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The Yellow Sea ecoregion (YSE) is internationally recognized as a global conservation priority due to its abundant natural resources. However, habitat destruction and loss severely threaten its biodiversity, resulting in its classification as an IUCN endangered ecosystem. The spotted seal (Phoca largha), a charismatic flagship species of the YSE, has received increasing conservation investment. There is an urgent need to understand the umbrella effect of spotted seal conservation to clarify future actions for the conservation of biodiversity inhabiting the YSE. In this study, we identified the top 5%, 10% and 30% conservation priority areas (CPA) for spotted seals. We examined their spatial overlap with 108 IUCN threatened species and coastal wetlands while also analyzing if the layout of existing protected areas is effective in conserving spotted seals. The results showed that the threatened species in the YSE were primarily fish, with a total of 88 species. The top 5% CPA encompassed approximately 80% of threatened species and 17% of coastal wetlands within the YSE. Expanding protection to include these areas would result in umbrella protection covering up to 97% of threatened species and 71% of coastal wetlands when reaching a 30% threshold. The spatial coverage of existing marine protected areas (MPAs) for threatened biodiversity fell below that of the top 5% CPA. However, the MPAs only covered approximately 34% of the top 5% CPA despite accounting for merely 9.46% of the total area within the YSE. Aquatic germplasm reserves (AGRs) exhibited superior performance among the various types of MPAs assessed, with overlap proportions ranging 58–75% with CPA. Therefore, future efforts should prioritize following the conservation priorities outlined for spotted seals during the progress toward achieving the "30 by 30" Kunming-Montreal Global Target by year 2030 within the YSE with an emphasis on recognizing and preserving the AGRs' role in in situ conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For over two decades, Australia has sought to address the effects of the over allocation of water resources in the Murray-Darling Basin through implementation of the Murray Darling Basin Plan (2012). It is increasingly apparent that the impacts of climate change on surface runoff and water demand will profoundly impact rivers, potentially negating the Basin Plan's achievements. It will be critical that we use the lessons from the last two decades to inform adaptation to climate change. Environmental water allocations over the last decade have focussed on providing base flows, freshes, and overbank flows, within a Natural Flow Regime paradigm. In a climate-changed world managers have three broad options. The first would be to continue to pursue single loop adaptive management making improvements within the existing framework. The second option would be to adapt the system approach to focus on a subset of sites, akin to maintaining aquatic reserves. The third option would be to move flow management away from the natural flow paradigm to a more functional regime. This approach would invoke the second adaptive management loop by evaluating options for adaptation and developing processes for navigating trade-offs among social, economic, cultural, and environmental values and between protection, restoration, and adaptation. Changes in water availability because of climate change will require more than incremental adaptation (first loop adaptive management) and will necessitate consideration of either protecting a smaller suite of spatial areas or a smaller set of functional outcomes. This requires profound change to some of the Basin Plan's approaches to environmental flow management. The review of the Basin Plan in 2026 provides a rare opportunity to adapt the Basin Plan from a foundation of protect and restore to one that includes adaptation, and this will require substantive changes to the Basin Plan (second loop adaptive management). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protected areas are increasingly being promoted as an important means of protecting freshwater biological diversity and ecological processes. A robust assessment of ecological changes in protected areas is fundamental to optimize conservation policies and adaptive management. China's efforts to establish aquatic reserves have attracted worldwide attention, especially the "10‐year fishing ban" implemented in the Yangtze River basin.We focused on Liangzi Lake, a freshwater protected area in the Yangtze River basin, to understand the effect of a fishing ban occurring after a short period of overfishing. In this aim, the time series of fish community taxonomic and functional structure encompassing the overfishing period and a post‐ban period have been analysed. Fish community metrics with direct, indirect and no responses to fishing bans were identified.The results indicate that in the early period of the fishing ban, the trophic level and body size structure of the fish community were in the way of recovery. However, species that prefer benthic habitats did not recover after fishing‐induced habitat degradation. Functional traits were more sensitive than taxonomic indices and revealed subtle community changes, such as the recovery of some ecological functions, despite a non‐recovering species richness.Synthesis and applications. This study provides a rare case of a freshwater protected area in which the effects of conservation measures are studied with a temporal survey. The effectiveness of the functional trait approach in the application of protected area assessment was demonstrated by revealing the recovery of trophic level and body size structure of fish communities after the implementation of fishing ban, and the inadequacy of habitat restoration efforts. We suggest that in freshwater protected areas, insistence on fishing ban is necessary but not sufficient for full biodiversity recovery, and other measures are needed, such as habitat restoration and species‐focused stocking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the management of aquatic venues in a number of areas (facilities, programming, human resource management, marketing, policies) as it pertains to LGBTQ participants and participation. The study utilized in-depth semi-structured interviews with 16 aquatic managers to examine steps that are currently being taken (or lack thereof) when it comes to creating environments that are perceived to be open, or closed, to LGBTQ participants. A grounded theory-based process of data collection and analysis resulted in emergent themes. These themes included: (a) gendered spaces, (b) non-aquatic initiatives, (c) staff knowledgeability, (d) departmental and organizational mission, (e) aquatic-specific programming and regulations and (f) barriers to inclusion. Management strategies around these emergent themes are discussed, with implications for aquatic managers regarding the creating of inclusive environments for LGBTQ participant populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Gillnets are the primary fishing gear used to catch Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) in coastal areas of Newfoundland and Labrador but are known to catch non-target species and produce lower quality fish than live-catch methods. The purpose of this study was to compare the catch efficiency of collapsible cod pots against gillnets near the Gilbert Bay Marine Protected Area (MPA), Labrador, where a reduction in by-catch is needed. Results showed that one cod pot caught half as much Atlantic cod as a gillnet, and pots had a relatively stable catch rate throughout the sampling period, whereas gillnets caught relatively few fish later in the sampling season. Moreover, nearly all fish sampled with pots were caught alive undamaged, whereas most gillnet-caught fish experienced damage or mortality. As a conservation measure pot-fishing would enable fishing within close proximity to the Gilbert Bay MPA and the live-release of visually distinguishable Gilbert Bay cod, thereby mitigating against the negative effects of commercial fishing on this protected Atlantic cod population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discard mortality can make fishing unsustainable, even in catch‐and‐release or highly regulated fisheries. However, fishing practices and gears that minimize hook injury, handling, and air exposure can considerably improve fitness and survival in released fish. This study tested whether modified hooks could allow anglers to successfully land and then release fish in the water and without handling. Standard, barbless, and bite‐shortened hooks were used to catch Spotted Seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus (n > 75 per hook type), and logistic models were used to assess the differences in landing success and hook self‐release success by hook type and categorical fish size. Average landing success was >90% with all three hook types. Bite‐shortened hooks were able to successfully self‐release from 87% of landed fish, compared to success rates of 47% using barbless hooks and 20% using standard hooks. Small fish had higher rates of both unintentional release during reel‐in and intentional handling‐free release boatside. Size selectivity by hook type was not observed. Continued gear testing of bite‐shortened hooks appears warranted with other lure types, fish species, and a diversity of anglers. With further validation, self‐releasing hooks could allow for recreational fishing opportunities in sensitive fisheries or areas, e.g., no‐take aquatic reserves, with minimal discard effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the ubiquitous detection of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in waterbodies worldwide and increasing public attention to water resource safety, this study investigated the presence of antibiotics and ARGs in the water sources of the Wuhan stretch of the Yangtze River (YR) as well as potential ecological risks. In this study, 15 antibiotics and 10 ARGs in a source of drinking water were analyzed using solid-phase extraction-ultra performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry technology (SPE–UPLC–MS/MS) and real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Fourteen antibiotics were detected in the samples from 18 water sources, with the highest concentration detected for tetracycline, reaching up to 1708.33 ng/L. The detection rates of norfloxacin, enrofloxacin, ofloxacin, tetracycline, and roxithromycin were 100%. The concentrations of antibiotics were highest in She Shui, followed by the Wuhan stretch of the lower reaches of the YR, whereas the lowest concentrations were found in the Wuhan stretch of the upper reaches of the YR which were approximately equal to those in the Han River (HR). Ofloxacin and roxithromycin presented a substantial threat to aquatic organisms with high sensitivity at the majority of the sampling sites. The overall abundance of ARGs was notably greater in the lower reaches of the YR compared with the upper reaches and the HR. The highest absolute abundance was observed for sulfa ARGs. Integron intl1 strongly correlated with sul1, sul2, ermB, and qnrS, and antibiotics, strongly correlated with multiple ARGs, suggesting that antibiotics and ARGs are present in water sources in Wuhan and may present a plausible hazard to both human and ecological well-being. Hence, regulating the spread and dissemination of antibiotics and ARGs in the environment is imperative. The findings of this research offer significant insights into the stewardship and safeguarding of aquatic reserves in the Wuhan stretch of the YR. • Detection rates of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) were 100%. • Total concentration of antibiotics reached 1708.33 ng/L. • Antibiotics and ARGs are present in water sources in Wuhan. • Antibiotics and ARGs present a plausible hazard to human and environmental health. • Spread of antibiotics and ARGs in the environment must be controlled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This note reports on an unusual stranding of a Risso's dolphin ( I Grampus i I griseus i ) that appeared to be disoriented and entrapped inside a marina in Port-Gentil, Gabon, and the steps that were taken to recover, assess and transport it to deeper waters for release. Disseminated toxoplasmosis in a Mediterranean pregnant Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus) with transplacental fetal infection. Risso's dolphin Grampus griseus (G. Cuvier, 1812). [Extracted from the article]

The ecosystem of munseom area (MA) in Jeju Island, one of the marine protected areas in South Korea, has been continuously threatened by lack of management and pollution of the surrounding sea area. As a result, the South Korean government is trying to implement the systematic management plan to conserve the marine ecosystem of the MA. This article tries to obtain information about the conservation value of the MA. To this end, this study examines household willingness to pay (WTP) for conserving the MA employing the contingent valuation (CV) approach. A total of 1000 South Korean households were involved in the CV survey using a dichotomous choice question. The mean yearly WTP for the conservation is estimated as KRW 1763 (USD 1.50) per household. The national value expanded from the sample to the population is worth KRW 34.0billion (USD 29.0 million) per year. The results imply that the conservation is supported by South Korean households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communities juxtaposed to protected areas (PAs) often disproportionally accrue the costs of conservation, but they can also receive benefits from the existence of a PA. The extent to which local communities benefit or incur costs as a result of residing next to PAs is of interest to conservationists and policy-makers. This study sought to understand the costs, benefits, and attitudes of local people living adjacent to Save Valley Conservancy (SVC), Zimbabwe. The purpose was to determine whether benefit and loss accrual has a bearing on the levels of illicit wildlife-based activities experienced in the SVC. Data were collected through a household questionnaire survey and key informant interviews from April to July 2014. A three-stage sampling was adopted: firstly, purposive sampling was employed to select wards adjacent to the SVC; secondly, random sampling was used to select villages within the selected wards; and thirdly, systematic sampling was used to select 71 household questionnaire respondents. Snowball sampling was used to select 9 key informants. The study results show that the majority of locals living close to SVC are not deriving discernable benefits and the costs of conservation are escalating influencing negative attitudes towards wildlife conservation, thus causing them to view wildlife as a nuisance. Overall, our results indicate that conservation losses and benefit accrual by local communities influence their attitudes toward SVC and conservation in general. We conclude that costs incurred outweighed the benefits accrued, a situation that triggers a more negative form of reciprocity towards SVC and wildlife conservation. It is recommended that a more socially and economically inclusive management approach based on a stakeholder-driven access and benefit sharing (ABS) framework be instituted to promote a more positive form of reciprocity towards SVC and nature conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issues of water conservation are part of the agenda of the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) between Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines due to the population of Bajau-Laut community in the surrounding waters. It is feared that the freedom of the communities living in the confines of our waters as well as cultivating their traditional fishing using explosives may threaten the sustainability of marine conservation zones. The knowledge and the preparation of the community to obey the rules and regulations enforced in the protected area of marine activity to ensure a sustainable supply for the future. Thus, this study aims to discuss the agents who socialize the knowledge of Bajau-Laut community about the conservation zone involving the Tun Sakaran Marine Park (TSMP). Research has been ongoing in Pulau Bum-Bum, Semporna, Sabah through applying phenomenological approaches on selected ten informants through purposive sampling techniques. Semistructured interview was chosen to deepen the knowledge of Bajau-Laut community as the actor of the study. Assumptions made by ontology and epistemology idealist of the social constructivist envisioned paradigm study as a research to understand the significance of conservation zones that are formed from social reality of Bajau-Laut community. The results revealed that the Village Development Committee (JKKK), Welfare Association Bajau-Laut (PEKEBAL), the agency of Tun Sakaran Marine Park (TSMP) serves as a formal agent of socialization while families, friends and the media are informal socialization agents that make up the knowledge of informant. As a community living in an island, the knowledge of zoning and conservation efforts by the significant agencies is crucial to understand the importance of preserving habitat of marine resources. Hence, the habitat of marine resources could be protected and conserved for future supplies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine protected areas (MPAs) conserve diversity and abundance of fish communities. According to the biotic resistance hypothesis, communities with higher diversity and abundance should resist invasions better. To test this idea, the presence of lionfish in two Caribbean MPAs was studied: Parque Nacional Guanahacabibes (PNG) in Cuba and Parque Nacional Arrecifes de Xcalak (PNAX) in Mexico. Selection of these MPAs was based on both their different levels of success with enforcement and different abundances of native fish, with a more abundant native fish fauna at PNG. Underwater visual censuses were used to evaluate both the native fish structure and composition and at the same time distribution and abundance of lionfish. The abundance of potential predators on lionfish was also measured to determine possible effects of lionfish on both the abundance and the size of its prey and competitors. Lionfish showed higher abundance and larger size in PNG compared to PNAX, even though its probable competitors and predators were also more abundant and larger in PNG. Prey abundance and size decreased after the invasion. No correlation was detected between potential predators and lionfish, which might indicate natural predation is not substantial. In PNAX, lower abundance of prey, potential competitors and predators can also be attributed to historical overfishing, but this did not provide an advantage to lionfish. Lionfish were less abundant and reached smaller sizes in PNAX compared to PNG. This work confirms the effectiveness of lionfish culling at PNAX, but does not support the biotic resistence hypothesis that native fish might have controlled this invasive species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the article is to give a comprehensive assessment of the impact that physical geographical factors of the coastal environment have on the South Baltic seaside resorts in the way it is reflected in planning documents (comprehensive plans, regional and tourism development strategies) of South Baltic seaside territorial entities. The seaside resorts and the adjacent coastal protected nature areas, particularly coastal national parks and UNESCO biosphere reserves, are the main focus of this study. The contents of 141 valid documents of spatial planning, management and development has been analysed. The studied comprehensive development plans, tourism strategies and other documents demonstrate that virtually all seaside municipalities in the South Baltic Region express a strong concern in increasing risk of coastal erosion and sea level rise related to the global climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decades, a number of national policies and international conventions have been implemented to promote the expansion of the world’s protected area network, leading to a diversification of protected area strategies, types and designations. As a result, many areas are protected by more than one convention, legal instrument, or other effective means which may result in a lack of clarity around the governance and management regimes of particular locations. We assess the degree to which different designations overlap at global, regional and national levels to understand the extent of this phenomenon at different scales. We then compare the distribution and coverage of these multi-designated areas in the terrestrial and marine realms at the global level and among different regions, and we present the percentage of each county’s protected area extent that is under more than one designation. Our findings show that almost a quarter of the world’s protected area network is protected through more than one designation. In fact, we have documented up to eight overlapping designations. These overlaps in protected area designations occur in every region of the world, both in the terrestrial and marine realms, but are more common in the terrestrial realm and in some regions, notably Europe. In the terrestrial realm, the most common overlap is between one national and one international designation. In the marine realm, the most common overlap is between any two national designations. Multi-designations are therefore a widespread phenomenon but its implications are not well understood. This analysis identifies, for the first time, multi-designated areas across all designation types. This is a key step to understand how these areas are managed and governed to then move towards integrated and collaborative approaches that consider the different management and conservation objectives of each designation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal environment in a building with an ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) cushion structure is significantly different from that in a common building. An aquatics center with double ETFE cushion structure is researched in this paper. On-site measurements are carried out to investigate the building thermal environment. Air temperature in the cavity increases along the vertical direction due to solar radiation and natural convection. It reaches up to 60 ℃ near the roof in summer. As a result, indoor heat load is increased to a great extent. Natural ventilation with elevated ETFE cushions in the roof is treated as the most appropriate solution for improving the indoor thermal environment. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation results show that setting 10-15 elevated ETFE cushions with air outlets will lead to a ventilation rate of about 600,000-800,000 m 3 /h. The inner surface temperature of the building envelope is significantly reduced with the help of natural ventilation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine protected areas (MPAs) have been shown to increase long-term temporal stability of fish communities and enhance ecosystem resilience to anthropogenic disturbance. Yet, the potential ability of MPAs to buffer effects of environmental variability at shorter time scales remains widely unknown. In the tropics, the yearly monsoon cycle is a major natural force affecting marine organisms in tropical regions, and its timing and severity are predicted to change over the coming century, with potentially severe effects on marine organisms, ecosystems and ecosystem services. Here, we assessed the ability of MPAs to buffer effects of monsoon seasonality on seagrass-associated fish communities, using a field survey in two MPAs (no-take zones) and two unprotected (open-access) sites around Zanzibar (Tanzania). We assessed the temporal stability of fish density and community structure within and outside MPAs during three monsoon seasons in 2014–2015, and investigated several possible mechanisms that could regulate temporal stability. Our results show that MPAs did not affect fish density and diversity, but that juvenile fish densities were temporally more stable within MPAs. Second, fish community structure was more stable within MPAs for juvenile and adult fish, but not for subadult fish or the total fish community. Third, the observed effects may be due to a combination of direct and indirect (seagrass-mediated) effects of seasonality and, potentially, fluctuating fishing pressure outside MPAs. In summary, these MPAs may not have the ability to enhance fish density and diversity and to buffer effects of monsoon seasonality on the whole fish community. However, they may increase the temporal stability of certain groups, such as juvenile fish. Consequently, our results question whether MPAs play a general role in the maintenance of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning under changing environmental conditions in tropical seagrass fish communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the use of aquatic protected areas that exclude angling might be considered an evolutionarily enlightened management approach to dealing with fisheries-induced evolution (FIE), there is little empirical data on the effectiveness of this approach at maintaining the diversity of phenotypic traits within protected areas., In species with paternal care, including largemouth bass ( Micropterus salmoides), active nest-guarding and aggression towards potential brood predators by males may render these individuals particularly vulnerable to capture by angling because of increased propensity to attack fishing lures/bait near their nests. Relative levels of aggression by these males during the parental care period correlates with their vulnerability to angling year round. Selective removal of more aggressive individuals by anglers should drive population-average phenotypes towards lower levels of aggression., To assess the effectiveness of protected areas at mitigating FIE, the parental care behaviours of wild, free-swimming male bass were compared during the early nesting period for bass within and outside protected areas in a lake in eastern Ontario. Nesting males within long-standing aquatic protected areas closed to fishing for >70 years were more aggressive towards bluegill sunfish ( Lepomis macrochirus), a potential nest predator, and patrolled larger areas around their nests compared with bass outside of sanctuaries. Males within protected areas were also more likely to strike at artificial fishing lures and were more prone to capture during angling events., Collectively, the findings suggest that the establishment of protected areas may promote phenotypic diversity such as more attentive and vigorous parental care, relative to areas open to angling. The extent to which this phenomenon occurs in other species and systems is likely to depend on the reproductive strategies of fish and their spatial ecology compared with protected area boundaries, and habitat quality within protected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The unanticipated impacts of consumers in fragmented habitats are frequently a challenge for ecosystem management. On Indo-Pacific coral reefs, crown-of-thorns sea stars (Acanthaster spp.) are coral predators whose outbreaks cause precipitous coral decline. Across large spatial scales, Acanthaster densities are lower in large no-take Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and reefs subject to limited human exploitation. However, using a combination of observational and manipulative experiments, we found that Acanthaster densities within a network of small, no-take MPAs on reef flats in Fiji were ~2–3.4 times greater inside MPAs than in adjacent fished areas and ~2–2.5 times greater than the upper threshold density indicative of an outbreak. This appeared to result from selective Acanthaster migration to the coral-rich MPAs from fished areas that are coral-poor and dominated by macroalgae. Small MPAs can dramatically increase the cover of foundation species like corals, but may selectively attract coral predators like Acanthaster due to greater food densities within MPAs or because the MPAs are too small to support Acanthaster enemies. As coral cover increases, their chemical and visual cues may concentrate Acanthaster to outbreak densities that cause coral demise, compromising the value of small MPAs. An understanding of predator dynamics as a function of habitat type, size, and fragmentation needs to be incorporated into MPA design and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The River Indus delta is the most prominent feature on the Pakistan coast. Owing to its prominence, mangrove ecosystem, historical, ecological and economic significance it is also a proposed Marine Protected Area (MPA). Currently there are no designated MPAs in Pakistan. This paper presents findings of the Fishery Resource Appraisal Project of Pakistan (FRAPP) a fishery stock assessment carried out for the pelagic and demersal fishery resource of Pakistan from 2009 to 2015 and the Creek Survey Program (CSP) which was part of FRAPP. And discusses how the delta suffers from physical stress. The observations from FRAPP indicates deterioration in the mangrove ecosystem, that are evident in the form of loss of biodiversity and biological productivity. The 600 observations from 10 major creeks showed that trawl catches were a mix of generally small size fish and shrimp. Catches averaged less than 1 kg per tow in all the creeks sampled. Catch weights were somewhat higher in Isaro, WadiKhuddi, Paitiani, Dabbo, Richaal Creeks all of which were near mangrove areas and open sea. The most frequently occurring species of shrimps caught in the trawls belonged to 7 major taxa. The Khobar Creek and Upper Wari Creek are notable for the high rates of occurrence of every group except the Caridea. They are also the only two creeks where the freshwater family Paleomonidae is common. The size composition of the important penaeid family of shrimps in all study areas combined suggests that the smallest shrimps (0.5–1.5 cm carapace length CL) enter the creeks in February/March and adults (5–6 cm CL) move out again 6–12 months later. Four species of Penaeus ( monodon , japonicus , semisulcatus , merguiensis ), two species of Metapenaeus ( monoceros , affinis ), Parapeneoposis stylifera and Solenosera sp. were caught, all in low abundance, less than 0.5 Kg tow −1 . The shrimp catches in the area off the Sindh coast, the catches averaged 4.30 ± 13.40 kg h −1 on the inner shelf (20–50 m) and 1.7 ± 6.6 kg h −1 on the outer shelf (51–200 m). Further east, on the Kori bank, the shrimp catch averaged 4.40 ± 6.6 kg h −1 (inner shelf) and 1.7 ± 6.6 kg h −1 (outer shelf). Penaeus spp. were more abundant in the inshore and Metapenaeus spp. on the outer shelf. The creeks that have a direct connection to the sea and support a natural mangrove stand are significantly more productive than the smaller creeks. Scientific and management questions have arisen that are addressed in order to help revive the delta and hope that this results in a spillover effect that will spread on to the shelf areas. Fisher communities depend heavily on the delta and coastal waters and its natural resources for their livelihood. Their participation and ownership on the resource is over generations, and therefore their involvement is key to proposing any management and conservation initiatives. The study proposes how the delta and its ecosystem in parts should be protected and why and how it is a prime candidate for being declared nationally as protected. This paper proposes a way forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper reports how best practices in pricing recreation and aquatic facilities and services suggested by the research literature were implemented in a city of 100,000. The process had three core elements. First, in order to price each service at a level that was fair and equitable to both participants and nonparticipants, a benefits continuum was developed. This categorized each service into one of five categories. Services perceived to provide communitywide benefits were fully subsidized from taxes, so no price was charged for them. At the other extreme, when all benefits were perceived to accrue to users a price was set that covered all of its costs. The magnitude of spillover benefits that a community receives varies among services, so three position points were shown on the continuum reflecting services where benefits accrued primarily to the community (25% cost recovery), equally to users and the community (50%), and primarily to the users (75%). The second element was the implementation of enterprise-like funds for all services that generated revenues. However, the technical definition of enterprise funds as being self-financing was qualified by the council, because it approved transfer of money from the general fund which was intended to subsidize economically disadvantaged users of the enterprise services. Prices designed to produce revenues that achieve rationally derived costrecovery targets and create viable enterprise funds are dependent upon there being reasonably accurate estimates of service costs, since revenue goals without accurately estimating costs are meaningless. Accordingly, a cost finding exercise was undertaken which involved taking available financial data and recasting and adjusting it to derive cost estimates. Full absorption costing was used that embraced four types of costs: citywide administration indirect costs, department indirect costs, division indirect costs, and direct variable costs. The resultant cost based prices were then adjusted to reflect the going rate for each service charged by other suppliers in the area. The perceived advantages and challenges encountered in this process are discussed along with the managerial implications. Agencies tend to make price changes reactively in response to an emergent financial or political imperative. However, strategic pricing requires proactively developing a policy. This case study describes a proactive approach that provides strong conceptual scaffolding upon which to construct an effective pricing policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A species' habitat niche width informs its position on the generalist-specialist continuum, which is central to life-history theory and crucial to conservation planning. However, assessments of niche width are often based on local-scale studies or qualitative descriptions rather than broad, quantitative assessments conducted in heterogeneous landscapes. Here, we show how broad-scale, hierarchical occupancy models can clarify a species' niche width and degree of habitat specialism by evaluating the woodland-specialist classification of the European pine marten Martes martes. We deployed 526 camera-trap stations at 27 sites throughout a vast extent (~50 000 km2) in Scotland and modeled pine marten occupancy as a function of habitat characteristics using a hierarchical Bayesian analysis. Our model was flexible to trap happiness due to baiting at camera traps and accounted for spatial autocorrelation among and imperfect detection at camera-trap stations. We detected a positive association between pine marten occupancy probability and wooded habitats. However, pine marten occupancy probability was also high in numerous non-wooded habitats, including agricultural land, heather and heather grassland, semi-natural grassland and areas near anthropogenic structures. Our study is the first to record high pine marten occupancy in open habitats at broad spatial scales and thereby corroborates recent smaller scale indications that pine martens are more of a habitat generalist than previously thought. Our results guide ongoing conservation efforts by identifying that pine martens are not strict woodland specialists, but rather inhabit a mosaic of habitat types in the landscape. More broadly, our case study exemplifies how coupling hierarchical occupancy models with large-scale experimental designs can clarify a species' niche width and associated position on the generalist-specialist continuum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coral reef systems are in global decline. In Australia, much of this decline has been attributable to cyclic outbreaks (every ~17 years) of the coral-feeding crown-of-thorns seastar. While a native species, when in large enough densities the seastar acts like an invasive pest. Since 2012 the Australian government has invested significantly in a targeted control program using lethal injection. While this program is effective for individual reefs, it is not a complete strategy for the entire Great Barrier Reef (~2,500 reefs). In order to find a longer-term solution to the problem, in 2015, the lead author travelled to New Zealand, the United States, and Canada under a Churchill Fellowship to understand successful aquatic integrated pest management strategies and their potential application to the Great Barrier Reef. Meetings and workshops were convened with experts who specialise in risk assessment, categorisation, and management of aquatic invasive species. The experts comprised academics, applied scientists, policy makers, and a not for profit community based invasive species council. Bioinvasion management and prioritisation of management effort using risk-based frameworks were reviewed for application to the crown-of-thorns seastar. This viewpoint is novel in its approach of applying invasive species tools and perspectives to a non-invasive, native marine pest. Early detection and rapid response is key to preventing the transition of the seastar from natural densities to outbreak densities. However given the seastar is a native species already established, when in outbreak mode a multifaceted post-border management approach is essential. Private support funding models, that bridge conservation and tourism/philanthropy have proved successful in New Zealand to supplement government funded marine reserve management – this is an approach which should be explored by Australia to help manage the seastar. Dedicated support and commitment is needed to break the issue-attention cycle. On the Great Barrier Reef, a dedicated biosecurity approach should be used to maintain the seastar at natural densities, increase the time between outbreaks, protect coral cover and increase resilience of the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective species conservation and management requires information on species distribution patterns, which is challenging for highly mobile and cryptic species that may be subject to multiple anthropogenic stressors across international boundaries. Understanding species-habitat relationships can improve the assessment of trends and distribution by explicitly allowing high-resolution data on habitats to inform abundance estimation and the identification of protected areas. In this study, we aggregated an unprecedented set of survey data of a marine top predator, the harbor porpoise ( Phocoena phocoena), collected in the UK ( SCANS II, Dogger Bank), Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark, to develop seasonal habitat-based density models for the central and southern North Sea. Visual survey data were collected over 9 yr (2005-2013) by means of dedicated line-transect surveys, taking into account the proportion of missed sightings. Generalized additive models of porpoise density were fitted to 156,630 km of on-effort survey data with 14,356 sightings of porpoise groups. Selected predictors included static and dynamic variables, such as depth, distance to shore and to sandeel ( Ammodytes spp.) grounds, sea surface temperature ( SST), proxies for fronts, and day length. Day length and the spatial distribution of daily SST proved to be good proxies for 'season,' allowing predictions in both space and time. The density models captured seasonal distribution shifts of porpoises across international boundaries. By combining the large-scale international SCANS II survey with the more frequent, small-scale national surveys, it has been possible to provide seasonal maps that will be used to assist the EU Habitats and Marine Strategy Framework Directives in effectively assessing the conservation status of harbor porpoises. Moreover, our results can facilitate the identification of regions where human activities and disturbances are likely to impact the population and are especially relevant for marine spatial planning, which requires accurate fine-scale maps of species distribution to assess risks of increasing human activities at sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropogenic disturbances affect ecosystem structure and functioning. The quantification of their impacts on highly diverse and structurally complex ecosystems, such as coral reefs, is challenging. These communities are facing rising fishing pressure, particularly on Pacific Islands such as New Caledonia. The main objective was to quantify harvesting effects on invertebrate assemblages across two contrasting habitats (soft- and hard-bottom), by comparing communities in marine protected areas (MPAs) with non-MPAs using 10 biological and ecological traits. Patterns of trait composition were compared with those of species composition by non-metric multidimensional scaling and permutational analysis of variance analyses. Traits most responsible for differences between MPAs and non-MPAs were determined using SIMPER analysis, and predictions on shellfishing effects were discussed. A total of 248 species were recorded in hard-bottom communities, mainly characterized by mobile epifauna living on corals, crawling, and possessing a shell (molluscs) or a cuticle (crabs and echinoderms). Soft-bottom habitats contained 166 species, dominated by burrowing and sedentary species, especially shelled (largely bivalves) and worm-like organisms. Clear differences in species and trait composition between MPA and non-MPAs were highlighted in both habitats. Harvesting activities have community-wide effects that change the functional composition of invertebrate assemblages, in particular in terms of living habits and mobility. The observed shifts in benthic communities can affect the functioning of tropical coastal ecosystems and need to be included in small-scale fisheries management in poorly known tropical environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protection of natural environments sought through management plans varies greatly between countries; characterizing these differences and what motivates them can inform future regional and international conservation efforts. This research builds on previous work addressing the spatial distribution of marine protected areas in the Mediterranean Sea. Particularly, it examines the relationship between a “protection level” (PL) score and a set of variables pertaining to each country's conservation efforts, economic conditions and human impact along the coast using regression analysis. Four sets of models demonstrated country characteristics that correlate with higher protection levels within marine protected areas (MPAs). Certain contextual factors – economic dependence on the marine environment, efforts at terrestrial conservation and greater human impact – were found to be significantly associated with higher PLs among the northern littoral countries of the Mediterranean. Such findings can inform policy makers about where efforts and investments should be directed for marine conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most artificial fish passes have been developed in Northern temperate rivers and are designed to serve large, migratory sport fish species (mostly salmonids). Experience in construction and maintenance of fish passes show that salmon-criteria are not adequate for flat-land rivers and non-sport fishes. Consequently, over the last decade, design criteria have changed to take requirements of target species into account. Extrapolation of these concepts to rivers in the Southern Hemisphere with different hydrological conditions and fish community composition is not straight forward. This review focuses on requirements for an adequate hydraulic design of passes for non-sport fish species bodied (<15 cm) threatened by small hydropower dams (with a typical head of 3-5 m). First, fragmentation of fish populations due to river obstructions that impede longitudinal movements is introduced from the perspective of environmental sustainability, taking the Chilean indigenous freshwater fish species as a study case. Subsequently, relevant properties of fish passages are reviewed, and experimental issues for maintenance in captivity and determination of swimming abilities in the laboratory are presented. Following dimensional considerations controlling scales for an adequate hydraulic design of fish passes, involving fluid, flow, fish, and pass properties are discussed. Finally, we postulate that successful passage design should consider habitat connectivity as the key concept for preservation of this highly threatened native fish fauna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The challenge for conservation managers is to ensure the long-term sustainability of an area by preserving its ecological and cultural values against predictable and unpredictable natural and human pressures and, at the same time, ensuring the fruition of the environmental resources. This research proposes an integrated use of GIS–based Decision Support System (DSS) with a conceptual linear model of vulnerability to foster conservation strategies in protected areas, by identifying: (1) the most vulnerable areas, requiring specific protection measures to enhance the natural features, as well as the prevention of natural and human risks; (2) the most effective management interventions to reduce system vulnerability to fire. The development of such a tool has been tested on the natural protected area of Torre Guaceto, through the selection of suitable indicators that enable discrimination among different levels of sensitivity and pressures, in order to provide evidence of its potential utility for the management of protected areas and the mitigation of their vulnerabilities. The results highlight that the most vulnerable areas are represented by contiguous patches of wetlands, the load of fuel at wetlands-agricultural lands interface areas, and the small patches of century-old forests, Mediterranean maquis and coastal dunes. On the basis of the results it is desirable that future researches on vulnerability should not only consider the “of what to what”, but also consider “for who, where and when” with a focus on the spatial and temporal scale dimensions of vulnerability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several recreational surface waters in Salta, Argentina, were selected to assess their quality. Seventy percent of the measurements exceeded at least one of the limits established by international legislation becoming unsuitable for their use. To interpret results of complex data, multivariate techniques were applied. Arenales River, due to the variability observed in the data, was divided in two: upstream and downstream representing low and high pollution sites, respectively, and cluster analysis supported that differentiation. Arenales River downstream and Campo Alegre Reservoir were the most different environments, and Vaqueros and La Caldera rivers were the most similar. Canonical correlation analysis allowed exploration of correlations between physicochemical and microbiological variables except in both parts of Arenales River, and principal component analysis allowed finding relationships among the nine measured variables in all aquatic environments. Variable's loadings showed that Arenales River downstream was impacted by industrial and domestic activities, Arenales River upstream was affected by agricultural activities, Campo Alegre Reservoir was disturbed by anthropogenic and ecological effects, and La Caldera and Vaqueros rivers were influenced by recreational activities. Discriminant analysis allowed identification of subgroup of variables responsible for seasonal and spatial variations. Enterococcus, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, E. coli, pH, and fecal coliforms are sufficient to spatially describe the quality of the aquatic environments. Regarding seasonal variations, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, fecal coliforms, and pH can be used to describe water quality during dry season, while dissolved oxygen, conductivity, total coliforms, E. coli, and Enterococcus during wet season. Thus, the use of multivariate techniques allowed optimizing monitoring tasks and minimizing costs involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tourism is a financing mechanism considered by many donor-funded marine conservation initiatives. Here we assess the potential role of visitor entry fees, in generating the necessary revenue to manage a marine protected area (MPA), established through a Global Environmental Facility Grant, in a temperate region of Chile. We assess tourists’ willingness to pay (WTP) for an entry fee associated to management and protection of the MPA. Results show 97 % of respondents were willing to pay an entrance fee. WTP predictors included the type of tourist, tourists’ sensitivity to crowding, education, and understanding of ecological benefits of the MPA. Nature-based tourists state median WTP values of US$ 4.38 and Sun-sea-sand tourists US$ 3.77. Overall, entry fees could account for 10–13 % of MPA running costs. In Chile, where funding for conservation runs among the weakest in the world, visitor entry fees are no panacea in the short term and other mechanisms, including direct state/government support, should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have been regarded as an alternative to protect natural resources and to improve fisheries. However, MPAs may also have negative socio-economic consequences on fishing communities. We aimed to check the effectiveness of a socially conflicting MPA in Brazil by assessing target reef fish biomass in islands inside ( n = 6) and outside ( n = 6) the MPA, fisheries’ productivity (biomass), catch per unit of effort (CPUE), and fishers’ socio-economic status (mainly fishers’ income) in three fishing communities subjected to different degrees of influence (close, average, and long distance) of the MPA. The CPUE was higher in the fishing community that was further away from the MPA, fish biomass was higher in the islands located inside the MPA in the southern region and in the islands located outside the MPA in the northern region, while fishers were making the most money closest to the MPA, where conflicts are the highest, probably from practicing very intensive fisheries. This integrated approach showed that the studied MPA has not delivered ecological benefits, such as higher CPUE or more fish, while higher income closer to the MPA could not be clearly attributed to its effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Departing from a theoretical methodology, we estimate empirically an index of adaptive capacity (IAC) of a fishing community to the establishment of marine protected areas (MPAs). We carried out household surveys, designed to obtain information for indicators and sub-indicators, and calculated the IAC. Moreover, we performed a sensitivity analysis to check for robustness of the results. Our findings show that, despite being located between two MPAs, the fishing community of Bazán in the Colombian Pacific is highly vulnerable and that the socioeconomic dimension of the IAC constitutes the most binding dimension for building adaptive capacity. Bazán is characterized by extreme poverty, high dependence on resources, and lack of basic public infrastructure. Notwithstanding, social capital and local awareness about ecological conditions may act as enhancers of adaptive capacity. The establishment of MPAs should consider the development of strategies to confer adaptive capacity to local communities highly dependent on resource extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper evaluates the feasibility of establishing a multiple-use marine protected area. The methodology was applied to evaluate three proposed sites in Chile with diverse conservation needs, social stress and poverty levels, and different economic activities (small-scale fishing, heavy industry, and mining activities). We use two broad categories for the evaluation: socio-economic and political–institutional. The methodology uses a combination of secondary data with personal interviews, workshops, and focus groups with stakeholders (e.g., fishermen, unions, politicians, social organizations) from different political, social, and economic backgrounds to characterize current and potential natural and social resources and to evaluate in an ordinal scale the feasibility of establishing the protected area. The methodology allows us to correctly identify the challenges faced in each site and can be used to develop appropriate strategies for balancing economic, social, and environmental objectives. This methodology can be replicated to evaluate the feasibility of other marine or terrestrial protected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]