Seminar Series

SMAST Fall 2013 Seminar Series

The fall 2013 seminar series begins on September 4 and runs through December 4. 

DEOS seminars are Wednesdays at 12:30 PM in Room 108 of SMAST I, New Bedford and simulcast in Room 325, SMAST II. Contact Prof. Brian Howes (bhowes@umassd.edu) for information.

DFO seminars are Wednesdays at 2:45 PM in Room 158 of SMAST II, AT&T Building, Fairhaven. Contact Prof. Saang-Yoon Hyun (shyun@umassd.edu) for information.

CINAR Candidate Seminars

The CINAR seminars will be held at 2:00 p.m. in Room 158 of SMAST II, AT&T Building, Fairhaven, and will be simulcast to Room 108 of SMAST I, New Bedford.

SMAST Spring 2013 Seminar Series

The spring 2013 seminar series begins on January 30 and runs through May 1. 

DEOS seminars are Wednesdays at 12:30 PM in Room 204 of SMAST I, New Bedford and simulcast in Room 325, SMAST II. Contact Prof. Dan MacDonald (dmacdonald@umassd.edu) or Prof. Cynthia Pilskaln (cpilskaln@umassd.edu) for information.

DFO seminars are Wednesdays at 3:30 PM in Room 158 of SMAST II, AT&T Building, Fairhaven and simulcast in Room 204, SMAST I. Contact Prof. Pingguo He (phe@umassd.edu) for information.

Marine Economics seminars are held at 11:00 a.m. in Room 156 of SMAST II, AT&T Building, Fairhaven. Contact Prof. Dan Georgianna (dgeorgianna@umassd.edu) or Dr. Min-Yang Lee (min-yang.lee@noaa.gov) for information.

"Future research in particle biogeochemistry: Technological Challenges,"  Cindy Lee, SUNY Stony Brook.

Global ocean acidification has captured the attention of many because of its potentially negative effects on organisms, particularly those that precipitate CaCO₃.  One of the few natural processes that removes CO₂ from the ocean’s surface waters is the sinking of particles to the deep sea.  These particles carry organic carbon with them that is derived from surface plants and animals in the ocean.  We and others have recently shown that the flux of mineral matter (opal, carbonates, and dust) is an excellent predictor of POC flux. We hypothesized that this strong statistical association may be driven by physical protection of organic matter by ballast minerals and/or the need for a minimum fraction of organic matter to maintain particle integrity during sinking. We measured organic and inorganic carbon, Si, Ca, Al and Ti, to characterize the organic and inorganic material in particles collected in the field. We also conducted laboratory experiments on aggregation and decomposition of mineral-forming and non-mineral-forming algae.  Our field and laboratory observations suggest that the association of POC and ballast material may be initiated by mineral-enhanced aggregation in surface waters.  Significant technological challenges stand in the way of a complete understanding.  Ocean acidifiction induced dissolution of CaCO₃, one of the mineral ballasts in the ocean, could slow sinking of particles, thus slowing removal of CO₂ from the atmosphere.

"Are Survey Respondents Liars? Comparing Hypothetical and Real Nonmarket Valuation Responses" Scott Steinback, Social Science Branch, NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center

Resource economics is based on the assumption that people are able to make rational decisions about the values they place on nonmarket goods. Unfortunately, people are not routinely asked to value nonmarket goods such as clean air, water, open space, or endangered species, and therefore it is reasonable to question the ability of people to provide such estimates. In addition, research has shown that stated preferences often differ significantly from observed behavior, and there is no way of knowing whether responses to a hypothetical survey are consistent with what a respondent would do if actually given the opportunity. In spite of these concerns, nonmarket values derived from hypothetical surveys are used in public policy debates and by the courts, so they cannot be ignored. A simple classroom experiment will be conducted to demonstrate how easily people can be misled when asked to estimate the dollar value of a nonmarket good. In addition, a summary of a recent experiment conducted to evaluate the fundamental issue in properly estimating the total benefits of nonmarket goods will be presented – whether hypothetical statements are a credible indicator of actual preferences.   

"The 'Other' Bioengineering: Fish Passage Research and the Restoration of Migratory Fish Populations,"  Alex Haro, Research Ecologist (S. O. Conte Anadromous Fish Research Laboratory, US Geological Survey).

Abstract

Recent efforts to restore populations of migratory fishes to habitats and migratory routes impacted or altered by dams or other habitat fragmentation typically focus on provision of passage at specific barriers. Passage mitigation is usually adapted as an afterthought to existing structures, and has primarily relied on methodologies historically developed on a trial-and-error basis.  Fish passage efforts have traditionally emphasized technical or engineered solutions, or have compensated for poor passage conditions with trap-and-truck, stocking, or hatchery-based enhancements. Often these efforts are unsuccessful, and do not identify larger goals for effective population restoration, which include re-establishment of populations to pre-barrier or sustainable levels, genetic and phenotypic diversity, and consideration of complete life histories and migration behaviors. This presentation reviews the current status of fish passage technology and newer approaches to develop “bioengineering” solutions that incorporate fish behavior, locomotion, and ecology into traditional hydraulic and physical engineering, to arrive at more holistic and effective solutions for passage of fish in fragmented aquatic ecosystems.

"Mitigating Coastal Eutrophication - Are Filter-Feeding Shellfish the Answer?" Sandra E. Shumway, Department of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut

Shellfish aquaculture and restoration continue to expand globally, as do eutrophication and harmful algal blooms.  Molluscan shellfish are among the most important of ecosystem engineers and providers of ecosystem services.  As such, restoration and aquaculture are both increasingly touted as means of habitat restoration, and as potential sources of mitigation for coastal degradation including eutrophication and erosion.  At some scales, shellfish restoration and establishment of sustainable molluscan shellfish aquaculture operations can mitigate effects of coastal development and eutrophication; however, the expectations and publicity are reaching unrealistic levels.  Harmful algal blooms impact coastal resources globally and their impacts can be devastating to local economies and environments.  In addition, the impacts of harmful algae on shellfish are highly species-specific and critical data regarding impacts of these toxic algae on critical life stages of the shellfish, and which will impact the potential for success of any restoration effort in the long term, are lacking. This presentation will open a discussion of the realistic expectations that could result from exploitation of bivalve molluscs, whether in restored reefs or in aquaculture farms, as long-term ecosystem engineers and mitigators of coastal degradation, and discuss the importance of strong and meaningful collaboration between scientists and industry. 

About Dr. Shumway:

Sandra E. Shumway, Research Professor, University of Connecticut, enjoys a varied career in research, outreach and education with primary focus on shellfish physiology, aquaculture, ecology, seafood safety and harmful algal blooms (HAB). She studied in Wales as a Marshall Scholar and received a Ph.D. in 1976 and a D.Sc. in 1992. She has published >150 primary research publications, several books and book chapters, and various outreach publications, and is the recipient of several awards, including Honored Life Member, National Shellfisheries Association, AAAS Fellow, Aldo Leopold Fellow, Honorary Fellow, University of Wales, and Fellow of the World Aquaculture Society.  She serves as Associate Editor, Journal of the World Aquaculture Society and as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Shellfish Research, the Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, and Reviews in Fisheries Science, and is Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Harmful Algae. Her most recent edited book, Shellfish Aquaculture and the Environment, was published in 2012 by Wiley-Blackwell Science Publishers.

"Measuring fishery profitability change: An index number approach," John Walden, Social Science Branch, NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center

Tracking the financial well-being of vessels that depend on our nation’s  marine fishery resources is an important function of regulators.  This research demonstrates  how simple indices can be constructed and utilized to track the economic well-being of vessels  operating in the Northeast (USA) Multispecies (Groundfish) Fishery. The indices, which use both public  and private data, can separately track trends in inputs, outputs, and prices. For the Northeast Multispecies  Fishery, the indices reveal that the economic well‑being of the groundfish fleet has improved under catch share management through gains in productivity.

"Population connectivity of zooplankton: Ecological, evolutionary and oceanographic interpretations," Ann Bucklin, University of Connecticut

Population connectivity (i.e., exchange of individuals) is an essential characteristic of species, which affects their resilience to external pressures, including climate change and anthropogenic impacts.  Direct observation of dispersal is not possible for marine zooplankton – and many other organisms and environments – and a variety of genetic approaches have been employed.  Analysis of ‘genetic connectivity’ can reveal the impacts and effects of life history and behavior, biogeographical distribution, long-term climatic variation, and the geological history of the oceans. However, genetic analyses do not necessarily yield accurate understanding of ‘demographic connectivity’ (i.e., the degree to which population growth and vital rates are affected by dispersal).  Recent studies of population connectivity of zooplankton, especially copepods and euphausiids, are described. Ecological and evolutionary inferences are explored for studies over a range of spatial scales (from small-scale patchiness to the global ocean) and based on different genetic markers (DNA sequence divergence of the mitochondrial COI ‘barcode’ region and Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms).

SMAST Fall 2012 Seminar Series

The fall 2012 seminar series begins on September 12 and runs through December 12. 

DEOS seminars are Wednesdays at 12:30 PM in Room 108 of SMAST I, New Bedford and simulcast in Room 325, SMAST II. Contact Prof. Dan MacDonald (dmacdonald@umassd.edu) or Prof. Cynthia Pilskaln (cpilskaln@umassd.edu) for information.

DFO seminars are Wednesdays at 3:30 PM in Room 158 of SMAST II, AT&T Building, Fairhaven and simulcast in Room 108, SMAST I. Contact Prof. Pingguo He (phe@umassd.edu) for information.

Governing by Networks in Fisheries and EBM: It's Not Who You Know, but Who You Know Knows, Troy Hartley (Virginia Institute of Marine Science). 

Abstract: With the increased emphasis on ecosystem-based approaches to managing fisheries and comprehensive integrated approaches to coastal and marine spatial planning, there are a suite of new policy and governance questions and issues society faces. How do we set priorities between sectors, among ecosystem services, and make trade-offs between social, economic and environmental objectives? In America’s local, state and federal government design, with specific jurisdictions, single-species or sector management objectives, and often challenged authorities, how do we design a governance system that advances integration and adaptive management? With advancements in network theory and analysis, public policy researchers are examining the structure and function of governance networks—the connectivity among individuals and organizations making and implementing decisions about a given government activity, e.g., fisheries management. This talk presents a series of governance network analyses conducted from 2007—2012 in the Gulf of Maine and Chesapeake Bay, focusing on fisheries, watershed, and local land use planning and management. By examining quantitative measures of network structure and function in these examples, we consider the opportunities and obstacles to the implementation of ecosystem-based management. Typical measures of networks relate to the degree of connectivity that may exist in the network structure (e.g., density, weighted average pathlengths, degree/number of communication links, network size) and centrality functions among network participants (e.g., betweenness, closeness).  While there are substantial fragmentation in networks and insufficient connections across jurisdictions and resource management to implement ecosystem-based management, there are also opportunities to advance the connectivity of nested governance networks.

Reconsidering Historical Definitions of Overfishing and the Balance between Sustainable Use and Overexploitation

by Daniel R. Goethel
(co-author Steven X. Cadrin, and Brian J. Rothschild)

Overexploitation and sustainability have been core concepts in the management of renewable resources since the 1600s.  Traditionally, these terms were directly linked to one another, so that overexploitation was truly unsustainable.  In fisheries management, the connection between them was severed when maximum sustainable yield became the guiding principal for many management bodies in the 1950s.  The current tendency is to consider fishery management a failure if a stock is ‘overfished’.  However, the abuse of such terms has led to inappropriate negative perceptions of management systems and the fishing industry.  By tracing the origins of the term ‘overfishing’ we demonstrate that modern management systems which link overfishing to an optimal fishing mortality reference point do not adhere to the traditional concept.  We suggest a revival of historical definitions of overfishing, based on short-term time horizons.  Such a reinterpretation would define sustainable use as harvesting up to the reproductive surplus of the resource, while overexploitation would be indicated by harvesting more than could be naturally replaced in a given year.  This approach would alter rebuilding plans to focus on increasing population biomass on a year to year basis as a means to achieve long-term reference point targets, while eliminating arbitrary rebuilding timelines.  By re-associating overfishing with values of fishing mortality that are unsustainable and lead to detrimental impacts on biomass, the inappropriate negative perception of fisheries can be avoided and, ultimately, instill incentive to promote conservative fishing techniques.

Flow Control Using Hydrofoils and Propellers with Leading Edge Protuberances, Dr. Charles Henoch, Naval Undersea Warfare Center

Abstract:  Experimental results of force, flow, and propulsion characteristics of foils with leading edge protuberances are presented.  The use of leading edge protuberances is inspired by the humpback whale’s pectoral flippers.  A variety of geometries and techniques have been explored, some with favorable results.

Brief biography:  Charles Henoch, Ph.D. has worked at NUWC for 21 years as an experimentalist in fluid dynamics.  He received a M.S. in Chemistry and a Ph.D. in  Applied Sciences, both from NYU.  His dissertation work involved liquid metal magnetohydrodynamic turbulence studies with Prof. Branover at Ben Gurion University in Israel.  At NUWC, he worked extensively at the Langley Tow Tank before it was closed, and on tests at the Large Cavitation Channel, the MIT water tunnel, the Brown University water channel, the Navy pier at San Clemente, the NUWC research tow tank, and the NUWC Superconducting Electromagnetic Thruster Lab.  He worked on range tests for supercavitating projectile tests and maintains and operates the NUWC 12” Research Water Tunnel.  He is NAVY certified in Laser Operations, Explosive Operations, and Crane Operations.