That's A Moray Monday

You might think that with over 200 described species of moray eels, selecting a candidate eel to feature each week would be a snap. But just because there are over 200 described species doesn't mean finding suitable pictures for my posts is easy. A lot of the taxonomic images for the less-common moray species are photos of pickled specimens that sat in jars of formalin for days, weeks, or years before someone got around to describing the species. Needless to say, not the most compelling imagery. Regular readers will note that I like to feature living specimens in natural settings. Call me picky, but I like living things.

Anyway, it took some searching but I found a great eel to feature this week with plenty of on-reef shots.

Mosaic Moray
Enchelycore ramosa

I think someone goofed on the common name of this moray species. While perhaps Mosaic moray could be used to describe the mosaic-like pattern of splotches and geometric shapes along the eels body, I think a better name might be Scary Mouth-Full-of-Teeth moray. Typical of the Enchelycore genus, the Mosaic moray sports a gaping mouth with needle-sharp teeth along the margins of the arched jaws as well as teeth studding the roof of the mouth. All the better to grasp and hold onto small reef fish, crustaceans, and juvenile reef octopus.

The Mosaic eel is yellow to grey in color with a mosaic pattern of darker lines. It reaches a maximum length of about 150 cm. (4.9 ft.). It inhabits coral and rocky reefs in the subtropical and temperate Pacific from southeast Australia and New Zealand eastward to Easter Island.

Conference Season About To Begin

I've got three weeks of back-to-back travel coming up. Florida, Tennessee, and Georgia. Which essentially means I'll be living in air conditioned rooms for 21 days straight. Honestly, can't somebody hold a summer conference in Seattle or Maine?

First up is Ft. Lauderdale for the 11th International Coral Reef Symposium, the world's largest gathering for coral reef science and conservation. I'll be presenting two papers and hobnobbing with other coral heads for what I hope is an exciting week. Next I'm off to Chattanooga, TN, where I'm presenting a workshop at the annual meeting of the Society for Conservation Biology. I've been told the Tennessee Aquarium is a must see, so I'll definitely be checking that out. The final leg of my July conference junket will be to Savannah, Georgia for the National Marine Educators Association Annual Meeting where I'll be joining fellow ocean blogger Jason Robertshaw of Cephalopodcast. We'll be presenting a workshop on adding ocean science blogs and other new media into ocean science curricula.

Keep checking back here for real-time, live-blogging from all three conferences. I've got a few coral reef scientists and conservationists on tap for exclusive interviews throughout the month. Despite all the hotel hopping and air travel, it should be a lot of fun and a great learning experience.

If any readers have recommendations for good eats, good coffee, quality microbrews, or other local color in Ft. Lauderdale, Chattanooga, and Savannah please share them! And if you live in any of the above cities, give me a heads-up and we can get together for a beer.

Where Are All My Gays?

I'm fortunate to live in a city where US history is being made. With California now legally recognizing same sex marriages, marriage ceremonies being conducted daily across the state, and more states not only getting ready to honor California same sex marriages but also passing legislation to perform their own, it certainly is a Pride to remember.

For at least a day let's forget that conservatives are already mobilizing to overturn California's historic decision in November, and none other than bathroom stall closet homo Senator Larry Craig and DC Madam-frequenting Senator David Vitter are championing a brand new Federal Marriage Amendment.


This weekend is about inclusion, pride, love, fun, and hope. Happy Pride everyone!

Missed Him By That Much

So let me see if I've got this straight: A group of Florida teens party till 2AM whereupon, under good judgment we are told, they drive to a local canal that feeds into Lake Okeechobee.

Despite the group having already spotted alligators in the water, 18-year old Kasey Edwards decides, just for kicks, to swim across the canal. Whereupon the heavily eyebrow-manscaped Edwards is attacked by a reported 600-pound bull gator which clamps onto his left arm.

Edwards loses his arm to the gator in the struggle but amazingly survives. The alligator that attacked Edwards was hunted down and killed. Instead of reflecting on the questionable judgement of swimming among enormous, nocturnal predators when they are most active what does our young protagonist do? He blames the "misguided efforts of animal-rights activists and conservationists." Edwards feels resource managers have allowed too many alligators to thrive and compete for limited food, so they’ve become much more aggressive.

“They’re just in such a competitive environment; the alligators just become so much more aggressive,” he told reporters. “Ten years ago, you jump in the water, they’re going to stay on the bank and look for a fish or a turtle or a bird, and for the most part just leave humans alone. Now, that’s not the case. It’s definitely been a wake-up call to me, and I hope it’s a wake-up call to a lot of people that alligators are definitely very aggressive.” Edwards added, “They’re out for blood.”

Yes, stupid blood apparently.

As difficult as this may be to hear, Mr. Edwards, what with that wake-up call still ringing in your ears, your decision to swim with gators (be it one or a dozen) is stupendously dense. And to fob blame off on conservationists who have succeeded in bringing a species back from the brink of extinction is just lame. And you leave out an important bit of data. True, alligator populations are growing. But so are human populations in Florida as they continually push into what was exclusively alligator habitat. More people means more wildlife squeezed into smaller and smaller areas increasing the chances for human encounters. Then all it takes is stupidity to create an incident.

So take your Darwin Award almost-ran status and go home, bubba. And let's hope your crazy talk won't spur a local backlash on alligators through Floridians taking gator culling into their own hands.

Akumal: Place Of The Turtles

This video recently won first place in an underwater photo/video contest in the conservation category. It shows damage to the reefs in Akumal, Mexico, and a short but compelling side-by-side comparison of Akumal and Cozumel, highlighting the conservation value of marine protected areas.

Score One For No Take Marine Reserves

In exciting news that's sure to redeem me in the eyes of Mark Powell at blogfish, word this week from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP) is that scientists have documented promising recovery results for a key reef fish species in the Park. The Coral trout (Plectropomus leopardus) has made a stunningly rapid comeback--a turnaround researchers credit to a sweeping conservation policy that banned all fishing in protected areas.

In what was then a controversial decision, in 2004 the GBRMP managers designated 33% of the park's area as no-fishing (no-take) zones. In just a short time, scientists have documented an astonishing 31% to 68% increase in Coral trout numbers in no-take zones. Most promising was that increases were observed anywhere a no-take zone was established. This is incredibly promising and validating evidence that marine reserves can work.

Now a little reality check: Scientists need to cross validate these results with other fish species to see if the same gains are being observed across trophic levels. It's also important to recognize that no-take reserves will need to be one piece of a larger network of management strategies, including adaptation strategy to climate change, and protecting water quality and live coral cover--all of which are drivers for fish abundance.

Still, it's encouraging to have this early data to point to as a promising solution.

Miriam: I'll See Your Ammonite Sink And Raise You A Nautilus Urinal

In an effort to fully solidify my position as king of the ocean blog gutter, I go from a masturbating walrus to a cephalopod urinal. But I blame Miriam over at The Oyster Garter for leading me down this path with her recent post on a wicked-cool ammonite sink. Damn you, Miriam! Don't you know posts like this absolutely side-track my productivity!

I'm not sure how I'd feel about peeing on a majestic Nautilus shell. But if oceans aren't your thing, Nature's Call--manufacturers of the shelly urinal--have a variety of nature-based porcelain creations for your delectation.

No word yet as to whether a Nautilus urinal has spawned the launch of a new set of fish or crustacean-shaped urinal cakes.

Encomium: Ayveq The Self-Gratifying Walrus

It's been a week that has seen some giants fall. First George Carlin shuffled off his mortal coil. And now it's with a heavy heart that this transplanted east coast boy reports another loss. After a short period of illness and intensive care, the New York Aquarium announced that Ayveq the Walrus died on June 22.

Ayveq, one of three orphaned walruses, was brought to the Aquarium in May 1994 from the village of Gambel on St. Lawrence Island, Alaska. His name meant “walrus” in Siberian Yupik, the language of the native people of Eastern Siberia. Ayveq was much beloved by visitors to the Coney Island institution. But it wasn't just his good looks that drew crowds. No, just as any trip to the Big Apple can both delight and shock, Ayveq was world famous for entertaining and embarrassing droves of aquarium visitors through his singular mastery of masturbation.

To say Ayveq enjoyed pleasuring himself in public was an understatement. Maybe it was compulsive behavior exacerbated by boredom and captivity. Or maybe Ayveq just had a randy, Austin Powers-esque streak and was just working-out his mojo. But YouTube has plenty of video samples of Ayveq demonstrating not only an astonishing variety of onanistic performances but also the impressive flexibility of walrus anatomy.

The New York Aquarium and Wildlife Conservation Society took the high road in a press release, reminding readers that, "Ayveq will be remembered for his raffish ways and unusual skills such as whistling on cue, drinking down whole fish through a straw, and charming many generations of Aquarium visitors at the Sea Cliffs windows." As for me, I'll always remember watching Ayveq bopping his baloney with a peculiar mix of awe and discomfort. Imagine watching a spoken word performance by Maya Angelou when she suddenly decides to include a striptease in her act. Yeah, that feeling. Giuliani may have cleaned-up Times Square, but the Aquarium was truly the sexiest show in Gotham.

Ayveq, you will be missed.

When Eco Tours Go Bad

CORAL's Hawaii Field Manager Liz Foote sent me some disturbing images she captured during a recent snorkel trip to Molokini Shoal Marine Life Conservation District and other snorkel destinations off Maui earlier this week. She was in the water with a few different so-called "Eco Tour" operators. One company even sells it's tours by inviting guests to join "friendly experts on our unique Eco-Adventure cruises," and that they work "to protect whales, dolphins, all other marine life and their home – the oceans of the world."

Having looked-over all Liz' photos, my question is precisely which part of these Eco Tours is actually "eco," and demonstrating "protection of marine life and their home?"

Is it the floatation marker lines which companies use to create snorkel zones that also happen to abrade coral colonies?


Perhaps it's the float-line spools wedged between living coral colonies?

Or is it the show and tell with marine life out of the water while posing for the tour company videographer?


Is it the marine life carelessly "dropped" back onto the reef?

Is it the crowding and surrounding of an endangered species depriving it of an escape route?

Maybe it's the egregious examples of lack of supervision while guests kick, climb on, and scrape coral colonies with their fins?




Needless to say, when labels like "eco" are used for situations like this, it calls into question any serious commitment to environmental sustainability and suggests green washing. Which is why CORAL is facilitating a process on Maui and the Big Island to create a set of voluntary marine recreation standards (just like we created for the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef) for reef-safe diving, snorkeling, boat operation and other aquatic activities. The goal? Help the marine tourism industry formulate a set of best environmental practices and code of conduct that ensures their ecological footprint on their reef is minimal and Hawaii marine protected areas can better meet the States management objectives.

After all, a healthy reef means a healthy business.

One Way To Deal With Invasive Species: Eat Them!

The school of fish in the above image are Blue-Lined snapper or Ta'ape (Lutjanus kasmira) from Hawaii. The Blue-Lined snapper was imported from the Marquesas Islands and released into Hawaiian waters in 1958, and again from Moorea in the Society Islands in 1961. The purpose was to increase available food fish resources in Hawaii.

Well that was the plan, anyway. Turns out that concerns over eating the Blue-Lined snapper because of ciguatera poisoning (see my previous Moray Monday post for the 411 on ciguatoxin bioaccumulation) were circulated shortly after introduction. While Blue-Lined snapper is no more susceptible to ciguatera poisoning than any other reef predator species, the result was a sharp decline in Blue-Lined snapper consumption. In turn, this allowed the fish population to multiply over the years. As an aggressive invasive species, it can outcompete native fish for space, crowding them out of important refuge areas.

But perhaps perceptions can change. Monday night's special International Year of the Reef celebration at the Maui Ocean Center might be the starting point. The Coral Reef Alliance co-sponsored the event which hosted a "Reef Night Invasive Species Cook-Off." The challenge? See if professional and amateur chefs can turn Blue-Lined snapper, an invasive species considered harmful to local reef environments, into a tasty delight. I wish I was there to see for myself, but Liz Foote, CORAL Hawaii Field Manager was in attendance.

Unfortunately for Liz, she was so busy with outreach and working the room that she missed-out on the tasty culinary creations. Below is a picture of what she scrounged-up. I believe it's about 2 quarts of potato-macaroni salad with an unidentified, broiled invasive species.

Who knows, if we succeed in Hawaii at controlling invasive species through our dinner plates, we might be able to extrapolate to other areas afflicted by problematic uninvited pests. Anyone for Zebra mussels in garlic butter? Or Mitten crab cakes? I personally can't wait for Lionfish and chips.

That's A Moray Monday: The "I Haven't Posted One Of These In Weeks" Edition

Apologies to those taxonomically inclined readers who may only frequent MBSL&S for the Moray Monday feature. But I promise I'll go "big" on my return to cataloging the wonderful world of morays with this week's edition. To wit: How can you get any bigger than the Giant moray?

Giant Moray
Gymnothorax javanicus

At the risk of being called a size queen by Christopher over at Catalog of Organisms, I must admit that this fish is impressive! At a recorded length of 300 cm. (9.8 feet) and weighing-in at 30 kg. (66 pounds), G. javanicus is a true giant. This is the largest Indo-Pacific moray eel, found in the Red Sea and East Africa to the Marquesas and Oeno Atoll (Pitcairn Group), north to the Ryukyu and Hawaiian islands, south to New Caledonia and the Austral Islands.

Because of its position at the top of the reef's food chain it is often ciguatoxic. This is a beautiful example of biomagnification as ciguatoxin bioaccumulates in lower trophic level organisms, resulting in higher concentration of the toxin at higher levels of the food chain. Predator species near the top of marine food chains in tropical waters, such as barracuda, moray eel, parrotfish, grouper, triggerfish, and amberjack, are most likely to cause ciguatera poisoning, although many other species have been found to cause occasional outbreaks of ciguatera. Ciguatoxin is very heat-resistant, so ciguatoxin-laden fish cannot be detoxified by cooking.

While the Giant moray exhibits similar reclusive behavior--in keeping with smaller moray relatives--the sheer size of the Giant moray and tendency to not back-down have earned it a reputation among divers as more prone to attacking when provoked.

When not attacking stupid divers, the Giant moray can be found in lagoon habitats and on seaward reefs. They feed primarily on fishes and occasionally on crustaceans. It's a commonly seen species along deep drop-offs and slopes in Indonesian waters. The Giant moray exhibits slightly different coloration from juvenile to adult. Juveniles are tan with numerous large black spots while adults have black specks that grade into leopard-like spots behind the head and a black area surrounding the gill opening.

Encomium: George Carlin

"I think it's the duty of the comedian to find out where the line is drawn and cross it deliberately."
George Carlin
1937-2008

Belize Deepens Commitment To Green Leadership

My queer sensibilities are screaming in pain at the above image of green paint under flourecent lighting. Ewww. What's important is that it's a picture of Coral Reef Alliance Mesoamerican Barrier Reef Program Manager Rich Wilson (left), Belize Minister of Tourism the Hon. Jose Manuel Heredia, Jr. (center), and San Pedro, Belize dive tourism operator Billy Leslie (right) following a meeting we set-up earlier this week in Belize City. The color of the walls at least underscores Belize' ongoing leadership in environmental sustainability for the Mesoamerican region.

Thanks to the vision of the government and leadership of marine tourism operators like Billy, we are inching closer to seeing our Voluntary Standards for Marine Recreation, a tool to measurably reduce recreational impacts to coral reefs, become ratified into Belizean law.

We've got a lot of work to do before we can put this one to bed. But great job moving the needle along, Rich! And kudos to Belize for leading by example.

Say What?

This one's been sitting on my desk for a while and it seems like perfect Friday Fodder. Bethany Hamilton, America's favorite surf chick cum one-armed Tiger shark attack survivor went on the record earlier this month with perhaps one of the most jaw-dropingly asinine remarks.

When asked to comment on her life since the 2003 Tiger shark attack that took her left arm and flung her into the national media spotlight, perky Bethany responded, "I'd never take my arm back for anything. So much good has come out of it."

You wouldn't? Really?! Not even if somehow donor arm reattachment were medically possible? I mean, I'm sure she's gained internal strength and resolve and adapted to the aftermath of a horrifying accident. But two arms are a good thing, right? And day-to-day life would be easier with both hands, wouldn't it?

Then again, there's now "Brand Bethany." A lucrative RipCurl deal for everything from surf boards to surf wear. There's her paid lecture circuit to over 7,000 churches a year to hear her inspiring tale of "Heart of A Soul Surfer." There's her gig at a christian brainwash surf camp called Walking on Water. There's exclusive Bethany perfumes for tweens seeking that wahini Bethany vibe. There's the rights to the screenplay for a feature-length film based on Bethany's story that's scheduled to begin filming this fall. And of course there are licensing rights for her image on everything from JetSkis to motorcycles to Subway Sandwiches.

I fully expect that I'll be called overly harsh. Bethany's the quintessential survivor and deserves every single endorsement she gets, right? Maybe so. But let's be honest and keep in perspective that Bethany's thriving cottage industry has more to do with her tanned surfer/MTV-friendly phenotype than physical adaptation and spiritual transmogrification. Cash and paid travel can certainly enhance perkiness too (it certainly works for me).

But seriously, Bethany. You'll gain real creds if you hold back on soundbites like, "I'd never take my arm back for anything," and maybe try something like, "I've single handedly built a surfing empire!"

Mission Accomplished?

The always expansive thinker, Mark Powell of blogfish, has posted a link to an interesting editorial in the Seattle Times. The writer of the piece suggests that we environmentalists have already won the battle in convincing the public of the severity and multitude of environmental problems. Her suggestion? Since everyday is Earth Day, it's time to have a one-day hiatus from gloom and doom and collectively relax our guards. She (jokingly?) suggests, "we'd turn on all the lights and crank the A/C and heat simultaneously. And just for a while it would be morning in America, when green was just a color and everything was free."

Mark thinks she has a point. I agree with Mark. But I also disagree, with both the Seattle Times writer's premise and part of Mark's conclusion.

Let's take a look at the premise in the Seattle Times piece. Has the environmental movement sufficiently conveyed the severity of threats? To answer this, you need to survey public perceptions. This also means you need to select your questions and select your intended respondents carefully. To get anything resembling an honest and meaningful answer that approximates reality requires more than just stopping people randomly on the street for their opinion. How a 20-something San Franciscan might respond to questions about environmental awareness might be very different from those obtained from a Baby Boomer interviewed in Chattanooga, or a line cook in Savannah.

And for which environment or threat do you wish to measure public awareness, perceptions, and attitudes? Surely people are to some degree a product of, and influenced by, their local environments. So I might expect a Seattleite (Seattler?) to perhaps have more to say about salmon and boreal forests than a resident of Sedona, Arizona. I'm personally neither familiar with salmon nor boreal forests. But I am familiar with some recent attempts to characterize the US public's perceptions and attitudes regarding ocean environmental issues.

Tonight We're Gonna Survey Like It's 1999
In 1999, The Ocean Project completed what remains the most comprehensive opinion research on public attitudes, perceptions, and knowledge of the ocean ever conducted. In a national telephone survey, they sampled 1,500 Americans across a broad gender, racial, age, educational, socioeconomic, and geographic spectrum. Respondents represented coastal and land-locked lifestyles.

The Ocean Project research summary report indicated that Americans are unaware of the threats to ocean health and they greatly underestimate their own role in damaging the oceans. The public primarily values the oceans for their recreational and emotional aspects, but their understanding of why we need the oceans is superficial. Consequently, while many Americans express an emotional connection to the oceans, awareness and concerns about the oceans’ health are low. Most ocean environmental awareness and understanding that was demonstrated was confined to impacts to beaches and other coastal habitats which respondents could visit.

In findings that no doubt give the Deep Sea News boys a case of the night sweats, nearly half of all Americans are not familiar enough with the open, deep oceans to even form an opinion of ocean health.

Not surprisingly to me as an ocean-lover who grew up nowhere near a coastline, The Ocean Project found that the vast majority of Americans hold a strong emotional connection to the ocean irrespective of their proximity to it.

What perhaps may have come as a shock, however, is that there was no demonstrable correlation between factual knowledge of oceans across respondents and their overall level of concern. In other words, people who knew more facts about the ocean demonstrated no appreciably greater concern for that environment.

The findings from this survey were a wake-up call to those of us in the ocean education and conservation communities. It showed that Americans possessed a superficial knowledge of the oceans. The public knew in general terms that the oceans are essential to human survival and that we need to protect them. However, many were unaware of the specific functions of the oceans and their own part in damaging the health of the oceans. While most Americans acknowledged that oceans were vulnerable to harm, oceans were not perceived to be in immediate danger, and the need for action to protect the oceans was not readily apparent.

I was teaching at UC Berkeley at the time, and this report became the catalyst for at least a year of state and national conferences and meetings in an attempt to formulate a response to our failure at successful environmental communication. One outcome that was a direct result of the findings from The Ocean Project report was the creation of a national network of NSF-funded Centers for Ocean Science Education Excellence (COSEE's) to bridge greater public understanding of oceans. It may be too early to say if this effort has been successful. By 2010, The Ocean Project will complete a revised survey and release its findings to measure changes that have occurred in public perception and attitude over the past ten years.

But back to Mark's post and suggestion that perhaps the Seattle Times writer is, in part, correct. Is there a lot of gloom and doom and negative environmental news out there? Of course. But an unasked question is equally important to consider: Despite the volume of grim news, is the public aware of the level of environmental threats? Focusing just on ocean issues, I think we can agree that the data would indicate a resounding NO: the American public is unaware of both the level of crisis and the need for immediate action.

To me, this doesn't paint a compelling picture of "mission accomplished." Kicking-back on the couch and channel surfing until a fire truck shows up is perhaps not the best option when the house catches fire. Alright, bad metaphor I know. But I'm having trouble even concocting a decent metaphor that describes a comparable situation where your surroundings are crumbling around you, alarms are blaring, yet people fail to respond.

Pessimistic? Optimistic? Realistic?
But what about Mark's second point. He suggests that the reason we have failed in communicating urgency that translates into action is because our news and messages are not just overly grim but also lacking hope. Coining this week's best original alliteration, Mark calls these messages dire doses of doom. Mark writes, "What drives this gloomy approach? Is it a desire to infect everyone with the sad pessimism that pervades the environmental movement? (I know about that pessimism, I'm part of the movement and I hear it every day.)"

I'm a day-in, day-out ocean conservationist too. And while I agree with Mark that there is no dearth of bad ocean news these days, I don't necessarily agree that pessimism is rife. Considering my branch of coral reef conservation, I get asked a lot by the media how, considering the state of reefs globally, I can stay motivated and hopeful. I can tell you with absolute certainty that it's not the pay that gets me out of bed. And I've not the personality to be a Pollyanna. I remain hopeful because, quite simply, there is hope.

Coral reef news is bad. No doubt about it. But to these eyes and those of other coral reef scientists and conservationists, it's realistic, not pessimistic. The reason we keep working is not just to slow an inevitable death sentence but because solutions are still within our capabilities and we see a better future. It's not like we don't know what it takes to keep reefs alive. It's quite simple actually: sunlight for photosynthesis, clear, warm water, clean substrate, low levels of nutrients in the water, and the presence of algal-grazing species. We know that when actively managed, marine protected areas are our best defense for long-term reef conservation. And we know that because healthy systems require healthy parts, we can't simply focus on reef protection alone but also must consider it's associated ecosystems.

We know what must be done. But our response thus far has been too slow and our scale too small. For me, the truly frightening proposition isn't the current headlines. It's the thought that should we delay our response for too long, the window of opportunity and hope for coral reefs and the human communities they support closes for good--or at least for our or our children's lifetimes.

Hard News To Hear
Consider for a moment Mark's call for softening the blow when it comes to environmental news. I agree with Mark that it's hard to motivate people with pessimism. If we offer no hope, what could possibly compel an already unmotivated public to change unsustainable behavior? Maybe I'm stretching the comparison here, but as a thought experiment, consider a report that was released this week by the American Society of Clinical Oncology. In it, the authors compare the net outcomes from two different forms of messaging to advanced cancer patients who have exhausted all treatment options.

The researchers looked at patients who received optimistic or sugar-coated messages and compared their outcomes with patients who are given straight talk from doctors. The conventional approach has held that doctors who maintain optimistic prognoses even after exhausting all options are still doing patients a favor by keeping hope alive. This new research shows they are wrong. Patients who had these frank talks were no more likely to become depressed than those who did not, the study found. They were less likely to spend their final days in hospitals, tethered to machines. They avoided costly, futile care. And their loved ones reported being more at peace after they died.

Now I'm not bringing this up to suggest our environment is the equivalent of a terminally-ill patient (though there are those who certainly take that approach.) Nor am I urging the masses to make peace with their most loved environment before it fades away. But maybe there's something to this straight talk in environmental messaging too.

A Key Recommendation
As a final thought, I want to return to one of the key findings from The Ocean Project survey. As I mentioned earlier, in 1999 the vast majority of Americans were found to hold a strong emotional connection to the ocean. If I might hazard a guess, I don't think this fact will change significantly when the 2010 revised study is released. We love the ocean, are fascinated by the life found within it, and are drawn to the mysteries it still holds. This attraction and allure was not lost on The Ocean Project team in formulating their communications recommendations.

Top of their list for increasing the urgency of ocean protection was a recommendation to combine emotion with our information. Makes sense to me and certainly supports everything I've been learning about public relations and communications strategies over the past few years. And if this is what everyone means by "framing," then so be it. But what I'd also urge is that we not be afraid of the straight talk either. A lot of the news is tough to hear. That's the reality. But if paired with the appropriate emotional connection and appeal to values, our audiences won't simply "tune-out" or feel too small to act. Hope for reef conservation is still within our grasp. I'd just hate to think we miss our chance at it while patting ourselves on the back before the hard work is finished.

I've Been A Bad Blogger

Don't hate me, baby! I know I haven't been around as much lately, but I swear I've been busy. Grants, field work, meetings, coral reefs to save... you know how it gets. Don't look at me that way! I wouldn't lie to you! You know we've had some good times together over the years, baby. I write, you read, maybe make you think or laugh or get angry. But we have something together. Don't let a few weeks of being AWOL make you drop me.

We have history, baby! I promise I'll be better. I'll write. And not just any scribbling... but good stuff. Stuff you love. I promise I'll win back your love. You know we're a good fit, baby. You and me, we've got a future together. You know you're the only one I want to write for. So gimme another chance, baby! I'm a new man. Things will be different.

I know Kevin Zelnio writes more often, Miriam Goldstein writes better jokes, and Peter Etnoyer has a full head of hair. But come back, baby. I need you.

Sun May Have Already Set For Kiribati

In what stands as perhaps the most sobering yet chilling statement by any current political leader regarding climate change, the president of the low-lying Pacific atoll nation of Kiribati said today his country may already be doomed. President Anote Tong said communities had already been resettled and crops destroyed by seawater in some parts of his country, made up of 33 coral atolls straddling the equator and home to 92,000 people.

"I am not a scientist but what I know is that things are happening we did not experience in the past," Tong said. "We may be beyond redemption, we may be at the point of no return where the emissions in the atmosphere will carry on to contribute to climate change to produce a sea-level change that in time our small low-lying islands will be submerged," he said.

Under the worst-case scenario, Kiribati would be submerged by the end of this century and its people would need to be resettled in other countries.

Lovin' This Photo

My cynical self suspects it was orchestrated by Obama's campaign team. But even if it was, what a great feeling of hope and the future it generates.

Congratulations Madam Senator

The word history is going to be used a lot over the next several months as Senator Obama's Democratic candidacy for US President sinks in. But before we hand Senator Clinton her hat, can we at least acknowledge her own equally historic moment.

Whatever you think about how she ran her campaign (I lost respect for her decisions at many points along the way), the reality is that women of all races, sexualities, and socio-economic classes--many of whom weren't even Hillary Clinton supporters--have seen the glass ceiling shattered on what a woman can seriously set sights on in our political system. There's been a rush to show her the door for months now, but before that happens I think the historic candidate deserves the slow clap of a hero. We'll have a woman President in the near future, perhaps in my lifetime. And that individual will thank Senator Clinton for running the first gauntlet of racist/sexist insults, and misogynist attacks.

Certainly the sword cuts both ways, and like I already said she's made her own egregious mistakes in this campaign. But that doesn't dismiss or diminish the fact that Senator Clinton has made history and deserves a little more than a modicum of respect for it.

Chow Chow Chow

If it's the first week of June, then it must be Capital Hill Ocean Week, affectionately known as CHOW. The brainchild of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, CHOW brings together scientists, conservationists, political operatives, Members of Congress, and other stakeholders to discuss current ocean and coastal issues. The goal is to better equip our policy makers with current information and reality checks on the state of ocean health.

If you're an ocean lover, it's a great week to be in The Capital. And damn it, but here I am holding down the fort in San Francisco. My boss, CORAL Executive Director Brian Huse, pulled the lucky straw this year and is spending the week in DC for CHOW as well as a meeting of our Board of Directors.

I'm particularly sullen since the Coral Reef Alliance is co-sponsoring a special reception on Wednesday night with the US Coral Reef Task Force celebrating International Year of the Reef 2008 and partnerships in coral reef conservation. So in addition to missing-out on reconnecting with my beltway coral colleagues and pals, I'm missing out on passed hors’dourves and an open bar.

You owe me for next year, Brian!

CORAL Gets Its Media On

From the Caribbean to the Indo-Pacific, CORAL's in the news today. This time we get some coverage for our work supporting the Waitabu Marine Reserve in the tiny village of Waitabu (pronounced why-TAM-boo) on Fiji's third largest island of Taveuni. Waitabu just observed its 10th anniversary as a protected area and CORAL helped celebrate.

Heidi Williams, CORAL Fiji Field Representative (now there's a job I bet you want), was in attendance and presented two microgrants to the village of Waitabu in honor of the event. Through a generous grant from the Mar Viva Foundation, CORAL funded the replacement of all of Waitabu's snorkel equipment which is used to generate tourism revenue that offsets MPA management expenses. CORAL also found funds for a grass cutter for the village to help maintain campgrounds for tourists and aid in mosquito control by removing tall, wet grassy areas.

Congratulations, Waitabu, on 10 years of investing in the future. And thanks go to Bryan Dias, CORAL Indo-Pacific Program Manager, and Heidi for pulling off some quick magic on delivering on the microgrants.

A Heavyweight International Organization

So Coral Reef Alliance is a "heavyweight international organization" now. By which of course they mean I tend to tip the scales. I need to cut back on the cans of Pringles.

I'm proud that CORAL has gotten jumped-in to help with this campaign. Read the whole story here or check out images I captured of the dredging project inside of the marine protected area while I was in TCI.

An Open Letter To Brad Pitt

Dear Brad...
Let me get this out of the way first... big fan here. From Thelma and Louise to Oceans 13, love your body (of work).

I read with interest today that your latest side project involves serving as an advisor for a new real estate development in Dubai. I hear you're something of an architecture junkie. That's cool, me too. And I understand you're not just interested in any architecture, but have taken an interest in sustainable, environmentally appropriate architecture and development. To which I must say bravo. It's about time we had some celebrity leadership in this.

But here's the thing, Brad, and don't take this the wrong way... But, Dubai? Really?

By now I'm sure you must be aware of The Palms Project, Dubai's less than stellar recent foray into coastal development. I wrote about it last year if you want to get a quick primer. I'm certainly hoping this isn't your above-mentioned project as it would call into question any suggestion that your motivation is grounded in sustainability.

This project, advertised as "being visible from the Moon," is creating artificial islands on a scale that has never been seen before on our planet. As a result of all the dredging and redepositing of sand for the construction of the islands, the historically crystal-clear waters of the gulf of Dubai have become severely clouded with silt. Construction activity is smothering patch coral reefs, and blanketing oyster and sea grass beds under two inches of sediment in some locations. Above water, disruption of natural longshore currents by construction threatens beach and dune habitats with unexpected erosion.

And what is perhaps even more troubling is that other tropical destinations on the planet are watching Dubai closely and getting the message that such wholesale transformation of natural ecosystems is acceptable practice. Don't believe me? Take a Look at what's happening in Turks & Caicos Islands.

As you may know, the health of coral reefs in the Arabian Gulf has been in a state of continuous decline over the past 50 years. Now is certainly not the time to lob further stressors on an already over-taxed system. Now I imagine that with the new twins on the way, you and Angelina are looking for a secluded, state-of-the-art, luxury get away far from the hassles of the paparazzi. Who isn't, right?

But if you really want to be taken seriously on this whole sustainable, environmental architecture thing, Dubai may not necessarily be the best place to make your mark. Which is not to say that you couldn't still serve as an exemplar of restraint and sustainability. Even if Dubai is the absolute global epicenter of environmental arrogance right now, lending your name to a genuinely sustainable project could be beneficial in making the other environmentally destructive Dubai projects appear all the more obvious as the charades they are.

High-end real estate isn't my bailiwick, Brad. But I am a coral guy who knows a thing or two about environmental assessments and coastal marine conservation. I'm sure you have a team of very high paid consultants who are prepared to tell you what you want. But if you care to hear some information that has something to do with reality, feel free to give me a call. I'd be happy to help where I can.

Hugs to Angelina and the kids.
Yours in Sustainability,
Rick MacPherson

Carnival Of The Blue 13

The superstitious would have us believe that "13" is an unlucky number. Not by the look of the 13th incarnation of Carnival of the Blue, back at it's birthplace over on blogfish. Head over and get your fill on all things ocean in one convenient location.

An Overwhelming Sense Of Urgency?

One year ago, I contributed a post to the very first Carnival of the Blue in celebration of World Ocean Day on June 8. In that post, I cast a somewhat cynical eye towards the impact and value of "annual celebrations" like World Ocean Day,

"I suppose in the big picture, I'm all for any marketing or communications strategy that can register an up-tick of ocean awareness on the nanosecond attention-spans of today's society. But I struggle with determining an acceptable level of trade-off necessary in reducing persistent and complex problems in overall ocean health to a day, month, or even year of soundbites."

At the time, I wondered if the emergence and growing popularity of the blogosphere would not only elevate ocean understanding, but create a heightened sense of urgency around the need to act now. A year later, I've got to admit I'm still somewhat unconvinced.

I've seen the number of ocean-focused blogs grow this past year. With that growth came fresh voices for ocean science, education and, and the need for conservation. But with the chorus of ocean voices, are we realizing any measurable gains or are the many and varied calls for concern confusing or overwhelming our readers? This year alone saw a call for greater public awareness of threats to coral reefs and polar seas, we also heard some of the most chilling predictions for global ocean fisheries, grim scenarios for future coral reef health, and clearer indication of the full impact of climate change on oceans from the threat of acidification. We heard of the fight for new marine protected areas in the CNMI, the closure of salmon season along the Pacific coast, the unknown potential threats facing Papua New Guinea from deep sea vent mining, and the possibilities of bigger and more frequent hurricanes in a rapidly warming world.

And that's all just ocean issues. What about the warnings for healthy lakes, streams, rainforests, prairies, boreal forests, air quality, healthy urban areas? Add on top of all of this an unpredictable tragedy in Myanmar and China. The tug-of-war for public attention and concern has never been greater.

As a former educator, I'm not about to suggest that we need to limit avenues to learning. And believe me when I say I'm fully aware of the limited impact that ocean issues--let alone ocean blogs (and especially my blog)--have on the larger landscape of perception. But I have to wonder if all these steadily flowing environmental warnings are helping or hurting the cause of motivating the public to make meaningful changes in their lives or demand change from their policy makers. Do we need a more unified approach to our environmental calls to action?

Carnival of the Blue, officially one year old this month, has offered us ocean lovers a way to unify our voices. But what's the next step? I'm not sure, but I am hoping this next year will see some discussions begin on how we can collectively gather our energy and voices in some clever and creative new ways. Right now, I suppose, World Ocean Day is a necessity. If we do our jobs well, maybe we won't need one in the future.