Thriving Oceans

Learning from our mistakes is one thing, but mixing half a ton of dynamite with a dead beached whale is another.  Setting aside any comments for now regarding last week’s discovery that a NOAA contracted vessel struck and killed an endangered blue whale, an apparent question weighing on state officials minds was what to do with the enormous carcass.  Although they opted to let nature run its course, the folks in Oregon County were a little bit more ambitious, or perhaps watched a little too much Myth Busters for their own good. Try explaining this one to your auto insurance company.

Let’s send out some positive ocean vibes and get a jump on the weekend with a photo session of one of my favorite sea creatures…Seahorses!

Seahorses belong to the genus Hippocampus which includes more than 47 species.  Showcasing a multitude of colors and sizes, they  are adept at camouflaging themselves amongst seagrasses, coral reefs and mangroves in the shallow tropical and temperate waters throughout the world.  And for those keeping track the Leafy Sea Dragon rounding up the session belongs to the genus Phycodurus, but but nonetheless is still a seahorse relative…

The Salty Scoop, week 3, which is merely a highlight of the previous week’s news and blog posts I found interesting and pertinent to marine life and ocean conservation.  And by all means feel free to add your recommended posts, news, videos and pictures via the comments section.

Palau to create world’s first shark sanctuary (Sept. 25)
“The tiny Pacific nation of Palau is creating the world’s first shark sanctuary, a biological hotspot to protect Great Hammerheads, Leopard Sharks, Oceanic Whitetip Sharks and more than 130 other species fighting extinction in the Pacific Ocean.”

Warming ocean melts Greenland glaciers (Sept. 23)
“With whale fins splashing in the distance, Ruth Curry hauls up her catch from the blustery deck of an icebreaker.  An orange tube fixed to a metal frame breaks the surface as the motorized winch stops groaning. Inside: data on the water temperature deep down in this glacial fjord off southeast Greenland.”

Hunt for clues to sea life deaths at Farallones (Sept. 22)
“A humpback whale that suddenly rose out of the water and splashed down near the Farallon Islands provided a research vessel full of scientists with a surprising bonanza of research data.”

Emperor Penguins -v- Leopard Seals in Antarctica (Sept. 24)
“Emperor Penguins, Aptenodytes forsteri, return from the seas to feed their young. Dramatic scenes unfold as they hesitate at the edge of the Antarctic sea ice after spotting a Leopard Seal, Hydrurga leptonyx, on the prowl under the Antarctic ice. Narrated by the incomparable David Attenborough.”
Posted by GrrlScientist on Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted)

EU nations fail to agree on bluefin tuna ban (Sept. 22)
“A sharply divided European Union failed Tuesday to protect the threatened bluefin tuna, as the bloc’s Mediterranean nations refused to back even a temporary a ban on catching the fish prized by sushi aficionados.”

Deep-sea trawling debate heats up in France (Sept. 24)
“French deputies are calling on Jean-Louis Borloo, the country’s minister of ecology, energy, sustainable development and sea, to clarify France’s position on deep-sea trawling in international waters and whether the government intends to support a possible United Nations moratorium.”

This EXCELLENT video says it all!

In honor of International Coastal Cleanup Day 2009!

California Coastal Cleanup Day
Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup

The Labor Day holiday interrupted last Monday’s  second installment of The Salty Scoop, which is merely a highlight of the previous week’s news and blog posts I found interesting and pertinent to marine life and ocean conservation.  And by all means feel free to add your recommended posts, news, videos and pictures via the comments section.

And now that The Salty Scoop is going on the second week I have found I need to make better on the spot notes. Trying to remember what I’ve read over the course of a week is a daunting task and just not working up to the level I was giving my brain credit for in terms of recall.  Oh well, here ya go…

Protection of Pacific Walrus Under the Endangered Species Act May Be Warranted, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Finds (Sept. 8th)

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced that a petition to protect the Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) under the Endangered Species Act presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that adding the species to the federal list of threatened and endangered species may be warranted. This preliminary finding is based, in part, upon projected changes in sea ice habitats associated with climate change.

From Deep Pacific, Ugly and Tasty, With a Catch (Sept. 9)

The answer to the eternal mystery of what makes up a Filet-O-Fish sandwich turns out to involve an ugly creature from the sunless depths of the Pacific, whose bounty, it seems, is not limitless.

Japanese town in ‘The Cove’ setting dolphins free (Sept. 9)

The Japanese town chronicled in the award-winning film “The Cove” for its annual dolphin hunt that turns coastal waters red with blood has suspended killing the animals — at least for this week’s catch — following an international outcry.

Hoping for a Hurricane? Coral Reefs Are (Sept. 9)

Having lived in the hurricane zone for most of the last decade, I have developed a bit of an addiction to The Weather Channel this time of year. Until recently, the general feeling around hurricane coverage and anticipation of hurricane season in the United States has been a fear of “the big one.”

Posted by Stephanie Wear on Cool Green Science

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