Aquaculture Research and Development as an Entry-Point and Contributor to Natural Resources and Coastal Management

Recent, fervent international dialogue concerning the existence and magnitude of impacts associated with aquaculture has had both positive and negative outcomes. Aquaculture stakeholders have become sensitized to requirements for improved environmental management of aquaculture. on the other hand, in some cases aquaculture development has been negatively affected by some of the unwarranted and unproved allegations to the detriment of the stakeholders most in need of aquaculture development (i.e., resource users, particularly the poor, who are dependent on natural resources). These resource users are targeted by, and directly influence biodiversity and conservation agendas; hence the need to understand how to gain their active participation. This discussion focuses on examples of how aquaculture research and development can be a useful tool or strategy for resource management initiatives and provide tangible positive including increased stakeholder participation and cooperation, offering alternatives to resource extraction and use in otherwise difficult or intransigent resource management conflicts.

Recreational anglers and fishing guides from an estuarine protected area in southeastern Brazil: Socioeconomic characteristics and views on fisheries management

The Iguape and Cananéia Lagoon-Estuarine Complex is a biodiversity hotspot in southeastern Brazil. In recent decades, the region has become an important destination for recreational fishing. The objective of this study was to analyze the socioeconomic characteristics of visiting anglers and fishing guides working in the Cananéia-Iguape-Peruíbe Environmental Protected Area and their views on fisheries management. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted between January 2009 and January 2010. We interviewed 278 anglers, who were predominantly male (93%) with a mean age of 47 years and from the state of São Paulo. The targeted species were snooks (Centropomus undecimales and Centropomus parallelus) and weakfishes (Cynoscion leiarchus and Cynoscion acoupa). Only half the anglers had the mandatory fishing license, and many of them lacked knowledge about catch quotas and minimum size requirements for specific species. The fishing guides (n = 80) were all male, with a mean age of 39 years and extensive experience. Most of the guides believe that the study area is somewhat degraded due to the removal of riparian vegetation, siltation, pollution, and especially the depletion of fish stocks. The opinions of the stakeholders (anglers and guides) converge on the high priority needs of the fishery and possible management actions regarding recreational fishing, such as improved fisheries enforcement (first in order of importance), proper training of fishing guides, zoning of fishing areas, and the definition of a maximum size limit. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

Modelling an expert GIS system based on knowledge to evaluate oil spill environmental sensitivity

Oil spills cause great damage to coastal habitats, especially when rapid and suitable response measures are not taken. Establishing high priority areas is fundamental for the operation of response teams. Under this context and considering the need for keeping all geographical information up-to-date for emergencial use, the present study proposes employing a decision tree coupled with a knowledge-based approach using GIS to assign oil sensitivity indices to Brazilian coastal habitats. The modelled system works based on rules set by the official standards of Brazilian Federal Environment Organ. We tested it on one of the littoral regions of Brazil where transportation of petroleum is most intense: the coast of the municipalities of Sao Sebastiao and Caraguatatuba in the northern littoral of São Paulo state, Brazil. The system automatically ranked the littoral sensitivity index of the study area habitats according to geographical conditions during summer and winter; since index ranks of some habitats varied between these seasons because of sediment alterations. The obtained results illustrate the great potential of the proposed system in generating ESI maps and in aiding response teams during emergency operations. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mapping oil spill environmental sensitivity in cardoso island state park and surroundings areas, São Paulo, Brazil

This study presents an environmental oil spill sensitivity map of Cardoso Island State Park, located in São Paulo state, Brazil, including some of its surrounding areas. This map was designed following the procedures determined by the Brazilian Federal Environment Organ (Ministry of the Environment), which separates coastal habitats in different littoral sensitivity indexes (LSI) to oil spills. We have also analysed some seasonal variations in morphologic and textural parameters at the local marine beaches that could affect their sensitivity, having found that they are more sensitive during summer due to a wider foreshore zone during these periods. Local most sensitive habitats are estuarine mangroves (LSI 10) and estuarine mud banks (LSI 9). Marine beaches were ranked LSI 3, and littoral rocky shores were subdivided in exposed flat rocky shores (LSI 1), boulder rocky shores (LSI 6) and sheltered rocky shores (LSI 8). Due to the elevated sensitivity of an estuarine system in the area, we considered necessary the installation of an Environmental Emergency Centre and the design of an emergency plan for the region in case of an accident resulting in oil spills within its vicinities. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Densidade de Enterococcus sp em águas recreacionais e areias de praias do município de São Vicente-SP, Brasil e sua relação com parâmetros abióticos

Coastal cities attract a large number of tourists for their beautiful landscape and recreational activities, increasing the municipalities' income source. Thus, a need is clear for the establishment of beach quality monitoring programs to ensure bathers health. Although there is an effective monitoring program for recreational waters in Brazil there are no programs to certify the quality of beach sands. In this sense, the aim of this work was to analyze the density of bacteria from the genus Enterococcus in both sand and water from two beaches from São Vicente, São Paulo (Brazil) and correlate these densities to abiotic parameters such as: temperature, salinity, particle size, organic matter and tides). Water and sand samples were collected during February 2006 on the beaches of Gonzaguinha e Ilha Porchat and bacterial densities were determined by membrane filter technique. Temperature and salinity were measured in situ with a thermometer and a refractometer while particle size and organic matter were determined according to methods described by Suguio and Dean. There were significant differences between densities found in water and sand (p=0.004), being approximately 20 times higher in Gonzaguinha's beach sands. Similar results were found for Ilha Porchat beach samples, being the densities found in sand 3 times greater than those found in water. Both beaches showed a negative correlation between bacterial densities and salinity and temperature, suggesting a deleterious effect of these parameters on the bacterial community. On the other hand, no correlation was found between organic matter and particle size and bacterial densities. This work demonstrates that there is a great necessity for monitoring beach sand since the evaluation of beach quality is an important part of integrated coastal management programs.

Marine Protected Areas in Brazil: An ecological approach regarding the large marine ecosystems

The objective of this study was to address the importance of implementing Coastal and Marine Protected Areas in Brazil and to examine their distribution, based on the delimitation of Large Marine Ecosystems. Out of a total of 336 protected areas identified in Brazilian coastal and marine areas, the North Platform has the largest protected area, but the ecosystem with the largest number of protected area, predominantly sustainable areas, was the East Coast followed by the South Platform. One of the reasons the eastern coast of Brazil to have more protected areas is the fact that there is a largest amount of coral reefs. Additionally there was political opportunities for the creation of protected areas for sustainable use. The coastal region of Brazil has achieved the goal proposed by the Seventh Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity - 7, but only then through the category V of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, which is not the best efficient means of conserving resources. The goal for marine conservation shows only the area above the recommended under protection in North Platform. The Marine portion of the East Coast and the South Platform has few protected areas, regardless of category management. We consider the coastal region the range of 12 nautical miles from baselines determined in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. As for the number of strategies permitted by law and used for the conservation of coastal and marine systems, coastal systems show a higher number when compared with the marine system. We suggest that the Brazilian government should specify strategies for the protection of marine systems and expand the protected areas of all Large Marine Ecosystems. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

A sensibilidade do lugar: uma proposta metodológica para aplicação da percepção ambiental nos planos de emergência a derrames de óleo

Pós-graduação em Geografia - IGCE

Propostas para a elaboração de plano de gestão para a praia de Macapá - Luis Correia - PI

Pós-graduação em Geografia - IGCE

Coastal Marine Mapping as an Ecosystem Based Management - the case study of the Baixada Santista Region - São Paulo, Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

A Streamlined DNA Tool for Global Identification of Heavily Exploited Coastal Shark Species (Genus Rhizoprionodon)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Development of environmental and natural vulnerability maps for Brazilian coastal at Sao Sebastiao in São Paulo State

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Natural Conditions and Environmental Impacts in a Coastal Hydrographic Basin in the Brazilian Amazon

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)