A peek at Sungei Api Api

The mangroves at Sungei Api Api have been allowed to grow right next to HDB flats and other residential developments!
Chay Hoon, Patricia and I decided to have a quick look at the area today.

There is a walking/cycling trail along the East bank of Sungei Api Api. And it was already well used early in the morning.And an underpass to keep going along the path to the other side of the main road across the Sungei.

The mangroves lining Sungei Api Api were part of a conscious decision by NParks to re- establish the original mangrove habitat there after reclamation at Pasir Ris and works to deepen the Sungei. The restoration of mangroves here was also part of Dr John Yong's effort, 'his dream' he says, to actively replant mangroves, especially endangered species.
The experience in this experiment was not only applied to Sungei Tampines which lies nearby, but also to mangrove restoration at Pulau Semakau!Probably not many ordinary people who drive and walk past the wild mangroves at Sungei Api Api realise just how special they are.Just from the road bridge across Sungei Api Api, we could see so many species of mangroves and mangrove related plants. Of course, lots of Api Api (mostly Avicennia alba), lots of Bakau (Bruguier cylindrica especially). old and tall Yellow-eyed pong pong trees (Cerbera odollam), Sea almond or Ketapang (Terminalia catappa).
We were particularly looking out for special Bruguiera, but most of those we saw in bloom were the very common Bruguiera cylindrica.
There were also lots of Sea hibiscus (Hibiscus tiliceaus) many of which were tall trees. The little Cotton stainer bug (Dysdercus decussatus) eat the seeds of this plant and may sometimes be seen in huge numbers under a leaf.

There were also replanted Dugun (Heritiera sp.) and Mata pelandok (Ardisia elliptica). Both these plants are listed as 'Endangered' in the Red Data book.And the Mata pelandok were all in bloom today! Also called the Seashore ardisia, the plant's Malay name means 'Eye of the mousedeer' which is what the black ripe fruits resemble. But the pretty flowers are like a star, with five pale pink petals. It has a really odd central structure. I have no idea how this structure functions.

The mangroves are of course full of life!
This tiny little caterpillar put up a ferocious posture when I took a closer look at it. At first glance, I thought the little yellow 'bumps' on its body meant that it was already parasitised by a wasp. Parasitic wasps often lay eggs in a living caterpillar. The larval wasps eat the caterpillar and when they pupate, the cocoons are arranged on top of the caterpillar. But a closer look reveals what I first thought were cocoons to be tufts of hairs. Is is a way for the caterpillar to confuse wasps into thinking that it was already parasitised? Hmm. I know so little about terrestrial invertebrates. Sigh.The mangrove forest was ringing with the singing of cicades. I couldn't find one to photograph, but Chay Hoon pointed out the many moults of cicades stuck on the trees. When the winged adult emerges, it leaves behind its old skin in all its perfect detail!
The day got hot and humid all too soon. And in a sunny patch was a male Changeable lizard (Calotes versicolor) with a bright orange head and black cheek patches. The males take on this colouration during the breeding season, or when they just emerged victorious from a battle with rival males.Besides the song of many different mangrove birds, there was also the crowing of cockerels. We had a glimpse of one and it seems to be a real Red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus). These birds have white ear patches and grey legs. Our domesticated chickens are descended from these wild birds. I've also seen the Red jungle fowl on Pulau Ubin as well as Sungei Buloh. It's good to know that this bird is thriving in our parks and reserves.
On the West bank of the Sungei is a little park called Sungei Api Api Park! It runs behind and along some residential landed property.The paths were crowded with people walking their kids and their dogs. As well as cyclists and people heading for Pasir Ris park.The mouth of the Sungei lies in the middle of Pasir Ris Park.From the bridge at the mouth of the Sungei are many lines leading into the water, probably attached to crab traps.There are also floating booms at the mouth of the Sungei. Perhaps to stop the entry and exit of floating trash?Alas, this doesn't seem to have stopped all trash from landing in the mangroves. The Eastern bank of the Sungei near the mouth is covered in trash.Much of it seems to be stuff dumped by shore users: food utensils, food packets and such.

It's a pity more people don't appreciate this delightful and accessible mangrove that was saved from the brink of destruction.

More links to information about Sungei Api Api

• Pasir Ris Park on the Guide to the Mangroves of Singapore
• Mangrove swamps at Pasir Ris are man-made Chan Kay Min Straits Times 24 Jul 01 on ecologyasia.
• Seeding a Dream and five threatened coastal plants about Dr John Yong's efforts for mangrove restoration at Pasir Ris and elsewhere on NatureWatch Vol 6 No 1 Jan-Mar 98
• Paint taints river The New Paper 3 May 07: about pollution at Sungei Api Api

The Eeliad: epic journey of the eel revealed

Until now nothing has been known about the incredible journey of the European eel (Anguilla anguilla). Only that the smallest larvae are found in the mid-Atlantic Sargasso Sea.
How the spawning adults get there and how long it takes them is one of the animal kingdom’s most enduring mysteries: bar a single specimen recovered from the belly of a sperm whale, not a single silver eel has ever been recovered from the open ocean.

A recent study using tiny tags reveals more about the life cycle of this freshwater fish, involving an epic marine journey.

The Lazy Lizard's Tales recently did a post about freshwater eels. In it, Ivan mentions that our favourite Japanese 'unagi' eel is unsustainably harvested, with a link to more on this on the Monetery Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch page.

After the Codyssey, the Eeliad: an epic tale of survival and the sea
Frank Pope, Times Online 25 Apr 09;

Every November, when the Moon is at its darkest, there’s a stirring on riverbeds, lake bottoms and marshlands around Europe. Countless silver serpents respond to an ancient urge and turn towards faster-moving water, beginning a perilous, 4,500-mile journey down deep ocean trenches and across undersea mountain ranges.

Until now nothing has been known about their incredible journey, only that the smallest larvae of the European eel are found in the mid-Atlantic Sargasso Sea. How the spawning adults get there and how long it takes them is one of the animal kingdom’s most enduring mysteries: bar a single specimen recovered from the belly of a sperm whale, not a single silver eel has ever been recovered from the open ocean.

With the help of a tiny floating tag, the first details of their epic journey are being revealed. The device was implanted into the belly of an 87cm (34in) female European eel near Hoganasa on the west coast of Sweden last November and was discovered on a Scottish beach two weeks ago.

“We were astonished,” said Dr David Righton of the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, the leader of the project he has named the Eeliad on account of its epic proportions. (His previous project, involving cod, was called the Codyssey.) “The oceans are vast and there was a high risk that none would be found but we’ve had two turn up already. The first came back very soon after release, on the west coast of Ireland. That eel died and the tag came out. But the second tag has revealed some spectacular information.”

The mystery of where eels — Anguilla anguilla — come from perplexed Aristotle, the world’s first zoologist, back in 243BC. None had ever been found with an egg, so he was forced to speculate that they were spontaneously generated in the bowels of the earth. It wasn’t until 1922 that an expedition to the mid-Atlantic discovered eel larvae in the Sargasso Sea – a windless, weed-filled area of the Atlantic.

Dr Righton’s miniature tag records only temperature and depth, but thanks to research expeditions and networks of ocean sensors this data can be used to trace the eel’s movements. “We can look at the depths and temperatures that the eel visits and we can match those up to oceanographic databases. You know where your tag started and where it ended, and approximately how fast the eel can swim, and so can calculate the route with a fair degree of accuracy,” he said.

Eel number A03486 wound its way out of the Baltic approaches, north up into the Norwegian trench for 200 miles and then west into the Shetland-Faroe trench. She covered tens of miles every day and reached depths of up to 650m (more than 2,100ft) in water only 1C above freezing.

“Now we know that at least some eels go over the top of Scotland rather than through the Channel,” Dr Righton said. “More than that we don’t know.”

Currents could help them along the way, but add thousands of miles to their journey. But, like pilots using the winds, a longer route might end up being more efficient. This is key, for Dr Righton calculates that the silver eel – which can grow to more than 130cm (4ft 3in) – must complete its 4,500-mile feat of endurance on the fuel equivalent of three Big Macs.

The tagged eel had already travelled about 1,200 miles when its journey was interrupted for a second time just west of the Shetlands.

“The temperature was no longer consistent with the tag being inside a free-living eel, but with being inside something else — probably a shark,” Dr Righton said. Two weeks after that the tag passed through the shark and floated to the surface, where it drifted until it was eaten by a seagull.

“The temperature went up to 40C. It could have been a marine mammal, except for the fact it never dived for the eight hours the tag was inside.”

The tag would have continued to function for two years, and float undamaged for 20, but after only another day and a half it was washed up on the beach on the northwest coast of Shetland, where an islander spotted it while walking her dog. Printed on its side was: £50 Reward. If found return to CEFAS, Lowestoft.”

Another 150 tags were implanted in eels released from Galway, the Loire estuary in France and Sweden. By the end of the project more than 500 floating tags will have been deployed by the project’s European partners — including the French Navy, which has released some eels beyond the continental shelf, away from trawlers.

The eel’s journey exceeds the 1,800-mile migration of Atlantic salmon, but is dwarfed by the grey whale’s journey of up to 12,500 miles, from Baja California to the Bering Straits, the world’s longest animal migration.

The early phases of the eel’s life are also dramatic. After riding ocean currents from the Sargasso Sea to European coastal waters, the larval stage metamorphoses into glass eels. The saltwater glass eels throng upstream through river mouths and begin to change into freshwater-dwelling elvers. They remain in this form — coloured yellow, green or brown — until it is time for their return, when they transmute one final time, taking on their silver skin and adapting their bodies for the harshness of a saltwater environment. Some never do: elvers up to 88 years old have been caught. Others reach the open sea only to turn back inland.

No one knows for sure why they make their epic journey, but one possibility is privacy. “The Sargasso Sea is a barren, quiet place,” Dr Righton said. “There are almost no predators – it gives the young a great start in life.”

No one has ever seen what happens when the eels finally arrive, but a rare mating witnessed in an aquarium gives a hint. In a beautiful and complex ritual, the swollen female and her shorter, thinner partner entwine, mixing her eggs with his sperm.

Why you should share your nature observations and photos

The hugely successful Bird Ecology Study Group blog explains why it is important to share sightings. These help increase understanding and awareness. This argument applies to all sightings, in addition to bird behaviour sightings.

What happens if you do not post your observations and images? The Bird Ecology Study Group blog explains the consequences too.

You are not doing justice to your observations and images. And you are not sharing… In which case your observations will only be known to you and a few close friends. In due course they will be irrelevant and end up in the dustbin of science. This is a waste as every observation has its worth. And when someone else reports the same behaviour later on, credit will go to him or her. You can always claim that you saw this or that first but who will believe you?

For our shores, it is equally important to Explore, Express and Act.

Explore: visit & learn
Here's factsheets for visitors and latest happenings on our wild shores and other wild places. Keep up-to-date with the latest on marine issues in general and issues relating to Singapore shores.

Express: Share & speak up
Blog about your sightings. Bring along others. Share your photos/videos online, e.g., on flickr or YouTube. If you need IDs, I'd be glad to try to help. I will also be glad to post your wild shore sightings on the wild fact sheets. Check out this example of sightings and photos shared by others about our shores. Here's the latest blog posts about our shores.

Act: volunteer & make a difference
Check out the long list of current volunteer opportunities, and updates on some ad hoc volunteer opportunities and jobs in biodiversity and environment related fields.

A Surfeit of Squid

Villagers have been eating squid for breakfast, lunch and dinner; deep-fried, stir-fried, grilled, buttered, breaded, curried, in sambal, and any other way they can think of.
The villagers of Kampung Pantai Batu Rakit have been wading in shallow waters, scooping up squids by the buckets.

Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) Fisheries and Aquaculture Science Department's head said it was rare to find squid in shallow water. 'Squid are usually found in water about 10m deep. They don't move around much unless their habitat is changing.'

Squid Strike in Kuala Terengannu
From the ocean and into the pot
The New Paper 24 Apr 09;

VILLAGERS living along the coast of Kuala Terengannu have been going squid-crazy since last week.

The sea creatures have been spotted 'swarming' close to shore, reported New Straits Times.

Villagers of Kampung Pantai Batu Rakit have been eating squid for breakfast, lunch and dinner; deep-fried, stir-fried, grilled, buttered, breaded, curried, in sambal, and any other way they can think of, said the newspaper.

One resident, Mr Mohd Ridzwan Dullah, said: 'It's as if the squid from the South China Sea are begging to come out of the ocean and jump into our pots.'

He said this was the first time he is seeing such a phenomenon. Villagers have been wading in shallow waters, scooping up squids by the buckets.

Said Mr Mohd Ridzwan: 'I've even caught some by hand.' The lorry driver claimed he had caught about 100kg of squid.

And some villagers were enterprising.

Mr Aznan Yusoff said many villagers were earning extra money, selling the squid to passers-by or to wholesalers.

He said: 'We're catching more than we can eat or store in the refrigerator.

'We charge RM3 ($1.30) to RM5 a kilo for smaller squid and up to RM8 for the bigger ones.'

Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) Fisheries and Aquaculture Science Department's head said it was rare to find squid in shallow water.

'Squid are usually found in water about 10m deep. They don't move around much unless their habitat is changing.'

Foreign fishermen bite squid bait
The Star 24 Apr 09;

KUALA TERENGGANU: Foreign fishermen especially those from Thailand and Vietnam are lured by the abundance of squid in the coast off Terengganu, even if it means encroaching into Malaysian waters.

Luck ran out for them as their Thailand and Vietnamese registered vessels were detected by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency about 85 and 57 nautical miles from here, respectively.

In the first operation, the enforcement officers led by Lt Aidil Adzhar Saleh nabbed seven crew members including the helmsman during an operation at 7.15am.

On their way back to the jetty here, the officers chanced upon the Vietnamese boat where seven crew members were nabbed for the same offence. The fishermen told enforcement officers that they were willing to trespass into Malaysian waters after being captivated with the large quantity of squids.

Agency regional enforcement chief Commander Syed Mohd Fuzi Syed Hasan said all the fishermen were remanded.

Mangrove plants at the Botanic Gardens, and Envirofest Singapore

While waiting for the Envirofest Singapore meeting to start, I had a quick look at the Marsh Garden at the Botanic Gardens.
Tucked in a tiny corner of the Gardens, what familiar mangrove plants might I see there?
There were several humungous pandanus. The label was too tiny for me to read. But I suspect it's not one of our native pandans.Learning from the earlier trip to Pulau Semakau, I realised the white bracts in the pandanus were probably male flowers!There were also several large clumps of mangrove ferns. The bright red young leaf tips suggest these are Piai raya (Acrostichum aureum).There was also a large clump of Sealing wax palms (Cyrtostachys renda). Also called the Lipstick palm, this beautiful plant is part of the Singapore Botanic Garden logo. In the wild, it grows in coastal swamps, tidal rivers and peat swamps in our part of the world. And it is considered rather threatened in the wild due to habitat loss. It is, however, widely planted in Singapore as its bright colours are attractive and considered to bring good fortune.

There was also a huge Yellow-eye pong-pong tree (Cerbera odollam) and Putat laut tree (Barringtonia asiatica), both native seashore plants. Sadly though, I couldn't find the Sago palms (Metroxylon sagu) that I was sure were growing in the area in the past. These large palms grow in swamps and are the source of our favourite desert of the same name. Wild sago palms are also an important food source for coastal tribes that live in Papua New Guinea and Irian Jaya. There were lots of strange and colourful freshwater plants. I have no idea what they are!The Gardens in the evening are popular with families and joggers.

Eventually, the Envirofest Singapore meeting got started.With a great presentation on this exciting event that will bring so many environmental groups together.There was lots of discussion of various aspects.And a preview of some of the very colourful collaterals planned.Karen shares an idea for the groups involved in biodiversity. And Siva shared more ideas for an integrated theme to tie in all the other groups that are working on lifestyle and other issues.After some brainstorming and arrow shooting, seems like we have a Plan!

More about Envirofest Singapore on their blog!

You CAN make a difference for spiders at Sungei Buloh

There's more about the Study in NPark's newsletter Jan-Mar 09. I had the pleasure of joining one such field trip and I saw and learnt a lot about the spiders in our mangroves from David Court (seen here doing the Mangrove CSI on a murdered spider) and Mendis (in dark green shirt).
Here's more about the Study and how you too can be a part of it.

Spider Study in Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
NParks newsletter Jan-Mar 09

A spider research group has been formed to record and document spider species that can be found in Singapore, starting with Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. Only a small percentage of Singapore's spiders have been named and identified.

The two spider species, which the group hopes to document and record, are the trapdoor spider and the Eight-spotted crab spider; both are endangered species according to the Red Data Book.

On 25 Feb 2009, Mr David John Court, an honorary research associate at RMBR (Raffles Museum of Biodiversity & Research), gave the newly formed spider research group a workshop on spiders in Singapore. The group went on a two-hour field trip and a slide presentation on spiders.
The field trip was exciting as Mr Court shared techniques and methods in collecting spiders in various habitats. Here you can see Mr Court searching through leaf litter to find spiders. His favourite equipment is the umbrella!

The group will organize spider macro photography throughout the year for volunteers. If you are interested to join in the photography sessions, please contact Mendis Tan at mendis_tan@nparks.gov.sg.

Your feedback sought for the Draft Blue Plan

From the International Year of the Reef Singapore blog, news that a Draft Blue Plan has been announced and that feedback is being sought.

"The Draft Blue Plan is a proposal to the Government and people of Singapore from the members and organizations that form “International Year of the Reef (IYOR) 2008 Singapore” – interested members of civil society concerned about the conservation and management of Singapore’s coral reef heritage.

Contributions and advice from the leading marine biologists in Singapore have been incorporated. It was released on 23 April 2009. Members of the Public can download a copy of the Draft Blue Plan here.

Comments and suggestions from members of public are invited. You may email us at blueplan.singapore@gmail.com before the closing date, 14 May 2009. The Blue Plan will presented to the Government with the collated and edited comments in late May 2009.

Please note that blueplan.singapore@gmail.com is designed to receive emails only. While we will give every opinion/comment due consideration, due to human resource constraints, we are unable to respond to queries and may not be able to include every comment into the final Blue Plan due to editorial considerations. Please contact the Marine Conservation Organisations Listed in Annexes B & C of the Draft Blue Plan if you are keen to find out more about the wide range of activites and programmes that are being organised. We apologize for this inconvenience."

Links to more
Blue Plan to save Singapore's biodiversity-rich coral reefs ready: Conservationists urge Govt to step in to save what's left, Grace Chua, Straits Times 24 Apr 09;

12 May (Tue): Rhett A. Butler of Mongabay.com shares about science communication

"How to communicate conservation science effectively online?" is the theme of the upcoming informal Q&A session with Rhett A. Butler, founder of Mongabay.com. Hosted by Janice Lee and N. Sivasothi.
Mongabay.com was founded nearly 10 years ago by Rhett A. Butler, who today is the chief editor and primary writer for the site. With more than one million unique visitors per month, Mongabay.com is one of the world's most popular environmental science and conservation news sites. The news and rainforests sections of the site are widely cited for information on tropical forests, conservation, and wildlife.

In this informal Q&A session, Rhett will share his experiences of managing and updating Mongabay.com as well as answer any questions from the floor on how to communicate conservation science effectively using online tools such as blogs.

More about Mongabay.com

Tuesday, 12th May 2009: 5.30pm
DBS Conference Room, Block S3, Level 5,
Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science
National University of Singapore Map

All are welcome.

Thanks to alert on eco-tax by N. Sivasothi.

Singapore named best seaport in Asia

Singapore has won this category 21 times in 23 years.

Pasir Panjang Port seen from Cyrene Reefs.

According to the Port of Singapore Authority (PSA), our port is the world's largest transhipment hub and handled the largest number of containers in the world. The port comprises terminals at Tanjong Pagar, Keppel, Brani and Pasir Panjang which "function as one integrated facility". These serve 200 shipping lines, which offer connections to 600 ports in 123 countries.
According to PSA, 10 new container berths will be added at Pasir Panjang Terminal over the next two years. The port expansion project have affected the shores of Labrador and may impact Cyrene Reefs.

Singapore named best Asian seaport again
Robin Chan, Straits Times 23 Apr 09;

SINGAPORE has been named the best seaport in Asia for the 21st time in 23 years, beating Hong Kong and Klang in Malaysia.

It received the honour at the 23rd Asian Freight and Supply Chain Awards (AFSCA) in Hong Kong last night.

'It is the support of ship owners and operators and international maritime communities that has helped maritime Singapore gain global prominence,' said Brigadier-General (NS) Tay Lim Heng, the outgoing chief executive of Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).

'Winning the award for the best seaport in Asia for the 21st time affirms the confidence the maritime community has in Singapore as its port of choice in Asia.'

The MPA was on hand to receive the award at AFSCA, an annual event organised by leading shipping and supply chain publication Cargonews Asia.

More than 12,200 readers of Cargonews Asia are polled to select best-in-class companies in 42 industry specific categories.

Singapore has won this category 21 times since 1987.

Last year was a good year for Singapore's maritime and port sector as it hit new highs in vessel arrival tonnage, container throughput and bunkering volumes.

Vessel arrivals rose by 11.1 per cent from the year before to hit 1.6 billion gross tons. It also handled 7.1 per cent more containers at 29.9 million 20-foot equivalent units - the most in the world - and sold a record 34.9 million tonnes of bunker fuel.

But Asia's best port faces a challenging year with the global slowdown.

Container traffic has been in decline month-on-month since July last year but rebounded last month.

However, on a year-on-year basis it is still in the red, falling 14.6 per cent in March over the previous year, a smaller decline than in February.

Global container traffic growth is expected to slow to 2.8 per cent this year, and the World Trade Organisation sees world trade shrinking by about 9 per cent.

The MPA has instituted a slew of measures to help lower costs for shipping companies, including granting an additional 10 per cent port dues concession for all ocean-going ships with harbour stays under 10 days.

New highs for last year

• Vessel arrivals: 1.6 billion gross tons last year, up by 11.1 per cent from year before
• Container throughput: 29.9 million 20-foot equivalent units - or 7.1 per cent more containers - the most in the world
• Bunkering volume: Sold a record 34.9 million tonnes of bunker fuel

Earth Day with the Public Service Division

I had the pleasure and honour of sharing about our shores with the Public Service Division this morning.
As part of their monthly breakfast lectures, they specifically invited me because it was Earth Day. It was particularly special as PS (PSD) Ms Lim Soo Hoon took the time to stay on for my little sharing. The staff were also very welcoming and encouraging with their attention and questions.

How is garbage collected from ships in Singapore?

As one of the world's busiest ports we need a good garbage collection system if Singapore's waters are to remain clean.

A huge ship anchored off Pulau Semakau with Pulau Biola and Raffles Lighthouse in the background.

A Port Marine Notice issued today provides details on how this is done. Here's some extracts

Extracts from Port Marine Notice No. 06 of 2009 dated 21 Apr 09
Facilities for the collection of garbage from ships in Singapore

What is considered garbage?

Garbage means all kinds of victual, domestic and operational waste excluding fresh fish and parts thereof, generated during the normal operations of the ship as defined in Annex V of MARPOL 73/78.

What are the facilities for garbage collection?

Ships at the Anchorages

a) The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore’s (MPA) appointed contractor’s garbage collection craft collect garbage from ships in the anchorages daily from 0800hrs to 1700hrs. Ships wishing to use this service should have the refuse properly bagged in plastic garbage bags and have their crew on standby and ready to transfer the bagged garbage into the garbage collection craft that would be calling at the anchored vessels.

b) In the event that a ship has not responded when the garbage collection craft calls, the latter will make another attempt after serving other ships. Alternatively, the ship can request for the service by calling the garbage craft directly using the call sign “Garbage Craft Changi”, “Garbage Craft Eastern”, “Garbage Craft Western” or “Garbage Craft Tuas” on VHF Channel 13 and follow by giving own ship’s name , the name of the anchorage (eg Western Anchorage) and the ship’s GPS position.

c) Ships with large quantities of garbage (in excess of the normal garbage generated daily) may wish to make special arrangement for garbage disposal for which a fee would be charged as indicated in Annex B. This special garbage collection service is also available daily from 0800hrs to 1700hrs.

Ships elsewhere

f) For practical and safety reasons, oil and chemical terminals do not provide garbage collection services at their facilities. In such circumstances, the ship may wish to arrange for a special garbage collection service at the anchorage.

How much does special garbage collection cost?

(i) $900 per bin (Size of bin = 4.4m x 2.4m x 1.5m) or part Disposal of garbage thereof per trip

(ii) $1,200 per 2 bins or part there per trip

What about ships discharging waste into the water?
from Port authority takes pollution from ships seriously Straits Times Forum 2 Jan 09;

MPA strictly enforces regulations governing the prevention of pollution from ships calling at our port. These regulations are based on the International Maritime Organisation's International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, and comprehensively cover oil, chemicals, harmful substances in packaged forms, sewage, garbage and even air pollution from ships.

We monitor ships in port to ensure they comply with the regulations and do not discharge waste into the water. Prosecution will be taken against a ship master if the ship infringes these regulations.

Additionally, an MPA-appointed contractor provides a daily garbage collection service for the ships anchored in our port. This contractor also operates another fleet of craft that monitors and retrieves floating debris from the sea.

What about other forms of shipping pollution?
from Singapore Maritime and Port Authority doing its best for a cleaner planet Business Times 16 Oct 08;

Despite the high volume of bunker and shipping traffic that passes through the port, Singapore has implemented various measures to encourage environment-friendly shipping. Among them is the extension of the port dues waiver for new double- hulled bunker tankers operating within its waters from April 1. (Last year, bunker sales in the Port of Singapore hit 31.5 million tonnes, surpassing the previous year's figure by 11.2 per cent.)

The port dues surcharge for older single-hulled bunker tankers will also be increased from next year.

Singapore is also a party to all the annexes of MARPOL, which is the IMO's convention for the prevention of pollution from ships. As a flag state and port state authority, Singapore carries out regular inspections to ensure that Singapore-flagged ships around the world and ships calling at our port comply with MARPOL regulations. MPA also regularly communicates with the shipping community to prevent any excessive emission of soot, ash or black smoke while their ships are in port.

MPA also tries to reduce pollution from port activities by conducting environmental impact assessment studies before activities such as dredging and reclamation are carried out, so that the potential impact arising from these works is identified and quantified.

All vessels transporting dangerous cargoes and calling at the port are also required to declare their arrival at least 24 hours before arrival. This helps to ensure an effective response should there be an incident involving spillage from the ships.

Where does most of the rubbish that washes up on our shores come from?
from News from the International Coastal Cleanup Singapore, looking at the data from the 2008 coastal cleanup (mangroves), it appears that shoreline and recreational activities account for the bulk of the rubbish found on our shores.

Unfortunately, out of sight out of mind seems to be the attitude of many shore users. This applies to 'accidental' littering, as well as deliberate release of stuff into the environment.

More links

• The state of Singapore beaches: water quality issues Today Online 30 Aug 08;
• Singapore firm aims to make vessel emissions ship-shape David Fogarty, Reuters 18 Mar 09;
  
• Stepping forward - into the trash Straits Times 17 Dec 08;
• Mass balloon release kills
  
• Media articles on marine litter in general.

27 Apr (Mon): Public Seminar on “Status of Coral Reefs in Asia and the World"

Dr Wilkinson, an internationally recognised coral reef scientist responsible for coordinating the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network will discuss “Status of Coral Reefs in Asia and the World; the search for solutions to reef decline”.
Among his key points are that: Singapore is a bridge between the Indian and Pacific Oceans and can take a lead because of the particularly strong education, research and information technology capacity. But first people in Singapore must demonstrate that they are concerned about the environment, want to arrest climate change and sincerely protect their own coral reef resources.

Synopsis:
Coral reefs continue to be threatened by direct human pressures of pollution and over-fishing, but now the threat of climate change has being recognized as the major future threat to reefs around the world.

The report released by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network and the International Coral Reef Initiative in late 2008, with more than 370 leading scientists and managers from 96 countries, reports that 19% of the world’s coral reefs have effectively been lost and another 35% are threatened with destruction in the next few decades; unless urgent action is taken to improve management and reduce threats.

The ‘Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2008’ report contains both good and bad news: there has been major recovery of reefs in the Indian Ocean, parts of Southeast Asia and western Pacific after climate change induced bleaching in 1998, especially on those reefs that were in protected areas.

The bad news was the damage caused by the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 and massive coral bleaching combined with hurricane damage that devastated large areas of Caribbean coral reefs in 2005 and 2006. There are also increasing human pressures including pollution, development, deforestation and overfishing in East Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, populated areas of the Pacific and Caribbean, and there has been a ‘outbreak’ of bomb and cyanide fishing in Asia and in Tanzania.

The saddest story is in Southeast Asia which has the richest coral reefs in the world as well as the greatest human threats to reefs. But also Asia has rapid growing economies that will demand greater environmental protection. Singapore is a bridge between the Indian and Pacific Oceans and can take a lead because of the particularly strong education, research and information technology capacity. But first people in Singapore must demonstrate that they are concerned about the environment, want to arrest climate change and sincerely protect their own coral reef resources.

About the Speaker:
Dr Wilkinson an internationally recognised coral reef scientist responsible for coordinating the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN), which is active in more than 80 countries. Funding from the Governments of the USA and Australia, as well as Japan, France and international NGOs supports the GCRMN, which publishes the "Status of Coral Reefs of the World" reports in 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2008 with special reports on the tsunami and coral bleaching damage to coral reefs. Among his diverse roles, Dr Wilkinson's research interests cover a wide range of topics, including microbiology, ecology of sponges and the implications of climate change to coral reefs.

Date: 27 Apr (Mon)
Time: 11am - 12pm
Venue: Function Hall, Botany Centre, Singapore Botanic Gardens
Contact: Lim Wei Ling LIM_Wei_Ling@nparks.gov.sg

'EXPRESS!' on line launch by ECO Singapore

Tomorrow, ECO Singapore will officially launch the website for an online version of its in-house publication “EXPRESS!”.
This youth environmental lifestyle magazine by the youth for the youth is the first of its kind in Singapore and possibly the region. It captures environment news, events and lifestyle features.

Started by a group of passionate young individuals, this quarterly publication has progressed from being a downloadable electronic magazine to a printed version which is circulated to schools and corporations.

Wilson Ang, President of ECO Singapore comments, “EXPRESS! Intends to not only be a means to inform the regular people how they can make a change in their daily lifestyle with the power to vote with their dollars and time, but it is an engaging tool for the public to express themselves on issues that is important for a more sustained planet for us to live in.”

View the online magazine at http://www.myecoexpress.com/

More massive works next to Cyrene Reef until Oct 09

Backfilling operations will start, involving "the laying of cushion and armour rocks on top of the bundle laid." (I'm not too sure what that exactly means).

Cyrene Reef has living shores! And much marine works has been going on next to it nearly a year now.

Ongoing work next to Cyrene Reef

• Buoyancy tank removal until Apr 09.
• Dredging and laying 'small rocks' for wire laying until Sep 09.
• Dredging until Aug 09.

Past work next to Cyrene Reef

• Drilling and blasting until Feb 09.
• Dredging first began in Jul 08.

Backfilling Operations from Jurong Island to Pulau Ular
from Port Marine Notice No. 46 of 2009 dated 20 Apr 09

With effect from 24 Apr 09 to 23 Oct 09. 24 hours daily, including Sundays and Public Holidays, at Selat Pandan, Sinki Fairway and West Keppel Fairway (see attached chartlet):

The backfilling operations will entail the laying of cushion and armour rocks on
top of the bundle laid. Backfilling of filter and armour rocks operations will be carried out by the work boat “Jan Steen” within the sectors as indicated in the chartlet. The safety working zone is a circular area of 200-metre radius centred at the work boat “Jan Steen”. A safety boat will be deployed in the immediate vicinity of the working area to warn other craft of the project work. Further enquiries relating to the project can be directed to Mr P Bogers, the project manager, (Tel No: 9139 6094 or email bog@vanoord.com).

Massive reclamation at Tuas continues until Oct 09

Reclamation affects an area about the size of Sentosa
Here's a google earth map for comparison.A tiny fragment of the original shore at Tuas that escaped reclamation is being monitored by volunteers of Schering Plough as part of the TeamSeagrass effort. Here's more about a a recent field trip to Tuas.

Reclamation at Pasir Panjang Container Port.

Where does the sand for our reclamation come from?
More on Singapore's sandy footprint.

Reclamation work at Tuas View Extension
from Port Marine Notice No. 47 of 2009 dated 20 Apr 09

This is a revision of Port Marine Notice No. 221 of 2008. The working area and working period have been revised.

With effect from 21 Apr 09 to 20 Oct 09, 24 hours daily including Sundays and Public Holidays, at the western part of Singapore (see attached plan):

The reclamation works involve shore protection and other ancillary works by the crane barges. The grab dredgers will be carrying out dredging, and the trailer-hopper-suction dredgers and hopper barges will be deployed to deposit reclamation materials. The crane barges and grab dredgers will be held in position by 4-point anchor mooring. Soil investigation will be carried out periodically by the jack-up barges. Further general enquiries relating to the project can be directed to Mr T Watanabe, the construction manager, at Tel No: 9668 1523 (email: t.watanabe@mypenta.net).