Dear Friends,

This is the 219th Edition of the Mangrove Action Project News, August  28, 2009.

For the Mangroves,

Alfredo Quarto
Mangrove Action Project

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Partnering with mangrove forest communities, grassroots NGOs, researchers and local governments to conserve and restore mangrove forests and related coastal ecosystems, while promoting community-based, sustainable management of coastal resources.

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FEATURED NEWS

Batangas Mangroves Help Fight Against Global Warming
PRLog (Press Release) By capturing carbon dioxide and storing it in its biomass, mangrove species are able to reduce the amount of excess...READ MORE
SOURCE: PR Log

MAP WORKS

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR: The following quote is taken from the 2009 report by Drt. U Ohn, which supports the notion that conserving our remaining natural forests is vital to helping to lessen the rate of global warming.
Once, researchers had assumed that most of the CO2 absorbed from the atmosphere were by young forests, since old forests were thought to be in equilibrium with the atmosphere sucking up as much gas as they spew out. But Valentini said old forests actually accumulate more carbon than young plantations, suggesting that conservation of old forests(i.e; natural forests) is a better policy for tackling global warming than planting new ones. In Myanmar, foresters mostly agreed that " a tree saved is better than a tree planted".
FROM:Global Warming, Climate Change and Myanmar's Role to Play" by Dr. U Ohn, General Secretary, FREDA.

BRAZIL
In Brazil, Paying Farmers to Let the Trees Stand
In an effort to prevent farmers from cutting down rain forest, environmental groups are offering money...READ MORE
SOURCE: The New York Times

AFRICA

NASA Scientist Makes First Full Assessment of Africa’s Mangrove
A NASA scientist has made what is believed to be the first full assessment of the African continent's mangrove forests...READ MORE
SOURCE: Duniya Live

MOZAMBIQUE
First Measure of Africa's Coastal Forests: Swampy Mangrove Destruction Threatens Shrimp Farming
Impoverished fishermen along the coast of tropical African countries like Mozambique and Madagascar may have only a few more years to eke out a profit from one of their nations' biggest agricultural exports. Within a few decades,...READ MORE
SOURCE: Earth Stream

MOZAMBIQUE
Mozambique: Exports Fall 16 Per Cent
For example, IPEX is currently looking for new markets for prawns, that until recently were one of the major product of exports of Mozambique...READ MORE
SOURCE: All Africa

MADAGASCAR
Mangrove Destruction Threatens Food Supply
Much of coastal Africa's food supply is being threatened by the destruction of swampy mangrove forests, NASA scientists warn...READ MORE
SOURCE: UPI

S.E. ASIA

THAILAND
B15bn for Mangrove Rehabilitation
The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry will request a 15 billion baht budget from the cabinet for the rehabilitation of mangrove forests and to...READ MORE
SOURCE: Bangkok Post

THAILAND
More Phuket Mangroves Destroyed
RASSADA, PHUKET: In the latest assault on Phuket's natural environment, more than 10 rai of mangrove forest has been felled by encroachers...READ MORE
SOURCE: Bangkok Post

INDONESIA
Holding it Together
Behind the difference is another kind of plant: Mangroves. All along the beach at Tirtohargo, tens of thousands of mangroves are now thriving...READ MORE
SOURCE: The Jakarta Post

VIETNAM
Expert Help Sought to Preserve Mangroves
Forest rangers and the local administration should preserve HCM City's Can Gio mangrove forest using scientific forestry methods, ensuring the...READ MORE
SOURCE: Vietnam News

VIETNAM
Take the Americans to the WTO court? Businesses vote ‘yes’
A lot of Vietnamese shrimp exporters believe it is high time to complain to the World Trade Organization against the US barriers to Vietnam?s shrimp. The Government hasn?t yet decided whether to do so...READ MORE
SOURCE: Vietnam Net

VIETNAM
Vietnam’s Biggest Shrimp Processing Plant Under Construction
Vietnam's Deputy Prime Minister, Hoang Trung Hai, yesterday broke the ground for the construction of a plant capable of processing 20,000 tonnes of shrimp a year in the Mekong Delta province of Hau Giang...READ MORE
SOURCE: Vietnam News

MALAYSIA
Malaysia Chases Aquaculture
The Malaysian Government is to expand the aquaculture sector more aggressively as it contributes greatly to the country's economy...READ MORE
SOURCE: TheFishSite News Desk

MALAYSIA
Fishermen Against Petrochemical Project
Fishermen from Tanjung Kupang in Pontian are appealing to the state to intervene and stop the clearing of mangrove swamps to make way for a petrochemical project...READ MORE
SOURCE: The Star Online

MALAYSIA
Blue Archipelago To Operate RM150 Million Shrimp Farm
PJ Blue Archipelago Bhd, a subsidiary of Khazanah Nasional Bhd involved in the shrimp aquaculture industry, will operate a RM150 million processing farm called “ The iSharp Setiu ” in Terengganu, June next year...READ MORE
SOURCE: SAMUDRA

The PHILIPPINES
Mangrove Reforestation Set in Northern Samar Town
A massive restoration of mangrove trees will soon be launched by coastal barangays in Laoang, Northern Samar...READ MORE
SOURCE: Manila Bulletin Publishing Corporation

S. ASIA

Conserving Biological Diversity in South Asia
Protection of mangrove forest: Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have good amount of mangrove forest in global and regional context...READ MORE
SOURCE: The Daily Star

INDIA
Indian Aqua Farmers Unable to Sell Illegal Shrimps 14 Aug 2009
Aquaculture farmers in Andhra Pradesh, India are in trouble as they may not be able to sell the Vannamei shrimp species they have been farming due to their...READ MORE
SOURCE: All About Feed

INDIA
Shrimp Exports to be Hit as EU Keeps Rejecting Consignments
Along with the EU, Japan and the US have tightened the inspection of marine products, especially cultured shrimp, from India...READ MORE
SOURCE: Business Standard

INDIA
Navi Mumbai airport on hold for a year
The airport site has 150 acres of mangroves. The project's fate hangs on the outcome of the study that will be submitted to the environment ministry next...READ MORE
SOURCE: DNA India

INDIA
Minister: Cleared Study, Not Navi Mumbai Airport
“I am sensitive to Mumbai's growing economic needs, but I am also concerned about preservation of its mangrove forest. About 150 hectares of mangrove”...READ MORE
SOURCE: Express India

INDIA
CM Seeks Mangrove Research Centre in Orissa
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today said that a national institute of mangrove research (NIMR) should be established in the State considering the largest diversity of mangrove forests in Orissa...READ MORE
SOURCE: Express Buzz

INDIA
Coalition for Sustainability of Coastal Social-ecological Systems in Orissa Institutionalized
Report by Orissadiary correspondent; Bhubaneswar: The coastal state of Orissa has become a ground zero for disasters. Communities and their sources of livelihoods have been dismantled and destroyed by an unholy mix of these disasters and subsequent negligence for their systematic rehabilitation...READ MORE
SOURCE: Orissa Diary

INDIA
Drive against illegal shrimp farms in India's Chilika Lake
Illegal prawn gheries (ponds) that have come up in Chilika lake, the second largest lagoon in the world, in the Indian State of Orissa, will be demolished soon...READ MORE
SOURCE: SAMUDRA

PAKISTAN
Thatta, Badin lose 2.2m acres to sea intrusion in 30 years
Growing sea pollution and fresh water shortage are the major reasons behind destruction of mangroves. According to official figures, 170267 acres had been...READ MORE
SOURCE: The News International

BANGLADESH
Stronger Shrimp Sector Holds ‘Big Boost for Bangladesh Economy’
A stronger shrimp sector with international standard quality and safety procedures could provide a big boost for Bangladesh economy, FAO country representative Ad Spijkers said following recent visits to the southern coastal areas of Khulna, Barisal and Cox's Bazar...READ MORE
SOURCE: BDNew24.com

BANGLADESH
4 Thousand Trees Were Cut Down for Shrimp Farming
A land bandit Tajul Islam of the coastal area of Bigchar in Sayadpur union of Sitakund upuazilla of chattagong, Bangladesh cut down more than 4 thousand Trees (plant) for shrimp farming...READ MORE
SOURCE: Prothom Alo

E. ASIA

JAPAN
RP, Japan Telcos Sustain Tree Planting
In 2008, Smart mobilized over 3000 employees and community partners to plant some 167000 seedlings and mangrove propagules in about 12 provinces across the...READ MORE
SOURCE: Global Nation Inquirer

LATIN AMERICA / CARIBBEAN

BAHAMAS / BIMINI ISLAND
Scientists Shed New Light On Behavior Of Shark ‘Tweens’ And ‘Teenagers’
A long-term field and DNA study by the Institute for Ocean Conservation Science at Stony Brook University, University of Miami, Field Museum of Chicago and others has shown that young lemon sharks born at the Bimini islands, Bahamas, tend to stay near their coastal birthplace for many years...READ MORE
SOURCE: Institute for Ocean Conservation Science

OCEANIA

AUSTRALIA
River Bank Mangroves Slashed
THE State Government is investigating whether mangrove trees along the Brisbane River have been deliberately cut down to improve the view and value of...READ MORE
SOURCE: NEWS.com.au

AUSTRALIA
Funds for Fish Rehab
An example of a successful local project funded in this way previously is the ... “The Habitat Action Program will provide grants of up to $30000 to allow”...READ MORE
SOURCE: Bombala Times

PACIFIC ISLANDS
Political Inaction Threatens Paradise
Many children in the Pacific will have to leave their homes in the coming years due to the impacts of climate change. As leaders from the eight richest and most polluting countries in the world [G8] gathered in Italy, our ship, the Esperanza, was witnessing the direct impacts of climate change on Pacific Islands. People of this beautiful and culturally rich region are at the front line of climate impacts...READ MORE
SOURCE: Greenpeace

PACIFIC ISLANDS
Impacts on Water Resources in African Deltas and Pacific Islands
It bothers me to constantly hear media and leading experts talk about the early signs and impacts of global climate change on small islands and their people, exclaims Faustino Yarofaisug from the Federated States of Micronesia (North Pacific)...READ MORE
SOURCE: Climate Frontlines

NORTH AMERICA

USA
CFA SIGNS ON TO AQUACULTURE LETTER
Commercial Fishermen of America (CFA) has signed onto a letter cautioning US Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke against approving the Aquaculture Fishery Management Plan (FMP) adopted by the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council in...READ MORE
SOURCE: Ahab's Journal

USA
Governor of US State of Louisiana Seeks Probe of Foreign Shrimp Practices
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal asked the federal government Wednesday to investigate whether foreign countries are unfairly manipulating the shrimp industry's marketplace...READ MORE
SOURCE: SAMUDRA

AQUACULTURE

Government Officials Promote "Sustainable" Aquaculture in Norway While Wild Salmon Stocks Crash at Home
Where is Canada’s Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, Gail Shea, at a time when one of Canada’s most important commercial runs of salmon is experiencing a catastrophic collapse? She is showcasing Canada’s aquaculture industry at the Aqua Nor international aquaculture trade show in Trondheim, Norway...READ MORE
SOURCE: Environmental Communication Options

OTHER MAP NEWS

Gov’t Urged to Take Steps to Save Sundarban
Merina said Sundarban, the largest mangrove forest of the world, was playing a vital role in protecting the biodiversity and saving the lives of coastal people by providing them with livelihood. But Sundarban is now threatened because of continued felling of trees by influential quarters, she pointed out. ...READ MORE
SOURCE: New Age Metro