>Aquaculture and Aquaria
>       .
>       {{Arowana/Dragon Fish Charges.  On Apr. 16, 1998, a New York City
>aquarium businessman was charged in federal court with illegally importing
>more than 50 Southeast Asian arowana (dragon fish or Asian bonytongue,
>Scleropages formusus).  Although prized in the international pet trade, this
>species is protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.  The
>businessman was charged with importing the fish under false documentation
>from Malaysia and trying to sell them to undercover U.S. Fish and Wildlife
>Service enforcement agents between October 1997 and April 1998.}} [Reuters,
>Assoc Press]
>       .
>       {{Norwegian Salmon.  On Apr. 14, 1998, European Union officials
>imposed definitive anti-dumping duties on imports of farmed salmon from 24
>Norwegian companies.  Anti-dumping duties of $0.35 per kilogram and
>countervailing duties of 3.8% were imposed.  This action extends some of the
>provisional anti-dumping duties imposed on 29 Norwegian companies in
>December 1997, who were cited as having violated an EU-Norwegian
>agreement on salmon pricing.}} [Reuters]
>       .
>       {Hong Kong Red Tides.  On Apr. 13, 1998, Hong Kong officials closed
>five popular beaches because of red tides of Gyrodinium aureolum or
>Gymnodinium mikimotoi.  These tides were also alleged to have killed an
>estimated 1,500 tons or about as much as half of Hong Kong's annual farmed
>fish production.  These tides began in mid-March 1998, and are claimed to
>have caused at least $32.3 million damage to 80% of Hong Kong's 1,500 fish
>farms.}  {{However, government officials estimate the loss at only about
>$10.3
>million.}}  {About 100 fish farms were provided with emergency subsidies of
>about $1,282 each.}  {{Although government officials later announced that
>there would be no government compensation for losses, provision of
>low-interest loans would be considered.}}  {Cleanup efforts have dealt with
>only
>a portion of the dead fish from these fish farms.  Confusion exists over
>whether
>or not these dead fish are acceptable for human consumption -- while
>Agriculture and Fisheries Dept. officials deemed the fish safe to eat, Health
>Dept. officials advised against eating these fish.}  {{By Apr. 16, 1998,
>about
>500 tons of dead fish had been collected and dumped in landfills.  The Hong
>Kong government announced efforts to develop a red tide monitoring and
>warning system.}} [Assoc Press, Reuters, personal communication]
>       .
>       Valdez Hatchery Files Chapter 11.  On Mar. 23, 1998, the Valdez
>(AK) Fisheries Development Association filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
>protection, in an effort to delay paying a $2.1 million court judgment
>against its
>salmon hatchery over the failed purchase of a seafood processing plant.
>After
>the court judgment, AK officials declared the hatchery in default on state
>loans
>and took nearly all the hatchery's cash -- about $1.2 million.  Now the
>processing plant is suing the state and the hatchery, alleging the $1.2
>million
>transfer was fraudulent. [Assoc Press]
>       .
>Freshwater Fisheries
>       .
>       {MN Right to Fish.  In early April 1998, the MN Legislature passed a
>proposed constitutional amendment protecting individuals' right to fish,
>hunt,
>and trap.  The question on whether to accept this constitutional amendment
>will appear on the Nov. 3, 1998, state ballot.} [Dow Jones News]
>       .
>       Whirling Disease Research Funding.  On Apr. 1, 1998, the National
>Partnership on the Management of Wild and Native Cold Water Fisheries
>(Bozeman, MT) announced the awarding of $320,000 in federal grants to fund
>11 research projects relating to the study of whirling disease at five
>universities
>in MT, CA, OR, and CO. [Assoc Press]
>       .
>       Sea Lamprey Control Funds.  On Apr. 1, 1998, Canada's Minister of
>Fisheries and Oceans David Anderson announced that Canada will provide
>C$6 million in fiscal year 1998-99 to continue paying its 31% share for sea
>lamprey control programs coordinated with the United States through the
>Great Lakes Fishery Commission. [Dow Jones News]
>       .
>       DDT in MI's Pine River.  On Mar. 31, 1998, EPA officials are
>scheduled to request a national review panel to endorse an estimated $30
>million dredging program for MI's Pine River to remove tons of sediments
>heavily contaminated with DDT.  DDT concentrations in Pine River fish are
>reported to far exceed federal human health guidelines and be the highest in
>the Great Lakes region, with DDT attributed to a operation of a Velsicol
>Chemical Co. facility more than 25 years ago. [Assoc Press]
>       .
>       Reciprocal Fishing License.  On Mar. 26, 1998, the Lac du Flambeau
>Chippewa band in Wisconsin was scheduled to announce an arrangement
>with the WI Dept. of Natural Resources allowing the Lac du Flambeau band to
>sell tribal fishing licenses that can be used on all off-reservation waters
>in the
>state.  Revenues from the sale of tribal licenses must be used on the Lac du
>Flambeau reservation for fishery-related projects. [Assoc Press]
>       .
>       Underwater Camera Ban.  On Mar. 11, 1998, the MN Senate voted
>51-9 to approve an amendment banning the use of underwater video cameras
>for fishing, during debate prior to passing an omnibus hunting and fishing
>bill.
>The MN Dept. of Natural Resources urged approval of the underwater camera
>ban, fearing anglers would use such equipment to selectively target trophy
>fish.  {In early April 1998, the MN Legislature adjourned without acting on
>the
>omnibus fisheries bill containing the ban on use of underwater video
>cameras.}
>[Assoc Press]
>       .
>       Pfiesteria?  On Mar. 3, 1998, citizens in Stuart, FL, reported seeing
>"thousands" of fish with lesions in the St. Lucie River, with many fish dying
>in
>the River and the adjacent Indian River Lagoon.  Water samples from the St.
>Lucie River were reported to contain Cryptoperidiniopsis.  On Mar. 20, 1998,
>the NC state scientific panel to monitor Pfiesteria response met to discuss
>preliminary research findings, including the inconclusive results of study of
>30
>NC residents for health effects after contact with Pfiesteria-like toxins.  A
>preliminary report of these findings is to be released in late March, a
>public
>meeting may be held in April, and public comment will be sought.  On Mar.
>20, 1998, NC Governor Jim Hunt announced a $2.9 million state plan to
>increase water quality monitoring, conduct more research, and improve
>response to fish kills.  On Mar. 23, 1998, the Centers for Disease Control
>and
>Prevention (CDC) announced the awarding of FY1998 funds for cooperative
>agreements relating to Pfiesteria-related illness surveillance and prevention
>research.  Approximately $3.2 million was awarded, with MD receiving $1.07
>million, NC receiving $0.96 million, and VA receiving $0.69 million.  Other
>state programs receiving funds included DE, FL, and SC.  On Mar. 24, 1998,
>EPA officials announced the release of an additional $80,000 apiece to DE
>and MD for Pfiesteria monitoring.  {On Apr. 13, 1998, the MD General
>Assembly approved legislation to combat Pfiesteria.  The measure would
>require farmers to limit nitrogen runoff by 2003 and phosphorus runoff by
>mid-2005.  Violators could be fined as much as $2,000 per year.} [Assoc
>Press]
>       .
>Marine Mammals
>       .
>       {{Keiko.  On Apr. 16, 1998, two Icelandic veterinarians visited the OR
>Coast Aquarium to assess Keiko's health and condition, as part of an effort
>to
>determine whether Iceland may accept the relocation of this whale to an
>inshore pen in Icelandic waters.}} [Assoc Press]
>       .
>       {Steller Sea Lion Lawsuit.  On Apr. 15, 1998, a coalition of three
>conservation groups filed suit in U.S. District Court (Seattle) against NMFS,
>charging NMFS has not provided sufficient protection for Steller sea lions.
>The
>lawsuit seeks a reduction in Bering Sea groundfish harvest.} [Assoc Press,
>Reuters]
>       .
>       {{Norwegian Whaling.  In mid-April 1998, Norway announced whaling
>quota allocations among vessels and areas.  Two vessels will hunt a quota of
>66 minke whales from the Central Atlantic stock.  Thirty-three vessels will
>share the quota of 605 from the North East Atlantic stock, divided into four
>subareas -- 29 vessels will share the combined quota of 412 minke whales in
>the Barents Sea and Spitsbergen areas, one vessel received a quota of 15
>minke whales in the Vestfjorden area, and three vessels will seek a quota of
>178 minke whales in the North Sea.}} [High North Alliance News]
>       .
>       {Northwestern Pacific Whale Management.  On Apr. 14, 1998,
>Japanese officials announced that Japan, China, South Korea, and Russia
>have agreed to establish a committee for managing whales in the northwestern
>Pacific region.  The committee's objectives include cooperative research on
>whales and promotion of whaling.} [Dow Jones News]
>       .
>       {Japanese Whaling.  On Apr. 8, 1998, a Japanese factory ship
>Nisshin Maru, three whale catcher vessels, and one sighting vessel returned
>to
>the Japanese port of Shimonoseki with a catch of 440 minke whales taken
>from the Southern (Antarctic) Ocean.} [Reuters, High North Alliance News]
>       .
>       {Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling Quotas.  On Apr. 6, 1998, NMFS
>announced U.S. aboriginal subsistence whaling quotas for 1998.  These
>quotas are 77 bowhead whales struck and 5 gray whales landed.} [Fed.
>Register]
>       .
>       Sea Lion Research Grant.  On Mar. 26, 1998, officials of Premier
>Pacific Seafoods, a company active in Bering Sea fisheries, announced the
>donation of $120,000 to the Univ. of Alaska's Fishery Industrial Technology
>Center, of which $20,000 will be used to fund sea lion population census
>work.
>[Assoc Press]
>       .
>       Gray Whale Release.  SeaWorld San Diego anticipated releasing a
>juvenile gray whale on Mar. 26, 1998.  This animal had been under SeaWorld's
>care since stranding on Jan. 11, 1997, on Venice Beach near Los Angeles,
>CA.  The U.S. Coast Guard will assist in the release, timed to coincide with
>the annual northward migration of gray whales along the CA coast.  Having
>reached about 9 tons, this whale is considered the largest mammal ever held
>in captivity.  On Mar. 31, 1998, the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Conifer and the
>U.S. Navy assisted SeaWorld San Diego in releasing a juvenile gray whale
>into the Pacific Ocean, after recovering for 14 months from stranding. [Assoc
>Press, American Zoo and Aquarium Assoc press release, SeaWorld San
>Diego press release]
>       .
>       NZ Sea Lions.  On Mar. 24, 1998, the Squid Management Company
>ordered its vessels to stop fishing for squid near New Zealand's Auckland and
>Campbell Islands to avoid exceeding the incidental quota of 63 Hooker sea
>lion deaths.  On Mar. 25, 1998, NZ officials announced the squid fishery
>would
>be officially closed on Mar. 27, 1998, to avoid exceeding the incidental
>quota
>for Hooker sea lions.  The Hooker sea lion incidental quota earlier had been
>reduced from 79 animals to 63 animals after mass mortalities of undetermined
>cause killed about 1,400 pups and as many as 1,000 adults from a total
>population of about 15,000 individuals. [Reuters]
>       .
>       BC Whale Watching Fatalities.  On Mar. 22, 1998, the captain and a
>German tourist were killed and two other passengers injured when a series of
>heavy waves swamped a whale-watching vessel several miles offshore of
>Tofino, British Columbia, Canada, despite compliance with regulations
>requiring all whale-watching participants to wear coldwater survival suits.
>[Assoc Press]
>       .
>       Canadian Sealing.  The Canadian seal hunt began in the Gulf of St.
>Lawrence in mid-March 1998, and will continued for as long as two months off
>the east coast of Newfoundland, with a season quota of 275,000 seals.  {{On
>Apr. 15, 1998, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) announced
>that it has video footage of Canadian sealing activities, including an
>alleged
>140 to 200 violations of seal-hunting regulations.  The video was reported to
>have been taken during late March 1998 in the eastern Magdalen Islands, near
>Prince Edward Island.  IFAW accused the Canadian government of insufficient
>monitoring and lax enforcement of sealing regulations.}} [Assoc Press,
>Reuters]
>       .
>       Items in this summary are excerpted from a variety of information
>sources.  The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is not responsible
>for the accuracy of the various news items.  For additional information
>on items in this summary or their sources, Members and congressional
>staff may call Gene Buck (CRS-ENR) at 7-7262 or send a fax to 7-7289.
>This summary is available daily or weekly (each Friday) via e-mail to
>Members and congressional staff; requests from Members and
>congressional staff to be added to the daily or weekly distribution list
>may be e-mailed to "[log in to unmask]".
>

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