Seaw rds The Marine Option Program Newsletter
February 2013
8 “ It’s more
WELCOME BACK BBQ PHOTOS A TRIP TO THE COOK ISLANDS MOP PHOTO ISSUE ANNOUNCED
than an academic program, more than a community, more like a family. I believe the people who make up this MOP family (students, alumni, supporters, mentors) are what make MOP so special. ”
February
2013
From March 19, 1985 Seawords
Page 3: Welcome Back BBQ Page 6: Non-Profit Profile Page 8: Q&A with Jeff Kuwabara Page 10: Generation Blue Page 12: Ocean Poetry Page 14: Critter of the Month Page 16: Call for Ocean Photography Page 18: One Student’s Experience at the Cook Islands Page 19 : Seawords Flashback
Cover Photo: This month’s cover photo is of two ocean critters: the banded urchin and the parasitic sea urchin crab (pictured right). Back Photo: UHM MOP
Seawords
Volume XXVII, Number 2, February 2013 Editor: Naomi Lugo Assistant Editor: Jessi Schultz Dr. Cynthia Hunter (éminence grise) Seawords- Marine Option Program University of Hawai‘i, College of Natural Sciences 2450 Campus Road, Dean Hall 105A Honolulu, HI 96822-2219 Telephone: (808) 956-8433, Fax: (808) 956-2417 E-mail: <seawords@hawaii.edu> Website: <http://www.hawaii.edu/mop/> Seawords is a monthly newsletter of the Marine Option Program at the University of Hawai‘i. Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Marine Option Program or of the University of Hawai‘i Suggestions and submissions are welcome. Submissions may include articles, photographs, art work, or anything that may be of interest to the marine community in Hawai‘i and around the world. All photos are taken by MOP unless otherwise credited.
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Dieter Stelling/UHM MOP
Welcome Back BBQ Spring 2013 Photos: UHM MOP
S
tudents experienced the sunshine and waves of Bellows Beach on Saturday, January 5th during the MOP Welcome Back BBQ.
Students enjoyed food hot off the grill along with other potluck goodies before jumping into the water for some serious beach time. The MOP Back to School BBQ is a great opportunity for students to meet, network and blow off some steam before diving into the spring semester. To attend MOP events at your campus, see your student coordinator and or campus coordinator for details. The first event for the UHM campus in February is the day/night snorkel & picnic at Kaimanas on the 2nd. At UHH, there will be a whale count in February. Sign up soon! Spaces may be limited!
More photos from the event on the following pages...
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All Photos: UHM MOP
Organization Profile: For the next couple of issues, Seawords will present 3 local non-profit organizations. The purpose is to not only expose our readers to these great organizations, but to show that volunteering may be great resume booster and/or a chance to give back to the ocean. This month’s profile is on the Surfrider Foundation with an emphasis on the O‘ahu Chapter.
Kathryn Lum, UHM MOP Student All Photos Courtesy of the Surfrider Chapter of O‘ahu
T
he Surfrider Foundation is a nonprofit, environmental organization that works to preserve and protect the world’s oceans, beaches, and waves. Their vision, they say, is as simple as two words: “healthy coasts.” This organization has quite literally taken the world by storm. There are over 80 chapters in the United States alone, with international chapters in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Europe, and Japan. Surfrider Foundation Chapters also exist on other Hawaiian islands including chapters in Hilo, Kaua‘i, Kona Kai Ea, and Maui. The O‘ahu chapter’s mission is to ensure public access to beaches, to reduce the amount of plastic debris in the marine environment, to improve water quality, and to “work for responsible, oceanfriendly development on the island of O‘ahu.” Those who are interested in getting involved with the Surfrider Seawords, February 2013
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Foundation can start by visiting their website.The O‘ahu chapter has a calendar up that shows when and where events are scheduled as well as having a “join now” button at the top of the page. Memberships cost is $15 annually for a student membership to $2500 for a lifetime membership. As a non-profit organization, the money goes towards funding for their mission or hiring attorneys to aid them in doing so.
I
n order to volunteer for the Surfrider Foundation, membership is not necessary. Anyone can show up to volunteer and they will be accepted. Membership is, however, encouraged in order to get people involved over the long run. Members are on an email list that alerts them to upcoming events and meetings. “I would suggest to anyone who’s thinking about volunteering to go on the website and the
calendar,” said Steven Mazur, the O‘ahu Chapter Chair. “Go to our next monthly meeting and meet everyone and find out what we’re about.”
One of the campaigns that the organization is taking on right now is Rise Above Plastics, or RAP. This campaign’s goal is to reduce The next meeting plastics in the Foundation O‘ahu c environment. Wednesday, Februa Especially in at 2086 Pal Hawai’i, many Every meeting is po bags end up in pooling is encourage the ocean each is lim day due to strong trade winds. Once in the ocean, these bags enter the food chain and harm marine life.
T
he City and County of Honolulu passed a law on the county level last year that will impose a fee on the use of single-use plastic bags. However, this law will not go into effect until 2015. In addition, the law does not address the use of
paper bags which is also an issue as people will switch from plastic to paper. Paper bags will not only cause companies to lose money as they are more expensive than plastic bags, but paper bags are also still single-use.
People with science backgrounds can help the foundation g for the Surfrider because they chapter takes place have the ary 6 from 7 to 9 pm capabilities to lolo Avenue. understand the otluck style and carconsequences on ed as parking space the environment mited. and can provide research that supports these ideas. One such example is marine biologists who have been submitting research on the negative impact of plastic bags in the environment.
through laws and education.
“B
eing involved in Surfrider is being involved in a community that wants to take care of our oceans and beaches,” said Mazur. “We encourage people to join- it’s a fun community to be a part of. It’s not
the type of organization that is always out there fighting things all the time. It’s a fun organization and we do fun things, and people like that.”
Other campaigns include Hold On To Your Butt, based around the idea that cigarette butts are the number one polluter in the world. This campaign hopes to achieve its goals Seawords, February 2013
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Q&A Photos: UHM MOP
UHM MOP Coordinator, Jeff Kuwabara WHAT WOULD YOUR COLLEGE EXPERIENCE HAVE BEEN LIKE WITHOUT MOP? Certainly not as rich, hands-on, or skills focused. Through MOP and its field schools, I gained the knowledge, skills and professional network that helped me remain employed after graduation. DO YOU RECALL WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO MOP IN THE FIRST PLACE? I came to UH because of MOP. I wanted to study coral reef ecology and was attracted to experiential learning opportunities - something only MOP offered. DO YOU THINK BEING A PART OF MOP HELP GET YOU A CAREER/JOB AFTER COLLEGE? MOP was the key to getting my start in the marine education field and continues to be a major factor in my career. Seawords, February 2013
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DO YOU KEEP IN CONTACT WITH YOUR FELLOW ALUMNI? I do keep in touch with many of my classmates - some of whom have become trusted colleagues in this field (Chad Yoshinaga, Norton Chan, Ray Boland, Tony Montgomery, Ellyn Tong, Christy Martin, Nina Hadley, etc.), trusted friends, dive buddies, surf buddies...my network. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MOP MEMORY? There are so many “favorite” memories, hard to narrow it to just one. Each QUEST ‘92-’95, all the study center antics ‘91-’95, all the night dives at the end of long study sessions... the list goes on and on. WHEN DID YOU GRADUATE FROM MOP? WHAT WAS YOUR CERTIFICATE TITLE? I graduated from MOP in 1995 with “mini reef
development” as a skill. WHY DO YOU THINK MOP IS IMPORTANT FOR STUDENTS? MOP can be much more career and skills focused than the usual undergraduate academic program. When combined w/ the given major, it prepares the students much better for either graduate work or employment. Additionally, if done correctly, the student develops a professional network while still an undergraduate. Knowledge+practical skills+professional network = opportunities WHAT TYPES OF OPPORTUNITIES DOES MOP GIVE ITS STUDENTS? Field schools (QUEST, MAST, MUT), internships, symposia, boating courses (MOCC/OWM), marine-related jobs, etc. HAVE YOU SEEN ANY MOP SUCCESS STORIES IN YOUR STUDENTS? Yes, many. Cammy Fumar - now with SOEST Hawai‘i Ocean Time Series (HOT) research cruises, Emma Anders with Hawai‘i Division of Aquatic Resources and graduating w/ Geography Masters Degree, Will Love assistant diving safety officer w/California Academy of Sciences, Kevin O’Brien - NOAA/NMFS Coral Reef Ecosystem Division, Kaipo Perez - PhD candidate UH Zoology, James Murphy - PhD candidate UH Microbiology, etc. WHY ARE YOU WORKING WITH MOP NOW? Because it’s a job that matches my skills and interests. Also (it’s) a good way for me to feel like I’m making a difference in the world, one student at a time. WHAT MAKES MOP SPECIAL? Everything! It’s more than an academic program, more than a community, more like a family. I believe the people who make up this MOP family (students, alumni, supporters, mentors) are what make MOP so special.
OCEAN UPDATES
Wescom/AFP/Getty Images
U.S. Navy caught on reef off the Philippines On Sunday, a United States Navy minesweeper became stuck in a reef off the Philippines. It prompted activists to line the streets in anger. The reef, a World Heritage Site, contains threatened and endangered marine species. Vice Adm. Scott Swift, the U.S. 7th
Fleet commander, an American commander apologized saying, “I greatly regret any damage this caused the Tubbataha Reef.” No oil slicks were reported, yet the boat was parked on a habitat containing 500 species of fish, 350 species of coral and some colonies of seabirds, so all damage may not be reported at this time.
Radioactive Fish The devastation of the tsunami and earthquake in 2011 is still being found in surrounding areas of the Fukushima power plant. The disaster caused reactor meltdowns that leaked radioactive contaminants into the environment. An example of the after effects includes a single fish caught near the plant which had record high radiation levels were – more than
http://www.skynews.com.au 2,500 times the legal limit. Currently, fishing around Fukushima has been stopped and the government has focused on citizens by banning beef, milk and vegetables that were once produced in the area.
Friendly Sperm Whales
Alexander D. M. Wilson/ Aquatic Mammals
A group of researchers discovered a group of cetaceans who have taken a deformed dolphin under their fins. The adult bottlenose dolphin has a spinal
deformation, yet gets along well with this form of social contact. According to Science Now’s website, sperm whales form “friendships” with members of other species and even though they may be short lived can offer protection from predators. In pictures it showed the group of whales mingling with the dolphin rubbing its body against one of the whales. The whales are slightly less apt to be outgoing toward other species due to their long distance travels creating a kind of timid nature.
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John Coney/ UHH MOP
Seawords,February 2013 Page 8
GENERATION
BL UE
THE OCEAN SPANS OVER 70 PERCENT OF OUR WORLD. It is responsible for regulating temperature, food production, sustaining numerous marine species, and is a source for inspiration among multiple other things. The ocean gives us so much and it is time for us to return the favor and take actions to make the ocean ecosystem healthy again. Almost every action that we take affects the ocean in some way. Our everyday choices can be tailored to support a healthy ocean. Here are some examples of green acts that will keep the ocean blue.
Actions for the Ocean
Use household items instead of chemicals in your cleaning Use Lemon.
Use Baking Soda.
Lemon has properties in it that make it great for cleaning greasy messes. Also that great smell adds a plus side to using it as a natural cleaner.
Remove stains with baking soda. It can also help remove odors from carpets, just spread over carpet and.vacuum up afterwards.
Use White Vinegar. White vinegar can be used as an all purpose cleaner for various surfaces and it can be useful for getting rings out of toilet bowls.
If you have a suggestion for a green act, email us at seawords@hawaii.edu with subject line Generation Blue For more green cleaning, check out this blog post by reloveplanet.com to submit your idea. Seawords, February 2013
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OCEAN POETRY
About the author: This poem was written by Kimo Wilcox for a class taught by Eric Paul Shaffer at Honolulu Community College. Wilcox hopes to pursue psychology at UH Mﾄ］oa or at Chaminade. To submit poetry or short stories, send an email to seawords@ hawaii.edu with the piece attached.
Benth Kimo
Another world lies beneath blue wav Pressure builds further down and squeezes a The temperature slowly ticks downward counting o
Dragon fish prowl the darkness, opening mouths double the si Angler fishes light up the night, fishing with false light. Hagfish surround the dead on the ground and strip the carcass. This dark limbo exists quietly. Predators and prey pass without a sound. Nothing is seen in the inky darkness. This world is called the Benthic Zone. In this cold limbo deprived of light, life continues without care. This world is the same as the world above. The creatures walk around blind with no concern for other organisms. Human beings never seek to end conflict. No creature has stepped out of the darkness of ignorance.
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hic Zone o Wilcox
ves. stray can flat. off degrees.
ize and lined with sharp teeth.
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Critter of the Month Seawords features marine critters seen and photographed by MOP students. Send your critters to seawords@hawaii. edu to be featured and be sent an issue of Seawords in color and a MOP sticker. This monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s critter photo is by UHM MOP student Kimberly Wood.
Hawaiian Spinner Dolphin Scientific name: Stenella longirostris longirostris Pacific Island names: naiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;a (Hawaiian) Hawaiian spinner dolphins are a protected species under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. About 3,300 individuals are estimated according to a NOAA fact page. There are specific guidelines to abide by when viewing the dolphins. They can be reviewed here. The dolphins can grow between 4 and 7 feet and live to an estimated 20 years.
To submit photography, send an email with photographs attached to seawords@hawaii.edu
Are You a...
PHOTOGR Send your oceanic photography to seawords@hawaii.edu with the subject line Photography details will be released in the next issue of Seawords.
UHM MOP
Dieter Stelling/UHM M
RAPHER? to be considered for the Seawords Photography Issue, which is set to launch this May. More
MOP
UW Photo Contest 2011
John Coney/UHH MOP
Student Perspective
Greetings from the Cook Islands Cayenne Carocci, UHM MOP Student
K
ia Orana! This greeting is the Cook Island equivalent of Aloha and is used widely in Rarotonga, the capital of the Cook Islands. Nestled 2,939 miles south of Hawai‘i is this peaceful island gem. One can only imagine the way Hawai‘i used to feel when it was untouched and ruled by her native people. The Cook Islands, which gained independence in 1965 but is still a commonwealth of New Zealand, still has that special air and rich culture to experience today. Her people speak the Queen’s English and Cook Islands’ Maori, which is a lovely language. It is easy to fall in love with the lusty palm trees, romantic culture, and yummy food.
All photos: Cayenne Carocci
Above: a hermit crab caught in Rarotonga, Left: the wall mural that inspired Carocci, Bottom: locals enjoying the rich culture of the islands.
Unlike Hawai‘i, regardless of how much money one has the land is owned by indigenous tribes and they only lease their properties so there are no private hotels crowding the coastlines. Consequently, the locals have a great attitude and a friendly demeanor towards visitors. Upon driving around the island (on “the other” side of the road) I came upon The Cook Islands Whale and Wildlife Sanctuary, a center for cetacean research and conservation. The gorgeous whale painting on the outside of the building beckoned for a photo so I pulled over for a snap shot.
“ It is easy to fall in love with the lusty palm trees, romantic culture, and yummy food. ”
Voila! There I was sipping an espresso and discussing the oceans around the island with some international folks. This institution features educational displays, a whale museum, and interpretive programs.
I did not get a chance to socialize with the scientists and research assistants while I was there, but maybe you will. The humpback whale season there is during July through October. Have a look at their website; www. whaleresearch.org. I know we are all busy with school work galore but you never know what opportunities may be around the corner. If you ever get a chance to check out the Cook Islands, I highly recommend it.
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Calendar of Events at UH Sea Grant’s Hanauma Bay Education Program
hbep.seagrant.soest.hawaii.edu/
Marine Science in East O`ahu ***Presentations take place in the theater of the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve, beginning at 6:30 p.m. every Thursday evening***
February Events Charismatic Megafauna FEBRUARY 7, 2013 Hawaiian Islands Dolphin Smart Program Laura McCue, Program Coordinator, NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries Dolphin Smart Program FEBRUARY 14, 2013 Determination of Endangered and Threatened Species Under the Endangered Species Act - The Green Sea Turtle Patrick Opay, Endangered Species Branch Chief & ESA Section 7 Coordinator, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service FEBRUARY 21, 2013 Monk Seals in the Main Hawaiian Islands: Myths, Misunderstanding, and the Search for Answers Charles Littnan, Team Leader & Ecologist, NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center - Protected Species Division FEBRUARY 28, 2013 Translocation as a Tool for Conservation of the Hawaiian Monk Seal Tracy Wurth, Biologist, NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center - Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program
For more information or questions please contact: Hanauma Bay Education Program 100 Hanauma Bay Rd. Honolulu, HI 96825 Phone: (808) 397-5840 Email: hanauma@ hawaii.edu http://hbep.seagrant.soest.hawaii.edu/
FLASHBACK: 1988 A Nautilus valentinenis, as classified by the artist who contributed to the February 1988 issue of Seawords. Whether you celebrate Valentine’s Day or Anti-Valentine’s this 14th, Seawords would like to wish you a happy day.
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24th Annual Symposium on Maritime Archaeology and History of Hawai‘i and the Pacific Evolving Cultural Landscapes in the Maritime World February 16-18, 2013 (President’s Day Weekend) Hawai‘i Kai National Marine Sanctuaries Conference Facillity 6600 Kalanianale Hwy, Suite 302 POC 271-4187 or hans.vantilburg@noaa.gov
The general public, sport and tech divers, diving operators, historians students , underwater archaeologists, preservationists , and all others are encouraged to participate in the 25th Annual Maritime Symposium.
The symposium begins Saturday morning 8:00 AM. Participants must register for Saturday/ Sunday presentations (regular both days $75, single-day $40; military/student/teacher $30, single-day $20). The program incudes more trhan 24 speakers covering: living cultures and Hawaiian biocultural resources, native perspectives in conversationand stewardship, maritime cultural landscapes within NOAA’s sanctuary system, maritime heritage resource management, African Americans in maritime history, new discoveries of underwater shipwrecks and aircraft, whaling research in Hawai‘i, international projects...and more. Also included: continental breakfast, informal receptions and pupus, informal BBQ, and field trip. Saturday night is a special event (free and open to public): keynote speaker Dr. James P Delgado, director of NOAA’s Maritime Heritage Program, presents “The Great Museum of the Sea,” 6:30-7:30 PM. Co-sponsored by the Marine Option Program, University of Hawai‘i at M noa, NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and the Maritime Archaeology and History of the Hawaiian Islands (MAHHI) Foundation
FEBRUARY
MOP & Community Events
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2 Day/Night Snorkel & Picnic 4-8:30 pm (@ Mānoa)
John Coney/UHH MOP
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QUEST ID Exam 6-9 pm (@ Mānoa)
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Maritime Archaeology Symposium 15-18 & Deadline QUEST Applications
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23 Whale Count Makapu‘u 7 am-12 pm (@ Mānoa)
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University of Hawai`i at Mﾄ］oa Seawords, Marine Option Program College of Natural Sciences 2450 Campus Road, Dean Hall 105A Honolulu, HI 96822-2219 Address Service Requested
Next Issue: Whale Count, Maritime Archaeology Symposium