Tag Archives: Antarctica

Weekly Press Review – 18 April 2017

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During a joint operation between Greenpeace and Guinean fisheries authorities, two Chinese vessels were each fined 250,000 euros (R3.14 million) after shark fins were discovered on board the vessels.

According to the press, a third Chinese vessel was also fined after it was discovered that it was using illegal nets and fishing for species outside of its license conditions.

Numerous shark carcasses were also found on board the vessels, including hammerhead sharks, which are an endangered species.

Greenpeace Africa oceans campaigner Ahmed Diame said, “ What we’re seeing here is an utter lack of respect of west African fishing laws.”

Also making headlines this week are the three UCT scientists who recently returned from a three-month voyage circumnavigating Antarctica aboard the Russian vessel, the Akademik Teshnikov.

The three scientists, Dr Sarah Fawcett, Heather Forrer and Professor Peter Ryan, jumped at the opportunity to join one of the biggest and most ambitious scientific expeditions in history, the Antarctic Circumnavigation Expedition (ACE).

The aim of the expedition was to see first-hand what impact climate change was having on the Southern Ocean and how this affected humans.

“I think that this is going to lead to a lot of really important constraints on how we understand the role of this region in climate,” said Fawcett.

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Weekly Press Review – 2 April 2015

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This week the press is covering the investigation by the SA Navy into why a warship fired a heavy-calibre weapon at a fishing vessel during a naval exercise.

The exercise took place offshore Agulhas in the early hours of Wednesday morning last week during a joint naval exercise between the South African and German navies.

Anthony Day and nine other fishermen were involved in the incident and are so badly shaken that they have spoken to a trauma counsellor.

SA spokesman for the SA Navy has confirmed that the incident did in fact take place, but that navigation warnings about naval exercises are sent out via radio to all fishing clubs and harbours before these types of exercises take place.  Day says that he received no such warning.

“My radio was on from 2am and there was no warning,” said Day.

The German Navy has not responded to the incident, other than to say that they will be making a joint statement with the SA Navy.  At this point no such statement has been released.

Also mentioned in the press this week is the art exhibition entitled:  Gateway to Antarctic, currently taking place at the Iziko Maritime Centre at the Union Castle building in the V&A Waterfront.  Art works of Antarctic vessels by Elf van Bilas are being displayed by the South African Shipping Society in collaboration with the University of Stellenbosch’s Antarctic Heritage Project and the Iziko museum. The idea behind the exhibition is to generate awareness around South Africa’s involvement with Antarctica and the Southern Ocean.