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Marine Pollution Bulletin Dennys. The agencies also believe that salmon populations in other New England rivers including Tunk Stream and Kennebec, Penobscot and St Crois rivers may be in danger, but do not warrant listing now because of inadequate scientific information. The proposal also includes a special rule allowing incidental take of Atlantic salmon resulting from activities regulated by state and local governments. The intent being to give the state of Maine the lead role in managing activities that could affect Atlantic salmon. The state will also develop a proposed conservation plan that the federal agencies will distribute for public comment prior to approval.
US Fisheries Reform Bill The US House of Representatives have passed the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act, strengthening marine fish habitat protection, stopping overfishing and reducing bycatch (non-commercial species caught inadvertently with targeted fish but which are generally killed). The successful passage of the Act is hailed as a great victory for the American Fisheries Society and other fishery conservation organizations. Paul Brouha, executive director of the AFS, a scientific organization of fisheries professionals said, in the society's journal Fisheries, that the new act was a major victory for marine anglers and fish. 'Previously, the Magnuson Act did not address the serious problems of wasteful bycatch and marine habitat destruction--both of which needlessly kill millions of fish each year. The new act recognizes that our fisheries are a finite source that need stronger management to sustain recreational and commercial fishing as well as the fisheries resource itself'. A key amendment endorsed by the AFS and the Marine Fish Conservation Network redefined the term 'optimum yield' to ensure long-term economic and ecological sustainability. The network also endorsed an amendment aimed at reducing wasteful bycatch, the amendment also closed a loop-hole created in the House Resources Committee version as a special exemption sought by the Gulf of Mexico shrimping industry, which the network considers the nation's most wasteful fishery. A third amendment protected important fish habitats from destructive fishing activities.
News-in-Brief Singapore The Calypso, famous for her part in bringing the underwater world of famous French oceanographer Jacques Cousteau to the public has been sunk in shallow muddy water in a Singapore shipyard. The accident happened when she was in collision with a barge which tore a hole in her hull at the waterline causing her to sink quickly, settling in about 5 m of water. 186
The Calypso was a 20-m converted British minesweeper, in which Cousteau, now 85, had toured the world's oceans since the 1950s filming for his TV series. She had arrived in Singapore in September after a research and filming mission in China and Vietnam, and was awaiting her next expedition to China. Cousteau Society members will now try to refloat her and bring her to a port city where she can be retired. Russia Oil has spilled from a ruptured pipeline running under the Belaya river near the town of Ufa in Russia's southern Ural mountains. The incident which occurred on 26 December was initially played down by Ministry officials and the state oil pipeline monopoly, Transnet who claimed that the spill had been completely dealt with in only 2 days after the incident. However, it soon became clear that the spill was substantial and had not gone away. Workers have now shut off the pipeline, put booms in the river and set fire to the oil to stop it spreading. Their work was severely hampered by bad weather conditions and the oil was reported to have spread down the river into the neighbouring region of Tartarstan, 160 km from Ufa by the end of the first week of January. USA A new 1-day dredging quantity record was set by the port of Los Angeles when it exceeded an average daily goal of 20 500 m 3 for its Pier 300/400 implementation programme. Overall 23 million tons of soil and 14 million tons of rock will have been dredged from Los Angeles harbour as part of the port's expansion programme. The dredged material will be used to create 225 acres of the new 582 acre Pier 400. The project is the largest undertaking by any US port, and it is the most significant capital development project for the harbour since its beginning in 1907.
Ireland The Irish National Petroleum Corporation has denied that the reopening of the Whiddy Island oil terminal in Bantry Bay on the west coast of Ireland will harm mussel production in the area. Bantry Bay is one of the country's leading mussel producers. The industry started after the oil tanker Betelgeuse blew up at the terminars jetty in 1979, killing 51 people. With the departure of Gulf Oil, jobs were lost and former employees began mussel farming. Because of fears about the effects of oil pollution, operations carried out by Bantry Terminals will be closely monitored by Forbairt, the Irish State industrial agency.
Japan A Japanese scientist has found significant levels of TBT in the tissues and organs of dead dolphins and other cetaceans, prompting fears that TBT pollution derived
US Fisheries Reform Bill The US House of Representatives have passed the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act, strengthening marine fish habitat protection, stopping overfishing and reducing bycatch (non-commercial species caught inadvertently with targeted fish but which are generally killed). The successful passage of the Act is hailed as a great victory for the American Fisheries Society and other fishery conservation organizations. Paul Brouha, executive director of the AFS, a scientific organization of fisheries professionals said, in the society's journal Fisheries, that the new act was a major victory for marine anglers and fish. 'Previously, the Magnuson Act did not address the serious problems of wasteful bycatch and marine habitat destruction--both of which needlessly kill millions of fish each year. The new act recognizes that our fisheries are a finite source that need stronger management to sustain recreational and commercial fishing as well as the fisheries resource itself'. A key amendment endorsed by the AFS and the Marine Fish Conservation Network redefined the term 'optimum yield' to ensure long-term economic and ecological sustainability. The network also endorsed an amendment aimed at reducing wasteful bycatch, the amendment also closed a loop-hole created in the House Resources Committee version as a special exemption sought by the Gulf of Mexico shrimping industry, which the network considers the nation's most wasteful fishery. A third amendment protected important fish habitats from destructive fishing activities.
News-in-Brief Singapore The Calypso, famous for her part in bringing the underwater world of famous French oceanographer Jacques Cousteau to the public has been sunk in shallow muddy water in a Singapore shipyard. The accident happened when she was in collision with a barge which tore a hole in her hull at the waterline causing her to sink quickly, settling in about 5 m of water. 186
The Calypso was a 20-m converted British minesweeper, in which Cousteau, now 85, had toured the world's oceans since the 1950s filming for his TV series. She had arrived in Singapore in September after a research and filming mission in China and Vietnam, and was awaiting her next expedition to China. Cousteau Society members will now try to refloat her and bring her to a port city where she can be retired. Russia Oil has spilled from a ruptured pipeline running under the Belaya river near the town of Ufa in Russia's southern Ural mountains. The incident which occurred on 26 December was initially played down by Ministry officials and the state oil pipeline monopoly, Transnet who claimed that the spill had been completely dealt with in only 2 days after the incident. However, it soon became clear that the spill was substantial and had not gone away. Workers have now shut off the pipeline, put booms in the river and set fire to the oil to stop it spreading. Their work was severely hampered by bad weather conditions and the oil was reported to have spread down the river into the neighbouring region of Tartarstan, 160 km from Ufa by the end of the first week of January. USA A new 1-day dredging quantity record was set by the port of Los Angeles when it exceeded an average daily goal of 20 500 m 3 for its Pier 300/400 implementation programme. Overall 23 million tons of soil and 14 million tons of rock will have been dredged from Los Angeles harbour as part of the port's expansion programme. The dredged material will be used to create 225 acres of the new 582 acre Pier 400. The project is the largest undertaking by any US port, and it is the most significant capital development project for the harbour since its beginning in 1907.
Ireland The Irish National Petroleum Corporation has denied that the reopening of the Whiddy Island oil terminal in Bantry Bay on the west coast of Ireland will harm mussel production in the area. Bantry Bay is one of the country's leading mussel producers. The industry started after the oil tanker Betelgeuse blew up at the terminars jetty in 1979, killing 51 people. With the departure of Gulf Oil, jobs were lost and former employees began mussel farming. Because of fears about the effects of oil pollution, operations carried out by Bantry Terminals will be closely monitored by Forbairt, the Irish State industrial agency.
Japan A Japanese scientist has found significant levels of TBT in the tissues and organs of dead dolphins and other cetaceans, prompting fears that TBT pollution derived