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Tanker casualty rate down
Marine PollutionBulletin
Tanker Casualty Rate Down The oil tanker m a n n e casualty rate for 1983 was the second lowest since 1968 These findings are part of a recent report by the Steenng Group on Casualty Statistics of the Maritime Safety Committee, of the International Maritime Organization The survey of 3100 sea-going tankers of 6000 gross tons and above, shows that 1 87 in every 100 were involved in a serious casualty dunng the year The report is based on information from Lloyd's Register of Shipping and will be presented to the Maritime Safety Comnnttee, which will meet at IMO's L o n d o n headquarters in November this year The Steering Group states that the casualty rate of 1 87% is the second lowest for the 16-year period over which the analyses have been carried out When they considered statistics relating to loss of life, the figure for 1983 was only 20--the lowest ever recorded In the 16-year period
Probe of Oil Exploration Impact A joint federal-provincial panel, to examine the environmental and SOClO-economlc effects of oil exploration off the British Cohimbla coast, will hold mformatlon meetings to explain its mandate and to obtain feedback of what conservaUon restrictions should be Imposed on the oil companies in communities along the coast of the Queen Charlotte Islands dunng October 1984 Some prehmmary exploration for oll occurred there during the 1960s A moratorium on oil exploration off this coast has been in effect since 1970 Even before the moratorium was established by the federal government, there has been a dispute between the provincial and federal governments about jurisdiction over the continental shelf and its sea-bed resources Recently, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the province has junsdictlon over the waters and sea-bed between Vancouver Island and the mainland of Brmsh Columbia (Strait of Georgia, Discovery Passage, Johnstone Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound) The question of jurisdiction over waters off the outer coasts of Vancouver Island and the Queen Charlotte Islands, as well as Hecate Strait (the body of water between the Queen Charlotte Island and the British Columbia mainland), was left open by the Supreme Court Panel hearings wall also be held m the affected communities during April 1985 to allow the public to address the panel formally with their concerns The panel's report is expected to be released in mid-1985, and until then, exploration of the potentially oil-rich Pacific coast will be kept on hold
Dr F S Abbott, Head of Biology Section at Environment Canada Since oil spills on water can have adverse effects on aquatic life, coastal resources and human beings, the first consideration when selecting counter-measures should be physical containment and the removal of oil from the water In most situations it is essential that the environmental advantages and disadvantages resulting from the use of dispersants be carefully scrutinized to ensure that a net environmental benefit will result Therefore it is essential that anyone in charge of clean-up operations should take into account the new guidelines, especially those concerning toxicity, effectiveness, contents and labelling Copies of the guidelines are available in English and French from the Environmental Protection Service, Department of the Environment, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K I A 1C8
Singing Whales Blue whales 'singing' to one another have been heard off the coast of Sn Lanka by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) research vessel Scientists aboard the Tuhp have not yet worked out the significance of the patterns of sounds emitted by whales in the area The scientists often heard low moans and it seemed that two whales were responding to each other, chorusing to attract mates or competing vocally for a feeding or breeding location, or even broadcasting the presence of food to other blue whales, since such low-frequency sounds can travel great distances underwater In one area where sperm whales were abundant, they discovered that while feeding, the whales made loud, slow clicks On several occasions lone suckling calves could be found on the surface while adults feed perhaps a kllometre or more beneath them It seems the calves follow on the surface by tracking them acoustically As the Tuhp drew closer to the whale group, they noticed it was tighter than before and their vocalizations more diverse After a few hours the group began to move more slowly, stopping and regrouping more often The whales began to form a star-shaped pattern with their heads together Not only were they interacting with one another but their actions seemed to be directed toward the boat The whales took up places on either side of the boat and for a while it was as If the boat was part of the group The scientists knew that the whales would not hit them by mistake and it seemed they had been accepted as harmless
How to Use Dispersants
Mining Company Sued by Fishermen
Revised guidelines, aimed at contingency planners, operators Involved in oil spill counter-measures and manufacturers of oll spill dlspersants, have recently been published Gutdehnes on the Use and Acceptabthty of Od Spdl Dtspersants is the result of the work of the Ad Hoc Committee for the revision of the guidelines, chaired by
Amax of Canada Ltd, whose molybdenum inane at Kltsault on the northernmost coast of British Columbia was closed Indefinitely in July 1983 because of poor market conditions, is now being sued by crab fishermen for polluting Alice Arm The molybdenum rmne began operation in the spring of 1981, surrounded by a great
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Tanker Casualty Rate Down The oil tanker m a n n e casualty rate for 1983 was the second lowest since 1968 These findings are part of a recent report by the Steenng Group on Casualty Statistics of the Maritime Safety Committee, of the International Maritime Organization The survey of 3100 sea-going tankers of 6000 gross tons and above, shows that 1 87 in every 100 were involved in a serious casualty dunng the year The report is based on information from Lloyd's Register of Shipping and will be presented to the Maritime Safety Comnnttee, which will meet at IMO's L o n d o n headquarters in November this year The Steering Group states that the casualty rate of 1 87% is the second lowest for the 16-year period over which the analyses have been carried out When they considered statistics relating to loss of life, the figure for 1983 was only 20--the lowest ever recorded In the 16-year period
Probe of Oil Exploration Impact A joint federal-provincial panel, to examine the environmental and SOClO-economlc effects of oil exploration off the British Cohimbla coast, will hold mformatlon meetings to explain its mandate and to obtain feedback of what conservaUon restrictions should be Imposed on the oil companies in communities along the coast of the Queen Charlotte Islands dunng October 1984 Some prehmmary exploration for oll occurred there during the 1960s A moratorium on oil exploration off this coast has been in effect since 1970 Even before the moratorium was established by the federal government, there has been a dispute between the provincial and federal governments about jurisdiction over the continental shelf and its sea-bed resources Recently, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the province has junsdictlon over the waters and sea-bed between Vancouver Island and the mainland of Brmsh Columbia (Strait of Georgia, Discovery Passage, Johnstone Strait and Queen Charlotte Sound) The question of jurisdiction over waters off the outer coasts of Vancouver Island and the Queen Charlotte Islands, as well as Hecate Strait (the body of water between the Queen Charlotte Island and the British Columbia mainland), was left open by the Supreme Court Panel hearings wall also be held m the affected communities during April 1985 to allow the public to address the panel formally with their concerns The panel's report is expected to be released in mid-1985, and until then, exploration of the potentially oil-rich Pacific coast will be kept on hold
Dr F S Abbott, Head of Biology Section at Environment Canada Since oil spills on water can have adverse effects on aquatic life, coastal resources and human beings, the first consideration when selecting counter-measures should be physical containment and the removal of oil from the water In most situations it is essential that the environmental advantages and disadvantages resulting from the use of dispersants be carefully scrutinized to ensure that a net environmental benefit will result Therefore it is essential that anyone in charge of clean-up operations should take into account the new guidelines, especially those concerning toxicity, effectiveness, contents and labelling Copies of the guidelines are available in English and French from the Environmental Protection Service, Department of the Environment, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K I A 1C8
Singing Whales Blue whales 'singing' to one another have been heard off the coast of Sn Lanka by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) research vessel Scientists aboard the Tuhp have not yet worked out the significance of the patterns of sounds emitted by whales in the area The scientists often heard low moans and it seemed that two whales were responding to each other, chorusing to attract mates or competing vocally for a feeding or breeding location, or even broadcasting the presence of food to other blue whales, since such low-frequency sounds can travel great distances underwater In one area where sperm whales were abundant, they discovered that while feeding, the whales made loud, slow clicks On several occasions lone suckling calves could be found on the surface while adults feed perhaps a kllometre or more beneath them It seems the calves follow on the surface by tracking them acoustically As the Tuhp drew closer to the whale group, they noticed it was tighter than before and their vocalizations more diverse After a few hours the group began to move more slowly, stopping and regrouping more often The whales began to form a star-shaped pattern with their heads together Not only were they interacting with one another but their actions seemed to be directed toward the boat The whales took up places on either side of the boat and for a while it was as If the boat was part of the group The scientists knew that the whales would not hit them by mistake and it seemed they had been accepted as harmless
How to Use Dispersants
Mining Company Sued by Fishermen
Revised guidelines, aimed at contingency planners, operators Involved in oil spill counter-measures and manufacturers of oll spill dlspersants, have recently been published Gutdehnes on the Use and Acceptabthty of Od Spdl Dtspersants is the result of the work of the Ad Hoc Committee for the revision of the guidelines, chaired by
Amax of Canada Ltd, whose molybdenum inane at Kltsault on the northernmost coast of British Columbia was closed Indefinitely in July 1983 because of poor market conditions, is now being sued by crab fishermen for polluting Alice Arm The molybdenum rmne began operation in the spring of 1981, surrounded by a great
316