Category Archives: High Seas

The German linguist Heinrich Zimmer once described the ocean as limitless and immortal the beginning and end of all things on Earth.

Standing on the shores of any ocean, one can easily sense this. Yet, the more we reveal about the myriad processes within the worlds oceans, the more we begin to question just how limitless and immortal the ocean truly is.

The ocean is one of the Earths greatest climate regulators. It absorbs almost a third of emitted carbon dioxide and more than 90% of excess heat. But the latest scientific report from the UNs Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) revealed the ocean may be nearing a tipping point.

Historic levels of ocean acidification, warming and deoxygenation (oxygen loss) are irreversibly affecting marine biodiversity and critical ecosystem functions.

Despite a critical need to incorporate the ocean into climate policies, a connection between climate, ocean and biodiversity regimes has been slow to form.

The Glasgow Climate Pact, decided during COP26 earlier this month, may herald a new age. For the first time, the ocean was formally included in UN climate negotiation processes.

A request was also made for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to hold an annual Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue to strengthen ocean-based action.

This annual meeting will build on the first Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue, which was requested by COP25 in Madrid in 2019 and held virtually as part of UNFCCC discussions in 2020. Prior to this meeting, submissions were sought on priorities and perspectives for ocean-related climate mitigation and adaptation.

In our paper, we share in-depth analysis of these submissions and the first Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue, providing a baseline for continued progress. This analysis also informs the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration, as well as ongoing negotiations on managing the high seas, or areas of the ocean beyond national jurisdiction.

In total, there were 47 submissions, from governments and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Governmental submissions represented 120 of the 197 nations within the UNFCCC, from largely coastal or island nations with a strong history of ocean management and policy. However, several major coastal nations were absent (including the US, China, India, Brazil and the Russian Federation).

The COP26 summit highlighted the lack of inclusion for all groups in the negotiations, particularly limited access for developing countries, observers and NGOs. The very format of the Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue allowed for a more inclusive process. It revealed different perspectives between governmental and NGO submissions on several key issues.

For example, NGOs more frequently considered ocean ecosystem impacts (such as changes to species distribution and ocean circulation), the deep sea and vulnerabilities to saltwater intrusion into drinking water reserves. The differences in focus highlighted by the Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue underscore the need to ensure all global concerns are heard fully during future COP summits.

All submissions reflected the intrinsic ties between society and the services the ocean provides, from fisheries to carbon sequestration. They also highlighted the many intersections between climate adaptation and mitigation and respective policies.

As seen in the Glasgow Climate Pact, many submissions joined ocean, climate and biodiversity issues. This reflects the growing emphasis on actions and policies that consider the climate crisis holistically, instead of focusing just on atmospheric or terrestrial components.

Most submissions highlighted the need for policies that promote ecosystem resilience and include biodiversity management to support crucial ecosystem functions, such as trapping carbon.

This included nature-based solutions, such as restoring mangrove forests to enhance shoreline protection from storms and promote healthy fisheries, and blue carbon, capable of trapping more carbon per unit area than forests.

A focus was seen in the Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue on ensuring adequate funding to achieve climate goals. More than half of all submissions referred to finance, but it was more strongly considered by NGOs than by governments.

Finance was a pivotal issue at COP26, reported as one of the most challenging plans to agree on. This includes issues such as how much finance goes to adaptation over mitigation, and the degree to which rich nations support developing countries bearing the brunt of the climate crisis, despite being the least responsible.

Human rights issues and the importance of transparent, inclusive, fair governance (good governance) were mentioned frequently in the submissions in relation to ocean management, mitigation and adaptation measures.

The continued evolution towards integrated climate action through the Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue and the Glasgow Climate Pact is a major victory. However, high ambition was elusive at COP26 and it will require more work to prevent severe climate impacts on sensitive marine ecosystems and the people who rely on them.

The Dialogue highlighted several next steps, including featuring the ocean in the UNFCCC global stocktake, addressing gaps in ocean finance and increasing ocean science in (and produced by) developing countries.

The ocean has been buffering the impacts of climate change since the industrial revolution, but we are now reaching the limits of this capacity. Integrated ocean-climate policy is a crucial part of our fight against the code red for humanity. The next year of negotiations will show if we can achieve this.

We would like to acknowledge the contribution of Bobbi-Jo Dobush, an independent ocean conservation and policy consultant based in the US.

By Sarah Seabrook, Microbial Ecologist, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research; Elisabeth Holland, The University of the South Pacific; Lisa Levin, University of California San Diego, and Natalya Gallo, University of Bergen

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

See the rest here:

The ocean and climate policies need to be linked - Cosmos

Warning: the following article contains spoilers for Below Deck available to stream on hayu (aka if you want some of the shows sassiest scenes to remain a surprise, stop reading now).

Ready to set sail on a trip down memory lane?

For those who are already fans of the hit reality series Below Deck, you might watch it for an all-access pass to a diverse cast of crew members (aka yachties) who band together to run a superyacht for a charter season. Or maybe you watch it for a glimpse into the lives of the super wealthy (and often super inebriated) guests who book the cruises. If not, you definitely watch it for the romance, tension, gossip, and high drama that go hand in hand with the high seas.

If you havent yet discovered the show in all of its binge-worthy glory, weve got your back. All seasons of Below Deck and its equally engrossing spinoffs, Below Deck Mediterranean and Below Deck: Sailing Yacht, are available to stream on hayu. We did the math, and that adds up to approximately 17 seasons (or 261 episodes) of reality TV ready to be streamed anytime, anywhere. And did we mention the newest season is now available to stream as well?

Need extra encouragement to watch or rewatch the series and its spinoffs? Well then batten the hatches, people! Here are some of the most shocking moments from the Below Deck universe.

Below Deck, Season 3, Episode 10 (hayu)

Put this one down for most creative ways to quit your job. After Captain Lee fires the yachts chef for accidentally starting a fire in the galley while cooking a pizza, Rocky jumps ship literally. While it seemed like wed seen the last of the free-spirited deckhand, she ultimately returned to the ship (with a little coaxing from Eddie).

Below Deck, Season Season 6, Episode 10 (hayu)

This is a moment that had fans collectively holding their breath and reminded everyone of the real dangers the crew members face on a daily basis. While working at the back of the boat, Ashton is yanked overboard when his leg becomes tangled in a rope used to tow the tender. Thinking fast, one of the cameramen leaps into action, rescuing Ashton by loosening the rope and allowing him to swim to safety.

Below Deck, Season 8, Episode 10 (hayu)

Despite his gruff exterior, Captain Lee is often a model of patience: attending dinners with drunk guests and wearing ridiculous costumes at the request of the stews. But he has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to unsafe behaviour, which is why he angrily cancels a trip mid-charter after one of the guests ignores his rules and jumps off the boat for a late-night swim. Really, Dolores?

Below Deck Mediterranean, Season 5, Episode 12 (hayu)

The departure of one of the longest-running stars of the show was a major moment in the series. Whether youre Team Malia or Team Hannah, its hard to pull away from the scene where Captain Sandy fires Hannah for allegedly possessing unregistered drugs on the yacht.

Below Deck Mediterranean, Season 4, Episode 1 (hayu)

When you book a luxury charter yacht, you probably expect to be served lobster tails, caviar, and filet mignon. What you dont expect? Pub-style nachos smothered in prepackaged cheese and topped with canned corn and jarred salsa. Apparently, the guests agreed, and Chef Mila departed the boat before the next charter.

Below Deck: Sailing Yacht, Season 2, Episode 11 (hayu)

Its hard to use the phrase smooth sailing after watching Below Deck: Sailing Yacht. The spinoff, which sees a crew manning a 177-foot sailboat, encounters one of its most dramatic moments when Parsifal III malfunctions while docking and crashes into a concrete pier. Nothing a coat of paint cant fix, right?

Below Deck, Season 6, Episode 9 (hayu)

When it rains it pours, especially in Tahiti. After saying goodbye to Chandler, the crew is surprised to learn that Caroline will be departing, too. The third stew initially gives two days notice, but when she refuses to work, she is unceremoniously and loudly kicked off the boat by Kate and Josiah.

Below Deck Mediterranean, Season 2, Episode 9 (hayu)

Among the first rules of yachting: dont hook up with the charter guests. But when Bugsy discovers that Chief Stew Hannah has been exchanging flirty messages with a billionaire guest, it brings her commitment to her job into question. Hannahs rebuttal: they got a good tip out of it all, didnt they?

Below Deck Mediterranean, Season 5, Episode 18 (hayu)

Theres no use crying over spilt milk, but what about frozen fish? Chef Tom and Captain Sandy exchange heated words after Tom is repeatedly frustrated by substandard food provisions. But Tom soon learns in Sandys words hes chosen the wrong person to piss off.

Below Deck Mediterranean, Season 6, Episode 5 (hayu)

Just when you think youve seen everything Below Deck has to throw at you, there comes a moment so shocking that it lives in your head rent-free. In Season 6 of Below Deck Mediterranean, that moment came when Lexi unleashes a torrent of insults during a late-night hot tub session, even manhandling a fellow crew member and rubbing her chest in his face. Its a scene that has to be watched to be believed.

You can catch all these jaw-dropping moments fromBelow Deck and its spinoffs on hayu. For just $5.99/month, hayu offers thousands of hours of top reality content, all in one place including other iconic series like Keeping Up With the Kardashians and The Real Housewives, meaning youll never run out of new episodes to watch. It also makes for the ultimate digital stocking stuffer this season (or, a perfect gift for yourself).

More:

Relive the 10 most shocking moments in Below Deck history | Curated - Daily Hive

Giraffes on a Micato Safari

For the tenth time, Micato Safaris has been ranked #1 on Travel + Leisures list of the Worlds Best African Safari Tour Companies.

An African safari is an adventure like no other, says Dennis Pinto, Micatos Managing Director. Safaris offer game drives, hot-air balloon rides over the savanna, meals in the bush, and other countless bespoke experiences, ones that are now more appealing than ever before as travelers are seeking out small group, socially-distanced adventures in wide-open spaces.

Dennis Pinto and his son, Tristan

Dennis Pinto represents the second generation of Pintos at the helm of the family-owned business founded by his parents, Felix and Jane, more than 55 years ago. He expanded the geographic reach of the business from Kenya to India and Southern Africa and co-founded AmericaShare, Micatos non-profit philanthropic arm.

Forbes.com caught up with Dennis Pinto to find out how the luxury safari operator has been faring after the travel industry hiatus:

Dennis Pinto: We have weathered many other crises, including SARS, Ebola, election disruptions, financial meltdownseven Somali pirates on the high seas! The downcycles in Africa come more frequently than those in the US so our business model calls for healthy financial reserves for the inevitable downturn.

Id like to think that each crisis has made us more adept at handling the next one. Shortly before the pandemic was officially declared we had our first virtual company meeting. I reinforced the Micato mindset from previous incidentsthat every crisis has a beginning, middle, and endand that our focus had to be on ensuring we were well prepared for the inevitable pent-up demand at the end of the pandemic. Because of our sometimes hard-earned knowledge and experience, we have fared very well and are positioned to have our best year ever in 2022.

DP: Not only do we see travelers coming back, but they are coming back with a vengeance: longer, more expensive trips with friends and family members.

DP: Absolutely! I was on safari in June with my wife, Joy, and our two children, Tristan and Sasha, and we had incredible wildlife encounterssome of our best everand truly felt like we had the bush to ourselves.

All of the destinations in Africa where we operate (Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, *South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe) are open and welcoming visitors, so choosing a destination just comes down to considering the time of year and the prior safari experience a traveler has had.

Giraffes on safari with Micato

DP: Ideally, I would say about two weeks, but in 2022 the average length of our safaris is 17 days. We do, of course, customize shorter or longer ones to best meet the needs of our travelers.

Pre-COVID, the average size of our Classic Safaris (scheduled small-group departures) was around 12 people. These days, the size varies, and since we never cancel a departure, some guests have had completely private safaris all to themselves even though they did not pay for a private trip.

DP: In a word, I would say stressless. Once there, a traveler should be left wanting for nothing; except perhaps wishing for the trip not to end.

Every step of a Micato luxury safari is meticulously thought out in advance by our destination offices so guests have seamless 24/7 access to the best in-country resources. From the moment a guest lands and we meet them at the aircraft door to the time they ride back to the airport for their flight home, they can be assured that they will be taken care of by our team. They neednt worry if theyve forgotten to bring a certain medication or if they need a camera battery in the middle of the bush.

Micato safaris are truly all-inclusive, too, from our no-tipping policy to complimentary daily valet laundry service, Wi-Fi, and alcoholic beverages. Heck, you could even take one of our trips and leave your wallet at home! It is a wonderful freedom to not be constantly digging into your pocket for change especially in this era of COVID.

DP: I tend to recommend East Africa (Kenya and Tanzania) for first-time travelers since East Africa provides the experience of your imagination. When you think of the large herds of animals on the vast African plainsthat is East Africa. Southern Africa is also quite spectacular, so we evaluate the needs of the traveler before determining which area is better for the guest.

Rhinos on a Micato safari

DP: I can say, without any exaggeration, that we have hosted travelers aged 2 to 102. It entirely depends on the health and fitness level of the individual. At 102, Mrs. Carlotta Niles was our oldest guest to date, and we arranged a special meeting for her with a local Maasai Elder who himself was 98 years old.

One of our safari specialists just brought her 8-month-old baby with her on safari. The African cultures are very respectful of the elderly, so older travelers or those with mobility challenges are warmly welcomed and graciously accommodated.

What changes has the pandemic brought to the ways in which Micato operates?

DP: Micato is connected with top-ight security and advisory networks in the U.S. and Africa and has a dedicated full-time ground team, which allows us to make the health and safety of our guests our number one priority.

Once the pandemic was declared and air flight resumed in late summer 2020, we already had a go-plan in place. We were able to quickly, but safely, transition our teams and methodically began developing extensive COVID safety protocols. By the summer of 2020, we were able to resume operating safaris with the highest safety standards in place, without missing a beat.

Our goal was to ensure that our guests could both bookand ultimately travelwithout worry.

Consequently, we quickly adapted our cancellation policies to make them more flexible.

DP: From the beginning, my parents came from a farming background and while they took us on many safaris, they certainly didnt have any experience running them for visitors. But their modus operandi was always to treat their guests the same way they would like to be treated when traveling overseas

It was a simple concept which meant they personally met all guests at the aircraft gate upon arrival; they invited every traveler to our home for cocktails and dinner; they only employed highly skilled African guides instead of ex-pat former white hunters, as was the norm at the time; and they were very focused on details. In short, they wanted to offer more than just a safari, rather a rich cultural and wildlife experience.

We are exceptionally proud that Micato has been committed to education and hands-on involvement in local communities for over three decades. Our non-profit arm, Micato-AmericaShare has been a passionate advocate for East African children and their families through our educational programs, which include.

One other measure of our success: We are proud that each year, over 30% of our guests have traveled with us before; another 35% are referrals from past guests, with the remaining 35% new to Micato. I think that says a lot about the quality of the Micato experience.

A wildebeest herd

Note: This conversation has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

11/26 Update: The New York Times reported today that the emergence of a new Covid-19 variant (Omicron) with a high number of mutations has led some countries to halt or restrict travel to and from South Africa.

More here:

Back To Africa? What To Expect On A Luxury Safari - Forbes

The coming Monday, November 29, will see the much-awaited trial of Ghislaine Maxwell. The British socialite was arrested in July 2020 from New Hampshire after being accused of pimping girls and young women to Jeffrey Epstein, who died by suicide in August 2019 while awaiting trial inside the Metropolitan Correctional Center, New York.

Media mogul Robert Maxwell was the father of Ghislaine. He died in 1991 in Spain and its been said that he was the one who introduced his youngest child to Epstein -- the disgraced financier, who was facing sex trafficking and conspiracy charges. Also, just weeks after Roberts death, Ghislaine was seen with Epstein at a memorial event for her father.

RELATED ARTICLES

Ghislaine Maxwell: Who is the lead prosecutor in Epstein associate's trial?

Ghislaine Maxwell: Everything you need to know about Epstein's girlfriend's trial

During an interview with the Broken: Seeking Justice podcast, Journalist Emily Saul while referring to an unearthed photograph said: Shot at the Plaza Hotel during a memorial event for Robert Maxwell, the picture shows Ghislaine and Epstein in conversation. Wearing a blue silk jacket, Ghislaine smiles coyly at Epstein, who is seated to her right, wearing a white bowtie and an enormous grin. It doesnt look like a first date.

Ghislaine is not only known as the daughter of Robert. She is also the founder of reportedly now-defunct -- the TerraMar Project, which was started in 2012. As per reports, the nonprofit was founded to create a global ocean community to give a voice to the least protected, most ignored part of our planet - the high seas.

But in 2019, after Epstein's arrest and associations between the two began to unravel, the organization also seemingly got wiped off by the waves of criticisms. Its website also appears to be taken down, but the official Instagram page is still there with more than 3000 followers. The bio of the account reads, The TerraMar Project transforms the way people think about the ocean and value the seas. Explore our free news, education, and ocean actions today! The last post shared on the social media platform was on July 11, 2019.

Before the apparent shut down of the TerraMar Project, Ghislaine had talked about it in an interview with CNN International in 2013. She said, All citizens of the world are citizens of TerraMar, or citizens of the high seas, if you will, part of the global commons. You will get a digital passport with your name and your ID number, and we will - you will be able to follow the progress of the high seas, anything that happens significant on the high seas, now, you'll be able to find out what's going on.

She added at the time: We have a million and a half marine species, and you can select one to be the ambassador to TerraMar and be the spokesperson for that species. You can sponsor a piece of the ocean. Also, a 2013 brief in the Manila Bulletin quoted Ghislaine saying, Once the general public can understand ... that it is not just a big blue place where you go play on the beach, then it is possible to create a movement around it that will then empower politicians to take the incredibly difficult decisions that they need to make, but that are absolutely essential for the future of our planet.

See more here:

Ghislaine Maxwell trial: What happened to the British socialite's TerraMar Project? - MEAWW

In the sweltering heat of the late-morning west African sun, Aminata Jamba slashes at golden rice stalks with a sickle. The rice is lovely, she says, music playing in the background as her son, Sampa, silently harvests the grain. But even if the quality is high, the quantity is not.

While once Jamba could have expected to harvest enough rice to last the whole year, this year she reckons it will last three to four months. After that, she will have to look elsewhere for a way to feed her family and make enough money to live.

Things are different now, explains Manding Kassamah, a fellow farmer and mother of nine, fresh in from the rice fields, empty water can in hand. The rains used to come in plenty. People would work and have a good harvest. Now, we work hard but we dont get as much rice as we used to.

Traditionally, rice farming in the Gambia has been mostly done by women, while their male counterparts look after the groundnuts. But for years now the female farmers have watched as the land around them becomes increasingly difficult to manage.

Here in Kerewan, on the north bank of the Gambia River, they are battling the climate crisis on two fronts. Rising sea levels are pushing saltwater further and further along the river, which snakes its way across the length of the low-lying country, and prolonged dry spells mean less freshwater to flush out the salinity. The result is that the water in the fields that used to produce rice is now too salty, and the much of the land more than 30 hectares (74 acres) has had to be abandoned. For women such as Jamba and Kassamah, that is a disaster.

These women are pushed out and they dont have many other livelihoods to turn to like men, says Muhammed Ceesay, 27, from the youth-led organisation Activista. It pushes them into poverty. They are very vulnerable.

The women here are relatively lucky, as they do have an alternative source of food and income in the form of a vegetable garden. They can grow aubergines, tomatoes, peppers and onions, and know that, even if they have dwindling rice supplies, they will have something to sell or eat. Its our tomorrow, says Binta Fatty. It helps us in so many areas because it helps us stay healthy and to be able to buy small things for our children. Thats why we focus on the garden after the rice fields.

This backup is essential. Last years rice harvest only lasted Fatty about six months before she had to do what in Kerewan would once have been unthinkable: buy imported rice.

In the past 10 years, this has become the norm across the Gambia. In this community there was a time when, if they saw you buy rice from the shop, they would know there was hunger in your house. Now, its the order of the day, says Almamo Fatty, 63, no close relation of Binta, although the two joke that they are brother and sister.

I dont think you will see anyone in this community [now] who will say: I can farm enough rice to feed my family for longer than six months, he says.

His own is no exception. His son, Kemo Fatty, a climate activist who was part of the Gambian delegation to the Cop26 climate summit, has seen how his mother has become gradually less self-sufficient. She has to depend on my pay cheque to actually buy rice that comes from China, and this has been happening for the past couple of years now, he says. Imagine, from having our own rice that we grew and ate all year round to having no rice at all.

The Gambian government knows more needs to be done to protect its farmers from the impact of the climate crisis: agriculture is the most important sector of the economy, accounting for about a quarter of GDP and employing about 75% of the labour force.

But, from low technological capacity to poor energy supplies, the challenges for farmers are daunting. Almost all food in the country comes from rain-fed fields, making farmers particularly vulnerable to changes in precipitation.

And female farmers who are expected to shoulder the burden of caring for their families as well as earning their keep, risk domestic violence as poverty bites, and are often unable to access the contraception they need to control how many children they want are arguably the most vulnerable of all.

The Gambian climate activist Fatou Jeng, who was also in Glasgow for Cop26, says that although they make up about 70% of the countrys agricultural workforce, women and girls face inadequate access to basic natural resources needed for farming.

Writing for the International Rescue Committee website, she adds: There is a great injustice at the heart of all of this. All too often, these under-represented groups, such as women living in fragile states, understand most about what is at stake and, therefore, the solutions needed to tackle climate change. Yet women in particular have been systematically excluded from the decision-making table.

In short, if women like Jamba, Kassamah and Fatty are left out of the climate crisis solution, the solution may never be found.

Standing on the boggy banks of a tributary of the Gambia River, Almamo Fatty gestures to the ground, the clay sparkling in the sunshine. This stuff you see shining? That is salt, he says, shaving off a thin layer with a machete. If you taste this, it is salty. And it is.

Twenty years ago, if you grew rice here it would grow like this, he says, gesturing to his shoulder. One field would have produced 20 bags of rice. Now, there are plans for a dyke to stop the saltwater, but he knows life will never go back to the way it was before the climate crisis arrived. This land here, it was all rice fields, he says. Now its all abandoned.

Additional reporting by Omar Wally

See the rest here:

Taste this, its salty: how rising seas are ruining the Gambias rice farmers - The Guardian

On January 5, 2009, two months after 10 sea-borne terrorists launched a deadly attack on Mumbai that left 166 people dead and 238 injured, the Maharashtra government issued a government resolution sanctioning funds to hire boats to patrol the coastline. Three police stations were notified as responsible for coastal policing their jurisdiction ranged from the seashore to 12 nautical miles off the citys 114-kilometre coastline.

In 2021, the Sagari police, as they are referred to, remains under-equipped. Even today, there are only three stations Yellow Gate police station in South Mumbai, Sagari 1 at Mahim and Sagari 2 at Gorai in North Mumbai whose mandate includes investigating and preventing crimes in territorial waters. To be sure, there are other stations whose jurisdiction involves patrolling the coastline, but their jurisdiction only extends to the shore.

While Yellow Gate police station responsible for the coastline between Sassoon docks and Vashi bridge and operating with a sanctioned strength of 152 personnel, including 12 officers was already tasked with policing the high seas before the 26/11 attack, the other two came up a few years after the terror siege.

Sagari I PS, which came up in 2012, has a sanctioned strength of 60 policemen and was tasked to look after coastal security between Sassoon docks and Juhu. Sagari II PS, which came up in 2013 was charged with keeping the northern coast of the city, between Juhu and Dahisar, secure. It has a sanctioned strength of 120 personnel.

The force has about 20 boats to patrol the coastline. In 2016, the Mumbai Sagari police acquired 10-speed boats eight equipped with 500 horsepower (HP) engines and two with 750 HP engines to patrol territorial waters; the rest patrol the shoreline. However, police officers said that only 12 (including speedboats) are operational. Some break down often, making it risky for policemen to patrol the sea beyond four nautical miles.

A senior IPS officer said that the boats have to be sent to the repair centre and spare parts come from the Goa shipping yard, a government facility.

A second officer said that at present, three working boats are allotted to the Yellow Gate police station and two each are allotted to Sagari I and Sagari II stations. A team of seven policemen one sub-inspector, three members of the constabulary, two technical staff members and the driver patrol the coast within their respective jurisdictions in the speed boats twice a day.

In the aftermath of the 26/11 attacks, the Mumbai police were also equipped with 18 amphibious vehicles (though they are called amphibious, they are not sea vehicles), which were distributed to the police stations on coastal areas including Gorai, Malwani, Versova, and Juhu.

With their wide tyres, these vehicles move easily on the sand and water. However, from 2013 onwards, some were seen parked at police stations. Some of these vehicles were working till 2014 and even in 2015, but after that, they became dysfunctional and have since been removed from police stations as well, said the second police officer.

A year after the 26/11 attacks, four Sea-Legs (boats with wheels that can also operate on the shore and road, but with limited speeds) were procured by the state government and provided to Girgaum, Dadar, Juhu and Versova police stations. They too stopped functioning after a few years.

I have not seen them functioning after 2013 because their parts were unavailable in India. Sea-legs were capable of moving on both land and water and could travel at over 40 knots in the water and over 10 km per hour on land, said a third senior police officer.

He said that the spare parts of these vehicles are not available in India.

In the latest move to upgrade the infrastructure of the existing Coastal security system, in 2018, the Maharashtra government decided to construct Marine Operation Rooms (MOR) at 10 major landing points of Mumbais coast, including Badhwar Park in Colaba where the 10 Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives on the night of November 26, 2008. These rooms are meant to serve as quick response posts for marine combat.

The formation of three MORs would be done on a pilot project basis at Sassoon Docks, Marve in Malad and near Bandra end of the Bandra-Worli Sealink, a senior Mumbai police officer had said ahead of the 26/11 anniversary in 2018.

Three years on, none of the MORs has come up.

We require at least two police personnel posted round-the-clock at each of these landing points. Currently, due to lack of staff, we are compelled to post one person at each of the points, that too without any support of modern equipment, said a third police officer.

Most importantly, we require more life jackets and bulletproof jackets which are currently in one digit per police station, he said.

More here:

13 years of 26/11: How prepared are we? - Hindustan Times

Wetter Online

During the last 24 hours, several districts of Tamil Naduhave witnessed heavy rains. Chennai has received 96 mm of heavy rainfall,Parangipattai 147 mm and Karaikal 110 mm. Interior parts of Tamil Nadu has alsoreceived light to moderate rain at many places.

Now, heavy rain is very likely to occur over Tamil Naducoast during the next 48 hours, causing water-logging at many places and aflood like situation at one or two places. There is a possibility of red alertlike situation in Puducherry, Tiruvalluvar, Ranipet, Changalpet, Vellore andCuddalore districts including Chennai.

A Low Pressure Area is persisting over southern parts of Tamil Nadu and its associated cyclonic circulation is also extending up to an altitude of 3.1 km above sea level. Due to its effect, very strong winds are coming from the north-east direction towards the coast of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, due to which the rains can become very heavy.

Coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh may also see moderate toheavy rains at many places for the next 2 or 3 days. During the next 2 or 3days, there is a possibility of gusty wind and high seas along the coast ofTamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Therefore, fishermen are advised not to ventureinto the sea for the next two-three days.

Light to moderate rain is also likely over Rayalaseema andSouth Interior Karnataka. After November 29, there will be a significantreduction in rain activities in all these states and the situation will startreturning to normal.

For accurate weather forecast and updates, download Skymet Weather (Android App | iOS App) App.

Continued here:

Waterlogging likely due to heavy rains in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh | Skymet Weather Services - Skymet Weather

DALKEY resident Des Burke-Kennedy has released his self-published new book as we approach the November 1765 anniversary of a tragic saga which claimed the lives of eight innocent people.

He recently laid three wreaths in memory of Captain George Glas, his wife Isobell and their eleven year-old daughter at the Muglins rock just beyond Dalkey Island on the southern side of Dublin Bay.

At this exact place, the bodies of two of the familys murderers were displayed for all to see following their March 1st 1766 trial for mutiny and murder in Dublin.

Des new 233 page book is full of fascinating details of what life was like for mariners and their families at that time, extraordinary adventures which started in Dundee in Scotland and continued off the coast of west Africa, the Canary Islands and the Caribbean, but most of all describes what one courageous man and his family achieved in their short lives as they risked all in what was a very cruel world.

In 1765, George Glass (Glas), his wife and daughter, were involved in a sensational mutiny off the south east coast of Ireland. Details were published widely in Britain, Ireland, the Canaries, America and beyond.

George was born in Dundee in Scotland in 1725. The son of Reverend John Glas, a Presbyterian Minister, his strict upbringing pointed towards a career in the Church.

That was not for him. Having studied as a Ships Surgeon, he joined the Royal Navy, became a merchant seaman and finally succeeded in financing his own ship to launch his career as a Privateer, in other words, an armed trader. During this period, he quickly became a wealthy man.

Privateering was profitable for those who survived. Escaping death on several occasions, he lost seven ships and was imprisoned seven times by Englands enemies on the high seas. Some regarded him as a Pirate and a well-educated one too.

In 1764, he somehow found time to write an impressive History of the Canary Islands Behind all the drama, George was driven by a secret ambition to establish his own trading harbour to be named Hillsborough.

This he discovered in Senegal on Africas west coast below the Canaries. All he needed now to make his dream and fortune complete were agreements from the local tribal chief and Englands Bord of Trade.

For some unknown reason, having secured the tribal chiefs agreement, he returned to Hillsborough bringing with him his wife Isobell and their ten-year-old daughter. This is where his familys life was to change dramatically forever.

While moored at Hillsborough, Georges ship was attacked by natives. Half his crew were slaughtered. Short of supplies, rather than starve on board, he launched a small boat and sailed to the Canaries for supplies, leaving Isobell and his daughter and remaining crew on board.

On landing in the Canaries, he was arrested by the Governor, thrown in to a dungeon and almost starved to death.

His abandoned wife meanwhile lifted anchor in Hillsborough and miraculously also made it to the Canaries where she eventually secured Georges prison release.

They both decided that enough was enough, paid for a berth on the Earl of Sandwich and set sail to England for Christmas 1765. Unknown to almost all on board, there was a vast fortune secured in Captain Cockerans quarters.

Four crew members set up a mutiny as the ship reached the Scilly Isles, murdered George, his wife and daughter and all five of the crew.

To avoid detection, they scuttled the Earl of Sandwich, loaded over two tons of gold, silver and jewels in to a small row boat and headed for the nearest shore Wexford on Irelands east coast.

The four murderers set off all kinds of alarms as they made their way from Wexford to Waterford on horseback and up to the port of Dublin to try to escape back to England with their vast fortune.

Heavy drinking and loose talk in taverns made them easy to trace. Eventually, all four were captured, most of the treasure secured and they were sent for trial. Quickly convicted of murder and especially of Isobell and her young daughter, they were hanged.

The four corpses were displayed in public at Ringsend in Dublin Port to discourage other mutineers.

Two were buried close by later face down in the mud.

The other two corpses were then transported south along the coast to a gibbet on a rock known as The Muglins off the coast of Dalkey till seagulls had their fill.

Their remains may still be there today!

It is thought that Robert Louis Stevenson based his novel Treasure Island on this sad family saga of Captain George Glass and his brave wife and young daughter.

Murder, Mutiny and the Muglins, is available on Amazon and as a signed hardback at http://www.MurderMutinyandtheMuglins.shop

Follow this link:

Murder, Mutiny and the Muglins - Dublin People

View of a coral reef off the Andaman Islands. Photo: Ritiks/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

India is one of the worlds 17 mega-biodiverse countries, harbours 7-8% of the worlds recorded species, and supports various ecosystems, including forests, deserts, mountains, wetlands, grasslands and coastal and marine ecosystems. The last two are of particular importance; they include mangroves, coral reefs, estuaries, seagrass, mudflats and lagoons, occupying 7,516 sq. km, a continental shelf area of area 468,000 sq. km and an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of 2.02 million sq. km.

These ecosystems are home to numerous marine species, including charismatic and critically endangered species such as sea turtles, whales, dolphins, sharks, rays, dugongs, whale sharks and sea cucumbers. Further, around 171 million people, including fishing communities and Indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs), live along Indias coastline. These ecosystems also serve as traditional sources of livelihoods to about 16 million fishers. Together, the fisheries and aquaculture industries contribute around 1% towards Indias GDP.

However, Indias biodiversity is rapidly becoming less rich. The health of our coastal and marine ecosystems is impacted by a host of threats, including exploitation of resources, plastic pollution, habitat degradation, coastal erosion and climate change. These threats are also affecting the lives and livelihoods of local communities that depend on these ecosystems for sustenance. The coast of India is witnessing a decline in fish catch, a very large dead zone has been reported from the Bay of Bengal, and the population of different marine species, including sharks and rays, has been shrinking.

Cognisant of these threats, India as a party to the international Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) recently expressed its support for a global target known colloquially as 30 30. Its aim is to protect and conserve 30% of the worlds terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems. The target is currently being negotiated by parties to the CBD as part of the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.

Meeting the 30 30 target could also help India protect its coastal and marine biodiversity, while providing economic benefits, food and water security, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and sustaining the livelihoods of coastal communities that depend on these ecosystems.

What counts towards the 30 30 target?

30 30 is a global target, which means that parties to the CBD together, have to protect 30% of the worlds land and sea. So depending on national conditions and circumstances, each country will be left to determine the percentage of its own geographical areas that it will allocate towards meeting this target. Areas that will be counted include area-based conservation measures like marine protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) that are established in territorial waters; the EEZ of each country; and parts of the high seas (i.e., waters beyond national jurisdiction).

Marine protected areas are geographical areas established and managed for the primary purpose of protecting marine ecosystems and species. OECMs, on the other hand, are broader and help achieve sustained positive biodiversity outcomes irrespective of their management goals. OECMs will protect marine biodiversity as well as yield a range of benefits to people who depend on marine resources. Some examples of OECMs include sacred natural sites, areas managed by small-scale fishers, traditionally protected marine reserves or fishing grounds, historic shipwrecks and protected water catchments.

According to a recent brief prepared, among others, by the UN Environment Programme, it is essential for area-based measures under the 30 30 target to deliver effective conservation outcomes in order to meet the target. So the effective management of marine protected areas and OECMs is crucial to achieving this outcome. Areas that count towards the target must provide ecosystem services and be important biodiversity sites, be ecologically representative, and be part of well-connected protected area networks. These areas also have to be effectively and equitably managed.

In this context, the 30 30 target provides an important opportunity to help secure the participation of IPLCs. A rights-based approach that is, integrating human rights into conservation policy must be adopted while declaring IPLC territories as marine protected areas or OECMs.

Opportunities for India

Thus far Indias terrestrial areas have received significant attention, but the time is now ripe to focus more on underrepresented coastal and marine areas. According to Indias Sixth National Report (under the CBD), protected areas cover approximately 27% of Indias geographical area. Of this, only 5% of coastal and marine areas are designated protected areas. This makes it all the more important for India to sign on to the 30 30 target and take appropriate actions to achieve it.

Currently, there are 25 marine protected areas in peninsular India and 107 marine protected areas in the Indian islands. Increasing area-based conservation under the 30 30 target could help restore and conserve biodiversity, help marine species adapt to climate change and revive fish stocks, thus saving the livelihoods of local communities that depend on marine resources. Area-based measures are important nature-based solutions for mitigating climate changes impact, and effectively designed and well-managed marine protected areas and OECMs could also help alleviate stressors like deoxygenation and acidification, and preserve natural storm barriers like coral reefs and mangroves.

In light of the UNs recent flagship climate report and its emphasis on how South Asia, including India, is vulnerable to extreme weather and sea-level rise, working towards the 30 30 target will also help India, including its ecosystems and communities, become more adaptable and resilient.

Increasing area-based measures for the 30 30 target could also help India generate considerable economic benefits, through revenue from nature tourism and ecosystems services. A working paper drafted by a team of scientists from around the world also identified a number of non-monetary benefits such as food security, reduced disease emergence, protection against flooding and soil loss, and improved clean water availability.

In recognition of these benefits, India must identify biodiversity-rich coastal and marine areas that are currently threatened and bring them under protection using its legal and regulatory framework.

The Wildlife (Protection) Act

While the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 is the primary legislation the government uses to protect marine species, one could say it is also terrestrially oriented. Currently, there is no separate procedure laid down to declare marine protected areas. Coastal and marine areas are mostly declared national parks, sanctuaries or biosphere reserves. In these places, extractive activities are prohibited or highly regulated, and this affects local fishing communities as well, which is why they are opposed to the government declaring new marine protected areas.

If the protection afforded to marine ecosystems is to be effective, the Wildlife (Protection) Act needs to accommodate the unique socio-economic and ecological characteristics of the Indian coastal and marine ecosystems.

Then again, the Wildlife (Protection) Act isnt the sole source of opportunities within the Indian legal and regulatory framework to establish marine protected areas. For example, the government can use the Territorial Waters, Continental Shelf, Exclusive Economic Zone and Other Maritime Zones Act 1976 to declare designated areas for the protection of marine environment within Indias continental shelf and EEZ (the Wildlife (Protection) Act is not applicable to the EEZ).

There are several submerged banks in Indias EEZ that the state can explore. One such area with protected areas potential is the Angria Bank, a submerged plateau spanning 650 sq. km and situated 135 km off the coastal Konkan belt of Maharashtra, within Indias EEZ. It supports large coral reefs and algal habitats, and harbours diverse flora and fauna.

Further, the government may declare coastal and marine areas proximate to marine protected and biodiverse-rich to be eco-sensitive zones under the Environment Protection Act 1986. Similarly, ecologically fragile coastal and marine ecosystems may also be declared biodiversity heritage sites under the Biodiversity Act 2002.

Marine protected areas v. OECMs

While marine protected areas are one set of the tools through which India has been conserving and protecting its marine biodiversity, OECMs from India could provide new and different opportunities to conserve areas falling outside the marine protected area network, and to recognise diverse governance approaches especially community-led efforts.

There are traditionally managed areas along the Indian subcontinent and island systems that the government can recognise as potential OECMs. India has also designated certain seascapes as important marine mammal areas (IMMAs), important coastal and marine biodiversity areas (ICMBAs) and ecologically and biologically significant marine areas (EBSAs). For example, the Wildlife Institute of India has identified 106 coastal and marine sites as ICMBAs.

These categories serve as knowledge tools to help identify areas that have the potential to be delineated and managed for conservation but are devoid of management implications. For an area to qualify as an OECM, it is essential that the area be managed in ways that achieve sustained biodiversity outcomes. Therefore, IMMAs, ICMBAs and EBSAs can qualify as OECMs only if the management of these areas results in long-term conservation outcomes.

Involving IPLCs

One concern about the 30 30 target is the profound impact it may have on IPLCs, if it is implemented without involving local fishers in the decision-making process and without proper planning. For most coastal communities, the coastal and marine areas are their sole source of food and income. This means increasing conservation efforts under the 30 30 target could raise concerns for these communities, as they may fear losing rights over their territories and marine resources.

So it is important that they be made primary decision-makers in conservation efforts and for their rights to be recognised while including their land to meet the 30 30 target. Communities have to be involved in management strategies, and be made aware of the positive impact of community-led conservation efforts, such as higher fisheries yield and food security, revenue from ecotourism, enhanced climate resilience, and retention of traditional values. Doing so would be a win-win for the people and nature.

Despite the threats Indias coastal and marine biodiversity faces, the Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services of 2019 pointed out that there is still hope for Indias biodiversity to recover, through transformative change. India must in turn take appropriate measures to effectively achieve the 30 30target over the next decade, with the government coordinating with all stakeholders including civil society, concerned citizens, businesses, scientists and local communities.

If implemented properly, the 30 30 target could help India attain two goals the sustainable development of its coasts and people, and the conservation of its unique coastal and marine biodiversity.

Samrita Shankar is a marine policy advisor, Shyama Kuriakose is legal head of Counter Wildlife Trafficking and Vardhan Patankar is a scientist all at the Wildlife Conservation Society, India.

See original here:

What the '30 30 Target' Could Mean for India's Marine Biodiversity - The Wire Science

Image courtesy of Langh Ship

PublishedNov 26, 2021 7:25 PM by The Maritime Executive

[By:Langh Ship]

Langh Ship has ordered three multipurpose dry cargo vessels which will serve Outokumpu on the short sea lane between Finland and continental Europe.

Outokumpu, a global leader in stainless steel and a forerunner in sustainability, has entered a long-term time charter with the Finnish shipping company Langh Ship for three newbuildings delivered by the Wuhu shipyard in China. Delivery for the first vessel is scheduled mid-2023, followed by the other two at close intervals.

The newbuildings are designed for all-year traffic in the northern Gulf of Bothnia and will have ice class 1A. The vessels are set to operate between Outokumpus main port, Tornio, Finland, and its continental hub Terneuzen, the Netherlands. The vessels will transport semi-finished and finished steel products to customers and for further processing. On the back-haul the vessels will be loaded with steel scrap, which is the main raw material of Outokumpu stainless steel.

The ordered vessels will have a deadweight of 7,800 tons, thus be of ideal size for the requested service frequency. The design has been developed by Langh Ship in collaboration with Outokumpu and the Chinese ship designer Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute (SDARI). Langh Ship has three multipurpose cargo ships, specially equipped for shipments of steel, currently charter to Outokumpu. The experiences from many years of cooperation on this trade has been utilized in designing cargo holds and cargo handling solutions for the new vessels.

We highly value the long-term relationship that we have with Outokumpu. The cooperation between our companies has started over three decades ago. We very much look forward to this next step with these newbuildings, which deepens our cooperation even further, says Laura Langh-Lagerlf, Managing Director, Langh Ship.

Jyrki Sandelin, Outokumpu Category Manager for transports: This transport stretch is the single most important transport lane for Outokumpu Group and that is why we rely on our trusted partner Langh Ship. Our cooperation and the previous experience gathered on this northern route has led to excellent solutions. Both companies have high ambitions and keep pushing each other for constant improvements.

The newbuildings will be specially equipped for shipping steel but as multipurpose vessels are fit for many cargo types to serve Outokumpu versatile needs. The main product, stainless steel coils have a secure ride with Langh Ships patented pontoon-type coil cradle tween deck. By loading coils both on the bottom of the hold and on the tween deck, the weight is distributed in a way making the ship's motions in heavy seas slower. This makes the transport safer and reduces the risk of cargo damage.

When loading other goods, the tween decks are stowed in a smaller cargo hold releasing the main cargo hold for bulk cargo or containers. The hold is box-shaped and equipped with adjustable bulkheads to create optimal hold sizes for other cargo as well as the dimensions are optimized for containers. Heavy steel containers especially developed by Langh Cargo Solutions can be carried on the hatch covers. The starting point for designing the cargo solutions has been to maximize the utilization of the cargo capacity. This will at the end, serve both targets, reducing further the transport emissions and being as cost efficient as possible.

The vessels are designed to meet Outokumpu ambitious sustainability targets by minimizing emissions and complying with all known upcoming environmental regulations. The vessels are equipped with dual-fuel engines which can run on multiple fuels and thus be adjusted for future next generation propellants.

Thanks to the energy-efficient hull shape, these vessels have a lower engine power than the current vessels. Despite that they can load more cargo and keep the same service speed, says Laura Langh-Lagerlf, Managing Director, Langh Ship.

The design has been developed in close cooperation between Outokumpu and Langh Ship. Both companies have the joint target to make the vessels as energy efficient, environmentally friendly and as flexible as possible. The future will bring alternative fuels, shore power and battery technologies, which these vessels are already equipped for, says Eero Pajunen, Chief Operating Officer, Langh Ship.

The newbuildings will be equipped with a dual fuel main engine with an output of 4,500 kW. In the future, the vessels can be converted to run with various fossil-free fuels. As initial fuel they will use liquefied natural gas, LNG which can be directly replaced by liquefied biogas (LBG). The ship's LNG tank is both methanol and ammonia ready. Furthermore, the vessels are prepared for installation of onshore power, which would make them emission-free during port calls. There is also space reserved for the installation of batteries, which enable hybrid solutions.

For handling ballast water, the newbuildings are equipped with the recently launched Ballast Water Management System from Langh Tech. The system eliminates the risk of harmful invasive species.

The products and services herein described in this press release are not endorsed by The Maritime Executive.

Read this article:

Langh Ship and Outokumpu Start a Newbuilding Project - The Maritime Executive