Record Gold and Copper

Find in Alaskan Coastal

Watershed

by Andrew de Valpine

Nestled amidst the rolling hills at the head-

waters of two watersheds lies a gold, copper

and molybdenum deposit that, if developed,

would be the largest copper and gold mine in

the United States and the second largest in

the world.

The deposit sits on state land within the

boundaries of the Lake and Peninsula Bor-

ough, in southwest Alaska, about 160 miles

(as the crow flies) from Bristol Bay. Northern

Dynasty Minerals, a Canadian firm, hopes

to turn the deposit into a very profitable met-

als mine. At the same time, various groups

have aligned to oppose the project due to its

potential harm to fisheries and water quality.

The minerals at Pebble are in a porphyry sys-

tem, which are typically low-grade deposits,

economically exploited as open pits because

of the poor ratio of mineral to waste rock.

Initial plans showed that at full develop-

ment, the pit would be two miles long and

more than 2,000 feet deep. Tailings from

the development would be impounded be-

hind two tailings dams that could ultimately

TCS Bulletin

Volume 29 (1)

Board Meets to Discuss TCS

in the 21st Century

by Ellen Gordon

Under the threat of a winter storm, TCS

Board of Directors gathered near Baltimore

at the end of January to peer into the future.

The long-planned meeting was an effort to

develop a strategic agenda for the Society

that actively moves us forward in the 21st

century. Ably assisted by professional me-

diators from NOAA’s Coastal Services Center

in Charleston, SC, the Board met for nearly

two days of discussing, proposing, arguing,

questioning, compromising and agreeing.

Beginning with Board members expecta-

tions for the gathering, the group talked

about making the most of TCS for members;

connecting scientists and technology with

managers; mentoring young professionals;

expanding its reach by geography, discipline

and diversity; and increasing member partic-

ipation. Results from the membership survey

in fall 2006 helped focus the Board’s efforts.

The survey indicated that members consider

land use, planning and management; access;

loss of habitat; protected area management;

water quality and hazards; and education to

be among the most important coastal issues

for today. These results and others from the

survey set the stage for discussions through-

out the retreat.

Working on a long term vision for the Soci-

ety, the Board agreed that the strength of TCS

lies in empowering interdisciplinary coastal

professionals, scientists and decisionmakers

to promote and affect improved management

of the coasts and oceans. Paralleling this is

Erin McKittrick

INSIDE

Message from the

President....................2

From the Editor's

Desk ...........................3

Pew Fellow

Selection.....................7

TCS Selects Recipients

for Funds....................7

NewsNotes..................8

Chapter

Updates.....................11

TCS

21

Announce-

ment..........................13

Upcoming

Conferences..............14

Board of

Directors...................15

continued on page 3

continued on page 7

President’s Message

TCS 29 (1)

2 TCS BULLETIN VOLUME 29 (1) 2007

Either you decide to stay in the shallow end of the pool or you go out in the ocean.

--Christopher Reeve

I think many leaders would agree with me that it is a daunting task to address any group for the first time. However,

with The Coastal Society, I know many of you and for those that I haven’t met, membership in TCS shows your bril-

liance and foresight! All kidding aside, it’s an honor to lead an organization of individuals who are working so diligently

to protect and enhance ocean and coastal resources through pushing traditional boundaries, creating new tools and

strategies, and going “out in the ocean" instead of staying safely in the shallow end of the pool.

The TCS Board of Directors found itself jumping into the ocean this winter with its first retreat in over ten years (see

article on front page). There is much for TCS and its members to be proud: twenty biennial conferences, twenty-eight

volumes of the Bulletin, four hearty student chapters (with another tropical one on the way!), many national and inter-

national partnerships, and a distinguished list of officers and members who have had enormous impact on the coasts,

science and policy, and the lives of professionals in coastal fields.

With all of these achievements in hand, it is clear that TCS is on the cusp of important decisions about its future. And,

what an incredible time to be pushing boundaries: a new Congress, a bipartisan Joint Ocean Commission Initiative,

a growing interest in the US ratifying the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and a time when effects of climate

change on coastal areas is receiving international attention. The role that TCS chooses for itself in the coming years can

have an impact on these important policies and initiatives.

It is clear from the membership survey and the recent Board retreat that members of TCS care deeply about the coasts,

its resources, and its significance in the larger global environment. TCS can also have an important role in the lives of

people – those living on the coasts, those learning about the coasts for the first or the hundredth time, even those who

may not know of the vitality of the coasts and oceans but who rely on them for food, weather, transportation or liveli-

hoods. During the next two years, the initiatives TCS undertakes will have both coastal environments and people in

mind: nurturing professionals young and seasoned, domestically and internationally, and providing opportunities to

our members to go “out into the ocean" and tackle some of the pervasive social, scientific, technological, education, and

policy issues of our time. Whether it is through new opportunities or through existing conference or regional activities,

these are the challenges for TCS in the future.

I look forward to taking on these challenges with you and I hope you’ll contact me with your ideas for how TCS can go

out into the ocean!

The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent TCS nor its Board.

- Kristen M. Fletcher

TCS President

VOLUME 29 (1) 2007 TCS BULLETIN 3

From The Editor’s Desk

TCS 29 (1)

And the seasons they go round and round…Which brings us to the Spring (northern hemisphere) issue of the 2007

Bulletin. With new faces and old, nearly the entire TCS Board gathered for a couple of days this winter to devote

themselves to discussing the future of the Society—an effort you can learn about right on the front cover of this issue.

Joining that cover story is an eye-opening discussion of a copper and gold mine that would rival the largest in the

world, currently under exploration in the pristine south east Alaskan tundra, in the Bristol Bay watershed.

It’s certainly a cliché; however, avid gardener that I am, I can’t help but point out that Spring is a time of new begin-

nings and new growth. Besides preparing the ground and planting seeds, it’s also the time for me to plan the three re-

maining Bulletin issues of 2007. I’ve had several article proposals, and different ideas for some regular features have

come from TCS members. We are considering doing a thematic issue later in the year, with several articles focused on

a single topic. While we update you every quarter on news from the student chapters, we’re thinking of going a step

further and creating a regular feature, written each quarter by a student member.

And the painted ponies go up and down. We’re captive on the carousel of time….This is my third year as editor of

the Bulletin; I am always interested in suggestions for improvements. I began my tenure as editor as TCS switched to

an electronic format, leaving behind the snail mail delivery of paper editions (excepting libraries or special requests).

While a quarterly publication is never going to scoop current events, going electronic has been a real plus for the Soci -

ety, allowing us to be timelier in our reporting.

We can’t return, we can only look behind from where we came….Having covered impacts and early recovery ef-

forts in some places hard hit by the Indian Ocean tsunami, as well as the catastrophic one-two punch delivered to the

Gulf Coast by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, we want check in on progress. On page 9, you’ll find a report on how TCS

awarded the funds our members generously donated to the Coastal Resource Recovery Fund, allowing the Society to

play a direct part in recovering the coast. In a future issue, expect to see an update on the success of those projects.

And go round and round and round in the Circle Game…While the community of coastal professionals has long

been concerned with the impacts of global warming on the oceans and the coasts, acknowledgement of the problem

is finally rippling out into the general public. I’ve always included information in NewsNotes describing resources

impacted by global warming, but I want to publish some lengthier articles where impacts of climate change are part

of the focus. I’d also like to further explore energy issues and their effects on coastal areas. If you’ve got an idea for

something you’d like to write, please send me an email. If I believe it’s something we could publish, I will usually ask

for a brief summary or abstract. Articles in the Bulletin are not necessarily written by TCS members, but I do want to

strongly encourage members to publish in the Bulletin.

- Ellen Gordon, TCS Editor

ellen@gordonballard.com

(and thank you, Joni Mitchell)

be more than 700 feet high and more than seven miles

long. At full operation, the mine would require 250 mega-

watts of electricity, a road to a port on Cook Inlet, and a

port development. The extent of the mineral system of the

original find is about 90 square miles of alpine tundra.

Exploration was first focused on an area now called Pebble

West. Recent estimates show that within that ore body lies

up to 31.3 million ounces of gold, 18.8 billion tons of cop-

per, and lesser quantities of molybdenum and silver. Aside

from the size of the deposit, an important consideration

is that the minerals are close to the surface, which means

a relatively quick return on initial investment. Then, in

2005, exploration to the east found a richer deposit, though

at much greater depth – beginning at around 1600 feet

below the surface – that has added another estimated 39.6

million ounces of gold and 42.6 billion pounds of copper.

An engineer with Northern Dynasty Minerals described

this as a “re-deal," with all the cards thrown up in the air

and all previous plans on hold. The new, deeper, deposit

would not be amenable to open pit mining. Consequently,

the company is assessing block-caving, and how it might

continued from page 1

continued on page 4

Pebble

TCS 29 (1)

4 TCS BULLETIN VOLUME 29 (1) 2007

has been essential to the local people for many hundreds

of years. One important goal is to ensure the health of the

aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems -- primarily salmon re-

sources -- and other wildlife habitats. Concerns raised by

opponents of the mine include destruction of salmon habi-

tat, disruption of the water table, potential for acidification

of rivers if the tailings dams were to fail, increased hunting

and fishing pressures by an outside workforce, impact on

the market image of wild Alaskan salmon, noise impacts

and disruption on large land mammals, and socioeconomic

impacts on Native culture.

Per capita income in the Lake and Peninsula Borough,

comprised of several villages is about $15,361. The popu-

lation is comprised of 73% Native American or Indian

--primarily Athabascan, Aleuts and Yup’iks. The entire re-

gion is facing many challenges as the economic and social

landscapes change. The cost of living is high and economic

opportunities are few. About 19 percent of the population

lives below the poverty line; the mine could offer them em-

ployment close to home. A fully developed and operating

mine could also mean revenues of $12-20 million a year to

mesh with an open-pit mine, or even whether a pit will be

necessary. This new deposit would radically increase the

amount of tailings material to be managed over the course

of the mine’s life, should it become operational, but might

also provide for some underground storage of tailings.

Northern Dynasty Minerals estimates the mine would

operate for 50 to 90 years and create 2000 jobs over its

lifetime, with 600 to 1000 full-time jobs during operation.

So far, the company has spent $128 million on the project,

$49 million of that on environmental studies.

The proposed mine has generated intense opposition

among many in the region, largely because of potential

threats to fisheries and water quality. The prospect sits

astride two of the most productive river systems in the

world for sockeye and king salmon; the Nushagak-Mul-

chatna river system.

Historically, village residents have depended primarily

on the fishing industry as a way to support their families.

Salmon and its role in the indigenous subsistence economy

Northern Dynasty

Minerals, Inc. 2005

ADOT&PF

Road Study

Corridor

National Park

or Preserve

continued on page 5

continued from page 3

ic, environmental, and political landscape. To effectively

participate in these unfolding projects, local environmental

and socioeconomic expertise is critical. This is a concern

voiced by many local community residents – both those

who favor development and those who oppose--primarily

Alaska Native, who are place-based and who have a vested

interest in the land and its resources.

The late Jay Hammond, former Alaska governor had three

rules for development: Is it environmentally sound. Do

most Alaskans favor it. Does it pay its own way. These

standards may or may not come in to play, but watching

how they are invoked in the coming years will be another

part of the debate.

For more information on the project, check out these sites:

www.northerndynastyminerals.com,

www.dnr.state.ak.us (then follow the mining, land and

water links),

www.purebristolbay.com,

www.renewableresourcescoalition.com,

www.truthaboutpebble.org.

Susan Flensburg, Bristol Bay Native Association and

Deborah McLean, University of Alaska, Bristol Bay Campus

provided invaluable assistance with this article.

Andrew de Valpine, bbcrsant@nushtel.com, commercial

fishes in the summer in the Nushagak. (Anybody with good

ideas for wild salmon markets please let him know.) In the

winter he is director of the Bristol Bay Coastal Resource

Service Area.

VOLUME 29 (1) 2007 TCS BULLETIN 5

Pebble

TCS 29 (1)

the Borough, depending on the market value of the miner-

als being mined. These funds could provide much-needed

improvements in local services, including schools.

Some villages within the borough oppose the mine, and

many of the villages downstream of the project -- in the

Nushagak watershed, and outside the Borough boundaries

– oppose the development. The view of mine opponents is

that nothing is worth risking the water quality of the rivers

that support the salmon runs.The late 1800s witnessed the

beginnings of the commercial cash economy, a way of life

mingled with subsistence hunting and fishing that is the

basis of current socioeconomic conditions. Historically, the

commercial fisheries have been the economic engine and

primary source of cash for most area residents.

The sport-fishing industry is also rallying against the

proposed mine. Though it employs few locals – a source

of tension over the years – it, too, depends on a pristine

wilderness experience to sell to its clients.

Opponents suspect that the regulatory climate of the state

favors development. Two years ago, the State of Alaska re-

vised its Bristol Bay Area Plan and classified the state lands

around the Pebble deposit as “Mineral," implying that

mineral exploration and development would be considered

the best use of those lands. However, under the previous

plan, the land was similarly open to mineral exploration.

Several significant structural changes were made in state

resource agencies by the former administration: mixing

zones (areas where treated wastewater mixes with a water

body, theoretically diluting it to the point where pollutants

are no longer detectable) are now allowed in anadromous

streams, though not in streams that support Pacific salmon

species. The habitat division of the fish and game depart-

ment was moved into the Department of Natural Resourc-

es. Moreover, the Alaska Coastal Management Program

(ACMP), originally designed to provide more substantial

local input to activities that affected the coastal zone – and

operated that way for 20-plus years – was reworked to

concentrate input in state agency hands so that the agency

would be the primary interpreter of the ACMP policies and

standards. The state coordinating agency recently ruled,

for example, that the Bristol Bay Coastal Resource Service

Area was not an affected district for evaluating routine

exploration activities, even though these activities occur

within its watershed.

The discovery of rich gold and copper deposits near Iliam-

na, as well as gas and oil reserves in Bristol Bay have the

potential to significantly alter the region’s social, econom-

Erin McKittrick

continued from page 4

6 TCS BULLETIN VOLUME 29 (1) 2007

Retreat

TCS 29 (1)

the need to nurture professionals to fulfill these roles.

An unflinching look at the strengths and weaknesses of

TCS helped guide an honest and open discussion. TCS

members bring a wealth of expertise and experience to the

table. Perhaps more than any other coastal-relevant orga-

nization, TCS fosters the development of students with the

biennial conference, mentoring opportunities, and student

chapters. The conference is also an important resource for

professional networking. Via email and Bulletin publi-

cation, TCS provides useful information to its members

about job opportunities, conferences, and various facets

of coastal management. It is large enough to have some

impact, yet small enough to encourage access.

On the other hand, TCS needs to increase networking op-

portunities outside of the conference, as well as to enhance

communication in non-conference years. The organiza-

tion would benefit from integrating international issues

into its current activities and future strategies. Improving

the Society’s financial stability would enable it to be less

dependent on conferences for support. Accomplishing

more as a Society will require greater financial resources

and an active and engaged membership base. The Board

must continue to focus the Society’s objectives, enhance

its visibility, and improve members’ and nonmembers’

perception of who

TCS

is and what it does.

Both process and content received attention at the retreat.

Given constantly increasing demands on time, being ef-

ficient means being more effective. Whether it’s requests

for collaboration or participation, or proposals for new

initiatives, the Board needs to respond in a timely man-

ner. That is a tall order for a Board whose members are

scattered around the coasts, but one that the group worked

hard to streamline.

How TCS can contribute to improved protection of re-

sources and stewardship of the coast was the thread that

connected all of the discussions. The Board considered

opportunities for TCS that ranged from preparing position

papers to increased member benefits and/or membership

categories, additional chapters, partnering with like-mind-

ed organizations (including internationally), providing

issue-specific expertise, strengthening the affiliation with

the Coastal Management Journal, and creating a financial

development plan. An especially tricky issue with which

the Board grappled is how to advocate on behalf of coastal

resources, while avoiding conflicts resulting from political

partisanship.

To maintain momentum, Board members agreed to spear-

head efforts in a range of identified areas. These include:

*retaining, expanding and diversifying the membership

base,

*exploring international opportunities,

*updating the bylaws,

*increasing member involvement in many aspects of TCS,

*developing strategies for existing and future chapters,

*preparing a strategic plan as well as a financial develop-

ment plan,

*developing guidance on advocating for resources, and

*revisiting the vision and mission of TCS.

The future looks bright for The Coastal Society. The

email call that members received in March, seeking a TCS

member to consult on a U.S. Agency for International

Development-funded Marine Protected Area in Sri Lanka

is just one of the interesting new opportunities TCS hopes

to provide in coming months and years for its members. Of

course, the Society is only as vigorous as its membership;

its needs members’ energy, input and involvement. Please

feel free to contact any Board member with ideas you might

want to discuss or an effort you’d like to join.

continued from page 1

CRRF

TCS 29 (1)

VOLUME 29 (1) 2007 TCS BULLETIN 7

How will climate change alter life for those dependent on

Alaska’s Bering Sea and Australia’s Pacific Ocean for their

food, traditions and incomes. How can marine protected

areas safeguard migratory sea turtles, seabirds and whales

in the Western Mediterranean Sea. Will a network of

marine protected areas designed with local community

input restore the severely degraded ocean habitats of the

Philippines. How can an adaptive management plan con-

serve Japan’s Shiretoko Natural Heritage site in the Sea of

Okhotsk.

Five individuals from Australia, Japan and the United

States will search for answers to these questions as recipi-

ents of the 2007 Pew Fellowship in Marine Conservation,

awarded by the Pew Institute for Ocean Science. Each

Fellow will receive $150,000 to conduct a three-year con-

servation project designed to address critical challenges to

healthy oceans.

The recipients join more than 100 Pew Marine Conserva-

tion Fellows from 27 countries. TCS congratulates Board

Member Patrick J. Christie, Ph.D., on receiving a fellow-

ship. Patrick is an assistant professor at the University of

Washington's School of Marine Affairs and the Jackson

School of International Studies in Seattle, Washington.

Patrick’s Pew Fellowship project will address the unprece-

dented loss of biodiversity, habitats and ecological function

in the Philippines by facilitating the formation and man-

agement of marine protected area networks in the region.

Working in collaboration with the Coastal Conservation

and Education Foundation, a non-governmental organiza-

tion in the Philippines, he will conduct a multi-stakeholder

process for the network design and implementation.

TCS Board Member Patrick Christie Named a 2007

Pew Fellow in Marine Conservation

TCS Selects Recipients for Coastal Re-

source Recovery Funds

In 2006, TCS initiated a new effort to raise money to

contribute to existing coastal resource protection, restora-

tion, and education projects underway in areas devastated

by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Approximately $2,100

was raised at The Coastal Society’s 20th International

Conference in St. Pete Beach in May 2006 and initiatives

following the conference. Three entities from Louisiana,

Mississippi, and Alabama were chosen via a competitive

process, researched and recommended by a Selection Com-

mittee, and approved by the TCS Board of Directors. Each

group selected will receive $700 to contribute to an existing

project that helps restore areas devastated during the 2005

hurricane season. You can also expect to see articles in

future TCS Bulletins that describe how the donated funds

were used to enhance their existing coastal resource protec-

tion, restoration, and education projects.

The Alabama Coastal Foundation (ACF) works to im-

prove and protect the quality of Alabama's coastal resourc-

es by identifying and solving problems through education,

cooperation

and

participation. ACF has an active habitat

restoration program that plans and coordinates habitat

enhancement and restoration projects in south Alabama.

TCS funds will be contributed to ACF’s Cypress Tree Proj-

ect and/or their emerging Sea Oats Project. The Cypress

Tree Project enhances and restores degraded marsh habitat

by planting a variety of trees including bald cypress, tulip

poplar, southern magnolia, and live oak along Alabama’s

degraded coastal areas. The Sea Oats Project will restore

habitat in areas damaged by Hurricane Katrina by using

volunteers and other resources to replant native sea oats.

The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL)

is a non-profit advocacy organization whose mission is

the preservation, restoration and responsible stewardship

of the coastal wetlands, waters, and barrier shorelines of

coastal Louisiana. Fulfilling the role as responsible stew-

ards of Louisiana's rich coastal wetlands, the CRCL facili-

tates and funds restoration projects to raise awareness

and educate others about the importance of preserving

and restoring coastal Louisiana. TCS funds will be used

for CRCL’s Vermillion Bay Reef Project, which will create

a living reef that enhances fisheries habitat, absorbs wave

continued on page 8

VOLUME 29 (1) 2007 TCS BULLETIN 8

NewsNotes

TCS 29 (1)

energy, and protects Louisiana’s coast from further shore-

line erosion.

The Mississippi Coast Audubon Society (MCAS) is a

charitable educational organization totally operated by vol-

unteers. Its mission is to actively encourage the protection

of wildlife and the preservation and restoration of native

habitat, and to promote understanding through education

of all aspects of our natural and urban environment. In

2005, it developed a program, Operation Backyard Recov-

ery, to promote the recovery of habitat for birds and other

wildlife in areas stricken by Hurricane Katrina. TCS funds

will be used to develop the Least Tern/Black Skimmer

Nesting Area Restoration Project, which will restore beach

continued from page 7

Courtesy Alabama Coastal Foundation

grass in nesting areas and improve habitat quality for birds

and wildlife along the Mississippi coast.

Many thanks again to all who donated to this important

and timely effort— your contributions will help to enhance

the habitat and lives of those affected by these natural

disasters!!

NINTH CIRCUIT DECLINES TO EXTEND CWA

JURISDICTION TO “ADJACENT WATERS" OTHER

THAN WETLANDS

Excerpted from Marten Law Group Newsletter, by Laura

Fandino: The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals last month

refused to extend the federal government’s jurisdiction

under the Clean Water Act (CWA) to ponds adjacent to

navigable waters. The decision in San Francisco Baykeeper

v. Cargill Salt Division, also interprets the Supreme Court’s

ruling last term in Rapanos v. United States to extend only

to wetlands, and not to non-wetland waters. The Cargill

decision provides additional clarity with respect to the

reach of federal CWA jurisdiction over ponds, streams, and

other waterbodies adjacent to protected waters. The Court’s

conclusion that the “significant nexus" test advanced in

Rapanos v. United States applies to wetlands only, and not

ponds or other non-wetland waters, provides additional in-

sight into the limits of that recent ruling. www.martenlaw.

com/news/.20070411-cwa-jursidiction

TIDAL POWER DEVELOPMENT IN NOVA SCOTIA

From the ACZISC Coastal Update: The Government of

Nova Scotia is moving forward on in-stream tidal power

and offshore renewable energy by sponsoring a strategic

environmental assessment. This effort will review the

social, economic and environmental effects and factors as-

sociated with potential development of renewable energy in

the Bay of Fundy, with an emphasis on in-stream tidal and

on creating a streamlined policy framework for developers.

For information, access http://www.gov.ns.ca/energy/Ab-

sPage.aspx.siteid=1&lang=1&id=1346.

ICELANDIC WHALERS DON’T SELL ANY WHALE

MEAT

From EUCC Coastal News: Some 100 tons of whale meat

is sitting unsold in Icelandic freezers, three months after

Reykjavik sparked global ire by resuming commercial

hunts. Kristjan Loftsson, manager of whaling firm Hvalu

said the delay was because firms must first test the meat

for dangerous chemicals to see if it meets food industry

standards. Loftsson and Iceland’s Fisheries Minister Einar

Gudfinnsson said they were confident that whaling firms

would ultimately find buyers, particularly in Japan. Gud-

finnsson told Reuters the delay in sales did not change the

decision to allow the hunts.

MITIGATING SHORE EROSION ALONG SHEL-

TERED COASTS

From the ACZISC Coastal Update: The US National Re-

search Council report calls for a regional management

approach that considers the environmental impacts that

could accumulate if hard structures are permitted on a

site by site basis. The report also recommends chang-

ing the current permitting system to encourage the use

of more ecologically beneficial erosion control methods,

such as planting of marshes. http://www.nap.edu/catalog.

php.record_id=11764.

continued on page 9

face nutrients limit phytoplankton growth. Climate warm-

ing further inhibits mixing, reducing the upward nutrient

supply and lowering productivity. Extrapolating these ob-

servations into the future suggests that marine biological

productivity in the tropics and mid-latitudes will decline

substantially. However, ecosystem dynamics are complex

and nonlinear and unexpected phenomena may arise.

DIAGNOSING MARINE ANIMAL DIE-OFF

Excerpted from the Washington Post: In the summer

and fall of 2005, marine animals suddenly started dying

off the southwest Florida coast, with scores of bottlenose

dolphins, manatees and turtles washing up on shore. In

October ’05 alone, 22 dolphins became stranded and died,

compared with the usual monthly average of three. Hop-

ing to unravel the mystery, nearly 50 researchers, part of

the Working Group on Marine Mammal Unusual Mortal-

ity Events, undertook a study of the deaths. After taking

samples from 130 stranded dolphins, they concluded that

red tide--an algae bloom that creates a neurotoxin known

as brevetoxin--caused the massive die-off. In the 16 years

since it was formed under the auspices of the National

Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, the

working group has investigated scores of similar events.

Experts believe a range of factors are contributing to the

algae blooms and viruses linked to the die-offs, including

nutrient runoff from farming, rising ocean temperatures

and discarded waste such as cat litter. http://www.wash-

ingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/25/

AR2007032500732_pf.html

CLIMATE CHANGE 2007: IMPACTS, ADAPTA-

TION AND VULNERABILITY

From the ACZISC Coastal Update: The Working Group II

contribution to the “Climate Change 2007 Assessment Re-

port" of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

(IPCC) was presented in Brussels on April 6, 2007. The

report provides a comprehensive analysis of how climate

change is affecting natural and human systems, what the

impacts will be in the future and how far adaptation and

mitigation can reduce these impacts. It also contains chap-

ters on specific systems, sectors and regions. http://www.

ipcc.ch.

STUDY SAYS DEPLETION OF SHARKS HURTS

ECOSYSTEMS

Excerpted from Seaspan Marine Newsletter: For years,

conservationists have warned about overfishing of large

sharks in the northwestern Atlantic, as the demand for

meat and fins, coupled with slow growth and reproduction

rates of many species has caused sharp declines in popula-

9 TCS BULLETIN VOLUME 29 (1) 2007

NewsNotes

TCS 29 (1)

OBERSTAR TO INTRODUCE BILL CLARIFYING

WETLAND JURISDICTION

From CSO Weekly Report: Rep. James Oberstar (D-MN),

chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure

Committee plans to introduce a bill titled the Clean Water

Authority Restoration Act. The bill aims to clarify the scope

of the Clean Water Act and its applicability to wetlands

by codifying broad protection and specifically stating the

law extends to intermittent streams, wet meadows, and

several other types of water. The bill may also amend the

phrase "navigable waters" by removing the word "navi-

gable." A version of the Oberstar bill was included in Great

Lakes legislation (H.R. 1350) introduced last month by

Reps. Vernon Ehlers (R-MI) and Rahm Emanuel (D-IL).

The bills would codify a specific definition of "waters of

the United States" to include all interstate and intrastate

waters and their tributaries. This includes not only lakes

and rivers but intermittent streams, mudflats, wetlands,

sloughs, prairie potholes, playa lakes, natural ponds, and

more. Supporters of the bill say it affirms the CWA’s origi-

nal intent to provide broad protections and clarifies juris-

dictional questions. Opponents worry the bill will result

in regulations of ditches, gutters, and groundwater and

result in permitting delays and impede development. The

water law's reach over wetlands was called into question in

the Supreme Court case's Solid Waste Agency of Northern

Cook County v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and most

recently by Rapanos v. United States and Carabell v. U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers.

A WARMER OCEAN WILL LEAD TO PHYTO-

PLANKTON DECLINES, SAYS STUDY

Excerpted from Seaweb: The productivity of phytoplank-

ton is geared to fluctuations in the global climate, and

recent warmer temperatures correspond to lower oceanic

biomass and productivity. This is the conclusion of a study

published in the journal “Nature." The study analyzed a de-

cade of data from satellites which measured surface chlo-

rophyll. The authors combined these readings with empiri-

cal data to estimate phytoplankton growth rates and net

primary production. Using this method, the study found

that global chlorophyll and productivity increased sharply

from 1997-98, and then declined steadily until 2005. The

sharp increase occurred during a negative, or cold, phase

of the El Niño- Southern Oscillation (ENSO), and the

subsequent slow drop occurred as the planet moved into

a warm phase. A companion article in “Nature," explains

that the climate-plankton link is found primarily in the

tropics and mid-latitudes, where there is limited vertical

mixing because the water column is stabilized by thermal

stratification in these areas, the typically low levels of sur-

continued on page 10

continued from page 8

Lakes aquatic habitat from disruptions caused by a grow-

ing number of energy projects. The panel said growing

interest in crossing the beds of the Great Lakes with pipe-

lines, installing wind turbines, and other proposed lakebed

alterations raises important questions about protection of

aquatic habitat that should be addressed through revisions

in state and provincial policies. The report recommends

steps to assure protection of vital Great Lakes aquatic

habitat from disruptions caused by a growing number of

proposed energy projects. Some of the recommendations

include: identify and map areas that should be protected

from any significant lakebed alterations due to the sensi-

tivity of their biological, physical, archaeological, or other

values, and designate them for legal protection; promote

the siting of alteration projects in areas that can tolerate

such disturbances; prohibit uses of the lakebed that are

not water dependent; require a demonstration of clear

and substantial public benefit, including but not limited

to environmental benefit, before authorizing such uses;

and require long-term ecological monitoring be paid for by

those who undertake projects that alter lakebed habitat,

and provide for adjustment or disapproval of projects that

impair the trust values of bottomlands. For more informa-

tion go to http://www.glfc.org/research/reports/Dempsey.

pdf.

JRC REPORT ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND EU-

ROPE’S COASTAL AND MARINE WATERS

From EUCC Coastal News: The European Commission’s

Joint Research Centre (JRC) has drafted a report detailing

the effects climate change is having on Europe’s coastal

waters and regional seas. The report deals with the effects

of climate change and the human impact on European

coastal and marine habitats. It also identifies gaps in the

current scientific and technological knowledge base re-

garding climate-related impacts, along with policy recom-

mendations to address them. The report stresses that any

policies designed to mitigate climate change impacts will

have to address human exploitation of the seas and coasts,

to ensure sustainable management of marine resources.

http://ies.jrc.ec.europa.eu/

10 TCS BULLETIN VOLUME 29 (1) 2007

NewsNotes

TCS 29 (1)

tions of hammerheads, duskies and others. Researchers

are now reporting repercussions beyond the declining

shark populations. Depletion of large sharks, they write

in the most recent issue of the journal Science, has led to

the destruction of the bay scallop fishery along parts of

the United States’ eastern seaboard. The study documents

a trophic cascade, demonstrating the loss a top predator

can have on a marine ecosystem. In the absence of large

sharks, the researchers say, the smaller sharks, skates

and rays that they feed upon have thrived. In turn, one

of the middle links in the food chain, the cownose ray,

has become more abundant, wiping out scallop beds in

North Carolina. But Steve Murawski, director of scientific

programs and chief science advisor at the National Ma-

rine Fisheries Service, said the study had not conclusively

shown a connection between declines in certain species

and increases in others. “It certainly shows correlation," he

said. “What we don’t have is a smoking gun in terms of a

predation link."

ESTABLISHING NETWORKS OF MPAs

From the ACZISC Coastal Update: The publication “Es-

tablishing Networks of Marine Protected Areas - Making

It Happen" concludes that connecting marine reserves to

large networks will make marine species and ecosystems

more resistant to threats such as climate change, overfish-

ing or pollution. It reviews the need for MPA networks,

the ecological design criteria for the networks, the broader

considerations needed to ensure that they are set in con-

text, and the key elements needed to make MPA Networks

happen and achieve their goals. http://www.iucn.org/

themes/wcpa/biome/marine/mpanetworks/networks.

html.

ORKNEY TO GET BIGGEST WAVE FARM

From BBC News: Scottish ministers have announced

funding for what has been described as the world's biggest

wave energy farm. The Pelamis device has been tested at

the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) on Orkney

by Leith-based company Ocean Power Delivery. Scottish

Power wants to commission four more at the same site.

Deputy First Minister Nicol Stephen announced a £13m

funding package that will also allow a number of other ma-

rine energy devices to be tested. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/

hi/uk_news/scotland/6377423.stm

GROUP SUGGESTS GUIDELINES TO PROTECT

GREAT LAKES FROM ENERGY PROJECTS

From CSO Weekly Report: A panel advising the Great

Lakes Fishery Commission is urging the eight Great Lakes

states and the province of Ontario to protect vital Great

continued on page 14

continued from page 9

Chapter Updates

TCS 29 (1)

11 TCS BULLETIN VOLUME 29 (1) 2007

University of Rhode Island

New officers for our chapter include co-presidents Matt

Nixon and Willie Whitmore; Azure Westwood is the Secre-

tary; and Kate Mulvaney is the Treasurer. Upon the request

of the new officers, Chrissy Patrick will serve as the Chapter

Liaison with National TCS. Our chapter will be holding

Forums on a weekly basis between now and the end of

April. In total, the spring semester will feature at least eight

speakers!

Already, we have enjoyed hearing John Pappalardo, Chair

of the New England Fisheries Management Council at a

Forum, and were lucky to have plenty of time for questions

and answers. John joined our chapter for a more informal

conversation in the Student Union coffee shop after his

presentation was