The Coalition Against Biopiracy is looking to recognize companies for ``outstanding achievements in biopiracy,'' the practice of patenting biological systems and information. From the website:

``What's the most outrageous biopiracy case in your country? Who's ripping off indigenous knowledge in your community? Who's monopolizing your genes or patenting your plants? Has anyone trademarked your favorite patron saint? We need your help to identify the Greediest, Most Offensive and Dangerous biopirates from across the globe.

``The Coalition Against Biopiracy will sponsor the Captain Hook awards ceremony at the Seventh Conference of the Parties (COP7) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 9-20 February 2004. It has been more than a decade since the CBD entered into force, but biopiracy is flourishing and the notion of `benefit-sharing' is merely a charade that even helps to legitimate it. In 2004, it's still smooth sailing and easy looting for biopirates who use intellectual property to plunder genetic resources and pillage traditional knowledge.''

URL

http://www.captainhookawards.org

Courtesy Slashdot.