Dear Friends,

Please enjoy this 235th issue of MAP's Newsletter. As always, we welcome your story ideas and news articles. Each of the stories below are just a small portion of the news items we're sent, I hope you'll follow the links to read the whole story on each of these important issues.

And please continue to make the world better by taking action on the Action Alerts to the left. Your voice can be heard.

Towards a sustainable future,
Cheers, Alfredo

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MAP's Mission

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.

All news items and notices published in the MAP News can also be accessed directly from our home page www.mangroveactionproject.org, with links to the full story and the original source. New items are posted daily and are available as an RSS feed!

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SHRIMP LESS, THINK MORE campaign has changed it's name to QUESTION YOUR SHRIMP:
Learn more about the affects of the shrimp industry on mangroves by visiting our blog.
Join MAP on Facebook
Sign the Consumer's Pledge to avoid imported shrimp

Draft Daryl Hannah as Mangroves Spokesperson
This is a petition needing your supportive signature to 'draft' Daryl Hannah into being the voice of the mangroves! Ms. Hannah as the mermaid from the movie "Splash" has that coastal wetland connection making her the ideal candidate to speak for the mangroves.

Save the Uran
We need your help to pressurise the Indian govt to roll back these SEZs. Enough has been written in the local media as well as represen-tations made to the govt, but to no avail. We bank on your support. Please go to and sign our petition

Please call Taco Bell's Customer Service at 1-800-TACO-BELL to make your request that they do not serve imported shrimp in their tacos, but serve only shrimp produced in N. America! READ MORE

Kenya Stills Needs Your Support
6,000 families are likely to be displaced by the project but this figure barely scratches the surface of the much larger impact the port is likely to have. Please take action to save the Lamu Archipelago. Send the action letter to the Prime Minister of Kenya expressing your concernsTo Stop The Ports

MAP ISSUES:

MAP Saddened by loss of Dr. K. Rajaratnam

MAP sends condolence to the family, friends, and staff at the Centre For Research on New International Economic Order (CReNIEO) in Chennai, India on the passing of their Founding Director, Dr. K.Rajaratnam on April 7, 2010 at the age of 90. Dr. K.Rajaratnam was an an eminent Economist and visionary who founded CReNIEO in 1979 as a study, research, training and action oriented organisation. As Director of CReNIEO his life's work was for those who were excluded and especially for those who were loosing their life giving environment and their traditional natural resources.
CRENIEO's mission is committed to the total development of the socially and economically weaker sections of the Indian Society -with focus on women and children of the Fisherfolk, Dalit and Tribal communities. CReNIEO's development plans include promoting better health, formal education, skills for natural resource management and entrepreneurial skills for economic self-reliance and at the same time ensuring permanence of social change by capacity building and motivating the poor for upholding their rights in the society. Community action for social change is the key tool in the armory of development methodology. Gender equity and Environmental care is the umbrella for sustained development of people around the lakes as well as in the forests who are the target groups of CReNIEO's schemes of development”.
MAP's Asia Coordinator, Jim Enright, had the pleasure and honour to meet Dr. Rajaratnam in Oct. of last year when he visited CReNIEO to learn about their work with the fisherfolk of Pulicat Lake on mangrove restoration. At the introductory meeting Dr. Rajaratnam presented on the extensive work of CReNIEO. One the accomplishments he was particularly proud of was the establishment of the Pulicat National Matriculation School located right on the shore of the lagoon at the request of fisherfolk for their children. Some the students travel to school from the islands by the CReNIEO school boat service and where the curriculum is taught in English which gives the students big head start in life.
Dr. Rajaratnam will be greatly missed by all who knew him but he has left a great legacy in CReNIEO which is empowering the local people of Pulicat to care for and defend their environment.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED - Help MAP translate documents - Spanish, French, Japanese, Thai and more needed. Contact MAP

IMPORTANT and relevant news reporting from US Television Station!

MAP is launching our 10th Mangrove Children's Art Contest!

April 14, 2010 (By Liana Smith-Bautista)

Honored by TIME in 2008, this marine scientist's work toward sustainable aquaculture has not stopped there. With Earth Day coming up next week, you may already have your mind fixed on eco-friendly behavior. Perhaps you’re ready to teach yourself, your friends, or your family more sustainable ways of living. Maybe you’re ready to be inspired by someone who has been a stalwart champion of the environment for a career that spans decades.

Enter Dr. Jurgenne Honculada-Primavera (her first name is pronounced “Georgine”; she and her twin, Georgette, share a birthday with George Washington). Dr. Primavera holds BS and MA degrees in zoology and a PhD in marine science. In 2008, Time Magazine awarded her the title of Hero of the Environment for her work in promoting sustainable fish-farming, or aquaculture.READ MORE

ASIA
It should be called "Year of the Sea turtle"

April 14
THAILAND : MAP Asia's partner Naucrates, an Italian NGO, has just completed their most successful season monitoring sea turtle nests in their 14 years of work on Phra Thong Island, Phang Nga province on the Andaman Sea coast of Thailand. The turtle numbers may be very low compared to many other sea turtle nesting sites in the world, but there is great hope amongst the hard working staff and volunteers after no turtles came a shore during the previous season (2008-09). Thailand now has very few sea turtle nesting beaches due to heavy losses by fishing fleets, historical poaching of sea turtle eggs and tourism and other developments on most of Thailand's beaches. You can read all about this year's project in the Naucrates April Newsletter and in news updates on their website. Naucrates and MAP have a joint conservation project at Lion Village on Phra Thong Island called "Community Natural Resource Conservation and Management Project" which is now its second year The project in this new tsunami village also involves a Community-Based Tourism Homestay project which was launched during the recent tourism season which was utilized by the international volunteers working on the sea turtle project. 
READ MORE about this project on the MAP's website.

Bangladesh renews claim on vanishing Bay of Bengal island
April 13, 2010
BANGLADESH - Bangladesh has renewed claim over New Moore island, a bone of contention between Dhaka and New Delhi, even as Indian researchers say that it had disappeared under the rising waters of the Bay of Bengal. "Be it there or disappeared, under the Radcliff map (drawing the 1947 partition line), it falls within sovereign territory of Bangladesh," foreign secretary Mirajul Quayes told newsmen at a press briefing. He added that the location of the South Talpatty, called New Moore Island in India, fell on the eastern side of the demarcation line between Bangladesh's Khulna and India's Chabbish Pargana district meaning "Bangladesh has the sovereign authority over it." READ MORE

Thai shrimp likely to gain from limited world supply
April 5, 2010
THAILAND - The current outbreak of infectious myonecrosis virus in shrimp farms in Indonesia and Brazil is likely to widen the export market for Thai shrimp, say local exporters. The virus, which reduces the appetite and stunts the development of shrimp, could benefit Thai exports, said Arthon Piboonthanapatana, secretary-general of the Thai Frozen Foods Association. Indonesia is the world's second-largest shrimp exporter after Thailand. Indonesian products compete closely with Thai goods in major markets such as the US and Japan. The Thai Frozen Foods Association forecasts exports of Thai shrimp this year at 405,541 tonnes - 243,324 tonnes of raw commodity and 162,216 tonnes of processed products. READ MORE

Vietnamese fisherman fights to protect rare mammal
April 16, 2010
VIET NAM - Nguyen Van Khanh carries a fishnet to his ship in preparation for an off-shore fishing expedition. Based on his extensive experience, he can smile at the thought of how much his catch will bring in when his wife takes it to the market tomorrow morning. Before working as an ordinary fisherman, Khanh, now 46, was known as the "sea monster" on Phu Quoc Island because he and his father, who died several years ago, had caught and slaughtered hundreds of dugongs, a large marine mammal currently at risk of extinction according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
READ MORE

Farmers Urged to ban Saline Water Shrimp Cultivation in Coastal Region of Bangladesh

April 2, 2010
BANGLADESH - Speakers in a Human Chain and Procession in Khulna stressed for an order from Government to prohibit saline water intrusion in the agricultural land for shrimp farming towards longevity of the coastal embankments and sustainable agriculture in Coastal Zone of Bangladesh. They also demanded to undertake Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Programme to foster country's development with equity and justice. Humanitywatch along with other more than 29 organizations including Saline Water Protesting Committee, Association of Landless People and Dacope Citizens' Committee organized the program under Campaign for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (CSRL) on 1st April 2010 in front of Khulna District Council. Hundreds of landless farmer, agricultural labour, political leaders, civil society representatives, non-government organization leaders and professional association leaders participated in the program. The human chain chaired by educationalist Professor Jafar Imam and conducted by humanitywatch chief executive Hasan Mehedi. READ MORE

INDIA
OMCAR Training Programme for Mangrove and Seagrass

April 10, 2010
INDIA - OMCAR recently coducted an interesting training programme for teaching youngsters on mangrove and seagrass research. They facilitated their best for better learning environment and free minded interaction both days.please see the training report on mangrove and seagrass for youth organized by Balaji. See Slideshow

Melting Himalayan Glaciers Threaten Major Asian Rivers
Posted April 8, 2010 original article Asia News Network, Publication Date : 01-04-2010
Editor's Note: Climate Change is causing more rapid glacier melt which in turn may cause extreme flooding in the estuaries and river mouths resulting in changes for the coastal mangroves and related wetlands that will be affected by these extreme conditions.
TIBET - Of all the adverse impacts of climate change that are being played out in the high mountains of the Greater Himalayan Region, the most ominous and potentially devastating is the rapidly melting glaciers that threaten to disrupt the flow of major rivers that provide a lifeline to over 1.5 billion of people in South Asia, China and mainland Southeast Asia. The accelerated melting of glaciers as a result of rising temperatures has great implications for water resources on which not only 210 million of mountain population in the Greater Himalayan Region, but also the estimated 1.3 billion others in downstream river basins in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Viet Nam that depend on them for sustenance and livelihoods. READ MORE

Thousands Need Aid After Deadly Indian Storm Strikes
April 16, 2010
Editor's Note: Though mangrove buffer was not mentioned, the devastation from storms like this can be much less severe if a living bio-shield was allowed to stay in place, but was inadvertently removed in order to settle the area. When such natural buffers are removed the settling population remains quite vulnerable.
INDIA - Hundreds of thousands of people are in need of shelter, food and water after a tropical storm ripped through impoverished villages in eastern India, killing 120 people, aid workers and officials said Thursday. Packing wind speeds of up to 120 kph (75 mph), the nor'wester -- a weather pattern that develops in the Bay of Bengal during the summer -- flattened thousands of homes, destroyed crops and killed hundreds of cattle when it struck late Tuesday. Aid agencies and officials are still assessing the damage in the worst-affected states of Bihar and West Bengal, but early indications suggest destruction is widespread and major relief required. READ MORE

AFRICA
Oil Spillage and Niger Delta Communities
April 8, 2010
NIGERIA - The recent oil spill in Ibeno local government area of Akwa Ibom has once again brought to the fore the environmental hazard facing oil bearing communities in the Niger Delta and the need to ensure sustainable development of the region. Recently, the entire shoreline of Ibeno local government area which runs into several kilometres adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean was devastated by oil spill from the activities of oil producing companies operating offshore. Among the oil companies operating offshore Akwa Ibom include Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN) operator of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC/MPN) joint venture, Afren, former Addax and Mono Poli. It is not the first time that the oil bearing communities of the state had been hit by oil spill, but this time around, a new twist that has crept into the incident is the denial of responsibility by the oil companies. READ MORE

Nigerian fishermen, other operators blame oil spills for poor food security
April 16, 2010
Fishermen and fish pond operators in Akwa Ibom have listed frequent oil spills from the Qua Iboe oil fields as an insurmountable obstacle to food security in the state. Chief Inyang Ekong, Secretary, Akwa Ibom chapter of Artisan Fishermen Association of Nigeria (AFAN), made the assertion in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Eket, Akwa Ibom. Ekong also said that delays in the payment of compensation claims by Mobil Producing Nigeria had thrown many of his members out of business. READ MORE

Destroying Mangroves Detrimental to People, Climate, And Wildlife
March 25, 2010
WEST AFRICA - The UN has declared 2010 to be the International Year of Biodiversity. Sadly, many of the ecosystems that harbor such biodiversity, like mangroves, are quickly disappearing due to the effects of human activities. Wetlands International and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with the support of the WAMA Foundation have created the West African Mangrove Initiative (WAMI) to protect mangroves in West Africa and empower the surrounding populations to do the same.
READ MORE

Fish Farmers Net Profits in Arid Lands
April 15, 2010
KENYA - Fish farms are sprouting up in the unlikeliest of places -- the dry arid lands of Ukambani. Yes, hundreds of fish ponds are being constructed in the region and other arid and semi-arid lands thanks to a government project seeking to stimulate rural economies. In the drought-prone Kamuru Village of Kangundo District, Mr Domiciano Maingi first ventured into the uncharted waters last year and put up 12 ponds, all stocked with either tilapia or catfish. He has not regretted clearing his nappier grass on his two-acres to pave the way for the ponds. READ MORE

Kenya fishermen divided over adoption of ring net

April 16, 2010
KENYA - As a light aircraft overflies the picturesque Watamu peninsula in Malindi, Kenya, a gang of about 40 fishermen pulls a large net from the sea. Nothing out of the ordinary to the observers on the plane, even after circling the area several times. But these are no ordinary fishermen. They are among the three ring netters operating in Watamu. Despite their seemingly small number, the economic and environmental impact has been enormous, raising a wave of complaints and concerns. READ MORE

Forest conservation will check climate change in Uganda
April 14, 2010
UGANDA - The scientific debate, whether climate change is occurring or not, is over. Climate change is now a scientifically established fact. Climate change is growing every day, every hour and every minute of inaction. The world and Uganda in particular, have faced the challenge of adjusting to the continuously changing climatic. This can be evidenced by the recent tragic events in Bududa, Kabale, and Butaleja districts. READ MORE

CARIBBEAN
Environmental concerns raised over Bimini Bay Resort development

April 15, 2010
BAHAMAS - Concerns over ecological destruction at the $75 million Bimini Bay Resort have reached a critical point as development presses on without a long-overdue Environmental Management Plan (EMP) and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). An independent assessment of the North Bimini resort site submitted by Black and Veatch International (BVI) in August 2008 advised government to require the developers Rav Bahamas Ltd to submit a comprehensive written EMP and EIA to monitor construction at the 700-acre site. But nearly two years later conservationists say mangroves are being ripped out and wetlands filled in as dredging goes on without best practice measures to mitigate environmental impact. READ MORE
MAP's Exec Director, Alfredo Quarto Urges Bimini's Govt to take action Read his letter on our blog

Planting trees is critical to Haitian recovery efforts
April 5, 2010
HAITI - One of the most effective ways to help Haiti prepare for and mitigate the damage of future disasters is to plant trees. Haiti's lack of tree cover is a perpetual recipe for disaster, poverty and death. Tropical Storm Jeanne demonstrated this in 2004 when it sent a destructive surge of mud and water down barren mountains through the city of Gonaïves, killing close to 3,000 people and taking out homes, livestock and businesses along the way. Much of this damage could have been prevented if Haiti had forests left to act. READ MORE

NORTH AMERICA
Mangrove Restoration Workshop a Success
April 8, 2010
USA - Long-time SER member Roy R. “Robin” Lewis III taught the 8th annual Mangrove Forest Ecology, Management and Restoration training workshop at the Anne Kolb Nature Center March 4-6, 2010. The three-day course was held at the award-winning 500 hectare restoration project at West Lake Park designed by Robin. The first two days focused on mangrove forest ecology, management options and problems, and restoration design issues. The emphasis on case studies from around the world provided the participants with graphic illustrations of failures and successes and highlighted the disconnect between well-meaning governments and NGOs and the effective implementation of restoration projects. Participants from Latin America, Asia and North America were also encouraged to discuss their experiences and projects, which added an important dimension to the course.
The field trip to the West Lake Park mangrove restoration site, which is now 20 years old, provided participants with critical insights into the design and implementation of this highly successful project. Robin clearly explained his approach to designing a low-cost project with minimal intervention and an emphasis on healthy natural succession. A description of the Ecological Mangrove Restoration (EMR) method can be found at http://mangroveactionproject.org/. Robin is President of Lewis Environmental Services based in Salt Springs, Florida and has taught this course throughout the world. He maintains a website with over 40 free pdf downloads of his and others’ scientific papers on mangrove management and restoration (www.mangroverestoration.com). Plans are now underway to offer this dynamic training workshop at the next SER World Conference on Ecological Restoration in Merida, Mexico in August 2011

Mangrove forests in worldwide decline
April 9, 2010
More than one in six mangrove species worldwide are in danger of extinction due to coastal development and other factors, including climate change, logging and agriculture, according to the first-ever global assessment on the conservation status of mangroves for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. As a result, 11 out of 70 mangrove species (16 percent) which were assessed will be placed on the IUCN Red List. The Atlantic and Pacific coasts of Central America, where as many as 40 percent of mangrove species are considered threatened, are particularly affected. Mangroves are vital to coastal communities as they protect them from damage caused by tsunami waves, erosion and storms, and serve as a nursery for fish and other species that support coastal livelihoods. In addition, they have a staggering ability to sequester carbon from the atmosphere, and serve as both a source and repository for nutrients and sediments for other inshore marine habitats, such as seagrass beds and coral reefs. READ MORE