High resolution assessment of commercial fisheries activity along the US West Coast using Vessel Monitoring System data with a case study using California groundfish fisheries.

Commercial fisheries along the US West Coast are important components of local and regional economies. They use various fishing gear, target a high diversity of species, and are highly spatially heterogeneous, making it challenging to generate a synoptic picture of fisheries activity in the region. Still, understanding the spatial and temporal dynamics of US West Coast fisheries is critical to meet the US legal mandate to manage fisheries sustainably and to better coordinate activities among a growing number of users of ocean space, including offshore renewable energy, aquaculture, shipping, and interactions with habitats and key non-fishery species such as seabirds and marine mammals. We analyzed vessel tracking data from Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) from 2010 to 2017 to generate high-resolution spatio-temporal estimates of contemporary fishing effort across a wide range of commercial fisheries along the entire US West Coast. We identified over 247,000 fishing trips across the entire VMS data, covering over 25 different fisheries. We validated the spatial accuracy of our analyses using independent estimates of spatial groundfish fisheries effort generated through the NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service Observer Program. Additionally, for commercial groundfish fisheries operating in federal waters in California, we combined the VMS data with landings and ex-vessel value data from California commercial fisheries landings receipts to generate highly resolved estimates of landings and ex-vessel value, matching over 38,000 fish tickets with VMS data that included 87% of the landings and 76% of the ex-vessel value for groundfish. We highlight fisheries-specific and spatially-resolved patterns of effort, landings, and ex-vessel value, a bimodal distribution of fishing effort with respect to depth, and variable and generally declining effort over eight years. The information generated by our study can help inform future sustainable spatial fisheries management and other activities in the marine environment including offshore renewable energy planning.

Transoceanic ships as a source of alien dinoflagellate invasions of inland freshwater ecosystems.

Ships' ballast water and sediments have long been linked to the global transport and expansion of invasive species and thus have become a hot research topic and administrative challenge in the past decades. The relevant concerns, however, have been mainly about the ocean-to-ocean invasion and sampling practices have been almost exclusively conducted onboard. We examined and compared the dinoflagellate cysts assemblages in 49 sediment samples collected from ballast tanks of international and domestic routes ships, washing basins associated with a ship-repair yard, Jiangyin Port (PS), and the nearby area of Yangtze River (YR) during 2017-2018. A total of 43 dinoflagellates were fully identified to species level by metabarcoding, single-cyst PCR-based sequencing, cyst germination and phylogenetic analyses, including 12 species never reported from waters of China, 14 HABs-causing, 9 toxic, and 10 not strictly marine species. Our metabarcoding and single-cyst sequencing also detected many OTUs and cysts of dinoflagellates that could not be fully identified, indicating ballast tank sediments being a risky repository of currently unrecognizable invasive species. Particularly important, 10 brackish and fresh water species of dinoflagellate cysts (such as Tyrannodinium edax) were detected from the transoceanic ships, indicating these species may function as alien species potentially invading the inland rivers and adjacent lakes if these ships conduct deballast and other practices in fresh waterbodies. Significantly higher numbers of reads and OTUs of dinoflagellates in the ballast tanks and washing basins than that in PS and YR indicate a risk of releasing cysts by ships and the associated ship-repair yards to the surrounding waters. Phylogenetic analyses revealed high intra-species genetic diversity for multiple cyst species from different ballast tanks. Our work provides novel insights into the risk of bio-invasion to fresh waters conveyed in ship's ballast tank sediments and washing basins of shipyards.

Australia II: A Case Study in Engineering Ethics.

Australia II became the first foreign yacht to win the America's Cup in 1983. The boat had a revolutionary wing keel and a better underwater hull form. In official documents, Ben Lexcen is credited with the design. He is also listed as the sole inventor of the wing keel in a patent application submitted on February 5, 1982. However, as reported in New York Times, Sydney Morning Herald, and Professional Boatbuilder, the wing keel was in fact designed by engineer Peter van Oossanen at the Netherlands Ship Model Basin in Wageningen, assisted by Dr. Joop Slooff at the National Aerospace Laboratory in Amsterdam. Based on telexes, letters, drawings, and other documents preserved in his personal archive, this paper presents van Oossanen's account of how the revolutionary wing keel was designed. This is followed by an ethical analysis by Martin Peterson, in which he applies the American NSPE and Dutch KIVI codes of ethics to the information provided by van Oossanen. The NSPE and KIVI codes give conflicting advice about the case, and it is not obvious which document is most relevant. This impasse is resolved by applying a method of applied ethics in which similarity-based reasoning is extended to cases that are not fully similar. The key idea, presented in Peterson's book The Ethics of Technology (Peterson, The ethics of technology: A geometric analysis of five moral principles, Oxford University Press, 2017), is to use moral paradigm cases as reference points for constructing a "moral map".

Environmental DNA as a tool to reconstruct catch composition for longline fisheries vessels.

Global wild-capture fisheries are a large and diverse sector requiring various tools for fisheries-dependant data collection and effective Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS). Here we present a novel protocol to collect eDNA from brine tanks onboard commercial longline vessels to reconstruct catch composition. We collected samples from nine vessels operating out of the Eastern Tuna Billfish Fishery, Australia, validating eDNA results with reliable catch data consisting of seven target and bycatch species. Environmental DNA was highly effective for detecting species retained on vessels without contamination or false positives. For four vessels, logbook data and eDNA were consistent with detections of all species. The remaining vessels detected all species except for rare catches of short-billed spearfish (Tetrapturus angustirostris). Similarities between rank abundance distributions of catch and eDNA reads were observed with logbook data mirrored when eDNA sequences were organised into rank order abundance. The method was effective at identifying highly abundant taxa retained in brine tanks- tuna (Thunnus spp.), swordfish (Xiphias gladius), marlin (Kajijia audax), and Atlantic Pomfret (Brama brama). Further research is required to validate how eDNA and other molecular monitoring tools can be scaled and applied to provide solutions for monitoring challenges in the fisheries sector.

The Mediating Effect of Well-Being, Happiness, and Trust in the Relationship Between Work-Life Balance and Work Effectiveness in Seafarers.

In the contemporary global context, seafarers persist as the uncelebrated heroes of international trade, despite their substantial contributions. The current estimate places the number of STCW- certified officers at 857 540, reflecting a notable increase of 10.8% since 2015. Nevertheless, there is a growing recognition of the imperative to accord specific attention to seafarers' mental and physical well-being. During their tenures aboard ships, seafarers confront various challenges, including psychological well-being, work-life imbalance, dissatisfaction, diminished performance, and a sense of mistrust toward the organizational framework. The primary objective of this research is to scrutinize the nexus between work-life balance and work effectiveness, exploring the mediating roles of psychological well-being, organizational happiness, and organizational trust. A questionnaire-based survey is meticulously crafted to achieve this, employing a dataset comprising 420 seafarers engaged in diverse vessel types in Turkey, operating under both Turkish and international flags. Methodologically, structural equation modeling and correlation analyses are executed to assess the formulated research hypotheses rigorously. The empirical findings of this research reveal noteworthy mediating roles: psychological well-being exhibits a complete mediation effect, organizational happiness demonstrates a full mediation effect, and organizational trust manifests a partial mediation effect. These outcomes underscore the nuanced interplay between work-life balance and work effectiveness in the seafaring context. The implications of these findings extend significantly to the maritime sector and industry, accentuating the imperative for targeted interventions to enhance the well-being and performance of seafaring professionals.

Waste to resource recovery at a marina: Empirical evidence of upstream and downstream innovation for circularity.

In 2021, an Australian research centre partnered with a regional marina and shipyard where 90 businesses build, refit, and maintain boats in premium condition. Tenants and owners grapple with environmental waste management issues. Since there is a gap in applying action research but numerous calls to co-produce solutions and participate in translating ideas into practice, action research was used in this case study involving upstream and downstream innovation for circularity. Mixed methods data was collected through interviews, stakeholder workshops, and waste audits. A strategic action plan was created for closing the loop on waste. Interventions included tackling toxic, degradable products with natural alternatives, trading and remanufacturing materials to extend product life cycles, testing problematic materials, and pursuing product stewardship. This study is novel because it extends diffusion of innovation theory to real-world impact through a co-innovation process. Results underscore that ongoing achievements depend on properly sorting waste, accessing reprocessing facilities, and maintaining dedicated staff and partnerships, especially legislative support for making continuous improvement.

Advanced Bayesian study on inland navigational risk of remotely controlled autonomous ship.

The arise of autonomous ships has necessitated the development of new risk assessment techniques and methods. This study proposes a new framework for navigational risk assessment of remotely controlled Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS). This framework establishes a set of risk influencing factors affecting safety of navigation of a remotely-controlled MASS. Next, model parameters are defined based on the risk factors, and the model structure is developed using Bayesian Networks. To this end, an extensive literature survey is conducted, enhanced with the domain knowledge elicited from the experts and improved by the experimental data obtained during representative MASS model trials carried out in an inland river. Conditional Probability Tables are generated using a new function employing expert feedback regarding Interval Type 2 Fuzzy Sets. The developed Bayesian model yields the expected utilities results representing an accident's probability and consequence, with the results visualized on a dedicated diagram. Finally, the developed risk assessment model is validated by conducting three axiom tests, extreme scenarios analysis, and sensitivity analysis. Navigational environment, natural environment, traffic complexity, and shore-ship collaboration performance are critical from the probability and consequence perspective for inland navigational accidents to a remotely controlled MASS. Lastly, important nodes to Shore-Ship collaboration performance include autonomy of target ships, cyber risk, and transition from other remote control centers.

Identifying priority sites for whale shark ship collision management globally.

The expansion of the world's merchant fleet poses a great threat to the ocean's biodiversity. Collisions between ships and marine megafauna can have population-level consequences for vulnerable species. The Endangered whale shark (Rhincodon typus) shares a circumglobal distribution with this expanding fleet and tracking of movement pathways has shown that large vessel collisions pose a major threat to the species. However, it is not yet known whether they are also at risk within aggregation sites, where up to 400 individuals can gather to feed on seasonal bursts of planktonic productivity. These "constellation" sites are of significant ecological, socio-economic and cultural value. Here, through expert elicitation, we gathered information from most known constellation sites for this species across the world (>50 constellations and >13,000 individual whale sharks). We defined the spatial boundaries of these sites and their overlap with shipping traffic. Sites were then ranked based on relative levels of potential collision danger posed to whale sharks in the area. Our results showed that researchers and resource managers may underestimate the threat posed by large ship collisions due to a lack of direct evidence, such as injuries or witness accounts, which are available for other, sub-lethal threat categories. We found that constellations in the Arabian Sea and adjacent waters, the Gulf of Mexico, the Gulf of California, and Southeast and East Asia, had the greatest level of collision threat. We also identified 39 sites where peaks in shipping activity coincided with peak seasonal occurrences of whale sharks, sometimes across several months. Simulated collision mitigation options estimated potentially minimal impact to industry, as most whale shark core habitat areas were small. Given the threat posed by vessel collisions, a coordinated, multi-national approach to mitigation is needed within priority whale shark habitats to ensure collision protection for the species.

Wellbeing and Happiness and Their Association With Working Conditions at Sea: A Cross-sectional Study Among the Global Workforce of Seafarers.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether seafarers' self-reported work experiences were associated with wellbeing and happiness while onboard. The study also examined which indicators of the work experiences had an effect in what direction. We analyzed the survey responses from 13 008 seafarers onboard, from 154 different nationalities, serving in 44 different international shipping companies. The outcome measures were wellbeing and happiness, and the exposure variables were work environment factors: satisfaction, expectations, ideal, skills and training, challenges, and workload. General psychosocial work environment onboard and socioeconomic independent variables were also included. We conducted different logistic regression analyses, and presented the results as odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The study found that most seafarers reported high levels of wellbeing and happiness and that these were significantly associated to the work environment factors, except for workload. A stratified analysis, showed that workload modified the effect of the other work environment factors. The study found that there were independently significant associations between work related factors and wellbeing and happiness among seafarers at sea. The findings suggest that a greater emphasis on these outcomes could have a positive impact both on crew retention and safety at sea.

Forensic Geochemistry Reveals International Ship Dumping as a Source of New Oil Spill in Brazil's Coastline (Bahia) in Late 2023.

In the present study, we applied forensic geochemistry to investigate the origin and fate of spilled oils like tarballs stranded at the beaches of Bahia, in northeastern Brazil, in September 2023, based on their fingerprints. Saturated and aromatic compounds were assessed by gas chromatography, and the oceanic surface circulation patterns were deciphered to determine the geographic origin of the spill. Contamination by petroleum represents an enormous threat to the unique, species-rich ecosystems of the study area. The geochemical fingerprint of the oil spilled in 2023 did not correlate with those of previous events, including the one in 2019, the one in early 2022 in Ceará, and an extensive spill across the Brazilian Northeast in late 2022. However, the fingerprint did correlate with crude oils produced by Middle Eastern countries, most likely Kuwait. The oil of the 2023 spill had a carbonate marine origin from early mature source rocks. These findings, together with the moderate weathering of the 2023 tarballs and the ocean circulation patterns at the time of the event, indicate that the oil was discharged close to the shore of Brazil, to the east or southeast of Salvador, by a tanker on an international route in the South Atlantic.

Boat noise impedes vocalizations of wild plainfin midshipman fish.

Marine noise is recognised as a growing threat that can induce maladaptive behavioural changes in many aquatic animals, including fishes. The plainfin midshipman is a soniferous fish with a prolonged breeding period, during which males produce tonal hums that attract females, and grunts and growls during agonistic interactions. In this study, we used acoustic recordings to assess the effects of boat noise on the presence, peak frequencies, and durations of plainfin midshipman calls in the wild. We found that all three call types were less likely to occur, and the peak frequencies of hums and grunts increased in the presence of boat noise. We also show that loud and quiet boat noise affected plainfin midshipman vocalizations similarly. As anthropogenic noise is likely to increase in the ocean, it will be important to understand how such noise can affect communication systems, and consequently population health and resiliency.

Case report of plastic nurdles pollution in Galicia (NW Atlantic) following the Toconao's spill in December 2023: The VIEIRA Collaborative.

Plastic nurdles pose a significant environmental threat due to recurrent accidental spills into marine ecosystems. This report examines the nurdle pollution over the 1498 km of the Galician coastline (Spain) following the spill of 25 t of nurdles into the Northwest Atlantic after the loss of six containers from the Toconao vessel in December 2023. This accident highlights the urgent need for proactive, effective measures in maritime transport to prevent and mitigate such environmental catastrophes. The complexity of nurdle dispersion challenges the evaluation of their fate at sea, and the potential long-term consequences on the marine ecosystem and food web remain uncertain and yet to be investigated. This report also presents the VIEIRA collaborative and underscores the critical role of citizen-led initiatives in responding to such environmental disasters, and advocates for efficient policy reforms, involving cross-border collaboration. Furthermore, we call for greater international cooperation to underpin effective regulatory frameworks to address the growing hazard of plastic nurdle pollution worldwide.

A data driven oil spill mapping using GMM clustering and damping ratio on X-Press Pearl ship disaster in the Indian Ocean.

The work presented in this paper is focused on the largest marine disaster to have occurred in the Indian Ocean due to the breakup of the container tanker ship X-Press Pearl. In order to identify the oil spill and its temporal evolution, a recently proposed damping ratio (DR) index is employed. To derive the DR, a data-driven GMM-EM clustering method optimized by stochastic ordering of the resulting classes in Sentinel 1 SAR time series imagery is proposed. A ship-born oil spill site is essentially considered to consist of three subsites: oil, open sea, and ship. The initial site probability densities were determined by using k-means clustering. In addition to the clustering method, two histogram-based approaches, namely contextual peak thresholding (CPT) and contextual peak ordering (CPO), were also formulated and presented. The improved histogram peak detection methods take into account spatial and contextual dependencies. The similarity of the marginal probability densities of the open sea and the oil classes makes it difficult to quantify the DR values to show the level of dampening. In the study, we show that reasonable class separability to correctly determine the σVV0,seaθ is possible by using GMM clustering. Resulting class separability's are also reported using JM and ML distances. The methods tested show the range of derived DR values stays significantly within similar ranges to each other. The outcomes were tested with the ground-based surveys conducted during the disaster for oil spill sites and other chemical compounds. The proposed methods are simple to execute, robust, and fully automated. Further, they do not require masking the oil or the selection of high-confidence water pixels manually.

Optimization of ship hull forms by changing CM and CB coefficients to obtain optimal seakeeping performance.

Ship design involves optimizing the hull in order to enhance safety, economic efficiency, and technical efficiency. Despite the long-term research on this problem and a number of significant conclusions, some of its content still needs to be improved. In this study, block and midship coefficients are incorporated to optimize the ship's hull. The considered ship was a patrol vessel. The seakeeping analysis was performed employing strip theory. The hull form was generated using a fuzzy model. Though the body lines generated by the midship coefficient (CM) and block coefficient (CB) varied indecently, the other geometric parameters remained the same. Multi-objective optimization was used to optimize CB and CM. According to the results of this study, these coefficients have a significant impact on the pitch motion of the patrol vessel as well as the motion sickness index. Heave and roll motions, as well as the added resistance, were not significantly influenced by the coefficients of CM and CB. However, increasing the hull form parameters increases the maximum Response Amplitude Operator (RAO) of heave and roll motions. The frequency of occurrence of the maximum roll RAO was in direct relation with CB and CM. These coefficients, however, had no meaningful impact on the occurrence frequency of other motion indices. In the end, the CB and CM coefficients were selected based on the vessel's seakeeping performance. These findings might be used by shipbuilders to construct the vessel with more efficient seakeeping performance.

Anthropometric and physiological profiles of highly trained sailors in various positions and levels.

This study aimed to analyze anthropometric and physiological profiles of highly trained sailors and the differences between sailors regarding various training levels. Forty-two sailors (22 male, 22.4 ± 3.8 years; 20 females, 21.3 ± 3.6 years) were divided into helmsmen and crew groups, and the high- and low-level were distinguished. Sailors completed height, sitting height, legs length, weight, BMI, VO2max, 30 s all-out sprint, isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP), countermovement jump, bench pull, core endurance tests. The results showed the crew had higher height, sitting height, weight, VO2max and lower trunk flexor endurance test times compared to the helmsmen (p < 0.05). The helmsmen had higher relative peak power/force in the 30 s all-out sprint and IMTP tests compared to the crew, whereas the crew had better absolute strength in bench pull, with significant differences between female sailors (p < 0.05). The high-level sailors showed more sailing experience than low-level sailors (p < 0.05). In conclusion, highly trained crew tend to be taller and heavier, while helmsmen have better trunk flexor endurance. For female sailors, helmsmen have better lower-body power and strength and crew have better upper-body strength. Sailing experience is a reliable variable to distinguish sailors' levels. The specific anthropometric and physiological profiles of sailors in various positions can assist sailing coaches in athlete selection and intervention training.

Assessing and managing the risk of Aedes mosquito introductions via the global maritime trade network.

The global shipping network (GSN) has been suggested as a pathway for the establishment and reintroduction of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus primarily via the tire trade. We used historical maritime movement data in combination with an agent-based model to understand invasion risk in the United States Gulf Coast and how the risk of these invasions could be reduced. We found a strong correlation between the total number of cargo ship arrivals at each port and likelihood of arrival by both Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus. Additionally, in 2012, 99.2% of the arrivals into target ports had most recently visited ports likely occupied by both Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus, increasing risk of Aedes invasion. Our model results indicated that detection and removal of mosquitoes from containers when they are unloaded effectively reduced the probability of mosquito populations establishment even when the connectivity of ports increased. To reduce the risk of invasion and reintroduction of Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus, surveillance and control efforts should be employed when containers leave high risk locations and when they arrive in ports at high risk of establishment.

[The medical care of seamen of civil shipping: the role of non-commercial organizations].

According to the International Labor Organization, health protection and access to medical treatment are to be guaranteed to seamen in the same way as to people working ashore. However, in practice, formal measures and mechanisms do not always make it possible to provide medical care to crew members of civil vessels due to peculiarities of legal systems of the States in whose territorial waters the vessel is located, remoteness of the vessel from coastline and objective situation that permits to receiving medical care from the shore. As far as possible these problems are resolved by non-profit organizations of seamen. The overview of their activities is presented in this article.

Regulating seafarers' welfare: an examination of the protection of Filipino seafarers' well-being through a legal analysis of the POEA-Standard Employment Contract.

BACKGROUND: The Philippines is the global maritime industry's single biggest source of seafarers. This article examines how the Philippines protects the welfare of its seafarers working on board ocean-going vessels. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We employed a multi-method approach to better understand the POEA-SEC as a regulatory instrument. First, we analysed Philippine legislation and regulations that are shaping the employment, welfare, and working conditions of Filipino seafarers. Second, we examined the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration Standard Employment Contract (POEA-SEC) which requires that minimum standards of employment for seafarers are met. We use legal analysis to examine three specific provisions that pertain to their well-being: duration of employment, monetary considerations, and working conditions in terms of hours of work and rest periods. Third, we analysed interview and focus group data on the experiences of Filipino seafarers on board ships in respect of the POEA-SEC's efficacy in protecting their well-being. RESULTS: Analysis of the policy environment for Filipino seafarers shows how the interests of powerful actors have taken precedence over those of Filipino seafarers. Seafarers' experiences suggest that they cannot be reached by the contract, whether symbolic or otherwise. The contract fails to address seafarer issues, such as security of tenure, excessive working hours resulting in fatigue, stress and anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: The POEA-SEC falls short as a legal document to address occupational, health and safety issues, which contribute to the detriment of seafarers' health and well-being. This indicates that the Philippine government cannot fully protect its seafarers.

Self-reported diabetes mellitus among seafarers: occupational and sociodemographic predictors.

BACKGROUND: Seafarers are at increased risk of diabetes due to their lifestyle and working conditions on board ships. There is, however, limited evidence regarding the magnitude of diabetes and its risk factors. In this study, we aimed to assess the prevalence of self-reported diabetes among seafarers on board ships and identify risk factors associated with it. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional epidemiological survey was conducted among seafarers aboard ships between November and December 2022. The study enrolled a total of 4,500 seafarers aged 18 and older. Data were collected using anonymous, standardized questionnaires. The association between the outcome variable and the independent variables was assessed using binary logistic regression models. RESULTS: In total, 2,986 participants were included in the study. The prevalence of self-reported diabetes among seafarers was found to be 8.2% (95% CI: 7.2-9.2). Self-reported diabetes prevalence among officers and non-officers was 7% and 9%, respectively. The mean age of study participants was 37.96 ± 10.22, while the mean age of participants with diabetes was 47.5 ± 9.46. Independent predictors of self-reported diabetes mellitus were age (51+ years) [adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 3.52, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.46-8.95], rank (non-officer) [AOR: 1.65; 95% CI: 1.14-2.40], worksites (engine) (AOR: 2.08, 95% CI: 1.19-3.77), work experience (10-20 years) (AOR: 4.66, 95% CI: 2.33-10.05), work experience (21+ years) (AOR: 5.01, 95% CI: 2.32-11.55), working hours per week (57-70 hours) (AOR: 1.57, 95% CI: 1.08-2.31), working hours per week (71+ hours) (AOR: 1.80, 95% CI: 1.17-2.80), self-reported hypertension (AOR: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.03-1.99), overweight (AOR: 1.74; 95% CI: 1.24-2.47), and obesity (AOR: 2.93; 95% CI: 1.84-4.65). CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that one in twelve seafarers between the ages of 19 and 70 have self-reported diabetes. The present study identified significant risk factors associated with diabetes. Risk factor mitigation strategies aimed at high-risk groups should be implemented on board ships.