With apologies for the long interval since the last newsletter, I'm trying to make some changes that will both enable me to efficiently keep up with and report sea news, and also make the newsletter more useful to readers. In addition, I'm reporting and commenting on much of the news on modern piracy in the Piracy News section of my website. Links to a number of piracy (modern and historical) and marine conservation sites are posted on my website. Subsequent newsletters will contain more links to articles and other sources. --Benerson Little

Marine Life

Marching Toward Extinction. Based on computer models Scientists believe that the Emperor penguin, which makes its now famous marches across Antarctic ice, is enroute to extinction. Global warming leading to the reduction of Antarctic sea ice is the postulated culprit. Scientist believe that the Emperor penguin population may diminish by as much as 95% by the year 2100. (Source: BBC)

Sex Lures Vampires to Their Doom. According to the BBC, US researchers are attempting to use an artificial form of male lamprey--the "vampire fish"--pheromones to lure female lampreys into traps in the US Great Lakes. The species is an invasive parasite. See .

More Whale Wars. On February 6 a Sea Shepherd Conservation Society vessel collided with a Japanese vessel. According to a Sea Shepherd spokesperson, the anti-whaling vessel was attempting to prevent a Japanese whaling ship from hauling a harpooned whale aboard, but was cut off by another Japanese vessel, and the two vessels collided. In other whaling news, Greenpeace is preparing for the trial of two Greenpeace activists in Japan, and Iceland significantly raised its whale quota, although the incoming government may reduce this. Iceland is also shipping whale meat to Japan, although some observers suggest there is an insufficient market for whale meat imports in Japan. See vessels collide, Greenpeace trial, and Iceland quota. (Sources: AP, Greenpeace)

Belugas off Alaska. The beluga whales of Cook's Inlet, Alaska, have been placed under the protection of the Endangered Species Act. Alaska governor and former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin has questioned the evidence that the population is in decline. Marine scientists and conservationists applauded the move. (Source: AP, et al)

Census of Marine Life. More than 2000 scientists from eighty-two countries are participating in a census of the seas, expected to last until 2010. The census will eventually be published in three volumes, and scientists are also working with the online journal PLoS ONE, an open-access journal of peer-reviewed scientific and medical research. Already scientists are reporting fascinating new findings. See the Census of Marine Life online. (Source: AP)

Earliest Life. Scientists report evidence of marine sponges as far back as 635 million years ago, the earliest yet know date for life on earth. Read the BBC article here.

State of the Sea

Arctic Ice. Arctic ice has thinned this past season as much as 1.6 feet in some places, according to satellite data analyzed by University College London researchers. These scientists consider this to be definitive proof that Arctic ice is shrinking. (Source: BBC)

Acid Warning. Scientists warn that the world's oceans are becoming too acidic, and that action must be taken immediately. See the BBC article here.

Natural Oil Spills. Not all oil slicks at sea are caused by tanker, platform, or pipeline spills, according to NASA. Some are natural. Read the NASA article and view satellite photos here.

Survival at Sea

Fishermen Survive Shark-Infested Waters. Two fishermen from Myanmar (Burma) have survived nearly a month at sea, using a large ice chest, roughly the size of a desk, as a raft. According to the survivors, their fishing boat sank in a storm on December 23, 2008. The two men were rescued by an Australian helicopter, but the fate of the rest of the crew was unknown. Australian authorities are investigating the fishermen's story. See .

Fish and Fishing

No Liquid Natural Gas. Republican Governor Bob Riley of Alabama in early October denied a permit for an LNG facility off Alabama shores. Riley feared that the facility would endanger Alabama Gulf fisheries, as did conservationists and the fishing industries. (Source: Huntsville Times)

Young Salmon Tagged. Researchers have begun tagging young salmon in the US northwest in order to track their movements, which to date are largely unknown. It is only with recent technology permitting the miniturization of transmitters that researchers are able to track small fish. (Source: BBC)

Technology

Cell Phones at Sea. Soon, phone calls at sea may be routine, and satellite phones no longer needed for routine phone calls to shore. Read more about it here.

Storms and Other Natural Violence

Biggest Tsunami. Recent geological studies suggest that the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami was the largest Indian Ocean tsunami in six hundred years. (Source: AP)

Health

Researchers suggest that early childhood vacations by the sea contribute significantly to melanoma later in life, even if sunscreen was routinely used. Read the details at the US government sponsored Medline Plus.

Migrants

Migrants Lost Near Miami. An old boat carrying dozens of migrants ran aground on October 31 near Miami, leaving three migrants dead and an unknown number missing. (Source: AP)

Migrants Rescued. In early February the Indonesian navy rescued 210 migrants who had been at sea for twenty-one days. The plight of migrants in the region has lately been spotlighted by alledged mistreatment at the hands of Thai authorities. Thailand has reportedly been sending migrants back to sea, no matter their physical state. See "Boat people rescued off Indonesia". (Sources: BBC, NY Times, et al)

Seafarers of the Past.

Selkirk and Crusoe. Archaeologists from the National Museums Scotland believe they have found the campsites of Alexander Selkirk, who, probably along with a Native American named Wil who had accidentally been marooned in the late seventeenth century, was the inspiration for Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe. Selkirk voluntarily marooned himself during a privateering voyage to the South Sea (the Pacific) after a dispute with the ship's captain. He was later rescued by Woodes Rogers, commander of the Duke privateer in 1709. Serving as pilot to Rogers was former buccaneer, naval commander, and naturalist William Dampier. Woodes Rogers later became Governor of New Providence, and was instrumental in reducing piracy in the Caribbean. Selkirk's adventures are known primarily through the journals of Woodes Rogers and Edward Cooke, and through a short published description entitled "Providence Displayed." Defoe wrote not only Robinson Crusoe, but also The Further Adventures of Robinson Crusoe. The campsites were found on Robinson Crusoe Island in the Juan Fernandez archipelago. The island was formerly known as Aguas Buenas, and in the late 17th and early 18th centuries as Juan Fernandez. (Sources: BBC, author's) See also my Commentary on the subject.

Historic Vessels

HMS Victory Found. HMS Victory, forerunner of Nelson's Victory, may have been discovered by treasure salvage company Odyssey Marine. Aboard are an estimated four tons of gold coin. The first rate man-of-war sank in a storm in 1744. Given that the wreck is of a British warship, Great Britain may lay claim it. Read the BBC article here.

Geo-Political

New Iranian Naval Base. Iran has established a new naval base just east of the Strait of Hormuz, at Jask. Ostensibly, the purpose of the base is to prevent any "enemy"--one of whom is doubtless the US--from entering the Persian Gulf, an ambitious mission by the US Navy's presence in the region. Roughly twenty percent of the world's oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz aboard tankers. (Source: BBC, author's)

New Venezuelan Naval Base. According to Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, Venezuela will build a naval base on Margarita Island, where it will help in the fight against drug trafficking. While visiting the island, Chavez was accompanied by American actor Sean Penn. Skyrocketing oil prices fueled Venezuela's bid to increase the size of its military, although some analysts note that the falling price of oil may diminish Venezuela's military expectations. Chavez has been outspoken in his criticism of the US, and has made numerous unfounded allegations against the US. A Russian flotilla recently visited Venezuela for joint military exercises. (Sources: AP, Miami Herald, et al)

Russian Navy in the Caribbean. Five Russian warships came and went, with little reported fanfare. The ships transitted the Panama Canal, then conducted exercises with the Venezuelan Navy. (Sources: various)

Modern Piracy and Related Violence

For more piracy news and commentary, see Piracy News at benersonlittle.com.

Hostages and Vessels. As of February 6, 2009, Somali pirates still hold ten hijacked vessels and 179 hostage seafarers. The arms vessel MV Faina was recently released. Reportedly, no arms from the vessel were transported ashore. Coalition forces took no retaliatory action against the pirates. (Source: Lloyd's)

South Korea to Join Fight. Subject to legislative approval in February, South Korea will send the Aegis-equipped destroyer King Sejong the Great to the Gulf of Aden to assist in the fight against piracy. Other nations are contemplating sending warships to the region, including Japan and Turkey. Current forces include those of the US, Britain, France, Denmark, Russia, China, India, and several others. (Source: Lloyd's et al)

Blackwater Anti-Piracy Vessel. Blackwater Worldwide announced in late 2008 that it has an anti-piracy vessel ready to deploy, subject to State Department approval. The MV MacArthur is intended as an escort vessel for a commercial ship through the Gulf of Aden. It will have both ex-Navy SEALs aboard to repel pirates, and a helicopter with which to search the sea for pirates along the commercial vessel's route. The Blackwater ship has not yet been hired, although a number of shipping companies have reportedly expressed interest. However, with the increased naval presence in and near the Gulf of Aden, it remains to be seen whether companies will consider a private escort vessel worth the expense. (Sources: Forbes, Lloyd's, MarineLog, Blackwater)

Piracy as Crime. The European parliament has called for piracy to be treated as a crime, rather than as an act of war, although piracy is considered a crime under most international law. The European parliament's call reflects the immense confusion over the law of piracy, and of how and by whom pirates should be prosecuted--provided, of course, that other nations are willing to do as France and Somalia have done, and arrest and prosecute pirates. (Sources: Lloyd's, author's)

"Warlike Operations Area." British shipping companies and unions have declared the Gulf of Aden to be a "warlike operations area," and recently extended the zone. In practice, this means that many seafarers will be paid double while transitting through piracy-prone waters near Somalia. (Source: Lloyd's)

Gunmen Kidnap Oil Crew. Armed men in speedboats off the coast of Camaroon kidnapped ten members of the crew of an oil ship off the coast of Camaroon in late 2008. Claiming to be members of the Bakassi Freedom Fighters, the gunmen have demanded that the Camaroonian government contact them, or they will begin killing the hostages. (Source: BBC)

Terrorism and Insurgency

Charges Dropped. In line with President Obama's moritorium on executive order to halt Guantanamo trials pending a review of the process, a judge dropped without prejudice the charges against suspected al-Qaida bomber Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri. Al-Nashiri is suspected of playing a significant role in the bombing of the USS Cole, in which seventeen US sailors were killed. Almost certainly, charges will likely be refiled against al-Nashiri, and he will be tried in the US. Some family members and former crew are understandably upset with the delay. (Sources: NY Times, AP, author's)

Terrorists Attack in Mumbai. Groups of terrorists armed with grenades and assault rifles attacked civilians in various hotels and organizations in Mumbai, India on November 26, killing at least 100 persons and wounding many more. The groups also targeted high-ranking law enforcement officials. Indian counter-terror and other military worked counter-attacked ceaselessly over next twenty-four hours and more, rescuing hostages and clearing two luxury hotels and the Jewish community center of terrorist squads. The terrorists originated in Pakistan and arrived by sea. Indian authorities seized at least two nearby Pakistani ships. (Sources: NY Times, BBC, et al)

Nigerian Militants Attack Tanker. Nigerian militants attacked the oil tanker MT Meredith in late January off the coast of Nigeria, kidnapping one crew member and blowing up the vessel's engine room. Militants attacked another tanker during the weekend of 17-18 January. The region is considered to be a hotbed of militant attacks against shipping, especially tankers, and of piracy as well. (Source: BBC)

Israeli Navy Seizes Aid Ship. On February 5 the Israeli navy seized an aid ship headed toward Gaza, and towed the vessel into an Israeli port. In the past, Israeli has occasionally permitted aid vessels through or turned them back. (Source: AP)

Crime Other Than Piracy

Yacht Murders. Skylar Deleon, a former child actor, was found guilty on October 20 of murdering Thomas and Jackie Hawks aboard their yacht Well Deserved by tying them to its anchor and throwing it overboard. Deleon and three accomplices had pretended they were interested in buying the couple's yacht. He was also convicted of a third unrelated murder. His wife was convicted of complicity in the murder of the Hawks's, and was sentenced to two life terms. (Sources: AP, et al)

Caribbean Murder. American tourist Kenneth Dale Peters was killed, and a friend wounded, during a robbery attempt aboard a sailboat on the Venezuelan coast on November 8, according to local police. Several armed men were reportedly involved. (Source: AP)

Navies and Naval Warfare

Naval Battle. The Sri Lankan navy claimed to have destroyed four Tamil Tiger craft and to have killed fourteen rebels in a sea battle fought off the Jaffna peninsula in October. A Tamil Tiger statement, however, claimed that only seven "Black Sea Tigers" were killed, and that two Sri Lankan navy vessels were destroyed. (Source: BBC)

Tamil Tiger Naval Base Captured. The Sri Lankan army claims to have captured the last Tamil Tiger naval base. Read the details here.

Russian Submarine Accident. Twenty people died and twenty-one were injured aboard a Russian Akula II class submarine undergoing sea trials in October 2008, after a fire-fighting system was activated and flooded a compartment with freon gas, suffocating the victims. Seventeen of the dead are reportedly civilians. The gas fire-fighting system is designed to displace oxygen, and an alarm should have sounded when the system deployed, warning the crew to put their breathing devices on. Russian sources state that the incident had nothing to do with the submarine's reactor, which is operating safely. The submarine is believed to be the Nerpa. Russia has a recent history of serious accidents among its submarine force, the deadliest being the loss of the Kursk. (Sources: BBC, Washington Post)

Hornets Inspected. Navy Hornet fighter-bomber aircraft are being inspected after fatigue cracks began showing up. Carrier launched naval jet aircraft are subject to far more strain than land-based military jets. (Source: AP)

Russian Missile Test. A Russian submarine-launched Sineva missile was test fired from the Barents Sea and flew more than 7100 miles, hitting its intended target in the mid-Pacific in early October. The flight is considered a record. (Source: AP)

Russian Aircraft Carriers. Russia reportedly intends to build new aircraft carriers. (Source: AP)

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Copyright Benerson Little 2009