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Marine growths obstruct sewage outfalls
Marine PollutionBulletin Their report will constitute a working paper for a workshop of experts from the countries who will meet in the near future to draft an East African Action Plan, the final version of which is likely to be agreed at an Intergovernmental Conference in 1983. The UNEP project covers the coastal and marine area stretching from Somalia in the Horn of Africa to Mozambique in the south of the continent and includes the islands of Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles and the Comoros. The fact-finding mission will report on oil pollution control, conservation of coastal and marine resources, ecosystems, pollution levels and hazards to human health, marine and coastal area developments and pollution from industrial sources.
East-Asian Anti-pollution Trust The five-member Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) has contributed US$172 000 to an anti-pollution trust fund for the East Asian seas. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is contributing US$200 000 to the Association's overall plan to fight pollution in their environment, half of it specifically to the trust fund. The ASEAN countries -Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines - have also formed a co-ordinating body to implement the plan launched earlier this year.
Whale Experts Set Sail Marine Growths Obstruct Sewage Outfalls A report in the International Association on Water Pollution Research (IAWPR) newsletter (No. 1, 1982) states that difficulties have been discovered in the operation of a number of the long sea outfalls around the coast of the UK. The main cause of the difficulties is the marine growth developing inside the outfalls and creating obstructions to the effluent outflow. There appear to be two main reasons for the marine growth, according to research into the problem being carried out at the University of Dundee, Scotland, under the direction of Dr J. Charlton. He attributes it firstly to the exit velocities of the effuents from long outfalls, designed to be at a minimum to facilitate maximum dilution of the effluent in the sea. The saline intrusion which occurs produces the marine growth which is not flushed from the system at higher flows and leads to its cultivation in the pipeline. The second factor leading to marine growth is outfalls working at undercapacity due to the fact that they are designed for a long life and often do not reach their design capacity for a number of years. In addition, they may operate at different capacities depending on the hydraulic load upstream. Dr Charlton believes that mechanical devices to prevent backflow will not solve the problem because of maintenance difficulties but believes the solution lies in fluid dynamics. One idea being worked on is the blocking off of some of the outfall diffuser during the early part of its life and bringing it back into commission as the capacity flow builds up over the years.
The World Wildlife Fund's 10-m sloop Tulip has now sailed for the Indian Ocean as part of a three-year sperm whale study sponsored by the Fund. It is being captained by WWF scientist and sailor Hal Whitehead who has already made a study of the humpback whale. Joining Hal Whitehead in the Indian Ocean - a sanctuary for whales since 1979-are Jonathan Gordon, an experienced sailor who made a study of sperm whales off the Azores while a student at Cambridge, Gay Ailing, who was involved in a study of the humpback whale off Greenland last year, and Nicola Rotton, who was also on the Azores expedition. The fifth berth on the Tulip is to be used for visiting scientists, who will join the Tulip expedition for short periods. The first to occupy it was Pieter Lagendijk, WWF Netherlands representative and an experienced campaigner for the whale.
Round-the-World News USA
Krill Treaty Enforcement in Sight
Around 33 500 gallons of diesel fuel spilled into Galveston harbour in Texas from the US ship Delta Norte while it was being off-loaded following a collision with another vessel. Most was recovered in a clean-up operation. While the vessel was loaded and lying low in the water, the hydrostatic pressure prevented the fuel from leaking out of the hole but as it was off-loaded the pressure decreased, allowing the fuel to escape. In a clean-up operation, the vessel, the docks and a portion of the harbour were surrounded by boom and the hole in the damaged bow plugged with sorbent bales. A total of 12 vacuum boats and six workboats recovered some 33 000 gallons of the diesel fuel. Oiled harbour bulkheads and around 50 oiled pleasure boats were cleaned manually by workers.
The Antartic Krill Treaty has been ratified by the US. It becomes the seventh government to ratify the Conservation Convention on the Marine Living Resources of the Southern Oceans and only one more ratification is needed for it to come into force. It is anticipated that this last nation will ratify in time for the first meeting of the governmental Commission and Scientific Committee to take place in May or June this year in Hobart, Australia.
The U.S. Sea Grant Programme officially won its 35 million dollar funding when the third Continuing Appropriations Resolution (PL 97-92) was signed into law by the President. The resolution provides funding for the period from 16 December 1981 to 31 March 1982, at which time it expires. The appropriation represents around a 15070 cut from last year's budget.
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East-Asian Anti-pollution Trust The five-member Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) has contributed US$172 000 to an anti-pollution trust fund for the East Asian seas. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is contributing US$200 000 to the Association's overall plan to fight pollution in their environment, half of it specifically to the trust fund. The ASEAN countries -Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines - have also formed a co-ordinating body to implement the plan launched earlier this year.
Whale Experts Set Sail Marine Growths Obstruct Sewage Outfalls A report in the International Association on Water Pollution Research (IAWPR) newsletter (No. 1, 1982) states that difficulties have been discovered in the operation of a number of the long sea outfalls around the coast of the UK. The main cause of the difficulties is the marine growth developing inside the outfalls and creating obstructions to the effluent outflow. There appear to be two main reasons for the marine growth, according to research into the problem being carried out at the University of Dundee, Scotland, under the direction of Dr J. Charlton. He attributes it firstly to the exit velocities of the effuents from long outfalls, designed to be at a minimum to facilitate maximum dilution of the effluent in the sea. The saline intrusion which occurs produces the marine growth which is not flushed from the system at higher flows and leads to its cultivation in the pipeline. The second factor leading to marine growth is outfalls working at undercapacity due to the fact that they are designed for a long life and often do not reach their design capacity for a number of years. In addition, they may operate at different capacities depending on the hydraulic load upstream. Dr Charlton believes that mechanical devices to prevent backflow will not solve the problem because of maintenance difficulties but believes the solution lies in fluid dynamics. One idea being worked on is the blocking off of some of the outfall diffuser during the early part of its life and bringing it back into commission as the capacity flow builds up over the years.
The World Wildlife Fund's 10-m sloop Tulip has now sailed for the Indian Ocean as part of a three-year sperm whale study sponsored by the Fund. It is being captained by WWF scientist and sailor Hal Whitehead who has already made a study of the humpback whale. Joining Hal Whitehead in the Indian Ocean - a sanctuary for whales since 1979-are Jonathan Gordon, an experienced sailor who made a study of sperm whales off the Azores while a student at Cambridge, Gay Ailing, who was involved in a study of the humpback whale off Greenland last year, and Nicola Rotton, who was also on the Azores expedition. The fifth berth on the Tulip is to be used for visiting scientists, who will join the Tulip expedition for short periods. The first to occupy it was Pieter Lagendijk, WWF Netherlands representative and an experienced campaigner for the whale.
Round-the-World News USA
Krill Treaty Enforcement in Sight
Around 33 500 gallons of diesel fuel spilled into Galveston harbour in Texas from the US ship Delta Norte while it was being off-loaded following a collision with another vessel. Most was recovered in a clean-up operation. While the vessel was loaded and lying low in the water, the hydrostatic pressure prevented the fuel from leaking out of the hole but as it was off-loaded the pressure decreased, allowing the fuel to escape. In a clean-up operation, the vessel, the docks and a portion of the harbour were surrounded by boom and the hole in the damaged bow plugged with sorbent bales. A total of 12 vacuum boats and six workboats recovered some 33 000 gallons of the diesel fuel. Oiled harbour bulkheads and around 50 oiled pleasure boats were cleaned manually by workers.
The Antartic Krill Treaty has been ratified by the US. It becomes the seventh government to ratify the Conservation Convention on the Marine Living Resources of the Southern Oceans and only one more ratification is needed for it to come into force. It is anticipated that this last nation will ratify in time for the first meeting of the governmental Commission and Scientific Committee to take place in May or June this year in Hobart, Australia.
The U.S. Sea Grant Programme officially won its 35 million dollar funding when the third Continuing Appropriations Resolution (PL 97-92) was signed into law by the President. The resolution provides funding for the period from 16 December 1981 to 31 March 1982, at which time it expires. The appropriation represents around a 15070 cut from last year's budget.
148