Observer-reported skate bycatch in the commercial groundfish fisheries of Alaska

We analyzed skate catch data collected by observers in the North Pacific Groundfish Observer Program (NPGOP) from 1998 through 2008 to document recent changes in the identification of skates by observers and to examine the species composition of observed skate catch in Alaska’s groundfish fisheries as well as recent trends in skate retention by commercial fishermen. Historically, almost all skate bycatch has been reported by NPGOP observers as “skate unidentified.” However, since 2004 observers have been trained to identify skates to the genus and species level. In 2008 over 95% of all skates were identified at least to the genus level, and over 50% were identified to species. The most common species of skates identified by observers in groundfish fisheries are Bathyraja parmifera (Alaska skate), Raja binoculata (big skate), and Bathyraja aleutica (Aleutian skate). Species composition of reported skate catch generally reflects recent survey-derived biomass estimates, with B. parmifera dominating the catches in the Bering Sea and, to a lesser extent, in the Aleutian Islands region, and species of the genus Raja dominating catches in the Gulf of Alaska. A relatively high percentage of the skate catch on longline vessels is still reported at the family or genus level because of difficulties in the identification of skates not brought onboard the vessel. For the larger skate species, the proportion retained for processing has increased in recent years as the market price for skate product has increased. Although observed skate catch does not give a complete account of skate bycatch in the fisheries of the region, observer data provide critical information for the appropriate management of skate populations in Alaska.

Estimation of deepwater snapper yield from Tongan seamounts

The data from two years' monitoring of the Tongan seamount fishery were analyzed the two main export species are Pristipomoides filamentosus and Etelis coruscans. K.R. Allen's model was used to obtain estimates of catchability and recruitment and of a surplus production of 737 kg per nautical mile (nm) of 200 m contour. This compared reasonably well to total landings. Using this estimate, the annual surplus production for Tonga's 294 nm of 200 m contour is 217 t. The level of fishing mortality was found to be 0.3/year.

Tornar-se doCENte: uma viagem pelas experiências formativas de professores da Educação Infantil do Centro Educacional de Niterói de 1980 a 2006

Esta dissertação tem como centralidade investigar as narrativas de professores que atuaram no segmento da Educação Infantil do Centro Educacional de Niterói (CEN), entre 1980 e 2006. Esta pesquisa busca compreender, em um mergulho nas abordagens (auto)biográficas, como estes docentes viveram as ações de formação, ou de (trans)formação, desenvolvidas no espaçotempo desta escola, percebidas como movimentos instituintes. Por último, busca compreender os impactos que a experiência de ser docente no CEN, ou tornar-se doCENte, trouxe para a construção de sua identidade e de sua atuação pedagógica. Para a consecução destes objetivos, tornou-se necessário, em paralelo, compreender a escola e suas principais marcas identitárias. Sendo assim, a dissertação contempla também uma investigação sobre o contexto histórico de sua criação no final da década de 1950 e início da década de 1960. Elementos de uma viagem foram tomados como metáfora a fim de elucidar o itinerário da pesquisa e, assim, refletir acerca dos referenciais teóricos metodológicos que a perpassam e fundamentam, tais como os conceitos de história, experiência, narrativas (auto)biográficas, formação docente, movimentos instituintes, conversas e análise de conteúdo. A partir do entrelaçamento destes conceitos, tomados como fundamentais à investigação, da interlocução com o contexto histórico institucional e das conversas com os professores, vividas como parte do trabalho de pesquisa, esta dissertação busca compreender discursos, processos de formação e espaços formativos. Dentre as muitas reflexões que a pesquisa proporciona, destaco: a importância da busca pelo conhecimento como elemento constitutivo da identidade docente, ou seja, a formação docente deve ter com preocupação central a formação de professores pesquisadores; a necessidade do estreitamento do diálogo entre escola e universidade; e a transformação de cada escola em centro de formação docente, em fórum de discussão e construção de saberes e fazeres, em uma perspectiva pessoal e coletiva.

Offshore Migratory Corridors and Aerial Photogrammetric Body Length Comparisons of Southbound Gray Whales, Eschrichtius robustus, in the Southern California Bight, 1988–1990

Through most of their annual migration, gray whales, Eschrichtius robustus, remain within 10 km of shore, but in the Southern California Bight many individuals migrate much farther from shore. This paper summarizes aerial survey and photogrammetric efforts to determine body lengths and temporal and spatial distributions of migratory gray whales in the southern portion of the Southern California Bight. Aerial surveys were flown along 13 east–west transects between lat. 32°35′N and 33°30′N during the southbound gray whale migratory seasons of 1988–90 in the Southern California Bight. Photogrammetry was used to obtain body length estimates of animals during some of the surveys. A total of 1,878 whales in 675 groups were sighted along 25,440 km of transect distance flown and 217 body lengths were measured. Using position and heading data, three major migratory pathways or corridors in the southern portion of the bight are defined. Those migrating offshore were split almost evenly between two corridors along the west sides of Santa Catalina and San Clemente Islands. These corridors converge on the mainland coast between San Diego and the United States–Mexico border. No whales larger than 11.5 m were photographed within 30 km of the mainland coast, suggesting that smaller, and presumably younger, whales use the coastal migratory corridor through the California Bight.