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Wetstuff News 14 May 2008
IN THIS EDITION:
MARINE AND COASTAL LEGISLATION, POLICY AND PLANNING
1. Pacific Countries Race Against Time To Claim Extra Ocean Territory (Pacific)
2. Gulf of Mexico marine sanctuary proposal faces opposition (USA)
NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
3. Coastal Waters Show Decline In Contaminants Over 20-Year Period (USA)
4. Biodiversity: It's In The Water (USA)
MARINE PROTECTED
5. RC&D votes in favour of marine monument (Northern Mariana Islands)
6. Environmentalist calls for marine conservation zones (UK)
7. New marine reserve off the Taranaki coast (New Zealand)
FISHERIES
8. Dollar value, fuel costs hit fishermen (New Zealand)
9. Eel Fishing Multiplies The Accidental Capture Of Other Fish By Eight (Spain)
10. How the world's oceans are running out of fish (International)
11. Fears barramundi fishers endangering protected species (Australia)
12. Sustainable seafood coming soon to Canadians (Canada)
13. NRDC, Conservation Groups Develop Business-supported Sustainable Seafood Plan (USA)
14. Seafood Health Benefits - The Science (Australia)
AQUACULTURE
15. Protecting Oysters From Burrowing Shrimp (USA)
16. New aquaculture resource launched at Manaia (New Zealand)
CLIMATE CHANGE
17. 'Early Birds' Adapt To Climate Change (UK)
18. Climate models overheat Antarctica, new study finds (Antarctica)
19. Ponds Found To Take Up Carbon Like World's Oceans (USA)
20. Melting glaciers release toxic chemical cocktail (Antarctica)
21. Expert Predicts 'Monsoon Britain' (UK)
22. $63 million to protect Asia's 'Coral Triangle' (Philippines)
NATURAL HAZARDS
23. Are Myanmar’s Storm Victims Suffering Needlessly? (Burma / Myanmar)
INVASIVE MARINE & COASTAL SPECIES
24. Barra threatened by 'cane toad' fish (Australia)
25. Invasion Of The Spiny Water Fleas: Drying Anchor Lines Can Help Contain Spread (USA)
26. Toxic seaweed removal starts (Australia)
27. Pest Sea Squirt Found At Marsden Cove (New Zealand)
28. Japanese marine pest spreading around Tasmania (Australia)
29. 'Ping': Ship microwaves could beat ballast invaders (USA)
MARINE SPECIES
30. Seahorses spotted off Hampshire coast (UK)
31. Shark film to change perceptions (Australia)
32. Bid to uncover secrets of pygmy right whale (New Zealand)
33. Save the sharks (Canada)
34. Preserve Florida's majestic manatee (USA)
35. NZ 'unchanged' on Japanese whaling (New Zealand)
36. Early whales got the bends (USA)
37. Aboriginal hunters raise a stink over tainted whales (Siberia)
PETROLEUM AND MINERALS
38. Lawsuit Filed to Block Loud Oil Exploration in Arctic Seas (Alaska)
HERITAGE
39. Spain demands salvage team hand over wreck treasure (Spain)
COASTAL WETLANDS
40. Miami Woman Honoured for Saving Puerto Rican Coastal Wetland (USA)
POLLUTION
41. North Sea marine life is at risk from change in climate and plastic litter (North Sea)
42. Floating islands promise ocean clean up (USA)
RECREATION & TOURISM
43. Australian pokes shark in eye during attack (Australia)
44. Concrete and corals? (Israel)
RESEARCH
45. Fish diet to avoid fights (Australia)
46. Scientists Endure Arctic For Last Campaign Prior To CryoSat-2 Launch (Arctic)
47. Seaweed confirms Monte Verde village in Chile is among oldest in the Americas (USA)
48. Tiny krill could help unlock global climate change secrets (Australia)
49. High-tech system to allow reef monitoring (Australia)
50. Boosting 'Mussel' Power: New Technique For Making Key Marine Mussel Protein (Korea)
51. Everything's coming up corals (USA)
52. Sea creatures had a thing for bling (UK)
53. Stressed Seaweed Contributes To Cloudy Coastal Skies, Study Suggests (UK)
OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
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. Effects of Climate Change on the World's Oceans - International Symposium (Spain)
60. World Ocean’s Day (Australia)
61. International Ocean Stewardship Forum 2008 (International)
62. The 3rd Congress of the International Society for Applied Phycology and the 11th International Conference (Ireland)
63. Asian Wetland Symposium 2008- Wetlands -The Heart of Asia (Vietnam)
CALL FOR
64. Littoral 2008 A Changing Coast: Challenge the Environmental Policies (Europe)
65. 29th Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology & Conservation (International)
66. Coastal Zone Asia-Pacific Conference (China)
67. International Marine Conservation Congress: call for papers (International)
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MARINE AND COASTAL LEGISLATION, POLICY AND PLANNING
1. Pacific Countries Race Against Time To Claim Extra Ocean Territory (Pacific)
Abridged from: Pacific Magazine
12 May 2008
Full text: http://www.pacificmagazine.net
With only one year remaining to the May 2009 deadline, Fiji and six other pacific island countries are beginning to feel the pressure to complete their submissions to the United Nations to claim extra ocean space. Fiji along with Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, Tonga and Papua New Guinea have a credible claim to more than 1.5 million square kilometres of additional space beyond their current 200 mile Exclusive Economic Zone. This is being made possible under article 76 of the International Law of the Sea.
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2. Gulf of Mexico marine sanctuary proposal faces opposition (USA)
Abridged from: chron.com
7 May 2008
Full text: http://www.chron.com
The Bush administration is considering creating a string of marine sanctuaries in the Gulf of Mexico. But the proposal is hitting opposition from Republican senators fearful that the plan would hamper oil and natural gas drilling and hurt fishermen.
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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
3. Coastal Waters Show Decline In Contaminants Over 20-Year Period (USA)
Abridged from: Science Daily
12 May 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
NOAA scientists have released a 20-year study showing that environmental laws enacted in the 1970s are having a positive effect on reducing overall contaminant levels in coastal waters of the U.S. However, the report points to continuing concerns with elevated levels of metals and organic contaminants found near urban and industrial areas of the coasts.
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4. Biodiversity: It's In The Water (USA)
Abridged from: Science Daily
8 May 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
What if hydrology is more important for predicting biodiversity than biology? New research challenges current thinking about biodiversity and opens up new avenues for predicting how climate change or human activity may affect biodiversity patterns. Researchers have invented a method for turning simple data about rainfall and river networks into accurate assessments of fish biodiversity, allowing better prediction of the effects of climate change and the ecological impact of man-made structures like dams.
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MARINE PROTECTED AREAS
5. RC&D votes in favour of marine monument (Northern Mariana Islands)
Abridged from: Saipan Tribune
13 May 2008
Full text: http://www.saipantribune.com
The Resource Conservation & Development Council executive board has voted in favour to support the establishment of the Marianas Trench Marine Monument in the far northern islands of Asuncion, Maug, and Farallon De Pajaros....According to Cabrera, the new paradigm in ocean conservation is being led by Ocean Legacy, a program of the Pew Environment Group, "whose goal is to create large ecosystem-sized marine reserves to protect the continuous degradation of our marine ecosystem, and preserve for the future, for ourselves, and our children, a global marine heritage."
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6. Environmentalist calls for marine conservation zones (UK)
Abridged from: icwales.co.uk
13 May 2008
Full text: http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk
A top environmentalist is calling for more marine reserves to be established to protect the unique islands of Wales and the precious wildlife living in its coastal waters. Steve Hartley, skipper of the research vessel Sulaire and manager of Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre in New Quay, Cardigan, wants to see “no take” areas set aside, where species of fish can be left to breed undisturbed. “In order to protect the marine life of Wales, I think the Marine Bill needs to take more of a firm hand and take control of it,” he said.
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7. New marine reserve off the Taranaki coast (New Zealand)
Abridged from: Scoop
8 May 2008
Full text: http://www.scoop.co.nz
The establishment of the new Tapuae Marine Reserve off the Taranaki coast near New Plymouth was announced by Conservation Minister Steve Chadwick. The reserve adjoins the Sugar Loaf Island Marine Protected Area and stretches from Herekawe Stream in the north to Tapuae Stream in the south.
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FISHERIES
8. Dollar value, fuel costs hit fishermen (New Zealand)
Abridged from: NZ Herald
12 May 2008
Full text: http://www.nzherald.co.nz
The NZ Seafood Industry Conference gets underway in Wellington this week as fishing companies struggle with the high kiwi dollar and ever-rising fuel costs. The conference is being held at Te Papa from Wednesday to Friday and opens with a celebration of 50 years of the NZ Federation of Commercial Fishermen. Seafood Industry Council chief executive Owen Symmans said presentations and discussions at the conference would include fisheries management, property rights, aquaculture, marketing and the economic outlook.
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9. Eel Fishing Multiplies The Accidental Capture Of Other Fish By Eight (Spain)
Abridged from: Science Daily
11 May 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
In the Ebro River delta, the fishing of elver (Anguilla anguilla) leads to the accidental capture of other fish species, with the capture of one ton of elver possibly resulting in the capture of up to 8.2 tons of accompanying species. Researchers from the Institute for Agro-Food Research and Technology, who have assessed the effects of this method of fishing and identified the most fragile species, propose improvements in current methodologies.
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10. How the world's oceans are running out of fish (International)
Abridged from: The Observer
11 May 2008
Full text: http://www.guardian.co.uk
The future of our seas has never been more precarious. Ninety years of industrial-scale overfishing has brought us to the brink of an ecological catastrophe and deprived millions of their livelihoods. As scientific guidelines are ignored and catches become ever bigger, Alex Renton tells why the international community has failed to act.
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11. Fears barramundi fishers endangering protected species (Australia)
Abridged from: ABC News Online
10 May 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
The Northern Territory's fishing industry has admitted commercial barramundi fishers are still affecting protected species, despite following a code of conduct that is supposed to help them avoid the animals. The NT fishing industry says fishers are reporting what are called "interactions" with threatened species like crocodiles, dugong, turtles and sawfish. Fisheries officers will now board commercial barramundi fishing boats during the next three months to observe the fishers' interaction with threatened species.
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12. Sustainable seafood coming soon to Canadians (Canada)
Abridged from: News Bureau
9 May 2008
Full text: http://www.newsbureau.ca
Canadian consumers can soon make sustainable seafood choices at their workplace, college or university, hospital, entertainment facility or even at a remote camp managed by Compass Group Canada beginning June 1. This is thanks to a new seafood purchasing policy from Compass Group Canada in partnership with the Vancouver Aquarium's Ocean Wise Program. As a first result, a quarter million pounds of unsustainable Atlantic cod will be replaced annually by more sustainably fished Alaskan Pollock.
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13. NRDC, Conservation Groups Develop Business-supported Sustainable Seafood Plan (USA)
Abridged from: Kansas City Info Zine
9 May 2008
Full text: http://www.infozine.com
The Natural Resources Defense Council in partnership with more than a dozen conservation organizations, released steps companies can take to develop and implement a comprehensive corporate policy on sustainable, wild-caught and farmed seafood. More than a dozen seafood buyers and suppliers have already announced their support for the plan, called "Common Vision," and the need to improve ocean health to maintain the long-term viability of the seafood supply.
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14. Seafood Health Benefits - The Science (Australia)
Abridged from: Seafood Services Australia
May 2008
Full text: http://www.seafood.net.au
A list of (46) links to websites and human nutrition scientific literature, regarding seafood health benefits.
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Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Commercial and Recreational Fishing Impacts
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AQUACULTURE
15. Protecting Oysters From Burrowing Shrimp (USA)
Abridged from: Science Daily
12 May 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
For members of the multimillion-dollar (US) West Coast shellfish industry, their world is the oyster. Unfortunately, the oyster industry's ability to meet rising demands is hampered by two species of burrowing shrimp. So Agricultural Research Service scientists are collaborating with colleagues from Washington State University and Oregon State University to develop sustainable shrimp-control strategies. Ghost shrimp and mud shrimp inhabit the tideflats in estuaries where West Coast oysters are raised. The shrimp burrow into the estuaries, making the intertidal mud soft and unstable. As a result, oysters and other shellfish can sink beneath the silty surface and suffocate.
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16. New aquaculture resource launched at Manaia (New Zealand)
Abridged from: The Fish Site
9 May 2008
Full text: http://www.thefishsite.com
Māori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia launched a new aquaculture teaching resource for total immersion Māori schools with Coromandel’s Manaia School. The fact-sheet series Te Ahumoana Ā-mahi or Aquaculture in Action offer students an opportunity to learn more about aquaculture, in particular marine farming, in New Zealand. The plans were created to assist teachers in helping students investigate and learn about aquaculture, as well as its impact on our economy and our environment.
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CLIMATE CHANGE
17. 'Early Birds' Adapt To Climate Change (UK)
Abridged from: Science Daily
12 May 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
Individual birds can adjust their behaviour to take climate change in their stride, according to a study by scientists from the University of Oxford.
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18. Climate models overheat Antarctica, new study finds (Antarctica)
Abridged from: Environmental News Network
8 May 2008
Full text: http://www.enn.com
Computer analyses of global climate have consistently overstated warming in Antarctica, concludes new research by scientists at the National Centre for Atmospheric Research and Ohio State University. The study can help scientists improve computer models and determine if Earth's southernmost continent will warm significantly this century, a major research question because of Antarctica's potential impact on global sea-level rise.
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19. Ponds Found To Take Up Carbon Like World's Oceans (USA)
Abridged from: Science Daily
8 May 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
Research led by Iowa State University limnologist, or lake scientist, John Downing finds that ponds around the globe could absorb as much carbon as the world's oceans.
Professor Downing found that constructed ponds and lakes on farmland in the United States bury carbon at a much higher rate than expected; as much as 20-50 times the rate at which trees trap carbon. In addition, ponds were found to take up carbon at a higher rate than larger lakes. "Aquatic ecosystems play a disproportionately large role in the global carbon budget," Downing said.
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20. Melting glaciers release toxic chemical cocktail (Antarctica)
Abridged from: New Scientist
7 May 2008
Full text: http://environment.newscientist.com
Decades after most countries stopped spraying DDT, frozen stores of the insecticide are now trickling out of melting Antarctic glaciers. The change means Adélie penguins have recently been exposed to the chemical, according to a new study. The trace levels found will not harm the birds, but the presence of the chemical could be an indication that other frozen pollutants will be released because of climate change, says Heidi Geisz, a marine biologist at Virginia Institute of Marine Science in Gloucester in the US. She led a team that sampled DDT levels in the penguins.
Related articles:
http://www.reuters.com
http://news.nationalgeographic.com
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21. Expert Predicts 'Monsoon Britain' (UK)
Abridged from: Science Daily
7 May 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
Prepare for more floods -- in ways we are not used to - that's the message from experts at Durham University who have studied rainfall and river flow patterns over 250 years. Last summer was the second wettest on record and experts say Britain must prepare for worse to come. Professor Stuart Lane, from Durham University's new Institute of Hazard and Risk, says that after about 30 to 40 less eventful years, we seem to be entering a 'flood-rich' period. More flooding is likely over a number of decades.
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22. $63 million to protect Asia's 'Coral Triangle' (Philippines)
Abridged from: msnbc
30 April 2008
Full text: http://www.msnbc.msn.com
An international fund that aids sustainable environment projects has committed $63 million to help preserve Southeast Asia's Coral Triangle from overfishing and climate change, the Asian Development Bank said. 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. But excessive fishing, including the use of cyanide and dynamite, has destroyed large swathes of coral reef and depleted marine activity in the area. A rise in sea levels, ocean temperatures and water acidity because of climate change may also hasten the damage, the ADB said in statement.
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Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Climate Change
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NATURAL HAZARDS
23. Are Myanmar’s Storm Victims Suffering Needlessly? (Burma / Myanmar)
Abridged from: Environmental News Network
9 May 2008
Full text: http://www.enn.com
As the floodwaters of Cyclone Nargis began to recede from Myanmar's low-lying Irrawaddy Delta this week, at least one regional leader was quick to note that this devastating disaster could have been partially prevented through coastal preservation. Surin Pitsuwan, secretary-general of the Association of South-East Asian Nations, mentioned in an address in Singapore that expanding coastal populations and widespread mangrove degradation played key roles in worsening the cyclone's impact.
Related articles:
http://www.enn.com
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au
http://www.sciam.com
http://www.planetark.com
http://www.planetark.com
http://www.reliefweb.int
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INVASIVE MARINE & COASTAL SPECIES
24. Barra threatened by 'cane toad' fish (Australia)
Abridged from: ABC News Online
13 May 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
The Northern Territory Fisheries Department fears a foreign species of fish is heading to the Territory - and says it should strike fear into fisherman. The tilapia fish reproduces in huge numbers and eats the food sources of native fish like barramundi. Fisheries' aquatic pest management coordinator Helen Cribb compares the fish to another well known pest marching across north Australia - the cane toad. "They'll basically take over a habitat. They are a stronger competitor, reproduce in larger numbers, able to tolerate a broader variety of conditions with a much wider food source.
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25. Invasion Of The Spiny Water Fleas: Drying Anchor Lines Can Help Contain Spread (USA)
Abridged from: Science Daily
13 May 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
Reducing the spread of some invasive species could be as simple as asking boaters and fishers to dry out their equipment, says Queen’s Biology professor Shelley Arnott. When anchor rope, fishing line and the boats themselves are thoroughly dried, the invasive species and their eggs will die, rather than spreading to another location, she explains. “It’s such a simple thing for the general public to do, and yet it could make a big difference in the way that our lake ecosystems function.”
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26. Toxic seaweed removal starts (Australia)
Abridged from: ABC News Online
12 May 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
A clean-up has started of a toxic seaweed at the North Haven marina in Adelaide. Caulerpa taxifolia was found near the boat ramp last week, prompting urgent action to stop it from spreading. Divers expect to spend several weeks vacuuming the weed from the sea floor.
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27. Pest Sea Squirt Found At Marsden Cove (New Zealand)
Abridged from: Scoop
9 May 2008
Full text: http://www.scoop.co.nz
A ‘relatively abundant’ infestation of the unwanted marine sea squirt ‘Styela clava’ has been discovered during a routine sweep of the new Marsden Cove Marina by a dive team contracted to Biosecurity New Zealand. Biosecurity New Zealand advised the Northland Regional Council yesterday that about 40 Styela clava (or clubbed tunicate sea squirt) had been found during the 29 April survey, part of its national marine surveillance programme.
Related articles:
http://www.northernadvocate.co.nz
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28. Japanese marine pest spreading around Tasmania (Australia)
Abridged from: ABC News
8 May 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
A marine biologist is calling for tighter restrictions on ballast water within and between states, to help stop the spread of sea pests. University of Tasmania, Marine Biologist, Neville Barrett says DNA tests have confirmed another Japanese sea pest grateloupia turuturu, is invading Tasmanian waters. Scientists believe it was probably introduced through ballast water from international ships, before restrictions on international ships were introduced.
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29. 'Ping': Ship microwaves could beat ballast invaders (USA)
Abridged from: New Scientist
8 May 2008
Full text: http://environment.newscientist.com
Fitting ships with industrial-strength microwaves to heat their ballast water could help prevent invasive species from spreading around the world...Researchers at Louisiana State University want to kill off stowaways in ballast water by fitting ships with industrial microwave generators. "It's extremely efficient, and extremely fast," says Dorin Boldor, a biological engineer at LSU. To test the idea, researchers used a 5-kilowatt industrial microwave unit to heat ballast water flowing through a pipe at a rate of either 1 or 2 litres per minute. They recorded the effect on various species of algae, zooplankton and oyster larvae.
Related articles:
http://www.sciencedaily.com
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MARINE SPECIES
30. Seahorses spotted off Hampshire coast (UK)
Abridged from: Southern Daily Echo
12 May 2008
Full text: http://www.dailyecho.co.uk
They are one of Britain's rarest and most elusive creatures, but for the first time they have been spotted alive and well off the Hampshire coast. For several years it has been known that seahorses have made their homes in the water of The Solent, but only because their bodies have been found washed up on the shore or in fishermen's nets. But now a group of wildlife conservation volunteers have become the first people to see the tiny creatures in their local natural environment.
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31. Shark film to change perceptions (Australia)
Abridged from: The Sydney Morning Herald
10 May 2008
Full text: http://www.smh.com.au
Movies such as Jaws and Open Water portray sharks as vicious man-eaters and every year attacks on swimmers make for sensational headlines. But Canadian underwater photographer turned filmmaker Rob Stewart is trying to change the perception of sharks as killers with his award-winning documentary, Sharkwater. The film challenges many of the myths and historical stereotypes about creatures which pre-date the dinosaurs. "The fact is sharks do not eat people - more people are killed by pop [soft drink] machines than sharks," Stewart said...Sharkwater opens on May 15 in NSW and Queensland, with other states to follow.
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32. Bid to uncover secrets of pygmy right whale (New Zealand)
Abridged from: The Sydney Morning Herald
10 May 2008
Full text: http://www.smh.com.au
An international team of scientists is trying to unlock some of the secrets of the pygmy right whale at a New Zealand museum. Very little is known about the creatures because sightings in the wild are unusual, Australian team member Catherine Kemper, of the South Australian Museum, says. A pygmy whale found beached in the north of New Zealand a year ago is allowing the scientists from Australia, New Zealand and the United States a chance to dissect the species.
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33. Save the sharks (Canada)
Abridged from: The Globe and Mail
10 May 2008
Full text: http://www.theglobeandmail.com
This month, two high-profile fatal shark attacks near California and Mexico have sent swimmers running from the water, coast guards on the hunt and the media into a frenzy. "But we don't need protection from sharks - they need protection from us," says Richard Brill, a research scientist at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. Humans are more likely to be killed by lightning than sharks, he notes, while more than 11 million sharks are killed every year as incidental by-catch in fishing lines. Which is why he and other scientists are working on a way to deter sharks with small chunks of palladium neodymium metal attached to fishing nets.
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34. Preserve Florida's majestic manatee (USA)
Abridged from: Bradenton Herald
9 May 2008
Full text: http://www.bradenton.com
Whether the bite's hot or not, it takes extreme patience for anglers to slow their engine to a hum and idle through a slow-speed manatee zone. The bite's going off ahead. The solunar period is nigh. The tide is almost slack and, well, there's just no time to slow down. Truth is, there are plenty of boaters who may not care about West Indian manatees, a federally-listed species classified as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. Some longtime anglers have complained that there are manatee zones in certain areas around Terra Ceia Bay, in sometimes three feet of water, where they simply have never seen manatees.
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35. NZ 'unchanged' on Japanese whaling (New Zealand)
Abridged from: nzherald.co.nz
9 May 2008
Full text: http://www.nzherald.co.nz
The (NZ) Government says its position on whaling remains unchanged, after reports that the Australian Government is looking at abandoning its bid to pursue legal action against Japan over whaling.
Related articles:
http://tvnz.co.nz
http://www.stuff.co.nz
http://www.abc.net.au
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36. Early whales got the bends (USA)
Abridged from: New Scientist
8 May 2008
Full text: http://www.newscientist.com
Ancient whales were not master divers like their modern descendents. Biologists have discovered signs of decompression syndrome – the bends – in several different whale fossils, a finding that could revise the evolutionary history of deep diving. A team of paleobiologists surveyed hundreds of modern and ancient whale skeletons for decompression syndrome, which occurs when quick pressure changes force air or fat bubbles out of blood vessels.
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37. Aboriginal hunters raise a stink over tainted whales (Siberia)
Abridged from: New Scientist
7 May 2008
Full text: http://environment.newscientist.com
Trouble is brewing in the waters off the Chukotka Peninsula in the far east of Siberia. In the past few years, the aboriginal whalers of the eastern coastline who hunt grey whales for meat have reported that an increasing number of the creatures they catch smell so foul that even dogs won't eat them. The few people who have tried the meat suffered numb mouths, stomach ache and skin rashes.
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Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Marine Species
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PETROLEUM AND MINERALS
38. Lawsuit Filed to Block Loud Oil Exploration in Arctic Seas (Alaska)
Abridged from: Environment News Service
7 May 2008
Full text: http://www.ens-newswire.com
Alaska Natives and conservation groups filed a lawsuit in federal district court in Anchorage to stop noisy oil and gas exploration planned for this summer in the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas above the Arctic Circle. Seeking a preliminary injunction to prevent seismic surveying in the Arctic Ocean, the lawsuit alleges the federal government violated the National Environmental Policy Act by issuing permits to Shell Oil and British Petroleum prematurely, before completing an Environmental Impact Statement.
Related articles:
http://ap.google.com
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HERITAGE
39. Spain demands salvage team hand over wreck treasure (Spain)
Abridged from: ABC News Online
9 May 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
The Spanish Government is demanding a US salvage team hand over more than $530 million worth of treasure that was salvaged from a shipwreck. A lawyer for the Spanish Government says the wreck was definitely a Spanish frigate that sank south-west of Portugal in 1804 after being attacked by British ships. Last year the Odyssey Marine Exploration recovered gold and silver coins from the wreck.
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COASTAL WETLANDS
40. Miami Woman Honoured for Saving Puerto Rican Coastal Wetland (USA)
Abridged from: Environment News Service
7 May 2008
Full text: http://www.ens-newswire.com
Mildred Ramos Majoros of Miami has been named the winner of the 2008 National Wetlands Award for Conservation and Restoration. The award honours her multi-year effort as a project manager with the Trust for Public Land to preserve 270 acres of critical coastal habitat in Puerto Rico that was slated to become a large-scale resort...The new San Miguel Natural Reserve on the north coast of Puerto Rico, in the area known as the Northeastern Ecological Corridor, includes 212 acres of intertidal and emergent wetlands that benefit 14 federally listed threatened and endangered species.
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POLLUTION
41. North Sea marine life is at risk from change in climate and plastic litter (North Sea)
Abridged from: Journal Live
12 May 2008
Full text: http://www.journallive.co.uk
Durham Wildlife Trust has warned that marine life off the North East coast (UK) is under threat from the problems of climate change and litter. As the Government considers a Marine Bill to provide robust new conservation laws, the Trust has warned that marine life in the North Sea could change dramatically. They are calling on the Government to move quickly to prevent rising levels of marine litter, particularly plastics.
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42. Floating islands promise ocean clean up (USA)
Abridged from: businessGreen.com
8 May 2008
full text: http://www.businessgreen.com
Floating Island International has opened a manufacturing plant in California to create floating islands that it hopes will clean up inland water and oceans. The company uses recycled plastic to create the islands, which can be customised to different buoyancies and are designed to accumulate pollution-eating microbes. The microbes can chew through heavy metals and other toxins that accumulate in fresh water or the ocean, said owner Bruce Kania. He wants them to be used for cleaning up 'dead zones' where too many chemical nutrients have depleted oxygen levels in the water making it uninhabitable for wildlife.
Further information: http://www.floatingislandinternational.com/
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RECREATION AND TOURISM
43. Australian pokes shark in eye during attack (Australia)
Abridged from: Reuters
12 May 2008
Full text: http://uk.reuters.com
An Australian swimmer survived a great white shark attack by poking the creature in the eyes as it dragged him through the water after badly savaging his left leg. Jason Cull was swimming off a beach on Australia's southwest coast on Sunday when the four meter shark attacked. "Initially I thought it was a dolphin," Cull told The Australian newspaper on Monday. "I just remember being dragged along backwards. I was trying to feel its gills but I found its eye and I stuck my finger in and that's when it let go."
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44. Concrete and corals? (Israel)
Abridged from: Jerusalem Post
11 May 2008
Full text: http://www.jpost.com
For most people, the idea of concrete blocks replacing coral reefs might seem far-fetched. But for a group of marine scientists at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, it is just what the doctor ordered. Sturdy enough to last, yet porous enough to be implanted with corals, concrete is the basis for an innovative technique that may help save coral reefs in the Red Sea from further destruction from overzealous divers.
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RESEARCH
45. Fish diet to avoid fights (Australia)
Abridged from: Science Alerts, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies
12 May 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencealert.com.au
People diet to look more attractive. Fish diet to avoid being beaten up, thrown out of their social group - and getting eaten as a result. That is the conclusion of the latest research into fish behaviour by researchers from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies and James Cook University, described in the journal Current Biology. The same team who recently revealed fish use the threat of punishment to keep competitors in the mating game in line, have taken the work a step further to discover that subordinate fish deliberately go on a diet to avoid posing a challenge to their larger rivals.
Further information: http://www.coralcoe.org.au
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46. Scientists Endure Arctic For Last Campaign Prior To CryoSat-2 Launch (Arctic)
Abridged from: Science Daily
12 May 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
An international group of scientists has swapped their comfortable offices for one of the most inhospitable environments on the planet to carry out a challenging field campaign that is seen as the key to ensuring the data delivered by ESA's ice mission CryoSat will be as accurate as possible...The data collected during the campaigns will later enable scientists to accurately interpret the variations in ice thickness with time, which will be measured by the Earth Explorer CryoSat mission.
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47. Seaweed confirms Monte Verde village in Chile is among oldest in the Americas (USA)
Abridged from: Los Angeles Times
10 May 2008
Full text: http://www.latimes.com
Seaweed found at an inland settlement in Chile confirms that the village is one of the oldest inhabited sites in the Americas and demonstrates that residents had extensive contact with the coastline, 50 miles away, researchers said Friday.
Further information: http://ukpress.google.com
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48. Tiny krill could help unlock global climate change secrets (Australia)
Abridged from: ABC News Online
9 May 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
Scientists in Hobart are starting small in their bid to discover the answers to one of the world's biggest problems: they are researching krill in the hope of finding out what impact climate change may be having in the Southern Ocean. The shrimp-like krill is one of the smallest animals in the Antarctic, but Dr Andrew Constable from the Australian Antarctic Division says it could help unlock some of the secrets of one of the world's most complex ecosystems. "Krill is the last untapped marine fishery in the world and it's really important because krill also forms the foundation of the Antarctic foodwork," Dr Constable said.
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49. High-tech system to allow reef monitoring (Australia)
Abridged from: ABC News Online
9 May 2008
Full text: http://www.abc.net.au
A new $16 million ocean observing system is to be officially switched today on at the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) in north Queensland. The new system is said to be a world first and will allow researchers to monitor the Great Barrier Reef in real time using an over the horizon microwave link. It was developed at James Cook University to allow AIMS to run high-speed internet studies and AIMS project manager Scott Bainbridge says it should speed up observations of the reef.
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50. Boosting 'Mussel' Power: New Technique For Making Key Marine Mussel Protein (Korea)
Abridged from: Science Daily
8 May 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
Researchers in Korea report development of a way to double production of a sticky protein from marine mussels destined for use as an antibacterial coating to prevent life-threatening infections in medical implants. The coating, produced by genetically-engineered bacteria, could cut medical costs and improve implant safety, the researchers say.
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51. Everything's coming up corals (USA)
Abridged from: Eureka Alert, University of Miami
8 May 2008
Full text: http://www.eurekalert.org
Two University of Miami students have received prestigious Graduate Research Fellowships from the National Science Foundation for their doctoral work on coral reefs. Rachel Silverstein and Nitzan Soffer will each receive three years of support for their work in the laboratory of Dr. Andrew Baker, an assistant professor in the Division of Marine Biology and Fisheries at UM’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science.
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52. Sea creatures had a thing for bling (UK)
Abridged from: New Scientist
8 May 2008
Full text: http://environment.newscientist.com
Call it extraterrestrial bling. Fossilised sea creatures have been found that coated themselves in tiny diamonds created in the asteroid impact that killed off the dinosaurs. The fossils were discovered by a team led by Michael Kaminski, a geologist at University College London. They went to the Umbria-Marche basin of eastern Italy in search of the fossilised remains of deep-ocean creatures called agglutinated foraminifera.
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53. Stressed Seaweed Contributes To Cloudy Coastal Skies, Study Suggests (UK)
Abridged from: Science Daily
7 May 2008
Full text: http://www.sciencedaily.com
Scientists at The University of Manchester have helped to identify that the presence of large amounts of seaweed in coastal areas can influence the climate. A new international study has found that large brown seaweeds, when under stress, release large quantities of inorganic iodine into the coastal atmosphere, where it may contribute to cloud formation. A scientific paper identifies that iodine is stored in the form of iodide -- single, negatively charged ions. When this iodide is released it acts as the first known inorganic -- and the most simple -- antioxidant in any living system.
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Interested in this topic? View MCCN’s website for more: Marine and Coastal Research
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OPEN FOR PUBLIC COMMENT
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
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
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. 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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60. 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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61. 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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62. The 3rd Congress of the International Society for Applied Phycology and the 11th International Conference (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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63. 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
64. 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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65. 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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66. Coastal Zone Asia-Pacific Conference (China)
Held in Qingdao, China, 19-22 October, 2008. The conference theme is 'Sustainable Coasts and Better Life,' with a focus on how to manage coasts to cope with climate change and expanding populations. The conference will be hosted by Professor Guifang (Julia) Xue at Ocean University of China, Qingdao. Further information http://www.czapa.org and now open for on-line abstract submission. The deadline for submission is 15 June 2008.
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67. 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 