On the climatology, oceanography and fisheries of the Panama Bight

ENGLISH: Seasonal changes in the climatology, oceanography and fisheries of the Panama Bight are determined mainly by the latitudinal movements of the ITCZ over the region. Evaporation is about 980 mm annually. Rainfall is probably much less than previous estimates because of a discontinuity in the ITCZ. Freshwater runoff from the northern watershed varies from 22 X 109 m3/mo in October-November to 11 X 109 m3/mo in February-March; from the southeastern watershed it varies from 16 X 109 m3/mo in April-June to 9 X 109 m3/mo in October-December. Total annual runoff is about 350 X 109m3. A marked salinity front is found at all seasons off the eastern shore. In the northern part of the Bight temperatures in the upper layers remained fairly constant from May to November; by February the mean temperature had decreased by 4°C and sharp gradients existed in the geographic distributions. Salinities in the upper layers decreased steadily from May to November; by February the mean salinity had increased by 2.5‰. The mean depth of the mixed layer increased from 27 m in May to 40 m in November; by February upwelling decreased it to 18 m. Between November and February upwelling had doubled the amount of P04-P and tripled that of NO3-N in the euphotic zone; surface phytoplankton production and standing crop, and zooplankton concentrations also doubled during this period. Upwelling was about 1.5 m/mo during May-November and about 9.0 m/mo during November-February, the annual total is about 48 m, Mean primary production is about 0.3 gC/m2day during May-December and about 0.6 gC/m2day during January-April; annual production is about 140 gC/m2. A thermal ridge occurred in February running from the northern to the southwestern part of the Bight. Within this ridge was a marked thermal dome coinciding with the center of the cyclonic circulation cell. Upwelling in the dome averaged 16 m/mo in November-February. The fisheries of the Panama Bight annually produce about 30,000 metric tons of food species and about 68,000 m.t. of species used for reduction. Most attempts to further the understanding of tuna ecology were unsuccessful. The apparent abundances of yellowfin and skipjack in the northern part of the Bight appear to be related to the seasonal cycle of upwelling and enrichment, as abundances are greatest in April and May when food appears to be plentiful. The life-cycle of the anchoveta in the Gulf of Panama also appears to be related to upwelling; the species mass varies from about 39,000 m.t. in December to about 169,000 m.t, in April. About 19.1 X 1012 anchoveta eggs are spawned annually. The life-cycles of shrimp in the Panama Bight appear to be related to upwelling as catches are greatest in May-July, about 3-5 months after peak upwelling, and annual catches are inversely correlated with sea level. SPANISH: Los cambios estacionales en la climatología, oceanografía y pesquerías del Panamá Bight están determinados principalmente por el movimiento latitudinal sobre la región de la Zona de Convergencia Intertropical (ZCIT). La evaporación es de unos 980 mm al año. La pluviosidad es probablemente muy inferior a las estimaciones previas a causa de la descontinuidad en la ZCIT. El drenaje de agua dulce, de la vertiente septentrional, varía de 22 x 109m3/mes en octubre-noviembre hasta 11 x 109m3/mes en febreromarzo; el de la vertiente sudeste varía de 16 x 109m3/mes en abril-junio a 9 x 109m3/mes en octubre-diciembre. El drenaje total, anual, es alrededor de 350 x 109m3. En todas las estaciones frente al litoral oriental se encuentra un frente de salinidad marcada. En la parte septentrional del Bight las temperaturas en las capas superiores permanecieron más bien constantes de mayo a noviembre; en febrero la temperatura media había disminuido en unos 4°C y existieron gradientes agudos en las distribuciones geográficas. Las salinidades en las capas superiores disminuyeron constantemente de mayo a noviembre; en febrero la salinidad media había aumentado en 2.5‰. La profundidad media de la capa mixta aumentó de 27 m en mayo a 40 m en noviembre; en febrero el afloramiento disminuyó el espesor de la capa mixta hasta 18 m. Entre noviembre y febrero el afloramiento había duplicado la cantidad de PO4-P y triplicado la de NO3-N en la zona eufótica; la producción superficial de fitoplancton y la biomasa primaria y las concentraciones de zooplancton también se duplicaron durante este período. El afloramiento era cerca de 1.5 mimes durante mayo-noviembre y de unos 9.0 mimes durante noviembre-febrero, el total anual es de unos 48 m. La producción media primaria es aproximadamente de 0.3 gC/m2 al día durante mayo-diciembre y cerca de 0.6 gC/m2 al día durante enero-abril; la producción anual es de unos 140 gC/m2. En febrero apareció una convexidad termal que se extendió de la parte norte a la parte sudoeste del Bight. Dentro de esta convexidad se encontró un domo termal marcado el cual coincidió con el centro de la circulación ciclonal de la célula. El afloramiento en el domo tuvo un promedio de 16 mimes en noviembre-febrero. Las pesquerías del Panamá Bight producen anualmente de cerca 30,000 toneladas métricas de especies alimenticias y unas 68,000 t.m. de especies usadas para la reducción. La mayoría de los esfuerzos realizados con el fin de adquirir más conocimiento sobre la ecología del atún no tuvo éxito. La abundancia aparente del atún aleta amarilla y del barrilete en la parte septentrional del Bight parece estar relacionada con el ciclo estacional del afloramiento y del enriquecimiento, ya que la abundancia mayor en abril y mayo cuando parece que hay abundancia es de alimento. El ciclo de vida de la anchoveta en el Golfo de Panamá parece también que está relacionada al afloramiento. La masa de la especie varía de unas 39,000 t.m. en diciembre a cerca de 169,000 t.m. en abril. Aproximadamente 19.1 x 1012 huevos de anchoveta son desovados anualmente. Los ciclos de vida del camarón en el Panamá Bight parecen estar relacionados con el afloramiento ya que las capturas son superiores en mayo-julio, unos 3-5 meses después del ápice del afloramiento, y las capturas anuales se correlacionan inversamente con el nivel del mar. (PDF contains 340 pages.)

Artisanal and inshore fisheries development in Nigeria: Status paper on the FAO/UNDP Project NIR/77/001

The UNDP/FAO supported Federal Fisheries Project for the Development of Artisanal and Inshore Fisheries in Nigeria has the specific objective of increasing fish production through an integrated approach aimed at upgrading the rural coastal fishermen and improving their living conditions. The project has an operating life-span of three years and envisages a total outlay of nearly N3 million in terms of personnel and services. This paper attempts to review the activities of the project during the first two years of the operational phase and highlight some of its specific achievements.

Lake Chad fisheries and its importance in the Green Revolution Programme

Lake Chad fisheries contributes about 13% of all fish produced by the inland and coastal states of the nation and supports a large population of fishermen and allied workers. The species of freshwater fish produced from the Lake such as Gymnarchus, Clarias and Heterotis are very popular with the fish consumers in Nigeria; hence Lake Chad processed fish is transported long distances to southern Nigerian markets. Lake Chad thus contributes significantly to the provision of fish protein and to the Green Revolution Programme

Fisheries laws and regulations of Nigeria and room for further developments

The fisheries laws and regulations presently operative in Nigeria are on marine waters. These include: 1) The Sea Fisheries Decree (Act) of 1971; 2) The Sea Licencing Regulations of 1971; 3) The Sea Fisheries (Fishing) Regulations of 1972; and 4) The exclusive Economic Zone Decree of 1978. Attempts have also been made to produce the Inland waters Fisheries Regulation

A synopsis of the traditional fishing gears used in artisanal fisheries along the upper part of the Cross River

Artisanal fishery is the main type of fishing practised occupationally by the fishermen along the upper sectors of the Cross River. No form of mechanised fishing has so far been introduced to the fishermen in these areas. This study has attempted to find out the different gears used, when and where used along the main river channel, its tributaries and flood plains. An effort has also been made to provide some information on the types of fishes caught with the different gears. Recommendation for effective management are also advanced

Introduction of collection and distribution programme for the small-scale fisheries in Ondo State

Details are given of a programme for fresh fish collection and distribution in Ondo State, Nigeria. Collection centers, organization and managerial structure, collection scheme, trade system, price determination, management and distribution are described

The role of agricultural co-operatives in the development of fisheries in Nigeria

Problems faced by the fishery sector in Nigeria are examined and the role that agricultural cooperatives play in fishery development considered. The importance of improving the marketing and distribution system through fishermen cooperatives is stressed. It is concluded that for the successful implementation of fishery products, there is need for regular communication, cooperation and collaboration among relative agencies

Demand analysis for Nigerian fisheries

This paper reviews available past fisheries statistics data and examines the basis of derivation of the estimates and concludes that much needs to be done to establish reliable fisheries data based on well defined methodology. Subsequently, fish consumption data for the ten-year-period 1971-1979 were related to the yearly population that consumes the fish

Problems of industrial fisheries development in the Cross River State

The industrial fisheries as opposed to artisanal fisheries in Cross River State, Nigeria, is discussed, considering the prospect of industrial fisheries in the State and identifying the major fish and shrimp resources within the coastal waters. Industrial fishing was introduced in 1973 when the state government invited a Japaneese company to carry out a joint exploratory shrimp fishing venture. The contributions made by the Seastate Seafoods Company, the Eyib's Nutritional Food and the Arawak Fishing Companies towards the increase in the number of fishing fleet in the state are noted.

Keynote address on production, utilization and marketing in fisheries status and opportunities

Fish production from Nigeria comes mainly from 3 sources, namely - artisans engaged in either part-time or full-time fishing, commercial trawlers fishing in inshore and offshore waters, and fish farming in enclosures (ponds, tanks and raceways). An account is given of the current situation in Nigeria, considering over exploitation of fish, the fish's environment, fish utilization, and fish marketing

Relevance of the programmes of the federal fisheries schools to Nigeria's fishing industry

Nigeria's three federal fisheries schools are administered by three autonomous research institutes located in Lagos, New Bussa, and Maiduguri. The schools were established at different periods to train the required manpower for Nigeria's fishing industry which has remained predominantly artisanal since its inception in 1942 as a Second World War exigency. Despite the establishment of the schools, the industry's manpower is still being dominated by non-nationals especially in the capture fisheries sub-sector. The common features of the schools include the apparent insensitivity of their programmes to the industry's dynamic manpower needs; the absence of coordination of their programmes by a national body which would have ensured that the schools are able to communicate with one another and are willing to act and share a purpose. The need and the methodology for a change of emphasis from the on-going training of extension agents and officers to that of fishing operatives and technicians to enable Nigeria effectively harness her local fish resources towards self-sufficiency is highlighted.

Workshop on Customary Institutions in Indonesia: Do They Have a Role in Fisheries Coastal Area Management? Report 2-5 August 2009, Lombok, Indonesia

Sixty delegates from Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and India met at Lombok, Nusa Tenggara Barat (NTB, West Nusa Tenggara) province, Indonesia, during 2-5 August 2009, for the workshop on “Customary Institutions in Indonesia: Do They Have a Role in Fisheries and Coastal Area Management?”. The workshop was organized by the International Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF), in co-operation with Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF) and the Provincial Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DKP) of the Government of NTB. (PDF contains 68 pages)

WIF India Workshop Report: Enhancing Women’s Roles in Fisheries in India, 1-3 February 2010, YUVA Centre, Navi Mumbai, India: report

The International Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF) organized a workshop titled “Enhancing Women’s Roles in Fisheries in India” during 1-3 February 2010 in Navi Mumbai, India. The workshop was meant to discuss and analyze the role of women in fisheries, and reflect on issues facing women in fishing communities and organizations in contemporary India. Not only did the workshop expose the participants to women’s issues, organizational strategies, policies, schemes and legislation relevant to fishing communities, but it also stimulated discussions and exchange of views, which helped them explore a vision of a fisheries that sustains both communities and livelihoods. The workshop strengthened the linkages between diverse groups, and helped them search for strategies to protect the spaces of women in fisheries and their sources of livelihood. (PDF contains 61 pages)

The Siem Reap Meet Proceedings: Asserting Rights, Defining Responsibilities: Perspectives from Small-scale Fishing Communities on Coastal and Fisheries Management in Asia

This publication is a record of the proceedings of the Siem Reap Workshop and Symposium. It provides a bottom-up perspective on how rights are understood, and what rights are seen as important by small-scale fishing communities, if they are to fulfil their responsibilities for managing resources in a sustainable and equitable manner. It is hoped that these proceedings, and the Statement from the Workshop-the Siem Reap Statement-are found useful by those engaged in policy making and advocacy in support of small-scale fisheries, as well as researchers, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), fishworker organizations, and multilateral and regional organizations

The Zanzibar Workshop Proceedings: Asserting Rights, Defining Responsibilities:Perspectives from Small-scale Fishing Communities on Coastal and Fisheries Management in Eastern and Southern Africa

The Zanzibar Workshop Proceedings consists of the report and the Statement of the Workshop and provides a rich understanding of the dynamics of traditional, indigenous, small-scale and artisanal fisheries and fishing communities in the Eastern and Southern African (ESA) context. The issues covered include: the saga of rights denied to coastal lands, fishing, and threats to livelihood arising from lack of recognition of traditional rights and the livelihood needs of people in the region; the aspirations of coastal and inland communities to maintain or improve their livelihoods; and a bottom-up perspective on access rights to fishing, post-harvest rights and economic and social rights. This report will be a valuable source of information for community organizers, trade union leaders, government officials and the donor community, including multilateral organizations, researchers and for all those who are interested in the well-being of ESA fishing communities.