Nippon Foundation

Early-career ocean professionals (ECOPs) are essential contributors at the science-policy interface, playing a crucial role in intergenerational knowledge sharing and capacity building. With their interdisciplinary backgrounds and training in modern methodologies, ECOPs are equipped to tackle pressing global challenges through innovative solutions. For example, they lead new research areas such as ocean-climate interactions and marine biodiversity, assisting policymakers in developing solutions based on the latest scientific evidence. By engaging with the science-policy interface, ECOPs who focus on biodiversity and ecosystem services effectively highlight the implications of biodiversity loss and environmental issues for policymakers. They link these challenges to critical concerns on the political agenda, including the economy, security, human health, and the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by all nations. Thus, increasing the involvement of early-career experts in knowledge production and policy development is vital for fostering engagement across both disciplinary and generational boundaries.While ECOPs' participation in large-scale decision-making initiatives provides opportunities to enhance their collaborative skills—such as networking, interdisciplinary knowledge, and leadership—many barriers hinder their engagement. These challenges include a lack of knowledge-sharing and mentorship opportunities, along with limited access to training that is essential for navigating relevant sectors and disciplines. Additionally, access to professional opportunities, resources, and funding for developing networks and participating in transdisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and cross-sectoral projects is often restricted. Challenges such as the scarcity of long-term contracts, inadequate travel support, unpaid work, workplace harassment, and a highly competitive academic hierarchy further complicate the landscape for ECOPs.The challenges faced by deep-sea ECOPs engagement in science to policy may be compounded by various factors, including geographic origin, gender, and native language. Deep-sea exploration and research are predominantly led by institutions in developed countries, resulting in undesirable practices like parachute science, harassment, bullying, and the exclusion of professionals from developing nations from planning, conducting, and publishing deep-sea research.In this context, a questionnaire aiming to map challenges, needs and opportunities from deep-sea ECOP worldwide was developed. One-hundred twenty-six (126) respondents from developed and developing countries ranked the main challenges faced to participate into the science-to-policy interface and listed improved access to funding, information on contributing to decision-making processes, and greater networking opportunities with established professionals as important opportunities to enhance engagement. This work aims to present the results obtained through the questionnaire and discuss challenges faced deep-sea ECOPs, particularly those from developing countries. Finally, we will explore potential avenues for increased participation and innovative approaches to ocean sustainability and governance.

Subclinical mastitis is an asymptomatic inflammatory condition of the lactating mammary glands possibly associated with premature interruption of breastfeeding and poor weight gain in infants. However, data on human milk composition in mothers with subclinical mastitis are limited and inconsistent. Although human milk from donors with subclinical mastitis may be used after pasteurization if it meets the criteria, whether the composition is suitable for donor human milk remains unknown. This study assessed the human milk composition of participants with subclinical mastitis and verified the safety of donor human milk, including that from mothers with subclinical mastitis. This cross-sectional survey included 106 milk samples collected between March 2022 and January 2023. Subclinical mastitis status was assessed using the sodium-potassium ratio, which was measured using an ion-selective electrode. The concentrations of lactoferrin and secretory Immunoglobulin A were analyzed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. True protein, fat, carbohydrate, and energy levels were analyzed using a mid-infrared transmission spectroscopy. In human milk from the subclinical mastitis group, lactoferrin and true protein concentrations were significantly increased compared to those without subclinical mastitis. A positive correlation was observed between lactoferrin and secretory Immunoglobulin A levels. Increased immunological substances and protein concentrations in human milk are similar to those observed in clinical mastitis, indicating an inflammatory response in the body, even in asymptomatic individuals. Immunological substances and proteins are beneficial for preterm infants. Therefore, human milk from mothers with subclinical mastitis is suitable for use by milk banks.

Abstract Marine fisheries in African waters contribute substantially to food security and local economies in African coastal nations. Recently, there are growing concerns about the sustainability of living marine resources in these countries’ exclusive economic zones (EEZs) due to increased risks from climate change, pollution and potential over‐exploitation of fisheries resources by non‐African (foreign) countries. To effectively manage fishing activities and sustain marine resources in African waters, we need useful tools for characterizing the fishing activities in African waters. Here, we assess the utility of the Automatic Identification System (AIS) derived data for describing the spatial characteristics of African and foreign industrial fishing activities within the EEZs of African coastal nations. The results show that the AIS‐derived spatial pattern of industrial fishing activities in African waters is consistent with that of industrial catches derived from the Sea Around Us database. Across African EEZs, the spatial correlations between primary productivity and fishing effort highly vary by gear types, which emphasizes the importance of investigating specific fishing strategies when studying the effects of bottom‐up drivers on fishing effort. We find an EEZ‐specific spatial pattern for fishing efforts across African waters and identify some socioeconomic, political and geographic factors that likely affect the decision of fleets to fish in specific African EEZs. We conclude that AIS‐derived fishing data can be a useful complementary tool for characterizing the spatial pattern of industrial fishing efforts in African waters.

Abstract Effective fisheries management is necessary for the long‐term sustainability of fisheries and the economic benefits that they provide, but focusing only on ecological sustainability risks disregarding ultimate goals related to well‐being that must be achieved through broader social policy. An analysis of global landings data shows that average fishing wages in 36%–67% of countries, home to 69%–95% of fishers worldwide, are likely below their nationally determined minimum living wage (which accounts for costs of food, shelter, clothing, health and education). Furthermore, even if all fisheries in every country were perfectly managed to achieve their Maximum Sustainable Yield, a common sustainability target, average incomes of fishers in up to 49 countries—70% of fishers worldwide—would still not meet minimum living wages. Access to decent work and livelihoods are fundamental human rights, including for all fisherfolk around the world, and strategies to support their well‐being must therefore integrate a much wider set of perspectives, disciplines and institutions. Key first steps for fisheries researchers are to more fully recognize and estimate fisheries benefits to households—including income from women and/or alternative employment, unreported landings, or shadow values of subsistence catch—and to help identify and learn from economic equity outcomes in rebuilt fisheries around the world.

Previous studies have focused on changes in the geographical distribution of terrestrial biomes and species targeted by marine capture fisheries due to climate change impacts. Given mariculture's substantial contribution to global seafood production and its growing significance in recent decades, it is essential to evaluate the effects of climate change on mariculture and their socio‐economic consequences. Here, we projected climate change impacts on the marine aquaculture diversity for 85 of the currently most commonly farmed fish and invertebrate species in the world's coastal and/or open ocean areas. Results of ensemble projections from three Earth system models and three species distribution models show that climate change may lead to a substantial redistribution of mariculture species richness potential, with an average of 10%–40% decline in the number of species being potentially suitable to be farmed in tropical to subtropical regions. In contrast, mariculture species richness potential is projected to increase by about 40% at higher latitudes under the ‘no mitigation policy’ scenario (RCP 8.5) by the mid‐21st century. In Exclusive Economic Zones where mariculture is currently undertaken, we projected an average future decline of 1.3% and 5% in mariculture species richness potential under RCP 2.6 (‘strong mitigation’) and RCP 8.5 scenarios, respectively, by the 2050s relative to the 2000s. Our findings highlight the opportunities and challenges for climate adaptation in the mariculture sector through the redistribution of farmed species and expansion of mariculture locations. Our results can help inform adaptation planning and governance mechanisms to minimize local environmental impacts and potential conflicts with other marine and coastal sectors in the future.

The connection between administrative reform and civil society, was an issue on the agenda of the New Public Management (NPM) in the 1960’s and 1970’s. While reinventing government movement has stimulated both interest in and criticism of the impact on civil society of public sector entrepreneurship. Modernizing the civil service starts by “bringing the citizens in”. Therefore, a strong and sincere leadership in government’s bureaucracy is needed. In the other words, building a strong and democratic government is a must.

The clinical phenotype of gambling disorder (GD) is suggestive of changes in brain regions involved in reward and impulse suppression, notably the striatum. Studies have yet to characterize striatal morphology (shape) in GD and whether this may be a vulnerability marker. To characterize the morphology of the striatum in those with disordered gambling (at-risk gambling and GD) versus controls. Individuals aged 18-29 years were classified a priori into those with some degree of GD symptoms (at-risk gambling and GD) or controls. Exclusion criteria were a current mental disorder (apart from GD), history of brain injury, or taking psychoactive medication within 6 weeks of enrollment. History of any substance use disorder was exclusionary. Participants completed an impulsivity questionnaire and structural brain scan. Group differences in volumes and morphology were characterized in subcortical regions of interest, focusing on the striatum. Thirty-two people with GD symptoms (14 at-risk and 18 GD participants) and 22 controls completed the study. GD symptoms were significantly associated with higher impulsivity and morphological alterations in the bilateral pallidum and left putamen. Localized contraction in the right pallidum strongly correlated with trait impulsivity in those with GD symptoms. Morphologic abnormalities of the striatum appear to exist early in the disease trajectory from subsyndromal gambling to GD and thus constitute candidate biological vulnerability markers, which may reflect differences in brain development associated with trait impulsivity. Striatal morphology and associated impulsivity might predispose to a range of problematic repetitive behaviors.

International interest in the protection and sustainable use of high seas biodiversity has grown in recent years. There is an opportunity for new technologies to enable improvements in management of these areas beyond national jurisdiction. We explore the spatial ecology and drivers of the global distribution of the high seas longline fishing fleet by creating predictive models of the distribution of fishing effort from newly available automatic identification system (AIS) data. Our results show how longline fishing effort can be predicted using environmental variables, many related to the expected distribution of the species targeted by longliners. We also find that the longline fleet has seasonal environmental preferences (for example, increased importance of cooler surface waters during boreal summer) and may only be using 38 to 64% of the available environmentally suitable fishing habitat. Possible explanations include misclassification of fishing effort, incomplete AIS coverage, or how potential range contractions of pelagic species may have reduced the abundance of fishing habitats in the open ocean.