COASTAL ALERT

Philippines
RP has 1.8 million fishing operators – census
RP losing P100B due to environmental degradation - World Bank
Demand for tilapia rises in Japan, EU, US
BFAR to expand fish fillet exports, milkfish hatcheries
Bank says loans to agri-fisheries hit Php19 billion in 2004
Pacific White Shrimp introduced into RP free of taura virus, BFAR assures
Renewal of Philippine-Indonesia fishing pact sought
Group hits government’s fishing trade policy
RP earns credit for tech breakthroughs in tilapia culture
Scientists offer hope for the angel wing clam
Palace appoints 5 DA council representatives
Negros Oriental fisheries survive drought
Oil exploration in Tañon Strait draws flak from fishers
Region 11 wants bigger budget for fisheries
Talisay City Fisheries Code gets fishers’ support
Davao City, BFAR donate equipment to fishery law enforcers
80 fishermen nabbed for illegal fishing
2 Malaysian vessels seized for poaching in Palawan waters

World
Wild fish catch hits limits  
New study rebuts 90% global decline of tunas
Illegal fishing remains serious threat to world fisheries, says new report
Many of the world’s poorest depend on fish -- FAO official
World leaders must safeguard environment to reduce poverty – UNEP
UN tells companies: Prudent use of natural resources can boost profits
International Labour Conference fails to adopt new fishing convention
WTO rules on negotiations focus on fisheries subsidies
New project to improve information on trends in world fisheries
1,000 scientists call for UN moratorium on longline fishing
Group says small-scale fishing with selective gear ideal model for entire EEZ
UN says tsunami damage greatest where environment was degraded
US wildlife agency awards grants for international marine turtle conservation
Ecosystem approach is focus of international aquaculture workshop
US$11 million to support fisheries management in the Pacific
UN creates new panel to focus on coastal fisheries in Southwest Indian Ocean
US and Pacific Islands discuss multilateral fisheries treaty in Tonga
Fishers ask government to close fishing grounds on Spain’s Catabrian coast
Report confirms sharks disappearing off Costa Rica
Indonesia orders foreign fishing vessels to pay 'tax' of 70% of catch
US requires bonds from shrimp exporters
New US legislation aims to bail out oceans
Task Force to develop US standards for ocean aquaculture announced
Mandatory labeling of fish and shellfish in US retail food stores takes effect
European Commission launches debate on eco-labeling of fisheries products
Elkhorn coral faces additional challenges
Scientists find unusual use of metals in the ocean
IWC notes growth of whale watching industry worldwide
Private sector flocks to UN tourism agency
Network of UN ecological reserves adds 22 new sites
UN-backed treaty on endangered species marks 30^th birthday with pride, warning
Costa Rica minister is first global ocean conservation awardee

Resources
One Planet, Many People: Atlas of Our Changing Environment
New FAO aquaculture gateway page
Review of the State of World Marine Fishery Resources
New education web site
Report on longline fishing in the Pacific

Philippines

30 May 2005 – The total number of fishing operators in the Philippines has increased threefold since the 1980s, the 2002 Census of Fisheries released by the National Statistics Office (NSO) in April revealed. Full report.

There were 1,788,906 fishing operators in 2002, up from 583,785 in 1980, the census showed. Of this number, 1,781,057, or 99.6%, were in the municipal fishing sector; only 7,849 (0.4%) were engaged in commercial fishing. More than 98% (1,751,906) in the municipal fishing sector were individual operators (Table 1).

Table 1.  Number of Municipal and Commercial Fishing Operators by Legal Form of Organization, Philippines: 1980 and 2002
Type of Fishing Activity/Legal Form of Organization	1980	2002
Municipal Fishing	581670a/	1,781,057
Individual		1,751,906
Partnership		18,961
Corporation		893
Cooperative		1,089
Other Private Institution		331
Government Corporation/Institution		79
Others		632
Not Reported		7,167
Commercial Fishing	2,115	7,849
Individual	1,963	7,190
Partnership	56	368
Corporation	77	177
Other Forms	19	103
Not Reported	-	11

Note :   a/ - Data on legal form of organization for municipal fishing not available
Source:  National Statistics Office, 1980 and 2002 Census of Fisheries, published April 18, 2005

Municipal fishing in the Philippines is defined by law as ‘fishing within municipal waters using fishing vessels of 3 GT or less, or fishing not requiring the use of fishing vessels.’ Commercial fishing is defined as ‘the taking of fishery species by passive or active gear for trade, business or profit beyond subsistence or sports fishing,’ and involves the use of fishing vessels of 3.1GT or more.

The number of municipal fishing vessels rose more than 100% from 388,188 to 777,666 during the period, while the number of commercial fishing boats increased more than three times from 3,411 to nearly 10,860. Small-scale fishing boats of 3.1-5GT made up about one-third of the reported number, but there were increases in all tonnage categories, with boats of more than 499GT increasing nearly 90 times from 2 in 1980 to 177 in 2002.

Tambuyog Development Center, a non-governmental organization allied with the municipal fishing sector, noted the survey showed that the number of municipal fishers was higher than any recent estimates of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and almost double its own estimate of 1 million.

Tambuyog Information Officer Jaime Escober Jr. called on the government to put premium concern to the plight of municipal fishers. "With this growing number of municipal fishers, the government should make them the priority among the fisheries sub-sector in terms of budgetary support and development assistance.” Includes report by BS Sarmiento in SunStar General Santos

RP losing Php100B due to environmental degradation - World Bank
Environmental degradation is costing the Philippines some P100 billion annually, the World Bank said in its Philippine Environment Monitor 2004 released in July.

The World Bank said the country was losing annually Php67 billion due to water pollution, Php23 billion for lack of management of fisheries resources and Php21 billion in health bills because of air pollution.

"These are real economic losses that could be reduced over time through effective environmental management," World Bank-Philippines director Joachim von Amsberg said during the launch of the latest environment report at the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife in Quezon City. The report, which assessed the progress made by the Philippines in environmental protection, noted that while there have been policy initiatives at the national and local level, these were not enough to effect substantial changes.

Jitendra Shah, lead environmentalist for World Bank-East Asia and principal author of the report, said he was surprised by the enormity of the Philippines' economic losses due to degradation. "It will take less than a tenth or even a hundredth of that cost to protect the environment," Shah said.

Environment Secretary Michael Defensor said his department was aware of the problem. " It's really a problem of enforcement," he said. cdsea.org

Demand for tilapia rises in Japan, EU, US
DAVAO CITY, July 1 (PNA) - Agriculture officials in Southern Mindanao are promoting the expansion of tilapia ponds in the region to meet rising demand in Asian, US and European markets.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) said world culture production of tilapia has increased steadily at an average annual rate of 12% in the last 12 years.

Frozen tilapia fillet in the US fetched USD3.47-5.07 in 2002.

The Philippines, along with Indonesia, are among the major tilapia producers worldwide.

Department of Agriculture (DA) 11 Director Roger Chio said potential areas for tilapia production are Central Mindanao, Northern Mindanao, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and the Davao region. LDV/LGI/OTV, PNA

BFAR to expand fish fillet exports, milkfish hatcheries
3 June 2005 – The medium-term development plan for 2005 to 2010 of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) targets the development of aquaculture on an additional 8,200 hectares particularly for producing tilapia to meet an increasing export demand for tilapia fish fillet.

Tilapia fish fillet currently sells at USD6 per pound (USD13.2 or Php719 per kilo).

"The international demand for tilapia fillet has been increasing. BFAR will maintain the operation of its 12 central hatcheries for genetically-enhanced tilapia (GET) and establish additional 250 satellite hatcheries," the agency said.

BFAR will also put up five central milkfish (bangus) hatcheries to reduce the country’s dependence on imported fry: Guiuan, Samar; Dipolog, Zamboanga del Norte; Tiwi, Albay; Pagbilao, Quezon, and Oriental Mindoro.

Total Philippine fish production in 2004 was at 3.924 million metric tons (MT), 8.43% higher than the previous year’s production. Aquaculture accounted for 44% of total production, mostly from seaweeds; commercial fisheries contributed 29% and municipal fisheries, 27%.

The government plans to create 750,000 jobs in the fisheries sector in the next five years. By MM Aguiba, Manila Bulletin

Bank says loans to agri-fisheries hit Php19 billion in 2004
25 April 2005 – The Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) released P19.8-billion in credit and technical assistance in support of the Agricultural and Fisheries Modernization (AFMA) program for 2004.

LBP President and Chief Executive Officer Gary B. Teves, gracing the Mindanao-wide radio forum dubbed as “Mindanao Scope” said the amount of P19.8-billion represents 109 percent of the LBP’s AFMA commitment for 2004 of P18.2-billion and is 10 percent higher than the P18-billion released in 2003.

LBP’s credit outreach last year benefited almost 410,000 small farmers and fisherfolk and generated more than 185,000 new jobs in the agricultural sector.

The Bank’s credit support for AFMA has five components: agricultural production; processing and manufacturing; marketing assistance to farmers and fisherfolks; post-harvest facilities; and infrastructure and irrigation projects.

In 2004, the largest component was loans for agricultural production, processing and manufacturing amounting to P12.3-billion. Loans for marketing assistance to farmers and fisherfolk amounted to P6.5 billion.

Meanwhile, LBP released P448.3-million for post-harvest facilities; P327.0-million for infrastructure projects; and P25.7-million for irrigation projects. PIA-RPalacio, Mindanao Times

Pacific White Shrimp introduced into RP free of taura virus, BFAR assures
DILIMAN, Quezon City –Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) director Malcolm Sarmiento assured concerned fishers’ groups no Taura Syndrome Virus (TSV) has been introduced into the country.

Sarmiento made the assurance following protests triggered by his agency’s importation of Pacific White Shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) for scientific studies. The imported broodstock, certified pathogen-free by the source country and tested negative of diseases on arrival in the country, were subsequently found to have acquired the Hepatopancreatic Parvovirus (HPV), apparently from a local source.

Sarmiento took full responsibility for the importation and experimental trials on the species, which is not native to the Philippines. TSV, which has resulted in serious disease outbreaks and high mortalities throughout the shrimp-growing regions of the Western Hemisphere, has recently been introduced into Asia through infected P. vannamei from Central and South American sources. Other species are said to be more resistant to the pathogen but protesters feared TSV could infect native shrimp species, with potentially devastating results.

Experimental runs on hatchery operations of the species were conducted at the National Integrated Fisheries Technology Development Center (NIFTDC) in Dagupan City. On Sarmiento’s instructions, the Center aborted the experimental trials and destroyed all infected broodstock and their larvae last April.

The Pacific White Shrimp is currently being cultured in Zambales.

Renewal of Philippine-Indonesia fishing pact sought
GENERAL SANTOS CITY, 5 July 2005 -- A local official here has called for the renewal of a fishing agreement between the Philippines and Indonesia which will expire in December this year.

Sarangani Gov. Miguel Dominguez warned local tuna industry players would likely transfer their capital to other countries once the bilateral fishing agreement would not be extended.

Under the bilateral agreement signed in 2002, Philippine tuna fleets are allowed to "catch tuna and tuna-like species within the Indonesian Exclusive Economic Zone." The accord provides licenses to the Philippines for 75 catcher vessels, 150 fish carriers, 20 long liners, 300 light boats, and 10 single purse seines, and access to the Pacific and Indian Ocean areas of the Indonesian EEZ. PNA

Group hits government’s fishing trade policy
9 June 2005 – An umbrella organization of small fishers' groups decried the government's trade liberalization policies prescribing drastic tariff reduction in the fisheries sector, saying they have worsened poverty and hunger in the country's coastal communities.

Kilusang Mangingisda, a coalition of 14 national and regional municipal fishers’ federations, pointed to the government's commitments to regional and multilateral free trade agreements and bodies such as the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement and the World Trade Organization as the driving forces for trade liberalization in the country.

The group’s leader Ruperto Aleroza urged the government to reverse its liberalization policies and formulate an alternative fisheries agenda to promote the sustainable development of the local fisheries industry. "This agenda [must] seek the development of all fishery sub-sectors and [provide] an alternative to export-oriented fishery production based solely on aquaculture and tuna commercial fisheries," he said.

Importation is currently limited to canneries and institutional buyers, but imported fish somehow find their way to the local wet markets, causing a drop in prices of fish, especially mackerel (galunggong).

Aleroza warned the negative impact of fishery importation on municipal and small-scale fishers could worsen if the government removes quantitative restrictions on fish imports. BS Sarmiento in SunStar General Santos

RP earns credit for tech breakthroughs in tilapia culture
The Philippines is now considered a major contributor of technological advances to tilapia culture worldwide.

The American Tilapia Association based in Arizona, U.S.A lauded the country for its role in ‘reducing hunger amongst the world’s poor.”

“Breeds of tilapia developed in the Philippines are farmed around the world,” the association’s vice-president, Dr. Kevin Fitzsimmons, said.

The Philippine government regards tilapia as a fish market barometer – an indicator of how affordable fish is to the majority of Filipinos – and has invested heavily in research and development of technologies for tilapia culture.

Scientists offer hope for the angel wing clam
25 April 2005 – Artificial spawning techniques developed locally offer hope the decline of the angel wing clam (Pholas orientales) can be reversed.

Known in Hiligaynon as diwal, the large, mud-burrowing bivalve is native to the tidal mudflats of Panay and Negros Islands. Because of its large size, juicy meat and sweet taste, diwal, endemic to Western Visayas only, has long been one of the most expensive and most sought-after bivalves in the Philippines. But it is now rarely available in the market.

According to a research study of the Nova Pacific Research Institute at the University of the Philippines-Visayas Science Park in Miag-ao, Iloilo, diwal used to be abundant in Roxas City, the seafood capital of Western Visayas, particularly in the village of Bara. It is also known to occur in Pontevedra and Hinigaran, Negros Occidental.

But diwal is now nearly extinct in Bara and rarely found elsewhere. Scientists were not sure what caused the decline, but surmised overharvesting, pollution, siltation and habitat destruction were contributory factors.

Diwal is known to thrive only in clean environments.

Breakthroughs in research are fanning hopes diwal could still be saved. Nova Pacific has now the capability to grow millions of diwal from fertilized eggs to post-set larvae for re-introduction to coastal habitats.

Scientists said more research is needed to improve the survival rates of the post-set larvae in their natural environment. SunStar Iloilo

Palace appoints 5 DA council representatives
Malacañang has released the appointments of the five representatives for Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao of the National Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (NFARMC).

The appointments of Buenafe Olarte, Calvin T. Hamak, Laureano D.S. Artagame, Milagros L. Chavez, and Rodrigo L. Liz were signed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Olarte (Region 12) and Hamak (Region 9) represent the fishers-fish workers sector in Mindanao. Artagame and Chavez are representatives for Luzon, and Liz represents Visayas.

They will serve for a term of three consecutive years without reappointment.

Negros Oriental fisheries survive drought
25 May 2005 – El Niño caused losses in crop production amounting to Php1.34 million in Negros Oriental but boosted production from the province’s fishponds.

Leonardo Aro of the local Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said the El Niño-induced dry spell and warm temperatures increased the population of phytoplankton or lablab, a major source of food for fish. NC Rio, SunStar

Oil exploration in Tañon Strait draws flak from fishers
Oil exploration activities in Tañon Strait are getting in the way of small fishers operating in the area, the fishers complained.

As many as 51 payaos (fish aggregating devices) have been destroyed since the exploration began, the fishers said.

Japan Petroleum Exploration and Forum Exploration, the companies involved, paid affected fishers Php5,000 for each device destroyed.

The Department of Energy said Tañon Strait may have as much as 1 billion barrels of oil underneath. Out of this potential reserve, about 100 million barrels of oil can be recovered, enough to meet the country’s requirements for one year.

The strait is a protected area, but the exploration activities were not required to secure an environmental compliance certificate. Instead the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) in Region 7 granted the project a certificate of non-coverage. The bureau maintained exploration activities do not have significant effects on the environment. M. Aranas, SunStar, 6.12.05; PNA, 05.26.05

Region 11 wants bigger budget for fisheries
17 May 2005 – The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) 11 has requested the National Government to increase the region's budget allocation for 2006 by 27.5 percent to Php80 million, from Php58 million this year.

BFAR-11 regional director George Campeon Monday said a bigger budget next year will enable them to fast track the implementation of projects to develop three major fishery products--seaweeds, tilapia and milkfish. These projects are estimated to cost Php46 million.

BFAR-11 is eyeing the coastal areas of Davao Oriental, Island Garden City of Samal (IGACOS), and Davao City, particularly from Sasa to Lasang, as expansion areas for seaweeds; Davao del Norte and Davao del Sur for bangus; and Davao del Norte for tilapia.

In a related development, BFAR announced it will establish three mariculture parks in the region costing some Php45million. Work has started on the first park, a Php5million facility located at IGACOS.

The bureau vowed to take measures to prevent pollution and other problems arising from poor aquaculture practices. J. Molbog-Mendoza, SunStar

Talisay City Fisheries Code gets fishers’ support
Fishers from seven coastal barangays in Talisay City manifested their support for the proposed Talisay City Fisheries Code aimed at affirming and strengthening the enforcement of coastal and fisheries laws in their municipal waters.

The city council however failed to pass the law because of a pending territorial dispute with Cebu City. GBLao, The Freeman

Davao City, BFAR donate equipment to fishery law enforcers
1 July 2005 – The Davao City Government and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Region 11 turned over four motorized boats, compasses, telescopes and hand-held radio sets to Fishery Law Enforcement Teams (FLETs) tasked to monitor activities in the city's coastal waters.

The equipments were intended to intensify the government’s campaign.

Local officials said the FLETs will patrol coastal waters as often as possible. A maritime police will be assigned to each motorized boat. AAG, SunStar Davao

80 fishermen nabbed for illegal fishing
23 May 2005 – Eighty fishermen were rounded up by operatives of the Philippine National Police's Maritime Group in Manila Bay last May for illegal fishing.

The fishermen were caught while allegedly using trawl, a prohibited fishing gear.

The operation resulted in the seizure of 11 fishing vessels and an undetermined quantity of fish. Nestor Etolle in, The Philippine Star

2 Malaysian vessels seized for poaching in Palawan waters
CORON, Palawan – Two Malaysian fishing boats manned by eight Indonesian fishermen were apprehended for fishing inside Philippine territorial waters. The eight Indonesian nationals are now committed to the Palawan provincial jail after the Office of the Prosecutor found sufficient grounds for the crime of violation of Section 87 of Republic Act 8550, also known as poaching.

The two Malaysian vessels were impounded and are now docked at the Puerto Princesa pier for court disposition. Some 500 kilos of fish caught by the vessels worth Php15,000 were confiscated and donated to hospitals, penal and charitable institutions in Puerto Princesa.

World

Wild fish catch hits limits  
After decades of growth, the reported global wild fish catch peaked in 2000 at 96 million tons and fell to 90 million tons in 2003, the last year for which worldwide data are available. The catch per person dropped from an average of 17 kilograms in the late 1980s to 14 kilograms in 2003, the lowest figure since 1965.

As fishing fleets expanded through the late 1980s and as fish-finding and harvesting technologies became more efficient, the world’s fishers have systematically gone after their catch at greater depths and in more remote waters. Over the past 50 years, the number of large predatory fish in the oceans has dropped by a startling 90 percent. Catches of many popular food fish such as cod, tuna, flounder, and hake have been cut in half despite a tripling in fishing effort. According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, the 4 million vessels scouring the world’s waters are at or exceeding the sustainable yields of three quarters of all oceanic fisheries.

The 10 most-fished species constitute 30 percent of the world’s catch. Seven of these have reached their limits and are classified as fully exploited or overexploited throughout their entire ranges, meaning that we cannot expect to increase their harvests. Included in this group are two types of Peruvian anchoveta, Alaska pollock, Japanese anchovy, blue whiting in the northeast Atlantic, capelin in the North Atlantic, and Atlantic herring. The other three species—chub mackerel, skipjack tuna, and largehead hairtail—are overfished in parts of their ranges.

Farmed fish production, growing 9% a year over the last decade, is offsetting the decline in wild catch, sustaining the total availability of fish at 21kg per person. Nonetheless, aquaculture will alleviate pressure on wild fish only if it is done wisely. The construction of offshore fish farms frequently requires the razing of sensitive wetlands. These farms also harbor diseases and concentrate fish wastes that can lead to harmful algal blooms and low-oxygen dead zones. Making matters worse, farmed carnivorous fish can eat several times their weight in wild fish, which only adds to pressure on such resources. Janet Larsen at earth-policy.org. Full text: http://www.earth-policy.org/Indicators/Fish/2005.htm

New study rebuts 90% global decline of tunas
A new study published in Nature suggests that Pacific tunas are not facing disastrous declines, as reported in a previous article. While the earlier study used only a small portion of available data, this new study covered all the main habitats of tropical tunas, with data from all major fleets engaged in large-scale fishing (including Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and the United States). The new study by Hampton, Silbert, Maunder, Harley, and Kleiber, is based on this expanded data set, using data analysis methods that are widely recognized as providing the best estimates of changes in fish populations.

The authors concluded that while some tropical tuna species are heavily fished, such as bigeye tuna, many other stocks are at healthy levels. Southern albacore tuna (available in the market as canned white tuna) remains highly abundant. This study was conducted by scientists from the University of Hawaii, the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, the Inter-American Tropical Tunas Commission, and NOAA Fisheries Service.

Click here to read Decline of Pacific tuna populations exaggerated?, a critique of Myers & Worm's 2003 study by Hampton et al, as well as a rebuttal from Myers & Worm. NOAA Fisheries Service

Illegal fishing remains serious threat to world fisheries, says new report
Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing is one of the most serious threats to the future of world fisheries, a new report, Pirates and Profiteers, by the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF), reveals.

IUU fishing is a symptom of the wider crisis in world fisheries, said the EJF. 75% of commercially important marine stocks are currently being overfished, or are being fished at their biological limit.

Despite some government measures to conserve fish stocks, in the face of increasing consumer demand and lucrative economic gains, the incentives for IUU continue to increase. With a single tuna fish selling for up to USD50,000 illegal operators are cashing-in on the profits to be made.

A key way in which fishermen are circumventing management and conservation measures and avoiding penalties for illegal fishing, is by registering under a "Flag of Convenience" (FOC). Although international law specifies that the country whose flag a vessel flies is responsible for controlling its activities, certain countries allow vessels to fly their flag for a few hundred dollars and then ignore any offences committed.

The failure of the international community to close this legal loophole has resulted in a proliferation of FOC vessels over the past 20 years. 54% of Flag of Convenience countries are members of the Commonwealth, 43% are declared tax havens by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development and a third of the world's merchant fleet operate under FOC. EJF

Many of the world’s poorest depend on fish -- FAO official
ROME, 7 June 2005 – An official of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said fish provides 2.5 billion of the world’s population with at least 20% of their average animal protein intake and is crucial to food security in many of the world’s poorest communities.

In an interview, Ichiro Nomura, assistant-director general for fisheries, said fishing and fish farming contribute to food security. in three main ways. “They directly increase people's food supplies, providing highly nutritious animal protein and important micronutrients while doing so. Fish food also ‘fill in the gaps’ during times when other food is scarce. Finally, fishing and aquaculture provide jobs and income that people use to buy other foods,” he said.

Nomura noted in small island states and coastal regions, fish supplies more than 50% of people’s animal protein. “In some of the most food-insecure places – many parts of Asia and Africa, for instance – fish protein is absolutely essential, accounting for a large share of an already low level of animal protein consumption,” he said.

Moreover, said Nomura, about 97% of fishers are in developing countries.

Fish is also a significant source of foreign currency earnings for poor countries, he added. “Net receipts of foreign exchange by developing countries through fish trade are now around US$17 billion a year, more than what they earn from exports of tea, rice, coffee together.”

The downside is that the higher income from exporting fish poses the risk of reducing local fish supplies and creating incentives for overfishing. “There is both an opportunity and a risk -- which is why responsible management is so important,” said Nomura. Full interview

World leaders must safeguard environment to reduce poverty – UNEP
NEW YORK, 17 June 2005 – Sound and solid investment in the environment will go a long way toward meeting international targets on poverty reduction, the supply of drinking water and fighting the spread of infectious diseases, and world leaders should take this on board at their September summit, the United Nations environmental head said.                          

“The goods and services delivered by nature including the atmosphere, forests, rivers, wetlands, mangroves and coral reefs are worth trillions of dollars,” UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director Klaus Toepfer said in Nairobi, Kenya, at a regional launch of a new report on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that seek to halve many of the worlds ills, such as extreme poverty and hunger, by 2015.                   

“To fight poverty we need three kinds of capital - financial, human and environmental.  When we damage natural capital we not only undermine our life support systems but the economic basis for current and future generations.  Targeted investments in this natural capital have a high rate of return in terms of development,” he said.                   

The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, the work of 1,300 scientists and experts from 95 countries in which UNEP played a pivotal role, gives some of the first firm figures on the environment’s economic value and thus its role in meeting the MDGs.                   

For example, tropical mangroves, coastal ecosystems that are nurseries for fish, natural filters and coastal defences, are worth around USD1,000 a hectare when intact.  Cleared for shrimp farms the same area of coast is worth only USD200 a hectare.                   

The annual recreational value of coral reefs in the six Marine Management Areas of the Hawaiian islands ranges from USD300,000 to tens of millions of dollars a year.                   

Toepfer also urged governments to back a substantial replenishment of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), a multi billion dollar fund which assists developing countries in environment and development projects.  http://www.un.org/news

UN tells companies: Prudent use of natural resources can boost profits
NEW YORK, 12 July 2005 -- With many of the planet’s ecosystems such as fisheries, forests and water supplies in serious decline, a new report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) argued that by using the Earth’s natural resources more wisely, big companies can boost their profits and reduce ecosystem damage at the same time.

“We need imaginative financial mechanisms and incentives to give these resources real value and to encourage re-investment in the natural capital we have already over-used”, said UNEP’s Executive Director Klaus Toepfer during the launching of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, Ecosystems and Human Well-Being:  Opportunities and Challenges for Business and Industry.

The report stressed that with many of Earth’s ecosystems in decline, in as little as five years, this could trigger increased costs for companies who rely directly and indirectly on nature-based services. Therefore, companies who managed ecosystems more prudently and who invested in their care and conservation were likely to enjoy multiple benefits including enhanced profits, improved reputations among consumers and new business opportunities.

They would also be better placed to respond to sudden “shocks” including higher oil prices, a dramatic fall in the availability of raw materials or greener rules, regulations and laws that may be in the pipeline, the report argues. Meanwhile, research and development in cleaner and greener technologies would increasingly be needed to reduce ecosystem damage and to better use nature’s goods and services.

International Labour Conference fails to adopt new fishing convention
16 June 2005 -- A proposed Work in Fishing Convention failed to be adopted for want of a single vote for the needed two-thirds quorum at the 93rd annual Conference of the International Labour Organization last June.

The pact would have replaced seven outdated ILO conventions -- adopted between 1920 and 1966 -- that cover only 10 per cent of the industry's 15 million workers. If voted, the new fishing convention would have thus covered more than 90 per cent of workers employed in the fishing industry the world over.

The proposed convention aimed to improve conditions, especially on small vessels in developing countries, home to most of the world's fishermen, many of whom are self-employed and earn only a share of the catch instead of a regular wage. It would have covered hours of rest, social security, and provisions on minimum wage, apart from recommending written agreements between fishers and vessel owners.

According to Reuters, the proposed pact fell through after employers got together to abstain from voting at the annual International Labour Conference. At the last minute, reports Reuters, employers objected to some of the highly detailed requirements of the new pact -- which covers such things as the length of bunks as well as minimum rest periods on larger vessels.

While 64 developing countries voted for the proposed Convention, the 25 developing countries abstained from voting. They included major fish producing countries like China, India, Indonesia, Philippines and Sri Lanka.

The International Labour Conference has now asked the Governing Body to place a corresponding item on the agenda of the Conference in 2007, and that the report submitted to the Conference plenary be used for further consideration. ICSF

WTO rules on negotiations focus on fisheries subsidies
The formal meeting of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Negotiating Group on Rules got under way on 11 March, following a long informal session on anti-dumping issues earlier that day. During the session, which ran until 13 April, members focused on negotiations related to anti-dumping (AD), subsidies and countervailing measures (SCM).

Among other proposals to be considered during the session was a paper on fisheries subsidies disciplines submitted by Brazil. The Brazilian proposal is one of very few in fisheries subsidies discussions to make concrete suggestions about incorporating special and differential (S&D) treatment within disciplines on fisheries subsidies. Delegates reported the proposal was well received during the informal talks, even though some of the concepts will need further elaboration.

According to Brazil's submission, "developed countries should assume a higher level of responsibility and bear the greatest part of the burden resulting from a broader prohibition on fisheries subsidies aimed at restoring stocks or keeping them at a sustainable level of exploitation." It specifies that new disciplines should take into account the economic difficulties facing poor economies, and assist developing countries in establishing a sustainable fisheries sector. It would also permit capacity-enhancing subsidies in developing countries so long as they do not extend beyond the level compatible with a sustainable level of exploitation, nor provide incentives to illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing. The paper also suggests that fees paid by other governments to access a member's waters, as well as assistance to disadvantaged regions dependent on fisheries, should be considered permissible subsidies in developing countries; this would be a form of S&D.

The proposal puts forward an exhaustive list of permissible subsidies to be available to all members (and not just developing countries), including financial contributions to management services, the adoption of environmentally-friendly fishing equipment and support to compliance with safety standards. This category of non-actionable subsidies, the 'green box,' would also include, under specific conditions, subsidies to small-scale fishing and to capacity reduction. All subsidies not falling under the green box would be prohibited. The paper also calls for certain subsidies to remain available to least developed countries for a period of ten years.

Delegates reported the Brazilian submission was relatively well received by China, US and New Zealand. Japan, Korea and Chinese Taipei, however, expressed skepticism. Members asked Brazil to provide several clarifications about the concepts in the paper. Sources said the paper's main contribution to the discussions was the overall idea on how to integrate S&D considerations within disciplines on fisheries subsidies. ICTSD

New project to improve information on trends in world fisheries
ROME, 7 June 2005 – A new Fisheries and Agriculture Organization (FAO) project is helping countries around the world improve their monitoring of fishing activities, a step the Organization says is essential for better management of world fishery resources.

The eight-year "Status and Trends in Capture Fisheries" (STF) project, managed by FAO's FishCode Programme, will tackle one or two regions at a time, eventually covering the entire globe.

First, FishCode STF teams up with regional fishery organizations to conduct a detailed inventory of the systems and methods that countries use to monitor fisheries and the kind of information they collect.

Regional workshops then review these inventories to identify problems -- and the steps necessary to correct them.

Based on that, second phase project activities will focus on training programs tailored to each region's needs to help countries strengthen monitoring and data collection. The entire process could take up to four years for each region.

FishCode STF has already begun work in Southeast Asia in collaboration with the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC); next on the agenda is Central America and the Caribbean, with an initial workshop to review the state of regional fisheries monitoring systems scheduled for November 2005.

West Africa and the Bay of Bengal are also priority regions for the project.

Initial funding for FishCode STF has been received from Japan, Norway and the United States, but additional support is needed.

"Ensuring that fisheries are sustainable requires more detailed information, broken down regionally, by species, by high seas, and by coastal versus inland catches," explained FAO's Gertjan de Graaf, who coordinates the FishCode STF project.

Improving world fisheries information is a step called for by FAO's Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, and in 2003 FAO published a Strategy for Improving Information on Status and Trends in Capture Fisheries to point the way forward.

1,000 scientists call for UN moratorium on longline fishing
NEW YORK, May 31, 2005 - On the eve of a critical United Nations meeting to discuss actions to protect the world’s oceans from overfishing, a letter signed by more than 1,000 international scientists calling for decisive action has been delivered to the international body. Recent scientific reports have linked industrial fishing, such as longlining, to the decline of sea turtles and other marine species, and have offered marine protected areas as a potential solution.

1,007 international scientists from 97 countries urged the UN to implement a moratorium on longline fishing in the Pacific Ocean to prevent the extinction of the critically endangered leatherback sea turtle. The scientists were joined by 281 non-governmental organizations from 62 countries. The list of signers includes famed primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall, biologist E.O. Wilson, oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle, a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence, and former U.S. astronaut Bernard Harris, Jr. M.D.

According to the statement, “An International Call by Leading Scientists to Reverse the Pacific Leatherback's Extinction Trajectory,” the scientists warn that “The Pacific leatherback sea turtle is at the top of the list of species being driven to the brink of extinction by increased efforts of global industrial fishing.” Also impacted are about 4.4 million sharks, seabirds, billfish and marine mammals maimed and killed by longlines in the Pacific each year.

The delivery of the letter coincides with the sixth meeting of the United Nations Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) during which there will be historic discussions about how modern industrial fishing practices may be undermining sustainable development and harming the world’s poor. One of the fisheries under examination is longlining which sets approximately 1.4 billion hooks in the oceans every year. seaturtles.org

Group says small-scale fishing with selective gear ideal model for entire EEZ
The International Collective in Support of Fishworkers (ICSF) has called on the international community to recognize and valorize the role of selective artisanal and small-scale fishing in the sustainable utilization of fisheries resources in the entire exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The ICSF statement points out that the small-scale fisheries sub-sector accounts for nearly 50 per cent of the global capture fisheries production, and it contributes significantly to economic well-being, particularly of poorer coastal communities in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the small island developing States.

With the advent of motorization and new navigational aids, some artisanal and small-scale fishers have expanded their area of operation to the deep sea, to target tuna and tuna-like species, and other highly migratory fish stocks, mainly to cater to the world market.

The statement called on governments to recognize that financial assistance to the fishery sector, for example, to introduce effective management measures, to re-train fishers, to introduce food safety and environmental standards, and to improve safety of fishing operations, should be seen as subsidies contributing to sustainable development, and, therefore, should be positively dealt with under the ongoing negotiations on fisheries subsidies at the World Trade Organization.

The statement also called for benefit-sharing arrangements for small-scale fishing communities under the Convention on Biological Diversity, as well as measures to facilitate the legal movement of fishers across borders. It urged the UN General Assembly to propose small-scale fishing employing selective gear as the ideal fishing model for the entire EEZ, within a sustainable and responsible fisheries framework.

The full text of the statement is available here.

UN says tsunami damage greatest where environment was degraded
NEW YORK, 17 June 2005  -- Coastal areas where natural vegetation had been removed suffered the greatest damage from the Indian Ocean tsunami, according to two reports released by the United Nations environmental agency on the environmental impact of the December 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka and the Maldives respectively.                   

The assessments by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) found that the damage was greatest where villages or cultivated fields abutted the sea with little or no coastal protection. By contrast, where natural coastal forests and vegetation were left untouched, UNEP found a reduction in soil erosion and building destruction.                    

In the Maldives, the UNEP report found huge accumulations of debris, often containing asbestos from roofing materials, along with contaminated groundwater and eroded coastal zones.  The country's coral reefs experienced only minor damage.                   

The report on Sri Lanka also found large generations of rubble and more than 15,000 unusable wells.  It said that alien invasive species, such as prickly pears and salt-tolerant mesquite, were making inroads into important national parks where the waves had penetrated inland.  

US wildlife agency awards grants for international marine turtle conservation
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service awarded a total of $89,610 in grants to assist in the conservation of international marine turtles.  Once abundant throughout the world, almost all marine turtle populations have suffered significant declines due to habitat degradation and unsustainable trade putting their future survival in the wild at risk.These grants support a wide variety of marine turtle conservation and research efforts, including: sponsoring population assessments of loggerhead and green turtles in Oman; providing incentives for local fishers to donate live captured turtles for tag and release rather than consumption in Nigeria; developing a sustainable and effective marine turtle program for the world’s largest nesting leatherback population in Gabon and Congo, Africa; and, training local people to protect sea turtle nests at Playa Ventura in Mexico.                   

For information on how to apply for international marine turtle conservation assistance, please visit FWS’s marine turtle program website Fisheries ministers meet to improve high-seas governance

Ministers and senior officials from dozens of fishing nations met in St John’s, Newfoundland in Canada for an international conference on the Governance of High Seas Fisheries and the United Nations Fish Agreement – Moving from Words to Action. The conference invited delegates to consider the existing framework governing high seas fisheries, including areas where there may be gaps or impediments.

Workshop themes included: implementing ecosystems considerations in fisheries management; compliance and enforcement; decision-making in regional fisheries management organizations; and balancing fishing capacity with fishing aspirations.

The ministerial declaration signed at the beginning of the conference by the 17 invited ministers noted the ecological and economic importance of the world's fisheries and the need for international cooperation in their management. This declaration stressed the importance of regional fishery management organizations (RFMOs) in the governance of high seas fishers and the need to strengthen RFMOs by incorporating the precautionary approach and implementing ecosystem approaches to management.

The agreement also noted the importance of sustainable fishing practices, highlighting the need to reduce fishing capacity, mitigate bycatch and improve management in identified gap areas. NOAA Fisheries Service

Ecosystem approach is focus of international aquaculture workshop
More than 65 experts from around the world recently participated in the first International Workshop on the Role of Aquaculture in Integrated Coastal Management, held in Hawaii last April. Co-sponsored by several programs of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and facilitated by the Oceanic Institute, this workshop drew aquaculturists, ecologists, biologists, ecosystem modelers, coastal managers, and resource managers from the United States, Canada, China, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Chile, Malaysia, Sweden, and Taiwan.

Participants focused on marine aquaculture as a technology to improve ecological functions, carrying capacity and economic sustainability. Outcomes from the workshop will include a set of universal guiding principles for coastal ecosystem managers for marine aquaculture, and a set of siting considerations for placement of aquaculture in coastal ecosystems. NOAA

US$11 million to support fisheries management in the Pacific
The Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) announced the Global Environment Facility’s (GEF) recent approval of a 5 year, US$ 11 million project to assist Pacific island states to reform, restructure, realign and strengthen their national fisheries laws, policies, institutions and programs.

The project will be implemented through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and executed by the FFA with other participating partners, the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) and the World Conservation Union (IUCN).

UN creates new panel to focus on coastal fisheries in Southwest Indian Ocean
NEW YORK, 4 May 2005 – With studies showing that fish stocks in the south-west Indian Ocean are either fully exploited, overfished or recovering slowly from uncontrolled fishing pressure, the United Nations agricultural agency announced the establishment of a new panel to promote responsible fishing in that region.                   

The South West Indian Ocean Fisheries Commission (SWIOFC) will function as an advisory body to promote the sustainable development and utilization of coastal fishery resources off the shores of East Africa and several island states of the region, according to the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). A parallel agreement on regional cooperation on high-seas fishing of non-tuna resources is also being negotiated.                   

FAO studies show that in the entire West Indian Ocean – the larger region encompassing the zone where SWIOFC will operate – 75 per cent of fishery resources are currently being fished at their maximum biological productivity. The other 25 per cent are over-exploited and require better management.                   

Both coastal and offshore fisheries are at stake, FAO says. The fish resources of the coastal waters of the south-western Indian Ocean constitute a major source of animal protein for many near-shore communities. At the same time, exports of fishery products represent a vital source of exchangeable earnings. Madagascar and Mozambique, for example, have important shrimp fisheries, as do Tanzania and Kenya to a lesser extent.

US and Pacific Islands discuss multilateral fisheries treaty in Tonga
Representatives of the 16 Pacific Island Parties, which are also members of the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA), met with representatives from the US State Department, the National Marine Fisheries Authority (NMFS), National Oceanographic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the US tuna industry association, for the annual treaty review.

Known as the Multilateral Treaty on Fisheries Between the Governments of Certain Pacific Island States and the USA, the annual consultation held in Nuku'alofa, Tonga considered, among other things, access arrangements, fishing activity, economic viability, and the reporting record of the US fishing fleet in the FFA's members Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ).

At this year's consultation, the FFA's Honiara-based Secretariat reported that 22 vessels were licensed during the 16th licensing period (15 June 2003 - 14 June 2004). The number dropped to 17 vessels in the beginning of the 17th licensing period (15 June 2004).

The US fleet logged an average of 70 trip days in the 16th licensing period with observer coverage at 29.2%, which exceeded the target of 20% coverage. The fleet caught 52,024 metric tons of fish in the waters of the Pacific Island Parties during the period. This was a drop from the previous year with 15,794 metric tons less fish landed.

In the 16th licensing period, the Pacific Island Parties received a total of US$21,931,698.00 in access fees, inclusive of interest and industry payments.             

Fishers ask government to close fishing grounds on Spain’s Catabrian coast
Spain’s fishermen guilds met in Santander to study measures to remedy a disastrous anchovy season. They agreed to urge government to declare the affected Cantabrian coast a disaster area and close anchovy fishing grounds there. They also requested that the guilds be given the authority to determine catch quota sharing.

The fishermen said the poor anchovy season was a result of overfishing arising from an agreement which allowed French fishermen to “exhaust the fishing grounds” of the Cantabrian coast. eitb24

Report confirms sharks disappearing off Costa Rica
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, 7 June 2005 – A marine conservation organization based in Costa Rica is blaming Taiwanese shark finners for a reported decline in shark populations in Costa Rica, Honduras and Mexico as well as the Indian Ocean.

According to PRETOMA (Programa Restauración de Tortugas Marinas), a report released by the government of Japan last June  said 120 Taiwanese vessels conducted shark-finning operations offshore Costa Rica, Honduras and Mexico, but the abundance of shark resources in the region declined rapidly. As a result, these Taiwanese shark finners shifted their operations to offshore Pakistan and India in the Indian Ocean in 2004. However, the operations in these areas came to an end because of tight surveillance activities by Navies and Coast Guards of these coastal countries. The vessels then moved to the east coast of Africa where controls are insufficient, and these vessels were reported poaching in the territorial waters of coastal countries, sometimes within three or four miles from the coastline.

PRETOMA said the report confirmed findings by national and international organizations and fishers that Taiwanese shark finning vessels operating in the region are depleting shark stocks.

In addition to the Japan report various other studies show that sharks are disappearing from the region and this is having drastic effects on local fisheries, the group said. These include:

Indonesia orders foreign fishing vessels to pay 'tax' of 70% of catch
Indonesia's Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries will require all foreign fishing vessels to give 70 percent of their catch to the domestic processing industry, an official said on Tuesday.

Aji Sularso, the ministry's spokesman, said that under the new regulation foreign vessels in Indonesian waters would be allowed to take with them only the remaining 30 percent overseas.

Such a regulation will constitute a prerequisite for any foreign fishing company intending to invest in Indonesia in cooperation with local counterparts," he said.

Besides setting aside 70 percent of the fish for the domestic industry, the foreign vessels would also be obliged to employ local fishermen -- up to 40 percent of the total crew members. Source: Antara

US requires bonds from shrimp exporters
Vietnamese shrimp exporters to the US will be required to pay bonds to US insurance companies to insure payment of the exporters' anti-dumping duties to US Customs.

These bond payments will be required to gain entry to the US market. Refund of the bond payments may take several years, and would hurt small and medium-sized shrimp enterprises in Viet Nam, said a Fisheries Ministry spokesman.

The formula used by US Customs sets the bond at an amount equal to the exporting country's current anti-dumping rate multiplied by the gross amount of business done by the exporter in 2004.

For Viet Nam shrimp exporters as a whole, the 4.58 per cent anti-dumping rate on shrimp, multiplied by the US$420 million in Vietnamese export receipts in 2004 for shrimp, would equal a total bond value of $20 million. Vietnam News Service

New US legislation aims to bail out oceans
WASHINGTON, DC, 10 June 2005 — Senators Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) introduced legislation in Congress aimed at restoring the oceans. The bill comes in response to landmark reports issued within the last two years by the Pew Oceans Commission and the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, both illuminating the alarming collapse of the seas.

The National Oceans Protection Act lays out a plan for improving the health, productivity and sustainability of ocean resources and ecosystems. The bill establishes a coordinated, accountable ocean management system designed to protect, maintain and restore the health of the oceans. Among other provisions, the bill also strengthens the role of science in fisheries management, provides increased federal support for coastal habitat restoration and tightens controls on key sources of coastal and ocean pollution.

The following is a statement by John Adams, NRDC's president, who served on the Pew Oceans Commission: "Scientists have shown that an endangered ocean threatens our food supply, our health, economy and the legacy we leave our children. Now is the time for a sea change in U.S. ocean policy.

"Unfortunately, our current oceans policy is driven by a 'frontier mentality,' a general view that the seas are inexhaustible resources, so vast that human activity can barely make a dent. But the opposite is true, and after decades of human abuse the oceans are now in a state of silent collapse.

"Congress can help turn the tide with federal oceans legislation that brings the management of marine life into the 21st century.

"The National Oceans Protection Act charts a new course in oceans management. The bill is the oceans equivalent of landmark environmental statutes like the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act.”

At the heart of the bill is an effort to refocus human activity in the oceans--away from uncoordinated, unsustainable use toward better stewardship, revitalization and recovery.

More information on NRDC is available at www.nrdc.org, www.seaturtles.org and www.savetheleatherback.com.

Task Force to develop US standards for ocean aquaculture announced
WASHINGTON, DC, 23 June 2005 — The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) announced the establishment of the Marine Aquaculture Task Force—comprising leaders from the worlds of science, industry, conservation and government—to recommend national aquaculture standards for the future development of the United States’ oceans. To address aquaculture’s risks and benefits, the members of the Marine Aquaculture Task Force will be guided by the principle that marine aquaculture must be conducted in a way that does not harm fish and wildlife and the ecosystems on which they depend.

The US Department of Commerce has called for a fivefold increase in domestic aquaculture production by 2025. Although most aquaculture in the United States is currently inland or near the shore, much of the growth in aquaculture is expected to come from fish and shellfish farms in ocean waters. To facilitate this growth, the Commerce Department recently sent legislation to Congress that would greatly expand aquaculture in federal waters extending from three to 200 miles offshore. Despite aquaculture’s promise to supply seafood, generate jobs and reduce fishing pressure on wild species, there are significant environmental and socio-economic concerns associated with its development.

The Marine Aquaculture Task Force will host and participate in a range of scientific and policy-making meetings; engage leaders from government, industry, science, and the environmental community; and publish a report recommending national standards for sustainable aquaculture. The Pew Charitable Trusts

Mandatory labeling of fish and shellfish in US retail food stores takes effect
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced mandatory labeling of fish and shellfish in retail food stores to indicate country of origin and method of production (i.e., wild or farm-raised). USDA is responsible for implementing the country of origin labeling (COOL) program, which will help consumers to make informed decisions when purchasing fish and shellfish. The new requirements were published on October 5, 2004. However, the effective date was delayed for six months to allow time for affected industries to comply.

European Commission launches debate on eco-labeling of fisheries products
The European Commission tabled a communication designed to launch a debate on the best way ahead regarding the ecolabeling of fisheries products.

A number of ecolabeling schemes have already been established with regard to fisheries products and other initiatives are being developed.

International guidelines on ecolabelling have recently been adopted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and discussions on these issues and their potential effects on free trade areas are progressing in other international forums such as the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

The European Commission is looking at three possible options to develop this concept further in the Union.

The first involves retaining the status quo and leaving these schemes to develop freely. The second relates to the creation of a single EU ecolabeling scheme and the third would involve the establishment of EU minimum requirements for voluntary ecolabeling schemes, which the Commission believes to be the most appropriate. Europa

Elkhorn coral faces additional challenges
VIRGINIA KEY, FL, 25 April 2005 — New research from the University of Miami Rosenstiel School shows that threatened Elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) faces an additional challenge in rebuilding its once thriving reefs. Published in the current issue of Molecular Ecology, the article finds that populations of Elkhorn coral are genetically distinct between eastern and western areas of the Caribbean, implying that exchange of larvae (i.e. immigration) is negligible between the two areas. This isolation may limit Elkhorn coral’s ability to re-colonize reefs where it has died off and suggests the need for local protections to facilitate new growth.

"Our findings indicate it may be more difficult than we originally thought to rebuild the Caribbean coral reefs that have declined so rapidly in the recent past," said Dr.Iliana B. Baums, lead author and postdoctoral associate at the Rosenstiel School. "The elkhorn coral releases larvae into the water column where they develop for several days to two weeks. During this time, they could be transported long distances by ocean currents and so connecting distant populations. However, we found that the corals' genetic material didn't travel very far. This limits its ability to cross breed and isolates certain areas. The Elkhorn coral is split into two populations that are so isolated they require protection and management on a more local scale to ensure their recovery." rsmas.miami.edu

Scientists find unusual use of metals in the ocean
FALMOUTH, MA, 10 May 2005 — Cadmium, commonly considered a toxic metal and often used in combination with nickel in batteries, has been found to have a biological use as a nutrient in the ocean, the first known biological use of cadmium in any life form.

Scientists have discovered cadmium within an enzyme from a marine diatom, an algae or plankton common in the ocean and a major source of food for many organisms. The finding, reported in the May 5 issue of Nature, suggests that certain trace metals, found in very low concentrations in the ocean, are utilized by enzymes that have not been found in organisms from terrestrial environments.

Mak Saito, an assistant scientist in the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry Department and co-author of the Nature study, says the oceans might be an important reservoir of novel genomic material because of the unusual chemistry of the surface oceans.

Saito notes that in the past few decades the importance of zinc as a micronutrient has become apparent in terrestrial life, but its scarcity in the oceans likely created the need for a cadmium enzyme that performs the same function. The enzyme is a common protein that regulates carbon dioxide levels in the cell. Marine diatoms can use cadmium, cobalt or zinc interchangeably for optimal growth, but this is the first use of an enzyme from a marine diatom, or from any biological system, that carries cadmium in its metal-binding site in native form.

IWC notes growth of whale watching industry worldwide
 ULSAN, Korea, 23 June 2005 — After rejecting Japanese proposals to expand whaling, the annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) turned its attention to the continuing growth of the whale watching industry worldwide. According to global assessments conducted by IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare) boat and land-based whale watching operations now exist in 90 countries and territories contributing more than one billion dollars in direct and indirect tourism revenues to coastal communities worldwide.

"More and more countries are saying no to whaling and yes to whale watching," said Dr. Joth Singh, IFAW delegate to the IWC meeting. "Whale watching is a win-win solution for whales and people, bringing terrific economic opportunities to coastal communities worldwide. It's the 21st century alternative to whaling – a truly sustainable use of whales."

A new IFAW, The Growth of the New Zealand Whale Watching Industry, documents the rewards New Zealand is reaping from its healthy whale and dolphin watching industry. 425,000 people went whale watching in New Zealand last year contributing close to USD120 million to the New Zealand economy in 2004.

A copy of the new IFAW report is available on the IFAW website.

Private sector flocks to UN tourism agency
NEW YORK, 1 July 2005 – The United Nations World Tourism Organization (WTO) announced a surge in affiliate membership, with 23 more companies and institutions joining in June alone, in what it called a wider recognition by both governments and the private sector of its leadership role in promoting responsible, sustainable tourism.Headquartered in Madrid, WTO plays a major role in stimulating public-private sector partnerships and encouraging the implementation of the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism to ensure that member countries, tourist destinations and businesses maximize the positive economic, social and cultural effects of tourism and fully reap its benefits, while minimizing its negative social and environmental impacts.Eleven of June's new members are from Europe, seven from the Americas, two from Africa and one each from Asia and the Middle East and include travel, hotel, media and cultural organizations.

Network of UN ecological reserves adds 22 new sites
New York, Jun 29 2005  -- Twenty-two ecosystems have been added to a United Nations programs that promotes sustainable development on a scientific basis with the active involvement of local communities.

                With the new additions, there are now 482 sites in 102 countries that make up the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, under the Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme of the United Nations Scientific, Educational and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

UN-backed treaty on endangered species marks 30^th birthday with pride, warning
NEW YORK, 1 July 2005 -- The United Nations-backed treaty regulating trade in endangered animals and plants celebrated its 30th birthday today, voicing pride in past successes but warning of the “severe challenge” ahead in competing more effectively for the necessary funding as it fights to protect various species from extinction at the hands of organized crime.Thanks to the effective implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), new emergency listings of species have become increasingly rare and none those listed by the treaty has ever become extinct as a result of trade.But the illegal wildlife trade has expanded and increasingly involved organized criminal networks, Willem Wijnstekers, Secretary-General of the treaty administered by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), warned.“Governments want and expect more from CITES, and they recognize its competence and its value,” Wijnstekers said. “Unfortunately, they are not always prepared to support it with the financial resources needed at either the national or international levels. As a result, CITES faces a severe challenge in boosting national capacities for conserving wildlife and managing sustainable trade.”The average forest guard or game warden is not equipped to deal with organized crime, which needs a sophisticated response, while in most parts of the world, national police forces have sufficient training but other priorities besides wildlife trade, he noted.“Looking a bit further ahead, there is the potential for many of CITES’ efforts to be overtaken by other threats to species, such as climate change and higher levels of pollution and habitat destruction,” Wijnstekers said. “Apart from pests and domesticated species, few species are experiencing rapidly growing numbers. Unless the principles of sustainable development become more central to national policy-making, CITES’ influence could decline over the next 30 years as wildlife is overwhelmed by larger forces.” 

Costa Rica minister is first global ocean conservation awardee
WASHINGTON, 8 June 2005 -- Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, the environment and energy minister of Costa Rica, received the first Global Ocean Conservation Award from six organizations promoting marine conservation.

Rodriguez, 45, was honored on World Oceans Day for his work in the past year advancing the global marine conservation agenda. The six groups presenting the award at the National Press Club were Conservation International, IUCN-The World Conservation Union, the Marine Conservation Biology Institute, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Ocean Revolution, and the World Wildlife Fund.

The Global Ocean Conservation Award is given annually on World Oceans Day (June 8) to an individual who makes globally significant contributions in ocean use planning, marine conservation communications, ocean governance, coastal zone management, ecosystem restoration, fisheries reform and/or the advancement of ocean science in poorly known ecosystems.

Rodriguez is the first winner. In 2004, he expanded Costa Rica's Las Baulas National Marine Park and facilitated the signing of the "San Jose Declaration" by his government, Colombia, Panama and Ecuador that set up multinational management and conservation in the Eastern Tropical Pacific Seascape (ETPS). The marine mega-corridor includes two World Heritage Sites - the Galapagos Archipelago of Ecuador and Cocos Island of Costa Rica - and two proposed sites for World Heritage status.

In February, Rodriguez helped gain approval of a new Costa Rican fisheries law that requires all shrimp trawlers to use Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) and outlaws the practice of shark finning.

The reception marked the second anniversary of Defying Ocean's End, a campaign inspired by the urgent need to address the sharp decline in ocean wildlife, a disturbing increase in ocean pollution, and other marine conservation issues.

Resources 

One Planet, Many People: Atlas of Our Changing Environment
This publication provides a comprehensive, visual presentation of scientifically variable information, on changes in the global environment—both the good and the bad—acquired and assessed through state-of-the-art remote sensing technology. It is intended for environmental policy makers, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, academics, teachers and citizens. This colorful and approachable atlas contains photographs, satellite images, maps and narratives that provide insights into the many ways people around the world have changed, and continue to change, the environment.

To order, go to www.earthprint.com.

New FAO aquaculture gateway page
The Inland Water Resources and Aquaculture Service (FIRI) has developed a new aquaculture gateway page in FIGIS (Fisheries Global Information System) in which viewers will be able to access to relevant information on aquaculture at international, regional and national level. The Aquaculture gateway page is accessible through the FIGIS website

Information can be navigated across FIGIS for a multifaceted view to address the needs of a diverse audience – from policy-makers, fishery managers and NGOs to biologists, statisticians and industry leaders. The Aquaculture gateway page contains:

Review of the State of World Marine Fishery Resources
It is estimated that 23% of the oceans' wild fish stocks are lightly or moderately exploited and still offer some scope for further fisheries expansion while 52% are fully-exploited -- that is, producing catches that are already at or very close to their maximum sustainable production limit. Of the remaining, 16% are overexploited, 7% are depleted and 1% are recovering from depletion, meaning they have no room for further expansion.

These assessments are found in the most recent edition of FAO's Review of the State of World Marine Fishery Resources report.

This global review is aimed at all involved in the marine fisheries sector and all who have an interest in the conservation and management of fishery resources. The publication, based on official catch statistics and relevant stock assessment and other complementary information through 2004, details the state of world marine fish stocks and provides analysis of major trends and recent changes in the status of world marine fishery resources globally and by major regions, with special sections on high profile issues such as the state of tunas, squids, deepwater fisheries and climate-induced fisheries variability.

New education web site
NOAA's National Marine Sanctuary Program has developed a new education website as part of a continuing NOAA effort to enhance understanding and appreciation of the marine environment. The new site is designed to assist the general public in learning about National Marine Sanctuaries and the Northwest Hawaiian Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve, and provide resources for teachers to support ocean literacy.

Educators will find curricula, lesson plans and activities, including links to National Marine Sanctuary field studies in partnership with the National Geographic Society's Living Classroom project. The site also provides access to NOAA's Dive into Education Marine Science Program, designed to provide K-12 teachers with professional development using hands-on, standards-based, ocean science activities. The National Marine Sanctuary Program offers educators a free e-mail marine science education network for partnerships, future field studies, professional development, and funding opportunities.

Report on longline fishing in the Pacific
Striplining the Pacific: The Case for A United Nations Moratorium on High Seas Industrial Longline Fishing outlines how high seas industrial longline fishing is rapidly pillaging the Pacific of both targeted fish and non-targeted marine wildlife. A rash of recent scientific reports have documented not only the decline of large predatory fish such as tuna, shark and billfish by as much as 87% since the 1950s but also warn of the extinction of the leatherback sea turtle in the next 5-30 years and the extinction of the loggerhead sea turtle and black-footed albatross seabird. Longlining is considered by scientists one of the biggest threats to these species.

A pre-release copy of the book can be downloaded at www.seaturtles.org.