Sustainable Seafood Consumption: A Matter of Individual Choice or Global Market? A Window into Dublin’s Seafood Scene.

Seafood consumption is considered a key element for food security and for nutrition related policies. However, seafood is often not easily accessible or perceived as a popular option even by those living in close proximity to the sea. Common culprits are usually identified as a lack of specialized shops, culinary knowledge or as the disconnection with local coastal cultural heritage. This is for instance the case in Ireland: Irish waters provide a great diversity of seafood and yet, its domestic consumption remains unusually low for an island nation. Most of Ireland’s seafood is exported to other countries, whilst the Irish stick to the popular salmon, cod and tuna; a consumption habit that has obvious sustainability externalities. This contribution aims to unpack the issues connected to seafood consumption in Ireland’s coastal capital Dublin and offers a window into the city’s seafood scene. Data presented were gained within the Food Smart Dublin research project, a multidisciplinary project designed to encourage a behavioural shift of consumption towards more sustainable local seafood by rediscovering historical recipes and reconnecting Dublin’s society to their tangible and intangible coastal cultural heritage. The paper thus connects past, present, and future perspectives on the topic. First, the past is explored by delineating the potential of marine historical heritage in stimulating sustainable seafood consumption with the reintroduction of traditional Irish recipes. The present offers a data snapshot on consumption patterns towards seafood gathered from structured online questionnaires results from the Food Smart Dublin project. Respondents offered insights on their relationship with the sea, on the frequency with which they consume seafood and the obstacles they see in consuming more of it. Finally, these perspectives delineate possible future scenarios and recommended governance actions to support policymakers in designing a better and more sustainable seafood system

Developing and testing an index of change in microplankton community structure in temperate shelf seas

Assessment of eutrophication of coastal waters has traditionally relied on bulk indicators of ecosystem state (e.g. nutrients and phytoplankton biomass as chlorophyll) and changes in phytoplankton oristic composition such as the occurrence of nuisance and harmful species. Information on these variables does not allow adequate insight into the effects of anthropogenic nutrient enrichment on ecosystem health, i.e. the structure and functioning of the biological community. Environmental policies like the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) require an ecosystem approach to marine management, suggesting the need for a holistic approach to assessing environmental status. Autotrophic species of microplankton are primary producers and form the base of the pelagic food web. Microheterotrophs are their immediate consumers, and this suggests that changes in microplankton community structure may be a useful indicator of pelagic ecosystem health. The aim of this study was to develop and test an indicator to detect change in microplankton community structure in the context of eutrophication. The theoretic approach of an existing phytoplankton community index (PCI) was used to develop a microplankton community index (MCI). The theory involved the use of "lifeforms" (functional groups) and system state space theory. The approach was to select lifeforms that provided information on eutrophication, biodiversity and energy flow. These lifeforms included diatoms, dino agellates, micro-agellates, and ciliates. Pairs of lifeforms were used as state variables to describe the state of the ecosystem. For each pair of lifeforms, data on abundance or carbon biomass were mapped into state space. The resulting "cloud" of points incorporated the inherent variability of microplankton populations. The index calculated as the difference between "clouds", can be used to determine whether differences occur between different sites (with different degrees of pressure) or at the same site over time (response to pressure at a single site). Three moored instrument sites were selected to develop and test the MCI. High temporal resolution sampling of physical, chemical, and microplankton components was carried out for two years (February 2008-December 2009) in the western Irish Sea (WIS). For the mooring sites in Liverpool Bay (LBay) in the eastern Irish Sea and the West Gabbard (WGabb) in the southern North Sea data of those components were provided for the same frequency and period. Microplankton cell abundance and carbon biomass showed that the expected seasonal cycle was coupled to hydrodynamic conditions at each site with the sub-surface light climate considered to be the main factor that controlled the start and duration of the production season at all three sites. At WIS, diatoms dominated the spring bloom and autumn period. Succession from diatoms to dino agellates was associated with increased stratification and micro-agellates were abundant but without an obvious seasonal pattern. Diatoms dominated the microplankton throughout the year at LBay and WGabb due to high nutrient concentrations and intermittently stratifying conditions. The influence of nutrient enrichment on microplankton community was investigated at the LBay (≈ 30μM winter DIN) and WGabb (≈ 15μM winter DIN) sites by using five pairs of lifeform state space plots (diatoms/dino agellates, autotrophs/heterotrophs, autotrophs/mixotrophs, mixotrophs/heterotrophs, and small/large sized microplankton). A clear increase in the autotroph biomass at LBay station in the autotrophs/mixotrophs comparison was observed and the MCI value of the small/large sized microplankton comparison suggested a difference between the communities at the two sites with higher biomass of the large sized lifeform at LBay. Comparisons with the heterotrophic lifeform were difficult, because few data points were available. By including additional microplankton lifeforms the MCI extended the PCI approach and can be used to provide a more complete assessment of change in microplankton community structure. Further development and assessment is required such as what represents the optimum size of datasets for reliable application of the index and the distinction of the nutritional mode in long-term preserved microplankton samples. A key element of the MCI application is the comparison to a reference condition. According to the MSFD such conditions should be representative of good environmental status (GES). On the basis of current understanding of microplankton ecology (biogeography, seasonal dynamics and succession) the results from this study suggest that the microplankton community at station WIS represents GES and this station is therefore proposed as a reference site for seasonally stratifying temperate shelf seas.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Tasting the ocean: How to increase ocean literacy using seafood heritage with a visceral approach

This contribution explores the growing interest in ocean literacy and sustainable seafood consumption through the lens of transdisciplinary and visceral research methods. It illustrates a series of experimental, marine-focused workshops, carried out during the Covid-19 pandemic for Irish students aged between 15 and 18. The empirical body builds on a series of questionnaires completed prior, during and at the end of the workshops as well as direct observations of feedbacks and interactions. By offering to the students creative and playful methods which included cooking classes, coastal explorations and information about their coastal cultural heritage, we argue that transdisciplinary and visceral methods can facilitate how ocean literacy and sustainable eating is understood and operationalised—in both educational programmes and policy frameworks

Developing and testing an index of change in microplankton community structure in temperate shelf seas

Assessment of eutrophication of coastal waters has traditionally relied on bulk indicators of ecosystem state (e.g. nutrients and phytoplankton biomass as chlorophyll) and changes in phytoplankton oristic composition such as the occurrence of nuisance and harmful species. Information on these variables does not allow adequate insight into the effects of anthropogenic nutrient enrichment on ecosystem "health": i.e. the structure and functioning of the biological community. Environmental policies like the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) require an ecosystem approach to marine management, suggesting the need for a holistic approach to assessing environmental status. Autotrophic species of microplankton are primary producers and form the base of the pelagic food web. Microheterotrophs are their immediate consumers, and this suggests that changes in microplankton community structure may be a useful indicator of pelagic ecosystem health. The aim of this study was to develop and test an indicator to detect change in microplankton community structure in the context of eutrophication. The theoretic approach of an existing phytoplankton community index (PCI) was used to develop a microplankton community index (MCI). The theory involved the use of "lifeforms" (functional groups) and system state space theory. The approach was to select lifeforms that provided information on eutrophication, biodiversity and energy flow.These lifeforms included diatoms, dino agellates, micro-agellates, and ciliates. Pairs of lifeforms were used as state variables to describe the state of the ecosystem. For each pair of lifeforms, data on abundance or carbon biomass were mapped into state space. The resulting "cloud" of points incorporated the inherent variability of microplankton populations. The index calculated as the difference between "clouds", can be used to determine whether differences occur between diffrent sites (with different degrees of pressure) or at the same site over time (response to pressure at a single site). Three moored instrument sites were selected to develop and test the MCI. High temporal resolution sampling of physical, chemical, and microplankton components was carried out for two years (February 2008 - December 2009) in the western Irish Sea (WIS). For the mooring sites in Liverpool Bay (LBay) in the eastern Irish Sea and the West Gabbard (WGabb) in the southern North Sea data of those components were provided for the same frequency and period.Microplankton cell abundance and carbon biomass showed that the expected seasonal cycle was coupled to hydrodynamic conditions at each site with the sub-surface light climate considered to be the main factor that controlled the start and duration of the production season at all three sites. At WIS, diatoms dominated the spring bloom and autumn period. Succession from diatoms to dino agellates was associated with increased stratiffication and micro-agellates were abundant but without an obvious seasonal pattern. Diatoms dominated the microplankton throughout the year at LBay and WGabb due to high nutrient concentrations and intermittently stratifying conditions. The influence of nutrient enrichment on microplankton community was investigated at the LBay (≈ 30µM winter DIN) and WGabb (≈ 15µM winter DIN) sites by using five pairs of lifeform state space plots (diatoms/dino agellates, autotrophs/heterotrophs, autotrophs /mixotrophs, mixotrophs/heterotrophs, and small/large sized microplankton). A clear increase in the autotroph biomass at LBay station in the autotrophs/mixotrophs comparison was observed and the MCI value of the small/large sized microplankton comparison suggested a difference between the communities at the two sites with higher biomass of the large sized lifeform at LBay. Comparisons with the heterotrophic lifeform were difficult, because few data points were available.By including additional microplankton lifeforms the MCI extended the PCI approach and can be used to provide a more complete assessment of change in microplankton community structure. Further development and assessment is required such as what represents the optimum size of datasets for reliable application of the index and the distinction of the nutritional mode in long-term preserved microplankton samples. A key element of the MCI application is the comparison to a reference condition.According to the MSFD such conditions should be representative of good environmental status (GES). On the basis of current understanding of microplankton ecology (biogeography, seasonal dynamics and succession) the results from this study suggest that the microplankton community at station WIS represents GES and this station is therefore proposed as a reference site for seasonally stratifying temperate shelf seas

The North Atlantic Fish Revolution (ca. AD 1500)

UID/HIS/04666/2013We propose the concept of the “Fish Revolution” to demarcate the dramatic increase in North Atlantic fisheries after AD 1500, which led to a 15-fold increase of cod (Gadus morhua) catch volumes and likely a tripling of fish protein to the European market.We consider three key questions: (1) What were the environmental parameters of the Fish Revolution? (2) What were the globalising effects of the Fish Revolution? (3) What were the consequences of the Fish Revolution for fishing communities? While these questions would have been considered unknowable a decade or two ago, methodological developments in marine environmental history and historical ecology have moved information about both supply and demand into the realm of the discernible. Although much research remains to be done, we conclude that this was a major event in the history of resource extraction from the sea, mediated by forces of climate change and globalisation, and is likely to provide a fruitful agenda for future multidisciplinary research.publishersversionpublishe

Needs and Research Priorities for Young People with Spinal Cord Lesion or Spina Bifida and Their Caregivers: A National Survey in Switzerland within the PEPSCI Collaboration.

The aim of this study was to describe the needs and research priorities of Swiss children/adolescents and young adults (from here, "young people") with spinal cord injury/disorder (SCI/D) or spina bifida (SB) and their parents in the health and life domains as part of the international Pan-European Pediatric Spinal Cord Injury (PEPSCI) collaboration. Surveys included queries about the satisfaction, importance, research priorities, quality of life (QoL), and characteristics of the young people. Fifty-three surveys with corresponding parent-proxy reports were collected between April and November 2019. The self-report QoL sum scores from young people with SCI/D and SB were 77% and 73%, respectively. Parent-proxy report QoL sum scores were lower, with 70% scores for parents of young people with SCI/D and 64% scores for parents of young people with SB. "Having fun", "relation to family members", and "physical functioning" were found to be highly important for all young people. "Physical functioning", "prevention of pressure injuries", "general health", and "bowel management" received the highest scores for research priority in at least one of the subgroups. As parents tend to underestimate the QoL of their children and young people prioritized research topics differently, both young peoples' and caregivers' perspectives should be included in the selection of research topics

Changes in heart failure medications in patients hospitalised and discharged

BACKGROUND: To date, evidence-based recommendations help doctors to manage patients with heart failure (HF). However, the implementation of these recommendations in primary care is still problematic as beneficial drugs are infrequently prescribed. The aim of the study was to determine whether admission to hospital increases usage of beneficial HF medication and if this usage is maintained directly after discharge. METHODS: The study was conducted from November 2002 until January 2004. In 77 patients hospitalised with heart failure (HF), the medication prescribed by the referring general practitioner (GP) and drug treatment directed by the hospital physicians was documented. Information regarding the post-discharge (14 d) therapy by the GP was evaluated via a telephone interview. Ejection fraction values, comorbidity and specifics regarding diagnostic or therapeutic intervention were collected by chart review. RESULTS: When compared to the referring GPs, hospital physicians prescribed more ACE-inhibitors (58.4% vs. 76.6%; p = 0.001) and beta-blockers of proven efficacy in HF (metoprolol, bisoprolol, carvedilol; 58.4% vs. 81.8%). Aldosterone antagonists were also administered more frequently in the hospital setting compared to general practice (14.3% vs. 37.7%). The New York Heart Association classification for heart failure did not influence whether aldosterone antagonists were administered either in primary or secondary care. Fourteen days after discharge, there was no significant discontinuity in discharge medication. CONCLUSION: Patients suffering from HF were more likely to receive beneficial medication in hospital than prior to admission. The treatment regime then remained stable two weeks after discharge. We suggest that findings on drug continuation in different cardiovascular patients might be considered validated for patients with HF

The mechanisms of detoxification of As(III), dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) and As(V) in the microalga Chlorella vulgaris

The response of Chlorella vulgaris when challenged by As(III), As(V) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) was assessed through experiments on adsorption, efflux and speciation of arsenic (reduction, oxidation, methylation and chelation with glutathione/phytochelatin [GSH/PC]). Our study indicates that at high concentrations of phosphate (1.62 mM of HPO42−), upon exposure to As(V), cells are able to shift towards methylation of As(V) rather than PC formation. Treatment with As(V) caused a moderate decrease in intracellular pH and a strong increase in the concentration of free thiols (GSH). Passive surface adsorption was found to be negligible for living cells exposed to DMA and As(V). However, adsorption of As(III) was observed to be an active process in C. vulgaris, because it did not show saturation at any of the exposure periods. Chelation of As(III) with GS/PC and to a lesser extent hGS/hPC is a major detoxification mechanism employed by C. vulgaris cells when exposed to As(III). The increase of bound As-GS/PC complexes was found to be strongly related to an increase in concentration of As(III) in media. C. vulgaris cells did not produce any As-GS/PC complex when exposed to As(V). This may indicate that a reduction step is needed for As(V) complexation with GSH/PC. C. vulgaris cells formed DMASV-GS upon exposure to DMA independent of the exposure period. As(III) triggers the formation of arsenic complexes with PC and homophytochelatins (hPC) and their compartmentalisation to vacuoles. A conceptual model was devised to explain the mechanisms involving ABCC1/2 transport. The potential of C. vulgaris to bio-remediate arsenic from water appeared to be highly selective and effective without the potential hazard of reducing As(V) to As(III), which is more toxic to humans

The Plankton Lifeform Extraction Tool: a digital tool to increase the discoverability and usability of plankton time-series data

Publication history: Accepted - 25 October 2021; Published online - 6 December 2021.Plankton form the base of the marine food web and are sensitive indicators of environmental change. Plankton time series are therefore an essential part of monitoring progress towards global biodiversity goals, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity Aichi Targets, and for informing ecosystem-based policy, such as the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive. Multiple plankton monitoring programmes exist in Europe, but differences in sampling and analysis methods prevent the integration of their data, constraining their utility over large spatio-temporal scales. The Plankton Lifeform Extraction Tool brings together disparate European plankton datasets into a central database from which it extracts abundance time series of plankton functional groups, called “lifeforms”, according to shared biological traits. This tool has been designed to make complex plankton datasets accessible and meaningful for policy, public interest, and scientific discovery. It allows examination of large-scale shifts in lifeform abundance or distribution (for example, holoplankton being partially replaced by meroplankton), providing clues to how the marine environment is changing. The lifeform method enables datasets with different plankton sampling and taxonomic analysis methodologies to be used together to provide insights into the response to multiple stressors and robust policy evidence for decision making. Lifeform time series generated with the Plankton Lifeform Extraction Tool currently inform plankton and food web indicators for the UK's Marine Strategy, the EU's Marine Strategy Framework Directive, and for the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR) biodiversity assessments. The Plankton Lifeform Extraction Tool currently integrates 155 000 samples, containing over 44 million plankton records, from nine different plankton datasets within UK and European seas, collected between 1924 and 2017. Additional datasets can be added, and time series can be updated. The Plankton Lifeform Extraction Tool is hosted by The Archive for Marine Species and Habitats Data (DASSH) at https://www.dassh.ac.uk/lifeforms/ (last access: 22 November 2021, Ostle et al., 2021). The lifeform outputs are linked to specific, DOI-ed, versions of the Plankton Lifeform Traits Master List and each underlying dataset.Funding that supports this work and the data collected has come from the European Commission, European Union (EU) grant no. 11.0661/2015/712630/SUB/ENVC.2 OSPAR; UK Natural Environment Research Council (grant nos. NE/R002738/1 and NE/M007855/1); EMFF, Climate Linked Atlantic Sector Science (grant no. NE/R015953/1), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, UK Government (grant nos. ME-5308 and ME-414135), NSF USA OCE-1657887, DFO CA F5955150026/001/HAL, Natural Environment Research Council UK (grant no. NC-R8/H12/100); Horizon 2020 (MISSION ATLANTIC (grant no. 862428)); iCPR (grant no. SBFF-2019-36526), IMR Norway; DTU Aqua Denmark; and the French Ministry of Environment, Energy, and the Sea (MEEM). Recent funding for the development of PLET and the Pelagic Habitats Indicator has been provided by HBDSEG/Defra and MMO/EMFF. The MSS Scottish Coastal Observatory data and analyses are funded and maintained by the Scottish Government Schedules of Service (grant nos. ST05a and ST02H), MSS Stonehaven Samplers, North Atlantic Fisheries College, Shetland, Orkney Islands Harbour Council, and Isle Ewe Shellfish