Improving fleet efficiency to maximise economic yield in a Western Australian prawn fishery

The Shark Bay trawl fishery is Western Australia's most valuable prawn fishery (worth AUD$25 million in 2014). The 18-vessel fleet targets western king prawns (Penaeus latisulcatus), brown tiger prawns (P. esculentus) and also retains saucer scallops (Ylistrum balloti) and blue swimmer crabs (Portunus armatus). Increased fuel prices, falling prawn prices and lower catches of other species, following extreme environmental events, have impacted fishery profits. A biomass dynamics model with an economic component indicated that total revenue levels start to decline when annual effort increases beyond ~ 200 fishing days per boat. Annual effort required to achieve MEY, when based solely on prawn fishing, is 115–150 days per boat after accounting for fixed and variable fishing costs and annual fishing efficiency increases of 1–2%. From 2007–2014, the adjusted effort was 188–192 days per boat. Fishing occurred between March and November during 7–8 fishing periods, separated by 5–8 day (low catchability) moon closure periods. An empirical daily profit assessment (2007–2015), accounting for recruitment variation, daily prawn size compositions, monthly market prices for different prawn species and sizes, and daily fishing costs, showed vessels made profits on ~ 115–160 days and losses on ~ 15–55 days per year, when fishing occurred near the full moon. The fishery benefitted in 2013–2015 by starting later in the year and better targeting within-season effort. This management strategy within the effort-control framework, which improved profitability, maintained higher spawning stocks and reduced ecosystem fishing impacts, has wider application in prawn fishery management.     

On the compression behavior of remolded cement-admixed soft clay

Although extensive research has been performed on the mechanical properties of cement-stabilized clays, quite a few attempts have been made on the compression behavior of remolded cement-admixed clays. The results from oedometer tests have been discussed to investigate the compressibility of remolded cement-admixed clays, taking into consideration cement amount and curing time. The findings show that the difference in shape and position of compression curves is attributed to cement amount and curing time. Most compression index (C_c) values of remolded cement-admixed clays are greater than those of untreated clay due to the presence of remolded yield stress σ′_yr that is closely related to initial water content and clay fabric. Based on the obtained test data, the relationships of C_c vs. e₀, C_c vs. w₀, C_c vs. e₁, C_c vs. e_yr, and σ′_yr vs. e_yr are preliminarily discussed and quantitatively established. Especially, an important divergence of void index I_v at effective stress σ′_v less than remolded yield stress σ′_yr can be observed at different cement amounts and curing durations. Being independent on cement amount, curing time, and initial state of soil, an excellent convergence occurs at stress σ′_v greater than yield stress σ′_yr. The normalized compression curves of I_v vs. σ′_v at σ′_v?>?σ′_y can be expressed by a unique line that agrees well with intrinsic compression line (ICL) and extended ICL.     

基于北斗船位数据的渔业信息解译与应用研究——以中国毛虾限额捕捞管理为例

2020年6月15日—7月15日,我国首次中国毛虾(Acetes chinensis)限额捕捞试点于江苏连云港实施。本研究提取62艘毛虾网船在限额捕捞期间的421700条北斗船位数据经纬度、航速、航向等信息,运用缓冲区叠加分析法、DBSCAN密度聚类算法、平均中心算法、核密度估计以及数据库查询对捕捞努力量等管控要素进行分析研究。结果显示,所有毛虾网船累计作业239个航次、1942个网次,捕捞过程分为航行、抛锚布网、等待渔获、收渔获、停航等5个状态,中国毛虾捕捞状态船位点呈直线分布,总捕捞时长为4413.73h,82.4%的单网次捕捞时长为1.5—3.5h,各网次捕捞产量呈现多核心空间分布模式,总捕捞努力量为108106343 m²·h,计算62艘的捕捞总产量值约为2328 t,比上报产量高12.6%;本文通过北斗船位数据解译和提取捕捞努力量以计算中国毛虾捕捞产量及资源空间分布情况,有效应用于中国毛虾限额捕捞,为解决我国单品种限额捕捞难点积累了宝贵经验。     

太湖渔业产量和结构变化及其对水环境的影响

依据太湖渔业和水环境监测资料,分析研究了1952～2006年太湖渔业产量、结构变化以及对水环境的影响.结果表明:1952～2006年太湖渔业总产量呈上升趋势;捕捞渔获物组成中,小型鱼类湖鲚为优势种,产量占渔获物比例从1952年的640.5t和15.8%增加至2006年的21130t和60.2%;而银鱼、鮊鱼、鲢鳙等其他鱼类在渔获物中比例大幅度下降,2006年渔获物组成远不及1952年合理.结果表明,太湖的逐渐富营养化、不合理的捕捞方式和过高的捕捞强度,以及太湖受改变的水力学特点等导致了这一变化.1991～2006年东太湖养殖渔业尤其是网围养蟹业迅速发展,养殖规模不断扩大后的大量投饵及不合理的水生植被利用方式给东太湖水环境带来了严重影响,东太湖水体现处于富营养状态.因此,需要控制太湖渔业捕捞强度、调整鱼种放流结构、加强鱼类资源繁殖保护,改善养殖渔业方式以及加强对湖泊水环境的综合整治,以使太湖渔业与水环境和谐可持续发展.     

台湾海峡及其邻近海域渔业资源的管理

应用Ｓｃｈａｅｆｅｒ和Ｆｏｘ剩余产量模式及其由此衍生的生物经济模式和Ｇｕｌｌａｎｄ最适产量Ｙ０．１模式,分别估算了台湾海峡及其邻近海域渔业资源的最大持续产量、最大持续捕捞力量,并对各模式计算的诸项经济指标进行比较,讨论了渔业管理方案,确定了近期适合国情,并对各模式计算的诸项经济指标进行比较,讨论了渔管理方案,确定了近期适合国情、省情的管理目标。     

Improving force resultant model for anchors in clays from large deformation finite element analysis

Abstract

This paper presents an improved plasticity force-resultant model for anchors deeply embedded in clays, developed from large deformation finite element analyses. The current available force-resultant models for anchors are mainly developed from small strain finite element analysis while experimental approach has not been used due to technical challenges. The advantage of large deformation finite element analysis is that it provides much more data points to fit the yield surface than small strain finite element analysis, in addition to avoiding excess mesh distortion problems. Furthermore, the flow rule or normality can be effectively checked in the large deformation finite element analysis and further used to improve the fitting quality. After validated against retrospective simulations, the better performance of the developed plasticity force-resultant model is demonstrated by comparing with available experimental observations from centrifuge test.     

Small‐scale spatial variation in growth,size at maturity,and yield‐ and egg‐per‐recruit relations in the New Zealand abalone Haliotis iris

Tag‐recapture studies revealed differences in the growth rate of Haliotis iris between headlands and bays separated by as little as 200 m. Individuals off headlands had a significantly higher incremental growth and reached a higher maximum size than those in bays. These results were consistent with observations of the size composition of H. iris which showed that few individuals of harvestable size (> 125 mm shell length) were found in bays. Differences in the growth rate of H. iris may account for the apparent differences in the size at onset of maturity: individuals off headlands, and from a fast‐growing population off Wellington, reached reproductive maturity at a smaller size compared with those in bays. Yield‐per‐recruit modelling showed greater yields from headlands than bays, but egg‐per‐recruit modelling revealed more egg production was conserved in bays than off headlands. Yields could be increased from bays by decreasing the minimum size to 110 mm. Egg‐ and yield‐per‐recruit models were sensitive to the natural mortality rate (M = 0.03, 0.05 and 0.10 compared). The results show that parameters important in the management of commercial fisheries for abalone can vary over small distances: such variation should be incorporated in management strategies for abalone fisheries.     

How much runoff do riparian wetlands affect?

Abstract

Nitrate runoff from pastoral fanning is of concern because it contributes to lake eutrophication. Surface flow in wetlands is a measure of the runoff likely to experience nitrate attenuation. This study assessed the potential of small headwater wetlands to reduce catchment nitrate loads by quantifying the proportion of total runoff that occurred as surface flow at the outlet of wetlands. Surface flow can be measured from wetlands in side valleys (valley wetlands) with well defined flow channels, but not in those parallel to the stream (riparian wetlands) with distributed flow. This study, from November 2004 to June 2008: (1) measured the mean specific flow yield (mm yr^?1) at the outlet of 6 wetlands; (2) classified wetlands into 3 types based on hydrology; (3) mapped and classified all wetlands in the catchment; and (4) calculated the area‐weighted mean specific yield of wetlands for the whole catchment. The 6.6 km² study catchment at Taupo, North Island, New Zealand, was predominantly pasture on volcanic soils where flows were baseflow dominated. Riparian and valley wetlands occupied 5% of catchment area. Type 1 wetlands flowed continuously, were dominated by baseflow (81–83%), and had a mean annual yield (± SE) of 167 ± 46 mm (34% of stream yield). Type 2 wetlands dried up during droughts and type 3 wetlands dried up each summer. Both latter types had a low baseflow component (20%) and a yield of 66±18 mm (13% of stream yield). In one tributary, gaugings over 4 days in summer during a wet year indicated that 27% of streamflow originated from wetlands. For the catchment as a whole, wetland baseflow accounted for 11± 4% of mean annual streamflow and wetland quickflow another 8 ± 2%, although these percentages are likely underestimates because seepages occurred downslope from measurement points. Although riparian and valley wetlands occupied only 5% of the catchment area, they could potentially have attenuated nitrogen in 11–19% of runoff. Other catchments may have different hydrology and wetland nitrate attenuation, and the methods outlined here could be used to quantify these differences.     

不同硝酸钠浓度对多形拟绿球藻和模式拟绿球藻生长及脂类积累的影响

以多形拟绿球藻(Pseudochlorococcum polymorphum UTEX 1791)和模式拟绿球藻(Pseudochlorococcum typicum UTEX 1792)为材料,采用BG-11培养基,研究其在0.3、0.5、1.0和1.5g·L^-1等4个硝酸钠浓度条件下的生长和总脂含量。结果表明：适宜多形拟绿球藻生长的硝酸钠浓度范围为0.3—1.0g·L^-1,其最终生物质干重在3.7g·L^-1左右;模式拟绿球藻在1.0g·L^-1的硝酸钠浓度条件下生长最好,可获得4.35g·L^-1的生物质干重。在培养过程中两株绿藻的叶绿素a含量与总脂的含量关系密切,在培养初期各实验组叶绿素a含量增加,藻体的总脂含量增长不明显,而在培养中期藻细胞叶绿素a的含量增长平缓,总脂含量增长较明显,其中在0.3g·L^-1的硝酸钠浓度实验组总脂增长最为显著,多形拟绿球藻增长了11.65%,模式拟绿球藻增长了24.99%。两株绿藻在0.3g·L^-1的低氮实验组总脂含量最高,多形拟绿球藻和模式拟绿球藻总脂分别为细胞干重的44.35%和26.28%,在此条件下两株藻的最大总脂收获量分别为0.98g·L^-1和1.61g·L^-1。     

Net economic effects of achieving maximum economic yield in fisheries

Improving the economic performance of fisheries is becoming increasingly important in fisheries management, and in some cases, maximum economic yield (MEY) is set as a key management target. However, recent critics of MEY as a management target have argued that a decline in the level of fishing activity necessary to achieve the target will result in a subsequent loss of economic activity elsewhere in the economy and, potentially, a net loss to society. In this paper, an input–output framework is used to estimate the net economic effects of achieving MEY in several Australian fisheries for which there is information on their short- and long-term performances when moving towards MEY. While overall losses were found in the short term, achieving MEY was found to result in a net economic benefit to society in the longer term. Local coastal communities in particular were found to benefit, although some losses were incurred elsewhere in the economy.