Marine Research Institutions Research Articles

A Comparison of new and age-old approaches treating microplastics in the marine environment

In recent years, microplastic pollution in the ocean has become a new environmental threat, posing a serious potential threat to marine ecology. Due to its high degradation resistance and bioaccumulation, it is an urgent and critical issue for the environment. Unfortunately, current technologies for removing, recycling, or degrading microplastics are not sufficient to eliminate them. The main sources of microplastics (MPs) in the ocean are ocean drift inputs, river inputs, fishing and shipping activities, microplastic emissions from human settlements, and atmospheric migration. Microplastics may pose a threat to marine life and affect the stability of marine ecosystems. Therefore, it is urgent to further study governance methods and analysis processes, and strengthen the source control of marine microplastic pollution. This study aims to analyze and discuss different methods for treating marine microplastics, analyze their respective advantages and limitations, and evaluate their feasibility and effectiveness in practical applications. The study ultimately emphasized the importance of effective management of marine microplastics, which is crucial for protecting marine ecosystems and human health. Through a comprehensive analysis of physical, chemical, and biological methods, this study provides valuable insights for marine environmental management and research institutions, thereby promoting the development and application of effective management technologies to achieve sustainable environmental outcomes.

Study on the evolution of collaborative innovation in marine economy considering the participation of financial institutions and two types of cooperation

In the realm of significant technological research and innovation within the marine economy, enterprises and academic research institutions often grapple with a lack of innovation motivation due to financial constraints. This paper introduces the factor of "capital constraints" into the marine innovation chain, establishing a technological innovation chain within the marine economy. Utilizing a three-party evolutionary game model, the study delves into the strategy selection and evolution of financial institutions, marine enterprises, and academic research institutions. In contrast to previous studies, this paper categorizes technological innovation cooperation into two types: "cooperative tackling type" and "market-oriented promotion type." Additionally, it posits that collaboration between academic research institutions and marine enterprises establishes an implicit guarantee relationship, facilitating access to higher loan amounts for both parties. The research reveals that the behavior of governments and marine enterprises is influenced by the initial willingness of participants. Higher basic benefits of cooperation and innovation between academic research institutions and marine enterprises lead to a quicker attainment of an evolutionary stable state. Moreover, in collaborations between marine enterprises and research institutions, an excessively high proportion of funds occupied by marine enterprises proves disadvantageous. The paper suggests that pure market-oriented promotion innovation cooperation could serve as a supplementary approach to traditional cooperation and innovation. Finally, numerical examples are presented to elucidate the outcomes of the theoretical model, accompanied by policy suggestions.

Research on multiagent governance of the marine ecoeconomic system in China considering marine scientific research institutions and media

The multiagent governance model of the marine ecoeconomic system requires local governments to actively guide the participation of social subjects. Under the new reality of multiagent governance mechanism, this study proposes an analytical framework for describing the dynamic relation between local governments and marine production enterprises. It uses the analytical tools of evolutionary game theory to establish an evolutionary game system between the two parties and takes China as the specific research object. For doing so, it selects marine scientific research institutions and media with a strong public value representation and discusses the unilateral evolutionary stability strategy of the system by introducing four parameters, namely, the number of marine scientific research institutions, the contribution level of marine scientific research institutions, the participation level of media, and the authenticity level of information released by media. Furthermore, we used MATLAB to simulate and analyze by combining our research data in 14 cities in coastal areas of China. The results demonstrate that: 1) improving the contribution level and number of marine scientific research institutions is conducive to the collaborative governance of the marine ecoeconomic system; 2) the authenticity level of information released by media is positively correlated with the development of the multiagent governance model of the marine ecoeconomic system; and 3) differently biased objects with distorted media report information affect the trend of the governance effect of the marine ecoeconomic system. Thus, a timely improvement or reduction of the participation level of media is necessary.

Building leaders for the UN Ocean Science Decade: a guide to supporting early career women researchers within academic marine research institutions

AbstractDiverse and inclusive marine research is paramount to addressing ocean sustainability challenges in the 21st century, as envisioned by the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. Despite increasing efforts to diversify ocean science, women continue to face barriers at various stages of their career, which inhibits their progression to leadership within academic institutions. In this perspective, we draw on the collective experiences of thirty-four global women leaders, bolstered by a narrative review, to identify practical strategies and actions that will help empower early career women researchers to become the leaders of tomorrow. We propose five strategies: (i) create a more inclusive culture, (ii) ensure early and equitable career development opportunities for women ECRs, (iii) ensure equitable access to funding for women ECRs, (iv) offer mentoring opportunities and, (v) create flexible, family-friendly environments. Transformational, meaningful, and lasting change will only be achieved through commitment and collaborative action across various scales and by multiple stakeholders.

Breaking down barriers: The identification of actions to promote gender equality in interdisciplinary marine research institutions

•Gender equality is a human right and is important for ocean sustainability •Women are less likely than men to be in positions of leadership •Women face non-gendered and gendered challenges working in marine research •A range of strategies can be applied to support women’s leadership Interdisciplinary research is paramount to addressing ocean sustainability challenges in the 21st century. However, women leaders have been underrepresented in interdisciplinary marine research, and there is little guidance on how to achieve the conditions that will lead to an increased proportion of women scientists in positions of leadership. Here, we conduct in-depth qualitative research to explore the main barriers and enablers to women’s leadership in an academic interdisciplinary marine research context. We found that interdisciplinarity can present unique and additional barriers to women leaders (e.g., complexity and lack of value attributed to interdisciplinary research) and are exacerbated by existing gender-specific issues that women experience (e.g., isolation and underrepresentation and stereotyping). Together these barriers overlap forming the “glass obstacle course”—which is particularly challenging for women in minoritized groups. Here, we provide a list of concrete, ambitious, and actionable enablers that can promote and support women’s leadership in academic interdisciplinary marine research. Interdisciplinary research is paramount to addressing ocean sustainability challenges in the 21st century. However, women leaders have been underrepresented in interdisciplinary marine research, and there is little guidance on how to achieve the conditions that will lead to an increased proportion of women scientists in positions of leadership. Here, we conduct in-depth qualitative research to explore the main barriers and enablers to women’s leadership in an academic interdisciplinary marine research context. We found that interdisciplinarity can present unique and additional barriers to women leaders (e.g., complexity and lack of value attributed to interdisciplinary research) and are exacerbated by existing gender-specific issues that women experience (e.g., isolation and underrepresentation and stereotyping). Together these barriers overlap forming the “glass obstacle course”—which is particularly challenging for women in minoritized groups. Here, we provide a list of concrete, ambitious, and actionable enablers that can promote and support women’s leadership in academic interdisciplinary marine research.

Research on the Model Construction of Knowledge Engineering System for Marine Research Institutes

Research on the Model Construction of Knowledge Engineering System for Marine Research Institutes

The Black Sea in Romanian Oceanographic Research

Romania, as a maritime state, after being separated from the Black Sea coast for 400 years, until the War of Independence in 1877, has a tradition in the marine sciences for over 100 years. The illustrious ancestors of Romanian oceanography, especially biological oceanography, are Emil Racoviță, Grigore Antipa and Ioan Borcea. From an oceanographic point of view, E. Racovitza distinguished himself as a biologist of the famous Antarctic multinational expedition, under the command of Captain Adrien de Gerlache, from Belgium, aboard the vessel Belgica, between 1997 and 1998. G. Antipa is the founder of the Bio-Oceanographic Institute in Constanța (1932) and of the Biological Research Station in Caliacra (currently in Bugaria) and in this context he held the positions of organizer, general administrator and director general of the State Fisheries, as the second national delegate of Romania at the International Commission for the Scientific Exploration of the Mediterranean Sea (CIESM), and as rapporteur for the Black Sea, Marmara and the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as organizer of the first Congress and General Assembly of CIESM in Romania in Bucharest in 1935. I. Borcea's main scientific achievement is the creation of the Marine Zoological Station in Agigea, in 1926, which bears his name to this day, with the maintenance of close collaborative relations in the field of marine biology, especially with France and Italy. The main marine research institutions, namely the Marine Zoological Station “Professor Ioan Borcea”, the Bio-Oceanographic Institute, which later became the Fisheries Research Station “Dr. Grigore Antipa”, the Marine Biology Sector from Constanța of the “Traian Săvulescu” Institute of Biology from Bucharest, the Oceanographic Research Station from Constanța and Sulina and the Marine Sedimentology Laboratory, affiliated to the Geological Institute of Romania, merged into the Romanian Marine Research Institute (RMRI) from Constanța on March 1, 1970. The succesor of RMRI since 1990 is the National Institute for Marine Research and Development “Grigore Antipa”, in the same headquarters (Bd. Mamaia No. 300, RO-900581 Constanța). A definite confirmation of the value of the results of the Romanian marine research, over time, is, among others, the close professional relationships with CIESM, continued to the present. Thus, Romania has further promoted and supports marine research at national, regional and international level.

Perceptions, Motivations and Practices for Indigenous Engagement in Marine Science in Australia

Australian science has evolved to include a number of initiatives designed to promote and guide ethical and culturally appropriate Indigenous participation and engagement. While interest and overall engagement between Indigenous people and marine scientists appears to have grown in the last decade there are also signs that some researchers may not be setting out to engage with Indigenous Australians on the right foot. This research seeks to move beyond anecdotal evidence about engagement of marine researchers with Indigenous Australians by gathering empirical information from the scientists’ perspective. Our survey of 128 respondents showed that 63% (n=79) of respondents have engaged with Indigenous communities in some way throughout their career, however, most marine research projects have not included Indigenous engagement and when it occurs it is often shorter than three years in duration. Responses indicated that the majority of marine scientists see mutual benefits from engagement, do not avoid it and believe it will become more important in the future. We identify a number of challenges and opportunities for marine research institutions, marine researchers and Indigenous communities if positive aspirations for engagement are to be converted to respectful, long-term and mutually beneficial engagement.

Assemblage structure of ichthyoplankton in the NE Atlantic in spring under contrasting hydrographic conditions

The ichthyoplankton assemblage in the Atlantic region off the NW Iberian peninsula (AR) and in the southern Bay of Biscay (SBB) and the response of the larval fish species distribution to the relatively rapidly changing hydrographic conditions in spring 2010 were studied using two ichthyoplankton cruises. The SBB showed a more abundant and diverse ichthyoplankton assemblage than the AR, although the larval fish assemblage (LFA) was structured into on-shelf and off-shelf assemblages in both regions. Inter-sampling variability related to downwelling/upwelling regimes was observed in the cross-shelf assemblage distribution in the SBB but not in the AR. This suggests that LFA distributions in the area of this study are good indicators of downwelling and weak coastal upwelling regimes but not of relatively strong coastal upwelling or upwelling filaments. Although depth was identified by multivariate analyses as being the most important variable explaining larval fish species distributions, a shelf-breakfront in the SBB and the surface offshore (onshore) flows associated with coastal downwelling (upwelling) in the AR seems to have been key in defining and maintaining assemblage boundaries. Results of this study should also encourage marine research institutions to use routine ichthyoplankton sampling to monitor fish communities and their responses to global warming.

Marine biodiversity research in the Ryukyu Islands, Japan: current status and trends.

Marine biodiversity and derived ecosystem services are critical to the healthy functioning of marine ecosystems, and to human economic and societal well-being. Thus, an understanding of marine biodiversity in different ecosystems is necessary for their conservation and management. Coral reefs in particular are noted for their high levels of biodiversity, and among the world’s coral reefs, the subtropical Ryukyu Islands (RYS; also known as the Nansei Islands) in Japan have been shown to harbor very high levels of marine biodiversity. This study provides an overview of the state of marine biodiversity research in the RYS. First, we examined the amount of English language scientific literature in the Web of Science (WoS; 1995–2017) on six selected representative taxa spanning protists to vertebrates across six geographic sub-regions in the RYS. Our results show clear taxonomic and sub-region bias, with research on Pisces, Cnidaria, and Crustacea to be much more common than on Dinoflagellata, Echinodermata, and Mollusca. Such research was more commonly conducted in sub-regions with larger human populations (Okinawa, Yaeyama). Additional analyses with the Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS) records show that within sub-regions, records are concentrated in areas directly around marine research stations and institutes (if present), further showing geographical bias within sub-regions. While not surprising, the results indicate a need to address ‘understudied’ taxa in ‘understudied sub-regions’ (Tokara, Miyako, Yakutane, Amami Oshima), particularly sub-regions away from marine research stations. Second, we compared the numbers of English language scientific papers on eight ecological topics for the RYS with numbers from selected major coral reef regions of the world; the Caribbean (CAR), Great Barrier Reef (GBR), and the Red Sea (RES). As expected, the numbers for all topics in the RYS were well below numbers from all other regions, yet within this disparity, research in the RYS on ‘marine protected areas’ and ‘herbivory’ was an order of magnitude lower than numbers in other regions. Additionally, while manuscript numbers on the RYS have increased from 1995 to 2016, the rate of increase (4.0 times) was seen to be lower than those in the CAR, RES, and GBR (4.6–8.4 times). Coral reefs in the RYS feature high levels of both endemism and anthropogenic threats, and subsequently they contain a concentration of some of the world’s most critically endangered marine species. To protect these threatened species and coral reef ecosystems, more data are needed to fill the research gaps identified in this study.

More than the Parts

In 1903, the Scripps Marine Association was founded in La Jolla, San Diego. It was rechristened the Scripps Institution of Oceanography two decades later. Today it is one of the largest marine research institutions in the world. The present study aims to reconstruct the history of this institution during the first years of its existence, the life of its first director, W. E. Ritter, and the cultural and scientific background of both. In particular, through the use of archival sources and unpublished materials, the essay reports on Ritter’s dream to import a form of holistic biology from Europe to southern California. This biology, which Ritter termed “organismal,” had to challenge reductionist and mechanist approaches to life sciences, including Weismann’s and Mendelian’s theories of heredity, both considered ideologically biased, politically dangerous, and scientifically flawed. Ritter believed that his new biology had to be grounded in a pluralist approach where laboratory and field investigations went hand in hand. In addition, the new biology had to support a progressivist political agenda whereby biological studies were linked with the political progress and the democratization of California and the United States. Despite its ambitions, Ritter’s research program was rapidly forgotten after the 1930s. In the conclusion, the article explores a few possible hypotheses explaining why this happened.

세계 주요 해양연구기관과의 비교 분석을 통한 시사점 도출

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the present condition of Korea’s marine research institutes based on a comparative analysis with major institutions around the world, and to derive strategic directions for better performance from the results. By comparing Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology (KIOST) and National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI) with 8 world`s major institutes, we derived implications for the improvement of marine research institutes in Korea. Performance factors were categorized into input factors and output factors, and the z-score for each assessment indicator was used in the analysis. The results for output factors can be summarized as follows. First, Korea’s institutes were poorly ranked both qualitatively and quantitatively in terms of publications. However, they showed great promise for development as the rate of increase in the annual number of publications was higher than overseas institutes. Quantitative growth is essential to improve overall performance in publications, and publications of higher quality should be sought by considering CPP and IF. This can also be achieved by engaging in international research with outstanding researchers outside of Korea. In terms of patents, marine research institutes in Korea fared well compared to major institutions of oversea. This demonstrates that Korea’s research achievements have practical implications on related industries. Further efforts should be made to ensure that industries continue to benefit from research conducted by Korea’s marine research institutes. As for infrastructure, Korea’s institutes fell under the middle- or lower-rankings compared to major institutions. Since marine research relies heavily of large-scale infrastructure, it is necessary to acquire more marine research vessels and unmanned submarines for the advancement of research institutes in Korea.

Adaptation of fisheries and mariculture management to extreme oceanic environmental changes and climate variability in Taiwan

Abstract This study presents the response of fisheries management to the extreme climatic events that affect marine capture fisheries and mariculture in Taiwan. Two regional approaches that can be applied universally to help capture fisheries and mariculture adapt to extreme weather events are also proposed. In the winter of 2008, an anomalously strong and continuous northeasterly wind caused by a La Nina event drove the cold China Coastal Current southward to penetrate the southern Taiwan Strait, and a portion of this current intruded eastward to the southern Penghu Archipelago. The cold current intrusion appreciably damaged marine aquaculture and the wild fish population, causing the death of more than 73 t of wild fish and 80% of cage aquaculture fish at the Penghu Islands. This extremely cold seawater event occurred between late January and the beginning of February 2008. To recover fishery resources around the waters of Penghu, fishery-related agencies adapted recovery measures over 3 years starting in April 2008 that included hatchery juvenile release, environmental monitoring, fishery subsidies, and ecological field investigations. This study suggests that responding to extreme climatic influences on fisheries and mariculture should include (1) establishing an early warning system by connecting fisheries agencies and marine research institutions to assist decision makers in performing time-adaptive measures, (2) temporarily suspending fishing activities after the occurrence of a natural disaster to help recover fishery resources and ecosystems, (3) altering the governance of farming fishing right so that fish farmers can temporarily transfer their aquaculture cages from high-risk areas to waters outside the influence of extreme weather events, and (4) continually filing surveys to understand the recovery status of marine ecosystems.

Plastic particles in coastal pelagic ecosystems of the Northeast Pacific ocean

The purpose of this study was to examine the distribution, abundance and characteristics of plastic particles in plankton samples collected routinely in Northeast Pacific ecosystems, and to contribute to the development of ideas for future research into the occurrence and impact of small plastic debris in marine pelagic ecosystems. Plastic debris particles were assessed from zooplankton samples collected as part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) ongoing ecosystem surveys during two research cruises in the Southeast Bering Sea in the spring and fall of 2006 and four research cruises off the U.S. west coast (primarily off southern California) in spring, summer and fall of 2006, and in January of 2007. Nets with 0.505 mm mesh were used to collect surface samples during all cruises, and sub-surface samples during the four cruises off the west coast. The 595 plankton samples processed indicate that plastic particles are widely distributed in surface waters. The proportion of surface samples from each cruise that contained particles of plastic ranged from 8.75 to 84.0%, whereas particles were recorded in sub-surface samples from only one cruise (in 28.2% of the January 2007 samples). Spatial and temporal variability was apparent in the abundance and distribution of the plastic particles and mean standardized quantities varied among cruises with ranges of 0.004–0.19 particles/m 3, and 0.014–0.209 mg dry mass/m 3. Off southern California, quantities for the winter cruise were significantly higher, and for the spring cruise significantly lower than for the summer and fall surveys (surface data). Differences between surface particle concentrations and mass for the Bering Sea and California coast surveys were significant for pair-wise comparisons of the spring but not the fall cruises. The particles were assigned to three plastic product types: product fragments, fishing net and line fibers, and industrial pellets; and five size categories: <1 mm, 1–2.5 mm, >2.5–5 mm, >5–10 mm, and >10 mm. Product fragments accounted for the majority of the particles, and most were less than 2.5 mm in size. The ubiquity of such particles in the survey areas and predominance of sizes <2.5 mm implies persistence in these pelagic ecosystems as a result of continuous breakdown from larger plastic debris fragments, and widespread distribution by ocean currents. Detailed investigations of the trophic ecology of individual zooplankton species, and their encounter rates with various size ranges of plastic particles in the marine pelagic environment, are required in order to understand the potential for ingestion of such debris particles by these organisms. Ongoing plankton sampling programs by marine research institutes in large marine ecosystems are good potential sources of data for continued assessment of the abundance, distribution and potential impact of small plastic debris in productive coastal pelagic zones.

A research unit grows into an Institute - 100 years of fisheries research in Hamburg

Summary The city of Hamburg is surrounded by tidal influenced rivers with formerly rich fish populations. Thus fisheries and Hamburg belonged together ever since the days of first settlement in the 9th century. Since Hanseatic times, fish trade – predominantly of salted herring – was a continuous and profitable commerce in Hamburg. Significant changes in fish stock productivity and fisheries in the Elbe river estuary and the German Bight occurred around 1900 and influenced the fish trade in Hamburg. As a consequence, a Research Unit of Fisheries Biology was established on April 1st, 1910 at the Museum of Natural History to enlighten these changes by directed research. The research unit soon established close cooperation with other German marine research institutions, mostly in the framework of projects of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea in Copenhagen. Due to the great success the research unit’s rank was upgraded to an Institute of Sea and Coastal Fisheries Hamburg when the Reich-Institution of Fisheries in Berlin was founded in 1938. During World War II, the institute’s infrastructure was largely destroyed. Its small remainders together with three other fishery institutes of the former Reich-Institution continued their work in Hamburg since summer 1945 under British control. After establishment of the Federal Republic of Germany the Institute of Sea Fisheries and its three sister institutes were transferred into the later Federal Research Institution of Fisheries in Hamburg. During the next 60 years, the institute had to modify its main tasks and inner structure depending on national und international fisheries research requirements related to politics and the Law of the Sea. Today, the Institute is part of the Johann Heinrich von Thunen-Institut (vTI) which was created in 2008 by merging the federal research agencies of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection dealing with the utilisation of natural resources from agriculture and forestry to fisheries. Several notes on the historic development of the Institute were published, e.g. Sahrhage (1985) on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Institute. Now, a 100 years after establishing the main origin of the nowadays institute, the planning for moving two vTI fisheries institutes from Hamburg to Bremerhaven has started. Here, I provide some background for founding and developing the Institute, about past and present research foci and concepts, as well as the scientists behind them. Lastly, some attention is paid to the various housings and its administrative assignments of the research unit and the succeeding Institute of Sea Fisheries.

Regional Seas integrative studies, as a basis for an ecosystem-based approach to management: The case of the Bay of Biscay

Marine legislation world-wide has, as a recent final objective, the maintenance of a good environmental or ecological status for marine waters, habitats and resources. The concept of environmental status takes into account the structure, function and processes of marine ecosystems, bringing together physical, chemical, physiographic, geographic and climatic factors: subsequently, integrating such conditions, with anthropogenic impacts and activities undertaken in the area concerned. Such an approach is intended to permit an assessment of the environmental status at the ecosystem level, i.e. ‘ecosystem-based approach’, or ‘ecosystem-based management’. Such legislation emphasises the need for the development of methodologies, to assess environmental status. As such the knowledge acquired within Regional Seas, discussed at International Symposia and, finally, published as Special Issues, can serve as the basis for a regional ecosystem-based approach to management and the integrative assessment of marine systems. Hence, the Bay of Biscay is used in this contribution, as an example, to show past and present research, together with perspectives for the future. It is concluded that collaboration between institutions (marine research institutes, universities) and countries (France, Spain, Portugal, the United Kingdom and Ireland) could result in an interesting ‘case-study’, for the further implementation of the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive, at the level of this particular Regional Sea. In this way, the experience gained in the implementation of the Water Framework Directive within the ecoregion, together with the information collated in the eleven International Symposia of Oceanography of the Bay of Biscay, celebrated until now, can be very useful, for an ecosystem-based management approach for this Regional Sea.

Age determination of Northeast Arctic cod otoliths through 50 years of history

Norwegian and Russian Marine Research Institutes have investigated the possibility that biases in age determination from otoliths may have contributed to the long-term trends observed in the Northeast Arctic cod stock productivity: changes in growth, maturation rate, fecundity, etc. To determine the effects of changes in age reading protocols between contemporary and historical practices, randomly chosen material from each decade for the period 1940–1980s was re-read by experts. The quality of old otoliths stored in paper bags for more than 50 years was also assessed. Although some year-specific differences in age determination were seen between historical and contemporary readers, there was no significant effect on length at age for the historical time period. A small systematic bias in the number spawning zones detection was observed, demonstrating that the age at first maturation in the historic material as determined by the contemporary readers is younger than that determined by historical readers. The difference was the largest in the first sampled years constituting being approximately –0.6 years in 1947 and 1957. Then it decreased with time and was found to be within the range of –0.28–0 years in the 1970–1980s. The study shows that cod otoliths could be used for age and growth studies even after long storage.

OSPAR Ecological Quality Objectives: the utility of health indicators for the North Sea

Abstract Heslenfeld, P., and Enserink, E. L. 2008. OSPAR Ecological Quality Objectives: the utility of health indicators for the North Sea. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 65: 1392–1397. Committed to the ecosystem approach to management, OSPAR has accumulated 15 years of experience in developing a conceptual framework for ecological indicators and objectives, and in applying the framework to the North Sea as a test case. These Ecological Quality Objectives (EcoQOs) have become a model for the implementation of the new European Marine Strategy Framework Directive. We describe the history of EcoQO development, its current status, and future needs. We also present our positive and negative experiences in developing the approach, and conclude that regional sea conventions and marine research institutes in Europe should join forces to accelerate the development of ecosystem indicators and objectives, using existing concepts.

Metodología archivística para la recuperación de información oceanográfica del Pacífico colombiano

In the context of the reactivation of Colombian Oceanographic Data Center, some historians looked for to define an approach to archival method for scientific search (also call archaeology into the oceanographic data management community) and rescue the historical memory of Colombian Pacific oceanographic information, and at the same time, to satisfy the researchers requirements to get historical oceanographic data and information that will allow them to obtain a theoretical base to make different type of studies, like climatic prediction, wave and currents modeling, and investigation about naturals phenomena like El Nino Southern Oscillation that it affects the Colombian Pacific coast. This work is an interdisciplinary effort made from the identification of the antecedents of Colombian marine research institutes and national oceanographic data centres of other countries, as much throughout the American continent as of the European, which have had experience in safeguard the history of the ocean, coasts and insulars areas in the last decades. The definition of this methodology considered the conceptual framework of the oceanographic information and data rescue, the identification of the documentary sources and marine information available into archives and libraries, the measures of documentary conservation that include restoration, digitalization of documents and the normalization of metadata recovered according to the standard recommended by the International Oceanographic Data and Information program.

Integrated coastal management and marine protected areas in the Philippines: Concurrent developments

Integrated coastal management (ICM) in the Philippines has evolved as a result of initiatives that established community-based marine protected areas (MPAs) since the 1970s. Since then, the development of both ICM and MPAs have benefited from a number of factors that include devolution of management authority to local government, continued active engagement of local non-government organizations, strong support from the national government and from marine science academic and research institutions, and the influx of donor-assisted marine conservation programs in the past two decades. ICM and MPA programs in the Philippines implement a variety of components that include community organizing, participatory planning, alternative livelihood development, public education, research, regulating resource uses, and policy development that address various marine conservation issues. The unabated degradation of the marine environment and its resources continue to motivate efforts to improve the existing paradigm of community-based resource management and MPA establishment, which are carried out in various adaptations depending on the issues addressed and the socio-political context in which the initiatives are taking place. A number of recommendations are put forth in addressing the problems and obstacles faced by ICM and MPA initiatives and in improving their effectiveness for consideration by local practitioners and decision-makers.