Rapid assessment of stony coral richness and condition on Saba Bank, Netherlands Antilles

The benthic habitats of Saba Bank (17°25′N, 63°30′W) are at risk from maritime traffic, especially oil tankers (e.g., anchoring). To mitigate this risk, information is needed on the biodiversity and location of habitats to develop a zone use plan. A rapid survey to document the biodiversity of macro-algae, sponges, corals and fishes was conducted. Here we report on the richness and condition of stony coral species at 18 select sites, and we test for the effects of bottom type, depth, and distance from platform edge. Species richness was visually assessed by roving scuba diver with voucher specimens of each species collected. Coral tissue was examined for bleaching and diseases. Thirty-three coral species were documented. There were no significant differences in coral composition among bottom types or depth classes (ANOSIM, P>0.05). There was a significant difference between sites (ANOSIM, P<0.05) near and far from the platform edge. The number of coral species observed ranged from zero and one in algal dominated habitats to 23 at a reef habitat on the southern edge of the Bank. Five reef sites had stands of Acropora cervicornis, a critically endangered species on the IUCN redlist. Bleaching was evident at 82% of the sites assessed with 43 colonies bleached. Only three coral colonies were observed to have disease. Combining our findings with that of other studies, a total of 43 species have been documented from Saba Bank. The coral assemblage on the bank is representative and typical of those found elsewhere in the Caribbean. Although our findings will help develop effective protection, more information is needed on Saba Bank to create a comprehensive zone use plan. Nevertheless, immediate action is warranted to protect the diverse coral reef habitats documented here, especially those containing A. cervicornis.

Fish for the future: Fisheries development and food security for Kiribati in an era of global climate change

The Republic of Kiribati is a vast South Pacific island group with one of the largest exclusive economic zones (EEZs) in the world. Kiribati waters support a wealth of marine fisheries activities. These activities occur in oceanic, coastal and inshore environments and range from large, foreign, industrial-scale oceanic fishing operations to small-scale, domestic, inshore subsistence fisheries, aquaculture and recreational fisheries. Kiribati has developed a framework of domestic and international governance arrangements that are designed to sustainably manage its wealth of marine resources. The report provides background information for fisheries projects in Kiribati that aim to build food security, improve artisanal livelihoods and strengthen community engagement in fisheries governance. It provides information on the current status of Kiribati fishery resources (oceanic and coastal), their current governance and future challenges. Fish and fisher alike pay little heed to maritime boundaries and bureaucratic distinctions. This report covers both sides of the oceanic/coastal boundary because of the I-Kiribati communities’ interest in oceanic fisheries such as tuna and their heavy dependence on its fisheries resources for food security and economic development. The report focuses on two potential pilot sites for community-based fisheries management projects: North Tarawa and Butaritari.

Actividade de pesca de emalhe e de arrasto na Baía de Maputo em 1984

The main goal of this paper is to determine the total catch of fish and shrimp made by driftnet fleet and trawling in Maputo Bay in 1984. This estimate is rather primitive in relation to artisanal fisheries. Fishermen show a lack of motivation for registration and data transmition (mainly due to a lack of mobilization and awareness). Then the quality of data is low and the informative system is not effective. The study is based on records of several organizations (Sulpesca, the Maritime Administration of Maputo, Maputo Fisheries Service) and enriched with information collected by samplers of the Instituto de Investigação Pesqueira of Maputo.

Impact of mechanisation of fisheries development in Karnataka

Karnataka, one of the maritime states on the west coast of India, has progressed quite well in marine fisheries due to its vast fisheries resources and diversification in mechanised fishing. Mechanisation programmes were started by the state from 1957-58 only. Starting with two small mechanised boats, the state has today a fishing fleet of 398 purseseiners, 731 gillnetters, 2 deepsea trawlers and about 1,500 shrimp trawlers contributing over 85% of the total marine fish landings. The marine fish production during 1987-88 up to the end of March 1988 was 1,29,659 tonnes valued at Rs.48.05 crores.

Study on primary production and its importance in an integrated fisheries research programme

The importance of the ocean as a source of cheap protein food is too well-known to be emphasised. In recent years there has been a tremendous increase in the fishing activity in all maritime nations and during the last few years the total world production has markedly grown. This study explains the importance of a planned exploitation according to scientific principles to preserve the availability and natural fluctuations in the abundance of stocks of marine fish and other commercially important organisms.

A note on the production trend of marine shrimps in India

The paper reviews the production statistics of marine shrimps in the different maritime states of India from 1950 to 1962. It is pointed out that for a correct appraisal of the status of any fishery, it is necessary to have data on effort E and catch per unit effort in addition to the conventional data on catch C. A relationship between U and E has been developed and the status of the fishery of Metapenaeus dobsoni has been discussed in this connection with reference to the data on catch and effort obtained from trawler operations off Cochin.

Survey on the idle capacity of fish processing (freezing) plants in India - 2. East coast

The extent of idle capacity in the fish processing (freezing) plants in the east coast of India estimated by stratified random sampling and the factors responsible for the same are reported. The estimates of idle capacity of fish processing plants in the east coast for the years 1978 and 1979 were respectively 75.9% and 72.5% on the basis of 250 working days per annum and double shift per day. The percentage errors of estimates worked out to 6.9 for 1978 and 4.7 for 1979. The corresponding figures were worked out on the basis of 200 working days also. Substantial under-utilisation of plants in all the maritime states in the east coast accounted mainly to non-availability of raw material, high cost of production, shortage of power, scarcity of ice and potable water during peak season and frequent labour troubles.

Fisheries profile mapping of coastal districts in Maharashtra state through GIS

In recent times, GIS is being increasingly used as a decision support system for management of fisheries and aquaculture. It provides new innovative approaches of the dynamic relations that characterize this sector. In this context, a study is conducted based on the secondary data of a major maritime state, Maharashtra, where mapping of fisheries profile of coastal districts in the state is performed through GIS tool having critical geographic dimensions. This paper aims to map information of the state which can be used for the purpose of planning and decision making as each aspect of map has a different component involved. For this purpose, at the core of the system, the data were accessed and integrated from different sources mainly from the five coastal districts of Maharashtra state. Data were brought in tabular form through Microsoft Excel and then joined to Map info Professional version 8.0 GIS software was used with the digitized map of Maharashtra state to enable mapping. This was further synchronized and integrated to generate four thematic maps searchable on several criteria. Map 1 contains the searchable criteria as regards to the fish growth for the year 1997-2004 and fish seed production for the year 2003-04. Map 2 contains fisher population along with their occupation for the year 1992. Map 3 contains brackish water and shrimp farming production and culture area. Map 4 contains infrastructural facilities which include type of boats etc. With this mapping, planners and various stakeholders have accessible information as regards to the various components of fisheries in the state of Maharashtra.

A conceptual approach to integrated coastal management

This paper focuses on the concept of Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) putting the theoretical basis of Chapter 17, Agenda 21 (UN Conference on Environment and Development, UNCED), in relation to the theoretical backgrounds on which the development of coastal area programmes have been founded. Reasoning leads us to think that the general system theory is the proper conceptual basis to stimulate ICM and that, in this theoretical context, integration is to be pursued between (i) the claiming of national maritime jurisdictional belts and the protection of the coastal ecosystem, (ii) the coastal system and its external environment, (iii) the decision making systems acting at all levels (international, regional, national and local). Integration, therefore, should be thought of as a political process.

四种海洋生物的化学成分及其生物活性研究

从海洋动植物中寻找和筛选具有药用价值的活性先导化合物是海洋药物研发极为重要的理论基础研究。基于中国东南热带和亚热带沿海海域丰富的生物资源，本工作以化学分析和生物活性筛选为导向，以黄海海域习见的绿藻束生刚毛藻、南海三亚附近海域的圆裂短足软珊瑚、海绵Pseudoceratina sp.及广西沿海滩涂的盐生植物海刀豆四种海洋生物为样品，应用现代分析和检测手段对其次生代谢产物及其生物活性进行较系统的研究。 综合利用现代色谱手段和波谱技术，从上述目标生物样品中共分离并结构鉴定化合物74个，其中新化合物10个，新天然产物1个，这一新发现原则性结果，属国内外首次报道。1.对黄海海域束生刚毛藻C. fascicularis的化学成分及其生物活性进行了首次研究，从中得到叶绿素类新化合物Porphyrinolactone 1和新天然产物 20-Chlor-(132-S)-hydroxyphaeophytin a 2，在避光条件下对叶绿素类化合物进行体外NF-κB活性抑制筛选实验, 结果表明化合物1-6对NF-κB都有显著的抑制活性；对叶绿素类化合物首次进行体外蛋白酶体ChT-L的抑制活性实验筛选,化合物2和4对蛋白酶体ChT-L表现出显著的抑制活性，在浓度为50μM时，抑制率分别为70%和73.5%，并对其立体构型和生物活性的构效关系进行探讨；首次从该属得到环阿尔廷三萜类化合物7—12；对所得化合物7—15在浓度为1μg/mL时对肿瘤细胞部分靶蛋白酶的抑制活性测定结果表明，这些化合物对不同的靶蛋白酶表现出较强的抑制活性。2. 从南海圆裂短足软珊瑚中发现孕甾及其糖苷类新化合物22—27。3. 南海海绵Pseudoceratina sp.中发现溴代酪氨酸生物碱类新化合物41—42，组胺酸生物碱类新化合物43，并对其生源关系进行探讨。4. 首次对海刀豆C. maritime的化学成分进行研究，发现紫檀素类化合物61—63，异黄酮4个64—67；对该类化合物61—67首次进行NF-κB和蛋白酶体ChT-L的抑制活性筛选，其中化合物63表现出较强的NF-κB的抑制活性。

AUV长基线系统海上应用中若干问题分析

对"CR-02"6 000 m自治水下机器人长基线声学定位系统海上试验中的若干问题从理论上进行分析和计算,并提出了解决方案。海上试验证明了方法的有效性和可靠性,为进一步的试验及应用积累工程经验。

微功耗海底地震仪的研制

Our motherland has large area of maritime space. Searching and developing ocean becomes more and more important. So Ocean Bottom Seismometer (OBS) as an absolutely necessary equipment can be used in many oceanic fields. OBS not only is an important instrument for discovering structure of lithosphere of ocean bottom, but also plays a main role of oceanic geophysical exploration. The paper introduces my relational work. The MCI micro-power broad frequency seismometer was developed independently. Its power dissipation is less than 300mW. It has some merits including miniature volumeN light mass and cheap price. It is an ideal device not only for the collection high-resolution natural seismic data, but also for the fields of seismic sounding and engineering seismology. Many new high technique were applied to develop this instrument including over-sampling A/D converter, high performance 32bit Micro Process Unit and Flash memory with smart-media interface. Base on the achievement, I have accomplished the showpiece of OBS, which is applied to the deepwater oil and gas geophysical exploration. Because of micro-power dissipation, the seismograph and the sonar releaser can be integrated into a sphere cabin. By this means, the instrument's frequency of resonance and frequency of couple are improved obviously. The data acquisition system of OBS is improved from MCI seismometer. The capacity of flash memory is enlarge from 1G bytes to 8G bytes. The advance MPU in data acquisition system is used to integrate other function modules such as sonar, GPS, compass and digital transmitter.

Evolução da estrutura urbana de Viana do Castelo

Dissertação de Mestrado apresentada à Universidade Fernando Pessoa como parte dos requisitos para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Arquitectura e Urbanismo.

A União Europeia e a Segurança Marítima

Trabalho de Dissertação apresentado à Universidade Fernando Pessoa como parte dos requisitos para a obtenção do grau de Mestre em Cooperação Internacional e Desenvolvimento

The study of molecular variation in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) and brown trout (Salmo trutta L.)

Polymorphic microsatellite DNA loci were used here in three studies, one on Salmo salar and two on S. trutta. In the case of S. salar, the survival of native fish and non-natives from a nearby catchment, and their hybrids, were compared in a freshwater common garden experiment and subsequently in ocean ranching, with parental assignment utilising microsatellites. Overall survival of non-natives was 35% of natives. This differential survival was mainly in the oceanic phase. These results imply a genetic basis and suggest local adaptation can occur in salmonids across relatively small geographic distances which may have important implications for the management of salmon populations. In the first case study with S trutta, the species was investigated throughout its spread as an invasive in Newfoundland, eastern Canada. Genetic investigation confirmed historical records that the majority of introductions were from a Scottish hatchery and provided a clear example of the structure of two expanding waves of spread along coasts, probably by natural straying of anadromous individuals, to the north and south of the point of human introduction. This study showed a clearer example of the genetic anatomy of an invasion than in previous studies with brown trout, and may have implications for the management of invasive species in general. Finally, the genetics of anadromous S. trutta from the Waterville catchment in south western Ireland were studied. Two significantly different population groupings, from tributaries in geographically distinct locations entering the largest lake in the catchment, were identified. These results were then used to assign very large rod caught sea trout individuals (so called “specimen” sea trout) back to region of origin, in a Genetic Stock Identification exercise. This suggested that the majority of these large sea trout originated from one of the two tributary groups. These results are relevant for the understanding of sea trout population dynamics and for the future management of this and other sea trout producing catchments. This thesis has demonstrated new insights into the population structuring of salmonids both between and within catchments. While these chapters look at the existence and scale of genetic variation from different angles, it might be concluded that the overarching message from this thesis should be to highlight the importance of maintaining genetic diversity in salmonid populations as vital for their long-term productivity and resilience.