Category Archives: High Seas

Jun 18th 2020

IM NOT COMFORTABLE in my chair with such a crew, says the captain of a cargo vessel in the South Atlantic en route from Bermuda to Singapore. He is eight months into a four-month contract, and almost everyone on board has also already worked at least double his contracted time. He hopes Singapore will accept that sailors who have seen almost no one but each other for months pose no infection risk and permit a crew change. If not, some may refuse to keep working. On June 16th an industry-wide agreement to allow emergency contract extensions expired, but that is no guarantee that ports will open up. Believe me, he says, the situation is critical.

When Rose George, a journalist, wrote about the shipping industry in 2013, she called her book Ninety Percent of Everything to convey its importance to global trade. But during the covid-19 crisis almost none of the mariners who keep the world fed, warmed and entertained have been allowed on shore. At any moment 1.2m are in cargo vessels on the high seas. (Half as many again work on cruise ships or vessels transporting goods within a single countrys territory.) At least 250,000 have finished their contracts and have no idea when they will be relieved. Similar numbers are stuck at home with no idea when they will next get work. Both totals are rising by tens of thousands each week.

In normal times, crewing the worlds merchant fleet is a logistical miracle. Ship-management firms handle the rosters, signing crew on, flying them from their home countries to a convenient port, and getting them off their ships again and on a plane home. Many mariners are from developing countries, in particular India, Indonesia and the Philippines. They often start and end their contracts in hubs such as Dubai, Hong Kong and Singapore. Contracts are typically of three to nine months, with one months variation in either direction to make planning easier.

The virus has thrown an almighty spanner in the works. Countries that classified lorry drivers, pilots and cabin crew as essential workers overlooked merchant seamen, even though their work underpins the global economy. Some will accept their citizens, but ships may not be calling at a suitable port, and management companies may not be able to line up relief. With few scheduled flights, the sailors who manage to disembark may not be able to get home.

At first they were proud to be able to help in the global emergency, says Lars Robert Pedersen of BIMCO, which represents the owners of about 60% of the worlds merchant fleet. They are used to hard work and long contracts. But when official neglect continued, sailors morale became a problem. They are fed every day, and they are getting paid, but thats not the point, he says. They are effectively imprisoned on board their ships.

Owners and managers are trying to make confinement more bearable with free internet and wage top-ups, says Andreas Hadjipetrou, the managing director of Columbia Shipmanagement. One captain asked for gym equipment and karaoke, he says. The crew created a band and sent us a video clip. More importantly, they are doing everything they can to facilitate crew changeswhich take not just planning, but a hefty dose of luck.

Among the merchant seamen relieved during the lockdown is Hrisheet Barve, a ships captain and an Indian from the state of Goa. By the end of May he and 16 crew members, also Indian, were months over contract. Since they were sailing along Indias coast, he proposed to the ships management company, Anglo-Eastern, that it divert to the port of Cochin in the state of Kerala for a crew change. The company agreed, despite the cost and delay. Even though the men were all nationals, disembarking required lengthy negotiations with the shipping ministry and port and state officials. They had seen no one else for months, but still had to spend two weeks in quarantine.

By the end, says Captain Barve, he was very worried about his mens mental state. When youre all in the same boatpun not intendedyou can pull each other down. And tired, miserable sailors are unsafe, he adds. It just takes one captain to make a mistake and run a tanker aground and cause an oil spill. They will say it was a navigational error but the real culprit will be that he was working way longer than he should have been.

The International Maritime Organisation, the arm of the UN that deals with shipping, has drawn up a protocol for crew changes during the pandemic. It requires governments to classify merchant seamen as essential workers, thus enabling them to travel and cross borders. Ports and airports need facilities for testing and quarantine, and safe connections. We have the standard operating procedure ready to act on, says Bjorn Hojgaard of Anglo-Eastern. We just need help from regulators.

The industry hopes that governments will be prodded into action by the sudden expiry of so many seamens contracts. The International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) says it will support any seamen who refuse to work. If that leaves too few people to operate a ship safely, its insurance policy could lapse, and full liability fall on the captain and owner, who might then decide it was too risky to keep going. The trade that has flowed so smoothly throughout the pandemic might finally gum up. Everyone is happy to reap the benefits of global trade, says Stephen Cotton, the ITFs general secretary. But no one seems willing to step up when it comes to safeguarding those who deliver the things they need every day.

This article appeared in the Finance & economics section of the print edition under the headline "Ninety percent of everything"

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As the virus rages on shore, merchant seamen are stranded on board - The Economist

Carnival Cruise Line plans to resume some North American cruises starting on August 1 amid the coronavirus pandemic. USA TODAY

Carnival Corp. has announced its lines will take a phased approach as they make their return to the high seas,meaning its vesselsand brands will return to sailing over timerather than all at once.

"We are going to be patient in our approach and learn from best available information we are going to have before we sail," Roger Frizzell, spokesman for Carnival Corp., told USA TODAY Thursday.

"There is no formal schedule for return at this point," Frizzell said, noting dates are notset for the phased returns to startdespite the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's no-sail order's expiration date approaching on July 24.

Eight Carnival Cruise Line ships are scheduled to sail in August, but Frizzell noted "there has been no formal decision that those eight will sail, but they are not canceled at this point.

The cruise world giant, which is parent to Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises, Costa Cruises, AIDA Cruises, Seabourn,Cunard and of course, its flagship, Carnival Cruise Line, shared the news in their 2020 second quarter summary. Carnival Corp.'s full fleet contains well over 100 ships.

Carnival plans to have eight ships operating in August.(Photo: Carnival)

The company expects that initial sailings will depart from a number of "easily accessible" home ports.

No decisions have been made regarding how many people will be on board when the first ships set sail as the cruise giant is still working with health authorities, including the CDC, and experts to determine a return date, proper health protocols andship capacity levels.

Some areas that may be subject to change include medical care, screening and testing, terminal protocol for arrival and departure, sanitization, boarding and disembarkation, onboard experiences and more.

"There is certainly some time to finalize that while we are at a pause," Frizzell said.

While it plans a slow resumption of previous operations, Carnival Corp.also expects delays to new ship deliveries, of which 16 are scheduled into2025, according to its website.

The company also intends to accelerate the removal of ships during 2020 that had been expected to be sold later and remove additionalships from its fleet.Six ships are set to be removed from Carnival Corp.'s fleet in the next 90 days. Frizzell didnot identify which vessels would be leaving the fleet but said they are some of the oldest.

Carnival is under investigation by the United StatesCongress forits handling of multiple outbreaks of COVID-19 on itsships, the governing body announced on May 1.

In addition to the Diamond Princess, which led to more than 700 coronavirus cases and 13 deaths, and Grand Princess, which had more than 100 casesand at at least 3 deaths,Carnival subsidiary Princess Cruises also had cases on theRuby PrincessandCoral Princess; Additionally, USA TODAY confirmed cases on Costa Cruises'Costa Favolosa,Costa Luminosa;and on Holland America'sMS Zaandam, which are also owned by Carnival.

In May, Frank Del Rio, CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., said during an earnings call that Norwegian has been planning a phased relaunch.

He had estimated, at the time,that full resumption of operations couldtake up to six monthsacross Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings'28 ships, which are spread across its three brands. But he expressed that it will take time and require cooperation with government and health authorities.

And Royal Caribbean's CEO, Richard Fain,saidgetting ships back to sea will likely be a gradual process on an earnings call May 20.

"We dont expect that this is going to be that someday somebody blows a horn and all the ships start operating right away," Fain said. "We think that it will be a gradual start ...a little like how society is opening up."

EXCLUSIVE:Virgin Voyages announces 'Voyage Well' health plan for Scarlet Lady ship

Norwegian, Oceania, Regent: Cruise lines extend suspensions into fall

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'We are going to be patient': Carnival plans phased return to cruising amid coronavirus pandemic - AZCentral.com

'Cable Girls' aka 'Las Chicas del Cable' was Netflix's first Spanish original show. Since 'Cable Girls', Netflix's Spanish series have taken the world by storm, some of the most popular shows being 'Money Heist' and 'Elite'.

The first part of the final season was released earlier this year on Valentine's Day and was set amid the onset of the Spanish Civil War. While the first part consisted of only five episodes, there were more twists and turns than any of us expected, including an unexpected death.Now, the final episodes of the Spanish period drama are set to release on Netflix. Read on to know more details.

Season 6 of 'Cable Girls' will be available to stream on Netflix on July 3 from 12 am PST.

In the first part of the final season, we had seen Lidia's (formerly Alba) life in America with Francisco after she got tired of Carlos's inability to stand up to his mother Dona Carmen. Lidia and Francisco had also adopted ngeles's daughter, Sofia. The season picks up many years later, after Sofia, who is all grown up now, leaves America to go fight in the Civil War.

When Lidia goes to Spain to search for Sofia, she comes across Carlos, who became a general fighting in the war. While things are tense between Lidia and Carlos, they soon come around. However, this is short-lived after Lidia is captured by the Army and Carlos is shot dead.Meanwhile, Marga is pregnant and finally reunited with Pablo, as well as his twin brother Julio; American journalist James Lancaster - for whom Carlota may or may not have feelings for - was set to be deported and Francisco had made his way over to Spain.

While Francisco may have been able to keep Sofia alive, his new mission would be to find Lidia in the final season. We are certain he will mourn the death of his once-best friend, Carlos as well. We also learn that one of the leaders at the camp where Lidia is imprisoned is Dona Carmen.

Blanca Suarez

Blanca Suarez is a Spanish actress known for her roles in 'Cable Girls', 'El Internado', and 'El Barco'. She plays the role of Lidia on 'Cable Girls'.

Ana Fernndez Garca

Ana Fernndez Garca is a Spanish actress best known for her work on 'Cable Girls'. She plays the role of Carlota.

Nadia de Santiago

Nadia de Santiago is a Spanish actress best known for her roles in 'Las 13 Rosas' and 'Cable Girls'. She plays the role of Marga.

Yon Gonzalez

Yon Gonzalez is a Spanish actor known for his roles in 'El Internado', 'Gran hotel', 'Bajo sospecha', and 'Transgression'. He plays the role of Francisco in 'Cable Girls'.

'Cable Girls' also stars Ana Polvorosa as Oscar, Denisse Pea as Sofia, Alex Hafner as James Lancaster, and Concha Velasco as Dona Carmen.

The show was created by Ramn Campos ('Grand Hotel', 'High Seas'), Gema R. Neira ('Grand Hotel', 'High Seas') and Teresa Fernndez-Valds ('Grand Hotel', 'Velvet Collection').

A trailer for the final season has not dropped yet. Keep watching this space for more updates.

'High Seas'

'Elite'

'Money Heist'

'El Internado'

'Grand hotel'

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'Cable Girls' Season 6: Release date, plot, cast and all you need to know about the Netflix series' final run - MEAWW

A strong sense of empires crumbling this week, as Led Zeppelin are no longer the biggest dickheads ever to demand a plane respray. Sliding into the top spot are Boris Johnson and his government, with the prime minister taking time out of accidentally bumping off British citizens to order a 900,000 paint job on his VIP Voyager aircraft.

The only disappointment is that he didnt reveal the plans at one of the daily No 10 press conferences. Heres a slide showing how tens of thousands more people than necessary have Sadly Died because of decisions I took or put off taking. But looking at the positives, heres a slide of the new designs for my plane! As for the respray, Im picturing something that befits our status in the world. Perhaps giant letters reading Air Farce One. The budget option would be to keep it grey and just scrawl a classic across the side, like CLEAN ME or My plane is dirtier than your mum. If not, maybe Johnson would be drawn to something like If this planes a-rockin, dont come a-knockin, or Dont laugh, lady your daughter could be in here.

None of these would be any less absurd than the justification for it all by cabinet minister Oliver Dowden. I note that Oliver is a Conservative culture secretary, which has historically been like being the Ku Klux Klans equalities wizard. Here he is on Johnsons paint job: We really are a creative industries superpower, and we should be promoting that. I think the work on Voyager is part of that. To which the most reasonable reply is: wut? Still, lets try to clamber inside the logic simulator and work out what in the name of his favourite album being a free CD that came on the front of the Sunday Times in 2007 Oliver is trying to say here. Is it that theatres are in such acute crisis that 75% of them may never reopen, so we need to get this piece of military hardware into the bodyshop? Is it that we made Fleabag, and thats why my boss needs a penis extension? Im finding the philosophy somewhat impenetrable.

Then again, Johnson has always seen some mystical correlation between his sense of sexual potency and the success of the nation. He has previously fretted that Trident going to sea without missiles would mean the whole country is literally firing blanks. He has described himself as the man to put some lead in the collective pencil. And hed now like us to have a chlorinated chicken in every port. Actually, I think I invented that last one but youre welcome for the image. Were all men of the world, and no one said dockside life was for the faint-hearted.

Speaking of grotesque maritime adventures, it feels the moment to turn to one ministers widely publicised letter to Johnson this week in the wake of his shameful decision to merge the Department for International Development with the Foreign Office. This requested that the government spend money intended for overseas aid on two new yachts to replace the Royal Yacht Britannia.

The letter was written by Penny Mordaunt, hitherto one of the less lavishly useless ones. When Dominic Cummings broke lockdown to drive to Barnard Castle to test his eyesight and so on, Tory MPs were swamped by furious constituents. Mordaunt went on record to offer them her deepest regrets and say that there were some inconsistencies in his account of events and the reasons behind it. In the immediate wake of this, a well-placed observer told the Times: Dom is very vindictive. I think someone like Penny shes fucked. I know how they operate and she is in big trouble. They will go after her.

Alternatively, she might have to pass some mad loyalty test, like having to execute a snitch in an abandoned warehouse in front of her crime boss or write a letter saying that aid money has to be spent on a yacht. Sorry, two yachts. That, I imagine, is when you lower the gun you were handed, shaking with a mixture of horror, fear, relief (maybe even a tiny trace of exhilaration), and Cummings claps you on the back and goes: That its, Pen. Always knew you were one of us.

In terms of cultural exports, of course, we are now a country where the foreign secretary informs the world that Black Lives Matter protesters taking a knee seems to be taken from the Game of Thrones [sic]. Domestically, the DfId/FCO merger is a culture war gambit that reminds us this government will be coming for the BBC soon enough. In that act of cultural vandalism, they will be assisted by various quarterwits on the left who want to privatise a utility currently owned by the public, and who believe that a strong, independent leftwing media will spring up in its place. Just like it has in all the other countries.

Still, no doubt the politicians can visit these on their royal yacht replacement. Im afraid I dont yet know the purpose of the second yacht Mordaunt has requested. Maybe some kind of human ark? There may come a point where Johnsons administration has wiped out so many British citizens that the only way for us to survive as a world-beating master race is to take to the high seas and they will get higher, if he has his way where a retinue of women will be impregnated by one hugely self-regarding enthusiast. I cant imagine who.

In the meantime, surely its time to point out that if a telly chef was behaving like Johnson, you know what people would be saying. Lets look at the evidence: the chap in question has left his wife for someone very much younger. He has recently acquired a dirt bike on which to bomb round the grounds of Chequers. He now wants not one but three ludicrously showy high-performance vehicles. Come on does the prime minister have to get a Celtic knot tattoo before we can call whats happening by its name? Does Johnson have to casually push up his sleeve at the dispatch box to reveal a newly inked piece of Route 66 body art, then say to Keir Starmer Im headed for the open road of life, mate? Does he have to be spotted in a terrible leather jacket? Do a triathlon? Learn to surf? If it were anyone else in public life, then the Daily Mails Sarah Vine would have written 15 columns about it, so allow me to go there on her behalf: the prime minister is having an incredibly cliched midlife crisis, and were all having to live in it.

If this was Bake Offs Paul Hollywood, then fine. I myself would get a couple of columns out of it; and in any case hes only in charge of a baking tent, a Kawasaki Ninja and a semi-custom Big Dog Ridgeback (Im told it doesnt ride as good as it looks). But when theyre in charge of an entire country, shambolic pandemic response and some nuclear codes, it does feel like something we should all keep an eye on. A powerless one, yes: but still an eye.

Marina Hyde is a Guardian columnist

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This is Boris Johnson's midlife crisis. The rest of us just have to live in it - The Guardian

The Nicaraguan crew that is stranded on the Carnival Cruiseline and Royal Caribbean cruises denounced this Friday that the Ortega regime canceled at the last moment, and without any explanation, their entry into the country. The group of 239 compatriots has been stranded on the high seas since March.

Unfortunately, the Nicaraguan government has just notified us that the flight will be postponed until July 13. We have tried different ways to continue with the travel arrangements as it was fully planned, however, we have been informed that the repatriation date must be postponed, says the statement issued by the Royal Caribbean company and addressed to the 146 Nicaraguans who are found stranded in Barbados, in the Caribbean.

The Ortega-Murillo dictatorship had conditioned the entry of Nicaraguans by air (charter flight) and with negative results of having contracted Covid-19. In other words, they had to undergo a test beforehand to determine that they were not infected and to enter Nicaragua.

Also read: Prohibiting Nicaraguans from entering our territory is an aberration, say human rights defenders.

One of the Nicaraguans who works for the Royal Caribbean company and asked not to reveal his name for fear of retaliation by the regime towards his family, told LA PRENSA that the company complied with the dictatorships demands, such as the Covid-19 tests, which they were negative.

The flight was ready. In fact, the charter flight (which is not governed by the schedule of trade routes) was scheduled to arrive in the country this Thursday, June 18, but at the last minute they canceled it and postponed it until this Friday. However, at midnight yesterday the company notified him that the regime had again canceled the flight and now postponed the trip to July 13.

We are desperate, we are here on the ship doing nothing, without work () we ask the government to help us, that the company has already done its duty, we are healthy and we want to return home to our families, said the source.

In the same way 93 Nicaraguans who work for the Carnival Cruiseline company They were ready to enter the country but the regime canceled the entry and now they do not know what date the trip is postponed, according to one of those affected to LA PRENSA.

On the other hand, it was known that another 100 Nicaraguans who were on a Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) cruise ship, were able to enter the country on June 13, which is not explained now by the refusal of the regime.

Faced with the refusal of the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship, family members of the crew who are stranded on the high seas made a small protest in front of the house of the political secretary of the Caribbean Coast, Johnny Hodgson, to demand the entry of their relatives. The protesters stated that foreign ships continue to arrive in the country, but do not allow their relatives who are Nicaraguan to enter.

During the express picket, family members reported that they had Ortega supporters. People ended the protest by chanting the lyrics of the National Anthem.

To the request of these 239 Nicaraguans who are stranded on the high seas, there is another group of compatriots who are on Cayman Island, and who are asking the regime to respond to the repatriation request made by the islands authorities.

Read Also: Rosario Murillo continues calling for massive activities. This announced for Len this weekend

We want to be given a prompt and positive response () the Cayman Islands government was notified that on June 11 they were going to have an answer but it is until the day that they are still waiting, said one of those affected by a video that circulated on social networks.

In this regard, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) noted that it is aware that some 500 Nicaraguan cruise ship workers are in precarious economic conditions, stranded in the Caribbean and Central America, and that the regime prohibits them from entering the country.

Although it has allowed the entry of 93 compatriots, the State has not explained so far why these stranded people cannot return to their country, thus keeping them in an uncertainty that takes three months, the agency explained through Twitter.

The IACHR added that on April 27, it requested information from the Nicaraguan State about the situation of these people, but to date they have received no response.

Nicaraguan human rights defenders have stated that the regime cannot prohibit the entry of nationals, since there is no legislation that allows it, and rather this violent action violates article 31 of the Nicaraguan Political Constitution that sets out the right to enter and to leave the country freely .

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We are healthy and we want to return to our families, cry out nicas stranded on cruise ships - Explica

Oceans cover 70 per cent of the Earths surface. But, because many of us spend most of our lives on land, the 362 million square kilometres of blue out there arent always top of mind.

While vast, oceans are not empty. They are teeming with life and connected to society through history and culture, shipping and economic activity, geopolitics and recreation.

But oceans along with coastal people and marine species are vulnerable, and good ocean governance is critical to protect these expanses from pollution, overfishing and climate change, to name just some of the threats.

The laws, institutions and regulations in place for the oceans are a multi-layered patchwork and always a work in progress.

Some characterize oceans as the common heritage of humankind. As such, the United Nations plays a critical role in ocean governance, and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is a key international agreement. The agreement grants coastal and island states authority over swaths of ocean extending 200 nautical miles (360 kilometres) from the shore. These are called exclusive economic zones (EEZ).

EEZs are domestic spaces. Countries enshrine law and delegate authority to state agencies that lead monitoring, management and enforcement in these zones.

Indigenous peoples also assert jurisdictional authority and coastal peoples hold critical insight about coastal and marine ecosystems. Governance is improved when state agencies share power and collaborate.

For example, during the Newfoundland cod collapse, inshore fishermen had local ecological knowledge about changing cod stock dynamics that might have helped avoid the disaster.

A vast portion of the ocean lies beyond EEZs: 64 per cent by area and 95 per cent by volume. These regions are often referred to as the high seas. The high seas are important for international trade, fishing fleets, undersea telecommunications cables and are of commercial interest to mining companies. The high seas also host a wide array of ecosystems and species. Many of these are understudied or altogether unrecorded.

Read more: Getting to the bottom of things: Can mining the deep sea be sustainable?

UN agreements identify high seas using a technical term areas beyond national jurisdiction that refers to the water column. The sea floor is identified separately and called the area. UNCLOS and other pieces of international law regulate activity in these spaces and are responsible for ensuring that no single country or company dominates or benefits unfairly.

Other multilateral, sector-based arrangements manage particularly complex resources. For example, regional fisheries management organizations bring nation states together to collaborate on monitoring and managing fish stocks, like tuna, that have large ranges and cross multiple borders and boundaries.

Currently, international law does not meaningfully address biodiversity monitoring and conservation in the high seas. This biodiversity governance gap has been of concern for the past two decades.

Without a binding mechanism under international law, countries are not obligated to co-operate on developing and implementing conservation measures in the high seas. In addition, monitoring the impacts of various economic activities, such as fishing and mining, on biodiversity is piecemeal and inadequate. Marine species or even entire ecosystems could be lost before we have had a chance to identify and understand them.

Read more: Artificial intelligence makes fishing more sustainable by tracking illegal activity

On Dec. 24, 2017, the UN General Assembly voted to convene a multi-year process to develop a treaty on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction.

Three of the scheduled negotiation sessions have taken place, while the fourth and final one, scheduled for March 2020, was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Some progress has been made. Notably, the draft treaty addresses four key areas: marine genetic resources; area-based management tools, including marine protected areas; environmental impact assessments and capacity building and the transfer of marine technology.

Yet, many disagreements remain.

For example, countries diverge on the extent to which governance should prioritize the principle of oceans as the common heritage of humankind. Very pragmatic questions underlie this tension: should marine genetic sequences be commercialized? If so, how would this work and will it be possible to agree on a way to share benefits fairly? These are critical and how they are addressed will determine if persistent inequities between the Global North and Global South are lessened or exacerbated.

Another challenge relates to marine protected areas (MPAs), especially how they are defined and implemented. What levels of protection are needed for an area to count as an MPA? How much should the treaty predetermine processes used to establish new MPAs and how will MPA rules be enforced?

Has postponing the final round of negotiations cut high seas biodiversity negotiations adrift? A European research team is surveying participants and experts to learn what impact the disruption may have. However, it is unlikely that the treaty will fall completely by the wayside. Delegates and negotiators may well continue to informally discuss options with one another and refine positions with an eye towards reaching consensus when rescheduling is possible.

A ratified treaty covering biodiversity in the high seas would be an exciting layer to add to the ocean governance patchwork.

But, delegates and negotiators always have to make concessions during talks, and disagreements often persist after the treaty has been signed. Implementation can be as challenging and contentious as negotiation itself. Various human dimensions and economic challenges will also continue to need attention, including human trafficking, perverse fishing subsidies and our collective responsibility to small island states that may be submerged as sea levels rise.

These challenges point to other international forums the World Trade Organization, International Labour Organization and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and serve to remind us of the myriad ways that we are all connected to, and by, oceans.

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How a global ocean treaty could protect biodiversity in the high seas - The Conversation CA

Fishing trade groups representing Argentinean and Spanish fishing businesses have formed a framework for management of FAO zone 41, an area of ocean located just outside of Argentinas exclusive economic zone.

The area is rich in hake and squid, which has been targeted by between 22 and 26 Spanish fishing vessels for the past 37 years. Recently, it has come under intense fishing pressure from Chinese, Korean, and Taiwanese ships, according to Cepesca, an association representing 725 Spanish fishing companies.

On 1 June, Cepesca joined with the National Association of Hake Fishing Freezer Vessel Owners (ANAMER), representing a 34-ship fleet that fishes for hake and cephalopods in FAO zone 41, as well as the Organization for the Protection of the Resources of the Southwest Atlantic (OPRAS), a nonprofit established in 2018 with the goal of promoting sustainable fisheries management in international waters, to sign an agreement outlining a process for bringing the area of the high seas in question under a legal management framework.

The agreement calls for the implementation and international recognition of a defined fishing area as a regulated marine ecosystem in the Southwest Atlantic. It also creates a technical commission tasked with identifying areas and species within the zone that should be prioritized for conservation or protection.

In 2019, a similar agreement was signed between ANAMER, CEPESCA, and SINDIPI, the Chamber of Shipowners and the Fishing Industries of Itajai and Regiao of Brazil a country with an EEZ that also borders FAO zone 41. Both agreement have been forwarded to the United Nations and FAO to encourage those organizations to establish management mechanisms for international waters, which are currently unregulated, the groups said in a press release.

Today, OPRAS, ANAMER, and CEPESCA sign an important agreement, ratifying the commitment of our organizations to achieve order and necessary governance in the exploitation of high seas resources in the Southwest Atlantic, OPRAS President Alan Mackern said. Holding principles of legality, rationality, and sustainability for the development of the legitimate fishing of the industry, its companies and associate members; charting the path to be followed in a region of the high seas that lacks regulations and that presents certain risks of depredation due to the irrational abuse of supposed freedoms that exceed international standards.

The OPRAS project aims to assume a greater role and promote to organizations and governments the need to push the application in this area of the essential regulations for the management and conservation of fisheries on the high seas, as a formula to eradicate both abusive practices and illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, the organization said.

Juan Manuel Liria, president of ANAMER and CEPESCA, said the Spanish vessels fishing in the area are subject to European Union regulations that require them to obtain a special fishing permit, have fisheries observers on board, and to avoid fishing in areas declared as vulnerable marine ecosystems. The fleet also was required to conduct mapping of the seabed in the entire area in which it planned to fish before it was certified to fish in the area by the E.U.

Liria said his groups were seeking to maintain environmental balance and the health of the area's marine ecosystems as the only formula for guarantee the future of the fishing ground.

For the Spanish fishing sector and by extension for the European Union, it is vital to be part of and push initiatives like this, since we are convinced that only a sustainable fishing activity can ensure its future and this happens, inexorably , for eradicating abusive practices and any type of illegal fishing, he said.

The agreement seeks to avoid coverage of maritime spaces susceptible to disputes or controversies related to pending issues of jurisdiction or sovereignty or that are within the scope of existing regional fisheries treaties or organizations.

The three organizations involved in the signing are encouraging other organizations involved in the global fishing industry to adhere to the principles of this agreement and to commit to its objectives, they said.

Photo courtesy of Cepesca

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Fishing trade groups push for regulation of high seas off Argentina to fight IUU - SeafoodSource

Dropping anchor back in 2018 on Xbox One and the Microsoft Store, Rares Sea of Thieveswill finally venture into the high seas of Steam. This new launch on Valves digital storefront brings Sea of Thievesand all of its content to a new batch of pirates. While there is no big update to the game that accompanies this change, it is still awesome to see it make its way to another platform.

Despite its lukewarm reception at launch, Sea of Thieveshas only gone from strength to strength. Developer Rare has supported the game steadily with more content for over two years now. This included the Ships of Fortune update in April. That brought a new Emissary system that gave players the ability to carry out diplomatic missions in Sea of Thieves.

New players can jump into that as well as the latestLost Treasures update, which arrived on May 27. It changed up some of the story bits in the game, as well as adding Daily Bounties as a source of constant reward.

Of course, if you are subscribed to Xbox Game Pass for PC, you will already have the game via the Microsoft Store. However, if you decide to jump over to Steam, the price of $39.99 remains the same for Sea of Thieves.

Players looking for a leg up on their fellow new pirates can tune into Twitch to get some Twitch Drops. Watching partnered streamers will unlock the Mutinous Fist ship set parts, Onyx equipment, and various emotes for your own adventures.

After linking your accounts youll be able to grab each days gear by watching a partnered streamer complete their Daily Bounty, or by simply tuning in for 30 minutes, a tweet by Sea of Thieves explained.

It is rare for games that suffer a bad launch to keep at it and turn it around. However, whenever it happens, it is great to see developers sticking to their guns and making it work. The likes ofNo Mans Sky andSea of Thieves are great examples of hard work bringing success and more fun times for players. We look forward to seeing even more pirates join with this new Steam launch.

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Sea of Thieves on Steam now, inviting you into uncharted waters - PC Invasion

We have been in Anatolia for a thousand years under the roof of the Turkish State. There has never been any other state, empire or civilization in this most distinguished part of the world that has achieved such a long reign, and whose geopolitical fate had ever lasted forever in this land. There were some ups and downs during this time. The peak, stagnation and decline, all had begun on the seas. The period of decline, which began with Lepanto (1571) on the seas and with Karlowitz (1699) on the land, had brought our ancestors to a point of losing their homeland and their state for the first time, with the invasion of Istanbul on the morning of November 13th 1918, with a total of 55 warships. As if it was not enough, on May 15th, 1919, the Greek armies had landed on the shores of Izmir.

The Ottoman Empire, which ruled by dogma rather than technology, science or reason, was a backward agricultural empire that surrendered its trade to foreign powers going into the First World War, its point of extinction. It did not have enough strength to resist the invasion from the sea, where the forward defenses should have always begun, in the face of the firepower of the Steel Empires. Nevertheless, the only reason that had delayed its earlier annihilation was its unique geography. It was being held as a buffer state against the industrialized and strengthened Tsarist Russia, while it was carving its way across Mediterranean and therefore to India, threatening the British Empire. But this did not last for too long.

Its fate was determined, with the transition from coal to petroleum in the industry and in the navy, and with the growing mercantile interests, and eventually partitioned. The Talks of Reval 1907, 1916 Sykes-Picot and 1917 Balfour were the breaking points. Sevres, signed by the Ottomans at the end of the First World War in 1920, had not only torn the empire apart, but had also dragged it away from the high seas. It was turned into a tiny state sharing a coast with Armenia, while its coastline was shrunk only to 500 km, having access only to the Black Sea.

The Ottomans, while drifting away from reason, also drifted away from the seas. The navy fell victim to the capitulations, imperialism and a backward continental mindset on the home front over the past years. They adapted to the age of sailing 100 years behind the rest of the world, only in the sixteenth century. The heavy costs of having only 20-30 professional naval ministers/Commander-in-Chiefs of the Navy out of total 216 in the entire 600-year-old imperial history was paid for heavily in the Battles of Chesma, Navarino and Sinop with defeats. The Ottoman Empire, which had drifted away from science and industrialism, a key point to establish a maritime power, was unable to produce industrial goods as well, and was doomed to collapse. It had to fight with its blood, against their steel. Entireties of Egypt, Cyprus and Libya were lost before the Balkan Wars; and then the Adriatic and Aegean were lost after, then Danube and Suez basins were completely disconnected from the Anatolian peninsula. In the First World War, the invading navies faced no difficulty when coming to Gallipoli, and on the morning of April 25th 1915, Commander of the 19. Division Lt.Colonel Mustafa Kemal, had to order the 57. Regiment to die, in Ar Burnu.

The Treaty of Sevres, which was written to clear off the Turks from much of the Thrace and Anatolia, was torn apart on the morning of September 9th, 1922 by the troops under Mustafa Kemals command. Thus, the unity of the Anatolian peninsula with Thrace was preserved with this War of Independence. They were to protect all their four seas and their 8,300 km long coastlines. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk had seen that Anatolia could not survive without a navy, but naval power alone would not be enough either. The Turks and Anatolia must be maritimized along with the state and state institutions. The first line of defense must begin at the sea.

It must have switched to the facade of a maritime civilization, despite its 900 years old continental characteristics. The Eternal Commander-in-Chief, Mustafa Kemal Atatrk, quickly established a navy that will be the first line of defense of the new republic, despite that the state did not even possess an operational vessel, let alone possessing a qualified admiral or a navy at full combat readiness. In order to close this gap, he had founded the Ministry of the Navy and put his best friend, the former President of the Independence Tribunals, Retired Artillery Major Ihsan Eryavuz in charge. Eryavuz, who had accomplished very important works, by taking a significant share of the state budget in a short time, became the focus of envious and reactionists within the state. He was drawing a lot of attention, especially his relations with the Prime Minister Inonu which brought a lot of contention.

Thus, the Ministry that was established on December 30th, 1924, was closed on January 16th, 1928. The so-called corruption scandal called Yavuz-Havuz (Floating Dock) was raised with the consent of the Prime Minister and the Chief of the General Staff Marshall akmak and with the propagation of the media; almost all the staff testified and Eryavuz was sentenced for two years in prison. Thus, our maritime policies and our Navy were governed by the General Staff in Ankara for 21 years, until the Naval Forces Command were eventually established in 1949. Ataturk maintained his support for the development of the Navy, despite all these difficulties. He had honored the Navy at every opportunity he could get. In 1937, while the national avionic boom in aeronautics was experienced, the Navy built its first ship at Golcuk Shipyards and named the oil tanker after Golcuk.

After November 10th, 1938, Turkey had experienced a sharp geopolitical dispersion. Efforts to develop the national defense industry significantly plummeted. Turkey, after being a part of the Atlantic Alliance after World War II, was armed with the tanks, aircraft and ships, phased out by the US Army and the Navy. The new force structure of military forces has also affected the concepts and doctrines of Turkish military might. Turkey had become a part of strategic plans created by the United States in order to contain the Soviet Union from the south, as a rimland country. The states most important institutions went under full control of the Atlantic Alliance and the US-led military political doctrine when it entered NATO in 1952. Turkey could not focus on its own national geopolitical priorities, given the Cyprus and Aegean crises. Although during the successful Intervention in Cyprus and the Aegean Continental Shelf crisis, it might have acted outside the control of imperialism, it was still never allowed for the Turkish state to leave its main course of NATO and Western interests.

They did not achieve this with a foreign intervention. They used the pro-mandate groups in the homefront. On the one hand, they managed to demote the founding values and the Ataturk himself, sliding away from its essential ideological format into a personality cult. But most importantly, they made the Turks lose their confidence. This insecurity persisted until the end of the Cold War. After the 90s, Turkey gradually began to explore itself, its own geography, and the Turkic World. It was a fast-paced process. Turkeys contribution to the security of NATO and the West diminished after the USSR and the Warsaw Pact disintegrated. Turkey, meanwhile, had to face the painful truth that it could not hand its national security over to another state or an institution. Then it started working on its own, which disturbed imperialism. They had come up with the second version of the Sevres when they no longer needed Turkey.

American Imperialism has initiated major projects in our region with no limits after September 11th, 2001. The result was devastation, blood and tears. Turkey had taken great steps, especially in regards to the Navy. It has strengthened its geopolitical position in the Aegean, the Black Sea and in the Eastern Mediterranean. The defense industry has kicked into high gear. Unfortunately, this process has been awash in nefarious plots.

The plot set up by the treacherous FETO network did not eliminate the naval force structure by neutralizing it with sudden attacks as had occurred in the past, but rather by gradually paralyzing the command structure. Turkey, where up to 15 Admirals and hundreds of other officers were arrested overnight, did not even blink an eye. Taking actions in the name of imperialism, FETO has chosen the navy as its primary target in line with the principle if you were going to take over Anatolia, you have to take over the Navy first.

Has not history already proven this? The patriotic section of the Anatolian people responded to these plots at massive rallies on December 13th, 2012 and on April 8th, 2013, when they had come to tear down the Walls of the Silivri Prison. Those walls were torn down in the spring of 2014. The spirit of National Power (Kuvay-i Milliye) was reborn. FETO responded to Turkey by opening fire on civilians on the night of July 15th, 2016, when it had just begun to take a path of independence again. The Turkish Nation had suffered casualties but did not surrender their state. Since then, the activities carried out under the name of FETO purges have continued.

Turkey has achieved some great and important successes in the fight against FETO, but the strategic level of the purges is still in question. Many journalists, politicians and thinkers associated and affiliated with imperialism and with FETO continue their activities. The most important sign of the severity of the FETO activities will be whether Turkeys actions to protect its interests in the Eastern Mediterranean, Aegean and in Cyprus are preserved in the coming days or not.

This is the reason that these areas are some of the most important strategic areas for Turkey in terms of combatting imperialism. Imperialism, while ready to exploit the social and economic crises created because of the COVID-19 pandemic, will also use FETOs soft power, either by some shady social media accounts, or through some pro-mandate groups within us. On the other hand, it should be no surprise if these activities intensify after the ousting of Admiral Cihat Yayci, an important name in the fight against FETO. In this regard, some signs are being shown on FETO-affiliated websites, YouTube channels and news articles that were published abroad. For example, the Blue Homeland is being defined as part of Turkish imperialism. Greek media also defined it as Turkish revisionism and neo-Ottomanism.

Some journalists in Turkey can say that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Armed Forces are greatly disturbed by the concept of Blue Homeland. In other words, imperialism is trying to tell Turkey Do not try to protect your maritime jurisdiction areas, just surrender them by fugitive FETO thinkers and inside pro-mandate groups. We can already predict that in the coming days, the topics of the Blue Homeland, the Maritime Border Agreement with Libya and the developments in defense cooperation with Libya will be devalued, while some intense smearing and discrediting campaigns from FETO social media accounts will take charge. In the context of Turkey shifting away from its traditional Western/NATO line, these points can be brought up as a possible solution: unconditional rapprochement with Greece, suspending the idea of the Blue Homeland, a federal solution for Cyprus, full surrender to the US plans in Syria, and the deactivation of the S-400 systems.

Pixabay

Turkey is secure and prosperous when the navy is stronger; and in fear and devastation when the navy is weak. Remember, those who came to partition Anatolia have always come by the sea. Every time when the Navy was strengthened, it was hit either by imperialism or by internal opposition elements. History should not repeat itself in the 21st century. Imperialism should never be given this opportunity again, especially given that the Navy is experiencing its strongest, and its most active period ever. July 15, 2016 should always be on top of our compasses as a warning beacon. New betrayals and new deceptions must never be allowed. It should be noted that the path set by Mustafa Kemal Ataturks is the only one that will take us to our righteous port, with the lessons we learned from our recent past, regardless of the circumstances, when drawing new routes. That path passes through the Blue Homeland in the 21st century.

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From the Blue Homeland, to the High Seas - United World International

Working on a fishing vessel has its fair share of challenges but most Fijian seafarers have grown accustomed to it like Captain Josefa Kopeta, a Class 5 Master holder.

While most people would think being a crew member onboard a fishing vessel is not interesting, Capt Kopeta says working onboard those vessels allows seafarers to put food on the table for their families after they return from the sea and it helps them meet their daily needs and obligations.

Capt Kopeta, who is commonly known as Capt Jo in the fishing industry, says sailors like him have faced so many challenges with some even losing their lives out at sea.

As a captain, I didnt go through all that, but Ive heard about seafarers who are thrown overboard or have lost their lives because of disputes onboard the vessels they work on.

There are a lot of disputes that happen onboard that can lead to a sailor getting injured and communication can be a barrier on foreign vessels at times.

He said as captain on either local or foreign vessels he always tried to maintain a balance between his crew members.

I always try to make things work for everyone on board, its important when we are out at sea.

I make sure jobs are delegated well and works are done especially handling of fish stock that is caught. This fish stock is a big priority to us because its what gets us paid at the end of the day.

For my crew and I, working conditions are fine. Ive heard about other seafarers that are working in not so fine working conditions.

He said he hoped to see changes occur in the sector.

I hope more can be done about working seafarers on fishing vessels because its these seafarers who go out every day and try to earn a living and also try to survive in those tough working conditions.

He said hes from a community full of seafarers who board fishing boats in local and international waters so stories are often shared about working conditions.

He added talking about it allowed their voices to be heard about the challenges they faced.

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The Fiji Times SHIPPING TIMES: Life on the high seas - Fiji Times