Search Results (458)

To reduce carbon emissions in the shipping industry, the energy management problem of the ship-integrated energy system (S-IES) is analyzed in this paper. Firstly, a marine environmental risk field model is constructed to quantify the degree of hazard when designing the sailing route. Meanwhile, an energy management model that considers both economic and environmental benefits is developed to enhance the penetration rate of renewable resources. Subsequently, a distributed energy management algorithm based on finite-time consensus theory is proposed to ensure a rapid and accurate response to load demand. Moreover, a mathematical analysis is provided to demonstrate the algorithm’s effectiveness. Finally, the sea area between Singapore Port (Singapore) and Penang Port (Malaysia) is chosen as the simulation environment. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of energy management for the S-IES. Full article

Studying the impact of digital economy development on marine environmental quality has important theoretical and practical significance for achieving a win–win situation between high-quality economic development and high-level ecological environment protection. This article selects the marine environment of coastal provinces and cities in China from 2011 to 2022 as the research object and uses the entropy method to comprehensively evaluate the quality of marine environment and the level of digital economy. Also, we construct intermediary and threshold effect models to deeply explore the impact mechanism of digital economy development on marine environmental quality. We find that digital economy and marine environmental quality both show a wave-like rising trend, but the comprehensive level is relatively low. The development of the digital economy can effectively improve the level of marine environmental quality, and the digital economy promotes the improvement of marine environmental quality by improving the level of marine economy. The level of economic development and industrial scale has created a threshold effect in the process of promoting the development of marine environmental quality through the digital economy. Therefore, strengthening the digital governance of the marine environment and promoting the industrialization of marine ecology and the ecologicalization of marine industries will help promote the integrated development of the digital economy and marine environment. Full article

Incineration at sea is a significant source of marine pollution, threatening biodiversity and public health. Although Peru ratified the 1996 London Protocol in 2018, key deficiencies persist in its domestic legal framework, particularly the absence of clear and internationally aligned definitions for “incineration” and “incinerator.” These gaps hinder effective enforcement by the National Maritime Authority (NMA-DICAPI) and limit regulatory compliance with international obligations. This study analyzes Peru’s current legislation in light of the London Protocol and includes a comparative overview of regional regulatory approaches in Latin America. Based on this analysis, the study identifies regulatory inconsistencies that compromise environmental protection and proposes three key legal reforms: (1) refining the definition of “incineration” to reflect international standards; (2) formally incorporating a definition for “incinerator”; and (3) establishing specific administrative and economic sanctions for related infractions. Through comparative analysis with Mexico and Colombia’s approaches, we propose targeted amendments including refined definitions aligned with IMO standards and explicit administrative/economic sanctions. Implementing these recommendations would enhance Peru’s legal clarity, enforcement capacity, and compliance with international maritime law, reinforcing its role as a responsible actor in marine environmental governance. Full article

Climate change is disrupting marine ecosystems, necessitating a deeper understanding of environmental and fishing-related impacts on exploited species. This study examines the effects of physical factors (temperature, thermal anomalies, salinity, seabed conditions), biogeochemical elements (pH, oxygen levels, nutrients, primary production), and fishing pressure on the biomass of commercially important species in the Alboran Sea from 1999 to 2022. Data were sourced from the Copernicus observational program, focusing on the geographical sub-area 1 (GSA-1) zone across three depth ranges. Generalized Additive Models were applied for analysis. Rising temperatures and seasonal anomalies have largely negative effects, disrupting species’ physiological balance. Changes in water quality, including improved nutrient and oxygen concentrations, have yielded complex ecological responses. Fishing indices highlight the vulnerability of small pelagic fish to climate change and overfishing, underscoring their economic and ecological significance. These findings stress the urgent need for ecosystem-based management strategies that integrate climate change impacts to ensure sustainable marine resource management. Full article

Virginia’s coastal location and abundant marine resources make its seafood industry a vital contributor to the state’s economy, supporting both local communities and tourism. This study applied input–output models and updates the economic contributions of the Virginia seafood industry using 2023 data, building on models developed for 2019 that capture both direct effects and broader economic ripple effects. In 2023, the industry generated USD 1.27 billion in total economic output and supported over 6500 jobs—including watermen, aquaculture farmers, processors, and distributors—resulting in USD 238.3 million in labor income. Contributions to state GDP totaled USD 976.7 million, and tax revenues exceeded USD 390.4 million. The study also evaluates the economic role of Virginia seafood products sold in retail stores and restaurants, based on secondary data sources. In 2023, these sectors generated USD 458 million in economic output, supported more than 3600 jobs, produced USD 136.7 million in labor income, and USD 280.8 million in value-added. Combined tax contributions surpassed USD 74 million. Importantly, the analysis results for the Virginia seafood products from retail and restaurant should not be summed to the seafood industry totals to avoid double-counting, as seafood products move as output from one sector as an input to another. These results provide evidence-based insights to guide decision-making, inform stakeholders, and support continued investment in Virginia’s seafood supply chain and related economic activities. Full article

In the 2021 summit, ASEAN leaders acknowledged the ocean as an essential driver of economic recovery post pandemic, leading to the ASEAN Declaration on the Blue Economy for the responsible management of marine resources. As an ASEAN nation with a long history in the fishing sector, Indonesia then actively spread this concept across the region. The hegemony theory of Gramsci, which considers the interaction of a nation’s material resources, ideational influence, and institutional strategy, is further used to assess Indonesia’s leadership dynamics in the ASEAN to obtain consensus-based power. In this study, Joko Widodo’s speeches from 2023 are taken out and coded to determine the narrative that Indonesia constantly reinforces. With thematic analysis, speech data is processed to generate keywords such as unity, cooperation, and shared responsibilities, which Indonesia often uses to advance its regional agenda. By aligning member states’ interests with regional goals, Indonesian governance creates common ground for a blue economy and emphasizes how the sea is an integral source of opportunity for the region’s position as the Epicentrum Of Growth. Instead of pushing countries to agree with directives, Indonesia effectively advocates for regional agreements and ASEAN-led structures through the blue economy framework, with the ABEF emerging at its 2023 ASEAN chairmanship deliberations. Full article

In the wake of the continuous development of the international strategic petroleum reserve system, the tonnage and quantity of oil tankers have been increasing. This trend has driven the expansion of offshore oil exploration and transportation, resulting in frequent incidents of ship oil spills. Catastrophic impacts have been exerted on the marine environment by these accidents, posing a serious threat to economic development and ecological security. Therefore, there is an urgent need for efficient and reliable methods to detect oil spills in a timely manner and minimize potential losses as much as possible. In response to this challenge, a marine radar oil film segmentation method based on feature fusion and the artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithm is proposed in this study. Initially, the raw experimental data are preprocessed to obtain denoised radar images. Subsequently, grayscale adjustment and local contrast enhancement operations are carried out on the denoised images. Next, the gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) features and Tamura features are extracted from the locally contrast-enhanced images. Then, the generalized least squares (GLS) method is employed to fuse the extracted texture features, yielding a new feature fusion map. Afterwards, the optimal processing threshold is determined to obtain effective wave regions by using the bimodal graph direct method. Finally, the ABC algorithm is utilized to segment the oil films. This method can provide data support for oil spill detection in marine radar images. Full article

Skipjack tuna constitutes a crucial fishery resource in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean (WCPO) purse seine fishery, with high economic value and exploitation potential. It also serves as an essential subject for studying the interaction between fishery resource dynamics and marine ecosystems, as its resource abundance is significantly influenced by marine environmental factors. Skipjack tuna can be categorized into unassociated schools and associated schools, with the latter being predominant. Overfishing of the associated schools can adversely affect population health and the ecological environment. In-depth exploration of the spatial distribution responses of these two fish schools to environmental variables is significant for the rational development and utilization of tuna resources and for enhancing the sustainability of fishery resources. In sparsely sampled and complex marine environments, geographic similarity methods effectively predict tuna resources by quantifying local fishing ground environmental similarities. This study introduces geographical similarity theory. This study focused on 1° × 1° fishery data (2004–2021) released by the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) combined with relevant marine environmental data. We employed Geographical Convergent Cross Mapping (GCCM) to explore significant environmental factors influencing catch and variations in causal intensity and employed a Geographically Optimal Similarity (GOS) model to predict the spatial distribution of catch for the two types of tuna schools. The research findings indicate that the following: (1) Sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface salinity (SSS), and net primary productivity (NPP) are key factors in GCCM model analysis, significantly influencing the catch of two fish schools. (2) The GOS model exhibits higher prediction accuracy and stability compared to the Generalized Additive Model (GAM) and the Basic Configuration Similarity (BCS) model. R² values reaching 0.656 and 0.649 for the two types of schools, respectively, suggest that the geographical similarity method has certain applicability and application potential in the spatial prediction of fishery resources. (3) Uncertainty analysis revealed more stable predictions for unassociated schools, with 72.65% of the results falling within the low-uncertainty range (0.00–0.25), compared to 52.65% for associated schools. This study, based on geographical similarity theory, elucidates differential spatial responses of distinct schools to environmental factors and provides a novel approach for fishing ground prediction. It also provides a scientific basis for the dynamic assessment and rational exploitation and utilization of skipjack tuna resources in the Pacific Ocean. Full article

In response to the ongoing depletion of fishery resources, many countries now prioritize sustainable fish stock use and ecosystem protection, balancing ecological, economic, and social goals. Fishery subsidies are key in this shift, with their impact depending on design and implementation. In 2020, China introduced marine fishery resource conservation subsidies and simultaneously phased out a 15-year policy of harmful fuel subsidies. This study uses evolutionary game theory to analyze the strategic interactions between government authorities and fishermen across four institutional scenarios, each combining different forms of subsidies and penalties. The findings suggest that a dynamic approach, incorporating both subsidies and penalties, is most effective in promoting legal fishing practices and protecting marine resources. Additionally, the study emphasizes that the effectiveness of subsidies and penalties does not necessarily increase with their scale; instead, both must be carefully calibrated to sustainable and reasonable limits. Full article

Various activities, whether economic, social, or environmental, exert pressure on a coastal area. The extent of economic activities taking place in coastal regions is continuously increasing, particularly in tourism, maritime transport, port operations, and fisheries and aquaculture. Therefore, the decision to establish activities in a coastal area is complex and requires careful consideration by all stakeholders who use this space, which is potentially one of the most important natural resources for the development of any coastal country. This research is focused on assessing the justification for establishing economic activities in a coastal area, taking into account the interconnection of spatial, safety, environmental, and social factors. Therefore, three possible scenarios have been proposed: the location of the communal port, the location of the nautical port-marina, and the location of the marine entertainment and recreation centre. The goal was to develop a model that would enable the objective assessment and selection of the most suitable activity that would simultaneously benefit society and have the least harmful impact on the environment. Therefore, a multi-criteria analysis was conducted using the AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) method. The decision-making process was based on the expert validation of criteria, sub-criteria, and alternatives. An analytical tool called Expert Choice was used to synthesise the results and select the optimal activity. The sensitivity analysis confirmed the stability and reliability of the obtained results, with the AHP method proving to be an effective tool in structuring the decision-making process regarding the establishment of activities in the coastal area. Based on the results of the multi-criteria assessment, planning the establishment of activities is an important precondition for the long-term and sustainable development of coastal activities in an area. Full article

Extreme weather events, such as marine heatwaves (MHWs), pose serious threats to the aquaculture sector, facilitating the occurrence of disease outbreaks and compromising farmed animals’ welfare and survival. Hence, finding eco-innovative strategies to improve animal immunocompetence is essential to assure aquaculture’s sustainability and resilience in a rapidly changing ocean. This study evaluated the immunostimulatory potential of Laminaria digitata powder (0.3% and 1.5%) and extract (0.3%) in juvenile gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) exposed to a Vibrio harveyi outbreak during a Category III MHW event (T = 25.7 °C). Overall, L. digitata supplementation did not significantly affect fish immunocompetence under optimal rearing conditions (T = 21.4 °C; no infection), nor did it induce any adverse effects. However, both the powder (1.5%) and extract (0.3%) forms of L. digitata supplementation effectively mitigated the negative impacts prompted by the MHW and Vibrio harveyi infection—evidenced by improvements in fish health indicators, hematological parameters, leukocyte viability, granulocyte proportions, and reductions in peroxidase activity and immunoglobulin M levels. From an economic standpoint, supplementation with 1.5% L. digitata powder emerged as the most promising strategy, offering a practical balance between effectiveness and affordability for large-scale applications. These findings highlight the potential of L. digitata as an immunostimulatory aquafeed supplement, with promising benefits for fish health and resilience under adverse rearing conditions. Full article

The crystallization of soluble salts is one of the most significant agents of deterioration affecting porous building materials in historical architecture. This process not only compromises the physical integrity of the materials but also results in considerable aesthetic, structural, and economic consequences. Soluble salts involved in these processes may originate from geogenic sources—including soil leachate, marine aerosols, and the natural weathering of parent rocks—or from anthropogenic factors such as air pollution, wastewater infiltration, and the use of incompatible restoration materials. This study examines the role of capillary rise as a primary mechanism responsible for the vertical migration of saline solutions from the soil profile into historic masonry structures, especially those constructed with calcareous stones. It describes how water retained or sustained within the soil matrix ascends via capillarity, carrying dissolved salts that eventually crystallize within the pore network of the stone. This phenomenon leads to a variety of damage types, ranging from superficial staining and efflorescence to more severe forms such as subflorescence, microfracturing, and progressive mass loss. By adopting a multidisciplinary approach that integrates concepts and methods from soil physics, hydrology, petrophysics, and conservation science, this paper examines the mechanisms that govern saline water movement, salt precipitation patterns, and their cumulative effects on stone durability. It highlights the influence of key variables such as soil texture and structure, matric potential, hydraulic conductivity, climatic conditions, and stone porosity on the severity and progression of deterioration. This paper also addresses regional considerations by focusing on the context of Spain, which holds one of the highest concentrations of World Heritage Sites globally and where many monuments are constructed from vulnerable calcareous materials such as fossiliferous calcarenites and marly limestones. Special attention is given to the types of salts most commonly encountered in Spanish soils—particularly chlorides and sulfates—and their thermodynamic behavior under fluctuating environmental conditions. Ultimately, this study underscores the pressing need for integrated, preventive conservation strategies. These include the implementation of drainage systems, capillary barriers, and the use of compatible materials in restoration, as well as the application of non-destructive diagnostic techniques such as electrical resistivity tomography and hyperspectral imaging. Understanding the interplay between soil moisture dynamics, salt crystallization, and material degradation is essential for safeguarding the cultural and structural value of historic buildings in the face of ongoing environmental challenges and climate variability. Full article

Chronic pain affects approximately 20% of the global adult population, posing significant healthcare and economic challenges. Effective management requires addressing both biological and psychosocial factors, with emerging therapies such as antioxidants and marine algae offering promising new treatment avenues. Marine algae synthesize bioactive compounds, including polyphenols, carotenoids, and sulfated polysaccharides, which modulate oxidative stress, inflammation, and neuroimmune signaling pathways implicated in pain. Both preclinical and clinical studies support their potential application in treating inflammatory, neuropathic, muscular, and chronic pain conditions. Notable constituents include polyphenols, carotenoids (such as fucoxanthin), vitamins, minerals, and sulfated polysaccharides. These compounds modulate oxidative stress and inflammatory pathways, particularly by reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and downregulating cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Brown and red algae produce phlorotannins and fucoidans that alleviate pain and inflammation in preclinical models. Carotenoids like fucoxanthin demonstrate neuroprotective effects by influencing autophagy and inflammatory gene expression. Algal-derived vitamins (C and E) and minerals (magnesium, selenium, and zinc) contribute to immune regulation and pain modulation. Additionally, sulfated polysaccharides suppress microglial activation in the central nervous system (CNS). Marine algae represent a promising natural source of bioactive compounds with potential applications in pain management. Although current evidence, primarily derived from preclinical studies, indicates beneficial effects in various pain models, further research is necessary to confirm their efficacy, safety, and mechanisms in human populations. These findings advocate for the continued exploration of marine algae as complementary agents in future therapeutic strategies. Full article

The driving mechanism of new qualitative productivity forces for coordinated development, which constitutes an inherent requirement of high-quality development, requires creative factor allocation through spatial flows, and the same is true for new maritime qualitative productivity forces. In this study, we constructed an evaluation indicator system to assess the impact of spatial flows of marine new qualitative productivity force factors on economic coordinated development in China’s coastal regions. Using panel data from 11 coastal provinces (2003–2022), we quantified new qualitative productivity force factor spatial flows and marine economic coordinated development levels, visualized their spatial–temporal patterns, and empirically examined their interaction mechanisms. The key findings include the following: (1) From 2013 to 2022, marine new qualitative productivity force factor spatial flows in coastal China transitioned from clustered “block-style” to scattered “multi-point” distribution patterns, with marine economic coordination exhibiting steady growth alongside pronounced spatial polarization. (2) Marine new qualitative productivity force factor spatial flows demonstrate significant positive direct effects on local marine economic coordination. (3) The notable spatial spillover effects of marine new qualitative productivity force factor spatial flows enhance coordinated development in neighboring regions. (4) Heterogeneous impacts emerge across marine new qualitative productivity force factor dimensions, where the spatial flows of new-type marine objects of labor and means of labor exert particularly significant influences. These findings provide policy insights for optimizing the spatial allocation of marine new qualitative productivity force factors to advance China’s marine economic coordination. Full article

Large-scale blooms of Ulva prolifera severely impact coastal ecosystems and economic development. In addressing Ulva management, the development of high-value utilization approaches for this macroalga remains crucial. Compared to other marine algae, Ulva prolifera exhibits higher protein content with diverse amino acid profiles, and existing studies demonstrate that hydrolyzed Ulva prolifera proteins can yield biologically active peptides with functional potential. Conventional methods for producing bioactive peptides are often cost-intensive. Here, we employed in silico enzymatic hydrolysis to generate small peptides from Ulva prolifera protein. Through computer screening, molecular docking with the Keap1 protein, and molecular dynamics simulations, we identified a potential antioxidant peptide, DWS (Asp-Trp-Ser). Molecular docking and dynamics simulations revealed that DWS forms stable complexes with Keap1 by establishing hydrogen bonds and Pi bonds with conserved amino acid residues (Leu557, Gly558, Ile559, Val604, Val606, and Arg415). In vitro antioxidant assays demonstrated that DWS exhibits potent DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities as well as reducing power. Cellular experiments showed that DWS effectively alleviates LPS-induced oxidative stress and inflammation in RAW264.7 macrophages. Full article