Dysfunctions in common fishing regulations

One of the main concerns of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) lies in guaranteeing consistency among the different implemented actions. The main concern is establishing a relationship between the levels of compliance with the Multi-annual Guidance Programme (MAGP), the adoption of total allowable catches (TACs), and the levels of compliance with rules by producers.     

A collective approach to Pacific islands fisheries management: Moving beyond regional agreements

The sustainable management and profitable development of the Pacific island tuna fisheries is the key ocean governance challenge for the Pacific islands region in the short and medium term. Resolving these challenges is fundamental to the long term future of the region and its ability to implement oceans governance across all resource and conservation concerns.     

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.     

Socio-economic drivers and indicators for artisanal coastal fisheries in Pacific island countries and territories and their use for fisheries management strategies

This is the first regional study of artisanal fisheries in Pacific Island countries and territories that demonstrated that the future of the region's artisanal fishery sector and the livelihood of coastal communities will be highly dependent on alternative subsistence and income sources, which are necessary to reduce fishing pressure to a sustainable level to maintain ecosystem services and food security. The overall objective of this study was to identify socio-economic indicators and drivers to improve the understanding of the dynamics between socio-economic conditions and current exploitation levels of finfish and invertebrates of coastal communities in 17 Pacific Island countries and territories. We showed that exploitation rates and thus possible overexploitation are not solely the consequence of a simple demographic growth process but are in fact a result of the choices people have. Our results confirmed a close relationship between resource exploitation rates and economic development at the national level and the availability of alternative income opportunities at the community level. Multivariate analysis results suggest that communities in countries with somewhat unfavourable conditions and limited access to alternatives and fishing households in communities with overall favourable economic conditions are at highest vulnerability as they have the highest dependence on coastal fisheries resources. Alternative economic opportunities at the national scale and availability of alternative income at the community level vary significantly between cultural groups. Based on our results, the development of management strategies with realistic expectations of ensuring livelihood of coastal communities and sustainable resource use in Pacific Island countries and territories requires a hierarchical and integral approach. Major drivers identified at the regional, cultural and local levels should be used to identify priorities, to assess overall advantages and limitations at the different levels as well as the vulnerability of communities targeted, and to develop strategies accordingly.     

Tangled lines in New Zealand's quota management system: The process of including recreational fisheries

This article uses New Zealand as a case study of processes relating to the inclusion of recreational fisheries in modern fisheries management systems based on Individual Transferable Quotas (ITQs). The New Zealand case highlights challenges governments often meet when attempting to integrate the recreational sector into fisheries management, including: (a) resistance to restrictions on what has historically been free-of-charge public access to fish for recreational purposes and (b) the fragmented character of the recreational sector, which makes it difficult to have recreational interests attend to their management role and responsibilities.     

Changing trust relations within the Dutch fishing industry: The case of National Study Groups

This paper focuses on changing trust relationships among fishermen following new governance arrangements. The previous ‘thick’ trust relationships that characterized the Dutch fisheries industry under a neo-corporatist arrangement had resulted in an isolation of local fishermen groups vis-à-vis outsiders. However, under new governance arrangements, in particular the so-called Study Groups, these trust relationships are changing. The establishment of Study Groups, where fishermen from different localities have to cooperate on sustainability innovations in order to receive subsidies, lead to more diversity within the industry, more collaborations across localities and new forms of ‘thin’ trust. As such, these Study Groups can be understood as successful experiments in further opening up of the fisheries community.     

Institutions as facilities for change?: A study of the coherence between political regulations and innovations within the pelagic fisheries sector in Norway

Political regulation has traditionally been regarded as antagonistic to innovation, whereas the removal of regulations has been perceived as a precondition for innovations. This paper proposes an alternative position and claim that regulations can have various connections with the innovation process. Regulations can obviously restrict innovations, but they can also facilitate such processes. Systematic empirical research on the relation between political-administrative regulation and innovation has been moderate, and the debate has been highly anecdotal. This article presents an empirical study on how political-administrative regulation within the pelagic fisheries sector in Norway affects innovation. The study confirms that regulations had varied influences on the innovation process, and documents that actor's appraisals of regulations were affected by whether a given regulation is beneficial for the firms and their competitive position or not. Finally, the paper corroborate that the implementation of regulations can promote innovation in firms by providing them with deeper insights into their production processes and to encourage a more intense focus on development and improvement. Implementation of regulations also implies learning, which can increase the firms’ abilities to innovate as well as their insight into the necessity of such practices. The analysis is based on survey data from processors and vessels in the pelagic sector.     

珠江磨刀门水道咸潮上溯加剧的原因

对磨刀门水道不同年份地形资料和多年枯季潮位资料进行了对比分析,结果表明:大规模的河床采砂,引起磨刀门上游河段河床大幅下切,河道深泓平均加深0.59~2.25 m,河槽容积平均增加8.91×106~12.11×106m3,使该河段枯季潮差增大,进潮量增加,潮汐动力增强,导致咸水界向上游河段推移;口门围垦整治后,磨刀门口门区由众多岛屿环抱而成的内海区变成人工导堤控制的"一主一支"两条水道,水域面积减少了80%,河槽容积减少了40%,深槽趋于顺直加深,使口门区的"调淡"作用消失,这是咸潮上溯的重要原因;根据多年水文频率分析,发生严重咸潮灾害时,西、北江枯季流量并非都是枯水流量,因此枯季上游来水量变化并不是近年来咸潮灾害加剧的主要原因。     

1996-2020年黄河口清水沟流路海岸线动态演变及其与水沙量的关系研究

海岸线演变及其动态监测对沿海地区生态保护和可持续发展至关重要。受自然过程和人类活动的影响,黄河三角洲海岸线始终处于动态变化之中。本文基于1996-2020年黄河口Landsat系列卫星影像,利用数字岸线分析系统(DSAS),探讨了近25年来黄河口海岸线动态演变规律及其对黄河输沙量变化的响应关系。研究发现：现行河口地区海岸线平均向海淤进速率为260 m/a,老河口岸线平均变化速率为-167 m/a。调水调沙前,河口岸线整体处于蚀退阶段;调水调沙后,现行河口岸线初期快速淤进,后速率逐渐减缓,老河口始终处于蚀退状态。年内尺度上,现行河口岸线在调水调沙年份汛期前后淤进明显,非调水调沙年份汛期前后淤进缓慢,老河口岸线变化基本与年际变化一致。调水调沙前后,黄河入海泥沙量对岸线演变的影响程度加大,在年内尺度上对汛期前后现行河口岸线变化作用显著(R²=0.93)。     

How does landfill leachate affect the chemical processes in a lake system downgradient from a landfill site?

A field study on the geochemical properties of a chemically-stressed limnic environment was performed in Lake Silbersee, which receives leachate water of high inorganic loading from an upgradient landfill site. The highly concentrated sulfate ion in groundwater, when entering the pore water system of the lake, gives rise to an intensive microbial sulfate reduction. A diagenetic approach was used to explain the existence of a marine-like aqueous system within a geologically slightly acidic aquifer, consisting of a well-buffered lake water and an alkalinity producing, excess sulphide containing sediment pore water system.