Pacific islands in the global economy: Paradoxes of migration and culture

Predictions for the future of small islands and island states are invariably pessimistic. Poverty has increased, free trade offers limited possibilities, governance is weak and urban biased, and aid dependence has not declined despite aid fatigue. Populations are contracting from outer islands. One outcome has been increasing migration and remittances, as safety valve and diversification strategy. Selective migration and limited return migration have contributed to skill drain. Yet migration has enabled peripheries to survive through improved welfare and investment, and sustained social structures. Formal development strategies, whether international or national, emphasize 'modernity', with culture to be abhorred and ignored; yet hybridity offers possibilities for more equitable sustainable development. A combination of migration, economic diversification and cultural hybridity provides alternative development trajectories.     

Devensian glacial events in Buchan (NE Scotland): A progress report on new OSL dates and their implications

Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of a series of glaciofluvial/glaciodeltaic sediments in central Buchan and Aberdeen has recently been undertaken. The aims of this project are to test the chronological model proposed by the most recent regional review and the suggestion that parts of Buchan may have remained ice-free during the last glacial maximum (late marine isotope stage (MIS) 3 and MIS 2 29–15 ka). The preliminary results indicate that during the Devensian (ca. 116–12 ka), extensive areas of Buchan may have been glaciated earlier than previously believed (possibly during MIS 4, 72–60 ka), but parts of the region show no depositional evidence of later glaciation. Some waterlain sediments from the Ugie Valley have yielded OSL ages indicating deposition during MIS 5d to MIS 5a (116–72 ka). We discuss whether the absence of overlying glaciogenic sediments at these locations raises questions about the reliability of the OSL ages or about existing models of the Devensian glaciation of Buchan.     

Long-term declines in two apex predators,bull sharks (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Carcharhinus leucas</Emphasis>) and alligator gar (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Atractosteus spatula</Emphasis>), in Lake Pontchartrain,an oligohaline estuary in southeastern Louisiana

We analyzed historic and current fishery independent data to determine if the abundance of two apex predators, bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) and alligator gar (Atractosteus spatula), in Lake Pontchartrain had changed significantly over the last half century. Lake Pontchartrain is an environmentally degraded oligohaline estuary in southeastern Louisiana that has experienced considerable changes in fish assemblage composition over this interval. Using gillnet, beach seine, and trawl data collected during three time periods (1953–1955, 1977–1978, and 1996–2005), we analyzed trends in abundance forC. leucas andA. spatula using generalized linear models with a negative binomial error structure and a log link. Lake Pontchartrain data were divided into four spatial locations (northwest, northeast, southwest, southeast) since each region represents a unique combination of anthropogenic and natural influences that could affect catches. For each species and gear type, we produced log-likelihood profiles for the instantaneous rate of change in relative abundance through time. Raw catches were generally lower for both species in the later surveys.C. leucas were not captured in beach seines since the 1950s andA. spatula were rarely captured in trawls or seines since the 1970s. Likelihood profiles of changes in abundance forC. leucas andA. spatula showed very large declines in both species since 1953.C. leucas declined by 98.6% (95% CI: 73.4–99.9%) in gillnets and became functionally extirpated in beach seines with a decline of 99.9% (95% CI: 23–99.9%). Among all gears,C. leucas declined by the same rate as in gillnets. The decline inA. spatula was also large with a decrease of 98.6% (95% CI: 73.4–99.9%) in beach seines and a decline of 99.2% (95% CI: 54.8–99.9%) in trawls since 1953. Catches ofA. spatula in gillnets did not show a significant change over the study period. The continued decline of these two apex predators could seriously affect efforts to restore this degraded estuarine ecosystem.     

Socioeconomic dynamics of the Ghanaian tuna industry: a value-chain approach to understanding aspects of global fisheries

This study investigated how an industrial tuna fishery functions in terms of procedures, practices, governance and finance in the context of Ghana, West Africa. Tuna is Ghana’s biggest seafood export, contributing significantly to the domestic fisheries sector. A case-study approach was used to analyse relevant social and economic factors at the local scale to better understand how the global seafood industry operates in a low-income country. A value-chain framework was adopted to assess market structures, sales pathways and revenue distribution. We also investigated the role of actors engaged in the industry using secondary data, interviews, questionnaires and participant observations. The results revealed a changing organisational structure in tuna production, moving from bait-boat fishing with smaller companies to large-scale purse-seine fishing backed by consolidated Asian seafood companies. Production was found to depend significantly on local female intermediaries for access to funds through prefinancing arrangements. Considerable illegalities were identified within the value chain, highlighting the need for improved partnership and licensing negotiations, and for low-cost marine control and surveillance tools. As vertical integration increases within the industry, the influence of corporations as keystone actors becomes evident for the future social and ecological sustainability of the industry.     

Supernova remnants, planetary nebulae and the distance to NGC 4214

We present narrow band, continuum subtracted Hα, [S ii], Hβ, [O iii] and [O ii] data taken with the Wide Field Camera 3 on the Hubble Space Telescope in the nearby dwarf starburst galaxy NGC 4214. From these images, we identify seventeen new planetary nebula candidates, and seven supernova remnant candidates. We use the observed emission line luminosity function of the planetary nebulae to establish a new velocity-independent distance to NGC 4214. We conclude that the PNLF technique gives a reddening independent distance to NGC 4214 of 3.19±0.36 Mpc, and that our current best-estimate of the distance to this galaxy ids 2.98±0.13 Mpc.     

Structural controls on sulphide deposition at the dyke–lava boundary, slow-spreading ocean crust, Macquarie Island

Ocean Drilling Program hole 504B revealed an ocean crust hydrothermal sulphur anomaly on the dyke–lava transition, with implications for global sulphur sinks. Here we confirm the presence of the anomaly sporadically along 7.5 km of dyke–basalt contact on the Macquarie Ridge at Macquarie Island, a 39–9.7 Ma slow‐spreading setting. Background contact‐zone pyrite S contents average 1845 p.p.m. across ～50 m. However, zones of small‐scale brittle faulting that commonly occur on and above the dyke–basalt contact average between 5000 and 11 000 p.p.m. S (20–30 m widths). These consist of steep ridge‐parallel faults and fault splays on the contact, overlain by up to 50 m of linked pyritic fault trellis. The contact zone faults are haloed by disseminated pyrite–chlorite, cross‐cut by quartz–chlorite–sphalerite and epidote‐cemented breccias, containing evidence of turbulent flow. The structural control on sulphur deposition is attributed to the active extensional slow spreading setting. With increasing extension, diffuse mixing across the contact was replaced by channellized flow and dynamic mixing in fault arrays. The magnitude of the dyke–lava transition sulphur sink must be reassessed to take account of this heterogeneity.     

Environmental Refugees? A tale of two resettlement projects in coastal Papua New Guinea

ABSTRACT

Environmental change in small islands may be associated with migration as a means of adaptation. Both Manam and the Carteret Islands in Papua New Guinea (PNG) have experienced rapid- and slow-onset changes, respectively. These have been accompanied by the forced migration and ‘temporary’ resettlement of the Manam population and attempts at resettlement by Carteret Islanders. Neither has proved successful, thwarted by ‘host’ landowners, the impossibility of gaining adequate access to land and land rights, and government inactivity. Settlers have been perceived as outsiders and rival claimants to valuable coastal resources. Inability to resettle in national contexts raises issues of ambiguity, identity and citizenship. The problems experienced by quite small population groups moving short distances in similar cultural contexts are indicative of the potential future problems facing environmental migrants in other contexts.