The GCRMN - coordinating coral reef monitoring efforts for effective management

The Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) is an operational unit of the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), established in 1995 and maintained by the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS). The main responsibilities are to provide data and information on the global status of coral reefs, assess how people use and interact with reefs, assist coral reef management, and raise awareness among all stakeholders of the status of reefs and the need for urgent action. It is represented by 17 regional nodes, with overall coordination by a global coordinator based at AIMS.

The Atlantic and Gulf Menhaden Purse Seine Fisheries: Origins, Harvesting Technologies, Biostatistical Monitoring, Recent Trends in Fisheries Statistics, and Forecasting

With its genesis in New England during the 1800's, the purse seine fishery for Atlantic menhaden, Brevoortia tyrannus, expanded south and by the early 1900's ranged the length of the eastern seaboard. The purse seine fishery for Gulf menhaden. B. patronus, is of relatively recent development, exploitation of the stock beginning in the late 1940's. Landings from both fisheries annually comprise 35-40% of the total U. S. fisheries landings, ranking menhaden first in terms of volume landed. Technological advances in harvesting methods, fish-spotting capabilities, and vessel designs accelerated after World War II, resulting in larger, faster, and wider-ranging carrier vessels, improved speed and efficiency of the harvest, and reduction in labor requirements. Chief products of the menhaden industry are fish meal, fish oil, and solubles, but research into new product lines is underway. Since 1955 on the Atlantic coast and 1964 on the Gulf coast, the NMFS has monitored the fisheries for biostatistical data. Annual data summaries of numbers-of-fish-at-age harvested, catch tonnage, and fishing effort of the fleet form the basis of routine stock assessments and annual catch forecasts to industry for the upcoming fishing season. After landings declined in the 1960's, the Atlantic menhaden stock has recovered through the 1970's and 1980's. Exceptional year classes of Gulf menhaden in recent years account for record landings during the 1980's.

Stillwaters monitoring programme summary results 2000

This is the Stillwaters monitoring programme summary results 2000 from the Environment Agency. In May 1997, a Stillwaters meeting was held to discuss the way forward in stillwaters monitoring. It decided upon the establishment of a three year rolling programme, in which three stillwaters would be monitored three times a year, every third year. During 2000, stillwaters monitored for the fourth year of the Stillwaters Monitoring Programme were Hatch Mere, Marbury Big Mere, Comber Mere, Tabley Mere, Tatton Mere and Melchett Mere. Algal, zooplankton and water chemical samples were taken on all meres. Surveys of Tabley Mere and Comber Mere continued on from last year when water quality concerns were highlighted. Continuous monitoring in Oak Mere, including water level data continued in 2000. Fish surveys were carried out in Tatton Mere and Comber Mere. Tabley Mere survey was abandoned due to the awkward bathymetry of the mere. No invertebrate samples were taken in 2000 due to lack of resources.

Stillwaters monitoring programme. Summary results 2001 and 2002

This is the Stillwaters monitoring programme. Summary results 2001 and 2002 from the Environment Agency North West. Until January 2001 the South Area Stillwaters Sampling Programme consisted of a rolling programme where five to six stillwaters were sampled three times a year (spring, summer and autumn). However, this method was not yielding the water quality information required for long term monitoring. Local weather conditions influence short-term water quality events, e.g. algal blooms, nutrient consumption, stratification, super-saturation etc, so results from one day sampling could only be regarded as individual ‘spot’ samples. Therefore year-on-year comparisons could not be made. It was decided that long-term water quality monitoring of the stillwaters would benefit more from sampling nutrient abundance over winter months. This would give an insight into the carry-over of nutrients available for algal growth the following year and so year-on-year productivity could be assessed. Survey results shown in this report were from: The Mere, Rostherne Mere, Melchett Mere, Tabley Mere, Tatton Mere, Hatchmere, Oak Mere, Black Lake, Chapel Mere, Bar Mere, Oss Mere, Marbury Big Mere, Comber Mere and Betley Mere.

Stillwaters monitoring programme.Summary results 2003 and 2004

This is the Stillwaters monitoring programme. Summary results 2003 and 2004 from the Environment Agency North West. This report is focuses in The Winter Monitoring of Stillwaters Programme, which began in January 2001 with the aim of gathering long term data on nutrient abundance over winter months. This allows assessment of nutrient ‘carry-over’ available for algal growth in the following year, plus year-on-year productivity. 14 stillwaters are monitored each year. The environmental issues associated with each Stillwater are summarised in the table below. Bank-side water samples are taken for nutrients (N, P and S) and chlorophyll. A YSI multi-parameter sonde measures temperature, pH, specific conductivity and dissolved oxygen (% saturation). Survey results shown in this report came from: Oak Mere and Bar mere.

Stillwaters monitoring programme. Summary results 2004 and 2005

This is the Stillwaters monitoring programme. Summary results 2004 and 2005 from the Environment Agency North West. This report focuses on the 5th year of winter monitoring analysis in 14 stillwaters in Cheshire. The 14 stillwaters analysed are: Comber Mere, Oss Mere, Marbury Big Mere, Chapel Mere, Bar Mere, Oak Mere, Hatch Mere, Black Lake, Betley Mere, Tabley Mere, Melchett Mere, Tatton Mere, Rostherne Mere and Mere mere. Nutrient availability in the stillwaters analysed is used to look into the productivity of the waterbody. Bank-side water samples were taken for nutrients (Nitrogen and Phosphorous) and chlorophyll. A YSI multi-parameter sonde measures temperature, pH, specific conductivity and dissolved oxygen (% saturation).

Oak Mere continuous monitoring summary report, 1997 to 2000

This is the Oak Mere continuous monitoring summary report, 1997 to 2000 from the Environment Agency North West. This report focuses on the continuous monitoring programme made by a multi -parameter probe in Oak Mere since summer 1997. From 1999 nutrient and chlorophyll samples were taken when the water quality instrument was serviced. Water level measurements were made since 1998. Moreover, the report shows a summary Oak mere water quality of each year (1997-2000). The physico-chemical parameters and nutrient levels included are: temperature, specific conditions, dissolved oxygen, pH, Depth, secchi disc measurements, chlorophyll a, total Phosphorus, orto-Phosphate, Nitrate, Ammonia, and Silicate.

Lakes - Classification & Monitoring: a strategy for the classification of lakes

This is the report on Lakes – Classification and Monitoring, a strategy for the classification of lakes by the National Rivers Authority. This report describes a scheme for the assessment and monitoring of water and ecological quality in standing waters, greater than about 1ha in area, in England and Wales although it is generally relevant to Northwest Europe. Thirteen hydrological, chemical and biological variables are used to characterize the standing water body in any current sampling. Statistical testing on the chemical variables showed that at least six samples during a year would be needed to produce a representative sampling mean; but in this scheme the choice of variables minimizes logistic cost by not using boat sampling and time costs by not demanding extensive taxonomic work. Standing waters are classified in a state-changed system in which the contemporary values of the variables are compared with a reference baseline state and then placed in categories of percentage change from this baseline. The scheme is presently designed for use at about five year intervals on all lakes greater than 2ha area plus additional lakes of significant amenity or conservation interest.

The Cheshire Meres an analysis of data and a prioritisation of sites

This is a report on the Analysis of Data and a Prioritisation of Sites at the Cheshire Meres by the Institute of Freshwater Ecology. The report addresses data collected by the Agency for 24 basin sites in Cheshire. At least two samples were collected from each site, though not simultaneously. Sites were visited in May/June and in November. The determinands are standard and they included: water, temperature, conductivity, pH, DO, fractional white light penetration, TSS, chlorophyll, TP, ortho-phosphate, nitrate-, nitrite-, ammonium and silicate. Though concentrations were often higher than for other lakes in the region, rather exceeding criteria for classification as eutrophic lakes, the results confirmed that the series of lakes is, naturally, highly eutrophic and nothing in the present data differs so far from expectation that is persuasive that the ecosystems are reacting adversely to environmental stress. The data set is review and summarised, site-by-site, in an appendix. The grounds for prioritisation are discussed. Whether or not this preferred prioritised option is adopted, the Agency is recommended to review the way it carries out monitoring. The determinands and the sampling frequency need to be geared to the information that is required.

Water quality monitoring in the Mersey

This is the Water Quality Monitoring in the Mersey Estuary report produced by the Environment Agency in 2001. This report focuses on the Water Quality Monitoring Programme held in the Mersey Estuary. Since the mid-1960s water samples have been collected at approximately monthly intervals along the length of the estuary between Warrington and New Brighton and in later years further off-shore. This data-set provides an invaluable resource to determine how the very large capital spending of recent years has resulted in the dramatic improvements in water quality that we are now able to record. Initially, the interest was focused on parameters such as dissolved oxygen, BOD, nutrients and suspended solids. Over the last decades, as analytical methods have improved, toxic metals and persistent organic compounds have been included in the routine monitoring programme at a limited number of sites. Moreover, with the introduction of the European Water Framework Directive monitoring programmes it was an opportune time to review the Mersey monitoring strategy. This revised monitoring programme required data from several other components (water, sediments, flora, fauna, fish and birds. This report also contains information about Routine monthly surveys, Special surveys, Chloralkali Directive, UKNMP, British Geological Survey, EDMAR and NERC Environmental Diagnostics Thematic Programme.

Monitoring report: sand dune reconstruction and restoration, at the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories

The Plan for Sand Dune Reconstruction and Restoration (and Biological Assessment) at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories (ABA Consultants, April 1, 1992) described reconstruction of dune contours and biological restoration with native dune plants to be carried out over the 8 acre site formerly occupied by the marine labs (prior to the Loma Prieta earthquake of October 1989). The plan called for annual reports in letter form which would present data on plant abundance, a short narrative description of changes on the site, progress towards recovery of the plant community, and assessment of progress based on restoration goals and further steps to be taken. This monitoring report [dated April 25, 1994] addresses those points and also contains a summary of other activities integral in dune restoration -- education, public participation, school and conservation organization field trips, as well as the associated activities of restoration, plant collecting, propagation, and weed control.

Monitoring of streambank stability and streamside vegetation in a livestock exclosure on the Warm Springs River, Oregon : comparison of ground-based surveys with aerial photographic analysis

The objective of this monitoring project was to determine the baseline condition for a 960-m long stream reach and its associated streamside zone, which terminates at the confluence with the Deschutes River. This stream reach had been damaged heavily in the February 1996 flood and had also received many years of overuse by livestock grazing. The monitoring project was conducted in July 1997 just after installation of riparian exclosure fencing. Future resurvey of the study area will allow determination of progress made in ecological recovery.