How fresh is too fresh?: the live reef food fish trade in eastern Indonesia

Although the live reef food fish trade has become an increasingly "hot" topic in the environmental press in recent months, many of the sources reporting on this practice have tended to focus on issues related to the rampant use of sodium cyanide in the trade, rather than the more pressing matter of the looming potential for overexploitation engendered by this practice. Presented in this article is a brief overview of the live reef food fish trade as it is practiced in eastern Indonesia covering the methods used and economics, geographic extent and numerous deleterious effects of the fishery.

Estimating the food consumption of fishes: one step in linking a species with its ecosystem

Details are given of a new software package MAXIMS which may be used to estimate the daily food consumption of fish. The software estimates the feeding times, the rates of ingestion and evacuation and related parameters. Two applications of the program are described. The first pertains to anchovy (Engraulis ringens ) with one feeding period per day, and the second one to juvenile cod (Gadus morhua ), which feed during dawn and dusk.

Food consumption/biomass ratios of the pelagic fish community of Lake Malawi/Niassa

An empirical model relating food requirements to morphometric indices of metabolic rate was used to calculate consumption/biomass ratios (Q/B) for 16 species of fish that make the pelagic fish community in Lake Malawi/Niassa. The Q/B/year varied from 3.31 to 9.82, with the large catfish (Dinotopterus nyasensis) having the lowest and a small cyprinid (Engraulicypris sardella) having the highest Q/B ratio. Direct estimates of Q/B for four of the most abundant species, based on analysis of diel feeding patterns, ranged from 4.20 to 24.70; the extreme values in this range representing replicate studies on the same species, the predatory cichlid Rhamphochromis longiceps. Previous studies that indicated exceptionally low Q/B ratios (1.0) in pelagic cichlids from Lake Malawi are not supported by this more recent work.

Food and feeding habits of Synodontis nigrita from the Osun River, SW Nigeria

An investigation was conducted into the food and feeding habits of Synodontis nigrita from the Osun River near Epe, Lagos, Nigeria. The food items in the stomach of the S. nigrita covered a wide spectrum, ranging from various types of plankton to invertebrates and plants. A seasonal variation was also noted in the stomach contents of S. nigrita over the period of investigation. The predominant food items found in the stomach were Polycystis spp., Closterium spp., Oedogonium spp., plant tissues, insect parts and detritus. This suggests that S. nigrita is an omnivore.

Edible seaweeds: an important source of food and income to indigenous Fijians

The increasing harvest of 7 edible seaweeds in Fiji and their importance to the economy of indigenous Fijians are discussed. Traditional methods in the collection, preparation and consumption of seaweeds by the Fijians are also presented.

Food conversion efficiency and the von Bertalanffy growth function 1: a modification of Pauly's model

A simple modification of Pauly's model for relating food conversion efficiency (K sub(1)) and body weight is proposed. The key parameter is an index to how efficiently food can be absorbed; the other parameter is related to the surface-limiting growth, an important component of von Bertalanff's and Pauly's theories of fish growth.

Food conversion efficiency and the von Bertalanffy growth function. Part II and conclusion: Extension of the new model to the generalized von Bertalanffy growth function

The simple model relating food conversion efficiency (K sub(1)) to body weight derived from the theoretical concepts behind von Bertalanffy's growth model, is extended here in the context of Pauly's generalization of that model. The exponent, which was fixed to 1/3 in the simple model, is in the extended model equivalent to 1-d, with d being the weight exponent of the anabolism term in Pauly's growth model. This makes the model applicable to fish for which the assumptions of the original (special) version of von Bertalanffy's growth model are violated.

The role of small indigenous fish species in food and nutrition security in Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, only 6% of the daily food intake is animal food of which fish accounts for 50%. Rice is the mainstay, making up 60% of the daily food intake. However, many nutrients such as vitamins A and C, iron, calcium, zinc and iodine are not found in rice and have to be obtained from other sources. Small indigenous fish are a vital contribution to the diet of the rural poor in Bangladesh, where more than 30,000 children go blind every year from vitamin A deficiency and 70% of women and children are iron-deficient. Small fish, which are less than 10 cm in length and usually eaten whole with the organs and bones, contain large amount of calcium and possibly iron and zinc. The largest fish promoted in aquaculture do not contribute significantly to calcium intake. Some species also contain large amount of vitamin A. Much of the small indigenous fish (SIS) of Bangladesh are caught in floodplains and natural waterbodies. Small fish are eaten frequently in small amounts and are more equally distributed among family members than big fish of which men get the larger share. Unfortunately, overfishing and the deterioration of natural habitats have resulted in a decline in SIS. When measures are taken to improve food and nutrition security, there should be a focus on production of small fish so that greater quantities are accessible for consumption by the rural poor.

Food habits of two sciaenid fish species (Pseudotolithus typus and Pseudotolithus senegalensis) off Cameroon

Pseudotolithus typus and P. senegalensis (Sciaenidae) sampled off Cameroon Coast, West Africa, have been found to feed mainly on shrimps (Nematoplaemon hastatus and Parapenaeopsis atlantica) and juvenile fish (mostly clupeids). The diet composition is presented and discussed.

Fisheries production in Asia: its role in food security and nutrition

This paper reviews the status and some management issues of fisheries production in Asia, as well as the supply and demand situation. Its food security and nutritional roles and opportunities for value addition are also discussed.

Quahogs in Eastern North America: Part II, History by Province and State

The northern quahog, Mercenaria mercenaria, ranges along the Atlantic Coast of North America from the Canadian Maritimes to Florida, while the southern quahog, M. campechiensis, ranges mostly from Florida to southern Mexico. The northern quahog was fished by native North Americans during prehistoric periods. They used the meats as food and the shells as scrapers and as utensils. The European colonists copied the Indians treading method, and they also used short rakes for harvesting quahogs. The Indians of southern New England and Long Island, N.Y., made wampum from quahog shells, used it for ornaments and sold it to the colonists, who, in turn, traded it to other Indians for furs. During the late 1600’s, 1700’s, and 1800’s, wampum was made in small factories for eventual trading with Indians farther west for furs. The quahoging industry has provided people in many coastal communities with a means of earning a livelihood and has given consumers a tasty, wholesome food whether eaten raw, steamed, cooked in chowders, or as stuffed quahogs. More than a dozen methods and types of gear have been used in the last two centuries for harvesting quahogs. They include treading and using various types of rakes and dredges, both of which have undergone continuous improvements in design. Modern dredges are equipped with hydraulic jets and one type has an escalator to bring the quahogs continuously to the boats. In the early 1900’s, most provinces and states established regulations to conserve and maximize yields of their quahog stocks. They include a minimum size, now almost universally a 38-mm shell width, and can include gear limitations and daily quotas. The United States produces far more quahogs than either Canada or Mexico. The leading producer in Canada is Prince Edward Island. In the United States, New York, New Jersey, and Rhode Island lead in quahog production in the north, while Virginia and North Carolina lead in the south. Connecticut and Florida were large producers in the 1990’s. The State of Tabasco leads in Mexican production. In the northeastern United States, the bays with large openings, and thus large exchanges of bay waters with ocean waters, have much larger stocks of quahogs and fisheries than bays with small openings and water exchanges. Quahog stocks in certified beds have been enhanced by transplanting stocks to them from stocks in uncertified waters and by planting seed grown in hatcheries, which grew in number from Massachusetts to Florida in the 1980’s and 1990’s.

Quahogs in Eastern North America: Part I, Biology, Ecology, and Historical Uses

The northern quahog, Mercenaria mercenaria, ranges along the Atlantic Coast of North America from the Canadian Maritimes to Florida, while the southern quahog, M. campechiensis, ranges mostly from Florida to southern Mexico. The northern quahog was fished by native North Americans during prehistoric periods. They used the meats as food and the shells as scrapers and as utensils. The European colonists copied the Indians treading method, and they also used short rakes for harvesting quahogs. The Indians of southern New England made wampum from quahog shells, used it for ornaments and sold it to the colonists, who, in turn, traded it to other Indians for furs. During the late 1600’s, 1700’s, and 1800’s, wampum was made in small factories for eventual trading with Indians farther west for furs. The quahoging industry has provided people in many coastal communities with a means of earning a livelihood and has provided consumers with a tasty, wholesome food whether eaten raw, steamed, cooked in chowders, or as stuffed quahogs. More than a dozen methods and types of gear have been used in the last two centuries for harvesting quahogs. They include treading and using various types of rakes and dredges, both of which have undergone continuous improvements in design. Modern dredges are equipped with hydraulic jets and one type has an escalator to bring the quahogs continuously to the boats. In the early 1900’s, most provinces and states established regulations to conserve and maximize yields of their quahog stocks. They include a minimum size, now almost universally a 38-mm shell width, and can include gear limitations and daily quotas. The United States produces far more quahogs than either Canada or Mexico. The leading producer in Canada is Prince Edward Island. In the United States, New York, New Jersey, and Rhode Island lead in quahog production in the north, while Virginia and North Carolina lead in the south. Connecticut and Florida were large producers in the 1990’s. The State of Campeche leads in Mexican production. In the northeastern United States, the bays with large openings, and thus large exchanges of bay waters with ocean waters, have much larger stocks of quahogs and fisheries than bays with small openings and water exchanges. Quahog stocks in certifi ed beds have been enhanced by transplanting stocks to them from stocks in uncertified waters and by planting seed grown in hatcheries, which grew in number from Massachusetts to Florida in the 1980’s and 1990’s.

Análise do processo de formulação de uma proposta de regulamentação de propagandas de alimentos: um estudo de caso

O consumo de alimentos processados tem crescido mundialmente e esse aumento tem sido relacionado em parte, pelas estratégias de marketing utilizadas pelas indústrias alimentícias que tem como objetivo aumentar as vendas e expandir o mercado consumidor. Segundo documento Recomendações da Consulta de Especialistas da Organização Pan-Americana da Saúde sobre a Promoção e a Publicidade de Alimentos e Bebidas Não Alcoólicas para Crianças nas Américas, a publicidade televisiva é a forma mais utilizada de marketing de alimentos para crianças e está associada a maior preferência e aumentos nos pedidos de compra de alimentos e bebidas com elevado teor de gordura, açúcar e sal. No âmbito da discussão mais recente sobre a possível influência da propaganda de alimentos na epidemia mundial de obesidade e doenças crônicas, o governo brasileiro, por meio da Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária (ANVISA), formulou uma proposta de Regulamento Técnico que normatiza os termos das atividades publicitárias e que se concretizou na Resolução da Diretoria Colegiada n 24 de 2010 (RDC24/2010). Logo após sua publicação, grupos de interesse empresarial entraram na justiça e obtiveram diversas liminares que suspenderam a aplicação da RDC 24/2010 com base em parecer contrário da Advocacia Geral da União (AGU). O debate sobre ações regulatórias no campo da alimentação e nutrição como estratégia de controle e prevenção da obesidade envolve diversos atores sociais e opiniões bastante distintas e antagônicas, principalmente quando se trata dos argumentos do grupo de indivíduos que acredita na regulamentação da publicidade como uma forma de promover a saúde versus os argumentos contrários dos setores econômicos ligados ao tema a ser regulado. Neste sentido, este trabalho teve a intenção de descrever como e por que, neste processo, algumas práticas se estabeleceram no cotidiano das instituições e identificar os embates, argumentos e conflitos de interesses que apareceram nas discussões a respeito da formulação da resolução. Para isso, foi feita, primeiramente, análise documental de todo o processo de formulação, através de arquivos institucionais, documentos, pareceres, relatórios, entre outros. Posteriormente, foram identificados e caracterizados os sujeitos que participaram do processo e em seguida, realizadas entrevistas semi-estruturadas com atores chaves. Foram encontradas duas teses centrais no debate em torno da formulação da resolução: a primeira, se o Estado deve estabelecer uma regulamentação sobre publicidade de alimentos e a segunda diz respeito à competência legal da ANVISA em exercer o papel regulador sobre a propaganda de alimentos. As disputas em torno destas duas teses e os argumentos que se apresentaram para defendê-las são evidentemente incomensuráveis entre si, não havendo esperança de acordo entre as partes. O caso descrito elegeu a ANVISA como o território da disputa e a aparente maioria no jogo democrático desta arena mostrou-se ineficaz diante da captura pelo questionamento da pertinência desta Agência para função de regular a publicidade de alimentos.