Seaw rds The Marine Option Program Newsletter
February 2015
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OCEAN UPDATES KOHOLĀ SEASON IS HERE OCEAN ART: AMALIA BUENO
“Humpback whales undergo the longest migration of any mammal on Earth. During the summer, the Hawaiian stock of humpbacks travels north to the Gulf of Alaska in the Pacific Ocean to feed on the abundance of krill.”
February 2015
Volume XXIX, Number 2
Articles Page 3: Letter from the Editor Page 4: Ocean Updates Page 6: Koholā season is here! Page 10: Wanna sea something cool? Page 12: Ocean Art: Amalia Bueno Page 14: Generation Blue Page 18: Critter of the Month Page 20: Hanauma Bay calendar of events Flashback Page 21: MOP calendar of events
About the Photography -Cover: This photo of a humpback whale and her calf was taken by Alysia Curdts and Trent Fischer during a drone session. -Table of Contents: Megan Russel, UHM MOP Student. This photo was submitted as part of the 2014 photography competition. -February calendar of events: Kimberly James, UHM MOP Student. This photo of a humpback whale was submitted as part of the 2014 photography competition. -Back cover: Rebecca Ziegler, UHH MOP Student. This photo was submitted as part of the 2014 photography competition. -All uncredited photos by: MOP -Disclaimer: any photo taken from flickr.com is used under the Creative Commons liscense and are credited appropriately with links to the user’s flickr account. 2| Seawords
Letter from the Editor
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he new semester of school has hit the ground running and with all the homework and studying for tests, sometimes it’s nice to take a break. This month, we feature an article about the start of whale watching season—a great way to relax and help out the scientific community. To read this article accompanied by photos and descriptions of popular humpback whale behaviors, please turn to page 6. We would also like to announce the beginning of our 2015 annual photography competition. As usual we will be having four categories but this year the rules have changed slightly. The formal rules and guidelines can be found on our website, http://www.hawaii.edu/ mop on the Seawords page. Thank you for reading,
--Kathryn Lam, Seawords Editor
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NEWS OCEAN UPDATES By Jessica Lotts, UHM MOP Student
LESS THAN 10% OF ALL LIVABLE SPACE ON EARTH HAS BEEN EXPLORED AND ROUGHLY 85% OF THAT AREA IS IN THE DEEP SEA. There is so much going on in the big blue that here at Seawords we like to keep you updated on some of these happenings. Each month in this space readers can learn about a few interesting things that are going on in the ocean around the world.
Camra Hopper/MOP Student 4| Seawords
Large marine reptile fossil discovered in Scotland According to an article published by the United Press International, a large marine reptile fossil has been discovered in Scotland’s Isle of Skye earlier this week by amateur collector Brian Shawcross. The fossil has been classified as an ichthyosaur, an extinct marine reptile that looked like a cross between a shark and a crocodile. Ichthyosaurs were predatory species that ruled the sea before large sharks, and this one is estimated to be about fourteen feet long. Scientists from Live Science believe the discovery of this fossil will help fill a gap in fossil records during the Jurassic period, when the species were subject to an extreme global change that caused them to grow bigger in size. This specimen was found to be a smaller version of ichthyosaur, which is helping scientists piece together when exactly the global change occurred. The new ichthyosaur species has been named Dearcmhara showcrossi, after the person who discovered it. The fossil is estimated to be around 170 million years old. The first ichthyosaur fossil was found in England. This is the first time an ichthyosaur fossil has been found in Scotland, though it is the second to be found in the United Kingdom. The first was found in Lyme Regis, England, by fossil collector Mary Anning, in 1811. New oil drilling holds promise for economic future Studies released by the American Petroleum Institute, the National Ocean Industries Association, and Quest Offshore Inc. have shown that potential oil drilling in the Gulf of Mexico could have benefits for the economy. According to Marine Technology News, the Eastern Gulf of Mexico, the Pacific outer continental shelf, and the Atlantic outer continental shelf are all areas that could be opened up for offshore oil and natural gas development. Marine Technology News estimates that if the government begins to lease the areas for drilling by 2018, high economic benefits could show by 2035. They speculate that the potential drilling in all three areas could create over 838,000 jobs, an increase of nearly $449 billion in private sector spending, and roughly $200 billion to government revenue. In addition, this would also add an extra 3.5 million barrels of oil a day to domestic energy production. This could lead to gas prices lowered further and a nationwide employment increase. Although the start-up of drilling into these areas will be a costly one, it is estimated that future revenue and
benefits far outweigh the cost of production. According to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), the Obama Administration is going through extensive measures to ensure the safety and regulation of the offshore drilling. The new drilling regulations are the most strict and comprehensive oil safety guidelines in U.S. history. The Center of Biological Diversity (CBD), on the other hand, is opposed to plans for new offshore drilling. They argue that an oil spill is inevitable, and our environment is still facing impacts from the BP oil spill of 2010. Oil spills have devastating impacts on the environment, killing thousands of animals and polluting the surrounding waters. CBD estimates the death toll for marine life to be in the hundreds of thousands, with more than 2 million gallons of toxic waste spilled into the sea from the BP spill. They are unsure if our environment will be able to rebound if another spill like the BP oil spill were to occur. The BOEM, in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, is currently in the process of evaluating potential environmental impacts of the proposed drilling. New AUV set to monitor munitions in Baltic Sea According to Marine Technology News, an Iver Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) has been deployed into the waters of the Baltic Sea by Oceanserver Technology Inc. in an effort to monitor the dumping of used munitions in the Baltic Sea. There is a high volume of dumped chemical weapons and munitions in the Baltic Sea that pose threats to marine life, high seas ship trafficking, and development of wind energy. The Iver AUV uses high resolution side scan sonar, a magnetometer and environmental sensors that utilize the YSI Sonde 6600, according to Marine Technology News. The Models for Optimizing Dynamic Urban Mobility (MODUM) project, supported by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s Science for Peace and Security Program aims to use this Iver AUV to identify and make environmental readings of potential targets. Marine Technology News reports that the Iver AUV was seaworthy, even in waves of 1.5 m, while operating at a depth of 120 m. The Institution of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Sopot, Poland will be operating and directing the Iver AUV. n
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Ryan Tabata, MOP Student
Features
Kohola season is here! By Brijonnay Madrigal, Associate Editor Camra Hopper, UHM MOP Student
H
umpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) are often considered to be one of the most charismatic megafauna species in the world. The Hawai‘i community is proud of the presence of this cetacean1 species each winter and its contribution to the marine ecosystem. Humpback whales undergo the longest migration of any mammal on Earth. During the summer, the Hawaiian stock of humpbacks travels north to the Gulf of Alaska in the Pacific Ocean to feed on the abundance of krill. They commonly use a method called “bubble net feeding”, where bubbles are produced in spirals to disorient prey. In winter, they travel south to the warm, tropical waters of the Hawaiian Islands to mate, calve and nurse. Multiple males compete for access to a single female and exhibit aggressive behavior. The peak season is January through March. The island of Maui has the highest humpback concentration of all the Hawaiian Islands. Humpback whales are very communicative animals and males produce elaborate songs that can be commonly heard by divers and snorkelers in Hawai‘i during whale season. The patterns of songs change each year and can even evolve throughout a season amongst whales of a given population. The songs serve a distinct purpose which still remains to be determined even with much research conducted on this topic. Humpback whales are also known for their aerial displays that many people enjoy seeing off the Hawai‘i coast. Refer to the “Humpback Whale Behavior Guide” to learn about the different behaviors you can see while whale watching. Humpback whales are currently considered an endangered species. The populations of humpbacks that travel to Hawai‘i consist of approximately 10,000 individuals. According to the National Ocean and 1
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Cetacean is a whale, dolphin or porpoise.
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) humpback whales are protected under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA). The demise of humpback whales began in the 18th century when the commercial values of them increased making them a target for hunters. Once hunting weapons in the 19th century became more efficient and easier to use the humpback whale population had a great decline, with populations believed to be at an alarming low of 700 individuals in the North Atlantic. The population continued to decline and by 1966 there were only 5,000 individual humpback whales in the world. Hunting has not been the only factor causing the decline of the whale population—global warming has an impact too as extreme environmental changes can cause harm to their bodies. Climate changes resulting warmer waters can prevent whales from migrating on time. Though many of these issues are man-made, there are ways to help out the whale community. There are several whale conservation groups such as the Whale and Dolphin Conservation which provides internships and has volunteer programs for the public. The group recognizes how important education is to help the protection of whales and dolphins. Here are a couple amazing humpback whale watching tours on O‘ahu: • Hawai‘i Nautical, a five-star cruise trip, is a great place to visit in West O‘ahu leaving from Waiane Harbor located at 85-491 Farrington Hwy, Waianae. There’s another location, Waikīkī Trips Scuba & Whale Watch located at Kewalo Basin Harbor 1125 Ala Moana Blvd. Both locations offer a free shuttle for all trips 30-45 minutes prior to departure time at certain hotels for guest staying at Waikīkī and Ko‘Olina Resort. Hawai‘i Nautical’s eco-friendly trips guarantee whales or guest receives a free second trip, all for $79 for adults and
$59 for children. For questions or booking information, check the website at www.hawaiinautical. com or call (808)-234-7245. • Another whale watching tour option is Wild Side Specialty Tours with a 4.5 out of 5 satisfaction review rating, a 95% sighting rates, and CBS’ Josh Horwitz placed it as one of the “Top Five American Whale Watching Tours”. There are two different trips available, Best of the West for $195 or the Deluxe Wildlife Charter for $175 for adults and $145 for children. They both include turtle and reef snorkeling, swims with wild dolphins, and whale watching, while the Deluxe Wildlife Charter
includes BBQ lunch, education on Hawai‘i’s marine life, with more people aboard the boat. Wild Side Specialty Tours also believes in saying “no thanks” to visiting dolphins in tanks and will take you to the dolphin’s wild habit instead. This tour boat is located at 87-1286 Farrington Hwy, Waianae Boat Harbor near Ko Olina and Disney Aulani and can be reached at (808)-306-7273. While on the tour they’ll show guest how to collect data on whales and other marine mammals that come by, as well as teach guest how they can help. Wild Side Specialty Tours also contributes to whale conservation using the booking cost guest pay. n
Each year, the Hawaiian Island’s Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary holds an event called “The Sanctuary Ocean Count”. On the last Saturday of each month, from January through March, volunteers can register to whale watch and record population, distribution and behavioral information at one of the many designated sites on Hawai‘i, O‘ahu or Kaua‘i. This allows the community to aid the sanctuary in monitoring the Hawaiian populations of humpback whales. If you are interested in getting involved, join MOP on February 28th to participate in the Ocean Count at the Blowhole Lookout. Or, you can register online at www.sanctuaryoceancount.org.
Photo Credit: MOP/QUEST
Ocean Count
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Behavior Photos Credit: Jeff Kuwabara
Humpback Whale Blow
This is the most common behavior witnessed. When humpbacks surface, they take a breath and project a plume of water into the air that can be visible and is usually the first indicator of humpback whale presence. They breathe every 10-15 minutes and smaller blows indicate a calf or juvenile humpback while larger blows indicate an adult.
Breach
This behavior is displayed when humpbacks launch their bodies out of the water and land back on the surface creating a huge splash. Scientists and researchers have many different ideas about why humpback whales breach. One hypothesis is that breaching helps to dislodge parasites (like barnacles) from their skin. Another idea, is that breaching is used as a form of communication to make a “loud” statement, or a method for seeing above the water.
Background Photo: Ryan Tabata
Breach Photo: flikr.com
Features
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Spy Hop The whale rises vertically towards the surface and only the head protrudes out of the water. This behavior is thought to allow the whales to visualize above the surface.
e Behavior Guide Fluke-Up Dive The underside of the flukes is seen when a humpback is preparing to dive at depth and remain submerged for an extended period of time. As the whale arches to dive the flukes emerge and then submerges as the whale descends.
Pec Slap The use of any of its appendages to slap the water producing a large sound. Tail slaps are considered a warning behavior. Pec slapping may serve as a form of communication.
Feeding Groups of individuals will congregate at the surface in an organized fashion to consume fish that have been caralled to the surface through the use of the bubble feeding tecnique.
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Features
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Wanna sea something cool? By Rachel Shackne, UHM MOP Student
Rachel Shackne/UHM MOP Student
S
harks are by far the most widely feared species known in the ocean. With their reputations of notorious man killing tendencies we have deemed these cartilaginous friends to be a foe of the human species. Through this widespread phobia of sharks we have allowed such acts of complete species degradation including shark culling (with bounties for killing sharks) and shark finning (the harvest of shark fins for soups and medicines among other things) to diminish the widespread shark population to an all-time low. We are now facing the risk of losing more than 80% of shark species in some regions. Except for mistaken concepts of sharks as being ferocious killers, we rarely discuss the sharks’ importance in the delicate ecological web that is the ocean. To conserve the shark populations, a widespread understanding has to come about of how crucial sharks are to marine ecosystems in maintaining a balance in populations of prey species and keeping the ocean healthy by removing ill or diseased animals. They also are important resources in supporting local economies through maintaining healthy fish populations and as a tourist attraction through dive shops and companies. I had the opportunity to dive with one of these, H2O Adventures Hawai‘i, a free-diving company, and was able to experience diving with over 15 sandbar sharks, a common resident of the North Shore, up close and personal. These keystone species and apex predators need to be more widely understood and conserved in order to maintain the balance of the ocean ecosystem. With the help of scientists and ocean lovers alike I believe we have the power to show people how important shark conservation is and why we all need to go beyond the hype of sharks being notorious killers. And in doing so, we can find humor when people say sharks are total man eating monsters, in knowing that they are just being“shark-castic!” n
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ocean art by Amalia Bueno Amalia Bueno is a Ph. D. candidate with the English department at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. This poem was originally published in the 2014 Hawai‘i Review, the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa’s literary magazine. I Stay Wid Herman’s Bones (with mahalos to Hart Crane’s “At Melville’s Tomb”) Undahneet da watah get plenny dead man’s bones. I wen see em pile up, den go back undahneet. Had so plenny bones da wave wen take ‘em, den bring ‘em back on da shoa, den go back out again. Had uku pile bones wen come up, den go back, come up, go back, until I no can see any of ‘em anymoa.
Alysia Curdts and Trent Fischer/Freelance
Dis kept going and going, plenny bones from da shipwrecks dat nobody notice stay piling up. Maybe da ocean like us know dat we all going die, cause da ocean stay holding all doze bones. Maybe da ocean stay telling us “you gotta watch out, you bettah read da signs, da signs dat stay inside the shells, da mana dat stay inside da bones.” Den, just li’dat da ocean got all quiet. Da waves was all calm. But den, ho, da ocean got mad or something, cause da waves got all kapakahi li’dat cause da waves wen go shraight up, all da way up, up to da sky (fo’ real kine) and I felt, I felt all spiritual li’dat, like I was at church and errybody stay quiet. I wen look up at da stahs, and dass wen, inside the stahs I seen all da ansahs to erryting. My fren Herman, he not evah going know dat more people going die. Way up in the high blue waves my fren Herman, he not going wake up. Nobody’s voice, nobody’s poem, nobody, not one person, dey not going bring him back. But da ocean, da ocean stay keeping him. Da ocean lucky, cause she going keep Herman fo’ evah. Cause only da ocean can.
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By Brijonnay Madrigal, Associate Editor
Actions for the Ocean
BLUE 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.
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Photo Credit: MOP/QUEST
Photo Credit: MOP/QUEST
“Let’s Go Green Divers!” Scuba diving is a sport that many people enjoy and the MOP community is no exception. You have the opportunity to explore the underwater world in ways you could never imagine. Here in Hawai‘i, scuba diving is very popular and there are is no shortage of beautiful underwater ecosystems to explore. But it is important next time you go out diving to remember to maintain sustainable practices. So on your next dive trip, here are a few important things to remember: 1. Dive with Eco-Operators: If you do some research before you decide on a certain dive operator for your next trip, you can make sure they are as committed to following eco-friendly practices as you are and have knowledgeable naturalists on board. 2. Carpool: Reduce carbon emissions to the environment by carpooling with a group of your dive buddies. You will be helping the environment while having a fun car ride at the same time. 3. Volunteer for a Dive Clean-up: Instead of a beach clean-up, how about a dive clean-up? Island Divers is an example of a local dive shop that has conducted clean-up dives in the past. If there isn’t one in your area, have your own underwater clean-up with a group of your fellow divers and conduct a service project a little different usual. 4. Follow Sustainable Dive Practices: It is all too tempting to touch the marine life when we see something really amazing underwater. But it is important to remember not to touch or harass the marine life (which includes feeding). For the more inexperienced diver, avoid kicking your fins on the reef and maintain good buoyancy control to prevent damage to the coral.
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2015
PHOTOGRA COMPETITI
ATTENTION! – Fancy yourself an ocean photographer? Submit your sea-worthy photograph and who knows‌ You might just find it on the cover of Seawords. Email photos as hi-resolution attachments to seawords@hawaii.edu along with some info on your photograph*. The winning photo will be featured on the cover of the special photography edition of Seawords. *Complete details along with rules of the competition can be found on the MOP website at: http://hawaii.edu/mop/?q=photography-contest-rules-guidelines
APHY ION
critter of the month
Photo credit: UHM MOP Student Tate Wester
Tiger cowry Scientific Name: Cypraea tigris The tiger cowry was one of the many species described by Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist Carl Linnaeus. Linnaeus is often called the father of modern nomenclature, due to his 18th century work, Systema Naturae, which outlined ideas for hierarchical classification of the natural world including the animal, plant and mineral kingdoms. Because of its distinctive shell, the tiger cowry is in great demand in aquariums despite its nonresemblance to the large cat it is named after. The coloring depends on its geographical location. Though the tiger cowry can be found throughout the Pacific, it reaches record size of up to six inches in the Hawaiian Islands!
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CALL TO ACTION Please check nearby coral reefs and report any signs of bleaching. Make an online report: www.eorhawaii.org Send photos to:
rrcpcoordinator@gmail.com Bleached coral (on right) next to normal coral (left) at Lanikai, O‘ahu on 9/23/2014 Photo credit: C. Hunter
Multiple reports of coral bleaching have recently been received through the Eyes of the Reef Network. ‘Bleaching’ is a coral stress response, in this case likely due to high temperatures. It describes the loss of color from coral tissue, which makes the coral appear white. Corals can recover from bleaching if temperatures return to a normal range. The peak bleaching season for the Pacific is July-- September.
More examples of coral bleaching:
Photo credit: J. Kenyon Photo credit: G. Aeby
Want to know more about the EOR Network or coral bleaching? www.oerhawaii.org www.facebook.com/eyesofthereef Flyer created by and used with permission from: Eyes of the Reef
FLASHBACK: 1982 This drawing of a humpback whale, or Koholoā, appeared in the March 1982 issue of Seawords. It was part of a series of detailed whale drawings. This month marks the beginning of whale watching season and you can find a guide to humpback whale behaviors on page 8 of this issue. If you would like to read what was written about the humpback whale in 1982, come by the Mānoa MOP office and ask a staff member to let you borrow an archived vintage copy of Seawords. 20| Seawords
If you are interested in submitting articles, photography, or art to Seawords, send us an email at seawords@hawaii.edu with the subject line “Student submission.” We accept submissions year round.
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February Sun.
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Tour of HIMB Dean Hall 104 6 - 9 pm
QUEST Limu ID Dean Hall 104 6 - 9 pm
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QUEST Limu ID Dean Hall 104 6 - 9 pm
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QUEST ID Exam Dean Hall 104 6 - 9 pm
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Maritime Archaeology Symposium Ford Island, TBA
President’s Day No school.
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Maritime Archaeology Symposium Ford Island, TBA
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Next month: Saturday, March 14 He‘eia Fish Pond Volunteer Day He‘iea Fish Pond 2 - 8 PM
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Humpback Whale Count Blowhole Lookout 8 am - 4 pm
MOP & Community Events
Seawords Volume XXIX, Number 2, February 2015 Editor: Kathryn Lam Associate Editor: Brijonnay Madrigal 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 Email: <seawords@hawaii.edu> Website: <http://www.hawaii.edu/mop> Seawords is the monthly newsletter of the Marine Option Program at the University of Hawai‘i. Opinions expressed herein are not necessariliy those of the Marine Option Program or of the University of Hawai‘i. Suggestions and submissions are welcome. Submissions may include articles, photography, 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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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
Thank you for reading!