Category Archives: High Seas

View of a coral reef off the Andaman Islands. Photo: Ritiks/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

India is one of the worlds 17 mega-biodiverse countries, harbours 7-8% of the worlds recorded species, and supports various ecosystems, including forests, deserts, mountains, wetlands, grasslands and coastal and marine ecosystems. The last two are of particular importance; they include mangroves, coral reefs, estuaries, seagrass, mudflats and lagoons, occupying 7,516 sq. km, a continental shelf area of area 468,000 sq. km and an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of 2.02 million sq. km.

These ecosystems are home to numerous marine species, including charismatic and critically endangered species such as sea turtles, whales, dolphins, sharks, rays, dugongs, whale sharks and sea cucumbers. Further, around 171 million people, including fishing communities and Indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs), live along Indias coastline. These ecosystems also serve as traditional sources of livelihoods to about 16 million fishers. Together, the fisheries and aquaculture industries contribute around 1% towards Indias GDP.

However, Indias biodiversity is rapidly becoming less rich. The health of our coastal and marine ecosystems is impacted by a host of threats, including exploitation of resources, plastic pollution, habitat degradation, coastal erosion and climate change. These threats are also affecting the lives and livelihoods of local communities that depend on these ecosystems for sustenance. The coast of India is witnessing a decline in fish catch, a very large dead zone has been reported from the Bay of Bengal, and the population of different marine species, including sharks and rays, has been shrinking.

Cognisant of these threats, India as a party to the international Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) recently expressed its support for a global target known colloquially as 30 30. Its aim is to protect and conserve 30% of the worlds terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine ecosystems. The target is currently being negotiated by parties to the CBD as part of the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.

Meeting the 30 30 target could also help India protect its coastal and marine biodiversity, while providing economic benefits, food and water security, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and sustaining the livelihoods of coastal communities that depend on these ecosystems.

What counts towards the 30 30 target?

30 30 is a global target, which means that parties to the CBD together, have to protect 30% of the worlds land and sea. So depending on national conditions and circumstances, each country will be left to determine the percentage of its own geographical areas that it will allocate towards meeting this target. Areas that will be counted include area-based conservation measures like marine protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) that are established in territorial waters; the EEZ of each country; and parts of the high seas (i.e., waters beyond national jurisdiction).

Marine protected areas are geographical areas established and managed for the primary purpose of protecting marine ecosystems and species. OECMs, on the other hand, are broader and help achieve sustained positive biodiversity outcomes irrespective of their management goals. OECMs will protect marine biodiversity as well as yield a range of benefits to people who depend on marine resources. Some examples of OECMs include sacred natural sites, areas managed by small-scale fishers, traditionally protected marine reserves or fishing grounds, historic shipwrecks and protected water catchments.

According to a recent brief prepared, among others, by the UN Environment Programme, it is essential for area-based measures under the 30 30 target to deliver effective conservation outcomes in order to meet the target. So the effective management of marine protected areas and OECMs is crucial to achieving this outcome. Areas that count towards the target must provide ecosystem services and be important biodiversity sites, be ecologically representative, and be part of well-connected protected area networks. These areas also have to be effectively and equitably managed.

In this context, the 30 30 target provides an important opportunity to help secure the participation of IPLCs. A rights-based approach that is, integrating human rights into conservation policy must be adopted while declaring IPLC territories as marine protected areas or OECMs.

Opportunities for India

Thus far Indias terrestrial areas have received significant attention, but the time is now ripe to focus more on underrepresented coastal and marine areas. According to Indias Sixth National Report (under the CBD), protected areas cover approximately 27% of Indias geographical area. Of this, only 5% of coastal and marine areas are designated protected areas. This makes it all the more important for India to sign on to the 30 30 target and take appropriate actions to achieve it.

Currently, there are 25 marine protected areas in peninsular India and 107 marine protected areas in the Indian islands. Increasing area-based conservation under the 30 30 target could help restore and conserve biodiversity, help marine species adapt to climate change and revive fish stocks, thus saving the livelihoods of local communities that depend on marine resources. Area-based measures are important nature-based solutions for mitigating climate changes impact, and effectively designed and well-managed marine protected areas and OECMs could also help alleviate stressors like deoxygenation and acidification, and preserve natural storm barriers like coral reefs and mangroves.

In light of the UNs recent flagship climate report and its emphasis on how South Asia, including India, is vulnerable to extreme weather and sea-level rise, working towards the 30 30 target will also help India, including its ecosystems and communities, become more adaptable and resilient.

Increasing area-based measures for the 30 30 target could also help India generate considerable economic benefits, through revenue from nature tourism and ecosystems services. A working paper drafted by a team of scientists from around the world also identified a number of non-monetary benefits such as food security, reduced disease emergence, protection against flooding and soil loss, and improved clean water availability.

In recognition of these benefits, India must identify biodiversity-rich coastal and marine areas that are currently threatened and bring them under protection using its legal and regulatory framework.

The Wildlife (Protection) Act

While the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 is the primary legislation the government uses to protect marine species, one could say it is also terrestrially oriented. Currently, there is no separate procedure laid down to declare marine protected areas. Coastal and marine areas are mostly declared national parks, sanctuaries or biosphere reserves. In these places, extractive activities are prohibited or highly regulated, and this affects local fishing communities as well, which is why they are opposed to the government declaring new marine protected areas.

If the protection afforded to marine ecosystems is to be effective, the Wildlife (Protection) Act needs to accommodate the unique socio-economic and ecological characteristics of the Indian coastal and marine ecosystems.

Then again, the Wildlife (Protection) Act isnt the sole source of opportunities within the Indian legal and regulatory framework to establish marine protected areas. For example, the government can use the Territorial Waters, Continental Shelf, Exclusive Economic Zone and Other Maritime Zones Act 1976 to declare designated areas for the protection of marine environment within Indias continental shelf and EEZ (the Wildlife (Protection) Act is not applicable to the EEZ).

There are several submerged banks in Indias EEZ that the state can explore. One such area with protected areas potential is the Angria Bank, a submerged plateau spanning 650 sq. km and situated 135 km off the coastal Konkan belt of Maharashtra, within Indias EEZ. It supports large coral reefs and algal habitats, and harbours diverse flora and fauna.

Further, the government may declare coastal and marine areas proximate to marine protected and biodiverse-rich to be eco-sensitive zones under the Environment Protection Act 1986. Similarly, ecologically fragile coastal and marine ecosystems may also be declared biodiversity heritage sites under the Biodiversity Act 2002.

Marine protected areas v. OECMs

While marine protected areas are one set of the tools through which India has been conserving and protecting its marine biodiversity, OECMs from India could provide new and different opportunities to conserve areas falling outside the marine protected area network, and to recognise diverse governance approaches especially community-led efforts.

There are traditionally managed areas along the Indian subcontinent and island systems that the government can recognise as potential OECMs. India has also designated certain seascapes as important marine mammal areas (IMMAs), important coastal and marine biodiversity areas (ICMBAs) and ecologically and biologically significant marine areas (EBSAs). For example, the Wildlife Institute of India has identified 106 coastal and marine sites as ICMBAs.

These categories serve as knowledge tools to help identify areas that have the potential to be delineated and managed for conservation but are devoid of management implications. For an area to qualify as an OECM, it is essential that the area be managed in ways that achieve sustained biodiversity outcomes. Therefore, IMMAs, ICMBAs and EBSAs can qualify as OECMs only if the management of these areas results in long-term conservation outcomes.

Involving IPLCs

One concern about the 30 30 target is the profound impact it may have on IPLCs, if it is implemented without involving local fishers in the decision-making process and without proper planning. For most coastal communities, the coastal and marine areas are their sole source of food and income. This means increasing conservation efforts under the 30 30 target could raise concerns for these communities, as they may fear losing rights over their territories and marine resources.

So it is important that they be made primary decision-makers in conservation efforts and for their rights to be recognised while including their land to meet the 30 30 target. Communities have to be involved in management strategies, and be made aware of the positive impact of community-led conservation efforts, such as higher fisheries yield and food security, revenue from ecotourism, enhanced climate resilience, and retention of traditional values. Doing so would be a win-win for the people and nature.

Despite the threats Indias coastal and marine biodiversity faces, the Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services of 2019 pointed out that there is still hope for Indias biodiversity to recover, through transformative change. India must in turn take appropriate measures to effectively achieve the 30 30target over the next decade, with the government coordinating with all stakeholders including civil society, concerned citizens, businesses, scientists and local communities.

If implemented properly, the 30 30 target could help India attain two goals the sustainable development of its coasts and people, and the conservation of its unique coastal and marine biodiversity.

Samrita Shankar is a marine policy advisor, Shyama Kuriakose is legal head of Counter Wildlife Trafficking and Vardhan Patankar is a scientist all at the Wildlife Conservation Society, India.

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What the '30 30 Target' Could Mean for India's Marine Biodiversity - The Wire Science

Image courtesy of Langh Ship

PublishedNov 26, 2021 7:25 PM by The Maritime Executive

[By:Langh Ship]

Langh Ship has ordered three multipurpose dry cargo vessels which will serve Outokumpu on the short sea lane between Finland and continental Europe.

Outokumpu, a global leader in stainless steel and a forerunner in sustainability, has entered a long-term time charter with the Finnish shipping company Langh Ship for three newbuildings delivered by the Wuhu shipyard in China. Delivery for the first vessel is scheduled mid-2023, followed by the other two at close intervals.

The newbuildings are designed for all-year traffic in the northern Gulf of Bothnia and will have ice class 1A. The vessels are set to operate between Outokumpus main port, Tornio, Finland, and its continental hub Terneuzen, the Netherlands. The vessels will transport semi-finished and finished steel products to customers and for further processing. On the back-haul the vessels will be loaded with steel scrap, which is the main raw material of Outokumpu stainless steel.

The ordered vessels will have a deadweight of 7,800 tons, thus be of ideal size for the requested service frequency. The design has been developed by Langh Ship in collaboration with Outokumpu and the Chinese ship designer Shanghai Merchant Ship Design and Research Institute (SDARI). Langh Ship has three multipurpose cargo ships, specially equipped for shipments of steel, currently charter to Outokumpu. The experiences from many years of cooperation on this trade has been utilized in designing cargo holds and cargo handling solutions for the new vessels.

We highly value the long-term relationship that we have with Outokumpu. The cooperation between our companies has started over three decades ago. We very much look forward to this next step with these newbuildings, which deepens our cooperation even further, says Laura Langh-Lagerlf, Managing Director, Langh Ship.

Jyrki Sandelin, Outokumpu Category Manager for transports: This transport stretch is the single most important transport lane for Outokumpu Group and that is why we rely on our trusted partner Langh Ship. Our cooperation and the previous experience gathered on this northern route has led to excellent solutions. Both companies have high ambitions and keep pushing each other for constant improvements.

The newbuildings will be specially equipped for shipping steel but as multipurpose vessels are fit for many cargo types to serve Outokumpu versatile needs. The main product, stainless steel coils have a secure ride with Langh Ships patented pontoon-type coil cradle tween deck. By loading coils both on the bottom of the hold and on the tween deck, the weight is distributed in a way making the ship's motions in heavy seas slower. This makes the transport safer and reduces the risk of cargo damage.

When loading other goods, the tween decks are stowed in a smaller cargo hold releasing the main cargo hold for bulk cargo or containers. The hold is box-shaped and equipped with adjustable bulkheads to create optimal hold sizes for other cargo as well as the dimensions are optimized for containers. Heavy steel containers especially developed by Langh Cargo Solutions can be carried on the hatch covers. The starting point for designing the cargo solutions has been to maximize the utilization of the cargo capacity. This will at the end, serve both targets, reducing further the transport emissions and being as cost efficient as possible.

The vessels are designed to meet Outokumpu ambitious sustainability targets by minimizing emissions and complying with all known upcoming environmental regulations. The vessels are equipped with dual-fuel engines which can run on multiple fuels and thus be adjusted for future next generation propellants.

Thanks to the energy-efficient hull shape, these vessels have a lower engine power than the current vessels. Despite that they can load more cargo and keep the same service speed, says Laura Langh-Lagerlf, Managing Director, Langh Ship.

The design has been developed in close cooperation between Outokumpu and Langh Ship. Both companies have the joint target to make the vessels as energy efficient, environmentally friendly and as flexible as possible. The future will bring alternative fuels, shore power and battery technologies, which these vessels are already equipped for, says Eero Pajunen, Chief Operating Officer, Langh Ship.

The newbuildings will be equipped with a dual fuel main engine with an output of 4,500 kW. In the future, the vessels can be converted to run with various fossil-free fuels. As initial fuel they will use liquefied natural gas, LNG which can be directly replaced by liquefied biogas (LBG). The ship's LNG tank is both methanol and ammonia ready. Furthermore, the vessels are prepared for installation of onshore power, which would make them emission-free during port calls. There is also space reserved for the installation of batteries, which enable hybrid solutions.

For handling ballast water, the newbuildings are equipped with the recently launched Ballast Water Management System from Langh Tech. The system eliminates the risk of harmful invasive species.

The products and services herein described in this press release are not endorsed by The Maritime Executive.

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Langh Ship and Outokumpu Start a Newbuilding Project - The Maritime Executive

On the evening of November 27, 2008, a day after the heinous terror attacks in Mumbai referred to as 26/11, Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) secretary Ashok Chaturvedi met then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and offered to resign for his failure to prevent the multiple terror strike that led to the deaths of 166 people and injured 293 others.

Piecing together the chain of events by talking to those involved in the response to terror strike executed by Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and likely carried out with the cognisance of that countrys spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Hindustan Times has learnt that Chaturvedi showed all relevant intelligence alerts on impending major terror strike sent by R&AW to the multi-agency centre of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) for dissemination and action by the Mumbai Police. The specific alerts were sent to the IB by then joint secretary (international liaison) Anil Dhasmana; these alerts were compiled with the help of agencies such as the US Central Intelligence Agency and Israels Mossad.

Also Read | Manish Tewaris views on UPA action after 26/11 attacks trigger controversy

The R&AW alerts listed possible targets, including Nariman House, by name. There was also the November 20, 2008, alert issued by the agency to Indian Navy and Coast Guard, which were at the time involved in Defence of Gujarat war exercises in the high seas off the Kathiawar peninsula, about intruding ship Al Husseini which began its journey from KT Bandar in Karachi. The ship, whose latitude and longitude at anchor was given in the alert, was not intercepted on the high seas and the terrorists then used hijacked fishing trawler MV Kuber to reach the outer perimeter of Mumbai harbour on that fateful day.

Watch: Ahead of 26/11 anniversary, UPA govt's lack of response questioned by Congress leader; BJP gets ammo

While Chaturvedi died in 2011, it is understood that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, after examining R&AWs alerts, which will still be in the agencys archives, asked the then chief of Indias external intelligence agency not to resign. Chaturvedi, who was subsequently targeted for not preventing the 26/11 attacks, retired from the agency in January 2009. His Madhya Pradesh IPS cadremate Anil Dhasmana went on to become the R&AW chief in 2017 and is currently chairman of the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO).

Also Read | 26/11: The day terror hit us

That IB used these alerts to issue three warnings of impending terror strikes , including attacks on Jewish targets in Indias commercial capital, is evident from the de-classified report of RD Pradhan Commission of Inquiry set up by then state government headed by Congress chief minister Ashok Chavan. The Pradhan report talks about the lack of intelligent perception of threats by both the state home department and the Mumbai Police, and specifically mentions August 9, 2008, alerts from the IB on possible attacks on Taj Mahal Hotel, Oberoi Hotel and the World Trade Centre.

To be sure, while Mumbai Police did take the IB warnings very seriously as per the Pradhan Committee, the state of readiness went down over the following months and everyone was caught by surprise on 26/11. That the terror strikes had been in the works for some time (something that explains the advance warnings) is clear from details of the interrogation of LeTs 26/11 Mumbai scout David Coleman Headley aka Daood Gilani. Headley told NIA in June 2010 that the first attempt on Mumbai in September failed as the boat sank on high seas. The second attempt on 26/11 was successful and deadly with the Union home ministry, state home department and Mumbai Police all caught unawares.

With six US nationals and four Israeli nationals being killed in the attacks, both the CIA and Mossad were upset with India for its failure to prevent the Mumbai massacre. Despite this, both agencies and their governments helped Indian security agencies in digging out clues from charred mobile phones and GPS sets of the terrorists using latest technology.

Also Read | 26/11 special: Survivors say they are prepared for the worst, now

While Union home minister Shivraj Patil, state home minister RR Patil, and Mumbai Police commissioner Hasan Ghafoor lost their jobs after the incident, director, Intelligence Bureau, PC Haldar retired on his due date of superannuation on December 31, 2008. Clearly, central Intelligence had not failed.

Although there was a mood for military retaliation against Pakistan after the Mumbai massacre of innocents, this changed eight month later when PM Manmohan Singh met his Pakistani counterpart Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani at Shram El Sheikh on July 16, 2009, and decided to chart a way forward for bilateral relations. The Pakistani PM promised to bring perpetrators of Mumbai attacks to justice but countered with allegations of an Indian terror threat to Balochistan.

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RA&W chief offered to resign for failure to prevent 26/11 attack - Hindustan Times

Dubai: You might want to rethink your plans to hit the beach as the weather bureau has warned UAE residents about rough conditions at sea on Thursday.

According to the National Center of Meteorology (NCM), the sea will be rough due to winds that are expected to repeatedly blow. Waves with a height of 5-8 feet are expected to form offshore.

Skies across the UAE are looking sunny to partly cloudy at times over some areas, especially in Fujairah, Al Ain and Abu Dhabi.

Temperatures are expected to decrease. On average temperatures are expected to be in low 20s with minimum temperatures dropping to 14C.

Dubai is currently at 24 C with partly cloudy skies.

The relative humidity is expected to be high at night and on Friday morning, reaching up to 90 per cent. Fog and mist formation is also expected during those hours in internal and coastal areas in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman.

Winds are expected to repeatedly blow, at a speed of 15 25 km/h, reaching up to 45 km/h at times.

The winds are expected to blow dust and sand into the air, especially during the day, getting stronger with the cloud activity and reducing horizontal visibility. Drivers should be careful on the road as the dust might hinder visibility. Those who suffer from allergies should also take precautions when going outside.

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UAE: 8-foot-high waves off coast, residents warned due to rough seas, temperatures to drop on Thursday going down to 14C - Gulf News

China on Thursday accused Indias chief of defence staff (CDS) Bipin Rawat of instigating a geopolitical confrontation and violating strategic guidelines after he said China is Indias biggest security threat earlier this month.

The Chinese defence ministry called the remarks irresponsible and dangerous, and said it had made solemn representations against Rawats comments to the Indian establishment.

China is the biggest security threat facing India, much bigger than Pakistan, Rawat had said at a summit earlier this month, adding, however, that India is prepared to deal with any misadventure on the land borders or the high seas.

In response to a question whether China was Indias number one enemy, Rawat said no doubt and added: The threat on the northern borders is much bigger.

A lack of trust and growing suspicion is coming in the way of resolving the border dispute between the nuclear-armed neighbours, Bipin Rawat added in context of the ongoing Sino-India military friction in eastern Ladakh.

The Chinese defence ministry reacted strongly to Rawats remarks at the monthly press conference in Beijing on Thursday.

The unprovoked hype of the so-called Chinese military threat by Indian officials seriously violates the strategic guidelines of the leaders of the two countries on the not a threat to each other, ministry spokesperson, Colonel Wu Qian said, responding to a question at a press conference on Thursday.

It is irresponsible and dangerous to instigate geopolitical confrontation. We expressed firm opposition to this and made solemn representations to the Indian side, Wu added.

Chinas position on the China-India boundary issue is clear and unambiguous: The Chinese border troops are determined to safeguard national sovereignty and security. At the same time, they are committed to maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border area and make great efforts to ease and cool down the situation, Wu said.

As a neighbouring country, we hope that India and China will meet each other halfway, jointly maintain peace and tranquillity in the border area, and jointly maintain the sound development of bilateral relations, the spokesperson said.

Indian and Chinese militaries have been locked in a border standoff in eastern Ladakh since May, 2020, when a violent clash in Pangong lake area led to both sides gradually deploying tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry along the border.

Several rounds of military and diplomatic talks have only resulted in partial disengagement of troops until now.

In October, China accused India of unreasonable and unrealistic demands in an unusually aggressive statement issued at the end of the 13th round of military talks held to resolve the dragging standoff in the Ladakh area.

India has repeatedly and consistently rejected Chinas allegations that Indian troops crossed over to the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, asserting that New Delhi has always taken a responsible approach towards border management and maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas.

Russia, India, China foreign ministers to meet

The foreign ministers of Russia, India and China (RIC) will hold their annual meeting via video link on Friday, the Chinese foreign ministry announced on Thursday.

Fridays meeting will be the 18th round of talks between the three countries under the RIC mechanism.

Chinese state councillor and foreign minister Wang Yi will attend the RIC foriegn ministers meeting via video link on November 26, foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian announced on Thursday.

Wang will join Indian external affairs minister S Jaishankar and Russia foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov in the meeting.

Under the RIC framework, the foreign ministers of the three countries meet periodically to discuss bilateral, regional and international issues of their interest. During the upcoming meeting, China expects to boost communications, strengthen mutual trust and reach a consensus with Russia and India, sending a positive signal to the world, Zhao said.

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China lodges protest over CDS Rawat calling it Indias biggest security threat - Hindustan Times

New Delhi: Poor and artisanal fishermen in India will be in crisis if the World Trade Organisation (WTO) accepts the demand of developed nations to withdraw existing disciplines on fisheries subsidies.

The developed countries have been exerting pressure to withdraw subsidies, and the demand would be discussed at the 12th edition of the WTO ministerial conference to be held in Geneva from November 30 to December 3.

The move is to controlIllegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing. It has been argued that IUU fishing is posing a threat to marine ecosystems and the revenues of small-time fishers.

However, small-time fishers, who do not engage in IUU fishing, will be the worst hit if the subsidies are withdrawn.

The WTO has instructed to confine the subsidies only to those who fish within 12 nautical miles (nm) of the shore, and that too, for just two years after an agreement is reached.

Subsidies should not be extended for fishing in theExclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) within 200 nm from the shore. India has demanded appropriate and effective special and differential treatment to poor and artisanal fishermen should be extended to all fishermen, including those fishing in the EEZ, for the next 25 years.

Supreme council

The ministerial conference is the WTO's supreme council which convenes every two years. WTO makes its decision based on consensus and not a majority. It has to be seen how India and other developing nations will take on the developed countries' demand for withdrawing subsidies.

Law of the sea

According to the Law of the Sea formulated between 1973 and 1982, each country's sovereign territorial water extends to a maximum of 12 nm (22 km) from their coasts, while the 200 nm (370) beyond the territorial waters is the respective country's exclusive economic zone. The high sea is beyond the EEZ.

In India, States have the rights over territorial seas.

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India set to oppose move to withdraw fisheries subsidies at WTO - Onmanorama

With high winds and large seas anticipated on Friday and Saturday, the RNLI is urging people to exercise extreme caution if visiting the shoreline, especially along exposed cliffs, seafronts and piers.

The charity is asking people not to take unnecessary risks as breaking waves can easily sweep you off your feet and out to sea.

An RNLI spokesman said: While stormy conditions may be tempting to watch, it is important to remember the sea is very dangerous and unpredictable and big waves can easily knock you off your feet.

We would urge people to stay well back from the edge to avoid being swept in by large waves crashing over rocks and piers.

As well as the risk of being swept into the sea, large waves can often undermine cliff edges and make them unstable.

If you think someone is in danger, please dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

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RNLI urges people to take extra care while near the shoreline, visiting exposed cliffs, seafronts, and piers - Bridlington Free Press

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Ewan Wakefield had been sailing across the North Atlantic for days when the ocean suddenly greened. A phytoplankton bloom had emerged at the edge of an oceanic cold front roughly 1,000 kilometers south of Greenland, attracting precisely what Wakefield was hoping to find. Dozens of seabirdsgreat shearwaters, fulmars, and othersappeared, swinging in high arcs near the vessel, bombing the sea surface, and feeding like crazy, he says. It is what we call a hotspot.

Seabirds comprise one of the most threatened groups of vertebrates. Almost half of all seabirds are in decline. Until recently, scientists knew relatively little about the lives of the birds that dwell on the open North Atlantic. These species spend most of their existence beyond the continental shelves, where life is diffuse and at-sea surveys are costly and dangerous. Not knowing where they live or feed has made protecting the birds nearly impossible. But a group of about 80 scientists, including Wakefield, a biologist at the University of Glasgow in Scotland, has been scouring the North Atlantic to find out more. In the process, theyve identified an ocean habitat teeming with birds.

In an area spanning nearly 600,000 square kilometersreaching from the Grand Banks of Newfoundland and Labrador to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and from the Azores to the Labrador Basin off Greenlandscientists have found the highest concentration of seabirds ever documented on the open ocean. According to the researchers, an estimated 2.9 to five million seabirds visit the area yearly.

It is a surprise, says Wakefield, who surveyed the area in 2017. The North Atlantic is bounded by some of the most developed countries in the world. And we werent doing that research in our backyard.

In 2017, Ewan Wakefield, a biologist at the University of Glasgow in Scotland, led a team of researchers aboard the RSS Discovery on a survey of seabirds in the open North Atlantic. Photo by Simon J. Pinder

The discovery, announced in a series of papers published this year, has already prompted a multinational agreement declaring that this vitally important area for seabirds needs to be protected.

I dont think anyone really thought it would be this big or this many birds consistently using the site, says Tammy Davies, a conservation scientist and marine science coordinator at the conservation nonprofit BirdLife International, who led the research that identified the area.

Davies and her colleagues at BirdLife International first became aware of the outsized importance of this stretch of the North Atlantic in 2016, when they began mapping data from previous studies that had tracked 1,500 birds from 56 breeding colonies. The area jumped out. At least 21 species were using it, in many cases for hunting and foraging in the months after the energy-intensive mating seasons. Some, such as the great shearwater, were in molt, a vulnerable period when birds shed and regrow feathers. Wakefield says the birds are likely drawn to the areas oceanic frontswhere the Gulf Stream abuts cold northern waterswhich are rich with phytoplankton, small fish, and crustaceans.

Theres always some hesitancy when extrapolating beyond a few tracked individuals, says Autumn-Lynn Harrison, an ecologist at the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center who was not involved in the research. But theres no doubt that the absolute number of species that use this place is real.This place is very important.

The agreement to establish this area as the North Atlantic Current and Evlanov Seamount Marine Protected Area (NACES MPA) was made by the Oslo-Paris Convention on the protection of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR), an international body representing 15 countries and the European Union. OSPAR was the organization that established the first network of marine reserves on the high seas in 2010, protecting areas beyond the reach of national jurisdictions. The NACES MPA is the conventions 11th high-seas reserve and its largest. Yet OSPARs declaration only marks that the area should be protectedexactly what shape that protection will take has yet to be decided.

Its a starting point, says Erich Hoyt, a research fellow with the international NGO Whale and Dolphin Conservation, who has written extensively on marine protected areas. Every protected area starts out on paper, and its what you make of it that becomes something.

OSPARs high-seas reserves offer some protection, but because there is at present no global consensus on how to regulate the open ocean, OSPARs powers are extremely limited. It does not have sole jurisdiction in its protected areas, and it cannot ban longline fishing or seafloor mining, which are managed by separate organizations.

There are lots of opportunities for ensuring [the NACES MPA] doesnt become a paper park, though, says Davies. OSPARs members have committed to monitoring human activities in the area and addressing new threats as they arise. Carrying this out falls to the individual governments that make up OSPAR.

When Wakefield zigzagged across the region four years ago, he noticed a small number of cargo ships and longliners. We also saw fishing gearghost gearfloating around out there, which would still be catching birds, he says, but given that its so far from shore, the NACES area sees relatively few impacts.

Still, as global fish stocks shrink, pressure to develop fisheries in international waters is expected to increase. Threats from deep-sea mining, fossil fuel extraction, and climate change arent going away either. So, while the NACES MPA is unblemished compared to many parts of the ocean, the challenge will be to keep it that way.

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In the Middle of the Atlantic, an Overlooked Seabird Hotspot - Hakai Magazine

Leading a life of plunder on the high seas doesnt mean a person cant feel gratitude, and to prove it, Sea of Thieves has kicked off its Feast of Bounty event, coinciding with the American observance of Thanksgiving. From now through November 29, players can participate in two sets of challenges in the pirate game to prepare for and then celebrate the annual feast.

The Feast of Bounty event is split into two phases, each with its own set of challenges. The preparation phase is underway now, and it involves five tasks. First, youll want to collect a free Feast of Bounty flag from Larinna at the tavern. After that, youll help prepare for the feast by cooking pieces of chicken or pork, shark or snake, megalodon or kraken, and any kind of fish. Finish all these by the time the festival ends, and youll earn yourself a nice Feast of Bounty makeup look.

The celebration phase begins November 25, and will introduce its own set of challenges. However, youll still be able to work on challenges from the preparation phase during this time, so dont worry.

Theres an extra challenge called overindulgence, which grants a reward for eating 75 pieces of cooked meat and fish surely youve got room for just one more bite, right?

Finishing the celebration phase challenges will earn you a Feast of Bounty scar cosmetic, and theres an additional reward if you complete all the challenges for both phases.

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Sea of Thieves has kicked off its big two-part Thanksgiving bash - PCGamesN

Disney Cruise Line has announced more details about the new original shows and updated pirate night coming to the Disney Wish.

A Treasure Retold Disney The Little Mermaid

Disney The Little Mermaid will be an original Broadway-style stage adaptation of the renowned 1989 Disney Animation film developed exclusively for the Disney Wish. During this one-of-a-kind theatrical production, audiences will rediscover the iconic scenes, acclaimed music, and beloved characters of The Little Mermaid while experiencing the story like never before.

In this modern-day retelling, the curtain will rise on an enchanted treasure chest at the moment it is discovered by a group of storytellers, led by a special young woman who has the power to unlock its magic. As they uncover the whozits and whatzits galore hidden within the trunk, the storytellers will take on the roles of Ariel, Ursula, Prince Eric, Sebastian, Flounder, and more, bringing to life the immersive undersea world right before guests eyes. Theyll put their own contemporary spin on the timeless story of a young womans search for independence, love, and a place in the world.

Disney The Little Mermaid will feature innovative theatrical design, dazzling special effects, artistic choreography, and a reimagined script and score that will surprise and delight guests of all ages.

Its worth noting that the silhouette of Ariels hair in the promotional image suggests she will be portrayed by a Black woman, just as she will be in the upcoming live-action film.

An Embarkation Celebration Disney Seas the Adventure

On their first night aboard this enchanted ship, guests will embark on a musical voyage into some of their favorite stories during an original musical spectacular, Disney Seas the Adventure. When Captain Minnie hands over the helm to her dear friend Goofy, hell set sail into uncharted waters on a journey to discover his own inner captain. Along the way, Goofy will encounter a bevy of bold, brave, and brilliant Disney and Pixar friends who encourage him to lead with his heart through rousing renditions of iconic Disney songs.

The adventure will culminate in a cavalcade of characters joining Captain Minnie and Goofy on stage during a grand farewell before leading guests out of the theater and into the Grand Hall for an unforgettable sendoff experience the ultimate kiss goodnight to close guests first day onboard.

Signature Pirate Night with a Rock-and-Roll Twist

Disney cruisers, rejoice! On one special night of every voyage, guests of all ages can don their most swashbuckling pirate garb and head to the upper decks for a rollicking rock-and-roll extravaganza unlike anything on the high seas complete with fireworks at sea like only Disney can do during a new take on our signature nighttime deck celebration.

Hosted by Captain Redd a descendent of the famous red-headed rogue from the Pirates of the Caribbean theme park attractions Pirates Rockin Parlay Partywill feature live music, remarkable stunts, special effects, and plenty of surprises. Throughout the party, she and her band of head-banging buccaneers will perform famous radio hits from the genre, plus a rockin rendition of the classic pirate tune Yo Ho (A Pirates Life for Me).

When Redd assembles a fearsome council of captains, including the notorious scoundrel Captain Jack Sparrow, theyll unlock a sparkling treasure that lights the night sky: a fantastic fireworks display underscored by an original arrangement of the sensational soundtrack from the Walt Disney Studios Pirates in the Caribbean films.

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More Details Announced for 'Seas the Adventure,' 'The Little Mermaid' Stage Shows, and Rock-and-Roll Pirate Night Coming to Disney Wish - wdwnt.com