Dear Harry and others,

A locally "famous" case of extirpation is the sudden and complete disappearance
of Nacella lapillus from the Belgian and part of the Dutch coast. Although it is
far from certain that tributyl is the one and only reason for this
dissappearance, studies have shown it to be a major cause for this sad event. If
needed for anyone, I can try to locate some article references on the subject.

Best regards, and be carefull when choosing your boat paint ;=)) !


Jan Haspeslagh


"Harry G. Lee" wrote:

> Dear David,
>
> Have there been any "extinctions" of molluscan taxa attributed to tributyl
> tin?  Perhaps a better word is extirpation (local eradication).
>
> Harry
>
> At 01:47 AM 9/11/00 +0000, you wrote:
> >Dear all,
> >
> >Last week or so there was some discussion of the effects of a ship
> >anti-fouling paint on mollusks.
> >
> >The unexpected disaster due to tributyl tin was one of two examples of
> >endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) cited in a new report by the British
> >Royal Society, according to the free newsletter "Rachel's Environment and
> >Health Biweekly." Over 100 species of mollusks have been adversely affected
> >by the paint and in some cases there have been population declines and even
> >extinctions.
> >
> >"Rachel's" does a good job of digesting and explaining important scientific
> >findings and discussions to a lay audience. And it does so from a point of
> >view independent of the constraints sometimes placed on corporate and
> >academic science.
> >
> >Rachel's recently had an illuminating review of a new book published by MIT
> >Press,  "Making Better Environmental Decisions: An Alternative to Risk
> >Assessment," by Mary O'Brien. It has a critique of the current
> >government/corporate dogma called "risk assessment," which always asks "How
> >much risk is acceptable?" The book proposes another standard, "alternatives
> >assessment," which would essentially ask, "How little damage is possible?"
> >
> >If folks would like an electronic copy of the article about the Royal
> >Society findings and/or the review dealing with risk assessment please
> >e-mail me privately at [log in to unmask]
> >
> >
> >David "I like my micros but I like to look at the big picture, too" Kirsh
>
> Harry G. Lee
> Suite 500
> 1801 Barrs St.
> Jacksonville, FL 32204
> USA   904-384-6419
> <[log in to unmask]>
> Visit the Jacksonville Shell Club Home Page at:
> http://home.sprynet.com/~wfrank/jacksonv.htm
>
> oo  .--.  oo  .--.  oo  .--.
>  \\(____)_ \\(____)_ \\(____)_
>   `~~~~~~~` `~~~~~~~` `~~~~~~~`

--
Jan Haspeslagh
bibliothecaris/librarian VLIZ

email : [log in to unmask]

VLIZ
Vlaams Instituut voor de Zee vzw
Flanders Marine Institute
Victorialaan 3 - B-8400 Oostende, Belgium
Tel. +32-(0)59-34 21 30
Fax +32-(0)59-34 21 31
http :www.vliz.be