So I have been off the radar quite literally for a while -- swamped and then escaped down to baja for a short while ... I'll post stories and pics soon though for now all you need to know is that it was a fabulous trip!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Felt **ALIVE** like I have not in a while ... now scrambling to get thigns done on the work front... well it can't be xmas every day now can it?
Thus - on the more real life front, items below straight from the SEASPAN listserv...
EUROPE’S APPETITE FOR SEAFOOD PROPELS ILLEGAL TRADE
The illegal trade of fish is thriving in Europe. Over recent years, Europe has become the world’s largest market for fish. To support this growing appetite, it must import 60 percent of its stock. This demand has led to an increase in illegal trading. According to the World Wildlife Fund for Nature, up to half of the fish sold in Europe are illegally caught or imported. The price has also risen, doubling and tripling due to surging demand, scarce availability, and recent fishing quotas imposed by the European Union in a desperate effort to save native species. In an attempt to control this situation, the European Union “is exploring the idea of requiring officials at its ports to check with officials from countries where boats are registered to make sure they are legal and have fishing rights.”
Source: Elisabeth Rosenthal, the New York Times 15 January, 2008
UNTIL ALL THE FISH ARE GONE: EDITORIAL AND ARTICLE
The World Trade Organization is negotiating new trade rules that would reduce subsidies for the world’s fishing fleets. These fleets receive subsides of approximately $35 billion annually for expenses such as boat building, equipment, and fuel. The hope is that by reducing or eliminating these subsidies, fleets would shrink in size, and destructive practices such as bottom trawling would become uneconomic. This action is illuminated by two recent New York Times’ articles: “Europe Takes Africa’s Fish, and Boatloads of Migrants Follow,” and “Europe’s Appetite for Seafood Propels Illegal Trade.” Both articles discuss the environmental, economic, and human consequences of the illegal industrial fishing.
Source: The New York Times, 21 January, 2008
Related Articles:
Sharon LaFraniere, Europe take's Africa's fish, The New York Times, 14 January, 2008
CUBA BANS MARINE TURTLE HUNT
Cuba recently banned the hunting of marine turtles endangered in the Caribbean. The ban, which took effect the weekend of 26 January, will last “until it is scientifically proven that the species is recovering,” according to Elisa Garcia the Cuban Fisheries Ministry's Director of Regulations.
Source: Reuters, 23 January, 2008
