Visual impact assessment of small dock & piers: Theory and practice

From a manager’s perspective, oftentimes the publicly held concerns related to small docks and piers are not really related to the environment. They may be more related to visual impacts and aesthetic concerns, a sense of over-development of the shore, or simply change. While individuals may hold personal aesthetic values related to small docks in general or an individual structure in particular, techniques have evolved that appear to provide reproducible, predictive assessments of the visual impacts and aesthetic values of an area and how those might change with development, including an increase in numbers of small docks. These assessments may be used to develop regulatory or non-regulatory methods for the management of small docks based on state or community standards. Visual impact assessments are increasingly used in the regulatory review of proposed development—although this process is still in its infancy as regards small docks and piers. Some political jurisdictions have established visual impact or aesthetic standards as relate to docks and others are in the process of investigating how to go about such an effort. (PDF contains 42 pages)

Environmental and aesthetic impacts of small docks and piers, workshop report: Developing a science-based decision support tool for small dock management, phase 1: Status of the science

Few issues confronting coastal resource managers are as divisive or difficult to manage as regulating the construction of private recreational docks and piers associated with residential development. State resource managers face a growing population intent on living on or near the coast, coupled with an increasing desire to have immediate access to the water by private docks or piers. (PDF contains 69 pages)

The Indonesian ornamental fish trade: case studies and options for improving livelihoods while promoting sustainability in Banggai and Banyuwangi

The four main objectives of this case study are: 1. Understanding market chains: an overview of the market chain from Indonesian reefs to international retail, with greater detail for case study sites. 2. Identifying poor people in the market chains: including people involved in the chain of custody and others who may be indirectly involved or impacted. 3. Understanding the influence of the marine ornamentals trade on the livelihoods of poor people: the case study looks specifically for underlying as well as obvious factors contributing to poverty reduction, and identify examples of better practice for poverty reduction in the marine ornamentals trade, including examples of positive livelihood outcomes from participation of poor people. 4. Identifying recommendations to improve poor people’s livelihoods. (PDF contains 286 pages)

Synthesis report with pro-poor trade research findings and policy recommandations

The purpose of the project was to investigate international trade in fisheries products and its relationship to poverty alleviation and livelihoods of poor aquatic resource users in developing countries in Asia, and to identify options to improve the effectiveness of poverty reduction through international seafood trade. The project directly addressed the EC-PREP priority area of trade and development, and indirectly provided valuable insight to two other priority areas: food security and sustainable rural development; and institutional capacity building. [PDF contains 60 pages.]

Marine ornamentals trade in the Philippines and options for its poor stakeholders

The objective of this project in the Philippines is to promote the development of policy changes and other actions related to the trade in ornamental fish with Europe which support poor people’s livelihoods. [PDF contains 118 pages.]

The Vietnamese shrimp trade: livelihoods analysis of stakeholders and market chain analysis

Aquaculture and capture fisheries in Vietnam have been increasing fast in the last decade, especially aquaculture growth rate is 12% for the 1999 – 2003 period, contributing a significant part into the hunger eradication and poverty reduction1. Vietnam is to be ranked into one of the countries potential to produce the aquatic economic in the world, and the fact is that, after 40 years of establishing, the fisheries sector has made remarkable contributions to the country. By the list, at the moment the aquatic products make up about 4 - 5% of GDP and create job opportunities for over 3 three million employees (VASEP, 2004), in which the largest contribution is from shrimp farming. [PDF contains 124 pages.]

Juvenile and small resident fishes of Florida Bay, a critical habitat in the Everglades National Park, Florida

This compendium presents information on the life history, diet, and abundance and distribution of 46 of the more abundant juvenile and small resident fish species, and data on three species of seagrasses in Florida Bay, Everglades National Park. Abundance and distribution of fish data were derived from three sampling schemes: (1) an otter trawl in basins (1984–1985, 1994–2001), (2) a surface trawl in basins (1984–1985), and (3) a surface trawl in channels (1984–1985). Results from surface trawling only included pelagic species. Collections made with an otter trawl in basins on a bi-monthly basis were emphasized. Nonparametric statistics were used to test spatial and temporal differences in the abundance of species and seagrasses. Fish species accounts were presented in four sections – Life history, Diet, Abundance and distribution, and Length-frequency distributions. Although Florida Bay is a subtropical estuary, the majority of fish species (76%) had warm-temperate affinities; i.e., only 24% were solely tropical species. The five most abundant species collected, in descending order, by (1) otter trawl in basins were: Eucinostomus gula, Lucania parva, Anchoa mitchilli, Lagodon rhomboides, and Syngnathus scovelli; (2) surface trawl in basins were: Hyporhamphus unifasciatus, Strongylura notata, Chriodorus atherinoides, Anchoa hepsetus, and Atherinomorus stipes; (3) surface trawl in channels were: Hypoatherina harringtonensis, A. stipes, A. mitchelli, H. unifasciatus, and C. atherinoides. (PDF file contains 219 pages.)

EMA podcast transcript: getting started with small-scale EMA

The text transcript for a Jisc podcast on getting started with the electronic management of assessment (EMA). One of a series of podcasts on EMA.

Approaches and frameworks for management and research in small-scale fisheries in the developing world

Commonly adopted approaches to managing small-scale fisheries (SSFs) in developing countries do not ensure sustainability. Progress is impeded by a gap between innovative SSF research and slower-moving SSF management. The paper aims to bridge the gap by showing that the three primary bases of SSF management--ecosystem, stakeholders’ rights and resilience--are mutually consistent and complementary. It nominates the ecosystem approach as an appropriate starting point because it is established in national and international law and policy. Within this approach, the emerging resilience perspective and associated concepts of adaptive management and institutional learning can move management beyond traditional control and resource-use optimization, which largely ignore the different expectations of stakeholders; the complexity of ecosystem dynamics; and how ecological, social, political and economic subsystems are linked. Integrating a rights-based perspective helps balance the ecological bias of ecosystem-based and resilience approaches. The paper introduces three management implementation frameworks that can lend structure and order to research and management regardless of the management approach chosen. Finally, it outlines possible research approaches to overcome the heretofore limited capacity of fishery research to integrate across ecological, social and economic dimensions and so better serve the management objective of avoiding fishery failure by nurturing and preserving the ecological, social and institutional attributes that enable it to renew and reorganize itself. (PDF contains 29 pages)

International Workshop for Management and Trade of Caiman yacare, Gainsville, FL, 3-5 October 2002

A workshop was held 3-5 October 2002 in Gainesville, Florida, USA to discuss management, conservation and trade in Caiman yacare. Twenty five official participants represented the four yacare range states (Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay), Venezuela, USA, the meeting sponsors (US Fish and Wildlife Service, CITES Secretariat, Louisiana Fur and Alligator Council), TRAFFIC Sur America and Crocodile Specialist Group. A series of country reports detailing yacare management in the four range states were distributed in Spanish and English prior to the meeting and presentations on these and on general principles of crocodilian harvest, conservation and management provided the basis for the discussions. Three working groups considered: • Requirements and field techniques for field data collection. • Requirements and techniques for regulation of harvest. • Requirements and processes for regulation of trade and export. Written reports of working groups and a plenary drafting session were finalized during the meeting and distributed, with the country reports, to participants. The workshop drafted a framework for caiman management and regulation that could be used as a template and adapted for use in each range state. The meeting agreed to convene an ad-hoc working group of range state representatives to continue discussions on the harmonization of caiman management into the future.

Diagnosis and the management constituency of small-scale fisheries

Diagnosis and adaptive management can help improve the ability of small-scale fisheries (SSF) in the developing world to better cope with and adapt to both external drivers and internal sources of uncertainty. This paper presents a framework for diagnosis and adaptive management and discusses ways of implementing the first two phases of learning: diagnosis and mobilising an appropriate management constituency. The discussion addresses key issues and suggests suitable approaches and tools as well as numerous sources of further information. Diagnosis of a SSF defines the system to be managed, outlines the scope of the management problem in terms of threats and opportunities, and aims to construct realistic and desired future projections for the fishery. These steps can clarify objectives and lead to development of indicators necessary for adaptive management. Before management, however, it is important to mobilize a management constituency to enact change. Ways of identifying stakeholders and understanding both enabling and obstructive interactions and management structures are outlined. These preliminary learning phases for adaptive SSF management are expected to work best if legitimised by collaborative discussion among fishery stakeholders drawing on multiple knowledge systems and participatory approaches to assessment. (PDF contains 33 pages)

Herstellung und Zusammensetzung von asiatischen Fischsaucen

Abstract Fish sauce belongs to the most important condiments in Southeast Asian cuisine. It is a clear, amber to reddish liquid with an intensive smell. Fish sauce is used instead of salt for nearly each meal. Asian fish sauce is made from anchovies and other small fish. For the traditional process whole fresh fish are mixed with salt in the ratio 1:1 to 6:1 in wooden, clay or concrete tanks at tropical temperatures for 6 to 18 months. The liquefaction of the fish tissue is due to the action of endogenous enzymes in fish and exogenous enzymes from bacteria. During the fermentation amino acids, peptides and a lot of other substances are built, which are responsible for the characteristic aroma and flavour of these sauces. You can buy pure fish sauce, diluted fish sauce and fish sauce made from other types of animals like mussels, prawns and squids. In single Asian countries there are different national standards for the quality of fish sauces. In order to get a general idea of these products we have bought 16 fish and two oyster sauces from the retail trade in Hamburg and analyzed them with physical, chemical, sensory and microbiological methods. Kurzfassung Fischsauce gehört zu den wichtigsten Würzsaucen in der südostasiatischen Küche. Es ist eine klare, bernsteinfarbene bis rötlichbraune, sehr intensiv riechende Flüssigkeit. Sie wird anstelle von Salz verwendet und daher fast zu jedem Essen gereicht. Zur Herstellung von Fischsaucen werden hauptsächlich Anchovis und ähnliche kleine Fische verwendet. Bei der traditionellen Herstellung werden die ganzen Fische mit Meersalz in einem Holzfass, Tongefäß oder Betontank im Verhältnis 1:1 bis 6:1 gemischt. Während der anschließenden 6 – 18 Monate dauernden Lagerung bei tropischen Temperaturen bauen sich die Gewebeproteine durch fischeigene Enzyme und Mikroorganismen ab. Bei diesem mehrmonatigen Fermentationsprozess entstehen die für den Geschmack wichtigen Aminosäuren, Peptide und Aromastoffe. Es gibt neben reiner Fischsauce, auch verdünnte Fischsauce und Fischsaucen aus anderen Tieren wie Muscheln, Garnelen und Tintenfische. In den einzelnen asiatischen Ländern gibt es unterschiedliche nationale Qualitätsstandards. Um diese Produktgruppe näher kennen zu lernen, haben wir 16 Fisch- und 2 Austernsaucen aus dem Einzelhandel (Hamburg) mit physikalischen, chemischen, sensorischen und mikrobiologischen Verfahren untersucht.