Galapagos Fur Seals Gain Foothold In Warming Peru

A baby fur seal is seen among rocks at Foca island in the northern city of Piura February 16, 2010.
Photo: Pilar Olivares

ISLA FOCA, Peru - Taking advantage of warmer seas, fur seals from the Galapagos Islands have established a full-fledged colony on the Pacific Coast of Peru, some 900 miles from their normal habitat, local scientists say.

Though the fur seals have been spotted sporadically for several years along the northwest coast of South America, the scientists in the last few months have gathered evidence adult seals are mating and having babies in Peru.

Carlos Yaipen-Llanos, a veterinarian and marine biologist at the Orca research center in Peru, believes climate change has allowed the fur seals to expand beyond their traditional home.

"This is a unique species that used to live exclusively in the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador," he said after luring a baby out of a cave on the rocky island by barking to imitate its parents' calls.

"The scientific importance of the Galapagos fur seals establishing a resident colony in Peru is that the animals have extended their range and found a new habitat. This is associated with warmer water temperatures."

[read more]

Statement of Dr. Elliott A. Norse, President, Marine Conservation Biology Institute on the tragic killing of a trainer by a killer whale at SeaWorld

Our hearts go out to the trainer’s loved ones, to SeaWorld’s staff and visitors, and to all people who love these whales and life in the oceans.

Orcas are also called killer whales because they are very large, very intelligent, very powerful predators. In the wild, some eat herring or salmon; others eat large mammals such as seals or other whales.

Killer whales have even been seen attacking and eating great white sharks. Except for humans, killer whales are the oceans’ top predators wherever they occur.

In the wild, killer whales have never once been known to cause a human death, although they certainly are curious about humans and a few historical accounts have recorded them as behaving in what might have been threatening ways toward humans. But if wild killer whales had wanted to harm us, they’d have had countless opportunities to do so, but apparently never have done so.

Killer whales are very intelligent, and in captivity, they might get bored or angry, and behave in ways they would not happen in their native ecosystems. Their intelligence has led many people to object to keeping them captive.

While we do not yet know, and may never know, the exact cause of this tragedy, my colleagues and I offer our condolences and our hope that people will not act rashly and blame killer whales for being the big, powerful predators and keystone species in their ecosystems that they are.

Coral reefs form on 'ancient template'

Caption: The honeycomb reef shape dominates the region.

By Victoria Gill
Science reporter, BBC News, Portland

Red Sea coral reefs get their complex shape from an ancient 'seabed template', say scientists.

Their distinctive appearance can be seen clearly in satellite images of the region and has its origin in seabed erosion thousands of years ago.

The scientists say the corals have simply adopted and accentuated the pattern created in once-exposed rock moulded by heavy rains.

They presented the findings at the Ocean Sciences meeting in Portland, US.

Dr Sam Purkis from the National Coral Reef Institute in Florida, US, led the research.

He explained that, in most cases, reefs did not form on a template.

"They are their own template," he said. "Corals simply settle on other corals and the reef forms in the ideal shape to suit the ecosystem.

"In the Red Sea it seems, for the most part, to be rather different."

[read more]

FW: News Clips: Feb. 23, 2010

News Clips for February 23, 2010

 

Marine Protected Areas

Placement of Marine Reserves is Key - U.S. News & World Report
Saving both fish and the fishermen who depend on them appears to come down to one thing: location, location, location. In the Black Sea, for instance, setting aside just 20 to 30 percent of the most affected areas within marine reserves could accomplish nearly all the goals of protecting the entire reserve, reports a team led by Benjamin Halpern, a marine scientist at the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis in Santa Barbara, Calif. This suggests that precisely placing the reserves, he said, "can have a dramatic effect on their ability to improve overall ocean health," as measured by a suite of factors such as pollution and fishing.

 

Coral loss slowed, reversed by marine protected areas - Hawaii 24/7
A new worldwide study shows marine protected areas (MPAs), underwater parks where fishing and other potentially harmful activities are regulated, provide an added bonus – helping coral reef ecosystems ward off and recover from threats to their health. Researchers also found the protective effects of MPAs generally strengthen over time.

 

Local social dynamics key to success of tropical marine conservation areas - EurekAlert
As biologists and ecologists propose ever-larger conservation areas in the tropics, ones that encompass multiple countries, social scientists say it's local people banding together with their community leaders who ultimately determine the success or failure of such efforts in many parts of the world.

 

Public education seen as key to marine parks' success - ABC Online
"Enforcement and compliance with green zones and marine reserves isn't only about the number of patrols that you set out. It's about setting up the conditions that make people feel a part of the process."

 

Ocean acidification/coral reefs

Acidified landscape around ocean vents foretells grim future for coral reefs - The Guardian

Huge vents covering the sea-floor – among the strangest and most spectacular sights in nature – pour carbon dioxide and other gases into the deep waters of the oceans. Last week, as researchers reported that they had now discovered more than 50,000 underwater volcanic springs, they also revealed a new use for them – as laboratories for measuring the impact of ocean acidification on marine life.

 

High Seas

Melting Arctic Ice Clears Way for Shipping, Fishing, Oil Drilling ... and Major Problems. - OnEarth Magazine
Summer sea ice is melting in the Arctic, exposing for the first time the fabled Northwest Passage that Europeans sought for centuries. That creates a new frontier for human endeavors ... and potentially a new world of trouble, scientists said this weekend at the annual American Association for the Advancement of Science conference in San Diego.

 

Hawaii

Hilo site to aid whales, dolphins - Honolulu Advertiser

Sick and injured whales and dolphins will have a place to go after the Feb. 26 opening of the Hawai'i Cetacean Rehabilitation Facility in Hilo. Every year, 20 to 30 whales and dolphins wash up on state beaches, some already dead and others too far gone to save. But some that used to be destroyed can now be rescued, said Jason Turner, a University of Hawai'i-Hilo professor who will be the facility's director.

 

Endangered Species

Mixed ruling on dolphin - New Zealand Herald
Lawyers for the Federation of Commercial Fishermen tried to block six proposed bans on set netting and inshore trawling. The court ruled yesterday to refer two back to Fisheries Minister Phil Heatley for reconsideration. But the court upheld four other 2008 restrictions that the federation challenged.

 

New study finds link between marine algae and whale diversity over time - EurekAlert
A new paper by researchers at George Mason University and the University of Otago in New Zealand shows a strong link between the diversity of organisms at the bottom of the food chain and the diversity of mammals at the top.

 

 

 

 

Ocean geoengineering scheme no easy fix for global warming

(This map displays simulated additional surface warming (in Celsius) for the year 2100 caused by the temporary use of artificial upwelling in the green areas for the time period 2011-2060. Credit: IFM-GEOMAR)

Pumping nutrient-rich water up from the deep ocean to boost algal growth in sunlit surface waters and draw carbon dioxide down from the atmosphere has been touted as a way of ameliorating global warming. However, a new study led by Professor Andreas Oschlies of the Leibniz Institute of Marine Sciences (IFM-GEOMAR) in Kiel, Germany, pours cold water on the idea.

Computer simulations show that climatic benefits of the proposed geo-engineering scheme would be modest, with the potential to exacerbate global warming should it fail," said study co-author Dr Andrew Yool of the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton (NOCS).

If international governmental policies fail to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide to levels needed to keep the impacts of human-induced climate change within acceptable limits it may necessary to move to 'Plan B'. This could involve the implementation of one or more large-scale geo-engineering schemes proposed for reducing the carbon dioxide increase in the atmosphere. ...(Read More)

Ocean acidification faster than in last 65 million years

Ocean acidification is taking place at a faster rate than has been seen in the last 65 million years - and it's still accelerating. It could potentially exceed the rate at which plankton can adapt, say researchers from the University of Bristol.

The team applied a model that compared current rates of ocean acidification with the greenhouse event at the Paleocene-Eocene boundary, about 55 million years ago. During this period, surface ocean temperatures rose by around 5-6°C over a few thousand years. Surface ecosystems, such as plankton, survived, but bottom-dwelling organisms in the deep ocean experienced a major extinction.

Dr Andy Ridgwell, lead author on the paper, said: "The widespread extinction of these ocean floor organisms during the Paleocene-Eocene greenhouse warming and acidification event tells us that similar extinctions in the future are possible."

The oceans are currently absorbing about a quarter of the CO2 released into the atmosphere, forcing the pH of the surface ocean lower. Lab experiments suggest that if this continues, effects could include the dissolution of carbonate shells of marine organisms, slower growth, muscle wastage and dwarfism, with knock-on effects throughout the ecosystem. On the basis of their simulations, the authors believe plankton will be unable to adapt. The occurrence of widespread extinction of deep-sea organisms during the Paleocene-Eocenegreenhouse warming and acidification event raises the possibility of a similar extinction in the future, they say.

News Clips: Feb. 9-10, 2010

Endangered Species/Hawaii

·         Army mulls high-speed water transports - Stars and Stripes
... noting the state is host to the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary where whales migrate to every winter to breed and calve. ...

 

·         Whales suspected in massive herring loss - New Zealand Herald
Something is holding down the herring population of Alaska's Prince William Sound, and marine scientists are tailing some rather large suspects: humpback whales.

 

NOAA

·         Agency Proposes Climate Service to Spur Adaptation - New York Times
The Obama administration announced plans yesterday to create a new National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Service. The proposed entity would provide "user-friendly" information to help governments and businesses adapt to climate change, creating a central federal source of information on everything from projections of sea level rise to maps of the nation's best sites for wind and solar power.

 

CEQ

·         Feds Announce New Actions to Battle Asian Carp - Science Magazine
The Obama Administration has announced a new strategy for preventing the carp from entering the Great Lakes, where they could threaten a sportfishing industry worth $7 billion. The plan also includes money for research on how to battle the fish. However, the move appears unlikely to end a feud between midwestern states over what to do about the carp.

 

Marine Debris

·         Junk accumulating on Monterey Bay ocean floor: Scientists find increasing ... - San Jose Mercury News
The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary has just started a gear removal project to remove nets and traps.

 

Cold Water Coral

·         Study boosts notion of offshore wind production - Baltimore Sun
About 2,900 wind turbines could be placed using current technology in relatively shallow Atlantic waters 28 miles to 43 miles off the Maryland coast, according to a report by researchers at the University of Delaware's Center for Carbon-free Power Integration. As many as 12,000 turbines ultimately could be deployed, the researchers say, as new wind generators are developed that can operate in deeper ocean waters, including on floating platforms.

 

Ocean Acidification

·         Impact of near-future ocean acidification on echinoderms « Ocean ... - Anne-Marin Nisumaa
As a consequence of increasing atmospheric CO2, the world's oceans are warming and slowly becoming more acidic (ocean acidification, OA) and profound changes in marine ecosystems are certain. Calcification is one of the primary targets for studies of the impact of CO₂-driven climate change in the oceans and one of the key marine groups most likely to be impacted by predicted climate change events are the echinoderms.

 

·         New UC Davis study: Climate 'tipping points' may arrive without warning, says top forecaster – Science Daily
A new University of California, Davis, study by a top ecological forecaster says it is harder than experts thought to predict when sudden shifts in Earth's natural systems will occur -- a worrisome finding for scientists trying to identify the tipping points that could push climate change into an irreparable global disaster.

 

Federal Budget

·         Senators back cuts in deficit, not in budget - USA Today
Even as they call for reining in the record federal budget deficit of $1.6 trillion, more than one-third of the nation's 100 U.S. senators have criticized proposed spending cuts in President Obama's budget that would affect their states.

 

Northwest Hawaiian Islands

·         Northwest Hawaiian Islands Exhibit hails maritime heritage at Mokupapapa Discovery Center – Hawaii 24/7

A new NOAA exhibit commemorating the rich maritime heritage of Papahanaumokukuakea Marine National Monument opened Feb 5 at Mokupapapa Discovery Center in Hilo. “Lost on a Reef” focuses on shipwreck sites discovered over the last the decade that represent 200 years of maritime history in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

 

Marine Sanctuaries

·         Venomous lionfish wreak havoc in Florida Keys – Miami Herald
A rapid response team was organized by REEF and government agencies in anticipation of the lionfish invasion of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
 

·         Hands Across the Sand join Saturday in Key West - KeysNet
Officials with the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council are sitting down on Feb. 16 to discuss the proposed drilling and how gulf currents could impact Keys waters.

 

Marine Protected Areas

·         Penguins saved by marine zone - News24
Three months after trawling was stopped, 70% of the birds were feeding within the 20km zone, tucking into fish that now became available.

 

·         Biodiversity Offsets and Marine and Coastal Development - Ecosystem Marketplace
Biodiversity Offsetting … is complicated in marine offsets due to the inherent logistical difficulty in accessing and studying marine systems such as deep water or pelagic habitats, coral reefs, and seagrass meadows. Undertaking evaluations in such habitats increases the time necessary to evaluate or score biodiversity and consequently the costs associated (expertise, equipment, etc.).

 

Also of Interest

·         URI researcher calls for global effort to monitor marine pollutants -physorg.com

A University of Rhode Island researcher who studies chemical pollutants in the marine environment has called on colleagues around the world to establish a global monitoring network to verify that the chemicals banned by the United Nations in 2003 are no longer in use.

Tell President Obama to make conservation the foundation of his National Ocean Policy

There's still a few more days for you to submit comments to the White House's Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force. May we suggest some variation of the following letter:

Dear President Obama and the Ocean Policy Task Force,

Thank you for releasing the Interim Framework for Effective Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning. Our country needs comprehensive marine spatial planning to protect our oceans for us and for future generations. I support the new framework for managing ecosystems, and am glad to see that it is designed to protect and maintain healthy oceans. I hope that you will make conservation and wise stewardship the goals of our new National Ocean Policy, and require all federal agencies to comply with regional ocean plans.

Thank you again, and keep up the good work.

News Clips for February 2, 2010

High Seas

• High Seas Beyond National Jurisdiction Badly in Need of Protection - UN News Centre. UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiros statement to the Ad Hoc Open-ended Informal Working Group to study issues relating to the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity beyond areas of national jurisdiction in New York, 1 February.

Marine Monument

• Lead paint kills rare seabirds on Midway - BYM News. The buildings have been responsible for the deaths of as many as 130,000 Laysan Albatross chicks since jurisdiction of Midway was transferred from the Navy to the Department of the Interior (DOI) in 1996.

Federal Budget

• President Proposes Key Investments in NOAA 2011 Budget - NOAA. Examples of programs include $11.6 million to support new technologies and ecosystem monitoring systems to assess the effects of ocean acidification. ...

Ocean Acidification

• Jumbo squid explosion - Mongabay.com
  However research published in 2008 warned that … ocean acidification caused by changing oxygen and CO2 concentration will "substantially depress metabolic rates (31%) and activity levels (45%)" making it more difficult for the species to hunt in shallow waters.

Ocean Zoning

• Ocean DCPC Hearings Begin Feb. 10 - CapeNews.net
  The Cape Cod Commission (CCC) unanimously approved the application for the first-ever Ocean Management District of Critical Planning Concern (DCPC).

Coral Reefs

• Fish caught evolving into three different species - msnbc.com
  The findings add urgency to the search for new species and the need to protect coral reefs.

• NOAA to give lab $5 million to continue project - Honolulu Star-Bulletin
  The funding continues an earlier grant dealing with watershed issues at the community level throughout islands in Micronesia.