Most veteran conchlers are familiar with the effects of the
commonly-used anti-fouling agent tributyltin, which has in the past
couple of decades caused extensive damage to invertebrate populations of
many phlya near port cities worldwide, and in particular the ability of
this substance to interfere with molluscan reproduction even in
extremely low concentrations, by disrupting hormone levels and
proportions in a variety of common species.  In a surprising development
that show the decision-making processes of the world are not completely
dominated by rabidly pro-business conservatives, tributyltin (TBT for
short) is being phased out by a number of countries around the world
(notably France, the UK and now Australia), and may soon be phased out
all over the planet, by a declaration of the United Nation's
International Marine Organization, which will decide on a draft treaty
to phase it out completely by 2008, this October.

A good write-up of this issue can be found at: http://ens.lycos.com/ens/may2001/2001L-05-03-10.html.

(and by the way, thanks Sue!).

Not so chilly anymore in Halifax,
Ross.