The Daily Reel

• Canadian City Caves to Pressure and Repeals Shark Fin Ban
• Lions and Tigers Plague the Gulf of Mexico
• Divers Fall Ill After Cleaning Up English River

Canadian City Caves to Pressure and Repeals Shark Fin Ban

Shark fin bans are slowly spreading to more and more Canadian cities as the government decides if the ban will be national, but in the meantime, a setback has been experienced in Mississauga. The city council passed a ban on the sale or consumption of shark fins in October of this year, but following pressure from the Mississauga Chinese Business Association (MCBA), a bylaw was passed that states “the ban is no longer in force and effect until June 30, 2012″ in order to have time to meet with federal officials on the matter. The MCBA is adamant that municipalities do not have the power to pass such a ban if even the federal government has not implemented the same ban, and views the repeal as a victory. There is some uncertainty as to whether the ban is simply a postponement, or if it will need to be reintroduced for a new vote altogether. If the city tries again to implement the ban without what they consider to be definitive authority, the MCBA has promised legal action.

Lions and Tigers Plague the Gulf of Mexico

Scientists and fishermen from the Gulf of Mexico are growing deeply concerned over the exploding populations of lionfish and black tiger shrimp, as more specimens continue to appear in their nets. Both are highly aggressive and adaptive species, able to live in a wide range of water temperatures and salinity, as well as being indiscriminate predators of native species. While the cause of the lionfish invasion has been determined to be accidental release from aquariums, the sudden invasion of black tiger shrimp is all speculative at this point. DNA testing is being performed on the species to determine the origin. One of the biggest problems presented by the tiger shrimp is their susceptibility to several diseases that can be transmitted to native populations, posing serious risks to the stocks that many fishermen rely on for their livelihoods. Lionfish are a huge threat, as they have basically colonized much of the temperate and tropical Atlantic, and spawn so rapidly that eradication seems impossible.

Divers Fall Ill After Cleaning Up English River

Five divers out of ten from the Calne Divers club have fallen ill after participating in a 6-hour long cleanup of the River Avon in Chippenham, England. It is thought that the divers are suffering from Weil’s disease, a type of bacterial infection that comes from contact with waters that contain infected animal urine. The disease causes nausea, headache, muscle pain, fever, and fatigue. On a positive note, the divers did recover more than 3 semi-truckloads of garbage, including 40 shopping carts, 20 bicycles, a bus stop, car wheels, wheelchairs, a cash register, and traffic cones. The fact that the divers became ill has put in question any future cleanups, unless sponsorship for full face masks can be obtained.