Philippines wants US payment over reef damage

[bananas]

Source: Aljazeera



The Philippines has welcomed the removal of a US minesweeper that had been stuck on a protected coral reef for 10 weeks, but stressed that compensation must be paid for the environmental damage.

Salvage crews contracted by the US navy on Saturday extracted the last remaining piece of the USS Guardian from the Tubbataha reef, a UNESCO World Heritage site in a remote area of the Sulu Sea.

<snip>

Tubbataha is a protected marine park under Philippine law, and is off limits to any vessel unless permission is granted by park authorities. Fines can reach up to $585 for every square metre that has been damaged, officials said.

While only a small portion of the marine park has been damaged, the incident has stoked nationalist sentiment and revived debate about a controversial agreement that allows a US military presence in the country.

The United States has repeatedly apologised for the incident, but has not clearly explained why a naval vessel with state-of-the-art equipment ran aground in an area that local officials said was clearly visible in any map.

<snip>

Read more: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia-pacific/2013/03/20133317173559524.html

[bluedigger]

1. And we intend to do so.

Now that the ship has been removed, the damaged area will be measured and an accounting made.

[Submariner]

2. Filipinos are famous for using dynamite and cyanide

to stun fish for the aquarium trade. The amount of coral reef they have killed off using poisoning and explosives is huge compared to the damage from this ship grounding. They can't fine the fishermen because they are so poor, so deep pockets Uncle Sam will do when the opportunity arises.

[xtraxritical]

3. I think they should have dynamited the ship.

[Diyames]

6. Dynamite fishing IS ILLEGAL in the Philippines

Yes. filipino fishermen are mostly poor, but the practice is illegal and, as I understand, there are penalties such as jail time and revocation of whatever licences they might have (if any). More has been done lately to discourage, prevent, educate, etc...

[tout_le_monde]

4. What Can Be Done to Repair the Reef?

Can it be "grown back?" I've been thinking about the "Biorock" technology that might be capable of doing this:

The Biorock process works by constructing electrode frames 12 metres across which are electrified. Energy use is minimal, with each dome using around 3 watts per square metre and with most energy sources being solar panels. It is effective because the calcium carbonate coating that is created mimicks the natural coral reef substrate, with coral actually flourishing 3 to 4 times faster on electrified reef, since they are able to use more energy for reproduction, rather than protection, while also making the coral more resilient to environmental disasters. It is no wonder then that these reef structures have been called "coral arks" in the hope that they will help restore coral populations from the global devastation they are facing now.
http://www.treehugger.com/natural-sciences/biorock-stimulating-coral-growth-with-electricity.html


http://www.biorock.net

With the World's oceans heating up, and functioning as CO2 sinks (becoming Carbonic Acid acidified because of this) though, these efforts to regrow coral reefs may be futile. It might be wise to genetically engineer a global warming-proof version of coral that subsequently is subjected to a continuous Biorock process.




Related Links:
http://glassbox-design.com/2009/ft-lauderdale-gets-electric-stimulated-reef-approved
http://timeforchange.org/ocean-acidification-effect-of-global-warming

[Flaxbee]

5. This is sort of off-topic, but I wish they'd tried some of those freaking gigantic Russian helicopt

ers to lift the minesweeper just enough to get it off the reef intact.

You may think that's crazy, but those helicopters (the Mi-26) are HUGE and can lift incredible loads... not just one, but perhaps 3 could have done the trick.

[Angleae]

7. It would have taken at least 70 of those helicopters.

No possible way you're getting 70 of them in that small of an area.

[Flaxbee]

8. Nope.

Not that many.

Really.

[ForgoTheConsequence]

9. Am I missing something?

They have a 44,000lb weight capacity. That ship weighed over 3 million lbs (before it was dissected).


70 sounds about right.

[Flaxbee]

10. you wouldn't have to completely lift the minesweeper and fly it away -- about 4 of those helicopters

could raise it enough to let the water's buoyancy get it off the reef.

Lest you think I'm totally full of shit, we have a good friend who worked in Russian (Soviet) aeronautics -- this was his take.

Like I said - this isn't lifting the massive minesweeper, so much as helping the ocean do its thing...

Four of those helicopters, maybe five, could have probably done the trick.

[One_Life_To_Give]

12. Any pilots that crazy?

Coordinating a lift with multiple helicopters? Pilots are extremely sensitive about being tethered to any immobile object. A gust of wind could put all 4 in the drink.

[Brother Buzz]

11. Navy has not clearly explained why a naval vessel with state-of-the-art equipment ran aground?

The Navy said in a statement that a review of Digital Nautical Charts, which are used for safe navigation by all U.S. Navy ships, found they contained inaccurate data and may have been a factor in the Guardian's grounding. As a result, Navigator of the Navy Rear Adm. Jonathan White released precautionary guidance to all Pacific Fleet ships, saying that "initial review of navigation data indicates an error in the location of Tubbataha Reef" in the Philippines.

http://www.businessinsider.com/navy-ship-may-have-ran-aground-because-of-a-faulty-map-2013-1#ixzz2PKIozbB6