FIBS NEWS DIRECT: FRIDAY, 15 AUGUST 2003
VOICE LESSONS:
Anyone strolling past the town hall last night may well have heard a strange assortment of noises. Professional opera singer, Philipa Thomas gave the first of a series of workshops on voice production. This week’s lesson focused on breathing and posture. The refreshment room was filled with 20 hissing, humming people for two hours as they learned how to use their voices properly. Exercises included dividing into pares for hissing Syd, which involves trying to push your partner away while emitting a constant low hiss. The idea is to hiss as long as possible to show how little air is needed. So, if you see groups of people hissing around Stanley over the next week, with carefully arched necks, humming and frowning with concentration, don’t worry. It’s not a sinister new cult but practising for next week’s session.
POST-MORTEM:
The post-mortem of Kirsty Brown will take place at the end of the month.
EXAM RESULTS ARRIVE:
Falklands Students got their "A" Level results today. Director of Education, Sylvia Cole (SC) gave us more details:
SC: All the students passed and when I spoke to them yesterday, there were no disappointments. The grades were, on the whole, as expected. One student, however, Michael Poole, is smiling more than the rest. Michael had been asked for high grades to enable him to study Business Studies at University in Birmingham. As a result of his 2 "As" and 2 "Cs" we are hoping this will be possible. Well done, Michael.
LS: Congratulations are also in order for the "AS" Level students.
SC: Grades at "AS" Level, which students take after studying one year at Peter Symonds, are looking good, with two students gaining 4 straight "A" grades and over 75% of our students gaining "A" to "C" grades. Our push for higher standards of achievement appears to be paying off and well done to all the students.
LH: The results should have arrived yesterday but they were delayed by the internet problems in the UK.
CRUISE SHIP VISITS:
The tourist season is fast approaching and cruise ships bring a majority of these one time visitors to the Islands. But how many ships are actually coming to the Falklands this year, and what will they be getting up to? There are also a couple of opportunities for people who live and work in the Islands.
TONIGHT’S TINY DARTS:
Tonight is the night that the tiniest darts in the Falklands and maybe even the world come out to play. Pat’s Mini-darts Competition is taking place in the Victory Bar starting at 2000. This is always a popular competition and rivalry is rife amongst the players, of which there are 64 this year. The entry fee of £2.00 is paid on the night and includes supper, which is chicken and chips. As many games as is physically possible will be played tonight and the remainder will be played tomorrow night. at the same time.
(100X Transcription Service)
14 August 2003
Was the Uruguayan Government Tricked? COLTO alleges Toothfish pirates falsify satellite vessel monitoring position data
An international organisation consisting of legal Toothfish operators (COLTO) believes the owners and operators of the alleged pirate vessel the Viarsa may have tricked the Uruguayan Government, one of the 24 Member Nations of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR). An Australian Fisheries and Customs patrol vessel has been chasing the Viarsa for about a week after spotting it allegedly fishing illegally in Australian waters.
According to COLTO, Uruguay has an international obligation and legal responsibility under CCAMLR to be monitoring all Uruguayan licensed Toothfish fishing vessels.
South African based COLTO spokesperson, Tim Reddell said satellite vessel monitoring systems (VMS) must be used to monitor the fishing areas of every licensed Toothfish fishing vessel working in CCAMLR waters.
In addition to ensuring boats are working where they claim to be, the legally required VMS is an integral part of the CCAMLR agreed scheme of catch documentation for Toothfish. Officials use the VMS reports to verify that fishing has been undertaken within international CCAMLR rules and regulations, and then provide legal catch documents for the catch of Toothfish, which are almost like a passport for Toothfish products.
The catch documents then travel with all legally caught Toothfish products from the point of unloading to the point of sale. "The CCAMLR catch document scheme is one means used to assure customers and the general public that the Toothfish being eaten has been caught legally, within the strictest environmental and fisheries resource management guidelines in the world," Mr Reddell said.
"If it is true that the Viarsa owners and operators have been falsifying satellite position reports to the Uruguayan Government, this would have major ramifications not just for the Uruguayan Government, but for the entire system of monitoring used by CCAMLR.
"Last year, the Uruguayan Government assured CCAMLR members that it was using satellite monitoring systems on a daily basis to track the fishing operations of all Uruguayan licensed Toothfish boats - an international requirement of CCAMLR membership which Uruguay stated it had implemented".
Mr Reddell said COLTO recognises that, if the Viarsa has been fishing illegally around Heard Island, this would have been without the support or knowledge of the Uruguayan Government. That could only mean the boat and its owners may well have been sending false position reports to the Uruguayan Government, which was of serious concern.
"COLTO now strongly renews its call for CCAMLR member nations to introduce a centralised satellite vessel monitoring system as a requirement of CCAMLR licenses and legal fishing for Toothfish". Last year at CCAMLR, Toothfish industry operators offered to pay for the implementation of a centralised Vessel Monitoring System based at the CCAMLR Secretariat. This was a location where industry members believed illegal operators could not tamper with it. At the time, CCAMLR members rejected the offer.
However, with the Viarsa now being found apparently fishing illegally around Heard Island while being monitored by Uruguayan authorities, it clearly demonstrates there is an urgent need for an improved, centralised, satellite vessel monitoring system to be implemented by CCAMLR.
"This will assist Governments like Uruguay in tracking its licensed Toothfish fishing operators, and will help avoid embarrassing events like this has the potential to become", Mr Reddell, COLTO will continue to monitor the situation, and maintain updates on its website.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Jenny Hodder
Manager Media and Public Affairs COLTO
Phone + 61 8 9202 2457
Mobile + 61 (0) 412 005 400
