The second meeting of the Planning Group for the Coordination of Acoustic Surveys off Northwest Africa was held in Dakar, Senegal, from 28 to 29 October 2003. The general objective of the Planning Group is to plan the coordination of acoustic surveys in the region including intercalibration of research vessels and to act as a forum for discussion on issues important to acoustic surveys such as standardization of methods, acoustic research and training. The Planning Group noted that the three countries that possess their own research vessels had all conducted acoustic surveys in 2003 and that progress had been made in terms of planning and implementation of surveys as well as in data analysis and reporting. Nevertheless, there are still some issues that need to be addressed including the coordination of the national surveys to ensure complete coverage of the pelagic stocks, studies to reduce the noise level of the different research vessels, and the operation of the pelagic trawl to improve sampling of the target pelagic species.--Publisher's description.
The scientists from the Northwest African region expressed their commitment to conduct their own acoustic surveys. All of the local research vessels conducted acoustic surveys in 2004. The ability of running acoustic surveys in the sub-region has developed to a good level and focus in the future should be on the development of human capacity and to resolve the recurrent technical problems of trawl performance, noise discrimination and data storage. The timeframe of the continued surveys with R/V DR. FRIDTJOF NANSEN and the support through the Nansen Programme is unknown and high priority must therefore be given to the improvement of scientists skills in acoustic abundance estimation.
The fifth meeting of the FAO Working Group on the Assessment of Small Pelagic Fish off Northwest Africa was held in Nouadhibou, Mauritania, from 26 April to 5 May 2005. The meeting continued to focus on data quality and on the analysis of trends in the basic data (landings, catch, effort, abundance, length and age distribution) and trends in the fishery independent survey data. The structure of the report is the same as that of the previous Working Group report (FAO, 2004), with the addition of two chapters, one on bonga (Ethmalosa fimbriata) and one on anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus). A separate section is devoted to each of the main groups of species (sardine, sardinella, horse mackerel, chub mackerel, bonga and anchovy). For each of these, standardised information is given on stock identity, fisheries, abundance indices, sampling, biological data, assessment, management recommendations and future research. In the absence of reliable length and/or age compositions, the Working Group used production models for all stocks. The results of the assessments indicate that the sardine stock in Zone C is not fully exploited and the Working Group hence noted that the total catch level may be temporarily increased but should be adjusted to natural changes in the stock. A constant monitoring of the stock abundance and structure, by scientific surveys, independent from catch data, should be ensured, to detect unanticipated changes that may require urgent management measures. As regards the central stock of sardine (Zones A+ B), it is recommended not to increase catches above the average level of the last five years (600 000 tonnes). The stock of round sardinella was found to be fully exploited and it was hence recommended not to increase catches of sardinella above the current level of 400 000 tonnes (2004). As a precautionary approach, the Working Group recommended not to increase catches above the average level of the last five years for the horse mackerels (80 000 tonnes for Trachurus trachurus and 170 000 tonnes for T. trecae) and not to increase catches above the 2004 level for chub mackerel (220 000 tonnes). For bonga the Working Group recommended as a precautionary measure that the catch level should not exceed the average over the last five years (42 000 tonnes) and for anchovy the catch level should not exceed the average over the last three years (160 000 tonnes). In formulating the results of the assessments, the Working Group noted that it lacked a set of uniform reference points and management objectives for all stocks in the area. The Group noted that the selection of appropriate reference points required more time than was available during the meeting. It was therefore decided that some members will look further into this problem, working by correspondence, and present a working paper at the 2006 meeting. At that meeting the Working Group will attempt to agree on a common policy concerning the way it presents its management advice for the various stocks.
The scientists from the Northwest African region expressed their commitment to conduct their own acoustic surveys. All of the local research vessels conducted acoustic surveys in 2004. The ability of running acoustic surveys in the sub-region has developed to a good level and focus in the future should be on the development of human capacity and to resolve the recurrent technical problems of trawl performance, noise discrimination and data storage. The timeframe of the continued surveys with R/V DR. FRIDTJOF NANSEN and the support through the Nansen Programme is unknown and high priority must therefore be given to the improvement of scientists skills in acoustic abundance estimation.
Manthia Diawara provides an insider's account of the history and current status of African cinema. African Cinema: Politics and Culture is the first extended study in English of Sub-Saharan cinema. Employing an interdisciplinary approach which draws on history, political science, economics, and cultural studies, Diawara discusses such issues as film production and distribution, and film aesthetics from the colonial period to the present. The book traces the growth of African cinema through the efforts of pioneer filmmakers such as Paulin Soumanou Vieyra, Oumarou Ganda, Jean-René Débrix, Jean Rouch, and Ousmane Sembène, the Pan-African Filmmakers' Organization (FEPACI), and the Ougadougou Pan-African Film Festival (FESPACO). Diwara focuses on the production and distribution histories of key films such as Ousmane Sembène's Black Girl and Mandabi (1968) and Souleymane Cissé's Fine (1982). He also examines the role of missionary films in Africa, Débrix's ideas concerning 'magic, ' the links between Yoruba theater and Nigerian cinema, and the parallels between Hindu mythologicals in India and the Yoruba-theater - inflected films in Nigeria. Diawara also looks at film and nationalism, film and popular culture, and the importance of FESPACO. African Cinema: Politics and Culture makes a major contribution to the expanding discussion of Eurocentrism, the canon, and multi-culturalism.
Protected areas are at the base of the most national and international conservation strategies. Due to the many unpredictable elements in ecology matters, each protected area requires a case-specific set of guidelines but a common issue is how to cope with human interaction. The management of protected areas is replete with challenges and the only way to gain understanding and achieve greater management possibilities is to exchange experiences and knowledge. Environmental managers are aware of that and together with scientists are looking for more modern and better solutions, both with respect to natural resources and human interactions in many issues regarding nature protection. This publication presents reviews and research results on protected areas management, as well as 12 case studies derived from around the world with the aim of improving management effectiveness of the protected areas.
between linguistic and psychoanalytic concepts necessarily arises. Until now this question has been examined mainly by psychoanalysts, from their own perspective, but here it is investigated by a linguist, who systematically explores two domains. The first is related to the sign and symbol, where the meeting of Freud, Saussure and Hjelmselv occurred; whereas in the second, that of the signifier, Saussure reappears escorted by Lacan. But Freud is not far away, since the.
Are OECD countries becoming more knowledge-based? Are they embracing the information economy? To what extent are innovation, science, technology and economies becoming global? What are the new growth industries and occupations? With over 160 indicators, 60% of them new to this edition, the volume provides a comprehensive picture of countries’ performance in the areas of science, technology and industry. It uses an improved classification of technology and knowledge-intensive industries. New indicators address emerging policy issues: international mobility of human capital, relative innovative performance as measured by patent families, skills in the information economy, diffusion of the Internet and electronic commerce. Resources devoted to innovation in emerging areas such as biotechnology, environment, health and information and communication technologies are measured for the first time. A new section on the information economy relies on the latest data from official sources. With the essential findings presented in bullet points and methodological notes on indicators and data sources, this publication combines statistical rigour with easy access and readability. An electronic version makes individual sections, an elaborate data appendix and links to the databases readily available. The electronic version also gives users “clickable” access to the data used in charts and figures. AREAS COVERED: New resources for the knowledge-based economy - Human capital and international mobility - R&D performance - Role of government and business in R&D and innovation - Science and innovation performance - Resources and infrastructure for the information economy - Diffusion of Internet technologies and electronic commerce - Contribution of the information and communication technologies to economic performance - International trade - Foreign direct investment - Strategic alliances and cross-border, mergers and acquisitions - Internationalisation of science and technology - Industrial structure and productivity growth - Technology and knowledge-intensive industries and their performance. FURTHER READING: OECD Science, Technology and Industry Outlook 2000; OECD Information Technology Outlook 2000; OECD Communications Outlook 2001; A New Economy: Beyond the Hype, 2001 (OECD ); OECD Main Science and Technology Indicators 2001/1 and STI Working Papers series available at http://www.oecd.org/dsti/sti/stat-ana/index.htm.
