Impact of herring spawning behaviour on acoustic abundance estimates

Spawning dynamics of Norwegian spring spawning herring was studied in south western Norway 29 March to 3 April 2000 using hydroacoustics. The horizontal distribution of the spawning layers shifted in a south-easterly direction during the study period indicating directional spawning. A diurnal spawning pattern was found, with layers of spawning herring recorded at night from 18 to 24 UTC (= local time - 2 hours), few herring recordings during the night from 24 to 06, and most herring recorded pelagically during the day. Recorded fish density was highest in the period 15 to 18 and lowest from 21 to 03, and schools staying pelagically had higher density than bottom layers. The observed behaviours are likely to influence acoustic abundance estimates, particularly when surveying during the night towards the end of the spawning season

Spatial and temporal overlap and trophic interactions between Atlantic Saithe (Pollachius virens) and Norwegian spring spawning herring (Clupea harengus) on herring spawning grounds

Atlantic saithe (Pollachius virens) and Norwegian spring-spawning herring (Clupea harengus) represent two of the most abundant and ecologically important fish species in the Northeast Atlantic. The two species co-occur in the Vesterålen/Lofoten area during the wintering of herring, but the temporal and spatial overlap between species in different scales as well as their trophic interactions is otherwise largely unknown. Saithe is a potentially important predator on herring. In the present study we found the commercial catches of saithe off western Norway to be closely related to the migration of herring into the coastal spawning grounds, indicating that saithe follow the high concentrations of migrating herring. Acoustic surveys within a defined study area demonstrated that the species overlapped spatially and temporarily. Degree of overlap varied both diurnally and with the maturity status of the herring (pre-spawning, spawning or spent). Concurrent catches of saithe and herring from trawling and gillnets supported an overlap also on the meso-scale. Observations on more fine-scaled behaviour obtained from an underwater rig with highsensity cameras positioned in high-density areas of herring demonstrated that the distribution and behaviour of herring and saithe was closely linked to the diel light cycle and spawning of herring. When looking at the actual outcome of the interactions between the species on a kind of temporally, integrated spatial microscale, it was observed that stomachs of large saithe (>50 cm) on average contained 2–3 herring, while the stomachs of smaller saithe were filled with herring eggs. This suggests a considerable predation pressure by saithe on different life stages of herring

Thinking about going to the dentist: a Contemplation Ladder to assess dentally-avoidant individuals' readiness to go to a dentist

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Transtheoretical Model suggests that individuals vary according to their readiness to change behavior. Previous work in smoking cessation and other health areas suggests that interventions are more successful when they are tailored to an individual's stage of change with regards to the specific behavior. We report on the performance of a single-item measure ("Ladder") to assess the readiness to change dental-avoidant behavior.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>An existing Contemplation Ladder for assessing stage of change in smoking cessation was modified to assess readiness to go to a dentist. The resulting Ladder was administered to samples of English-speaking adolescents (USA), Spanish-speaking adults (USA), and Norwegian military recruits (Norway) in order to assess construct validity. The Ladder was also administered to a sample of English-speaking avoidant adolescents and young adults who were enrolled in an intervention study (USA) in order to assess criterion validity. All participants also had dental examinations, and completed other questionnaires. Correlations, chi square, t tests and one-way ANOVAs were used to assess relationships between variables.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In two samples, participants who do not go to the dentist had significantly more teeth with caries; in a third sample, participants who do not go to the dentist had significantly worse caries. Ladder scores were not significantly related to age, gender, caries, or dental fear. However, Ladder scores were significantly related to statements of intention to visit a dentist in the future and the importance of oral health. In a preliminary finding, Ladder scores at baseline also predicted whether or not the participants decided to go to a dentist in the intervention sample.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The data provide support for the convergent and divergent construct validity of the Ladder, and preliminary support for its criterion validity. The lack of relationship between dental fear and Ladder scores suggests that avoidant individuals may be helped to decide to go to a dentist using interventions which do not explicitly target their fear.</p

Dental anxiety and dental attendance among 25-year-olds in Norway: time trends from 1997 to 2007

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>So far, there are few studies considering the development of dental anxiety and dental attendance patterns across time in the general population of Norwegian adults. This study aimed to 1) determine the frequency of dental anxiety and regular dental attendance among 25-year-olds in Norway in 1997 and 2007, 2) to study the development (time trend) of dental anxiety and the socio-behavioral distribution of dental anxiety from 1997 to 2007.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>Random samples of 1,190 and 8,000 25-yr-olds were drawn from the populations of three counties in Western Norway in 1997 and 2007, respectively. The eligible participants received questionnaires by mail including questions on socio-demographics, dental anxiety (DAS) and dental attendance.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In 1997, 11.5% males versus 23% females reported high dental anxiety (DAS ≥ 13). Corresponding figures in 2007 were 11.3% and 19.8%. The proportions who had attended yearly for a dental check-up during the past 5 years fell from 62% in 1997 (men 56.9% and women 66.4%) to 44.6% (men 38.1% and women 48.6%) in 2007. After controlling for potential confounding factors, the 25-year-olds were 1.4 times more likely to report dental anxiety in 1997 compared to 2007. The decrease was largely attributable to a lower mean DAS score among higher educated females in 2007 than in 1997. The discrepancy in dental anxiety between regular and non-regular dental attendees had decreased, largely attributable to a decline in dental anxiety among irregular dental attendees.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The study showed reduced dental anxiety and dental attendance among 25 year-olds in Norway from 1997 to 2007. This study points to the importance of controlling for possible changes in socio-demographic distributions when different cohorts are compared.</p

Advice on fishing opportunities for Barents Sea capelin in 2024 — ICES subareas 1 and 2 excluding Division 2.a west of 5°W

publishedVersio

Advice on fishing opportunities for Barents Sea capelin in 2024 — ICES subareas 1 and 2 excluding Division 2.a west of 5°W

Source at https://www.hi.no/hi/nettrapporter

Highly mixed impacts of near-future climate change on stock productivity proxies in the North East Atlantic

Impacts of climate change on ocean productivity sustaining world fisheries are predominantly negative but vary greatly among regions. We assessed how 39 fisheries resources—ranging from data-poor to data-rich stocks—in the North East Atlantic are most likely affected under the intermediate climate emission scenario RCP4.5 towards 2050. This region is one of the most productive waters in the world but subjected to pronounced climate change, especially in the northernmost part. In this climate impact assessment, we applied a hybrid solution combining expert opinions (scorings)—supported by an extensive literature review—with mechanistic approaches, considering stocks in three different large marine ecosystems, the North, Norwegian and Barents Seas. This approach enabled calculation of the directional effect as a function of climate exposure and sensitivity attributes (life-history schedules), focusing on local stocks (conspecifics) across latitudes rather than the species in general. The resulting synopsis (50–82°N) contributes substantially to global assessments of major fisheries (FAO, The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture, 2020), complementing related studies off northeast United States (35–45°N) (Hare et al., PLoS One, 2016, 11, e0146756) and Portugal (37–42°N) (Bueno-Pardo et al., Scientific Reports, 2021, 11, 2958). Contrary to prevailing fisheries forecasts elsewhere, we found that most assessed stocks respond positively. However, the underlying, extensive environmental clines implied that North East Atlantic stocks will develop entirely different depending upon the encountered stressors: cold-temperate stocks at the southern and Arctic stocks at the northern fringes appeared severely negatively impacted, whereas warm-temperate stocks expanding from south were found to do well along with cold-temperate stocks currently inhabiting below-optimal temperatures in the northern subregion.publishedVersio

Odontologisk atferdsfag. Målbeskrivelse og evaluering av undervisningen i Bergen

Erik Skaret (Det odontologiske fakultet) har lagd en detaljert målbeskrivelse for odontologisk atferdsfag, og har utført en evaluering blant lærerne på om studentene har gode nok holdninger, ferdigheter og kunnskaper når det gjelder å ivareta pasientene som personer. Evalueringen viser at temaer knyttet til atferdsfag i for liten grad er inkorporert i de enkelte fagområdenes undervisning

Do public health nurses in Norway promote information on oral health?

Background (i) to describe oral health counselling in Norway to parents with infants and toddlers, ii) to assess existing collaboration and routines in oral health matters between nurses and personnel in the PDS, iii) to evaluate to what extent oral health was integrated in the basic educational curriculum of public health nurses. Methods This study was based on two separate surveys: the sample of Study I was 98 randomly selected child health clinics. A questionnaire covering oral health promotion counselling of parents with young children was returned by 259 nurses. Study II was a telephone survey addressing teachers of public health nurses at the eight educational institutions in Norway. Results The response rate in Study I was 45%. Nutrition (breast feeding, diet) was the health subject most often prioritized in the counselling targeting parents of young children (by 60% of the nurses). Oral health was not among the first priority counselling subjects. The subject was seldom spontaneously mentioned by parents. Seventy percent of respondents reported (agreed or totally agreed) that they managed to provide information parents needed and 72% believed that the information they gave influenced parents' health behaviours. Seven nurses (5.2%) responded that they agreed with the statement that the information they gave only slightly influenced parents' health behaviour. Lack of time was mentioned as being a problem. Approximately half of the nurses (48%) had regular contact with the PDS for the 0-3 year-old children, but only a quarter of the nurses claimed that children's teeth were routinely examined at the child clinics. Some forms of previously established contact with the PDS enhanced the likelihood of nurses' referrals. Oral health was a minor part of the educational curriculum for public health nurses; at three institutions, the subject was totally absent. Conclusion Collaboration between nurses and the PDS in Norway could be improved. Oral health should have a bigger place in the basic educational curriculum