Assessment of the geographical potential for co-use of marine space, based on operational boundaries for Blue Growth sectors

The worlds’ oceans and seas have tremendous potential to contribute to the provision of food, feed, energy and natural resources. The emerging concepts of “Blue Growth” and “Blue Economy” have put the development of new marine industries on the political agenda. As marine industries expand, spatial interconnections and industry boundaries are being drawn and the potential for the combined use of marine space is being explored. The aim of this paper is to provide a single source document that summarizes the probable boundaries of marine growth industries, namely aquaculture; offshore wind energy with fixed foundations; floating offshore wind energy; tidal and wave energy; marine biotechnology, seabed mining; and tourism and recreation, based on depth and distance from the shore. This is an important first step in developing a single source document for marine industry boundaries that will help marine spatial planners and researchers develop innovative industry combinations to foster growth in the marine sector. This paper explores marine industry overlaps in four basins: European Atlantic, Baltic/North Sea, Mediterranean/Black Sea and the Caribbean/ Gulf of Mexico. By describing the geographical characteristics of different sea basins, this paper helps to focus marine governance strategies for stimulating combinations of marine industries towards the most promising areas. The methodology developed in this paper was also used to generate 72 country-specific maps and corresponding tables to support marine spatial planning processes at a national level.</p

Spatial datasets to define operational boundaries within four marine basins delineated by distance from shore, depth, EEZ and protected status, accompanied by maps and statistical summary tables

This data article provides several datasets delineating, illustrating and summarizing marine regions within exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of 69 coastal states within the Atlantic, Baltic/North Sea, Mediterranean and Caribbean marine basins. Datasets include two GIS feature classes stored in a Version 10.0 file geodatabase: (1) A polygon feature class delineating operational boundaries within EEZs based on sovereign authority, distance bands from shore, depth ranges, and whether the region lies within a recognized protected area, and (2) A polyline feature class of shorelines for each coastal state. Both feature classes are fully described in the metadata. Datasets also include Excel files summarizing each marine basin and coastal state, summarized by area and proportion of all combinations of distance, depth and protected status. Datasets also include maps illustrating and describing all combinations of distance, depth and protection status, plus shoreline length, for each coastal state and for each marine basin. Datasets also include Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) code files used to generate all datasets, summary tables and maps. These datasets support analysis described in “Assessment of the geographical potential for co-use of marine space, based on operational boundaries for Blue Growth sectors” (van den Burg et al., 2018), and allow readers to extend the regional assessments described in that article down to individual country-level assessments.</p

Aquaculture’s struggle for space: the need for coastal spatial planning and the potential benefits of Allocated Zones for Aquaculture (AZAs) to avoid conflict and promote sustainability

Aquaculture is an increasingly important food-producing sector, providing protein for human consumption. However, marine aquaculture often struggles for space due to the crowded nature of human activities in many marine coastal areas, and because of limited attention from spatial planning managers. Here, we assess the need for coastal spatial planning, emphasising the establishment of suitable areas for the development of marine aquaculture, termed Allocated Zones for Aquaculture (AZAs), in which aquaculture has secured use and priority over other activities, and where potential adverse environmental impacts and negative interactions with other users are minimised or avoided. We review existing examples of marine aquaculture spatial development worldwide and discuss the proper use of site selection in relation to different legal and regulatory requirements. National or regional authorities in charge of coastal zone management should carry out spatial planning defining optimal sites for aquaculture to promote development of sustainable marine aquaculture and avoid conflict with other users, following a participatory approach and adhering to the principles of ecosystem-based management

Recovery of “ciénaga del Sapo (Magdalena)” and its native species, “el mangle”

El propósito de la investigación radica en crear conciencia y sensibilizar a estudiantes y comunidad en general acciones pedagógicas que conlleven a la conservación y recuperación de la ciénaga del sapo y su especie nativa el mangle. La metodología utilizada se dio bajo un enfoque cualitativo, con un diseño transversal. La unidad de análisis estuvo constituida por 187 estudiantes, entre los grados de tercero a once y 10 miembros de la comunidad, Se tomaron como técnica de recolección de información la observación y la entrevista. Los resultados derivados de la investigación reflejan que los participantes reconocen la necesidad de repoblar y reforestar el ecosistema de la región, así como generar acciones que minimicen su deterioro.The purpose of the research is to raise awareness and sensitize students and the community to generate pedagogical actions that lead to the conservation and recovery of the Cienaga el Sapo and its native species, the mangrove. The methodology used was based on a quantitative and exploratory approach, with a transversal design. The unit of analysis was constituted by 187 students, between the grades of third to eleven and 10 members of the community. The observation technique and the Interview were taken as technique of information gathering. The results derived reflect that the participants recognize the need to repopulate and reforest the ecosystem of the region, as well as generate actions that minimize their deterioration

Congreso Internacional de Responsabilidad Social Apuestas para el desarrollo regional.

Congreso Internacional de Responsabilidad Social: apuestas para el desarrollo regional [Edición 1 / Nov. 6 - 7: 2019 Bogotá D.C.]El Congreso Internacional de Responsabilidad Social “Apuestas para el Desarrollo Regional”, se llevó a cabo los días 6 y 7 de noviembre de 2019 en la ciudad de Bogotá D.C. como un evento académico e investigativo liderado por la Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dios -UNIMINUTO – Rectoría Cundinamarca cuya pretensión fue el fomento de nuevos paradigmas, la divulgación de conocimiento renovado en torno a la Responsabilidad Social; finalidad adoptada institucionalmente como postura ética y política que impacta la docencia, la investigación y la proyección social, y cuyo propósito central es la promoción de una “sensibilización consciente y crítica ante las situaciones problemáticas, tanto de las comunidades como del país, al igual que la adquisición de unas competencias orientadas a la promoción y al compromiso con el desarrollo humano y social integral”. (UNIMINUTO, 2014). Dicha postura, de conciencia crítica y sensibilización social, sumada a la experiencia adquirida mediante el trabajo articulado con otras instituciones de índole académico y de forma directa con las comunidades, permitió establecer como objetivo central del evento la reflexión de los diferentes grupos de interés, la gestión de sus impactos como elementos puntuales que contribuyeron en la audiencia a la toma de conciencia frente al papel que se debe asumir a favor de la responsabilidad social como aporte seguro al desarrollo regional y a su vez al fortalecimiento de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible

Congreso Internacional de Responsabilidad Social Apuestas para el desarrollo regional.

Congreso Internacional de Responsabilidad Social: apuestas para el desarrollo regional [Edición 1 / Nov. 6 - 7: 2019 Bogotá D.C.]El Congreso Internacional de Responsabilidad Social “Apuestas para el Desarrollo Regional”, se llevó a cabo los días 6 y 7 de noviembre de 2019 en la ciudad de Bogotá D.C. como un evento académico e investigativo liderado por la Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dios -UNIMINUTO – Rectoría Cundinamarca cuya pretensión fue el fomento de nuevos paradigmas, la divulgación de conocimiento renovado en torno a la Responsabilidad Social; finalidad adoptada institucionalmente como postura ética y política que impacta la docencia, la investigación y la proyección social, y cuyo propósito central es la promoción de una “sensibilización consciente y crítica ante las situaciones problemáticas, tanto de las comunidades como del país, al igual que la adquisición de unas competencias orientadas a la promoción y al compromiso con el desarrollo humano y social integral”. (UNIMINUTO, 2014). Dicha postura, de conciencia crítica y sensibilización social, sumada a la experiencia adquirida mediante el trabajo articulado con otras instituciones de índole académico y de forma directa con las comunidades, permitió establecer como objetivo central del evento la reflexión de los diferentes grupos de interés, la gestión de sus impactos como elementos puntuales que contribuyeron en la audiencia a la toma de conciencia frente al papel que se debe asumir a favor de la responsabilidad social como aporte seguro al desarrollo regional y a su vez al fortalecimiento de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible

A Global Mapping System for Bambara Groundnut Production

This is the first study that estimates the potential production for any underutilised crop on a global basis. Our long-term aim is to demonstrate how this approach, initially for bambara groundnut, can be used to assess the potential productivity of many underutilised food crops at locations beyond their current distribution. The most significant contributions from this study are the integration of a weather simulator and a crop simulation model into a Geographical Information System (GIS) to predict potential production of bambara groundnut over the globe. The integration came through a coincidence of interests. FAO needed to improve the knowledge and better use of underutilised crops that can contribute to the food security of the world s poorest people. For the University of Nottingham it was an opportunity to provide a geographic basis for their existing crop model that had been refined by the third author so that predictions of bambara groundnut potential could be extended to new sites. Integration of the weather generator and model into a GIS was based on the experiences gained by the second author in using fish growth models to estimate potential for fish farming in Africa (FAO, 1998, available at www.fao.org/docrep/ W8522e/W8522E00.htm)