| IMO approves
ballast convention
As MER was going
to press, the International
Maritime Organization
(IMO) approved a new
Convention which will set
tougher standards for the control
of ballast water practices.
The new instrument has
been developed on the basis of
a two-tier approach.
Tier 1 includes requirements
that would apply to all
ships, including mandatory
requirements for a Ballast
Water and Sediments Management
Plan, a Ballast Water
Record Book and a requirement
that new ships carry out
ballast water management procedures
to a given standard.
Existing ships would be
required to do the same after a
phase-in period.
Tier 2 gives parties
the option to take additional measures before ships would
be allowed to enter their ports.
Such additional measures are
subject to criteria set in the
draft convention and to IMO
guidelines yet to be developed,
and could also include additional
controls applicable to
discharge and/or uptake areas
of ballast water.
It is estimated that about
10 billiont of ballast water are
transferred globally each year,
potentially transferring from
one location to another species
of sealife that may prove ecologically
harmful when
released into a non-native environment. ‘Unlike
oil spills and other marine pollution caused by
shipping, exotic organisms and
marine species cannot be
cleaned up or absorbed
into the oceans,’ said IMOSecretary-General Efthimios
Mitropoulos. ‘Once introduced,
they can be virtually
impossible to eliminate and in
the meantime may cause
havoc.’
Specific examples include
the introduction of the European
zebra mussel (Dreissena
polymorpha) in the Great
Lakes between Canada and the
United States, necessitating
pollution control and the
cleaning of underwater structures
and waterpipes; and the
introduction of the American
comb jelly (Mnemiopsis leidyl)
to the Black and Azov Sea,
causing the near extinction of
anchovy and sprat fisheries.
The Convention will enter
into force 12 months after ratification
by 30 states, representing
35% of world merchant
shipping tonnage. SOURCE
MER
Rock lobster’s white
phase
may hold key to red’s success
Researchers trying to enhance red
lobsters’ colouring to increase
their value may have unravelled
a natural phenomenon unique to the
western rock lobster. This is the only
known lobster to undergo a once-in-alifetime
colour change called the ‘
white’ phase that occurs during its
migration to breeding grounds offshore.
‘White’ lobsters
are the predominant catch during the early months of
the Western Rock Lobster Fishery– Australia’s
most valuable single-species fishery, generating Aus$300M
annually– but they fetch significantly lower
prices than red ones on the international
market. The lobster fishing
industry claims that this costs it millions of dollars
annually, the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)
reports.
PhD student Nick
Wade is conducting a collaborative research project
between AIMS and the University of
Queensland endeavouring to understand
the colour transformation and
develop a method to enhance the pigment
before the white lobsters are sold.
So far he has discovered the protein
responsible for shell colour formation
and found it to be significantly less
abundant in white versions than in red.
His evidence challenges the long
held theory that the ‘white’ phase is
brought about by a change of diet
and/or response to the background
colour of the lobsters’ natural environment. Mr
Wade said it is more likely to be a genetically based in-built
mechanism
that triggers the colour change
during this one moult cycle preparing
the animal for migration. ‘This is fundamental
knowledge that contributes
to a better understanding, management,
and conservation of the species,’ he added.
AIMS said the next
step is to develop a food supplement to reverse the
colour loss and meet the demand for a
bright red shell. This research may also
be useful in the future for shell colour
enhancement of farmed lobsters or any
crustacean in need of cosmetic ‘dressing
up’ for market.
SOURCE
MARINE SCIENTIST
Engineered algae
provide quick-response
anti-virus fish vaccine
New research from
Ohio State University
is investigating how
genetically-altered algae can be
used to vaccinate fish against infectious
hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV).
This disease kills 30% of the US trout
population. The Sea Grant research is
being conducted by Richard Sayre, who
was studying an abundant unicellular
algae, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, for its
value in recovering harmful heavy metals
locked in sediments, when he
realised that its use could be broadened.
Controlling
fish diseases has long been a problem for the aquaculture
industry, said Ohio State University.
Antibiotics are not only useless for viral
and many parasitic diseases, but they
can only be partially absorbed by fish.
Although fish vaccines
are a more successful alternative, they can be costly,
labour intensive, and stressful for thefish. ‘Unfortunately,
the trouble with
producing many vaccines is you need to
identify the pathogen and then you
need time to culture it,’ explained Mr
Sayre. ‘Our system doesn’t require
either.’
The research team can rapidly
screen for antigens using pathogen-specific
antibodies by using a peptide
library of all possible amino acid combinations
displayed on the surface of a
virus. They plan to conduct vaccine trials
by feeding fish algae to which antigens
have been attached, and a patent is
currently pending for this micro-algal
antigen delivery system.
Further information:
Richard Sayre, Ohio Sea Grant Research Scientist, Professor
of Biological Sciences, Ohio State
University: sayre.2@osu.edu,
or Jill Jentes Banicki, Ohio Sea Grant Communicator: jentes.1@osu.edu SOURCE
MARINE SCIENTIST
The importance of our oceans and a new publication
for the ocean science community
"Over the next few months,
the government will consult the scientific community, universities
and research institutes, charities, and business on the
detail of the plan. We have to make it a priority as a
nation to invest in what is the key to our whole economic
future and well being - our science and skills".
Gordon
Brown, 2 March 2004
The ten year science strategy, GOOS, the importance of
understanding our oceans and greater access to sound international
data has the potential to transform the way that marine
science research is conducted. These were the key topics
of discussion at the 'Ocean Information Networks' forum
organized by IMarEST during Oceanology International. Those
who attended included oceanographic consultants, students,
naval officers, hydrographic surveyors, geophysicists,
and those involved in marine data management.
The forum was chaired by Professor Howard Roe, Director,
Southampton Oceanography Centre with contributions from
Dr Colin Summerhayes, Director, Global Ocean Observing
System, IOC, UNESCO and Editor of IMarEST's new "Journal
of Marine Science and Environment"; Professor Gwyn
Griffiths, Head of Underwater Systems Laboratory, SOC;
and IMarEST's President Dr Bil Loth Loth. This highlighted
the importance of sustained observations of the ocean which
are required for understanding global change, predicting
climate, protecting and managing marine ecosystems, complying
with international agreements, and providing forecasts
of its future states for a variety of uses and users. The
speakers presented the various initiatives, systems and
models used such as ARGOS, RAPID and spoke of the engineering
challenges in delivering and observing networks.
The launch of The
Journal of Marine Science and Environment,
took place during the forum and Dr Colin Summerhayes, who
explained that the journal papers take a unique approach
and are not about science or technologies per se, but the
excellent science that could not have been done without
the supporting technologies.
For further details, and/or a free copy
of the Journal of Marine Science and Environment, email:
marketing@imarest.org.
The Journal of Marine Science and Environment, subscription
to IMarEST members is just £10pa, non-members at £60
pa.
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of the future?
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Ambassador. Ambassadors need enthusiasm,
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For
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