Knowing where and when to look is critical for effective performance of visually guided tasks. A gaze strategy termed the quiet eye (QE; the final gaze before the onset of a critical movement) is strongly associated with motor skill proficiency, with earlier and longer QE periods leading to improved visuomotor control. Children with poor motor proficiency, such as those with Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD), have impairments in the pick-up and processing of visual information, translating into poorly coordinated movements. The purpose of this project therefore was to perform the first examination of the QE strategy in children of different motor coordination abilities and furthermore to investigate the efficacy of task-specific QE training (QET) to improve the skills of children with and without DCD beyond the effects of a standard coaching technique. Study 1 determined that children with low motor coordination had later, shorter QE durations in comparison to coordinated children and as a result, performed worse in a specified motor task (throwing and catching). Study 2 therefore performed two experiments aimed at developing an appropriate but brief QET protocol for children to improve their throwing and catching ability. These experiments found that typically developing children were able to increase their QE durations with QET and this was reflected in a durable improvement in their motor skill execution. The final study examined this QET intervention in children with DCD. This was the first application of QET in a clinical population, and found that children with DCD were able to improve their QE durations, and make robust changes to their visuomotor control. These studies associate a longer QE with motor skill proficiency in children, and provide an important adjunct to current therapeutic intervention for children with poorly developed motor skills.

Background: Substantial variation exists between ethnicities in both birth weight and the prevalence of obesity-related non-communicable diseases (OR-NCDs). South Asians, who display a reduced birth weight and increased risk of developing these OR-NCDS, have been the focus of much of the research into the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) paradigm. However, little research utilising ultrasonically derived estimates of fetal growth has been conducted. The use of more direct measures of fetal growth may also enable the identification of relationships between patterns of fetal growth with patterns of postnatal growth, explicitly, whether periods of restricted or rapid growth lead to postnatal catch-up or down, respectively. The known differences in birth weight existing between South Asians and White British infants may also have implications for the assessment of neonatal health in these sub-groups when using a population derived birth weight chart, such as the UK-World Health Organisation (UK-WHO). Customised charts, which adjust for maternal variables including ethnicity, have been recommended for clinical practice, yet evidence for their efficacy is varied. Objectives: The aims of this thesis were to: 1) investigate whether fetal growth patterns differ between Pakistani and White British foetuses and determine whether maternal size and demographic variables mediate any such differences; 2) produce a birth weight chart adjusting for ethnicity and compare this to the UK-WHO and customised birth weight charts to determine which chart better identifies neonates at risk of the adverse delivery and neonatal outcomes associated with small-for-gestational-age (SGA) and large-for-gestational age (LGA); 3) identify whether there is evidence of weight growth tracking between fetal and infant periods and determine whether patterns of fetal growth predict patterns of postnatal growth. Methods: All data come from the Born in Bradford (BiB) birth cohort. Objective 1: Multilevel models and fractional polynomials were employed for the modelling of fetal weight, head circumference (HC) and abdominal circumference (AC) growth. Potential mediators of the effect of being of Pakistani origin were entered into the model and the effect on the ethnicity variable was assessed. Objective 2: Ethnic specific birth weight charts (BiB) were constructed using the LMS method. SGA and LGA were defined as a birth weight <10th and >90th relative to the BiB, the UK-WHO or the customised charts. Sensitivity, specificity, positive & negative predictive values and area-under-the curve were calculated for each of the three charts SGA and LGA cut-offs, to assess the predictive ability of each chart for a range of delivery and neonatal outcomes. Objective 3: Multilevel models were employed for the modelling of fetal and postnatal growth. Fitted values were produced at 20, 30, 40 prenatal weeks & 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 24 postnatal months in both an internal reference and the sample population. Z scores were calculated and conditional Z scores were generated to account for regression to the mean. Growth tracking was defined as change in Z score ≤ 0.67 & ≥ -0.67. Restricted and rapid fetal growth were defined as a change in Z score in the fetal period of <-0.67 and >0.67, respectively. Catch-down and catch-up growth were defined in the same way, except in the postnatal period. ANOVAs were used to test for differences in size and growth by type of fetal growth. Furthermore, logistic regression and a sensitivity and specificity analysis were employed to examine the predictive ability of the type of fetal growth. Results: Objective 1: Pakistani fetuses were significantly smaller and lighter than White British fetuses, throughout gestation. In terms of weight, Pakistani fetuses were approximately 2.25% lighter at 20 weeks, 4.13% at 30 weeks and 5.94% at 40 weeks. The differences in size for AC and HC between the two groups were not as great, with the AC and HC of Pakistani fetuses being approximately 4.1% and 1.25% smaller, respectively, at 40 weeks. Despite these significant differences in size the pattern of growth for HC and weight was not significantly different between the two groups. There was a trend for Pakistani fetuses to display a greater deceleration of growth in the final trimester (figure 4-12). The biggest mediators of the effect of being of Pakistani origin were maternal height and weight. Objective 2: Classifying infants as SGA or LGA by the BiB, UK-WHO or customised charts had low predictive utility for the outcomes under investigation. Despite the fact that the BiB ethnic specific birth weight reference provided significantly better prediction for more outcomes than both the UK-WHO and customised charts in both White British and Pakistani infants, with the exception of shoulder dystocia, AUROC values for all three charts were all below 0.61. Objective 3: The prevalence of tracking within the same centile band from 20 weeks gestation to 2 years was 10.82%. Infants who experienced restricted fetal growth remained significantly lighter than those who had not, for the duration of infancy. In this group however, there was a pattern of greater growth than expected during infancy. This was opposite to the pattern observed in infants who had experienced rapid fetal growth, who exhibited less growth than expected during infancy. However, the ability of the type of fetal growth to predict the pattern of postnatal growth was minimal, with only rapid fetal growth being significantly associated with increased odds of catch-down growth in infancy. Conclusions: No ethnic difference in the pattern of growth was found in terms of the whole body (weight) or in HC. The trend for reduced growth of the AC in Pakistanis may be a result of a reduced growth of the visceral organs during the third trimester, which may lead to both an altered liver metabolism and impaired renal function in post-natal life. Although being small or large at birth may increase the risk of an adverse neonatal outcome, size alone is not sensitive or specific enough with current detection to be a useful clinical tool. The finding that neither restricted nor rapid fetal growth predicted postnatal catch-up growth may suggest that the timing of canalisation is outside of the fetal period. If infant catch-up and down growth are not associated with periods of restricted or rapid fetal growth, the definitions of these growth patterns may need revising.

Methods for detecting patterns of angler selective fishing behaviour in the long term recreational fishery statistics are presented in this Ph.D. Thesis. The motivating idea is that mainly different anglers' fishing preferences or attitudes towards particular fish species obstruct applying anglers' catches data for ongoing use in ichthyology research. Better recognising angler selectivity is therefore judged to be the key point from the viewpoint of fish and fishery sciences. Methods affecting angler behaviour can be directly applied by other specialists, e.g. social scientists. The thesis consists of five papers two of which are published (paper 1, 2), other two of which are accepted for publishing (paper 3, 4) and the last of which (paper 5) is in the status of manuscript before submitting. In the first two papers the role of common carp catches is focused. By using multivariate techniques it is studied if the increased exploitation of carp increases also the exploitation of other fish species. Time series of carp catches serve as an explanatory variable, other species catches through the same time are processed as independent variables. According to expectations the positive effect of carp catches on those of the other species was approved at the river section with the highest expected density...

O conhecimento das causas de morbidade e mortalidade dos mamíferos aquáticos pertencentes à ordem Cetacea e subordem Pinnipedia no Brasil é escasso. Este trabalho teve por objetivo caracterizar as principais causas que contribuem para a morte destes animais, incluindo dentre outras as enfermidades infecciosas, parasitárias, traumáticas, metabólicas e nutricionais. Foram analisadas amostras provenientes de necropsias de 110 indivíduos oriundos de encalhes naturais e capturas acidentais em redes de pesca ocorridos na costa sul e sudeste do Brasil. Ocasionalmente, amostras de cetáceos e pinípedes provenientes de centros de reabilitação, zoológicos, aquários e oceanários também foram analisadas. As amostras consistiram de fragmentos de 1 a 2 cm3 dos órgãos principais acondicionados em formalina a 10%. As afecções foram diagnosticadas através de exames anatomopatológicos, associados, quando possível a resultados microbiológicos e parasitológicos. Dos diagnósticos finais elucidados para os cetáceos 88,6% (70/79) tiveram a morte relacionada com o sistema respiratório, 3,8% (3/79) de origem metabólica, 2,5% (2/79) de etiologia infecciosa, 1,3% (1/79) com origem traumática antropogênica e em 3,8% (3/79) foi indeterminada. Nos pinípedes as causas de morte também estiveram relacionadas principalmente com o trato respiratório (48,5% - 15/31). A morte decorrente de outras causas incluiu: 29,1% (9/31) de causas metabólicas; 3,2% (1/31) nutricional; 3,2% (1/31) digestivo; 3,2% (1/31) urinário; 3,2% (1/31) físico; 3,2% (1/31) síndrome, colapso; 3,2% (1/31) vandalismo; 3,2% (1/31) indeterminado. A análise parasitológica foi realizada em 15,4% (17/110) dos casos e a bacteriologia em 10,9% (12/110) dos casos. As interpretações anatomopatológicas foram associadas aos demais resultados, quando presentes, e então analisados conforme informações recentes de literatura relativas ao assunto. As amostras utilizadas na realização deste projeto complementam o banco de tecidos de animais selvagens mantido pelo Laboratório de Patologia Comparada de Animais Selvagens da FMVZ, formando dessa forma o primeiro acervo de tecidos de mamíferos marinhos disponível no Brasil. Os resultados alcançados neste estudo reforçam a necessidade da abordagem multidisciplinar dos animais encalhados e também dos capturados acidentalmente em redes de pesca, buscando informações que possam colaborar para uma maior compreensão dos processos patológicos que os acometem e os predispõe à morte. / The known causes of morbidity and mortality of aquatic mammals belonging to the Order Cetacea and Suborder Pinnipedia in Brazil is limited. The aim of this work was to characterize the main processes that contribute to or cause the death of these animals, and included investigating infectious, parasitic, traumatic, metabolic and nutritional diseases. Samples coming from 110 fresh animals were analyzed, including individuals from strandings and incidentally caught in fishing nets along the south and southeastern coasts of Brazil. Circumstantially, carcasses coming from zoological collections, aquariums and rehabilitation centers were also included. The samples consisted of fragments of 1-2 cm3 taken of the main organs and fixed in 10% formalin. All the tissues have been processed according to routine histological procedures and analyzed under light microscopy. Diseases were diagnosed through anatomopathologic examinations, associated, whenever possible, with microbiologic and parasitologic results and then compared to related bibliography. Final results, mentioning the cause of the death, included: cetaceans: 88,6% (70/79) had lesions associated with the respiratory tract; 3,8% (3/79) of metabolic origin, 2,5% (2/79) of infectious etiology, 1,3% (1/79) were human related injuries, and 3,8% (3/79) of the cases were undetermined. For the pinnipeds the main cause of death was also related to the respiratory tract (48,5% - 15/31). The causes of death implicated in the other cases included: 29,1% (9/31) metabolical causes; 3,2% (1/31) nutritional origin; 3,2% (1/31) digestive causes; 3,2% (1/31) urinary tract; 3,2% (1/31) physical causes; 3,2% (1/31) syndrome; 3,2% (1/31) human related injuries; 3,2% (1/31) were undetermined. Parasitological analyses were performed in 15,4% (17/110) of the cases and bacteriology in 10,9% (12/110). The samples utilized in this project were stored to create a tissue bank for further studies. The results achieved in this work reinforce the need for a multidisciplinary view of stranded and by-caught animals, searching for information that can collaborate to better understand the pathologic processes affecting marine mammals and predisposing their death.

O conhecimento das causas de morbidade e mortalidade dos mamíferos aquáticos pertencentes à ordem Cetacea e subordem Pinnipedia no Brasil é escasso. Este trabalho teve por objetivo caracterizar as principais causas que contribuem para a morte destes animais, incluindo dentre outras as enfermidades infecciosas, parasitárias, traumáticas, metabólicas e nutricionais. Foram analisadas amostras provenientes de necropsias de 110 indivíduos oriundos de encalhes naturais e capturas acidentais em redes de pesca ocorridos na costa sul e sudeste do Brasil. Ocasionalmente, amostras de cetáceos e pinípedes provenientes de centros de reabilitação, zoológicos, aquários e oceanários também foram analisadas. As amostras consistiram de fragmentos de 1 a 2 cm3 dos órgãos principais acondicionados em formalina a 10%. As afecções foram diagnosticadas através de exames anatomopatológicos, associados, quando possível a resultados microbiológicos e parasitológicos. Dos diagnósticos finais elucidados para os cetáceos 88,6% (70/79) tiveram a morte relacionada com o sistema respiratório, 3,8% (3/79) de origem metabólica, 2,5% (2/79) de etiologia infecciosa, 1,3% (1/79) com origem traumática antropogênica e em 3,8% (3/79) foi indeterminada. Nos pinípedes as causas de morte também estiveram relacionadas principalmente com o trato respiratório (48,5% - 15/31). A morte decorrente de outras causas incluiu: 29,1% (9/31) de causas metabólicas; 3,2% (1/31) nutricional; 3,2% (1/31) digestivo; 3,2% (1/31) urinário; 3,2% (1/31) físico; 3,2% (1/31) síndrome, colapso; 3,2% (1/31) vandalismo; 3,2% (1/31) indeterminado. A análise parasitológica foi realizada em 15,4% (17/110) dos casos e a bacteriologia em 10,9% (12/110) dos casos. As interpretações anatomopatológicas foram associadas aos demais resultados, quando presentes, e então analisados conforme informações recentes de literatura relativas ao assunto. As amostras utilizadas na realização deste projeto complementam o banco de tecidos de animais selvagens mantido pelo Laboratório de Patologia Comparada de Animais Selvagens da FMVZ, formando dessa forma o primeiro acervo de tecidos de mamíferos marinhos disponível no Brasil. Os resultados alcançados neste estudo reforçam a necessidade da abordagem multidisciplinar dos animais encalhados e também dos capturados acidentalmente em redes de pesca, buscando informações que possam colaborar para uma maior compreensão dos processos patológicos que os acometem e os predispõe à morte. / The known causes of morbidity and mortality of aquatic mammals belonging to the Order Cetacea and Suborder Pinnipedia in Brazil is limited. The aim of this work was to characterize the main processes that contribute to or cause the death of these animals, and included investigating infectious, parasitic, traumatic, metabolic and nutritional diseases. Samples coming from 110 fresh animals were analyzed, including individuals from strandings and incidentally caught in fishing nets along the south and southeastern coasts of Brazil. Circumstantially, carcasses coming from zoological collections, aquariums and rehabilitation centers were also included. The samples consisted of fragments of 1-2 cm3 taken of the main organs and fixed in 10% formalin. All the tissues have been processed according to routine histological procedures and analyzed under light microscopy. Diseases were diagnosed through anatomopathologic examinations, associated, whenever possible, with microbiologic and parasitologic results and then compared to related bibliography. Final results, mentioning the cause of the death, included: cetaceans: 88,6% (70/79) had lesions associated with the respiratory tract; 3,8% (3/79) of metabolic origin, 2,5% (2/79) of infectious etiology, 1,3% (1/79) were human related injuries, and 3,8% (3/79) of the cases were undetermined. For the pinnipeds the main cause of death was also related to the respiratory tract (48,5% - 15/31). The causes of death implicated in the other cases included: 29,1% (9/31) metabolical causes; 3,2% (1/31) nutritional origin; 3,2% (1/31) digestive causes; 3,2% (1/31) urinary tract; 3,2% (1/31) physical causes; 3,2% (1/31) syndrome; 3,2% (1/31) human related injuries; 3,2% (1/31) were undetermined. Parasitological analyses were performed in 15,4% (17/110) of the cases and bacteriology in 10,9% (12/110). The samples utilized in this project were stored to create a tissue bank for further studies. The results achieved in this work reinforce the need for a multidisciplinary view of stranded and by-caught animals, searching for information that can collaborate to better understand the pathologic processes affecting marine mammals and predisposing their death.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-28T20:13:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2006-Claudia Nessi Zonenschain.pdf: 2218637 bytes, checksum: 96ec388650808f3513785a54c6f43908 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-12-15 / This thesis analyses the Chinese catch-up process from an institutional-historical perspective. It follows a gerschenkronian inspired approach and its purpose is to identify some of the unique characteristics of this experience and the understanding of its importance for the success of the catch-up. The specific pattern of gradual political and economic transition and the acting profile of the Chinese Communist Party in leading the process render a particular design to the Chinese experience. They are subject to specific history and institutions and give rise to institutional arrangements unprecedented in history. The huge dimensions of China, the diversity among regions and the impossibility of controlling and coordinating all the economic actions, together with other important elements which characterize the environment in which the Chinese enterprises are inserted (including those which derive from a deliberate action by the Party-State) create a fertile field for the accomplishment of experiments and the raising of innovating and creative initiatives which are rapidly spread, giving place to the development of complex industries with increasing levels of productivity and technological autonomy. The thesis is comprised of three articles which are, to some extent, independent in themselves. On the other hand, they are complementary to the effect that the subject of the two first ones constitutes a conceptual reference to the approach of the third article. The first article deals with the institutional-historical framework. The second one brings forth discussions and contrasts regarding concepts of catch-up and convergence. The third article deals with the Chinese catch-up experience. / Esta tese analisa o processo de catch-up chin?s a partir de uma perspectiva hist?ricoinstitucionalista. Seguindo uma abordagem de inspira??o gerschenkroniana, o objetivo ? identificar algumas caracter?sticas ?nicas dessa experi?ncia e compreender sua import?ncia para o sucesso do catch-up. O padr?o espec?fico de transi??o pol?tica e econ?mica gradual e o perfil da atua??o do Partido Comunista Chin?s na condu??o deste processo imprimem um desenho pr?prio ? experi?ncia chinesa. S?o condicionados por uma hist?ria e por institui??es espec?ficas e d?o origem a arranjos institucionais sem precedente hist?rico. A enorme dimens?o da China, a diversidade entre regi?es e a impossibilidade de controlar e coordenar todas as a??es econ?micas, junto a outros elementos importantes que caracterizam o ambiente em que as empresas chinesas est?o inseridas (inclusive aqueles que decorrem da a??o deliberada do Estado-Partido) criam um campo f?rtil para a realiza??o de experimenta??es e para o surgimento de iniciativas criativas e inovadoras que s?o rapidamente difundidas, dando ensejo ao desenvolvimento de ind?strias complexas e com n?veis crescentes de produtividade e de autonomia tecnol?gica. A tese est? organizada em tr?s artigos que s?o, em parte, independentes entre si. Por outro lado, s?o complementares, na medida em que os temas dos dois primeiros constituem referencial anal?tico para a abordagem do terceiro. O primeiro artigo trata do marco conceitual hist?rico-institucionalista. No segundo s?o discutidos e contrastados os conceitos de catch-up e de converg?ncia. O terceiro artigo examina a experi?ncia chinesa de catch-up.

Submitted by Rosivalda Pereira (mrs.pereira@ufma.br) on 2017-08-21T18:59:25Z No. of bitstreams: 1 SilviaSousa.pdf: 2280503 bytes, checksum: a06b53b8d68a96973316e3b881bd15d6 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-08-21T18:59:25Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 SilviaSousa.pdf: 2280503 bytes, checksum: a06b53b8d68a96973316e3b881bd15d6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-02-22 / Introduction: Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and preterm birth (PT) are considered to be public health problems in developing countries. The occurrence of catch-up favors the ability of these infants to obtain equivalent growth to that of infants born without IUGR and at term. Objective: To assess the influence of IUGR and of PT on the occurrence of catch-up in weight and BMI in schoolchildren from two birth cohorts from cities with contrasting socioeconomic conditions in the Northeast and Southeast of Brazil. Method: A total of 1,463 children were studied, from whom information was collected at birth and at school age in 1994 and 2004/2005 in Ribeirão Preto, SP (RP) and in 1997/1998 and 2005/2006 in São Luís, MA (SL). The response variable was defined as the difference in weight and BMI between the Z-score of the schoolchild and the Z-score at birth. A change in Z-score ≥ 0.67 was considered to be catch-up. The explanatory variable was divided into four categories: without IUGR and at term (NIUGR-T), only IUGR (IUGR-T), only PT (NIUGR-PT), and PT plus IUGR (IUGR-PT). Estimates of the relative risk for catch-up in weight were obtained by logistic regression in separate models for each city. Results: RP children had a greater proportion of both catch-up than SL children. In RP, 90.8% of IUGR-PT and 70.8% of NIUGR-PT (it was more frequent in pre-terms, restricted or not) caught up in weight at school age. In SL, the NIUGR-PT and IUGR-T caught up in a similar way. There was no difference between genders. Regarding marital status, in RP, no difference was found, however, in SL, the odds of catching up at 7 years old was 65% lower for those schoolchildren whose mothers did not have a partner. Having only one child, both in RP and in SL, increased almost twofold (OR=1.89 in RP and 1.83 in SL) the odds of the schoolchild catching up; and receiving up to 5 times the monthly minimum wage decreased by 50% the odds of catching up in SL, although no difference was found in RP. The head of the family’s occupation being unqualified manual labor or unemployed decreased by half the odds of catching up in both cities. Maternal age and education level were not associated to catchup in school age. Conclusion: In both cities, children born preterm with/without IUGR had a greater proportion of catch-up in weight and without IUGR and at term in BMI. / Introdução: A restrição de crescimento intrauterino (RCIU) e o nascimento pré-termo (PT) são considerados problemas de saúde pública nos países em desenvolvimento. A ocorrência de catch-up propicia que estes consigam equiparar seu crescimento ao das crianças nascidas sadias. Objetivo: Avaliar a influência da RCIU e do PT na ocorrência de catch-up de peso e IMC em escolares de duas coortes de nascimentos de cidades com condições socioeconômicas contrastantes. Método: Foram estudadas 1.463 crianças, cujas informações foram coletadas ao nascer e na idade escolar em 1994 e 2005/06 em Ribeirão Preto, SP (RP) e em 1997/98 e 2005/06 em São Luís, MA (SL). A variável resposta foi definida pela diferença entre o escore z do escolar e escore z ao nascimento do peso e IMC. Considerou-se como catch-up uma mudança de escore z de ≥ 0,67. A variável explanatória foi dividida em quatro categorias: sem RCIU e a termo (TNR), só RCIU (TR), só PT (PTNR) e PT com RCIU (PTR). Estimativas do risco relativo para catch-up de peso foram obtidas por regressão logística em modelos separados por cidade. Resultados: O fenômeno “catch-up” tanto de peso quanto de IMC foi mais evidente em RP para todas as categorias das chamadas condições de nascimento. Para ambas as cidades a maior incidência de catch-up de peso se deu para os PT e/ou com RCIU, já o de IMC para os TNR. Não houve diferença entre os sexos. Ter somente 1 filho, maior renda familiar e escolaridade materna além da ocupação do chefe mais qualificada aumentou a frequência do catch-up de peso e IMC em ambas as cidades. Conclusão: Não só condições biológicas ao nascer mas também as condições de vida, tais como, acesso aos serviços de saúde e melhor oferta de alimentos nas idades mais precoces da criança influenciam na ocorrência de catch-up de peso e IMC nas duas cidades estudadas.

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Groupers (Epinephelidae: Epinephelinae) are apex predators within many reef communities worldwide. Grouper landings contribute significantly to global fisheries, and many populations are suffering from unsustainable levels of exploitation. The large size, site specificity and catchability of most groupers increase susceptibility to fishing pressure, and a large number of grouper species throughout the world are currently overfished. Multiple species are listed as endangered or threatened, and many have suffered local extirpations across their range. Removal of these upper level predators can significantly alter community structure and result in second order effects that may have critical ecological implications. The economic and ecological value of groupers is significant, and data regarding the abundance, habitat and behavior of these exploited species are necessary in order to implement realistic and effective management strategies. Atlantic Goliath Grouper (Epinephelus itajara) historically occurred in tropical and subtropical waters from the west coast of Africa to the east coast of Florida, south to Brazil, and throughout the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico. As one of the world's largest groupers, individuals are known to reach at least 37 years of age, and may grow to sizes exceeding 2.5 meters and 400 kilograms. The life history and behavioral characteristics of this species amplify vulnerability to exploitation, and Atlantic Goliath Grouper harvest was banned in U.S. waters in 1990 after a noted sharp decline in population numbers. The species has responded encouragingly to protective measures; however, the population's recovery and present status with U.S. waters should be thoroughly evaluated before altering regulatory guidelines. Traditional fishery-dependent data are not available (i.e., landings data); thus estimates of population demographics and recovery are dependent upon directed, fishery independent research efforts. It was the goal of this project to provide information regarding demographics, movement patterns, effects of catch and release angling, and feeding behavior of Atlantic Goliath Grouper within the central eastern Gulf of Mexico. The majority of research involving Atlantic Goliath Grouper began after the stock was already overfished, resulting in the absence of an existing "baseline" with which to compare current population parameters. Replication of visual surveys over a range of depths and habitat types provided an index of abundance for specific sites, and allowed for quantification of the size distribution of individuals. Atlantic Goliath Grouper were most abundant at high relief, high volume artificial reefs within the study area, and the majority of individuals observed were 80 - 160 cm in total length. Knowledge of fish movement, behavior and habitat associations has been used to exploit many species of fish; thus, this knowledge is critical for the creation of regulatory guidelines regarding conservation. Protection from harvest does not immediately imply that fishing mortality is negligible. As opportunistic ambush predators, Atlantic Goliath Grouper are relatively easy to catch on hook and line, and the species is often targeted for sport or caught incidentally during angling efforts for other reef fish species. Acoustic tracking allowed for continuous monitoring of individuals for several years after catch and release events. Barotrauma severity increased with capture depth, but immediate mortality was not observed during this study. Additionally, the length of total monitoring period was not affected by the severity of barotrauma, which suggests that with proper handling, Atlantic Goliath Grouper are not subject to high levels of release mortality in the study area (at depths < 40 m). However, strong site fidelity of Atlantic Goliath Grouper to artificial reefs increases susceptibility to fishing pressure and amplifies interactions with anglers, so the chronic effects of repeated capture remain unclear. Description and quantification of goliath grouper feeding behavior may allow for innovative suggestions to decrease the probability of catch and release mortality, and potentially offer new tactics to reduce opportunistic predation upon hooked fish. Kinematic analysis of Atlantic Goliath Grouper feeding sequences demonstrated that they are capable of modulating feeding behavior based upon prey activity level and position within the water column. Individuals exhibited larger maximum gapes and more rapid feeding sequences when presented with mobile live food. Immobile (dead) food was primarily consumed through suction, and strikes upon these items were characterized by slower, closer approaches, smaller maximum gapes and longer bite durations. It is hopeful that the information presented herein will provide insight regarding the ecology of Atlantic Goliath Grouper and can be applied to future management efforts involving this protected species.

Management of prawn trawling fisheries is a difficult task due to the competing interests of strongly motivated stakeholders and interest groups. This occurs because prawn trawling operations are technically complex, require large capital investments and exhibit high running costs while owners have limited property rights over the resources that they harvest. Prawn stocks are public resources and are managed with a view to provide maximum benefit to the broad community. Additionally their exploitation also involves the incidental capture of significant numbers of other animals of no commercial value (bycatch) and causes impacts on seabed morphologies, which are involved in many diverse ecosystem processes. At the policy level an intention to manage trawl fisheries in a comprehensive way is backed by a mandated approach that is designed to capture all of the above issues and interests. That approach is termed Ecological Sustainable Development (ESD). The work in this thesis is designed to produce a prediction tool for prawn trawling performance that is based on modelling the physical nature of prawn trawling activities. It is proposed that the resulting tool is essential for working to manage the multi-dimensional aspects of prawn trawling fisheries. Three discrete objectives for the thesis are; to expand and improve an existing Prawn Trawling Performance Model (PTPM) so that it is more accurate and relevant to a broader range of questions, to evaluate the capacity of the PTPM to predict the performance characteristics of real prawn trawling operations in terms of both engineering and catching performance and to investigate the problem space surrounding prawn trawl fisheries to identify and develop applications for the model. A rudimentary PTPM (Sterling 2000b) is expanded through the analysis of further empirical data collected for model and full-scale trawl gear. / ght area of improvement to the PTPM were considered and in all cases significant changes were made. The accuracy of the new form of the model is here tested by comparing performance predictions with measurements of trawling performance for a variety of industrial trawl systems operated in the Queensland East Coast Trawl Fishery and also through comparing predicted trawling performance with prawn catches returned for trawlers operating in the Northern Prawn Fishery over the years 1970 to 2000. In the first case, errors in predicting swept area rate, considered an important performance parameter, were less than 5%. Fine scale issues were explored using the available sea mal data and a number of areas of concern within the model are highlighted. These relate to accurately quantifying the forces involved in the interaction of the trawl gear with the seabed and accurately accounting for the interaction between components within trawl systems. In the second case, the results suggest that between 50% and 60% of the variation in the seasonal catching performance of trawlers in the NPF is explained by predictions of swept area rate derived by the PTPM from the available data for that fishery. A comprehensive survey of applications for the PTPM is conducted in context with approaching the management of prawn trawling fisheries using the principles of ESD as defined by the National Strategy for ESD (1992). The Northern Prawn Fishery is used as a case study to explore in finer detail applications for the PTPM. Issues arising from the implementation of some of the applications are discussed.