The role of marine spatial planning in sea use management: The Belgian case

The expansion of offshore activities and the increasing need to meet international and national commitments to biodiversity conservation have led to an enhanced interest in marine spatial planning (MSP) as a tool for sea use management. Several European countries, on their own initiative or driven by European legislation and policy, have taken global leadership in implementing MSP. This article will discuss the Belgian experiences with MSP. It will give a short historical overview based on legal developments and review the implementation process of a ‘Master Plan’ as a spatial management policy for the Belgian Part of the North Sea. Additionally, this article will reflect on the research that has been done in Belgium to apply a land-use planning approach to the marine environment. The MSP process in Belgium shows that a spatial approach to sea use management is possible despite the lack of a legal zoning framework. However, it concludes that a legal basis for MSP, in addition to the current permit system, would provide a more strategic and integrated framework for ecosystem-based, sea use management.     

Spatial patterns and environmental risks of ringnet fishing along the Kenyan coast

Ringnet fishing began in the early 20th century and is practised worldwide, mainly to target nearshore pelagic species. The method was introduced to Kenya’s coastal waters by migrant fishers from Tanzania. However, the impacts of this fishing gear remain poorly assessed. We assessed the spatial distribution of ringnet fishing effort and its possible effects on ecosystem components, such as coral reefs, marine megafauna and marine protected areas, on the south coast of Kenya. We tracked 89 ringnet fishing trips made from December 2015 to January 2016 and used spatial multicriteria analysis to determine hotspots of possible environmental risks. The results showed that habitat type and bathymetric profile influenced the spatial distribution of ringnet fishing effort. Mixed seagrass and coral habitats had the highest concentration of the effort. Most of the habitats in the study area were moderately exposed to the impacts of the ringnet fishery. The study identifies high-risk areas that require spatial measures to minimise possible environmental risks of the gear both to habitats and to endangered sea turtles.     

斜带髭鲷幼鱼生长和生态转换效率的研究

在实验室内, 22. 5±0. 5℃条件下以去头去骨去鳞片去皮的金色小沙丁鱼的纯肉糜为饵料饲养斜带髭鲷幼鱼,测定体重范围在 4. 6~6. 5g的斜带髭鲷的体重、体长的生长曲线及其生态转换效率和特定生长率.实验结果表明,斜带髭鲷的体重、体长在实验期间直线增长,体重、体长的生长曲线分别为Wt(w.w.湿重,下同 ) =0. 391 7t 5. 766 2(R=0. 999 6)和Lt=0. 105t 6. 265(R=0. 989 9).用胃含物法测定斜带髭鲷的胃排空率、日摄食量、日生长量、生态转换效率和特定生长率.实验得到斜带髭鲷消化道的瞬时排空率Rt= 1. 23 4×10-3 (m/m) /h,日摄食量Cd= 1. 342 9g(w.w. ),生态转换效率Eg=29. 50% ±2. 77% [m/m(w.w. ) ],特定生长率SGR=4. 71%±0. 69% [m/m(w.w. ) ].     

基于GIS的柘林湾生态信息系统

柘林湾生态信息系统以ArcGIS为开发平台，采用客户端／服务器的体系结构，基于ArcObjects的组件式二次开发而成，实现了柘林湾的三维实景模拟、生态数学模型与GIS的有效集成、分析评价结果与地理空间数据相结合等功能，具有可视化、智能化、易扩展、安全实用等特点．该系统的建成．极大地提高了柘林湾生态信息的现代化管理水平，并为制定柘林湾的污染防治与生态环境保护策略提供了强有力的支持．     

大亚湾海域重金属潜在生态危害评价

采用金属潜在生态危害系数和危害指数的评估方法，评价了大亚湾海域重金属对海洋生态系统的潜在危害。结果表明，大亚湾海域重金属潜在生态危害轻微，而养殖海区和近岸海区的重金属潜在生态危害则相对较重，大亚湾海域重金属的潜在生态危害较珠江口外浅海轻。     

海洋生态环境监测的指标体系研究

本文在总结国内外各种海洋生态监测方法的基础上,构建生物分布指数、生物暴露指数和生物反应指数,并由此确定生态质量总指教。生态质量总指数可以综合反映特定海洋环境的生物群落特征,典型污染物在生物体内的蓄积特征以及生物体对环境污染的生理生化反应特征,因此可以应用于近岸海洋环境质量的生态监测。     

围垦区地下水位的控制及计算方法

利用抽水井群和注水井群可以控制生态围垦区的地下水位.研究了潜水抽-注水井(群)耦合作用下浸润线的求解方法,利用势流理论和镜像原理,在假定含水层水平及土层渗透系数各向同性的条件下,推导出完整抽-注水井(群)耦合作用时浸润线的计算公式及非完整抽-注水井(群)耦合作用时浸润线的计算公式,还对潜水单个非完整抽水井及非完整抽-注水井群耦合作用时的解析解和数值解作了比较,结果表明,两者吻合得较好.同时还给出该理论用于地下水位控制中求解抽水量和注水量的方法等,对工程设计有实用价值.     

Seabed Morphology and Pollution Along the Bagnoli Coast (Naples, Italy): a Hypothesis for Environmental Restoration

Abstract. The interaction of coastal and submarine morphology with the hydrodynamic regimes exerts a control on coastal dynamic processes, conditioning the dispersion of sediments and potential pollutants existing in the area. Thus, the study of such parameters is useful in order to define environmental threats. Within the submerged sector of the Bagnoli coast and particularly in the southern part of the investigated area, there are sediment groups composed of very fine sands located in low-energy zones due to wave refraction and diffraction; they can also be found on the sea bottom and on the man-made structures typical of this zone. These areas show high pollutant levels of N, P, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn, Cd, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated bi-phenyls (PCBs). The northern area, a place of high-energy hydrodynamic processes, also shows high concentration levels of pollutants due to the presence of secondary cell circulation.
Morphological research and analysis of textural characteristics of bottom sediments along the Bagnoli coast allowed the actual processes and their evolution in space and time to be defined. It has also been possible to correlate such processes to the seabed morphology system, the wave formations which affect the coast, the complex system of sediment transport, as well as to the man-made interventions in the area. The results of recent chemical analyses of beach sediments and bottom sediments off the Bagnoli coast were also incorporated. They prove the presence of heavy metals, PAHs and PCBs in high and sometimes very high concentrations. Finally, based on the results of research and analyses, a hypothesis for an intervention for environmental restoration has been formulated in order to renaturalise the coast through dredging and treatment of the sand, both on the seabed and on the emerged beach.     

In situ determination on food consumption and ecological conversion efficiency of a marine fish species, Hyporhamphus sajori

The food consumption and ecological conversion efficiency of a species marine pelagic andsmall size fish, Hyporhamphus sajori, were determined by using in situ stomach content method presented by Eggers. The results showed that: (1) the fish was taken in food all day, so empty-stomach rate was very low, taking up about 4.5% of the total determined fish number. However, the fish still has significant daily feeding rhythm. A feeding peak was found 0:00 o'clock at night, but feeding level was always high in the daytime; (2) relationship between instantaneous food content in stomach and corresponding time could be described as S_t = a ·e ~(-b ·t). There was not significant difference of instantaneous gastric evacuation rate between two determinations, with average value being 0.13 × 10~(-2)g/ (g·d) (wet weight); (3) the daily food consumption tended to change in irregular waving form, with average value being (10.16×l0~(-2)±1.19×l0~(-2) g/ (g·d) (wet weight) or (55.56 × 10~(-2) ±6.51 × 10~(-2) kJ/