Whales and Sonar: Environmental Exemptions for the Navy’s Mid-Frequency Active Sonar Training

Mid-frequency active (MFA) sonar emits pulses of sound from an underwater transmitter to help determine the size, distance, and speed of objects. The sound waves bounce off objects and reflect back to underwater acoustic receivers as an echo. MFA sonar has been used since World War II, and the Navy indicates it is the only reliable way to track submarines, especially more recently designed submarines that operate more quietly, making them more difficult to detect. Scientists have asserted that sonar may harm certain marine mammals under certain conditions, especially beaked whales. Depending on the exposure, they believe that sonar may damage the ears of the mammals, causing hemorrhaging and/or disorientation. The Navy agrees that the sonar may harm some marine mammals, but says it has taken protective measures so that animals are not harmed. MFA training must comply with a variety of environmental laws, unless an exemption is granted by the appropriate authority. Marine mammals are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and some under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The training program must also comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and in some cases the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA). Each of these laws provides some exemption for certain federal actions. The Navy has invoked all of the exemptions to continue its sonar training exercises. Litigation challenging the MFA training off the coast of Southern California ended with a November 2008 U.S. Supreme Court decision. The Supreme Court said that the lower court had improperly favored the possibility of injuring marine animals over the importance of military readiness. The Supreme Court’s ruling allowed the training to continue without the limitations imposed on it by other courts. (pdf contains 20pp.)

Descriptions of new genera and species of microlepidoptera from Panama (with one plate)

The following decriptions [sic] of new forms of Microlepidoptera are published in advance of proposed papers, dealing with the lepidopterous fauna of Panama as a whole, based on material collected by the writer as a member of the Smithsonian Biological Survey of the Panama Canal Zone during the first half of the year 1911. ... (PDF contains 13 pages)

On the relationship of the genus Aulacocarpus, with description of a new Panamanian species

pages 1-4

Notes on some specimens of a species of onychophore (Oroperipatus corradoi) new to the fauna of Panama

pages 1-3

Katrina consequences assessment and projection report

(PDF contains 50 pages)

Report of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission for the year 1973

ENGLISH: The Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission operates under the authority and direction of a convention originally entered into by the Republic of Costa Rica and the United States of America. The convention, which came into force in 1950, is open to adherence by other governments whose nationals fish for tropical tunas in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Under this provision the Republic of Panama adhered in 1953, the Republic of Ecuador in 1961, the United Mexican States in 1964, Canada in 1968 and Japan in 1970. In 1967 Ecuador gave notice of her intent to withdraw from the Commission, and her withdrawal became effective on August 12, 1968. The Commission held its 29th meeting on November 12, 13, 14 and 16, 1973, in Washington, D. C., U. S. A. SPANISH: La Comisión Interamericana del Atún Tropical está bajo la autoridad y dirección de una convención la cual fue originalmente formada por la República de Costa Rica y los Estados Unidos de América. La Convención, vigente desde 1950, está abierta a la afiliación de otros gobiernos cuyos nacionales pesquen atún en el Pacífico oriental tropical. Bajo esta medida la República de Panamá se afilió en 1953, la República del Ecuador en 1961, los Estados Unidos Mexicanos en 1964, Canadá en 1968 y el Japón en 1970. En 1967, el Ecuador anunció su intención de retirarse de la Comisión y la renuncia se hizo efectiva el 21 de agosto de 1968. La Comisión celebró su XXIX Reunión e112, 13,14 Y16 de Noviembre 1973, en Washington, D. C., E. U. A. (PDF contains 150 pages.)

Report of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission for the year 1975

ENGLISH: The Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission operates under the authority and direction of a convention originally entered into by the Republic of Costa Rica and the United States of America. The convention, which came into force in 1950, is open to adherence by other governments whose nationals fish for tropical tunas in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Under this provision the Republic of Panama adhered in 1953, the Republic of Ecuador in 1961, the United Mexican States in 1964, Canada in 1968 and Japan in 1970. In 1967, Ecuador gave notice of her intent to withdraw from the Commission, and her withdrawal became effective on August 21,1968. The Commission held two meetings in 1975, its 31st n1eeting in San Diego, California, U.S.A., March 3 and 5, and its 32nd meeting in Paris, France, October 13, 14 and 17, and in Washington D.C., U.S.A., December 18. SPANISH: La Comisión Interamericana del Atún Tropical está bajo la autoridad y dirección de una convención la cual fue originalmente formada por la República de Costa Rica y los Estados Unidos de América. La Convención, vigente desde 1950, está abierta a la afiliación de otros gobiernos cuyos nacionales pesquen atún en el Pacífico oriental tropical. Bajo esta medida la República de Panamá se afilió en 1953, la República del Ecuador en 1961, los Estados Unidos Mexicanos en 1964, Canadá en 1968 y el Japón en 1970. En 1967, el Ecuador anunció su intención de retirarse de la Comisión y la renuncia se hizo efectiva el 21 de agosto de 1968. La Comisión celebró dos reuniones en 1975, la XXXI reunión en San Diego, California (E.U.A.) del 3 al 5 de marzo, y la XXXII reunión en París, Francia el 13, 14 Y 17 de octubre (primera parte) y en Washington D.C. (E.U.A.) el 18 de diciembre (segunda parte). (PDF contains 176 pages.)

The Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus L.): a bibliography

Compiled by Patricia Ann Skaptason. "This bibliography is designed to bring together literature on the fin whale, published from 1940 through 1970. newspaper articles, legal matgerial (except that by the International Whaling Commission), biochemical studies, juvenile and strictly narrative works have been omitted"

Report of the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission for the year 1990

ENGLISH: The Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission operates under the authority and direction of a convention originally entered into by Costa Rica and the United States. The convention, which came into force in 1950, is open to adherence by other governments whose nationals fish for tropical tunas in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Under this provision Panama adhered in 1953, Ecuador in 1961, Mexico in 1964, Canada in 1968, Japan in 1970, and France and Nicaragua in 1973. Ecuador withdrew from the Commission in 1968, Mexico in 1978, Costa Rica in 1979, and Canada in 1984. Costa Rica re-adhered to the convention in 1989, and Vanuatu joined the Commission in 1990. The Commission held its 47th meeting in Washington, D.C., on June 26-28, 1990. SPANISH: La Comisión Interamericana del Atún Tropical funciona bajo la autoridad y dirección de un convenio suscrito originalmente por Costa Rica y los Estados Unidos de América. El convenio, vigente desde 1950, está abierto a la afiliación de cualquier pais cuyos ciudadanos pesquen atunes tropicales en el Oceano Pacífico oriental. Bajo esta estipulación, la República de Panamá se afilió en 1953, Ecuador en 1961, Mexico en 1964, Canadá en 1968, Japón en 1970, Francia y Nicaragua en 1973. Ecuador se retiró de la Comisión en 1968, México en 1978, Costa Rica en 1979 y Canadá en 1984. Costa Rica se adhirió de nuevo al Convenio en 1989, y Vanuatu se hizo miembro de la Comisión en 1990. La Comisión celebró su XLVII reunión en Washington, D.C., del 26 al 28 de junio de 1990. (PDF contains 245 pages.)

Biology and Management of the American Shad and Status of the Fisheries, Atlantic Coast of the United States, 1960

This paper summarizes current information on the American shad, Alosa sapidissima, and describes the species and its fishery. Emphasis is placed on (1) life history of the fish, (2) condition of the fishery by State and water areas in 1960 compared to 1896 when the last comprehensive description was made, (3) factors responsible for decline in abundance, and (4) management measures. The shad fishery has changed little over the past three-quarters of a century, except in magnitude of yield. Types of shad-fishing gear have remained relatively unchanged, but many improvements have been made in fishing techniques, mostly to achieve economy. In 1896 the estimated catch was more than 50 million pounds. New Jersey ranked first in production with about 14 million pounds, and Virginia second with 11 million pounds. In 1960 the estimated catch was slightly more than 8 million pounds. Maryland ranked first in production with slightly more than 1.5 million pounds, Virginia second with slightly less than 1.4 million pounds, and North Carolina third with about 1.3 million pounds. Biological and economic factors blamed for the decline in shad abundance, such as physical changes in the environment, construction of dams, pollution, over-fishing, and natural cycles of abundance, are discussed. Also discussed are methods used for the rehabilitation and management of the fishery, such as artificial propagation, installation of fish-passage facilities at impoundments, and fishing regulations. With our present knowledge, we can manage individual shad populations; but, we probably cannot restore the shad to its former peak of abundance.

Mathematical models for the prediction of temperature distributions resulting from the discharge of heated water into large bodies of water

Mathematical models for heated water outfalls were developed for three flow regions. Near the source, the subsurface discharge into a stratified ambient water issuing from a row of buoyant jets was solved with the jet interference included in the analysis. The analysis of the flow zone close to and at intermediate distances from a surface buoyant jet was developed for the two-dimensional and axisymmetric cases. Far away from the source, a passive dispersion model was solved for a two dimensional situation taking into consideration the effects of shear current and vertical changes in diffusivity. A significant result from the surface buoyant jet analysis is the ability to predict the onset and location of an internal hydraulic jump. Prediction can be made simply from the knowledge of the source Froude number and a dimensionless surface exchange coefficient. Parametric computer programs of the above models are also developed as a part of this study. This report was submitted in fulfillment of Contract No. 14-12-570 under the sponsorship of the Federal Water Quality Administration.

The ecology of Atlantic white cedar wetlands: a community profile

This monograph on the ecology of Atlantic white cedar wetlands is one of a series of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service profiles of important freshwater wetland ecosystems of the United States. The purpose of the profile is to describe the extent, components, functioning, history, and treatment of these wetlands. It is intended to provide a useful reference to relevant scientific information and a synthesis of the available literature. The world range of Atlantic white cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides) is limited to a ribbon of freshwater wetlands within 200 km of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States, extending from mid-Maine to mid-Florida and Mississippi. Often in inaccessible sites and difficult to traverse, cedar wetlands contain distinctive suites of plant species. Highly valued as commercial timber since the early days of European colonization of the continent, the cedar and its habitat are rapidly disappearing. This profile describes the Atlantic white cedar and the bogs and swamps it dominates or codominates throughout its range, discussing interrelationships with other habitats, putative origins and migration patterns, substrate biogeochemistry, associated plant and animal species (with attention to those that are rare, endangered, or threatened regionally or nationally), and impacts of both natural and anthropogenic disturbance. Research needs for each area are outlined. Chapters are devoted to the practices and problems of harvest and management, and to an examination of a large preserve recently acquired by the USFWS, the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina.

The Truth About Soviet Whaling: A Memoir

In November 1993, Professor Alexei Yablokov, who at the time was the Science Advisor to Russian President Boris Yeltsin, stood on a podium in Galveston, Tex., and delivered a speech to the Society for Marine Mammalogy’s biennial conference, the premier international event in the field of marine mammal science. Addressing the 1,500 scientists present, he made what amounted to a national confession: that, beginning in 1948, the U.S.S.R. had begun a huge campaign of illegal whaling. Despite being a signatory to the International Convention on the Regulation of Whaling (signed in Washington, D.C., just 2 years before in 1946), the Soviets set out to pillage the world’s ocean

Kumataro Ito, Japanese Artist on Board the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries Steamer Albatross During the Philippine Expedition, 1907–1910

Kumataro Ito produced hundreds of beautiful color paintings of fishes and invertebrates during and after the 1907-10 Philippine Expeditin of the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries Steamer Albatross. The paintings are housed in the files of the Divisions of Fishes and Mollusks, United States National Museum of Natural History, and Smithsonian Institution Archives, Washington, D.C. Few of those paintings have been published in color, but many have been publishes in black and white. Two years after the expedition, Ito came to Washington, D.C., in 1912 for an extended period to render final paintings based on preliminary color sketches made during the expedition. He did not completly render all the sketches during his stay, probably because he was asked to produced a large number of black-and-white illustrations of Philippine fishes, and a few of North American fishes. Most of the black-and-white illustrations have been published. Few publications containing Ito's Philippine and North American illustrations have acknowledged him. The very little that is known about Ito's life is discussed, examples of his black-and-white and colored fish paintings are reproduced, and his previously unacknowledged illustrations in various publications are herein acknowledged. Another Japanese artist, Yasui, about whom almost nothing is known, joined the Albatross during Ito's second tour on board the ship. It appears, with few exceptions, that Yasui produced only preliminary color sketches of fishes, which, if rendered as final paintings, were done by Ito.

Our living oceans: report on the status of U.S. living marine resources, 6th edition

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is dedicated to the stewardship of living marine resources (LMR’s). This is accomplished through science-based conservation and management, and the promotion of healthy ecosystems. As a steward, NMFS has an obligation to conserve, protect, and manage these resources in a way that ensures their continuation as functioning components of healthy marine ecosystems, affords economic opportunities, and enhances the quality of life for the American public. In addition to its responsibilities within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), NMFS plays a supportive and advisory role in the management of LMR’s in the coastal areas under state jurisdiction and provides scientific and policy leadership in the international arena. NMFS also implements international measures for the conservation and management of LMR’s, as appropriate.NMFS receives its stewardship responsibilities under a number of Federal laws. These include the Nation’s primary fisheries law, the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act. This law was first passed in 1976, later reauthorized as the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act in 1996, and reauthorized again on 12 January 2007 as the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act (MSRA). The MSRA mandates strong action to conserve and manage fishery resources and requires NMFS to end overfishing by 2010 in all U.S. commercial and recreational fisheries, rebuild all overfished stocks, and conserve essential fish habitat.