From: Kate Wing <[log in to unmask]>
Aquaculture and Aquaria
Norwegian Salmon. On May 29, 1997, the European Commission
discussed but failed to agree on whether or not to impose
anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties amounting to 13.7% on farmed
Norwegian Atlantic salmon. {On June 1, 1997, the European
Commission approved a compromise on Norwegian farmed salmon
imports. Instead of imposing antidumping duties, a five-year
agreement was negotiated to include a minimum price for the
salmon, an increase in the Norwegian export duty on this product
from 0.75% to 3%, and a limitation on the growth of exports to
the EU of about 10% per year.} [Reuters, Agence Europe via
Reuters]
AK Roe Stripping Lawsuit. On May 21, 1997, AK Superior Court
Judge Dan Hensley heard arguments on whether AK salmon hatcheries
should be allowed to strip roe from returning salmon and dump
their carcasses. A 1996 lawsuit seeks to halt this practice.
[Assoc Press]
BC Salmon Virus. On May 12, 1997, the farm manager at a BC
Atlantic salmon farm in Johnstone Strait, between Vancouver
Island and the BC mainland, admitted that fish were infected with
IHNV (infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus). About 5,000
possibly virus-infected fish subsequently were sold to consumers,
rather than being killed and disposed of as required by
disease-control procedures. IHNV can attack wild Pacific sockeye
salmon, and fishery interests fear for the health of Fraser River
sockeye that migrate through this area. [Assoc Press]
Freshwater Fisheries
Chicago Waterways and Aquatic Nuisance Species. On June 18,
1997, the Great Lakes Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species and the
federal Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force have scheduled a tour
of the Chicago Waterways focusing on the round goby and other
nonindigenous species dispersal barrier initiatives to control
the movement of aquatic nuisance species between the Great Lakes
basin and the Mississippi River drainage. [U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service announcement]
{National Fishing Week. June 2-8, 1997 is being celebrated
across the United States as National Fishing Week. AT LEAST 44
STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA HAVE SCHEDULED "FREE FISHING
DAYS" DURING THIS WEEK WHEN RESIDENTS MAY FISH WITHOUT HAVING
PURCHASED A LICENSE.} [U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service press
release]
Sikes Act Hearing. On May 22, 1997, the House Resources
Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife, and Oceans has
tentatively scheduled a joint hearing with the House Committee on
National Security on H.R. 374, proposing to amend the Sikes Act
to enhance fish and wildlife conservation and natural resource
management programs on military installations. [personal
communication]
Westslope Cutthroat Trout ESA Petition. On May 20, 1997, a
coalition of MT, OR, and ID environmental groups announced that
they had filed a petition to list the westslope cutthroat trout
as a threatened species. [Assoc Press]
Michigan Aquatic Nuisance Species Management Plan. On May 20,
1997, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officials announced that
Michigan's "Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Species State
Management Plan" had been approved by the federal Aquatic
Nuisance Species Task Force. MI is the second state to have a
management plan approved, and permits MI to request federal funds
for implementation. [U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service press
release, Assoc Press]
Marine Mammals
Hawaiian Whale Sanctuary. June 6, 1997, is the deadline by which
HI Governor Ben Cayetano must decide how much, if any, of a
proposed 1,680 square miles of state waters and submerged lands
should be included within the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale
National Marine Sanctuary and managed under its federal
management plan. [Assoc Press]
{Atlantic Large Whale Protection. In late May 1997, U.S.
District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock ruled that federal
agencies were making sufficient progress through proposed
regulations to address citizen concerns for better protecting
north Atlantic right whales.} [Assoc Press]
Norwegian Whaling. On May 20, 1997, 28 Norwegian whalers and 4
whalemeat processing companies argued in an appeal of a lower
court denial on a $8.5 million lawsuit against the Norwegian
government in Oslo district court, claiming they sustained
considerable loss when the Norwegian government failed to support
the whaling industry between 1988 and 1993 and did not permit
commercial whaling. {On May 26, 1997, a Dutch court rejected
Paul Watson's petition for release on bail at a hearing on his
possible extradition to Norway. The court is to submit its
recommendation concerning the Norwegian petition for extradition
within two weeks.} Lofoten Islands police have announced that
legal proceedings in Lofoten County Court are scheduled against
Watson in Norway on Sept. 1, 1997, relating to alleged negligent
navigation and collision with a Norwegian coast guard vessel in
the summer of 1994. Compensation for damages of $120,000 with
possible interest is sought by the Norwegian Navy for this
collision. {On May 28, 1997, the Norwegian Directorate for
Nature Management wrote a letter to the CITES Secretariat stating
that Norway will establish a DNA register for whales to better
identify whalemeat from whales taken under proclaimed Norwegian
quotas, as an addendum to Norway's proposal to downlist 2 minke
whale stocks.} [Assoc Press, High North Alliance News, Dow Jones
News]
Captive Manatees Outside FL? On May 20, 1997, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service officials reported in the Fort Myers, FL,
News-Press that more than 50 manatees are in captivity in FL, and
that display facilities are overcrowded. Some manatees that are
not candidates for release may be made available to public
display facilities outside FL, if appropriate captive maintenance
standards can be met. [Assoc Press]
Dolphin Feeding Enforcement. On May 19, 1997, NMFS issued an
announcement reminding the public that it is illegal to feed or
swim with dolphins in the wild. NMFS personnel are holding news
conferences at various locations in FL where dolphin feeding has
become popular. NMFS has contracted with the FL Marine Patrol to
provide additional enforcement relating to dolphins during 1997
and, in 1998, NMFS expects to fund an additional 6 enforcement
officers for protected species enforcement, including dolphin
feeding and harassment. [Assoc Press, NMFS press release]
Mediterranean Monk Seal Deaths. In mid-May 1997, more than 60
endangered Mediterranean monk seals died after eating fish
tainted by toxic algae along Mauritania's Atlantic coast.
[Reuters]
Whalemeat Smuggling Report. On May 15, 1997, the British TRAFFIC
Network released a report entitled "Whale Meat Trade in East
Asia," which reported that whalemeat is smuggled illegally from
Japan and available on the menus of numerous restaurants in Hong
Kong. [Dow Jones News]
CA Sea Lion Deaths. On May 14-15, 1997, Mexican authorities
reported finding the carcasses of 14 CA seal lions on beaches
just south of the U.S.-Mexican border. The animals were clubbed
or shot and could have drifted south from U.S. waters. Earlier
this month, 5 sea lion carcasses washed ashore in the Tijuana
Slough National Wildlife Refuge, just north of the U.S.-Mexican
border. [Assoc Press]
Tuna-Dolphin Legislation. On May 14, 1997, the Senate Commerce
Subcommittee on Oceans and Fisheries held a hearing on S. 39,
amendments to the Marine Mammal Protection Act relating to the
International Dolphin Conservation Program. H.R. 408 was
approved by the full House on May 21, 1997, by a vote of 262-166.
[Federal Register, personal communication]
Japanese Scientific Whaling. On May 12-16, 1997, the
International Whaling Commission's Scientific Committee is
meeting behind closed doors in Tokyo, Japan, to review Japan's
scientific whaling program. Results of this review will be
presented at the IWC's annual meeting in Monaco in October 1997.
[Dow Jones News, Reuters]
....
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