Governance hurdles for expansion of low trophic mariculture production in Sweden

The study examines the governance of low trophic species mariculture (LTM) using Sweden as a case study. LTM, involving species such as seaweeds and mollusks, offers ecosystem services and nutritious foods. Despite its potential to contribute to blue growth and Sustainable Development Goals, LTM development in the EU and OECD countries has stagnated. A framework for mapping governance elements (institutions, structures, and processes) and analyzing governance objective (effective, equitable, responsive, and robust) was combined with surveys addressed to the private entrepreneurs in the sector. Analysis reveals ineffective institutions due to lack of updated legislation and guidance, resulting in ambiguous interpretations. Governance structures include multiple decision-making bodies without a clear coordination agency. Licensing processes were lengthy and costly for the private entrepreneurs, and the outcomes were uncertain. To support Sweden's blue bioeconomy, LTM governance requires policy integration, clearer direction, coordinated decision-making, and mechanisms for conflict resolution and learning.

Trophodynamics and health risk assessment of heavy metals in seafood from a tropical estuary in the gulf of Guinea

Seafood is an essential protein source for coastal communities. However, they can accumulate heavy metals from human activities which could pose a potential health risk to consumers. In this study, we investigated the distribution, bioaccumulation, trophic transfer and potential human health risk of heavy metals in sediments, shell and fin fish collected from the Escravos Estuary in southern Nigeria. Heavy metals (Ni, Cd, V, Pb and Cu) in sediments, periwinkles and tongue soles from the two study sites were lower than the permissible limits for fishery products. The metal distribution in fish tissues was in the decreasing order of liver > gills > muscles > gonads > rest of the fish. Moderate to high BSAF (>1) was reported for Cd, Pb and Cu. All the studied metals, except Pb, showed evidence of biomagnification from periwinkle to tongue sole. The estimated daily intake (EDI) and hazard ratio (HR) for metals in periwinkles from both study sites were lower or within the USEPA reference doses (RfD) for the respective daily intake and HR value < 1, except for Cd, V and Pb for children. In contrast, EDI values in the muscle of tongue soles were higher than the RfD values for heavy metals except for Ni and Pb, whereas HR values > 1 except for Ni, Cd and V. In the whole fish, EDI and HR values were disproportionately high in both study sites with higher values reported for children. This study provides the first insights on the trophic transfer and risk assessment of heavy metals from petroleum and gas operations impacting the Escravos Estuary and the implications to public health.

Does the incorporation of shell waste from aquaculture in the construction of marine facilities affect the structure of the marine sessile community?

The growth of the human population causes significant harm to ecosystems, directly affecting the biological diversity of coastal areas by replacing natural habitats with artificial structures such as breakwaters, ports, and marinas. The hard substrate from those marine facilities lacks the topographic complexity of natural habitats. Because of that, artificial habitats usually do not support a diverse community to the same extent as rocky shores in the surroundings. To address this issue and bring a strategic solution to the improper disposal of shell waste from aquaculture farms, we evaluated how increasing the environmental heterogeneity of walls by incorporating mussel and oyster shells on artificial concrete affected the diversity of sessile organisms from the subtidal zone. Adding shells to concrete positively affected ascidians' richness. Substrates with added shells supported more species than flat substrates in total. They promoted species that did not occur on flat substrates that simulated the traditional walls of marinas and harbors. However, it did not affect the number of bryozoans and the average species richness. Consequently, incorporating shells resulted in communities with completely distinct structures from those on flat substrates. Adding shells affected the community structure, reducing the dominance by the exotic bryozoan Schizoporella errata, and promoting the occurrence of other groups, such as ascidians. Using shell residues from aquaculture on marina walls adds substrate for colonization. Still, it is also likely to provide refuges for fragile and vulnerable organisms, like crevices and pits in natural habitats. Because of that, the increment in diversity was mostly group-specific and restricted to ascidians. This research reinforces the importance of creating complex artificial coastal structures, inspired by the blue economy, for a more heterogeneous coverage of sessile communities and reduced presence and dominance of exotic species. Thus, the strategy tested here, besides the effects on the sessile community, also supports efforts to reduce inappropriate waste disposal in the environment.

Achieving a blue economy through the circular initiatives: a path towards sustainable marine living resources

This paper empirically examines the role of circularity performance on the performance of marine living resources to prove its role in promoting a sustainable blue economy. We use five different metrics to quantify the marine living resources of nations in the European regions, including the value added at the factor costs of small-scale capture fisheries, shellfish aquaculture, freshwater aquaculture, marine aquaculture, and large-scale capture fisheries. By using various econometric techniques, we provide evidence of the importance of circularity performance in improving the sustainability of the blue economy in the European region during the 2009-2020 period. However, it is more likely that this effect is only positive in the long term. In the long run, circularity performance affects many marine living resource components in a statistically meaningful way.

Forecasting marine spill risk along the U.S. Pacific coasts

This study analyzes historical trends and forecasts of spill risks in coastal counties along the U.S. Pacific, including Alaska and Hawaii. The method calculates spill impact, which rises with size but diminishes with age and distance from the coast. Over the past two decades, spill risks in California and Washington have increased significantly. Coastal counties in Puget Sound and San Francisco Bay have seen the highest increases, surpassing 2000 levels by 79 % and 39 %, respectively. Alaska experienced a moderate rise, while Oregon and Hawaii had smaller but noteworthy increases. Ocean currents may reduce risk by 38 % on average. Most counties are expected to experience increasing spill risks, particularly in Southern California and Southwest Washington, which could see nearly a 50 % increase by 2033 compared to present levels. These findings can help coastal zone monitoring and inform policies for protecting coastal regions, regulating marine transportation and reducing spill vulnerability.

Human blood lipid profiles after dietary supplementation of different omega 3 ethyl esters formulations

The validity of omega 3 fatty acids (ω3 FAs), mainly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), as dietary supplements has been widely proved. It's well known in fact, that they protect against cardiovascular diseases, reduce the levels of triacylglycerides (TAGs) and cholesteryl esters (CEs) in blood, and have anti-inflammatory activity. For these reasons, in the last few years the production of dietary supplement containing ω3 has increased significantly. In this context, the possibility to obtain ω3 and other high value molecules from alternative sources as fish waste, in accordance with the principles of circular economy, becomes an enormous attractive. In addition, the opportunity of creating new products, with greater health benefits, represents an interesting challenge. The current study was focused on the extraction of ω3 fatty acids and peptides from tuna waste industry, to realize a new dietary supplement. To this purpose, a supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) method was developed to separate, isolate, and enrich the different fractions subsequently used to produce an innovative formulate. The obtained supplement was characterized in terms of fatty acids esterified ester (FAEE) composition by gas chromatography (GC) coupled to both flame ionization detection (FID) and mass spectrometry (MS), and content of heavy metals by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The effects of ω3 supplementation on metabolism and circulating lipid profiles was tested on 12 volunteers and assessed by GC-FID analysis of whole blood collected on paper support (Dried Blood Spot, DBS) at the beginning of the study and after thirty days. The results of plasma fatty acids levels after 30 days showed a significant decrease in the ω6/ω3 ratio, as well as the saturated/polyunsaturated fatty acids (SFA/PUFA) ratio, compared to subjects who took the ω3 ethyl esters unformulated. The novel formulated supplements proved to be extremely interesting and promising products, due to a significant increase in bioavailability, that makes it highly competitive in the current panorama of the nutraceutical industry.

Nature dependent tourism - Combining big data and local knowledge

The ability to quantify nature's value for tourism has significant implications for natural resource management and sustainable development policy. This is especially true in the Eastern Caribbean, where many countries are embracing the concept of the Blue Economy. The utilization of user-generated content (UGC) to understand tourist activities and preferences, including the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning approaches, remains at the early stages of development and application. This work describes a new effort which has modelled and mapped multiple nature dependent sectors of the tourism industry across five small island nations. It makes broad use of UGC, while acknowledging the challenges and strengthening the approach with substantive input, correction, and modification from local experts. Our approach to measuring the nature-dependency of tourism is practical and scalable, producing data, maps and statistics of sufficient detail and veracity to support sustainable resource management, marine spatial planning, and the wider promotion of the Blue Economy framework.

Maritime transport and regional climate change impacts in large EU islands and archipelagos

Maritime transport is a vital sector for global trade and the world economy. Particularly for islands, there is also an important social dimension of this sector, since island communities strongly rely on it for a connection with the mainland and the transportation of goods and passengers. Furthermore, islands are exceptionally vulnerable to climate change, as the rising sea level and extreme events are expected to induce severe impacts. Such hazards are anticipated to also affect the operations of the maritime transport sector by affecting either the port infrastructure or ships en route. The present study is an effort to better comprehend and assess the future risk of maritime transport disruption in six European islands and archipelagos, and it aims at supporting regional to local policy and decision-making. We employ state-of-the-art regional climate datasets and the widely used impact chain approach to identify the different components that might drive such risks. Larger islands (e.g., Corsica, Cyprus and Crete) are found to be more resilient to the impacts of climate change on maritime operations. Our findings also highlight the importance of adopting a low-emission pathway, since this will keep the risk of maritime transport disruption similar to present levels or even slightly decreased for some islands because of an enhanced adaptation capacity and advantageous demographic changes.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s41207-023-00370-6.

How is fish market waste managed in the Philippines?

Improper management of fish waste is one of the factors that makes Philippine fisheries unsustainable. A considerable portion of fish waste is produced in wet markets where bulk of fish products are sold. A comparison of existing practices in different municipalities can indicate the best points of intervention and identify existing traditional practices that can be promoted. This study interviewed stakeholders of the fisheries industry and collected information at the market level to determine existing fish waste management systems. From the responses gathered, the average daily production of fish waste in Philippine wet markets was 70.3 + 0.93 kg, with no significant differences across locations (p = 0.2501). Of the fish waste produced, 32.3 + 1.33 kg per wet market were disposed of, 18.9 + 0.81 kg were sold, and 19.1 + 1.15 kg were given away to stakeholders who re-use the fish waste. A significantly greater proportion of fish waste in rural areas were re-used compared to Metro Manila (p = 0.0311). Incentivizing innovations that maximize the use of derived fish waste at the municipal level, and promoting existing traditional practices, can prove effective in contributing to the Philippine circular economy while providing alternative sources of income for the stakeholders of the fisheries industry.

Business for ocean sustainability: Early responses of ocean governance in the private sector

A large sample of 1664 companies-69 directly working in the ocean economy-distributed across 19 industrial sectors was investigated to explore awareness and activation regarding direct and indirect pressures on the ocean, their responses to these pressures, and the disclosure tools used. We examined their accountability and disclosure practices on sustainable development goals (SDGs) using the drivers, pressures, state, welfare, and response accounting framework. Based on their 2019 sustainability reports, just 7% of the companies assessed disclosed on SDG14. However, 51% of these companies can be considered as aware, albeit to varying degrees, of the pressures their industries place on the oceans, 44% deploy mitigating activities, and 26% are aware and actively lead business responses to ocean challenges. Although we have seen just early responses in addressing ocean challenges, companies' awareness and activation must converge to achieve ocean sustainability and move businesses into a truly blue economy.

Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance 2021: Symposium report

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and rising geopolitical tension, the global ocean's peaceful use and sustainable development face challenges. On November 9-10, the 2021 Symposium on Global Maritime Cooperation and Ocean Governance was hosted in Sanya, China, both online and offline. The conference covered a wide range of topics, from objective challenges over ocean governance to regional institutions building. Staff from academia and government agencies were brought together to discuss the current direction of the issues.

Status and challenges for sustainable billfish fisheries in the Western Indian Ocean

Billfish species (families Istiophoridae and Xiphiidae) are caught in artisanal, recreational, and commercial fisheries throughout the Western Indian Ocean region. However, data and information on the interactions among these fisheries and the ecology of billfish in the WIO are not well understood. Using an in-depth analysis of peer-reviewed articles, grey literature, observation studies, and authors' insider knowledge, we summarize the current state of knowledge on billfish fisheries in 10 countries. To describe historical and current trends, we examined fisheries statistics from governmental and non-governmental agencies, sportfishing clubs' reports, diaries of sportfishing captains, and the catch and effort databases of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission. We highlight two key points. First, billfish fisheries in the Western Indian Ocean are highly diverse, comprising two distinct segments-coastal and oceanic. However, data are poor for most countries with significant gaps in information especially for sport and artisanal fisheries. Second, the evidence assembled showed that billfish species have immense social, cultural, and economic value. Swordfish are targeted by both large-scale and semi-industrial fisheries, while other billfish species, particularly marlin, are highly sought after by sport fisheries in most countries. Our paper provides a comprehensive review of billfish fisheries and available information in the context of the WIO underscoring the need to strengthen data collection and reporting, citizen science, and collaborative sustainable development and management of billfish.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11160-022-09725-8.

Development and analysis of a geospatial database for maritime spatial planning in Bangladesh

In this research we collect, prepare and analyze a geospatial database of maritime activities located in the northern Bay of Bengal with the final aim to simulate maritime spatial planning (MSP) - ready information source for future sectoral and multi-sector MSP in Bangladesh. The database is composed of 28 anthropogenic and environmental layers categorized into seven Blue Economy sectors. The database is analyzed with a set of geospatial models aimed at understanding the intensity distribution of human activities at sea and the potential marine use conflicts emerging from the aggregation of human activities. Ecological resources were characterized in terms of marine mammals, lobsters, commercially important and threatened fish species, and pelagic birds and mapped as biodiversity hotspots using geographic cluster analysis. Results show that the most intensely used sea areas are located along the northeastern coast of Bangladesh, as well as in the Swatch of No Ground (SoNG) area, with maximum Marine Use Intensity (MUI) scores ranging from 5 to 8. Offshore waters of Saint Martin's Island have higher MUI scores (≥ 5) as well. The pairwise spatial conflict analysis shows that nature protection sites particularly SoNG Marine Protected Area (MPA), Nijhum Dwip Marine Reserve (MR), and Saint Martin's Island MPA are exposed to the high Marine Use Conflicts (MUC) induced by fishing and shipping activities. Fishing operations generate the highest MUC value (MUC = 30) in SoNG MPA, whereas shipping activities produce the highest MUC value (MUC = 24) in Nijhum Dwip MR. Both of the MPAs exhibit 6 to 12 MUC scores induced by shipping. The proposed database together with the illustrated analytical techniques used in this study and key findings can provide the first understanding of the priorities for Ecosystem Based Management of Bangladesh's marine space and provide valuable insights on the urgency for MSP process in the country. The study concludes with an outlook on the utility of the database for future analysis.

Phosphorus mining from eutrophic marine environment towards a blue economy: The role of bio-based applications

Global phosphorus reserves are under pressure of depletion in the near future due to increased consumption of primary phosphorus reservoirs and improper management of phosphorus. At the same time, a considerable portion of global marine water bodies has been suffering from eutrophication due to excessive nutrient loading. The marine environment can be considered as a valuable phosphorus source due to nutrient rich eutrophic seawater and sediment which could potentially serve as phosphorus mines in the near future. Hence, sustainable phosphorus recovery strategies should be adapted for marine systems to provide phosphorus for the growing market demand and simultaneously control eutrophication. In this review, possible sustainable strategies for phosphorus removal and recovery from marine environments are discussed in detail. Bio-based strategies relying on natural phosphorus uptake/release metabolism of living organisms are suggested as promising options that can provide both phosphorus removal and recovery from marine waters for achieving a sustainable marine ecosystem. Among them, the utilization of microorganisms seems promising to develop novel strategies. However, the research gap for the technical applicability of these strategies is still considerably big. Therefore, future research should focus on the technical development of the strategies through laboratory and/or field studies. Coupling phosphorus mining with other valorisation pathways (i.e., metal recovery, energy production) is also suggested to improve overall sustainability and economic viability. Environmental, economic and societal challenges should altogether be well addressed prior to real scale applications.

Algae application in civil construction: A review with focus on the potential uses of the pelagic Sargassum spp. biomass

Pelagic Sargassum, usually found at the Sargasso Sea and the Western portion of the North Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, has been detected in many new locations through the tropical Atlantic. The huge biomass found from the African coast to the Caribbean was called the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt and is responsible for the stranding of tons of algae on coastal regions. Despite the environmental, social, and economic impacts, sargassum is a valuable source for multiple uses at the industry, such as alginates, cosmetics, recycled paper and bioplastics, fertilizers, and as raw material for civil construction. This work presents a systematic literature review on the use of algae at the civil construction sector, with a focus on the valorization of the pelagic Sargassum spp. biomass, by identifying the potential applications related to the use of other algal species. The review considered other genera of marine algae and marine angiosperms, resulting in a total of 31 selected articles. The marine grass Posidonia oceanica was the most used species, found in eight published papers, followed by the red alga Kappaphycus alvarezii with four studies. Two articles were available on the use of pelagic Sargassum spp. (S. fluitans and S.natans) for construction materials (adobe and pavement), with potential good results. The literature presented results from the use of marine algae and sea grasses for particleboards, polymeric and cemented composites, adobe, pavement, facades, and roofs. This article provides a state-of-the-art review of algal application in the civil construction sector and points out the main directions for the potentialities on the insertion of the Sargassum spp. biomass into the production chain of the sector.

Ocean resource use: building the coastal blue economy

Humans have relied on coastal resources for centuries. However, current growth in population and increased accessibility of coastal resources through technology have resulted in overcrowded and often conflicted spaces. The recent global move towards development of national blue economy strategies further highlights the increased focus on coastal resources to address a broad range of blue growth industries. The need to manage sustainable development and future exploitation of both over-utilised and emergent coastal resources is both a political and environmental complexity. To address this complexity, we draw on the perspectives of a multi-disciplinary team, utilising two in depth exemplary case studies in New Zealand and within the Myanmar Delta Landscape, to showcase barriers, pathways and actions that facilitate a move from Business as Usual (BAU) to a future aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the UN International Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030. We provide key recommendations to guide interest groups, and nations globally, towards sustainable utilisation, conservation and preservation of their marine environments in a fair and equitable way, and in collaboration with those who directly rely upon coastal ecosystems. We envision a sustainable future driven by conflict mitigation and resolution,  where:(i)Change is motivated and facilitated(ii)Coastal ecosystems are co-managed by multiple reliant groups(iii)Networks that maintain and enhance biodiversity are implemented(iv)Decision-making is equitable and based on ecosystem services(v)Knowledge of the marine realm is strengthened-'mapping the ocean of life'(vi)The interests of diverse user groups are balanced with a fair distribution of benefits.

Ocean resource use: building the coastal blue economy

Humans have relied on coastal resources for centuries. However, current growth in population and increased accessibility of coastal resources through technology have resulted in overcrowded and often conflicted spaces. The recent global move towards development of national blue economy strategies further highlights the increased focus on coastal resources to address a broad range of blue growth industries. The need to manage sustainable development and future exploitation of both over-utilised and emergent coastal resources is both a political and environmental complexity. To address this complexity, we draw on the perspectives of a multi-disciplinary team, utilising two in depth exemplary case studies in New Zealand and within the Myanmar Delta Landscape, to showcase barriers, pathways and actions that facilitate a move from Business as Usual (BAU) to a future aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the UN International Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030. We provide key recommendations to guide interest groups, and nations globally, towards sustainable utilisation, conservation and preservation of their marine environments in a fair and equitable way, and in collaboration with those who directly rely upon coastal ecosystems. We envision a sustainable future driven by conflict mitigation and resolution,  where:(i)Change is motivated and facilitated(ii)Coastal ecosystems are co-managed by multiple reliant groups(iii)Networks that maintain and enhance biodiversity are implemented(iv)Decision-making is equitable and based on ecosystem services(v)Knowledge of the marine realm is strengthened-'mapping the ocean of life'(vi)The interests of diverse user groups are balanced with a fair distribution of benefits.

Institutions and institutional changes: aquatic food production in Central Luzon, Philippines

Aquaculture is the most rapidly growing food production sector globally. In certain coastal social-ecological systems, this has resulted in significant changes and sustainability challenges. In particular, coastal environments which used to support only capture fisheries are becoming sites for brackish water aquaculture production; this impacts the sustainability of aquatic food production. Sustainability challenges associated with aquaculture expansion and intensification necessitate a contextually rooted understanding of institutions and institutional changes which can be used as an informed basis for leveraging institutions to achieve desirable sustainability outcomes in the aquatic food sector. This research used a qualitative empirical case study involving in-depth interviews, participant observation, and analysis of institutional documents in the region of Central Luzon, Philippines. It applied the inter-institutional systems concept which considers multiple institutions with distinct but linked purposes and functions in the societal spheres of state, market, and civil society. The study found that aquaculture emerged as an important livelihood because of rice farmers' need to adapt to saltwater intrusion into what were formerly rice farms. It grew into an industry due to developments in the availability and accessibility of inputs such as fingerlings and feeds. This process was also driven by the high demand and high profitability of fish farming at the time. Regulatory institutions have not adequately adapted to protect the environment. Market institutions adapted but the changes mostly benefited consignacions (middlemen) and large-scale players. However, organised groups of collaborating smallholder fishers and fish farmers are helping to address the disadvantages they face.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10113-021-01853-4.

Blue economy and the total environment: Mapping the interface

The term 'Blue Economy (BE)' is increasingly popular in modern environmental research. The concept seeks to explore ocean-based development opportunities with environmental stewardship and protection. Yet different scholars and actors adopt this term often in conflicting ways without attempting to explore the relevance and the link between the blue economy and the broader environment viz., total environment. The potential opportunities to resolve the conflicts require a better understanding of the impacts and/or interactions of the BE on the total environment. This paper aims to map the interface between the two for a better understanding of the total environment and implications for the BE. Using a systematic literature review, this study finds that the field of the blue economy in association with the total environment is very new and emerging in the literature, and the link between the BE and the total environment is increasingly being invoked, yet clarity on the link or interactions remain vague. By analysing the co-occurrence of selected keywords and networks, we present six clusters (three for general relationship, and the other three for specific dimensions of total environment). In a general relationship between the BE and the total environment, clusters of environmental sustainability, marine resource, and economic development are identified to link directly to the BE. In specific dimensions of the total environment, clusters of growth and sustainable development, spatial planning and environmental management, and environmental sustainability and the BE are presented. The analysis outcomes show that specific areas from the total environment (growth, spatial planning, environmental management, and environmental sustainability) are directly linked to the BE where a call for a wider range of studies in the future is identified.

Seasonal characterization and quantification of biomolecules from sargassum collected from Mexican Caribbean coast - A preliminary study as a step forward to blue economy

Since 2014, Mexican Caribbean coasts have experienced an atypical massive arrival of pelagic Sargassum accumulated on the shores triggers economic losses, public health problems, and ecosystem damaging near the coastline. Mechanical harvesting has been implemented ending in landfills. Since Sargassum algae represent abundant biomass in tropical regions of the world, it has shown potential as a feedstock to supply bioprocesses focused on obtaining high-value compounds and bioproducts. Nevertheless, there is a lack of data on the biochemical composition of Sargassum biomass from Mexican Caribbean coasts to propose valorization pathways. This study conducted a biochemical and elemental characterization of Sargassum biomass and compared, through statistical analysis, the effect of the season (dry and wet), place of collection (from the beach and shallow water), and method of extraction (Microwave-Assisted Extraction and Enzyme Assisted Extraction) on biomass composition. The biomass composition, expressed in dry weight basis, revealed 5-7% moisture content, 24-31 % ash, 2.6-3.8 % lipids, 1.8-7.0 %, total carbohydrates, 3-11 % total proteins, 1.5-2.31 mgGAg-1 total phenolic compounds (TPC), 2.7-2.9 kcal g-1 calorific power, and metals such as As (30-146.3 ppm), Fe (16.5-45 ppm), P (197-472 ppm). The most influential factor on the compositional content of Sargassum biomass was the season of the year, followed by the extraction method and the place of collection of Sargassum. These results will elucidate information on the biotechnological potential of Sargassum biomass from the Mexican Caribbean, contributing to sustainability challenges of the region, minimizing waste, and making the most of resources.

COVID-19 restrictions and their influences on ambient air, surface water and plastic waste in a coastal megacity, Chennai, India

Anthropogenic activities experienced a pause due to the nationwide lockdown, imposed to contain the rapid spread of COVID-19 in the third week of March 2020. The impacts of suspension of industrial activities, vehicular transport and other businesses for three months (25 March-30 June) on the environmental settings of Chennai, a coastal megacity was assessed. A significant reduction in the key urban air pollutants [PM_2.5 (66.5%), PM₁₀ (39.5%), NO₂ (94.1%), CO (29%), O₃ (45.3%)] was recorded as an immediate consequence of the reduced anthropogenic activities. Comparison of water quality of an urban river Adyar, between pre-lockdown and lockdown, showed a substantial drop in the dissolved inorganic N (47%) and suspended particulate matter (41%) during the latter period. During the pandemic, biomedical wastes in India showed an overall surge of 17%, which were predominantly plastic. FTIR-ATR analysis confirmed the polymers such as polypropylene (25.4%) and polyester (15.4%) in the personal protective equipment.

Mitigating seasonality patterns in an archipelago: the role of ecotourism

Due to their insularity and small economies, several islands have become reliant on tourism activity for the livelihood of their communities. Islands of the same archipelago have faced various challenges in terms of tourism growth and related impact. Primarily, tourism has been characterised by seasonality (the strong spatio-temporal concentration of tourists in a destination) especially in the most peripheral islands. In other cases, tourism has grown considerably resulting in overemphasis on mass tourism throughout part of the year. This is largely experienced due to Sand, Sun and Sea (3S) tourism. Fieldwork, including interviews with key stakeholders and ecotours off-season, was conducted in the Aegadian Archipelago, off the west coast of Sicily. Findings revealed that ecotourism not only is the preferred alternative form of tourism among stakeholders but is also possible and ideal as confirmed through the ecotours. This is because different ecotourism activities can be practised all year round, thus mitigating seasonality. In return, this can help ease the financial, social and environmental challenges associated with current tourism models improving the well-being of local communities. Marine ecotourism is considered as a means to give more value to marine protected areas and to make existing tourism activity in the peak season more sustainable.

Empowering blue economy: From underrated ecosystem to sustainable industry

With increasing demand for resources to achieve global food-water-energy nexus and rapid decline in land-based sources, oceans represent both solution and boost to sustainable environment and economy. In addition to fundamental part of earth's ecosystem for uncatalogued diversity of life, oceans are undervalued economy powerhouse with gross marine product value. With sustainable management of existing assets including shipping, transportation, manufacturing, fisheries, tourism and exploration of new business like marine biotechnology and renewable energy, the ocean or blue economy has potential to fulfill sustainable development goals (SDG). In spite of recognition of blue economy as a new economic frontier, investments by existing industries and emergence of new ones are limited and less known, hence require more in depth attention and scientific understanding. In the present study, authors present a systematic comparative assessment of blue economy sectors with distinct challenges and strategies to be further explored and implemented for industrial deployment. The conceptualization of integrated routes of bio(economy) by the current study can act as gateway for key stakeholders, i.e. governance, bluepreneurs (scientists and industries) to prioritize technologies for sustainable applications of marine resources.

Payments for nutrient uptake in the blue bioeconomy - When to be careful and when to go for it

Harvesting of marine biomass for various applications may generate ecosystem services that currently lack a market price. One of these is nutrient uptake, which could counteract eutrophication. Market-based instruments (MBIs) such as cap & trade, compensatory mitigation, and payment for ecosystem services could help internalize such positive externalities. However, activities of the blue bioeconomy are diverse. We show that identifiable market characteristics can provide guidance concerning when to use these instruments and not. We find that the activities most suitable for MBIs are those that have positive environmental impacts but that are not (yet) financially viable. For activities that are already profitable on the biomass market, ensuring 'additionality' may be a significant problem for MBIs, especially for cap & trade systems or compensatory mitigation. We provide an overview of how some current biomass options fit into this framework and give suggestions on which biomass types to target.

Reliability of multi-purpose offshore-facilities: Present status and future direction in Australia

Sustainable use of the ocean for food and energy production is an emerging area of research in different countries around the world. This goal is pursued by the Australian aquaculture, offshore engineering and renewable energy industries, research organisations and the government through the "Blue Economy Cooperative Research Centre". To address the challenges of offshore food and energy production, leveraging the benefits of co-location, vertical integration, infrastructure and shared services, will be enabled through the development of novel Multi-Purpose Offshore-Platforms (MPOP). The structural integrity of the designed systems when being deployed in the harsh offshore environment is one of the main challenges in developing the MPOPs. Employing structural reliability analysis methods for assessing the structural safety of the novel aquaculture-MPOPs comes with different limitations. This review aims at shedding light on these limitations and discusses the current status and future directions for structural reliability analysis of a novel aquaculture-MPOP considering Australia's unique environment. To achieve this aim, challenges which exist at different stages of reliability assessment, from data collection and uncertainty quantification to load and structural modelling and reliability analysis implementation, are discussed. Furthermore, several solutions to these challenges are proposed based on the existing knowledge in other sectors, and particularly from the offshore oil and gas industry. Based on the identified gaps in the review process, potential areas for future research are introduced to enable a safer and more reliable operation of the MPOPs.

Is geopolitics a threat for offshore wind energy? A case of Indian Ocean Region

The aim of this paper is to drive the discourse towards the increasing shift to renewables, especially offshore wind energy generation, in the emerging international energy order. The Indian Ocean Region (IOR), despite its increasing contribution to onshore wind energy generation and impending policies on offshore wind energy, is reluctant to invest in the latter. Hence, this paper highlights four important aspects that challenge IOR's offshore wind energy development: Indian Ocean's strategic location, environment impacts, blue economy and maritime terrorism. In the background of the geopolitical rivalry existing in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), with the increasing presence of China and the USA in the Indian Ocean, this paper aims to study if these geopolitical challenges are hindering offshore wind energy generation in IOR. The key findings of the paper include the necessity of addressing the geopolitical rivalry in IOR as an important hindrance in huge investments needed in OWE farms, so that a regional cooperative mechanism is arrived at especially from the point of view of policies towards OWE generation.

Perspectives on the marine environment and biodiversity in recreational ports: The marina of Gijon as a case study

Recreational ports are known to be sources of pollution to the coastal marine environment due to the pouring of pollutants or the transfer of invasive species to neighboring areas. Nonetheless, the responsibility of protecting the marine environment does not lie solely on the users of the ports, but also affects the rest of citizens. Thus, an effective communication is necessary between scientists and citizens to avoid the lack of knowledge and boost cooperation against these environmental problems. In this study, (focused on the marina of Gijon, Northwestern Spain) citizens set education and social media as the main sources of information, rarely considering science outreach. Also, their environmental knowledge showed to be based on a visual perception, rather than on a cognitive one, as marine litter was considered a great environmental problem, while invasive species and biofouling went unnoticed, remarking the lack of an effective communication from scientific sources.

Dataset of human interventions as anthropogenic perturbations on the Caribbean coast of Colombia

Human interventions on coastal areas are always causing environmental impact; however, most of the times inventories of those interventions are possibly not well structured, and surely without a specific standard. The raw data presented shows an exhaustive and systematic revision of satellite images on 1700 km of the Caribbean coast of Colombia, where 2743 human interventions were identified. These interventions are classified in 38 categories in order to assess their environmental impact at a regional scale. The filtered data shows the environmental impact obtained for each category and the values allotted to each of the four parameters used for this evaluation. Moreover, the data is filtered for each of the five environmental coastal units in which the Caribbean coast of Colombia is divided by national regulations. Finally, the filtered and processed data shows the analysis done to obtain the graphical results of a previously paper (An evaluation of human interventions in the anthropogenically disturbed Caribbean Coast of Colombia [1]). Therefore, this dataset comprises three spreadsheets (xlsx) and two geographical files (kmz), which are ready to be used for any researcher, decision maker, land planner or practitioner interested in making further analysis on environmental impact assessment in coastal areas. Additionally, the dataset is carefully organised for educational exercises in such a manner that professors or lecturers can repeat the same steps in this study area or in their own, from the inventory to the final results.

The blue dimensions of aquaculture: A global synthesis

The rapid development of aquaculture has been considered the blue revolution, which is an approach to increasing global fish production in order to contribute to human nutrition and food security. The use of blue water (i.e., surface and groundwater) in aquaculture also makes a significant contribution to global fish production. However, the blue revolution of aquaculture is associated with a wide range of environmental concerns, including habitat destruction, water pollution, eutrophication, biotic depletion, ecological effects, and disease outbreaks. In addition, blue carbon (i.e., carbon in coastal and marine ecosystems) emissions from mangrove deforestation due to shrimp cultivation are accumulating. To increase fish production for a growing global population, aquaculture must grow sustainably while at the same time its environmental impacts must reduce significantly. There is blue growth potential for increasing seafood production through the expansion of coastal and marine aquaculture, which is essential for sustainable development of the blue economy.

Waste production and regional growth of marine activities an econometric model

Coastal regions are characterized by intense human activity and climatic pressures, often intensified by competing interests in the use of marine waters. To assess the effect of public spending on the regional economy, an econometric model is here proposed. Not only are the regional investment and the climatic risks included in the model, but also variables related to the anthropogenic pressure, such as population, economic activities and waste production. Feedback effects of economic and demographic expansion on the pollution of coastal areas are also considered. It is found that dangerous waste increases with growing shipping and transportation activities and with growing population density in non-touristic coastal areas. On the other hand, the amount of non-dangerous wastes increases with marine mining, defense and offshore energy production activities. However, lower waste production occurs in areas where aquaculture and touristic industry are more exploited, and accompanied by increasing regional investment in waste disposal.