Despite ethnic and religious clashes, agricultural production is a common denominator in a region split by other irreconcilable differences. Agricultural production is a major source of income for farmers in the South Caucasus. Easing competition for water supply and crop production is a fundamental way of securing peace between the countries.

The NATO Science for Peace and Security Program (SPS) launched an initiative to manage water use in agro-systems in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. This project is implemented by the Environment and Security Initiative (ENVSEC) , under which NATO coordinates its environmental security activities with five other international organizations.

Gerrit Hoogenboom, Professor of Agrometerology and Project Director of the SPS project in the South Caucasus told WaterWideWeb, “Water resource management is a politically hot issue that you need to negotiate. Right now, there are very strong ethnic differences between Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia.”

Consequently, lack of regional cooperation and historical disagreements are contributing  to soi degradation and high salinity in the local water supply. If the environment that supports agricultural production continues to erode, there is a potential for future unrest as agricultural production is compromised by mismanagement of natural resources.

“Water is thought of as an unlimited resource by local farmers. There is an extremely high amount of water use and water is being wasted,” continued Hoogenboom.

Flood irrigation is still the main method for watering crops in the South Caucasus. Hoogenboom’s team is implementing a series of technological advancements that will reduce water use, improve crop production, and prevent even more negative environmental impacts on the region’s agricultural sector.

The first step in promoting sustainable use of water supplies in this region is to educate farmers on their specific water needs for a given crop. Establishing a system that provides farmers with information about their water needs based on scientific data contributes to a collaborative effort to conserve natural resources by end users at the local level.

 Hoogenboom’s team introduced an automated weather station to calculate farmers’ water needs based on daily meteorological data. Farmers are then provided information such as the evaporative demand, enabling them to schedule irrigation in appropriate quantities.

Introducing new technological methods of measuring the amount of water needed for crop irrigation can reduce competition for scarce resources, while simultaneously improving the socio-economic structure that exists in the region.

The team also implemented a drip irrigation system in place of flood irrigation. The former was proven effective in Israel, another area that requires a best-practices approach to water resource management.

Drip irrigation on high value vegetable crops in the South Caucasus can significantly increase a farmer’s ability to demand a higher price for his agricultural output. Hoogenboom’s team also replaced seeds used by local farmers with a higher quality seed.

Improving the process of agricultural cultivation has immediate positive effects on environmental sustainability, economic development, and provides a potential for regional cooperation between the South Caucasus countries.

“In terms of sustainability, you have a multi-pronged effect.  With respect to economic development, you increase the income of local farmers, making them more secure. There’s sustainability of soil systems, salinity reduction, and decreased soil degradation,” noted Hoogenboom.

Technology transfer and capacity building do not discriminate against any specific groups race or ethnic origin. Working toward a sustainable development agenda and enhancing the quality of life for individuals who are otherwise divided by political differences have very tangible effects on regional cooperation.

“There is competition for water in the region. You can only use the water once and then it’s gone. Better water management means more water is available for people to share at the end,” concluded Hoogenboom.

Please watch the NATO Video “Fruits of Peace”, which details this endeavor or more depth, here

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Underwater crimes include events such as anchors tearing through coral reefs, spills, using bleach or cyanide to stun tropical fish for the aquarium trade and more. Coral reef ecologist David Gulko spearheaded the movement of proving that crimes against coral reefs and other marine organisms took place by using forensics technology. 

In a telephone interview Gulko told WaterWideWeb, “In the early 2000’s, we were trained as scientists and presented our data in court. But, we were losing a lot of cases because lawyers and advisors were nailing us for not treating our data as evidence.” 

Essentially, Gulko was faced with the daunting task of securing a crime scene that takes places underwater, an environment that is ever-changing with currents, tides, and temperature. Underwater, there are no witnesses, predators can feed on evidence, and the ability to assess the crime is nuanced by the surrounding waters. 

Securing a crime scene underwater requires agility and efficiency. “We have to use methods that are fast, well coordinated, and multi-disciplinary. Rarely do we have the ability to go back to a same crime scene and find it in same condition,” continued Gulko. 

Ken Goddard, lab director of the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife Service Forensics Laboratory joined Gulko’s team to handle the investigative elements of crime scene analysis back in 2006. Goddard was a former deputy sheriff and criminalist for California’s Riverside County Sherriff’s Department. He also set up a Scientific Investigations Laboratory in California’s Huntington Beach Police Department and he’s an advisor for the popular T.V. series CSI. 

When Goddard joined Gulko’s team, he had to completely restructure procedures and protocols used to solve land crimes. But first, Goddard had to learn how to deep sea dive. “On land, you can take about two hundred to three hundred photographs at a typical crime scene. And, you collect about fifty to sixty items of evidence. We just can’t do that in the ocean,” noted Goddard. 

After his first meeting with Gulko and his team in Cozumel, Mexico in 2006, Goddard realized that specific forensic techniques were not directly applicable to underwater crimes. Most importantly, Goddard understood that every second counts when a diver goes under the water to assess a crime scene. “You only have 3 dives, which is approximately forty five minutes to an hour depending on the depth and current,” Goddard told WaterWideWeb. 

Securing a crime scene was only half of the battle to understanding underwater forensics. His job was to distinguish between impacts of coral reefs, determining when a crime took place, and identifying who could be prosecuted for crimes once enough evidence was compiled. 

Answering questions like “Who, What, When, and Where”, require soundproof analytic abilities combined with a stroke of sheer genius. “In terms of coral reefs, you first have to determine when a coral reef is dead. Then you have to know what the coral reef looked like a day, a week, or a month beforehand,” explained Goddard. 

Over the past several years, Gulko’s team has expanded and there are currently underwater forensics teams in the Dominican Republic and Barbados. Gulko’s team travels and teaches his techniques to teams of professionals around the world. “When we conduct trainings, we leave behind a trail and gear, and it’s left up to that countries natural resources trustee agency to implement the techniques we’ve taught,” explained Gulko. 

Gulko’s team uses a capacity building approach when training divers in different countries. Professionals at the local level who are familiar with the history and politics of a given country are then able to conduct underwater forensic investigations without outside involvement. 

The underwater CSI initiative is now expanding to include several new subfields for upholding violations of marine law. Firstly, Gulko’s team will be enhancing investigative enforcement if a fishing boat or other ship is suspected of taking part in illegal activities. Secondly, the team will come up with a means of testing for contaminants in the water almost immediately, without taking samples back to a lab for processing. 

“Really we’re working on the equivalent of home pregnancy test kit that you could use on the water to give a quick analysis of chemicals. It would be sensitive enough to assess things that would be hazardous to a team, and establish probable cause for follow up investigations,” said Gulko. Thirdly, the team will be working on a forensic model specifically for sea turtle crimes. 

Passing laws that make a crime punishable is only half of the battle to protecting our oceans and marine life. Enforcing those laws with proof and the laws of science are the other half of eco-rights equation. Science and good old fashioned detective work are joining forces to create a whole new type of environmental protection agency with Gulko’s underwater forensics and CSI laboratory. Criminals can paddle away but they certainly can’t hide from the clues that are left behind in the depths of the sea.

The photo above was taken by Professor Marcy Balunas and Kim Diver If you enjoyed this article, you should also read:

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The Panama International Cooperative Biodiversity Group (Panama ICBG) is a program funded by the U.S. government through the National Institute of Health and the National Science Foundation. The program began in 1998, initiated by Professor Phyllis Coley and her husband. In a telephone interview, Professor Coley told WaterWideWeb, “We saw that there should be a link between drug discovery in nature and conserving nature.”

Since then, the program has evolved from a focus on terrestrial plants to a comprehensive laboratory that includes testing compounds found in marine environments. “Philosophically, nations with high biodiversity need to see some benefit to programs that are working to conserve their environments. We had to come up with a model where host countries would get immediate benefit which would motivate them to protect endangered areas,” continued Coley.

Training and technology transfer are major facets of the program. The Panama ICBG program is structured to include local Panamanians in the drug discovery process.

Marcy Balunas, assistant professor of medical chemistry at the University of Connecticut, worked in Panama for three years collecting and testing compounds found in marine bacteria. Balunas told WaterWideWeb, “If we lose biodiversity in marine environments, we could lose the capacity to find new drugs.”

The work of Panama ICBG and other programs like it are ensuring that humankind lives in relative harmony with nature in multiple capacities. “There are drugs out there from the ocean already. The goal is to find new medicines to treat diseases that either aren’t well studied or that don’t have good treatment options,” explained Balunas.

So far, the Panama ICBG has identified the chemical compound Coibamide named after the island of Coiba in Panama. The team discovered that coibamide is incredibly active against cancer. Follow up studies on coibamide are revealing exactly how coibamide is active against cancer. “Coibamide kills a subset of cancer cells. It works in a whole new way that could lead to innovative means of drug discovery,” Coley noted.

Members of the Panamanian ICBG team at different marine testing locations are reviewing chemical compounds proven effective against cholera in a test tube. The process of finding a new drug takes between ten to fifteen years. The same process for finding natural drugs takes even longer. But in the case of coibamide and other compounds that could treat diseases like cancer, malaria and leichmaniasis, an effective treatment is well worth the wait.

Immediate and long term benefits to Panama are seen on the economic, infrastructural and environmental level due to the framework of the Panama ICBG program. Scientists on the project are investing in capacity building, and Panama can now boast of its drug discovery program that is internationally recognized. Fortuitously, efforts to preserve nature are in effect promoting development through skills building, providing jobs, and advancing Panama’s environmental and scientific agenda.  

Conserving the biodiversity of this area offers unforeseen benefits to the world of alternative medication and marine science. Humanity cannot afford to allow oceans and marine environments to be compromised. New drugs that could potentially save lives are at risk of going undiscovered and unstudied.

In Panama and around the world, the dual pursuit towards environmental sustainability and protecting human health can coexist. These two crucial issues ensure a healthy and sustainable future for humankind.  Protecting the world’s oceans and coasts environments simply can’t be disregarded byis a responsibility of local governments or the international community. The riches of marine life hold great promise in the field of medical research.

 The photo above was provided by Professor Marcy Balunas and Kim Diver.

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The chairman and managing director of Gujarat Power Corp DJ Pandian said “Gujarat has significant resources in water off its coast, so tidal energy represents a huge opportunity for us.”

However, the Gulf of Kutch is also home to India’s first national marine sanctuary. Harvesting a clean, renewable energy source is exciting but will it overshadow the obligation to preserve biodiversity and marine life in the Gulf of Kutch? Can a renewable energy project be launched without compromising biodiversity in Gujarat?

WaterWideWeb published an article on 31 December 2010 that detailed the water and energy nexus in Gujarat, India. Large quantities of reliable energy are needed to maintain the agricultural sector which fuels money into the economy, but pumping water for agriculture imposes huge environmental costs on the region.

Additional energy resources for farming would have a positive impact on farming practices; poverty and hunger would decrease in the region. The tidal wave project would signal the emergence of a competitive marketplace for clean energy in Asia. In the name of technological advancement, countries will march forth boldly into the arena of clean energy. Ideally, carbon emissions will decrease and that’s a quantifiable value.

Calculating the impact of such a project on marine life is an important variable for investors and other key stakeholders to consider. The Marine National Park in the Gulf of Kutch was established in 1980 to preserve biodiversity in the region. Protecting endangered species and marine life is a priority on the agenda for both local and international communities alike. Navigating these intrinsically linked issues in Gujarat has turned the Atlantis Resources endeavor into a high profile project.

In an article published by the Anchorage Daily News, oceanographer Andrea Copping said “Before we put these power generating devices in the water, we need to know how they will affect the marine environment.” Since the tidal wave project is in such close proximity to the Marine National Park, the instrument design for channeling wave energy is a key consideration.

Electromagnetic fields installed in tidal wave projects may interfere with the natural sensing systems of marine life. Non-invasive devices that are in sync with marine environments do exist. The bioWave ocean-wave energy system was developed by the Australian based Bio-Power systems. These units are mounted on the seabed. There, they are activated by ocean waves.

Since ocean waves are diffuse, the bioWave system operates in a synergistic way to mobilize wave wattage. Ideally, the tidal wave project in Gujarat will incorporate a similar system that does not interrupt the natural habitat or sensing systems of marine animals protected by the Marine National Park.

Watching the tidal wave project in Gujarat unfold will set a precedent for environmentalists, developers and scientists. Collaboration between Atlantis Resources and the marine scientists that are involved with the Marine National Park are critical to maintain the environmental sustainability of the former’s proposed project.

The community of Gujarat is faced with an amazing opportunity to promote a viable energy solution that does not compromise biodiversity. If successful, such a project could turn the world of sustainability on its heels.

In a perfect world, a sound solution to the energy crisis would not interfere with simultaneous efforts to promote the environmental agenda. If achieved, Gujarat will truly exemplify a multi-faceted millennium project that addresses both key issues relevant to developing and industrialized countries across the world.

In Gujarat, the question is not whether clean energy is important. The real issue is the response of local governments to private sector investors that affect regional infrastructure and cultural epicenters in India. Are there regulations on which equipment can be installed for the project? Have private companies consulted with specialists about potential conflicts with the Marine National Park?

Hopefully, energy policies are not at odds with environmental interests. But if they are, the outcome of Gujarat will be a focal point for studying the relationship costs for the decisions made.

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Civil and environmental engineers are advancing techniques in water management. Sharing best practices in project implementation is crucial to the future of sustainable water projects in both the industrialized and developing world. How are environmental engineers tackling the mounting social issues that surround the water demands that exceed the supply of it?

Dr. Pedro Alvarez is the George R. Brown Professor and Chair of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department of Rice University. In a telephone interview, Alvarez told WaterWideWeb, “Ensuring reliable and affordable access to safe water is one of the biggest issues that we face in the twenty first century.”

Making clean water accessible in the developing world requires an increase in efficiency in water infrastructure and a decrease in materials and energy used for completing projects. Environmental engineers are developing innovative mechanisms to meet the growing water demands with several factors in mind.

Adjustments to existing and new water systems call for technical simplicity. In order for water systems to successfully supply a community with water, the framework should be uncomplicated so that maintenance to the system can be provided without requiring assistance of experts.

The social-cultural acceptability of new water initiatives plays a part in the success of particular engineering endeavors. Reframing the way people think about the significance of water and the means of acquiring it are the next steps in innovative water provision methods.

For example, implementing water recycling paradigms in developed countries may be met with resistance. Individuals in different cultures and social classes may oppose the trend of treating waste water and then recycling it for drinking water.

Information about water engineering projects should also be disseminated so that end users may understand the framework of water programs and share the technology with others at the local level. In this way, the project can be maintained from within the community. If the water system needs repair, local users can fix the problem without forgoing access to water for long spells until an expert arrives to remedy it.

“Technology is not enough. Responding to increasing water demands requires a multi-disciplinary effort that includes education and a sanitation plan”, continued Alvarez. Reliance on unconventional water sources and treatment plants are the next steps in global water sustainability.

“The single-most important engineering contribution of the twentieth century was treating water.” In the twenty first century, engineers must extend and enhance that contribution to meet growing water needs.

Digging water wells, installing chlorinators and bio-sand filters are proven methods of supplying safe water in the developing world, yet these are not sufficient to save the lives of 4100 children who die on a daily basis due to lack of clean drinking water . Clean water will decrease the mortality rate of water borne diseases, lengthen life expectancy and improve quality of life.

So what are we waiting for?

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Currently, 800 million people live in water stress. By 2025, 3 billion people will live under water stress. Advancements in water technology are underway to address the water scarcity problem that could cripple economies, stunt development efforts and lead to an increase in mortality rates across the globe. If the problem of water scarcity is not tackled pragmatically and swiftly, the water shortage could lead to political unrest and food shortages in the developing and industrialized world.

Conceptual breakthroughs in megawatershed development by Earth Water Global (EWG) assert that water can in fact be extracted from stone. Technological innovations developed by Earth Water Global prove that megawatersheds beneath the Earth’s surface exist and can be tapped to provide clean water.

EWG developed a Megawatershed Paradigm (MP) based on geological models of the Earths’ surface. According to the MP, fractures and fissures in the Earth’s bedrock formed as a result of continental shift and collision over time. These collisions of the Earth’s bedrock result in mountain formations and underground channels that store water regionally and transmit the water across miles of terrain.

At high altitudes, water seeps into these fractures and fissures from snow and rainfall. The gravitational force of the Earth pulls the water into underground watersheds. The megawatersheds naturally replenish from precipitation, rainfall and snow. EWG coins this discovery the “science of finding water”.

EWG estimates that 80 percent of the world’s precipitation happens at high altitudes. Measuring water at these high altitudes is incredibly difficult. Water catchments of precipitation, rain and snowfall using the EWG framework could multiply groundwater resources in multiples of 10 times 100 on a global scale.

Innovative techniques implemented by EWG offer a sustainable solution to the global water crisis. The EWG “science of water” model could provide access to hundreds of millions of gallons of water that seep into the Earth surface daily.

Interestingly, modern scientific analysis has proved that extracting water from a stone is indeed possible. Using the groundwater held in the Earth’s fissures will facilitate fulfillment of the 2015 Millennium Development Goals. Certainly, taking advantage of this water technology will decrease the deaths of water-borne diseases in developing countries which are now at 80 percent.

As the world population continues to increase, measures to provide natural resources such as water must be maximized as well. Resolving the global water crisis calls for a multifaceted endeavor from governments, municipalities and water programs, including those such as EWG. Comprehensive methods of combating the water crisis should include scientifically proven paradigms as well as sound methodologies applied across time.

The water crisis is driving scientists and experts to search for water in the world’s most unlikely places even that of the Earth’s stone.

Please watch the documentary on the work of Earth Water Global here: Documentary

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The photo above is a UN photo taken by Tim McKulka

His studies are driven by fish predation and community interactions as fundamental facets of biology studies.  Fascinated by sharks, he is working hard at studying their behavior in order to come up with ways to protect this already endangered animal. His research currently focuses on anthropogenic impacts on shark population. In collaboration with the Conservation Program at the University of Miami: “assessing the impacts of catch-and-release fishing on elasmobranch species, the analysis of migration and behavior through satellite tagging of hammerhead, bull and tiger sharks” (Source: http://austingallagher.com/Research.aspx). These projects are centered with an analysis of behavioral and physiological ecology techniques.

His previous projects include the stress physiology of Sharks, positive impacts of southern California marine protected areas (MPA) on harvested reef-dwelling fishes and the effects of predator risks, resource availability and conspecific density on the growth of the Atlantic Dogwhelk. In order to better communicate the need to protect the environment and marine creatures, film production is a very strong medium for this young scholar that tell us: “Communicating science is a great way to make an impact, while inspiring people to make a difference themselves. I am driven to reach more people by producing short and full-length educational documentaries for various research projects” (Source: http://austingallagher.com/DocumentaryandFilm.aspx). For this reason, in 2009, Austin launched his own small production where he has worked for professionals, amateurs and well-known clients such as National Geographic and the Discovery Channel. Created by Austin Gallagher,“Inside the Lines” is a film that immerses you into the immense beauty of the marine wildlife on the coast of California. After three months of studying marine conservation biology, the young man spent many hours and days under water shooting footage of the marine wildlife. Despite his amazement, the sea creatures were not at all afraid of the human presence. After more than hundreds of hours spent under water the film produced is worth having a look at.

Recently Gallagher has been working as a research assistant to Neil Hammerschlag, studying the impact of the BP oil spill on sharks. These powerful animals are at the top of the ocean food chain but nobody has even considered studying the impact the oil is having on the sharks. Gallagher reminds us: “if you see a high levels of oil in a shark, you better believe it is in the whole food chain” (Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2010/US/06/28/oil.spill.sharks/index.html).

Austin Gallagher is a promising new asset for the world of marine biologist and scholars who are working for the protection of the marine environment and of all its species. He has demonstrated to have great passion, ambition and will as he founded his own production company in order to communicate with films his passion for the ocean and to raise awareness for the protection of the sea life.

Seafood is a healthy source of nutrients and proteins that is gaining popularity worldwide. In 2007, the United States reached their highest peak of consumption. While most of the seafood we consume is caught in the open ocean, there is a good proportion of it that originates from aquaculture. This industry is continuously expanding and “has grown at a strong and steady 8 to 10 percent over the past three decades and is expected to continue to expand at that rate for a while” (Source: http://www.worldwildlife.org/what/globalmarkets/aquaculture/whyitmatters.html). For this reason WWF is committed to working on sustainable seafood culture in order to assure that quality seafood is farmed while respecting the environment and minimizing the negative impacts.

In 1999, after various publications and workshops on the shrimp farming, WWF in partnership with FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) launched a set of roundtables called aquaculture dialogues that started in 2004. From farmers, to scientists without forgetting government officials, all the stakeholder involved are participating to these events in order to create standards that will minimize the key negative environmental and social impacts for the following species: shrimp, salmon, abalone, clams, mussels, scallops, oysters and many others. Every dialogue will be coordinated and guided by a WWF representative who will be the resources of references to all participants on that particular issue while also taking care of updating the content of the website. While many standards and certification programs for aquaculture already exist, they lack in efficiency and fail to truly make this industry more sustainable. Consequently, the Aquaculture Dialogues strive to provide efficient credible standards that are “science-based, performance based and metrics-based” (Source: http://www.worldwildlife.org/what/globalmarkets/aquaculture/whatwearedoing.html). These standards won’t have the ambition to impose upon producers how to change their farming practices in order to render them more sustainable but will provide targets to be reached while giving the liberty to innovate in order to find a medium to the actual producers. It is also important for these standards to be measurable in order to provide a comprehensive and objective guideline with major credibility.

These standards will be presented to the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) who’s task will be to transform them into reality. Founded in 2009 by the WWF, the ACS offers a leading program for certification and labeling for responsible farming. Working in collaboration with producers, retail and food service companies. “The overarching strategy of the ASC is to use market forces to transform aquaculture, which will be done by reducing the key negative social and environmental impacts of aquaculture through compliance with standards at the farm level” (Source: http://www.ascworldwide.org/index.cfm?act=tekst.item&iid=2&iids=39&lng=1). The strategy will be focused on the need to develop and launch a marketing program that will create demand for ASC products on the market. These products will have an added value provided by the adequate certification supplied by objective third-parties.

From salmon, to shrimp without forgetting tilapia the ocean offers us a vast quantity of resources that are vital to many population on the globe. The growing demand for seafood and the need to respect fishing laws and quotas, has brought to the increase of aquaculture. In order to protect endangered species and avoid over exploitation a set of standards need to be implemented and respected on the long-term.

Due to a potent neurotoxin found in the puffer fish, one bite of a fugu dish can become a deadly sin. No antidote has yet been discovered for this fishy poison, so if you want to experiment a risky night out at the restaurant be sure to choose the best chef in town. “The poisonous nature of the dish comes from marine microorganisms that produce the neurotoxin, which travels up to the food chain, eventually finding its way into the puffer fish” (Source: http://www.sushifaq.com/sushi-items/sushi-items-fugu.php).  While the fish itself is immune to the poison located in his organs, this substance is deadly to potential predators. Because of an increase in demand and popularity, the market has encountered an increase in farm-raised puffer fish that are safe for delicate cuisine lovers, since they are free of tetrodoxin. Experts have taken out the poison from the fish’s liver, known as the most lethal but also more delicious part of this funny looking creature. This apparent good news on the side of consumers, is portrayed as a terrible news for the stakeholder of the glowfish market. The Shimonoseki Fugu association is fighting hard to defend this fish considering how profitable is this market. In the world’s most trendy restaurants, a fugu meal can easily cost about $500. Masa Takayama is the owner of the exclusive and extremely secretive restaurant Ginza Sushiko located in Rodeo drive where celebrities from Beverly Hills and all over the world travel to eat this precious and dangerously exciting dish. After Hong Kong, New York is one of the most important importers of the fugu fish while close to ten thousands tons of fugu are consumed annually in Japan.

In western Japan, fugu is called “fuku”, which means “to blow” or “happiness” while the Chinese also call this fish ‘river pig’’ (Source: http://japanesefood.about.com/cs/seafoodfish/a/fugublowfish.htm ). In order to protect consumers, only licensed cooks have the permit to prepare fugu. There are various types of fugu fish and all of them have a different degree of poison and danger. The tora-fugu is the most expensive one and also said to be the most deadly one.

Despite its dangerous nature, the fugu fish serves a noble scope when it comes to scientific research and discoveries. This fish is crucial to the understanding of the human genome is both protagonists have similar complements of genes but “fugu DNA is much more concise, composed of about 365 million nucleotide pairs, or one eighth of the 3 billion pairs in the human genome” (Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2001/10/30/science/observatory.html?ref=fugu_fish). Thanks to this water creature, scientists hope to study important DNA sequences in the blowfish in order to apply their discoveries to the human genes.

The puffer fish is one of the world’s most famous and most expensive delicacy, yet, unless you are convinced you meal is prepared by an expert and licensed chef you should abstain because this meal could be your last meal. This fascinating and funny looking creature has almost become a mythological figure all over the world, while it has been eaten in Japan and China for the past century. If you are not ready to risk your life but love fish, you can try to have a fugu dish made from a poison free farm raised fugu or if you really don’t want to risk you can always have ordinary sushi that is quite delightful.

Every year, in the small village of Taiji in Japan, fishermen chase dolphins into a hidden cove where they get trapped and killed with knives and spears that make them bleed to death. As the sea turns crimson red, the dolphins are put into boats and brought the well-hidden places where they get butchered into pieces.  Some of the dolphins that see their lives spared are captured and sold for an astonishing amount of money to water parks.  “Taiji is regarded as the spiritual home of Japan’s whaling industry. The first hunts took place in the early 1600s, according to the town’s whaling museum, but the industry went to decline after the introduction of a global ban on commercial whaling in 1986” (Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/sep/14/dolphin-slaughter-hunting-japan-taiji). This town is a couple hours train ride from Tokyo, where restaurants serve whale and dolphin meat and where cetacean designs and photographs and designs are splattered all over the town. Locals and fishermen respond to the harsh accusation and critiques of animalists and the international community by saying that for them it is “a legitimate exercise in pest control, blaming dolphins for decimating fish stocks” (Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/sep/14/dolphin-slaughter-hunting-japan-taiji). Every year around 20 000 dolphins are killed, including endangered species, and often these dolphins contain a dangerous amount of mercury that renders their meat highly toxic for human consumption. Corruption and citizens misinformation contribute to this dramatic situation where animals are slaughtered and Japanese citizens get intoxicated because of high levels of mercury. The meat greatly exceeds the norms of Japan’s own health standards yet this doesn’t seem the stop this annual massacre. O’Barry, the trainer of the world’s most famous dolphin, Flipper, became a passionate activist for the free dolphins from captivity cause. He is working hard to launch social awareness campaigns that expose people to the suffering of dolphins in captivity where they are kept in pools that are too small.

The Cove, Oscar winner documentary has contributed to raise world social awareness to this issue that had reminded unknown to most of us. In response to the outrage, the Japanese government put a temporary ban on hunting bottlenose dolphins. This ban did not include other species and types of dolphins and even worst the ban ended up being only temporary.

If you have seen the documentary and want to be part of the solution, you can help get the word out by telling all your friends and family, writing a letter to President Obama, making a pledge, or signing an online petition at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/3/stop-the-dolphin-slaughter . WAZA is the world association for zoos and aquariums, as long as Japanese fisherman are paid as much as $150, 000 for a living dolphin, this market of cruelty will never stop.  By putting pressure on WAZA we need to force them to expel the Japanese association of Zoos and Acquariums (JAZA) from their organization. Go sign the petition, it will only take you 2 minutes but each signature can make a difference.  Please go visit http://www.savejapandolphins.org/takeaction.php and find out how you can take concrete action. The next time you are on vacation, if you truly want to be coherent with yourself, refuse to pay money to see a dolphins show in water parks. These beautiful and innocent animals need our help.  Critiquing the actions of Japanese fishermen is easy to do if one doesn’t take action and changes its own behaviors.