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Late Friday News, 85th Ed., 12 Aug 2001
Dear Friends,
This is the 85th Edition of the Late Friday News. This edition is dedicated to the fond memory of Banka Behary Das, who fought tirelessly until death for the mangrove forests and coastal farming and fishing communities of Orissa, India which he so dearly loved and cared for. Our Feature story contains three eulogies to this recently fallen hero.
In Peace,
Alfredo Quarto,
Mangrove Action Project
Contents for LATE FRIDAY NEWS, 85th Edition, 12 August 2001
FEATURE STORY
A Giant Tree That Once Shaded Us Has Died By The Side Of The Road
WEST AFRICA
Nigeria
Oil Spill and Explosion--Police Overrun Community
S.E. ASIA
Thailand
Murder In The Mangroves
Thailand may allow shrimp farming in rice paddies
S. ASIA
India
URGENT ACTION ALERT APPEAL FOR GENEROUS HELP !!!
Northwestern Mangroves In India: At The Verge Of Extermination
Bangladesh
Bengal Tiger is dying of liver sickness in Sundarbans s -
Tigers Vanishing, But Corruption Abounds
Sri Lanka
Prawn Farms Despoil The Land and Water
Guatemala
Guatemala: Security for shrimps, insecurity for the local population
Mexico
X'cacel Victory--Sol Melia's Hotel Comp[ex Plan Rejected
USA
Americans gobble up shrimp
U.S. processor starts shrimp farm -- helps develop domestic supply
Canada
Canadian east coast shrimp collapse due to price crash
EUROPE
GERMAN AUTHORITIES FIND BANNED ANTIBIOTIC IN CHINESE SHRIMP
STORIES/ISSUES
Mangrove as Cyclone Protection
GM tomato thrives on salt
ANNOUNCEMENTS
World Wetlasnds Being Mapped-- Your Help Requested
SUSTAINABLE RURAL AQUACULTURE for SMALL-SCALE FARMERS
KIDS DO THE WRITE THING!
CONFERENCES/WORKSHOPS/FORUMS/BOOKS/PUBLICATIONS
(none this issue)
CALL FOR PAPERS
(none this issue)
WTO/ GLOBALIZATION UPDATE
CHILE PRESENTS COMPLAINT TO THE WTO.
AQUACULTURE CORNER
Natives want study of fish farms
Concern over British trials of GM 'super fish'
CHILEAN SALMON DROWNS BY OVERPRODUCTION, LOW PRICES....
Race is on to find fish oil substitutes
Pew Oceans Commission Report: U.S. Aquaculture Yields Promise, Raises Concerns
AROUND THE CORNER
Plenty of Laws, Lack of Enforcement
A Giant Tree That Once Shaded Us Has Died By The Side Of The Road
by the Editor
Banka Behary Das was a personal friend, and one of MAP's first Board of Directors. I had the honor of working with him in 1992 against the shrimp farm venture proposed by the industrial giant, TATA House, on Chilika Lake, and later in 1994 against unsustainable developments which threatened the pristine mangrove forest reserve and the sea turtle nesting habitat of Bhitara Kanika.
Shri Das was a dedicated activist who cared deeply for those issues he championed, for those poor farmers and fishers he worked with. Once, not that long ago, I had heard him speak at a gathering of a small, poor fishing community that was about to be vanquished from their homes at Chilika Lake because a wealthy shrimp farmer had somehow obtained a lease on their community lands. The people were quite afraid for their future, and had pressed Shri Das to help them reverse the court eviction order. While Shri Das spoke to those desperate fishers, all of the village was there and attentive. But mid-talk, he visibly broke down in tears as he tried to finish his speech.
Afterwards, I asked him why he had cried so. He related that it was because he could see in the faces of all those from the village who attended his talk so much hope in him for the solution to their problems which he knew he could not solve. They were listening so intently to every word he said, believing that he alone could miraculously save them from their unfortunate and unjust plight. But he knew he could not. That is why his tears were shed that day.
On another occasion, on the morning before a large rally he had organized on the shores of Paradeep, while I was sitting with Shri Das and his wife, he turned to me to relate that he knew that in our short lifetimes we cannot hope to end the terrible injustices incurred by such industries as the shrimp aquaculture industry. Nevertheless, he believed that our opposing actions now were vital in at least slowing down the destructive forces long enough, until one day humankind might reach a higher state of awareness that would itself reverse such untenable acts of violence against the Earth, its peoples and its many gifts of life. He believed in this with all of his life and his life's work
Shri Das had once walked on the Independence trail with Gandhi for which he had spent 3 1/2 years in a British prison for treason against King George. He was one of the old Freedom Fighters whose loss to this world will be sorely felt by all of those who had the great privilege of knowing him. Sadly, yet as a challenge, to all of us remaining, his immensely important work, like that daunting final masterpiece of the great artist, remains unfinished! It is up to us now to take up his courageous brushes and begin painting a better picture with broader strokes, if not for us immediately, then for our children and future generations who await their rightful turn on this planet.
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A Green who lived on the edges
by Suman Mohanty
Freedom fighter, noted environmentalist and former minister Banka Behary Das died of cardiac failure at the Capital Hospital here on Saturday, July 28th at the age of 80. He is survived by two sons and two daughters.
Banka Behary Das lived a life of his own. Veteran freedom fighter, former minister and noted Green, he treaded a difficult path till the end. Born in undivided Cuttack's Kalyanpur village(now in Jajpur) on January 8, 1922, Das had a long career, first in the freedom movement, then in politics followed by people's movement in the last one and a half decade of his life. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 1966 and then to the State Assembly four times where he held Finance, Health, Education, Revenue and Irrigation portfolios. Das' political career started in Ravenshaw College, Cuttack in 1941 when he joined the socialist movement along with leaders like Surendranath Dwivedi and Malati Choudhury. He also participated in the Salt Satyagraha. Inspired by Jayprakash Narayan, he led the socialist movement along with Nabakrushna Choudhury. He was a member of Praja Socialist Party from 1946 to 1971 and its All India Joint Secretary too. He resigned from Nandini Satpathy led Government in 1975 over ideological differences. Das was also an environmentalist in his own right. It all started in mid-eighties with the people's movement at Baliapal in Balasore district against the Interim Test Range(ITR) missile centre at Chandipur-on-sea. Subsequently, he led yet another successful people's movement against the leaseout of prawn gheries in Chilka lake to private companies in 1990. He launched Chilka Bachao Andolan and went on to become a Green activist with his movement over Bhitarkanika, Dharma Port, leaseout of marine drive along Puri-Konark for the hotel industry. He was a lone crusader in the State against the depleting ground water reserve, mindless growth of highrises and conservation of the Heritage Zone in the City. Senior leaders of the State went to his residence in Ashok Nagar to pay their last respects. The cremation took place on Sunday (July 29th) at Puri.
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In Memory of Banka Behary Das
by Bittu Sahgal
We all knew he was ailing. But his spirit was so strong, he gave the impression, even when he spoke of his illness, that he would be around to guide, lead, fight.
It worries me that oaks are falling and new saplings are not coming up to replace them. I am despondent that Bankababu's work remains so unfinished. That Orissa's powers that be, including the Chief Minister who said some very kind words about him, are not helping to protect the heritage that Bankababu's life was devoted to protect.
I am sure that thousands of words will be written and spoken about him. But in the last few years of his life he managed to communicate to me that he wanted no praise, no niceties. What he wanted to be assured of was the defence of what was precious... Orissa's coastline, its forests, its simple people who are being treated as sacrificial pawns in the game of development, which can have no victors, only victims.
WEST AFRICA
Nigeria
ERA FIELD REPORT # 84
ISIOKPO-OGBODO EXPLOSION/ SPILL: POLICEMEN OVERRUN COMMUNITY
UNENDING POLLUTION IN A RURAL COMMUNITY
RIVERS STATE, NIGERIA
by PATRICK NAAGBANTON DATE: JULY 11, 2001
"Shell admitted that the incident occurred as a result of the failure of their facilities. They have been battling to stop the spill but hard as they have tried, the spill is spreading. Another thing I can't understand is the taking over of our community by this large number of mobile policemen. They move from one part of the community to another and even enter our sacred grounds, which are forbidden to strangers. Our community is always peaceful and quite. The presence of the armed men is not necessary. We have been holding meetings with Shell officials here in our community, Ogbodo, at our ruler's palace. Shell cannot claim that any of our people have harassed them. We learnt that Shell invited these hefty armed men. I say again they are not necessary.
- Mr. G. Orul 38 Community Development Committee (CDC) Member
"Our community, Ogbodo is the largest in the entire Isiokpo clan of Ikwerre, the spill occurred on June 26, 2001 and the effects has been devastating. Those of us at the bank of Miniamu River were engulfed with irritating odour and itching every morning. We no longer drink from the rivers. As an emergency measure, Shell supplied few litres of water to the 15 families that make up Ogbodo. Apart from the one I saw with my eyes, everyone here complained that the water Shell supplied is dirty and smells. Many people simply threw theirs away. We are facing severe water scarcity now".
-Isirim Alison, 33 years Youth leader, Ogbodo
"Our community swamps harbour the highest number of species of crocodiles. Since the spill occurred, we hunters have been unable to go into the swamps because the whole place is covered with crude oil. We have been coming home with carcasses of animals that died because of the pollution. Our kinsmen have advised us not to use them for food. The river bank is littered with dead fishes and animals."
- Mr. Edwin Wahu, 45 years Community leader
"Our children bathe in the Miniamu River (where the spill occurred) before going to school. We used it for drinking and other domestic purpose too. The spill has polluted the entire area and if you go there now, the entire fresh water has turned red. It stinks.
- Mrs. E. M. Wakwu, 50 years
ABOUT THE OGBODO COMMUNITY AND PEOPLE
Ogbodo is one of the largest villages (in terms of population) in the Isiokpo clan of Ikwerre ethnic nationality in the Niger Delta. It is an agrarian community with rich swamps, which serve as hunting grounds for community members who eke existence from it.
SHELL IN OGBODO
Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) discovered oil here in commercial quantity in 1972 although the pipeline in question was constructed through the community in 1963. Aged and rusty facilities belonging to Shell have resulted in frequent spills of oil into the Ogbodo environment. These have left the fragile ecosystem devastated and degraded. The sprawling community is criss-crossed
by Nkpogu/Rumuekpe oil pipeline and harbours two oil wells belonging to SPDC
JUNE 1995 BLOWOUT; A SAD TALE
In the month of June 1995, at the Nkpogu/Rumuekpe facility, a major blow out occurred which resulted in gas fire. Large quantity of the hazardous crude totally covered the Miniamu River with large patches of oil sludge floating on the entire water surface which in turn is covered in sheen at Egula river and other rivers and streams that dotted the area....
For more information contact:
ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS ACTION/ FRIENDS OF THE EARTH (FoE, Nigeria)
E-mail: eraction@infoweb.abs.net
S.E. ASIA
Thailand
JULY 20, 2001
Murder In The Mangroves
Five Thais fighting to save the environment have been gunned down so far this year. Here is the story of one of them.
By JULIAN GEARING, Yvan Cohen for Asiaweek.
Ladda Ratchapol and her fellow villagers are determined to carry on her husband's fight against the expansion of polluting prawn farms into protected mangrove forests. The slaying of Jurin Ratchapol took place just 20 minutes' drive from some of Phuket's most popular holiday playgrounds, but it could have been in a different world. While many of the foreign tourists in the luxury hotels overlooking commercialized Patong, Karon and Kata beaches were still eating their buffet breakfasts, Jurin and his wife, Ladda, had long been out gathering food beside one of the island's still undeveloped bays. Jurin, 51, was picking cashews near his village, Paklok, at the edge of the island's last tract of mangrove forest. Ladda, 41, was digging for shellfish in the black mud less than 1 km away.
The scene was not as tranquil as it appeared. Phuket's remaining mangrove stands form the frontline in a brutal environmental battle between businessmen eager to rip out the wetland vegetation to make way for lucrative prawn farms - in Phuket a $30-million-a-year business - and villagers who practice sustainable forest husbandry.
From just beyond the tree line, the rumble of pumps used to aerate ponds at a nearby prawn farm reverberated through the mangroves. Perhaps that's why Ladda didn't hear the three shots fired. "It was only when the police arrived that I realized what had happened," she says, standing barefoot in the black mud not far from the murder scene. Guided to the spot, she found her husband lying dead among the mangrove roots, a .22 pistol bullet in his head and two others in his shoulder. One hand still gripped the basket of cashews.
RESOURCE AT RISK NATURAL TREASURE
The muddy mangroves of Paklok village are just a few minutes away from the commercialized beaches of Phuket. They provide crucial fish-breeding grounds, help protect the shore against erosion and filter out pollutants that might flow into the sea. In other circumstances, Jurin's death on Jan 30 may have gone unnoticed.
In Thailand, hit men can be hired for a few dollars and powerful people often kill with impunity over business deals gone awry. But if the assassins cared about avoiding publicity, they picked the wrong victim in Jurin. Although a simple man, the father of three was a local hero. His eight-year battle to protect Phuket's mangrove forests had earned him royal recognition - an award personally presented by Queen Sirikit just four months before his murder. And the ensuing furor over his death has not only resulted in the arrest of a wealthy prawn farmer on a charge of conspiracy to murder, but has turned the spotlight on no fewer than four other unconnected murders of grassroots environmentalists in different parts of Thailand over the past two months.
Jurin's death also has international implications. Once a cottage enterprise, prawn farming has become a huge global industry. Producing black tiger prawns for fancy dining tables generates more than $6 billion a year at farm gates worldwide and more than $20 billion through retailers' cash registers. To satisfy demand in the U.S., Europe and richer Asian countries, where they sell for up to $10 a kilo, prawn cultivation has exploded over the past 20 years. Eager to get a share of the action, governments of many developing countries have promoted the industry with funds from international agencies such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. The theory was to raise export earnings, provide work for local communities, and even improve their food supply. And there was the benefit of taking some of the pressure off catches from the sea. So much for theory.
More often than not, prawn farming has turned out to be an industry that pits poor communities and green activists against influential businessmen and officials. Critics claim it destroys wetlands that serve as fish-breeding grounds and protect the coast against wave erosion. What's more, many farms cause severe pollution from pesticides and antibiotics used to keep the crustaceans free of disease. The conflict is particularly stark in Asia, which now supplies nearly 80% of the global cultivated catch. And it's perhaps nowhere more evident than in Thailand, the world's leading producer with 250,000 tons a year.
With so much at stake, it is little wonder that local crime bosses, euphemistically known as khon mee ittipon - persons with influence - have used their wealth to bribe officials into letting them make huge inroads into the precious wetland ecosystem. Says senator Harn Leenanond: "Influential mafia are invading [Thailand's] mangroves. Why have the forests vanished? Because of the bank notes that blind senior officials. They pretend they don't see anything, don't know anything." Despite an official ban on prawn farming in protected forest areas, Phuket governor Pongpayom Wasaphuti candidly admits: "No one follows this law." Indeed, after Jurin's murder, an aerial survey found 19 prawn farms carved out of the mangroves around Paklok.
The events leading up to Jurin's killing vividly illustrate the warring environmental and financial pressures. Jurin and his family had lived all their lives at Paklok, a tiny hamlet of 100 people set slightly back from a one-kilometer-long beach. Until recently, Paklok has been hardly touched by the modern world. Whereas Patong, 15 km away, has degenerated into a strip of girlie bars, hotels, shops and restaurants, Paklok's waterfront boasts just two salas (traditional open-sided shelters) and a couple of fishing boats. Most residents subsist on the fruit, nuts, seafood and wildlife the mangrove forest and seashore supplies.
But while Paklok has survived the annual influx of 3 million tourists a year to Phuket, it was unable to avoid incursions by out-of-town businessmen eager to make a fast baht from the prawn boom. And their arrival in 1993 turned Jurin from being just another villager into an activist. "He was quiet, a good man," Jurin's brother, Jirin, recalls. "He never had a problem with anybody. Not until he clashed with the prawn farmers." Adds his widow: "To him, the health of the sea and the health of the land were interlinked. They protect each other."
Jurin led groups of villagers to Phuket town hall to petition authorities against the destruction of the mangroves. He and his neighbors lovingly replaced trees that had been razed by the farmers' mechanical diggers and bulldozers. Through the forestry department, the Queen heard of the villagers' efforts. And in September last year she visited southern Thailand to hand an award to Jurin.
But royal recognition was no protection. Jurin and other villagers received threats from prawn farmers and their employees. A villager learned he had been targeted for assassination. Another camppaigner, Sirirpot Chichang, was crippled when thugs ran his car off the road. Then last January, say villagers, a local heavy confronted Jurin, lined up a row of bottles in front of him, then shattered them with gunfire. A week later, a gunman crept up on Jurin as he collected cashews and gunned him down at close range.
In Thailand, police investigations can move painfully slowly. But shocked villagers lobbied for swift action. Alerted to the royal connection, the national Crime Suppression Division decided to take over the case from the Phuket police. In a hard-hitting editorial, the Bangkok Post described the murder as a "horrid crime" and said it was a wake-up call to civil servants to "rethink the blind promotion of shrimp farming irrespective of its ills."
On Feb 8, police arrested Bancha Noppawong, 34, a worker at Watchara, the 2-sq-km prawn farm nearest to where Jurin was shot, and charged him with murder. Three months later, Watchara owner, Somsak Wongsawanont, 36, a colorful, Mercedes-driving businessman who hangs out with a clique of police, prosecutors and local politicians nicknamed the Chivas club, was also arrested and charged with conspiracy to murder. Both men are in custody in Bangkok awaiting trial. In Phuket, Somsak's family refused to comment to ASIAWEEK, but Thai newspapers have reported he denies the charges. Meanwhile, villagers at Paklok say they continue to live in fear of reprisals from the prawn lobby. Any visitor to Paklok can feel the tension. While the villagers don't work for the prawn farmers, some other Phuket residents do and a number of threats have come from employees fearful of losing their jobs.
The vulnerability of environmentalists in Thailand is demonstrated starkly by four other recent murders. All were grassroots activists. But this year, the killers may have gone too far. Citizens' groups are demanding government action and a protest is scheduled for July 14.
Meanwhile in Phuket, prawn farmers deny they are conducting business illegally. A statement by the Phuket Prawn Farm Operators' Club claims only a small number of operators encroach on the mangrove forests and most owners have documents to prove they are farming their own land. Environmentalists counter that many entrepreneurs pay bribes to obtain such bits of paper.
Phuket Governor Pongpayom has proposed a compromise to allow farming within certain zones. "Prawn farms have been here for a long time. They can earn lots of money," he says. Such words only make the Paklok villagers more determined to continue their dangerous struggle to protect the mangroves. They are backed by a growing number of outraged Thais who want to make sure Jurin Ratchapol's death was not in vain.
From Isabel de la Torre, ISA Net
isanet@shrimpaction.org
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Fishy Tales
Thailand may allow shrimp farming in rice paddies
BANGKOK - Thailand is considering allowing shrimp farming on prime agricultural land in a bid to boost farmers' revenues, a senior minister said yesterday. "I will propose to the cabinet to allow shrimp farming, restricted by the previous government on environmental grounds, in prime agricultural areas and rice fields in eight provinces of central Thailand," Deputy Prime Minister Pitak Intrawitayanunt told reporters. "I am informed that in one year a shrimp farmer can make as much money as a rice farmer earns in 40-50 years," Pitak added. Thailand, the world's top rice exporter, is also one of the largest exporters of shrimps. It exports around 240,000 tonnes of shrimps each year, bringing in revenues of $1.5 billion. Thai rice growers have been lobbying to be allowed to farm shrimp for years, but successive governments have been wary of the impact of such a move on the environment. Full Story: planetark.org
From: "Graham J Jones" daru@bigpond.com
S. ASIA
India
URGENT ACTION ALERT APPEAL FOR GENEROUS HELP !!!
After the Orissa Super Cyclone-99 wreaked havoc in the State, the recent devastating flood has again become a curse on the people by Nature. No doubt a repeat of this natural disaster has caused enoromous loss of natural resources. The floods have so far affected 70 lakh people (one lakh = 100,000) and damaged six lakh hectares of crops.The floods have washed away nearly 11,000 villages in 21 districts. About 332 breaches have been noticed in various embankments The mammoth dimension of the flood fury perpetuates in the rise of menancing water levels in all the coastal rivers, rivulets and almost all water channels.
The human predicaments are rising manifold in major places of the State in general and the coastal Orissa in particular due to the grave and devastating flood. Again the people along the coast are dragged into the poorest fold possibly of no return in near future. The grave flood is gradually coming to the ground but left the coastal villages adjacent to the mangrove ecosystem devastated. All these natural disasters like; Cyclone, tornado, flood, drought happen in this State because of heavy losses in forest cover and depletion of mangroves along the coast. Clearance of mangrove is not only causing colossal loss of coastal habitat, aquatic resources and biodiversity, but also increasing soil erosion, changes in sedimentation pattern and shoreline configuration, vulnerability to cyclonic storms, tidal bore and denudation of feeding, breeding and nursery ground for various marine, estuarine and fresh water fishery resources.
We have identified 12 such small villages adjacent to the mangrove ecosystem who are in need of immediate help. Therefore, we would like to put an Urgent appeal for generous donations to meet the immediate need of the poor people who have lost their houses, crops and all their belongings. We will spend the donations to distribute medicines by organising Medical camps for putting a check to the post-flood epidemic, helping the poor people to rebuild their damaged thatch houses with 'food for work scheme' and supply them seeds for repeat cultivation etc. All our efforts will help them to regenerate the lost mangroves and may help build a buffer to check the future fury of nature.
Donations are to be sent to the following address:
The Chairman SANDHAN FOUNDATION SB
Account No- 8 50
UNION BANK OF INDIA NAYAPALLI
BRANCH CODE NUMBER- 5 5 2 3 2 1, BHUBANESWAR- 751012, ORISSA, INDIA.
Bank contact person: BRANCH MANAGER
Bank phone number: 91-674-558848
Bank Fax: 91-674-557174 N4-
E-mail: bknanda@satyam.net.in
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Northwestern Mangroves In India: At The Verge Of Extermination
by Dr. S.D. Oswin, Gujarat Institute of Desert Ecology
The mangroves at Kharo creek are the best formed matured segment with the tree height between 3-8 m and average tree height between 6.5 m. The girth measures around 70-120 cm and the average was 75 cm. These patch abodes 84 aquatic birds, 200 fish species, 27 shrimp and 30 crab (crustaceans) species. The northern shore of Gulf of Kachchh has the major proportion of 89 percent of mangroves (249 km2) in the state. Presently these northwestern mangrove stretch pose threat of extermination due to the upcoming Sanghi Cement Industry, Sanghi port and Sanghi power plant on the banks of Kharo creek (230 22� 22.5�N; 680 34� 13.6�E).
The proposed area of mangroves to be destroyed immediately for the construction of the industry is nearly around 15 ha and the mud flats dredged off would be incalculable. The long-term impact of mangrove destruction and massive environmental alteration would be based on the activities of the industry and port. The port would remain as the major port for the local industries and self to cargo products. Though the exact estimation of mangrove destruction and damage is not statistically known, the annihilation of the fragile ecosystem is obvious.
Gujarat ranks first in the marine fish production contributing 20 per cent of the fish production of the country. It is indispensable to conserve the natural mangrove resource, as the wealth of Gujarat hinge on its fishery resource, which is again directly influenced by the mangroves at the Gulf of Kachchh. Fish reserve diminution and setback in the fishery industry in future could never be reverted if mangroves are destroyed. It is genuine that the economy of the country relies on the industrial production, but the industrial development could never be encouraged and compromised at the cost of these mangroves.
Presently National Institute For Ocean Technology, Chennai is involved in the Environmental Impact Studies for Sanghi industries. Admitting the risk of destruction before prior envision and later monitoring the rate of mangrove area degradation, siltation, effluent discharge, oil pollution and etcetera is not a rational approach of environment management.
From: oswin deiva oswinbaby@yahoo.com
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Bangladesh
Bengal Tiger is dying of liver sickness in Sundarbans s -
The world known Bengal Tiger is dying of liver sickness by drinking salty water along the rivers and canals of the Sundarbans. In addition to this liver-damaging syndrome in the Tigers, many other unidentified diseases are killing the Tigers of the Sundarbans. Nonetheless, more than 20 Tigers are illegally hunted and killed by the poachers every year. The Forest Department has no information about the punishment after being caught and whereabouts of the poachers and criminals who are involved in killing the Tigers and are exporting the furs, bones and teeth. To save the Tigers from these heinous acts, Bangladesh Government is planning to take a $16. Million US Dollars worth project called �Tiger Action Plan�.
The Bengal Tiger, not found in any other countries except India and Bangladesh, is an incredibly magnificent creature. This species (Panthera tigris tigris) can be 9-10 feet in length. It weighs up to 2-3 Quintal. According to the Tiger experts, the Bengal Tiger is becoming a rare species due to the lack of proper conservation, food, medicinal plants and the habitat shrinkage. The Bengal Tiger needs thousands of square miles of dense patch of forest which is getting narrower and narrower from the Sundarbans mangroves. One of many reasons for shrinking the Sundarbans Reserve Forest (SRF) is a high level of salinity in the forest. Some experts believe that habitat shrinkage is directly linked with the high salinity in the soil.
Due to the Farrakkha barrage built in the Indian part and due to India's continuous reluctance to supply considerable amount of water to Bangladesh as accord by the Ganges Water Treaty (GWT), the lower riparian zone where Sundarbans lies is thereby affected thus affecting the associated wildlife, especially the Bengal Tigers of the Sundarbans. Due to the high level of salinity, 30 Bengal Tigers have died within the past ten years. Autopsy reports revealed that liver damage has caused the death of these Tigers. According to the non-governmental estimation, more than 20 Tigers die every year though the government estimation shows the number of death range from 3-4 every year. Due to the high price of furs, teeth and bones of the Tigers in the international market, poachers are prompted to hunt Bengal Tigers from the Sundarbans. The poaching activity in the Sundarbans has dramatically increased in the last few years. Pockets of society alleged that there exist a good working relationship between professional poachers and the staffs of the Forest Department of Bangladesh. Both the parties are involved in this horrendous act just to earn handful of cash.
Abating the Tiger Population from the Sundarbans: In 1982 the Total number of Bengal Tiger in Sundarbans was approximately 425. According to the Ministry of Environment & Forestry (MoEF), the number dropped to 350-400 in 1993. The seminar of Global Tiger Forum mentioned that the total Tiger in Bangladesh Sundarbans is mere 362 but according to forest dwelling communities of Sundarbans, the number is not more than 300. If the trend continues, it is estimated that the Bengal Tiger will be completely vanished from the Sundarbans within 10 years.
In 1990-91, the Bangladesh Forest Department submitted a project called "Tiger Project: Sundarbans". The five-year term project cost was evaluated around $2 Million US Dollars. However, the project remains in proposal form though ten years have now passed. Another project named "Sundarbans Biodiversity Conservation Project" has been underway for the last two years, though nothing significant regarding the project has been accomplished in those two years to protect and save the world's heritage--the Bengal Tiger of Sundarbans.
From: Mohammed Ali Ashraf mohammed@bijoy.net
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July 31, 2001
Tigers Vanishing, But Corruption Abounds
By Ashraf-ul-Alam Tutu Following the tiger skin incident (about a dozen poached tiger skins were recently seized near the Sundarban), we are continuing with our campaign for better protection of the wildlife in the Sundarbans, But it appears that the authorities concerned are still insensitive to all forms of protest. Recently a large number of deerskins were also seized from a location near the Sundarbans.
Taking advantage of the World Environment Day, we held a series of functions to observe the same on June 5, 6 and 7 at Khulna, with an exhibition, video and cultural shows and 8 seminars on different environmental issues of the region. One of the seminars was on the possible impacts of Oil-Gas exploration in areas adjacent to the Sundarbans....
From Ashraf-ul-Alam Tutu
"tutucdp tutu" tutucdp@hotmail.com
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Sri Lanka
28 July 2001
By Christie Fernando, Small Fishers Federation, Pambala, Chilaw,
Prawn Farms Despoil The Land and Water
"Timber racketeers have plundered valuable trees in Wanathavilluwa and Karuwalagaswewa in the Puttalam district for mere exclusive and personal gain, that has largely resulted in tarnishing the environment, whereby tanks (lakes), streams and ponds in the district, have dried up overnight. Any casual visitor to this dry zone can also witness the scene of havoc caused to the environment by the inhuman destruction of productive and valuable mangroves," said Puttalam District Secretary, R.V.Dissanayake.
He was speaking at a seminar held for teachers at the "Chinthana" Centre, Nainamadama in Wennappuwa recently. The seminar was organised by the Central Environmental Authority. Mr.Dissanayake said: "One can also easily gauge the large-scale extinction of mangroves seen on the lagoon side, in the Chilaw-Puttalam district.
This is chiefly due to the haphazard, unplanned and unsuccessful prawn farming commenced in the district during the past five years. It is discernible that about sixty per cent of land utilized for the prawn industry has been abandoned as many entrepreneurs and stakeholders, who had invested large sums of money, were compelled to summarily close down their farms, due to their inability to make much profit."
"It is therefore obvious that only about one per cent of population in the Puttalam district clearly benefited from the prawn industry. And they comprised only a handful of wealthy residents from other regions and some foreigners who completely gained from this lucrative industry. Hoever, they had unwittingly ravaged the environment in the end, he pointed out."
"It can also be seen that people in the Kalpitiya peninsula have faced immense difficulties and acute hardships due to lack of drinkable water. The lagoon has encroached on the land, and consequently, the brackish, pungent water in the lagoon has mixed with the fresh, ground water resulting in the gross salination of drinking wells used for household purposes. It is also reported that potable water in this region, is to be found only about 100 to 200 feet underground. Therefore, in the northern parts of the district, people encounter severe problems, as they cannot procure wholesome drinking water. The residents of many villages in the district have said that environmental pollution has basically hampered their workaday lives and made their earthly existence a burdensome and complex task.
From: Christie Fernando kuanjung@eureka.lk
Guatemala
World Rainforest Movement Bulletin 48 -
Guatemala: Security for shrimps, insecurity for the local population
Since the beginning of May, the Champerico community has been denouncing contamination of wetlands, the logging of mangroves (activity prohibited by the Environmental Law), closing of access to public wetlands, acts of repression against fishermen (about 70% of the local population's diet is fish) and death of fish caused by the operations of Camarones del Sur, S.A. (Camarsa). The indifference of the Guatemalan authorities towards serious infringement of the law by Camarsa, has triggered off various demonstrations, resulting in the death of a young man, Moytin Castellanos, as we had reported in WRM bulletin 46, in addition to various other people being injured. Since the establishment of the Commission for resolution of conflicts, comprising senior government officials, the community has been demanding that Camarsa immediately cease its operations due to the serious irregularities involved in its operation. This Commission met with representatives of the community without reaching any concrete result. Progress has been almost non-existent and the shrimp company continues operating, in spite of the commitment taken on by the Commission to immediately investigate complaints made by the local inhabitants. The frustration of the people of Champerico, who demand concrete response to the impunity with which Camarsa is operating, has not been long in making itself felt.
The population recently held another demonstration outside the shrimp factory installations, preventing people from entering into the factory. The demonstration ended with serious confrontations, during which Fernando Chiyoc died and seven people received bullet wounds from the security guards and other Camarsa employees. So far, the US citizen, Mike Corser, an engineer at Camarsa has been arrested, together with nine of the company's security guards, accused of homicide and attempted homicide.
However, the population fears that this may be yet another case of impunity. The facts are very serious and so far, no convincing response has been given by any responsible authority. As if this were not enough, Camarsa delegates have interrupted negotiations, demanding that the local population submit evidence of the impact caused by the company's activities. However, the local NGO, Tr�pico Verde, states that "according to Guatemalan environmental laws (Legislative Decree 68-86, Law for the Protection and Enhancement of the Environment and Forestry Law, Decree 70-89, Regulation, Government Agreement 961-90) shrimp farming activities have the obligation to study the impact they will cause, provide measures to mitigate this impact and implement them. In other words, Guatemalan laws presume that an activity of this nature may cause damage to the environment, and therefore Camarsa is not justified in requesting third parties to show evidence of the contamination it produces.
In spite of this, Tr�pico Verde, together with the artisan fishermen from Champerico have carried out research, showing that there is contamination of wetlands and a serious lack of compliance with the environmental laws of the country. A full report on the issue --"The impact of shrimp farming activities in Champerico, Retalhuleu, Guatemala"-- is available in Spanish on our web page: wrm.org.uy
So far, the government has tried to pull a curtain of smoke over the problem instead of solving it. Company interests are at stake here, and pressure is evident. In the meanwhile, contamination by the shrimp company and violation of Guatemalan laws continue and the two thousand families affected in Champerico are going through hard times, caused by the impunity with which Camarsa acts.
The moment is critical and support from the international community is of invaluable assistance. For more information on the request for action, see the July section "requests for action" in our web page: wrm.org.uy or contact Tr�pico Verde directly in Guatemala: mailto@tropicoverde.org Article based on information from: Carlos Albacete, Tr�pico Verde, tropicoverde.org and "Los impactos de la actividad camaronera en Champerico, Retalhuleu, Guatemala.", June, 2001.
WRM - International Secretariat www.wrm.org.uy
From: "Teresa Perez" teresap@wrm.org.uy
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Mexico
X'cacel Victory--Sol Melia's Hotel Comp[ex Plan Rejected--
Mangroves and Turtle Nesting Grounds Protected!
August 9, 2001
We just received a Mexican NGO, GEMA, that the Secretary of the Environment (SEMARNAT) will formally announce that Sol Melia's project was rejected!! This seems to mean VICTORY for X'cacel! A meeting is scheduled with SEMARNAT, NGOs, Sol Melia, etc. According to GEMA, the government and Sol Melia are negotiating the exchange of X'cacel for another piece of land. Everything should be announced officially by SEMARNAT soon.
The local community wants to manage the area with the assisance of international NGOs..
From Mary Louise jzurita@excite.com
USA
Americans gobble up shrimp
The consumption of shrimp (all preparation) achieved a record 3.2 pounds consumed per person in 2000.
By WorldCatch News Network
July 27 - WorldCatch News Network - Seafood consumption in the United States increased 2.3 percent with Americans consuming 4.3 billion pounds of domestic and imported seafood in 2000 � or 15.6 pounds per person, government officials announced on Friday.
The National Marine Fisheries Service said that the per capita consumption level of 15.6 pounds per person represents an increase of 0.2 pound from the revised 1999 level. Of the 15.6 pounds of seafood consumed per person, 10.5 pounds were fresh or frozen fish or shellfish, 4.8 pounds were canned seafood, and 0.3 pounds of seafood was cured. Compared to1999 figures, that represents a 0.1 pound increase in both the fresh/frozen and canned products.
The consumption of shrimp (all preparation) achieved a record 3.2 pounds consumed per person in 2000.....
From: John Foss fishbiz@oz.net
-------------------------------------------------------
Seafood Business April 2001
U.S. processor starts shrimp farm --Global Seafood Technologies helps develop domestic supply
Shrimp buyers may have a bright spot in their supply outlook: a domestic farmed- shrimp industry that could make the U.S. market less reliant on imported product. Shrimp prices have fluctuated heavily due to the spread of shrimp viruses and other market factors. Damage from the white spot virus alone led to a 62-percent drop in Ecuador's shrimp exports last year. Global Seafood Technologies, owner of shrimp processor and supplier Custom Pack, decided to take more control over its shrimp supply by supporting a fledgling farmed-shrimp industry in Mississippi. A public company in Biloxi, Miss., Global also owns Killer Bee Bait and Aquaculture Corp. of America. Global has developed a 25-acre hatchery facility capable of producing 5 million post-larval shrimp every 20 days. It is reportedly the largest closed-system recirculating freshwater shrimp hatchery in the United States. This year, the program is expected to yield about 1 million pounds of farmed freshwater shrimp, and the company hopes the harvest will grow to 6 million pounds.
There are roughly 600 growers farming 1,000 acres. Joint ventures with Global support about 250 of the growers and the rest are independent. Many growers are catfish farmers who have dedicated some of their acreage to shrimp farming. Through its partnerships with the farmers, Global finds an investor to fund the farm's creation, supplies the technology, post-larval shrimp, logistics and guaranteed price at harvest time. Custom Pack processes and markets the shrimp to retail and foodservice. Supporting a domestic shrimp farming industry is part of the company's goal to become a vertically integrated company.
"We want to control everything, from the production down to the distribution," says Brent Guiterrez, Global's CEO. The company grew out of a Gulf shrimp-packaging operation started in the 1940s by Guiterrez' grandfather. His brother, Clay, now runs Aquaculture Corp. The shrimp market has changed dramatically since those days. Imports now account for 83 percent of the 1.15 billion pound U.S. shrimp supply. Global has been importing farmed freshwater shrimp from Bangladesh, Pakistan and India for about six years and now imports and sells about 4 to 6 million pounds of it a year. As they watched the numbers grow, the Guiterrez brothers learned researchers at the National Warmwater Aquaculture Center in Mississippi were studying a way for catfish farmers to diversify into shrimp farming.
"We're definitely creating a new industry, a very large one is what we're banking on," says Clay Guiterrez. "Has it grown to a full-fledged industry? Not yet. But I think we're getting there, and there's a tremendous amount of potential if done correctly," says Louis D'Abramo, a professor and aquaculture biologist at Mississippi State University who has worked on the project since 1985. Clay Guiterrez expects the program to produce about 1 million pounds, or about 10 percent of Global's total shrimp volume. Next year, he hopes domestic shrimp production grows to about 30 to 50 percent of Global's total volume. "We're not trying to replace what Global currently does," says Guiterrez, "just trying to add volume and enhance our customer base." Global is expanding its shrimp grow-out program to Florida and Texas. The company has also struck a joint venture in South America. - LISA DUCHENE
Isabel de la Torre, Coordinator, ISA Net
isatorre@seanet.com
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Canada
Canadian east coast shrimp collapse due to price crash
Canadian Press Newswire July 31, 2001 HL:Newfoundland shrimp fishery may not restart; tens of millions at stake ST. JOHN'S, Nfld. (CP) - Newfoundland's shrimp fishery won't reopen until at least September and, even then, fishermen are expected to catch only half of the remaining 25,000-tonne quota, industry officials say. Meantime, there's still a remote chance the fishery may not restart at all this year, a turn of events that could cost the province's economy tens of millions of dollars. ``I don't think (a resumption of the shrimp fishery) is a certainty,'' said Alastair O'Reilly, head of the Fisheries Association of Newfoundland and Labrador, which speaks for most shrimp processors. `
`We're very anxious to see some utilization of these shrimp plants. There's over $200 million invested here.'' O'Reilly met Monday in St. John's with representatives of the Fish, Food and Allied Workers' union, which represents most fishermen and plant workers in the province. The two sides wanted to evaluate where things stand with the shrimp fishery, which was shut down early this month when the province's nine largest shrimp processors ceased buying shrimp. Prices have dropped in recent years because of a glutted shrimp market. Following the meeting, O'Reilly said shrimp prices have finally bottomed out, a decline of as much as 30 per cent. The bad news is that prices have yet to start crawling back up.
(St. John's Telegram) END OF DOCUMENT [Entered July 31, 2001]
Mike Hagler, Oceans & Fisheries Campaigner. Greenpeace
mhagler@dialb.greenpeace.org
GERMAN AUTHORITIES FIND BANNED ANTIBIOTIC IN CHINESE SHRIMP
August 9, 2001 Agence France Presse English
DUESSELDORF, Germany - German companies have imported some 20 tonnes of shrimp from China that were contaminated with high levels of antibiotics, the health ministry in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia said Thursday. The ministry said that the antibiotic chloramphenicol, which can pose a danger to human health in large doses, had been detected during inspections of the shrimp.
The European Union in 1994 banned the substance, which has been shown to damage genetic material and cause anaemia, as a veterinary medication. The state health ministry said it suspected that chloramphenicol was widely used in East Asian shrimp farms to fight disease and said it would now step up inspections of shrimp imported from China.
From Industrial FishFarming ( industrial-fishfarming@iatp.org )
mritchie@iatp.org
Mangrove as Cyclone Protection
Note: The following is a summary of a paper comparing the damage done to local villages in the Sitakunda area, Bangladesh, which were sheltered by a seawall and those that were protected by a shelterbelt of mangroves.
Bangladesh, with a population around 180 million, lies at the head of the Bay of Bengal to which the Ganges - Brahmaputra - Meghna river system delivers over 2 billion tons of sediment annually. As a result, it forms the world's largest estuarine tide-dominated delta. Roughly 80% of the land area of Bangladesh is deltaic sediment which locally reaches thicknesses in excess of 5km; averaged over the last twenty years, deltaic sedimentation has increased the land area of Bangladesh by about 35km2/y. Large amounts of sediment are reworked during cyclonic storms which are funnelled up the Bay of Bengal and have a devastating impact on the Bengali coastline every monsoon season with a high death and damage toll.
This rapidly changing coastline over the eastern two-thirds of Bangladesh, does not support a diverse mangrove vegetation in contrast to the much stabler Sundarbans area further to the west, which supports a rich mangrove forest forming the basis of an important forest industry. In addition, the extensive Sundarbans mangrove forests provide protection during cyclones to the western part of the coastline and, in order to extend this protection eastwards, a major mangrove afforestation program was undertaken.
This mangrove afforestation project has so far involved planting 120,000ha of trees, predominantly of high quality timber species such as Sonneratia apetala (for timber), Excoecaria agallocha (for newsprint and matches) and Avicennia marina (for firewood). Plantations are commenced by the planting of small seedlings by local village communities under the supervision of the Forestry Department. Growth is rapid and within 7 years, thinning of the plantations takes place. Within 14 years, the plantations can be harvested and a second rotation of mangroves planted in their place.
Although the plantation sites are initially unstable, sediment accretion is rapid and a degree of soil stability is attained while protection from cyclones rapidly follows. It is too early to assess the timber production value of the program but the effectiveness of the plantations in accelerating the accretion of new land and in helping to protect coastal agricultural land and villages from cyclonic storms and storm driven tidal surges is now clearly evident. During one storm in 1990 in the Sitakunda area just north of Chittagong, about 25% of a 2km seawall built using 2 ton steel reinforced concrete blocks was smashed and some concrete blocks were moved inland by up to 100m. In contrast, mangrove trees in a plantation just south of the seawall sustained damage to less than 1% of the trees and most of the damaged trees had recovered within 6 months. Nearby coastal areas which lacked seawall protection and were protected only by mangroves suffered no more damage during the storm than areas protected by the wall. One conclusion from these observations is that the mangroves survived relatively undamaged because they were flexible and, unlike the concrete wall, did not present a rigid barrier to the wave and current action. Equally importantly, the mangrove protective barrier is self-repairing.
While the overriding objectives of the mangrove afforestation program were to increase coastal stability and protection, and to provide timber resources where they were in short supply, there is no doubt that these extensive plantations have also brought about coastal habitat enhancement. Spotted mangrove deer make substantial use of the plantations as does a range of other wildlife and aquatic biota.
Most of the management presently required for these plantations is silvicultural. A number of insect pests have affected some of the plantations, causing some mortality and/or a decrease in wood quality. Increasing the species diversity of these plantations has been one of the current management aims. This should have silvicultural as well as ecological advantages.
Experience with the mangrove afforestation project in Bangladesh indicates that mangrove plantations can be established and managed successfully and that such plantations have considerable potential value in stabilising coastal land and affording it some protection from storms and other erosive events. In appropriate circumstances man-made mangrove plantations may provide an economic alternative to engineering works as a coastal protection strategy and both the flexibility and self-repairing characteristics of the trees may well provide greater long term protection than rigid engineering structures. Perhaps the message for coastal managers is that in rapidly changing environments, it is better to plan for inevitable change rather than to attempt to control or prevent the processes of change.
From: McConchie, D. and P. Saenger, 1991. Mangrove forests as an alternative to civil engineering works in coastal environments of Bangladesh: lessons for Australia. In: Arakel, A.V. (Ed.), Proceedings of 1990 Workshop on Coastal Zone Management, Yeppoon, Queensland, pp. 220-233.
Saenger, P. and N.A. Siddiqi, 1993. Land from the sea: the mangrove afforestation program of Bangladesh. Ocean and Coastal Management 20:23-39.
From: "Prof. Peter Saenger" psaenger@scu.edu.au
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Editor's note: Mangrove tomatoes, anyone?
===== A message from the 'fishfarm' discussion list =====
GM tomato thrives on salt
Scientists have created a tomato that thrives on salty water. The genetically engineered plant is the first truly salt-tolerant crop and could help feed some of the world's expanding population. Researchers hope such crops will enable areas of poor quality land to become productive. Worldwide an estimated 24.7 million acres, an area one fifth the size of California, is lost to agriculture each year because the land has become too salty. The main cause of the problem is irrigation - the salty water leaves mineral deposits in the soil. Over time, salts such as sodium, calcium, magnesium and chloride, build up to a point where they severely hinder the growth of crops. Salt wreaks havoc on most plants by upsetting their ability to draw up water through their roots. The GM tomato produced by US and Canadian scientists counteracts this by trapping salts in compartments within its leaf cells so the fruit doesn't taste salty.
Story filed: 00:20 Tuesday 31st July 2001
From: Franklin Wayne Poley culturex@vcn.bc.ca
World Wetlasnds Being Mapped-- Your Help Requested
For the attention of all wetland experts and enthusiasts
Dear Sir/Madam,
I would like to draft out a world map of wetlands (with/without RAMSAR status). Please write for an attachment file containing a map that you may edit and place your wetland parks / surrounding wetlands. Would appreciate your quick reply.
Cheong Weng Chun
Paya Indah Wetlands
www.payaindah.org.my
From: "Cheong Weng Chun" beyondforest@hotmail.com
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SUSTAINABLE RURAL AQUACULTURE for SMALL-SCALE FARMERS
The International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR), in collaboration with the International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management (ICLARM), CARITAS-Bangladesh, CARE-Bangladesh, and Bangladesh Rural Reconstruction Association (BARRA), is pleased to announce our :
2001 International Training Course on SUSTAINABLE RURAL AQUACULTURE for SMALL-SCALE FARMERS October 7-25, 2001, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Among others, the course will cover the following broad issues/modules (details of topics in each of these modules can be provided if needed):
* Understanding Issues Affecting Small-Scale Aquaculture
* Managing Small-Scale Aquaculture Projects
* Participatory Approaches and Extension Strategies
* Considerations in Planning Small-Scale Aquaculture Project
* Plan of Action
This three week course is designed for development managers and planners, extension workers, and senior field staff. It will benefit those working in rural development with government, non-government, and academic institutions who have to tackle problems of food security and sustainable agriculture. We are particularly looking for participants who have three or more years of field experience. We encourage women candidates to apply.
As a token of appreciation to early registrants who will register at least two (2) months before the training starts, we will giveaway a FREE COPY of the IIRR-published book entitled "Backyard Eel Culture" (one of the outputs of a field project funded by the German Agro Action), or "Utilizing Different Aquatic Resources for Livelihoods in Asia" (A joint publication of IIRR, FAO, ICLARM, NACA, and AIT)". Kindly take advantage of this FREE book offer by registering early.
For more information about this course or about IIRR, kindly contact: The Course Coordinator, Education and Training Program
E-mail: Education&Training@iirr.org
From Vic Evan, Team Member, IIRR-Yen Center
e-mail : Vic.Evan@iirr.org
----------------------------------------------------
KIDS DO THE WRITE THING!
Here's a great resource for the young people and teachers in your life:
Global Response, an international network for environmental action and education, publishes Young Environmentalist's Actions (grades 3-8) and Eco-Club Actions (high school). These Action Bulletins teach young people about global environmental issues and the local communities that are struggling to stop the destruction of valuable forests, rivers, wetlands, and habitats. Each Action Bulletin invites young people to write letters to help a specific community defend its natural resources and its right to a safe, healthy environment.
By participating in Global Response letter-writing campaigns, young people around the world can:
* connect to a community of global citizens
* collaborate with people of many nationalities, cultures and ecosystems
* help protect endangered species and the planet�s biodiversity
* learn the skills for active, responsible, democratic citizenship
Young people's letters can also be very persuasive to government and corporate officials. Anna Ponte, a Venezuelan activist wrote, "You must know that all the letters you sent to Venezuela made a big impression on the government officials, especially those ones from children."
To learn more, and to request your free introductory inquiry packet, please visit the Global Response website at www.globalresponse.org , call 303-444-0306, or email: action@globalresponse.org . Note: Free Teachers Packets and a short video are also available.
From Clea Boschert-Zielsdorf, Director, Youth Action Programs Global Response www.globalresponse.org
clea@globalresponse.org
CONFERENCES/WORKSHOPS/FORUMS/BOOKS/PUBLICATIONS
(None this issue)
CALL FOR PAPERS
(none this issue)
Santiago Times
July 24, 2001
CHILE PRESENTS COMPLAINT TO THE WTO.
The Chilean government presented an official complaint to the World Trade Organization requesting immediate reversal of the European Union's restrictions on fishmea imports. Chilean officials insist there is no scientific evidence linking fishmeal to the spread of Encefalopat�a Espongiforme Bovina (EBB), commonly known as "mad cow disease." EU representatives say precautions must be observed to prevent the further spread of this disease.
The Fishmeal Exporters Organization (FEO), a group of countries representing the world's principle fishmeal producers, encouraged members to pressure the EU to reverse the restrictions. Chile produced 3.5 million tons of fishmeal during 2000. World production in the same period totaled 17.5 million tons.
From Mark Ritchie, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
mritchie@iatp.org
===== A message from the 'fishfarm' discussion list =====
Natives want study of fish farms
VICTORIA (CKNW/AM980) --
A native fishing group is calling on government to order an independent environmental assessment of the impact of fish farms on wild salmon. The coastal caucus of the B.C. Aboriginal Fisheries Commission says the review should also look at the impact on the environment and other marine resources.
The resolution was handed down at an emergency meeting of the caucus on Vancouver Island. It calls for a halt to expansions or new farms while the assessment is undertaken. First Nations blame the salmon farming industry for an outbreak of sea lice in wild salmon stocks.
From: "Lynn Hunter" lhunter@pacificcoast.net
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===== A message from the 'fishfarm' discussion list =====
The Independent on Sunday, 5th August
Concern over British trials of GM 'super fish'
Severin Carrell
A new breed of genetically modified, fast-growing "super fish" developed in Britain will be on sale around the world in as little as three years' time, scientists have predicted. Geneticists at the University of Southampton believe they are close to proving that GM tilapia - the world's second most popular fish for eating - can be safely farmed without damaging the environment or other fish species.
The GM fish grow up to three times larger than normal after being bred with growth-hormone genes taken from chinook salmon as part of a �1.12m programme funded by the Department for International Development (DfID). The British research is running in parallel with a major multinational research programme funded by the European Commission, which is intended to override resistance from environmentalists and consumers by proving that GM fish is safe. Government agencies such as English Nature and Scottish Natural Heritage have warned ministers that farming with fertile GM fish will inevitably lead to escapes and interbreeding with native species. That, in turn, could lead to new breeds of disease-resistant GM fish surviving in the wild.
The Independent on Sunday can reveal the Commission has spent nearly 7.5m euros (�4.6m) on 11 projects to develop fish such as tilapia, salmon, medaka and rainbow trout since the mid-1980s. That research is expected to increase substantially. A group of geneticists, including scientists at Southampton, have now applied for EU grants to turn carnivorous salmon and trout into vegetarians to overcome another major objection to industrial-scale farms, as fish farming contributes to over-fishing at sea purely for fish food.
The DfID research steps up a gear early next year when the Southampton team holds trials in northern Thailand to prove its GM tilapia are fully sterile by mixing them with wild fish in a special self-contained facility. If these trials succeed, UN experts believe British scientists will be among the first to offer low-cost GM fish for commercial farming in the Far East, the Indian subcontinent and possibly Africa.
The world's leading GM fish company, a US firm called AquaBounty, is expected to get approval from the US Food and Drug Administration to market fast-growing GM salmon next year. But the firm believes it will take until 2003 or 2004 before commercial farms are licensed.
Professor Norman Maclean, head of the Southampton research team, predicted his GM tilapia would be on sale in three to five years. However, it could take 10 years before food shortages and environmental problems with conventional fish farming would overcome consumer hostility. The Commission insists it has no plans to support the commercial farming of GM fish, claiming the research is to ensure EU scientists can keep pace with global developments in the field. However, MEPs in the ruling Socialist group have called for a significant increase in EU funding of GM fish research.
Alan Simpson, Labour MP for Nottingham South and a leading critic of government support for GM technologies, said: "We should recoil in horror at this research. The ecological consequences of a mistake are so far-reaching we should not be continuing with trials without subjecting them to rigorous public scrutiny."
From: "Bill Mott" SeaWeb bmott@seaweb.org
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ECOCEANOS NEWS
CHILEAN SALMON DROWNS BY OVERPRODUCTION, LOW PRICES AND ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL QUESTIONINGS
Santiago de Chile, August 10th 2001 (Ecoceanos News)
The mono-cultivated salmon industry developed in Chilean waters is living a difficult moment. Besides justifiable questionings due to its environmental threats and conflicts with coastal communities - formed by artisan fishermen, tourism entrepreneurs and environmental organizations the salmon farming industry is currently suffering from the effects of overproduction and decrease of international prices....
....Between 1988 and1998 the Chilean salmon exports increased 2.584%, and trout exports 9.300%. Meanwhile the Pacific salmon productivity between 1987 and 1996 increased 0.6 times worldwide, while in Chile it increased 37,9 times (1)....Current restrictions regarding US importations, weakened Japanese markets and increasing overproduction in the South American country, could force Chile to export huge amounts of salmon to European markets.
The Center Ecoceanos and the National Confederation of Artisan Fishermen of Chile (CONAPACH in spanish) declared that the ever increasing production of salmon can no longer be absorbed by the international market, not even with standard demand levels. Cosme Caracciolo, President of CONAPACH asked "how sustainable is the geographical and productive expansion process, imposed by the Subsecreatry of the Fishing Department - without any public discussion?", Caracciolo added that "under this context, the salmon industry intentions to triplicate its production and reach 570 thousand tones each year, is clear".
According to citizenship organizations "this situation will contribute to strengthen the actual trend towards the concentration and trans-nationalization of the salmon industry occurring in Chilean waters". Meanwhile, Juan Carlos Cardenas, Director of the Center Ecoceanos, affirmed that the salmon industry is "auto-generating a dangerous and harmful vicious circle of over-production, in order to keep increasing its profits". This unsustainable circular situation of the salmon industry," added Cardenas, "continues polluting the coastal areas; affecting the economy of the artisan fishermen, debilitating national security food standards and not generating economical wealth in the regions where it is installed."
From: "CENTRO ECOCEANOS" ecoceano@entelchile.net
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Industrial FishFarming ( industrial-fishfarming@iatp.org ) Posted: 07/23/2001
By mritchie@iatp.org
Intrafish, 23rd July 2001
Race is on to find fish oil substitutes
Fiona Cameron
Predictions that the aquaculture industry could be using almost 100% of world fish oil output by 2010, as opposed to the 54% used by the industry in 2000, have given added impetus to attempts to find suitable alternatives. Although aquaculture is also set to put increasing pressure on world fishmeal supplies, with predicted demand growing from 35% of world production in 2000 to 56% by 2010, it is fish oil which is causing most concern. Industry aware of urgency Industry experts like Helge Korsager, joint president of the International Fishmeal and Fish Oil Organisation (IFFO) are only too aware of the pressure to find substitutes which will prove workable and economically viable. "We have to find ways of diluting the fish oil," he told IntraFish. "I know that they can get that to work up to a certain level, and we certainly have to do something within the next year or two. I don't see a scenario where it'll bring growth to a halt." The main constraints on use of vegetable oils as substitutes are in terms of retaining acceptable Omega 3 levels, as well as maintaining the flavour and physical qualities of the meat. There is also evidence that the immune system of salmon can be impaired at high levels of substitution.
Crucial to maintain nutritional benefits
In the light of present concerns about the imbalance of n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in the diets of developed nations, and nutritionists' advice that we should all consume more oily fish such as mackerel, salmon and trout, it is crucial that any substitution for fish oil in the diet for salmon should not compromise the high level of essential n-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA) in the flesh. It is therefore essential that successful substition should minimise depletion of 20: n-3 and 22:6 n-3, minimise deposition of 18:2 n-6 (linoleic acid) and maximise desaturation and elongation of 18:3 n-3 to 20:5 n-3 and 22:6 n-3. It is also desirable to maintain equivalent growth rates in the fish.
Rapeseed oil as substitute maintains fish growth rates
Recently-published research from the University of Stirling's Institute of Aquaculture shows promising results from the use of rapeseed oil as a substitute. Post-smolts were fed for a period of 17 weeks on 5 diets with substition levels running from 0% rapeseed oil (RO) to 100%. The team found that the diet seemed to have no effect on growth rates and feed conversion ratios. In previous experiments using other vegetable oils, including corn, sunflower, grape seed and safflower,fish health was compromised, while there was only neglibible conversion of the high levels of linoleic acid present in these oils to 20:4 n-6. RO contains substantial levels of 18:3 n-3, and the experimental work showed significant conversion to EPA 20:5 n-3, partly offsetting the decrease in dietary 22:6 n-3 caused by the reduction in fish oil. This was achieved with no apparent ill effects on fish health. However, inclusion of RO at levels in excess of 50% resulted in significant decreases in the n-3/n-6 PUFA ratio and the EPA and DHA concentrations in fish flesh. This occurred at levels which would significantly reduce the nutritional benefits to the consumer.
Trials to harvest stage ongoing
"This trial was of limited duration," Dr Gordon Bell of Stirling's Institute of Aquaculture told IntraFish. "It didn't take fish to harvest stage. However, a further trial is under way, and that will run till harvest stage next year. We're also looking at whether it is feasible to use higher levels of RO substitution for the major part of the growth cycle, with fish being returned to a fish-oil containing diet for a long enough period prior to harvest to restore the 18:2 n-6, EPA and DHA concentrations to their 'normal' values."
From Mark Ritchie, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
mritchie@iatp.org
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Pew Oceans Commission Report: U.S. Aquaculture Yields Promise,
Raises Concerns
Marine aquaculture subject of second in a series of science reports to Oceans Commission
PEW OCEANS COMMISSION PRESS RELEASE July 31, 2001
Contact: Justin Kenney; 703-516-0605; kenneyj@pewoceans.org
As the American consumer's demand for seafood continues to rise, so too does the likelihood that the fish, shrimp, or shellfish purchased at the market or restaurant has been farm raised. Aquaculture-the farming of finfish, shellfish, or aquatic plants-continues to grow rapidly worldwide, with production doubling by weight and value from 1989 to 1998. In the U.S., aquaculture facilities now exist in every state and certain regions are seeing rapid growth.
A new report presented to the Pew Oceans Commission examines the role of the emerging U.S. aquaculture industry in meeting the nation's demand for seafood and its current and potential impacts on the marine environment. The report recommends steps to ensure that domestic aquaculture grows in a sustainable fashion, and calls upon the U.S. to take a global leadership role in adopting best practices.
"The reality today is that aquaculture is supplying a significant source of protein to consumers as wild ocean fisheries are depleted or reach their limit," said Leon E. Panetta, chair of the independent Pew Oceans Commission, which is conducting the first review of national ocean policies in over 30 years. "There are a number of issues related to this growing industry that can affect the quality of our oceans. This report looks at those concerns and presents recommendations for balancing the expected growth in aquaculture production with the protection of those natural species and habitats that are essential to the future of our oceans."
The report's authors are Dr. Rebecca Goldburg and Matthew Elliott of Environmental Defense and Dr. Rosamond Naylor of Stanford University. They find that farmed fish and shellfish supply one-third of the world's seafood, and that in the United States aquaculture (including imports) provides almost all of the catfish and trout and nearly half of the shrimp and salmon currently consumed. Although American aquaculture represents just over one percent of the world's production, about 4,000 aquaculture facilities exist in the U.S., ranging from enclosed tanks on land to netpens and shellfish beds in bays and estuaries. Collectively they raise over 100 different species of aquatic animals and plants, and support jobs and provide new sources of seafood for consumers.
"With supplies of wild seafood limited and demand rising, aquaculture will likely continue to expand in the United States," says Dr. Goldburg. "Aquaculture is here to stay. The challenge is to ensure that this young industry grows in a sustainable manner and does not cause serious ecological damage."
The authors find that the present harmful effects of U.S. aquaculture on the marine environment are minor compared to overfishing, coastal development, or global warming. They also point out that the aquaculture industry is diverse in its methods and practices and that some segments of the industry, such as shellfish growing, can have ecological benefits. Nevertheless, they recommend immediate action concerning several problem areas:
--Eliminate or drastically reduce the accidental release of farmed fish into the wild. The accidental release of farmed fish may harm wild fish populations through interbreeding and competition for habitat and food. In addition, escaped fish may spread diseases and parasites throughout an ecosystem. For example, escaped farmed Atlantic salmon may threaten endangered wild Atlantic salmon off the Maine coast and wild Pacific salmon in the Northwest. Supporting federal activities under the Endangered Species Act to protect wild salmon populations is a key element of protecting native fish.
--Reduce the use of wild fish for fish feed. Some types of aquaculture, particularly salmon aquaculture, use large quantities of wild-caught fish as feed ingredients. Increased catches of small fish for use in feed would reduce the amount of food available for wild predators such as large fish, marine mammals, and seabirds. The authors call for greater federal research to identify alternatives to the use of wild fish for fish feeds, and the cultivation and promotion of noncarnivorous aquaculture species.
In addition to these recommendations, the authors also propose several additional steps to limit the current impacts of aquaculture:
--Develop strong effluent guidelines for aquaculture under the Clean Water Act, particularly for larger-scale aquaculture pens that discharge wastes directly into coastal waters.
--Put in place an environmentally protective federal permitting program for offshore aquaculture before this developing segment of the industry becomes established.
--Champion research and development investments and cost-share incentives for sustainable aquaculture practices, such as recirculating on-land systems.
--Seek greater environmental sustainability through the World Trade Organization, with the goal of allowing environmental considerations in the production of traded-food commodities to play a far larger role in trade decisions.
The Pew Oceans Commission is an independent group of leaders, led by former White House chief of staff Leon Panetta, which is conducting a national review of the policies needed to restore and protect the oceans' living resources. The commission includes leaders from ocean research, fishing, conservation, industry, and government.
The marine aquaculture report is the second in a series of scientific reports that will assist the independent commission with its review. In addition to aquaculture, the commission is reviewing coastal development, marine pollution, fishing, invasive species, ocean governance, and marine protected areas. The commission will issue its formal recommendations to the President and the Congress next year.
Copies of Marine Aquaculture in the United States: Environmental Impacts and Policy Options are available online at www.pewoceans.org or by calling 703-516-0624. To receive a PDF version via email, contact Justin Kenney at kenneyj@pewoceans.org .
From: SeaWeb Aquaculture Clearinghouse clearinghouse@seaweb.org
Plenty of Laws, Lack of Enforcement
...One of your articles refers to the destruction of the mangrove forest of Chokaria in Bangladesh by shrimp farming. Actually, this forest was destroyed long ago by the demand for charcoal and salt. Shrimp culture developed there in alternation with salt production. In the past 15 years or so, this seasonal alternation of salt and shrimp production has been replaced by perennial shrimp farming. I have visited this area many times.
The Sundarbans forest is under very serious threat from deforestation and ecological change brought on by changes in the freshwater input. This is because of the Farrakar dam. Now shrimp farmers are moving into the deforested and degraded areas.
Another vast forest that was destroyed for charcoal is the mangroves of the Ayerawaddy Delta in Myanmar. The deforestation occured during British Rule. There are some replanting programs going on, but much more is needed. Four years ago shrimp farming had not yet developed. The area is still somewhat remote with no infrastructure. The traditional shrimp farming area is in Arakan, where some investors are moving in with large projects. Myanmar has not legislation to protect the mangrove habitat in that region, and even if it did, I doubt there would be any political will to enforce it. This is the situation in Indonesia. There is plenty of legislation which provides strict penalties for destroying mangroves, but it is never enforced. So, mangrove forests are being destroyed at breakneck speed.
From Dr. Charles Angell, clangell@eskimo.com
Alfredo Quarto, Executive Director
Mangrove Action Project
PO Box 1854
Port Angeles, WA 98362-0279
USA
fax (360) 452-5866
alfredo@mangroveactionproject.org
