Seasonal variation of acetylcholinesterase, catalase, glutathione s transferase in different size of Pinctada radiata and metal pollution (Pb, Cd, Ni) in Persian Gulf

There are various tools for monitoring the concentration of pollutants on aquatic ecosystems. Today these studies are based on biological monitoring and biomarkers. The aim of this study was to measure the concentration of the acetylcholinesterase (AChE), glutathione S-transferase and catalase as biomarkers of heavy metal contamination in pearl oyster Pinctada radiata and their mechanism in aquatic ecosystems. Heavy metals lead, cadmium and nickel were measured in soft tissue and studied stations in four seasons. Samples were collected seasonally in Lavan stations, Hendurabi and Nakhilo (in the northern Persian Gulf) from spring 2013 to winter of that year by scuba diving. Pearl oysters are divided according to their shells size; shells separated from soft tissues and were transferred to the laboratory for analysis of heavy metals and enzymes. Moopam standard method for were used for measuring the concentration of heavy metals and for analyzing tissue concentrations of glutathione S-transferase in Clam the method recommended by Habig et al in 1974 were used. For measuring acetylcholinesterase Ellman method were used. Catalase contamination in pearl oyster in the supernatant obtained from the study based on the method homogeate soft tissue of mussels (Abei, 1974) was evaluated. The results showed that the concentration of lead has significant difference in sediments station, the concentration of lead in Lavan is significantly higher than the other two stations, This could be due to the movement of tanker, boats and floating refueling and with a considerable amount of wastewater containing oil and Petroleum into the water, and also due to precipitation and industrial discharges the lead in the region is increasing, land-disposed sewage sludge, has large concentrations of lead. Compare the results of this study with standards related and other similar studies at the regional and international level showed that pollutant concentration of heavy metals in all cases significantly less than all the standards and guide values associated. And also compared to other world research results have been far less than others, Being Less of the conclusion given in this research according that nickel is one of the indicators of oil pollution in the study area and emissions have been relatively low of oil. The concentration of acetylcholinesterase at several stations, in large and small sizes and in the seasons had no significant difference. Variations of catalase, and glutathione S-transferase were almost similar to each other and parameters, station and seasons were significantly different in the concentrations of these enzymes. The effects and interaction between various parameters indicate that following parameters has impact on the concentration of catalase and glutathione S-transferase. Stations; Seasonal changes in antioxidant enzymes related to (assuming a constant in salinity and oxygen) to age, reproductive cycle, availability of food and water temperature. With increasing temperature at warm season, antioxidant enzymes were increase, with increasing temperature and abundance of food in the environment the amount of antioxidant enzymes may increase. The presence of the enzyme concentration may indicate that the higher levels of the enzyme to eliminate ROS activities to be any healthier situation. At the time of gonads maturation and spawning season catalase activity increases. This study also indicates that catalase was significantly higher in the warm season. Due to low pollutants of heavy metals in the study area, a lower level of contaminants were observed in shellfish tissue incidents of international standards and strong correlation between the amount of heavy metal contamination in pearl oyster tissue and enzymes was not observed. Therefore, we can say that the pearl oyster remains in a healthy condition and the amount of enzyme is normal.

Study the methods of connecting jacket to the seabed and choosing the best method for Persian Gulf according to soil characteristics

Offshore structures with numerous applications in different environments throughout the world and used at different depths. Due to the expansion of marine industries, including offshore oil industry in Iran , particularly in the Persian Gulf region, in order to more accurately model these structures and to prevent incidents such as the Overturning of the platform serious damage to the South Pars Phase ١٣ was platforms, the use New Technic is essential technologies. One of the methods that are used in the construction of offshore wind turbines, using a pre-pile. In this method, a template is constructed with the dimensions specified in the workshop. After making templates using special vessels for placement in the desired location on the sea bed is carried, then the template is placed on the sea bed, Then, using a hammer for Pile Driving Operation Started Vibration hammer and fit the template of 3 or 4 piles of crushed within this template on the seabed . The next step piling, templates have been removed from the site And Jacket placed on piles. The system was installed on the deck on piles and Consequently Deck Load pile inserted on .It should be noted that the design of these types of platforms, base diameter of the pile diameter independent of the choice as one of the major advantages of this system is. This thesis examines a Template Fixed Platform in the oil Soroush Using the Pre-Piling and the Common Piling systems in the Persian Gulf were studied and the effect of different design compared to the Pre-Piling Platforms Persian Gulf were evaluated. The results suggest that Pre-Piling system compared with conventional systems piling in the Persian Gulf, as a more appropriate model structure and behavior Top Model economic efficiency is selected. It should be noted that all calculations and analyzes were performed using Software Abaqus.

Flood of September 20-23, 1969 in the Gadsden County area, Florida

The center of low pressure of a tropical disturbance which moved northward in the Gulf of Mexico, reached land between Panama City and Port St. Joe, Florida, on September 20, 1969. This system was nearly stationary for 48 hours producing heavy rainfall in the Quincy-Havana area, 70-80 miles northeast of the center. Rainfall associated with the tropical disturbance exceeded 20 inches over a part of Gadsden County, Florida, during September 20 through 23, 1969, and the maximum rainfall of record occurred at Quincy with 10.87 inches during a 6-hour period on September 21. The 48-hour maximum of 17.71 inches exceeded the 1 in 100-year probability of 16 inches for a 7-day period. The previous maximum rainfall of record at Quincy (more than 12 inches) was on September 14-15, 1924. The characteristics of this historical storm were similar in path and effect to the September 1969 tropical disturbance. Peak runoff from a 1.4-square mile area near Midway, Florida, was 1,540 cfs (cubic feet per second) per square mile. A peak discharge of 45,600 cfs on September 22 at the gaging station on the Little River near Quincy exceeded the previous peak of 25,400 cfs which occurred on December 4, 1964. The peak discharge of 89,400 cfs at Ochlockonee River near Bloxham exceeded the April 1948 peak of 50,200 cfs, which was the previous maximum of record, by 1.8 times. Many flood-measurement sites had peak discharges in excess of that of a 50-year flood. Nearly $200,000 was spent on emergency repairs to roads. An additional $520,000 in contractual work was required to replace four bridges that were destroyed. Agricultural losses were estimated at $1,000,000. (44 page document)

Water resource records of the Econfina Creek Basin area, Florida

The Econfina Creek basin area in northwestern Florida, which includes Bay County, southeastern Washiigton County, and parts of Calhoun, Gulf, and Jackson counties is shown in figure 1. The basin has an abundant supply of ground water and surface water of good quality. This determination is based on a three-year investigation of the water resources of the basin by the U. S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Division of Geology, Florida Board of Conservation, during the period from October 1961 through June 1964. The purpose of this report is to assemble the basic data collected during this investigation for those persons interested in water development or management in this basin. (Document has 131 pages.)

Preliminary keys to otoliths of some adult fishes of the Gulf of Alaska, Bering Sea, and Beaufort Sea

Keys and outline drawings are provided for the identification of the otoliths of 142 species of marine fishes from the Gulf of Alaska, Bering Sea, and Beaufort Sea. (PDF contains 40 pages)

Gulf of Kutch Marine National Park and Marine Wildlife Sanctuary: A case study

pdf has 46p.

Seasonal foods, gonadal maturation, and length-weight relationships for nine fishes commonly captured by shrimp trawl on the Northwest Gulf of Mexico Continental Shelf

Recent emphasis on ecosystem approaches to fisheries management renews interest in, and the need for, trophic information about fish communities. A program was started in 1980 at the National Marine Fisheries Service Galveston Laboratory to develop a trophic database for continental shelf fishes. Collections were made during 1982-1983 that were processed but never published, yet the data remain valid today for historical purposes and for delimiting food web components within ecosystem assessments. I examined spring, summer, and fall foods in offshore populations of nine common species of trawl-susceptible fishes, with particular reference to predation on commercial penaeid shrimps (Farfantepenaeus and Litopenaeus). Diets were evaluated with the Index of Relative Importance (IRI) which combines the occurrence, number, and weight of each food item. Bank sea bass (Centropristis ocyurus) and bighead searobin (Prionotus tribulus) primarily consumed crabs, more so by larger than smaller fish. Inshore lizardfish (Synodus foetens) was almost entirely piscivorous. Ocellated flounder (Ancylopsetta ommata) consumed fishes, crabs, and stomatopods. Dwarf sand perch (Diplectrum bivittatum), blackwing searobin (Prionotus rubio), rock sea bass (Centropristis philadelphica), southern kingfish (Menticirrhus americanus), and red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) fed mainly on shrimps. Most fish diets varied with respect to size (age), time of day, area sampled, depth, or season. Rimapenaeus and Sicyonia were the most frequently identified shrimp genera - only five Farfantepenaeus and no Litopenaeus were identified in almost 4,300 fish stomachs. I also examined gonadal development and documented fish length-weight relationships. Ripe gonads were most frequently found during summer in dwarf sand perch, during fall in ocellated flounder and bighead searobin, and during spring for other species, except no ripe red snapper or bank sea bass were collected. Rock sea bass was found to be a protogynous hermaphrodite, while dwarf sand perch is a synchronous hermaphrodite. Only ocellated flounder and southern kingfish exhibited sex-related differences in length-weight relationships. (PDF contains 40 pages.)

The Annual Economic Survey of Federal Gulf Shrimp Permit Holders: Report on the Design, Implementation, and Descriptive Results for 2006

This technical memorandum documents the design, implementation, data preparation, and descriptive results for the 2006 Annual Economic Survey of Federal Gulf Shrimp Permit Holders. The data collection was designed by the NOAA Fisheries Southeast Fisheries Science Center Social Science Research Group to track the financial and economic status and performance by vessels holding a federal moratorium permit for harvesting shrimp in the Gulf of Mexico. A two page, self-administered mail survey collected total annual costs broken out into seven categories and auxiliary economic data. In May 2007, 580 vessels were randomly selected, stratified by state, from a preliminary population of 1,709 vessels with federal permits to shrimp in offshore waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The survey was implemented during the rest of 2007. After many reminder and verification phone calls, 509 surveys were deemed complete, for an ineligibility-adjusted response rate of 90.7%. The linking of each individual vessel’s cost data to its revenue data from a different data collection was imperfect, and hence the final number of observations used in the analyses is 484. Based on various measures and tests of validity throughout the technical memorandum, the quality of the data is high. The results are presented in a standardized table format, linking vessel characteristics and operations to simple balance sheet, cash flow, and income statements. In the text, results are discussed for the total fleet, the Gulf shrimp fleet, the active Gulf shrimp fleet, and the inactive Gulf shrimp fleet. Additional results for shrimp vessels grouped by state, by vessel characteristics, by landings volume, and by ownership structure are available in the appendices. The general conclusion of this report is that the financial and economic situation is bleak for the average vessels in most of the categories that were evaluated. With few exceptions, cash flow for the average vessel is positive while the net revenue from operations and the “profit” are negative. With negative net revenue from operations, the economic return for average shrimp vessels is less than zero. Only with the help of government payments does the average owner just about break even. In the short-term, this will discourage any new investments in the industry. The financial situation in 2006, especially if it endures over multiple years, also is economically unsustainable for the average established business. Vessels in the active and inactive Gulf shrimp fleet are, on average, 69 feet long, weigh 105 gross tons, are powered by 505 hp motor(s), and are 23 years old. Three-quarters of the vessels have steel hulls and 59% use a freezer for refrigeration. The average market value of these vessels was $175,149 in 2006, about a hundred-thousand dollars less than the average original purchase price. The outstanding loans averaged $91,955, leading to an average owner equity of $83,194. Based on the sample, 85% of the federally permitted Gulf shrimp fleet was actively shrimping in 2006. Of these 386 active Gulf shrimp vessels, just under half (46%) were owner-operated. On average, these vessels burned 52,931 gallons of fuel, landed 101,268 pounds of shrimp, and received $2.47 per pound of shrimp. Non-shrimp landings added less than 1% to cash flow, indicating that the federal Gulf shrimp fishery is very specialized. The average total cash outflow was $243,415 of which $108,775 was due to fuel expenses alone. The expenses for hired crew and captains were on average $54,866 which indicates the importance of the industry as a source of wage income. The resulting average net cash flow is $16,225 but has a large standard deviation. For the population of active Gulf shrimp vessels we can state with 95% certainty that the average net cash flow was between $9,500 and $23,000 in 2006. The median net cash flow was $11,843. Based on the income statement for active Gulf shrimp vessels, the average fixed costs accounted for just under a quarter of operating expenses (23.1%), labor costs for just over a quarter (25.3%), and the non-labor variable costs for just over half (51.6%). The fuel costs alone accounted for 42.9% of total operating expenses in 2006. It should be noted that the labor cost category in the income statement includes both the actual cash payments to hired labor and an estimate of the opportunity cost of owner-operators’ time spent as captain. The average labor contribution (as captain) of an owner-operator is estimated at about $19,800. The average net revenue from operations is negative $7,429, and is statistically different and less than zero in spite of a large standard deviation. The economic return to Gulf shrimping is negative 4%. Including non-operating activities, foremost an average government payment of $13,662, leads to an average loss before taxes of $907 for the vessel owners. The confidence interval of this value straddles zero, so we cannot reject, with 95% certainty, that the population average is zero. The average inactive Gulf shrimp vessel is generally of a smaller scale than the average active vessel. Inactive vessels are physically smaller, are valued much lower, and are less dependent on loans. Fixed costs account for nearly three quarters of the total operating expenses of $11,926, and only 6% of these vessels have hull insurance. With an average net cash flow of negative $7,537, the inactive Gulf shrimp fleet has a major liquidity problem. On average, net revenue from operations is negative $11,396, which amounts to a negative 15% economic return, and owners lose $9,381 on their vessels before taxes. To sustain such losses and especially to survive the negative cash flow, many of the owners must be subsidizing their shrimp vessels with the help of other income or wealth sources or are drawing down their equity. Active Gulf shrimp vessels in all states but Texas exhibited negative returns. The Alabama and Mississippi fleets have the highest assets (vessel values), on average, yet they generate zero cash flow and negative $32,224 net revenue from operations. Due to their high (loan) leverage ratio the negative 11% economic return is amplified into a negative 21% return on equity. In contrast, for Texas vessels, which actually have the highest leverage ratio among the states, a 1% economic return is amplified into a 13% return on equity. From a financial perspective, the average Florida and Louisiana vessels conform roughly to the overall average of the active Gulf shrimp fleet. It should be noted that these results are averages and hence hide the variation that clearly exists within all fleets and all categories. Although the financial situation for the average vessel is bleak, some vessels are profitable. (PDF contains 101 pages)

Analysis of sea turtle bycatch in the commercial shrimp fisheries of Southeast U.S. waters and the Gulf of Mexico

The coastal shrimp trawl fisheries have long been the focus of conservation actions to reduce turtle bycatch and mortality in the Gulf of Mexico and the U.S. Atlantic (NRC, 1990). Calculation of catch rates of sea turtles in shrimp trawls is necessary to evaluate the impact on sea turtle populations. In this paper we analyze sea turtle bycatch to provide an estimate of the current number of interactions with otter trawl gear as well as an estimate of the number of fatal inions in Southeast U.S. waters and the Gulf of Mexico. We also provide an estimate of the number of individuals likely to die in the future with the new regulations that will require an increase in the size of the escape openings in trutle excluder devices (TEDs). The new regulations will allow many more turtles to escape. Other gears also are discussed. (PDF contains 24 pages)

Assessment of cobia, Rachycentron canadum, in the waters of the U.S. Gulf of Mexico

This assessment applies to cobia (Rachycentron canadum) located in the territorial waters of the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Separation of the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean is defined by the seaward extension of the Dade/Monroe county line in south Florida. Mixing of fish between the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico occurs in the Florida Keys during winter months. Cobia annually migrate north in early spring in the Gulf to spawning grounds in the northern Gulf of Mexico, returning to the Florida Keys by winter. Catches of cobia in the Gulf of Mexico are dominated by recreational landings, accounting for nearly 90% of the total. Since 1980, the landings of cobia in the recreational fishery have remained fairly stable at around 400-600 mt with a slight peak of 1,014 mt in 1997. The recreational fishery was estimated to have landed 471 mt in 2000. The landings from the commercial fishery have shown a steady increase from 45 mt in 1980 to a peak of 120 mt in 1994, followed by a decline to 62 mt in 2000. The previous assessment of cobia occurred in 1996 using a virtual population analysis (VPA) model. For this analysis a surplus-production model (ASPIC) and a forward-projecting, age-structured population model programmed in the AD Model Builder (ADMB) software were applied to cobia data from the Gulf of Mexico. The primary data consisted of four catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) indices derived from the Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey (MRFSS) (1981-1999), Southeast region headboat survey (1986-1999), Texas creel survey (1983-1999), and shrimp bycatch estimates (1980-1999). Length samples were available from the commercial (1983-2000) and recreational (1981-2000) fisheries. The ASPIC model applied to the cobia data provided unsatisfactory results. The ADMB model fit described the observed length composition data and fishery landings fairly well based on graphical examination of model residuals. The CPUE indices indicated some disagreement for various years, but the model fit an overall increasing trend from 1992-1997 for the MRFSS, headboat, and Texas creel indices. The shrimp bycatch CPUE was treated as a recruitment index in the model. The fit to these data followed an upward trend in recruitment from 1988-1997, but did not fit the 1994-1997 data points very well. This was likely the result of conflicting information from other data sources. Natural mortality (M) for cobia is unknown. As a result, a range of values for M from 0.2-0.4, based on longevity and growth parameters, were selected for use in the age-structured model. The choice of natural mortality appears to greatly influence the perceived status of the population. Population status as measured by spawning stock biomass in the last year relative to the value at maximum sustainable yield (SSB2000/SSBMSY), spawning stock biomass in the last year relative to virgin spawning stock biomass (SSB2000/S0), and static spawning stock biomass per recruit (SSBR) all indicate the population is either depleted, near MSY, or well above MSY depending on the choice of M. The variance estimates for these benchmarks are very large and in most cases ranges from depleted to very healthy status. The only statement that can be made with any degree of certainty about cobia in the Gulf of Mexico is that the population has increased since the 1980s. (PDF contains 61 pages)

A Biogeographic Assessment off North/Central California: To Support the Joint Management Plan Review for Cordell Bank, Gulf of the Farallones, and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuaries: Phase I - Marine Fishes, Birds and Mammals.

In the spring of 2001, NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuary Program (NMSP) and National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), in consultation with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), launched a 24-month effort to define and assess biogeographic patterns of selected marine species found within and adjacent to the boundaries of three west coast National Marine Sanctuaries. These sanctuaries, Monterey Bay, Gulf of the Farallones, and Cordell Bank are conducting a joint review process to update sanctuary management plans. The management plans for these sanctuaries have not been updated for over ten years and the status of the natural resources and their management issues in and around the sanctuaries may have changed. In addition, significant accomplishments in research and resource assessments have been made within the region. Thus, it is important to incorporate new and expanding knowledge into the revised management plans for these Sanctuaries.

The physical oceanography of the Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica, a tropical estuary

ENGLISH: Distributions of salinity, temperature, and oxygen in the Gulf of Nicoya based on approximately bimonthly surveys between the period March 1952 to December 1957 have been examined. SPANISH: Se examinó la distribución de la salinidad, temperatura y oxígeno en el Golfo de Nicoya, sobre la base de observaciones aproximadamente bimensuales efectuadas de marzo de 1952 a diciembre de 1957.

Caribbean connectivity: implications for Marine Protected Area Management. Proceedings of a Special Symposium, 9-11 November 2006, 59th Annual Meeting of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute, Belize City, Belize

Executive Summary: Tropical marine ecosystems in the Caribbean region are inextricably linked through the movement of pollutants, nutrients, diseases, and other stressors, which threaten to further degrade coral reef communities. The magnitude of change that is occurring within the region is considerable, and solutions will require investigating pros and cons of networks of marine protected areas (MPAs), cooperation of neighboring countries, improved understanding of how external stressors degrade local marine resources, and ameliorating those stressors. Connectivity can be broadly defined as the exchange of materials (e.g., nutrients and pollutants), organisms, and genes and can be divided into: 1) genetic or evolutionary connectivity that concerns the exchange of organisms and genes, 2) demographic connectivity, which is the exchange of individuals among local groups, and 3) oceanographic connectivity, which includes flow of materials and circulation patterns and variability that underpin much of all these exchanges. Presently, we understand little about connectivity at specific locations beyond model outputs, and yet we must manage MPAs with connectivity in mind. A key to successful MPA management is how to most effectively work with scientists to acquire the information managers need. Oceanography connectivity is poorly understood, and even less is known about the shape of the dispersal curve for most species. Dispersal kernels differ for various systems, species, and life histories and are likely highly variable in space and time. Furthermore, the implications of different dispersal kernels on population dynamics and management of species is unknown. However, small dispersal kernels are the norm - not the exception. Linking patterns of dispersal to management options is difficult given the present state of knowledge. The behavioral component of larval dispersal has a major impact on where larvae settle. Individual larval behavior and life history details are required to produce meaningful simulations of population connectivity. Biological inputs are critical determinants of dispersal outcomes beyond what can be gleaned from models of passive dispersal. There is considerable temporal and spatial variation to connectivity patterns. New models are increasingly being developed, but these must be validated to understand upstream-downstream neighborhoods, dispersal corridors, stepping stones, and source/sink dynamics. At present, models are mainly useful for providing generalities and generating hypotheses. Low-technology approaches such as drifter vials and oceanographic drogues are useful, affordable options for understanding local connectivity. The “silver bullet” approach to MPA design may not be possible for several reasons. Genetic connectivity studies reveal divergent population genetic structures despite similar larval life histories. Historical stochasticity in reproduction and/or recruitment likely has important, longlasting consequences on present day genetic structure. (PDF has 200 pages.)

A scientific forum on the Gulf of Mexico: The Islands in the Stream Concept. Proceedings of the Forum: 23 January 2008, Keating Education Center, Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, Florida

The Scientific Forum on the Gulf of Mexico: The Islands in the Stream Concept took place in January 2008 in Sarasota, Florida. The purpose of the meeting was to bring together scientists and managers from around the Gulf of Mexico to discuss a range of topics on our knowledge of the Gulf of Mexico, from its geology to larger-scale connectivity to the Caribbean region, and their applications to the concept of a more integrated approach to area-based management. The forum included six panels of invited experts who spoke on the oceanographic and biological features in the Gulf of Mexico, including connections with Mexico and the Mesoamerican barrier reef system, and the legal and regulatory structure currently in place. The charge to the group was to share information, identify gaps in our knowledge, identify additional potential areas for protection, and discuss available science about connectivity and the potential value of establishing a marine protected area network in the Gulf of Mexico. (PDF has 108 pages.)

Identification of the egg, early life history and spawning areas if the anchoveta, Cetengraulis mysticetus (Günther), in the Gulf of Panama

ENGLISH: The egg of the anchoveta, Cetengraulis mysticetus (Günther), was identified in the Gulf of Panama by its size, difference in diurnal period of spawning, seasonal occurrence (October to January) and relative abundance. It is pelagic, translucent and oval with mean dimensions of 1.166 mm. and 0.558 mm. for the long and short axes respectively. The egg membrane is unsculptured, the yolk mass is markedly segmented, and no oil globule or pigmentation is present. It was not found in the plankton from mid-January 1957 until the latter part of the following September; during this period the gonads of the anchoveta were immature. Only one other anchovy egg, spawned during the same diurnal period, is sufficiently similar in dimensions to be confused with that of the anchoveta; however, it is slightly smaller. SPANISH: El huevo de la anchoveta, Cetengraulis mysticetus (Günther), fué identificado en el Golfo de Panamá por su tamaño, diferencias en el período diario de desove, su abundancia en la temporada (de octubre a enero) y por su abundancia relativa. El huevo es pelágico, translúcido, oval y con dimensiones promedio de 1.166 mm. y 0.558 mm. para los ejes largo y corto, respectivamente. La membrana es lisa, el vitelo está francamente segmentado y no posee ningún glóbulo graso o pigmentación. El huevo de la anchoveta no se encontró en el plancton en el período comprendido entre mediados de enero y fines de septiembre de 1957; durante este lapso las gónadas estuvieron inactivas.