Dissolved oxygen probes: making oxygen measurements routine like temperature, St Petersburg, Florida, January 4-6, 2006: workshop proceedings

The Alliance for Coastal Technologies (ACT) Workshop "Making Oxygen Measurements Routine Like Temperature" was convened in St. Petersburg, Florida, January 4th - 6th, 2006. This event was sponsored by the University of South Florida (USF) College of Marine Science, an ACT partner institution and co-hosted by the Ocean Research Interactive Observatory Networks (ORION). Participants from researcldacademia, resource management, industry, and engineering sectors collaborated with the aim to foster ideas and information on how to make measuring dissolved oxygen a routine part of a coastal or open ocean observing system. Plans are in motion to develop large scale ocean observing systems as part of the US Integrated Ocean Observing System (100s; see http://ocean.us) and the NSF Ocean Observatory Initiative (001; see http://www.orionprogram.org/00I/default.hl). These systems will require biological and chemical sensors that can be deployed in large numbers, with high reliability, and for extended periods of time (years). It is also likely that the development cycle for new sensors is sufficiently long enough that completely new instruments, which operate on novel principles, cannot be developed before these complex observing systems will be deployed. The most likely path to development of robust, reliable, high endurance sensors in the near future is to move the current generation of sensors to a much greater degree of readiness. The ACT Oxygen Sensor Technology Evaluation demonstrated two important facts that are related to the need for sensors. There is a suite of commercially available sensors that can, in some circumstances, generate high quality data; however, the evaluation also showed that none of the sensors were able to generate high quality data in all circumstances for even one month time periods due to biofouling issues. Many groups are attempting to use oxygen sensors in large observing programs; however, there often seems to be limited communication between these groups and they often do not have access to sophisticated engineering resources. Instrument manufacturers also do not have sufficient resources to bring sensors, which are marketable, but of limited endurance or reliability, to a higher state of readiness. The goal of this ACT/ORION Oxygen Sensor Workshop was to bring together a group of experienced oceanographers who are now deploying oxygen sensors in extended arrays along with a core of experienced and interested academic and industrial engineers, and manufacturers. The intended direction for this workshop was for this group to exchange information accumulated through a variety of sensor deployments, examine failure mechanisms and explore a variety of potential solutions to these problems. One anticipated outcome was for there to be focused recommendations to funding agencies on development needs and potential solutions for 02 sensors. (pdf contains 19 pages)

Influence of number of valves on catch composition of a fishing pot trap (Lege) in River Rima, north western Nigeria

Three types of prototype (Lege) traps with different numbers of entrance valves were evaluated in River Rima, north western Nigeria. The traps contained 4,6 and 8 valves, tagged 4-V, 6-V and 8-V respectively. The experiment was carried out in a randomized complete block design with one factor each replicated three times. Data collected on fish diversity, number biomass and sizes were subjected to descriptive statistics and analysis of variance. The results of the catch composition showed close diversity index of 0.86 for 6-V, 0.80 for 8-V and 0.60 for 4-V Lege traps. However, the number (41%) and biomass 48%) of fish caught in the 6-V Lege trap were significantly (P0.05) higher than those caught in the other traps. There was no definite trend in the sizes (length and girth) of fish caught in the traps. On the basis of species diversity, and the number and biomass of fish caught, the 6-V Lege showed preference for adoption than the other two traps. However, further studies are recommended on the appropriate mesh size net for the trap in line with the provisions of fisheries edicts

Influence of number of valves on catch composition of a fishing pot trap (Lege) in River Rima, north western Nigeria

Three types of prototype (Lege) traps with different numbers of entrance valves were evaluated in River Rima, north western Nigeria. The traps contained 4,6 and 8 valves, tagged 4-V, 6-V and 8-V respectively. The experiment was carried out in a randomized complete block design with one factor each replicated three times. Data collected on fish diversity, number, biomass and sizes were subjected to descriptive statistics and analysis of variance. The results of the catch composition showed close diversity index of 0.86 for 6-V, 0.80 for 8-V and 0.60 for 4-V Lege traps. However, the number (41%) and biomass (48%) of fish caught in the 6-V Lege trap were significantly (P<0.05) higher than those caught in the other traps. There was no definite trend in the sizes (length and girth) of fish caught in the traps. On the basis of species diversity, and the number and biomass of fish caught, the 6-V Lege showed preference for adoption than the other two traps. However, further studies are recommended on the appropriate mesh size net for the trap in line with the provisions of fisheries edicts

Is it deforestation or desertification when we do it to the ocean?

Anecdotal evidence from 60 marine species suggests a pattern of resource exhaustion rather than sustainable use. There is a reason to believe that biomass in the Atlantic Western Boundary Current Fishery-Grand Banks, Newfoundland, North Atlantic, Norwegian Sea, Barents Sea is 3-10% of what it was when fishing was started. Selective removal of large species may have caused major nutrient distribution in both rich and poor waters.

Study on the quality of beche-de-mer in trade and shrinkage of specimens during processing

The beche-de-mer industry in India is a cent percent export oriented industry being confined to south east coast in Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar in Tamil Nadu. Chemical quality of 180 trade samples of beche-de-mer of four sizes collected from the beche-de-mer curing centres of Ramanathapuram district was studied. Moisture ranged from 6.2 to 24.4% and sand content from 0.11 to 20.42% for all grades. Mean values of sand content are for grade 1=3.47%, grade 2=4.50%, grade 3=3.68%, grade 4=6.87%. Sodium chloride was almost constant for all grades at 5.7%. TVBN values ranged from 10 to 78.4 mg%. 44 laboratory samples of different grades were prepared following trade practice and examined for chemical quality. Mean moisture values are for grade 1=13.4%, grade 2=12.44%, grade 3=12.62%, grade 4=12.08% and mean values of sand are for grade 1=0.70%, grade 2=0.90%, grade 3=1.16%, grade 4=2.15%. The percentage of shrinkage of the animals ranged from 56% to 60% for dried beche-de-mer of 7.5 cm size and above.

Kilka population dynamics in the south of the Caspian Sea

Populations of kilka in the Caspian Sea have important role in the food chain. This study was conducted to determine population parameters of three species of kilka in the south of the Caspian Sea, during 2006-2007. Mean length was 102.4±9.7 mm for common kilka, 117.8±6.9 mm for anchovy and 119.5±10.9 mm for bigeye. The relationship between length and weight indicated the negative allometric growth in the all three species. Mean age for common kilka, anchovy and bigeye were 3.6, 4.6 and 4.6 years, respectively. Sex ratio (M:F) were 0.52:1 for anchovy, 0.60:1 for common kilka and 1.60:1 for bigeye. The value of growth coefficient (K) was the highest (0.321) for the common kilka, (0.267) for the bigeye, and the lowest for the anchovy kilka (0.245). Total mortality estimated from the descending of the catch curve using the age structure, Z=1.280 yr-1 for common kilka, Z=1.067 yr-1 for anchovy, and Z=1.015 yr-1 for bigeye. Natural mortality (M) were estimated using Pauly formula as M=0.622, M=0.537 and M=0.503 per year for common kilka, bigeye and anchovy, respectively. Value of fishing mortality (F) were estimated from Z and M, as F=0.658 for common kilka, F=0.564 for anchovy and F=0.478 for bigeye. The exploitation rate (E) were estimated E=0.514 for common kilka, E=0.528 for anchovy and E= 0.471 for bigeye. The estimate of MCY (Maximum Constant Yield) was calculated using the more reliable time series of commercial catch data from 2001-2007, which resulted in an estimate of MCY for the kilka fishery of 14100 tonnes.