Constantine Alexander's Journal

EUROPEAN FISH WEEK - Back to the Future

A coalition dedicated to ensuring that the 2012 reform of the EU Common Fisheries Policy stops overfishing, ends destructive fishing practices and delivers fair and equitable use of healthy fish stocks.

Back to the Future English  Deutsch  Español  Français  Italiano  Nederlands  Polski  Português OCEAN2012 is hosting the second European Fish Week from June 4-12 2011. Throughout the week and around Europe, we will be taking a look at how our marine environment used to be healthier, how overfishing has changed this and how the upcoming reform of Europe's Common Fisheries Policy is an opportunity to go Back to the Future. With the Commission's proposal for a reformed CFP due out on July 13, European fisheries ministers need to hear of the past richness of our seas and fishing communities with the message: "we want it back". European Fish Week events Help us to deliver this message to your minister by getting involved in an event near you. Across Europe, OCEAN2012 members will be hosting events. Find out what's happening near you on our interactive events map. If you or your organisation are interested in participating in this year's European Fish Week, please contact Rozan Consten, [email protected], +32 2 2741628 In addition we would welcome historic stories (photos, video, songs, etc.) on fishing, fisheries dependent communities, or the abundance of fish in the sea to showcase on our website. You can send them to Mike Walker, [email protected], +32 2 2741625. Newsletter and action alerts If you haven't already, or someone forwarded this message to you, please sign up to receive our quarterly newsletter and/or occasional action alerts to help ensure healthy fish stocks for the future on the OCEAN2012 home page. Thank you for supporting this year's European Fish Week, Mike and Rozan OCEAN2012 Friend on Facebook Follow on Twitter In this newsletter Back to the Future European Fish Week events Newsletter and action alerts European Fish Week events Join an event near you! Photo exhibition preview View a selection of images by Corey Arnold, infographics by David McCandless and historic archive images, from photo exhibitions being held in nine European countries during European Fish Week. OCEAN2012 now has over 120 members. If you would like to join us find out more.

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EU LIFE project videos

View LIFE project videos
	A selection of over 150 LIFE project videos can now be viewed online from the new ‘LIFE Video Player These short video clips provide a fascinating insight into LIFE and LIFE+ projects. Each of the programme's nature, biodiversity and environment themes is represented and further divided by sub-categories to enable a quick search for clips within specific categories. Under the LIFE Nature & Biodiversity theme, for example, you can search for LIFE projects covering 'Biodiversity issues', "Habitats', or 'Species'. And for LIFE Environment Policy & Governance projects, there are 10 sub-categories of projects from 'Air & Noise', 'Information - Communication', to 'Water' and 'Waste'.

Sand Grains

Trailer for the documentary Sand Grains produced & directed by Gabriel Manrique and Jordie Montevecchi. The island nation of Cape Verde is running out of fish but so is the EU. To secure fishing treaties, the EU uses it's arsenal of embargo, black list and corruption. This is the personal story of Jose Fortes, how the EU treaties affect his family and friends in the fishing village of Ribeira da Barca and how people have to destroy their environment to be able to survive. A Matchbox Media Production.

PISCES film released

The PISCES LIFE project has produced a promotional film that explains how the project will be a powerful mechanism for change in the Celtic Sea. The film highlights the competing interests of users of the sea and the impacts of their actions. It presents the benefits of communication among PISCES stakeholders, the production of a code of conduct and the drawing up of guidelines for how the whole ecosystem can be managed in the future.

The film is the first in a series of “Reflections on Change” videos, which will be showcased at the June workshop in Brittany. The films will be available afterwards to view on the project website.  

The PISCES project is bringing together the major sectors operating within the Celtic Sea to find a way to manage activities sustainably. The aim is to introduce an ecosystem approach to marine management that will be relevant and useful to people operating within and around the Celtic Sea.

A key outcome will be a set of practical guidelines for an ecosystem approach that will inform the implementation of EU legislation: the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). The Directive requires Ireland, France and the UK to draw up co-ordinated strategies to protect and restore Europe’s marine ecosystems.

 

EU Environment Policy Brief

NOAA: Endangered species listing for Atlantic bluefin tuna not warranted

Agency remains concerned; will revisit decision with new science

School of bluefin tuna. Credit: NOAA Fisheries Service

After an extensive scientific review, NOAA announced today that Atlantic bluefin tuna currently do not warrant species protection under the Endangered Species Act.

NOAA has committed to revisit this decision by early 2013, when more information will be available about the effects of the Deepwater Horizon BP oil spill, as well as a new stock assessment from the scientific arm of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, the international body charged with the fish’s management and conservation.

NOAA is formally designating both the western Atlantic and eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean stocks of bluefin tuna as “species of concern” under the Endangered Species Act. This places the species on a watchlist for concerns about its status and threats to the species.

“NOAA is concerned about the status of bluefin tuna, including the potential effects of the Deepwater Horizon BP oil spill on the western stock of Atlantic bluefin, which spawns in the Gulf of Mexico,” said Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. “We will revisit the status of the species in early 2013 when we will have a new stock assessment and information from the Natural Resource Damage Assessment of the oil spill. We will also take action in the interim if new information indicates the need for greater protection.”

NOAA’s status review, released with today’s decision and peer-reviewed by The Center for Independent Experts, indicates that based on the best available information and assuming  countries comply with the bluefin tuna fishing quotas established by ICCAT, both the western and eastern Atlantic stocks are not likely to become extinct.

The status review team also looked at the best available information on the potential effects of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon BP oil spill on the future abundance of the western stock of bluefin tuna and found that it did not substantially alter the results of the extinction risk analysis.  While the NOAA team found that the presently available information did not favor listing, it also recognized the need to continue to monitor the potential long-term effects of the spill on bluefin tuna and the overall ecosystem. New scientific information is expected in a 2012 bluefin tuna stock assessment and as part of the Natural Resources Damage Assessment of the Deepwater Horizon BP oil spill. 

 “Based on careful scientific review, we have decided the best way to ensure the long-term sustainability of bluefin tuna is through international cooperation and strong domestic fishery management,” said Eric Schwaab, assistant NOAA administrator for NOAA’s Fisheries Service. “The United States will continue to be a leader in advocating science-based quotas at ICCAT, full compliance with these quotas and other management measures to ensure the long-term viability of this and other important fish stocks.”

NOAA conducted the status review of Atlantic bluefin after determining on Sept. 21, 2010, that a petition for listing under the ESA from a national environmental organization warranted a scientific status review.

To read the status review report on Atlantic bluefin tuna, the federal register notice and other information on bluefin tuna, please go to this page.

NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Find the NOAA on Facebook.

Related Press Articles:

Atlantic bluefin tuna on U.S. environmental watchlist

The U.S. government put the Atlantic bluefin tuna on an environmental watchlist as a "species of concern" on Friday, and will keep checking for any impact on these fish from the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. (REUTERS)

U.S. Declines to Protect the Overfished Bluefin Tuna

The Obama administration said on Friday that it had declined to grant Endangered Species Act protections to the Atlantic bluefin tuna, whose numbers have declined precipitously because of overfishing on both sides of the ocean. (International Herald Tribune)

What fish is on your plate?

Commission scientists publish report on how new technologies can tackle fishing fraud

Low-cost catfish fillets sold as expensive sole fillets or cod caught in the North Sea but declared as originating from the Baltic Sea are both examples of types of fraud in the fisheries sector. A European Commission report published today shows how molecular technologies - based on genetics, genomics, chemistry and forensics - can provide clear answers to questions such as "what species does this fish product come from….where was this fish caught….is it wild or farmed?". The report by the Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC), is called "Deterring illegal activities in the fisheries sector" and shows how these technologies can help in the fight against illegal practices and support traceability- including of processed products such as canned fish - "from ocean to fork".

Presenting the report at the "Slow Fish" event in Genoa, European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Maria Damanaki said: "Illegal fishing is said to be worth €10 billion euro per year worldwide. It is a criminal activity which negatively affects the global economy, disrupts marine ecosystems, and damages fisheries communities and consumers. Without respect for the rules in EU waters and beyond, there can be no sustainable fisheries. Today marks a first step into a new era, the challenge now will be transferring this new science into day-to-day practice across Europe."

Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science and the Commissioner with lead responsibility for the JRC said: "This crucial report by the Commission's in-house scientists at the JRC shows how the wider and more coordinated use of innovative molecular technologies can help foil fisheries fraud and make sure consumers get what they pay for and know what they are eating."

Labelling fish and fish products with a false species name or declaring false geographic origins are two common fraudulent techniques in the fisheries sector. The report describes how molecular methods, such as those based on DNA-technology, make it possible to identify species even in processed products, without the need for expert knowledge. Molecular technologies are therefore a powerful tool for independent control and can assist verification procedures, especially during the so-called "physical examination" of a consignment, product, container, storage place, etc.

The JRC report advocates a coherent and practical EU-wide approach towards making new molecular technologies available to European control and enforcement authorities.

It aims to promote an informed dialogue among the various stakeholders and proposes the following concrete measures:

• stepping up dissemination of relevant information and advice to all stakeholders;
• giving analytical laboratories in the Member States access to common repositories of reference data and other relevant knowledge for the analysis of fish and fish products. These repositories could be similar to the "fishtrace" database (www.fishtrace.org), hosted by the JRC;
• a network of certified test laboratories to carry out analysis for control and enforcement purposes and to share harmonised and validated analytical protocols;
• ensuring full training of inspectors and laboratory staff for proper sample handling and analysis.

The JRC is currently assessing costs and benefits based on data from more than 100 reported cases to facilitate the practical implementation of the technologies concerned. The costs of many of these technologies, in particular for DNA analysis, have been falling sharply.

Background

To improve the traceability of fish products and combat illegal fishing, the Commission is currently investing in the implementation of the IUU regulation (see MEMO/09/2002), under which all marine fishery products must be accompanied by validated catch certificates. It is up to competent authorities in the Member States to validate certificates. State-of-the-art control technologies, like the ones described in the new JRC report, can contribute to this process.

Slow Fish 2011, in Genoa (Italy) from May 27 to 30, is the fifth biannual international event dedicated to the world of fish and marine ecosystems. Debates, meetings, workshops and tastings will focus on sustainable fishing and responsible seafood consumption.

Glossary

• Genetics: The study of heredity and heritable variation in organisms. In this case, the study of genetic markers to reveal differences between species or differences between groups (populations) of the same species.
• Genomics: The study of a large number of genes or genetic markers in the genome. Today 'high throughput sequencing' allows sequencing of huge stretches of DNA (whole genomes) in a short time.
• Forensics: Scientific discipline dedicated to the methodical gathering and analysis of evidence to establish facts that can be presented in a legal proceeding. (In short: the application of scientific analysis to inform criminal investigations)

Contact: Berta Duane
[email protected]
39-033-278-9743
European Commission Joint Research Centre

Human impacts of rising oceans will extend well beyond coasts

Identifying the human impact of rising sea levels is far more complex than just looking at coastal cities on a map.

Rather, estimates that are based on current, static population data can greatly misrepresent the true extent – and the pronounced variability – of the human toll of climate change, say University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers.

"Not all places and not all people in those places will be impacted equally," says Katherine Curtis, an assistant professor of community and environmental sociology at UW-Madison.

In a new online report, which will publish in an upcoming issue of the peer-reviewed journal Population and Environment, Curtis and her colleague Annemarie Schneider examine the impacts of rising oceans as one element of how a changing climate will affect humans. "We're linking economic and social vulnerability with environmental vulnerability to better understand which areas and their populations are most vulnerable," Curtis says.

They used existing climate projections and maps to identify areas at risk of inundation from rising sea levels and storm surges, such as the one that breached New Orleans levees after Hurricane Katrina, then coupled those vulnerability assessments with projections for future populations.

It's a deceptively challenging process, the authors say. "Time scales for climate models and time scales for human demography are completely different," explains Schneider, part of the Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment at UW-Madison's Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies. "Future climate scenarios typically span 50 to 100 years or more. That's unreasonable for demographic projections, which are often conducted on the order of decades."

The current study works to better align population and climate data in both space and time, allowing the researchers to describe social and demographic dimensions of environmental vulnerability.

The analysis focuses on four regions they identified as highly susceptible to flooding: the tip of the Florida peninsula, coastal South Carolina, the northern New Jersey coastline, and the greater Sacramento region of northern California, areas that span a range of population demographics. (New Orleans was not included as a study site due to major population changes since the 2000 census.)

With help from the UW-Madison Applied Population Laboratory, the researchers used 2000 census data and current patterns of population change to predict future population demographics in those areas. By 2030, they report, more than 19 million people will be affected by rising sea levels just in their four study areas.

And many of those people may be in unexpected places. The case studies clearly reveal the importance of considering people's patterns of movement.

"No area is completely isolated, and migration networks are one of the ways we think about connections across places. Through these networks, environmental impacts will have a ripple effect," Curtis says.

In one example, if Florida floods, New York and Los Angeles will feel the effects – in 2000, 14,000 people from three New York counties and another 5,500 from Los Angeles moved to Miami-Dade County, Fla. Under the environmental scenarios in the study, those people would have to remain where they started or move elsewhere, consequently shifting their resources and needs to new sites.

Curtis and Schneider designed their approach with an eye toward helping local authorities identify and best respond to their own needs.

"Adaptation and mitigation strategies are developed and implemented at a local level. Part of the problem with large-scale population and environmental impact estimates is that they mask the local variation that is necessary in order for a local area to effectively respond," Curtis says.

A population's demographic, social, and economic profile affects the ways in which people can respond to local disaster, she adds. For example, children or elderly require a different approach to evacuation and resettlement than a largely working-age population, while workers from the agricultural lands of northern California will face different post-displacement labor challenges than those from the industrial corridor of New Jersey.

Even using rough estimates of sea level rise, their analysis makes clear that planning ahead for mitigation and adaptation will be crucial, Schneider says.

"As we anticipate future events, future natural disasters, we've learned how dramatic it can be – and there are things that can be done in advance to mitigate the extent of damage in a location," Curtis says.

The work was supported by the UW-Madison Graduate School and the Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Station.

Contact: Katherine Curtis
[email protected]
608-890-1900
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Tiny bubbles signal severe impacts to coral reefs worldwide

New research shows ocean acidification will likely reduce diversity, resiliency in coral reef ecosystems

A new study of Papua New Guinea's "champagne reefs" in Nature Climate Change by the University of Miami, the Australian Institute of Marine Science and the Max-Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Germany concludes that ocean acidification, along with increased ocean temperatures, will likely severely reduce the diversity and resilience of coral reef ecosystems within this century. These reefs provide sobering illustrations of how coral reefs may look in 100 years if ocean acidification conditions continue to worsen. Credit: Katharina Fabricius/Australian Institute of Marine Science

A new study from University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science scientists Chris Langdon, Remy Okazaki and Nancy Muehllehner and colleagues from the Australian Institute of Marine Science and the Max-Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Germany concludes that ocean acidification, along with increased ocean temperatures, will likely severely reduce the diversity and resilience of coral reef ecosystems within this century.

The research team studied three natural volcanic CO2 seeps in Papua New Guinea to better understand how ocean acidification will impact coral reefs ecosystem diversity. The study details the effects of long-term exposure to high levels of carbon dioxide and low pH on Indo-Pacific coral reefs, a condition that is projected to occur by the end of the century as increased man-made CO2 emissions alter the current pH level of seawater, turning the oceans acidic.

"These 'champagne reefs' are natural analogs of how coral reefs may look in 100 years if ocean acidification conditions continue to get worse," said Langdon, UM Rosenstiel School professor and co-principal investigator of the study.

The study shows shifts in the composition of coral species and reductions in biodiversity and recruitment on the reef as pH declined from 8.1 to 7.8. The team also reports that reef development would cease at a pH below 7.7. The IPCC 4th Assessment Report estimates that by the end of the century, ocean pH will decline from the current level of 8.1 to 7.8, due to rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations.

"The seeps are probably the closest we can come to simulating the effect of man-made CO2 emissions on a coral reef," said Langdon. "They allow us to see the end result of the complex interactions between species under acidic ocean conditions."

The reefs detailed in this study have healthy reefs nearby to supply larvae to replenish the reefs. If pH was low throughout the region -- as projected for year 2100 -- then there would not be any healthy reefs to reseed damaged ones, according to Langdon.

The study titled "Losers and winners in coral reefs acclimatized to elevated carbon dioxide concentrations," was published in the June issue of the journal Nature Climate Change. The paper's co-authors include Katharina Fabricius Sven Uthicke, Craig Humphrey, Sam Noonan, Glenn De'ath and Janice Lough from the Australian Institute of Marine Science and Martin Glas from Max-Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology. The research was funded by the Australian Institute of Marine Science, the University of Miami, and the Max-Planck Institute of Marine Microbiology through the Bioacid Project (03F0608C).

The University of Miami's mission is to educate and nurture students, to create knowledge, and to provide service to our community and beyond. Committed to excellence and proud of the diversity of our University family, we strive to develop future leaders of our nation and the world. Founded in the 1940's, the Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science has grown into one of the world's premier marine and atmospheric research institutions. Offering dynamic interdisciplinary academics, the Rosenstiel School is dedicated to helping communities to better understand the planet, participating in the establishment of environmental policies, and aiding in the improvement of society and quality of life. 

Contact: Barbra Gonzalez
[email protected]
305-421-4704
University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science

 

Assessing the influence of Alaska glaciers is slippery work

With an estimated 34,000 square miles of ice, an area about the size of Maine, Alaska's multitude of glaciers have a global impact.

Anthony Arendt, an assistant research professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute, has outlined the complexity and influence of Alaska glaciers in this week's issue of the journal Science. In his article, Arendt explains the importance of integrating field observations and more precise glacier simulation models.

"We have used satellites to measure the mass changes of all of Alaska's glaciers, but there are also many glaciers that need to be measured in the field," Arendt said. "We need these field observations to better understand the processes that are controlling glacier changes."

Glacial patterns are difficult to predict — even for current computer models. Alaska glaciers often behave independently of one another. They retreat and surge, and are subject to volcanic and oceanic influences, in addition to changes in precipitation and warming temperatures. Data collected in the field will help refine existing models, so that a more accurate picture of changing sea level can be drawn.

"Alaska glaciers have been losing mass more rapidly since the mid-1990s than they were several decades earlier," Arendt states in the article. "Understanding whether this trend continues will require an integration of observations across disciplines, as well as the development of robust glacier simulation models."

According to Arendt, glaciers and ice caps make up a mere three percent of the ice on our planet, yet they account for about half of the sea level contribution. These dynamic chunks of ice are tremendously influential on future coastlines.

"There are many people living very close to the sea in areas where even a small change in sea level would be devastating," Arendt said. "Developing countries don't have the resources to deal with this change."

To create the best sea level forecasts, Arendt said that scientists need to use field observations to fill data gaps in current models. With thousands of glaciers in Alaska, scientists have much more work to do, he said, noting that the research will ultimately help the global community better adapt to sea level change.

Contact: Anthony Arendt
[email protected]
907-474-7427
University of Alaska Fairbanks