Over Seas Online Magazine: Coastal Alert -- October, 2007

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The Online Magazine for Sustainable Seas
October, 2007, Vol. 9 No. 4

COASTAL ALERT

Philippines
Scientists bring back potentially new species from Philippine waters
Fisheries sector sees 10% growth
Drop in tuna catch alarms industry
Fishers’ group seeks ban on offshore mining
Fishing ban protects largest coral reef in the Philippines
RP agri, fishery sectors to get more funds
Critics warn JPEPA may lead to marine degradation
Manila oceanarium to open Dec 15
Congress resolution calls for inquiry on effects of oil survey in Cebu-Bohol seas
Fisheries production in Davao Region up 35% in 1st semester
Fisheries agency assess lingering effects of oil spill on Guimaras fisheries
Agency to monitor fish pens, cages in Pangasinan
Fish pens banned in Pangasinan town
Pangasinan milkfish gets its own brand name
Sorsogon fishers hold rally over red tide, demand help
Capiz gets training in aquaculture
BFAR upgrades fish lab facilities in General Santos City
4 killed, 2 wounded in accidental dynamite blast in southern Philippines
Maritime cops probed for extortion of tuna operators
Dynamite fishing still a threat to Davao Gulf, fishery bureau admits
Industries, tourism imperil Davao Gulf

World
WTO fisheries negotiations advance
Global aquaculture and fisheries market to exceed 123 million tons by 2009 -- report
Market trends require stronger environmental performance by seafood industry
UN agencies urge vigilance on food safety
First eco-label in tuna fishery awarded
Hoki closer to MSC recertification
Process for certifying Pangasius aquaculture products is underway
Climate change could ruin fisheries: scientist
La Niña developing, says US agency
FAO report on fisheries management due early next year
Report urges research on imperiled coral ecosystems
Coral triangle initiative endorsed by APEC Summit
Corals in IUCN Red List for the first time
New marine ecosystems added to global network of biosphere reserves
Removing predators could offset seabird ‘bycatch’ losses
EC adopts new regulation for fisheries sector
EU bans tuna fishing as quotas breached
Indian Ocean sees smallest tuna catch in 11 years
UN Law of the Sea Tribunal hears case of Japanese fishing vessels
US scientists address seafood dilemma
Global fishing trade depletes African Waters
Malaysian government to spend RM300million on “Fishermen Transformation Project”
Brunei is top fish consumer in Southeast Asia
Vietnam’s seafood exports up 16% in first semester
Sustainable grazing results in better beef and reef -- scientists
New study reveals need to address interactions of sharks with open-water longline fisheries
Digital data capture tools find use in fish catch monitoring
Innovative tagging technique may help researchers protect fish stocks
Sea trials set for Atlantic salmon gill disease vaccine
Giant squid washes ashore in Australia

Resources
Worldwatch Report: Oceans in Peril
WTO food safety and animal-plant health data
New version of the ReefBase's Online Geographic Information System (ReefGIS)
Coral Reef MPAs of East Asia and Micronesia online and on CD
Models for an ecosystem approach to fisheries
Children’s book on overfishing
On-line seafood consumer guide

Events
Waves of Change: Women, Youth and Sea

Philippines

Scientists bring back potentially new species from Philippine waters
MANILA (AP), 16 Oct 2007 -- U.S. and Philippine scientists may have discovered new marine species in the world's most biologically diverse region, their expedition leader said Tuesday.

Dr. Larry Madin, who led the Inner Space Speciation Project in the Celebes Sea south of the Philippines, said scientists had been to one of the world's deep ocean basins in search of organisms that may have been isolated there for millions of years.

Madin, of the Massachusetts-based Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, or WHOI, said the Celebes Sea is at the heart of the "coral triangle" bordered by the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia — a region recognized by scientists as having the greatest degree of biological diversity of the coral reef community of fish and other marine life.

The deepest part of the Celebes Sea is 5,000 meters (16,500 feet). The team was able to explore to a depth of 2,800 meters (9,186 feet) using a remotely operated camera.

Madin led the project that involved WHOI and National Geographic Magazine in cooperation with the Philippine government, which also provided the exploration ship.

The team returned to Manila on Tuesday after spending about two weeks in the Celebes Sea off Tawi-Tawi, the Philippines southernmost provincial archipelago, about 1,100 kilometers (687 miles) south of Manila.

Madin said they had collected about 100 different specimens, including several possibly newly discovered species. One was a sea cucumber that is nearly transparent which could swim by bending its elongated body. Another was an unusually black jellyfish that was found near the bottom of the sea. But the most striking creature they found was a spiny orange-colored worm that had 10 tentacles like a squid, he said.

Madin said the Celebes Sea, being surrounded by islands and shallow reefs, is partially isolated from the rest of the world's oceans and may have been more isolated millions of years ago, leading scientists to believe that "there may be groups of organisms that have been contained and kept within" the basin since then. Full story

Fisheries sector sees 10% growth
(MV Go/The Philippine Star) 14 Aug 2007 – Following a strong performance of the fishery sub-sector in the first semester, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) set a 10% growth target for the second half of the year.

The fishery sub-sector, which contributes 27.26% to total agricultural production, posted a 7.19% increase during the first semester, boosting the growth rate of total agriculture production to 3.5%. The sub-sector recorded Php91.8 billion in production value at current prices during the period.

Commercial fisheries posted a 10.8% increase in production, while municipal fisheries recorded 6.92%. Full story

Drop in tuna catch alarms industry
(Manila Standard Today) 17 Sep 2007– Tuna canneries in Mindanao have cut production because of a global drop in the catch of the fish, with local fishermen saying that yields in July and August were the worst in 20 years.

Ocean Canning Corp., one of the six tuna canneries in General Santos, has reduced operations to one eight-hour shift, affecting hundreds of wage earners, according to a news report by the Voice of America. Industry experts say the tuna industry generates about 120,000 jobs in Mindanao.

The cannery used to operate 24 hours a day, said plant manager Mariano Fernandez. For the first time in its 10-year history, it now operates only eight hours daily, because fishing boats are bringing back fewer fish.

Environmentalists have warned that tuna could face extinction if current fishing rates continue. A meeting in Japan last January approved the first international plan to save tuna from over-fishing.

Fishers’ group seeks ban on offshore mining
LUCENA CITY (D Mallari Jr./Inquirer.net), 30 July 2007 -- The militant fishers group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) has urged the government to stop all offshore mining activities in different parts of the archipelago, citing extreme dangers these pose to marine environment, food security, and livelihood of thousands of small fishermen.

Pamalakaya national chairman Fernando Hicap warned of severe fish crisis if the government would not cancel all offshore mining activities in the Visayan Sea, in Palawan and other parts of the country, adding that the far-reaching effects of oil and exploration could lead to a decrease of 600,000 metric tons in the yearly production of fish in the country or approximately 20% annually.

The group claimed that the offshore mining in Central Visayas and other parts of the Visayan Sea alone would affect not less than 100,00 small fishermen and 500,000 dependents and would further exacerbate the problem of food security of the 87 million Filipinos.

Hicap said that transnational ships used in oil and gas explorations were now working double time to mine the country’s vast reserves of black gold and precious gas at the expense of the country’s food security and marine environment.

“These oil search ships are performing their search for oil and destroy the environment activities as if our territorial waters are their private properties designed for uncontrollable oil extraction,” he said in a statement. Full story

Fishing ban protects largest coral reef in the Philippines
MANILA (WWF-Philippines), 04 Oct 2007 – Reef fish and other marine species can breathe easier with the introduction of a fishing ban around Apo Reef, the largest coral reef in the Philippines and the second largest contiguous reef in the world after the Great Barrier Reef.

Under the ban, all extractive activities, such as fishing, and coral collection and harvesting, will be completely forbidden.

“This ‘no-take’ zone will allow the reef and its residents ample time to recover from years of fishing,” stressed John Manul of WWF-Philippines.

The 27,469-hectare Apo Reef off the coast of Mindoro Island is surrounded by mangrove forest, which serves as a source of food, nursery and spawning ground of several coastal fish and marine species, including sharks, manta rays, sperm whales and several sea turtles.

In 1996, the reef was declared a national park, but enforcement proved lax and illegal fishing methods persisted. Full story

RP agri, fishery sectors to get more funds
MANILA (JMR/Sun.Star Davao), 28 Aug 2007 -- Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya said Malacañang is raising the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA) budget by Php2.7 billion in 2008 to Php23.6 billion from Php20.9 billion this year.

Andaya said the bulk of the fund (about Php20.25) billion will go to Department of Agriculture (DA). The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) will get Php1.7 billion and local government units (LGUs) and government corporations will share Php310 million and Php1.34 billion, respectively.

He said the allocations are in addition to the regular appropriations for payroll and other operating expenses of DA and DAR. DAR will also get an additional Php8.9 billion for its 2008 Agrarian Reform Fund.

Andaya said of the AFMA allocation for DA, Php8 billion will go to 25 locally-funded and foreign-assisted irrigation projects; Php4 billion to food production including rice, corn and high-value crop inputs and livestock support; and Php4.2 billion to the construction, repair and maintenance of farm-to-market-roads. Full story

Critics warn JPEPA may lead to marine degradation
MANILA (A Villafania/Inquirer.net, 15 Aug 2007 -- The Japan- Philippine Economic Parntership Agreement (JPEPA) will contribute to the degradation of the Philippines' marine resources and ecosystems because the trade agreement will allow increased exports of marine products such as tuna, an official of an environmental group said.

Japan, one of the world’s biggest markets for fish, has agreed to slash its catch quota for tuna amidst fear the popular fish is being hunted to extinction.

"We fear its shrinking catch quota will prompt Japan to move more of its giant fishing fleets to exploit Philippine seas and further deplete our country's fishery resources and marine ecosystems,” said Clemente Bautista, national coordinator of the Kalikasan People's Network for the Environment (Kalikasan PNE).

Citing a report by the Japan Tuna Federation, Bautista noted that Japan consumes 630,000 tons of tuna per year (11 pounds per person).

"When Japanese transnational fishing companies have cornered the country's tuna resources through the JPEPA, we are sure that many other forms of resource depletion and marine environmental degradation will follow," Bautista said.

He warned that poor fishing villages, particularly in Mindanao, would be incapable of buying fish as they must compete with 8,000-ton fishing fleets.

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed the JPEPA last September 2006 but the agreement has yet to be ratified by the Senate. Full story

Manila oceanarium to open Dec 15
(Bayanihan.org/Philippine Daily Inquirer) 08 Oct 2007-- The Manila Ocean Park (MOP) will open its oceanarium on Dec. 15 this year.

Once fully completed in 2008, the park will also include a marine-themed mall, a hotel and open marine habitats.

The oceanarium, touted as among “the most advanced ocean parks in Asia,” will showcase the rich biodiversity of the Philippine marine ecosystem.

One section, Agos (Flow), will highlight the interconnectedness of water and land. The only open area in the facility, it will have eight tanks containing freshwater species, an artificial waterfall and a touch pool, where children could interact with aquatic creatures such as starfish and shrimps.

There will be another section with 48 tanks showcasing the country’s diverse coral reefs, appropriately called Bahura (Reef).

The section called Laot (Offing), will feature big fishes and eagle-spotted rays in a long tank, while Kalaliman (The Deep) will show deep-sea species.

The main attraction of the oceanarium is a 25-meter long walkway tunnel with 220-degree curved acrylic walls featuring corals and small fishes as well as big fishes such as sharks and rays.

Developers said the Park will not include protected and endangered species such as whale sharks and other sea mammals.

Manila Ocean Park is owned by China Oceanis Philippines Inc., a subsidiary of China Oceanis Inc., a Singaporean-registered firm that has operated four oceanariums in China.

Congress resolution calls for inquiry on effects of oil survey in Cebu-Bohol seas
(K Bagaipo/The Bohol Chronicle) 12 Sep 2007 – At least 10 congressmen from Central Visayas and party-list groups signed a resolution asking for an inquiry into the effects of a proposed oil seismic survey and future drilling at the Bohol-Cebu Strait.

House Resolution 212 was jointly filed by administration congressmen Eduardo Gullas (Cebu 1st Dist., KAMPI), Benhur Salimbangon (Cebu 4th Dist., KAMPI), Antonio Cuenco, (Cebu City 2nd Dist., LAKAS), Jocelyn Sy-Limkaichong, Negros Oriental (1st Dist., LAKAS-CMD), George Arnaiz, (Negros Oriental 2nd Dist., NPC), and Henry Teves (Negros Oriental (3rd Dist., LAKAS) along with Luzviminda Ilagan and Liza Maza of Gabriela, Crispin Beltran of Anakpawis and Satur Ocampo of Bayan Muna.

Boholano solons Edgar Chatto, Roberto Cajes and Adam Jala did not sign the resolution.

The resolution directs the House committee on natural resources to immediately probe the impact of offshore mining in the protected seascapes of the Bohol-Cebu Strait and the Visayan Sea which is identified as one of the world's richest marine biodiversity area.

The oil and gas drilling activity will cover 444,000 hectares of the Bohol-Cebu seas where there are indications of the presence of more than 270 million barrels of recoverable oil. It will be undertaken by Australia-based Otto Energy Ltd. The company is raising some $12-million for the project, and has until 2009 to drill its first oil wells in the area.

Fisherfolk leader Vince Cinches expressed disappointment at the Bohol representatives’ failure to sign the resolution. He said fishermen from the towns of Loon, Maribojoc, Dauis, Panglao and Tagbilaran and many fish vendors had publicly protested against the oil drilling. Full story

Fisheries production in Davao Region up 35% in 1st semester
(JRS/Sun.Star Davao) 15 Aug 2007 – Fisheries production in the Davao Region increased by 34.91% during the first semester from the same period last year, the office of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Region 11 (BFAR-11) reported.

The bureau said the region posted a total production of 32,161 metric tons from the commercial, municipal, and aquaculture sub-sectors from January to June this year, compared to 23,838 metric tons recorded in the first six months of 2006.

The commercial sub-sector recorded a 45.49% increase for the period and the municipal sub-sector 47.35%. Aquaculture declined by 1.05%.

BFAR said the decrease in aquaculture production was mainly due to heavy rains experienced in the region during the first quarter of the year. Full story

Fisheries agency assess lingering effects of oil spill on Guimaras fisheries
ILOILO City (Panay News/Manila Times), 15 Aug 2007– Fishers in Guimaras are still complaining about low fish catch one year after a big oil spill hit the island province.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) is assessing the situation and has begun to collect time-series data on fish stocks in the municipal waters of Guimaras to assess any lingering effects of the oil spill on fish populations there.

Drusila Esther Ong-Bayate, BFAR regional director in Western Visayas, said her office has been informed of the dwindling fish catch by several fisherfolk associations in the spill-affected municipalities of Nueva Valencia, San Lorenzo and Sibunag.

The National Disaster Coordinating Council has provided BFAR with Php65 million to assess the conditions of fish stocks and habitats in Guimaras. The budget is part of a Php863-million rehabilitation fund for province.

“The assessment will verify if the low fish catch is due to [last year’s] oil spill,” said Ong-Bayate. – Full story

Agency to monitor fish pens, cages in Pangasinan
DAGUPAN City (LCMY/Sunnex/Sun.Star Pangasinan), 30 Aug 2007 -- A monitoring council is being organized by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to keep an eye on the operation and management of fish pens and cages within the coastal towns in Pangasinan.

The monitoring team will include representatives from the agriculture and environment departments, BFAR, Philippine Tourism Authority, Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Management Council and accredited non-government organizations. They will be responsible for preventing fish kills in the area.

The most recent fish kill in Pangasinan occurred in Anda town in June, affecting about 100 fish pens and cages situated along the Caquiputan channel, particularly those in Barangays Mal-ong and Awag.

The town of Bolinao recorded the worst fish kill incident in the country in 2002.

BFAR Regional Director Nestor Domenden noted an improvement in the quality of water at the Caquiputan channel, a direct result of the reduction of fish pens and cages in the area.

"The long term plan is to create an integrated management council which we will call Sabba Integrated Management Council. The objective is to have a uniform management strategy," Domenden said.

The acronym “Sabba” stands for the municipalities that make up the council, namely, Sual, Anda, Bolinao, Bani and Alaminos City. Full story

Fish pens banned in Pangasinan town
BINMALEY (G Cardinoza/Inquirer.net), Pangasinan, 01 Sep 2007 – Following the expiry of a two-year moratorium on the construction of fish pens in this coastal town, the Binmaley municipal government announced it would permanently ban fish pens in its estuaries. The moratorium was imposed after a massive fish kill hit the town two years ago.

As a result of the moratorium, “fishes that have disappeared from our rivers are now coming back,” Binmaley mayor Simplicio Rosario said. Allowing the fish pens again would result in the pollution of the town’s rivers and “consequently, the death of our bangus (milkfish) fishponds,” he added.

Rosario said the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources has set up satellite stations in the rivers to monitor water quality “in preparation for an oyster farm that we are going to establish.”

“We are now also conducting a hydrological survey to establish our rivers’ navigational lanes and to determine where our small fishermen could build pasabing (fish traps) to catch shrimps,” Rosario said.

But he said the local government is having problems with maintaining the rivers’ water quality because fish pens still exist in neighboring Lingayen town and Dagupan City.

The river flowing into Binmaley is an extension of the Calmay River in Dagupan City. In the south, Binmaley is separated from Lingayen by a tributary of the Agno River. Full story

Pangasinan milkfish gets its own brand name
DAGUPAN City (G Cardinoza/Inquirer.net), 07 Oct 2007 --It's now a lot easier to spot the bangus (milkfish) grown in Pangasinan.

They are now labeled either "Dagupan bangus" or "Pangasinan bangus." Those without these labels are considered "alien bangus," or grown somewhere else, according to city agriculturist Emma Molina.

“Dagupan bangus” refers to milkfish grown in the city's fish pens and ponds and “Pangasinan bangus” to those grown in other towns such as Bolinao, Anda, Bani, Sual, Lingayen, Binmaley, San Fabian and Alaminos City.

The labeling of homegrown bangus was triggered by the arrival here last month of large shipments of bangus from other provinces, creating fears among local growers that it would impact on the local bangus industry, which is the lifeblood of the city. Full story

Sorsogon fishers hold rally over red tide, demand help
SORSOGON City (B Labalan/Inquirer.net), 29 Aug 2007 -- More than 100 fishers trooped to the Sorsogon provincial capitol to demand assistance as the drawn-out presence of the red tide in Sorsogon Bay wreaks havoc on their livelihoods.

The protesters, many of whom brought their families, sought immediate relief from a shellfish ban imposed by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) since September last year.

Marilou Ramos, a mother of six whose husband is a fisherman from Barangay (village) Cambulaga, said they have been without any source of income for several months now since most of the fishnets they use have also been declared illegal, either by the national government through the Fisheries Code or by local government units through ordinances.

The Sorsogon City council declared a state of calamity on August 24 after 12 persons from two families were poisoned by red tide-contaminated green mussels gathered from Sorsogon Bay.

The council has earmarked Php15 million from the municipal calamity fund for livelihood assistance to those affected by the shellfish ban. Full story

Capiz gets training in aquaculture
ROXAS City (JB Guillermo/PIA), 19 July 2007 – Capiz Provincial Agriculture chief Sylvia dela Cruz announced that the first phase of a collaborative fisheries development project of the provincial government of Capiz, the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) and the Capiz State University (CapSU) has been completed.

Dela Cruz said the training supports the government’s effort to reinvigorate the aquaculture and marine industry in Capiz, known as the Seafood Capital of the Philippines.

The province is a major producer of milkfish, prawn, mudcrab, oyster, mussel, seaweeds and grouper. Full story

BFAR upgrades fish lab facilities in General Santos City
GENERAL SANTOS City (AV Estabillo/MindaNews), 6 Sep 2007 – The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has started to upgrade its fish laboratory here to qualify for ISO 17025 in the next three years.

Sarah Mae Mamalangkap, chief of BFAR's fish health and quality control laboratory in General Santos City, said laboratory personnel are getting basic orientation in modern quality control procedures and practices based on the standards set for ISO (International Organization for Standardization) accreditation.

ISO 17025 (Competence of Calibration and Testing Laboratories) is the main standard used by testing and calibration laboratories.

The BFAR laboratory currently serves five of the six tuna canneries and several tuna processing firms based in General Santos City, Mamalangkap said. Canned tuna products are tested for histamine content as required by the EU and other markets.

Mamalangkap said the laboratory charges a testing fee of Php110 per sample, much cheaper than the Php900 per sample being charged by private laboratories. Full story

4 killed, 2 wounded in accidental dynamite blast in southern Philippines
ZAMBOANGA City (AP), 21 July 2007 – Dynamite used for illegal fishing exploded in a house on restive Jolo island in the southern Philippines on Saturday, killing at least four people and wounding two others, officials said.

The blast ripped through a house that was allegedly being used to store the explosives, killing four people inside and wounding two others, said Army Brig. Gen. Ruperto Pabustan, commander of an anti-terrorist task force on Jolo.

"Initial reports said the blast inside the house was apparently accidental after dynamite suddenly exploded," he added.

Pabustan said the explosives were likely for illegal fishing that is rampant in the area. Full story

Maritime cops probed for extortion of tuna operators
GENERAL SANTOS City (A Zonio/Inquirer.net), 14 Oct 2007 -- Tuna handline operators decried alleged extortion activities by members of the Maritime police command here and in nearby Glan in Sarangani province.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer learned that a team from the Maritime police national office arrived here to investigate the complaints of handline operators.

Roger Lim Sr., vice chair for external affairs of the Alliance of Tuna Handliners (ATH) here, told the Inquirer on Thursday that the extortion activities of the members of the Maritime police, whom he did not name, started in August.

Lim said aside from handline fishermen, they learned that Maritime police personnel have been targetting those involved in purse seine fishing. Full story

Dynamite fishing still a threat to Davao Gulf, fishery bureau admits
(CP Mallo/Sun.Star Davao) 18 Oct 2007 -- DYNAMITE fishing remains a major threat to the marine resources of Davao Gulf, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR)-Southern Mindanao admitted.

The areas of Tibungco in Davao City, municipalities along the coasts of Davao Oriental, and Astorga in Davao del Sur have been identified as the areas where dynamite fishing usually takes place.

BFAR-Southern Mindanao Director George Campeon said that although BFAR does not have jurisdiction over municipal waters, they help build local government capacity to fight dynamite fishing and other destructive fishing methods.

"We have trained local officials to become Bantay Dagat. We have also provided them with patrol boats and radio communication devices," Campeon said. Full story

Industries, tourism imperil Davao Gulf
(Mindanao Times) 18 Oct 2007– Industrialization and tourism are emerging threats to the fishing industry in the Davao Gulf area, an official of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said.

George Campeon, BFAR regional director, told MindaNews that pollutants from factories and the opening of more beach resorts pose an increasing threat to the gulf.

He said that the two problems are not new but will become major environmental concerns if left unchecked. He said pollutants will poison the gulf and will affect the marine habitat.

Campeon said the incidence of illegal fishing in the Davao Gulf decreased by 80% in the last 10 years.

Region 11 includes Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, and Davao City. Full story

World

WTO fisheries negotiations advance
(Bridges Weekly News Trade Digest) 5 Oct 2007– The Doha Round negotiations on rules governing fisheries subsidies are showing signs of progress, with the chair of the talks describing two new proposals as "quite helpful" for helping him to produce draft negotiating texts to present to World Trade Organization (WTO) Members.

Nevertheless, Chair Ambassador Guillermo Valles Galmés (Uruguay) told a 28 September meeting of the Negotiating Group on Rules - which covers fisheries negotiations - that he would issue texts only after the chairs of the agriculture and industrial goods committees revise the draft deals that they presented to Members in July. Rules negotiating texts would also have to address industrial subsidies and the contentious talks on anti-dumping rules.

Some delegates saw the mention of a draft agreement as a sign that the rules negotiations might be able to move forward despite the deadlock on the central issues of agriculture and non-agricultural market access (NAMA).

With breakthroughs on agriculture and NAMA looking increasingly unlikely before late autumn or the end of the year - if at all - governments would have to be well-placed to wrap up talks in areas such as rules and trade facilitation in order to finalize a Doha Round package before the 2008 US election campaign is in full swing.

One of the new papers is a joint submission by Argentina and Brazil (TN/RL/GEN/151), which sets out draft provisions for 'special and differential treatment' (S&DT) for developing countries in future WTO rules on fisheries subsidies. The Indonesian paper (TN/RL/GEN/150/Rev.1), which addresses most issues in the talks, also includes potential rules for S&DT.

Both proposals were discussed during the rules group's meeting from 24-28 September. Valles Galmés commended the two documents for generating valuable discussions on the "critical issue" of S&DT. Differences on the issue, which will determine the extent to which developing countries will be allowed to subsidise their fisheries sectors in ways denied to industrialised nations, have bedevilled the negotiations as of late. Full story

Global aquaculture and fisheries market to exceed 123 million tons by 2009 -- report
SAN JOSE, Ca (PRWEB) 26 Jul 2007 -- Consumption of both high and low value food fish is expected to grow in developing world while in developed countries, the market is expected to be stagnant, an industry report projects.

The report titled "Aquaculture and Fisheries: A Global Strategic Business Report" published by Global Industry Analysts, Inc., provides a comprehensive review of market trends, regulatory issues, market dynamics, product overview, competition, product introductions/innovations, and recent industry activity.

The report says per capita consumption is expected to remain unchanged in sub-Saharan Africa and developed countries and is anticipated to increase in many developing countries.

It explains, “Growing domestic demand within developing nations from fish and other animal products, urbanization, rise in income level and population growth are the primary factors behind the growth of net exports from the developing nations.”

The report predicts that by 2020, India, Latin America and China will be the net exporters. Latin America's net export is expected to depict a considerable share of domestic production through 2020.

The fisheries market is projected to cross 67 million tons by 2008, while aquaculture is projected to grown at a fast rate of about 4% annually.

“The exponential growth of global populace is fueling the market growth of cultured fisheries, particularly in the affluent developed countries,” the report says. “Market growth of seafood is playing an instrumental role in narrowing the gap between supply and demand for these products. However, the market for aquaculture products is being challenged by environmental concerns in addition to economical and social challenges.” Full story More details

Market trends require stronger environmental performance by seafood industry
ROME (FAO), 25 Sep 2007 - The US$400 billion seafood industry has no choice but to adapt to intensifying demand from retailers and consumers for "environmentally friendly" fish, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said today.

During opening remarks made to industry representatives attending the 2007 Seafood Industry Congress (25-27 September, Dublin), Grimur Valdimarsson, Director of FAO's Fishing Industries Division, said that the need for seafood producers to guarantee environmental performance is unavoidable.

"The push towards sustainable fisheries is not just coming from government or environmental groups, but from the market itself," Valdimarsson said, noting that major seafood retailers like Unilever, Tesco, Walmart and Asda have already committed to putting on their shelves only fish that was harvested or raised sustainably.

"In recent years the seafood industry has been uncertain as to whether these trends represent a momentary fad. Today, there's no question: it's real, it's a sea change, and it's the way of the future," he said.

In broad terms, this means that producers will need to be able to assure retailers and consumers that their fish were not taken from overexploited stocks, farmed in ponds where mangroves once stood, or caught in nets without turtle-saving excluder devices installed.

Doing so requires monitoring fishing activities via tracking systems, labels and similar mechanisms. There are already a number of initiatives under way that seek to do this, established either by seafood retailers or public interest organizations. While expressing concern over the proliferation of diverse and competing efforts, Valdimarsson stressed that, overall, the trend is a positive one. Full story

UN agencies urge vigilance on food safety
NEW YORK (UN News Centre), 19 Jul 2007 – Pointing to weaknesses in food safety systems around the world, two United Nations agencies urged all countries to be vigilant when dealing with traders and producers that affect the supply line.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) cited the discovery of the industrial chemical melamine in animal and fish feed and the unauthorized use of certain veterinary drugs in intensive aquaculture as examples of how a lack of vigilance can affect health and international trade.

The agencies blamed a lack of knowledge of food safety requirements as well as "the illegal or fraudulent use of ingredients, including unauthorized food additives or veterinary drugs," according to a news release.

During the last 12 months, an average of up to 200 food safety incidents per month have been investigated by WHO and FAO to determine their public health impact.

"Countries are only able to keep their shares in globalized food markets and the trust of consumers if they apply internationally agreed food quality and safety standards," said Ezzeddine Boutrif, Director of FAO's Nutrition and Consumer Protection Division. "Consumers have a right to be informed about potential hazards in food and to be protected against them."

FAO and WHO are supporting to improve the institutional set up and the performance of food inspection, enforcement, laboratory analysis and diagnosis, certification, food-borne disease surveillance, emergency preparedness and response. They also provide scientific advice on many food safety issues such as food additives, chemical and microbiological contaminants, and agro-chemical residues. Full story

First eco-label in tuna fishery awarded
LONDON (MSC Press Room), 06 Sep 2007 – A tuna fishery operating in the North and South Pacific Ocean is to be awarded the Marine Stewardship Council’s coveted eco-label for sustainable fishing.

The American Albacore Fishing Association (AAFA) tuna fishery passed its full assessment when independent certifier, Moody Marine awarded AAFA its certificate.

Products from the AAFA tuna fishery may now carry the Marine Stewardship Council eco-label (subject to a Chain of Custody audit) which will distinguish it as a certified sustainable and well-managed fishery. This is the first tuna fishery in the world to receive the accolade.

The AAFA tuna fishery is a small, family-run fishery operating out of San Diego. The fish are caught using the poll & line techniques (and the troll and line techniques in the south Pacific). Full story

Hoki closer to MSC recertification
(FISHUpdate.com) 17 Sep 2007 – A comprehensive third-party assessment and independent objections panel review has found that the New Zealand hoki fishery is eligible for recertification to the Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) environmental standard for well-managed and sustainable fisheries.

The certifier SGS, together with a team of three independent experts, carried out an assessment of the fishery against the three principles of the MSC standard - the sustainability of the target stock, the minimization of the fishery’s impacts on the marine environment and the effectiveness of its management system. The assessment team came to the conclusion that the fishery meets the MSC standard and recommended its certification.

In total, around 70 fisheries are engaged in the MSC program; 24 fisheries are certified and 29 fisheries are in full assessment. An additional 20 to 30 fisheries are in the confidential pre-assessment stage. Together the fisheries record annual catches of over 4 million tons of seafood. They represent 42 percent of the world’s wild salmon catch, 40 percent of the world’s prime whitefish catch, and 18 percent of the world’s lobster catches for human consumption. Full story

Process for certifying Pangasius aquaculture products is underway
WASHINGTON, DC (WWF News Room) 9 Oct 2007 -- During the inaugural meeting of the Pangasius Aquaculture Dialogue, more than 70 producers, buyers, government officials and others from around the world agreed that there is an urgent need and willingness to certify pangasius aquaculture products.

By the end of the two-day meeting in Ho Chi Minh City September 26-27, participants had identified and agreed on the eight main environmental and social issues related to tra and basa, which are the two key market species in the Pangasius family and the focus of the dialogue. Issues include excess food and waste products polluting the water, habitat destruction and the diversion of water, and antibiotics and chemicals having unintended consequences for the environment and human health. They also developed principles to address each issue. For example, the principle associated with the issue of antibiotics is to ensure food safety and the quality of products while reducing the risk to the ecosystem.

Ninety percent of Pangasius farming occurs in Vietnam. Almost 1 million tons of pangasius are expected to be produced this year in the country, a goal the country had set for 2010. Pangasius aquaculture is one of the fastest growing types of aquaculture in the world.

Additional meetings will be held over the next year so members of the dialogue can determine how to reduce and measure the extent of each issue identified. This information will be used to create measurable, performance-based standards for certifying pangasius aquaculture producers. The voluntary standards will be handed off to a new or existing certification entity to manage the system.

The Pangasius Aquaculture Dialogue is one of six dialogues initiated by WWF. Dialogues are underway for certifying salmon, shrimp and tilapia aquaculture products. A dialogue for mollusks will begin this week and one for trout is expected to start in early 2008. Each dialogue group is a network of large- and small-scale producers, members of the market chain, researchers, nongovernmental organizations, government officials and investors. They use a transparent, multi-stakeholder process to develop the standards. WWF used a similar process to create standards for forestry, fisheries, agriculture and climate. Full story

Climate change could ruin fisheries: scientist
(CBC News) 20 Jul 2007 – Climate change could cause more harm to fish stocks — and the coastal communities that depend on them — than excessive harvesting, a globally recognized scientist warns.

"One thing is clear: in the long run, environmental change must be considered more serious, more threatening than overfishing," George Rose told a St. John's business group Thursday.

Rose, who holds a research chair in fisheries science at Memorial University of Newfoundland, is a member of the international panel on climate change studying the effects on northern fisheries.

Rose said effects of climate change may ultimately become too great to change.

"Overfishing — at least theoretically, if we did the right things, which we often don't — [can] be reversed. Environmental change of the scale possible through global warming cannot," he told a St. John's Rotary Club meeting.

"In simple terms, cold-loving animals are going to lose," he said. "Those include snow crab and shrimp, so they are kind of on notice right now." Full story

La Niña developing, says US agency
(NOAA) 07 Sep 2007 Scientists with US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center, in today’s release of its monthly El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Diagnostic Discussion, say that La Niña is on its way.

“While we can’t officially call it a La Niña yet, we expect that this pattern will continue to develop during the next three months, meeting the NOAA definition for a La Niña event later this year,” said Mike Halpert, acting deputy director of the Climate Prediction Center in Camp Springs, Md.

La Niña refers to the periodic cooling of ocean surface temperatures in the central and east-central equatorial Pacific that occur every three to five years. La Niña originally referred to a cooling of ocean waters off the coasts of Peru and Ecuador. NOAA declares the onset of a La Niña event when the three-month average sea-surface temperature departure exceeds -0.5 degrees C (-0.9 degrees F) in the east-central equatorial Pacific, between 5 degrees North and 5 degrees South latitude and 170 degrees and 120 degrees West longitude. Full story

FAO report on fisheries management due early next year
(Stabroek News18 Sep 2007 -- The results of a four-day expert consultation by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on low cost fisheries management and cost recovery are expected to be known early next year.

The expert consultations opened at the Grand Coastal Inn on the East Coast and rapped up earlier this month.

Senior FAO Fisheries Officer Bisessar Chakalall told Stabroek News on the final day that by early next year a report will be available on the FAO website.

The expert consultations included 10 persons, namely two FAO officers and representatives from Italy, Nicaragua, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and India.

Senior Fisheries Specialist at the World Bank, Michael Arbuckle and Chairman of the Consultations, in an interview with Stabroek News explained that the consultations focused on ways of cost effective management for countries like Guyana as well as internationally. He noted that it is necessary to manage fisheries but countries find it difficult to do so. The group examined case studies from around the world and in their report will state their recommendations and submit them to the FAO, said Arbuckle. Full story

Report urges research on imperiled coral ecosystems
(USGS Newsroom) 30 Jul 2007 -- Scientists believe that recent changes in reef systems world-wide are unprecedented, according to a report released by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) that summarizes these threats and outlines important research actions needed over the next five years to more accurately forecast future conditions and to better understand and manage change.

"Coral ecosystems contribute an estimated $30 billion to the global economy, but they are being transformed rapidly by a combination of local, regional, and global stressors," said Gary Brewer, USGS Eastern Region Ocean Science Coordinator. "The USGS has developed a robust research plan that addresses the threats that coral ecosystems are facing.”

"This plan is targeted for a wide audience of researchers and decision makers," said Brewer. "It is inclusive of a broad range of current and potential partners with scientific research and resource management expertise."

The plan incorporates the following themes:

ü Improved understanding of reef structure and ecology. Exploring and mapping shallow and deep reefs and better understanding of natural processes, resiliency, and coral disease.

ü Better identification of land-based sources of pollution and local impacts. Determining effects of sediments, nutrients, and contaminants, how impacts can be reduced or mitigated, and the relationship between these stressors and reef ecosystem health.

ü Determining responses to global change. Investigating coral bleaching and recovery; adaptation of corals to high water temperatures; threats to corals from increased carbon dioxide and acidification of ocean waters; impact of sea-level rise on erosion, turbidity, the ability of coral growth to keep pace with rising waters; and the effects of atmospheric dust on coral reefs. More details

Coral triangle initiative endorsed by APEC Summit
(WWF Newsroom) 10 Sep 2007 -- Twenty-one world leaders at this year’s Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit endorsed a new proposal to safeguard the rich marine resources of the Indo-Pacific region for future generations. The Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) on Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security aims to bring together six governments in a multilateral partnership to conserve the extraordinary marine life in the region. The proposal was endorsed in the Sydney APEC Leaders' Declaration on Climate Change, Energy Security and Clean Development.

The Coral Triangle (CT) covers all or parts of the exclusive economic zones of Indonesia (Central and Eastern), East Timor, the Philippines, Malaysia (part of Borneo), Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Defined by areas containing 500 or more species of coral, the Coral Triangle, sometimes referred to as the "Amazon of the Seas", is the epicenter of marine life abundance and diversity on the planet. It has more than 600 coral species in some areas (more than 75% of all known coral species), 53% of the world's coral reefs, 3,000 fish species, and the greatest extent of mangrove forests of any region in the world. Full story

Corals in IUCN Red List for the first time
GLAND, Switzerland (IUCN), 12 Sep 2007 – A number of aquatic species have been added to he 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, including, for the first time, some corals.

Ten Galápagos species have entered the list, with two in the Critically Endangered category and one in the Vulnerable category. Wellington’s Solitary Coral (Rhizopsammia wellingtoni) has been listed as Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct). The main threats to these species are the effects of El Niño and climate change.

In addition, 74 seaweeds have been added to the IUCN Red List from the Galápagos Islands. Ten species are listed as Critically Endangered, with six of those highlighted as Possibly Extinct. The cold water species are threatened by climate change and the rise in sea temperature that characterizes El Niño. The seaweeds are also indirectly affected by overfishing, which removes predators from the food chain, resulting in an increase of sea urchins and other herbivores that overgraze these algae.

After an intensive, but fruitless, search for the Yangtze River Dolphin, or Baiji, (Lipotes vexillifer) last November and December, this freshwater dolphin has been listed as Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct). The dolphin has not been placed in a higher category as further surveys are needed before it can be definitively classified as Extinct. A possible sighting reported in late August 2007 is currently being investigated by Chinese scientists. The main threats to the species include fishing, river traffic, pollution and degradation of habitat.

India and Nepal’s crocodile, the Gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) is also facing threats from habitat degradation and has moved from Endangered to Critically Endangered. Its population has recently declined by 58%, from 436 breeding adults in 1997 to just 182 in 2006. Dams, irrigation projects, sand mining and artificial embankments have all encroached on its habitat, reducing its domain to 2% of its former range.

Overfishing continues to put pressure on many fish species, as does demand from the aquarium trade. The Banggai Cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni), which is highly prized in the aquarium industry, is entering the IUCN Red List for the first time in the Endangered category. The fish, which is only found in the Banggai Archipelago, near Sulawesi, Indonesia, has been heavily exploited, with approximately 900,000 extracted every year. Conservationists are calling for the fish to be reared in captivity for the aquarium trade, so the wild populations can be left to recover.

These highlights from the 2007 IUCN Red List are merely a few examples of the rapid rate of biodiversity loss around the world. The disappearance of species has a direct impact on people’s lives. Declining numbers of freshwater fish, for example, deprive rural poor communities not only of their major source of food, but of their livelihoods as well.

Conservation action is slowing down biodiversity loss in some cases, but there are still many species that need more attention from conservationists. This year, only one species has moved to a lower category of threat. The Mauritius Echo Parakeet (Psittacula eques), which was one of the world’s rarest parrots 15 years ago, has moved from Critically Endangered to Endangered. The improvement is a result of successful conservation action, including close monitoring of nesting sites and supplementary feeding combined with a captive breeding and release program.

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species classifies species according to their extinction risk. It is a searchable online database containing the global status and supporting information on more than 41,000 species. Its primary goal is to identify and document the species most in need of conservation attention and provide an index of the state of biodiversity. Full story

New marine ecosystems added to global network of biosphere reserves
NEW YORK (UNESCO), 20 Sep 2007 -- Hundreds of atolls in Micronesia and mangroves in El Salvador are featured in the 23 ecosystems which were added today to a United Nations network set up to fight biodiversity loss and promote sustainable development that helps local communities.

The sites approved today include habitats in three countries which until now have not had a reserve in the Network – El Salvador, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

In El Salvador, Xiriualtique Jiquitizco is the country’s largest extension of mangroves, and home to communities that have been able to harvest crops, raise livestock and establish a tourist industry based on sustainable development. Apaneca-Llamatepec, consisting mainly of mountain vegetation over lava fields in the west of the country, is also used by local inhabitants to produce shade-grown coffee.

The Marawah biosphere reserve in the United Arab Emirates, which includes sea grass beds, coral reefs and mangroves, is home to the world’s second largest population of dugongs. At Qatar’s Al-Reem site, which includes limestone formations under which lies an oil field, locals have opened breeding centres to reintroduce native fauna – such as the Arabian oryx and desert gazelle – alongside modern oil and gas pumping stations.

The other approved sites include the Federated States of Micronesia’s And Atoll, where 607 islands and reefs spread over an area half the size of the United States to provide habitat for more than 1,000 species of fish, 350 species of coral and thousands of species of sponges. Full story

Removing predators could offset seabird ‘bycatch’ losses
(CSIRO Media Release) 19 Jul 2007 – According to one of the authors of a paper on the findings in the August edition of Frontiers in Ecology and Environment, CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization) scientist Dr Chris Wilcox, a major challenge for fisheries worldwide is to reduce their impact on ‘bycatch’ species such as seabirds.

“Australian Commonwealth fisheries have made strong efforts towards reducing bycatch, including modifying fishing gear and restricting areas and periods of fishing, but these measures are not always effective, leading to costly interventions such as fishery closure,” Wilcox said.

“While the priority should always be for fishers to avoid bycatch, they could also ‘offset’ the bycatch that does occur by funding conservation measures that tackle other, often greater, threats to bycatch-affected species.”

Wilcox and C. Josh Donlan of Cornell University explored the offset approach in a study of flesh-footed shearwater bycatch in the ETBF, which targets yellowfin and bigeye tuna, albacore and billfish.

Practices used in the ETBF to reduce the capture of seabirds on longlines are costly and not always effective for all species. A species of concern is the flesh-footed shearwater, which in eastern Australia breeds only on Lord Howe Island where rats are potentially a major predator.

Wilcox and Mr Donlan compared the potential impact of fishing with that of rat predation on Lord Howe Island flesh-footed shearwater populations, and the costs and benefits of rat control and fishery closures.

They found that banning fishing in a 750-kilometre radius of the island would result in a six per cent increase in growth rate of the shearwater population, at a cost of about A$3.5 million. The eradication of rats would result in a 32 per cent increase in the population growth rate, at a cost of about A$580,000.

Rat eradication therefore could yield a conservation return on investment 23 times greater than a fishery closure, and could have broader ecosystem benefits. Full story

EC adopts new regulation for fisheries sector
(FISHUpdate) 24 Jul 2007– The European Commission (EC) has adopted a Commission Regulation increasing the ceiling of the so-called 'de minimis' aid to the fisheries sector.

De minimis aid is aid deemed not to distort competition. Under the new Regulation, the ceiling will be set at €30,000 per three-year period, per beneficiary, on condition that the total amount of such aid represents less than 2.5% of the annual national fisheries output. None of this aid may be used to purchase or construct new vessels or to enhance existing fleet capacity. Member States will have to record all relevant information to show that these conditions have been respected.

Exemption from prior notification to the Commission for state aid is currently governed by a regulation, which set the ceiling at €3,000 per beneficiary, over a period of three years. This level was set very low as at the time of its introduction in 2004 as the Commission did not have any previous experience of such aid in the fisheries sector. In light of the knowledge gained since then, the Commission believes that a higher level can be permitted without distorting competition. Full story

EU bans tuna fishing as quotas breached
BRUSSELS (AFP), 19 Sep 2007 — The European Commission on Wednesday banned bluefin tuna fishing in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean for the rest of the year because of overfishing and dwindling stocks.

The decision was taken after information from member states on their catches showed that the 2007 quota of 16,779.5 tons had been exhausted, the EU's executive arm said in a statement.

"The commission must therefore close the whole EU fishery," it said.

The ban concerns Cyprus, Greece, Malta, Portugal and Spain. The other two member states involved, Italy and France, closed their own fisheries in July and August, respectively. Full story

Indian Ocean sees smallest tuna catch in 11 years
PORT LOUIS (Reuters) 27 Aug 2007 – Tuna fishermen in the Indian Ocean have landed their smallest catch for 11 years, a report and industry sources said on Monday, with possible explanations ranging from over-fishing to global warming.

"The total catches recorded ... during the first four months of 2007 is estimated at 75,000 tons, the lowest catch reported for that period since 1996," the multinational Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) said in a report seen by Reuters on Monday.

"This represents a decrease of 36% over the catches reported for the same period of the previous year." Full story

UN Law of the Sea Tribunal hears case of Japanese fishing vessels
(UN News Centre) 19 Jul 2007 – The United Nations International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea today commenced a hearing on cases involving two Japanese fishing vessels.

According to a Tribunal press release, Japan said in submitted applications that the ships – the Hoshinmaru and the Tomimaru – were boarded by Russian officials from a coastguard patrol boat in the Russian exclusive economic zone for allegedly violating the country’s fisheries legislation. Full story

US scientists address seafood dilemma
(NOAA FishNews) 23 Jul 2007 – In a paper published in the journal Fisheries, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) scientists at the Northwest Fisheries Science Center in Seattle, WA provide compelling suggestions for helping consumers manage the benefits and risks of eating seafood, including recommending the development of a national seafood program to communicate timely information on seafood to the public, monitor imported and domestic fish and shellfish, and develop a seafood tracking system. The scientists also recommended increasing our analytical capabilities in understanding the nutritional benefits of seafood as well as the risks posed by contaminants.

For more information about this study, visit the NWFSC website.

Global fishing trade depletes African Waters
NOUADHIBOU, Mauritania (JW Miller/The Wall Street Journal) 23 Jul 2007 – Impoverished nations like Mauritania have been selling access to their seas to European and Asian nations that have fished out their own waters. As a result, small-scale fishers must compete with huge trawlers from Spain, Russia and China. These days, at least 340 foreign boats are licensed to fish off Mauritania.

Wealthy countries subsidize their commercial fishermen to the tune of about $30 billion a year. Their goal is to keep their fishermen on the water. China, for example, provides $2 billion a year in fuel subsidies; the European Union and its member nations provide more than $7 billion of subsidies a year. Such policies boost the number of working boats, increase the global catch and drive down fish prices. That makes it more difficult for fishermen in poor nations like Mauritania, who get no subsidies, to compete.

The end result: African waters are losing fish stock rapidly, with ramifications both to the economies of Africa's coastal nations and to the world's ocean ecology. Over the past three decades, the amount of fish in West African waters has declined by up to 50%, according to Daniel Pauly, a researcher at the University of British Columbia. Full story

Malaysian government to spend RM300million on “Fishermen Transformation Project”
PM SETIU (Bernama), 4 Aug 2007 – Malaysia’s Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry will provide interest-free loans amounting to about RM300 million to improve the income of fishermen under its Fishermen's Transformation Project.

Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the loans would be disbursed until 2015 to inshore fishermen of groups of five to 10 to form a company or consortium and they would be offered the opportunity to replace their boats.

He said a pioneer project launched in Tanjung Dawai, Kedah, early this year had borne fruit. The fishermen involved doubled their income from between RM600 and RM700 a month to between RM1,200 and RM1,400 a month.

"Moreover, with new and bigger boats, the fishermen could set out to sea more frequently, from 18 days to 23 days in a month. The project has succeeded in uplifting the socio-economic and living standards of the fishermen," he said. Full story

Brunei is top fish consumer in Southeast Asia
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (Asri Razak/The Brunei Times in Brunei Direct), 14 Aug 2007 -- Brunei can be considered a "fish" nation with consumption of 45 kg per person, one of the highest per capita consumption in Southeast Asia.

The country’s annual fish consumption is about 16 million tons a year worth about USD200 million, said Deputy Minister of Industry and Primary Resources (MI PR) Dato Paduka Hj Hamdillah Hj Abd Wahab. Imports account for 50% of fish supply. Full story

Vietnam’s seafood exports up 16% in first semester
HANOI (VNA in Asia Pulse), 12 Sep 2007 -- Vietnam's seafood export earnings rose 16.6 per cent year-on-year to nearly USD2.4 billion from January to August, Agriculture and Rural Development Deputy Minister, Diep Kinh Tan, said.

In August alone, the fisheries industry earned nearly $370 million from exports, including frozen shrimp, catfish and octopus.

The country's aquaculture sector turned out nearly 1.1 million tons of products in the first eight months of this year, a year-on-year increase of 12 per cent.

Meanwhile, the country caught nearly 1.5 million tons of wild fish and shellfish, up 45 per cent.

Vietnam, whose seafood export earnings surged 23.1 per cent to nearly $3.4 billion in 2006, has targeted an annual seafood export growth of over 9% for 2006-10. Full story

Sustainable grazing results in better beef and reef -- scientists
(CSIRO) 17 Sep 2007 -- Sustainable grazing, which includes practices such as wet season spelling, has been shown to improve pasture condition and economic profitability. It also shows promise as a key strategy to reduce the loss of sediments and nutrients in run-off to the Great Barrier Reef.

“We are undertaking significant research throughout Northern Queensland to help understand the link between land management and reef health,” Dr David Post of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) said. “Extensive monitoring and data collection from a variety of locations in the Burdekin catchment have shown that conservative stocking and wet season spelling improves ground cover and has the potential to help reduce water, sediment and nutrient loss to rivers and the reef. Economic modelling suggests that there will be long-term financial benefits for land owners as well.”

The information pack, “Managing Recovery – Tools for Sustainable Grazing in the Burdekin Catchment”, represents over eight years of research conducted by the CSIRO and the Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, in conjunction with Meat & Livestock Australia. Full story

New study reveals need to address interactions of sharks with open-water longline fisheries
HONOLULU, Hawaii, 17 Sep 2007 -- The unintended interactions of sharks with open-water longline fisheries could be causing ecological as well economic problems, according to a report announced today by the Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council.

“Shark Depredation and Unwanted Bycatch in Pelagic Longline Fisheries: Industry Practices and Attitudes, and Shark Avoidance Strategies” assesses shark interactions with longline fisheries in Australia, Chile, Fiji, Italy, Japan, Peru, South Africa and the United States. It reveals that the demand for shark meat is increasing and that existing management and monitoring measures for the species is widely lacking.

The study encourages fishery management authorities to begin effective data collection, monitoring and precautionary shark management measures now in preparation for possible further increases in the demand for shark meat and to ensure that shark populations are healthy and shark fishing is sustainable.

It also argues for the development of methods to keep sharks away from longline operations that are not targeting shark species, as well as the need for equipment to ensure that unintentionally hooked sharks are released in ways that promote their survivability. Full story . Full report

Digital data capture tools find use in fish catch monitoring
(K. Flinders/Computer Weekly), 17 Sep 2007 -- Digital pens are enabling fishery protection officers across the North East of England to fill in catch monitoring forms on the quayside or at sea and file the information directly to a central database.

The system, developed by public sector IT supplier Innovation Leeds, uses a camera in the pen to capture and digitize written information. This is then transmitted wirelessly to the database using Bluetooth technology and a standard mobile phone.

Innovative tagging technique may help researchers protect fish stocks
(WHO) 7 Aug 2007 — Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are often hailed as a way to halt serious declines in the abundance of marine species that have been over-fished. But even as nations begin to set aside protected parcels of ocean for marine reserves, the effectiveness of the approach as a fisheries management tool remains unclear. Simon Thorrold, a fish ecologist from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), would like to put MPAs to the test with a novel technique for tagging fish.

Through a new research grant from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Thorrold and colleagues plan to use harmless chemical tags to track the dispersal of the larvae of coral reef fishes in the western Pacific Ocean. The Packard Foundation’s Conservation and Science Program has granted Thorrold and colleagues more than $480,000 for three years to study the population dynamics of grouper and snapper in the waters around the Great Barrier Reef and Papua New Guinea.

Through a new technique known as Transgenerational Isotope Labeling (TRAIL), the researchers will introduce an artificial tag—a stable isotope of barium—into the tissues of mature female fish just before spawning. That chemical tag is then passed to the female’s offspring and becomes a chemical signature within the ear bones (otoliths) of the next generation of fish. Researchers can then track the dispersal of the tagged larvae across reefs and large stretches of open ocean.

Thorrold and colleagues want to attempt one of the first large-scale, empirical tests of the effectiveness of marine protected areas. The scientists will attempt to assess how far and how effectively the larvae spawned within protected areas are contributing to populations outside of their human-described borders. Full story

Sea trials set for Atlantic salmon gill disease vaccine
16 Aug 2007 (CSIRO)– A vaccine developed to boost the profitability of Tasmania’s A$230 million Atlantic salmon industry will be tested at a marine farm south of Hobart during spring and summer.

The vaccine targets amoebic gill disease (AGD), a health problem that costs the Tasmanian industry some A$20 million a year in treatment and lost productivity, and is a major constraint to industry expansion.

“AGD is caused by amoebae that attach to the gills of Atlantic salmon,” said Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) scientist Dr Mathew Cook. “The affected fish are safe to eat, but lose condition and must be regularly bathed in fresh water to detach the amoebae.”

The sea trial is the third phase of an industry-backed vaccine research project led by CSIRO through the Food Futures Flagship and funded by the Aquafin and Australian Seafood Cooperative Research Centres (CRCs) and the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation.

Cook said the project is unique in attempting to vaccinate against an external parasite in fish. He says the focus going forward lies in translating the laboratory results into the field where the infection is very different.

“In the laboratory, AGD is an acute infection, but in the field it’s more chronic,” he said. “So we may just have a vaccine that protects against an acute challenge. Our real measure of success will be the level of reduction in fresh-water bathing.” Full story

Giant squid washes ashore in Australia
(Blake de Pastino/National Geographic) Jul 11, 2007— One of the largest giant squid ever found washed up on a beach in southern Australia yesterday, offering potentially crucial insights into the animal's habits and habitat, scientists said.

The squid was discovered on a beach late at night on the western coast of Tasmania.

Biologists who inspected the squid said it weighed some 550 pounds (250 kilograms) and stretched 26 feet (8 meters) from head to tentacle—about as long as a school bus. Full story