Inshore spawning of cobia (Rachycentron canadum) in South Carolina

We documented inshore spawning of the recreationally important cobia (Rachycentron canadum) in Port Royal Sound (PRS) and St. Helena Sound (SHS), South Carolina, during the period from April to June in both 2007 and 2008. Histological analysis of ovaries confirmed the presence of actively spawning females inshore, and gonadosomatic index (GSI) values from females collected inshore (mean=7.8) were higher than the values from females caught offshore (mean=5.6); both of these mean values indicate that spawning occurred locally. Additionally, we conducted an ichthyoplankton survey in 2008 and found cobia eggs and larvae as far as 10 and 15 km inshore from the mouths of SHS and PRS, respectively. A study of egg development that we conducted in 2007 and 2008 using hatchery-reared cobia eggs provided descriptions of embryological development of cobia. Comparison of visual and quantitative characteristics of the field-collected eggs with those of the hatchery-reared eggs allowed positive identification of eggs collected in plankton samples. The ages of field-collected eggs and presence of females with hydrated oocytes in PRS and SHS observed in our ichthyoplankton survey and histological analysis indicated that wild cobia spawn in the afternoon and early evening. The inshore migration of cobia from April to June, the presence of actively spawning females, significantly higher GSI values, and the collection of eggs inside PRS and SHS all confirm that these estuaries provide spawning habitat for cobia. Because of the potential for heavy exploitation by recreational anglers as cobia move inshore to spawn in South Carolina, current management strategies may require review.

Reproductive dynamics of female spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus) in South Carolina

We describe reproductive dynamics of female spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus) in South Carolina (SC). Batch fecundity (BF), spawning frequency (SF), relative fecundity (RF), and annual fecundity (AF) for age classes 1−3 were estimated during the spawning seasons of 1998, 1999, and 2000. Based on histological evidence, spawning of spotted seatrout in SC was determined to take place from late April through early September. Size at first maturity was 248 mm total length (TL); 50% and 100% maturity occurred at 268 mm and 301 mm TL, respectively. Batch fecundity estimates from counts of oocytes in final maturation varied significantly among year classes. One-year-old spotted seatrout spawned an average of 145,452 oocytes per batch, whereas fish aged 2 and 3 had a mean BF of 291,123 and 529,976 oocytes, respectively. We determined monthly SF from the inverse of the proportion of ovaries with postovulatory follicles (POF) less than 24 hours old among mature and developing females. Overall, spotted seatrout spawned every 4.4 days, an average of 28 times during the season. A chronology of POF atresia for water temperature >25°C is presented. Length, weight (ovary-free), and age explained 67%, 65%, and 58% of the variability in BF, respectively. Neither RF (number of oocytes/g ovary-free weight) nor oocyte diameter varied significantly with age. However, RF was significantly greater and oocyte diameter was smaller at the end of the spawning season. Annual fecundity estimates were approximately 3.2, 9.5, and 17.6 million oocytes for each age class, respectively. Spotted seatrout ages 1−3 contributed an average of 29%, 39%, and 21% to the overall reproductive effort according to the relative abundance of each age class. Ages 4 and 5 contributed 7% and 4%, respectively, according to predicted AF values.

Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) strandings in South Carolina, 1992-1996

From 1992 to 1996, 153 bottlenose dolphin stranded in South Carolina, accounting for 73% of all marine mammal strandings during this period. The objectives of our study were to evaluate data from these strandings to deter-mine 1) annual trends in strandings, 2) seasonal and spatial distribution trends, 3) life history parameters such as sex ratio and age classes, 3) seasonal trends in reproduction, and 4) the extent to which humans have played a role in causing these strandings (human inter-actions). The results showed that 49% of the bottlenose dolphin strandings occurred between April and July; the greatest number of strandings occurred in July (n=22). There was a significant seasonal increase in the distribution of bottlenose dolphin strandings in the northern portion of the state from November to March. Bottlenose dolphin neonates stranded in every month of the year, except March and October, and represented 19.6% of the total number of strandings with known length (n=138). Fifty-five percent (n=15) of bottlenose dolphin neonatal strandings occurred between May and July. Bottlenose dolphins determined to have died as the result of human interaction accounted for 23.1% of the total number of bottlenose dolphin strandings (excluding those for which a determination could not be made).Incidents of bottlenose dolphin entanglements in nets accounted for 16 of these cases.

When deterrence works - and when it doesn't: a comparison of Sweden's prostitution law and UK's Dangerous Dogs Act

Many pieces of legislation have been implemented with the anticipation - or justification - that they will have a deterrent effect. Deterrence was clearly argued in the debate preceding the Swedish prostitution law prohibiting the purchase of sexual services, but less so regarding the Dangerous Dogs Act, which was a very rapid response to a particular moral panic. As it turned out, the Swedish law has had a deterrent effect on street prostitution in that 'respectable' buyers were deterred. It will be argued that it is this very 'respectability' that makes deterrence work in this case. Regarding the Dangerous Dogs Act, the owners of Pit Bulls and other banned breeds are not considered 'respectable' and the banning might have had the reversed effect - increasing the attraction of these dogs, rather than deterring the ownership. Apart from deterrence and its consequences, the rendering invisible of key actors - buyers and owners respectively - and the use of symbolic legislation to promote moral messages will also be considered. [From the Author]

Micromorphology of lamellae formed in an alluvial soil, Big Pine Tree Archeological Site, South Carolina

The formation of lamellae in soils is not clearly understood. The objectives of this study are to examine the microscopical characteristics of selected well developed lamellae inorder to identify the major processes involved in their formation at the Big Pine Tree Archaeological site on the Savannah River, South Carolina. Well developed lamellae have formed in a fine sandy alluvial soil that is about 11,000 to 12,000 years old. In the field, these lamellae are observed as 1 to 4.2 cm thick horizontal layers having a smooth upper and a wavy, sometimes irregular, lower boundary with adjacent interlamellae horizons. Soil thin sections reveal denser accumulations of brown fine silt and clay coatings in the upper and lower sections of the lamellae. The center of the lamellae has mainly orange highly oriented discontinuous clay coatings bridging quartz grains and some silt accumulations. Although, horizontal layering of denser areas (accumulations of fine silt and clay coatings) is also observed in the middle of the lamellae. The interlamellae horizons are mainly loose quartz grains. Low total carbon values (

Becoming private property: custom, law, and the geographies of ‘ownership’ in 18th- and 19th-century England

The making private of hitherto public goods is a central tenet of neoliberalism. From land in Africa, Asia, and South America to the assertion of property rights over genes and cells by corporations, the process(es) of making private property matters more than ever. And yet, despite this importance, we know remarkably little about the spatial plays through which things become private property. In this paper I seek to address this imbalance by focusing upon the formative context of 18th- and early-19th-century England. The specific lens is wood, that most critical of all ‘natural’ things other than land in the transition to market-driven economies. It is shown that the interplay between custom, law, and local practices rendered stable and aspatial definitions of property impossible. Whilst law was the key technology through which property was mediated, the cadence of particular places gave these mediations distinctive forms. I conclude that not only must we take property seriously, but we must also take the conditions and contexts of its making seriously too.

Sex Offender Registration: Some Observations on ‘Megan’s Law’ and the Sex Offenders Act 1997

“Megan’s Law” in the United States and Part 1 of the Sex Offenders Act 1997 in the United Kingdom, make provision for the creation of a register which will record the names and addresses of all persons convicted or cautioned for a sexual offence. Arguments expounded in favour of the legislation include the supposedly high recidivism among sex offenders, the inadequacy of supervision provisions, and the resulting need to ‘track’ the dangerous offender for public protection. In practice, however, there are a plethora of obstacles, such as cost and inadequate policing resources, which may impede its effectiveness in aiding law enforcement and reduce it to symbolic significance only. In addition, there are an array of ethical objections to the legislation, such as it breaches civil liberties and constitutes ‘double jeopardy’, which may prevent meaningful imposition.

Cases, Materials and Text on National, Supranational and International Non-Discrimination Law

This casebook, the result of the collaborative efforts of a panel of experts from various EU Member States, is the latest in the Ius Commune Casebook series developed at the Universities of Maastricht and Leuven. The book provides a comprehensive and skilfully designed resource for students, practitioners, researchers, public officials, NGOs, consumer organisations and the judiciary. In common with earlier books in the series, this casebook presents cases and other materials (legislative materials, international and European materials, excerpts from books or articles). As non-discrimination law is a comparatively new subject, the chapters search for and develop the concepts of discrimination law on the basis of a wide variety of young and often still emerging case law and legislation. The result is a comprehensive textbook with materials from a wide variety of EU Member States. The book is entirely in English (i.e. materials are translated where not available in English). At the end of each chapter a comparative overview ties the material together, with emphasis, where appropriate, on existing or emerging general principles in the legal systems within Europe.
The book illustrates the distinct relationship between international, European and national legislation in the field of non-discrimination law. It covers the grounds of discrimination addressed in the Racial Equality and Employment Equality Directives, as well as non-discrimination law relating to gender. In so doing, it covers the law of a large number of EU Member States, alongside some international comparisons.
The Ius Commune Casebook on Non-Discrimination Law
- provides practitioners with ready access to primary and secondary legal material needed to assist them in crafting test case strategies.
- provides the judiciary with the tools needed to respond sensitively to such cases.
- provides material for teaching non-discrimination law to law and other students.
- provides a basis for ongoing research on non-discrimination law.
- provides an up-to-date overview of the implementation of the Directives and of the state of the law.
This Casebook is the result of a project which has been supported by a grant from the European Commission's Anti-Discrimination Programme.

Comparative Law and European Harmonisation - a Match Made in Heaven or Uneasy Bedfellows?

Developing the controversy indicated in the heading, this article will proceed as follows. It establishes a notion of critical comparative law, by showing how comparative law may be capable of providing critique and analysis of law-making through judicial and legislative activity at a European level. This is followed by an exemplary discussion of how comparative law is actually used in relation to European harmonisation through case law, legislation and “soft law”. The question will then be asked whether and how these uses would change under a critical approach to comparative law. The discussion will focus on industrial relations and equality law.
In both fields, recent ECJ case law has proved controversial: This article submits that such controversy could partly be avoided by making better use of critical comparative law in deciding cases and in choosing adequate forms and content of legislation.

Pro-active protection against racialist discrimination in employment law - lessons from South Africa?

This study investigates the potential of the prohibition of indirect race discrimination to be used for law reform, and to uncover discriminatory practices. It reflects on the history and contents of the concept, and focuses in particular on its application in the Republic of South Africa

EU Social and Labour Rights and EU Internal Market Law: Study for the EMPL Committee

EU Social and Labour Rights have developed incrementally, originally through a set of legislative initiatives creating selective employment rights, followed by a non-binding Charter of Social Rights. Only in 2009, social and labour rights became legally binding through the Charter of Fundamental Rights for the European Union (CFREU). By contrast, the EU Internal Market - an area without frontiers where goods, persons, services and capital can circulate freely – has been enshrined in legally enforceable Treaty provisions from 1958. These comprise the economic freedoms guaranteeing said free circulation and a system ensuring that competition is not distorted within the Internal Market (Protocol 27 to the Treaty of Lisbon). Tensions between Internal Market law and social and labour rights have been observed in analyses of EU case law and legislation. This study explores responses by socio-economic and political actors at national and EU levels to such tensions, focusing on collective labour rights, rights to fair working conditions and rights to social security and social assistance (Articles 12, 28, 31, 34 Charter of Fundamental Rights for the European Union). On the basis of the current Treaties and the CFREU, the constitutionally conditioned Internal Market emerges as a way to overcome the perception that social and labour rights limit Internal Market law, or vice versa. On this basis, alternative responses to perceived tensions are proposed, focused on posting of workers, furthering fair employment conditions through public procurement and enabling effective collective bargaining and industrial action in the Internal Market.

The South Carolina handbook of the war

This handbook issued by the South Carolina State Council of Defense provides a listing of contacts for the Council and 36 essays about the history of the war, current events, the role of America in the war, and peace efforts. The handbook concludes with essays and quotes from South Carolinians and with reports on how citizens can help with the war effort.