Seaw rds The Marine Option Program Newsletter
January 2018
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“As the ice caps continue to melt, the effects that we are aware of, such as the influx of storms, floods, heat waves and rising ocean levels may just be the tip of the iceberg.”
ANNUAL DIVE REVIEW RECAPPING THE ICE MOP GRADUATION
January 2018
Volume XXXII, Number 1
Articles Page 3: Letter from the Editor Page 4: Annual Dive Review Page 6: Recapping the Ice Page 7: Critter of the Month Page 8: Ocean Art Page 10: MOP Graduation Page 11: Shipwreck of the Month Page 12: Marine Mammal of the Month Page 14: Ocean Updates Page 16: Generation Blue Page 18: Hanauma Bay: Calender of Events Page 19: Flashback: July 1988 Page 20: MOP calendar of events
About the Photography -Cover: Koa Matsuoka, UHM MOP Photography Contestant -Table of Contents: 2010 Kaneohe Field Trip. Photo by MOP -January Calendar of Events: Dieter Stelling, UHM MOP Photography Contestant -Back cover: Kimberly Mayfield, UHM MOP Photography Contestant -All uncredited photos by: MOP -Disclaimer: any photo taken from flickr.com is used under the Creative Commons License and is credited appropriately with links to the user’s flickr account.
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Letter from the Editor
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loha! Welcome to the beginning of the Spring semester and to the January 2018 Issue of Seawords!
We hope everyone had a safe and festive Winter break! Within the issue, we have a feature written by Madelyn Rangel, UHM MOP Student, about the melting and growing ice caps across the poles. Has it been a while since you have taken a dive? Check out page 4 to see Tyler Phelps’, UHH MOP Alumnus, article on an annual dive review and see if you still remember all of your basic diving skills. In December, we were able to host our biannual MOP Graduation. We are very excited to congratulate them on earning their MOP certificate, take a look at page 10 to see the graduates. I am thrilled to be a part of the Seawords team and to be called the new Editor! With the help of our amazing writers and artists, I hope to continue to bring you interesting, vibrant and timeless issues. At the start of each semester, Seawords is always looking for passionate writers or artists who love the ocean. After that, we take it from there! If you have read Seawords and can imagine your name at the top of an article, poem, or art piece, let us know! We would love to get some volunteers with new ideas into some upcoming issues. What would you like to see more of in Seawords? Send us your thoughts! Mahalo for reading,
Seawords
Kayla White, Seawords Editor
Volume XXXII, Number 1, January 2018 Editor: Kayla White Camra Hopper (éminence grise) Dr. Cynthia Hunter (éminence grise) Jeffrey Kuwabara (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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DIVE SAFETY
Annual Dive Review By: Tyler Phelps, UHH MOP Alumnus
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ne of the leading causes of dive accidents is the lack of diver skill proficiency. The best way to prevent this is to practice skills periodically, independently and under the guidance of an instructor. One of the agencies I teach for, recognized the need for routine skill practice and developed a program called an Annual Dive Review. For a small fee, students remediate through interactive online learning and work on fundamental skills with instructor. My intention of this article is not to create a sales pitch for this agency or course, but to bring awareness to the lack of encouragement for skill remediation in our industry. Most students nowadays finish their Open Water training in less than four days, are told they’re “certified for life,” and sent off to go have fun. More than ever, divers are leaving their classes lacking confidence as a diver from being rushed through skills. “Band aids” must be created to resolve poor instruction. You didn’t learn how to navigate? Take this specialty course. You didn’t learn how to do proper buoyancy? Take this specialty course, buy this equipment. You don’t feel comfortable in the water yet? Pay us more money to do more dives and you’ll be considered an “advanced” diver with a whopping total of nine dives. Don’t fall victim to this as we transition into 2018. Now is a convenient time to critically reflect on your dive performance from 2017 and how you can progress.
The Dive Log Divers should keep track of their dives the same way a pilots keep track of their flights. Today, technology has made it even easier to log your dives. Dive computers can plug into your computer and sync to your phone that stores your data conveniently on an app. There’s nothing wrong with using a paper log book but it makes 4| Seawords
it harder to keep track of your metrics, which is why I prefer using a spreadsheet. Dive logs can store insightful information while logging bottom time. I treat mine almost like a journal. I include everything from the gas I was breathing, my added weight and equipment configuration, hazards, and most importantly, what I learned. Take a couple minutes to scroll back through your dive log and reinforce the lessons you learned this year.
Dive Skills Below is a list of fundamental and critical dive skills. I’d like you to rate your comfort with each of these on a scale of 1 to 10. 1 being you have no idea what to do or how to do it (some may not be applicable if you have not been trained yet), 10 being mastery – you make it look easy. You may recognize some of these skills from your open water class. Can you still do the basic swim test? Diving can be a physically demanding sport and it’s important to stay fit. Rescue divers, when was the last time you practiced giving ventilations while removing gear to an unresponsive diver? Was it the three times you did it in your class, do you feel confident in your ability to execute a rescue if you had to? Let this checklist guide what you can practice for next year. Of course, use conservative judgement of when, where, and how to practice more consequential skills, such as buddy breathing. A great diver is always learning. If you’re serious about becoming more knowledgeable or polished in the water, it’s time to think critically of your performance and how you can improve. As we venture in 2018 I hope you will take advantage of this “annual dive review” as a tool of how you should be always self-evaluating. n
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Recapping the Ice Madelyn Rangel, UHM MOP Student
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he melting of the polar ice caps has become an important political topic. There are those who question the idea of global climate change and those who are aware and are desperately calling for action. Scientists agree that the Arctic polar ice cap is shrinking at an unprecedented rate and that this will have, and has had, a definite influence on global climate patterns. Whatever your opinion is on the topic, it’s wise to stay updated on the current state of the ice. 2017 was a notable year for the poles of the planet. Although the summer of 2017 hasn’t been the worst year for Arctic ice cap loss, according to the US National Snow and Ice Data Centre (NSIDC), due to cool summer weather over the Arctic Ocean, these data are still consistent with the overall trend of the shrinking ice cap. The trend includes years where the ice cap grows and years where it shrinks, rather than a clear linear decline. Overall, there has been about a 40 percent decrease in Arctic ice since around 1980.
Antarctica is a continent covered in ice. Contrary to common belief, the area of Antarctic sea ice has been slowly expanding for as long as it has been monitored through satellite data—since 1979. However, March 2017 marks the lowest minimum ice area cover of the Antarctic in recorded history. The summer of 2012 is still the record-holder for Arctic sea ice minimums, at 483,000 square miles smaller than the ice cap in 2017. In contrast, 2012 was the year of record sea ice maximum cover. Important to note is that the shrinking of the Arctic ice cap is much more dramatic than the rate that the Antarctic ice cover is growing. In February, the combined sea ice cover of the two was the lowest in recorded history. The data revealed that in comparison to averages from 1981-2010, the total area of ice lost for both poles was larger than Mexico.
As the ice caps continue to melt, the effects that we are aware of, such as the influx of storms, floods, heat waves The year went differently for Antarctic sea ice. As opand rising ocean levels may just be the tip of the iceberg. posed to the Arctic, which is one mass of floating ice, n
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January:
A crack in the Larson sea shelf in the Antarctic is recorded at 6 miles long, leaving the 2,000-square-mile section barely attached.
February:
Researchers from ASU put forward a $500 billion dollar idea: huge, windpowered pumps than move water onto the surface of the Arctic ice caps so that it will freeze and reverse the effects of shrinking due to climate change.
June:
Current legislation announces their intentions to remove the United States from the Paris Agreement, an agreement aiming to end the world’s dependence on fossil fuels and take action against the rising global temperatures.
July:
The Delaware-sized iceberg breaks off from the Larson C ice shelf, taking 10% of the ice shelf ’s area with it. The iceberg is one of the largest ever recorded.
October:
A polynya, or a hole in an area that is typically continuous ice, was discovered in the Antarctic. It’s the largest hole seen in this area since the 1970’s. The cause for the phenomenon is still unknown. Ice. Photo by: Sergio Morchon, Flickr.
critter of the month By: Alina Abramovich, UHH MOP Student
Fantail Filefish
(Pervagor spilosoma) - ‘ō‘ili ‘uwi ‘uwi Distribution: Endemic to the Hawaiian Island chain Size: Grows up to maximum size of 7” Diet: Omnivore - feeds upon algae, corals and small, benthic invertebrates Coloration: Gold to cream with irregular black spots and lines and orange tail with a black and yellow margin. Habitat: Endemic to the sub-tropical waters around the Hawaiian Island chain
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beautiful example of the diversity found in the waters surrounding the Hawaiian Islands, the fantailed filefish’s (Pervagor spilosoma) bright colors and mysterious behaviors make it a highly sought-after checkmark in the books of seasoned snorkelers. Pervagor spilosoma is a benthopelagic species and inhabits coral reef areas around, including the Hawaiian islands. The species is abundantly present and can be found over rock, rubble, and sand in varying depths, being classified by IUCN as “among the most common of the reef fishes.” Periodically, a large number of young fantails settle out from the pelagic realm in the Hawaiian Islands. Although it is known that the juveniles of the species are epi- and benthopelagic, feeding on algae, small benthic invertebrates and corals, very little is known about the maturation spawning and other parts of the life cycle of the Pervagor spilosoma.
Due to its vibrant colors, the Hawaiian fantailed filefish is highly sought after in the commercial aquarium fish Depth: 6 to 138m trade. Although it is unclear if the collection of these IUCN Red List Status: Least concern fish for ornamental aquarium purposes poses a threat to the population of the species, the practice is still discouraged. Fantails in captivity often refuse to eat and typically do not survive longer than a year. In addition to the possible threat caused by the aquarium fish trade, the Pervagor spilosoma, much like other reef fishes, are facing a population decline due to habitat loss. Since Pervagor spilosoma inhabit rocky reefs as well, a significant population decline is unlikely, however the global loss and threats to corals and coral reefs due to climate change are seen as a major negating factor in the survival of all reef fishes - including the fantailed filefish. n
Fantail filefish (Pervagor spilosoma) off the coast of O‘ahu. Phot by: Sheraca, Flickr. JANUARY 2018 |7
ocean art Santcastle. Photo by: Flat White Guy, Flickr.
Outlined in Sand By: Wendell Laurena, HCC Student
Wendell’s poem was cho poems submitted to us an HCC English Profe English 201: Crea 8| Seawords
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I strolled along the shoreline and spotted a dark line amongst white sand in the distance. I skipped excitedly to take a closer look, wondering what treasure the ocean bestowed. To my surprise, a plain-looking stick appeared out of foam. I picked the stick up to draw, using flat sand as my canvas. I recalled what my teacher taught me how to draw in class yesterday, and traced various shapes: hearts, triangles, and stars. Each shape was carefully made with straight lines, but was interrupted by swift waves that suddenly spilled over my art. Salty water splashed onto my face and erased all my work. Angered at the power of restless waves, I built a mighty castle of sand not even the ocean could tear down. I clumped pieces of wet sand together, stacking higher and higher until my fortress stood as tall as I am. Ocean waves crashed down destroying pieces from my castle. My monument was eroded by countless waves. I watched as the ocean took everything slowly away.
osen from a collection of by Eric Paul Shaffer, essor, and written by his ative Writing class. JANUARY 2018â&#x20AC;&#x192;|9
2017 Fall MOP Graduation
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By: Kayla White, Editor
n December 8, 2017, the Marine Option Program held their 93rd graduation ceremony. The University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo hosted their graduation at their home campuses for their graduates. The graduation at UH Mānoa was a potluck event where friends, families and staff brought food to enjoy. After opening remarks from Jeff Kuwabara, UHM MOP Coordinator, he introduced our guest speaker, Shandell Brunson, Biological Science Technician from the National Marine Fishery Service. With her keynote, “Connecting with the Kama‘aina of Hawai‘i on Land and Sea,” Shandell shared her journey from Idaho to Hawai‘i and her experiences working with stranded turtles and other marine wildlife, along with the hardships that can come with them. Jeff Kuwabara and Dr. Cynthia Hunter, (MOP Director), presented our graduate, Angel Melone, with her MOP certificate and she spoke about her plans after graduation. Closing remarks were given by Dr. Hunter, Dr. Cynthia Hunter and Jeff Kuwabara expressing her excitement for what is yet to come with the new semester. congratulating Angel Melone, UHM MOP would like to congratulate all of the MOP graduates this semester, MOP Student, on her graduation. Photo by: Kayla White, Editor. we wish you the best of luck and we are excited to see what comes next for these outstanding students. n
University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa:
Angel Melone- Certificate Title: Watershed Management
Project title: Natural Resource Management in the Pu‘u Kukui Watershed in West Maui, Hawai‘i
University of Hawai‘i at Hilo:
Joctan Dos Reis Lopes- Certificate Title: Marine Debris Education
Project Title: Marine Debris Education and Coastline Cleanup Project in Com and Dili, TimorLeste
Scott Hardman- Certificate Title: Aquaculture
Project Title: Pacific Aquaculture and Coastal Resources Center Internship 10| Seawords
Shipwreck of the Month: Kauai
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By: Tyler Phelps, UHH MOP Alumnus
here’s something magical about seeing a shipwreck underwater. To gaze upon a wreck with one’s own eyes is motivation to become scuba certified. To maritime archaeologists like Colonel Don Froning, History Lecturer at UH Windward Community College, these sites are more than piles of rusty metal. They can be culturally and historically significant sites that need preservation and their stories interpreted. This month, we’ll be taking a dive on the Kauai steamship wreck located on northwest coast of Hawai‘i Island at Mahukona Harbor. Today she serves as an easy training site for UH Hilo Students and is well documented as the subject of Froning’s Masters of Arts in History thesis at East Carolina University.
get ashore unharmed. The steamer was originally based out of Hilo but was hired to transport sugar plantation mill equipment owned by the Hind family in Puako. Over the course of the year, Captain Mayne transported equipment from Puako to Mahukona so she Steamer Kauai. Courtesy of Hawai‘i State could be taken Archives. via rail to the Niulii Plantation. Other vessels such as the Maui and Kaiulani tried to assist the vessel but the Inter-Island Steam Navigation Company deemed that she could not be saved and efforts to salvage equipment were abandoned due to the high swell. The 154 foot long, 32 foot wide ship, capable of carrying 267 tons, sank on Christmas of 1913. The Kauai was valued at $60,000, a significant amount of money in the early 1900s, but was not insured.
Today, the wreck sits in about 20 feet of water at Mahukona Beach Park, which has now become a recreational Sunken Kauai. Photo by: Tyler Phelps, UHH MOP area since the harbor was closed in 1955. Over 100 years Alumnus. of weathering has taken a toll on the Kauai but visitors For those of you that know of the Kauai, did you know can still be delighted by diverse remains of the steamer. that was not her original name? The Cosmopolis was the Such as the huge engine block, 15-foot prop shaft, enororiginal name of the schooner in 1887 when she was mous propeller, long lines of chain from the mooring purchased for the Higgins & Collins lumber company system, anchor, old boilers and even a rail cart that was out of San Francisco, California. For seven years, the used to transport the sugar mill equipment. Cosmopolis transported lumber from the Bay Area to If you have an idea for the next Shipwreck of the month, Gray’s Harbor, Washington, before being sold in 1895 please let us know at seawords@hawaii.edu. My very for use in Hawai‘i’s sugar industry. abbreviated summary cannot do justice to the brilliant The Kauai was transformed from a steam schooner to a thesis written by Froning. Please check out his compreHawaiian Steamer during operation in Hawai‘i. On De- hensive thesis on the ship’s history including manifests, cember 24, 1913, she ran aground in a heavy swell trying pictures, and engineer-level precision site maps for to offload her cargo in Mahukona Harbor. Fortunately, more information! n no passengers were on board and the crew managed to http://windward-hawaii.academia.edu/DonaldFroning JANUARY 2018 |11
By: Jeremy Gasta, UHM MOP Student
Cuvier’s Beaked Whale Marine Mammal of the Month: Cuvier’s Beaked Whale
Species: Cuvier’s Beaked Whale Scientific Name: Ziphius cavirostris Range: Temperate and tropical seas worldwide Diet: Deep water squid and fish Size: 16-23 feet
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f the two taxonomic groups that contain contemporary whales - Mysticetes, the baleenbearing, filter-feeding whales, and Odontocetes, the toothed whales - most people would most likely picture dolphins or porpoises when thinking of the latter, or perhaps the sperm whale (Phyester macrocephalus), long thought to be the deepest diving mammal ever. However, there is one group among the Odontocetes that tends to be forgotten, the beaked whales, belonging to the family Ziphiidae. Beaked whales are some of the most obscure cetaceans alive today. One could expect the average person to not be familiar with a specific whale species, but having not even heard of an entire family is more surprising, yet the beaked whales are often overlooked. Of course, this might not exactly be much of a surprise. Beaked whales - known for having short, stubby beaks reminiscent of dolphins yet reaching sizes closer to those of the great whales - spend far less time on the surface and far more time diving than many other whales, and are known to be shy and skittish when boats approach, resulting in us knowing fairly little about their behavior and lives despite their being relatively abundant throughout the oceans. Cuvier’s beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) is easily the most common, and widely distributed, of all its beaked brethren.
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Cuvier’s beaked whales are moderately sized whales, reaching lengths of about twenty-one feet on average. They are named after Georges Cuvier, who first described the whale via a skull in 1823, although he believed they were an extinct species. This wasn’t corrected until 1850 when zoologist Paul Gervais realized the species was still alive and well. Like most Odontocetes, they are predators hunting fish and squid, though will also eat a variety of other organisms such as echinoderms (sea stars and relatives) or crusta-
A beaked whale (Ziphiidae) that looks very similar to a dolphin or porpoise. Photo by: Artie Kopelman, Flickr.
Cuvier’s beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris) breaching the water. Photo by: Tim Ellis, Flickr.
ceans. Ironically, despite being grouped with the “toothed whales,” only males of the species have any teeth that break the gumline. While their average gestation period is about a year between fertilization and giving birth they are unlike many other cetaceans. For example, this species does not appear to have a breeding season, with calves being born all year round. On average, the species lives about thirtyseven years. They are most often spotted in small pods of about six to fifteen animals, though adult males have been sighted on their own multiple times. Despite their mysteriousness, these creatures are considered “of least concern” by the IUCN’s red list, and can be found all over the world, except in polar regions.
to regularly dive to depths of up to 2,992 meters in search of food - well over 9,800 feet, more than triple the depth of a sperm whale. On top of that, the unassuming beaked whales stayed under for up to two hours and 17 minutes before returning to the surface to breathe, and the first 30 minutes of that dive time could be a straight, unrelenting vertical plunge into the abyss. This discovery changed our understanding of just how deep mammals could travel. In fact, the pressure at such astounding depths is so strong that the Cuvier’s beaked whale has evolved a specialized rib cage that folds nearly flat as it dives, to create fewer air pockets inside itself but to be less buoyant as well. They also have little “hollows” on the sides of their bodies that they can fold their flippers in to, so that their bodies are The Cuvier’s beaked whale’s greatest claim to fame, howevextremely streamlined when they take the plunge. er, was not seen until only recently. For decades, the sperm whale - both the largest Odontocetes and the largest apex Hardly known among the general public, and obscure predator on the planet - was thought to also hold the title among even some marine biologists, the Cuvier’s beaked of the deepest diving mammal. The massive animals were whale nevertheless hid the remarkable title of being the known to dive to depths of over 3,000 feet on their treks into world’s deepest diving mammal - by a wide margin - for dark abyssal regions to hunt giant squid (Architeuthis dux) many years. Hopefully, more about these interesting creafor food, while holding their breath for an hour and a half at tures can be learned in the future, and hopefully one day a time - a feat that sounds mystical just hearing it. However, they can be as adored in the public’s eye as bottlenose dola 2014 study observing beaked whale habits resulted in the phins and humpback whales. n unwitting usurpation of the sperm whale’s claim to fame. Several individuals of Cuvier’s beaked whales were found JANUARY 2018 |13
cean updates
By: Kayla Palmer, UHM MOP Student
“IF WE KEEP PRODUCING (AND FAILING TO PROPERLY DISPOSE OF) PLASTICS AT PREDICTED RATES, PLASTICS IN THE OCEAN WILL OUTWEIGH FISH POUND FOR POUND IN 2050,” WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM. Right Whale becoming Extinct For centuries, populations of right whales (Eubalaena) were depleted for their oil along the North Atlantic. In 1935 efforts were made to prevent the extinction of right whales by introducing a law that forbid the act of whaling. Although this law lead to the increase of the right whale population, today, they now face new threats that may lead them to extinction in the next twenty years. Death from entanglements in fishing gear and ship collisions poses a very severe threat to their population of just 450. “By tallying field reports and rope scars found on whales, researchers have concluded that about 50 North Atlantic right whales become tangled each year, and about 83% of all whales have gotten caught at least once. Entangled whales often drown or die from starvation or injuries; overall, 58% of the right whale deaths since 2009 were due to entanglements, a big jump from 25% between 2000 and 2008,” said aid, Scott Kraus, Marine Mammalogist at the New England Aquarium in Boston. In addition to the increasing death rate of right whales, birth rates have drastically plummeted due to the stress of reproduction and entanglements among
females, leaving many of them to reproduce every nine years, compared to their normal reproduction rate of every three years. Since 2004, at least 44 right whales have died, half of them were female; scientists predict that if the loss of one or two females from human activity per year continues, it may lead to the extinction of the right whales all together. In order to help preserve the population, the U.S. and Canada officials have agreed to consult with the fishing industries to use weaker ropes as well as traveling slower while in areas where right whales are present.
The Lost Continent of Zealandia
An International team of 32 scientists affiliated with the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP), have returned from a nine week expedition studying the lost continent of Zealandia. Zealandia was above water 8 million years ago, connected to Australia. This bridge allowed various species of plants and animals to travel between landmasses. The formation of a chain of volcanoes and earthquakes along the Pacific Ring of Fire may have caused a subduction zone between the Pacific and Australian plate, therefore causing Zealandia to sink 8,000 to 13,000 feet below the sea, leaving New Zealand behind. Today, the submerged continent of Zealandia is almost the size of India at 5 million square kilometers and provides a productive ocean floor for diverse marine life. Through their expedition, scientists have drilled deep into the seabed of Zealandia, retrieving 8,202 feet of sediment cores, finding evidence of life from millions of years ago. Based on the findings of IODP, the Co-Chief of the expedition, Gerald Dickens, stated they have studied and idenNorth Atlantic Right Whales (Eubalena glacialis). Photo by: NOAA, Flickr. 14| Seawords
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plasmosis and an acidic infection called domoic acid poisoning. California sea otters are classified as a threatened species whose population has grown less than two percent per year, according to the Annual California Sea Otter Census. Based on data given by California wildlife officials, in 2016, the number of stranded sea otters reached a high of 414. Many of the otters were wounded by sharks, disease and poison linked to algae blooms. Toxoplasmosis results from infection from a common parasite found in cat feces and contaminated food. The beautiful Bowen Falls in New Zealand which was once connected to Yankee Doodle was likely to be exposed to domoic acid after eating shellfish, crabs, or fish, but rescuZealandia. Photo by: Bernard Spragg, Flickr. ers got to him with enough time to treat him successfully. Algae blooms release a neurotoxin called tified more than 8,000 specimens along with several domoic acid which has become a threat to the populahundred fossils. Dickens further states, “The discovery tion of sea otters as it can accumulate moving up in the of microscopic shells of organisms that lived in warm food chain causing seizures, disorientation, and possishallow seas, and of spores and pollen from land plants, bly death. Scientists believe that the increase of toxicity reveal that the geography and climate of Zealandia were from algae blooms is caused by runoff pushing waste and dramatically different in the past.” fertilizer into the Pacific Ocean. The California sea otter Even though the crust of the lost continent has a low was given antibiotics to treat the toxoplasmosis along density, a characteristic of continental crust, many sci- with food and hydration to help excrete his domoic acid entists still debate whether to classify Zealandia as a poisoning. Scientists from The Marine Mammal Cencontinent since it is not above water. Scientists do be- ter are currently searching for effective ways to treat lieve that the studying of this landmass can provide a domoic acid poisoning and researching how this toxin better understanding on how massive earthquakes and has impacted the California sea otter population. Yanvolcanic eruptions could influence the climate of the kee Doodle was happily returned back into the ocean future. The study of characteristics of fossils within the and days before his release into Half Moon Bay, he resediment can also help scientists determine how warm ceived a transmitter tag that will allow rescuers from the the water was and when, which can provide information Marine Mammal Center to check on his location and about how shallow or deep the continent of Zealandia progress as he adjusts to living in the wild. n was millions of years ago. More details about what the IODP has discovered will be published after they analyze more information about their findings.
Yankee Doodle Is Released Into the Ocean After Rehabilitation In late October, Yankee Doodle, the California sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis), was released back into the ocean after being rehabilitated for three months at the Marine Mammal Center in California. Yankee Doodle was just four years old when he was found distressed and underweight, in- Yankee Doodle is a California sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis), like shown. Photo by: Andrew Reding, Flickr. fected with a parasitic disease called toxoJANUARY 2018 |15
Actions for the Ocean
GENERATION
BLUE
Pacific Coral Reef. Photo by: Tom Nugent, Flickr.
By: Madelyn Rangel, UHM MOP Student
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ollution is one of the main contributors to the degradation of the ocean. Approximately 80 percent of ocean pollutants originate on land, either from single sources, called point sources, or from nonpoint sources, such as oil runoff from cars. Of the marine debris that makes up a large portion of non-point pollution, plastic is the most problematic. It doesn’t degrade, but merely breaks down into small particles. There are several easy ways that we can begin to decrease the amount of plastic that we waste. If you’re serious about cutting down on your plastic waste, challenge yourself to follow these steps for just one week and see how it goes. n
1:
Switch the gum for a mint.
This may seem like a very small, insignificant detail, but chewing gum is made of synthetic polymers that don’t biodegrade, and cutting it out is very easy change to make in your daily life.
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Opt for grocery items available without packaging.
Many grocery stores sell dried beans, herbs and spices, noodles, rice and grains in the bulk department where you can take them home in your own bags.
THE OCEAN SPANS OVER 70 PERCENT OF OUR WORLD. It is responsible for regulating temperature, food production, sustaining numerous species, and is a source for inspiration for many people.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.
3:
Bring your own reusable cup to the coffee shop.
We all know about this, but it can be a hard one to remember. Plastic cups and straws are a huge part of most people’s daily waste. You might enjoy your coffee more knowing that the toxins from your plastic coffee cup won’t be harming any marine animals.
4: 5:
Look out for face and body soaps that contain polypropylene or polyethylene.
These microplastics, often called exfoliating “beads,” end up in the ocean where they are ingested by fish and harmful to marine wildlife.
Reduce your intake of fast food.
This one might be the hardest, because fast food is a cheap source of dense calories. If you have the resources, see if you can replace a couple of fast food meals with food from restaurants that use reusable dishware or have a meal at home.
If you make it through all of these and are ready for the next step, look more into the ever growing zero waste movement. There are many resources to help you get started. Zerowastenerd.com includes a step-by-step, easy to follow 30-day plan for becoming zero waste.
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JANUARY 2018 Sustainable Ecosystems
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11 JANUARY
Coral reef tipping points in Hawai‘i • Mary Donovan • Hawai‘i Sea Grant • University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
18 JANUARY
Saving parrotfishes and sea urchins saves corals from climate change • Mark Hixon • Biology Department • University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
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25 JANUARY
Marine reserves everyone can agree with: a pipe dream or reality? • Zack Oyafuso • Hawai‘i Sea Grant • University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THEATER THURSDAYS: Science Talks or Educational Films Thursday evenings 6:30 P.M. to 7:30 P.M. at Hanauma Bay Admission is free Parking free after 4 P.M.
Can’t make it to Hanauma Bay?
Watch seminars live on YouTube, search for Hanauma Talks Questions? Call #397-5840 or e-mail hbaynews@hawaii.edu
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FLASHBACK: JULY 1988
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By: Kayla White, Editor
uantitative Underwater Ecological Surveying Techniques (QUEST) is a two-week course that has been offered through University of Hawai‘i for more than 25 years. This program focuses on the monitoring of coral reefs using scuba. During QUEST, students learn fish and invertebrate sampling techniques, how to conduct their own research, and how to identify over 150 local marine species, including coral, limu, and fish. For students interested in participating in QUEST, some requirements must be met. The student must have a scuba certification through any recreational company and once certified, the student must satisfy the requirements of becoming a Scientific Diver in Training (DIT). Quest ID classes offered by UH campuses are optional, but an exam must be taken, passing with an 80 percent, to show your mastery of local limu, fish and invertebrates. After these steps, the student can apply to QUEST by early February. From May 21 to June 1, 1988, 25 students lived on Coconut Island for 10 days to take part in QUEST. All MOP campuses were represented on Coconut Island with four students from UH Hilo, five from Maui Community College, six from Windward Community College and ten from UH Mānoa. The 10 day workshop kept students very busy starting from the moment they woke up, and lasting until the end of the evening, which would often be later than 10 p.m.. The students brushed up on their Hawaiian reef invertebrates, fishes and seaweeds while utilizing scuba training to survey the coral reefs near Coconut Island. Many lectures covered the basics of experimental design and statistical analysis. The students loved the workshop and left Coconut Island feeling satisfied with what they learned and the friendships they made. MOP Director, Sherwood Maynard, told the attendees, “A student who attends a workshop will not be an expert at the end of the workshop, but will know more than a graduate student going into grad school.” He stated that one of the advantages of attending this workshop was that it made the QUEST graduate “a special breed and a valuable commodity” because of their acquired skills and their UH diving authorization. If you are interested in taking QUEST, contact your local MOP Coordinator for more information! n
JANUARY 2018 |19
January Photo credit: Dieter Stelling, UHM MOP Student and Photography Contestant
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Next month: February - Feb. 4 : Atlantis Humbpack Whale Watching Cruise - Feb. 5 : QUEST ID Exam -Feb. 9 : QUEST Application Due
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-Feb. 17 & 18 : Maritime Archaeology Symposium - Feb 20 : President’s Day - Feb. 24 : Humpback Whale Count
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First Day of Instruction
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15 MLK Day (no school) QUEST Fish ID Classes Dean Hall 104 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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MOP Back to School BBQ Bellows Beach 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
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20| Seawords
22 QUEST Invert ID Classes Dean Hall 104 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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QUEST Limu ID Classes Dean Hall 104 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
New Student O Camera Care Dean Hall 104 5:00 p.m. - 6:00
QUEST Fish ID Dean Hall 104 6:00 p.m. - 9:00
QUEST Invert Dean Hall 104 6:00 p.m. - 9:00
QUEST Limu I Dean Hall 104 6:00 p.m. - 9:00
Orientation & Workshop 4 0 p.m.
D Classes
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t ID Classes 4 0 p.m.
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QUEST & MAST Info Meetings Dean Hall 104 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Theater Thursday: Hanauma Bay 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
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Theater Thursday: Hanauma Bay 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
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Theater Thursday: Hanauma Bay 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
ID Classes
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University of Hawai`i at MÄ noa Seawords, Marine Option Program College of Natural Sciences 2450 Campus Road, Dean Hall 105A Honolulu, HI 96822-2219 Address Service Requested
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