optic cables and reef protection

[Prof. Steve Oakley]

dear Dan

Turn the problem on it's head and use the economic need to lay cables as a
way  to create a protected area.  Trawling and other destructive fishing
causes more damage to reefs than cables.  If possible get the authorities to
agree that there should be a no trawling zone around the cables, preferably
1 nautical mile.  That is the same as the protection zone around oil
pipelines.  Most companies & telecom authorities will see the logic in that
- nobody wants the cable damaged by a trawl.   The political power that
global communication creates is much greater than reef conservation so you
will use the interests of the communications industry to further your/my
reef conservation interests.  In laying the cable 25m of reef will be
damaged but it will recover  and you will have created a no fishing
protected area of a size that will allow all reef inhabitants to grow to
reproductive size.
The cable laying damage can obviously be minimised by positioning on sand
near reefs rather than directly across reefs.
Let me know how you get on and where the cable route is.

regards


steve oakley


At 11:41 AM 6/2/01 -0500, Dan Meyer wrote:
>
>Hello all --
>
>While on the subject of epoxies, I need some help.  I am participating in a
>conference later this month regarding the establishment of "corridors" to
>minimize reef damage due to fiber optic cable laying.  In addition to
>corridors, are there other conservation techniques the scientific community
>is interested in advancing?  My first priority is to get corridors
>established where the reefs are absent.  Beyond that, how can you help
>alleviate the following:
>
>(1) Damage due to the accidental release of drilling muds, such as betonite.
>
>(2) Damage due to pinning corals between hardbottom and cable.
>
>(3) Abrasion damage from swinging cables.
>
>(4) Cracking of corals -- the epoxy question.
>
>Are there other concerns?  The critical battle is to get the cables away
>from the reefs entirely.  But what can I ask for short of that?  Also, does
>the community see other potential damaging activities?  These four are the
>generally acknowledged one.
>
>thanks,
>
>Dan Meyer, General Counsel
>Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility
>2001 S Street, N.W. - Suite 570
>Washington, D.C.  20009
>
>Tele: (202) 265.7337
>Facs: (202) 265.4192
>E/ml: dmeyer at peer.org
>
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>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: owner-coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
>[mailto:owner-coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov]On Behalf Of
>N.D.Chapman at hw.ac.uk
>Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2001 9:39 AM
>To: coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
>Subject: epoxy
>
>
>Hello,
>I was wondering if anyone knew of any brand names (and company if 
>possible)for epoxy resin used for underwater fixing of corals to hard 
>substrate.I have seen it being discused in e-mails and mentioned in 
>papers and could use it for a similar application.
>Thanks 
>Nikki
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>
>
>Attachment Converted: C:\MYDOCU~1\FILING~1\EMAIL-~1\DanMeyer.vcf
>
Dr. Steve Oakley,      Shell Prof. of Environmental Science,
Institute of Biodiversity & Environmental Conservation,  Universiti Malaysia
Sarawak, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia  soakley at tualang.unimas.my
Fax  082 671903  Tel 082 671000 x 254 or 257

~~~~~~~
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