Shrimp aquaculture in Bangladesh: Domestic regulatory responses and compliance with MEAs

The Bangladeshi shrimp industry brings substantial economic benefits to the Bangladesh economy, as well as significant, negative socio-economic and environmental externalities. Despite numerous domestic environmental protection laws on the shrimp industry, serious concerns regarding biodiversity and coastal protection remain as Bangladesh continues to promote a sustainable shrimp industry.These issues present several impediments to improved environmental outcomes, as well as to compliance with key multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) entered into by the Bangladeshi government. This article examines the key environmental legislation regulating the domestic shrimp industry, and analyzes the industry's compliance with MEA obligations. This article also recommends potential areas for domestic reform to improve compliance and to promote a sustainable shrimp industry for Bangladesh.     

Impacts of shrimp farming in Bangladesh: Challenges and alternatives

Shrimp farming is growing in Bangladesh due to suitable agro-climatic conditions, adequate water resources, cheap labour force, international donor agencies and the involvement of multinational corporations. Although it provides immediate economic benefits, contributes to poverty reduction and food security, as well as generates employment from seed collectors to exporters, it has also been facing a host of challenges. They hinder the sustainable development of this otherwise thriving sector. This paper aims to expound the hindrances and challenges for sustainable shrimp farming in Bangladesh by means of reviewing the available scientific literature. It finds that socioeconomic impacts such as traditional livelihood displacement, social unrests and market fluctuations are hindering the sustainable development of shrimp farming in Bangladesh. Similarly, environmental impacts such as mangrove degradation, salt water intrusion, sedimentation, pollution and disease outbreaks are found to be obstacles for the development of sustainable shrimp farming. Inappropriate management practices and inadequate plans regarding water quality, seed supply, irrigation facilities and fishery resources, added to institutional weaknesses, jeopardize the future growth of shrimp farming. Therefore, this paper shall provide substantial input to set the directions that research for alternatives can take and that can contribute to the sustainability of shrimp farming.     

Analysis of ship life cycles—The impact of economic cycles and ship inspections

Due to the shipping industry's international legal framework, there are loopholes in the system, which can increase the risk of incidents with high economic costs due to the substandard operation of vessels. This article uses duration analysis and through the creation of ship life cycles provides insight into the effectiveness of inspections on prolonging ship lives. The analysis accounts for fluctuations in the relevant economic environment and the (possibly time-varying) ship particulars. It is based on a unique dataset containing information on the timing of accidents, inspections and ship particular changes of more than 50,000 vessels over a 29-year time period (1978–2007). The results reveal that the shipping industry is a relatively safe industry but there is a possible over-inspection of vessels. The effect of inspections varies across ship types and the prevention of incidents with high economic costs can be improved by a coordinated approach of all types of inspections that are performed which allows the decrease of unnecessary inspections. Further, more emphasis should be placed on the rectification and follow-up of deficiencies and the implementation of the ISM code. Another added benefit for the industry would be to improve transparency related to class withdrawals and class transfers for all classification societies. Another interesting finding is that for the majority of ship types, an increase in earnings decreases the incident rate. This is in contrast to the industry perception of the impact of earnings.     

A method to measure enforcement effort in shipping with incomplete information

Current methods in the shipping industry to evaluate performance do not account for differences in fleet profiles of registries such as age, size or ship type and not for bad luck. This can lead to unfair evaluation of enforcement efforts of the international standards. Furthermore, incentives to improve performance are concentrated on decreasing detentions rather than incidents. This article proposes a new method to a longstanding problem to evaluate performance that rectifies shortcomings of the method currently used. The proposed method measures the enforcement effort by means of proxy variables and introduces incentives for improvement that go beyond the currently used 'detention'. The aim is to provide a fair and transparent way. The proposed method is applied and results are compared with methods currently used to demonstrate how the rankings change. The method can be adapted to other areas of the shipping industry such as classification societies or ship management companies.     

In quest of an Arctic legal regime : Marine regionalism — a concept of international law evaluated

This article examines the regional approach as a solution to prevent marine pollution in the Arctic Ocean, which may result from land-based sources, offshore operations, and international shipping. It is argued that both the global and unilateral approach are inadequate to protect the polar sea appropriately — for the sake of its relatively untouched environment, the coastal areas of the Arctic states, and for the culture and life style of the indigenous inhabitants. Consequently, this essay assesses the status quo of international marine pollution control as established by conventions and other instruments and leads, after an outline of present regional treaties of the various marine regions, to an application of marine regionalism to the Arctic Ocean.     

Media framing of aquaculture

Norway is the world's largest producer of farmed salmon. Aquaculture is the country's second largest export industry and thus vital for employment in coastal areas of Norway. The industry is dependent on public acceptance and good standing in local communities in order to gain access to new sites and to be able to sell its product. Public opinion (and assumptions about public opinion) on aquaculture may influence the industry's framework conditions and policy. Being located in coastal and rural areas, the industry must rely on the media to spread information to the public about the industry. Therefore, the media are an important source of information about farmed salmon, and the way the media present aquaculture issues has an impact on public opinion as well as authorities. This article examines how the aquaculture industry is portrayed in Norwegian newspapers and discusses how media topics and media framing may influence public opinion. The analysis shows that the most frequent topics covered in Norwegian newspapers are connected to the environment, aquaculture industry, and politics, where the concerns about the environment are dominant within the risk frame. The negative images portrayed by the media have a strong agenda-setting force and may skew public opinion to a narrow focus on environmental risks, influencing both the debate's content and the regulators’ increased emphasis on environmental risks. This is strengthened further by the focus on sustainability, where the focus is solely on the dimension of environment, making other sustainability dimensions less prominent in the media coverage.     

Quantitative analysis for maritime delimitation: Reassessing the Bay of Bengal delimitation between Bangladesh and Myanmar

This article examines technical aspects of the maritime boundary dispute between Bangladesh and Myanmar (the ‘Bay of Bengal case’). This dispute was the first maritime delimitation determined by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS). The 2012 decision was also the first time that a maritime boundary for the seabed and subsoil of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the extended continental shelf (ECS) was determined by international adjudication. This was also therefore the first time that detailed technical quantification of seabed areas within the EEZ and ECS was needed for achieving an equitable division of these maritime zones in an international forum. Following review of the principles of maritime delimitation on which the ITLOS reached its determination, this article analyzes the legal status and delimitation effect of St. Martin's Island. Concerning the question of whether the legal regimes of the EEZ and continental shelf should be treated differently in a single delimitation line, although the ITLOS determined that the legal regimes should not be distinguished in the present case, a different approach is proposed for future cases. The article identifies how quantitative modelling can be used to achieve an equitable boundary and proposes a model to adjust provisional equidistance lines in accordance with the complex geophysical rules prescribed for the outer limits of the ECS in Article 76 of the United Nations Law of the Sea Convention (LOSC).     

船舶压载水的生物入侵分析

船舶压载水的转运和排放是水生生物入侵的重要途径。为保障我国海洋生态和水产养殖安全,文章基于我国航运大国地位,介绍船舶压载水排放带来的生物入侵及其相关国际标准和法律规定,并对我国船舶压载水监管提出建议。研究结果表明:由船舶压载水引起的生物入侵主要包括浮游生物和微生物;目前国际对于船舶压载水排放主要执行D-2标准,很多国家均以法律手段对船舶压载水进行监管;我国在加快船舶压载水立法的同时,应加强基础数据研究、制定统一的规范标准和扩展关注领域。     

The ocean and international environmental law: swimming,sinking, and treading water at the millennium

Various images help capture the status and trends of international law and policy efforts to protect the ocean environment. While “treading water” and “sinking” partly describe legal conditions at the millennium, this paper examines seven challenges in the international environmental law field which at the very least promise to make for a “hard swim” in coming decades. Those challenges include: coping with the proliferation of negotiated instruments; overcoming political opposition to environmental commitments; clarifying the jurisprudential underpinnings of international environmental law; sorting out the relation of environmental ethics, science and the rule of law; fleshing out the principles of sustainable development; addressing practical problems of implementing international responsibilities; and visioning future paths of ocean governance.     

Econometric analysis of the ship demolition market

The topic of ship recycling has obtained considerable attention during the last two decades for a variety of reasons with the likelihood of the adoption of a new international convention under the auspices of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). This study applies econometric modeling to a unique data set to provide insight into the dynamics of the ship recycling market. The data set contains information on 51,112 ships over 100 gt and includes 748,621 events over a period of 29 years. The analysis confirms a negative relationship of earnings and a positive relationship of scrap prices for all locations while Bangladesh seems to be more sensitive to changes in earnings than the other locations and more likely demolishes larger and older vessels. The results for flag and ownership vary across scrapping locations with Malta and Cyprus indicating potential importance from a registry perspective. The overall safety profile of a vessel seems to be less important towards the probability of a ship being scrapped. Possible implementation of the convention at EU level will mostly likely affect Turkey while non-ratification of one of the major flags will most likely affect China or Bangladesh.     

China's distant water fishing industry: Evolving policies and implications

This article examines China's distant water fishing industry, with a focus on China's bilateral fisheries access agreements in Africa. The article argues that China largely conforms to international norms and rules on sustainable fisheries, but that challenges remain in efforts to work with China on the sustainable management of fish stocks. Developed countries contribute to China's policies and behavior in international fisheries in both positive and negative ways.     

Service contracts—An instrument of international logistics supply chain: Under United States and European Union regulatory frameworks

Service contracts have emerged as an important instrument to secure a long-term relationship between carriers in the container shipping industry and shippers requiring scheduled services covering a global market. This contract, entered into largely on an individual and confidential basis, continues to enjoy anti-trust immunity under current United States and European Union regulations. It will continue to be in place even after the EC Council Regulation 4056/86 is repealed in October 2008 although it may operate in a modified way because of the absence of the common external conference tariff. This article examines the implications of this instrument on the international supply chain and explores its future role in defining efficiencies in international trade flows.     

Shrimp farming in coastal Brazil: Reasons for market failure and sustainability challenges

In Brazil, farm shrimp production has remained constant over the last five years but exports have fallen sharply and almost all production is now consumed domestically. This situation exists despite adequate water resources, available labour and climatic conditions which allow three production cycles per year. This paper is based on an assessment of the shrimp industry at a critical time when exports had reached their maximum level and were about to fall precipitously. It examines the reasons for the shrimp export market failure and discusses sustainability challenges for the future. Data were collected through interviews with hatchery, farm and processing plant managers and other stakeholders in Rio Grande do Norte state, the largest Brazilian farmed shrimp producer. It was found that market failure was the result of inadequate industry planning, inappropriate public policy and a lack of coordinated actions among the various shrimp producers and stakeholders. The research demonstrates that sustainable Brazilian shrimp farming will require technological and management improvements, institutional changes and an appropriate environmental and social framework.     

Restructuring the Chinese seafood industry,global challenges and policy implications

This article discusses how the Chinese seafood industry will affect the rest of the world's fishing industries. The analysis is based on theories of economic comparative advantage, the international division of labour and the internationalization process related to trade activities. Given the increasing domestic demand for fish in China, the limited availability of domestic fish stocks and less success for farmed marine fish in China are considered some of the most important factors in restricting the growth in Chinese seafood production. The necessity of raw fish imports into China may increase pressure on global fish stocks and international fish prices, resulting in tighter supplies worldwide and higher seafood prices for the Chinese. Sustainable fish harvests and trade require stronger fishery management, in particular in the relations between seafood companies and governments along the entire international value chain supplying China. Such structural changes may allow new value-added possibilities for fish farming and the upgrading of certain fish species for human consumption that were previously utilized purely for fish feed.     

基于嵌入式计算机的船舶定位系统研究

在对国内外相关技术分析基础上,设计了基于嵌入式计算机和光纤陀螺罗经的捷联式船舶定位、定向系统,此系统具有低成本、小体积、高精度的特点,可应用于民船,有很好的应用前景。     

Perspectives of the coastal and marine fisheries of the Bay of Bengal,Bangladesh

Bangladesh has vast coastal and marine resources along its south edge. Due to the geographical position and climatic condition, the coastal area of the country is known as one of the highly productive areas of the world. Bangladesh is rich not only in terms of its vast water areas but also in terms of the biological diversity. One of the unique features of the coastal areas is the influence of the mangrove forests, which support a high number of fishes and other commercially important aquatic organisms. The biological and ecological values of the Bay of Bengal have been pointed out by many authors. The coastal and marine fisheries have been playing considerable roles not only in the social and economic development of the country but also in the regional ecological balance. A large number of commercially important fishes have long been exploited which are of high export values. Shrimp aquaculture has become a highly traded export-oriented industry for the last few decades. In spite of having bright prospects, marine aquaculture on a commercial basis as well as marine stock enhancement and sea ranching are yet to be developed. The marine fisheries sector has been suffering from chronic disintegration and mismanagement that have led to many consequences. Most of the commercially important fish stocks are either overexploited or under threat. Marine pollution has reached a level that could create an unmanageable situation in the near future; coastal shrimp farming has generated considerable debates due to its adverse environmental and socioeconomic impacts. The Bay of Bengal and its coastal areas are one of the most poorly studied areas of the world although it possesses high potential for further stock improvement. Proper attention is needed in every aspect of exploitation, handling and processing, export and marketing as well as in biological and institutional management strategies. The Bay of Bengal has been increasingly important for local development as well as for a global perspective. The coastal and marine fisheries of the Bay of Bengal are briefly reviewed in this paper to provide a salient feature of the available information and resource base and to identify future research and management needs.     

A desert in the delta: Participatory assessment of changing livelihoods induced by commercial shrimp farming in Southwest Bangladesh

In recent years, shrimp aquaculture, which is undertaken largely in the tropical countries, has experienced spectacular growth in response to expanding global demand and higher economic return. Shrimp exports bring substantial foreign exchange to the producing countries and also generate employment for various stakeholders related to this industry. Despite a number positive aspects (e.g., foreign exchange, employment and food) of shrimp farming, the industry has serious negative environmental impacts. Because of the degradation of natural resources, commercial shrimp farming imposes socio-economic costs on rural resource-reliant communities as their traditional means of food production and livelihoods are displaced. Bangladesh produces 2.5 percent of the global production of shrimp. The country earned about 400 million dollars (U.S.) from shrimp exports during 2004-2005, up from only US$3.17 million in 1971-72. Bangladesh is suffering because of unplanned expansion of this aquaculture and increasingly called as “a desert in the delta”. The purpose of this paper is to identify the impact of commercial saltwater shrimp farming on rural livelihood patterns in southwest Bangladesh using different Participatory Research methods. The authors suggest that vulnerabilities in livelihoods of the rural communities increased due to narrowing down agricultural production, income sources and natural supply of food. Other socio-economic impacts (e.g., landuse patterns, homestead and family structure, daily movement pattern and activities, drinking water, and law and order) also followed as a reaction to the changing ecological conditions. It is also found that economic benefits from shrimp cultivation to the communities was minimal or even negative due to the polarization and outflow of profits, which is augmenting the threat of poverty.     

基于海上风电产业发展的风电机维修市场

为促进海上风电产业和风电机维修市场的发展,文章概述风电及其产业的发展状况以及海上风电产业发展的主要地区,分析海上风电机维修市场的需求、特点和潜力,并提出该领域的投资建议。研究结果表明:风电具有巨大的经济、社会和环境效益,是全球发展的重点领域;欧洲、亚洲和美国等是海上风电产业发展的主要地区,其中欧洲发展最早和最好;由于海上风电机结构复杂和所处环境恶劣,维修市场需求旺盛;目前全球海上风电机维修市场具有地区不均衡、核心技术垄断和处于蓝海期的特点,在部件和工具及其供应链供给、运维船制造、智能化产品服务以及人员技能培训等方面具有发展潜力;海上风电机维修市场的自身潜力和辐射效应较大,市场前景广阔,该领域的投资应关注其优势、劣势、机遇和风险。     

A simple boom assembly for the shipboard deployment of air-sea interaction instruments

We have developed a simple boom for use in measuring meteorological variables from a ship. The main structural member of the boom, a triangular communications tower with rollers attached along its bottom side, is deployed horizontally from a long, flat deck, such as a helicopter deck, and will support a 100-kg payload at its outboard end. The boom is easy to deploy, requires minimal ship modifications, and provides ready access to the instruments mounted on it. And because it is designed for use with the ship crosswind, oceanographic work can go on at the same time as the air-sea interaction measurements.We describe our use of the boom on the Mikhail Somov during a cruise into the Antarctic sea ice and present some representative measurements made with instruments mounted on it. Theory, experiment, and our data all imply that instruments deployed windward from a rear helicopter deck can reach air undisturbed by the ship. Such an instrument site has clear advantages over the more customary mast, bow, or buoy locations.     

The role of international environmental instruments in enhancing transboundary marine protected areas: An approach in East Africa

The increasing degradation of marine ecosystems has led to multiple calls for greater protection through the establishment of marine protected areas (MPAs). If created at the ecosystem or ecoregion level, MPAs will likely straddle maritime boundaries and therefore necessitate international cooperation. International environmental law and international law of the sea may facilitate cooperation between States in creating transboundary MPAs. The extent to which this body of law is actually or potentially useful for the establishment of transboundary MPAs is examined in the context of the East African Marine Ecoregion, focusing on Mozambique, South Africa, and Tanzania. A general survey and assessment of the applicable global, regional, and bilateral instruments in relation to the three States is conducted. Although some global instruments are relevant in the East African context, regional and bilateral instruments are more conducive to the establishment of transboundary MPAs. The article concludes that although a trilateral agreement between Mozambique, South Africa, and Tanzania would be an ideal vehicle for the establishment of a transboundary network of MPAs addressing both national and ecoregional conservation interests, a separate solution at each border will be the first step towards this goal.