ON SUNDAY, JULY 18 :
SOLIDARITY FOR CETACEANS
(Nice matin of july 19, 1999)
The fourth edition of the exercise of
inventory of the maritime mammals collected, yesterday, more than a thousand observers.
Dolphins, whales and even and even lines manta were apercus sometimes in some miles only
of our coasts. To transform the Mediterranean Sea into sanctuary for cetaceans, such is
the objective of " Delphis 99 " fourth edition of which took place yesterday.
An
operation which attracted of numerous sailors, every ready to be engaged in the exercise
of inventory of the maritime mammals and the sampling. Sailboats and driving boats, more
than 300 on the whole, were divided 54 km2 of the pond parade - liguro-provençal, with
each a perimeter of 4 miles.
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Cap
screwed on the skull, the sunglasses, cremates solar energy in pocket, and unwound dress
oblige, they were near one thousand yesterday to participate in the operation "
Delphis 99 ", organized by RIMMO (Maritime International Reserve in the
Occidental Mediterranean Sea). Early in the morning, boats left the coasts of
Alpes-Maritimes, the Var, Corsica and Italy in the hide of an aileron or benches of
cetaceans. If all had not this chance, some, on the other hand were engaged in some parts
of bathing together with blue and white dolphins.
In the Var, it was not necessary to be well far in the wide, because the
crews aperçures the first maritime mammals in some miles only coasts.
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| At about 11 o'clock, first
appeal radio announced the presence of Risso's dolphins to only 5 miles in the wide of
Dramont. Philippe Manon, organizer of the demonstration to Port-Fréjus in partnership
with the Harbour office and Fréjus's yacht club did not hide his surprise at the end of
afternoon. " We were able to realize observations unless 10 miles of coasts while
the boats which went away until 30 miles did not see anything ". |
Collection of samples of water aboard
the "Septentrion" |
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The mission of the sailors did not limit to scrutinize attentively the horizon.
For one hour, the set of the crews also had in load the realization of takings. Provide
with a suitcase put back the day before, containing the necessary material, the
participants owed each on their respective perimeter to measure the transparency of the
sea water to determine its wealth in phosphates, nitrates and nitrites, as well as its
salinity. It was necessary for them then to raise samples of plankton, in surface and in
50 metres in depth. The set of these samples will be put back to the Cagnes-sur-Mer's
international university, where team of the professor Maurice Aubert will analyze data.
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| The precise
results of these observations will be returned in November and will be the object of a
conference. According to Mike Riddell, president - founder of RIMMO and director of
Antibes's Marineland, the objective of " Delphis " is double: " to
promote the Mediterranean Sea to stop that one treats it a dustbin and make useful for the
science " . " Make takings at the same moment and in precise points
bring interesting data, he continues. These biologic and physico-chemical parameters,
compared with those of the previous years, allow to reconstitute all the chain between the
phytoplancton, the zooplancton eaten with whales and sardines, which they, in their tour,
feed dolphins ". |
A long chain as a matter of fact, just like the one that
reunited yesterday all these lovers of the sea. |
Meeting information of 26/06/99
Organised locally by |
The Yacht Fréjus 's Club |
under R.I.M.M.O's patronage |
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