Determination of moult stage in the South African West Coast rock lobster Jasus lalandii (h. Milne Edwards) (Crustacea: Decapoda)

Nine stages and substages of post-, inter- and premoult were distinguished in the West Coast rock lobster Jasus lalandii by microscopic examination of the cuticle, epidermal retraction and setal development in the pleopods. The postmoult condition is characterized by progressive thickening of the setal walls and cuticle through to inter-moult. Premoult commences with apolysis (Stage D₀), followed by setal development (Stage D₁', D₁", D₁'") and culminates with cuticle deposition (Stage D₂), The diagnostic features of the stages are generally similar to those of other decapod crustaceans.     

System Design Considerations for the Development of an Electronic Statistical Atlas

In the recent history of cartography, atlases deserve a prominent status among cartographic products due to the variety of their thematic content, the rather friendly appearance and their utilization by a wide spectrum of users. Advances in information technology, and more specifically in geographic information systems and digital mapping, have altered the fundamental way of using maps, and thus they have a major impact on every aspect of electronic atlas design and development. Although considerable effort has been made towards the production of electronic atlases, and successful systems are available, there are still a number of factors that must be considered towards the improvement of their design and functional characteristics. This paper elaborates on those factors and suggests a specific approach toward the design and development of electronic atlases, particularly electronic statistical atlases. This approach has been used for the development of the Statistical Atlas of the European Union (STATLAS_EU), which is intended to provide a user-friendly resource for statistical analysis.     

Early post-cleavage stages and abnormalities identified in the embryonic development of chokka squid eggs Loligo vulgaris reynaudii

Six early, post-cleavage embryonic stages for chokka squid Loligo vulgaris reynaudii eggs that were developed in an aquarium are identified and described, expanding the embryonic stages for this species from 14 to 20. The influence of water temperature on embryonic development is described. At temperatures <12 and >15°C, high percentages of morphological abnormalities were observed in embryonic development. Gross forms are described and illustrated.     

Review of indicators in fisheries management – a development perspective

A review of indicators for an ecosystem approach to fisheries management is presented, focusing on multispecies fisheries and limited resources for assessments and implementation, as often is the case in developing countries. Emphasizing the need to link indicators to management objectives, indicators from the literature are grouped into four categories, relating to the immediate fisheries resource base (single-species and multispecies indicators) and the wider ecosystem (habitat structure and ecosystem functioning). The usefulness of these indicators is assessed along three dimensions of acceptability among stakeholders, observability, and relation to fisheries management using a traffic light approach. The top ranking indicators are highlighted as a generally good start for any particular fishery management case. It is, however, argued that, even with similar management objectives, indicators need to be specific to both ecosystems and the institutional set-up if they are to be effective for management, and that indicators may consequently differ considerably between individual management applications.     

Towards a Participatory GIS: Evaluating Case Studies of Participatory Rural Appraisal and GIS in the Developing World

The recognition that local participation is a critical goal of development has contributed to the popularity in a set of techniques designed to increase local participation and knowledge in planning processes. Identified as participatory rural appraisal (PRA), this trend is marked by the use of a variety of high-end technologies, including geographic information systems (GIS). An interesting and related trend has come from members of the GIS community who argue that a "participatory GIS" is required to ensure local knowledge and participation in a variety of planning initiatives. This synergy of interests has resulted in a growth of research in the developing world that attempts to merge PRA methods with GIS tools. This paper examines the separate, but increasingly complementary, traditions of PRA and GIS. Ten case studies that combine participatory methods with GIS in Latin America, Africa, and Asia are evaluated to consider how these traditions are being applied by communities to protect ownership of territory, present local knowledge of natural resources, and to engage in long-term planning. This paper suggests that although GIS has the potential to increase participation in planning processes, a commonality of the majority of case studies is limited attention to the participatory process itself. It would address how access to information and GIS tools varies within communities, as well as the effectiveness of a participatory GIS in shaping policy outcomes. Although participation can be advanced through the use of GIS, this paper concludes by suggesting that research on the availability of these tools should not serve as a substitute for critical analyses of their use and effectiveness by local communities.