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In the fishery industry, fishing nets tend to be in the water for a long time. Therefore, there is a possibility that the fishing nets will be broken by marine animals or “Kyucho”； it stands for the violent currents caused by tides or typhoons. It is necessary to repair fishing nets as soon as possible for preventing fishes from escaping to outside of the fishing net. However, a great deal of labor is required to lift and repair fishing nets. In addition, high water pressure and low water temperature may make it difficult for divers to work underwater. Therefore, underwater robot is useful to work instead of divers under such severe situations. The author suggests development of the underwater ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) type robot that can move on fishing net with magnet tires and repair the net using manipulators. This paper introduces the development and performance evaluation of the underwater robot using magnetic mobile mechanism.

In order to research useful organic nitrogen, survival and growth of Neopyropia yezoensis protoplasts were examined using L-arginine (Arg), L-glutamic acid (Glu), Inosine (Ino) and taurine in 0.1, 1.0 and 10 mM. For survival rates for 1 week in culture, there were no significant differences except Glu in 1.0 and 10 mM. For growth for 3 weeks in culture, Arg in 10 mM was grown over two-times higher compared with control. On the other hand, growth in Glu and taurine were suppressed under every condition. Moreover, growth in Ino in 10 mM was suppressed. Our data suggested that Neopyropia yezoensis use directly organic nitrogen and has a potential to induce growth using organic nitrogen.

In order to identify effective amino acid species, survival and growth of Neopyropia yezoensis protoplasts cultured using 18 amino acids were examined. Survival rates of each protoplast cultured for 1 week with arginine, asparagine, ornithine and tyrosine were similar to that of the control condition. Other amino acids significantly reduced the survival rates than the control. Growth of each protoplast cultured for 2 weeks with β-alanine, arginine, glutamine, histidine, lysine, ornithine and phenylalanine were significantly higher than that of the control. Histidine might be useful to make only thallus grow, although survival rate was very low. Arginine and ornithine had potentials to be able to promote the growth without negative influences on the survivals of nori cells.

This paper shows the vibration characteristics of a sliding bearings. Especially, the self-excited vibration to be called as oil whirl generated in sliding bearing is studied in the current paper. Three methods like trajectory analysis, tracking analysis and frequency analysis of shaft vibration are analyzed to clarify the vibration characteristics of oil whirl. The oil whirl in a sliding bearing is a characteristic self-oscillation, which occurs at a rotation speed less than the twice of the critical speed of the experimental system. In addition, when oil whirl and shaft unbalance are simultaneously generated in a sliding bearing, the frequency response in all domains of frequency is suddenly become larger compared to that in the case of the only oil whirl. It seems that simultaneous development of oil whirl and shaft unbalance generate the large damage to the rotary machinery system. Furthermore, the amount of whirling to the shaft generated by the oil whirl are identified large in the horizontal, vertical and axial directions of sliding bearing. Particularly, the amount of whirling in the horizontal direction is identified larger, because, there is no suppression as gravity and structural barrier in this direction like that in the vertical and in the axial directions.

To clarify the effects of intertidal groundwater discharge on macrofaunal community structures of tidal flats, the species richness, abundance and biomass of macrobenthos at the groundwater-seepage area were assessed quantitatively, measuring environmental conditions including sediment temperature, median diameter, ORP and ignition loss, and salinity, water temperature and nutrient concentration of pore water at four sites (Nakatsu River mouth, Sanbyakuken, Higashihama, Oshinden) on the Nakatsu tidal flat, Oita prefecture, Japan, at low tides in June and July, 2019. A total of 1,233 individuals, belonging to 51 macrobenthic species (37 families) were collected. Mean species richness and biomass were significantly greatest at Higashihama, whereas mean abundance was greatest at the Nakatsu River mouth. Lower species richness, abundance and biomass were recorded at Sanbyakuken. At Higashihama, infaunal species such as the bivalve Glauconome angulata and polychaete Ceratonereis erythraeensis were dominant in the lower salinity and higher nutrient environments. A canonical correspondence analysis showed a positive correlation between nutrients and dominant bivalve abundance. The overall results suggested that intertidal groundwater influences the macrofaunal community structure, providing low salinity and nutrient-rich conditions, which contribute to the high productivity and diversity of marine organisms on tidal flats.

The vertical migration of the first stage of five diadromous atyids (Caridina multidentata, C. typus, C. leucosticta, C. serratirostris, Paratya compressa) and two diadromous palaemonids (Macrobrachium japonicum, M. formosense) and a non-diadromous palaemonid shrimp (M. nipponense) and second zoeae of C. multidentata and M. formosense were observed under different light and salinity conditions. The first and second zoeae spread over the whole of the water column during darkness, and sank to the bottom under the light independent of the various salinity and light conditions, though there were slight differences among species. The swimming ability of the zoea is limited, thus this vertical migration is considered to be not useful for homing migration. This vertical migration at night is considered to be useful in order to feed on organic material and avoiding predators on the bottom.

The Japanese lates, Lates japonicus is an endemic fish to the Pacific coast of southern Japan, and commonly found in estuaries and coastal waters of Miyazaki and Kochi Prefectures. The larvae, juveniles and young fish stay in the eelgrass, Zostera japonica beds in brackish water areas. Effects of water temperature and salinity on feeding and growth of immature L. japonicus were studied using combinations of seven levels of temperatures (16 to 28℃) and 6 different salinities (9 to 34 ppt) over two experimental periods each of 30 days. At each of these conditions, ten fish were reared in aquaria for periods of 30 days. Based on values of the daily feeding rates, specific growth rates and feeding efficiencies, we found that immature L. japonicus were euryhaline and at salinities ranged from 9 to 34 ppt showed similar feeding and growth rates. The suitable water temperature range was 22 to 28℃, and the optimal water temperature range was 26 to 28℃ for feeding and growth for immature L. japonicus.