Best of our wild blogs: 9 Sep 12


Chek Jawa: teeming with volunteers!
from wild shores of singapore

Holiday fun at Chek Jawa!
from Adventures with the Naked Hermit Crabs

Damselfly (27) – Ceriagrion chaoi
from Dragonflies & Damselflies of Singapore

A Rare Awl at USR
from Beauty of Fauna and Flora in Nature

Launch of Tampines-Changkat Nature Centre
from Butterflies of Singapore

In the News: IUCN World Conservation Congress News Round-up
from ARKive blog

Mangroves protect coastal areas against storm damage
from Mongabay.com news by Rhett Butler

Yuppies are killing rhinos, tigers, elephants
from Mongabay.com news by Rhett Butler


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Clearer skies as PSI stays within 'good' range

Feng Zengkun Straits Times 9 Sep 12;

The haze over Singapore continued to lift yesterday, bringing improved air quality across the island.

At 4pm yesterday, the 24-hour average of the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) ranged from 33 to 41 - within the "good" range - at various places.

The latest reading publicised at 7pm, a three-hour average, was 40.

This was a dramatic change from Friday morning when the three-hour average hit a one-year high of 79, putting the air quality within the "moderate" range of 51 to 100. Air quality is deemed unhealthy when the index crosses 100.

Some residents said the cleaner air was a relief after several days of tear-inducing discomfort caused by the haze.

"I kept coughing and having to clear my throat because it felt like it was being clogged," said research assistant Jamie Leong, 29.

The departure of the haze yesterday was also a relief for participants in the Singapore National Games, which ends today.

Said Mr Yusoff Khan, 60, who ran in several events at Bishan Stadium yesterday: "I had to stop training a few times last week because the haze was so thick, so I'm glad it cleared up before the competition."

The National Environment Agency (NEA) said on its website on Friday that prevailing winds from the south and south-east over the weekend would not be carrying any smoke haze this way.

The annual haze is caused by farmers and logging companies in Indonesia - particularly in Riau, Sumatra, Kalimantan, Jambi and Aceh - who burn forests to clear land for cultivation between June and September, the region's dry season.

The air quality in nearby countries such as Malaysia also improved yesterday.

In Pasir Gudang in Johor, for example, the Air Pollutant Index fell from 92 on Friday to 56 yesterday morning.

The NEA said on Friday that it expects the burning activities in southern Sumatra to continue this week due to dry weather.

"We might still experience hazy conditions on some days if the wind direction changes to south- westerly," it said.

Hourly updates on Singapore's air quality between 7am and 7pm are available on the NEA's website. These reflect the average of the PSI readings for the previous three hours.

Singapore's air quality in "good" range
Channel NewsAsia 8 Sep 12;

SINGAPORE: Singapore's three-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) at 11am on Saturday stood at 39, which was in the "good" range.

The PSI held within the "good" range throughout the morning, fluctuating between a reading of 35 and 41.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) on Friday introduced hourly updates on Singapore's air quality from 7am to 7pm daily to keep the public informed of the haze situation.

According to the NEA, for the past one week, an increase in hotspot activities was observed over Sumatra.

The prevailing winds blowing from the southwest or south have transported the haze from fires in southern Sumatra towards Singapore.

The winds are expected to be maintained over the weekend and bring an improvement to the hazy conditions.

- CNA/al


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Philippines: Ban on school field trips to theme parks with captive dolphins, whales sought

Paolo Romero The Philippine Star 9 Sep 12;

MANILA, Philippines – A party-list lawmaker has filed a resolution urging the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to ban school field trips to theme parks that have captive dolphins and whales that come from “cruel and inhumane sources.”

Kabataan party-list Rep. Raymond Palatino filed House Resolution 2759 calling on the House of Representatives to direct DepEd and CHED to prohibit such type of field trips.

“School field trips are designed to expand the students’ learning through live interaction. However, dolphin and whale shows teach children the wrong values that keeping wild animals in captivity is acceptable,” Palatino said.

He said several researches, including a government-commissioned study in the United Kingdom, have shown that watching dolphins perform in marine parks generate no significant knowledge about the animals.

“The prime target of ocean parks with captive dolphins and whales are students, when in fact there is not much to learn from these facilities,” Palatino said.

“What’s more, the demand for captive whales and dolphins is the primary motivation behind the deadly dolphin and whale hunts in various countries, including Japan and the Solomon Islands,” he said.

Several non-profit organizations, including Earth Island Institute Philippines, have raised concerns on the said dolphin and whale hunts that have grossly decreased their numbers in the past years.

In Taiji, Japan, annual dolphin killings occur in September of every year. Fishermen try to catch “good-looking” dolphins which they sell to marine parks. Once the nicer looking animals are chosen, the rest of the catch is slaughtered, he said.

He said in 2007, a record 1,239 dolphins and whales were caught in such hunts, with most of the animals ending up being slaughtered.

Dolphins and whales from Japanese hunts have reportedly found its way to the Philippines, despite the enactment of Republic Act 8485 or the Animal Welfare Act, which bans and punishes any kind of torture and maltreatment of any animal, and the Fisheries Administrative Order 185 which prohibits the catching, killing and mere possession of dolphins in the Philippines.

“Various studies have also shown that keeping dolphins and whales in captivity shortens the life span of these animals,” Palatino said.

He said in Ocean Adventure Park in Subic, four out of five false killer whales and a bottlenose dolphin used for performances have already died. All of these animals were from Japan.

“Is this what we want our youngsters to learn – that people would risk endangering the lives of endangered animals just for entertainment? The nation’s youth deserves the right to be informed correctly and protected from misleading facts,” he said.

“DepEd and CHED have moral obligations to ensure that students learn the real value of environmental conservation, and holding field trips in ocean parks is simply not the way to teach such,” he said.


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Malaysia: Klang Valley, Johor river polluters to be identified

New Straits Times 9 Sep 12;

THE Department of Environment (DOE) is to map all polluted rivers in the Klang Valley and Johor. Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Douglas Uggah Embas said DOE would identify the sources of pollution.

"Once the mapping is completed, we will be able to identify the most polluted rivers and why it is so," Douglas said after launching the National River Forum 2012.

He hoped the mapping work would be completed by the year-end. After that, DOE would proceed to do the same in other states.

Douglas said the populated areas were mainly in cities and the vicinity of industrial and illegal manufacturing activities.

"Major sources of pollution include improper discharge from sewerage treatment plants, agro-based factories, livestock farming, land clearing and domestic sewage."

Douglas said rapid development and the high population concentration of more than four million in the Klang Valley had contributed to pollution of the Klang River, with 77,000 tonnes of waste being dumped yearly.

Water quality monitoring of 464 rivers nationwide, undertaken by DOE last year, showed that 59.3 per cent of rivers were categorised as clean, 32.3 per cent as slightly polluted and 8.4 per cent as polluted.

Douglas said this situation was better than the previous year when 51.4 per cent of the rivers were categorised as clean, 35.6 per cent as slightly polluted and 13 per cent as polluted.

"River pollution is a serious matter because 97 per cent of our raw water supply comes from surface water sources."

Douglas said all parties had to assume collective responsibility for the sustainable use and management of rivers and water sources.

The forum, organised by Guinness Anchor Berhad Foundation, was participated by two local and five foreign experts from Singapore, the United Kingdom, Japan, Australia and Vietnam. They shared the best practices of sustainable river management.

Foundation chairman Tan Sri Saw Huat Lye said five years ago, it embarked on a water project with Global Environment Centre and the community to rehabilitate the Sungai Way river, a tributary of Sungai Penchala, in Selangor.

"Today, the water quality and biodiversity have been enhanced."


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Malaysia, Johor: Fishermen seek redress from Pengerang petrochemical project

Yee Xiang Yun The Star 8 Sep 12;

PENGERANG: A total of 118 members of the Pengerang Fishermen Association here have officially appointed two lawyers to claim for general and special damages suffered by the fishermen due to the ongoing petroleum oil and refinery development project.

Lawyers Jimmy Puah and Hassan Abdul Karim would be representing the plaintiffs in the case against three main parties, which are Pengerang Independent Terminal Sdn Bhd, Dialog E&C Sdn Bhd and the Johor state government.

Some 50 of the fishermen from the Pengerang area, Kg Baru, Kg Kapal, Punggai, Sungai Rengit and Teluk Ramunia handed the letter of appointment to both lawyers at Kg Baru here recently.

Puah said they would file the cases for damages and compensation, loss of livelihood and loss of income.

“We are planning to cap the compensation amount at RM500,000 for general damages and special damages differ from each fisherman, depending on the court’s decision.

“We will send a notice of demand to all three parties and other relevant agencies after Sept 10 and wait for seven days for their reply before filing the case at the Johor Baru civil court at Menara Cyberport,” he told a press conference here.

He also urged the fishermen to refer to him and Hassan if any other parties offer them any form of compensation during the process because it affects legal elements.

He added that if in the seven days the three parties replied or offer any solutions to them, they would have to discuss with the fishermen before taking the next action.

Fisherman Mohd Noor Jamil, who represents the group of fishermen, said they appointed the lawyers to fight for what they deserve and not to oppose the government or the developments.

He added that there were about 500 affected fishermen in the Pengerang area.


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Malaysia: Johor Sultan says Mersing Laguna project cancelled

The Star 9 Sep 12;

MERSING: The Sultan of Johor, Sultan Ibrahim Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, said today the RM22bil Mersing Laguna project that would have placed Mersing on the world tourism map had been cancelled after the developer failed to fulfil a condition in the agreement.

He said the developer, Radiant Starfish Development Berhad, had failed to raise the paid-up capital to RM200mil within six months as required under the agreement signed on Feb 25 this year.

"Owing to the failure, the project is hereby cancelled," the sultan said at the 47th anniversary celebration of the Special Forces Regiment at the Iskandar Camp here on Saturday.

Sultan Ibrahim said he himself had performed the ground-breaking for the mega project on April 14.

The project was to have involved the construction of hotels and resorts, a marina, a water theme park and shopping malls.

It was to have also involved land reclamation to create three manmade islands.

The first phase was to have been completed in seven years.

The sultan said he would monitor developments in Johor to ensure that all development was successful and benefited the people and state. - Bernama

Johor Ruler: Mersing Laguna developer failed to fulfil condition
Nelson Benjamin 9 Sep 12;

MERSING: The RM22bil Mersing Laguna project has been cancelled because the developer failed to fulfil a condition in the agreement, announced Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Almarhum Sultan Iskandar.

He said the developer, Radiant Starfish Development Berhad, had failed to raise the paid-up capital to RM200mil within six months as required under the agreement signed on Feb 25 this year.

“Owing to the failure, the project is hereby cancelled,” the Sultan said, adding that he himself had performed the ground-breaking ceremony for the mega project on April 14.

The project was to have involved the construction of hotels and resorts, a marina, a water theme park and shopping malls. It was to also involve land reclamation to create three man-made islands.

The first phase was to have been completed in seven years.

The Sultan said he would monitor all development in Johor to ensure they were successfully carried out and benefited the people and state.

Meanwhile, palace officials confirmed that Radiant Starfish Development Bhd chief executive officer Ungku Safian Abdullah died on Friday in Kuala Lumpur from health complications.

In his speech at the Special Forces anniversary day celebrations at Kem Iskandar here yesterday, the Sultan also reminded arms suppliers, including retired army personnel and generals, not to raise the prices of equipment supplied to the armed forces.

He said that arms suppliers should ensure the quality of the equipment supplied.

“There have been cases of army personnel, including generals, who become businessmen after retiring. I hope they supply equipment which meet the standards and specifications as I value the life of our soldiers, especially special forces personnel,” he said.

He also urged the Defence Ministry to control and scrutinise all purchases.

“Nobody should take advantage of the situation for personal gains when acquiring equipment for the Special Forces,” he said, adding that recently four Rapid Intervention Vehicles (RIV) were purchased for RM2.76mil or RM690,000 each.

During the event, Sultan Ibrahim displayed one of the RIV vehicles and another personal vehicle that he purchased for RM150,000.

“Which of these will be your choice? I do not understand why government purchases involve exorbitant charges that do not make sense,” Sultan Ibrahim, who is also a Colonel in the Special Forces, said.

Sultan Ibrahim scraps Mersing project
New Straits Times 9 Sep 12;

MERSING: Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar yesterday announced the cancellation of the RM22 billion eco-tourism Mersing Laguna project yesterday, that was aimed at transforming Mersing from a sleepy coastal town into an international tourist destination.

The project was cancelled because its developers failed to increase the paid-up capital to RM200 million within the six-month stipulated time, thus breaching the agreement and causing the project to be void.

"In the agreement signed on Feb 25, one of the conditions was for the developer to increase its paid-up capital within six months," Sultan Ibrahim said.

Sultan Ibrahim is also the commandant colonel of the special force regiment -- the Special Service Group, based at the Iskandar Camp here.

In his speech, in conjunction with the regiment's 47th anniversary celebrations, Sultan Ibrahim said he had graced the Laguna Mersing project's ground-breaking ceremony on April 14.

"During the launch, I had promised to keep watch on the project development to ensure it would be carried out smoothly.

"Based on the report I received, the developers had failed to fulfil the conditions in the agreement, causing the project to be void automatically," he said.

Sultan Ibrahim also advised the government to practise caution when reviewing and accepting proposals for development projects.

"Johor is developing rapidly. It is open to developers who are really committed and have the needed skills and capital.

"Anyone who wants to make a fast buck, or find easy alternatives to make profit, please go somewhere else. There is no place for people like that in Johor," Sultan Ibrahim said, adding that any development in Johor must benefit the people.

The ruler also said it was his responsibility to safeguard the state and its people, thus the need for drastic measures whenever necessary.

Mersing Laguna was supposed to be fully completed by 2020.

The project's master developer, Radiant Starfish Development Bhd's chief executive officer Ungku Safian Abdullah, died on Sept 7, and attempts to contact its vice-president (special projects) Mohd Yusof Taib were unsuccessful.

The developer's website is also not active.


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Vietnam: Illegal trade of dugongs uncovered

Vietnam News 8 Sep 12;

KIEN GIANG — An illegal trade network of dugongs and other marine species in southern Kien Giang Province's Phu Quoc Island has been detected by Wildlife At Risk (WAR), a HCM City-based non-profit organisation, following reports from local residents.

WAR informed the island's local authority for further investigation and confiscation.

Locals had previously informed WAR that a 100-kg dugong - a large marine mammal species classified as critically endangered in the Viet Nam Red Book and listed as a vulnerable species in the IUCN Red Book - had been killed and sold to local restaurants at a retail price of VND400,000-550,000 (US$19-26) per kilo.

Dugongs are typically hunted for food, traditional medicine or jewellery purposes. According to the World Wildlife Fund, Phu Quoc and Con Dao islands are the only marine places in Viet Nam with a dugong population of less than 100. — VNS

Endangered marine mammal slaughtered on Phu Quoc Island
Thanhnien News 7 Sep 12;

The Ho Chi Minh City-based non-profit organization Wildlife At Risk (WAR) has asked authorities on Phu Quoc Island to tighten protections of an endangered dugong population after the organization became aware of recent poaching incident.

WAR director Nguyen Vu Khoi said that a 100-kilogram dugong had been caught on the beach earlier that week, Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper reported on Friday.

The animal was slaughtered and sold to restaurants by the poacher, before WAR officials could intervene.

By the time the organization confronted the poacher, the dugong meat had all been sold and only the skin remained, Khoi said.

According to WAR, dugongs live along the coast of Vietnam’s Phu Quoc and Con Dao Islands.

The marine mammal is protected under Vietnamese law.


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Javan rhino clings to survival in last forest stronghold

There are only 35 rhinos left in one wild population, and none in captivity. But conservationists hope they can increase the numbers of what is possibly the rarest large mammal on Earth
Oliver Milman guardian.co.uk 7 Sep 12;

For most people in south-east Asia, the Javan rhino is effectively already a relic from the past. The stocky herbivore, that once roamed across Burma, Vietnam and Indonesia, is now a rarely glimpsed inhabitant of a single patch of thick forest on the island which gives it its name.

No zoo in the world – even through captive breeding programmes – boasts a Javan rhino. Even people dedicated to protecting the world's rarest large mammal seldom catch sight of the species.

"I've been to its habitat three times and got very excited just to see its footprints," says Kerry Crosbie, project director at the Asian Rhino Project, which funds the efforts of Indonesian rhino NGOs. "You have to be incredibly lucky to see one."

Camera traps and footprints in the Ujung Kulon national park, on western tip of Java, confirm that the rhino does still exist, albeit in perilously low numbers.

There are 35 confirmed Javan rhinos in its last bastion – 22 males, 13 females and five juveniles. However, NGOs in the region estimate the total number could, in fact, be as high as 47.

What is not in doubt is sharp decline the species has suffered in the past century due to habitat loss and poaching. The cornered animal is listed as critically endangered by the IUCN, was confirmed extinct in Vietnam last year and some conservationists privately fret the species is doomed.

"There is potentially a low genetic pool as there are so few of them left," says Crosbie. "Generally, they produce just one calf every three years, and that's in prime breeding conditions. They have a 16-month gestation, which is an issue with raising their numbers."

"The fact they are all in one place is better for breeding, unlike the Sumatran rhino, which is in fragmented pieces of forest. But it does mean all our eggs are in one basket. A catastrophic event, be it a disease or a tsunami, could wipe all of them out."

Such a disaster in the region isn't merely theoretical. The 1883 eruption of nearby Krakatoa devastated the area, but with humans displaced and new vegetation blooming, the incident provided an ideal staging ground for the Javan rhino's last stand.

A second catastrophe won't be quite so helpful to the species. And there are further threats. The vegetation is changing, with the arenga palm tree spreading across the park, crowding out the rhino's food source.

"We are currently working out the best eradication programme for the palm, because it is blanketing the forest," says Crosbie. "There's also a problem with banteng – a type of local cattle – which is increasing in number and in food competition with the rhino. We are looking to fence off the western portion of the park to keep out the livestock."

Unlike their African cousins, poaching isn't considered an imminent threat to the Javan rhinos, with a combination of park rangers, who clear snares from the forest, and the sheer inaccessibility of the creatures ensuring no incidents of hunting in the last decade.

However, the continuation of such a tiny population hardly seems viable. Numbers on Java have risen from 25 animals in 1967, but it's a slow increase.

Conservationists say they will have to decide whether to split the remaining animals to create another group elsewhere.

Adhi Hariyadi, of WWF Indonesia, says: "Having one single population is not ideal from a conservation point of view. We will have to borrow some of the animals to create a second population somewhere, either in Sumatra or Java."

"But the numbers are so low that we will have to be very careful in doing this. If you get it wrong, you've badly damaged the species."

"We are hopeful that we can get the numbers up. What gives us hope is the example of the Indian and white rhinos. The Indian rhino was down to 35 individuals and now there are several thousand. The white rhino had just four left in the wild and now they are up to tens of thousands. It can be done."

"If a number of factors work out, I imagine we can get the numbers up by 20% in the next 30 to 40 years. But the increase won't be dramatic and it will require the next generation to take responsibility for the species."

Australian conservationist Tim Flannery, who is a patron of the rhino project, adds: "They are majestic animals, they play a vital role in dispersing fruit and maintaining a healthy ecosystem and we are bloody lucky to have them. We once had a dozen rhino species and we're now down to five, so every last one should be treasured."


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Poor fisheries management endangers sharks in the Coral Triangle

TRAFFIC 8 Sep 12;

Hong Kong, 8th September 2012—WWF and TRAFFIC today released a new report that shows the need for a more concerted effort in managing shark fisheries in the Coral Triangle, to help conserve dwindling populations of these threatened species.

The report, An Overview of Shark Utilization in the Coral Triangle Region (PDF, 600 KB), examines the catch, trade, and management of sharks in waters of the six Coral Triangle countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Solomon Islands, and Timor Leste, plus the neighbouring countries of Viet Nam and Fiji.

Indonesia and Malaysia are among the top 20 shark catching nations in the world—Indonesia being the single largest catcher.

“This report identifies crucial gaps in these countries’ implementation of management measures and data collection. In some cases this reflects inconsistency with basic requirements of the regional bodies and international conventions of which they are members,” says Glenn Sant, TRAFFIC Global Marine Programme Leader.

Key issues highlighted include the general absence of specific management measures for sharks, a lack of species identification in shark catch and trade reports, and the general lack of available data on both shark catch and trade across the region.

“A lack of data is detrimental to the sustainable management of sharks in the region and needs to be urgently addressed as sharks are heavily targeted in several of these countries,” adds Sant.

Some fisheries target sharks for their meat but the main driver of unsustainable fishing for sharks is currently the demand in Asia for fins, which are used in shark fin soup.

“The development of sustainable shark fisheries in this region has a long way to go. None of the countries can currently claim to be effectively and responsibly managing their shark resources,” says Sant.

The report encourages local and regional management bodies to examine the factors needed for responsible shark utilization.

“Responsible utilization of shark resources requires responsible management, trade, and consumption. Each of these elements requires adequate governance and monitoring to provide confidence that traded shark products are from sustainable sources,” adds Sant.

“The introduction of a comprehensive package of shark management measures must be a priority for these countries. Shark sanctuaries are an important component of this package as they provide an immediate and precautionary supplement to other management measures and, in particular, can provide much needed refuge and protected nursery areas for sharks,” says Andy Cornish, WWF-Hong Kong Conservation Director.

Despite long-standing global concerns on declining shark populations due to growing evidence that many shark species are threatened, shark populations continue to decline due to a general lack of even basic management, and the plight of sharks is further exacerbated by illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

“This report shows how slow the development of sustainable fisheries has been in important areas where sharks are caught, and why WWF advocates that people should stop consuming shark fin and other parts, unless consumers can verify that a shark product is really coming from a sustainable source, notably with Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification. MSC is the only credible eco-label currently available for wild capture fisheries, and there are only two MSC certified shark fishery in the world to date” noted Cornish.

“The vast majority of shark products come from unsustainable sources, not just fins,” adds Cornish. “Sharks are also heavily traded for their meat, skin, and liver oil.”

Sharks play a very important role in coral reefs and other habitats, sitting at the top of the food chain, and help maintain the delicate balance of these marine ecosystems.

Of the 1,044 shark-related species, 181 are listed as threatened by IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, Red List, while 488 are classified as data deficient.

ENDS
-----------------
Editors notes:
• The Top 20 shark catchers in descending order of average catch from FAO capture production 2000-2010: Indonesia, India, Spain, Taiwan, Argentina, Mexico, United States of America, Pakistan, Malaysia, Japan, France, Brazil, Thailand, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Portugal, Nigeria, Iran (Islamic Rep. of), Korea, Republic of and United Kingdom. (FAO Fisheries Department, 2012).
• Sharks caught from the top 20 shark catchers account for nearly 80 percent of the total shark catch reported globally.
• The Coral Triangle—the nursery of the seas—is the world’s centre of marine life, encompassing around 6 million sq km of ocean across six countries in Asia-Pacific – Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste.
• It is home to 76% of the world’s known coral species, 37% of the world’s coral reef fish species, and commercially-valuable species such as tuna, whales, dolphins, rays, sharks, including 6 of the world’s 7 known species of marine turtles.
• The Coral Triangle directly sustains the lives of more than 120 million people and contains key spawning and nursery grounds for tuna. Its reef and coastal systems also underpin a growing tourism sector.

Philippines is blind to its own dwindling shark populations: WWF
GMA News 8 Sep 12;

The trade in sharks and shark fins is a lucrative yet largely unmonitored business in the Philippines, according to a report from the Worldwide Fund for Nature and Traffic said.

The report An Overview of Shark Utilization in the Coral Triangle Region, examines the catch, trade, and management of sharks in waters of the six Coral Triangle countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Solomon Islands, and Timor Leste, plus the neighbouring countries of Viet Nam and Fiji.

The findings, which were released at Seaweb’s 10th International Seafood Summit in Hong Kong yesterday, showed large gaps in the the data, monitoring and management of shark populations.

“A lack of data is detrimental to the sustainable management of sharks in the region and needs to be urgently addressed as sharks are heavily targeted in several of these countries,” said Glenn Sant, TRAFFIC Global Marine Programme Leader.

Rampant and illegal fishing practices

Although concerns for sharks are high, shark populations continue to decline due to lack of fisheries management and rampant illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. Researchers said the main driver for the decline of shark populations is the growing appetite of China for shark fins, which is considered a luxury and a medicinal food.

“The vast majority of shark products come from unsustainable sources, not just fins,” said Andy Cornish, WWF Hong Kong Conservation Director. “Sharks are also heavily traded for their meat, skin, and liver oil.”

The WWF-Traffic urged Coral Triangle regions to implement sustainable fisheries plans to protect the habitat and populations of sharks.

Sharks, as top marine predators, help maintain the delicate balance of these marine ecosystems.

Of the 1,044 shark-related species, 181 are listed as threatened by IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, Red List, while 488 are classified as data deficient.

“The development of sustainable shark fisheries in this region has a long way to go. None of the countries can currently claim to be effectively and responsibly managing their shark resources,” said Sant.

“The introduction of a comprehensive package of shark management measures must be a priority for these countries. Shark sanctuaries are an important component of this package as they provide an immediate and precautionary supplement to other management measures and, in particular, can provide much needed refuge and protected nursery areas for sharks,”

PHL lacks even basic data

The WWF-Traffic report noted that the Philippine government lacked even the most basic data on shark populations.

“There is essentially no species-based reporting in catch data provided to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization),” it added.

Based on estimates from various environmental groups, shark and shark fin trade in the Philippines is a well-established industry.

In 2006, SEAFDEC said the ten most commonly taken shark species in the Philippines (in order) are: Whitetip Reef Shark, Spurdog Squalus megalops; rays Rhinobatus spp., Brownbanded Bamboo Shark, Giant Guitarfish; Blacktip Shark; Sharptooth Lemon Shark Negaprion acutidens; Pelagic Thresher, Tiger Shark and Silvertip Shark.

According to data reported to the FAO, between 2000 and 2008 the Philippines reported exports of dried and salted shark fins (averaging 36 t/year) and Shark liver oil/ (19 t/year).

“In volume terms, the Philippines is a net importer of shark products with imports of Sharks averaging around 230 t/year over 2000-2008 and considerably higher, at around 500 t/year, between 2005 and 2008,” the report said.

PHL has no management plans at all

The report also noted that the Philippines does not have a plan to manage shark fisheries. Although it has classified the whale shark and manta rays as protected species that are banned for export, there is no protection for their habitats.

“Whale shark aggregation sites have been identified as priority conservation areas. There is no study on population estimates of any species of sharks in the Philippines,” the report said. — TJD, GMA News


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When is a Marine Protected Area really a Marine Protected Area

IUCN 8 Sep 12;

Jeju Island, Republic of Korea, 8 September 2012 (IUCN) – As concern increases on the state of natural resources and the degradation of the world’s oceans, it is critical to be clear on how countries are progressing with conservation actions for the environment. New guidance issued today on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) by IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) will significantly improve ocean protection efforts.

Guidelines for Applying the IUCN Protected Area Management Categories to Marine Protected Areas aims to make clear what is most significant and of highest priority in MPAs and will help countries more accurately detail their successes. The new guidelines will define MPAs—preventing the trend of fisheries advisory bodies claiming that area mechanisms that exploit fish are MPAs. Also, pipeline areas and wind farms will not be considered MPAs unless they are set up following specific guidelines, with clear long-term objectives for nature conservation.

"It is time to stop pretending more of the ocean is protected than it actually is. Understanding what is protected in the ocean and how it is protected is of paramount importance in driving global conservation efforts forward,” says Dan Laffoley, Marine Vice-Chair of IUCN's World Commission on Protected Areas. “The guidance we are issuing aims to make clear the most important aspects of marine protected areas and will help countries more accurately detail their successes. Without this information it is difficult to hold the process of determining marine protected areas accountable."

IUCN defines a protected area as: A clearly defined geographical space, recognised, dedicated and managed, through legal or other effective means, to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem services and cultural values. This definition will make it much harder for actions that involve exploitation, such as fisheries, to be claimed as MPAs that protect the ocean. If marine areas involve extraction and have no defined long-term goals of conservation and ocean recovery, they are not MPAs.

The IUCN categories for protected areas are applicable to all types of protected areas, however, because there are fewer numbers of MPAs compared to terrestrial protected areas, there is often less experience and understanding, and application of the categories often becomes inconsistent. For example, of the MPAs that have been categorised, about 50% are considered to have been wrongly allocated because the name of the MPA (e.g. National Park, Sanctuary, etc.) has been used to determine the category, rather than the management objectives. Confusion tends to arise when sites have been incorrectly assigned on the basis of activities that occur, rather than using the stated management objectives. Also, where protected areas include both land and sea, the objectives for the marine component of the protected area rarely are considered when assigning the site’s category.

“As we edge closer towards conditions that seem to signal a major ocean extinction event what we need are proper, meaningful conservation actions that move towards restoring the ocean, its resilience and its health," says Carl Gustaf Lundin, Director of IUCN’s Global Marine and Polar Programme. “In recent years pressure to deliver success stories has resulted in false claims of vast areas of the ocean being properly protected. It is time to be realistic about our definition of MPAs.”

IUCN Marine and Polar Programme: http://www.iucn.org/about/work/programmes/marine/

A full set of guidelines is available at: www.iucn.org/pa_guidelines


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