Hot Issues
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Photographers Invited to Compete in Marine Environment Photo Contest Scuba divers and other ocean enthusiasts giving it their best eco shot this World Ocean Day (more) |
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| Sharks in the Baltic New Report Examines 31 Species of Sharks and Related Species Under Threat In The Baltic Sea (more) |
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| Divers Join Facebook to Share their
Passion for Underwater Conservation Become a Project AWARE Fan on Facebook - Use the online network Facebook* to share your passion for underwater conservation with friends. (more) |
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| Draft Marine Bill Brings Hope of Healthy Seas The Project AWARE Foundation welcomes the publication of a draft Marine Bill as an important step towards restoring the health of the UK’s seas. The draft Marine Bill was launched on 3 April 2008 by the Environment Secretary Hilary Benn. (more) |
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| Ministry Of Defence Protects Military Shipwrecks As Final Resting Places PADI and Project AWARE, as consultees in the designation process, welcome the recent announcement from the Ministry of Defence in the UK that the final resting places of more than 750 people who lost their lives at sea will be protected by the Ministry of Defence. Diving will continue to be allowed but on a “Look, Don’t Touch” basis, in line with the Respect Our Wrecks philosophy. (more) |
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| Good News for Seahorses Project AWARE is pleased to announce increase protection for two vulnerable British Seahorse species. As of April 06th 2008, the Spiny and Short-Snouted Seahorses will receive extra protection against being sold, killed, injured or taken from the wild under the Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981. The protection will also make it an offence to disturb or damage their place of shelter. (more) |
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| Warmer World May Mean Less Fish Global Warming Adding to Pollution and Over-Harvesting Impacts on the World's Key Fishing Grounds Says New UNEP - "In Dead Water" - Report (more) |
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| More Oceanic Sharks Added to the IUCN Red List Oxford, England, 22 February 2007 (IUCN) – More oceanic or “pelagic” sharks are being added to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species based on the findings of this week’s international expert workshop, convened by the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC), that examined the conservation status of these highly migratory sharks against Red List criteria. (more) |
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| Scientists Reveal First-Ever Global Map of Total Human Effect on Oceans February 14, 2008 -- More than 40 percent of the world's oceans are heavily affected by human activities, and few if any areas remain untouched, according to the first global-scale study of human influence on marine ecosystems. (more) |
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Project AWARE Announce Global International Year of the Reef Art Contest - Every Act Counts Project AWARE Foundation is calling all kids to grab their paint brushes and crayons and get creative for coral reefs. (more) |
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Divers Worldwide Represented in Washington, DC |
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Leading Conservation Organisations Join Forces for Coral Reefs |
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Global Dive Operators Receive Environmental Honors |
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Recreational Dive Code of Conduct for the Firth of Lorn
and Loch Creran Marine Special Areas of Conservation |
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Lyme Bay Reefs Need Your Support |
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International Year of the Reef 2008 |
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| Mediterranean Sharks and Rays in Danger of Extinction Project AWARE with the Shark Alliance calls for urgent action in response to IUCN study revealing region’s sharks and rays are endangered and unprotected (more) |
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| 20,000 Signature Petition Delivered to the EU Commission to Demand Shark Conservation Measures Representatives of the Project AWARE Foundation and the Shark Alliance from all over Europe joined forces to push for an end to shark overfishing. (more) |
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| Marine Conservation Gets a Second Life On November 1st 2007, Project AWARE Foundation will become one of the first international non-profit organisations to showcase its environmental work on Second Life. Visitors to Dive World will have a unique opportunity to get their avatars involved in virtual environmental activities, learn more about the protection of precious aquatic resources, and socialise with virtual divers who share an interest in marine conservation. (more) |
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| White House Unveils Plans to Address Trash in the Ocean Initiative Boosts Project AWARE’s Long-Standing International Cleanup Day Efforts... (more) |
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| Consensus Declaration on Coral Reef Futures 22 October 2007: More than 50 scientists of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies have declared a consensus on coral reef futures. (more) |
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| Scientists Fear Rare Dolphin Driven to Extinction 11 September 2007 – An international research team, including biologists from NOAA Fisheries Service, has reported in an online scientific journal that it had failed to find a single Yangtze River dolphin, or baiji, during a six-week survey in China. (more) |
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| Corals Added to IUCN Red List of Threatened Species for First Time 12 September 2007 – Arlington, Virginia – For the first time in history, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species includes ocean corals in its annual report of wildlife going extinct. (more) |
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| Release of Red List Underscores Urgency for Conservation Action 12 September 2007 – The Shark Alliance and coalition member organization Project AWARE are highlighting with concern the growing number of European sharks and rays considered at risk for extinction, according to the newly released 2007 IUCN (World Conservation Union) Red List of Threatened Species. (more) |
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Shark Fishing Takes Place on NSW Coast, Australia |
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| Help Save Sharks from Senseless Slaughter Environmental organisations such as the AfriOceans Conservation Alliance (AOCA) and Shark Life as well as dive centres in South Africa recently contacted Project AWARE to share their concerns regarding a Shark fishing competition planned by a group of anglers in Durban on the weekend of the 18 th and 19 th August. (more) |
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| Shark Finning Repeal in Ecuador The recent addition of the Galapagos Islands to UNESCO’s List of World Heritage Sites in Danger underscores the need for the Ecuadorian Government to take meaningful, decisive action on a wide spectrum of conservation issues surrounding Galapagos. (more) |
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Whitsand Bay Dump A major dredge dumping programme is under way in Cornwall's Whitsand Bay, England UK - just as the scuba diving tourism season gets into full swing. (more) |
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| CITES Backs Red, Pink and Other Corals Red, pink and other coral species in the genus Corallium will be better protected from over-exploitation after delegates attending a meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES ) adopted a US proposal to list the genus in Appendix II of the convention. (more) |
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CITES Decides on the Fate of Three Vulnerable Shark Species
The outcome of the 14th Meeting of the Conference of CITES Parties (CoP14) hosted by the Netherlands in June 2007 was disappointing for the many organisations and coalitions, including PADI and Project AWARE, who worked hard to promote better shark fisheries management and support three shark proposals: the German’s proposal to list two imperilled shark species (Spiny Dogfish and Porbeagle sharks) under Appendix II and the U.S. and Kenya’s proposal to ban international trade in sawfish, shark-like rays considered critically endangered around the world. After a week of intense lobbying two out of the three proposals failed and fell short of the required two-thirds majority needed for adoption...(more) |
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| Leatherback Turtles Tracked by Satellite
(June 5, 2007) Scientists from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth have just returned from the Caribbean island of the Commonwealth of Dominica where they have been tagging giant leatherback sea turtles as part of an international study of this endangered species. Marine biologists Dr John Fish and Mr Rowan Byrne (www.marinecreatures.com) from the Institute of Biological Sciences at Aberystwyth are using the latest satellite tracking technology to study the nesting behaviour and post nesting behaviour of leatherback turtles in the eastern Caribbean...(more) |
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| UK Marine Bill: What Divers Have to Say Divers are urged to support new laws to protect marine wildlife. There has never been a more important time to stand up for the UK’s marine life. This year the Government released a Marine Bill White Paper called a “Sea Change” that hopefully will translate into new regulation to better protect and manage UK seas. Both PADI and Project AWARE have responded during the process of consultation. The Marine Bill provides a great opportunity to create a new framework for the seas, to establish a strategic system of marine planning, and to balance conservation, energy and resource needs...(more) |
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| Sharks at Risk: Scientists Say EU Shark Finning
Ban is Ineffective and Call for Major Change Most shark species are slow to grow and produce few young. This makes their populations extremely vulnerable to fishing pressure. Many European populations have collapsed because of over fishing and will need decades to regain a healthy level...(more) |
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| Campaign to Save Porbeagle and Spiny Dogfish Sharks Populations of two species of shark, used for their meat and consumed mainly in the EU, are on the verge of collapse. The fate of spiny dogfish and porbeagle sharks depends on the outcome of the Fourteen Conference of CITES Parties (CoP14) that will be hosted by the Netherlands in June 2007...(more) |
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| Basking Sharks are Back During March the fascinating basking sharks are once again appearing back in UK seas. With the first three sightings reported for 2007 in Cardigan Bay, West Wales; near Douglas on the Isle of Man; and near Falmouth in Cornwall. This marks the beginning of the season for spotting basking sharks in the UK, with numbers increasing over the next few months. As the largest of the marine species to visit the UK this magnificent creature is endangered and Project AWARE Foundation is now calling on the public to report these sightings...(more) |
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| Bristol Festival of Nature It's free and a great opportunity for the whole family to enjoy a wild weekend of walks, talks, photography, films, animal encounters and much more....(more) |
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| France Spotlighted for Role in Future of Endangered Sharks 29.01.07 Paris: Scientists, environmentalists and other members of the Shark Alliance are calling on France, one of the world’s most important players in shark fishing and trade, to use its power to improve the outlook for these imperilled species....(more) |
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| SMS Can Tell You If Fish is Endangered The Southern African Sustainable Seafood Initiative (SASSI) is a public awareness and educational project that aims to inform seafood consumers and dealers...(more) |
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Shark Trade Limits Endorsed by European Union |
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| Wasteful
Deep-sea Gillnet Fishery of the Northeast Atlantic to Re-open Ocean warns that this fishery urgently needs consistent and effective management measures, due to the damage it causes to sharks and other deep-sea species...(more) |
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| International award for PADI scuba-diving professor aiming to save the planet A PADI scuba-diving university Professor and keen support of Project AWARE has won a top international award...(more) |
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| NEW ICES REPORT ON DANGEROUS DECLINE IN SHARKS Released in September 2006 an ICES (International Council for the Exploration of the Seas) report recommended an immediate halt to targeted fishing for approximately 130 species of sharks and closely related skates, rays and chimaeras...(more) |
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Update on the New UK Marine Bill |
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| Divers revisit Lebanon Following the oil slick dispersing northward from the bombed power plant at Jiyyeh and affecting much of the Lebanese coastline, Peter Rogers...(more) |
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| Save Our Sharks Campaign After 18 months of lobbying by various conservation groups, Defra have published a consultation, which could make the tope; a small shark, Britain’s first ever recreational only sea fish, and could lead the way for other species like the Mullet...(more) |
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| Shark At Risk - Eu Policies Threaten Species Globally The Shark Alliance is a new coalition of international non-governmental organizations dedicated to restoring and conserving shark populations by improving European fishing policy...(more) |
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| Marine Wildlife Surveys Detect Ocean
Sunfish Invasion Off Cornish Coast A marine wildlife aerial survey team have detected a sudden influx of the world’s largest bony fish, the giant ocean sunfish, into Cornwall’s coastal waters...(more) |
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| Defra Bass Measures - Decision Announced DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) Fisheries Minister, Ben Bradshaw, has today announced his decision on proposals...(more) |
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| Lundy lobsters bounce back in UK's first no-take zone The UK'S first no-take zone for marine nature conservation is producing promising results, with lobsters showing a huge increase in numbers after just two years...(more) |
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| See Red For the past year, Project AWARE Foundation (International) and the diving community have shown their opposition to the expansion of captive dolphin facilities in the Red Sea area..(more) |
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| Jutland Wrecks In 2001 Project AWARE Foundation proudly introduced its public awareness campaign, Respect Our Wrecks. The initiative promotes the need to protect submerged wreck sites, which are an important part of our cultural heritage and maritime history...(more) |
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| Mysterious Dolphin Deaths In Zanzibar PADI Members recently contacted Project AWARE Foundation (International) regarding the mysterious death of more than 700 Indian Ocean Bottlenose Dolphins who have been washed ashore on a beach in Zanzibar..(more) |
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| Legislation - more or less?
The new Marine Bill Proposal With a Marine Bill on the horizon to regulate the marine environment, we ask Jan Brown, Senior Marine Policy Officer and Ali Champion, Marine Policy Officer at WWF why environmental groups have been pushing for more legislation for the marine environment...(more) |
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| Shark Finning ban in the Seychelles In an effort to conserve the stability of their marine ecosystem, the Seychelles has joined the increasing list of countries to ban the cruel and wasteful practice of shark fining. The ban which was issued on the 20th February 2006 by the Seychelles Fish Authority (SFA), will disallow any foreign vessels from removing the fins of sharks in their territorial waters of the Indian Ocean Archipelago.(more) |
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| Finning Banned in Northwest Atlantic At their recent meeting in Tallinn, Estonia, the Northwest Atlantic Fishery Organization (NAFO) Member countries moved to ban shark finning in the international groundfish and shrimp trawl fisheries in the northwest Atlantic. (more) |
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| Europeans Prefer Seafood that is Environmentally Responsible In the first-ever poll of European consumers, supermarkets, chefs and restaurateurs on attitudes toward seafood and the ocean, 79% said that the environmental impact of seafood is an important factor in their purchasing decisions. (more) |
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| Wal-Mart Sets 100% Sustainable Fish Target for North America London - Rupert Howes, Chief Executive of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), welcomed the recent announcement by Wal-Mart that the company is seeking to source all of its wild-caught fresh and frozen fish for the North American market from fisheries that meet the MSC’s independent environmental standard for sustainable and well-managed fisheries. (more) |
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| Does Your Supermarket Come From A Substainable Source? A recent survey by Greenpeace found that nearly all major food retailers are selling endangered and threatened species of fish. As part of a new report called ‘A recipe for disaster’ the survey was carried out in 9 of the UK’s top supermarkets and was launched to find out what effects fish markets are having on our seas...(more) |
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| Concerned
Divers Take Action against Shark Restaurant PADI divers recently contacted Project AWARE expressing concerns about the opening of a shark meat restaurant in Sharm El sheikh, Egypt. A number of flyers were being distributed in the resort advertising 'The first Restaurant in the Middle East to serve Shark Meat'...(more) |
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| Is
Dumping Destroying Our Beautiful Coastline? Concerned divers have recently contacted Project AWARE Foundation (International) to inform the charity that the ecosystem in Whitsand Bay is being slowly poisoned by the dumping of silt dredged from nearby into the bay. Environmentalists and divers familiar with this area are concerned that it could result in an environmental disaster, and campaigners are lobbying to stop further dumping. (more) |
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| Coral
Reefs In Egypt Need Your Help Update Project AWARE Foundation (International) has been recently informed of a coastal development in southern Egypt, Red Sea, which according to tourists and local authorities has destroyed vital coral reef ecosystems. (more) |
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| Salmon
Farming Project In Gansbaai, South Africa Project AWARE Foundation (International) recently wrote to the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism in South Africa to address its concerns with regard to the negative impacts a pilot salmon farming project between Danger Point and Dyer Island may have. (more) |
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Top Ten Most Wanted Fish The top ten is out but this is a list that no one, or no fish, wants to be on. That’s because the Marine Fish Conservation Network (www.conservefish.org) and Oceana (www.oceana.org) just put out a list of the ten fish species most in jeopardy in the United States. (more) |
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| Preserve
the U-701 The wreck of the U-701 was originally discovered by a small group of divers in the coastal waters off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, USA in 1989...(more) |
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Ailing
Alaska killer whales to get protection ANCHORAGE, Alaska — U.S. officials said Thursday they are granting special protection to a small group of Alaska killer whales that has dwindled in number since some members were seen swimming through oil from the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill...(more) |
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| $25,000
Grand Prize for "Smart Gear" that Lowers Bycatch Rate Vancouver - An unprecedented coalition of fishermen, scientists and conservation groups announced the launch of the International Smart Gear Competition today...(more) |
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| Independent
Oceans Commission Calls for Immediate Reforms
Scientists, fishermen, conservationists, elected leaders, and business officials unveil recommendations to avert decline of ocean wildlife and collapse of ocean ecosystems...(more) |
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More
sharks to be put on endangered "Red List" JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — More shark and ray species are to be classified as endangered on a global watch list in another sign that the planet's oceans are in trouble, a leading scientist said on Wednesday...(more) |
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| Fishonline
- eco-friendly fish on the net
www.fishonline.org The new Fishonline website informs consumers how to select the most environmentally sustainable types and sources of seafood. Building on their highly acclaimed book - the Good Fish Guide - produced with the support of Project AWARE (UK)...(more) |
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United
Kingdom Marine Fish Recording Scheme |
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| Basking
Shark Code of Conduct Basking Sharks swimming in UK waters are protected under the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside act and the 2001 Countryside Rights of Way Act...(more) |
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| Are
you an "Eco-Friendly" Fish eater? Did you know that by just slightly changing our eating habits we can help preserve the underwater environment? Every year there are fewer and fewer fish in the sea...(more) |
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| Artificial
Reefs - The difference between dumping activities and manmade
reef activities Since the early 1990s, Project AWARE has helped turn several ships into artificial reefs off the Canadian, Mexican, US, UK and most recently Kenyan coasts. Organisers thoroughly clean the ships and open many passageways to make them appealing habitats to marine life as well as safer for visiting divers...(more) |
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| Global
Ban on Shark Finning Do you worry about sharks? You should. Not because they are out there to get you, but because sharks themselves are in serious trouble. Sharks are in far greater danger from humans than we are from them...(more) |
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| First
Sharks Listed to CITES Two shark species have some new friends as both Basking and Whale Sharks were added to Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) during the last meeting in Santiago, Chile...(more) |
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| Global
Warming or Earth Cooling? Is it hot out here? Or, is it cold out here? The question generally depends upon whom you ask. It isn’t any different when you ask scientists what they think about Antarctica’s climate. Some think it is getting warmer...(more) |
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| Marine
Reserve Protects Habitat off Mozambique President of Mozambique, Joaquim Alberto Chissano, recently declared 1400 square kilometers/541 square miles of ocean surrounding the Bazaruto Archipelago National Park along the east Africa coast a marine reserve. This landmark decision should...(more) |
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| Send all comments
and suggestions to: information@projectaware.org |
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Project AWARE Foundation. All Rights Reserved |