Guest guest Posted June 1, 2001 Report Share Posted June 1, 2001 * SWK and List Info In Footer * ...... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... http://japanupdate.com/previous/01/05/31/story16.shtml Huge herd of whales found off Ishigaki An Ishigaki Maritime Safety Agency helicopter discovered a herd of about hundred whales, Thursday in an area 7.4 kilometers off Hateruma Island, just south of Ishigaki Island. Officials who discovered the whales said they were surprised and had never seen such a large herd. They confirmed that the whales were divided roughly in three groups consisting of nearly thirty of them each. According to specialists, the size of the whales in the herds being double or triple compared to dolphins indicates that they are most likely short-finned pilot whales ============================================ 31/05/2001 15:00 Seal and whale hunting costly for Norway In the last 18 years the Norwegian state has poured in 720 million kroner to keep the sealing and whaling industry alive. The intake from the hunts is considerably under what the state has put in to keep the industry alive. The report goes onto say that Lars Walloe of the (Norwegian IWC delegation) suggests that up to 2,500 minke whales could be taken. Full story: In Norwegian InterSeafood.com Source: Interseafood.com 31st May 2001 ========================================= Arctic 'getting greener' Alaska: Forest and shrub is spreading By the BBC's Andrew Craig Scientists in Alaska say that new vegetation is spreading over the tundra as the climate gets warmer. According to aerial photographs, the amount of greenery has doubled in some areas over the past 50 years. The researchers suggest that new growth of shrubs and forest in the world's far northern regions could go some way towards offsetting the spread of deserts in the tropics. But they warn that the Arctic regions cannot be expected to compensate for all the unpredictable effects of climate change. Bleak landscape When the north of Alaska was being explored for oil in the late 1940s, thousands of aerial photographs were taken of the bleak tundra north of the Arctic circle. Cold-climate researchers from the United States' Army have now flown again over some of the locations to compare the extent of the the deciduous shrubs that grow there, beyond the northern limit of full-size trees. Spreading greenery White spruce Dwarf birch Willow Green alder At most of the sites, there were definite and sometimes dramatic increases in the size of individual shrubs - mostly alder, birch and willow - and also in the area they covered. In some cases, shrub cover of 10% had doubled since the first surveys. " Our study area is in a location where human and natural disturbances are minimal, " the researchers write in the scientific journal Nature, " so we attribute much of the increase in the abundance of shrubs to the recent change in climate " . The scientists say the extra biomass could absorb a significant amount of carbon dioxide - the most common greenhouse gas blamed for global warming. 'Unpredictable effects' Studies of ancient peat deposits suggest that the same thing happened 8,000 years ago, at the end of the last ice age. Even with the extra plants - which are too small to be valuable as timber - the region beyond Alaska's northernmost mountains could support few people. If vegetation at lower latitudes, such as agricultural crops, also moves north in response to global warming, more farmland might be developed in areas that are now wilderness. But the researchers stress that the Arctic regions cannot be expected to compensate for all the unpredictable effects of climate change. ================================================ 31/05/2001 11:18 USA - Dolphin often seen in Elizabeth River has died The dolphin that survived two winters in one of the most polluted stretches of the Elizabeth River apparently has died, the Virginia Marine Science Museum Stranding Team concluded Tuesday. A juvenile male dolphin was found dead in the Southern Branch of the river almost two weeks ago. It had been injured by a propeller, a stranding team member said. Because the animal was badly decomposed when it was found, the team couldn't determine its identity or positively say that it had been killed by the propeller. =============================================== http://just-food.com/news_detail.asp?art=34007 & app=1 & c=1 JAPAN/AUSTRALIA: Japan gets increased quota of endangered bluefin tuna 30 May 2001 Source: just-food.com editorial team A long standing dispute between Australia and Japan looks set to find resolution this week, following the signing of an agreement that designates tuna fishing quotas to Japanese fishing boats. The disagreement erupted over Japan's controversial " scientific fishing programme, " which appeared to contravene guidelines laid out in the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT). This tripartite commission had been signed by Japan, Australia and New Zealand. According to Kyodo News, Japanese fishing boats will this year be allowed to catch 6,421 tons of southern blue-fin tuna, an increase of 356 tons from the quota agreed for 2000. Australia Conservation Minister Wilson Tuckey also announced yesterday that the long-standing ban on Japanese tuna fishing vessels entering Australian ports has been removed ================================================== 30/05/2001 13:30 Mexico - Authorities move to close La Paz dolphinarium Last night, Environment Minister Victor Lichtinger was " personally very, very worried'' that the dolphins won't survive much longer in " negligent'' conditions in a shallow ocean pen. " They can toast to death in the summer, and Dr. Lichtinger knows that. He really hopes we can negotiate their release very soon, " said ministry biologist Silvia Manzanilla, who advises Lichtinger on marine mammals. ======================================= http://www.nj.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/cgi-free/getstory_ssf.cgi?a0573_BC_No rway-RussiaNuclear & & news & newsflash-international 29/05/2001 13:54 Russia opens secret military nuclear waste dump A Norwegian delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide was allowed into the Andreeva Bay base, where tons of highly radioactive waste are stored roughly 30 miles from the Russian-Norwegian frontier. There are more than 100 nuclear submarines at Russian's Northern Fleet bases on the Kola Peninsula, where northwestern Russia borders Norway Gray Whales with Winston http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Jungle/1953/index.html _______________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com To change list options, or , go to http://www.topica.com. Or send e-mail to swk-, swk-. Visit our site: http://www.stopwhalekill.org .... Ask a friend today to join our list! ... ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE http://topica.com/u/?b1demT.b1jvh4 Or send an email swk- This email was sent to: tacitus T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================ * SWK and List Info In Footer * ...... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... ..... http://japanupdate.com/previous/01/05/31/story16.shtml Huge herd of whales found off Ishigaki An Ishigaki Maritime Safety Agency helicopter discovered a herd of about hundred whales, Thursday in an area 7.4 kilometers off Hateruma Island, just south of Ishigaki Island. Officials who discovered the whales said they were surprised and had never seen such a large herd. They confirmed that the whales were divided roughly in three groups consisting of nearly thirty of them each. According to specialists, the size of the whales in the herds being double or triple compared to dolphins indicates that they are most likely short-finned pilot whales ============================================ 31/05/2001 15:00 Seal and whale hunting costly for Norway In the last 18 years the Norwegian state has poured in 720 million kroner to keep the sealing and whaling industry alive. The intake from the hunts is considerably under what the state has put in to keep the industry alive. The report goes onto say that Lars Walloe of the (Norwegian IWC delegation) suggests that up to 2,500 minke whales could be taken. Full story: In Norwegian InterSeafood.com Source: Interseafood.com 31st May 2001 ========================================= Arctic 'getting greener' Alaska: Forest and shrub is spreading By the BBC's Andrew Craig Scientists in Alaska say that new vegetation is spreading over the tundra as the climate gets warmer. According to aerial photographs, the amount of greenery has doubled in some areas over the past 50 years. The researchers suggest that new growth of shrubs and forest in the world's far northern regions could go some way towards offsetting the spread of deserts in the tropics. But they warn that the Arctic regions cannot be expected to compensate for all the unpredictable effects of climate change. Bleak landscape When the north of Alaska was being explored for oil in the late 1940s, thousands of aerial photographs were taken of the bleak tundra north of the Arctic circle. Cold-climate researchers from the United States' Army have now flown again over some of the locations to compare the extent of the the deciduous shrubs that grow there, beyond the northern limit of full-size trees. Spreading greenery White spruce Dwarf birch Willow Green alder At most of the sites, there were definite and sometimes dramatic increases in the size of individual shrubs - mostly alder, birch and willow - and also in the area they covered. In some cases, shrub cover of 10% had doubled since the first surveys. " Our study area is in a location where human and natural disturbances are minimal, " the researchers write in the scientific journal Nature, " so we attribute much of the increase in the abundance of shrubs to the recent change in climate " . The scientists say the extra biomass could absorb a significant amount of carbon dioxide - the most common greenhouse gas blamed for global warming. 'Unpredictable effects' Studies of ancient peat deposits suggest that the same thing happened 8,000 years ago, at the end of the last ice age. Even with the extra plants - which are too small to be valuable as timber - the region beyond Alaska's northernmost mountains could support few people. If vegetation at lower latitudes, such as agricultural crops, also moves north in response to global warming, more farmland might be developed in areas that are now wilderness. But the researchers stress that the Arctic regions cannot be expected to compensate for all the unpredictable effects of climate change. ================================================ 31/05/2001 11:18 USA - Dolphin often seen in Elizabeth River has died The dolphin that survived two winters in one of the most polluted stretches of the Elizabeth River apparently has died, the Virginia Marine Science Museum Stranding Team concluded Tuesday. A juvenile male dolphin was found dead in the Southern Branch of the river almost two weeks ago. It had been injured by a propeller, a stranding team member said. Because the animal was badly decomposed when it was found, the team couldn't determine its identity or positively say that it had been killed by the propeller. =============================================== http://just-food.com/news_detail.asp?art=34007 & app=1 & c=1 JAPAN/AUSTRALIA: Japan gets increased quota of endangered bluefin tuna 30 May 2001 Source: just-food.com editorial team A long standing dispute between Australia and Japan looks set to find resolution this week, following the signing of an agreement that designates tuna fishing quotas to Japanese fishing boats. The disagreement erupted over Japan's controversial " scientific fishing programme, " which appeared to contravene guidelines laid out in the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT). This tripartite commission had been signed by Japan, Australia and New Zealand. According to Kyodo News, Japanese fishing boats will this year be allowed to catch 6,421 tons of southern blue-fin tuna, an increase of 356 tons from the quota agreed for 2000. Australia Conservation Minister Wilson Tuckey also announced yesterday that the long-standing ban on Japanese tuna fishing vessels entering Australian ports has been removed ================================================== 30/05/2001 13:30 Mexico - Authorities move to close La Paz dolphinarium Last night, Environment Minister Victor Lichtinger was " personally very, very worried'' that the dolphins won't survive much longer in " negligent'' conditions in a shallow ocean pen. " They can toast to death in the summer, and Dr. Lichtinger knows that. He really hopes we can negotiate their release very soon, " said ministry biologist Silvia Manzanilla, who advises Lichtinger on marine mammals. ======================================= http://www.nj.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/cgi-free/getstory_ssf.cgi?a0573_BC_No rway-RussiaNuclear & & news & newsflash-international 29/05/2001 13:54 Russia opens secret military nuclear waste dump A Norwegian delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide was allowed into the Andreeva Bay base, where tons of highly radioactive waste are stored roughly 30 miles from the Russian-Norwegian frontier. There are more than 100 nuclear submarines at Russian's Northern Fleet bases on the Kola Peninsula, where northwestern Russia borders Norway Gray Whales with Winston http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Jungle/1953/index.html _______________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com To change list options, or , go to http://www.topica.com. Or send e-mail to swk-, swk-. Visit our site: http://www.stopwhalekill.org .... Ask a friend today to join our list! ... ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE http://topica.com/u/?b1demT.b1jvh4 Or send an email swk- This email was sent to: tacitus T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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