[Fwd: FW: Tours and a dead dolphin]

  

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From: Advantage Tours & Charters [mailto:advantage@zululink.co.za]
Sent: 22 November 2008 09:26 AM
To: 'Advantage Tours & Charters'
Subject: Tours and a dead dolphin

 

Hi again

 

Needed to ask a favour – you don’t always sit in front of your computers to read our updates and about the departure times – if you want an sms now and again about additional unscheduled tours going out – please send me your cell phone number to list  - it’s then quicker to read an sms than an e-mail –

 

If you don’t want sms’s you obviously don’t have to respond to this e-mail –

 

We’re off to First Rocks to go take DNA samples and photographs of a dead dolphin that washed up on the beach – sad!

 

We’ve got the most awesome funniest home video footage of one of the tractors trying to push the deepsea fishing boats into the ocean, and then instead of reversing the tractor went forward straight into the surf, having the ‘driver’ behind the wheel totally covered by a couple of waves before our staff was able to come to the rescue – he – he – some funny stuff hap’ning on the beach early mornings.....

 

Enjoy the rest of the weekend –

 

Kindest Regards

Riëtte

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Water Levels stabelising

With recent rains the water levels in the iMfolozi River has risen dramatically. This means that water restrictions will be lifted in the near future. Although with more rain falling in the catchments areas of the River, it could mean that the iMfolozi River will break trough into the ocean again. The current hydraulic pressure will be lost in such a scenario and the inflow of water into the Estuary from the River will seize.

 

All back pressure to keep water in the River upstream will be lost and once again all the potential tap water will run into the sea again. Good or bad this is the natural cycle and humans have to adapt around this conditions. The down side of this is restriction on development and this restric's the flow of five star tourism. With the increase of Five Star tourism more development is needed an a greater pressure is added to the environment and the life span of the planet.

 

Sometimes mans footprint on earth is just to deep for nature to survive.

12 Chinese and 22 Japanese buyers bid for Ivory

MEDIA RELEASE


ISSUED ON 06 NOVEMBER 2008


SOUTH AFRICAN IVORY STOCKPILE AUCTIONED


South Africa today (06 November) auctioned approximately 47 metric tons
of stockpiled ivory. The sale, approved by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora
(CITES), took place in Pretoria.

12 Chinese and 22 Japanese buyers bid for the South African stockpile.
The sale saw buyers bidding off brochures depicting the 63 lots of ivory
that the stockpile had been divided into. Buyers visited the stockpile
in Kruger National Park on Wednesday, 05 November during a private
viewing session.

During his opening statement Dr David Mabunda, Chief Executive of South
African National Parks (SANParks), said: "We fully appreciate and
embrace our responsibility to ensure that we stamp down on poaching of
any kind and so we intend to use considerable amounts of the funds we
raise today towards increasing our anti-poaching capacity"

The sale of the South African stockpile fetched approximately 6, 7
million USD. The average price for the 63 lots on auction was 142 USD
per kilogram.   

CITES Secretary General, Willem W Wijnstekers attended the auction as
the CITES observer.  

Wijnstekers said that a total of 101 tons of ivory was auctioned in the
four countries and generated total revenue of approximately 15 million
USD.

For previous press releases access the links below

http://www.environment.gov.za/HotIssues/2008/Ivorysale/ivory.html


http://www.sanparks.org <http://www.sanparks.org/>   


For media queries contact

wanda mkutshulwa (SANParks) on 082 908 2692 or

Roopa Singh (DEAT) on 082 225 3076

Research EFFORT on smoothhound SHARKS

 

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS AND TOURISM

MEDIA STATEMENT

6 November 2008

For immediate release

RECREATIONAL Anglers and MARINE SCIENTISTS cooperate in research EFFORT on smoothhound SHARKS

The Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism 's marine and coastal management branch and the West Coast Shore Angling Association are cooperating in a joint venture on Saturday 8 November 2008 to try to tag as many smoothhound sharks as possible as part of research into the population of smooth hound sharks in the Langebaan Lagoon system.

The joint venture which is dubbed the Langebaan Lagoon Smoothound Shark Derby 2008 is a tag and release tournament aimed at promoting collaborative opportunities between marine scientists and fishers to strengthen the sustainable management of marine resources. It will further assist with the existing research on the smoothhound shark population in Langebaan Lagoon.

Recent studies have shown that the main angling target species smoothhound shark, white stumpnose and elf are resident in the lagoon. The tag and recapture experiment will help to identify the stock size of the population of these species within the Langebaan –Saldanha bay area and the results will inform the sustainable management of these species.

Smoothhound sharks (Mustelus mustelus) are commonly caught off Southern African waters by commercial trawlers, long-lining operations, line-fishing boats, shore based recreational fishermen. Smoothhound sharks are one of the most frequently caught species. They are abundant in bays with soft substrate such as Langebaan Lagoon, where they feed on benthic invertebrates.

Sharks are slow growing animals, mature late and produce small numbers of offspring. These life-history traits make them extremely vulnerable to over-exploitation.

The tournament will be also be used to introduce the Green Marine Angling program, an initiative of the South African Shark Conservancy (SASC), in collaboration with the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism . This program is geared towards responsible angling where a code of handling is introduced to minimize the effects of poor handling practices when releasing fish.

This tournament does not only represent an exciting angling experience but also an opportunity a member of the South African Shore Angling Association,for anglers to actively participate in research on a locally important species aimed to assure the sustainable management of the smoothhound shark, based on sound scientific knowledge.

Only anglers who are registered members of the South African Shore Angling Association (SASAA) will be accepted to fish in this tournament. A maximum of 100 anglers will be allowed to participate. The West Coast Shore Angling Association is a member of the SAAA.

The Derby is taking place from 5:00 when registration starts at the Langebaan Yacht Club. Angling will be from 06:00 until 13:00.

Marine scientists from the department will participate and provide assistance with the tagging.

 

Contact: Carol Moses 0828293917 or cmoses@deat.gov.za

Issued by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism on 6 November 2008

www.deat.gov.za