mrmoshe

Prawn prices rise for festive season ... again PRAWN prices are set to rise in a blow to families looking forward to enjoying a traditional Australian Christmas seafood feast. Importers said almost half the prawn catch would be locked out of Australia in a crackdown by Biosecurity Australia and enforced by the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service. The restrictions on imported prawns is to protect local stocks being contaminated by pathogens. Importers said consumers were being given "the raw prawn" by the move that also put jobs at risk. AQIS is managing new requirements to restrict prawn imports based on the risk of transfering diseases to local stocks. The Seafood Importers Association said Australia imported about 29,000 tonnes of prawns from Thailand, China, Vietnam, India and Malaysia. The Australian catch was about 22,000 tonnes and farmed stock 3500 tonnes.

Census just a dip in the ocean Scientists are taking a census of marine life that has revealed thousands of previously undiscovered species, and how pollution and global warming affect life underwater By David Brooks AFP, AUCKLAND Saturday, Nov 17, 2007, Page 16 Amid rapid declines in fish stocks and fears about the impact of climate change, scientists are nearing the end of the first global attempt to take stock of the astonishing range of life in our oceans. But alongside the discovery of a hairy "yeti" crab or revelations about the previously unknown migration patterns of the great white shark, is the knowledge that these are just a drop in the ocean of what remains undiscovered. A conference in Auckland this week of around 200 of nearly 2,000 researchers from 80 countries working on the Census of Marine Life have been discussing how to pull together their findings before the census ends in 2010. So far 17 studies ranging from bacteria to the ocean's largest predators have revealed more than 5,300 new marine life forms. To put that in context, around 230,000 marine species are known to scientists although estimates of the total number in the world's oceans and seas are between 1.4 million and 1.6 million. In the 2002-03 year, 1,555 marine species were newly identified, said Dennis Gordon, a principal scientist at New Zealand's national Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research. Working at that rate, it would take up to 881 years to finish the task of describing the marine species on the planet, Gordon told the conference. But the principal scientist of the census, Ron O'Dor, a professor of biology at Canada's Dalhousie University, said the census was opening up new areas of research. "It's as important to know what you don't know as it is to know what you know," he said. The projects, which include examining life on undersea mountains and under 400m of Antarctic ice, are throwing light on previously unknown species and regions. "The census will provide us an objective robust benchmark by which future change in marine life can be assessed," said Michael Stoddart, chief scientist to Australia's National Antarctic Programme and project leader for the census's Antarctic work. New technology is allowing researchers to go deeper into the ocean than ever before and to follow large marine animals such as sharks, turtles and seals on their migrations. A study of 22 Californian sea lions, which migrated unusually far out into the Pacific Ocean in recent years due to warmer-than-normal sea temperatures, provides clues to how marine life could respond to climate change. "By following how these animals respond to the changing oceanography, we will get an idea of how they will respond to a changing habitat in the future," said Daniel Costa, a University of California professor and project leader of a census project to tag large Pacific predators. Tagging of the previously mysterious great white sharks along the Californian coast showed they traveled across the Pacific to Hawaii in spring before returning to the mainland coast in autumn. Stoddart said climate change is bringing about rapid changes in the Antarctic environment, where 18 expeditions are heading over the southern summer. "So there is an added impetus and added urgency for us to work in the high latitude southern region," he said. On the other end of the size scale, even less is known about marine microbes, including bacteria and viruses. Yet they add up to as much as 98 percent of the total biomass of marine life, the conference was told. To provide some historical context for the census, one study has been looking at how marine life changed in past centuries. Researchers have used fossils, archaeological records and historical documents including fishing logs to trace changes in 12 estuary areas, mainly in Europe and North America. Heike Lotze, also of Dalhousie University, said the project showed about seven percent of species had become extinct globally or locally in the estuary areas and 36 percent had collapsed to less than 10 percent of previous numbers. "Human exploitation was the most important reason for extinctions, followed by habitat loss and pollution," said Lotze. But the researchers are also looking to the future, especially as the end of the first census draws near. They want to ensure that support can be found for funding to ensure there is a second census leading up to 2020 as human and climate threats put mounting pressure on the oceans. "Can we convey the urgency of continuing our efforts over the next decade?" challenged Rutgers University professor, J. Frederick Grassle, who chairs the census scientific steering committee.

That's the way Luke. Great days fishing had by all...what more could you ask for. Cheers, Pete.

Does it still go walkies when it's run unloaded? It could just be a loading problem if it's walking when loaded and not when unloaded. Apart from that..the only other suggestion is to shoot it! Cheers, Pete.

Great report Ian and well done on sharing your tackle with a fellow fisho...good karma coming your way for a while. Sounds like The Entrance is hotting up nicely for summer. Cheers, Pete.

If you are heading offshore over the weekend...keep an eye out for this whale in trouble and give the authorities a yell. Cheers and thanks, Pete. ________________________________________ Whale tangled in shark net Residents of Sydney's coastal areas are being asked to look out for a whale that may be dragging a shark net with buoys attached. The NSW Nature Conservation Council (NCC) says the whale became entangled this morning off Whale beach, on Sydney's northern beaches. NCC officer Giselle Firme said onlookers reported seeing the whale fighting to free itself from the net, finally swimming off but taking the net with it. It was heading south when last spotted by a group of divers, Ms Firme told AAP. She said anyone sighting the whale should call the Royal Surf Life Saving Association, which would inform the whale and dolphin conservation charity ORCA of the whale's whereabouts. Ms Firme said both the conservation council and the Sydney Aquarium Conservation Fund were asking the NSW government to immediately stop shark netting of Sydney beaches during September and October, while whales are migrating. "The Nature Conservation Council has long been of the opinion that bycatch of marine species in these nets is unacceptable, she said in a statement. "The NSW government is aware that over 8,000 harmless marine animals have been caught and killed in nets between 1950 and 2002. "Yet these statistics are ignored in favour of maintaining the illusion that these nets protect the public." AAP

G'day Sydfisherman and to the site. One of this site's sponsors is Trailerboathire.com.au They have 4.2 metre Quintrex dory boats with both a downrigger and sounder with a 30 hp Suzuki on the back. You can tow them to whereever you want yourself, so you are not restricted to one particular waterway. As a Raider member..you also get a discount on the hire. They are great boats to fish from and I can personally attest to their quality. Click on the banner ad at the top of the page to contact them. By the way..you will need a valid boat licence to hire them as they do over 10 knots..and then some. Have a look at a review I did on them a while back Here Hope this helps. Cheers, Pete.

Aussie breaks record for carrying full beer glasses An Australian has beaten the Germans at their own boozy game, smashing the world record for carrying stein glasses full of beer. Bavarian-born restaurant manager Reinhard Wurtz, who recently became an Australian citizen, broke the record for carrying one-litre steins of beer, when he carried 20 for 40 metres last night. With each beer-filled stein weighing at least 2.5 kilograms, Mr Wurtz carried 50 kilograms of beer and glass in the record-breaking effort. The previous record of 16 steins was held by German barmaid Anita Schwartz.

Raiders. Hope you both have a great day. Cheers, Pete.

Sounds like the flake version of fugu Byron. Pete.

Bob, Better target something else. Looks like it aint good on the tooth: Danger to Humans The sharpnose sevengill shark is considered harmless to humans. However, care must be taken when landing this shark as it is aggressive and will attempt to bite its captors. The flesh is mildly poisonous to humans when consumed. This is from the Florida Museum of Natural History. 7 Gill Shark Cheers, Pete.

Tropical fish can live for months out of water November 14, 2007 By Mica Rosenberg GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) - A tropical fish that lives in mangrove swamps across the Americas can survive out of water for months at a time, similar to how animals adapted to land millions of years ago, a new study shows. The Mangrove Rivulus, a type of small tropical killifish, seeks refuge in shallow pools of water in crab burrows, coconut shells or even old beer cans in the tropical mangrove swamps of Belize, the United States and Brazil. When their habitat dries up, they live on the land in logs, said Scott Taylor, a researcher at the Brevard County Environmentally Endangered Lands Program in central Florida. The fish, whose scientific name is Rivulus marmoratus, can grow as large as three inches. They group together in logs hollowed out by insects and breathe air through their skin instead of their gills until they can find water again. The scientific breakthrough came after a trip to Belize. "We kicked over a log and the fish just came tumbling out," Taylor told Reuters in neighboring Guatemala by telephone. He said he will publish his study on the fish in The American Naturalist journal early next year. In lab tests, Taylor said he found the fish can survive for up to 66 days out of water without eating, and their metabolism keeps functioning. CLUE TO EVOLUTION Some other fish can survive briefly out of water. The walking catfish found in Southeast Asia can wriggle over land for hours at a time, while lungfish found in Australia, Africa and South America can survive out of water, but only in a dormant state. No other known fish can be out of water as long as the Mangrove Rivulus and remain active, according to Patricia Wright, a biologist at Canada's University of Guelph. "They can survive for weeks without really dropping their metabolic rate. They remain relatively responsive and active for weeks in air," she said. The fish may hold clues to how animals evolved over time. "These animals live in an environment that is similar to conditions that existed millions of year ago, when animals began making the transition from water onto land," she added. Surviving on land is not the only unusual behavior exhibited by the fish. They have both testes and ovaries and essentially clone themselves by laying their own, already fertilized eggs. "This is probably the coolest fish around, not only do they have a very bizarre sex life, but they really don't meet standard behavioral criteria for fishes," said Taylor in a summary of his paper.

Man with beer takes hearse to go fishing WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) -- A mourner who authorities say got drunk, took a hearse from outside a New Zealand funeral venue and outran pursuing funeral directors told police he was "going fishing" when they pulled him over. Police said the 46-year-old sickness beneficiary, who brought a carton of beer for the trip, told them he was heading to the coast to "check out the sea conditions." The man had been attending a funeral near the tourist town of Rotorua on central North Island when he allegedly stole the blue Ford Forte hearse. There was no dead body on board at the time. Snr. Sgt. Ian Campion said funeral directors chased their $15,200 hearse as it was driven off, but eventually lost track of it and called police. The man had the carton of beer with him in the front of the hearse when he was stopped by police. "He said he was wanting to go for a ride to (the coastal town of) Maketu to check out the sea conditions before going fishing," Campion was reported telling the "New Zealand Herald" newspaper. The man allegedly had been drinking all day at the funeral and was described by Snr. Sgt. Deirdre Lack as "intoxicated" when arrested. He has been charged with unlawfully taking a motor vehicle.

Antioxidants in prawn heads prove useful Prawn heads contain a powerful antioxidant useful to humans, and a technique has now been perfected for effectively extracting it, making it more commercially viable. The antioxidant that triggers the red colouring in cooked prawns, astaxanthin, also plays an important role in protecting human cells from damage. It also is 10 times stronger than more common antioxidants found in fruit and vegetables. While researchers had known of the existence of astaxanthin in prawn shells, they were yet to find a effective method of extractions. A PhD student from the University of NSW, Renuka Karuppuswamy, has solved the problem. Using carbon dioxide held under specific pressure and temperature measurements she has managed to separate the antioxidant from the other solvents used to extract it from the prawn shells, meaning commercial-scale extraction is now a possibility. Through this process Ms Karuppuswamy has managed to recover more astaxanthin than other methods with less degradation of the shells. At the moment, most commercial forms of astaxanthin are taken from a particular algae or synthetically created. Consumers are forced to fork out $200 per gram. Ms Karuppuswamy's research offers a double whammy - not only is a new source of commercial astaxanthin possible but the project has uncovered an environmentally-friendly use for the thousands of tonnes of prawn waste discarded by seafood lovers around the world each year. The process also boasts green credentials. The solvents are fully recycled and the remnant shells can be used as water filling agents or to create a natural food coating, a substitute for chemical waxes. The potent antioxidant protects the body from oxidative damage which has been linked to glaucoma, Alzheimer's disease and other illnesses.

Great first report and a big to the site. What a series of firsts eh...Great fish to blood the new boat. Hope to read many more in the coming months. Cheers, Pete.

Congrats on your first (and & 2nd & 3rd) fin. A mighty effort. One of these days......I hope to get onto one...not likely in Narra Lake though I'm afraid. Good on ya Steve too for putting a fellow raider onto their first YFT Cheers,' Pete.

Excellent session Ross and Brett. It's days like that that keep you going fishing. Cheers, Pete.

Have a great day Frizzy and Cheers, Pete.

These might be handy for cold drinks on the boat or LB. This kid is gonna make a fortune! Pete. Kiwi champ chills beer in seconds for summer A GADGET that can chill a warm can of beer in seconds has been invented just in time for summer. New Zealand student Kent Hodgson came up with the device after being confronted with the problem of tepid beer at a barbecue this year. Mr Hodgson, 22, has called his invention Huski, which he intends to patent. It involves the instant production of dry ice pellets you can pop into your beer. Dry ice has a cooling capacity almost four times that of the same amount of regular ice, with a surface temperature of minus 78.5C. A canister can fill 30 330ml bottles at a cost of 6c each.

A big triple Happy Birthday to our celebrants today. Have a great day. Cheers, Pete.

Nice memories Dave. Sorry to hear of your loss. Cheers, Pete.

Live Chat is open if anyone wants a natter about anything. Cheers, Pete.

Water warning after likely stinger death The Australian: PARENTS are being warned to keep their children out of the water during stinger season after a six-year-old boy died on the Tiwi Islands, north of Darwin. Witnesses told police the boy ran from the water near the Milikapiti barge landing, saying he had been stung by something. It is believed to have been a Box Jellyfish. The boy collapsed and was taken to the local clinic but staff were unable to resuscitate him. Professor Bart Currie, from the NT Department of Health and Community Services, said the death was a sad reminder about how dangerous it was for children to swim in the sea during the stinger season, which runs from October to May. "Box Jellyfish are dangerous and severe stings can be fatal, particularly for children," Prof Currie said. "Children are more at risk due to their small body size and parents should be vigilant in keeping their children out of the sea during the stinger season." Of the last 11 deaths from jellyfish stings in the Territory all have been children. The most recent death in the NT was in 1996 when a three-year-old girl was stung on a remote beach. An autopsy will be conducted to confirm the cause of death on the Tiwi Islands and a file prepared for the coroner. Prof Currie said in the event of a Box Jellyfish sting, the affected area should be soaked with vinegar before removing tentacles and seeking professional medical advice.

Beautiful big girl....Don't forget to enter her into this month's FOTM. Cheers, Pete.

guys..hope you have a great day. Cheers, Pete.