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This study addresses novel questions on the dynamics of tuna aggregations around floating objects, using echosounder buoys data collected throughout the drifts of newly deployed Drifting Fish Aggregating Devices (DFADs) in the Atlantic Ocean (AO) and Indian Ocean (IO). Time series of presence/absence of tunas were obtained by supervised classification of acoustic data. To avoid biases related to the variability in individual DFAD soak times, a new approach was developed to estimate the average colonization time of new DFADs by tuna aggregations. We showed that tunas colonize DFADs after an average of 16 days in the AO, and 40 days in the IO. Moreover, the analysis indicated that the time span during which tuna aggregations occupy DFADs is driven by a time-independent process with short- and long-term residence modes. On average, DFADs were continuously occupied by tuna aggregations for 6 and 9 days in the IO and AO, respectively. The time between two consecutive aggregations at the same DFAD averaged 9 days in the IO and 5 days in the AO. Throughout their soak time after being colonized, DFADs remained occupied for a larger proportion of time in the AO (63%) than in the IO (45%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amandè, M. J., Chassot, E., Chavance, P., Murua, H., Delgado de Molina, A., and Bez, N. 2012. Precision in bycatch estimates: the case of tuna purse-seine fisheries in the Indian Ocean. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 69: .Estimating bycatch, i.e. the incidental catch of non-target marine animals and undersized individuals of target species, by raising observer data to the whole fishery is routine practice. The annual bycatch of the European tropical tuna purse-seine fishery over the period 2003–2009 was estimated at 11 590 t [95% confidence interval: (8165–15 818 t)], corresponding to 4.7% of the tuna landings. An analysis of the variability in the precision of this estimate, based on generalized linear models and Monte Carlo simulations, showed that the current sampling coverage of the tropical tuna fishery observer programme, which is 4.6% of the fishing trips, resulted in large uncertainties in bycatch estimates by species, i.e. none of the estimates have a relative root mean square error smaller than 50%. Although the overall magnitude of bycatch of the fishery appeared to be small, the current sampling coverage was insufficient to give any reliable estimate for low-occurring species, such as marine turtles, some oceanic pelagic sharks, and some billfishes. Increasing the sampling coverage would likely improve bycatch estimates. Simulation outputs were produced to help define (i) trade-offs between the priority species to be monitored, (ii) the estimation precision, (iii) expected accuracy, and (iv) the associated sampling costs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

ABSTRACT NGC 6823 is a young open cluster that lies at a distance of ∼2 kpc in the Vulpecula OB1 association. Previous studies using CCD photometry and spectroscopy have identified a Trapezium system of bright O- and B-type stars at its centre, along with several massive O-, B- and A-type stars in the cluster. We present optical VRI and near-infrared JHK photometric observations, complemented with Spitzer/Infrared Array Camera archival data, with an aim to identify the young low-mass population and the disc candidates in this region. Our survey reaches down to I∼ 22 mag and Ks∼ 18 mag. There is significant differential reddening within the cluster. We find a bimodal distribution for A V, with a peak at ∼3 mag and a broader peak at ∼10 mag. We have classified the sources based on the [4.5] − [8] colour, which is least affected by extinction. We find a ∼20 per cent fraction of Class I/Class II young stellar objects (YSOs) in the cluster, while a large 80 per cent fraction of the sources have a Class III classification. We have made use of the INT Photometric Hα Survey (IPHAS) in order to probe the strength in Hα emission for this large population of Class III sources. Nearly all of the Class III objects have photospheric ( r′−Hα) colours, implying an absence of Hα in emission. This large population of Class III sources is thus likely the extinct field star population rather than the discless YSOs in the cluster. There is a higher concentration of the Class I/II systems in the eastern region of the cluster and close to the central Trapezium. The western part of the cluster mostly contains Class III/field stars and seems devoid of disc sources. We find evidence of a pre-main-sequence population in NGC 6823, in addition to an upper main-sequence population. The pre-main-sequence population mainly consists of young disc sources with ages between ∼1 and 5 Myr, and at lower masses of ∼0.1-0.4 M⊙. There may be a possible mass-dependent age spread in the cluster, with the older stars being more massive than the younger ones. The presence of young disc sources in NGC 6823 indicates similar star formation properties in the outer regions of the Galaxy as observed for young clusters in the solar neighbourhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AIMS: Functional ischaemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) is common in patients with ischaemic left ventricular dysfunction undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery. Although the presence of IMR negatively affects prognosis, the additional benefit of valve repair is debated, particularly with mild IMR at rest. Exercise echocardiography may help identify a subset of patients at higher risk of cardiovascular events by revealing the dynamic component of IMR. METHODS: A large prospective, multicentre, non-randomized registry is designed to evaluate the effects of surgery on IMR at rest and on its dynamic component at exercise (z). SIMRAM will enrol approximately 550 patients with IMR in up to 17 centres with clinical and exercise follow-up for 1 year. Three sets of outcomes will be prospectively assessed and several hypotheses will be tested including determinants of adverse outcome and progressive left ventricular remodeling, efficacy of treatment and role of ischaemia on the dynamic consequences of IMR. Enrolment began in November 2006 and is expected to end by early 2008. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]