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Bride and groom slammed for “gift fishing”

A couple has been rinsed online for sending out the “worst wedding invitation ever” that quickly went viral on social media. The bride and groom decided they would tie the knot in a “private ceremony”, but still decided to send out invitations to those who weren’t actually invited to attend. The invitation asked people to “join us in spirit”, while the word “spirit” was spelled incorrectly. The bride claimed that she thought the cards would soften the blow for loved ones who weren't invited, but many online commenters say they have the opposite effect. The couple were quickly slammed as “patronising and rude” with hundreds of infuriated social media users claiming it was “nothing but a present grab”. “Great way to let people know they aren't invited but you'd still like a present,” one person wrote. “Not even a virtual wedding, this is just tacky,” said another. The view was universal, as one person joked, “We're having a wedding, you're not invited.” “If I got this, it would go straight in the trash,” another said, while someone else suggested, “I'd use it as kindling for the fire pit.” Some people also added that despite the couple’s alleged best intentions with the non-invites, they were bound to cause confusion among recipients. “She's going to get so many confused phone calls about this,” one person said. “People will be confused about where to buy tickets,” said another. Image credits: Shutterstock / Facebook

Relationships

"This is crazy": Teenager goes fishing and emerges a millionaire

A 19-year-old fisherman has reeled in a million-dollar barramundi as part of a years long fishing competition. Keegan Payne, a self proclaimed "mad keen" fisherman, caught the fish that had been tagged as part of a nine year long fishing competition in the Katherine River. When the teenager from the Norther Territory was told that he had taken home the prize, he said he planned to use his winnings to help his parents pay off their home loans. "This is crazy for us, we're a big family, there's eight of us. This is more money than we could ever ask for. This is just great," Payne said. "It means so much. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me. I'm happy, really happy." "I can buy what I want, maybe help Dad and Mum out with the home loans," he said. Payne was on a fishing trip with family and a friend at the Katherine River when he caught the prized barramundi, and quickly made a call to the hotline for the competition. The organisers confirmed he had caught the million-dollar fish, and invited him and his family to collect the prize. The competition has been running since 2015, but until now, nobody had reeled in one of the million-dollar barramundi. Every season, more than a hundred fish tagged with special markings are released in waterways across the Northern Territory, and while most of the fish are worth $10,000, some are worth the major prize of $1 million. Keegan chose charity partner Cancer Council NT to receive $10,000 from Sportsbet, a sponsor of the competition. NT Major Events Company chief executive Suzana Bishop said organisers were "so happy and excited for Keegan". "We guaranteed a winner this season and we're delighted to see the prize go off," said Sportsbet chief executive Barni Evans. Image credits: Million Dollar Fish

Domestic Travel

"Who does that?!" Outrage over horrific kerbside pick-up

Fury has erupted in Sydney's inner west after one callous resident left an unusual item in their pile of junk for council's kerbside pick-up. One a hot summer day, one local was walking past the pile of household items that held a giant "FREE" sign, inviting passersby to sift through the loot to take what they please. However, the concerned local was shocked to find a fish tank at the bottom of the stack, that still had pet fish living inside. The fish were swimming around in only a few inches of water in the tank, which had been left in the blazing sun. Taking to a local Facebook group, the woman posted a photo of the fish pleading for "anybody able to rescue them" from nearby, to which dozens of people responded offering their help. The post racked up an influx of comments from people condemning the original owner's actions, with one outraged neighbour saying, "Who does that!! They would boil in this heat." "Thanks for saving! What is wrong with people!!" replied another. By the end of the day, and after many offers from people willing to take in the two tiny pets, they found a new, loving home with an "experienced" fish owner. According to the <a href="https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NSW Department of Primary Industries</a>, the welfare of all animals, including fish, is protected by the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 and dumping an unwanted pet fish is illegal under Section 11 of the Act. "Most people accept that dumping a pet cat or dog into the wild is an act of animal cruelty, but did you know that fish are considered under the same animal welfare legislation in NSW?" they state on their website. Image credits: Facebook

Family & Pets

Fishing town inundated by plague of rats

Communities along the Gulf of Carpentaria in Queensland have been inundated by a plague of rats, with the rodents washing up along the shores in the thousands. Locals and tourists have shared videos of rats washing up on the beaches of Karumba, a popular fishing town that is struggling with the "plague". One local resident took to Facebook to share their experience, writing, “We headed down for our nightly fishing expedition to find the beach littered with washed-up rats.” “We are unable to fish off the beaches at the moment due to the number of them and the smell.” The same local described dead rats floating in the water or washing up on the shore, with those animals that survived looking a little worse for wear. Kerry D Fishing Charters owner Jemma Probert told <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/qld/rat-plague-hits-fishing-town-in-queenslands-north-rocking-confidence-in-vital-tourism-industry-c-12652482" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a> the smell of the dead and dying rats was “horrible”. “They are jumping into the water and trying to swim but end up drowning and washing back up on the beach leaving a horrible smell,” she said. Experts say that the influx of rats to the state is due to consistent rainfall, and the subsequent increased crop harvests, as the rodents have flocked to the area looking for food. According to the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), the rat population has been steadily increasing since 2021, with the plague of mice and rats slowly heading north to more tropical climates. “Mouse populations have reached plague conditions not seen since 2011,” CSIRO researcher Steve Henry said. “This is largely due to favourable climatic conditions which have created optimal conditions for mice to breed.” Locals have also shared their theories on the influx of their rat visitors, with many speculating that ecent bushfires in the area may be causing the mass exodus of rats leaving burning bushland. “This happened back in the ’90s here in Karumba,” one local said. “They came ashore after (we) had fires in the area.” Locals are worried the unwelcome visitors may have a detrimental effect on the local tourism industry. “I have no idea why they are here but I hope they go quickly as this is not nice for tourists,” Probert said. “They have tried to crawl onto our boat while we are fishing with customers on board and we have had to flick them off with a stick.” Image credits: Facebook

Travel Trouble

Are fish oil supplements as healthy as we think? And is eating fish better?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/evangeline-mantzioris-153250">Evangeline Mantzioris</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> Fish oil, which contains omega-3 fatty acids, is promoted for a number of health benefits – from boosting our heart health, protecting our brain from dementia, and easing the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. But what exactly are omega-3 fats and what does the evidence say about their benefits for keeping us healthy? And if they are good for us, does eating fish provide the same benefit as supplements? <h2>What are omega-3 fats?</h2> Omega-3 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fatty acid. They are essential to consume in our diet because we can’t make them in our body. Three main types of omega-3 fats are important in our diet: <ul> <li> alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is found in plant foods such as green leafy vegetables, walnuts, flaxseed and chia seeds </li> <li> eicosapentanoic acid (EPA), which is only found in seafood, eggs (higher in free-range rather than cage eggs) and breast milk </li> <li> docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is also only found in seafood, eggs (again, higher in free-range eggs) and breast milk. </li> </ul> Omega 3s are key to the structure of our cells, and help keep our heart, lungs, blood vessels, and immune system working. <h2>Eating fish vs taking a supplement</h2> The initial studies suggesting omega-3 fats may have health benefits came from <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.0954-6820.1976.tb08198.x">observational studies on people eating fish</a>, not from fish oil. So are the “active ingredients” from supplements – the EPA and DHA – absorbed into our body in the same way as fish? An <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916523281484">intervention study</a> (where one group was given fish and one group fish oil supplements) found the levels of EPA and DHA in your body increase in a similar way when you consume equal amounts of them from either fish or fish oil. But this assumes it is just the omega-3 fats that provide health benefits. There are other <a href="https://www.foodstandards.gov.au/science/monitoringnutrients/afcd/pages/default.aspx">components of fish</a>, such as protein, vitamins A and D, iodine, and selenium that could be wholly or jointly responsible for the health benefits. The health benefits seen may also be partially due to the absence of certain nutrients that would have otherwise been consumed from other types of meat (red meat and processed meat) such as saturated fats and salt. <h2>So what are the benefits of omega 3 fats? And does the source matter?</h2> Let’s consider the evidence for heart disease, arthritis and dementia. Heart disease For cardiovascular disease (heart attacks and stroke), a <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD003177.pub3/full">meta-analysis</a>, which provides the highest quality evidence, has shown fish oil supplementation probably makes little or no difference. Another <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/8/2278">meta-analysis</a> found for every 20 grams per day of fish consumed it reduced the risk of coronary heart disease by 4%. The <a href="https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/getmedia/f1d22267-7381-4513-834b-df317bed9a40/Nutrition_Position_Statement_-_DIETARY_FAT_FINAL-4.pdf">National Heart Foundation</a> recommends, based on the scientific evidence, eating fish rich in omega-3 fats for optimal heart health. <a href="https://apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/APJCN/17/3/385.pdf">Fish vary in their omega-3 levels</a> and generally the fishier they taste the more omega-3 fats they have – such as tuna, salmon, deep sea perch, trevally, mackeral and snook. The foundation says fish oil may be beneficial for people with heart failure or high triglycerides, a type of fat that circulates in the blood that increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. But it doesn’t recommend fish oil for reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases (heart attack and stroke). Arthritis For rheumatoid arthritis, <a href="https://arthritis-research.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13075-022-02781-2">studies</a> have shown fish oil supplements do provide benefits in reducing the severity and the progression of the disease. Eating fish also leads to these improvements, but as the level of EPA and DHA needed is high, often it’s difficult and expensive to consume that amount from fish alone. <a href="https://arthritisaustralia.com.au/managing-arthritis/living-with-arthritis/complementary-treatments-and-therapies/fish-oils/">Arthritis Australia</a> recommends, based on the evidence, about 2.7 grams of EPA and DHA a day to reduce joint inflammation. Most supplements contain about 300-400mg of omega-3 fats. So depending on how much EPA and DHA is in each capsule, you may need nine to 14 capsules (or five to seven capsules of fish oil concentrate) a day. This is about 130g-140g of grilled salmon or mackeral, or 350g of canned tuna in brine (almost four small tins). Dementia <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0952327807001421?via%3Dihub">Epidemiological studies</a> have shown a positive link between an increased DHA intake (from diet) and a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, a type of dementia. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0952327807001421?via%3Dihub">Animal studies</a> have shown DHA can alter markers that are used to assess brain function (such as accumulation of amyloid – a protein thought to be linked to dementia, and damage to tau protein, which helps stabilise nerve cells in the brain). But this hasn’t been shown in humans yet. A systematic review of <a href="http://betamedarts.gr/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/31Psychiatriki03_2020.pdf#page=58">multiple studies in people</a> has shown different results for omega-3 fats from supplements. In the two studies that gave omega-3 fats as supplements to people with dementia, there was no improvement. But when given to people with mild cognitive impairment, a condition associated with increased risk of progressing to dementia, there was an improvement. Another <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25446949/">meta-anlayses</a> (a study of studies) showed a higher intake of fish was linked to lower risk of Alzheimers, but this relationship was not observed with total dietary intake of omega-3 fats. This indicates there may be other protective benefits derived from eating fish. In line with the evidence, the <a href="https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/risk-factors-and-prevention/omega-3-and-dementia#:%7E:text=This%20could%20suggest%20that%20taking,its%20own%20may%20not%20be.">Alzheimer’s Society</a> recommends eating fish over taking fish oil supplements. <h2>So what’s the bottom line?</h2> The more people stick to a healthy, plant-based diet with fish and minimal intakes of ultra-processed foods, the better their health will be. At the moment, the evidence suggests fish oil is beneficial for rheumatoid arthritis, particularly if people find it difficult to eat large amounts of fish. For dementia and heart disease, it’s best to try to eat your omega-3 fats from your diet. While plant foods contain ALA, this will not be as efficient as increasing EPA and DHA levels in your body by eating seafood. Like any product that sits on the shop shelves, check the use-by date of the fish oil and make sure you will be able to consume it all by then. The chemical structure of EPA and DHA makes <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0924224421005422">it susceptible to degradation</a>, which affects its nutritional value. Store it in cold conditions, preferably in the fridge, away from light. Fish oil can have some annoying side effects, such as fishy burps, but generally there are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3664575/">minimal serious side effects</a>. However, it’s important to discuss taking fish oil with all your treating doctors, particularly if you’re on other medication.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/212250/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/evangeline-mantzioris-153250">Evangeline Mantzioris</a>, Program Director of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Accredited Practising Dietitian, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/are-fish-oil-supplements-as-healthy-as-we-think-and-is-eating-fish-better-212250">original article</a>.

Body

740,000km of fishing line and 14 billion hooks: we reveal just how much fishing gear is lost at sea each year

Two per cent of all fishing gear used worldwide ends up polluting the oceans, our <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abq0135" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new research</a> finds. To put that into perspective, the amount of longline fishing gear littering the ocean each year can circle the Earth more than 18 times. We interviewed 450 fishers from seven of the world’s biggest fishing countries including Peru, Indonesia, Morocco and the United States, to find out just how much gear enters the global ocean. We found at current loss rates, in 65 years there would be enough fishing nets littering the sea to cover the entire planet. This lost fishing equipment, known as ghost gear, can cause heavy social, economic and environmental damage. Hundreds of thousands of animals <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11160-018-9520-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">are estimated to die</a> each year from unintentional capture in fishing nets. Derelict nets can continue to fish indiscriminately for decades. Our research findings help highlight where to focus efforts to stem the tide of fishing pollution. It can also help inform fisheries management and policy interventions from local to global scales. <h2>14 billion longline hooks litter the sea each year</h2> The data we collected came directly from fishers themselves. They experience this issue firsthand and are best poised to inform our understanding of fishing gear losses. We surveyed fishers using five major gear types: gillnets, longlines, purse seine nets, trawl nets, and pots and traps. We asked how much fishing gear they used and lost annually, and what gear and vessel characteristics could be making the problem worse. This included vessel and gear size, whether the gear contacts the seafloor, and the total amount of gear used by the vessel. We coupled these surveys with information on global fishing effort data from commercial fisheries. Fishers use different types of nets to catch different types of fish. Our research found the amount of nets littering the ocean each year include: <ul> <li>740,000 kilometres of longline mainlines</li> <li>nearly 3,000 square kilometres of gill nets</li> <li>218 square kilometres of trawl nets</li> <li>75,000 square kilometres of purse seine nets</li> </ul> In addition, fishers lose over 25 million pots and traps and nearly 14 billion longline hooks each year. These estimates cover only commercial fisheries, and don’t include <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-97758-4_15" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the amount</a> of fishing line and other gear lost by recreational fishers. We also estimate that between 1.7% and 4.6% of all land-based plastic waste travels into the sea. This amount likely exceeds lost fishing gear. However, fishing gear is designed to catch animals and so is generally understood as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308597X15002985" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the most environmentally damaging</a> type of plastic pollution in research to date. <h2>Harming fishers and marine life</h2> Nearly 700 species of marine life <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0025326X14008571?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noopener">are known to</a> interact with marine debris, many of which are near threatened. Australian and US <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308597X15002985#bib6" target="_blank" rel="noopener">research in 2016</a> found fishing gear poses the biggest entanglement threats to marine fauna such as sea turtles, marine mammals, seabirds and whales. Other marine wildlife including sawfish, dugong, hammerhead sharks and crocodiles are also known to get <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1442-8903.2010.00525.x" target="_blank" rel="noopener">entangled in fishing gear</a>. Other <a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/conl.12781" target="_blank" rel="noopener">key problematic items</a> include balloons and plastic bags. Lost fishing gear is not only an environmental risk, but it also has an economic impact for the fishers themselves. Every metre of lost net or line is a cost to the fisher – not only to replace the gear but also in its potential catch. Additionally, many fisheries have already gone through significant reforms to reduce their environmental impact and improve the sustainability of their operations. Some losses are attributable to how gear is operated. For instance, bottom trawl nets – which can get caught on reefs – are lost more often that nets that don’t make contact with the sea floor. The conditions of the ocean can also make a significant difference. For example, fishers commonly reported that bad weather and overcrowding contributes to gear losses. Conflicts between gears coming into contact can also result in gear losses, such as when towed nets cross drifting longlines or gillnets. Where fish are depleted, fishers must expend more effort, operate in worse conditions or locations, and are more likely to come in contact with others’ gear. All these features increase losses. <h2>What do we do about it?</h2> We actually found lower levels of fishing gear losses in our current study than in <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/faf.12407" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a previous review</a> of the historical literature on the topic. Technological improvements, such as better weather forecasts and improved marking and tracking of fishing gear may be reducing loss rates. Incentives can further reduce losses resulting in ghost gear. This could include buyback programs for end-of-life fishing gear, reduced cost loans for net replacement, and waste receptacles in ports to encourage fishers to return used fishing gear. Technological improvements and management interventions could also make a difference, such as requirements to mark and track gear, as well as regular gear maintenance and repairs. Developing effective fishing management systems can improve food security, leave us with a healthier environment, and create more profitable businesses for the fishers who operate in it. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/740-000km-of-fishing-line-and-14-billion-hooks-we-reveal-just-how-much-fishing-gear-is-lost-at-sea-each-year-192024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: CSIRO

Travel Trouble

3 recipes using tinned fish

Tinned fish has always been the friend of the impecunious, which hasn't done much for its reputation. But it can be luxurious too, as anyone who has been seduced by beautifully packaged French sardines that sell for more than five times' their budget supermarket counterpart will tell you. Whatever your financial situation, I like to think there's a tinned fish that suits everyone. Here are three ways to get you started. 1. Mackerel and kumara fishcakes (pictured above) These are not those strange, bouncy fishcakes of dubious origin that often turn up in Thai restaurants. These are superfood fishcakes, with gentle spice, nuggets of oily fish and sweet kumara. Serves: 3-4 as a light meal Ingredients: <ul> <li>2 medium kumara, peeled, cut into chunks</li> <li>1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for frying</li> <li>2 red onions, finely chopped</li> <li>2 cloves garlic, finely chopped</li> <li>1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger</li> <li>1½ teaspoons garam masala</li> <li>finely grated zest of 1 lemon</li> <li>½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley</li> <li>2 eggs</li> <li>420g can mackerel or smoked fish, well drained</li> <li>1 cup panko breadcrumbs</li> </ul> Method: <ol> <li>Boil or steam the kumara until just soft, then drain and mash roughly. Tip into a large bowl and set aside.</li> <li>Heat the oil in a large frying pan, then add the onion, garlic and ginger. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, then add the garam masala, a pinch of salt and some cracked black pepper. Cook for a minute or two, then add to the kumara, along with the lemon zest, parsley, one of the eggs and the fish. Stir together gently, then shape into palm-sized cakes.</li> <li>Beat the remaining egg in a shallow dish and put the panko crumbs into another shallow dish. Dip the fishcakes into the egg, then into the crumbs, then set aside.</li> <li>Wipe out the frying pan, then set it over medium heat. Pour a couple of tablespoons of oil into the pan, then cook the fishcakes in batches, turning to ensure a crisp crust on all sides. Remove to a plate and keep warm in a low oven until they are all cooked. Serve immediately with salad greens and aioli.</li> </ol> 2. Sophie's pasta with tuna, currants and olives This recipe is probably the most lasting souvenir I have of a trip to England in 1999. I gleaned the basic idea from watching a cooking show featuring Sophie Grigson, who sported carrot-coloured hair and earrings made from miniature soup ladles. It's gradually evolved to this version, which makes a great fast dinner for two. Serves: 2 Ingredients: <ul> <li>1 red onion, finely chopped</li> <li>3 tablespoons red wine vinegar</li> <li>1 x 180g tin of good-quality tuna in olive oil</li> <li>⅔ cup currants</li> <li>⅔ cup roughly chopped toasted almonds (use sunflower seeds as a budget alternative)</li> <li>1 cup kalamata olives, stoned</li> <li>1 cup finely chopped fresh parsley</li> <li>250-300g dried spaghetti</li> </ul> Method: <ol> <li>Put the onion and red wine vinegar in a small bowl and leave to steep while you get on with organising everything else.</li> <li>Put the water on to boil for the pasta, and add everything except the spaghetti to the onion mixture, including a tablespoon or so of the oil that the tuna came in. Toss together and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, adding more olive oil if necessary.</li> <li>Cook the spaghetti until it is al dente and drain, then toss it through the sauce. Divide between two bowls and serve immediately.</li> </ol> 3. Creamy salmon and chilli dip If you have smoked-salmon tastes on a tinned-salmon budget, this dip is a godsend. I remember an old friend making something similar for her 21st birthday, daringly served with crostini and celery sticks. In a world of chips 'n' reduced cream dip, this was haute cuisine indeed. It's also good as a sandwich filling or piled on crusty toast for breakfast. Makes: About 2 cups Ingredients: <ul> <li>1 cup cream cheese, softened</li> <li>finely grated zest of 1 lemon, plus some of the juice</li> <li>1-2 teaspoons hot chilli sauce (tabasco, sriracha etc)</li> <li>1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint</li> <li>1 cup (about a 200g tin) red salmon</li> </ul> Method: 1. Put the cream cheese, lemon zest and chilli sauce in a small bowl and beat with a fork until smooth. Flake the salmon, then gently fold it into the cream cheese mixture with the mint. Add a little lemon juice if it seems a bit stiff. Taste again for seasoning – add some salt and freshly cracked black pepper until the balance is right. Use immediately or cover and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Images: Getty

Food & Wine

Where is your seafood really from?

Fake foods are invading our supermarkets, as foods we love are substituted or adulterated with lower value or unethical <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JFC-09-2020-0179/full/html">goods</a>. Food fraud threatens human health but is also bad news for industry and sustainable food <a href="https://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/I8791EN/">production</a>. Seafood is one of <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305750X14003246">most traded food products</a> in the world and reliant on convoluted supply chains that leave the the door wide open for seafood <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12571-018-0826-z">fraud</a>. Our new <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/faf.12703">study</a>, published in the journal <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/faf.12703">Fish and Fisheries</a>, showcases a new approach for determining the provenance or “origin” of many seafood species. By identifying provenance, we can detect fraud and empower authorities and businesses to stop it. This makes it more likely that the food you buy is, in fact, the food you truly want to eat. <h2>Illegal fishing and seafood fraud</h2> Wild-caught seafood is vulnerable to illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing can have a devastating impact on the marine environment because: <ul> <li> it is a major cause of overfishing, constituting an estimated one-fifth of <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/faf.12462">seafood</a> </li> <li> it can destroy marine habitats, such coral reefs, through destructive fishing methods such as blast bombing and cyanide fishing </li> <li> it can significantly harm wildlife, such as albatross and turtles, which are caught as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320714003140">by-catch</a>. </li> </ul> So how is illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing connected to seafood fraud? Seafood fraud allows this kind of fishing to flourish as illegal products are laundered through legitimate supply <a href="https://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/I8791EN/">chains</a>. A recent <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2003741117">study</a> in the United States found when seafood is mislabelled, it is more likely to be substituted for a product from less healthy fisheries with management policies that are less likely to reduce the environmental impacts of fishing. One <a href="https://usa.oceana.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/fraud_gap_report_final_6_6_16.pdf">review</a> of mislabelled seafood in the US found that out of 180 substituted species, 25 were considered threatened, endangered, or critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). Illegal fishing and seafood fraud also has a human cost. It can: <ul> <li> adversely affect the livelihoods of law-abiding fishers and seafood <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128015926000048">businesses</a> </li> <li> threaten food security </li> <li> facilitate human rights abuses such as forced labour and <a href="https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/978-3-030-32811-5_127-1.pdf">piracy</a> </li> <li> increase risk of exposure to pathogens, drugs, and other banned substances in <a href="https://usa.oceana.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/fraud_gap_report_final_6_6_16.pdf">seafood</a>. </li> </ul> <h2>The chemical fingerprints in shells and bones</h2> A vast range of marine animals are harvested for food every year, including fish, molluscs, crustaceans, and <a href="https://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/ca9229en/">echinoderms</a>. However, traditional food provenance methods are typically designed to identify one species at a time. That might benefit the species and industry in question, but it is expensive and time consuming. As such, current methods are restricted to a relatively small number of species. In our study, we described a broader, universal method to identify provenance and detect fraud. How? We harnessed natural chemical markers imprinted in the shells and bones of marine animals. These markers reflect an animal’s environment and can identify where they are from. We focused on a chemical marker that is similar across many different marine animals. This specific chemical marker, known as “oxygen isotopes”, is determined by ocean composition and temperature rather than an animal’s biology. Exploiting this commonality and how it relates to the local environment, we constructed a global ocean map of oxygen isotopes that helps researchers understand where a marine animal may be from (by matching the oxygen isotope value in shells and bones to the oxygen isotope value in the map). After rigorous testing, we demonstrated this global map (or “isoscape”) can be used to correctly identify the origins of a wide range of marine animals living in different latitudes. For example, we saw up to 90% success in classifying fish, cephalopods, and shellfish between the tropical waters of Southeast Asia and the cooler waters of southern Australia. <h2 class="align-center zoomable" style="text-align: left;">What next?</h2> Oxygen isotopes, as a universal marker, worked well on a range of animals collected from different latitudes and across broad geographic areas. Our next step is to integrate oxygen isotopes with other universal chemical markers to gives clues on longitude and refine our approach. Working out the provenance of seafood is a large and complex challenge. No single approach is a silver bullet for all species, fisheries or industries. But our approach represents a step towards a more inclusive, global system for validating seafood provenance and fighting seafood fraud. Hopefully, this will mean ensure fewer marine species are left behind and more consumer confidence in the products we buy. Dr Jasmin Martino, a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, contributed to this research and article.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/189471/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/zoe-doubleday-393169">Zoe Doubleday</a>, Marine Ecologist and ARC Future Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/where-is-your-seafood-really-from-were-using-chemical-fingerprinting-to-fight-seafood-fraud-and-illegal-fishing-189471">original article.</a> Image: Getty

Food & Wine

My fishing story: Kaye Sutton Wheeler

Over60 community member, Kaye Sutton Wheeler, shares her fishing story. I work at a remote Aboriginal school on a North-East Kimberley station that has some of the most spectacular fishing spots imaginable; with barramundi lying in wait to just leap onto your line. Places on the Dunham River (tributary of the Ord) with names given by the locals, such as Pandanus, Wilson's, Drop-off, Reef, Front Gorge, Back Gorge, Gullering. A really memorable day was when I went out with a local family. A mob sitting on mattresses on the back of the tray back, more crammed into the Toyota and me driving between them – about 70 kilometres through the bush on the station, heading for some far off landmark. After driving for about an hour, we pulled up at a sandy riverbank. All the women leapt off and ran to the water's edge, lines arcing into the water, reels looped over wrists. Large bream were caught at a frenetic pace and thrown onto the bank. When they gauged there were enough, all the fish were scooped up into T-shirts and thrown into the back of the Toyota, and on we drove off. A couple of hours later we stopped at a stunning gorge. Everyone go out of the car, dads, mums, teenagers, kids, babies, even grannies. The young men quickly gathered wood and started a fire, and then the blokes and kids claimed their fishing spots. Some women started chopping up potatoes, carrots and onions, while others washed and scaled the bream. All went into a camp oven with curry powder and other spices and left to cook. The babies were sleeping on a blanket in the shade, and then the women each found a fishing spot. No conversation, just fishing, while a myriad of multi-coloured rainbow honeyeaters flitted and twittered in and out of the overhead branches, accompanied by the occasional splash of a fish jumping up to grab an unsuspecting insect and the frantic splashing of the barramundi, bream and catfish as they were hauled in by these expert fisher-folk. Fish curry for lunch, a nana nap under the trees – I finally “get” fishing. Image: Getty Images

Home & Garden

Illegal fishers and wayward sharks are in the sights of new multispectral imaging

The oceans are warming. Reefs are dying. Fish are on the move. As a result, sharks and illegal fishers are scouring Australia’s coast in search of an increasingly elusive catch, and that, says ESpy Ocean founder Ian Dewey, is having an immense impact on everything from regional tourism to ocean ecologies. Illegal fishers, like sharks, are elusive predators. Their survival depends on being fast, silent and unexpected. They’re threatening a $1.6-billion regional Australia industry. Sharks also aren’t behaving the way they used to. They’re turning up in unexpected places, at unexpected times, which can result in tragedy. “Everyone says use drones or dirigibles to spot them,” Dewey says. “But everyone knows that when we’re on the beach in our string bikinis and Speedos, the last thing we want is a drone above us.” With dark fleets of illegal fishing boats turning off their tracking systems to breach international boundaries, time is of the essence in addressing the problem, just as it is with wayward sharks. “Both are increasing problems,” Dewey says. “I only know in terms of the illegal fishing missions that we’ve been involved in, but invariably there are people around protected areas on a daily basis”. Traditional spotter aircraft can’t cope, and using satellites to track vessels isn’t anything new. What is new is multispectral imaging. A regular camera captures an image on just three channels red, green and blue (RGB) – generating a crisp image of the visible spectrum if the weather is clear. A multispectral image has up to 110 different frequencies, ranging from ultraviolet to microwave. This imaging technology is nothing new. What is new is applying machine learning to identifying what it “sees”. “So it was a matter of working out what we can do through clouds in all kinds of weather, preferably right on dawn,” says Dewey. “I just started going through what frequencies can do what and – if we are looking for a boat – what the hell’s it gonna look like?” It’s a similar story for sharks – what multispectral signatures do different species give, at what depth, under what conditions, at what time? Dewey says the potential to extract such detail from hyperspectral imaging is enormous. It can identify what a boat is made from, what sort of paint has been used (and how old it is), and what equipment is on the deck. “All these things mean that your picture is different to every other boat in the ocean,” he says. “If we see you today, we can see you tomorrow, match those frequencies, and say – we got you!” ESpy demonstrated the potential of the technology for New South Wales Fisheries over the last Easter long weekend. Suitable satellites were identified, access to their hyperspectral cameras was secured, and patrol vessels were stationed in strategic locations waiting for a call to action. “Our system is incredibly fast, which gives us the edge,” Dewey says. “Generally, our system allows boats to be caught red-handed. That makes it so much easier where the courts are concerned.” The shark-spotting challenge is a more recent project. ESpy is in initial discussions with NSW Fisheries and the University of South Australia’s Industrial AI Research Centre to develop techniques to spot the predators first thing in the morning and use established behavioural patterns to predict where they could move during the day. While trespassing trawlers present a major issue, the deadliest offender is often someone much closer to home. One dragnet can strip an ecosystem of everything from algae and small crustaceans to dolphins and turtles, leaving damage that can take years to recover. “Our big problem in Australia is the little guy who throws out a net once or twice,” Dewey says. “He’s generally local, or at least from within 100-or-so kilometres. But he’s got a high risk of being caught, so he just wants to get in and take as much as possible as quickly as possible.” <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=195119&title=Illegal+fishers+and+wayward+sharks+are+in+the+sights+of+new+multispectral+imaging" width="1" height="1" />This article originally appeared on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth/oceans/espy-oceans-tracking-waters/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Jamie Seidel. Image: Shutterstock <div id="cosmos-link-back"></div>

Travel Trouble

5 tips to make your fuel tank last longer while prices are high

The federal government’s announcement of a halved fuel excise is no doubt music to many people’s ears. Following Tuesday night’s budget release, the excise (a government tax included in the purchase price of fuel) was <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/fuel-excise-slashed-to-ease-petrol-prices-for-six-months-20220324-p5a7mp.html">halved</a> from 44.2 cents per litre to 22.1 cents. It should provide some respite from high petrol and diesel prices <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-disrupted-russian-gas-supplies-will-hit-global-and-australian-prices-178023">driven by</a>Russia’s war on Ukraine. However, the cut is only expected to last six months. And Treasurer Josh Frydenberg <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-29/lowdown-on-when-fuel-excise-cut-will-be-seen-at-bowsers/100949562">has said</a> it will take up to two weeks before fuel prices get cheaper (and potentially longer in regional areas). <h2>The costs</h2> Assuming it costs A$2 per litre for petrol and diesel fuel, and an average fuel consumption of about <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/industry/tourism-and-transport/survey-motor-vehicle-use-australia/latest-release">11 litres per 100 kilometres</a> driven – driving a typical fossil-fueled passenger vehicle right now would cost about 20 to 25 cents per kilometre. You’re probably quite happy if you own an electric vehicle. With a <a href="https://mdpi-res.com/d_attachment/sustainability/sustainability-14-03444/article_deploy/sustainability-14-03444-v2.pdf">real-world electricity consumption</a> of 0.15 to 0.21 kWh per kilometre and <a href="https://www.canstarblue.com.au/electricity/electricity-costs-kwh/">electricity costs</a> of about 20 to 30 cents per kWh, your cost of driving per kilometre is about 3 to 6 cents. And if you can charge your vehicle’s battery for free with home solar panels, your cost per kilometre is $0. But for those of us who don’t own an electric vehicle, making the best use of our fuel tanks will be a priority. Here are some ways you can make your vehicle go the extra mile. <h2>1. Use a smaller, lighter car</h2> There are a number of things you can do to reduce your fuel use. The obvious one is to not use your car, but walk or grab your bicycle, if possible. If you do have to drive, try to minimise your total travel distance. One way would be to combine a number of errands into your journey and optimise your route. The specific vehicle you use also matters. As a general rule of thumb, <a href="https://www.transport-e-research.com/_files/ugd/d0bd25_9527cdcb01a84440a53308b3b5624320.pdf?index=true">the larger and heavier your car</a>, the more energy and fuel it will require per kilometre. Choosing a smaller car, rather than a large SUV, will definitely reduce your fuel bill. A large SUV will use almost twice as much fuel per kilometre as a small car. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360128516300442">Research</a> also suggests that for every 100kg increase in vehicle weight, fuel consumption increases by about 5% to 7% for a medium-sized car. So in addition to driving a smaller car, it’s best to reduce your load and avoid driving around with extra weight. <h2>2. Use eco-driving techniques</h2> The way you drive is important too. Eco-driving involves being conscious of your fuel consumption and taking actions to reduce it. There are various ways to do this. Every time you brake and stop, you have to accelerate again to reach your desired speed. Acceleration uses a lot of energy and fuel, so driving smoothly, anticipating traffic and preventing stops will lead to savings on your fuel bill. What you want to do is flow with the traffic and keep your distance from other vehicles. It also helps to keep an eye further up the road, so you can avoid obstacles and therefore unnecessary braking and acceleration. If you’re in the minority of people who own a manual vehicle, drive in the highest gear possible to reduce engine load and fuel use. And if you’re in an automatic vehicle, use the “eco” setting if you have one. <h2>3. Give your engine and climate a break</h2> Another simple tip is stop unnecessary idling with the engine still engaged. A small car typically uses one litre of fuel per hour while idling, whereas this is close to <a href="https://www.transport-e-research.com/_files/ugd/d0bd25_2485b61095ed48f29bea980a73e74240.pdf?index=true">two litres per hour</a> for a large SUV. Of course, we idle regularly while waiting in traffic and generally can’t do much about that, other than trying to drive outside peak hours when roads are less congested. In other cases, we can change things. For instance, idling when a vehicle is parked will use up fuel unnecessarily. <h2>4. Turn off the AC</h2> Most people may not realise this, but using your air conditioner can use up quite a bit of extra fuel: somewhere between 4% and 8% of total fuel use. Using the fan instead will require less energy than air conditioning. Or even better, wind down the windows for a bit for fresh air when you are driving in the city. <h2>5. Tend to your tires and consider aerodynamics</h2> It also pays to keep your <a href="https://www.racq.com.au/car/greener-motoring/racq-ecodrive-research-study">tires inflated</a>, which can save you between 2% and 4% in fuel use. Also, your car is designed to be aerodynamically efficient. Anything that changes that, including roof racks, bull bars and bike racks, will come with an additional fuel penalty – particularly at higher speeds, such as on the freeway. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/5-tips-to-make-your-fuel-tank-last-longer-while-prices-are-high-180134" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Travel Tips

Guns, tanks and Twitter: how Russia and Ukraine are using social media as the war drags on

Social media has become a primary source of information for news-hungry audiences around the world trying to make sense of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. At the same time, it’s being used by the governments of Russia and Ukraine to set the agenda for wider media reporting. Official Russian government accounts <a href="https://theconversation.com/russian-government-accounts-are-using-a-twitter-loophole-to-spread-disinformation-178001" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have been found</a> to be amplifying pro-Russia disinformation on Twitter. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian government has taken to the platform to appeal to its two million followers for support. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Hard to find words... The killing of civilians in Bucha by Russian war criminals is appalling beyond any measure. Help us stop Russia. Demand your governments to act now: - Provide Ukraine with all weapons we need - More tough sanctions on Russia - Cut all trade ties with them <a href="https://t.co/pYLbMALQfp">pic.twitter.com/pYLbMALQfp</a> — Ukraine / Україна (@Ukraine) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ukraine/status/1511106521345798153?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 4, 2022</a></blockquote> Information warfare is no longer an additional arm of strategy, but a parallel component of <a href="https://press.armywarcollege.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2501&context=parameters" target="_blank" rel="noopener">military campaigns</a>. The rise of social media has made it easier than ever before to see how states use mass communication as a weapon. Putting social media in the mix Mass communication began as political communication intended to <a href="https://gutenberg.ca/ebooks/innis-empire/innis-empire-00-h.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">establish and control empires</a>. Whether it was Darius the Great imposing his image on buildings and coins to help control the Persian Empire; Henry VIII’s inspired <a href="https://royalcentral.co.uk/interests/history/royal-portraiture-propaganda-painting-52781/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">use of portraiture</a>, or the well-documented use of <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Film--Radio-Propaganda-in-World-War-II/Short/p/book/9781032077116" target="_blank" rel="noopener">radio and film in World War II</a> – media technologies have long been used to spread political ideas. Social media has added another element to the mix, and brought immediacy to strategic political communication. In asymmetric conflicts (such as the one we’re seeing now in Ukraine), a successful social media account can be a useful weapon against an adversary with many guns and tanks. The local uprisings in the 2010 Arab Spring, especially in Egypt and Tunisia, were among the first campaigns where <a href="https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/War_in_140_Characters/s3mZDgAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=social+media+and+The+Arab+Spring+asymmetric+warfare&pg=PT5&printsec=frontcover" target="_blank" rel="noopener">social media played a pivotal role</a>. <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2595096" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Advocates of democracy</a> used Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to maintain networks of communication and openly criticised their governments for the world to see. It didn’t take long for governments to realise the power of social media. And they responded both by restricting access to social media as well as using it themselves. Social media alone may <a href="https://hcommons.org/deposits/item/hc:35365/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">not be capable of instigating</a> widespread change, but it can undoubtedly play a role. Information warfare Tension between Russia and Ukraine has a long history, and was <a href="https://www.ceeol.com/search/book-detail?id=661250" target="_blank" rel="noopener">highly charged on social media</a> well before the latest invasion. Pro-Russian accounts have circulated disinformation about Russia’s role in the Donetsk region since before 2014, <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0163443716686672?casa_token=XaOHM4qJ8W8AAAAA:ikaBQXH8mEVeQDgCiHs78F-RsBKNMzP02-Wk6TXzTbKfcxPENb46k3NQLMz1U9n5ZZ5zbnAcnXQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fuelling confusion</a> and destabilisation, and assisting Russia’s takeover. This was in fact a critical element of Russia’s “<a href="http://connections-qj.org/article/defining-concept-hybrid-warfare-based-analysis-russias-aggression-against-ukraine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hybrid warfare</a>” approach. Russia’s strategic actions, and counter actions by Ukraine, have been studied widely by researchers. Unsurprisingly, the research has overwhelmingly found each side to be framing the conflict in <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1750635217702539" target="_blank" rel="noopener">very different, and divergent</a> ways. Research has also found social media can sustain, and even aggravate, the hostility between <a href="https://ccdcoe.org/uploads/2018/10/Ch12_CyberWarinPerspective_Lange_Svetoka.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ukrainians and Russians online</a>. For example, after Malaysian Airline flight MH17 was shot down by Russia over Ukraine, an <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ia/article/94/5/975/5092080?login=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">analysis of 950,000 Twitter posts</a> found a plethora of competing claims online, creating a struggle for truth which continues today. As early as 2014, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Philip Breedlove, <a href="https://www.stripes.com/news/saceur-allies-must-prepare-for-russia-hybrid-war-1.301464" target="_blank" rel="noopener">described</a> the Russian communication strategy in Ukraine as “the most amazing information warfare <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/blitzkrieg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blitzkrieg</a> we have ever seen in the history of information warfare”. These efforts have escalated since Russia’s recent expansion of its invasion into Ukrainian territory. And with so much noise, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for users to make sense of the deluge of contradictory, emotive and (often) difficult-to-verify information. It’s even more difficult when the tone of posts changes quickly. The Ukraine government’s Twitter account is a study in contrasts of both content and tone. Set up in more peaceful times, the profile cheerily states: “Yes, this is the official Twitter account of Ukraine. Nice pics: #BeautifulUkraine Our music: #UkieBeats”. But the account now posts a range of content, images and video related to the war as part of its strategic communication campaign. This has included serious news updates, patriotic allusions to historic events and people, anti-Russian material and – prior to the recent reports of mass deaths – <a href="https://www.ceeol.com/search/chapter-detail?id=661124" target="_blank" rel="noopener">quite a lot of humour</a>. Why use humour? Humour has a long history of being used as an element of communication and <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/13691481211023958" target="_blank" rel="noopener">public diplomacy</a> – <a href="https://compass.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/soc4.12138?casa_token=ci0wS1giS6AAAAAA%3AkH20TMNG-ln9Q8wdqVsA2ML0NSX4iX3X7FCMkhAdOiBRvQ5LSe1DaEtMxAAQ9HQAgBWHgkHezMGs0Q" target="_blank" rel="noopener">even during wars</a>. For instance, <a href="https://www.berggruen.org/ideas/articles/to-defy-a-dictator-send-in-the-clowns/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">humour was used effectively</a> by the Serbian Otpor resistance movement in its campaign to overthrow dictator Slobodan Milošević at the turn of this century. <a href="https://www.socialmediatoday.com/marketing/sarah-snow/2015-07-06/science-behind-what-content-goes-viral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Humour is particularly effective</a> on social platforms because it produces <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1509/jmr.10.0353?casa_token=U5-C6j_iI7cAAAAA:p3Palq4Swuz34SC7eNukHO6Kb5OeB9TNgucv8magwnP9Q7iWtXx84ih83rZ8fKpbeHGVMH0HrdM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">virality</a>. And in the case of Ukraine’s defence, it displays defiance. After all, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (a former comedian) was famously thrust into the political spotlight thanks to a satirical television production. In it he played the role of a teacher whose secretly-filmed rant about corruption goes viral, leading the character to become President. Zelenskyy’s <a href="https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter account</a> is now the most immediate and reliable way for many Ukrainians to get crucial information on the invasion and negotiations between Zelenskyy and other leaders. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Talked to <a href="https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BorisJohnson</a> again. The United Kingdom is our powerful ally. Discussed the defensive support for 🇺🇦, intensification of anti-Russian sanctions and post-war security guarantees. We look forward to the donors' conference for Ukraine. — Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1510336038199300101?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2022</a></blockquote> The thousands of “shares” the posts receive are helping Ukraine’s communication campaign. Zelenskyy’s recent address to the Grammy Awards reinforces that he understands the necessity of remaining visible to the world at this critical point. His speech has produced much support on social media (as well as cries of “propaganda” from Russia’s supporters). <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy made a surprise video appearance at the music industry's star-studded Grammy Awards celebration in Las Vegas and appealed to viewers to support his country ‘in any way you can’ <a href="https://t.co/hwQYnEpLGx">https://t.co/hwQYnEpLGx</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GRAMMYs?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GRAMMYs</a> <a href="https://t.co/dKTBCkfEB8">pic.twitter.com/dKTBCkfEB8</a> — Reuters (@Reuters) <a href="https://twitter.com/Reuters/status/1510868519323410440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 4, 2022</a></blockquote> Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/KremlinRussia_E" target="_blank" rel="noopener">account</a> has been dormant since March 16.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/180131/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/collette-snowden-5543" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Collette Snowden</a>, Senior Lecturer, School of Communication, International Studies and Languages, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180" target="_blank" rel="noopener">University of South Australia</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/guns-tanks-and-twitter-how-russia-and-ukraine-are-using-social-media-as-the-war-drags-on-180131" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>. Image: Getty Images

Technology

Netflix and gill: TV for fish

If you are a fish and want to watch TV, this might be the invention for you. Researchers from the University of Queensland have developed an ultraviolet “television” display specially designed for fish. This could help them learn more about how fish and other animals see the world, they suggest in their paper, published in Methods in Ecology and Evolution. “We affectionately call it the ‘UV-TV’, but I doubt that anyone would want one in their home!” says study leader Samuel Powell. Display monitors such as TVs or computer screens have previously been used in animal studies to learn how subjects react to a visual stimulus. But these are suited to human eyes and not all animals see the same wavelengths. “Human TVs generally use three colours – red, green and blue – to create images, but our newly-developed displays have five, including violet and ultraviolet,” says Powell. “Using this display, it’s now possible to show animals simple shapes, or to test their ability to tell colours apart, or their perception of motion by moving dot patterns.” This is a big step forward to learning how fish and other animals react to particular patterns, but you won’t be watching Finding Nemo with your pet goldfish yet – the TV’s not just low res, it comes with a health warning. “You’d have to wear sunglasses and sunscreen while watching it, and the resolution is quite low – 8 by 12 pixels in a 4 by 5 centimetre area – so don’t expect to be watching Netflix in ultraviolet anytime soon,” says Powell. “This very low resolution is enough to show dot patterns to test fish perception in what’s known as an Ishihara test, which would be familiar to anyone who’s been tested for colour blindness. “In this test, humans read a number hidden in a bunch of coloured dots, but as animals can’t read numbers back to us, they’re trained to peck the ‘odd dot’ out of a field of differently coloured dots.” The tiny TV is sufficient to learn how fish react to colour patterns in nature. “There are many colour patterns in nature that are invisible to us because we cannot detect UV,” says fellow researcher Karen Cheney. “Bees use UV patterns on flowers to locate nectar, for example, and fish can recognise individuals using UV facial patterns.” They are using this to study recognition between particular marine life based on scale patterns, to establish who is the boss. “We’ve recently started studying the vision of anemonefish or clownfish – aka, Nemo – which, unlike humans, have UV-sensitive vision. “Our research is already showing that the white stripes on anemonefish also reflect UV, so we think UV colour signals may be used to recognise each other and may be involved in signalling dominance within their social group. “Who knows what other discoveries we can now make about how certain animals behave, interact and think?” This article originally appeared on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/nature/netflix-and-gill-tv-for-fish/">Cosmos Magazine</a>.

225kg "Hank the Tank" bear ransacks wealthy neighbourhood

Residents of a wealthy California neighbourhood have been terrorised by a 225kg black bear, nicknamed Hank the Tank by authorities. According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) , the one bear has been linked to "property damage at 38 different properties" in the affluent Tahoe Keys neighbourhood. The trouble-making bear has been the source of more than 150 calls between law enforcement and wildlife personnel in recent months. Peter Tira, a spokesperson for the CDFW said Hank has been spotted more and more as he has developed a taste for pizza, and has yet to be deterred by efforts from local police to scare it off with paintballs and sirens. “It’s easier to find leftover pizza than to go in the forest,” Tira said “This is a bear that has lost all fear of people,” he added. “It’s a potentially dangerous situation.” Due to the heightened number of sightings and complaints about Hank, the CDFW has been setting up traps to catch the beast, but to no avail. “The trapping activity is a measure of last resort to capture and euthanise a specific and what we call a severely habituated or human-food conditioned black bear,” Tira said. Despite the potential danger, the bear hunt has sparked an outcry from local residents, who tried to sabotage them by trying to scare away the bear, playing loud music, and even spray-painting “Bear Killer” on the government’s trap. A bear activist group called the BEAR League has been coordinating with the CDFW for Hank the Tank to be relocated to a wildlife sanctuary instead of euthanised. “The BEAR League reached out to the director of an excellent out-of-state wildlife sanctuary who agreed he has room and would be very willing to give this bear a permanent home,” said executive director Ann Bryant. “We notified [the California Department of Fish and Wildlife] on Tuesday morning asking that this option be seriously considered rather than killing the bear.” While talks to relocate Hank are still ongoing, the CDFW has urged residents to practice preventive measures to keep bears out, such as securing garbage properly and keeping trash out of cars. According to the New York Post, when people relocated to Tahoe Keys to work from home due to the pandemic, these new residents did not adhere to preventive measures, prompting Hank the Tank to come out of the woods and forage for food. Image credits: Facebook - BEAR League

Family & Pets

New Zealand's ‘first man’ opens up on wedding plans with Prime Minister Ardern

Clarke Gayford told Sunrise he and Jacinda have put preparations “on the backburner” after the whole country was plunged into a COVID-19 lockdown last week. The wedding, scheduled for this summer in Gisborne on the North Island, has been anticipated for some time since the pair were engaged at Easter two years ago. But Gayford continued: “Unfortunately this latest lockdown has kind of just put everything on the backburner for the interim, so there will be a whole flurry of activity closer to the time,” he said. The 43-year-old, who shares a three-year-old daughter with Ardern, said the couple had not planned a honeymoon, admitting: “I don’t think we’ve even had that conversation.” Promoting his new fishing book as well <img style="width: 396.7611336032388px; height:500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843423/clarke-gayford-fish-of-the-day.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/087e60ad9da5403c81fcb65eab15a991" /> Gayford, who’s been a successful television and radio host for the past 20 years, was talking on Sunrise to promote his new fishing book which he has co-authored with Mike Bhana. Called Fish Of The Day – the book is based on Gayford’s fishing show of the same name and includes travel tips, recipes and more. Gayford told the Sunrise hosts, Natalie Barr and David Koch, he has been teaching Ardern how to fish and she’s “actually pretty good.” “I can say that she has got enthusiastically into some of the fishing trips that we’ve been able to get stuck into,” he said. “I’ve been teaching her how to soft bait and a style of fishing called speed-jigging and she’s very determined when she sets her mind to it.” The Kiwi said his first fishing trip with Ardern was “absolutely magic.” “It went dead flat, we had a whale show up, her first cast she got a 14 pound (6.3kg) snapper, her very next cast she caught this huge john dory - and she thought that was what fishing was always like. ”So she was hooked from that point onwards,” he laughed. Photos: Getty Images

Relationships

How to choose the right fish oil

Omega-3 essential fatty acids are essential for optimum health. They promote a healthy immune response and can help optimise heart, brain, circulatory, metabolic and joint tissue health. Because our bodies cannot produce these nutrients, they must be consumed through diet or supplements. So, unless you’re eating an abundance of fatty fish (at least 2-3 times per week) you may want to consider getting your omega-3s through a quality fish oil supplement. But with so many options on the market, how are we possibly to know which one to choose? Here’s our top 6 tips on how to ensure you’re not wasting your money on ineffective or unethical products, and are also making the right choice for your individual needs. 1. Purity Ensure the oil has been purified, and stripped of heavy metals, pesticides, and environmental toxins. Also consider whether the fish has been sourced from clean or polluted waters. All quality manufacturers should employ a technique to ensure the purity levels of the final product meet the fish oil safety and purity standards as established by The European Pharmacopeia Standard. Even better if they are able to offer you a Certificate of Analysis for every batch of oil to prove the product’s purity levels. 2. Sustainability All fish oil brands should follow safe fishing practices, in specified locations, to avoid over-fishing and endangering species – unfortunately, not all companies do this. Whatever supplement you are considering, be sure that the way they source the product follows reputable sustainability practices. Check their website to ensure they are “Friend of the Sea” certified, which verifies the sustainability of fish oils. 3. Value for Money / Absorption Oils in the natural triglyceride molecular form enables optimal absorption, over the more easily available (and cheaper) synthetic ethyl-ester molecular form, which is determined by the manufacturing process. While most brands are made up of around 60% triglycerides, to ensure that you are receiving the maximum benefits and value of your chosen supplement, choose a brand that guarantees over 90% triglycerides, such as Nordic Naturals. 4. Freshness Your fish oil should be easy to take and have a great taste, proving its safety and freshness. For example, if you bite through a fish oil soft-gel, the oil inside should taste light and fresh. (Fishy-tasting oil means that it has gone rancid!) To maintain freshness, manufacturers should use pure nitrogen during all stages of handling to minimise any exposure to oxygen that might degrade the product. Nitrogen ensures that the fish and oil can be protected from the oxidative rancidity that causes an unpleasant fishy smell and taste (and is not good for the body). 5. Fish Oil or Arctic Cod Liver Oil? Both are excellent sources of the omega-3s, EPA and DHA, but in different ratios: Arctic cod liver oil (oil from the livers of Arctic Cod) has more DHA than EPA, whereas fish oil (oil from the bodies of fish, such as sardines and anchovies) provides more EPA than DHA. This makes Arctic Cod Liver Oil a good choice when it comes to brain and eye health, whereas fish oil may be a good choice for supporting a healthy heart. Another difference is that Arctic cod liver oil has small amounts of naturally occurring vitamins A and D, providing even greater immune supportive benefits. As with any supplement, it’s a good idea to talk with your health provider first to see if it’s right for you. 6. Liquid or Soft-gels? While some people prefer soft-gels, liquids can provide higher levels of EPA and DHA in a smaller dose, making them more cost-effective. If it is a quality brand of fish oil, the oils should always taste pure and fresh. Featured: Nordic Naturals Arctic Cod Liver Oil Nordic Naturals Arctic Cod Liver Oil™ is made from 100% wild Arctic cod. Unlike other “cod liver oils” on the market, no fish body oils or synthetic vitamins or additives are ever used. Nordic Naturals award-winning Arctic Cod Liver Oil™ is made exclusively from wild Arctic cod, and is an ideal choice to support general health and wellbeing. Vertically integrated from catch to finished product, Arctic Cod Liver Oil far surpasses the strict European Pharmacopoeia Standard for fish oil purity and freshness. Simply put it’s some of freshest cod liver oil in the world. Nordic Naturals Arctic Cod Liver oil comes in a variety of delicious flavours for taking right off the spoon or mixing into your favourite food and drink. Unlike the Cod Liver Oil products many of us were told to take in our youth, Nordic Naturals Arctic Cod Liver Oil™ is so fresh that you can’t even tell it’s from fish! Available from all good health stores. To find a store near you visit <a rel="noopener" href="https://bit.ly/3hX4Jlg" target="_blank">www.therahealth.com.au/store-locator/</a> This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with <a rel="noopener" href="https://bit.ly/3hX4Jlg" target="_blank">Thera Health</a>. Read the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/tips/how-to-choose-the-right-fish-oil" target="_blank">original article</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Body

Pensioner charged over possession of World War II tank

An 84-year-old man has been convicted by a German court for the illegal possession of weapons. His illegal, personal arsenal of weapons, including a Panther tank, a flak cannon, and other World War II military equipment, was discovered by authorities in 2015. The man’s storage facility in northern Germany was raided by police in 2015 during an investigation into black market Nazi-art. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HMUUQJB6LJw" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> The investigation had turned up two bronze horse statues that stood in front of Adolf Hitler’s Chancellery in another man’s possession. Instead of art, authorities found a cache of machine guns, automatic pistols, and more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition. According to local media, the man was outspoken about his weapons collection and even used the tank as a snowplough during one bad winter. The man was handed a suspended prison sentence of 14 months and ordered to pay a 250,000 euro ($400,00) fine, German news agency dpa reported. The defendant was also ordered to sell or donate the 40-tonne tank and anti-aircraft cannon to a museum or a collector within the next two years. Geral Geocke, the man’s lawyer, spoke outside court, saying the suspended sentence reflected that the weapons were intended as museum pieces rather than for harming others. Video: shz.de

Legal

Surprise discovery of huge tropical fish on US beach

A large colourful fish has washed ashore on the US coast, with aquarium officials describing it as a rare occurrence. The 45-kilogram opah fish, also called a moon fish, was found on Sunset Beach in Seaside, a city in northwest Oregon. “While rare this far north it is not unheard of,” Seaside Aquarium said of the unusual appearance of the fish in the area in a <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.facebook.com/SeasideAquarium/posts/6224256220917665" target="_blank">Facebook post</a>. Keith Chandler, the general manager of Seaside Aquarium, told CNN that finding an opah on the Oregon coast is “uncommon” and that the fish was “in such great shape”. “They’re pretty cool fish, and we don’t normally see them on the shore,” said Mr Chandler. “It was pretty exciting for locals.” Due to the condition of the fish, Mr Chandler believes it had been on the beach for less than an hour before aquarium staff were notified. “Unfortunately, it washed up not living, but we got to it before the birds,” he said. Mr Chandler said the opah is being stored in a large freezer, and that one lucky school group would get the chance to dissect the fish once the school year starts. According to the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/opah#overview" target="_blank">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)</a>, little is known about the opah since they live deep in the ocean. The species is usually found in temperate and tropical waters. The NOAA describes the opah as having a silvery-grey, round body, with a rose red belly, red fins, and eyes encircled with gold. Image: Seaside Aquarium / Facebook

International Travel

Panicked sea lions almost sink fishing boat

A fishing crew in southern Chile had a surprising catch, after dozens of sea lions tried to board their boat en masse to escape a pack of hunting killer whales. Fisherman Antonio Zapata said he had never experienced anything like it in his four decades at sea, despite the fact that encountering hunting orcas was a relatively common experience. Though the crew were sympathetic to the plight of the sea lions, they feared the boat would be damaged or sink even lower into the water under the combined weight of the animals and a full haul of sardines. “They were trying to climb on board and we had to spread ourselves around the vessel to try to get them off with sticks because the ones that were getting on were making us sink,” he said. “It was a dangerous situation because we couldn’t get the sea lions to go away or make the killer whales leave either.” Footage captured on a mobile phone showed the water around the boat filled with thrashing sea lions. Though the 10-man crew could be heard joking in the video, Mr Zapata said they were also genuinely worried they could end up in the water too. <iframe width="600" height="338" src="https://rudo.video/vod/bLSQN9/skin/simple/o/MjAyMS8wNi9sb2Jvcy1tYXJpbm9zLTc1MHg0MDAuanBlZw==" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="" allow="autoplay; fullscreen"></iframe> “There were so many sea lions around the hull that we couldn’t move much - every time we did they got caught up in the propellers and I was worried they could break them altogether,” he said. The crew attempted to approach a nearby island so the sea lions could take refuge there instead, but the whales blocked them from nearing the shore. Once the whales finally drifted away, the sea lions were able to swim for cover as the boat neared the Talcahuano port. “Some of the sea lions came with us into port. We couldn’t get rid of them,” Mr Zapata said. Image: ABC news

International Travel

Nana’s cure proves scientific fact

Australian Clinical Nutritionist, Warren Maginn said scientists are now verifying the evidence behind the popular wholefood panacea that has endured for centuries. “Our grandmothers swore by a spoonful of cod liver oil a day. Today resounding evidence shows that cod liver oil may be one of the safest, easiest ways to promote heart health, boost brain efficiency and support a healthy immune system” Mr Maginn said. “Cod liver oil is making a renaissance as recent studies have shown its rich omega-3 fatty acid profile, along with its naturally occurring levels of Vitamin A and Vitamin D having a multitude of health benefits”. A clinical trial which collected data from over 21,000 Norwegians has shown that regular use of cod liver oil is negatively associated with high levels of depressive symptoms in the general population. Another clinical trial on 341 pregnant women found maternal intake of Cod Liver Oil during pregnancy and lactation may be favourable for later mental development of children. Between 1998 and 2004, researchers followed nearly 40,000 Swedish men and recorded details of their diets. Men who consumed a moderate amount (about 0.3 grams a day) of omega-3 fatty acids in cod liver oil and other fish oils were less likely to develop heart failure than those who consumed little or no omega-3 fatty acids. Mr Maginn says, “While both fish oil and Cod Liver Oil are both good sources of the two most active omega-3s, EPA and DHA, they each provide slightly different ratios—Cod Liver Oil generally contains about 50% more DHA than EPA, whereas fish oil generally contains about 50% more EPA than DHA”. “This means that aside from its valuable Vitamin A and D content, Cod Liver Oil is particularly useful for supporting healthy brain and nervous system function, as well as the overall health of all body cells including those of the skin and glands that require more DHA in order to be at their best. Whilst Fish oils, with a higher EPA content, might lend themselves more specifically towards supporting inflammatory conditions such as arthritis and autoimmune diseases”. “The natural Vitamin A and D content of Cod Liver Oil provides further benefits to eyesight, bone strength and overall immune balance, such as improved wound healing and increased resistance to allergies and infections”. <a rel="noopener" href="http://bit.ly/3boSdaY" target="_blank">Nordic Naturals Arctic Cod Liver Oil</a>™has been derived from 100% wild Arctic cod. Nordic Naturals Arctic Cod Liver Oil is vertically integrated from boat to bottle. By managing every step of the supply chain, Nordic Naturals ensure the exceptional quality, safety, and sustainability of the Arctic Cod Liver Oil™. Three More Proven Nana Cures <ol> <li>An apple a day! - Prescribing an apple a day to all adults aged 50 and over would prevent or delay around 8,500 vascular deaths such as heart attacks and strokes every year in the UK -- similar to giving statins to everyone over 50 years who is not already taking them -- according to a study.</li> <li>Chicken soup will cure your cold – it may not cure you but it may help. Scientists now believe that a bowl of the soup may reduce inflammation of the lungs. It is thought that chicken soup slows down the activity of white blood cells that can cause the inflammation.</li> <li>Honey for coughs – In a trial, honey did even better than the drug, coming out head and shoulders above the popular cough medication (dextromethorphan) at relieving cold and cough symptoms. Researchers believe the stickiness and viscosity of honey helps the cough, while the natural antioxidants can help in the healing process.</li> </ol> Unlike other “cod liver oils” on the market, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://bit.ly/3sXow6L" target="_blank" data-auth="NotApplicable">Nordic Naturals Arctic Cod Liver Oil™</a> contains no fish body oils or synthetic vitamins or additives. <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://bit.ly/3sXow6L" target="_blank" data-auth="NotApplicable">Nordic Naturals award-winning Arctic Cod Liver Oil™</a> is an ideal choice to help boost immune system health during the colder months. Vertically integrated from catch to finished product, Arctic Cod Liver Oil far surpasses the strict European Pharmacopoeia Standard for fish oil purity and freshness. Simply put it’s some of freshest cod liver oil in the world. Nordic Naturals Arctic Cod Liver oil recently won in the 'Bone and Joint' category of the Good Magazine Best of Natural Awards. Available from all good health stores. To find a store near you visit <a rel="noopener" href="http://bit.ly/3ccOBrB" target="_blank">http://www.therahealth.com.au/store-locator</a> REFERENCES <ol> <li>Harrar S. Today’s Dietitian 2012; 14(1):22 Available at: http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/011012p22.shtml</li> <li>Bauer, I., Hughes, M., Rowsell, R., Cockerell, R., Pipingas, A., Crewther, S. and Crewther, D. (2014), Omega-3 supplementation improves cognition and modifies brain activation in young adults. Hum. Psychopharmacol. Clin. Exp.. doi: 10.1002/hup.2379</li> <li>A statin a day keeps the doctor away: comparative proverb assessment modelling study. BMJ 2013; 347 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmj.f7267 (Published 17 December 2013)</li> <li>Chicken soup inhibits neutrophil chemotaxis in vitro. 2000. Chest. 2009 Nov;136(5 Suppl):e29.</li> <li>A comparison of the effect of honey, dextromethorphan, and diphenhydramine on nightly cough and sleep quality in children and their parents. J Altern Complement Med. 2010 Jul;16(7):787-93. doi: 10.1089/acm.2009.0311.</li> </ol> 1<a rel="noopener" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17184843" target="_blank"> http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17184843</a> 1<a rel="noopener" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12509593" target="_blank">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12509593</a> 1<a rel="noopener" href="http://eurheartj.oxfordjournals.org/content/30/12/1495.abstract" target="_blank">http://eurheartj.oxfordjournals.org/content/30/12/1495.abstract</a> <div id="primary" class="contentAreaLeft"> <div class="Maincontent"> This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://therahealth.com.au/brands/nordicnaturals/" target="_blank">Thera Health</a>. </div> </div>

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How to choose the right fish oil

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Nana’s cure proves scientific fact

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