Cooperative management of artisanal fisheries: implementation of democratic principles in fisheries management around Lake Kainji

Kainji Lake, the first man-made lake in Nigeria is one of the most researched water bodies in Africa. Earlier studies indicated that there was no systematic management of the lake fisheries involving the participation of the fishers in the decision-making processes before 1993. In 1993, the Nigeria-German Kainji Lake Fisheries Promotion Project (KLFPP) started the introduction of a bottom-up approach in the management of the fishery resources through a random selection of some fishers representatives for the decision making body of the project. The paper traces the democratization process of the management approach to the lake fisheries culminating in the systematic selection, appointment, training and assignment of responsibilities to twenty-four Wakilis covering the 316 fishing communities around Lake Kainji

Reforming state-level coastal management and development policies: strategic retreat as an innovative, proactive and equitable coastal environmental management strategy

Atlantic and Gulf Coast shorelines include some of the most unique and biologically rich ecosystems in the United States that provide immeasurable aesthetic, habitat and economic benefits. Natural coastal ecosystems, however, are under increasing threat from rampant and irresponsible growth and development. Once a boon to local economies, complex natural forces – enhanced by global climate change and sea level rise - are now considered hazards and eroding the very foundation upon which coastal development is based. For nearly a century, beach restoration and erosion control structures have been used to artificially stabilize shorelines in an effort to protect structures and infrastructure. Beach restoration, the import and emplacement of sand on an eroding beach, is expensive, unpredictable, inefficient and may result in long-term environmental impacts. The detrimental environmental impacts of erosion control structures such as sea walls, groins, bulkheads and revetments include sediment deficits, accelerated erosion and beach loss. These and other traditional responses to coastal erosion and storm impacts- along with archaic federal and state policies, subsidies and development incentives - are costly, encourage risky development, artificially increase property values of high-risk or environmentally sensitive properties, reduce the post-storm resilience of shorelines, damage coastal ecosystems and are becoming increasingly unsustainable. Although communities, coastal managers and property owners face increasingly complex and difficult challenges, there is an emerging public, social and political awareness that, without meaningful policy reforms, coastal ecosystems and economies are in jeopardy. Strategic retreat is a sustainable, interdisciplinary management strategy that supports the proactive, planned removal of vulnerable coastal development; reduces risk; increases shoreline resiliency and ensures long term protection of coastal systems. Public policies and management strategies that can overcome common economic misperceptions and promote the removal of vulnerable development will provide state and local policy makers and coastal managers with an effective management tool that concomitantly addresses the economic, environmental, legal and political issues along developed shorelines. (PDF contains 4 pages)

Reforming state-level coastal management and development policies: strategic retreat as an innovative, proactive and equitable coastal environmental management strategy

Atlantic and Gulf Coast shorelines include some of the most unique and biologically rich ecosystems in the United States that provide immeasurable aesthetic, habitat and economic benefits. Natural coastal ecosystems, however, are under increasing threat from rampant and irresponsible growth and development. Once a boon to local economies, complex natural forces – enhanced by global climate change and sea level rise - are now considered hazards and eroding the very foundation upon which coastal development is based. For nearly a century, beach restoration and erosion control structures have been used to artificially stabilize shorelines in an effort to protect structures and infrastructure. Beach restoration, the import and emplacement of sand on an eroding beach, is expensive, unpredictable, inefficient and may result in long-term environmental impacts. The detrimental environmental impacts of erosion control structures such as sea walls, groins, bulkheads and revetments include sediment deficits, accelerated erosion and beach loss. These and other traditional responses to coastal erosion and storm impacts- along with archaic federal and state policies, subsidies and development incentives - are costly, encourage risky development, artificially increase property values of high-risk or environmentally sensitive properties, reduce the post-storm resilience of shorelines, damage coastal ecosystems and are becoming increasingly unsustainable. Although communities, coastal managers and property owners face increasingly complex and difficult challenges, there is an emerging public, social and political awareness that, without meaningful policy reforms, coastal ecosystems and economies are in jeopardy. Strategic retreat is a sustainable, interdisciplinary management strategy that supports the proactive, planned removal of vulnerable coastal development; reduces risk; increases shoreline resiliency and ensures long term protection of coastal systems. Public policies and management strategies that can overcome common economic misperceptions and promote the removal of vulnerable development will provide state and local policy makers and coastal managers with an effective management tool that concomitantly addresses the economic, environmental, legal and political issues along developed shorelines. (PDF contains 4 pages)

Tenets, Principles, and Criteria for Management: The Basis for Systemic Management

This paper presents nine tenets for management as formulated in the literature in recent decades. These tenets, and the principles behind them, form the foundation for systemic management. All tenets are interrelated and far from mutually exclusive or discrete. When we consider them seriously and simultaneously, these tenets expose serious flaws of conventional resource management and define systemic management. Systemic management requires that we manage inclusively and avoid restricting management to any particular interaction between humans and other elements of nature. The management tenets presented here are considered with particular attention to the interrelationships among both the tenets and principles upon which they are based. The case is made that the tenets are inseparable and should be applied collectively. Combined consideration of the tenets clarifies the role of science, contributes to progress in defining management, and leads to the development of ways we can avoid mistakes of past management. Systemic management emerges as at least one form of management that will consistently account for and apply to the complexities of nature.

General principles of the design of trawl net

The classification and the principles of design and construction of trawls in general are described. The method of calculating the length of rope required at each part for mounting the net and the requirements of floats and sinkers are given. The cutting rates to tailor machine made webbing are also indicated.

Report on science communication training and Wayamba International Conference (WINC) on Sustainable Development through Equitable Sharing

This report presents presentations from representatives of 12 countries, key outcomes and recommendations for the future.