Fishers' knowledge and seahorse conservation in Brazil

From a conservationist perspective, seahorses are threatened fishes. Concomitantly, from a socioeconomic perspective, they represent a source of income to many fishing communities in developing countries. An integration between these two views requires, among other things, the recognition that seahorse fishers have knowledge and abilities that can assist the implementation of conservation strategies and of management plans for seahorses and their habitats. This paper documents the knowledge held by Brazilian fishers on the biology and ecology of the longsnout seahorse Hippocampus reidi. Its aims were to explore collaborative approaches to seahorse conservation and management in Brazil; to assess fishers' perception of seahorse biology and ecology, in the context evaluating potential management options; to increase fishers' involvement with seahorse conservation in Brazil. Data were obtained through questionnaires and interviews made during field surveys conducted in fishing villages located in the States of Piauí, Ceará, Paraíba, Maranhão, Pernambuco and Pará. We consider the following aspects as positive for the conservation of seahorses and their habitats in Brazil: fishers were willing to dialogue with researchers; although captures and/or trade of brooding seahorses occurred, most interviewees recognized the importance of reproduction to the maintenance of seahorses in the wild (and therefore of their source of income), and expressed concern over population declines; fishers associated the presence of a ventral pouch with reproduction in seahorses (regardless of them knowing which sex bears the pouch), and this may facilitate the construction of collaborative management options designed to eliminate captures of brooding specimens; fishers recognized microhabitats of importance to the maintenance of seahorse wild populations; fishers who kept seahorses in captivity tended to recognize the condtions as poor, and as being a cause of seahorse mortality.     

Science – A life fully lived: Joe Sodroski wins the 2006 Retrovirology Prize

The 2006 M Jeang Retrovirology Prize for HIV research has been awarded to Dr Joe Sodroski     

Fish cell lines: Two new cell lines derived from explants of trunk musculature ofCynoscion arenarius

Summary Two cell lines were established from explants of trunk musculature of healthy, males sand seatrout,Cynoscion arenarius. One of the lines, designated CyA-1, has been carried through 150 subcultures during 6 yr. The other, designated CyA-2, has been carried through 100 subcultures during 2 yr. Both lines grow well in L15 medium adjusted to 0.150M NaCl and supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum. Optimal growth occurs at temperatures between 24 and 30°C. The species of origin of both lines was confirmed by a cytotoxic antibody dye exclusion test. The karyotype of CyA-1 has not yet stabilized, showing a modal chromosome number of 120 at Passage 9, 89 at Passage 63, and 79 at Passage 100. The karyotype of CyA-2 is rather stable, with a modal chromosome number of 47 at Passage 1 and 49 at Passage 100. Chromosome morphology of CyA-2 is homogeneous (small, acrocentric), whereas the chromosomes of CyA-1 show considerable size variation (with small chromosomes possibly formed from fragmentation of original structures). Both lines were found to be free of bacterial or fungal contamination. Both lines supported replication of lymphocystis virus strains isolated fromBairdiella chrysura (the silver perch) and fromMicropogon undulatus (the Atlantic croaker) but were refractory to 11 other viruses (4 from fish, 1 from amphibians, and 6 from mammals). This study was supported in part by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of Sea Grant No. 04-3-158-58.