Category Archives: High Seas

KOTA KINABALU: People in Sabah, especially those living in flood prone and flooded areas, have been reminded to stay on high alert in view of the inclement weather that has caused floods in at least five districts in the state on Sunday (Jan 2).

Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said safety should be placed as the utmost priority.

"Therefore, I urge everyone to take extra precautions. The state government will also ensure that all agencies throughout the state are ready to spring into action when necessary," he said.

He said the State Disaster Management Committee has activated 14 temporary evacuation centres in the affected districts.

As of 4pm Sunday, a total of 1,249 victims from 432 families have been evacuated to the various temporary shelters in Telupid (two shelters), Kota Marudu (seven), Paitan (two), Beluran (one), Sandakan (one) and Pitas (one).

Hajiji said security forces have been instructed to go to the affected areas as well as placed on standby in high-risk areas to assist victims.

"Emergency food aids are also being prepared for distribution to the flood victims as soon as possible by the relevant agencies," he said.

He assured that at the moment, the people's safety was the utmost priority of the government.

On Dec 29, Hajiji had instructed all disaster management committees in the state to be activated in anticipation of bad weather in the east coast and northern part of the state as forecasted by the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia).

The Chief Minister said he would be attending the post-North-East Monsoon Flood Disaster Management Task Force special meeting virtually.

The meeting is expected to be chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob on Monday (Jan 3).

Sabahs bad weather, including continuous rains, strong winds and rough seas, are expected to continue until Jan 4.

Read more:

Floods: Sabahans reminded to stay on high alert as bad weather continues - The Star Online

A swimmer cools off in Auckland's Parnell Baths amid the New Year heatwave. Photo / Alex Burton

How's the heat, New Zealand?

If it feels warmer out there than your typical January, that's because there's been much more to this heatwave than a bit of classic summery weather.

On Sunday, Invercargill and Taumaranui registered their second hottest days on the books - 32.2C and 32C respectively while many other spots sizzled with highs in the late 20s and early 30s today.

MetService forecaster Mmathapelo Makgabutlane said much of the heat was owed to a ridge of high pressure currently parked over the country.

"That's just stagnant air that is not really going anywhere," she said.

"There's also a lot of subsidence as well. That's air from the upper atmosphere sinking down toward the surface and, as it descends, it warms up.

"If that process has been happening for days, then one would expect temperatures to be quite warm at the surface."

Climate scientist Professor Jim Salinger, who is leading a team of researchers observing conditions this summer, explained how these conditions were set against a backdrop of several major and influential climate drivers.

One was New Zealand's second consecutive La Nia.

During these naturally-occurring systems, ocean water spanning from the coast of South America to the central tropical Pacific cooled to below average - a result of stronger than normal easterly trade winds, which churned cooler, deeper seawater up to the ocean's surface.

This unusually cool water in the eastern Pacific then suppressed cloud, rain, and thunderstorms, as sea temperatures in the far west of the ocean warmed.

Here in New Zealand, we could usually expect more north-easterly winds that bring rainy conditions to North Island's northeast, and drier conditions to the south and southeast of the South Island.

Thanks to the northeasterly winds, warmer temperatures also tended to play out over much of the country during La Nia - as had been delivered this season.

Salinger said another phenomenon that often accompanied La Nia - warmer seas had similarly been strikingly apparent.

What is "Significantly hot"?On days like this (i.e. hot!), you may see information about temperatures presented a...

Late last year, coastal waters warmed to a state similar to that seen over the summer of 2017-18, which went down as New Zealand's hottest ever.

Seas around the country were still running abnormally hot - particularly in Hawke's Bay (3C above average), and Wairarapa, the Bay of Plenty, and Auckland's west coast (2C).

When high-pressure systems like this one brought settled weather and little wind, that translated to less churn and mixing in our seas, and more warmth at the surface, which in turn helped drive heat on land.

Salinger singled out three further factors.

One was that the Southern Annular Mode, or SAM a ring of climate variability that encircles the South Pole, but stretches far out to our own latitudes had spent long stints in a positive phase.

When this happened, westerly winds blew farther south over the southern oceans, while New Zealand saw lighter winds and sunnier skies.

"It means we get blocking anti-cyclones across southern New Zealand and that's what we're seeing at the moment."

A separate climate indicator, called the tripolar index, had been in a negative phase, which encouraged La Nias and sea surface temperatures around New Zealand to be above average.

"Plus, we've got global warming. Compared with the 1870s, temperatures right now are one and a half degrees warmer."

Amid the hot weather, MetService has been issuing online alerts as part of a new pilot project to develop New Zealand's first-ever early warning system for extreme heat.

Makgabutlane said the alerts based on local temperature thresholds just developed by scientists - had already been noted by many Kiwis in sweltering spots this week.

"Most of it has been people noticing the amped-up wording that we've been using," she said.

"The phrase 'significantly hot' got quite a lot of attention yesterday, which I guess is a good thing, because we were trying to let people know that it was going to be quite warm for most of the country."

For those eager for respite from the scorching temperatures, MetService was forecasting a mid-week change brought on by a weak front moving up the South Island.

For eastern spots like Ashburton and Timaru, that could see the mercury dip from the mid-20s to highs of 16C on Thursday.

By week's end, most places in the North Island could expect highs in the low to mid-20s.

The rest is here:

NZ swelters: The science behind our heatwave - New Zealand Herald

NASSAU, BAHAMAS The Ministry of Transport and Housing advised yesterday that the government is seeking legal guidance regarding the collision and sinking of a gas tanker in waters north-northwest of New Providence last week.

In a statement on the matter, the ministry said it received information regarding a collision between the yacht Utopia IV and the gas tanker Tropic Breeze at approximately 10.10 pm on Thursday.

It advised that the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) was informed of the incident and dispatched a vessel to assist the crew on the yacht who were intercepted by a passing vessel, the Amara.

The RBDF then received a report at 12.39 am that the yacht had started taking on water and was making its way to Prince George Wharf.

The Harbour Patrol Unit was informed and sent a vessel to escort the latch around 1.26 am.

The attorney generals office has been consulted for legal guidance on this matter, the statement said.

The Port Department has begun a formal investigation into the incident, and the Department of Environmental Health is also conducting a review of the environmental impact. These activities are currently underway.

The statement added that an update will be provided upon completion of the investigation.

Maritime Management LLC reported that a ship under its management, the M/T Tropic Breeze, was struck at 10.03 pm by superyacht M/Y Utopia IV.

The 160ft tanker ship sunk after being rear-ended by a 207-foot superyacht.

The tanker was traveling en route to Great Stirrup Cay when the collision occurred and the stern of the vessel was pierced, causing it to sink to the ocean floor at an estimated depth of 2,000 feet.

The seven-member crew of the Tropic Breeze was uninjured, having been rescued and safely returned to a company-owned facility on shore.

The tanker could not be safely salvaged, according to officials.

The ships cargo reportedly included LPG, Marine Gas and automotive gas.

Maritime Management advised that the relevant Bahamian authorities have been notified and they will work with all stakeholders to ensure the best outcomes with minimal environmental impact.

Read the rest here:

DISASTER ON THE HIGH SEAS: Govt seeking legal advice over sunken gas tanker - EyeWitness News

Initiative seeks to revive fortunes of iconic species.

An ambitious project is harnessing the power of technology to finally reveal the secret lives of wild Atlantic salmon backed by 400,000 from the Scottish Government.

Atlantic salmon start their lives in streams and rivers, before migrating to the high seas to grow and return home to spawn, connecting vast ranges of diverse habitats.

Little is known about the migration routes of wild salmon as they leave our rivers, but they travel large distances to feeding grounds in the North Atlantic and Scottish salmon can be found in areas ranging from the seas off West Greenland to the Norwegian sea.

A number of factors, including climate change, has seen the species in serious decline across recent decades and the West Coast Tracking Project is part of a broad range of measures being used to build the resilience of the iconic species.

The multi-year initiative, sees highly trained biologists, some from west coast fisheries trusts, tagging young salmon with miniature acoustic transmitters, each with its own unique signature, as their migration begins.

Strategically placed receivers record the signal from each tag, allowing the progress of individual fish to be tracked if they pass multiple listening sites.

The information will fill key gaps in knowledge of salmon smolts as they migrate from fresh water through the key area of the coastal zone and will be combined with data such as sea lice distribution and ocean currents.

This will provide a strong evidence base to inform aquaculture planning and regulation, as well as informing decisions on locating offshore renewable installations.

Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said: The revival of salmon populations and the habitats they depend on will provide multiple benefits to society and will play a significant role in our ambitions for the rural economy.

The suite of measures we are taking across Scotland underlines our commitment to tackling the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.

At the same time, we continue to argue for greater collective action across the international arena.

This project, which is managed by Atlantic Salmon Trust, Fisheries Management Scotland and Scottish Government directorate Marine Scotland, will continue for a second year with funding from the Scottish Government, industry representative body Salmon Scotland and private donations.

Mark Bilsby, CEO of the Atlantic Salmon Trust, said: The work delivered to understand how salmon smolts were migrating out from ten rivers in 2021 was a mammoth geographical and logistical challenge, met by the ground swell of support from people and organisations on the ground from those in the Solway Firth, to West Sutherland and across to the Outer Hebrides.

The funding from Scottish Government will enable the work to be developed in 2022 so that we have a greater understanding of how young salmon are using our coastal areas. This practical information is key so that we can better protect wild Atlantic salmon.

Dr Alan Wells, Chief Executive of Fisheries Management Scotland, said: We warmly welcome this further support for the West Coast Tracking Project. Information about wild salmon migration patterns will contribute to our understanding of, and ability to manage, interactions with marine developments, such as fish farms and marine renewables. The results from this crucial work will help to inform policy and regulation, including the regulatory framework for fish farms now under development by SEPA.

Tavish Scott, Chief Executive of Salmon Scotland, said: This is a welcome government investment that builds on the joint work between Salmon Scotland and Atlantic Salmon Trust. We want to understand the migratory patterns of wild fish based on good science. This collective work is about achieving that objective. Salmon Scotland looks forward to an update from the project managers on what we have learnt from the first year tracking of wild fish early in 2022.

Background

The tags transmit a high frequency ping at regular time intervals, every 18-38 seconds. The acoustic ping transmitted from each tag is unique to that tag, allowing individual fish to be tracked.

The acoustic fish tags have a battery life of approximately 77 days and continue to transmit the ping until the time when their battery runs out. This battery life covers the time from the salmon being tagged, moving downstream and out through coastal waters.

The pings transmitted by the tags are detected by acoustic receivers. The receivers in this study are placed on anchored buoys, ensuring they remain in their intended position throughout the study.

The receivers are able to detect pings released from fish tags up to 350m away, dependent on water conditions. The receivers have a battery life of up to 18 months.

The Scottish Governments Wild Salmon Strategy, delayed due to the pandemic, will publish early in 2022.

Read the original post:

Wild salmon tracking project - gov.scot - Scottish Government News

The upcoming sequel to the hit film The Piratesreleased new stills of EXOs Sehun and Chae Soo Bin!

The Pirates: Goblin Flag, the long-awaited sequel to the 2014 movie The Pirates, is a period action-adventure comedy about a group of fortune-seekers who take to the high seas searching for lost treasure.

Kang Ha Neulwill star in the film as Woo Moo Chi, a bandit leader who claims to be the top swordsman in Goryeo, whileHan Hyo Joowill star as the tough pirate captain and ship owner Hae Rang.Lee Kwang Soowill play Mak Yi, who dreams of becoming a pirate king, Sehunwill play Han Goong, a talented archer, Chae Soo Bin will play Hae Geum, a natural con artist, andKwon Sang Woowill play villain Boo Heung Soo, a rebel who also sets his sights on the lost treasure.

Sehuns character Han Goong has a taciturn personality and exceptional skills with a bow and arrow. He appears suddenly at every crucial moment to protect the pirate crew and aid them on their journey to find treasure. Han Goong is a reliable figure who is more faithful to Hae Rang than anyone else.

Through training, Sehun was able to master the difficult action scenes with archery as well as sword fighting. In the stills, Sehun depicts Han Goongs calm and reliable nature with his charismatic gaze.

Director Kim Jung Hoon commented, Han Goong is a silent figure who uses his exceptional martial arts skills to protect Hae Rang, and he really fits the image that actor Sehun has.

Having starred in projects including Where Stars Land, A Piece of Your Mind, and Sweet & Sour, Chae Soo Bin will widen her acting spectrum by transforming into con artist Hae Geum, whojoins Hae Rangs pirate crew following an unintentional accident. Hae Geum is a born swindler, using hersilver tongue and flashy personality to make people open up their wallets.

Chae Soo Bin will use diverse expressions and outfits to portray the comical yet refreshing elements of hercharacter while also showcasing adorable chemistry with Sehuns character Han Goong in the process. Director Kim Jung Hoon added, Viewers will be able to feel the joy of discovering a new charm they have yet to see anywhere else before through actress Chae Soo Bins new transformation.

The Pirates: Goblin Flagwill be released in 2022 over the Lunar New Year holiday. Check out a trailerhere!

While waiting, watch the original The Pirates film with subtitles:

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Also catch Sehun in his current drama Now We Are Breaking Up below!

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EXO's Sehun And Chae Soo Bin Bring Crucial Skills To The Crew In The Pirates Sequel - soompi

Rescue cutter Victory in heavy surf (USCG)

PublishedDec 26, 2021 3:12 PM by U.S. Coast Guard News

[By Daryl C. McClary, United States Coast Guard reserve retired]

At approximately 4:15 p.m., on Thursday, Jan. 12, 1961, Coast Guard Station Cape Disappointment, at the mouth of the Columbia River, received a radio call from Roy Gunnari, skipper of the fishing vessel Jana Jo. Gunnari advised that he was relaying a mayday call from the fishing vessel Mermaid, a 34-foot crab-fishing boat from Ilwaco, Wash., owned and operated by brothers Bert and Stanley Bergman.

While approaching the mouth of the Columbia River from the Pacific Ocean, the Mermaid lost its rudder near treacherous Peacock Spit. The strong ocean current and relentless southerly winds were drifting the Mermaid into waves breaking over the shallow spit and, without steerage, the vessel was helpless and doomed to capsize. To make matters worse, that afternoon the U.S. Weather Bureau issued gale warnings for the Washington and Oregon coasts. For winter, bar conditions were not particularly bad at the time, but winds as high as 60 miles-per-hour were predicted.

The 52-foot wooden motor lifeboat Triumph (MLB-52301). (U.S. Coast Guard)

Speed was of the essence if the small crab-fishing boat was to be saved from almost certain destruction. The Cape Disappointment Lifeboat Station immediately dispatched two search and rescue vessels: a 40-foot utility boat and a smaller, slower 36-foot motor lifeboat. It took a while, but the crew of the utility boat eventually located the Mermaid and took it into tow. The motor lifeboat crew remained close in proximity in case of an emergency. Meanwhile, the weather was rapidly deteriorating, as were surf conditions across the Columbia River Bar.

Neither Coast Guard rescue boat had enough horsepower to haul the rudderless Mermaid through the line of heavy rollers over the bar and into the rivers estuary. In addition, the 40-foot utility boat was designed for operations in protected waters, not extreme surf conditions. If capsized, the steel-hulled boat had no compartmentalization and would sink like a stone. On the other hand, the motor lifeboat was self-bailing and self-righting and could withstand the rigors of heavy surf-rescue conditions.

Due to the extremely hazardous sea conditions, the coxswain of utility boat, Darrell Murray, radioed Oregons Point Adams Lifeboat Station for assistance. The Coast Guard motor lifeboat Triumph, a powerful 52-foot lifeboat, rendezvoused with Murrays utility boat at approximately 7:00 p.m., and took up the tow. Relieved of the burden, Murrays utility boat followed at a distance with the motor lifeboat and began heading inland across the Columbia River Bar. While crossing the bar, however, a series of extremely large breakers capsized and sank Murrays utility boat. The Murray and his crew of two others successfully abandoned ship but were adrift at the mercy of breakers.

The motor lifeboat was also capsized by a series of heavy breakers, but stayed afloat. The 36-footers three-man crew located and rescued Murray and his crew of the 40-foot utility boat, came about and headed directly for the Coast Guard Lightship Columbia, which was anchored approximately seven miles west of the mouth of the Columbia River. During the rescue, the 36-foot lifeboat had developed a leak and its stern compartment was slowly filling with water. In addition, it had inadvertently collided with the capsized 40-foot utility boat, further damaging the 36-footers hull and exacerbating flooding in the stern compartment.

A 40-foot, Mark IV, Model 1 utility boat (UTB), similar to the type used in the ill-fated F/V Mermaid rescue. (U.S. Coast Guard)

A 36-foot motor lifeboat similar to the type used in the Mermaid rescue surfing through breakers. (U.S. Coast Guard)

Larry Edwards, coxswain of the 36-foot motor lifeboat, radioed the Point Adams Lifeboat Station. He advised the officer-in-charge, Chief Petty Officer Warren Berto, that Murrays 40-foot utility boat, the crew was safely aboard his lifeboat and, due to hull damage, they were heading directly for Lightship Columbia. Berto immediately dispatched two 36-foot motor lifeboats to the bar to lend assistance to the Triumph.

The lifesaving marker and 36-foot motor lifeboat on display at Coast Guard Station Yaquina Bay, Newport, Oregon (Historical Marker Database)

Aboard the Triumph, First Class Petty Officer John Culp, a boatswains mate, and his five-man crew were having serious difficulties. At 7:30 p.m., shortly after taking the Mermaid in tow, the four-inch towing hawser parted. The crew passed another towline to the fishing vessel, but after 15 minutes, that line also parted.

Shortly after 8:00 p.m., Culp radioed Point Adams Lifeboat Station that the Mermaid was drifting into the breakers on Peacock Spit and that the Triumph was going to attempt another rescue. At 8:13 p.m., local Coast Guard stations received a distress call from the Mermaid advising that the Triumph had capsized and the fishing vessel was drifting into the line of mountainous breakers on Peacock Spit. The Mermaid managed to rescue only one of the Triumphs crew, Engineman Joseph Petrin. Built of wood in 1935, the Triumph was not a self-bailing/self-righting design and had disappeared in the heavy surf.

Berto called the 13th Coast Guard District headquarters in Seattle, briefing the Rescue Control Center (RCC) of the dire situation. Seattle RCC ordered Coast Guard Cutters Yocona, moored at Astoria, Ore., and Modoc, moored at Coos Bay, Ore., to get underway to the Columbia River Bar.

Meantime, the 36-foot motor lifeboats Culp dispatched from Point Adams arrived on-scene in an attempt to rescue the two foundering vessels. Wind and rain made for extremely limited visibility and there was no sign of the Triumph or its crew. At 9:10 p.m., one 36-foot motor lifeboat located the Mermaid, managed to take the fishing boat under tow and proceeded toward the lightship Columbia to wait out the storm. Because of the high seas, however, the vessels made minimal progress. At 9:45 p.m., a giant wave broke over the fishing boat, parting the towline. Still aboard were the Bergman brothers, who owned the vessel, and survivor Petrin, whom they had rescued.

The other 36-foot motor lifeboat and the outbound freighter SS Diaz de Solis scanned the area with searchlights for 15 minutes, but the Mermaid had vanished in the heavy surf. Soon thereafter, the cutter Yocona arrived on-scene and, together with the two 36-foot lifeboats from Point Adams, continued to search for survivors. A Coast Guard Grumman UF-2G Albatross was dispatched from San Francisco to Coast Guard Air Station Port Angeles also joined in the search effort for a time, dropping illumination flares. Additional Coast Guard fixed-wing aircraft deployed from Port Angeles and continued dropping flares, but no survivors or bodies were seen.

After struggling through heavy seas for over an hour, the 36-foot motor lifeboat with all six crewmembers aboard arrived at the Columbia. With its after deck nearly awash, the motor lifeboat was moored to the lightships stern. However, on Friday at 5:45 a.m., the deck watch reported that the 36-foot motor lifeboat had foundered and disappeared beneath the waves.

After the loss of the Triumph, Cape Disappointment Lifeboat Stations commanding officer, Chief Petty Officer Doyle Porter, organized foot patrols along the Long Beach Peninsula, including state and local law enforcement agencies and civilian volunteers. At 10:45 p.m., on Thursday, Coast Guardsmen Junior Meyer and Grover Dillard, of the North Head Lighthouse Station, found Engineman Gordon Huggins struggling in the surf at Benson Beach, three quarters-of-a-mile north of the Columbia Rivers north jetty. Huggins was transported to the Ilwaco Hospital for medical attention.

At 2:30 a.m., on Friday, Jan. 13, 1961, Point Adams two 35-foot motor lifeboats returned. The cutter Yocona continued to patrol along the outer reaches of Peacock Spit until well after daybreak before returning to Astoria, but saw nothing.

At the Ilwaco Hospital, Huggins recounted his amazing tale of his survival. He was in the aft compartment below decks with a severe nosebleed when the Triumph capsized. The lifeboat made a hard roll to starboard (to the right side of the vessel) and Huggins flipped onto the compartment overhead with gear from the bosun locker falling around him. He attempted to open the watertight hatch, but it was jammed shut. Huggins recounted,

For about 15 minutes, I hung onto fixtures while the water continued to rise around me. The Triumph suddenly righted [it]self and I made my way amidships. I found [it] had shipped three or four feet of water and was wallowing in breakers 20 to 30 feet high. I checked the boat and found no sign of anyone aboard. The door to the forward compartment was warped fast and couldnt be opened, but there was no sign of anybody inside. I just hung on and prayed as the ship filled with water."

Huggins determined to remain aboard the powerless Triumph as long as possible. Triumph wallowed in the giant waves for about an hour and then made a steep roll, pitching Huggins into the water, and it vanished beneath the waves. Huggins was wearing his Mae West lifejacket but was thrown about in the heavy surf.

I dont remember much about the next 20 minutes, Huggins said. I was tossed and tumbled in the breakers and finally washed ashore on the sand somewhere. It felt good to be alive, but I couldnt help thinking about the other men.

Coast Guardsmen Meyer and Dillard heard Huggins cries for help, ran into the surf and hauled him onto the beach. Although battered and bruised, and suffering from hypothermia, Huggins survived the ordeal in relatively good condition. His boat, the waterlogged Triumph, eventually re-righted itself and washed ashore on the Long Beach Peninsula days after it capsized.

At 12:15 a.m., on Friday, a beach patrol found Culps body below North Head Lighthouse, not far from where Huggins had washed ashore. Culp was the last victim found by the patrol. The bow of the wrecked Mermaid as well as pieces of the Coast Guard boats were found washed up on Benson Beach, north of the North Head Lighthouse. However, no missing crewmen were among the wreckage. Searchers reported that 60 mile-per-hour southerly winds were creating breakers 30-feet high along the beach, making even the foot patrol hazardous.

The Coast Guards search for missing crewmembers continued for days. On Thursday, January 19th, the body of Bert Bergman was discovered washed up on the beach 100 yards north of Oysterville, approximately 18 miles north of the Columbia Rivers north jetty. On Friday, the 20th, a memorial service was held at the Coast Guards Captain-of-the-Port office at Pier 39 in Seattle for the surfmen who died attempting to rescue F/V Mermaids crew. The search operation was finally discontinued on the 26th.

Lone survivor of the 52-foot Triumph, Gordon Huggins attends an anniversary memorial service in 2018. (U.S. Coast Guard)

Culp was buried at Ocean View Cemetery in Warrenton, Ore., and was posthumously awarded the Coast Guard Gold Life Saving Medal and members of Triumphs crew who perished received Silver Life Saving Medals, as did survivor Huggins.

Bert Bergman was interred in the City Cemetery in Ilwaco, Wash. The six other survivors of the ordeal also received either lifesaving medals or letters of commendation. A plaque honoring the crew of the Triumph is affixed to a cement monument outside the Cape Disappointment Coast Guard Station.

The official motto of the Coast Guard is Semper Paratus, meaning Always Ready; the unofficial motto is You must go out, but you dont have to come back. In terms of fatalities and loss of lifesaving vessels and equipment, it was the worst disaster in the history of lifeboat stations serving the Pacific Northwest, and among the worst in Coast Guard rescue history.

This article appears courtesy of The Long Blue Line, and it appears in its original form here.

The opinions expressed herein are the author's and not necessarily those of The Maritime Executive.

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The 60th Anniversary of the Triumph-Mermaid Tragedy - The Maritime Executive

The civil search and rescue organisation SOS MEDITERRANEE Germany will be working under a new name as of January 1st, 2022. As SOS Humanity, the organisation founded in Berlin in 2015 wants to advocate for more humanity in the Mediterranean Sea. By summer 2022, it will operate a new, fast rescue ship, the Humanity, to save more people from drowning.

The name SOS Humanity signalizes that humanity is at risk of drowning in the Mediterranean Sea, explains Managing Director Maike Rttger. As SOS Humanity, we respond to distress calls, rescue people from distress at sea and provide humanitarian aid. The more than 1,500 children, women and men who drowned in the central Mediterranean this year are a humanitarian disaster and a political scandal. That is why our new name is also a statement and an appeal to politicians and the citizens of Europe not to accept the dying.

Based on six years of experience in civilian sea rescue in the central Mediterranean Sea, SOS Humanity wants to specifically supplement the civilian rescue fleet with a new, particularly fast ship and save more people from drowning. The start-up financing for the new ship, the Humanity, has been secured thanks to numerous donations from civil society, says project director Till Rummenhohl. As soon as we have bought the ship, the process of modification into a rescue ship will begin, because we want to be in operation with it by mid-2022.

While the nature of the future rescue missions with the Humanity and the values and goals of the organisation are not expected to change, the organisation wants to significantly strengthen its political work on land in the future: For years, civilian search and rescue organisations have been witnessing how international law is being violated through the EUs funding of the Libyan coast guard in the central Mediterranean, says Managing Director Maike Rttger. As SOS Humanity, we will denounce these abuses clearly and unequivocally.Because we need to save lives not only at sea but also on land, we will hold political decision-makers accountable for respecting the law of the sea and human rights.

SOS Humanity calls for change of political course The organisation founded by captain and historian Klaus Vogel as SOS MEDITERRANEE Germany is now able to evaluate the situation at sea as SOS Humanity, after six years of civilian search and rescue operations. It is not enough to provide purely humanitarian rescue and thus mitigate the deadly consequences of a failed migration policy, says Maike Rttger. That is why we are calling on the new German government to strongly advocate for a change of policy. The EUs inhumane policy of sealing off the borders must be ended. The funding of the Libyan coast guard, which intercepts refugees on the high seas and illegally returns them to Libya, must be stopped. Because in doing so, the EU states are circumventing their legal obligations and aiding and abetting breaches of international law.

This year, more than 32,000 refugees were towed back to Libya, where most of them are subjected to torture and other human rights violations in inhumane detention camps. While there is still no European search and rescue programme, over 18,700 people seeking protection have died at Europes external border in the central Mediterranean since 2014. The EU can and must prevent this, emphasises Maike Rttger.

Excerpt from:

SOS MEDITERRANEE Germany will rebrand itself from 2022 on as SOS Humanity in rescue operations Famagusta Gazette - Famagusta Gazette

The ocean is the most defining physical feature of Earth, covering 71 percent of the surface of this planet. It is home to incredible biodiversity, ranging from microscopic bacteria and viruses to the largest animal on Earth, the blue whale.

We still do not know how many species live in the ocean, but the disappearance of an increasing number of them suggests that mass extinction is taking place, perhaps at a faster rate than on land.

The stakes for ocean biodiversity have never been higher than they are this decade, and now more than ever, we need results. A widely promoted target is to bring 30 percent of marine area under protection by 2030 a major step that will contribute a great deal to marine biodiversity. But how can the world achieve it?

Saving the ocean will require a firm commitment from maritime countries. There will be no single solution but a mix of several approaches to be applied, and we dont have the luxury of time in which to do it.

One measure that can be enforced without delay is slashing any form of government incentive that supports unsustainable fishing. Instead, allocated funds should be invested in sustainable aquaculture.

Nature-based solutions that are historically rooted in sustainable conservation management, such as habitat-integrated fishing (a technique designed to preserve the ecosystem while fishing), are fundamentally important but cannot measure up to the challenge facing the ocean.

It is in this context that the application of emerging technologies and eco-engineering solutions become most relevant. Older technology has driven human capacity to exploit resources, but emerging technologies have the potential to undo some of the damage to the ocean ecosystem.

We will not meet biodiversity goals without harnessing new technologies. Photo: David Burdick/WorldFish, CC BY-NC-ND

There is currently no possibility of the world reaching the 30 percent target for marine protected areas (MPAs) with existing policies and systems of governance. Most countries have declared MPAs in their exclusive economic zones but due to poor enforcement the coverage, only 2.7 percent of the ocean can be considered highly protected.

The reason for this is simple: most countries cannot afford the large number of marine park rangers and navigational equipment required to enforce the protection of these areas.

But there is hope. Specific new technologies have enormous capacity to help the world reach its ocean targets.

These technologies include sensors, drones, robots and artificial intelligence, all of which can use real-time information on ocean conditions and human activities to respond at a speed never seen before.

Imagine a robotic fish equipped with sensors and AI collecting data in difficult-to-access ocean depths, or under rough conditions in the high seas, following marine creatures whose lifestyles are currently unknown to humans and detecting biodiversity hotspots, as well as sources of pollution and illegal fishing.

Other technology-driven solutions are already in use today.

Drones are increasingly used in real-time monitoring of ocean fisheries, including the operation of fishing vessels. Habitat mapping and thermal imaging using infrared cameras are currently being deployed to survey populations of Atlantic scallops and tracking of whales in their migration.

3D-printed corals and seawalls made up of sustainable and environmentally friendly tiles are already available and in use, while 3D-printed substrates offer a stable foundation for newly planted seagrass beds or coral reefs.

Deploying emerging technologies at scale can make a huge difference in exploring the ocean and protecting marine life.

Effectively enforced MPAs will contribute significantly to the replenishment of marine biodiversity and play a major role in rebuilding depleted fishery stocks and building resilience against the effects of climate change.

To take advantage of the promise of technology, we will need advanced systems and platforms to be put in place, and this requires budgetary allocations and international agreements.

The UN Convention on Biological Diversity contains five goals and 20 targets for preventing species loss, known as Aichi Biodiversity Targets. The Conference of the Parties, which is the governing body of the convention, should now review the progress of these targets, determine the causes for failures in implementation and suggest how to address continued biodiversity loss with technology.

We need new governance structures and consensus on action and accountability. Countries need to be able to share information and verifiable data metrics to track progress on preserving ocean biodiversity. When all these activities and actions are in place, it will be nothing less than a revolution for the ocean.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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How to Prevent Mass Extinction in the Ocean With AI, Robots, and 3D Printers - TheInertia.com

high seas, in maritime law, all parts of the mass of saltwater surrounding the globe that are not part of the territorial sea or internal waters of a state. For several centuries beginning in the European Middle Ages, a number of maritime states asserted sovereignty over large portions of the high seas. Well-known examples were the claims of Genoa in the Mediterranean and of Great Britain in the North Sea and elsewhere.

The doctrine that the high seas in time of peace are open to all nations and may not be subjected to national sovereignty (freedom of the seas) was proposed by the Dutch jurist Hugo Grotius as early as 1609. It did not become an accepted principle of international law, however, until the 19th century. Freedom of the seas was ideologically connected with other 19th-century freedoms, particularly laissez-faire economic theory, and was vigorously pressed by the great maritime and commercial powers, especially Great Britain. Freedom of the high seas is now recognized to include freedom of navigation, fishing, the laying of submarine cables and pipelines, and overflight of aircraft.

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international law: High seas and seabed

Traditionally, the high seas beyond the territorial waters of states have been regarded as open to all and incapable of...

By the second half of the 20th century, demands by some coastal states for increased security and customs zones, for exclusive offshore-fishing rights, for conservation of maritime resources, and for exploitation of resources, especially oil, found in continental shelves caused serious conflicts. The first United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea, meeting at Geneva in 1958, sought to codify the law of the high seas but was unable to resolve many issues, notably the maximum permissible breadth of the territorial sea subject to national sovereignty. A second conference (Geneva, 1960) also failed to resolve this point; and a third conference began in Caracas in 1973, later convening in Geneva and New York City.

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high seas | maritime law | Britannica

For the second time in three years, a San Diego U.S. attorney was honored with the Coast Guards highest civilian award for prosecutions targeting cocaine traffickers on the high seas.

Former U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer accepted the Distinguished Public Service Award earlier this month from Rear Adm. Brian Penoyer, a district commander, on behalf of the agencys commandant. It is the guards highest public honor, other than the gold and silver lifesaving medals.

In 2018, then-U.S. Attorney Adam Braverman a career drug prosecutor who had been approved by Congress to fill in between official Obama and Trump nominees received the same award. Brewer succeed Braverman as President Donald Trumps pick, and he served for two years before resigning at the end of February with the change in administrations.

Both awards illustrate the ramped up focus on the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The route has shifted to the east over the past few decades as trafficking organizations sought to avoid heavy drug enforcement on the once dominant Caribbean route, and as cocaine producers realized it was cheaper to outsource its smuggling to Mexican cartels.

Bulk cocaine often goes by sea from South and Central America, then is offloaded on spots along Mexicos western coast before being smuggled on established land corridors through the U.S.-Mexico border.

Former U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer speaks at a news conference in this 2020 file photo in San Diego.

(Ariana Drehsler/For The San Diego Union-Tribune)

As Coast Guard and Navy operations have expanded in the area, so have interdictions. In fiscal 2019 the Coast Guard seized 175 metric tons from the Eastern Pacific, with much of the contraband found on sleek, low-profile and go-fast vessels designed to blend into the ocean horizon.

In April 2020, Trump ordered an enforcement surge in the Western hemisphere, spurring accompanying prosecutions in San Diego. The results: the conviction of six defendants in two jury trials, the prosecution of crewmembers aboard 20 vessels and the arrests of key organizers in Central and South America, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

One semi-submersible vessel stopped more than 500 nautical miles off Central America in August 2020 was loaded with more than 2,000 kilograms of cocaine worth an estimated $35 million, prosecutors said. Its operator, a Colombian national, had already been convicted and served prison time in the U.S. for similar exploits.

The overall prosecutorial effort effectively stymied the flow of maritime smuggling and delivered a major setback to numerous drug trafficking organizations, the award states.

During Brewers tenure, the U.S. Attorneys Office indicted 125 high-level targets as investigators worked up the chain of command, and dismantled major organizations in Colombia, Ecuador and Guatemala, the award states. Also seized in connection with the San Diego-based investigations were 45 metric tons of cocaine and $4.5 million in bulk cash.

One of those targets is Iram Adonas Mrida Cobn, who was extradited to San Diego earlier this month on a 2019 federal grand jury indictment charging him with an international conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

The Coast Guard seizes a semi-submersible off the coast of Central America in August 2020 carrying 2,000 kilograms of cocaine.

(Courtesy of U.S. Attorneys Office)

Mrida Cobn, who goes by the nicknames El Dorado or Bucfalo, was arrested by Guatemalan authorities in April at an upscale shopping center in Guatemala City.

The U.S. indictment does not include details of the case. However, the Guatemalan government said he and his partners in a criminal organization are suspected of transporting multiple tons of cocaine from South America through Central America and Mexico to be distributed in the United States. The group has been under investigation since 2016.

At the award ceremony on Dec. 15, Brewer reflected on the honor.

This very special award is really a reflection on the entire U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of California, he said. It is a tribute to the hard work of the dedicated and innovative team that made these prosecutions possible.

After stepping down as U.S. attorney, Brewer returned to San Diego law firm Seltzer Caplan McMahon Vitek as of counsel focusing on civil litigation and white-collar defense. President Joe Biden has yet to name his nominee for the office.

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Coast Guard award recognizes focus on high seas cocaine-trafficking prosecutions - The San Diego Union-Tribune