Establishment of Community Managed Fisheries’ Closures in Kenya: Early Evolution of the Tengefu Movement

Community-based management (CBM) could be an essential tool to prevent the depletion of marine resources in the Western Indian Ocean region. In Kenya, political pressure to strengthen local governance, has led to adoption of CBM as a way of reducing over-exploitation and managing the competing uses and impacts on the marine environment. Several communities in Kenya have embraced CBM and have set aside or closed previously fished areas to enhance recovery of fisheries and biodiversity. These community fisheries closures (locally called tengefu), despite being degraded, may recover to finfish abundances and biodiversity levels similar to established MPAs or above thresholds for maintaining some ecological services. Communities see their direct involvement and control of these tengefu as more likely to result in benefits flowing directly to them. Community closures are also important for articulating and resolving community values and strengthening their management capacity. Here, we describe the evolution of the tengefu movement in Kenya and combine information from focus group discussions, interviews, underwater surveys and boundary marking to evaluate the current status, opportunities and challenges facing these tengefu. We show that in some cases community closures suffer from slow and incomplete national and local legislative processes, challenges to compliance, and weak management.     

西沙群岛珊瑚砂运动特性试验研究

珊瑚砂具有颗粒密度较大、孔隙率较高、干密度较小、压缩性较高等物理特性。其形成过程相对短暂,搬运距离有限,珊瑚砂磨圆度较低,颗粒形态差异明显,颗粒之间有效接触面积较小,粘着力较低。这些特性决定了珊瑚砂在动力作用下易于起动搬运的运动特征。文章对西沙群岛珊瑚砂的比重、孔隙率、休止角和渗透性等物理性质以及水流、波浪作用下的起动特性进行了试验测定,试验结果也表明了珊瑚砂起动特性符合目前经验公式计算值。     

A Training Framework for Understanding Conflict in the Coastal Zone

The coastal zone is attractive for human settlement because it tends to be resource rich, providing a good location to generate incomes and livelihoods. Equally, however, it is a complex and powerful natural environment, which means that the coastal zone often becomes a focus of conflict with multiple users competing for limited space and resources. Understanding the causes of, and determining solutions to, the ensuing problems requires inputs from a range of analyses across sectors and disciplines. However, different disciplinary and sectoral approaches frequently use different investigative methods, language, and means of presenting results. This article presents a framework that has been developed in collaboration with Indian institutions over the past three years in an effort to address some of these fundamental problems of analysis and translation into policy action. Key components addressed by the framework are strengthening the capacity to practice, knowing how to proceed and how to find out what needs to be known using experience-based problem solving.     

Monitoring Human Activity in an Area Dedicated to the Protection of the Endangered Mediterranean Monk Seal

Mediterranean monk seal populations have declined dramatically and survive in subpopulations scattered throughout their original distribution. The National Marine Park of Alonnisos, Northern Sporades is the first marine protected Area dedicated to the protection of the species in the Mediterranean. A Monitoring and Awareness Project has been carried out in the area from 1993 to 2000, the results of which have produced a detailed profile of the human usage pattern of the Park and indicated a significant reduction of illegal activities in the area. The pattern of human usage has enabled the monitoring team to adjust their efforts in the Park over time and provided essential baseline data for future management. The combined monitoring and awareness efforts have contributed significantly to the conservation of the Mediterranean monk seal by successfully protecting pupping sites and reducing human-induced mortality of the species in the area.     

珊瑚礁灰岩可搅拌性PFC3D数值模拟研究

利用珊瑚礁灰岩地区某工程的三轴搅拌桩施工现场数据,采用PFC~(3D)离散元软件分别对不同珊瑚礁灰岩强度、厚度,以及上覆土层厚度进行数值模拟分析。模拟结果显示,当珊瑚礁灰岩强度超过4 MPa,厚度超过3 m后,三轴搅拌机竖向抗力及抵抗弯矩达到其自身性能的极限,出现卡钻、抱钻情况,从而造成三轴搅拌桩止水帷幕无法施工,而上覆土层厚度的变化则对施工几乎没有影响。用离散元模拟结果与现场实际施工情况进行比较发现:数值模拟结果与现场实际施工情况较为吻合,对现场施工有一定的指导作用。     

肯尼亚拉姆港疏浚工程施工工艺优化

肯尼亚拉姆港疏浚及吹填工程土质以珊瑚质石灰岩混黏土为主。针对绞吸船在施工时易堵口堵泵、硬质珊瑚岩易造成绞刀损坏并严重影响船舶正常施工等问题,对绞刀的型号、防石装置及挖掘工艺进行研究。采用理论分析与现场试验相结合的方式,对绞刀和刀齿进行强度改造,有效提高生产效率;同时安装拨石碎石装置,防石效果较好;时间利用率达到75%以上,在节约施工成本的同时缩短了工期。     

钻孔灌注桩在珊瑚礁地质条件下的施工工艺

在珊瑚礁地质条件下,先冲孔穿透珊瑚礁再钻孔施工灌注桩,在国外设备受限的条件下完成了任务,对于工程量不大的项目起到了很好的效果,在类似工程中可以借鉴。     

苏丹红海沿岸珊瑚岩土层地基承载力探讨

珊瑚岩土层是一种主要分布于南、北回归线热带海洋中的特殊岩土类型,由造礁珊瑚群体死亡后聚集的沉积建造,其具有多孔性、脆性。同时,珊瑚岩土层在分布上具有软硬交替的规律。通过分析苏丹红海沿岸的珊瑚岩土层的分布规律及工程特性,探讨该地区的珊瑚岩土层地基承载力的取值问题。     

Biological Status Assessment of Coral Reefs in Southern Puerto Rico: Supporting Coral Reef Protection Under the U.S. Clean Water Act

Abstract

States and other jurisdictions may protect coral reefs using biological water quality standards outlined by the United States Clean Water Act (CWA). Such protection will require long-term, regional monitoring of the resource using biological indicators and a probability-based sampling design. A 60-station survey targeting nearshore linear coral reef was conducted across southern Puerto Rico in December 2011 to document the status of reef inhabitants using a probabilistic, regional sampling design. The quantity, type and condition of stony corals, fish, gorgonians, and sponges were documented from each station, providing a robust representation of linear reef status and composition across the region. Fish represented 106 unique taxa and stony corals 32 unique taxa. Benthic organisms (stony corals, sponges, and gorgonians) averaged nearly 12 colonies per square meter, more than half of which were gorgonians. Assessment results can be used as a baseline to compare with future regional surveys to quantify change in reef condition over time (trend). Both temporal and spatial changes can be expected after large-scale disturbances like hurricanes Maria and Irma in 2017. The indicators and probabilistic sampling design support the long-term regional monitoring envisioned by the Environmental Protection Agency to implement CWA protections in Puerto Rico and elsewhere.     

Perceptions of Diving Impacts and Implications for Reef Conservation

SCUBA diving can contribute to both coral reef degradation and conservation. Divers’ perceptions of these possible impacts were studied in Phuket, Thailand. The most endorsed impact of diving was a positive one: the educational impact on the divers. Impact perceptions changed after the dive. Perceptions of anchor damage and garbage disposal as negative impacts fell markedly. Following the trip liveaboard divers were more likely than day divers to see the impact of diving as positive. Almost 30% of divers witnessed perceived negative impacts on the reef by their dive group. Divers who saw damage were more likely to feel that diving has a negative impact on the reef than divers who did not see impacts. They were also more likely to take part in a reef conservation project. The results reinforce the potential for diving to be a positive force for reef conservation but indicate the need for greater investment in diver education.