MAP News Issue 391, May 28, 2016

Over 100 mangrove destruction cases in 4 years, but not a single conviction

INDIA – The state mangrove cell, which was created in 2012 to stop the destruction of the vital coastal ecosystem, has only pursued seven cases against offenders even as the city’s mangrove forests continue to be destroyed through illegal land reclamation. There has not been a single conviction in the past four years though 115 cases were registered during the period According to data accessed by Hindustan Times, destruction of wetlands by dumping and encroachments accounted for 80% of the cases, with the rest related to hacking and burning of mangrove forests Mangrove cell officials said the prosecution rate was low because the culprits were unidentified “In most of the registered cases in forested areas, offences have been committed by unidentified persons. Due to the unavailability of CCTV cameras and low manpower, there is lack of evidence in most cases,’’ said a senior official from the state mangrove cell adding, “There has been no convictions yet because of delay in court proceedings wherein cases go on for years.’ Activists also pointed out there is a huge gap in the implementation of laws made to protect wetlands. Stalin Dayanand, project director, NGO Vanashakti, said, ”The system has failed miserably in penalising the destroyers of mangroves. READ MORE

ASIA

Andaman coral reef sites may close

THAILAND – After being warned of possible coral bleaching in Thailand as a result of El Nino last year, the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources says it is prepared to cope but may be forced to close affected coral reef sites. The increasing temperatures in the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand earlier this month is a sign, said Nalinee Thongtham, the department's senior fishery biologist. She said that the influence of El Nino has resulted in increasing seawater temperatures in the eastern Pacific which have remained longer than usual. Once the temperature declines, the mass of warm water moves to the western Pacific, accompanied with high seawater temperatures in the summer season. This becomes a significant factor in stimulating the bleaching, the biologist added. This is not the first case of bleaching in Thailand. The natural occurrence took place in 1991, 1995, 2003, 2005 and 2007. However, the worst case was in 2010 where 66.9% of coral reefs in the northern part of the Andaman Sea and 39% in the southern part died from bleaching. The biologist said the recovery from 2010 is satisfactory in many areas but the department is concerned that these areas may soon be affected by new bleaching. "If it happens in a very short period, there is a smaller impact to the coral reefs, which are very sensitive. Or the impact could be immense in which case stronger action is required to limit the problem," she said. READ MORE

Wetlands for our Future: Sustainable Livelihood
INDIA – Bhitarkanika mangrove ecosystem (also a Ramsar site) is one of the most ecologically sensitive, unique mangrove forests and second largest in the country. Bhitarkanika mangrove forest is surrounded by 410 villages and more than 2.4 lakhs people of these villages area routinely struggle for their livelihood with a number of adverse factors, typical to the water logging, and soil and water salinity, the climate change induced disasters like flood, cyclones and sea level rise etc. The brackish soil does not provide more than one crops except paddy per annum, which might also been destroyed by natural calamities and wild animals. The absence of local employment opportunities along with climate change impacts and habitat destruction, are creating more demand on the Bhitrakanika mangrove resources which is under pressure, fragile and threatened. Nevertheless, degradation of Bhitarkanika mangrove ecosystem remains a matter of concern, emphasizing the fact that effective management of mangrove resources is possible only active participation of local communities. We observed that local communities in the area have positive attitudes towards mangroves, but their socio-economic conditions pressured people’s attitudes. Local communities valued those functions of mangrove forests that were directly linked to their wellbeing. READ MORE

Mangrove Conservation project kicks off in Kerala
INDIA – Apollo Tyres and Wildlife Trust of India have entered into a partnership to restore a critical mangrove project in Kerala's Kannur district. Apollo Tyres and Wildlife Trust of India announced the partnership to coincide with the International Day for Biodiversity. The Kannur Kandal project (mangrove conservation) aims at ensuring survival of existing mangroves and increase acreage of such habitats across Kannur, potentially making it a prototype for other coastal districts of Kerala and a model for the rest of the country, a release from the tyre major said. The actual site for Apollo Tyres-WTI's project will be in Kunhimangalam village in Kannur district, which is one of the largest mangrove villages of Kerala. The project will establish a hub, located in the natural ecosystem, for mangrove-based education, serving as an open air laboratory for research and promoting restoration through community and government participation. A mangrove nursery and community-based initiatives to enhance public awareness and reduce threats to mangroves are other aspects of the project. Particular efforts will be made to generate scientific interest about mangroves among the youth, the release said. READ MORE

Oil spills affecting marine, mangrove forest in Paradip
INDIA – Frequent theft of oil by vandalizing the pipeline of IOCL’s oil refinery here affecting the marine species and mangrove forest in coastal areas due to oil spill but also affected revenue generation . Though Indian Oil is losing crude oil due to such theft every month and pipelines are damaged no discernible effort has been undertaken to nab the culprits of unearth the oil theft racket which is operating successfully with the alleged connivance of certain people. Petroleum products like diesel, petrol and kerosene are being supplied from vessels to oil refinery project of IOCL. The four lane pipelines of IOCL which been stretched about 15 kms from oil berth to Oil Refinery project of IOCL is in an isolated place. On Monday, the gang involved in this lucrative illegal business made holes in a pipeline of IOCL at Kaudia River bed of Paradip area and place a valve to draw fuel. They used nearly 100 meters plastic pipes to draw the fuel. READ MORE

AMERICAS

Honduras Arrests 4 Men in Killing of Berta Cáceres, Indigenous Activist

HONDURAS – Four men have been arrested in the murder of a Honduran environmental and indigenous rights activist whose killing two months ago prompted international condemnation, the authorities said on Monday. The activist, Berta Cáceres, led a decade-long fight to block construction of the Agua Zarca Dam along the Gualcarque River, which is sacred to her Lenca people. Despite numerous threats and the killings of other members of her organization, she was undeterred. She was awarded the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize last year, but the international acclaim was not enough to protect her. On March 3, gunmen burst into the house where she was staying in La Esperanza, her hometown, in western Honduras, and fatally shot her. The suspects were arrested in raids early Monday. Two of them are linked to the Honduran company that is building the dam, Desarrollos Energéticos S.A., or DESA. READ MORE

Collier County Digs Out Clam Pass To Stop Mangrove Die Off
U.S.A. – Collier County is dredging sand out of Clam Pass to stop mangroves from dying. The waterway is the entry point to three bays and more than 300 acres of mangroves. About eight acres of mangroves have already died. A wildlife ecologist who consulted on the project said the current die off comes from heavy rainfall in January and February. Tim Hall said water had nowhere to go because Clam Pass was congested with sand. “We had water that stacked up higher than normal and got high enough to the point where it started killing some of the mangrove trees out there,” he said. Hall said it’s possible there could be more die off later because mangroves can be slow to react. The pass has a history of closing up. Hall said it was initially dredged in 1999 after about 70 acres of mangroves died. READ MORE

EUROPE

Coldwater prawns battle for menu supremacy

U.K. – A campaign is underway in the United Kingdom to educate chefs about the benefits of using coldwater prawns, instead of the tropical versions that have become ubiquitous on menus. There are signs that the three-year-old project is starting to score points. British consumers love prawns; they are the fourth most-consumed species of seafood eaten in the United Kingdom. However, the domestic market lacks knowledge about the product, especially the differences between warmwater and coldwater prawns. The issue is being addressed though a three-year education program for chefs, student chefs and lecturers, which is allowing them to reappraise coldwater prawns and to use them as a means to add value to dishes. The project was developed following seven years of research by the International Cold Water Prawn Forum. The research sought to determine the views of consumers and culinary experts about the features and benefits of Pandalus borealis. It established that there was an opportunity to develop a unique positioning for the species in the culinary sector. Initially supported by Greenland and Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada, the project was recently joined by Iceland and Norway. “These four countries are the major producers of coldwater prawns and their industries can see the benefits of raising awareness of the product and increasing consumption. The U.K. is the largest market for P. borealis, but there is also a growing market in China,” said program director Karen Galloway. READ MORE

OCEANA

Mangrove Ecosystems In Queensland Are Dying Just Like The Great Barrier Reef

AUSTRALIA – Australia is still recovering from the massive coral bleaching in the Great Barrier Reef, however, its ecosystem gets another blow — the Mangrove population in Queensland is dying. Scientists are yet to establish an explanation of what could have caused it, but they are certain that the damage covers a large area. The hot climate coinciding with the dry period of Northern Australia could have triggered the widespread deaths, because there is no other major event, such as cyclone, tsunami or oil spill in the area that could have resulted in such destruction of the mangrove ecosystem, said Norm Duke, a professor from James Cook University and a spokesman for the Australian Mangrove and Saltmarsh Network (AMSN). Mangroves are crucial because they minimize the erosion of shorelines and prevent sediment from going offshore, thus, filtering the inland water before it enters the sea. Without the mangroves, coastal ecosystem like seagrass and corals could vanish as well. These mangroves also serve as fish sanctuaries. Fishermen have already reported about meager catches along with the diminishing mangrove ecosystem. READ MORE

Fraser Coast mangrove tours first in the state
AUSTRALIA – Lindsay Titmarsh has lived among the mangroves of Tandora his entire life, and is about to share his unique experience with the world. Mr Titmarsh, 68, is the first person in Queensland to be given a commercial licence to host walking tours of the mangrove forest growing on the eastern side of his property, on the banks of the Mary River east of Dundathu. "The stuff out there is just magic," Mr Titmarsh said. "You're not going to see it anywhere else. "I like walking out there and having a look and I thought others might like to look at it too." Mr Titmarsh applied for the licence in November last year through the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection. "They came out and had a look and agreed everything was alright for tours," he said. "I had to get Butchulla approval and I got that." He said the department was interested to see if the tours proved popular. Mr Titmarsh has mapped out eight different "walkabout" tours, most following tracks made by the feral pigs who live in the mangroves. The walks vary in difficulty, but those interested in joining a walk should expect to leave with their shoes and ankles caked in mud. Over the years of living and exploring the hundreds of acres of mangrove-covered land, Mr Titmarsh has built up a lifetime of knowledge of the 10 different species of mangroves and at least 25 different types of crabs living on his property. READ MORE

LAST WORD(S)

Dear Ms. Monica,

Greetings from BEDS! Hope this email finds you well.
According to our previous communication we have conducted fishermen children art competing as per our schedule during celebrating IDB 2016 so we would like to share few photographs and events draft report to you.
Our events news also published newspaper so we will share this published documents to you very soon.
We will send three selected children drawing by post before the deadline.
If you have needed any more information about our programme please always feel free to asking us.
Take care.
Best wishes,
Maksud