Report of the Sea Turtle Health Assessment Workshop, 2-3 February 1998, Part I: Background and information needs

A two day workshop was convened on February 2-3, 1998 in Charleston, SC with 20 invited experts in various areas of sea turtle research. The goal of this workshop was to review current information on sea turtles with repect to health and identify data gaps. The use of a suite of health assessment indicators will provide insight on the health status of sea turtle populations. Since the relationship of health factors of sea turtles is limited, a seconde workshop was planned. Using a tiered approach, the first workshop we identified and reviewed the available, pertinent baseline information and data gaps. The second workshop will focus on developing the framework for the research plan. The workshops will address the use of integrated set of health parameters; specific objectives are: 1) Identify reliable indicators of health in sea turtles: assess advantages and disadvantages; determine new indicators/biomarkers which may be useful; 2) Review existing sea turtle field sampling projects; 3) Identify field projects suitable for inclusion for health assessment sampling; 4) Identify data gaps, particularly environmental characterization; 5) Identify new health assessment sampling sites, including reference site(s); and 6) Develop integrated five-year research plan, with focus on health assessment of environmental characterization. (PDF contains 174 pages)

Mesophotic coral ecosystems research strategy: international workshop to prioritize research and management needs for mesophotic coral ecosystems, Jupiter, Florida, 12-15 July 2008

On July 12-15, 2008, researchers and resource managers met in Jupiter, Florida to discuss and review the state of knowledge regarding mesophotic coral ecosystems, develop a working definition for these ecosystems, identify critical resource management information needs, and develop a Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems Research Strategy to assist the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and other agencies and institutions in their research prioritization and strategic planning for mesophotic coral ecosystems. Workshop participants included representatives from international, Federal, and state governments; academia; and nongovernmental organizations. The Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems Workshop was hosted by the Perry Institute for Marine Science (PIMS) and organized by NOAA and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The workshop goals, objectives, schedule, and products were governed by a Steering Committee consisting of members from NOAA (National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science’s Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research, the Office of Ocean Exploration and Research’s NOAA Undersea Research Program, and the National Marine Fisheries Service), USGS, PIMS, the Caribbean Coral Reef Institute, and the Bishop Museum.

Charting multidisciplinary research and action priorities towards the conservation and sustainable management of sea turtles in the Pacific Ocean: a focus on Malaysia

The four sea turtle species found in Malaysia are the leatherback, olive ridley, green and hawksbill. The threats to these species are acute. Populations of leatherback, olive ridley and hawksbill turtles are on the brink of collapse – threatening a biodiversity crisis in Malaysia and the region. This proceedings contains 8 technical papers presented at a workshop convened in Kijal, Terengganu to chart new directions in the conservation of Malaysia's critically endangered sea turtles and to reverse population decline. They represent a wide range of issues from aspects of biology to a review of 40 years of sea turtle conservation. A paper on the socioeconomic linkages and impacts of fisheries was also included as the workshop adopted a multidisciplinary approach to address the issues. Two case studies, including successful restoration examples from international experiences and restoration efforts in Sabah, pave the way for enhancing turtle conservation in the country.

Engaging local communities in aquatic resources research and activities: a technical manual

This document is part of a series of 5 technical manuals produced by the Challenge Program Project CP34 “Improved fisheries productivity and management in tropical reservoirs”. The objective of this technical manual is to relay the field experience of a group of scientists who have worked extensively in small fisheries in sub-Sahara Africa and Asia and lay out a series of simple and pragmatic pointers on how to establish and run initiatives for community catch assessment. The manual relies in particular on practical experience gained implementing Project 34 of the Challenge Programme on Water and Food: Improved Fisheries Productivity and Management in Tropical Reservoirs. (PDF contains 26 pages)

Sustainable management of water bodies for small-scale fisheries resorces research and development

Abstract The rapid growth of both formal and informal high density urban settlements around major water resources has led to increased pollution of streams, rivers, lakes and estuaries, due to contaminated runoff from these developments. The paper identified major contaminants to be : organic waste (sewage), industrial effluent, pesticides and litter. Pollutant loads vary depending on the hydrology of the urban area, local topography and soil conditions. In some instances, severe pollution of neighbouring and downstream water courses has been observed. The management of catchment land uses, riparian zones, in stream habitat, as well as in stream water flow patterns and quality are necessary in order to sustain the integrity and "health" of water resources, for fisheries and other developments. As such, attempts to ensure a certain level of water quality without attention to other aspects will not automatically ensure a "healthy" ecosystem even as fish habitat. Proper management leads to better water quality and conducive environment for increased fish production

Aquaculture genetics research and issues in INGA member countries/institutions

The information presented here is extracted from the presentations and discussions at the Sixth Steering Committee Meeting of the International Network on Genetics in Aquaculture (INGA) held in Hanoi, Vietnam on 8-10 May 2001. The main topics discussed were: review of genetics research progress and planned activities in member countries and Associate Member institutions; genetics improvement technologies; strategies and action plans for distribution of improved fish breeds to small-scale farmers; ecological risk assessment for genetically improved fish breeds; methods for monitoring the uptake of improved strains and impact assessment; and network activities and collaborations.

Measuring ICLARM's impact on research and researchers

For a research organization such as ICLARM which carries out long-term basic research, justifying money spent can be a difficult exercise. This articles examines different ways by which impact of ICLARM research can be measured.

Low cost light traps for coral reef fishery research and sustainable ornamental fisheries

Two relatively inexpensive light traps to capture pre-settling reef fish and invertebrates are described. A trap made from a plastic bucket (with plastic bottles, a small plastic waste bin and two sheets of plywood) that costs US$15 appears to be just as effective as a large aluminium and plexiglass trap that costs US$275.

Integration of fisheries acoustics surveys and bathymetric mapping to characterize midwater-seafloor habitats of US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico (2008-2010)

NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation program (CRCP) develops coral reef management priorities by bringing together various partners to better understand threats to coral reef ecosystems with the goal of conserving, protecting and restoring these resources. Place-based and ecosystem-based management approaches employed by CRCP require that spatially explicit information about benthic habitats and fish utilization are available to characterize coral reef ecosystems and set conservation priorities. To accomplish this, seafloor habitat mapping of coral reefs around the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) and Puerto Rico has been ongoing since 2004. In 2008, fishery acoustics surveys were added to NOAA survey missions in the USVI and Puerto Rico to assess fish distribution and abundance in relation to benthic habitats in high priority conservation areas. NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) have developed fisheries acoustics survey capabilities onboard the NOAA ship Nancy Foster to complement the CRCP seafloor habitat mapping effort spearheaded by the Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment Biogeography Branch (CCMA-BB). The integration of these activities has evolved on the Nancy Foster over the three years summarized in this report. A strategy for improved operations and products has emerged over that time. Not only has the concurrent operation of multibeam and fisheries acoustics surveys been beneficial in terms of optimizing ship time and resources, this joint effort has advanced an integrated approach to characterizing bottom and mid-water habitats and the fishes associated with them. CCMA conducts multibeam surveys to systematically map and characterize coral reef ecosystems, resulting in products such as high resolution bathymetric maps, backscatter information, and benthic habitat classification maps. These products focus on benthic features and live bottom habitats associated with them. NCCOS Centers (the Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research and the Center for Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research) characterize coral reef ecosystems by using fisheries acoustics methods to capture biological information through the entire water column. Spatially-explicit information on marine resources derived from fisheries acoustics surveys, such as maps of fish density, supports marine spatial planning strategies and decision making by providing a biological metric for evaluating coral reef ecosystems and assessing impacts from pollution, fishing pressure, and climate change. Data from fisheries acoustics surveys address management needs by providing a measure of biomass in management areas, detecting spatial and temporal responses in distribution relative to natural and anthropogenic impacts, and identifying hotspots that support high fish abundance or fish aggregations. Fisheries acoustics surveys conducted alongside multibeam mapping efforts inherently couple water column data with information on benthic habitats and provide information on the heterogeneity of both benthic habitats and biota in the water column. Building on this information serves to inform resource managers regarding how fishes are organized around habitat structure and the scale at which these relationships are important. Where resource managers require place-based assessments regarding the location of critical habitats along with high abundances of fish, concurrent multibeam and fisheries acoustics surveys serve as an important tool for characterizing and prioritizing coral reef ecosystems. This report summarizes the evolution of fisheries acoustics surveys onboard the NOAA ship Nancy Foster from 2008 to 2010, in conjunction with multibeam data collection, aimed at characterizing benthic and mid-water habitats in high priority conservation areas around the USVI and Puerto Rico. It also serves as a resource for the continued development of consistent data products derived from acoustic surveys. By focusing on the activities of 2010, this report highlights the progress made to date and illustrates the potential application of fisheries data derived from acoustic surveys to the management of coral reef ecosystems.

Research and development at SEAFDEC/AQD

The article presents the R & D activities of Southeast Asian Development Center, Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC/AQD) for 20 years. Its accomplishments in seafarming, community-based resource management, and sea ranching of snappers and mollucs are discussed.

Bacterial and pathological study of caudal fin rot in brood stocks of Salmo trutta caspius from the propagation and breeding center of Shahid Bahonar of Kelardasht region

In order to study caudal fin rot with emphasis on Aeromonas hydrophila and Pseudomonas fluorescens in Salmo trutta caspius from the salmonids propagation and breeding center of Shahid Bahonar of kelardasht region, One hundred and eighty brood stocks having fin damage symptoms were chosen. Two bacterial samples from each fish were cultured on Aeromonas and Pseudomonas specific media. Biochemical tests, API2OE identification system and antibiogram test using six antibiotic disks were performed for diagnosing isolates bacteria and finding suitable antibiotic. Thirty samples from caudal fin of damaged fishes were fixed in 10% formalin and 51.tm microscopic sections were prepared using standard scatological methods and then stained by Haematoxylin-Eosin staining method to observe the pathological changes and also Maccallum-Goodpasture staining method to observe the bacterial colonies. In second stage of the study, bacterial samples were taken from thirty brood stocks using similar method at the first stage of sampling. For isolation and biochemical diagnosis of Aeromonas and Pseudormonas genus, the samples were analyzed by molecular research included PCR amplification (using 16S rDNA genes of the genus pseudomonas and 16S-23S rDNA intergenic spacer of the genus Aeromonas) and restriction analysis by four restriction enzymes for each genus. The results of biochemical tests showed that isolated bacteria were belonged to Aeromonas caviae and Aeromonas hydrophila (subspecies anaerogenes), Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pseudomonas putida and Pseudomonas alcaligenes while the results of API2OE identification system showed that the isolated bacteria belonged to Aeromonas hydrophila, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pseudomonas putida and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Restriction analysis of Aeromonas samples with Hin6l, Csp6I, Taql, and Tasl revealed three samples were different from others while restriction analysis of Pseudomonas samples with Alul, Hinfl, Rsal, and Trull showed at least five species or biovars. The results of antibiogram test showed all Aeromonas samples were sensitive to Trimethoprim, Chloramphenicol and Nitrofurazone, mostly to Nalidixic acid and Chloramphenicol, while most of samples were resistant to Erythromycin and Oxytetracycline. Pseudomonas samples were only sensitive to Nitrofurazone and mostly resistant to Oxytetracycline, Nalidixic acid, Erythromycin, Trimethoprim and Chloramphenicol. The results of light microscope study showed hyperplasia and spongiosis of the malpigian cells of epidermis, increasing of melanin pigments underlying epidermis; sever necrosis in both epidermis and dermis and also sloughing the epidermis in some cases. Occurrence of clefts through the epithelium, neovascularization, hyperemia and mild inflammatory response in dermis and separation of the fin rays also were observed. No bacterial colonies were found in the sections.

A proposal for sea otter protection and research and request for the return of management to the State of California

v.1 - Text and Summaries (272 page document)

Endocrine disruption in fish: An assessment of recent research and results

This report provides an assessment of recent investigations into endocrine disruption in fresh and saltwater species of fish. Most work to date has concen-trated on reproductive endocrine disruption. Laboratory studies have shown a variety of synthetic and natural chemicals including certain industrial intermediates, PAHs, PCBs, pesticides, dioxins, trace elements and plant sterols can interfere with the endocrine system in fish. The potency of most of these chemicals, however, is typically hundreds to thousands of times less than that of endog-enous hormones. Evidence of environmental endocrine disruption ranges from the presence of female egg proteins in males and reduced levels of endogenous hormones in both males and females, to gonadal histopathologies and intersex (presence of ovotestes) fish. Overt endocrine disruption in fish does not appear to be a ubiquitous environmental phenomenon, but rather more likely to occur near sewage treatment plants, pulp and paper mills, and in areas of high organic chemical contamination. However, more wide-spread endocrine disruption can occur in rivers with smaller flows and correspondingly large or numerous wastewater inputs. Some of the most severe examples of endocrine disruption in fish have been found adjacent to sewage treatment plants. Effects are thought to be caused prima-rily by natural and synthetic estrogens and to a lesser extent by the degradation products of alkylphenol poly-ethoxylate surfactants. Effects found in fish near pulp and paper mills include reduced levels of estrogens and androgens as well as masculinization of females, and has been linked to the presence of β-sitosterol, a plant sterol. Effects seen in areas of heavy industrial activity typically include depressed levels of estrogens and androgens as well as reduced gonadal growth, and may be linked to the presence of PAHs, PCBs, and possibly dioxins. At this time, however, there is no clear indication that large populations of fish are being seriously impacted as a result of endocrine disruption, although additional work is needed to address this possibility. (PDF contains 63 pages)

Harmful algal research and response: A human dimensions strategy

Harmful Algal Research and Response: A Human Dimensions Strategy (HARR-HD) justifies and guides a coordinated national commitment to human dimensions research critical to prevent and respond to impacts of harmful algal blooms (HABs). Beyond HABs, it serves as a framework for developing hu-man dimensions research as a cross-cutting priority of ecosystem science supporting coastal and ocean management, including hazard research and mitigation planning. Measuring and promoting commu-nity resilience to hazards require human dimensions research outcomes such as effective risk commu-nication strategies; assessment of community vulnerability; identification of susceptible populations; comprehensive assessment of environmental, sociocultural, and economic impacts; development of effective decision support tools; and improved coordination among agencies and stakeholders. HARR-HD charts a course for human dimensions research to achieve these and other priorities through co-ordinated implementation by the Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology (JSOST) In-teragency Working Group on HABs, Hypoxia and Human Health (IWG-4H); national HAB funding programs; national research and response programs; and state research and monitoring programs. (PDF contains 72 pages)

Emerging technologies for reef fisheries research and management [held during the 56th annual Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute meeting in Tortola, British Virgin Islands, November 2003]

This publication of the NOAA Professional Paper NMFS Series is the product of a special symposium on “Emerging Technologies for Reef Fisheries Research and Management” held during the 56th annual Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute meeting in Tortola, British Virgin Islands, November 2003. The purpose of this collection is to highlight the diversity of questions and issues in reef fisheries management that are benefiting from applications of technology. Topics cover a wide variety of questions and issues from the study of individual behavior, distribution and abundance of groups and populations, and associations between habitats and fish and shellfish species.(PDF files contains 124 pages.)