Risk identification and perception in the fisheries sector: Comparisons between the Faroes,Greece, Iceland and UK

This paper presents the findings of risk identification and risk perception research conducted in relation to the fisheries systems of four distinct and diverse European countries: Faroes, Iceland, Greece and the UK. Risk research traditionally attempts to quantify the potential threat or consequences from a range of risk events or hazards. This research, however, adopted a social sciences perspective and so assumed that a risk event or hazard can mean different things to different people and that these perceptions are also context and culturally dependent. Risk perceptions were examined and risk registers developed in each country for a range of stakeholder groups. A ‘mental modelling’ approach was adopted in a series of qualitative interviews. Findings were examined in terms of a wide range of psychological, social and cultural risk theories. Differences in risk perceptions were noted between stakeholder groups and countries and contextual influences were examined such as the widely differing fisheries management systems used in each country. This research provides one of the first attempts to systematically evaluate risks and perceptions across a range of fisheries-systems. The findings support social science theories which argue that risk is a subjective, as opposed to objective, concept and that this subjectivity will therefore affect our attempts to assess and manage those hazards we think we can potentially influence or control.     

虾夷扇贝天然苗种筛选装置的研究与应用

随着贝类底播增养殖产业的迅猛发展,为保证底播贝苗的成活率,养殖企业对天然苗种更加重视。天然苗种采用中间育成方法,需要对苗种进行筛选作业,但目前筛选作业仍以人工作业为主,存在作业效率低、劳动强度大等问题。作者通过对大连地区虾夷扇贝(Patinopecten yessoensis)天然苗种筛选作业调研的基础上,设计了满足生产实际需求的扇贝苗种筛选装置,可实现3种规格贝苗的筛选作业。试验分2阶段进行,第1阶段对影响筛选准确性的因素进行正交分析于验证,确定了最佳工艺参数;第2阶段在大连旅顺进行的生产性对比试验得出,机械筛选的平均准确率为91.33%,误差率低于10%,且5组筛选结果无显著性差异(P0.05);同时机械筛选的平均作业效率为80g/(人/min),约为人工筛选作业效率的8倍。由此说明扇贝苗种筛选装置具有较高的准确性、稳定性和高效性,具有推广应用价值。     

Spatio‐temporal variation in density and size structure of the endangered sea cucumber Isostichopus fuscus in Huatulco National Park,Mexico

The brown sea cucumber Isostichopus fuscus (Ludwig, 1875) has been subjected to strong fishing pressure and is currently considered an endangered species by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Spatial and temporal variations in density were analysed and population parameters of I. fuscus were estimated in three localities of the Southern Mexican Pacific. Density was estimated using circular transects covering a 300 m² area in each locality. Body length and weight were also measured. The mean density was 0.018 ± 0.013 individuals·m^?2, and was statistically significantly lower during summer. The mean length and weight were 22.4 ± 3.8 cm and 396 ± 130 g, respectively, and statistically significant differences were found among localities. The weight–length relationship was W = 0.28·L^1.32 and the mean relative condition index (Kn) = 1.04 ± 0.31. The von Bertalanffy growth equation was L_t = 38.7·(1–exp^(?0.4·t)). The lowest values of length, weight and age were found at Dos Hermanas, suggesting that this locality could be favorable for the settlement of larvae and recruitment and growth of juveniles. The present study is the second to estimate densities of I. fuscus and the first one to publish data on size structure and growth for the population at Bahias de Huatulco. The densities were so low in the three sampled localities that none of them would be able to support a fishery, even under a sustainable management scheme. The information collected in the present study could be helpful for management programs of the Huatulco National Park, as all the data used for these currently come mainly from the populations of I. fuscus in the Gulf of California.     

Environmental factors influencing aggregation of manta rays (Manta birostris) off the northeastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula

Manta rays inhabit tropical, subtropical and temperate waters. Aggregation sites of manta rays have been recognized worldwide, but the reasons for this behavior are still poorly understood. This study describes environmental factors influencing aggregation sites of the giant manta ray (Manta birostris) off the northeastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. Observations of manta rays were obtained from scientific surveys conducted during 2006–2011. Environmental data were obtained from satellite imagery. The maximum entropy (Maxent) method for habitat modeling was used to determine the effects of environmental conditions on the species and predict suitable habitat for manta rays in this region. Primary productivity and distance to the coast were the most influential variables, suggesting that aggregation occurs in highly productive coastal waters. The distribution of manta rays predicted by the Maxent model showed that the most suitable habitat within the study area is located off the northeastern coast of the Yucatán Peninsula, more precisely, northeast of Isla Holbox and northwest of Isla Contoy. Seasonal patterns of distribution suggest that the most suitable conditions are present from July through September.     

组合压气机中尾迹与势流同频/异频干涉的叠加特性

为揭示多级压气机中上下游叶轮对中间叶片叠加气动影响特性,阐述不同叠加干涉情况下下游叶轮进气角度变化,采用数值方法模拟了一级轴流和一级离心组成的组合压气机非定常流场。详细讨论了上游动叶尾迹和下游动叶势流对中间导流叶栅段气流非定常流动的异频和同频叠加干涉特性,依据计算结果,直观地展示了静叶通道中两种干涉间相互激励和抑制作用的位置和时间,与数学公式的推导结果相互印证。研究结果表明:当上下游动叶对中间静叶段异频干涉时,干涉的激励、抑制区域的轴向位置随时间发生变化;当上下游动叶对中间静叶干涉频率相同时,干涉的相互激励、抑制区域的轴向位置不随时间发生变化,但干涉的激励、抑制区域的轴向位置受时序位置影响。另外,上游动叶尾迹与下游离心叶轮势流的不同叠加情况,决定着下游离心叶轮进口相对气流角的大小及波动幅值。      

Diversity and temporal fluctuations of epiphytes and sessile invertebrates on the rhizomes Posidonia oceanica in a seagrass meadow off Tunisia

The aim of this work is to study the temporal dynamics of rhizome epiphytes and sessile animals living on the rhizomes of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica in the east of Tunisia. Surveys were conducted in October 2009, and in January, April and August 2010 on a fringing reef located in Chebba. Rhizomes were sampled by SCUBA diving at three stations. Samples were examined with a microscope to estimate the cover of macroinvertebrate and macroalgal organisms on the top 10 cm of each rhizome. Results revealed a high diversity of epiphytes on P. oceanica rhizomes with a dominance of red and brown algae, ascidians, and bryozoans. Distinct temporal changes were observed in Oued Lafrann, with a high January cover (winter period) for all groups. These winter increases can be attributed to: (i) the low phenological parameters of P. oceanica in winter that reduce the effects of shading, (ii) life cycles of the epiphytes and invertebrates, (iii) water motion and (iv) grazing.     

Population dynamics of cryptogenic calcarean sponges (Porifera,Calcarea) in Southeastern Brazil

The calcarean sponge Paraleucilla magna is classified as being an invasive species on the Mediterranean Sea, where it causes economic damages to mollusc farms. On the Brazilian coast, this species is considered to be cryptogenic, and information on its ecology is scarce. The same is true for Sycettusa hastifera, another calcarean sponge with a worldwide distribution. Data on the ecology of these species could help in elucidating their potential to become a threat if they are found to be exotic species in Brazil. In the present work, we studied habitat selection, growth and mortality of early juveniles of P. magna and habitat selection of S. hastifera in a Marine Reserve from Southeastern Brazil, where these species are abundant in the benthic community. Granite plates were used for habitat selection analysis, varying in substrate inclination (vertical and horizontal) and exposure to light and hydrodynamism (exposed and sheltered). To analyse the growth and mortality rates, sponges were mapped and then measured once a week for 10 weeks. If a monitored sponge was not found in the following week, it was considered to be dead. Our results showed that, although P. magna and S. hastifera are capable of inhabiting substrates exposed to different environmental conditions, they showed habitat preferences. Growth of the juveniles of P. magna seemed not to have damaged any neighbouring invertebrates. The mortality of juveniles of this species was higher during the first 2 weeks of life but its causes could not be elucidated.     

A review of undulated sediment features on Mediterranean prodeltas: distinguishing sediment transport structures from sediment deformation

Most Mediterranean prodeltas show undulated sediment features on the foresets of their Holocene wedges. These features have been described all along the Mediterranean for the last 30 years and interpreted as either soft sediment deformation and incipient landsliding, and more recently, as sediment transport structures. We perform a review and detailed analysis of these undulated sediment features using ultrahigh-resolution seismic and bathymetric data as well as geotechnical information and hydrodynamic time series and hydrographic transects. In this study we show that the characteristics of the sediment undulations (configuration of the reflections down section and between adjacent undulations and overall morphologic characteristics) are incompatible with a genesis by sediment deformation alone and do not show evidence of sediment deformation in most cases. Various processes in the benthic boundary layer can be invoked to explain the variety of features observed in the numerous areas displaying sediment undulations.     

Morphometric and molecular data on two mitochondrial genes of a newly discovered chimaeran fish (Hydrolagus melanophasma, Chondrichthyes)

Fresh and preserved (type material) specimens of the black ghost chimaera Hydrolagus melanophasma were compared for morphometric characteristics. A molecular comparison was also performed on two mitochondrial gene sequences (12S rRNA and 16S rRNA gene sequences). While significant differences in measurements were found, the differences were not attributable to sexual dimorphism or the quality of the specimens, but to the sample size and the type of statistical tests. The result of the genetic characterization showed that 12S rRNA and 16S rRNA genes represented robust molecular markers that characterized the species.     

Atmospheric pollution in North Africa (ecosystems–atmosphere interactions): a case study in the mining basin of El Guettar–M’Dilla (southwestern Tunisia)

Air quality transcends all scales with in the atmosphere from the local to the global with handovers and feedbacks at each scale interaction. Air quality has manifold effects on health, ecosystems, heritage and climate. New insights into the characterisation of both natural and anthropogenic emissions are reviewed looking at both natural (e.g. dust and lightning) as well as plant emissions. In the phosphate mining area (El Guettar–M’Dilla basin: Southwestern Tunisia), several diseases have been known as cancer, respiratory, allergies, cardiovascular, dental fluorosis, stress, etc. These diseases are directly related with the installation of the industrial sector of the CPG (from 1896) and the deforestation and the ecosystem degradation (fauna and flora).