Better news for sharks; bad news for ice

Found two things of interest on the World Wire:


Pew Applauds New Senate Bill Mandating Shark Conservation as Europe Fisheries Ministers Respond to EU Shark Plan

"The Shark Conservation Act of 2009 would strengthen the current U.S. ban on shark finning, removing loopholes that the fishing industry has exploited and mandating that any imported shark products come from countries that have equivalent conservation standards."

Further down:

"In February Europe sent a strong and united message that urgent action is needed, and now Congress is sending one as well," said [Joshua] Reichert [Pew Environment Group]. "Approximately 100 million sharks are being killed every year, with potentially enormous negative consequences for the global marine food chain. Every country that allows shark fishing will need to adopt strong conservation measures if sharks are to be saved."

100 million? That's insane. Well, the manner in which the world is driving fisheries to destruction is generally insane. Have we no foresight? (The answer to that would be, of course, most of the time, no.)

NEXT:

Melting Ice: Regional Dramas, Global Wake-Up Call

"The situation in the Arctic can be seen as a warning to the rest of the world. Climate change scientists say that over the next few decades, 1.3 billion people will be threatened by more serious flooding, followed by the loss of drinking water, as their rivers swell and then dry up. Many of the world's main rivers depend on meltwater from the mountains for part of the year. Scientists predict that ice and snow in the mountains that feed these rivers will melt away because of global warming. Rivers flowing from the Himalayas, the Andes Mountains, the Rocky Mountains and the Alps will be affected. In Asia, the Himalayas are the source of seven of the continent's largest rivers. These and other rivers from the mountains of Central Asia are vital to the livelihoods of 40% of the world's population."

Have we no foresight? See my answer above.