Anàlisi dels descartaments efectuats per la flota d'arrossegament en el Golf de Lleó

La pesca d'arrossegament practicada al mar Mediterrani incideix sobre un rang batimètric molt ampli i afecta a nombrosos tipus de fons que presenten comunitats molt diversificades, on les espècies de peixos, crustacis, cefalòpodes, altres mol·luscs, equinoderms i d'altres macroorganismes epibentònics interaccionen entre si. D'aquí la importància de caracteritzar amb una aproximació multiespecífica els fons explotats, com la que aquí hem dut a terme, prenent en consideració no tan sols les espècies d'interès comercial sinó totes les espècies que conformen la comunitat. Els objectius concrets d'aquesta tesi estan centrats en l'estudi qualitatiu i quantitatiu dels descartaments produïts per la pesca d'arrossegament que efectua la flota espanyola en la zona del Golf de Lleó, i en aspectes relacionats a millorar la selectivitat de les xarxes emprades canviant el disseny de la malla tradicional per malla quadrada. El mostreig s'ha dut a terme a bord d'una embarcació d'arrossegament comercial, amb una freqüència setmanal, dins el període comprès entre març del 1998 i març del 2000. En total s'han analitzat 68 pesques. Totes les mostres estudiades provenen del primer vol del dia i s'han capturat a fondàries entre 50 i 500 metres. De tot el volum capturat durant l'estudi s'han identificat un total de 307 espècies pertanyent a diversos grups taxonòmics. El grup taxonòmic majoritari és el dels peixos amb 133 espècies, seguit dels crustacis, els cefalòpodes, els equinoderms i finalment el grup d'altres invertebrats. L'espècie més capturada en nombre a la pesquera del Golf de Lleó ha estat la cervellina (Leptometra phalangium) i les més capturades en biomassa han estat la sardina (Sardina pilchardus) i el lluç mediterrani (Merluccius merluccius smiridus). Pel total de la captura la fracció descartada en nombre d'individus representa el 71% mentre que la biomassa descartada és de l'ordre del 36%. La causa més important en quant a quantitat de rebuig produït és la que respon al compliment de la normativa vigent, ja sigui per les talles mínimes legals o per les captures acompanyants permeses. Els majors descartaments estacionals en termes d'abundància es donen a la primavera i l'estiu, coincidint amb l'època de reclutament de la majoria de les espècies explotades. En canvi, els descartaments estacionals en termes de biomassa són excepcionalment elevats a l'estiu i estan provocats per la captura massiva de sardina (S. pilchardus) durant aquesta època de l'any. El rebuig expressat tant en nombre com en pes disminueix en funció de l'estrat de fondària, essent la quantitat descartada major en l'estrat A (50-200 m) i menor en l'estrat C (>400 m). S'ha comprovat que el disseny de malla quadrada aplicat al cóp de les xarxes d'arrossegament fa augmentar dràsticament, tant en nombre com en pes, el percentatge d'individus escapats, disminuint a la vegada la quantitat de descartament. També s'aconsegueix un augment de la mida de primera captura (L50) de totes les espècies excepte en la bruixa de quatre taques (Lepidorhombus boscii). A més es redueix l'impacte de la pesca sobre els estocs d'individus juvenils, sobretot d'espècies que presenten una secció de cos rodona com el lluç mediterrani (M. merluccius smiridus) i el verat (Scomber scombrus), disminuint així la sobrepesca de creixement i de reclutament al mateix temps que s'assegura i es millora la venda d'exemplars de mida legal.

Round scallops and square meshes: a comparison of four codend types on the catch rates of target species and by-catch in the Queensland (Australia) saucer scallop (Amusium balloti) trawl fishery

Concern over the amount of by-catch from benthic trawl fisheries and research into the problem have increased in recent years. The present paper demonstrated that by-catch rates in the Queensland (Australia) saucer scallop (Amusium balloti) trawl fishery can be reduced by 77% (by weight) using nets fitted with a turtle excluder device (TED) and a square-mesh codend, compared with a standard diamond-mesh codend with no TED. This large reduction was achieved with no significant effect on the legal size scallop catch rate and 39% fewer undersize scallops were caught. In total, 382 taxa were recorded in the by-catch, which was dominated by sponges, portunid crabs, small demersal and benthic fish (e.g. leatherjackets, stingerfish, bearded ghouls, nemipterids, longspine emperors, lizard fish, triggerfish, flounders and rabbitfish), elasmobranchs (e.g. mainly rays) and invertebrates (e.g. sea stars, sea urchins, sea cucumbers and bivalve molluscs). Extremely high reductions in catch rate (i.e. ≥85%) were demonstrated for several by-catch species owing to the square-mesh codend. Square-mesh codends show potential as a means of greatly reducing by-catch and lowering the incidental capture and mortality of undersize scallops and Moreton Bay bugs (Thenus australiensis) in this fishery

Alternative codends to reduce bycatch in Chilean crustacean trawl fisheries

This study was conducted to determine the reduction in bycatch and the loss of target catch in trawl hauls for three commercial crustacean species (yellow squat lobster, Cervimunida johni, nylon shrimp, Heterocarpus reedi, and red squat lobster, Pleuroncodes monodon) in central Chile. Two experiments were carried out using the covered codend method; the first used different mesh sizes (56 and 70 mm, knot-centre to knot-centre) and shapes (diamond and square), and the second tested different reduction devices (escape panel and sorting grid). We analysed the escape proportions of the species caught and the size frequency distributions of the target species and Chilean hake (Merluccius gayi), the main commercial bycatch species. The results demonstrate that it is feasible to significantly reduce bycatch while keeping losses within acceptable ranges. In particular, the best option for yellow squat lobster was the combination of a 70-mm diamond mesh with an escape panel that reduced non-target and target catches by 48% and 7%, respectively. For nylon shrimp, the best option was the use of a 56-mm diamond mesh with a sorting grid that reduced non-target and target catches by 41% and 11%, respectively. Although the results for red squat lobster were not as promising, they will help to guide future research.

Osteryoung square wave voltammetric determination of lactose in food samples by a derivative procedure

A method for determination of lactose in food samples by Osteryoung square wave voltammetry (OSWV) was developed. It was based on the nucleophilic addition reaction between lactose and aqua ammonia. The carbonyl group of lactose can be changed into imido group, and this increases the electrochemical activity in reduction and the sensitivity. The optimal condition for the nucleophilic addition reaction was investigated and it was found that in NH4Cl–NH3 buffer of pH 10.1, the linear range between the peak current and the concentration of lactose was 0.6–8.4 mg L−1, and the detection limits was 0.44 mg L−1. The proposed method was applied to the determination of lactose in food samples and satisfactory results were obtained.

Combination of Kalman filter and least error square techniques in power system

An algorithm based on the concept of combining Kalman filter and Least Error Square (LES) techniques is proposed in this paper. The algorithm is intended to estimate signal attributes like amplitude, frequency and phase angle in the online mode. This technique can be used in protection relays, digital AVRs, DGs, DSTATCOMs, FACTS and other power electronics applications. The Kalman filter is modified to operate on a fictitious input signal and provides precise estimation results insensitive to noise and other disturbances. At the same time, the LES system has been arranged to operate in critical transient cases to compensate the delay and inaccuracy identified because of the response of the standard Kalman filter. Practical considerations such as the effect of noise, higher order harmonics, and computational issues of the algorithm are considered and tested in the paper. Several computer simulations and a laboratory test are presented to highlight the usefulness of the proposed method. Simulation results show that the proposed technique can simultaneously estimate the signal attributes, even if it is highly distorted due to the presence of non-linear loads and noise.

Performance of square and inclined insulated rail joints based on field strain measurements

Insulated rail joints (IRJs) possess lower bending stiffness across the gap containing insulating endpost and hence are subjected to wheel impact. IRJs are either square cut or inclined cut to the longitudinal axis of the rails in a vertical plane. It is generally claimed that the inclined cut IRJs outperformed the square cut IRJs; however, there is a paucity of literature with regard to the relative structural merits of these two designs. This article presents comparative studies of the structural response of these two IRJs to the passage of wheels based on continuously acquired field data from joints strain-gauged closer to the source of impact. Strain signatures are presented in time, frequency, and avelet domains and the peak vertical and shear strains are systematically employed to examine the relative structural merits of the two IRJs subjected to similar real-life loading. It is shown that the inclined IRJs resist the wheel load with higher peak shear strains and lower peak vertical strains than that of the square IRJs.

Young children's understandings about "square" in 3D virtual reality microworlds

This paper reports an investigation of primary school children’s understandings about "square". 12 students participated in a small group teaching experiment session, where they were interviewed and guided to construct a square in a 3D virtual reality learning environment (VRLE). Main findings include mixed levels of "quasi" geometrical understandings, misconceptions about length and angles, and ambiguous uses of geometrical language for location, direction, and movement. These have implications for future teaching and learning about 2D shapes with particular reference to VRLE.

Illustrating fashion - Brisbane Square Library exhibition

Creative Practice exhibited at the Brisbane Square Library Illustrating Fashion exhibition. Accompanied works from acclaimed fashion labels, Easton Pearson Julie Tengdhal and Dogstar.

Effect of MHD and heat generation on natural convection flow in an open square cavity under microgravity condition

Purpose - Thermo-magnetic convection and heat transfer of paramagnetic fluid placed in a micro-gravity condition (g = 0) and under a uniform vertical gradient magnetic field in an open square cavity with three cold sidewalls have been studied numerically. Design/methodology/approach - This magnetic force is proportional to the magnetic susceptibility and the gradient of the square of the magnetic induction. The magnetic susceptibility is inversely proportional to the absolute temperature based on Curie’s law. Thermal convection of a paramagnetic fluid can therefore take place even in zero-gravity environment as a direct consequence of temperature differences occurring within the fluid due to a constant internal heat generation placed within a magnetic field gradient. Findings - Effects of magnetic Rayleigh number, Ra, Prandtl number, Pr, and paramagnetic fluid parameter, m, on the flow pattern and isotherms as well as on the heat absorption are presented graphically. It is found that the heat transfer rate is suppressed in increased of the magnetic Rayleigh number and the paramagnetic fluid parameter for the present investigation. Originality/value - It is possible to control the buoyancy force by using the super conducting magnet. To the best knowledge of the author no literature related to magnetic convection for this configuration is available.

Review : "The Square" -- Nash Edgerton

Synopsis and review of the Australian crime film The Square (Nash Edgerton, 2009). Includes cast and credits. The Square is the feature film debut of director Nash Edgerton, well-known in Australian film circles not only for his award-winning music videos and short films Deadline (first prize winner at Tropfest in 1997) and Spider, but also for his work as an actor, editor, producer, writer and stuntman on countless Australian films and television programs. The film was co-written by Edgerton’s regular partner and brother Joel, who also plays the arsonist Billy. Joel is familiar to Australian and international audiences for his television work in The Secret Life of Us as well as numerous film roles...