Dan Minchin Marine Organism Investigations, Ireland Coastal Research and Planning Institute, University of Klaipeda, Lithuania, September/November 2013

Environmental issues Fishery issues Aquaculture issues Societal issues

Locally abundant and concentrated by current and wind vectors Release in breakdown of toxic products May be increasing some populations Long time to deteriorate Surface Bottom

Concentrations of rare earth elements Technology for mining being developed Likely to be consequences for environment

Methane is toxic Found below fish farms Hydrates becoming unstable Hydrates determined by pressure and temperature

From eutrophication Collapsing algal blooms Natural permanent/seasonal events Deep water de-oxygenation

pH varies worldwide Required for bone and shell Corals and coccolithophorids vulnerable Consequences for aquaculture Norway

Damage to services Loss of aquaculture species Contamination Flooding events Raining fish, In Australia 522km from the nearest water!

Once world’s 4 th largest lake Alterations in climate Salinities suppressed fish <growth & extinctions to >30psu, water drop of 20m Wetland degradation Fishery ‘ended’ in 1983 Most fish now in aquaculture Marine fish introductions

First cold-water transport route Higher survival possible Will ballast water treatments be in time? Treatment trials aboard ‘OOCL Finland’ 2007

High turbidity Greater flooding purges Damage to benthos from siltation Poor light penetration Need to introduce resiliant fish

Used as an antifoulant on hulls and fish nets Very toxic, environmental problems Pacific oyster farmers, production decline Banned since 1987, then 2005

Bacteria can use up much oxygen (One drop of oil requires 80l water) Oil is biodegradable, temperature related There will be more oil spills Air breathing organisms likely population declines One month to clear surface oil

Fewer large fishes Industrial fisheries Changes to ecosystem function Some fished to commercial extinction

Sturgeon: upriver barriers, keystone species (Margaratifera auricularia) Mekong catfish Freshwater rays arapaima

Compromises good management Underestimates landing statistics Often destructive as non-target Often organised criminal element Fines often too leniant Can result in job losses

On bottom or near surface Continue to fish Often on wreck sites

Blooms becoming frequent Many species, ocean & coastal Impacting on aquaculture/tourism Plastics can simulate jellyfish Few predators of jellyfish Impair fishing activities

Fisheries mismanagement Overfishing Commercial extinction Bycatch (27 million metric tons annually) Targeting smaller species on the low end of the food chain

Returned to sea dying/dead Can increase predatory pests Fussy but quality food Small fish valued in areas with high exploitation

Marketable when larger species are less available May compromise a fishery Often includes juveniles Some strange management methods Expand scavenger populations

Impacts on benthos Impacts on habitat Recovery times vary Deep-water and shallows Resuspension of toxic materials Areas may be important for recruitment Lophelia may be 1-40k old

Water quality a problems Access to upstream regions Habitat improvement Occurs in wide range of environments High exploitation Sockeye

Natural spread Paratenic hosts Stock transfers Intermediate hosts

Not generally accepted by public For aquarium species accepted Triploid oysters bigger and sterile Faster growth in salmonids Anti-freezing gene introduced to salmon Brachydanio rerio

Making the best of a damaged environment

World trade ban on specific species Many difficult to identify Confusion on Tridacna Biodiversity concept for humans!

Sandeels, gadoids, clupeids 10kg of fishmeal = 1kg of salmon Soyabean & algae oils as alternatives Future developments for aquaculture expected

Iron concentration in krill and whale faeces is 10 million times that in sea water

Rapid response Supportive legislation Knowledgeable trappers Exterminated

Use for liming land Used for digestive disorder Very slow growth

Artificial Reefs Improving bio-density 1.attracting fish 2.providing habitats, shelter 3.May aid as nursery areas 4.Tires can be washed ashore 5.Tyres, wrecks and construction rubble

Tristan da Chuna 2007 Oil platform breaks away while under tow

Many are idle Create large firm surface areas Small craft have special routes They avoid seasonal storms (shaded) Voyage to isolated areas Follow old sailing ship routes

71 auxillary vessels ~13 years moored in oyster area 3 vessels in Tees ENGLAND U S A Haplosporidium nelsoni protozoan Perkensis marinus ? ?

Scombrotoxins Ciguaterra Dinoflagellate toxins Cholera Expansions of jellyfish

You are a team You won’t know everything You need to keep an eye on where you are going Matters will always change