Understanding the local livelihood system in reosurce management: the pelagic longline fishery in Gouyaye, Grenada

ABSTRACT There is a need to include social objectives in fisheries management, and this paper focuses on one set of social considerations, those regarding livelihood. We pay particular attention to sustainable livelihood strategies, the importance of commercial pelagic longline fishing for the entire community livelihood system, and implications for management. Field data were obtained between December 2002 and March 2004 in Gouyave, Grenada, using participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and a quantitative survey. The economic base (fishing and agriculture) of the community is both unpredictable and seasonal, therefore individuals and households engage in diverse strategies to secure their livelihood. Three livelihood strategies were deemed important: 1) livelihood diversification, developing additional sources of income from agriculture, wage labor, and trade work, 2) fishing diversification, learning to switch to alternative gear and species, and 3) the availability of an informal "social security net" involving cash and in-kind assistance. These strategies help to spread the flow of income and food during lean times and across seasons. A major management implication is that fishery managers need to pay attention to the multi-species nature of fisheries and to the importance of livelihood diversification, including reliance on other economic sectors. RESUMEN Existe la necesidad de incluir objetivos sociales en el manejo de la industria pesquera y este artículo se focaliza en un grupo de consideraciones sociales, las que se refieren al sustento. Prestanos particular atención a las estrategias de los sustento sostenibles, la importancia de la pesca pelágica comercial para el sustento de toda la comunida y las implicaciones para su manejo. Los datos de campo fueron obtenidos entre Diciembre del 2002 y Marzo del 2004 de Gouyave, Grenada a través del estudio de los participantes, entrevistas semi-estructuradas y un examen cuantitativo. La base económica (pesca y agricultura) de la comunidad es tanto impredecible como variable, por lo tanto individuos y hogares adoptan estrategias diversificadas para logar la seguridad del sustento. Tres estrategias de sustento fueron consideradas importantes: 1) diversificación de las actividades para sustento desarrollando fuentes de ingresos adicionales en agricultura, labor pagada y trabajo de obrero, 2) la diversificación de la pesca aprendiendo a utilizar hacia equipos y especies alternativas, y 3) la disponibilidad de una red de seguridad social que incluye asistencia monetaria y en especie. Estas estrategias diversificadas ayudan a distribuir el flujo de ingresos y alimentos a través de las estaciones. Un mayor involvcramiento en el manejo implica que los gerentes pesqueros presten mayor cuidado a la naturaleza multi-especies de la pesca y a la importancia de la diversificacion del sustento, incluyendo la confianza en otros sectores económicos

Neural Variability and Sampling-Based Probabilistic Representations in the Visual Cortex

Neural responses in the visual cortex are variable, and there is now an abundance of data characterizing how the magnitude and structure of this variability depends on the stimulus. Current theories of cortical computation fail to account for these data; they either ignore variability altogether or only model its unstructured Poisson-like aspects. We develop a theory in which the cortex performs probabilistic inference such that population activity patterns represent statistical samples from the inferred probability distribution. Our main prediction is that perceptual uncertainty is directly encoded by the variability, rather than the average, of cortical responses. Through direct comparisons to previously published data as well as original data analyses, we show that a sampling-based probabilistic representation accounts for the structure of noise, signal, and spontaneous response variability and correlations in the primary visual cortex. These results suggest a novel role for neural variability in cortical dynamics and computations.European Union-FP7 (Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship, Marie Curie CIG), Hungarian Academy of Sciences (Lendulet Award), Swartz Foundation, Swiss National Science Foundation, National Science Foundation, Wellcome Trus

JIG AND FIXTURE CAD/CAM SYSTEM

Development of CAD/CAM systems for workpiece jig and fixture has to rely on a generalpurpose CAD system, such as an AutoCAD system comprising the needed standard interfaces. So it is relatively easy to change types of the underlying CAD system and the computer. The design process is helped by a 3D functional model. This so-called Jig & Fix CAD system is an open system constructed of a modular (unified) set of 3D elements, permitting to change the set of elements, the database and the manipulation set. This CAD system may be of help in factories in the design and manufacture of NC, CNC machine tools and production cells, as well as in concluding contracts, and in tender transactions

Wildlife Harvesting and Sustainable Regional Native Economy in the Hudson and James Bay Lowland, Ontario

To assist the Omushkego Cree in planning a community and regional economic development strategy that takes into account the traditional economy, we developed appropriate methodologies to investigate the quantitative importance and economic value of hunting and fishing for the Mushkegowuk region, Hudson and James Bay Lowland. Harvests of wildlife by the 6500 aboriginal residents of eight communities - Moose Factory, Moosonee, New Post, Fort Albany, Kashechewan, Attawapiskat, Peawanuck and Fort Severn - were estimated by means of a questionnaire study. A total of 925 persons were interviewed for 56% coverage in a stratified sampling design. Four species (moose, Canada goose, caribou, lesser snow goose) accounted for about two-thirds of the 1990 bush food harvest of 687 000 kg, the equivalent of 402 g meat or 97 g protein per adult per day. The replacement value of the bush food harvested in the region was about $7.8 million in 1990. Including other products of the land (fur, fuelwood, berries), the total value of the traditional economy,$9.4 million for the region or $8400 per household per year, was about one-third as large as the total cash economy. The results show that the traditional economy is a cornerstone of the regional mixed economy, and that such a mixed economy may persist as a culturally and environmentally sustainable base for the region.Key words: Hudson Bay and James Bay Lowland, Canadian subarctic, Cree, sustainable development, subsistence, wildlife, fisheriesDans le but d'aider les Cris Omushkego à planifier une stratégie de développement économique communautaire et régional qui tienne compte de l'économie traditionnelle, on a mis au point des méthodologies appropriées permettant d'enquêter sur l'importance quantitative et sur la valeur économique de la chasse et de la pêche pour la région de Mushkegowuk, dans les basses-terres de la baie d'Hudson et de la baie James. Une étude faite à l'aide d'un sondage a permis d'évaluer le nombre de prises d'animaux par les 6500 autochtones habitant les huit communautés de Moose Factory, Moosonee, New Post, Fort Albany, Kashechewan, Attawapiskat, Peawanuck et Fort Severn. Un total de 925 personnes ont été interviewées formant 56 p. cent d'un plan d'échantillonnage stratifié. Quatre espèces (l'orignal, la bernache du Canada, le caribou et la petite oie blanche) comptaient pour environ les deux tiers des prises provenant de la nature au cours de l'année 90. Le poids de ces prises était de 687 000 kg, soit l'équivalent quotidien de 402 g de viande ou de 97 g de protéine par adulte. La valeur de remplacement de la nourriture tirée de la nature dans la région était d'environ 7,8 millions de dollars en 1990. Si l'on inclut les autres produits de la nature (fourrure, bois de feu, baies), la valeur totale de l'économie traditionnelle - 9,4 millions de dollars pour la région ou 8400 dollars annuels par foyer - équivalait à environ un tiers de l'économie monétaire totale. Les résultats montrent que l'économie traditionnelle est un pilier de l'économie mixte régionale et que cette dernière peut persister en tant qu'assise durable sur le plan culturel et environnemental pour la région.Mots clés: basses-terres de la baie d’Hudson et de la baie James, subarctique canadien, Cris, développement durable, subsistance, faune, pêcherie

Perceptions of trends in Seychelles artisanal trap fisheries: comparing catch monitoring, underwater visual census and fishers' knowledge

Fisheries scientists and managers are increasingly engaging with fishers' knowledge (FK) to provide novel information and improve the legitimacy of fisheries governance. Disputes between the perceptions of fishers and scientists can generate conflicts for governance, but can also be a source of new perspectives or understandings. This paper compares artisanal trap fishers' reported current catch rates with landings data and underwater visual census (UVC). Fishers' reports of contemporary 'normal' catch per day tended to be higher than recent median landings records. However, fishers' reports of 'normal' catch per trap were not significantly different from the median CPUE calculated from landings data, and reports of 'good' and 'poor' catch rates were indicative of variability observed in landings data. FK, landings and UVC data all gave different perspectives of trends over a ten-year period. Fishers' perceptions indicated greater declines than statistical models fitted to landings data, while UVC evidence for trends varied between sites and according to the fish assemblage considered. Divergence in trend perceptions may have resulted from differences in the spatial, temporal or taxonomic focus of each dataset. Fishers may have experienced and understood behavioural changes and increased fishing power, which may have obscured declines from landings data. Various psychological factors affect memory and recall, and may have affected these memory-based estimates of trends, while different assumptions underlying the analysis of both interview data and conventional scientific data could also have led to qualitatively different trend perceptions. Differing perspectives from these three data sources illustrate both the potential for 'cognitive conflicts' between stakeholders who do not rely on the same data sources, as well as the importance of multiple information sources to understand dynamics of fisheries. Collaborative investigation of such divergence may facilitate learning and improve fisheries governance

Precise half-life measurement of the 10 h isomer in 154Tb

The precise knowledge of the half-life of the reaction product is of crucial importance for a nuclear reaction cross section measurement carried out with the activation technique. The cross section of the 151Eu(alpha,n)154Tb reaction has been measured recently using the activation method, however, the half-life of the 10 h isomer in 154Tb has a relatively high uncertainty and ambiguous values can be found in the literature. Therefore, the precise half-life of the isomeric state has been measured and found to be 9.994 h +- 0.039 h. With careful analysis of the systematic errors, the uncertainty of this half-life value has been significantly reduced.Comment: Accepted for publication in Nuclear Physics