Philippines
New agriculture secretary pushes ‘total agribusiness approach’
Philippines may have to import fish soon - agriculture official
DA plans aquaculture in sand dune areas
Self-assessment system for local governments set in motion
Ecolabeling program set
Small businesses need help on greening
Cebu ports body aims for ISO certification
Fishers in five Cebu towns take charge of conservation
Network for women fishers launched in UP Visayas
Illegal making of blasting caps moves to Minglanilla
War damages Sulu seaweed farms; production down
Quezon folk demolish illegal fishpond
‘Green army’ helps fight pollution in Laguna Lake
Incentives proposed for villages fighting illegal quarrying
Seaweed producers group wants FMC case pursued
Cebu resort bags environmental awareness award
Blast fisher injured, faces charges
Bohol completes coastal law enforcement trainors’ training

World
United Nations Foundation announces funding for International Coral Reef Action Network
Greenpeace to governments: Tighten noose on pirate fishing
Trade and environment ministers discuss sustainable development policies
World's water crisis life threatening - UN body
Just ten companies can help save the world's forests, a new WWF report shows
Governments seek strategies for battling invasive alien species
International whaling body fails to reach agreement; moratorium on commercial whaling remains in effect
Smart nets can save dolphins and whales
New report shows how to cut greenhouse gases
UNEP launches business-to-business environmental web portal
Environmental rights convention to take IT road
East Africa gets funding to save coral reefs
Pacific Northwest orcas face extinction in next 300 years
Water, power shortages threaten salmon in Northwest US
Tuna fishery assessment will lead to better conservation practices
Breakthrough technology makes plastics biodegradable
Japan wrestles with ‘junk’ problem
Save the sharks: Singaporeans urged to stop eating fin soup
Australia unveils swimwear made of fish
Dive in to Earth Day
Logo design contest: call for entries
Report on die-off of marine mammals out
Animal welfare group opens site for teens

Philippines

New agriculture secretary pushes ‘total agribusiness approach’
Davao City -- Agriculture Secretary Leonardo Montemayor pledged to a gathering of small farmers that the government will equip farmers and fishers with “greater technological and marketing tools” to spur agricultural productivity this year.

“The current state of our technological ability in agriculture has left much to be desired,” Montemayor said, adding that farmers also need to improve their marketing approach to the business.

“Given the technology, inputs, credit and marketing assistance, and a total agribusiness approach, small farmers will definitely produce and earn more,” he said.

Montemayor stressed that part of his “11-point agenda” for his first 100 days in office is the “empowerment of small farmers and fishers.” The DA, he said, has organized the “Agriculture Stakeholders’ Summit” for small farmers, fishers, NGOs, and other sectors of the industry to promote greater agricultural productivity. Philippine Star, 03.04.01

Philippines may have to import fish soon - agriculture official 
Cebu -- The Philippines is likely to become a net fish as early as 2004 unless its total catch increases substantially, Department of Agriculture Undersecretary Cesar Drilon Jr. said in a keynote speech before members of Municipal Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Councils from all over the Visayas.

Drilon said domestic fisheries catch rose 1.8 percent in 2000 from the previous year to 2.9 million tons. But this was only enough to meet 73% of the dietary requirements of the average Filipino.

The minimum dietary requirement was 37 kg of fish per year. The annual catch allowed each Filipino to consume only about 26-27 kg of fish.
“We are very happy that our fish production has increased, but since our [population] growth rate exceeds that of the increase in fish production, we have to work hard so that we will be sufficient in fish by 2004,” said Drilon. “If we can’t, we may have to import fish from fish-exporting countries.”

Drilon said production from municipal fisheries is declining, largely as a result of dynamite fishing and overfishing. “We cannot afford to close municipal waters [to allow stocks to recover]. About one million people are directly employed by municipal fisheries,” he added.

Drilon said the government is banking on commercial aquaculture to increase its contribution to the country’s fish production and at the same time reduce the pressure on marine resources.

Worldwide, aquaculture production has been growing at a fast rate of 8.8 percent per year since 1986, compared to only 0.7 percent for capture fisheries production. The sector now contributes 19 percent of the world’s total fish production. AFP,D.B. Alinsug in The Freeman 03.12.01

DA plans aquaculture in sand dune areas
Laoag City - The Department of Agriculture through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources announced that it has entered into an agreement with the provincial government of Ilocos Norte to develop jointly a one-hectare “unproductive” sand dune area in this city into a modern, high-value-crop aquaculture farm.

If successful, the proposed aquaculture, touted as the first in the country, will serve as a demonstration fish farm for similarly situated places in the country. Philippine Star 03.04.01

Self-assessment system for local governments set in motion
A self-assessment tool is now being administered by the Department of Interior and Local Government for local government units.

Although constituents of LGUs may not have a hand at evaluating their government officials, the enhanced Local Productivity and Performance Monitoring System (LPPMS) will help the LGUs continuously monitor their efforts to improve governance.

The LPMMS report is a form of a scorecard that will be presented to the local chief executive, the LGU council and department heads, and NGOs operating at the local unit.

LPPMS has three components:

Performance measurement, which focuses on the internal capability of LGUs in the areas of local financial administration, local legislation, organization and management, and local development planning;

Productivity measurement or the evaluation of service delivery focusing on the physical services of the LGU in the areas of social, economic, political and environmental services; and

Services delivery output assessment, which determines the result and effect of services to the socio-economic condition of the local unit.

The system of measuring local productivity and performance was conceptualized in 1980 and fully developed and implemented in 1984 as a major program of the then Ministry of Local Government.

In 1986, the LPPMS implementation was decentralized to the regions but was not done nationwide due to funding constraints. The system was revived in 1988 following increasing clamor from DILG regional and sub-regional officers.

The LPPMS report is useful as a reference document for legislative review and agenda-setting; benchmark for administrative guidance, development planning and program performance review; and tool for further policy research and development and in the exercise of a dynamic concept of general supervision. Cebu Daily News 03.12.01

Ecolabeling program set
The signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) among the nine members of the Ecolabeling Program (ELP) Body put into high gear the development of guidelines for the program and product criteria for its implementation.

The MOA is a result of preliminary activities undertaken by the United Nations Development Programme’s PRIME project and the Bureau of Product Standards of the Department of Trade and Industry (BPS-DTI).

The Ecolabeling Program aims to “assist consumers in purchasing products that have less negative impact on the environment,” and to motivate manufacturers and producers in marketing environmentally acceptable products.”

A commissioned study measured the awareness and readiness of Filipino consumers to a Product Ecolabeling Program. The study shows that among the respondents interviewed, both the consumers (79 percent) and the industry (100 percent) are strongly aware of the environmental issues that the country is facing. Fifty-seven percent of the consumers are already purchasing products with environmental labels; and 55 percent say they do so even if they cost a little more. Similarly 85 percent of the industry reveals that its procedures and activities are addressing the reduction of stress on the environment.

The members of the ELP Body include the ELP Board (BPS as the lead agency, the Environmental Management Bureau of DENR as co-lead), ELP Administrator (Clean and Green Foundation, Inc.), and ELP Technical Working Groups. Manila Bulletin 03.25.01

Small businesses need help on greening
Industry leaders asked the government to provide special mechanism and incentives to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to comply with the environmental management system.

They aired this concern during a public consultation on the proposed department order of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), which was drafted to implement the Philippine Environmental Partnership Program (PEPP), endorse regulatory flexibility to industrial establishments, and strengthen the department’s enforcement capabilities.

Industry leaders said the order missed some provisions that would make an impact among SMEs, as it focuses mainly on complying industries, most of which are large-scale businesses.

Since most of the country’s SMEs have yet to establish environmental management systems, the group said they would find it difficult to achieve the same level of compliance as the big industries and thus should be given more flexibility in the implementation of laws.

Cebu ports body aims for ISO certification
Aiming to protect the environment while reducing costs and increasing profits, the Cebu Port Authority (CPA) has signed a contract with Chemonics International to work for an ISO (International Standard Operations) 14001 certification.

To be certified, the CPA’s operations must meet international standards on environmental protection and pollution control.

Chemonics is an American company contracted by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to assist firms that applied for ISO certification under the Industrial Initiative for Sustainable Environment (IISE).

A p rovision of the contract states that in the search and evaluation of the environmental management system (EMS) in CPA’s operations, the CPA will shoulder 50 percent of the cost, while USAID will take care of the other 50 percent.

EMS is a management tool used to identify environmental effects and how they can be addressed.

The contract was signed by CPA general manager Jose Antonio Elumir Jr and Chemonics IISE chief of party Dr. John Dorr III, in the presence of CPA alternate chairman Arturo Valdez and Commissioner Tomas Riveral, Bruce Chiongbian, Pacita Tan and Jake Marques.

IISE will conduct an initial environmental review (IER) of selected environment-related activities operating under the responsibility of the CPA. This IER will serve as basis for the port’s EMS implementing plan.

Chemonics technical support coordinator Jacqui Limtim said that because big companies around the world no longer deal with firms without an ISO certification, the CPA could expect severalgains.
These include increased market share, reduced wastes and lower operational costs.

Port users or CPA’s clients, on the other hand, will gain a competitive advantage, reduce operational costs and gain increased access to international markets.

IISE will also provide on-the-job training to CPA personnel counterparts in various aspects of EMS and pollution reduction, support facilities and resources and to assist CPA in exploring options and opportunities for incentives to promote widespread adoption of EMS among clients and stakeholders.

The ISO 14001 certification is good for three years, subject to continuing audits while corrections suggested are enforced. The certification can be revoked.

CPA operations manager Romeo Alviso said that once CPA is ISO-certified, they can demand that shipping companies, arrastre firms and other service providers follow the standards to protect the environment and eliminate pollution. EOB in Sun.Star Cebu; F.J.J. Dungog, Cebu Daily News, 03.11.01

Fishers in five Cebu towns take charge of conservation
Fishers in southwestern towns of Cebu have pledged to hold awareness campaigns in their own communities to promote marine resource protection.

Fishers in Barili, Dumanjug, Alcantara, Ronda and Moalboal said they would also make their own assessment and improve protection of their coastal and marine resources.

In Dumanjug, Mariano Layagin, chairman of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council, said his community has to be educated about an existing marine reserve in their town. He said not many people understand the importance of the marine reserve because it was established by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources without public consultation.

About 40 fishers participated in a course on marine protected areas conducted by the Coastal Resource Management Project (CRMP) , sharing their own experiences in marine protection. Escolastico Abrenica, president of the Saavedra fishers association recalled a time when unknown persons opposing the ban on fishing within the marine reserve fired at his community’s sanctuary guardhouse. The association prohibits fishing, diving, and snorkeling in the 20-hectare marine sanctuary.

Other participants involved in the protection of marine sanctuaries also recounted receiving threats from other fishers opposed to the sanctuaries.

Timoteo Menguito, project director of the Gilutongan Marine Sanctuary in Cordova assured them the benefits from marine sanctuaries may not come immediately but are certainly worth the risks. The barangay (village) that is maintaining the Gilutongan Sanctuary earns about Php25,000 a month from users fees for diving and snorkeling and fines on violators of sanctuary rules.

Menguito also said fish catch from areas outside the sanctuary has more than doubled as a result of strict protection of the sanctuary. LAP in Sun.Star Cebu 03.25.01

Network for women fishers launched in UP Visayas
Mia-gao, Iloilo - The National Network for Women in Fisheries in the Philippines, Inc. was launched at the University of the Philippines in the Visayas (UPV) here recently. The Network was set in motion during a program held at the UPV main campus in this seaside town 41 kms west of Iloilo City. The program marked the celebration of Fisheries Week.

“A network for women in fisheries is vital,” said Ida Siason, UP Visayas chancellor. The Network aims to organize all those who find common cause in advancing the interest and women in fisheries, so membership is open to both men and women and not limited to women.
Manila Bulletin , 03.04.01

Illegal making of blasting caps moves to Minglanilla
Authorities have tightened measures against illegal blast making in Tangke, Talisay,, prompting makers to shift their operations to Tongkil in nearby Minglanilla.

Cebu City Bantay Dagat Program Director Elpidio dela Victoria said they confirmed the existence of the illegal trade in Tongkil after his men purchased ready-to-use locally-made explosives for dynamite fishing.

Some fishers from Olango in Lapu Lapu City, Cebu and in Bohol have reportedly sourced their blasting cap requirements from Tongkil.

The municipal government of Minglanilla said it would set up a Bantay Dagat (sea patrol) detachment in the area to curb the illegal activity. The town has already one existing detachment in Tulay, about five kilometers from Tongkil. Dela Victoria said they have installed a radio base at the Tulay detachment and equipped Bantay Dagat personnel with handheld radios. “This is to ensure that they can inform the base when they need reinforcement,” he explained. Tangke, Talisay has been tagged as the main source of illegally made blasting caps in the Visayas and Mindanao.

The illegal trade has been a lucrative business for the town since the 1950s. In recent months, however, Tangke’s blasting cap makers, feeling the heat of tighter law enforcement in Talisay, apparently started moving their operations to Minglanilla. GC in Sun.Star Cebu 03.07.01

War damages Sulu seaweed farms; production down
Hostilities between the government and the renegade Abu Sayyaf Group have seriously affected the livelihood of seaweed farmers in Jolo and Tawi-Tawi, a local official reported.

Abijar-e A. Salahuddin, president of the Sulu Seaweed Development Council said that total seaweed production in Jolo declined by a hefty 80 percent, while Tawi-Tawi’s production dropped 40 percent lower.
There are between 5,000 and 7,000 seaweed farmers in the two areas, he said.

Jolo produces 2,000 tons of raw seaweeds monthly, accounting for 25 percent of the national production. Tawi-Tawi produces another 3,000 tons, or about 35 percent of the national total.

Farmers also lost thousands of pesos worth of seaweeds they could have harvested last year, said Salahuddin. At the height of last year’s conflict, many areas in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi were cordoned off by the military, preventing farmers from harvesting their produce.

Salahuddin said damaged farms have to be rehabilitated to restore them to their former productivity. Sulu and Tawi-Tawi together have about 2,500 hectares of seaweed farms, and another 2,500 hectares that can be cultivated for seaweeds. One hectare of seaweed farm requires an initial investment of Php10,000 to cultivate, with a payback period of about three months. IR Sino Cruz. Cebu Daily News, 03.20.01

Quezon folk demolish illegal fishpond
Infanta, Quezon - Fed up with alleged government indecision, some 1,500 people demolished the gates of a 15-hectare illegal fishpond reportedly being applied for leasehold by a “close buddy” of ousted President Joseph Estrada. Armed with spades, bars and wood stalks, the residents dug for about an hour amid chants of prayer. After the structures were demolished, water flowed once more to the neighboring ponds of the Binulasan River. The dike was built by workers reportedly hired by a former Metro Manila mayor, who is a close ally of Estrada.

“This is our version of people power. And may this event bring the message across… that no one shall deny our people access to their source of livelihood,” said one of the leaders of the group, who requested anonymity. He charged that the workers wantonly cut mangroves in an abandoned fishpond in Barangay Binulasan without a permit from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources .

“Our leaders have initiated countless dialogues and representations with several government agencies, but it seems that (the former mayor) had the backing of the then ‘god’ in Malacanang [the Presidential Palace]”, the leader said.

He claimed that despite the violations that would normally cause the rejection of the leasehold application, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources issued a conditional permit “on humanitarian grounds.”

“What is humanitarian there when [the former mayor] caused the destruction of one of the few remaining natural mangrove reserves in our locality? That mangrove area sustains the day-to-day existence of countless people, especially when bad weather prevents them from going out to sea to fish,” he said. D.T. Mallari Jr in Philippine Daily Inquirer 02.11.01

‘Green army’ helps fight pollution in Laguna Lake
The Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) has formed an “environmental army” to help combat pollution in the lake.

The LLDA’s major problem is the industrialization of the area around Laguna Lake, and the continued migration of the people to the area. LLDA director for community relations Joey Carino said the agency, grappling with these problems, saw the need for greater collaboration with the public and private sectors.

The environmental army was formed through the River Rehabilitation Programm in 1994, in conjunction with the LLDA’s Community Development Division. The LLDA first tried recruiting the military, but negotiations fell through. Realizing that the best people to protect the lake were those who depended on it - the fishers and farmers - LLDA then went to the different towns surrounding the lake and held meetings and orientations to recruit community members.

“By the fifth meeting, when we had around 15 people, we held what we call an ‘indoctrination.’ Today, the environmental army consists of five batches numbering around 400 people,” said Carino.

Different river councils have also been organized by private firms, such as the Save Silang Sta. Rosa (S3R2) project, which is spearheaded by Coca Cola Bottlers Philippines. Inc. (CCBPI).

“I can say that the environmental army creates a sense of awareness in townspeople who see the positive results of each cleanup,” said Carino. Philippine Daily Inquirer. 03.18.01

Incentives proposed for villages fighting illegal quarrying
Cebu -- A local official has proposed that barangay officials and religious and civic organizations be deputized to apprehend violators of anti-quarrying laws.

Cebu City councilor Felixberto Rosito, who heads the committee on environmental protection, put forward an amendment to City Ordinance 1483 prescribing the mechanism for the issuance of permits to extract sand and gravel and other quarry resources, imposing tax on extracted materials, and providing penalties for violations.

The proposed amendment authorizes the mayor to deputize civic, religious or barangay (village)-based organizations, individuals or groups to apprehend violators of the ordinance. Rosito said that if barangay captains, councilors, tanods (patrols), and members of civic or religious organizations are given the powers to apprehend violators, half of the Php1,000 compromise penalty could go to the barangay treasury or the organization.

These groups will help policemen and personnel of the Cebu City Cleanliness Action Team and the Squatters Prevention and Encroachment Elimination Division, who are entitled to the privilege.
“The 50 percent share can be demanded outright, when the visitor has paid, out of court, the compromise penalty as reflected in the official receipt,” the proposed measure read.

Ordinance 1483 was approved in 1993 to penalize persons who extract sand and gravel without permits, thereby preventing soil erosion, landslides, floods and the alteration of terrain.

The fine is not less than Php5,000 and not more than Php10,000. CYR in Sun.Star Cebu 03.18.01

Seaweed producers group wants FMC case pursued
Members of the Seaweed Industry Association of the Philippines (SIAP) board of directors want the complaint against First Marine Colloids (FMC) pursued (related story).

The issue of the alleged pollution of Mactan Channel must be resolved to save the local seaweed industry, they said.

Board member Oscar Monzales said the local carrageenan industry could lose its global market if the question of pollution by seaweed processors is not resolved. He added, however, that SIAP should not focus on FMC alone but also on its members. IR Sino Cruz in Cebu Daily News 03.19.01

Cebu resort bags environmental awareness award
Alegre Beach Resort in Sogod, Cebu won the Hotel Leadership Awards of the 16th Annual University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) Extension Hotel Industry Investment Conference last July 17.

The resort topped the environment category for its efforts in marine wildlife preservation in Cebu. The program, Desiltation and Reef Recovery, was initiated to restore and improve the reef ecosystem in the resort. It bested other programs such as the Natural Rainforest Preservation Program of the Room Service Amenities of the United States.

Alegre is the first Philippine resort to bag an award in the environment category.

Blast fisher injured, faces charges
A young fisher injured while blast fishing is facing the bleak prospect of jail.

Calling the case a “test case” for the 1998 Philippine Fisheries Code , Cebu City Bantay Dagat Commission Program Director Elpidio dela Victoria said this would be the first time that a case is filed against an injured illegal fisher. Section 88 of the Fisheries Code states that mere possession of explosives for illegal fishing is prima facie evidence that such explosives were used for illegal fishing.

If found guilty, Alfie Pilapil, 18, faces a jail term of six months to a maximum of two years.

Pilapil injured his hand when the explosive went off before he could lob it into the sea. He was treated at a local hospital for cuts in four of his fingers.

Dela Victoria said his office is determined to bring Pilapil to court, “even if he lost his hand.”

“It’s high time we teach illegal fishers a lesson,” he said. “We should not compromise the law.” GC, Sun.Star Ccbu. 03.15.01

Bohol completes coastal law enforcement trainors’ training
The Province of Bohol, through the Bohol Environmental Management Office (BEMO), completed a trainors’ training on Coastal Law Enforcement conducted by the Coastal Law Eoforcement Alliance in Region7 (CLEAR7) last March 15- 17, 2000 at the Dumadag Farm, Tagbilaran City, Bohol.

Coastal Law Enforcement Training participants
and their trainers

Twenty four participants from BEMO, Philippine National Police Provincial Office-Bohol (PNPPO-Bohol), Philippine Coast Guard-Tagbilaran, 703rd PNP Maritime Office, Provincial Fisheries Office, Chiefs of Police, Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Managament Council (FARMC), municipal agriculturist offices and NGOs of coastal local governments from Bohol’s three congressional districts, completed the 3-day crash course. Graduates of the training will constitute the pool of trainers who will conduct coastal law enforcement training for all coastal municipalities of Bohol.

The trainer’s training was conducted by CLEAR7 Task Group on Capacity Building. The Task Group is led by the Coast Guard- Central and Eastern Visayas District (CG-CEV) with trainers coming from PNP Central Visayas Office, PNP Regional Maritime Office, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Environmental Legal Assistance Center (ELAC).

The Coast Guard Search and Rescue Vessel
DF 311 assigned by the Coast Guard-Central
and Eastern Visayas District as training vessel
to coastal law enforcers.

The training module consisting of classroom and field exercises has 3 parts: Fisheries Law Enforcement (FLE), Maritime Law Enforcement (MLE) and Paral-Legal Training (PLT). The module was one of those developed by CLEAR7 in conjunction with the United States Coast Guard International Training Division (USCG-ITD) through the support of the United States Agency for International Development.

The training includes exercises such as (from top),
vessel inspection and map reading, plotting and
use of GPS

The Coastal Resource Management Project serves as the interim secretariat of CLEAR7.

World

United Nations Foundation announces funding for
International Coral Reef Action Network
The United Nations Foundation (UNF) announced this month funding for a pioneering project aimed at reversing the decline of the world's coral reefs.

The International Coral Reef Action Network (ICRAN), which has secured up to $10 million from the UN Foundation -- the largest to date in the Foundation's environment portfolio -- will support "flagship" coral reef management demonstration sites in four Regional Seas: the wider Caribbean, East Africa, East Asia and the South Pacific. These sites will become blueprints for managing threatened coral reefs worldwide and protecting them from over-fishing, pollution, oil spills and growing coastal populations.

"Coral reef management and sustainability are pressing challenges for the international community. And ICRAN is an innovative and exciting approach to meet this challenge," said Timothy E. Wirth, President of the UN Foundation. "ICRAN's approach is an example of the kinds of partnerships that are needed to effectively respond to new and emerging threats to marine habitats."

"The time for talking is over and the time to act is now," said Klaus Toepfer, the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). "We need a response on a regional and a global scale. The ICRAN project, with generous funding from the UN Foundation, offers practical solutions and real hope of stemming the tide in favor of these beautiful and economically important marine areas."

ICRAN's four-year Action Plan is being implemented by an impressive coalition of organizations, a result of previous UNF funding for a "start-up" phase. The coalition includes UNEP, the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre; Regional Seas Programmes for the Caribbean, Eastern Africa, and East Asia; World Fish Centre; World Resources Institute; International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) Secretariat; Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network; Coral Reef Alliance; and South Pacific Regional Environment Programme.

ICRAN has three major components -- assessment, management and communications - and is a key activity of the ICRI, a government-NGO partnership that is committed to the conservation and management of coral reefs. ICRI was established in 1994 and is endorsed by 80 countries.

Under the UNF-funded initiative, a minimum of three reef projects in each of the four Regional Seas involved will be selected as demonstration sites or "centers of excellence" that will highlight some of the best available examples to reverse the decline of coral reefs. Demonstration sites could include Si'an kan Biosphere Reserve (Mexico), Malindi and Watamu Marine Parks and National Reserve (Kenya) and Arnavon Islands Conservation Area (Solomon Islands). In addition, "target communities" are being identified to benefit from the information learned at the demonstration sites, and in turn, educate other local communities to replicate these successes. Target sites include Portland Bight and Negril (Jamaica), Dar es Salaam Marine Reserves System (Tanzania) and Bunaken Park (Indonesia).

"Communication with the wider public will be a major priority for ICRAN," said Robert Jara, spokesperson for the ICRI Secretariat in the Philippines. "It is only through widespread public awareness and grass-roots support for coral reef conservation, especially at the local and village level in developing countries, that the current over-use and degradation of coral reefs can be reversed."

"Coral reefs have survived everything from tropical cyclones to rising and falling sea levels. But human threats are becoming their greatest challenge yet," said Dr. Meryl Williams, Director General of the World Fish Centre. "ICRAN's education component will not only benefit coral reefs, but surrounding human communities as well."

Through education programs, ICRAN will also promote environmentally safe activities near reefs, including eco-friendly tourism, and will provide funding for the monitoring and recovery of threatened reefs.

"ICRAN is a historic first step in the global effort to preserve coral reefs. But UNF's funding is only laying the foundation for this innovative approach," said Wirth. "ICRAN estimates that an additional $20-$30 million must be raised to ensure success. We all need to work together to mobilize both public and private support in order to preserve these natural treasures for future generations."

Greenpeace to governments: Tighten noose on pirate fishing
Greenpeace International is urging countries to implement stronger anti-pirate fishing measures into national fisheries law and regional fisheries management bodies.

Governments agreed March 1 on a plan to combat pirate fishing at the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), which makes it more difficult for pirate fishing companies to hide their true identity and get their ill-gotten fish to market.

"Flag of convenience" -- or pirate fishing -- vessels are a threat to fish stocks and the marine environment because they blatantly ignore all fishing rules and are accountable to no one.

The fish pirates make a mockery of international efforts to conserve fish stocks and protect other species on the high seas. Their unregulated nets and lines snare countless tons of fish, as well as sharks, dolphins, sea turtles, albatrosses and other endangered seabirds and non-target fish species. Scientists estimate that in four years at least 330,000 seabirds were caught and drowned by pirate fishing vessels in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica.

The international plan of action to "prevent, deter and eliminate" pirate fishing agreed by some 114 countries after a week of intense negotiations was much weaker than Greenpeace and a number of governments argued was needed.

Nevertheless, if implemented, the plan will make it harder for pirate vessels to hide their ownership through fictitious names and companies, transship their fish at sea and trade in pirate-caught fish. The FAO plan also calls on governments to make it illegal for banks, insurance companies, seafood buyers and suppliers to do business with pirate fishing companies.

“Governments must now get serious about tackling pirate fishing,”said Matthew Gianni of Greenpeace. “This plan is only voluntary and weak in key areas such as closing ports to pirate fishing vessels. But if governments make it illegal to trade in pirate-caught fish and go after the real owners and operators of pirate fishing vessels then we are on the way to ridding our oceans and seas of these lawless fleets.”

During the negotiations, Mexico and Brazil were largely responsible for undermining key parts of the plan by actively weakening proposals to close markets to pirate-caught fish and close ports and their waters to pirate vessels, according to Greenpeace. A number of countries, including Norway, Mauritania, Australia, Iceland, Malaysia, the European Union and the United States, said that they had wanted a stronger plan to combat the problem.

The latest UN FAO report, State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture, says some 75 percent of the world's fisheries are fully exploited, overexploited or depleted. The report also reveals the alarming impact of overfishing on entire marine ecosystems. It states that most areas of the world's ocean ecosystems are close to full exploitation. The eastern Indian ocean and the western central Pacific ocean are “the only areas showing little sign of stress.”

“The threat posed by overfishing to the health and biodiversity of our oceans has never been greater,” said Gianni. “If governments don’t have the political will to eliminate pirate fishing, and soon, how can we trust them to manage fisheries at all?”

Greenpeace estimates that there are some 1,300 industrial-scale fishing vessels flying flags of convenience. The "registered" owners of the vessels are located in some 80 countries, but most are based in Taiwan, the European Union (primarily Spain), Panama, Belize and Honduras.
Greenpeace has been actively campaigning against pirate fishing. In the past two years, it conducted two ship expeditions in the Southern ocean and one to the Atlantic ocean to document pirate fishing for Chilean seabass (Patagonian toothfish) and tuna.

Greenpeace demands that governments:

• Close ports to FOC fishing and support vessels;
• Close markets to FOC-caught fish; and
• Close or otherwise prevent companies and nationals from owning or operating FOC fishing and support vessels.

Trade and environment ministers discuss sustainable development policies
Environmental assessments can maximise the net development gains of trade liberalization in developing countries by minimizing the negative environmental effects. National assessments of the environmental impacts of trade liberalization are good for the environment, good for the economy and ultimately support sustainable development.

This was the key message before a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) / German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU)-sponsored meeting of trade and environment ministers held this month in Berlin.

The meeting, "Developing mutually supportive trade and environment policies," focused on the environmental assessment of trade policies, the relationship between Multilateral Environment Agreements (MEAs) and the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the role of economic instruments in promoting coherent and consistent trade and environment policies.

The Berlin talks are seen to contribute to the on-going debate on trade and environmental issues in the run-up to a potential new WTO round, which might be launched at a ministerial meeting on November 9-13 in Qatar. Trade and environment topics will also likely be on the agenda of the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2002.

World's water crisis life threatening - UN body
World Water Day, was celebrated last March 22 with the theme Water for Health and a grave warning from the head of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
.
"The water crisis -- unlike the energy crisis -- is life threatening,” said UNEP executive director Klaus Toepfer. “The level of suffering and misery represented by these statistics is almost beyond comprehension, and it is the children and women who suffer most. As water is an absolutely vital resource, at the center of life itself, it is a key integrating factor in the environment. Without sustainable water management to ensure that there are sufficient supplies of clean, safe water, the health of ecosystems and those who depend on them, especially people, suffer".

UNEP's Global Environment Outlook Report 2000 indicates that the water crisis has become the most immediate and serious human health and environmental problem facing the planet today. The report states, for example, that:

Three million people die every year from diarrhoeal diseases (such as cholera and dysentery) caused by contaminated water;

Polluted water affects the health of 1.2 billion people every year, and contributes to the death of 15 million children under five every year.
Vector-borne diseases, such as malaria, kill another 1.5 to 2.7 million people per year, with inadequate water management a key cause of such diseases.

The environment suffers too, with human waste polluting water and damaging river ecosystems dependent on clean water. Other problems arise from indiscriminate deforestation and other poor catchment management practices that reduce water supplies vital to agriculture and other economic activities.

Deforestation leads to increased run-off, and increases the chances of water shortages. It also leads to increased soil erosion and decreased soil fertility that can result in decreased food production.

Sedimentation in watercourses and reservoirs decreases the capacity to store water or generate electricity. The chances of serious droughts are increased, without the forest to retain and return water to the atmosphere through transpiration, and sow the seed for future reliable rainfall. Forest, wetland and river ecosystems are all damaged by deforestation and people face increased economic and social costs.

These costs reflect water shortages, decreased soil productivity and health problems caused by the decreased availability of clean water.

Forests in water catchments play a vital role in maintaining both the quantity and quality of water -- there are no clean, sparkling water courses where forests have been cut down and erosion increased.

The key to solving water problems, according to UNEP, lies in adopting an integrated water catchment approach -- a catchment being that area that encloses all land that feeds into a defined water body. A catchment approach is recommended because land and water use in one part of the basin can affect users and conditions in other parts of the same basin. That is, a water catchment is a natural management and development unit.

UNEP's Water Policy and Strategy points out that it is critical to promote an intersectoral approach that recognizes the interlinkages that affect water management -- for example between land and water, agriculture and water, technology and water, health and water.

Just ten companies can help save the world's forests, a new WWF report shows
LONDON, UK - If managed correctly, one fifth of the world's forests could provide the industrial wood and wood fiber necessary to meet projected future needs, and just 10 companies can help make it happen, says a new report published by Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF)
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According to the report "The Forest Industry in the 21st Century", if the ten global companies that dominate the industry were to adopt the effective management processes of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), the growing demand of the world's consumers for wood products could be met by as little as 600 million hectares of forest - about twice the size of India, or a fifth of the world's forests.

The companies' support of FSC would provide the critical mass necessary to change forestry practices worldwide, and halt the destruction of old growth forests or fragile ecosystems. The report identifies close to 100 leading companies who operate at a considerable scale, comparable with many countries.

Among the top 10 companies listed by WWF, the five largest wood processing ones are International Paper, Georgia Pacific, Weyerhaeuser, Stora-Enso and Smurfit Stone Container. Between them, these five companies process around twenty per cent of the world's industrial wood.

The five largest wood buyers are Home Depot, Lowes, IKEA, Kimberly-Clark and Proctor & Gamble. Home Depot, Lowes and IKEA already actively support FSC and Stora-Enso has FSC certification for its forests in Sweden. WWF is calling upon the remaining processors and buyers to seek full FSC certification and to take the lead in saving the world's forests.

"The findings of this report are very encouraging," said Dr Chris Elliott, Director of WWF's Forest for Life Campaign. "But responsible forest management is crucial. If the top ten global forestry processors and buyers all insisted on FSC certification, this would be a big step towards securing the future of the world's forests."

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) was established in 1993 by WWF and other organizations to certify forests and forest products as responsibly managed. It has successfully established itself as the international benchmark for forest independent certification and product labeling, and has now certified more than 20 million hectares of forest in 35 countries.

Almost 700 companies that produce and use wood have now joined the Global Forest and Trade Network of FSC supporters, coordinated by WWF. Over 20 million hectares of forest in 35 countries have been certified.

"But this progress only represents three per cent of the world's timber producing forests," adds Dr Elliott. "WWF believes that the commitment of all of the top ten companies would provide the incentive and the pressure to make the industry change."

The benefits to industry are persuasive. Sustainable forestry would assure raw material supplies for the future. It would also enhance the reputation of the forestry industry and rebuild the confidence of consumers and investors.

Half of all the world's original forest cover has already been destroyed, but rampant deforestation, widespread forest fires and illegal logging continue. Protecting, managing and restoring the world's forests is the only way to conserve the remaining half.

WWF's report "The Forest Industry in the 21st Century" can be found on www.panda.org/forestandtrade

Governments seek strategies for battling invasive alien species
Montreal/Nairobi -- Officials from the 180 member governments of the Convention on Biological Diversity met in Montreal last March 12-16 to examine how best to detect, eradicate, and control species that cross the oceans and other barriers to colonize new regions where they then threaten the native plants and animals and the ecosystems.

"Over the past few centuries, invasive alien species have caused untold damage to natural ecosystems and human economies alike," said Klaus Toepfer, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme. "In today's highly integrated world, where tourism and trade offer more and more opportunities for unwanted species to hitchhike to new homes, we urgently need a more effective international system for turning back the tide of harmful non-native species.”

The meeting discussed 17 draft principles for guiding action against invasive alien species. The principles relate to such matters as the precautionary approach, the ecosystem approach, border controls and quarantine measures, intentional and unintentional introductions, eradication, control, and containment. The meeting also considered national reports detailing governments' current efforts as well as case studies.

"The reports confirm that invasive alien species are a major issue for biodiversity management," said Hamdallah Zedan, the Convention's Executive Secretary. "The problem is that most countries have a very limited ability to cope with the problem. Increased collaboration and capacity-building will be essential."

Invasive alien species are considered to be the most important threat to biological diversity loss after habitat destruction. The 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity is now addressing the impact of alien species on forest, agricultural biodiversity, freshwater and marine and coastal areas, and in dry and sub-humid lands. All ecosystems -- from forests and grasslands to marshes and coastal zones -- are vulnerable to invasive alien species. Every country in the world has experienced invasions. Isolated areas such as islands are particularly vulnerable.

Invasive alien species are referred to by several names, which are often used interchangeably: non-natives, introduced, non-indigenous, exotic, foreign, noxious species, aggressive species, pest species, or harmful species. These species are sometimes introduced intentionally into the environment, as in the case of bio-control agents that eliminate pests, and species that are exploited in agriculture, forestry, horticulture, and fisheries. They may also enter the environment after being placed in containment or captivity for use in mariculture, aquaculture, horticulture, zoos, the pet trade, and scientific research.

Unintentional introductions occur due to transport, trade, travel and tourism. Alien species can hitchhike rides on boats, airplanes, tourists and other travelers, and timber, produce, and other
exported items.

Human activities have made it much easier for harmful species to travel. Expanding international trade, for example in seafood and pets, offers additional pathways. About 80% of all commodities are carried by ships, whose anchor chains, sediments, ballast water, and hulls can transport alien organisms on a transoceanic scale.

Marine organisms, in particular, frequently travel from one location to another via ships. Some 10 million tons of ballast water are shipped annually, carrying diverse marine species. Ballast water is thus particularly significant for the global distribution of microorganisms and water-borne diseases affecting plants and animals.

Increasing globalization of markets and explosive rises in global trade, travel, and tourism are conveying more and more species to all parts of the world and thus enhancing the possibility of bio-invasions across all ecosystems in all areas of the world.

The best way to limit the impact of invasive alien species is to prevent them from invading in the first place. If this fails, complete removal may still be feasible very early in an invasion. Priority, then, should be given to preventing entry; if entry has already taken place, actions should be undertaken to prevent establishment and spread. Where eradication is not feasible or cost-effective, containment and long-term control measures should be considered. Collaboration between and within countries is key. The battle against alien invasive species also requires strengthened partnerships between public and private landowners, government, industry, academia, and non-governmental organizations.

Estimates of the economic costs of invasive alien species vary widely.

Invasive species cost the United States' economy an estimated $123 billion annually and are second only to habitat destruction in threatening extinction of native species. Ecologists conclude that a special feature of biological invasions is that, once set in motion, the costs of invasions are largely self-perpetuating: even if the source of the introduction ceases to operate, damage from the invasive species can continue and may generally increase over time. Here are just a few examples of such species and the damage they can cause:

Introduced fish can eliminate native species and reduce biodiversity. It has been estimated that 20% of all freshwater fish species are at risk of becoming extinct in the near future unless the present situation is reversed.

Invasive plant species cover an estimated 100 million acres in the US and are spreading annually across three million additional acres, an area twice the size of Delaware. US farmers spend billions of dollars every year on pesticides to destroy invasive plants and weeds.

The invasive sea lamprey has caused trout and other fish stocks in the Great Lakes to collapse. Canada and the US spend $13 million a year attempting to control this pest.

In the Galapagos Islands -- a World Heritage Site that is renowned as a natural showcase of evolution -- the number of introduced plants is almost as high as the number of natives due to introduced mammalian predators and herbivores as well as insects and plants.

In the Eurasian part of the Arctic, the alien Racoon dog, Nyctereutes procyonoides, is multiplying and consuming large numbers of various small mammals. It is also spreading rabies.

Prosopis (Mesquite) in the Thar desert of India has displaced other flora of the area. The species, introduced to a semi-arid area Sri Lanka in the early 1950s, has become an invasive, seriously threatening the biodiversity of the only Ramsar-listed wetland of the country.

International whaling body fails to reach agreement;
moratorium on commercial whaling remains in effect
Monaco -- A special intersessional meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) closed in February in Monaco without an agreement. The aim of the working group was to "make further progress" on a scheme that will take the world significantly closer to the resumption of large-scale commercial whaling.

IWC imposed a moratorium on commercial whaling in 1986. Under its rules, such moratorium cannot be lifted until there is an agreed ‘Revised Management Scheme’ (RMS). According to the statement issued by the IWC following the meeting, "there was a valuable exchange of views and idea...but some fundamental differences remain."

The two whaling nations, Norway and Japan, are pressing for an immediate resumption of commercial whaling while others, such as Monaco, remain resolutely opposed. Three Scandinavian countries, Denmark, Finland and Sweden, currently support the precepts of the RMS management system. Fourteen countries (Austria, Brazil, Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom) made an official approach to the Japanese Foreign Ministry calling on Japan to reconsider its policy in the domain of commercial whaling.

The RMS aims to establish a set of rules (including those covering inspection and observation) that would be used if the IWC agreed to allow countries to hunt whales for commercial purposes again. In the past, commercial whaling brought many whale populations to the brink of extinction, a fact that led the IWC to agree to an international moratorium on all commercial whaling, which has been in effect since 1986. Norway made an “objection” to the decision, and so, under the IWC’s rules, the moratorium does not apply to it.

Norway’s commissioner, the Norwegian daily Aftenposten reported, accused opponents of whaling of delaying the work. “The whaling opponents are delaying the work with new rules for inspection and control of the hunt, claims Norway’s whaling commissioner,” the report said.

"This was not the impression of observers attending the meeting," said John Frizell of Greenpeace International. "The supporters of whaling have always rejected international control on their activities."

Japan and Norway have continued to hunt even while the IWC moratorium has been in effect. Despite repeated requests from the IWC to halt, their catches are rising. Jointly, they caught over 1,000 whales in 2000. Norway's whalers have recently asked that their quotas be quadrupled and some Norwegian authorities are calling for a catch of 3,000 a year, more than the pre-moratorium level.

In February, Norway announced a resumption of whale meat exports despite the fact that the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) forbids international trade in whale meat. (Norway has a reservation to this ruling.) Last year, Japan expanded its so-called 'scientific' hunt in the North Pacific to include two new species -- sperm and Bryde's whales -- despite a strongly worded resolution from the IWC requesting Japan not to issue permits.

While last month’s talks were ongoing, Greenpeace activists staged a protest at the Scandinavian embassies in Berlin. In addition to a banner with the words 'no whaling - no trade - no quotas,' the activists displayed a second banner in Norwegian, Finnish, Danish and Swedish calling on these countries not to support the RMS.

"Commercial whaling should have no place as we go into the 21st century," said Frizell. "A resumption of commercial whaling is nothing more than a gamble with the future of the whales. Greenpeace urges the government representatives at the IWC to change their focus away from the exploitation and toward the conservation of whales."

The recommendations from the Monaco meeting will be subject for approval at the IWC's regular conference in July 2001, to be held in London.

Smart nets can save dolphins and whales
Atlantic Gillnet (Gloucester, Mass.), has developed a new net, especially made to prevent dolphins and whales from getting caught in it. This "smart net" has a substance -- barium sulphate -- processed in the nylon material so that it reflects the cetacean sonar.

According to a 1996 study by Atlantic Gillnet (Gloucester, Mass.), for every 22 swordfish caught, one whale or dolphin is killed as by-catch. It is known that every year about 80,000 cetaceans unintentionally end up in fishing nets around the world, often to come to an end in a gruesome death.

The unintentional catch of sea mammals has always been seen as a problem. Dolphins and whales are protected species, but the fishing nets do not have any criteria for their catch. The nets, spanned across the eastern and western shores of Europe and North America, are usually invisible to the eye because of the nylon material. The sonar of dolphins and whales pass right through the nets, and so they swim straight into
their deaths as though they were blind.

Tests on the ‘smart nets’ already proved successful. It remains now to be seen if they will replace conventional nets in the near future. Coastal Guide News.

New report shows how to cut greenhouse gases
Geneva/Nairobi -- Leading climate change experts and officials from some 100 governments meeting in Accra, Ghana have finalized a major report assessing effective policies and technologies for tackling greenhouse gas emissions and the threat of human-induced climate change.

The report by the WMO/UNEP Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) confirms that many cost-effective solutions to rising greenhouse gas emissions are available today. In many cases, however, governments will need to address various institutional, behavioral and other barriers before these solutions can realize their potential.

According to G.O.P Obasi, secretary-general of WMO, which together with UNEP launched IPCC in 1988, “the Third Assessment Report -- the first major assessment of climate change since 1995 -- represents a remarkable consensus and a sound basis for international decision-making." Obasi called upon the world's governments to consider rapidly a legislative framework for effective implementation of the many available cost-effective solutions to the greenhouse emissions problem.
Klaus Toepfer, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme said, "This report moves us from a focus on the problem to a focus on the solution. The good news is that there are cost-effective policies and technologies available for cutting emissions. The bad news is that there are many barriers to rolling these out. We must figure out how to break down these barriers."

A report released in January by the IPCC confirmed the new and stronger evidence for humanity's influence on the global climate. It also projected that globally averaged temperature of the air above the earth's surface would rise by 1.4-5.8 degrees Celsius over the next 100 years.
In February, the IPCC completed its analysis of how the warming would effect natural and human communities around the world and detailed expected changes in weather patterns, water resources, the seasonal cycle, ecosystems and extreme climate events.

According to the Working Group III Summary for Policymakers, the choice of energy mix and associated investment will determine whether atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases can be stabilized, and if so at what level and cost. Currently most such investment is directed towards discovering and developing more fossil resources, including both conventional and unconventional.

The report concludes that the costs to industrialized countries of achieving their Kyoto Protocol targets without the benefit of an international emissions trading system would be 0.2 - 2.0% of projected GDP in 2010. With full emissions trading amongst these countries, the cost would decline to 0.1 - 1.1%. If reduced air pollution and other ancillary benefits are included, as well as the removal of market imperfections and other factors, the costs can be reduced even further.

UNEP launches business-to-business environmental web portal
Nairobi - The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) launched this month a new Business-to-Business (B2B) web portal, the On-line Halon Trader (www.halontrader.org), to facilitate the international exchange of "banked" halons and reduce the use of newly-produced halons that damage the ozone layer.

"It is the first business to business web portal to support compliance with a multilateral environmental agreement," noted Gary Taylor, co-Chair of UNEP's Halons Technical Options Committee, at the recent Meeting of the Parties of the Montreal Protocol.

The On-line Halon Trader is designed for companies that use halons in essential or "critical" applications, including owners, managers and/or operators of fire protection systems, fire control services and other organisations related to fire protection. It provides a virtual marketplace where persons can match demand with supply. Through this free service, companies that need halon for critical applications ("halon seekers") will be able to post listings of specific demand in a virtual "marketplace".

Companies or halon banks that can meet this demand with recovered, reclaimed or recycled halon ("halon providers") will be able to respond or post their own listings about halons available for exchange. UNEP provides the platform for this exchange and does not in any manner become party to the transaction between those who seek halons and those who provide halons.

Developed countries phased out halons in 1994 and developing countries should freeze halons in 2002. Worldwide, about 35,000 ODP tonnes of halon are consumed annually. Since 1993, UNEP's halon banking clearinghouse (operated by the Paris-based UNEP Division of Technology, Industry and Economics OzonAction Programme under the Multilateral Fund) has assisted the international exchange of nearly 3,000 ODP tonnes of banked halons 1211, 1301 and 2402, thus avoiding the equivalent demand for virgin halons. The On-line Halon Trader is a new service provided by the clearinghouse to support national halon banking by facilitating the exchange of halons for critical uses via the worldwide web.

As part of the terms of service agreed by anyone submitting a listing on the web site, providers of halons agree that the halons are recovered, recycled, reclaimed or banked, and they are not newly-produced ("virgin") halons being sold for the first time. Persons seeking halons who wish to access the listings agree that their organizations have endeavored to reduce, avoid, or eliminate the use of halons to the maximum extent feasible, and are seeking recovered, recycled, reclaimed or banked halons for an essential or critical use.

Halons are man-made brominated hydrocarbons that act as very effective fire extinguishants. However, because they are three to ten times more deadly in depleting the ozone layer as compared to chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) they are controlled under the Montreal Protocol. Their production and consumption had been phased out in developed countries by 1994. The freeze in consumption and production of halons in developing countries will occur in 2002, with a 100% phase-out following in 2010.

In critical applications like aircraft and defense, effective alternatives have not been found (particularly for halon-1301). The trading of recycled halons (i.e. that produced before 1994) between developed and developing countries is therefore allowed to meet such critical applications and avoid the production of new halons.

The On-line Halon Trader is open for business at www.halontrader.org.

Environmental rights convention to take IT road
Nairobi/Geneva/Arendal/Vienna/Szentendre -- A special Task Force, set up to deliver "timely, relevant and reliable" environmental information, has drawn up its plans to provide people and communities across the globe up-to-the-minute access to high-quality environmental information using the latest information technology.

Governments that have signed the Aarhus Convention, named after the Danish town where the agreement was agreed in June 1998, have pledged to give their citizens straightforward and understandable information on everything from recycling rates and river pollution to the emissions from industry. They plan to develop national computer "portals or gateways" from where the public can get information on a range of relevant and pressing environmental concerns.

Other plans include giving people and organizations the opportunity to comment on the environmental impact of national, regional and local development plans such as those covering port, housing, mining and factory developments to ones on forestry, agriculture and water. The Task Force, which is made up of government officials and non-governmental groups, will also study how they can deliver access to environmental justice.

A crucial part of the strategy is to promote public access centers in countries where telecommunications are still in their infancy. Such centers may include local government buildings, ministries, post offices and libraries.

East Africa gets funding to save coral reefs
Nairobi -- A pioneering initiative, aimed at boosting the fortunes of East Africa's world-famous coral reefs and their globally important wildlife, was announced this month by researchers at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Kenya Wildlife Service
(KWS).

Several reefs in the region, located in Kenya, the Seychelles and Madagascar, have been chosen for development into "centers of excellence" for reef management. It is planned, under a four year program, to transform these reefs into beacons of good practice with the lessons learned on protecting and managing them for the benefit of local people, wildlife and tourists exported to other threatened reefs in the region.

The initiative in East Africa is part of a global project called the International Coral Reef Action Network (ICRAN).

East Africa's reefs, in common with reefs around the world, are facing a heavy burden of threats, triggered by a boom in coastal development and marine-based activities over the past three decades along the region's 11,000 kilometres of coast which is home to some 35 million people.

Agneta Nilsson, UNEP's project coordinator for ICRAN, said in East Africa there are other problems which make it difficult to effectively conserve reefs.

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have been set up around many important reefs in the region where fishing by local, traditional, fishermen has been banned. But in some places this has created conflict between reef management staff and the local fishermen, who have been squeezed into less rich fishing grounds. The problem has been aggravated by the influx of big trawlers and factory fishing vessels from outside the region, such as the European Union, whose vessels operate just beyond the reefs and the MPAs.

Dixon Waruinge, coastal zone manager at UNEP, said East Africa's rich reefs were also under pressure from the illegal collection of tropical fish for the worldwide aquaria trade.

Under the ICRAN initiative, four reef systems in the region are being targeted as demonstration sites where funds, expertise and equipment will be deployed to bring them up to the status of "centers of excellence". These are the St Anne Marine Park and the Cousin Island Marine Protected Areas in the Seychelles. St Anne has zoned areas of the reef into ones for underwater diving and protected zones for reefs and other important ecosystems including sea grasses and turtle nesting beaches.

There are also general use zones for picnics, boating and swimming.
The others in the region are the Nosy Atafana Marine Park on the province of Toamasina, north east Madagascar, which is famous for its marine turtles and migrating and calving Humpback whales, and the Malindi-Watamu Marine National Parks in Kenya.

Lessons learned at these sites may be used to boost the fortunes of the Dar es Salaam Marine Reserve system in Tanzania.

Pacific Northwest orcas face extinction in next 300 years
A new study has calculated that a popular population of orcas, or killer whales, in the Pacific Northwest of the United States has an "81% chance of becoming extinct in the next 300 years."

The Southern Resident population spends each summer in Washington State's Puget Sound, where it is a mainstay of a booming tourist economy. During winter months, part of the population migrates out into the Pacific Ocean, while some members stay in the Sound.

In recent years, the population has begun a rapid decline -- from 98 individuals in the mid 1990s to 82 in 2000. Unlike some orca populations, the Southern Residents feed only on fish, and do not eat marine mammals; it has been postulated that "the decline and endangerment of Pacific Coast salmon runs is likely contributing to the whales' decline." In addition, members of the orca population have been found to contain extremely high levels of contaminants, particularly PCBs, making them among the most toxic marine mammals in the world.
Harassment from the recreational whale watching industry has also been proposed as another possible factor.

"These whales are being hit hard on every front," says Kieran Suckling, executive director of the Center for Biological Diversity, which conducted the study; "surrounded by Seattle, Bellingham, Vancouver and Victoria, they are among the most urbanized whales on Earth."

Using a computer simulation, the Center's Martin Taylor developed eight scenarios for the population's trajectory over the next 300 years. One scenario, which assumed a continuation of the present declines, concluded that the species had a 92% chance of extinction within 200 years, a 100% chance of extinction within 300 years, and a median extinction time of 143 years. An alternative, which considered the total population trend since 1974, resulted in an 81% extinction probability in 300 years and a median extinction time of 219 years. According to the Center, this model "best matches the known population dynamics of the species."

According to Taylor, the computer simulations "aren't perfect, but they give us a good indication of the general direction these whales are headed . The current decline is being driven by high mortality rates in juveniles and breeding age adults. These should be the healthiest and strongest whales in the population. Something is clearly going wrong."
The Center is submitting a formal petition to list the population under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. The whales were listed as "threatened" by the Canadian government in 1999.

The full report is available online at http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/swcbd/species/orca/index.html. Seaweb

Water, power shortages threaten salmon in Northwest US
Washington, DC, March 21, 2001 (ENS) - An ongoing drought in the Pacific Northwest, coupled with severe energy shortages in California, is forcing federal regulators to make tough decisions about whether to use scarce water to generate power or aid endangered fish. But a coalition of fishing and conservation groups say that is an artificial choice, and offer a plan they say would provide enough water for all users. For full text and graphics visit: http://ens.lycos.com/ens/mar2001/2001L-03-21-06.html

Tuna fishery assessment will lead to better conservation practices
Honiara, Solomon Islands - Participants at the fourth annual monitoring, control, and surveillance working group meeting developed a detailed assessment of the minimum terms and conditions required to fish within a country’s exclusive economic zone. The result of this assessment will be presented at the next annual meeting of the Forum Fisheries Committee, in the Cook Islands in May.

The meeting featured a series of presentations, including a review of the western and central Pacific tuna fishery, by the South Pacific Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA). This was followed by an explanation of the national perspectives of the minimum terms and conditions by Dylan James, New Zealand fisheries economist, and a presentation on the international perspective by Dr. David Doulman, from the fisheries department of the UN Food and Agricultural Organization.

The Canadian Government, through the Canada-South Pacific Ocean Development (C-SPOD) Program, funds the three-day summit and the monitoring, control, and surveillance program at FFA, based in Honiara.
The delegates focused their efforts on harmonizing each country’s laws and regulations to manage access to the fishery by foreign fishing vessels. This approach plays a key role in regional efforts to pair fisheries law with enforcement. Delegates produced one of the strongest policy statements ever made by FFA member countries in terms of regulation and control of foreign fisheries activities in their exclusive economic zones.

The project is part of the Canada-South Pacific Ocean Development (C-SPOD) Program, Phase II, which is funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and coordinated by the South Pacific Forum Secretariat and LGL Limited, Canada. C-SPOD projects are developed and implemented by the participating regional organizations, and are approved and managed by a program management committee including CIDA, the South Pacific Forum Fisheries Agency, the South Pacific Forum Secretariat, the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme, and The University of the South Pacific. All C-SPOD projects are designed to ensure equity and balanced benefits for all Pacific Islanders including children, women, and men.

For more information about C-SPOD go to www.c-spodp.org

Breakthrough technology makes plastics biodegradable
Painesville, OH -- Recognizing the environmental concerns related to plastics and the market potential, the corporate and scientific communities have long sought to develop degradable plastics. But degradable plastics introduced to date possess several weaknesses that have prevented widespread acceptance in the marketplace. Photo-degradable products, for example, do not degrade in landfills due to the lack of sunlight (they are typically covered with another layer of trash before the degradation can occur). They also present difficulties for storage before use due to their reactivity to light.

Similarly, plastic products manufactured with high amounts cornstarch and cottonseed fillers fail to breakdown the molecular structure of the products' plastic components, are very expensive to manufacture, and often do not achieve the requisite physical properties.

An Ohio-based company called ECM has developed an additive is that, it claimed, when combined in small quantities with any of the popular plastic resins, renders the end products biodegradable while maintaining their other desired characteristics. Sold as ECM MasterBatch Pellets, the additive may be used without the need for drastic changes in existing methods of production. Its manufacturer said the resulting plastic products exhibit the same desired mechanical properties, have effectively similar shelf-lives, and yet, when disposed of, are able to be metabolized into inert biomass by the communities of microorganisms commonly found almost everywhere on this planet.

The biodegradation process is reportedly able to take place aerobically and anaerobically, with or without the presence of light. These factors allow for biodegradation even in landfill conditions, which are normally inconducive to any degradation.

ECM said it engaged several renowned testing laboratories to independently establish the biodegradability of ECM's plastic films. The tests concluded that the films were biodegradable under short and long-term aerobic conditions and showed that they would degrade under anaerobic conditions over a longer period of time. In addition, the tests concluded that the films did not produce any toxic residue harmful to living organisms in land or water.

For more information, visit ECM’s website at http://www.ecmbiofilms.com

Japan wrestles with ‘junk’ problem
Tokyo -- New legislation takes effect this month requiring electronic makers in Japan to recycle old appliances rather than crushing or burying them as waste.

Electronics firms said they were willing to absorb some of the additional costs that recycling will require as a trade-off for improving their efficiency in using recycled materials and portraying themselves as socially responsible businesses. But it remains to be seen whether consumers, battered by a decade of economic stagnation, will want to pay additional costs.

An estimated 20 million used home appliances must be disposed of annually in Japan, industry sources said. Rusting refrigerators, discarded televisions and unwanted washing machines sprout among the grasses of scenic riverbanks throughout the country. Reuters in the Philippine Daily Inquirer. 03.18.01

Save the sharks: Singaporeans urged to stop eating fin soup
Singapore - A yearlong campaign to save sharks by weaning Singaporeans off shark’s fin soup is underway in this city state. Shark’s fin soup, which can cost up to US$100 per bowl, is a much sought-after delicacy among Chinese in the region and is often slurped down at business and wedding dinners.

Singapore is the world’s third largest center for shark fin trade after Hong Kong and Taiwan, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.

International conservation group WildAid estimates trade in shark fins more than doubled to 7,000 tons between 1980 and 1997. About 50 to meter-long (yardlong) sharks are killed to produce 100 kg of fin.

WildAid has drafted Hong Kong movie star Tony Leung to back its campaign to encourage people to shun shark’s fin soup. A. Tan (Reuters) in Manila Bulletin. 03.18.01

Australia unveils swimwear made of fish
A new bikini made from fish skins could start turning heads on Australian beaches.

Queensland state Primary Industries Minister Henry Palaszczuk unveiled what he claimed was the world’s first bikin made from barramundi leather.

The barramundi is a freshwater fish caught wild and farmed in Queensland. Its firm white flesh is a local delicacy and now enterprising farmers are processing its skin to create “leather”.

“The bikini, like the pig skin undergarments and kangaroo hide dress, highlights just how limitless the opportunities for primary producers to diversify and establish themselves as price makers servicing niche markets,” Palaszczuk said. AP in Manila Bulletin. 03.25.01

Dive in to Earth Day
Marine environmental groups are teaming up with the scuba diving industry, divers, snorkelers and other aquatic enthusiasts, to gear-up and Dive In To Earth Day. Dive In To Earth Day, to be held on April 15-22, 2001, is a worldwide event aiming to remind the public that over 70% of the planet is covered by water and holds abundant and vital natural resources that need to be protected.

Earth Day is held annually on April 22 and is celebrating its 31st anniversary this year. Last year the Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL) created and coordinated the first ever Dive In To Earth Day event, which drew over 4,600 participants with activities taking place in more than 30 countries. Several non-profit groups co-sponsored the event and have already signed up to support the second Dive In To Earth Day.

For more information about Dive In To Earth Day, visit the Dive In web site at http://divein.coralreefalliance.org.

Logo design contest: call for entries
A logo design contest has been organized for the Third World Water Forum to be held in Kyoto, Japan on March 16-23, 2003. Entries will be accepted only during the period from Thursday March 22 to Wednesday June 22, 2001.

The World Water Forum is a global meeting held every three years by governments, international organizations, donor agencies, scientists, water experts and non-governmental organizations to deal with growing worldwide water issues.
The logo must incorporate, either separately or combined, the logotypes of both the World Water Council and 3rd World Water Forum. The logotypes and the pictorial elements may be integrated into a single design or appear as independent elements within the design.

The winning work will receive US$10,000. Three finalists will receive a memento commemorating their achievement.

View competition rules at the Forum’s website at http://www.water-forum3.com. Or send inquiries to World Water Council & 3rd World Water Forum Logo Contest Office, Fl. 18, Roppongi 25 Mori Bldg., 1-4-30 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 106-0032, Japan, Telephone:+81(3)5575 6087. E-mail:logo@water-forum3.com.

Report on die-off of marine mammals out
Petaluma, CA - BlueVoice.org, a non-profit streaming video web site, has just published a report on the die-off of three species of marine mammals along the west coast of North America. The report is compiled through an annotated streaming video process produced by Obvious Technology. There is a six-minute video accompanied by synchronized metadata.

In recent years so-called "unusual mortality events" have occurred with alarming frequency on the shore of the eastern Pacific in the United States. Sea lions have died by the hundreds from domoic poisoning, the result of harmful algal blooms. Gray whales died in unusual numbers during the past two migration periods. The number of killer whales in several well-known pods has declined by 20 percent and more. Sea otters are dying from diseases caused pathogens to which they do not normally succumb.

Many reasons are cited for these die-offs but they are probably the result of the combined effects of overfishing, warming ocean temperatures, and the many forms of pollution of the marine ecosystem. "Providing packages of information in the annotated streaming video format is a new way of getting both video and text information to the public, journalists and legislators with high impact," says Hardy Jones, executive director of BlueVoice.org. As the video streams it is paralleled by synchronized data, which may include text, web hyperlinks, spread sheets and graphics. BlueVoice.org can, in many cases, provide video to support broadcast journalists in producing stories on subjects we cover.

To get to the report click on
http://bluevoice.org/features/features.html . Then look for the link to annotated streaming video. Computers will need to be configured to play streaming video and will need throughput of at least 56baud but work far better with DSL, ISDN or cable modems.

Animal welfare group opens site for teens
East Haddam, CT -- The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), the nation's largest animal protection organization, and its youth education division, the National Association for Humane and Environmental Education (NAHEE), invite teenagers to visit HumaneTeen, the world's first animal protection web site designed exclusively for teens. Teens can log onto the site directly at www.humaneteen.org or link to it via The HSUS' or NAHEE's online sites.

HumaneTeen features true stories of young activists and teen clubs making a difference for animals and the environment. It reviews the latest noteworthy books and web sites on animal issues and provides information on products and programs of interest to animal and environmental activists, from summer camps to current campaigns to informative videos, booklets and more. "Flashpoints" provides quick tips and action alerts on how to help animals and the earth. Perfect for school reports, "Get Into the Issues" offers reliable, up-to-date information on hot topics such as factory farming and the use of animals in research.

For more information about this or other educational programs, visit www.nahee.org .

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