Croatian shellfisheries aquaculture - advantages and disadvantages

Uzgoj školjkaša uz istočne obale Jadranskog mora, temeljen na višestoljetnoj tradiciji, susreće se s brojnim poteškoćama. Proizvedene količine kamenica i dagnja ne zadovoljavaju ni domaću potražnju povećanu za vrijeme turističke sezone. Mogućnost proizvodnje školjkaša ne zaustavlja se na tradicionalnim vrstama i lokacijama, a povećanje proizvodnje uvjetovano je određivanjem područja pogodnih za uzgoj, razvojem i uvođenjem novih tehnologija, primjenom higijenskih-zdravstvenih i drugih standarda kakvoće.Shellfish aquaculture along eastern Adriatic coast is based on flourishing tradition of couple of centuries and currently is facing numerous problems. The needs of domestic market are high, especially during summer season, and producers are not able to meet consumers\u27 demands. The possibility of shellfish production is influenced by the determination of viable production areas, as well as by development and implementation of new technologies. These have to be in accordance with hygienic-health and other quality standards

BALLAST WATERS: PROBLEMS AND PERSPECTIVES

This paper analyses the dangerous consequences of contamination of coastal waters by nonindigenous sea species spread by ships ballast waters. It specifically points out that the measures currently recommended to a void the danger are merely palliative and a radical solution is yet to be seen. Furthermore, the impacts of some nonindigenous species that have already been spread, whether accidentally or intentionally, are being outlined as well as a possible approach to the treatment of ships ballast waters. Notwithstanding the actual selection of the treatment treatment of ballast waters still on board ships seems to be imposing itself as the solitary solution with any realistic chances for global success. Finally, a pledge is being made that each coastal country conduct a research on its own species resilience to biocidal treatment and thus contribute in finding a radical solution to this global problem

Kukci sa sredine Jadranskog mora

The sampling of insects (Insecta) during pitch-dark nights in the middle of the Adriatic Sea during 2009 resulted in the recording of 12 species from the Diptera order and 2 species from the Lepidoptera order. The determined species were classified into the following families: Syrphidae, Drosophilidae, Muscidae, Calliphoridae and Scatophagidae (Diptera), Nymphalidae and Sphingidae (Lepidoptera).Uzorkovanje kukaca (Insecta) tijekom 2009. godine na sredini Jadranskog mora obavljeno je tijekom mrkle noći, čije je rezultat zabilješka 12 vrsta iz reda dvokrilaca (Diptera) i dvije vrste leptira iz reda (Lepidoptera). Utvrđene vrste svrstane su u sljedeće porodice: Syrphidae, Drosophilidae, Muscidae, Calliphoridae i Scatophagidae (Diptera), Nymphalidae i Sphingidae (Lepidoptera)

Epiplanktonske zajednice u južnom Jadranu: višestruke trofičke razine na transektima jug – sjever i obala-otvoreno more

The epiplankton community was investigated during Meduza cruises along south - north and offshore – inshore transects in the middle and southern Adriatic in spring 2002. The diel and vertical distribution of heterotrophic bacteria, phytoplankton pigment composition, micro- and mesozooplankton were assessed. At most stations we observed a thermocline at approximately 20 m and a prominent chlorophyll a peak at about 70 m depth. The integrated phytoplankton and bacterial biomass were lower at the station in the central part of the southern Adriatic, and increased gradually towards middle Adriatic and towards coastal stations. Vertical profiles of both bacterial abundance and production showed a distinct peak in the surface layer. Bacterial abundance was high also in the layer of the deep chlorophyll a maximum. Higher bacterial production was associated with elevated abundance of pico- and nanoplankton feeding zooplankton indicating that bacterial populations were generally controlled by predation.Istraživanje površinskih zajednica planktona obavljena su u proljeće 2002. godine tijekom “Meduza” krstarenja srednjim i južnim Jadranom na transektima “jug-sjever” i “obala-otvoreno more”. Utvrđena je dnevna vertikalna raspodjela heterotrofnih bakterija, sastava pigmenata fitoplanktona, te mikrozooplanktona i mezozooplanktona. Na glavnini postaja nađena je termoklina na oko 20 m i izraženo visoke vrijednosti klorofila a na oko 70 m dubine. Intergrirana bakterijska i fitoplanktonska biomasa bila je manja na središnjoj postaji južnoga Jadrana, a postupno se povećavala prema postajama Palagruža i Jabučka kotlina kao i prema obalnim postajama. Vertikalna raspodjela bakterijske brojnosti i produkcije pokazala je izraziti maksimum u površinskom sloju. Bakterijska brojnost bila je velika u sloju dubokog maksimuma klorofila a. Veća bakterijska produkcija bila je u svezi s povišenom brojnošću zooplanktona koji se hrani piko i nanoplanktonom, što ukazuje da su veličine bakterijskih populacija generalno kontrolirane predacijom

In Situ Manipulation of Vertically Migrating Gelatinous Zooplankton Using Nighttime Blue-Water Scuba in the South-Central Adriatic Sea

Technological advance in undersea exploration (e.g. tethered cameras, remotely operated vehicles [ROVs], Autonomous Underwater Vehicles [AUVsG, and manned submersibles)have opened new windows into diversityand distribution of fragile gelatinous organisms in the vast mesopelagic realm(300 m-1000 m deep). While exstraordinary in expanding our view of its richness, mesopelagic exploration remains largely a look but don\u27t touch environment and this limits of our ability to understand these animals through physical manipulation relevant to the finer scales of the individual organism. We have been conducting a series of in situ observations and manipulations using blue-water SCUBA during the night at a 1, 200 m station centraly located in the southern Adriatic Sea. We report here on a suite of vertically migrating gelatinous animals, including the narcomedusa Solmissus albescens and the physonect siphonophores Forskalia formosa and Agalma elegans, whose ranges extend to the mesopelagic realm during the day, but reach SCUBA diving depths during the night. Our in situ approach combined with proximity to shore exploits the natural vertical migratory behavior of some mesopelagic species, and we therefore add to the widening spectrum of methods needed to evaluate these ecologically important yet difficult to study organisms

Project Medusa in the Context of its Historical Time

In 2000, the National Science Foundation, in union with Croatian and Slovenian science ministries, provided initial support for the international collaboration that has become Meduza project. The program was started with the goal of international collaboration. Our initial objective was simple - use this international collaboration to develop exiting scientific research involving medusae in Southern Adriatic waters. This international collaborationa has been of great importance personally and professionally to all of the investigators and institutions involved in the project, but we now ask what objective difference has the project made scientifically. We approach this question by comparing what we might accomplish at the project\u27s outset to how we now view of research on gelatinous zooplankton because of research in the Meduza project. Work outside the also has affected our views but we describe here research produced through the project that has contributed substantially to broadening our perspectives in three major areas of investigations: modes of propulsion, mechanics of predation, and trophic significance of medusae