Coastal Ocean Modeling

In 2007 salmon, mollusk and seaweed aquaculture production in Chile totaled 904 thousand tonnes, making the nation the leading marine aquaculture producer in the western world. Salmonids grown in open cage net pens account for over 73% of the production. This review summarizes the current status of Chilean aquaculture and proposes the establishment of new regulations and monitoring programmes that encourage and accommodate emerging bioremediation technologies. In contrast to a rapidly expanding, well-financed and technologically advanced industry, the regulatory structure in Chile is outdated and based on insufficient science. The number of publications on the environmental impacts of salmon aquaculture in Chile is low relative to its production level. Nevertheless, the impacts of organic and inorganic waste on benthic communities, pelagic organisms and bird populations are documented. The technology to reduce these impacts using integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) strategies exists, but has not been implemented at commercial scales. We call on the government and industry to support the creation of a well-financed and politically independent agency responsible for developing and enforcing science-based environmental regulations in Chile. The agency's immediate goal should be to fund research required to develop a transparent, ecosystem-based regulatory framework that promotes IMTA. Monitoring programs and licensing procedures must consider the impacts of individual sites and the cumulative impacts from multiple sites across a wide range of spatial scales. Before such changes are realized, environmental threats and human health risks will remain unacceptably high and salmon farming in Chile will not meet any reasonable definition of sustainability.

Contamination by butyltin (BTs) and organochlorine compounds (OCs) in green mussels collected along the coastal areas of Thailand, Philippines and India during the period of 1994±1997 was examined. The BT residues in green mussel were widely detected, suggesting a widespread contamination along the coastal waters of Asian developing countries. Relatively high concentrations of BTs in green mussel were found in high boating activity and coastal aquaculture areas, implying the usage of TBT as a biocide in antifouling paints used on boat hulls and marine aquaculture facilities. The composition of BT derivatives in mussel was in the order of TBT>DBT>MBT, suggesting also the presence of signi®cant butyltin source in Asian coast. BT residues pattern in green mussels from Thailand revealed higher levels in aquaculture than in boating activity sites. This result may indicate that the developing countries showing high economic growth rate (like Thailand) tend to increase the usage of TBT for aquaculture activities. BT contamination levels in Asian developing countries were lower than those in developed nations. However, considering the fact that the unregulated usage of organotins in Asian developing countries and the increasing demand for antifouling paints in Asia±Paci®c regions, BTs contamination in aquatic environment may be serious in future. Concentrations of OCs detected in green mussels were lower than BTs. Considerable residues of pY p H -DDT found in mussel indicated the current usage of DDTs in Asian regions. HCHs and DDTs contamination in India is apparently higher than in other Asian developing countries. : S 0 9 6 4 -5 6 9 1 ( 0 0 ) 0 0 0 6 0 -0 detection of butyltin compounds in green mussels (Perna viridis) from Thailand, Philippines and India. #

The use of wetlands for treatment of wastewaters has a number of important ecological and economic benefits. Adding nutrient rich treated wastewater effluent to selected coastal wetlands results in the following benefits: (1) improved effluent water quality; (2) increased accretion rates to help offset subsidence; (3) increased productivity of vegetation; and (4) ARTICLE IN PRESS www.elsevier.com/locate/ocecoaman 0964-5691/$ -see front matter r (J.W. Day Jr.).

The results of a quantitative evaluation of community-based coastal resource management at six sites of the Central Visayas Regional Project-1 (CVRP-1) located in Cebu and Negros Oriental, Philippines, are discussed. The goal of the research is to determine factors influencing the success and sustainability of community-based coastal resource management projects. Several lessons were learned, or confirmed, by the analysis, including: variations in evaluations of project success by project staff and beneficiaries; early and continuous participation of beneficiaries in the project is related to this positive evaluation of success; positive cultural attitudes toward collective action were related to perception of positive change; and job satisfaction among fishers was high, suggesting the development of supplementary, not alternative, employment opportunities. ~) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd. Central Visayas Regional Project-I 99 small-scale rural fishers, farmers, and forest occupants; (2) improve the management of the region's marine, upland, and forest resources in critical watershed areas; and (3) help increase the capacity for regionalization of decision making and program implementation. The nearshore fisheries component, in particular, addressed the following: (1) establishment and allocation of user's rights to an extensive system of artificial reefs in waters adjacent to the four upland sites in the region; (2) establishment of effective coral reef management on all coral reefs at the four project sites, along with municipal marine sanctuaries covering from 15 to 20% of the reef area; (3) replanting of mangroves in all suitable sites, management of existing mangrove timberlands by smallholders, and allocation of user's rights to the areas; (4) strengthening of participating line agencies, specifically the Department of Agriculture (Fisheries) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources; (5) undertaking of special studies to support nearshore habitat management goals; and (6) conducting general surveys to provide the technical basis for project replication in other areas. 3

In Norway, coastal zone management is formally structured in a way that involves stakeholders in the planning processes-in the anticipation that participation will make the process more democratic and hence legitimate. Whether this is also the actual outcome is an empirical question, depending on which stakeholders are most active and effective in the management decision-making process, and to what extent they are able to sort out their differences and conflicting aspirations. In this paper we present findings of an exploratory study of the coastal zone planning process in 27 Norwegian municipalities. We focus on stakeholder composition and key attributes. Who seems to make a real impact in the planning process? Who are the most powerful among the various parties involved? Whose interests and concerns are considered to be the most urgent and justifiable, as seen from the perspective of the administrators who are the key co-ordinators in the planning process? r

Experience demonstrates that none of the available measures on biological effects of pollution should be considered ideal. The use of a single approach does not seem appropriate due to the complexity inherent in assessing the environmental quality of a system. Rather, this should be evaluated by combining a suite of indices providing complementary information.

The current study area is coastal zone of Cuddalore, Pondicherry and Villupuram districts of the Tamil Nadu along the southeast coast of India. This area is experiencing threat from many disasters such as storm, cyclone, flood, tsunami and erosion. This was one of the worst affected area during 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and during 2008 Nisha cyclone. The multi-hazard vulnerability maps prepared here are a blended and combined overlay of multiple hazards those affecting the coastal zone. The present study aims to develop a methodology for coastal multi-hazard vulnerability assessment. This study was carried out using parameters probability of maximum storm surge height during the return period (mean recurrence interval), future sea level rise, coastal erosion and high resolution coastal topography with the aid of the Remote Sensing and GIS tools. The assessment results were threatening 3.46 million inhabitants from 129 villages covering a coastal area 360 km 2 under the multi-hazard zone. In general river systems act as the flooding corridors which carrying larger and longer hinterland inundation. Multihazard Vulnerability maps were further reproduced as risk maps with the land use information. These risk caused due to multi-hazards were assessed up to building levels. The decision-making tools presented here can aid as critical information during a disaster for the evacuation process and to evolve a management strategy. These Multi-hazard vulnerability maps can also be used as a tool in planning a new facility and for insurance purpose.

Changes in natural cover and land use within the Ceuta coastal lagoon system, Mexico, were assessed using multitemporal analysis of Landsat imagery. Global trends of change and the effects of the recent establishment of the shrimp aquaculture industry on the natural cover were examined. On two images from 1984 and 1999, nine information categories (secondary succession, mangrove, irrigated and temporary agriculture, dry forest, bare substratum, lagoons, shrimp ponds, and villages) were evaluated after supervised classification and digitisation processes. The accuracy of the 1999 classification was measured by means of an error matrix that output an overall accuracy of 85%, and values of 0.8 for the Kappa and Tau coefficients. The classification had a moderate to high accuracy, and showed that agriculture is the main influence on the system, covering 55% of the study area, principally replacing dry forest and secondary succession. The development of shrimp aquaculture is causing a new pressure on this environment, and it has changed the coastal landscape covering 3190 ha in less than 15 years, mainly replacing bare soil and salt marsh. Estimations for mangrove cover in the area indicated an annual deforestation rate of around 0.3%, but this rate was not directly related with shrimp-farming growth. r

Tourism has important impacts, both positive and negative, on the management of coastal areas with high biodiversity value. It is therefore important to investigate visitors' perceptions concerning environmental policy alternatives for these areas along with the factors influencing these perceptions. The present paper aims to investigate visitors' perceptions of an important nesting ground for loggerhead sea turtles located in a highly touristic area of Greece (Rethymno, Crete) registered in the Natura 2000 network. The paper focuses on the level of environmental awareness of visitors and their perceptions of two proposed policy instruments which will secure funding for the improvement of the environmental management of the area: an entrance fee to the beach and a tax to be levied on local accommodation costs. The influence of social and institutional trust on these perceptions is also explored. According to the results of the study, awareness of the existence of the Natura 2000 site was low. Furthermore, the accommodation tax was regarded as a more effective policy when compared to the entrance fee. Average Willingness to Pay (WTP) was also explored for the two policies, estimated at V1.13 for the daily accommodation tax and V1.59 for the entrance fee. The influence of social and institutional trust had a significant influence both on the perceived level of effectiveness of the proposed policies and the stated Willingness to Pay. The study concludes that the accommodation tax would be a more appropriate policy for the management of Rethymno beach taking into consideration visitors' perceptions and the current level of trust.

The development of a typology of the Greek small-scale fishermen, based on socio-economic and fisheries information was examined using data from 551 fishermen interviews in 18 prefectures of Greece. The fishermen are relatively aged, they have mostly attained elementary education and their annual income is low. The catch is traded in both the wholesale and the retail market. The income from fisheries is significantly higher in continental than insular prefectures and higher in the Aegean than the Ionian Sea. The fishermen were categorised in three groups of dependence on fisheries (high, medium and low) according to the percentage of income originating from fishing, with more than 60% of the fishermen belonging to the high dependence group. There were significant differences among these groups in the fishermen age, annual income from fisheries, vessel length and the yearly days of fishing activity. The nature of the fishing licensing system and its implications for management are discussed and also compared to other European and Mediterranean countries. The individual treatment of the identified groups in the licensing procedure is discussed with regard to its fisheries and social impact. The pronounced geographic features revealed by the study on the level of dependence on fishing suggest that the regional particularities, linked to ecosystem heterogeneity, should be considered carefully in the management process. r

Marine protected areas (MPAs) have become a common conservation and management tool for reducing exploitation from the commercial and recreational fisheries sectors. However, the recreational fisheries sector has the potential to be compatible with no-take MPAs when catchand-release angling is practiced because, in theory, no fish are actually harvested. This presumes that the effects of catch-and-release angling and related activities do not cause appreciable declines in fish populations as a result of direct mortality, sub-lethal effects, or indirect effects on fish habitats, or other problems contrary to the goal of a given MPA. Here, we explore the idea that recreational catch-and-release angling may be compatible with some no-take MPAs provided there are no substantive negative ecological consequences. We argue that it is not currently possible to answer definitively the question of whether recreational catch-and-release fisheries can be compatible with no-take MPAs. Mortality rates of released fish vary extensively (between zero and near 100%) and are influenced by a number of factors including environmental conditions, fishing gear, angler behavior, and species-specific characteristics. Nevertheless, research in the field of catch-and-release is beginning to show that certain handling techniques can significantly reduce post-release mortality in fish. With appropriate regulation and angler education, catch-and-release could help enhance conservation and management goals associated with MPAs while maintaining public support and providing alternative tourism-based revenues for displaced fishers. Until sufficient data are available, research should focus on contrasting the fish community characteristics in regions with no fishing and ARTICLE IN PRESS www.elsevier.com/locate/ocecoaman 0964-5691/$ -see front matter r

This article summarizes the results of a broad regional consulting process aimed to identify critical areas for biodiversity conservation and to determine the relative level of anthropogenic pressure on natural resources throughout the Gulf of California Region. The methodology was designed to achieve broad consensus by means of a highly participative process that involved the following: (1) the independent, but coordinated, work of experts in task groups to integrate all available information on the key ecological and socioeconomic processes, as well as to generate updated inventories of species; (2) a workshop to identify (based mainly on the information gathered during the first stage) the biologically important areas, and to spatially ARTICLE IN PRESS www.elsevier.com/locate/ocecoaman 0964-5691/$ -see front matter r analyze the anthropogenic pressure on biodiversity, as well as the potentiality for social conflicts; and (3) the integration and spatial analysis of the results by means of a geographical information system. Results show that the areas subject to high anthropogenic pressure coincide with the areas of biological importance. It is expected that the information ensuing from this exercise will help the stakeholders to develop a meaningful conservation portfolio. r

A mangrove ecosystem shows close links between geomorphology and vegetation assemblage. In addition, the vegetation can change over time as landforms can accrete or erode, which is a direct response to coastal sedimentary processes. This demonstrates that significant changes can occur on short time scales and mangroves provide an excellent register of these modifications. Therefore, mangrove morphology and sedimentation are good indicators of interactions between relative sea level changes, coastal processes and sediment supply. These interactions are responsible for landward migration of the shoreline (erosion) and seaward migration of the shoreline (accretion), which is possible to detect from multi-date satellite data and field observations. Mangroves are one of the best geo-indicators in global coastal change research and they are an excellent procedure to detect and quantify coastal modifications. r

This paper examines variations in social acceptability of a Marine Protected Area (MPA) prior to implementation. The influence of a number of factors, including socio-economic characteristics, perception of coral resources state of health and attitudes towards non-compliance with regulations are analysed. During May 2006, 640 questionnaires were distributed to school children around Reunion Island, Western Indian Ocean, for completion by their parents, following an informal educational activity made in school. From a 73% (n = 469) response rate, results showed that 78% of participants were in favour of the MPA. Analysis further identified that those supportive of the MPA were generally from higher socio-professional categories, had a negative perception of the coral reef ecosystem's health and were not originally from Reunion. In contrast, locals (born in Reunion) from lower socio-professional categories or with no employment activity and having a positive perception of the health status of coral reefs offered no opinion on the MPA. Attitudes towards enforcement and compliance highlighted that SCUBA divers, fishers and jet skiers attributed a higher value to the protection of the coral reef environment through enforcement of MPA regulations than to their own use of the coral reef resource. When asked about the use of penalties to deter non-compliance, swimmers were awarded the lowest fines, followed by SCUBA divers, fishers then jet skiers being awarded the highest fines. Thus, the more severe the act of non-compliance by a resource user group was perceived to be, the more these users themselves disapproved of non-compliant behaviour and supported use of high penalties. The survey design through focusing on school children's parents, demonstrated a simple and cost-effective method for data collection while providing environmental education, which could be employed in similar case studies elsewhere.

<Sediment management is becoming a critical issue around the world, particularly where the development of harbor facilities, the conservation of coastal environments and needs of tourism compete for sustainable use of sediment resources. <Determination of sedimentary budget along coast is essential, but not straightforward. Different sediment management option can determine input or output of material within the sediment sharing system. They often lay hidden by the different data source, due to the fact that national and local administration have different database related to their specific institutional responsibilities. Information and data need to be merged to have policy initiative, based on scientific principles and model for other jurisdictions, developing their own sediment quantitative estimation within an ICZM approach and a sustainable development of sedimentary resource's management, are needed particularly in coastal areas suffering erosion. The present paper represent a case study as it consider many restrictions due to contamination and compatibility issues related to beneficial reuse of sediments.

The coastal zone of Yucatan Peninsula has been recognized as the most important environment to the economic development of this region. Different projects have been conducted in this area, including harbors, tourist, commercial, and aquaculture infrastructure, among others. However, there is no information available on what are ''normal'' concentrations of dissolved inorganic nutrients (DIN) and chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) for these regions. In order to establish the base-lines of selected water quality parameters four coastal areas of the north of Yucatan Peninsula (SE, Mexico) a monitoring program has been conducted since 1999 in four localities of the north of Yucatan which show differences on the kind and intensity of anthropogenic impacts. The results show that Dzilam is the site with the best water quality conditions and a conservation program must be implemented, while Sisal and Progreso are the ports with the worst water quality and where different strategies must be implemented, such as water management of the shrimp farm effluents through constructed wetlands in Sisal, or water waste treatment and facilitation of water circulation in the Progreso port. Other results from phytoplankton community and submerged aquatic vegetation indicate that these components must be incorporated into water quality programs in order to effectively identify the problems and monitor the success of management strategies. These results can be used to understand the linkages between stressors from the activities and ARTICLE IN PRESS www.elsevier.com/locate/ocecoaman 0964-5691/$ -see front matter r (J.A. Herrera-Silveira). attributes of the water quality. A joint state-federal and academic effort to improve the conditions and increase the sustainability of the coastal zone is favored. r

In Bangladesh, prawn farming is dependent on wild postlarvae (PL) because of inadequate supply of hatchery produced PL compare to the demand. Moreover, farmers prefer wild PL because the survival of wild PL is reported to be much higher than hatchery produced PL. Wild prawn PL fishing have given an employment opportunity for thousands of coastal landless and unemployed poor people in Bangladesh. On the other hand, indiscriminate wild PL fishing has notorious impact on biodiversity in coastal ecosystems due to high levels of by-catch. This has provoked imposition of ban on PL collection to conserve fisheries resources. In 2000, the Government of Bangladesh imposed ban, however, it was not implemented firmly because of the lack of alternative livelihoods for coastal poor. This paper describes the impact of wild prawn PL fishing in coastal Bangladesh and drawn a conceptual framework in relation to management of coastal fisheries resources.

This paper presents a simplified approach to assess the effects of global warming on global coastal groundwater resources over the next century based on the smallest but necessary number of elements such as rainfall, temperature, hydraulic conductivity of the aquifers, and population changes regarding the consumption of groundwater. The positive aspect in this approach is that there is availability of the above elements in the majority of the planet. Methodology includes a sharp interface concept model and simplified estimation of groundwater recharge using limited climate data. The evaluation shows that the future climate changes would decrease fresh groundwater resources in Central American, South American, South African and Australian regions whereas most of the areas in Asia, except South-East Asia. Combinations of fresh groundwater loss and global population are considered to state the vulnerability of future fresh groundwater supply. Vulnerability assessment shows that South Asia, Central America, North Africa and the Sahara, South Africa and the Middle East countries are highly vulnerable whereas, Northern Europe, Western part of South America, New Zealand and Japan are less vulnerable with respect to future fresh groundwater supply. Further, this paper highlights the necessity Integrated Coastal Management (ICM) practices in these vulnerable coastal regions to ensure the sustainable development in coastal regions.

The coastal and marine environments and resources of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden are globally signi"cant and generally in a healthy state. Current regional issues include localized destruction of coral reefs, seagrass and mangroves; declines in some "sheries; exploitation of some endangered species; pollution from the development and transport of petroleum; and disposal of industrial and municipal wastes. The underlying causes of these issues are the natural vulnerability of the Red Sea due to its semi-enclosed nature; economic reliance on the petroleum industry; signi"cant navigation risks; a rapidly increasing coastal population and associated developments; lack of "sheries information, surveillance and management; poor coastal zone planning; and limited technical expertise. Strategic actions addressing these issues 0964-5691/99/$ -see front matter 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. PII: S 0 9 6 4 -5 6 9 1 ( 9 9 ) 0 0 0 4 0 -X will need to be implemented regionally and focus on coastal zone management that integrates environmental planning, environmental assessment and review; training and institutional development; public awareness and participation; information gathering especially "sheries statistics; reducing navigation risks; and the development of resource management and conservation strategies.

The applicability of recommendations of the Eurosion project to define a policy to manage coastal erosion has been tested at the "beach" scale in the Mediterranean coast. Thus, a favourable sediment status has been defined for these beaches taking into account their main functions: recreation and protection. Because they act at two different seasons, this status needs to be seasonally defined. For the protection function, the favourable sediment status depends on the level of safety fixed by the manager taking into account the importance of existing infrastructures and, for recreation it depends on the use density of the beach. The concept has been formalized for beach management within a framework where benchmarking plays a crucial role to determine the need of intervention. This has been illustrated for open cell beaches where one of its boundaries can permit variations in the sediment budget and for pocket beaches that act as closed sediment cells.

In the Mar Menor lagoon (SE Spain) recent changes in the nearby agricultural practices, from extensive dry crop farming to intensively irrigated crops, have increased nutrient and particulate inputs through the principal watercourse that flows into the lagoon, the Albujón wadi. The concentration of nutrients and suspended sediments in the waters has risen, increasing phytoplankton densities and diminishing water column transparency. As a result of these environmental changes, the traditional main macrophyte of the Mar Menor, Cymodocea nodosa (Ucria) Ascherson, has been replaced by the macroalga Caulerpa prolifera (Forsskal) Lamouroux creating changes in the sediment characteristics with profound consequences to benthic communities and also to local fishing and tourism. In the study area, seagrass respiration exceeded photosynthesis while the macroalga presented positive rates of net photosynthesis. C. prolifera is better adapted to these new conditions of light and nutrient concentration and has expanded its distribution, occupying most of the bottom of the lagoon and restricting C. nodosa to small patches in very shallow areas, where plant growth is not limited by light and no C. prolifera can be found because of photoinhibition and emersion stress.

Small microplastics on a tropical island Small microplastics on beaches of Fernando de Noronha Island, Tropical Atlantic Ocean Oceanic islands are important areas of environmental, social, economic, and scientific interest. Therefore, it is essential to identify pollutants in these environments, including large (1 mm to ≤ 5 mm) and small microplastics (SMP) (1 μm to ≤ 1 mm). Here, SMP were identified and characterized in the windward (WW) and leeward (LW) beaches of Fernando de Noronha Island. Samples were collected from 900 cm 2 quadrants on the strandline of 15 sandy beaches and were sieved through stainless steel sieves with 1 mm mesh. The SMP were characterized according to their shape, colour, and size. Synthetic fibres and fragments were identified, and synthetic fibres were predominant. Statistical differences were not found between the WW and LW beaches (160.0±137.5 particles m-2 and 128.0±84.3 particles m-2 , respectively; Mann-Whitney U test: U=198.5; p=0.81) in relation to the total amount of SMP deposited on the beaches. Also, both types/ shapes were present in the two groups of beaches (Friedman's test, X 2 r=6.09; p=0.91). The environmental forcings controlling the transport and potential deposition of synthetic fibres may have been different from those acting on fragments that more resembled the grains of sand in the beaches. Although it is difficult to prevent allochthonous sources of SMP at the small scale, management actions on the island are mandatory to prevent autochthonous sources.

The feasibility and sustainable operation of tidal lagoons and barrages has been under scrutiny over uncertainties with regards to their environmental impacts, potential interactions and energy output. A numerical modelling methodology that evaluates their effects on the hydro-environment has been refined to consider technical constraints and specifications associated with variable turbine designs and operational sequences. The method has been employed to assess a number of proposals and their combinations within the Bristol Channel and Severn Estuary in the UK. Operational challenges associated with tidal range power plants are highlighted, while also presenting the capabilities of modelling tools tailored to their assessment. Results indicate that as the project scale increases so does its relative hydrodynamic impact, which may compromise annual energy output expectations if not accounted for. However, the manner in which such projects are operated can also have a significant impact on changing the local hydro-environment, including the ecology and morphology. Therefore, it is imperative that tidal range power plants are designed in such a way that they efficiently tap into the renewable energy sources, with minimal interference to the regional hydro-environment through their operation.

In Pacific Mexico, all five sea turtle species have declined over the past century due to intense overexploitation of meat and eggs, fisheries bycatch, and degradation of marine and nesting habitats. One of the most heavily impacted areas has been the Baja California peninsula, where sea turtle populations remain historically low despite existing conservation measures that include a complete moratorium on the use of sea turtles, over three decades of widespread protection of nesting beaches, and in-water monitoring of sea turtles at coastal foraging areas. We recognize the need for alternative sea turtle conservation strategies that rely on increased participation of civil society and Mexican citizens. The purpose of this paper was to identify resident attitudes towards sea turtle conservation and opportunities for enhanced community participation in Bahia Magdalena, a region in Baja California Sur, Mexico experiencing high levels of sea turtle poaching and bycatch in fisheries. Through semi-structured interviews we found that while residents were overwhelmingly interested in participating in sea turtle conservation, peer pressure and conflict within the community presented major challenges. The majority of residents indicated that sea turtle voluntourism would have a positive impact on their community. Economic incentives and increased protection for sea turtles were mentioned as benefits of sea turtle voluntourism, whereas peer pressure, difficulty obtaining permits and producing effective marketing materials, and doubt about direct economic benefits were cited as constraints. We discuss our results in terms of opportunities, challenges, and recommendations for improving community-focused sea turtle conservation throughout the region.

The purpose of this study was to investigate, characterize and map areas of the seabed of Las Perlas Archipelago (LPA), Republic of Panama using swath-bathymetry acoustic sonar techniques and to assess these methods as tools for feeding information into management zoning policy. In 2007 the LPA was granted conservation protection under national legislation. However, detailed management plans are still pending. Seabed mapping plays a fundamental role in identifying areas which should be prioritized within the management framework. Visual representation of habitat maps provides an effective medium for involving stakeholders in a co-management arena. In this survey, acoustically mapped areas of the seabed were ground-truthed using a combination of benthic grab samples, drop-down video and diver observations. The resulting mapped areas were then incorporated into a Geographic Information System (GIS) for further analysis. The output was a physical characterization of the seabed at three locations selected for being areas of high rugosity (habitat complexity) and, therefore, their potential importance as valuable fish aggregation sites. The rocky reefs and rhodolith beds identified in this survey represent particularly important fish aggregation and nursery habitats which should be considered priorities for protection under the management plans. This survey demonstrated the use of acoustic techniques to spatially resolve topographic features and physical characteristics of the seabed, illustrating their potential value as tools for fisheries management and marine reserve zoning in Las Perlas Archipelago and elsewhere.

ICZM relies heavily on the definition of major multidisciplinary characteristics/elements of the coastal area of interest. Usually, only terrestrial boundaries are considered, which tend to respond to a specific sectoral problem and can be determined by administrative limits. In this study, we propose a method for establishing a decision-making tool to inform boundary delimitation for ICZM initiatives that is proactive and widely applicable as opposed to reactive and problem specific. This method integrates environmental, economic and societal characteristics of the marine and terrestrial boundaries of the coastal zone, starting at the boundary of the jurisdictional zone of influence (shoreline units), increasing in detail through the definition of their influential areas from jurisdictional, environmental or socio-economic perspectives (functional areas) and, within them, specifying the finest scale at which relevant indicator data may be obtained (analysis units).

This paper summarizes a field study on the linkages between AIDS and coastal biodiversity in eight coastal villages in the Bagamoyo and Pangani Districts in Tanzania. Summarizing the current literature, we suggest that there are three categories of direct impacts of AIDS on natural resourcesaccelerated rate of resources extraction, decreased availability of labor and management capacity, and loss of indigenous knowledge on coastal resource management and biodiversity conservation. Evidence of these types of detrimental impacts of AIDS on the natural environment is found in the coastal villages of Tanzania, but overall it is difficult to disentangle the impacts of AIDS on local resource use and biodiversity conservation from other factors driving change. However, this paper contributes to an understanding of the key factors critical in shaping the impact of AIDS on the natural environment in coastal areas-especially gender inequity and migration. Our conclusion is that reducing gender inequality and poverty, and improving livelihood opportunities are integral to mitigating the negative impacts of AIDS on natural resources. r

The neritic waters of the state of Sergipe in Northeastern Brazil is adjacent to the main nesting area of the olive ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) in the Western Atlantic Ocean and an important area for shrimp trawl fishery. To address the problem of incidental mortality of sea turtles captured during trawling and reduce the risk of overexploitation of shrimp stocks, Projeto TAMAR/ICMBio, a Brazilian sea turtle conservation program, has adopted two main strategies: (1) the implementation of a marine monitoring program and (2) active participation in local forums. This paper describes the conflicts among stakeholders, the arrangements and established mechanisms of negotiation aimed to protect sea turtles and shrimp grounds, and strategies to reduce conflicts between user groups. The analysis of this comanagement process highlights the importance of stakeholder participation in resource management decision-making through a cooperative process, the role assumed by non-governmental organizations as mediators, and the factors that influence this system. The key factors and actions learnt from the current study include clear identification of the conflicts, identification of stakeholders e both local and external, and local leaders, encouragement of actors and leaders to participate, support and strengthening of local groups, legitimization of the discussion forums through involvement with government, formalization of decisions taken through legislation, and monitoring of the management efficacy.

The main objective of the CONSCIENCE project was to develop and test concepts, guidelines and tools for the sustainable management of erosion along the European coastline, based on the best available scientific knowledge and on existing practical experience. Four concepts are potentially capable of providing the nexus between scientific knowledge and management: coastal resilience, coastal sediment cell, favourable sediment status and strategic sediment reservoir. The project has tested the use of these concepts and found that they are useful, provided that they are positioned and linked within a logical structure that we shall call the CONSCIENCE "Frame of Reference", defined in time and space and supported through data and monitoring. Practical experience in six coastal sites in Europe has shown that the use of this Frame of Reference together with these concepts can make management objectives explicit and transparent. It can therefore support the design of an appropriate, resilience based coastal erosion management practice.