Executive Summary by Kajikia

[kajikia.livejournal.com]

Title: Executive Summary
Author: Kajikia

For the Documentation challenge. Gen.



Executive summary of the 2,037th ICCAAS human population assessment.
Carried out by the Standing Committee on Statistics and Research of the Interstellar Commission for the Conservation of Ancients and Ancient-like Species (ICCAAS) during the 29,856th Wake Cycle.
[Translated from the Wraith.]


1. Biological data and catch statistics

Population parameters, including growth rates, natural mortality, and fecundity, were carried over from the last assessment. T’kkangh et al. (29856.12) presented the results of a recent genetic analysis of several human populations. Their study indicated a higher degree of connectivity between planets than was previously calculated from the tag-recapture studies of Ziikau et al. (29742.02). The rates of migration between the territories of individual Hives remain uncertain.

This assessment does not include data from the last Wake Cycle, since most Hives were unable to finish compiling their catch and effort statistics in time. Kithairg and Dvraghn (29856.12) presented an updated model for the estimation of harvests taken by non-ICCAAS members. The Secretariat reminds the Hives of the Ssaovi, Nith’tak, and G’thaunn Alliances that they have not provided catch histories for the last several Wake Cycles.

2. Status of the stock

Due to the early Awakening, human populations have not fully recovered from the last great Harvest. Total biomass remains below the level necessary to produce MSY (the maximum sustainable yield). If the quotas set for the last Wake Cycle were met, the stock would be severely depleted and unable to recover during a standard Rest Cycle. Some model projections show a complete population collapse under such a harvesting regime.

3. Management recommendations

Quotas for this galaxy should be reduced by at least fifty percent. Every effort should be made to find unexploited populations, in this galaxy or elsewhere. However, should such an unexploited galaxy be found, we urge the Commission to initiate a sampling project prior to or in conjunction with the start of harvesting. An unharvested population would provide critical data such as virgin biomass, growth rates, size-at-age, and age of sexual maturity, all of which are necessary for precise and accurate stock assessments.

In addition, we recommend that the Commission dedicate more time and resources to the promising research started by the Vanaii Alliance on the feasibility of domesticating this species.

4. Closing Remarks

The SCSR acknowledges the hard work of the scientists who prepared the data and carried out this assessment, and thanks all participating individuals and Alliances.

The Secretariat thanks the Queens of the Tsivarghn Alliance for hosting this Cycle’s assessment.

Comments

[lamardeuse.livejournal.com]

Wow. This is fresh and interesting. Great stuff.

[kajikia.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Glad you liked it.

[bluebrocade.livejournal.com]

Cool!

[kajikia.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[ladyjax.livejournal.com]

Creepily good and a very compelling way to put a different face on the Wraith. Thanks for this.

[kajikia.livejournal.com]

You're welcome. *g* And thank you for the positive reinforcement. I'm glad you liked it.

[hexnessie.livejournal.com]

the feasibility of domesticating this species

That's fantastic. I mean, there's a whole story in there, about some eccentric Wraith keeping humans as pets, much as some humans keep pigs... And the attitude towards "conservation" - you did a great job presenting the Wraith as a culture.

[kajikia.livejournal.com]

there's a whole story in there

I have this huge backstory in my head about the research that the Wraith are doing, the domestication project, the tag-recapture studies, the assessments, the political manouevering about how big a quota each Hive gets, whether there's one big human population or a bunch of smaller ones that don't interbreed, the recreational vs commercial interests...oh, I could go on and on...Fortunately, the documentation challenge let me suggest all of this in under a thousand words, because the long version would be interesting only to me.

In short, thank you for your comments. I'm glad it worked for you. *g*

[desdema.livejournal.com]

both fascinating and very creepy.

[kajikia.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm glad it was so evocative.

[mirabile-dictu.livejournal.com]

Disturbingly wonderful, and a POV I've never considered before. Thank you!

[kajikia.livejournal.com]

You're welcome--thank you for the feedback! Disturbingly wonderful is a pretty great compliment.

[palebluebell.livejournal.com]

Chilling.

Very much liked where you went with this - I thought it was very well done.

[kajikia.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm glad it worked for you.

[springwoof.livejournal.com]

wow. cool. well done!

[kajikia.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[stungunbilly.livejournal.com]

Yes, this is so sensible.
Of course they do this.

[kajikia.livejournal.com]

Yet another indication that the Wraith are more scientifically advanced than we are: they have sustainably harvested humans for at least 10,000 years, whereas we have driven numerous species to brink of extinction in about 50 years of fishing.

Thanks for the comment. *g*

[delurker.livejournal.com]

Wonderfully creepy.

[kajikia.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[cofax7]

Oh, my god. Are you hiding in my filing cabinets?

Brilliant and cool.

[kajikia.livejournal.com]

Oh, my god. Are you hiding in my filing cabinets?

If I am, then your cabinets are quite spacious, although tremendously disorganized. *g*

Thanks for the positive reinforcement.

[flambeau.livejournal.com]

Oh, cool. Very very very very cool. And now I can't stop thinking about cod fishing. *g*

[kajikia.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

And now I can't stop thinking about cod fishing.

Awesome! I basically patterned this after human assessments of fish populations--it's a lot more disturbing when you're the fish.

[4amcoffee.livejournal.com]

I don't know whether to laugh at the fact that the Wraith have paperwork and corporate conventions, or be horrified at what they report on.

It all comes back to me picturing two Wraith getting drunk off their asses on beer and fruity drinks, sleeping together, then waking up late for their reports and showing up all disorganized, with rumpled clothes and dirty hair, a la that SNL skit.

[kajikia.livejournal.com]

Yeah, in my head this story is hilarious. Because I've been to the human version of this (fish population assessments), and it's just like a group project in college: half the people don't have their data ready, you stay up til 2 a.m. writing the report, and there's a lot of drinking. So that's how I picture the Wraith assessment that produced this report.

But it's not quite as funny when you realize you're the fish.

Thanks for commenting.

FAO: kajikia - RE: Human Population Assessment

[jimandblair.livejournal.com]

Thank you for drawing our attention to the Wraith ICCAT ICCAAS stock assessments

I would congratulate you on presenting a succinct and informative translation of the executive summary, containing all the relevant information. I look forward to reading the 13,233 page document and appendixes.

Note:

As Homo sapiens (Terran vt.) we can only hope that the management recommendations and TACs/quotas are not followed and the Wraith Harvesters ultimately starve before initiating domestication of the species and/or reaching unexploited populations.

Re: FAO: kajikia - RE: Human Population Assessment

[kajikia.livejournal.com]

Eee! ICCAT! I thought about explaining where I got the name from, but I was really curious to see how many people would recognize it. Extra brownie points for you!

Also, the 13,233 page document and appendixes...hee hee hee. So true.

[oxoniensis.livejournal.com]

Fascinating and chilling at the same time.

[kajikia.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Glad you liked it.

[chasingkerouac.livejournal.com]

Wow. What a brilliant choice for POV. I love that the Wraith have bureaucracy. They're not just space vampires who want to eat you're soul, they're space vampires who want to eat your soul in triplicate. I love it. Fantastic view.

[kajikia.livejournal.com]

The Wraith have a written language and interstellar travel capabilities--of course they have bureaucracy.

I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for commenting.

[fourteenlines.livejournal.com]

Oh my God, that is so cool. And really, really creepy at the same time. Brilliant!

[kajikia.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Glad you liked it.

omg!

[eve11]

This is hilarious. I love the documentation and authors!

The SCSR acknowledges the hard work of the scientists who prepared the data and carried out this assessment

read: fifteen Wraith graduate students who spent a good portion of the sleep-cycle emptying out dart containers and radio tagging humans, and who are at best the 51st-65th authors of the paper.

Re: omg!

[kajikia.livejournal.com]

Hee! who are at best the 51st-65th authors of the paper.

And that doesn't even include the ones Ronon killed while they were tracking him.

Glad you enjoyed it!

[miss-porcupine.livejournal.com]

Tongue so very wryly in cheek here. Nifty stuff, especially the dry academic prose thinly veiling what are probably old irritations and squabbles among researchers.

[kajikia.livejournal.com]

Tongue so very wryly in cheek here.

Yeah, I think this is amusing mostly if you've had experience with academia/scientific meetings and can picture the Wraith engaging in the petty or ridiculous "behind the scenes" behavior at said meeting.

Thanks for lovely comments. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

[ceitie.livejournal.com]

Whoa. Wraith bureaucracy. Trippy.

[kajikia.livejournal.com]

Heh. Thanks!

[mercuriosity.livejournal.com]

I love this! It's a little bit creepy, but mostly hilarious, I think. I mean, you had me at T’kkangh et al. Hee!

[kajikia.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it.

[neotoma.livejournal.com]

from the tag-recapture studies of Ziikau et al.

You know, I was quite sure that this was what they were doing with Ronon. Or using him as a stalking horse to find previously unknown human populations -- all they'd have to do is track where he Gated to as he tried to run away from them -- he'd would have lead them to everywhere he felt he might get help, until they caught him again or he started avoiding people.

[kajikia.livejournal.com]

using him as a stalking horse to find previously unknown human populations

Hmmm, now that's an interesting theory. As amused as I am by the thought of Ronon killing Wraith grad students, if he really was part of a tag-recapture study, their methodology sucks, because he knows he's being tracked and won't act "naturally." In the, um, giant set of parallels with our fisheries management system that I've created in my head because I am a HUGE DORK, the Wraith that make the Runners are like recreational fishermen, you know, the catch-and-release guys. They're just doing it for fun.

But your theory makes a lot more sense in the context of the show. *g*

[rainbow.livejournal.com]

i really love this story! i like the idea of there being lots more to the wraith that we know, specially since some fo the stuff from the michael episode(i dont know if you have seen that one so i will not say what i mean ezackly).

i have wondered why they do not have more domesticated humans and breeding programs so that they do not have to sleep so much or go hungry.

boo

[kajikia.livejournal.com]

i have wondered why they do not have more domesticated humans

I figured it was because they were lazy: you eat, you take a nap, you wake up and, hey, your food has grown itself! *g*

Thanks for the comments. I'm glad you liked it.

[mardahin.livejournal.com]

Very cool POV. I love documents like this ^_^

[kajikia.livejournal.com]

Thank you! And yeah, this challenge was awesome--so many cool documents produced.

[raincitygirl.livejournal.com]

Oh, this is just NEAT. Really well done, while creepy as hell.

And methinks sometimes that the sustainable harvesting fans of the Wraith bureaucracy must be constantly butting heads with other, more powerful Wraith who use these statistical reports as cat litter liners. Because in general the Wraith on the show don't show much understanding of managed culling for longterm sustainability. It's amazing they didn't all die of starvation centuries ago, if they make a habit of wiping out entire planets like Sateda. Surely the idea is to leave enough of the population alive that it's recovered by the next culling season.

And now I've officially creeped MYSELF out.

[kajikia.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm glad this worked for you; it was really interesting to write.

I do like to imagine they have a hard time agreeing to and enforcing quotas among the various alliances, but if they've survived this long, they must be doing something right. I think it depends on how long their hibernation cycles are, and how many people there are in Pegasus. Plus you could argue that the total number of humans in the galaxy is what matters, so if you do a hard cull of a planet like Sateda that was getting technologically advanced (and therefore potentially dangerous), you could go easier on planets (ahaha, I almost called them stocks) that were less advanced, and still have the total galactic population remain within sustainable levels.

Not that I've devoted a lot of time to these thoughts or anything. *g*