The high seas are a lawless place. That is no metaphor. Beyond the jurisdiction of governments, beyond even the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which was agreed in 1982 and came into force in 1994, they have been subjected to few laws over the centuries besides the prohibition of piracy and slave-trading, and the regulation of submarine cables and … [Read more...]
Milk bottles into walkways to protect crucial KZN mangrove beaches
The walkways at the Beachwood Mangroves in Durban were upgraded for World Oceans Day last month by means of recycled plastic, including thousands of milk bottles and plastic bags. This is the day when people all over the world celebrate 'Healthy Oceans - Healthy Planet' and promote the prevention of marine litter. The initiative was a collaboration between Plastics|SA (the … [Read more...]
Sparring with fishermen over world’s largest marine reserve
President Obama’s proposal in June to expand a marine sanctuary around seven U.S.-controlled islands and atolls in the central Pacific Ocean drew immediate praise from scientists and conservationists, but has since sparked opposition from representatives of the tuna industry, including fishermen in Hawaii who say it would threaten their livelihood. The tuna fishermen oppose … [Read more...]