National Geographic: The Global Fish Crisis

Here are some key facts I noted from an Article titled "The Global Fish Crisis" in the recent edition of National Geographic.

• Nearly one third of the world's fish stocks are overfished--the Atlantic is the hardest hit
• Majority of the world's fishing fleet is concentrated in Asian waters
• Trawling, though banned in many countries, bulldozes the seabed and catches sea life indiscriminantely--more than 50% that are caught are discarded
• In Africa, only the carcasses of the NIle perch are affordable sources of protein for some Tanzanians living around Lake Victoria
• Perch fillets are stripped in 35 lakeside processing plants and shipped north, mainly to Europe, but also Israel
• With years of overfishing in Africa, perch stocks have fallen drastically--imperiling the livelihoods of more than 100,000 fisherman, and depriving local people of food
• To suply the world's sushi markets, the giant bluefin tuna is fished in the Mediterranean at four times the sustainable rate
• The bluefin tuna is being fattened off the coast of Spain--69 ranches have been created in the Mediterranean Sea in the last 10 years--this is demolishing the fish stocks
• In Europe, fisheries management is difficult, due to the number of countries bordering the seas
• Aquaculture now contributes to nearly 50% of the world's seafood--filling the void left by declining stocks in the wild

Turtles Enter the Sea

check out this video...

http://dsc.discovery.com/beyond/index.html?playerId=203711706&categoryId=210014204&lineupId=452340373

Tsunami in the Solomon Islands

A region-wide disaster and tsunami warnings were issued for the South Pacific states after the quake struck about 45 kilometres off the coast of the Solomon Islands at 7:39 a.m. local time on Monday (4:39 p.m. eastern time on Sunday).

The U.S. Geological Centre said the earthquake struck at 7:39 a.m. local time, Monday -- about 10 kms. beneath the sea floor. The epicenter was 345 kilometres from Honiara.

Police in the Solomon Islands capital, Honiara, say authorities in the western town of Gizo have reported that houses near the sea were flattened and buildings inundated when wave several metres high crashed ashore, shortly before communication lines with the region were cut.

New Zealand: Leading the Way

New Zealand implemented a "no take" position in a 2 mile stretch of sea (Goat Island) This meant that this stretch of sea needed to be completely free from human interference. This meant no line fishing, no spearfishing, no hooking a lobster out of its lair, no prying off a clump of rock oysters. The action was revolutionary not justbecause it was one of the world's first no-take reserves, but also because it protected an ordinary stretch of coastline. The legislation was enacted in 1971. New Zealand has a coastline greater in length than the US, and has the fourth largest EEZ recognized by the UN. High school classes have participated in the action to designate their local coastal community a reserve.

Today, New Zealand has 31 reserve sites, covering 8% of the country's coastal waters. 99% of this protected habitat lies within 2 reserves, each hundreds of miles from the mainland. The smallest of the country's 14 terrestrial national parks protects an area greater than all the coastal marine reserves combined.

No-take reserves have develped in other parts of the world, such as Australia's Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. California has recently established a network of 29 reserves, half of which ban all fishing along its central coast, covering nearly 200 square miles of state waters from Santa Barbara to Santa Cruz. The state plans to set up reserves along its entire coastline by 2011.

New Zealand's billion-dollar fishing industry recently proposed that 30% of the country's EEZ be set aside. Dredging and bottom trawling would be prohibited in these areas in recognition of of the destructiveness of these forms of fishing.

Despite the recent gains, only 0.01% of the world's oceans are closed to fishing. The World Wildlife Fund has called for 20% no-take protection by 2020. Some scientists have suggested that 40 to 50% closures may be necessary to prevent the commercial extinction of some species.

New ocean ethic needs to be developed. The ocean needs to be seen not as a commodity we own but as a community of which we are a part. The sea is worth saving for tis own sake.

Sushi Anyone?

http://www.fao.org/docrep/006/y4743e/y4743e04.jpg

Anisakis simplex (left) in cod

One of my friends invited me to go out for sushi tonight (coincidence considering todays lecture!!)...fair enough, I am a vegetarian and I had class so I couldn't/wouldn't go....BUT I did want to mention Herring Worm Disease (after we discussed it in class today) to her...just to bug her a little!!



The presence of parasites in fish is very common, but most of them are of little concern with regard to economics or public health. Anisakiasis is a gastrointestinal parasitosis caused by the larval stages of anisakid nematodes. Humans acquire the disease by eating raw or improperly cooked or preserved seafood. Surviving worms will then penetrate the gut wall and enter the peritoneal cavity. Symptoms are often non-specific with abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. Vague abdominal pain and possibly fewer may persist for weeks. Anisakiasis is common in Europe (the Netherlands), Japan and the US.

Lunenburg-The Fisheries Museum

The field trip to the fisheries museum was really enjoyable! I didn't really know what to expect upon going there. I was pleasantly suprised with the vast history in Nova Scotia, and especially Lunenburg! My great-grandfather was a ship builder so it was really fascinating to learn the history of the boats built and how they functioned out at sea. I thought that the model of the Atlantic coast was really neat and how we saw the 200 mile limit, as well as the extent of the continental shelf. I found it really interesting when Nancy, our tour guide mentioned that when her husband is out at sea, sometimes when the tides are low, they can get out and actually play a game of baseball.

My grandfather grew up as a fisherman, and I honestly didn't realize how difficult and dangerous of a job it was. I definitely attained a much greater respect for his work.

I asked Nancy what the general feeling was in Lunenberg in regards to bottom trawling was...she said that they are making great efforts to become more sustainable fishers, and they have developed a 2 tierd net, so when they are fishing haddock for example, there will be a barrier in one level, and the cod have a natural instinct to duck, therefore do not catch the cod.

The old way of fishing was intensely difficult, and really heoric, especially going out in the smaller boats, by themselves or with another mate. Hooking two miles of net by hand would be exhausting! I was also astounded that those small boats could hold up to 2000 lbs of fish at a time!!!

I didn't know much about the Bluenose Expeditions, but I do intend to do more research on that in another blog. ---Not to mention the massive size of that lobster crustacean...and the metamorphosism of Halibut! I have grown up working in a seafood restaurant and never knew that happened!!! It was really neat to see that the camoflauge themselves too!!!

Nancy's (our tour guide) last name is Knickle which seems to be a well known family in Lunenberg, from company's named after them, to many men in their family who lost their lives. I couldn't believe that 9 year olds or 13 year olds would be out working on these ships! What a different time it is today!!

Lunenberg was a beautiful town and is a great example of a self-sustaining coastal community! It is nice to see that not every place in the world has become inundated with commercialization....even if they do have a few tacky tourist shops!!!

Killer Jellyfish!!

Today in class we discussed the "Portuguese Man-of-War" is found in the waters of Hawaii. I found this species interesting because when I was younger and travelling in Mexico, a woman in the ocean near me had a sea snake wrapped around her leg. She was not phased by this, and proceeded to show her5 year old daughter. The beach security cleared the beach and grabbed the woman. The snake was exteremely poisonous, and if it bit this woman, she would die within 30 minutes. The topic today reminded me of this situation.

The man-of-war ranges or occurs most commonly in the tropical and subtropical regions of the Pacific and Indian oceans, and the northern Atlantic Gulf Stream, although found in warm seas throughout the world. It is sometimes found floating - some even say "swarming" - in groups of thousands.

The man-of-war's body consists of a gas-filled (mostly nitrogen), bladder-like float (a polyp, the pneumatophore) - a translucent structure tinted pink, blue, or violet - which may be 3 to 12 inches (9 to 30 centimeters) long and may extend as much as 6 inches (15 centimeters) above the water.

Beneath the float are clusters of polyps, from which hang tentacles of up to 165 feet (about 50 meters) in length. The polyps are three different types that are concerned, with detecting and capturing prey, with reproducing, and with feeding. The "animal" moves by means of its crest, which functions as a sail.

Tentacles of the dactylozooids bear stinging nematocystic (coiled thread-like) structures that paralyze small fish and other prey. The gastrozooids then attach to the immobilized victim, spread over it, digesting it. The Portuguese man-of-war is eaten by other animals, including the loggerhead turtle, Caretta caretta.

In case you are stung by a Portuguese Man-of-War, this is what you should do:

1. Pick off any visible tentacles with a gloved hand, stick, or anything handy, being careful to avoid further injury.

2. Rinse the sting thoroughly with salt or fresh water to remove any adhering tentacles.

3. Apply ice for pain control.

4. Irrigate exposed eyes with copious amounts of room temperature tap water for at least 15 minutes. If vision blurs, or the eyes continue to tear, hurt, swell, or are light sensitive after irrigating, see a doctor.

5. For persistent itching or skin rash, try 1 percent hydrocortisone ointment four times a day, and one or two 25 milligram diphenhydramine (Benadryl) tablets every 6 hours. These drugs are sold without prescription. Diphenhydramine may cause drowsiness. Don't drive, swim or surf after taking this medication.

Coral Reefs: The Rainforests of our Oceans

Coral reefs are found in the tropical seas photic zone where there is mild wave action, not so strong to tear the reef apart yet strong enough to stir the water and deliver sufficient food and oxygen. Coral reefs also need nutrient-rich, clear, warm, shallow water to grow. Reefs are made of organisms that are composed of calcium carbonate.

Coral reefs are estimated to cover 284,300 square kilometres of our oceans.
The Great Barrier Reef is the largest coral reef system in the world, located off the coast of Queensland, Australia. The Belize Barrier Reef is the second largest reef in the world, located off the coast of Belize, Central America. An abundance of reefs can be found around the Maldives as well. Coral reefs support an abundance of sea life and biodiversity. However, human activities are harming our coral reefs in a great way. Pollution, sea traffic and overfishing have caused the greatest destruction to our reef systems. if destruction increases at the current rate, 70% of the world’s coral reefs will have disappeared within 50 years. This loss would be an economic loss for peoples living in the tropics. It is estimated that about 60% of the world’s reefs are at risk due to destructive, human-related activities. The threat to the health of reefs is particularly strong in Southeast Asia, where an enormous 80% of reefs are considered endangered.

Beach Clean Up

On Sunday I participated in the Ocean Use and Management Beach Clean Up. Having never been to a beach in Nova Scotia, I was amazed by how beautiful Crystal Crescent is, although I was a bit thrown off by the amount of garbage!!! The random artifacts in the rocks, such as a home made bomb, or a dirt bike helmet for instance. The evidence of longshore drift was apparent as there are more concentrations of garbage in certain areas. The most amount of garbage was found entangled in the rocks.

As I was walking home from the library that evening in the rain, I noticed the immense amount of garbage in our streets, and I thought if we are this lazy on land, how lazy are we with our garbage in the ocean?! In Monday's Ocean Use and Management class, Cathy mentioned in the 1950's parts of Nova Scotia dumped their waste into the ocean, over cliffs. I am sure that is still not all that far off with boats traveling in the sea.

A major societal wake up needs to occur. For example, the abundance of cigarette butts on the ground. Yes its a good thing that patrons aren't smoking in public venues and subjecting others to second hand smoke, but how is it okay to subject the public to your butts littering the ground? The city should put ash tray's around the city to deter this pollution. These get washed away by rainwater and enter our sewar system, which ultimately ends up in our oceans.

We need to WAKE UP!!!

Sea Shepard

The Sea Shepard Organization sparked interest in me and I wanted to learn more.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society was founded in 1977 in Vancouver BC by Captain Paul Watson. The mandate of the organization was marine mammal protection and conservation with an immediate goal of shutting down illegal whaling and sealing operations.

Founder, Paul Watson, is born and raised in Canada, with a vast history of activism. He was a Canadian Coast Guard and was the co-founder of Green Peace. In June 1977, Paul Watson resigned from the Greenpeace Foundation because of disagreements with the emerging bureaucratic structure of the organization. Patrick Moore had replaced Robert Hunter and was opposed to direct action campaigns. Moore had informed Watson that he would not be allowed to lead another seal campaign. Paul left Greenpeace because he felt the original goals of the organization were being compromised, and because he saw a global need to continue direct action conservation activities on the high seas by an organization that would enforce laws protecting marine wildlife.

To answer that need, that same year, Paul founded the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society - dedicated to research, investigation and enforcement of laws, treaties, resolutions and regulations established to protect marine wildlife worldwide. In December 1978, with the assistance of the Fund for Animals, Paul purchased a North Atlantic trawler in Britain and converted her into the conservation enforcement vessel Sea Shepherd.

Paul Watson has dedicated his life to the conservation of animals, and as it seems will stop at almost nothing to achieve these results. As he says in the film, it only takes a few people to change the way the world works, for example, Ghandi. It is not our governements that change the world, it is mass movements of the generaly public.

SHARK WATER

Wow. Honestly there are no words to describe Shark Water other than enlightening, informative, and amazing. I really enjoyed seeing this documentary. Rob Stewart has provided the world with a new view of our oceans. Throughout the film I was trying to remember a bunch of quotes that I found interesting, but then I found myself attempting to remember way too many. The entire film was important and relavent. It was entirely too difficult to walk out with all of them.

I think the most valuable aspect and perspectiveI took from it was the comparison to stretching 60 miles of traps through the jungle or forest to the long lines in our oceans.

Sharkwater is a film everyone should see. Ron Foley reviewed Sharkwater at the Atlantic Film Festival, “like ‘An Inconvenient Truth’, it rates as utterly essential viewing for anyone who cares about the state of the environment and the future of the world as a whole."

Check out this clip: http://www.sharkwater.com/downloads/videos/Soft_Spot_Web/Conservation_TV_Spot_480.mp4

Baitfish Have Nowhere to Hide!!

This is a really cool video displaying the predator/prey relationship in the ocean, as well as the interaction with bird species!!

Check it out...check it out!

http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/planet-earth/video/video.html#

Sea Turtles in the Deep Sea

View this link to see a fascinating video on sea turtles!!!! An introduction to the biology of the oceans!!!! http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/planet-earth/video/video.html#

P.S. another win/publicity for An Inconvenient Truth

Melissa Ethridge won for her song "I Need to Wake Up"--she said in her acceptance speech "Thank you to Al Gore who has taught me that Global Warming is not a red or blue issue (meaning government parties) but a GREEN issue..."
Here's a link to hear her song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaznAgpzZyA&mode=related&search=

AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH

FYI-An Inconvenient Truth wins for BEST DOCUMENTARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Oscars Go Green

Okay...so after a solid 8 hours at the library today...I took some time out to relax and watch the Oscars. I was pumped to see my favorite main squeeze...Al Gore there with hybrid car owner, Leonardo Di Caprio to announce that the Oscars have gone green. producer Laura Ziskin and the entire production team endeavored to select supplies and services with a sensitivity toward reducing the threats we face from global warming, species extinction, deforestation, toxic waste, and hazardous chemicals in our water and food. With guidance and assistance from the Natural Resources Defense Council, a non-partisan environmental and advocacy organization, we learned that it was easy (and often cost effective) to make simple changes to reduce Oscar's ecological footprint. On the Oscar website, they present ideas to help our society in a green world.

Hopefully I can follow up with a clip of it from youtube sometime this week.

Rip Currents

A rip current is a strong flow of water returning seaward from the shore. It is often mistakenly called a "rip tide," though the occurrence is not related to the tides. Colloquially a rip current is known simply as a rip, or the misnomer undertow. Although rip currents would exist even without the tides, tides can make an existing rip much more dangerous (especially low tide). Typical flow is at 0.5 metres per second and can be as fast as 2.5 metres per second. Rip currents can move to different locations on a beach break, up to a few hundred feet a day. They can occur at any beach with breaking waves, including the world's oceans, seas and large lakes such as the Great Lakes.
There are signs to look for in the water to see if a rip current is present. Rip currents can be recognized by unusually calm waters, caused by the channel of water flowing out. The color of the water may be different from the surrounding area. Also, the waterline is lower on the shore near a rip current. It is advisable to look for the existence of a rip current before heading into the water.
Rip currents can also be extremely useful for surfers as they save the effort of having to paddle out to catch a set. They can also be used by lifeguards, who can use them to get out from the shore to perform a rescue much quicker than they could by swimming/paddling through the waves.
While the precise conditions leading to a rip current are not known, the general picture is as follows. When wind and waves push water towards the shore, the previous backwash is often pushed sideways by the oncoming waves. This water streams along the shoreline until it finds an exit back to the sea. The resulting rip current is usually narrow and located in a trench between sandbars, under piers or along jetties. The current is strongest at the surface, and can dampen incoming waves, leading to the illusion of a particularly calm area, luring some swimmers in. Rip currents are stronger when the surf is rough (such as during high onshore winds, or when a strong hurricane is far offshore) or when the tide is low.

Diagram of a rip current

Trapped Whale in the Annapolis River

A humpback whale was trapped for more than a week behind a Nova Scotia power dam. Numerous attempts occurred in order to lure the humpback, nicknamed "Sluice" into the open waters of the Bay of Fundy. A team of whale resucers used the recorded sounds of feeding humpbacks to coax the 15-tonne animal through the sluice gates that separate the Annapolis River from the Bay of Fundy.

Sluice followed the sonar carrot for more than 4 kilometers, and swam within 35 metres of the Annapolis Royal Tidal Generating Station before turning around.

Due to the abundant supply of fish in the river, the whale most likely enjoyed his stay in Annapolis.

As a result of the changing tides, on some days there was only a 30 minute window for Sluice to make a run for it.

To understand their action plan, please view this video: http://www.cbc.ca/newsatsixns/media/20040826ns_whale_intvu.ram

Friends In Nova Scotia

The Gully, Off the Coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, 1997
Photograph by Flip Nicklin

"Symmetry in motion, two whales surface and exhale in union, emerging to the rarest of North Atlantic days—a clear sky and a glassy sea. Although small groups often maneuver in tight formation for a short time...research suggests that the social bonds of most bottlenose whales are as transient as a teenager's. A month from now these whales will be swimming in sync with new best friends."

Using Seals, Sea Lions, Satellites Help Map Ocean

Seals, sea lions, sharks, and other marine predators are taking part in a unique project to create a detailed three-dimensional map of the ocean. Using satellite tags traditionally harnessed for animal tracking, scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), have outfitted their marine recruits to collect and transmit data such as water temperature and density.
The information can then be used to create detailed 3-D models, such as this temperature profile of the North Pacific generated by seven elephant seals.
"Satellites provide a two-dimensional view of the ocean," team co-leader Yi Chao of JPL said in a NASA release. "Animals give us a slice of the ocean. They're like weather balloons in reverse."
"As we are getting more data from the sea and improving our computer models," he continued, "we should be able to make routine ocean forecasts, similar to what meteorologists have been doing in the past few decades. People who open the newspaper or turn on the TV in the morning will see the updated ocean forecast and make appropriate decisions as they plan their activities on the sea."
Team co-leader Daniel Costa, a marine biologist at UCSC, said the project will also help researchers better understand how animals interact with their ocean environments.
"Just as there are different habitats on land, the ocean has fine-scale features that are very important to animals," Costa said in the media release. "We want to be able to look at the ocean and say the equivalent of 'this is a grassland' or 'this is a forest.'"
—Victoria Gilman

An Octopus that changes colour....and texture!!!

February 9, 2007—A leopard may not be able to change its spots. A cyanea octopus, on the other hand, can change its colors and skin texture in the blink of an eye.
By contracting muscles that enlarge or shrink pigment cells called chromatophores, the cyanea can rapidly blend into its surroundings to avoid predators and stalk prey.
Watch one of these "masters of disguise" change from a humble rock formation to a deadly tent, and get a sneak peek under the octopus's spread tentacles to see how the cephalopod enjoys a crab snack.

National Geographic Digital Media


Check out this video!!!

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/02/070209-octopus-video.html

Hydrothermal Vents

Today on National Geographic's website, a news release displaying the first ever sound recording of "black smokers". The mysterious deep ocean feature has been explored previously, however recordings have always failed. "Just by looking at them, it is really surprising they wouldn't be making noise," said Timothy Crone, a doctoral student in oceanography at the University of Washington in Seattle.

"They're violent little features."

Water shoots out of the fastest and largest black smokers at about 300 gallons (1,135 liters) a minute—twice the flow from a typical fire hose and enough to fill a bathtub in a few seconds.

The discovery of the sounds may help scientists study how vent flows respond to tides, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions.

Such information, Crone said, is key to understanding the cycling of chemicals from the Earth's crust into the ocean.

Most instruments used to measure flow, however, are short-lived when inserted in the scalding hot, acidic, and mineral-rich fluid.

The Great Warming--Looks like Canada Agrees with Gore

Check out this trailer for a Canadian documentary on Global Warming...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrsFysw2kfI&mode=related&search=

Hydrothermal Vents

Hydrothermal circulation occurs when seawater penetrates into the ocean crust, becomes heated, reacts with the crustal rock, and rises to the seafloor. Seafloor hydrothermal systems have a major local impact on the chemistry of the ocean that can be measured in hydrothermal plumes. Some hydrothermal tracers (especially helium) can be mapped thousands of kilometers from their hydrothermal sources, and can be used to understand deep ocean circulation. Because hydrothermal circulation removes some compounds from seawater (e.g. Mg, SO4) and adds many others (He, Mn, Fe, H2, CO2), it is an important process in governing the composition of seawater.

A Place Between the Tides

This evening I intended Harry Thurston's talk on salt water marshes. Although I expected a "management approach" to maintaining salt water marshes, I learned of Harry's passion towards the natural beauty of this physical feature. I learned that marshes have great productivity. Salt water marshes act as buffers to the sea, absorb runoff, and filter pollution. Small marshes, like "Old Marsh" are a small fragment of habitat, but have a large influence on the ecosystem. Although salt marshes are cyclical in nature, many marshes are being destroyed due to human infrastructure, such as subdivisions, roads, and dams, as well as accelerated loss resulting from sea level rise.

"Nature is the mind precipitated."

Hybrid Cars

Although this article is not directly about the oceans, I was happy to see it on the Sympatico/MSN website when I opened my internet browser. Much change is occurring in the vehicle manufacturing industry out of not only necessity for our environment, but also a general trend moving towards this new development. Not only does this article make the general public around the world aware of hybrid vehicles, it also sets the record straight to those people who choose to ignore the facts. Now there is no excuse not to buy a hybrid!!!


Exploding the myths about hybrid cars
Insuring your hybrid

Insuring a hybrid vehicle is no different than insuring a conventional car. There are no special steps or considerations and it doesn't cost extra. The premiums you pay will reflect the class of car, your driving record, how much you use your car, where you live, and how much coverage you want.
Today’s hybrid cars combine an electric motor with an internal gasoline combustion engine to produce a vehicle that gets awesome mileage.
But the misconceptions about hybrids are preventing some buyers from even considering a test drive. Here are five of the most common myths about these vehicles:

Myth #1: There isn’t much to choose from
“There are five different models of hybrids available today”, says Brad Berman, editor of www.hybridcars.com and a hybrid driver himself. They are:
Ford Escape Hybrid, the first SUV hybrid;
Honda Accord Hybrid, a family sedan;
Honda Civic Hybrid, a compact;
Honda Insight, a two-door coupe;
Toyota Prius, a mid-size sedan.
And soon there may be more. “There is a growing trend with car manufacturers”, notes Berman, “to add hybrid versions of their existing cars. For example, DaimlerChrysler and GM have announced plans to join the hybrid-car market”. Even luxury car manufacturers are jumping on the hybrid-wagon: the Lexus RX400h, billed as the world's first luxury hybrid SUV, is slated to be available this year.
Smart tip: “You may have to wait for the model of your choice”, cautions Berman, “since today supply simply doesn't meet demand”. He does stress, though, that a hybrid is well worth the wait.

Myth #2: You’ll save a bundle
“Hybrids are the most fuel-efficient cars in the world”, explains Berman. Depending on what, where and how much you drive, you may save anywhere from $200 to $1,000 a year on gas.
Smart tip: To compare the gas mileage of your conventional car with a hybrid model, use the gas mileage impact calculator at www.hybridcars.com/calculator.
The flip side, unfortunately, is that they cost more up-front. Whether the long-term fuel savings outweigh the higher sticker price will depend on a number of factors, including where you live, what you buy, and how much you drive.
But Berman advises to see beyond the cost savings at the pumps. “Since hybrids use less gas, dependency on foreign oil is reduced”, he explains. “This means that drivers will be less vulnerable to price shocks at the pumps”. The other reason, of course, is for the environmental benefits. “Simply put, less gas equals less pollution”, he says.

Myth #3: They’re expensive to maintain
“There’s no reason for maintenance to cost more for a hybrid than a regular car”, Berman declares. “One of the most popular misconceptions is that a hybrid’s rechargeable battery could wear out and be expensive to replace. But hybrid battery packs are designed to last for the lifetime of the car, and are covered by warranty for eight to 10 years”.
And you don't need to plug in your car every night to recharge the battery. “Energy is recovered during braking”, he explains.
Smart tip: For regular maintenance, take your hybrid to your dealer to get the best service. As hybrids become more and more popular, more independent mechanics will be able to provide expert care.

Myth #4: Hybrids are good for fair-weather driving only
Not so, says Berman. “Based on my own experiences, everything I’ve read and the experts I’ve consulted, there is no difference between driving a hybrid and a conventional car in bad winter weather or during scorching summer heat”.

Take a look at a manufacturer’s specifications if extreme cold or heat is a concern to you. Berman uses Honda as an example of what you can expect: “Honda specs indicate that their hybrids run just fine at temperatures as low as -30°C [-22°F] and as high as 60°C [140°F]”.
Smart tip: To provide maximum fuel efficiency, most hybrids come with low-resistance tires. As with any car, you may want to invest in snow tires.

Myth #5: Hybrids aren’t as safe as conventional cars
The misconception that hybrids aren’t as safe as conventional cars is because of their size. “People feel safer in larger cars”, says Berman. “But statistics don’t back up that claim”.
Today’s hybrids rank high in safety ratings for their weight class.
Smart tip: To check on the safety rating of most makes and models, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Website.

Prehistoric Shark Found!

Tonight on the 11:00 PM CTV news, the anchor briefly touched on a news story about the discovery of a prehistoric shark off of the coast of Japan, near Tokyo. The shark was discovered near the surface, which is unusual for this species, as it a deep ocean creature which is usually found at 600 m deep. The shark was captured, but died shortly after as it was unable to survive outside of its deep ocean habitat. It is extremely unusual for the creature to be seen alive, especially in the shallows where it was spotted by a Japanese fisherman. They shark measured 1.6 m long, weighing 7.5 kg, with six gills and 300 bizarre forked teeth. Fossil records can be found of the animal dating as far back as 80 million years ago

MUST SEE FOOTAGE!!!

Here is a link to rare footage of the rare prehistoric shark!!!
http://mfile2.akamai.com/22743/wmv/carlton1.download.akamai.com/12621/news/302537a63b9327534489d012fc0dc861.asx

Bottom Trawling

Canada’s ocean territory covers a vast six million square kilometer area – that’s 40 per cent of our country’s surface area. Right now, deep-sea bottom trawling is threatening our Oceans and Canada is in a position to do something about it. On David Suzuki's website there is a link to a petition against bottom trawling in an attempt to change
There are currently 5396 signatures. Click on this link http://www.petitiononline.com/dragging/petition.html to do your part and speak out against bottom trawling.
This is a great link which gives alot of information on bottom trawling; http://www.savethehighseas.org/display.cfm?ID=150

Westport Innovations

This summer I worked for a company located in Vancouver, British Columbia which develops natural gas and hydrogen fuelled engines. Westport is a joint venture with Cummins, (Cummins is known for their diesel engines). Westport states on their website: The world faces major challenges in the 21st century that are significantly impacted by transportation growth: "oil supply security and the peak in global oil production, rising air pollution levels in the world's rapidly growing cities, and increasing greenhouse gas emissions linked to climate change and global warming. Vehicle growth and oil demand in China alone are expected to increase by more than 300% over the next 25 years" ( http://www.westport.com/the_big_picture/index.php). High transportation growth markets like China, India, and Brazil are driving the future energy picture for transportation. All three have been moving towards increased natural gas utilisation. Ultimately, Westport Innovations believes that the global deployment of natural gas vehicles with Westport technologies can be significant factors in:

• reducing dependence on oil, allowing many countries to use abundant, indigenous natural gas,
  
• mitigating the effects of air pollution in cities, and
  
• providing the bridge towards hydrogen-based transportation.

Westport engine technologies combine the power, fuel-efficiency, and performance of diesel engines with the low emissions and operating cost benefits achieved by replacing diesel fuel with natural gas.

Natural gas is a fuel that is extracted from our earth which does present dangers. However, as an alternative to petroleum it is definitely something that should be considered.

Over Christmas break while I was home, I noticed that Translink had purchased a new fleet of buses for the lower mainland district. I was disappointed to note that these buses were not lower emissions buses and were in fact run on diesel. A ground breaking company such as Westport Innovations not to mention Ballard (battery operated) are located in Vancouver. It is stunning that these would be overlooked. China who is leading in reducing emissions is currently implementing these buses throughout their major cities.

EAC-David Suzuki Talk

I recieved an e-mail from the Ecology Action Centre informing me of a talk at Dalhousie on February 2, 2007. I thought I would post the details in case anyone is interested!!!

The Ecology Action Centre and the Dalhousie Integrated Sustainability Initiative are proud to host David Suzuki

for the "If you were Prime Minister Tour" February 2, 2007, 9:00am to 11:00am MacInnes Room,

Student Union Building, 6136 University Avenue Halifax, Nova Scotia

Tickets are $15.00 (students / unwaged) / $20.00 regular Tickets may be purchased at the following locations as of 12 noon on January 18th,:

Attic Owl Bookshop, 200 Portland Street,

Dartmouth Ecology Action Centre, 2705 Fern Lane,

Halifax JustUs! Café, 1678 Barrington Street.,

Halifax Mountain Equipment Coop, 1550 Granville Street,

Halifax Outside the Lines, 6297 Quinpool Road,

Halifax P'lovers Environmental Store, Park Lane Mall,5657 Spring Garden Rd,

Halifax The Trident Cafe and Booksellers, 1256 Hollis Street,

Halifax St. Mary's University Student Union Building, Information Desk

For more information, please contact the Ecology Action Centre

p. 902-429-2202, e. info@ecologyaction.ca w. http://www.ecologyaction.ca/

The Giant Squid

I was interested in learning more about the giant squid. In an online article on the BBC News Website, it was stated that there is a squid that has been discovered which are considered "Colossal squids." The name colossal was chosen as it colossal conveys both the size and the aggressiveness of the animal. They have been caught in Antarctic waters, the first example of Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni was retrieved virtually intact from the surface of the ocean in a bottom trawler. The fact that this specie was caught in a bottom trawler reitterates the fact that bottom trawlers are destroying ocean ecosystems by scooping up species which are not intended or needed to be caught.
The Colosssal squid has one of the largest beaks known of any squid and also has unique swivelling hooks on the clubs at the ends of its tentacles. This combination allows it to attack fish as large as the Patagonian toothfish and probably to also attempt to maul sperm whales.

Harbour cleanup delayed 3 months

Harbour cleanup delayed 3 months

Penalties could save city $3m

By AMY PUGSLEY FRASER City Hall Reporter

Halifax Harbour’s sewage cleanup project is backed up by three months but the delay could save city hall $3 million, says the project director.
"From HRM’s point of view, this is a positive financial story," Brad Anguish told councillors Tuesday night at the regular weekly meeting.
"Albeit, nobody is happy that we’re not receiving the environmental benefits when we thought we would."
The $333-million Harbour Solutions project includes a $133-million contract to D&D Water Solutions Ltd. for the design, construction and commissioning of three sewage treatment plants in Halifax, Dartmouth and Herring Cove.
Mr. Anguish told council Tuesday night that the contractor, jointly owned by Dexter Construction Co. Ltd. and Degremont Ltee., has pushed the system startup to September 2008.
"But our water quality objectives are still on track for 2008," he said.
The delay is attributed to difficulties procuring equipment, design co-ordination and code interpretation with subcontractors and the availability of short-notice labour to make up the schedule, Mr. Anguish said.
"You can throw all kinds of money at this problem but the reality is, the labour isn’t always there when you want it anymore."
The confined space within the Halifax treatment plant also limits the work, he said.
Taxpayers won’t get dinged for the delay, he said.
In fact, everything is on budget and it could get cheaper.
"While it’s a penalty to the contractor, it’s a potential savings to HRM," Mr. Anguish said.
That’s because of a clause in the original contract that guarantees a maximum price and deletes the inflation adjustment for the developer if it goes over the project completion date.
"Given the very high inflation that’s happened in the construction index over the past three years, this is quite a substantial penalty," he said.
Rough calculations mean that D&D Water Solutions could lose as much as $2.5 million to $3 million, he said.
"So there is a significant financial incentive to continue to perform and meet schedule whenever possible."
As a result, he said, D&D could still finish on time.
"While it can get later, it can also get sooner," he said.
Mayor Peter Kelly, who named the cleanup of Halifax Harbour among his key issues in the last mayoral campaign in 2004, said the delay is not unusual.
"In a project of this scope with a time frame of almost five years, a delay of three months is not at all uncommon," he said Tuesday night.
"In this case, it demonstrates our contractor’s diligence in ensuring that every element of this massive project is completed to HRM’s very stringent specifications, as well as those of the federal and provincial governments."
The Harbour Solutions project is designed to stop the flow of more than 180 million litres of untreated waste water into Halifax Harbour every day.
( apugsley@herald.ca)

I had not realized that Mayor Peter Kelly had made it one of his key issues to resolve in his last mayoral campaign in 2004. I was happy to read that because the cleanup is much needed. It is important that environmental issues are being looked at as valuable and imperative to fix and maintain a better quality of our water.

Monday, January 8, 2007

Being from Vancouver, British Columbia, I grew up with a passion for water sports and the Pacific Ocean. The name Pacific is derived from the latin name Mare Pacificum, meaning "peaceful sea." I had never quite understood this until I came to the east coast, where I quickly learned of the drastic difference in the waves and current. The Atlantic Ocean is much rougher than the Pacific Ocean.

The Pacific Ocean has a history of important migration routes, such as those of the Austronesians (specifically the Polynesians) from the Asian edge of the ocean to Tahiti, then to Hawaii, New Zealand, and much later to Easter Island. Spanish explorer, Vasco Núñez de Balboa (1513) discovered the Pacific ocean in the early 16th century when he crossed the Isthmus of Panama, followed by many other explorers who sailed to places such as the Philippines, New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Important trade routes were later established.

The history of Vancouver is based around explorers who traveled by ships. For example, The coastline of Point Grey was first explored in 1791 by José María Narváez of Span, followed by George Vancouver, who also explored the harbour of Burrard Inlet in 1792. George Vancouver named various places British titles, despite the presence of Aboriginal peoples.

Due to Vancouver's location on the Pacific Rim and the western terminus of Canada's transcontinental highway and rail routes, Vancouver is one of Canada's largest industrial centres. The Port of Vancouver is Canada's largest and most diversified, participating in more than $43 billion in trade with more than 90 countries annually. These activities generate $4 billion in gross domestic product and $8.9 billion in economic output. Vancouver is becoming increasingly more populated and is surrounded by coastline and its scenic location.

Greater population and higher density brings the concern of pollution to our community, including our very important oceans, which feed the economy through the Port of Vancouver and the vast diminishing fisheries. On a global scale, the effects of global warming is causing dramatic weather events, which have become very apparent this year. For example, extremely intense windstorms, occurring at hurricane strength, heavy snowfall and extreme high temperatures in the summer and much colder than usual temperatures in the winter. Oceans regulate temperature and weather, especially in maritime regions.