Emuhaya MP Wilbur Ottichilo has warned that the island and surrounding areas could be all gone in 50 years, wiped out by rising sea levels.

Speaking at the Kwale and Mombasa counties climate change forum at the weekend, Dr Ottichilo said:

“Already, some islands in the Pacific are getting submerged. With the ice blocks in the North and South pole melting, there are no reserves to store this water, it is flowing into the oceans and raising the sea level.”

There are already danger signs, he said, pointing to dwindling fish stocks in the ocean and dying coral reefs as fish breeding grounds are submerged deeper and the sea becomes sterile.

Other effects of climate change, he said, include rising global temperatures leading to increased water scarcity.

To commemorate the International Day for Biological Diversity on 22nd May, Nature Seychelles Chief Executive Dr. Nirmal Shah presented the organization’s projects to promote “Bio Happiness”, at a national conference entitled “Be happy, Make Seychelles happy” at the Seychelles’ International Conference Centre. Shah’s presentation focused on Nature Seychelles programmes which include the Green Health programme and Heritage Garden, and its innovative projects – the Greening Livelihoods and Gardens for Growth projects, which are all society-based and geared to help people have well rounded fulfilling lives.

It has long been argued that human beings thrive in natural environments and in bonded social groups. But the modernity, which has been achieved by developed countries and which is being actively pursued by developing ones, also brings with it modern malaise caused principally by our disconnection with the natural world. We spend more time indoors whether at work in-front of computers or at relaxation in front of TVs. We are constantly bombarded by information coming via our emails, internet, phones and various multimedia toys of choice which favour an isolated life that reduces our natural contact with people and the environment around us.

Read the full article from: http://www.natureseychelles.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=470:biodiversity-day-2012-nature-seychelles-promotes-bio-happiness-&catid=1&Itemid=139

• A grant to undertake a 2-year project on a top-priority EDGE species
• A 4-week Conservation Tools training course in Kenya (location to be confirmed)
• Ongoing technical support and mentoring
• A 2-week Conservation Leadership training course in London

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife is pleased to announce that the Symposium of Contemporary Conservation Practice 2012 will be held from the 22nd to the 26th October at the Fern Hill Hotel Conference Centre in Howick.

This symposium will provide a much needed platform for the conservation community across southern Africa, to share and explore current developments and issues in the science and practice of biodiversity conservation, and to enhance conservation efforts in our changing world.

This year marks a significant up-scaling and advancement in the long history of the KwaZulu-Natal Conservation Symposium. This has been made possible through partnerships with the Wildlands Conservation Trust (WCT), the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), the Msunduzi Innovation and Development Institute (MIDI) and the South African Environmental Observation Network (SAEON).

Download the full announcement from www.wiomsa.net/images/stories/Symposium%20ConConPractice%202012%20First%20Announcement.pdf

The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation (Foundation) sponsors graduate fellowships for Doctoral students and Postdoctoral researchers conducting applied research that will contribute to improved management and conservation of coral reef resources and habitats.  In 2012, the Foundation will support one new dedicated and hardworking individual interested in contributing to research activities conducted during a multidisciplinary global coral reef expedition (www.globalreefexpedition.com). This individual will have research opportunities in a number of locations in the South Pacific, Southeast Asia, Indian Oceans and Red Sea spanning the period of 2012-2015. The primary objectives of the Expedition are to map and characterize remote coral reefs and conduct coral reef ecosystem health assessments across gradients of human and natural disturbance.  In each country a dedicated team will conduct baseline coral reef assessments using a rapid assessment protocol that combines attributes of the Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment protocol and the IUCN Resilience Assessments.  A major focus of the research will involve characterization of reef health with emphasis on 1) determining global and local processes that control the functioning of these ecosystems, 2) assessing impacts from acute disturbances and how patterns of recovery vary across biophysical gradients and 3) identification of strategies that can help mitigate impacts and improve the ability of these systems to withstand future disturbances.

The area of research should focus on using survey methods to identify factors that provide coral reefs with ecological resilience to threats facing these ecosystems (e.g., climate change, overfishing, etc.) and how these factors vary across gradients of human and environmental stressors. The research must also be incorporate statistical analyses examining between-site comparisons at a local scale and inter-regional comparisons at a larger scale.

The Living Oceans Foundation Fellow will receive up to $35,000 fellowship grant to cover legitimate educational and research expenses such as tuition and research field-work expenses. Fellows may receive up to four continuous years of financial support, based upon annual performance reviews, for work conducted during all legs (South Pacific, Indian Ocean and Red Sea) of the Expedition. The candidate must demonstrate excellent oral and written communication skills, be fluent in English and have the knowledge and expertise needed to develop and implement a research activity related to the mission of the Foundation and its role in marine conservation.

Ph.D. Fellows must engage in a thesis or dissertation that has direct application to the planned Living Oceans Foundation Global Reef Expedition.  The candidate must also meet the requirements of graduate programs at accredited universities.  All applicants must engage in research during the Global Reef Expedition, and be on board the Golden Shadow during each research mission.   Research can also include field sampling during the Expedition, with sample processing undertaken at the Fellow’s home institution between legs of the Expedition.

Please see http://www.livingoceansfoundation.org and click on “Education”, then “Fellowships” for more information and full application criteria and requirements.  Applications can be submitted by e-mail to Bruckner@livingoceansfoundation.org or mailed to: Dr. Andy Bruckner, Living Oceans Foundation, 8181 Professional Place, Suite 215, Landover, MD 20785 USA.

Deadline for application: June 30, 2012

By Mohamed Issa

The East African archipelago of Zanzibar is attempting to win “environmental independence” from Tanzania by joining an organisation that promotes the sustainable development of islands in the Indian Ocean.

Zanzibar has lodged a formal membership application with the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), a regional cooperation body whose current members are Comoros, Mauritius, Seychelles, Madagascar and Reunion.

Although Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania, officials in the archipelago’s own government, as well as some scientists, maintain that the isles have different needs from the mainland in dealing with climate change.

Backers of Zanzibar’s entry into the IOC argue that membership will help it deal more effectively with environmental threats. Parts of the islands suffer from beach erosion, flooding and high salinity in arable land, which is itself scarce.

Amina Shaaban, Planning Commissioner in the Zanzibar government’s Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, listed the development challenges confronting the archipelago as including unsustainable agricultural and livestock practices, depleted fisheries, deforestation, quarrying and sand mining, water pollution, and threats to food security and tourism.

“The question here is not whether we should continue or stop developing,” Shaaban said in April at an IOC-organised workshop on sustainable development planning for Zanzibar. “But rather, we should ask ourselves, ‘How can we strive forward with our economic goals without compromising the carrying capacity of our fragile environment?’”

Read the full article from: http://allafrica.com/stories/201205170114.html

Good things come to those who wait.

This adage holds true even for those in conservation, it seems, after a red steenbras was recaptured in the Kei River mouth in the Eastern Cape – 22 years after being tagged – potentially a record for the amount of time a tagged fish was “at liberty”.

As a Master’s student with the Department of Ichthyology and Fisheries Science at Rhodes University, Bruce Mann, now senior scientist at the Oceanographic Research Institute (ORI), said he was stationed at Storms River in the Tsitsikamma National Park where he hooked and landed a juvenile red steenbras, which was unusual for the area.

The fish measured 750mm FL (or fork length, measured from the tip of the snout to the end of the middle caudal fin rays) and weighed 8.3kg.

He caught the fish during one of his collecting trips at Santer Bank, south of the Bloukrans River, on November 12, 1989, when he was collecting blacktail (dassie) and zebra (wildeperd), as part of his research.

On December 27, 2011, Andrew Gericke, his brother, Craig, and a friend, Paul Dineen, were fishing approximately 10km off Kei Mouth.

“That morning Craig, who was fishing with live bait, hooked into a nice ‘copper’ (as red steenbras is also known), but unfortunately he lost the fish when the leader line parted,” said Mann.

“Andrew played with the fish for about 10 minutes and when the fish was boated they discovered that it was the same fish that Craig had tangled with earlier, because his trace was still in the fish’s mouth.”

It was afterwards that they also noticed that the fish had been tagged.

Read the full article from: http://www.ru.ac.za/latestnews/name,57448,en.html

As a contribution to the European Strategy on Climate Change and Development Cooperation, the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, in association with the EU EAMNet project (Europe-Africa Marine EO Network) and the Chouaib Doukkali University in ElJadida (Morocco) is offering a training course on: Methods and Application of Satellite Remote Sensing in African Coastal and Regional Seas. The course will take place in El Jadida (Morocco) from November 6th to 16th, 2012, following the 9th Conference of the African Association of Remote Sensing of the Environment (AARSE).  The course is designed to provide the theoretical basis of satellite-based optical radiometry, as well as key applications in spatial monitoring and managing the coastal zones, and in protecting marine ecosystems and resources. The course lies within the framework of the ChloroGIN network (http://www.chlorogin.org/). Details on the Course Announcement and registration are available at the JRC-based AMIS (African Marine Information System) web site: http://amis.jrc.ec.europa.eu/.

WWF Madagascar Western Indian Ocean Programme Office is seeking for a Tuna Programme Officer. Under a fixed-term four year contract starting from September 2012, this position is based in Seychelles.

The focus for this role is to increase MSC certification of tuna catches from stocks of principal tuna in the Indian Ocean.

For more details, visit:

http://www.wwf.mg/aboutus/jobs/?204680/Tuna-Programme-Officer—International-Recruitment

This is an open call for participants and for abstracts for presentations and posters to be submitted for the Oceans of Potential conference 11-12 September 2012, Plymouth Hoe, Plymouth, UK. Conference website: www.oceansofpotential.org. The closing date for abstract submission is 17 August 2012.

As we continue into the 21st century, it is becoming increasingly clear that we need to take a smarter approach to managing our resources and maximizing the potential of the natural environment to provide for society’s needs. The oceans are beginning to demonstrate their wealth of potential – from renewable energy and carbon sequestration to human health, bioengineering and new approaches to food production.

There are a growing number of opportunities for the development of symbiotic industries and for marine science to provide a host of tools to assist in the management of marine resources, ensuring that exploitation of the oceans proceeds both efficiently and sustainably.

To this end the “Oceans of Potential” conference will bring together stakeholders from a broad range of disciplines to discuss these opportunities and to place marine science at the heart of an exciting vision of the future.

Confirmed keynote speakers include:

•  Dr Wendy Watson-Wright, Assistant Director-General, UNESCO and Executive Secretary Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC)

•  Professor Jacquie McGlade, Director of the European Environment Agency

•  Professor Duncan Wingham, Chief Executive of the Natural Environment Research Council

•  Dr Susan Avery, President and Director of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

•  Professor Manuel Barange, Chair of the Scientific Committee of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES)

As part of the conference, there will be a public debate on ‘Sustainable fisheries in a changing world’. The debate will include various stakeholders (industry, science and end-

users) and will be chaired by Monty Halls whose recent work includes BBC TV series on a year living and working with crab fishermen in Cornwall and on the Great Barrier Reef.

We are offering various sponsorship and exhibition packages to provide additional visibility at the Oceans of Potential conference, please visit www.oceansofpotential.org/sponsors.html.

Members of the Marine Biological Association will receive a 10% discount on their registration costs.

The conference is an initiative of the Plymouth marine sciences organizations, coordinated by Plymouth Marine Laboratory and part of the wider Plymouth Marine City Festival. The conference will be the second in the series of major marine conferences planned to run until 2020; the previous conference focused on marine spatial planning and was in partnership with the UK Marine Management Organization.

For further information please visit www.oceansofpotential.org