While this news is good for the marine environment, it is important to look at the long term picture and realize that as the economy recovers, investors will again begin looking at funding this speculative, extractive industry.

As a result, the communities, establishing themselves as the Bismarck Solomon Seas Indigenous Peoples Council, have issued a statement opposing any deep sea mining until community concerns are heard and addressed.

Oceans and Communities stands with the communities in their opposition to deep sea mining efforts in the last refuges of the ocean.

Send an email today to Nautilus Minerals, which is spearheading the effort to mine in the territorial waters of PNG.

The full statement follows and is signed by some 70 individuals representing tribes and associations. (more…)

According to the article, a representative of the women from Kananam village, located in Madang Province, the village is no longer able to make ends meet by supplying fish to the town.

The women of the village are having sex in order to get the bycatch from a local canned fish company. The implication is that either the local fish supply is no longer as healthy as it once was or that competition from industrial vessels have forced out traditional fishers.

This sad situation demonstrates how dwindling fish supplies will force greater numbers of people into poverty and greater economic competition to feed their families.

It is critical to meet both human and ecological needs that we protect ocean resources from unsustainable use, especially from industrial fishing vessels that might be draining local food supplies.

Meanwhile , Nautilus has yet to publicly release an Environmental Impact study of the proposed deep sea mining operations. With operations planned to begin as early as 2010, Nautilus is not providing a lot of time for the public to analyze and respond to potential environmental impacts.

On June 15th, two tuna fishing-free zones will come into effect, one between Papua New Guinea and Palau, and another bordered by PNG, the Marshall Islands, Kiribati, the Solomon Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia.

Tuna vessels fishing within their exclusive economic zones will have to carry fisheries observers at all times. Fish aggregating devices or FADs, will be banned for the third quarter of each year.

With the Pacific providing half the tuna consumed globally, this is an important step.

However, there is growing concern over how these nations will enforce these rules in light of the illegal fishing occurring in the region as well as the lack of resources (vessels, cash, and staff) to enforce rules in such a large area.

A step in the right direction, but hopefully one that will be properly enforced.

On Sunday, a hundred of villagers, including 43 women, were arrested as they protested that the port project would take their farming lands without adequate compensation. The actions of the villagers forced the suspension of the construction and state police were called in.

To add your voice in opposition to the project, send an email today.

Oceans and Communities is supporting the effort to oppose the port project by helping organize a scientists’ statement calling for the protection of the sea turtles and for Tata to reconsider its placement of the port.

Orissa is home to the world’s largest nesting site of olive ridley sea turtles. Additional animals at risk includes rare species of snakes, crabs, and frogs.

To add your voice in defense of the turtles, the oceans and the coastal fishing communities, send an email today to the company building the port.

This raises the larger question of whether some things, such as the deep ocean, are best left alone, especially when scientific exploration opens the door to exploitation and potential devastation. (more…)