Conservation Of Marine Environment Research Articles

Blue Economics in Islamic Economics Perspective: Fiqh Bi’ah Approach

This research explores the implementation of the blue economy in various Islamic countries, focusing on marine resource production and environmental conservation efforts. Conceptually, the blue economy aligns with the principles of fiqh bi'ah, which emphasize preserving natural resources while ensuring their sustainable use. The study employs an exploratory qualitative approach, using a comprehensive literature review of sources from predominantly Muslim countries such as Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, and the Maldives. Sources were selected based on their relevance to blue economy practices, Islamic environmental ethics, and sustainable development in fisheries and aquaculture. The findings indicate that the fisheries sector significantly contributes to economic growth but needs to be balanced with marine ecosystem conservation. Both capture fisheries and aquaculture production have the potential to enhance economic growth, while improvements in international fisheries trade are also crucial. By applying the principles of fiqh bi'ah, these countries can balance economic growth while ensuring marine environmental sustainability and compliance with Islamic values. The study concludes that integrating Islamic environmental principles into blue economy strategies can support long-term sustainability while fostering economic resilience.

The Portofino Promontory: 200 Years of History of Marine Biology

This paper outlines the history of scientific research developed in the Portofino Promontory, located in the centre of the Ligurian Sea. The chronicles span over two centuries, from the late 18th century to the present day. Portofino is now recognised as one of the best-known areas in the world regarding marine biological communities and their temporal dynamics, particularly in relation to current climate changes. In addition, since 1999, with the establishment of the Marine Protected Area, significant research related to marine environment conservation has developed in Portofino. The role of the University of Genoa, the Natural History Museum, other important institutions, and the researchers involved in the Portofino area has been outlined.

Chairman's Report on Symposium: "Antifouling Biocides and Conservation of Marine Environment"

Chairman's Report on Symposium: "Antifouling Biocides and Conservation of Marine Environment"

Foreword for Special Issue "Antifouling Biocides and Conservation of Marine Environment"

Foreword for Special Issue "Antifouling Biocides and Conservation of Marine Environment"

Aquatic Biomaterial Repositories: Comprehensive Guidelines, Recommendations, and Best Practices for Their Development, Establishment, and Sustainable Operation.

The alarming pace of species extinction severely threatens terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, undermining the crucial ecological services vital for environmental sustainability and human well-being. Anthropogenic activities, such as urbanization, agriculture, industrialization, and those inducing climate change, intensify these risks, further imperiling biodiversity. Of particular importance are aquatic organisms, pivotal in biodiscovery and biotechnology. They contribute significantly to natural product chemistry, drug development, and various biotechnological applications. To safeguard these invaluable resources, establishing and maintaining aquatic biomaterial repositories (ABRs) is imperative. This review explores the complex landscape of ABRs, emphasizing the need for standardized procedures from collection to distribution. It identifies key legislative and regulatory frameworks, such as the Nagoya Protocol and EU directives, essential for ensuring responsible and equitable biorepository operations. Drawing on extensive literature and database searches, this study compiles existing recommendations and practices into a cohesive framework with which to guide the establishment and sustainable management of ABRs. Through collaborative efforts and adherence to best practices, ABRs can play a transformative role in the future of marine biotechnology and environmental conservation.

Habitat distinctness doesn't influence on the abundance and relative growth of the juveniles Atherinella brasiliensis (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) in a subtropical estuarine ecosystem

Shallow coastal habitats with and without vegetation may perform nursery function from distinct way for many species, raising questions about the role of vegetation on structuring nursery ground. Unfortunately, degradation and inappropriate human use of these areas associated with the lack of ecological data about fish populations can limit appropriate strategies to protect both species and habitats. In this paper we examine the nursery value of different estuarine habitats by comparing the abundance and relative growth of juveniles Atherinella brasiliensis. Fish were sampled once a month from November 2018 to October 2019 in five habitats: no vegetation close to the ocean, no vegetation close to the river, no vegetation and distant from other sampling points (control), mangrove and saltmarsh. Juveniles are present and abundant in all habitats and specimens had similar relative growth in the salt marsh, mangrove habitats and non vegetated habitats. The results indicate that estuarine habitats offers suitable conditions to A. brasiliensis in early stages of life, indicating that these sites have nursery value for juveniles of this species. Conservation and/or preservation of estuarine shallows habitats along the coast is important for A. brasiliensis and probably for other species, and the identification of priority areas could help to provide subsidies to management policies on conservation of coastal marine environments.

Assessing the impact of an integrated educational program on Greek students' knowledge about coastal lagoons and attitudes towards marine environment conservation

The primary objective of this study is to contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of seas by promoting Ocean Literacy. It investigates the impact of an educational program on Greek primary and secondary public school students' knowledge about coastal lagoons and attitudes towards marine environment conservation. An educational resource titled “Exploring the Coastal Lagoons” was developed to facilitate the non-formal educational intervention. The program involved classroom, fieldwork/outdoor and laboratory activities, focusing on enhancing understanding of coastal lagoons' abiotic and biotic characteristics and human interconnection. Results showed improved knowledge and slightly more positive attitudes after the didactic intervention. The study underlines the effectiveness of targeted educational interventions in marine sciences, suggesting that non-formal educational settings influence student outcomes more than family or informal sources. Younger students appeared more adaptable and responsive to educational stimuli. The study advocates for refined educational strategies integrating cognitive and emotional elements, emphasizing real nature experience.

Towards Sustainable Management of Beach-Cast Seagrass in Mediterranean Coastal Areas

Marine environmental conservation and tourist exploitation are often in conflict, particularly where anthropogenic pressure is greatest, such as along the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea. A case in point is the accumulation of beach-cast seagrass, a typical feature of the Mediterranean Sea that is nowadays perceived as an “obstacle” to tourist activities and thus treated and removed as waste, leading to environmental impacts. In this paper, we analyzed the legislative context at the Mediterranean basin level and the contribution of twenty virtuous research projects related to the topic. In our opinion, the main benefits for the beach–dune ecosystem would be generated by the use of seagrass banquettes directly within the beach system (temporary displacement, creating beach walkways, dune consolidation), while their uses outside the beach system (agricultural and farm solutions—compost and bedding) should be considered as alternative solutions for a circular economy, in case of consistent biomass deposits along the shores. In this perspective, we support the “Ecological Beach” model which integrates most of the science-derived solutions addressed in this study. This model provides good practices that can be usefully spread and shared along Mediterranean coasts: to achieve this result, it is necessary to create a regional or Mediterranean network involving local communities and stakeholders.

Assessing the Benthic Ecological Quality in the Intertidal Zone of Cheonsu Bay, Korea, Using Multiple Biotic Indices

With the growing global focus on marine environmental conservation and management, it is imperative to evaluate the ecological quality of marine ecosystems accurately. In this study, we employed seven biotic indices, namely the AZTI marine biotic index (AMBI), BENTIX, benthic opportunistic polychaetes amphipods index (BOPA), benthic pollution index (BPI), multivariate AZTI marine biotic index (M-AMBI), abundance biomass comparison (W-value), and Shannon diversity index (H’), to assess the benthic ecological quality in the intertidal zone of Cheonsu Bay, South Korea. Except for the H’ and W-value, the indices (AMBI, BENTIX, BOPA, BPI, and M-AMBI) suggest that the ecological quality at most stations in the intertidal zone of Cheonsu Bay was acceptable. Furthermore, the influx of a large amount of eutrophic freshwater has impacted the intertidal zone of Cheonsu Bay, but the applicability of the seven biotic indices requires further investigation.

Investigating seasonal metal impact on Stramonita haemastoma gastropod along the Algerian East Coast: Understanding through various pollution indicators

The main objective of this study was to assess the impact of environmental pollution on the gastropod Stramonita haemastoma by examining various physiological and biochemical parameters. Trace metal elements (TME) were measured in the snail's foot. Over a one-year period from 2013 to 2014, the study investigated the variations in reduced glutathione, malondialdehyde, metallothionein, glutathione S-transferase, acetylcholinesterase and catalase activities in the foot of the gastropod at three different sites. The results showed spatiotemporal fluctuations in biomarkers, physiological parameters and TME. This integrative approach, being the first of its kind in the region using S. haemastoma as a model organism, represents a means of environmental assessment accessible to all countries allowing the monitoring and conservation of coastal marine environments on a national and international scale and which could be used in marine biomonitoring programs to indicate the impact of pollution and assess the quality of the Algerian coastal marine environment.

Ocean Governance and Marine Environmental Conservation: Concepts, Principles and Institutions

Ocean Governance and Marine Environmental Conservation: Concepts, Principles and Institutions

The heat is on: sensitivity of goldsinny wrasse to global climate change.

Unsustainable harvesting practices have drastically reduced fish populations globally and developments in aquaculture have increased. Unexpectedly, Atlantic salmon farming caused the opening of a new fishery in northern European countries, where previously unharvested mesopredatory species, like the goldsinny wrasse (Ctenolabrus rupestris), are captured for use as cleaner fish in pens along the coast and fjords. The goldsinny wrasse is widespread in coastal areas where it plays an ecologically important role as a predator of small invertebrates. Since climate change effects are particularly pronounced in coastal waters, it becomes urgent to understand how fish like the goldsinny will respond to global climate change, including the increasing frequency and intensity of marine heatwaves (MHWs), ocean freshening (OF) and ocean acidification (OA). To address this, we conducted a multi-stressor experiment exposing adult goldsinny to each stressor individually, as well as to all three combined. The results indicated that the goldsinny is highly affected by MHWs and extremely sensitive to a multi-stressor environment, with 34% and 53% mortality, respectively. Additionally, exposure to a MHW event, OF and multi-stressor conditions affected fish metabolism, with the highest standard metabolic- and maximum metabolic-oxygen consumption rates observed for the MHW treatment. Increases in oxidized glutathione (GSSG) and percent oxidized glutathione (% GSSG) in the livers, indicative of oxidative stress, were also seen in the MHW, OF and multi-stressor treatments. As a single stressor, OA showed no significant impacts on the measured parameters. This information is important for conservation of coastal marine environments, given the species' important role in shallow-water habitats and for management of goldsinny or other mesopredatory fish harvested in coastal ecosystems. The sensitivity of the goldsinny wrasse to future stressors is of concern, and any potential reductions in abundance as a result of climate change may lead to cascade effects with ecosystem-wide consequences.

Estimation of seafloor burrow length and inclination using underwater ultrasound

There are many benthic organisms on the seafloor. Then, Some benthic organisms form burrows beneath the seafloor. These burrows have a considerable influence on the surrounding environment providing shelter for symbionts other than the main organisms and promoting water circulation in seafloor sediments. Therefore, the investigation of the burrow morphology of benthic organisms can be valid for marine environment conservation. Several methods already exist that can estimate the burrow shape and the organisms within the burrows. However, there is a need for a method suitable for screening surveys to measure many burrows. In this study, a novel method to estimate the morphology of the burrow interior, such as the total length and slope, using underwater ultrasound was proposed. By using this method, it is expected to enable quick and nondestructive measurement of the internal conditions of a burrow. This paper discusses the feasibility of using the proposed method to estimate the length and inclination of the burrow based on the results of laboratory experiments and field surveys. It was confirmed that the inclination angle and the length of the actual burrow can be accurately estimated on the order of 4 deg. and up to 18 cm, respectively.

Predation of the invasive green crab Carcinus maenas on the edible snail Buccinastrum deforme, targeted as the most important nearshore marine gastropod fishery from Patagonia, Argentina

Biological invasions constitute one of the main problems for the conservation of marine environments and are among the major causes of biodiversity reduction. The green crabs, Carcinus maenas was first reported on the Patagonian Argentinean coast in 2003 and has rapidly spread northwards along the coast. In 2018, many empty shells of the edible gastropod Buccinastrum deforme were observed at the shoreline, showing scars compatible with those caused by crab-crushing predations. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of C. maenas on the edible gastropod B. deforme, a species of great fishing importance in Patagonia, Argentina. In order to characterize the green crab’s predatory marking patterns observed on the shell of B. deforme, aquarium experiments were conducted. At the same time, field sampling census of shells stranded in the intertidal zone were carried out in three different sites where high densities of B. deforme were previously recorded. Empty shells showing the characterized marking patterns were used as an indicator of predation and were randomly collected from the intertidal to quantify the frequency of each type of predatory mark. Additionally, the abundance of snails and crabs was estimated using baited traps in ten sampling sites. Our results are consistent with the fact that the non-native green crab C. maenas presents a highly aggressive behavior that affects native species' abundances once established in a new environment. The most frequent pattern of predation marks was the combined crush of the apex and lip, occurring simultaneously in the same individual. A decrease in B. deforme presence was inversely proportional to the increase in C. maenas populations. This is the first work that records the impact of predation of the invasive species C. maenas on Atlantic Patagonia's sandy bottoms, which negatively affects a fragile species such as the edible snail B. deforme. The dispersal capacity of the green crab, in addition to its predatory strength and voracity, could endanger the artisanal fishery of B. deforme and induce irreversible changes in the coastal ecosystems of Atlantic Patagonia.

Recreational specialization and the marine-based conservation behaviour intention of recreational divers in Hong Kong

This study examined divers' recreational specialization, pro-environmental attitudes, and marine-based conservation behaviour intentions. A questionnaire-based data collection approach was used to survey 398 divers who visited popular diving sites in Hong Kong by employing structural equation modelling to determine the potential relationships among the proposed variables. The results showed a statistically positive relationship between divers' recreational specialization and their pro-environmental attitudes, along with a statistically valid relationship between divers' recreational specialization and their marine-based conservation behaviour intentions. However, divers' pro-environmental attitudes were not statistically significant with their marine-based conservation behaviour intentions; thus, the discrepancy regarding different research findings between the current and previous studies was further discussed. In particular, our findings confirmed that recreational specialization could be a reliable predictor of divers' pro-environmental attitudes and marine-based conservation behaviour intentions to fill the research gaps regarding scuba diving-based nature tourism in Hong Kong. Consequently, management implications and recommendations were presented in accordance with the development of marine environmental conservation and sustainable scuba diving tourism in Hong Kong.

Supporting regional co-operation in the South China Sea with an initial assessment of the data-limited skipjack tuna fishery

The 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) requires coastal states of semi-enclosed seas, like the South China Sea (SCS), to coordinate in the management and conservation of marine environments and living resources, specifically highly migratory trans-national stocks. One of the world’s top five fishing grounds, sovereignty disputes continue to bedevil joint fisheries management in the SCS. To develop new norms and standards for regional cooperation, and to support parallel domestic fisheries policymaking, scientists from China, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam overcame political constraints and data limitations, to develop a Common Fisheries Resource Analysis (CFRA) of skipjack tuna (SKJ). A valuable highly migratory species SKJ is fished extensively by SCS states, but regionally, was previously, unassessed. Applying Length-Based Spawning Potential Ratio assessment to evaluate catch size compositions within a Weight of Evidence framework, we conclude fishing targeted at adult stocks would probably be sustainable, but for the continuing intensification of fishing for juveniles. Fishing pressure is apparently eroding SCS food webs and serially depleting local stocks. We conclude, domestic policies need to be developed to halt the continuing expansion of fishing fleets, and reduce fishing pressure, particularly on juvenile fish. The challenge of policy development and implementation requires the support of international frameworks, like Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs), to regularise cooperation between government and non-government scientists of coastal states The existing Western Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) could provide that framework, unfortunately, intensifying geopolitical competition makes that extremely unlikely.

중국의 회색지대(Gray Zone) 전략과 우리 군의 대응 방안

In this article, I discuss China’s Gray Zone strategy, which involves increasing their naval power and using asymmetric tactics to become a rising maritime power. After examining this strategy, I then discuss the sources of conflict between South Korea and China, as well as our military’s response plan. The article also mentions that although South Korea and China established diplomatic relations in 1992, there are still many unresolved issues between two countries. Especially, issues such as the demarcation of the western sea border, development of the continental shelf, marine scientific research activities, and marine environmental conservation are still unresolved. Meanwhile, China is increasing its naval power and pursuing a Gray Zone strategy at sea using its Coast Guard(CCG) and Maritime Militia(PAFMM). Gray zone refers to the ambiguous middle ground between war and peace, and it refers to an indeterminate intermediate zone that does not belong to a specific area. China is pursuing a strategy that undermines the existing order by using gray zone operations in the maritime gray zones of countries with maritime territorial disputes and un-demarcated maritime boundaries in the East China Sea and South China Sea. By using non-military means, China is pursuing a “fait accompli” strategy through numerical superiority, gradualism, and repetitive activities while preventing the situation from escalating into armed conflict. China uses its Coast Guard and Maritime Militia as the main means of its gray zone strategy, which are essentially China’s second naval force and perform various missions on behalf of the People’s Liberation Army Navy. In Korea, there are many factors that cause conflicts with China in the ocean, such as the undefined Exclusive Economic Zone(EEZ) boundary and illegal fishing by Chinese vessels. China pursues a gray zone strategy to gain an advantageous position in future negotiations with Korea. Therefore, the Korean military must establish the following measures to protect its maritime interests. The response strategy below is based on a correct understanding of the gray zone strategy, which is part of China’s asymmetric strategy. First, in the event of a maritime dispute with China, governance should be established to integrate and operate available assets. Second, a cooperative system should be established to prevent accidental conflicts between Korea and China. Third, a naval forward base in the West Sea should be built to curb China’s eastward movement. Fourth, strategies should be sought to respond in conjunction with allies. Fifth, the military’s countermeasures and tactics for responding to the gray zone strategy should be developed.

Autonomous boundary inspection of Posidonia oceanica meadows using an underwater robot

Monitoring provides important information for the planning and execution of marine environment preservation operations. Posidonia oceanica is one of the principal bioindicators in Mediterranean coastal areas and regular monitoring activities play a crucial role in its conservation. However, an efficient observation of vast areas colonised with P. oceanica is extremely challenging and it currently requires tedious and time consuming diving activities. Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) endowed with optical sensors could represent a viable solution in carrying out visual inspection surveys. Nevertheless, AUVs are usually programmed to perform pre-defined trajectories, which are not effective for seagrass monitoring applications, as meadows may be fragmented and their contours may be irregular. This work proposes a framework based on machine learning and computer vision that enables an AUV equipped with a down-looking camera to autonomously inspect the boundary of P. oceanica meadows to obtain an initial estimate of the meadow size. The proposed boundary inspection solution is composed of three main modules: (1) an image segmentation relying on a Mask R-CNN model to recognise P. oceanica in underwater images, (2) a boundary tracking strategy that generates guidance references to track P. oceanica contours, (3) a loop closure detector fusing visual and navigation information to identify when a meadow boundary has been completely explored. The image segmentation model and the visual part of the loop closure detection module were validated on real underwater images. The overall inspection framework was tested in a realistic simulation environment, using mosaics obtained from real images to replicate the actual monitoring scenarios. The results show that the proposed solution enables the AUV to autonomously accomplish the boundary inspection task of P. oceanica meadows, therefore representing an effective tool towards the conservation and protection of marine environments.

China's marine economic efficiency: A meta-analysis

With the rapid growth of the global economy and the depletion of land-based resources, the demand for the ocean as a major driver of economic development is increasing. In China, the marine economy has been a significant “blue engine” for national economic growth; hence, it is crucial to evaluate marine economic efficiency to understand China's marine industry's input-output status and development level. Based on 559 independent observations presented in 49 empirical primary studies, we conducted a meta-analysis to quantitatively explore the differences in measurement results and identify the factors influencing marine economic efficiency. The notable results were fourfold. (1) Significant heterogeneity is evident among the findings of the primary studies. Based on the random-effect model, China's overall marine economic efficiency is 0.720, indicating that considerable potential remains for improving economic efficiency in the marine sector. (2) The data types, estimation methods, evaluation indicators, publication types, and publication years of primary studies significantly affect marine economic efficiency estimation results. (3) At the temporal level, marine economic efficiency generally demonstrates an upward trend with the increase in the sample data years. At the spatial level, the marine economic efficiency of the Circum Bohai Sea region is significantly higher than that of the Pan-Pearl River Delta region, whereas it does not significantly differ from the Yangtze River Delta region. (4) The level of marine science and technology, as well as the marine industry structure, exerts a significant positive impact on marine economic efficiency, whereas the gross ocean product negatively impacts marine economic efficiency. Accordingly, the following insights were obtained. In terms of marine economic development policies, policymakers should intensify scientific and technological innovation, balance marine resource use and marine environmental conservation, so that power a shift of the marine economy from resource-dependent growth to the orientation of better quality and benefit. In addition, priority must be given to the synergistic development of coastal regions and marine industry structure optimization and upgrading. Future studies should use long-term panel data, focus on using the parametric stochastic frontier analysis method, and assess negative environmental impacts by constructing a green evaluation index system.

The development of ocean governance for marine environment protection: Current legal system in Taiwan

Taiwan establishes Ocean Affairs Council (OAC) in 2018. Ocean governance has reached a new milestone. In 2019, the Ocean Basic Act was enacted. In 2020, the National Ocean Policy White Paper was published, meaning that Taiwan has specialized ocean authorities, regulations, enforcement units, and relevant mechanisms and policies. The Ocean Conservation Administration (OCA) is also responsible for marine environmental protection and conservation. To ensure good ocean governance, maintain marine resources, and protect the environment, the OCA has recently drafted the Marine Conservation Act for sustainable development. This article mainly reviews, analyzes, and compares Taiwan’s current marine-related laws and regulations and refers to the laws, policies, and mechanisms of other countries to provide suggestions on marine governance and the ongoing draft of the Marine Conservation Act.