Benefits of marine ecosystems for people’s health and well-being
Els ecosistemes marins ens proporciones diversos béns i serveis com són noves medic... more Els ecosistemes marins ens proporciones diversos béns i serveis com són noves medicines, productes alimentaris saludables i llocs per a l’esbarjo que contribueixen positivament a la salut física i mental de les persones, tant pel que fa al tractament de determinades malalties com el càncer (en relació als nous medicaments antitumorals descoberts a partir d’espècies marines) com a la prevenció de malalties relacionades amb el risc cardiovascular, l’Alzheimer o la depressió. No obstant això, els mars i oceans són també una font important de riscos per a la salut que són de molta actualitat (proliferacions d’algues nocives, contaminants, paràsits, etc.). Així mateix, moltes espècies i hàbitats marins estan patint diversos impactes antropogènics i mediambientals que amenacen de fer disminuir o eliminar els beneficis i augmentar els riscos procede...
Cultural heritage and environmental ethical values in governance models: Conflicts between recreational fisheries and other maritime activities in Mediterranean marine protected areas
Marine Policy, 2021
Abstract The seas as the next economic frontier have led to conflicts at the intersection of reso... more Abstract The seas as the next economic frontier have led to conflicts at the intersection of resource conservation and exploitation; a space where cultural values and social practices overlap. Underpinned by a literature review, surveys and personal interviews, this study identifies the main policy, socio-economic, environmental and cultural drivers of conflicts arising from the coexistence of recreational fishing -a major maritime activity in Mediterranean marine protected areas- and other maritime users. Results show that the constant paradoxes arising from the conflict stem from different concepts of heritage, appropriation of resources and preservation. Recreational fishing lacks a common definition and governance institution, but nevertheless regards itself as a fishing community and has behavioural traits which challenge other maritime activities, particularly small-scale fishing. This study highlights the importance of fostering socio-ecological relational values, which must necessarily be evaluated through the lens of environmental ethics, and contends that this is almost as relevant as the governance system. Given the divergent values of the different stakeholders and the high degree of scientific uncertainty found, we conclude that the main challenge in attaining a solid governance of multiple recreational and professional activities in marine reserves is to adopt a "middle ground" approach that combines top-down and bottom-up governance approaches.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2020
Involving and engaging stakeholders is crucial for studying and managing the complex interactions... more Involving and engaging stakeholders is crucial for studying and managing the complex interactions between marine ecosystems and human health and wellbeing. The Oceans and Human Health Chair was founded in the town of Roses (Catalonia, Spain, NW Mediterranean) in 2018, the fruit of a regional partnership between various stakeholders, and for the purpose of leading the way to better health and wellbeing through ocean research and conservation. The Chair is located in an area of the Mediterranean with a notable fishing, tourist, and seafaring tradition and is close to a marine reserve, providing the opportunity to observe diverse environmental conditions and coastal and maritime activities. The Chair is a case study demonstrating that local, collaborative, transdisciplinary, trans-sector, and bottom-up approaches offer tremendous opportunities for engaging coastal communities to help support long-lasting solutions that benefit everyone, and especially those living by the sea or making ...
Leisure boating is an important economic activity which is increasing in popularity worldwide, an... more Leisure boating is an important economic activity which is increasing in popularity worldwide, and the Mediterranean Sea is one of the most popular nautical tourism destinations in the world. While the overall ecological impacts of recreational boating on freshwater ecosystems have been relatively well studied, very few works have assessed its impacts on marine ecosystems. This is the first holistic review of the ecological impacts of leisure boating in the Mediterranean Sea. Impacts are classified in different categories and rated following a risk assessment matrix. Major or high impacts include anchoring impacts on seagrass meadows (Posidonia oceanica), motor noise disturbance, toxic antifouling products, and transport of exotic species. Moderate impacts include discharge of grey waters, air pollution, and fuel and oil leaks. Low impacts include sediment resuspension, discharge of black waters and marine litter, artificial light emissions, and animal feeding. The conclusion drawn is that there is an urgent need to raise awareness of the potential impacts of leisure boating in Mediterranean coastal environments. Greater research effort is required to monitor these ecological impacts and pressures, especially in marine protected areas (MPAs), with the aim of drawing up management measures to mitigate the identified impacts. Furthermore, a holistic approach involving marine scientists and engineers, policy makers, and the boating industry needs to be adopted to lower the impacts of recreational boating both in the Mediterranean and in other parts of the world.
Although knowledge of the bioactive compounds produced by species inhabiting coastal waters is in... more Although knowledge of the bioactive compounds produced by species inhabiting coastal waters is increasing, little is known about the bioactive potential produced by marine species occupying deeper habitats with high biodiversity and productivity. Here, we investigate about the bioactive potential of molecules produced by species that inhabit the crinoid beds, a poorly known essential fish habitat affected by trawling, wherein large amounts of commercial and noncommercial species are discarded. Based on a trawl survey conducted in 2019, 14% of the 64 species discarded on crinoid beds produce molecules with some type of bioactive potential, including; soft corals (Alcyonium palmatum); tunicates (Ascidia mentula); bony fish, such as horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus); European hake (Merluccius merluccius); and chondrichthyans, such as small-spotted catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula). In addition, 16% of the discarded species had congeneric species that produce compounds with bioactive ...
Mètode Revista de difusió de la investigació, 2020
Several marine species in the Mediterranean produce molecules with bioactive potential that could... more Several marine species in the Mediterranean produce molecules with bioactive potential that could be used to develop new drugs (antibiotics, antifungals, antivirals, and antitumourals). Different human activities such as pollution, marine recreation, and fishing, as well as climate change, threaten and even endanger some of these species. These vulnerable species with bioactive potential must be protected, especially in marine reserves, not only because they are valuable components of marine ecosystems, but also because they are a potential source of molecules with pharmacological properties that are currently being researched for the creation of new drugs.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2020
Exposure to outdoor blue spaces can help improve human health by reducing stress, promoting socia... more Exposure to outdoor blue spaces can help improve human health by reducing stress, promoting social relationships, and physical activity. While most studies have focused on the adverse health effects of scuba diving, very few have assessed its health benefits. Moreover, when scuba diving is done in large groups with no diving instructor or pre-dive briefing, negative environmental impacts are generated and negative impacts on human health may also occur due to overcrowding, which may create stress. This is the first study to evaluate the effects of scuba diving on divers’ mental health using their diving practices to estimate the impacts on the ecosystem. In the marine-protected area of Cap de Creus and adjacent areas, we assessed the mental health of 176 divers and 70 beach users (control group) by employing a 29-item version of Profile of Mood State (POMS) questionnaires. According to the parameters associated with reduced environmental impacts, two scuba diving experiences were es...
The European Parliament is concerned about the lack of information on the relevance of nine milli... more The European Parliament is concerned about the lack of information on the relevance of nine million Europeans engaged in marine recreational fishing (MRF), committing Member States to encourage environmental and socioeconomic sustainability of the sector. The objective of this paper is to provide recommendations to guide research actions and management policies, based on the case of Spain, a key country because its complex administrative regimen and the intensive use of its coasts, including 900,000 recreational fishers. A review of the state of the knowledge was performed to identify research gaps, while governance challenges were identified in an International Symposium on MRF. In the last two decades research on MRF was remarkable (139 publications). However, public investment in research (€2.44 million in the same period) should be improved to cover knowledge gaps on socioeconomic relevance, on impacts on vulnerable species and on implications of global warming. The license system should be standardized to allow estimation of effort, catch and expenditure. Social networks, mobile applications, fisher ecological knowledge, and citizen science programs could help to develop cost-effective research and management. Sciencebased, adaptive policies should improve the allocation of resources between MRF and other stakeholders, introducing co-management to reduce conflicts.
This study evaluates the fishing pressure exerted by the most common recreational and professiona... more This study evaluates the fishing pressure exerted by the most common recreational and professional, small-scale fishing practices on vulnerable target and bycatch species in coastal and offshore waters of the western Mediterranean. By combining multiple data sources, we assembled a unique dataset on catches at multiple sites in these areas by recreational (RF) and small-scale fisheries (SSF), covering the period from 1997 to 2015. Furthermore, a framework with which to identify the vulnerable species among all the species caught is provided; it is based on the IUCN Red List, international conventions for the protection of flora and fauna, the Habitats Directive and the intrinsic vulnerability index of marine fish. Overall, about a quarter of exploited species targeted by SSF and RF in coastal waters were vulnerable, making up nearly 50% of the total SSF catch and nearly 20% of the total recreational catch. In offshore waters, 100% of the RF and SSF catch was made up of vulnerable sp...
Uploads
papers by Arnau Carreño