Importance of shoreface sand ridges as habitat for fishes off the northeast coast of the United States

To determine if shoreface sand ridges provide unique habitats for fish on the inner continental shelf, two cross-shelf trawl surveys (23 km in length) were conducted in southern New Jersey (July and September 1991−95 with a beam trawl and July and September 1997−06 with an otter trawl) to assess whether species abundance, richness, and assemblages differed on and away from the ridge. The dominant species collected with both gears were from the families Paralichthyidae, Triglidae, Gobiidae, Serranidae, Engraulidae, Stromateidae, and Sciaenidae. Overall abundance (n=41,451 individuals) and species richness (n=61 species) were distributed bimodally across the nearshore to offshore transect, and the highest values were found on either side of the sand ridge regardless of gear type. Canonical correspondence analysis revealed three species assemblages: inshore (<5 meters depth), near-ridge (9−14 meters depth), and offshore (>14 meters depth), and variation in species composition between gear types. Environmental factors that corresponded with the assemblage changes included depth, temperature, distance from the top of the ridge, and habitat complexity. The most abundant near-ridge assemblages were distinct and included economically important species. Sand ridges of the inner continental shelf appear to be important habitat for a number of fish species and therefore may not be a suitable area for sand and gravel mining.

Aquaculture of a high-value freshwater fish in [Malaysia] : the marble or sand goby (Oxyeleotris marmoratus, Bleeker)

The article highlights the aquaculture of marble or sand goby (Oxyeleotris marmoratus) in Malaysia. Topics discussed are: breeding, hatchery and nursery techiques, nutrition, growout techniques, and diseases.

Publicar ou perecer: uma análise críticonormativa das características e dos efeitos dos modelos cientométrico e bibliométrico adotados no Brasil

A presente Tese de Doutorado analisa as características e os efeitos da cientometria e bibliometria adotadas no Brasil. Primeiramente, a fim de contextualizar o tema, faço uma revisão de literatura acerca do processo de mercantilização da educação. Meu objetivo é mostrar a inclinação empresarial das políticas públicas educacionais, especialmente aquelas voltadas para a pós-graduação. Além disso, seleciono e analiso alguns conceitos que ajudam a compreender o presente tema, bem como sustento a inadequação da lógica de economia de mercado como forma de gerir a Academia e a ciência. Na segunda parte da Tese, focalizo os critérios adotados para avaliar a hierarquizar Programas de Pós-Graduação e diferenciar pesquisadores. A tese a ser defendida é que o modelo CAPES de avaliação da pós-graduação está baseado numa norma produtividade de cunho periodicocrático que cria uma forte pressão por publicação de artigos em periódicos acadêmico-científicos, uma vez que eles os produtos privilegiados no modelo de mensuração objetivista em vigor. Produzir/publicar artigos torna-se, portanto, a performance acadêmico-científica por excelência. Isso enseja a criação de um mercado acadêmico-científico e de um mercado de publicações, o que cria um contexto propício para a ocorrência de más condutas acadêmico-científicas

Age, Growth, Life History, and Fisheries of the Sand Sole, Psettichthys melanostictus

Sand sole, Psettichthys melanostictus, is a small but important part of the west coast groundfish fishery. It has never been assessed and there is a limited amount of biological data for the species. We provide the first estimates of age and growth for California populations and compare them with studies from other areas. We found that sand sole is a rapidly growing species which may show a strong latitudinal gradient in growth rate. We also found evidence of a recent, strong cohortrelated shift in the sex ratio of the population towards fewer females. In addition we examined data from the Washington, Oregon, and California commercial fishery to make an initial determination of population status. We found that catch per unit of effort in commercial trawls experienced a decline over time but has rebounded in recent years, except central California (the southern part of its commercial range), where the decline has not reversed.

New Products and Markets for Menhaden, Brevoortia spp.

Although menhaden, Brevoortia spp., represent 23.5 percent of United States commercial fishery landings, they represent only about 2.6 percent of the total landed value of fishery products. New food products and markets are needed to increase the economic value of the menhaden resource. This paper describes investigations of menhaden as a raw material for both traditional and new forms of food products. Canned menhaden is a logical food product, but the production of a menhaden surimi with good functionality has recently been demonstrated. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has placed partially hydrogenated menhaden oil on the GRAS list of ingredients for food products, but a decision on the status of nutritionally beneficial refined menhaden oil is not yet available. Refined menhaden oil is currently the raw material for biomedical test materials being used in research approved by the National Institutes of Health to determine the health benefits of fish oils and omega-3 fatty acids. The test materials are being produced, with strict quality controls, at the NMFS Charleston Laboratory.