Environmental News: March 2nd-March 11th 2010

Quote for the week

We can find happiness in protecting the world around us not only because we cherish it for its awesome beauty, power and mystery, but because we cherish our fellow humans, those who live today and those who will live tomorrow."
Jacques Y. Cousteau

Santa Monica sushi restaurant charged with illegally selling whale meat
March 11, 2010
The eatery admits the wrongdoing, its attorney says. Federal agents and animal activists cooperated in a video sting orchestrated by a producer of the Oscar-winning documentary 'The Cove.'
Read more here.

Your Chilean Sea Bass Dinner Deprives Killer Whales
A one-of-a-kind killer whale population appears to be threatened by human appetites for Antarctic toothfish, better known to restaurant-goers as Chilean Sea Bass.
Read more here.

Endangered listing eyed for US loggerhead turtles
March 11, 2010
By JAY LINDSAY, Associated Press Writer
BOSTON – The federal government on Wednesday recommended an endangered-species listing for the loggerhead turtles in U.S. waters, a decision that could lead to tighter restrictions on fishing and other maritime trades.
Read more here.

Obama Aide Urges Listing Of Gas-Drilling Chemicals
11-Mar-10
Jon Hurdle
President Barack Obama's top environmental adviser urged the natural gas industry on Tuesday to disclose the chemicals it uses in drilling, warning that the development of massive U.S. shale gas reserves could be held back otherwise.
Read more here.

Seal Meat To Be On Menu At Canadian Parliament
10-Mar-10

David Ljunggren
Canada's Conservative government says it will fight the EU ban, which was imposed last July on the grounds that the annual seal hunt off the east coast was cruel and inhumane.
Read more here.

Orcas have 2nd-biggest brains of all marine mammals
3/9/2010
ORLANDO, Fla. — Neuroscientist Lori Marino and a team of researchers explored the brain of a dead killer whale with an MRI and found an astounding potential for intelligence.
Read more here.

Scientists Develop Highly Recyclable Plastic
March 9, 2010
Researchers at I.B.M. and Stanford University said Tuesday that they have discovered a new way to make plastics that can be continuously recycled or developed for novel uses in health care and microelectronics.
Read more here.

UK praised for commitment to declare World’s largest marine reserve
March 8, 2010
THE Pew Environment Group has praised the United Kingdom for taking one further step towards designating the world’s largest marine reserve.
Read more here.

CITES can help save bluefin tuna and stem wildlife poaching crisis
March 8, 2010
GOVERNMENTS meeting on 13th March for the largest wildlife trade convention will have a unique opportunity to preserve the world’s oceans and simultaneously stem a worldwide poaching crisis.
Read more here.

Thresher shark fishing banned by Indian Ocean Tuna Commission
March 8, 2010
THE Shark Alliance is applauding a historic ban on fishing for thresher sharks adopted last week by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) at their annual meeting in Korea.
Read more here.

Oscar-winning film-makers deny 'Japan-bashing'
March 8, 2010
HOLLYWOOD — The director of Oscar-winning documentary "The Cove" said the recent death of a trainer at SeaWorld in Florida proved whales and dolphins should not be held in captivity.
Read more here.

Study Says Undersea Release of Methane Is Under Way
By CORNELIA DEAN
Published: March 4, 2010
Climate scientists have long warned that global warming could unlock vast stores of the greenhouse gas methane that are frozen into the Arctic permafrost, setting off potentially significant increases in global warming.
Read more here.

Fish oil supplements may bring PCB compounds: Study
March 4, 2010
Sarah Schmidt
People who take certain brands of fish oil supplements, seeking benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids are also exposing themselves to unnecessarily high levels of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) compounds, newly released test results show.
Read more here.

Japan says it won't comply with bluefin tuna ban
By Blaine Harden
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, March 5, 2010; 6:52 PM
TOKYO -- Japan and the United States keep rubbing each other the wrong way.
Read more here.

SeaWeb applauds US decision to support bluefin tuna trade protection
March 4, 2010
SeaWeb applauded the announcement by the United States that it will support a proposed international trade ban for endangered bluefin tuna, and the ocean conservation organization called for international support for 32 species of red and pink coral as well as for eight shark species proposed for similar protection.
Read more here.

SeaWorld: A world of suffering
March 4, 2010
SeaWorld's damage control team is in overdrive following the tragic death of a trainer who was attacked by one of the theme park's captive orcas. But if SeaWorld held news conferences every time an animal died at its facilities, people would be staying away in droves. SeaWorld, which owns most of the captive orcas and bottlenose dolphins in the U.S., has one of the worst animal care records in the country.
Read more here.

And the winner for most toxic chemical is....
March 2, 2010 | 11:20 am
Just in time for the Oscars, the environmental group Californians for a Healthy and Green Economy is holding its own red-carpet event. An eco version of the Razzies, the Toxies will take place Wednesday at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood and hand out awards for "bad actor" chemicals.
Read more here.

States Push EPA, Congress to Curb Business Confidentiality Claims for Chemicals
March 1, 2010
Federal law forces companies to provide detailed information to U.S. EPA about the toxicity of the chemicals they use.
Read more here.

Marianas Says U.S. Has Failed to Fulfill Ocean Monument Promises
By ALLISON WINTER of Greenwire
Published: March 1, 2010
More than a year after President George W. Bush created a vast marine national monument near the Northern Marianas Islands, the federal government has yet to make good on promised investments in the islands.
Read more here.

Vast Antarctic iceberg 'threatens marine life'
February 26, 2010
A vast iceberg that broke off eastern Antarctic earlier this month could disrupt marine life in the region, scientists have warned.
Read more here.