KIMO News Centre
      Latest developments from our European networks...

Fishing for Litter: Incident highlights the real cost of marine litter 

The skipper and crew of the Newlyn based trawler the "Elizabeth N", narrowly escaped a serious incident in the Bristol Channel last week, when their propeller got caught up in lost fishing gear, in poor weather. The large piece of trawl became caught in the propeller of the Elizabeth N around 2am on Saturday morning. After considering all options, Skipper Chris (Spanner) Spencer decided to request assistance from the RNLI in the interests of safety . The vessel was towed back to Newlyn by the Sennen Cove lifeboat from 35 miles north of Lands End - a 9 hour tow. This incident highlights the potential dangers and significant costs associated with marine litter for fishing vessels. Image courtesy of Jack Lancaster. Read the full press release...

Mumbai Collision Highlights Need for Global Action on Containerships

The loss of 300 containers off the Indian coast once again highlights the need to introduce compensation regimes for the retrieval of lost containers. The MSC Chitra shed 300 containers and leaked 800 tonnes of oil after a collision with the MV Khalijia 3 off the Mumbai coast on the 7th of August. Work to salvage the lost containers is proceeding slowly with salvagers retrieving 4 - 6 of the submerged containers per day. Find out more about Maritime Safety and Pollution.

Fishing for Litter: First Scottish Bag Landed in South West Harbour

For the first time, a Scottish vessel has deposited a bag of litter in a harbour participating in the Fishing For Litter South West scheme. The Susan Bird (FD 357), skippered by Steven Girgan and based in Kirkcudbright, landed the bag in Newlyn Harbour. Tom Piper of the Fishing For Litter project commented "This news shows that the modern transient fishing fleet welcomes a wide network of Fishing For Litter ports and we are working hard to increase our coverage in 2011."  Find out more about Fishing For Litter. 

KIMO UK Conference 'Shipping Pollution: Reducing Its Impact on the Local Environment'

The second annual KIMO UK Conference was held on the 18th of June 2010. The conference examined the impacts of pollution from shipping and discussed methods of reducing it. The conference also highlighted the key issues surrounding pollution from ships and explored how legislation, design and best practice can lessen its impact. Download the presentations given at the KIMO UK Conference.

KIMO Netherlands and Belgium to hold 'Eco²' Conference

KIMO Netherlands and Belgium is holding a conference entitled 'Eco²' on the 17th of June 2010. The conference will focus on Economics and Ecology and will be chaired by the President of KIMO Netherlands and Belgium, Mr W. E. Westerman. The Eco² Conference will be held in the Expo Haringvliet in Stellendam. To find out more about the Eco² Conference, download the conference program and registration form. For more information, contact Mr Bert Veerman, KIMO Netherlands and Belgium Coordinator.  

An industry-wide project investigating why containers are lost overboard has confirmed KIMO's concerns about current container loading practices and calls for the introduction of several technical improvements in a bid to improve safety levels. Read the full Lashing at Sea Press Release and find out more about Maritime Safety and Pollution.

Fishing for Litter Bags Fourth Harbour in South West - 01 April 2010

Newquay fishermen will be taking part in an international project to help reduce marine pollution as the North Cornish port joins the ‘Fishing For Litter’ scheme this month. Newquay Harbour is the fourth port in the South West to sign up to the project which aims to remove 100 tonnes of rubbish from our seas by 2011. Read the full press release... 

KIMO and NFLA Team Up to Campaign on Nuclear Issues

KIMO International and Nuclear Free Local Authorities (NFLA) have agreed to cooperate to boost their capacity to campaign on marine nuclear issues. By working more closely together at the OSPAR Commission, the two organisations will be able to increasingly scrutinise nuclear activities and lobby for the highest standards of marine environmental protection. This is particularly important to ensure that increased interest in nuclear power, both in terms of building new facilities and extending the life of existing plants, does not result in an increase in radioactive discharges in the marine environment. Find out more about nuclear emissions and transportation.

UK Should Follow Australia's Lead In Targeting The Cause of Lost Containers - 09 February 2010

The Australian government has begun a Focused Inspection Campaign (FIC) of container shipping to make sure containers are correctly loaded and secured. KIMO UK urge the UK government to follow Australia's lead and take action by introducing more robust checks on container lashings and by ensuring similar regulations are brought to the International Maritime Organisation as soon as possible. Read more...      

Argyll and Bute Council Plays Its Part in Fishing For Litter

Argyll and Bute Council has just taken delivery of two 1,100litre bins with the branding ‘FISHING FOR LITTER – KIMO’ in two of its main fishing ports, Campbeltown and Rothesay. The authority has organised for the special bins to be uplifted once a week from the towns’ piers and already boats are signing up to the scheme. Read more...

100 Tonnes of Rubbish Removed from Scotland's Seas by Fishing For Litter Scheme

Fishing vessels voluntarily taking part in the current Fishing For Litter project have removed over 100 tonnes of marine litter from the seas around Scotland since April 2008 in a bid to tackle the pollution problem. The recent milestone means that the Fishing For Litter scheme in its various forms has now removed more than 215 tonnes of debris from Scottish seas. Read more...

Highly Radioactive Shipment Threatens Coastal Communities

UN Climate Change Conference: Impacts on the Oceans 

The recent UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen once again highlighted the importance of taking united action to tackle climate change. To find out more about the impact of climate change on the oceans, read the Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership 'Exploring Ecosystem Linkages Report Card' and the Ocean Acidification Reference User Group's Introductory Guide. 

Photographer illustrates the devastating effects of marine litter

Photographer Chris Jordan documents the devastating effects plastic debris can have on marine life in his new project "Midway: Message from the Gyre". Albatross chicks on Midway Atoll, in the North Pacific, are fed plastic by their parents, who mistake it for food, and consequently die of starvation, toxicity and choking. Read about the project and view the images here.

KIMO International Holds Successful Conference and AGM in Den Haag, Netherlands 

KIMO held its 19th Annual General Meeting and International Conference on the 8th, 9th and 10th October 2009. For more information and to view the presentations delivered at the event, please visit the Annual General Meeting section of our website.  Read more about the 2009 AGM here.  

New website keeps KIMO’s online presence at the cutting edge

Following a year of research and development KIMO International has officially launched its new website www.kimointernational.org. The goal of revamping the website is to communicate information about marine pollution issues in a more understandable and engaging way. Read the press release here.

UK Environment Minister has endorsed KIMO's pioneering Fishing for Litter environmental initiative - 13th August 2009

The Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs visited Newlyn on 13th August 2009 and met representatives of the pioneering Fishing For Litter South West project. The Minister spent time with local skippers involved in the scheme to hear their concerns regarding marine litter and its impact on the fishing industry. Read the official press release...

The first KIMO UK Conference was recently held in Aberdeen

The first KIMO UK Conference was recently held in Aberdeen on 5th June 2009. The conference was entitled 'The Grounding of the MSC Napoli: Lessons to be learnt'. The 1-day event examined the grounding of the MSC Napoli and identified lessons that local authorities can implement when planning a response to a similar incident in their own back yard. Read the presentations given at the conference.

Star of the BBC's Trawlermen highlights Fishing for Litter's significant impact - 15th April 2009  

The star of the BBC's Trawlermen television series, Jimmy Buchan, captain of the fishing vessel Amity II, has recently highlighted Fishing for Litter's significant impact in reducing the volume of marine litter found on Europe's seabeds.  Read more...

Biggest plutonium transport in history threatens the marine environment - 5th March 2009

Two British based ships, the Pacific Pintail and Pacific Heron, are currently being loaded with deadly cargo's of MOX nuclear fuel in France for transportation to Japan. KIMO is against all shipments of highly radioactive material by sea as they pose an unnecessary threat to the marine environment and to the coastal communities they pass.   Read more...

MSC Napoli report supports KIMO's non-toxic pollution campaign - 22nd January 2009 

Devon County Council has recently published its report on the beaching of the MSC Napoli in January 2007. The report supports KIMO's campaign to develop a convention for liability and compensation arising from non-toxic pollution. Read the full report...

KIMO Baltic Sea successfully lobbies against dumping of contaminated silt in Lithuania - 9th January 2009

KIMO Baltic Sea recently pressurised the Klaipeda State Sea Port Authority and the Lithuanian government to halt the dumping of silt contaminated with heavy metals into the Baltic Sea. 
Learn more about KIMO Baltic's first diplomatic success...    

Fishing for Litter highlights the problem in Edinburgh

Fishing for Litter Scotland 2008 - 2011 was launched on 10th December 2008 at the Scottish Parliament. Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment, Mr Richard Lochead MSP, attended the event. The launch coincides with the publication of the Fishing for Litter Final Report for the 2005 - 2008 phase of the project. Learn more about the project...