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Located in the south of the western Mediterranean, in the central Algerian region, the eastern coast of Cherchell is characterized by its ecological, agricultural, tourist, cultural and patrimonial vocations and by its low topography in many places. It has participated over time in the economic development of the region (agriculture and beach tourism). In recent years, this coast, like all the world's coastlines, has been subject to several coastal hazards such as marine flooding. Flooding is the most frequent and most important threat in terms of induced impacts, and therefore any management plan needs to assess it, noting that no such study has been carried out in the region despite its economic importance. The objective of this paper is to assess the land area flooded by extreme sea levels. Therefore, by combining a high-resolution numerical terrain model with geographic information systems (GIS), the areas at risk of flooding were mapped. The results indicate that most of the flooded land is at the annual return period of extreme sea levels, which is explained by the low topography of the beaches (Hamdania and Bella) and the wadi plains (El Hachem and El Bellaa) near the coast, whereas the extreme marine levels of hundred-year return period do not really exacerbate the flooding risks, due to the mountainous topography of the region which becomes progressively higher when moving away from the coast and the wadi plains. These results represent a basic tool for local managers and decision-makers to adapt planning practices and policies for a better management of these vulnerable areas, and a good adaptation in case of risk.

This study focused on the contamination by Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, and Fe in the surface sediments of marine fish farms in Algeria to assess their spatial distribution, sources, and potential ecological ri...

Globally, aquaculture is making an increasingly contribution to food security, to increase fish production for a growing global population; aquaculture must grow sustainably at the same time. Commonly, intensive aquaculture in all its aspect affects his environment, in order to provide consumers with a safe and high quality product, waste resulting from high-intensity mariculture is an item that must be considered, so in this review, some practices for sustainable mariculture will be discussed. The use of probiotics is an important tool for sustainable mariculture and it is inevitable that mariculture farming mitigate to more environmentally friendly practices depends on the local context and market demand. The future of seafood production is likely to focus on mariculture, bearing in mind that the protection of the planet and its natural resources (water, biodiversity, climate, etc.) is a key factor in the pursuit of sustainable development in the aquaculture sector.

This study revealed the dynamics of the genus Ostreopsis in the south-western Mediterranean Sea fish farm during the 2016 and 2017 summers. This phytoplankton is known to produce palytoxin-like compounds, listed among the most potent marine toxins known, and can pose a serious concern for humans in the Mediterranean area. Principal component analysis (PCA) explained the significance of temperature, salinity, and dissolved inorganic nitrogen in the proliferation of this toxic dinoflagellate. The peak of the Ostreopsis sp. (6.34 × 103 cells L−1) was recorded at 28.4 °C, at a salinity of 38.3 PSU, and the dissolved inorganic nitrogen had a value of 0.60 μmol L−1. Our results highlight the importance of monitoring the proliferation of this harmful dinoflagellate in southern Mediterranean waters.

Arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, and zinc concentrations in the edible part of wild and farmed Sparus aurata from Algerian coastal were determined. The highest concentrations of cadmium (0.0078 mg kg−1 wet weight), copper (0.98 mg kg−1 w.w), and zinc (5.1 mg kg−1 w.w) were recorded in farmed sea bream, whereas the highest arsenic (5.02 mg kg−1 w.w) and lead (0.006 mg kg−1 w.w) levels were registered in wild one. The statistical analysis (Friedman test, p < 0.05) indicated that the origin of fish (wild, farmed in a cage, and farmed in raceway) has relevance to the distribution of metal. Estimated weekly intake of inorganic arsenic, cadmium, and lead for a 72.5-kg person consuming Sparus aurata from Algeria does not exceed 1% of the WHO/JECFA recommended rate for all metals, certainly due to the limited consumption of seafood products by the local population. The total target hazard index is far less than “one” 1, and the carcinogenic risk for arsenic exceeds the acceptable value of 10−5. Based on the result of this study, the potential risk to human health from the consumption of contaminate farmed sea bream (in the cage) should be considered.

Located in the south of the western Mediterranean, in the central Algerian region, the Cherchell coastal aquifer has participated over time in the economic development of the region (agriculture and seaside tourism). The construction of the Boukerdene dam in the watershed of the region, thus the exploitation of the aquifer in response to the excessive demand of agriculture and the potable water supply, has caused the piezometric level of the aquifer to decline and threatens its sustainability and makes it more vulnerable to marine intrusion, noting that no work has been realized in this study area despite the inestimable value of this aquifer in the region, it's the only aquifer in Cherchell town. The aim of this paper is to map the vulnerability of this aquifer to marine intrusion, based on the proven methodology of the GALDIT model for coastal aquifers combined with Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The GALDIT methodology requires six input parameters: groundwater occurrence (G), aquifer hydraulic conductivity (A), groundwater head above sea level (L), distance from the shore (D), impact of the existing status of seawater intrusion l'impact (I), and thickness of the aquifer (T). The results indicate low to moderate vulnerability upstream and high vulnerability downstream. This high vulnerability can be as much as 700 m from shoreline inland. This vulnerability is mainly due to the hydrological disruption linked to the construction of the Boukerdene dam, which reduces surface water inflows. These results provide a basic tool for local managers and decision-makers, for future management and protection strategies for the Cherchell area aquifer in the face of marine intrusion.