La cuenca del Salado: uso y posibilidades de sus recursos pesqueros.

The fishing resources of the Salado Basin are extraordinary important in the context of the inland waters of Argentina. However, the diversity of landscapes in the basin and the lack of continuity in the regional planning , have made difficult a proper management of the fishing resources. This paper has a general overview of the main aspects related to the fishing fauna of the region, with a natural point of view of the processes and mechanisms of the management. A description of the fishes basin community and the identification of the species with commercial and game interests is included . We describe the different fishing gears used in the province for game, commercial and scientific fishing. We review the criteria of diagnosis of the silver side population as a main resource of fishing interest and under this point of view we propose new outlooks to promote a proper management of the resources and its sustainable use. We identify the different kinds of fisheries that are common in the basin and we make a survey of the related socioeconomic aspects. Moreover, we analyze the development of a new institutional and regulatory frame in order to optimize the management of the fishing resources. Finally, we define criteria for ordering and conserving such resources and identify conflict points and requirements for its sustainable use in the context of new proposals for the public policies.

Influence of seagrass landscape structure on the juvenile blue crab habitat-survival function

Organismal survival in marine habitats is often positively correlated with habitat structural complexity at local (within-patch) spatial scales. Far less is known, however, about how marine habitat structure at the landscape scale influences predation and other ecological processes, and in particular, how these processes are dictated by the interactive effect of habitat structure at local and landscape scales. The relationship between survival and habitat structure can be modeled with the habitat-survival function (HSF), which often takes on linear, hyperbolic, or sigmoid forms. We used tethering experiments to determine how seagrass landscape structure influenced the HSF for juvenile blue crabs Callinectes sapidus Rathbun in Back Sound, North Carolina, USA. Crabs were tethered in artificial seagrass plots of 7 different shoot densities embedded within small (1 – 3 m2) or large (>100 m2) seagrass patches (October 1999), and within 10 × 10 m landscapes containing patchy (<50% cover) or continuous (>90% cover) seagrass (July 2000). Overall, crab survival was higher in small than in large patches, and was higher in patchy than in continuous seagrass. The HSF was hyperbolic in large patches and in continuous seagrass, indicating that at low levels of habitat structure, relatively small increases in structure resulted in substantial increases in juvenile blue crab survival. However, the HSF was linear in small seagrass patches in 1999 and was parabolic in patchy seagrass in 2000. A sigmoid HSF, in which a threshold level of seagrass structure is required for crab survival, was never observed. Patchy seagrass landscapes are valuable refuges for juvenile blue crabs, and the effects of seagrass structural complexity on crab survival can only be fully understood when habitat structure at larger scales is considered.

Concerted action for successful coastal communities in Tanzania: Lessons from the Tanzania Coastal Management Partnership (TCMP) 2006-2009

The Tanzania Coastal Management Partnership (TCMP) works to implement the National Integrated Coastal Environmental Management Strategy (ICEMS) in Tanzania’s coastal landscapes and seascapes, funded in large measure by the U.S. Agency for International Development. The overarching goal of the Sustainable Coastal Communities and Ecosystems in Tanzania (SUCCESS Tanzania) initiative is to conserve coastal and marine biodiversity while improving the well being of coastal residents through implementation of the Tanzania ICEMS and related ICM policies and strategies. It does this by focusing on three key results: -Policies and Laws that Integrate Conservation and Development Applied -Participatory Landscape Scale Conservation Practiced -Conservation Enterprises Generate Increased and Equitable Benefits from Sustainable Use An additional result sought in the program is gender equity and HIV/AIDS preventive behaviors promoted through communicating HIV/AIDS, environment, and equity messages. (PDF contains 3 pages)

Deterioration and fragmentation of rivers in Malta

Malta, situated in the Mediterranean Sea south of Sicily, is a small island of less than 300 km2. Two hundred years ago Malta was a wet and sodden country. The limestone was like a sponge, with numerous perennial springs, great and small, and so full of water that most flat areas did not drain, but were marsh. Water from springs, rivers and marshes was in ample supply. In the space of two centuries, Malta's rivers have passed from being good, spring-regulated watercourses with a mixed community of clean limewater plants, to the present-day situation where many if not all are on the verge of extinction. This is the result of human impact, not climate change, and is set to continue and increase. Unfortunately the best wetland-type valley communities were scheduled to be destroyed in 1997 but, after a change of Government and vigorous representations, these may now be spared. However, there is at least a great opportunity to prevent further fragmentation of remaining rivers and to reclaim some of the fragmented portions.

Determination of water quality in lakes by biological indices

Some problems of evaluation of water quality by biological indices which can be applied in the practice of ecological monitoring on water bodies are considered in this report. Taking into account, that ecological monitoring is the most urgent for large lakes, situated in civilised (urbanised) and (or) agrarian landscapes the corresponding problems will be considered mainly in conformity with large deep lakes of temperate latitudes. The aim is a general evaluation of some of the methods from the point of view of their possible application for monitoring on large water bodies.

Community-based marine protected areas in the Bohol (Mindanao) Sea, Philippines

This paper discusses the status, direction and management issues in the marine protected areas (MPAs) of the Bohol (Mindanao) Sea, Philippines. The MPAs in the study area have increased through the years. Many of them were established and managed by the local government units (LGUs) in collaboration with national government agencies (NGAs), academic institutions, people’s and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Several management issues and problems were cited by the MPA managers such as insuffi cient funds and facilities, lack of support from NGAs/NGOs and lack of education among the people. Nevertheless, lessons for sustainability can be learned from the experience of some wellmanaged MPAs in the Bohol Sea. These include strong support from the political leadership, community participation and networking among the concerned sectors. Although the best practices are being followed in a number of MPAs in the Bohol Sea, success is still fragmented. The MPAs are currently managed independently although there are ongoing initiatives to network their efforts. However, it can be observed that, as a management tool, MPAs are gaining popularity and support, not only among the fisherfolk but also among local communities and LGUs in the Bohol Sea area.