Fisheries traffic: The poor relation of port devolution. Lessons from Spanish state ports of general interest

The fisheries sector is currently contending with the hectic development of its own political economy framework being convulsed by the dynamics of decentralisation. This process is enshrouded in an environment of economic globalisation, taking place against the backdrop of the governance approach. With this situation as the starting point, the main goal of this paper is to quantify the effects that the Spanish port devolution process might have on the Spanish fisheries sector through the use of a transfer function model; the volumes of landings at State ports of general interest and their cash value are taken as dependent variables.     

The marine and coastal access act—A hornets' nest?

The Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 is now enacted into law. This paper looks at predictions made about new law by one of the authors, Peter Jones, in his paper The Marine Bill: Cornucopia or Pandora's Box [1] and assesses how successful the Act has been in turning aspirations into law. The paper focuses on the following areas: ecosystem protection, stakeholder engagement, marine spatial planning and the provision of a network of highly protected marine reserves, and raises concerns that the ecosystem approach has progressively been dropped in the drafting process of the legislation. Concerns are raised that the new Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities have similar inherent conflicts of interest to those exhibited by Sea Fisheries Committees, which they sought to replace. The effectiveness of marine planning is questioned, as there appear to be inbuilt loopholes for public authorities to avoid complying with the marine plans. The draft marine policy statement (MPS), published in July 2010, includes appropriate environmental safeguards, but the MPS has not yet been formally adopted. The absence of a concrete target for highly protected marine reserves means there is a danger that designations under the Act may have little effect on the ground. In conclusion the Act provides some new mechanisms for marine protection, but arguably does not yet provide a framework for implementing the ecosystem approach and is not an end in itself.     

多向不规则波浪作用下群墩结构上爬高的计算研究

波浪的方向分布对波浪的传播及其与工程结构物的作用都具有明显影响,目前现有的研究大多是基于单向波浪进行的。为了研究方向分布对群墩结构上的爬高影响,基于规则波浪与群墩作用的理论解,结合多向不规则波浪的造波方法,建立了多向不规则波浪与群墩作用的计算模型,同时进行了物理模型试验对模型的有效性进行了验证。系统地对群墩周围及表面上的波浪爬高进行了计算分析,结果表明,方向分布对波浪爬高具有较大的影响,且不同位置处的影响并不相同,在实际的工程设计中如果按照单向波浪计算,可能低估或者高估群墩周围的爬高。     

Closed-loop randomized kinodynamic path planning for an autonomous underwater vehicle

A randomized kinodynamic path planning algorithm based on the incremental sampling-based method is proposed here as the state-of-the-art in this field applicable in an autonomous underwater vehicle. Designing a feasible path for this vehicle from an initial position and velocity to a target position and velocity in three-dimensional spaces by considering the kinematic constraints such as obstacles avoidance and dynamic constraints such as hard bounds and non-holonomic characteristic of AUV are the main motivation of this research. For this purpose, a closed-loop rapidly-exploring random tree (CL-RRT) algorithm is presented. This CL-RRT consists of three tightly coupled components: a RRT algorithm, three fuzzy proportional-derivative controllers for heading and diving control and a six degree-of-freedom nonlinear AUV model. The branches of CL-RRT are expanded in the configuration space by considering the kinodynamic constraints of AUV. The feasibility of each branch and random offspring vertex in the CL-RRT is checked against the mentioned constraints of AUV. Next, if the planned branch is feasible by the AUV, then the control signals and related vertex are recorded through the path planner to design the final path. This proposed algorithm is implemented on a single board computer (SBC) through the xPC Target and then four test-cases are designed in 3D space. The results of the processor-in-the-loop tests are compared by the conventional RRT and indicate that the proposed CL-RRT not only in a rapid manner plans an initial path, but also the planned path is feasible by the AUV.     

Introduction to systems approaches in coastal management—The legacy of the SPICOSA project

This Special Issue reflects work developed during and following the execution of the Science and Policy Integration for Coastal System Assessment project. Theoretical and practical outcomes of case studies have been of direct relevance to coastal management not only at local but also at a European scale. Papers included here consider the long term legacy of the project for academics and practitioners involved specifically in integrated coastal zone management. These align to two themes, the first focussing on the generic application of the Systems Approach Framework to coastal management and the second focussing on the specific application of the approach at case study sites.     

Performance of a northwestern Mediterranean bottom trawl fleet: How the integration of landings and VMS data can contribute to the implementation of ecosystem-based fisheries management

The European Union has established a framework to achieve or maintain good environmental status in the marine environment by 2020. The Marine Strategy Framework Directive requires the application of the ecosystem approach to the management of human activities, covering all sectors having an impact on the marine environment. However, fisheries in the Mediterranean are far from a systematic implementation of an ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM). Aiming to address this issue, this study explores the potential of the relationship between daily yield by vessel (landings and income by species) and vessel position (known via vessel monitoring system) as a tool for fleet management. This approach is possible due to the current dynamics of Mediterranean fleets, with vessels returning daily to the harbour where landings are registered as weight and income by vessel. Moreover, vessels of >15 m total length have been compulsory monitored by VMS since 2005. A bottom trawl fleet that operates in the northwestern Mediterranean was chosen to develop this approach. Different groups of trawlers were identified, which could be linked to the strategies displayed by the fishermen that were mainly driven by the target species dynamics. Accurate knowledge of the fishing targets driving the fleet dynamics and of the fishing strategies at the vessel level (i.e. fishing ground habitat where the fishing pressure is exerted and corresponding landings) are shown to be a feasible tool for fleet management.     

The precautionary approach to non-native fisheries—The case of striped bass in Texas

Fisheries managers have long relied on non-native fish to improve, sustain, or create recreational fishing opportunities, often without adequate consideration of potentially negative ecological consequences. There is growing advocacy for using the precautionary approach to avoid potentially serious or irreversible harm to the environment in the face of scientific uncertainty. This paper uses striped bass (Morone saxitilis) in Texas to examine possible effects that might have resulted had the precautionary approach been applied before stocking began in the 1960s when the species was considered non-native to Texas. The current range of reproducing striped bass populations extends from the North Atlantic Ocean to the U.S.–Mexico border. However, the western extent of the species current range beyond Louisiana is probably the result of stocking begun in 1965 that continues today. The historic range is yet unresolved. The best available information suggests that striped bass are not native to Texas, fish stocking has resulted in beneficial economic impacts, and any negative effects (i.e., harm) are currently unknown. It seems unlikely that application of the precautionary approach would have led to different outcomes in Texas than currently exist. However, the complete striped bass story has yet to be written.     

Evaluation of the carrying capacity of marine industrial parks: A case study in China

Carrying capacity is an important index used to evaluate the status of regional resources, ecological environment, and regional economic development. Marine industrial parks have gained substantial attention from domestic and foreign investors and governments at all levels; in particular, these parks are an essential part of the national blue economy development plan of the Chinese government. The carrying capacity of a marine industrial park is important to all related stakeholders. In this study, an evaluation system was established based on the literature review and expert interviews by using 32 indices under three dimensions (pressure, bearing, and transformation) to determine the carrying capacity of a marine industrial park. The carrying capacity of marine industrial parks in Shandong Province was evaluated using this system across diverse dimensions by incorporating state space and analytic hierarchy processes. Results indicated that carrying capacity significantly differed among regions, parks, and specific dimensions. Comparison among different types of marine industrial parks indicated that the modern marine service industry and fishery industrial parks showed improved and efficient development with relatively high bearing rates. By contrast, the modern marine manufacturing industry and strategic emerging industrial parks were significantly underdeveloped. This study proposes academic approaches and practical implications for the involved governments and managing committees. Furthermore, suggestions on park planning, policy support, industrial cluster, and industry–university–research institute alliances are provided to the government and enterprise perspectives to increase the carrying capacity of marine characteristic industrial parks.     

中国九龙江河口营养盐基准值研究

One of the key concerns in estuarine and coastal environments is eutrophication, which is known to be closely connected to nutrient enrichment. To control and improve surface water quality, nutrient criteria are recommended in order to provide reference conditions for the environment. However, the current datasets of nutrient criteria in China are either designed for surface water or sea water, and as such these are not suitable for assessing estuarine water quality, especially given the unique ecosystem and dynamic properties of estuaries. To address this issue in current estuarine water management, nutrient criteria have been developed for a local estuary in the southeast of China. Segmentation of the Jiulong River Estuary, China was firstly analysed through field investigations carried out during 2013–2014, which resulted in the delineation of three segments characterized by their distinct properties in relation to salinity, hydrology, ecosystems, etc. Historical records from 1997 to 2014 were then analysed using statistical modelling to develop candidate nutrient criteria for the estuary.This stage of the analysis was undertaken in combination with the study of nutrient status records from the 1980s,which were used to establish a baseline reference condition. The recommended criteria values of dissolved inorganic nitrogen(DIN) in Segments Ⅰ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ of the Jiulong River Estuary are 64, 21 and 14 μmol/L,respectively, and the corresponding values for soluble reactive phosphorus(SRP) are 0.89, 0.76 and 0.89 μmol/L,respectively. It should be emphasised that these values are site-dependent, and that different results may be achieved at other locations depending on the physical and biogeochemical characteristics of an estuary, or even a single site within a catchment. It is hoped that by demonstrating a possible methodological approach and methods of nutrient criteria derivation in the Jiulong River Estuary, the current study will offer researchers some fundamental basis from which to begin to develop more complete nutrient criteria indices for the study of nutrient conditions in other estuaries throughout China.     

随机波浪下泰勒离散系数的时域解

利用Wolk提出的粒子追踪方程,通过等分频率法划分不规则波谱,利用MATLAB做粒子运动模拟计算,得到无因次化泰勒离散系数K/D随时间t变化的曲线;通过与Huang等得到的P-M谱的泰勒离散系数K/D计算结果比较证明了本计算方法的可靠性。采用该方法研究了不规则波条件下,波序列(同一谱型不同波面序列)和谱型(谱峰周期、有效波高、谱峰升高因子)对波浪离散系数的影响;计算结果表明:同一谱型不同波序列对泰勒纵向离散系数稳定值和稳定时间无影响;不规则波谱峰周期越大,纵向离散系数K/D越小,稳定时间越短;有效波高越大,纵向离散系数K/D越大,稳定时间越长;谱峰升高因子越大,泰勒离散系数K/D越大,稳定时间越长;与规则波相比,不规则波的泰勒离散系数K/D的值略小10%~30%。