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Wetstuff News 23 Apri 2008
IN THIS EDITION:
MARINE AND COASTAL LEGISLATION, POLICY AND PLANNING
1. Australia 2020 Summit - Initial Report (Australia)
2. When our oceans turn sour (Australia)
3. Marine Bill and its local implications (UK)
4. Parliamentary Secretary Kamp announces new Ocean Research and Science funding for the Strait of Georgia (Canada)
5. Australia And New Zealand Affirm Close Relationship On Whale Conservation (Australia)
MARINE PROTECTED AREAS
6. Parts of Northland coast off limits to aquaculture (New Zealand)
FISHERIES
7. US to end controversial shark ‘finning’ (USA)
8. B.C. base leads the war on drift nets (Canada)
9. Where are the salmon? (USA)
10. Throw The Big Ones Back, Fishing Study Suggests (USA)
11. Illegal cod fishing in Arctic threatening fisheries: WWF (International)
AQUACULTURE
12. WWF discusses Aquaculture Impacts (New Zealand)
13. New aquaculture space of 803 hectares approved (New Zealand)
CLIMATE CHANGE
14. All at Sea (Alaska)
15. Scientists look for link between coral bleaching and global warming (Australia)
16. Acidic oceans may be water of life for plankton (International)
17. Surviving the Ocean Acid Test (International)
18. Oceans Absorbing Less CO2 May Have 1,500 Year Impact (Europe)
19. Stern 'underestimated' climate problem (UK)
20. World Sea Levels To Rise 1.5m By 2100 – Scientists (Europe)
NATURAL HAZARDS
21. Earthquake sensors track rise in ocean storms (International)
22. Mediterranean Tsunami Warning System Set For 2011 (Europe)
COASTAL DEVELOPMENT
23. Clam Diggers’ society at risk (Colombia)
24. Whatcom Land Trust buys 90 acres of marine shoreland (USA)
MARINE SPECIES
25. Canada's seal hunt wraps up (Canada)
26. Turtles to be climate change canaries (International)
27. Researchers Find Rare Giant Turtle In Vietnam (Vietnam)
28. NOAA outlines shark conservation measures (USA)
29. Killer whales bring the hunt onto land (Argentina)
30. Green Pirates Claim Victory on Whaling (USA)
PETROLEUM AND MINERALS
31. Australia gets bigger and richer (Australia)
32. Guarding the riches of the ocean (Pacific)
33. Politicians, oil industry reps, environmentalists play tug-of-war over development (Alaska)
SHIPPING & PORTS
34. White House delay on ship speed limit endangers whales (USA)
COASTAL WETLANDS
35. ADB blamed for mangroves destruction in Asean region (Philippines)
POLLUTION
36. Ocean Conservancy Report: The World's Only Snapshot of Trash in the Ocean and Its Hazardous Effects on Ocean Life (International)
37. Oil spill threatens marine life (Caribbean)
RESEARCH
38. Scientific model maps coral reefs' status (USA)
39. Mysterious striped currents revealed in the oceans (USA)
40. Building A Global Reference Library Of DNA Barcodes Of Marine Life (USA)
41. Freshening of deep Antarctic waters worries experts (Antarctica)
42. Ward Hunt Ice Shelf, Largest In Northern Hemisphere, Has Fractured Into Three Main Pieces (Canada)
43. New Model Predicts Where Corals Can Thrive (Indian Ocean)
44. Migratory Birds Make Mistakes In Direction, But Not Distance (Europe)
45. Underwater Microscope Helps Prevent Shellfish Poisoning Along Gulf Coast Of Texas (USA)
PUBLICATIONS & WEBSITES
46. Experience Marine Reserves Website – Marine NZ (New Zealand)
47. Marine Science Review 256: Introduced species (International)
OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
48. Review of the zoning plans for Jervis Bay and Solitary Islands Marine Parks (Australia)
49. Quarantine And Biosecurity Review – Submissions Close 28 April 2008 (Australia)
50. Inquiry into climate change and environmental impacts on coastal communities (Australia)
51. MCCN’s Coastal Survey 2008 – closes 18 May 2008 (Australia)
AWARDS
52. The Department of Sustainability and Environment Excellence in Marine and Coastal Management Award (Australia)
53. Call for Entries to Reuters-IUCN Environmental Media Awards (International)
54. 2008 Australian Museum Eureka Prize for Environmental Research (Australia)
55. World Environment Day Awards 2008 (Australia)
WORKSHOPS, CONFERENCES AND EVENTS
56. Enviro 08 (Australia)
57. Effects of Climate Change on the World's Oceans - International Symposium (Spain)
58. International Ocean Stewardship Forum 2008 (International)
59. The 3rd Congress of the International Society for Applied Phycology and the 11th International Conf (Ireland)
60. Asian Wetland Symposium 2008- Wetlands -The Heart of Asia (Vietnam)
CALL FOR PAPERS & ABSTRACTS
61. 29th Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology & Conservation (International)
62. Australian Protected Areas Congress 2008 (Australia)
63. Littoral 2008 - A Changing Coast: Challenge the Environmental Policies (Europe)
64. Coastal Zone Asia-Pacific Conference (China)
65. International Marine Conservation Congress: call for papers (International)
66. Final call for articles for MCCN’s WAVES magazine Vol 14 (2) (Australia)
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MARINE AND COASTAL LEGISLATION, POLICY AND PLANNING
1. Australia 2020 Summit - Initial Report (Australia)
Abridged from: Australian Government 2020 Summit Website
21 April 2008
Full text: http://www.australia2020.gov.au
The Initial Report from the 2020 Summit to the Prime Minister, sets out the key results of discussion by 1000 Australians over the weekend of 19 and 20 April in Canberra. The Report includes results across the 10 streams of the Summit, including ambitions, priority themes and top ideas from each stream. The Prime Minister announced that he would like to continue the “national conversation” through the Australia 2020 website.
Further information:
Download a presentation of initial reporting of the 2020 summit, including the “population, sustainability, climate change, water” stream reporting (approx 1MB download). http://www.australia2020.gov.au
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2. When our oceans turn sour (Australia)
Abridged from: Opinion Piece, The Age by Ross Allen and Anthony Bergin
21 April 2008
Full text: http://www.theage.com.au
In a speech to the Australian Strategic Policy Institute on Australia's focus on the Pacific, parliamentary secretary for Pacific Island affairs Duncan Kerr pointed to the effect of marine acidity on coral reefs, the backbone of economic activity for many islander communities. Kerr noted that if land drowns and coral reefs die, the Pacific faces mass movements of people, presenting strategic and humanitarian challenges for Australia. Confronting the profound problem of acid oceans that could devastate ocean life would demonstrate the Government's commitment to communities dependent on coastal resources in Australia, the Indian Ocean and South Pacific, as well as dealing with long-term global change.
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3. Marine Bill and its local implications (UK)
Abridged from: eGov Monitor
21 April 2008
Full text: http://www.egovmonitor.com
The challenge for any new legislation is to rejuvenate the coast, protect the seas and coastal habitats and ensure that coastal communities can see the benefits and support the changes says Dr. Andy Johnston as he discusses the new Marine Bill. Mass urbanisation coupled with easy access to Europe by train and plane means that it is easy to forget we are an island with a large coastline and a deep historical connection to the sea...Whether intentional or not, the recently published Draft Marine Bill could herald a renaissance on our coastline as government eventually tries to grapple with the challenges of marine habitat protection, fishing, offshore energy and access to the shore for recreation
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4. Parliamentary Secretary Kamp announces new Ocean Research and Science funding for the Strait of Georgia (Canada)
Abridged from: CNW Group
21 April 2008
Full text: http://www.newswire.ca
A comprehensive scientific research program is being launched in the Strait of Georgia to support the conservation of valuable fish stocks, Randy Kamp, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, announced today. The Ecosystem Research Initiative funded by the Government of Canada, will increase Fisheries and Oceans Canada's understanding of the health of the oceans, and the impacts that environmental changes are having on ocean conditions and fish populations.
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5. Australia And New Zealand Affirm Close Relationship On Whale Conservation (Australia)
Abridged from: Media Release, Australian Government, Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
Full text: http://www.environment.gov.au
April 2008
New Zealand and Australia will continue to work together to lead the global
debate on the conservation of whales. “By working together, we believe Australia and New Zealand can maximise their efforts for international whale conservation” Federal Environment
Minister Peter Garrett and New Zealand Conservation Minister Steve Chadwick said today.
Related articles:
http://www.smh.com.au
http://www.scoop.co.nz
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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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MARINE PROTECTED AREAS
6. Parts of Northland coast off limits to aquaculture (New Zealand)
Abridged from: Radio New Zealand News
16 April 2008
Full text: http://www.radionz.co.nz
Whangarei Harbour and the eastern Bay of Islands coastline are now officially off-limits for marine farming. The council says the restricted areas have been created in response to popular demand and they include marine reserves. It says the restrictions still leave plenty of coastline for aquaculture, but intending marine farmers will have to apply for a private plan change to have an area zoned for that purpose.
Related articles:
http://www.scoop.co.nz
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Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Marine Protected Areas
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FISHERIES
7. US to end controversial shark ‘finning’ (USA)
Abridged from: New Scientist
22 April 2008
Full text: http://environment.newscientist.com
The oceans just got a little safer for sharks. Fishermen must bring their shark catches to shore with fins still attached, the US fisheries service has decided. The new rule, put forward last week, aims to prevent fishermen from slicing fins off vulnerable species and discarding the rest at sea. "Finning", as the practice is known, is illegal in the US and elsewhere, but the ban is difficult to enforce.
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8. B.C. base leads the war on drift nets (Canada)
Abridged from: The Vancouver Sun
19 April 2008
Full text: http://www.canada.com
From May to October, surveillance planes from Canada, Japan, Russia and the U.S. search that immense body of water for illegal drift nets. Drift-net boat crews put out the banned nets at dusk and pull them in before dawn, to try to avoid being seen from the eyes in the sky above them....The nets - some as long as 40 kilometres - are an efficient but indiscriminate way to remove target and non-target fish during those six months, when the North Pacific's frigid waters are warmest and fish populations peak
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9. Where are the salmon? (USA)
Abridged from: Los Angeles Times, Opinion Piece, By William J. Sydeman
17 April 2008
Full text: http://www.latimes.com
Though there has been much reporting on the salmon crisis, like The Times' recent "U.S. halts commercial salmon season” and the New York Times' "The trouble with salmon,” no one has yet pointed out that the high numbers in 2002 were actually anomalous or that the increasing variability in salmon, bird and plankton populations all point to climate change as the main driving factor. The crash of salmon populations in California, Oregon and British Columbia this past fall has a lot of people worried.
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10. Throw The Big Ones Back, Fishing Study Suggests (USA)
Abridged from: Planet Ark
17 April 2008
Full text: http://www.planetark.com
Commercial and sport fishing destabilizes fish populations by targeting the biggest, oldest fish and leaving younger fish to proliferate too wildly, US researchers said on Wednesday. They said fisheries should in fact encourage the taking of smaller, younger fish instead of requiring that they be thrown back. "That type of regulation, which we see in many sport fisheries, is exactly wrong," George Sugihara of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego said in a statement.
Related articles:
http://www.sciencedaily.com
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11. Illegal cod fishing in Arctic threatening fisheries: WWF (International)
Abridged from: AFP
16 April 2008
Full text: http://afp.google.com
Illegal fishing of cod and pollock in the Arctic is a transnational crime that is putting the health of fisheries at risk, a report published Wednesday by conservation group WWF shows. The illegal activity is also adding pressure on fish stocks that are already feeling the impact of climate change, said the report. Some 70 percent of the world's white fish supply originates from the Arctic.
Related articles:
http://www.enn.com
http://www.ens-newswire.com
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Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Commercial and Recreational Fishing Impacts
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AQUACULTURE
12. WWF discusses Aquaculture Impacts (New Zealand)
Abridged from: Scoop
18 April 2008
Full text: http://www.scoop.co.nz
On Thursday and Friday of this week Aquaculture New Zealand is hosting the New Zealand round of the WWF Aquaculture Dialogues. Initiated in 2004, the WWF Aquaculture Dialogues have been have been held throughout the world. Involving a wide range of stakeholders within each country’s industry they have sought to establish a set of standards that can be used at a future date as the basis of an environmental certification programme.
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13. New aquaculture space of 803 hectares approved (New Zealand)
Abridged from: Scoop
17 April 2008
Full text: http://www.scoop.co.nz
New aquaculture space of 803 hectares has been approved for industry development (NZ) Fisheries Minister Jim Anderton announced today. The new aquaculture areas are in Golden Bay, Tasman Bay and the Kaipara Harbour..."Aquaculture in New Zealand has almost limitless potential. It employs over two and half thousand people and turns over a million dollars a day. The ambition is to create an industry worth $3 million a day to New Zealand in under twenty years.
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Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Aquaculture
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CLIMATE CHANGE
14. All at Sea (Alaska)
Abridged from: The Sydney Morning Herald
20 April 2008
Full text: http://www.smh.com.au
At Sarichef Island's northern edge, Raymond Weyouanna is checking whether his sled dogs have proper shelter. The tide is rising steadily and a fine spray breezes over as the Chuckchi Sea washes across the sandy beach. A crackling local newscast has issued a storm warning for the Alaskan west coast: "High surf between Wednesday 10am and Thursday 4am." For the Inupiaq people of Shishmaref, the island's only village, there is an extra warning: "Beach erosion is expected. Buildings and properties should be secured."
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15. Scientists look for link between coral bleaching and global warming (Australia)
Abridged from: ABC News Online
18 April 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
Marine Scientists are trying to determine whether damage to the Ningaloo reef is linked to climate change. Researchers believe 1.5 square kilometres of reef in Coral Bay was bleached during spawning several weeks ago. A number of fish and clams were also killed. Bleaching occurs when wind and ocean currents fail to disperse spawn causing a lack of oxygen in the water. Marine Scientist Dr Chris Simpson says climate change could be causing the problem.
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16. Acidic oceans may be water of life for plankton (International)
Abridged from: New Scientist
18 April 2008
Full text: http://environment.newscientist.com
Most life in the ocean will suffer as carbon dioxide levels increase and the water becomes more acidic. Some plankton will buck the trend, however, thriving and putting on weight as carbon dioxide levels rise – but it remains to be seen how this will affect the global carbon balance. Débora Iglesias-Rodríguez, from the National Oceanography Centre at the University of Southampton, UK, and her colleagues, simulated the increase in dissolved carbon dioxide in surface ocean waters by bubbling carbon dioxide through cultures of coccolithophores, a type of single-celled photosynthesising plankton.
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17. Surviving the Ocean Acid Test (International)
Abridged from: Science Now Daily News
17 April 2008
Full text: http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org
Despite dire warnings about the dangers of carbon dioxide buildup in Earth's atmosphere, the phenomenon may harm some residents of the ocean less than others. Researchers have found that one species of plankton seems to thrive on ocean changes due to increased CO2 content. The study serves as a reminder that nature can be more adaptive and resilient than expected when facing environmental challenges-although what those adaptations will mean for marine ecosystems remains an open question.
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18. Oceans Absorbing Less CO2 May Have 1,500 Year Impact (Europe)
Abridged from: Planet Ark
17 April 2008
Full text: http://www.planetark.com
Research from a five-year project funded by the European Union showed the North Atlantic, which along with the Antarctic is of the world's two vital ocean carbon sinks, is absorbing only half the amount of CO2 that it did in the mid-1990s...Oceans soak up around a quarter of annual CO2 emissions, but should they fail to do so in the future the gas would stay in the atmosphere and could accelerate the greenhouse effect, a prospect project director Christoph Heinze called "alarming".
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19. Stern 'underestimated' climate problem (UK)
Abridged from: The Australian
17 April 2008
Full text: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au
Climate change expert Nicholas Stern says he underestimated the threat from global warming in a major report 18 months ago when he compared the economic risk to the Great Depression of the 1930s. Latest climate science showed global emissions of planet-heating gases were rising faster and upsetting the climate more than previously thought, Stern said. For example, evidence was growing that the planet's oceans - an important "sink" - were increasingly saturated and couldn't absorb as much as previously of the main greenhouse gas carbon dioxide he said.
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20. World Sea Levels To Rise 1.5m By 2100 – Scientists (Europe)
Abridged from: Planet Ark
16 April 2008
Full text: http://www.planetark.com
Melting glaciers, disappearing ice sheets and warming water could lift sea levels by as much as 1.5 metres by the end of this century, displacing tens of millions of people, new research showed on Tuesday. Presented at a European Geosciences Union conference, the research forecasts a rise in sea levels three times higher than that predicted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change last year. Svetlana Jevrejeva of the Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory in Britain said the estimate was based on a new model allowing accurate reconstruction of sea levels over the past 2,000 years.
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Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Climate Change
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NATURAL HAZARDS
21. Earthquake sensors track rise in ocean storms (International)
Abridged from: New Scientist
18 April 2008
Full text: http://environment.newscientist.com
Seismometers that monitor earthquakes also record smaller vibrations caused by ocean storm waves, even when located 1000 miles from the sea. New scrutiny of that data, previously discarded as "noise", suggests that extreme storms are on the rise. Properly using the data from the global network of more than 100 seismometers would provide a new information source on the Earth's changing climate, and improve predictions of storm damage, researchers say.
Related articles:
http://www.sciencedaily.com
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22. Mediterranean Tsunami Warning System Set For 2011 (Europe)
Abridged from: Planet Ark
17 April 2008
Full text: http://www.planetark.com
Scientists are developing a tsunami warning system for the Mediterranean region which they said on Wednesday should be ready in 2011 and could save thousands of lives. The 40-50 million euro project started three years ago, shortly after the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that killed 230,000 people and which prompted Asian nations to develop warning systems.
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COASTAL DEVELOPMENT
23. Clam Diggers’ society at risk (Colombia)
Abridged from: Baltimore Sun
20 April 2008
Full text: http://www.baltimoresun.com
After a lifetime spent digging for black clams in the swamps that line the coast, Clojilda Velasco remembers when she could count on finding 400 a day. Now she's lucky if she gets 100...Oil spills, industrial pollution, drug traffickers and overharvesting are reducing the clam population in the mangroves of Tumaco and snuffing out the livelihoods of Velasco and other poor families who depend on the mollusks for subsistence.
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24. Whatcom Land Trust buys 90 acres of marine shoreland (USA)
Abridged from: seattlepi.com
18 April 2008
Full text: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com
Whatcom County is getting a 90-acre shoreline preserve that was once slated for development....Half of the funds were provided in a grant from the state Fish and Wildlife Department's new estuary and salmon restoration program. Land Trust President Chris Moench says Lily Point may be the most culturally and ecologically rich undeveloped private shoreline in the greater Puget Sound area. It's being deeded to the county for use as a marine reserve and public park, with the trust retaining a conservation easement.
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Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Coastal Development
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MARINE SPECIES
25. Canada's seal hunt wraps up (Canada)
Abridged from: ABC News Online
21 April 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans has officially closed the last and largest phase of the seal hunt off Newfoundland and Labrador. Officials say participation for this year's hunt was low, mainly because of the high price of fuel and the low price of pelts, which were selling for about half of what they were a year ago. Hunting conditions were far from ideal, with heavy sea ice and snow hampering the sealers. Federal officials say only about 80 per cent of this year's quota of 275,000 seals were taken.
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26. Turtles to be climate change canaries (International)
Abridged from: Environmental News Network
18 April 2008
Full text: http://www.enn.com
Just as canaries help miners monitor underground gases, marine turtles are emerging as excellent indicators of the effects of climate change. “Turtles are a really good way to study climate change because they depend on healthy beaches as well as mangroves, sea grass beds, coral reefs and deep ocean ecosystems to live”, said Dr. Lucy Hawkes, coordinator of an initiative to develop adaptation strategies for climate change impacts to turtles.
Further information: http://www.panda.org
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27. Researchers Find Rare Giant Turtle In Vietnam (Vietnam)
Abridged from: Planet Ark
18 April 2008
Full text: http://www.planetark.com
Biologists have identified a soft-shell giant turtle of cultural significance in northern Vietnam that was believed to be extinct in the wild, researchers said on Thursday. After three years of searching, Asian turtle experts found, photographed and identified the turtle the only known living such specimen, in a lake west of the capital, Hanoi.
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28. NOAA outlines shark conservation measures (USA)
Abridged from: Sport Fishing Magazine
17 April 2008
Full text: http://www.sportfishingmag.com
NOAA's Fisheries Service has outlined new measures to prevent overfishing and rebuild the number of sandbar and other shark species.
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29. Killer whales bring the hunt onto land (Argentina)
Abridged from: Reuters
17 April 2008
full text: http://uk.reuters.com
A six-tonne orca, or killer whale, torpedoes toward the beach, its dorsal fin cutting the Patagonian sea. It launches itself onto the sand in an explosion of water and foam. Before the waters die down, the orca is shaking its immense head from side to side with a sea lion pup clamped between his jaws. Then the orca wriggles into position to catch a wave to carry it back out to sea. This is a rare occurrence, in which a whale seems to defy its instincts by coming onto land, risking death if it becomes stranded on the inhospitable beach.
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30. Green Pirates Claim Victory on Whaling (USA)
Abridged from: New York Times
16 April 2008
Full text: http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com
The Japanese whaling fleet returned after a 5-month hunt with only half of what they hoped to catch, ostensibly in the name of science, though the meat ends up in the market. But this was no unlucky-fisherman tale, as a Japanese official told CNN. “This year’s mission was disrupted intensively by Greenpeace and Sea Shepherd, who use violent means for disturbance,” said Hajime Ishikawa, chief of Japan’s whaling mission.
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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 gets bigger and richer (Australia)
Abridged from: The Sydney Morning Herald
22 April 2008
Full text: http://www.smh.com.au
The Federal Government has forecast a "potential bonanza" of oil and gas riches following a decision by the United Nations to grant Australia an extra 2.5 million square kilometres in land - all of it under the sea. The Resources and Energy Minister, Martin Ferguson, announced that Australia's jurisdiction over the Continental Shelf in nine areas around the mainland and in the sub-Antarctic had been expanded beyond the existing 200 nautical mile limit. Although Australia will soon be able to lay claim to the oil, gas and any other deposits under the new territory, it will have no control over the waters above.
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32. Guarding the riches of the ocean (Pacific)
Abridged from: Mining Journal Online
18 April 2008
Full text: http://www.mining-journal.com
Space may be called the final frontier on TV, but for mining industry and environmentalists, bragging rights must surely go to the ocean deeps – the most inaccessible and unexplored regions on Earth. Speculation has continued for decades about the potential mineral riches on the ocean floor, but there have always been four problems with extracting them: no one really knows what is down there; the expense of prospecting for such minerals could be prohibitive; there is as yet no comprehensive internationally-agreed legal regime covering potential work in global waters; and there is the risk of causing irreparable damage to ecosystems that are barely understood.
Related articles:
ABC Radio podcast on the issue http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au (approx 11mb download)
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33. Politicians, oil industry reps, environmentalists play tug-of-war over development (Alaska)
Abridged from: Kodiak Daily Mirror
16 April 2008
Full text: http://www.kodiakdailymirror.com
In the aftermath of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, Congress, concerned the same disaster may happen in the violent waters of Bristol Bay, barred oil exploration in this fish-rich environment. Under pressure to curb increasing oil prices, in 2003, Congress, at the urging of Sen. Ted Kennedy, reversed its decision. Still, drilling didn’t take place because of a moratorium signed by President Bill Clinton in 1998. In January 2007, that too was overturned when President George W. Bush lifted the ban. Shortly after lifting the moratorium, Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne said the administration would open the area for oil and natural gas exploration under a five-year lease plan...
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SHIPPING AND PORTS
34. White House delay on ship speed limit endangers whales (USA)
Abridged from: The Independent
17 April 2008
Full text: http://www.independent.co.uk
The North Atlantic right whale, one of the most endangered mammals, is in danger of extinction because the Bush administration has, so far, refused to impose measures to protect the creatures from being hit by ships near busy US ports. Plans for a speed limit on shipping during the whales' migration season are bogged down in bureaucracy, which environmentalists say Vice-President Dick Cheney's office is orchestrating.
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COASTAL WETLANDS
35. ADB blamed for mangroves destruction in Asean region (Philippines)
Abridged from: Philippine Daily Inquirer
18 April 2008
Full text: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net
A fisheries coalition has held the Asian Development Bank accountable for mangrove loss and falling fish stocks as it "promoted environmentally destructive aquaculture in the Philippines, Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries in the ’70s until the ’90s.
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POLLUTION
36. Ocean Conservancy Report: The World's Only Snapshot of Trash in the Ocean and Its Hazardous Effects on Ocean Life (International)
Abridged from: The Earth Times
16 April 2008
Full text: http://www.earthtimes.org
In advance of Earth Day, Ocean Conservancy released its annual report on trash in the ocean with new data from the 2007 International Coastal Cleanup - the most comprehensive snapshot of the harmful impacts of marine debris. The mission of Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Cleanup is to engage people to remove trash from the world's beaches and waterways, to identify the sources of debris and to change the behaviours that cause pollution.
Related articles:
http://www.sciencedaily.com
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37. Oil spill threatens marine life (Caribbean)
Abridged from: Radio Jamaica
15 April 2008
Full text: http://www.radiojamaica.com
A Dominican environmentalist has cautioned that last week's oil spill at the Petrocaribe fuel storage facility could hurt the marine environment. The cause of the oil spill is not yet known and while the situation is said to be under control, former President of the Caribbean Conservation Association Atherton Martin has cautioned that it will not be long before the situation worsens.
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RESEARCH
38. Scientific model maps coral reefs' status (USA)
Abridged from: United Press International
21 April 2008
Full text: http://www.upi.com
U.S. and Dutch researchers have created a scientific model that can map where coral reefs are in the most trouble and where they can best be protected. Scientists with the Wildlife Conservation Society in New York and the International Institute for Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation in the Netherlands said the model synthesizes several ocean conditions, including photosynthetic and ultraviolet light, and factors them into previous reports of coral stress or bleaching. The data are then used to map the distribution of inhospitable conditions.
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39. Mysterious striped currents revealed in the oceans (USA)
Abridged from: New Scientist
21 April 2008
Full text: http://environment.newscientist.com
It’s amazing that nobody has spotted it before. Superimposed on every ocean on the planet there is a striped pattern of currents. Yet what causes them is a mystery. Between 1992 and 2003, Peter Niiler of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego, California, and colleagues collected data from more than 10,000 drifting ocean buoys, which they tracked with satellites.
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40. Building A Global Reference Library Of DNA Barcodes Of Marine Life (USA)
Abridged from: Science Daily
18 April 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
Most of us are familiar with bar codes... Now imagine scanning a DNA barcode on the piece of fish you just bought for dinner to instantly verify the species, where it came from, its nutritional value, and other valuable information. NOAA researchers are helping to make this scenario a reality.
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41. Freshening of deep Antarctic waters worries experts (Antarctica)
Abridged from: Environmental News Network
18 April 2008
Full text: http://www.enn.com
Scientists studying the icy depths of the sea around Antarctica have detected changes in salinity that could have profound effects on the world's climate and ocean currents. The scientists returned to Australia after a one-month voyage studying the Southern Ocean to see how it is changing and what those changes might mean for global climate patterns. Voyage leader Steve Rintoul said his team found that salty, dense water that sinks near the edge of Antarctica to the bottom of the ocean about 5 km down was becoming fresher and more buoyant.
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42. Ward Hunt Ice Shelf, Largest In Northern Hemisphere, Has Fractured Into Three Main Pieces (Canada)
Abridged from: Science Daily
16 April 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
A team of scientists including polar expert Dr. Derek Mueller from Trent University and Canadian Rangers have discovered that the largest ice shelf in the Northern Hemisphere has fractured into three main pieces. During their sovereignty patrol across the northernmost parts of Canada over the last two weeks, they visited a new 18 kilometre-long network of cracks running from the southern edge of the Ward Hunt Ice Shelf to the Arctic Ocean
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43. New Model Predicts Where Corals Can Thrive (Indian Ocean)
Abridged from: Science Daily
16 April 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
The Wildlife Conservation Society and the International Institute for Geo-Information Science and Earth have developed a new scientific model that accurately maps where coral reefs are in the most trouble and identifies regions where reefs can be protected best. The model, which is being applied in areas throughout the Indian Ocean, is described in a recent issue of the journal Ecological Modelling.
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44. Migratory Birds Make Mistakes In Direction, But Not Distance (Europe)
Abridged from: Science Daily
15 April 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
Migratory birds make mistakes in terms of direction, but not distance. These are the findings of a team of ornithologists and ecologists from the University of Marburg, the Ornithological Society in Bavaria and the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, writing in the Journal of Ornithology.
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45. Underwater Microscope Helps Prevent Shellfish Poisoning Along Gulf Coast Of Texas (USA)
Abridged from: Science Daily
16 April 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
Through the use of an automated, underwater cell analyzer developed at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, researchers and coastal managers were recently able to detect a bloom of harmful marine algae in the Gulf of Mexico and prevent human consumption of tainted shellfish.
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Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Marine and Coastal Research
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PUBLICATIONS & WEBSITES
46. Experience Marine Reserves Website – Marine NZ (New Zealand)
April 2008
Marine NZ is an information portal that is full of resources about our oceans and beaches. Those resources include stunning underwater photography and videography, as well as marine reports and presentations. It provides tools and resources for students, teachers and all those interested in marine conservation. It is a dynamic site, with interviews, discussions and blogs for visitors to participate in.
View website: http://www.marinenz.org.nz
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47. Marine Science Review 256: Introduced species (International)
Full text: http://64.130.1.197
April 2008
This 11 page publication by Seaweb reviews the latest marine science literature on introduced species.
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OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
48. Review of the zoning plans for Jervis Bay and Solitary Islands Marine Parks (Australia)
Abridged from: Marine Parks Authority NSW Release
The Marine Parks Authority (NSW) commenced a review of the zoning plans for Jervis Bay and Solitary Islands Marine Parks from 31 March 2008. The review will determine whether the current zoning plans for Jervis Bay and Solitary Islands Marine Parks remain appropriate for securing the objects of the Marine Parks Act 1997. The review commenced on 31 March 2008. Public submissions will be invited for a period of two months from that date.
Further information: http://www.mpa.nsw.gov.au; or T: 1300 361 967
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49. Quarantine And Biosecurity Review – Submissions Close 28 April 2008 (Australia)
Abridged from: Australian Government, The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
March 2008
The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke has announced a two-month extension for the wide-ranging independent review of Australia’s quarantine and biosecurity systems, following a request by the review head Roger Beale AO. Submissions to the review are now due by 28 April 2008 and the report will be submitted by 30 September 2008. Following public submissions, the review will hold targeted stakeholder meetings in state and territory capital cities.
Further information: http://www.quarantinebiosecurityreview.gov.au/ or T: 1800 196 192.
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50. Inquiry into climate change and environmental impacts on coastal communities (Australia)
Abridged from: Media Release, House Of Representatives Standing Committee On Climate Change, Water, Environment And The Arts, Inquiry into the Australian Coastal Zone
20 March 2008
The House of Representatives Climate Change, Water, Environment and the Arts Committee is to conduct an inquiry into climate change and environmental impacts on Australian coastal communities. Committee Chair Jennie George welcomed the co-referral of this inquiry by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts Peter Garrett MP and the Minister for Climate Change and Water Senator Penny Wong. “Much of Australia’s population and infrastructure is in the coastal zone, increasing our vulnerability to climate change impacts,” Ms George said. “The growth in population and intensification of land use along the coast is further increasing pressure on the environment in many areas.” “That both ministers jointly referred this inquiry to the committee reflects the critical importance of this area.” The committee will accept submissions until Friday, 30 May 2008.
Further details about the inquiry, including how to make a submission, can be obtained from the committee’s website at http://www.aph.gov.au/ccwea.
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51. MCCN’s Coastal Survey 2008 – closes 18 May 2008 (Australia)
Have your say on how to improve the future conservation and sustainability of our coasts and marine environments. Coast to Coast 2008, Australia’s national coastal conference, will be held in Darwin in August 2008. Use this Survey to input into the conference agenda and potentially a submission to the recently announced House of Representatives Standing Committee inquiry into “Climate change and environmental impacts on coastal communities”. Tell us what you think are important for future coastal programs for community engagement , capacity building and training! All responses will be treated confidentially. Please complete the questionnaire by 18 May 2008.
Further information: for a hard copy of the coastal survey call MCCN on 1800 815 332 or E: nat-off@mccn.org.au. Complete the survey online: Click here for MCCN Coastal Survey 2008 or view from MCCN’s website: http://www.mccn.org.au
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Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Act Now
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AWARDS
52. The Department of Sustainability and Environment Excellence in Marine and Coastal Management Award (Australia)
Abridged from: United Nations of Australia, Victoria Division Website
April 2008
Full text: http://www.unaavictoria.org.au
The Department of Sustainability and Environment Excellence in Marine and Coastal Management Award seeks to acknowledge the best company, organisation, individual or community group that has demonstrated excellence in the conservation and management of marine, coastal or estuarine environments. This Award was introduced in 2004 to celebrate the UNEP World Environment Day theme ‘Seas and Oceans.’ The category includes oluntary, community programs as well as local government initiatives and projects
related to open coastal, marine or estuarine environments. Nominations Close 5pm, Friday 2 May. Further information: visit the United Nations Association of Australia (Vic) website:
http://www.unaavictoria.org.au Email: events@unaavictoria.org.au
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53. Call for Entries to Reuters-IUCN Environmental Media Awards (International)
Abridged from: Reuters-IUCN Media Release
Reuters Foundation and IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) launch today the 2008 Media Awards, a worldwide competition aimed at raising global awareness of environmental and sustainable development issues, by encouraging excellence in environmental reporting worldwide. The deadline for entries is 15 June 2008.
Further information: http://www.foundation.reuters.com and http://www.iucn.org/media_awards.
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54. 2008 Australian Museum Eureka Prize for Environmental Research (Australia)
Abridged from: Australian Museum Website
April 2008
Full text: http://www.amonline.net.au
Entries and nominations are invited for the Eureka Prize for Environmental Research, one of seven prizes dedicated to environmental issues in this year’s Australian Museum Eureka Prizes, Australia’s largest award scheme for research into critical environmental sustainability issues facing the country. This Eureka Prize is designed to highlight outstanding research being undertaken in Australia that addresses critical environmental issues, and the leading role often played by Australian research in identifying solutions to environmental problems and to the improvement of the environment. Entries close 2 May 2008
Further information: http://www.amonline.net.au or email eureka@austmus.gov.au
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55. 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 (May – June 2008)
56. Enviro 08 (Australia)
5-7 May 2008
Enviro 08, held in Melbourne, will be a platform for promoting change through ideas, the sharing of knowledge, information and practical resources to better equip those facing the challenges of climate change. The exhibition will feature the latest innovation, products and services available in the Australian and international marketplace.
Further information: http://www.enviro08.com.au/
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57. Effects of Climate Change on the World's Oceans - International Symposium (Spain)
19-23 May 2008
The Symposium will focus on the major issues of climate change that affect the oceans: oceanic circulation, climate modelling, cycling of carbon and other elements, acidification, oligotrophy, changes in species distributions and migratory routes, sea-level rise, coastal erosion, etc. It will bring together results from observations, analyses and model simulations, at a global scale, and will include discussion of the climate change scenarios and the possibilities for mitigating and protecting the marine environment and living marine resources.
Further information: http://www.pices.int
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58. International Ocean Stewardship Forum 2008 (International)
17-18 June 2008
The National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, UK will host a major International Ocean Stewardship Forum with the aim of facilitating the effective integration of marine science, policy and law within ocean governance. World-leading experts in these disciplines together with principal users of ocean space represented by governments, industry and academia, will meet to assess the development of a sustainable operational strategy for marine policy.
Further information: http://www.oceanstewardship.com/ or email: info@oceanstewardship.com
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59. The 3rd Congress of the International Society for Applied Phycology and the 11th International Conf (Ireland)
21 - 27 June 2008
To be held at the National University of Ireland, Galway and will be hosted by the Martin Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland, Galway.
Further information: http://www.conference.ie
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60. Asian Wetland Symposium 2008- Wetlands -The Heart of Asia (Vietnam)
22- 25 June 2008
A symposium to reflect on the importance of wetlands to the daily life of people in Asia and to look into the progress and challenges in wetlands management and conservation. The Asian Wetland Symposium provides a single platform for discussions among various sectors including, national and local governments, NGOs, scientific experts, the private sector, and local and indigenous people engaged in wetland management to discuss issues, approaches and priorities in wetland management in the Asian Region.
Further information: http://www.aws2008.net/
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CALL FOR PAPERS & ABSTRACTS
61. 29th Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology & Conservation (International)
17-19 February 2009, Brisbane, Australia.
Creating Community Collaboration. This will be the first time the symposium has been held in Australia and the southern hemisphere. The symposium will explore themes such as building communication and networking at local, regional, and global scales. It aims to create linkages between communities and to connect policy-makers at all levels with the latest information coming out of sea turtle research and conservation programs. Abstract submissions are due by 15 September 2008. Further information: http://www.turtlesbrisbane2009.org/ or Email: info@turtlesbrisbane2009.org
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62. Australian Protected Areas Congress 2008 (Australia)
24-28 November 2008, Sunshine Coast, Queensland.
The congress will focus on the values, benefits and contemporary and future importance of protected areas for humankind in Australia. Terrestrial, freshwater and marine protected areas will all be considered. Marine protected areas and conservation will feature as an important theme throughout the congress. The conference is hosted by the Queensland Environmental Protection Agency in conjunction with WWF, IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas, Tourism Queensland and the University of Queensland. First call for abstracts will close 5 May. Further information: http://www.asnevents.com.au or E:
keith.twyford@epa.qld.gov.au
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63. Littoral 2008 - A Changing Coast: Challenge the Environmental Policies (Europe)
Held in Venice, Italy, 25-28 November 2008. Abstract submission due: 28 April 2008
Further information: http://www.littoral2008.corila.it or contact: littoral2008@corila.it
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64. Coastal Zone Asia-Pacific Conference (China)
http://www.czapa.org and now open for on-line abstract submission. The deadline for submission is 15 June 2008.
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65. International Marine Conservation Congress: call for papers (International)
The Marine Section of the Society for Conservation Biology will be hosting its first stand-alone meeting, the International Marine Conservation Congress from 20-24 May 2009 at George Mason University near Washington D.C. This will be an interdisciplinary meeting that will engage natural and social scientists, managers, policy-makers, and the public.
1st Call for symposia and workshops: 1 April - 1 June 2008, decisions by 15 July 2008. Further information on submitting papers: http://www.conbio.org/IMCC ; E: IMCCprogram@conbio.org
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66. Final call for articles for MCCN’s WAVES magazine Vol 14 (2) (Australia)
MCCN’s WAVES magazine provides a cutting edge, topical review of marine & coastal issues produced 3-4 times a year, with contributions from some of Australia’s leading coastal and marine scientists. It aims to help connect people interested in marine and coastal science with an almost professional level of information on some of the key issues of the day. The next issue of WAVES will focus on coastal threatened species and environments. Deadline for articles is Monday April 28 2008. All enquiries to MCCN’s national office: E: nat-off@mccn.org.au
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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
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
Supported by the Australian Government 