Developing self-guided scuba dive routes in the Algarve (Portugal) and analysing visitors' perceptions

Scuba diving allows for underwater visitation of cultural and natural resources. Underwater routes can be used as a tool for guided and supervised underwater visits. Two scuba diving routes were implemented in the Algarve (South of Portugal), the “B24” and “Poço” diving sites. The perceptions of scuba divers regarding several aspects of the routes and the existing support infrastructures were studied following a survey carried out through face-to-face interviews from 2008 to 2012. Divers profile and their perceptions were analysed using 246 valid questionnaires. Divers were mainly Portuguese, over 30 years old and with more than 12 years of formal education. Some of the support infrastructures did not achieve a “good” or “acceptable” grade. This should be carefully considered by diving operators and managers, because perceptions tend to circulate throughout the diving tourists. All features of interpretative slates were graded as highly satisfactory. Overall, diver satisfaction increased slightly after route implementation, with an average ranking of “good”. These findings support the implementation of underwater routes as a way to promote diving activity, and to increase divers' environmental education and awareness.     

Marine protected areas: a tool for integrated coastal management in Belize

Management of the Belize Barrier Reef was originally envisioned through the creation of marine protected areas. However, the influence of land-based activities was not accounted for in Marine Protected Area (MPA) programs. Therefore focus was shifted to an integrated approach via Integrated Coastal Management (ICM). The Belize ICM process has evolved into a system of coordination through the fostering of multi-sectoral linkages for integrated management of coastal resources. Marine protected areas were included in the ICM program as tools for achieving biodiversity protection and management of sensitive habitats. The ICM process has resulted in greater coordination and consultation in decision making for coastal resource issues, the MPA program however has not evolved with the trend of greater community involvement in MPA management. The greatest challenges to MPA and ICM programs in the next 10 years are: improved linkages between the two, fostering of community participation in management, broadening of the scope of ICM to watersheds and ocean governance, and sustainable financing for both programs.     

The ICZM Balanced Scorecard: A tool for putting integrated coastal zone management into action

Coastal areas are characterised by the choice of performance measures and/or reference points which may be critical in the environmental management process, determining the success of an Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) plan. The tools for the strategic control of ICZM plans are particularly important, although they are still not widely used at the local level. The following paper proposes the use of the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) method of Kaplan and Norton (1992), which is a holistic management performance tool that can be used by managers to put into action their business strategy. In particular the methodology has focused on the use of a BSC process, inspired by the Niven (2003) approach for public bodies. The BSC suggests the creation of a framework for the strategic assessment of plans and projects based on the Protocol on Integrated Coastal Zone Management in the Mediterranean (Protocol). An analysis of the Protocol has been carried out according to the BSC model, and it shows how it can be integrated with assessment and environmental management tools, such as the Driving forces, Pressures, States, Impacts and Responses (DPSIR) framework. The proposed process has suggested a novel framework for analysing the ICZM plans of coastal managers and stakeholders. The analytical framework facilitates the examination of Drivers and causes of the ICZM strategy, the possible impact on society and coastal communities, the most appropriate measures to achieve the objectives and the practicalities of implementing such measures given the institutional context of where these are developed.     

Ecosystem and legal framework for coastal management in Central Chile

At ecosystem level, sandy beaches, dune fields, cliffs, and marine terraces are the main physiographic units which characterize the coastal fringe of central Chile. Natural hazards – storm surges, tsunamis, and heavy rains – may induce risks of flooding, erosion, mudflow, and mass movement for human settlements. Land use, in particular related to the recent tourist boom, as well as induced environmental degradation are reviewed. The legal framework for seaside human occupation is critically examined. Recommendations for a better development are proposed only.     

A method for the participatory design of an indicator system as a tool for local coastal management

This paper proposes a method for the participatory design of an indicator system as a tool for coastal management at village level. The method includes three phases: (1) a participatory process where stakeholders have the opportunity to decide the orientation of the indicator system and to define indicators, (2) the design of a hierarchical indicator structure based on the derivation of principles and criteria from stakeholder priorities and (3) a filtering process for the selection of stakeholder-defined indicators that can reflect the viability and performance of the coastal region. A case study in the Bragança coastal region of northern Brazil is presented to illustrate the method's applicability. The resultant hierarchical indicator system design includes four principles, 11 criteria and 35 indicators linked to the environmental, social, governance and economic dimensions. The indicator system can be used as a tool for measuring changes and to influence local ICM policies.     

Performance of community-based coastal resource management (CBCRM) programs in the Philippines: A meta-analysis

Community-based coastal resource management (CBCRM) is a major conservation and fisheries management strategy in the tropics. In this study, the performance of 16 CBCRM programs in the Philippines was assessed using a meta-analysis of eight indicators that represented the perceptions of local resource users. Overall, the CBCRM programs in the Philippines were perceived to have a significant positive impact. However, the performance of each of the indicators was mixed. Although the CBCRM programs were perceived to be effective in empowering the local fishing communities, their perceived impact on improving the state of the local fisheries resources remained limited. This highlights the importance of incorporating ecological and socio-economic considerations in setting fisheries management regimes.     

厦门第二轮海岸带综合管理战略行动计划研究

海岸带综合管理被广泛认为是实现海岸带社会经济与生态环境可持续发展的重要途径之一.本文运用海岸带综合管理（ICM）的相关理论,结合厦门海岸带管理面临的实际问题, 在对厦门第一轮ICM执行情况进行充分回顾、评估的基础上,对厦门第二轮ICM面临的主要问题、涉及的优先领域及主要目标进行了分析研究;并在此基础上形成了厦门第二轮海岸带综合管理的战略行动计划.     

A process framework for coastal zone management in Tanzania

A process framework is described to address socio-economic issues related to coastal zone management, specifically as it applies to the mitigation of impacts due to the establishment of marine protected areas (MPAs). Analysis of the existing social environment in Tanzania, including social capital, vulnerable groups and livelihood components, was undertaken to allow for the identification of critical issues and challenges. The developed process framework is a guidance document for decision-makers to incorporate the interests and needs of affected stakeholders. This safeguard commits to a consultative process with clear channels of communication, established grievance procedures, and monitoring and evaluation activities for affected communities.     

Composition and interannual variability of phytoplankton in a coastal upwelling region (Lisbon Bay,Portugal)

From July 2001 to May 2005, at a fixed station located in Lisbon Bay (Cascais: 38° 41′ N, 09° 24′ W), surface seawater samples were collected on a weekly basis. We aimed to describe at different temporal scales, short-term to interannual, the phytoplankton community in relation to hydrographic conditions.Maxima of the main phytoplankton groups varied according to the seasonality of upwelling/downwelling cycles and nutrient availability and were associated with particular hydrological mesoscale structures highlighted by satellite images. Short succession cycles were identified dependent on coastal upwelling events. Intermittent and weak pulses allowed the coexistence of species from different succession stages and groups, although having consecutive maxima. The interannual differences observed in the phytoplankton community, in Lisbon Bay, varied according to both the duration and strength of the upwelling events and to precipitation and Tagus river flow regimes.Diatoms developed and were dominant, during spring–summer under prevailing upwelling conditions and silicon availability. Short upwelling pulses appeared to be unfavourable for diatoms maintenance. When upwelling weakened and SST increased due to onshore advection of warmer waters, coccolithophores dominated. This assemblage was the second most abundant during the study, in particular during the short transition period from upwelling (summer) to downwelling seasons (autumn) distributing in the largest range of hydrographical conditions between diatoms (maximum turbulence) during early spring and dinoflagellates (maximum stratification) during summer to further dominate during autumn and winter. Nitrites and nitrates seemed to favour greater developments of this group. Dinoflagellates peaked mainly during summer and were the less abundant through the four years due to the decrease of lasting convergence periods. Like coccolithophores, a preference for warmer waters emerged but this group seemed to have a narrow tolerance to turbulence and temperature changes.     

A hierarchical framework to aid biodiversity assessment for coastal zone management and marine protected area selection

The need to rapidly and accurately identify areas for protection and conservation in the marine environment has been highlighted as of critical importance. Managers require timely and cost-effective techniques to obtain biodiversity information at appropriate scales and resolutions aligned with management objectives and stakeholders requirements. In this paper, a two-stage, multi-level data collection framework is presented that will aid managers to focus on what marine biodiversity collection techniques will meet their individual jurisdictional needs.The framework begins with an integrated planning process (objective setting, stakeholder identification, and sensitivity and gap analyses), that leads to a hierarchical approach for selecting biodiversity assessment techniques that will gather required marine biodiversity data. Complexity of scale and resolution increases as one progress's through the hierarchical levels of Stage II. The utility of using a hierarchical framework is that it surmounts the problem that no single technique can quantify all biological attributes necessary for management outcomes. Also, the user enters the framework at a hierarchical level that meets their requirements thus removing the collection of redundant data. Ultimately, the rapid assessment framework is based on the efficient and sufficient assessment of marine biodiversity.     

Situation of integrated coastal zone management in Central America: Experiences of the IUCN wetlands and coastal zone conservation program

Central American coastal zones possess extensive scenic and geographical wealth as well as great biological diversity. These coasts maintain 21.6% of the region’s population and produce at least US$ 750 million alone in fishing activities that provide work and sustenance for more than 450 000 persons in the region. Eight percent of the world’s mangroves are located in Central America, as well as the second largest corral reef barrier on the planet. A good representation of the region’s natural heritage is conserved in approximately 110 protected areas. Due to these special conditions, at least 50% of Central America’s coastal zones is devoted to tourism, one of the three primary economic activities in four of the region’s countries. Integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) in this region has been limited by information gaps, restricted technical and financial capacity, and strong sectoralism. Some recent projects, both governmental and supported by NGOs, offer new experience and lessons on regional ICZM. These initiatives have been backed at the ministerial and presidential level by a large number of political agreements within the framework of the ‘alliance for sustainable development’ (ALIDES).     

A coastal management program for channels located in backbarrier systems

Management of the interactions between social/economic interests and the coastal environment requires practical, interdisciplinary assessment techniques. Backbarrier systems are critical natural resources that provide both economic and social benefits. Activities such as aquaculture, fishing, shipping and port activities, sediment mining, salt extraction, and tourism all take place in these ecosystems but are often not compatible with each other. Therefore, a program to manage such a system must congregate many different types of activities and stakeholders with potentially conflicting interests. In this paper, we develop a proposed coastal management program (CMP), based on the driving-pressure-state-impact-response (DPSIR) framework and the integrated coastal management (ICM) cycle, for the management of channels located in backbarrier systems subject to dredging operations. The conceptual model involves the application of regional sediment management (RSM) actions and is applied to a case study, Faro Channel, located in the Ria Formosa backbarrier system in Algarve, Portugal. The CMP provides results on the interactivity between scientists, stakeholders, and decision-makers, by defining and clarifying the economic and environmental aspects of decision-making processes through the utilisation and measurement of local coastal indicators. The proposed CMP proved to be a useful tool in the definition of coastal management initiatives for channels inside backbarrier systems, since it identified management problems and allowed management solutions to be formulated. The CMP could be used within a broader ICM program but would also be effective when used on its own.     

Denitrification in coastal Louisiana: A spatial assessment and research needs

By transforming fixed nitrogen (N) into nitrogen gas, the biochemical processes that support denitrification provide a function critical to maintaining the integrity of ecosystems subjected to increased loading of N from anthropogenic sources. The Louisiana coastal region receives high nitrate (NO₃^?) concentrations (> 100 µM) from the Mississippi–Ohio–Missouri River Basin and is also an area undergoing high rates of wetland loss. Ongoing and anticipated changes in the Louisiana coastal region promise to alter biogeochemical cycles including the net rate of denitrification by ecosystems. Projecting what these changes could mean for coastal water quality and natural resources requires an understanding of the magnitude and patterns of variation in denitrification rates and their connection to estuarine water quality at large temporal and spatial scales under current conditions. We compile and review denitrification rates reported in 32 studies conducted in a variety of habitats across coastal Louisiana during the period 1981– 2008. The acetylene inhibition and ¹⁵N flux were the preferred techniques (95%); most of the studies used sediment slurries rather than intact sediment cores. There are no estimates of denitrification rates using the N₂/Ar ratio and isotope pairing techniques, which address some of the problems and limitations of the acetylene inhibition and ¹⁵N flux techniques. These studies have shown that sediments from estuaries, lakes, marshes, forested wetlands, and the coastal shelf region are capable of high potential denitrification rates when exposed to high NO₃^? concentrations (> 100 µM). Maximum potential denitrification rates in experimental and natural settings can reach values > 2500 µmol m² h^? 1. The lack of contemporary studies to understand the interactions among critical nitrogen transformations (e.g., organic matter mineralization, immobilization, aquatic plant assimilation, nitrification, nitrogen fixation, dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) and anaerobic ammonium oxidation (annamox) limits our understanding of nitrogen cycling in coastal Louisiana, particularly the role of respiratory and chemolithoautotrophic denitrification in areas undergoing wetland restoration.     

Short-term environmental impact of clam dredging in coastal waters (south of Portugal): chemical disturbance and subsequent recovery of seabed

The physical and chemical changes in sediment and near bottom water caused by clam dredging were examined during July and September 1999, at two locations Vilamoura (VL) and Armona (AR), south coast of Portugal. Sediment cores and near bottom water were collected simultaneously before dredging (control samples) and within short time intervals (min-h) after dredging. After dredging operations, microphytobenthos coming from the path were accumulated in the re-worked sediment (ridge). Chlorophyll a in superficial sediment increased from 1.2 microg x g(-1) before dredging to 1.7 microg x g(-1) after dredging and these higher values remained for a few hours. However, the expected increase of chlorophyll a in near bottom water due to re-suspension was not observed. After sediment disturbance an instantaneous sorption of phosphorus onto iron oxides occurred in the upper sediment layers (from 2 to 3 micromol x g(-1) before dredging to 4-5 micromol x g(-1) after dredging). A microcosm experiment showed that after sediment disturbance HPO(4)(2-) dissolved in pore water decreased from 40 to 10 microM being simultaneously sorbed onto iron oxides formed in the top layer of sediment. The ammonium, nitrates, organic nitrogen, phosphate and silicate dissolved in pore water decreased immediately after dredging activity and simultaneously an increase in near bottom water was sporadically observed. Generally, the re-establishment of seabed was reached within a short time (min-h), at both stations (VL and AR).     

Site fidelity and movements of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) in a coastal lagoon (Ria Formosa, Portugal)

Short-time site fidelity and movements of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) in a coastal lagoon were determined using passive acoustic telemetry. Nine fish, ranging from 20.1 to 32.5 cm total length, were surgically implanted with acoustic transmitters and monitored for up to 179 days. Minimum convex polygon areas ranged from 18,698.6 m² to 352,711.9 m². Home range sizes were small, with individuals using core areas on a daily basis. However, these core areas shifted within the study site over time towards the opening to the sea. Two different diel behaviors were recorded, with some individuals more active at night and others during day time. Some individuals also demonstrated homing abilities, returning to the capture site after being released more than 4 km away.     

A cautious fisheries management policy in South Africa: the fisheries for rock lobster

In South Africa, political emancipation has resulted in a new fisheries policy which is embodied in the Marine Living Resources Act of 1998. The pillars of the new policy are sustainability, equity and stability within the industry. We look particularly at a suite of mainly accessible species, the rock lobsters (truly spiny lobsters), at their management, at control measures, at realities of resource status and harvesting, at naturally occurring ecosystem stimuli, and investigate whether the policy can achieve what it aims to do, to provide more for more South Africans at levels at least equal to what they do today. Put simply, are the political aims and the sustainability aims of the new policy mutually achievable?     

Indonesian legislative framework for coastal resources management: A critical review and recommendation

This paper addresses development and problems of the legislative framework for coastal and coral reef resources management in Indonesia. It describes the background to the legal framework of Indonesian coastal and coral reef legislation and proposes an appropriate legal framework for addressing Indonesian coastal and coral reef management. This paper outlines several major challenges faced by the Indonesian legislators. It reviews some of the justifications of creating an appropriate legal framework for coastal management.It argues that an adequate and appropriate legal framework will promote sustainable development and management of coastal and coral reef resources. It argues that, the complicated and inappropriate legal framework currently place in Indonesia has contributed to serious degradation of coastal and marine resources. It also argues that this degradation has been exacerbated by the lack of a national marine policy, severe weaknesses in law enforcement of natural resource including those of the fisheries laws and regulations in Indonesia. This paper suggests that there is a general malaise or lack of commitment to sustainable management and development of natural resources. This paper also focuses on the political aspects and their impacts on legislation for coastal and coral reef management at the national and selected regional levels.