Sustainable aquatic resource management and inland fisheries in tropical Asia: Interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches.

The intensive utilization of tropical inland water bodies for multiple and sometimes competing activities underlines the necessity for their integrated and holistic co-management. This paper presents our synthesis on lake and reservoir fisheries in South and Southeast Asia as social-ecological systems, based on a synopsis of our research findings from a previous EU-funded research programme in Sri Lanka, Thailand and the Philippines (FISHSTRAT project). The paper attempts to merge our results with recent developments in research, policy and practice.

Comprehensive evaluation of demographic, socio-economic and other associated risk factors affecting the occurrence of dengue incidence among Colombo and Kandy Districts of Sri Lanka: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Comprehensive understanding of risk factors related to socio-economic and demographic status and knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of local communities play a key role in the design and implementation of community-based vector management programmes, along with the identification of gaps in existing control activities.

Methods: A total of 10 Medical Officers of Health (MOH) areas recording high dengue incidence over the last five years were selected from Colombo (n = 5) and Kandy (n = 5) Districts, Sri Lanka. From each MOH area, 200 houses reporting past dengue incidence were selected randomly as test group (n = 1000 for each district) based on the dengue case records available at relevant MOH offices.

Socio-economic, Knowledge Attitude Practices (KAP), household related and demographic based appearance of non-dengue infected individuals in high dengue risk areas of Kandy District, Sri Lanka.

Background: Socio-economic, demographic factors and Knowledge Attitude Practices (KAPs) have been recognized as critical factors that influence the incidence and transmission of dengue epidemics. However, studies that characterize above features of a risk free or low risk population are rare. Therefore, the present study was conducted to characterize the household related, demographic, socio-economic factors and KAPs status of five selected dengue free communities.

Evaluation of marine subareas of Europe using life history parameters and trophic levels of selected fish populations.

European marine waters include four regional seas that provide valuable ecosystem services to humans, including fish and other seafood. However, these marine environments are threatened by pressures from multiple anthropogenic activities and climate change. The European Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) was adopted in 2008 to achieve good environmental status (GEnS) in European Seas by year 2020, using an Ecosystem Approach.

Alien species in aquaculture and biodiversity: a paradox in food production.

Aquaculture is seen as an alternative to meeting the widening gap in global rising demand and decreasing supply for aquatic food products. Asia, the epicenter of the global aquaculture industry, accounts for over 90% of the global aquaculture production quantity and about 80% of the value. Asian aquaculture, as with global aquaculture, is dependent to a significant extent on alien species, as is the case for all the major food crops and husbanded terrestrial animals.