Administering the code of conduct

The author examines problems which liner conferences are likely to encounter in administering and policing the UN Code of Conduct for liner conferences which entered into force on 6 October 1983. Following an introduction dealing with the nature and structure of the Code itself and the problems which these pose for its interpretation and administration, the author discusses the responsibility for administration in relation to Code provisions, and then turns to the controversial questions of the administration of the cargo sharing system. Further sections deal with policing the Code and the nature of the remedies available in the case of disputes which cannot be settled within the conference system of self-policing. The final sections deal with the question of the role of governments, appropriate authorities and the EEC.     

Towards sustainable fisheries: a strategy for FAO and the World Bank

The state of many fisheries and fishery resources requires a major change in development and management policies and strategies, at national and regional levels. The international Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, adopted in FAO in 1995, provides the operational framework for such change, in all fisheries, in the oceans, inland waters, EEZs, international waters, as well as in aquaculture. In their respective areas of competence and in close collaboration, FAO and the World Bank are committed to facilitate the implementation of the Code by fishing and coastal nations. This paper presents the strategy they have developed for the purpose. The paper elaborates on: (1) the main policy-related issues faced by fisheries worldwide (bio-ecological, technological, economic, socio-cultural, institutional and legal, as well as scientific); (2) the Code of Conduct, its background, structure and scope; (3) the basis of the implementation strategy by FAO and the Bank; and the main types of activities involved at global, regional and national levels. In conclusion it describes briefly the main elements of changes imbedded in the strategy and shows that the implementation by FAO and the Bank as well as by the countries has already actively started.     

Balanced harvesting: The institutional incompatibilities

Balanced harvesting is the name of a newly proposed approach to fishing which promises the extraction of high and sustainable fisheries yields while maintaining the structure of the ecosystem from which those yields could be obtained. This is to be achieved through exposing all components of ecosystems (from zooplankton to top predators, including seals, sea birds and marine mammals) to a fishing mortality proportional to their size-specific productivity. This study briefly analyses the incompatibility between balanced harvesting (and its implications) and the stated missions of two major organizations, FAO (which stresses the need of selective fishing in its Code of Conduct for Sustainable Fisheries) and IUCN (which maintains the Red List of Threatened Species), but which have issued reports or organized conferences promoting balanced harvesting. The study also demonstrates the incompatibility of balanced harvesting with the recently reformed Common Fisheries Policy of the European Union. While balanced harvesting appears partly compatible with declared fisheries policies of a few countries, e.g. with regard to whaling, sealing, and indiscriminate biomass fishing, it is not only incompatible with the basic tenets of fisheries science, but also with the vision, gradually emerging globally, that marine organisms such as marine mammals, sea turtles, sea-birds and other fauna have an intrinsic value and right to life that should not be undermined by more of the indiscriminate fishing which currently shapes much of our interactions with the oceans.     

Compliance of Bangladesh shrimp culture with FAO code of conduct for responsible fisheries: a development challenge

A study was conducted in southwest coastal areas of Bangladesh to assess the status and to understand the degree of awareness of the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries among different stakeholders and its application in the area of shrimp culture in Bangladesh. Articles 9.1 and 9.4 of the Code were used for the investigation. Interviews with potential shrimp farmers and key informants at different level were undertaken for the investigation. A checklist was developed using both open and closed ended questions. Although Bangladesh is a signatory to the Code, virtually no significant efforts have been made to date to comprehend and elaborate the provisions of the Code within the context of Bangladesh. General awareness on the existence and significance of the FAO Code of Conduct, its scope, and purpose are yet to be increased for persons and institutions involved in shrimp aquaculture.     

Contemporary challenges: globalisation,global interconnectedness and that ‘there are not plenty more fish in the sea’.: Fisheries,Governance and globalisation: is there a relationship?

The article offers an analysis of the globalisation debate in the context of international fisheries governance. It argues that there are significant transformations in fisheries policy-making in international economics, international institutions and international law-making which alter state authority in fisheries management. Thus, decision-making at international, regional and national levels is increasing, displaced from the state level. This ‘multi-level’ decision-making is exemplified in the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation's Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, 1995. The Code represents a sound instrument of fisheries governance, capable of responding to contemporary global transformations. Changes are illustrated by comparing the Code and the Agreement on Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks, 1995, in the areas of international economics, institutions and law-making. Reference is made to interaction between a range of actors and to formal and informal procedures. In conclusion, a process of ‘fisheries governance’ is confirmed, emerging from a new environment of international fisheries relations.     

三维水深测量精度分析及试验验证

根据《水运工程测量规范》修订专题研究项目理论研究成果,分别通过陆地的"不同距离升降旋转法"和对选定区域重复进行水深测量的实测试验方法对RTK动态三维定位精度、RTK三维水深测量图载水深精度进行了验证,为将RTK三维水深测量纳入《水运工程测量规范》提供了依据。     

Implementing the UNCTAD Code of Conduct: The UK Merchant Shipping (Liner Conferences) Act, 1982

This article analyses the UK legislation which will implement the UNCTAD Code of Conduct for Liner Conferences. The historical background to the Merchant Shipping (Liner Conferences) Act, 1982 is outlined and the author points out the relative decline of the UK merchant fleet in the face of competition from developing maritime nations, socialist countries and the USA. Provisions in the UK act curtailing the provisions of the Code are described. UK opposition to the cargo sharing and flag preference provisions of the Code is described and the article concludes by arguing that, although the Code does not satisfy all the UK demands, it remains the best option in a world increasingly dominated by protectionism.     

Contributions from the 9th International Conference on Gas in Marine Sediments, University of Bremen, 15–19 September 2008

Following the first International Conference on Gas in Marine Sediments in Edinburgh, UK (1990), another eight successful conferences have provided a continuous forum for scientists from a variety of disciplines, organisations and countries. The 9th meeting of the Shallow Gas Group was held in September 2008 in Bremen, a hanseatic city more than 1,200 years old in northern Germany. The Shallow Gas Group was joined for this conference by participants of the HERMES EU-funded project and by members of an industry-funded project. Volume 30 (3/4) of Geo-Marine Letters is a double issue containing 25 selected papers from the 9th conference in Bremen, guest edited by G. Bohrmann and B.B. Jørgensen. The papers represent the broad spectrum of oral and poster contributions from the conference, covering a wide range of aspects of gas in marine sediments from many parts of the world. The next conference of the Shallow Gas Group is planned to be held in Listvyanka at Lake Baikal, Russia, in September 2010.     

基于高通量测序技术的北冰洋典型环境原生生物多样性研究进展

原生生物指可独立生存的单细胞或群体真核生物,其多样性高、结构功能复杂、分布广泛,是海洋微型浮游生物群落的重要组成部分,在维持海洋生态系统结构与功能中发挥着重要作用.早期使用显微镜、流式细胞术等传统方法对原生生物多样性的研究具有若干局限性,随着分子生物学技术的发展,测序技术(尤其高通量测序)为深入研究原生生物多样性、群落...     

Turbo码在水下无线通信中的应用

详细阐述了Turbo码的原理，围绕Turbo码技术具体实现了一个水声通信系统，并用VC对系统进行仿真。仿真的结果及水池中获得的试验数据表明，该方案可使水下无线通信系统的性能得到显著改善。     

Institutional quality and catch performance of fishing nations

The relationship between annual growth in the catches of fishing nations and the quality of the institutions of those nations is analysed. Catch volumes are used as a proxy for development, since economic performance indicators based on a common set of definitions do not exist. 49 major fishing nations were selected for this study, including 22 OECD countries and several developing countries. Three general good governance indices, for government-efficiency (World Bank), corruption (Transparency International) and competitiveness (World Economic Forum) and one fishery specific FAO Code of Conduct compliance index were used. The correlation between fisheries' performance and the indices proved to be spurious, but OECD members achieved a statistically significant negative growth in catches between 1987 and 2007. The countries are divided into five groups, including ‘Winners' and ‘Losers', with reference to catch growth rates over two decades. Most of the OECD countries fell into the category ‘Losers', whereas “Winners” includes many developing countries with lower quality institutions. Some countries had experienced an amazing growth in catches, while others had experienced a decline. The future prospects for both categories are discussed.     

海工结构物桩基础竖向稳定性的可靠度分析

应用可靠度理论对渤海海域中海工结构物桩基础的稳定性进行了可靠度分析,阐述了各个设计指标的变化对分项系数及可靠度指标的影响规律,并进一步对各指标的灵敏度进行比较分析。分析结果表明,在各个设计参数中,厚土层的强度指标和设计荷载是两个相对重要的参数,在渤海海域中应用API标准中规定的荷载抗力系数进行设计是适用的。     

GPS与航海导航

ＧＰＳ自９０年代的向全球民用开放以来，其应用领域已越来越广，尤其是在航海中已普遍应用。然而由于广大用户对该系统深入了解不够，所以在使用ＧＰＳ接收机时并未充分发挥其功效，从而大大地降低了该系统的使用价值。     

The 1995 FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries: Adopting,implementing or scoring results?

The paper presents the results of a major assessment of Code adoption and implementation in nine fishing countries in Asia (China, Thailand, Vietnam), Africa (Senegal, Guinea Bissau and Guinea) and in the Caribbean (Jamaica, Dominican Republic and Trinidad & Tobago), which are part of the international research project ECOST. The main findings are that the Code as an international policy instrument remains relevant and adaptable to the current international fisheries context, and that its guiding principles and provisions have been endorsed and adopted in almost unanimous fashion by the countries covered, and integrated into fisheries policy letters and legal frameworks. However, results also suggest that tackling the truly difficult issues in fisheries, such as combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing or adjusting fishing overcapacity has been a lot less successful. The design and implementation of necessary measures often remains very weak in domains with important economic and political dimensions. The causes for this are attributed to a mix of administrative inertia, lack of political will and stamina, and short-sighted economic considerations.     

Compliance of bag net fishery of Maharashtra coast,India with Article 7 of the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries

The paper presents the results of evaluation of compliance of the bag net fishery of Maharashtra coast, India with the relevant clauses of Article 7 (Fisheries management) of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (CCRF). Questionnaire-based approach that covered ten categories of stakeholders responsible wholly or partially for the management of the bag net fishery was used in the present study. Evaluation of the Code revealed an overall compliance level of 67.52%. The study identified the critical areas of low compliance levels that require immediate attention. Though the bag net fishery is the most common and traditional fishery of Maharashtra that supports livelihood of several fishers, there is no specific policy to regulate, develop and ensure sustainability of the bag net fish resources. Therefore the Code could be taken as a reference document to facilitate responsible management of the bag net fishery taking the local conditions into account. The findings of the present study could be used as a diagnostic tool to help in suggesting measures to ensure sustainability of the bag net fishery resources achievable by making amendments to the fisheries policies of the State.     

Russian investigations in the field of atmospheric radiation in 2011–2014

A short survey prepared by the Russian Commission on Atmospheric Radiation contains the most significant results of work in the field of atmospheric-radiation studies performed in 2011–2014. It is part of the Russian National Report on Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences prepared for the International Association on Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences (IAMAS)¹. During this period, the Russian Commission on Atmospheric Radiation, jointly with the concerned departments and organizations, organized two International Symposiums on Radiation and Dynamics (ISARD-2011 and ISARD-2013). At these conferences, the central problems in modern atmospheric physics were discussed: radiative transfer (RT) and atmospheric optics; greenhouse gases, clouds, and aerosols; remote methods of measurements; and new measurement data. This survey presents six directions covering the whole spectrum of investigations performed in the field of atmospheric radiation.     

The effectiveness of the ISM Code: A qualitative enquiry

Studies conducted to determine the efficacy of the ISM Code in the past include investigations of the trends of accident numbers and insurance claims and users' perceptions. None of these, however, could produce a definitive conclusion. This is because both the use of safety outcome as well as the use of perception have inherent problems and are not reliable. This paper takes a different approach. It draws on wider research on management of workplace health and safety to ascertain whether or not employment and social conditions that support effective implementation of self-regulation are present in the maritime context. The findings reveal a considerable disparity between managers' and seafarers' understanding of the use of the Code resulting in a wide gap between its intended purpose and practice. The analysis shows that the critical factor is the lack of seafarers' participation in management of workplace health and safety. The underlying causal factors for such lack of participation were located in seafarers' poor employment condition and low-trust relationship with their managers.     

IMO框架下智能船舶适航的法律规制研究

随人工智能技术发展,智能船舶因其无人化、智能化的特点而与传统国际法律制度产生碰撞。当前,国际海事组织将制定“海上自主水面船舶规则”工作提上日程,航行安全问题作为其中的高度优先事项,受到各国广泛关注。船舶适航作为承运人的主要义务之一,是保障航行安全的先决条件。但智能船舶是否需要符合适航标准,如果适用会产生哪些法律障碍并如何解决等诸多问题亟待研究。对此,应修订《国际海上避碰规则》并明确智能船舶适船技术标准,明确岸基操作人员的法律地位并制定其资格取得、培训、值班标准,明确安全配员标准及需船员在船承担的职责的履行方式。     

Citation analysis for the 1995 FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries

This paper presents the results of a 2008 citation-analysis study that was undertaken for the 1995 FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and its associated instruments. The overall objective of this study was to contribute towards a strategy for improved dissemination, awareness raising and communication about the Code and its implementation. For each citation, additional information was collected to identify patterns by year, topic, author affiliation or type of literature. Results support previously suggested anecdotal patterns, in particular related to the diversity of publishing outlets and the high proportion of fisheries information published as grey literature. The results also point to areas of concern for long-term preservation and dissemination of fisheries information.     

黄河水下三角洲海底管道沉降量确定方法研究

提出一种海底管道沉降计算方法——递推法,应用到胜利油田埕岛海域海底管道沉降计算中,并将计算结果与目前常用的日本规范法和极限法进行比较。研究发现在粉土与粉质粘土为主的强度较高的海床上,递推法与日本规范法计算结果比较接近,极限法的最小;在淤泥质土组成的强度较低的海床上,日本规范法的计算值最大,递推法的居中,极限法的最小。逆推法可计算裸置和埋设两种形式的管道沉降量,而另外两者只能计算裸置管道的沉降。文中进一步讨论了引起管道沉降的影响因素,土体强度和压缩性对管道沉降影响较大。且管道埋深越大,沉降也越大。最后分析了黄河水下三角洲埕岛海域4个区的管道沉降量,Ⅰ区争Ⅱ区管道沉降较小,可以忽略,Ⅳ区沉降较大,在淤泥质软土上的管道,可能会完全陷入土中。