Browsing by Author "Kirby-Smith, William"

Now showing 1 - 9 of 9
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    A NOVEL WATER QUALITY MONITORING PROGRAM FOR NANTUCKET SOUND: Plan Development for the Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fishermen’s Association
    (2007-05) Rivera, Justin K.
    Water quality in Nantucket Sound has historically been viewed as pristine and un-polluted; however, in recent years signs of non-point source pollution have become evident. Proliferation of nuisance algae and declines in fish stock have led to a belief amongst local citizens that the waters of Nantucket Sound are no longer as clean as previously thought. The objective of this project was to develop a water quality monitoring program for Nantucket Sound to establish a baseline for conducting future water quality assessments. Through volunteering with the National Park Service and conducting online research a water quality monitoring program was established. Working with the Cape Cod Commercial Fisherman’s Association I determined the feasibility of using fishers’ vessels as monitoring platforms for conducting water quality research in Nantucket Sound. Fishers’ skills, knowledge and increasing awareness as stewards of ocean resources suggest they can be important assets for water quality monitoring efforts. The plan describes water quality parameters that will be measured, monitoring sites and frequency, fisher teams, field protocol, and quality control. Furthermore, estimated costs for the project are presented and responsibility for data management and analysis are addressed. This plan aims to provide a basic framework and guidelines for monitoring water quality in Nantucket Sound and is open to further recommendations and revisions.
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    Community-Based Stormwater Mitigation: Rescuing a Clam Fishery in Middens Creek, N.C.
    (2008-04-24) Durkee, Stephen J.
    Eastern North Carolina’s expansive aquatic environment, with large lagoonal sounds tapering into winding inland waterways, maximizes the number of residents with direct influence on our coastal waters. Such a system creates a complex management scenario where regulating non-point source pollution proves difficult. To examine sources and potential remedies of fecal coliform loading, a study was initiated in our model waterway, Middens Creek, where active shellfish harvesting is ongoing. Through a multi-phase investigation, current legislation aimed at reducing stormwater impacts is reviewed and pre- and post-storm fecal coliform levels characterized. It became evident during the course of the study that non-point source runoff is the primary way fecal coliform is conveyed into Middens Creek. Quantifying the impact of this runoff in the subwatershed was further extended to examine the statistical link between human development and bacteria levels within the creek and significant correlations between the two were found. Finally, public outreach and education was initiated to affect grassroots change among the residents living along the model waterway in an effort to mitigate the trend anthropogenic impacts.
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    EVALUATION OF CURRENT INDICATORS OF WATER SAFETY FOR COASTAL RECREATIONAL WATERS
    (2007-05) Leiendecker, Lindsay
    As summer months approach, excitement for the warm sun and water trigger families to solidify plans for a trip to the beach. Parents worry about packing for the kids, affording travel expenses, finding lodging, and making sure there is enough sunscreen for everyone. Does anyone ever worry about the condition of the ocean water they will be swimming in? In America, the Environmental Protection Agency monitors the health of coastal recreational waters and has the authority to close beaches that do not meet their safety standards. Bodies of water may contain pathogenic bacteria, protozoa, and viruses found in animal waste. These fecal pathogens contaminate our waterways through coastal and shoreline development, wastewater collection and treatment facilities, septic tanks, urban runoff, disposal of human waste from boats, bathers themselves, animal feeding operations, and natural animal sources like wildlife. Humans that swim in these infected waters risk diseases as mild as ear infections and sore throats, to more serious diseases such as dysentery, typhoid fever, and Hepatitis A. However, instead of testing for a variety of diseases, the EPA uses indicator organisms, E. coli and enterococci, to monitor fecal contamination in coastal recreational waters. If E. coli counts in freshwater rise above 126 organisms per 100 ml or if Enterococci counts in saltwater rise above 35 organisms per 100ml, a sign posting or beach closure is necessary. E. coli and Enterococci, referred to as indicator organisms or fecal indicator bacteria (FIB), are two of the many organisms that live in the intestinal tracks of mammals and birds. Everyday one human will pass approximately 100 billion to 10 trillion individual E. coli bacteria in their feces. These indicators do not normally harm humans. However, there has been a lot of press about E. coli infecting the public through food. This particular strain of E.coli, E. coli 0157:H7, is a rare but dangerous strain which causes hemorrhaging in the intestines. Because these indicators are relied on so heavily to determine safety of water, it is imperative to determine if these are suitable indicators, understand the environmental factors that allow them to thrive, and ways to eliminate them from the waters. Some of these factors include temperature, light, salinity, rainfall, predation, available nutrients and environmental pollutants.
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    Inter-Jurisdictional and Multi-Scale Challenges of River Herring Management and Bycatch Reduction
    (2012-04-27) Dancy, Kiley
    The alewife and the blueback herring, collectively known as river herring, were once abundant along most of the Atlantic coast of the United States but have declined significantly throughout their range. River herring populations have been impacted by multiple factors including direct harvest, reduced habitat quantity and quality, predation, and incidental catch at sea. Management and conservation of river herring has been particularly difficult due to their unique life history, as they migrate long distances at sea and return to freshwater river systems each spring to reproduce. In the course of their migrations alewives and blueback herring cross through several management jurisdictions and face many threats at varying spatial scales in a variety of different habitat types. In response to population declines, fishing effort in state waters has been severely restricted, but river herring bycatch in at-sea fisheries remains a largely undocumented but presumably significant and unmanaged source of mortality. This project is an assessment of the challenges of inter-jurisdictional, multi-scale management of river herring, with a focus on the problem of river herring bycatch as an inter-jurisdictional fisheries management issue. This report additionally provides recommendations toward a coordinated strategy for the ongoing development of river herring bycatch mitigation measures.
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    Oyster Reef Restoration in North Carolina: Recommendations for Improvements in Techniques and Monitoring
    (2011-04-28) Black, Joshua
    The Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) is important to the North Carolina economy, ecology, and way of life. Oysters provide many direct and indirect services that benefit coastal fisheries and North Carolina’s economy. In the past 10 to 15 years oyster reef restoration efforts have increased in the state. Many stakeholders such as the North Carolina Coastal Federation, North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries, and state universities have collaborated to create and enhance oyster reefs throughout the state. These stakeholders each have their own methods for monitoring restoration sites that they constructed. In the past decade there were metrics of success created by the Oyster Restoration Workgroup to monitor newly restored reefs. There have also been many different types of alternative substrates developed for oyster recruitment in an effort to make up for a decrease oyster shell supply. It is recommended that stakeholders involved with oyster reef restoration in North Carolina continue to collaborate. Recommendations are presented to these stakeholders focused on long-term monitoring goals and standardized monitoring metrics, agreement on priorities for new projects, alternative substrates, and increased use of volunteers. These recommendations serve to improve methods for creating or enhancing future oyster restoration projects in North Carolina.
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    Potential Threats to Horseshoe Crabs on Cape Cod, Massachusetts
    (2009-04-18T21:38:20Z) Fabie, Michelle
    The Atlantic horseshoe crab, Limulus polyphemus, is an ancient species with ecologically and economically vital roles in estuarine ecosystems. Most notably, the biomedical industry relies on an amoebocyte lysate in their blood for detecting bacterial endotoxins. Noticeable declines in the horseshoe crab population around Cape Cod, Massachusetts recently spurred a collaborative state-wide research effort. The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries identifies three primary impacts as potential threats to the horseshoe crab population: direct harvest, effects of bleeding, and habitat loss. This project discusses those potential threats while explaining the human and institutional ecology involved with the horseshoe crab population around Cape Cod. Furthermore, this project pursues the idea that spawning habitat may be threatened around Cape Cod by an increase of, or poorly located, shoreline stabilization and beach nourishment projects. These activities are quantified and addressed on a spatial scale using beach nourishment permit data, personal communication with state agencies, a review of the state permitting process, and comparisons with previous research. The results show that while there are few newly constructed shoreline stabilization structures along Cape Cod, more than forty beach nourishment projects took place over the past five years. And while processes are in place to ensure the protection of coastal habitats and their species, the environmental review system is often overlooked.
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    The Presence of Great White Sharks: Associations with Environmental Factors
    (2011-04-28) Dove, Karen
    The white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) can be regarded as one of the greatest ambush predators on Earth. White sharks have learned the best techniques, places, and times to hunt to maximize their success rate. They are aware of environmental conditions that affect their chances of success. This paper looks at the frequency of white shark sightings compared to wind speeds in Mossel Bay, South Africa and wind’s effect on white shark hunting behavior. The hypothesis is that more sharks will be hunting during high wind speeds because this decreases water visibility and increases swell height, two known environmental factors that aid in ambush predation. Ambush predators like the white shark benefit from poor water visibility and large swells which put their prey at a visual disadvantage. Sharks in Mossel Bay must rely on water visibility more than water depth to conceal their presence because it is relatively shallow thus making wind speed especially important here. This paper aims to serve as a preliminary analysis of wind speed and suggests that more in-depth studies on wind speed be conducted. Future studies that more accurately and consistently record wind speed and other data will be useful in further proving this hypothesis. Beach-goers, policy makers, and the South African government can all stand to benefit from studies like this one that examine shark behavior and aim to determine shark critical habitat.
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    Voices of the seal hunt: communicating our views of animals and ourselves
    (2006) Sturn, Terra Magdalen
    The controversy over the killing of seals on the ice floes off of Atlantic Canada continues to be a very heated, socio-political and moral debate. Sealers’ activities first came under intense public scrutiny in the early 1960s with the broadcast of a television documentary showing graphic footage of seals being clubbed. Since that time, the “seal war” has become an emotional war of words and images fought primarily via media outlets. This paper focuses on analyzing the content of public opinions as published in Canadian news sources. The aim was to elucidate the relevant arguments and delineate the major concerns of each “side” to the conflict. The language used was closely examined. Through this type of inquiry, it is hoped that underlying causes of the disagreement and apparent impasse may be discovered so that a more informed, respectful, and meaningful discourse may someday take place. The results showed that improved communication will be critically important if we are ever to change the status quo which is endless protest, endless backlash, and endless sealing. The paper is divided into three general sections. Section I gives important background information, without which the issue cannot be adequately understood. A synopsis of the pertinent legal and policy framework is also included. Section II establishes theories and perspectives on the human treatment of non-human animals, explores how our conceptions are conditioned both socially and through the very language we employ, and sets the tone for further inquiry by relating these ideas to the Canadian seal hunt. Section III uses content analysis to explore seal hunt opinion. One interpretation regarding the root of this controversy is offered. The central thesis is that human beings ultimately accept varying treatments of “others” in direct relation to how they perceive themselves and their own status in the world around them.
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    Working towards environmental restoration through small scale engagement in coastal North Carolina
    (2011-04-29) Rootes-Murdy, Kirby
    Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution is a pervasive problem throughout the United States. In coastal North Carolina, NPS most commonly takes the form of stormwater carrying large quantities of bacteria into neighboring estuarine waterways. Elevated levels of bacteria can have significant effects on water quality and result in area closures for commercial shellfish harvesting. This masters project investigates stormwater retrofitting potential in a small coastal neighborhood located within the White Oak River watershed. Applying Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to estimate impervious surface and model stormwater runoff, a mixed method approach is used to better evaluate areas of concern within a subwatershed of the White Oak River. In analyzing both state-level stormwater management guidelines and interviewing local residents on their perceptions of water quality, a goal of this study is to determine what considerations are needed to guide current and future stormwater projects. The results of this study indicate that the current stormwater regulatory framework operates on a temporal scale that hinders comprehensive funding, implementation, and monitoring of Best Management Practices (BMP) retrofitting projects. Modifications on the subwatershed level highlight impervious surface coverage from development may be significantly increasing sheet stormwater runoff. Qualitative findings demonstrate the educational outreach could be useful in gaining community support for future BMP projects. Further research in applying participatory mixed methods to study local stormwater may provide greater stakeholder engagement and successful implementation of low-cost BMPs in continuing efforts of water quality improvement.