Border controls used to address illegal fishing in Australia

Australia’s Minister for Home Affairs attributes tough border control measures to dramatic reduction in illegal foreign fishing. According to a story in the Sydney Morning Herald, the Minister told reporters that, “In 2006 there were 367 vessels, almost 3000 foreign fishers, apprehended in our waters.” However, the article notes that only eleven vessels have been intercepted so far this financial year and only 69 foreign fishers have been apprehended.

Click here for the whole story: http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/border-control-reduces-illegal-fishing-20110429-1dzv8.html

Green Court Proposed in Ecuador

From Sea Shepard:

In Quito, on October 26, 2010, a hearing was held at the Judiciary Council of Ecuador, to justify the need to create the first specialized judiciary on rights to nature in Ecuador and the world.

The hearing was part of a process led by institutions and conservation organizations based in the Galapagos, which calls for transformation of environmental justice in this national protected area and world natural heritage, by means of judicial specialization.

Galapagos requires a specialized judiciary to ensure access to justice according to the Ecuadorian constitutional provisions on the protection of natural heritage and the rights of nature.

In 2008, Ecuador became the first country to recognize nature as a subject of rights. The Constitution of the Republic of Ecuador recognizes the rights of nature to be respected and restored. In 2009, the Organic Code of the Judicial Function was created, which specifically provides for the creation of special judiciaries to address claims on violation of the rights of nature. The Law authorizes its establishment by the Consejo de la Judicatura, the country’s Judicial Council.

For more information, see A Major Step Towards the Creation of the First Judiciary on the Rights of Nature in the World.

CNN: In Defense of the Seas — Tony Oposa

INECE EPC Member Tony Oposa is profiled in a recent CNN Ecosolutions video “In Defense of the Seas” in recognition of his work to protect the marine environment in the Philippines.

New Online Map Shows Network of Protection for North America’s Marine Ecosystems

The North American Commission on Environmental Cooperation has launched a new online map depicting North America’s nearly 2,000 marine protected areas through Google Earth, offering details about protection status and those responsible to manage the sites.

According to the CEC press release:

A functional network of marine protected areas is crucial for maintaining ecological integrity and protecting migratory species and transboundary habitats. They are also important to help ecosystems recover from or adapt to a wide variety of threats, including pollution from oil spills, overexploitation and rapidly changing environmental conditions.

To explore the CEC’s marine information and view an introductory video, please visit: http://www.cec.org/marine .

The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) is an international organization created under the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC) by Canada, Mexico and the United States to address regional environmental concerns, help prevent potential trade and environmental conflicts and promote the effective enforcement of environmental law. NAAEC complements the environmental provisions established in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to which it is a side accord.