Daily Archives: June 9, 2021

International cooperation to tackle global challenges facing marine resources is strongly needed as problems such as ocean warming cannot be solved by just a few countries, Portuguese Minister of Maritime Affairs Ricardo Serro Santos told EURACTIV in an exclusive interview.

The thought of Portugal conjures up such historical figures as Vasco da Gama, a forerunner of a centuries-old mastery of the seas that has created wealth and progress for the nation in the Iberian peninsula.

As both the past and the future of the country is closely entwined with oceans, it is no wonder that the healthy state of the worlds seas is of particular concern to Serro Santos.

We have just one ocean and it is hurt by anthropogenic disturbances, namely our human activities, he said, adding that this is the reason why Europe should invest its efforts in cooperating on good and proper governance of the oceans.

A marine biologist and former lawmaker in the European Parliaments fisheries committee, Serro Santos stressed that plastic pollution and over-fishing are only the most visible challenges that marine resources are facing worldwide.

He mentioned the acidification with the loss of oxygen as the main problem as it leads to warmer oceans affecting the biodiversity living in the sea.

According to him, ocean warming is another problem that cannot be solved by one country only but in the context of sound global governance of the oceans.

Things seem to have changed after 2015 and now the preservation of the ocean has become an objective on its own in the United Nations agenda.

As an ocean scientist, I was really surprised and almost offended that ocean got just a tiny mention in the 2015 Paris agreement, the minister said, recalling that the concept of global warming was coined by an oceanographer.

But after the Paris Agreement, the first UN World Ocean Assessment was published in 2016 while the first Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on oceans came out in 2019.

Now, governments seem keen on this topic showing more ambition and demanding more targets, he said.

The EUs outgoing Fisheries Commissioner, Karmenu Vella, warned that climate change and biodiversity loss were putting the earths ecosystems dangerously close to a tipping point, and pleaded for his successor to carry on the International Ocean Governance (IOG) put in place during his five-year mandate.

Science is not enough

For Serro Santos, scientific knowledge is key to guarantee productivity and sustainability in the seafood systems, also contributing to fair and equitable coastal societies across the planet.

But science is not enough without good governance, mentioning that scientists can say how to act but governments need to put these scientific into actions.

He added that fake news constitutes another burden that needs to be tackled with global efforts on ocean literacy and information to citizens, as the decision-making process in this domain should not be carried on exclusively by politicians and scientists.

Blue economy

Oceans is high on the EUs Green deal agenda and fisheries ministers are discussing on Tuesday (8 June) the issue of an integrated maritime policy and will adopt a conclusion on that.

As anticipated by the Portuguese minister, the final declaration will be divided into four main objectives: oceans that support life, protection and conservation, mitigation, and a sustainable blue economy that is socially fair, equitable and inclusive.

The concept of the Blue economy is quite broad and include all profitable businesses with oceans and marine environments that go beyond fisheries.

When it comes to the impact of offshore energy and particularly wind farms on the high seas, there are some concerns about their impact on fisheries.

There is tension, of course, and this issue needs to be negotiated with other economic activities in the sea, including fishing, tourism and aquaculture. But I think that wind farms could give an important contribution to the green transition, he said.

According to him, the impact of wind farms can be minimised with marine spatial planning and public consultations.

I also believe that wind farms can actually be good for fisheries too, as they will create no-take areas that may work as protected areas, he said, adding that wind farms also favour the aggregation of organisms like algae, corals, and mussels, creating an interesting environment that attracts fish.

Aquaculture caveat

Aquaculture is another component of the blue economy concept and, although Portugal is not strongly engaged in this practice, Serro Santos recognised it can give a contribution to producing more and impact less if the sector will learn from the mistakes of the past.

Aquaculture per se is not the devil, not at all, he said, added that, however, countries have abused this technology in the past.

He mentioned that mangrove forests that grow in tropical habitats have been destroyed to make way for shrimp farms. The minister sees a good potential for non-fed and multi-trophic aquaculture that focuses on algae or molluscs.

End of harmful subsidies

Asked about the World Trade Organization (WTO) meeting that is expected to discuss the halt of harmful subsidies for fisheries, he said that the issue has been tackled in Europe with the latest reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).

Harmful subsidies refer to public support for vessel construction and other investments in fishery capacity, which is considered a major factor in the scourge of overfishing.

In the past, CFP led to some overcapacity, but the new regulations do not allow public spending in building new boats and there are also restrictions on augmentation of capacity.

[Edited by Josie Le Blond]

Link:

Portuguese minister: We have one ocean, we need to look after it globally - EURACTIV

George A Weymouths portrait of Prince Philip standing in the shell of St Georges Hall in Windsor Castle after the fire of 1992, holding a roll of floorplans.

Royal Collection Trust / Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2021 / PA Images

The late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, died aged 99 on 9 April, just a few months short of what would have been his 100th birthday this Thursday. To mark the occasion, two exhibitions have been planned at Windsor Castle and Holyroodhouse, dubbed Prince Philip: A Celebration.

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Prince Philip's close association to Windsor Castle - where he spent the last months of his life - will be explored as part of the exhibition. His mother, Princess Alice of Battenberg, was born here in 1885, and amongst the objects on display will be a journal entry by Queen Victoria noting how pretty a baby she was.

There will also be a focus on his work on restoring the castle after the fire of 1992, the Queen's so-called annus horribilis, including George A Weymouth's portrait of the Duke standing amongst the ruins holding floor plans.

The Coronation Robe and Coronet worn by HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh during Her Majesty The Queens Coronation on 2 June 1953

Royal Collection Trust / Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2021 / PA Images

Also among the objects at Windsor Castle will be the coronation robes and coronet that he wore for his wife's coronation in 1953. It was of course the occasion that changed the course of the Duke's life forever, as he became the royal consort, and gave up his promising career in the navy. Also on display will be his chair of estate - usually found at Buckingham Palace - which was made after the coronation and features a 'P' on the back for Philip.

Meanwhile in the Scottish capital, where the Prince held his Dukedom, there will be a focus on his naval career. A hero of World War II, Philip's midshipman's logbook describing HMS Valiant's mission during the Battle of Cape Matapan will be on display, recalling: 'Thanks to [Philip's] alertness and appreciation of the situation, we were able to sink in five minutes two 8in gun Italian cruisers.'

A silver model of HMY Britannia produced by Garrard & Co and presented to The Queen and Prince Philip by Lloyds Register of Shipping in 1972

Royal Collection Trust / Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2021 / PA Images

Following the Queen's coronation and the end of his time in the navy, Philip continued to take a keen interest in the high seas, and was actively involved in the building of the Royal Yacht Britannia, with sketches by architect Sir Hugh Casson alongside the Duke's notes shown.

The order of service from the wedding of HRH The Princess Elizabeth and Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten

Royal Collection Trust / Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2021 / PA Images

It's not all bravura though: there will also be the wedding invitation, order of service and breakfast menu from Philip's 1947 nuptials to the Queen shown here, with the latter featuring the 'filet de sole Mountbatten' and 'bombe glace Princesse Elizabeth'.

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Prince Philip's life to be celebrated in new exhibitions at Windsor Castle and Holyroodhouse - Tatler

Centuries-old umbrella-shaped dragon's blood trees line the rugged peaks of Yemen's Socotra symbols of the Indian Ocean archipelago's extraordinary biodiversity, but also a bleak warning of environmental crisis.

Forests of these ancient trees are being reduced by increasingly intense storms, while replacement saplings are eaten by goats, leaving the fragile biological hot spot vulnerable to desertification.

"The trees bring water, so they are so important," said Adnan Ahmed, a mathematics teacher and tour guide whose passion is Socotra's flora and fauna.

"Without trees, we will be in trouble."

Lying in turquoise seas between Arabia and Africa about 350 kilometres south of Yemen's coast, Socotra is home to more than 50,000 people and is relatively untouched by the civil war raging on the mainland.

Naming it a world heritage site in 2008, Unesco described the main island as one of the world's "most biodiversity rich and distinct" places.

It has also been called the "Galapagos of the Indian Ocean".

Mr Ahmed said islanders traditionally do not fell dragon's blood trees for firewood, both because they perpetuate regular rainfall and because its blood-red sap is medicinal.

But scientists and islanders said that the trees will largely die out within decades, buckling under pressure from global warming that is driving cyclones, as well as invasive species and overgrazing.

"Goats eat the seedlings, so young trees are only found on cliff faces in the most inaccessible places," Mr Ahmed said.

The trees take nearly half a century before they reproduce, he said. "If nothing is done, it will not take long before all are gone."

Fishermen take their boat to sea, off Shoab beach, on the Yemeni Island of Socotra. Yemen is hoping its Socotra archipelago will become a dream destination despite the country's nightmarish conflict. The four islands and two rocky islets home to some 50,000 people have remained relatively untouched by the war that has devastated the mainland, with adventurous travellers showing a growing interest in visiting. AFP

The Arher sand beach on Socotra Island. Located in the Indian Ocean, about 200km south of the Yemeni mainland, the Socotra archipelago is a site of global importance for biodiversity conservation with its lush landscape, distinctive trees, unique animals and turquoise waters home to dolphins. AFP

Desert rose (Adenium socotranum) plants grow on Di-Hamri mountain, on Socotra Island. AFP

A man stands at the top of a peak on Di-Hamri mountain. The four islands and two rocky islets, home to some 50,000 people, have remained relatively untouched by the war that has devastated Yemen's mainland, with adventurous travellers showing a growing interest in visiting. AFP

Dragon's blood (Dracaena cinnabari) trees at the top of Dixam mountain on Socotra island AFP

Fishermen wade in the water by a boat off Shoab beach. AFP

A fresh water spring on the mountain of Homhil on Socotra island. AFP

The shrinking forests are an indicator of the threat to Socotra's environment, said Belgian biologist Kay Van Damme, from the University of Ghent.

"It remains a treasure trove of biodiversity," said Mr Van Damme, chairman of the Friends of Socotra support group. "But we may soon be running out of time to protect Socotra's flagship species."

Each lost tree drives a reduction in the hydrological cycle upon which all life depends.

Islanders said trees have been battered by storms more ferocious than anyone remembers.

At Diksam, on the plateau surrounding the Hagher mountains, running like a spine along the 130-kilometre island and 1,500 metres high, dead trees lie scattered like bowling pins.

Other local species are just as hard-hit by storms and overgrazing, including the 10 endemic species of frankincense tree.

Gales have torn through nearly a third of the trees in the Homhil forest over the past decade.

Without replanting efforts, the forest "will be gone in only a few decades", Mr Van Damme said.

One study found the number of frankincense trees had plummeted by 78 per cent in this area between 1956 and 2017.

"The immune system of Socotra is now compromised," he said, but added, "there is still hope".

The scars of landslides caused by vegetation loss are common.

"If the trend continues, future generations might be able to visit a Socotran frankincense tree only in a botanical garden, accompanied by a little plaque saying 'extinct in the wild'," Mr Van Damme said.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) said Socotra is under "high threat", and the "deteriorating" situation will be "accelerated by climate change".

Islanders are feeling the impact of changing weather patterns.

Abdullah Ahmed, from a small fishing village near Shuab, a cluster of solidly built coral-stone homes, said the 40 residents were threatened both by extreme high seas and landslides.

They have built a village 10 minutes' walk from the sea.

"Waves in the last storms smashed the windows of our home," the 25-year-old said, describing how his family had sheltered, terrified, in caves for days.

"The last monsoon was worse than anyone had experienced."

But with effort, the worst impact can be slowed and some Socotris are doing what they can to protect their island.

At a community-run dragon's blood tree nursery the size of a football pitch, dozens of knee-high saplings resembling pineapple plants are the result of at least 15 years' growth.

"It is a start, but much more is needed," said Mr Ahmed, peering over the chest-high stone wall that protects the saplings from goats. "We need support."

Sadia Eissa Suliman was born and raised at the Detwah lagoon, which is listed as a wetland of global importance under the Ramsar Convention.

"I saw how the lagoon was changing," said the 61-year old grandmother, who watched swathes of trees being chopped down, plastic being dumped and fishing nets trawling the water, a nursery for young fish.

"Everyone said someone else would do something," she said. "But I said, 'Enough: I will do it, and people will see the difference.'"

She now helps the community enforce a fishing ban and raises funds to enclose trees and to tackle littering.

Scientists are also determined Socotra will not just become another case study of loss.

"We have a chance as humans to not mess this one up, otherwise we've learnt nothing from other examples of huge extinctions on islands," Mr Van Damme said.

"Socotra is the only island in the entire world where no reptile, plant or bird that we know of has gone extinct in the last 100 years. We have to make sure it stays that way."

See the original post:

Socotra's 'dragon's blood' trees under threat - The National

June 5th marks the third annual United Nations International Day for the Fight Against Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing. Peter Horn, who directs efforts by The Pew Charitable Trusts to end illegal fishingas part of the organizations international fisheriesprogram, spoke to three of his Pew colleagues: Gina Fiore, who focuses on maritime security and fisheries crime; Tahiana Fajardo, who works with governments, enforcement authorities, and the seafood industry to adopt regulations and policies to prevent IUU; and Alyson Kauffman, who focuses on reforming transshipment and improving fisheries enforcement through technology.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Kauffman: Ever since I was young, I knew I wanted to focus on the ocean when I grew up. In college, I decided to pursue a career in oceanography. After graduating, I worked as a satellite oceanographer for eight years, analyzing remote sensing data for fishing vessels, to help improve their fishing efforts. When I got to Pew, I knew that I could leverage that skill set to help enforcement officials target areas where protected species are located, or where known overfishing activity has occurred, in an effort to reduce instances of illegal fishing.

Fiore: I grew up fishing recreationally with my family on the east end of Long Island, where the Atlantic Ocean has always been a vital part of the local economy. I saw first-hand with the Long Island lobster industry how disruptions in the ecosystem lead to devastation for communities that rely on the ocean to make a livingnot just on Long Island, but in coastal areas all over the world where people build their economies from fishing. So its important for me to try to stop people and companies that threaten fisheries, especially small-scale and the artisanal fisheries.

Courtesy of Gina Fiore

Fajardo: Illegal fishing is a complex problem, and the public needs to understand that theres no one-layer solution to ending it. The solution is multilayered, and involves all States, the fishing industry, tech companies, NGOs, and end consumers; its not the responsibility of one stakeholder, one country, or one group. Awareness, communication, and coordination are key, and progress can be made faster if every party takes responsibility for their part and holds themselves accountable.

Fiore: Being able to see whos fishing in your waters is an important facet of maritime governance, and a major part of maritime domain awareness. When a country knows what fishing vessels are doing in their countrys waters, it builds better awareness locally and allows for that information to be shared regionally. And as information is shared between countries, it starts to close off ports to bad actorsand eventually disincentivizes illegal fishing in exclusive economic zones. That means improved sustainability, more fish for local and smaller-scale fishermen, and more money coming back into the economy.

Fajardo: A critical problem posed by IUU fishing is that it weakens efforts to sustainably manage fish stocks. Thats because fisheries management measures are based on data that may not be accurate if IUU catches and efforts are not accounted for, putting stocks that are already vulnerable in even more danger.

Fajardo: Unfortunately, how fishers are affected by IUU is an even less discussed problem, but its just as criticalbecause it ultimately affects their safety and lives. What evidence has shown is that because illegal operators cut as many corners as possible when it comes to increasing their profit, they often do so at the expense of anything and anyone. This usually translates into not maintaining minimum safety standards on their vessels, and terrible living and working conditions for their fishers, which adds unnecessary threats and danger to an occupation already considered to be one of the most dangerous in the world.

Courtesy of Tahiana Fajardo

Fajardo: Its the country to which a vessel is registered, and from which the vessel takes its nationality. A flag State ensures proper registration of its fishing vessels and is responsible for having a robust monitoring, control, and surveillance system of its fleets.

Fajardo: Theyre in the unique position to control their fishing fleets, which is a critical responsibility. This oversight carries even more relevance for vessels operating on the high seas, where States other than the flag State have limited jurisdiction. So flag States are fundamental in preventing IUU fishing from taking place in the first placeand for enforcing, on their vessels, international and domestic laws designed to end IUU fishing and related illegal activities.

Kauffman: Transshipment is the transfer of fish from a fishing vessel to a carrier vessel that takes the catch back to port, and it often takes place far out on the high seas, where its difficult to monitor. It plays a really important role in the fishing industry, but it adds one more step in the supply chain, increasing the risk of IUU fish being landed at port.

Courtesy of Alyson Kauffman

Kauffman: Overall, the benefits of technology have provided us the ability to have eyes on whats happening at sea and validate whats being reported, while also detecting increased risk of IUU activity. For instance, data from automatic identification systems (AIS), which are required on vessels over 300 gross tons, can be used to show where fishing vessels are going. Enforcement officials can review this data to see if the vessels are fishing where theyre not supposed to. However, bad actors can look for loopholes to avoid complying with international fisheries policiessuch as turning off or obstructing the AIS to avoid being monitored. Ultimately, technology helps us determine levels of risk and allows us to ask the right questions about whats happening on the high seas.

See more here:

On the International Day for the Fight Against Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing, Pew Advocates Discuss Their Work - The Pew Charitable...

VIDEO: Danvers & Beverly High Graduations of the Past

Some images from past commencement ceremonies for graduates of Beverly and Danvers High School

Jennie Oemig, Wicked Local

BEVERLY It may have been a sweltering day at Hurd Stadium, but Beverly High Schools 2021 graduates, along with their friends, family members and loved ones, were just happy to be together in the same place celebrating the occasion.

These past four years have been filled with laughs, smiles, tears, a lot of ups, and a lot of downs, said graduating senior Cameron Jones in his welcome address. As a whole weve been through hell; without stating the obvious, our class is very special, and will be forever remembered for our perseverance.

Noting that the senior class has had an uncomfortable and strange year, Jones encouraged each of his peers to enjoy the little things in life.

Try your best to not take them for granted, he urged. Life is too short, and if you dont stop to appreciate it you just might miss it.

Class President Tobey Archibald referenced the many ways in which his bucket list for high school fell short of expectations, with things like junior prom, senior pep rally and a big Thanksgiving game forever left unchecked.

Eventually, he realized the list just needed to be ripped up and thrown away.

Not to say that I believe bucket lists are antiquated and evidently useless, but if there is anything weve learned in the past four years it is that life clearly, and painfully, does not adhere to a certain list, he said. It may feel wrong, and sad, and scary when you cant cross off all of the things that are supposed to make you feel the happiest and have the most fun, but it's so crucial that we all take the time to have the awareness that we just accomplished so much more than what could ever be written down on a bucket list, or taught in a class or heard in a speech.

Mayor Michael P. Cahill congratulated the Class of 2021, noting the incredible struggles the seniors have had to grapple with during a year that was shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic.

You have shown incredible inner strength and resilience as you have been challenged this past year, he said. And I hope, with all my heart, that this will be the silver lining to this past long year, that what you have faced and overcome will have helped prepare you for success and much happiness in your lives ahead.

Without question, the high school experience for members of the Class of 2021 has been far different from those who have graduated from Beverly High School in the past.

A little over a year ago, who would have imagined wearing masks, holding classes in a hybrid model, social distancing and even one-way hallways? said Superintendent Sue Charochak. The past 15 months have all of us learning new ways of communicating, and have led to each of us examining our perspectives about so many things.

Salutatorian Jackson Clark reminded everyone in attendance that as people age, life passes them by faster and faster, a concept that makes some feel anxious, as if they are a small boat in high seas.

It is momentous days like these graduations, big exams, and first days when we find ourselves feeling like small boats in high seas, he said. Undoubtedly, each challenge you overcome will prepare you for the next, and together, our small boats will weather the storm.

Valedictorian Alexia Vayeos implored her peers to do some deep introspection this summer.

Dont be afraid to admit that you messed up in high school or have some (or many) (or a lot of) regrets, she said. Even if you thought you had the perfect high school experience which you probably (no, definitely) didnt consider what you can do to become a better person and make the most of your life. There is a reason most graduations are called commencements. Youre about to start a new chapter in your life, and you can be whoever you want to be.

To view more photos from Sunday's ceremony, visit http://www.wickedlocal.com/heraldcitizen.

Jazlynn Marie Abbott

William Lawrence Adams

William Joseph Adisho

Sarah Jennifer Allushi

Christopher Joseph Almeida

Ali Farazdak Alsahlawi

Jack David Andersen

Sydney Christine Anderson

Jayla Lynne Anderson-Jaber

Colin David Andrew

Tobey Ellis Archibald

Shalissa Marilyn Arias

Austin Tyler Ayer

Joseph John Balkus

Shania Rose Bancroft

Camille Shannon Barror

Julia Ann Barry

Sarah Katherine Barth

Dorothy Rose Bartlett

Jonathan Thomas Bates

Nathaniel Belizaire

Hailey Sara Bello

Mario Anthony Bermudez

Andrew Michael Bernfeld

Kaylee Marie Bettencourt

Virginia Lily Betts

Ivi Biu

Amanda Persis Blanchard

Julia Thi Block

Adolfo Antonio Bonilla

Jordin Lillian Bonilla

Rachel Paige Botte

Carson Frederick Brean

Richard Coelho Brito

Amber Lynn Brook

Alexia Jaelyn Brown

Sofia Deni Bucco

Nicholas Albert Buoniconti

Joshua George Burnett

Matthias Wernaa Butin

Jack Augustus Butterfield

Justin Robert Butters

Christian Michael Butterworth

Bryn Meredith Cafferty

Justin William Cahill

Eamon Joseph Callaghan

Nathan James Campbell

Grace Yuan Carella

Samantha Lyn Carnevale

Julia Rose Carpenter

Ariane Catherine Chanda

Zachary Daniel Charette

Emily Marija Chase

Emma Catherine Clark

Jackson McCaffrey Clark

Erin Suzanne Clark

Sarah Ann Codding

Cassidy Ann Coe

Clayton Thomas Gregory Cogswell

Nicholas Landan Cole

Anthony John Coletti

Dariangelys Colon

Gabriel Josue' Colon

Yaniel Olmo Concepcion

Kolton Philip Cook

Lily Rose Cook

Travis Michael Coombs

Annalise Rachel Cormier

Maya Marie Cormier

Brett Anthony Costa

Hannah Margaret Costa

Kevin Francis Costa

Emma Rose Costain

Griffin Matthew Coyne

Rosemary Abigail Cunney

Anne Elizabeth Curtin

Robson Antonio Da Silva Jr.

Kelsi Susan DalBon

Julieann Damas DaSilva

Ryan Tyler Day

Madison Judith Delano

Original post:

Beverly High graduates encouraged to enjoy the little things, do some deep introspection - Wicked Local

This news comment is attributable Indrika Ratwatte, Director of the UNHCR Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific.

BANGKOK, Thailand UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, welcomed yesterdays disembarkation of 81 Rohingya refugees in east Aceh, Indonesia. After several months at sea in perilous conditions, these women, children and men have now found safety ashore.

UNHCR commends the Government of Indonesia for allowing their disembarkation, as well as the members of the local community who initially provided food provisions to the refugees.

The Rohingya refugees are currently being sheltered in Pulau Idaman near Simpang Ulim and are receiving food and medical assistance from the Indonesian authorities. UNHCR and humanitarian partners are onsite to provide additional support and coordination to ensure that the refugees needs are met.

The 81 refugees are believed to have departed from Bangladesh in a boat with 90 passengers on 11 February. Within days, the boats engine had broken down and the refugees lives were at risk, with many suffering from severe dehydration. By the time that the boat was eventually assisted in the Andaman Sea by the Indian authorities, nine passengers had reportedly passed away. After they again set sail, UNHCR and partner organizations lost contact with the refugees.

It is both a humanitarian imperative and an international obligation to provide vessels in distress with life-saving assistance and disembarkation to a place of safety. While we commend the Government and people of Indonesia once more for their humanitarian gesture, UNHCR reiterates the urgent need for states in the region to come together to forge a collective regional response to search, rescue and disembarkation. Vulnerable women, children and men should not be left to the mercy of the high seas.

For further information, please contact:

In Jakarta, Dwi Prafitria, prafitri@unhcr.org, +62 811 19600493In Bangkok (regional), Kasita Rochanakorn, rochanak@unhcr.org, +66 64 932 0803

Follow this link:

UNHCR welcomes the safe disembarkation of Rohingya refugees in east Aceh, Indonesia - Indonesia - ReliefWeb

Recently, a Filipino ocean microbiologist and an American explorer deep dove into the third-deepest spot on Earth the Phillippines Trench. To their horror, instead of finding ghoulish ocean creatures, they found plastics.

In fact, after a cargo ship caught fire and sunk in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka, authorities are mulling the damage that will be caused to the marine ecosystem, including oil spillage and plastic pellets, from the ship.

These are only a few instances from the recent past that highlights how human activities, including the dumping of waste, chemicals, and plastics, are damaging the diverse and rich marine ecosystem.

However, marine biologists, environmentalists, and ocean conservationists, with the help of marine engineers and other experts, are putting in their best effort to create an impact.

They are installing floating trash barriers, waste interceptors, and other technologies that can prevent the trash from entering the sea every day.

Ahead of World Ocean Day, SocialStory identified some of the ocean cleanup projects that are generating awareness about ocean conservation and restoring its biodiversity.

Beach cleanup by Bay of Life

Bay of Life Surf School and Ocean Literacy was started in 2011 by Showkath Jamal. While activities like cleaning beaches and saving marine life, including turtles, have now become popular, Showkath and his team have been doing it for over a decade.

Situated at the Kovalam beach, Chennai, Bay of Life Surf School aims to generate interest in sustainable ocean sportsand activities. While the school comprises a major part of the organisation, it also carries out marine social causes, including beach and ocean clean-ups, through the Bay of Life Foundation.

Some of the major activities of the foundation include beach trash analysis, beach cleanup, andfree surf lessonsfor people who clean upfive kilos of trashfrom the beach. The team has removed over 24,000 kg of wastes from the ocean and the beaches.

Founded in 2013 by Boyan Slat an inventor-entrepreneur The Ocean Cleanup is a non-profit based in The Netherlands.

The non-profit has been developing technology, similar to floating trash barriers, to extractplastic from the oceans and intercept it in rivers before it can reach it. It also conducts ocean-specific scientific research to understand the levels of plastic pollution in these water bodies.

In 2019, the organisation announced a new initiative called the Interceptor, which tackles this pollution problem closer to the source, preventing about 80 percent of the trash from rivers from entering the ocean.

US-based Oceana is a non-profit organisation founded in 2001 by a group of leading companies, including the Rockefeller Foundation, focusing on ocean conservation.

Oceana does this by influencing specific policy on the national levels to restore the worlds oceans by conducting research and providing policy recommendations.

The organisation has also taken over other organisations like The Ocean Law Project by The Pew Charitable Trusts and the American Oceans Campaign by actor and environmentalist Ted Danson.

Some of the notable victories of its impactful projects include the rescue of the dusky sharks, creating a marine national park in Spain the second-largest in the country.

The High Seas Alliance (HSA) is a coalition of over 40 NGOs and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It aims to focus on conserving the High Seas. High Seas is an open ocean that isnt governed by any country.

The team works together and engages the public, the experts, and the decision-makers to support and strengthen the governance of the high seas.

Even though there are no binding terms and rules for the establishment of protected areas in the high seas, these regions are severely impacted by pollution.

The HSA works to create awareness about the same while also ensuring that effective conservation measures are taken to address these ocean conservation gaps.

Original post:

These non-profits are determined to conserve the vast oceans of the Earth - YourStory

A snorkeler swims near a whale shark, the world's biggest fish, in Cenderawasih Bay, Indonesia. ( Helmut Corneli/Alamy)

There is only one global ocean a vast body of water that covers 71 percent of the Earth. That ocean is geographically divided into five ocean basins: the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic and Southern.

A healthy planet needs a healthy ocean. The interdependency of the five basins and humans dependence on the marine environment will be highlighted June 8, onWorld Oceans Day 2021, with the theme The Ocean: Life and Livelihoods.

Listed below are five interconnected threats that pose the biggest challenges to ocean health, along with measures to tackle each of these issues:

The German research vessel Polarstern in the Central Arctic Ocean, with a team of scientists from 20 countries, completed a mission to the North Pole in 2020. The mission found dramatic effects of global warming on sea ice, a finding backed by U.S. satellite images. ( Abaca Press/Alamy)The climate crisis is also an ocean crisis. The ocean has absorbed 20 to 30 percent of human-caused carbon dioxide emissions since the 1980s. And more than 90 percent of the warming that has happened on Earth during the past 50 years has occurred in the ocean.

As the ocean absorbs more heat and carbon dioxide, sea surface temperatures, sea levels andocean acidificationrise. This can increase storm and flood damage, harm to marine species and biodiversity loss.

The U.S. supports efforts to achieve net-zerogreenhouse gas emissionsby 2050 to protect the ocean. Ocean-based ways to help decarbonize include scaling up offshore renewable energy, reducing emissions from shipping and ports, and restoring coastal blue carbon ecosystems such as mangroves and seagrasses which not only capture and store carbon dioxide but also protect coasts.

A green sea turtle swims over coral reefs with azure vase sponges in the Caribbean Sea. ( Matthew Banks/Alamy)Fish provide nutrition for more than 3 billion people and support the livelihoods of 12 percent of the worlds population. But more than one-third of the oceans fish stocks are being harvested beyond sustainable levels.

Overfishing can affect entire ecosystems, depleting fish stocks and endangering vulnerable species likesea turtles. Overfishing threatens fishers long-term livelihoods.

The United States champions building cooperative, science-based rules to ensure that fisheries can be sustainable for the long term. The U.S. also works to reduce bycatch of other marine life along with a target catch. For example, the U.S. requires that shrimp imported from other countries are not caught in ways that also harm endangered sea turtles.

Boats sit idle during a ban on fishing to protect the industrys sustainability. Overharvesting due to illegal fishing is one reason such temporary bans are needed. ( STR/AFP/Getty)

One of the greatest challenges facing international fisheries is illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Such fishing costs the world tens of billions of dollars each year. It harms coastal communities that rely on sustainable fishing for income and for food to eat.

IUU fishing operations can involve criminal activities like money laundering, drug trafficking and human trafficking including forced labor.

The United States works closely with other countries tocombat IUU fishingand is working to build international rules that can help countries to monitor and control their fishing vessels and their waters. The U.S. wants strong multilateral programs and standards in place such as the Port State Measures Agreement that increase oversight of seafood in trade and prevent IUU-caught fish from entering the market.

Plastic, which never fully biodegrades, can entrap or be ingested by fish. ( Andrey Nekrasov/Barcroft Media/Getty)Scientists estimate that there are more than 150 million tons of plastic pollution in the ocean, with another 8 million tons added each year. That works out to a full garbage trucks worth of plastic pollution entering the ocean every minute!

Once in the water, plastic never fully biodegrades. It can entrap or be ingested by fish, seabirds, turtles and marine mammals.

The United States manages waste to reduce marine debris at home and helps other countries improve their waste management, including finding ways to stop abandoned fishing gear from entering the ocean. The U.S. also undertakes research and promotesinnovation to reduce plastic wastein the ocean.

The United States supports protection of marine habitats in Antarctica like this one in Paradise Bay. ( Samantha Crimmin/Alamy)Withmarine lifeunder threat, its important to establish marine protected areas, which can protect biodiversity and critical habitats, support fisheries, capture and store carbon, and build ocean resilience.

The United States has set a goal of conserving 30 percent of U.S. lands and waters by 2030. While most areas in need of conservation are closer to shore, there are also areas of the high seas such as waters around Antarctica that warrant protection. The U.S. continues to support marine protected areas in the Southern Ocean and elsewhere around the globe.

By U.S. Mission Italy | 7 June, 2021 | Topics: News | Tags: Protecting ocean

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Protecting the ocean from 5 big threats (photo gallery) | US Embassy & Consulates in Italy - US Embassy Rome

4 min read08 June

Globally our oceans are at a tipping point. To reverse this we must establish fully protected, no catch zones to give our marine wildlife space to recover.

Stripped of vast swathes of its inhabitants and choking on emissions, for too many years we have denigrated one of our greatest economic assets: the ocean. The theme for World Ocean Day today is Life and Livelihoods, which could not be more prescient. By strengthening our network of protected areas, the UK government can lead the way in restoring our oceans and the services they provide, including replenishing fish stocks in coastal communities like my constituency of North Devon.

The ocean is the main source of protein for more than a billion people, produces half of the planets oxygen, regulates our climate, and has absorbed one third of our carbon emissions.

The UKs fishing industry alone is worth almost 1 billion to our economy. In North Devon, many local businesses and families rely on the maritime economy, and it is right that we do all we can to level it up as we Build Back Better.

Protected areas must go further and restrict environmentally harmful practices

The Dasgupta Review into the economics of biodiversity, commissioned by the UK Treasury, highlighted how the ecosystem services that underpin our economic prosperity and resilience are not currently priced in bymarkets or accounted for by governments.

We should recognise the economic value of natures services. For instance, the average whale sequesters 33 tonnes of carbon dioxide over its lifetime, which combined with its contribution to fishery enhancement and ecotourism, has led the IMF to value each one at more than $2 million, or over $1 trillion for all great whales in 2019.

However, globally our oceans are at a tipping point, with 90% of big fish populations depleted and over a third of marine mammals under threat of extinction.

The UKs seas have failed to meet government standards on good environmental health, and we have lost vast swathes of our carbon and species rich habitats, including 85% of our saltmarshes and 90% of our seagrass meadows - both of which can protect coastal communities from flooding and erosion.

To reverse this trend, we need to properly protect 30% of the worlds ocean by the end of this decade, an effort the UK is spearheading though its Global Ocean Alliance.

Our Blue Belt programme provides enhanced protection to an area larger than India around our Oversea Territories. The UK has also established a domestic network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) which cover more than a third of our waters, designated to protect specific seascapes or species.

But theseprotected areas must go furtherand restrict environmentally harmful practices.

Last year I welcomed Lord Benyons review into Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs), which recommended establishing fully protected, no catch zones to give our marine wildlife space to recover.

Evidence suggests that fully protected zones could enrich coastal communities like those in my constituency of North Devon, with larger and more diverse fish stocks spilling over into surrounding waters for local fishers.

A recent report found that extending this level of protection to 30% of our MPA network, and effectively managing the rest, could yield benefits worth 10.5 billion in tourism and recreation and support thousands of jobs in those sectors.

To ensure our protected areas are effectively managed, we should make use of our new post-Brexit freedoms to ban bottom trawling from our offshore MPAs. This would protect the vast swathes of carbon stored in our seabed - known as blue carbon.

A recent report found that emissions from trawling in UK waters could be on equal footing with emissions from agriculture. As a Blue Carbon Champion in Parliament for the Marine Conservation Society, this is something I feel strongly about, and will be speaking about in my debate on World Ocean Day 2021.

This heightened domestic ambition could support the UK's effort at the UN for effective international cooperation to protect international waters. The high seas account for two thirds of the worlds ocean, so securing their effective conservation through the establishment and management of protected areas is an important prerequisite for protecting 30% of the global ocean by 2030.

Thanks to successive Conservative governments, the UK is a global ocean champion. We should now strengthen our international leadership in marine protection with greater domestic ambitions, and allow nature to bounce back, safeguarding our economy and planet for future generations.

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Britain can lead the way in restoring our oceans by strengthening our network of protected areas - PoliticsHome