Disappearing fish

Washington: Overfishing and pollution seafood completely off of mankind’s plates by the middle of the 21st century, scientists warned in a study published on Friday.
The scientists said they were “shocked” and the “disturbed” by the conclusions of their own research, saying the trend toward mass disappearance of fish and seafood species is speeding up. Unless this trend is reversed, they said humans would have to stop eating seafood by 2048, U.S. and Canadian researchers reported in the November 3 issue of Science.
“Our analyses suggest that ‘business as usual’ would foreshadow serious threats to global food security, coastal water quality and ecosystem stability, affecting current and future generations,” the team of ecologists and economists wrote in the most exhaustive study to date of the subject.
The four-year analysis was the first to study all existing data on ocean species and ecosystems and synthesize them in an attempt to understand the importance of biodiversity at the global scale.
Source: The Hindu – 4, November 2006

Turtle migrants find haven off Tamil Nadu

New Delhi: Endangered turtles from Sri Lanka have been found heading for India. The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) has satellite-tracked the migration of nesting green turtles from a sanctuary on the coast of Sri Lanka to a protected area off Tamil Nadu.
The MCS and its local partners, the Turtle Conservation Project (TCP) and the Tamil Nadu Department of Wildlife Conservation, fixed tags to six female turtles after they nested at the Rekawa Turtle Sanctuary in Sri Lanka, the country’s first wildlife sanctuary for marine turtles.
The first turtle to be tagged, Helen, began its trip soon after its release and swam about 500 km to the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve. Since then, it has been joined by two more tagged turtles. Another turtle, Sayuri-Emerald, took a different route. It has crossed the seas between Sri Lanka and India and is heading north along the west coast.
Source: The Hindu – 26, October 2006

Mangrove forest area to be increased

Cuddalore: District Collector Gagandeep Singh Bedi proposed expansion of the area under mangrove forests here from 650 hectares to 750 hectares after having realized the protective nature of the trees during natural disasters, particularly at the time of the tsunami.
He was speaking at the 83rd birthday celebrations of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi observed as “Afforestation and Green Revolution Day” here on Friday. Mr. Bedi said the district had a forest cover of 20,000 ha (3.5 percent of the land area). The 650 ha of mangrove forests in Pichavaram had played a crucial role in protecting human habitations during the tsunami.
Besides keeping a check on the fury of the tidal waves, the forests also withstood the gusty winds. Therefore, it has been decided to extend the mangrove forest area by 100 ha at Pichavaram at the cost of Rs.28 lakh.
The project would be taken up under the National Rural Employment Guarantee programme. Rs.16 lakh had been earmarked for raising avenue trees on the Cuddalore-Chidambaram National Highway.
The Rashtriya Sam Vikas Yojana had set aside Rs.66 lakh to plant saplings along the canals.
Proposals for Rs.38 lakh had been sent to the government to create awareness among people about the need for growing trees and for increasing forest cover, Mr. Bedi said.
Source:The Hindu – 12, June 2006

Sunderbans faces threat of submergence “Centre’s disaster management mechanism faculty”

Kolkata: There will be no requiem sung to Lohachara and Suparibhange on World Environment Day on June 5 this year.
Located in the Sunderbans delta area of West Bengal, these two islands were submerged by the rising sea levels. A few more are facing a threat. In the process, hundreds were displaced from their homes and sought shelter in the four refugee colonies in adjoining Sagar Island.
“The Government of India’s disaster management mechanism ignores the implication of slow onset disasters like rise in sea level, and does not provide any compensation for people thus affected,” says Prof. Sugata Hazra, Director, School of Oceanographic Studies, Jadavpur University, Kolkata.
The school, which functions as a lead centre for conducting training in Integrated Coastal Zone Management, has been assessing the vulnerability of the Sunderbans area vis-a-vis climate change.
“The Government must address the issue of rise in sea level, which occurs due to global warming, extensive coastal erosion and the fact that the Sunderban delta is a subsiding one,” Prof. Hazra adds. “Based on our research, we estimate that about 70,000 people will be rendered homeless by 2050.”
The Hindu – 5, June 2006

Seaweeds provide alternative income for coastal fishermen

MARINE ALGAE, commonly called seaweeds (Kadal Passi in Tamil), are used in industrial and agricultural sectors.
Seaweeds are rich in vitamins and minerals and are consumed as food in various parts of the world. They grow almost like weeds in the coastal areas extending over vast stretches under water.
Abundant growth: In India, seaweeds have been found to grow abundantly in the southern coastal region, especially in the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay. More than 100 species of seaweeds have been found growing in this area.
Of these, the red algae Kappaphycus is found to be ideally suited for cultivation by the coastal fishermen of Mandapam, Pamban and Thangachimadam areas of Ramanathapural District in Tamil Nadu, according to Prof. V. Krishnamurthy, Director, Krishnamurthy Institute of Algalogy, Chennai.
Kappaphycus yields a substance called carrageenan, which is used in the manufacture of several food products, drugs and cosmetics. Another red algae called Gracilaria is used as raw material for the production of agar, a substance similar to carrageenan.
Source:The Hindu – 17, August 2006
 

July 20 meet on Centre’s mangrove, wetland plan

New Delhi, July 15: Representative of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) are meeting officials of the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) on July 20 to deliberate on a joint project on mangroves. Both the IUCN and MoEF are preparing, a project to assess and upgrade the cover of mangroves in South Asia and Southeast Asia.
The importance of mangroves, which have proven effective against tsunamis and cyclones, has increased, especially after the tsunami that hit Southeast Asia in 2004, and the IUCN wants that it should be increasingly used as a natural barrier against cyclones and tsunamis.
“We have some of the best species of mangroves in the Indian subcontinent, which have proves beneficial during cyclones and super-cyclones. The IUCN wants that the same should be applied in other countries also which are prone to such climatic conditions,” said a senior official of the ministry.
The MoEF is the nodal agency for implementing the conservation programme on wetlands, mangroves and coral reefs. The programme was initiated in 1987 and is guided by a national committee on wetlands, mangroves and coral reefs and conservation of these eco-systems.
Source: Deccan Chronicle – 16, July 2006

Documenting marine life

Ramanathapuram: The much-awaited process of documenting marine species in the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve, India’s richest marine biosphere, using underwater cameras, has begun.
Though the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park (GMMNP) and the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve Trust (GMBRT) bought these cameras two years ago, they were not used in the absence of cameramen with specialized skill.
Those proficient in using underwater cameras need to know scuba dividing. The existing photographs on the underwater species available with the GMMNP were sourced from various research institutes dealing with marine biology.
Now, GMMNP officials have collected underwater photographic treasures of the Karichalli Islands, one of the 21 islands of the GMMNP, with the help of scuba divers from Goa. They have taken hundreds of photos of underwater animals including several species of corals, fin and shellfish varieties, sea grasses and other off Karichalli Island.
Source: The Hindu – 14, July 2006

Evolve joint programmes to face disasters: Vice Chancellor

Cuddalore: Anna University Vice Chancellor D. Viswanathan has cautioned that if global warming was not checked, it would increase the frequency of natural disasters and wreak havoc on an unprecedented scale.

The global rise in temperature could lead to alarming sea level changes, storm surges, heavy floods and consequent submergence of small islands States, Mr. Viswanathan said.

Delivering the valedictory address at the national seminar on “Disaster Management” organized by the CIT Alumni Association, Neyveli under the aegis of Neyveli Lignite Corporation on Sunday, he said that India was highly hazard prone, subject to earthquakes, landslides, floods, cyclones, drought and tsunamis.

The country was vulnerable due to population explosion ad haphazard development, and moreover its ad hoc and disorganized response had compounded the situation. Mt. Viswanathan noted that the India was not alone in the fight against disasters, and many developing countries were facing a similar predicament.
Source: The Hindu – 19, July 2006

Sethu environment impact report flawed, says Greenpeace

Chennai: The Sethusamudram project was cleared based on a “flawed” Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Report, prepared by the National Environment Research Institute (NEERI), according to Green peace, an organization working to expose global environmental problems.

The Greenpeace, which released a report here on Tuesday, said the EIA report, prepared in a hurry in 2004, did not provide critical data on the impact, and it was engineered to support a number of false recommendations.
Source: The Hindu – 19, July 2006

Baby whale appears near shore

Madurai, Jan.21: A baby whale which wandered into shallow waters on the Rameswaram coast on Friday, and was shunted to the deeper part by the forest department officials and fire service personnel, re-appeared again in the same spot from where it was rescued much to the surprise of the officials and the public on Saturday.

Fishermen and people on the shore were surprised to see the 12ft. long whale on Friday in the sea near the agni theertham, the shallow portion of the sea near the temple.

The mammal, weighting about one-and-a-half tones was finding it difficult to swim into the deeper sea and was thrashing its tail from side to side.
Source: Deccan Chronicle – 22, January 2006

How to prevent natural disasters. Integration of risk assessments stressed

The theme for the World Meteorological Day-2006 celebrated on March 23 is “Preventing and mitigating natural disasters”. The title has been chosen to highlight that weather, climate and water-related hazards, such as cyclones, floods, extreme temperature, drought, famine, avalanches and landslides, constitute 90 percent of natural hazards. It also brings into focus the role played by the National Weather Services (NWS) in preventing, preparing and mitigating such disasters.

In 1992-2001, natural disasters worldwide were linked to over 6,22,000 deaths, affecting over 2 billion people and causing economic losses to the tune of $446 billion. Over the last several decades, the economic impact of the natural disasters has increased.
Source: The Hindu – 23, March 2006

 Global warming woes

 London: Half of Greenland and vast areas of Antarctica are detained to melt if global warming continues at the same pace until the end of the century, scientists have warned. Their research shows that the loss of so much ice will trigger dramatic rises in sea levels, ultimately swamping low-lying islands and coastal regions and threatening the flood defences of cities such as London.

The last time so much ice was lost from the poles – in a period between ice ages 129,000 years ago – global sea levels rose by 4 to 6 metres.

Storm surges: Exerts believe many coastal regions would suffer long before sea levels rose significantly, because even a minor rise will make storm surges more devastating and increase the risk of flooding.

The warning comes from climate scientists who combined historical records of Arctic and Antarctic ice melting with advanced computer models capable of predicting future environmental conditions. They found that if nothing is done to put the brakes on climate change, Greenland, the west Antarctica ice sheet and other expanses of polar ice will be warmed beyond a “tipping point” after which their melting is inevitable. 
Source: The Hindu – 25, March 2006

Giant sailfish, black marlin netted by fishermen

 Cuddalore: The seas off Cuddalore continue to throw up surprises, providing the fishermen with rich hauls. Recently, fishermen at Parangipettai caught two over-grown species of rare varieties that fetched handsome prices in the market.

Surprise catch: They were astounded at their catch of a sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus) and black marlin (Makaira indica), measuring 3.2 metres and 3.9 metres, and weighing 125 kg and 250 kg respectively.

Soon after landing, the fishermen witnessed exceptional demand for these species.

They made a fortune by selling these fish for Rs. 15,000 and Rs. 20, 000 respectively. The fishermen were excited that during their operations they came across such species not far away from the shore. T. Balasubramanian, Director, Centre of Advanced Study in Marine Biology of Annamalai University told The Hindu that the sighting of two species was a rare occurrence.

Sailfish the fastest: According to V. Ravi, lecturer in the Centre, who did the field investigation, the sailfish is considered to be the fastest moving species as it could reach a speed of 110 km per hour within a short time. It has a long bill and characteristic sail-shaped first dorsal fin and it feeds on mackerel, needlefish and dolphins.

The black marlin is also one of the largest and swiftest species, having an elongated snout. It feeds on fish, squids and cuttlefish, and has been sighted for the first time in this region.

Mr. Ravi said a couple of days ago the carcass of a highly decomposed sperm whale was washed ashore at Ayyampettai. In the post-tsunami, many rare species were surfacing, enthralling fishermen and marine scientists, he added.
Source: The Hindu – 20, March 2006

Study begins to map depth contours of sea

 Cuddalore: The Centre of Advanced Study in Marine Biology of Annamalai University, located at Portonovo, has undertaken the bathymetry study to ascertain after the tsunami – from Cuddalore to Nagapattinam.

The Integrated Coastal and Marine Area Management Department, under the Union Ministry of Ocean Development, has assigned the task to the centre, according to L.B. Venkatrangan, Vice-Chancellor and T. Balasubramanian, Director of the centre.

They told The Hindu that in the post-tsunami many improbabilities were turning into realities, as many surprises were cropping up from the fathoms of the seas. After the disaster, there seemed to be a vast variance in the marine system with increasingly bigger animals surfacing off the Cuddalore coast.

The region was not the natural habitat of the sea creatures such as sperm whales. Recently a highly decomposed body of a sperm whale was washed ashore near Cuddalore, which astonished the scientists.

Given their size and area of operation, these sea animals required considerable depth to move about. Moreover, they required ample supply of smaller marine animals for their food. Therefore, it could be surmised that significant transformation should have taken place in the sea to attract these mammoth sea creatures nearer the coast.

For several decades before the tsunami, no such sightings of whales were reported because earlier the shallow coastline rarely attracted them.

Mr. Balasubramanian said these animals required at least a depth of 1000 metres to sail. But, as per the available statistics, such depth could be obtained only beyond 32km off the coast.

Only at Seyyar near Marakanam has the required 1000 metre depth at 12km from the shore. However, the continued presence of increasing number of dolphins, whales, enlarged sailfish and black marlins closer to the coast, were the indicators that conductive environment prevailed for their habitation.

The director said the bathymetry study was being conducted with instruments such as echo sounder, wave recorder, tide gauge and so on.

He hoped that the study would reveal valuable insight into the bowels of sea that would in turn enrich the fund of knowledge of the marine scientists and also put on alert the decision-makers.
Source: The Hindu – 23, March 2006

Reef system in peril

Sydney: The severe storm that barreled over Australis’s Great Barrier Reef on Monday probably left an underwater trail of devastation that could take 20 years to return to normal. That is the bad news.

The good news is that the worst damage from Cyclone Larry is limited to a tiny fraction of the sprawling, Japan-sized reef network – and it is far from the places where nearly two million tourists a year gaze in awe at the coral’s vibrant colours and fish life, an expert said.

In a previous storm in the area, underwater damage was concentrated around the cyclone’s central “eye” – a zone of extremely low-pressure air.
Source: The Hindu – 21, March 2003

Polluted rivers in sharp focus on Water Day

Chennai: The need to protect rivers against pollution assumes importance as World Water Day is observed on Wednesday. This year ‘water and culture’ is the theme.

But be it the Cooum, Palar or Noyyal, the state of rivers leaves much to be desiredm water experts say. Their environmental degradation is a matter of concern to water experts, environmentalists, policy makers and citizens. Rapid urbanization and industrialization are cited among the contributory factors.

Domestic sewage: As for the Cooum and the Adyar in Chennai, domestic sewage is the main culprit. The Palar in Vellore district and the Noyyal in the Coimbatore-Erode belt have borne the brunt of industrial effluents.

Pointing that the Cauvery and the Vaigai are also affected by domestic sewage, Paul Appasamy, Member Secretary of the Centre for Excellence in Environmental Economics in the Madras School of Economics, says this underscore the importance of making adequate and strengthening sewer infrastructure.

As for the Noyyal and the Palar, export-led growth has taken its toll on them. Given the presence of a large number of smaller industrial units, the implementation of remedial measures requires the State’s support. At the same time, industry should contribute its share, Mr. Appasamy adds.
Source: The Hindu – 22, March 2006

Underwater Archaeology Centre at Mandapam to be received

Thanjavur: Tamil University has decided to revive research activities at the Underwater Archaeology Centre at Mandapam, near Rameswaram, soon.

The centre had been functioning since the inception of Tamil University in 1980.

Two ancient anchors found by the centre during underwater excavations in the sea have now been placed at the museum in Thanjavur.

But after sometime, a resolution was adopted by the Tamil University Syndicate to bring back the centre from Mandapam to the University campus here.

The resolution asked the Government to take over 5.65 acres of land of Mandapam, which housed an administrative building and four quarters. However, the Government did not pass final orders on the takeover of the land.
Source: The Hindu – 24, March 2006

Coastal zone management plan to replace CRZ

 Chennai: The Ministry of Environment and Forests will shortly put in place a Coastal Zone Management Plan. It will replace the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ).

Ministry sources told The Hindu that the new plan, which will take effect in a few months, will be based on the concept of vulnerability line. Vulnerability line will be the set-back line demarcated along the coast. It will be based on the hazard assessment of each coastal area. The space Applications Centre, Ahmedabad, will be the nodal agency for mapping this line. The map and data would be in the public domain once it is cleared by the Ministry of Defence and suitable amendments were made to the legislation.

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