Sea Alarm is pleased to announce that together with the Estonian Fund for Nature and Oil Spill Response, it will host the 10th edition of the Effects of Oil on Wildlife Conference (EOW) in 2009. The Conference will be organised in close cooperation with the founders of the Conference series, the International Bird Rescue and Research Centre and Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research Centre, and will be held in Tallinn, Estonia from the 5th to 9th October, 2009. (more…)

There have been a number of changes to the Sea Alarm Board in 2008. Dr. Ian White retired as Vice-Chairman; Mr. Rutger Strengers retired as Treasurer; and Mr. Jim Conroy and Mr. Jan Rusin retired as Board Members. Sea Alarm is delighted to welcome Mr. Chris Morris, who succeeds Dr. Ian White as Vice-Chairman, and Mr. Lon Langlois who succeeds Jan Rusin.

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Since early 2005, Sea Alarm has been working to set up a global database on oiled wildife preparedness and response as part of its cooperation with Oil Spill Response. The database includes so called Country Wildlife Response Profiles, which are descriptions of the arrangements that are in place in coastal countries to deal with marine wildlife emergencies. In 2008 Sea Alarm added another 18 countries to its database, which now includes over 60 countries. (more…)

 
In November 2008, Sea Alarm, together with eight partner organisations, founded the EMPOWER (European Management Programme for Oiled Wildlife and other marine Emergency Responses) Network. Represented by Sea Alarm, the EMPOWER Network, develops and supports the implementation of policies and activities that promote a professional preparedness to marine wildlife emergency response in all coastal European countries.

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Sea Alarm is pleased to announce that Rosalie e’Silva joined Sea Alarm in November 2008 as the Communication and Public Relations Officer. Rosalie initially worked for Sea Alarm for a three-month period from February and has rejoined the team on a more permanent basis.

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The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) has recently announced that it will again make four places available for external participants on the 2-day introductory course on oiled birds course, which will take place in February 2009.

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Dispersing wild animals from a site that is threatened by oil is a useful approach that could avoid a lot of damage amongst wildlife in the aftermath of an oil spill. The newly published Bird Hazing Manual gives wildlife specialists a step-by-step guide to a wide
range of techniques and strategies.

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A training exercise is being planned to test the preparedness of Sea Alarm’s Global Response Network. Scheduled to take place in early January 2009, various responders will be called to enquire about their availability, actual mobilisation time and the length of time they would be available to remain on-site. Results of the notification exercise will be used to identify areas for improvement.

Oil Spill Response will work together with the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in Ostend to test the filtering system of the newly developed wildlife fastanks. Three fastanks, which run on one filter system, will be transported to Ostend, where they will be used for several months in the rehabilitation of oiled birds.

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The Irish Seal Sanctuary (ISS) is a professional marine wildlife rescue organisation entirely run by volunteers from a private back garden. To carry on and expand their rescue and rehabilitation work, a purpose built facility is urgently needed. Funding for the new Marine Conservation and Education Centre has been identified, the site and planning permission have been approved and the plans have been drawn up. Now all that remains is for Fingal County Council to confirm their financial contribution to the project. Recent signals however suggest that the Council is reconsidering to withdraw from their former commitments, which would blow the project. (more…)