Cut tuna fishing quota, says WWF

THE EU was urged yesterday to lower its tuna fishing quota amid fears that stocks are on the verge of extinction because of overfishing.
This year's quota for Mediterranean bluefin tuna, proposed by Brussels, is twice that suggested by scientists to avoid a collapse in stocks, the conservation group WWF said in a report. The tuna fishing season opens next month.

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The Rape of the Artic

BY SARAH HILLS

The Arctic faces a huge threat from millions of tonnes of industrial chemicals, a major report claims today.
Scientists have found higher concentrations of some man-made chemicals in the-region than in the countries where they are produced. Pollutants ranging from banned pesticides such as DTT to modern flame retardants used in electrical equipment are building in Arctic wildlife.
Some are affecting the immune, hormonal and reproductive systems in polar bears, while others are building up in fish, seals and whale populations.
British waters are also affected by the increasing problems of chemical contaminants in the Arctic, says the report by the World Wildlife Fund.
Birds, fish and seals around Britain’s North Sea coast ate contaminated with chlorinated paraffins, chemicals used in paints, glues, leather and rubber.
The WWF report comes just a day after the Kyoto Protocol on global warming came into force. The accord aims to reduce levels of air pollution. Air, river and ocean currents carry chemicals from the industrialised countries where they are made to the polar region.
Ice then traps contaminants, meaning they are gradually released into the environment during melting periods, often years later. As a result, the Arctic is becoming the chemical sink of the globe the WFF’s claims.
Elizabeth Salter-Green, head of the WWF’s UK toxics programme, said ‘This is a catastrophe - contamination is increasing and more chemicals are being found in Arctic species.’
Many Arctic animals, such as polar bears, have a thick layer of body fat that helps them keep warm and gives them energy throughout the year. But the fat also stores chemicals, allowing them to build up to very high levels, Ms Salter-Green added: ‘Strong chemical regulation is needed to prevent hazardous chemicals from reaching the Arctic.’

Jasker Power System

Why the H-car is now a step nearer

A SCIENTIFIC breakthrough could spell the end of the petrol engine.
British researchers have found a way to safely store and release hydrogen, which could pave the way for hydrogen-powered cars.
Hydrogen is much cleaner than petrol or diesel since the only waste product made when it bums is water.
Cars powered by the gas would not churn out noxious pollutants or contribute to global warming by producing carbon dioxide.
Until now, hydrogen has not been a practical fuel alternative. It has not been possible to store the highly flammable gas in the large quantities needed to power a car without risking an explosion.
But scientists believe they have solved this problem.
They created a synthetic material which is riddled with holes a hundred thousand times smaller than the thickness of paper and acts as a sponge.
Hydrogen was injected at high pressure into the holes and then the pressure in the material was reduced, allowing the gas to remain safely in place without the risk of explosion.
By heating the material, the researchers were able to release the hydrogen when they wished.
Prof Mark Thomas, of Newcastle University, said: "This is a proof that we can trap hydrogen and release it when required. This method could be applied to powering cars.
'We can now go on to design and build better storage materials.'
But it will be many years before we see hydrogen-powered cars, he told the journal Science.
BY SARAH HILLS