| No 14, 12 July 2002 |
| Information & Meetings | |
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New Coastal Publications |
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Conferences & Events |
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Vacancy |
| Organisations | |
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New hyperlinks |
| Biodiversity | |
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Global fishing ground "ecological footprint" grows rapidly |
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Breeding bluefin tuna in captivity won't save the species |
| Development & Trends | |
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Action plan on better fisheries data in preparation |
| Policy | |
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European Commission approves coastal conservation projects |
| Information & Meetings |
New Coastal Publications
| Biogeography of the OSPAR Maritime Area By Wolfgang P. Dinter (2001, 167 pp.). Landwirtschaftsverlag GmbH, Hülsebrockstrasse 2, D-48084 Münster, Germany. Fax +2501 801 351. Internet: www.lv-h.de/bfn. ISBN 3 7843 3818 6. The ministerial meeting of the "OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic" adopted a new Annex V to this Convention in 1998. This new Annex aims for the establishment of a representative system of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) within the OSPAR area. The German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation conducted this study to identify biogeographical units of the North-East Atlantic and Arctic Ocean. Together with a broad presentation of oceanographical features which are the basis for maritime biogeographic patterns, a selection of different biogeographic approaches to marine biogeography is presented in this work. A resulting synoptical new biogeographic concept is presented. |
| Tourism, Biodiversity and Information By F.di Castri and V. Balaji (2002, 501 pp.). Backhuys Publishers, P.O.Box 321, 2300 AH Leiden, the Netherlands. Fax +71 517 18 56. ISBN 90 5782 107 9. The year 2002 has been designated by the U.N. as the International Year for Ecotourism, and this book comes as a very timely one. The 28 chapters of this book cover many facets of the relationship between tourism and biodiversity. Chapters 4 - 9 deal with coastal zones and 10 - 16 with islands. |
2002
| Oct 7 - 10 | ECSA Local Meeting Ecological structures and functions in the Scheldt Estuary: from past to future, Antwerp, Belgium. Info: Fax. +32 (0)3 820 22 71, Email: magda.stalmans@ua.ac.be Website |
| Oct 16 | Information Management for Strategic Environmental Assessment and Regulation in the Marine Environment, London, UK. Info: Bob Earll: Phone / Fax 01531 890415, Website |
| Nov 14 | Taking Forward Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) - A Government Sponsored conference on how the UK should implement the new EU Recommendation on ICZM, London, UK. Info: Bob Earll: Phone / Fax 01531 890415, Website |
Please note:
The overview of the Coastal Guide conference and event meeting
list can be found at http://www.coastalguide.org/meetings/
Marine Conservation Society seeking Biodiversity Policy Officer
MCS is seeking a full-time Biodiversity Policy Officer to work under
the Director of Conservation and alongside other team members to develop
a framework of measures that provide adequate protection for marine biodiversity
in UK waters. This challenging post will involve regular liaison with
government departments and non-governmental organisations; input to international
biodiversity protection measures such as the EC Habitats Directive and
OSPAR; project development to increase our knowledge of marine biodiversity,
focusing on the Biodiversity Action Plans for rocky and sediment habitats
and associated species; and promotional work to raise awareness of the
importance and diversity of our marine habitats and species. The position
will involve policy and campaign work at a national and international
level on marine biodiversity protection, as well as communicating the
broader aims of the Marine Conservation Society to a wide audience throughout
the UK. Salary range: £17,500 to £19,000. The successful candidate will
be required to take up post by the end of August 2002.
Please apply in writing, quoting the Ref: BPO, with a covering letter
enclosing your CV and SAE by July 15th 2002 to: Tony Martin, Chief Executive,
Marine Conservation Society (BPO), 9 Gloucester Road, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire,
HR9 5BU, Tel: +44-1989 566017, fax: +44-1989 567815, http://www.mcsuk.org
| Organisations |
New hyperlinks
COASTMAN
http://coastman.free.fr
Comparative analysis of institutional arrangement experiences and needs
for Integrated Coastal Zone Management in France, Norway and Greece
ReefBase
http://www.reefbase.org
A global, online information system on coral reefs, providing a wealth
of relevant information to coral reef researchers, coastal zone managers
as well as the general public. Includes online mapping, statistics, photos,
literature
Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn (Naples, Italy)
http://www.szn.it/
Basic research in biology and promoting international cooperation in scientific
research and cooperation with other Italian institutions
Vietnamese Netherlands Integrated Coastal Zone Management
http://www.nea.gov.vn/projects/Halan/English/VNICZM_HomePage.html
Advising in the planning and development of the Vietnamese coastal zone,
its communities and its resources in a sustainable way.
| Biodiversity |
Global fishing ground "ecological footprint" grows rapidly
WWF published its latest Living Planet Report on 10 July, a periodic
update on the state of the world's ecosystems and human pressures on them
through the consumption of renewable natural resources - as measured by
the Ecological Footprint (EF). A population's EF is the total area of
productive land or sea required to produce all the crops, meat, seafood,
wood and fibre it consumes, to sustain its energy consumption and to give
space for its infrastructure. While the EF of the average African or Asian
consumer was less than 1.4 hectares per person in 1999, the average Western
European's footprint was about 5.0 hectares, and the average North American's
was about 9.6 hectares. A country's fishing ground EF takes into account
the kind of fish (whether it lives high or low in the ecological food
chain) and the quantity it consumers. The global fishing ground EF grew
rapidly by 2.6 percent per year on average between 1961 and 1999. The
EF of the world average consumer in 1999 was 2.3 hectares per person,
or 20% above the earth's biological capacity of 1.90 hectares per person.
In other words, humanity now exceeds the planet's capacity to sustain
itself. The Living Planet Index (LPI) is derived from trends over the
past 30 years in populations of hundreds of species of birds, mammals,
reptiles, amphibians and fish. Between 1970 and 2000, it declined by about
35%. The LPI is the average of three ecosystem-based indices. The forest
species population index declined by about 15%, the marine species population
index fell by about 35%, while the freshwater species population index
dropped 55% over the 30-year period.
The full report can be downloaded from http://www.panda.org/livingplanet/lpr02
Breeding bluefin tuna in captivity won't save the species
A Japanese research institute has announced the first successful breeding of bluefin tuna in captivity, but WWF believes that this will not help the declining Mediterranean bluefin tuna stocks to recover and would even contribute to greater exploitation of other fish stocks. Not only will it take some more years to commercialise the breeding technique; it will also increase fishing pressure on smaller fish species that serve as food supply for the predatory tuna fish. About 5 kg of wild fish has to be fed to a tuna fish in order to produce 1 kg of tuna and the fish that is being fed to tuna won't be available to feed wild fish. Tuna fish has been severely overfished during the past decades due to its high market demand, in particular in Japan. For further information, contact Anne Remy, WWF, tel.: +39-06-84497-424/-417.
| Development & Trends |
Action plan on better fisheries data in preparation
At a meeting with the International Council for the Exploration of the
Sea (ICES) on 1 July 2002, the European Commissioner Franz Fischler announced
that he will shortly present an Action Plan for the improvement of scientific
advice for fisheries management. "The drastic decline in many fish stocks
and the need for urgent conservation measures demand that more comprehensive
and detailed ad hoc scientific advice is available to fisheries managers."
To improve the quality and timeliness of scientific advice, the Commission
Action Plan will propose measures that include: a) improvement in data
collection, extended to include environmental impact; b) improved support
at national and Community level for scientific work in scientific advisory
bodies and implementation of appropriate validation and peer-review processes;
c) reinforcement of Community structures for scientific advice, in particular
the Scientific Committee for Fisheries and Aquaculture (SCFA); d) closer
co-ordination between the Commission and national fisheries research laboratories
concerning priorities and resource allocation in this area. Fishermen
are not only at the receiving end of scientific advice but also at its
source. The Regional Advisory Councils which the Commission proposes to
set up will offer an ideal forum for co-operation between ICES and the
fishermen, according to Franz Fischler.
Read the complete press release at http://europa.eu.int/comm/fisheries/news_corner/press/inf02_17_en.htm.
The reform of the Common Fisheries Policy of 28 May 2002 is now online
at http://europa.eu.int/comm/fisheries/reform/proposals_en.htm
| Policy |
European Commission approves coastal conservation projects
Seventy nature conservation projects in the European Union and five candidate
countries have been approved for grant funding by the European Commission
under the LIFE-Nature scheme. The projects represent a total investment
of €130 million in nature conservation, to which the European Union will
contribute up to €72 million. Many projects target coastal areas, in particular:
Belgium: One project will restore grass dunes in the Ijzer estuary on
the Flemish coast. Denmark: At a long stretch of coastal dunes on the
west coast of Jutland, the principle threats to the 24,000 hectares of
dunes will be addressed through a programme of large-scale removal of
exotic conifers and the re-establishment of natural mosaic vegetation
through burning, grazing and cutting.
Finland: One project targets Natura 2000 sites in the suburban area of
Finland's third largest city, Turku on the Gulf of Bothnia.
Germany: The rare aquatic plant Elbe water dropwort (Oenanthe conioides)
occurs nowhere else in the world but in a 65 km section of the Elbe river
on either side of Hamburg, where the water ranges from brackish to fresh
but has a strong tidal influence. As only 2000 plants remain, this project
will increase their habitat by opening the Elbe dyke and re-flooding 90
hectares adjacent to Hamburg's outer suburbs.
Greece: Three of the six projects cover "Ramsar" wetlands of international
importance situated in Lake Mikri Prespa, the Nestos delta and gorge and
the Kotychi lagoon.
Italy: The main aim of the Italian projects this year is to safeguard
different types of wetlands: riverbanks, lakesides, marshlands, saltmarshes,
bogs and ponds. One project is aimed at dune conservation in southern
Sicily
Latvia: The project involves the survey of the entire coast to determine
its nature conservation value. This will include substantial management
works on the dunes, to prevent damage from the rapidly increasing number
of visitors. The second project aims to secure long-term conservation
of the various priority habitats and species in the Kemeri National Park.
It includes restoration of one of the largest raised bogs left in Europe.
Netherlands: The project targets the Ilperveld, 300 hectares of peat grassland
within a 1,800 hectare site just north of Amsterdam. The area is traditionally
an important breeding ground for waders and ducks. Changes in agricultural
practice, such as the conversion from haymaking to sheep grazing, the
cessation of farmyard manure spreading and the 'silting up' of the canals
have caused a reduction in breeding populations of birds, in particular
black-tailed godwit and snipe.
Spain: On the south east coast, a project will generate models to improve
the management of marine reserves. The project focuses on the conservation
of the bottlenose dolphin, the harbour porpoise and the loggerhead turtle,
for which monitoring and awareness raising schemes will be implemented.
Press release: http://europa.eu.int/rapid/start/cgi/guesten.ksh?p_action.gettxt=gt&doc=IP/02/1011|0|RAPID&lg=EN&display=
For more detailed information on each of the 70 new projects: http://europa.eu.int/comm/life/nature/databas.htm
NATURA 2000: http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/nature/home.htm
Deadline for submitting contributions to Coastal Guide News No 15: 24 July, 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.
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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