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Underwater yellowstone
sections to complete the coverage. Examples are drawn from all over the world but, not surprisingly, it is mostly based on work carried out from the CERBOM laboratories. The emphasis is therefore on hazards to human health. The first of three major divisions, dealing with the main types of marine pollution and their effects, repeats the traditional conclusion that bathing amongst faecal bacteria is safe unless the water is visually repulsive. In an otherwise full account of bacterial pollution, the contamination of shellfish is not mentioned; this is surprising, in view of recent events in the Mediterranean, particularly because the next section refers to the accumulation of radionuclides by marine biota and gives useful tables of concentration factors. Food chains and cycles are described, with particular reference to mercury and the Minamata tragedy; other forms of chemical pollution are dealt with rather briefly except for the possible consequences of oil production off the coasts of France. There follows an interesting discussion of 'secondary organic pollution', which apparently means mainly eutrophication, in which is quoted the impressive example of the lagoon at Tunis which, after the summer die-back of a green algal bloom, acquires a strong purple colour from an enormous population of sulphur bacteria. The possible interference of chemical pollutants with the function of pheromones (ttltmtdiateurs) is also mentioned. The second main division deals with methods; a section on hydrography is concerned largely with the proper selection of an outfall site, the use of tracers to determine dispersion, and instrumental methods for various water parameters. A biological section includes the sampling and culture of plankton and bacteria, although it omits the larger pelagic, benthic and littoral
organisms altogether. There is a sparse mention of chemical analysis, followed by an account of bioassay techniques for heavy metals in marine food chains, using mice. The final part, supposedly on prevention and control, is rather ntis-tiffed; it covers calculation of the survival-time of faecal bacteria and the dispersion of effluents under various circumstances, the design and operation of a hydraulic model and suggested criteria for water quality in ports, marinas and around bathing beaches. The standard of production is about the same as that of the parent journal. The type is clear and legible; of the numerous illustrations, the line-diagrams are good except where cartoon-like graphics have been incorporated (this was not very successful), while the reproduction of photographs is, as usual on ordinary paper, of variable quality. The binding of my copy did not survive an initial scan. There is no index, although one would be most valuable, since many subjects are dealt with in several different chapters and the contents list is cursory. The bibliography is arranged in the most annoying way possible, chapter by chapter at the back of the book, but it is full and up-to-date. Only a tenth of the references quoted were published before 1956 and one-half date from later than 1966; twenty of these appeared within the last year. Although many techniques are described in some detail, this is not a methods book; at the same time, it is too specialized and incomplete to be of much use as a student text, although it contains some interesting ideas. It will perhaps be of most interest to the marine scientist who wants to keep abreast of developments and, as such, I can recommend it particularly to the readers of this Bulletin. A. NELSON-SMITH
Underwater Yellowstone The call for the protection of the oceans of the world from the twin evils of over-exploitation and abuse, has been repeatedly echoed by scientists and international authorities. As one aspect of the debate the relatively new concept of marine national parks has been put forward. At the First World Congress on National Parks in Seattle, 1962, governments and other appropriate agencies were advised to examine the possibility of creating marine parks and reserves. The promotion of marine parks was also stressed by the l lth IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) General Assembly (Banff, Canada, 1972) and by the UN Conference on the Human Environment (Stockholm, 1972). The need for action to create a range of underwater reserves and marine parks has presented the problem of providing suitable and effective protection under appropriate legislation. In view of the deleterious effects of man's abuse and exploitation of the oceans, it could be argued that the major parts of man's efforts at the present time should primarily be directed towards control and clean-up activities. Perhaps advocates of marine parks are giving
emphasis to an issue which is not so deserving as the effort toward ending the use of seas as dumping grounds, and particularly toward terminating the massive in-flow of chlorinated hydrocarbons. The latter deafly poses the threat of imbalance of the ecosystem and reduced commercial productivity. However, any programme of action that brings pressure for controls which will protect the health of the ocean is both necessary and urgent, marine parks being one such programme. The enormous scientific, scenic, and economic values to be protected are evident in the raison d'etre of terrestrial national parks. We are indebted to such examples as Yellowstone for fostering the need to preserve and protecting outstanding ecosystems. The Second World Conference on National Parks in 1972 urged that action should be taken to conserve representative samples of marine ecosystems. While there has been limited success for marine-based parks (notably in Japan, United States and Kenya) the idea has not fully caught on, although the machinery is slowly moving in a number of other countries. In contrast to the wide acceptance and utilization of ter79 ¸
The M a r i n e Pollution Bulletin is published monthly and sets out to cover all aspects of the fight for the life of lakes, estuaries, seas and oceans. It includes news, comment, reviews and research reports not only on the threats of noxious substances to marine life but also on the management end productivity of the marine environment in general. It publishes accounts of new and proposed research programmes as well as the results of those in progress. C o n t r i b u t i o n s may be in the form of short notes not exceeding 650 words or articles of 1 5 0 0 - 2 0 0 0 words and should be submitted to the editor in double-spaced typescript. They should be given a short one-line title and the text should be broken by short sub-headings. All measurements must be given in metric (S.I.) units. Reprints of articles can be supplied after publication and an order form for them is sent to contributors. Bulk orders of copies of the entire issue in which an article appears can be supplied at a reduced rate to the author, provided they are ordered in advance of publication. Edited by: Professor R. B. Clark, Department of Zoology, The University, Newcastle upon Tyne, England NE1 7RU.
(AQUATECH 74) will take place in the RAI Halls, Amsterdam on September 17-21, 1974. The congress will provide an international forum for the discussion of all aspects of water management, and no fewer than 22 countries will be represented in the exhibition (which more than 50,000 visitors are expected to attend). Increasing urbanization and industrialization pose grave problems for the world's water supplies. The energy crisis has recently had a considerable effect on people's lives and thoughts, but the equally important question of the 'water crisis' has failed to capture the popular imagination. At this year's congress, the main theme will be the 'water crisis'.
Oil Pollution Control The Fourth Conference on Prevention and Control of Oil Pollution, to be held on March 25-27, 1975, at the Hyatt Regency, San Francisco, will be sponsored by the American Petroleum Institute, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and the US Coast Guard. This will be the fourth such conference to be cosponsored by the government and industry. The attendance figures for each of the past conferences has exceeded 1,000.
Marine Pollution Bulletin is published by Macmillan Journals Ltd., 4 Little Essex Street, London WC2R 3LF. Annual subscription £6.00 (£7.50 USA and Canada). (Payment may be made in any currency at the current exchange rate. Orders must be accompanied by remittance. Prices applicable only to subscriptions started before 31st December, 1974.) Cheques should be made payable to Macmillan Journals Ltd., Subscription Department, Brunel Road, Basingstoke, Hants. RG21 2XS, England.
restrial parks, the cause for their marine counterparts has been hindered by the absence of spectacular marine resources. The idea is difficult to 'sell' to the public and the decision-makers. The IUCN see the encouragement of this concept as part of the task of all conservation organizations. An International Conference on Marine Parks and Reserves is therefore being planned for May, 1975 in Tokyo. The conference will be sponsored by the Marine Parks Centre of Japan, The Environmental Protection Agency of Japan, the National Parks Association of Japan, and IUCN. It is hoped that this conference, with a preliminary meeting in Iran, will not only further the advance of marine parks, but also contribute something to the alleviation of international marine problems.
Water Crisis The Fifth International Technical Exhibition and Congress on the Treatment, Storage and Usage of Water 80
Dialogue Established ? The First World Congress of Environmental Medicine and Biology, to be held in Paris from 1-5 July, 1974, has been planned by the International Association of Medicine and Biology of the Environment and the World Office of Information on Environmental Problems. The latest recommendations of the United Nations Environmental Program have emphasized the biological factor as a fundamental element in the elaboration and instigation of policies for man's protection. It is felt, unfortunately, that there is a gulf between those in charge of the conservation of life on the one hand, biologists and medical doctors, and those in charge of the world and its environment on the other, the politicians and technicians. Consequently, this congress has been designed to promote and establish a dialogue between the various disciplines concerned with the environment and the quality of life. It is hoped that the latest data concerning the problems created by man will be presented, and that resolutions will be made, which should in future influence politicians and technicians in their decisions affecting the various fields of medicine and biology. The congress will be preceded by an International Symposium organized by the Commission of the European Communities, the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the World Health Organization, related to the recent advances in the assessment of the health effects of environmental pollution. General themes to be discussed will include water pollution and public health, and industrial man and his environment.
organisms altogether. There is a sparse mention of chemical analysis, followed by an account of bioassay techniques for heavy metals in marine food chains, using mice. The final part, supposedly on prevention and control, is rather ntis-tiffed; it covers calculation of the survival-time of faecal bacteria and the dispersion of effluents under various circumstances, the design and operation of a hydraulic model and suggested criteria for water quality in ports, marinas and around bathing beaches. The standard of production is about the same as that of the parent journal. The type is clear and legible; of the numerous illustrations, the line-diagrams are good except where cartoon-like graphics have been incorporated (this was not very successful), while the reproduction of photographs is, as usual on ordinary paper, of variable quality. The binding of my copy did not survive an initial scan. There is no index, although one would be most valuable, since many subjects are dealt with in several different chapters and the contents list is cursory. The bibliography is arranged in the most annoying way possible, chapter by chapter at the back of the book, but it is full and up-to-date. Only a tenth of the references quoted were published before 1956 and one-half date from later than 1966; twenty of these appeared within the last year. Although many techniques are described in some detail, this is not a methods book; at the same time, it is too specialized and incomplete to be of much use as a student text, although it contains some interesting ideas. It will perhaps be of most interest to the marine scientist who wants to keep abreast of developments and, as such, I can recommend it particularly to the readers of this Bulletin. A. NELSON-SMITH
Underwater Yellowstone The call for the protection of the oceans of the world from the twin evils of over-exploitation and abuse, has been repeatedly echoed by scientists and international authorities. As one aspect of the debate the relatively new concept of marine national parks has been put forward. At the First World Congress on National Parks in Seattle, 1962, governments and other appropriate agencies were advised to examine the possibility of creating marine parks and reserves. The promotion of marine parks was also stressed by the l lth IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) General Assembly (Banff, Canada, 1972) and by the UN Conference on the Human Environment (Stockholm, 1972). The need for action to create a range of underwater reserves and marine parks has presented the problem of providing suitable and effective protection under appropriate legislation. In view of the deleterious effects of man's abuse and exploitation of the oceans, it could be argued that the major parts of man's efforts at the present time should primarily be directed towards control and clean-up activities. Perhaps advocates of marine parks are giving
emphasis to an issue which is not so deserving as the effort toward ending the use of seas as dumping grounds, and particularly toward terminating the massive in-flow of chlorinated hydrocarbons. The latter deafly poses the threat of imbalance of the ecosystem and reduced commercial productivity. However, any programme of action that brings pressure for controls which will protect the health of the ocean is both necessary and urgent, marine parks being one such programme. The enormous scientific, scenic, and economic values to be protected are evident in the raison d'etre of terrestrial national parks. We are indebted to such examples as Yellowstone for fostering the need to preserve and protecting outstanding ecosystems. The Second World Conference on National Parks in 1972 urged that action should be taken to conserve representative samples of marine ecosystems. While there has been limited success for marine-based parks (notably in Japan, United States and Kenya) the idea has not fully caught on, although the machinery is slowly moving in a number of other countries. In contrast to the wide acceptance and utilization of ter79 ¸
The M a r i n e Pollution Bulletin is published monthly and sets out to cover all aspects of the fight for the life of lakes, estuaries, seas and oceans. It includes news, comment, reviews and research reports not only on the threats of noxious substances to marine life but also on the management end productivity of the marine environment in general. It publishes accounts of new and proposed research programmes as well as the results of those in progress. C o n t r i b u t i o n s may be in the form of short notes not exceeding 650 words or articles of 1 5 0 0 - 2 0 0 0 words and should be submitted to the editor in double-spaced typescript. They should be given a short one-line title and the text should be broken by short sub-headings. All measurements must be given in metric (S.I.) units. Reprints of articles can be supplied after publication and an order form for them is sent to contributors. Bulk orders of copies of the entire issue in which an article appears can be supplied at a reduced rate to the author, provided they are ordered in advance of publication. Edited by: Professor R. B. Clark, Department of Zoology, The University, Newcastle upon Tyne, England NE1 7RU.
(AQUATECH 74) will take place in the RAI Halls, Amsterdam on September 17-21, 1974. The congress will provide an international forum for the discussion of all aspects of water management, and no fewer than 22 countries will be represented in the exhibition (which more than 50,000 visitors are expected to attend). Increasing urbanization and industrialization pose grave problems for the world's water supplies. The energy crisis has recently had a considerable effect on people's lives and thoughts, but the equally important question of the 'water crisis' has failed to capture the popular imagination. At this year's congress, the main theme will be the 'water crisis'.
Oil Pollution Control The Fourth Conference on Prevention and Control of Oil Pollution, to be held on March 25-27, 1975, at the Hyatt Regency, San Francisco, will be sponsored by the American Petroleum Institute, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and the US Coast Guard. This will be the fourth such conference to be cosponsored by the government and industry. The attendance figures for each of the past conferences has exceeded 1,000.
Marine Pollution Bulletin is published by Macmillan Journals Ltd., 4 Little Essex Street, London WC2R 3LF. Annual subscription £6.00 (£7.50 USA and Canada). (Payment may be made in any currency at the current exchange rate. Orders must be accompanied by remittance. Prices applicable only to subscriptions started before 31st December, 1974.) Cheques should be made payable to Macmillan Journals Ltd., Subscription Department, Brunel Road, Basingstoke, Hants. RG21 2XS, England.
restrial parks, the cause for their marine counterparts has been hindered by the absence of spectacular marine resources. The idea is difficult to 'sell' to the public and the decision-makers. The IUCN see the encouragement of this concept as part of the task of all conservation organizations. An International Conference on Marine Parks and Reserves is therefore being planned for May, 1975 in Tokyo. The conference will be sponsored by the Marine Parks Centre of Japan, The Environmental Protection Agency of Japan, the National Parks Association of Japan, and IUCN. It is hoped that this conference, with a preliminary meeting in Iran, will not only further the advance of marine parks, but also contribute something to the alleviation of international marine problems.
Water Crisis The Fifth International Technical Exhibition and Congress on the Treatment, Storage and Usage of Water 80
Dialogue Established ? The First World Congress of Environmental Medicine and Biology, to be held in Paris from 1-5 July, 1974, has been planned by the International Association of Medicine and Biology of the Environment and the World Office of Information on Environmental Problems. The latest recommendations of the United Nations Environmental Program have emphasized the biological factor as a fundamental element in the elaboration and instigation of policies for man's protection. It is felt, unfortunately, that there is a gulf between those in charge of the conservation of life on the one hand, biologists and medical doctors, and those in charge of the world and its environment on the other, the politicians and technicians. Consequently, this congress has been designed to promote and establish a dialogue between the various disciplines concerned with the environment and the quality of life. It is hoped that the latest data concerning the problems created by man will be presented, and that resolutions will be made, which should in future influence politicians and technicians in their decisions affecting the various fields of medicine and biology. The congress will be preceded by an International Symposium organized by the Commission of the European Communities, the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the World Health Organization, related to the recent advances in the assessment of the health effects of environmental pollution. General themes to be discussed will include water pollution and public health, and industrial man and his environment.