Extracts from MCCN (Marine and Coastal Community Network) Pew SeaSpan, MPA News, and BRN (Biodiversity Research Network) newsletters, along with individual contributions. Selected and edited by Jon Nevill, OnlyOnePlanet Australia.
Please email prospective items to jon_nevill@yahoo.com.au. They need to be (a) of general marine biodiversity interest, (b) short (one paragraph only), and (c) they need to have a web or email link so readers can obtain more information. Abstracts or summaries of published papers of wide general interest are suitable, as are notifications of upcoming conferences or seminars.
November 2006
Orange roughy listed as threatened by the
Australian Government:
November 9, 2006: the
Australian Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell,
announced that the orange roughy will be added to the threatened species list
under the Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act
1999. This is the first commercially harvested fish to be listed under the
Act. Orange roughy will be listed as conservation dependent, and will be managed
subject to a conservation programme to be implemented by the Australian
Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA). “Scientific
advice to me indicated that Orange Roughy is under considerable pressure and
protection under environment law is needed if the species is to have any chance
of long-term survival,” Senator Campbell said. “The conservation programme
will protect Orange Roughy from over-fishing, in part by prohibiting targeted
fishing in fishing zones. Catch limits at the Cascade Plateau will be set at
levels that will conserve the species – AFMA has already
announced a reduction in the zone’s 2007 total allowable Orange Roughy
catch.”
Minister’s
press release: http://www.deh.gov.au/minister/env/2006/mr09nov406.html
Editor’s
comment:
Under new AFMA rules, exploratory fishing for orange roughy below 700 m is now
banned in the south-east trawl fishery. However, the existing orange roughy
fishery at the Cascade Plateau is exempted from the 700 m ban, and will
continue. While the Minister believes that the Cascade Plateau fishery “will
conserve the species”, previous Australian fishery ministers made similar
assurances in the past regarding other orange roughy stocks, which have now all
been fished below both target and limit reference points. The Minister
responsible for Fisheries is Senator Eric Abetz. Under the Commonwealth’s
enabling legislation, the Minister, and AFMA, are obliged to apply a
precautionary approach to fishery management. Such an approach requires that,
where the possibility exists of serious environmental damage, lack of scientific
evidence should not delay protective action. Several studies have provided ample
evidence that deep-water bottom trawling over the vulnerable coral habitats
where orange roughy aggregate is likely to cause damage which is not only serious
but effectively irreversible within the timescale of a human life (or an orange
roughy life). In my opinion, by allowing continued fishing for orange roughy
over the Cascade Plateau, the Minister appears to be acting in clear
contradiction to his statutory duties. AFMA policy also, in theory, supports the
application of an ecosystem approach to fishery management; however in the case
of the Cascade Plateau fishery, no significant allowance appears to have been
made for the ecosystem effects of the fishery. In summary, by allowing the
continuation of the Cascade Plateau fishery, the Minister appears to be
breaching his own commitments to the ecosystem and precautionary approaches, and
well as an international commitment, expressed in section 194 of the Law of the
Sea, to protect vulnerable habitat.
Accelerating loss of ocean species
threatens human well-being
In a study published in the November 3 issue of the
journal, Science, an international group of ecologists and economists
show that the loss of biodiversity is profoundly reducing the ocean’s ability
to produce seafood, resist diseases, filter pollutants, and rebound from
stresses such as over fishing and climate change. The study reveals that
every species lost causes a faster unravelling of the overall ecosystem.
Conversely every species recovered adds significantly to overall productivity
and stability of the ecosystem and its ability to withstand stresses.
“Whether we looked at tide pools or studies over the
entire world’s ocean, we saw the same picture emerging,” says lead author
Boris Worm of Dalhousie University. “In losing species we lose the
productivity and stability of entire ecosystems. I was shocked and disturbed by
how consistent these trends are – beyond anything we suspected.”
October 2006
Carl Safina: New York Times interview:
Carl Safina was recently featured in a New York Times article and
interview. Writer Andrew C. Revkin writes: "For Carl Safina - a biologist,
conservationist and prize-winning author - passions and intellectual pursuits
are deeply entwined. Now 51, he has written three books on the rising human
impact on seas once presumed boundless. The first was on fishing, the next on
the travels and travails of albatrosses. His latest, "Voyage of the Turtle:
In Pursuit of the Earth's Last Dinosaur" (Henry Holt, 2006), follows the
struggles of the ocean's ancient leatherbacks and other sea turtles. His prime
goal, he has said, is to develop a "sea ethic" similar to the land
ethic of Aldo Leopold, and a scattering of success stories has convinced him
that a balance is still possible between exploitation and conservation of marine
resources."
SOURCE: Andrew C. Revkin, The New York Times, 24 October 2006
To read the full interview, go to:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/24/science/24conv.html?_r=1&ref=science&oref=slogin
Iceland: commercial whaling to resume:
Iceland said it would resume commercial whaling after a moratorium of
nearly two decades, defying a worldwide ban on hunting whales for their meat.
The government will allow the hunting of 30 minke whales and nine fin whales
through next August. The Ministry of Fisheries said there were more than 43,000
minke whales and 25,000 fin whales in Icelandic coastal waters. Asta
Einarsdottir, a lawyer for the Ministry of Fisheries, said that the resumption
of whaling "is part of our main principle of sustainable use of all living
marine resources" and that "fisheries have been our bread and
butter." The meat will be sold on the domestic market, the government said,
although some could be exported should demand arise.
SOURCE: Associated Press/New York Times, 18 October 2006
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/18/world/europe/18briefs-004.html?ex=1162443600&en=6d6ba966ec31becf&ei=5070
CSIRO concludes fishery risk assessment
contract:
20/10/06. The CSIRO (Division of Marine and Atmospheric Research) has finalised a major contract for the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA), providing an ecological risk assessment (ERA) methodology and preliminary risk assessments for about 30 AFMA-managed fisheries. The ERAEF method is a hierarchical approach that moves from qualitative to quantitative risk assessment, and assesses risks from fishing activities for five ecological components of the ecosystem – target species; byproduct and bycatch species; threatened, endangered and protected species; habitats; and communities. At Level 2 in the ERAEF hierarchy, biological units (species, habitats or communities) within each fishery are assessed on two central criteria: productivity (a proxy for resilience or recovery ability) and susceptibility (exposure and vulnerability to damage from fishing activities). The steps in the hierarchy can be seen as a successive process of screening out risks, and an explicitly precautionary approach to uncertainty is adopted. The method also provides a mechanism for focussing research resources where they are most needed in term of ecological risk. Overseas agencies have shown considerable interest in the CSIRO work. Further information may be obtained from Alistair Hobday or Tony Smith at CSIRO (phone +61 3 6232 5222) or Tim Smith at AFMA (phone +61 2 6272 5631).
Japan admits massive fraud in overcatch of southern bluefin tuna.
Article from "The Age" 16 October 2006. Japan accused over albatross deaths - The Age 23 September 2006
Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna
Official figures underestimate shark catch:
The number of sharks being killed to supply the burgeoning
demand for shark fin soup is three to four times as high as previous estimates,
scientists report in the October issue of Ecology Letters. The study, a
statistical analysis based on records of Hong Kong shark fin traders, calculated
that 26 million to 73 million sharks are killed each year.
That's three to four times higher than the numbers reported by the United
Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Scientists have long suspected that
the UN numbers were too low, thanks to a large chunk of illegal, unregulated or
unreported trade in sharks. But data have been hard to come by.
"Numbers as high as 100 million had been floating around for a while, but
we had no way of knowing whether or not this was accurate," says Ellen
Pikitch, executive director of the University of Miami's Pew Institute for Ocean
Science and an author on this week's paper in Ecology Letters.
Source: Washington Post, Juliet Eilperin, 25 September 2006
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/24/AR2006092400753.html?referrer=emailarticle
Also see:
Sharks in hot water, Nature.com, Amanda Leigh Haag, 29 September 2006
http://www.nature.com/news/2006/060925/full/060925-14.html
Citation:
Clarke S. C., McAllister, M. K., Milner-Gulland, E. J., Kirkwood, G. P.,
Michielsens, C. G. J., Agnew, D. J., Pikitch, E. K., Nakano, H., and M.
Shivji; Global estimates of shark catches using trade records from commercial
markets. Ecology Letters, 9. 1115 - 1126 (2006).
Australia implements limited ban on trawling below 700 m.
The Australian Fisheries Management Authority announced new restrictions on deep-water fishing (AFMA Update 3(17):1 on October 4, 2006. AFMA has imposed a ban on fishing in depths below 700m by any method in the South Eastern Shark and Scalefish Fishery (SESSF) unless the AFMA Board approves a specific proposal that satisfies a range of environmental and management requirements. This deepwater closure is intended to prevent the targeting of all non-quota deepwater species and protect fragile deepwater habitats from the effects of fishing.
The depth closure will come into effect from 1 January 2007 and will complement additional area and seasonal closures in other parts of the fishery.
According to AFMA, there will be an exception for the Great Australian Bight Trawl Sector where an alternative depth closure is to be determined. Fishing for orange roughy and alfonsino in designated areas will also continue under current arrangements consistent with the Commonwealth Harvest Strategy Policy.
Comment by Jon Nevill: At first glance the prohibition on exploratory bottom trawling below 700 m in the SESSF appears to achieve little, as the fishery most likely to cause damage (the orange roughy fishery at the Cascade Plateau) is exempted from the ban.. The vulnerable deep-water ecosystems in the SESSF appear to occupy the 500-1500 m depth range, largely along the continental slope and around seamounts. Deep water trawling for shark, dories and gemfish generally occurs above the new 700 m cut off point for exploratory trawling, and so will not be substantially affected. Below 700 m, fishing for orange roughy and alfonsino will not be restricted by the new ban, and these are the fisheries which provide the main threat to cold water corals. While these fisheries will be excluded from some of the marine protected areas announced by the Commonwealth Government in 2006, this would have been the case without the 700 m ban. Specific exclusions applying to the fishery, such as the ban on fishing spawning aggregations at St Helens Hill, pre-date the new rule.
There are, however, two reasons to praise the October 2006 ban. Firstly, it clearly adopts, within narrow limits, a precautionary approach. AFMA has shown considerable reluctance to implement the precautionary approach since its enabling legislation was amended in 1999 to require application of precaution, so this is an important step forward. Secondly, by signalling that additional (additional to the agreed MPAs) areas may be excluded to deep water quota fisheries in the near future, AFMA is demonstrating a progressive attitude to fishery closures to protect benthic ecosystems (and spawning aggregations). This too is an important step forward. It is noteworthy that a considerable number of the 70 south Tasmanian seamounts were left outside the 2006 MPA network (notably those immediately to the west of the Huon Protected Area, for example). Seamounts on the South Tasman Rise and Cascade Plateau similarly remain vulnerable to ongoing deep sea trawling. It is also noteworthy that a recent application to the Commonwealth Government to place all 70 south Tasmanian seamounts on the Commonwealth Heritage List resulted in only 13 seamounts being listed (www.hsi.org.au).
US position on high seas bottom trawling:
President (3/10/06) directed Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, in
consultation with Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez, to further strengthen
the efforts of the United States to protect sustainable fisheries and to
safeguard their effective use by calling for an end to destructive fishing
practices, such as unregulated bottom trawling on the high seas. The President
emphasized that it remains United States policy to support protection and use of
sustainable fisheries as a food source and to meet the needs of commercial and
recreational fishing.
More info: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/10/20061003-1.html
Commonwealth review of the Great Barrier Reef
Marine Park Act 1975:
The Minister for the Environment and
Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell, has released the review of the Great Barrier
Reef Marine Park Act 1975. This review delivers on an Australian Government
election commitment to review the Act to improve the performance of the Great
Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, its office holders and its accountability
frameworks. The review panel consulted with a wide range of stakeholders and
heard a diverse range of views. The review panel considered 227 submissions and
held 36 consultations.
The review focused on updating the regulatory, governance and accountability frameworks and consultative mechanisms required for the long-term protection of the Great Barrier Reef, and the impact of the landmark Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
The Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell, said the Government supported the review's recommendations. Importantly, these include:
Minister Campbell said "The Government will ensure the current zoning plan remains in place until at least 2013 to provide for business and community certainty.
"The zoning plan process will be made more accountable and transparent. Any future decision to review a zoning plan will be made by the Australian Government Minister for the Environment and Heritage who will also ensure that the process by which a review is undertaken is based on comprehensive scientific and socio-economic information, and community consultation."
"The Queensland Government is intrinsic to the future management of the Great Barrier Reef especially if threats to the Reef from catchment to coast are to be managed effectively. The current intergovernmental agreement needs to be updated to meet these future challenges."
The review panel was chaired by the Secretary of the Department of the Environment and Heritage, David Borthwick, with Barbara Belcher, First Assistant Secretary, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and Jonathan Hutson, General Manager, Department of Finance and Administration.
For a copy of the review report see http://www.deh.gov.au/coasts/publications/gbr-marine-park-act.html
September 2006
Thirteen of seventy Tasmanian seamounts protected under the Commonwealth Heritage List:
The Tasmanian pinnacle seamounts support intact benthic
communities that differ markedly from the sediment dwelling faunas of the
surrounding deep sea floor. The seamounts are dominated by cold-water coral
species and characterized by a relatively high species richness and endemism.
They can be regarded as oases of comparative productivity in the open ocean,
with the coral matrix which provides habitat otherwise lacking in the dark and
deep abyssal waters and dense schools of seamount-associated fish. The seamounts
communities are very vulnerable to disturbance being dominated by long-lived
species with low growth rates. Research on the Tasmanian seamounts has already
substantially contributed to the nation’s knowledge of deep sea organisms and
has potential to continue to do so. They are regionally unusual ecosystems that
represent the principal characteristics of seamounts as species-rich, deep sea
communities.
There are 13 seamounts within the Tasmanian Seamounts Commonwealth Heritage Area, all of which are within the Huon Marine Protected Area (Commonwealth Heritage List, listed 18/9/06). Of these, 8 have been surveyed and are known to be in good condition having been only lightly trawled as at the 1997 survey. The other 5 seamounts are of unknown heritage value. These are assumed to be in good condition because they occur in deep water. Deeper seamounts are generally in a better state of conservation as they are less affected by fishing operations due to the difficulties associated with fishing at depth. The most heavily fished seamounts are those peaking at shallower depth about 650-1000 metres below sea level. The abundance and diversity of benthic marine life drops of sharply below 1400-1500 metres.
More info: http://www.deh.gov.au/
Oil tanker spill in Phillippines near
marine reserve
A tanker ship (M/T Solar I) containing 2 million liters
of bunker fuel as cargo sank in rough seas off the coast of Guimaras Island in
the Philippines on 11 August, spilling more than a tenth of its fuel cargo.
The resulting slick, 20 nautical miles wide, has heavily impacted 11 coastal
communities, or "barangays", as well as four locally managed marine
sanctuaries and the 10-km2 Taklong Island National Marine Reserve. The
Taklong reserve - featuring mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrass beds - has
served as a field laboratory for MPA research, including on larval export and
reserve effects. Within two hours of the tanker sinking, the National Oil Spill
Contingency Plan was activated and the Philippine Coast Guard assigned a task
force to provide overall strategy and direction for spill management. A
Coast Guard briefing on the spill described the remaining fuel on the sunken
tanker as "an environmental time bomb." To guard against such a
disaster occurring again, the Philippine government has indicated its intent to
establish sea lanes for vessels carrying oil and other hazardous substances to
keep them away from ecologically sensitive areas. Currently the Philippine
archipelago, with more than 7000 islands, relies on a fleet of 200 tanker
vessels to carry fuel oil from Luzon Island - where the country's two refineries
are located - to outlying islands.
Source: MPA News, Vol. 8, No.3, September 2006, University of Washington
http://depts.washington.edu/mpanews/issues.html#Sep%202006
Wild salmon at risk from fish-farm
escapees
More than a million farmed salmon have escaped into the
wild from Scottish fish pens in the past three years, which scientists fear may
be driving wild salmon towards extinction. Figures released by the
Scottish government show 1.6 million salmon have escaped from fish farms in more
than 50 separate incidents since 2000, with 821,500 escaping last year alone. So
far this year, official figures show 106,000 of the fish have escaped. Recent
scientific evidence shows the escape of farmed salmon from pens each year can
lead to catastrophically reduced survival of the progeny of wild salmon, which
breed with the domesticated fish. Scientists call the effect the
"extinction vortex" because they say it could lead to the demise of
wild salmon populations that have evolved over thousands of years in particular
rivers. The latest figures would appear to confirm fears among officials of the
North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation that wild salmon populations are
continuing to decline despite the widespread buy-out of commercial nets in
Europe and Greenland.
Source: Charles Clover, The Daily Telagraph, 29 August 2006
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/08/29/nfish29.xml
California expands marine protected areas
The California Fish and Game Commission has banned or severely
restricted fishing across nearly 18% of the waters off Central California,
beginning to roll out the nation's first network of marine reserves next to a
heavily populated coastline. The commissioners settled on a network of 29 marine
protected areas, stretching from Santa Barbara to Santa Cruz counties, that
collectively cover about 200 square miles of state waters. About half are
reserves that forbid any fishing; the other protected areas ban commercial
fishing or impose other restrictions. This set of reserves, more than six years
in the making, is expected to be a model as additional reserves are created
along the entire California coast to help depleted fish populations rebound.
Source: Kenneth R. Weiss, Los Angeles Times, 16 August 2006
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-fish16aug16,0,5861386.story?coll=la-story-footer
Additional source material:
"Network of Marine Reserves Designated in Central California"
MPA News, Vol. 8, No.3,September 2006, University of Washington
http://depts.washington.edu/mpanews/issues.html#Sep%202006
Wal-Mart to promote sustainable fisheries
in Europe
ASDA, Britain's second largest supermarket group has called for British
withdrawal from the Common Fisheries Policy in order to protect the livelihoods
of fishermen and preserve fish stocks in the North Sea. Gordon Maddan,
regulatory affairs manager for the Yorkshire based retail chain said: "We
want all the fish we sell to be sustainable. It's very clear however that the
Common Fisheries Policy has failed to deliver this so we are now supporting
calls for a radical change in approach." Earlier this year ASDA announced
it was dramatically changing the way it sources fish, bringing its sustainable
fish policy into line with its parent company Wal-Mart. Within the next three to
five years, ASDA said it would only stock wild-caught fresh and frozen fish from
fisheries that meet the Marine Stewardship Council's (MSC) independent
environmental standard for sustainable and well-managed fisheries.
Source: Fishupdate 6 September 2006
http://www.fishupdate.com/news/fullstory.php/aid/5260/Asda__joins_call__for_EU_policy_pull-out.html
The 8th Invertebrate Biodiversity &
Conservation Conference 2007 “Pacific Priorities”
will be held at the Queensland Museum, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 3 – 7
December 2007.
To ensure you receive more information as it becomes
available please register your interest on www.ibcc2007.org/
Or contact Sally Brown, 8IBCC Conference Secretariat
PO Box 108, Kenmore, QLD 4069, Australia
Sally.brown@uq.net.au
Shorebird conservation toolkit
Source: www.shorebirds.org.au
WWF-Australia with funding from the Australian Government's Natural Heritage
Trust is pleased to announce the launch of the Shorebird Conservation Toolkit - www.shorebirds.org.au
- to help protect and enhance shorebird habitat across
Australia. The toolkit builds on the success of the national Shorebird
Conservation Project (2001-2005), drawing from over 31 on-ground and
community-driven shorebird conservation projects. The toolkit is a comprehensive
resource that will enable users to:
* understand and appreciate shorebirds, their habitat and conservation needs;
* locate important shorebird sites in Australia and access population estimates;
* develop site survey and monitoring programs;
* identify/assess site management needs, and implement/evaluate management
actions;
* write grant applications, site communication plans and media releases;
* access existing resources;
* identify and advocate international/national conservation options; and
* access organisations with knowledge/expertise in practical shorebird and
wetland conservation.
The toolkit is available on-line at www.shorebirds.org.au
and on CD.
For more information or to obtain a copy of the toolkit contact: Bianca Priest,
Shorebird Conservation Project, WWF-Australia, 0413 300 797, 03 6225 1394,
bpriest@wwf.org.au .
Northern Bass Strait Islands will be closed to all abalone fishing
Following an outbreak of the abalone disease
Ganglioneuritis in southern Victoria, the Northern Bass Strait Islands will be
closed to all abalone fishing to minimise any likelihood of the disease
spreading to Tasmania's abalone stocks. The closure comes into effect on
Wednesday, August 16. The Minister for Primary Industries and Water, David
Llewellyn, announced the temporary closure with the full support of the
Tasmanian Abalone Council which represents Tasmania's commercial abalone
fishers, processors and exporters. "The abalone industry is one of
Tasmania's key industries and the largest wild abalone fishery in the world,
providing approximately 25% of the annual world harvest," Mr Llewellyn
said. "Given the importance of the abalone fishery to Tasmania, it is
essential that we take a precautionary approach to provide every possible
protection against the potential for spread of this disease." The Minister
said that under the closure, all recreational and commercial abalone fishing is
banned in the waters around the Kent, Curtis, Hogan and Moncoeur Island
groups north of Flinders Island. "The closure is a precautionary measure
for a period of three months while the potential spread of the Ganglioneuritis
outbreak in Victoria is assessed. Further details on the closure area, including
a map is available on the Department's website www.fishing.tas.gov.au
from tomorrow. Further information: Tasmanian Government Communications
Unit,tel. (03) 6233 6573
See also: More Protection for Abalone Stocks 23/8/06
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200608/s1722322.htm
Conservationists call for firearm ban on
fishing boats
Source: HSI / AMCS Media Release, 1 September 2006
The Australian Marine Conservation Society and Humane Society International
today joined forces to call for a ban on guns on fishing boats used to shoot
protected wildlife and for mitigation measures in trawl nets to prevent
'accidental' seal bycatch. Craig Bohm, National Fisheries Campaigner with the
Australian Marine Conservation Society said, "All Australians would be
appalled by the slaughter of 40 protected fur seals in Bass Strait this
week.
The Australian Government should finally ban guns on boats and stop this
senseless killing of our protected marine life." Nicola Beynon, Wildlife
and Habitats Program Manager with the Humane Society International said,
"Unfortunately, the shooting of 40 seals this week is not a one-off
incident. There are regular reports of seal shootings by Australian fishermen.
However, these incidences are rarely witnessed so that they can be prosecuted.
The solution is to ban guns on boats". "It is not only guns that kill
seals. Hundreds of fur seals are also drowned in trawl nets of south eastern
Australia each year. Seals are listed protected species and it is unacceptable
that fisheries continue to so openly slaughter so many of them each year"
said Craig Bohm. The Australian Action Plan for Australian Seals identifies that
the major problem for seals in the waters of mainland Australia is conflict with
fisheries. Seals chase the trawl boats seeking a free feed from within the fish
nets and from the discarded bycatch. The seals get caught in the nets
and drown. Ms Beynon continued, "We are calling on the Australian
Government to continue the development of 'seal
excluder devices' in trawl nets to allow seals to escape unharmed.
The killing has been going on for many years even though we have listed seals as
protected species. We are failing in our duty of care for these creatures."
Bohm concluded, "Clearly current fisheries management approaches are
failing Australia's protected fur seals. The public is rightly appalled at the
deliberate shootings this week.
They will be even more appalled to realise hundreds of seals are routinely
killed in our fisheries every year. The Australian
Government needs to take tougher action".
For more information contact Craig Bohm on 0427 133 481 or Nicola Beynon on 0404
065 517 1. Reference - The Action Plan for Seals - http://www.deh.gov.au/coasts/publications/seals-action-plan.html#download.
Nature: news@nature.com highlights: 11 September 2006
Half our fish are now farmed Aquaculture boom spells good and bad news. 6 September 2006 http://info.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/eZxi0KRyGq0C30BAeV0Ei
Nature: news@nature.com highlights: 11 September 2006
Melting lakes in Siberia emit greenhouse gas Methane from thawing permafrost could increase global warming. 6 September 2006 http://info.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/eZxi0KRyGq0C30BAeW0Ej
August 2006
Seal slaughter in Victoria
Police are investigating a mass shooting
of fur seals at a colony on Kanowna Island, off Wilson's Promontory in Victoria.
The shooting happened late on August 30 and police say most of the 40 seals
involved were killed.
It was witnessed by three Deakin University researchers who reported the shots
came from a fishing boat. Detective Senior Constable Richard Sulley from
Wonthaggi Police says researchers feared for their own safety during the
shooting. Police later searched a boat,
confiscated two rifles, and took two men for
questioning.
Source: ABC Radio National 31/8/06: http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200608/s1730147.htm.
Review of the Conservation Status
of Australia's Smaller Whales and Dolphins (Australia)
www.deh.gov.au/coasts/publications/conservation-smaller-whales-dolphins.html
Sea Level Rise is Accelerating
Global sea levels could rise by about 30
cm during this century if current trends continue, a study warns. Australian
researchers found that sea levels rose by 19.5 cm between 1870 and 2004, with
accelerated rates in the final 50 years of that period. The research, published
in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, used data from tide gauges around
the world.
The findings fit within predictions made by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The IPCC's Third Assessment Report, published in 2001, projected that the global average sea level would rise by between 9 and 88 cm between 1990 and 2100. In an attempt to reduce the scale of uncertainty in this projection, the Australian researchers have analysed tidal records dating back to 1870. The data were obtained from locations throughout the globe. These records show that the sea level has risen, and suggest that the rate of rise is increasing (NJ White, JA Church, JM Gregory - Geophysical Research Letters, 2005; vol 32).
Predation by Rats a Key
Threatening Process
Predation by exotic rats on Australian
offshore islands of less than 1000 km2
(100,000 ha) has now been listed as a key threatening process. Copies of the
advice can be downloaded at: www.deh.gov.au/ biodiversity/threatened/ktp/island-rats.html.
Ocean acidification:
articles 2004-2006:
Article
from the French National Centre for Scientific Research
Article
from the US National Ocean and Atmosphere Administration
Article
from the US National Centre for Atmosphere Research
Abstract
of a research paper in the journal, 'Nature'
Report from the
Royal Society in England (pdf file)
Scientific
American article (pdf file)
Media release
from the EU OSPAR organisation (pdf file)
http://www.pml.ac.uk/data/files/12.03.06_Shellfish.pdf
Dr Richard Matear presented a paper to the ACE CRC Symposium in Hobart on 30
August 2006.
Among many interesting points he noted that the Southern Ocean was particularly
vulnerable due to its temperature and chemistry, and that the IPCC IS92a emissions scenario would be likely to push
atmospheric and oceanic carbon dioxide levels past those of the last 60 million
years. The Cretaceous mass extinction event dates to approximately this time.
Roberts JM et al. (Science 312:543-547) suggested levels could exceed
those of the last 300 million years.
Nature: 31 August 2006 Volume 442 Number 7106, pp
957 - 1076
The rising level of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere is making the world's oceans more acidic.
Jacqueline Ruttimann reports on the potentially catastrophic effect this could
have on marine creatures. 10.1038/442978a http://info.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/eZoH0KRyGq0Ch08wX0Ey
Nature: 31 August 2006 Volume 442 Number 7106, pp 957 - 1076
Discovery of a magma chamber and faults beneath a Mid-Atlantic Ridge hydrothermal field Satish C. Singh et al. 10.1038/nature05105 Abstract: http://info.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/eZoH0KRyGq0Ch08w50EP Article: http://info.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/eZoH0KRyGq0Ch08w60EQ
Nature: 31 August 2006 Volume 442 Number 7106, pp 957 - 1076
Evidence that mechanisms of fin development evolved in the midline of early vertebrates The median fins of sharks develop from a continuous finfold derived mainly from paraxial mesoderm. Expression of Tbx18, which specifies the anterior limit of the paired forelimbs, also delineates the boundaries of median fin outgrowth. Lampreys, primitive vertebrates that lack paired limbs, have a median fin that shares a similar pattern of development with sharks. Renata Freitas, GuangJun Zhang and Martin J. Cohn 10.1038/nature04984 Abstract: http://info.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/eZoH0KRyGq0Ch08w70ER Article: http://info.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/eZoH0KRyGq0Ch08w80ES
Science Table of Contents Text
for Freshwater Resources: 25 August 2006; Vol. 313, No. 5790
Trajectory shifts in the Arctic and
Subarctic freshwater cycle
Bruce J. Peterson, James McClelland, Ruth
Curry, Robert M. Holmes, John E. Walsh, and Knut Aagaard
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/313/5790/1061?etoc
p. 1061
Science Table of Contents Text
for Freshwater Resources: 25 August 2006; Vol. 313, No. 5790
Ice Sheets and sea level
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/313/5790/1043c?etoc
p. 1043
Science Table of Contents Text
for Freshwater Resources: 25 August 2006; Vol. 313, No. 5790
ECOLOGY: Are global conservation
efforts successful? Ana S. L.
Rodrigues
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/summary/313/5790/1051?etoc
p. 1051
NATURE 24 August 2006 Volume 442 Number 7105, pp 847 - 956
Oceans cool off in hottest years Temperature drop puzzles climate researchers. Quirin Schiermeier 10.1038/442854a http://info.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/eZiJ0KRyGq0Ch08ON0E5
CONFERENCE
ON IMPLEMENTING THE ECOSYSTEM APPROACH TO FISHERIES:
This conference will be held from 26-28 September 2006, in Bergen, Norway.
Organized by the Nordic Council of Ministers, it aims to review concepts and
address implementation issues related to applying the ecosystem approach to
fisheries. For more information, contact: Kari Østervold Toft, Norwegian
Institute of Marine Research; tel: +47-5523 8538; fax: +47-5523 8586; e-mail:
karit@imr.no; internet: http://cieaf.imr.no
THIRD
INTERNATIONAL TROPICAL MARINE ECOSYSTEMS MANAGEMENT SYMPOSIUM:
ITMEMS-3 will be held from 15-20 October 2006, in Cozumel, Mexico. ITMEMS is
a major activity of the International Coral Reef Initiative. ITMEMS-3 aims to
provide an opportunity for marine and coastal managers and stakeholders to
exchange experiences and knowledge, and define future action for the management
of tropical marine ecosystems. For more information, contact: ITMEMS-3
Organizing Committee; e-mail: info@itmems.org;
internet: http://www.itmems.org
SECOND
INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW OF THE GLOBAL PROGRAMME OF ACTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF
THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT FROM LAND-BASED ACTIVITIES:
GPA IGR-2 will take place from 16-20 October 2006, in Beijing, China, to
strengthen GPA implementation at the national, regional and global levels. For
more information, contact: GPA Coordination Office; tel: +31-70-311-4460; fax:
+31-70-345-6648; e-mail: gpa@unep.nl; internet:
http://www.gpa.unep.org/
TECHNICAL
CONSULTATION ON DEVELOPMENT OF INTERNATIONAL GUIDELINES ON ECOLABELING OF FISH
AND FISHERY PRODUCTS FROM INLAND AND MARINE FISHERIES:
This FAO meeting will be held from 17-20 October 2006, in Rome, Italy. For
more information, contact: Rolf Willmann, FAO Fisheries Department, tel:
+39-06-5705-3408; fax: +39-06-5705-6500; e-mail: rolf.willmann@fao.org;
internet: http://www.fao.org/fi/NEMS/events/detail_event.asp?event_id=33207
ICES
SYMPOSIUM ON FISHING TECHNOLOGY IN THE 21ST CENTURY:
This symposium, organized by the International Council for the Exploration
of the Sea (ICES), will be held from 30 October – 3 November 2006, in Boston,
US, and will focus on integrating commercial fishing and ecosystem conservation.
For more information, contact: Christopher Glass, Symposium Secretariat; tel:
+1-603-862-0122; fax: 1-603-862- 7006; e-mail: chris.glass@unh.edu; internet:
http://www.ices2006boston.com/
THE
EAST ASIAN SEAS (EAS) CONGRESS 2006:
Sponsored
by the GEF/UNDP/IMO Regional Programme on Partnerships in Environmental
Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA), this meeting is scheduled to be
held from 12-16 December 2006, in Haikou City, China. It will bring together
international organizations, experts and multi-sector stakeholders to exchange
knowledge and build capacity in developing strategies to implement the
Millennium Development Goals and World Summit on Sustainable Development goals
for the region’s coasts and oceans. For more information, contact: EAS
Congress Secretariat; tel: +632-9-202211; fax: +632-9-269712; e-mail: congress@pemsea.org;
internet: http://www.pemsea.org/eascongress
JOINT
MEETING OF REGIONAL TUNA FISHERIES MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATIONS:
This meeting will take place from 22-26 January 2007, in Kobe, Japan, and
will bring together secretariats of tuna RFMOs. Expected outcomes include an
action plan and recommendations to further harmonize tuna conservation and
management among RFMOs. For
more information, contact: Akihiro Mae, Japanese Fisheries Agency; tel:
+81-3-3502-8459; fax: +81-3-3502-0571; e-mail: tuna_rfmos@nm.maff.go.jp;
internet: http://www.iotc.org/files/proceedings/2006/s/IOTC-2006-S10-03%5BEN%5D.pdf
CITES COP-14: The fourteenth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species will take place from 3-15 June 2007, in The Hague, the Netherlands. For more information, contact: CITES Secretariat; tel: +41-22-917-8139; fax: +41-22-797-3417; e-mail:
"Empty oceans, empty nets"
report examined by UBC
The University of British Columbia
Fisheries Centre has reviewed the Hunter Community Environment Centre report
titled "Empty Oceans, Empty Nets". The review was conducted by Robyn
Forrest and Tony J Pitcher. "A recent report
characterises New South Wales fisheries as seriously mismanaged and
unsustainable. While there have undoubtedly been declines in some fish
populations in New South Wales, we are unable to substantiate these claims since
the report lacks both consistency and rigour, analytical methods are not clearly
described, fisheries science is not appropriately applied, and there is a
failure to comprehend the management systems and responsibilities in Australian
fisheries. In summary, the published report is so seriously flawed that it
should not be used or quoted."
The authors also state:
"It is evident that careless interpretation of fisheries statistics
increases confusion and may undermine the credibility of legitimate conservation
efforts." Editor's comment: this issue underlines the importance of peer
review. There are many experienced Australian scientists willing to assist in
reviewing major reports prepared by conservation groups. All such reports should
undergo independent review before publication.
The UBC review is available at http://www.fisheries.ubc.ca/publications/working/2006/2006-16.pdf
news@nature.com highlights: 21 August 2006
Ancient whale 'truly weird':
Blue whale's aged cousin: small, enormous eyes, ate sharks. 16 August 2006 http://info.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/eZfw0KRyGq0C308D60EK
Source & full article: ABC On-Line
http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s1715433.htm
16 August 2006
A bizarre whale fossil found on a beach in southern Australia suggests that
baleen whales, the filter-feeding gentle giants of the sea, were not always
gentle, or giants, a researcher says. Erich Fitzgerald, a PhD student of Monash
University in Melbourne and a research associate at Museum Victoria, describes
the 25 million year old discovery in the latest issue of the journal Proceedings
(http://www.pubs.royalsoc.ac.uk/index.cfm?page=1087)
of the Royal Society B.
news@nature.com highlights: 21 August 2006
The methane mystery: The claim that living plants emit the greenhouse gas methane has shaken up atmospheric scientists. Quirin Schiermeier talks to the experts trying to make sense of the measurements. 16 August 2006 http://info.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/eZfw0KRyGq0C308EB0EX
The outlook for Amazonia is dry: Drought of 2005 is a taste of things to come. 16 August 2006 http://info.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/eZfw0KRyGq0C308EC0EY
Science Table of Contents Text for 18 August
2006; Vol. 313, No. 5789
CLIMATE CHANGE: Is Global Warming Causing More, Larger Wildfires?
Steven W. Running http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/summary/313/5789/927?etoc
p. 927
Greenland ice sheet melting:
scientific studies measuring Greenland's rapidly melting ice sheet and the pace
of Antarctic snowfall suggest that the sea level may be rising faster than
researchers previously assumed. The papers, both published in the journal
Science, provide the latest evidence of how climate change is transforming the
global landscape. JianLi. Chen and other University of Texas at Austin
researchers, using twin satellites, determined that the Greenland ice sheet,
Earth's second-largest reservoir of fresh water, is melting at three times the
rate at which it had been melting over the previous five years. A separate study
by Andrew J. Monaghan and 15 international scientists concluded that Antarctic
snowfall accumulation has remained steady over the past 50 years, with no
increases that might have mitigated the melting of the ice shelf, as some
researchers had assumed would occur.
Citations: Chen, J. L., C. R. WIlson and B. D. Tapley. 2006. Satellite
gravity measurements confirm accelerated melting of Greenland Ice Sheet. Science
Express online August 10, 2006. Andrew J. Monaghan and 15 coauthors. 2006.
Insignificant change in Antarctic snowfall since the International Geophysical
Year. Science 313(5788): 827-831.
Nature highlights 15 August 2006:
No sign of increased snowfall in Antarctica. Weather 'hindcast' could spell bad news for sea-level rise. Nature online: 10 August 2006 http://info.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/eZZL0KRyGq0C307nL0ES
Nature Contents: 10 August 2006 Volume 442 Number 7103, pp601-718
Arctic hydrology during global warming at the Palaeocene/Eocene thermal maximum Mark Pagani et al. 10.1038/nature05043 Abstract: http://info.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/eZUY0KRyGq0Ch07d20Er Article: http://info.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/eZUY0KRyGq0Ch07d30Es
Tasmania releases another coastal
vulnerability report:
Indicative Mapping of Tasmanian Coastal Vulnerability to Climate
Change and Sea Level Rise: Explanatory Report 2nd Edition, was commissioned as
part of the Government's Climate Change Project, and is an extension of work
released in April 2005. Together with the earlier report, 84% of Tasmania's
coastline has been assessed for climate change vulnerability. Further
information: Tasmanian Government Communications Unit, Phone: (03) 6233 6573.
Tasmanian canal development proposal resurrected:
The Save Ralphs Bay group has protested to the Tasmanian Government regarding the new Ralphs Bay proposal. The group is opposed to the Walker Corporation's plan to build a $300 million residential marina on Hobart's far eastern shore. The Walker Corporation withdrew its plans for the multi-million dollar development last year. Walker has now re-submitted the plans and Parliament is yet to decide if it will be a project of state significance to be assessed by the Resource Planning and Development Commission (RPDC). A CSIRO study this year put the known population of the endangered Spotted Handfish at only 700 to 800, including 150 in Ralphs Bay. Approval under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 must be sought if a threatened specie is likely to be affected.
Science Notification for 3 Aug 2006.
Science Notification for 3 Aug 2006.
Science Notification for 3 Aug 2006.
Science Notification for 3 Aug 2006.
Science Notification for 3 Aug 2006.
Nature notification 2 August 2006
Tiny volcanoes spring from underwater cracks: Miniature eruptions leak information about the mantle below. 27 July 2006 http://info.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/eZLQ0KRyGq0C3062Z0EW
Estimates of the number of ocean bacteria
species:
Oceans carry 10 to 100 more types of bacteria than previously
believed, most of them unknown, according to a recent study. Using a new genetic
mapping technique, U.S., Dutch and Spanish scientists said they found more than
20,000 different types of microbe in a single litre (1.8 pint) of water from
deep sites in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. "These observations
blow away all previous estimates of bacterial diversity in the ocean," said
lead author Mitchell Sogin of the Marine Biological Laboratory at Wood's Hole,
Massachusetts. Until recent years, estimates of the total number of species on
earth -- from microbes to elephants -- were below a million. The new findings
suggest that a swimmer swallowing a mouthful of sea water may be consuming
perhaps 1,000 types of bacteria.
According to Mitchell Sogin (http://jbpc.mbl.edu/labs-sogin.html): "We have initiated a new project that will organize an International Census of Marine Microbes (ICoMM). Most of the genetic and metabolic diversity of Life is microbial. In the world’s oceans, micro-organisms account for more than 90% of the biomass. The carbon content of these creatures equals 50-100 percent of the total estimated for all terrestrial plants. The number of microbes in oceans exceeds 36,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 cells. The abundances of viruses and phages are ten-fold higher. With such enormous populations, there is considerable potential for the accumulation of mutations leading to very high levels of genetic diversity and phenotypic variation. ICoMM’s goal is to develop a large-scale strategic plan that will describe the biodiversity of marine micro-organisms.
SOURCE: Alister Doyle, Reuters, 1 August 2006
http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=10978
Pew Fellow John Avise's new book on "Evolutionary
Pathways in Nature," published by Cambridge University Press, is
described as " scientifically educational yet entertaining treatment of
ecology, genetics, and evolution intended for college students, professional
biologists, and anyone interested in natural history and biodiversity."
Reconstructing phylogenetic trees from DNA sequences has become a popular
exercise in many branches of biology, and this book explains why.
Molecular phylogenies provide a genealogical backdrop for interpreting the
evolutionary histories of many other types of biological traits (anatomical,
behavioral, ecological, physiological, biochemical, and even geographical).
Guiding readers on a natural history tour along dozens of evolutionary pathways,
the author describes how creatures ranging from microbes to elephants came to
possess their current phenotypes. Avise is a Distinguished Professor at the
University of California
July 2006
Ecological networks and their fragility
Stuart Pimm's article on ecological networks in the July issue of
Nature addresses the complex interaction between species. The article states:
"Darwin used the metaphor of a 'tangled bank' to describe the complex
interactions between species. All interactions can be visualized as ecological
networks, in which species are linked together, either directly or indirectly
through intermediate species. Ecological networks, although complex, have
well defined patterns that both illuminate the ecological mechanisms underlying
them and promise a better understanding of the relationship between complexity
and ecological stability" Pimm is the Doris Duke Chair of Conservation
Ecology at Duke University.
SOURCE: Montoya J.M., Pimm S. L., Sole R. V. 2006. Ecological networks and
their fragility. Nature 442:259-64
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v442/n7100/abs/nature04927.html
Science Table of Contents Text
for HIV/AIDS: Latin America & Caribbean: 28 July 2006; Vol. 313, No. 5786
Early Pleistocene Glacial Cycles and the Integrated Summer Insolation Forcing
Peter Huybers: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/313/5786/508?etoc,
p. 508
news@nature.com highlights: 17 July 2006
Seaweed extract protects against cervical cancer: algae compound surprisingly effective at preventing cancer-causing viral infection. 13 July 2006 http://info.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/eY7j0KRyGq0C305yA0EK
news@nature.com highlights: 17 July 2006
Geology: the start of the world as we know it: Plate tectonics has created oceans and pushed up mountain ranges. But when did the process that shapes the planet get going? Alexandra Witze joins the geologists debating the issue. 12 July 2006 http://info.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/eY7j0KRyGq0C305yM0EW
The 6th Australian Algal
Workshop will be held at the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences,
University of Wollongong, 24th -26th September 2006
(finishing at lunch time on the 26th ). The workshop comprises
lecture and laboratory sessions, and is dedicated to the taxonomy of the main
algal groups. Apart from a general background on identification of algae,
special talks on filamentous green, diatoms, charophytes, red and blue algae are
on the program. The workshop will emphasize on toxic taxa with several special
talks on new findings. NATA representatives will provide an update on laboratory
accreditation. Identification guides will be provided. The organisers are Dr
Adriana García and Dr Stephen Skinner and can be contacted by email: adriana@uow.edu.au.
More information is available online at http://www.uow.edu.au/science/eesc/conferences
This conference, trade show and associated events of the National Aquaculture Council, the South Australian Aquaculture Council and the Asia-Pacific Chapter of the World Aquaculture Council.is to be held from 27-30 August 2006 at the Adelaide Convention Centre, SA. More information: http://www.australian-aquacultureportal.com/austaqua/aa06.html
The 2006 ASFB Conference and workshop will be held in Hobart, Tasmania, from 28 August to 1 September 2006. The 2006 workshop theme is Cutting Edge Technologies In Fish And Fisheries Science. The aim of the workshop is to demonstrate the application of new technologies and techniques in the study of aquatic systems. The workshop will be held on 28-29 August with the conference to run from 31 August to 1 September. Examples of technologies and techniques include smart tags, acoustic tracking, hydro-acoustics, remote sensing, habitat classification, underwater visual systems, electronic data capture and genetic and microchemistry applications. The Australian Society for Fish Biology was founded in 1971. The objectives of the Society are to promote research, education and management of fish and fisheries in Australia and to provide a forum for the exchange of information. Delegates can register online at http://www.cdesign.com.au/asfb2006/pages/registration.htm.
The 15th Australian Weeds Conference will be held at the Adelaide Convention Centre from 24-28 September 2006. The conference theme is Managing Weeds in a Changing Climate. More information: http://www.plevin.com.au/15AWC2006/
This symposium is to be held in Perth, WA, on 27-28 Spetember. Email swcoordinator@wwf.org.au for more information.
Preliminary notice of triennial meeting of the Malacological Society of Australasia entitled Molluscs in Research, Conservation and the Economy. The meeting is to be held on 6 - 8 December 2006 at the University of Wollongong, with two day pre and post conference workshops (4-5th Dec, 9-10 Dec). The objective of this meeting is to bring together students, established researchers, naturalists and members of government and NGO agencies that have an interest in molluscs. The meeting will focus on current research involving molluscs in the Australasian area. Molluscs are the second largest animal phylum and many are ecologically and economically important. They are dominant organisms in marine environments and have suffered more human-induced extinctions on land and in freshwaters than seen in all tetrapod vertebrates. Themes:
· Applied studies (aquaculture, fisheries, parasitology, invasive species)
· Conservation and ecology (including endangered species, indicator species, molluscs in experimental ecology, tracking environmental changes)
· Systematics (including taxonomy, phylogeny, evolution, faunistics, biogeography)
· Genetics and development (population genetics, evolution-development, larval development)
For more information or to register visit the conference website at www.uow.edu.au/conferences/MOLLUSCS06/ or contact: Mark Norman mnorman@museum.vic.gov.au or Winston Ponder wponder@bigpond.net.au.
Tamar NRM, in associate with the Centre for Environment, University of Tasmania, is holding a conference entitled “Biodiversity: Balancing Conservation and Production – case studies from the real world“ from 26 – 28 June 2007. The conference will be a pooling of practical experience, innovative ideas and vision to inspire informed action for the improvement of both productivity and biodiversity. An invitation is extended to those interested in presenting case studies of direct relevance to the conference theme. Deadline for expression of interest for presenters is 31 August 2006. For more information contact Amanda Bruce (amanda.bruce@launceston.tas.gov.au) or the Conference Managers 03 6330 1444, Luba.Richards@conferenceplus.com.au.
Join the inaugural meeting of the Australasian
Section of the Society for Conservation Biology at a conference entitled The
biodiversity extinction crisis: an Australiasian and Pacific response. This
conference is to be held from 10-13 July 2007 at The University of NSW, Sydney.
It is being hosted by Australasian Section of the Society for Conservation
Biology. Currently
there is no website, although one will be forthcoming in the near future. In the meantime if you
would like to register your interest or find out more, contact Karen Firestone (kfirestone@unsw.edu.au)
or Richard Kingsford (r.kingsford@unsw.edu.au) at UNSW.
The official newsletter for the South Coast
Shorebird Recovery Program gives you all the gossip on Threatened Nesting
Shorebirds including endangered Hooded Plovers, Little Terns and vulnerable Pied
and Sooty Oystercatchers. Find out whose nesting with who, where the fashionable
nesting sites are and who looked best on the beach this summer. Read the
newsletter online at http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/PDFs/south_coast_shorebird_newsletter_may06.pdf
The Federal Court at Brisbane has recently dismissed a case brought by North Queensland conservation group Wildlife Whitsunday against the Commonwealth Department of Environment and Heritage (DEH). This legal action was commenced in July 2005 after the DEH failed to consider carbon emissions resulting from the burning of coal from two large coal mines when assessing the impacts of the mines under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The mines concerned – near Collinsville – are expected to produce 18 and 30 million tones of coal respectively (equivalent to about 25% of Australia’s total greenhouse gas emissions in a single year). However, the Minister’s delegate determined that these two mines were not 'controlled actions' and did not need to be assessed by the Department for the Environment and Heritage under the EPBC Act. In his judgment, Justice John Dowsett found that the government official acted lawfully in finding no link between the emissions from the mines and any specific damage to Australia’s environment. Although Minister Ian Campbell last year had stated “global warming ... is a very serious threat to Australia,” in providing evidence to the Federal Court, the Minister downplayed his previous statement to support his delegate and dismiss the threat of global warming as merely a “genuine concern”. The full decision is available at: http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/cth/federal_ct/2006/736.html
A Commonwealth report, Stronger Evidence but New Challenges: Climate Change Science 2001-2005, reveals that climate change may be occurring at a more rapid rate than scientists previously thought. The report also throws new light on the question “what constitutes dangerous climate change” by summarising recent advances in two major areas of research: determining by how much climate will change due to greenhouse gas forcing and observing and analysing the impacts of climate change. The report is available online at http://www.greenhouse.gov.au/science/publications/science2001-05.html
Basking shark genetic diversity
Hoelzel, A. R., Shivji, M.S., Magnussen,
J., Francis, M. P. 2006. Low worldwide genetic diversity in the basking shark (Cetorhinus
maximus). Biology Letters. FirstCite Early Online Publishing
http://www.journals.royalsoc.ac.uk/(w5haph3izaidbz452vbjbyv0)/app/home/contribution.asp?referrer=parent&backto=issue,11,55;journal,1,7;linkingpublicationresults,1:110824,1
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna overharvesting
continues
Bluefin tuna stocks in the East Atlantic
and Mediterranean are under serious threat from both legal and illegal fishing
activities, according to a report published by the World Wildlife Federation
(WWF). The conservation group has called for a complete ban on bluefin fishing
and the immediate introduction of a sustainable recovery plan in the Atlantic.
The WWF report indicated that catches of bluefin over the last two years were
more than 40 per cent higher than the quota set by the 42-nation International
Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). The report blamed
soaring demand for bluefin tuna on the growth of sushi bars in recent years.
To access the report, go to:
http://assets.panda.org/downloads/wwfbftreportfinaleditionreducido_final.pdf
UN report on destructive
deep sea fishing activities
A long-awaited report by the United
Nations shows the need for an international moratorium on bottom-trawling and
other destructive fishing practices that damage deepsea life. The U.N. Division
for Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea (DOALOS) reviewed measures to protect the
vulnerable deep oceans of the high seas - the 64 percent of ocean that lies
beyond the national jurisdictions of any individual nation. Its review, ordered
by the U.N. General Assembly in 2004, was based on reports from member states on
steps taken to stop destructive high seas fishing practices. A draft version of
the review posted on the DOALOS Web site said extremely vulnerable deep sea
habitats require protection, but that fishing for newly discovered resources in
the high seas often proceeds unregulated to the point of serious harm.
"Many fisheries are not managed until they are overexploited and clearly
depleted and, because of the high vulnerability of deep-sea species to
exploitation and their low potential for recovery, this is of particular concern
for these stocks," the review said. The review called bottom trawling a
particular concern, due to its tendency to over-fish both targeted and
non-targeted species, and the damage it causes to vulnerable ecosystems that
provide critical habitat for marine life. It cited an "urgent need" in
some cases for interim steps such as a moratorium on bottom trawling until
formal conservation and management systems can be set up. Sylvia Earle, the
renowned deep sea explorer who heads Conservation International's marine
conservation division, likens bottom trawling to trying to capture a songbird
with a bulldozer.
The report can be viewed online.
http://www.un.org/Depts/los/general_assembly/documents/impact_of_fishing.pdf
Additional:
DEEP SEA CONSERVATION COALITION (DSCC) RESPONDS TO THE UN REPORT
"The long awaited UN Report of measures to protect the
vulnerable deep oceans of the high seas has confirmed that these areas receive
about as much protection as the dodo did in seventeenth century Mauritius.
Matthew Gianni of the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition (DSCC) said, "the
dodo was extinct within decades of sailors hitting Mauritius in the 1600s; deep
sea bottom trawlers work even faster. It's taken two years for this report to
confirm what everyone knew already, that there are no comprehensive measures to
protect the most vulnerable areas of the high seas."
Source: Deep Sea Conservation Coalition, 14 July
http://www.savethehighseas.org/display.cfm?ID=129
U.S. Navy gets approval for sonar in Hawaiian
waters
The U.S. Navy and conservationists reached a settlement that will allow the use
of mid-frequency sonar during the Rim of the Pacific training exercises in
Hawaiian waters. The settlement comes four days after a U.S. District Court
issued a temporary restraining order that halted planned use of sonar in the
multi-national exercises. The court instructed Navy officials to sit down with
conservation groups worried about the impact of sonar on marine mammals. The
settlement calls for an increased number of marine mammal observers onboard
ships equipped with sonar, as well as monitoring from aircraft in the area and
from passive acoustic sonar operations.
Source: Charlotte Woolard, The Garden Island, 7 July 2006
http://www.kauaiworld.com/articles/2006/07/08/news/news02.txt
Norway's 2005-06 whaling activities
Norway's whaling fleet will catch only
half of its quota this season. The government set a quota of 1,052 minke whales,
but so far only 444 have been landed. Industry spokesmen predict the final tally
for the April to August season will be about 500, and say bad weather earlier in
the year prevented hunting. Western environmental groups say the industry is in
crisis, with stores full of unsold meat and a lack of demand from the Norwegian
public.
Source: Richard Black, BBC News, 13 July
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/5175970.stm
Steller sea lion research continues
US researchers headed into the Pacific
Ocean last week to resume studies of threatened Steller sea lions - the first
that have been permitted since a court shut down their projects. All Steller
research was blocked in May after a 2005 Humane Society lawsuit alleged that the
species could be harmed by the research procedures used by the US National
Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
Source
NATURE (Vol 442)13 July 2006 News in Brief
Carl Safina: "Voyage of the
Turtle"
Carl Safina's "Voyage of the
Turtle" has been published by the Henry Holt Company. Pew Fellow Safina,
author of "Song for the Blue Ocean" and "Eye of the
Albatross," and President of Blue Ocean Institute, describes the Voyage of
the Turtle as: "a global journey on oceans and coasts in pursuit of Earth's
last warm-blooded monster reptile. The Leatherback is the closest thing we have
to a last-living dinosaur. It's a turtle that can weigh over a ton. Throughout
our global explorations from tropical New Guinea jungle beaches to chilly waters
off Newfoundland, we come face-to-face with animals, villagers, and researchers
living and working at extremes. We meet poachers, fishermen, and native people
who still worship the Leatherback Turtle." The book is on the New York
Times Book Review "Editors' Choice" list.
Safina was recently featured on National Public Radio's Diane Rehm's Show about
Saving the Oceans. To listen to the interview, go to:
http://www.wamu.org/programs/dr/06/07/13.php#11366
The Anindilyakwa traditional owners of the remote Groote archipelago in the Gulf of Carpentaria have declared their country an Indigenous Protected Area ( IPA), promising to manage it according to international conservation guidelines in the interests of all Australians. They have recieved $100,000 in funding for Indigenous rangers to undertake land management measures– including weed and pest control, surveillance for illegal fishing and cleaning up ghost nets that foul the remote beaches and entangle turtles. The declaration of the IPA will lead to new jobs for Anindilyakwa people, based on environment conservation, cultural protection and ecotourism and the new funding will enable Indigenous rangers to further their skills in land management practices and environmental monitoring. For further information on Indigenous Protected Areas, visit www.deh.gov.au/indigenous/ipa
A
survey of the deep waters off Western Australia’s Rottnest Island has revealed
fish species previously unknown to science. The voyage was part of research
under the Australian Government’s marine science programme. Read the media
release at http://www.deh.gov.au/minister/env/2006/mr30may06.html
Global change is causing degradation or loss of marine and coastal ecosystems on which much of the world’s human population depends. The UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) has released a report which describes the current status of marine and coastal ecosystems, the services (eg. food security, employment etc) provided by these ecosystems, drivers of change in these ecosystems, and what can be done about the loss of these ecosystems and their services. The report identifies fishing as the primary threat to marine biodiversity, along with climate change, pollution, habitat damage and alien species. The report is a synthesis of the findings from the reports of the four Millenium Assessment (www.MAweb.org) Working Groups (Conditions and Trends, Scenarios, Responses, and Sub-global Assessments) concerning marine and coastal ecosystems. The aim of this synthesis report is to contribute to the dissemination of the information contained within the MEA to decision-makers and a wide range of stakeholders of marine and coastal ecosystems through seven key messages. Access the report online at http://sea.unep-wcmc.org/resources/publications/otherpubs.htm
In an extraordinary letter of protest, 10 000 U.S. scientists are asking Congress to stop the Bush administration from closing the Environmental Protection Agency’s network of technical research libraries. The EPA scientists, representing more than half of the total agency workforce, contend thousands of scientific studies are being put out of reach, hindering emergency preparedness, anti-pollution enforcement and long-term research, according to the letter released by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). The closures are part of the Bush administration’s $2 million cut (from an overall EPA budget of nearly $8 billion) and are in spite of EPA internal studies showing that providing full library access saves an estimated 214,000 hours in professional staff time worth some $7.5 million annually, an amount far larger than the total agency library budget of $2.5 million. Read more at http://www.peer.org/news/news_id.php?row_id=706.
Nature Contents: 12 July 2006 Volume 442 Number 7099, pp109 - 222:
Geology: The start of the world as we know it. Plate tectonics has created oceans and pushed up mountain ranges. But when did the process that shapes the planet get going? Alexandra Witze joins the geologists debating the issue. Alexandra Witze http://info.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/eY4Y0KRyGq0Ch05hj0EH
Nature Contents: 12 July 2006 Volume 442 Number 7099, pp109 - 222:
Snapshot: Deep-sea wonders: From the whimsical to the downright scary, images featuring creatures from the deep are showcased in the BP Kongsberg Underwater Image Competition being held this week at the 11th International Deep-Sea Biology Symposium, UK. Narelle Towie takes a look at some of the most striking entries. http://info.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/eY4Y0KRyGq0Ch05hZ0Ez
Science Table of Contents Text for 7 July 2006; Vol. 313, No. 5783.
Confronting amphibian declines and extinctions Joseph R. Mendelson, III, Karen R. Lips, Ronald W. Gagliardo, George B. Rabb, James P. Collins, James E. Diffendorfer, Peter Daszak, Roberto Ibanez D., Kevin C. Zippel, Dwight P. Lawson, Kevin M. Wright, Simon N. Stuart, Claude Gascon, Helio R. da Silva, Patricia A. Burrowes, Rafael L. Joglar, Enrique La Marca, Stefan Lotters, Louis H. du Preez, Che Weldon, Alex Hyatt, Jose Vicente Rodriguez-Mahecha, Susan Hunt, Helen Robertson, Brad Lock, Christopher J. Raxworthy, Darrel R. Frost, Robert C. Lacy, Ross A. Alford, Jonathan A. Campbell, Gabriela Parra-Olea, Federico Bolanos, Jose Joaquin Calvo Domingo, Tim Halliday, James B. Murphy, Marvalee H. Wake, Luis A. Coloma, Sergius L. Kuzmin, Mark Stanley Price, Kim M. Howell, Michael Lau, Rohan Pethiyagoda, Michelle Boone, Michael J. Lannoo, Andrew R. Blaustein, Andy Dobson, Richard A. Griffiths, Martha L. Crump, David B. Wake, and Edmund D. Brodie Jr. http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/summary/313/5783/48?etoc
Science Table of Contents Text for 7 July 2006; Vol. 313, No. 5783.
Global biodiversity conservation priorities T. M. Brooks, R. A. Mittermeier, G. A. B. da Fonseca, J. Gerlach, M. Hoffmann, J. F. Lamoreux, C. G. Mittermeier, J. D. Pilgrim, and A. S. L. Rodrigues http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/313/5783/58?etoc p. 58
AMC biosecurity expertise:
The Victorian campus of the Australian
Maritime College will become an international centre of excellence for
biosecurity threats, supported by additional funding from the Australian
Government. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment and
Heritage, Mr Greg Hunt, announced that the Government will support the
establishment of an international consortium for education and research into
marine biosecurity threats through a $200,000 Natural Heritage Trust project.
The funding will support the proposal by the Australian Maritime College's
National Centre for Marine and Coastal Conservation at Point Nepean, which will
develop courses for students and professionals in the prevention and management
of introduced marine pests and pathogens. The NHT contribution will bring total
funding for the project to more than $550,000, with the balance being
contributed by the College's Centre for Marine and Coastal Conservation and its
consortium partners. Minister for the Environment and Heritage Senator Ian
Campbell said the establishment of the consortium was a strategic measure to
assist Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies address the growing
threat of marine biosecurity problems. A workshop of confirmed and prospective
consortium members was held in Victoria in mid-June.
Nature Contents: 6 July 2006
Volume 442 Number 7098, pp1 - 108
Should conservation biologists push policies? To
advocate or not advocate? Emma Marris http://info.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/eYxJ0KRyGq0Ch05Jx0Es
Western
Australia's Marine Futures project:
The WA Marine Mapping project has been
re-named the Marine Futures project to reflect a broadening in scope. The
project is a partnership between the Commonwealth and the WA State Governments, regional resource planners, university researchers and industry. It is
partly funded by the Commonwealth, and is the largest marine investment of the
Natural Heritage Trust to date in Western Australia. Information is
being collected by multi-beam sonar, tow video and site inspection, as well as
use of remotely sensed data. Upon
its completion in June 2008, the project will produce the first comprehensive
maps and assessments of key southern and western (WA) marine habitats. This will
provide information on the distribution and extent of
the different habitats and the organisms associated with them. The
outputs from Marine Futures will underpin the strategic management of WA's
marine environment, and will form the basis for identifying key marine
indicators and habitats. The project will support regional natural resource
managers in establishing targets for maintaining the quality of their marine
ecosystems. Environment and fisheries agencies at both Commonwealth and State
levels are also expected to use the outputs for planning purposes.
More information my be obtained from Heather Taylor (08) 6488 5800, or by email marinefutures@uwa.edu.au.
Pandolfi, JM &
Jackson, JBC (2006)
'Ecological persistence interrupted in Caribbean coral
reefs', Ecology Letters, vol. 9, pp. 818-26.
The recent mass mortality of Caribbean reef corals dramatically altered reef
community structure and begs the question of the past stability and persistence
of coral assemblages before human disturbance began. We report within habitat
stability in coral community composition in the Pleistocene fossil record of
Barbados for at least 95 000 years despite marked variability in global sea
level and climate. Results were consistent for surveys of both common and rare
taxa. Comparison of Pleistocene and modern community structure shows that Recent
human impacts have changed coral community structure in ways not observed in the
preceding 220 000 years.
Indirect effects of algae on coral
Citation: Smith, J. E., M. Shaw, R. Edwards, D. Obura, O.
Pantos, E. Sala, S. Sandin, S. Smriga, M. Hatay and F. L. Rohwer. 2006. Indirect
effects of algae on coral: algae-mediated, microbe-induced coral mortality.
Ecology Letters 9: 835-845.
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2006.00937.x
Declines in coral cover are generally associated
with increases in the abundance of fleshy algae. In many cases, it remains
unclear whether algae are responsible, directly or indirectly, for coral death
or whether they simply settle on dead coral surfaces. Here, we show that algae
can indirectly cause coral mortality by enhancing microbial activity via the
release of dissolved compounds. When coral and algae were placed in chambers
together but separated by a 0.02 lm filter, corals suffered 100% mortality. With
the addition of the broad-spectrum antibiotic ampicillin, mortality was
completely prevented. Physiological measurements showed complementary patterns
of increasing coral stress with proximity to algae. Our results suggest that as
human impacts increase and algae become more abundant on reefs a positive
feedback loop may be created whereby compounds released by algae enhance
microbial activity on live coral surfaces causing mortality of corals and
further algal growth.
June 2006
Tasmanian Biosecurity Strategy released
for comment
Source: Media Release, http://www.media.tas.gov.au/release.php?id=18242
, David Llewellyn, MHA Minister for Primary
Industries and Water, Tuesday, 27 June 2006.
Tasmania is moving to the forefront of strategic approaches to biosecurity with
the release today for comment of a highly detailed strategy to realise the
State's biosecurity objectives. Primary Industries and Water Minister David
Llewellyn said that continuing to achieve a very high level of protection from
biosecurity risks for Tasmania in a changing world will require a co-ordinated
effort from producers, shippers and the broader community as well as from all
levels of Government. The draft Biosecurity Strategy is available at the
Department of Primary Industries and Water website: www.dpiw.tas.gov.au/biosecurity,
Further information: Tasmanian Government Communications Unit Phone: (03) 6233
6573.
Editorial on the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument
"The conservation of our natural resources and their proper use constit