Seasonal and Spatial Variation in Sea Surface Temperature in the South-East Mediterranean Sea

A seven-year dataset of Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer-Sea Surface Temperature AVHRR-SST during (1998-2004) was used to study the annual and seasonal variability in Sea Surface Temperature in the Levantine Basin of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. The time analysis revealed the presence of a strong seasonal signal characterized by two main seasonal extremes, winter and summer. The transition between the winter and the summer occurs very rapidly in May and October. The space analysis shows that the dominant scale is the sub-basin scale and the sub-basin gyres are very well resolved allowing the identification of permanent and semi permanent structures. The seasonal and monthly SST distributions are strongly correlated with the dynamical structure of the basin upper thermocline circulation. Furthermore, comparison of the SST monthly climatologies with the POEM circulation scheme shows that all the major currents and the sub-basin gyres are also found consistently in our patterns. A general warming trend appeared in the time series of SST data, and the seasonal cycles and their linear fit, suggesting an increase of about 0.5oC in 7 years, although during the period under consideration, no systematic increase or decrease of the maximum summer SST was observed. This increase is essentially due to a steady rise of winter (December, January, February, and March). Keywords: SST; spatial; seasonal; mesoscale; AVHRR, gyre, edd

Seasonal and Spatial Variation in Sea Surface Temperature in the South-East Mediterranean Sea

A seven-year dataset of Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer-Sea Surface Temperature AVHRR-SST during (1998-2004) was used to study the annual and seasonal variability in Sea Surface Temperature in the Levantine Basin of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. The time analysis revealed the presence of a strong seasonal signal characterized by two main seasonal extremes, winter and summer. The transition between the winter and the summer occurs very rapidly in May and October. The space analysis shows that the dominant scale is the sub-basin scale and the sub-basin gyres are very well resolved allowing the identification of permanent and semi permanent structures. The seasonal and monthly SST distributions are strongly correlated with the dynamical structure of the basin upper thermocline circulation. Furthermore, comparison of the SST monthly climatologies with the POEM circulation scheme shows that all the major currents and the sub-basin gyres are also found consistently in our patterns. A general warming trend appeared in the time series of SST data, and the seasonal cycles and their linear fit, suggesting an increase of about 0.5oC in 7 years, although during the period under consideration, no systematic increase or decrease of the maximum summer SST was observed. This increase is essentially due to a steady rise of winter (December, January, February, and March). Keywords: SST; spatial; seasonal; mesoscale; AVHRR, gyre, edd

Spatial and Temporal Variations in Water Quality along the Coast of Gaza Strip

This study describes the results of monthly sampling of physico-chemical parameters and faecal indicators at five monitoring stations on the Gaza coast over a seven-month period in 2007. The results show spatial and temporal variations in physico-chemical parameters (pH, water temperature, salinity, turbidity and dissolved oxygen) and faecal indicators (faecal coliform and faecal enterococci) that appeared linked with the problems of raw sewage discharge and storm water runoff. Analysis of variance confirmed that stations close to the raw sewage discharge points had significantly higher faecal coliform and faecal enterococci levels than stations free from any sewage discharge. The data indicates high microbiological contamination of seawater above internationally accepted limits, especially at stations close to sewage outlets. Salinity, turbidity and dissolved oxygen levels also varied significantly, also under thee influence of sewage and storm runoff. Keywords: physico-chemical parameters; faecal bacteria; Seawater quality; Gaza Stri

Assessment of Microbiological Characteristics of the Desalinated Water Used in Household Facilities in Gaza Strip

Access to safe water represents one of the most important basic human needs of the people of Palestine and is vital to a growing economy and a healthy population. Groundwater is the major source of water to the Palestinians. Nowadays, the water crisis in the Strip is multiplying. The objective of this research is to make an assessment of the desalination plants for the microbiological quality for both the inlet (groundwater) and the outlet water (product water) in the desalination plants. Samples from both the inlet and outlet water from 88 desalination plants have been collected by the researchers have been tested in the Palestinian Ministry of Health-The Public Health Laboratory for both Total Coliform and Fecal Coliform. The study proved that the current private desalination monitoring program by the concerned authorities should be developed, enhanced and intensified. The study also revealed that the current private desalination plants were established randomly and for commercial purposes without any previous planning. The results indicated that there is a high percentage of microbiological contamination in the outlet water (21.6%) and the inlet water (16.6%), which exceeded the WHO guidelines. The study concluded that large scale sea water desalination plants should be established to overcome the current water quality problems and the quantity shortage. Keywords: Groundwater, contamination, reverse osmosis (RO), brackish water, desalination plants, Gaza Strip, Total Coliform (TC), Fecal Coliform (FC

Assessment of Chemical Characteristics of the Desalinated Water Used in Household Facilities in Gaza Strip

Access to safe water represents one of the most important basic human needs of the people of Palestine and is vital to a growing economy and a healthy population. Groundwater is the major source of water to the Palestinians. Nowadays, the water crisis in the Strip is multiplying. The objective of this research is to make an assessment of the desalination plants for the chemical quality for both the inlet (groundwater) and the outlet water (product water) in the desalination plants. The adopted methodology depends on many approaches that were used in an integrated manner to achieve the objectives of this research. Samples from both the inlet and outlet water from 88 desalination plants have been collected by the researcher. The main chemical parameters have been analyzed in the inlet and outlet water of the desalination plants. The study proved that the current private desalination monitoring program by the concerned authorities should be developed, enhanced and intensified. The study also revealed that the current private desalination plants were established randomly and for commercial purposes without any previous planning. The results have revealed that 80% of the inlet water of the plants does not comply with the WHO guidelines, while 100% of the plants’ outlet water has chemical parameter concentrations accepted by the WHO guidelines. Keywords: Groundwater, contamination, brackish water, desalination plants, Gaza Strip, chemical parameters

Ispravljanje neprijavljenih i nepotpunih ulova u morskom ribarstvu za područje Gaza pojasa: 1950-2010

Total marine fisheries catches were estimated for the Gaza Strip from 1950-2010 by reconstructing past catches and accounting comprehensively for all fisheries sectors and components. Landings data are reported by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) separately for the Gaza Strip since 1995 and represent the official records. These only cover the larger-scale commercial sector. Prior to 1995, FAO landings data for Gaza were reported as Israel’s landings data. Here, these miss-assigned landings were rectified by re-allocating these data to Gaza. Thus, the reported baseline (i.e., a portion of FAO landings data reported for Israel and those reported for Gaza) totalled 97,920 t over the 1950-2010 time period. In contrast, reconstructed total catches for Gaza were estimated at over 227,000 t, which translates to 2.3 times the reported baseline. The majority of unreported catches were from the small-scale commercial (i.e. artisanal) and noncommercial sector (i.e. subsistence) with artisanal catches representing 96.5% of the total smallscale catch.U ovom radu je procijenjen ukupni morski ulov u pojasu Gaze od 1950. do 2010. godine rekonstrukcijom prošlih ulova te sveobuhvatnim obračunom svih sektora i komponenti ribarstva. Podatke o ukupnom ulovu, koji ujedno predstavljaju službenu evidenciju, objavio je FAO odvojeno za Pojas Gaze započevši od 1995. godine. Ti podaci se odnose samo na komercijalni sektor. Prije 1995. godine FAO podaci za pojas Gaze bili su smatrani izvješćem o ukupnom ulovu Izraela. Ovim propustom dodijeljeni podaci o ukupnom ulovu su ispravljeni ponovnim dodjeljivanjem tih podataka za pojas Gaze. Prijavljeni početni ukupni ulov (tj. dio FAO podataka prijavljenih za Izrael i onima prijavljenim za Gazu) iznosio je 97.920 t tijekom razdoblja 1950.-2010. godine. Nasuprot tome, rekonstruirani ukupni ulov za Gazu je procijenjen na više od 227.000 tona, što iznosi 2,3 puta više od prehtodno prijavljenog početnog ulova. Većina neprijavljenog ulova dolazi iz komercijalnog priobalnog ribolova (tj. tradicionalnog ribolova), te iz nekomercijalnog sektora (tj. dopunskog ribolova) koji sa tradicionalnim ulovom predstavlja 96,5% od ukupnog ulova u priobalnom ribolovu

Phylogenomics and species delimitation for effective conservation of manta and devil rays

Practical biodiversity conservation relies on delineation of biologically meaningful units. Manta and devil rays (Mobulidae) are threatened worldwide, yet morphological similarities and a succession of recent taxonomic changes impede the development of an effective conservation strategy. Here, we generate genome‐wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data from a geographically and taxonomically representative set of manta and devil ray samples to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships and evaluate species boundaries under the general lineage concept. We show that nominal species units supported by alternative data sources constitute independently evolving lineages, and find robust evidence for a putative new species of manta ray in the Gulf of Mexico. Additionally, we uncover substantial incomplete lineage sorting indicating that rapid speciation together with standing variation in ancestral populations has driven phylogenetic uncertainty within Mobulidae. Finally, we detect cryptic diversity in geographically distinct populations, demonstrating that management below the species level may be warranted in certain species. Overall, our study provides a framework for molecular genetic species delimitation that is relevant to wide‐ranging taxa of conservation concern, and highlights the potential for genomic data to support effective management, conservation and law enforcement strategies

Ispravljanje neprijavljenih i nepotpunih ulova u morskom ribarstvu za područje Gaza pojasa: 1950-2010

Total marine fisheries catches were estimated for the Gaza Strip from 1950-2010 by reconstructing past catches and accounting comprehensively for all fisheries sectors and components. Landings data are reported by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) separately for the Gaza Strip since 1995 and represent the official records. These only cover the larger-scale commercial sector. Prior to 1995, FAO landings data for Gaza were reported as Israel’s landings data. Here, these miss-assigned landings were rectified by re-allocating these data to Gaza. Thus, the reported baseline (i.e., a portion of FAO landings data reported for Israel and those reported for Gaza) totalled 97,920 t over the 1950-2010 time period. In contrast, reconstructed total catches for Gaza were estimated at over 227,000 t, which translates to 2.3 times the reported baseline. The majority of unreported catches were from the small-scale commercial (i.e. artisanal) and noncommercial sector (i.e. subsistence) with artisanal catches representing 96.5% of the total smallscale catch.U ovom radu je procijenjen ukupni morski ulov u pojasu Gaze od 1950. do 2010. godine rekonstrukcijom prošlih ulova te sveobuhvatnim obračunom svih sektora i komponenti ribarstva. Podatke o ukupnom ulovu, koji ujedno predstavljaju službenu evidenciju, objavio je FAO odvojeno za Pojas Gaze započevši od 1995. godine. Ti podaci se odnose samo na komercijalni sektor. Prije 1995. godine FAO podaci za pojas Gaze bili su smatrani izvješćem o ukupnom ulovu Izraela. Ovim propustom dodijeljeni podaci o ukupnom ulovu su ispravljeni ponovnim dodjeljivanjem tih podataka za pojas Gaze. Prijavljeni početni ukupni ulov (tj. dio FAO podataka prijavljenih za Izrael i onima prijavljenim za Gazu) iznosio je 97.920 t tijekom razdoblja 1950.-2010. godine. Nasuprot tome, rekonstruirani ukupni ulov za Gazu je procijenjen na više od 227.000 tona, što iznosi 2,3 puta više od prehtodno prijavljenog početnog ulova. Većina neprijavljenog ulova dolazi iz komercijalnog priobalnog ribolova (tj. tradicionalnog ribolova), te iz nekomercijalnog sektora (tj. dopunskog ribolova) koji sa tradicionalnim ulovom predstavlja 96,5% od ukupnog ulova u priobalnom ribolovu

MEDLEM database, a data collection on large Elasmobranchs in the Mediterranean and Black seas

The Mediterranean Large Elasmobranchs Monitoring (MEDLEM) database contains over 3000 records (more than 4000 individuals) of large elasmobranch species from 20 different countries around the Mediterranean and Black seas, observed from 1666 to 2017. The main species included in the archive are the devil fish (1 813 individuals), the basking shark (939 individuals), the blue shark (585 individuals) and the great white shark (337 individuals).In the last decades other species such as the shortfin mako (166 individuals), the spiny butterfly ray (138) and the thresher shark (174 individuals) were reported with an increasing frequency. This was possibly due to an increased public awareness on the conservation status of sharks, and a consequent development of new monitoring programmes. MEDLEM does not have a homogeneous reporting coverage throughout the Mediterranean and Black seas and it should be considered as a database of observed species presence. Scientific monitoring efforts in the south-eastern Mediterranean and Black seas are generally lower than in the northern sectors and the absence in our database of some species does not imply their actual absence in these regions. Some considerations are made on the frequency and spatial distribution of records, size structure of the observed individuals for selected species, general area coverage and species involved as by-catch by fishing gear

MEDLEM database, a data collection on large Elasmobranchs in the Mediterranean and Black seas

The Mediterranean Large Elasmobranchs Monitoring (MEDLEM) database contains over 3000 records (more than 4000 individuals) of large elasmobranch species from 20 different countries around the Mediterranean and Black seas, observed from 1666 to 2017. The main species included in the archive are the devil fish (1 813 individuals), the basking shark (939 individuals), the blue shark (585 individuals) and the great white shark (337 individuals). In the last decades other species such as the shortfin mako (166 individuals), the spiny butterfly ray (138) and the thresher shark (174 individuals) were reported with an increasing frequency. This was possibly due to an increased public awareness on the conservation status of sharks, and a consequent development of new monitoring programmes. MEDLEM does not have a homogeneous reporting coverage throughout the Mediterranean and Black seas and it should be considered as a database of observed species presence. Scientific monitoring efforts in the south-eastern Mediterranean and Black seas are generally lower than in the northern sectors and the absence in our database of some species does not imply their actual absence in these regions. Some considerations are made on the frequency and spatial distribution of records, size structure of the observed individuals for selected species, general area coverage and species involved as by-catch by fishing gear