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A workshop on Implementation of Stock Reproductive Potential into Assessment and Management Advice for Harvested Marine Species that was held at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland on April 12–14, 2011. This Workshop was a key deliverable for the NAFO WG on Reproductive Potential. This workshop was held in conjunction with the EU COST Action Fish Reproduction and Fisheries (FRESH). The workshop was organized by Tara Marshall (UK), Joanne Morgan (Canada), Loretta O’Brien (USA), Iago Mosqueira (UK) and Santiago Cervino (Spain). The objectives were to provide workshop participants with expert advice in implementing information on reproductive potential into the assessment of their stocks and to review and recommend best practices for incorporating information about growth, maturation, condition and fecundity into management of harvested marine species. Invited presenters were Bridget Green (Australia), Adriaan Rijnsdorp (Netherlands), Peter Wright (UK), Coby Needle (UK), Paul Spencer (USA) and Liz Brooks (USA). Presentations were also made by Joanne Morgan and Santiago Cerviño (Spain). The presentations were made under four themes: Estimating Stock Reproductive Potential; Implementing Estimates into Assessments; Are we doing it better, worse or just differently?; and Coding It Up. The workshop concluded that it is clear that the incorporation of more complex indices of SRP can make a difference in the perception of stock status. Trends in biological parameters and the quality of the data on these parameters are both important components. Variation in weight at age and in maturity at age are both common and can have a large impact on perceived SRP. The collection of data on weight, maturity, sex ratio and fecundity is encouraged. Work on whether or not advice is improved by incorporating more biology into our estimates of SRP is only beginning. These studies should be continued and applied to more stocks and species with more varied reproductive strategies. One possible approach is likely to be within a management strategy evaluation context. This type of process would require the input of both modelling experts and experts in species biology. 0

Stem cells from fetal and adult central nervous system have been isolated and characterized, providing populations for potential replacement therapy for traumatic injury repair and neurodegenerative diseases. The regenerative capacity of the olfactory system has attracted scientific interest. Studies focusing on animal and human olfactory bulb ensheathing cells (OECs) have heightened the expectations that OECs can enhance axonal regeneration and repair demyelinating diseases. Harvest of OECs from the olfactory bulb requires highly invasive surgery, which is a major obstacle. In contrast, olfactory epithelium (OE) has a unique regenerative capacity and is readily accessible from its location in the nasal cavity, allowing for harvest without lasting damage to the donor. Adult OE contains progenitors responsible for the normal life-long continuous replacement of neurons and supporting cells. Culture techniques have been established for human OE that generate populations of mitotically active neural progenitors that form neurospheres (Roisen et al., 2001; Winstead et al., 2005). The potential application of this technology includes autologous transplantation where minimal donor material can be isolated, expanded ex vivo, and lineage restricted to a desired phenotype prior to/or after re-implantation. Furthermore, these strategies circumvent the ethical issues that arise with embryonic or fetal tissues. The long term goal is to develop procedures through which a victim of a spinal cord injury or neurodegenerative condition would serve as a source of progenitors for his/her own regenerative grafts, avoiding the need for immunosuppression and ethical controversy. In addition, these cells can provide populations for pharmacological and/or diagnostic evaluation.

This is the Argumentation of the River Derwent using Thirlmere produced by the Cumberland River Authority in 1972. This report focuses on the augmentation of the River Derwent by a limited discharge from the Thirlmere Reservoir in short terms. A Working Party of officers from both the Authority and the Corporation was established and experimental releases of water from Thirlmere were made in dry periods in order to assess more clearly their effect upon river flows, and on the level of Bassenthwaite Lake. This report contains the Working Party's evaluations, conclusions and recommendations. Environment Agency Archives North West +1map