FAO and World Governments Grappling with Over-fishing
Greenpeace is posing critique to Brazil, Mexico and the European Union as being
three key "pirate protectors" as the draft International Plan of Action on
Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported Fishing (IUU) is in final rounds of negotiations of
the UN FAO.
"In blocking tough regulations, these countries are protecting pirate
fishers at a time when fishery experts tell us that about three-quarter of the
world’s fisheries are already fully exploited, over exploited or depleted, "
said Desley Mather of Greenpeace International. "If governments will not tackle these
lawless fleets, how can they expect to manage what is left?" With political will
there are several things that governments can do, such as close ports to foreign offshore
factory (FOC) fishing and support vessels; close markets to FOC-caught fish; and by other
means make FOC fishing practices difficult.
For more information, contact:
Desley Mather
Greenpeace International
Tel: +31 6 1509 3589
or
Luisa Colasimone
Greenpeace Communications
Tel: +31 6 21 29 69 20 |
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Sea Urchins grazing on Corals Might Trigger Regrowth
(Adapted from an article from the BBC World Service, March 27, 2001)
Scientists at California State University, Northridge,
California, have found in a recent study, performed on reefs off the northern coast of
Jamaica, that the coral reefs have begun to grow again. The reefs in question have started
to regenerate after decades of declines, this, after sea urchins have returned and started
grazing on harmful seaweed which otherwise impeded the growth of juvenile corals. However,
the same scientists warn that the future remains gloomy for most coral reefs world-wide,
in spite of the good news that the highly degraded Caribbean reefs may recover... |
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The 6th
Session of the SBSTTA of the Convention on Biological Diversity
The sixth session of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific, Technical and
Technological Advice (SBSTTA-6) of the Convention on Biological Diversity met in Montreal,
Canada, from 12-16 March 2001. Over 520 participants, representing 96 governments,
intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, and others attended the meeting.
SBSTTA-6 delegates met in two working groups. Working Group I, focusing
on invasive alien species (IAS), held general discussions on four thematic areas,
including: an integrated approach; prevention, early detection and incursion response;
eradication; and mitigation of effects. It also produced recommendations regarding options
for future work and reconsidered the Guiding Principles. Working Group II considered
scientific assessments, the Global Taxonomy Initiative, climate change and biodiversity,
and migratory species. Three keynote presentations were delivered on the issues of climate
change and biodiversity, and IAS. Despite the rise of political debates over the
precautionary approach and other issues within discussions on the Guiding Principles on
invasive alien species, delegates were generally pleased with progress made during the
week.
One of the keynote presentations during the meeting on climate and
biodiversity interactions specifically identified coral bleaching and loss of coastal
wetland as directly related to climate change. A recommendation was made by the SBSTTA6
that the CBD Executive Secretary should be invited to promote and facilitate
implementation of the work plans on coral bleaching and physical degradation and
destruction of coral reefs. It was further recommended that the Conference of Parties
examine the need for financial support regarding the same issues.
The recommendations from SBSTTA-6 will be forwarded to the sixth meeting of the
Conference of the Parties (COP-6), to be held in The Hague, the Netherlands, from 8-19
April 2002.
The challenge for SBSTTA-7 and future meetings is to find the balance among providing
appropriate scientific and technical input, technical policy advice, and recommendations
for action.
For further information, see the web site of the Convention on Biological Diversity: http://www.biodiv.org/ under the heading
of SBSTTA 6. |
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Demand for Ethical Tourism
(adapted from the article "Survey reveals public demand for Ethical
Tourism" published by Premier Online, 10 January 2001)
A majority of British holiday makers say that if the preservation of the
environment in the community being visited is ensured, and also the good wages and fair
working conditions for the staff in resorts and hotels they wouldn’t mind paying up
to five per cent extra for their vacation. This according to a survey made by the
Christian relief and development agency Tearfund.
"These findings indicate that, in the wake of the rising popularity of
ethical investments and fairly-traded goods, there is an significant public support for a
move towards ethical tourism," says Andy Atkins, Public Policy Advisor for Tearfund.
"In the developing world where tourism is rapidly growing, ethical tourism can help
to make a difference to the lives of poor people. The extra five per cent which
holiday-makers say they are prepared to pay may sound small, but in fact it would be the
equivalent of adding an extra £100 million to the UK aid budget."
Tearfund now plans to work closer with tour operators and travel agents to
develop and implement ethical policies in developing world destinations due to the
findings of this survey. Encouragement to tourists to select companies with an ethical
platform and to monitor their own behavior when on vacation is going to be part of their
strategy as well.
For further information, visit http://www.tearfund.org |
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Small Grants for Wetlands Programme
The netherlands Committee for IUCN is now managing the
Small grants for wetlands Programme (SWP). The Fund is being used to financially
support projects in the field of conservation and wise use of wetlands that are executed
by small NGOs in the following 26 countries:
Africa: Benin, Cape Verde, Ghana, Mali,
Mozambique and Senegal;
Asia: Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Indonesia, Mongolia, Nepal,
Pakistan, Philippines, Sri lanka,Vietnam;
Europe: FYR Macedonia;
Latin America: Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala
and Peru;
Middle East: Eygpt, Yemen and the Palestinian territories.
For further information, please visit www.wetlands.nl. |
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The
World’s Coastal Areas Continuing to Be Destroyed - WRI Report
The World Resources Institute released the report "Pilot Analysis of Global
Ecosystems (PAGE): Coastal Ecosystems" on the 17th of April. The report is
a grim analysis of the situation of the coastal ecosystems today, and the report warns
that if the planet’s coastal zone continues to be extensively modified or destroyed,
its capacity to provide fish, protect homes and businesses, reduce pollution and erosion,
and sustain biological biodiversity will be gravely endangered.
See the web page of the World Resources Institute for further information: http://www.wri.org/wri.
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Cuba has acceded to Ramsar
As of the 12th of April 2001, Cuba has completed the formalities
necessary for its accession to the Convention of Wetlands, thus enabling the entering into
force of this convention in Cuba on the 12th of August 2001. Cuba’s first
Wetland of International Importance is the large Cienaga de Zapata in Matanzas province.
The status of the Ramsar Convention now has been brought to 124 Contracting Parties, with
1061 Wetlands of International Importance.
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Global warming and
the future of travel
"The recent report by the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change
provides irrefutable proof that global warming is well and truly under way. Over the next
few years, this is going to have a significant impact on travel and tourism by striking at
some of the most critical areas, in particular the gas-hungry transportation business. By
extension, it will fundamentally change the way the entire industry does business.
The issue is simple: With all economic theories designed around MORE AND MORE
growth, how will it be possible to meet demands to consume LESS AND LESS? In other words,
the travel industry wants more visitors and higher expenditures, even while
environmentalists want less consumption and reduced usage of natural resources."
This is the beginning of an article published dealing with travel and global
warming under headings such as: the price of bigness, the water shortage, the
low-importance given to railways, brands, role of the energy companies, an environmental
satellite account, environmental audits and 36 forces of change. Read the full article on
the web page http://www.travelmole.com/cgi-bin/
item.cgi?id=40178&d=1&dateformat=%o-%B
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UNEP Supporting Changes to Sustainable Fishing
After severe over-fishing Canada seems to have learned a lesson, and is,
together with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), helping the world community
to awareness on the need to reduce fishing now in order to rescue the dwindling fish
populations.
UNEP is developing a comprehensive approach that will provide a combination of
research work, country studies and policy dialogue aimed at understanding the effects of
fisheries subsidies on the economy, environment and society.
For more information on UNEP’s work in this area, please contact:
Hussein Abaza
Chief, Economics and Trade Unit
UNEP
Geneva
Tel: (41-22) 917-8179
Fax: (41-22) 917-8076
E-mail: hussein.abaza@unep.ch |
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Use Pictures for Your Report from the World Bank’s Photo
Library
There is an excellent library of international photographs on the environment
and society created by the World Bank. This library offers 500 online images covering many
issues. Registration is required, but users may browse the library by entering
"guest" in the user name, and "browse" as password. Visit the Photo
Library at http://www.worldbank.org/html/extdr/emps/photo.htm
For more information, e-mail photo_library@worldbank.org |
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| Bats - interesting mammals deserving a
chance!
Bats are some of the most misunderstood animals in the world. Many are the myths
on vampires and the link to Dracula has been a lethal one to this mammal group. Today many
of the 1000 species worldwide are endangered and bordering extinction, partly due to the
irrational fear of us human beings. Bats are vulnerable because of their low reproduction
rate - only on young per year - and their habitat requirements. Bats are actually more
related to monkeys than to rodents, and are native to every contintent except Antarctica.
There are many species endemic to the Caribbean, or to specific islands.
In the Cayman Islands there is a large and very successful bat conservation
program. Dozens of bat houses have been mounted with the co-operation of the government
and the local utilities company. It is very easy to have the bats move to a bat house, and
from there they can keep on controlling gardens and crop pests, and mosquitoes. A public
awareness campaign has been going on for seven years with good results. There is a Cayman
Islands Bat Study Guide written for students, but useful to anyone interested in beginning
a bat conservation program available. This guide can be adapted to apply to other
Caribbean islands.
Information is available at http://www.caymannationaltrust.org/Bats%20intro.htm.
On page six of the Forum News, #19 of the UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum there
is an article as well (http://www.ukotcf.org/pdf/F_News19.pdf).
Bats play important roles in healthy ecosystems since they are important
pollinators of hundreds of indigenous and endemic plants, disburse seeds and a major
control of insect populations - not only mosquitoes, but also moths, beetles and their
larvae, many of which are crop pests. The diet of fruit bats consist of around 25 % of
insects found in and around the fruit trees. Thus they protect the very crop that they
also feed off. Where fruit bats have been terminated, the fruit losses actually increased,
sometimes to the point of having to abandon the farming of soft-skinned fruits.
The National Trust for the Cayman Islands has a large body of information
accumulated on Caribbean bats and their conservation. Mrs. Lois Blumenthal, and the
National Trust are most interested in sharing this wealth of information, and to keep in
contact with anyone starting or managing bat conservation programmes. She is also willing
to visit other islands to help launch programmes.
For more information, please contact:
Lois Blumenthal
Bat Conservation Programme Director
National Trust for the Cayman Islands
E-mail: bats@candw.ky, blu@candw.ky
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The Impact of Hunting Wildlife in the Tropics
Rural families in more than 60 countries of the world obtain at least twenty
percent of their animal protein from wild game and fish. Much of this hunting is
unsustainable, as indicated by the ample evidence collected by Elizabeth Bennett and John
Robinson from the Wildlife Conservation Society in their publication "Hunting of
Wildlife in Tropical Forests: Implications for Biodiversity and Forest Peoples". The
mammal density is much lower in moderately or heavily hunted forests and vulnerable
species often disappear entirely from these areas.
Typically, the range of game is very wide, anything from mammals and birds to
reptiles, even though large hoofed animals and monkeys make a large proportion of
"bush meat". The authors suggest greater efforts to promote community wildlife
management and continued support for protected areas to regulate hunting in the tropics.
The paper can be downloaded at http://www.worldbank.org/biodiversity. |
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Volcano Eruption
in Montserrat Gives Valuable Lessons
The last five years the Soufriere Hills volcano on the southern half of
Montserrat has been erupting, destroying lives and properties. It has also been one of the
best-studied eruptions ever, and there has been many valuable lessons learned.
Among the most notable is the discovery of a new type of pyroclastic flow.
Pyroclastic flows are the result of explosive eruptions of molten or solid rock fragments,
or both combined, making for a frightening and destructive phenomenon that can destroy
everything in their path due to the extreme temperatures (392 - 1,292 º F) the rocks and
gases can acquire. These flows come down a volcano with the heavier particles moving along
the ground at speeds up to 200 mph, and ash clouds forming a top layer called a surge.
Now, the new thing about the flows in Montserrat is that they’re
potentially more lethal, due to the fact that the surge condenses, making ash suddenly
drop out of the cloud, forming a new flow. This flow is fine-grained, and behaves more
like a fluid. It can flow like a river to much greater distances than the surge would have
done. This is what increases the danger, since this surge increases the hazard of a
pyroclastic flow at a greater distance.
Several scientific papers have also been written on the subject of dome growth
and its relation to volcanic activity.
For more information, enter the web page of Volcano World at
http://volcano.und.nodak.edu
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Experts Say New Approaches Are Needed To Improve and Expedite Environmental
Decision-making
A Report from the first National Conference on Science, Policy, and the
Environment was released on Earth Day, and makes recommendations for major changes in the
relationship between science and environmental policy. The report, which offers specific
recommendations for improving the scientific basis for environmental decision making,
"Recommendations for Improving the Scientific Basis for Environmental
Decision-making" can be found on the web at www.cnie.org/2000conference.
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Ban on
Scuba-aided Spear Fishing
The governor of
American Samoa signed the Executive Order to place a total ban on the use of SCUBA gear
for fishing in the territory the 6th of April, effective from the date of
signature. This order has been made in order to conserve inshore reef fish stocks from
further decline and to promote their recovery. Free diving with spear is permitted
however.
This ban is the result of the sum of evidence from the last fifteen years, including
the results of a community survey where one fifth of the respondents believed that fishing
by fishermen using SCUBA was the most serious of the fishing problems facing the
community.
Critique has been made, stating that it is not spear fishing as such that is the
problem, since it is a highly selective technique that can be a very good way of
harvesting. But, problems arise when stocks are overfished, since it is possible to find
and catch whatever is left with SCUBA gear and spear. Resource managers should look at the
overall fishery and take steps to reduce overall fishing effort in order to maintain fish
populations viable, instead of focusing on spear fishers only, according to Milton
Haughton.
For more information, contact:
Dr. Chris Evans
Chief Biologist
DMWR
PO Box 3730, Pago Pago
American Samoa 96799, USA
E-mail: chris_r_evans_2000@yahoo.com
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Adopt a Turtle - a
new conservation initiative in Bali
Would you like to become the proud
parent of dozens of newly born turtle hatchlings? This is now a possibility in Bali, where
a new conservation program was officially launched in May: the Turtle Nest’s Adoption
Program. The scheme of this program is quite simple: with a contribution of Rp 500,000 for
one nesting period, an individual or an institution will be given the honor of being an
adopted parent of one turtle nest in the WWF’s turtle conservation pilot project at
Perancak Beach in Bali. This money will be used to finance a group of security guards to
protect the hatchlings, and some of the funds will also go toward a treatment program for
newly born hatchlings.
In return, the adopted parents will receive a certificate of adoption and an
automatic membership of the Friends of the Sea Turtle. The names of the individuals will
also be placed near their respective adopted nests, and the names will also be credited on
the WWF web site.
Also part of the program will be public meetings to inform locals of the
practical concerns of turtle conservation and other environmental issues. The program aims
to be self-sufficient and sustainable in the future - the reason to introduce the adoption
program. The adoption program is a reality in an area with very high turtle consumption,
and the initiators are quite optimistic and next striving to turn Perancak into an
eco-tourism destination.
Maybe an approach to be incorporated in some Caribbean programs? |
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