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Decentralized management of marine resources by local governments yields an enhanced opportunity to protect, restore, and create sustainable marine biodiversity in the provision of ecosystem services. However, due to the complexities associated with designing a level of protection for a specific marine resource, local stakeholders may find the process challenging, which may have adverse effects resulting from delayed conservation initiatives. Thus, under various criteria, a systematic approach that assigns a level of protection to marine resources is critical in managing these resources. Despite this criticality, such an agenda gains limited attention from the domain literature. This work advances this gap by proposing a multiple criteria sorting (MCS) method that comprehensively assigns marine resources to a pre-defined set of protection categories under the evaluation of several criteria. It utilizes (1) the entropy method in obtaining the priority weights of the identified criteria associated with evaluating the reef status of marine sites and (2) an extension of the combined compromise solution sorting method, termed CoCoSort, in evaluating marine sites to a pre-determined set of categories (i.e., Category 1, Category 2, Category 3), arranged in increasing order of protection. With the available indicators in the literature, the proposed CoCoSort was implemented in an actual case study of eight marine sites in an eastern Philippine municipality. Findings reveal that feather stars density, giant clams density, and butterfly abundance comprise the top priority criteria in evaluating the case sites. On the other hand, five identified sites are found to be under the maximum protection category, while three sites should be given moderate protection. Both sensitivity and comparative analyses show the efficacy of the proposed CoCoSort. The insights would help local governments manage the biodiversity protection of their marine environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The ambitions for a more sustainable aquaculture sector in Norway demand the need for new ingredients that could be incorporated into feeds. In this context, Calanus finmarchicus products (powder, oil, and hydrolysate) emerge as potential local and scalable sources of oil and protein. Despite this, there are no studies in the literature analyzing the possible environmental impact of these products. The goal of this study is to measure the environmental impacts of Calanus finmarchicus products. Methods: We applied an attributional life cycle assessment method to measure the environmental impacts of Calanus finmarchicus products. We consider the supply chain from the processing company CALANUS AS in Norway and data from fishers of Calanus finmarchicus, as inputs for the analysis. The product system boundaries were cradle-to-gate, and sixteen environmental impact categories were considered for the analysis according to the environmental footprint (EF) assessment method. A sensitivity analysis was applied to evaluate the impact of the allocation method considered and the electricity mix used in the production stage. Results: The results indicate that considering economic allocation, Calanus oil accounts for the highest impacts on the different categories, especially due to the combustion of fossil fuels needed for harvesting, freezing on board, and transport to the port. Moreover, the scenario analysis showed that the allocation method and electricity mix were considered, impacting drastically on the results of the analysis. In addition, it was found that Calanus finmarchicus products showed better results than other sources of protein and oil in some impact categories. Conclusions: The results of the environmental assessment suggest that Calanus products show promising potential to increase the sustainability of aquaculture in Norway. Future research highlights the need for a more holistic sustainability analysis incorporating economic and social aspects. In addition, future studies are needed to account for possible impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems, especially during Calanus harvesting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine resources are attractive for screening new useful bacteria. From a marine sediment sample, we performed isolation and screening of bacterial strains in search of new bioactive compounds. HPLC and ESI-MS analysis indicated that the new bacterium, Lysinibacillus sp. CTST325 (NBRC 116944), produced a new peptidic compound, lysinibacin. Genome sequence analysis of Lysinibacillus sp. CTST325 indicated the presence of several biosynthetic gene clusters for secondary metabolites, including lanthipeptides. The structure determination of lysinibacin was performed using CID-MS and NMR spectral data. As a result, lysinibacin was identified as a new class III lanthipeptide, containing N-dimethylated Tyr at the N-terminus and the unusual amino acid labionin at the C-terminus. The biosynthetic gene cluster of lysinibacin was identified from the genome data of the strain CTST325, based on the structure of lysinibacin. Lysinibacin showed antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explores the modes of exploitation of marine molluscs at Riparo Bombrini (Ventimiglia, north-west Italy) during the Protoaurignacian and the Early Aurignacian. Our results prove that Early Modern Humans who inhabited the rockshelter extensively exploited marine malacofauna for both dietary purposes and ornament production, offering new insights into human adaptation to coastal environments during the early phases of the Upper Palaeolithic along the Mediterranean coast. Combining taxonomy and taphonomy, we identified five main categories of shell remains within the assemblage: edible specimens, shell beads, non-worked ornamental shells, accidental introductions, and potential ornamental shells. A total of 91 perforated gastropods were recovered during the excavations of the Early Upper Palaeolithic layers. The ornament assemblage shows a certain richness in mollusc species, whose shells were collected dead from the beach. However, a preference for spherical and semi-spherical shells can be observed, highlighting the existence of trends in the selection of shell species for bead production. Use wear analysis demonstrates that some of the shell beads exhibit rounding and polishing around the rim of the perforation, implying that most of them arrived at the site as worn components, possibly forming part of more complex decorative combinations. Finally, the presence of both perforated and unperforated shells interpretable as raw material suggests that the rockshelter served as a “manufacturing site”, where shell ornaments were fabricated, discarded and replaced in new beadworks. This hypothesis is further supported by the presence of broken shell beads, interpretable as manufacturing errors or worn beads ready for replacement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess investment risks in the health industry in the South China Sea, project analysis and expert experience were used to obtain risk assessment data. To account for the numerous risks posed by investing in tourism in the South China Sea, we employed a multi-level grey analysis method to create an evaluation index system for tourism risk investment in the region. At the same time, the GA-BP South China Sea risk investment evaluation model is adopted, and the impact relationship of various indicators is quantified. The simulation experiment results demonstrate that, in the function loss test outcomes of risk sample 1, BP's function loss was 1.02, PSO's function loss was 0.79, and GA-BP's function loss was 0.125, following 40 training iterations. GA-BP has better function loss performance. During the training function output test of each model, the GA-BP model exhibits the best output performance and can precisely generate output results on South China Sea venture capital. The research content has important reference value for the development of marine resources and investment in the corresponding tourism industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine biological diversity, and more specifically, marine genetic resources in areas beyond national jurisdiction are valuable resources that belong to all of humanity and need to be preserved for future generations. The new landmark BBNJ Agreement, also known as the "High Seas Biodiversity Treaty", after all the intensive negotiations revolving around the legal status of MGRs, recognized that the conservation and sustainable use of these resources are to be achieved through the "Common Heritage of Humankind" as a guiding principle under Article 7 of the BBNJ Agreement. The key consideration in the following article acknowledges a paradigm shift from the CHM towards a more pragmatic benefit-sharing regime and whether all component parts of the CHM principle, including sustainable equity and more specifically, inter-generational and intra-generational equity are sufficiently addressed in the BBNJ Agreement. The following research suggests that a proper application of the common heritage of mankind principle, along with all its constituent elements, including equitable benefit-sharing, shared stewardship, sustainable management and inter-generational equity, guarantees a comprehensive balance between distributive justice and conservation approaches to marine genetic resources while serving the legitimate interests of present and future generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Life depends on the ocean, with societal health, cultural systems and national economies reliant on ocean processes and resources. As ocean resources are used, and humans continue to drive climate change, the benefits from the ocean to society are being diminished. Science must meet the needs of policy and deliver to decision makers the information and tools for identifying pathways that support continued delivery of the benefits society derives from the ocean, whilst minimising impacts. This is crucial if the world's nations are to meet the goals and targets they have set under international agreements. Here, we outline how a global assessment that focuses specifically on the ocean, the World Ocean Assessment, is linking science to the governments of the world and their policies within an internationally mandated framework. In doing so, we identify key elements that are needed for facilitating engagement by decision makers and uptake of knowledge, and the pathways taken by the assessment in implementing them. We also provide insights into the evolution that the World Ocean Assessment has undertaken over its first three cycles to progress its goal of enhancing the scientific basis of policymaking. We identify the challenges in delivering science to policy at a global scale and the work that still needs to be done in filling gaps to achieve a coordinated, comprehensive mechanism for connecting science with policy and ensuring future sustainability of the ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Environmental DNA (eDNA) technology has attracted significant attention due to its convenience and high sensitivity. However, the variations of eDNA across diverse environments and biological species remain complex. Therefore, a detailed exploration of the release patterns of eDNA for specific species under different environments is crucial for the scientific utilization of eDNA detection techniques. This study conducted an experiment involving the aquaculture of Acanthopagrus schlegelii to explore the release and degradation mechanisms of eDNA. It also analyzed the influence of salinity and biomass on the concentration of eDNA in water. Through model simulations, the variation patterns of A. schlegelii eDNA were revealed. The study achieved three key findings: (1) The research on the release and degradation mechanisms of A. schlegelii eDNA indicated that the Generalized Additive Model (GAM) effectively fits the variation patterns of eDNA concentration. The peak concentration of eDNA released by A. schlegelii was observed at 42 h, and the degradation process exhibited two stages: rapid and slow degradation, with a negative correlation between eDNA concentration and time. (2) By investigating the relationship between the concentration of A. schlegelii eDNA and biomass, it was demonstrated that Linear Models (LM) effectively captured this relationship, indicating a correlation between eDNA concentration and biomass. (3) The detection of A. schlegelii eDNA concentration under different salinity conditions revealed that the GAM model better reflected the relationship between eDNA and salinity, exhibiting a negative correlation. As salinity increased, the concentration of eDNA decreased. This study lays a foundation for future assessments of the A. schlegelii biomass in natural waters using eDNA quantitative detection techniques, and provides relevant references for quantitative eDNA detection techniques in other marine fish species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Namibia, fisheries are important for food security and protein provisioning, income generation and trade; but they are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Not only does climate change impact the marine living resources crucial to fisheries; but changes in weather, currents and storminess are affecting the safety and effectiveness of fishing. Here we ask: What are the key risks from climate change to the eight large-scale fishery sectors of Namibia, and for the recreational and small-scale (artisanal) fisheries? For each fishery sector, we assessed three main risk components: (1) climate hazard exposure; (2) fish species sensitivity; and (3) socio-economic vulnerability. In combination, these three risk components are then used to calculate the overall climate risk for each fishery. Climate hazard exposure was assessed as highest for the small-scale, recreational, and rock lobster fisheries. Species sensitivities were highest for the rock lobster and crab fisheries, followed by monkfish trawlers, hake liners and hake trawlers. Socio-economic vulnerability was highest for the small pelagic fishery (linked to the collapse of pilchard). The overall climate risk emerged as greatest for the rock lobster fishery, followed by the (highly marginalised) small-scale artisanal fishery. The key risks by sector emerging from this assessment, informed five stakeholder workshops held across Namibia in 2023, attended by representatives of each sector and aimed at exploring options for climate adaptation. Based on these, we discuss potential adaptation measures that could reduce risk and minimise consequences, in support of improved climate resilience in Namibian fisheries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Underwater target detection technology is very important for Marine resources detection and underwater environment perception. The problems of low-quality underwater images, a large amount of calculation, and low accuracy of target detection models still need to be solved. Firstly, a new underwater image enhancement algorithm based on multi-scale fusion is proposed. The algorithm combines the improved white balance algorithm and the improved CLAHE (Contrast Limited Adaptive Histogram Equalization) and realizes the multi-scale fusion strategy by introducing different weight maps, aiming to improve the visual effect and quality of underwater images. Secondly, to further improve the accuracy and efficiency of underwater target detection, an improved YOLOv5s lightweight underwater target detection algorithm is proposed. The algorithm combines the Ghost convolution module, EMA(Efficient Multi-Scale Attention) mechanism, and CARAFE (Content-Aware ReAssembly of FEatures) up-sampling mode. The comparison on the URPC(Underwater Robot Perception Challenge) public dataset shows that the proposed algorithm has achieved significant improvement in terms of model size, parameter amount, calculation amount, and mAP@0.5. Thirdly, to verify the effectiveness of the image enhancement algorithm and underwater target detection algorithm proposed in this paper, the ROV(Remote Operated Vehicle) is used to conduct experiments in the experimental pool. By designing underwater target detection experiments before and after image enhancement, the results show that the enhanced image significantly improves the detection ability of underwater targets. Finally, underwater target detection software is developed to provide strong support for the application of underwater-related fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve sustainable resource circulation, preparation of reactive species from stable compounds is unavoidable. Chlorine chemistry is an eco-friendly methodology to address this demand. Chlorine is industrially produced from sodium chloride (NaCl), an abundant natural resource in oceans. Chlorine provides various chemical products, including polymers, through chlorination and subsequent conversion reactions. In these reactions, the byproducts are usually hydrogen chloride, which is commercially utilized as hydrochloric acid and is finally neutralized to NaCl after use. Therefore, chlorine chemistry enables fine chemical production from NaCl with almost no wastage. This review provides an overview of the synthesis of fine chemicals and polymers using chlorine chemistry and discusses them from the perspective of sustainability. To achieve sustainable resource circulation, preparation of reactive species from stable compounds is needed, and chlorine chemistry is an eco-friendly approach to address this need. Here, the authors provide an overview of the synthesis of fine chemicals and polymers using chlorine chemistry, with emphasis with regards to sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rich marine resources along the western coast of Spitsbergen (Svalbard) have given rise to colonies of breeding seabirds, which likely represent an important vector of nutrient transport from marine to terrestrial environments. These seabirds may also supply additional nutrients to lakes via their droppings, while bathing and/or when being attacked by other birds during flight to their nest sites. To study the importance of such droppings in the diet of freshwater fish, we sampled Arctic charr by gillnetting during a three-week period in the oligotrophic Lake Arresjøen in northwestern Svalbard. Marine fish and invertebrates made up more than 12% of the dry weight of the stomach contents of Arctic charr larger than 24 cm captured in the littoral zone. This suggests that the seabird transport of marine organisms contributes directly to the diet of Arctic charr in coastal High-Arctic lakes, but this contribution may also give a higher load of mercury and polychlorinated compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bay of Bengal has been at the heart of human civilisation and trade for many centuries. Accordingly, this oceanic space has seen influx of people from around the world including European traders who plundered natural wealth of this region for many years. Unabated exploitation of natural resources has been the primary reason for deterioration of environment of this part of the world. To add to this, supporting a growing population through unsustainable anthropogenic activities for decades is considered a primary cause for deterioration of marine life, habitats, coastal and marine ecosystems and numerous ocean ecosystem services of this oceanic space. Since the health of the oceanic space is critical for survival of life of Earth, a detailed study of the impacts of a growing population on the coastal environment of the Bay is considered important. Unfortunately, since the anthropogenic activities causing this deterioration are numerous, they cannot be covered in one paper. Hence, only a select few critical anthropogenic activities causing coastal erosion, resource degradation, and marine pollution are being analysed here. The study shows that as a result of increasing population, terrestrial activities such as increasing built up area, industries, land use activities, fisheries and aquaculture, and construction of shore protection structures have resulted in reduced coastal vegetation and increased pollution of the ocean. As a result the coastal landscape is witnessing increased coastal erosion, coastal flooding and inundation, loss of vegetation and faunal communities especially fishes. While local initiatives and projects reflect a positive commitment to address resource degradation and to create resilient coastal ecosystems, these efforts need to be transformed into achievements by dedicated and nuanced involvement of all stakeholders, especially the public, for the desired results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blue economy has the potential to promote economic growth, improve livelihoods, and create jobs while protecting marine ecosystems. This research uses a comprehensive analysis of secondary data sources to assess various blue economy sectors, including maritime transport, fisheries, aquaculture, offshore renewable energy, marine tourism, marine biotechnology, and ocean mining. By examining the blue economy experiences of developed nations like the United States, Canada, Japan, Norway, and Australia, the study identifies the best SDG practices and strategic lessons applicable to Bangladesh. In the case of Bangladesh, the research focuses on the blue economy initiatives, opportunities, and challenges associated with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The blue economy and SDGs nexus in the context of Bangladesh demonstrates that out of 17 goals, 12 SDGs (SDG 1, SDG 2, SDG 3, SDG 7, SDG 8, SDG 9, SDG 11, SDG 12, SDG 13, SDG 14, SDG 16 and SDG 17) are linked with blue economy practices in Bangladesh. However, in the case of developed countries, only six SDGs (SDG 7, SDG 8, SDG 9, SDG 12, SDG 13, SDG 14) are connected to the blue economy because of the diversity of blue economy practices across the countries. Situated along the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh has significant potential to utilize its marine resources for sustainable development. However, it faces challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, regulatory gaps, environmental risks, and limited technological advancements. The study thus emphasizes the need for integrated policy frameworks, stakeholder coordination, investments in sustainable infrastructure, public–private partnerships, technological innovation, and community engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) is a fast-ice obligate species that plays an important role as both predator and prey within the high-latitude, coastal Southern Ocean. Weddell seals are affected by pressures of marine resource extraction and variation in sea-ice extent and characteristics that are affected by climate. Thus, monitoring their population dynamics provides an indicator of the effectiveness of fisheries management, and impacts of changing climate in the high latitude Southern Ocean ecosystem. Satellite imagery is increasingly being used to monitor the populations of this species, but assessment techniques require a better understanding of the environmental factors influencing the likelihood that individuals will be on the sea-ice and therefore visible in a satellite image. Addressing that goal, we captured 5054 trail camera photos during spring 2017 in the 24-h light at Cape Royds, Antarctica, and then counted seals on the fast ice every 30 min over 59 days. Using a generalised additive model (63% deviance explained) we described the haulout behaviour of non-breeding Weddell seals according to time of day, date, air temperature, pressure, solar radiation, and wind speed. We found that the seals' haulout cycle is driven to a significant degree by weather variables, primarily temperature and wind speed. Quantifying these haulout patterns can be used to determine the time of day, and under what conditions, that most seals are hauled out. Integrating environmental parameters to correct time-of-day patterns would allow better cross-site abundance comparisons, leading to better Weddell seal population estimates for the Ross Sea region and the wider coastal Antarctica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data on discrete, isolated attributes of the marine economy are often used in traditional marine economic research. However, as the focus of urban research shifts from internal static attributes to external dynamic linkages, the importance of marine economic network research is beginning to emerge. The construction of the marine economic network in China's coastal areas is necessary to change the flow of land and sea resources and optimize regional marine economic development. Employing data from headquarters and branches of sea-related A-share listed enterprises to construct the marine economic network in China, we use social network analysis (SNA) to discuss the characteristics of its evolution as of 2010, 2015, and 2020 and its governance. The following results were obtained. 1) In terms of topological characteristics, the scale of the marine economic network in China's coastal areas has accelerated and expanded, and the connections have become increasingly close; thus, this development has complex network characteristics. 2) In terms of spatial structure, the intensity of the connection fluctuates and does not form stable development support; the group structure gradually becomes clear, but the overall pattern is fragmented; there are spatial differences in marine economic agglomeration radiation; the radiation effect of the eastern marine economic circle is obvious; and the polarization effect of northern and southern marine economic circles is significant. On this basis, we construct a framework for the governance of a marine economic network with the market, the government, and industry as the three governing bodies. By clarifying the driving factors and building objectives of marine economic network construction, this study aims to foster the high-quality development of China's marine economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ocean energy extraction is on the rise. While tides are the most predictable amongst marine renewable resources, turbulent and complex flows still challenge reliable tidal stream energy extraction and there is also uncertainty in how devices change the natural environment. To ensure the long-term integrity of emergent floating tidal turbine technologies, advances in field measurements are required to capture multiscale, real-world flow interactions. Here we use aerial drones and acoustic profiling transects to quantify the site- and scale-dependent complexities of actual turbulent flows around an idled, utility-scale floating tidal turbine (20 m rotor diameter, D). The combined spatial resolution of our baseline measurements is sufficiently high to quantify sheared, turbulent inflow conditions (reversed shear profiles, turbulence intensity >20%, and turbulence length scales > 0.4D). We also detect downstream velocity deficits (approaching 20% at 4D) and trace the far-wake propagation using acoustic backscattering techniques in excess of 30D. Addressing the energy-environment nexus, our oceanographic lens on flow characterisation will help to validate multiscale flow physics around offshore energy platforms that have thus far only been simulated. Ocean energy extraction is on the rise, but complex flows still challenge reliable tidal stream energy generation. Here, using aerial drones and boat-based surveys, authors map out the turbulent flows around an idled, utility-scale floating tidal turbine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growth in nautical tourism worldwide results in increased use of natural resources, i.e., marine and coastal resources, and increased nautical infrastructure. The dynamic nautical tourism market is highly competitive and requires profitable and sustainable resource management solutions. Natural resources are vital for developing and sustaining nautical ports and tourism. The water surface area, the land area, and the shoreline are critical parameters for the operations of nautical ports. Also, nautical infrastructure provides essential services, i.e., berthing services, which generate most of the port's total revenue. Thus, the paper investigates the visible and hidden correlations between natural resources, nautical infrastructure, human resources, demand, and revenues of nautical ports over a more extended period. A three-stage analytical model is created to determine complex and dynamic relationships between the variables from different resource groups of the Nautical Ports System in Croatia. The results show that the variable water surface area (WSA) strongly correlates with variables from revenues, infrastructure, and human resources groups but very weakly correlates with other variables from the natural resources group, i.e., the land surface area (LSA) and the length of seashore equipped for berthing (LoSEfB). Furthermore, an explanatory factor analysis (EFA) is used to confirm the results. However, the results show that variables LSA and LoSEfB need further, extended research. Finally, the results indicate that the variable WSA is suitable for explaining revenues in the observed nautical ports system and vice versa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine plastic debris has emerged as a pressing concern along the northern coast of Jaffna, Sri Lanka, posing a significant threat to marine resources. A preliminary study was conducted to investigate the abundance and characteristics of marine plastic debris at four major fish landing sites in the northern coast of Jaffna, using the Clean Coast Index (CCI) and Plastic Abundance Index (PAI). The results revealed that the average abundance of marine debris and plastic debris were 1.71 ± 0.42 items/m2 and 1.66 ± 0.57 items/m2, respectively. The most common types of plastic debris represented plastic rope and net pieces (23.2%), followed by unidentified weathered plastic fragments (16.7%), beverage bottles (16.2%), bottle caps and lids (13%), and styrofoam (14.1%). The recognized sources of plastic debris were mainly fishing-based activities, recreation activities, transboundary sources, and unidentified sources. The fish landing sites were classified as exceptionally polluted, with a CCI exceeding 10 and a PAI value exceeding 8. Myliddy had the highest debris density, indicating substantial pollution levels, followed by Point Pedro, Mathagal, and Valveddithurai. These findings underscore the urgency of establishing a comprehensive plastic waste management framework for the northern coast of Jaffna and devising strategies to address buoyant debris within the northern Indian Ocean. Furthermore, this study carries significant implications for the local marine ecosystem, coastal communities, and Sri Lanka's broader environmental policies and practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the proceeding of global warming and water eutrophication, the phenomenon of green tide has garnered significant societal interest. Consequently, researchers had increasingly focused on the potential applications of green algae biomass, particularly its polysaccharides. The polysaccharide serves as the primary active constituent of green algae and has demonstrated numerous advantageous biological activities, including antioxidant, antiviral, anticoagulant, hypolipidemic and immuno-modulatory activities. The favorable bioavailability and solubility of green algae oligosaccharides are attributed to their low molecular weight. So there has been a growing interest in researching green algae polysaccharides and oligosaccharides for the utilization of marine biological resources. This review summarized the extraction, purification, chemical structure, composition, biological activity, and potential applications prospect of polysaccharides and oligosaccharides derived from green algae. The review could be helpful for expanding the applications of polysaccharides and oligosaccharides of green algae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The trophic structures of tundra ecosystems are often viewed as a result of local terrestrial primary productivity. However, other resources can be brought in through long-distant migrants or be directly accessible in coastal areas. Hence, trophic structures may deviate from predictions based on local terrestrial resources. The Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) is a small canid that may use marine resources when available. We used stable isotope values in Arctic fox fur and literature data on potential prey to evaluate Arctic fox summer resource use in a mountain tundra without coastal access. The dietary contribution of local prey, presumably mostly rodents, declined with declining rodent abundance, with a subsequent increased contribution of migratory prey relying on marine resources. Stable isotope values did not differ between this terrestrial area and an area with direct coastal access during years of high rodent abundance, but isotope values during low rodent abundances suggested less marine input than in a coastal population feeding primarily on marine prey. Our study shows that marine resources may be used by animals in areas without any coastal access, and we highlight that such partial coupling of ecosystems must be included in the modeling and assessments of tundra environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prehistoric and Archaeological research has pointed out the role of marine resources in modern humans' cognitive and cultural developments. Maritime adaptations constitute a key component of the sociocultural evolution in Eastern Arabia. During the Neolithic (c. 6500–3300 BCE), it is expressed by the colonisation of offshore islands supported by advanced seafaring and the exploitation of marine resources not only for staple food but also for obtaining hard animal materials used for both symbolic and technological productions, respectively in the form of personal adornments and tooling. Although tools made of retouched large marine mollusc shells are reported on several sites, no detailed study has been conducted on their function and role within the socio-technological processes. The present study introduces a prospective approach for the functional analysis of archaeological shell tools from Eastern Arabia. A reference collection of use-wear traces made experimentally has been built: it compiles the results of 65 experiments (23 are documented and illustrated in the present study), including the processing of various animal, vegetal, and mineral materials. Use-wear traces have been observed and described using both low and high-power magnifications (conducted mainly at 100 ×). It provides helpful methodological support for future comparisons with archaeological specimens. The procurement conditions of the shell valves and the techniques of retouch have been discussed in detail, allowing further considerations on the degree of the socio-technological investment devoted to these peculiar artefacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Atlantic bigeye Priacanthus arenatus is among the main target species by small-scale fisheries in the southwestern Atlantic. Due to its importance to small-scale fisheries, information regarding its trophic ecology is essential for the development of sustainable management plans. Using combined stomach content (SCA) and stable isotope analysis (SIA), the current study examined Atlantic bigeye feeding ecology, including evidence for ontogenetic and intra-annual (i.e. seasonal) diet variation. The diet of Atlantic bigeye was comprised of 16 prey species but was dominated by pelagic crustaceans (53.3% in number) and pelagic fish (19.7%), and benthic crustaceans (11.0%). SCA identified diet variation among seasons (higher dissimilarity in Spring vs. Autumn), which is most likely related to the occurrence of intense coastal upwellings. Significant positive relationships between fish size and δ15N and δ13C values indicated an ontogenetic diet and potential habitat shift; broad isotopic niche area in small individuals (size class I: 115–169 mm) narrowed with increasing body size with the highest niche overlap occurring between size class II (170 to 243 mm) and class III (244 to 308 mm). Overall, the combined SCA and SIA approach determined that the Atlantic bigeye's diet is closely connected to the pelagic food web. These data provide an improved understanding of ontogenetic and seasonal variation in Atlantic bigeye predator-prey interactions in the southwestern Atlantic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a total fusion of blockchain and AI tech for tomorrow's viable, rich in diversity and transparent fisheries. It outlines the main goal of tackling overfishing challenges due to lack of transparency and biodiversity depletion in the fisheries sector. With the use of blockchain technology, we can ensure that all fishery products are safely traced from their harvest up to when they get to the market— at the same time, AI algorithms are used in monitoring fish populations and predicting them plus decision-making processes which should be enhanced thus promoting bio-diversity and ensuring sustainability of fish stocks. Results show promise on using both technologies together: improving sustainability plus transparency in fisheries which would promote more fish biodiversity, while others including using an artificial intelligence system have not been confirmed yet by observations. The conclusion underscores the transformative nature of these technologies as having great implications towards fisheries management; this implies that there is a need for future observational studies aimed at validating such other findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most studies of the food resource potential of early Polynesian populations focus exclusively on agricultural potential, and specifically starchy staples, despite the importance of marine resources to the Polynesians. To more accurately estimate total precontact food resource availability, we characterized the terrestrial and near-shore marine environments of four Polynesian islands: Moʻorea, Maupiti, Mangareva and Taravai. We estimate the agricultural potential of each island after a consideration of the ecological factors related to productivity. We also estimate the productivity of the near-shore marine environment as a function of surface area. Using a range of fish yield scenarios from Pacific subsistence systems we scale relative measures of faunal food biomass derived from local archaeological excavations to generate absolute biomass estimates. We convert our estimates of agricultural and fished/foraged food potential into a maximum population size based on calorie availability. Moʻorea's fertile valleys and wetlands would potentially generate sufficient food energy, mostly from starchy staples, to support a considerable population, many times larger than the other islands. In the most likely fish yield scenario Moʻorea gets only 0.4% of its calories from marine sources, while the others range from 7–18%. These relative inputs reflect the vast superiority in productivity (in terms of calories per km2) of agricultural vs near-shore marine zones. We also find that population size on islands with smaller fringing reefs, such as Moʻorea, may have been limited by a lack of fish protein. Moʻorea's maximum population is approximately halved when diet breadth is considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing consumer demand for healthier and tastier food options has spurred interest in identifying novel salty-enhancing peptides. This study aimed to extract novel salty-enhancing peptides from the collagen of sea cucumber. The model of the transmembrane channel-like 4 (TMC4) salt taste receptor was constructed by AlphaFold2 de novo modeling, and the interaction between peptides and salt taste receptor was studied by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The results revealed that 99.4% of amino acid residues in the Ramachandran Plot of the TMC4 model resided within the allowed region, thereby substantiating the rationality of the model. The molecular docking results indicated that Gln 279, Glu 92, and Lys 278 may be the key amino acids binding to the TMC4 receptor. The CSRH and KDINNRF showed significant enhancement in saltiness compared to the control group (2.62 ± 0.04), with saltiness values of 3.01 ± 0.00 and 2.86 ± 0.04, respectively. In addition, MD simulation results showed that TMC4 saltiness receptors formed stable RMSD and Rg with salty-enhancing peptides at 0–25 ns simulation time. This study verified that CSRH and KDINNRF are effective salty-enhancing peptides, and also provided a theoretical basis for the discovery of new salty-enhancing peptide resources in marine organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a dataset of 3D sagittal left otolith meshes from 339 individual red mullet (Mullus barbatus). These immature specimens were collected from 17 geographical areas covering the entire Mediterranean Sea. Measured biological parameters were: fish total length (TL ± 1 mm, range from 125 to 238 mm), total weight (W ± 0.1 g, range from 14.9 to 168.0 g), sex (S), sexual maturity staging (Mat). The 3D otolith dataset comprises high-resolution meshes of otoliths obtained using microtomography (29.2 μm voxel size). The data offer valuable insights into the morphological variability and population structure of red mullet populations in the Mediterranean Sea. Potential applications of the dataset include age determination, stock identification, and population connectivity analysis. These applications aim to enhance the understanding of red mullet populations and contribute to the sustainable management of marine resources in the Mediterranean Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Underwater object detection, which is crucial to the exploration and exploitation of marine resources, remains a challenge because noisy, weak contrast, and color distorted images are provided as sources of supervision. To address the issues of low detection accuracy caused by imprecise images, and inefficiency due to huge amount of parameters in most deep neural networks, this paper proposed a novel lightweight deep learning model with image enhancement and multi-attention. First, image enchancement algorithm MSRCR is applied to enhance image quality in order to improve the training effect of deep learning model. Then, YOLOX is used as baseline model and GhostNet is utilized as backbone network in order to reduce computation budget. Finally, a multi-attention module LCR considering level, channel and spatial domains is divised and integrated into the feature pyramid network to enhance feature learning ability and detection accuracy. Experimental result shows that on the considered datasets our model achieves an mAP of 77.32 % and a size of 18.5MB, 1.25 % higher and 46.4 % less than the values of baseline network, indicating that our method achieves a superior detection precison while keeping model lighweight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thin-lipped mullet (Chelon ramada) is an important resource in the Mediterranean Sea and a candidate species for aquaculture. As microsatellite loci remain the markers of choice for the evaluation of breeding programmes or stock assessment, we hereby provide and share a resource of 3,883 species-specific microsatellite loci for this species, where they are currently lacking. This resource includes primer pairs useful for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. A subset of nine loci including di-, tri- and tetranucleotide loci with correct amplification success rates have been specifically tested under identical PCR conditions, opening up new avenues for research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aims to evaluate the influence of the incorporation of oyster shell powder (OSP) on the mechanical properties, thermal performance and crystallization behavior of green poly (butylene succinate) (PBS) composites by regulating the dispersed oyster shell power with the silane coupling agent. In the present study, fully biodegradable PBS composites have been successfully prepared by virtue of the melt blending with γ-Glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (KH560) grafted oyster shell power namely OSP@KH560, enhancing the mechanical properties and thermal performance of the result materials. The incorporation of 20wt% OSP@KH560 into the composite promotes a dramatic increase of 48.1% in modulus of PBS composite. The result from thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) shows that thermal stabilities of PBS composites gradually increases with increasing the amount of OSP@KH560. By adding 30wt% OSP@KH560, the initial decomposition temperature of the PBS composite increases by 15℃. The DSC result demonstrates that the addition of OSP@KH560 at 30% leads to a crystallinity of 45.78% in the composites, which is 35.65% lower than that of PBS, indicating that OSP@KH560 promotes heterogeneous nucleation and accelerates the crystallization rate of PBS, thus reducing its crystallinity. This work provides a new option to prepare PBS composites with good performance and high-cost competitiveness, and further utilizes marine resources while breaking away from dependence on oil resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of discontinuing harmful fishery subsidies in Spain were analysed using a social accounting matrix. The study found that the removal of these subsidies would have negative consequences for the economy. Specifically, there would be a significant decline in the production value of marine resource industries, and industries dependent on fish and shellfish as inputs would experience increased production costs. The exports, mainly to EU countries, would also be impacted, and certain marine resource sectors would experience significant job losses. Fishing families would suffer the greatest reduction in income once subsidies are removed. However, there is potential to mitigate most of the negative impacts by redirecting the removed subsidies, as it is shown for the case of their redirection to research and development industries. The findings of this study provide valuable insights for EU policymakers in implementing specific policies to address the potential consequences on affected sectors, families, and employers as part of the next European strategy, Horizon 2021–2027. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seaweed, a valuable marine resource widely cultivated worldwide, can be vulnerable to stress and microbiome alterations, resulting in the decay of seaweeds and substantial economic losses. To investigate the seaweed-microbiome interaction, our study aimed to isolate marine bacteria and fungi that can cause Ice–Ice disease and evaluate their enzymatic characteristics for potential application in bioethanol production from seaweed biomass. Three red seaweed species (Gracilaria edulis, Kappaphycus alvarezii, and Eucheuma cottonii) were obtained for our study and placed in separate culture tanks. Among the 18 isolated marine microbial species, 12 tested positive for agar and carrageenan activity: six exhibited both activities, three displayed only agar activity, and three only carrageenan activity. DNA sequencing of the positive microbes identified ten bacteria and two yeast species. The 3,5-Dinitrosalicylic acid (DNSA) assay results revealed that the identified bacterial Caldibacillus kokeshiiformis strain FJAT-47861 exhibited the highest carrageenase activity (0.76 units/ml), while the yeast Pichia fermentans strain PM79 demonstrated the highest agarase activity (0.52 units/ml). Notably, Pichia fermentans strain PM79 exhibited the highest overall agarase and carrageenase activity, averaging 0.63 units/ml. The average carrageenase activity of all six positive microbes was 1.5 times higher than their agarase activity. These findings suggest that the 12 isolated microbes hold potential for bioethanol production from macroalgae, as their agarase and carrageenase activity indicates their ability to break down seaweed cell wall carbohydrates, causing ice–ice disease. Moreover, these results provide exciting prospects for harnessing the bioconversion capabilities of these microbes, paving the way for sustainable and efficient bioethanol production from seaweed resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the abundant marine mollusc, and fish remains at the Jingtoushan shell midden (8,300 to 7,800 cal a BP) in Zhejiang Province, China, to investigate the fishing economy, community development, the palaeoenvironment, and their interactions among the prehistoric populations in the lower Yangtze River Basin and southeastern coastal China. It also attempts to explore the prosperity and decline of coastal settlements in China during the Neolithic Age and the potential reasons for their rise and fall, respectively. Based on the ecological and biological principles of marine animals, standard zooarchaeological methods and radiocarbon dating analysis are used for sampling, identification, measurement, and quantification. Results show that at least 11 mollusc taxa and 14 fish taxa can be identified from the Jingtoushan faunal assemblage. The ancient Jingtoushan residents possibly lived in a settlement close to the coast and engaged in inshore and offshore fishing, hunting, and gathering as their primary subsistence strategies, with low-level rice cultivation as a supplementary means of sustenance. Eventually, the changes in the coastal environment could be one of the reasons why the Jingtoushan residents abandoned their settlement. The research contributes to Chinese Neolithic archaeology with new evidence of the exploitation of marine resources around 8000 a BP in the eastern coastal areas and the relationship between Neolithic community development and environmental changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research on human exploitation of molluscs, echinoderms and crustaceans during the Mesolithic in the Cantabrian region (northern Iberia) has shown significant variability in the intensity of the use of coastal resources by the last hunter-fisher-gatherers throughout the ~ 4000-year expanse of the Mesolithic (10,700 – 6,700 cal BP). Previous studies have proposed hypotheses related to demographic changes to explain intensification events. In this paper we aim to unravel whether climatic and environmental changes, or other social factors, such as demography, were involved in the increase in the use of marine resources at certain times. We employed species representation, quantification and biometric analysis of the shell assemblages from the El Toral III archaeological site (Asturias, northern Iberia) to identify patterns in shell exploitation throughout the stratigraphic sequence. To establish the chronology and distinguish occupation phases of the site, we employed Bayesian modelling of radiocarbon measurements. Faunal results show that marine gastropods such as limpets of the Patella genus and topshells Phorcus lineatus (da Costa, 1778) were the most exploited species, while bivalves, echinoids and crustaceans were present in smaller quantities. The comparison of the results for El Toral III with other Mesolithic sites in the region reveals significant temporal differences in the intensity of collection of marine shell species. Results showed that intensification processes are not clearly related to climate change but to other social factors, such as demography, suggesting that intensification and relaxation in shell collection events were strategies adopted depending on the needs of the human groups at different times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on fishing activity, specifically the extraction of marine resources in the Algerian coastal and offshore zones. This sector is expected to meet several objectives and contribute to Algeria's food security. Seafood is a significant source of protein and is highly favoured by Algeria's coastal communities. However, with limited data available describing the biomass that could be exploited, the pressure could eventually increase on a common stock that is shared by all users and is already regarded as poorly studied. Against this backdrop, this work considers the estimation of the marine footprint, which is the ratio between the demand of each fished species, known as the required primary production, and the available biomass in terms of primary production of Algerian fishing waters. The latter is derived from the literature, relying on studies covering the considered area. The main study findings outline a marine footprint ratio that does not exceed 1%, demonstrating a sustainable fishing activity. However, the obtained results, i.e., low marine footprint percentage, may imply that the available marine biomass in the Algerian fishing zones is not fully exploited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper empirically examines the role of circularity performance on the performance of marine living resources to prove its role in promoting a sustainable blue economy. We use five different metrics to quantify the marine living resources of nations in the European regions, including the value added at the factor costs of small-scale capture fisheries, shellfish aquaculture, freshwater aquaculture, marine aquaculture, and large-scale capture fisheries. By using various econometric techniques, we provide evidence of the importance of circularity performance in improving the sustainability of the blue economy in the European region during the 2009–2020 period. However, it is more likely that this effect is only positive in the long term. In the long run, circularity performance affects many marine living resource components in a statistically meaningful way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytoplankton respond to physical and hydrographic forcing on time and space scales up to and including those relevant to climate change. Quantifying changes in phytoplankton communities over these scales is essential for predicting ocean food resources, occurrences of harmful algal blooms, and carbon and other elemental cycles, among other predictions. However, one of the best tools for quantifying phytoplankton communities across relevant time and space scales, ocean color sensors, is constrained by its own spectral capabilities and availability of adequately vetted and relevant optical models. To address this later shortcoming, greater than fifty strains of phytoplankton, from a range of taxonomic lineages, geographic locations, and time in culture, alone and in mixtures, were grown to exponential and/or stationary phase for determination of hyperspectral UV-VIS absorption coefficients, multi-angle and multi-spectral backscatter coefficients, volume scattering functions, particle size distributions, pigment content, and fluorescence. The aim of this publication is to share these measurements to expedite their utilization in the development of new optical models for the next generation of ocean color satellites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As the exploitation of marine resources intensifies, the impact of submarine landslides on underwater structures has become a significant issue. Existing research primarily focuses on the impact on pipelines, often neglecting the actual deformation and mechanical response of underwater structures under impact loads in numerical simulations, thus complicating the evaluation of the reliability of these engineering structures in extreme conditions. Moreover, the dynamic response of bucket foundations, a common form of underwater base, under the effect of submarine landslide impacts remains unclear. Methods: To address this knowledge gap, we have developed a fluid-structure coupling system that employs the coupled Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH)-Finite Element Method (FEM) to investigate a single impact process and analyze the displacement response of bucket foundations within a water-offshore landslide-bucket foundationsubgrade context. The accuracy of this developed method has been systematically verified through comparisons with previous experimental and numerical results. Results: During a submarine landslide impact event, the impact force demonstrates a distinct decrease followed by stabilization, and the displacement response of the bucket foundation exhibits a rebound effect after reaching its maximum value. Furthermore, we conducted an extensive analysis of different impact angles for underwater data centers equipped with multi-bucket foundations. Our study revealed that group-bucket foundations experience a combined translation-turnover failure when subjected to submarine landslide impacts, and the most unfavorable scenario for such impact is identified. The research introduces a novel numerical simulation approach for investigating the impact of submarine landslides on complex underwater structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

About 70 percent of the entire world is covered by seas and oceans thereby maintaining a more diverse ecosystem compared to that of the landmass. Apart from being the key role player in ecological functions, it also plays an important role in the following areas of food security, feeds for livestock, raw materials for medicine, building materials, natural defence against natural calamities and many more. This review mainly focuses on the different types of versatile marine biopolysaccharides and their uses in various sectors, including the food industry, pharmaceutical industry, bioremediation, wastewater treatment, cosmetics, biomedical applications, agriculture and catalysis. The marine biopolysaccharides of focus in this review article are agar, alginate, carrageenan, chitin, chitosan and glycosaminoglycans which includes heparan sulphate, chondroitin sulphate and also marine-based sources of natural bioprotein collagen and its applications. Emphasis is given to the nanomaterials which can be obtained from the above-mentioned marine biopolysaccharides and its application in various fields. Overall, the report covers the important biopolysaccharides obtained from marine resources that are abundant in nature, which can be of more interest shortly. The review article covers the future aspects of applications of marine biopolysaccharides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine resource subsidies alter consumer dynamics of recipient populations in coastal systems. The response to these subsidies by generalist consumers is often not uniform, creating inter- and intrapopulation diet variation and niche diversification that may be intensified across heterogeneous landscapes. We sampled western fence lizards, Sceloporus occidentalis, from Puget Sound beaches and coastal and inland forest habitats, in addition to the lizards' marine and terrestrial prey items to quantify marine and terrestrial resource use with stable isotope analysis and mixing models. Beach lizards had higher average δ13C and δ15N values compared to coastal and inland forest lizards, exhibiting a strong mixing line between marine and terrestrial prey items. Across five beach sites, lizard populations received 20–51% of their diet from marine resources, on average, with individual lizards ranging between 7 and 86% marine diet. The hillslope of the transition zone between marine and terrestrial environments at beach sites was positively associated with marine-based diets, as the steepest sloped beach sites had the highest percent marine diets. Within-beach variation in transition zone slope was positively correlated with the isotopic niche space of beach lizard populations. These results demonstrate that physiography of transitional landscapes can mediate resource flow between environments, and variable habitat topography promotes niche diversification within lizard populations. Marine resource subsidization of Puget Sound beach S. occidentalis populations may facilitate occupation of the northwesternmost edge of the species range. Shoreline restoration and driftwood beach habitat conservation are important to support the unique ecology of Puget Sound S. occidentalis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the influence of climatic oscillations on the striped, blue, and silver marlin catch rates in the Indian Ocean by using logbook data from Taiwanese large-scale fishing vessels and climate records from 1994 to 2016. Only the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) and the subtropical Indian Ocean dipole (SIOD) had immediate effects on the striped and silver marlin catch rates. The positive and negative phases of the IOD at the lags of 7 and 3 years corresponded to increased and decreased catch rates, respectively, for both the striped and blue marlin, contrasting to the reverse pattern for the silver marlin. Similarly, all three marlin species experienced decreased and increased catch rates respectively during the positive and negative phases of the Pacific decadal oscillation. The striped and blue marlin catch rates decreased and increased during the positive and negative phases, respectively, of the SIOD and MJO with various lags. Our results suggest that the impacts of climatic oscillations on fish species are crucial for policymakers and coastal communities for managing marine resources, forecasting changes in marine ecosystems, and developing strategies to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oyster is an important fishing resource that is produced in coastal areas around the world. Over the past few decades, China's oyster aquaculture has flourished and is the world's largest in terms of production. As global problems of environmental pollution and resource depletion increase, the sustainability of industrial development is a growing concern. In recent years, there have been frequent incidents of regulatory sanctions against rapidly expanding oyster farms, showing that oyster aquaculture in China needs to recognize the current state of the industry, sort out development issues, and make timely adjustments. We selected Zhanjiang, one of the main oyster-producing areas in China, as the object of investigation, to analyze the data on oyster aquaculture in terms of area, production, farmers, mode, seedlings, and benefits, with the aim of figuring out the current status of the regional oyster aquaculture industry. Looking at the region as a whole, combining the current situation with the literature, it is concluded that China's oyster aquaculture industry suffers from insufficient sea resources suitable for culture, backward management and technology, high yield but low efficiency, etc. Considering the resource conditions of the main producing areas and the comprehensive benefits, oyster aquaculture still has much room for development. To ensure the sustainability of the industry, it is necessary to strengthen the management of sea areas, regulate farmers, increase technological innovation, and improve economic efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine net primary productivity (NPP) plays an important role in regulating marine ecosystem processes, determining marine carbon sinks and maintaining marine productivity. Analyzing the characteristics and mechanisms of the interaction between overexploitation of fishery resources and the transformation of marine NPP is essential to balance marine ecosystem health and fishing activities. This study spatially overlaps the abrupt shifts of human-induced marine net primary productivity detected by breaks for additive season and trend (BFAST) algorithm with fishing activities and investigates the impact of human activities on the marine ecosystem. The results show that 47.60% of the marine areas in China's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) had detected human-induced NPP turning points (TPs), with 43.65% of the TPs showing a negative reversal (NR) trend. The NR trend occurs in areas with high fishing intensity. High-intensity fishing activities and vulnerability to productivity and NPP TPs in the Bohai and Yellow Sea areas in China's EEZ exacerbate spatial disparity in fishing effort and product availability. By detecting the abrupt shifts and change characteristics of marine NPP, and spatial disparity overlapping with fishing activities, this study provides some area-based sustainable solutions to support ecosystem-based fisheries management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decommissioning of offshore petroleum installations is innately risky and adversely affects the livelihoods of fishing communities' dependent on access to the marine resources. However, it remains unclear how Ghana's legislative framework addresses the protection of local livelihoods during the decommissioning of its first offshore installation, the Saltpond Oil and Gas Field. We designed a case study to explore the legislative responses and impact of decommissioning on the livelihoods of fishers in five affected fishing communities in the Mfantseman Municipality of the Central Region of Ghana. The primary data used in this study was through the survey of 191 fishers and interview of representatives of state institutions relevant to this study. We found that Ghana's legislative framework for decommissioning did not adequately address negative impacts on local fishing communities whose livelihoods were greatly disrupted due to these activities. We recommend that detailed guidelines are incorporated in the legislative framework before further decommissioning is undertaken and that the government provide alternative livelihood options to the impacted communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yellow Sea is one of the world's most abundant marine resources, providing food and economic benefits to the Korean and Chinese populations. In spring 2020, a decrease in the intensity of phytoplankton bloom was observed. While one study attributed this decline to a decrease in nutrient associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, our previous research proposed weakened thermal stratification accompanied by a surface cooling anomaly as the cause. However, the relationship between the marine environment and ecosystem has not been fully elucidated. Using observations and marine physical-biogeochemical model data, we identified the weakened stratification as a critical factor for suppressing the 2020 spring bloom. Intense vertical mixing hindered the accumulation of nutrient and chlorophyll-a concentrations within the euphotic zone, resulting in a diminished phytoplankton bloom. In contrast, reduced nitrate and phosphate concentrations in 2020 were insignificant compared to those in 2017–2019, despite the notable decline in PM2.5 in March 2020 due to COVID-19. In April 2020, nutrient levels fell within the range of interannual variability based on long-term observations, reflecting a negligible effect on the spring phytoplankton bloom. Our findings provide insight into the importance of marine physical factors on the phytoplankton biomass in the Yellow Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using LIBS for the analysis of archaeological and geological marine mollusc shells is a growing research area that relies on customised instrumentation and specific workflows that can accommodate the variety and precision of the required sampling parameters. However, the increased efficiency offered by LIBS, which enables the study of a larger quantity of shell samples for temperature variation, ecological parameters, and human consumption practices, outweighs the initial efforts required to develop customised instrumentation and workflows. In this work, we present detailed specifications and parameters for the development of a LIBS system capable of generating Mg/Ca images on marine shells that directly correlate with seasonal sea temperatures. Our main objective was to develop specifications that enable easy adaptation of LIBS systems to existing laboratories for studying hard-tissue samples. These specifications were used to develop a customised micro-LIBS system and apply it to a real-world example of an archaeological study to better understand its efficiency on the marine mollusc shells and demonstrate its potential for broader applications in interdisciplinary research. In total 101 shell specimens have been analysed within a time frame of approximately 71 h of machine time, producing 234 images (100 µm resolution: 100 images, 30 µm resolution: 134 images). SEM analysis of the irradiated sections of the shell revealed a primary ablated area of 10–15 µm in diameter, while a secondary affected area of the shell's crystal fabric extended to 30–50 µm after repeated shots. Overall, this new customised system reliably and efficiently analysed marine mollusc specimens without major destructive effects, enabling additional analyses for other proxies to be carried out. This study highlights the potential of the LIBS method for interdisciplinary research, encompassing applications in paleoclimatology, marine ecology, and archaeology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological theory predicts that closely-related species must occupy different niches to coexist. How marine top predators achieve this during breeding, when they often gather in large multi-species colonies and are constrained to central-place foraging, has been mostly studied in productive temperate and polar oceans with abundant resources, but less so in poorer, tropical waters. Here, we track the foraging movements of two closely-related sympatric seabirds—the white-tailed and red-tailed tropicbirds Phaethon lepturus and P. rubricauda—breeding on Aldabra Atoll, Seychelles, to investigate potential mechanisms of niche segregation and shed light on their contrasting population trends. Combining data from GPS, immersion, depth and accelerometry loggers, we show that the two species have similar behaviour at sea, but are completely segregated spatially, with red-tailed tropicbirds flying further to feed and using different feeding areas than white-tailed tropicbirds. Using nest-based camera traps, we show that low breeding success of both species—which likely drives observed population declines—is caused by high nest predation. However, the two species are targeted by different predators, with native avian predators mainly targeting red-tailed tropicbird nests, and invasive rats raiding white-tailed tropicbird nests when they leave their eggs unattended. Our findings provide new insight into the foraging ecology of tropicbirds and have important conservation implications. The extensive range and spatial segregation highlight the importance of considering large-scale protection of waters around tropical seabird colonies, while the high level of nest predation provides evidence in support of rat eradication and investigating potential nest protection from native avian predators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamics of physico-chemical, nutrient, and chlorophyll-a variables were studied in the bloom and non-bloom locations along the off-Gujarat coastal waters to understand the variability in biogeochemistry using multivariate analytical tests. The dissolved oxygen was significantly lower in the bloom stations (3.89 ± 0.44 mgL−1) than in the non-bloom stations (5.50 ± 0.70 mg L−1), due to the biological degradation of organic matter in addition to anaerobic microbial respiration. Nutrients (PO4 and NO3) and Chl-a concentrations were recorded higher in the bloom locations at 0.83 ± 0.21 µmol L−1, 4.47 ± 0.69 µmol L−1, 4.14 ± 1.49 mg m−3, respectively. PO4 and NO3 have shown a significantly higher positive correlation of r = 0.73 and r = 0.69 with Chl-a for bloom data than the non-bloom data. The percentage variance contributed by PC1 and PC2 for both bloom and non-bloom locations were estimated at 52.33%. The variable PO4 explains the highest 24.19% variability in PC1, followed by Chl-a (19.89%). The PO4 triggers the bloom formation and also correlates to the higher concentrations of Chl-a in the bloom locations. The bloom concentration ranges from 9553 to 12,235 trichomes L−1. The bloom intensity has shown a significant positive correlation with Chl-a (r = 0.77), NO3 (r = 0.56), and PO4 (r = 0.30), but a negative correlation was noticed with DO (r = − 0.63) and pH (r = − 0.49). The study also initiates a way forward research investigation on ocean-color technologies to identify and monitor blooms and climate change–driven factors for bloom formation. The occurrence of bloom and its influence on fishery resources and other marine biotas will open many research windows in marine fisheries, oceanography, remote sensing, marine biology, and trophodynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ulva is one of the main green algae causing green tide disasters. Ulvan is the primarily component polysaccharide of the cell wall of Ulva and its complex structure and monosaccharide composition resulted in various biological activities. However, the high-value and effective utilization of extracted ulvan have been obstructed by limitations ranging from large molecular weight and low solubility to poor bioavailability. Ulva oligosaccharide obtained by degrading ulvan can not only ideally retain the various biological activities of ulvan very well but also effectively solve the problems of low solubility and poor bioavailability. The preparation and biological activity studies of ulvan and Ulva oligosaccharides have become a hot spot in the field of marine biological resources development research. At present, the comprehensive reviews of ulvan and Ulva oligosaccharides are still scarce. What are overviewed in this paper are the chemical composition, structure, extraction, and purification of ulvan and Ulva oligosaccharides, where research progress on the biological activities of ulvan and Ulva oligosaccharides is summarized and prospected. A theoretical and practical basis has been provided for further research on ulvan and Ulva oligosaccharides, as well as the high-value development and effective utilization of marine algae resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that causes deterioration in intelligence and psychological activities. Yet, till today, no cure is available for AD. The marine environment is an important sink of bioactive compounds with neuroprotective potential with reduced adverse effects. Recently, we collected the red algae Laurencia snackeyi from Terumbu Island, Malaysia which is known to be rich in halogenated metabolites making it the most sought-after red algae for pharmaceutical studies. The red alga was identified based on basic morphological characteristics, microscopic observation and chemical data from literature. The purplish-brown algae was confirmed a new record. In Malaysia, this species is poorly documented in Peninsular Malaysia as compared to its eastern continent Borneo. Thus, this study intended to investigate the diversity of secondary metabolites present in the alga and its cholinesterase inhibiting potential for AD. The extract inhibited both acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) with IC50 values of 14.45 ± 0.34 μ g mL-1 and 39.59 ± 0.24 μ g mL-1, respectively. Subsequently, we isolated the synderanes, palisadin A (1), aplysistatin (2) and 5-acetoxypalisadin B (3) that was not exhibit potential. Mass spectrometry analysis detected at total of 33 additional metabolites. The computational aided molecular docking using the AChE and BChE receptors on all metabolites shortlisted 5,8,11,14-eicosatetraynoic acid (31) and 15-hydroxy-1-[2-(hydroxymethyl)-1-piperidinyl]prost-13-ene-1,9-dione (42) with best inhibitory properties, respectively with the lowest optimal combination of S-score and RMSD values. This study shows the unexplored potential of marine natural resources, however, obtaining sufficient biomass for detailed investigation is an uphill task. Regardless, there is a lot of potential for future prospects with a wide range of marine natural resources to study and the incorporation of synthetic chemistry, in vivo studies in experimental design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]