Legal consideration on Convention for the Prevention of Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter (at sea) and assessment of its implementation in Iran (The London [dumping] Convention)

Making use of sea, as a place for dumping of wastes and other materials from human activities wasn’t forbidden before creation of the convention on the prevention of marine pollution by dumping of wastes and other matters (London Convention). Therefore, industrial countries, without any specific consideration, were dumping their wastes into the world’s seas. Many years and before the beginning of rapid development of industry, the great self- purification of seas were preventing some of discharging problems. But gradually, the increase of industrial development activities, exceeded the production of wastes and other matters, and this led to the misuse of world’s seas and oceans as a dump site. One of the most important consequences of 1972 Stockholm World Conference was to focusing world attention on threats have jeopardized marine environment balance. World countries` leaders committed in Stockholm to begin protecting the environment. Finally, this movement at marine environment section led to the creation of London Convention in the same year. London Convention was concluded for cooperating between countries at December 29, 1972 to promote effective control of all marine environment polluting resources and to prevent marine pollution by dumping wastes and other matters. Then it was opened for signature to other countries. At last, after 15 states signature, this convention was entered in to force at August 30.1975. Ratification and execution of London Convention resulted in coordinated performance of countries in marine waste management. Common actions with supports and cooperation of different international, regional, governmental and non-governmental organizations and agencies prevent marine pollution by dumping of wastes and other matters. Due to the importance of wastes in our marine and coastal areas, investigation of the performance of London Convention can identify the lack of regulations and lack of regulation supports about marine pollution prevention by dumping of wastes and other matters in Iran. Considering this issue, proper protection of seas will be achieved. London Convention has been studied here to achieve intended purposes. In first chapter, generalities about marine environment, including the importance and necessity of marine environment protection, with the focus on some internal and international resources of environmental law accompanying with marine pollution and its recourses, and finally, due to the study theme, dumping of wastes and other matters at seas with its impacts have been investigated .In the section of international measures, a brief history of marine pollution and marine environment international law with international law framework, exclusively for controlling of wastes and other material discharge at seas and oceans has been reviewed. In second chapter, obligations, amendments, and annexes of London Convention have been investigated and classified. The obligations have been categorized in to legal obligations and technical and organizational obligations. In former section, subject ,purpose, territory, exceptions, rights and duties of parties, convention amendments,… and in latter, special requirements for wastes assessment, determination of pollutants` permissible limit, site selection and type of discharge selection, design principles for marine environment quality monitoring program, and discharge license issuance mechanism have been studied. In third chapter, due to the examination of convention performance in Iran, the internal law system for marine environment conservation and its pollution has been mentioned in detail. Considering this, two issues have been compared .firstly, convention obligations with regional treaties that Iran as a party to them and secondly, Iranian internal law there of .Finally, common and different aspects of these issues have been determined. At last, recommendations and strategies for convention enforcement and conformity of its obligations with internal regulations have been presented. Furthermore, translation of convention English text has been reviewed and its protocol has been translated.

Survey on gill parasites of sturgeon fishes (Acipenseridae) in southern part of Caspian Sea with emphasis on Nitzschia sturionis Ablidgaard, 1794

Sturgeons are important because of producing the expensive caviar. With regard to decreasing of natural stocks of these fishes, cultured sturgeons farms are expanding, so infectious or non-infectious agents can cause problems in this industry. One of the most important infectious diseases, are parasitic diseases, like gill parasites. In this study from March 2007 to June 2008, gills of 122 sturgeons of south west of Caspian Sea, 44 samples of juveniles from freshwater farms and 25 samples of cultured fishes in freshwater were collected and examined. Parasites were separated and determination of species and prevalence of them were done. Nitzschia sturionis and Diclybothrium armatum (monogenea) with general prevalence 8.7% in Acipenser persicus and 25.6% in Acipenser stellatus from sea sturgeons and Trichodina (sp.1, sp.2) and Ichthyophthirius multifiliis from freshwater sturgeons, were separated. Statistical analysis was done according to species, sex, length and weight of fishes. Pathology, morphometric and morphological characters of Nitzschia sturionis were also studied. At the end, we have suggested ways for health management of farms for prevention of parasites entry.

Development and evaluation of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for diagnosis of spring viremia of carp virus (SVCV)

Aquaculture has been expanded rapidly to become a major commercial and food-producing sector worldwide in recent decade. In parallel, viral diseases rapidly spread among farms causing enormous economic losses. The accurate detection of pathogens at early stages of infection is a key point for disease control in aquaculture. Spring Viraemia of Carp Virus (SVCV) is a very severe pathogen of carp fishes in different parts of the world and is categorized as a reportable listed disease in the annual published list of World Organization for animal Health (OIE). The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate RT- PCR test for detecting SVC virus and also the sensitivity and specificity of this test. A semi nested RT- PCR was designed using combination of three primers: two external (SVCF , SVCR) and one internal (SVCS) primers which based on conserved region of G gen. The specificity of designed primers (only external ones) by examination on Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus (VHSV) and Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus (IHNV) was confirmed. For optimizing of the PCR test, primer concentration, primer annealing temperature, cycle number and Mgcl2 concentration were surveyed. Also for validity test, prevention of false negative and Assurance of its accuracy, a competitive internal control (mimic) designed and its suitable concentration was defined. Evaluation of the sensitivity of designed test were conducted first by comparing the different commercially available RNA isolation guidelines, two guidelines: isotiocyanate phenol–chloroform based protocols (RNX–Plus Iran, Iq2000 kit Taiwan ) and two column based protocols (Cinna pure RNA Iran , high pure viral RNA kit, Roche Germany ). The results indicated that the column based protocols (Roche method and Cinna pure), yield 36.77 ng/μl and 16/47 ng/μl RNA concentration respectively, which were significantly higher than other protocols(P<0.05). Then for evaluation of extracted RNA sensitivity, Serial dilution of SVCV strain 56.70 grown in EPC (1.9×105 TCID50/ml) was examined To compare sensitivity. Extracted RNA from serial dilution with stone's primers and commercial IQ-2000 kit were examined simultaneously. The result indicated that designed semi- nested RT- PCR was able to recognize SVC virus to 10-4 dilution and stone's primer recognize to 10-3 dilution whereas Iq-2000 commercial kit did not recognized in any dilution. In high virus titer in designed test two DNA band (462 bp and 266 bp) produced, and by decreasing virus titer 462 bp was omitted. In low virus titer or lack of virus, just DNA band (mimic) 729 bp can propagate. After designing and optimizing PCR test, a total of 400 suspected cultured Cyprinus carpio with high mortality from 4 aquaculture zone of Khuzestan province were collected and tested for SVCV during 2012- 2013 using developed PCR method and IQ- 2000. The results indicated that SVC virus was not observed in samples using both methods.