Effect of marine economic development pilot policies on regional economic resilience: Based on quasi-natural experiments from coastal areas in China

China began to implement marine economic development pilot policies from 2011 in order to promote land and marine development in a coordinated way, transform and optimize marine industrial layout, formulate and improve the policy and institutional construction of ocean development, promote marine economic power strategy, and improve the level of regional economic resilience in coastal area. Tourism industry is an important part of regional economy of coastal areas. Taking the marine economic development pilot policies as a quasi-natural experiment and based on the panel data of cities in coastal areas of China from 2007 to 2020, a multi-period difference-in-differences (DID) model was used to assess the impact of these pilot policies on regional economic resilience and tourism economic resilience. The results show that the implementation of marine economic development pilot policies can significantly promote regional economic resilience and tourism economic resilience. COVID-19, as a moderating variable, has significantly weakened the effect of marine economic development pilot policies on regional economic resilience. In terms of regional heterogeneity, the establishment of marine economic development pilots has a more significant policy effect on regional economic resilience in the central and southern coastal areas, while the policy effect on tourism economic resilience is more significant in the eastern coastal areas. In view of these findings, it is of great significance for cities to prevent systemic risks and improve regional economic resilience, by means of reasonably expanding marine economic development pilots and planning coastal regional economic systems according to local conditions. © 2023, Editorial office of PROGRESS IN GEOGRAPHY. All rights reserved.

Micro plastic: an imperceptible threat on Agua Dulce Beach, Chorrillos District

The use of plastics in the world is increasing, but their proper final arrangement is limited. Peru made regulatory efforts to reduce its use;however, they are isolated activities that have not represented a significant change in their management. This study allows to identify the presence of microplastic on one of the busiest beaches of the city of Lima Metropolitana, during the emergency period caused by the SARS-COV-2 pandemic. To achieve the objectives of the research, it has been sampled in high tide and supra-coastal areas, applying the methodology proposed in the Ministry of the Environment's Soil Sampling Guide. This study shows the presence of microplastics, with an abundance of 43 pieces per m2, and found that the predominance of the type of microplastic found is of secondary origin (polystyrene and polypropylene);however, 20.9% correspond to primary microplastics (pellets) whose source could not be determined. Finally, it is indicated that despite restrictions on the state of emergency the number of microplastics per m2 in Agua Dulce Beach between 2019 (40 pieces) and 2020 (43 pieces) increased by 7.5%.

Study on the contribution of coastal tourism to marine economic development

Since the reform and opening up, coastal tourism has been rising and developing, and it has become one of the important marine industries. This paper selected the added value and gross marine product of coastal tourism industry from 2001 to 2020, constructed direct contribution rate, indirect contribution rate and marginal contribution rate model, and calculated the contribution degree of coastal tourism to marine economic development. The results showed that the direct contribution rate of coastal tourism was on the rise, and the indirect contribution rate was mostly about 2%~4%.In the selected study period, the marginal contribution rate of coastal tourism to GROSS marine product was 40.44%. The study found that the overall development level of coastal tourism was good, and the coastal tourism made a great contribution to the development of marine economy, but it was difficult to take accurate measures in the face of sudden crises such as COVID-19, and sometimes it took a lot of time to recover to the normal level. Based on the above situation, suggestions were proposed to increase policy support for the post-epidemic era, promote the supply-side reform of coastal tourism and build coastal tourism products with characteristics in the post-epidemic era, increase the publicity and marketing of coastal tourism, and train and introduce high-quality tourism talents, etc..

Sea swimming and snorkeling in tropical coastal blue spaces and mental well-being: findings from Indonesian island communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Special Issue: Covid-19 and outdoor recreation.)

The COVID-19 pandemic has considerable mental health impacts. Immersive nature-based interventions, such as swimming or snorkeling, may help mitigate the global mental health crisis caused by the pandemic. To investigate this, we collected cross-sectional data from residents of coastal villages (n = 308) in Kepulauan Selayar, Indonesia. Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used with mental well-being as the outcome variable, operationalized as the Mental Component Summary (MCS) scores from the SF-12 (12-item Short Form Health Survey). After adjusting for covariates, the activity of sea swimming or snorkeling was found to be significantly associated with better mental well-being (2 = 0.036;p < 0.01). Predictive margins analysis revealed that those who engaged in sea swimming or snorkeling for one to three days a week gained a 2.7 increase in their MCS scores, compared to those who did not. A non-linear dose-response relationship was detected: for those swimming or snorkeling more than three days per week, there was only an increase of 1.7 MCS score compared to the 0-day. Overall this study contributes to the expanding of evidence base, showing that interactions with blue spaces can be beneficial for mental health, especially in a potentially stressful time such as the current pandemic.

Do Coastal Areas Experience More Recession during the Economic Crisis-Evidence from China.

The notion of resilience has been increasingly adopted in economic geography, concerning how regions resist and recover from all kinds of shocks. Most of the literature on the resilience of coastal areas focuses on biophysical stressors, such as climate change and some environmental factors. In this research, we analyze the regional economic resilience characteristics responding to the Great Financial Crisis in 2008 and its main determinants. We conclude that the coastal areas encountered more recession (or less growth) in the long term, and the secondary industry showed higher resilience than the tertiary industry. The influential factors of regional economic resilience varied across different stages of the crisis, and for the long term, good financial arrangement and governance ability could prompt the regional resilience to the crisis. Finally, some policy implications are proposed which may benefit dealings with major shocks such as economic crises and COVID-19.

Using COVID-19 travel bans to precipitate a digital transition in coastal fisheries science

It is reported that the complete cessation of travel due to COVID, which forced an almost total shift to online delivery of information between the Pacific Community (SPC) and its member countries, has created the conditions for coastal fisheries departments to embrace the efficiencies of using e-data systems to collect, store, analyse and report on the status of their fisheries. Accordingly, staff from the Coastal Fisheries Science and Data units within SPC's Fisheries, Aquaculture and Marine Ecosystems (FAME) Division have invested significant time and resources to develop an e-data system that has evolved based on feedback from regional meetings and workshops. The implementation and results of the e-data platform are discussed, as well as the next steps in the digital transition of coastal fisheries monitoring in the region.

An assessment of socioeconomic impacts due to COVID-19 on coastal fisheries in Tonga

This article presents the main findings and recommendations of a socioeconomic assessment of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Tonga's coastal fisheries sector which was conducted by means of a national survey targeting households that benefit from subsistence and artisanal fishing and focus group discussions targeting registered commercial small-scale fishers. The assessment aimed to (1) better understand the effects of COVID-19 on coastal small-scale fishers and fishing households;(2) examine how they have coped and recovered from the effects of COVID-19;and (3) identify the types of support that they would find helpful to cope with and recover from the effects of COVID-19, as well as future crises.

Study of incidence of malaria, Dengue and Chikungunya fevers among febrile patients visiting tertiary care hospital (King George Hospital) in Visakhapatnam

Aim & objective: Study of incidence of malaria, Dengue and Chikungunya fevers among febrile patients visiting tertiary care hospital (King George hospital) in Visakhapatnam. Method: The study is conducted in-patients visiting King George Hospital, which is a Government General Hospital located in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India. The hospital with 1237 beds serving the needs of north coastal Andhra Pradesh and adjacent Orissa for more than 150 years. Patients presenting to the health centre with some signs and symptoms compatible with the diagnosis of malaria, dengue and chikungunya (fever which can be recent or in evidence during the previous 2-4 days or/and other symptoms of febrile diseases such as chills, headache, joint, muscle and body pains).100 febrile patients shall be selected randomly at the age group of 13-60 years Patients shall also be selected on the basis of febrile and other symptoms such as chills, headache, joint, and muscle and body pains. Results and Conclusion: Age wise Distribution of Malaria, Dengue and Chikungunya, number of patients n=100 were taken, total n=72 patients were positive for Malaria, n=24 patients were positive for Dengue and n=4 patients were Chikungunya. With the Mean of 10.6 and Standard Deviation are 6.1. From the age group of "36 to 50"years n=28 number of patients positive for both males and females, form this total n=12 positive for malaria with the percentage of 16.6% and Females were n=16 with the percentage of 22.2%. From the age group "51 to 65"years n=8 number of patients positive for malaria in both males and females, from this total the male patients were n=4 positive for malaria with the percentage of 5.6%. The age wise description of Dengue a total "n=24"number of patients are positive for Dengue in both males and females. From the total n=16 number of male patients which are positive for Dengue with the percentage of 66.6% with the Mean of 5.3 and Standard Deviation is 4.7.females were n=8 number of patients with the percentage of 33.3% and in the Mean of 11.1 with Standard Deviation is 2.4. The age wise description of Chikungunya fever of different age groups a total "n=4"number of patients are positive for Chikungunya fever in both males and females. From the total n=02 number of male patients which are positive for malaria with the percentage of 50% with the Mean of 0.6 and Standard Deviation is 0.5 females were n=02 number of patients with the percentage of 50% and in the Mean of 0.6 and Standard Deviation is 0.5. Chikungunya fever in both males and females, from the total male patients were n=0 positive for Chikungunya fever and females were n=1 number of patients positive for Chikungunya with the percentage of 25%. The maximum peaks are observed equally in the age of 36 to 50 years age group. The Month wise Description of Malaria, Dengue and Chikungunya positive patients from the month of April 2017 to month of October 2017. To identify the seasonal variation of the disease, analysis of the data on monthly basis was done.

Determinants of Digital Transformation in the Restaurant Industry

This article aims to identify the factors that influence the digital transformation process in the restaurant industry. The proposed theoretical framework differentiates three groups of conditioning factors of digitalisation in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in this sector: (1) the personal characteristics of the entrepreneurs/managers;(2) the characteristics of the businesses;and (3) the spatial location of the restaurants. The data used in the empirical research were compiled from a representative survey of restaurant SMEs in Spain. The study uses an ordinal logistic regression specification to test the hypotheses. The results obtained indicate that the education of entrepreneurs/managers, their entrepreneurial motivations, and their ambition for growth condition the digital transformation of their businesses. Furthermore, the characteristics of the company, such as the number of establishments, belonging to a corporate group, and the employees' educational level, influence the digitalisation of restaurants. Likewise, it is observed that the digitalisation process is stimulated in inland towns compared to coastal areas, as well as in intermediate municipalities with populations of between 10,000 and 100,000 inhabitants.

The plight of female agricultural wageworkers in Morocco during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Agriculture et syst..mes alimentaires face .. la Covid-19.)

While vaccination campaigns against COVID-19 were launched worldwide, a drama has been unfolding in the Moroccan countryside. It has been marked, over the last couple of decades, by rapid agrarian transformation, manifestations of which have included expanding irrigation frontiers and the increasing growth of high-value crops. These dynamics rely strongly on female agricultural wageworkers. Although they earn low wages, their income is crucial and is used to care for loved ones by paying for school fees, rent, electricity, and medicines. These workers, therefore, cannot afford to quit their jobs. However, most female wageworkers in Morocco are employed without a contract or social security cover. While working in an informal environment and living already in a precarious situation, little is known about how the pandemic has affected them. In this article, the researchers seek to supply some of this information by drawing on the authors' commitment over almost a decade of covering female wage-workers' experiences in different agricultural regions in Morocco. Additionally, since March 2020, the researchers have conducted 30 phone interviews with female laborers and farmers in the Saiss and in the coastal area of the Gharb and Loukkos. Using the pandemic as a focus, our results illustrate the inherent contradictions upon which Morocco's agricultural boom has been founded. Although many female laborers are de facto heads of household or contribute in fundamental ways to the household income, they continue to be considered as secondary earners or as housewives, leading to low structural wages. Moreover, these women assume the prime responsibility for all domestic tasks, which are not economically recognized or valued. Consequently, they face new challenges in addition to their already precarious situations. Reduced work opportunities and limited state support have led to financial and psychological hardship which jeopardize their own and their family's survival.

Typologies of the Fiqh Conception in the Covid-19 Pandemic Era (Exploration on Religious Views and Attitudes of Kyai-in mosques of North Coast of Java)

This study aims to analyze the dynamics of the fiqh conception of the kyai and their congregations in the act of worship in the mosque. The practice of worship during the Covid-19 pandemic shifted in patterns and choices of kyai schools of thought after the MUI fatwa, which issued regulation regarding the temporary abolition of Friday, Eid prayers, tarawih, and the use of masks, hand sanitizers, and social distance (distanced rows) in the congregation of 5 daily prayers and religious activities in the mosque. This diversity is interesting to explore because these various conceptions of the acts of worship give negative impacts on intra-religious harmony. There are signs of socio-religious conflict, distrust of certain community leaders, symptoms of disharmony, disbelief in other parties in the public sphere, and social media. This socio-religious dialectical context is encountered by the kyai, leaders and communities on the northern coast of Central Java, especially in Pati Regency and Semarang City. This is qualitative research using multi-disciplinary methods regarding normative analysis of Islamic law and socio-anthropology. Data was collected through interviews with kyai and community leaders, observation and documentation. Data validation was carried out through triangulation, as well as descriptive-qualitative analysis, through reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions. The findings of this study are as follows: First, the dynamics of a new conception of fiqh as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic amid various MUI and government policies through the implementation of health protocol. Second, four typical new conceptions of fiqh were found for kyai and the public during a pandemic. The diversity of this community typology can be seen from their worship behavior and religious actions. Typical of the first group is 'normative' whose written texts are understood in literal sence about the pandemic jurisprudence and are very strict about implementing health protocol. The second is the 'moderate group' who is flexible in conceptualizing the fiqh of pandemic and carrying out health protocol. Third, there are 'liberative-ignore' groups who are liberal in understanding fiqh during the pandemic, and they do not pay much attention to the health protocol. Typical of the fourth group, the 'skeptics' who do not believe in the presence of the covid-19 pandemic, even among this group there are those who think that covid is just a power politics engineering. © 2021 Samarah. All rights reserved.

The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on green space use in Turkey: Is closing green spaces for use a solution?

With the advent of effects of the Covid-19 pandemic spreading far and wide throughout many countries in the world, both similar and differing measures are being taken in an effort to manage and curtail them. In addition to weekend lockdowns and closures of café's and public meeting places throughout Turkey in the early stages of the pandemic, public coasts and urban green spaces (UGS's) were also closed in order to maintain social distancing. The aim of the current study is to reveal the opinions of UGS users regarding the measures taken in general against the pandemic, and the measure of closing the coasts and UGS's for use. For this purpose, the distribution of a questionnaire to 239 UGS users was coordinated. The results indicate that people do not support both pandemic measures in general, and the measure of closing the coasts and UGS's for use. According to the findings based on the opinions of the survey participants, the Covid-19 pandemic has caused more psychological problems than physical problems. UGS's are very important in aiding the elimination of some of the negative effects the pandemic has helped create, as well as the effects of the measures taken in general against it. Covid-19 restrictions have given rise to the need to redesign UGS's, and the lessons learned from the pandemic and usage habits must be taken into account in new designs.