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Capture in nearshore fisheries is the leading threat to coastal elasmobranchs, of which more than 75 % are threatened with extinction globally. Limited knowledge of these highly dynamic fisheries impedes the design and implementation of stakeholder-inclusive policies for conservation. To address this, we developed an interdisciplinary approach, combining landing data with fishing geo-locations, Very High resolution (VHR) satellite imagery and fisher interviews to model elasmobranch catch dynamics and map areas of high catch potential. We compared how elasmobranch catch rates varied by species ecology, habitat, and fisheries characteristics in Visakhapatnam and Malvan, two regions on the east and west coasts of India, respectively. We sampled 2209 fishing trips across three oceanographic seasons from landing sites at both locations in 2022-23. We recorded 5578 elasmobranchs from >20 species of which at least 13 were categorised as ‘Threatened’. Gillnets, hook and line and trawl nets were the most common gears, but their use and catch rates varied considerably. Elasmobranchs had a higher catch risk on the eastern site (where they may be specifically targeted) and were generally larger. Catch rates were higher in shallow regions on the west coast and in the summer at both sites. Importantly, we demonstrate that drivers of elasmobranch catch were site and fishery specific, underscoring the need for more local-scale research for planning conservation actions. Our framework provides a robust method to study the highly dynamic and diverse nature of nearshore fisheries, which can inform conservation actions and, at the same, time, enable a bottom-up approach to conserving elasmobranchs.

For this paper, we are going to compare five variables in the National Innovation System (Localization, Originality, Diversification, Cycle time of technology, and the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index) for BRICS countries (Brazil, Federation of Russia, India, China, and South Africa). To do so, the paper first classifies BRICS countries into three different groups: fast catch-up, catch-up, and slow or no catch-up. Then, the paper analyses the changes in those five variables for the thirty years using USPTO patent data. The paper finds that fast-catching-up BRICS countries have different trajectories for localization, originality, the cycle time of technology, and HHI from slower catch-up BRICS countries. Then, the paper discusses strategies for middle-income countries to break through the middle-income trap which is different from simply following advanced countries.

Fish welfare is a crucial issue that needs to be addressed in fisheries. Thus, the scope of the fair-fish database - an online open-access platform - was expanded from aquaculture (farm branch) to fisheries (catch branch). It provides farm and catch welfare profiles (WelfareChecks) of aquatic species based on literature reviews. In the catch branch, each WelfareCheck encompasses a species in relation to a specific fishing method used to catch it, assessing 10 criteria covering welfare hazards throughout the steps of the catching process: prospection, setting, catching, emersion, release from gear, bycatch avoidance, sorting, discarding, storing, and stunning/slaughter. In each criterion, we assess the likelihood and potential of experiencing good welfare under minimal and high-standard fisheries conditions, respectively, besides the certainty level about these. A final WelfareScore is provided for each profile, which serves as a benchmark for assessing and improving fish welfare. Since its publication in 2023, we have published five WelfareChecks. The goal is to increase the number of profiles for several fished species and catching methods over time. In conclusion, the catch branch of the fair-fish database serves as an open-access source providing an overview of the welfare of a fished species given a certain catching method. It is a reliable tool that raises public awareness of fish welfare, provides scientists with insight into knowledge gaps, and offers practitioners with suggestions about how to avoid welfare risks.

Context Nitrogen is an essential macronutrient in agriculture, affecting both crop yields and soil health. In Denmark, one of the most densely farmed regions in the world, excess reactive nitrogen (Nr) compounds are lost to the environment along gaseous and hydrological pathways in forms such as nitrate, ammonia, nitrogen oxides and dinitrogen.Objectives Here, we aim to assess the effect of different field management practices (fertilisation, crop residue management or cultivation of catch crops) on environmental Nr losses and the field scale soil net GHG balance (i.e., sum of soil C stock changes and direct and indirect N2O emissions).Methods For this purpose, highly detailed data from the Danish Agricultural Watershed Monitoring Program (LOOP-program; 2013–2019) were used in combination with the process-based model LandscapeDNDC.Results and conclusions The results indicate that a mixture of organic and synthetic fertilisers turns soils to a stronger net sink of GHGs (∼70 – ∼514 kgCO2−eq ha−1 yr−1) compared to exclusive use of only one type of fertiliser. In addition, incorporating crop residue and cultivation of catch crops increases the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) by 3–11 % on average and decreases environmental Nr losses.Significance These findings emphasize the potential of targeted fertiliser, residue and catch crop management to increase the sustainability of crop production systems in Denmark.

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