Feds impose new limits on pesticides to protect salmon

WASHINGTON, DC, September 11, 2009 (ENS) - For the first time in 20 years, two federal government agencies that are required by law to consult together on how pesticides affect endangered species have completed a consultation on salmon exposure to pesticides.

As a result, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has announced plans to place additional limitations on the use of three organophosphate pesticides — chlorpyrifos, diazinon and malathion — to protect endangered and threatened salmon and steelhead in California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

The limitations will apply to surface waters encompassing each of 28 salmon and steelhead species in the four states.

Changes to product labels will include the addition of pesticide buffer zones; application limitations based on wind speed, soil moisture and weather conditions; and fish mortality incident reporting requirements.

New, enforceable labels could be available as early as the 2010 spring growing season.

"These limitations, developed as a result of the Endangered Species Act formal consultation process, will protect Pacific salmon and steelhead while providing for appropriate pesticide use," said Steve Owens, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances.

"These new limits are especially significant because they mark the first time that EPA and National Marine Fisheries Service have completed the consultation process under the Endangered Species Act in more than 20 years. This is a major step forward for both EPA and NMFS in meeting the requirements of the law. This process has been broken for too long." …

Feds Impose New Limits on Pesticides to Protect Salmon

Technorati Tags: pollution,fish decline,endangered

Europe unites in attempt to protect bluefin tuna

Compromise deal with opponents of fishing ban welcomed 

 

By Martin Hickman, Consumer Affairs Correspondent

Europe is to throw its weight behind a campaign to save the bluefin tuna from decades of over-fishing after a breakthrough in talks in Brussels.

The European Commission announced a compromise deal backing an attempt to list the Mediterranean fish as an endangered species while waiting for further scientific evidence on the latest population numbers after the EU Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg backed down.

Europe is now expected to vote as a bloc of 27 nations in favour of a proposal to protect bluefin tuna under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) which – if approved by a majority of 175 nations around the world – would ban all international trade in the fish.

Environmentalists expressed their delight at the issue, saying it represented the best chance of allowing the tuna to recover from intense demand in Japan, which imports 90 per cent of Europe's bluefin for sushi. …

Europe unites in attempt to protect bluefin tuna

Technorati Tags: overfishing,tuna,ocean overexploitation,endangered

Google web page ranking algorithm detects critical species in ecosystems

Google's algorithm for ranking web-pages can be used to determine which species are critical for sustaining ecosystems. Now researchers find that "PageRank" can be applied to the study of food webs, the complex networks describing who eats whom in an ecosystem.

The researchers, based at the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis at the University of California, Santa Barbara and at the University of Michigan, therefore adapt Google's PageRank algorithm, which efficiently ranks web-pages according to search criteria, for ecological purposes. Details are published September 4 in the open-access journal PLoS Computational Biology. …

Web Page Ranking Algorithm Detects Critical Species In Ecosystems

Technorati Tags: endangered,extinction,environmental restoration

E. O. Wilson: We must save the living environment

Saving Earth's biodiversity will take nothing less than an IPCC for species, says the world's leading biologist and ant guru

 

By Roger Highfield

What's this idea all about?

It sounds immodest but I call it Wilson's law. It says that if you save the living environment, you will automatically save the physical environment. But if you only try to save the physical environment, you will lose them both. That is a defensible law.

So we need a major rethink?

When we talk about the world going green, the media and the public think of pollution or fresh-water shortage. They understand, and want to do something. But that is the physical world; concern for the living environment has been slow to take off, as Julia Marton-Lefèvre, head of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), will agree. We are not making the headway we should be in preventing the destruction of ecosystems and species. I have written book after book arguing that if we don't start caring about holding onto them, we will have big problems - some unforeseeable. Most Americans have only the vaguest notion about any of that, even though they can talk intelligently about climate change. Yet when it comes to the living world they are in danger of losing something they scarcely understand. …

E. O. Wilson: We must save the living environment

Technorati Tags: endangered,conservation

Save our rainforest friends!

August 2009 — Lockhard Conservation Toys have created a loveable, ethical and educational range called Rainforest Friends. The super cuddly large toy collection is designed to raise awareness and funds for the plight of our much loved yet critically endangered species that live in the worlds most threatened habitats.

Every Rainforest Friend sold benefits the World Land Trust whose patron is Sir David Attenborough. The money raised helps protect our diminishing rainforests, to ensure a safe future for some of our best-loved animals. World Land Trust works with local people to purchase and protect their rainforest habitats. …

Rainforest Friends, loveable toys retail at £28.95 and are available at www.saveourfriends.co.uk.

Save Our Rainforest Friends!

Technorati Tags: biodiversity,endangered,conservation

Wild salmon return to the River Seine for the first time in almost a century

Wild salmon are returning to the River Seine for the first time in almost a century, French scientists say.

Historically, Salmo salar - or Atlantic salmon - used to migrate up the Seine river for part of the year to spawn.

But increased pollution of the water and the building of dams after World War I saw their number dwindle.

By 1995, the salmon were gone, and only four species of fish braved the Seine's dirty waters, which washed up hundreds of tonnes of dead fish a year.

But a major clean-up project in the past 15 years - including the building of a water purification plant - has turned the tide for the river's marine life.

Now the Atlantic salmon - listed as an endangered species throughout Europe - is back, as attested by anglers who have netted sizeable specimens from the river in recent months. …

Cleaner Seine hosts salmon again

Technorati Tags: endangered,environmental restoration,pollution

World's largest caterer bans 69 endangered fish From its menus

 

Good news for more sustainable fisheries! The world's largest contract caterer, Compass Group, has just announced that it will remove some 69 endangered and threatened fish from its menus in the UK and Ireland. The fish to be banned are those recommended by Marine Conservation Society for consumers to avoid because of overfishing and other environmental concerns. …

World's Largest Caterer Bans 69 Endangered Fish From Its Menus

Technorati Tags: overfishing,endangered species,fish decline,ocean overexploitation

Raymond Blanc takes endangered fish species off the menu

Growing demand from customers prompts Michelin-starred chef to challenge competitors to follow his lead on sustainable fishing

By Susie Mesure

Both are Michelin-starred restaurants with world-famous chefs. But there the similarity ends. Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, which is owned by Raymond Blanc, has thrown the spotlight back on the sushi chain Nobu's refusal to stop serving endangered species of fish by becoming the first high-end restaurant to offer diners sustainable seafood approved by the environmental charity Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).

Growing consumer demand for guilt-free fish dishes is putting pressure on restaurants to overhaul their sourcing policies – and to tell their customers about it. In a first for a Michelin-starred restaurant, Le Manoir's menus feature the MSC logo, which means diners can opt for dishes made with Dover sole or mackerel without having to worry about where it has come from.

Blanc called for other restaurateurs to follow his lead, adding: "By supporting MSC, I am ensuring that, as a chef, I am helping to ensure that fish stocks will be replenished for generations to come." His decision to serve certifiably sustainable seafood is in stark contrast to Nobu Matsuhisa, who has snubbed calls to take bluefin tuna off the menus at his world-renowned chain, despite evidence that it is being fished to extinction. A host of celebrities including Stephen Fry, Jemima Khan, Elle Macpherson and Sienna Miller are boycotting the sushi chain, previously a favoured A-list haunt, in protest.

Yesterday Nobu London's head chef, Hari Shetty, defended the restaurant's choice to keep serving bluefin tuna. "It's legally available and it's in demand, so there's no reason not to sell it." He said he was not aware of the MSC certification scheme, but added that the restaurant did sell sustainable fish. …

Raymond Blanc takes endangered fish species off the menu

Technorati Tags: overfishing,ocean overexploitation,endangered species,fish decline

Critically endangered Buena Vista Lake Ornate Shrew granted a reprieve from extinction

 

Bakersfield, Calif.- As a result of a lawsuit by the Center for Biological Diversity, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agreed Thursday to review and redesignate habitat that is critical for the survival and recovery of the one of the most endangered mammals on the planet - the Buena Vista Lake ornate shrew.

The agency had, under the Bush administration, proposed only 4,649 acres of critical habitat for the shrew in 2004, which it further slashed to a meager and unsustainable 84 acres in 2005. This move was typical of the administration, which adamantly opposed protecting species under the Endangered Species Act. Indeed, the administration protected only 62 species in eight years, compared to 522 species protected under the Clinton administration. 

Thursday's settlement requires that the agency repropose the 4,649 acres within the next 90 days and issue a final designation of the critical habitat on or before March 22, 2012. Until that date, the current designation of 84 acres remains in place.

"This settlement is an important victory for the Buena Vista Lake ornate shrew and California's invaluable wetlands in the arid San Joaquin Valley," said Ileene Anderson, ecologist with the Center for Biological Diversity. "The agreement requires that the agency that is supposed to be protecting this rare mammal take a hard look at what is needed — not only to keep this unique animal from extinction, but to increase the population to levels that ensure its survival." …

Critically Endangered Buena Vista Lake Ornate Shrew Granted a Reprieve From Extinction

Technorati Tags: extinction,mammal decline,endangered species

Obama calls for ocean protection

Environmentalists were delighted today by President Obama’s designation of this month as National Oceans Month and his pledge to set a comprehensive ocean-protection policy.

The oceans are getting crowded and polluted, Obama said. Sea levels are rising. Fish are depleted. Some species are endangered.

And there’s no clear national policy to sort out the best ways to make good use of ocean resources.

So he called for a task force of senior officials to recommend within 90 days a national oceans policy.

``This policy will incorporate ecosystem-based science and management and emphasize our public-stewardship responsibilities,’’ Obama said.

A White House memo spelled out creation of the task force, and a presidential proclamation designated June as National Oceans Month.

The action coincided with Capitol Hill Ocean Week, a conference of scientists, environmentalists and government leaders from around the country. This year the conference focused on how the oceans affect the economy.

``For Florida, it’s especially important because so many people live in coastal areas and oceans are important to things like tourism and fisheries,’’ said Amy Wright, director of biomedical research at the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution in Fort Pierce.

The Florida Keys alone attract about 4 million tourists a year who spend $1.2 billion, said Billy Causey of Key West, regional director of the U.S. Office of National Marine Sanctuaries.

``It’s critical to keep the Keys healthy to preserve these precious resources for the future,’’ Causey said. ``More and more people are paying attention to the economic significance of these areas.’’

Here’s Obama’s proclamation: …

Obama calls for ocean protection

Technorati Tags: ocean overexploitation,overfishing,endangered

Obama rolls back Bush rules on endangered species

Hallelujah.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Tuesday directed U.S. government agencies to consult with scientists before taking action that could harm endangered species, rolling back last-minute rules put forward by former President George W. Bush.

Obama rolls back Bush rules on endangered species

Technorati Tags: Bush,Obama,endangered species

Massive effort underway to save endangered seeds

By Julie Steenhuysen

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Farmers and plant breeders around the globe are planting thousands of endangered seeds as part of an effort to save 100,000 varieties of food crops from extinction.

In many cases, only a handful of seeds remain from rare varieties of barley, rice and wheat whose history can be traced back to the Neolithic era, said Carey Fowler of the Global Crop Diversity Trust, who is speaking on Sunday at the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Chicago.

"If we don't do the job right, they are gone," he said in an interview.

The effort, which Fowler thinks is the biggest biological rescue effort ever undertaken, is aimed at rescuing seeds stored under less-than-optimal conditions in underfunded seed banks as well as those threatened by human and natural disasters.

The rescuers hope to preserve seed samples that might provide genetic traits needed to fight disease or address climate change. 

Massive effort underway to save endangered seeds

Technorati Tags: endangered,seed bank,climate change

Harpooners charge Steve Irwin, Sea Shepherd crew under continuous bombardment by LRAD weapon

This is all going to look great on HD, when Animal Planet’s Whale Wars Season Two airs.

Steve Irwin Suffers Second Collision with the Japanese Fleet

Operation Musashi
Update from the Ross Sea

February 6th, 2009, 1830 Hours (Sydney Time)
2330 Hours (PST) (February 5th)
75 Degrees 52 Minutes South and 165 Degrees 18 Minutes West

At 1800 Hours the harpoon vessels Yushin Maru No. 1 and the Yushin Maru No.3 decided to run the Sea Shepherd blockade to transfer two dead whales to the flensing deck of the Nisshin Maru. The Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin was blocking the slipway to prevent the transfer in order to shut down the illegal Japanese whaling operations.

As the Nisshin Maru attempted to hook onto the dead whale, the Steve Irwin and the Yushin Maru No.3 collided with the forward starboard side of the Steve Irwin and the port stern side of the harpoon vessel coming together.

"We told them to not continue their illegal whaling operations and that we would be blocking the stern slipway of the factory ship," said Captain Paul Watson. "They decided to test our resolve and apparently expected us to retreat when they charged in ahead of us to make the transfer."

Captain Watson said that the Steve Irwin became difficult to control under a barrage of metal objects, blasts from the water cannons, and the disorientation caused by the LRAD acoustic weapons that the whalers were using on the conservationists.

"I was dazed by the sonic blasts being used on us at close range." said Captain Watson. "I have to admit it was difficult to concentrate with that devise being focused on us."

"I've never felt anything quite like it," said Emily Hunter from Toronto, Canada. "It penetrates the body and you can feel your muscles vibrating. It made me dizzy and left me somewhat dazed."

The Steve Irwin suffered no noticeable damage from the collision and no one was seriously injured. A few of the Sea Shepherd crew were struck by golf balls and pieces of metal. The crew of the Steve Irwin were unable to determine if there was any damage done to the harpoon hunter killer boat.

The two whales were transferred after the Steve Irwin shut down the operations of the fleet for twelve hours.

"We are trying to make this as difficult as possible for them to continue their illegal activities, "said Molly Kendall from Adelaide, South Australia. "It is difficult to see them murdering these whales and we are determined to do everything we possibly can to stop this horrific slaughter."

The Steve Irwin remains on the tail of the Nisshin Maru to attempt to obstruct any further transfers in an effort to stop the unlawful poaching of the whales by the Japanese whaling fleet.

"I wish we did not have to be down here in this dangerous situation," said Captain Watson. "I've said repeatedly that if Australia or New Zealand would agree to take Japan to the international court on this than we would back off. Because international law is not being enforced, we have no choice but to do what we can with the resources available to us to defend these endangered whales in this established international whale sanctuary."

Steve Irwin Suffers Second Collision with the Japanese Fleet

Technorati Tags: Sea Shepherd,whaling,marine mammal,endangered

Extinct ibex is resurrected by cloning

An extinct animal has been brought back to life for the first time after being cloned from frozen tissue.

By Richard Gray and Roger Dobson

The Pyrenean ibex, a form of wild mountain goat, was officially declared extinct in 2000 when the last-known animal of its kind was found dead in northern Spain.

Shortly before its death, scientists preserved skin samples of the goat, a subspecies of the Spanish ibex that live in mountain ranges across the country, in liquid nitrogen.

Using DNA taken from these skin samples, the scientists were able to replace the genetic material in eggs from domestic goats, to clone a female Pyrenean ibex, or bucardo as they are known. It is the first time an extinct animal has been cloned.

...

Professor Millar said: "I think this is an exciting advance as it does show the potential of being able to regenerate extinct species."

Extinct ibex is resurrected by cloning

Technorati Tags: endangered species,extinction,cloning

Endangered species ringtone downloads exceed 200,000 milestone

A cool idea from the Center for Biological Diversity.

We’re celebrating 200,000 downloads of our free endangered ringtones — so we've added seven new tones and cell phone wallpapers! Our latest ringtones are "for the birds," including new calls from the peregrine falcon, Mexican spotted owl, northern goshawk, tricolored blackbird, and Gunnison's sage grouse. And our new flock of ringtones also includes an entirely flightless but equally charismatic species: an elephant seal pup. Also new: Each animal on our download page now links to its very own profile page, where you can learn more about how it lives — and why it may need your help to survive. Take a look and have a listen.

[ Download now ]

The Center for Biological Diversity offers you free endangered species ringtones and phone wallpapers — a collection of high-quality, authentic sounds and images of some of the world’s most threatened birds, owls, frogs, toads and marine mammals.

Whether the cry of the Mexican gray wolf or the underwater warbles of the beluga whale, our ringtones provide a great starting point for talking about the plight of threatened species worldwide. In fact, they've been downloaded by thousands of people in more than 150 countries around the globe, including the United Kingdom, Canada, China, Japan, Iran, India, Poland, Germany, France, Brazil, Australia, and the United States. Make a statement with your cell phone and download free endangered species ringtones now.

[ Download now ]

More than 200,000 ringtones heard 

Technorati Tags: endangered species

Anti-whaling activists joined by Daryl Hannah

[Be sure to check out Whale Wars, which documents last year's Sea Shepherd campaign against whale poaching. --Jim]

CANBERRA (Reuters) - Hardline anti-whaling activists prepared on Tuesday to pursue Japan's Antarctic whaling fleet with support from Daryl Hannah, who criticized Greenpeace for opting out of the annual chase.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, which clashed last year with the eight-ship fleet, bombarding it with stink bombs and briefly boarding a harpoon vessel, departs Australia on Wednesday for the Southern Ocean.

Hannah, who starred in the 1980s films Blade Runner and Splash, will travel part-way on Sea Shepherd flagship Steve Irwin.

Sea Shepherd will be alone during this year's five-month hunt, in which the Japanese aim to cull close to 1,000 endangered fin and minke whales under an international loophole allowing scientific whaling for research.

Anti-whaling activists joined by Daryl Hannah
Tue, 02 Dec 2008 13:27:12 GMT

Technorati Tags: Daryl Hannah,Sea Shepherd,Steve Irwin,overfishing,extinction,whale,poaching

With dog's help, clues to orcas' decline found in whale scat

Using a dog trained to track the scent of orca scat, researchers at the University of Washington are finding that hormone levels in scat samples indicate the animals aren't getting enough to eat.

By Lynda V. Mapes, Seattle Times staff reporter

Researchers trying to learn whether orcas are starving have turned — with the help of a dog — to a new source of information: orca scat.

Tucker, a black Lab trained in tracking animal scat, has been deployed two of the past three summers to track down orca scat between the San Juan Islands and Vancouver Island in Haro Strait, sniffing his quarry from the bow of a research boat for a University of Washington research team.

When Tucker finds what researchers are looking for, he gets to play with his ball. So he is a highly motivated tracker — and in the summers of 2006 and 2008, he helped track down some of 130 samples of scat from orca whales in Puget Sound's J, K and L pods.

Sam Wasser, director of the UW's Center for Conservation Biology, led the research team, which analyzed hormone levels in the scat. What they found surprised them. The orca mortality rate was the highest when thyroid hormone levels were lowest, indicating the animals may be nutritionally deprived.

The southern resident population of orcas that frequents Puget Sound is endangered. The seven orcas missing and presumed dead this year bring the population to just 83 animals, the fewest since 2003, and down from a recent high of 97 in 1996. The number of deaths has alarmed researchers, who haven't seen as steep a drop in nearly a decade.

With dog's help, clues to orcas' decline found in whale scat

Technorati Tags: orca,endangered