Best of our wild blogs: 8 Jan 11

Singapore Green Landscape 2011
from Green Future Solutions

New Additions to Seagrass-Monitoring for 2011
from teamseagrass

110106 Venus Drive
from Singapore Nature

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Resorts World Sentosa: "Marine park walks the talk" and STB says "RWS must comply"

Letter from Krist Boo Vice-President, Communications Resorts World Sentosa
Today Online 8 Jan 11;

When Resorts World Sentosa won the bid to build Singapore's first integrated resort in December 2006, it promised a Marine Life Park (MLP) that would put the Republic on the world map as the region's leader in marine research, conservation and education.

The MLP has on board today a team of professionals and animal experts who have been working to ensure that its development follows top-notch international practices and that it will eventually gain accreditation from a reputable international body. Even before it opens, the MLP has put its pledge on conservation into practice. In May 2008, MLP launched the $3.2 million Marine Life Fund for marine-life research, education and conservation projects.

In December 2008, the fund made its first disbursement to WildAid for anti-poaching patrol boats in the Galapagos Marine Reserve. In 2009, it aided a national shark conservation campaign in China. In the same year, it funded a marine-life education programme among kindergarten children, which raised funds for a local conservation group.

RWS has also undertaken coral conservation and remains one of the few destination resorts in the world that does not serve shark's fin in its restaurants. Just as what zoos have done to raise the profile of the panda and created awareness of its endangered status, the MLP has its role in wildlife conservation and education. The MLP team welcomes views and remains committed to dialogue with special interest groups, supporters and individuals keen to learn and act on marine conservation.

RWS must comply
Letter from Carrie Kwik Director, Integrated Resorts Industry Development Group II Singapore Tourism Board
Today Online 8 Jan 11;

I refer to the letter from Mr Roger Chow ("For PR's sake, free the dolphins", Dec 27) and thank him for his feedback.

The proposals for the Marine Life Park were submitted as part of the winning integrated resort tender bid by RWS. The range of attractions developed within the integrated resort and the specific components within each attraction, such as the plans for its Marine Life Park, are commercial decisions made by the developer.

In developing the Marine Life Park, RWS has committed to ensure that all aspects of development and implementation follow the relevant regulations and guidelines.

RWS must comply with international regulations, which include those of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites), as well as the requirements of the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) to safeguard animal health and ensure no animals are harmed or treated inappropriately at any time.

RWS will also be required to work with AVA to ensure that the marine animals in Singapore are provided with adequate space and care, among other considerations.

Attractions like the Marine Life Park have proven to be successful internationally not only for their appeal but also for educating the public on marine life and environmental issues.

We would like to see the Marine Life Park at RWS fulfil its potential to introduce young minds to the world of marine life and provide guests with educational and enriching experiences.

Resorts World Sentosa committed to wildlife conservation
Straits Times 10 Jan 11;

I THANK the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for its letter ('SPCA voices concern over animal welfare, experimentation'; Dec 30).

When Resorts World Sentosa won the bid to build Singapore's first integrated resort, it promised a Marine Life Park (MLP) that would put the Republic on the world map as the region's leader in marine research, conservation and education.

To deliver the promise, the MLP has on board today a world-class team of experienced professionals and animal experts. This team has been working towards ensuring that the park's development follows top-notch international practices, and that it will eventually gain accreditation from a reputable international body.

Even before opening, the MLP has put its pledge on conservation into practice.

In May 2008, it launched the $3.2 million Marine Life Fund for marine-life research, education and conservation projects. In December 2008, the fund made its first disbursement to WildAid for anti-poaching patrol boats in the Galapagos Marine Reserve.

In 2009, the fund aided a national shark conservation campaign in China. In the same year, it funded a marine life education programme among kindergarten children, which raised funds for a local conservation group.

Resorts World Sentosa has also undertaken coral conservation and today, remains one of the few destination resorts in the world with restaurants that do not serve shark's fin.

Just as what zoos have done to raise the profile of the panda and created awareness of its endangered status, the MLP has its role in wildlife conservation and education. The MLP team welcomes views and remains committed to dialogue with special interest groups, supporters and individuals keen to learn and act on marine conservation.

Krist Boo (Ms)
Vice President, Communications
Resorts World Sentosa

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Resorts World Sentosa: Oh where, oh where have the dolphins gone?

Esther Ng Today Online 8 Jan 11;

LANGKAWI - First there were seven, then five and now there are none.

The five remaining bottlenose dolphins at a holding area in Langkawi destined for Resorts World Sentosa's (RWS) Marine Life Park were no longer at the pen of the Awana Porto Malai resort when MediaCorp visited on Friday.

An employee who wanted to be known as Ahmed, told MediaCorp that the dolphins were put into a container last month and sent to Langkawi's international airport, from where they shipped to the Philippines.

MediaCorp had reported on Dec 18 that two of the dolphins had died from an acute bacterial infection in October.

The dolphins were caught in the Solomon Islands last January.

Mr Ahmed believes that the rest were moved from the Malaysian resort, which is owned by the Genting group, because the water "was not good" for their health.

"We had a lot of rain and muddy run-off from the nearby mountains could have affected the dolphins," he said.

Until they were removed, said Mr Ahmed, the dolphins were friendly and trained three times a day by six trainers - two each from Mexico, Hong Kong and Singapore.

"Contacted by MediaCorp, RWS was unable to respond by press time if the mammals were joining its 18 other dolphins being trained at the Ocean Adventure Park in the Philippines.

The RWS had previously said the dolphins there were in "good health" and that it was continuing with the "development and establishment of the medical, behavioural, husbandry and training programmes ... to ensure the well-being and health of the dolphins".

While animal activists have been up in arms about the captivity of dolphins in Singapore, RWS had stressed that the Marine Life Park was "part of the bid" when it won the integrated resort licence.

After winning the bid, RWS signed an agreement with the Sentosa Development Corporation, a Government statutory board. This means the ball is not just in the RWS court when it comes to any decision about the dolphins.

On Friday, the RWS wrote to MediaCorp to explain how its Marine Life Park would support conservation.

Meanwhile, the Singapore Tourism Board stressed on Friday that RWS must comply with international regulations, which include the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites), as well as the requirements of the Agri-food and Veterinary Authority to safeguard animal health.

Bottlenose dolphins are listed in Appendix II of Cites, which entails strict regulations in their trade. The RWS had said previously it would comply with these regulations.

RWS relocates 7 dolphins to Philippines
Channel NewsAsia 8 Jan 11;

SINGAPORE: Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) says it has relocated seven dolphins to the Philippines as part of its overall strategy to set up a satellite facility identical to its permanent operations in Singapore.

The dolphins are destined for RWS' yet-to-be-completed Marine Life Park.

RWS adds that it has set up an animal hospital and laboratory in the Philippines, hired a vet who specialises in marine mammals to support its consulting veterinary team and continue with its husbandry and behaviour training programmes.

The integrated resort says the relocation of the dolphins in December last year from a holding area in Malaysia's Langkawi island to the Philippines was done to enhance and expand the training and development of the dolphins and trainers as well as to continue integrating the dolphins into social groupings.

RWS will also start preparations to commence its long-term goal of developing a breeding programme for the dolphins.

It says details of the Marine Life Park are still being finalised.

The care and well-being of the dolphins are of paramount importance and they will be moved to Singapore only when the facility is ready, fully complying with international regulations, which include the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna, says RWS.

There were originally nine dolphins at the Langkawi holding area, but two died in October from an acute bacterial infection. The dolphins were caught from the wild at Solomon Islands in January last year.

RWS moves dolphins again
Straits Times 9 Jan 11;

Seven dolphins destined for Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) have been moved from their holding pen on the Malaysian island of Langkawi to another facility in the Philippines.

The move comes after two dolphins died in captivity in Langkawi in October, drawing flak from animal welfare groups. They had suffered an acute bacterial infection.

Captured in January last year at the Solomon Islands, the nine dolphins were first brought to Langkawi for training by professional RWS trainers.

According to RWS spokesman Robin Goh, the move to the Philippines was done 'to enhance and expand the training and development of the dolphins'.

In addition, it also wants to integrate the dolphins into social groups, and is preparing to start a long-term breeding programme.

It plans to use the dolphins for its Marine Life Park, an 8ha oceanarium which was part of its winning proposal to build the Sentosa integrated resort in 2006.

It could not confirm when the park will officially open this year, or what role the dolphins would play in it.

It did not comment on whether the dolphins were moved because of what could be poor water quality at the Langkawi facility that could have threatened the dolphins' health.

To prevent any further deaths, Mr Goh said RWS has built an animal hospital and laboratory at its facility in the Philippines, and has hired a full-time vet who specialises in marine mammals to join its consultative team of vets.

The trade of bottlenose dolphins is governed by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, which RWS said it has pledged to comply fully with.

Lin Yang

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Semakau: Love in a landfill

Five years after Semakau opened to the public, visitor numbers and wildlife flourish
Ong Dai Lin Today Online 8 Jan 11;

THE photos in her wedding album show the lovebirds all aglow against a backdrop of sweeping azure skies, wind-swept tall grass, green plains starred with white flowers, and serene tree-lined paths.

Said Mrs Rochelle Ong: "When people see my wedding pictures, they ask if I took the photos in Korea. When you tell them it is a landfill, they go: 'Huh?'."

It was by chance that Mrs Ong had stumbled across Pulau Semakau, Singapore's last operational landfill, while surfing the Internet. Impressed with how beautiful the island looked, the 31-year-old assistant sales manager decided she had to have her nuptial pictures taken there, and wrote to the National Environment Agency (NEA) for permission. They got their wish in 2007.

The next year, Mr Adrial Tan and his bride became the second couple to take their wedding shots there since the island was opened to the public in 2005. "We didn't need to go overseas for a different type of photo shoot - that would have cost quite a bit," said the 33-year-old teacher. "I think nobody expected a landfill to have such scenery."

Every day, about 2,000 tonnes of ash, sludge and non-incinerable solid waste - the residue from the mainland's four waste incineration plants - make their way to their final resting place at Semakau.

Through the ingenious efforts of the Ministry of the Environment, what could have been a literal dump has instead been transformed into an ecological and recreational haven for nature lovers, bird watchers, sport fishermen and stargazers.

According to the agency, the number of members of the public trooping to Semakau has tripled since 2005, from more than 4,000 to 13,000 last year.

To ensure Mother Nature isn't stressed by so many visitors, the number is limited to 160 a day. They have to sign up for a tour with the NEA or join the activities of The Astronomical Society of Singapore (Tasos), the Nature Society Singapore (NSS) and Sport Fishing Association Singapore (SFAS), which have permission to hold their events on Semakau.


SHARKS AND EAGLES

These interest groups tell MediaCorp that they see more people joining the trips they conduct to Semakau.

The NSS, which organises bi-monthly bird-watching trips to the landfill with 20 to 30 people each time, says there has been a "substantial increase" in interest. Society president Shawn Lum said: "More people are aware of the environment and have more knowledge about Semakau."

Recounting how Semakau has changed since it opened for landfill operations in 1999, Dr Lum said: "It was just the reclaimed land initially ... the grasslands and wetlands had not yet evolved. Now, the planted mangroves have established themselves and matured, and there are habitats now that never existed, and we see more biodiversity on Semakau."

For instance, the changeable hawk eagle - a rare sighting in mainland forests, which is not known to visit offshore islands - has been spotted on Semakau, Dr Lum said.

Sports fishermen have seen turtles and stingrays, which breed in the waters off Semakau; the black-tipped reef shark, which can grow to 1.8m in length; as well as sea otters in the mangroves, according to Mr Chin Chi Khiong, chairman of the SFAS.

The association organises monthly fishing trips to Semakau but not to worry - the anglers use artificial bait and practise the "catch and release" method, said Mr Chin. The SFAS promotes fishing as a sport, not a meat-hunting exercise.

For human day trippers, more facilities have been built, such as a briefing room and pantry for groups that stay overnight, noted Tasos assistant honorary secretary Albert Ho. The society visits Semakau four to six times a year in groups of 20 to 50; they get twice the number of participants these days than when the trips out first started.

At night, minus the glare of urban lights, the Milky Way and the Summer Triangle (a star formation) are some of the sky objects that are visible from Semakau.

HUMAN IMPACT

The NEA has not studied the impact of visitors' activities on Semakau but interest groups say it is minimal because of the cap on visitor numbers. Said Mr Chin: "When we go in a small group, the impact on nature is very small. And we don't go very often, we give nature time to recover."

The Raffles Museum of Biodiversity, which is conducting a three-year census of Semakau's marine species, declined to be interviewed for this feature. Its Project Semakau, which started in November 2008, uses volunteers to help researchers document species of plants and animals, as well as conduct tours for schools and the public.

Other interest groups such as the Tropical Marine Science Institute and TeamSeaGrass also monitor eco systems around the island. The western shore of Semakau, for instance, is home to what are probably Singapore's largest remaining coral reefs and pristine expanse of seagrass.

Given how this ecological gem appears to be flourishing, should the landfill's doors be cracked open for more human visitors to appreciate it? It's something the interest groups are in favour of but with understandable caution. Said Mr Ho: "It's good to expose people to Semakau. But there must be a balance between opening up and letting the place become commercialised like Sentosa. Then we will lose the charm of the place."

For now, the NEA is not considering raising the visitor limit. Mr Ivan Yap, manager of landfill operations at Semakau, said there is limited transportation and manpower to cope with an increased visitor count.

"If there are too many people, the visitors will not be able to enjoy the trip," he added.

From waste ash to homes for man and nature
by Ong Dai Lin

Another challenge Pulau Semakau faces is coping with the waste that Singapore produces with a growing economy and population.

Besides encouraging Singaporeans to recycle more, the National Environment Agency (NEA) is looking to see if it can make use of the waste being dumped at Semakau.

In March last year, it began an eight-month study to assess the possibility of building a commercial plant to recycle the waste ash into useful material for construction work.

By reducing the amount of waste that ends up at the landfill, its lifespan can be extended beyond 2045. Manager of landfill operations at Semakau Ivan Yap said: "We are trying to change our perceptions too. What you term as waste now can eventually be a resource."

He adedd: "Once Semakau landfill is used up, it is very costly and difficult to find another place to develop a landfill site."

The NEA is also thinking of attracting more biodiversity research by the likes of academics and nature groups, on the island's mangroves, sea grass and corals for instance.

The $610-million Semakau Landfill, created out of the amalgamation of Pulau Sakeng and Pulau Semakau, began operations in 1999. Care was taken to minimise the impact of construction on the ecosystems, including replanting lost tracts of mangroves.

A rock bund built around the 350-hectare landfill, and lined with an impermeable membrane and clay, prevents pollution of the sea.

Cells divide the landfill. Each evening, waste ash, sludge and non-incinerable waste is barged over from the mainland and fill those cells.

When a cell is full, a layer of earth is poured over it and, over time, nature makes its home there.

Besides being featured by international media such as the Discovery Channel, environment ministers from over the world such as Japan and New Zealand have visited Semakau to learn about its nature-friendly waste management efforts. Ong Dai Lin

More links
More about Pulau Semakau and how to visit.

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Small steps to shrink Singapore's water footprint

Dan McCarthy, For The Straits Times 8 Jan 11;

THE world's environment is under pressure. Climate change and the increasing demand for resources are placing life on our planet at risk. High-level debates at Cancun are one thing, but can each of us make a difference the next time we order chicken rice, or say, beef noodles?

The answer is probably yes. The choice of what you eat can make an impression on what is described as your 'water footprint'.

We are already familiar with the concept of 'carbon footprint'. Singaporeans increasingly buy environmentally friendly products such as energy-saving light bulbs, which lower our carbon footprint as well as save us money.

But how conscious are we about conserving our limited water supply? Singaporeans, as a people, are arguably more conscious than most.

With relatively little land to collect rainwater and no natural aquifers, Singapore's founding fathers strove hard for water independence. Their consciousness of water as a precious resource rippled through society. Monthly water utility statements show graphs indicating the volume of water consumed, so households can take action to conserve water.

The Clean and Green Singapore campaign is another example. Speaking at the launch of the campaign last November, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong encouraged citizens and businesses to defend their environment as they would defend their country.

Every day, each Singaporean uses on average 155 litres of water, and there are plans in place to cut this figure to 147 litres by 2020. These figures include the water we drink, as well as other domestic indirect uses, from bathing to washing our clothes. But it does not reflect our total water footprint, including what is termed virtual (or embedded) water.

Most of the water that the world uses is in fact consumed by industries and agriculture, not by households. The concepts of water footprint and virtual water acknowledge our direct use, but also help us begin to understand our indirect consumption of water. Most of the water we consume indirectly goes into making the goods we use, rather than being physically contained in the final products.

For example, the production of 1kg of wheat consumes about 1,300 litres of water, but the production of 1kg of beef requires about 15,500 litres of water. In comparison, the water footprint of chicken is only about 3,900 litres a kg of meat.

The virtual water content of manufactured products as well as some services can also be measured. On average, it takes about 400,000 litres of water to produce a typical passenger car, while it has been estimated that one Google search would consume one-tenth of a teaspoon of water.

Water footprint, like carbon footprint, is by no means a perfect measure. It glosses over significant issues such as the availability of water at the site of its consumption, and how this should be reflected in the price a consumer eventually pays for a product.

Still, the value of the concept lies in its usefulness in educating the general public and broadening their view about the impact their choices and behaviour have on a finite resource like water. Armed with this knowledge, people can effect change over time, as we are beginning to see with the concept of carbon footprint.

So should you become a vegetarian or limit your consumption of red meat? This is not a matter I would preach about, but I would argue that people should be aware of how their choices can have an impact on the environment. What I would encourage are simple steps to encourage wise water use.

Limiting our time taking a shower, washing a full load of clothes, and even less obvious methods such as not littering our drains will translate into wasting less of our precious water resource. In terms of indirect use, there is little agricultural production in Singapore, but businesses can play their part by implementing water efficiency management plans.

If we start small, we can work towards solving broader water scarcity issues and ultimately reducing our water footprint.

The writer is president and chief executive officer of Black & Veatch's global water business.

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Year of reckoning for Singapore biofuel investments

Local firms will test whether jatropha crop can be profitable commercial venture
Lester Kok Straits Times 8 Jan 11;

LOCAL biofuel companies that have planted jatropha crops years ago are now seeing the fruits of their efforts. The crops, which are at plantations in China, Myanmar and India, are now being harvested.

This year will prove to be a crucial one for this biofuel crop, as companies test out whether it can succeed as a profitable commercial venture.

Jatropha oil can be converted into high-quality biodiesel as well as aviation fuel.

As early as 2004, jatropha curcas had been cultivated on a large scale by India and Brazil. But many such attempts in India ended in failure because the plant did not give the high yield of oil expected.

Lately, there seems to be a revival of interest in the biofuel, with a better understanding of the crop and improved technology that can increase the oil yield.

Carriers such as Germany's Lufthansa, Brazil's TAM Airlines, Air New Zealand and Air China are starting or have already carried out successful jatropha fuel trials on their planes.

Local start-up Biofuel Resource, which has a 33 sq km jatropha plantation in the Guangxi autonomous region in China, is now reaping its first commercial harvest after almost four years of waiting. The area is just 10 per cent of the total land allocated to it by the Chinese government.

By the end of this year, it hopes to collect 15,000 tonnes of jatropha oil - enough to power a fleet of 1,000 trucks for five years.

The company will process the oil into biodiesel at its own refinery, which will be completed by the second half of this year, and sell it to businesses in Guangxi.

Singaporean Charlie Teo, its founder and chairman, worked in China's coal industry for more than 16 years before he started Biofuel Resource in 2007.

He tied up with Chinese jatropha research scientists to develop the plantation in Longzhou County, Chongzuo prefecture, where there is arable but less fertile land.

Their key to success: an oil yield of 40 per cent to 50 per cent using crops developed by the Chinese researchers.

'We hope to deliver 100,000 metric tonnes of biodiesel (each year) eventually,' said the 46-year-old.

Mr Ernest Tan, the company's chief executive, believes that bio-fuels are a better and more efficient alternative form of renewable energy than solar and wind power.

He said: 'They are not yet practical for land transportation, which is a major consumer of fossil fuel, while biofuel is an immediately practical substitute.'

Industry analysts in Singapore agree that jatropha is a resilient fuel crop, as it can grow on marginal soil, which is unsuitable for food crops.

Many plantations had failed because wild species of jatropha were used and the crops were not properly cultivated.

Different renewable resources fulfil different needs, said Professor Michael Quah of the Energy Studies Institute at the National University of Singapore.

There is the electron diet - which is electricity required by buildings and appliances - and there is the liquid diet - used by the majority of transportation modes such as cars, planes and ships.

Said Prof Quah: 'Our 'liquid diet' will always be there; hence, biofuels will be needed to satisfy this (need).'

Mr Kom Mam Sun, director of local company Biofuel Research, cited jatropha's toxicity and low oil yield as drawbacks.

'When we talk to farmers, they tell us that they would prefer to plant edible crops on arable land, rather than a toxic crop,' he said.

But such problems may be resolved with proper research and planning, said Dr Hong Yan of the Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory (TLL), who is also an adjunct associate professor at the Nanyang Technological University.

Dr Hong, who is also a lead researcher at Joil, a TLL spin-off, said the latter has successfully grown a tissue culture which would enable jatropha plants to have seeds which contain more oil.

Other Singapore companies which have bet their dollar on jatropha include listed firm Yoma Strategic Holdings, which has a plantation in Myanmar's Ayerwaddy Division, and Bioenergy Plantations, which has recently launched India's first 'self-sustainable village' with jatropha farms, solar units and windmills in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

Mr Serge Pun, chairman and CEO of Yoma, which has harvested from about 240ha of crops, said: 'Although jatropha curcas has been around for many years, it is a new crop when it comes to large-scale commercial plantations.

'It needs both varietal and yield improvements to ensure sustainable commercial success.'

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Vietnamese catfish in Singapore safe to eat

Despite blacklisting in Europe, catfish imports have passed AVA tests
Huang Lijie Straits Times 8 Jan 11;

CATFISH lovers here can continue eating the succulent fish without worry.

This is despite Vietnamese catfish being recently blacklisted in Europe due to unsustainable farming practices and filthy breeding conditions.

The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA), which oversees food safety issues here, has assured consumers that the catfish sold here is safe for consumption.

Most of Singapore's catfish supply - also known as pangasius or sutchi - comes from Vietnam, with additional imports from Malaysia and Myanmar.

An AVA spokesman said the agency regularly samples and tests all seafood for preservatives, drug residue and contaminants such as heavy metals. So far, catfish imports have tested safe.

In November last year, seafood buying guides produced by conservation organisation the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in European countries such as Germany, Austria and Switzerland placed Vietnam's catfish on its 'Don't Buy' list.

The reasons cited include claims that Vietnam's catfish farms release nutrients, medicines and pesticides into the surrounding rivers and lakes and pollute the environment. It also said that the catfish industry was at risk of disease outbreaks.

After a meeting with Vietnamese government officials and seafood industry representatives last month, WWF changed the categorisation for Vietnamese catfish to 'Moving Towards Certification', although it stands by its negative assessment.

Vietnamese catfish is not yet included in WWF's Singapore Seafood Guide.

WWF Singapore managing director Amy Ho said the exclusion is due to space constraints. She explained that the local guide is compact and lists only a selection of the most commonly found seafood in Singapore.

The fish, however, is popular among local diners. In 2009, catfish imports increased by almost 30 per cent over the previous year's figure to 15,800 tonnes, 19 per cent of total fish imports.

Demand for the fish remained strong last year, said supermarkets such as FairPrice and Cold Storage.

Seafood importers say catfish is popular here because it is cheap compared with other types of frozen fish fillets.

For example, halibut is priced at $18 a kg and red snapper at $16 a kg. Catfish, however, sells for about $7 a kg.

Restaurants also like to serve the fish because it is a tasty and versatile meat.

Chef Willin Low of the restaurants Relish and Wild Rocket said: 'Catfish is succulent and tender. It also has a very light taste, which works well to take in stronger flavours like that of sauces.'

Relish, in Bukit Timah Road, serves a dish of green curry catfish with black olive rice.

Sabai Fine Thai Cuisine, a restaurant with outlets at Customs House and Takashimaya, also serves deep-fried smoked catfish salad.

Artist manager Chan Boon Han, 46, who is a fan of the green curry catfish at Relish, said: 'Given how strict the local authorities are about food imports, I trust that the catfish sold here is safe to eat.'

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Community effort to beautify Alexandra Canal

Alvina Soh Today Online 8 Jan 11;

SINGAPORE - The community got together Friday to do some wetland planting at Alexandra Canal as part of the Active, Beautiful and Clean Waters Programme.

The initiative was part of a makeover of the canal to make it a recreational attraction for the public. The project is also intended to inculcate a sense of ownership in the canal.

Pupils from Crescent Girls School and CHIJ Kellock Primary got their hands dirty for a good cause by planting the wetlands along a 1.2-kilometre stretch of the canal, from Tanglin Road to Delta Road.

"I feel really good because it's like I'm giving back to society, like I'm playing my part for the people who live here, the residents. So it feels very satisfying," said Crescent Girls student Lim Fang Yi.

Other organisations also got into the act.

National water agency PUB manager (3P Network) Mas Shafreen said, "It's all about getting the community involved. So you're looking at secondary school students interacting with primary school students, interacting with government organisations as well as private sector organisations. So, the takeaway is not just for the students."

Also planned for the area: A lookout deck at Tanglin, a shallow water play area and an educational hut.

Alvina Soh

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5000 residents to take part in South West district's recycling programme this Sunday

Today Online 7 Jan 11;

SINGAPORE- South West district's recycling programmes - the Weekly 'Trash-for-Cash' and annual "Trash-for-Groceries" programmes, which is into its sixth year running, have been a success. Together they helped to reduce over 9,000 tonnes of carbon emissions, last year.

Dubbed "Clean Up South West!", the annual programme encourages residents to exchange their recyclables for groceries.

This year, more than 5,000 residents across the South West district are expected to take part in the annual mass recycling activities on Sunday.

Community leaders and residents will use the proceeds from their recyclables collection to purchase groceries for the underprivileged in the community.

About 30 students will conduct a needs assessment survey on 120 needy families in the Keat Hong division. They will also spread environmentally-friendly practices to residents at the heartland malls.

Heartlanders help reduce carbon emission
Andre Yeo Channel NewsAsia 7 Jan 11;

SINGAPORE: The South West district's weekly 'Trash-for-Cash' and annual "Trash-for-Groceries" recycling programmes, which is into its sixth year running, had helped to reduce over 9,000 tonnes of carbon emissions, last year.

Dubbed "Clean Up South West!", the annual programme encourages residents to pick up recycling habits by exchanging their recyclables for groceries.

This year, more than 5,000 residents across the South West district are expected to participate in the annual mass recycling activities on Sunday.

The first to embark on a "Trash-for-groceries" recycling programme in 2002, the Hong Kah North division, one of the 16 divisions in the South West district, also plans to collect used cooking oil to raise funds for community projects.

They will also recycle old banners for resource conservation and to help low-income families who will turn these recycled banners into useful eco-products.

Lam Soon Community Centre Youth Executive Committee from Keat Hong division will also make use of this event to use the proceeds from their recyclables collection to buy groceries for the underprivileged in the community.

About 30 students will conduct a needs assessment survey on 120 needy families in the division and spread environmentally-friendly practices to residents at the heartland malls.

-CNA/wk

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Globally, 2010 Was a Good Year for Sharks

Environment News Service 6 Jan 11;

WASHINGTON, DC, January 6, 2010 (ENS) - Although many shark species are still at risk of extinction, around the world shark conservation advanced last year. In Washington on Tuesday, President Barack Obama signed into law the Shark Conservation Act of 2010, which increases protection for sharks from the practice of shark finning, by which fishermen cut the fins off sharks and throw them back into the sea to die.

Many vessels target sharks for their fins, prized as an ingredient in shark fin soup. The new law will close a loophole in the Shark Finning Prohibition Act of 2000 that allowed vessels to transport fins obtained illegally, as long as the sharks were not finned aboard that vessel.

The Shark Conservation Act, introduced by Representatives Madeleine Bordallo of Guam, Eni Faleomavaega of American Samoa, and Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, all Democrats, requires that sharks be landed with their fins still naturally attached, the only sure way to enforce a ban on finning.

"Shark finning has fueled massive population declines and irreversible disruption of our oceans," said Senator Kerry.

In July 2008, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration began requiring that sharks be landed with their fins attached, but these regulations applied only to U.S. fisheries in the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico, not the Pacific Ocean. The new law extends that rule to the Pacific.

Another section of the new law amends the High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act to direct the Secretary of Commerce to urge international fishery management organizations of which the United States is a member to adopt shark conservation measures, including measures to prohibit removal of shark fins, and discard of the shark carcass at sea.

It requires the secretary to seek to enter into international shark conservation agreements that are comparable to those of the United States. The secretary must also list a nation in the biennial report on international compliance if the nation's fishing vessels catch sharks in waters beyond their jurisdiction if that nation has not adopted shark conservation rules, including fin removal and carcass disposal prohibitions.

Conservation groups such as Humane Society International, the Humane Society of the United States and the Pew Environment Group applauded the new legislation.

"Cutting off sharks' fins and tossing their live bodies back into the sea is terribly cruel," said Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States. "It's also a major factor in the severe decline of sharks worldwide and the associated devastating impact on other species in the ocean ecosystem."

Matt Rand, director of the Pew Environment Group's Global Shark Conservation Campaign, said, "Sharks are in serious trouble. An estimated 73 million sharks are killed every year primarily to support the global shark fin trade. Thirty percent of the world's species are threatened or near threatened with extinction. Some populations, such as scalloped hammerheads and dusky sharks along the eastern U.S. coast, have plummeted by as much as 80 percent since the 1970s."

In May 2010, then Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle signed the nation's first shark protection bill into law. As of July 1, 2010 it became illegal to possess or sell shark fins in the state.

Under the new Hawaii law, vessels that could once transfer, trans-ship and store tons of fins in Hawaii can no longer do so. The only exemptions in the new law apply to shark research and educational institutions holding permits issued by the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Elsewhere around the world, shark conservation was also upheld and extended.

In February 2010, a landmark agreement to protect shark species threatened with extinction was reached as 113 countries signed up to a United Nations-backed wildlife treaty to conserve migratory sharks.

Government representatives signed the shark protection agreement in Manila at a meeting of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals. They agreed to include seven shark species in the agreement - the great white, basking, whale, porbeagle, spiny dogfish, shortfin and longfin mako sharks.

In November, the Regent of Raja Ampat, Indonesia declared a Shark Sanctuary for the entire 17,760 square miles of the Raja Ampat archipelago. These 1,500 small islands, cays and shoals surrounding the four main islands also contains Cenderawasih Bay, the largest marine national park in Indonesia.

According to Conservation International, marine surveys suggest that the marine life diversity in the Raja Ampat area is the highest recorded on Earth.

Within Raja Ampat, also in November, the Misool Eco Resort created a 468 square mile (1,220 sq km) Marine Conservation Area, where shark finning is prohibited. The new MCA will serve as a model for enforcement through community engagement.

"Misool Eco Resort is defining how effective ocean conservation gets done with their Marine Conservation Area," said Michael Skoletsky, executive director of Shark Savers, an international shark conservation organization.

"Enlist and integrate local communities into the outcome. Partner with NGOs for management, assessment, enforcement assistance, and funding. Engage government to establish legal authority and leadership as it has with the Raja Ampat Shark Sanctuary," explained Skoletsky. "Misool Eco Resort has set an example by using highly responsible underwater eco-tourism as the vehicle for making conservation practical."

The newly protected area nearly tripled Misool Eco Resort's No-Take Zone, established in 2005, extending it to include an adjoining archipelago of islands called Daram.

Previously threatened, sharks in the area are beginning to recover, says Dr. Mark Erdmann a diver who works with Conservation International. "In the past year alone," he said, "I've seen more sharks within the MCA boundaries than I had seen in the preceding six years combined."

In December, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands' Senate voted to outlaw the shark fin trade.

The bill recognizes sharks to be "an essential element of the ocean's ecosystem" because of their role as apex predator of the sea. It seeks to stop the severe over-fishing of sharks by making it "unlawful for any person to possess, sell, offer for sale, trade, or distribute shark fins in the CNMI."

The bill outlawing shark fin trading in this Pacific island nation must still be reconciled with a different version approved by the CNMI House before it is signed into law by Governor Benigno Fitial.

Peter Knights of WildAid said, "It's heartening to see the CNMI taking the lead among Pacific island nations to adopt tough anti-shark-fin-trade laws to protect their nation's wildlife and resources from such destruction."

It has been just over a year since the Pacific island nation of Palau declared the waters within its exclusive economic zone to be a shark sanctuary, banning shark fishing over a 630,000 sq km area.

Palau's President Johnson Toribiong has brought the sharks' perilous situation to the attention of other governments at the United Nations, trying to persuade them that sharks have greater value as tourist attractions than for their fins.

While sharks did gain some measures of protection in 2010, in March, 175 governments ended their Conference of Pparties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, CITES, without approving any of the proposed shark protection measures.

Opposition by Japan, China and their allies defeated every proposal to give CITES protection to lucrative marine species including hammerhead sharks, whitetip sharks, porbeagle sharks, and spiny dogfish sharks.

"This is truly catastrophic for sharks," said Peter Peuschel of the International Fund for Animal Welfare. "Close to 100 million sharks are caught every year and some shark species may have declined by as much as 80 percent in the past decade - yet Parties voted irresponsibly against any increased protection."

Sharks are particularly vulnerable to overfishing because they grow slowly and can live as long as 100 years. Their relatively low reproductive rates give sharks little chance to recover if they are overfished.

According to the 2010 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 17 percent of world's 1,044 shark species are threatened with extinction. Currently, human knowledge of about 47 percent of shark species is too limited to even assess whether or not they are threatened.

While many shark species are threatened with extinction due to human activities, sharks can still be dangerous to humans. Worldwide in 2010, there were 96 shark attacks - 11 of them resulted in fatalities.

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Tiger Conservationists Laud Malaysia's New Wildlife Life

WWF 7 Jan 11;

Kuala Lumpur,7th January 2011 - MYCAT, a conservation alliance of the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS), TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, Wildlife Conservation Society - Malaysia Programme and WWF-Malaysia, welcomes the announcement by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) on the coming into force of the Wildlife Conservation Act 2010.

The much awaited Act with stronger provisions against offenders is a breakthrough in the fight against wildlife crime in Malaysia.

Malaysia has in recent years seen a sizeable increase in wildlife crime; and in 2010 saw some successes, with various raids and some prosecutions. The new Act must now function as a crucial tool for DWNP to further enhance its efforts in addressing various forms of wildlife crime in the country. The Act now also allows other enforcement agencies (in addition to DWNP) to be empowered to take action against wildlife crimes.

The current heightened penalties and enhanced prison terms when imposed will undoubtedly be a deterrent to poachers, smugglers and illegal wildlife traders. Hunting a totally protected animal, such as the Malayan Tiger, now carries a maximum fine of RM500,000. In addition, anyone caught setting, placing or using a snare will face a fine of at least RM50,000, and will have to spend at least one night in jail.

The effectiveness of any law lies ultimately in its successful implementation which involves the entire chain from competent gathering of information, investigation, enforcement, prosecution to sentencing. Every part of the chain must deliver to the public’s expectations. Disproportionately light sentences meted out for serious offences should be a thing of the past.

MYCAT pledges its continued support and commitment to enforcement agencies, to ensure that the law is used to its fullest extent in protecting Malaysia’s precious wildlife.

We firmly believe joint initiatives by all concerned groups and relevant authorities would greatly expedite much needed actions that will demonstrate Malaysia’s seriousness about protecting its wildlife. We urge the administrative and judicial arms of the government to exert their full powers in the war to protect our nature from further exploitation and abuse.

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Hanoi adopts measures to protect giant turtle

VOV News 8 Jan 11;

Hanoi municipal authorities have approved solutions to wipe out invasive red-eared turtles in Hoan Kiem lake in order to protect the environment for the giant turtle linked to legendary Kim Quy the Turtle.

The move is considered as urgent, to prevent the risky spread of the invaders in the lake, especially when photos of the giant turtle with a red-eared turtle on its shell and new injures allegedly caused by the alien species were recently shown publicly.

The red-eared turtles (Trachemys scripta elegans), ranked as one of the most invasive species in the world, are alien species from the southern United States.

Provisional measures to catch and destroy existing red-eared turtles in Hoan Kiem lake are underwater cages, floats with bait and netting, along with ensuring an eco-friendly environment and preserving the scenery of the lake.

In addition, a study of optimum placement for traps and pilot catches in a test lake will be conducted.

Long-term solutions are development of an education and dissemination plan on the alien species’ negative impacts for Hoan Kiem lake’s environment and related documents to ban all activities relating to red-eared turtles’ trade, circulation, transport and breeding.

To curb the rise of the alien population, people are encouraged to not release the turtles and other alien species into the lake. All violations will be punished and egg-laying areas of the alien species may be destroyed.

Hanoi also decided to set up a co-ordinating group, including representatives from the services of science and technology, natural resources and environment, agriculture and rural development, the Hoan Kiem People’s Committee, Hoan Kiem Lake management board and other relevant units.

The giant turtle species, one of a handful of giant Red River soft-shelled turtles (Rafetus swinhoei or Rafetus leloi) left in the world, has been known since at least the third century BC when Kim Quy advised King An Duong Vuong on the best way to build defensive walls around Co Loa, the then capital, upstream from Hanoi.

Amid the horn-honking bustle of Vietnam's capital, Hoan Kiem Lake is an oasis of relative calm. It attracts tourists and locals alike, the luckiest of whom occasionally catch a glimpse of "the turtle", the most famous resident of the capital.

Turtles are important in Vietnamese culture, particularly the Ho Guom (Hoan Kiem) turtle. It is so rare it is believed only four may be left in the world. Legend has it that after beating a Chinese invasion with a sacred sword found in Hoan Kiem Lake by a fisherman, King Le Loi handed it back to Kim Quy the turtle. In fact, in Vietnamese, the name of the lake means "Returning Sword".

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Further Indonesia-US deep sea exploration expected in Maluku

Halmahera next stop for deep sea exploration
The Jakarta Post 8 Jan 11;

JAKARTA: The success of the Indonesia-US joint deep sea exploration can open up opportunities for similar joint research in the future, an official says.

Last year, Indonesia and the US conducted joint exploration in the deep sea off the Sangihe-Talaud islands. Indonesia used the ship Baruna Jaya IV, which can take samples in shallow water, while the US employed Okeanos, which can explore in depths of up to 2,000 meters. The expedition revealed underwater volcanoes as well as many deep sea creatures.

Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Fadel Muhammad said since Indonesia had a vast expanse of ocean, the nation needed to pay more attention to oceanic exploration and research.

“The joint exploration with the US’s technologically advanced equipment helped Indonesia to begin to explore its seas. We look forward to closer relations with the US in the future,” he said.

Indonesian Ambassador to the US Dino Patti Djalal said in a teleconference the next exploration would probably be in Halmahera, Maluku.

The island has much space for exploration – it lies on a double subduction tectonic plate, is part of the coral triangle, is on the Wallace line and has deep seas. —JP


Indonesia and the US to continue joint research in East Indonesia waters
Antara 7 Jan 11;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia and the United States are to continue their joint maritime research activity in east Indonesian waters with a project to explore the waters around Halmahera island beginning in May 2011, a marine affairs ministry official said.

"The cooperation between Indonesia and the US will be continued in Halmahera waters next June," said Gellwynn Jusuf, secretary general of the Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry here on Friday.

He said the cooperation would be a continuation of a joint oceanic expedition conducted by Indonesia and the United States in Sangihe-Talaud waters in North Sulawesi in the middle of 2010.

The cooperation, according to Gellwynn, would be the implementation of a joint exploration program which would run for three years. The joint marine research project in Halmahera waters would last 40 days.

On the results of the previous joint research in Sangihe-Talaud waters, he said the study had resulted in the discovery of a total of 600 new species. The publication of these findings would be carried out through a series of seminars or symposium to be held in the near future.

In addition to the research program, Gelwynn added, the joint maritime exploration between the two countries was also dedicated to fisheries.

The research had helped in detecting various potential fishery locations in some Indonesian waters.

Indonesia-US oceanic expedition benefited both sides: minister
Antara 7 Jan 11;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Marine Resources and Fisheries Minister Fadel Muhammad said a joint oceanic expedition carried out by the US and Indonesia not long ago had yielded results of benefit to both countries.

"In the beginning, there was criticism against the project. I had to explain it to the public," Minister Fadel said in a teleconference and discussion on the Indonesia-US Oceanic Expedition in Washington DC on Thursday.

He said the critics claimed the joint deep-see exploration program would mean revealing Indonesia`s ocean data and contents to the US.

However, Fadel said, the criticism was incorrect because the expedition was purely for scientific research purposes.

The joint expedition involved Indonesian scientists and the results did not only belong to one party, in fact they were disseminated to enrich the world`s scientific knowledge, he added.

Indonesia had gained much benefit from the expedition because now it did not have to start from "zero" when exploring its waters.

Fadel said he now even wanted to establish further cooperation in the research field with the US as his ministry had allocated an adequate budget for research activities.

US Ambassador to Indonesia Scot Marciel, when speaking in the discussion, said the Indonesia-US oceanic expedition was a project under the new comprehensive partnership agreement signed by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and President Barack Obama.

The agreement was implemented in the joint exploration between Indonesia and the US in Sulawesi waters to discover new marine species, to map the ocean floor and to boost cooperation between the two countries.

The live broadcast teleconference also presented Indonesian Ambassador to the US Dino Patti Djalal and NOAA Administrator Dr Jane Lubchenko in Washington DC, the USA, as speakers in the discussion.

Ambassador Dino Patti Djalal said the scientific collaboration between Indonesia and the US needed to be intensified as it would bring many benefits to the world.

He added the future of Indonesia was in the hands of those with scientific literacy.

Dr Jane Lubchenka, meanwhile said, the joint exploration carried out in the June-August 2010 period was conducted to explore an uncharted part of the Pacific Ocean with combined capacities of two countries.

Indonesia, US discuss results of joining oceanic expedition
Antara 7 Jan 11;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesian and US officials met in Washington DC Thursday evening to discuss the results of the two countries' joint oceanic expedition conducted in Indonesian waters not long ago.

Speakers at the discussion included Indonesian Ambassador to the US Dino Patti Djalal, US Ambassador to Indonesia Scot Marciel, Indonesian Maritime and Fishery Affairs Minister Fadel Muhammad, Dr. Bruce Alberts, White House Science Envoy, and Dr. Jane Lubchenco, US Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator, according to information from the Indonesian embassy in the US capital on Thursday.

The discussion was broadcast live on the Internet (https://statedept.connectsolutions.com/science) to enable the public to interact with the speakers and experts at the discussion.

The US-Indonesian oceanic expedition called INDEX-SATAL 2010 was conducted to explore the ocean, and helping advance knowledge, use and protection of the ocean and its resources.

The 2010 joint expedition was staged from two ships: the NOAA's Okeanos Explorer and the Indonesian research vessel Baruna Jaya IV.

From June to August 2010, an international team of scientists and technicians both on ships and on shore conducted exploratory investigations on the diversity and distribution of deep sea habitats and marine life in Indonesian waters.

They focused on the water column and benthic environments in unknown ocean areas in SATAL - a contraction of Sangihe and Talaud - two island chains stretching northeast of North Sulawesi.

During the expedition US and Indonesian scientists worked side-by-side on two ships, the Okeanos Explorer and the Baruna Jaya IV, and at Exploration Command Centers (ECCs) ashore.

The joint expedition discovered interesting things such as previously unknown submarine volcanoes, a large hydrothermal field with a thriving exotic animal ecosystem and areas rich in deep-sea ocean animals.

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Malaysia: 20,000 tress to be ‘inoculated’ in Belaga side of Bakun Dam

The Star 8 Jan 11;

ABOUT 20,000 trees surrounding the Bakun Dam in the Belaga sub-district will be inoculated with a vaccine to induce the formation of gaharu wood.

This will be carried out by Asap Koyan Development Community (AKDC), a grassroots organisation assisting in the resettlement of Belaga folk due to the flooding of the dam.

AKDC has been given a project grant amounting to RM300,000 under the Community InnoFund (CIF) of Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry towards the end.

Malaysia Nuclear Agency had been appointed to provide and implement the inoculation technology, a press release said yesterday.

“The inoculation aims to produce resin as much as possible for harvesting before the surrounding areas are totally flooded by 2013.

“Once the impoundment is completed, it will cover an area of 695km square with a depth of 228m above sea level. Forest produce like the lucrative gaharu will also be under water.”

It is hoped that the project would provide the locals with knowledge on producing and processing natural resources using technology and help to improve their livelihood.

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximus Johnity Ongkili is expected to launch the project at Sungai Asap on Jan 11 at 10am.

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Germany closes 4,700 farms as dioxin crisis widens

Audrey Kauffmann Yahoo News 7 Jan 11;

BERLIN (AFP) – A food crisis in Germany deepened Friday as around 4,700 farms were closed after tests showed animal feed was contaminated by a cancer-causing chemical, and officials said they suspected foul play.

Fears also grew that the contamination could have entered the food chain earlier than thought, as tests on animal fats at the firm at the centre of the scandal reportedly showed they were tainted as far back as last March.

A spokesman for Agriculture Minister Ilse Aigner told a news conference Friday that "4,709 farms and businesses are currently closed," including 4,468 in the state of Lower Saxony, northwest Germany.

The farms will be closed until they are found to be clear of contamination with dioxin, a toxic chemical compound that can cause cancer if ingested in large doses, and will not be allowed to make any deliveries, spokesman Holger Eichele said.

Nearly all types of farms, especially those rearing pigs, have been affected by the closures in eight of Germany's 16 states, the agriculture ministry said. There are around 375,000 farms in Germany.

The firm Harles und Jentzsch in the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein is alleged to have supplied up to 3,000 tonnes of contaminated fatty acids meant only for industrial use to around 25 animal feed makers.

Most of this -- 2,500 tonnes -- was delivered in November and December to animal feed producers in Lower Saxony, where it was used in fodder.

Tests on samples from Harles und Jentzsch showed nine samples out of 20 had dioxin levels higher, or much higher, than permitted, the Schleswig-Holstein ministry said on Thursday.

"The first indications point to a high level of illegal activity," said Eichele. Prosecutors have launched an investigation into the company.

The vice president of the association for consumer protection and food safety in Lower Saxony, Konrad Scholz, told the Tagesspiegel daily: "At such high levels, it cannot just be a mistake."

Meanwhile, German farmers were left to count the cost.

The head of the country's farming association, Gerd Sonnleitner, told the Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung regional daily on Friday: "One has to assume that farmers will be losing around 40 to 60 million euros per week."

However, Eichele said it was "not yet possible to judge how large the economic damage will be."

The Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung reported earlier Friday that tests conducted on Harles und Jentzsch as far back as March last year had revealed dioxin levels twice the permitted maximum amount.

However, the March test results did not come to light until late December, the paper said.

The scandal has also spread beyond Germany's borders.

German authorities on Wednesday told the European Commission and business partners that 136,000 eggs from suspect farms had been exported to the Netherlands.

And the European Commission said Thursday the hunt had also turned to Britain but the country's Food Standards Agency (FSA) said the tainted eggs were not thought to pose a threat.

The German government said earlier that up to 150,000 tonnes of feed overall were feared to have been contaminated. Some 100,00 eggs have been destroyed as a precaution in Lower Saxony.

Dioxin, a by-product of burning rubbish and industrial activities, can cause miscarriages and other health problems in humans, including cancer if consumed in high levels.

Despite officials insisting there is no health risk, Germans appear to be already altering their purchasing habits, said Margit Beck from a chicken and egg market research firm.

There has been a "clearly noticeable" impact on the market already, Beck said, adding it was too early to give precise figures.

"There is a lot of uncertainty, both from consumers and from producers," she told AFP.

However, a survey conducted for ARD public television suggested two thirds of German consumers would not change their egg consumption.

Only 14 percent of people said they would eat fewer eggs and four percent said they would shun eggs completely.

One German pensioner, who declined to give his name, seemed clear on the subject, however. "Dioxin is a very dangerous substance. I've just discussed it with my wife. I have 10 eggs at home and I'm not going to eat them now."

"We're going to have to do without eggs now," he told AFP.


Dioxin animal feed scare shuts German farms
BBC News 7 Jan 11;

More than 4,700 German farms have been closed after large amounts of animal feed were found to be contaminated with dioxin, a poisonous chemical.

Officials insist the levels of dioxin do not pose a risk to humans, and that the closures are only a precaution.

Most of the affected farms are pig farms in Germany's Lower Saxony region.

Meanwhile, the EU has warned that eggs from farms affected by dioxin have entered the UK in processed products destined for human food.

The eggs had been sent to the Netherlands for processing and then on to the UK where they were likely to be destined for use in the production of a variety of food stuffs including mayonnaise and pastries.

The dioxin scare has prompted South Korea to block imports of German pork and poultry products from reaching consumers due to health concerns, local media reported on Friday.
No deliveries

Last week, more than 1,000 German farms were banned from selling eggs after dioxin was found in eggs and poultry.

The government described the extra closures as a precautionary measure; on Wednesday it revealed that some feed for pigs and chickens had been contaminated with dioxin when it was being made.

The origin of the contamination has been traced to a distributor in the northern state of Schleswig Holstein, where oils intended for use in bio-fuels were accidentally distributed for animal feed.

Initially, the scare was confined to Germany but then it emerged that a batch of eggs had been exported to Holland and from there to Britain.

British authorities said that the amounts of dioxin - which is linked to the development of cancer in humans - in any egg would be very small, and not enough to be dangerous.

The difficulty is that German official assurances of safety are being combined with inexact information which seems to change by the day, says the BBC's Steve Evans in Berlin.

The dioxin was discovered in late December, but the extent of the problem was only revealed earlier this week when German officials said 3,000 tonnes of feed had been affected.

Germany's agriculture ministry said on Thursday that most of the closed farms were ones raising pigs.

The ministry said the farms would not be allowed to make any deliveries until they had been checked and found to be clear of contamination.

And European Commission health spokesman Frederic Vincent told a news conference how the problem had now reached Britain.

"Those eggs were then processed and then exported to the United Kingdom... as a 14-tonne consignment of pasteurised product for consumption," he said.

"Whether it went into mayonnaise, pastries, I don't know. So we will probably take a look at this with the UK authorities and see what was done with these eggs."

German officials will brief their EU counterparts next week and the incident could lead to new rules on animal feed.

Dioxins are toxins formed by industrial processes and waste burning.

They have been shown to contribute to higher cancer rates and to affect pregnant women.

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Parents demand answers in China lead poisoning

Royston Chan Reuters AlertNet 7 Jan 11;

GAOHE, China, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Parents of children poisoned by lead in eastern China are demanding answers and compensation from the government after the country's latest incident of heavy metal pollution made more than 200 sick.

Authorities in Gaohe in eastern Anhui province have closed two battery plants blamed for the poisoning just a stone's throw from residences in contravention of planning laws, according to state media. [ID:nTOE70505S]

Some of the children affected are just a few months old.

"Children are precious to us. You tell me what I can do. I don't have many requests. The government has to stand up and give the children some answers and help," said 48-year-old Li Xiaoai, grandmother of three-year-old Jiang Shuangchao.

She said her granddaughter was found to have 245 micrograms of lead per litre of blood, and displayed symptoms of lead poisoning such as lack of appetite and fatigue.

Levels of more than 100 micrograms of lead per litre of blood are considered to be harmful and residents said most of the children in the community tested above those levels.

"I can't just leave the child at home and let her die," Li told Reuters.

Poisoning cases involving children are especially sensitive in China following a scandal in 2008 when at least six children died and nearly 300,000 became ill from drinking powdered milk laced with the industrial compound, melamine.

China set up a compensation fund for children whose health was seriously damaged, but the children of many of the parents who allied with parent activist Zhao Lianhai were not eligible for compensation.

Zhao was given a two-and-a-half year jail sentence in November for "inciting social disorder" after organising a website for parents of the melamine-poisoned children. [ID:nTOE6A9060]

In Gaohe, some residents are also demanding a probe into how their homes were allowed to be built in an industrial zone.

"Actually this problem has something to do with the government. To put it practically, an industrial area should have industrial uses," said Xiao Zhang.

"In general, there should not be any residential areas inside here but the government put the residents here. This should not have been allowed," the 29-year-old added.

He said one of the battery factories had been operating in the industrial park since 2007, about the same time his family was relocated to their current home.

Residents said children who tested above 250 micrograms of lead per litre of blood had been sent to the main children's hospital in the provincial capital of Hefei for treatment.

But families said those children whose lead levels were below that point were left to fend for themselves.

They said their families were just given 400 yuan ($60) and a box of apples and bananas by the local government when the lead poisoning cases first came to light last month.

"I just hope the government will give us some economic compensation so that we can buy some nutritious things to feed our children and that they can get well soon," said one resident, who gave her family name as Zhang.

"They have to deal with the source of this pollution. There is another battery plant that is still in production further up there. This one (opposite us) has shut but the one further up is still in production and it is quite near our home," she complained.

Lead poisoning, which often builds up slowly as a result of repeated exposure to small amounts of lead, can damage various parts of the body including the nervous and reproductive systems and the kidneys, and it can cause high blood pressure and anaemia.

China's environment ministry has called for urgent measures to tackle heavy metal poisoning as cases of mass poisoning have created widespread public anger.

In 2009, protesters broke into a smelting works they blamed for the lead poisoning of more than 600 children, smashing trucks and tearing down fences. ($1=6.629 Yuan) (Writing by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Nick Macfie)

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UN warns over lead poisoning in northern Nigeria

Yahoo News 7 Jan 11;

LAGOS (AFP) – The UN warned on Friday that an outbreak of lead poisoning due to illegal gold mining in northern Nigeria believed to have killed more than 400 children remained an "alarming" risk.

The 400 children under the age of five have died in several villages in Zamfara state since early 2010, according to the Doctors Without Borders non-governmental organisation.

UN officials dispatched a team to the area to investigate the health crisis and their report was released on Friday.

"Until complete remediation of polluted villages takes place, and as long as ore processing continues in sensitive areas -- home compounds and villages, wells and ponds used for drinking water by humans and livestock -- there remains an alarming, continuing health risk," the report said.

The joint team from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the UN Environment Programme recommended methods of reducing risks in the area that result from mining.

"High levels of lead pollution were found in the soil, and mercury levels in air were determined to be nearly 500 times the acceptable limit," the UN said.

Lead has been dispersed in the villages by the processing of ore for gold extraction.

"Ingestion and inhalation of the fine lead particles was determined to be the major reason for high blood lead levels in victims? bodies," the report said.

"Blood lead levels were 'unprecedented' for human beings, according to the CDC," it added, referring to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Local communities largely concealed or denied the fatalities and illnesses from lead poisoning for fear that authorities would ban their mining activities, a Reporters Without Borders official has said.

Illicit gold mining is more lucrative than agriculture for the impoverished farming communities.

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Climate change begins changing food production pattern in Indonesia

Vicki Febrianto Antara 8 Jan 11;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Climate change is now no longer a potenial threat to Indonesia`s food production but a phenomenon that has already begun to affect it.

This fact is being reflected in how serious the government views the reality. Two presidential instructions are to be issued at the end of this month on measures to safeguard food resilience in Indonesia due to extreme climate change, as Coordinating Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa has said.

"We expect it in January, and in fact we`ve set the target on the third or the fourth week according to the schedule. We`ll mull them with all (the economic ministers) tomorrow," said Minister Rajasa at his office in Jakarta, last Thursday.

Rajasa explained that the aim of the presidential instructions (Inpres) among other is to provide flexibility for the agricultural minister in responding to the extreme climate change that have brought about changes on planting seasons, pest attacks or climate-related destruction of agricultural land.

"Flexibility is certainly needed by the agricultural minister for taking emergency steps as there should be response for that," Minister Rajasa pointed out.

Meanwhile the other Inpres will be for providing flexibility to the state logistics company Bulog in supplying or purchasing the rice produced by farmers, for all varieties of rice, not just some certain varieties, he added.

When the two Inpres have already been issued, according to the minister, then the government will re-formulate the Inpres on anticipating climate change.

"This really is exceptional, the meteorology and geophysics agency has predicted (the seasons) would continue to be wet, something we need to anticipate," he said,

emphasizing the need for a policy response as there would be no alternatives but taking maximum efforts on tackling the impacts from climate change on food production.

The Indonesian government has allocated a contingency fund of 3.0 trillion rupiahs for stabilizing food production in the anticipation of impacts from pest attacks or extreme weather.

Rice Production
As of January 2010, according to Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), global planting of paddy crops was already well advanced in southern hemisphere countries. In South America, however, the season opened negatively due to drought or excessive rainfall that has delayed sowing of the main crops.

It is also feared that drought related to El Nino may decrease rice production in Indonesia, the UN agricultural body emphasizes in a recent statement.

There has been a major decline in world rice production since late 2007 due to many reasons including climatic conditions in many top rice producing countries as well as policy decision regarding rice export by the governments of countries with considerable rice production.

Reason for low world rice production in 2009 global rice price started increasing in November 2009 after months of steadily declining since reaching an all time high in May 2008. Problems related to price supply in two major rice producing countries - India and the Philippines - have been the primary reason for low world production of rice and the reversal of price trend.

Indonesia was at the third place after China and India as the world top producers of rice. China in 2010 produced 166.4 million tons of rice, India produced 132 million tons, and Indonesia produced 52 million tons. However, these three countries are also the world`s largest by population.

Upside down
Climate change has changed precipitation patterns in Indonesia upside down, according to a result of a recent study by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), titled "Climate Change in Indonesia, Implication for Humans and Nature."

Precipitation patterns have changed as there has been a decline in annual rainfall in the southern regions of Indonesia and an increase in precipitation in the northern regions. The seasonality of precipitation (wet and dry seasons) has changed were wet season rainfall in the southern region has increased while dry season rainfall in the northern region has decreased.

The climate is warming from 0.2 to 0.3 centigrade per decade in Indonesia, resulting in the increase in annual precipitation across the majority of the Indonesian islands, except in southern Indonesia where is it projected to decline by up to 15 percent.

The seasonality of precipitation has also changed where parts of Sumatra and Sulawesi may become 10 to 30 percent wetter by the 2080`s during December-February, the months known as wet seasons for Indonesia.

There has also been a shift in the seasonality of precipitation (wet and dry seasons); in the southern region of Indonesia the wet season rainfall has increased while the dry season rainfall has decreased, whereas the opposite pattern was observed in the northern region of Indonesia, it notes.

Increased frequency and severity of El Nino events and fires will impact food production and the ability of natural systems to provide ecosystem services, whereas arming ocean temperatures, sea-level rise, and increased storms will impact coastal systems by increasing coral bleaching events, changes in fish availability, inundation of coast lines and mangroves.

The El Nino-induced droughts of 1997-1998 caused massive crop failures, water storage, and forest fires in parts of Indonesia and if climate model projections of stronger, more frequent El Nino events materialize, Indonesia may experience even more adverse impacts, including less food production and increased hunger.

The study concludes that the challenge for Indonesia is to create appropriate and effective adaptation strategies to address climate change and its impacts by building resilience and resistance. Action needs to take place at all levels; from international, to national, local and community-based efforts.

Two presidential instructions expected to maintain food resilience
Antara 6 Jan 11;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Two presidential instructions (Inpres) are expected to be issued at the end of this month on measures to safeguard food resilience in the face of extreme climate change, a minister said on Thursday.

"We expect them to be issued in January, and in fact we have set the target of the third or fourth week in accordance with the schedule. We`ll discuss them with all (the economic ministers) tomorrow (Friday)," Economic Affairs Coordinating Minister Hatta Rajasa said at his office here.

Rajasa explained that the aim of the Inpres among other is to provide for flexibility for the agricultural minister in responding to the extreme climate change that have brought about changes on planting seasons, pest attacks or climate-related destruction of agricultural land.

"Flexibility is certainly needed by the agricultural minister in taking emergency steps as there should be response for that," Minister Rajasa pointed out.

Meanwhile the other Inpres will be for giving flexibility to the state logistics company Bulog in supplying or purchasing the rice produced by farmers, for all varieties of rice, not just some certain varieties, he added,

When the two Inpres have already been issued, according to the minister, then the government will re-formulate the Inpres on anticipating climate change. "This really is exceptional, the meteorology and geophysics agency has predicted (the seasons) would continue to be wet, something we need to anticipate," he said.

Minister Rajasa emphasized that Indonesia should have a policy response and there would not be other choice but taking maximum efforts on tackling impacts from climate change on food production.

The Indonesian government, he added, has allocated a contingency fund of 3.0 trillion rupiahs for stabilizing food production in the anticipation of impacts from pest attacks or extreme weather.

New policy needed to secure agricultural lands: President
Antara 6 Jan 11;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said Indonesia needs a new policy or regulation to secure agricultural lands to prevent them from being used for non-agricultural purposes.

"A new policy or regulation is really needed to secure agricultural lands. I have just signed a government regulation for that purpose," the president said at his office here on Thursday.

Speaking at a cabinet meeting, the President said the new policy was needed so that no more agricultural lands could be converted into non-agricultural lands arbitrarily.

He said land was the main capital in the government`s program to increase food production and productivity, adding the availability of agricultural land was an important factor in the government`s ability to keep domestic food prices stable.

Apart from putting in place a new policy for securing land for food production, the government would also resort to other measures such as market intervention, enacting special fiscal policies, beefing up stockpiles, increasing productivity and avoiding food hoarding.

He also said that the government would maintain a good cooperation with the main actors in the business world, especially those dealing with food-related businesses.

"Although the government won`t always be able to control price increase as market mechanism would do that, in facing crises the role of the government is indeed significant," he said.

In that occasion, the president said about the government`s success in overcoming the global food crisis threats back in 2007 and 2008.

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Atmosphere's self-cleaning capacity stable: study

Yahoo News 7 Jan 11;

WASHINGTON (AFP) – An international team of researchers has found that the atmosphere's ability to cleanse itself of pollutants and other greenhouse gases, except carbon dioxide, is generally stable.

The study, published in Friday's edition of the journal Science, comes amid a fierce debate over whether, as some experts believe, the atmosphere's self-cleaning ability was fragile and sensitive to environmental changes.

The research team, which was led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), measured levels in the atmosphere of hydroxyl radicals, which play a key role in atmospheric chemistry.

Levels of the agent only fluctuated a few percentage points from one year to the next, not 25 percent as some studies had estimated, the researchers found.

"The new hydroxyl measurements give researchers a broad view of the 'oxidizing' or self-cleaning capacity of the atmosphere," said Stephen Montzka, the study's lead author, a research chemist at the Global Monitoring Division of NOAA's Boulder, Colorado laboratory.

"Now we know that the atmosphere's ability to rid itself of many pollutants is generally well buffered or stable... This fundamental property of the atmosphere was one we hadn't been able to confirm before."

He said the finding boosted confidence in models that project future levels of pollutants in the atmosphere.

The hydroxyl radical, a compound consisting of an oxygen atom and a hydrogen atom, has such a brief lifespan in the atmosphere that it has been extremely difficult to measure on global scales.

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More Rain On Way As Australia Sees Third-Wettest Year On Record

James Grubel PlanetArk 7 Jun 11;

Australia recorded its third-wettest year on record in 2010 due to a major La Nina weather pattern which is now causing record flooding and set to last another three months.

With summer floods swamping much of the northern Queensland state, the Bureau of Meteorology said the second half of 2010 was the wettest on record, with La Nina conditions firmly established by July. The switch to the intense La Nina occurred quickly, replacing the drought-causing El Nino pattern at the start of 2010.

But the bureau said while 2010 was also the coolest in nine years, the decade to the end of 2010 remained Australia's hottest on record.

"This underscored that the warming of Australia's climate continues, even though individual years may be cooler than other years," the bureau said in its annual climate statement for 2010 released on Wednesday.

La Nina conditions occur when tropical sea temperatures are cooler than average in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, and warmer in the western Pacific resulting in higher rainfall in Australia and parts of Southeast Asia.

The El Nino pattern usually means less rainfall in the western Pacific, with warmer than average central and eastern Pacific sea temperatures.

The bureau said the severe floods in Queensland, which have affected 23 towns and cities, destroyed crops and disrupted coal mining, were fed by heavy rains over Christmas in areas already saturated by rainfall in the second half of 2010.

Separate modeling released by the bureau on Wednesday said long-range forecasts showed the current La Nina was set to persist into the southern hemisphere autumn.

The bureau also said the benchmark Southern Oscillation Index, which measures the intensity of La Nina and El Nino events, is its highest value since November 1973 and reached a record high for the month of December.

It said La Nina events usually produce lower daytime temperatures, higher rainfall and more tropical cyclones during the November-to-April cyclone season across northern Australia.

The drenching in 2010 ended drought conditions across parts of southeastern Australia and in the country's main agricultural region the Murray Darling Basin, where irrigators have had strict limits on their water allocations because of low river levels.

The bureau said the rains in 2010 had led to a dramatic recovery in water flows throughout the Murray-Darling Basin, with storages at 80 percent at the start of 2011 compared to 26 percent a year earlier.

However, the south-west of Western Australia state continued to suffer extremely dry conditions, a trend dating back to the late 1960s, with the lowest rainfall on record for that corner of the state.

Western Australia is usually the nation's largest producer of wheat. But the bureau said rainfall in the cropping season in the major wheat-growing area of the state's southwest was 310 mm (12.5 inches), compared to the previous low of 348 mm recorded in 1914.

(Editing by Michael Perry and David Fogarty)

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