Behavioral influences on driver crash risks in Ghana: A qualitative study of commercial passenger drivers

Objectives: Though there is a growing body of literature on crash risks in the developed world, little is known about how well these models apply to motoring in developing countries, the context in which the majority of road traffic fatalities occur. This qualitative study explores factors perceived to influence crash risks for commercial drivers in Ghana.

Method: Twenty commercial drivers of varied ages and experience were sampled from 7 major lorry terminals in 3 regions (Greater Accra, Ashanti, and Volta) of Ghana. Data were collected through semistructured interviews.

Results: The participants identified some issues that are shared with drivers in the developed world, though moderated by the Ghanaian context. These included work pressures (e.g., fatigued driving), speeding, distracted driving, and inadequate vehicle maintenance. Other factors identified by participants are less frequently considered in research addressing driving behavior in developed countries. These included aggressive competition over passengers and corruption (e.g., improper licensing practices), among others.

Conclusion: The findings have implications for building a research base to support the development of road safety policy and interventions in developing countries.     

Effects of Invasive Parasites on Bumble Bee Declines

Abstract: Bumble bees are a group of pollinators that are both ecologically and economically important and declining worldwide. Numerous mechanisms could be behind this decline, and the spread of parasites from commercial colonies into wild populations has been implicated recently in North America. Commercial breeding may lead to declines because commercial colonies may have high parasite loads, which can lead to colonization of native bumble bee populations; commercial rearing may allow higher parasite virulence to evolve; and global movement of commercial colonies may disrupt spatial patterns in local adaptation between hosts and parasites. We assessed parasite virulence, transmission mode, and infectivity. Microparasites and so‐called honey bee viruses may pose the greatest threat to native bumble bee populations because certain risk factors are present; for example, the probability of horizontal transmission of the trypanosome parasite Crithidia bombi is high. The microsporidian parasite Nosema bombi may play a role in declines of bumble bees in the United States. Preliminary indications that C. bombi and the neogregarine Apicystis bombi may not be native in parts of South America. We suggest that the development of molecular screening protocols, thorough sanitation efforts, and cooperation among nongovernmental organizations, governments, and commercial breeders might immediately mitigate these threats.     

Using social resilience and resource dependency to increase the effectiveness of marine conservation initiatives in Salum,Egypt

The social and economic ramifications of marine conservation strategies such as marine protected areas (MPAs) are important to consider prior to their implementation to ensure that they do not exceed the resilience of resource-users and that resource protection might be maximised through compliance and low resistance. This paper presents a framework in which the human dimensions can be more easily and usefully integrated into the design and delivery of conservation initiatives. The framework espouses quantifying (1) the level of dependency on the resource; (2) perceptions towards conservation initiatives; and (3) social resilience. The framework is applied in Salum, Egypt, which is the site of a prospective MPA.     

长江口崇明渔港表层沉积物中丁基锡赋存特征及生态风险

在长江口及崇明岛沿岸渔港采集表层沉积物样品,通过超声萃取-乙基化衍生技术提取沉积物中的丁基锡化合物,用气相色谱-质谱联用仪分析沉积物中的丁基锡赋存特征。结果显示,在长江口的参考点沉积物中均未发现有机锡化合物,而在各调查的渔港沉积物中均检出丁基锡,总浓度在1.6~58.8 ng Sn·g-1(干重,以下同)之间变化。表层沉积物的三丁基锡(TBT)、二丁基锡(DBT)和一丁基锡(MBT)浓度范围分别为ND~28.7 ng Sn·g-1,ND~22.1 ng Sn·g-1,1.6~8 ng Sn·g-1。其中,堡镇港TBT污染水平最高;老滧港和奚家港口门处沉积物中TBT浓度与新河港差不多(平均为17.2 ng Sn·g-1),而在港口内部沉积物中均未检出TBT,仅有MBT残存。检出TBT的样点,均在大型渔船码头、客运游艇码头或船厂附近,其浓度均超过澳大利亚和新西兰推荐的TBT沉积物质量基准(ISQG)触发值,即5 ng Sn·g-1。同时各样点暴露浓度(PECsed)与预测无效应浓度(PNECsed)的商值均大于1,SQG和PECsed/PNECsed两个方面均反映了崇明岛渔业港口沉积物中的TBT存在生态风险。综上,长江口地区沉积物中有机锡化合物形态和浓度差异很大,码头或船厂附近沉积物中有机锡污染问题值得优先关注。     

Do Catch-and-Release Guidelines from State and Provincial Fisheries Agencies in North America Conform to Scientifically Based Best Practices?

Many recreational anglers practice catch-and-release angling, where fish are returned to the water with the presumption that they will survive. However, not all fish survive, and those that do often experience sublethal consequences including injury and stress. There is compelling scientific evidence that angler behavior and gear choice can affect the success of catch-and-release as a management and conservation strategy. Because anglers often look to government natural resource agencies for guidance on how to handle and release fish properly, there is a need to assess whether their outreach materials are readily accessible and provide the necessary and correct information on the subject. Therefore, on-line catch-and-release guidelines developed by state and provincial natural resource agencies across North America were evaluated to determine whether their guidelines were consistent with the best available scientific information. This analysis revealed that there was immense variation in the depth and breadth of coverage among jurisdictions. Agency guidelines contradicted one another in several areas including air exposure, angling in deep water, venting trapped gases, and resuscitation. In many cases, the guidelines failed to provide sufficient direction to actually be of use to anglers or provide direction consistent with contemporary scientific literature. This analysis will assist with developing outreach materials that promote sustainable recreational fisheries and in maintaining the welfare status of individual fish.     

The effects of sport fishing growth on behavior of commercial fishermen in Balbina reservoir, Amazon, Brazil

An important alternative for sustainable use of tucunaré stocks and improvement in fishermen welfare in Balbina reservoir, Central Amazon, would be to train commercial fisherman to also become tourist guides for sport fishing. In this study, we modeled fishermen response to this question, in order to evaluate the acceptance of such an idea. Thus, we surveyed 47 fishermen, who currently comprise approximately 75% of the total fishermen population. This survey was implemented during December of 2001 and January of 2002. We used a probity analysis to run two models. The first model includes the variables: family size, school level, fishing time, residence time and boat ownership. On the other hand, the second model includes the number of children under and above eight years old but not the family size. Both models are significant and the most relevant variables are: fishing time (years of participation of fisherman is in the activity) and residence time (length of residency of particular fishermen live at the village nearby the reservoir).     

民用产品与非研发产品的保障性研究

开发利用民用产品与非研发产品作为军方的后勤保障源是一项重要的战略任务。论述了民用产品与非研发产品的保障性要求,诠释了民用产品与非研发产品保障性分析和保障性分析过程中的要素。对民用产品与非研发产品的信息需求进行了归纳。     

Transaction of Marine Fishing Right： Theoretical Analysis

The difference between fishermen＇s fishing catch and the optimal fishing catch is the basic reason for the transaction of marine fishing rights （TMFR）. The effects of productive cost, non-productive cost, use-cost, transaction cost, productive revenue and non-productive revenue on the TMFR and the optimal fishing catch are analyzed. This paper draws following conclu- sions： the non-productive revenue has a positive effect on the TMFR, and other factors, such as non-productive cost, usecost and transaction cost, have a negative effect; the TMFR will promote the resource allocation; the high transaction cost may affect the implementation of TMFR.     

Uses of Fish and Game by Inhabitants of an Extractive Reserve (Upper Juruá, Acre, Brazil)

The fishing and hunting performed by inhabitants of the Extractive Reserve of the Upper Juruá, Acre, Brazil was studied, and an ecological analysis on the use of fish and game, including preferences, taboos and medicinal uses, and of fish abundance was made. Research was carried out at the Upper Juruá Extractive Reserve in three visits (1993 and 1994). A total of 143 individuals (101 families) living along the banks of the rivers Juruá, Tejo, Bagé, S. João and Breu were interviewed, and 115 species of fish with set gillnets were collected. Local economic activities included rubber-tapping and small-scale agriculture. Fishing was especially important in the dry season, when cast net and hook and line were used. Hunting and game consumption were intensive in the wet season. Some local rules may be useful as starting points for local management, such as the use of fish diversity through lake management, the use of water level seasonality, hunting periods or quotas, and food taboos. The integration of academic research with indigenous knowledge and demands is important to develop management plans which protect both biological and cultural diversity.     

The digital frontiers of fisheries governance: fish attraction devices,drones and satellites

ABSTRACT

High seas fisheries remain one of the least transparent global production practices. Distance from shore, coupled with the highly mobile nature of fish stocks, has put attention on new monitoring, control and surveillance technologies to collect spatially referenced data on the location of fishing vessels, gears and even fish stocks and eradicate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing activity. Faced with their nascent implementation, research is yet to address how these technologies are reconfiguring the roles and responsibilities of public and private actors involved in fisheries management, including who collects and controls fisheries related information. In this paper, we compare three monitoring, control and surveillance technologies that are gaining traction in fisheries; the use of private fish attraction devices in oceanic tuna fisheries, unmanned public drones for marine surveillance and global satellite monitoring of fishing vessels. In doing so, we question how different configurations of actors are structuring flows of information and with what effect on sustainability performance of high seas fisheries. We also explore how these technologies configure new (and imagined) geographies of high seas fisheries which challenge existing modes of fisheries management.