Information & Meetings
	Conferences & Events
	New Coastal Publications
	New Internet Database of  ICM Education and Training Courses

Organisations
	New Website Links

Environment
	April 22 - 30th anniversary of Earth Day
	Spin off from World Water Forum
	Historic BP shareholder vote against arctic oil exploration

Biodiversity
	Concerns about GM salmon

Policy
	Migrating birds might profit from new French hunting law
	Columbia - country of two seas -  turns to the EU for help

Events recently announded
 

May 2 - June 9	36th International Seminar on Port Management, IHE Delft, The Netherlands. Info: fax: + 31 15 2122921, e-mail: ihe@ihe.nl, Website
May 26	SHORELINE 2000 Information Tools for Shoreline Management, Nice, France. Info: fax: +33 4 93 375430, e-mail: Philippe.Gourbesville@unice.fr
June 14 - 16	EARSeL Symposium "A Decade of Trans-European Remote Sensing Cooperation", Dresden, Germany. Info: fax: + 33 1 45567361, e-mail: earsel@meteo.fr
July 4 - 6	URBAN 21 Global Conference on the Urban Future, Berlin Germany. Info: fax: +49 1888  401 2315, e-mail: info@urban21.de, Website
July 10 - 13	Maritime Heritage 2000 in the Coastal Regions of the European Union, Brest, France. Info: fax: + 33 2 98 49 87, e-mail: Francoise.Peron@univ-brest.fr, Website
Oct 18 - 20	Irish Sea Conference 2000, Douglas, Isle of Man, UK. Info: e-mail: H.Davies@liv.ac.uk

Please note:
The year 2000 overview of the Coastal Guide conference and event  meeting list can be found at http://www.coastalguide.org/meetings/
 
 

New Coastal Publications
 
 

The effects of UV radiation in the marine environment  Cambridge environmental chemistry series 10. Ed. by Stephen de Mora, Serge Demers and Maria Vernet (2000, 324 pp.). Cambridge University Press, The Edinburgh Building, Shaftesbury Road, Cambridge CB2 2RU, UK. Fax +44 1223 325891, email information@cup.cam.ac.uk, http://www.cup.cam.ac.uk.  ISBN 0 521 63218. Price UK £ 50.00. Decreasing concentrations of ozone in the stratosphere radically influence the effects of UV radiation on the environment. This book provides a comprehensive review of UV radiation effects specifically in the marine environment. A multidisciplinary approach is adopted to discuss all aspects from a physical, chemical and biological perspective. The book begins by describing the attenuation of UV radiation in the atmosphere and seawater, outlining the photochemical reactions involved and highlighting the role that such chemistry can play in influencing the biogeochemical cycling of various elements. The deleterious consequences of such radiation on organisms are discussed, from virus and bacteria through phytoplankton and zooplankton to fish and mammals. The strategies adopted by these organisms to mitigate such harmful repercussions and a synthesis of the UV-induced response at a community level are also considered.

Pacific Coasts and Ports ’97  Proceedings of the 13th Australasian Coastal and Ocean Engineering Conference & the 6th Australasian Port and Harbour Conference (7-11 September 1997, Christchurch, New Zealand. Publ. by Centre for Advanced Engineering (1997, 1096 pp. in 2 vol.), University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, NZ. Price per two-volume set: USD 65 incl. packaging and posting. To order, contact Emma Griffin, Publication Officer,  e-mail e.griffin@cae.canterbury.ac.nz. ISBN 0-908993-15-3 and ISBN 0-908993-16-1. The scope of the conference reflects the increasing requirement for managers to move towards a multi-disciplinary approach, involving engineering, scientific, planning and resource management disciplines, when addressing coastal zone problems. The 180 peer-reviewed papers contained in these Proceedings cover a wide spectrum from ecological monitoring of the marine environment through to the design and construction of ports and coastal structures. The authors, from eighteen countries, are a well-balanced mix of professionals representing government, local authorities, academic institutions and private industry.

As part of the Coastal Guide Programme, the EUCC is compiling an internet database of ICM Education and Training Courses. Once complete, the database will be accessible and searchable through the Coastal Guide website (www.coastalguide.org). It is intended that the database will provide a central information source for those seeking ICM education or training opportunities through providing basic course details and links to relevant homepages. Although initially focusing on courses offered in Europe, we also welcome notification of courses offered outside Europe that are open to European citizens.
To include a course in the database, simply reply to this e-mail stating that you wish a course to be included. You will then be e-mailed a brief questionnaire to complete so that all course details are collected and presented in a standardized format.  Alternatively, a questionnaire can be downloaded directly from the Coastal Guide website (http://www.coastalguide.org/training).
We encourage all ICM course leaders to make use of this opportunity which is completely free of charge. Further information is available from either Steve Fletcher, Editor of the Education and Training section of the European Coastal Guide (steve.fletcher@solent.ac.uk) or the European Coastal Guide helpdesk (helpdesk@coastalguide.org).
 
 
 

New Website Links

Center for Coastal Studies: a private non-profit organisation for research, conservation and education in the coastal and marine environments (USA) 

Coastal Alliance: non-profit organization, increase public awareness of the coast (USA)

Essex Coastal Strategy: sustainable use of the Essex coastline

Institute of Aquaculture: an international research and post-graduate training centre which is the largest of its kind in the world; University of Stirling, UK

Solway European Marine Site Project: a number of interactive maps which provide information on the various areas of special interest within the Solway European Marine site
 

Check out the other Website Links on the Coastal Guide
 

April 22 - 30th anniversary of Earth Day

On April 22, 1970 Earth Day founder Gaylord Nelson, a US senator organised a nationwide environmental protest. 30 years later over half a billion people worldwide will hit the streets to protest against environmental destruction and global warming. Earth Day Network is the international organisation coordinating Earth Day 2000 events worldwide. For more information on Earth Day Network and the 4500 organisations in 181 countries participating in the Earth Day 2000 campaign, please visit http://www.earthday.net.
See also: Envirolink News Service "Earth Day 2000" http://earthday.envirolink.org/index.html
 

Journalists covering the Second World Water Forum and Ministerial Conference in Den Haag last month (see Coastal Guide News No. 5 and 6) launched an independent global network of print and electronic media called World Water Forum of Journalists (WWFJ). The headquarter is located in Dhaka, Bangladesh where the first conference is planned for September 2000. The primary objective is to help raise awareness about water related issues around the world, promote nature conservation, and organize training programmes, study tours and conferences for journalists. WWFJ also plans to build up an information network to serve international organisations.  For more information, contact the Secretary General Quamrul Islam Chowdhury, fejb@bangla.net

The e-mail discussion forum "WaterForum" is another recent initiative. It is open for discussion of surface water and groundwater issues, including coastal aspects. If you want to join, send a blank e-mail message to waterforum-subscribe@eGroups.com. http://www.egroups.com/group/waterforum
 
 

At the Annual General Meeting of BP Amoco on April 13, more than 13 per cent of investors called on the company to stay out of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and for a redirection of funds into its solar subsidiary BP Solarex. The resolution was publicly backed by a large number of individual and institutional shareholders in the US and the UK. A major ethical investment company in the US, Trillium Asset Management of Boston co-filed
the resolution with Greenpeace and the US Public Interest Research Group. Trillium senior analyst Simon Billenness told the AGM the resolution was a warning bell for BP Amoco. Greenpeace calls it an historic vote, and the highest vote for an environmental resolution anywhere in the world.
More information: james.williams@ams.greenpeace.org, Greenpeace International Press Office
 

Concerns over GM salmon

AF Protein - A US firm - is developing a genetically-modified salmon on Prince Edward Island, Canada. The GM fish which can grow up to 10 times faster than normal, could be cleared for human consumption within a year. The company has inserted two sets of new genes into Atlantic salmon. The first set are growth hormone genes and the second set, from a different fish, to activate them. As a result, at the age of 18 months, the salmons are five times the size of their unmodified siblings. AF Protein says it has made sure all of its experimental fish are infertile. But campaigners say it is impossible to guarantee sterility and they are worried about the dangers to the wider fish community. 
In December, William Muir and Richard Howard of Purdue University, Indiana, US, reported in New Scientist magazine the release of just one GM fish could wipe out local populations of the species, the so-called "Trojan gene" scenario. 
Further information:
http://www.afprotein.com
http://www.newscientist.com/
 

Migrating birds might profit from new French hunting law 

A small majority in the French National Assembly passed a controversial hunting law and the Green Minister of Environment D.Voynet barely escaped defeat. Pro hunt communists abstained and the Green Party backed the proposal, even though they think it is a bad compromise. 
The new law brings France’s hunting practices into line with the 1979 EU Directive. Two years ago an ‘Alliance of Hunting Representatives’ passed a law that was in total contradiction to the same Directives by which migratory birds are protected.
Many millions of migratory birds pass France along either the eastern or western West European route. The latter is along the West European coasts as the birds are afraid to cross large areas of water. Some species almost exclusively use this route.
A 1.6 million strong hunting lobby and a widespread feeling that France should not comply to EU legislation that infringe traditional popular rights made the French Government act cautiously: hunting migratory birds is restricted from September 1 to January 31 (formerly from 3rd Saturday in July to the end of February), but in some regions and for some migratory birds open season is from August 10 to February 10 (it is up to the Prefects to decide). 
It remains doubtful whether the law will be passed unscathed in the second reading, because the Communist Party wants to expand the night shooting permit from 20 to 31 Departments, and the Green Party wants to reverse the decision. The influential CPNT (‘Hunting, Fishing, Nature and Tradition Party’) is very much against the compromise. Their threat to punish in the next general elections all politicians that would vote in favour of the law is realistic, because in last year’s European parliamentary elections they won 7% of the vote nation-wide and in some regions even up to 16%.
More information : http://www.environnement.gouv.fr
 

Columbia - country of two seas -  turns to the EU for help

The Ministry of Environment of Columbia is currently preparing the formal launch of the Environmental Alliance with European Union institutions. The aim is to establish closer relationship with NGOs, public and private sector institutions in EU countries to learn from their experience in tackling environmental problems and establish a forum of cooperation. One of the main issues to be addressed is integrated management of Columbia's coastal zones and marine resources. For further information, contact Sonia Peña, International Cooperation Officer, ctecnica@hotmail.com
 
 
 

Deadline for submitting contributions to Coastal Guide News No 9:
Wednesday, 3 May 2000

COASTAL GUIDE NEWS is a biweekly newsletter published by the European Union for Coastal Conservation (EUCC) with financial support of Stichting DOEN, the foundation of the Dutch lottery "Postcode Loterij" and the Department of International Nature Affairs of the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries. For free subscriptions, comments or contributions to this newsletter, please contact news@coastalguide.org.

Members of the Coastal Guide News editorial team: Erik Devilee, P.J. van der Hulst, Irene Lucius, René van Oers and Albert Salman.
 

Established in 1989, the European Union for Coastal Conservation (EUCC) is an association involving the largest coastal network in Europe with 750 members and member organisations in 40 countries. For more information please contact EUCC International Secretariat, POBox 11232, NL-2301 EE Leiden, the Netherlands, tel.: +31-71-5122900, internet: http://www.eucc.nl 
 

© European Union for Coastal Conservation