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Wetstuff News 7 May 2008
IN THIS EDITION:
MARINE AND COASTAL LEGISLATION, POLICY AND PLANNING
1. Bill would close loophole on shark finning (USA)
2. What do we do about climate change migrants? (International)
3. Financial agency commits US$63 million to preserve Asia's Coral Triangle (Philippines)
NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
4. A partnership approach to tackling sustainability (Australia)
5. Nutrient Pollution Reductions From Urban Stream Restoration Quantified (USA)
6. Acid Mud (Australia)
7. Coorong: the end of the line (Australia)
MARINE PROTECTED
8. Fitial tells Bush of concerns over Pew's proposal (Northern Mariana Islands)
9. India’s first marine reserve in Lakshadweep soon (India)
10. Draft Management Plan for NOAA’s Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Released for Public Review and Comment (USA)
11. Marine Areas for Responsible Fishing (Costa Rica)
FISHERIES
12. Tuna needs time out from mass catches (Pacific)
13. U.S. closes most of West Coast to salmon fishing (USA)
14. Scottish squids in (Scotland)
15. Preserving Arctic Fisheries Before Harvesting Them (USA)
AQUACULTURE
16. Report Calls for Expansion of Aquaculture (Canada)
CLIMATE CHANGE
17. Acid Oceans (Australia)
18. Sinking without trace: Australia's climate change victims (Australia)
19. Climate Change Warms Arctic, Cools Antarctica (North and South Poles)
20. Ocean currents may offset global warming over coming decade (UK)
21. Growing ocean dead zones leave fish gasping (International)
22. Scientists Head To Warming Alaska On Ice Core Expedition (Alaska)
23. Climate change hitting Arctic faster, harder (Arctic)
NATURAL HAZARDS
24. Australia not ready for major natural disaster: think tank (Australia)
25. Myanmar cyclone toll climbs to nearly 22,500 (Myanmar / Burma)
INVASIVE MARINE & COASTAL SPECIES
26. Mandatory tests of ships' ballast aim to flush out invasive pests (Canada)
27. Officials on the look out for nasties in Opua waters (New Zealand)
MARINE SPECIES
28. Film-maker seeks to bust popular shark myths (Australia)
29. Six sea lions shot to death on salmon-rich US river (USA)
30. Greenpeace Frees Pacific Marine Life (New Zealand)
31. Giant Pacific Octopus – Strong Arm Charm (International)
32. Coral keeps it in the family (International)
33. Norwegian Whalers Make First Catch Of Season (Norway)
34. Critically Endangered Seabirds Not Finding Mates (International)
35. Fierce squid move north (Canada)
36. Endangered Right Whales Protected With New Warning Buoys In Shipping Lanes (USA)
PETROLEUM AND MINERALS
37. Oil Exploration Tests Off Alaska Prompt Lawsuit (Alaska)
SHIPPING AND PORTS
38. Commissioner Gives Backing To Marine Park (UK)
INDIGENOUS
39. Aborigines may benefit from lucrative gas field (Australia)
POLLUTIONS
40. Wakame Waste: Composting Polluted Seaweed (Japan)
41. Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Cleanup (International)
42. Shipper to pay for illegal ocean dumping (USA)
RECREATION & TOURISM
43. Sustainability will drive tourism (Australia)
RESEARCH
44. The Beach of the Future (USA)
45. A New Kind of Sea Map (USA)
46. Red Tide Killer Identified: Bacteria Gang Up On Algae, Quashing Red Tide Blooms (USA)
47. Diatoms Discovered To Remove Phosphorus From Oceans (USA)
48. 'New' Ancient Antarctic Sediment Reveals Climate Change History (Antarctica)
PUBLICATIONS & WEBSITES
49. Book: A Reef in Time - The Great Barrier Reef from Beginning to End (Australia)
50. NOAA Coral Reef Watch’s satellite monitoring maps (International)
51. New Website: Ocean and Coastal Care Initiatives (Australia)
52. Google diving into 3D mapping of oceans (International)
OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
53. Review of the zoning plans for Jervis Bay and Solitary Islands Marine Parks (Australia)
54. Inquiry into climate change and environmental impacts on coastal communities (Australia)
55. MCCN’s Coastal Survey 2008 – closes 18 May 2008 (Australia)
GRANTS
56. Community Coastcare Grants (Australia)
57. Nominations For Caring For Our Country Community Coastcare Small Grants Assessors (Australia)
AWARDS
58. Call for Entries to Reuters-IUCN Environmental Media Awards (International)
WORKSHOPS, CONFERENCES AND E
59. World Migratory Bird Day (International)
60. New Zealand Seafood Industry Conference 2008 (New Zealand)
61. World Ocean’s Day (Australia)
62. Effects of Climate Change on the World's Oceans - International Symposium (Spain)
63. International Ocean Stewardship Forum 2008 (International)
64. The 3rd Congress of the International Society for Applied Phycology and the 11th International Conf (Ireland)
65. Asian Wetland Symposium 2008- Wetlands -The Heart of Asia (Vietnam)
CALL FOR
66. Littoral 2008 A Changing Coast: Challenge the Environmental Policies (Europe)
67. 29th Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology & Conservation (International)
68. Coastal Zone Asia-Pacific Conference (China)
69. International Marine Conservation Congress: call for papers (International)
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MARINE AND COASTAL LEGISLATION, POLICY AND PLANNING
1. Bill would close loophole on shark finning (USA)
Abridged from: Sun.Sentinel.com
4 May 2008
Full text: http://www.sun-sentinel.com
The National Coalition for Marine Conservation has pointed out a serious loophole in a law designed to protect sharks and a new bill in Congress designed to close that loophole. The Shark Finning Prohibition Act of 2000 was passed to prevent anglers from catching sharks, cutting off their fins and dumping the carcasses in U.S. waters...The loophole came to light when the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that an American ship that was caught 250 miles off Guatemala in 2002 with about 65,000 pounds of shark fins worth more than $600,000 did not break the law. The reason given by the judges was that the American ship was not a fishing vessel.
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2. What do we do about climate change migrants? (International)
Abridged from: Reuters Foundation by Emma Batha
2 May 2008
Full text: http://www.alertnet.org
If you are forced to flee abroad because of war you will be recognised as a refugee under international law. But what happens if you're forced to move because your village disappears under rising sea levels caused by global warming? Does the world have a duty to help? Should there be an onus on countries with the largest carbon footprints to take in the people rendered homeless by climate change? Some experts predict as many as 250 million people could be uprooted from their homes by 2050 due to the effects of climate change, including desertification and flooding.
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3. Financial agency commits US$63 million to preserve Asia's Coral Triangle (Philippines)
Abridged from: International Herald Tribune
29 April 2008
Full text: http://www.iht.com
An international fund that aids sustainable environment projects has committed US$63 million to help preserve Southeast Asia's Coral Triangle from overfishing and climate change, the Asian Development Bank said Tuesday. The sprawling triangle, which straddles the waters of Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands and East Timor, is believed to have the highest marine biodiversity in the world.
Related articles:
http://www.cbd.int
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Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Marine and Coastal Legislation, Policy and Planning
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NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
4. A partnership approach to tackling sustainability (Australia)
Abridged from: Science Alerts, by Sean Rooney, ECOS Magazine
7 May 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencealert.com.au
Sustainability issues involve complex inter-relationships between economic, social and environmental drivers and their outcomes. This makes responding effectively quite testing... The Sustainable Communities Initiative is designed to operate as an ‘action learning’ program over a three year period (2006 to 2009), focusing on innovation and learning, as well as effective outcomes from on-ground action. The SCI provides a vehicle that brings together participants to learn and experience how to work together better on complex local sustainability issues that deliver community scale outcomes.
Further information: http://www.csiro.au
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5. Nutrient Pollution Reductions From Urban Stream Restoration Quantified (USA)
Abridged from: Science Daily
6 May 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
A team of researchers led by University of Maryland Centre for Environmental Science researcher Dr. Sujay Kaushal has been among the first able to quantify the amount of excess nitrogen removed from an urban stream during environmental restoration projects. This breakthrough will allow environmental managers to accurately assess the pollution reducing benefits of stormwater management and urban stream restoration, and could lead to new nitrogen reduction opportunities as public works managers make repairs to aging urban infrastructure.
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6. Acid Mud (Australia)
Abridged from: ABC Catalyst
1 May 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
In many wetlands along the Murray and Darling Rivers, the recipe for acid mud is perfect. Sediments flooded for decades by locks and weirs, are being exposed to air as drought affected water levels fall. Waterlogged soils often contain sulphides produced by bacteria decomposing organic matter, but if these sediments are allowed to build up and are then exposed to oxygen, they form sulphuric acid. Bottle Bend, near Mildura, was once a healthy wetland - now it’s a toxic waste site where nothing but micro-organisms can survive the acid water and its steel-eating pH of 1.6.
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7. Coorong: the end of the line (Australia)
Abridged from: ABC Catalyst
1 May 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
South Australia's Coorong is the end of the line - where the Murray meets the sea. The large freshwater lakes, once renowned for the abundance and diversity of their wildlife are, due to recent droughts and increasing irrigation upstream, dehydrating. But, how should a diminishing resource, in high demand, be allocated to meet the needs of primary producers and a thirsty vulnerable environment?
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MARINE PROTECTED AREAS
8. Fitial tells Bush of concerns over Pew's proposal (Northern Mariana Islands)
Abridged from: Saipan Tribune
6 May 2008
Full text: http://www.saipantribune.com
Gov. Fitial has asked President Bush to reject a proposal to create a marine national monument in the northern islands. Fitial in a letter to Bush said the designation “would, in my view, greatly reduce or eliminate the ability of the CNMI government to carefully balance cultural, environmental, and economic considerations in the region in an open and inclusive manner.” The governor noted that his position is shared by most lawmakers, who recently adopted a resolution opposing the proposed marine sanctuary. But Angelo Villagomez, a local coordinator of Pew Charitable Trusts, which has made the proposal, said much of the opposition to the marine monument is based on misinformation.
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9. India’s first marine reserve in Lakshadweep soon (India)
Abridged from: Hindustan Times
6 May 2008
Full text: http://www.hindustantimes.com
India’s first marine conservation reserve is coming up around Lakshadweep Islands. After a prolonged research and intervention in the local community by a team of experts from across the country, the local panchayat has forwarded a formal proposal to the Ministry of Environment and Forests to declare the area a marine reserve. The project was funded by UK-based Darwin Institute and now the ministry officials say that they are impressed with the detailed plan and level of community involvement in conservation of the unique biodiversity in the region. This will also be India’s first co-managed marine protected area. The project was started in 2005. It has now emerged as the most successful conservation initiative in the country.
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10. Draft Management Plan for NOAA’s Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary Released for Public Review and Comment (USA)
Abridged from: NOAA Website
6 May 2008
Full text: http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov
NOAA released a comprehensive draft management plan and environmental assessment for Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary for public review and comment. Based on several years of scientific study and extensive public input, the plan recommends specific actions to address issues impacting the sanctuary...The new draft plan, a major revision to the sanctuary’s original management plan published in 1993, focuses on key issues affecting the sanctuary, including ecosystem alteration, wildlife disturbance, vessel traffic and its potential threat to marine mammals, water quality and invasive species.
Further information: http://stellwagen.noaa.gov/
View draft management plan: http://stellwagen.noaa.gov
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11. Marine Areas for Responsible Fishing (Costa Rica)
Abridged from: Saberes Bulletin, Costa Rica, Number 11, April 2008
April 2008
Full text: http://www.coopesolidar.org
During INCOPESCA’s (the National institution dealing with fishing issues in Costa Rica) Executive Board meeting on April 4th, the regulations to establish Marine Areas for Responsible Fishing were approved. A marine area for responsible fishing is a fishery area with significant biological and sociocultural characteristics, where fishing activity is regulated to guarantee the conservation of fishery resources in the long run. INCOPESCA will be supported by coastal communities and other institutions for the management of the areas.
Further information: http://www.coopesolidar.org/boletines_saberes/april08.pdf
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FISHERIES
12. Tuna needs time out from mass catches (Pacific)
Abridged from: The Sydney Morning Herald
5 May 2008
Full text: http://www.smh.com.au
Due to overfishing in the Pacific, Greenpeace says it's time to stop eating bigeye and yellowfin tuna and, presumably, to have salmon on your sandwich instead. Campaigning to end the Pacific plunder, the crew from Greenpeace ship Esperanza recently confiscated a radio transmitter-fitted fish aggregation device...Scientists say bigeye and yellowfin are in danger of being overfished and about 60 per cent of the world's tuna comes from the Pacific.
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13. U.S. closes most of West Coast to salmon fishing (USA)
Abridged from: Environmental News Network
2 May 2008
Full text: http://www.enn.com
The U.S. government on Thursday closed almost all of the ocean off the West Coast to salmon fishing, clearing the way for governors of states hard hit by years of declining catches to seek federal relief aid for losses estimated at $290 million. West Coast salmon populations have declined sharply in the last few years, with experts citing a variety of reasons including climate change and hungry sea lions.
Related articles:
http://www.sciencedaily.com
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14. Scottish squids in (Scotland)
Abridged from: New Statesman
1 May 2008
Full text: http://www.newstatesman.com
A mysterious surge in the number of squid in north-eastern Scottish waters over the past few years is puzzling scientists, but delighting local fishermen. The migration is hard to explain, but may be the key to revitalising the Scottish fishing industry, which has been struggling since severe quotas were imposed by the EU in 2003. The growth in squid availability in the North Sea is generating excitement among policymakers and marine ecologists and has led to the establishment of a new fishery.
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15. Preserving Arctic Fisheries Before Harvesting Them (USA)
Abridged from: Scientific American
29 May 2008
Full text: http://www.sciam.com
In the wake of dramatically dwindling populations of salmon and other fish, U.S. officials are grappling with ways to cut their losses—and stave off future damage. Overfishing and environmental damage have decimated ocean inhabitants—and climate change threatens to hurt them even more.
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Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Commercial and Recreational Fishing Impacts
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AQUACULTURE
16. Report Calls for Expansion of Aquaculture (Canada)
Abridged from: The fish site
6 May 2008
Full text: http://www.thefishsite.com
Aquaculture needs to expand to "help bridge the growing gap between what the capture fisheries can supply and the growing global demand for fisheries products". The demand comes from a new GESAMP (Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection) report which analyses the environmental impacts of coastal aquaculture globally. By 2050, global aquaculture needs to expand to 80 million tonnes (from its current 62.9 million tonnes) just to maintain the current level of per capita consumption the report records from an FAO report in 2004. With any human activity, zero environmental change is unattainable.
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CLIMATE CHANGE
17. Acid Oceans (Australia)
Abridged from: Science Alerts, by Julian Cribb, ECOS Magazne
6 May 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencealert.com.au
How serious acidifying seas will be for all life on Earth, researchers cannot yet say. But they have already measured observable changes in the ocean’s pH, and have also demonstrated that even tiny shifts can kill corals and various common marine plankton and algae that are a foundation of the ocean’s food web. ‘The oceans are absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and this is causing chemical changes by making them more acidic (that is, decreasing the pH of the oceans),’ explains a paper by Britain’s most eminent scientific body, the Royal Society.
Further information: Book: A Reef in Time - The Great Barrier Reef from Beginning to End (Australia)
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18. Sinking without trace: Australia's climate change victims (Australia)
Abridged from: The Independent
5 May 2008
Full text: http://www.independent.co.uk
Like Kiribati and Tuvalu, the islands of the Torres Strait are slowly being submerged. But unlike their Pacific neighbours, the plight of their inhabitants is being overlooked.
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19. Climate Change Warms Arctic, Cools Antarctica (North and South Poles)
Abridged from: Planet Ark
5 May 2008
Full text: http://www.planetark.com
The Arctic and Antarctica are poles apart when it comes to the effects of human-fuelled climate change, scientists said on Friday: in the north, it is melting sea ice, but in the south, it powers winds that chill things down. The North and South poles are both subject to solar radiation and rising levels of climate-warming greenhouse gases, the researchers said. But Antarctica is also affected by an ozone hole hovering high above it during the austral summer.
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20. Ocean currents may offset global warming over coming decade (UK)
Abridged from: The Guardian
1 May 2008
Full text: http://www.guardian.co.uk
Researchers modelling the climate of Europe and North America found that a major ocean current that brings warm water northwards is set to weaken, potentially offsetting temperature rises caused by human activity. A team led by Noel Keenlyside at the Leibniz Institute for Marine Science in Germany focused on an ocean current known as the meridional overturning current or MOC. The current acts as a huge conveyor belt, bringing warm water into the North Atlantic and returning cold water to the south. Scientists believe the ocean current strengthens and weakens on a natural cycle with a 70 to 80-year period. When the current is strong, it brings warmer water and a milder climate to northern regions.
Related articles:
http://www.sciencedaily.com
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au
http://www.sciencedaily.com
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21. Growing ocean dead zones leave fish gasping (International)
Abridged from: New Scientist
1 May 2008
Full text: http://environment.newscientist.com
"Dead zones" containing too little oxygen for fish to breathe are growing as global temperatures increase. Warmer water dissolves less oxygen, so as temperatures rise, oxygen vanishes from oceans. Marine biologists are warning that if dead zones continue expanding, oceanic "deserts" could massively deplete marine life and fish stocks.
Related articles:
http://www.latimes.com
http://www.sciencedaily.com
http://ap.google.com
http://www.telegraph.co.uk
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22. Scientists Head To Warming Alaska On Ice Core Expedition (Alaska)
Abridged from: Science Daily
1 May 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
The state of Alaska has the dubious distinction of leading in the effects of a warming climate. Small villages are slipping into the sea due to coastal erosion, soggy permafrost is cracking buildings and trapping trucks. In an effort to better understand how the Pacific Northwest fits into the larger climate-change picture, scientists from the University of New Hampshire and University of Maine are heading to Denali National Park on the second leg of a multi-year mission to recover ice cores from glaciers in the Alaska wilderness.
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23. Climate change hitting Arctic faster, harder (Arctic)
Abridged from: Environmental News Network
30 April 2008
Full text: http://www.enn.com
Climate change is having a greater and faster impact on the Arctic than previously thought, according to a new study by the global conservation organization WWF. The new report, called Arctic Climate Impact Science represents the most wide-ranging reviews of arctic climate impact science since the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment was published in 2005. The new study found that change was occurring in all arctic systems, impacting on the atmosphere and oceans, sea ice and ice sheets, snow and permafrost, as well as species and populations, food webs, ecosystems and human societies.
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Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Climate Change
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NATURAL HAZARDS
24. Australia not ready for major natural disaster: think tank (Australia)
Abridged from: ABC News Online
7 May 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
A report to be released today finds that Australia has more to fear from natural disasters than a terrorist attack. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) report says Australia is not well placed to deal with a major natural disaster and governments need to pay more attention to emergency response management. The report finds that since September 11, 2001, governments have spent around $10 billion on counter-terrorism initiatives, but only $500 million on emergency response capabilities. ASPI says the spending shortfall has left a gap in Australia's ability to manage catastrophic events such as cyclones, tsunamis or floods.
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25. Myanmar cyclone toll climbs to nearly 22,500 (Myanmar / Burma)
Abridged from: Environmental News Network
6 May 2008
Full text: http://www.enn.com
Myanmar's military government raised its death toll from Cyclone Nargis on Tuesday to nearly 22,500 with a further 41,000 missing, nearly all of them from a massive storm surge that swept into the vast Irrawaddy delta. Of the dead, only 671 were in the former capital, Yangon, and its outlying districts, state radio said, confirming Nargis as the most devastating cyclone to hit Asia since 1991, when 143,000 people died in Bangladesh.
Related articles:
http://www.abc.net.au
http://www.enn.com
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INVASIVE MARINE & COASTAL SPECIES
26. Mandatory tests of ships' ballast aim to flush out invasive pests (Canada)
Abridged from: The Gazette
6 May 2008
Full text: http://www.canada.com
Strict new rules have closed a loophole that allowed invasive species like zebra mussels to invade North America's waterways. The Canadian and U.S. seaway corporations that oversee ship traffic through the St. Lawrence Seaway, all of which passes through Montreal, have declared that ballast water of all ocean-going ships entering the 3,700-kilometre seaway will be tested. The tests will ensure the ship has been flushed with seawater, killing any potential marine stowaways that could prosper in fresh water.
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27. Officials on the look out for nasties in Opua waters (New Zealand)
Abridged from: The Northern Advocate
29 April 2008
Full text: http://www.northernadvocate.co.nz
There could be some pretty nasty creatures living in Opua Harbour and biosecurity officials are determined to find out exactly what is lurking below the water surface in the Bay of Islands. MAF Biosecurity New Zealand will be looking at what's living in Opua Harbour as part of a nationwide surveillance programme targeted at detecting a range of different marine pests. The targeted marine surveillance programme started earlier this year and is looking out for a range of unwanted marine pests in some of New Zealand's busiest and therefore high risk locations - ports and marinas of first entry for international vessels.
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MARINE SPECIES
28. Film-maker seeks to bust popular shark myths (Australia)
Abridged from: ABC News Online
6 May 2007
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
The popular image of the shark is of a veracious man-eating predator, which has meant that many shark species are being hunted without consideration. Now a young Canadian film-maker has produced a documentary which challenges many myths associated with these creatures that predate the dinosaur...Sharkwater opens in cinemas across the country next week.
View ABC 7:30 Report: http://mpegmedia.abc.net.au/730report
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29. Six sea lions shot to death on salmon-rich US river (USA)
Abridged from: Reuters
5 May 2008
Full text: http://uk.reuters.com
Investigators searched for clues in the shooting deaths of six protected sea lions at a dam between Washington state and Oregon, while officials halted a controversial trapping program aimed at stopping the mammals from eating endangered salmon. The discovery of the dead sea lions follows other shootings in recent years that caused bodies riddled with bullet holes to wash up on the banks of the region's Columbia River. "This is being investigated by Washington, Oregon and our fish cops," said National Marine Fisheries Service spokesman.
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30. Greenpeace Frees Pacific Marine Life (New Zealand)
Abridged from: Scoop
4 May 2008
Full text: http://www.scoop.co.nz
Greenpeace freed sharks, tuna, marlin and an endangered Olive Ridley turtle from the hooks of a Taiwanese longline vessel fishing in the international waters of the Pacific. The activists encountered Taiwanese longliner, the Ho Tsai Fa 18, while it was hauling tens of kilometres of fishing line. The activists asked the Captain to release all marine life hooked on the lines and painted “PIRATE?” on the hull of the ship because the vessel had a previous record of controversial landing of shark fins. Pacific activist, Ana Jitoko, held banners calling for “Marine Reserves Now!” and “Taiwan Pacific Tuna Destroyer” in front of the vessel.
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31. Giant Pacific Octopus – Strong Arm Charm (International)
Abridged from: Ocean Conservancy, by Madeline Bodin
May 2008
full text: http://www.oceanconservancy.org
...Unfortunately, most of what we know about giant Pacific octopuses comes only from observing them in captivity at places like the Seattle Aquarium. And one of those observations, made by Anderson many years ago, was that aquarium workers gave names to only three types of animals, those with, shall we say, charisma—seals, sea otters and the giant Pacific octopuses. As witnessed by inclusion of the octopus in this otherwise cute and furry group—as unlikely as that may seem for an invertebrate, let alone a shell-less mollusk—the giant Pacific octopus has got it … whatever "it" is.
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32. Coral keeps it in the family (International)
Abridged from: Science News
2 May 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencenews.org
For a few days each year, most coral in the Great Barrier Reef spawn all at once, broadcasting buoyant bundles of egg and sperm that float to neighbouring coral for fertilization. Now researchers have shown how reefs efficiently trap the huge influx of nutrients. Chock-full of nitrogen and phosphorus, the gametes fuel a bloom of microalgae, which then nourishes other parts of the ecosystem, including fish and bacteria, says Ronnie Glud, a marine biologist at the Scottish Association for Marine Science.
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33. Norwegian Whalers Make First Catch Of Season (Norway)
Abridged from: Planet Ark
1 May 2008
Full text: http://www.planetark.com
Norwegian whalers shot the first whale of the season on Wednesday of a quota of 1,052, a group opposed to the hunts said. Norway, with Japan the main whaling nation despite an international moratorium, resumed commercial hunts in 1993 and says that the minke whales it harpoons are plentiful in the north Atlantic.
Related articles:
http://www.smh.com.au
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34. Critically Endangered Seabirds Not Finding Mates (International)
Abridged from: Science Daily
29 April 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
A study into one of the world’s rarest seabirds provides knowledge that could help avoid extinction. Molecular analysis of the Critically Endangered Magenta Petrel Pterodroma magentae (also known as the Chatham Island Taiko) discovered that 95% of non-breeding adults were male. This suggests that critically low population levels may be causing male birds difficulty in attracting a mate. Their calls are too spread out to attract the infrequent females which pass by.
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35. Fierce squid move north (Canada)
Abridged from: Nanaimo Daily
29 April 2008
full text: http://www.canada.com
Humboldt squid, up to two metres long and weighing 45 kilograms, are usually found in warmer waters off of Mexico and South America. But a briefing paper recently released by Oregon State University suggests the jumbo squid, that typically dine on krill, lantern fish, shrimp, sardines, rockfish and other squid, may be now well established in the Pacific Northwest. Warmer oceans are helping voracious squid expand their range.
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36. Endangered Right Whales Protected With New Warning Buoys In Shipping Lanes (USA)
Abridged from: Science Daily
29 April 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
Endangered North Atlantic right whales are safer along Massachusetts Bay's busy shipping lanes this spring, thanks to a new system of smart buoys. The buoys recognize whales' distinctive calls and route the information to a public Web site and a marine warning system, giving ships the chance to avoid deadly collisions. The 10-buoy Right Whale Listening Network -- developed at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution -- is arriving barely in time for the beleaguered right whale.
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Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Marine Species
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PETROLEUM AND MINERALS
37. Oil Exploration Tests Off Alaska Prompt Lawsuit (Alaska)
Abridged from: Planet Ark
5 May 2008
Full text: http://www.planetark.com
A coalition of environmental and Alaska Native groups Monday filed a lawsuit seeking to block the oil industry from conducting seismic tests the groups say will harm whales, walruses and other marine mammals in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas. The lawsuit, filed in US District Court in Anchorage, targets permits issued to Shell and BP by the US Minerals Management Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service. Shell holds permits to survey areas of the Arctic Ocean for potential new oil sources, and BP has a permit to survey the area around its Liberty prospect in the Beaufort Sea. The main threats from seismic tests are the loud, repeated blasts made by air guns used to map out undersea geologic formations and seafloor conditions, environmentalists say.
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SHIPPING AND PORTS
38. Commissioner Gives Backing To Marine Park (UK)
Abridged from: Herald
30 April 2008
Full text: http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk
One of Europe's most senior politicians has backed Plymouth's bid to develop a marine business park, saying the city is 'moving in the right direction'. Joe Borg, EC Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, visited Plymouth as part of a fact-finding tour of the South West. During a visit to South Yard in Devonport, Mr Borg was told by Plymouth's maritime leaders it would be the perfect site for the proposed UK Marine Management Organisation.
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INDIGENOUS
39. Aborigines may benefit from lucrative gas field (Australia)
Abridged from: The Age
1 May 2008
Full text: http://www.theage.com.au
Aborigines living in poverty in the Kimberley could be the biggest winners from a future multibillion-dollar gas development off the West Australian coast, according to the Kimberley Land Council. They stand to receive billions in royalties from the resources project — potentially the biggest in Australia's history — and could use it to take control of health, housing and education services, it says. "We aren't letting governments off the hook from these responsibilities," the land council's director, Wayne Bergmann, said in a speech to the National Press Club.
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POLLUTION
40. Wakame Waste: Composting Polluted Seaweed (Japan)
Abridged from: Science Daily
2 May 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
Bacteria that feed on seaweed could help in the disposal of pollutants in the world's oceans, according to a new study by researchers in China and Japan.
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41. Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Cleanup (International)
Abridged from: The Ocean Conservancy Website
May 2008
Full text: http://www.oceanconservancy.org
Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup is the world’s largest volunteer event of its kind. Thousands of volunteers participate from all over the globe, clearing tons of trash from oceans and waterways, and recording every piece of trash collected. Last year, 378,000 volunteers participated from 76 countries and 45 states. Worldwide, volunteers removed an average of 16 pounds of trash, per person.
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42. Shipper to pay for illegal ocean dumping (USA)
Abridged from: KTVZ.com
29 April 2008
Full text: http://www.ktvz.com
An Egyptian company accused of illegally piping waste oil into the ocean is expected to plead guilty to violating pollution laws. National Navigation Co. has reportedly agreed to pay a $US7.25 million fine, the largest penalty in the Pacific Northwest for dumping at sea. The Oregonian newspaper reports that roughly $2 million would go into an Oregon environmental fund that supports wildlife habitat projects. The company also agreed to an environmental compliance plan that requires outside audits of its ships and a court-appointed monitor to track its operations.
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RECREATION AND TOURISM
43. Sustainability will drive tourism (Australia)
Abridged from: Science Alerts, University of NSW
7 May 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencealert.com.au
Changing consumer tastes and a focus on the environment will shape global tourism trends in 2020, according to a team of researchers from UNSW’s Australian School of Business (ASB) and other Australian universities. The group, led by Professor Larry Dwyer from the ASB, have uncovered a series of mega-trends in consumer sentiment and values, political and economic factors and IT growth which, it says, will drive the future of global tourism.
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RESEARCH
44. The Beach of the Future (USA)
Abridged from: Scripps Website
May 2008
Full text: http://explorations.ucsd.edu
Building upon a legacy of coastal science at Scripps, high-tech tools are opening new avenues for researchers to track sand movements and further explain beach systems. Speeding at 150 knots thousands of feet in the air, an airplane sends out a laser pulse to a beach's rippling sands. From the location of the airplane, the travel time of the laser pulse to the target, and other factors, scientists can determine the height of the sand to within inches.
Enter a new age of coastal science.
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45. A New Kind of Sea Map (USA)
Abridged from: Scripps Website
May 2008
Full text: http://explorations.ucsd.edu
Over the years, researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego have employed all sorts of maps of the ocean, from the seafloor bottom to oceanic currents. Now a new type of map is emerging through collaborative research conducted in Scripps laboratories at the Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine and the UCSD Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. William Gerwick of Scripps and Pieter Dorrestein of the UCSD Skaggs School are using a new technology to develop molecular-level "maps" of marine organisms, depicting where organic compounds might be discovered for potential new drug products for treating human diseases.
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46. Red Tide Killer Identified: Bacteria Gang Up On Algae, Quashing Red Tide Blooms (USA)
Abridged from: Science Daily
6 May 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
Researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego have identified a potential "red tide killer." Red tides and related phenomena in which microscopic algae accumulate rapidly in dense concentrations have been on the rise in recent years, causing hundreds of millions of dollars in worldwide losses to fisheries and beach tourism activities. Despite their wide-ranging impacts, such phenomena, more broadly referred to as "harmful algal blooms," remain unpredictable in not only where they appear, but how long they persist.
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47. Diatoms Discovered To Remove Phosphorus From Oceans (USA)
Abridged from: Science Daily
2 May 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
Scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology have discovered a new way that phosphorus is naturally removed from the oceans – its stored in diatoms. The discovery opens up a new realm of research into an element that’s used for reproduction, energy storage and structural materials in every organism. Its understanding is vital to the continued quest to understand the growth of the oceans. The research appears in the May 2, 2008 edition of the journal Science.
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48. 'New' Ancient Antarctic Sediment Reveals Climate Change History (Antarctica)
Abridged from: Science Daily
30 April 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
Recent additions to the premier collection of Southern Ocean sediment cores at Florida State University's Antarctic Marine Geology Research Facility will give international scientists a close-up look at fluctuations that occurred in Antarctica's ice sheet and marine and terrestrial life as the climate cooled considerably between 20 and 14 million years ago.
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Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Marine and Coastal Research
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PUBLICATIONS & WEBSITES
49. Book: A Reef in Time - The Great Barrier Reef from Beginning to End (Australia)
Abridged from: CSIRO Publishing Website
Full text: http://publish.csiro.au
Like many coral specialists fifteen years ago, J. E. N. Veron thought Australia's Great Barrier Reef was impervious to climate change. This book is Veron's Silent Spring for the world's coral reefs. Veron presents the geological history of the reef, the biology of coral reef ecosystems, and a primer on what we know about climate change. He concludes that the Great Barrier Reef and, indeed, most coral reefs will be dead from mass bleaching and irreversible acidification within the coming century unless greenhouse gas emissions are curbed.
Further information: http://publish.csiro.au/nid/21/pid/5734.htm
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50. NOAA Coral Reef Watch’s satellite monitoring maps (International)
View maps that show global observations of coral bleaching occurrences combined with NOAA Coral Reef Watch's satellite monitoring products including Sea Surface Temperature, Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly, Bleaching HotSpot and Degree Heating Weeks. These datasets are added into ReefBase Online GIS each month.
View latest maps online: http://reefgis.reefbase.org
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51. New Website: Ocean and Coastal Care Initiatives (Australia)
Ocean & Coastal Care Initiatives (OCCI) recently launched a new website. OCCI are a volunteer organisation based on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia.
View website: http://www.occi.org.au/
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52. Google diving into 3D mapping of oceans (International)
Abridged from: News.com, news blog
30 April 2008
Full text: http://www.news.com
We've got Google Earth and Google Sky. Next up will be a map of the world below sea level--Google Ocean. The company has assembled an advisory group of oceanography experts, and in December invited researchers from institutions around the world to the Mountain View, Calif., Googleplex. There, they discussed plans for creating a 3D oceanographic map, according to sources familiar with the matter. The tool--for now called Google Ocean, the sources say, though that name could change--is expected to be similar to other 3D online mapping applications.
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OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
53. 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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54. 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
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. 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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55. 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. All responses will be treated confidentially. 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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GRANTS
56. Community Coastcare Grants (Australia)
Abridged from: Australian Government, Natural Resource Management website
April 2008
Full text: http://www.nrm.gov.au/
Caring for our Country Community Coastcare will support coastal communities to participate in coastal protection and restoration activities. Applications are scheduled to open on 19 May and close on 25 July 2008. Further information: http://www.nrm.gov.au
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57. Nominations For Caring For Our Country Community Coastcare Small Grants Assessors (Australia)
Abridged from: Australian Government, Natural Resource Management website
April 2008
Full text: http://www.nrm.gov.au
The Australian Government is seeking nominations from individuals interested in contributing to the assessment of applications for Community Coastcare small grants. Assessors may provide advice relating to individual applications, contribute to grants review panels and / or provide advice in the development and review of Community Coastcare processes. Assessors will be appointed for up to three years beginning in 2008. Further information: http://www.nrm.gov.au
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AWARDS
58. 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 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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WORK
C
59. World Migratory Bird Day (International)
10-11 May 2008
View website: http://www.worldmigratorybirdday.org
The Secretariat of the African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbird Agreement and the Secretariat of the Convention on Migratory Species are glad to announce the countdown for World Migratory Bird Day 2008. This two-day awareness raising campaign will take place globally for the third consecutive year from 10– 11 of May 2008. The theme for this year’s celebration is Migratory Birds - Ambassadors for Biodiversity.
Further information: http://www.worldmigratorybirdday.org
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60. New Zealand Seafood Industry Conference 2008 (New Zealand)
14 – 16 May 2008
Held in Wellington, New Zealand. The conference provides for an information sharing environment to inform industry on recent industry developments.
Further information: http://www.seafoodconference.co.nz/
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61. World Ocean’s Day (Australia)
8 June 2008
To help celebrate World Ocean’s Day, MCCN will profile Australia’s talented marine science students and their research work. To help us do this, Phoebe Hill, herself a PhD candidate and volunteer with MCCN, will compile a review of some of the research work being conducted in academic institutions across Australia. If you are a student doing a post-graduate marine science research project, or a supervisor of marine science research students, we would like to hear from you. Please send us a 100-200 word summary of your research including your supervisors name and any supporting images to Phoebe Hill at email: volunteer@mccn.org.au by Monday 26th May 2008. If we are able to include your project we will send you a copy of the completed article on the MCCN website so that you can circulate to your own networks.
Further information T: 1800 815 332 E: volunteer@mccn.org.au
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62. 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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63. 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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64. 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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65. 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
66. Littoral 2008 A Changing Coast: Challenge the Environmental Policies (Europe)
25-28 November 2008, Venice, Italy.
Abstract submission extended until 12th May 2008. Further information: http://www.littoral2008.corila.it or E: littoral2008@corila.it
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67. 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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68. Coastal Zone Asia-Pacific Conference (China)
Held in Qingdao, China, 19-22 October, 2008. The conference theme is 'Sustainable Coasts and Better Life,' with a focus on how to manage coasts to cope with climate change and expanding populations. The conference will be hosted by Professor Guifang (Julia) Xue at Ocean University of China, Qingdao. Further information http://www.czapa.org and now open for on-line abstract submission. The deadline for submission is 15 June 2008.
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69. 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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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
Supported by the Australian Government 