Inform 
Navigation 
Wetstuff News 26 March 2008
IN THIS EDITION:
MARINE AND COASTAL LEGISLATION, POLICY AND PLANNING
1. It’s Time for Canada to Commit to Oceans Management Plans (Canada)
2. Commerce Department Appoints Members to Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee (USA)
3. Fisheries legislation proposes new anti-poaching powers (Australia)
NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
4. UN urged to recognise region's environmental value (Australia)
5. Eulogy by John Williams: Peter Cullen 1943-2008 (Australia)
MARINE PROTECTED AREAS
6. Protection for icy 'oasis' gets boost (New Zealand)
7. An ocean's ripple effects (Kiribati)
FISHERIES
8. Troubled waters (Australia)
9. South Africa Court Upholds Abalone Fishing Ban (South Africa)
10. All about: Global fishing (Hong Kong)
11. Salmon, seabirds and the state of the ocean (USA)
12. Krill fishing threatens the Antarctic - Intensive harvesting of the tiny crustaceans for fish food and Omega 3 puts ecosystem at risk (Antarctica)
13. Saving the athlete of the ocean (Australia)
14. French driftnetters will not fish in 2008 (Europe)
15. Fish stocks heading for wild swings in population Canada)
AQUACULTURE
16. New marine farming zone declared (New Zealand)
CLIMATE CHANGE
17. Climate change can be measured daily says researcher (Australia)
18. Native species under climate threat (Australia)
19. Has the Great Barrier Reef got a future? (Australia)
20. A seamless transition (Wales)
21. Some algae help coral survive warming waters: study (Australia)
COASTAL DEVELOPMENT
22. Kimberley threatened by mining boom (Australia)
23. Darwin Harbour given the thumbs up (Australia)
MARINE SPECIES
24. Albatross numbers under threat (Australia)
25. Animal group files suit to stop sea lion killings (USA)
26. Pioneer Marine Scientist Boards Amphibian Ark - Jean-Michel Cousteau Urges All to Take Action and Help Save the Frogs (USA)
27. When a longtime friendship heads into stormy waters (Australia)
28. Antarctic explorers come face to face with sea giants (Antarctica)
29. Fishing nets threaten dolphins (New Zealand)
30. Garrett calls on Iceland, Norway to end whaling (Australia)
31. Rare White Killer Whale Spotted In Alaskan Waters (Alaska)
32. WWF: Fishing restrictions not protecting Maui's dolphins (New Zealand)
33. Tiny Mexican porpoise near extinct from fish nets (Mexico)
34. Oceans abysmal (Australia)
PETROLEUM AND MINERALS
35. Australia plans carbon storage under ocean (Australia)
RECREATION & TOURISM
36. Endangered Species Highlighted in Tourism Report (New Zealand)
37. Far Below the Surface of the World’s Oceans, a Tough Place for Foam Cups (USA)
38. Ray jumps, kills boater off Florida Keys (USA)
RESEARCH
39. Scientists look to the ocean for new drugs (USA)
40. Stinking seas not to blame for mass extinctions: scientists (UK)
41. Gulf Stream Leaves Its Signature Seven Miles High (International)
42. Shells Inspire Nano-battery Research For Cell Phones, PDAs (USA)
43. NZ Antarctic voyagers return with scientific treasure trove (New Zealand)
44. Giant eddy cools Sydney's waters (Australia)
45. Sea-wheat grass research: survey for MCCN participants (Australia)
PUBLICATIONS & WEBSITES
46. In Dead Water: Report UNEP (International)
47. Coastal Councils Planning for Climate Change: Report (Australia)
48. Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative Website (Australia)
OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
49. Have your say on the QLD State Coastal Management Plan review (Australia)
EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
50. Link up and learn (Australia)
AWARDS
51. World Environment Day Awards 2008 (Australia)
WORKSHOPS, CONFERENCES AND EVENTS
52. Earth Hour 08 (International)
53. Solutions to Coastal Disasters Conference (Hawaii)
54. Join Project AWARE’s Dive for Earth Day 2008 (Australia)
CALL FOR PAPERS & ABSTRACTS
55. Coastal Zone Asia-Pacific Conference (China)
************************************************************
MARINE AND COASTAL LEGISLATION, POLICY AND PLANNING
1. It’s Time for Canada to Commit to Oceans Management Plans (Canada)
Abridged from: CFTK TV
25 March 2008
Full text: http://www.cftktv.com
Environmental organizations including the David Suzuki Foundation, the Living Oceans Society, and the Sierra Club of British Columbia are asking the federal government to commit to establishing a comprehensive marine-use and conservation-planning process for the Pacific North Coast Integrated Management Area on Canada’s West Coast.
Back to Contents
2. Commerce Department Appoints Members to Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee (USA)
Abridged from: Media Release, NOAA
21 March 2008
Full text: http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov
The (US) Department of Commerce, in consultation with the Department of the Interior, has appointed 13 new members to the Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee. The agency has also reappointed one member to a new two-year term. The committee is supported by the National Marine Protected Areas Centre, established within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in cooperation with the Department of the Interior.
Back to Contents
3. Fisheries legislation proposes new anti-poaching powers (Australia)
Abridged from: Media Release, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke
20 March 2008
The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke today introduced legislation into Federal Parliament to boost the nation’s powers to fight illegal fishing. The Fisheries Legislation Amendment (New Governance Arrangements for the Australian Fisheries Management Authority and Other Matters) Bill 2008 will help to protect our $2 billion fishing industry. It gives stronger powers to our border protection officers to apprehend ships involved in illegal fishing and creates new offences for Australian citizens involved in poaching overseas.
Back to Contents
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Marine and Coastal Legislation, Policy and Planning
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
4. UN urged to recognise region's environmental value (Australia)
Abridged from: ABC News Online
24 March 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
A regional natural resources group wants the environmental value and development pressures along the Queensland coast between Noosa and Bundaberg recognised by the United Nations. Next month, the Burnett Mary Regional Group will apply to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation to classify the Great Sandy Straits as a biosphere reserve.
Back to Contents
5. Eulogy by John Williams: Peter Cullen 1943-2008 (Australia)
Source: Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, Website
19 March 2008
Full text: http://www.wentworthgroup.org
Back to Contents
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Natural Resource Management
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MARINE PROTECTED AREAS
6. Protection for icy 'oasis' gets boost (New Zealand)
Abridged from: nzherald.co.nz
24 March 2008
Full text: http://www.nzherald.co.nz
The big research voyage just completed by scientists in New Zealand's Ross Sea may give the Government the final ammunition it requires to seek special United Nations protection for the icy Balleny Islands. New Zealand is building a scientific case for a marine protected area in international waters around the archipelago - described as a marine "oasis" on the edge of the Ross Sea.
Back to Contents
7. An ocean's ripple effects (Kiribati)
Abridged from: International Herald Tribune
23 March 2008
Full text: http://www.iht.com
Home to thriving coral reefs, some 500 species of fish and bird breeding grounds, the Phoenix Islands Protected Area (PIPA) sits in the Pacific Ocean, halfway between Hawaii and Australia. It is a living example of how marine resources can be preserved without harming the economies that depend on them.
Back to Contents
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Marine Protected Areas
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FISHERIES
8. Troubled waters (Australia)
Abridged from: The Age
25 March 2008
Full text: http://www.theage.com.au
The die has been cast. But what effect will dredging have on the fish and seafood stocks of Port Phillip Bay, asks Richard Cornish...Although Port Phillip Bay is a relatively small catchment, producing about 400 tonnes of fish (worth roughly $2.5 million), its real importance lies in the fact that it is so close to Melbourne. A fish caught in the bay in the early hours of this morning could well be on your plate tonight.
Back to Contents
9. South Africa Court Upholds Abalone Fishing Ban (South Africa)
Abridged from: Planet Ark
25 March 2008
Full text: http://www.planetark.com
A South African court has dismissed a bid by a group of fishermen to overturn an official ban on commercial abalone fishing, the environmental affairs ministry said on Thursday. South Africa's Environmental Affairs Minister ordered the indefinite ban to protect existing natural stocks of the shellfish, which is threatened with extinction.
Back to Contents
10. All about: Global fishing (Hong Kong)
Abridged from: CNN.com/Asia
24 March 2008
Full text: http://edition.cnn.com
It is commonly said that we know more about the Moon than the deep blue sea. Despite the fact that the sea takes up 95 percent of the world's living space, just 7 percent of it has been properly studied and sampled, according to the United Nations Environment Program... In the past 20 years, the UN says we have managed to double both the percentage of fish stocks facing collapse - from 15 percent in 1987 to 30 percent last year - as well as the amount that are overexploited, from 20 per cent to around 40 percent.
Back to Contents
11. Salmon, seabirds and the state of the ocean (USA)
Abridged from: Pressdemo.com
23 March 2008
full text: http://www1.pressdemocrat.com
Chinook salmon returns are low. Coho salmon returns are low. The breeding success of seabirds is low, too. Together, this suggests that this year's sharp drop in the salmon population is the result of recent, dramatic changes in ocean conditions.
Back to Contents
12. Krill fishing threatens the Antarctic - Intensive harvesting of the tiny crustaceans for fish food and Omega 3 puts ecosystem at risk (Antarctica)
Abridged from: guardian.co.uk
23 March 2008
Full text: http://www.guardian.co.uk
The Antarctic, one of the planet's last unspoilt ecosystems, is under threat from mankind's insatiable appetite for harvesting the seas. The population of krill, a tiny crustacean, is in danger from the growing demand for health supplements and food for fish farms. Global warming has already been blamed for a dramatic fall in numbers because the ice that is home to the algae and plankton they feed on is melting. Now 'suction' harvesting which gathers up vast quantities has been introduced to meet the increased demand.
Back to Contents
13. Saving the athlete of the ocean (Australia)
Abridged from: The Sydney Morning Herald
21 March 2008
Full text: http://www.smh.com.au
With southern bluefin tuna, it seems it's all about muscle. This fish is an anatomical extreme of muscular exertion. Powered by a large heart and warm blood, it's a rare combination: a burst-of-speed predator and a long-distance cruiser....Another type of muscle, the political and commercial kind, sent the fish's numbers plummeting to critical endangerment, so strong was consumer demand.
Back to Contents
14. French driftnetters will not fish in 2008 (Europe)
Abridged from: Environmental News Network
20 March 2008
Full text: http://www.enn.com
The European Court of Justice refuses to grant a fleet a temporary exemption to permit the use of driftnets. Oceana has reported the French fleet on numerous occasions for using this illegal fishing gear in the Mediterranean, which operated with support from the French government. Driftnets, a fishing gear that can reach dozens of kilometres in length, were prohibited in the European Union in 2002 because they constitute a threat to the conservation of cetaceans, sea turtles and sharks.
Back to Contents
15. Fish stocks heading for wild swings in population Canada)
Abridged from: New Scientist
19 March 2008
Full text: http://environment.newscientist.com
Predicting how many fish it is safe to catch without destroying fish stocks just got harder. A major study of 147 different fisheries around the world has found that when a stock is badly depleted, the number of juveniles that survive each year becomes highly variable – making it harder to calculate a safe catch, or to predict how long a battered stock will take to recover.
Back to Contents
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Commercial and Recreational Fishing Impacts
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AQUACULTURE
16. New marine farming zone declared (New Zealand)
Abridged from: Radio New Zealand
25 March 2008
Full text: http://www.radionz.co.nz
A new aquaculture management zone has been declared in the Firth of Thames. The new Wilson Bay marine farming zone is 1.5km off the coast of Kereta, 5km south of the entrance to Coromandel Harbour. It is established under new legislation following a moratorium on new marine farming which was imposed in 2001. Now that the new interim zone has been declared, the Ministry of Fisheries has to consider any effects it may have on fishing and fishery resources in the area.
Related articles:
http://www.scoop.co.nz
Back to Contents
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Aquaculture
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CLIMATE CHANGE
17. Climate change can be measured daily says researcher (Australia)
Abridged from: The Courier Mail
25 March 2008
Full text: http://www.news.com.au
An Australian researcher says climate change could be measured on a daily basis, not just in the long term, by monitoring changes in coral. Geoscientist Luke Nothdurft said coral was a good indicator of changes in water temperature over time and the rate of global warming. But conventional measurement techniques studied coral in a similar way to a tree being examined for annual growth rings and this could lead to inaccuracies, Mr Nothdurft said.
Back to Contents
18. Native species under climate threat (Australia)
Abridged from: The Australian
25 March 2008
Full text:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au
Climate change poses a grave threat to native species and a boon for introduced pests such as the cane toad. Human responses to climate change, such as increased farming in northern Australia, could also harm fragile birds and animals, a WWF report says. Species identified as being under threat of extinction due to global warming include bilbies, rock wallabies, quolls, turtles and Gouldian finches. The report - Australian Species and Climate Change - says higher temperatures and altered rainfall patterns will hurt such species, while bushfires and invasive species will also increase.
Related articles:
http://www.abc.net.au
Back to Contents
19. Has the Great Barrier Reef got a future? (Australia)
Abridged from: Science Alerts, Opinion by J.E.N. Veron
25 March 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencealert.com.au
Once I would have thought that a ridiculous question. Yet today, if we assemble all the best science we have, the answer can at best be “maybe”. It may seem preposterous that the greatest coral reef in the world – the biggest structure made by life on Earth – could be seriously (I mean genuinely seriously) threatened by climate change...
Back to Contents
20. A seamless transition (Wales)
Abridged from: The Australian
22 March 2008
Full text: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au
...The threat of climate change may require a radical and painful interruption to the exploitation of Australia's vast and still relatively untapped coal reserves...The availability of new sources of more expensive but cleaner energy are proving to be just as serendipitous as fossil fuels. Australia looks as if it will again be a winner, blessed as it is with abundant sunshine, persistent winds and hot underground rocks. And so does Wales. The windswept principality plans to be energy self-sufficient by 2030, powered by an array of energy sources: nuclear, biomass, wind, waves and tides.
Back to Contents
21. Some algae help coral survive warming waters: study (Australia)
Abridged from: ABC News Online
20 March 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
Researchers from the Australian Institute of Marine Science have found certain types of algae can help corals withstand higher sea temperatures and prevent them from bleaching. Coral reefs are vulnerable to climate change and without rapid genetic adaptation, they will not survive projected sea temperature increases over the next 50 years, experts say. But in an article published in latest issue of the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, researchers say they may have found an answer to why some corals continue to thrive in warmer waters when others die.
Back to Contents
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Climate Change
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COASTAL DEVELOPMENT
22. Kimberley threatened by mining boom (Australia)
Abridged from: ABC News Online
20 March 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
The pristine Kimberley region in Western Australia is one of the nation's natural wonders but that could change if a multi-million dollar gas project gets the green light. Environmentalists are up in arms but the traditional landowners believe they are entitled to reap the financial rewards. The Pilbara region is known as the hub of the Australian resources boom but now there is pressure on pristine parts of the Kimberley region further north to cash in on the seemingly endless riches.
Related articles:
View ABC 7:30 Report podcast: http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au
Back to Contents
23. Darwin Harbour given the thumbs up (Australia)
Abridged from: ABC News Online
19 March 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
An Australian water quality expert is warning the Territory Government needs to do more to protect coastal mangroves. Dr Michele Burford has been testing water quality for six months as part of a $1 million study by a scientific group called the Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge Network. She says mangroves occupy 20 per cent of the Darwin Harbour foreshore and 40 per cent of the mud flats. She says protecting the mangroves is the best way to ensure future development does not threaten the natural environment.
Back to Contents
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Coastal Development
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MARINE SPECIES
24. Albatross numbers under threat (Australia)
Abridged from: ABC News Online
25 March 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
The World Wildlife Fund is calling for better protection of albatross nesting sites after new research revealed the species is under an increased threat from pests. A Macqaurie University study into the effect of climate change on endangered species has predicted warmer temperatures will see feral species thrive in island and coastal habitats.
Back to Contents
25. Animal group files suit to stop sea lion killings (USA)
Abridged from: Reuters
24 March 2008
Full text: http://www.reuters.com
Animal protection groups filed a lawsuit to prevent Washington state and Oregon from killing sea lions that feed on dwindling U.S. Pacific Northwest salmon populations. The Humane Society of the United States and others filed the suit in a federal court in Oregon after the National Marine Fisheries Services granted permission last week to the states to target up to 85 sea lions a year near the Bonneville Dam.
Back to Contents
26. Pioneer Marine Scientist Boards Amphibian Ark - Jean-Michel Cousteau Urges All to Take Action and Help Save the Frogs (USA)
Abridged from: Media Release, Amphibian Ark
24 March 2008
Full text: : http://www.amphibianark.org
Self-proclaimed “frogman” Jean-Michel Cousteau has partnered with Amphibian Ark, the global nonprofit organisation that is coordinating the emergency rescue of the most threatened amphibian species, as a spokesperson. He joins Sir David Attenborough, Jeff Corwin, and thousands of zoos, aquaria, and conservation organizations to support Amphibian Ark in rallying the planet to avert this mass extinction. Frogs are a crucial part of the ecosystem, and they act as indicators to the environment’s health.
Further information: http://www.amphibianark.org
Back to Contents
27. When a longtime friendship heads into stormy waters (Australia)
Abridged from: The Age
22 March 2008
Full text: http://www.theage.com.au
The synoptic chart of Antarctica this week showed cold fronts hurling themselves onto its coastline like giant hammers, day after day. On satellite maps the sea ice was well into its annual march out into the Southern Ocean. It is time for whales to head north. This is the autumn of the most tumultuous Antarctic season since commercial whaling halted 22 years ago — its reverberations are already being felt in international legal circles and in Australia's relations with Japan.
Back to Contents
28. Antarctic explorers come face to face with sea giants (Antarctica)
Abridged from: The Independent
22 March 2008
Full text: http://www.independent.co.uk
After 50 days exploring the frigid waters of Antarctica, a group of New Zealand-led scientists is certain of two things: there are lots of previously unknown creatures out there, and some of them are positively enormous. The marine life encountered during the 2,000-mile voyage through the Ross Sea, off the north coast of the frozen continent, included jellyfish with 12ft-long tentacles, giant sea snails and starfish the size of food platters.
Back to Contents
29. Fishing nets threaten dolphins (New Zealand)
Abridged from: Science Alerts
21 March 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencealert.com.au
The Common Dolphin may not be so common in New Zealand waters in the future if more deaths - such as the 22 killed in a single bycatch by commercial fishing boats - occur, says Massey University marine biologist Karen Stockin. She prompted the Minister of Conservation Steve Chadwick into releasing photographs - through an official information request - of battered, bloody carcasses of 22 Common Dolphins caught last December in trawl nets off the West Coast of the North Island. Back to Contents
30. Garrett calls on Iceland, Norway to end whaling (Australia)
Abridged from: The Sydney Morning Herald
19 March 2008
Full text: http://www.smh.com.au
Environment Minister Peter Garrett has called on Iceland and Norway to respect the international global moratorium on commercial whaling. The call follows reports Iceland is considering issuing commercial whaling quotas for 2008, on the back of Norway's recent decision to approve a quota. "Whale protection requires binding rules that apply to all countries," Mr Garrett said in a statement today. "Unfortunately, a small number of countries are opting out of commission rules or using loopholes to continue hunting whales."
Back to Contents
31. Rare White Killer Whale Spotted In Alaskan Waters (Alaska)
Abridged from: Science Daily
19 March 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
Scientists aboard the NOAA research vessel Oscar Dyson in the North Pacific have sighted a creature of great rarity and even myth: a white whale. The white killer whale was spotted with its pod about two miles off Kanaga Volcano, part of Alaska’s Aleutian Islands, on February 23.
Back to Contents
32. WWF: Fishing restrictions not protecting Maui's dolphins (New Zealand)
Abridged from: TV3 News
19 March 2008
Full text: http://www.tv3.co.nz
Conservationists say photos of dead common dolphins released yesterday were proof current fishing restrictions were not working to protect a rare breed of dolphin. Photos of 22 dead common dolphins were released by Conservation Minister Steve Chadwick. World Wildlife Fund New Zealand executive director Chris Howe said the photos were horrific proof that current fishing restrictions were not protecting the rare marine maui's dolphins.
Back to Contents
33. Tiny Mexican porpoise near extinct from fish nets (Mexico)
Abridged from: Environmental News Network
18 March 2008
Full text: http://www.enn.com
The vaquita, a tiny stubby-nosed porpoise found only in Mexico's Sea of Cortez, is on the brink of extinction as more die each year in fishing nets than are being born, biologists say. A drop in vaquita numbers to as few as 150 from around 600 at the start of the decade could see the famously shy animal go the same way as the Chinese river dolphin, which was declared all but extinct in 2006.
Back to Contents
34. Oceans abysmal (Australia)
Abridged from: The Australian, Opinion by Phillip Adams
15 March 2008
Full text: http://blogs.theaustralian.news.com.au
Planet Earth should really be called Planet Water. Because most of it is. On a rough estimate, nine-tenths. Though the dry bits were afterthoughts, we focus most of our interests and concerns on them. Thus our knowledge of the depths is shallow. We know more about our moon, aptly described by Tim Flannery as “that dead rock”, than we do about our oceans. And what we do know about the wet bits is limited to the first few metres. Ninety per cent of the 90 per cent remains mysterious and unexplored.
Back to Contents
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Marine Species
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PETROLEUM AND MINERALS
35. Australia plans carbon storage under ocean (Australia)
Abridged from: Reuters
19 March 2008
Full text: http://in.reuters.com
Australia plans to allow greenhouse gas emissions to be stored in the ocean floor around the island continent, with exploration for suitable sites possibly starting in 2008. Energy Minister Martin Ferguson said the government would amend the Offshore Petroleum Act this year to allow for seabed storage of carbon emissions from coal-fired power stations. "Australia has significant geological storage potential, particularly in our offshore sedimentary basins," Ferguson told an energy conference in Sydney late on Tuesday.
Back to Contents
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RECREATION AND TOURISM
36. Endangered Species Highlighted in Tourism Report (New Zealand)
Abridged from: Scoop
25 March 2008
Full text: http://www.scoop.co.nz
New Zealand has received the worst possible ranking, last amongst 130 countries, for its protection of threatened species, according to the World Economic Forum’s latest Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report. Care for the Wild International chief executive, Dr Barbara Maas, says “The T&TCR provides a timely wake-up call for New Zealand as the Government considers what protection will be afforded to the endangered Hector’s and Maui’s dolphins.”
Further information: http://www.weforum.org
Back to Contents
37. Far Below the Surface of the World’s Oceans, a Tough Place for Foam Cups (USA)
Abridged from: The New York Times
25 March 2008
Full text: http://www.nytimes.com
Last August, as a team at the North Pole prepared to plunge more than two miles to the bottom of the Arctic Ocean, some of the dozens of specialists who staged the dive engaged in a time-honored ritual: drawing on foam cups, decorating more than 100 of them. The cups were then gingerly sent into the deep. During the historic dive, led by Russian scientists, the pressure of the surrounding water crushed the cups to the size of thimbles, also squeezing their whimsies of writing and drawing.
Back to Contents
38. Ray jumps, kills boater off Florida Keys (USA)
Abridged from: Reuters
20 March 2008
Full text: http://www.reuters.com
A ray leaped onto a boat off the Florida Keys on Thursday and knocked a woman to the deck, killing her, wildlife investigators said. "It's a bizarre accident," said Jorge Pino, an officer with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The woman and her family were aboard a boat in the Atlantic Ocean, off the city of Marathon in the Florida Keys, he said. "A large ray jumped out of the water and collided with the victim," Pino said.
Back to Contents
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RESEARCH
39. Scientists look to the ocean for new drugs (USA)
Abridged from: United Press International
24 March 2008
Full text: http://www.upi.com
U.S. scientists are developing technologies aimed at using marine organisms to produce natural biomedicines to treat various diseases, such as cancer. Two studies by Scripps Institution of Oceanography researchers at the University of California-San Diego, each involving mass spectrometry, are being used to identify potent natural marine compounds.
Related articles:
http://www.sciencedaily.com
Back to Contents
40. Stinking seas not to blame for mass extinctions: scientists (UK)
Abridged from: ABC News Online
24 March 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
Scientists say they have ruled out a key hypothesis to explain Earth's greatest extinction, when 95 per cent of marine species and 70 per cent of land species were wiped out. Dubbed "the Great Dying" or "the mother of all mass extinctions," the catastrophe occurred around 250 million years ago at the end of the Permian era....British researchers, reporting in the journal Nature Geoscience, rule out a leading theory that the oceans became starved of oxygen and rich with sulphide, causing marine life to die out.
Back to Contents
41. Gulf Stream Leaves Its Signature Seven Miles High (International)
Abridged from: Science Daily
24 March 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
The Gulf Stream’s impact on climate is well known, keeping Iceland and Scotland comfortable in winter compared to the deep-freeze of Labrador at the same latitude. A new study reveals that the Gulf Stream anchors a precipitation band with upward motions and cloud formations that can reach 7 miles high and penetrate the upper troposphere.
Back to Contents
42. Shells Inspire Nano-battery Research For Cell Phones, PDAs (USA)
Abridged from: Science Daily
23 March 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
A scientist's research on sea snails has helped transform battery technology and may end the era when cell phones die if they're dropped and PDAs must be replaced if they get dunked in the tub.
Back to Contents
43. NZ Antarctic voyagers return with scientific treasure trove (New Zealand)
Abridged from: nzherald.co.nz
20 March 2008
Full text: http://www.nzherald.co.nz
Scientists and crew of New Zealand's biggest scientific voyage in the Antarctic waters of its Ross Sea dependency have returned with a treasure trove of new fish and other organisms. The research vessel Tangaroa returned to Wellington today after completing the most comprehensive survey of marine life in the region. The 7140 nautical mile voyage surveyed some areas and habitats for the first time, and uncovered many species that are new to science. The voyage would contribute to two global science programmes: International Polar Year and the Census of Antarctic Marine Life.
Back to Contents
44. Giant eddy cools Sydney's waters (Australia)
Abridged from: Science Alerts
20 March 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencealert.com.au
The giant ocean eddy that cooled Sydney’s shores a year ago has been superseded by another 300 km diameter giant. CSIRO Wealth from Oceans National Research Flagship scientist, Dr David Griffin, says the ‘birth’ of the eddy has been traced to last August. “From satellite maps of sea-level we can see that it had been loitering this side of Lord Howe Island for some time and began approaching the NSW coast near Christmas,” Dr Griffin says.
Further information: http://www.csiro.au
Back to Contents
45. 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
Back to Contents
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Marine and Coastal Research
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PUBLICATIONS & WEBSITES
46. In Dead Water: Report UNEP (International)
The world’s oceans are under stress as a result of overfishing, pollution and other environmentally-damaging activities in the coastal zones and now on the high seas. Climate change is presenting a further and wide-ranging challenge with new and emerging threats to the sustainability and productivity of a key economic and environmental resource. This new, rapid response report attempts to focus the numerous impacts on the marine environment in order to assess how multiple stresses including climate change might shape the marine world over the coming years and decades...
Download report (note approx 6.3 MB) http://www.grida.no
Back to Contents
47. 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
Back to Contents
48. 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
Back to Contents
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
49. 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
Back to Contents
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Act Now
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
50. 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.
Back to Contents
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AWARDS
51. 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.
Back to Contents
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WORKSHOPS, CONFERENCES AND EVENTS
COMING UP (March - April 2008)
52. 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/
Back to Contents
53. 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
Back to Contents
54. 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
Back to Contents
CALL FOR PAPERS & ABSTRACTS
55. 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.
Back to Contents
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
View full calendar of events on MCCN website:Workshops, Conferences and Events
**********************************************************************************************************
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
MARINE AND COASTAL LEGISLATION, POLICY AND PLANNING
1. It’s Time for Canada to Commit to Oceans Management Plans (Canada)
2. Commerce Department Appoints Members to Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee (USA)
3. Fisheries legislation proposes new anti-poaching powers (Australia)
NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
4. UN urged to recognise region's environmental value (Australia)
5. Eulogy by John Williams: Peter Cullen 1943-2008 (Australia)
MARINE PROTECTED AREAS
6. Protection for icy 'oasis' gets boost (New Zealand)
7. An ocean's ripple effects (Kiribati)
FISHERIES
8. Troubled waters (Australia)
9. South Africa Court Upholds Abalone Fishing Ban (South Africa)
10. All about: Global fishing (Hong Kong)
11. Salmon, seabirds and the state of the ocean (USA)
12. Krill fishing threatens the Antarctic - Intensive harvesting of the tiny crustaceans for fish food and Omega 3 puts ecosystem at risk (Antarctica)
13. Saving the athlete of the ocean (Australia)
14. French driftnetters will not fish in 2008 (Europe)
15. Fish stocks heading for wild swings in population Canada)
AQUACULTURE
16. New marine farming zone declared (New Zealand)
CLIMATE CHANGE
17. Climate change can be measured daily says researcher (Australia)
18. Native species under climate threat (Australia)
19. Has the Great Barrier Reef got a future? (Australia)
20. A seamless transition (Wales)
21. Some algae help coral survive warming waters: study (Australia)
COASTAL DEVELOPMENT
22. Kimberley threatened by mining boom (Australia)
23. Darwin Harbour given the thumbs up (Australia)
MARINE SPECIES
24. Albatross numbers under threat (Australia)
25. Animal group files suit to stop sea lion killings (USA)
26. Pioneer Marine Scientist Boards Amphibian Ark - Jean-Michel Cousteau Urges All to Take Action and Help Save the Frogs (USA)
27. When a longtime friendship heads into stormy waters (Australia)
28. Antarctic explorers come face to face with sea giants (Antarctica)
29. Fishing nets threaten dolphins (New Zealand)
30. Garrett calls on Iceland, Norway to end whaling (Australia)
31. Rare White Killer Whale Spotted In Alaskan Waters (Alaska)
32. WWF: Fishing restrictions not protecting Maui's dolphins (New Zealand)
33. Tiny Mexican porpoise near extinct from fish nets (Mexico)
34. Oceans abysmal (Australia)
PETROLEUM AND MINERALS
35. Australia plans carbon storage under ocean (Australia)
RECREATION & TOURISM
36. Endangered Species Highlighted in Tourism Report (New Zealand)
37. Far Below the Surface of the World’s Oceans, a Tough Place for Foam Cups (USA)
38. Ray jumps, kills boater off Florida Keys (USA)
RESEARCH
39. Scientists look to the ocean for new drugs (USA)
40. Stinking seas not to blame for mass extinctions: scientists (UK)
41. Gulf Stream Leaves Its Signature Seven Miles High (International)
42. Shells Inspire Nano-battery Research For Cell Phones, PDAs (USA)
43. NZ Antarctic voyagers return with scientific treasure trove (New Zealand)
44. Giant eddy cools Sydney's waters (Australia)
45. Sea-wheat grass research: survey for MCCN participants (Australia)
PUBLICATIONS & WEBSITES
46. In Dead Water: Report UNEP (International)
47. Coastal Councils Planning for Climate Change: Report (Australia)
48. Australian Sustainable Schools Initiative Website (Australia)
OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
49. Have your say on the QLD State Coastal Management Plan review (Australia)
EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
50. Link up and learn (Australia)
AWARDS
51. World Environment Day Awards 2008 (Australia)
WORKSHOPS, CONFERENCES AND EVENTS
52. Earth Hour 08 (International)
53. Solutions to Coastal Disasters Conference (Hawaii)
54. Join Project AWARE’s Dive for Earth Day 2008 (Australia)
CALL FOR PAPERS & ABSTRACTS
55. Coastal Zone Asia-Pacific Conference (China)
************************************************************
MARINE AND COASTAL LEGISLATION, POLICY AND PLANNING
1. It’s Time for Canada to Commit to Oceans Management Plans (Canada)
Abridged from: CFTK TV
25 March 2008
Full text: http://www.cftktv.com
Environmental organizations including the David Suzuki Foundation, the Living Oceans Society, and the Sierra Club of British Columbia are asking the federal government to commit to establishing a comprehensive marine-use and conservation-planning process for the Pacific North Coast Integrated Management Area on Canada’s West Coast.
Back to Contents
2. Commerce Department Appoints Members to Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee (USA)
Abridged from: Media Release, NOAA
21 March 2008
Full text: http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov
The (US) Department of Commerce, in consultation with the Department of the Interior, has appointed 13 new members to the Marine Protected Areas Federal Advisory Committee. The agency has also reappointed one member to a new two-year term. The committee is supported by the National Marine Protected Areas Centre, established within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in cooperation with the Department of the Interior.
Back to Contents
3. Fisheries legislation proposes new anti-poaching powers (Australia)
Abridged from: Media Release, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke
20 March 2008
The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke today introduced legislation into Federal Parliament to boost the nation’s powers to fight illegal fishing. The Fisheries Legislation Amendment (New Governance Arrangements for the Australian Fisheries Management Authority and Other Matters) Bill 2008 will help to protect our $2 billion fishing industry. It gives stronger powers to our border protection officers to apprehend ships involved in illegal fishing and creates new offences for Australian citizens involved in poaching overseas.
Back to Contents
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Marine and Coastal Legislation, Policy and Planning
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
4. UN urged to recognise region's environmental value (Australia)
Abridged from: ABC News Online
24 March 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
A regional natural resources group wants the environmental value and development pressures along the Queensland coast between Noosa and Bundaberg recognised by the United Nations. Next month, the Burnett Mary Regional Group will apply to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation to classify the Great Sandy Straits as a biosphere reserve.
Back to Contents
5. Eulogy by John Williams: Peter Cullen 1943-2008 (Australia)
Source: Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, Website
19 March 2008
Full text: http://www.wentworthgroup.org
Back to Contents
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Natural Resource Management
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MARINE PROTECTED AREAS
6. Protection for icy 'oasis' gets boost (New Zealand)
Abridged from: nzherald.co.nz
24 March 2008
Full text: http://www.nzherald.co.nz
The big research voyage just completed by scientists in New Zealand's Ross Sea may give the Government the final ammunition it requires to seek special United Nations protection for the icy Balleny Islands. New Zealand is building a scientific case for a marine protected area in international waters around the archipelago - described as a marine "oasis" on the edge of the Ross Sea.
Back to Contents
7. An ocean's ripple effects (Kiribati)
Abridged from: International Herald Tribune
23 March 2008
Full text: http://www.iht.com
Home to thriving coral reefs, some 500 species of fish and bird breeding grounds, the Phoenix Islands Protected Area (PIPA) sits in the Pacific Ocean, halfway between Hawaii and Australia. It is a living example of how marine resources can be preserved without harming the economies that depend on them.
Back to Contents
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Marine Protected Areas
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FISHERIES
8. Troubled waters (Australia)
Abridged from: The Age
25 March 2008
Full text: http://www.theage.com.au
The die has been cast. But what effect will dredging have on the fish and seafood stocks of Port Phillip Bay, asks Richard Cornish...Although Port Phillip Bay is a relatively small catchment, producing about 400 tonnes of fish (worth roughly $2.5 million), its real importance lies in the fact that it is so close to Melbourne. A fish caught in the bay in the early hours of this morning could well be on your plate tonight.
Back to Contents
9. South Africa Court Upholds Abalone Fishing Ban (South Africa)
Abridged from: Planet Ark
25 March 2008
Full text: http://www.planetark.com
A South African court has dismissed a bid by a group of fishermen to overturn an official ban on commercial abalone fishing, the environmental affairs ministry said on Thursday. South Africa's Environmental Affairs Minister ordered the indefinite ban to protect existing natural stocks of the shellfish, which is threatened with extinction.
Back to Contents
10. All about: Global fishing (Hong Kong)
Abridged from: CNN.com/Asia
24 March 2008
Full text: http://edition.cnn.com
It is commonly said that we know more about the Moon than the deep blue sea. Despite the fact that the sea takes up 95 percent of the world's living space, just 7 percent of it has been properly studied and sampled, according to the United Nations Environment Program... In the past 20 years, the UN says we have managed to double both the percentage of fish stocks facing collapse - from 15 percent in 1987 to 30 percent last year - as well as the amount that are overexploited, from 20 per cent to around 40 percent.
Back to Contents
11. Salmon, seabirds and the state of the ocean (USA)
Abridged from: Pressdemo.com
23 March 2008
full text: http://www1.pressdemocrat.com
Chinook salmon returns are low. Coho salmon returns are low. The breeding success of seabirds is low, too. Together, this suggests that this year's sharp drop in the salmon population is the result of recent, dramatic changes in ocean conditions.
Back to Contents
12. Krill fishing threatens the Antarctic - Intensive harvesting of the tiny crustaceans for fish food and Omega 3 puts ecosystem at risk (Antarctica)
Abridged from: guardian.co.uk
23 March 2008
Full text: http://www.guardian.co.uk
The Antarctic, one of the planet's last unspoilt ecosystems, is under threat from mankind's insatiable appetite for harvesting the seas. The population of krill, a tiny crustacean, is in danger from the growing demand for health supplements and food for fish farms. Global warming has already been blamed for a dramatic fall in numbers because the ice that is home to the algae and plankton they feed on is melting. Now 'suction' harvesting which gathers up vast quantities has been introduced to meet the increased demand.
Back to Contents
13. Saving the athlete of the ocean (Australia)
Abridged from: The Sydney Morning Herald
21 March 2008
Full text: http://www.smh.com.au
With southern bluefin tuna, it seems it's all about muscle. This fish is an anatomical extreme of muscular exertion. Powered by a large heart and warm blood, it's a rare combination: a burst-of-speed predator and a long-distance cruiser....Another type of muscle, the political and commercial kind, sent the fish's numbers plummeting to critical endangerment, so strong was consumer demand.
Back to Contents
14. French driftnetters will not fish in 2008 (Europe)
Abridged from: Environmental News Network
20 March 2008
Full text: http://www.enn.com
The European Court of Justice refuses to grant a fleet a temporary exemption to permit the use of driftnets. Oceana has reported the French fleet on numerous occasions for using this illegal fishing gear in the Mediterranean, which operated with support from the French government. Driftnets, a fishing gear that can reach dozens of kilometres in length, were prohibited in the European Union in 2002 because they constitute a threat to the conservation of cetaceans, sea turtles and sharks.
Back to Contents
15. Fish stocks heading for wild swings in population Canada)
Abridged from: New Scientist
19 March 2008
Full text: http://environment.newscientist.com
Predicting how many fish it is safe to catch without destroying fish stocks just got harder. A major study of 147 different fisheries around the world has found that when a stock is badly depleted, the number of juveniles that survive each year becomes highly variable – making it harder to calculate a safe catch, or to predict how long a battered stock will take to recover.
Back to Contents
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Commercial and Recreational Fishing Impacts
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AQUACULTURE
16. New marine farming zone declared (New Zealand)
Abridged from: Radio New Zealand
25 March 2008
Full text: http://www.radionz.co.nz
A new aquaculture management zone has been declared in the Firth of Thames. The new Wilson Bay marine farming zone is 1.5km off the coast of Kereta, 5km south of the entrance to Coromandel Harbour. It is established under new legislation following a moratorium on new marine farming which was imposed in 2001. Now that the new interim zone has been declared, the Ministry of Fisheries has to consider any effects it may have on fishing and fishery resources in the area.
Related articles:
http://www.scoop.co.nz
Back to Contents
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Aquaculture
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CLIMATE CHANGE
17. Climate change can be measured daily says researcher (Australia)
Abridged from: The Courier Mail
25 March 2008
Full text: http://www.news.com.au
An Australian researcher says climate change could be measured on a daily basis, not just in the long term, by monitoring changes in coral. Geoscientist Luke Nothdurft said coral was a good indicator of changes in water temperature over time and the rate of global warming. But conventional measurement techniques studied coral in a similar way to a tree being examined for annual growth rings and this could lead to inaccuracies, Mr Nothdurft said.
Back to Contents
18. Native species under climate threat (Australia)
Abridged from: The Australian
25 March 2008
Full text:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au
Climate change poses a grave threat to native species and a boon for introduced pests such as the cane toad. Human responses to climate change, such as increased farming in northern Australia, could also harm fragile birds and animals, a WWF report says. Species identified as being under threat of extinction due to global warming include bilbies, rock wallabies, quolls, turtles and Gouldian finches. The report - Australian Species and Climate Change - says higher temperatures and altered rainfall patterns will hurt such species, while bushfires and invasive species will also increase.
Related articles:
http://www.abc.net.au
Back to Contents
19. Has the Great Barrier Reef got a future? (Australia)
Abridged from: Science Alerts, Opinion by J.E.N. Veron
25 March 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencealert.com.au
Once I would have thought that a ridiculous question. Yet today, if we assemble all the best science we have, the answer can at best be “maybe”. It may seem preposterous that the greatest coral reef in the world – the biggest structure made by life on Earth – could be seriously (I mean genuinely seriously) threatened by climate change...
Back to Contents
20. A seamless transition (Wales)
Abridged from: The Australian
22 March 2008
Full text: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au
...The threat of climate change may require a radical and painful interruption to the exploitation of Australia's vast and still relatively untapped coal reserves...The availability of new sources of more expensive but cleaner energy are proving to be just as serendipitous as fossil fuels. Australia looks as if it will again be a winner, blessed as it is with abundant sunshine, persistent winds and hot underground rocks. And so does Wales. The windswept principality plans to be energy self-sufficient by 2030, powered by an array of energy sources: nuclear, biomass, wind, waves and tides.
Back to Contents
21. Some algae help coral survive warming waters: study (Australia)
Abridged from: ABC News Online
20 March 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
Researchers from the Australian Institute of Marine Science have found certain types of algae can help corals withstand higher sea temperatures and prevent them from bleaching. Coral reefs are vulnerable to climate change and without rapid genetic adaptation, they will not survive projected sea temperature increases over the next 50 years, experts say. But in an article published in latest issue of the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, researchers say they may have found an answer to why some corals continue to thrive in warmer waters when others die.
Back to Contents
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Climate Change
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COASTAL DEVELOPMENT
22. Kimberley threatened by mining boom (Australia)
Abridged from: ABC News Online
20 March 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
The pristine Kimberley region in Western Australia is one of the nation's natural wonders but that could change if a multi-million dollar gas project gets the green light. Environmentalists are up in arms but the traditional landowners believe they are entitled to reap the financial rewards. The Pilbara region is known as the hub of the Australian resources boom but now there is pressure on pristine parts of the Kimberley region further north to cash in on the seemingly endless riches.
Related articles:
View ABC 7:30 Report podcast: http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au
Back to Contents
23. Darwin Harbour given the thumbs up (Australia)
Abridged from: ABC News Online
19 March 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
An Australian water quality expert is warning the Territory Government needs to do more to protect coastal mangroves. Dr Michele Burford has been testing water quality for six months as part of a $1 million study by a scientific group called the Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge Network. She says mangroves occupy 20 per cent of the Darwin Harbour foreshore and 40 per cent of the mud flats. She says protecting the mangroves is the best way to ensure future development does not threaten the natural environment.
Back to Contents
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Coastal Development
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MARINE SPECIES
24. Albatross numbers under threat (Australia)
Abridged from: ABC News Online
25 March 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
The World Wildlife Fund is calling for better protection of albatross nesting sites after new research revealed the species is under an increased threat from pests. A Macqaurie University study into the effect of climate change on endangered species has predicted warmer temperatures will see feral species thrive in island and coastal habitats.
Back to Contents
25. Animal group files suit to stop sea lion killings (USA)
Abridged from: Reuters
24 March 2008
Full text: http://www.reuters.com
Animal protection groups filed a lawsuit to prevent Washington state and Oregon from killing sea lions that feed on dwindling U.S. Pacific Northwest salmon populations. The Humane Society of the United States and others filed the suit in a federal court in Oregon after the National Marine Fisheries Services granted permission last week to the states to target up to 85 sea lions a year near the Bonneville Dam.
Back to Contents
26. Pioneer Marine Scientist Boards Amphibian Ark - Jean-Michel Cousteau Urges All to Take Action and Help Save the Frogs (USA)
Abridged from: Media Release, Amphibian Ark
24 March 2008
Full text: : http://www.amphibianark.org
Self-proclaimed “frogman” Jean-Michel Cousteau has partnered with Amphibian Ark, the global nonprofit organisation that is coordinating the emergency rescue of the most threatened amphibian species, as a spokesperson. He joins Sir David Attenborough, Jeff Corwin, and thousands of zoos, aquaria, and conservation organizations to support Amphibian Ark in rallying the planet to avert this mass extinction. Frogs are a crucial part of the ecosystem, and they act as indicators to the environment’s health.
Further information: http://www.amphibianark.org
Back to Contents
27. When a longtime friendship heads into stormy waters (Australia)
Abridged from: The Age
22 March 2008
Full text: http://www.theage.com.au
The synoptic chart of Antarctica this week showed cold fronts hurling themselves onto its coastline like giant hammers, day after day. On satellite maps the sea ice was well into its annual march out into the Southern Ocean. It is time for whales to head north. This is the autumn of the most tumultuous Antarctic season since commercial whaling halted 22 years ago — its reverberations are already being felt in international legal circles and in Australia's relations with Japan.
Back to Contents
28. Antarctic explorers come face to face with sea giants (Antarctica)
Abridged from: The Independent
22 March 2008
Full text: http://www.independent.co.uk
After 50 days exploring the frigid waters of Antarctica, a group of New Zealand-led scientists is certain of two things: there are lots of previously unknown creatures out there, and some of them are positively enormous. The marine life encountered during the 2,000-mile voyage through the Ross Sea, off the north coast of the frozen continent, included jellyfish with 12ft-long tentacles, giant sea snails and starfish the size of food platters.
Back to Contents
29. Fishing nets threaten dolphins (New Zealand)
Abridged from: Science Alerts
21 March 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencealert.com.au
The Common Dolphin may not be so common in New Zealand waters in the future if more deaths - such as the 22 killed in a single bycatch by commercial fishing boats - occur, says Massey University marine biologist Karen Stockin. She prompted the Minister of Conservation Steve Chadwick into releasing photographs - through an official information request - of battered, bloody carcasses of 22 Common Dolphins caught last December in trawl nets off the West Coast of the North Island.
30. Garrett calls on Iceland, Norway to end whaling (Australia)
Abridged from: The Sydney Morning Herald
19 March 2008
Full text: http://www.smh.com.au
Environment Minister Peter Garrett has called on Iceland and Norway to respect the international global moratorium on commercial whaling. The call follows reports Iceland is considering issuing commercial whaling quotas for 2008, on the back of Norway's recent decision to approve a quota. "Whale protection requires binding rules that apply to all countries," Mr Garrett said in a statement today. "Unfortunately, a small number of countries are opting out of commission rules or using loopholes to continue hunting whales."
Back to Contents
31. Rare White Killer Whale Spotted In Alaskan Waters (Alaska)
Abridged from: Science Daily
19 March 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
Scientists aboard the NOAA research vessel Oscar Dyson in the North Pacific have sighted a creature of great rarity and even myth: a white whale. The white killer whale was spotted with its pod about two miles off Kanaga Volcano, part of Alaska’s Aleutian Islands, on February 23.
Back to Contents
32. WWF: Fishing restrictions not protecting Maui's dolphins (New Zealand)
Abridged from: TV3 News
19 March 2008
Full text: http://www.tv3.co.nz
Conservationists say photos of dead common dolphins released yesterday were proof current fishing restrictions were not working to protect a rare breed of dolphin. Photos of 22 dead common dolphins were released by Conservation Minister Steve Chadwick. World Wildlife Fund New Zealand executive director Chris Howe said the photos were horrific proof that current fishing restrictions were not protecting the rare marine maui's dolphins.
Back to Contents
33. Tiny Mexican porpoise near extinct from fish nets (Mexico)
Abridged from: Environmental News Network
18 March 2008
Full text: http://www.enn.com
The vaquita, a tiny stubby-nosed porpoise found only in Mexico's Sea of Cortez, is on the brink of extinction as more die each year in fishing nets than are being born, biologists say. A drop in vaquita numbers to as few as 150 from around 600 at the start of the decade could see the famously shy animal go the same way as the Chinese river dolphin, which was declared all but extinct in 2006.
Back to Contents
34. Oceans abysmal (Australia)
Abridged from: The Australian, Opinion by Phillip Adams
15 March 2008
Full text: http://blogs.theaustralian.news.com.au
Planet Earth should really be called Planet Water. Because most of it is. On a rough estimate, nine-tenths. Though the dry bits were afterthoughts, we focus most of our interests and concerns on them. Thus our knowledge of the depths is shallow. We know more about our moon, aptly described by Tim Flannery as “that dead rock”, than we do about our oceans. And what we do know about the wet bits is limited to the first few metres. Ninety per cent of the 90 per cent remains mysterious and unexplored.
Back to Contents
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Marine Species
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PETROLEUM AND MINERALS
35. Australia plans carbon storage under ocean (Australia)
Abridged from: Reuters
19 March 2008
Full text: http://in.reuters.com
Australia plans to allow greenhouse gas emissions to be stored in the ocean floor around the island continent, with exploration for suitable sites possibly starting in 2008. Energy Minister Martin Ferguson said the government would amend the Offshore Petroleum Act this year to allow for seabed storage of carbon emissions from coal-fired power stations. "Australia has significant geological storage potential, particularly in our offshore sedimentary basins," Ferguson told an energy conference in Sydney late on Tuesday.
Back to Contents
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RECREATION AND TOURISM
36. Endangered Species Highlighted in Tourism Report (New Zealand)
Abridged from: Scoop
25 March 2008
Full text: http://www.scoop.co.nz
New Zealand has received the worst possible ranking, last amongst 130 countries, for its protection of threatened species, according to the World Economic Forum’s latest Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report. Care for the Wild International chief executive, Dr Barbara Maas, says “The T&TCR provides a timely wake-up call for New Zealand as the Government considers what protection will be afforded to the endangered Hector’s and Maui’s dolphins.”
Further information: http://www.weforum.org
Back to Contents
37. Far Below the Surface of the World’s Oceans, a Tough Place for Foam Cups (USA)
Abridged from: The New York Times
25 March 2008
Full text: http://www.nytimes.com
Last August, as a team at the North Pole prepared to plunge more than two miles to the bottom of the Arctic Ocean, some of the dozens of specialists who staged the dive engaged in a time-honored ritual: drawing on foam cups, decorating more than 100 of them. The cups were then gingerly sent into the deep. During the historic dive, led by Russian scientists, the pressure of the surrounding water crushed the cups to the size of thimbles, also squeezing their whimsies of writing and drawing.
Back to Contents
38. Ray jumps, kills boater off Florida Keys (USA)
Abridged from: Reuters
20 March 2008
Full text: http://www.reuters.com
A ray leaped onto a boat off the Florida Keys on Thursday and knocked a woman to the deck, killing her, wildlife investigators said. "It's a bizarre accident," said Jorge Pino, an officer with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The woman and her family were aboard a boat in the Atlantic Ocean, off the city of Marathon in the Florida Keys, he said. "A large ray jumped out of the water and collided with the victim," Pino said.
Back to Contents
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RESEARCH
39. Scientists look to the ocean for new drugs (USA)
Abridged from: United Press International
24 March 2008
Full text: http://www.upi.com
U.S. scientists are developing technologies aimed at using marine organisms to produce natural biomedicines to treat various diseases, such as cancer. Two studies by Scripps Institution of Oceanography researchers at the University of California-San Diego, each involving mass spectrometry, are being used to identify potent natural marine compounds.
Related articles:
http://www.sciencedaily.com
Back to Contents
40. Stinking seas not to blame for mass extinctions: scientists (UK)
Abridged from: ABC News Online
24 March 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
Scientists say they have ruled out a key hypothesis to explain Earth's greatest extinction, when 95 per cent of marine species and 70 per cent of land species were wiped out. Dubbed "the Great Dying" or "the mother of all mass extinctions," the catastrophe occurred around 250 million years ago at the end of the Permian era....British researchers, reporting in the journal Nature Geoscience, rule out a leading theory that the oceans became starved of oxygen and rich with sulphide, causing marine life to die out.
Back to Contents
41. Gulf Stream Leaves Its Signature Seven Miles High (International)
Abridged from: Science Daily
24 March 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
The Gulf Stream’s impact on climate is well known, keeping Iceland and Scotland comfortable in winter compared to the deep-freeze of Labrador at the same latitude. A new study reveals that the Gulf Stream anchors a precipitation band with upward motions and cloud formations that can reach 7 miles high and penetrate the upper troposphere.
Back to Contents
42. Shells Inspire Nano-battery Research For Cell Phones, PDAs (USA)
Abridged from: Science Daily
23 March 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
A scientist's research on sea snails has helped transform battery technology and may end the era when cell phones die if they're dropped and PDAs must be replaced if they get dunked in the tub.
Back to Contents
43. NZ Antarctic voyagers return with scientific treasure trove (New Zealand)
Abridged from: nzherald.co.nz
20 March 2008
Full text: http://www.nzherald.co.nz
Scientists and crew of New Zealand's biggest scientific voyage in the Antarctic waters of its Ross Sea dependency have returned with a treasure trove of new fish and other organisms. The research vessel Tangaroa returned to Wellington today after completing the most comprehensive survey of marine life in the region. The 7140 nautical mile voyage surveyed some areas and habitats for the first time, and uncovered many species that are new to science. The voyage would contribute to two global science programmes: International Polar Year and the Census of Antarctic Marine Life.
Back to Contents
44. Giant eddy cools Sydney's waters (Australia)
Abridged from: Science Alerts
20 March 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencealert.com.au
The giant ocean eddy that cooled Sydney’s shores a year ago has been superseded by another 300 km diameter giant. CSIRO Wealth from Oceans National Research Flagship scientist, Dr David Griffin, says the ‘birth’ of the eddy has been traced to last August. “From satellite maps of sea-level we can see that it had been loitering this side of Lord Howe Island for some time and began approaching the NSW coast near Christmas,” Dr Griffin says.
Further information: http://www.csiro.au
Back to Contents
45. 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
Back to Contents
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Marine and Coastal Research
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PUBLICATIONS & WEBSITES
46. In Dead Water: Report UNEP (International)
The world’s oceans are under stress as a result of overfishing, pollution and other environmentally-damaging activities in the coastal zones and now on the high seas. Climate change is presenting a further and wide-ranging challenge with new and emerging threats to the sustainability and productivity of a key economic and environmental resource. This new, rapid response report attempts to focus the numerous impacts on the marine environment in order to assess how multiple stresses including climate change might shape the marine world over the coming years and decades...
Download report (note approx 6.3 MB) http://www.grida.no
Back to Contents
47. 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
Back to Contents
48. 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
Back to Contents
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
49. 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
Back to Contents
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Act Now
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
50. 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.
Back to Contents
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AWARDS
51. 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.
Back to Contents
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WORKSHOPS, CONFERENCES AND EVENTS
COMING UP (March - April 2008)
52. 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/
Back to Contents
53. 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
Back to Contents
54. 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
Back to Contents
CALL FOR PAPERS & ABSTRACTS
55. 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.
Back to Contents
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
View full calendar of events on MCCN website:Workshops, Conferences and Events
**********************************************************************************************************
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
Supported by the Australian Government 