Heading South

Things have been crazy busy since returning from American Samoa. In addition to all the catch-up, I've managed to do some laundry, repack my bag, and now I'm off again to Mexico and then Belize for site visits to our projects along the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. There are a lot of legs to this trip with me flying into and out of Houston four times as I bounce between countries over five days. That's a lot of taking my shoes off and throwing away perfectly good bottles of water, but such is the reality of our war on air travelers and liquids.

Internet access willing, I'll try to post while in the field. In the mean time, entertain yourselves with this poignant skit from SNL.

Monterey Bay Aquarium Adds New Great White Shark To Outer Bay Tank... Monterey Sharks Retaliate

On the same day the Monterey Bay Aquarium unveiled a new Great White Shark on display in their outer bay giant ocean tank, an apparently disgruntled Great White took out some not so passive aggression on a Monterey Bay surfer. Yeesh... some elasmobranchs are such spiteful critters.

That's A Moray Monday

Back in San Francisco and time for a regularly scheduled That's A Moray Monday. And here's both a spectacular fish and a vocabulary lesson.

Fimbriated Moray
Gymnothorax fimbriatus
Okay, without looking for your dictionary, what does fimbriated mean? Well, my online dictionary defines fimbriated as having a very narrow border, having a fringed border, or a fringe-like part or structure. And I'm guessing that the fimbriated in this morays name refers to it's tall, fringed dorsal fin running the length of the body. Though I've gotta tell you, I'm not seeing a fringe on any of the images I've found (unless it's referring to the thin white edge to the dorsal fin?). Whatever it refers to, the name would probably be as slippery as the eel itself if it turned up in a spelling bee.

The Fimbriated Moray (also called the Dark-spotted Moray and Spot-face Moray) occurs in coral reef and inshore waters of the tropical Indo-west Pacific, from Madagascar to the Society Islands (French Polynesia), north to southern Japan, south to Queensland, Australia, and throughout Micronesia. The eels habitat is typically lagoons, reef flats and seaward reefs. It prefers protected inshore waters among dead corals, and is quite common in harbors and small caves.

The Fimbriated Moray is grey to light brown in color with rows of well separated dark brown blotches. The head is greenish-yellow dorsally. There is a large white spot at the rear of the lower jaw. A row of large canine teeth runs along the roof of the mouth.
The species grows to about 80 cm (2.6 ft) in length. It is most active at night and feeds primarily on fish and crustaceans.

Reusable Bags For American Samoa?

Paper or plastic? Perhaps the answer is neither. One of the topics of interest to Governor Tulafono at last week's U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Meeting was the possibility of banning plastic bags in American Samoa. And talk may now be turning into action sooner than everyone suspected. Plastic bags can take hundreds of years to break down. As they break down, they may release toxic materials into the water and soil. Plastic bags discarded in the ocean can choke and strangle wildlife. Endangered sea turtles eat the bags and often choke-—probably because the bags resemble jellies, the primary food of many sea turtles.

Should American Samoa take a stand, it could play a leading role for other South Pacific islands facing similar land and oceanic threats from this all too common human debris.

Let Them Eat Cake

With all my running around in the South Pacific, I foolishly missed my birthday. Well, not my birthday... my blog's birthday. Malaria, Bedbugs, Sea Lice, and Sunsets, this labor of occasional love, is one year old as of August 23. One year ago, I tapped-out my first post. And I've gotta say this public journal I foisted upon the blogosphere has grown and evolved in unexpected ways. I certainly enjoy writing this blog, and I also honestly hope you get something worthwhile out of it as well.

So in keeping with my love of ocean, help yourselves to some cake. Fish cake (kamaboko) of course!

Skinny Dipping Now Officially Off My List Of Things To Do In Africa

I think the only words that fully capture my feelings on seeing these images are "Holy shit!" I give you the African tigerfish (Hydrocynus sp.).

That's A Wrap!

And so ends the 18th U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Meeting in Pago Pago, American Samoa. It was a busy week, but it was a fantastic opportunity to learn and meet coral reef scientists and conservationists from around the world. Today was mostly progress reports of coral conservation projects from states, territories, and freely associated states. But after the reports, the Task Force passed several resolutions that have been in development for over a year. Most significantly, a climate change resolution was unanimously approved with some of the strongest language I've yet seen from a United States agency regarding global warming and necessary steps that the federal government should undertake. It's a remarkable document and represents a bipartisan effort from federal and state agencies. Let's see where this resolution goes once it gets back to Washington.

As a fond farewell, Governor Tulafono joined with other American Samoans to sing a traditional Samoan song of bon voyage. Then, we were all given mementos of the Task Force meeting and American Samoa hospitality. And nothing says hospitality in Samoa like a box full of canned wahoo.

I enjoyed my short stay in American Samoa. While I never got the chance to get underwater, what I see above water is incredible natural beauty. Samoans are big, friendly, proud, and outgoing people... though a tad too god-obsessed for my taste. I'm certainly looking forward to getting home, but I hope I can return sometime soon to really get to know American Samoa beyond just a conference hall.

I hope that American Samoa can also find a way to full independence and wean itself from the U.S. federal funding nipple. While the Samoan identity is certainly strong, there is still this undertone of forced dependence upon federal coffers (several checks were signed to the American Samoa government while the meeting participants stood witness) and there is a certain expectation for NGO sugar daddies to cough-up financial assistance as well. Perhaps these are the stages an island nation must pass through along the road to sovereignty. But with no tourism economy to speak of, and a diminishing fisheries economy, it's hard to know how American Samoa could become financially independent. I'd hate to see the pristine coastlines here dotted with casinos, but you can certainly understand the allure such scenarios present to local Samoans. It's a big Gordian Knot of a problem, and an easy (or even complex) solution isn't forthcoming.

American Samoa Announces Big Fish Restrictions

I forgot to mention an important announcement made yesterday during the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force proceedings. During a presentation on community-based fisheries management, Director of the American Samoa Marine Management Program, Ray Tulafono, announced that American Samoa would be placing fishing restrictions on large reef fish, including sharks, humphead (Napoleon) wrasse, humphead parrotfish (pictured above), and other large marine species. It's unclear yet if this is a size restriction or a full ban. Regardless, this announcement recognizes the importance that large reef fish play to the replenishment of fish stocks along the reef and in associated reef ecosystems.

It's also American Samoa's opportunity to step-up to follow other Pacific Island nations in recognizing the objectives set forth by the Micronesian Challenge. While this intended restriction was announced by the Director in the presence of the Governor, it still needs to wind it's way through the American Samoa legislature. In addition, it needs to be embraced by local fishing communities whose support will be critical if such a ban is to ultimately prove successful. Community and village support will help reduce the possibility of poaching and increase the ability of reef managers to monitor through greater village support for conservation objectives.

Samoan Suds: A Lot Like Water... Minus The Taste

Man, They Have Big Mosquitoes Here

Mixed Feelings On The Role Of Tradition

Apologies for the blog silence, but such is the up and down reality of internet service in American Samoa (or at least Sadie's by the Sea Hotel). With limited bandwidth, apologies also for the lack of images for this post.

The Coral Reef Task Force has been devoting a lot of discussion time to the role of traditional knowledge and practices in informing and assisting marine protected area management. It's a topic of considerable significance to my own work in coral reef conservation. We had an opportunity in several sessions on Monday and Wednesday to hear speakers from throughout the Pacific Islands discuss how traditional knowledge has been incorporated into management structures and community support for conservation.

Since this meeting is being hosted by American Samoa, there is (not surprisingly) a heavy presence of god-talk going on. It all got kicked-off on Monday during the ava ceremony when Governor Tulafono started channeling the pope in offering profuse blessings to all the delegates. He thanked god for coral reefs, thanked god for the task force, thanked god for the USA. Then this morning (Wednesday) we had a Samoan reverend from a local pentecostal church provide a benediction and blessing. He remarked that he knew that we participants, as christians, understood that we were stewards for god's creation. His benediction, blessings, and the accompanying full choir hymns (amazingly beautiful Pacific island harmonies) took 45 minutes.

In another presentation by a local village elder, we heard how the foundation of MPA management should be fa'a Samoa (the Samoan way of life) and christianity. Let's forget for the moment that christianity in the Pacific Islands is merely an historical artifact of the rabidly conversion-crazed (though not necessarily pious) missionaries who swept through the Pacific basin throughout the 19th century. Was pre-conversion fa'a Samoa a less sound basis for resource management? I don't suppose anyone can answer that question. But all this does underscore the somewhat uneasy relationship I have as an athiest working towards conservation objectives in the Pacific.

I'm a pragmatist in my approaches, so if religious belief demonstrates any utility in reducing biodiversity loss then I'll be the first to leverage it. But it does trouble me to see the absolute control that an imposed, non-indigenous religion has over free inquiry in many Pacific cultures. As a queer man, what perhaps troubles me the most is the Pacific Islands brand of christian intolerance regarding homosexuality. In almost every small Pacific island culture where I've inquired about the status of gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered residents, I often hear the same response from locals, "Oh, we don't have gay people here."

As much as I'd hate to be an athiest living in some Pacific cultures, I cannot even fathom the absolute isolation of growing up gay here. I certainly know what it was like to grow up gay and isolated in the states. But what about in a place like American Samoa where, at least to my cursory investigation, there are zero support mechanisms? Here in American Samoa, gender expectations and roles are very clearly defined. And in a culture where the church carries such intense sway not just on individual lives but also on government operations, it's alarming to imagine how many men and women are living lives and roles imposed upon them for fear of rejection, ridicule, or violence.

Of course there are always exceptions and instances of tolerance. From what I've seen from blogs in Micronesia, some support groups have formed in places like the CNMI and one can assume tolerance is building in other locations. But what sort of existence is it to just be tolerated by your family or community? Sorry, but tolerance is "don't ask, don't tell," separate and not necessarily equal, or similar monikers of second class citizenship.

With all this talk this week of preserving tradition, I can't help but have a visceral aversion to what, for me at least, is the dark side of tradition. In the states, I've come to recognize talk of traditional values as code for such things as homophobia, anti-women's right to choose, christian fundamentalism, anti-science, zenophobia, and other less attractive aspects of human nature. With similar calls that I've heard this week for American Samoa to return to traditional reliance on village customs and church authority, I fear for the future of skepticism, free thought, and human rights in this small tropical paradise.

Off To See The Governor

I'm all decked-out in my island wear best (for me that's a clean aloha shirt and bracing for two or three hours in long pants in tropical heat) all for my audience with American Samoa Democratic Governor Togiola T. A. Tulafono and First Lady Mary Ann Tulafono. I have no idea what to expect, but somebody better be passing around hors d'ouvres because I'm ready to get my eat on. Is it kosher to take a camera to a invitation-only governors reception? We'll find out later.

Cramped Planes, Political Posturing, Ava Rituals, And Other Dispatches From Pago Pago

Talofa is Samoan for Hello or Welcome, and it's been a word in heavy use on this first day of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Meeting here in Pago Pago, American Samoa. I arrived late last night on an absolutely packed flight in from Honolulu. I mean absolutely packed because while the flight was completely full, it felt exceptionally full since it was jam packed with Samoan men.

Now I'm a big guy myself, so it's saying something for me to bestow superlatives of size on anyone else. Samoan men are not delicate Pacific Islanders. Conservatively speaking, they tend to make the Maori of New Zealand look like Munchkins. My flight last night had a full platoon of American Samoan army reservists returning home for a visit. I pity the poor people who got sandwiched in the middle seat between these mountainous men for the five hour flight. I dunno if the Samoan size is genetic or if it's the result of Spam (or a little of both), but I know I'd hate to have been on the receiving end of Samoan wrath during the Polynesian expansion several hundred years ago.

But back to the meeting. I awoke this morning and peeked out the window to a lovely view of a harbor surrounded by soaring lush green volcanic ridges. American Samoa, a U.S. territory, is comprised of the main island of Tutuila, along with the smaller Manu'a Islands, Rose Atoll, and Swains Island. Pago Pago (pronounced Pongo Pongo) is on Tutuila, and I'm staying with most of the delegates at Sadie's by the Sea, a hotel just across the street from the meeting hall. It's location right on the water and just a hike from the National Park of American Samoa would make you think it's always buzzing with business. Unfortunately, that's not quite the case. But I'll have to leave the subject of American Samoa's struggling tourism for another time.

This morning was a closed session meeting for the All Islands Committee, a subgroup of the Task Force consisting of state and territory points of contact and local partners. This gave me a chance to brew a pot of coffee in my room and wash the sheen of sweat residue from my face. The All Islands Committee opened up for general discussion at 9:30AM on the topic of International Year of the Reef (IYOR) 2008 planning. Not unexpectedly, this was a topic of interest to a lot of attendees so it turned into a standing room only event in a much too small room. Planning? Not so much.

This is my first Task Force meeting and I have to admit I may have set my expectations a wee bit too high. What we basically have here is a federal and state agency love-fest. On the periphery of this governmental assemblage, NGOs vie for a receptive ear. But by and large, this is the turf of big government acronyms. There's NOAA, and NFWF, and NMS, and NMFS, and EPA, and USDA, and DEP. It's enough to give someone with ADHD the FITS. Attendees here are either Special Assistant to this, or Undersecretary for that. There's certainly considerable power here as well, and it's fascinating to watch the well-practiced political theater play out. I personally watched a particularly hierarchically disposed higher-up get irritated today when someone referred to him by his first name and not as Mr. Chairman.

The highlight of my morning was the official opening of the Task Force Meeting with a Samoan Ava Ceremony. It was a lavish spectacle involving village elders in ceremonial dialogue, an easily 300 pound, traditionally tattooed Samoan warrior serving as ava carrier, and a stone-faced young woman practically carried into and out of the ceremony for the sole purpose of wringing the liquid out of the mashed ava roots.

Ava is the local Samoan name for kava, the mildly intoxicating liquid preparation derived from the roots of a pepper-plant species common throughout the South Pacific islands. I've participated in several kava ceremonies in Fiji, but sadly I was relegated to just be a voyeur here. This Samoan ava ceremony was specifically to pay honor to the assembled federal mucky-mucks. It's that political hierarchy thing again. The above photo doesn't do the ceremony justice (I was in the far back of a large room). Aside from the federal ass-kissing aspect, it was a wonderful peek into Samoan culture.

The afternoon session is focused on the incorporation of traditional knowledge and practices into marine protected area science and management and the panels they have assembled look fascinating. Once I find an internet connection I'll try to post some thoughts.

That's A Moray Monday... On Sunday

Okay, I know it's not Monday, but since I'm not sure what the internet situation will be like in Pago Pago I thought I should play it safe and post this week's feature before boarding my plane.

As I'm still in Hawaii right now, I thought I'd show a little Aloha spirit and feature a Hawaiian native for this week's moray. The native Hawaiians compared this particular eel to King Kamehameha, king above all kings. So I give you Puhi Kapa: Hawaii's eel above all others.

Snowflake Moray
Echidna nebulosa
This eel is white to off-white in color with black and yellow spots formed in patterns like snowflakes on the body, thus the name Snowflake Eel. This disruptive coloration assists the eel in camouflage among the varied colors and textures of its reef home. The eels eyes are generally yellow. This fish grows to an average length of about three feet (36 inches).

The range of the Snowflake Moray is Hawaii southward to Australia, westward through the islands of the Indo-Pacific to the East Indies, and across the Indian Ocean to the coast of Africa. Loose rock or coral rubble and cracks and crevices within the reef are typical habitat for this species. They are quite commonly spotted with their heads poking out of holes in shallow reef systems.

This eel's diet consists mainly of crustaceans such as shrimps and crabs, as well as sea urchins, but it may eat smaller fish if the opportunity arises. Unlike other moray species that have sharp pointed teeth for grasping onto prey, the Snowflake Eel has blunt or flattened teeth mores suited to crushing shelled prey items.

Deep Water Sinks To New Depths

Thousands of years ago around Greenland in the North Atlantic, gigantic icebergs began to melt as the result of a dramatic climate change. As the ice melted, the water quickly sank to the bottom of the ocean to depths exceeding 10,000 feet. As it sank it did not mix significantly with the surrounding ocean water because of a marked difference in temperature and salinity. Thus a huge volume of water, essentially the remnants of giant icebergs and thusvirtually free of pathogens and chemicals was established and ready to begin a long journey.

And so begins the confusing mix of science and hype that's all part of Kona Deep, a relatively new addition to the world of bottled waters. I've written before on the marketing craze behind desalinated deep sea water. And Craig over at Deep Sea News has written extensively about it as well. But I just had my first chance to taste the magic when I spotted Kona Deep sold at the local ABC Store. At $1.99 for 16 fluid ounces (500ml) I figured it was a bargain for such a "pathogen and chemical-free" treat. How about value? Take a look at the image to the right and decide for yourself.

But am I worthy? I'm not so sure after checking-out the Kona Deep customer profile found on their website. Ask yourself:

• Are you upscale, health-oriented, knowledgeable, have discriminating taste and appreciate subtle differences in taste?
• Do you enjoy fine dining, cooking and entertaining and insist on the finest quality brands and ingredients for cocktails, meals and dinner parties,etc?
• Are you a drinker of single-malts, bourbons, premium ryes and cognacs and want the ultimate splash or chaser with these fine beverages?
• Do you like to have the best on hand for guests, entertaining and other special events?
• Do you love Hawaii and just like having a little bit of paradise on hand all the time?

Honestly, the Kona Deep team must have a sense of humor, because this certainly made me chuckle while reading it. So after all this build-up, how does it taste? You can imagine my excitement as I twisted the cap off my "little bit of paradise" in the privacy of my hotel room. With my "ultimate splash or chaser" now open, I brought the bottle to my nose to breathe in the bouquet. Not a hint of odor, which immediately made me question if I had the sufficiently "discriminating taste" so typical of the Kona Deep customer. And the taste? It tasted like... well, like water. Like ice-cold bottled water. No magic, no paradise, no subtle undertaste of the ocean. Just a mouthful of water. Certainly satisfying, hardly transformative.

The Kona Deep folks really want to convince you how special their product is though. They'll tell you about the “Global Conveyor Belt” of ocean currents and water density that's responsible for their product. Then there's the incomprehensible “Drinking Water Reverse Pyramid” where deep ocean water is apparently the pinnacle of the reverse pyramid. Or is it the base? I honestly can't tell you since the Kona Deep PR team is apparently employing reverse common sense as well. Despite all the hoo-haw (or perhaps on account of it), I can't help but admire the chutzbah on display. Just enough science to appear credible, coupled with cutting edge design and production. Go Deep! is the company motto, though perhaps it should be Go East! since the core market for desalinated deep sea water appears to be Japanese consumers (of which Hawaii has no dearth).

Still, I plan to bring a few bottles home as souvenirs. Perhaps I'll send one down to Craig McClain at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute since he must have a mass spectrometer laying around just dying to taste some Kona Deep. The rest I'll just have to dole out to my discriminating colleagues and friends who "like having a little bit of paradise on hand at all times." Let me know if I can hook you up.

Breakfast With Duke And Thoughts Of Dookie

After crashing and burning last night at around 9PM (12AM circadian time), I was wide awake at 7AM with a Pacific time brain jonesing for some caffeine. I threw-on some clothes and strolled out into the refreshing 88°F Wakiki morning. The idea of a "local" coffee shop is a somewhat foreign notion to Waikiki, what with it's glut of Starbucks and The Coffee Bean stores. I suppose they are locally managed, but I like to support true local coffee shops when I travel. But in this commercial and retail hub of Oahu, it's either the mega-coffee chains or the brownish water passing for coffee at any of the 17 million ABC Stores.

With coffee finally in hand, I made my way down to Kalakaua Avenue to visit Wakiki Beach. One of my favorite Oahu traditions is to also pay a visit and my respects to the memory of surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku. Duke Paoa Kahanamoku was born and raised in Waikiki and was an Olympic swimming champion winning three gold, two silver, and one bronze medal in four Olympics between 1912 and 1922. He is generally recognized as the father of international surfing, most notably having participated in surfing exhibitions in Australia in 1914. He also made surfing popular in mainland America first in Santa Cruz, California.

Readers will remember from previous posts that I have some serious surf envy going on. I've had a desire to learn to surf since I was a child. What's not to love? You're in the ocean, fresh air, wet, sun on your face... does it get any better? I've even got a surfing boss who's happy to show me the ropes. My two big stumbling blocks right now are that I'm still trying to manage my spinal stenosis, so moving or bending with ease is still a work in progress. The other? My potential surfing "classroom" of the SF Bay Area is home to frigid water and more Great White Sharks than anywhere in the world. I know... excuses, excuses.

After saying hello to Duke with a rub of his bronze foot, I crossed onto the sands of Waikiki Beach to watch the early morning surf crowd do their thing. I was only half joking yesterday when I mentioned the E. coli in the sand here. Last year following torrential rains, over 50 million gallons of untreated sewage was discharged into Honolulu's canal system which then was deposited onto Oahu’s south shore beaches. The state is still monitoring the long term impacts of this unprecedented environmental contamination, but I've heard that samples of offshore sediment still show higher than average bacteria levels.

According to the Hawaiian Tourism Authority statistics, as of August 2007 the Island of Oahu has seen approximately 2,263,916 hotel visitors. The vast majority of these guests have stayed in the greater Waikiki area. If you conservatively estimate at least two toilet uses each day, that's 4,527,832 toilet flushes this year alone. All of this is straining an aging and inadequate sewage treatment capacity, even without the added burden a storm season can contribute to the system. Despite warnings that a sewage system overflow can happen again, no recent plans appear to be in the works to retrofit the sewage infrastructure or construct safeguards to protect against a repeat of the 2006 spill.

With thoughts of dookie now swirling in my mind, I finishing my cup of java and waded knee-deep into the warm Waikiki water. With Diamond Head over my left shoulder, the majestic Moana Surfrider Hotel to my right, and a fleet of surfers vying for the next wave just offshore, it's difficult to imagine that there might be problems in paradise. And I suppose that's exactly what local government and city officials are counting on as well.

Will Somebody Please Hand Me A Mai Tai

Another ridiculously early wake-up and scramble to the airport. Five and a half hours later I'm on Oahu for a day before continuing on to American Samoa for the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force meeting in Pago Pago. The weather is amazing in Honolulu today, giving no impression that a hurricane passed by just a few days ago. I have a couple meetings today, then can roam around Waikiki Beach and maybe even take a dip and dig my toes into the E. coli rich beach sand.

The U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) was established by President Clinton to lead, coordinate, and strengthen U.S. government actions in order to better preserve and protect coral reef ecosystems. The Task Force is co-chaired by the Departments of Commerce and of the Interior, and includes leaders of 12 federal agencies, seven U.S. states and territories, and three freely associated states. The CRTF holds bi-annual meetings in Washington, D.C. in the spring and, on a rotational basis, in each of the CRTF member jurisdictions. The meeting in Pago Pago will allow all task force members to report on the status of ongoing coral reef initiatives in their respective areas.

This will be my first visit to American Samoa and I'm really looking forward to getting there. American Samoa is home to Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary. I'm certainly hoping that in addition to the meetings and busy schedule I can find time to see what American Samoa looks like below the surface.

Reef: So Good It Will Make Your Eyes Glow Too

The CORAL crew received our advance copy of Reef, by DK Publishing today and it's a stunner! In addition to being some of the best underwater photography around, it's got a solid conservation theme running through the narrative. And, every sale supports our coral reef conservation work worldwide. Oh, and the dust cover is texturised and bumpy, like coral (not that you want to go touching coral).

So go buy one and feel good knowing your purchase is helping to protect reefs and the local people who depend upon them. You can order your copy at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Productivity Killers: A Continuing Series

Yes, my secret fantasy is performing a disturbing hula with Al Gore while wearing fake eyebrows. I feel so dirty!

Now you can too. Head on over to Jib Jab and waste hours of your otherwise productive day! I'm not responsible for anyone getting fired.

And now a little movie of Sanjaya dancing with my dog.

And finally, PZ Myers and Bill O'Reilly performing La Cucaracha. O'Reilly gets owned!

Test Your Ocean IQ

An ad appearing above many of the ScienceBlogs banners featuring Ariel and others from Disney's The Little Mermaid have been popping-up over the past week or so. I finally gave in and clicked on it, which deposited me on Environmental Defense' Oceans Alive project website.

There're lots of kid friendly interactives to explore on the well designed site, but what you really want to do is head over to the games section and take the Ocean IQ quiz. I'm not gonna brag on my score, but I did receive a coveted blue whale sticker (above) for my efforts. No offense, but that sure looks like a Beluga whale.

This so makes up for all those gold stars I never got on homework in second grade whilst in Catholic hell school! Eat it, Sister Annuncia!

Flossie From Space Before Downgrading To Category 1

Hurricane Flossie has been downgraded to Category 1 status with maximum sustained winds of 85 MPH. With the eye of the storm now indistinct, the storm should continue to weaken and deliver tropical storm level winds (39 MPH and higher) to the Big Island over the next day or so.

In the Space Station video, see if you can tell whether the Mission Control personnel could use a geography refresher.

Future Cloudy For Papua New Guinea's People And Environment

What do you call 13 days of round-the-clock wining, dining, and lavish gift-giving for political favors that culminates in consensus? In the United States it's called a caucus and it's dressed-up in Italian business suits, expense-account hotels, and deals that are sealed behind closed doors. In Papua New Guinea, it's a two week Parliamentary bender of booze, food, and late-night clubbing on an out-of-sight volcanic island. The major difference is that in the US, the politicians at least claim that they are serving the public interest. In PNG, there's not even an attempt to create an appearance that the people have anything to benefit from the political theater.

This week, PNG re-elected Michael Somare, National Alliance Party (NA), as Prime Minister for a second term. Which is to say that Members of Parliament and special interests sealed his appointment. The ballot ran for two weeks because of the inaccessibility of some of Papua New Guinea's polling stations. The highlands region of the country is so remote some villagers didn't come into contact with Europeans until the 1930s. And as with previous ballots, the election was marred by allegations of voter intimidation and irregularities, according to anti-corruption body Transparency International.

Somare said he will probably continue granting exploration licenses to mineral and fossil fuel mining companies, 15 of which were issued in the past 5 years. PNG could become the world's third-largest producer of liquefied natural gas by 2017, according to Oil Search Ltd., the nation's biggest oil producer. It currently has about 15 million tons a year of gas production capacity. And despite concerns by local communities and conservation NGOs, Nautilus Minerals, a deep sea exploration and mining corporation, is poised to begin large-scale mining efforts with ROVs off hydrothermal vent chimneys off Papua New Guinea. As I once overheard a businessman callously refer to Papua New Guinea, It's a mountain of gold and silver floating in a sea of oil.

Although rich in natural resources such as copper, timber and gas, about 37 percent of the population lives below the poverty line and the unemployment rate is 80 percent in urban areas. HIV rates are at epidemic proportions in urban zones and rates of transmission are increasing in rural areas. On all of my visits to remote villages throughout PNG, I'm always deeply moved by the national pride Papua New Guineans have for their environments and cultures. This pride stands in stark contrast to the sadness, frustration, and unfortunate resignation to the deep corruption of their political system.

Port Moresby governor and human rights lawyer Powes Parkop underscored the growing fears that running for public office in PNG is becoming the domain of the rich and affluent and beyond the reach of ordinary Papua New Guineans,

I am concerned that those with a lot of resources and money are able to influence the formation of the government…our people have the right to influence the formation of the government, we should not leave it to those people with money and power and a lot of resources.

In this concern, Papua New Guinea and the United States share more in common than one might suspect.

Hurricane Impacts On Coral Reefs: Executioner, Savior, Or None Of The Above?

With Flossie bearing down on Hawaii, I've been asked by more than a few people today what impacts, if any, hurricanes can have on coral reefs. Since coral reefs are the bedrock of Hawaii's tourism, the fear that severe hurricanes can have a catastrophic effect on the state's economy is very real. So what do we know?

Much of what we know about hurricane impacts to reefs comes from studies in the Caribbean where severe storms have been slamming well monitored reef communities for decades. Studies show that the base coral frame is fairly resistant and immovable. But strong storm surge and wave energy can certainly damage or destroy branching corals or even smaller boulder coral colonies. Reef life such as soft corals, sponges, and any other encrusting organisms that live attached to the base coral frame can break away and be pulverized in the churning wave surge. Some of the fragmented life (sponges and corals) might survive, reattach, and continue growing in a new location if it is not buried or transported to a location where living conditions are inhospitable.

Another threat to reefs from hurricanes can be smothering from sediment suspended in wave surge or, more commonly, muddy runoff from land as a result of torrential storm downpour. Along Australia's Great Barrier Reef, sediment laden flood waters can completely block sunlight to some shallow reefs allowing only 1% of light to reach corals at depths of 10 m. Large scale flooding can carry land-based pollutants such as insecticides, fertilizers, and herbicides out to the reef. Fresh water can kill corals at shallow depths where mixing is low.

Despite these seemingly formidable assaults from hurricanes, coral reef ecosystems have recovered from severe storms for millions of years. Coral reefs are characterized as disturbance communities. While subject to frequent changes, disturbance communities tend to promote biodiversity by either selecting for species that can capitalize on rapid fluctuations or by promoting competition (and speciation) through specialization to exploit microhabitats and niches.

While hurricanes can be catastrophic for reefs, recent studies also show that hurricanes may actually have beneficial outcomes in some scenarios. Evidence is building that the cooling effect hurricanes have on sea temperatures may actually help corals recover from the bleaching caused by warming oceans. It is a controversial debate at the moment, but if the frequency of hurricanes increases with global warming, then the negative effects that are expected for coral bleaching [due to ocean warming] could be mitigated by the cooling that the hurricanes bring about.

But keep in mind that such a hypothesis only considers relief from reef threats caused by elevated sea surface temperatures. Hurricanes offer no quick fix to threats coming from unsustainable uses of coral reefs (coastal development, commercial or destructive fishing, coral mining, etc.) So while a storm-prone world might help mix (and cool) a warming sea, a slew of other stressors are waiting in the wings to further punish already over-stressed and sensitive coral reef systems.

Coincidence?

(With thanks to Tom for inspiration.)

Flossie Downgrades to Category 3

Demonstrating that we still have a long way to go in predicting and modeling hurricanes, Flossie continues to confound storm watchers and scientists as it nears the Hawaiian Islands. Now approximately 425 miles southeast of Hilo, Flossie (Honestly, who names these hurricanes? Shouldn't hurricanes have formidable names like Ester, Marge, or Stella? Not stripper names like Flossie. What's next? Hurricane Chablis?) has dropped from a Category 4 hurricane to a Category 3 with maximum sustained winds of about 125 mph.

Big Island Mayor Harry Kim has declared a state of emergency on the Big Island, which is expected to bear the brunt of Flossie's effects. All Big Island schools have cancelled classes for tomorrow and local Walgreens are staying open 24 hours to handle the last minute rush on storm supplies (candles, water, batteries, etc.)

I'm scheduled to fly into Honolulu early Friday morning on my way to American Samoa, so I'll be keeping my eye on Flossie all week. Even if it skirts the islands, I suspect storm surge to be high along the coast and wind gusts to wreak some havoc along the south shore.

You can learn more about how Hawaii is preparing from the The Honolulu Advertiser. And keep an eye on The Intersection where Chris Mooney has been posting periodic updates from the Central Pacific Hurricane Center.

That's A Moray Monday

Welcome to a new weekly addition to the blog. Each week, That's a Moray Monday will feature a different representative from the Muraenidae family of bony fish. Why morays? Why not? Moray eels are large cosmopolitan marine eels with approximately 200 species in 15 genera. They are found along tropical and subtropical coral reef systems worldwide. The loss of coral reefs isn't just a story of the decline of coral species. Loss of coral reef habitat also threatens spectacularly diverse species such as morays. I've selected these charismatic megafauna as poster children of the wonders of reef evolution and as a reminder of the complexity of life that depends upon healthy reefs.

Blue Ribbon Eel
Rhinomuraena quaesita

The Blue Ribbon Eel can be found throughout the Indo-Pacific: From East Africa to the Tuamoto Islands, north to southern Japan, south to New Caledonia and French Polynesia; including the Marianas and Marshalls.

It occurs along lagoon and seaward reefs. In the wild, the ribbon eel buries itself in sand or hides in rocks or reefs, dashing out to feed on small fishes. Juveniles and sub-adults are jet black with a yellow dorsal fin, while females are yellow with a black anal fin with white margins on the fins. The adult male can be black, fluorescent blue with yellow highlights, blue-green, or brilliant yellow. It's most noticeable features include three fleshy tentacles on the tip of its lower jaw, a single fleshy pointed projection at the tip of its snout, and tubular anterior nostrils ending in gaudy, fan-like expansions that undoubtedly assist in capturing chemical signals in the water.

This beautiful eel is the only species of moray to be a protandrous hermaphrodite, beginning life as males but able to change into females if the need arises. The ribbon eel also changes its color from blue to yellow when it becomes fully mature (& female). The ribbon eel grows to an overall length of approximately 100 cm (36 in).

Scale Model Hurricane

As we enter the peak months (August through October) of the Atlantic hurricane season, Category 4 Hurricane Flossie is already stirring things-up in the Northeast Pacific just south of Hawaii. If the images and memory of Katrina seem somewhat distant, it might be worth giving yourself a quick refresher and reality check on hurricane severity. This fascinating, though somewhat depressing, animation walks you through the Saffir-Simpson Scale and provides a great link to trajectory maps for the past 150 years of hurricanes in North America and the Caribbean.

NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center today released its update to the 2007 Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook, maintaining its expectations for an above-normal season. NOAA scientists are predicting an 85 percent chance of an above-normal season, with the likelihood of 13 to 16 named storms, with seven to nine becoming hurricanes, of which three to five could become major hurricanes (Category 3 strength or higher on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale).

Occupational Hazards: #1 In A Series

My work involves travel. A lot. Which in and of itself is nothing special. Lots of people travel a lot for work in modern, well-serviced jet aircraft. The crucial difference in my travel is that I willingly fly over vast stretches of ocean in decrepit or dubiously serviced aircraft run by equally questionable airlines. It's what many people call "local color." I call it an occupational hazard and necessary risk to do my job.

I'm dwelling on this subject today in light of the recent tragedy this week near the South Pacific coral atoll of Moorea. Moorea is pronounced Mo-RAY-uh, not MOOR-ree-ya as in Lord of the Rings. French Polynesia's President Gaston Tong Sang has confirmed that there are no survivors among the 19 passengers and pilot aboard the Twin Otter Air Moorea aircraft which crashed between the islands of Tahiti and Moorea this week. The plane crashed shortly after take-off, around mid-day local time, from the small Moorea airstrip. It was bound for neighboring Tahiti island, but was seen suddenly descending and exploding as it hit the ocean's surface, in the nearby lagoon.

I've written here about some of the scary, white knuckle flights I've had to endure to get to some of our program sites. I'm a pretty fearless flier and it really takes something substantial to get me to break out into cold sweats while airborne. Statistically, flying is still the safest form of travel. But that statistic is skewed towards developed countries. And in every single one of our project site in a developing coral reef nation, I travel on one of those airlines where I often need to steel my nerves with a local beer before strapping in for what could very well be my last plane ride.

Some of my least favorite carriers include:

Air Niugini
This is the national airline of Papua New Guinea--and the carrier mentioned in my linked story above. They fly everything from small Twin Otter's to jet aircraft. As the nation's official airline, they sort of have a stranglehold on competition. Every so often a new airline will try to make a go, then fold since the government creates no real incentive for competition. And it's that very competition that could very well drive Air Niugini to consider such things as regular servicing of aging aircraft, or better yet replacing their entire fleet.

A recent trip on Air Niugini is sort of representative of what to expect: We boarded for a night flight from PNG to Singapore and begin the taxi down the runway when suddenly all the power fails--lights, air, engine, brakes... everything. In complete silence and darkness, we roll to a stop and sit there for perhaps 30 seconds. Then the lights blink back on, the engines begin the slow whir to power-up, and we once again taxi forward to the runway. Not a word of explanation. I begin the process of imagining this happening at 30,000 feet.

Air Fiji
It's hard to feel dread boarding an Air Fiji flight considering that they spend so much time decorating their aircraft with the most beautiful murals and designs. Yet on some of the inter-island jumps between Vanua Levu, Viti Levu, and Taveuni I've found myself dwelling on how these pretty planes might look strewn across verdant rainforest or cerulean ocean surface.

Truth be told, it's not the Air Fiji planes that scare me. They're mostly new and appear well maintained. What is frightening are the air strips used for takeoff and landings. They are often unimproved fields or loosely packed gravel runways that always appear too short. It's not uncommon to spot pigs or other "wildlife" scurrying near the airfield. Couple this with the often steep and erratic approaches needed for landings (particularly in Savusavu) and you begin to understand why a lot of people prefer the rusty, leaky inter-island ferry over flying.

Merpati Nusantara
This is one of the regular (if you can justifiably use the word "regular" in Indonesia) carriers to Sorong, gateway city to Raja Ampat, Indonesia. Geographically, Sorong is part of the island of Papua New Guinea. This area is politically part of Indonesia (formerly called Irian Jaya and now referred to as Papua). Merpati Nusantara, part of Garuda Indonesia Airlines, allegedly has flights from Bali, Jakarta, and Manado on preset days of the week, though I've found that "scheduled" flights are routinely cancelled. Often the ticket in your hand is not worth the paper it's handwritten on.

Despite other carriers to Sorong, they are sometimes the only option if your schedule requires being in or out of Sorong in a hurry. Somewhat scary Twin Otter's or Dash 8 aircraft comprise their fleet. AirDisaster.com records 10 crashes in their database between 1971 and 2001 for Merpati Nusantara. The real question is why did I need to know about a website called AirDisaster.com?

And just so it doesn't seem like I'm ragging on the Pacific, I give you my least favorite Caribbean carrier:

Tropic Air
I first experienced Belize' Tropic Air last year when I flew from Belize City to Placencia. The fleet consists mostly of Dash 8 aircraft. With my many previous Pacific experiences, I certainly had no surprise in the rather spartan aspects of the Dash. After boarding, I selected the school-bus style bench seat in the rear of the plane. The seat belts, as far as I could tell, were re-purposed car seatbelts. As the entry door closed, I noticed I could see outside through the gaps in the seal. Local color.

The Dash 8 is a loud and bouncy beast of a single prop plane. Since it was clear skies, the direct flight in to Placencia was amazing and uneventful. The flight out? Not so much. A cluster of tropical thunderstorm cells was brewing the day of departure, and I really thought we would be grounded for a few hours. Nope, Tropic Air laughs in the face of thunderstorms. With drizzles already touching my face on the walk to board the plane, I noticed the looming bruised sky to the north. The direction of Belize City.

In the air, the captain chose to fly low since visibility was poor and these aircraft have no radar. We were pelted by wind and rain but before long I noticed we were doing a fly-by to check out the runway. We descend, land on the bumpy strip, but wait... this isn't Belize City. Sadly, I was on the milk-run that had several stops before reaching Belize City. So twice more before reaching my final destination we endured bumpy takeoffs, nasty thunderstorms, crazy approaches over rainforests, and finally the calm of being on solid ground.

Does any of this make me regret my occupation or assignments. Hell no. I've survived scary flights in PNG only to land and dance with Huli Wigmen. I've been welcomed with smiles, food and traditional blessings from friendly coral reef communities like Waitabu, Fiji, after white knuckle puddle jumper flights. And the occasional bumpy, storm-ridden flights in Belize, Mexico, and Honduras means I can build greater capacity for reef stewardship along the second largest barrier reef on the planet. And I always remind myself how fortunate I am to be living out what I dreamed to be doing as a child. Life's a daring adventure or nothing at all. Now if someone could just delete the AirDisaster.com bookmark on my computer all would be perfect.

Ocean Conservation And Grilled Sausages: Two Great Tastes That Taste Great Together

What do ocean conservation geeks do on a foggy summer day in San Franciso? We head to Berkeley, drink beer, and grill sausages. Our Hawaii Program Manager, Liz Foote, is visiting the mothership this week, so we decided to have a staff get together at the ED's home. I just wanted to share a few pics to show that a great conservation team has to not only work well together, but play well too.

Here's Liz and I on the ferry ride over to the East Bay. Can an after work commute get any better than this?


Most of the CORAL crew (minus staff on assignment in Fiji and on holiday) with Brian (our ED) holding the pre-grilled peppers and sausages. Thank you SF Farmers Market for the amazing selection of organic sweet and hot peppers!


And the bounty about to be savaged by hungry hordes. We had organic chicken, pork, tofu, and buffalo (yes, sustainable) sausages and even some bockwurst just for the purists. Oh baby, color me stuffed.

Breaking News: Figures Represented In These Cartoons Not To Scale... And Not Accurate

A report in the journal Nature sheds some new light on the early evolution of hominids. The new research by famed paleontologist Meave Leakey in Kenya shows our family tree is more like a wayward bush with stubby branches, calling into question the evolutionary relationship between Homo habilis and Homo erectus. Were they or were they not contemporaneous? Check out the article for the findings.

But that's not the news that interested me the most in the piece I read from the Associated Press. What really stunned me was the asinine lede,

Surprising fossils dug up in Africa are creating messy kinks in the iconic straight line of human evolution with its knuckle-dragging ape and briefcase-carrying man.

And the equally ridiculous conclusions,

Overall what it paints for human evolution is a chaotic kind of looking evolutionary tree rather than this heroic march that you see with the cartoons of an early ancestor evolving into some intermediate and eventually unto us.

Ya think?

How long was Steve Gould saying this with every other breath and in writing since at least 1980? These march of progress, or MOP diagrams as he called them, were wholly misleading oversimplifications. The evolutionary development of our species was not a linear march to our current form, but rather a process of diversification of hominid species and subsequent pruning of lineages through extinction, with the present point in time, where we are the only extant hominid, being historically atypical.

That MOP diagrams persist is a long story that involves text book sales and simplification, human misconceptions of evolutionary progress, and of course overall scientific illiteracy. Despite this sudden epiphany from the news media, I wouldn't hold my breath that MOP cartoons will disappear. We're exquisitely visual primates, and these pictures convey not only information but also humor, hopes, (and fears).
















And this one is for Bora (the only MOP cartoon I can find that's arranged from right to left.)

Unprecedented Levels Of Coral Reef Loss

While not breaking news to me, PLoS One has a sobering paper that documents the regional decline of coral cover in the Indo-Pacific. Coral cover is a measure of the ocean floor area covered by living corals--regarded as a key indicator of reef habitat quality and quantity. Authored by John Bruno and Elizabeth Selig from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the study indicates that the rate and extent of coral loss in the Indo-Pacific are greater than previously expected. What I find particularly chilling is that while coral cover is surprisingly uniform among subregions studied, overall coral cover has declined decades earlier than previously assumed, even on some of the Pacific's most intensely managed reefs. The histograms above illustrate percent coral cover in the Indo-Pacific and selected subregions during different periods.

I've commented before on the challenges that limit marine protected area (MPA) effectiveness. Most MPAs are understaffed, under funded, or their protected status is on paper only. Still, according to the science that supports marine resource management, they are the best defense we have against loss of marine biodiversity. Recognizing this, a growing alliance of Pacific nations are teaming together to meet the challenges facing their marine resources. But is it too little, too late? Certainly this study provides the first regional-scale and long-term analysis of coral loss in the region where relatively little was known about patterns of reef loss.

Even in Pacific regions labeled "best managed," not surprisingly Hawaii and Australia's Great Barrier Reef, where coral cover loss has been less severe, the authors are quick to point out that coral cover represents only one measure of overall reef health. A complete picture must factor in the reduction in the overall quality of reef habitat. This includes the presence of the foundation species that generate the physical reef framework as well the composition of species that live in and around that framework.

As the authors summarize, these results have significant implications for policy makers and resource managers as they search for successful models to reverse coral loss. While coral reef stressors are legion, management approaches need to be more adaptive to the individual needs of a region. Building reef resilience might be a moving target. But if we can measurably reduce the stressors within our capacity to address, perhaps we provide breathing room for sensitive marine ecosystems to better weather the long term challenges.

Source: PLoS One

So Good You May Need To Buy Two

In just a few short days, I'll be celebrating the release of a book that I've had the pleasure of collaborating on over the past year. Reef, by DK Publishing, is a large format book (okay, it's a coffee table book) that uses incredible photography to showcase the beauty and fragility of the worlds coral reefs. This collection of photographs, from underwater photography collective Scubazoo, reveals reefs as they’ve never been seen before.

Scubazoo is a dedicated team of divers, photographers, marine biologists, and conservationists, who have devoted their lives to the filming and preservation of reefs worldwide. The group is based in Sabah, on the island of Borneo. I was excited when they invited CORAL to join the production and editorial team on this book, and I'm even more excited that a percentage of every sale will help fund our coral conservation projects worldwide. Now that's collaboration!

The book also comes with a DVD of underwater video segments that provides a behind-the-scenes look at how the Scubazoo team captured these amazing images.

You can pre-order your copy at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Science Ink

A post by Carl Zimmer on The Loom asks science bloggers to show some skin for science. But not just any skin, he's looking for those of us so inclined to indulge in a little body modification.

The other day I was pondering how scientists tattoo themselves with their science. I was at a pool party where a friend, Bob Datta, had jumped into the water with his kids. Datta is a post-doc at Columbia, where he studies genes in Drosophila flies. I noticed that Bob had a tattoo of DNA on his shoulder.

So I'm wondering now--have I bumped into the tip of a vast hidden iceberg, or do I just happen to know the few scientists with tattoos of their science? If anyone wants to send me a jpg, I'll post it. If you're worried about tenure, just let me know how the tattoo represents the object of your study. The more personal the link, the better (i.e., not a generic tattoo of pi).

I noticed Craig McClain had thrown down already for the marine biologists, but I wanted to toss some of my own marine bio flesh out there for consideration. So I give you Honu, the Hawaiian Green Sea Turtle and symbol of longevity. Man, all that black hurt like hell!

PS: That's not me on the right.

Carnival Of The Blue III

Welcome folks and step right up to Carnival of the Blue III: a collection of July's best ocean writing on the blogosphere. I have the pleasure of hosting this month, and many thanks to Mark Powell at Blogfish for his passing the torch and providing all of his assistance.

Since this is a carnival, I suppose that technically makes all the contributors collected here carnies. Carnies are typified as sly and coercive salespeople, but the term itself merely refers to any employee of a traveling circus or carnival. Carnies are commonly perceived as an insular and discrete subculture, an example of a marginalized segment of society banding together and consciously separating themselves from mainstream society. Not exactly the sort of cohort I'd go out of my way to associate with. Wasn't it only nuclear war that scares Austin Powers more than carnies? Carnies. Circus folk. Nomads, you know. Smell like cabbage. Small hands.

If loving the ocean and working to protect it makes us a marginalized subculture, then so be it. I'm proud to band together with this group. But this collection of essays, musings, and observations indicates that ocean awareness is hardly a marginalized interest but rather a rapidly growing, almost viral enterprise. And that certainly is good news to me. But enough of my yacking, on with the carnival. And apologies for any whiff of cabbage herein.

Carnival of the Blue is delighted to welcome Blue Ocean Institute president and co-founder Carl Safina with his first submission, Bye Bye, Bluefin. Carl describes how the Bluefin tuna gets no respect – or justice – from the very people who are charged with looking after it.

Over at Hope for Pandora, Thomas Robey points out the importance of new remote sensing buoys and the potential for improved data collection for modeling ocean health. Thomas also provides great links to remote video captures of jellies and dogfish sharks.

At Island of Doubt, James Hrynyshyn explains why climate change is such a favored topic for him. For James, there is no more important a public policy challenge. And because the role of uncertainty in climate science--and science in general--has been grossly distorted in many popular media, his blog was established in part to combat such propaganda. His carnival contribution explores the appearance of a graph in last month's journal of Science that addresses both climate change and uncertainty.

Perhaps ocean science and ocean conservation wouldn't be so opaque to the general public if we did a better job of instilling a solid foundation of ocean concepts in our children. Emmett Duffy explores this idea and the growing Ocean Literacy Network at The Natural Patriot.

Brian Switek at Laelaps wonders why science must take a back seat to ratings during the ever popular Shark Week on the Discovery Channel. This annual morbid fascination of blood and fear comes at what cost?

Carnival of the Blue founder Mark Powell's contribution over on Blogfish begins with a peculiar question, What are oceans for? Mark thinks it’s a question people are beginning to ask, and he thinks the answer leads towards conservation.

Feeling crabby? If so, then Mark Hall has a trilogy on Horseshoe crabs on The Daily Kos. Yes, yes, I know... Horseshoe crabs are chelicerate arthropods, not true crabs. But until a better name comes along, enjoy this natural history. Kick-off with some Horseshoe Crab basics, move on to anatomy, then close the loop with some conservation. You can also read more ecological gems from Mark at his Biomes Blog.

And now for something completely different, Andre over in the UK ruminates about all the problems plaguing modern fisheries and wonders just what one should eat from the sea. His suggestions may catch you off guard.

Just like the diversity he so loves in the invertebrates he celebrates at The Other 95%, count on Kevin Z to provide incredible diversity for Carnival of the Blue. First he showcases sea squirt promiscuity (how risqué). Then enjoy his synthesis of science and music with his spineless song (and new Deep Sea News anthem), What does the Deep Sea Say?

And speaking of the boys at Deep Sea News, they submitted a slew of posts for inclusion in this month's carnival. So it's dealers choice. First, Craig describes (sarcastically) why Canada should welcome global warming and an ice-free polar sea for all its potential benefits. Then enjoy a post from Peter that asks, How safe is your sushi? Peter set off a firestorm of comments with this, and they are as much fun to read as his post itself.

If it's great ocean conservation blogging with equally great comment trails that piques your interest, then check-out Jennifer's post on Shifting Baselines that followed Al Gore's Chilean Sea Bass drama from last month. Did he or didn't he? Find out for yourself. But the news was so popular (and contentious) that Jennifer had to follow-up with an additional post. Jack Sterne from Ocean Champions also contributed his take on the matter with a guest post on Shifting Baseline's Politics Tuesday.

Since the whole Sea Bass brouhaha got so much press, it's not surprising it showed-up in numerous blogs. Sheril Kirshenbaum at The Intersection found herself in a similar predicament as Mr. Gore and in turn asked her readers, What would you do?

Turning our attention to Micronesia, you can check-out The Saipan Blog where Angelo Villagomez treats us to an amazing gallery of Saipan nudibranchs and his thoughts on everything from island blogging, building an online community and conservation ethic in the CNMI, and a future that includes what Angelo calls Ecotourism 2.0.

On a subject near and dear to my heart, coral reef conservation, Caspar Henderson at the forbodingly named Coral Bones wonders if ocean and coral scientists are being too reticent and that warnings of ocean threats may be too conservative.

Jason at Cephalopodcast provides us with a great list of video and audio aquatic podcasts so you can feed your eyes and ears with great ocean news and views.

Wonder what tide pooling looks like in Malaysia? Join the folks at The Tide Chaser and virtually explore the exposed rocky shorelines of Singapore. Amazing nudibranchs and anemones every month.

The folks at Squid, the blog of Laughing Squid, the San Francisco-based web hosting firm that's also dedicated to art, culture, and technology, covered the ongoing invasion of Humboldt squid into northern California. Can you say jumbo orders of fried calamari?

And while we're on the subject of squid, he may have been too busy to submit his favorite ocean-themed post from last month, but you can always count on PZ Myers at Pharyngula to remind you that he's got some serious squid envy. For some great cephalopod science, check out his piece on what the developmental biology of squid can teach us about evolution. On the lighter side, PZ gives us a snippet of the last thing you can expect to see before being eaten by his favorite cephalopod.

Finally, yours truly was all over the map as usual in July on Malaria, Bedbugs, Sea Lice, and Sunsets. I'll point you to two favorites: First you can find out about how recent science is uncovering that some coral species, and their algal symbionts, are more resistant to heat stress than formerly understood. Potentially positive news in a warming world. Lastly, I challenge the notion that scuba divers and other marine recreationists are somehow better informed and that conservation messaging to this audience is unnecessary.

Yikes! That was exhausting! Who knew that one month held so much great ocean writing? Of course, all apologies if I missed anyone in this roundup. Please shoot me a heads-up and I'll add your post to the carnival. And be sure to look for Carnival of the Blue IV which will be coming from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, hosted by Angelo over at The Saipan Blog on September 3.

Keep it blue!

Kalua Pork, Shaved Ice, Hula Children, And Conservation Outreach: A Perfect Day At SF Aloha Festival

CORAL was invited to participate in this year's Aloha Festival in San Francisco. A production of PICA, the Pacific Islander's Cultural Association, the Aloha Festival is a two-day festival of arts held during the first full weekend of every August in The Presidio. Entertainment includes Pacific Islander music as well as Polynesian dance. The festival also features over 100 arts & crafts vendors, island cuisine, educational exhibits and workshops. It's a great addition to San Francisco's already impressive collection of cultural festivals and I was proud CORAL was a part of it.

Anja was the real heroine of the day, volunteering to wake-up early on a Saturday morning to schlep all of the displays and outreach materials over to The Presidio. She set up a table with brochures, calendars, Seafood Watch cards, and of course the famous outreach raffle. Anja had a great flow of traffic all day and helped share a coral reef conservation to any interested visitor. And with all the fish eaters among the attendees, I suspect we placed some well needed Seafood Watch cards in lots of pockets. Here's Anja posing with our spanking new banner.


One of our neighbors in the education tent, Surfrider Foundation, was also providing ocean conservation outreach to visitors. Though I must admit I think they are sending out mixed messages by providing free souvenir shells to little visitors. I don't think it serves the goal of building stewardship by encouraging the collection of ocean curios.


After checking-in with Anja, Manuel and I made a bee-line straight for the food tents. It wasn't hard to find. First you follow the wafting aromas of charring pork and chicken. They you look for the long lines leading-up to the most popular vendor. It was a difficult choice given all the vendors: huli chicken, Filipino platters of adobo, pancit, lumpia and more, Pad Thai, Thai barbecue, salmon burgers, garlic fries, kettle corn, chicken kabobs... the list goes on. We spotted a particularly long line for a vendor serving-up Hawaiian lunch plates consisting of a mound of kalua pork, fresh salmon poki, steamed rice, macaroni salad, and poi for $6.00. The line moved quickly and before long we were both enjoying island flavors under San Francisco fog.


And after a great island lunch, how about a great refreshing island treat of shaved ice? I'm a big shaved ice fan, and apparently so was everyone else in attendance. We waited in line for about 30 minutes to approach one of the two shaved ice vendors. We chose the one where you actually get to choose and pour your own flavors. Oh baby, why didn't they have this when I was a kid? I went nuts and mixed-up my own combo of green apple, watermelon, mango, strawberry, and peach. I won't even try to descibe how great it tasted on a hot (well, hot for San Francisco) afternoon.



I made the mistake of asking Manuel to hold my shaved ice as I took pictures. Needless to say there was less shaved ice in my bowl when he handed it back to me.


The Aloha Festival is a great event that attracts a broad cross section from the entire Pacific Rim. There were visitors and vendors representing Hawaii, Samoa, Guam, Philippines, the CNMI, Palau, Tonga, and more. It's a fantastic family event that has something to offer every visitor, whether you're from the islands or not. As we were leaving, we walked past the performers prep area and watched a family getting ready for a Hula presentation. There were children, parents, and grandparents representing a connection to island culture stretching back at least three generations. It's great that the Bay Area can have this event that allows island pride and culture to shine. You still have tomorrow (Sunday) if you want to attend the festival. I might have to go again if only for more shaved ice or a Halo-Halo. And if you miss this year, be sure to mark your calendar for next summer.

Lunch In Chinatown And The Toll On Our Oceans

I had a hankerin' for some Char Siu Bao (steamed BBQ pork buns) for lunch, so I strolled up to SF Chinatown in search of a Chinese bakery. Okay, I didn't stroll, I slogged and sweated up the concrete luge run they call California Street. Cutting down Grant Street (above image) I began the hunt for lunch but got distracted by all the dried shark fins, sea cucumbers, sea horses, pipefish, abalone, scallops, and myriad fish on display in the assorted ginseng shops and traditional medicine apothecaries.

Being an ever watchful blogger, I keep my tiny camera tucked-away in one of my many pockets. I tried to take some well-composed pictures of the dehydrated ocean carnage, but I got chased out of the first shop by the rather angry (and apparently non-English speaking) old lady running the store. Yeesh, if you have no concerns selling this stuff, why get all upset? Perhaps because some pain-in-the-ass blogger will showcase your callous disregard for the health of the oceans? Perhaps.

Sorry for the poor quality here, but I had to be sneaky, having reached my fill of Chinese scolding for the afternoon. Here you can see some dried fish fillets and dried sea cucumbers in bins:


Jar after jar of dried shark fin (check out the tag on one jar for $288 a pound):


And tray upon tray of dried sea horses waiting to be ground into powder, boiled in clay pots with other ingredients, and quaffed for any of a variety of ailments.


The use of sea horses for traditional Chinese medicine takes the lives of about 20 million sea horses per year. They are used to treat a variety of ailments including asthma, arteriosclerosis, incontinence, impotence, thyroid disorders, skin ailments, broken bones, and heart disease. The use of sea horses for medicine is no longer limited to the Chinese either. It is becoming popular in other Asian communities as well. However, although sea horses are popular for their medicinal value and are claimed to be effective treatments, no empirical research has been done to demonstrate evidence that they actually are effective treatments.

Что тупоумное место для флага!

In 1845, New York journalist John O'Sullivan coined the phrase "Manifest Destiny," an expression that would remain shorthand during the late nineteenth century for the belief that Americans had an obligation to settle the western territories. In fact more than simply being America's burden to explore and expand, Manifest Destiny implied that America's expansion was predetermined, undeniable, and--most importantly--inspired by some all powerful creator. But don't for a second think that the US has cornered the market on arrogant land grabs in the name of empire.

This week, Russia symbolically staked its claim to billions of dollars worth of oil and gas reserves in the Arctic Ocean when two mini submarines reached the seabed more than two and a half miles beneath the North Pole. The dangerous mission prompted ridicule and skepticism among other contenders for the Arctic's energy wealth, with Canada and the US being among the first to go on the record. This isn't the 15th century. You can't go around the world and just plant flags and say: 'We're claiming this territory', the Canadian foreign minister, Peter MacKay, told Canadian television (CTV).

Under international law, the five states with territory inside the Arctic Circle – Canada, Norway, Russia, the United States and Denmark via its control of Greenland – have a 320 km (200 mile) economic zone around the north of their coastline. A UN convention says none can claim jurisdiction over the Arctic seabed because the geological structure does not match the surrounding continental shelves. The region is currently administered by the International Seabed Authority but this is now being challenged by Moscow.

Russian scientists claim that the 1,220-mile long underwater Lomonosov Ridge is geologically linked to the Siberian continental platform - and similar in structure. The U.S. State Department noted that Russia has not yet made public the research allegedly backing its position and said the best available scientific evidence suggests the ridges in question are oceanic by nature "and thus not part of any country's continental shelf."

While the United States remains skeptical, we have not had the opportunity to examine any of the recently obtained data, said Leslie Phillips, a department spokeswoman. We wish the Russian scientists a safe expedition.

Pumped Poop Puts Precious Maui Reefs In Peril?

Instead of hitting the fan, the shit seems to be hitting the deep ground in Maui County, Hawaii. The county heard briefings earlier this week on two reports that were published earlier this year, on rampant algae growth around Maui and on evidence suggesting links between algae and the use of injection wells. The presentation showed how the two studies reinforce each other.

Deep well injection is a liquid waste disposal technology. This method uses injection wells to place treated or untreated liquid waste (in this case partially treated human effluent) into geologic formations on Maui that have no potential to allow migration of these contaminants into potential potable water aquifers. Or at least that's the idea. But if human effluent (essentially a nutrient-rich fertilizer) seeps into nutrient poor tropical coastal systems, it can potentially spur macroalgal blooms at a rate that reef grazers cannot adequately control. As a result, algae can smother reef surfaces, effectively blocking light penetration to the coral polyps.

In the last year, studies conducted in Hawaii have linked injection wells to algae on reefs, but Dan Polhemus, administrator of the State of Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources seems to prefer further data collection over the precautionary principle, We want to make sure we are drawing the right conclusions from the right data, he said. We don’t want to be premature. But Maui County Council Member Danny Mateo is somewhat less sanguine. The state has coral cover studies that stretch back almost 12 years on Maui and to Mateo, that's a sufficient data set. I cannot wait another 12 years, he said. [The State of hawaii] had better shift gears and start protecting our valuable resources.

Source: The Maui News, Tuesday, July 31, 2007

H.R. 1205 Update And A Feinstein Gaffe

Fresh news this morning from the office of US Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif) concerning H.R. 1205, the Coral Reef Conservation Amendments Act of 2007:

Dear Mr. MacPherson:

Thank you for contacting me to express your support for the "Coral Reef Conservation Amendments Act of 2007" (HR. 1205). I appreciate hearing from you and I welcome the opportunity to respond.

The "Coral Reef Conservation Amendments Act" was introduced by Representative Eni Faleomavaega (D-American Samoa) on February 27, 2007. The bill would reauthorize the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000. H.R. 1205 is pending in the House of Representatives, and currently there is no Senate companion legislation. However, I will keep your comments in mind should similar legislation come before me in the United States Senate.

You may be interested to know that Senator Olympia Snowe (D-ME) introduced the "Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 2007" (S. 950), of which I am an original cosponsor. The bill would develop and maintain an integrated system of coastal and ocean observations for the Nation's coasts, oceans, and Great Lakes. Using advanced buoys and other data collection tools, ocean observation will help us better understand how our changing climate impacts oceans. Please know that I will keep your thoughts in mind about the serious impact of climate change on the oceans and coasts as I continue to support legislation to help protect and preserve our environment.

Again, thank you for writing to me. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact my Washington, D.C. staff at (202) 224-3841.

Sincerely yours,
Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator

Which is all well and good, except it's not quite accurate. S. 1583 has been introduced in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on June 7. Senator Feinstein's staff apparently isn't paying attention (and Senator Feinstein isn't fact checking.)