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)

Fischbestände der Ostsee, ihre Entwicklung seit 1970 und Schlussfolgerungen für ihre fischereiliche Nutzung - Teil 3: Sprotte

The sprat of the Baltic Sea is not as short-lived as inother Seas probably because fish predator species arerestricted mainly on cod and salmon. Sea bird popula-tions are much smaller and marine mammals are rare inthe Baltic Sea. The sprat stock biomass is fluctuatingstrongly. The fluctuation is mainly influenced by thestock recruitment and is also dependent on the strengthof the cod stock. After a strong decrease during the1980ies sprat catches increased again from 1992 onwardsand reached a peak with over half a million tonnes in 1997. At about the same time the character of the BalticSea sprat fishery changed from catches mainly for hu-man consumption to catches mainly for industrial pur-poses initiated by the fishery of Sweden. The recentrecord high catches of sprat have been possible only dueto the low level of the cod stock of the main Baltic SeaBasins over some years. A sprat fishery on such a highcatch level might cause conflicts with a recovering codstock in future.

Estimating consumption rates of juvenile sandbar sharks (Carcharhinus plumbeus) in Chesapeake Bay, Virginia, using a bioenergetics model*

Using a bioenergetics model, we estimated daily ration and seasonal prey consumption rates for six age classes of juvenile sandbar sharks (Carcharhinus plumbeus) in the lower Chesapeake Bay summer nursery area. The model, incorporating habitat and species-specific data on growth rates, metabolic rate, diet composition, water temperature (range 16.8−27.9°C), and population structure, predicted mean daily rations between 2.17 ±0.03 (age-0) and 1.30 ±0.02 (age-5) % body mass/day. These daily rations are higher than earlier predictions for sandbar sharks but are comparable to those for ecologically similar shark species. The total nursery population of sandbar sharks was predicted to consume ~124,000 kg of prey during their 4.5 month stay in the Chesapeake Bay nursery. The predicted consumption rates support the conclusion that juvenile sandbar sharks exert a lesser top-down effect on the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem than do teleost piscivores and hu