the only solution to the current environmental situation is for individuals to put aside personal egos and gain, and to work collaboratively. Using examples, I will attempt to identify the characteristics of highly successful collaborative efforts, and contrast these to those efforts that have failed. Progress on these critical issues is only possible with multidisciplinary efforts.