A Biogeographic assessment off North/Central California: In support of the National Marine Sanctuaries of Cordell Bank, Gulf of the Farallones and Monterey Bay. Phase II - Environmental setting and update to marine birds and animals

NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) conducts and supports research, monitoring, assessments, and technical assistance to meet NOAA’s coastal stewardship and management responsibilities. In 2001 the Biogeography Branch of NCCOS partnered with NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuary Program (NMSP) to conduct biogeographic assessments to support the management plan updates for the sanctuaries. The first biogeographic assessment conducted in this partnership focused on three sanctuaries off north/ central California: Cordell Bank, Gulf of the Farallones and Monterey Bay. Phase I of this assessment was conducted from 2001 to 2004, with the primary goal to identify and gather the best available data and information to characterize and identify important biological areas and time periods within the study area. The study area encompasses the three sanctuaries and extends along the coastal ocean off California from Pt. Arena to Pt. Sal (35°-39°N). This partnership project was lead by the NCCOS Biogeography Branch, but included over 90 contributors and 25 collaborating institutions. Phase I results include: 1) a report on the overall assessment that includes hundreds of maps, tables and analyses; 2) an ecological linkage report on the marine and estuarine ecosystems along the coast of north/central California, and 3) related geographic information system (GIS) data and other summary data files, which are available for viewing and download in several formats at the following website: http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/products/biogeography/canms_cd/welcome.html Phase II (this report) was initiated in the Fall of 2004 to complete the analyses of marine mammals and update the marine bird colony information. Phase II resulted in significant updates to the bird and mammal chapters, as well as adding an environmental settings chapter, which contains new and existing data and maps on the study area. Specifically, the following Phase II topics and items were either revised or developed new for Phase II: •environmental, ecological settings – new maps on marine physiographic features, sea surface temperature and fronts, chlorophyll and productivity •all bird colony or roost maps, including a summary of marine bird colonies •updated at-sea data CDAS data set (1980-2003) •all mammal maps and descriptions •new overall density maps for eight mammal species •new summary pinniped rookery/haulout map •new maps on at-sea richness for cetaceans and pinnipeds •most text in the mammal chapter •new summary tables for mammals on population status and spatial and temporal patterns

An oceanographic characterizations of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary and Pacific Northwest: interpretive summary of ocean climate and regional processes through satellite remote sensing

This report presents the results of a two-year investigation and summary of oceanographic satellite data obtained from multiple operational data providers and sources, spanning years of operational data collection. Long-term summaries of Sea Surface Temperature (SST) and SST fronts, Sea Surface Height Anomalies (SSHA), surface currents, ocean color chlorophyll and turbidity, and winds are provided. Merged satellite oceanographic data revealed information on: (1) seasonal cycles and timing of transition periods; (2) linkages between seasonal effects (warming and cooling), upwelling processes and transport; and (3) nutrient/sediment sources, sinks, and physical limiting factors controlling surface response for Olympic Coast marine environments. These data and information can be used for building relevant hind cast models, ecological forecasts, and regional environmental indices (e.g. upwelling, climate, “hot spot”) on biological distribution and/or response in the PNW.

Marine pollution and zooplankton: some recent trends in marine pollution studies

The presence of even very minute quantities of pollutants may become harmful either due to their direct effect on zooplankton or indirectly due to the transfer of the pollutants to other trophic levels through zooplankton. The recent trend in marine pollution studies is therefore to find out the effects of very minute quantities of these pollutants on marine zooplankton and the methods of their accumulation and transfer to the organisms of higher trophic level including man. A review of laboratory and field studies concerning the effects of pollutants such as hydrocarbons, crude oil, heavy metals, pesticides and heated waste water on the survival, breeding, movement, faecal pellet production, growth and development on marine zooplankton is presented.

Embankment damaging marine organisms and their control measures using calcium carbide

Five species of crabs and three species of fishes were the main marine organisms found damaging embankments owing to their burrowing nature. Among crabs, Scylla serrata was in the highest percentage, while among fishes, Boleopthalamus dussumieri was recorded in maximum percentage calcium carbide 10-15 per burrow was effective in eradicating the crabs.

Investigations on the bottom conditions and the possibilities for marine prawn and fish trawling on the north and east coast of Ceylon

The execution of this survey was decided upon by Swedevelop in agreement with the Sri Lanka Fisheries Corporation and was a part of the investigations and studies for a fishery project at Trincomalee which was carried out by Scandia Consult. The main purpose was to investigate the following aspects: bottom conditions, especially prawn trawling conditions; size of the potential prawn trawling catches; size and quality of the potential fish trawling catches; suitable sizes and types of boats and trawling gear; duration of trawl fishing season.

Some bacteria isolated from marine plankton and mud

57 bacterial strains isolated from marine plankton and mud from the inshore waters of Cochin, are described. The flora of the plankton was dominated by chromogens while mud sample and failed to produce chromogens. The different strains are divided into five arbitrary groups for the convenience of description. The flora is similar to that of Mandapam (east coast) while it differed from the flora of Calicut (west coast) in the paucity of Bacillus and other spore formers.

Occurrence of Vibrio parahaemolyticus in marine prawns and environments

Qualitative studies on the microflora of slime and guts of prawns and of sea water off Nagapattinam showed the presence of Vibrio in the slime and sea water. They were further tested for Vibrio parahaemolyticus types and related bio-types. Evidence of its occurrence is given. This points to the need for further studies on the distribution of this organism in terms of public health significance.

Salt tolerance of bacteria isolated from tropical marine fish and prawn

Salt tolerance of selected cultures of Pseudomonas, Moraxella, Vibrio, Micrococcus, Acinetobacter and Flavobacteria/ Cytophaga was determined. More than 80% of the cultures belonging to each of the above genera, were capable of growth in presence of 1.5 to 3.5% salt (NaCl) and at least 25 to 30% of the cultures in each group required 1.5 to 3.5% salt for growth. 40% each of Pseudomonas and Vibrio strains and 30% each of Moraxella, Micrococcus and Flavobacteria/Cytophaga strains tolerated 10% salt. Majority of the cultures belonging to the genera Pseudomonas, Vibrio, Moraxella, Micrococcus, Acinetobacter and Flavobacteria/Cytophaga were slightly halophilic (2 to 5% salt tolerant), about 25% especially of Micrococcus spp. moderately halophilic (5 to 20% salt tolerant) and none from Pseudomonas, Vibrio, Moraxella, Acinetobacter and Flavobacteria/Cytophaga spp. extremely halophilic (20 to 32% salt tolerant).

Fisheries, marine environment, and integrated coastal management policy processes, content and implementation in the BOBLME countries: regional synthesis and country questionnaires

This paper examines policy processes, policy trends and policy implementation with regards to capture fisheries, the marine environment and Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) in BOBLME countries. Individual country information was analyzed to generate a regional synthesis.