Hierarchical analysis of production efficiency in a coastal trawl fishery

We present, pedagogically, the Bayesian approach to composed error models under alternative, hierarchical characterizations; demonstrate, briefly, the Bayesian approach to model comparison using recent advances in Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods; and illustrate, empirically, the value of these techniques to natural resource economics and coastal fisheries management, in particular. The Bayesian approach to fisheries efficiency analysis is interesting for at least three reasons. First, it is a robust and highly flexible alternative to commonly applied, frequentist procedures, which dominate the literature. Second,the Bayesian approach is extremely simple to implement, requiring only a modest addition to most natural-resource economist tool-kits. Third, despite its attractions, applications of Bayesian methodology in coastal fisheries management are few.

Indicators to monitor protected area sustainability: the INNOVA indicator handbook

The Mediterranean is an important eco-region, however, it suffers from the lack of common procedures for the management and monitoring of its protected areas sustainability. The INNOVA project addresses this issue by developing a procedure namely PASEMP as well as tools which can assist Protected Areas Managers and responsible authorities to develop and implement a monitoring strategy for their areas. This handbook is proposed as a flexible tool, or a reference text which should be used in combination with the PASEMP guidelines to identify indicators, but also contains guidance on how to implement and report the monitoring strategy results.

The Greek pilot project: Lefka Ori National Park, Crete

This chapter presents the range of activities undertaken for the Lefka Ori National Park in Crete, Creece within the frame of INNOVA project which aimed at achieving the following outcomes: -Evaluation of protected area management effectiveness -Introduction to the concept of sustainability in protected area management -Developing of a sustainability monitoring strategy for Lefka Ori -Increase of stakeholder and public awareness, regarding the protected areas threats and values -Enable stakeholder and local community engagement in protected area management

The development of blowouts and foredunes in the Ilha Comprida barrier (Southeastern Brazil): the influence of Late Holocene climate changes on coastal sedimentation

Middle to Late Holocene barriers are conspicuous landforms in southeastern and southern Brazilian regions. The barriers in the coastal zones of northern Santa Catarina, Parana and Sao Paulo states (27 degrees 19`-24 degrees 00`S) are formed mainly by beach ridge alignments and many barriers present foredune and blowout alignments in their seaward portion. The development of these eolian landforms appears to record a regional shift in coastal dynamics and barrier building. In this context, the Ilha Comprida barrier stands out for its well-developed and well-preserved foredunes and blowouts. Based on the presence or not and type of eolian landforms, the Ilha Comprida barrier can be divided seaward into inner, middle and outer units. The inner unit is formed entirely by beach ridges. The middle unit comprises a narrow belt of blowouts (up to 15 m high) aligned alongshore. Blowout lobes pointing NNW are indicative of their generation by southern winds. The outer unit is represented by low (<= 1 m high) active or stabilized foredunes and a small transgressive dunefield (similar to 1 km(2)). Twenty-seven luminescence ages (SAR protocol) obtained for the beach ridges, foredunes, and blowouts of these three units allow definition of a precise chronology of these landforms and calculation of rates of coastal progradation. The inner unit presents ages greater than 1004 +/- 88 years. The blowouts of the middle unit show ages from 575 +/- 47 to 172 +/- 18 years. The ages of the outer unit are less than 108 +/- 10 years. Rates of coastal progradation for the inner and outer units are 0.71-0.82 m/year and 0.86-2.23 m/year, respectively. The main phase of blowout development correlates well with the Little Ice Age (LIA) climatic event. These results indicate that southern winds in subtropical Brazil became increasingly more intense and/or frequent during the LIA. These conditions persist to the present and are responsible for the development of the eolian landforms in the outer unit. Thus, barrier geomorphology can record global climatic events. The sensitivity of barrier systems in subtropical Brazil to Late Holocene climate changes was favored by the relative sea level stillstand during this time. Luminescence dating makes it possible to analyze barrier geomorphology during Late Holocene climate changes operating on timescales of a hundred to thousand years. These results improve our knowledge of barrier building and will help in the evaluation of the impact of future climate changes on coastal settings. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Paisagem, um patrimônio esquecido: subsídios para a construção de uma metodologia de valoração e proteção do cenário natural litorâneo

The so-called "residential tourism" came to intensify the previous occupation of the coastal zones, characterized by traditional beach houses, and brought significant consequences for their spatial configuration, and especially for its scenic value of the landscape. Although there is the intention to regulate the activities of enterprising groups by some legal instruments to control the use and occupation of land, and to contain some negative effects, the actions of government are still inefficient in trying to follow the implications on the landscape from the accelerated growth of the real estate and touristic sectors. Supported in the speech of economic development and income generation, public managers prioritize areas to attract tourists to the detriment of preserving important physical attributes of the natural environment that contribute significantly to the quality of life. The result can be noticed in the use of natural elements as one of the major components in the land valorization, and in the immediate attraction of investors and enterprising. Therefore, the objective of this work is to contribute to the debate on the landscape preservation a little detailed thematic in view of their relevance in the current context - by indicating subsidies to the creation of a methodology for the evaluation and protection of coastal zones that may assist the government in creating new instruments, and better prepare it in control of the occupation of these areas. For such, was followed two ways to analysis: the indirect method and the direct method. The first is grounded in the evaluation of landscape attributes, which is based on the work of Raquel Tardin (2008) and Eduardo Cuesta, Encarnación Algarra and Isabel Pastor (2001). The second, based on the research of Leticia and Carlos Hardt (2010) and on the concepts of phenomenology - expressed by Antonio Christofoletti (1985) and Yi-Fu Tuan (1983) - considers the population perspective on the quality of the natural scenery. Developed through cartographic materials, photographic collections and quantitative tables, this dissertation utilized as a case study the beaches of Barra de Tabatinga and Camurupim, located in the city of Nísia Floresta/RN. Despite already being sighted spaces of advanced stage of landscape degradation in these locations, areas of remarkable scenic value can still be found, what reinforce the urgency in adopting preservationists actions. The absence of laws focused on the management and protection of the landscape singularities associated with the inefficiency of the government to invigilate the land occupation in coastal zones, encourage the excessive action of the real estate-tourism, and consequently make the government the main responsible for the environmental and landscape impacts in these areas - by its omission or by their connivance. Therefore, the legislation permeates this entire process and constitutes itself as the most effective way to guarantee the right to the landscape to present and future generations. Are also pointed some important considerations to build a methodology, especially concerning possibilities of improvements and adaptations of its applicability in each case

Nesting architecture and population structure of the fungus-growing ant Cyphomyrmex transversus (Formicidae: Myrmicinae: Attini) in the Brazilian coastal zone of Ilheus, Bahia

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Praia de Ponta Negra: uma abordagem da paisagem costeira de 1970 a 2010, Natal/RN

With process urbanization process the Brazilian cities have been goin through, Natal/RN does not differ from the other ones, it has had a fast, inordinate and planned urbanization, but not applied, it has caused a high increase of social environmental problems. One of the worrying problems observed is the change in the coastal landscape, which has caused serious damage to the city‟s population, more specifically, of Ponta Negra beach neighborhood. For the geographical studies, the issue, concerning the occupation of the beaches that has been getting higher and higher in the last decades is extremely important because these, in addition to being used as homes in the new urban configuration, have incorporated new ways of environmental interference, without a simultaneous advance of knowledge which would be necessary for a more suitable and rational use of litoral spaces. Thus, the current assignment aimed to focus the coastal landscape of Ponta Negra Beach, in the city of Natal/RN, checking and analyzing the effects caused by anthropic and natural action, and the way it reflects in the quality of life of the resident, working population and of the frequenters as well as the landscape transformations in the area which is object of study, from 1970 through 2010. The methodology used followed to stages, the first concerned the theoretical work bibliographic surveying and composition; and second one the empirical work marking of the environmental characterization and application of the questionnaires. So, we can measure that Ponta Negra, is very susceptible to environmental changes, the ones caused by the natural dynamics of the beach, as well as the human actions (society) in this really fragile and mutable space, so it needs, a more profound systematic study about the coastal landscape. In order to reach a minimization of the change of the landscapes in the coastal zones there must be an integrated management of the environments, based on the planning of actions and territorial reordination of the occupations of these so important spaces, environmentally, as well as socioeconomically. Whereas, only this way, we will have a sustentable development and a suitable use of that space

Integrated biomarker responses as environmental status descriptors of a coastal zone (São Paulo, Brazil)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Marine Protected Areas in Brazil: An ecological approach regarding the large marine ecosystems

The objective of this study was to address the importance of implementing Coastal and Marine Protected Areas in Brazil and to examine their distribution, based on the delimitation of Large Marine Ecosystems. Out of a total of 336 protected areas identified in Brazilian coastal and marine areas, the North Platform has the largest protected area, but the ecosystem with the largest number of protected area, predominantly sustainable areas, was the East Coast followed by the South Platform. One of the reasons the eastern coast of Brazil to have more protected areas is the fact that there is a largest amount of coral reefs. Additionally there was political opportunities for the creation of protected areas for sustainable use. The coastal region of Brazil has achieved the goal proposed by the Seventh Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity - 7, but only then through the category V of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, which is not the best efficient means of conserving resources. The goal for marine conservation shows only the area above the recommended under protection in North Platform. The Marine portion of the East Coast and the South Platform has few protected areas, regardless of category management. We consider the coastal region the range of 12 nautical miles from baselines determined in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. As for the number of strategies permitted by law and used for the conservation of coastal and marine systems, coastal systems show a higher number when compared with the marine system. We suggest that the Brazilian government should specify strategies for the protection of marine systems and expand the protected areas of all Large Marine Ecosystems. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

Mapeamento de sensibilidade ao derrame de óleo dos ambientes costeiros dos municípios de São Vicente, Santos e Guarujá - SP

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Policy Brief: an assessment of the economic and social impacts of climate change on the coastal and marine sector in the Caribbean

Caribbean policymakers are faced with special challenges from climate change and these are related to the uncertainties inherent in future climate projections and the complex linkages among climate change, physical and biological systems and socioeconomic sectors. The impacts of climate change threaten development in the Caribbean and may well erode previous gains in development as evidenced by the increased incidence of climate migrants internationally. This brief which is based on a recent study conducted by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (LC/CAR/L.395)1 provides a synthesis of the assessment of the economic and social impacts of climate change on the coastal and marine sector in the Caribbean which were undertaken. It provides Caribbean policymakers with cutting-edge information on the region’s vulnerability and encourages the development of adaptation strategies informed by both local experience and expert knowledge. It proceeds from an acknowledgement that the unique combination of natural resources, ecosystems, economic activities, and human population settlements of the Caribbean will not be immune to the impacts of climate change, and local communities, countries and the subregion as a whole need to plan for, and adapt to, these effects. Climate and extreme weather hazards related to the coastal and marine sector encompass the distinct but related factors of sea level rise, increasing coastal water temperatures, tropical storms and hurricanes. Potential vulnerabilities for coastal zones include increased shoreline erosion leading to alteration of the coastline, loss of coastal wetlands, and changes in the abundance and diversity of fish and other marine populations. The study examines four key themes in the analysis: climate, vulnerability, economic and social costs associated with climate change impacts, and adaptive measures.

An assessment of the economic impact of climate change on the coastal and human settlements Sector in Barbados

This study assesses the potential economic impact of climate change on coastal human settlements in the Caribbean, with specific reference to Barbados, and evaluates the costs and benefits of undertaking various adaptation strategies. The aim is to assist Caribbean territories in developing the strategies and capacity needed to deal with the potential impact of severe weather events that are anticipated to occur with increased frequency and intensity as a result of climate change. Some of the key anticipated manifestations of climate change for the Caribbean include elevated air and sea-surface temperatures, sea-level rise, possible changes in extreme events and a reduction in freshwater resources.This research focuses on how human settlements distributed along the coast of Guyana, especially those in low elevation coastal zones (LECZ)are affected by these impacts. Focusing on three potential transmission sources - sea-level rise, stronger storm hazards and increased precipitation – the study considers the vulnerability of populations in the LECZ areas and estimates the overall threat posed by climate change to coastal populations and infrastructure. Vulnerability to climate change (measured as exposed assets) was estimated for four emission scenarios as outlined by the Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES), namely the A1, A2, B1 and B2 scenarios for the period 2010 to 2100 and as detailed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), using global circulation models (GCM) and storm surge hazard maps.

A sensibilidade do lugar: uma proposta metodológica para aplicação da percepção ambiental nos planos de emergência a derrames de óleo

Pós-graduação em Geografia - IGCE

Morfodinâmica costeira e o uso da orla oceânica de Salinópolis (Nordeste do Pará)

Os aspectos morfodinâmicos relacionados à erosão ou acresção da linha de costa são alguns dos assuntos analisados na gestão das zonas costeiras que vêem sendo tratada em todo mundo no sentido de monitorar e proteger essas zonas. Esta tese objetiva analisar o comportamento da morfodinâmica costeira de Salinópolis, relacionando-o ao uso da orla oceânica. A área de estudo foi compartimentada em três setores: Oeste (praias da Corvina e do Maçarico), Central (praia do Farol Velho) e Leste (praia do Atalaia). A metodologia consistiu na: (a) aquisição e tratamento de imagens multitemporais (1988-2001-2013) do satélite Landsat 5 TM, 7 ETM e 8 OLI; (b) aplicação de entrevistas/questionários com banhistas, (c) aquisição de dados de campo durante as estações chuvosa (26, 27, 28/04/2013) e menos chuvosa (04, 05, 06/10/2013); e (d) análise laboratorial para o tratamento dos dados adquiridos em campo (topografia das praias estudadas, amostragem de sedimentos superficiais das mesmas e com o uso de armadilhas, e medições oceanográficas de ondas, marés, correntes e turbidez). Foram feitas as representações gráficas dos perfis topográficos das praias, calculados os parâmetros estatísticos granulométricos de Folk & Ward (1957), as taxas do transporte sedimentar nas praias e os parâmetros morfométricos de Short & Hesp (1982), estes últimos foram calculados com o intuito de relacioná-los aos estados morfodinâmicos de praias propostos por Wright & Short (1984) e Masselink & Short (1993). Para a classificação da costa oceânica de Salinópolis em termos de uso e ocupação foi utilizado o decreto nº 5.300 de 7 de dezembro de 2004. A partir das pesquisas sobre a urbanização na costa e das obras situadas nos ambientes costeiros foi utilizada uma matriz proposta por Farinaccio & Tessler (2010) que lista uma série de impactos ambientais, e o quadro de geoindicadores do comportamento da linha de costa proposto por Bush et al. (1999), para a identificação de locais com vulnerabilidade à erosão ou acresção. Para as condições oceanográficas em cada praia e periculosidade ao banho nas mesmas, foram integralizados os dados de ondas, de correntes, de morfodinâmica praial e questionários aplicados com banhistas. Atualmente, a orla oceânica de Salinópolis possui diferentes características quanto à utilização e conservação, abrangendo desde a tipologia de orlas naturais (Classe A) até orlas com urbanização consolidada (Classe C). A primeira ocorre nos extremos da área de estudo e, a segunda, na região da sede municipal. Quatro tipos de praias foram identificados segundo a exposição marítima e o grau das condições oceanográficas: tipo 1 (Maçarico), tipo 2 (Corvina), tipo 3 (Farol Velho) e tipo 4 (Atalaia). O trecho de costa com maiores impactos ambientais e com elevada erosão costeira localiza-se na praia do Farol Velho. O grau de periculosidade ao banho foi de 4 (praia do Maçarico) a 7 (praia do Atalaia) – médio a alto grau de risco. As praias de Salinópolis apresentam declives suaves (< 1,5°), grandes variações na linha de costa entre as estações do ano (9,6 a 88, 4 m) e volume sedimentar variável dependendo do grau de exposição das praias ao oceano aberto. Predominou o estado morfodinâmico dissipativo (Ω>5,5) para estas praias, mas com ocorrência do estado de banco e calha longitudinais (4,7<Ω<5,5) no setor oeste. As macromarés na área de estudo apresentaram altura máxima de 5,3 m (Setor Central, durante a estação menos chuvosa) e mínima de 4 m no mesmo setor, durante a estação chuvosa. As correntes longitudinais foram mais intensas no setor leste (>0,45 m/s) durante as duas estaçoes do ano. As alturas de ondas foram também maiores no setor leste (máximo de 1,05 m durante a maré enchente na estação menos chuvosa) e os períodos de ondas foram mais curtos (<4,5 s) no setor oeste. A média granulométrica obtida dos sedimentos coletados na face praial apresentou escala mais freqüente entre 2,6 a 2,8 phi, indicando a predominância de areia fina. O grau de seleção predominante dos sedimentos foi de 0,2 a 0,5 phi (muito bem selecionados e bem selecionados), e da assimetria foi de positiva (0,10 a 0,30) e de aproximadamente simétrica (-0,10 a 0,10). O grau de curtose variou desde muito platicúrtica (<0,67) a muito leptocúrtica (1,50 a 3,00). Foram observados eventos de acresção sedimentar da estação chuvosa a menos chuvosa. De 22/07/1988 a 28/08/2013 (25 anos) também houve predomínio de acresção, onde o avanço médio linear da linha de costa foi de 190,26 m. O recuo médio linear obtido para toda área de estudo foi de -42,25 m. Áreas com maior erosão são pontuais: divisas das praias da Corvina e Maçarico, e Farol Velho e Atalaia. Os traps portáteis indicaram uma maior quantidade de sedimentos transportados longitudinalmente na estação menos chuvosa (Mín. 280 g/m³: enchente, setor oeste; Máx. 1098 g/m³: vazante, setor leste). Nos traps de espraiamento, o balanço entre a quantidade de sedimentos entrando e saindo nas praias foi menor no setor central (Mín. 80 g/m³: vazante, estação menos chuvosa; Máx. 690 g/m³: enchente, estação menos chuvosa). A circulação costeira sedimentar é proveniente, principalmente, do efeito das marés, com direção governada pela enchente e vazante dos rios que atravessam a costa. Os dados indicam o transporte longitudinal de sedimentos da ilha de Atalaia e rio Sampaio para o setor oeste e as margens das faixas praiais.

Integrated biomarker responses as environmental status descriptors of a coastal zone (Sao Paulo, Brazil)

Sao Paulo state (Brazil) has one of the most overpopulated coastal zones in South America, where previous studies have already detected sediment and water contamination. However, biological-based monitoring considering signals of xenobiotic exposure and effects are scarce. The present study employed a battery of biomarkers under field conditions to assess the environmental quality of this coastal zone. For this purpose, the activity of CYP 450, antioxidant enzymes, DNA damage, lipid peroxidation and lysosomal membrane were analysed in caged mussels and integrated using Factorial Analysis. A representation of estimated factor scores was performed in order to confirm the factor descriptions characterizing the studied areas. Biomarker responses indicated signals of mussels` impaired health during the monitoring, which pointed to the impact of different sources of contaminants in the water quality and identified critical areas. This integrated approach produced a rapid, sensitive and cost-effective assessment, which could be incorporated as a descriptor of environmental status in future coastal zones biomonitoring. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.