Exploitation Of Aquatic Resources Research Articles

Human consumption of seaweed and freshwater aquatic plants in ancient Europe

During the Mesolithic in Europe, there is widespread evidence for an increase in exploitation of aquatic resources. In contrast, the subsequent Neolithic is characterised by the spread of farming, land ownership, and full sedentism, which lead to the perception of marine resources subsequently representing marginal or famine food or being abandoned altogether even at the furthermost coastal limits of Europe. Here, we examine biomarkers extracted from human dental calculus, using sequential thermal desorption- and pyrolysis-GCMS, to report direct evidence for widespread consumption of seaweed and submerged aquatic and freshwater plants across Europe. Notably, evidence of consumption of these resources extends through the Neolithic transition to farming and into the Early Middle Ages, suggesting that these resources, now rarely eaten in Europe, only became marginal much more recently. Understanding ancient foodstuffs is crucial to reconstructing the past, while a better knowledge of local, forgotten resources is likewise important today.

Evolution of regulations in the field of fisheries, protection and use of natural aquatic biological resources

The fishing regulatory measures that have been applied over the years in the Republic of Moldova in natural ecosystems have not always been effective - either through the faulty organization of the exploitation of fish resources, non-compliance with the fishing regime, failure to assess the state of fish resources, the ineffectiveness of ameliorative measures etc., or through the imperfection of the normative framework. In this paper, for the first time, an analysis of the existing normative acts in the field of protection of aquatic biological resources in the Republic of Moldova is made in historical and content terms. Also, an attempt was made to harmoniously integrate the scientific results from the field of ichthyology into that of environmental law. Following the multi-systemic approach of the existing normative framework in the field of exploitation and protection of aquatic biological resources, scientifically argued recommendations and proposals were submitted to improve the legislation in the field.

Community-Driven Insights into Fish Assemblage, Microhabitats, and Management Strategies in the Meghna River Basin of Bangladesh

The present study aimed to delve into the local ecological knowledge of fisheries in the Meghna River Basin (MRB) of Bangladesh by exploring the insights and perspectives of local communities. A survey was administered among six fishing communities from five districts along the MRB between August 2015 and January 2016 to accumulate data for this study. The study sites were selected meticulously based on three crucial criteria: upstream river, coastal area, and fish sanctuaries, which covered three major rivers, namely the Meghna, Andharmanik, and Payra. The study employed participatory rural appraisal (PRA) tools, including 120 individual interviews using purposive sampling, 25 focus group discussions, and 36 key informant interviews. The study identified the ten most frequently caught fish species along with their temporal and spatial variation as reported by the respondents. Nine of these species fell into the least concern category, which indicate their stable population status. Meanwhile, six out of ten species cited as highly caught in the previous one to two decades belong to the threatened or near-threatened category. Findings also reveal that fishers are able to recognize important microhabitats of the study area and their significance for fish species. In addition, fishers identified the negative drivers of ecosystem degradation as well as suggested several management measures to address these challenges. The results of this study underscore the critical role of engaging with local communities and integrating their ecological knowledge into initiatives for the sustainable exploitation and conservation of aquatic resources in the MRB.

Bioactive Molecules from Marine Diatoms and Their Value for the Nutraceutical Industry.

The search for novel sources of nutrients is among the basic goals for achievement of sustainable progress. In this context, microalgae are relevant organisms, being rich in high-value compounds and able to grow in open ponds or photobioreactors, thus enabling profitable exploitation of aquatic resources. Microalgae, a huge taxon containing photosynthetic microorganisms living in freshwater, as well as in brackish and marine waters, typically unicellular and eukaryotic, include green algae (Chlorophyceae), red algae (Rhodophyceae), brown algae (Phaeophyceae) and diatoms (Bacillariophyceae). In recent decades, diatoms have been considered the most sustainable sources of nutrients for humans with respect to other microalgae. This review focuses on studies exploring their bio-pharmacological activities when relevant for human disease prevention and/or treatment. In addition, we considered diatoms and their extracts (or purified compounds) when relevant for specific nutraceutical applications.

Settlement and the exploitation of aquatic resources in the Eastern Lower Papaloapan Basin, Veracruz, Mexico

Research conducted since 2003 in and around the regional center of Tres Zapotes, Veracruz documents the importance of aquatic resources and transportation routes for subsistence and settlement over more than two millennia. Systematic archaeological survey over more than 400 km2 in the surrounding Eastern Lower Papaloapan Basin details a persistent focus of major settlements on streams and other bodies of water that would have provided an abundance of food and opportunities for water-born transport. Excavations at Tres Zapotes further indicate that exploitation of aquatic fauna was a significant component of a mixed subsistence strategy for the Olmec and Epi-Olmec inhabitants of the site, who obtained fish, turtles, and waterfowl from streams, lakes, estuaries and coastal marine environments over a range extending no less than 20 km from the center. Artifact inventories and landscape features further suggest an associated subsistence technology that included weighted nets and retention ponds in seasonally flooded areas.

Методичні підходи до збору інформації щодо оцінки інтенсивності любительського рибальства

Purpose. Based on authors’ materials, to develop an original method of collecting and processing information to determine the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of recreational fishing in water bodies of Ukraine. Methodology. The work is based on the quantitative and qualitative analysis of ichthyological material obtained from anglers’ catches in the Kakhovka, Dnipro (Zaporizhzhia), Kamianske, Pechenezhsky reservoirs and their tributaries in different seasons of 2003–2022. Data collection and processing were carried out according to generally accepted methods. The statistical material was processed using MS Excel. Findings. Based on the analysis of modern recreational fishing as a factor affecting the structural and functional characteristics of ichthyofauna, the main trends of studies for the development of measures for the regulation of this type of nature use have been determined. Methodological recommendations have been prepared for the collection of factual data on the parameters of recreational fishing in water bodies of Ukraine. An approach to determining the parameters characterizing the visitation of the reservoir by recreational fishermen, species composition and quantitative characteristics of catches has been proposed. Typical forms of information collection have been proposed. Originality. For the first time for Ukraine, an original method of collecting and processing information for the assessment of qualitative and quantitative parameters of recreational fishing has been developed. Practical value. The proposed methodological approaches will be used to record the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of recreational fishing in water bodies of Ukraine both by scientists and by bodies implementing the state policy in the field of protection and exploitation of aquatic biological resources.

Results of ichthyological studies at the Cherepetsky reservoir in 2021

Based on the materials of scientific monitoring at the Cherepetsky reservoir in the Tula region, the composition of the fish population at the present stage is given. The places of mass spawning and wintering of the main fish species were also identified. Wintering pits are located in the dam part of the reservoir, as well as downstream along the watershed dam. The places of mass spawning are located in the upper (river) part of the reservoir, as well as in the area of the village of Tsentralny. The materials were the results of hydro acoustic and grid surveys at the Cherepetsky reservoir in 2021. Ichthyological studies have not been carried out on this reservoir since 2013. According to the results of research surveys in 2021, with the use of the order of the set nets, a small variety of ichthyofauna was recorded — eight species of fish. According to the research results, a reduction in the species composition of fish was recorded. Natural fish productivity decreased from 140 kg/ha to 90 kg/ha. Reduction of natural fish productivity and absence of thermophilic fish species in catches (white carp, white and black cupids) most likely it is connected with the modernization of the Cherepetskaya GRES. Due to the lack of industrial fishing at the Cherepetsky reservoir, the exploitation of aquatic biological resources can be called irrational.To improve and develop the water body, it is recommended to carry out reclamation measures, the introduction of herbivorous (white and black Amur) and predatory fish (pike) and their protection.

Cost-Benefit Trade-Offs of Aquatic Resource Exploitation in the Context of Hominin Evolution

While the exploitation of aquatic fauna and flora has been documented in several primate species to date, the evolutionary contexts and mechanisms behind the emergence of this behavior in both human and non-human primates remain largely overlooked. Yet, this issue is particularly important for our understanding of human evolution, as hominins represent not only the primate group with the highest degree of adaptedness to aquatic environments, but also the only group in which true coastal and maritime adaptations have evolved. As such, in the present study we review the available literature on primate foraging strategies related to the exploitation of aquatic resources and their putative associated cognitive operations. We propose that aquatic resource consumption in extant primates can be interpreted as a highly site-specific behavioral expression of a generic adaptive foraging decision-making process, emerging in sites at which the local cost-benefit trade-offs contextually favor aquatic over terrestrial foods. Within this framework, we discuss the potential impacts that the unique intensification of this behavior in hominins may have had on the evolution of the human brain and spatial ecology.

Strontium isotope analysis in prehistoric cod otoliths by laser ablation multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Exploitation of aquatic resources, especially fishing, was a fundamental part of human subsistence during the Late Mesolithic Ertebølle culture (5400–4000/3900 cal BC) in Southern Scandinavia. In this pilot study we examine three cod otoliths from two Late Mesolithic locations in eastern Denmark to see whether local environmental conditions are reflected in the strontium ratios of the fish, to source the fish to either the Atlantic or the Baltic Sea and finally, to explore how fishing was conducted in relation to the settlements. We used laser ablation multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for sequential sampling of the otoliths for strontium isotope analysis. All three otoliths yielded 87Sr/86Sr values that fall within the range of Baltic Sea water, thus indicating that cod caught by Mesolithic fishers in the Danish straits belonged to the Baltic Sea stock. Our results suggest that cod were not caught in waters immediately adjacent to the archaeological sites but rather came from the Kattegat. We could not detect any substantial change in habitat between juvenile and mature stages of the fish́s lives. Our study shows the potential of isotopic analysis to address issues regarding the individual ecological history of fish and human fishing strategies.

Exploitation of Lagoon Water Bodies and Conflicts of Use: the Case of The Lagoons of Grand-Lahou (Cote D’ivoire)

Demographic pressure, the reduction of arable land and the instability of income generated by export crops have forced the people of Grand-Lahou to show more interest in fishing activities. Thus, the exploitation of water bodies is an important strategic and economic issue for the neighbouring populations. However, in recent years, this exploitation of aquatic resources has led to conflicts between operators. The aim of this article is to analyse the procedures for resolving these conflicts and to assess their effectiveness. The methodological approach has integrated field observations and analyses carried out on the basis of information collected through interviews with stakeholders. The results reveal various forms of conflict resolution with relative levels of effectiveness. This situation is a hindrance to the efficient use of Ivorian aquatic areas. It is therefore desirable for the State to play its role by proposing more effective ways of managing these conflicts.
 

The pre-Columbian site of Roseau (Guadeloupe, F. W. I.): intra-site chronological variability of the subsistence strategies in a Late Ceramic archeological vertebrate assemblage

Evidence for chronological change in intra-site subsistence strategies is very rare in the Amerindian record of the Lesser Antilles. The study of the vertebrate assemblage from the archeological site of Roseau in the Guadeloupe Islands underlines the complexity and variability of Ceramic Age Amerindian subsistence behavior. This study establishes a more precise chronology of the previously identified strata of the site, and demonstrates that the Contact period was only represented by rare archeological artifacts dispersed in the stratigraphy. The results from this assemblage indicate that the earlier occupations of the site exhibit a more intensive exploitation of aquatic vertebrate resources compared to later occupations, which have a larger focus on terrestrial fauna, especially rodents and iguanas. This unusual pattern highlights how subsistence behaviors in the Lesser Antilles during the Late and Final Ceramic periods were highly variable. This new evidence of strong inter-site variability shows that the behaviors of Amerindians are not only dependent of large-scale environmental conditions but also influenced by more complex socio-cultural and local environmental parameters.

Mapping Submerged Aquatic Vegetation along the Central Vietnamese Coast Using Multi-Source Remote Sensing

Submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) in the Khanh Hoa (Vietnam) coastal area plays an important role in coastal communities and the marine ecosystem. However, SAV distribution varies widely, in terms of depth and substrate types, making it difficult to monitor using in-situ measurement. Remote sensing can help address this issue. High spatial resolution satellites, with more bands and higher radiometric sensitivity, have been launched recently, including the Vietnamese Natural Resources, Environment, and Disaster Monitoring Satellite (VNREDSat-1) (V1) sensor from Vietnam, launched in 2013. The objective of the study described here was to establish SAV distribution maps for South-Central Vietnam, particularly in the Khanh Hoa coastal area, using Sentinel-2 (S2), Landsat-8, and V1 imagery, and then to assess any changes to SAV over the last ten years, using selected historical data. The satellite top-of-atmosphere signals were initially converted to radiance, and then corrected for atmospheric effects. This treated signal was then used to classify Khanh Hoa coastal water substrates, and these classifications were evaluated using 101 in-situ measurements, collected in 2017 and 2018. The results showed that the three satellites could provide high accuracy, with Kappa coefficients above 0.84, with V1 achieving over 0.87. Our results showed that, from 2008 to 2018, SAV acreage in Khanh Hoa was reduced by 74.2%, while gains in new areas compensated for less than half of these losses. This is the first study to show the potential for using V1 and S2 data to assess the distribution status of SAV in Vietnam, and its outcomes will contribute to the conservation of SAV beds, and to the sustainable exploitation of aquatic resources in the Khanh Hoa coastal area.

Pengaruh Eksploitasi Sumber Daya Alam Perairan Terhadap Kemiskinan Pada Masyarakat Nelayan

The aim of this article is to find out how the influence of exploitation of aquatic natural resourceson the poverty of fishing communities. The method in this article used a descriptive research design forusing a literature study approach. Based on the type of research and the type of data source used, the datacollection technique in this study is used the secondary data. The results in this study can be seen in twoaspects, are: (1) the ease of foreign investments that can be exploit for the natural resources of fisheries inIndonesia; (2) the influence of exploitation of the natural resources of the waters carried out on poverty inthe fisihing community. Exploitation of aquatic natural resources in Indonesia is due to the ease with whichforeign parties can be invest in Indonesia in the field of fisheries, and then this ease of investment fromforeign parties results in the intervention of foreign parties who can to control the natural waters resourcesin Indonesia, both in the form a legal entitiy or in the form of an individual, it can be also for drain thenatural waters resources, especially fisheries in Indonesia, and which can to be affect the walfare of fishingcommunities.

CHARACTERISTICS OF FISH FARMING MANAGEMENT AT THE DANUBE LAKES AND PROSPECTS FOR ITS DEVELOPMENT

Problem. The Danube lakes have always been important water bodies both in terms of biodiversity conservation and restoration of water bioresources. The total area of the Danube lakes (Kahul, Kartal, Yalpuh, Kuhurlui, Katlabuh, Kytai), used as SCFFs, exceeds 44,000 ha. The exploitation of aquatic biological resources within the majority of the Danube lakes is carried out by special commercial fish farms (SCFFs). Unfortunately, the efficiency of using aquatic bioresources in this mode is not always effective.The purpose of the research was to study the current status of fishery at the Danube Lakes and prospects for its development under possible legislative changes.Material and methods. The research was carried out in the framework of the project “The Development of an Optimal Model for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Aquatic Bioresources of the Danube Lakes Adapted to Climate Change” funded within the Programme for the Scientific-technical Projects of Institutions of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine for 2019. The analysis was based on the data of statistical reports relating to the catch volume of aquatic bioresources, SCFFs Regimes and field surveys at the Danube lakes.Main results of the research. Averagely, for the period 2014-2018, the planned indicators of the catch volume of aquatic bioresources (ABR) in the SCFFs, built on the Danube water bodies, were reached by 17-77%. Nowadays, the structure of commercial catches in the lakes includes only a low percent of artificially introduced fish species. According to the statistics, only in two SCFFs (Kahul and Katlabuh), their catches exceed those of indigenous species. In other fisheries their proportion constitutes approximately 30%, i.e. the catches are based on the exploitation of natural aquatic bioresources of the lakes. The research substantiates the necessity to reform approaches to functioning of the SCFFs on the large waterbodies.Conclusions. A current status and operation regime of SCFFs at the Danube Lakes is unsatisfactory and does not comply with the requirements of regulatory documents. Assignment of a “commercial fishing area” to a particular user of aquatic biological resources for a term of up 25 years may be applied as a possible form for the exploitation of fishing resources of such water bodies.

Contextos geomorfológicos y tecno-económicos del registro arqueológico del bajo río Uruguay (margen izquierda). Resultados preliminares de nuevas prospecciones


 
 
 Este trabajo propone ampliar el conocimiento relacionado con la ocupación del espacio y con las estrategias de asentamiento, tecnología y subsistencia generadas por los grupos cazadores-recolectores complejos que habitaron la margen izquierda del bajo río Uruguay durante el Holoceno tardío (ca. 1900 – 500 años AP). Para ello presentamos y discutimos una serie de datos arqueológicos recientemente obtenidos a través de prospecciones y sondeos y mediante el análisis de colecciones locales. Los sitios arqueológicos del área presentan registros de explotación de recursos acuáticos y terrestres, manufactura y uso de alfarería y artefactos líticos tallados y picados/pulidos. Estos fueron ubicados mayoritariamente en formas naturalmente elevadas del paisaje como son los cordones arenosos y los albardones que, en conjunto con las densidades artefactuales evidenciadas y la variabilidad cronológica de los mismos, conduce a que las mencionadas poblaciones desarrollaron un patrón de asentamiento de baja movilidad de manera similar al esquema “campamento central”. Los resultados de las prospecciones y de los análisis de la composición sedimentológica de los sitios señalan la ausencia de estructuras construidas. Sin embargo, existen similitudes tecnológicas, estilísticas y económicas que permiten relacionar las ocupaciones en la margen oriental del bajo río Uruguay con distintas unidades arqueológicas correspondientes a grupos cazadores-recolectores complejos identificadas en la margen derecha del río Uruguay y en el Paraná medio e inferior. Finalmente, a partir de estilos cerámicos corrugados y pintados también se ha identificado en el área la presencia de grupos guaraníes, asociada a contextos de cazadores-recolectores, aunque también se manifiesta en ocupaciones exclusivamente realizadas por grupos guaraníes.
 
 

Marine hunting and fishing on the coast of North Fennoscandia before Christ

Archaeological evidence for marine hunting and fishing at the coast of the Barents Sea dates from 5000 cal BC to 0 cal BC/AD, encompassing the Neolithic, the Early Metal Period and the Early Iron Age. Among hunting and fishing equipment are bone and antler harpoon heads, fishhooks and leisters. Four periods of development of the tools were established on the basis of stable occurrence of the artefacts types in complexes (semi-subterranean houses, shell middens, burials). The chronological boundaries of the periods were defined by the radiocarbon dates of this complexes: A - 5000-2500 cal BC, B - 2500-1600 cal BC, C - 1500-1100 cal BC, D - 900 cal BC - 0 cal BC/AD. The primary marine taxa exploited were pinnipeds and cetacean. The marine hunting was supplemented by catching Atlantic Cod and codfishes. Percentage ratio of animal bones from dated complexes indicates that the role of the seal and whale hunting had increased considerably since about 2500 cal BC. This coincides with the appearance of toggling harpoons in hunting equipment. The exploitation of aquatic resources in the Early Iron Age (after 900 cal BC) remained important in the subsistence economy. The transition to a primary exploitation of terrestrial resources at coastal locations is not observed.

Adding Hydrogen to the Isotopic Inventory—Combining δ13C, δ15N and δ2H Stable Isotope Analysis for Palaeodietary Purposes on Archaeological Bone

Few papers using hydrogen stable isotope analysis for human palaeodietary reconstruction purposes have been published and the usefulness of this additional dietary indicator is highlighted here. The hydrogen stable isotope results provide evidence for the continued exploitation of aquatic resources throughout the prehistory of the Limfjord area in Denmark, which is supported by FRUITS estimates using three (CNH) isotopic proxies. While aquatic dietary input has been identified in Mesolithic and Viking Age individuals before, our results show that, in fact, this continued throughout the periods in between (Neolithic, Bronze and Iron Age), albeit on a small scale.

Fine Endmesolithic fish caviar meal discovered by proteomics in foodcrusts from archaeological site Friesack 4 (Brandenburg, Germany).

The role of aquatic resources in ancient economies and paleodiet is important for understanding the evolution of prehistorical societies. Charred food remains from ancient pottery are valuable molecular evidence of dietary habits in antiquity. However, conventional archaeometric approaches applied in their analysis lack organismal specificity, are affected by abundant environmental contaminants, do not elucidate food processing recipes and are limited in the inland regions where diverse dietary resources are available. We performed proteomics analysis of charred organic deposits adhered on early ceramics from Mesolithic-Neolithic inland site Friesack 4 (Brandenburg, Germany). One of pots—a small coarse bowl radiocarbon dated to the end of the 5th millennium BC—was attributed to Endmesolithic pottery. Proteomics of foodcrust from this vessel identified fine carp roe meal and revealed details of a prehistorical culinary recipe. Ancient proteins were unequivocally distinguished from contemporary contaminants by computing deamidation ratios of glutamine residues. These data paint a broader picture of the site-specific exploitation of aquatic resources and contribute to better understanding of the dietary context of Neolithic transition in European inland.

Commercial Fisheries of the Upper Mississippi River: A Century of Sustained Harvest

Commercial harvest is often considered as a primary cause of fish population declines in marine and inland systems throughout the world. However, much of the data supporting the negative attributes of commercial harvest are derived from marine fisheries and may not be directly applicable to inland fisheries. In this study, over 60 years of commercial fishery data from the Upper Mississippi River (UMR) was synthesized to better understand how inland commercial fisheries function and to address concerns associated with the exploitation of aquatic resources in freshwater systems. Overall, total commercial harvest in the UMR remained relatively stable over the study period and did not negatively influence fish populations or recreational fisheries. Our results address concerns associated with inland fisheries and highlight how proper management and interagency partnerships result in consistent and productive fisheries over large spatial and temporal scales.

Nature man spirit complex of the Nicobarese of Katchal Island

The Nicobarese of Nicobar islands are peace loving people and living in symbiotic relationship with their natural surroundings, i.e., forest, sea and land since their survival is depended on exploitation of both terrestrial and aquatic resources. Their traditional economy, i.e., swidden horticulture and exploitation of forest and sea resources is revolves around the worship of spirits as the practice of fetish worship dominates Nicobarese society. The life cycle and annual rituals, first fruit ceremonies and launching of new canoes, etc., are observed in traditional manner. After Independence, majority of the Nicobarese especially Car Nicobarese embraced Christianity. As a result of this, acculturation of Nicobarese customs and traditions are taken place and many of the started emulating the food habits, dress pattern, beliefs and practices and so on. Despite of this fact, nature and spirit worship is observed in Nicobar Island during crisis situation. It is clearly visible after the attack of natural disaster, i.e., Tsunami and earthquake in 2004 as they lost everything including loss of horticultural plantation, homestead, material culture, livestock, etc. Afterwards, they developed fear psychosis of sea and could not venture for fishing as they witness the rolling of dead bodies in giant tidal waves at that time. Some of the Nicobarese started worshiping their ancestors in traditional manner since they believe that the disaster is the result of the wrath of spirits. Thereafter, the worship of kareava and intukui (fetish worship) and worship of nature is continued simultaneously with their converted faith. With this backdrop, the present paper tries to understand the Nicobarese spirit complex in exploitation of nature. It is interesting to note that despite of their religious conversion to Christianity and Islam, Nicobarese still appease their ancestors through the complex process of ceremonialism.