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On May 9, the Chinese government finally approved the Agreement to Prevent Unregulated High Seas Fisheries in the Central Arctic Ocean (CAOFA) and will subsequently deposit the instrument of approval with the government of Canada. The CAOFA was signed on October 3, 2018 by the five Arctic Ocean coastal states Canada, Denmark (acting on behalf of Greenland and the Faroe Islands), Norway, Russia, and the United States together with China, the European Union (EU), Iceland, Japan, and South Korea (the so-called Arctic 5+5).

According to Article 11 (1) of the CAOFA, the agreement will enter into force 30 days after all signatory parties have deposited their instruments of ratification with Ottawa. China is the last country among the Arctic 5+5 to approve the CAOFA; the agreement is thus expected to enter in force this month.

The CAOFA will fill in a gap of Arctic fisheries management, marking a milestone for the protection of Arctic environment under international law. This piece aims to review Chinas engagement with the CAOFA negotiations, discuss potential reasons behind the slow approval process of the agreement, and share some initial thoughts on the future of Arctic fisheries governance given Chinas rise.

The Negotiations

The Arctic Five has long self-claimed a stewardship role in the Arctic. Nevertheless, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) provides states the freedom to fish in the high seas. The central Arctic Ocean (CAO) around the North Pole is the high sea portion of the Arctic, where non-Arctic states enjoy certain fishing rights. The CAO used to be ice-covered, without commercial fishing activities, and therefore was out of sight of any regulatory effort. Due to climate change, however, a warming Arctic is witnessing fish moving northward. Consequently, commercial fisheries in the CAO may occur in the foreseeable future.

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The initiative to adopt the CAOFA, led by the United States, dates to 2007. However, the Arctic states realized that cooperation with key high-sea fishing states was necessary to achieve effective fisheries management in the CAO. On July 16, 2015, the Arctic Five adopted the Declaration Concerning the Prevention of Unregulated High Sea Fishing in the Central Arctic Ocean, known as the Oslo Declaration. China, the European Union, Iceland, Japan, and South Korea were invited to participate in negotiations for the regulation of potential fisheries in the central Arctic Ocean.

China now boasts the worlds largest distant water fishing (DWF) fleet, with 2,654 fishing vessels operated by 169 DWF companies on the high seas of the Pacific, Indian, Atlantic, and Southern oceans, as well as in the exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of 42 countries. It is clearly stated in Chinas 13th Five-Year (2016-2020) Plan for the Development of the National Distant Water Fishing Industry that China will pay more attention to and join other parties in issues related to Arctic fisheries and participate in Arctic fisheries surveys and management.

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Largely because no commercial fisheries have yet opened in the CAO, the Chinese delegation quietly attended all the CAOFA negations and science meetings: in Washington, D.C. (December 2015 and April 2016), Nunavut (July 2016), Troms (September 2016), Trshavn (November/December 2016), Reykjavik (March 2017), Ottawa (October 2017) and finally Washington, D.C. (November 2017). Despite its under-the-radar presence, the talks marked the first time that China, as a non-Arctic state, was sitting equally with Arctic states to negotiate a treaty for the region.

China paid particular attention to issues such as the Program of Scientific Research and Monitoring (Article 4.2), the step-wise approach toward the establishment of a regional fisheries management organization for the CAO, as well as the duration of the agreement to ban commercial fisheries, which as a political compromise was set for 16 years (Article 13).

The Slow Approval Process

Although China was supportive of the adoption of the CAOFA and signed it alongside the other nine parties, it took nearly three years for the Chinese government to approve the agreement.

According to Article 7 of the Law of the Peoples Republic of China on the Procedure of the Conclusion of Treaties (PRC Treaty Law):

the ratification of treaties and important agreements shall be decided upon by the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress After the signing of a treaty or an important agreement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the department concerned under the State Council in conjunction with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall submit it to the State Council for examination and verification; the State Council shall then refer it to the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress for decision on ratification; the President of the Peoples Republic of China shall ratify it in accordance with the decision of the Standing Committee of the National Peoples Congress.

It is provided by Article 8 of the PRC Treaty Law that:

After the signing of the agreements and other instruments of the nature of a treaty which do not fall under paragraph 2, Article 7 of this Law and which are subject to approval as prescribed by the State Council or as agreed by the contracting parties, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the departments concerned under the State Council in conjunction with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall submit them to the State Council for approval.

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Given the CAOFA was only approved by the State Council, this means the CAOFA is not categorized as an important agreement by the Chinese government. It is therefore unusual for China to approve an international agreement, which was already agreed through serious negotiations, through such a lengthy process.

In the authors opinion, rising geopolitical tension between the United States and China during the Trump era has played a significant part in Chinas slow approval of the CAOFA. China was clearly defined as a threat to the rules-based order in the Arctic by the U.S. Department of Defenses Arctic Strategy in 2019. When the Trump administration approved a plan in 2020 to build more polar icebreakers, it was obvious that security concerns outweighed environmental considerations, while competition rather than cooperation had become the watchword for the United States Arctic policy.

Since the inauguration of Biden administration in January, bilateral relations between the United States and China have remained tense but there are positive signs for cooperation in areas of shared concern, such as climate change. John Kerrys trip to Shanghai in April 2021 led to the U.S.-China Joint Statement Addressing the Climate Crisis. The approval of the CAOFA is a latest signal from China that it is willing to cooperate with the West on certain issues, the Arctic being one.

Furthermore, we must not ignore the fact that China approved the CAOFA at the beginning of the Russian Chairmanship of the Arctic Council in May 2021. In 2019, China and Russia agreed to upgrade the bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership. This partnership specifically includes Arctic cooperation.

The Future

The entry into force of the CAOFA marks a new beginning for fisheries management in the changing Arctic. In recent years, China has been pushing a narrative of balance between the environmental protection and rational use for global ocean governance, including in the polar regions. For example, Chinas 2018 Arctic Policy White Paper states that conservation in a scientific manner and of rational use is Chinas stance regarding the governance of marine living resources in the Arctic high seas. Even though the CAOFA does not mention rational use at all, this term is echoed by the Priorities of the Russian Chairmanship of the Arctic Council 2021-2023.

The Preamble of the CAO Agreement states that:

commercial fishing is unlikely to become viable in the high seas portion of the central Arctic Ocean in the near future it is therefore premature under current circumstances to establish any additional regional or subregional fisheries management organizations or arrangements for the high seas portion of the central Arctic Ocean

In the years to come, during the period of 16-year ban on commercial fishing in the CAO, it is expected that China will pay close attention to understand potential fisheries opportunities in the CAO, actively participate in the Joint Program of Scientific Research and Monitoring, and conduct exploratory fishing. However, although all parties agreed upon a step-wise approach to adopt the CAOFA, the next step either to continue the ban or to establish a regional fisheries management organization to sustainably manage fishing may become a major tension point between China and the West in the foreseeable future.

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China and the Agreement to Prevent Unregulated High Seas Fisheries in the Central Arctic Ocean - The Diplomat

If the past year has taught us anything, it is that we must not underestimate the power of the natural world. The Covid-19 pandemic has been a tragedy of untold proportions, and a clarion call to us that we must work harder to protect nature and live in harmony, not at odds, with it.

For many people, the notion of protecting nature in Africa conjures up visions of sweeping national parks, game reserves teeming with the Big Five and stretches of golden coastlines where turtles nest while brightly coloured fishes punctuate the clear waters. Of course, they are right: the biodiversity we are blessed with in Africa is abundant and there is much good work being done to ensure its safety and longevity.

But there is one last great wilderness that most of us will never see, and most likely have never thought much about. This great wilderness begins 200 nautical miles off our African shores, it covers half of the planet, and it is the last great global commons the high seas.

As we celebrate World Ocean Day, it is vital we recognise the importance of protecting areas beyond our national jurisdiction. Historically, a lack of clarity about who is responsible for the protection of this expanse and limited public awareness of just how vital a healthy ocean system is has, at best, fuelled disinterest and, at worst, let a small minority exploit its resources and decimate its biodiversity. But it is no exaggeration to state that our lives depend on safeguarding the high seas, even in landlocked countries like my own.

It is thought that scientists know more about outer space than they do the high seas, with some estimating that we are still unaware of 91% of the living organisms that exist in this largely unexplored ecosystem. So murky is our knowledge, that even some of the species that we do know of seem almost mythical, such as the giant squid, the largest of which was recorded at more than 13 metres long, or the whitemargin stargazer, which can sting prey with up to 50 volts. And although these alien-like creatures might seem interesting but unimportant to us in Africa, this could not be further from the truth.

To date, about 34000 organisms have been discovered in the high seas that could potentially be used in medical and food developments. So far, discoveries in the high seas have included eight marine-based drugs, five of which are cancer treatments; and the discovery of one form of alga that can be used to fortify canola oil, an increasingly popular staple in Africa.

However, at present there is no legally binding framework in place to stop wealthier nations or private companies controlling these discoveries, patenting them and preventing developing countries from accessing their benefits.

The same is true of fishing in the high seas. It is monopolised by fewer than a dozen countries, with little regulation, and is rarely equitably shared. In fact, it is estimated that the worldwide value of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing catches is between $4.9-billion and $9.5-billion, and up to 30% of such fishing ($1.2-billion) occurs beyond national jurisdiction.

But more than just providing a minority with financial benefit, overfishing in the high seas has a direct effect on stocks within neighbouring countries exclusive economic zones. This has a disproportionate effect on developing countries in which dependency on fisheries for food, livelihoods and revenues is high.

Without a strong, global, legally binding framework not only will developing countries continue to be denied access to natural resources in the high seas, but the high seas ecosystem will continue to be drastically compromised. This will have significant effects on domestic fish stocks, climate change and sea levels; and, by extension, a direct effect on our livelihoods and health even if, like me, you are sitting in a landlocked country.

The current UN High Seas Treaty under negotiation aims, for the first time, to establish guidelines for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction. This would include a framework to establish a well-connected and representative network of marine protected areas, rigorous and independent environmental impact assessment of ongoing and future activities on the high seas, and clear funding mechanisms that do not marginalise developing countries.

Over the next six months we have a chance to drastically change the way we engage with the high seas and their ecosystem. As Africans, we owe it to ourselves and future generations to engage fully in the ongoing negotiations for a high seas treaty to ensure that this last great wilderness is protected and restored, and that the oceans abundant resources are distributed equally and sustainably.

To put it simply, if we do not protect the high seas collectively and globally, the repercussions will be catastrophic biologically, economically and almost certainly geopolitically.

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Africa must protect the high seas before its too late - Mail and Guardian

As President Joe Bidens administration moves to restore U.S. global leadership on the environment, it cannot afford to ignore the health of oceans. It must spearhead the successful conclusion of negotiations on aU.N. high seas biodiversity convention, which are currently adrift. To bring this treaty into port, the United States will need to forge global agreement on several contentious issues. It will also need to temperits neuralgic opposition to legally binding multilateral commitments, recognizing that the treaty poses no threat to U.S. sovereignty and is deeply in American interests.

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Although not entirely lawless, the high seas are poorly governed bya fragmentary patchwork of regulatory schemescovering everything from migratory birds and regional fisheries to deep-sea mining and pollution from ships. The biggest gap in oceans governance is the absence of a comprehensive agreement to conserve and sustainably manage marine living resources and ecosystems on the high seas, which are experiencing catastrophic declines as technological advances permit their unprecedented exploitation. Already, some 40 percent of the worlds oceans have beenseverely altered by human activity; only 3 percent can beconsidered pristine.

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Global Governance

Oceans and Seas

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Joe Biden

A proposed high seas pactformally, the Internationally Legally Binding Instrument on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, or so-called BBNJ treatywould plug this gaping hole. It woulddramatically enhance environmental stewardshipover a vast commons thatencompasses 43 percent of Earths surface, contains 90 percent of the oceans biomass, and constitutes the greatest repository of planetary biodiversity. The BBNJ treaty would bean implementing agreementunder theU.N. Convention of the Law of the Sea, the closest approximation to a constitution for the worlds oceans.

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Formalintergovernmental negotiations on the BBNJopened in September 2018. Unfortunately, the treaty is nowstuck in the doldrums. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, parties were slated to hold their fourth (and ostensibly final) negotiating session in March 2020. Bad timing. The postponed talks are scheduled to resume in August, though this date could slip. More worrisome,international divisions persist on core issuesat the heart of the treaty, including the multilateral rules that should govern marine genetic resources, area-based management tools, environmental impact assessments and capacity-building. Underlying many specific disagreements isa broader philosophical divide: Developing nations insist that the high seas and their resources constitute the common heritage of mankind, whereas developed nations, including the U.S., tend to invoke the freedom of the seas and resist being bound by international obligations.

The topic ofmarine genetic resourcesis especially divisive. While there is consensus that all nations should benefit from their exploitation, the actual details of any global regime remain elusivesuch as whether benefit-sharing should be voluntary or mandatory, or whether it should apply only to specimens collected in situ or also todigital sequence information(or genetic sequence data) subsequently derived from those specimens. Generally speaking, poorer nations insist on maximal benefit-sharing, whereas wealthy ones seek toprotect the intellectual property rights of companiesseeking to profit from their investments.

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Countries are similarly divided on the principles and rules that should govern the collective management of fragile, biodiverse zones, including through the designation of marine protected areas and other arrangements. The high seas containmany ecologically sensitive regions, such as theEmperor Seamount Chainstretching from the Aleutian to the Hawaiian Islands. Nations have yet to agree on the authorities and mechanisms whereby the world will identify, establish, regulate and monitor such zones. Reaching agreement on such matters is a precondition forachieving the 30 by 30 goalof protecting 30 percent of Earths marine and terrestrial surface by 2030,a target Biden recently endorsed.

The BBNJ negotiations reveal that there is broad multilateral consensus for states toconduct environmental impact assessmentsbefore undertaking major activities on the high seas. But there is scant agreement on thethreshold that should trigger such assessments, the technical standards that should inform them, and whether they should be mandated and/or reviewed by a treaty body. There is also disagreement on how best to build the capacities of developing countries to participate in the conservation and sustainable use of the high seas, including how to assess their needs and whether technology transfers should be mandatory or voluntary.

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Global Governance

Oceans and Seas

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Beyond resolving these core issues, the final negotiations are supposed to determine any enduring institutional arrangements that will implement the treaty, which could include a secretariat and a standing conference of parties, as well mechanisms to resolve disputes among and monitor compliance by its parties. A huge bone of contention is whether such a governance structure should take precedence over existing sectoral bodies, notably the International Seabed Authority, as well as regional fisheries management organizations.

The Biden administration has a historic opportunity to help break these logjams. To credibly lead the world, however, the U.S. will need toabandon its long-standing reluctance to enter into legally binding environmental treaties, which it too often perceives as infringements on its ability to do what it wantsrather than as useful mechanisms to secure valued outcomes.

Such insistence on absolute freedom of action has frequently been shortsighted, but it is increasingly counterproductive today, as other nations and corporations dramatically expand their activities on and exploitation of the high seas, with disastrous consequences for the marine environment. In the absence of a high seas biodiversity treaty, for instance, there is little to stop a nation or private actor operating under a flag of convenience fromundertaking ecologically destructive mining operations on a deep seabed, launching freelance climate remediation efforts at sea, or even creating floating cities mid-ocean, heedless of the impacts on marine life.

It is deeply within the U.S. national interest to voluntarily accept some international constraints on its own behavior, if, by so doing, it can prevent others from degrading the ocean commons. This is particularly true given Americas generally high regulatory standards. Historically, private U.S. corporations seeking to extract resources from the high seas have had to comply with American law, namely the National Environmental Policy Act, to ensure that they do not cause grievous harm to the ocean. While the Trump administration rolled back these procedural requirements, the Biden administration will surely reinstate them, raising an obvious question: If U.S. corporations are already subject to stringent environmental regulations, why should Washington oppose internationalizing them?

As a matter of course, the U.S. already routinely cedes freedom of action on the high seas, like when it enters into regional fisheries management organizations or accepts shipping lanes defined by the International Maritime Organization. Ratifying the BBNJ would entail similar self-limitations, but the payoff would be huge: helping topreserve the future of lifeon nearly half of the planet.

Read more:

Bringing the High Seas Biodiversity Treaty Into Port - Council on Foreign Relations

You can yell all you can but while youre yelling you're swallowing water," he said, remembering being unable to hail rescue boats passing by him.

PORT FOURCHON, La. Dwayne Lewis has a noticeable scar on his right pinky, a constant reminder of what happened to him April 13, the day the liftboat he was on, the Seacor Power, capsized in the Gulf of Mexico during severe weather.

I now have a permanent pinky ring where the rope burnt me, said Lewis.

That rope eventually slipped and Lewis, who can't swim, started drifting away from the boat. Thats when he started praying to his deceased mother, telling her he wasnt ready to go see her.

Its something I never want to experience again, said Lewis.

That experience started when Lewis says he was napping in his room on the ship, just after 3 p.m. Severe weather caused the boat to roll over, flipping his room sideways. Lewis says he tried breaking the window in his room with a steel-toed boot, but that didnt work. Luckily, he says a mate, James Gracien from across the hall, found a fire extinguisher, which they used to bust the window. Lewis says he was wearing his personal life jacket, which for some reason didnt have a light or whistle, and gave Gracien one of the life jackets from his room.

Lewis says Gracien told him they needed to get out, but Lewis was afraid to jump from the widow into the water below. Eventually he decided he had no choice.

When I went to get out, a wave came and pushed me halfway back into the room, and then whenever the water was rushing out, it sucked me under; and then I came up and was like, Oh my God, what the hell just happened here.'

As he started to drift away, Lewis says he felt that rope brush against him, and held onto it as tightly as possible. At one point he says he saw a handful of other men who were still on the boat, but couldnt make out what they were yelling.

Youve got waves blowing in your face, water blowing in your eyes. Its kind of hard to make out what they were doing. Who it was, I have no idea, said Lewis.

Lewis says he thought about his water survival training from years ago and tried not to panic, while waves continued to crash on top of him.

At the same time youre trying to divert your thoughts, but youre begging God to calm the seas, said Lewis.

Lewis says even if he knew how to swim, it likely wouldnt have improved his odds of survival with the rough seas and poor visibility.

I dont think the best swimmer could have lasted very long in those seas, said Lewis.

In the distance, he could see Coast Guard boats, but there was no way for him to get their attention.

You can yell all you can but while youre yelling you're swallowing water, he said.

At one point, when two rescue boats stopped near Lewis, he thought he was saved. But those boats never saw him, and he was left stranded again.

It wasnt until another boat, the M/V Mr. Lloyd showed up that he was spotted in the water.

Thats when I knew I was going to be saved, said Lewis. Whenever the life ring was thrown at me, I caught it. The back of that boat went up 12 feet. You could see the propellers. Here I am going, this boat is going to land on me, but I cant let out of this life ring. No matter what happens I cant let go of it.

After being rescued Lewis said he called his wife to let her know he survived.

Others never got that chance.

Lewis is one of only six survivors from that day. Six others were killed and seven are still missing, presumed killed in the shipwreck. Lewis says he knows three of the guys who are still missing.

The other day I played one of the guys' messages he left me on my phone, just to hear his voice, said Lewis.

About two weeks after, Lewis says he spoke with the federal investigators. According to the National Transportation Safety Boards preliminary report, the Seacor Power left Port Fourchon at about 1:30 in the afternoon on April 13. Of the 19 people on board, nine were crew members, two were gallery staff and eight were offshore workers. The liftboat was headed to an oil rig east of the Mississippi Delta.

Lewis says he was there in a supervisory role for work that needed to be done.

At 7:02 a.m., a weather report was emailed to the liftboat forecasting afternoon winds of 10 to 14 miles per hour, with and three-foot seas. At about 3:30 p.m., a storm began to pass over while the liftboat was on open waters.

Other boats in the area reported heavy rain, high seas, and winds up to 92 miles per hour during the storm.

According to the report, because of low visibility and high winds, crew members started to lower the boat's legs to stabilize it. At the same time, a crew member attempted to turn the liftboat to face the wind.

None of those efforts were successful. The report indicates the liftboat officially capsized at about 3:41 p.m.

I went outside at 3:05 and it was two to three foot seas and it was just starting to rain. According to the NTSB, the boat capsized at 3:41. Thats pretty quick, said Lewis.

After nearly 15 years working offshore, Lewis isnt sure if hell be able to return because of the PTSD he is now experiencing.

It was a very traumatic event and with what my wife and children went through, theres no way, said Lewis.

Eyewitness News interviewed Lewis Tuesday at his attorneys office in New Orleans, a week after he filed a federal lawsuit against the Power's owner, Seacor Marine, and the maker of the boat, Semco, LLC.

The lawsuit claims Seacor acted with flagrant, reckless disregard for his life and safety by sending out the liftboat on April 13.

Lewis' lawsuit is the latest of several filed against Seacor over the tragic capsizing of the Seacor Power.

The company maintains that it was Captain David Ledet, a liftboat veteran with decades of experience piloting large watercraft, who had the final say on whether to set out that afternoon. Ledet's widow, who also filed a lawsuit after her husband's body was recovered, says Seacor ordered him out of port.

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SEACOR Power survivor begged God to 'calm the seas' after being swept overboard - WWLTV.com

We are in a biodiversity crisis. Species are disappearing across the globe, undermining the biological networks that allow life on earth to survive and thrive. In the ocean, sharks are both pillars of productive ecosystems and victims of this crisis, with some species of shark declining by over 80% in the last half century.

Earthjustice is fighting to protect sharks because these millennia-old scientific wonders are on the path to disappearing before we even understand them, which will leave gaping holes in ocean ecosystems and the human communities they support. Sharks are crucial for a healthy ocean, a stable climate, and the livelihoods and culture of people around the world. We are fighting for sharks because we need them, and the earth needs them.

Overfishing is one of the greatest killers of sharks. We take too many sharks out of the ocean, both purposefully and accidentally as bycatch. One of the biggest drivers of overfishing is illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing. Illegal, unregulated, or unreported fishing is fishing that violates existing laws or happens without any oversight to ensure legal compliance. Far from land and regulation, fishers catch and kill sharks at a devastating rate. Intentional illegal shark fishing often involves the cruel practice of finning sharks alive and throwing them back in the ocean to slowly and painfully drown. Illegal fishing is also often rife with violations of labor and human rights laws.

As the worlds biggest seafood importer, the U.S. has a responsibility to lead on making fishing more sustainable and promoting wise ocean stewardship. A recently introduced bill titled the Illegal Fishing and Forced Labor Prevention Act takes a step in the right direction.

This bill amends and strengthens one of the most important tools the U.S. has to combat illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing: the High Seas Driftnet Fishery Moratorium Protection Act (Moratorium Protection Act), which allows the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to identify, certify, and potentially sanction countries when their vessels engage in illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing. The Moratorium Protection Act specifically targets shark fishing by allowing NOAA to identify nations for:

Despite the Moratorium Protection Acts focus on sharks, however, NOAA has never listed a nation for catching sharks as bycatch or for catching sharks on the high seas, and only once has NOAA listed a nation for illegal shark fishing. Clearly, a stronger law is needed to promote better international ocean management.

The Illegal Fishing and Forced Labor Prevention Act takes a comprehensive approach to improving our existing tools for combatting illegal, unregulated, and unreported fishing and transforming our nations role from being an unintentional consumer of illegal and unregulated fishing products to being a global leader on prevention. Three elements of the bill are crucial for Earthjustices priorities of sustainable and equitable ocean management and to combat the biodiversity crisis:

The Illegal Fishing and Forced Labor Prevention Act is both commonsense and urgent. Illegal fishing jeopardizes the survival of one of our greatest classes of ocean predators. Sharks are keystone species, and when they disappear, entire ecosystems suffer. More action is needed to protect sharks and preserve ocean ecosystems, and Earthjustice supports this first important step to stemming the tide of illegal seafood into our ports. With bipartisan support for advancing these practical solutions to the growing problem of illegal fishing, Congress must advance the Illegal Fishing and Forced Labor Prevention Act this session.

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Why the Ocean Needs the Illegal Fishing and Forced Labor Prevention Act - Earthjustice

Water covers around 71 per cent of our planet and the wealth of biodiversity found in our oceans is unparalleled. While many areas are now receiving much-needed attention from policymakers, theres one distinct marine environment that remains virtually unprotected.

The high seas cover two-thirds of the worlds oceans and are beyond the jurisdiction of any country. An astonishing variety of microscopic organisms produce almost half of the worlds oxygen supply.

But only 1 per cent of international waters are currently protected as we approach a dangerous tipping point for all life on Earth.

The high seas provide more than 95 per cent of the space for life on the planet. Most of those are deep ocean and they are critically underexplored, marine biologist Dr Diva Amon tells Euronews Green.

The analogy that I tend to use is that we have a giant supersize TV screen, and the information we have is just a handful of pixels. Basically, even with that, we have more knowledge than we have ever had.

Despite our lack of understanding, humanity is encroaching further and further into these underexplored marine environments. The high seas and deep oceans face threats from overfishing, marine pollution and a growing number of countries seeking resources beyond their own waters.

Without legal protections and investigations into how our actions are affecting them, we could stand to lose biodiversity before we have even discovered it.

However, a diverse group of scientists from around the world believe we still have an opportunity to tip the balance in favour of saving our oceans. Theyve signed a letter calling on world leaders to adopt an ambitious international treaty.

For most of the high seas, there's not a legal mechanism that governments can use to establish marine protected areas, which is really problematic, explains Nichola Clark, one of the letters core authors alongside Dr Amon.

Currently, governance of the high seas is covered by a complex puzzle of organisations and policies. Each takes care of a different aspect of human activity and coordination between groups is less than optimal.

Clark, an Officer on the Protecting Ocean Life on the High Seas team at Pew Charitable Trusts, specialises in the negotiation around a new global agreement currently being drafted by the United Nations. She says that this treaty, called the Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), offers a once in a lifetime opportunity.

We are about to finalise this treaty that would finally do what we meant to do, what we set out to do years ago, and fill those governance gaps enabling us to protect high seas biodiversity.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, such an ambitious treaty isnt without challenges when it comes to international cooperation, Clark explains. Further delays to dialogue between countries and differences in opinion about what ocean protection should look like could hamper its progress.

A global pandemic has meant that now there is going to be at least a two year gap between the last time negotiators came together in a room to work on this treaty and the next round of negotiations, she says.

There are still a number of substantive questions that are going to have to be addressed before we can actually get some final treaty texts.

Clark raises the example of marine protected areas. Some countries involved in the negotiation want these ecologically and biologically important regions to be identified before protections are introduced.

There are already processes in place to do this, however, and time is running out for our oceans; we've been talking about conserving biodiversity for two decades.

Despite the obstacles, Clark remains optimistic: I think it's going to be a challenge, but I don't think it's an insurmountable one.

With people more switched on to the importance of the ocean to our health and that of the planet, there has never been a better time. Along with the rest of the letters authors, Clark is calling for negotiations to end as soon as possible, finally putting legal preservation in place for the unprotected half of our planet.

What replaces the current mosaic of policies needs to be different from previous legal mechanisms to protect the high seas, though. The scientists behind the letter say the new UN treaty has to be comprehensive, backed by science - and reflect on the mistakes of the past.

We have an opportunity to create a system that conserves biodiversity, while also creating an equitable environment for all of humankind, says another of its core authors, University of North Carolina biologist, Dr Rebecca Helm.

In the past, weve put in place short-sighted ocean stewardship policies, even with the best intentions in mind, that have harmed these ecosystems. You dont need to look far to find instances where weve proceeded with ignorance.

A great example would actually be the critically endangered European eels, says Helm.

They're now critically endangered for a variety of reasons but one of the mysteries of the eel that persisted for hundreds of years was where do they come from. Now we know that the eels swim out into the middle of the Atlantic, into the Sargasso Sea, this sort of ecosystem at the ocean surface, outside of national jurisdiction.

Their story is a lesson in not treating ecosystems as separate but instead thinking about how the survival of one species could rely on protecting entire oceans. Conserving the European Eel is impossible without thinking about both national and international jurisdiction.

The BBNJ treaty, Helm explains, is a chance to lay the foundations for something better.

As with many issues related to places humans dont often visit, protection of the high seas isnt a subject that makes headlines.

It's hard to ask people to care about the high seas, about the deep ocean, considering that many of them may never have been there, don't know anything about it and may never go there or experience it in their entire lives, says Dr Amon.

But out of sight does not mean out of mind. Conserving biodiversity in these almost alien regions has an impact on the lives of millions. Everything from income for coastal communities, tourism and even the air we breathe.

Ultimately, the high seas is the largest space on the planet, and it is critically connected to the rest of the biosphere.

The voices backing the letter reflect just how important this legal protection is to communities all over the world. So far it has been signed by more than 20 scientists in countries including multiple EU states, Costa Rica, Palau and Kenya. Around 80 per cent of the signatories are female.

I think science is having a bit of a reckoning, she notes, we know that Indigenous people and local communities often are operating with solutions.

There is so much that we can learn from those critically underrepresented and marginalised parts of society so that we can ultimately benefit and allow the benefit to extend across humanity.

Dr Amon believes this wealth and diversity of views has the power to completely transform the way we manage and value our oceans. Women are disproportionately affected by climate change and communities in the Global South face some of the biggest impacts.

Ultimately, everyone needs a seat at the table because this is the common heritage of humankind.

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Ambitious treaty offers a once in a lifetime chance to protect the high seas - Euronews

(l-r) Charg dAffaires, John McIntyre, Elaine Chambers (mother of Potential Officer, Nicholas Folkes), Senator the Honorable Matthew Samuda, Minister without Portfolio, Ministry of National Security, Potential Officer, Shawna Marie Sinclair, and Commodore Antonette Wemyss-Gorman Jamaica Defence For

The United States Coast Guard Academy has admitted as cadets two members of the Jamaica Defence Force, Shawna Marie Sinclair and Nicholas Folkes. Soon to be Cadet Sinclair and soon to be Cadet Folkes will be the first Jamaica Defence Force members to be appointed to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and their appointment comes as part of the international cadet program. Worldwide, only six slots were available for international cadets with Jamaica securing two of those coveted six spots.

As international cadets, Folkes and Sinclair are subject to the same rules, regulations, and pay as U.S. cadets. They will earn a Bachelor of Science degree upon graduation and will return to Jamaica to serve in the Jamaica Defence Force as commissioned officers.

Speaking at the appointment ceremony held June 1 at the U.S. Embassy, Charg dAffaires John McIntyre said All of Jamaica should be proud that one-third of the international cadets attending the U.S. Coast Guard Academy as part of Class 2025 are Jamaican.

At the ceremony, Charg dAffaires McIntyre presented the official appointment certificates to Sinclair and Folkes mother Elaine Chambers, who accepted the certificate on his behalf as he was unable to attend in person. Other distinguished guests at the ceremony included Senator the Honorable Matthew Samuda, Minister without Portfolio, Ministry of National Security, Commodore Antonette Wemyss-Gorman, Fleet Executive Officer of the Jamaica Defence Force, Brigadier Roderick Williams, Brigade Commander, Maritime, Air and Cyber Command, Brigadier Radgh Mason, President of the Caribbean Military Academy, U.S. Embassy Senior Defense Official Lieutenant Colonel Robert Ramsey, and U.S. Embassy Coast Guard Attach Lieutenant Commander Jason Hathaway.

Speaking on the U.S.-Jamaican bilateral relationship, Lieutenant Commander Hathaway noted, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard have long enjoyed a close partnership, standing side-by-side in the Caribbean to face transnational criminal organizations conducting crimes upon the high seas and coastal zones. Today, we forge the next chapter in that partnership with these two pioneers of Jamaican sea service.

The United States Coast Guard Academy is located in New London, Connecticut and is the smallest U.S. service academy, with only 900 total cadets at any given time. The first international cadet program began as an exchange with the Philippines in 1970. Since then, over 200 cadets from 50 countries have enrolled in the program.

By U.S. Embassy Kingston | 8 June, 2021 | Topics: News, Press Releases

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Two Members of the Jamaica Defence Force Are First-Ever Appointed to United States Coast Guard Academy - US Embassy in Jamaica

For superfans of the NBC sitcom Friends, your prayers may have been answereda Friends-themed cruise is hitting the high seas in 2022.

If the Friends Reunion special wasn't enough to feed your love, don't panic yet. A Friends-themed cruise is coming and wants all the superfans to get on board. The cruise will take place from May 15 to May 21, 2022, on the ship Equinox Celebrity. It will embark from Fort Lauderdale, stopping at ports in Key West, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel, Mexico.

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The experience was created by the travel agency Fana World Travel, which plans on rewarding around 500 Friends fans with this experimental experience. So what can fans expect from it? The Cruise with Friends website teases you to "Get ready to eat like Joey, joke like Chandler, cook like Monica, shop like Rachel, yoga like Phoebe, and dig like Ross." Supposedly, there will be activities including a themed costume contest, a trivia game, and more.

(Image credit: Manfred Segerer/ullstein bild via Getty Images)

Be prepared to splurge though as fares for the cruise range anywhere from $1,648.66 for an inside stateroom to $3,048.66 for a Sky Suite with a balcony. Though that's not all, it also comes with unlimited surf wi-fi, a $150 shore excursion credit, and a premium beverage package.

Unlike the reunion special though, don't expect any surprise visits from the cast or a special rendition of Smelly Cat from Lady Gaga.

The Friends-themed cruise isn't the only experience aimed at superfans, in fact, this cruise joins a growing list of pop culture-themed cruises travel brands are creating.

1. Oprah Cruise

This experience has been Oprah-approved and will feature appearances from the star herself, plus Gayle King, a range of lifestyle experts, and other special guests. Dates have yet to be announced but the cruise is set to leave from Seattle and head towards Alaska.

2. Gwenyth Paltrow Goop Experience

Gwenyth's latest gig is taking her out to sea as she takes her brand to cruise lines. The lifestyle experience is partnered through Celebrity Cruises and will give you an 11-night vacation where you'll have the opportunity to work and learn from lifestyle expertsincluding Gwenyth herself.

3. Golden Girls-themed cruise

The new ship Celebrity Apex will be transporting fans of the hit sitcom Golden Girls into a theme experience reminiscent of the show. From January 3 to January 8, 2022, superfans can enjoy a Take Me Back To St. Olaf dance party, costume nights, game nights, parody shows, and more.

Link:

Oh. My. Gawd! A Friends-themed cruise is setting sail and heres what you need to know - Woman & Home

By Ghaamid Abdulbasat Hatibu

The importance of protecting biodiversity is not lost on Tanzanians. Our country is well known for its incredible beauty and diverse ecosystems: home to an incredible 24 percent of the worlds biodiversity hotspots.

Perhaps most notable is Serengeti National Park, a shining example of the importance and benefits of protected areas; the great migration draws in millions of visitors each year, while also providing the necessary routes for animals to safely find greener pastures in the western corridor of the Serengeti and then back again. And, just 40km off the mainland, youll find another breath-taking example of Tanzanias natural heritage: the Menai Bay conservation area, home to sea turtles, dolphins and dugongs.

Significant role

On land and at sea, Tanzanias youth have played a significant role in working to build and maintain protection of our natural resources, and as it stands over a third of our land is protected. However, while Tanzanias efforts to protect biodiversity so far are admirable, there is one area that we can do more for: the high seas.

The high seas begin 200 nautical miles off our coast and as a result, fall outside of our national jurisdiction. But, importantly, they make up over 64 percent of the earths surface. They remain largely unexplored but are believed to make up 95 percent of the earths occupied habitats, offering a home to thousands of fish species, providing migratory routes for whales and sharks, as well as harbouring remarkable ecosystems such as deep-water corals and other microscopic life.

Yet, only around one percent of this vast global common is protected, and unless our governments come together and carve out a plan to safeguard this last great wilderness, the youth, and generations to come will face devastating consequences.

At present no singular governing body holds responsibility for looking after the high seas, and as such they are susceptible to select nations and corporations accessing their resources without suitable supervision, which means increasingly they are exploited on a first come, first serve basis. This lack of oversight has led to unsustainable fishing practices, monopolisation of genetic resource materials, unequal distribution of discoveries of note, and a lack of efficient ecosystem monitoring.

Equality gap

It is no exaggeration to say that the limited access that developing countries, such as my own, has to the high seas has contributed to the growing equality gap. Both in an immediate sense, with regards to medical and scientific advances, but also longer term, with compromised marine ecosystems contributing to climate change, rising sea levels, and reduced fish stocks in our national waters.

The High Seas Treaty, currently under negotiation at the United Nations aims, for the first time, to establish guidelines for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.

This would include a framework to establish a well-connected and representative network of marine protected areas, rigorous and independent environmental impact assessment of ongoing and future activities on the high seas, and clear funding mechanisms that do not marginalise developing nations.

A healthy and productive ocean is crucial for our planets survival. To support people, fight climate change and save biodiversity, we need a network of fully and highly protected areas covering at least 30 percent of the ocean by 2030, which can only be accomplished by including the high seas.

Climate change

As young people in todays world, it is easy to feel helpless when trying to combat climate change and biodiversity loss, for years the political will just was not there. But we have changed that - and, slowly but surely, world leaders have opened their eyes to the desperate need for greater action. Now, they must open their ears and listen to the ocean. It needs our help - if not for ourselves, then for future generations. So, on this World Oceans Day today, lets join together and forge ahead with a robust High Seas Treaty.

________________________________________________________________

Ghaamid Abdulbasat Hatibu leads the Global Youth Biodiversity Network Chapter in Tanzania

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Why its time we woke up and listened to the ocean - The Citizen

As erosion threatened the tower, George R. Putnam, the commissioner in charge of the federal Lighthouse Bureau, favored abandoning it to its fate and replacing the light with a state-of-the-art lightship anchored 7 miles off Barnegat Inlet. Citizens and several newspapers rallied support to save it and enlisted local Congressman Frank Appleby and U.S. Senator Joseph Frelinghuysen to save the structure.

In early July 1921, the two men convinced U.S. Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover to inspect the situation himself; following the visit, Hoover stated he would make a decision in a short time.

On July 15, William Fisher, publisher of the New Jersey Courier, editorialized.

The friends of Barnegat lighthouse are now pinning their last hopes on Herbert Hoover for the saving of Barnegat lighthouse. The Secretary of Commerce has been on the ground, and seen the light as it stands, and its danger. He knows its value to navigation. He has talked with practical men on the beach and has gotten their ideas as to the possibility of saving the tower. He himself is an engineer of wide experience, and if he thinks it possible to save the light with any amount of money available in his emergency lighthouse fund, and if he further thinks the light as a commercial aid is worth the spending of such an amount, we may look for something to happen soon.

Personally, I am resting easy on the judgment of Mr. Hoover. Barring a freak of nature, he is the only hope left for Barnegat light.

Reporting from the Manasquan Coast Star the same day, It had seemingly been the intention of the government lighthouse authorities to permit Barnegat Light to come to an inglorious end, but through the intervention of Senator Frelinghuysen a personal interest is being taken in the matter by Secretary Hoover.

It is expected that a plan will be evolved by the latter for the salvation of the Barnegat Light and that it will be preserved under government direction and made safe against the assaults of the ocean.

The Tuckerton Beacon the day before had explained that some progress was being made.

the Commissioner has now made a favorable report, recommending that the lighthouse be retained in the service as it now stands and that steps be taken for its proper preservation. Congressman Appleby has a bill in Congress to appropriate $30,000 for this purpose, but this bill cannot be put through in time for this summers work. There is an appropriation of four million to the Lighthouse Service, and part of this is an emergency fund. Congressman Appleby and Senator Frelinghuysen are urging Secretary Hoover to allot a part of this fund to save old Barnegat Light. In a recent conference the secretary promised them he would look into the matter carefully and give them an early decision.

On July 22, the Summit Record announced some good news: Hoover Would Save Old and Famous Barnegat Light.

Secretary of Commerce Herbert W. Hoover, in company with Senator Frelinghuysen recently motored to Barnegat Light for a careful inspection of the old and famed Barnegat Light to see and hear at first hand the extent of the ravages made by stormy seas and to determine what best can be done to preserve the historic beacon.

On Aug. 13, Appleby showed he wasnt one to rest. According to the Perth Amboy News, Representative T. Frank Appleby of Asbury Park, with Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover called on President Harding yesterday in regard to preservation of the Barnegat Lighthouse on the Jersey Coast.

President Harding showed much interest in the matter and expressed his belief that the repairs should be made, and the old landmark fully restored. He reserved his decision in the matter, however, saying he would think it over and discuss it further with Budget Director Dawes. Mr. Appleby is hopeful the President will decide favorably nest week.

With that, most friends of the lighthouse relaxed, feeling they had won. But saving the lighthouse would require work, money and actions, not talk. Appleby would appear before Congress in November 1922 to give an update on the situation.

The sea has cut around this tower lighthouse and the Government undertook to save it by dumping some stones there. Those stones were put in a haphazard way but did fairly good work. A little later the municipality had what you might term wooden jetties built in front of it, around the sides and in the bay. The idea was all right, but the construction was faulty, and the result was that during a storm with high seas the woodwork was broken down in places and did not maintain the sand in sufficient manner, whereas if it had been built substantial character, such as we know proposed, it would have made it more permanent, irrespective of all that the lighthouse is still there doing excellent work and the beach is making by the various things that are held there, some of the rock and some of the broken jetties.

In addition, there is this peculiar thing: The foundation wall of a cottage, which was ordered sold and removed, forms a part of the sand-catching process, so that the brick walls are intact but what it needs now is a permanent rock projection of that nature.

The congressman went on to explain.

The lighthouse is in splendid condition, and it should be maintained in that condition. Secretary Hoover, I might say, a year ago last summer visited this lighthouse with Senator Frelinghuysen, and he recommended the appropriation.

When asked if a request had been made to the Lighthouse Bureau, he replied, This has been presented to them, yes sir. I might tell you just what the trouble is so that you may know it all. Mr. Putman, the superintendent of lighthouses, has been in favor building lightships at sea, which will cost several times this amount, and, in my judgment, will not be nearly so satisfactory. They are very expensive to maintain, and if you take away from this point a sea mark which has been there for 50 or 60 years you more or less fool the mariners, and if this is torn down or taken away the fishermen who are in and out in large numbers will have no light to guide them at night at that particular point.

The congressman wanted to make it clear.

The whole trouble is this: As far as Mr. Putman is concerned, he is against this lighthouse being saved. As far as that goes they were so sure it was going to be demolished two or three years ago they bought a new lighthouse of steel construction, not nearly so high, and they were going to place it across on the other shore, which can only be reached by boats going across the Barnegat Inlet. As soon as I heard of it, I talked with Mr. Putnam, and I showed him how impracticable it was to put a lighthouse on the opposite shore. The result has been that the old lighthouse has remained there, despite the fact that that particular department has done little to save it.

In answer to the question if replacement would save money, No, they were going to work both of them. They were going to put up a steel tower for Barnegat Inlet. They will all agree with me that Barnegat must have a light, but they were going to use a steel tower for the inlet and put lightships at sea. I claim the building of the proposed seawall is by far the more economical and satisfactory proposition.

Appleby closed his testimony with a plea.

It is something I am very much interested in, and I believe the people at large would think it would be poor policy on the part of the Government to allow a lighthouse of this kind to be destroyed.

The battle to save Barnegat Lighthouse would continue. One hundred years later one wonders what things on LBI might be like if Putnam had succeeded. There would be no lighthouse, no state park or even a town called Barnegat Light. Some experts say the inlet by now would have moved several miles south of its present location, and saving the lighthouse might have kept the word long in Long Beach Island.

Next Week: A forgotten peace treaty.

tpfcjf@comcast.net

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Taking Lighthouse to the Top - The SandPaper

1823 was a big year for the Florida Keys. New waves of wreckers were arriving to try their luck on the Florida Reef. Two of these men were Joshua Appleby and Captain John Fiveash. They sailed into the West Indies in 1822 and established a small community at Key Vaca called Port Monroe.

The two placed a Notice to Mariners in the Pensacola newspaper The Floridian on February 10, 1823. The announcement touted Port Monroe as having the advantages of a large and spacious harbor and the proprietors are furnished with experienced pilots, good vessels, boats, and provisions of all kinds to relieve those who may be so unfortunate as to get on the Florida Reef.

The year 1823 was also when Commodore David Porter, in charge of the West Indies Squadron created to eradicate piracy, combat the slave trade, and protect American citizens established its base of operations on Key West. (The government name for the island was Thompsons Island, to honor Secretary of the Navy Smith Thompson.) At 8 oclock on the morning of April 6, 17 guns were fired, and the American flag was pulled up the staff and began flapping in the Key West breezes.

Porters Mosquito Fleet made short work of the pirates of the West Indies. Porter also observed wreckers operating along the Florida Reef. He wrote a letter to Thompson voicing his concerns regarding the limited written statutes governing wrecking laws. He also commented on what, at times, were the astronomical salvage claims being awarded.

On July 2, Monroe County was established as the Florida Territorys sixth county. Monroe County was a much larger slice of real estate in 1823 and stretched from Key West to the southern shore of Lake Okeechobee and west to Charlotte Harbor on the Gulf of Mexico. Two days after Monroe County was created, the Legislative Council of the Territory of Florida, George Murray president, passed the Salvage Act.

Among its 14 parts were statutes requiring the salvaged property to be reported to the nearest justice-of-the-peace or notary public. Additionally, it would prove the officers duty to oversee the assembly of a five-member arbitration jury to decide all fees for the salvage operation. Section 14 of the act stated, Be it further enacted, That if any person shall within this territory, make or hold out any false lights, or make any device, or do any other act or thing with intent to mislead, bewilder or decoy the mariners of any vessel on the high seas, whereby such vessel may be cast ashore, or get aground, such person or persons so offending, and every accessory thereto, shall on conviction thereof be deemed guilty of Felony, and shall suffer death.

Tales of skullduggery and false lights, while pervasive in wrecker lore, were rarely documented. The inclusion of Section 14, however, indicates that the legends were rooted in some truths.

Generally speaking, wrecking was life-threatening work performed by honest, hard-working men. The primary job was to salvage as much life and property from a distressed ship as humanly possible. Often thought of as little better than pirates, while wreckers fully expected to be paid for their services, they would not hold a cutlass to your throat for the chance to make a buck.

Continued here:

1823: WHEN A FEW BAD APPLES SPOILED THE WRECKING TRADE - Florida Keys Weekly

Looking to choose the right food for sailing? Toby Hodges and Rupert Holmes highlight and review a variety of easy meals, snacks and supplements for the galley locker

While we know the top professional sailors, Olympians and Americas Cup grinders are lean, mean machines who inhale protein shakes to fuel their elite exercise routines, there is also a growing appetite from us mere recreational sailors to take nutrition more seriously when we consider the best food for sailing.

And while a liveaboard lifestyle of growing your own salads and herbs and living off fresh fish may be the dream, the reality for most is that were sailing for short periods and convenience food often comes first.

Volvo Ocean Race sailors tuck in to some much needed freeze dried food. Photo: Matt Knighton

Food for sailing typically still consists of meal deal affairs, comprising sandwiches, sugary drinks and chocolate bars, but replacing the sandwich for a nutrient and calorie rich meal could pay, and certainly opting for snacks and drinks based on natural ingredients rather than sugary foods which cause spikes and slumps in energy.

There are also a growing number of natural products becoming available in easily digestible forms to help with sports recovery, which could prove useful to keep in the galley lockers. Turmeric for example has been linked with aches and pain relief and ginger can help alleviate seasickness.

Perhaps the most well-known brand of freeze-dried and vacuum-pack meals is Expedition Foods. This UK brand, favoured by sailors, rowers, mountaineers and adventurers, has a big range of dried and wet food, ration packs, gels, and snacks, with good information about calorie intake and three different calorie versions of each meal.

Will Hodshon and Richard Mitchell relied on Expedition pouches as their main source of food for sailing during their record breaking sail around Britain in a Wayfarer open dinghy in 2019. Having ingested two 1,000 calorie meals a day for their 15 day voyage, Hodshon says these ready meals were often a highlight of their day.

Rich being a veggie, crossed his fingers for the mac and cheese, but I thought it was hard to beat the spag bol for a bit of home comfort on the high seas, he tells me.

Buy Expedition Foods Spaghetti Bolognese from Amazon (UK)

Buy Expedition Foods Macaroni and Cheese from Amazon (UK)

This French firm is a giant in the industry and supplied a number of Vendee Globe skippers, including Louis Burton and Jean Le Cam, as well as Dutch Golden Globe Race competitor Mark Slats.

The premise is to produce meals that are as close to restaurant quality as possible. Portions are vacuum-sealed in aluminium pouches and can be boiled in their bags or heated in a conventional oven.

The cuisse de canard confite (confit duck leg) is super tender and juicy if plated up with veg and potatoes youd never guess it had come out of a sachet with a 3-year shelf life at room temperature.

On the downside this option falls short of being a complete meal in a bag and needs to be accompanied by carbohydrate and veg. Its one of a range of 20 different recipes in which classic French meat dishes figure heavily.

Buy confit duck leg from Le Bon Bag

Available in pouch form to which you add boiling water, or, as we tried, as a ready to go meal with self-heater supplied with the pack. The heater bags just need a little water (50ml) to activate them, and can then heat the meal (or a soup or hot drink) in 12 minutes, with no fuel or fire needed.

The food pouches are ready meals, so no need to rehydrate them. This means the texture and taste is a lot closer to a freshly made meal than dried food, yet they still have a three-year shelf life.

The chicken Madras is tasty and spicy, with proper chunks of meat and texture. I was puzzled by the zero trace claim on what looks like landfill packaging, but Forestia says all its packaging is 100% recyclable.

Buy Fiorestia Chicken Madras from Amazon (UK)

Adventurers started this Dorset company in 2017 after they couldnt find tasty natural portable food. Founder John Fisher wanted a preservative-free alternative to the freeze-dried meals he was used to relying on when trekking and insisted on using locally sourced fresh ingredients with no additives or flavourings.

The complete one-pot meals are hand-cooked and then dehydrated as opposed to the common method which mixes ingredients after they have been freeze-dried.

I have tried a couple of these, back when the company was fairly new and was impressed with the taste particularly the chilli and risotto meals. Perhaps there is a psychological element at play, knowing youre eating properly sourced and prepared food, but it certainly helps it taste a cut above any other dehydrated food.

Firepot has now extended the range of foods offered and developed a range of eco-packaged meals, which use bio-sourced compostable bags. These obviously need to be heated in a pan not a bag and have a reduced shelf life (one year as opposed to the three of its yellow plastic waterproof pouches), but present a great eco-alternative for those seeking environmentally friendly food for sailing.

Buy Firepot Chilli at Amazon (UK)

Ive found that vegetarian freeze dried meals can have a more realistic texture than those with meat and Summits vegetable chipolote chilli with rice is no exception. Indeed there were few signs that it was freeze dried, though I allowed it to absorb moisture for longer than the stated period.

A recommendation from Tony White, veteran of many double-handed Rolex Fastnet races, as well as the AZAB and Round Britain and Ireland, is to empty the contents of a freeze-dried pack into a wide-neck Thermos jar, then leave the meal to soak up water for at least 30 minutes (three times the usual recommended period).

As well as the palatable texture, this chilli tastes good as well, especially if you like spicy food, though my first choice would still be a wet meal.

Buy Summits Vegetable Chilli with Rice from Amazon (UK)

Part of the Katadyn group, which includes Katadyn and Spectra watermakers, these German made products cater for all meals, snacks and rations.

TreknEat has partnered with the Global Challenge Race 2023 to provide skippers with reduced cost meal options. These freeze-dried products are quick and easy to make. The Chicken in Curried Rice smells and looks like it tastes not great. Stodgy and unnecessarily sweet.

However, while these are not an everyday option for a cruising sailor, their five year shelf life makes them a handy alternative to have in the locker to warm you up and give you the protein and energy needed on a cold day at sea.

They average 600 calories per pouch. Breakfasts and desserts are also available, including muesli and mousse.

Buy TreknEat Chicken in Curried Rice from Amazon (UK)

Described as the ultimate super-fruit, this African fruit is one of the most nutrient dense foods, which is rich in calcium, iron, potassium, and vitamin C.

The smoothies are created by blending wild harvested baobab with high-quality organic ingredients to provide a pouch that aids slow energy release, digestive health and strength.

These vegan friendly products are less concentrated than most energy smoothies so are easier on the stomach. Taste wise, if youre not used to energy gels it does feel like youre ingesting pureed baby food and its a tad acidic.

But I like that this Westcountry-based firm is bringing out prototype recyclable propylene pouches this summer and its founder Chris Martin tells me it is part of an initiative to produce a compostable pouch from seaweed in Falmouth bay which will take 18 months.

Buy Tribal Baobab Smoothies from Amazon (UK)

Yachting World is the worlds leading magazine for bluewater cruisers and offshore sailors. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams.

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Food for sailing: Our guide to the best options - Yachting World

June 5th marks the third annual United Nations International Day for the Fight Against Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing. Peter Horn, who directs efforts by The Pew Charitable Trusts to end illegal fishingas part of the organizations international fisheriesprogram, spoke to three of his Pew colleagues: Gina Fiore, who focuses on maritime security and fisheries crime; Tahiana Fajardo, who works with governments, enforcement authorities, and the seafood industry to adopt regulations and policies to prevent IUU; and Alyson Kauffman, who focuses on reforming transshipment and improving fisheries enforcement through technology.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Kauffman: Ever since I was young, I knew I wanted to focus on the ocean when I grew up. In college, I decided to pursue a career in oceanography. After graduating, I worked as a satellite oceanographer for eight years, analyzing remote sensing data for fishing vessels, to help improve their fishing efforts. When I got to Pew, I knew that I could leverage that skill set to help enforcement officials target areas where protected species are located, or where known overfishing activity has occurred, in an effort to reduce instances of illegal fishing.

Fiore: I grew up fishing recreationally with my family on the east end of Long Island, where the Atlantic Ocean has always been a vital part of the local economy. I saw first-hand with the Long Island lobster industry how disruptions in the ecosystem lead to devastation for communities that rely on the ocean to make a livingnot just on Long Island, but in coastal areas all over the world where people build their economies from fishing. So its important for me to try to stop people and companies that threaten fisheries, especially small-scale and the artisanal fisheries.

Courtesy of Gina Fiore

Fajardo: Illegal fishing is a complex problem, and the public needs to understand that theres no one-layer solution to ending it. The solution is multilayered, and involves all States, the fishing industry, tech companies, NGOs, and end consumers; its not the responsibility of one stakeholder, one country, or one group. Awareness, communication, and coordination are key, and progress can be made faster if every party takes responsibility for their part and holds themselves accountable.

Fiore: Being able to see whos fishing in your waters is an important facet of maritime governance, and a major part of maritime domain awareness. When a country knows what fishing vessels are doing in their countrys waters, it builds better awareness locally and allows for that information to be shared regionally. And as information is shared between countries, it starts to close off ports to bad actorsand eventually disincentivizes illegal fishing in exclusive economic zones. That means improved sustainability, more fish for local and smaller-scale fishermen, and more money coming back into the economy.

Fajardo: A critical problem posed by IUU fishing is that it weakens efforts to sustainably manage fish stocks. Thats because fisheries management measures are based on data that may not be accurate if IUU catches and efforts are not accounted for, putting stocks that are already vulnerable in even more danger.

Fajardo: Unfortunately, how fishers are affected by IUU is an even less discussed problem, but its just as criticalbecause it ultimately affects their safety and lives. What evidence has shown is that because illegal operators cut as many corners as possible when it comes to increasing their profit, they often do so at the expense of anything and anyone. This usually translates into not maintaining minimum safety standards on their vessels, and terrible living and working conditions for their fishers, which adds unnecessary threats and danger to an occupation already considered to be one of the most dangerous in the world.

Courtesy of Tahiana Fajardo

Fajardo: Its the country to which a vessel is registered, and from which the vessel takes its nationality. A flag State ensures proper registration of its fishing vessels and is responsible for having a robust monitoring, control, and surveillance system of its fleets.

Fajardo: Theyre in the unique position to control their fishing fleets, which is a critical responsibility. This oversight carries even more relevance for vessels operating on the high seas, where States other than the flag State have limited jurisdiction. So flag States are fundamental in preventing IUU fishing from taking place in the first placeand for enforcing, on their vessels, international and domestic laws designed to end IUU fishing and related illegal activities.

Kauffman: Transshipment is the transfer of fish from a fishing vessel to a carrier vessel that takes the catch back to port, and it often takes place far out on the high seas, where its difficult to monitor. It plays a really important role in the fishing industry, but it adds one more step in the supply chain, increasing the risk of IUU fish being landed at port.

Courtesy of Alyson Kauffman

Kauffman: Overall, the benefits of technology have provided us the ability to have eyes on whats happening at sea and validate whats being reported, while also detecting increased risk of IUU activity. For instance, data from automatic identification systems (AIS), which are required on vessels over 300 gross tons, can be used to show where fishing vessels are going. Enforcement officials can review this data to see if the vessels are fishing where theyre not supposed to. However, bad actors can look for loopholes to avoid complying with international fisheries policiessuch as turning off or obstructing the AIS to avoid being monitored. Ultimately, technology helps us determine levels of risk and allows us to ask the right questions about whats happening on the high seas.

Read more:

On the International Day for the Fight Against Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing, Pew Advocates Discuss Their Work - The Pew Charitable...

Recently, a Filipino ocean microbiologist and an American explorer deep dove into the third-deepest spot on Earth the Phillippines Trench. To their horror, instead of finding ghoulish ocean creatures, they found plastics.

In fact, after a cargo ship caught fire and sunk in the Indian Ocean near Sri Lanka, authorities are mulling the damage that will be caused to the marine ecosystem, including oil spillage and plastic pellets, from the ship.

These are only a few instances from the recent past that highlights how human activities, including the dumping of waste, chemicals, and plastics, are damaging the diverse and rich marine ecosystem.

However, marine biologists, environmentalists, and ocean conservationists, with the help of marine engineers and other experts, are putting in their best effort to create an impact.

They are installing floating trash barriers, waste interceptors, and other technologies that can prevent the trash from entering the sea every day.

Ahead of World Ocean Day, SocialStory identified some of the ocean cleanup projects that are generating awareness about ocean conservation and restoring its biodiversity.

Beach cleanup by Bay of Life

Bay of Life Surf School and Ocean Literacy was started in 2011 by Showkath Jamal. While activities like cleaning beaches and saving marine life, including turtles, have now become popular, Showkath and his team have been doing it for over a decade.

Situated at the Kovalam beach, Chennai, Bay of Life Surf School aims to generate interest in sustainable ocean sportsand activities. While the school comprises a major part of the organisation, it also carries out marine social causes, including beach and ocean clean-ups, through the Bay of Life Foundation.

Some of the major activities of the foundation include beach trash analysis, beach cleanup, andfree surf lessonsfor people who clean upfive kilos of trashfrom the beach. The team has removed over 24,000 kg of wastes from the ocean and the beaches.

Founded in 2013 by Boyan Slat an inventor-entrepreneur The Ocean Cleanup is a non-profit based in The Netherlands.

The non-profit has been developing technology, similar to floating trash barriers, to extractplastic from the oceans and intercept it in rivers before it can reach it. It also conducts ocean-specific scientific research to understand the levels of plastic pollution in these water bodies.

In 2019, the organisation announced a new initiative called the Interceptor, which tackles this pollution problem closer to the source, preventing about 80 percent of the trash from rivers from entering the ocean.

US-based Oceana is a non-profit organisation founded in 2001 by a group of leading companies, including the Rockefeller Foundation, focusing on ocean conservation.

Oceana does this by influencing specific policy on the national levels to restore the worlds oceans by conducting research and providing policy recommendations.

The organisation has also taken over other organisations like The Ocean Law Project by The Pew Charitable Trusts and the American Oceans Campaign by actor and environmentalist Ted Danson.

Some of the notable victories of its impactful projects include the rescue of the dusky sharks, creating a marine national park in Spain the second-largest in the country.

The High Seas Alliance (HSA) is a coalition of over 40 NGOs and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It aims to focus on conserving the High Seas. High Seas is an open ocean that isnt governed by any country.

The team works together and engages the public, the experts, and the decision-makers to support and strengthen the governance of the high seas.

Even though there are no binding terms and rules for the establishment of protected areas in the high seas, these regions are severely impacted by pollution.

The HSA works to create awareness about the same while also ensuring that effective conservation measures are taken to address these ocean conservation gaps.

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These non-profits are determined to conserve the vast oceans of the Earth - YourStory

VIDEO: Danvers & Beverly High Graduations of the Past

Some images from past commencement ceremonies for graduates of Beverly and Danvers High School

Jennie Oemig, Wicked Local

BEVERLY It may have been a sweltering day at Hurd Stadium, but Beverly High Schools 2021 graduates, along with their friends, family members and loved ones, were just happy to be together in the same place celebrating the occasion.

These past four years have been filled with laughs, smiles, tears, a lot of ups, and a lot of downs, said graduating senior Cameron Jones in his welcome address. As a whole weve been through hell; without stating the obvious, our class is very special, and will be forever remembered for our perseverance.

Noting that the senior class has had an uncomfortable and strange year, Jones encouraged each of his peers to enjoy the little things in life.

Try your best to not take them for granted, he urged. Life is too short, and if you dont stop to appreciate it you just might miss it.

Class President Tobey Archibald referenced the many ways in which his bucket list for high school fell short of expectations, with things like junior prom, senior pep rally and a big Thanksgiving game forever left unchecked.

Eventually, he realized the list just needed to be ripped up and thrown away.

Not to say that I believe bucket lists are antiquated and evidently useless, but if there is anything weve learned in the past four years it is that life clearly, and painfully, does not adhere to a certain list, he said. It may feel wrong, and sad, and scary when you cant cross off all of the things that are supposed to make you feel the happiest and have the most fun, but it's so crucial that we all take the time to have the awareness that we just accomplished so much more than what could ever be written down on a bucket list, or taught in a class or heard in a speech.

Mayor Michael P. Cahill congratulated the Class of 2021, noting the incredible struggles the seniors have had to grapple with during a year that was shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic.

You have shown incredible inner strength and resilience as you have been challenged this past year, he said. And I hope, with all my heart, that this will be the silver lining to this past long year, that what you have faced and overcome will have helped prepare you for success and much happiness in your lives ahead.

Without question, the high school experience for members of the Class of 2021 has been far different from those who have graduated from Beverly High School in the past.

A little over a year ago, who would have imagined wearing masks, holding classes in a hybrid model, social distancing and even one-way hallways? said Superintendent Sue Charochak. The past 15 months have all of us learning new ways of communicating, and have led to each of us examining our perspectives about so many things.

Salutatorian Jackson Clark reminded everyone in attendance that as people age, life passes them by faster and faster, a concept that makes some feel anxious, as if they are a small boat in high seas.

It is momentous days like these graduations, big exams, and first days when we find ourselves feeling like small boats in high seas, he said. Undoubtedly, each challenge you overcome will prepare you for the next, and together, our small boats will weather the storm.

Valedictorian Alexia Vayeos implored her peers to do some deep introspection this summer.

Dont be afraid to admit that you messed up in high school or have some (or many) (or a lot of) regrets, she said. Even if you thought you had the perfect high school experience which you probably (no, definitely) didnt consider what you can do to become a better person and make the most of your life. There is a reason most graduations are called commencements. Youre about to start a new chapter in your life, and you can be whoever you want to be.

To view more photos from Sunday's ceremony, visit http://www.wickedlocal.com/heraldcitizen.

Jazlynn Marie Abbott

William Lawrence Adams

William Joseph Adisho

Sarah Jennifer Allushi

Christopher Joseph Almeida

Ali Farazdak Alsahlawi

Jack David Andersen

Sydney Christine Anderson

Jayla Lynne Anderson-Jaber

Colin David Andrew

Tobey Ellis Archibald

Shalissa Marilyn Arias

Austin Tyler Ayer

Joseph John Balkus

Shania Rose Bancroft

Camille Shannon Barror

Julia Ann Barry

Sarah Katherine Barth

Dorothy Rose Bartlett

Jonathan Thomas Bates

Nathaniel Belizaire

Hailey Sara Bello

Mario Anthony Bermudez

Andrew Michael Bernfeld

Kaylee Marie Bettencourt

Virginia Lily Betts

Ivi Biu

Amanda Persis Blanchard

Julia Thi Block

Adolfo Antonio Bonilla

Jordin Lillian Bonilla

Rachel Paige Botte

Carson Frederick Brean

Richard Coelho Brito

Amber Lynn Brook

Alexia Jaelyn Brown

Sofia Deni Bucco

Nicholas Albert Buoniconti

Joshua George Burnett

Matthias Wernaa Butin

Jack Augustus Butterfield

Justin Robert Butters

Christian Michael Butterworth

Bryn Meredith Cafferty

Justin William Cahill

Eamon Joseph Callaghan

Nathan James Campbell

Grace Yuan Carella

Samantha Lyn Carnevale

Julia Rose Carpenter

Ariane Catherine Chanda

Zachary Daniel Charette

Emily Marija Chase

Emma Catherine Clark

Jackson McCaffrey Clark

Erin Suzanne Clark

Sarah Ann Codding

Cassidy Ann Coe

Clayton Thomas Gregory Cogswell

Nicholas Landan Cole

Anthony John Coletti

Dariangelys Colon

Gabriel Josue' Colon

Yaniel Olmo Concepcion

Kolton Philip Cook

Lily Rose Cook

Travis Michael Coombs

Annalise Rachel Cormier

Maya Marie Cormier

Brett Anthony Costa

Hannah Margaret Costa

Kevin Francis Costa

Emma Rose Costain

Griffin Matthew Coyne

Rosemary Abigail Cunney

Anne Elizabeth Curtin

Robson Antonio Da Silva Jr.

Kelsi Susan DalBon

Julieann Damas DaSilva

Ryan Tyler Day

Madison Judith Delano

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Beverly High graduates encouraged to enjoy the little things, do some deep introspection - Wicked Local

Chris Gray Faust, CruiseCritic.com Published 11:00 a.m. ET June 4, 2021 | Updated 12:47 p.m. ET June 4, 2021

We would have posted this sooner, but "we were on a break." USA TODAY

Could it BE any more fun?

If the recent reunion of everybody's favorite Friends isn't enough for you, a theme cruise that celebrates the iconic '90s TV show will take place May 15 to May 21, 2022, on Celebrity Equinox. The cruise ship will leave from Fort Lauderdale, with scheduled ports of Key West, Grand Cayman and Cozumel.

Like many theme cruises, the sailing is being put together by an outside company, the travel agency Fan World Travel. It is a partial charter of the ship, with events dedicated solely for people who book through the agency's siteCruise With Friends.

The site promises Friends-themed costume contests, trivia games and more: "Get ready to eat like Joey, joke like Chandler, cook like Monica, shop like Rachel, yoga like Phoebe and dig like Ross."

Theme cruises:From '80s music to auto racing, there's a cruise for every fandom

This image provided by HBO Max shows Matt LeBlanc, from left, Matthew Perry, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox and Lisa Kudrow in a scene from the "Friends" reunion special.(Photo: Terence Patrick, AP)

No actors from the show are scheduled to be on the cruise. But we speak from experience when we say that there's nothing like being on a cruise with 1,000 other people who love the same TV show that you do.

Review:The 'Friends' reunion is everything fans hoped it would be

Don't want to miss out on "The One With The Cruise"? Fares range from $1,648.66 per person for an inside stateroom up to $3,048.66 for a Sky Suite with a balcony. On Celebrity, Wi-Fi, a premium beverage package, $150 shore excursion credit per person, gratuities, taxes and fees are included in the fare.

Theme cruises often have different payment policies than regular cruises, and the Friends one is no exception. Deposits are $1,000 per person for inside, oceanview and balcony cabins and suites are $1,500 per person -- due at booking and nonrefundable. (The site encourages travel insurance).

So who will be there for you on the high seas? Grab your besties and find out.

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Didn't get enough of a 'Friends' fix from the reunion? How about a 'Friends'-themed cruise? - USA TODAY

A snorkeler swims near a whale shark, the world's biggest fish, in Cenderawasih Bay, Indonesia. ( Helmut Corneli/Alamy)

There is only one global ocean a vast body of water that covers 71 percent of the Earth. That ocean is geographically divided into five ocean basins: the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian, Arctic and Southern.

A healthy planet needs a healthy ocean. The interdependency of the five basins and humans dependence on the marine environment will be highlighted June 8, onWorld Oceans Day 2021, with the theme The Ocean: Life and Livelihoods.

Listed below are five interconnected threats that pose the biggest challenges to ocean health, along with measures to tackle each of these issues:

The German research vessel Polarstern in the Central Arctic Ocean, with a team of scientists from 20 countries, completed a mission to the North Pole in 2020. The mission found dramatic effects of global warming on sea ice, a finding backed by U.S. satellite images. ( Abaca Press/Alamy)The climate crisis is also an ocean crisis. The ocean has absorbed 20 to 30 percent of human-caused carbon dioxide emissions since the 1980s. And more than 90 percent of the warming that has happened on Earth during the past 50 years has occurred in the ocean.

As the ocean absorbs more heat and carbon dioxide, sea surface temperatures, sea levels andocean acidificationrise. This can increase storm and flood damage, harm to marine species and biodiversity loss.

The U.S. supports efforts to achieve net-zerogreenhouse gas emissionsby 2050 to protect the ocean. Ocean-based ways to help decarbonize include scaling up offshore renewable energy, reducing emissions from shipping and ports, and restoring coastal blue carbon ecosystems such as mangroves and seagrasses which not only capture and store carbon dioxide but also protect coasts.

A green sea turtle swims over coral reefs with azure vase sponges in the Caribbean Sea. ( Matthew Banks/Alamy)Fish provide nutrition for more than 3 billion people and support the livelihoods of 12 percent of the worlds population. But more than one-third of the oceans fish stocks are being harvested beyond sustainable levels.

Overfishing can affect entire ecosystems, depleting fish stocks and endangering vulnerable species likesea turtles. Overfishing threatens fishers long-term livelihoods.

The United States champions building cooperative, science-based rules to ensure that fisheries can be sustainable for the long term. The U.S. also works to reduce bycatch of other marine life along with a target catch. For example, the U.S. requires that shrimp imported from other countries are not caught in ways that also harm endangered sea turtles.

Boats sit idle during a ban on fishing to protect the industrys sustainability. Overharvesting due to illegal fishing is one reason such temporary bans are needed. ( STR/AFP/Getty)

One of the greatest challenges facing international fisheries is illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Such fishing costs the world tens of billions of dollars each year. It harms coastal communities that rely on sustainable fishing for income and for food to eat.

IUU fishing operations can involve criminal activities like money laundering, drug trafficking and human trafficking including forced labor.

The United States works closely with other countries tocombat IUU fishingand is working to build international rules that can help countries to monitor and control their fishing vessels and their waters. The U.S. wants strong multilateral programs and standards in place such as the Port State Measures Agreement that increase oversight of seafood in trade and prevent IUU-caught fish from entering the market.

Plastic, which never fully biodegrades, can entrap or be ingested by fish. ( Andrey Nekrasov/Barcroft Media/Getty)Scientists estimate that there are more than 150 million tons of plastic pollution in the ocean, with another 8 million tons added each year. That works out to a full garbage trucks worth of plastic pollution entering the ocean every minute!

Once in the water, plastic never fully biodegrades. It can entrap or be ingested by fish, seabirds, turtles and marine mammals.

The United States manages waste to reduce marine debris at home and helps other countries improve their waste management, including finding ways to stop abandoned fishing gear from entering the ocean. The U.S. also undertakes research and promotesinnovation to reduce plastic wastein the ocean.

The United States supports protection of marine habitats in Antarctica like this one in Paradise Bay. ( Samantha Crimmin/Alamy)Withmarine lifeunder threat, its important to establish marine protected areas, which can protect biodiversity and critical habitats, support fisheries, capture and store carbon, and build ocean resilience.

The United States has set a goal of conserving 30 percent of U.S. lands and waters by 2030. While most areas in need of conservation are closer to shore, there are also areas of the high seas such as waters around Antarctica that warrant protection. The U.S. continues to support marine protected areas in the Southern Ocean and elsewhere around the globe.

By U.S. Mission Italy | 7 June, 2021 | Topics: News | Tags: Protecting ocean

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Protecting the ocean from 5 big threats (photo gallery) | US Embassy & Consulates in Italy - US Embassy Rome