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Black sea oysters
Marine PollutionBulletin While the exercise was in progress, a series of formal lectures was given on general principles of environmental monitoring within the sea, and on relevant legislation and regulations in force in British Columbia. The latter lectures drew upon specialist experience by two of the participants. Towards the end of Week 2, during the period of data analysis, a further lecture was presented on data processing, data analysis, and some peculiarities of marine biological population data which preclude the use of normal statistical techniques and require species associational or diversity measures. The concluding lecture was by a barrister experienced in prosecuting environmental cases. In addition during Week 2, some participants contributed case histories based on their professional experience, and comments on these cases were both invited and enthusiastically given. The monitoring exercise in Week 2 terminated in a simulated meeting between the regulatory agency and the discharger. The regulatory group determined the form of the meeting. They presented data taken during the exercise, and requested the industry group to show reason why the Discharge Permit should not be amended to increase restraints on effluent composition. Thus a real permit, and hence a real situation, was the basis for the exercise. It should be noted that participants were given the choice of the group in which they would act, and there was a tendency on the part of the more experienced participants to deliberately select a role opposite to that which they occupied in real life. It was interes'ting to see that two particularly experienced parti'cipants from industry and a consulting company, respectively, showed considerable skill as regulatory agents. On conclusion of the simulated meeting between the regulatory agency and the discharger, participants continued to argue for half an hour or more informally. This was taken as an indication that the course was of interest and value to the participants. Participants receive a formal letter from the University on completion of the course with an outline of the material covered. The principle changes in procedure for future presentations will be to provide more case histories of real and theoretical problems, using guest lecturers and participants as appropriate, and to accept applications to attend Week 2 only from professionals with prior experience in marine biology. Information on future courses can be obtained from the Division of Continuing Education, University of Victoria, Victoria, B. C., Canada.
DEREK ELLIS
Black Sea Oysters Artificial oyster breeding makes it possible to produce 500 tons of oyster meat per hectare, according to Soviet fLshery researchers now breeding oysters in Yagorlytsky Bay in the Black Sea. The first oyster-harvesting season began at an experimental farm on the Crimean coast 5 years ago. Raised in a man-made pond, the oysters were then re-settled at the age of 1 year on the sea bottom. Initial experiments were set out in a pond 4 m deep with an area of 500 m2. It turned out that the oysters grew f'.ater there than in natural conditions. The productivity of 52
the farm is now 2 million oysters a year. On the proposal of Soviet doctors, a resort is to be built nearby where patients can be treated by an oyster diet. The establishment of oyster farms in the Black Sea was prompted by the fact that larvae of carnivores were brought to the Crimean coast on the bottoms of sea-going vessels. They took only a short time to adapt themselves and within a brief spell had destroyed a considerable proportion of the oyster population. An effective technique to combat them was found. Young oysters had to be imported from the Pacific and they settled well on the Crimean coast. The experts estimate that their number at present is already at least 250 million.
Eider Breeding in Arctic Sanctuary The eider population of the Seven Islands bird sanctuary, off the northern coast of the Kola peninsula in the Soviet Arctic, has doubled in recent years due to a successful eider breeding experiment. Zoologists placed eggs from eider nests in an incubator and then put the hatchllngs back in their nests. The eiders readily accepted them into their 'wild' families. Seven Islands was made a reserve in the 17th century and placed in the charge of special ~Nards. The best gyrfalcons from the reserve were selected for hunting. Scientists have now established that there is a certain biological aff'mity between gyrfalcons, birds of prey riving on the islands, and the peaceful eiders. The two species often nest close to each other with the gyrfalcons protecting the eiders [rom white foxes. Apart from Seven Islands there are several more bird sanctuaries in the Soviet Arctic. Some of the species which live only in this part of the Arctic basin and on its shores the red-breasted goose, the ross gull and the white crane are on the list of threatened species. Specislists hope, however; that thanks to protective measures their populations will increase in due course and they will be struck off the list. Limits have been imposed on the hunting of many species of Arctic birds in the northern regions of the Soviet Union. In the Archangel region, for instance, the hunting of swans, barnacle geese and other waterfowl which winter on non-freezing waters, has been banned. In Tyumen region and Krasnoyarsk there is a ban on the hunting of swans, red-breasted geese and all birds of prey. The ban operating in Magadan region covers swans, emperor geese, eiders, brent geese-and white geese.
Coral not OK Two American scientists have suggested that disease caused by bacteria may play a major role in the ecology of coral reefs around Bermuda. Struck by the large number of coral colonies with dead patches, they decided to determine whether these specific affected areas were related to disease. The distribution of diseased colonies did not, however, seem to be related to inshore pollution sources nor to areas of ~eater or lesser circulation.
DEREK ELLIS
Black Sea Oysters Artificial oyster breeding makes it possible to produce 500 tons of oyster meat per hectare, according to Soviet fLshery researchers now breeding oysters in Yagorlytsky Bay in the Black Sea. The first oyster-harvesting season began at an experimental farm on the Crimean coast 5 years ago. Raised in a man-made pond, the oysters were then re-settled at the age of 1 year on the sea bottom. Initial experiments were set out in a pond 4 m deep with an area of 500 m2. It turned out that the oysters grew f'.ater there than in natural conditions. The productivity of 52
the farm is now 2 million oysters a year. On the proposal of Soviet doctors, a resort is to be built nearby where patients can be treated by an oyster diet. The establishment of oyster farms in the Black Sea was prompted by the fact that larvae of carnivores were brought to the Crimean coast on the bottoms of sea-going vessels. They took only a short time to adapt themselves and within a brief spell had destroyed a considerable proportion of the oyster population. An effective technique to combat them was found. Young oysters had to be imported from the Pacific and they settled well on the Crimean coast. The experts estimate that their number at present is already at least 250 million.
Eider Breeding in Arctic Sanctuary The eider population of the Seven Islands bird sanctuary, off the northern coast of the Kola peninsula in the Soviet Arctic, has doubled in recent years due to a successful eider breeding experiment. Zoologists placed eggs from eider nests in an incubator and then put the hatchllngs back in their nests. The eiders readily accepted them into their 'wild' families. Seven Islands was made a reserve in the 17th century and placed in the charge of special ~Nards. The best gyrfalcons from the reserve were selected for hunting. Scientists have now established that there is a certain biological aff'mity between gyrfalcons, birds of prey riving on the islands, and the peaceful eiders. The two species often nest close to each other with the gyrfalcons protecting the eiders [rom white foxes. Apart from Seven Islands there are several more bird sanctuaries in the Soviet Arctic. Some of the species which live only in this part of the Arctic basin and on its shores the red-breasted goose, the ross gull and the white crane are on the list of threatened species. Specislists hope, however; that thanks to protective measures their populations will increase in due course and they will be struck off the list. Limits have been imposed on the hunting of many species of Arctic birds in the northern regions of the Soviet Union. In the Archangel region, for instance, the hunting of swans, barnacle geese and other waterfowl which winter on non-freezing waters, has been banned. In Tyumen region and Krasnoyarsk there is a ban on the hunting of swans, red-breasted geese and all birds of prey. The ban operating in Magadan region covers swans, emperor geese, eiders, brent geese-and white geese.
Coral not OK Two American scientists have suggested that disease caused by bacteria may play a major role in the ecology of coral reefs around Bermuda. Struck by the large number of coral colonies with dead patches, they decided to determine whether these specific affected areas were related to disease. The distribution of diseased colonies did not, however, seem to be related to inshore pollution sources nor to areas of ~eater or lesser circulation.