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Tuesday 7 January 2014

Mapping European Seabed Habitats webGIS update

News of recent updates to the Mapping European Seabed Habitats (MESH) interactive mapping portal: www.searchMESH.net/webGIS. This portal allows you toview, query, search for and download seabed habitat data for the waters of Belgium*, France, Ireland, Netherlands*, Portugal (including Azores), Spain and UK. The webGIS works in conjunction with International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) Spatial Facility, which contains a metadata catalogue that describes the mapping data.

Since 2011 the site has been funded by the European Regional Development Fund – Atlantic Area through the MESH Atlantic project and maintained by the UK’s Joint Nature Conservation Committee. The MESH Atlantic project has now come to an end and this update marks the final data update under this project. The major changes are listed below:

Update to French, Irish, Spanish and Portuguese data in the composite EUNIS habitats layer (available to view and download)
Addition of a full-coverage broad-scale physical EUNIS map for the MESH Atlantic project area (available to view and download)

Additional things to note:

OSPAR threatened and/or declining habitat data for the northeast Atlantic will continue to be updated annually, with a new version due by February 2014
Web Map Service (WMS): all data layers can be loaded into your desktop GIS without the need to download
Future of the webGIS: funding for the functions of this webGIS will continue through the EMODnet Seabed Habitats project between 2014 and 2016, and will continue to be managed by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee. We will continue to keep you updated on the progress.

More details about how to use the webGIS are provided below for those who are interested. We hope that you continue to use and benefit from the data. If you have any questions or suggestions, please get in touch through info@searchMESH.net

MORE INFORMATION ON USAGE OF THE WEBGIS

HELP PAGE:

The webGIS help page is available in English, Portuguese and French

QUERY PAGE:

I recommend making use of the query page (either click on 'Build a query' on the webGIS entry page, or click on 'map query' in the top right of the mapping screen). Here you can filter the EUNIS maps based on a specific habitat type, and zoom to particular layers and regions. If you want to send someone a URL to the mapper showing a specific layer and region, you can select the relevant options on the query page, click 'Go to map -->' and then copy and paste the URL that is generated. E.g. this is the URL generated when you select 'Ireland' as the Zoom area, and 'A3 - infralittoral rock' as the EUNIS habitat to display:

http://www.searchmesh.net/default.aspx?page=1974&&mapInstance=MESHAtlanticMap_&HabCode=A3&X=-10.668884&Y=52.375629&Zoom=5

WMS:

The address to use is:

http://213.122.160.75/scripts/mapserv.exe?map=D:\Websites\MESHAtlantic\map\ExternalMESHAtlanticWMS.map

METADATA:

MESH Atlantic metadata sits on the ICES GeoNetwork that was originally created for the ICES Working Group on Marine Habitat Mapping. You can search for metadata with links to the maps if you click on ‘Search metadata’ on the webGIS entry page, or you can go directly to the catalogue by clicking on ‘metadata catalogue’ in the top right of the mapping screen or go to http://geo.ices.dk/geonetwork. You can also get to the metadata for a specific map by right-clicking on the EUNIS habitat maps layer and selecting ‘view details’ in the pop-up. Unfortunately it is not currently possible to click on a link within the metadata catalogue that takes you back to the map.

Concarneau community combats changing fortunes to preserve the port's fishing heritage

Here's a good news story from Concarneau, Penzance's twin-town in Brittany where changing circumstances are adversely affecting the fortunes of the once great fishing port.

Looking beyond quotas, rules and regulations, the fishing community in Concarneau, Penzance’s twin town, is looking at other ways to protect its fleet of small fishing boats. A petition has been set up on the change.org website and has already received 266 signatures. Rather than just complaining about the situation, the organisers have put forward a series of proposals to ensure Concarneau remains an active port and stresses that fishing can also attract tourists to the area.

Among their ideas a public-private partnership to modernise the facilities in the port and the possibility of day boats selling their crabs, lobsters and fish directly to customers. They believe that this would not only benefit those involved in the sector, but also make Concarneau more attractive to visitors, suggesting that a cooperative seafood restaurant be set up to stress the quality of local produce.

Newlyn needs to remind itself that in order to reap the most rewards from its key role as the largest fishing presence in Cornwall where tourism is by far the county's biggest industry it shoulds also be looking at engaging more proactively with the tourism industry. Ironically, one of the moves planned by the Breton port has already been championed here in Newlyn, - #DrecklyFish took the bull by the horns when four like-minded inshore fishermen got together and, with the help of a sound understanding of social media and technology, set up direct selling their catch to the public! Men of the smaller boats working from Newlyn and all the small coves around the coastline provide a very real face for the holidaymaker to engage with.

Meanwhile, like the rest of the coast of Western Brittany, the town has been exposed to the heavy Atlantic swell with rivers bursting their banks and high tides flooding over sea defences with the authorities closing coastal roads this weekend with 8-9 metre high waves set to batter the coast again this evening. The port of Guilvinec is experiencing similar weather conditions caught on the Thalassa web cam.

Monday 6 January 2014

Haddock on your plate courtesy of Peter Bruce aboard the Budding Rose.

Sea to Plate - The Fisherman from Beard Askew Productions on Vimeo.

The journey of a North Sea Haddock from the sea to our plate needn’t be a complicated one! In fact it shouldn’t take more than 24 hours. Peter Bruce has been going to sea for more than 30 years. He is the skipper of the Budding Rose, a pair trawler in the North Sea. We spoke to Peter immediately after he landed 400 boxes of MSC sustainable haddock and he explained his part of the process.

Injured fisherman medevaced off Falmouth from fishing vessel Cayman

Two days after putting ashore an injured crewman - and despite there being no boats from Newlyn at sea since last Wednesday the Breton trawler Cayman fishes on...

an indication of the weather she is working in can be seen from the VesselTracker weather readout which helpfully gives and average wave height reading for the area the boat is working in - 7.6m or 25ft is decidedly uncomfortable - she must be on good fishing to make it worth the discomfort!

Here is the VesselTracker report posted by Timsen:

A French fisherman has been aided by the RNLI after suffering a chest injury aboard the "Cayman" in the evening of Jan 3, 2014.

The Falmouth Coastguard requested the launch of the all weather lifeboat just after 8.30 p.m. to carry out a medical assessment and evacuation of a fisherman. The vessel had been fishing in the English Channel when the man was hit by a trawl wire and thrown against the gunwale with considerable force, and the after contacting coastguards the crew headed to Falmouth Bay before meeting the lifeboat five miles south-east of Falmouth. Upon arrival a lifeboat crew member was placed on board the fishing vessel with first aid items including oxygen, to assess the casualty’s condition and to administer casualty care.

In view of the prevailing weather conditions it was decided it would be too dangerous to transfer the casualty in the bay so the lifeboat escorted the vessel towards the harbour entrance. At 10.06 p.m. as both vessels were approaching Black Rock additional oxygen was requested and this was transferred across to the vessel. The fishing boat was taken to the northern arm of the docks where it was tied up alongside to allow the casualty to be safely transferred to the lifeboat in a stretcher.

The lifeboat returned to its station where the casualty was handed to paramedics and taken to the Royal Cornwall Hospital for treatment. (6 hours ago, by Timsen )

Senegalese fishermen fear sardines will suffer from a Russian invasion

Photo and story courtesy of Hanz on VesselTracker

After Senegal has seized a Russian trawler and threatened to fine it $830,000 for alleged illegal fishing, Russian fishing officials said the actions could be caused by pressure from Greenpeace. Two years ago, the "Oleg Naydyonov" appeared in the Senegalese waters with canvas covering its identifying marks, and supposedly engaged in illegal fishing. Greenpeace activists sailed to the ship and painted the words "pillage!" and "plunder!" on its hull. Senegal's military said on Jan 4 that the "Oleg Naydyonov" had been dragging its trawls illegally off the coast. The military forces boarded the trawler and escorted it to a military base near Dakar.

Senegal can impose a more than $400,000 fine for illegal fishing, but because the "Oleg Naydyonov" is a "repeat offender", the fine may be doubled. Russian officials said the Senegalese troops had manhandled the crew, which also included Guinea Bissau nationals, had threatened them with automatic rifles and broke an arm of the ship's cafeteria worker.

Here is another report:

A Senegalese navy ship detained the Oleg Naidenov on Saturday with 62 Russians and 23 nationals of Guinea-Bissau on board. Yury Parshev, executive director of Feniks, the company that owns the Oleg Naidenov, said the vessel was being guarded by military police in a closed naval port in the Senegalese capital and that the passports of all the crewmembers had been confiscated. Parshev said no official explanation for the trawler’s detention had been given, and that he hopes to meet with Senegalese officials in coming days.

On Saturday, Agence France Presse quoted a Senegalese military spokesman as saying the ship had been boarded after it was seen illegally fishing in Senegalese waters near the border with Guinea-Bissau. Parshev said the vessel was fishing legally in Guinea-Bissau’s waters. Russia’s Federal Fisheries Agency said Saturday that the ship had been operating in compliance with international standards.

The Oleg Naidenov’s captain and a female galley attendant were injured during the detention of the trawler, Parshev said. He said Sunday that their condition was not getting worse, but that they required X-rays and scans, as the galley attendant had a suspected arm fracture. Parshev said there was no unrest on the trawler, but that people’s morale was low.

Mikhail Margelov, Russia’s presidential envoy to Africa, said Sunday that Russia was seeking an explanation of the situation from Senegalese authorities via diplomatic channels and that representatives of the Federal Fisheries Agency and Ministry of Foreign Affairs were in contact with the Russian crewmembers.

Margelov told RIA Novosti that the incident could be “an attempt to turn our citizens into a bargaining chip in the fiercely competitive battle for bio-resources in this part of the Atlantic.” “Russia has always been interested in gaining access to the rich fish stocks of Africa’s Atlantic coast and the Gulf of Guinea, and is by no means trying to walk away from this competitive but very attractive market,”

Updated with comments from Margelov and additional comments from Parshev.

The same story in the Russian Press:

ST. PETERSBURG, January 5 (RIA Novosti) – A Russian fishing trawler detained by Senegal’s navy Saturday has arrived under escort in the port of Dakar, the ship’s owner said Sunday. A Senegalese navy ship detained the Oleg Naidenov on Saturday with 62 Russians and 23 nationals of Guinea-Bissau on board. Yury Parshev, executive director of Feniks, the company that owns the Oleg Naidenov, said the vessel was being guarded by military police in a closed naval port in the Senegalese capital and that the passports of all the crewmembers had been confiscated.

Parshev said no official explanation for the trawler’s detention had been given, and that he hopes to meet with Senegalese officials in coming days. On Saturday, Agence France Presse quoted a Senegalese military spokesman as saying the ship had been boarded after it was seen illegally fishing in Senegalese waters near the border with Guinea-Bissau. Parshev said the vessel was fishing legally in Guinea-Bissau’s waters. Russia’s Federal Fisheries Agency said Saturday that the ship had been operating in compliance with international standards.

The Oleg Naidenov’s captain and a female galley attendant were injured during the detention of the trawler, Parshev said. He said Sunday that their condition was not getting worse, but that they required X-rays and scans, as the galley attendant had a suspected arm fracture. Parshev said there was no unrest on the trawler, but that people’s morale was low.

Mikhail Margelov, Russia’s presidential envoy to Africa, said Sunday that Russia was seeking an explanation of the situation from Senegalese authorities via diplomatic channels and that representatives of the Federal Fisheries Agency and Ministry of Foreign Affairs were in contact with the Russian crewmembers.

Margelov told RIA Novosti that the incident could be “an attempt to turn our citizens into a bargaining chip in the fiercely competitive battle for bio-resources in this part of the Atlantic.” “Russia has always been interested in gaining access to the rich fish stocks of Africa’s Atlantic coast and the Gulf of Guinea, and is by no means trying to walk away from this competitive but very attractive market,”

Margelov said. “In any case, the humanitarian aspect is the most important thing for us right now. We sincerely hope the Russian nationals will be freed in the very near future,” he said. Updated with comments from Margelov and additional comments from Parshev.

Sunday 5 January 2014

Storm power 106 kmph

The new super-computer almost live wind chart gives you the wind speed wherever yo click on the screen - therefore you can see exactly where the strongest winds are - the light green circle shows where the screen was clicked.