Despite protests from villagers near Kerala's most famous temple town, authorities insist on locating a sewage treatment meant for Guruvayur, in the village.

DUGONGS, a marine mammal that inspired the mermaid legends of ancient seafarers, may soon vanish from Indian waters if their large-scale slaughter is not stopped in Palk Bay and the Gulf of

Oil tanker spills compound the danger to the marine food chain by crude released into the sea in normal operations and seepage from the earth. Steps are now being taken to reduce the threat. The International Maritime Organisation is taking the initiative

Major oil spills: Many ships are Liberia-Registered

ANTHROPOGENIC activities at Kandla Port are contaminating water in its creek which could affect the marine sanctuary and the national park there, a study by the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) has said.

BERHAMPUR: Oil spill from a coal-laden ship at Gopalpur port on Monday night has triggered panic and environmental concern. Around nine tonnes of oil is spreading in the area. The slick has spread to Rushikulya mouth and there are apprehensions that it may enter Chilika posing danger to the marine life.

marine sciences Cloning

Algal neurotoxin enters deep-sea food web, kills whales while crab cakes and marinated clams make for delightful cuisine, shellfish poisoning is a health risk. Shellfish feed on algae that produce harmful toxins. Domoic acid (DA) is one such neurotoxin, dangerously high levels of which are produced during algal blooms of the species, Pseudo-nitzschia. The toxin was earlier believed to

China will become the latest country to outlaw ultra-thin plastic bags, when a ban takes effect on Sunday, in a bid to cut pollution and save resources. The ban, announced by the State Council in January, halts the production of bags that are thinner than 0.025 mm and forbids their use in supermarkets and shops. It also requires retailers to charge customers for thicker plastic bags not covered by the ban. Environmentalists say plastic bags can take up to 1,000 years to disintegrate and pose threats to marine life, birds and other animals.