Information & Meetings
	Conferences & Events
	New Coastal Publications
	Training courses for environmental port management
	Global learning initiative for journalists on water
	Vacancy

Organisations
	New hyperlinks

Environment
	Aquaculture pesticides have negative impact on environment
	Solid waste continues to pollute North Sea beaches

Development & Trends
	Oil development in Caucasus in the spotlight

Policy
	Spain blocked European fisheries reform

Events recently announded

Sept 23 - 25

The 3rd Ocean Technology Workshop One stop shopping for Ocean Technology and Services, Sheraton Inn Plymouth, Plymouth, MA, USA. Info: Fax 781-749-1120 E-mail: MarTRep@aol.com, Website

Aug 24 - 29

XXX IAHR Congress: Water Engineering and Research in a learning Society - modern developments and traditional concepts, Thessaloniki, Greece. Info: Fax: +30-310-995681, +30-310-995658 E-mail: 2003iahr@auth.gr, Website

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

New Coastal Publications
 

EUCC Coastal Guide News readers satisfied with publication In January of this year, EUCC published an online questionnaire that aimed at providing feedback from Coastal Guide News readers in order to monitor user satisfaction and improve the publication. Over a hundred readers responded, the majority very positively. Half of the respondents said to be very satisfied with the quality of the newsletter and the remaining half were satisfied. The relevance, adequacy, accuracy, functionality, style and length of "International news in brief" was rated as adequate. The reaction regarding the different parts of the newsletter was somewhat varied. International news in brief, News on Coastal Guide Website and Coastal Publications are seen as very positive-to-positive, although improvements on the parts concerning vacancies and courses were requested. In addition, readers expressed the need for more good practise examples, hyperlinks and sources of other information and more information on nature management. The additional comments on topics that could be added or improved were very helpful. Finally, EUCC was very pleased to learn that half of the respondents are willing to contribute to stories and act as an editor for EUCC Coastal Guide News. We will follow up on these offers in due time.

Training courses for environmental port management

The Port and Environment Training Consortium organises a series of course entitled "Port and the Environment - A structured approach to environmental training. This introductory and modular series of courses is designed to provide those working in port management with an understanding of the wide range of current environmental issues relating to ports and support them with practical methods to apply in their own work environment. The courses are recognised by the United Kingdom Major Ports Group, who acknowledge the need to provide environmental guidance to all those working in port related industries.
Further information: http://www.coastalguide.org/news/port.pdf

Global learning initiative for journalists on water

To help build an educated press, and an informed society, the Secretariat for the 3rd World Water Forum, the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the World Bank Institute are implementing a global learning initiative for journalists to help improve the quality and quantity of coverage of water issues. The initiative is designed to help journalists examine the social, environmental, regulatory and financial issues relating to water. Journalists can join the WATER MEDIA NETWORK to be updated on workshops, field visits, distance learning courses and electronic discussions.
To join the WATER MEDIA NETWORK or for more information, contact Tracey Osborne at tosborne@worldbank.org or see the web site: http://www.worldbank.org/wbi/sdwatermedianetwork/index.html

Solway Firth Partnership Project Officer Vacancy

SNH is looking to recruit a Project Officer, based in Dumfries to co-ordinate the implementation of the Solway Firth Partnership and to undertake key projects as identified in the Business Plan. The key tasks involve: monitoring and reviewing the strategy of the project and maintaining and developing the partnership; providing information and advice to partners; raising awareness of the project through the media and undertaking educational activities. This is a Fixed Term Appointment until November 2003. Remuneration package including a starting salary of £19,800 with guaranteed pay progression for satisfactory performance, a non-contributory pension scheme and generous leave allowance. The date for receipt of completed applications is 10th May 2002.
For further details, including a job specification and application form, please visit the SFP website (www.abdn.ac.uk/sfp/ ), telephone (0131) 446 2293 (24 Hours) or e-mail recruitment@snh.gov.uk quoting REF: LK10 and address details.

New hyperlinks

CIESM International Commission for the Scientific Exploration of the Mediterranean Sea
http://www.ciesm.org
The Commission is currently funded by 22 EU Member States which support the work of a large scientific network - some 500 institutes and over 2500 researchers - united by a commitment to promote marine science for the lasting protection of the Mediterranean Sea and for the well-being of its coastal populations.

Plantlife
http://www.plantlife.org.uk
Plantlife acts directly to stop common wild plants becoming rare in the wild, to rescue wild plants on the brink of extinction, and to protect sites of exceptional botanical importance.

Planta Europa
http://www.plantaeuropa.org
The Planta Europa mission is to conserve the wild plants, both higher and lower, of Europe and their habitats.

Aquaculture pesticides have negative impact on environment

Pesticides applied in salmon farms against fish parasites may be having a "large-scale effect" on the environment according to a leaked British Government research report, part of an ongoing £4 million study into the impacts of the industry. It has uncovered an "almost complete absence" of certain key species of crustaceans, which according to the scientists "suggests the possibility of a large-scale effect that may be related to the use of chemicals on fish farms." The researchers recommend further work, although so far research has been hampered by a lack of cooperation by fish farmers. Since 1998 the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) had issued over 700 licences for toxic treatments at Scottish fish farms for emamectin benzoate, cypermethrin, azamethiphos, and teflubenzuron. The worrying findings suggest that the impact of salmon farming may not be localised, as the industry and authorities have so far claimed.
More information on Friends of the Earth Scotland's website
http://www.foe-scotland.org.uk/press/pr20020405.html.

Solid waste continues to pollute North Sea beaches

The Dutch Coastwatch results of 2001 summarised by the North Sea Foundation show no decrease of solid waste disposal on Dutch beaches. Over 40% came from the sea, caused mainly by the shipping and fishery sector. The North Sea Foundation hopes that the Coastwatch 2001 report will help to promote the development of a waste management plan for ships.
Further information (in Dutch): http://www.noordzee.nl/coastwatch-online

Oil development in Caucasus in the spotlight

The new study "Pocketing Caspian Black Gold: Who are the Real Beneficiaries of Oil Infrastructure Development in Georgia and Azerbaijan?" published by the CEE Bankwatch Network and Energy Project, highlights concerns regarding the rapid development of oil fields in the Caspian Sea and its impact on the local population and the environment. The report raises doubts that oil development projects will bring prosperity to ordinary people in Georgia and Azerbaijan, the majority of whom live far below the poverty line. Instead, the real beneficiaries of oil development are more likely to be Transnationals, Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), Export Credit Agencies (ECAs) and some high-level governmental officials, claims Bankwatch. The report will be used to illustrate CEE Bankwatch Network's arguments against MDB and ECA support of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline. The Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline is designed to transport Caspian oil via Georgia to the Turkish port of Ceyhan on the Mediterranean. The 1,730 km pipeline is estimated to cost USD 2.8-2.9 billion and has raised environmental concerns. The reluctance of governments to recognise the social and environmental problems of oil development will only lead to the further destruction of the fragile environment of the Caucasus, the study concludes. According to a Financial Times article of April 24, the presidents of Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan met recently to move one step closer to resolving the question of the legal status of the Caspian Sea and consequently how to divide its natural resources, in particular oil, gas and sturgeon. Russia has already reached bilateral agreements with Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan but Iran insists on an unanimous approach and claims 20 percent of the Caspian although its coastline represents only 14 percent. The dispute has slowed progress on the construction of new pipelines and the exploration of more oil and gas.
The Caspian article can be read on http://globalarchive.ft.com/globalarchive/article.html?id=020424000799.
The Bankwatch study can be downloaded from http://www.bankwatch.org/downloads/oilrevenues.pdf

Spain blocked European fisheries reform

"Plans for radical reforms to the European Union's Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) have been put on hold following intensive lobbying from Spain", the Financial Times reported on 24 April. Spain receives the largest share of European public fisheries subsidies. It has been alarmed by leaked details of the new CFP, in particular the plan to end subsidies that lead to an increase in the capacity of fishing fleets, measures to reduce by-catch, tighter enforcement, and more stakeholder participation in decision making.
Two articles on the issue can be found on http://globalarchive.ft.com/globalarchive/article.html?id=020430000280, http://globalarchive.ft.com/globalarchive/article.html?id=020424000795

Deadline for submitting contributions to Coastal Guide News No 10: 15 May, 2002

COASTAL GUIDE NEWS is a biweekly newsletter published by the EUCC - The Coastal Union 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, Marijke Kooijman, Irene Lucius, Piet Lansbergen, Hanneke Mesters, Albert Salman, Stephanie Spijkerman, Virginie Terrier.
 

Established in 1989, the EUCC - The Coastal Union 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
 

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