Sea Shepherd in the Galapagos
Since 2000, Sea Shepherd has maintained a strong, positive presence in the Galapagos Islands. From patroling the Marine Reserve stopping illegal fishing activities, to busting shark finners, to educating the local youth, Sea Shepherd carries out its mission of promoting ocean conservation using a wide range of methods and actions.The Galapagos is our line in the sand. If humanity cannot protect such a unique and diverse ecosystem, we will not be able to protect any ecosystem. The Galapagos is a challenge and battlefield for the effort to halt human greed and destruction. These Enchanted Isles are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and this means all of us have a responsibility to help protect them from illegal exploitation.
| Indian Ocean Cetacean Symposium begins in Maldives |
 |
 |
 |
| Sunday, 19 July 2009 19:27 | |||
The symposium on cetaceans, the collective name for whales, porpoises and dolphins, was officially inaugurated by Vice-President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik at a function organised by the marine research centre. In his introductory remarks at the function, Dr Mohamed Shiham Adam, director general at the centre, said 2009 marked 30 years for the Indian Ocean Sanctuary. The capture of cetaceans has been banned in the Maldives since 1993, he said. Addressing the symposium, Tourism Minister Ahmed Sawad said tourism in the Maldives had a very delicate relationship with the environment. “We are in the process of formulating regulations that will ensure that the relationship between industry, the environment and the common man is built on a sustainable platform,” he said. Dr Sawad referred to a conservation project in Baa atoll for whale sharks and manta rays, adding that the government had put a stop to a development project in the atoll after an advance payment had been made by investors. In his speech, Dr Waheed, the chief guest, said he was happy to welcome two “legendary figures” in cetacean research, Dr Sidney Holt and Dr Roger Payne, who were instrumental in establishing the Indian Ocean Sanctuary. The Maldives has never been a whaling nation, he continued, but foreign fishermen had hunted whales in its waters. Thousands of dolphins were being killed in the Indian Ocean, he said, and the declaration, if passed, would call for the conservation of the species. Dolphins were a migratory species, he continued, and the aim of the symposium was to highlight research on the subject and allow scientists to share their findings. All whales and dolphins are protected in Maldivian waters, and as a result of banning all pelagic gill-net and purse-seine fishing, there is no direct or incidental catch of cetaceans, according to the marine research centre website. "The Maldives is a sanctuary within the Sanctuary,” it reads. (From minivannews.com, Maldives, by Ahmed Naish) 
|
The Indian Ocean Cetacean Symposium (IOCS), attended by scientists and researchers from across the world, commenced at Paradise Island Resort and Spa yesterday.
Show/hide comment form
Our Campaigns
Top Stories
Hosting donated by
