IOI-SA HOSTS THE FINAL SEAWEEDAFRICA WORKSHOP

SeaweedAfrica is a European Union funded project that aims to update AlgaeBase, a taxonomic database of world seaweeds, with ecological, aquaculture methods, harvest methods, legal, and use information. It especially targets useful seaweed species from the African continent and aims to be a useful information resource on aspects of seaweed aquaculture, use, harvesting and ecology for all those involved in the seaweed industry, scientific researchers and the public.

The database coding was done by IOI-SA and data was captured by all the SeaweedAfrica partners which included institutions in Ireland, South Africa, Portugal, Sweden, Kenya, Mozambique and Namibia. Visit the SeaweedAfrica site at http://www.seaweedAfrica.org.

The workshop delegates discussed the final tasks, which needed to be done to successfully complete the project. Contact was also made with the local seaweed industry. Delegates were taken on a fascinating tour around the I&J Abalone farm at Danger Point near Gansbaai. The Abalone Industry has grown tremendously in South Africa over the past few years and as the abalone are mainly fed kelp there has been exponential increase in the demand for kelp harvested along the Cape coast. Delegates could see how the abalone are raised and how the kelp is used. Dr Rob Anderson, one of the project partners from the Seaweed Research Unit of Marine and Coastal Management, explained how the harvesting of kelp is managed in South Africa.

A second visit took delegates to the Kelpak factory in Simonstown. Kelpak is a unique plant growth stimulant extracted from fresh kelp, which is now used in over fifty countries worldwide by the agriculture and horticulture industries. Delegates could see how this product is made using a patented process which bursts the kelp cells under pressure releasing the growth hormones without the use of heat which would destroy these delicate molecules.

Another outing took delegates for walks along the coast at Cape Point where they could do a little seaweed botanizing. All those who had not seen our kelp Ecklonia maxima before were amazed that a seaweed could get so huge! In a final optional field trip some delegates were taken for a walk across the top and down Table Mountain to Kirstenbosch. An experience enjoyed by all giving them a chance to view the unique Cape flora at first hand. There were gasps of amazement and cameras clicked away and although these plants grow on land they are still fascinating! But nevertheless a new record for the continent for a land-based Algae was made.

Kelp being placed in abalone tanks at the abalone farm, Gansbaai

SeaweedAfrica delegates view drying kelp near Gansbaai

Abalone being grown at the I&J Abalone farm, Gansbaai

Delegates enjoying the view from Cape Point

Contribution by: Martin Cocks

THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION ON WATER IN THE ENVIRONMENT

 The Protea Hotel in Stellenbosch, South Africa, played host to the 2006 EnviroWater conference which took place from 20 to 22 February. The conference was organized by the CSIR and the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany. The event was attended by academics and professionals from mainly Africa and Europe and aimed to generate a forum for the promotion of results obtained from water research projects and from the daily practice of handling water related problems. 

Around 49 abstracts and nine posters were presented with a number of presentations dealing with pollution and waste management issues related to water quality management. Londong (2006) expressed the importance of three important questions in defining Integrated Water Resource Management. Firstly all stakeholders need to be taken into account. Secondly, priorities and problems need to be identified and lastly all necessary knowledge needs to be identified. 

In line with this presentation Seebach and Whittington-Jones (2006) proposed a risk based methodology to identify the main sources of impact on water quality as part of the integrated water management approach. In addition Muller (2006) suggested an environmental water quality approach to integrated water management. This approach includes the integrated use of surface water chemistry data, biomonitoring data and toxicology data. 

Challenges facing integrated water resource management in the Western Cape of South Africa were discussed by McConkey (2006). According to the presenter the challenges are; droughts, disposal of waste water, solid waste management and population growth. Various presentations were made relating to waste water treatment, of which the challenges and success of treating waste water for drinking purposes in Windhoek, Namibia (Menge, 2006) stood out. 

For further information please contact: 
Dipl.-Ing Gerd Fischer University Duisenburg-Essen Instrumentelle Analytik D-47048 Duisburg Phone: +49/203/379-2578 Fax: +49/203/379-5899 Email: fisher@lims.uni-duisberg.de

Contribution by: Rudi Seebach

STAFF PROFILE: RUDI SEEBACH

Rudi Seebach has recently been employed by the International Ocean Institute Southern Africa to coordinate the SEAWASTE network. The SEAWASTE network is an Internet-based facility that allows for information sharing and capacity building on issues that pertain to aquatic/ marine pollution and waste management in East and Southern Africa.

Rudi is a thirty one year old, born and bred South African citizen. He recently completed a MSc. in Environmental Science at Rhodes University. His Masters formed part of work for a non-profit organization, which was focused on addressing the aspects of land-based marine pollution in Jeffreys Bay (South Africa) through incentive based waste management initiatives. Such initiatives would include simple gardening systems that allow for household grey water to be used for vegetable gardening as well as ecological sanitation that minimizes environmental risk and allow for the recycling of nutrients in human waste in the form of compost. Through this research and practical experience he gained a thorough understanding of the use of the various tools of Integrated Environmental Management and Integrated Pollution and Waste Management in a practical way. He therefore believes that the SEAWASTE network is a great opportunity to share his experience as well as learn from others.

After studying environmental health he started off his career as an assessor on the quality and handling of perishable products for the export market in the Port Elizabeth Harbor. It was during this time that he developed a strong desire to be more involved in the Environmental Management field, especially water quality management. He then finished a B.Tech with the Nelson Mandela Metropole University where he majored in water quality and waste management.

He then attended a 6-month course with Youth With A Mission (YWAM) which is an international missions organization on Environment and Resource Stewardship in Kenya. Here he spent time at Lake Victoria, Masaai Land and Watamu on the coast. This he believed was a very instrumental time for him where he learned a lot about the environmental issues the people of Africa are faced with at a grassroots level. Following this he joined the YWAM base in Jeffreys Bay (South Africa) where he was involved in the land-based marine pollution project before joining IOI-SA in Cape Town.

The biggest driving force in Rudi’s career is his passion for issues of environmental and social concern and he enjoys the challenge of finding creative solutions to complex problems in an orderly and organized fashion. His free time he likes to spend outdoors, especially on the beach or in the ocean, participating in his favorite sport namely kite surfing.

EVACUATION COURSE   

Jenny Plandt (Health and Safety representative for IOI-SA) was involved with an evacuation course/meeting/training process offered by the Health and Safety Department on the campus of the University of the Western Cape.

The purpose of this course was to create an awareness amongst the staff members and to stress to everyone how serious and deadly fire outbreaks are. The course would also prepare the staff as to how to evacuate a building in the event of a fire occurring in their department or anywhere else on campus.

Speedy Gonsalves, the resident health and safety expert, gave an introduction to the course and strongly encouraged the Biodiversity and Conservation Biology Department's (BCB) Health and Safety committee members to continue with the training and to make sure that they completed it.

The representatives of the different section in the BCB department were responsible for creating floor plans to their section of responsibility in the building. Ms Lorne August, based in the zoology section, assisted IOI-SA with all the necessary information. Thanks Lorne.

All staff members, including IOI-SA, were requested to participate in a dry and wet run with Speedy, which is scheduled to take place sometime in 2006. Thus far installations of fire equipment to the IOI-SA area have been done e.g. there are now fire-extinguishers directly outside our offices.

All the health and safety committee members, representative of their section of the department, submitted signage to the Health and Safety department. We are awaiting these signage cards, which will be placed in throughout the department.

Contribution by: Jenny Plandt

SEACHANGE - SOCIETY, ECOSYSTEMS & CHANGE

The South African Network for Coastal and Oceanic Research, with the assistance of the International Ocean Institute, Southern Africa (IOI-SA) and sponsored by the National Research Foundation (NRF), hosted a series of workshops at the University of the Western Cape from 13-16 February 2006 for the development of a new South African national marine science programme. The programme, funded jointly by the NRF and the Division of Marine and Coastal Management (MCM) of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT) will guide marine research in the country from 2007 until 2011. The Society, Ecosystems and Change Programme, aptly shortened to the SEAChange Programme, represents a new approach to marine science in South Africa which recognizes the important place occupied by people in the dynamic marine ecosystem, the need to shift to an ecosystem-based approach to research and management, and recognition of the challenges posed by ever-changing natural environments and the societal processes which both depend and impact on them. The programme addresses the four major themes of Biotechnology, Ecosystem Functioning, Ecosystems and Change, and Ecosystems and Society.

Excellence in science underpins the programme, which has been designed to assist South Africa to position itself strategically within Africa and the rest of the world and to fulfill its own needs as an emerging nation. This new programme takes cognizance of the new challenges, including the need for multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary training, transformation and dissemination of information, the loss of skilled scientists, the changing face of the employment market and global climate change. South Africa has been falling behind in its ability to meet these challenges and hence to plan for or react to them. This has threatened not only the safety and security of individuals but the nation’s optimal use of the sea and its resources. SEAChange will play a pivotal role in strengthening the country’s scientific capacity to meet these challenges, with the programme emphasizing the need to build on a basis of cutting-edge innovative research in the marine and coastal environment that is relevant to society.

Contribution by: Kim Prochazka

SPECIAL DAYS 

• Earth Day, 22 April 2006

• The United Nations proclaimed May 22 The International Day for Biological Diversity (IBD) to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues. 

• World Environment Day, commemorated each year on 5 June is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action. 
  The World Environment Day theme selected for 2006 is Deserts and Desertification and the slogan is Don't Desert Drylands! The slogan emphasizes the importance of protecting drylands, which cover more than 40% of the planet’s surface. This ecosystem is home to one-third of the world’s people who are more vulnerable members of society.

• World Ocean's Day, 8 June 2006

UPCOMING CONFERENCES & WORKSHOPS 

• The seventh meeting of the United Nations Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea, 12-16 June 2006, United Nations Headquarters in New York, USA

• The Second International Symposium on Geo-Information for Disaster Management, 25-26 September 2006, Goa, India (www.commission4.isprs.org)