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Vancouver Sun
6 days ago
- Science
- Vancouver Sun
'This should raise flags': Smuggling seahorses a $29 million global industry, say UBC researchers
Researchers at the University of B.C. have discovered that millions of seahorses are being traded illegally around the world on hidden routes, putting many species at risk of becoming endangered or extinct. The study, published this week in the scientific journal Conservation Biology , found nearly five million seahorses, worth an estimated $29 million, were seized by authorities in 62 countries over a 10-year span at airports in passenger baggage or shipped in sea cargo. However, researchers believe the number of seahorses on the illegal trade market is significantly higher, as the data show only the shipments that were seized. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. They also found emerging trade routes for dried seahorses in Europe and Latin America, in addition to already known routes such as Thailand to Hong Kong, China and Taiwan. For example, researchers were surprised to learn there was poaching in European waters and that different species of seahorse are showing up in unusual trade routes, said Sarah Foster, who holds a PhD in resource management and is the program leader with Project Seahorse at UBC's Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries. 'One of the most interesting seizures that we uncovered was in Vietnam, coming from Peru. But when the Vietnamese authorities did species ID on the seahorses it turned out they were a West African seahorse species…so these seahorses had gone through West Africa, Peru, Latin America, and then on their way to Asia,' said Foster. 'This really highlights how complicated some of these trade routes can be, and reinforces the need for strong communication and collaboration between countries to try and figure this out.' The study says China was the main destination for the smuggled seahorses and they were mostly found at airports. Seahorses are used in traditional Chinese medicine, where are they are usually dried and added to tea as cures for pain, impotence and infertility and asthma, among other ailments. They are also sold as souvenirs and traded to aquariums. 'We're not in a position of questioning the validity of traditional Chinese medicine,' said Foster. 'It's more that if they are going to be used, just like anything else, it should be sustainable.' She said her team has spoken with traditional medicine traders in Hong Kong, who agree that to ensure access to seahorses in the future there must be sustainable practices now. While there is an international legal trade, researchers found that the illegal market is much more prevalent because anyone who applies for a legal permit must prove the trade is sustainable. This is difficult to do given many species of seahorse are endangered. The seahorse is protected under CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, an agreement among 184 countries, including Canada and European Union. In Canada, the Canada Border Services Agency enforces CITES regulations. Rebecca Purdy, a spokesperson for CBSA, could not provide the data on illegal seahorse seizures in Canada by deadline Thursday, however she said the information would be provided at a later date. Foster said Canada didn't come up in the team's study as a concern but that doesn't mean the illegal trade isn't happening here as well. 'Not all illegal trade gets intercepted and not all that gets intercepted goes reported,' she said, adding there is a demand for the consumption of seahorse in Canada. 'This should raise flags for Canadian authorities, that they need to be paying attention to make sure that those seahorses have been imported legally and sustainably.' The team analyzed 297 seizure records from 2010 to 2021 and recorded the number of seahorses seized, the value, and trade routes. What they found was that seahorses are often seized with other illegally traded products such as elephant ivory. Policing the illegal trade is difficult because many of the seahorses are caught accidentally, in trawl nets that dredge the ocean floor for fish. Foster said of the 46 known species of seahorse, 14 are considered to be threatened with extinction, mostly because of trawling and trade. 'When you ask people to think of the ocean the first thing they often think about is this blue expanse or sitting on the beach. They don't picture the wildlife that's underneath,' she said. Foster hopes to change that with her research. She's a strong advocate of banning trawling, or at least banning it in sensitive seahorse habitats. 'Imagine a bulldozer coming through and just taking it all down,' she said. 'The fact that bottom trawling is a massive problem isn't new, but being able to really connect people with it, I think, is going to be a game changer.' Foster said seahorses feed on zooplankton and are important predators in the ecosystem. They don't have stomachs so they have to eat a lot in order to meet their energy requirements. The study concludes that more enforcement and consequences are required in many countries to crack down on smuggling seahorses. ticrawford@
Vancouver Sun
28-05-2025
- Business
- Vancouver Sun
B.C. premier prepares to jet off to Asia in effort to diversify exports
Premier David Eby's 10-day visit to Asia starting June 1 is 'extremely important' as B.C.'s relationship with its biggest trading partner, the United States, has faltered and the province is hoping to to diversify its economic relationships, experts say. Kristen Hopewell, a professor and director of the Liu Institute for Global Issues at the University of B.C., said the province has historically been playing catch-up in the Asia-Pacific region with competitors such as Australia having a deeper presence there. 'We're fighting geography. It's been much easier for companies in B.C. and in Canada to trade with the U.S., given our geographic proximity, given our linguistic similarity and so forth, than to try to reach out to target these Asian markets,' said Hopewell. Stay on top of the latest real estate news and home design trends. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Westcoast Homes will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'About 50 per cent of our trade goes to the U.S. That's an extremely high degree of trade vulnerability.' Eby will be visiting Japan, South Korea and Malaysia during the trade mission, which coincides with the end of the spring legislative session. He will be joined by Agriculture Minister Lana Popham and Paul Choi, parliamentary secretary for Asia-Pacific trade, as well as a number of companies hoping to add to investments already made in B.C. by companies such as Mitsubishi and Samsung. Eby said the government has two goals for the trip. 'One is to meet with our existing customers and investors overseas (at) a time of global instability and uncertainty to remind them that British Columbia is a stable jurisdiction, a strong partner, and we value the relationship we have with them,' he explained. 'The other is to identify opportunities to expand markets.' It follows a 2023 trade mission to Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Vietnam that aimed to promote the province's LNG and forestry industries as well as provide an opportunity to speak with officials about their efforts at providing affordable housing. The premier's office said some of the concrete outcomes of that trip included the signing of two memorandums of understanding with Japan that outline cooperation on supply chains for batteries and science and technology. Jagrup Brar, secretary of state for trade, also officially opened the government's trade office in Vietnam. Currently, Japan is B.C.'s third-largest trading partner with $5.6 billion worth of trade between the two jurisdictions in 2024. South Korea was just behind Japan in fourth with $3.6 billion in trade with B.C. in the same year. Malaysia is farther back in 16th with only $162 million of goods and services moving back and forth. Popham said one of the sectors with the greatest potential for an increase in trade is seafood. She said the trip will feature attendance at a halal trade show in Malaysia as well as visits to Costco Japan and Costco Korea to view the B.C. seafood sold there. 'We'll be talking to some fish brokers, vegetable brokers. We'll also be looking at some of the technologies that they use down there, especially in South Korea, to produce food,' explained Popham. For some of the companies travelling on the trip, the opportunities will be in meeting with partners on projects already underway. Martin Turenne, the CEO of FPX Nickel Corp., said he plans to speak to executives from Nippon Steel and Sumitomo Metal Corp., one of its largest shareholders, as well as executives from the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security. Both have partnered with FPX on the Baptiste Nickel Project, a proposed mine in central B.C. that is currently undergoing a feasibility study. Turenne said he hopes to get the feasibility study done and the environmental assessment process underway in the next couple of years. 'It's a project that could generate upwards of $45 billion of GDP through the province over its 30-year lifespan,' he said. 'Japan obviously is a large player in batteries and in electric vehicles, looking for sources of nickel for that purpose for the next many decades.' Jock Finlayson, an economist with the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association, said that while B.C. is less exposed than other provinces to the U.S., it has become less diversified since 2011 with its share of exports to Canada's southern neighbour increasing from 43 per cent to 52.4 per cent. The share of U.S. trade had previously dropped from 65.8 per cent in 2000 to 43 per cent in 2011, according to Finlayson. He said the key for this trip is to try to reverse that trend, which has also seen trade to Japan decline by one-fifth and South Korea by 11 per cent. 'Having political leaders from our various levels of government show up, especially if they're part of larger business delegations, can be helpful in making connections and laying the groundwork for subsequent business transactions and business deals,' said Finlayson. 'The competitive environment here, business environment for a lot of the industries that supply our exports hasn't been very good. So a lot of companies are choosing not to invest and expand in B.C. for a mix of different reasons.' alazenby@
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
This UBC-developed website educates youth on when period pain is too much
Researchers at the University of B.C. have created a new website and social media campaign they hope will empower young people to take the experience of period pain more seriously. The website Period Pain is Real Pain, which was created with the input of youth partners, includes resources about period pain, related conditions like endometriosis, and pain relief. It also features a free quiz that helps youth determine whether they should speak to a health-care provider about their pain. UBC PhD student and campaign developer Zeba Khan, who studies period pain care in Canada, said period pain is a very common experience, one that affects more than 60 per cent of females of reproductive age. "Despite being so common, there is this narrative that period pain is normal and 'it's just part of being a woman,'" Khan said. "And that narrative is harmful because it makes it difficult to talk about period pain and get the right support." Khan said period pain can be most intense during adolescence. "We want young people to know that their pain is valid. So we hope that this tool, the website, the campaign will help young people recognize what the options are for them." She added that young people should speak with their health-care providers if their pain is so severe that it stops them from participating in day-to-day activities like going to school or playing sports. Dr. Paul Yong, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at UBC, said untreated recurring period pain in adolescence could be a risk factor for chronic pain in the future. "We really think that prevention is really key, in terms of chronic pain, so that's why we have such interest in the adolescence time … not only to help the lives right now of adolescents, but also to prevent that pain from worsening in the future." Endometriosis, a condition in which tissue similar to the inner lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus, is one of the most common underlying causes of period pain, according to Yong. It affects about one in 10 females of reproductive age. Vancouver-based endometriosis advocate Lux Perry, CEO and founder of Somedays, a natural period-pain relief company, said a resource website like Period Pain is Real Pain can help people decipher their experiences in a tangible way. "Any resource … is just so pivotal to someone's ability to be able to advocate for themselves and communicate with doctors." Her experience as a young teen with endometriosis was "extremely painful." "I was unable to go to school; I was unable to participate in sports. It completely disrupted my ability to go about my normal life," Perry said. Cally Wesson, president and CEO of B.C. Women's Health Foundation, which provided funding for the research project, praised the website. She said women's pain experiences can often be dismissed by health-care professionals. "So getting information out about period pain is really important because it validates the symptoms that women are going through."
Vancouver Sun
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Vancouver Sun
Acceptance of U.S. graduate applicants to UBC jumps 44 per cent after Donald Trump's funding cuts
B.C. universities are seeing a surge of U.S. students applying to study in the province after President Donald Trump cut U.S. federal university funding and enrolment of international students. The University of B.C. has reported a sharp increase in applications from U.S. undergraduate and graduate students. Acceptances of U.S. applicants to its graduate programs jumped 44 per cent compared to last year, the highest rate recorded by the university. Gage Averill, UBC's provost and vice-president of academics, says this data confirms what admissions officials have quietly observed for months: more American students are viewing Canada, and specifically B.C., as a safer, more stable option for higher education. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'Several faculties and programs have reported higher levels of inquiry from students at U.S. institutions, some of whom are non-U.S. citizens, interested in transferring or continuing their studies at UBC,' Averill said in a statement. 'While it's too early to draw conclusions about application trends for the upcoming cycle, UBC continues to see strong interest from international students.' This surge in U.S. student interest comes during a wave of controversial policy moves by the Trump administration, which cut federal funding to some colleges and universities that don't change or remove policies on diversity, equity and inclusion programs. On Thursday, the administration revoked Harvard University's authorization to enrol international students because it alleged the university failed to comply with new federal regulations on foreign student monitoring and visa policies. This decision jeopardized the academic futures of more than 7,000 international students, forcing some to consider transferring or risk losing their legal status. A federal judge has since temporarily blocked enforcement of the ruling pending further hearings. Last month, UBC reopened admissions for several graduate programs specifically targeting U.S. applicants, and fast-tracked offers for those aiming to start classes in September. During the U.S. applicant week, more than 150 new applications were submitted. This follows a 27 per cent year-over-year increase in U.S. graduate applications by the January deadline. UBC currently enrols approximately 600 graduate and 900 undergraduate students from the U.S., and Averill expects those numbers to rise. Averill says the increase in applications from U.S. graduate students helps offset a decline from other international applicants, many of whom are concerned about Canada's federal cap on international study permits, which limits the number of new students allowed to study in the country. Canada has limited the number of international students for the second year in a row and there may be fewer spots for international students, including those from the U.S. Some UBC graduate programs remain open for January 2026 admission. Simon Fraser University has also reopened applications for select graduate programs for fall and spring 2026 admissions, specifically targeting U.S. students. Several programs continue accepting applications for spring 2026. Averill said: 'Recent changes that allow for international students to apply for Canada's major federal research funding programs may also enhance the appeal of studying at UBC, especially for graduate students pursuing research-intensive programs.' U.S. graduate students can now access funding through Canada's Tri-Agency federal research grant programs, which provide support for research-focused studies. sgrochowski@
Vancouver Sun
13-05-2025
- General
- Vancouver Sun
Winning ticket-holder for record $80 million Lotto Max jackpot still hasn't stepped forward
As of Tuesday afternoon, no one had yet stepped forward to claim their $80 million prize from Lotto Max last Friday, but there are probably lots of Metro Vancouverites imagining what they would do with that record-setting ticket if it had been them. For most people, lotteries are a harmless way to have a little fun, a University of B.C. psychology professor says, but it's a wager nonetheless and, like any form of gambling, it can become a problem. Especially if, as studies have suggested, about a third of Canadians include winning a lottery as part of their retirement plans. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'I think there are two aspects to the appeal of buying lottery tickets and it shows similarities with lots of commercial gambling, recreation, if you like, in the what you're doing is you're paying money for a sense of enjoyment, and lotteries in particular, a bit of escapism, a bit of hope,' said Catharine Winstanley, whose research investigates the brain mechanisms involved in impulse control. 'But what you should never do when gambling is think that you're actually going to win, the odds are absolutely stacked against you, and particularly with lotteries where the chances of winning are infinitesimally small. 'I can't really overstate that enough.' Friday's was the largest lottery prize ever won in B.C. and it's also the largest lottery prize ever won by a single ticket in Canada. The winning ticket was bought in Surrey. The last $80 million Lotto Max jackpot prize was split between two winners, from the Dec. 3, 2024, draw. Two winners also split an $80 million Lotto Max jackpot from the Sept. 17, 2024, draw. For interest's sake, the payout on the 50/50 draw at the Canucks' final home game this season was $1.151 million, the fifth-highest 50/50 payout in club history (the highest was $1.414 million in November 2018.). The odds of winning the 50/50, while still unfavourable to any one ticket purchaser, are a lot better than they are in something like Lotto Max at one in 140,000 or so instead of one in 33 million. But overall, we're not that good at assessing astronomical odds such as winning the Lotto Max, said Winstanley, who admits to her family buying a weekly $5 lottery ticket. 'I think the human brain struggles to deal with those kind of numbers very reliably,' she said. It's also unlikely to get hit by lightning (but at less than one in a million , still more likely than winning the Lotto Max), yet most homeowners, for example, have building insurance as a precaution. 'Nearly all responsible homeowners carry insurance because we would really, really hate for that terrible thing to happen, and so we spend a few dollars every month to make sure that, if it does happen, we're covered, but the chances of that happening are really, really, really, really, really, really low in most places.' Home insurance, in other words, is literally like hedging your bets, she said. 'When we're talking about very, very unlikely (bets), there's no insurance for that,' Winstanley said. 'The fact that up to a third of Canadians are thinking that the lottery might provide for retirement is very ill-advised and really quite worrying.' And that's the thing about buying lottery tickets, rationally it doesn't make sense. 'In general, humans are very likely to overestimate the chances of something very, very, very, very, very unlikely actually happening,' Winstanley said. 'And that feeds into both our level of insurance coverage, which generally is a good thing, because you don't want to be skewered if things go wrong, and also a tendency to do things like gamble and play lotteries. 'If we would actually computationally work out the chances of winning, and ask ourselves if it's worth it financially to blow five bucks every week in the hope that our long shot pays off, we say to ourselves, 'No, you shouldn't spend that money.' 'But there are other things about gambling that, for most of us, are just harmless recreation. 'You get to buy into that dream: Wouldn't it be nice if you get to have that conversation with your friends and your partner and have that little sort of thrill of excitement.' The $80 million winner has a year in which to claim the prize. gordmcintyre@
