Knauss Lecture Series

December 3, 2013

12-1 PM Thursday, December 5, 2013 at NOAA Central Library, 2nd Floor, SSMC3

Fishery Management and Information Sharing Networks: The Association between Sector Management and Social Capital

Gabe Dunham

The benefits from increased levels of social capital have been shown to manifest themselves in ways that can increase the efficiency of the use and regulation of natural resources, as well as increase the resiliency of resource dependent communities against fluctuations in abundance. While the literature shows evidence of the positive effects that social capital can have on management and stakeholder institutions, few studies examine the effects of changes in management on levels of social capital in commercial fisheries.
This study employs network and econometric analyses to examine social capital in the Northeast multispecies groundfish fishery. We compare alternative measurements of social capital, and find suggestive evidence of decreased levels of social capital associated with a recent change from effort-based to rights-based management. Increased knowledge of this relationship may provide tangible benefits to both management institutions and resource users.

Plastic pollution in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre

Miriam Goldstein, Ph.D

Parts of the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre, a remote area nestled between the trade winds and the westerlies, have been dubbed the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch.” Plastic pollution was first detected in this area in the early 1970s and has since become a matter of scientific and public concern. Relatively little is known about the consequences of plastic debris in the NPSG, but since most of the debris is in the form of small particles (<5 mm in diameter) on the ocean’s surface, surface-dwelling biota are most likely to be impacted. I will discuss the abundance, distribution, and size of the plastic debris, as well as how plastic is interacting with pelagic invertebrates. Impacts to marine life include direct ingestion, increased surface area for oviposition, and the transportation of nonindigenous species.

Climate

Fish for Tomorrow: Bahamian Fisheries in a Changing Climate

Climate change is profoundly impacting people involved in fishing by altering coastal ecosystems and disrupting cultural, economic, and social patterns tied to small-scale fisheries. Fish for Tomorrow showcases the livelihoods and daily practices of fishers from Abaco – an island in The Bahamas that was ravaged by Hurricane Dorian in September 2019. The film highlights the voices of three fishers who share their deep-rooted relationship to fishing, the ecological and social changes they have witnessed, and their future outlook for Bahamian fisheries in a changing climate.

Sea Grant Marine Debris Grantee PolyGone Announces the Grand Opening of its Microplastic Removal Pilot

PolyGone Systems is pleased to announce the Grand Opening of the Microplastic Removal Pilot Project and the Educational Pavilion at the Atlantic County Utilities Authority (ACUA)! The Grand Opening will take place on September 12, 2024, at the Atlantic County Utilities Authority Wastewater Treatment Facility.

The event will showcase PolyGone Systems’ industrial-scale microplastic removal pilot project within the Atlantic County Utilities Authority’s Wastewater Treatment Facility. Alongside the pilot deployment, PolyGone will unveil the Microplastic Educational Pavilion, an on-site exhibition for public visitors and students to learn about microplastic pollution and PolyGone’s environmental mission. Keynote speakers from the NOAA Sea Grant Office will be featured at the Grand Opening.

Catch up with Sea Grant and USCRP at ASBPA National Coastal Conference

The American Shore & Beach Preservation Association’s National Coastal Conference welcomes all coastal stakeholders and managers to learn the latest science, engineering and policy needed