Annual report 2002 - North Pacific Marine Science Organization (PICES). Eleventh meeting, Qingdao, People's Republic of China, October 18-16, 2002

Report of Opening Session (pdf 51 KB) Report of Governing Council Meeting(pdf 136 KB) Report of the Finance and Administration Committee (pdf 48 KB) Reports of Science Board and Committees: Science Board (pdf 71 KB) Biological Oceanography Committee (pdf 66 KB) Working Group 14: Effective sampling of micronekton Marine Birds and Mammals Advisory Panel Fishery Science Committee (pdf 36 KB) Working Group 16: Climate change, shifts to fish production, and fisheries management Marine Environmental Quality Committee (pdf 39 KB) Working Group 15: Ecology of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) in the North Pacific Physical Oceanography and Climate Committee (pdf 49 KB) North Pacific Data Buoy Advisory Panel Working Group 17: Biogeochemical data integration and synthesis Technical Committee on Data Exchange (pdf 29 KB) Implementation Panel on the CCCC Program (pdf 43 KB) BASS Task Team (pdf 30 KB) Iron Fertilization Experiment Advisory Panel MODEL Task Team (pdf 28 KB) MONITOR Task Team (pdf 34 KB) Summary of Continuous Plankton Recorder activities in 2002 REX Task Team (pdf 21 KB) Documenting Scientific Sessions (pdf 140 KB) List of Participants (pdf 59 KB) List of Acronyms (pdf 21 KB)

Annual report 1995 - North Pacific Marine Science Organization (PICES). Fourth meeting, Qingdao, People's Republic of China, October 16-24, 1995

Report of Opening Session Report of Governing Council Meetings Reports of Science Board and Committees: Science Board Biological Oceanography Committee Fishery Science Committee Marine Environmental Quality Committee Physical Oceanography and Climate Committee Technological Committee on Data Exchange Finance and Administration: Report of the Finance and Administration Committee Assets on 31st of December, 1994 Income and Expenditures for 1994 Budget for 1996 Composition of the Organization List of Participants List of Acronyms (Document has 96 pages.)

South and South-East Asian coastal fisheries: their status and directions for improved management: conference synopsis and recommendations

As a step to address the problems of coastal fisheries in Asia, the WorldFish Center joined forces with fisheries agencies from eight developing Asian countries (Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, The Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam) and the Asian Development Bank, to implement a project entitled “Sustainable Management of Coastal Fish Stocks in Asia” (also known as the “TrawlBase” project). The project was implemented between 1998 and 2001. The main achievements of this partnership were: (a) Development of a database called “Fisheries Resource Information System and Tools” (FiRST), which contains trawl research survey data and socioeconomic information for selected fisheries, and facilitates its analysis; (b) Evaluation of the extent of resource decline and over-fishing, both biological and economic, in the region; (c) Identification of the measures needed to manage coastal fisheries in the participating countries, resulting in draft strategies and action plans; and (d) Strengthening of national capacity in coastal fisheries assessment, planning and management.

The Rain Forests of Home: an Atlas of People and Place

pdf contains 31 pages

Connectivity: Science, people and policy in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

Executive Summary: The Connectivity Colloquium evolved from an exhortation by Dan Basta, Director of the National Marine Sanctuary Program, to come together and assess what we know about the condition of our natural resources, identify information gaps and how to fill them, and transform science and management from an emphasis on documentation to a nexus for action. This purpose in some ways reflects the initiation of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary itself, which was designated by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1990 in the aftermath of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska and three major ship groundings of the Florida Reef Tract in late 1989. Over the next seven years NOAA worked with federal, state, and local partners to develop a comprehensive management plan for the Sanctuary implemented under a co-trustee partnership between NOAA and the State of Florida. (PDF contains 270 pages; 14Mb)

Poverty and aquatic resources in Vietnam: an assessment of the role and potential of aquatic resource management in poor people's livelihoods

This report seeks to discuss a variety of approaches to poverty in order to illustrate the diversity of poor people, and the range of ways in which people are poor, facilitating a broader understanding of poverty and the significance of aquatic resources in poor people’s livelihoods. This is intended to provide a balance to the general neglect of the poor in the pursuit of aquaculture development within the Fisheries sector. It is also intended that this approach to poverty will assist in the planning and targeting of aquatic resource interventions that aim to promote poverty alleviation. In its many different forms, poverty remains a persistent problem with a great number of people facing deprivation and vulnerable livelihoods. Rates of poverty alleviation also differ; whereas the Red River Delta has achieved the greatest reductions in poverty, the Mekong Delta has achieved the smallest improvements, with possible indications that inequality has increased (see 2.4). Inequality between regions persists despite progress in all regions. (PDF has 37 pages.)

Aquatic resources management for sustainable livelihoods of poor people: proceedings of the DFID-ARM e-mail conference, June 2000

This e-mail conference has been organised by the DFID Aquatic Resources Management (ARM) Programme, S E Asia. It forms part of a wider process of consultation including links with other donors, with government and non-government partners and participatory livelihood assessments with vulnerable groups who benefit from aquatic resources. The objective is to provide a forum for professionals who have been involved in aquatic resources management in the context of poor peoples’ livelihoods, to share experiences, reflect on approaches and contribute to their development. Participants can submit poster presentations (2-pagers) and contribute to the discussions (via the conference website) organised around 5 key issues, set out in this discussion paper. After 4 weeks online the contributed posters and discussions will be edited into a document assessing approaches to aquatic resources management, which benefit livelihoods of poor people. This will be downloadable from the website. (PDF contains 134 pages)

Seasonal marine growth of Bristol Bay sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) in relation to competition with Asian pink salmon (O. gorbuscha) and the 1977 ocean regime shift

Recent research demonstrated significantly lower growth and survival of Bristol Bay sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) during odd-numbered years of their second or third years at sea (1975, 1977, etc.), a trend that was opposite that of Asian pink salmon (O. gorbuscha) abundance. Here we evaluated seasonal growth trends of Kvichak and Egegik river sockeye salmon (Bristol Bay stocks) during even- and odd-numbered years at sea by measuring scale circuli increments within each g rowth zone of each major salmon age group between 1955 and 2000. First year scale growth was not significantly different between odd- and even-numbered years, but peak growth of age-2 smolts was significantly higher than age-1. smolts. Total second and third year scale growth of salmon was significantly lower during odd- than during even-numbered years. However, reduced scale growth in odd-numbered years began after peak growth in spring and continued through summer and fall even though most pink salmon had left the high seas by late July (10−18% growth reduction in odd vs. even years). The alternating odd and even year growth pattern was consistent before and after the 1977 ocean reg ime shift. During 1977−2000, when salmon abundance was relatively great, sockeye salmon growth was high during specific seasons compared with that during 1955−1976, that is to say, immediately after entry to Bristol Bay, after peak growth in the first year, during the middle of the second growing season, and during spring of the third season. Growth after the spring peak in the third year at sea was relatively low during 1977−2000. We hypothesize that high consumption rates of prey by pink salmon during spring through mid-July of odd-numbered years, coupled with declining zooplankton biomass during summer and potentially cyclic abundances of squid and other prey, contributed to reduced prey availability and therefore reduced growth of Bristol Bay sockeye salmon during late spring through fall of odd-numbered years.

Distribution and Abundance of Steller Sea Lions, Eumetopias jubatus, on the Asian Coast, 1720's-2005

We analyzed published and archived records for the past 250 years to assess changes in distribution and abundance of Steller sea lions, Eumetopias jubatus, along the Asian coast from the Bering Strait to the Korean Peninsula. We found that the northern extent of Steller sea lion distribution has not changed but that the southern limit has moved north by some 500–900 km (~300–500 n.mi.) over the past 50 years. Additionally, the number of animals and their distribution has changed on the Commander Islands, Kuril Islands, and Kamchatka Peninsula. We found no changes in the number of rookeries in the northern Sea of Okhotsk, but a new rookery was established at Tuleny Island on the eastern coast of Sakhalin Island. We estimate that the total abundance of Steller sea lions along the Asian coast in the late 19th century was about 115,000 animals; during the 1960’s, the total estimate was about 27,000 (including pups), most of which were in the Kuril Islands. The fewest number of Steller sea lions occurred in the northwestern Pacific in the late 1980’s–early 1990’s when only about 13,000 individuals (including pups) were estimated in the entire region. During the 1990’s, and especially in early 2000, an increasing trend in abundance occurred in most areas. Present estimated abundance of Steller sea lions in Asia is about 16,000 individuals (including about 5,000 pups), about half of which occur in the Kuril Islands. Changes in abundance occurred during all time periods but varied by site and period. Specifically, over the past 150 years Steller sea lion abundance at most sites has changed. There were no rookeries on the Commander Islands between 1850 and 1960 and abundance was low, but by 1977, abundance increased to 4,800 individuals and a rookery was established in the mid 1980’s; abundance there has declined since the early 1980’s and in 2004 only 895 individuals (including 221 pups) were counted during the breeding season. Between 1940 and 2004, abundance along the eastern coast of Kamchatka declined from ~7,000 to ~600 individuals, an overall reduction of 90%. Steller sea lion abundance on the Kuril Islands declined by >90% from the 1800’s to 2005; the most severe decline there occurred during 1969–1981. Steller sea lion numbers in the northern part of the Sea of Okhotsk declined during 1930–2002 from 7,200 to 3,100 individuals. Numbers at Tuleny Island have increased since establishment of a rookery there during 1983–2005 and by immigration from other sites.

Production and conservation of nutrient-rich small fish (SIS) in ponds and wetlands for nutrition security and livelihoods in South Asia: Proceedings of a World Bank/SAFANSI funded regional workshop on small fish and nutrition, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 1st - 2nd March 2014

Small indigenous fish species (SIS) are an important source of essential macro- and micronutrients that can play an important role in the elimination of malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies in the populations of many South and Southeast Asian countries. Of the 260 freshwater fish species in Bangladesh, more than 140 are classified as SIS and are an integral part of the rural Bangladeshi diet. As many SIS are eaten whole, with organs and bones, they contain high amounts of vitamins and minerals, including calcium, and iron and zinc. Some SIS, such as mola, are also rich in vitamin A. SIS are often cooked with vegetables and a little oil, so they contribute to the food diversity of the rural poor.SIS are recognized as a major animal-source food group, contributing to improved food and nutrition security and livelihoods of the people of South and Southeast Asia. The purpose of this workshop is to bring together policy makers, extension agents, researchers, non-governmental and development organizations to share knowledge about small fish, their contribution to better nutrition, production technologies, and strategies for wider dissemination of pond culture and wetland based-production and conservation technologies. The workshop is expected to generate ideas for further research and development of sustainable technologies for production, management and conservation of SIS for the benefit of the people of Bangladesh as well as the South and Southeast Asian region.

High- and low-latitude climate interactions: evidence for enhanced aridity of Asian monsoon dust source areas after 2.4 MYR from ODP Leg 117 magnetic susceptibility data

EXTRACT (SEE PDF FOR FULL ABSTRACT): Whole-core magnetic susceptibility can sometimes be used as a rapid and sensitive indicator of variations in the concentration of terrigenous material. We apply this approach to study the evolution of Plio-Pleistocene climatic cycles of terrigenous sedimentation at Ocean Drilling Program Site 721, on the Owen Ridge in the Arabian Sea.

Stable isotopes in paleosols and origins of the Asian monsoon

The stable isotopic composition of buried soil carbonate and organic matter from northern Pakistan and Nepal can be used to reconstruct aspects of the paleoecology of riverine floodplain ecosystems over the past 17 Myr. Probable dry woodland dominated the floodplain biomass of large rivers ancestral to the modern Indus and Ganges up to 7.3 Myr. Between 7.3 and about 6 Myr, tropical grasses gradually displaced woodland and have dominated floodplain biomasses to the present. The paleovegetational transition beginning about 7.3 Myr likely signals the onset of the strongly seasonal precipitation pattern that typifies the monsoonal climate of the region today. One possible analog to the dry woodland soils of the Miocene are found under the Sal woodlands of the northern Indian subcontinent, while undisturbed modern analogs to the Plio-Pleistocene floodplain grasslands can still be found in the Chitwan area of southern Nepal.