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Oiled seabirds cleaned
Marine PollutionBulletin to bring this instrument into force as soon as possible. The target date is June 1981 which means that the required number of acceptances must be received by IMCO within the next two months. I would like to take this opportunity of urging all Governments to follow the example which has been set by Uruguay and Peru and try to meet this target".
Record Oil Spills in 1979 Last year was " a year of disasters", according to a report out by the British Advisory Committee on Oil Pollution of the Sea. Statistics have shown that a record quantity of oil was spilled worldwide in 1979, exceeding the record set in 1978. This was largely due to the Ixtoc I blow-out in the Gulf of Mexico, which leaked 140 million gallons of oil in the eight months before it was capped. It was the largest oil spill in world history. 1979 was also a year in which the loss of life associated with oil production and transportation was much worse than previous years. The French tanker Betelgeuse which exploded in Bantry Bay, Southern Ireland, claimed 51 lives, while more than 40 seamen died on the Rumanian tanker Independenta, which collided with a Greek cargo vessel in the Bosphorus in November 1979. Worldwide, over 300 people died in tanker accidents, doubling the number of casualties in 1978. Disasters continued into 1980 when over 100 lives were lost in the Ekofisk field in March. ACOPS' survey of oil pollution shows a continuing high level of minor incidents in the UK throughout the year - about 568 spillages were reported to the committee, most of them small, but in one incident, the wreck of the Skopelos Sky off Cornwall, over 1000 tons of oil were lost. Oil pollution has also increased in the Orkney and Shetland Islands, and seabird losses have caused considerable concern. Committee chairman Lord Ritchie-Calder has called for greater European Community action, which he feels would strengthen control over sub-standard vessels of Member States and enforce more effectively existing international agreements. His calls are supported by the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation. ACOPS' Executive Committee has decided to formalize its links with international organizations in order to assert more effectively British concerns abroad, and to participate more actively in the fight against marine pollution in international assemblies.
would have been about the normal wastage from this number of unmedicated birds in a static situation. The total number of birds conveyed was 138 made up as follows: 130 guillemots, 2 razorbills, 2 puffins, 3 scoters, 1 redshank. The birds had received no medication prior to arrival which raises the question of why there was none available for use by inspectors in this area. Eight guillemots died on the journey and nine died during the first night at the Unit leaving a total of 121 to actually come under treatment. Subsequent deaths totalled 49 and a further 15 were destroyed for the usual associated reasons from such an incident (ie. blindness, wing damage, etc.). Initial single feather and other tests for cleaning did not look promising and there seemed a possibility that the contaminating oil was similar to that from the North Cornwall incident of December 1979/January 1980 although it did not have the same appearance or 'feel'. Mr John Hughes, Warden of the Unit, was however, able to overcome these difficulties and achieve 100°70buoyancy results. Releases were made on the Dorset coast as follows: 2nd April 14guillemots 4th April 14guillemots, 2 scoters 5th April 7 guillemots, 1 razorbill, 1 puffin 6th April 4 guillemots 8th April 4 guillemots 14th April 6 guillemots, 1 puffin Four additional guillemots were released at a later date. As usual, all birds were ringed with BTO rings, except the puffins for which the appropriate rings were not in stock.
Tanker Casualty Study Plans to study causes and compile detailed technical explanations of the high rate of tanker casualties have been announced by the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) in London, England. The ICS, whose members represent nations owning twothirds of the world's merchant fleet, will work in conjunction with the Oil Companies International Marine Forum, and Intertanko, a Norwegian-based group of tanker owners. A similar report was made by the ICS in 1969, when recommendations were made to shippers of onboard safety, tank cleaning and static electricity prevention.
Law of the Sea--9th Session Oiled Seabirds Cleaned In mid-March a number of birds were contaminated on the north-east coast of England by oil from an unidentified source. RSPCA inspectors sent 138 of the less seriously oiled birds by road to the RSPCA Wildlife Field Unit near Taunton, some 350 miles away, where the Society has special bird deaning facilities. The birds arrived on the evening of 24 March. The birds had been carefully packed with no overcrowding in the containers and consequently had travelled well, as has been found to be the case with previous long journeys. The eight birds which had died en route 182
Two maj or amendments to the environmental community's draft text were made at the Ninth Session of the United Nations Law of the Sea Conference held in New York, in spring. Twenty six countries, including the USA, agreed that article 65 on marine mammals should allow states more freedom to ensure the conservation of marine life. The text exempts marine mammals from the full utilization obligation of other fisheries articles, and says that states may prohibit the taking of animals in the 200-mile economic zone, and apply any stringent strandards. The article refers mainly to the International Whaling Commission.
Record Oil Spills in 1979 Last year was " a year of disasters", according to a report out by the British Advisory Committee on Oil Pollution of the Sea. Statistics have shown that a record quantity of oil was spilled worldwide in 1979, exceeding the record set in 1978. This was largely due to the Ixtoc I blow-out in the Gulf of Mexico, which leaked 140 million gallons of oil in the eight months before it was capped. It was the largest oil spill in world history. 1979 was also a year in which the loss of life associated with oil production and transportation was much worse than previous years. The French tanker Betelgeuse which exploded in Bantry Bay, Southern Ireland, claimed 51 lives, while more than 40 seamen died on the Rumanian tanker Independenta, which collided with a Greek cargo vessel in the Bosphorus in November 1979. Worldwide, over 300 people died in tanker accidents, doubling the number of casualties in 1978. Disasters continued into 1980 when over 100 lives were lost in the Ekofisk field in March. ACOPS' survey of oil pollution shows a continuing high level of minor incidents in the UK throughout the year - about 568 spillages were reported to the committee, most of them small, but in one incident, the wreck of the Skopelos Sky off Cornwall, over 1000 tons of oil were lost. Oil pollution has also increased in the Orkney and Shetland Islands, and seabird losses have caused considerable concern. Committee chairman Lord Ritchie-Calder has called for greater European Community action, which he feels would strengthen control over sub-standard vessels of Member States and enforce more effectively existing international agreements. His calls are supported by the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation. ACOPS' Executive Committee has decided to formalize its links with international organizations in order to assert more effectively British concerns abroad, and to participate more actively in the fight against marine pollution in international assemblies.
would have been about the normal wastage from this number of unmedicated birds in a static situation. The total number of birds conveyed was 138 made up as follows: 130 guillemots, 2 razorbills, 2 puffins, 3 scoters, 1 redshank. The birds had received no medication prior to arrival which raises the question of why there was none available for use by inspectors in this area. Eight guillemots died on the journey and nine died during the first night at the Unit leaving a total of 121 to actually come under treatment. Subsequent deaths totalled 49 and a further 15 were destroyed for the usual associated reasons from such an incident (ie. blindness, wing damage, etc.). Initial single feather and other tests for cleaning did not look promising and there seemed a possibility that the contaminating oil was similar to that from the North Cornwall incident of December 1979/January 1980 although it did not have the same appearance or 'feel'. Mr John Hughes, Warden of the Unit, was however, able to overcome these difficulties and achieve 100°70buoyancy results. Releases were made on the Dorset coast as follows: 2nd April 14guillemots 4th April 14guillemots, 2 scoters 5th April 7 guillemots, 1 razorbill, 1 puffin 6th April 4 guillemots 8th April 4 guillemots 14th April 6 guillemots, 1 puffin Four additional guillemots were released at a later date. As usual, all birds were ringed with BTO rings, except the puffins for which the appropriate rings were not in stock.
Tanker Casualty Study Plans to study causes and compile detailed technical explanations of the high rate of tanker casualties have been announced by the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) in London, England. The ICS, whose members represent nations owning twothirds of the world's merchant fleet, will work in conjunction with the Oil Companies International Marine Forum, and Intertanko, a Norwegian-based group of tanker owners. A similar report was made by the ICS in 1969, when recommendations were made to shippers of onboard safety, tank cleaning and static electricity prevention.
Law of the Sea--9th Session Oiled Seabirds Cleaned In mid-March a number of birds were contaminated on the north-east coast of England by oil from an unidentified source. RSPCA inspectors sent 138 of the less seriously oiled birds by road to the RSPCA Wildlife Field Unit near Taunton, some 350 miles away, where the Society has special bird deaning facilities. The birds arrived on the evening of 24 March. The birds had been carefully packed with no overcrowding in the containers and consequently had travelled well, as has been found to be the case with previous long journeys. The eight birds which had died en route 182
Two maj or amendments to the environmental community's draft text were made at the Ninth Session of the United Nations Law of the Sea Conference held in New York, in spring. Twenty six countries, including the USA, agreed that article 65 on marine mammals should allow states more freedom to ensure the conservation of marine life. The text exempts marine mammals from the full utilization obligation of other fisheries articles, and says that states may prohibit the taking of animals in the 200-mile economic zone, and apply any stringent strandards. The article refers mainly to the International Whaling Commission.