Fisheries Sciences

The history of fisheries research in India goes back to the early 19th century, when dried or preserved material was sent to the Museums of Natural History in England and other European countries for identification and cataloguing (Silas, 2003). Some of the earliest scientific observations on fisheries in pre-independent India were the works of Francis Hamilton-Buchanan (1822) and Francis Day, whose initial work on ‘The Fishes of Malabar’ (1865), was followed by a monograph on ‘The Fishes of India’ (1875-78); and two more volumes on ‘Fishes’ in ‘The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma’ (1889). The enactment of Indian Fisheries Act of 1897 was a major landmark in the development of fisheries in pre-independent India. In the latter half of 19th century, emphasis on coastal and deep-water surveys in the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea led to possession of valuable information on new deepwater fauna of fishes and crustaceans, hydrology and plankton. The initial work by the Zoological Survey of India on fisheries and marine biology through eminent leadership of its Directors, viz. Nelsen Annandale, Stanley Kemp, Seymour Sewell, Baini Prasad and S. L. Hora during first half of the 20th century led to generation of several first hand information on the taxonomy, bionomics, eco-biology, hydrology, and fish and fisheries of upland lakes, rivers and coastal waters. The emphasis shifted from coastal and deep-water surveys in the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea to upland lakes, rivers and coastal waters in the beginning of the 20th century. With the establishment of the Bureau of Fisheries in 1907, the Madras Presidency became the pioneer for fisheries development in India. Establishment of the Marine Biological Station at Krusadai Island in 1924 and subsequently at West Hill and Ennore led to organized research programmes on pearl and chank fisheries in the Gulf of Mannar

Viral Interactions with Host RNA Decay Pathways

Eukaryotes have evolved a wide variety of RNA decay pathways to maintain cellular homeostasis, carry out programs of gene expression, and respond to changing environmental conditions. Individual RNA turnover mechanisms can operate constitutively or under only particular cellular conditions; similarly, some target many RNAs, while others act with great specificity. It has become increasingly clear that there are extensive interactions between viruses and the host RNA decay machinery. Often, the cellular RNA decay machinery poses a threat to viral gene expression, but viruses can also manipulate RNA decay pathways to promote viral replication. This special issue focuses on how cellular RNA decay factors recognize and degrade viral RNAs and viral strategies to subvert or evade these pathways

Renaissance in Fisheries: Outlook and Strategies - Book of Abstracts 9th Indian Fisheries Forum, December 19-23, 2011, Chennai, India

The Asian Fisheries Society – Indian Branch (AFSIB) since its inception in 1986, has been providing a platform for discussion at the national level on issues related to research, development, education and policies by organizing Indian Fisheries Forum (IFF) every three years in different parts of the country. The 9th Indian Fisheries Forum (9th iff) will be hosted by the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), at Chennai during 19-23 December 2011. The main theme of the 9th iff is “Renaissance in Fisheries: Outlook & Strategies”. It would have a comprehensive look for the fisheries and aquaculture sectors, for achieving greater synergy among the stakeholders and planning strategies for capture fisheries and aquafarming to build higher levels of sustainability and profitability. The forum would also address the issues of impact of climate change and its mitigation, resource constraint and species diversification for the expansion of fish production activity; and encourage young scientists to undertake need-based and resource specific research. An international symposium sponsored by the Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem (BoBLME) is scheduled to be held during the forum on 21 December, 2011 with theme: Bay of Bengal–Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management

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Exploring the use of high-dose simvastatin as therapy for oxidative stress in disease models of neuroinflammation

Background: There is growing evidence that HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, otherwise known as the statin family, can exert pleiotropic effects in many areas. Of these, potential neuroprotective effects have gained significant attention. It is well established that microglia, the brain’s resident phagocytes, play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. This process is thought to be, in part, due to the presence of chronically activated microglia. In this study, we investigated the potential neuroprotective properties of HMG-CoA reductase using an in vitro model of inflammatory cell activation and in vivo models of posterior uveitis and multiple sclerosis. The focus of this study was to investigate the effect of simvastatin on the microglial cell and its activation products. Emphasis was placed on the production of reactive species released by this cell type and the subsequent damage these cause to biological macromolecules. Methods: The microglial cell line BV2 were treated with simvastatin (1μM; 2 to 120 h), in vitro before being activated for 48 hours with a pro-inflammatory mix of LPS, TNFa and IFNg. Supernatants were taken and nitric oxide levels measured using the Griess assay. The animal model of posterior uveitis, experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis (EAU), was established in wild type C57BL/6 mice through subcutaneous injection of IRBP1-20. Mice were treated orally with simvastatin at 50, 75 or 100 mg/kg. Fundus images were taken before and after treatment administration for evaluation of clinical ocular pathology. Retinal flat mounts were prepared from simvastatin treated mice to assess cellular infiltrates. Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an in vivo model of MS, was induced by rMOG subcutaneous immunisation. The effect of simvastatin treatment was assessed clinically and by immunohistochemical analysis of tissue sections to determine cellular infiltrates and levels of oxidative damage to biological macromolecules, consistent with those assessed in EAU. Results: The levels of nitric oxide produced by microglial cells were significantly reduced when exposed to a pre-incubation of simvastatin for 3 48 hours, compared to cells receiving the pro-inflammatory mix alone. In EAU, fundoscopic analysis revealed that high-dose simvastatin halts clinical disease progression in IRBP1-20 induced posterior uveitis. Retinal flat mounts prepared from these cohorts showed a significant decrease in the expression of the innate immune cell surface receptor CD11b. Additionally, histological examination of eye sections displayed a significant reduction in lipid peroxidation as revealed by the marker 4-Hydroxynonenal (4HNE), nitrosylated proteins, as measured by 3-nitrotyrosine and oxidised DNA/RNA as determined by 8-OHdG. In line with this study, results from our EAE model demonstrated an important role for microglial cell number in disease, whilst also providing evidence of simvastatin decreasing oxidative damage to macromolecules in areas of extensive pathology. Discussion: These data provide evidence to support the notion that microglial cell activation may contribute to the pathogenesis of neuroinflammatory disease and that statins may attenuate damage through their ability to inhibit the production of reactive species. Further to this, we provide therapeutic, chemical and physical evidence that simvastatin can provide protection against 1) nitric oxide production in an inflammatory environment 2) clinical disease attenuation in EAU and EAE and 3) reduction in peroxynitrite levels in vivo. Collectively, these data provide evidence that statins may attenuate microglial cell activation by ways of inhibiting the production of reactive species. Thus, the evidence presented in this thesis points to the importance and potential use of simvastatin therapy as a neuroprotective therapeutic agent

Freshwater megafauna in a changing world: An alien species perspective

Freshwater ecosystems, including rivers, lakes and wetlands, provide critical habitats for diverse species and support essential ecosystem services for human well-being. Meanwhile, they are under growing threats from various sources, including overexploitation, habitat degradation, flow modification, water pollution and invasive species. Consequently, monitored populations of freshwater vertebrates showed an average decline of 83% from 1970 to 2016. Freshwater megafauna (i.e., animals that spend a crucial part of their life cycle in freshwater or brackish ecosystems and have a maximum reported body mass of 30 kg) are particularly susceptible to anthropogenic impacts. Previous studies mainly focus on the impacts of overexploitation and dam construction on these large animals. The impacts of alien species on freshwater megafauna have been largely overlooked. While impacts of alien species on native freshwater megafauna are documented, many freshwater megafauna species, such as sturgeons, Asian carps, American beaver, hippo, crocodilians and the Chinese giant salamander, have been introduced outside of their native distributions. However, their impacts on native species and human well-being in the introduced regions have yet to be systematically investigated at a global scale. This thesis aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of alien species impacts related to freshwater megafauna. I used Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa (EICAT) framework to assess the environmental impacts of alien species on native freshwater megafauna. Then I took a different angle and focused on environmental impacts of alien freshwater megafauna, using megafish as an example and considering both negative and positive aspects with EICAT and EICAT+ frameworks. Moreover, I adapted the approach of nature’s contributions to people (NCP) and assessed the beneficial and detrimental impacts on humans by alien freshwater megafauna. Freshwater megafauna have been affected by a wide array of alien species group from freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems, including both vertebrates and invertebrates. Alien species impact native freshwater megafauna through mechanisms such as predation, competition and hybridization, leading to declines in individual performance and population abundance, or even local extinction of native freshwater megafauna. In addition, native freshwater megafauna showed distinct susceptibility to alien-species impacts between life-cycle stages. Meanwhile, almost half of the 134 extant freshwater megafish species have been introduced to new freshwater ecosystems, with almost 70% of the introduced species established self-sustaining alien populations. These alien megafish caused negative impacts through nine different mechanisms. Predation is the most frequently reported mechanism, followed by herbivory and competition. More than half of the alien megafish species that have sufficient data for assessing impact magnitudes caused population declines of native species, or even species extirpation. A broad range of beneficial NCP categories have been documented for 59 alien freshwater megafauna species in 430 records, with food supply being the most frequently reported category (58%), followed by physical and psychological experiences (20%) and materials and companionship (12%). Much fewer records (154) were identified for detrimental NCP associated with 25 alien freshwater megafauna species, covering four categories including reduced food resources, damage to properties, reduced physical and psychological experiences and risk to health and safety. This thesis emphasizes the vulnerability of native freshwater megafauna to alien species and demonstrates the profound environmental and socio-economic impacts of alien freshwater megafauna. Additionally, it highlights gaps in long-term monitoring and bias in geographical and taxonomic coverage. Long-term monitoring studies are deemed critical for a comprehensive assessment of alien species impacts, given that short-term studies may underestimate the potentially severe, population-level effects. Furthermore, there is an urgent need for monitoring the introduction and assessing impacts of alien species in the Global South. Considering the high economic values of freshwater megafauna due to their use in aquaculture, recreational fishing and pet trade, it is anticipated that more species will be introduced and established outside of their native ranges. Strict biosecurity requirements, mandatory risk assessments and management plans should be implemented when introducing alien freshwater megafauna for activities These measures will help reduce the risk of escapes or releases into natural waterbodies and help safeguard freshwater biodiversity and human well-being.Süßwasserökosysteme, darunter Flüsse, Seen und Feuchtgebiete, sind wichtige Lebensräume für eine Vielzahl von Arten und erbringen wichtige Ökosystemleistungen für die Menschen. Gleichzeitig sind sie zunehmenden Bedrohungen ausgesetzt, unter anderem durch Übernutzung, Habitatzerstörung, Veränderung der Wasserführung und -menge, Verschmutzung oder invasiven Arten. Infolgedessen verzeichneten ausgewählte und beobachtete Populationen von Süßwasserwirbeltierarten zwischen 1970 und 2016 eine durchschnittliche Verringerung der Populationen von 83%. Süßwasser-Megafauna (d. h. Tiere, die einen wesentlichen Teil ihres Lebenszyklus in Süß- oder Brackwasserökosystemen verbringen und deren adultes Gewicht mindestens 30 kg beträgt) sind besonders anfällig für anthropogene Einflüsse. Bisherige Studien befassen sich hauptsächlich mit den Auswirkungen von Übernutzung und Dammbau auf diese großen Tiere. Die Auswirkungen gebietsfremder Arten auf die Süßwasser-Megafauna wurden weitgehend außer Acht gelassen. Einerseits sind Auswirkungen gebietsfremder Arten auf einheimische Süßwasser-Megafauna dokumentiert, aber viele Süßwasser-Megafauna-Arten wie Störe, asiatische Karpfen, amerikanische Biber, Flusspferde, Krokodile oder der chinesische Riesensalamander wurden selbst außerhalb ihres ursprünglichen Verbreitungsgebiets eingeführt. Die Auswirkungen dieser Arten auf einheimische Fauna und das menschliche Wohlergehen in den eingeführten Regionen sind jedoch noch nicht systematisch auf globaler Ebene untersucht worden. Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es daher, ein umfassendes Verständnis der Auswirkungen gebietsfremder Arten in Bezug auf Süßwasser-Megafauna-Arten zu erhalten. Dazu wurde die sog. EICAT-Analyse (Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa) verwendet - einerseits, um die Umweltauswirkungen gebietsfremder Arten auf die heimische Süßwasser-Megafauna zu bewerten. Andererseits wurden die Umweltauswirkungen gebietsfremder Süßwasser-Megafauna mit Fokus auf Megafische für sowohl negative als auch positive Aspekte, mit den EICAT- und EICAT+-Rahmenwerken analysiert. Darüber hinaus wurde der Ansatz der Beiträge der Natur für den Menschen (nature’s contributions to people - NCP) angepasst und die positiven und negativen Auswirkungen gebietsfremder Süßwasser-Megafauna auf den Menschen bewertet. Die Süßwasser-Megafauna ist von einer Vielzahl gebietsfremder Arten aus Süßwasser- und Landökosystemen betroffen, darunter sowohl Wirbeltiere als auch wirbellose Tiere. Gebietsfremde Arten beeinflussen die einheimische Süßwasser-Megafauna durch Mechanismen wie Prädation, Konkurrenz und Hybridisierung, was zu einem Rückgang der individuellen Leistung und der Populationsdichte oder sogar zum lokalen Aussterben der einheimischen Süßwasser-Megafauna führt. Darüber hinaus zeigte die einheimische Süßwasser-Megafauna eine unterschiedliche Anfälligkeit für die Auswirkungen gebietsfremder Arten in den verschiedenen Lebenszyklusstadien. Inzwischen ist fast die Hälfte der 134 existierenden Süßwasser-Megafischarten in neue Süßwasser-Ökosysteme eingeführt worden, wobei fast 70 % der eingeführten Arten sich selbst erhaltende gebietsfremde Populationen gebildet haben. Diese gebietsfremden Megafische haben sich durch neun verschiedene Mechanismen negativ ausgewirkt. Raub ist der am häufigsten gemeldete Mechanismus, gefolgt von Pflanzenfresserei und Konkurrenz. Mehr als die Hälfte der gebietsfremden Megafischarten, für die ausreichende Daten zur Beurteilung des Ausmaßes der Auswirkungen vorliegen, führten zu einem Rückgang der Populationen einheimischer Arten oder sogar zum Aussterben von Arten. Für 59 gebietsfremde Süßwasser-Megafauna-Arten wurde in 430 Datensätzen ein breites Spektrum an nützlichen NKP-Kategorien dokumentiert, wobei die Nahrungsversorgung die am häufigsten gemeldete Kategorie war (58 %), gefolgt von physischen und psychologischen Erfahrungen (20 %) sowie Materialien und Gesellschaft (12 %). Für 25 gebietsfremde Süßwasser-Megafauna-Arten wurden deutlich weniger Datensätze (154) für schädliche NKP identifiziert, die vier Kategorien umfassen, darunter verringerte Nahrungsressourcen, Schäden an Grundstücken, verringerte physische und psychologische Erfahrungen und Risiken für Gesundheit und Sicherheit. Diese Doktorarbeit unterstreicht die Anfälligkeit einheimischer Süßwasser-Megafauna-Arten gegenüber gebietsfremden Arten und zeigt ökologische und sozioökonomische Auswirkungen gebietsfremder Süßwasser-Megafauna-Besiedlung auf. Darüber hinaus werden Lücken im Monitoring und systematische Tendenzen in der geografischen und taxonomischen Erfassung aufgezeigt. Langfristiges Monitoring sind für eine umfassende Bewertung der Auswirkungen gebietsfremder Arten von entscheidender Bedeutung, da kurzfristige Studien die potenziell schweren Auswirkungen auf Populationsebene unterschätzen können. Darüber hinaus besteht dringender Bedarf, die Einführung gebietsfremder Arten (z.B. im globalen Süden) zu überwachen und ihre Auswirkungen zu bewerten. In Anbetracht des hohen wirtschaftlichen Wertes von Süßwasser-Megafauna-Arten (durch Einsatz in Aquakultur, Freizeitfischerei und den Heimtierhandel) ist zu erwarten, dass noch mehr Arten eingeführt werden und sich dann außerhalb ihrer ursprünglichen Verbreitungsgebiete etablieren. Eine obligatorische Risikobewertung und Managementpläne sollten bei der Einführung nichtheimischer Süßwasser-Megafauna-Arten umgesetzt werden. Diese Maßnahmen tragen dazu bei, das Risiko von Entweichungen oder die Freisetzungen in natürliche Gewässer zu verringern und die biologische Vielfalt der Binnengewässer und das menschliche Wohlergehen zu schützen

CMFRI Annual Report 2017-2018

CMFRI in the year 2017-18 moved forward estimating the marine fish landings in the country as 3.88 million tonnes which is 6.9% more than the preceding year. Resource-wise estimation of potential yield from the depth zone up to 200 m for each maritime state was initiated by the committee constituted by Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries (DADF) for revalidation of potential yield from the Indian EEZ

People and tigers: an anthropological study of the Sundarbans of West Bengal, India

This thesis examines how Sundarbans islanders living in the southern reclaimed islands of the Bengal delta both think about and 'interact with' the man-eating tigers of the region. The thesis classifies three broad occupational groups - forest workers, prawn collectors, and landowners - and discusses how they use different understandings of the tiger to draw distinctions between each other. It argues that the islanders' interactions with tigers articulate both social practices and understandings of the social, and that attitudes to the forest/land opposition divide people into the distinct groups of bhadralok and gramer lok. These interactions are discussed in connection with people's relation to their environment. The environment is understood both as a set of narratives - about humans and tigers sharing a cantankerous nature because of a harsh geography and of a common history of displacement - and as a practical experience - of working in the forest as crab, fish or honey collectors, especially by opposition to landowning cultivators. The thesis also looks at environmentalists' perceptions of the Sundarbans as 'tiger-land' and the repercussions of such an image on state policies for the region's people. This is undertaken through a discussion of how the portrayal of the Sundarbans as a wildlife area means that the Sundarbans inhabitants' demand for a more equal allocation of resources between them and tigers is not seen as legitimate by outsiders. Thus this thesis, by engaging with the Sundarbans islanders' narratives and daily experiences of living 'alongside tigers', addresses the Sundarbans islanders' social relations as well as ideas of the social not just in relation to themselves and each other, but also in relation to their position as a 'collective' and their place in the realm of the politics of global conservation