Trends in Income and Price Elasticities of Transport Demand (1850-2010)

40 p.

Catch trends from Lake Victoria - Tanzanian waters

Catch trends from Fisheries Department reports from the last eleven years (1985-1995) were analyzed. These showed a shift in the fishery from a cichlid-based system to one dominated by Nile perch and tilapias. In recent years, catches have declined from a peak in the early 1990s. Catch per unit effort appears to have remained stable except for a drop in 1995, however, this is considered dubious because the effort showed a doubling in that year. Limitations of the fisheries data collection system for the Tanzanian sector of Lake Victoria are highlighted and discussed.

Management and Promotion of Digitization Projects: Geologic Atlas of the US

The Geologic Atlas of the United States was digitized and stored in the Texas A&M University institutional repository. Extensive metadata was created which emphasized the geographic and geologic aspects of the material. The map sheets were also convered into kml files for Google Earth and ESRI shape files for use in GIS. A Yahoo!Map interface allows for visualization of the locations of each folio and user friendly browsing across the collection. Details of the project will be discussed, including the selection, digitization methods and standards, preservation, metadata, web presence and staffing. Its storage in DSpace, assortment of publicity outlets, and its inclusion in targeted clearinghouses expand its potential use to national and international audiences.

Trends in nitrate-nitrogen, nitrite-nitrogen and phosphorus concentration in Ebonyi river, Nigeria

A baseline study of the limnological integrity of Ebonyi River, a tropical lotic system in south-eastern Nigeria was conducted between September 2006 and February 2008 to assess its potential in enhancing fisheries production for the benefit of the rural poor, who depend on the resources of the river for survival. The parameters measured were nitrate-nitrogen, nitrite-nitrogen and phosphate-phosphorus. Results show that nitrate varied between 40.43mg/L in September 2006 and 1.73mg/L in December 2007, Showing significant difference (P<0.01) among months. The values recorded for nitrites varied between 0.2mg/L in September 2006 and 0.4mg/L in February 2008, showing significant (P<0.01) variation among months. Values recorded for phosphorus was highest (0.05mg/L) in the month of October 2006 while the least mean value (0.32mg/L) was recorded in the month of May 2007 and showed significant (p<0.01) variation in monthly means. It was concluded that the values of the measured parameters falls within tolerable range for enhanced fisheries development in the area. KEYWORDS: Limnology, Tropical, River, Monthly, Mean, Variation

Environmental characterization of seasonal trends and foraging habitat of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in northern Gulf of Mexico bays

A description of the foraging habitat of a cetacean species is critical for conservation and effective management. We used a fine-scale microhabitat approach to examine patterns in bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) foraging distribution in relation to dissolved oxygen, turbidity, salinity, water depth, water temperature, and distance from shore measurements in a highly turbid estuary on the northern Gulf of Mexico. In general, environmental variation in the Barataria Basin marine environment comprises three primary axes of variability (i.e., factors: temperature and dissolved oxygen, salinity and turbidity, and distance and depth) that represent seasonal, spatial-seasonal, and spatial scales, respectively. Foraging sites were differentiated from nonforaging sites by significant differences among group size, temperature, turbidity, and season. Habitat selection analysis on individual variables indicated that foraging was more frequently observed in waters 4–6 m deep, 200–500 m from shore, and at salinity values of around 20 psu. This fine-scale and multivariate approach represents a useful method of exploring the complexity, gradation, and detail of the relationships between environmental variables and the foraging distribution patterns of bottlenose dolphin.

Assessing trends in the density of Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus): a comparison of passive acoustic and trawl methods

Using data collected simultaneously from a trawl and a hydrophone, we found that temporal and spatial trends in densities of juvenile Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus) in the Neuse River estuary in North Carolina can be identified by monitoring their sound production. Multivariate analysis of covariance (MA NCOVA) revealed that catch per unit of effort (CPUE) of Atlantic croaker had a significant relationship with the dependent variables of sound level and peak frequency of Atlantic croaker calls. Tests of between-subject correspondence failed to detect relationships between CPUE and either of the call parameters, but statistical power was low. Williamson’s index of spatial overlap indicated that call detection rate (expressed by a 0–3 calling index) was correlated in time and space with Atlantic croaker CPUE. The correspondence between acoustic parameters and trawl catch rates varied by month and by habitat. In general, the calling index had a higher degree of overlap with this species’ density than did the received sound level of their calls. Classification and regression tree analysis identified calling index as the strongest correlate of CPUE. Passive acoustics has the potential to be an inexpensive means of identifying spatial and temporal trends in abundance for soniferous fish species.

Trends in the farming of the snakeskin gourami (Trichogaster pectoralis) in Thailand

The production of snakeskin gourami (Trichogaster pectoralis) from wild stocks and traditional culture systems has been declining in central Thailand, although they are on the increase in modern culture practices adopted in some provinces. Net yields of T. pectoralis in traditional systems are about a third of those in modern systems. The potential of T. pectoralis as a candidate for more intensive waste-fed polyculture appears promising if seed supply constraints can be removed.

Long-term Trends in Catch Composition from Elasmobranch Derbies in Elkhorn Slough, California

Long-term trends in the elasmobranch assemblage of Elkhorn Slough, Monterey Bay, California, were analyzed by documenting species composition and catch per unit effort (CPUE) from 55 sport fishing derbies that occurred during May, June, and July, from 1951 until 1995. The most abundant species (bat ray, Myliobatis californica; shovelnose guitarfish, Rhinobatos productus; and leopard shark, Triakis semifasciata) were also analyzed for size-weight relationships, trends in size class distribution, stage of maturity, and sex ratios. Changes in species composition over the course of the derbies included the near complete disappearance of shovelnose guitarfish by the 1970’s and a slight increase in the abundance of minor species (mainly smoothhounds, Mustelus spp., and thornback, Platyrhinoidis triseriata) starting in the mid 1960’s. The relative abundance of bat rays in the catch steadily increased over the years while the relative abundance of leopard sharks declined during the last two decades. However the average number of bat rays and leopard sharks caught per derby declined during the last two decades. Fishing effort appeared to increase over the course of the derbies. There were no dramatic shifts in the size class distribution data for bat rays, leopard sharks, or shovelnose guitarfish. The catch of bat rays and leopard sharks was consistently dominated by immature individuals, while the catch of shovelnose guitarfish was heavily dominated by adults. There was evidence of sexual segregation in either immature or mature fish in all the species. Female bat rays and shovelnose guitarfish were larger than their male counterparts and outnumbered males nearly 2:1. Female and male leopard sharks were more nearly equal in size and sex ratio. Changes in species composition are likely due to fishing pressure, shifts in the prevailing oceanographic conditions, and habitat alteration in Elkhorn Slough. The sex ratios, stage of maturity, and size class distributions provide further evidence for the theory that Elkhorn Slough functions as a nursery habitat for bat rays and leopard sha

Trends and Potential Interactions Between Pinnipeds and Fisheries of New England and the U.S. West Coast

Long-term trends in the abundance and distribution of several pinniped species and commercially important fisheries of New England and the contiguous U.S. west coast are reviewed, and their actual and potential interactions discussed. Emphasis is on biological interactions or competition. The pinnipeds include the western North Atlantic stock of harbor seals, Phoca vitulina concolor; western North Atlantic gray seals, Halochoerus grypus; the U.S. stock of California sea lions, Zalophus californianus californianus; the eastern stock of Steller sea lions, Eumetopias jubatus; and Pacific harbor seals, Phoca vitulina richardii. Fisheries included are those for Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua; silver hake, Merluccius bilinearis; Atlantic herring, Clupea harengus; the coastal stock of Pacific whiting, Merluccius productus; market squid, Loligo opalescens; northern anchovy, Engraulis mordax; Pacific her-ring, Clupea pallasi; and Pacific sardine, Sardinops sagax. Most of these pinniped populations have grown exponentially since passage of the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act in 1972. They exploit a broad prey assemblage that includes several commercially valuable species. Direct competition with fisheries is therefore possible, as is competition for the prey of commercially valuable fish. The expanding pinniped populations, fluctuations in commercial fish biomass, and level of exploitation by the fisheries may affect this potential for competition. Concerns over pinnipeds impacting fisheries (especially those with localized spawning stocks or at low biomass levels) are more prevalent than concerns over fisheries’ impacts on pinnipeds. This review provides a framework to further evaluate potential biological interactions between these pinniped populations and the commercial fisheries with which they occur.

The California Red Sea Urchin, Strongylocentrotus franciscanus, Fishery: Catch, Effort, and Management Trends

California's red sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus franciscanus, catch peaked at 23,577 metric tons (t) in 1988. Since then, catches and CPUE have trended downward at different rates in northern and southern California, with 10,086 t landed statewide in 1995. West coast sea urchin catches and CPUE from British Columbia, Can., to Baja California, Mex., have generally declined during this period which followed a decade of rapid fishery expansion. This expansion was in response to increasing demand from Japan fueled by rising prices based largely on a more favorable export currency exchange rate. West coast stock assessment methods have been based on integrating a combination of fisheries dependent data and population surveys into models at various levels of complexity. California management policy has centered on technical measures such as size limits and seasonal closures and has been largely ineffective in stabilizing declining catches.