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Spill off Fujairah damages three shores
Marine Pollution Bulletin
Strasbourg, where the fisheries sub-committee has completed a report on the interaction between sea mammals and fisheries, focusing on grey seals in particular. Apparently, the sub-committee adopted the report and it had been hoped that the Parliament would follow suit, but environmental lobbyists succeeded in deferring the issue. However, the Scottish fishing industry is still looking to have the report taken on by Strasbourg at the next session of the European Parliament and will continue to put pressure on the British government to do something about it. The grey seal population in Britain currently stands at around 100 000 and is forecast to double in the near future. Past research carried out has been on the impact of the fisheries on seals, but the new report has turned that around and is seeking to obtain scientific research on the impact of seals on fisheries.
Vaccinations Replace Antibiotics for Salmon The use of antibiotics to prevent diseases in Norwegian farmed salmon has declined dramatically since the arrival of successful vaccination procedures according to data released by Norsk Medisinaldepor. In 1987, 40 t of antibiotics were used and, by 1993, this had dropped to a mere 8 t. The vaccines are given to smolts to prevent cold water vibrosis (Hitra disease) and, since 1990, furunculosis. The cost of treatment for fish diseases in salmon farms had been calculated to average at 2 150 000 NOK ($287 000). This includes the cost of drugs, fish losses, loss of growth and extra labour. A vaccination programme for 120 000 smolts reduces this to 200 000 NOK ($27 000), less than 10% of the normal costs. Trials by the Norwegian Veterinary Institute found that the most successful and long-lasting vaccines were mineral oil-based which had been developed by Biomed Inc. while other water-based vaccines were much more short-lived in their effects and resulted in a need for revaccination in the second summer. The development of these vaccines has been in direct response to both large fatalities of fish and the severe regulation in Norway concerning antibiotics in foods. The 90 days before the fish are filled has to be free of antibiotics at a time when fish are at their most vulnerable.
Spill off Fujairah Damages Three Shores Initial optimism that oil from a collision between the 293 238 dwt Panama-flag tanker Seki (built in 1993) and the 57 211 dwt tanker Baynunah (built in 1983) just outside the Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf of Oman off the port of Fujairah would cause little pollution damage proved largely unfounded in the days following 344
the incident at the end of March. The, as yet unexplained, collision happened during a calm night when the World-Wide Shipping owned Seki was hit on her port side and holed in her No. 1 tank. It was believed that 7000 t of Iranian crude oil had leaked out and that the Master, by careful trimming of the vessel, had raised the hole above the level of the water and had relocated the rest of the oil. Fairdeal, the Greek shipping and anti-pollution company moved in within 2 h with three skimmers and worked to try to contain the spill which had spread to cover one square mile. However, 4 days later the spill, which was now known to have been 16 000 t of oil, had polluted 20 km of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Arab coastline and was threatening a further 40 km. Only around 2000 t had been recovered by the sea operation and further equipment was provided by Oman and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, owners of the Baynunah. Fairdeal concentrated on the offshore oil in an attempt to prevent it hitting the shore but the slick had grown to an unmanageable size for the equipment available. Large numbers of workers and mechanical shovels were used to remove contaminated sand but in some places was found to have penetrated to 1 m depth. A new method of clean-up was employed to try to remove the oil with minimum disturbance. A 50 m trench was dug and filled with water from a perforated pipe, this forced the water into the sand and, since the oil is lighter than water, it floated up and flowed into collection trenches. Fujairah will seek compensation for the disruption of its fishing industry and for any reduction in its scuba diving tourism business. The initial 5 days fishing losses were estimated by Fujairah officials to be at least $800 000. The spill coincided with calls from the Kuwait Oil Company (KOTC) for tighter environmental controls on these sea lanes which carry 50% of the world's oil exports and from the Regional Organization for the Protection of the Marine Environment (ROPME) for a shipping tax to help meet the cost of clean-ups. The KOTC also sought better ballast reception facilities as it is believed that 30 000 barrels of crude oil entered the sea every day in the area from ballast tanks and other operations. Fujairah had 65 vessels (mostly tankers) anchored in the area the night of the spill with a further 35 nearby and the chance of spills here is high.
Mexican Waste Water Treatment Monterey, north east Mexico's largest municipality, is to have a new multi-million dollar waste water treatment system. The Mexican federal government and the state of Nuevo Leon have given the development top priority as recent immigration has pushed Monterey's population to 2.5 million, overwhelming its water and sewer infrastructure. The treatment project is designed to eliminate the health problems caused by the introduction of raw sewage into natural water courses such as the San Juan River, which serves as the main
Strasbourg, where the fisheries sub-committee has completed a report on the interaction between sea mammals and fisheries, focusing on grey seals in particular. Apparently, the sub-committee adopted the report and it had been hoped that the Parliament would follow suit, but environmental lobbyists succeeded in deferring the issue. However, the Scottish fishing industry is still looking to have the report taken on by Strasbourg at the next session of the European Parliament and will continue to put pressure on the British government to do something about it. The grey seal population in Britain currently stands at around 100 000 and is forecast to double in the near future. Past research carried out has been on the impact of the fisheries on seals, but the new report has turned that around and is seeking to obtain scientific research on the impact of seals on fisheries.
Vaccinations Replace Antibiotics for Salmon The use of antibiotics to prevent diseases in Norwegian farmed salmon has declined dramatically since the arrival of successful vaccination procedures according to data released by Norsk Medisinaldepor. In 1987, 40 t of antibiotics were used and, by 1993, this had dropped to a mere 8 t. The vaccines are given to smolts to prevent cold water vibrosis (Hitra disease) and, since 1990, furunculosis. The cost of treatment for fish diseases in salmon farms had been calculated to average at 2 150 000 NOK ($287 000). This includes the cost of drugs, fish losses, loss of growth and extra labour. A vaccination programme for 120 000 smolts reduces this to 200 000 NOK ($27 000), less than 10% of the normal costs. Trials by the Norwegian Veterinary Institute found that the most successful and long-lasting vaccines were mineral oil-based which had been developed by Biomed Inc. while other water-based vaccines were much more short-lived in their effects and resulted in a need for revaccination in the second summer. The development of these vaccines has been in direct response to both large fatalities of fish and the severe regulation in Norway concerning antibiotics in foods. The 90 days before the fish are filled has to be free of antibiotics at a time when fish are at their most vulnerable.
Spill off Fujairah Damages Three Shores Initial optimism that oil from a collision between the 293 238 dwt Panama-flag tanker Seki (built in 1993) and the 57 211 dwt tanker Baynunah (built in 1983) just outside the Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf of Oman off the port of Fujairah would cause little pollution damage proved largely unfounded in the days following 344
the incident at the end of March. The, as yet unexplained, collision happened during a calm night when the World-Wide Shipping owned Seki was hit on her port side and holed in her No. 1 tank. It was believed that 7000 t of Iranian crude oil had leaked out and that the Master, by careful trimming of the vessel, had raised the hole above the level of the water and had relocated the rest of the oil. Fairdeal, the Greek shipping and anti-pollution company moved in within 2 h with three skimmers and worked to try to contain the spill which had spread to cover one square mile. However, 4 days later the spill, which was now known to have been 16 000 t of oil, had polluted 20 km of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Arab coastline and was threatening a further 40 km. Only around 2000 t had been recovered by the sea operation and further equipment was provided by Oman and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, owners of the Baynunah. Fairdeal concentrated on the offshore oil in an attempt to prevent it hitting the shore but the slick had grown to an unmanageable size for the equipment available. Large numbers of workers and mechanical shovels were used to remove contaminated sand but in some places was found to have penetrated to 1 m depth. A new method of clean-up was employed to try to remove the oil with minimum disturbance. A 50 m trench was dug and filled with water from a perforated pipe, this forced the water into the sand and, since the oil is lighter than water, it floated up and flowed into collection trenches. Fujairah will seek compensation for the disruption of its fishing industry and for any reduction in its scuba diving tourism business. The initial 5 days fishing losses were estimated by Fujairah officials to be at least $800 000. The spill coincided with calls from the Kuwait Oil Company (KOTC) for tighter environmental controls on these sea lanes which carry 50% of the world's oil exports and from the Regional Organization for the Protection of the Marine Environment (ROPME) for a shipping tax to help meet the cost of clean-ups. The KOTC also sought better ballast reception facilities as it is believed that 30 000 barrels of crude oil entered the sea every day in the area from ballast tanks and other operations. Fujairah had 65 vessels (mostly tankers) anchored in the area the night of the spill with a further 35 nearby and the chance of spills here is high.
Mexican Waste Water Treatment Monterey, north east Mexico's largest municipality, is to have a new multi-million dollar waste water treatment system. The Mexican federal government and the state of Nuevo Leon have given the development top priority as recent immigration has pushed Monterey's population to 2.5 million, overwhelming its water and sewer infrastructure. The treatment project is designed to eliminate the health problems caused by the introduction of raw sewage into natural water courses such as the San Juan River, which serves as the main