SANCOR Newsletter Issue #169: March 2002

 

 

SANCOR NOTICE BOARD

CALL FOR PAPERS

Southern African Marine Science Symposium

Swakopmund

SANCOR in cooperation with BENEFIT and the Namibia Ministry of Fisheries & Marine Resources will co-host SAMSS 2002 in Swakopmund, Namibia, 1-5 July 2002, with joint sponsorship from NRF, GLOBEC, SCOR, and SADC.

 

This will be an exciting event, representing the first time SAMSS will be held outside South Africa. SAMSS will be hosted in sunny or foggy, warm or cold, mild breeze or gusting winds of historic Swakopmund, neighbour to Walvis Bay, Namibia’s primary port and industrial fishing centre . The scenic Namib Desert, Skeleton Coast, Etosha National Park, Brandberg Mountain, and Khomas Hochland are just a few of the natural settings that lend themselves to an excellent venue. A list of tour guide operators is provided on BENEFIT’s home page <www.benefit.org.na> for those who choose to plan a vacation around SAMSS. However, do not delay in planning your trip and accommodations as July is a prime tourist month in Namibia.

 

The venue and programme are certain to combine to make this one of the most popular SAMSS meetings ever. The plenary will be restricted to 350 registered participants, although combined venues will allow for others to attend concurrent sessions during the week. For these reasons, it is encouraged that registration is completed as early as possible; individuals who register before 1 June 2002 will receive a discount.

All registrants should ensure their accommodations in Swakopmund at the earliest possible date. A list of hotels and rates are posted on the BENEFIT web page to assist you; please note your registration as a "SAMSS PARTICIPANT", or you might not get a room! Be aware that hotels are holding rooms only until mid-night, 1 June 2002, after which they will be booked "first come, first serve". Lastly in terms of logistics, air travel should be planned far in advance, especially on arrival. This is emphasized since SAMSS coincides with the start of school holidays in South Africa, and many students will be returning home to Namibia, thus competing for limited seating with tourists. For this reason, BENEFIT is currently looking into a Johannesburg to Walvis Bay charter on Sunday 30 June 2002 at about 10h30 (please follow news releases on the BENEFIT home page).

 

The most direct air flight will be through either Johannesburg or Cape Town to Walvis Bay. Alternate air routes are through Windhoek, where a "SAMSS bus" will depart once a day for a 4-hour trip to Swakopmund; it’s a good way to see the countryside! Departures from Walvis Bay are expected to be a less difficult problem if bookings are made well in advance.

The Scientific Programme Committee will scrutinize abstracts of presentations and posters. Guidelines for abstracts and posters are provided in BENEFIT’s home page. Abstracts for presentations and posters are due to the BENEFIT Secretariat by 1 March 2002 in electronic version.

 

Special sessions are being planned in:

Marine science communication

Trawl bycatch

Linefish assessment

Understanding the coupling between environmental factors and resources: modelling, spatial approaches and time-series analysis (with reference to the Benguela)

Fisheries economics

Hydrogen sulphide origin, relevance & abundance in the Benguela

Should an individual wish to participate in one of these sessions, please call that to the attention of the Secretariat by 1 March 2001, otherwise the talk will be conveniently placed in the General Sessions. Questions concerning local assistance in Swakopmund should be directed to (skapepu@mfmr.gov.na), while those concerning the Scientific Sessions may be forwarded to the chair–Robert Anderson randerson@mcn.wcape.gov.za).

PIM 2002 Conference

"The Ocean in the New Economy"

WHEN: 8-14 December 2002

WHERE: University of the Western

Cape, Cape Town, South Africa

WHO: The Secretariat

PIM 2002

Clareinch 7740 South Africa

WEB: http://www.Ioinst.org/ PIM2002

EMAIL: PIM2002@uwc.ac.za

 

ICSU

Gives a list of all known fish species, anywhere on the planet:

Visual – Virtual Libraries

www. Up.ac.za/academic/acadorgs/zssa/library

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