Five concepts in planning theory useful to coastal management

In recent years coastal resource management has begun to stand as its own discipline. Its multidisciplinary nature gives it access to theory situated in each of the diverse fields which it may encompass, yet management practices often revert to the primary field of the manager. There is a lack of a common set of “coastal” theory from which managers can draw. Seven resource-related issues with which coastal area managers must contend include: coastal habitat conservation, traditional maritime communities and economies, strong development and use pressures, adaptation to sea level rise and climate change, landscape sustainability and resilience, coastal hazards, and emerging energy technologies. The complexity and range of human and environmental interactions at the coast suggest a strong need for a common body of coastal management theory which managers would do well to understand generally. Planning theory, which itself is a synthesis of concepts from multiple fields, contains ideas generally valuable to coastal management. Planning theory can not only provide an example of how to develop a multi- or transdisciplinary set of theory, but may also provide actual theoretical foundation for a coastal theory. In particular we discuss five concepts in the planning theory discourse and present their utility for coastal resource managers. These include “wicked” problems, ecological planning, the epistemology of knowledge communities, the role of the planner/ manager, and collaborative planning. While these theories are known and familiar to some professionals working at the coast, we argue that there is a need for broader understanding amongst the various specialists working in the increasingly identifiable field of coastal resource management. (PDF contains 4 pages)

The influence of global warming on freshwater plankton communities in Britain

The likely response of freshwater plankton to the direct and indirect effects of sustained global warming are summarized. The increase in CO2 posited by climatologists will have a direct effect on many biological processes, and an even more important indirect effect on the global climate. Lake plankton populations are relatively well buffered against sudden fluctuations in temperature but can react in unexpected ways to seasonal changes in the wind speed, with effects on seasonal growth and succession of plankton. The direct

Factors influencing the downstream transport of sediment in the Lough Feeagh catchment, Burrishoole, Co. Mayo, Ireland

Research laboratories in the Burrishoole catchment have been the focus of salmonid research since 1955. One aspect of the research has been to monitor the number of salmon and sea trout migrating to sea as smolts and returning to the catchment as adults. In the early 1990s it became clear that the smolt output from the catchment had declined over the previous two decades. At about the same time the presence of fine particles of peat silt in the hatchery became increasingly apparent and led to a higher incidence of mortality of young fry. These observations and management difficulties led to a study of silt transport in the surface waters of the catchment, which is described in this article. The authors describe geology, soils, climate and hydrology of Burrishoole before examining the sediment deposition in Lough Feeagh.

Early life history studies of Yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares. I. Food selection of Yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares, larvae reared in the laboratory. II. Age validation and growth of Yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares, larvae reared in the laboratory

English: Food selection of first-feeding yellowfin tuna larvae was studied in the laboratory during October 1992. The larvae were hatched from eggs obtained by natural spawning of yellowfin adults held in sea pens adjacent to Ishigaki Island, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The larvae were fed mixed-prey assemblages consisting of size-graded wild zooplankton and cultured rotifers. Yellowfin larvae were found to be selective feeders during the first four days of feeding. Copepod nauplii dominated the diet numerically, by frequency of occurrence and by weight. The relative importance of juvenile and adult copepods (mostly cyclopoids) in the diet increased over the 4-day period. Rotifers, although they comprised 31 to 40 percent of the available forage, comprised less than 2.1 percent of the diet numerically. Prey selection indices were calculated taking into account the relative abundances of prey, the swimming speeds of yellowfin larvae and their prey, and the microscale influence of turbulence on encounter rates. Yellowfin selected for copepod nauplii and against rotifers, and consumed juvenile and adult copepods in proportion to their abundances. Yellowfin larvae may select copepod nauplii and cyclopoid juveniles and adults based on the size and discontinuous swimming motion of these prey. Rotifers may not have been selected because they were larger or because they exhibit a smooth swimming pattern. The best initial diet for the culture of yellowfin larvae may be copepod nauplii and cyclopoid juveniles and adults, due to the size, swimming motion, and nutritional content of these prey. If rotifers alone are fed to yellowfin larvae, the rotifers should be enriched with a nutritional supplement that is high in unsaturated fatty acids. Mouth size of yellowfin larvae increases rapidly within the first few days of feeding, which minimizes limitations on feeding due to prey size. Although yellowfin larvae initiate feeding on relatively small prey, they rapidly acquire the ability to add relatively large, rare prey items to the diet. This mode of feeding may be adaptive for the development of yellowfin larvae, which have high metabolic rates and live in warm mixed-layer habitats of the tropical and subtropical Pacific. Our analysis also indicates a strong potential for the influence of microscale turbulence on the feeding success of yellowfin larvae. --- Experiments designed to validate the periodicity of otolith increments and to examine growth rates of yellowfin tuna larvae were conducted at the Japan Sea-Farming Association’s (JASFA) Yaeyama Experimental Station, Ishigaki Island, Japan, in September 1992. Larvae were reared from eggs spawned by captive yellowfin enclosed in a sea pen in the bay adjacent to Yaeyama Station. Results indicate that the first increment is deposited within 12 hours of hatching in the otoliths of yellowfin larvae, and subsequent growth increments are formed dailyollowing the first 24 hours after hatching r larvae up to 16 days of age. Somatic and otolith gwth ras were examined and compared for yolksac a first-feeding larvae reared at constant water tempatures of 26�and 29°C. Despite the more rapid develo of larvae reared at 29°C, growth rates were nnificaifferent between the two treatments. Howeve to poor survival after the first four days, it was ssible to examine growth rates beyond the onset of first feeding, when growth differences may become more apparent. Somatic and otolith growth were also examined for larvae reared at ambient bay water temperatures during the first 24 days after hatching. timates of laboratory growth rates were come to previously reported values for laboratory-reared yelllarvae of a similar age range, but were lower than growth rates reported for field-collected larvae. The discrepancy between laboratory and field growth rates may be associated with suboptimal growth conditions in the laboratory. Spanish: Durante octubre de 1992 se estudió en el laboratorio la seleccalimento por larvaún aleta amarillmera alimentación. Las larvas provinieron de huevos obtenidosel desove natural de aletas amarillas adultos mantenidos en corrales marinos adyacentes a la Isla Ishigaki, Prefectura de Okinawa (Japón). Se alimentó a las larvas con presas mixtas de zooplancton silvestre clasificado por tamaño y rotíferos cultivados. Se descubrió que las larvas de aleta amarilla se alimentan de forma selectiva durante los cuatro primeros días de alimentación. Los nauplios de copépodo predominaron en la dieta en número, por frecuencia de ocurrencia y por peso. La importancia relativa de copépodos juveniles y adultos (principalmente ciclopoides) en la dieta aumentó en el transcurso del período de 4 días. Los rotíferos, pese a que formaban del 31 al 40% del alimento disponible, respondieron de menos del 2,1% de la dieta en número. Se calcularon índices de selección de presas tomando en cuenta la abundancia relativa de las presas, la velocidad de natación de las larvas de aleta amarilla y de sus presas, y la influencia a microescala de la turbulencia sobre las tasas de encuentro. Los aletas amarillas seleccionaron a favor de nauplios de copépodo y en contra de los rotíferos, y consumieron copépodos juveniles y adultos en proporción a su abundancia. Es posible que las larvas de aleta amarilla seleccionen nauplios de copépodo y ciclopoides juveniles y adultos con base en el tamaño y movimiento de natación discontinuo de estas presas. Es posible que no se hayan seleccionado los rotíferos a raíz de su mayor tamaño o su patrón continuo de natación. Es posible que la mejor dieta inicial para el cultivo de larvas de aleta amarilla sea nauplios de copépodo y ciclopoides juveniles y adultos, debido al tamaño, movimiento de natación, y contenido nutritivo de estas presas. Si se alimenta a las larvas de aleta amarilla con rotíferos solamente, se debería enriquecerlos con un suplemento nutritivo rico en ácidos grasos no saturados. El tamaño de la boca de las larvas de aleta amarilla aumenta rápidamente en los primeros pocos días de alimentación, reduciendo la limitación de la alimentación debida al tamaño de la presa. Pese a que las larvas de aleta amarilla inician su alimentación con presas relativamente pequeñas, se hacen rápidamente capaces de añadir presas relativamente grandes y poco comunes a la dieta. Este modo de alimentación podría ser adaptivo para el desarrollo de larvas de aleta amarilla, que tienen tasa metabólicas altas y viven en hábitats cálidos en la capa de mezcla en el Pacífico tropical y subtropical. Nuestro análisis indica también que la influencia de turbulencia a microescala es potencialmente importante para el éxito de la alimentación de las larvas de aleta amarilla. --- En septiembre de 1992 se realizaron en la Estación Experimental Yaeyama de la Japan Sea- Farming Association (JASFA) en la Isla Ishigaki (Japón) experimentos diseñados para validar la periodicidad de los incrementos en los otolitos y para examinar las tasas de crecimiento de las larvas de atún aleta amarilla. Se criaron las larvas de huevos puestos por aletas amarillas cautivos en un corral marino en la bahía adyacente a la Estación Yaeyama. Los resultados indican que el primer incremento es depositado menos de 12 horas después de la eclosión en los otolitos de las larvas de aleta amarilla, y que los incrementos de crecimiento subsiguientes son formados a diario a partir de las primeras 24 horas después de la eclosión en larvas de hasta 16 días de edad. Se examinaron y compararon las tasas de crecimiento somático y de los otolitos en larvas en las etapas de saco vitelino y de primera alimentación criadas en aguas de temperatura constante entre 26°C y 29°C. A pesar del desarrollo más rápido de las larvas criadas a 29°C, las tasas de crecimiento no fueron significativamente diferentes entre los dos tratamientos. Debido a la mala supervivencia a partir de los cuatro primeros días, no fue posibación, uando las diferencias en el crecimiento podrían hacerse más aparentes. Se examinó también el crecimiento somático y de los otolitos para larvas criadas en temperaturas de agua ambiental en la bahía durante los 24 días inmediatamente después de la eclosión. Nuestras estimaciones de las tasas de crecimiento en el laboratorio fueron comparables a valores reportados previamente para larvas de aleta amarilla de edades similares criadas en el laboratorio, pero más bajas que las tasas de crecimiento reportadas para larvas capturadas en el mar. La discrepancia entre las tasas de crecimiento en el laboratorio y el mar podría estar asociada con condiciones subóptimas de crecimiento en el lab

Report on the analysis of salmon scale samples returned by anglers on the Rivers Ribble and Hodder

Fisheries technical staff from the North West Central Area of the National Rivers Authority (NRA) currently provide a service for the ageing of salmon scales from fish caught by anglers on the Rivers Ribble and Hodder in order to gather information on the biological characteristics of the salmon population on the River Ribble system in terms of weight, freshwater age and sea age. At the beginning of each fishing season, scale envelopes are distributed by the NRA to angling clubs and some individual anglers. Scales taken from salmon caught on the rivers are returned to the NRA Central Area Office by the anglers, or more often, by NRA bailiffs. The age of each fish caught is then determined by the identification and counting of annuli for both the river and sea zones on the scale. Information is provided by the angler on the scale packet concerning the length and weight of the fish caught, and the date, location and method of capture. Both this information and the age of the fish is recorded on a database. These data can be used to investigate the distribution, and exploitation patterns of the different age classes of the salmon stock within the river system. This report is principally concerned with the scale samples received in 1994, although comparison is also made with samples from 1993 and 1992. References to data will all relate to that received in 1994 unless an alternate year is stated.

Demand for fish in Sub-Saharan Africa: the past and the future

The Sub-Saharan region of Africa accounted for only 5.5% of the world's demand for fish from 1989 to 1991, inspite of comprising 9% of the global population. This study was carried out to determine the future demand for fish in the Sub-Saharan region. Fish accounts for approximately 10% of animal protein consumed. It is prominent in the diet of the poor since cured and smoked fish is a cheaper source of protein than meat or eggs. The average per capita consumption in 1992 was about 8 kg compared to 30 kg globally. Fish is prominent in the diets of people near coastal areas and large inland water bodies and a total of 40% of fish consumed is freshwater fish. Consumption is rising in the coastal areas but falling inland, probably due to drought and overexploitation resulting in an inadequate supply. Aquaculture has not been widely adopted and does not contribute substantially to the region's supply. To determine future demand and trends, a regression analysis was carried out at the country level with FAO data on fish consumption from 1960 to 1992, using several proxies for disposable income, cost of fishery products, changes in tastes and national differences in the tradition of fish consumption. An aggregate increase in fish consumption of nearly 2.7% annually over the next few years was predicted with a strong correlation between increases in income, prices and population. Real income was a significant and positive determinant of fish consumption, even though consumption increaed more slowly than income. Given the high projected rate of population increase, the growth rate in overall fish consumption actually implies a reduction in per capita fish consumption of 0.31% annually. If technological progress can improve production and supply, aquaculture could have a significant impact on fish consumption in the region.

Trade secrets: a ten year overview of the illegal import of sea turtle products into the United States

For more than 25 years all sea turtle products have been prohibited from international commerce by the 170-member nations of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Sea turtles continue to be threatened by direct take (including poaching) and illegal trade despite multi-national protection efforts. Although take may contribute significantly to sea turtle decline, illegal take is difficult to measure since there are few quantified records associated with legal fisheries and fewer still for illegal take (poaching). We can, however, quantify one portion of the illegal sea turtle trade by determining how many illegal products were seized at United States ports of entry over a recent 10-year period. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) oversees the import and export of wildlife and wildlife products, ensuring that wildlife trade complies with United States laws and international treaties. Additionally, the USFWS has legal authority to target suspected illegal wildlife activity through undercover and field investigations. In an effort to assess the scale of illegal sea turtle take and trade, we have conducted a 10-year (1994 – 2003) review of the law enforcement database maintained by the USFWS. This database tracks the number and type of wildlife cases, the quantity of seized products, and the penalties assessed against violators. These data are minimum estimates of the sea turtle products passing through the United States borders, as smuggled wildlife is oftentimes not detected.

Characterizing Jobos Bay, Puerto Rico: a watershed modeling analysis and monitoring plan

Land-based pollution is commonly identified as a major contributor to the observed deterioration of shallow-water coral reef ecosystem health. Human activity on the coastal landscape often induces nutrient enrichment, hypoxia, harmful algal blooms, toxic contamination and other stressors that have degraded the quality of coastal waters. Coral reef ecosystems throughout Puerto Rico, including Jobos Bay, are under threat from coastal land uses such as urban development, industry and agriculture. The objectives of this report were two-fold: 1. To identify potentially harmful land use activities to the benthic habitats of Jobos Bay, and 2. To describe a monitoring plan for Jobos Bay designed to assess the impacts of conservation practices implemented on the watershed. This characterization is a component of the partnership between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) established by the Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) in Jobos Bay. CEAP is a multi-agency effort to quantify the environmental benefits of conservation practices used by private landowners participating in USDA programs. The Jobos Bay watershed, located in southeastern Puerto Rico, was selected as the first tropical CEAP Special Emphasis Watershed (SEW). Both USDA and NOAA use their respective expertise in terrestrial and marine environments to model and monitor Jobos Bay resources. This report documents NOAA activities conducted in the first year of the three-year CEAP effort in Jobos Bay. Chapter 1 provides a brief overview of the project and background information on Jobos Bay and its watershed. Chapter 2 implements NOAA’s Summit to Sea approach to summarize the existing resource conditions on the watershed and in the estuary. Summit to Sea uses a GIS-based procedure that links patterns of land use in coastal watersheds to sediment and pollutant loading predictions at the interface between terrestrial and marine environments. The outcome of Summit to Sea analysis is an inventory of coastal land use and predicted pollution threats, consisting of spatial data and descriptive statistics, which allows for better management of coral reef ecosystems. Chapters 3 and 4 describe the monitoring plan to assess the ecological response to conservation practices established by USDA on the watershed. Jobos Bay is the second largest estuary in Puerto Rico, but has more than three times the shoreline of any other estuarine area on the island. It is a natural harbor protected from offshore wind and waves by a series of mangrove islands and the Punta Pozuelo peninsula. The Jobos Bay marine ecosystem includes 48 km² of mangrove, seagrass, coral reef and other habitat types that span both intertidal and subtidal areas. Mapping of Jobos Bay revealed 10 different benthic habitats of varying prevalence, and a large area of unknown bottom type covering 38% of the entire bay. Of the known benthic habitats, submerged aquatic vegetation, primarily seagrass, is the most common bottom type, covering slightly less than 30% of the bay. Mangroves are the dominant shoreline feature, while coral reefs comprise only 4% of the total benthic habitat. However, coral reefs are some of the most productive habitats found in Jobos Bay, and provide important habitat and nursery grounds for fish and invertebrates of commercial and recreational value.

Validation and interpretation of annual skeletal marks in loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and Kemp’s ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) sea turtles

Numerous studies have applied skeletochronology to sea turtle species. Because many of the studies have lacked validation, the application of this technique to sea turtle age estimation has been called into question. To address this concern, we obtained humeri from 13 known-age Kemp’s ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) and two loggerhead (Caretta caretta) sea turtles for the purposes of examining the growth marks and comparing growth mark counts to actual age. We found evidence for annual deposition of growth marks in both these species. Corroborative results were found in Kemp’s ridley sea turtles from a comparison of death date and amount of bone growth following the completion of the last growth mark (n=76). Formation of the lines of arrested growth in Kemp’s ridley sea turtles consistently occurred in the spring for animals that strand dead along the mid- and south U.S. Atlantic coast. For both Kemp’s ridley and loggerhead sea turtles, we also found a proportional allometry between bone growth (humerus dimensions) and somatic growth (straight carapace length), indicating that size-at-age and growth rates can be estimated from dimensions of early growth marks. These results validate skeletochronology as a method for estimating age in Kemp’s ridley and loggerhead sea turtles from the southeast United States.

A water budget study of Lake Manzalah, Egypt

Based on the freshwater and seawater budgets, the mean in/out water fluxes as well as the monthly changes in freshwater content were determined in Lake Manzalah. About 6693 x 10^6m^3 of fresh and brackish water inflow to the lake annually through the main drains discharging into the southeastern basin. Allowances of precipitation (105.7 x 10^6m^3/y) and evaporation (1075 x 10^6m^3/y) yield a net runoff of 5723 x 10^6m^3/y. The average changes in the freshwater content (dF) of the lake was 547.0 x 10^6m^3 with the maximum i.e. 72.4 x 10^6m^3 in July. Using the quantity of inflowing and outflowing water through Boughaz El-Gamil (Lake-Sea connection), the change in water volume relative to sea level change was 549 x 10^6m^3/y. The sea-level height (dh) induced an average monthly change of 6.5 cm. Using the amount of freshwater discharge as well as the lake volume, the lake water is replaced every 48 days.

Impact of mangrove conversion

The article presents the impact of mangrove conversion on fisheries and on coastal areas. The mangrove areas which serve as nursery grounds for important species of fish and crustaceans are also rich feeding ground for many species from various trophic levels. Thus, the destruction of mangroves could affect the availability of fry and broodstock and, consequently, aquaculture production and fisheries. While in coastal areas, the destruction of mangroves increased the risk of coastal erosion from storm surges and winds, accelerates the erosion of riverbanks, exposes acid sulfate soils, leading to poor production and mass mortality of stocks, and affects the freshwater supply through salt intrusion upstream among others.

Assessment of seawater pollution by heavy metals (lead & cadmium) in the Qeshm rocky shore: use of the sea urchin, Echinometra mathaei, as a bioindicator

The general purpose of this study is to investigate the degree of heavy metal accumulation in hard and soft tissue of sea urchin, and determining these tissues as the most suitable bioindicator for lead and cadmium in the environment of the sampling stations. The way of doing this assessment was MOOPAM. Samples were prepared and classified according to sea urchin organ (soft tissue, hard tissue, Tube feet, Test, Lantern Structure and spines) and then lead and cadmium were measured in them. Result of this study shows that hard tissue is a better index of lead and cadmium than soft tissue. The result of bioaccumulation of lead in the related tissue was found to be in the following order: Soft tissue=21, hard tissue=28.1, Test=20.8, Lantern Structure=20.5 and spines=23.9. The result of bioaccumulation of cadmium in the related tissue was found to be in the following order: Soft tissue=9. 7, hard tissue=5.01, Test=4.2, Lantern Structure=4.06 and spines=5.53.

Effect of sea water level rise on sandy beach profile

Study of batch profile evolution and scouring effect due to the wave and current impacts in the coastal zone has been one of the most important issues in coastal engineering research projects during the past decades .to construct the coastal protective structures such piers, breakwaters and seawalls, it is necessary to estimate the scouring depth and bed level changes in the vicinity of such structures. Furthermore, the time - dependent changes in the equilibrium profile of the surf zone can be of great importance in designing coastal structures. Because of the importance of coastal engineering study in Iran due to the existence of two important coastal area located in the north and south parts of the country, and due to the lack of classified data in this respect (particularly the effect of sea level rise on coastal morphology) in the present study, based on the available data of Bandar Anzali region, an analysis of the coastal zone behavior is made. Bed level elevations are measured and compared with the theoretical equilibrium profile. It is shown that the behavior of the coastal zone in the region is consistent with the dean (equilibrium profile . In the next stage, following extensive investigations, the bed level changes due to a rise in sea level at different locations in the surf zone are estimated. Finally based on the results obtained for profile evolution due to sea level rise, the conclusion is made for design of coastal structures located in the study area. The results obtained from the present study indicate that the sea level rise can have a significant effect on beach profile and resulting erosion in the study area. The results are graphically presented with can be used for design purposes and establishing a data base for the coastal zone in the study region. It is believed that the present work can be regarded as a contribution to the existing knowledge of coast process in the study area and referred to as a basis for the future coastal research projects.

Power analysis for detecting trends in juvenile spotted seatrout abundance in Florida Bay

The spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus) is considered a key species relative to the implementation of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP). One of the goals of the CERP is to increase freshwater flows to Florida Bay. Increased freshwater flows can have potential positive and negative impacts on spotted seatrout populations. At low salinities, the planktonic eggs of spotted seatrout sink to the bottom and are not viable (Alshuth and Gilmore, 1994; Holt and Holt, 2002). On the other hand, increased freshwater flows can alleviate hypersaline conditions that could result in an expansion of the distribution of the early life stages of spotted seatrout (Thayer et al., 1999; Florida Department of Environmental Protection1). Thus it would be useful to develop a monitoring program that can detect changes in seatrout abundance on time scales short enough to be useful to resource managers. The NOAA Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research (NOAA) has made sporadic collections of juvenile seatrout using otter trawls since 1984 (see Powell et al, 2004). The results suggest that it might be useful to sample for seatrout in as many as eight different areas or basins (Figure 1): Bradley Key, Sandy Key, Johnson Key, Palm Key, Snake Bight, Central, Whipray and Crocodile Dragover. Unfortunately, logistical constraints are likely to limit the number of tows to about 40 per month over a period of six months each year. Inasmuch as few seatrout are caught in any given tow and the proportion of tows with zero seatrout is often high, it is important to determine how best to allocate this limited sampling effort among the various basins so that any trends in abundance may be detected with sufficient statistical confidence. (PDF contains 16 pages)

Rescue, rehabilitation, and release of marine mammals: An analysis of current views and practices.

Stranded marine mammals have long attracted public attention. Those that wash up dead are, for all their value to science, seldom seen by the public as more than curiosities. Animals that are sick, injured, orphaned or abandoned ignite a different response. Generally, public sentiment supports any effort to rescue, treat and return them to sea. Institutions displaying marine mammals showed an early interest in live-stranded animals as a source of specimens -- in 1948, Marine Studios in St. Augustine, Florida, rescued a young short-finned pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus), the first ever in captivity (Kritzler 1952). Eventually, the public as well as government agencies looked to these institutions for their recognized expertise in marine mammal care and medicine. More recently, facilities have been established for the sole purpose of rehabilitating marine mammals and preparing them for return to the wild. Four such institutions are the Marine Mammal Center (Sausalito, CA), the Research Institute for Nature Management (Pieterburen, The Netherlands), the RSPCA, Norfolk Wildlife Hospital (Norfolk, United Kingdom) and the Institute for Wildlife Biology of Christian-Albrects University (Kiel, Germany).(PDF contains 68 pages.)