Fish Eat Whales
The 63rd annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) will take place from July 11th to 14th on the Channel Island Jersey.
Pro-whaling countries often state that whales must be culled to avoid competition with human fisheries. Japanese “scientific” documents show images of whales’ stomachs overflowing with small pelagic fish. According to Robin des Bois a defender of whales, one must continue to demonstrate that whales have positive effects not only on the world’s marine ecosystem but on all ecosystems. We cannot accuse whales of taking all and giving nothing to the oceans, while it is Man who takes all and gives nothing but pollution and increasing disturbances.
2011 “Shipbreaking” collection
1020 ships for scrap in 2011, a new record
Unit | Tonnage of scrap metal | Category |
1 India 458 (45%) 2 Bangladesh 145 (14%) 3 China, 142 (14%) 4 Pakistan, 108 (11%), 5 Turkey, 72 (7%), 6 United States, 19 (2%) |
1 India 3,5 million t (43%) 2 Bangladesh 1,6 million t (19%) 3 China, 1,4 million t (17%) 4 Pakistan 1 million t (13%) 5 Turkey 206.000 t (3%) 6 United States 131.000 (1%) |
1 bulk carrier: 334 (33%) 2 general cargo: 234 (23%) 3 tankers : 209 (20%) 4 reefers : 50 (5%) 5 container ship : 48 (5%) |
For the third consecutive year, cleaning continues in the shipping world as over one thousand ships are disposed of. With 1020 units going for scrap, 2011 beats the 2009 record (1,006 ships). The demolition market grew by 7% compared to the previous year in terms of the number of ships and by 27% by volume of recycled metal. The size of the scrapped vessels is significantly greater with 268 ships over 200m against 168 in 2010. 24 vessels over 300m in length were sent for scrap among which two thirds of tankers and particularly double hulled VLCCs (Very Large Crude Carriers) some as young as 13 to 16 years of age.
From the Titanic to the Costa Concordia – 2012
Table of Contents
I- The passenger ship has become a cruise destination
II – Cruise ships with more than 2,500 passengers
III – Disaster first, regulation later
Rules and exceptions
Muster points
The evacuation
Fire, fire, fire
Crash, crash, crash
The see-saw effect
Running aground
Cruise ship or floating hospital
The target
VI – The Titanic and the Gigantic by Joseph Conrad, sailor and author
I-The passenger ship has become a cruise destination
The traditional passenger ship used to travel from one point to another in a straight line. In off-peak periods, some were assigned to pleasure cruises in tourist regions (the Canary Islands, Aegean Sea, the Norwegian Fjords, the Caribbean, for example), but these services were only accessible to a well-off elite who had the time and means to take such trips.
Caution : fire risk !
Robin des Bois and GEIDE post-disaster
Nobody can be blamed for the outbreak and consequences of earthquakes of large magnitude. For forest fires, it’s a different story. Only the lightning escapes human responsibility. Man is the cause of more than 9 out of 10 forest fires.
Barbecues, gas stoves, cigarettes, motorcycle incursions, quadbikes or other vehicles with internal combustion engines, campfires, fireworks and combustible wastes are all risks of fire in an environment that is vulnerable to conflagration. A spark can ignite thousands of acres and a small fire can in a few seconds become uncontrollable.
Caution : fire risk !
Robin des Bois and GEIDE post-disaster
Nobody can be blamed for the outbreak and consequences of earthquakes of large magnitude. For forest fires, it’s a different story. Only the lightning escapes human responsibility. Man is the cause of more than 9 out of 10 forest fires.
Barbecues, gas stoves, cigarettes, motorcycle incursions, quadbikes or other vehicles with internal combustion engines, campfires, fireworks and combustible wastes are all risks of fire in an environment that is vulnerable to conflagration. A spark can ignite thousands of acres and a small fire can in a few seconds become uncontrollable.
Waiting for the bomb squad – War Remains Inventory from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2011
Contents
Introduction
The unsettling truths – The battlefields of northern and eastern France – Old weapons kill – Old weapons pollute – Old weapons harm flora and fauna – Chemical weapons
War Remains Inventory from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2011 with maps:
Franche-Comté Region
Alsace Region
Lorraine Region
Champagne-Ardenne Region
Ile-de-France Region
Picardie Region
Nord – Pas-de-Calais Region
Summary map
Sources
Introduction
War remnants do not have a course. Old weapons kill, pollute, and are the enemies of biodiversity. Following their previous research, Robin des Bois has published a new inventory of weapons discovered in the 7 regions in the north and east of France, casualties of the wars of 1870, 1941-18, and 1939-45.
The Nisshin Maru: not to Catch but to Scrap
The Japanese government has announced that they are considering “major repairs” of the Nisshin Maru, the mother factory ship of the whaling fleet that works in Antarctica in the name of science. The work will be superficial because the Nisshin Maru should be ready in time for the departure to Antarctica which happens every year in November. The Japanese Fisheries Agency hopes that this fast cosmetic repair will resist 10 years.
However, the Nisshin Maru is old. She is fragile. She was launched in 1987.
The Nisshin Maru: not to Catch but to Scrap
The Japanese government has announced that they are considering “major repairs” of the Nisshin Maru, the mother factory ship of the whaling fleet that works in Antarctica in the name of science. The work will be superficial because the Nisshin Maru should be ready in time for the departure to Antarctica which happens every year in November. The Japanese Fisheries Agency hopes that this fast cosmetic repair will resist 10 years.
However, the Nisshin Maru is old. She is fragile. She was launched in 1987.
The Nisshin Maru: not to Catch but to Scrap
The Japanese government has announced that they are considering “major repairs” of the Nisshin Maru, the mother factory ship of the whaling fleet that works in Antarctica in the name of science. The work will be superficial because the Nisshin Maru should be ready in time for the departure to Antarctica which happens every year in November. The Japanese Fisheries Agency hopes that this fast cosmetic repair will resist 10 years.
However, the Nisshin Maru is old. She is fragile. She was launched in 1987.