Source: http://www.tierramerica.info/nota.php?lang=eng&idnews=2770 2- Argentina - Hake Could Disappear from Argentina's Seas

The capture of this species, known in Spanish as merluza, must be reduced, the fishing quotas should be more equitably distributed, more information and stricter monitoring are needed, as well as assistance for dealing with an inevitable crisis, according to Argentina's Wildlife Foundation (Fundación Vida Silvestre).

Added-value for the product, with more industrial processing, should also be increased to lessen the impact on smaller fishing operations, a sector that employs some 12,000 people, says the Foundation.

A document the Foundation presented this month to officials, lawmakers, business leaders and fisheries unions states that the government should implement a plan for the "urgent" recovery of the hake and establish a sustainable model with clear rules.

It also calls on fishing companies to take on "greater environmental and social responsibilities," respect the established limits and participate in the plans for preventing the fish population decline from harming the industry.

"At the beginning of the year, due to fish shortages, we had to close the San Antonio Oeste processing plant in the province of Río Negro," in southern Argentina, Gerardo Ditrich, of the Alpesca company, which specializes in hake sales, told Tierramérica. The processing plant employed 270 workers.

Argentina's fish exports surpassed 1.1 billion dollars in 2007, according to official figures. The largest share of the total was hake, followed by squid and shrimp. These Southern Atlantic species were destined primarily for Brazil, Spain and Italy.

But the lack of government oversight and continued overfishing have meant that in the last 20 years the adult hake population dropped 70 percent, says the Foundation. Since 2003, the rising international price for the fish -- 166 percent in five years -- only strengthened the trend.

Argentina exported 44,352 tons of hake in 2002, and 156,300 tons in 2006. For 2007, new restrictions caused the annual total to drop to 138,800 tons, but that did not affect revenues because the price per kilo was higher.

The sector "faces difficulties that require a reasonable management of the resource," Gerardo Nieto, deputy secretary of Fishing and Aquiculture, told Tierramérica, adding that the government will work to achieve it.

"Based on the maximum captures permitted, we distribute quotas per boat and we monitor the zones where bans are in place. We have adopted measures to contain the activity, but there are factors that we can't control, like international prices or environmental variables," he said.

In late 2007, the fishing ministry ordered a 20-percent reduction in the hake fishing effort, that is, to let up on the intensity with which the fishing fleet pursued that species.

The Foundation says the measure was insufficient because a limit set at the beginning of 2007 was not ordered until the end of the year, and for 2008 the restrictions should be even tighter.

Nieto announced that there is a bill to forgive a portion of the taxes on the companies that export added-value hake, as a means to reduce the pressure on the fish stocks and prevent further layoffs.

Eighty percent of the exported hake is unprocessed and fetches lower prices. Only 15 percent is sold without its skin, spines and fat, in the form of filets. In dollars, each ton of processed hake brings in 81 percent more than unprocessed, according to ministry figures.

The coordinator of the Wildlife Foundation's marine program, Guillermo Cañete, said in a Tierramérica interview that industrialization is "one of the keys to advancing sustainable fishing" and recommended environmental certification -- proof of sustainable production -- as a market incentive.

The expert, who put together the Foundation document distributed earlier this month, proposed drafting a plan for each region and a better distribution of fishing quotas among boats that transport the fish fresh to shore and those that process the fish on board.

Cañete added that "the instruments for recording the captures are deficient. What are needed are electronic systems (that certify) what is actually caught, because the fishing companies themselves say that the controls fail."

Some in the sector admit that "they discard as much as they declare," he said.

Also needed are devices that allow younger, smaller fish to escape the nets, which requires a great deal of work in capture of several thousand kilos, said the expert, noting that there are new, more flexible models.

"There are arguments that (the new models) are dangerous, but that is due to the obsolescence of the Argentine fleet," said Cañete.

Source: http://www.tierramerica.info/nota.php?lang=eng&idnews=2771
3- Brazil - Brazil throws weight behind Amazon soy ban
06 – 18 - 08
BRASILIA, Brazil - Brazil's new environment minister reached an agreement with the grain processing industry to ban purchases of soy from deforested Amazon until July 2009, winning praise from environmentalists.

"This same initiative will be extended to two other sectors -- the timber sector and the beef sector," Environment Minister Carlos Minc said while praising the grain industry and non-governmental organizations for a "pioneering" initiative.

Environmentalists called Minc's initiative essential to the protection of the world's largest rainforest. Deforestation in the region quickened in the past months as world grain prices continue to set record highs.

The moratorium is a commitment by the local Vegetable Oils Industry Association (Abiove), which includes big crushers such as Cargill Inc, Bunge Ltd, ADM Co and Louis Dreyfus, and the Grain Exporters Association (Anec) to extend the expiring, one-year ban that began in July 2006.

Rising prices are reviving the local soy sector out of its worst crisis in decades. In 2004 through 2006, the rise in the real against the dollar and production costs like fuel and fertilizers pushed many producers to the brink of insolvency.

Brazil is the world's second largest soy producer after the United States. Abiove and Anec control about 94 percent of Brazil's soy trade.

"The decision today is very important as it shows a leading sector in Brazilian agribusiness can guarantee food production without the need to cut down one more hectare of Amazon," Paulo Adario, Greenpeace Amazon campaign director, said in a note.

Deforestation of the Amazon is on course to rise after three years of declines, with figures for April released earlier this month showing a startling 434 square miles of trees lost in the month.

Minc replaced Amazon defender Marina Silva as environment minister last month, raising concern among environmentalists that the government is siding with farming and industrial interests that want to develop the forest.

In a show of commitment to Amazon protection, the government unveiled initiatives in past weeks including the creation of three protected reserves and an operation to impound cattle grazing on illegally cleared pastures.

But Greenpeace said a one year extension may not be long enough to build the tools necessary to ensure that soy production does not result in further deforestation.

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSN1734831620080618?sp=true

4- Cuba: Don’t Worry, Be Ready - for Hurricanes
06 – 17 - 08

HAVANA, Cuba - Cuba has decided not to make public announcements of the overall outlook for the coming hurricane season, because it makes little practical difference to people’s lives and tends to create false apprehensions, said José Rubiera, regarded as this Caribbean country’s top expert on hurricanes.

In an interview with IPS, Rubiera, the head of the Meteorology Institute’s Forecast Centre, recognised that such predictions have a scientific basis and are a source of important information for researchers.

But the Institute has dropped its longstanding practice of announcing long range forecasts for the Atlantic weather system, which includes the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico and has an average of 10 tropical storms per season, six of which can reach hurricane strength, and one of maximum intensity (category 5).

"We decided not to issue public forecasts for the hurricane season, not because they were or should be kept secret, or anything like that, but because the decision was in the best interests of the public," said Rubiera.

In his view, until it is known where and when a hurricane will make landfall, "it doesn’t matter much how many are expected." Instead of needlessly alarming people, they should "be well prepared at all times, systematically prepared," said the expert, who has been tracking tropical storms in Cuba and the Caribbean region for more than three decades.

The general public does not properly understand the precise meaning of the forecasts, he said. "On the contrary, they often create a heightened sense of alarm, and a sense of being misled when the season ends and no hurricane has affected the area where a particular person lives," he said.

The usefulness of hurricane season outlook information is controversial at the moment, especially in the United States, where hoteliers in the southeastern state of Florida brought a lawsuit against atmospheric scientist Professor William Gray of Colorado State University for his forecasts last year.

In the third update of their forecast for the 2007 Atlantic season, published on Aug. 3, Gray and his colleague Philip Klotzbach predicted the formation of 15 named storms, seven of which would be tropical storms, four moderate hurricanes (categories 1 or 2 on the Saffir-Simpson scale) and four major hurricanes (categories 3, 4 or 5).

The press circulated the forecast widely, and many people chose not to travel to Florida, which in the end was not hit by any hurricane last year. The tourist industry suffered losses, however, which is why the hoteliers are angry, Rubiera said.

Therefore, "speculating in advance is not advisable. But when there is a tropical cyclone in the vicinity that might strike us, detailed forecasts should be given, specifying the dangers that people must protect themselves against, and keeping the population very well informed, but without sensationalism," he said.

According to Rubiera, Cuba’s experience in disaster preparedness has contributed to its being the country with the lowest number of fatalities per tropical cyclone in the entire Atlantic area, with a record better even than that of developed countries, "thanks to the integrated protection system it has implemented."

In the 11 years from 1995 to 2006, the most active period of Atlantic hurricane seasons on record, this Caribbean island nation was swept by three tropical storms and eight hurricanes, including four of high intensity.

"However, only 34 people died as a result of the hurricanes during the whole of that period, an average of three fatalities a year," he said. That is because residents in zones vulnerable to flooding, housing collapse and other risks are always evacuated to safe places well in advance.

The Civil Defence, which comes under the Armed Forces Ministry, is in charge of protecting the population. When a tropical depression is detected in the area, the ministry activates the prevention system.

The Meteorology Institute’s Forecast Centre issues warnings about tropical storms of any class and category in the area, and steps up the frequency of its bulletins as the cyclone approaches the country.

When there are indications of potential danger in the short or medium term, the Forecast Centre headed by Rubiera also issues early warning alerts, which allow the authorities to make decisions in sufficient time to reduce risks.

Tracking and predicting the path and future intensity of a hurricane is a complex and arduous task, said Rubiera, which involves great responsibility for decisions that have to be made quickly, and have a direct impact on the population and the economy.

In 2007, the region was hit by six hurricanes, including two that were category 5: Dean, which made landfall on the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico, and Felix, which battered northeastern Nicaragua, causing over 100 deaths and enormous economic losses, and leaving hundreds of missing persons.

Two others, Noel and Olga, brought extremely heavy rainfall.

The hurricanes and tropical storms in 2007 caused heavy material damages and 370 fatalities, especially in Caribbean countries, according to a report by the Meteorology Institute, which is part of the Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment.

Cuba was affected by Noel in its tropical storm stage, bringing intense and persistent rainfall to the eastern part of the island, which caused one death and great material damage. As it advanced over the Caribbean, hurricane Dean caused coastal flooding in low-lying areas in the south of the country.

A tropical storm reaches hurricane force when its maximum sustained wind speed is greater than or equal to 118 kilometres per hour.

The worst hurricane to have devastated Cuba since the 1959 revolution was Flora, in October 1963, which left a death toll of 1,200.
Source: http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=42845

5- Guyana - Using protected seedling production houses to Combat Climate Change
06 – 18 - 08

Construction of several protected seedling production houses in major vegetable production communities will be evident as the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) moves to introduce this low-cost improved technology to farmers, as concerns loom over the impact of climate change on food security systems globally.

This move comes at a time when the Government of Guyana, through the implementation of the Jagdeo Initiative, seeks to expand Guyana’s lucrative agricultural system by providing farmers with access to improved technologies and services in an era of unpredictable weather patterns.

“One of our main policies at NARI is to ensure that farmers are exposed to improved technologies that are adaptable to increase their levels of competitiveness in order to maintain food security locally and supply the export market. However, in light of the massive changes occurring globally as a result of climate change, there is need for the adaptation of improved technologies by the farming communities in order for them to remain competitive,” says NARI’s Director, Dr. Oudho Homenauth.

In Guyana, many vegetable farmers are accustomed to the traditional technique of sowing their vegetable seedlings directly on flat seedbed under temporary shade conditions, but as the weather patterns become more unpredictable, the use of traditional techniques will not be effective for competitive farming since the increase in rainfall and dry spells will affect vegetable seedling production.

Dr. Homenauth pointed out that one of the many challenges farmers are faced with after the seasonal change, especially the rainy one, is the production of seedlings in a timely manner to commence cultivation in the field. To address this problem, he is advocating that farmers incorporate more improved technology along with their traditional knowledge to increase their production.

Protected seedling houses are economically designed using plastic film as roofing material to reduce the high levels of sunlight and rainfall that affect seedling production.

The use of disease free netting as screens prevents major pest and disease infestation.

According to Qsvaldo Ferrando Gonzales, Cuban Agricultural Engineer attached to NARI with responsibilities for the project, one of the major advantages of the protected seedling production houses is that it allows for the continuous production of excellent quality seedlings throughout the year under a controlled environment.

This type of seedling production, using a protected system will allow for the control of excessive moisture which reduces the possibility of the disease ‘damping off’. It also avoids washing off of fertilizers and chemicals applied to the seedlings by rain which is very significant when using the traditional seedling production techniques.

At the NARI Mon Repos facility, the construction of a low-cost protected seedling production house measuring 30’ X 15’ with the capacity to accommodate 104 trays with each tray allowing 128 cells has been completed and is operational.

This system, according to Mr. Gonzales, will produce approximately 12000 seedlings at each sowing, allowing nine to ten sowing phases per annum.

While the prospect seems lucrative for farmers, some environmentalists and eco friendly individuals might query the use of plastic films as roofing materials, but this concern was quickly dismissed by Mr. Gonzales who stated that the materials to be used are UV treated and would, depending on the quality, be quite durable to withstand the harshness of the rain and solar radiation.

A simple but meticulous process, the success of seedling production using a protected system will require high levels of sanitary conditions to prevent contamination within the house.

‘Initially the seeds are pre germinated by using dampened sheets after which they are placed in already prepared seedlings trays that were properly sterilized. This system allows only for the healthiest seedlings to be introduced into the house. To reduce contamination, the farmer is advised to construct a foot bath at the entrance of the structure, use pest free material, spray growing areas (such as benches, walkway) with suitable disinfectant (like chlorine solution), and use only uncontaminated tools and material.

All equipment used in the compost mixing and filling procedures should be regularly disinfected. All equipment and operatives should pass through a disinfectant foot or tire bath, preferably on entering the site.

During the seedling growth phase, germination is not uniform due to poor environmental management, poor quality seed, among other things. This will lead to “gaps” in the trays because they have been underutilized, and waste of compost and irrigation supplies.

As soon as the “gaps” become obvious, plants at similar stage of development should be transferred from other trays to fill all the “gaps” ensuring that each cell contains a plant. This will aid the production of a more uniform plant growth habit in the tray as a whole.

The frequency of watering is dependent on weather conditions and the stage of the crop. Watering should be applied to cell capacity with minimum drainage, or nutrients will be leached from the substrate. Excessive watering leads to succulent plants with restricted root growth.

Most plants produced under a carefully controlled environmental regime need to be adjusted to the harsh realities before transferring to the field. To minimize this problem, the plants are “hardened off” prior to field transplanting. Growth rates are reduced during the hardening process while photosynthetic activity continues at the same or similar rates.

The energy otherwise used in growth of the seedling is thus available as a surplus and can be stored in the plant to aid in resumption of growth after the transplanting operation is complete.

This process of hardening off should be completed in about seven to ten days immediately prior to field establishment.

Gradual reduction of irrigation amounts, and lengthening irrigation interval, will slow down plant growth. The plants should not be allowed to dry out to the stage where wilting is evident.

Source: http://www.guyanachronicle.com/news.html
6- Trinidad & Tobago - Floods in the city
06 – 18 – 08
Commuters and pedestrians in Port-of- Spain were forced to scamper for shelter as a heavy downpour of rain caused flash flooding in the city yesterday.

However, senior meteorologist Shakeer Baig of the Meteorological Services said there was no need for concern as this was a normal rainy season type feature.

“We have day time heating coupled with moisture in the atmosphere which produce the showers. The moisture in the atmosphere is present at all times but there is more moisture during the rainy season,” said Baig.

He, however, said more showers are to be expected this afternoon as a tropical wave was located 500 kilometers east of Trinidad.

El caso más reciente ocurrió esta madrugada en el barrio La Verbena, del este de la capital, cuando un alud sepultó una precaria vivienda y provocó la muerte de Sara Monzón, de 30 años, y su hijo, Héctor Saúl Hernández, de ocho.

Los Bomberos Municipales y Voluntarios lograron rescatar con vida a otros tres menores de la misma familia y a su padre, Héctor Augusto Hernández, aunque su estado de salud es delicado.

Una tragedia similar ocurrió el martes en un suburbio del municipio de Chinautla, aledaño a esta urbe, donde tres hermanos perdieron la vida cuando un muro de contención cedió por la humedad del suelo.

En el momento del deslave los niños estaban solos porque su madre es empleada doméstica y había ido a trabajar, dijeron los vecinos.

Según responsables de la Unidad para el Desarrollo de Vivienda Popular, desde hacía dos semanas habían advertido a los vecinos que se encontraban en áreas de alto riesgo, pero ellos insistieron en quedarse allí.

Datos oficiales revelan que 80 por ciento de los asentamientos que rodean la capital son inhabitables por estar ubicados debajo de los puentes y en laderas de montañas, lo cual aumenta el peligro de inundaciones y derrumbes en la temporada de lluvias.

Source: http://www.prensa-latina.com.ar/Article.asp?ID={942D5C87-16BD-423F-9C96-E1C4A6B1C0DA}&language=ES

9- Panamá - Caguamas inician desove

17 – 06 - 08

Los voluntarios luchan por preservar a las tortugas. El proceso de incubación dura aproximadamente 45 días, luego nacen cientos de tortugas. Para evitar que los depredadores se las coman, se les coloca una cerca de alambre ciclón.

En un sector de la playa de La Barqueta en el distrito de Alanje, desde hoy, José Ismael Cuesta, un ex panadero, estará atento para ubicar dónde las tortugas hayan desovado.

Cada vez que haga un descubrimiento tomará esos huevos y los trasladará a los nidales artificiales que una familia davideña ha instalado para proteger a las tortugas caguamas (Caretta caretta), especie en vías de extinción.

Es que a partir de esta semana en ciertas playas del país, se dará inicio a una de las maravillas de la vida animal… el desove de las caguamas.

Tras 45 días, de esos huevos nacerán cientos de tortugas que intentarán llegar al mar.

Nidales artificiales

Se hacen escarbando la arena donde no llegan las olas, cada hoyo tiene un pie de profundidad. Su forma asemeja a tinajas, de boca muy pequeña y ancha hacia abajo.

Los huevos son cubiertos con arena y junto a cada nidal se le coloca una estaca de madera, con la fecha en que nacerán. Aparte se confecciona un informe con datos similares y la cantidad de huevos.

Para evitar el ingreso de depredadores se instala una cerca de alambre ciclón. Una vez cumplida la incubación, José y y otros colaboradores ayudarán para que salgan de su incubadora de arena.

Se les examina el ombligo, confirmando que estén en perfecto estado, de lo contrario, nuevamente serán ingresadas al nidal para que el calor de la arena los “seque”. El resto es colocado en un recipiente hasta que se complete el nacimiento de ese nido, que promedia 85 unidades, para ser liberadas a pocos metros del mar.

Datos de las caguamas

VIDA: Cuando tocan la arena echan a correr hacia el mar, en la playa son vulnerables a las aves y cangrejos.

TIEMPO: en 20 años, las que logren sobrevivir regresarán para iniciar nuevamente el ciclo.

DEPREDADORES: El principal en tierra firme es el hombre, los perros, cangrejos y las aves.

Fuente: http://ediciones.prensa.com/

 Back to Menu