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Sound science wins Shi-min Fang, a freelance science journalist based in Beijing, and Simon Wessely, a psychiatrist at Kings College London, are the joint winners of the inaugural John Maddox Prize, for individuals who have promoted sound science and evidence on a matter of public interest. The 2,000 (US$3,200) prize, announced on 6 November, is awarded by Nature and Sense About Science, a London-based science-advocacy group, and is supported by the Kohn Foundation. See page 160 and go.nature.com/owyfbg for more.

A. Clark/REUTERS

Sockeye salmon threats assessed Canadas Department of Fisheries and Oceans should focus on protecting wild fish, and a separate department should be charged with promoting the fish-farming industry to avoid confusion over the departments role, according to a report on sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) populations released on 31 October. The Cohen Commission, led by a Supreme Court judge, was asked by the federal government in 2009 to investigate the collapse in the numbers of salmon returning to British Columbias Fraser River over past decades. The commission found no single cause for the decline, but blames the government for reducing protection of the salmons habitats. See go.nature.com/sles5b for more.

Antarctic reserves Negotiations on creating three huge marine reserves in Antarctic waters have broken down, dealing a major blow to conservation plans. Meeting in Hobart, Australia, the 25members of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources failed to agree unanimously on any of the reserves, which would have established fishing bans and set aside regions as reference areas for scientists studying the impact of climate change on fragile polar ecosystems (see Nature 490, 324; 2012). The reserves will be discussed again in July. See go.nature.com/xxzjbd for more.

Mekong megadam Work to build a massive dam on the lower Mekong river in Laos is to formally begin on 7November, deputy minister of energy and mines Viraphonh Viravong said on 5November. Environmentalists fear that the US$3.5-billion Xayaburi dam will reduce fish stocks and biodiversity.

China genetic rules Chinas government has published a draft regulation to improve the protection of donors in human genetic research. It proposes to license organizations that store and collect human genetic resources (materials such as organs, cells and DNA), update requirements on informed consent and prohibit the sale or export of genetic materials. The draft, published on 31October, is open to feedback for a month.

UK merger dropped A contentious plan to merge two major British research centres has been shelved following criticism from politicians and scientists. The Natural Environment Research Council had suggested merging two centres that it runs the British Antarctic Survey in Cambridge and the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton to save money, but announced on 2November that it would scrap the idea. Job cuts are still in the offing, however. See go.nature.com/prcepr for more.

Climate services The World Meteorological Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, has agreed to implement a Global Framework for Climate Services, which will provide and manage information about how Earths changing climate affects everything from crop production to disaster planning. The international framework, agreed at a meeting in Geneva on 31 October, will initially focus on water, health, food security and disaster risk reduction. Some scientists have been concerned by the proliferation of climate-service providers who may be overselling the abilities of climate models to guide policy-makers and local people. See go.nature.com/rbxnxq for more.

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Seven days: 2–8 November 2012

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