Eidfjord is a municipality in the county of Hordaland, Norway. Eidfjord consists of two smaller townships, Eidfjord and Øvre Eidfjord. Eidfjord is the “city center” situated by Eidfjorden, and is a major cruise harbour. The village has about 900 inhabitants, but about 500.000 people passes through this small village every year. Eidfjord has a lot to offer tourists, but mainly those looking for either peace and quiet in beautiful scenery. And those who want to actively enjoy the impressive, contrasting nature that surrounds Eidfjord.

But you can easily spend a few days just sightseeing Eidfjord also. The impressive Sima Power Plant is built into the mountain itself. On top of the same mountain you can during the summer time visit Kjeåsen mountain farm, which is still inhabited year round and gives you the opportunity to see how Norwegian farmers lived and worked in the old days. Now you can drive to the top, but you can also walk the old track straight up the hills to the top. But be aware that this trip is a heavy one and you should not be afraid of heights! Either way you choose to visit Kjeåsen you will certainly enjoy the panoramic views of the below Hardanger Fjord and the surrounding mountains.

Vøringsfossen, the famous waterfall with a free fall of 182 meters is also an impressive sight. Most people drive up the new, modern road “Måbødalen” that consists of several tunnels and enjoy the view of the waterfall from “tourist spots” on the top. You can also walk or take the Måbødalen mountain train (runs in the summer months) via the old Måbødalen road to the top. This road shows old, Norwegian road engineering and curls up the hill on the edge of the cliffs. But don’t worry, it is completey safe. At the bottom of this road you can walk straight in the valley along the river that floats down from the waterfall. This track will take you straight beneath the 182 meter high waterfall. An quite impressive sight and an exciting and fun experience.

When you stand at the top of the Vøringsfossen you have the Europe ‘s largest mountain plateau; Hardangervidda straight ahead of you. This enormous plateau offers beautiful scenery, endless walking tracks and impressive wildlife. You can enjoy fishing in the mountain lakes or go deer hunting (you will need permits). Several glaciers lay within the national park. Here you can walk for weeks without ever stepping in your own foot steps twice. Bring along your own tent or walk from tourist cabin to tourist cabin and enjoy the special social atmosphere in the Norwegian mountains. During winter time you can enjoy alpine skiing in the Maurseth alpine resort. But cross-country skiing is the main thing and you have endless choice of routes to choose from. But be aware of the quick weather changes and respect the mountain!

In the village you can simply take a stroll along the waterfront and enjoy lazy days by the fjord. Or take a look on the stone church and the Viking grave yards in Eidfjord. In Øvre Eidfjord you can visit the Hardangervidda Wild life centre, where you also can enjoy excellent wild life food in the restaurant. You can also get excellent food at the biggest hotel in Eidfjord, The Vøringfoss Quality Hotel, that also feature a large art gallery with an extensive collection of paintings of local artists and a hotel bar where you can enjoy a late drink in a mix of other tourists and locals.

For the more activity seeking visitor you can hire a small boat or take a kayak trip on the fjord. The tourist information offers bikes for rental and can give you information about different bike routes. Eidfjord is also a newly discovered eldorado for iceclimbing. In Garen, just at the start of the Hardangervidda Plateau , about 20 minutes from Eidfjord by car, you can enjoy golf on a 9 holes course situated on the Plateau.

The best and cheapest accommodation while staying in Eidfjord is to rent a vacation home. You can find a selection of vacation rentals in Eidfjord at:

Vacation-home.biz – Directory of Vacation Rental Web Pages in Eidfjord, Hordaland, Norway.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/vacation-rentals-articles/visit-eidfjord-hordaland-norway-between-fjords-and-mountains-139246.html

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http://www.vacation-home.biz

American farm raised fish include Atlantic salmon, rainbow trout, tilapia, catfish and cobia.

Atlantic Salmon

Atlantic salmon is one of the most well known farm raised fish species. Atlantic salmon are produced in the USA, UK, Chile, Norway, Canada, Ireland and Iceland. These beautiful fish are available head-on and dressed, as roasts, skin-on or skin-off fillets, fillet portions, and steaks. Salmon products are also available with smoked portions and canned chunks being among the most common types. Farm raised Atlantic salmon has a milder, more delicate flavor than wild salmon. The flesh is lighter colored than wild salmon, moderately firm and flaky. Atlantic salmon steaks, fillets and whole fish can be baked, broiled, poached or grilled.

Rainbow Trout

The rainbow trout is popular worldwide as a farmed fish. About 500,000 metric tons are produced annually by aquaculture facilities in the United States, Canada, Europe and other countries. In the USA, trout farms produce approximately $80 million of trout annually. Most American trout are grown in Idaho, New York, Pennsylvania and California. In Canada, Ontario is the leading province in terms of production. In 2006, Ontario produced 4,250 metric tons of rainbow trout worth more than $16 million.

Tilapia

Tilapia is one of the most popular types of farmed fish. This fish is easily grown and well liked by consumers due to its firm flesh and mild flavor. The worldwide demand for tilapia has increased rapidly during the last decade. Tilapia sales have surpassed rainbow trout sales in the U.S. and is now among the most popular seafood consumed in the nation.

Catfish

Catfish is an extremely farmed fish. They thrive in aquaculture environments and are well liked by consumers. American catfish catfish farms are located in the Mississippi Delta, Alabama, Arkansas and Louisiana. The combined production acreage of these four states makes up 94 percent of American catfish aquaculture operations. Farm raised catfish is low in calories and fat, yet a good source of protein.

Cobia

Cobia are becoming popular as technology has improved. Farm raised fish range from 6-20 pounds, although wild adult fish can reach more than 100 pounds and nearly 6 feet in length. Cobia are brown above, with a very visible dark stripe along the lateral line, and white below. Cobia is very easy to fillet with white, flaky, mild tasting meat. The steaks are suitable for baking, broiling, grilling and recipes calling for mild white fish.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/main-course-articles/american-aquaculture-types-of-farm-raised-fish-2620848.html

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The author writes for outdoor websites including Chesapeake Bay, Fresh Seafood and Commercial Fishing.

Looking for a new vacation travel destination? Wondering which holiday spots don’t get the credit they deserve, and which ones receive too much? Here are some tips on a few of the most over- and underrated places.

Underrated:

South Dakota/Black Hills. Beautiful oasis of pine and mountains, and plenty to do with Mount Rushmore, Native American sights, Hiking, scenic drives, waterfalls, tons of wildlife to view, national parks,camping, fishing, and even wild horses and bison roaming free.

Idaho

Upstate New York

Tennessee

National parks in Southern Utah.

South Carolina

Gulf Coast of Florida

Washington DC. A wonderful city with lots of places to explore.

Northern Wisconsin

The city of Athens

Oslo, Norway

Louisville, Kentucky. Not just for horse racing, this city has lots of small-town charm, a diverse art scene, a theme park for coaster lovers, lots of great restaurants, and much more.

Portland, Oregon.

Overrated:

Miami/South Florida. Hot, humid, crowded. Good shopping though for sure. The beach is fun but there are much better beaches in Florida.

Los Angeles. Too crowded on the highways, terrible smog, obstructed views of the surrounding scenery, unimpressive downtown surrounded by graffiti-covered neighborhoods.

Costa Rica

Stonehenge

Disney World at Christmas. Way too crowded to be able to enjoy yourself.

Yosemite National Park. You need to hike to enjoy the beauty of this park. Otherwise you may be disappointed.

Isle of Capri

The Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Cloudy water, no fish, not much to see.

Bali. Open sewers run under the sidewalks.

Atlanta

Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. Visitors agree it is interesting but say it is not worth the time.

Sante Fe, New Mexico

Blarney Stone in Ireland.

Although these places have been called underrated or overrated by some, one can usually find things to like and appreciate no matter where you go. Use this list of travel destinations as a guide and be sure to thoroughly research your vacation plans so that you won’t ultimately be disappointed. What one traveler finds to dislike, others may find to be the best part of their trip.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-tips-articles/vacation-travel-tips-underrated-and-overrated-travel-destinations-489980.html

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Gas prices are high but there is still no need to pay full price for airfare. Learn how to find airline travel cheap and find out how thousands of happy travelers are already saving boatloads of money on airfare right now. Visit http://www.the-cheap-traveler.com.

You are probably aware of the many benefits of salmon, but when you’re at the local fish market are you aware of the differences between Atlantic and Pacific salmon? Other than the obvious geographical separation, there is one fundamental difference between the fish.

The salmon is renowned for it’s tragic life cycle. The fish are born in freshwater but then migrate to the open saltwater of the oceans to live their adult lives. When salmon are ready to spawn, they return to familiar freshwater hardwired by imprint or a keen sense of smell. We have all seen salmon swim valiantly upstream only to spawn and then die. But do they really? The Pacific salmon does meet its unfortunate demise but the Atlantic salmon does indeed live to spawn another day.

The question to ask now is whether or not there’s a nutritional difference between Pacific and Atlantic salmon. The answer is yes but perhaps it is more a function of mankind’s interference or intervention depending on your point of view.

Because salmon is such a popular fish, commercial fish farms have been set up to meet the demand of the public. It has been estimated that greater than 99% of Atlantic salmon sold in world wide fish markets are farmed versus greater than 80% of Pacific salmon are wild-caught.

The free swimming Pacific salmon are found to have less contaminants and dioxins than its farmed Atlantic counterpart. However, Atlantic salmon do contain more essential omega-3 fatty acids. The health benefits of this fatty acid include cardiovascular and neurological benefits among many others.

So, do the benefits of omega-3 outweigh the risks of eating chemically contaminated salmon stock? Given consumption in moderation, studies show that the net benefits of salmon’s nutritional value exceed the pollution issues. However, always ask where the salmon comes from when purchasing to follow these guidelines. Farmed fish from eastern Canada, Norway and Scotland should not be consumed more than three times a year. Likewise, farmed fish from Maine, western Canada, Washington State and Chile should not be consumed more than six times a year. If your palate swings toward wild salmon, then you can enjoy wild chum salmon once per week; pink, sockeye and coho bimonthly, and chinook once a month.

As with everything in life, too much of a good thing can cause you harm. To enjoy the health benefits of eating salmon, one has to practice moderation.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/wellness-articles/does-farmed-atlantic-salmon-pose-any-heath-risks-522396.html

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Enjoy wild Pacific salmon when you go Southeast Alaska fishing. Juneau Alaska fishing offers a truly unique experience of fishing and scenery.

We guarantee much better fishing results. Check out this new revolutionary invention and get ahead of your fishing friends. Buy the Award Winning ‘Esca Lures’ online at http://www.escalure.co.uk/

Norway-based Esca Global announces the worldwide launch of its revolutionary new product platform, Esca Technology. Esca Technology convincingly mimics natural lure lights in the sea to attract fish and trigger their hunting and biting instincts, and thus tips the odds in the angler’s favour. Tests have shown an increased catch from 50 % to 700 %.

A revolutionary new product

Esca Global AS is the only company in the world to offer attractors that imitate the lure lights used in nature by marine life. Esca Technology is the ultimate fish attractor. This revolutionary new product is destined to become an essential addition to even the best-stocked tackle box. ESCA technology is integrated into small units that can be used as add-ons to any lures, on their own, or in combination with Esca accessories to maximize your fishing experience. Esca technology was also picked as one of Angling International’s pick of the best lures of 2009 to guarantee sales in your store.

 We guarantee much better fishing results. Check out this new revolutionary invention and get ahead of your fishing friends. Buy the Award Winning ‘Esca Lures’ online at http://www.escalure.co.uk/

How does it work? 

On contact with salt water, the Esca units mimic the light wavelengths, intensity and frequencies of different types of fish and plankton. Esca’s blue light wave, for example, is identical to the light wave emitted by krill – the main food source for almost all fish species. Not only does the Esca technology include light waves that act as attractors, but the technology also creates an electrical field around the products thereby triggering hunting and biting instincts. All living organisms including fish are surrounded by an electrical field. When the fish sense the field around Esca products, they bite – and bite harder.its own electricity and uses no batteries. It activates on contact with salt water, deactivates when out of water, and works for more than 100 hours of active fishing. The units weigh 7 grams and are comprised of high quality technological components that are gold-coated and contain no lead and are therefore environmental friendly. The products are extremely robust and reliable and can withstand pressures at depths of up to 500 meters. Various light colors 

Esca technology generates 

Esca and bait is a winning combination

When fishing with bait alone, fish that are down-current may smell the bait while the fish that are up-current are not alerted. Imagine what happens when Esca and bait are combined. The upstream fish will now also be attracted by the light and the bait, while all fish, whether drawn in by the light or the bait, will have their biting instincts stimulated by the electromagnetic fields around Esca. Suddenly, fishing occurs in 360 degrees rather than only downstream. In darker environments where visibility can pose a challenge, a synergetic effect is achieved when combining Esca and nearly all types of fishing lures or tackle. In addition to acting as an attractor and bite stimulator, Esca improves visibility of the lure and tackle – thereby improving the fisherman’s odds.

We guarantee much better fishing results. Check out this new revolutionary invention and get ahead of your fishing friends. Buy the Award Winning ‘Esca Lures’ online at http://www.innovativefishingtackle.co.uk/

 

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/fishing-articles/the-worlds-best-sea-fishing-attractor-1487734.html

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We are a genuine UK based company offering quality items at prices far cheaper than the high street. Every item is carefully packaged using the latest technology to ensure safe shipment to you. Enjoy your visit!

Sunday, July 20, 2003

Our destination today was Terra Nova National Park, on the East Coast of Newfoundland. We were very surprised at the fees they charged: $5.00 per day per adult for use plus $21.00 per day for camping with no amenities (electricity was $5.00 extra per night). The area boasts arboreal forests reaching to the sea. There are many hiking trails, most between four and ten kilometers in length.

We went to the marine interpretation center. A ranger explains the different aquatic animals they have in their touch tank: stars, scallops, various crabs, barnacles, etc. It was very informative. They also have tanks with local fish in them: cod, caplain, etc.

Monday, July 21, 2003

Took to some of the trails today to view the wildlife and the scenery, which Terra Nova has to offer. We saw three plovers, a herring gull, a whiskey Jack (a gray jay), and squirrels, which are not indigenous to Newfoundland. We saw moose tracks and droppings and bear tracks, but no moose or bear yet.

After a day of hiking, it was early to bed.

Tuesday, July 22, 2003

Drove to St. Johns, the capital Newfoundland. We parked at Pitty Park in St. Johns.  This is located close to Memorial University.

Until 1948 Newfoundland was an independent country. On July 22, 1948, they voted whether to become part of Canada. The first ballot was noncommittal. After some negotiations with the Canadian government and necessary concessions, the people voted confederation by a very narrow margin. Many Newfoundlanders, even today many wished that confederation never took place. The other options they had was to become a member of the USA or remain independent.

Drove down to La Manche (French for the sleeve) Provincial Park. We were put in the overflow section, which is perfect for us, because the area is wide open. There is no electricity or water, except for boiling available in any of the provincial parks. So we are happy to pay $13.00 Canadian per night.  We are spitting distance to the lake, which has water the temperature of bath water. There are hiking trails. One leads to a picturesque falls, where swimming is allowed, but not recommended. Another leads to the ruins of the town of La Manche. After the Confederation in 1949, the residents of the town were given the opportunity to resettle to a larger town, because it was too costly to maintain roads and offer other services, such as electricity. Most refused. After a major storm hit the area in the 1960s, the town had been wiped out and so the people were resettled anyway. Only the foundations of the buildings remain today of this once prosperous fishing village. Similar stories exist for many of the fishing villages on the island. When the fisheries died from dredging, the life expectancy of the Newfoundland fisherman was also terminal. Many chose to give up the old ways, which originally had brought their families to this abundant island, and moved to larger towns to find less meaningful work.

Friday, July 25, 2003

Today we were going to go whale watching.  We found out that Gatheralls in Bay Bulls charged $50.00 per person, but someone recommended Seabird or Ocean Adventure Tours out of Bauline East, closer to the Park, for only $20.00 per person for a one hour trip. We decided top check them out and see what they offered. We met Jerry, the owner operator of Seabird, who had just returned from a trip out to Great Island, the Puffin Sanctuary. He said that they had seen about six humpback whales out on the briny. By the time we left our small group of four had increased to over twenty people. There was plenty of room on board for all. Three Islands comprise Witless Bay Ecological Reserve: Great, Green, and Gull. Great is the largest and lays just off the coast of Bauline East. The first bird pointed out was the Northern Fulmar, a rarity since there are only twenty pairs on the island. Then there were the little puffins skimming the waters, wings beating almost as fast as hummingbirds, their colorful beaks contrasting to the black and white bodies. Also in abundance were terns, or Murrs in Newfoundlander, and black-legged Kittiwakes, a smaller member of the gull family, who has dipped its wing tips into bottles of India Ink. Enough of the birds. Off for larger prey.

Everyone on the boat was scanning the horizon as we headed out to sea. Finally someone shouted, “Thar she blows, starboard.” Off on the chase we went and there was our first humpback whale, complete with a dive with a wave of his tail fluke. All in all we must have seen about a dozen whales. The number might have been more or less. It is very hard to identify them unless you get pictures. We got a couple of their flukes, which usually have the identifying marks. Some of the whales were even vocalizing to us. Everyone on board acted like eight year old David, full of enthusiasm and awe at these magnificent persons. Sometimes we were less than five feet from the whale. Somehow I believe that they were having as much fun as we were, like the porpoises in Charleston, SC Harbor. Our trip on the sea was over an hour long and we hadn’t even started to return to Great Island or to the wharf.

We returned to the leeward side of the island and saw the nesting sites of the Kittlwakes, with adults and babies. We passed by numerous caves, one called skull cave because it looked like one, and natural arches etched from the rock by water and wind. The entire trip took almost two hours. Everyone got their money’s worth, plus some.

After a quick sandwich we left for the twenty minute drive to Ferryland. We wanted to see the Colony Avalon and other interesting sights there. We would be returning to Ferryland for the Shamrock Festival tomorrow. When we arrived, they were still setting up the venue. Colony Avalon is right there too. We joined a guided walking tour, which had just begun, outside the visitor’s center. Jennifer Carter was our guide. If she did not know the answer to our questions, she was in constant communications with someone who did.

Colony Avalon is an active archeological site of a four acre plus community founded by George Calvert, AKA, Lord Baltimore, in 1621. Situated on the banks of a naturally protected harbor, the colony thrived throughout the 17th century, cod fishing being the primary industry. Thousands of artifacts have been found on the site, some dating back even further to the Beotuck tribes and 16th century Basque, Portuguese, French and English seasonal fishermen. The Avalon Colony, however, had cobblestone streets, sewerage system flushed twice daily by high tide, forge, wells, warehouses with doors on the harbor, palisades, a manor house, plus many other buildings. Excavations are still underway, with new artifacts found daily. On the day we were there, they had found part of a crystal goblet and a gold coin.

Lord Baltimore abandoned the settlement to Sir David Kirke and went on to found the colony of Maryland. Kirke did so well in building the colony, he was put on trial in England and convicted, most probably of embezzlement of funds which should have gone to the crown. His wife took over for another twenty-five years. Most people have never heard of this prosperous settlement which predates Plymouth Rock. St. Augustine had been founded in 1565 and Jamestown in 1607.

Sunday, July 27, 2003

Went on a hiking trail to the ruins of the town of La Manche. The town was started in 1840 and built on the side of a steep hill, at least fifty feet above the shoreline. Living there had to be pretty tough because everything was up and down the steep hillside. Even though it was almost a mile from the closest road, the town prospered. When confederation with Canada took place in 1949, the government wanted to relocate the town so that services good be given. They refused. But their decision was reversed when a storm wiped out the town. It had to be one heck of a storm, because the town was so high from the water’s edge. All that remains are foundations, some with basements, the cables from a suspension bridge traversing the river, and a doctor’s house in ruins across the river and up the hill.

We saw a humpback whale frolicking in the bay. On the return home I found an old stone spearhead and gave it to Jordan, a ten year old boy who was taking the hike with us. Tanya Herlidan was our naturalist guide. Later she brought to our trailer pictures of the town as it once had been.

Monday, July 28, 2003

‘Tis a fresh lovely Irish day to tour the Irish Loop: foggy, rainy, and windy. Our first stop was to Ferryland to the historical museum. We wanted to hear about the German W.W.II burials. The young people who were at the museum knew nothing about it, but had heard stories of U-boats in the area. We had been told that the Germans brought the body bags ashore and the local citizens had services for them and then buried them in their cemeteries. We were told that it was possible, because of the solitude of the local lighthouse, presently shrouded in fog, would be a good place to dump the bodies. They could not confirm the story, however. We asked where the old cemetery was located. We found it. As you can see in the picture, it was quite unkempt; many of the headstones were illegible and broken. Whether the story is true or legend, it still is a great story.

Drove through Renews, where the Mayflower stopped for supplies while on the way to Plymouth Rock. Then off to Portugal Cove South. The landscape was fairly open at this point, a great place to view the caribou herds, which number in the thousands. Arrived at the visitor center at Portugal Cove South in the fog. We were told by the young ladies at the center that the fog had lifted and it was quite nice outside. For the past week, they could not see across the road. Portugal Cove South has 158 days of fog per year, which is almost ½ of the time. When asked for the reason why they were so blessed, they said that it was because of the confluence of the Labrador, Gulf of Mexico and St. Lawrence Currents. In the visitor’s center were exhibits on the Titanic and on fossils. The lighthouse men at Cape Race were the first ones to hear the SOS from the ill fated Titanic in 1912. The wireless and the old house were demolished for a new on a few years later. So some historical artifacts lay buried. Along the road to Cape Race is Mistaken Point, a treasure trove of 575 million year old fossils. Because the cod industry of the area has been destroyed, the local citizens have become the self-appointed keepers of the fossils offering tours and chasing off the poachers. Today was not an optimal day for viewing them, because they turn into a slip and slide into the North Atlantic. When I asked the young ladies what was available in the area to keep them here, they said, “Nothing.” Both were college students at St. John’s majoring in Social Work and Physical Therapy and were home only for the summer.

Off to Trepassey we drove. Trepassey was the liftoff point for Amelia Earhart’s Transatlantic journey in 1928. We were in a driving rain storm. We took refuge in a restaurant, ate lunch and watched the storm. Off to St. Shotts to see some caribou. They were all hiding behind the fog. We saw zero caribou on the entire trip. We were told that the numbers have been severely reduced due to disease. There are very few left on the Avalon Peninsula.

We proceeded to the West side of the Irish Loop. The shroud of Brigadoon lifted to reveal a beautiful Kelly Green landscape with small farms dotting the hillside. We broke into song, happy to see the remaining seventy miles of the Irish loop.

Tuesday, July 29, 2003

Went to Cape Spear, the Easternmost point on the North American Continent. Even though Newfoundland is an island, it is still considered part of the North American Continent. Just as Nord Cap in Norway, also an island, is considered the Northern most point in Europe. Besides an 1835 lighthouse, one of the oldest in Newfoundland, the cape is also the emplacement of battlements erected by the US and Canadian Armies during W.W.II to protect the St. John’s shipping lanes from Nazi submarines. While there we saw minke whales breaking the surface. They were pretty far out to get pictures. Nevertheless it was exciting.

Returned back to the city and drove through the city. We stopped for ice cream at Moo Moo’s, a favorite spot for their 88 flavors of hard packed ice cream. After the cones we went to the Basilica of St. John’s, where the diocese keeps their archives. We were told by the historian there that most of the Pelley clan settled in Anglican communities. St. John’s was the closest port to Ireland. From St. John’s they traveled to Halifax and then to Boston. Many Catholic Irish came over and settled in protestant towns because the Catholic Church was not well established in the late 1700s and early 1800s. The research which has been done is now being catalogued. I will send more information on to those who are interested in their genealogy.

Tuesday, August 05, 2003

Today we drove the Killick coast. A killick is an anchor made out of long stones enclosed in pliable wooden sticks tied at the top and with crossed ones at the bottom to dig into the seabed.

Along the way are towns with names like Torbay, where the English landed to retake St. John’s from the French.

Further on is Flat Rock, where the cod was laid out on the flat rocks to dry. Pope John Paul II was there to bless the fleet. It is also home to a replica of the Grotto at Lourdes, which is visited by many pilgrims.

Further on is Pouch (pronounced Pooch) Bay, founded earlier than 1611, which was the first documented date. Although permanent houses were taxed by the Crown in the 17th and 18th Centuries, neither the Royal Navy nor pirates dared to enter the dangerous waters of the harbor. So the town thrived.

We then took a side track to St. Francis Point, via a gravel road with barely enough room for passing. At the end of the road is a helicopter pad and light beacon to warn sailors of the rocks. To the North are Baccalieu Peninsula and Baccalieu. The view is breathtaking.

The Sierra Club must also think this too, because we met a group of hikers on tour of the East Coast Trail having lunch on the pad.

Finally on the trail is Portugal Cove, the terminus for the ferry boat to Bell Island. Bell Island is noted for its iron mines, which go under the sea. During W.W.II, the German Government hired the local boat captains to man their U-boats, because they were familiar with the area’s waters. Newfoundland, at the time was an independent country. One of the ferry boats recently had a collision with a Russian trawler,  in restricted waters ,putting it out of commission. The government does not know whether to prosecute or reward the ferry captain. We had lunch at Beach Cove Café, part of a B & B by the same name. The fries were superb, a large platter of thick wedges.

Drove to the Cape Shore loop, which includes Placentia, the original French Capital. We took the overland route via a gravel road. The Fradshams have a summer home on this road, called Misty Mountain. No one was at home. So we left a note. The road passes by the Cataracts which cut a sixty foot gorge through the hills; a pretty sight. We parked at the beach where the Placentia Regatta takes place in July, part one of the Triple Crown of Newfoundland.

We visited the town of Placentia settled in 1662 to protect the French interests in North America. Castle Hill overlooking the city is a National Historical site. It successfully protected the city from invasion, but not from blockade. The ground was not conducive for farming and rival factions slowly doomed the colony. The French then built the fortifications Louisbourg, NS, leaving Placentia to the British.

Also in Placentia are other archeological excavations happening at the base of the harbor. A dig is being done at Fort Louis, a military post, and at Fort Frederick, across the harbor inlet. The former can be visited and you can see the process at work. The latter is less accessible, but a better quality of artifacts is being discovered there. They can be seen at the archeological treatment center in town.

Drove to St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve, which is strictly for the birds: gannets,

On the return trip to Placentia we stopped at different towns along the way. First was St. Brides, whose population doubled in 1941, when the Americans set up a listening base for German ships in the area. More than 400 GIs stayed for the war years. They were able to relay messages to the US Naval base at Argentia thirty miles to the North.The military medical staff also took care of the locals since their was no other medical care available to them.

Next we stopped at Gooseberry Cove, a small cove with a blackish sandy beach. It was quite peaceful, watching the wave come on the sand. Sand is unusual in Newfoundland, since most of the beaches are rocky. Some rocks strewn the beach, but most had been pulverized into sand by the action of the currents.

Our next stop was Ship Cove, which had a man made stone breakwater. On the breakwater people erected cairns. I added mine to the collection. Meanwhile Maggie collected drift wood to work on her carving.

Home to Placentia and a stop at the Archeological Center. They had just found a silver coin, slightly smaller than a dime, with a cross inscribed on one side. The opposite side was more difficult to read. The lady also show us a copper coin, recently found, with three fleur d’leis on one side.

Off to the O’Reilly house, built around the turn of the century for the local magistrate. It has been refurbished with donated items. The house also contains exhibits regarding the resettlement of many communities in Placentia Bay. The stories are quite sad. All of the towns were fishing villages, independent from each other. As long as there was fish, there was work. When fishing was forbidden to them, their way of living was taken away. This is somewhat reminiscent of the destruction of the buffalo and the resettlement of the Native Americans.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/destinations-articles/newfoundland-travel-avalon-peninsula-898002.html

About the Author

John and Maggie Pelley are Geriatric Gypsies. Both of us are retired from the rat race of working. We are full-time RVers, who ran away from home. We began our travels on the East Coast and, like the migrating birds, seek the warmth of the seasons. No more shoveling snow in Chicago. We have discovered volunteering with the National Park System. During our travels we have found that each town has a story to tell: some are more interesting than others. Both of us enjoy good listening music as we go. John has a CD he has recorded of Native American flure music. We have learned that RVing has a learning curve. We want to pass on some advice the help others avoid this trecherous curve. Life is an adventure. We are living it to the utmost.

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The North Sea
Fishing in the North Sea is concentrated in the southern part of the coastal waters. The main method of fishing is trawling.
Annual catches grew each year until the 1980s, when a high point of more than 3 million metric tons (3.3millionS/T) was reached. Since then, the numbers have fallen back to around 2.3 million tons (2.5millionS/T) annually with considerable differences between years. Besides the fish caught, it is estimated that 150,000metrictons (165,000S/T) of unmarketable by-catch are caught and around 85,000metrictons (94,000S/T) of dead and injured invertebrates.
Of the caught fish, about half are used for the production of fish oil and fish meal.
History
Sturgeon, shad, rays, skates and salmon among other species were common in the North Sea into the 20th century, when numbers declined due to overfishing.
Other factors like the introduction of non-indigenous species, industrial and agricultural pollution, trawling and dredging, human-induced eutrophication, construction on coastal breeding and feeding grounds, sand and gravel extraction, offshore construction, and heavy shipping traffic have also contributed to the decline.

The underside and mouth of a sturgeon
The OSPAR commission manages the OSPAR convention to counteract the harmful effects of human activity on wildlife in the North Sea, preserve endangered species, and provide environmental protection. All North Sea border states are signatories of the MARPOL 73/78 Accords which preserves the marine environment by preventing pollution from ships. Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands also have a trilateral agreement for the protection of the Wadden Sea, or mudflats, which run along the coasts of the three countries on the southern edge of the North Sea.
At the end of the 19th century large quantities of herring were produced in Scotland. Today mainly mackerel, Atlantic cod, whiting, coalfish, European plaice, and sole are caught. In addition, common shrimp, lobster, and crab, along with a variety of shellfish are harvested.
Overfishing

Trends in landings of Cod, Haddock, Whiting and Norway Pout from the North Sea (1961-2004).
In recent decades, overfishing has left many fisheries unproductive, disturbing the marine food chain dynamics and costing jobs in the fishing industry. Herring, cod and plaice fisheries may soon face the same plight as mackerel fishing which ceased in the 1970s due to overfishing. Since the 1960s, various regulations have attempted to protect the stocks of fish such as limited fishing times and limited numbers of fishing boats, among other regulations. However, these rules were never systematically enforced and did not bring much relief. Since then, the United Kingdom and Denmark, two important fishing nations, became members of the EU, and have attempted, with the help of the Common Fisheries Policy, to bring the problem under control.
Norway, not a member of the EU, has also reached an agreement with the European Community concerning fishing policy. Regional advisory committees meet with the EU to help enforce policy.
In addition to threats due to food-chain disturbances, non-target species often wind up as victims of intense fishing. Sea turtles, dolphins, harbour porpoises, rays, and dozens of fish species are killed or injured by trawlers nets and beams. Denmark’s trawler fishing alone accounts for the deaths of 5,000 porpoises a year. Trawling can also have a destructive effect on seabed habitats as the trawler beams drag along the floor can uproot plants and destroy reefs.
Fish caught in the North Sea in metric tons
Country
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1996
2002
Denmark
96,494
284,527
528,127
1,806,191
1,328,251
1,284,365
1,249,656
Norway
296,337
323,381
480,819
498,777
617,741
618,669
691,062
United Kingdom
308,895
343,002
410,775
389,417
343,205
355,385
295,367
Germany
233,481
305,776
284,685
90,217
108,990
63,647
69,836
Netherlands
64,438
92,119
121,524
213,365
256,597
140,765
146,835
Soviet Union / Russia
89,269
352,857
429,182
7,181
1
0
0
France
79,751
149,769
202,948
100,861
64,860
35,262
55,379
Sweden
43,680
71,899
124,790
86,465
116,695
72,863
131,991
Faroe Islands
38,630
17,111
63,725
71,540
23,292
27,572
0
Iceland
0
50,065
21,111
523
0
8
4,668
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INTRODUCTION

Pollution, contamination of Earth’s environment with materials that interfere with human health, the quality of life, or the natural functioning of ecosystems (living organisms and their physical surroundings). Although some environmental pollution is a result of natural causes such as volcanic eruptions, most is caused by human activities.

Thermal Inversion Smog surrounds the Angel Monument in Mexico City, Mexico, during a thermal inversion. Air pollution increases dramatically when a mass of cold air is trapped below a mass of warmer air. The absence of air circulation prevents pollution near Earth’s surface from escaping.

 

There are two main categories of polluting materials, or pollutants. Biodegradable pollutants are materials, such as sewage, that rapidly decompose by natural processes. These pollutants become a problem when added to the environment faster than they can decompose (see Sewage Disposal). Nondegradable pollutants are materials that either do not decompose or decompose slowly in the natural environment. Once contamination occurs, it is difficult or impossible to remove these pollutants from the environment.

Nondegradable compounds such as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and radioactive materials can reach dangerous levels of accumulation as they are passed up the food chain into the bodies of progressively larger animals. For example, molecules of toxic compounds may collect on the surface of aquatic plants without doing much damage to the plants. A small fish that grazes on these plants accumulates a high concentration of the toxin. Larger fish or other carnivores that eat the small fish will accumulate even greater, and possibly life-threatening, concentrations of the compound. This process is known as bioaccumulation.

II IMPACTS OF POLLUTION

Because humans are at the top of the food chain, they are particularly vulnerable to the effects of nondegradable pollutants. This was clearly illustrated in the 1950s and 1960s when residents living near Minamata Bay, Japan, developed nervous disorders, tremors, and paralysis in a mysterious epidemic. More than 400 people died before authorities discovered that a local industry had released mercury into Minamata Bay. This highly toxic element accumulated in the bodies of local fish and eventually in the bodies of people who consumed the fish. More recently research has revealed that many chemical pollutants, such as DDT and PCBs, mimic sex hormones and interfere with the human body’s reproductive and developmental functions. These substances are known as endocrine disrupters.

Pollution also has a dramatic effect on natural resources. Ecosystems such as forests, wetlands, coral reefs, and rivers perform many important services for Earth’s environment. They enhance water and air quality, provide habitat for plants and animals, and provide food and medicines. Any or all of these ecosystem functions may be impaired or destroyed by pollution. Moreover, because of the complex relationships among the many types of organisms and ecosystems, environmental contamination may have far-reaching consequences that are not immediately obvious or that are difficult to predict. For instance, scientists can only speculate on some of the potential impacts of the depletion of the ozone layer, the protective layer in the atmosphere that shields Earth from the Sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays.

Another major effect of pollution is the tremendous cost of pollution cleanup and prevention. The global effort to control emissions of carbon dioxide, a gas produced from the combustion of fossil fuels such as coal or oil, or of other organic materials like wood, is one such example. The cost of maintaining annual national carbon dioxide emissions at 1990 levels is estimated to be 2 percent of the gross domestic product for developed countries. Expenditures to reduce pollution in the United States in 1993 totaled $109 billion: $105.4 billion on reduction, $1.9 billion on regulation, and $1.7 billion on research and development. Twenty-nine percent of the total cost went toward air pollution, 36 percent to water pollution, and 36 percent to solid waste management.

In addition to its effects on the economy, health, and natural resources, pollution has social implications. Research has shown that low-income populations and minorities do not receive the same protection from environmental contamination as do higher-income communities. Toxic waste incinerators, chemical plants, and solid waste dumps are often located in low-income communities because of a lack of organized, informed community involvement in municipal decision-making processes.

III TYPES OF POLLUTION

Pollution exists in many forms and affects many different aspects of Earth’s environment. Point-source pollution comes from specific, localized, and identifiable sources, such as sewage pipelines or industrial smokestacks. Nonpoint-source pollution comes from dispersed or uncontained sources, such as contaminated water runoff from urban areas or automobile emissions.

The effects of these pollutants may be immediate or delayed. Primary effects of pollution occur immediately after contamination occurs, such as the death of marine plants and wildlife after an oil spill at sea. Secondary effects may be delayed or may persist in the environment into the future, perhaps going unnoticed for many years. DDT, a nondegradable compound, seldom poisons birds immediately, but gradually accumulates in their bodies. Birds with high concentrations of this pesticide lay thin-shelled eggs that fail to hatch or produce deformed offspring. These secondary effects, publicized by Rachel Carson in her 1962 book, Silent Spring, threatened the survival of species such as the bald eagle and peregrine falcon, and aroused public concern over the hidden effects of nondegradable chemical compounds.

A Air Pollution

Brown Smog Over Phoenix, Arizona Smog is caused by industrial and automobile pollution. It is compounded by temperature inversions, which cause the air pollution to be kept in a particular area for extended periods. Continued exposure to smog can result in respiratory problems, eye irritation, and even death.

 

Human contamination of Earth’s atmosphere can take many forms and has existed since humans first began to use fire for agriculture, heating, and cooking. During the Industrial Revolution of the 18th and 19th centuries, however, air pollution became a major problem. As early as 1661 British author and founding member of the British Royal Society John Evelyn reported of London in his treatise Fumifugium, “… the weary Traveller, at many Miles distance, sooner smells, than sees the City to which he repairs. This is that pernicious Smoake which fullyes all her Glory, superinducing a sooty Crust or Furr upon all that it lights.…”

Urban air pollution is commonly known as smog. The dark London smog that Evelyn wrote of is generally a smoky mixture of carbon monoxide and organic compounds from incomplete combustion (burning) of fossil fuels such as coal, and sulfur dioxide from impurities in the fuels. As the smog ages and reacts with oxygen, organic and sulfuric acids condense as droplets, increasing the haze. Smog developed into a major health hazard by the 20th century. In 1948, 19 people died and thousands were sickened by smog in the small U.S. steel-mill town of Donora, Pennsylvania. In 1952, about 4,000 Londoners died of its effects.

A second type of smog, photochemical smog, began reducing air quality over large cities like Los Angeles in the 1930s. This smog is caused by combustion in car, truck, and airplane engines, which produce nitrogen oxides and release hydrocarbons from unburned fuels. Sunlight causes the nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons to combine and turn oxygen into ozone, a chemical agent that attacks rubber, injures plants, and irritates lungs. The hydrocarbons are oxidized into materials that condense and form a visible, pungent haze.

Eventually most pollutants are washed out of the air by rain, snow, fog, or mist, but only after traveling large distances, sometimes across continents. As pollutants build up in the atmosphere, sulfur and nitrogen oxides are converted into acids that mix with rain. This acid rain falls in lakes and on forests, where it can lead to the death of fish and plants, and damage entire ecosystems. Eventually the contaminated lakes and forests may become lifeless. Regions that are downwind of heavily industrialized areas, such as Europe and the eastern United States and Canada, are the hardest hit by acid rain. Acid rain can also affect human health and man-made objects; it is slowly dissolving historic stone statues and building facades in London, Athens, and Rome.

One of the greatest challenges caused by air pollution is global warming, an increase in Earth’s temperature due to the buildup of certain atmospheric gases such as carbon dioxide. With the heavy use of fossil fuels in the 20th century, atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide have risen dramatically. Carbon dioxide and other gases, known as greenhouse gases, reduce the escape of heat from the planet without blocking radiation coming from the Sun. Because of this greenhouse effect, average global temperatures are expected to rise 1.4 to 5.8 Celsius degrees (2.5 to 10.4 Fahrenheit degrees) by the year 2100. Although this trend appears to be a small change, the increase would make the Earth warmer than it has been in the last 125,000 years, possibly changing climate patterns, affecting crop production, disrupting wildlife distributions, and raising the sea level.

Air pollution can also damage the upper atmospheric region known as the stratosphere. Excessive production of chlorine-containing compounds such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) (compounds formerly used in refrigerators, air conditioners, and in the manufacture of polystyrene products) has depleted the stratospheric ozone layer, creating a hole above Antarctica that lasts for several weeks each year. As a result, exposure to the Sun’s harmful rays has damaged aquatic and terrestrial wildlife and threatens human health in high-latitude regions of the northern and southern hemispheres.

B Water Pollution

The demand for fresh water rises continuously as the world’s population grows. From 1940 to 1990 withdrawals of fresh water from rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and other sources increased fourfold. Of the water consumed in the United States in 1995, 39 percent was used for irrigation, 39 percent was used for electric power generation, and 12 percent was used for other utilities; industry and mining used 7 percent, and the rest was used for agricultural livestock and commercial purposes.

Sewage, industrial wastes, and agricultural chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides are the main causes of water pollution. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that about 37 percent of the country’s lakes and estuaries, and 36 percent of its rivers, are too polluted for basic uses such as fishing or swimming during all or part of the year. In developing nations, more than 95 percent of urban sewage is discharged untreated into rivers and bays, creating a major human health hazard.

Polluted River in the United Kingdom The pollution of rivers and streams with chemical contaminants has become one of the most critical environmental problems of the 20th century. Waterborne chemical pollution entering rivers and streams comes from two major sources: point pollution and nonpoint pollution. Point pollution involves those pollution sources from which distinct chemicals can be identified, such as factories, refineries or outfall pipes. Nonpoint pollution involves pollution from sources that cannot be precisely identified, such as runoff from agricultural or mining operations or seepage from septic tanks or sewage drain fields. It is estimated that each year 10 million people die worldwide from drinking contaminated water.

 

Water runoff, a nonpoint source of pollution, carries fertilizing chemicals such as phosphates and nitrates from agricultural fields and yards into lakes, streams, and rivers. These combine with the phosphates and nitrates from sewage to speed the growth of algae, a type of plantlike organism. The water body may then become choked with decaying algae, which severely depletes the oxygen supply. This process, called eutrophication, can cause the death of fish and other aquatic life. Agricultural runoff may be to blame for the growth of a toxic form of algae called Pfiesteria piscicida, which was responsible for killing large amounts of fish in bodies of water from the Delaware Bay to the Gulf of Mexico in the late 1990s. Runoff also carries toxic pesticides and urban and industrial wastes into lakes and streams.

Erosion, the wearing away of topsoil by wind and rain, also contributes to water pollution. Soil and silt (a fine sediment) washed from logged hillsides, plowed fields, or construction sites, can clog waterways and kill aquatic vegetation. Even small amounts of silt can eliminate desirable fish species. For example, when logging removes the protective plant cover from hillsides, rain may wash soil and silt into streams, covering the gravel beds that trout or salmon use for spawning.

The marine fisheries supported by ocean ecosystems are an essential source of protein, particularly for people in developing countries. Yet pollution in coastal bays, estuaries, and wetlands threatens fish stocks already depleted by overfishing. In 1989, 260,000 barrels of oil was spilled from the oil tanker Exxon Valdez into Alaska’s Prince William Sound, a pristine and rich fishing ground. In 1999 there were 8,539 reported spills in and around U.S. waters, involving 4.4 billion liters (1.2 billion gallons) of oil.

C Soil Pollution

Pest Control or Pollution? Pest control has become a difficult issue for farmers because of its potential environmental impact. Although the insecticide being sprayed on this potato field will eliminate a generation of Colorado potato beetles, it may also contaminate local food and water sources.

Soil is a mixture of mineral, plant, and animal materials that forms during a long process that may take thousands of years. It is necessary for most plant growth and is essential for all agricultural production. Soil pollution is a buildup of toxic chemical compounds, salts, pathogens (disease-causing organisms), or radioactive materials that can affect plant and animal life.

Unhealthy soil management methods have seriously degraded soil quality, caused soil pollution, and enhanced erosion. Treating the soil with chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and fungicides interferes with the natural processes occurring within the soil and destroys useful organisms such as bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms. For instance, strawberry farmers in California fumigate the soil with methyl bromide to destroy organisms that may harm young strawberry plants. This process indiscriminately kills even beneficial microorganisms and leaves the soil sterile and dependent upon fertilizer to support plant growth. This results in heavy fertilizer use and increases polluted runoff into lakes and streams.

Improper irrigation practices in areas with poorly drained soil may result in salt deposits that inhibit plant growth and may lead to crop failure. In 2000 bc, the ancient Sumerian cities of the southern Tigris-Euphrates Valley in Mesopotamia depended on thriving agriculture. By 1500 bc, these cities had collapsed largely because of crop failure due to high soil salinity. The same soil pollution problem exists today in the Indus Valley in Pakistan, the Nile Valley in Egypt, and the Imperial Valley in California.

D Solid Waste

Components of Municipal Solid Waste A person living in an industrialized nation produces a great variety of solid waste, often a mix of potentially reusable or recyclable items (such as paper and yard waste) and largely nonrecyclable material (such as food waste and many types of plastic). Of the municipal solid waste (the waste collected from residences and businesses) produced in the United States in 2000, about two-fifths of the paper, metal, and yard waste was recycled, and about one-quarter of the glass was recycled.

Solid wastes are unwanted solid materials such as garbage, paper, plastics and other synthetic materials, metals, and wood. Billions of tons of solid waste are thrown out annually. The United States alone produces about 200 million metric tons of municipal solid waste each year (see Solid Waste Disposal). A typical American generates an average of 2 kg (4 lb) of solid waste each day. Cities in economically developed countries produce far more solid waste per capita than those in developing countries. Moreover, waste from developed countries typically contains a high percentage of synthetic materials that take longer to decompose than the primarily biodegradable waste materials of developing countries.

Overflowing Landfill An average city dweller may produce a ton of refuse in a year, a volume that rapidly overflows local dumps. Cities running out of space for landfill often turn to incinerating their waste or transporting it to other areas, although up to 90 percent of the material might have been recycled.

 

Areas where wastes are buried, called landfills, are the cheapest and most common disposal method for solid wastes worldwide. But landfills quickly become overfilled and may contaminate air, soil, and water. Incineration, or burning, of waste reduces the volume of solid waste but produces dense ashen wastes (some of which become airborne) that often contain dangerous concentrations of hazardous materials such as heavy metals and toxic compounds. Composting, using natural biological processes to speed the decomposition of organic wastes, is an effective strategy for dealing with organic garbage and produces a material that can be used as a natural fertilizer. Recycling, extracting and reusing certain waste materials, has become an important part of municipal solid waste strategies in developed countries. According to the EPA, more than one-fourth of the municipal solid waste produced in the United States is now recycled or composted. Recycling also plays a significant, informal role in solid waste management for many Asian countries, such as India, where organized waste-pickers comb streets and dumps for items such as plastics, which they use or resell.

Expanding recycling programs worldwide can help reduce solid waste pollution, but the key to solving severe solid waste problems lies in reducing the amount of waste generated. Waste prevention, or source reduction, such as altering the way products are designed or manufactured to make them easier to reuse, reduces the high costs associated with environmental pollution.

E Hazardous Waste

Toxic Waste in Love Canal Residents of the Love Canal area in Niagara Falls were forced to evacuate when hazardous wastes leaking from a former disposal site threatened their health and homes in the late 1970s. One of the most notorious cases of toxic waste leakage, the crisis received attention on both local and national levels. Investigation spurred by public outrage revealed that many waste disposal sites like Love Canal existed nationwide; New York alone had several hundred. Several states passed stricter regulations on industrial waste disposal and allocated billions of dollars for the cleanup of contaminated areas.

 

Hazardous wastes are solid, liquid, or gas wastes that may be deadly or harmful to people or the environment and tend to be persistent or nondegradable in nature. Such wastes include toxic chemicals and flammable or radioactive substances, including industrial wastes from chemical plants or nuclear reactors, agricultural wastes such as pesticides and fertilizers, medical wastes, and household hazardous wastes such as toxic paints and solvents.

About 400 million metric tons of hazardous wastes are generated each year. The United States alone produces about 250 million metric tons—70 percent from the chemical industry. The use, storage, transportation, and disposal of these substances pose serious environmental and health risks. Even brief exposure to some of these materials can cause cancer, birth defects, nervous system disorders, and death. Large-scale releases of hazardous materials may cause thousands of deaths and contaminate air, water, and soil for many years. The world’s worst nuclear reactor accident took place near Chernobyl’, Ukraine, in 1986 (see Chernobyl’ Accident). The accident killed at least 31 people, forced the evacuation and relocation of more than 200,000 more, and sent a plume of radioactive material into the atmosphere that contaminated areas as far away as Norway and the United Kingdom.

Until the Minamata Bay contamination was discovered in Japan in the 1960s and 1970s, most hazardous wastes were legally dumped in solid waste landfills, buried, or dumped into lakes, rivers, and oceans. Legal regulations now restrict how such materials may be used or disposed, but such laws are difficult to enforce and often contested by industry. It is not uncommon for industrial firms in developed countries to pay poorer countries to accept shipments of solid and hazardous wastes, a practice that has become known as the waste trade. Moreover, cleaning up the careless dumping of the mid-20th century is costing billions of dollars and progressing very slowly, if at all. The United States has an estimated 217,000 hazardous waste dumps that need immediate action. Cleaning them up could take more than 30 years and cost $187 billion.

Hazardous wastes of particular concern are the radioactive wastes from the nuclear power and weapons industries. To date there is no safe method for permanent disposal of old fuel elements from nuclear reactors. Most are kept in storage facilities at the original reactor sites where they were generated. With the end of the Cold War, nuclear warheads that are decommissioned, or no longer in use, also pose storage and disposal problems.

F Noise Pollution

Sound Intensities Sound intensities are measured in decibels (dB). For example, the intensity at the threshold of hearing is 0 dB, the intensity of whispering is typically about 10 dB, and the intensity of rustling leaves reaches almost 20 dB. Sound intensities are arranged on a logarithmic scale, which means that an increase of 10 dB corresponds to an increase in intensity by a factor of 10. Thus, rustling leaves are about 10 times louder than whispering.

Unwanted sound, or noise, such as that produced by airplanes, traffic, or industrial machinery, is considered a form of pollution. Noise pollution is at its worst in densely populated areas. It can cause hearing loss, stress, high blood pressure, sleep loss, distraction, and lost productivity.

Sounds are produced by objects that vibrate at a rate that the ear can detect. This rate is called frequency and is measured in hertz, or vibrations per second. Most humans can hear sounds between 20 and 20,000 hertz, while dogs can hear high-pitched sounds up to 50,000 hertz. While high-frequency sounds tend to be more hazardous and more annoying to hearing than low-frequency sounds, most noise pollution damage is related to the intensity of the sound, or the amount of energy it has. Measured in decibels, noise intensity can range from zero, the quietest sound the human ear can detect, to over 160 decibels. Conversation takes place at around 40 decibels, a subway train is about 80 decibels, and a rock concert is from 80 to 100 decibels. The intensity of a nearby jet taking off is about 110 decibels. The threshold for pain, tissue damage, and potential hearing loss in humans is 120 decibels. Long-lasting, high-intensity sounds are the most damaging to hearing and produce the most stress in humans.

Solutions to noise pollution include adding insulation and sound-proofing to doors, walls, and ceilings; using ear protection, particularly in industrial working areas; planting vegetation to absorb and screen out noise pollution; and zoning urban areas to maintain a separation between residential areas and zones of excessive noise.

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Ethnic cuisines offer some of the easiest and most delicious ways to prepare seafood. Some of the more famous seafood dishes originate from Spain, the UK, Germany, Norway, Mexico, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand and other regions.

Several dishes from Europe and Scandinavia feature salted or smoked fish and rich sauces. German style haddock and potatoes is a good example. The meal pairs delicious salted haddock with hearty white potatoes, both items that can be stored during the long European winter. The recipe calls for alternate layers of potatoes, fish and onions. Eggs are beaten and folded together with sour cream, pepper and mace, then poured over the potatoes. The dish is then sprinkled with breadcrumbs and additional butter and baked slowly.

Haddock is also very popular smoked in Europe and Scandinavia where a famous product is finnan haddie. The real finnan haddie consists of North Sea haddock which has been gutted, split and smoked. In Scotland, it is traditionally served at breakfast or lunch but usually not as the main course of the meal.

Great Britain is famous for its simple yet delicious meal of fish and chips, which features North Sea fish such as cod, haddock, saithe, sole or plaice. The meal, which originated as a result of the industrial revolution, consists of battered, deep-fried fish and sliced deep-fried potatoes. The meal has gained a strong urban following that continues to present day, with British style “chip shops” being famous not only in the United Kingdom but around the world. A similar dish from the United Kingdom, “scampi”, consists of lobster tail meat that has been coated in breadcrumbs or batter and deep fried.

Italy, known for its cuisine, also makes extensive use of fresh seafood. Cioppino is a classic Italian fish stew made with a mixture of fish and shellfish. The meal is not only popular in the home country, but also where ever Italian fishermen have settled. Depending on local species, the dish may contain fish, shrimp, crabs, mussels or other seafood. Other ingredients include wine, broth, herbs, garlic and butter. In Italian cuisine, “Scampi”, denotes a dish of shrimp served in garlic butter and dry white wine, served either with bread, or over pasta or rice.

Mexican seafood meals include seafood enchiladas, fish tacos and other recipes. Fish tacos are made with traditional ingredients such as toasted corn tortillas, sweet peppers, jalapeno peppers, onions, lettuce, tomatoes, grilled, smoked or fried fish, cheeses, lime and others. Seafood enchiladas are another very simple Latino dish to prepare. A typical enchilada recipe is the foundation of the meal, with tortillas being filled with vegetables, sauce and practically any type of boneless fish. Once assembled, the enchiladas are arranged in a casserole dish and covered with more sauce, cheese and spices.

Spanish cuisine offers several classic seafood meal choices. Paella, a traditional dish, is a colorful mixture of saffron-flavored rice and meat. The name refers to the paellera, the flat, round pan in which it is cooked. A traditional paella is cooked outdoors, over a wood fire. Seafood used in the dish includes clams, shrimps, prawn, lobster, mussels or squid.

Vietnam, Thailand and other Asian countries also utilize seafood extensively in meals. Among the top Asian meals are delicious soups, featuring a light broth, rice noodles and a variety of seafood that often includes prawns, mollusks and small fish paired with local vegetables, herbs and spices.

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The author writes for websites including Chesapeake Bay, Fresh Seafood and Commercial Fishing.

LAW OF TREATIES

Art. 38(1) (a) ICJ Statute: In deciding disputes regarding international law, the court shall refer to international covenants [treaties]…

Definition of treaty

Refer Art. 2 of VCLT

ELEMENTS TO MAKE A VALID TREATY (ART 2 OF VCLT):

1) Treaty must have international character

The treaty is to be concluded by an international legal person who has capacity to enter into treaty.

Who is an international legal person who can conclude treaties?

a)      States (Art 6 VCLT), which includes Head of States, Head of Gov, and Minister of Foreign Affairs (refer to Art 7 VCLT)

b)      International organization (in Anglo-Iranian Oil Company case, ICJ held that contract between the company and Iranian government was not a treaty because there is no privity of contract.

2) In written form

Oral form of agreement is also acceptable (Eastern Greenland case)

3) Governed by international law

International law governs all treaties whether or not they are within the scope of VCLT

4) Embodied in single or 2 instruments

Treaties may be several forms:

a)      Conventions

b)      Agreements

c)       Protocols

d)      Charter

e)      Exchange of notes

There are less formal agreements such as exchange of notes (letters). States may send letters to each other and agree on certain things. If the letters intended to be a treaty, it is customary to expressly state that it shall constitute an agreement between our Governments.

In the case of Qatar and Bahrain, exchange of notes that was done by parties conferred jurisdiction to ICJ to hear the dispute.

5) There is an intention to create legal relation

This element is not expressly mentioned in Art 2 VCLT. But, it is very important because without intention, an instrument will not be a treaty.

What are the effects of Unilateral Statements (only 1 party enter into treaty)?

If the state made such declaration with intention to be bound, a state may be bound by such unilateral statement.

In Legal Status of Eastern Greenland case, Norway made unilateral statement that it won’t create difficulties in respect of Danish’s claim over Eastern Greenland. ICJ held that Norway is bound by this unilateral statement.

This was confirmed again by ICJ in Nuclear Test cases.

Once the text is adopted, THE NEGOTIATING PARTIES MUST GIVE CONSENT TO BE BOUND BY A TREATY

The methods of giving consent are provided under Art 11 – 16 VCLT

WHAT IF A STATE MAKES RESERVATION TO ONE OF TERMS IN THE TREATY?

Refer to Art 19 – 23 VCLT.

If the Treaty allows reservation, then can reserve. But, if do not allow, cannot.

Art 120 Rome Statute: No reservation may be made to the statute of ICC.

What if there are no provisions stating about reservation in that Treaty? Are states not allowed to make reservation?

ICJ in the case of Reservations to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide answered this question. If there are no provisions stating about reservation, it does not automatically mean that you cannot reserve. But, you need to look at the purpose of the Treaty. Your reservation cannot defeat the purpose and object of the Treaty, otherwise, you are not a party to the Treaty.

ENTRY INTO FORCE

A treaty does not enter into force until certain number of States ratified it. For example, Art 308 of UNCLOS provides:

“This convention shall enter into force 12 months after the date of deposit of the 16th ratification”

REGISTRATION AND PUBLICATION OF TREATY

Every treaty needs to be registered with UN, ~refer to Art 102 UN Charter & Art 80 VCLT

APPLICATION OF A TREATY

A) Upon its Parties

Art 26 VCLT: every treaty in force is binding upon its parties and must be performed in good faith

Art 27 VCLT: a party may not invoke the provision of internal law as justification for its failure to perform a treaty

B) Successive Treaties on the same subject matter

Art 30 VLCT: If there are 2 same treaties concluded on the same matter, the one concluded later will prevail.

However, if the provision of an ordinary treaty is in conflict with UN Charter, Art 30 VCLT & Art 103 UN Charter provides that UN Charter prevails.

C) Application of a Treaty upon 3rd States

Art 34 VCLT: 3rd party states are not bound by the Treaty without its consent.

However, Art 35-38 VCLT states that there are exceptions where 3rd party states may be bound.

INVALIDATION OF TREATIES

There are several grounds which a Treaty may be invalid:

a) Violation of fundamental domestic law (Art 46 VCLT)

A state may invoke Art 46 if:

1. the violated internal law was related to competence to conclude Treaty

(The person who ratified the Treaty was not capable of doing it.)

1. the violation was manifest and other party must be aware of it
2. the violation concerned a rule of fundamental importance

b) Error (Art 48 VCLT)

That State may have erred in entering the Treaty due to some misunderstanding. However, error does not make the Treaty automatically void. The mistaken party may invoke the error as invalidating its consent.

c) Fraud Art 49 VCLT

d)Corruption Art 50 VCLT

e)Coercion Art 51 VCLT

f) Coercion by threat or use of force Art 52

Art 2 (4) UN Charter provides use of force is prohibited. Force means ‘military force’.

g) Treaty conflicting with jus cogens, e.g.

1. A treaty allowing an unlawful use of force
2. A treaty which allow parties to commit crimes under International law
3. A treaty which allows genocide, piracy or slavery

TERMINATION OF TREATY

~refer to Art 54-60 VCLT

A Treaty may be terminated automatically by 3 ways:

a) Art 61 VCLT –supervening impossibility of performance

b) Art 62 VCLT – there is a fundamental change of circumstances

c) Art 64 VCLT – emergence of a new jus cogens.

CONSEQUENCES OF INVALIDITY OR TERMINATION OF TREATY

Refer Art 69 – 71 VCLT

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STATE RESPONSIBILITY

A state may incur liability if it violate a rule of customary international law or ignore its obligation under a treaty.

However, to make a state responsible, Art 2 of Draft Articles (DA) put 2 requirements:

1) THE WRONGFUL CONDUCT IN QUESTION MUST BE ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE STATE

State cannot act on its own. State Organs shall represent the State in any matters.

Art 4 DA provides that the conduct of any state organ shall be considered an act of that state under international law whether the organ exercises legislative, executive or judiciary function. An organ includes any person or entity.

Conduct in Art 4 DA means action or omission. E.g.:

Diplomatic and Consular Staff case: Iran was responsible because of omission to act when it should have done so.

Corfu Channel case: Albanian was responsible because it should have known about presence of mines in its territorial waters and failed to inform the 3rd state about it.

a) Wrongful conduct of judiciary attributable to the state

Judicial organ can be the cause of state responsibility because of ‘denial of justice’.

Janes Claim case: Mexico failed to arrest and punish an offender which caused death to an American citizen. ICJ held that this is ‘a denial of justice’ and Mexico should be liable.

b) Wrongful conduct of the executive attributable to the state

e.g. conduct of police, army, gov officers

Massey claim case: a US citizen who was working in Mexico was killed. Mexican authority failed to punish the offender. Mexico is liable and should pay damages to US.

Does the state be responsible if wrongful conduct committed by its organ when off duty?

No. A state would only be attributable to such wrongful conduct when it is committed on duty. If committed off duty, it cannot be attributable to the State.

Mallen case: A consul has been attacked by American police officer 2 times. 1st attack was when he was off duty. 2nd attack he showed his badge to assert his official capacity. US was responsible for the 2nd attack.

A state may also be liable for de facto State organs i.e. public corporations or private company performing element of governmental authority

SEDCO case: there was a seizure of vehicle. The claimant argued that a state owned company took it. However, argument was rejected because there was no proof to show that government directed it to be seized.

Foremost Tehran Inc v Iran case: Iranian company did not pay dividends to shareholders. The conduct was attributable to Iran because it had been influenced by Government representatives on the board of directors.

Ultra vires conduct cannot be a defense to exclude state responsibility

Refer Art 7 DA

US v Mexico: Mexican soldiers ignored their orders and attacked on a house where Americans was seeking refuge. It was held Mexico liable.

Conduct of private persons may be attributable to State in 2 circumstances if [Art 8 DA]:

a) It was carried out on instructions of the State

b) It was under direction or control of State

However, what is the degree of control that State need to exercise over the persons?

2 views:

i) According to Nicaragua case, State needs to exercise effective control. Control by State is effective when, for example:

1. State finances the persons
2. State coordinates the conduct of such persons
3. State issued specific instruction to such persons

ii) According to Prosecutor v Tadic, State only need to exercise overall control. State does not necessarily need issue instructions concerning each specific action.

2) THE CONDUCT MUST CONSTITUTE A BREACH OF AN INTERNATIONAL LEGAL OBLIGATION

Art 12 DA: A State is in breach of its obligation when any act of the State does not conform to its obligation.

DEFENCES [Art 20-27 DA)

a)      Consent [Art 20 DA]

b)      self-defense [Art 21 DA]

c)       countermeasures [Art 22 DA]

d)      force majeure [Art 23 DA]

There must be unforeseen circumstances to perform the obligation.

Rainbow Warrior: New Zealand argued that French breached its obligation because French failed to seek consent of NZ before removing NZ’s soldiers from the island. French said that NZ soldiers were sick and need medical attention, so it was a force majeure. It was held that this situation does not suffice to amount to force majeure.

e)      Distress [Art 24 DA]

f)       Necessity [Art 25 DA]

NATIONALITY OF CLAIM

Every state has the right to protect its nationals. However, it is up to the state whether to take up the claim or not.

Nottebohm: a state’s right to extend diplomatic protection to its individual is not unlimited.

However, according to Art 1 of Hague Convention, there must be a genuine link between the State and the national.

Nottebohm case:

Mr. N was born in Germany & had German nationality until his naturalisation with Liechtenstein. Later he went to Guatemala and resided & conducts business there. L sued GU for unlawfully expelled and seized property of Mr N who had been neutralised by L. Court said that for the claim to succeed, a genuine link between L and Mr N must be proven.

Court said that for a genuine link to exist, there must be dominant nationality. Here, Mr. N’s link with L is not dominant.

EXHAUSTION OF LOCAL REMEDIES

Art 44 (b) DA: responsibility of a state cannot be invoked if local remedies still available.

This principle was confirmed in ELSI case and Interhandel Case.

However, there is no need to exhaust all local remedies in the following situations:

1. The remedies are ineffective in municipal law
2. Remedies in municipal law are futile
3. There are already judicial precedents, which will be followed in your case & does not favour you
4. There has been an unreasonable delay
5. Local processes are biased against the individual
6. The injury is to the state itself
7. The local remedies requirement has been waived

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LAW OF THE SEA

General treaty for law of the sea is UNCLOS.

The sea consists of several zones:

a) TERRITORIAL SEA

It is an area of the sea that is near to coast.

Art 2 UNCLOS: Coastal state can exercise sovereignty over its territorial sea.

Art 3: The limit of territorial sea extends up to 12 nautical miles measured from baselines.

What is baseline?

It refers to the starting place to calculate the breadth of territorial waters and other zones.

There are 2 types of baselines:

a) Normal baseline [Art 5]

b) Straight baseline [Art 7]

Does the coastal State have rights over its territorial sea?

Yes. This was agreed by Art 2 and Nicaragua case. The rights of coastal State include:

1. Right to fish & exploit resources from seabed
2. Right to enjoy air space above its territorial waters
3. Right to transport goods and passengers
4. Right to conduct marine research

Although coastal State have rights, it has to give right of innocent passage through its territorial sea.

Art 17: Ships of all states shall enjoy right of innocent passage.

Innocent passage means navigation through the territorial area for the purpose of proceeding to other internal waters.

Art 19: passage is not innocent if it causes prejudice to peace or security of coastal state.

When foreign ships pass territorial waters, it must abide by the coastal state’s municipal law. If municipal law is breached, it shall be tried under that municipal law.

PP v Narogne: Thai fishermen were on a vessel which was then at sea about 3 miles off the Malaysian coast. There were fishing equipment on board the vessel. They were arrested by Malaysian Naval Authority for breaching its national laws. It was held that the passage by fishermen was not innocent passage.

The coastal state has civil jurisdiction [Art 28] and criminal jurisdiction [Art 27] over ships in passage of its territorial waters.

However, warships, naval vessels and government operated for non-commercial purposes are immune from any interference from coastal state [Art 32]. If it causes damage to coastal state during its passage, the flag State (passer-by ship) shall bear international responsibility.

b) CONTIGUOUS ZONE

It is a sea zone which does not extend 24 nautical miles.

A coastal state may exercise the control over its contiguous zone. Refer Art 33

c) EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE (EEZ)

It is the ocean area beyond territorial sea and out to 200 nautical miles. EEZ is also defined in Art 55.

The coastal state can exercise its rights over its EEZ. Such rights are laid down in Art 56, 60, 61 and 62.

[Art 73]: Coastal state may enforce jurisdiction over foreign ships including arresting and bringing them to national courts to ensure compliance with its national laws.

Rights and Duties of other states in the EEZ of a Coastal state are stated under Art 58, 88 – 115, 246 of UNCLOS

[Art 246]: Scientific research cannot be carried out by other states in a coastal State’s EEZ. That right is reserved for that coastal state.

d) CONTINENTAL SHELF

Refer to Art 76-85 UNCLOS

e) THE HIGH SEAS

Art 86 defines high seas as all parts of sea except internal waters, territorial sea and EEZ.

It is open to all States and free for enjoyment of all. Refer to Art 87-97 UNCLOS for rights of States in the high seas.

According to Lotus case, vessels on high seas are subject to no authority except that of the flag state.

The crime of piracy is prohibited and now recognized as international crime. Refer to Art 100-110 UNCLOS for details.

The right of hot pursuit [Art 111 UNCLOS]

This right is designed to prevent a foreign ship that has violated laws of a coastal state to avoid arrest by escaping to high seas.

Hot pursuit can start in any sea zones in that coastal state & can extend to high seas.

Are there limitations for this right?

Yes. There are 2 limitations:

1. Hot pursuit is limited once the foreign ship entered territorial waters of a 3rd coastal state / other states.

2. Hot pursuit should not cause sinking of ships. According to Art 293 UNCLOS, use of force should be avoided. But if need to use force, it should be reasonable only to effect boarding, searching seizing and bringing the suspected ship into port.

In I’m Alone case, a British ship named I’m Alone smuggled prohibited liquor into US. When I’m Alone was chased, it fled to high seas. US pursued and fired at it. The I’m Alone ship sunk and caused loss of 1 crew. It was held that US coast guard may use reasonable force but intentional sinking is not allowed.

Red Crusader case also held that direct firing of solid shot to the Red crusader exceeded the legitimate use of armed force.

Art 111 (4) UNCLOS: jurisdiction of a coastal state may be extended. if boats from a mother ship acted illegally within a zone while mother ship is lying outside the zone, coastal state may exercise jurisdiction on that mother ship.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/law-articles/short-notes-for-law-students-taking-public-international-law-1471018.html

About the Author

Final Year Law Student, International Islamic University Malaysia