[Fishlink] ~~>SUBLEGALS 16May03<~~
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~~>SUBLEGALS 16May03<~~
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A WEEKLY QUOTA OF FISHERY SHORTS CAUGHT AND
LANDED BY THE INSTITUTE FOR FISHERIES RESOURCES
AND THE PACIFIC COAST FEDERATION OF FISHERMEN'S
ASSOCIATIONS
VOL. 07, NO. 20 16 MAY 2003
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"I don't want nations feeling like that they can bully ourselves
and our allies."...George W. Bush
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IN THIS ISSUE.......
United States Forcing Genetically Modified Food on Europe. 7:20/01
California Regulation on Transgenic Fish Takes Effect. 7:20/02
British Columbia Minister Proposes "Right to Farm Fish"
Legislation. 7:20/03
Canadian Study Finds 90 Percent of World's Large Fish Have
Disappeared in Last 50 Years. 7:20/08
Polluted Monterey Bay Water Killing Sea Otters. 7:20/10
AND MORE.....
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7:20/01. US SUIT TO FORCE GE CROPS ON EUROPE
THREATENS FUTURE SALMON TRADE AND FISHERIES
CONSERVATION: Growing tension over the trade and consumption of
genetically modified food reached new heights on 13 May when U.S.
Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Zoellick and U.S. Agriculture
Secretary Ann Veneman announced that the United States is filing a suit
with the World Trade Organization (WTO) to force the European Union
(EU) to buy genetically-engineered (GE) crops from the U.S. (see
Sublegals 7:07/09). A number of members of Congress have been urging
the Bush Administration to take such action for months, claiming U.S.
agriculture loses hundreds of millions of dollars annually on "unrealized
exports" to European markets. The issue at hand is a temporary
moratorium on the use of GE crops adopted by E.U. member states in
1998 under heavy pressure from European consumers. Two crops,
soybeans and rapeseed, had been approved prior to the moratorium and
were not affected by its passage. In October 2002 the E.U. adopted a set
of regulations governing the review and approval process for genetically
modified crops. Since then two varieties of cottonseed oil have been
approved for use, while several other crops and food products are
currently under review.
What is troubling, however, particularly for U.S. salmon fishermen, is
that strong-arm tactics by Zoellick and Veneman could result in a
backlash in Europe against U.S. products, even those that are naturally
produced, such as Pacific salmon. The trend in Europe has been for
natural foods and there is strong opposition there to "frankenfoods" (GE
foods). This trend has been good for the U.S. fishing industry that has
begun exporting to Europe wild Pacific salmon for the first time in
decades as Europeans are increasingly rejecting farmed salmon for wild.
The GE suit also threatens exports of U.S. Dungeness crab, herring and
other fish not otherwise available in European markets. Salmon
conservation is also at stake. "This suit could put at risk the efforts to
regulate GE salmon on the Pacific Coast including their introduction into
Chile," according to trade specialist Victor Menotti with the
International Forum on Globalization (IFG). "If the WTO overturns
regulations for labeling it could undermine some of the tools fishing
communities need to conserve fisheries resources."
On a global scale, the regulation of GE food and crops is at a
crossroads. Proponents of GE foods, particularly biotech companies
from the U.S., Europe and China, claim genetic engineering can solve
supply problems that lead to hunger and starvation. The U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) is a major proponent of GE foods,
viewing them as the next step in the evolution of modern agriculture.
USDA opposes European labeling of GE foods and has fought efforts to
mandate the labeling of foods containing genetically modified
ingredients in the U.S. as well.
Opponents contend GE foods pose threats to human health and the
environment that are only just beginning to emerge. They also counter
claims of increased productivity with examples of increased reliance on
chemical pesticides and herbicides (often manufactured by the same
company that sells the genetically modified seed), cross-contamination
leading to uncontrollable super weeds and extremely limited genetic
diversity.
The U.S. government is relying on a WTO requirement of "sufficient
scientific evidence" for any practices that would hinder the trade of crops
or food products on the basis of health or environmental concerns.
However, with the adoption of new regulations in October of last year
E.U. officials have questioned publicly the motives for such a case. For
more information, see the 13 May New York Times article by Elizabeth
Becker at: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/13/international/europe/
13CND-TRAD.html?ex=1054371836&ei=1&en=d1e036aee7b3cc82;
also see the USDA press release at:
http://www.usda.gov/news/releases/2003/05/0156.htm or the European
Union's press release at:
http://www.eurunion.org/News/press/2003/2003036.htm.
Opposition to genetically modified (GM) crops is not just coming
from Europe. Reuters reported that a Monsanto test farm in Ponta
Grosso, Parana in Brazil was invaded by members of the Landless
Peasant Movement (MST) to expel the U.S. biotech firm (seeds,
chemicals, etc.) and set up an organic farm on the site. "The commercial
planting of GM crops in Brazil has been banned since 1998. But a
thriving black market in Monsanto's trademark Roundup Ready GM soy
has developed in southern Brazil. The GM beans are thought to be
smuggled in Argentina and Paraguay where RR soy is widely planted,"
reported Reuters. "Experimental GM planting, however, is legal and
much of the company's research is conducted jointly with the
government crop research arm Embrapa. Monsanto said test planting on
its farms was in accordance with Brazilian law. Monsanto is one of
Brazil's biggest producers and sellers of conventional soy, corn and other
crop seed stock, as well as farm chemicals and fertilizers." Monsanto
was also an opponent of California legislation to ban genetically
modified (transgenic) fish in that U.S. state. To see the complete Reuters
article, go to:
http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/20827/story.htm.
In Australia, the State of New South Wales' (NSW) government said
it would introduce legislation to impose a moratorium before the federal
Gene Technology Regulator approved a commercial release of GM
canola. "The NSW ban means Australia will not produce a significant
GM canola crop this year even if federal authorities clear the way for it
to do so. A moratorium on the commercial release in NSW of GM food
crops such as canola, mustard and field peas is effective from March
2003," reported Reuters. For more, go to:
http://www.planetark.org/avantgo/dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=20829.
7:20/02. CALIFORNIA REGULATION ON TRANSGENIC FISH
TAKES EFFECT, COMMISSION CONSIDERS AMENDMENT TO
GIVE GREATER PUBLIC NOTICE: California's regulation of
transgenic fish took effect on 14 May (see Sublegals, 7:07/08). The new
regulation requires the registration of genetically engineered (or
"transgenic") fish in the state and requires that they be kept in contained
facilities. PCFFA and IFR, together with State Senator Byron Sher
(D-Palo Alto), had called for a moratorium on the importation or
possession of transgenic fish in California until more is known about the
risks they present. Similar bans are in place in Washington, Oregon and
Maryland. The California Fish & Game Commission, however, voted
on 7 February to adopt regulations for the fish instead of a prohibition.
At its 7-8 May meeting in Riverside, the Commission took testimony on
a proposed amendment to the regulations to give greater public notice on
any pending transgenic fish application.
The concern over transgenic fish is a result of an application currently
before the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) by the Waltham,
Massachusetts biotech firm, Aqua Bounty Farms, for use of a
genetically-engineered fast growing Atlantic salmon in fish farm
operations (see Sublegals, 7:04/01; 6:24/09; 6:10/03; 6:08/01; 6:03/08;
6:02/06; 5:09/02; 5:01/05; 4:16/13; 4:11/10; 3:23/14; 3:19/03; 3:07/15;
3:05/15; 2:16/11; 1:15/07; 1:10/03). For more, see the 14 May Ken
Weiss Los Angeles Times archives article at:
http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/advancedsearch.html.
7:20/03. BC MINISTER PROPOSES "RIGHT TO FARM FISH"
LEGISLATION: Move over Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) and
your "right to fish" (sport) bills in the U.S. British Columbia's
Agriculture & Fisheries Minister John van Dongen has introduced a bill
in the Provincial Legislature that would include fish farmers under the
Province's Right to Farm Act. The change would allows the Province to
overrule local governments on whether to permit fish farms in different
towns. The problem for the fish farmers in the past has been that
occasionally local governments use zoning bylaws to protect against fish
farms from setting up operations in their towns. The BC Salmon Farmers
Association requested the van Dongen legislation.
The "right" law was originally intended to prevent rural residents
from complaining about the odors permeating from farms. Van Dongen
said the bill will only "tighten up the right to farm system for aquaculture
and agriculture. The Province is not trying to stifle community
opposition and will consult with local governments over aquaculture
sites." Opponents of the bill, however, such as the David Suzuki
Foundation, fear that the legislation is a ploy to free fish farmers from
local accountability and to fatten fish farmer's pocket books. The bill
originally was intended to apply to privately owned land, rather than
publicly owned ocean areas. For more information on the bill, go to:
http://www.canada.com/victoria/timescolonist/archives/story.asp?id=AE
41F6CA-DC18-4B4E-9A13-554B5FBEE822.
7:20/04. MAINE SALMON FARMS UNDER FIRE AND ON FIRE:
Maine's largest aquaculture company, Atlantic Salmon of Maine, was
recently found in contempt for violating a court order against restocking
its pens. Ten days after this ruling, the Kennebec Hatchery of Atlantic
Salmon of Maine was on fire. The fire killed almost 3 million fish at the
facility, when the fresh water pump failed and cut off oxygen to the pens.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but officials think it
was
an accident.
On 9 May, U.S. District Judge Gene Carter issued a 29-page ruling
that Atlantic Salmon of Maine purposefully evaded his prior ruling of 13
February 2003 (see Sublegals, 7:09/09). This ruling barred the company
from stocking any of its pens until a lawsuit alleging that the farm was
violating the Clean Water Act was settled. The contempt ruling was in
response to the company using its subsidiary, Island Aquaculture
Company, to restock its pens. The judge ordered Atlantic Salmon of
Maine to halt any further sales of fish to Island Aquaculture and to pay a
$100,000 penalty for any further violations. In addition, the company
had to remove all fish that were stocked after 30 April, and if all the fish
weren't removed by 28 May, a $10,000 per day fine would be incurred.
Atlantic Salmon of Maine is a subsidiary of Fjord Seafood of Norway.
For information on the ruling:
http://www.pressherald.com/news/local/030510salmon.shtml. For
information on the Kennebec hatchery fire, go to:
http://www.seafood.com/news/current/97454.html, and
also:http://bangornews.com/editorialnews/article.cfm?ID=401436&/
cfid/8622332/cftoken/28868023.
7:20/05. MAINE AQUACULTURIST PLANS PETITION TO
CHANGE FEDERAL REGULATION REQUIRING NOTICE OF
DYES IN FARMED SALMON: Intrafish reported 13 May that Erick
Swanson, owner of Trumpet Island Salmon Farm in Mt. Desert, Maine
plans to challenge the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) over
regulations requiring farmed salmon carry a "color added" warning. The
State of Oregon has recently begun enforcing this FDA regulation (see
Sublegals, 7:16/06; 7:15/10; 7:14/07; 7:06/06) and in April a civil class
action lawsuit was filed in Seattle against 3 major supermarket chains for
failing to follow the law requiring the labeling of the farmed salmon they
sell with the colorant warning (see Sublegals, 7:18/01; 7:17/11). The
synthetic dyes astaxanthin or canthaxanthin are fed to farmed salmon to
give them a pink color, to mimic that of wild salmon. Swanson said he
plans to file the petition in the next few days. For more information see:
www.Intrafish.com.
7:20/06. ECONOMISTS SAY LABELING LAW WILL COST LESS
THAN CLAIMED BY USDA: A report published this week by five
university researchers challenges U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) and agricultural industry claims that new requirements for
country-of-origin labeling of meat, fish and peanut products will result in
exorbitant cost increases. The report, entitled "Country of Origin
Labeling: A Legal and Economic Analysis", finds that the labeling
standards set forth in the 2002 Farm Bill not only fall within the bounds
of international law but are favored by consumers and will actually cost
90 to 95 percent less than predicted by USDA's Agricultural Marketing
Service (AMS).
The country-of-origin labeling requirement for fish and other food
products was a provision added to the 2002 Farm Bill by Senator Ted
Stevens (R-AK), and supported by fishermen, that includes as well a
requirement that fish be labeled as either "wild" or "farmed" (see
Sublegals, 7:14/14; 5:19/06; 5:17/04; 5:08/03; 5:07/06). This summer
the AMS will be holding public meetings around the country to receive
direction from the public as it develops the regulations for the labeling
standards (see Sublegals, 7:15/04). For information on hearing dates and
locations, go to: http://www.ams.usda.gov/news/065-03.htm. Instead of
waiting for the December 2004 implementation date of the federal law,
some states have gone ahead with their own country-of-origin
legislation. Mississippi has passed such a law and Alabama's legislation,
HB 609, requiring labeling at both the retail and restaurant level, has
passed its House and is now before its State Senate (see Sublegals,
7:17/07). To see the country-of-origin labeling report, go to:
http://www.iatpc.fred.ifas.ufl.edu/docs/policy_brief/PBTC_03-5.pdf.
7:20/07. CANADIAN CONSTITUTION CHALLENGED BY
COD-FISHING NEWFIES: Newfoundland has recently called for
Canada to change its Constitution to give Provinces more individual
control over fisheries. In April, the Federal Fisheries Minister, Robert
Thibault, announced the closure of most of the remaining Atlantic cod
fishing industry (see Sublegals, 7:18/08). Anger over the cod fishing
reduction set off rioting in a New Brunswick fishing village on Saturday.
Fishermen in the Province have held protests, burned a Canadian flag
and taken over government offices in some regions of Newfoundland. A
protest fishery may even be held. In Ottawa, meanwhile, some
government ministers are proposing to dump at sea old subway cars and
buses on the ends of the cod grounds off Canada, even in some waters
beyond Canada's 200 mile zone, to thwart fishing by foreign fleets in
areas Canada has closed to its own fleet. For more, go to:
http://canada.com/news/story.asp?id=C888D838-D08F-4CFD-9B1D-C4
50601450CA, or:
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/09/international/americas/09BRIE2.ht
ml?ex=1053492252&ei=1&en=d7abcb847210671f.
7:20/08. CANADIAN STUDY FINDS 90 PERCENT OF WORLD'S
LARGE FISH GONE, NMFS ISSUES STATUS OF STOCKS REPORT
FOR 2002: On 15 May, the British scientific journal, Nature, published
a study conducted by Canadian researchers, Drs. Ransom Meyers and
Boris Worm of Dalhousie University, finding that 90 percent of the large
fish in the world's oceans are gone. Globally, the list includes sharks,
billfish, cod, halibut and tunas. The authors say the decline happened
over the past 50 years largely due to technological advances in fishing
gear and fleets fishing more intensively and in more distant waters. The
study was funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts. To see the study, go to:
www.nature.com. On 13 May, about the same time news of the
Meyers-Worm study was coming out, the National Marine Fisheries
Service (NMFS) released its status of the U.S. fisheries report for 2002,
finding 86 overfished stocks and 66 stocks subject to overfishing. For a
copy of NMFS statement releasing the report, go to:
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/press_releases/03-051%205.pdf, for a copy
of the NMFS report, go to: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/reports.html.
On the U.S. west coast, where stocks of halibut, sharks (e.g.,
thresher), swordfish and most other stocks, except groundfish, are in fair
to excellent shape, fishing leaders sought to distinguish their fisheries
from what is occurring in many parts of the world as a result of large
scale industrialized fishing operations. "I can't comment about fisheries
in other parts of the world, but I think governments, conservationists and
even other nations' fishermen could learn a lot from what we've done
here in California to sustain our fisheries," said Larry Collins, a San
Francisco fisherman and Chairman of the California Salmon Council, at
a press briefing held 16 May at San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf. "Our
fishing men and women have taken the lead in restoring fish habitat and
making sure our fishing is well-managed. And, if this past crab season
and this salmon season are any indication, we're succeeding." What's
happening globally is not happening locally, was the message from
California's small to mid-size vessel fleet. "Fishing is an old and
honorable profession," continued Collins. "Traditionally our fleet has
been comprised of small family businesses. Industrialized fishing
happens when greed takes over and common sense goes out the
window."
Collins' sentiments were being voiced on the U.S. east coast as well.
"We have witnessed first hand the destructive practices by the large
factory trawlers with big gear and big ideas to catch fish," said Ray
Pringle, President of the Florida Fishermen's Federation. "We would like
to see a downsizing of the fleets of big boats back to the historical
fishing practices that we all once did. We do not agree that bigger is
better, and we never faced the collapse of fish stocks until the big boats
started using bigger and better gear and bought bigger boats. We in the
fishing industry have to be good stewards of our wild fish stocks or face
the consequences of our actions. This applies to any person that harvests
our wild fish stocks."
At the Fisherman's Wharf briefing, where fishermen were joined by
international fisheries expert Dr. John McCosker and the California
Salmon Council's David Goldenberg, the public was called on to
encourage legislators and agencies to better protect fish habitats and fish
stocks, and to become more informed seafood consumers. Just the week
before, the City of San Francisco passed a resolution encouraging the
consumption of locally-caught and sustainably harvested seafood (see
Sublegals, 7:19/01). "People who are concerned about our fish and
oceans don't have to give up eating seafood, but they need to ask more
questions and be more discerning - buying only sustainably harvested
and, whenever possible, locally-caught fish," explained IFR's Natasha
Benjamin. She continued saying, "fish are one of the very best sources of
protein. Consumers can reward themselves and reward those fishing men
and women who fish responsibly by becoming informed seafood
buyers."
For more information, go to:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/
A57139-2003May14.html. To see the press release from the 16 May
press briefing, go to: www.pcffa.org.
7:20/09. PEW OCEANS COMMISSION SET TO RELEASE
REPORT ON 4 JUNE: Initially planned for unveiling in April (see
Sublegals, 7:08/02), but delayed by the nation's preoccupation with the
Iraq invasion, the Pew Oceans Commission has announced that it will
release its report on the state of America's living oceans, "the first
comprehensive review of U.S. ocean policy in more that 30 years," on 4
June in Washington, DC. The report will provide recommendations for
restoring and protecting ocean ecosystems, rebuilding fish populations,
controlling coastal development, curbing pollution, and improving ocean
governance. Among the 20 distinguished members of the national panel
is PCFFA President Pietro Parravano, one of two commercial fishermen
members of the Commission. The full report will be available online for
download on 4 June. To order a printed copy of the Summary Report and
a CD-ROM containing the report and the science reports, go to:
http://www.pewoceans.org/forms/publication.asp.
7:20/10. POLLUTED WATERS IN MONTEREY BAY NATIONAL
MARINE SANCTUARY KILLING SEA OTTERS: Researchers at the
University of California at Davis have found the population of sea otters
along the California coast is even more tenuous than originally thought,
reported the San Francisco Chronicle. While much of the focus on otter
protection in the past has centered on impacts from oil spills and
interaction with fishing gear, the new findings point to pollution as the
culprit for the recent decline in otter numbers.
Otters are found mostly along the central California coast within the
waters of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS). The
range of the otters currently extends from roughly Point Conception to
Half Moon Bay, although some have been found south of Conception
and at San Nicholas Island (where a population was translocated by the
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to get them out of harm's way of the oil
industry when the Department of Interior in the 1980's was planning to
expand offshore oil drilling along the whole California coast). The
MBNMS current boundary extends far beyond Monterey Bay, and
currently includes the Big Sur Coast and a large chunk of the Gulf of the
Farallones (Ano Nuevo to Bodega Head).
Pollution coming from shore, including a parasite from cat feces, is
affecting the otters, with many dying from disease and others, because of
their weakened condition, unable to fend off shark attacks. The
population has declined from 2,377 animals to 2,139 thus far. The
MBNMS has a highly touted but ineffective water quality program,
largely because it is voluntary, that has to date given the state water
authorities an excuse for not cracking down on polluters and pollution
sources along this area of the coast. For more information, see the 7 May
San Francisco Chronicle article by Maria Alicia Gaura at:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/
2003/05/07/MN178297.DTL.
7:20/11. SEYCHELLES STUDY SHOWS NO DETECTABLE RISK
OF MERCURY TO CHILDREN WHOSE MOTHERS EAT FISH: On
15 May, the Environment News Service (ENS) reported that "[c]ontrary
to warnings from government and environmental organizations, a study
of 643 children from before birth to nine years of age shows no
detectable risk from the low levels of mercury their mothers were
exposed to from eating ocean seafood. According to a University of
Rochester Medical Center study of mothers and children in the Republic
of the Seychelles, an island nation in the Indian Ocean, children born to
mothers who ate an average of 12 meals of fish a week - about 10 times
the average U.S. citizen eats - showed no harmful symptoms." Mercury
levels in seafood has been in the news in recent months with warnings
being given for pregnant women and small children to avoid certain fish
with higher levels of mercury, such as tilefish, shark, swordfish and large
tunas. The California Attorney General has required warning signs on
seafood counters, regarding the presence of mercury in some fish,
pursuant to the state's Proposition 65 (see Sublegals, 7:14/07; 7:08/04;
7:07/05; 7:06/06; 7:06/07; 6:04/05). "The fish eaten by women in the
Seychelles had approximately the same levels of mercury as those eaten
by consumers in the United States - but they ate much more fish than
most people in the United States," reported ENS. The study was
published in the 16 May issue of the British medical journal The Lancet.
**********
Paying Attention? The number of sea otters found in the Monterey Bay
National Marine Sanctuary is declining due to impacts from pollution.
What is that source of the pollution?
A) Cruise ships transiting the sanctuary, particularly on the mornings
following the Captain's dinner where Baked Alaska and assorted drinks
with umbrellas in them are served.
B) Land sources, including feces from house cats that contain a parasite.
C) Squid ink discharged in the water during heavy periods of fishing for
the cephalopods, which blinds otters, making it impossible for them to
avoid sharks and personalized motor craft.
D) Artichoke wastes dumped by agriculture in the sanctuary waters; the
thorns from these thistles get lodged in the otters throats when they try to
eat them with uni, causing them to choke.
E-Mail your answer to "Editor" at: sublegals@ifrfish.org. One winner is
drawn each week from a list of those submitting the correct answer.
And the Winner is...... DAVE FULLER who correctly answered last
week's question with "(B) Language to allow exploration in coastal areas
covered by the current OCS moratorium" to the question, "The U.S.
Senate is currently taking up the Energy Bill. Which one of the following
provisions is included in the bill?" He will both receive an "Order of the
Fringehead" certificate and a handsome gray shirt with the cuddly
Sarcastic Fringehead Sublegals logo.
NEWS, COMMENTS, CORRECTIONS: Submit your news items,
comments or any corrections to Sara Randall, editor at:
sublegals@ifrfish.org, or call the IFR/PCFFA office with the news and a
source at either: (415) 561-FISH (Southwest Office) or (541) 689-2000
(Northwest Office).
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&nbs=
p; &n=
bsp; ~~>SUBLEGALS 16May03<~~<BR>
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A WEEKLY QUOTA OF FISHERY SHORTS CAUGHT=
AND<BR>
LANDED BY THE INSTITUTE FOR FISHERIES RESOURCES <BR=
>
AND THE PACIFIC COAST FEDERATION OF FISHERMEN'S<BR>
&nbs=
p; &n=
bsp; =
ASSOCIATIONS<BR>
<BR>
VOL. 07, NO. 20 =
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bsp; 16 MA=
Y 2003<BR>
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"I don't want nations feeling like that they can bully ourselves <BR>
and our allies."...George W. Bush<BR>
##########################################################<BR>
IN THIS ISSUE.......<BR>
<BR>
United States Forcing Genetically Modified Food on Europe. 7:20/01<BR>
<BR>
California Regulation on Transgenic Fish Takes Effect. 7:20/02<BR>
<BR>
British Columbia Minister Proposes "Right to Farm Fish" <BR>
Legislation. 7:20/03<BR>
<BR>
Canadian Study Finds 90 Percent of World's Large Fish Have<BR>
Disappeared in Last 50 Years. 7:20/08<BR>
<BR>
Polluted Monterey Bay Water Killing Sea Otters. 7:20/10 &nb=
sp; <BR>
<BR>
AND MORE.....<BR>
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7:20/01. US SUIT TO FORCE GE CROPS ON EUROPE<BR>
THREATENS FUTURE SALMON TRADE AND FISHERIES<BR>
CONSERVATION: Growing tension over the trade and consumption of<BR>
genetically modified food reached new heights on 13 May when U.S.<BR>
Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Zoellick and U.S. Agriculture<BR>
Secretary Ann Veneman announced that the United States is filing a suit<BR>
with the World Trade Organization (WTO) to force the European Union<BR>
(EU) to buy genetically-engineered (GE) crops from the U.S. (see<BR>
Sublegals 7:07/09). A number of members of Congress have been urging<BR>
the Bush Administration to take such action for months, claiming U.S.<BR>
agriculture loses hundreds of millions of dollars annually on "unrealized<BR=
>
exports" to European markets. The issue at hand is a temporary<BR>
moratorium on the use of GE crops adopted by E.U. member states in<BR>
1998 under heavy pressure from European consumers. Two crops,<BR>
soybeans and rapeseed, had been approved prior to the moratorium and<BR>
were not affected by its passage. In October 2002 the E.U. adopted a s=
et<BR>
of regulations governing the review and approval process for genetically<BR>
modified crops. Since then two varieties of cottonseed oil have been<B=
R>
approved for use, while several other crops and food products are<BR>
currently under review. <BR>
<BR>
What is troubling, however, particularly for U.S. s=
almon fishermen, is<BR>
that strong-arm tactics by Zoellick and Veneman could result in a<BR>
backlash in Europe against U.S. products, even those that are naturally<BR>
produced, such as Pacific salmon. The trend in Europe has been for<BR>
natural foods and there is strong opposition there to "frankenfoods" (GE<BR>
foods). This trend has been good for the U.S. fishing industry that has<BR>
begun exporting to Europe wild Pacific salmon for the first time in<BR>
decades as Europeans are increasingly rejecting farmed salmon for wild. <BR>
The GE suit also threatens exports of U.S. Dungeness crab, herring and<BR>
other fish not otherwise available in European markets. Salmon<BR>
conservation is also at stake. "This suit could put at risk the efforts to<B=
R>
regulate GE salmon on the Pacific Coast including their introduction into<BR=
>
Chile," according to trade specialist Victor Menotti with the<BR>
International Forum on Globalization (IFG). "If the WTO overturns<BR>
regulations for labeling it could undermine some of the tools fishing<BR>
communities need to conserve fisheries resources." <BR>
<BR>
On a global scale, the regulation of GE food and cr=
ops is at a<BR>
crossroads. Proponents of GE foods, particularly biotech companies<BR>
from the U.S., Europe and China, claim genetic engineering can solve<BR>
supply problems that lead to hunger and starvation. The U.S.<BR>
Department of Agriculture (USDA) is a major proponent of GE foods,<BR>
viewing them as the next step in the evolution of modern agriculture.<BR>
USDA opposes European labeling of GE foods and has fought efforts to<BR>
mandate the labeling of foods containing genetically modified<BR>
ingredients in the U.S. as well.<BR>
<BR>
Opponents contend GE foods pose threats to human he=
alth and the<BR>
environment that are only just beginning to emerge. They also counter<=
BR>
claims of increased productivity with examples of increased reliance on<BR>
chemical pesticides and herbicides (often manufactured by the same<BR>
company that sells the genetically modified seed), cross-contamination<BR>
leading to uncontrollable super weeds and extremely limited genetic<BR>
diversity.<BR>
<BR>
The U.S. government is relying on a WTO requirement=
of "sufficient<BR>
scientific evidence" for any practices that would hinder the trade of crops<=
BR>
or food products on the basis of health or environmental concerns. <BR>
However, with the adoption of new regulations in October of last year<BR>
E.U. officials have questioned publicly the motives for such a case. F=
or<BR>
more information, see the 13 May New York Times article by Elizabeth<BR>
Becker at: http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/13/international/europe/<BR>
13CND-TRAD.html?ex=3D1054371836&ei=3D1&en=3Dd1e036aee7b3cc82;<BR>
also see the USDA press release at:<BR>
http://www.usda.gov/news/releases/2003/05/0156.htm or the European<BR>
Union's press release at:<BR>
http://www.eurunion.org/News/press/2003/2003036.htm. <BR>
<BR>
Opposition to genetically modified (GM) crops is no=
t just coming<BR>
from Europe. Reuters reported that a Monsanto test farm in Ponta<BR>
Grosso, Parana in Brazil was invaded by members of the Landless<BR>
Peasant Movement (MST) to expel the U.S. biotech firm (seeds,<BR>
chemicals, etc.) and set up an organic farm on the site. "The commercial<BR>
planting of GM crops in Brazil has been banned since 1998. But a<BR>
thriving black market in Monsanto's trademark Roundup Ready GM soy<BR>
has developed in southern Brazil. The GM beans are thought to be<BR>
smuggled in Argentina and Paraguay where RR soy is widely planted,"<BR>
reported Reuters. "Experimental GM planting, however, is legal and<BR>
much of the company's research is conducted jointly with the<BR>
government crop research arm Embrapa. Monsanto said test planting on<BR>
its farms was in accordance with Brazilian law. Monsanto is one of<BR>
Brazil's biggest producers and sellers of conventional soy, corn and other<B=
R>
crop seed stock, as well as farm chemicals and fertilizers." Monsanto<=
BR>
was also an opponent of California legislation to ban genetically<BR>
modified (transgenic) fish in that U.S. state. To see the complete Reuters<B=
R>
article, go to:<BR>
http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/20827/story.htm. <B=
R>
<BR>
In Australia, the State of New South Wales' (=
NSW) government said<BR>
it would introduce legislation to impose a moratorium before the federal<BR>
Gene Technology Regulator approved a commercial release of GM<BR>
canola. "The NSW ban means Australia will not produce a significant<BR>
GM canola crop this year even if federal authorities clear the way for it<BR=
>
to do so. A moratorium on the commercial release in NSW of GM food<BR>
crops such as canola, mustard and field peas is effective from March<BR>
2003," reported Reuters. For more, go to:<BR>
http://www.planetark.org/avantgo/dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=3D20829. <BR>
<BR>
7:20/02. CALIFORNIA REGULATION ON TRANSGENIC FISH<B=
R>
TAKES EFFECT, COMMISSION CONSIDERS AMENDMENT TO<BR>
GIVE GREATER PUBLIC NOTICE: California's regulation of<BR>
transgenic fish took effect on 14 May (see Sublegals, 7:07/08). The new<BR>
regulation requires the registration of genetically engineered (or<BR>
"transgenic") fish in the state and requires that they be kept in contained<=
BR>
facilities. PCFFA and IFR, together with State Senator Byron Sher<BR>
(D-Palo Alto), had called for a moratorium on the importation or<BR>
possession of transgenic fish in California until more is known about the<BR=
>
risks they present. Similar bans are in place in Washington, Oregon an=
d<BR>
Maryland. The California Fish & Game Commission, however, voted<BR=
>
on 7 February to adopt regulations for the fish instead of a prohibition.<BR=
>
At its 7-8 May meeting in Riverside, the Commission took testimony on<BR>
a proposed amendment to the regulations to give greater public notice on<BR>
any pending transgenic fish application.<BR>
<BR>
The concern over transgenic fish is a result of an=20=
application currently<BR>
before the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) by the Waltham,<BR>
Massachusetts biotech firm, Aqua Bounty Farms, for use of a<BR>
genetically-engineered fast growing Atlantic salmon in fish farm<BR>
operations (see Sublegals, 7:04/01; 6:24/09; 6:10/03; 6:08/01; 6:03/08;<BR>
6:02/06; 5:09/02; 5:01/05; 4:16/13; 4:11/10; 3:23/14; 3:19/03; 3:07/15;<BR>
3:05/15; 2:16/11; 1:15/07; 1:10/03). For more, see the 14 May Ken<BR>
Weiss Los Angeles Times archives article at:<BR>
http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/advancedsearch.html.<BR>
<BR>
7:20/03. BC MINISTER PROPOSES "RIGHT TO FARM FISH"<=
BR>
LEGISLATION: Move over Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) and<BR>
your "right to fish" (sport) bills in the U.S. British Columbia's<BR>
Agriculture & Fisheries Minister John van Dongen has introduced a bill<B=
R>
in the Provincial Legislature that would include fish farmers under the<BR>
Province's Right to Farm Act. The change would allows the Province to<=
BR>
overrule local governments on whether to permit fish farms in different<BR>
towns. The problem for the fish farmers in the past has been that<BR>
occasionally local governments use zoning bylaws to protect against fish<BR>
farms from setting up operations in their towns. The BC Salmon Farmers<BR>
Association requested the van Dongen legislation. <BR>
<BR>
The "right" law was originally intended to prevent=20=
rural residents<BR>
from complaining about the odors permeating from farms. Van Dongen<BR>
said the bill will only "tighten up the right to farm system for aquaculture=
<BR>
and agriculture. The Province is not trying to stifle community<BR>
opposition and will consult with local governments over aquaculture<BR>
sites." Opponents of the bill, however, such as the David Suzuki<BR>
Foundation, fear that the legislation is a ploy to free fish farmers from<BR=
>
local accountability and to fatten fish farmer's pocket books. The bill<BR>
originally was intended to apply to privately owned land, rather than<BR>
publicly owned ocean areas. For more information on the bill, go to:<BR>
http://www.canada.com/victoria/timescolonist/archives/story.asp?id=3DAE<BR>
41F6CA-DC18-4B4E-9A13-554B5FBEE822. <BR>
<BR>
7:20/04. MAINE SALMON FARMS UNDER FIRE AND ON FIRE:=
<BR>
Maine's largest aquaculture company, Atlantic Salmon of Maine, was<BR>
recently found in contempt for violating a court order against restocking<BR=
>
its pens. Ten days after this ruling, the Kennebec Hatchery of Atlantic<BR>
Salmon of Maine was on fire. The fire killed almost 3 million fish at the<BR=
>
facility, when the fresh water pump failed and cut off oxygen to the pens.<B=
R>
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but officials think it w=
as<BR>
an accident.<BR>
<BR>
On 9 May, U.S. District Judge Gene Carter iss=
ued a 29-page ruling<BR>
that Atlantic Salmon of Maine purposefully evaded his prior ruling of 13<BR>
February 2003 (see Sublegals, 7:09/09). This ruling barred the company=
<BR>
from stocking any of its pens until a lawsuit alleging that the farm was<BR>
violating the Clean Water Act was settled. The contempt ruling was in<BR>
response to the company using its subsidiary, Island Aquaculture<BR>
Company, to restock its pens. The judge ordered Atlantic Salmon of<BR>
Maine to halt any further sales of fish to Island Aquaculture and to pay a<B=
R>
$100,000 penalty for any further violations. In addition, the company<BR>
had to remove all fish that were stocked after 30 April, and if all the fish=
<BR>
weren't removed by 28 May, a $10,000 per day fine would be incurred. <BR>
Atlantic Salmon of Maine is a subsidiary of Fjord Seafood of Norway.<BR>
For information on the ruling:<BR>
http://www.pressherald.com/news/local/030510salmon.shtml. For<BR>
information on the Kennebec hatchery fire, go to:<BR>
http://www.seafood.com/news/current/97454.html, and<BR>
also:http://bangornews.com/editorialnews/article.cfm?ID=3D401436&/<BR>
cfid/8622332/cftoken/28868023.<BR>
<BR>
7:20/05. MAINE AQUACULTURIST PLANS PETITION TO<BR>
CHANGE FEDERAL REGULATION REQUIRING NOTICE OF<BR>
DYES IN FARMED SALMON: Intrafish reported 13 May that Erick<BR>
Swanson, owner of Trumpet Island Salmon Farm in Mt. Desert, Maine<BR>
plans to challenge the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) over<BR>
regulations requiring farmed salmon carry a "color added" warning. The<BR>
State of Oregon has recently begun enforcing this FDA regulation (see<BR>
Sublegals, 7:16/06; 7:15/10; 7:14/07; 7:06/06) and in April a civil class<BR=
>
action lawsuit was filed in Seattle against 3 major supermarket chains for<B=
R>
failing to follow the law requiring the labeling of the farmed salmon they<B=
R>
sell with the colorant warning (see Sublegals, 7:18/01; 7:17/11). The<BR>
synthetic dyes astaxanthin or canthaxanthin are fed to farmed salmon to<BR>
give them a pink color, to mimic that of wild salmon. Swanson said he<=
BR>
plans to file the petition in the next few days. For more information see:<B=
R>
www.Intrafish.com. <BR>
<BR>
7:20/06. ECONOMISTS SAY LABELING LAW WILL COST LESS=
<BR>
THAN CLAIMED BY USDA: A report published this week by five<BR>
university researchers challenges U.S. Department of Agriculture<BR>
(USDA) and agricultural industry claims that new requirements for<BR>
country-of-origin labeling of meat, fish and peanut products will result in<=
BR>
exorbitant cost increases. The report, entitled "Country of Origin<BR>
Labeling: A Legal and Economic Analysis", finds that the labeling<BR>
standards set forth in the 2002 Farm Bill not only fall within the bounds<BR=
>
of international law but are favored by consumers and will actually cost<BR>
90 to 95 percent less than predicted by USDA's Agricultural Marketing<BR>
Service (AMS).<BR>
<BR>
The country-of-origin labeling requirement for fish=
and other food<BR>
products was a provision added to the 2002 Farm Bill by Senator Ted<BR>
Stevens (R-AK), and supported by fishermen, that includes as well a<BR>
requirement that fish be labeled as either "wild" or "farmed" (see<BR>
Sublegals, 7:14/14; 5:19/06; 5:17/04; 5:08/03; 5:07/06). This summer<BR>
the AMS will be holding public meetings around the country to receive<BR>
direction from the public as it develops the regulations for the labeling<BR=
>
standards (see Sublegals, 7:15/04). For information on hearing dates and<BR>
locations, go to: http://www.ams.usda.gov/news/065-03.htm. Instead of<BR>
waiting for the December 2004 implementation date of the federal law,<BR>
some states have gone ahead with their own country-of-origin<BR>
legislation. Mississippi has passed such a law and Alabama's legislation,<BR=
>
HB 609, requiring labeling at both the retail and restaurant level, has<BR>
passed its House and is now before its State Senate (see Sublegals,<BR>
7:17/07). To see the country-of-origin labeling report, go to:<BR>
http://www.iatpc.fred.ifas.ufl.edu/docs/policy_brief/PBTC_03-5.pdf.<BR>
<BR>
7:20/07. CANADIAN CONSTITUTION CHALLENGED BY<BR>
COD-FISHING NEWFIES: Newfoundland has recently called for<BR>
Canada to change its Constitution to give Provinces more individual<BR>
control over fisheries. In April, the Federal Fisheries Minister, Robert<BR>
Thibault, announced the closure of most of the remaining Atlantic cod<BR>
fishing industry (see Sublegals, 7:18/08). Anger over the cod fishing<BR>
reduction set off rioting in a New Brunswick fishing village on Saturday.<BR=
>
Fishermen in the Province have held protests, burned a Canadian flag<BR>
and taken over government offices in some regions of Newfoundland. A<BR>
protest fishery may even be held. In Ottawa, meanwhile, some<BR>
government ministers are proposing to dump at sea old subway cars and<BR>
buses on the ends of the cod grounds off Canada, even in some waters<BR>
beyond Canada's 200 mile zone, to thwart fishing by foreign fleets in<BR>
areas Canada has closed to its own fleet. For more, go to:<BR>
http://canada.com/news/story.asp?id=3DC888D838-D08F-4CFD-9B1D-C4<BR>
50601450CA, or:<BR>
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/09/international/americas/09BRIE2.ht<BR>
ml?ex=3D1053492252&ei=3D1&en=3Dd7abcb847210671f.<BR>
<BR>
7:20/08. CANADIAN STUDY FINDS 90 PERCENT OF WORLD'S=
<BR>
LARGE FISH GONE, NMFS ISSUES STATUS OF STOCKS REPORT<BR>
FOR 2002: On 15 May, the British scientific journal, Nature, published=
<BR>
a study conducted by Canadian researchers, Drs. Ransom Meyers and<BR>
Boris Worm of Dalhousie University, finding that 90 percent of the large<BR>
fish in the world's oceans are gone. Globally, the list includes shark=
s,<BR>
billfish, cod, halibut and tunas. The authors say the decline happened<BR>
over the past 50 years largely due to technological advances in fishing<BR>
gear and fleets fishing more intensively and in more distant waters. T=
he<BR>
study was funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts. To see the study, go to:<BR>
www.nature.com. On 13 May, about the same time news of the<BR>
Meyers-Worm study was coming out, the National Marine Fisheries<BR>
Service (NMFS) released its status of the U.S. fisheries report for 2002,<BR=
>
finding 86 overfished stocks and 66 stocks subject to overfishing. For a<BR>
copy of NMFS statement releasing the report, go to:<BR>
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/press_releases/03-051%205.pdf, for a copy<BR>
of the NMFS report, go to: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/reports.html.<BR>
<BR>
On the U.S. west coast, where stocks of halibut, sh=
arks (e.g.,<BR>
thresher), swordfish and most other stocks, except groundfish, are in fair<B=
R>
to excellent shape, fishing leaders sought to distinguish their fisheries<BR=
>
from what is occurring in many parts of the world as a result of large<BR>
scale industrialized fishing operations. "I can't comment about fisheries<BR=
>
in other parts of the world, but I think governments, conservationists and<B=
R>
even other nations' fishermen could learn a lot from what we've done<BR>
here in California to sustain our fisheries," said Larry Collins, a San<BR>
Francisco fisherman and Chairman of the California Salmon Council, at<BR>
a press briefing held 16 May at San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf. "Our<BR>
fishing men and women have taken the lead in restoring fish habitat and<BR>
making sure our fishing is well-managed. And, if this past crab season=
<BR>
and this salmon season are any indication, we're succeeding." What's<BR>
happening globally is not happening locally, was the message from<BR>
California's small to mid-size vessel fleet. "Fishing is an old and<BR>
honorable profession," continued Collins. "Traditionally our fleet has<BR>
been comprised of small family businesses. Industrialized fishing<BR>
happens when greed takes over and common sense goes out the<BR>
window." <BR>
<BR>
Collins' sentiments were being voiced on the U.S. e=
ast coast as well.<BR>
"We have witnessed first hand the destructive practices by the large<BR>
factory trawlers with big gear and big ideas to catch fish," said Ray<BR>
Pringle, President of the Florida Fishermen's Federation. "We would like<BR>
to see a downsizing of the fleets of big boats back to the historical<BR>
fishing practices that we all once did. We do not agree that bigger is<BR>
better, and we never faced the collapse of fish stocks until the big boats<B=
R>
started using bigger and better gear and bought bigger boats. We in the<BR>
fishing industry have to be good stewards of our wild fish stocks or face<BR=
>
the consequences of our actions. This applies to any person that harvests<BR=
>
our wild fish stocks."<BR>
<BR>
At the Fisherman's Wharf briefing, where fishermen=20=
were joined by<BR>
international fisheries expert Dr. John McCosker and the California<BR>
Salmon Council's David Goldenberg, the public was called on to<BR>
encourage legislators and agencies to better protect fish habitats and fish<=
BR>
stocks, and to become more informed seafood consumers. Just the week<BR>
before, the City of San Francisco passed a resolution encouraging the<BR>
consumption of locally-caught and sustainably harvested seafood (see<BR>
Sublegals, 7:19/01). "People who are concerned about our fish and<BR>
oceans don't have to give up eating seafood, but they need to ask more<BR>
questions and be more discerning - buying only sustainably harvested<BR>
and, whenever possible, locally-caught fish," explained IFR's Natasha<BR>
Benjamin. She continued saying, "fish are one of the very best sources of<BR=
>
protein. Consumers can reward themselves and reward those fishing men<BR>
and women who fish responsibly by becoming informed seafood<BR>
buyers." <BR>
<BR>
For more information, go to:<BR>
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/<BR>
A57139-2003May14.html. To see the press release from the 16 May<BR>
press briefing, go to: www.pcffa.org. <BR>
<BR>
7:20/09. PEW OCEANS COMMISSION SET TO RELEASE<BR>
REPORT ON 4 JUNE: Initially planned for unveiling in April (see<BR>
Sublegals, 7:08/02), but delayed by the nation's preoccupation with the<BR>
Iraq invasion, the Pew Oceans Commission has announced that it will<BR>
release its report on the state of America's living oceans, "the first<BR>
comprehensive review of U.S. ocean policy in more that 30 years," on 4<BR>
June in Washington, DC. The report will provide recommendations for<BR>
restoring and protecting ocean ecosystems, rebuilding fish populations,<BR>
controlling coastal development, curbing pollution, and improving ocean<BR>
governance. Among the 20 distinguished members of the national panel<BR>
is PCFFA President Pietro Parravano, one of two commercial fishermen<BR>
members of the Commission. The full report will be available online for<BR>
download on 4 June. To order a printed copy of the Summary Report and<BR>
a CD-ROM containing the report and the science reports, go to:<BR>
http://www.pewoceans.org/forms/publication.asp. <BR>
<BR>
7:20/10. POLLUTED WATERS IN MONTEREY BAY NATIONAL<B=
R>
MARINE SANCTUARY KILLING SEA OTTERS: Researchers at the<BR>
University of California at Davis have found the population of sea otters<BR=
>
along the California coast is even more tenuous than originally thought,<BR>
reported the San Francisco Chronicle. While much of the focus on otter<BR>
protection in the past has centered on impacts from oil spills and<BR>
interaction with fishing gear, the new findings point to pollution as the<BR=
>
culprit for the recent decline in otter numbers. <BR>
<BR>
Otters are found mostly along the central Californi=
a coast within the<BR>
waters of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS). The<BR>
range of the otters currently extends from roughly Point Conception to<BR>
Half Moon Bay, although some have been found south of Conception<BR>
and at San Nicholas Island (where a population was translocated by the<BR>
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to get them out of harm's way of the oil<BR=
>
industry when the Department of Interior in the 1980's was planning to<BR>
expand offshore oil drilling along the whole California coast). The<BR=
>
MBNMS current boundary extends far beyond Monterey Bay, and<BR>
currently includes the Big Sur Coast and a large chunk of the Gulf of the<BR=
>
Farallones (Ano Nuevo to Bodega Head). <BR>
<BR>
Pollution coming from shore, including a parasite f=
rom cat feces, is<BR>
affecting the otters, with many dying from disease and others, because of<BR=
>
their weakened condition, unable to fend off shark attacks. The<BR>
population has declined from 2,377 animals to 2,139 thus far. The<BR>
MBNMS has a highly touted but ineffective water quality program,<BR>
largely because it is voluntary, that has to date given the state water<BR>
authorities an excuse for not cracking down on polluters and pollution<BR>
sources along this area of the coast. For more information, see the 7 May<BR=
>
San Francisco Chronicle article by Maria Alicia Gaura at:<BR>
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/chronicle/archive/<BR>
2003/05/07/MN178297.DTL.<BR>
<BR>
7:20/11. SEYCHELLES STUDY SHOWS NO DETECTABLE RISK<=
BR>
OF MERCURY TO CHILDREN WHOSE MOTHERS EAT FISH: On<BR>
15 May, the Environment News Service (ENS) reported that "[c]ontrary<BR>
to warnings from government and environmental organizations, a study<BR>
of 643 children from before birth to nine years of age shows no<BR>
detectable risk from the low levels of mercury their mothers were<BR>
exposed to from eating ocean seafood. According to a University of<BR>
Rochester Medical Center study of mothers and children in the Republic<BR>
of the Seychelles, an island nation in the Indian Ocean, children born to<BR=
>
mothers who ate an average of 12 meals of fish a week - about 10 times<BR>
the average U.S. citizen eats - showed no harmful symptoms." Mercury<B=
R>
levels in seafood has been in the news in recent months with warnings<BR>
being given for pregnant women and small children to avoid certain fish<BR>
with higher levels of mercury, such as tilefish, shark, swordfish and large<=
BR>
tunas. The California Attorney General has required warning signs on<BR>
seafood counters, regarding the presence of mercury in some fish,<BR>
pursuant to the state's Proposition 65 (see Sublegals, 7:14/07; 7:08/04;<BR>
7:07/05; 7:06/06; 7:06/07; 6:04/05). "The fish eaten by women in the<B=
R>
Seychelles had approximately the same levels of mercury as those eaten<BR>
by consumers in the United States - but they ate much more fish than<BR>
most people in the United States," reported ENS. The study was<BR>
published in the 16 May issue of the British medical journal The Lancet.<BR>
<BR>
&nbs=
p; &n=
bsp; =
**********<BR>
Paying Attention? The number of sea otters found in the Monterey Bay<B=
R>
National Marine Sanctuary is declining due to impacts from pollution.<BR>
What is that source of the pollution? <BR>
<BR>
A) Cruise ships transiting the sanctuary, particularly on the mornings<BR>
following the Captain's dinner where Baked Alaska and assorted drinks<BR>
with umbrellas in them are served.<BR>
B) Land sources, including feces from house cats that contain a parasite.<BR=
>
C) Squid ink discharged in the water during heavy periods of fishing for<BR>
the cephalopods, which blinds otters, making it impossible for them to<BR>
avoid sharks and personalized motor craft.<BR>
D) Artichoke wastes dumped by agriculture in the sanctuary waters; the<BR>
thorns from these thistles get lodged in the otters throats when they try to=
<BR>
eat them with uni, causing them to choke. <BR>
<BR>
E-Mail your answer to "Editor" at: sublegals@ifrfish.org. One winner is<BR>
drawn each week from a list of those submitting the correct answer. <BR>
<BR>
And the Winner is...... DAVE FULLER who correctly answered last<BR>
week's question with "(B) Language to allow exploration in coastal areas<BR>
covered by the current OCS moratorium" to the question, "The U.S.<BR>
Senate is currently taking up the Energy Bill. Which one of the following<BR=
>
provisions is included in the bill?" He will both receive an "Order of=
the<BR>
Fringehead" certificate and a handsome gray shirt with the cuddly<BR>
Sarcastic Fringehead Sublegals logo.<BR>
<BR>
NEWS, COMMENTS, CORRECTIONS: Submit your news items,<BR>
comments or any corrections to Sara Randall, editor at:<BR>
sublegals@ifrfish.org, or call the IFR/PCFFA office with the news and a<BR>
source at either: (415) 561-FISH (Southwest Office) or (541) 689-2000<BR>
(Northwest Office). <BR>
##########################################################<BR>
"Sublegals" are a weekly fisheries news bulletin service of Fishlink news<BR=
>
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