An examination of the techniques used to capture mangrove crabs, Ucides cordatus, in the Mamanguape River estuary, Northeastern Brazil, with implications for management.

The present research, undertaken in a mangrove swamp in northeastern Brazil (Mamanguape River Estuary), examined the factors that led to the overwhelming acceptance of the tangle-netting technique by crab harvesters in detriment to the now illegal tamping technique. Both techniques are the only ones currently used at our study site and in many other areas in Brazil, despite being prohibited by law. Data were collected through direct observations to determine capture efficiency, productivity, daily production, selectivity, and harvesting effort, and through interviews with crab harvesters, focusing on their perceptions of the capture techniques, the conditions of crab stocks and the sales price of a dozen crabs. Our results indicated that the two capture techniques did not significantly differ in terms of their efficiency or productivity, but daily production rates differed significantly, being greater using tangle-netting. The tangle-netting permits a greater harvesting effort (6 hours and 34 min) compared to tamping (4 hours and 19 min). Tangle-netting is also less selective than tamping indicated by the larger number of captured smaller specimens, including females. This results in a lower average sales price for a dozen crabs caught by tangle-netting (US$ 0.95) compared to tamping (US$ 1.02). The greater daily production of crab harvesters using the tangle-netting technique nevertheless increased their net gain, explaining their preference for this method, Given that tangle-netting results in greater harvesting pressure but lower selectivity compared to tamping, it may potentially be less sustainable. All of the crab harvesters interviewed having more than 20 years of experience (n = 34) stated they perceived that stocks of U. cordatus had become reduced over the last 20 years, together with average crab sizes. It is now important to examine the structure of the local U. cordatus population and to assess its fishery to allow evaluating whether the illegal, but prominent tangle-netting and tamping mangrove crab capture techniques are sustainable or not. We further suggest improving the dialogue between decision makers and fishermen, which barely exists to date, to initiate a discussion about possible ways of resolving the current situation of illegality of the fishermen. This will be key to achieving effective sustainable co-management of this important natural mangrove forest resource.

A rehabilitation intervention to promote physical recovery following intensive care: a detailed description of construct development, rationale and content together with proposed taxonomy to capture processes in a randomised controlled trial.

Background: increasing numbers of patients are surviving critical illness, but survival may be associated with a constellation of physical and psychological sequelae that can cause on going disability and reduced health-related quality of life. Limited evidence currently exists to guide the optimum structure, timing, and content of rehabilitation programmes. There is a need to both develop and evaluate interventions to support and expedite recovery during the post-ICU discharge period. This paper describes the construct development for a complex rehabilitation intervention intended to promote physical recovery following critical illness. The intervention is currently being evaluated in a randomised trial (ISRCTN09412438; funder Chief Scientists Office, Scotland). Methods: the intervention was developed using the Medical Research Council (MRC) framework for developing complex healthcare interventions. We ensured representation from a wide variety of stakeholders including content experts from multiple specialties, methodologists, and patient representation. The intervention construct was initially based on literature review, local observational and audit work, qualitative studies with ICU survivors, and brainstorming activities. Iterative refinement was aided by the publication of a National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline (No. 83), publicly available patient stories (Healthtalkonline), a stakeholder event in collaboration with the James Lind Alliance, and local piloting. Modelling and further work involved a feasibility trial and development of a novel generic rehabilitation assistant (GRA) role. Several rounds of external peer review during successive funding applications also contributed to development. Results: the final construct for the complex intervention involved a dedicated GRA trained to pre-defined competencies across multiple rehabilitation domains (physiotherapy, dietetics, occupational therapy, and speech/language therapy), with specific training in post-critical illness issues. The intervention was from ICU discharge to 3 months post-discharge, including inpatient and post-hospital discharge elements. Clear strategies to provide information to patients/families were included. A detailed taxonomy was developed to define and describe the processes undertaken, and capture them during the trial. The detailed process measure description, together with a range of patient, health service, and economic outcomes were successfully mapped on to the modified CONSORT recommendations for reporting non-pharmacologic trial interventions. Conclusions: the MRC complex intervention framework was an effective guide to developing a novel post-ICU rehabilitation intervention. Combining a clearly defined new healthcare role with a detailed taxonomy of process and activity enabled the intervention to be clearly described for the purpose of trial delivery and reporting. These data will be useful when interpreting the results of the randomised trial, will increase internal and external trial validity, and help others implement the intervention if the intervention proves clinically and cost effective.