Category Archives: High Seas

Issued on: 18/01/2021 - 18:20

Paris (AFP)

French skippers Charlie Dalin and Louis Burton emerged from the doldrums on Monday and began the final sprint to the line in the solo round-the-world Vendee Globe.

Dalin, on Apivia, led Burton's Bureau Vallee 2, by 59 nautical miles at 1700 GMT Monday although the latter, on a more westerly path, had the better wind and was clocking four knots faster.

Both skippers came away relatively lightly from the doldrums, a tricky area around the Equator which has little wind, where sailors can get stuck for days.

"I just went in a straight line and it worked well, I was lucky and it seemed to work this time," Burton told the race organisers.

"It's very good for Charlie and me. We were not as badly affected as the rest of the fleet.

"We are a little more ahead of our rivals than when we got into the doldrums."

The course, however, is not a simple chase to the line as the two rivals will hit a depression on Tuesday, meaning bad weather and high seas, and will then face a ridge of high pressure before another depression.

"The strategic choice has already started," said Burton who intends to be "on the attack" as much as he can.

The leaders are now looking at another 10 days to complete the nearly 3,000nm back to Les Sables d'Olonne and finish a race that started from the French port on November 8.

The chasing pack was held back by the doldrums, which was stickier than expected, before hitting the North Atlantic and the run for home.

Damien Seguin in Groupe Apicil is 111nm behind Dalin in third, closely followed by Thomas Ruyant in LinkedOut.

Longtime leader Yannick Bestaven (Maitre Coq IV) was in fifth 124nm behind Dalin with German skipper Boris Herrmann (Seaexplorer-Yacht Club de Monaco), who was up to third a couple of days ago, another 36nm further back.

"There are a lot of difficult things for me at the moment," said Bestaven on Monday.

"Since Cape Horn, I have had a lot of technical problems with the boat. I'll say it today, I thought I could hide it a bit.

"During the passage to Cape Horn, I had a big depression. I hit a huge wave which swept the entire foredeck of the boat.

"I no longer have a balcony, no more furling (for the mast), and I have some sails that I can no longer use."

Of the 33 yachts that began the race, eight have already retired.

Leading race standings as of 1700 GMT, January 18

1. Charlie Dalin (FRA/Apivia) 2839.8 nautical miles from finish, 2. Louis Burton (FRA/Bureau Vallee 2) at 59.9, 3. Damien Seguin (FRA/Groupe Apicil) 111.6, 4. Thomas Ruyant (FRA/LinkedOut) 118.6, 5. Yannick Bestaven (FRA/Maitre Coq IV) 124.1, 6.Boris Herrmann (GER/Seaexplorer-Yacht Club de Monaco) 160.3, 7. Giancarlo Pedote (ITA/Prysmian Group) 163.1, 8. Benjamin Dutreux (FRA/OMIA-Water Family) 179.1, 9. Jean Le Cam (FRA/Yes we Cam !) 265.8, 10. Maxime Sorel (FRA/V And B Mayenne) 504.1

2021 AFP

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Dalin and Burton out of the doldrums in Vendee Globe - FRANCE 24

Bravo viewers are so curious about the new deckhand, Rob Phillips. They want to know everything about this Below Deck star. Learn about him now.

Since he is making waves onBelow Deck, fans want to know everything aboutthe new deckhand, Rob Phillips.

Bravo's maritime-themed show has been a hit since its inception. Below Deck takes an in-depth look into a yacht crew and their filthy rich guests. Guests enjoy life on the high seas, and viewers are hooked on the drama. There are sometimes lines that cast members are unwilling to cross, such ascooking a 60-plate dinner. However, atother times, chief stews and other crew members are willing to respect the wishes of picky clients. The captain is in charge of keeping everyone safe and firing subpar workers. As the large yacht island-hopsthroughout the season, each Below Deck episode features a different group of guests. Rob Phillips is one of the crew members. He helps guests to enjoy true VIP experiences.

Related: Below Deck: How Julia D'Albert Pusey Is Pioneering Women-Run Businesses

Below Deck Season 8 had its first lossas the spinoff'sviewerswatched Sustainable Shane Coopersmith walk the plank. In his place came Rob Phillips, who bonded quickly with fellow deckhand James and dubbed Francesca a "sexy nun." Bosun Eddie Lucas is thrilled to have a deckhand who knows what he is doing. Rob definitely knows how to tie a knot. See Rob on the water in his Instagram post below:

Upon Rob's arrival, Eddie told cameras he was "happy to have Rob on the team. It seems like he has the experience, which is definitely gonna be a change of pace. Anything's better than Shane." Rob has a low-key Instagram profile with the tag@r0b.phillips. The newest reality star has under 5,000 followers but still loves showing off his traveling pictures. He is Canadian and comes from a "long line of sailors," but his true love is rocks. Geology, to be more precise. His first week on the show, he told viewers, "I'm an exploration geologist, which means, in a nutshell, I'm like a nerdy Indiana Jones. I look for gold, but as soon as the markets crash, I lose my job, which is why super yachting's kind of like the fallback sometimes."

This Below Deck guy seems to have it all, including education, a sense of humor, and a strong work ethic. Captain Lee is bound to love him just as much as fans already do. While viewers doubt he will have the courage to make out with the chief stew, fans can watch his bromance with James bloom each week.

Next: Below Deck Med 5: Jessica, Peter, Ciara & Alex Reunite For Bar Fun In Video

Below Deckairs on Monday at 9 pm EST on Bravo

Source: Rob Phillips/Instagram

90 Day Fiance: Why Fans Think Amira Lollysa Was Deported Back to France

Jennifer is an avid Reality TV follower and is fluent in all Real Housewife drama along with the ups and downs of 90 Day Fiance sagas. When she is not writing she enjoys traveling the world in search of the best beaches! Jennifer has been writing for over 15 years and would like nothing more than to have a proper sit down with the women of the RHONY to 'Make It Nice.'

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Below Deck: Everything To Know About New Deckhand Rob Phillips - Screen Rant

NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) have allied with each other to pressure the EU (European Union) to call for an immediate ban on the destructive fishing method called bottom trawling. Bottom trawling continuously destroys marine areas "protected" by the EU. The coalition calls out the union for its failure to protect the waters.

To show that the NGOs are serious in pursuing their goal to protect marine ecosystems, the ban was just a part of the 10-point action plan intended to "raise the bar" in achieving biodiversity goals. They claim that such goals will never be met by the current status quo. All promises and no actions, they said.

Related Article:Seafood's Secret Ingredient: Microplastic

(Photo : Hennie Stander on Unsplash)Behind the scenes of the fish trade, somewhere along the Irish coast.

According to the various environmental NGOs involved, the EU has continuously been providing them with promises. But, most of the time, they remain just that, promises.

Among these promises is a raft of EU laws created with goals to safeguard marine life. It made several legislations that aims to achieve "good environmental status" in the oceans by 2020, create healthy ecosystems, and introduce sustainable aquatic and fisheries management. Many of those, however, were not, and some doubt that it will ever be enforced.

This astronomical failure and the already existing problems on Europe's oceans, like climate change and pollution, can result in irreversible possibilities. The effects can cause serious ecological consequences that the entire planet may possibly suffer.

The call was initially published to respond to a European parliament draft report on the EU's strategy for biodiversity for 2030. That draft report, which will be presented to the environment committee on Thursday, expresses intense regret that the EU has not met the 2020 biodiversity strategy's objectives.

While the NGOs welcomed the draft report, they said it does not go far enough to ensure enforcement of current EU laws or to set action plans to reverse biodiversity loss by 2030.

According to Rebecca Hubbard, program director of Our Fish, which aims to end overfishing, said:

"The EU has failed to achieve good environmental status for EU seas and the EU biodiversity strategy must be implemented if we are to have a chance of saving it - this implementation needs to include the 10 action points we have in our report."

Aside from the lack of a ban on bottom trawling, the EU has also failed to protect marine habitats from overfishing. Overfishing has been labeled as one of the most destructive fishing practices. Not only does it create a severe imbalance in the natural system, but it also harshens the water conditions.

Nicolas Fournier, the campaign director for marine protection at Oceana Europe, said:

"The EU 2030 biodiversity strategy is strong on marine protection targets, but we want the European parliament to raise further the EU's ambition on biodiversity, both internationally to champion the 30% of ocean protection and support the UN treaty for the high-seas, but also in Europe to call for a ban of all destructive fishing gear inside marine protected areas, starting with bottom-trawling."

Promises give hopes, but action is the only way to achieve goals. The pressure that the NGO coalition is putting on the EU is meant to hasten the union's enforcement of the programs to benefit the environment.

ALSO READ:EU: Mealworms Now Safe for Human Consumption

For more news update about the environment, don't forget to follow Nature World News!

2018 NatureWorldNews.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

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Actions Not Promises Says NGOs After EU Allegedly Failed to Protect the Seas - Nature World News

HALIFAX -- Parts of the Maritimes can expect to see heavy snow and rain and high winds this weekend, as a rapidly strengthening low-pressure system moves up from the northeastern United States into Atlantic Canada.

The storm will impact the Maritime region mainly late Saturday and Sunday morning.

A strong coastal storm will move into Maine and then northern New Brunswick late Saturday into Sunday bringing the Maritimes snow, rain, and high winds.

The bulk of the accumulating snow and ice is expected across northern New Brunswick and in some of the higher terrain just to the north of Fredericton. A mix of snow and ice pellets for those areas is likely to accumulate 15 to 25 cm.

Areas around Bathurst and the Acadian Peninsula could finish with as much as 25 to 40 cm of snow.

While the snow is forecast to be much lower Fredericton and south, ice pellets and freezing rain could lead to slushy and slick surfaces even with rain expected to mix in.

There is also some indication that the Cape Breton Highlands could pick up snow exceeding 10 cm as well.

Higher snowfall amounts are expected for northern areas of New Brunswick. Amounts taper lower into central New Brunswick with more ice pellets and freezing rain mixing in. Much of the rest of the Maritimes can expect mainly rain.

For much of the rest of the Maritimes the system is forecast to bring mainly rain. Widespread totals of 15 to 30 mm are expected.

Local amounts could reach 30 to 50 mm for coastal areas of the Bay of Fundy coastline in N.B. and the Atlantic coastline of N.S.

Despite milder temperatures through the first part of winter, the ground is still frozen for most areas. This increases rain runoff and ponding water should be watched for.

High and gusty east to southeast winds will build in with the precipitation. Coastal gusts could peak as high as 70 to 100 km/h with widespread inland gusts of 40 to 70 km/h. The stronger winds will reach the southwest of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia by Saturday evening.

The wind will build up the Atlantic coastline of Nova Scotia Saturday night with high winds reaching P.E.I. and eastern N.S. early Sunday morning.

Strong southeast winds build into southwestern N.B. and N.S. by Saturday evening.

Inverness County, N.S. will likely hit peak gusts in excess of 110 km/h due to enhancement over the Cape Breton Highlands. Those strong winds should be watched for Sunday morning.

The wind will turn southwest through Sunday with gusts 40 to 70 km/h into the evening followed by some easing into Monday.

The strong wind builds up the Atlantic coastline of Nova Scotia into P.E.I. and Cape Breton by early Sunday morning.

The strong winds will also impact marine areas of the region. A southeast wind of 35 to 45 knots is forecast to develop for N.S. slopes, banks, and near coastal districts Saturday afternoon and evening with gale warnings issued.

The gale force winds would then progress northeastward with the storm into Sunday. A turn to southwest winds is forecast on Sunday easing slightly into a range of 25 to 35 knots.

Seas building three to six metres are also indicated to accompany the strengthening winds. The high sea state may persist well into Sunday in the wake of the passing storm.

Interests that plan to be active in marine areas this weekend should consult a more detailed marine forecast covering the area of planned operation.

Gale force winds and high seas are expected to develop for many of the marine areas around the Maritimes Saturday afternoon into Sunday.

Tune into Kalin's forecast on CTV Atlantic News at 5, 6 and 11:30 p.m. for more.

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Parts of Maritimes expected to see heavy snow and rain, high winds this weekend - CTV News Atlantic

As I mentioned in my last column, I have never believed in ushering in the new year on a frilly note. Somehow find it silly to go cooing happy new year when theres dearth of happiness all around. And as this year came to a close with painful cries from varying locales, there was an absolute no from my end to come up with that formality-dripping one-liner: happy new -year!

Like every new year start, I ushered in this new year, sitting somewhat forlorn with hot water bottles clutched tight in my hands, reciting these lines of Faiz Ahmad Faiz : Somewhere near the pillow /,the nights fading away/ Or is it the candle melting? /Something is burning within me / Is that your memory, or my life seeking to depart .

Call me outdated or backward or one of those boring introverts but I refuse to give in to facades. With that in the background or foreground, I am in no mood to move away from the ground realities.

Tell me, whats so astonishingly positive holding out for us in the upcoming year? It could get bleaker on the virus-pollution-distress fronts. With financial lows spreading out, darker and murkier times lie ahead. And even if one were to forcibly fit oneself in the glass-half-full category, I still manage to see vacancy holding out, on not just on our faces but writ large in our eyes and hovering along our fields and hutments, lanes and alleys. An eerie build-up, forewarning of the trying times in the coming year. Tell me in such a scenario how can one tickle oneself to laugh and giggle or to go about hugging 2021 with contrived concoctions?

And please dont come up with silly new-year resolutions of shedding those extras kilos along with well-tucked inhibitions. If at all you are in that resolution flaunting mood then do shed that extra layer of that thick hide on you. Throw it off. Then see the realities of the day, not just here in our country, but also out there, across the high seas.

In fact, I sit writing this fortnights column, theres heavy downpour and thunder and lightening, in and around the capital city, New Delhi. With that in the background or foreground, my heart is with the farmers, who are braving it, taking on Natures onslaughts together with the political build-ups. The level of the sarkari apathy can be judged from the fact that though till date over 50 farmers have died, in fact, martyred, during their ongoing peaceful protests against the Farm Bills, yet un-moving sits the top brass.

My heart is also with Nisar, the hapless shoe-seller in Uttar Pradeshs Bulandshahr, who was harassed and arrested from his pavement stall because of the shoe manufacturing companys brand name Thakur imprinted on the shoe! Not to overlook the fact that Nisar was picked up by the cops at the orders of Bajranj Dal men! Mind you, this is not the first time that Bajrang Dal men have played havoc. In the last two weeks this is the third reported incident from Uttar Pradesh, when these men tortured several innocents before getting them arrested by the cops. They ruined the lives of the Moradabad based couple, Rashid and Pinky. Thereafter, they ruined the life of the Bijnor based seventeen year old Muslim boy Saqib who was merely chaperoning a non- Muslim girl, after a birthday party; getting him imprisoned. Now, of course, this hapless pavement seller Nisar of Bulandshahr, who was rounded -up by the cops under the directions of Hindutva men. Ironically, the owner of the Agra-based Thakur Footwear licensed and registered company, Narendra Trilokani, was not questioned by any of the Hindutva brigades!

My heart is also with the family of the 50-year-old woman, gang raped and killed in the most horrific way by three men in Uttar Pradeshs Badaun district. To top it all, the police took over 17 hours to register the FIR! One is left wondering whats become of that state, where there seems a set pattern to rape and killings. In fact, till date we havent forgotten that brutal murder cum rape cum forced cremation, or call it forced burning,of that young girl in Uttar Pradeshs Hathras. It was one of the most horrifying killing yet little follow- up, in terms of punishment to the accused sarkari men. Mind you, these gruesome atrocities are taking place in this day and age! Yet we have the audacity to quip we are developed!

Till the governmental machinery is not held accountable for our collective safety, theres to be little respite from these barbaric happenings. Mere suspension of policeman is not going to take us anywhere There ought to be no camouflages and cover-ups but immediate action against the corrupt and criminals around, moving around in those various garbs!

Perhaps, the rulers and administrators manning the State machinery, havent heard this verse of Baba Farid Shakarganj (1173-1265 AD)

Farid, the earth questioned the sky, Where are the mighty captains gone?

In their grave they rot, was the reply

And rebuked for tasks not done.

Perhaps, those hell bent on dividing us along caste and creed lines have not heard this verse of the patron saint of the Kashmir Valley, Shaikh Nuruddin (popularly known as Shaikh Ul Alam Nund Rishi)

Why are you harping on the caste

His is the only caste

His essence is beyond the bounds of knowledge

The doers of noble deeds all have the same caste

If O! brother you surrender to Him, then alone will you become pure

Leaving you with these lines of Baba Bulleh Shah

Masjid dhaa de, Mandir dhaa de, Dhaa de jo kuch dhenda,

Par kissi da dil na dha vee, Rab dilla wich rehnda hae

Destroy a mosque, destroy a temple, destroy everything in sight.

But dont break a human heart, for that is where

God resides.

letters@tehelka.com

Link:

There's not much to be happy this New Year - Tehelka

What is the modern British man? Does he replicate Joe Rogan's kettle bell workouts, love a cold one and vlog boohooMAN hauls? Or does he prefer the honesty of the ocean, its solace and lurking fury?

Why not both?

Being honest, I thought the meme lads were over. Enduring, sure, but no longer in the professional poster's repertoire, like 'Wood' - who your one mate from school still believes to be the pinnacle of WhatsApp humour.

But they're not.

If anything they're only really in the second wave of their popularity, like coronavirus infections in the UK, and, who knows, a triple threat Easter could be on the cards. If you're not familiar, here's an earlier iteration of the meme:

It all started, presumably, with the fellas getting a cute pic pre-sesh and has now morphed into a deep fake video in which the four-man group form an acapella band and sing a sea shanty for the internet's pleasure.

Thank vonstrenginho, formerly of this parish, for the edit.

The shanty is 'Wellerman.' According to Genius: "From 1833 onwards, the Wellermen, ships owned by Weller Brothers of Sydney, supplied provisions to New Zealand shore whaling stations from their base at Otago, NZ.

"Throughout their existence, the Wellermen (also known as the Weller brothers), became New Zealands paramount merchant traders. The lyrics evoke imagery of one of the Wellermens major functions; supplying sugar, tea and rum to shore whalers.

"In January 2021, this song became a meme on TikTok."

So there you have it - Rogan or the high seas? No need to choose.

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Deep fake meme lads sing sea shanty that will make you want to abandon your childhood sweetheart and circumnavigate the globe - JOE.co.uk

The Atlantic Ocean poured into streets and neighborhoods from Maine to Florida during seasonal high tides last fall, and scientists feared it would only get worse. But now, with Joe Biden becoming president, climate experts and government officials have a simple reason to hope for help in combating the problem.

Theyll finally have a president who actually believes sea levels are rising.

Were eagerly looking forward to change and action that will assist states in preparing themselves and their residents, said Ann Phillips, a retired Navy rear admiral who serves as special assistant to Virginias governor for coastal adaptation and protection. It all starts with acknowledging climate change is happening and the science is real.

While its still unclear what form new help would take, the need is obvious, with increased flooding fulfilling predictions that scientists have been making about warmer water temperatures and melting ice sheets for decades.

High-tide flooding occurs on average twice as often in coastal communities as it did 20 years ago, federal data shows. And a report last year by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration showed 19 locations along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts broke or tied records for flood days in 2019, including Miami, Savannah, Georgia, Charleston, South Carolina, and Annapolis, Maryland. With sea levels nationally up 1.1 feet relative to 1920 levels and rising, flood days are forecast to increase exponentially.

Coastal officials hope to see a new wave of cooperation, financial assistance, coordination and support in their battle with the sea, but the specifics of how Biden intends to carry out campaign pledges to address climate change remain elusive.

The press office with Bidens transition team declined to answer specific questions for this story, referring reporters to his previously published climate and clean-energy plans. Those plans pledgeto make climate change a national security priority, pointing out the threat of rising sea levels to coastal military bases.

The earlier plans also support the creation of a Civilian Climate Corps, modeled after the Great Depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps, to protect and restore coastal ecosystemssuch as wetlands, seagrasses and oyster reefs to protect vulnerable coastlines.

Phillips and others said they'reencouraged by Bidens appointment of former Secretary of State John Kerry and former Environmental Protection Agency administrator Gina McCarthy to White House-level positions to advise him on climate policy.

Bidens public remarkshave pointed outthe economic opportunities in climate and energy projects that create jobs. He said in December, We can put millions of Americans to work modernizing water, transportation, and energy infrastructure to withstand the impacts of extreme weather.

While environmental issues often get wrapped up in the polarized politics of Washington, much of what Biden might want to do over the next four years is based more on economic arguments than a liberal agenda, a consensus of scientists agree.

A good first step? Phillips sees an urgent need for Biden and his administration to help manage risk by funding federal agencies to collect and analyze the most current data to make projections and funding decisions,especiallywhen it comes to things like road improvements and utility systems.

More frequent flooding in recent years takes away money set aside for maintaining roads and water and sewer systems and makes it more difficult to prepare for the future, Phillips said. In her state of Virginia, for example, nine major flood events in 2018 and 2019 caused $1.6 billion in damage.

Weve seen more water, high tide cycles that are higher and they last longer, she said.

Additionally, a recent study by the Johns Hopkins University 21st Century Cities Initiative and the American Flood Coalition estimated that investing $1 billion in projects to prevent or manage flooding would create 40,000 jobs.

The study also looked at counties that had received large payouts from the National Flood Insurance Program. If just 10% of the $4 billion spent on flood insurance payments had been put into building stormwater retention areas or other projects that would make buildings, roads and utilities resistant to or safe from future flooding, it would have created 160,000 construction and retail jobs and prevented tens of millions of dollars in losses from flooding.

'The new normal': Amid rising seas, East Coast on pace for record-breaking tides

Such paybacks for protecting property can far surpass the initial costs, said Kelly Kryc, director of ocean policy at New England Aquariums Cabot Anderson Center for Ocean Life. She cited two court-ordered projects to clean up Boston Harbor that cost $4.7 billion, and a 2018 study published in the online journal ScienceDaily estimated the value of the restored ecosystem at $30 billion to $100 billion.

Thinking of coastal resilience projects as an investment against future disaster relief costs may be essential to meeting needs, scientists said. Already the demand far outstrips funding.

In 2017, the National Coastal Resilience fund awarded $13.8 million to 19 projects, not quite 10% of the money requested among 167 proposals, Kryc said. Funding doubled in 2018 and 2019 to almost $30 million, but the demand remained 10 times the amount of available money.

These were projects that were shovel-ready and demonstrably effective, Kryc said.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers alone has a $98 billion backlog in resiliency projects and spends about $2 billion a year, Phillips added: At that rate were never going to get there from here.

A fall high tide floods a coastal road in Southeastern New Jersey during an October 2019 king tide. [Photos by Life on the Edge Drones, provided by Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve]Rob Auermuller

Another step scientists hope the Biden administration will move forward on is bringing together federal agencies to build in resiliency and protect at-risk communities in development plans. Such policies were underway during the Obama administration but were never adopted, Phillips said. Without them, projects remain skewedtoward more valuable properties that produce greater tax revenue.

Obama-era recommendations for elevating facilities, roads and other projects based on predicted water levels also were never enacted. Beefing up those standards could help drive state departments of transportation to take definitive measures to address sea level rise, said Jason Evans, director of the Institute for Water and Environmental Resilience at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida.

More on flooding: NASA satellite to monitor sea level rise, effects of climate change over next decade

Having such rules in place can help ensure that new development is built with higher sea levels in mind, said Daniel Moon, president and executive director ofthe Environmental Business Council of New England.

High tide causes flooding in Venice as tidal barrier fails to deploy

Storyful

For example, billions have been spent on new office and apartment buildings in Bostons Seaport District, one of the citys fastest-growing and trendiest sections. Many conform to newer coastal flood resilience guidelines based on a projected sea level rise of 40 inches over the next 50 years with heating and other critical systems on upper-level floors.

Butbuildings that allow water to pass through the first floor without causing significant damage dont help residents navigate flooded streets, Moon said. The Seaport community was a huge missed opportunity.

Tougher federal flooding standards could compel changes to private development, scientists said.

In early January, the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Association of State Floodplain Managers filed a petition to try to prod theFederal Emergency Management Agency to set stronger standards for building in flood plains and protecting against future flood risk.

If the federal government, through the National Flood Insurance Program, limited federal payouts and started telling people theyre on their own if they build in a hazardous location, said Stetsons Evans, that would probably drive the conversation on retreat and on not advancing as much into vulnerable areas.

Evans works with local governments along the coasts of Georgia and Florida in safeguarding stormwater systems against intruding ocean water and placing new public buildings in safe locations. He said federal officials need to move quickly toward taking sea level rise into account when planning federal projects in coastal regions.

If federal funding for high-dollar construction projects were contingent on planning for sea level rise, that would make a big difference, Evans said.

Its really overdue, he added. We should have been doing it 25 years ago.

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The science is real: Coastal experts hope Biden will partner to combat sea level rise - USA TODAY

Portland, Oregon (1/14/21) A new paper published inNature Sustainability, Identifying Management Actions that Promote Sustainable Fisheries, demonstrates that rigorous management practices have helped rebuild depleted fish stocks worldwide and underscores the fact that greater investment in fisheries management generally leads to better outcomes for fish populations and the fisheries they support.

The Pacific Fishery Management Council, which manages commercial and recreational ocean fisheries on the West Coast, was one of two dozen international management and research entities collaborating on this study.

The study was led by Michael Melnychuk, research scientist at the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences at the University of Washington. Management practices and outcomes adopted by the Pacific Council to rebuild West Coast groundfish stocks contributed to the study.

Rebuilding these overfished stocks was a painful process for West Coast fishermen, said Pacific Council Executive Director Chuck Tracy. This study shows that their short-term sacrifices paid off in the long run, leading to more sustainable fisheries for future generations.

Rebuilding these stocks required collaboration between a lot of different people, from fishermen to scientists to environmentalists, said Pacific Council Chair Marc Gorelnik. It was a tough process, but in rebuilding these stocks, we also built long-lasting, valuable relationships. Responsible fisheries management requires sacrifices, but it pays off. This is a really hopeful story.

Nine of ten West Coast groundfish stocks have successfully rebuilt since the stocks were declared overfished or depleted in 1999. Most recently, the stock of cowcod south of 4010 N lat. was declared rebuilt in 2019, decades ahead of the expected date. Only one stock, yelloweye rockfish, is under arebuilding plan, and yelloweye are rebuilding faster than expected, according to the 2017rebuilding analysis.

Beginning in 2000, the Pacific Council adopted stringent management measures to achieve stock rebuilding success, including large area closures; low annual catch limits, quotas, and harvest guidelines; gear modifications; retention prohibitions or limitations; and adaptive management practices responsive to closely monitored fishery impacts and stock fluctuations. Such management practices are key to promote sustainable fisheries, according to the University of Washington study.

According to Melnychuk, the study confirmed what many researchers already expected.

In general, we found that more management attention devoted to fisheries is leading to better outcomes for fish and shellfish populations, he said. While this wasnt surprising, the novelty of this work was in assembling the data required and then using statistical tools to demonstrate what everyone has always taken for granted to be true.

The research team used an international database that is the go-to scientific resource on the status of more than 600 individual fish populations, or stocks. They chose to analyze 288 stocks that generally are of value economically and represent a diversity of species and regions. They then looked over time at each fish populations health and management practices and were able to draw these conclusions:

The study builds on previous work that found, by using the same database, that nearly half of the fish caught worldwide are from stocks that are scientifically monitored and, on average, are increasing in abundance. The new paper takes a closer look at specific management actions and how they have impacted fishing pressure and the abundance of each stock examined, Melnychuk explained.

The international research team looked at a spectrum of fish stocks, such as hakes in South Africa and Europe, orange roughy in New Zealand, tuna species on the high seas, anchovies in South America and scallops off the Atlantic coast of North America. Most of the stocks they examined had a history of being depleted at some point, usually due to historical overfishing.

On the West Coast, for example, a Pacific Council rebuilding plan for canary rockfish specifying very low annual catch limits was put in place in 2000. The plan affected every West Coast fishing sector that targeted groundfish stocks, and all West Coast fishing communities that were dependent on groundfish fishing.

In order to reduce fishing pressure on canary rockfish, the Council prohibited or limited fishermens ability to retain groundfish, required gear modifications, and created Rockfish Conservation Areas that stretched the length of the entire West Coast. In these areas, fishing at certain depths and using certain gear types was prohibited.

The Council also made constant adjustments to management measures to manage the catch of canary rockfish. These actions significantly reduced the harvest rate of canary rockfish (Figure 1), leading to a full recovery of the stock by 2015, which was decades ahead of the original rebuilding target.

Currently, the canary rockfish stock is estimated to be as large as it was in the 1960s when the stock was lightly exploited (Figure 2).

The University of Washington study omits fisheries that lack scientific estimates of stock status, even though these account for a large amount of the worlds catch, including most fish stocks in South Asia and Southeast Asia.

The paper presenting the University of Washington study can be freely viewedhere.

This research was funded by The Nature Conservancy, The Wildlife Conservation Society, the Walton Family Foundation, and a consortium of Seattle fishing companies.

Council Role

The Pacific Fishery Management Council is one of eight regional fishery management councils established by the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976 for the purpose of managing fisheries 3-200 miles offshore of the United States of America coastline. The Pacific Council recommends management measures for fisheries off the coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington.

Originally posted here:

Rigorous management practices have led to successful rebuilding of several West Coast groundfish stocks - Tillamook County Pioneer

By Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Indian Coast Guard has seized a major drug consignment from Pakistan in a Sri Lankan boat in the high seas south of Thoothukudi.

A Coast Guard spokesman said the drugs were transferred onto the Sri Lankan vessel Shenaya Duwa on the high seas by a Pakistani dhow from Karachi. The drugs were meant to be sent to Western countries and Australia.

Coast Guard officials said 100 kg of heroin was seized from the boat. "A total of 99 packets of heroin, 20 small boxes of synthetic drugs, five 9mm pistols and a Thuraya satellite phone set were found in the empty fuel tank on board," said the spokesman.

It is learnt that the seizure of drugs was part of a nine-day operation by multiple agencies that started on November 17. "The anti-smuggling operation went on despite rough conditions with Indian Coast Guard Ships Vaibhav, Vikram, Samar, Abhinav and Aadesh along with a Coast Guard Dornier aircraft," the Coast Guard spokesman said.

Six people were taken to the port of Thoothukudi and are being interrogated by agencies. Sources indicated that the investigation will look into the potential recipients of the drugs in Tamil Nadu and also the supplier from Pakistan.

Besides investigating the potential recipients of the drugs in Tamil Nadu, investigating authorities will also try to identify the source of the drugs in Pakistan.

The Narcotics Control Bureau is working to dismantle the international supply chains used by drug traffickers. India is sandwiched between the Golden Crescent on the northwestern frontier and Golden Triangle on the northeastern frontier. The Golden Crescent region of South Asiacomprising Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iranis a principal global site for opium production and distribution.

The Golden Triangle comprising Thailand, Laos and Myanmar is one of the largest opium-producing areas of the world since the 1950s. Most of the world's heroin came from the Golden Triangle until the early 21st century when Afghanistan became the world's largest producer.

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100 kg heroin from Pakistan seized in high seas south of Thoothukudi by Coast Guard - The New Indian Express

Saturday and Sundays delightful weather sunshine and daytime highs in the mid-50s are expected is the equivalent of fools gold as Monday, the last day of the Atlantic hurricane season, may see a powerful storm.

Wind gusts as high as 70 mph are possible, the National Weather Service's Islip office said. The lowest category of hurricane, Category I, has a minimum wind speed just four mph faster, or 74 mph.

A hazardous weather outlook was issued for Monday, when one to two inches of rain are forecast, and on into that night, when another half an inch of rain may fall. Those rainfall totals may cause minor coastal flooding, according to the weather service.

Yet, the weather service advised, "If the storm system tracks further west, there could be heavier rainfall amounts and a more significant flood threat."

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Islip Weather Station 34 Fair 53/44

The timing of the winds may be favorable in dampening floods.

"The current modeling suggests only minor (beach erosion) right now, as the peak winds are lining up with the lower of two astronomical high tide cycles," the weather service said.

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Pinning the coming storm on a deepening low pressure system, the weather service said: "Depending on the ultimate track and intensity of the system, gusts of 50 to 70 mph will be possible, with the strongest winds across Long Island and eastern Connecticut."

Gale-force winds will translate into high seas topping 10 feet, the weather service said.

"Winds then decrease all waters on Tuesday, but seas will remain high on the ocean," the weather service said.

On land, however, Tuesday will see a return to fine weather, with clear skies and a daytime high of 55 degrees expected.

The Wednesday to Friday stretch should offer more of the same, though daytime temperatures will slip closer to 50 degrees and nighttime thermometers will hover just above freezing, the forecasters said.

That is because, the weather service says, "A broad area of high pressure is modeled for the rest of the week so fair weather has been forecast at this time."

Joan Gralla is a general assignment reporter who also covers parks, flood control and Holocaust restitution. She's a former Reuters correspondent who covered politics, economics and markets.

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Forecast: Sunny and mild weekend; stormy weather coming - Newsday