Marine Managed Areas: What, Why, and Where

This paper, which focuses on ocean and coastal areas, explores the challenge of public participation by discussing the role of communities in IM. It draws on a decade of collaboration between academics and community partners to outline the community perspective on both the limiting factors and the opportunities, and a state-of-the-art survey of community involvement in IM, parti-cularly in the Canadian Maritimes. The paper highlights the importance of linking communities and governments, and the need to overcome the growing disconnect between the two. It also illustrates the varied experiences of local coastal communities with IM through three concrete examples. These practical examples lead to two specific out-puts: a set of fundamental IM values and attributes from a community perspective, and a four-step process for facilitating and enabling community-focused IM.The conclusion summarizes key outcomes in terms of inclusivity and active involvement of communities

Cross-node Socioeconomic and Governance Assessments of MMAs

This report is concerned with the socioeconomic and governance dimension of Marine Managed Areas (MMAs), targeting key issues that still impede the design and implementation of MMAs. It looks into the objectives of the MMAs and which types of MMAs were effective at meeting their objectives. It evaluates how socio-economic (e.g., demographics) and governance (e.g. institutional frameworks and processes) characteristics impact on management effectiveness of MMAs (e.g. are wealthy communities correlated with more or less successful MMAs?). In general, this study assesses the social, economic and governance conditions of MMAs in North America (Central America)-Belize; South America (Northeastern)-Brazil; Oceania-Fiji; South America (Northwestern)-Ecuador; and North America (Central America)-Panama; in terms of their impact on factors such as economic development, quality of life, livelihoods, environmental awareness, stakeholder participation, and policy enforcement. The results will substantially contribute to the design and implementation of other socio-economic studies as well as to the employment of more effective MMA management practices in five countries and globally

Global, regional, and national age-sex specific all-cause and cause-specific mortality for 240 causes of death, 1990-2013: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013

Background Up-to-date evidence on levels and trends for age-sex-specific all-cause and cause-specific mortality is essential for the formation of global, regional, and national health policies. In the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013 (GBD 2013) we estimated yearly deaths for 188 countries between 1990, and 2013. We used the results to assess whether there is epidemiological convergence across countries. Methods We estimated age-sex-specific all-cause mortality using the GBD 2010 methods with some refinements to improve accuracy applied to an updated database of vital registration, survey, and census data. We generally estimated cause of death as in the GBD 2010. Key improvements included the addition of more recent vital registration data for 72 countries, an updated verbal autopsy literature review, two new and detailed data systems for China, and more detail for Mexico, UK, Turkey, and Russia. We improved statistical models for garbage code redistribution. We used six different modelling strategies across the 240 causes; cause of death ensemble modelling (CODEm) was the dominant strategy for causes with sufficient information. Trends for Alzheimer's disease and other dementias were informed by meta-regression of prevalence studies. For pathogen-specific causes of diarrhoea and lower respiratory infections we used a counterfactual approach. We computed two measures of convergence (inequality) across countries: the average relative difference across all pairs of countries (Gini coefficient) and the average absolute difference across countries. To summarise broad findings, we used multiple decrement life-tables to decompose probabilities of death from birth to exact age 15 years, from exact age 15 years to exact age 50 years, and from exact age 50 years to exact age 75 years, and life expectancy at birth into major causes. For all quantities reported, we computed 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs). We constrained cause-specific fractions within each age-sex-country-year group to sum to all-cause mortality based on draws from the uncertainty distributions. Findings Global life expectancy for both sexes increased from 65·3 years (UI 65·0-65·6) in 1990, to 71·5 years (UI 71·0-71·9) in 2013, while the number of deaths increased from 47·5 million (UI 46·8-48·2) to 54·9 million (UI 53·6-56·3) over the same interval. Global progress masked variation by age and sex: for children, average absolute differences between countries decreased but relative differences increased. For women aged 25-39 years and older than 75 years and for men aged 20-49 years and 65 years and older, both absolute and relative differences increased. Decomposition of global and regional life expectancy showed the prominent role of reductions in age-standardised death rates for cardiovascular diseases and cancers in high-income regions, and reductions in child deaths from diarrhoea, lower respiratory infections, and neonatal causes in low-income regions. HIV/AIDS reduced life expectancy in southern sub-Saharan Africa. For most communicable causes of death both numbers of deaths and age-standardised death rates fell whereas for most non-communicable causes, demographic shifts have increased numbers of deaths but decreased age-standardised death rates. Global deaths from injury increased by 10·7%, from 4·3 million deaths in 1990 to 4·8 million in 2013; but age-standardised rates declined over the same period by 21%. For some causes of more than 100 000 deaths per year in 2013, age-standardised death rates increased between 1990 and 2013, including HIV/AIDS, pancreatic cancer, atrial fibrillation and flutter, drug use disorders, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and sickle-cell anaemias. Diarrhoeal diseases, lower respiratory infections, neonatal causes, and malaria are still in the top five causes of death in children younger than 5 years. The most important pathogens are rotavirus for diarrhoea and pneumococcus for lower respiratory infections. Country-specific probabilities of death over three phases of life were substantially varied between and within regions. Interpretation For most countries, the general pattern of reductions in age-sex specific mortality has been associated with a progressive shift towards a larger share of the remaining deaths caused by non-communicable disease and injuries. Assessing epidemiological convergence across countries depends on whether an absolute or relative measure of inequality is used. Nevertheless, age-standardised death rates for seven substantial causes are increasing, suggesting the potential for reversals in some countries. Important gaps exist in the empirical data for cause of death estimates for some countries; for example, no national data for India are available for the past decade. Funding Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Economic analysis of stake and rack-hanging methods of farming oysters (Crassostrea iredalei) in the Philippines

The cost efficiency of stake and rack-hanging methods of farming oysters are compared. Annual costs and returns data for both methods were obtained from a socioeconomic survey conducted in 1991 at the Aquaculture Department of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC/AQD). On average, 14 kg m−2 (shell-on) and 22 kg m−2 (shell-on) were produced using the stake and rack-hanging methods, respectively. The translog cost function for 58 oyster farms was estimated using iterative seemingly unrelated regression (SUR). Statistical analysis indicates that the higher production from the rack-hanging method is significantly different (α=0.10) from the production using the stake method. The cost-efficient method varied based on production levels. At output levels less that 9044 kg (shell-on), the rack-hanging method had lower average cost per unit, and for higher production levels the stake method had the lower average costs. Similar conclusions were drawn from the marginal cost analysis. Results imply when production is less than 9044 kg, then the most efficient technology is the rack-hanging method and if production is greater than 9044 kg, the most efficient method is the stake method

Growth rate, yield and economics of Gracilariopsis bailinae (Gracilariales, Rhodophyta) using fixed bottom long-line method

Vegetative thalli of Gracilariopsis bailinae weighing 10 g each were tied to a 5-m monofilament line with plastic strips and laid horizontally on the substrate and were observed to grow at 30 d interval for 9 months. The monthly growth rate and yield were determined and a cost and return analysis of the culture system was made. The monthly growth rate of the seaweed was significantly different (P=0.05) over culture month. The highest average growth rate was 6.7 percent/day while the lowest was 1.7 percent. The lowest and highest average yield (dry wt) was 72 g and 660 g m-2 mo-1, respectively. A capital asset of P1,680, working capital of P2,980, and annual production cost of P5,860 were calculated from the culture system. An annual net returns of P31,292 was computed based on a 1,000 m2 area. Return on investment is 671.50 percent while payback period is 1.7 months

An ultrasonic-based speed sensing system with automatic image-capture using a camera

This thesis is aimed at measuring the speed of cars and if it exceeds the prescribed speed, it would capture an image of the car which violated the speed limit. Nowadays over speeding vehicles can be a cause for accidents and can often be fatal to man. These drivers tend to become reckless because they are not apprehended and eventually repeat the same infraction. Several devices were invented or developed to determine those automobiles that surpass the maximum allowable velocity. There were the speed guns and others that utilize microwave technology but is too costly to build. Instead of the policeman running after or chasing the offender, the traffic enforcers would just wait for the picture of the violator (car) and give him/her the violation when he/she registers the car once again. There is no escape with the offender denying the accusation because there is a captured image which came along with the citation which proves that he/she violated the law on over speeding

Are mangroves worth replanting? The direct economic benefits of a community-based reforestation project

Competition for coastal land use and overexploitation have reduced or degraded mangrove coverage throughout much of their distribution, especially in South-east Asia. Timber production was the initial motivation for early mangrove reforestation projects. More recently, benefits from protection against erosion and extreme weather events and direct improvements in livelihoods and food security are perceived as justifications for such restoration efforts. This study examines the socioeconomic impacts of a community-led reforestation project in the Philippines through a survey of the local fishers. Revenues from mangrove fisheries, tourism and timber result in an annual benefit to the community of US$ 315 ha−1 yr−1. This figure is likely to be considerably more if the contribution of the mangrove to the coastal catch of mangrove-associated species is included. This estimate only includes direct benefits to the community from mangroves, and not intangible benefits such as coastal protection, which paradoxically is perceived by the community as one of the most important functions. More than 90% of all fishers, regardless of where they fished, thought the mangrove provided protection from storms and typhoons and acted as a nursery site and should be protected. Those fishing only in the mangrove perceived more benefits from the mangrove and were prepared to pay more to protect it than those fishing outside. This study concludes that replanting mangroves can have a significant economic impact on the lives of coastal communities. Acknowledgement of the value of replanted mangroves compared with other coastal activities and the benefits they bring to the more economically-vulnerable coastal dwellers should support better informed policy and decision-making with regard to coastal habitat restoration.This research was supported by the European Commission, INCO-DEV contract no. ICA4-CT-2001–10022. We gratefully acknowledge the help of KASAMA, particularly Attorney Allen Quimpo, USWAG, the communities of Old and New Buswang, Pook, Andagao and Bakaw Sur, Ignacio Sequeiros (for database management) and Jan Hiddink (statistical advice). This manuscript was greatly improved by the comments of the anonymous reviewers