Reef Rescue new testing equipment arrived just in time to catch contractor dredging violations.

In February we unpacked and calibrated our new turbidity meter (paid for with your donations) and put it right to work monitoring contractor permit compliance. Turbidity standards are built into the dredging permits by FDEP to protect our nearshore coral reefs from siltation. Reef Rescue volunteers were onsite daily monitoring the Palm Beach Inlet, Boynton Inlet and Delray Beach dredging projects.

Volunteers immediately began to witness violations and report their findings to FDEP. They found and documented boulders pumped on the beach in Palm Beach, making it unsuitable for sea turtle nesting. The Army Corp of Engineers ordered the contractor back to remove the rocks. After the first cleanup was performed improperly volunteers reported them a second time and they were forced to go back and do it again.

After finishing the Palm Beach Inlet dredge the contractor towed their equipment away and dragged cables across a three mile swath of coral reef. Local dive boats spotted the damage and turned them in to the FDEP. Under the 2009 Florida Coral Reef Protection Act, the contractor faces hundreds of thousands in fines, must repair the damage and pay for monitoring of the restoration for the next ten years.

Next the dredge arrived in Delray Beach on March 2nd to nourish 1.9 miles of beach. On March 3rd we caught them violating the projects turbidity standard. During the 27 days of the project 12 turbidity violations were documented, forcing the project to shut down on several occasions. On April 9, a joint Reef Rescue and FDEP site inspection found turbidity levels far above permitted levels. Volunteer dives are now in the process of monitoring the nearby reefs for any sign of project related damage.

You can learn more about these and other issues by following the updates on the Reef Rescue Blog.

What is the best way to stay in touch with Reef Rescue happenings?

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Reef Rescue on Facebook where we post updates on a nearly daily basis.

And at the Reef Rescue Coral Reef Blog where you will find more in depth reporting on reef related issues updated several times a month.

Here is some local news coverage from just the last week:

Palm Beach Daily News May 3, 2013

Reef restoration work to resume next week

http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/news/news/national/reef-restoration-work-to-resume-next-week/nXfZy/

Coastal Star May 2, 2013

Delray Beach: Divers monitor reef for human-caused damage

http://thecoastalstar.ning.com/profiles/blogs/along-the-coast-divers-monitor-reef-for-human-caused-damage?xg_source=msg_mes_network

Palm Beach Daily News April 30, 2013

DEP says town must build artificial reef; costs yet unknown

http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/news/news/dep-says-town-must-build-artificial-reef-costs-yet/nXbr8/

Palm Beach Post April 28, 2013

Beach boulder cleanup ordered to be redone in Palm Beach

http://www.mypalmbeachpost.com/news/news/local/beach-repair-redo-being-redone-on-stretch-of-palm-/nXY9z/

Two great fundraising events to show your support for Reef Rescue are coming up:

Party to Help Florida Reefs Fundraiser

May 18th, 2013

A fundraiser for two very special organizations that help protect the health of our Florida Reefs. We all want to keep diving on beautiful coral reef, so lets make sure to support Reef Rescue and Vone Research in what they do to keep our reefs thriving.

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Fundraiser will be from1 to 6 pm at Hurricanes in Delray Beach

Located at 640 E. Atlantic Ave

.

We will have food, 2 for 1 drink special, live band, and raffles on items from Force-E, Aqua Lung, Mares, Diver’s Alert Network and more.

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All proceeds will go to Reef Rescue and Vone Research to help them fund their organizations to keep up the good work!

Pre-buy your tickets for this event at any Force-E Scuba Centers= $10, plus get one FREE raffle ticket at the door…. Or Buy your tickets at the door $12

And

The always popular Kayak-a-thon Fundraiser

The date is set for the 8th annual Kayak-a-thon fundraiser.

On Saturday June 1, 2013, kayakers will paddle their way along a 7 mile course from the Riviera Beach Marina to Munyon and Peanut Islands then back to the marina.

This annual event is one of the most exciting fundraising activities of the year for Reef Rescue. Not only does the Kayak-a-thon help raise funds to support Reef Rescue coral reef conservation projects, but it also brings together our family of supporters for a fun filled day of outdoor activity.

Like a walk-a-thon, kayakers raise money by collecting donations or pledges for completing the predetermined course. It is similar in format to other physical activity based fundraising events such as marathons and cycling races, but this low intensity, non-competitive event is ideal for mobilizing broad-based community support.

Click here to learn more, see photos and watch video from previous years events.

Kayakers signup now!

If you do not have a kayak there are some available, but the supply is limited, so act fast.

Go to: www.kayakathon.com

If you have any questions about the event or how your organization can become involved contact Brian Lee (561) 843-4109

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Not able to make either fundraiser, but still want to support our efforts?

Consider making an online donate to Reef Rescue:

     PO Box 207 * Boynton Beach, FL 33425

Hi Coral Listers,

I am a marine spatial ecologist and I’ve been a long time subscriber to this list, but an infrequent poster. I love this list as a resource!

I see job postings on this list every once and a while so I thought I would share with the Coral lister group of a Web Show and a premium online membership program that I created to provide people with information on finding jobs and building careers in Marine Science and Conservation. It’s a resource that I wished I had when I was first starting out.

The Web Show is called OCC TV and I post videos every week where I either offer tips on building a career in Ocean Conservation and/or I interview a professional in the industry where they share their experiences, successes, and failures as well as offer advice to help you build your career.

Here is the link to all the episodes so far: http://www.speakupforblue.com/category/ocean-conservation-careers

The online membership program that I recently launched is called Ocean Conservation Careers, which is designed to offer you strategies to help you build your career, and continue to build your career in Ocean Conservation. Also included in the program is an online community where you, as a member, can ask specific questions pertaining to your career and can meet other people who are in a similar position and build your own network of people help you out to build a successful career.  There is a small cost associated with this membership.

You can get more information on the membership program here: http://www.oceanconservationcareers.com/

I speak to every new member who registers for the membership over Skype/Phone to discuss their career goals and try and point them in the right direction for their future. My current members love this part of the membership!

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Please forward this message to anyone who you might think would benefit from this resource.

Best Regards,

Andrew

Andrew Lewin, M.Sc., Adv. Dipl. GIS

Founder, SpeakUpForBlue.com

President, Spatial-Conserve Inc.

Email: alewin@spatialconserve.com
Tel: (905) 639-4646
Mobile: (905) 630-8441
Skype: andrew.lewin99

******************************

Purchase Image

Whales and other marine mammals rely on hearing to navigate. / FLORIDA TODAY

Written by

Jim Waymer

question

Contact Waymer at 321-242-3663 or jwaymer@floridatoday.com. Follow him on Twitter @JWayEnviro

Special thanks to  Richard Charter

	Mar 22 (1 day ago)
Joaquín Rodrigo Garza Pérez <rgarza@ciencias.unam.mx>

http://redoctober.sisal.unam.mx/1CPAC/Panamerican_Coral_Reef_Congress/Resumenes___Abstracts.html

http://redoctober.sisal.unam.mx/1CPAC/Panamerican_Coral_Reef_Congress/Merida_2013.html

Dear Colleagues:

New information on the congress venue, official hotel, registry fees and airfare discounts is available at the Congress website! See you in Mérida!

Greetings from the Local Organizing Committee

ES

Estimados Colegas:

Ya está disponible la información de la sede del congreso, el hotel
oficial, las cuotas de inscripción y descuento en boletos de avión, en el
sitio web del Congreso.

Nos vemos en Mérida!

Saludos cordiales de parte del Comité Organizador Local

Página de Registro

 

ES

 

1. *Los resúmenes deberán ser enviados a través del sistema de envío de resúmenes en el portal web del congreso.

 

1. *Para accesar este sistema de envío de resúmenes el autor principal deberá darse de alta en el sistema.

 

1. *Se deberá escoger la modalidad en la que se desea presentar (oral ó póster)

 

1. *Se deberá escoger el tema de las sesiones en donde el resúmen sea más adecuado

Los temas podrán ser consultados en la página: Sesiones del Congreso

 

1. *Los resúmenes para presentaciones orales y pósters deberán ser enviados para su revisión y eventual aprobación tanto en Español como en Inglés (Incluyendo títulos y cuerpo del resumen).

 

1. *Cada versión del resumen podrá tener una extensión máxima de 2,200 caracteres.

 

1. *No se deben incluir citas en los resúmenes

 

1. *NOTA IMPORTANTE: Los resúmenes y sus títulos deben ser escritos y modificados en un programa de editor de texto. Cuando se cuente con su versión final deberán ser copiados desde el documento y pegados en los campos apropiados en el sistema de envío. Una vez envíado el resumen, este no podrá ser modificado en el sistema.

 

Preguntas y comentarios: panamcoralreefs@outlook.com

Registry Page

 

EN

 

1. *Abstracts must be submitted using the Online Abstract Submission Form in the Congress’ Website.

 

1. *In order to access this system, corresponding authors must register on the system.

 

1. *A modality for presentation must be chosen.

 

1. *A theme session were the abstract could be most relevant must be chosen.

Theme sessions can be consulted on the congress sessions page

 

1. *Abstracts for oral presentations and posters will be accepted in Spanish with its mandatory translation in English (or viceversa), both for titles and body of the abstract.

 

1. *Each abstract version might have a maximum length of 2,200 characters.

 

1. *No references should be included on the abstracts.

 

1. *IMPORTANT: Abstracts and titles must be written and modified in a text editing software. When you have your final version, you must copy from the document and paste on the appropriate fields of the abstract submission form. Once submitted the abstract cannot be modified on the system.

 

 

Question or Comments: panamcoralreefs@outlook.com

7th Mexican &

1st Pan-American

Coral Reef Congress

Perspectivas Arrecifales: Manejo Local, Impactos Globales

 

Reef Perspectives: Local Management, Global Impacts

Days

Hours

Mins

Secs

Abstracts Reception Period Ends In:

El Período de Recepción de Resúmenes Termina en:

Costo de Inscripción / Registry Fees

INTERNACIONAL / INTERNATIONAL

ON-LINE EARLY-BIRD (Abril / April – Julio/July, 2013)

Profesores / Professors   $200.00 USD

Estudiantes / Students  $100.00 USD

ON-LINE (Agosto / August – Septiembre / September, 2013)

Profesores / Professors   $220.00 USD

Estudiantes / Students  $110.00 USD

NACIONAL (EN MÉXICO / WITHIN MÉXICO )

Depósito a Cuenta BBVA Bancomer

(Abril a Septiembre)

Profesores   $2,400.00 MXP

Estudiantes   $1,200.00 MXP

En la Puerta / At The Door (Oct. 7-11, 2013)

Profesores / Professors  $2,800.00 MXP

Estudiantes / Students  $1,400.00 MXP

Ok, this isn’t about the ocean or coral reefs but it is an issue that is near and dear to my heart.    My husband was cured of Hepatitis C in a Phase 2 clinical trial involving two medicines owned by two different companies. They achieved an astounding 100% cure rate in all patients with little to no side effects.   One of the pills was sold to Gilead Sciences, that now refuses to go to Phase 3 trials, FDA approval and to market with the drugs.

I’m working with HCV: Coalition for the Cure  to help get the cure out.  Hep C now kills 1000 people a day in America–exceeding that of AIDS.  Please sign our White House petition seeking the President’s involvement in urging the release of this important way to save lives.  Go to http://www.hepc-cured.org  and sign today. You’ll have to register but it’s worth it.

Many thanks,   DeeVon    ps here’s our press release:

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) 350,000 people a year are dying from Hepatitis C. Gilead Sciences and Bristol-Myers Squibb together developed a promising cure and HCV advocates are outraged at lack of its development

San Antonio, Texas (PRWEB) February 23, 2013

According to the World Health Organization, (WHO) 350,000 people die each year from Hepatitis C and it is the most widespread blood borne infection in the country. (http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs164/en/). The disease now kills more people than AIDS (http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/23/us-hepc-idUSTRE81M1HR20120223).

San Antonian, Margaret Dudley, was diagnosed with Hepatitis C in 2011. Dudley is leading a charge to make a cure available to the four million Americans living with the disease. “We feel Gilead Sciences has a moral responsibility to work with Bristol-Myers to put an end to this epidemic disease,” says Dudley.

She established the HCV Coalition for The Cure to raise awareness about Hepatitis C and the cure that exists. She says the greatest frustration is knowing that a treatment is available without toxic ribavirin and/or interferon, but it’s not being used. She says two pills from two different drug makers have shown remarkable results, but their use against Hepatitis C is stalled. Dudley says drug company Gilead Sciences has balked at further development with Bristol-Myers Squibb rather than moving forward with the medications they created together to cure the most common forms of Hepatitis C, which is a combination of Gilead Sciences’ sofosbuvir combined with Bristol’s daclatasvir (Bristol urges combo hepatitis C study with Gilead http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/31/us-bristolmyers-gilead-idUSBRE84U0WC20120531)

On February 19, 2013, Dudley, with the support of her husband, Gary Dudley, co-owner of San Antonio based corporation, SWBC, and a number of other advocates announced a drive to obtain a hundred thousand signatures, that would get the White House to help move things along.

“They can stop this disease by collaborating on this cure for a disease that’s reached epidemic proportions,” says 61 year old Dudley – a mother and grandmother.

The Hepatitis C virus resides in the liver. Over time, cysts and scar tissue form, causing liver cirrhosis. Tumors can develop and the liver can fail. This is the number one reason for liver transplants. “We feel very strongly with help of the nation and the White House, we can get these drug companies to come together with their previously proven treatment to cure the disease.”

“You have the cure, you developed it, give us access to it,” says Margaret directing her plea to the drug companies.

Dudley is urging everyone to go to http://www.hepc-cured.org and sign the White House petition.