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Wetstuff News 19 March 2008

IN THIS EDITION:

MARINE AND COASTAL LEGISLATION, POLICY AND PLANNING
1. New enviro program transparent: Garrett (Australia)

NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
2. Australia mourns loss of Peter Cullen (Australia)
3. Lowly Streams Play Big Role In Fighting Pollution (USA)
4. Amid Water Shortage, Australia Looks to the Sea (USA)

FISHERIES
5. Salmon collapse leaves fishermen high and dry (USA)
6. Abalone ship cleared of environmental breaches (Australia)
7. NOAA Fisheries proposes rule prohibiting bottom trawling (Alaska)
8. The Fishy Business of Antidumping (USA)
9. Tuna Threatened By Oversized Fishing Fleet –WWF (Italy)

AQUACULTURE
10. Breakthrough boosts fishing industry (Australia)
11. Aquaculture Dialogues Turn to Abalone (Australia)

CLIMATE CHANGE
12. Climate report signals concern (Alaska)
13. Glaciers Are Melting Faster Than Expected, UN Reports (International)
14. Tuvaluan climate refugees in political 'pass the parcel' (Tuvalu)
15. Climate change scheme two years away: Wong (Australia)
16. Rising oceans, she'll be right - in 80 million years (Australia)
17. Oceanographer warns of rising sea level risk (Australia)

COASTAL DEVELOPMENT
18. How green is The World? (Dubai)
19. Geotimes: The impending coastal crisis (USA)
20. Coastal plan 'not on the sea level' (Australia)

NATURAL HAZARDS
21. Australia boosts tsunami detection capability (Australia)
22. NOAA Launches Final Two Buoys To Complete U.S. Tsunami Warning System (Pacific)

MARINE SPECIES
23. Two shark species discovered (Australia)
24. Three arrested over SKorea whale poaching case (South Korea)
25. The ones that got away (New Zealand)
26. Iceland to continue whale hunt (Iceland)
27. High hopes for EU shark proposals (UK)
28. Sharks battle for survival (South Africa)
29. Australia ’s whaling reforms on IWC agenda (Australia)
30. Lost logs are a barrier to turtle breeding (Africa)

PETROLEUM AND MINERALS
31. Australia will be first to excel at mining the ocean floor - Canadian prof (South Africa)

SHIPPING AND PORTS
32. Kite-Driven Beluga Skysail Completes 12,000 Mile Journey and Proves Concept (Germany)

HERITAGE
33. Wreck of HMAS Sydney found (Australia)
34. Exploring A 'Lost' City Of The Mycenaeans (Greece)

POLLUTION
35. Plastic bags turtle's biggest killer (Australia)
36. Penguin droppings help identify pesticide hot spots (Antarctica)

RECREATION & TOURISM
37. Surf Industry Faces Global Environmental Challenges (Australia)
38. World’s First Wave Powered Boat (Japan)

RESEARCH
39. Sea rabbits may save the reef (Australia)
40. New Tool Determines Age Of Anchovies With Greater Precision, Will Improve Fisheries Research (Europe)
41. Sand Dollar Larvae Use Cloning To 'Make Change,' Confound Predators (USA)
42. Wandering Albatrosses Follow Their Nose (USA)
43. Alligators' Muscles Move Lungs Around For Sneaky Maneuvers In Water (USA)
44. Marine Bacteria's Mealtime Dash Is A Swimming Success (USA)
45. Fast-Growing Corals Key To Caribbean Reef – Study (UK)
46. Startling Discovery About Photosynthesis: Many Marine Microorganism Skip Carbon Dioxide And Oxygen Step (USA)
47. Fish losing way in acidic ocean: study (Australia)
48. Climate change affecting fish hearing (International)
49. Marine Science Review – 253 Fish and Fisheries (International)
50. Sea-wheat grass research: survey for MCCN participants (Australia)

PUBLICATIONS & WEBSITES
51. Coastal Councils Planning for Climate Change: Report (Australia)
52. Seafood CRC launches new website (Australia)
53. New guide offers easy identification of NZ marine invertebrates (New Zealand)
54. Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative Website (Australia)
55. A new platform to start changing the world (International)

OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
56. Draft Terms of Reference for strategic assessment of a plan for a common-user liquefied natural gas hub precinct in the Kimberley region (Australia)
57. Have your say on the QLD State Coastal Management Plan review (Australia)

EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
58. Link up and learn (Australia)

AWARDS
59. 2008 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes (Australia)
60. World Environment Day Awards 2008 (Australia)

WORKSHOPS, CONFERENCES AND EVENTS
61. Sea Grant Law and Policy Journal Inaugural Symposium (USA)
62. Earth Hour 08 (International)
63. Wetlands.edu Course (Australia)
64. Solutions to Coastal Disasters Conference (Hawaii)
65. Join Project AWARE’s Dive for Earth Day 2008 (Australia)

CALL FOR PAPERS & ABSTRACTS
66. Coastal Zone Asia-Pacific Conference (China)

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MARINE AND COASTAL LEGISLATION, POLICY AND PLANNING

1. New enviro program transparent: Garrett (Australia)
Abridged from: The Age
14 March 2008
Full text: http://news.theage.com.au
Taxpayers' money will be effectively and transparently delivered under a new program to help farmers and communities protect the environment, federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett says. The $2.25 billion Caring for Country package will amalgamate the National Heritage Trust with other environment programs. Funding will be allocated to environmental groups, local communities and farmers to help protect the environment.
Further information:
http://www.environment.gov.au

Related articles:
http://www.abc.net.au
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Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Marine and Coastal Legislation, Policy and Planning
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NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

2. Australia mourns loss of Peter Cullen (Australia)
Abridged from: Science Alerts
17 March 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencealert.com.au
Australia’s science community pays tribute to Professor Peter Cullen who died on 13 March 2008 in Canberra. The President of the Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies, Professor Ken Baldwin, said Peter Cullen was one of the most respected, influential and best known scientists in Australia. “He really did make a difference”. “He is best known for his contribution to public policy debates over water use, as a prominent member of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists.”

Related articles:
http://www.wentworthgroup.org
http://www.smh.com.au
http://www.abc.net.au
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3. Lowly Streams Play Big Role In Fighting Pollution (USA)
Abridged from: Planet Ark
13 March 2008
Full text: http://www.planetark.com
A meandering stream appears to play a powerful role in filtering out pollutants like nitrogen, and understanding this role could help prevent oxygen-depleting blooms of algae that threaten fish and shellfish downstream, researchers said.  The research was part of a project to determine whether rivers actively process pollutants and remove them from the ecosystem, or simply act as drain pipes that flush polluted waters into lakes or out to sea.
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4. Amid Water Shortage, Australia Looks to the Sea (USA)
Abridged from: Wall Street Journal
11 March 2008
Full text: http://online.wsj.com
As global water shortages loom, this city on Australia's parched western coast is giving desalination new clout. Opened in late 2006, Perth's $360 million desalination plant sucks in roughly 50,000 gallons of the Indian Ocean every minute.  
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Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Natural Resource Management
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FISHERIES

5. Salmon collapse leaves fishermen high and dry (USA)
Abridged from: Insidebayarea.com
17 March 2008
Full text: http://www.insidebayarea.com
Reports of near-historic lows of adult chinook salmon returning to the Sacramento River to spawn came as little surprise to commercial fishermen after several years of salmon declines in the Klamath River. But the extent of the damage and the prospect of a total cancellation of the salmon fishing season, the most lucrative time of year for party boats and commercial skippers has been deeply sobering.
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6. Abalone ship cleared of environmental breaches (Australia)
Abridged from: ABC News Online
16 March 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
Operators of abalone ship the Destiny Queen, anchored off Semaphore Beach in Adelaide, say it has been cleared of committing any environmental breaches. The Destiny Queen arrived earlier this week and remains anchored about three kilometres offshore. The ship is the world's only floating abalone farm. 

Related articles:
http://www.abc.net.au
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7. NOAA Fisheries proposes rule prohibiting bottom trawling (Alaska)
Abridged from: The Dutch Harbor Fisherman
13 March 2008
Full text: http://thedutchharborfisherman.com
Bottom trawling in certain areas of the Bering Sea may be prohibited if National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries has its way. In an effort to protect the seafloor habitat, NOAA Fisheries recently proposed a rule that would prohibit bottom trawling in areas of the Bering Sea.
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8. The Fishy Business of Antidumping (USA)
Abridged from: Environmental News Network
13 March 2008
Full text: http://www.enn.com
Over the past decade antidumping cases have become a whale of a problem on the international trade scene. According to the World Trade Organization dumping occurs when “a company exports a product at a price lower than the price it normally charges on its own home market.” The WTO late last month ruled that the United States was violating trade rules with its tax on shrimp imports from Thailand and India, damaging U.S. credibility as a free trader.  The U.S. claimed that Thailand was selling at an unfairly low price.
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9. Tuna Threatened By Oversized Fishing Fleet –WWF (Italy)
Abridged from: Planet Ark
13 March 2008
Full text: http://www.planetark.com
There are far too many boats fishing for tuna in the Mediterranean, putting further strain on stocks of a species already threatened with extinction, environmental group WWF said in a report published on Wednesday.  Atlantic bluefin tuna, sometimes described as "floating goldmines" due to their spectacular price tag when sold for sushi, are under threat from over-fishing and an international agreement sets quotas on how many each country can land.
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Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Commercial and Recreational Fishing Impacts
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AQUACULTURE

10. Breakthrough boosts fishing industry (Australia)
Abridged from: ABC 7:30 Report
18 March 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
Southern bluefin tuna is one of Australia's most lucrative catches but in recent years reduced quotas have been imposed for fear wild stocks have reached critically low levels.  Now after years of work and millions of dollars of investment, one company says it has achieved the industry holy grail by breeding the fish in captivity.
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11. Aquaculture Dialogues Turn to Abalone (Australia)
Abridged from: TheFishSite.com
16 March 2008
full text: http://www.thefishsite.com
The World Wildlife Fund has announced that the Abalone Aquaculture Dialogue will hold its first meeting in Melbourne on the 29th of April. Abalone is the sixth species or group of species the Aquaculture Dialogues is currently addressing, joining tilapia, pangasius, salmon, shrimp and other mollusks (clams, mussels, oysters and scallops). The Aquaculture Dialogues for trout and seaweed will begin later this year.
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Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Aquaculture
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CLIMATE CHANGE

12. Climate report signals concern (Alaska)
Abridged from: Anchorage Daily News
18 March 2008
Full text: http://www.adn.com
Expect some big problems on the horizon, according to the final report issued Monday by the Alaska Climate Impact Assessment Commission. The panel's 124-page report foresees several costly outcomes, from the need to relocate coastal villages hammered by storms and erosion, to an increase in forest fires and smoky skies, to the collapse of roads and public buildings, to several serious threats to fish and wildlife.
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13. Glaciers Are Melting Faster Than Expected, UN Reports (International)
Abridged from: Science Daily
18 March 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
The world's glaciers are continuing to melt away with the latest official figures showing record losses. Data from close to 30 reference glaciers in nine mountain ranges indicate that between the years 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 the average rate of melting and thinning more than doubled.
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14. Tuvaluan climate refugees in political 'pass the parcel' (Tuvalu)
Abridged from: ABC News Online
14 March 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
The islanders of Tuvalu could lose their homes and much of their land in the coming decades.  But the world has yet to figure out how it will deal with them, and millions of others, who may be displaced by climate change. "It's a game of political pass the parcel," said Andrew Simms, policy director at British think-tank New Economics Foundation.

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15. Climate change scheme two years away: Wong (Australia)
Abridged from:  ABC News Online
17 March 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
Federal Climate Change Minister Penny Wong has revealed details of the Government's timetable for an emissions trading scheme. Senator Wong says a green paper looking at the design of the scheme will be released in July and businesses will be invited to have their say. She says she expects the scheme will be up and running by 2010.
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16. Rising oceans, she'll be right - in 80 million years (Australia)
Abridged from: The Sydney Morning Herald
12 March 2008
Full text: http://www.smh.com.au
Global warming may raise sea levels, flood coastal homes and drown low-lying islands beneath the Pacific's waves.  However, if we can tread water long enough, scientists say, eventually the world's seas will fall again.  Australian and Norwegian researchers have produced the most detailed maps ever made charting the past and future changes to global ocean levels. Thanks to the never-ending drift of the continents, sea levels are constantly fluctuating as oceans grow and shrink.
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17. Oceanographer warns of rising sea level risk (Australia)
Abridged from: ABC News Online
10 March 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
An oceanographer who is studying the rise of sea levels says waterfront homes built on sand will be eroded within the next 50 years. Oceanographer John Hunter says many of those waterfront houses are built on sand dunes.  The problem is sea level rise is going to erode those sand dunes.  "The rule of thumb is that for every metre of sea level rise, the erosion is something like 50 times that amount of rise. In other words, 50 metres," Dr Hunter said.
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Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Climate Change
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COASTAL DEVELOPMENT

18. How green is The World? (Dubai)
Abridged from: Economist.com
17 March 2008
Full text: http://www.economist.com
These new artificial islands, known as “The World”, are just part of a plan to create hundreds of kilometres of new waterfront for Dubai...The short-term environmental consequences of this reclamation are clear: the intensive construction created vast plumes of sediment that turned blue seawater milky and temporarily damaged marine life.  It also destroyed turtle nesting sites and the only known coral reef along Dubai’s coast. But Nakheel contends that the new rocky breakwaters of all these projects are creating vast artificial reefs, habitats for reef fish and meadows of sea grass...
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19. Geotimes: The impending coastal crisis (USA)
Abridged from: Environmental News Network
13 March 2008
Full text: http://www.enn.com
Coastlines are the most dynamic feature on the planet.  In the March issue, Geotimes magazine looks into the risks of increased development along our coastlines and what that means for erosion, flooding and future development. As coastal communities grow, so does the call for human-made structures to prevent local beach erosion.  But what do these structures mean for the overall health of surrounding coastal areas?
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20. Coastal plan 'not on the sea level' (Australia)
Abridged from: The Australian
12 March 2008
Full text: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au
In a portent of how climate change could transform town planning along the nation's coastlines, the South Australian Supreme Court has ruled that predicted sea level rises are a valid reason to reject beachfront housing developments. The rejection of a subdivision on Yorke Peninsula, west of Adelaide, is likely to be repeated across the country as councils progressively write climate change provisions into their planning regulations.
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Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Coastal Development
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NATURAL HAZARDS

21. Australia boosts tsunami detection capability (Australia)
Abridged from:  Media Release, The Hon Peter Garrett MP, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts
14 March 2008
Australia’s tsunami detection capability has been boosted with the installation of a second deep ocean tsunami detection buoy, this time in the Coral Sea, Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett announced. “The new buoy was deployed in the Coral Sea last week and is now operational,” Mr Garrett said. “It is monitoring changes in sea levels for signs of potential threat from the South Solomon and New Hebrides trenches to the east coast of Australia.
Further information and supporting visuals: http://medianet.ondeadline.com.au
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22. NOAA Launches Final Two Buoys To Complete U.S. Tsunami Warning System (Pacific)
Abridged from: Science Daily
13 March 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
NOAA deployed the final two tsunami detection buoys in the South Pacific this week, completing the buoy network and bolstering the U.S. tsunami warning system.  This vast network of 39 stations provides coastal communities in the Pacific, Atlantic, Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico with faster and more accurate tsunami warnings.
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MARINE SPECIES

23. Two shark species discovered (Australia)
Abridged from: Science Alerts
18 March 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencealert.com.au
New species continue to surface, including two wobbegong sharks found off the south west coast of Western Australia. The two newly discovered species of wobbegong sharks have made their public debut in the scientific journal, Zootaxa. The wobbegongs, collected by WA Department of Fisheries scientists during a catch monitoring exercise off the south west coast, are known as the floral banded (Orectolobus floridus) and the dwarf spotted (Orectolobus parvimaculatus).
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24. Three arrested over SKorea whale poaching case (South Korea)
Abridged from: ABC News Online
18 March 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
Marine police in South Korea have arrested a boat skipper and two others in connection with the country's largest ever whale poaching case.   They were the first arrests since police broke a whale poaching racket in January this year, confiscating more than 50 tonnes of minke meat in the largest seizure of its kind in the country.
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25. The ones that got away (New Zealand)
Abridged from: The Sydney Morning Herald
16 March 2008
Full text: http://www.smh.com.au
A dolphin rescued two whales from a slow death on a New Zealand beach last week...The dolphin is known as Moko to Hawkes Bay locals, with whom it often swims.  It led the pygmy sperm whales 200 metres along the beach and through a channel to the open sea after they were found stranded.
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26. Iceland to continue whale hunt (Iceland)
Abridged from: ABC News Online
14 March 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
Iceland is expected to approve commercial whaling for a third year. Iceland's whale hunt is smaller than Japan's or Norway's, but the news that hunting is likely to resume has still outraged environmental groups. They had hoped that last year's change of government in Reykjavik would bring whaling to an end. Instead, the Government has decided it will issue commercial whaling quotas if there is a demand for the meat.
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27. High hopes for EU shark proposals (UK)
Abridged from: BBC News
14 March 2008
Full text: http://news.bbc.co.uk
A senior marine scientist has welcomed European Commission proposals for a shark conservation action plan.  Sarah Fowler, co-chairwoman of the IUCN shark specialist group, described the plan as "great news" for the creatures.  About 32% of shark species that are found in the north-eastern Atlantic are said to be "threatened with extinction".  The main threats to the slow-growing creatures were overfishing and being caught in nets as bycatch, she added.
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28. Sharks battle for survival (South Africa)
Abridged from: Independent Online
14 March 2008
Full text: http://www.iol.co.za
The feared and often hated creature, often the villain in film, does not easily generate warm and fuzzy feelings of sympathy and understanding among humans who are far more likely to embrace "cute", but equally dangerous, polar bears. But, as powerful a hunter and killer as the shark may seem to be, it is extremely vulnerable to one other predator people. And a great part of this vulnerability has to do with the lack of knowledge people have of the role the shark plays in the environment.
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29. Australia ’s whaling reforms on IWC agenda (Australia)
Abridged from: Media Release, The Hon Peter Garrett MP, Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts
10 March 2008
Full text: http://www.environment.gov.au
Australia’s proposals to strengthen global whale protection will be a key feature of the International Whaling Commission’s annual meeting in Chile this June.  
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30. Lost logs are a barrier to turtle breeding (Africa)
Abridged from: New Scientist
5 March 2008
Full text: http://environment.newscientist.com
As if decimating rainforests isn't bad enough, now it turns out industrial logging is also preventing leatherback turtles from nesting. There is a timber boom in central Africa, with logging now allowed in two-thirds of Gabon's rainforests.  Felled logs are floated down rivers to the coast in their thousands, where they are packaged for shipping abroad.  Some are lost in transit, though, and float out to sea, eventually washing up along Gabon's 1000-kilometre coastline. Those beached logs pose a threat to breeding turtles, says William Laurance of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama.
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Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Marine Species
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PETROLEUM AND MINERALS

31. Australia will be first to excel at mining the ocean floor - Canadian prof (South Africa)
Abridged from: Mining Weekly
14 March 2008
Full text: http://www.miningweekly.co.za
Since Verne wrote his classic fantasy tale - nearly 140 years ago - oil, diamonds, gas, sand, aggregate, heavy minerals (titanium, chromium) and tin have all been extracted from the sea floor.  However, never before have copper, zinc, and significant amounts of gold been retrieved from the ocean depths. This will change soon, though, if one or two companies have their way.
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SHIPPING AND PORTS

32. Kite-Driven Beluga Skysail Completes 12,000 Mile Journey and Proves Concept (Germany)
Abridged from: Environmental News Network
17 March 2008
Full text: http://www.enn.com
“We can once again actually ”˜sail’ with cargo ships, thus opening a new chapter in the history of commercial shipping”. Thus is the verdict from MV Beluga Skysails captain Lutz Heldt upon completion of the vessel’s 12,000 mile round-trip maiden voyage.  The crew and vessel were at sea for nearly two months, giving the “skysail” concept ample opportunity for testing and tweaking.
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HERITAGE

33. Wreck of HMAS Sydney found (Australia)
Abridged from: ABC News Online
17 March 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
The group searching for HMAS Sydney has found the wreckage of the World War II Australian warship off the coast of Western Australia. The breakthrough by the Finding Sydney Foundation comes less than 24 hours after it announced it had located the wreckage of the German raider Kormoran, which also sank after a battle with the Sydney in November 1941. The Sydney's entire crew of 645 went down with the ship in the Indian Ocean and its location has been a mystery for 66 years.

Related articles:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au
http://www.abc.net.au
http://www.smh.com.au
http://www.smh.com.au
http://www.abc.net.au
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34. Exploring A 'Lost' City Of The Mycenaeans (Greece)
Abridged from: Science Daily
15 March 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
Along an isolated, rocky stretch of Greek shoreline, a Florida State University researcher and his students are unlocking the secrets of a partially submerged, "lost" harbour town believed to have been built by the ancient Mycenaeans nearly 3,500 years ago.
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POLLUTION

35. Plastic bags turtle's biggest killer (Australia)
Abridged from: Science Alerts
13 March 2008
full text: http://www.sciencealert.com.au
The survival of green turtles is threatened by rubbish in marine areas.  A group of University of Queensland researchers are urging Queenslanders to avoid littering marine environments. 
Led by Dr Kathy Townsend, Manager of Research and Education at UQ's Moreton Bay Research Station, the group found that marine rubbish was the leading cause of sea turtle deaths in 2007.  “In 2007, we attended to 30 marine turtle strandings,” Dr Townsend said.  “Of these, 23 per cent were caused by the ingestion of marine rubbish.
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36. Penguin droppings help identify pesticide hot spots (Antarctica)
Abridged from: ABC News Online
11 March 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
Australian scientists are uncovering a clearer map of where pesticides are ending up in the environment - and it is penguin guano that is leading them there.  The study by the Australian Antarctic Division found Antarctica has become a hot spot for chemicals that are used thousands of kilometres away from the icy continent. When toxic pollutants are used in warm areas of the world they evaporate into the air and water.   Those pollutants end up condensing in the coldest areas of the world.
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Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Water Pollution
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RECREATION AND TOURISM

37. Surf Industry Faces Global Environmental Challenges (Australia)
Abridged from: Media Release, Surfrider Foundation
18 March 2008
During this year’s Noosa Festival of Surfing, the leaders in the surf industry came together for the Tropicsurf Summit, held at the South Pacific Resort in Noosa. In a day packed with presentations, leaders of surfing’s “Big 3” (Ripcurl, Billabong and Quiksilver) joined legendary shapers, world champion surfers and top level executives to discuss issues such as climate change, illegal Japanese whaling and sustainability in the surf industry. 
Further information: Chris Tola, Surfrider Foundation T: 0438 203 964; E: info@surfrider.org.au
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38. World’s First Wave Powered Boat (Japan)
Abridged from: Environmental News Network
13 March 2008
Full text: http://www.enn.com
Ken-ichi Horie, a 69 year old Japanese sailor, is planning a solo 4,350 mile trip from Hawaii to Japan using an innovative wave powered boat.  If successful, the trip would earn him a Guinness record while simultaneously proving the viability of wave powered propulsion. His boat, the Suntory Mermaid II, turns wave energy into thrust using two fins mounted beneath the bow.  These fins move up and down with the waves and use them to generate “kicks” that propel the boat forward.  Another green element of the journey: all of the radios and electrical equipment are solar powered.
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RESEARCH

39. Sea rabbits may save the reef (Australia)
Abridged from: Science Alerts
19 March 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencealert.com.au
While rabbits continue to ravage Australia's native landscapes, rabbit fish may help save large areas of the Great Barrier Reef from destruction.  The reason, say scientists, is the same in both cases - both rabbits and rabbit fish are efficient herbivores, capable of stripping an area of vegetation.  However, in the case of the Reef, it is the vegetation that is the problem - and the rabbit fish, the answer.
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40. New Tool Determines Age Of Anchovies With Greater Precision, Will Improve Fisheries Research (Europe)
Abridged from: Science Daily
15 March 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
Biologist Pablo Cermeño Villanueva defended his PhD thesis at the University of the Basque Country, providing a tool to determine the age of anchovies with greater accuracy on a monthly or even weekly basis, thus enabling studies of the earliest phases of life to be undertaken.
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41. Sand Dollar Larvae Use Cloning To 'Make Change,' Confound Predators (USA)
Abridged from: Science Daily
14 March 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
Nature is full of examples of creatures that try to look as big as possible in an effort to scare away potential predators.  But to avoid being eaten alive the larvae of sand dollars appear to have a different strategy. University of Washington biologists have found that 4-day-old sand dollar larvae created clones of themselves within 24 hours of being exposed to fish mucous, a cue that predators are near.
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42. Wandering Albatrosses Follow Their Nose (USA)
Abridged from: Science Daily
14 March 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
The first study of how individual wandering albatrosses find food shows that the birds rely heavily on their sense of smell. The birds can pick up a scent from several miles away, U.S. and French researchers have found.
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43. Alligators' Muscles Move Lungs Around For Sneaky Maneuvers In Water (USA)
Abridged from: Science Daily
14 March 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
Without a ripple in the water, alligators dive, surface or roll sideways, even though they lack flippers or fins.  University of Utah biologists discovered gators manoeuvre silently by using their diaphragm, pelvic, abdominal and rib muscles to shift their lungs like internal floatation devices: toward the tail when they dive, toward the head when they surface and sideways when they roll.
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44. Marine Bacteria's Mealtime Dash Is A Swimming Success (USA)
Abridged from: Science Daily
14 March 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
Goldfish in an aquarium are able to dash after food flakes at mealtime, reaching them before they sink or are eaten by other fish.  Researchers at MIT recently proved that marine bacteria, the smallest creatures in the ocean, behave in a similar fashion at mealtime, using their swimming skills to reach tiny food patches that appear randomly in the ocean blue.
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45. Fast-Growing Corals Key To Caribbean Reef – Study (UK)
Abridged from: Planet Ark
14 March 2008
Full text: http://www.planetark.com
Two dominant coral species have built a good chunk of the Caribbean reef, and their ability to grow quickly may help the region's coral reefs keep pace with rising sea levels caused by global warming, researchers say.  The endangered staghorn and elkhorn corals grow about 10 times faster than any other in the Caribbean and reproduce in part by breaking into bits for easy ocean spread.
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46. Startling Discovery About Photosynthesis: Many Marine Microorganism Skip Carbon Dioxide And Oxygen Step (USA)
Abridged from: Science Daily
12 March 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
Photosynthesis by plants, algae, and some bacteria supports nearly all living things by producing food from sunlight, and in the process these organisms release oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide. But new research suggests that certain marine microorganisms have evolved a way to break the rules-they get a significant proportion of their energy without a net release of oxygen or uptake of carbon dioxide.  This discovery impacts not only scientists' basic understanding of photosynthesis, but importantly, it may also impact how microorganisms in the oceans affect rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide.
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47. Fish losing way in acidic ocean: study (Australia)
Abridged from: ABC News Online
10 March 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
A new study into the impact of climate change has found increasing ocean acidity is causing reef fish to become lost. Researchers from the Australian Institute of Marine Science and James Cook University have found high acidity is causing the ears of baby damsel fish to develop incorrectly. Researcher Monica Gagliano says once the fish hatch it is vital they find the right habitat, so they have to listen for the reef to find their way home.
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48. Climate change affecting fish hearing (International)
Abridged from: ABC News Online
10 March 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
Marine scientists have found that once fish hatch they use sound to find a home on a coral reef.  But the scientists say warming sea temperatures are affecting the hearing of fish and making them lose their way home. Dr Steve Simpson from the University of Edinburgh recorded sounds on a reef in Oman and played it to a group recently hatched fish in traps.
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49. Marine Science Review – 253 Fish and Fisheries (International)
March 2008
Full text: http://64.130.1.197
Seaweb presents a 12 page review of the latest scientific papers on fish and fisheries.
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50. Sea-wheat grass research: survey for MCCN participants (Australia)
Kris James is a PhD research candidate at the University of Adelaide researching the distribution and potential impact of Thinopyrum junceiforme or Sea-wheat grass, an introduced coastal coloniser of the upper beach and foredunes.  There is little information in the literature regarding Sea-wheat grass but Kris believes knowledge on the plant exists within the broader coastal community.  Consequently, Kris is seeking involvement of MCCN participants to undertake a short online survey to ascertain their knowledge and perceptions of Thinopyrum junceiforme to complete her studies.
Participant in the survey: If MCCN participants are willing to assist this research, the online survey can be found at: http://www.surveymonkey.com. Further information: kris.james@adelaide.edu.au
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Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Marine and Coastal Research
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PUBLICATIONS & WEBSITES

51. Coastal Councils Planning for Climate Change: Report (Australia)
The Environmental Defender’s Office was commissioned by the Sydney Coastal Councils Group to conduct an audit of legislation and policy instruments at all levels of government in Australia to determine the responsibilities and potential liabilities of coastal councils for climate change.  The result was the report titled Coastal Councils Planning for Climate Change. To obtain a copy of the report email info@sydneycoastalcouncils.com.au
Further information: http://www.sydneycoastalcouncils.com.au
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52. Seafood CRC launches new website (Australia)
March 2008
The Seafood Cooperative Research Centre provides comprehensive seafood-related research & development and industry leadership on a national basis.
View website: http://www.seafoodcrc.com
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53. New guide offers easy identification of NZ marine invertebrates (New Zealand)
Abridged from: Scoop.co.nz
17 March 2008
Full text: http://www.scoop.co.nz
Subtidal Invertebrates of New Zealand: A Divers Guide, published in association with the (NZ) Department of Conservation and the Ministry of Fisheries, is the work of Stephen Wing, Associate Professor in Marine Science at the University of Otago. Intended as a quick guide and introduction the book looks at 155 marine invertebrate species commonly and widely found in New Zealand waters at depths reachable by scuba divers.
Further information: Subtidal Invertebrates of New Zealand: A Diver’s Guide by Stephen Wing, published by Canterbury University Press, ISBN 978-1-877257-58-2.
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54. Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative Website (Australia)
Abridged from: Australian Government, DEWHA, Sustainability Education, Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative Website
The Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative encourages schools to take a whole-system and whole-school approach to sustainability. This website includes links to information about Australian sustainable schools, audit tools, information resources, curriculum material and case studies.
View website: http://www.environment.gov.au
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55. A new platform to start changing the world (International)
Abridged from: Environmental News Network
March 2008
Full text: http://www.enn.com
Forget Facebook, MySpace or You Tube: here comes connect2earth, a new online community where young people can upload videos, pictures and comments about the environment.  On www.connect2earth.org users and visitors will be able to write, speak, illustrate and video present their concerns on subjects important to them, and share environmental ideas and solutions.
View website: http://www.connect2earth.org/
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OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT

56. Draft Terms of Reference for strategic assessment of a plan for a common-user liquefied natural gas hub precinct in the Kimberley region (Australia)
Abridged from: Australian Government, Department of the Environment, Heritage and the Arts Website
Full text: http://www.environment.gov.au
Strategic assessment under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. On 6 February 2008, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts signed an agreement with the Western Australian Government to undertake a strategic assessment under the EPBC Act of the impacts of actions under a plan for a proposed common-user liquefied natural gas Hub precinct in the West Kimberley Region.  A copy of the draft terms of reference for the strategic assessment is available for public comment at the link below.  Public comments must be submitted to the Western Australian Department of Industry and Resources and will be accepted until close of business on 21 March 2008.To submit a comment, please go to www.doir.wa.gov.au/ndt.
Further information: http://www.environment.gov.au
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57. Have your say on the QLD State Coastal Management Plan review (Australia)
Abridged from: Queensland Government EPA
The (QLD) Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation, invites all interested parties to voice their concerns and offer suggestions regarding coastal management, planning and development issues during the review of the State Coastal Management Plan (the Coastal plan). The Coastal plan is a statutory planning tool under the Coastal Protection and Management Act 1995 (Coastal Act) and provides the laws and policies for all spheres of government and the community to manage Queensland’s coastal zone and its resources.  All uses of coastal resources and activities undertaken within the coastal zone are subject to the planning and management objectives outlined in the Coastal Act and reflected in the Coastal plan. The closing date to provide input into this information gathering process is 31 March 2008. Further information: http://www.epa.qld.gov.au
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Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Act Now
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EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST

58. Link up and learn (Australia)
March 2008
CSIRO is calling for interested Scientists to register for Scientists in Schools - a new learning experience that allows scientists and schools to work together across Australia. Scientists in Schools is being run by CSIRO and the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. Teachers and scientists who register will form partnerships and work together in a way that suits both partners, with the aim of providing inspiration, fun and learning for students, teachers and scientists alike.
Further information:  http://www.scientistsinschools.edu.au; Email: scientistsinschools@csiro.au; or Tel: 02 6276 6397.
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AWARDS

59. 2008 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes (Australia)
Presented annually by the Australian Museum, the Australian Museum Eureka Prizes are Australia's most comprehensive science awards and the largest award scheme for research into critical environmental sustainability issues facing the country.  Entries and nominations are now invited for $50,000 in prizes in the categories of Research & Innovation and Leadership.  Entries close: 2 May, 2008.
Further information:  http://www.australianmuseum.net.au; E: eureka@austmus.gov.au
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60. World Environment Day Awards 2008 (Australia)
Nominations for the United Nations Association of Australia World Environment Day Awards 2008 opened 1 February 2008.  The World Environment Day Awards is a national awards program which recognises businesses, local governments, organisations, community groups, individuals, schools and the media whose work serves to protect, manage or restore the environment.  More information: http://www.unaavictoria.org.au. Nominations Close Friday 2 May 2008.
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WORKSHOPS, CONFERENCES AND EVENTS

COMING UP (March - April 2008)

61. Sea Grant Law and Policy Journal Inaugural Symposium (USA)
25-26 March 2008
Hosted by the National Sea Grant Law Center, this conference will be held at The University of Mississippi, Oxford (USA).  The theme of the Symposium will be Coastal Resiliency. Coastal resiliency refers to the ability of coastal cities, towns, and communities to adapt and recover from natural hazards, including hurricanes, tsunamis, floods, and disease epidemics. Relevant topics might include land use planning, insurance, emergency management, risk analysis, and mitigation.
Further information: http://www.olemiss.edu
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62. Earth Hour 08 (International)
29 March 2008
Originating in Sydney in 2007, the Earth Hour campaign has now gained global attention.  As a result, on 8pm March 29, 2008 millions of people in some of the world’s major capital cities will unite and switch off for Earth Hour in the name of fighting global warming. Further information: http://www.earthhour.org/
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63. Wetlands.edu Course (Australia)
8 - 9 April 2008
Held in Launceston Tasmania. This course has been designed to introduce wetland managers to a range of tools and strategies to build appreciation of wetlands among those stakeholders who have an impact on wetlands. 
Further information: www.wetlandsedu.org.au
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64. Solutions to Coastal Disasters Conference (Hawaii)
13-16 April 2008
Hosted by the Coasts, Oceans, Ports and Rivers Institute (COPRI) of the American Society of Civil Engineers, this conference will be held in Oahu, Hawaii. The conference will encourage greater examination of the ecosystem dynamics, vulnerability and ways to incorporate social and ecological solutions into the discussion of coastal disasters.
Further information: http://content.asce.org/conferences
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65. Join Project AWARE’s Dive for Earth Day 2008 (Australia)
22 April 2008
The Project AWARE Foundation is asking all divers, snorkelers and water enthusiasts to Dive for Earth Day during the week of 22 April to put aquatic issues on the Earth Day map.  Visit Project AWARE for more information about events like the Asia Pacific Fish Survey, Coral Monitoring, AWARE Kids and Underwater Cleanups.
Further information: http://www.projectaware.org/asiapac/english/activities/dited.asp
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CALL FOR PAPERS & ABSTRACTS

66. Coastal Zone Asia-Pacific Conference (China)
Held in Qingdao, China, 19-22 October, 2008. The conference theme is 'Sustainable Coasts and Better Life,' with a focus on how to manage coasts to cope with climate change and expanding populations. The conference will be hosted by Professor Guifang (Julia) Xue at Ocean University of China, Qingdao. Further information http://www.czapa.org and now open for on-line abstract submission. The deadline for submission is 15 June 2008.
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View full calendar of events on MCCN website:Workshops, Conferences and Events

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DISCLAIMER

The views and opinions expressed in Wetstuff-News are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Australian Government, the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts, or the Minister for Climate Change and Water.

While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that the contents are factually correct, the Commonwealth does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the contents, and shall not be liable for any loss or damage that may be occasioned directly or indirectly through the use of, or reliance on, the contents of this publication.

All material in Wetstuff-News may be reprinted unless it has been sourced from an unidentified publication whereby no reprint is authorised except by permission from the source publishers.

News articles are posted as a free community service for the purposes of non-commercial education, research, study review and news reporting, and are archived for reference of students and researchers as a 'fair dealing' activity under Australian Copyright Law.

Marine Coastal Community Network (MCCN) is a national, not-for-profit Network that facilitates government, industry & community involvement in marine and coastal conservation and sustainability initiatives. Marine Coastal Community Network is supported by the Australian Government.

Wetstuff-News is compiled by Anne Briggs for Marine Coastal Community Network.

Anne Briggs
Marine Coastal Community Network
PO Box 709
Spit Junction NSW 2088
Australia
E: anne@mccn.org.au
W: http://www.mccn.org.au