Problems with Unofficial and Inaccurate Geographical Names in the Fisheries Literature

Over a century of fi shery and oceanographic research conducted along the Atlantic coast of the United States has resulted in many publications using unofficial, and therefore unclear, geographic names for certain study areas. Such improper usage, besides being unscholarly, has and can lead to identification problems for readers unfamiliar with the area. Even worse, the use of electronic data bases and search engines can provide incomplete or confusing references when improper wording is used. The two terms used improperly most often are “Middle Atlantic Bight” and “South Atlantic Bight.” In general, the term “Middle Atlantic Bight” usually refers to an imprecise coastal area off the middle Atlantic states of New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia, and the term “South Atlantic Bight” refers to the area off the southeastern states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida’s east coast.

Observation on the production performance of Penaeus monodon with Liza parsia under different cropping system

Study was conducted in six ponds each with an area of 0.1 ha in the pond complex of Brackishwater Station, Paikgacha, Khulna from February to October '96, to find out the variation of production rate in two culture system viz., single and double crop of P. monodon with L. parsia. In treatment T1 wild fry of P. monodon (0.006g) and L. parsia (0.20g) collected from nearby river were stocked at a rate of 40,000 and 10,000/ha, respectively, for a culture period of 120 days. In treatment T2, the rate was 20,000/ha for bagda fry in 1st and 2nd crop each and 10,000 for parsia fry/ha for an extended period of 225 days. The highest survivability and growth of P. monodon and L. parsia were 57.08% (1st crop of T2) and 75.26% (T2), and 27.08g (1st crop of T2) and 47.78g (T2), respectively with a significant variations (P>0.05) with other treatment. The net profit (Tk. 93,134) and cost benefit ratio of 1:1.76 were also found higher in T2.

Photographic analysis of natural and impounded salt marsh in the vicinity of Merritt Island, Florida

Qualitative analyses of available photographs and maps of Merritt Island, Florida provide a large-scale, historical perspective of ecological changes of the marshes in the vicinity. Sites that deserve closer scrutiny can be identified. Secondarily, such an analysis provides a geographical orientation essential for communication not only between newcomers and those familiar with the area, but also among those familiar with the area but who refer to sites by differing methods. Photographs and maps from various sources were examined. Below are listed what we consider to be the most useful subset of these for ecological and geographical assessment of salt marsh impoundments on Merritt Island, Florida. (Document has 25 pages.)

Variabilité, circulation et chlorophylle dans la région du Dôme d'Angola en février-mars 1971

In February-March 1971 the hydrological conditions off Angola did not display the thermal dome mapped by Mazeika's averages (1967). Cold water cells observed are connected at the surface to a sinuous boundary between low-salinity coastal waters and high-salinity tropical oceanic waters. That boundary coincides rather regularly with an area where trades and SW winds alternate; photosynthesis growths rapidly in a thermoclinal layer that rises until 10 m of the surface but never outcrops. Below a poor and permanent homogeneous surface layer, chlorophyll concentrations show a distribution which is typical of divergence areas. Geostrophical and measured currents show off a transient process in horizontal and vertical movements, however the general curvature of the circulation is propitious to upwelling. Oxygen oversaturations of about 110%, suggest a moderate potential primary production which confirms slowness and alternation of movements. Also, the regular range of the various chemical and biological levels and moderate chlorophyll concentrations suggest an ecosystem where nutrients supply rapidly equilibrate phytoplankton consumption and not at all a 'phytoplankton bloom' area as that which exists in coastal upwelling. Values of Richardson's number show that instability becomes visible at the bottom of the euphotic layer. An evaluation of the vertical motion is inferred by the peculiar distribution and diurnal alternance of the winds shows that 'doming' structures may be sustained by local meteorological events.

A sudden collapse in distribution of Pacific sardine (Sardinops sagax) off southwestern Australia enables an objective re-assessment of biomass estimates

Fishery-independent estimates of spawning biomass (BSP) of the Pacific sardine (Sardinops sagax) on the south and lower west coasts of Western Australia (WA) were obtained periodically between 1991 and 1999 by using the daily egg production method (DEPM). Ichthyoplankton data collected during these surveys, specifically the presence or absence of S. sagax eggs, were used to investigate trends in the spawning area of S. sagax within each of four regions. The expectation was that trends in BSP and spawning area were positively related. With the DEPM model, estimates of BSP will change proportionally with spawning area if all other variables remain constant. The proportion of positive stations (PPS), i.e., stations with nonzero egg counts — an objective estimator of spawning area — was high for all south coast regions during the early 1990s (a period when the estimated BSP was also high) and then decreased after the mid-1990s. There was a decrease in PPS from the mid-1990s to 1999. The particularly low estimates in 1999 followed a severe epidemic mass mortality of S. sagax throughout their range across southern Australia. Deviations from the expected relationship between BSP and PPS were used to identify uncertainty around estimates of BSP. Because estimation of spawning area is subject to less sampling bias than estimation of BSP, the deviation in the relation between the two provides an objective basis for adjusting some estimates of the latter. Such an approach is particularly useful for fisheries management purposes when sampling problems are suspected to be present. The analysis of PPS undertaken from the same set of samples from which the DEPM estimate is derived will help provide information for stock assessments and for the management of purse-seine fisheries.

A comparative ecological study on internationally important wetlands of Khoor-e-Kolahy and Tiab

Ecological study on Kolahy and 'flab estuaries were carried out during 1996-1997. Water and sediment sampling was done seasonally. In order to study the physical and chemical characteristic of the water, various animal fauna from different material niches including planktons and fish from water, benthousi from the sediment , and surface living animal such as Arthropod (Crabs) and Waterbirds were identified. I he result shoved, that water salinity of both estuaries was the same as the general salinity existing its the Persian Gulf water, and its variation is same IN those waters Minimum water salinity in both estuaries are seen during Bahairdan or early winter mooth(Jaa.), which is about 31ppt and Maximum is during .rirldlun.) or summer mouth at about 19 ppt. Dissolved otygen and pH are slime as the general Persian Gulf waters., Dissolve Oxygen being directly associated to temperature and its fluctuation is between 7- Sing/I and pH between 7.5-LS. The animals of both estuaries are almost similar having a sal factory species diversity . The birds of the region are often seasonal migrants , the maximum population of which occurs in winter season and the minimum during summer month. Nam coverage is richer in Tiab than Kolahy estuary, where in Kolahy a signal Mangrove tree is in exigence. 'Ile total coverage of Mangrove forest in Tiab is estimated about -29 hec.Both estuaries are included with in the international Ramsar Convention sites in 1971. Due to national importance of these estuaries inproviding refugee for various birds species and also hinting grounds and access traffic for local fishing vehicles, Actiog as an important access for various inhabitancy living with these area of the Persian Gulf. Due to importance or prawn aquacultur for the economical well being of local inhabitance, these areas provide a suitable grandees for prawn production. I-test statistics show, there are no significant difference among various invertebrate and vertebrate animals. In over all out look 21) phytoplankton genera, 21) zeoplankton genera 17 miafauna and 32 roaerofauna genera , 11 different species Carcineacearions and 119 species of walerbirds were identified with in the Tiab and Kolahy estuariesregioos. The X statistic show that the animal density is directly associated to season. Where density of miofauna and maerofauna in both estuaries are in maiticrourn during summer and the minimums existing during the winter season. In addition the bentic invertebrate population density in closlly association to birds population density since , the later, feeds on the former animals. Where the increasing in bird population density during the winter season, the bentic invertebrate animal population density decreases. The over all trend of animal population density in winter tend to increased towards the summer seasons, which this is due to climatic conditions of the region. The bird population on the contrary to other animals of both estuaries tend to increase from summer towards the winter seasons and which this bird population density is in maximum in winter with in the region.

Profile soundings in lakes of the younger morainal area of Sleswick-Holstein with a sediment-echo-sounder of 30 kHz [Translation from: Wass.Boden 26, 135-138, 1974]

To be able to carry out physical, chemical and biological investigations on a lake, one needs a thorough knowledge of the volume of water and the shape of the lake basin. Little is known about the about the morphology of the lakes in Schleswig-Holstein and its ecological consequences. For this research a 30 KHz echo sounder with sediment transceiver was used to carry out profile determinations (echo soundings). This apparatus continuously records on paper the different reflexions and absorptions of the sediment and water body in the corresponding depth. By this, acoustically noticeable layers and different densities in the sediment and 'scattering layers' in the water body due to physical, chemical and biological reasons (e.g. plans and single fish) are made visible. Result are summarised here regarding the echo soundings in Blunker See.

A preliminary study of two village tanks (reservoirs) in the Polonnaruwa area with biological notes on these reservoirs in Ceylon

The present study was initiated in conjunction with a project to utilize some of these small tanks as fishponds by introducing desirable species like Tilapia mossambica Peters and harvesting them at the end of a single season which may vary from 4-8 months depending on the reservoir. Two reservoirs Timbirigaswewa and Dalukanawewa were chosen for this study. Both of these are in the Polonnaruwa area (Fig. 1). Timbirigaswewa (Fig 4) is as all rain fed tank of about 30 acres while Dalukanawewa (Fig. 2) is stream fed with an acreage of just over 100.