Reducing sea turtle bycatch in trawl nets: a history of NMFS turtle excluder device (TED) research

Thirty-six years ago, NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service began research on how to reduce mortality of sea turtles, Chelonioidea, in shrimp trawls. As a result of efforts of NMFS and many stakeholders, including domestic and foreign fishermen, environmentalists, Sea Grant agents, and government agencies, many trawl fisheries around the world use a version of the turtle excluder device (TED). This article chronicles the contributions of NMFS to this effort, much of which occurred at the NMFS Mississippi Laboratories in Pascagoula. Specifically, it summarizes the impetus for and results of major developments and little known events in the TED research and discusses how these influenced the course of subsequent research.

Age determination manual of the Alaska Fisheries Science Center Age and Growth Program

The Age and Growth Program at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center is tasked with providing age data in order to improve the basic understanding of the ecology and fisheries dynamics of Alaskan fish species. The primary focus of the Age and Growth Program is to estimate ages from otoliths and other calcified structures for age-structured modeling of commercially exploited stocks; however, the program has recently expanded its interests to include numerous studies on topics ranging from age estimate validation to the growth and life history of non-target species. Because so many applications rely upon age data and particularly upon assurances as to their accuracy and precision, the Age and Growth Program has developed this practical guide to document the age determination of key groundfish species from Alaskan waters. The main objective of this manual is to describe techniques specific to the age determination of commercially and ecologically important species studied by the Age and Growth Program. The manual also provides general background information on otolith morphology, dissection, and preparation, as well as descriptions of methods used to measure precision and accuracy of age estimates. This manual is intended not only as a reference for age readers at the AFSC and other laboratories, but also to give insight into the quality of age estimates to scientists who routinely use such data.

Osmotic stress does not trigger brevetoxin production in the dinoflagellate Karenia brevis

With the global proliferation of toxic Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) species, there is a need to identify the environmental and biological factors that regulate toxin production. One such species, Karenia brevis, forms nearly annual blooms that threaten coastal regions throughout the Gulf of Mexico. This dinoflagellate produces brevetoxins, potent neurotoxins that cause neurotoxic shellfish poisoning and respiratory illness in humans, as well as massive fish kills. A recent publication reported that a rapid decrease in salinity increased cellular toxin quotas in K. brevis and hypothesized that brevetoxins serve a role in osmoregulation. This finding implied that salinity shifts could significantly alter the toxic impacts of blooms. We repeated the original experiments separately in three different laboratories and found no evidence for increased brevetoxin production in response to low-salinity stress in any of the eight K. brevis strains we tested, including three used in the original study. Thus, we find no support for an osmoregulatory function of brevetoxins. The original publication also stated that there was no known cellular function for brevetoxins. However, there is increasing evidence that brevetoxins promote survival of the dinoflagellates by deterring grazing by zooplankton. Whether they have other as yet unidentified cellular functions is currently unknown.

Palmyra Atoll coral reef habitat mapping completion report

The United States Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) was established in 1998 by Presidential Executive Order 13089 to lead U.S. efforts to preserve and protect coral reef ecosystems. Current, accurate, and consistent maps greatly enhance efforts to preserve and manage coral reef ecosystems. With comprehensive maps and habitat assessments, coral reef managers can be more effective in designing and implementing a variety of conservation measures, including: • Long-term monitoring programs with accurate baselines from which to track changes; • Place-based conservation measures such as marine protected areas (MPAs); and • Targeted research to better understand the oceanographic and ecological processes affecting coral reef ecosystem health. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Ocean Service (NOS) is tasked with leading the coral ecosystem mapping element of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (CRTF) under the authority of the Presidential Executive Order 13089 to map and manage the coral reefs of the United States.

Effect of analytical conditions in wavelength dispersive electron microprobe analysis on the measurement of strontium-to-calcium (Sr/Ca) ratios in otoliths of anadromous salmonids

The use of strontium-to-calcium (Sr/Ca) ratios in otoliths is becoming a standard method to describe life history type and the chronology of migrations between freshwater and seawater habitats in teleosts (e.g. Kalish, 1990; Radtke et al., 1990; Secor, 1992; Rieman et al., 1994; Radtke, 1995; Limburg, 1995; Tzeng et al. 1997; Volk et al., 2000; Zimmerman, 2000; Zimmerman and Reeves, 2000, 2002). This method provides critical information concerning the relationship and ecology of species exhibiting phenotypic variation in migratory behavior (Kalish, 1990; Secor, 1999). Methods and procedures, however, vary among laboratories because a standard method or protocol for measurement of Sr in otoliths does not exist. In this note, we examine the variations in analytical conditions in an effort to increase precision of Sr/Ca measurements. From these findings we argue that precision can be maximized with higher beam current (although there is specimen damage) than previously recommended by Gunn et al. (1992).

Highly migratory shark fisheries research by the National Shark Research Consortium (NSRC), 2002-2007

The National Shark Research Consortium (NSRC) includes the Center for Shark Research at Mote Marine Laboratory, the Pacific Shark Research Center at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, the Shark Research Program at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, and the Florida Program for Shark Research at the University of Florida. The consortium objectives include shark-related research in the Gulf of Mexico and along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the U.S., education and scientific cooperation.

The Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, Ernakulam

In appreciation of the pressing need for coordinated research in various aspects of fishery technology and for the overall development of fisheries industries in India, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture had decided to set up the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology. The Institute was established in 1957 at Cochin (Ernakulam). The research work at the Institute including its sub-stations and units is carried out in two wings: Craft and Gear Wing and Processing Wing. The third unit, the Extension Information and Statistics Wing, renders a service by functioning as a liaison between the research laboratories and the industry.

Effect of different media on the determination of the number of micro organisms in frozen prawns (shrimp)

The Indian standards Institution have recently laid down specifications for the grading of frozen shrimp of which the bacterial examination of the product forms a significant part. Work carried out in this regard in our laboratories have shown that various improvements could be made in the composition of the medium to obtain a more true picture of the total bacterial count. Changes in the medium for total bacterial count have, therefore, been suggested and the reasons for the same discussed.

Some marine algae from Ceylon - 1

Since his last publication "Contribution to the Study of the Marine Algae of Ceylon"(1961), the author has made several collections which contain interesting material which he has not hitherto described. This and any other material which he come across in future surveys will be described in a series of papers of which this is the first. The present paper includes the description of fourteen species of which three are new to science. These are deposited in the Herbarium of the Royal Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya, Ceylon.