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| European
Union: "EU agrees fish quotas but hooks environmental
anger"
Space Wars, 22 December 2005 EU fisheries ministers agreed last month to
establish new fishing quotas much to the approval of nearly all member
states. The agreement will increase cod quotas in the Baltic Sea
to 45,000 from the current level of 38,000 and will bar cod fishing for
three months annually down from the prior four and a half month
ban. In response, environmental critics argue that the move will
further deplete cod numbers in the region in many locations where fish
stocks have already collapsed. A European-based travel company named Vancouver the user-friendliest port in North America for cruise line passengers. The study conducted by Berlitz travel noted that Vancouver provided the passenger treatment and luggage handling. Behind Vancouver, came Houston, and Seattle. Montreal ranked seventh in North America, while Miami, New York, Honolulu and Fort Lauderdale received the worst marks. Japan: "Japan 'warship plan' to guard whaling fleet" Age, 31 December 2005 Reports quoting anti-whaling organizations surfaced last week claiming that Japan had sent a warship to protect its whaling fleet in the Southern Ocean. No confirmation of the claim has yet been made available. Shipping: "CP Ships gets new CEO" Vancouver Sun, 03 January 2006 CP Ships named Adolf Adrion as its new CEO this month. The move follows the acquisition of the company by Hapag-Lloyd. Indonesia/Thailand: "Thai fishermen dominate RI waters" Jakarta Post, 03 January 2006 The Indonesian Navy reports that Thai ships and fishermen dominate the illegal fishing practices in waters off the Riau Islands. During 2005, 120 vessels, many of which were equipped with modern equipment like bottom trawls. The Navy impounded GPS units with half coming from Thailand. If Thai fishermen continue to illegally fish in Indonesian waters, navy officials have promised to sink their fishing boats on the spot. Australia: "Number of illegal fishing boats up" Sydney Morning Herald, 03 January 2006 Australian authorities apprehended or intercepted a record 607 vessels caught illegally fishing in the country's northern waters in 2005; more than 320 of the ships were seized along with their catches and fishing gear. Australian Fisheries Minister Macdonald noted that the figure represents a 100 percent increase over 2004, which he attributes to a larger surveillance and enforcement presence in the area. Piracy: "TNI soldier arrested for Malacca strait piracy" Jakarta Post, 04 January 2006 An active duty Indonesian army soldier was arrested for participating in maritime piracy in the Malacca Strait. The soldier was described as "low ranking" and was arrested along with four other civilians for their role in kidnapping two commercial ships; following the attacks, the kidnappers demanded a ransom for the return of the ship's crew. The soldier was caught after navy officials arranged a meeting claiming that they would pay the ransom. Caviar: "UN bans global trade in caviar" Globe and Mail, 04 January 2006 The UN banned the legal trade in caviar last week after studies noted the alarming decline in sturgeon populations in the Caspian Sea. Under the move, legal sales will now rely on farmed caviar. Atlantic: "Five Fish Species Regarded as Endangered" New York Times, 05 January 2006 Canadian scientists from Memorial University revealed this month that stocks of certain deep-water fish species have declined by between 89-98 percent over the past 17 years; the study was conducted in areas beyond Canada's eastern continental shelf. Some species facing the largest decline include the round nose grenadier, onion-eye grenadier, blue hake, spiny eel and spiny tail skate. Researchers belief that the declining deep-water stocks are the result of slower reproduction rates in deeper, colder waters. United States: "USS Ronald Reagan Departs on Maiden Deployment" Department of Defense, 05 January 2006 The newest US aircraft carrier, the USS Ronald Reagan left San Diego this week to deploy for operations in support of the war on terror. The Ronald Reagan carrier strike group consists of "the guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain, the guided-missile destroyers USS McCampbell and USS Decatur, the fast-combat support ship USS Rainier, Explosives Ordnance Disposal Unit 11 and supporting aircraft and helicopter units." South Korea: "3,500-Ton Class Submarines to Debut by 2020" Korea Times, 05 January 2005 South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff are currently reviewing a plan to domestically engineer and build three third-generation, 3,500-ton diesel electric submarines by 2020 under a project termed KSS-III. Currently underway, KSS-II will see six 1,800-ton subs built and delivered as soon as 2012. The domestically focused programs are aimed at increasing South Korea's "self-reliant" defence posture. Canada: "Ottawa injects federal funds to boost sagging cod fishery" Globe and Mail, 09 January 2006 The Canadian government plans to invest CDN$ 6.5 million in support of commercial cod fisheries. Monies will be directed towards Genome Atlantic, which is working to create variety of cod capable of being bred in an enclosed environment. The first farmed cod should be ready for market some time in February. China: "Shanghai now the world's largest cargo port" China Daily, 09 January 2006 Chinese authorities report that Shanghai became the world's largest cargo port in 2005 eclipsing Singapore. The Shanghai Port Management Department reports that 443 million tons of cargo moved through the port but noted that in terms of handling capacity, Singapore remained number one, handling 21.2 million TEUs during the first 11 months of 2005. Russia/ NATO: " Russian Navy ship to take part in NATO operation in February" RIA Novosti, 09 January 2006 A Russian naval ship will participate in a NATO patrol mission in the Mediterranean this year. The move is one of two joint exercises announced by the Russian military this week. |
