Prioritizing county-level well-being: Moving toward assessment of Gulf Coast counties impacted by the Deepwater Horizon Industrial Disaster

To develop a portfolio of indicators and measures that could best measure changes in the social, economic, environmental and health dimensions of well-being in coastal counties we convened a group of experts March 8-9, 2011 in Charleston, SC, U.S.A. The region of interest was of the northern Gulf of Mexico, specifically, those coastal counties most impacted during the explosion and subsequent oil spill from the Macondo Prospect wellhead during the summer of 2010. Over the course of the two-day workshop participants moved through presentations and facilitated sessions to identify and prioritize potential indicators and measures deemed most valuable for capturing changes in well-being related to changes in or disruption of ecosystem services. The experts reached consensus on a list of indicators that are now being operationalized by NOAA researchers. The ultimate goal of this research project is to determine whether a meaningful set of social and economic indicators can be developed to document changes in well-being that occur as a result of changes in ecosystem services. The outcomes and outputs from the workshop that is the subject of this report helped us to identify high-quality indicators useful for measuring well-being.

A case study on the impact of industrial effluent disposal on the fishery of Amba River estuary, Maharashtra

The impact of waste discharge on fishery resources is a matter of great concern. The accepted norm in all environmental impact assessment studies is to avoid areas of high fishery potential while locating a marine outfall. Contemplating on this aspect a case study was conducted in the Amba River estuary before and after the establishment of a petrochemical complex at Nagothane. The treated wastewater from this complex is released through a subsurface outfall after adopting effective control measures for marine disposal of waste. Experimental trawling was done at five locations covering a distance of 30 km during 1990 to 1991. The catch rate within the estuary varied from 0.6 to 255 kg/h (av 24 kg/h). The trend indicated considerable decrease in fishery potential from the mouth of the estuary (av 64 kg/h) to the upstream location (av 11 kg/h). A total of 49 species of fishes, 16 species of prawns, 7 species of crabs and 1 species of lobster were identified from the collections. Number of species gradually increased from the interior segment at Dharamtar (8) to the outer area near Revas (18). A comparison of the quantitative and qualitative nature of the post outfall and pre outfall data revealed only marginal difference. The study indicates that if necessary precautions are taken to render the waste harmless the marine ecology will hardly be affected.

Recolha de camarões reprodutores vivos da espécie Fenneropenaeus indicus da pesca de arrasto semi-industrial na Baía de Maputo

The collection of wild breeders of the Indian white prawn Fenneropenaeus indicus from two semi-industrial trawlers fishing in Maputo Bay is assessed for the period between August and November 1993. The daily mean catch (12-21 prawns dayˉ¹) increased until October but monthly yields were not significantly different (P>0.05). The monthly mean mortality ranged between 8% and 20% and was similar for males and females. More than 70% of the catch comprised small (grade B1: 20-39 g) and medium size (grade B2: 40-59 g) prawns. While males were exclusively of grade B1 (99%), the females were predominantly of grades B2 and B3 (60-80 g). The collection of larger breeders (grade B4: >80 g) was low and represented only 1% of total catches and a maximum of 3% of females. The net profit of breeders collection increased with size (grade) of prawns, and represented a maximum yield of 114% for grade B3. The added value of live prawns exceeded 450% of the cost to the fisherman, but decreased with size of breeders. It is considered that the semi-industrial trawling fishery operating in Maputo Bay has potential for supplying wild breeders of the Indian white prawn for aquaculture. This activity can also contribute to value adding of part of the catch traditionally destined for human consumption.

Mercury bioaccumulation in pike (Esox lucius) food chain from Anzali Lagoon, Iran

A number of wide-ranging monitoring studies have been performed in order to estimate the degree of mercury (Hg) contamination in freshwater ecosystems. Knowledge regarding contamination of different levels of the food chain is necessary for estimation of total pollutant input fluxes and subsequent partitioning among different phases in the aquatic system. The growing international concern about this environmental data is closely related to the strongly developing ecological risk assessment activities. In addition,freshwater monitoring outputs hold a key position in the estimation of the Hg dose consumed by the human population as it is highly dependent on fish consumption. So monitoring of Hg in the tissue of edible fish is extremely important because of contaminated fish has caused serious neurological damage to new born babies and adults. Mercury tends to accumulate in fish tissue, particularly, in the form of methyl mercury, which is about 10 times more toxic than inorganic mercury. The Anzali lagoon is one of the biggest wetland of Guilan province, which joins to the Caspian sea. Many Chemical and industrial factories plus agricultural runoffs and urban and rural sewages are major polluting sources of the Anzali wetland. Since many of those polluting sources drain their wastes directly or indirectly into the Anzali wetland and their sewages may be polluted with Hg, this study was conducted to find out the bioaccumulation of Hg bioaccumulation in pike (Esox lucius) food chain from Anzali lagoon, Iran. Sampling were carried out from July 2004 to July 2005, in addition 318 speciments of 9 fish species were collected. T-Hg was measured by LECO AMA 254 Advanced Mercury Analyzer (USA) according to ASTM standard No D-6722. Each sample was analyzed 3 times. Accuracy of T-Hg analysis was checked by running three samples of Standard Reference Materials; SRM 1633b, SRM 2711 & Sra 2709. Detection limit was 0.001 mg/kg in dry weight. The Accuracy degree of analyzor equipment with RSD<%0.05 (N=7) was between %95.5 and %105. In overal eigth fish species were distingushed in the gut content of 87 speciments of pike with age 1-5 year and maximum length 550mm. The max. and min. concentration of T-Hg in dorsal muscle of pjke was 0.2ppm in one year and 1.2ppm in five year class. The mean of T-Hg significantly increased with age and length increased (P<0.05).Mercury accumulation pattern in pike was as well as muscle > liver > spleen (P<0.05). THg content in female was higher than male(P<0.05). In contrast the mean of THg concentration in dorsal muscle of eigth fish species as prey was 0.282, 0.261, 0.328, 0.254, 0.256, 0.286, 0.322 and 0.241 ppm for Carassius auratus gibelio, Hemiculter leucisculus, Blicca bjoerkna transcaucasica, Chalcalburnus mossulensis, Rhodeus sericeus amarus, Gambusia holbrooki, Alburnus charusini hohenackeri & Scardinius Erythrophthalmus respectively.Liner regresion indicated that high degree of relationship between age of pike and Uptak/Intake ratio (R2=%99.12) and indicated that the mercury bioaccumulation in the pike dorsal muscle increased with age increased. BFA was >1 and and indicating the mercury biomagnification in the pike food chain. Trophy level of pike in the Anzali lagoon was estimated as well as 3.5 and 4 . It is generally agreed that Hg concentration in carnivorous fish are higher than in noncarnivorous species.

New food processing equipment

The article presents new food processing equipment for coating and frying. These are predusters, liquid enrobers and applicators for large-particle crumbs.

Implications of the industrial fish processing growth for the commercial fishery and fishers in Uganda

The study was undertaken to generate socio-economic information on fish market systems and performance of the industrial processing industry, which will guide the processes leading to modernization of the fisheries sector and, sustainability of Lake Victoria fisheries. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the socio-economic implications of the fish marketing systems with particular emphasis on fish export market in Uganda. The study thus, analysed the socio-economic characteristics of fishers and examinined fish marketing systems and the impacts on the fishing activities, food security, employment opportunities and incomes of fisher-folk communities.