2008 Eco No. 3A

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

2008 Eco No. 3A C HILE · 25 JUNE 2008 · V OLUME LX · N O .3 In this issue ... ➢Stewed Toxins ➢Martian Whales? ➢Arnold and Michelle ➢Coastal Whalers EInternational WhalingCO Commission Annual Meeting Pinochet Regime and Japan’s Outlaw Whalers named Maruha—sought to export one of its surplus whale catcher boats The secret massacre of Chile’s whaling fleets. From 1968 to 1975, as to Macaya. But the Japanese endangered whales by Japanese many as 352 whales were harpooned government, already stung by IWC whalers in the 1960s, documented in each year, mainly sperm and sei criticism of such flagrant support of Monday’s ECO, continued openly in whales, outside of any regulation, outlaw whaling, blocked the export the 1970s under the dictatorial rule of because Chile refused to join the permit for the ship. Gen. Augusto Pinochet. International Whaling Commission. Undaunted, Taiyo concocted A modern factory/catcher ship The meat and oil was exported to another, more successful scheme to supplied by a Japanese whaling Japan. expand unregulated whaling in Chile. company was sent to Chile in 1977 to But by 1976 only one boat was A Taiyo subsidiary, a marine supply vastly expand an existing Chilean operable, taking just 77 whales. company named Taito Seiko Co., whaling operation, Macaya Japan’s giant Taiyo Fishery Co., which purchased a modern stern trawler, the Hermanos. ran pirate whaling ships worldwide in Orient Maru No. 2, from Tokushima The Macaya shore station, based addition to its Japan-flagged fleets, Suisan Co. The ship had been a in the port of Chome on the central announced a joint venture with Japanese pollock trawler in the coast, was launched with three old Macaya to expand the Chilean Bering Sea until it was made surplus catcher boats acquired from Antarctic whaling operation. Taiyo—today Continued on page two Some Barbed Questions from Dr. Sidney Holt Regardless of publicized threats, Japan is most unlikely to leave the Does Japan really want reasons for Japan not really wanting IWC while it continues whaling. commercial whaling legitimized? Article V whaling to resume. If it did What could it gain by such a move? And will it really abandon the it would surely be regulated under the It would effectively join the ranks of IWC if it does not get its way? Revised Management Procedure pirate whalers in direct conflict with Does the Japan Fisheries Agency (RMP). The basic requirement of the the UN Convention on the Law of really want Schedule paragraph 10(e) RMP is the existence of agreed the Sea and the UN environment (the “moratorium”) modified to allow estimates of whale population conferences in Rio and Johannesburg. some commercial whaling under numbers and of their statistical What would be the point of upping Article V of the International confidence limits. After two decades the diplomatic and legal stakes in Convention for the Regulation of of intensive sightings surveys, the that way? Japan’s Alternate Whaling 1946? I think not; whaling Scientific Committee still does not Commissioner has written “we’ll set under Article VIII (Special Permits) have any agreed estimates of the up a new international organization.” is far more convenient and profitable. numbers of Southern Hemisphere But the Antarctic is where the Not only are catches determined minke whales (contrary to what the whales and future profits reside, and unilaterally, but no other IWC government of Japan claims). And CCAMLR exists and is active. Set up regulations pertain: submission of the Committee is nowhere near another, competitor with CCAMLR? data, minimum sizes, prohibition of estimating the numbers of fin whales Bend CCAMLR (of which Japan is a killing nursing mothers and calves, now feeding in the Antarctic—and Member) to Japan’s will? Most honouring sanctuaries and season that is the species/stock on which the unlikely! opening and closing dates. Why profitability of any resumed Article V No, Japan will stay in the IWC would they give up those freedoms? whaling depends in the medium and so long as the organization exists. But there are other cogent long-term. 25 June 2008 · Chile ECO Page 2 Guess Who’s Eating the Fish? estimated that less than one percent of commercial fishing stocks involve For years, the politically powerful and the fish catch is funneled into just a any interactions with ANY marine conservative Japan Fisheries Agency few developed nations. Poorer mammals. Indeed, immensely large has pushed the myth that whales are nations suffer from competition and stocks of whales coexisted for responsible for the decline of fish loss of their own fish stocks as well as centuries with much larger stocks of stocks around the world. The the decline in local fishing jobs. The fish around the world. Only with the reasoning goes: We need to kill the nation with one of the biggest advent of industrialized fishing whales so we will have fish to kill. appetites for fish is Japan itself. methods in the past 50 years (mostly But guess who’s really eating all “Blaming whales is an issue that after the period of greatest the fish? If you guessed Japan and is not only false—whales are no more industrialized whale slaughter had other developed nations in Europe responsible (for the global decline in alarmingly reduced cetacean and the US, you would indeed get a fish stocks) than the Martians—but numbers) have fish stocks begun big prize. (But probably not from the which prevents the very small serious declines. Japan Fisheries Agency.) resources of West African countries Remi Parmentier, Senior Policy A number of noted fisheries from being devoted to understanding Advisor for the Pew Environment scientists have proven for years that the real reasons why their fisheries are Group’s Whale Project, said Japan has the decline of commercial fish stocks declining,” stated Dr. Daniel Pauly, been raising the issue “to scare and around the world has been caused by director of the University of British recruit countries into supporting its the rapacious catch of fish by many Columbia Fisheries Centre. move to end the (whaling) fishing nations—but the vast bulk of Dr. Pauly and others have moratorium.” Pinochet, contined from page one Indeed, the Orient Maru No. 2 years. Shortly after the ship arrived, a when the U.S. imposed its 200-mile was renamed the Paulmy Star No. 3 Chilean newspaper reported: “With fishing limit. and registered under the Panamanian the arrival of the new whaling ship, Taito Seiko then sold the ship to flag as a “camaronero,” a shrimp boat. which can remain at sea for long the Paulmy Co. of Liberia, a Taiyo It left Japan in April 1977, but never periods and which offers lower dummy corporation designed to hide got within 3,000 miles of Panama. maintenance costs, the Macaya the identity of the owner. Taito Seiko Instead, the Paulmy Star No. 3 Brothers’ firm hopes to extend the filed an export document with the headed south to Tahiti’s port of whaling season to 10 or 11 months— Japanese government stating, “The Papeete, a scene of intrigue since the the last season lasted only six purpose of such procurement is its use days of Captain Bligh and the mutiny months—thus increasing the number for shrimp trawling off the coasts of on the Bounty. of animals caught and maintaining Panama.” When the 150-foot, 350-ton constant activity at its whaling Paulmy Star sailed away from Tahiti station in Chome, south of San on June 30th for Chile, it carried a Vincente.” massive harpoon gun on its bow. When Chilean conservationists ECO As one Chilean conservationist raised an outcry over the granting of ECO is published by Earth Island observed when the ship arrived in the whaling permit and the heavy Institute’s International Marine Chome: “A harpoon gun is not Japanese interests in the operation, Mammal Project at the 60th meeting famous as a productive weapon the Pinochet junta blocked their of the International Whaling against shrimp.” The stern slipway move to forbid the export of whale Commission in Santiago, Chile, on had been widened and a huge winch products. behalf of environmental and animal installed to permit the largest of The factory/catcher boat roamed welfare organizations around the whale carcasses—even blue whales— the long Chilean coast harpooning globe. to be hauled aboard the Paulmy Star dozens of whales each month without For further information: Mark J. for slaughter. any regulation. Endangered blue, Palmer, Associate Director, Earth Before the Paulmy Star arrived in right and humpback whales were Island Institute, International Marine Chile, Taiyo Fishery Co. had killed, as well as fin and sei whales; Mammal Project, Hotel Atton Las persuaded the Pinochet military junta the carcasses were butchered Condes, Santiago, Chile: 011-562 to grant Macaya Hermanos a permit onboard. Nobody knows the extent of 4227902 or [email protected]. to kill 500 whales a year for three Concluded on page three 25 June 2008 · Chile ECO Page 3 Japan’s Institutional Contradictions immediately slams a door in the face of the other countries at the IWC: The Japanese Institute for Inwood, states: “I think it is not “The whale sanctuary in the Cetacean Research, which is running helpful that they (Australia’s Atlantic won’t fly,” Mr. Inwood Japan’s so-called “scientific” slaughter delegation) come to this meeting pronounces. of whales in the Antarctic and the with fresh demands when every other “They will bring it up at the North Pacific, has taken a swing at country is making an eleventh-hour meeting, but they won’t take it to a Australia for that country’s refusal to attempt to broker a deal that will vote.
Recommended publications
  • National Life Stories an Oral History of British
    NATIONAL LIFE STORIES AN ORAL HISTORY OF BRITISH SCIENCE Professor Bob Dickson Interviewed by Dr Paul Merchant C1379/56 © The British Library Board http://sounds.bl.uk This interview and transcript is accessible via http://sounds.bl.uk . © The British Library Board. Please refer to the Oral History curators at the British Library prior to any publication or broadcast from this document. Oral History The British Library 96 Euston Road London NW1 2DB United Kingdom +44 (0)20 7412 7404 [email protected] Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of this transcript, however no transcript is an exact translation of the spoken word, and this document is intended to be a guide to the original recording, not replace it. Should you find any errors please inform the Oral History curators. © The British Library Board http://sounds.bl.uk British Library Sound Archive National Life Stories Interview Summary Sheet Title Page Ref no: C1379/56 Collection title: An Oral History of British Science Interviewee’s surname: Dickson Title: Professor Interviewee’s forename: Bob Sex: Male Occupation: oceanographer Date and place of birth: 4th December, 1941, Edinburgh, Scotland Mother’s occupation: Housewife , art Father’s occupation: Schoolmaster teacher (part time) [chemistry] Dates of recording, Compact flash cards used, tracks [from – to]: 9/8/11 [track 1-3], 16/12/11 [track 4- 7], 28/10/11 [track 8-12], 14/2/13 [track 13-15] Location of interview: CEFAS [Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science], Lowestoft, Suffolk Name of interviewer: Dr Paul Merchant Type of recorder: Marantz PMD661 Recording format : 661: WAV 24 bit 48kHz Total no.
    [Show full text]
  • Qwinter 1994 Volume 43 Number 1
    AWI uarterlWinter 1994 Volume 43 Q Number 1 magnificent humpback whale was captured on film by R. Cover : AWI • Shelton "Doc" White, who comes from a long line of seafarers and rtrl merchant seamen. He continues the tradition of Captain John White, an early New Q WInr l 4Y br I World explorer commissioned by Sir Walter Raleigh in 1587. In 1968, Doc was commissioned in the US Navy and was awarded two Bronze Stars, a Purple Heart, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. He has devoted himself to diving, professional underwater photography and photographic support, scientific research support, and seamanship. Directors Madeleine Bemelmans Jean Wallace Douglas David 0. Hill Freeborn G. Jewett, Jr. Christine Stevens Doc White/Images Unlimited Roger L. Stevens Aileen Train Investigation Reveals Continued Trade in Tiger Parts Cynthia Wilson Startling evidence from a recent undercover investigation on the tiger bone trade in Officers China was released this month by the Tiger Trust. Perhaps the most threatened of all Christine Stevens, President tiger sub-species is the great Amur or "Siberian" tiger, a national treasure to most Cynthia Wilson, Vice President Russians and revered by Russian indigenous groups who call it "Amba" or "Great Freeborn G. Jewett, Jr., Secretary Sovereign." Michael Day, President of Tiger Trust, along with Dr. Bill Clark and Roger L. Stevens, Treasurer Investigator, Steven Galster went to Russia in November and December to work with the Russian government to start up a new, anti-poaching program designed to halt the Scientific Committee rapid decline of the Siberian tiger. Neighboring China has claimed to the United Marjorie Anchel, Ph.D.
    [Show full text]
  • CHAPTER 5 Ecopath with Ecosim: Linking Fisheries and Ecology
    CHAPTER 5 Ecopath with Ecosim: linking fi sheries and ecology V. Christensen Fisheries Centre, University of British Columbia, Canada. 1 Why ecosystem modeling in fi sheries? Fifty years ago, fi sheries science emerged as a quantitative discipline with the publication of Ray Beverton and Sidney Holt’s [1] seminal volume On the Dynamics of Exploited Fish Populations. This book provided the foundation for how to manage fi sheries and was based on detailed, mathe- matical analyses of the dynamics of individual fi sh populations, of how they grow and how they are affected by fi shing. Fisheries science has developed and matured since then, and remarkably much of what has been achieved are modifi cations and further developments of what Beverton and Holt introduced. Given then that fi sheries science has developed to become one of the most data-rich, quantita- tive fi elds in ecology [2], how well has it fared? We often see fi sheries issues in the headlines and usually in a negative context and there are indeed many threats to the sustainability of ocean resources [3]. Many, judging not the least from newspaper headlines, consider fi sheries manage- ment a usual suspect in connection with fi sheries collapses. This may lead one to suspect that there is a problem with the science, but I hold this to be an erroneous conclusion. It should be stressed that the main problem is not to be found in the computational aspects of the science, but rather in how management advice actually is implemented in praxis [4]. The major force in fi sh- eries throughout the world is excessive fi shing capacity; the days with unexploited resources and untapped oceans are over [5], and the fi shing industry is now relying heavily on subsidies to keep the machinery going [6].
    [Show full text]
  • Safe Conduct? Twelve Years Fishing Under the UN Code
    Safe Conduct? Twelve years fishing under the UN Code Tony J. Pitcher, Daniela Kalikoski, Ganapathiraju Pramod and Katherine Short December 2008 Table Of Contents Page Foreword .......................................................................................................................3 Executive Summary .......................................................................................................4 Introduction and Scope of the Analysis .....................................................................6 Methods .........................................................................................................................7 Results ............................................................................................................................8 Overall Compliance with the Code of Conduct ..........................................................8 Comparison among Questions .............................................................................10 Comparison of Intentions with Implementation of Code Compliance Measures . 10 Analysis of Issues Relating to Compliance with the Code of Conduct .................12 Reference points ..................................................................................................12 Irresponsible fishing methods; by-catch, discards and harmful fishing gear .......15 Ghost fishing ........................................................................................................18 Protected and no-take areas ...............................................................................19
    [Show full text]
  • Sperm Whale Diet in New Zealand
    Thesis submitted to Auckland University of Technology in partial fulfilment of the degree of Master of Applied Science Sperm whale diet in New Zealand Felipe Gómez-Villota 2007 Table of contents Attestation of authorship .................................................................................... i List of abbreviations.......................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements............................................................................................ i Abstract ........................................................................................................... iii Introduction.........................................................................................................2 1.1 Objectives and thesis structure...................................................................3 1.2 Thesis outline..............................................................................................4 Literature review .................................................................................................8 2.1 Sperm whale biology ..................................................................................8 2.1.1 Anatomy of the sperm whale.............................................................8 2.1.2 Distribution and migration ...............................................................12 2.1.3 Social structure ...............................................................................15 2.1.4 Diving behaviour .............................................................................17
    [Show full text]
  • Kawamura, A. a Review of Food of Balaenopterid Whales. 155-197
    A REVIEW OF FOOD OF BALAENOPTERID WHALES AKITO KAWAMURA Faculty of Fisheries, Hokkaido University, Hakodate, Hokkaido ABSTRACT In order to elucidate what species among so many kind of marine organ­ isms are likely to be consumed largely by the balaenopterid whales, the ex­ isting evidence on the food habits of baleen whales is reviewed. To meet with this primary purpose the report was mainly focussed on to describe qualitative aspects of food species having been known to date from the notable whaling grounds over the world rather than documenting quantitative subjects.' One of interesting facts noticed throughout the contribution was that there exists fairly intense diversity in the assembly of food species composition by regions such as; northern hemisphere vs. southern hemisphere, Pacific region vs. Atlantic region, inshore waters vs. offshore waters, embayed waters vs. open waters, where the former usually shows more div'ersed complexity than the latter. The fact however suggests that although the composition of food spe­ cies locally varies over the various whaling grounds, the food organisms as taxonomical groups are very similar one another even in locally isolated whal­ ing grounds when the food organisms and their assemblies are considered by the family or genus basis. In this connection many evidences given in the text may suggest that the balaenopterid whales as a whole may substantially live on quite simply compositioned forage assembly in comparison with tre­ mendous variety of organisms existing in the marine ecosystems. One of im­ portant aspects of the baleen whales food must be found in their characteris­ tics of forming dense swarms, schools, and/or aggregations in the shallower enough layers to be fed by the whales.
    [Show full text]
  • December 2017, Other Scientific Contribution Of
    December 2017 Other Scientific Contribution Institute of Cetacean Research 1 December 2017 Other Scientific Contribution of ICR This document lists up the scientific documents derived from research activities other than JARPA/JARPAII/NEWREP-A and JARPN/JARPNII/NEWREP-NP. Peer reviewed papers are indicated by an asterisk (*). Many scientific documents have been produced in collaborations between ICR scientists and scientists from other research organizations. 1989 (1) Kasamatsu, F., Mermoz, J., Zorin, A., Silva, V. 1989. Preliminary Report of A Feasibility Study of Biopsy Dart Sampling During the 11th IWC/IDCR Southern Hemisphere Minke Whale Assessment Cruise, 1988/89. Paper SC/41/SHMi16 presented to the IWC Scientific Committee, May 1989 (unpublished). 10pp. 1990(1) Nishiwaki, S., Joyce, G., Ensor, P., Mermoz, J., Sanpera, C., Kasamatsu, F. 1990. Report on the Biopsy Dart Sampling Feasibility Study during the 12th IWC/IDCR Southern Hemisphere Minke Whale Assessment Cruise, 1989/90. Paper SC/42/SHMi21 presented to the IWC Scientific Committee, June 1990 (unpublished). 12pp. 1993 (1) *Fujise, Y., Ishikawa, H., Saino, S. and Kawasaki, M.. 1993. Catch and Struck-and-Lost Rate in the Japanese Dall's Porpoise Hand-Harpoon Fishery. Rep. int. Whal. Commn 43: 453-457. 1995 (1) *Shimada, H. and Pastene, L.A. 1995. Report of a Sightings Survey off the Solomon Islands with Comments on Bryde's Whale Distribution. Rep. Int. Whal. Commn 45: 413-418. 1997 (4) *Kimura, T., Ozawa, T. and Pastene, L.A. 1997. Sample preparation and analysis of mitochondrial DNA from whale baleen plates. Marine Mammal Science, 13 (3): 495-498. *Ljungblad, D.K., Stafford, K.M., Shimada, H.
    [Show full text]
  • Ocean Harvest 97
    Ocean Harvest 97 A workshop on new concepts to increase the sustainab]\ development of marine biological resources 1- OE Natur 1 Hoe Environment j Research Council NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC LIBRARY 1111111111 11111111111111 Ocean Harvest 97 A workshop on new concepts to increase the sustainable development of marine biological resources ~ Southam ton Cccanogt-aphy , ..' Cenl:re ," ~ ~_~vI'\ II Thislbook is du~e for e ftlr~ or Iil.efore the la t date shown below. =::::::;:=:::~' ==;::::::::==~;::::::=;:~====-llett - 2 ~AR 2:00 ( pherd mission and N orsk Hydro Don Gresswell Ltd., London, N.21 Cat. No. 1208 DG 0224217 1 .1 OE Organising Committee Franciscus Colijn Carlos Duarte JohnS. Gray Espen E. Hoell Harald Rosenthal Katherine Richardson John G. Shepherd Tasso Tselepides John Woods TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Summary 3 Introduction and Background 5 1) Working Group 1: Productivity regulation and ecosystem variability: 9 Ecosystem manipulation - Abstract of paper entitled, Productivity enhancement in the Japanese 9 Government program by Professor Shinji Morimura - Abstract of paper entitled, Open ocean ecosystem manipulation 1: The 10 experience of Ironex by Professor Andrew Watson - Abstract of paper entitled, Open ocean ecosystem manipulation 2: The 10 biological responses in Ironex 1 and 2 by Professor Richard T Barber 2) Working Group 2: Productivity regulation and ecosystem variability: 19 Ecosystem exploitation - Abstract of paper entitled, Productivity regulation and ecosystem variability, 19 ecosystem exploitation: modelling results by Professor Villy Christensen - Abstract of paper entitled, Testing the feasibility and potential benefits of open 24 ocean macroalgal farming by Professor Arne Jensen 3) Working Group 3: Harvest enhancement by creation of artificial 29 ecosystems - Abstract of paper entitled, Enhancing the marine harvest using artificial reefs by Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • New Policy Objectives and Management Procedures for EU Fisheries
    New Policy Objectives and Management Procedures for EU Fisheries A Commentary and Suggestions 1 by Sidney Holt 2 1 A briefing paper prepared for the European Policy Office of the WWF. 27 January 2007 2 Voc. Palazzetta 68, Paciano (PG), 06060 Italy. +39 075 830 7035. [email protected] 2 New Policy Objectives and Management Procedures for EU Fisheries A Commentary and Suggestions By Sidney Holt CONTENTS Summary 2 Preface 3 1. Introduction 5 2. Possibly more realistic models 11 3. The IWC experience: Part 1 13 4. The IWC experience: Part 2 15 5. Application to other fisheries 18 6. Some implications of transients 20 7. Recoveries of depleted stocks 21 8. The Ecosystem idea 22 9. Regulatory methods 25 10. Conclusions 25 11. Recommendations 28 Figures 30 References and Endnotes 49 3 Summary This paper welcomes the proposal by the European Commission that the Common Fisheries Policy for managing fisheries within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the European Union (EU) be amended to provide explicitly for the core objective of management to be identified as the restoration of fish stocks to levels and conditions in which they are capable of providing maximum sustainable yields, and maintenance of those stocks at or above those levels. This welcome is extended despite the fact that the MSY as a valid management objective, or even as a real biological feature of exploitable wild populations, has for decades been strongly – and rightly – challenged by scientists and economists, including by the author. Accoedingly the welcome is conditional on a redefinition of the MSY concept, and of the notion of sustainability, in operational terms.
    [Show full text]
  • No.1 (December, 2017)
    TEREP-ICR is published annually by the Institute of Cetacean Research. ISSN: ISSN: 2433-6084 Copyrightc 2017, The Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR). Citation Citation Entire Entire issue: Institute Institute of Cetacean Research 目 2017. Technical Repo 付s of the Institute af Cetacean Research (TEREP /CR} /CR} No. 1. The Institute of Cetacean Research, Tokyo, Japan, 97 pp. Individual Individual repo 同s: ’Author Name' 2017. ’Report title ,目 Technical Reports of the Institute of Cetacean Research (TEREP /CR} /CR} No. 1:’ pp ’-' pp ’. Editorial Editorial correspondence should be sent to: Editor, Editor, TEREP-ICR The Institute of Cetacean Research, 4-5 4-5 Toyomi-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0055, Japan Phone: +81(3) 3536 6521 Fax: Fax: +81(3) 3536 6522 E-mail: E-mail: [email protected] TEREP-ICR is available online at www.icrwhale.ore/tere 口.html Cover photo: School of Antarctic minke whales. Photo by 虻enji Tsuda. Copyrightc 2017, The Institute of Cetacean Research (IC 旦). TECHNICAL REPORTS OF THE INSTITUTE OF CETACEAN RESEARCH TEREP-ICR No. 1 The Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR) Tokyo, 2017 Technical Reports of the Institute of Cetacean Research (2017) p. i Foreword It is a pleasure for me to introduce the first issue of the Technical Reports of the Institute of Cetacean Research (TEREP- ICR). The main objective of the TEREP-ICR is to describe and report on the process, progress, or results of technical or scientific research, or the state of a technical or scientific research program conducted by the Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR). To inform a wide audience of the field and analytical research activities of the ICR, the TEREP-ICR will be written in English and will be published in December of each year.
    [Show full text]
  • DOES HISTORY SERVE CONSERVATION? Sidney Holt It Is
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Woods Hole Open Access Server DOES HISTORY SERVE CONSERVATION? Sidney Holt It is sometimes said that we should never believe a scientific theory until it is verified by experience. But…also…we should never believe an observation until it is confirmed by a theory. Sir Arthur Eddington, British cosmologist I have come here from the 11th conference of the North Atlantic Fisheries History Association (NAFHA) in Bergen, Norway, the first I have attended. I was pleased to leave that the answer to my title question was 'yes'. But the historians there were looking at sequences of events, and it seemed that the main lesson was that there had been many failures from which we might learn what not to do in the future. But, in any case my theme today is not so much events as ideas. In his majestic science-fiction saga, "Last and First men" (1930), Olaf Stapledon, English novelist and philosopher, wrote: "Theories, theories, myriads upon myriads of them, streamed over me like windborne leaves, like the contents of some titanic paper-factory flung aloft by the storm, like dust-clouds in the hurricane advance of the mind. Gasping in this vast whirling aridity, I almost forgot that in every mote of it lay some few spores of the organic truth, most often parched and dead, but sometimes living, pregnant, significant." Stapledon hypothesized the trajectory of human evolution through two billion years to the ultimate burnout of the solar system, though he did not look backwards to before 1930.
    [Show full text]
  • Sighting Records of Blue Whales from 2013 Aerial and Boat-Based Surveys in Chilean Waters
    Do not cite without author’s permission SC/65a/SH17 Sighting records of blue whales from 2013 aerial and boat-based surveys in Chilean waters Bárbara Galletti Vernazzani1, Elsa Cabrera1, Mariano Sironi2, Carole Carlson1 and Robert L. Brownell, Jr.3 1 Centro de Conservación Cetacea (CCC) – Casilla 19178 Correo 19, Santiago, Chile – [email protected] 2 Instituto de Conservación de Ballenas, Argentina 3 Southwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA, 1352 Lighthouse Ave, Pacific Grove, California, 93950, USA INTRODUCTION During the 20th century, blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) became a principal target of the whaling industry worldwide (Clapham et al., 1999). Off Chile, the first commercial catches occurred in 1908 from a land station in San Carlos, Corral (Pastene and Quiroz, 2010). Between 1926 and 1971, catches of almost 3,000 blue whales were taken off Chile, including 1,129 taken in the 1960’s (Aguayo-Lobo et al., 1998). In the past, blue whales taken from Chilean waters were classified as either Antarctic blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus intermedia) or pygmy blue whales (B. m. brevicauda) (Aguayo, 1974). However, based on total lengths of adult, female blue whales taken in Chilean waters, Branch et al. (2007a) showed that the whales off Chile are a unique population or even an unnamed subspecies. In addition, LeDuc et al. (2007) analysed genetic samples from off southwestern Australia, the southeastern Pacific (Chile), and the Antarctic and found that the genetic differentiation between Antarctic blue whales and pygmy blue whales was not markedly greater than between Australian and Chilean blue whales. Since 1970, blue whales have been reported, and often seen feeding, in southern Chilean waters during the austral summer and fall.
    [Show full text]