Weekly Niue News http://www.niuenews.nu/ [2004-09-11: list updated for new site] _______________________________________________ > We have 13 guests online > June 2, 2005 - Rock Solid News Everyone Is Reading Today > Kid Boozers Get Warning > Stricter enforcement of drinking laws on Niue has been > recommended by Acting Chief Justice Heta Hingston after > hearing several assault cases involving under age youths. It > could be one of the first major tasks facing the islands new > chief of police appointed last week. > > The Judge was told police were lax in their enforcement of > under-age drinkers at clubs and night spots which had led to > an increase of bashings and fracas. > > Eighteen year-olds can be served alcohol on Niue but a defence > counsel told the Court young teens were drinking at night > clubs and sports clubs and many fights were started by alcohol > induced arguments. "Young people do not have the maturity or > responsibility to handle situations which would normally not > arise if alcohol was not present." > > Niue does not have the strict enforcement of under age > drinking laws that New Zealand does, said defence counsel, > Justin Kamupala. > > Judge Hingston sent a message to young drinkers: "If you do > the crime you do the time." He warned that the Court would > impose heavy sentences for future offending and expressed his > hope that more would be done to enforce the drinking age laws. > > Get into This! > > Tell us what do you think about the latest proposals to > increase the number of Cabinet Ministers and term of > government. Cast your vote in the latest Niue News poll. > [date.gif] Thursday, 02 June 2005 > Premier Wants Bigger Cabinet And More Years To Govern > > Niue faces its biggest political shake up in 30 years. > > Young Vivian, Premier of the tiny South Pacific island, plans > to expand his cabinet by 50 per cent, persuade Niueans to let > their MPs serve longer parliamentary terms and hold a swathe > of referendums. > > Re-elected overwhelmingly last month as leader of Niues 1200 > residents, Mr Vivian considers he has a solid mandate to > introduce such political reforms, the most far-reaching since > the island won independence from New Zealand in 1974. > > Niues Assembly consists of 20 members, ensuring voters in what > is the worlds smallest nation have the utmost democratic > representation. > > With an annual budget of about $24million, the country > survives mainly through aid injections from New Zealand. > > In an interview in Auckland with Pacific affairs correspondent > John Andrews [www.pacificinsights.com], Mr Vivian said: "Im > going to increase cabinet by two. I would like to start the > procedure at our next [Assembly] meeting [in four weeks time]. > > "Im also interested in raising the parliamentary term from > three years to four or five years. I think caucus will support > it." > > Since making his reform intentions known, the feedback had > been "quite favourable". > > By adding to his present four-strong cabinet, Mr Vivian aims > to reduce the workload ministers have to bear. > > He said Niue was obliged to send representatives to meetings > overseas but, if ministers did not turn up on such occasions, > then the island nation could be accused of not being > interested. > > "We want to go to these meetings because we have a number of > things that Niue could contribute sensibly for the region and > possibly the world at large," said Mr Vivian. > > Any move to increase the islands parliamentary term requires > backing from two-thirds of the Assembly members followed by > support of similar proportions through a referendum of the > Niue electorate. > > Mr Vivian believes an extended parliamentary term --- he > prefers five years --- will enable the Niue Government to > develop and execute its policies. > > "Elections divide people," he said. "Its a painful period. Its > about running people down and selling yourself. > > "It takes time to heal. After three years you have fighting > again. Some people up and leave the country because of it." > > So Niues 800 voters can feel ownership of their governments > policies, Mr Vivian wants their views canvassed through a > series of referendums. > > The Niue leader revealed his plans to his fellow countrymen in > a speech in the Fale Fono after being on being sworn into > office three weeks ago. > > He added: "I said it quite openly. I said these are some of > the things I need to move quickly on." > > Lobbying for the two additional cabinet ministers began almost > immediately with a range of MPs names being suggested as > likely contenders. > > Changing The Constitution > > To institute political changes suggested by Premier Young > Vivian the Legislative Assembly has to initiate changes to the > Constitution [Section 35.] That requires a Bill to be tabled > and the second reading to receive a thirds majority with the > final vote 13 weeks later receiving similar support. > > The Bill then goes to a public referendum and requires a two > thirds majority of electors. > > The last time the Constitution was changed was in 1992 when > Niueans voted to localize the Niue Public Service Commission, > previously based in Wellington, and set up an independent Niue > Court of Appeal. > > Better Communications Urged For Fishing Industry > > About 40 people mainly fishermen attended a meeting last week > to discuss the government/ Niue Fish Processing $3 million > joint venture. > > Concerns have been expressed at the lack of communication > between the partners and the community. > > Issues discussed included inshore fishing limits for long > liners, licences, subsidized fuel and the retail selling of > by-catches of wahoo, vahakula and mahimahi to the public. > > Local fishermen consider they are at a distinct disadvantage > to supply the local market when they are charged $2 a litre > for diesel when licensed boats get it for $1.05 per litre. > > The meeting was told fishing boats in the area are now being > fitted with monitoring devices which allow them to be tracked > via satellite. Sources say all is not well within the small > boat fishing fleet from Samoa. They say some Samoan crews are > unhappy at working conditions and wages. One New Zealand > vessel is in Niue waters with several others due later this > month. > > Prime catches of big eye tuna and yellow fin are being flown > to LA while albacore is being frozen and will be shipped to > canneries in American Samoa. > > Top quality tuna in the 45-60kg can fetch up to $10,000 on the > international market. > > Reef Air is flying catches to Fiji for distribution in the US. > > But there's a new warning this week about the future of big > eye tuna catches in the region. > > A regional fisheries expert says the most pressing challenge > facing the Pacific over the coming year is to protect big eye > tuna before stocks become extinct reports Radio New Zealand > International. > > The director of the Secretariat of the Pacific Communitys > Oceanic Fisheries Program, Dr John Hampton, says big eye tuna > will disappear in twelve months at current catch rates. > > He says the newly established Tuna Commission and industrys > stakeholders in the Pacific have to act now to prevent this. > > Meanwhile in the latest Niue News poll 61.1% of voters opted > for restricting the sale of fish on Niue to local fishermen. > 38.9% considered there should be no restrictions. > > Businesses Seek Court Action To Recover Debts > > The number of island businesses taking Court action to recover > debts has increased two- fold. One company that publicly > posted a list of its debtors claimed it was owed more than > $40,000. > > The High Court of Niue recently issued for the first time a > writ for sale and possession after a delinquent debtor failed > for three years to honour a judgement for payment of debt. The > debt was paid and the writs were withdrawn. > > Many business people say the length of time government takes > to pay for goods and services presents a cash flow problem and > many New Zealand exporters now demand payment for goods in > advance. > > A few years ago on Niue village stores would happily extend > credit for groceries but with their demise due to the > diminishing population larger stores now demand cash up front. > > Another Reason To Leave Home? > > Australia says special access to its economy for Pacific > Islands workers will be considered in studying a new trade and > economic framework. > > A meeting of Trade Ministers from the Pacific Forum has > launched the study of a comprehensive framework to link > Australia and New Zealand with the forums 14 Island members. > > Australia's Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs and > Trade, Bruce Billson, says the South Pacific trade ministers > told him they want the study to look at special access to > Australia for island workers. > > "What we've said is that we understand it's an issue and it > needs to be part of that preparatory work. > > "Let's look at what that means. There's certainly been no > commitment from Australia to facilitate that in advance of > other aspects of a closer trade and economic relationship. So > we've said services trade is important, goods trade is > important. > > "The movement of people will inevitably be part of that > discussion, but we don't think it's in anybody's interest to > pick off bits of that cooperation that might suit today > without looking at the whole package." > ABC/Pacnews > > Cyclone Safety Procedures Challenged At Inquest > > Evacuation plans and police action during Cyclone Heta came > under scrutiny during an inquest into the death of Niue nurse > Cathy Alec and her infant son Daniel (19 months). The family > questioned police and disaster management procedures for > evacuating people from danger areas. It was revealed that > police focussed on evacuating tourists from west coast danger > areas rather than on residents. A senior police officer said > it was the village councils responsibility to warn residents > and police did what they could under the circumstances. He > said many residents were complacent about evacuating coastal > areas. > > One resident from Alofi South told the court of his fight for > life as he struggled to seek safety and shelter and expressed > concern that he had not been warned about the ferocity of the > cyclone which reached hurricane force winds of up to 300 kmphs > and sent huge waves crashing over 30 metre cliffs 100 metres > inshore along parts of the islands western coast. > > Coroner Heta Hingston found that Ms Alec died from suffocation > after being crushed. > > A wall of her rented home at Aliluki fell on her during the > height of the cyclone in January 2002. Her infant son was > evacuated to Starship Hospital where he died two weeks later > of severe head injuries. The Coroner expressing the Courts > condolences to the Alec Family said he was sure lessons had > been learned from the super - cyclone and that a de-briefing > report by the national disaster committee would led to better > communication and organization in future. > > Niuean JP Trainer Calls For Greater Participation > > New Zealand's only Niuean Justice of the Peace Mele Heketoa, > wants more Pacific Islanders to join the JP club writes > Catherine Gick in the Manukau Courier newspaper. > > "I don't see many of my fellow Pacific Island people coming > through the training process," says Ms who runs JP training. > > Of New Zealand's 315 JPs, only 13 are Pacific Islanders. > > She says one reason for the scarcity of Pacific Island JPs is > a lack of understanding of their role. > > "A lot of people think it's to do with judging and handing out > fines. But it's more to do with pastoral care and helping > people," the Otara woman says. > > In her nine years as a JP, Ms Heketoa says she's helped > thousands of people with immigration sponsorship forms, > passport applications and certifying copies of original > documents. > > She's also trained in judicial duties that include hearing > undefended cases and presiding over defended trials. > > Ms Heketoa says anyone with enthusiasm for community work and > helping people in need should think about becoming a JP. > > But she warns it's a commitment that requires continual > training to keep up to date with changing passport and > immigration requirements. > > "You also have to be there for our people and be available at > all times. Sometimes people use the title and don't do the job > in support of Pacific Island people. > > "But it's not exclusive. We help anyone who needs it," Ms > Heketoa says. > > To become a JP, a person must be nominated by their local MP, > who forwards the nomination to the Associate Minister of > Justice for processing. > > A decision is based on the need for JPs in the nominee's area > and their involvement in the community. > Oops: Two neighbours married to sisters fronted in the High > Court this week facing a private prosecution for slander. The > action followed a Radio Sunshine talkback show. However when > the case was called the matter was withdrawn and both parties > shook hands and made up. Niues radio station runs a lively > Monday night talkaback from 7pm to 10 pm. > > Rugby: Niues international rugby xv play Tahiti at Niue on > July 22 then fly to Rarotonga to play the Cook Islands on July > 30. Its part of the Oceania East IRB Zone competition. > > Niue has a record of defeating Tahiti but battles to win with > the strong Cook Islands team. > > Shift: New Zealands High Commissioner on Niue, Sandra Lee > Vercoe, has vacated the Commission residency while NZ Army > builders carry out maintenance to the house. She and her > husband are being accommodated in a guesthouse 400 metres from > the Commission office at Tapeu Hill Alofi. Meanwhile the steel > portal frames, roof and walls at the industrial park Fonuakula > have been erected by Army builders and repair work on the sea > track to the famous Limu Pools is underway only with access to > western coast caves blocked with huge boulders after Cyclone > Heta. > > Dental: NZ Army Medical Corp officers have been checking out > the teeth of local school kids this week. They have set up a > clinic at the Primary School and an education programme has > been launched. Next week its High School dental examinations > then adults on the island will receive treatment. > > Returning: General manager of the Niue Development Bank David > Cottingham returns to New Zealand this month. He has served as > bank manager several years ago and has a long relationship > with Niue having worked in the New Zealand administration > before self government. > > Paperless: Niues community newspaper the Niue Star is not > publishing this week because of a computer breakdown. The Star > is circulated in Auckland and on Niue. > > Contract: A five year service contract between Niue and the > Samoa based Polynesian Airline may save the tiny island from > losing its weekly Auckland/Niue/Auckland flight. Premier Young > Vivian is hoping the contract now in its third year and a > guarantee from New Zealand to pay for empty seats will prevent > an airline merger Polynesian Blue from overflying Niue. The > alternative is a feeder service from Niue to Apia then jetting > to Auckland direct. Tourism investors are saying the cessation > of a direct link with New Zealand would be the death of the > visitor industry. > > Sentences: Acting Chief Justice Heta Hingston from New Zealand > fined a young man involved in a rugby club fracas $150; he > fined a public servant who assaulted his wife $50 and > convicted a former New Zealand police officer of drink driving > (four times over the limit) $150 and disqualified him from > driving for six months. (Work licence granted 6.30am to 5.30pm > weekdays and 9.30am noon Sundays to allow the man to attend > church). > > Inside Looking Out > > More than 100 New Zealand soldiers left for Niue this week to > assist with repairs that have continued since the small > Pacific Island was hit by Cyclone Heta in January 2004. > Reporter Claire Haren of the Timaru Herald talks to Timaru > couple Ron and Dianne Paulin about what life is now like on > Niue, and what's still to be done nearly 17 months since Heta. > > Ron Paulin laughs when I ask what he's missing most about New > Zealand, and says I'm going to love his answer his daily > newspaper. > > "Breakfast just isn't the same without the paper." > > In some ways, Niue is very much like New Zealand. In others as > Ron and Dianne have discovered it couldn't be more different. > > The couple arrived in Niue in January 2004, embarking on a > two-year assignment with Volunteer Service Abroad Ron to work > for the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and > Dianne to teach maths at the local high school. > > They landed just days before Cyclone Heta, sheltering in their > new home as the cyclone pounded the 256 square kilometre > island, and then helping with the clean-up. > > They've at least got the phone on now. Last time we talked, > not long after Cyclone Heta, their phone hadn't been > connected, so Ron popped next door to use the neighbour's. > > The line has that disconcerting international echo effect > bouncing my words back at me, sometimes three times. Every so > often during the conversation with Ron, he apparently > disappears into a black hole, returning just in time to say > something like "and so we find that quite interesting". > > And although it has been at times frustrating, their time on > Niue has certainly been interesting. > > This year has brought a better lifestyle for Dianne. Last > year, she was teaching full-time at the year 7-13 school of > about 200 pupils. She hadn't wanted full-time work, and found > herself with three of the lower stream classes. > > "It was worse than anything I had experienced in New Zealand." > > Ron has been working on the UN-funded project he was assigned > to carry out on Niue, assessing the local fishery and helping > to prepare management plans. > > He's doing some baseline survey work for a number of fisheries > resources, and a couple of management plans have been > prepared, but he's a bit dubious about how much enthusiasm > there is for the work. > > "People are coming along to the meetings and being very > pleasant and polite, but as with a lot of aid-type work, you > do wonder if it will be continued when you leave." > > His job has required a continuing adjustment to the Niuean way > of life. It's not uncommon for workers on Niue to go fishing > at 4am, and if the fish are biting, to carry on and just not > turn up to work that day. > > "So while there are frustrations at work, I keep telling > myself there were frustrations at work before, they were just > different." > > The Niuean way of life is also evident at school. The school > follows the New Zealand curriculum, and Dianne has been > teaching NCEA level 2 and 3, but other things are different. > > "We're not subject to ERO (the Education Review Office) and if > we don't complete our required number of half days for a year, > it doesn't seem to matter much if we close for cyclones, or > cyclone warnings, it seems okay." > > A seemingly spur of the moment decision saw the Government > allow a week's holiday this year to mark the anniversary of > Niue's self-governance, instead of the usual two days. > > "Things are much more laid back and casual. We can probably > learn something from this. I think in New Zealand too many > people work far too hard, and they need to learn to relax a > bit. They probably don't get ulcers here." > > That laid-back approach, coupled with a small population, > means things sometimes don't happen quickly. > > "Rebuilding on the hospital only just started a few weeks ago, > and probably won't be finished until about the end of the > year. They're in a makeshift hospital, which isn't too bad > really, but they haven't had a so-called proper hospital since > the cyclone." > > As to whether any families are still displaced, that's not an > easy question to answer. > > "The Tahitians came quite soon after the cyclone, and built 20 > houses well away from the sea, which were allocated to people. > But some of those are still not being lived in." > > Dianne guesses that some elderly folk, living on their own and > used to living near the sea with a beautiful view, where they > can see people driving past all the time, would rather live in > their old damaged house than in a new house. > > "The new houses are very small and very basic no cupboards and > things. They needed a bit of work to make them liveable." > > Ron says it's often difficult to know whether a house has been > cyclone-damaged or is just derelict. > > "There are so many derelict houses anyway, it's not as if you > can say "That was damaged by the cyclone". It's quite an > issue, people not living here still have a house here, and > won't allow it to be demolished. It gives the island a pretty > run-down, scruffy look. So I don't know how much is cyclone > damage and how much is wear and tear on the properties." > > There's just a remnant of the Niue Hotel left standing, and > the condition of the sea tracks used by villagers to get from > the terraces down to the sea has Ron itching to organise a > traditional Kiwi working bee to get them cleaned up and usable > again. Army engineers are to repair those tracks and clear a > forest track blocked by large trees, and a further 16 troops > are to work on the New Zealand High Commission. > > The House of Parliament hasn't been fully repaired, and > government employees for a new department have been camped for > a whole year in another building awaiting their permanent > premises. Construction is under way in an industrial area near > the Niue Hotel, but progress has been a bit slow. > > Ron and Dianne, in a small community of about 20 houses built > high up on the island, were relatively unscathed. A hole in > the roof remained for some time, but the roof was eventually > replaced through an asbestos programme. > > The solar water heater, damaged in the cyclone, hasn't been > repaired, but the Paulins managed to fix their hot water > cylinder, and turn that on for an hour a day to get enough to > get hot water for showers. > > Electricity is too expensive otherwise. And Ron and Dianne > should count themselves lucky a third of the houses in their > village don't have hot water, nor do most in the other > villages either. > > But in many ways Niue is just an extension of New Zealand. > They get TV One news, and have been watching the Super 12 Ron > happily supporting the Crusaders in the face of Niueans' > support for the Blues. > > All Niueans have relatives in New Zealand mostly in Auckland > and most have been to Auckland themselves. > > The island has a population of about 1200, but there are also > about 20,000 Niueans living in New Zealand, and a further 5000 > in Australia. > > There are about 40 to 50 palangi (foreigners) on Niue, with > half a dozen married to Niueans. The high school offers a > cultural melting pot of staff Dianne from New Zealand, a > couple from the Philippines, a couple of Burmese, one or two > Australian, Fijian and American Samoan. > > Most people speak English, although some locals' spoken > English isn't good. > > "We would have liked to have tried to learn Niuean, and tried > to find someone to give us some lessons, but people who had > taught it said they were too busy." > > That was a disappointment, although the couple feel they > haven't missed out on too much by not being able to speak > Niuean. Ron, in an office with two Niuean-speakers, probably > feels the lack of the local language more than Dianne. > > "I think they were frightened they were going to lose their > language, and there's a real push now to make sure that > everyone who lives on Niue can speak the language. The local > radio station has a sign outside that says More Niuean, less > English." > > Ron says there's a bit of a "small-town" approach to > newcomers. > > "If you lived here five or 10 years, you'd gradually get > assimilated, but they have so many people coming through on a > short-term basis." > > In some respects, life on Niue is cheap. Dianne says they > manage to live on very little. Health care is free hospital, > doctor, dentist and prescriptions. There are no rates. You can > no longer get insurance cover on Niue. > > But tax rates are steep 40 cents in the dollar kicks in at a > salary of $15,000, and petrol rose from $1.50 to $2 a litre > after the cyclone. > > Food is hideously expensive Dianne estimates one and a half to > two times the price in New Zealand. There's also not the > variety. > > A loaf of New Zealand bread costs $5.50, fresh milk is about > $9 for two litres, a telegraph cucumber $8 to $9 at the > moment, and $4 to $8 for a lettuce or cabbage. > > So, the Paulins make their own bread and they use powdered or > UHT milk. Most types of meat are available, although Dianne > will seldom buy a roast, and chickens are reasonable about $6 > for a number 6 or 7. > > A visit to a New Zealand supermarket over Christmas was a > revelation more than three sorts of cheese, and an > overwhelming variety of bread. > > "It was really bad after the cyclone. We had no fruit or > vegetables for months. We went to Samoa in July, and went to > the market, and there were bananas we hadn't had a banana for > months, and we were living in the Pacific." > > Also surprisingly, there's not as much fish available as they > expected. They are sometimes able to buy some from a local > fisherman, or frozen at the supermarket. > > They are adjusting to the climate. Summers are hot and sticky, > but temperatures at the moment are about 25C and it's cool > enough at night to need a blanket on the bed. > > The warmer climate means they haven't succumbed to the usual > colds and flus, but other problems have surfaced in their > place sores that refuse to heal, and a couple of bouts of > blood poisoning for Dianne. > > But the lifestyle is enjoyable. Free time is spent working in > their bush garden growing taro, pawpaws, bananas and kumara. > There are a lot of bush tracks for bike rides, they swim and > snorkel, and are planning to take a diving course. > > They're members of the local yacht club Dianne is treasurer. > It's a group run by the local palangis for the yachties who > come to Niue during the season, and funds raised are put back > into Niue. > > The couple have continued their interest in harriers, and are > both members of the Hash House Harriers Ron runs and Dianne > walks. Ron is hash master at present as Dianne jokes, from > Environment Canterbury's biosecurity manager to hash master in > just over a year. > > The couple attend two different churches on Niue the Ekalesia > Church, which is similar to New Zealand's Presbyterian and > holds a service in English once a month, and an apostolic > church which also offers English services although > parishioners tend to pray in Niuean. > > The couple initially attended the regular Ekalesia Church > services, thinking it wouldn't matter that it was in Niuean. > > "But we couldn't face sitting there week after week and not > understanding anything." > > Ron has been asked to extend his assignment, but has said no. > > "I don't really feel that I'm doing enough that the Niueans > couldn't be doing themselves. I do get a bit frustrated that > they just expect people to come and do the work for them well > on into the future." > > Ron says he would consider a different VSA assignment in Niue, > or in another country. > > And while he says they're both probably ready for some time at > home, that might not mean coming home for good just yet. > > "I'm trying to convince myself I could (come home and settle) > I think I could easily come home and retire, but I'm not sure > if that's what I want to do. Some time over the next three or > four months, we've got to make a decision." > > After two years on Niue, Dianne knows she's going to > appreciate New Zealand when she gets back. > > "We won't miss the extreme heat, but I will miss the climate, > and a lot of the things we get here the sea, the scenery, and > just the relaxed atmosphere. We will be glad to get back to > somewhere that's better organised, where things happen a wee > bit more. But I'm glad to have had the experience, and glad to > have had a second year." > > TALKING POINT > > Scientists find eels near undersea volcano north of Niue > > Scientists exploring an emerging undersea volcano near the > islands of American Samoa 400 kms north of Niue were so amazed > to find eels living in the newly formed lava that they > nicknamed the population "Eel City." > > Hundreds and perhaps thousands of purplish-gray eels about a > foot long were swimming around and hiding in the nooks and > crevices at the summit of the new volcano at a depth of about > 700 metres Craig Young, director of the University of Oregon's > Oregon Institute of Marine Biology, said from his office in > Charleston USA. > > "We were astounded," said Young. "Many of us had worked on > hydrothermal vents in other parts of the ocean and had never > seen or heard of anything like this before." > > The discovery, as yet not reported in a scientific journal, > was made on a joint expedition with a 3-person submersible to > observe the Vailulu'u Volcano, discovered in 1999 about 40 > miles east of the island of Ta'u. > > A sonar scan showed a shallowing of the caldera at the summit. > On the first dive on March 30, geologist Hubert Staudigel saw > another volcano growing out of the first, like Wizard Island > in the middle of Crater Lake. Formed sometime in the last four > years, it was dubbed Nafanua after the Samoan goddess of war. > > Staudigel is a geologist at the University of California, San > Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography. > > Growing at a rate of about eight inches a day, Nafanua had > reached a height of nearly 400mmetres and could go much > higher, Staudigel said in a statement. > > When the pilot of the submersible Pisces V settled in the > murky waters of the caldera at Nafanua's summit, scores of > eels swam out of the caves and crevices. > > Young got his only look at them in a video that Staudigel > brought to the surface. Young got to join the last of the > expedition's three dives on April 1, which went to the outside > of Vailulu'u, where they found more vents and some white > microbial mats, but he never saw Eel City. > > The life around hydrothermal vents normally draws energy from > the hydrogen sulfide emitted, Young said. At other vents, > scientists have found mats of microbes, tubeworms, and > mussels. But not eels, which would normally be expected to eat > small invertebrates, such as shrimp. > > Though the team gathered samples of the microbial mats, they > could not capture an eel, Young said. That will have to wait > for a return trip in July. As a result, they could not > identify the eels, though they looked like something from the > family Synaphobranchidae. > > "Although you do see a lot of little eels in the deep sea in > general - one here, one there - I have never seen an > aggregation of eels anywhere in the deep sea," Young said. "We > have no idea what they are eating. > > "We want to figure out why we have only one kind of animal > living around hydrothermal vents with nothing else but > microbial mats as a source of food," said Young. > > "I suppose it's possible they migrate up the water column and > feed in the water column and migrate back down to the cracks > and crevices to hang out. But it seems odd that a deep-sea > fish that would normally be experiencing 2C- to 5C water would > be seeking out water that is warmer." > > As for the new volcano, Staudigel said it would be kept under > close observation. [Jeff Barnard Associated Press] > Last Updated ( Thursday, 02 June 2005 ) > Do you think Niue needs more Cabinet Ministers and a longer > term to govern? > 53719 Visitors
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