New concepts in the law of the sea

Abstract

Current ocean law negotiations reflect conflicts between two old and competing approaches: the view that the coastal state should control activities in any large adjacent ocean area, and the view that most of the ocean should be left open to the free use of all nations. Both approaches are laissez‐faire, leave the distribution of benefits to arbitrary factors, and are based on national exclusivity. In the negotiations this conflict is exhibited in competing claims regarding navigation, mineral resources, fishing, environmental protection, and strategic uses. A possible resolution has emerged in the concept of the whole ocean as a common resource of humankind, according to which no individual state has a right to benefit from the ocean except pursuant to arrangements sanctioned by the community, and rights to benefit are determined not arbitrarily but by membership in the community. The regime now likeliest to be produced by such an approach includes (1) a narrow territorial sea and various navigation guarantees, (2) a wide coastal band coupling coastal state managerial functions with permanent international prerogatives, and (3) purely international manage‐ment of the deep seabed.     

The law of the sea regime and ocean law enforcement: New challenges for technology

Abstract

Coastal state enforcement in new zones of jurisdiction under the ocean management regime envisaged in the Law of the Sea Conference's negotiating text will undoubtedly spawn new technology in an effort to expand and improve surveillance. The author discusses enforcement challenges presented in the Law of the Sea regime and suggests some possible applications of technology to improve maritime law enforcement in the relatively near future.     

Review article: Race/ethnic studies: The New Zealand case

Terrence Loomis, PACIFIC MIGRANT LABOUR, CLASS AND RACISM IN NEW ZEALAND, Aldershot: Avebury, 1990, xx + 235 pp., £29.50

Richard Mulgan, MAORI, PAKEHA AND DEMOCRACY, Auckland: Oxford University Press, 1989, viii + 159 pp., £12.95

David Pearson, A DREAM DEFERRED: THE ORIGINS OF ETHNIC CONFLICT IN NEW ZEALAND, Wellington: Allen & Unwin, 1990, ix + 301 pp., NZ $29.95

Paul Spoonley, RACISM AND ETHNICITY, Auckland: Oxford University Press, 1988, xiv + 138 pp., NZ $16.95.     

Inhibitors of polyamine metabolism: Review article

Summary. The identification of increased polyamine concentrations in a variety of diseases from cancer and psoriasis to parasitic infections has led to the hypothesis that manipulation of polyamine metabolism is a realistic target for therapeutic or preventative intervention in the treatment of certain diseases.The early development of polyamine biosynthetic single enzyme inhibitors such as -difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) and methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone) showed some interesting early promise as anticancer drugs, but ultimately failed in vivo. Despite this, DFMO is currently in use as an effective anti-parasitic agent and has recently also been shown to have further potential as a chemopreventative agent in colorectal cancer.The initial promise in vitro led to the development and testing of other potential inhibitors of the pathway namely the polyamine analogues. The analogues have met with greater success than the single enzyme inhibitors possibly due to their multiple targets. These include down regulation of polyamine biosynthesis through inhibition of ornithine decarboxylase and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase and decreased polyamine uptake. This coupled with increased activity of the catabolic enzymes, polyamine oxidase and spermidine/spermine N¹-acetyltransferase, and increased polyamine export has made the analogues more effective in depleting polyamine pools. Recently, the identification of a new oxidase (PAO-h1/SMO) in polyamine catabolism and evidence of induction of both PAO and PAO-h1/SMO in response to polyamine analogue treatment, suggests the analogues may become an important part of future chemotherapeutic and/or chemopreventative regimens.     

Antarctica and the law of the sea: An introductory overview

Abstract

This article examines the potential for conflict between the Antarctic Treaty regime and the Convention recently produced by the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea. Should the UNCLOS III Convention enter into force, at least six issue‐areas seem susceptible to future controversy in Antarctic waters, namely (1) seaward territorial limits; (2) resource management and conservation; (3) local environment protection; (4) marine scientific research; (5) deep seabed mining; and (6) archipelagic‐island regimes. Accordingly, each issue‐area is assessed as to its relevance for the Southern Ocean vis‐a‐vis the Antarctic Treaty parties, with a particular view towards signaling possible problems which involve conflict of interest and overlapping jurisdiction.     

Review article. New aspects of plant aquaporin regulation and specificity

Recent findings concerning the sensitivity of aquaporins to heavy metal ions and their possible consequences to plant physiology are discussed. Furthermore, results obtained from heterologous expression of plant aquaporin cRNAs in Xenopus oocytes are related to the significance of water flux regulation by modification of the aquaporin protein or change of gene activity is given and new data concerning the selectivity of plasma membrane aquaporins are presented.Keywords: Aquaporin, regulation, specificity, sensitivity to heavy metal ions.      

Review article number 6 : Plant molluscicides

A review on the application of plant molluscicides in the control of schistosomiasis is presented. Laboratory bioassays are discussed, together with criteria for activity. An attempt has been made to provide a comprehensive list of known molluscicidal natural products.     

Review article: Zimbabwe: The politics of ethnicity

Joshua Nkomo, Nkomo: The Story of my Life. London, Methuen, 1984, 270 pp., £9.95.     

Review article: The alkali treatment of straws

The Beckmann method of alkali treatment consists of soaking straw in dilute alkali solutions for 24 hours and then washing it with clean water. Straw digestibility is increased from about 40 to about 70%. While this process has been known for 50 years, it has not been much used because treatment costs are too high. Also, it cannot be industrialised. The spray process, in which the straw is wetted with an alkali solution (Wilson and Pigden, 1964) is an improvement from both points of view, but poses nutritional problems since straw is not washed after treatment. So great is the potential, however, that within the last seven years nearly 100 research reports have been published on the production and use of spray-treated straw. These reports are reviewed in this article.Straws are poorly digested by ruminants because of their high cell-wall content. Alkali treatment disrupts the cell-wall by dissolving hemicellulose, lignin and silica, by hydrolysing uronic and acetic acid esters and by swelling cellulose. Digestibility in vitro increases from about 40 to about 80% with $\text{10}\text{g NaOH}\text{100}\text{g straw}$. Equally large increases are not, however, obtained in vivo because of unreacted alkali and/or high sodium concentration. Several hypotheses concerning the depression of digestibility in vivo are reviewed. In general $\text{3–6}\text{g NaOH}\text{100}\text{g straw}$ is the optimum. For maximum effectiveness the volume of the alkali solution must be between 50 and $\text{200}\text{ml}\text{100}\text{g straw}$. The usefulness of neutralising unreacted alkali has not yet been determined. Crop and industrial residues with lower initial digestibility than straw (e.g. paddy hulls, bagasse and some types of sawdust) are usually still too poor after treatment (digestibility 30–50%) to be useful feeds. Pressure and temperature increase the effectiveness of alkali, but add to the cost of treatment. The pelleting of treated straws probably increases the effectiveness of alkali treatment. The length of time treated straw is allowed to “cure” before being fed does not affect its digestibility. Chemicals other than NaOH, like chlorine, ammonia and peroxides, are also effective in treating straws but are more expensive and/or more difficult to apply.Animal feeding experiments with sprayed straw have shown its utility for livestock normally fed poor straw diets, in high concentrate diets for growing, finishing and milking stock, and as an extender of silage. The factors affecting the degree of improvement to be expected in digestibility, growth and production from the treatment of straw need to be identified and studied.In spite of its high pH and Na content, sprayed straw has not been found to cause any health problems in livestock when treatment is in the range of 3–8 g NaOH/100 g straw. The extra sodium is excreted in the urine. Water intake and urine volume increase. Milk composition is unaffected.Several factories producing alkali spray-treated straw-based diets in pelleted form are already in operation in Europe. The process is briefly described.     

Review article: Colour and the American system of justice

A. Leon Higginbotham, In the Matter of Color: Race and the American Legal Process ‐the Colonial Period; New York, Oxford University Press, 1978. 536 pp. £8.50.     

Vietnam's national interests and the law of the sea

This article explores the relationship between Vietnam's national interests and the international law of the sea. Vietnam's national interests in the marine sphere include defense (the maintenance of a maritime buffer); international relations (enhancing its regional position through joint development and favorable resolution of boundary and fisheries disputes); and economics (stimulating development of its maritime resources). Although ratification of the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention would be somewhat disadvantageous to Vietnam's maritime defense strategy, many provisions would promote Vietnam's interests. Moreover, ratification and implementation of the Convention would signal Vietnam's support for international law and its desire to “rejoin”; the community of Southeast Asian nations. It might also encourage resolution of its boundary disputes, thus opening new areas to resource exploration and development by foreign companies.     

Review article: Toward a history of European racism

George L. Mosse, Toward the Final Solution: A History of European Racism. London, Dent, & New York, Fertig, 1979. Illustrated, xvi + 277 pp.£10.     

The development of european regional law of the sea

Abstract

The development of regional law of the sea may be more practical than a new global order for the oceans and may be preferable to the extension of national maritime jurisdictions.

The Common Market has taken two important steps towards creating a European system of maritime law: The Common Fisheries Policy and the EEC Commission's decision of 10 September 1970 to apply the Common Market treaty to the continental shelf. The Common Fisheries Policy of 20 October 1970, opened national territorial waters within the EEC to all Community fishermen and provided the foundation for the generation of Common Market fishing policy. The continental shelf decision brought the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons on the shelf within EEC regulations and supervision.

The EEC has begun to co‐ordinate European Law of the Sea negotiations for the Santiago Conference.

Other European organizations (the Bow Group, the Council of Europe, and the Western European Union) have proposed various non‐EED regimes for maritime legislation and co‐operation, but no such non‐EEC proposal seems likely to be implemented. The future of European law of the sea lies with the Common Market which can make an important contribution to European maritime order and provide a model of regional co‐operation for other areas of the globe.