Proceedings of the Indian Ocean Conference: Forging Unity: Coastal Communities and the Indian Ocean's Future

This is the proceedings of the Indian Ocean Conference "Forging Unity: Coastal Communities and the Indian Ocean's Future". It contains papers, presentations and vision statement of the conference.

Local solutions to challenges of West Indian Ocean fisheries development

The West Indian Ocean is rich in biodiversity and marine resources. This paper gives an overview of fisheries development and resource management in the region. There are many shared issues that must be addressed within countries and at the regional level. These are illustrated by examples from three countries. In Mozambique the issues of lack of information about artisanal fisheries, excessive harvesting of juveniles and conflicts between artisanal and commercial sectors are highlighted. Elements in addressing this include targeted research and decision-making support tools. The challenges faced in Somalia stem primarily from the political instability that contributed to an absence of sound fisheries policy. An example of a highly participatory process to develop the policy provides a model for other countries. In Tanzania, the issue of dynamite fishing was addressed by local communities initiating a program to promote wise use of the resources. There is a clear opportunity for better collaboration and greater integration of fisheries research and management on a regional basis. There is also much to be learnt by the sharing of experiences between countries. This has been initiated by some recently launched regional cooperation projects, but there are still many challenges facing this region.

A Review of Indian Ocean Fisheries for Skipjack Tuna, Katsuwonus pelamis, and Yellowfin Tuna, Thunnus albacares

Skipjack tuna, Katsuwonus pelamis, and yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares, together comprise the most important component of Indian Ocean tuna catches. Catches of these species by Indian Ocean fisheries have been increasing over the last decade and totaled 262,300 metric tons (t) in 1986 (Fig. 1; Table 1). Skipjack tuna was the most important species at 32 percent of the total tuna catch in 1986; yellowfin tuna was the second most important at 25 percent. Skipjack tuna are found throughout the Indian Ocean from the Gulf of Arabia in the north to lat. 40°S (Fig. 2). Yellowfin tuna are also distributed throughout the ocean to about lat. 50�

An Indian Ocean record for a porcellanid crab, Raphidopus ciliatus Stimpson, 1958

Several specimens of a porcellanid crab Raphidopus ciliatus are being reported for the first time from the northern Arabian Sea, extending the range of the species into the Indian Ocean. Specimens were found in by-catches landing at fish harbour, four specimens were recovered from stomachs of noncommercial fish, Batrachus grunniens. Salient features of the species are described. Individual variations specially noted.

A northern Indian Ocean record of a bopyrid, Parapenaeon japonica (Thielemann, 1910) parasitic on species of penaeid prawns (Penaeus)

A female of Penaeus merguiensis de Man collected from Karachi fish harbour (8 May, 1993) was with a large specimen of bopyrid in its right gill chamber. Since this was the second record (see Tirmizi and Bashir, 1973) of a bopyrid from a species other than Parapenauopsis stylifera H. Milne-Edwards the specimen was examined out of curiosity.

Some planktonic diatoms from the Indian Ocean

Collections of phytoplankton were made by Mr. Durairatnamat various stations between latitude 5°S and 25°S and longitude 78° E and 101° E (Fig. 1) from December 1962 to January 1963 during a cruise of the research vessel "Umitaka Maru" belonging to the Tokyo University of Fisheries. This vessel was engaged in work in connection with the International Indian Ocean Expedition (I.I.O.E.). The collections made from these stations (T.G.) were examined at the Fisheries Research Station, Colombo, for the various diatoms present and the findings are reported in this paper.

The western Indian Ocean tuna fishery from 1980 to 1985: a summary of data collected by coastal states

Longliner and purse-seiner catch/effort statistics for tuna fisheries in the western Indian Ocean collected by Mozambique, Seychelles and Somalia are summarized. Although the data are not considered sufficient to indicate trends for the western Indian Ocean as a whole, an examination of data from the Seychelles EEZ shows that catch rates for yellowfin tuna declined consistently from 1982 to 1985, to about half their former levels. The data were processed by the FAO/Indo Pacific Tuna Development and Management Programme, Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Effect of low-frequency Rossby wave on thermal structure of the upper southwestern tropical Indian Ocean

We investigate the influence of low-frequency Rossby waves on the thermal structure of the upper southwestern tropical Indian Ocean (SWTIO) using Argo profiles, satellite altimetric data, sea surface temperature, wind field data and the theory of linear vertical normal mode decomposition. Our results show that the SWTIO is generally dominated by the first baroclinic mode motion. As strong downwelling Rossby waves reach the SWTIO, the contribution of the second baroclinic mode motion in this region can be increased mainly because of the reduction in the vertical stratification of the upper layer above thermocline, and the enhancement in the vertical stratification of the lower layer under thermocline also contributes to it. The vertical displacement of each isothermal is enlarged and the thermal structure of the upper level is modulated, which is indicative of strong vertical mixing. However, the cold Rossby waves increase the vertical stratification of the upper level, restricting the variability related to the second baroclinic mode. On the other hand, during decaying phase of warm Rossby waves, Ekman upwelling and advection processes associated with the surface cyclonic wind circulation can restrain the downwelling processes, carrying the relatively colder water to the near-surface, which results in an out-of-phase phenomenon between sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA) and sea surface height anomaly (SSHA) in the SWTIO.

Long-Wave Dynamics of Sea Level Variations during Indian Ocean Dipole Events

Long-wave dynamics of the interannual variations of the equatorial Indian Ocean circulation are studied using an ocean general circulation model forced by the assimilated surface winds and heat flux of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. The simulation has reproduced the sea level anomalies of the Ocean Topography Experiment (TOPEX)/Poseidon altimeter observations well. The equatorial Kelvin and Rossby waves decomposed from the model simulation show that western boundary reflections provide important negative feedbacks to the evolution of the upwelling currents off the Java coast during Indian Ocean dipole (IOD) events. Two downwelling Kelvin wave pulses are generated at the western boundary during IOD events: the first is reflected from the equatorial Rossby waves and the second from the off-equatorial Rossby waves in the southern Indian Ocean. The upwelling in the eastern basin during the 1997-98 IOD event is weakened by the first Kelvin wave pulse and terminated by the second. In comparison, the upwelling during the 1994 IOD event is terminated by the first Kelvin wave pulse because the southeasterly winds off the Java coast are weak at the end of 1994. The atmospheric intraseasonal forcing, which plays an important role in inducing Java upwelling during the early stage of an IOD event, is found to play a minor role in terminating the upwelling off the Java coast because the intraseasonal winds are either weak or absent during the IOD mature phase. The equatorial wave analyses suggest that the upwelling off the Java coast during IOD events is terminated primarily by western boundary reflections.

Intraseasonal variability of Indian Ocean sea surface temperature during boreal winter: Madden-Julian Oscillation versus submonthly forcing and processes

[ 1] Intraseasonal variability of Indian Ocean sea surface temperature (SST) during boreal winter is investigated by analyzing available data and a suite of solutions to an ocean general circulation model for 1998 - 2004. This period covers the QuikSCAT and Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) observations. Impacts of the 30 - 90 day and 10 - 30 day atmospheric intraseasonal oscillations (ISOs) are examined separately, with the former dominated by the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) and the latter dominated by convectively coupled Rossby and Kelvin waves. The maximum variation of intraseasonal SST occurs at 10 degrees S - 2 degrees S in the wintertime Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), where the mixed layer is thin and intraseasonal wind speed reaches its maximum. The observed maximum warming ( cooling) averaged over ( 60 degrees E - 85 degrees E, 10 degrees S - 3 degrees S) is 1.13 degrees C ( - 0.97 degrees C) for the period of interest, with a standard deviation of 0.39 degrees C in winter. This SST change is forced predominantly by the MJO. While the MJO causes a basin-wide cooling ( warming) in the ITCZ region, submonthly ISOs cause a more complex SST structure that propagates southwestward in the western-central basin and southeastward in the eastern ocean. On both the MJO and submonthly timescales, winds are the deterministic factor for the SST variability. Short-wave radiation generally plays a secondary role, and effects of precipitation are negligible. The dominant role of winds results roughly equally from wind speed and stress forcing. Wind speed affects SST by altering turbulent heat fluxes and entrainment cooling. Wind stress affects SST via several local and remote oceanic processes.

Annual cycle of stratification and tidal fronts in the Bohai Sea: A model study

In general, competition between buoyancy mechanisms and mixing dynamics largely determines the water column structure in a shelf sea. A three dimensional baroclinic ocean model forced by surface heat fluxes and the 2.5 order Mellor-Yamada turbulence scheme is used to simulate the annual cycle of the temperature in the Bohai Sea. The difference between the sea surface temperature (SST) and sea bottom temperature (SBT) is used to examine the evolution of its vertical stratification. It is found that the water column is well-mixed from October to March and that the seasonal thermocline appears in April, peaks in July and then weakens afterwards, closely following the heat budget. In addition, the Loder parameter based on the topography and tidal current amplitude is also computed in order to examine tidal fronts in the BS, which are evident in summer months when the wind stirring mechanism is weak.

The evolutionary origin of Indian Ocean tortoises (Dipsochelys).

Today, the only surviving wild population of giant tortoises in the Indian Ocean occurs on the island of Aldabra. However, giant tortoises once inhabited islands throughout the western Indian Ocean. Madagascar, Africa, and India have all been suggested as possible sources of colonization for these islands. To address the origin of Indian Ocean tortoises (Dipsochelys, formerly Geochelone gigantea), we sequenced the 12S, 16S, and cyt b genes of the mitochondrial DNA. Our phylogenetic analysis shows Dipsochelys to be embedded within the Malagasy lineage, providing evidence that Indian Ocean giant tortoises are derived from a common Malagasy ancestor. This result points to Madagascar as the source of colonization for western Indian Ocean islands by giant tortoises. Tortoises are known to survive long oceanic voyages by floating with ocean currents, and thus, currents flowing northward towards the Aldabra archipelago from the east coast of Madagascar would have provided means for the colonization of western Indian Ocean islands. Additionally, we found an accelerated rate of sequence evolution in the two Malagasy Pyxis species examined. This finding supports previous theories that shorter generation time and smaller body size are related to an increase in mitochondrial DNA substitution rate in vertebrates.

Guide to the coastal and surface zooplankton of the south-western Indian Ocean. Occasional Publication of the Marine Biological Association 15

A guide compiled as an aid to researchers in the identification of the coastal and shallow water, south-western Indian Ocean pelagic zooplankton, as much of the identification literature covering this area of amazing biodiversity is currently spread through the scientific literature and not accessible without extensive library resources. Most zooplankton groups, except fish larvae and eggs, have been covered, but some specialist groups have not yet been dealt with in great detail. However, a selection of representative members of most groups have been given, so that organisms can at least be assigned to perhaps a particular genus within the main group. The species list is based on zooplankton sampling carried out round the coastal areas of the islands of Mahé and Aldabra (Seychelles), Rodrigues (Mauritius), Madagascar and from a sampling transect between Seychelles and Rodrigues. The guide therefore includes a high proportion of the island-coastal and surface water zooplankton of the whole Indian Ocean. The location where a particular species has been sampled has been noted and some species that have not been sampled, but are known to occur in the region, have been included. Comprehensive taxonomic information has not been presented, but sufficient information should be given to identify each species. Keys have not yet been included for genera, as further species will be added. A bibliography of relevant plankton references has also been included.

Epipelagic mesozooplankton distribution and abundance over the Mascarene Plateau and Basin, south-western Indian Ocean

The crescent shaped Mascarene Plateau (southwestern Indian Ocean), some 2200 km in length, forms a partial barrier to the (predominantly westward) flow of the South Equatorial Current. Shallow areas of the Mascarene Plateau effectively form a large shelf sea without an associated coastline. Zooplankton sampling transects were made across the plateau and also the basin to the west, to investigate the role the partial interruption of flow has on zooplankton biomass and community structure over the region. Biomass data from Optical Plankton Counter (OPC) analysis, and variability in community structure from taxonomic analysis, appear to indicate that the obstruction by the plateau causes upwelling, nutrient enrichment and enhanced chlorophyll and secondary production levels downstream. The Mascarene Basin is clearly distinguishable from the ridge itself, and from the waters to the south and north, both in terms of size-distributed zooplankton biomass and community structure. Satellite remote sensing data, particularly remotely-sensed ocean colour imagery and the sea surface height anomaly (SSHA), indicate support for this hypothesis. A correlation was found between OPC biovolume and SSHA and sea surface temperature (SST), which may indicate the physical processes driving mesozooplankton variability in this area. Biomass values away from the influence of the ridge averaged 24 mg m-3, but downstream if the ridge biomass averaged 263 mg m-3. Copepods comprised 60% of the mean total organisms. Calanoid copepods varied considerably between regions, being lowest away from the influence of the plateau, where higher numbers of the cyclopoid copepods Oithona spp., Corycaeus spp. and Oncaea spp., and the harpacticoid Microsetella spp. were found.