Daily Archives: January 19, 2021

The agency added it was working to enforce its clear policy against recruitment fees, the withholding of wages, and excess working hours, which should guarantee 10 hours rest a day and four days holiday every month.

There would be zero tolerance of physical or verbal abuse and mechanisms were in place to report violations. Harbour inspections to monitor conditions for foreign crews had also been introduced in 2018.

On the US crackdown, the agency said it was willing to listen to suggestions from all walks of life with humility and discuss ways to improve.

But while efforts were being made to close the regulatory gap between domestic and foreign workers, it insisted that most fishing boat owners were willing to treat foreign crews kindly.

NGOs had generally presented a one-sided, subjective picture that unfairly tainted the industry and did not always take into account the views of the vessel owners, it claimed.

Pressure for action continues to mount.

In recent years, the Taiwanese government has instituted legal and regulatory changes. However, NGOs find these changes to be insufficient and they continue reporting serious abuses, said a report by the Global Labour Justice-International Labour Rights Forum in December.

To end forced labour in distant water fisheries, the government must abolish the discriminatory employment scheme and ensure all migrant fishers are afforded the same labour rights and protections as Taiwanese fishers, said Kimberly Rogovin, the group'ssenior seafood campaign coordinator.

I do hope the fishing industry in Taiwan can learn to adjust to international and local regulation against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and the violation of human rights, added Lennon Ying-Dah Wong, a workers rights activist.

What we want is merely to stop this kind of scandal and abuse, not to destroy the industryIf the industry doesn't change, they might face more international sanctions.

Hariyanto, the head of the Indonesia Migrant Workers Union, said he had heard of 21 cases,including five from Taiwan, of modern slavery on fishing boats from 2019-2020. The case where Arif had died was one of the worst cases we found, he claimed.

But perhaps nobody wants to see reform more than fishermen like Jack and Stanley.

Stanley was left in debt to the broker who found him the job, and still hasa scar on his leg where he was struck with a fishing spear.

Jack remains in hiding in Taiwan, where he has found construction work, but is haunted by his experience at sea.

I just want to be heard..to tell the whole truth about what happened in our fishing boat, he said. I want to get justice for what happened to all of us.

Additional reporting: Dan Olanday in Manila

Protect yourself and your family by learning more aboutGlobal Health Security

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Death on the high seas: Taiwanese rights groups demand end to modern slavery on fishing boats - Telegraph.co.uk

Arvin after breaking apart in the Black Sea (Twitter @Deniz_is_Pltfrm photo)

By The Maritime Executive 01-18-2021 11:27:15

Turkish authorities are reporting that a small general cargo ship sunk along the Black Sea coast on January 17. A search and rescue operation conducted by the Navy and Coast Guard reported that six crew members were rescued while three crew members had died. Later media reports raised the death toll to four while the Coast Guard said the search was ongoing for three additional sailors that were reported missing.

The 3500 dwt general cargo ship Alvin, registered in Palau in the western Pacific, was reported to be owned by a Ukrainian shipping company. The 46-year-old vessel, built in 1975, had sailed from Porti, Georgia, and was making its way along the northern coast of Turkey sailing to Burgas, Bulgaria before encountering bad weather. The Turkish Foreign Ministry reported that the ship had sought shelter in the Bartin anchorage on January 15 after encountering heavy rain, snow, strong winds, and high seas.

The Turkish Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure reported that the vessel, which had a length of 374 feet, had broken its back, splitting into two pieces and sinking. There was a total of 12 to 15 crew reportedly aboard, including two Russians and 10 Ukrainian sailors.

A heavy storm was hampering initial rescue efforts preventing helicopters from flying to the area. The first rescue efforts were reported taking place from land with three of the sailors having been spotted in a rocky area along the shoreline. "We continue search and rescue activities by land, but by land and sea is not possible," the governor of the region told the Turkish Anadolu news agency. "We are not stopping search activities."

A Navy frigate was later reported sailing to the area and the Coast Guard said that one of its boats and a helicopter had also joined the rescue mission along with a dive team. The Navy reported that it had also spotted lifeboats from the Arvin less than 2,000 feet from the shoreline.

One of the rescued sailors - Turkish Coast Goard photo

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Cargo Ship Sinks in Black Sea; 6 Rescued and 7 Dead and Missing - The Maritime Executive

A coalition of NGOs is calling for an urgent ban on destructive bottom trawling in EU marine protected areas, after the failure of member states to defend seas.

The ban is part of a 10-point action plan to raise the bar to achieve biodiversity targets, which they say will not be met by current promises, such as last years high-profile pledge by world leaders at the UN summit on biodiversity in New York to reverse nature loss by 2030.

A raft of EU laws to safeguard marine life including a duty on EU member states to achieve good environmental status in seas by 2020, to achieve healthy ecosystems and to introduce sustainable fisheries management have not been enforced, says the group, which includes Oceana in Europe, Greenpeace and ClientEarth.

They warn that this failure, combined with existing pressures on Europes seas, including climate change, risks triggering irreversible changes to the ecological conditions under which humanity has evolved and thrived.

The 10-point call to action, which the groupwill present to EU leaders, MEPs and member states, follows the commitment of Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European commission, and many EU heads of state or government, to reverse biodiversity loss by 2030.

The call was published in response to a European parliament draft report on the EUs biodiversity strategy for 2030. That draft report, which will be presented to the environment committee on Thursday, expresses strong regret that the EU has neither fully met the 2020 biodiversity strategy objectives nor the global Aichi biodiversity targets.

While the NGOs welcomed the draft report, they said it does not go far enough to ensure enforcement of current EU laws or to set action plans to reverse biodiversity loss by 2030.

Rebecca Hubbard, programme director of Our Fish, which aims to end overfishing, said: The EU has failed to achieve good environmental status for EU seas and the EU biodiversity strategy must be implemented if we are to have a chance of saving it this implementation needs to include the 10 action points we have in our report.

She said the EU has also failed to end overfishing, and to protect marine habitats from bottom trawling. What we really need to do is go from strategies and goals to action and outcomes. National pledges, goals and agreements are important for setting a direction but if we are going to save the planet we need action.

The 10-point action plan calls for a network of fully and highly protected ocean sanctuaries covering at least 30% of the oceans by 2030 and a drastic improvement in fisheries protections. It urges the EU to commit resources to dramatically ramp up, implement and enforce existing legislation to safeguard marine life.

The groups also call on the EU to carry out environmental impact assessments of fishing activities, to set fishing limits with precautionary buffers for climate change and mandatory remote monitoring systems for all fishing fleets. It calls for measures to mitigate bycatch and for protections of the deep sea, such as closing sensitive areas to hydrocarbon exploration. And it calls for an end to harmful fishing subsidies and controls on underwater noise.

Nicolas Fournier, the campaign director for marine protection at Oceana Europe, said: The EU 2030 biodiversity strategy is strong on marine protection targets, but we want the European parliament to raise further the EUs ambition on biodiversity, both internationally to champion the 30% of ocean protection and support the UN treaty for the high-seas, but also in Europe to call for a ban of all destructive fishing gear inside marine protected areas, starting with bottom-trawling.

Fewer than 1% of European marine protected areas are fully off-limits to fishing. Last month, the European court of auditors warned the EU had failed to halt marine biodiversity loss in Europes waters and to restore fishing to sustainable levels. In 2019, the European Environment Agency found signs of stress at all scales and warned the current and historical use of Europes seas was taking its toll on marine ecosystems

The call for action comes just days after warnings from international scientists that the planet is facing a ghastly future of mass extinctions, declining health and climate-disruption upheavals that threaten human survival.

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NGOs demand action not promises as EU accused of failing to protect seas - The Guardian

Even though The Adventure Zone is still in its third season, the McElroy family has already released some details about the next campaign. Here's what we know.

The hit actual-play podcastThe Adventure Zoneis right in the middle of its third campaign,Graduation, with the players gearing up for a big heist that may take them into the end game. However, even thoughGraduationhasn't yet concluded,the McElroy family is already preparing for what comes next.

In an interview with Dimension 20's Brennan Lee Mulligan forAdventuring Academy, Griffin McElroy discussed some of the preparations underway for the fourth campaign.Here's everything that's been shared so far about the next season ofThe Adventure Zone, including what listeners can expect.

Related: The Adventure Zones Most Critical Haircut, Explained

The fourth main campaign will return the McElroy family once again to theDungeons & Dragons 5th edition system. The current story also usesD&D, as did the firstBalance campaign, but the second arc relied on the Powered by the Apocalypse system. Smaller, experimental campaigns and one-shot live and bonus shows have also brought other roleplaying systems into theAdventure Zone universe, but the McElroys seem to have found success and comfort withD&D.

It also looks as if Griffin will return to his role as Dungeon Master for the next campaign. Each player has taken their turn at the helm, with Travis as the current DM and even the reluctant Justin leading games ofFour Sherlock Holmes and a Vampire (Who Is Also One of the Aforementioned Sherlock Holmes). Getting a chance to see the different styles of the brothers and their dad, Clint, has brought a lot of joy and variety to the show. Still, it seems that -- just as the family has grown comfortable withDungeons & Dragons,they also appreciate the familiarity of Griffin's DM style.

Less is known about the setting of the fourth season. Griffin has mentioned in the podcastWonderful! that he's been researching deep sea exploration for a project he's working on, which could be this nextAdventure Zone campaign. In his interview with Mulligan,Griffin discussed add-on modules he's been working on to include ships in the next season, drawing from "The Dogfighter's Handbook,"Uncharted Worlds andother rule systems with modifications to be less rules-heavy. It seems likely that the McElroy family is looking at a high seas adventure, including ship mechanics and, probably some underwater monsters.

Related:The Adventure Zone: Sir Fitzroys Important Contribution to the Heist Is...a Job Interview?

One new feature Griffin has mentioned is the possibility of collaborative worldbuilding. Rather than coming to the beginning of the story with entirely pre-conceived worlds, Griffin mentioned using a game like Avery Alder'sThe Quiet Yearto create the world together with his family. Not only does this help give the other players agency in the creation of the world and, therefore, more investment in its stories,The Quiet Year is also just a great game and it would be a delight to see the McElroy family get to play it.

With a return to D&D and Griffin as DM, the fourth season ofThe Adventure Zone is shaping up to be a new take on the original version of the podcast. In addition to a new setting and worldbuilding style, Griffin mentioned leaning on random, video game-style random events. He talks excitedly about the challenge of playing a game with such stochastic elements, and why randomness may provide the way forward to moments ideal for an improv comedy podcast. Griffin knows the genre and tone of the season,but randomness and collaboration will make for a whole new experience for listeners.

Keep Reading:The Adventure Zone: The Thundermen Set Their Sights on Taking Down...Capitalism?

Tom and Jerry: When Tom Went Solo in the Golden Age, It Got Seriously Problematic

E.L. first saw the game Myst when she was in elementary school, and it has irrevocably changed her aesthetic, She is currently a graduate student in the history of the exact sciences in antiquity, and *has thoughts* about ancient math and modern astrology. She has shared these thoughts (and her writing) with digital venues like Eidolon, Lady Science, and the Journal of the History of Ideas blog, and if you sit still for long enough she'll probably try to share them with you, too. In her downtime, E.L. enjoys puzzle games and pet care, and is currently training in the circus arts.

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What the McElroys Have Revealed About the Adventure Zones Next Campaign - CBR - Comic Book Resources

A judge has declined to dismiss rape and hate crime charges against a cruise ship employee accused of attacking a coworker, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court.

Louie Ison Mangampat, 38, a citizen of the Philippines working aboard the Celebrity Equinox, was initially arrested in 2019 and charged with aggravated sexual abuse by force.

He has been jailed without bond at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, since his arrest.

A grand jury subsequently returned a superseding indictment in November under the federal hate crime statute, which charges that Mangampat willfully caused bodily injury to the victim because she is a lesbian.

Mangampat admitted to having sex with the woman, who is also a citizen of the Phillipines, but claimed it was consensual, according to the affidavit filed by an FBI special agent.

The FBI was tasked with investigating the reported attack because vessels on the high seas the open ocean more than 12 nautical miles from shore fall under federal jurisdiction.

Mangampats public defender filed a motion to dismiss the initial indictment on Nov. 26, 2019, arguing that the United States does not have jurisdiction to adjudicate this matter as the alleged offenses did not occur in the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States.

Before current U.S. District Court Judge Robert Molloy was assigned to oversee the case, former U.S. District Judge Curtis Gomez denied the motion to dismiss at a hearing on Jan. 9, 2020.

But because no reasons for the denial were stated on the record, Molloy took it upon himself to consider the motion independently, and wrote in an order filed Friday that he concurs that the motion to dismiss should be denied.

Molloy explained his reasoning, and recounted the facts of the case in the four-page order.

The incident occurred on Sept. 25, 2019, at around 4 a.m., a day after the ship had left Florida for St. Thomas.

A female ship employee reported that Mangampat cornered her in a bathroom, where he assaulted and raped her, according to the FBI affidavit.

Other crew members immediately brought the woman to the ships medical unit for a physical examination, and a doctor noted the victim identifies as a lesbian and had never had sexual intercourse with a male prior to this incident.

The cruise ship security staff prepared an incident report that recorded the ships coordinates at the time the victim reported the assault, and the nearest point of land was the Great Turk Island, which was approximately 40.5 nautical miles away, Molloy wrote.

The U.S. Code defines the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States and including the high seas, or waters at least 12 nautical miles outside a coastal boundary controlled by a particular state or territory, as stipulated by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

As such, provided that the alleged offense occurred on the high seas, farther than twelve nautical miles from any other national coastline, the United States has jurisdiction to try this matter, Molloy wrote in denying the motion to dismiss.

A final pretrial conference is scheduled for Thursday, and trial is set to begin on Jan. 25.

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Cruise ship worker charged with rape, hate crime headed to trial - Virgin Islands Daily News

Issued on: 18/01/2021 - 18:20

Paris (AFP)

French skippers Charlie Dalin and Louis Burton emerged from the doldrums on Monday and began the final sprint to the line in the solo round-the-world Vendee Globe.

Dalin, on Apivia, led Burton's Bureau Vallee 2, by 59 nautical miles at 1700 GMT Monday although the latter, on a more westerly path, had the better wind and was clocking four knots faster.

Both skippers came away relatively lightly from the doldrums, a tricky area around the Equator which has little wind, where sailors can get stuck for days.

"I just went in a straight line and it worked well, I was lucky and it seemed to work this time," Burton told the race organisers.

"It's very good for Charlie and me. We were not as badly affected as the rest of the fleet.

"We are a little more ahead of our rivals than when we got into the doldrums."

The course, however, is not a simple chase to the line as the two rivals will hit a depression on Tuesday, meaning bad weather and high seas, and will then face a ridge of high pressure before another depression.

"The strategic choice has already started," said Burton who intends to be "on the attack" as much as he can.

The leaders are now looking at another 10 days to complete the nearly 3,000nm back to Les Sables d'Olonne and finish a race that started from the French port on November 8.

The chasing pack was held back by the doldrums, which was stickier than expected, before hitting the North Atlantic and the run for home.

Damien Seguin in Groupe Apicil is 111nm behind Dalin in third, closely followed by Thomas Ruyant in LinkedOut.

Longtime leader Yannick Bestaven (Maitre Coq IV) was in fifth 124nm behind Dalin with German skipper Boris Herrmann (Seaexplorer-Yacht Club de Monaco), who was up to third a couple of days ago, another 36nm further back.

"There are a lot of difficult things for me at the moment," said Bestaven on Monday.

"Since Cape Horn, I have had a lot of technical problems with the boat. I'll say it today, I thought I could hide it a bit.

"During the passage to Cape Horn, I had a big depression. I hit a huge wave which swept the entire foredeck of the boat.

"I no longer have a balcony, no more furling (for the mast), and I have some sails that I can no longer use."

Of the 33 yachts that began the race, eight have already retired.

Leading race standings as of 1700 GMT, January 18

1. Charlie Dalin (FRA/Apivia) 2839.8 nautical miles from finish, 2. Louis Burton (FRA/Bureau Vallee 2) at 59.9, 3. Damien Seguin (FRA/Groupe Apicil) 111.6, 4. Thomas Ruyant (FRA/LinkedOut) 118.6, 5. Yannick Bestaven (FRA/Maitre Coq IV) 124.1, 6.Boris Herrmann (GER/Seaexplorer-Yacht Club de Monaco) 160.3, 7. Giancarlo Pedote (ITA/Prysmian Group) 163.1, 8. Benjamin Dutreux (FRA/OMIA-Water Family) 179.1, 9. Jean Le Cam (FRA/Yes we Cam !) 265.8, 10. Maxime Sorel (FRA/V And B Mayenne) 504.1

2021 AFP

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Dalin and Burton out of the doldrums in Vendee Globe - FRANCE 24

Bravo viewers are so curious about the new deckhand, Rob Phillips. They want to know everything about this Below Deck star. Learn about him now.

Since he is making waves onBelow Deck, fans want to know everything aboutthe new deckhand, Rob Phillips.

Bravo's maritime-themed show has been a hit since its inception. Below Deck takes an in-depth look into a yacht crew and their filthy rich guests. Guests enjoy life on the high seas, and viewers are hooked on the drama. There are sometimes lines that cast members are unwilling to cross, such ascooking a 60-plate dinner. However, atother times, chief stews and other crew members are willing to respect the wishes of picky clients. The captain is in charge of keeping everyone safe and firing subpar workers. As the large yacht island-hopsthroughout the season, each Below Deck episode features a different group of guests. Rob Phillips is one of the crew members. He helps guests to enjoy true VIP experiences.

Related: Below Deck: How Julia D'Albert Pusey Is Pioneering Women-Run Businesses

Below Deck Season 8 had its first lossas the spinoff'sviewerswatched Sustainable Shane Coopersmith walk the plank. In his place came Rob Phillips, who bonded quickly with fellow deckhand James and dubbed Francesca a "sexy nun." Bosun Eddie Lucas is thrilled to have a deckhand who knows what he is doing. Rob definitely knows how to tie a knot. See Rob on the water in his Instagram post below:

Upon Rob's arrival, Eddie told cameras he was "happy to have Rob on the team. It seems like he has the experience, which is definitely gonna be a change of pace. Anything's better than Shane." Rob has a low-key Instagram profile with the tag@r0b.phillips. The newest reality star has under 5,000 followers but still loves showing off his traveling pictures. He is Canadian and comes from a "long line of sailors," but his true love is rocks. Geology, to be more precise. His first week on the show, he told viewers, "I'm an exploration geologist, which means, in a nutshell, I'm like a nerdy Indiana Jones. I look for gold, but as soon as the markets crash, I lose my job, which is why super yachting's kind of like the fallback sometimes."

This Below Deck guy seems to have it all, including education, a sense of humor, and a strong work ethic. Captain Lee is bound to love him just as much as fans already do. While viewers doubt he will have the courage to make out with the chief stew, fans can watch his bromance with James bloom each week.

Next: Below Deck Med 5: Jessica, Peter, Ciara & Alex Reunite For Bar Fun In Video

Below Deckairs on Monday at 9 pm EST on Bravo

Source: Rob Phillips/Instagram

90 Day Fiance: Why Fans Think Amira Lollysa Was Deported Back to France

Jennifer is an avid Reality TV follower and is fluent in all Real Housewife drama along with the ups and downs of 90 Day Fiance sagas. When she is not writing she enjoys traveling the world in search of the best beaches! Jennifer has been writing for over 15 years and would like nothing more than to have a proper sit down with the women of the RHONY to 'Make It Nice.'

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Below Deck: Everything To Know About New Deckhand Rob Phillips - Screen Rant

NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) have allied with each other to pressure the EU (European Union) to call for an immediate ban on the destructive fishing method called bottom trawling. Bottom trawling continuously destroys marine areas "protected" by the EU. The coalition calls out the union for its failure to protect the waters.

To show that the NGOs are serious in pursuing their goal to protect marine ecosystems, the ban was just a part of the 10-point action plan intended to "raise the bar" in achieving biodiversity goals. They claim that such goals will never be met by the current status quo. All promises and no actions, they said.

Related Article:Seafood's Secret Ingredient: Microplastic

(Photo : Hennie Stander on Unsplash)Behind the scenes of the fish trade, somewhere along the Irish coast.

According to the various environmental NGOs involved, the EU has continuously been providing them with promises. But, most of the time, they remain just that, promises.

Among these promises is a raft of EU laws created with goals to safeguard marine life. It made several legislations that aims to achieve "good environmental status" in the oceans by 2020, create healthy ecosystems, and introduce sustainable aquatic and fisheries management. Many of those, however, were not, and some doubt that it will ever be enforced.

This astronomical failure and the already existing problems on Europe's oceans, like climate change and pollution, can result in irreversible possibilities. The effects can cause serious ecological consequences that the entire planet may possibly suffer.

The call was initially published to respond to a European parliament draft report on the EU's strategy for biodiversity for 2030. That draft report, which will be presented to the environment committee on Thursday, expresses intense regret that the EU has not met the 2020 biodiversity strategy's objectives.

While the NGOs welcomed the draft report, they said it does not go far enough to ensure enforcement of current EU laws or to set action plans to reverse biodiversity loss by 2030.

According to Rebecca Hubbard, program director of Our Fish, which aims to end overfishing, said:

"The EU has failed to achieve good environmental status for EU seas and the EU biodiversity strategy must be implemented if we are to have a chance of saving it - this implementation needs to include the 10 action points we have in our report."

Aside from the lack of a ban on bottom trawling, the EU has also failed to protect marine habitats from overfishing. Overfishing has been labeled as one of the most destructive fishing practices. Not only does it create a severe imbalance in the natural system, but it also harshens the water conditions.

Nicolas Fournier, the campaign director for marine protection at Oceana Europe, said:

"The EU 2030 biodiversity strategy is strong on marine protection targets, but we want the European parliament to raise further the EU's ambition on biodiversity, both internationally to champion the 30% of ocean protection and support the UN treaty for the high-seas, but also in Europe to call for a ban of all destructive fishing gear inside marine protected areas, starting with bottom-trawling."

Promises give hopes, but action is the only way to achieve goals. The pressure that the NGO coalition is putting on the EU is meant to hasten the union's enforcement of the programs to benefit the environment.

ALSO READ:EU: Mealworms Now Safe for Human Consumption

For more news update about the environment, don't forget to follow Nature World News!

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Actions Not Promises Says NGOs After EU Allegedly Failed to Protect the Seas - Nature World News