Technical efficiency in artisanal fisheries (AF) in Badagry local government area of Lagos State, Nigeria

This study examined the technical efficiency in artisanal fisheries in Lagos State of Nigeria. The study employed a two stage random sampling procedure for the selection of 120 respondents. The analytical techniques involved descriptive statistics and estimation of technical efficiency following maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) procedure available in FRONTIER 4.1. The MLE result of the stochastic frontier production function showed that hired labour, cost of repair and capital items are critical factors that influences productivity of artisanal fishermen with the coefficient of hired labour being highly elastic. This implies that employing more labour will significantly increase the catch in the study area. The predicted farm efficiency with an average value of 0.92 showed that there is a marginal potential of about 8 percent to increase the catch, hence the income of the fishermen. The study further examined the factors that influence productivity of fishermen in the study area. Year of education, mode of operation and frequency of fishing have important implication on the technical efficiency of fishermen in the study area.

Outro olhar sobre a vigilância sanitária de produtos no Brasil: a legislação de controle sanitário das importações - da Secretaria à Anvisa - em foco.

Esta dissertação tem como objeto a regulamentação adotada pelo Brasil no que tange ao controle sanitário da importação de produtos sob vigilância sanitária. Foram analisadas as publicações da legislação sanitária e suas alterações no período de 1996 a 2013. O escopo do estudo incorporou os aspectos políticos, técnicos, econômicos e institucionais envolvidos no controle sanitário das importações. Destaca-se, ainda, a identificação de atores que se mostraram relevantes na formulação e na implantação das normas. Nesta perspectiva, foi realizado estudo singular do conjunto das normatizações publicadas entre 1996 e 2013 editadas desde a antiga Secretaria de Vigilância Sanitária até a Anvisa. Como resultado, foram selecionadas cinco normas para análise, bem como suas alterações posteriores, caracterizando um estudo qualitativo de caráter exploratório executado com base na análise temática de conteúdo. O exame desse material permitiu traçar uma trajetória do controle sanitário das importações em três fases, que se desdobrou a partir da análise das normas, permitindo destacar os condicionantes para as alterações dos regulamentos e os efeitos produzidos por tais alterações. Observou-se que tanto a elaboração quantos os posteriores desdobramentos das normatizações foram fortemente influenciados pelas mudanças políticas e econômicas observadas no país e no mundo, sofrendo a determinação de organismos internacionais e de atores intra e extrainstitucionais, que conduziram a restrições no controle sanitário de produtos importados. O estudo permitiu conhecer melhor a prática da vigilância sanitária e, a partir daí, propor medidas para melhorar a regulação no campo de atuação da Anvisa. Por fim, esta produção tem a finalidade de contribuir com a aproximação das práticas da vigilância sanitária com o meio acadêmico.

Mapping the shallow-water coral ecosystems of the Freely Associated States: an implementation plan

This Freely Associated States Shallow-water Coral Ecosystem Mapping Implementation Plan (FAS MIP) presents a framework for the development of shallow-water (~0–40 m; 0–22 fm) benthic habitat and possibly bathymetric maps of critical areas of the Freely Associated States (FAS). The FAS is made up of three self-governing groups of islands and atolls—the Republic of Palau (Palau), the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), and the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI)—that are affiliated with the United States through Compacts of Free Association. This MIP was developed with extensive input from colleges, national and state regulatory and management agencies, federal agencies, non-governmental organizations, and individuals involved in or supporting the conservation and management of the FAS’s coral ecosystems. A list of organizations and individuals that provided input to the development of this MIP is provided in Appendix 1. This MIP has been developed to complement the Coral Reef Mapping Implementation Plan (2nd Draft) released in 1999 by the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force’s Mapping and Information Synthesis Working Group. That plan focused on mapping United States and FAS shallow-water (then defined as <30 m) coral reefs by 2009, based on available funding and geographic priorities, using primarily visual interpretation of aerial photography and satellite imagery. This MIP focuses on mapping the shallow-water (now defined as 0–40 m, rather than 0–30 m) coral ecosystems of the FAS using a suite of technologies and map development procedures. Both this FAS MIP and the 1999 Coral Reef Mapping Implementation Plan (2nd Draft) support to goals of the National Action Plan to Conserve Coral Reefs (U.S. Coral Reef Task Force, 2000). This FAS MIP presents a framework for mapping the coral ecosystems of the FAS and should be considered an evolving document. As priorities change, funding opportunities arise, new data are collected, and new technologies become available, the information presented herein will change.

Mapping southern Florida's shallow-water coral ecosystems: an implementation plan

The Southern Florida Shallow-water Coral Ecosystem Mapping Implementation Plan (MIP) discusses the need to produce shallow-water (~0-40 m; 0-22 fm) benthic habitat and bathymetric maps of critical areas in southern Florida and moderate-depth (~40-200 m; 22 -109 fm) bathymetric maps for all of Florida. The ~0-40 m depth regime generally represents where most hermatypic coral species are found and where most direct impacts from pollution and coastal development occur. The plan was developed with extensive input from over 90 representatives of state regulatory and management agencies, federal agencies, universities, and non-governmental organizations involved in the conservation and management of Florida’s coral ecosystems. Southern Florida’s coral ecosystems are extensive. They extend from the Dry Tortugas in the Florida Keys as far north as St Lucie Inlet on the Atlantic Ocean coast and Tarpon Springs on the Gulf of Mexico coast. Using 10 fm (18 m) depth curves on nautical charts as a guide, southern Florida has as much as 84 percent (30,801 sq km) of 36,812 sq km of potential shallow-water (<10 fm; <18 m) coral ecosystems the tropical and subtropical U.S. Moreover, southern Florida’s coral ecosystems contribute greatly to the regional economy. Coral ecosystem-related expenditures generated $4.4 billion in sales, income, and employment and created over 70,000 full-time and part-time jobs in the region during the recent 12-month periods when surveys were conducted.