Research and management priorities for Atlantic marine recreational fisheries in Southern Europe

Marine Recreational Fishing (MRF) is an important activity in Europe, with 9 million fishers and generating annually € 6 billion in direct expenditures. However, there is a lack of data and understanding of MRF in Europe, particularly in Southern countries, which prevents a number of fish stocks from being effectively assessed and managed. In November 2016, a participatory workshop on MRF was held in Vigo (Spain) to identify challenges and opportunities for data collection, and to diagnose key research gaps and management issues for MRF in the Southern European Atlantic. Experts from a wide range of disciplines (researchers, policy makers, fisheries managers and commercial and recreational fishers) highlighted that the management of MRF is a challenge due to complex and dispersed legal frameworks, with multiple administrations involved, and overlapping uses of space with commercial fishing, aquaculture, navigation and tourism, among others. The lack of strong and representative fishing associations hampers research and management initiatives. Effective communication between recreational fishers, researchers and fisheries managers is also lacking. Despite the ecological, social and economic relevance of MRF, there is no systematic and comprehensive collection of information on fishing effort, recreational catches, expenses, social profile and access conditions of European recreational fishers. These data would be useful to avoid biases in the assessment of recreational fisheries due to the great diversity of ecosystems, species and typologies of users. Strategic recommendations and research priorities were also identified to address knowledge gaps and are discussed in the context of the management of MRF across Europe.     

Movement patterns of an endangered fishery species,Lithognathus lithognathus (Sparidae), and the role of no-take marine protected areas as a management tool

Understanding movement behaviour is essential for effective management of fishery species. Dart tags were used to study coastal movement patterns of white steenbras Lithognathus lithognathus, an overexploited seabream (Sparidae) in South Africa. In total, 6 962 fish (190–1 080 mm fork length) were tagged throughout the species’ distributional range, in four long-term fish-tagging programmes. The predominant behaviour recorded was residency, with relatively short-ranging movements. More than 60% of the 351 recaptured fish were recaptured within 1 km of their tagging site, some of which were at liberty in excess of three years. Most of the juveniles (93.9%), subadults (71.7%) and adults (64.0%) were recaptured within 10 km. Occasional long-distance movements of up to 800 km were recorded. Recapture distances were positively, but weakly, correlated with fish fork length (n = 257 fish measured at recapture; r² = 0.166, p < 0.001). Low levels of connectivity among coastal areas suggest that large-scale annual spawning migrations, as previously hypothesised for this species, are unlikely, which raises the possibility of multiple spawning sites. Seventy-seven percent of L. lithognathus tagged within three marine protected areas (MPAs) were recaptured within the same MPA, suggesting that area closures provide protection for L. lithognathus through the post-estuarine juvenile, subadult and adult life stages. We confirm that the country’s current network of coastal MPAs plays a vital role in sustaining this species, and suggest that additional closures, or otherwise substantial reductions in catch rates, are necessary for the species’ recovery.     

Culture,demography and biogeography of sponge science: From past conferences to strategic research?

Perceived changes in the culture of sponge science and sponge conferences served as motivation for an evaluation of the sponge science community and research, over time and at present. Observed changes included a decrease in proceedings publications on sponge fossils and freshwater sponges, sponges from temperate environments, review papers and data syntheses, frequency of aquarium studies, and number of species investigated per publication. Publications on recent sponges, hexactinellids, calcareans, marine, Indo‐Pacific and warm‐water sponges increased, as well as the number of authors per publication and the proportion of field studies. Studies at the level of specimens and ultrastructure were gradually replaced by molecular approaches, but studies at the community level remained stable. The five sub‐disciplines morphology/taxonomy, phylogeny/evolution, physiology, ecology and faunistics also retained about equal proportions over time. Conference publications related to taxonomy, phylogeny and biodiversity prevailed, whereas those on management and conservation were rare, possibly because studies on sponge recovery, survival and mortality were also scarce. The community of sponge scientists has grown and become more diverse over time, presently representing 72 nations. The gender distribution evened out since the first sponge conference and presently favours women at early and men at late career stages. Although stated research interests are generally dominated by physiology and ecology, taxonomy and evolution are favoured after retirement. Sponge science has become more dynamic, but maybe also more competitive and less inclusive. We now face the dual challenge of safeguarding against the loss of some sub‐disciplines, and fostering the collaborative, helpful culture characteristic of sponge science.     

Seagrass ecophysiology meets ecological genomics: are we ready?

In March 2011, the Ecophysiology and Genetics Working Groups of the European Science Foundation COST Action ES 0906, entitled Seagrass Productivity: From Genes to Ecosystem Management, organized an exploratory workshop entitled “Linking Ecophysiology and Ecogenomics in Seagrass Systems”. The goal of the workshop was to discuss how to integrate comparative gene expression studies with physiological processes such as photosynthetic performance, carbon and nitrogen utilization and environmental adaptation. The main questions discussed for integrative research related to mechanisms of carbon utilization, light requirements, temperature effects and natural variation in pH and ocean acidification. It was concluded that the seagrass research community is still in the nascent stages of linking ecophysiology with genomic responses, as carbon and nitrogen metabolism of seagrasses have not been sufficiently well studied. Likewise, genomic approaches have only been able to assign meaningful interpretations to a handful of differentially expressed genes. Nevertheless, the way forward has been established.     

山东半岛近岸海区全新世泥质沉积体研究现状

20世纪80年代以来,山东半岛近岸海区全新世泥质沉积体引起了地学界的关注,很多学者对其进行过研究并发表了众多相关论文。综合前人的研究成果认为,山东半岛全新世泥质沉积体受到黄海暖流和黄海沿岸流的共同作用,呈现出中间厚、向海向陆减薄的楔形,并沿山东半岛发育,其物质来源主要是黄河注入所带来的沉积物;在形成机制上,受到海平面上升、潮流和黄河入海口的迁移等多种因素的控制,成因复杂;在形成时间上,现今的研究成果普遍认为该泥楔形成于全新世冰后期海平面上升时期。对目前研究中仍存在的问题进行讨论,提出了山东泥楔的未来研究方向,指出应该建立多种水动力耦合作用下的泥沙输运与沉积模式,着重从海洋沉积动力学角度进行新的研究。     

天然气水合物勘查相关技术集成研发进展

天然气水合物作为21世纪新型潜在能源,在新一轮地质调查背景下,国家加大了天然气水合物勘查技术的研发投入。通过跟踪国外天然气水合物调查前沿技术,结合我国实际勘查需求,在对声学深拖探测系统、可控源海洋电磁探测技术、现场检测及原位监测等技术现状进行分析的基础上,开展了相应的研发工作,重点介绍了各技术装备研发工作进展及目前取得的阶段成果,并提出了下一步的工作要点。     

海底峡谷水动力系统研究

海底峡谷作为海洋中油气勘探的重要指示器和富集场所,研究其复杂的水动力系统变得十分重要。海底峡谷中水动力系统包括了重力流、浊流、潮汐/内潮汐、内波、底层流、上升流和高密度陆架瀑布流(Dense Shelf Water Cascading)等要素,与峡谷外有明显的不同。首次从海底峡谷水动力系统的综合概况出发,研究了水动力作用对峡谷的侵蚀、沉积物的搬运与沉积以及特殊生态系统的塑造,总结分析了峡谷中水动力系统的主要研究手段。结果表明,海底峡谷中的水动力作用由于成因不同,各自的表现特征也不一样;重力流、内潮汐、上升流等水动力作用对峡谷的形态地貌、物质搬运以及生态系统的影响较为显著;对于常用的4种水动力系统的研究方法而言,其研究背景各不相同,且存在一定的局限性。本文为我国海底峡谷水动力系统的研究起到了一定的指导作用。     

深冷环境下海水冷冻淡化性能试验研究

提出利用液态天然气(LNG)冷能实现海水冷冻淡化,针对LNG的储运工艺,开展海水在超低温环境下的过冷度、结晶、脱盐等机理研究。试验测试了海水在电导率为20～40 mS/cm、冷冻温度为-30～-80℃冷冻条件下,制冰率、制冰速率、脱盐率等性能指标,并分析了影响各性能指标的因素,得出了超低温工况下系统最优过程参数。该研究结果为基于LNG冷能实现海水冷冻淡化的工程设计提供了必要的技术基础和设计依据。     

辽河坳陷兴隆台油田成藏特征与成藏模式

利用地球化学、地质资料对辽河坳陷兴隆台地区的成藏特征进行了系统研究,认为研究区具有多油源供烃、多类型输导、多期次充注的特点。油源对比研究表明,油气主要来源于清水洼陷,其次为陈家洼陷,其中清水洼陷沙三段为主要烃源岩。含氮化合物指示油气沿着断层、砂体、不整合面等多种输导体,从生烃洼陷向构造高部位进行运移。流体包裹体与烃源岩生烃史显示研究区发生了多期成藏,主要成藏期为东营末期。综上,建立了以下3种成藏模式:潜山油气藏的"单源供烃、断层-不整合输导、早期成藏模式",沙三段油气藏的"自生自储、断层-浊积砂输导、早期成藏模式"和浅层沙二段、沙一段、东营组油气藏的"多源供烃、断层-砂体输导、晚期成藏模式"。     

海底沉积物工程力学性质原位测量方法

随着海洋设施的开发和海底沉积物的调查,了解海底土体的工程力学性质成为必不可少的研究内容。海底沉积物工程力学性质原位测量方法,具有测试快捷,测量精度高,测试结果更加接近真实环境的特点,其应用前景日益广阔。系统介绍了海底沉积物的工程力学性质指标,原位测试的特点,分析了国际上目前主要测量方法的进展情况,包括海底静力触探、海底动力贯入仪、消耗式海底贯入仪、全流动贯入仪、扁铲侧胀等,希望能对我国海底沉积物工程力学性质原位测量技术的发展提供参考。