Thriving Oceans

In a previous incarnation of Thrivingoceans.org, I used to have a list of favorite quotes that was almost completely comprised of excerpts from the movie Jaws.  And after all the years of watching the flick I am still not exactly sure how my wife truly feels about the film, but she does seem to tolerate the viewings.  Perhaps I’ll ask her tonight.

At any rate, I came across this great video from Save Our Seas and I wanted to pass it along, not only for the familiar movie appeal, but for its ultimate message.  Don’t be alarmed as it may contradict what is typically heard on the evening news and cable news networks.

“You’re gonna need a bigger boat.”
Chief Martin Brody (Jaws)

Adorned in camouflage to fool both predators and prey, the leafy seadragon is the epitome of nature’s creativity.

As the fisheries war continues to rage amongst conservationists, commercial entities, and international politics, it is always good news when a species in peril gets what perhaps can be called a break. Just a few months back the IUCN reported, “The global conservation status of 64 species of open ocean (pelagic) sharks and rays reveals that 32 percent are threatened with extinction, primarily due to overfishing.”

And can we honestly be surprised at the findings when we have all seen the photos displaying mounds of confiscated shark fins not unlike the old west pictures showcasing a day’s work hunting bison?  But, it is not only pelagic species that are feeling the pressure of overfishing as the small coastal blacknose shark is on an unsustainable road towards collapse.

A recreationally and commercially harvested fish, the blacknose shark was hauled from the ocean at a rate of over 27,000 individuals (62 metric tons without head, guts, fins) per year from 1999-2005.  Because they bear few young and were unable to cope with previous fishing pressures, NOAA is proposing a change in the status quo of lumping blacknose sharks in with other coastal shark quotas and effectively reducing their loss by 78%.  Thus, blacknose sharks would be separated from the general coastal shark quota, and under the proposal the annual quota would fall to 6,065 individuals or 14.9 metric tons.  Additionally, the shark would only be available for landing by commercial fishermen with directed permits.

“To help rebuild the blacknose population, NOAA’s Fisheries Service is also proposing to prohibit the landing of all Atlantic sharks with gillnet gear—the primary way blacknose sharks are caught—from South Carolina south, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.”

“Because they are frequently caught with other small coastal sharks, there is also a proposed annual quota for the non-blacknose small coastal sharks, including finetooth, Atlantic sharpnose, and bonnethead sharks.  The proposed quota would be significantly reduced from the current 454 metric tons dressed weight quota to 56.9 metric tons dressed weight. The proposed quotas for blacknose and the non-blacknose small coastal sharks represent an overall 76 percent reduction in landings by weight of small coastal sharks.”  (NOAA, July 24, 2009)

Coral bleaching is again making headlines as NOAA’s Coral Reef Watch Program has detected conditions in the Caribbean that may spark a rash of coral disease and bleaching.  Of particular concern to NOAA scientists is an expected increase in ocean temperatures through October 2009 that can lead to the discharging of the symbiotic zooxanthella algae residing in coral tissues.  Keeping things simple, zooxanthellae are vital to coral survival as they, through photosynthesis, provide much needed energy and nutrients.  In return, the coral provides the zooxanthellae with shelter and a constant supply of carbon dioxide for its photosynthetic processes.

According to the Coral Reef Watch Program:

Scientists are concerned that bleaching may reach the same levels or exceed those recorded in 2005, the worst coral bleaching and disease year in Caribbean history. In parts of the eastern Caribbean, as much as 90 percent of corals bleached and over half of those died during that event.” 

“Just like any climate forecast, local conditions and weather events can influence actual temperatures. However, we are quite concerned that high temperatures may threaten the health of coral reefs in the Caribbean this year,” said C. Mark Eakin, Ph.D., coordinator of NOAA’s Coral Reef Watch.

Prolonged coral bleaching of more than a week can lead to coral death and the subsequent loss of coral reef habitats for a range of marine life. It also affects local economies and tourism.

Other factors that can lead to coral bleaching include: ocean temperature, solar irradiation, inorganic nutrients, freshwater dilution, sedimentation, pollutants/chemicals, and diseases.

Credit: NOAA

Last Saturday my wife and I made the 2 hour journey to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, which marks our first visit in about 4 years.  As with each and every time before, I left wondering why it took me so long to get back, and most importantly how can I swing a personal 28 foot tall kelp forest aquarium…OK I admit I’m a fish lover.  But the show was not only within the confines of the plexiglass walls as the wildlife visible from the outside amphitheatre at the Great Tide Pool was amazing.

In the distance wrapped in kelp were approximately 9 sea otters. Kayaks would approach (all at a distance to prevent disturbance) and then wander away after a few minutes of enjoying the view.  Throw in a couple harbor seals, cormorants, murres, and sea lions and the bay becomes a picturesque wildlife refuge. 

Interestingly enough though, on June 30th the U.S. Geological Survey reported a 3.8% drop in sea otter numbers during the 2009 census.  A decrease of 106 individuals may not seem like a terribly large decline overall, but it keeps them below the criteria needed to remove them from the Endangered Species Act (the 3-year running averages would have to exceed 3,090 for 3 continuous years), it represents a population growth plateau for the last three years, and according to Dr. Tim Tinker of the USGS,

“This year’s census results demonstrate that sea otters continue to experience levels of mortality sufficient to limit their recovery. This highlights the need for continued efforts to understand and mitigate threats to sea otters and other species in the nearshore ecosystem.”

A more in depth examination into the cause of the declining sea otter population trend was sought out by the San Francisco Chronicle.  In a July 1st article, it was reported that deceased otters have been testing positive for bacteria, viruses, and parasites often associated with sewage, urban, and farm runoff.  Thus, are we witnessing the first signs of a pollution problem along the California coast?

And what about overfishing?  Well an inadequate amount of available favored invertebrates may be limiting nutritional intake, resulting in otters that are more susceptible to diseases and preventing the population from reaching a healthy status.

Although there are currently more questions than answers, it would not be surprising to find that the southern sea otter of California is being hindered by a combination of multiple factors.

**USGS: To reduce the influence of anomalously high or low counts during any particular year, three-year running averages of the survey results are also used to assess whether the population is growing or declining. Factors that can influence the count include viewing conditions, abundance and species composition of surface canopy kelp, observer experience, and distribution and movements of the animals.

Coinciding with a 4.0 magnitude earthquake centered approximately 20 miles offshore on Saturday, July 11, was a mass stranding of Humboldt squid. According to news reports dozens of squid averaging 3-4 feet in length and up to 40 pounds beached themselves in La Jolla.

However, Scripps Institute is indicating the mass stranding was not caused by the earthquake, but was perhaps triggered by rapidly changing ocean temperatures, or a contaminated diet. Check out the CBS news report and some raw video footage from NBC…