Daily Archives: June 4, 2021

Illegal Fishing Is a Global Threat. Here’s How to Combat It. – Council on Foreign Relations

Posted: June 4, 2021 at 3:43 pm

Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishingknown as IUU fishingis a global scourge. Carried out by malicious actors in the shadows of the worlds oceans, it can devastate ecosystems, degrade food stocks, and undermine fragile fishing economies. A broad network of international partners, including U.S. civilian and military agencies, should work to eradicate this threat to the worlds shared prosperity.

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Illegal fishingrefers to fishing activities in contravention of applicable laws and regulations. Unreported fishingrefers to fishing activities that are not reported or are misreported to relevant authorities. And unregulated fishingis done by vessels without nationality or that are not regulated by their flag state, the country in which a vessel is registered. It also occurs when vessels fish in areas or for stocks for which there are no applicable conservation or management measures.

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IUU fishing is a global problem, occurring in the South China Sea, off the west coast of Africa (where estimates put illegal catch at 40 percent), off both coasts of South America, in the easternIndian Ocean, throughout Oceania, and around Antarctica. According to the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crimes IUU Fishing Index, which benchmarks countries vulnerability to, prevalence of, and response to IUU fishing, four of the top five worst-scoring countries are in Southeast Asia. China tops the list, and Russia is the sole nonSoutheast Asian country, at number four.

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In one particularly egregious example last year, a fleet of 350 Chinese vessels was observed conducting predatory high seas fishing around Ecuadors Galapagos Islands, a UNEducational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage site. The fleet was targeting squid and scooping up other valuable and vulnerable marine life. Locals sounded the alarm, fearing the vessels were depleting fish populations, hurting the livelihoods of small-scale fishermen in the islands, and devastating the sensitive ecosystem. Ecuador called for help, and the U.S. Coast Guard deployed a national security cutter to help patrol the area.

IUU fishing threatens ocean ecosystems, including sustainable fisheries, which are critical to global food security, and it puts those that abide by the law in the United States and abroad at a disadvantage. In 2020, the U.S. Coast Guard said that IUU fishing has replaced piracy as the leading global maritime security threat. It is estimated that up to one in every five fish caught around the world is obtained through IUU fishing, representing about a $23 billion annual loss for the legal fishing industry. And, in large part, the poorest countries in the world, which depend on fisheries for food and livelihoods, are hit the hardest.

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Fish is an essential protein source for over 40 percent of the global population. IUU fishing can decimate fish stocks, undermining a countrys ability to feed its people. Further, IUU fishing can disrupt and destabilize fragile economies of coastal states. Small island nations are particularly vulnerable, in that many have vast ocean resources but very limited capacity to patrol their exclusive economic zones, or EEZs. Many of these small nations also struggle to apprehend and prosecute transgressors.

IUU fishing often happens along with other unlawful activities, including human trafficking and forced labor. Interpol reports that fishing vessels are often used to smuggle people, drugs, and weapons, as well as to carry out acts of piracy and terrorism. IUU fishing activities are highly mobile, increasingly sophisticated, and sometimes conducted with logistical and security support from fishers flag states.

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Oceans and Seas

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These acts undermine internationally recognized fishing regimes, the work of regional fisheries management organizations, and international bodies such as the UN Food and Agriculture Organizations Fisheries Division. Broadly speaking, it erodes collective global maritime governance.

Various U.S. government agencies work with foreign partners or participate in different multilateral forums to combat IUU fishing. For instance, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration works with the United Nations and regional fisheries management organizations. The U.S. military, particularly the coast guard and navy, provides maritime security assistance and training to coastal state partners in regions around the world. At the same time, the United States works to model responsible maritime behavior through a strict fisheries management program and ranks in the top five countries [PDF] in the world in responding to IUU fishing.

Roles and responsibilities for a government vary depending on its relationship to the vessel and the catch. A vessels flag state has exclusive authority over it on the high seas, including with regard to matters such as labor standards and ship safety. Therefore, flag states must ensure that regulations are in place and enforced to deter IUU fishing and associated crimes from occurring on their vessels. Ignoring the duties of being a flag state can, and often does, allow illegal activity to take place. In addition, there are particularly concerning cases where flag states willfully abet IUU perpetrators by encouraging or assisting vessels that encroach on sovereign waters and EEZs of other nations or intimidate local fishermen.

Port states also can play a significant role by blocking vessels engaged in IUU fishing from using their ports and landing their catches. Governments have a framework to do so pursuant to the Agreement on Port State Measures, a UN treaty that came into force in 2016 and was the first binding international agreement that specifically targets IUU fishing. Approximately one-third of the worlds countries are party to it, but UN members should collectively work to increase that number.

Meanwhile, coastal states have a responsibility to assist in curbing IUU fishing. They are responsible for conservation and management of the ocean resources to which they have sovereign rights (within their EEZs). Finally, market states, where the fish are sold, should work to ensure that their seafood is coming from legal, legitimate sources.

IUU fishing can only be combated by a whole-of-world approach, presenting an opportunity for state-to-state cooperation. Regional fisheries management organizations are working with the International Maritime Organization to boost accountability requirements aboard commercial fishing vessels across the globe. Other international bodies and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are contributing to the fight as well. InterpolsProject Scale is succeeding in catching much illegal fishing. Technology initiatives such as the Pew Charitable Trusts Oversea Ocean Monitor and Global Fishing Watchs satellite-based platforms have been highly effective tools for spotting suspect activity across large spans of the ocean. And NGOs such as the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and Greenpeace, which operate on contributions from private donors with vessels crewed by volunteers, also help build maritime domain awareness.

The world needs to collectively continue to fight the scourge of IUU fishing in order to protect sensitive marine environments and food sustainability, prevent irreparable damage to coastal economies, counter corruption and associated criminal activity, and uphold the sovereignty and security of the worlds maritime nations.

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Illegal Fishing Is a Global Threat. Here's How to Combat It. - Council on Foreign Relations

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Green Pulse Podcast: Fishy business on the high seas – The Straits Times

Posted: at 3:43 pm

Green Pulse Ep 51: Fishy business on the high seas

17:05 mins

Synopsis: The Straits Times analyses the beat of the changing environment, from biodiversity conservation to climate change.

Across the globe, millions of people rely on fishing for jobs and income, with many fishermen finding it increasingly tough to earn a living due to shrinking catches. They have to compete not only with the impacts of climate change and industrial fishing fleets but also illegal fishing operations often controlled by powerful figures far away. This multi-billion dollar illegal industry is also linked to human slavery, tax evasion and drugs and arms smuggling.

But recently, efforts by Interpol and governments are catching up with the illegal fishing kingpins. In this episode, we speak to Mr Peter Horn, Project Director, Ending Illegal Fishing, at Pew Trusts, which works closely with Interpol to clamp down on illegal unreported and unregulated fishing.

They discuss the following points:

How the illegal fishing trade works (3:41)

Other crimes associated with illegal fishing (6:05)

How can consumers make the sustainable choice? (8:57)

Working with Interpol to stop illegal fishing (10:17)

Can the illegal fishing trade be stopped? (14:55)

Listen to Ep 49 - Can aquaculture solve the seafood seaspiracy?:https://omny.fm/shows/green-pulse-1/can-aquaculture-solve-the-seafood-se...

Read Monterey Bay Aquarium's seafood watch website:https://www.seafoodwatch.org/

Produced by: Audrey Tan (audreyt@sph.com.sg), David Fogarty (dfogarty@sph.com.sg) & Ernest Luis

Edited by: Adam Azlee

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Green Pulse Podcast: Fishy business on the high seas - The Straits Times

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20th Century Developing New Master And Commander Movie With Patrick Ness Penning the Script – Deadline

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EXCLUSIVE: 20th Century is looking to head back to the high seas as sources tell Deadline the studio is developing a new Master and Commanderpic withA Monster Calls scribe Patrick Ness adapting the script. Insiders add it is still early days and no director or talent are attached at this time.

The 2004 adaptationMaster and Commander: The Far Side of the World, directed by Peter Weir, was set during the Napoleonic Wars and follows Capt. Jack Aubrey, played by Russell Crowe, a brash British captain who pushes his ship and crew to their limits in pursuit of a formidable French war vessel around South America. Paul Bettany also starred in the film, which went on to make more then $200 million worldwide and received 10 Oscar nominations for including one for Best Picture.

Since the original was part of a big book series, the idea was always to adapt other books in to films, but another film never got into position to move forward. Sources say this film would be based on the first book in the series, which shows a young Aubrey when he is given his first command and also explores how his friendship with his naval surgeon, Stephen Maturin (played by Bettany in the original) begins. Since this would be set in the early days of Aubrey, its also likely they would have new talent playing Aubrey and Maturin as well.

Ness was best known for penning the bestselling book series Chaos Walking(which he also adapted into a film for Lionsgate) until he transitioned into screenwriting starting withA Monster Calls.Since then his screenwriting star power has been on the rise, having just finished an adaptation of Lord of the Fliesfor Warner Bros and Luca Guadagnino.

He is repped by CAA, literary agent Michelle Kass and attorney Behr Abramson Levy.

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20th Century Developing New Master And Commander Movie With Patrick Ness Penning the Script - Deadline

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Strong wind, high seas and hot weather during weekend: QMD – The Peninsula Qatar

Posted: at 3:43 pm

03 Jun 2021 - 13:04

File photo used for representation only. Photo credit: Abdul Basit/ The Peninsula

Doha: Qatar Meteorology Department (QMD) warned of strong wind and high seas from Friday until Saturday. Hot weather conditions are also expected with slight dust to blowing dust at some places during daytime.

The minimum and maximum temperature will range between 33 to 46 degrees Celsius.

As the country faces hot weather conditions, QMD shared a few tips during this period such as:

- Wearing comfortable, light-colored clothes to reflect the sun's light

- Drink enough fluids

- Children not to be left alone in the car

- Workers in exposed/outdoor places should take breaks in the shade

The wind, on both days, will mainly blow northwesterly at 10-20 KT gusting 28 KT at places during daytime.

Sea heights, on Friday and Saturday, will also vary between 1-3 ft rising to 5 ft at times inshore and 3-5/6 ft rising to 7-8 ft at times offshore.

Visibility will range between 4-9 m/ 3km or less at places during daytime inshore.

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03 Jun 2021 - 8:41

The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has announced that it provided services for 2,112 plot in citizens subdivisions, through integrated infrastructure for these plots within the road and infrastructure projects implemented by Ashghal in the Northern areas and North of Al Nasiriyah.

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Strong wind, high seas and hot weather during weekend: QMD - The Peninsula Qatar

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Didn’t get enough of a ‘Friends’ fix from the reunion? How about a ‘Friends’-themed cruise? – USA TODAY

Posted: at 3:43 pm

Chris Gray Faust, CruiseCritic.com Published 11:00 a.m. ET June 4, 2021 | Updated 12:47 p.m. ET June 4, 2021

We would have posted this sooner, but "we were on a break." USA TODAY

Could it BE any more fun?

If the recent reunion of everybody's favorite Friends isn't enough for you, a theme cruise that celebrates the iconic '90s TV show will take place May 15 to May 21, 2022, on Celebrity Equinox. The cruise ship will leave from Fort Lauderdale, with scheduled ports of Key West, Grand Cayman and Cozumel.

Like many theme cruises, the sailing is being put together by an outside company, the travel agency Fan World Travel. It is a partial charter of the ship, with events dedicated solely for people who book through the agency's siteCruise With Friends.

The site promises Friends-themed costume contests, trivia games and more: "Get ready to eat like Joey, joke like Chandler, cook like Monica, shop like Rachel, yoga like Phoebe and dig like Ross."

Theme cruises:From '80s music to auto racing, there's a cruise for every fandom

This image provided by HBO Max shows Matt LeBlanc, from left, Matthew Perry, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox and Lisa Kudrow in a scene from the "Friends" reunion special.(Photo: Terence Patrick, AP)

No actors from the show are scheduled to be on the cruise. But we speak from experience when we say that there's nothing like being on a cruise with 1,000 other people who love the same TV show that you do.

Review:The 'Friends' reunion is everything fans hoped it would be

Don't want to miss out on "The One With The Cruise"? Fares range from $1,648.66 per person for an inside stateroom up to $3,048.66 for a Sky Suite with a balcony. On Celebrity, Wi-Fi, a premium beverage package, $150 shore excursion credit per person, gratuities, taxes and fees are included in the fare.

Theme cruises often have different payment policies than regular cruises, and the Friends one is no exception. Deposits are $1,000 per person for inside, oceanview and balcony cabins and suites are $1,500 per person -- due at booking and nonrefundable. (The site encourages travel insurance).

So who will be there for you on the high seas? Grab your besties and find out.

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Didn't get enough of a 'Friends' fix from the reunion? How about a 'Friends'-themed cruise? - USA TODAY

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Lockdown sees photographer go from high seas to horses – Midhurst and Petworth Observer

Posted: at 3:43 pm

But 2020 saw her locked down with her family in Midhurst.

She said: Im passionate about my work which is usually fast paced, involves travel and provokes an adrenalin rush. Suddenly I found myself stationary for a while; I was able to capture seasonal change and to transfer my artistic eye to all things equine, a subject area which I adore and yet hadnt had a lot of the time to study through a lens.

I also realised that I could, and should, bring the beauty of horses, sailing boats and the power of nature to houses and offices in the local area to invigorate and enlighten them through the power of photography.

Kos has created an exhibition in the centre of Midhurst as a launch pad for her website, which is a virtual experience to let people in West Sussex experience her images in their own home.

In the past she has photographed the Americas Cup, travelled the world with a Formula One team and sailed with Duran Durans Simon Le Bon.

She said: Simon Le Bon is a very talented man, best known for his musical career, but hes also an accomplished sailor. I was hired as his photographer to capture iconic images of him on his racing yacht, a very different environment to taking images of him on the stage.

He was about to embark on a round the world race, it was important for me to get him to go up the mast. His agents were very concerned about the dangers of taking this portrait and although it was very windy we got the iconic shot they wanted and he loved it, weve remained great friends.

Kos has been photographing boats and the sea since her teens.

She said: I have been working professionally since I was 16 years old, although I was passionate about photography from the age of six. My grandmother gave me a camera as a birthday present when I was ten and I set to work straight away. I was constantly taking unusual pictures; everyone else would admire the view on holiday whilst I captured images of the shadows of industrial pipes and linear patterns of Cyprus trees.

I was constantly experimenting and then I learned to climb with a camera that was the moment that made me my images from the top of a yachts mast suddenly set me apart from other photographers.

Her most recent exhibition is focussed on horses, something she has embraced during lockdown.

She said: I spent more time enjoying and understanding their company, studying their personalities and movement.

Patience is without a doubt most important when working with animals, when you invest time they give back, posing for amazing pictures.

I am never looking for a normal photo, comparable to my marine work, I studied them in all weathers and varying times of day as light conditions have a great impact on my work.

I will never stop striving to achieve new work and it has to be something that you love, something that you will enjoy on your wall year-round.

She has recently launched virtual reality software on her website so people can experience and sample her large prints in their own house using a mobile or tablet.

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Lockdown sees photographer go from high seas to horses - Midhurst and Petworth Observer

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This is how much the cast of Below Deck actually earn – The Tab

Posted: at 3:43 pm

Chief stew Hannah got around $24k every six weeks

A new series of Below Deck Med will be dropping on June 29th and frankly, it cant come soon enough. I still havent got over when photographer Johnny Eyelash and his entourage got caught with coke and they all had to sail back to port. But while rich guests causing havoc on the high seas is great, the REAL drama comes from the staff. And although they get treated like absolute shit while on the show, it turns out the Below Deck cast get paid massive salaries.

Refinery 29 claim theyve worked out how much each staff member earns. Their analysis takes into account the average salary of crew working on superyachts, the likely fee they will receive for appearing on the show, as well as the average tips they get from the charter guests.

So, without further ado, heres what cast members of Below Deck actually earn while working on the show.

I want to be Captain Lee when I grow up

The captain of a yacht the size of those used on Below Deck earns between $150,000- $210,000 per year, and thats before tips.

A chief stew could expect to earn up to $6,000 per month, while the second or third stews would rake in around $5,000.

The chefs could get anywhere between $7,000-$10,000 depending on experience. Its no wonder that the legend that is Ben Robinson has a net worth of around $2.5m.

Chef Ben looking like hes put his finger in a plug socket

The deck hands are unsurprisingly at the lower end of the pay scale, but are still getting $5,000 a month. Not bad at all.

But wait a minute. This is all before tips. Each Below Deck cast member gets around $5,000 in tips for every six weeks they work. That means that for just a month and halfs work, chief stews like the unforgettable Hannah Ferrier, could have pulled in a whopping $24,000.

On top of this, the Below Deck cast dont work for the full yachting season so its highly plausible that they could go and work on different yachts and get more dollar for the rest of the year.

I think its time I learnt how to drive a boat.

Below Deck: Take this quiz and well tell you which rank youd be on a charter yacht

Below Deck: Who is Chef Ben and where is he now?

Below Deck: Where is Chief Stew Hannah Ferrier now?

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This is how much the cast of Below Deck actually earn - The Tab

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US Coast Guard Ready to Partner with Nations in Battling IUU fishing | Dilogo Americas – Dialogo-Americas.com

Posted: at 3:43 pm

By Lieutenant Commander G. Scott Carr/U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area June 04, 2021

The United Nations declared June 5 an international day for the fight against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in late 2017. Yet, on the fourth observance of the annual awareness campaign, the global challenges continue to grow.

About 3.3 billion people nearly half of the worlds population rely on fish for 20 percent of their animal protein sources. However, 93 percent of the worlds major marine fish stocks are classified as fully exploited, overexploited, or significantly exploited.

With hopes of turning the tide against IUU, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) released its Illegal, Unreported, Unregulated Fishing Strategic Outlook in September 2020, identifying IUU fishing as the leading global maritime security threat ahead of piracy.

If left unchecked, IUU fishing threatens geopolitical stability around the world, because it undermines the economy of coastal states, increases tensions among fishing nations, and erodes governance structures, said Vice Admiral Linda Fagan, commander of USCG Pacific Area.

If left unchecked, IUU fishing threatens geopolitical stability around the world, because it undermines the economy of coastal states, increases tensions among fishing nations, and erodes governance structures, Vice Admiral Linda Fagan, commander of USCG Pacific Area.

The USCG stands ready to partner with nations committed to ending the scourge of IUU fishing, and it is asking them how they can work with the United States to achieve this goal.

The USCG has been the lead U.S. agency for at-sea enforcement of living marine resources laws for more than 150 years. USCG authorities, capabilities, capacity, and partnerships position the service to be a collaborative partner to combat IUU fishing. Its strategic outlook focuses on three areas:

The USCG has led the charge on countering nations and organizations that employ IUU fishing to undermine other nations sovereignty and economic security. In the Pacific islands, Oceania and the Western Pacific, Operation Blue Pacific is focused on combating IUU fishing and supporting partner nations through fisheries enforcement patrols on the high seas and the execution of bilateral ship-rider agreements.

Bilateral agreements operationalize the USCGs goal to expand multilateral fisheries enforcement cooperation and enhance regional maritime security and governance. Host country maritime enforcement officers ride aboard USCG cutters patrolling within the hosts exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Through this partnership, the host country increases its capability to enforce its sovereign fisheries laws, and the USCG provides operational assets and law enforcement expertise.

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter (CGC) Kimball recently completed an IUU fishing patrol in the Pacific islands, conducting 31 vessel evaluations and noting one potential violation. The USCG presence is increasing in the region with two national security cutters and three fast-response cutters stationed in Honolulu, Hawaii, and three additional fast-response cutters scheduled to be stationed in Guam. These assets can bring sustained law enforcement presence deep into the Western and Central Pacific.

In the Eastern Pacific, the USCG conducted Operation Kuartam, a joint effort between CGC Bertholf and the Ecuadorian Navy around the Galapagos Islands.

Ecuador expressed concern to the United States about a large distant-water fishing fleet just outside the countrys EEZ. Authorities suspected the mostly Chinese-flagged fleet of IUU fishing and of harming the fragile ecosystem of the Galapagos, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

CGC Bertholf tracked dark vessels, so called because they dont broadcast their position on public monitoring systems, as well as nonregistered vessels and those exhibiting activities contrary to Regional Fishery Management Organization regulations and Ecuadorian sovereignty. CGC Bertholf maximized the partner nation engagement by patrolling with the Ecuadorian naval vessel LAE Isla San Cristobal in the Ecuadorian EEZ surrounding the Galapagos and in international waters. The operation highlighted significant progress for Central and South American partnerships in the fight against IUU fishing.

Using USCG capabilities to observe, collect, and share information on illicit activity in remote areas illustrates the many ways that the U.S. can help nations to police and protect their waters.

Global fish stocks are a valuable resource that provide economic and food security to many nations. IUU fishing, however, erodes regional and national security and undermines the maritime rules-based order.

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US Coast Guard Ready to Partner with Nations in Battling IUU fishing | Dilogo Americas - Dialogo-Americas.com

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Hundreds of fishing fleets that go dark suspected of illegal hunting, study finds – The Guardian

Posted: at 3:43 pm

Giant distant-water fishing fleets, primarily from China, are switching off their tracking beacons to evade detection while they engage in a possibly illegal hunt for squid and other lucrative species on the very edge of Argentinas extensive fishing grounds, according to a new study by Oceana, an international NGO dedicated to ocean conservation.

Every year, vessels crowd together along the limits of Argentinas Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) to take advantage of the lucrative fishing grounds.

By monitoring the ships tracking beacons between January 2018 and April 2021, Oceana found that more than 800 vessels apparently conducted nearly 900,000 hours of fishing within 20 nautical miles of the invisible border between Argentinas national waters and the high seas.

During this three-and-a-half-year period, there were over 6,000 instances in which these fishing vessels appeared to go dark by potentially disabling their electronic tracking devices, known as Automatic Identification Systems (AIS), says the report, published on Wednesday, titled, Now You See Me, Now You Dont: Vanishing Vessels Along Argentinas Waters.

In all, these vessels were hidden for over 600,000 hours during which Oceana suspects they crossed over into Argentinas territorial waters for illegal fishing.

Its very suspicious that they have their AIS turned off for such a large proportion of the time they are out fishing, said Marla Valentine, an ecologist at Oceana, an international NGO dedicated to ocean conservation.

Billions of dollars worth of marine life are being removed from the ecosystems, such as squid, hake and shrimp, which are fed on by species like tuna. This can have lasting impacts on their reproductive cycle, said Valentine.

Nearly 66% of the dark vessels were Chinese-flagged squid jiggers vessels with bright lights and hooks designed to catch squid, while 6%were Spanish.But the Spanish trawlers that tow heavy nets along the sea bed to catch species such as Argentine hake and red shrimp went dark more often than Chinese vessels.

On average, the larger Chinese fleet had 12.88 gap events per vessel while the smaller Spanish fleet had an average 45 gaps per vessel, Valentine said.

The presence of so many vessels just off Argentinas waters has caused a number of high-sea confrontations with Argentinas coast guard. In April last year approximately 100 squid jiggers mostly Chinese-flagged were caught allegedly fishing illegally during nighttime incursions in Argentinian waters, each with their AIS turned off.

In 2016, a Chinese trawler was sunk after reportedly trying to ram a Coast Guard vessel and in 2018 four Chinese fishing vessels allegedly teamed up to protect a fifth vessel the Coast Guard was pursuing, the report says.

There is a fine line between what is legal, sustainable, responsible and regulated, said Valentine. They could be just one inch outside Argentinas exclusion zone and it would be considered legal.

Argentina has one of the worlds largest squid fisheries with a trade value of nearly $4bn in 2016. The countrys squid are critically important to the global economy, food security, and ocean resilience, says the report.

Oceana last year also reported on illegal fishing by huge Chinese fleets along South Americas Pacific coast, affecting Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Vessels in that group were also accused of disabling their public tracking devices, and engaging in potentially suspect transshipment practices, all of which can facilitate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

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Hundreds of fishing fleets that go dark suspected of illegal hunting, study finds - The Guardian

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Dream response to cruise bookings – TTR Weekly

Posted: at 3:43 pm

HONG KONG, 4 June 2021: Dream Cruises upcoming restart of cruises onboard Genting Dream from the ships homeport Hong Kong is gaining an enthusiastic response from the territorys residents, desperate to take a short break from lockdowns and restrictions.

Just one week after sales opened on 27 May, Genting Dreams first two high seas Super Summer Seacation cruises departing 30 July and 1 August are now close to 90% booked while Friday night departures throughout August have reached 50%.

The interest in Genting Dream has even extended toinquiries from corporate groups, charity organisations and wedding parties whoare looking at chartering the ship later in the year, said Genting CruiseLines president Kent Zhu. Also contributing to the success of our cruises hasbeen the backing we have received from travel and business partners who havebeen a great support to Dream Cruises throughout the years.

One of the business partners Wing On Travels CEO Lanny Leung said the cruises received apositive response from the market.

Another Miramar Travels general manager Alex Lee said:Since the announcement of Dream Cruises our corporate and business clientshave been very interested in booking MICE itineraries onboard Genting Dream. Aswell, our loyal long-haul and overseas cruise passengers who have been yearningto cruise again now have a product that will fulfil their desire to vacation onthe open seas. Our hope is that this will help stimulate the hard-hit tourismeconomy and bring much-needed bookings back to travel agents who have beenaffected by Covid-19.

Set to begin sailing from 30 July, Genting Dream will embarkon two and three-night Super Summer Seacations on the high seas intime for the summer holidays in Hong Kong. The two-night cruises will departFridays and Wednesday, and the three-night cruise on Sunday.

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