May 2015 Seawords by Marine Option Program

Seaw rds The Marine Option Program Newsletter

May 2015

“At that final day with life’s last milestone passing count no man happy unless he finds life, at death, a memory without pain.” -John P. Craven, with inspiration from Sophocles

OBITUARY: JOHN P. CRAVEN FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF DEEP WATER HORIZON SPILL HOW SAFE IS “DOLPHIN-SAFE” TUNA?

May 2015

Volume XXIX, Number 5

Articles Page 3: Letter from the Editor Page 4: Obituary: John P. Craven Page 8: Ocean Updates: Five year anniversary of the Deep Water Horizon spill Page 10: Generation Blue Page 12: How safe is “dolphin-safe” tuna? Page 14: Critter of the Month Page 16: Hanauma Bay calendar of events Flashback Page 18: MOP calendar of events

About the Photography -Cover: Mokapu‘u Caves on Kaua‘i, Corey Mutnik UHM MOP Student -Table of Contents: A kupipī explores a channel marker at Hanauma Bay on O‘ahu, Corey Mutnik, UHM MOP Student. -May calendar of events: Kahe Point on O‘ahu, Corey Mutnik, UHM MOP Student -Back cover: Mokapu‘u Caves on Kaua‘i, Corey Mutnik, UHM MOP Student -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

loha! As the school year winds down, we at MOP would like to say a heartfelt thank you to all the students, faculty, and staff who have made this year especially memorable. Specifically, we would like to take this opportunity to say goodbye to some of our office staff as they leave the undergraduate world at University of Hawaii to go out into the real world: Cencia Balderama and Daniel Estess, Sea Turtle Responders and Christina Curto, UHM MOP Office Manager. A hui hou kākou! Also, many thanks to all who submitted entries to Seawords’ 2015 photography competition. Seawords and UHM MOP staff are currently voting on the submissions, the finalists of which will be sent to the head judge, MOP alumnus, and creator of marinelifephotography.com, Keoki Stender. The winners will be announced in the June 2015 issue of Seawords. Thanks for reading,

Seawords Volume XXIX, Number 5, May 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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A Celebration of Life

John P. Craven At that final day With lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s last milestone passing Count no man happy Unless he finds life, at death, A memory without pain JPC with inspiration from Sophocles

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John Piña Craven October 30, 1924 - February 12, 2015 By Kathryn Lam, Editor

never met Dr. John Craven, but I attended his memorial service because without him we wouldn’t have the Marine Option Program. After sitting through the service, I discovered that Dr. Craven was a person whose life touched many people.

From developing a deep submergence rescue vehicle to developing pioneering techniques that helped to locate objects at deep ocean depths, Dr. Craven was an amazing scientist. He envisioned and developed the UH Natural Energy Lab on the Kona coast, which uses cold deep ocean water to drive the production of energy and aquaculture. Dr. Craven was also a professor and mentor to many. He taught courses and got students involved in hands-on projects such as building watercraft and designing and constructing models of floating cities. Dr. Craven was an avid swimmer, and whimsically helped us recognize that humans can be marine mammals. “He loved his students, and he loved engaging with them, and sharing his ideas,” said Dr. Craven’s daughter Sarah Craven. In addition to his scientific and academic pursuits, Dr. Craven was also musically inclined. From a young age, he memorized all of the protestant hymns. He also enjoyed making musical arrangements, one of which was performed at the memorial service--a lively quartet sang Dr. Craven’s arrangement of the Navy Hymnal, “Eternal Father, Strong to Save.” Aloha, Dr. Craven--thank you for making this world a better place in so many ways, and for your vision for the Marine Option Program, still going strong after 44 years..

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The Sun came up on left, Out of the sea came he! And he shone bright, and on the right Went down into the sea. From the Rime of the Ancient Mariner By Samuel Taylor Coleridge The family of John Craven wishes to thank everyone for your kind and thoughtful expressions of love and sympathy.

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NEWS OCEAN UPDATES: Five year anniversary: Deepwater Horizon Spill By Brijonnay Madrigal, Associate Editor

ACCORDING TO WORLD REGISTER OF MARINE SPECIES THERE ARE CURRENTLY 226,408 NAMED MARINE SPECIES AND MUCH OF THE OCEANS HAVE YET TO BE EXPLORED. 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. Ocean Updates facts brought to you by: http://marinebio.org/

Courtesy of Flickr contributor, Reuters/Daniel Beltra

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ive years ago, on April 20, 2010, one of the most significant environmental disasters of all time in the U.S. occurred. The Deepwater Horizon oil rig owned by, British Petroleum (BP), exploded approximately 41 miles off the coast of Louisiana in the Gulf of Mexico. Oil poured out from the site for 87 days, emitting 5 million barrels of oil and thousands of metric tons of gas into the surrounding water. The oil cover on the surface of the water was visible from space. This event was considered the largest accidental marine oil spill in the history of the petroleum industry. The explosion resulted in 11 fatalities and left 17 workers injured. There was also an unprecedented amount of marine life mortality. Scientists have determined that wildlife is still suffering from the impacts of the oil spill. A recent assessment was conducted to determine the status of marine organisms in the aftermath of the spill and the vitality of the ecosystem in the Gulf of Mexico. The information included below was compiled in a National Wildlife Federation 2015 report detailing the current state of the Gulf. Effects on marine mammals were an obvious indicator of the ecosystem health. Since 2010, more than 1,300 animals have been stranded with a 90% mortality rate. Dolphin mortality off the Louisiana coast has quadrupled and there is increasing evidence that the cause of deaths is linked to the oil spill. Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) have been spending less time foraging around the wellhead area, most likely because of the decrease in prey availability. The oil is being transmitted through life history stages. Oil was found in the eggs of white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) in Midwestern states. Spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus) were recorded as spawning less frequently. The lowest number of juveniles of red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) were recorded since 1994. Many fish species experienced abnormal development such as mahi mahi (Coryphaena hippurus), Gulf killifish (Fundulus grandis), bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) and yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares). The Gulf of Mexico is the primary breeding ground for Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys kempii). After 2010, the number of nests decreased, whereas prior to the spill nests had been increasing in number. Louisiana’s state bird, the brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis), experienced a 12% population decline in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The benthic community was also negatively impacted by the oil spill. Oil has been

sequestered in the sediment within a 12,000 square mile area from the wellhead. Coral colonies are still exhibiting signs of oil damage. Dispersants used to clean the water were consequently more toxic to the corals than the oil itself. A federal judge will soon decide on the case against BP and other companies for violation of the Clean Water Act (CWA), the primary federal law in the United States governing water pollution. BP was penalized $40 billion in fines and costs from the spill and was required to give $16 billion to impacted states. With the increased demand of fossil fuel in the last century, new technologies have been created to expedite the extraction of oil from offshore locations. This accident revealed important information regarding the causes of these incidents. The complexity and the risk involved in the oil drilling industry came to light in the aftermath of the accident. The regulatory challenges of balancing both the environmental and industrial stakeholders are becoming increasingly more important. One positive outcome was the amount of cooperation and unity displayed by the more than 30,000 people that responded to help restore the 16,000 miles of coast affected. Restoration included oil collection, beach clean-ups and animal care. The marine environment is resilient, yet wide scale disasters such as oil spills can have unforeseen impacts. In the case of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the damage inflicted may cause ecosystems to take more time to recover as evident by current findings that indicate that many populations of organisms within the Gulf are declining. It is important to reflect on how to better manage the interactions of both resource acquisition companies and ecosystems in target resources areas. n

Courtesy of Flickr contributor, Governor Jindal’s Office Louisiana

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Actions for the Ocean

BLUE By Brijonnay Madrigal, Associate Editor

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.

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Photo from Flickr.com by Dave Halberstadt

Styrofoam Seas

On average, Americans use up to 25 million styrofoam (plastic) cups each year. Once styrofoam enters the ocean it can be harmful to marine life. Styrofoam pieces can be accidentally ingested by organisms and cause them to die from choking and starvation because they fill their stomachs with styrofoam instead of food. Toxic chemicals leach out from the styrofoam as they decompose, which can persist over hundreds of years. In 2013, the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa banned the use of styrofoam which was a huge step in creating an environmentallyfriendly campus. Here are some ways you can avoid using styrofoam: 1. Always use glass or ceramic cups at home and on campus. 2. Bring a reusable cup with you when you visit your favorite juice/smoothie places that serve their drinks in styrofoam cups (e.g. Lanikai Juice, Jamba Juice) 3. Drinking coffee at work? Use your own coffee mug or insulated mug at work instead of taking a styrofoam cup from the stack. 4. As easy as it is to grab a cup-of noodle for lunch, they are packaged in styrofoam cups. Avoid purchasing this meal option. 5. Eat at restaurants that limit their styrofoam use. If you must eat at a restaurant that uses styrofoam, keep a reusable container on hand to bring home your yummy leftovers. Listed below are some of the restaurants in Hawai’i that have committed to non-styrofoam use: Alan Wong’s http://www.alanwongs.com/ Buzz’s Steakhouse http://buzzsoriginalsteakhouse.com/ Haleiwa Farmer’s Market http://www.farmloversmarkets.com/ Haleiwa Blue Water Shrimp http://www.yelp.com/biz/ blue-water-shrimp-and-seafood-haleiwa Hula Grill Waikiki http://www.hulagrillwaikiki.com/ Jimmy Buffett’s at the Beachcombers http://www.jimmybuffettsatthebeachcomber.com/ Keneke’s http://www.kenekes.net/

La Gelateria http://www.lagelateriahawaii.com/La_Gelateria/About_Us.html Loving Hut http://lovinghut.us/honolulu/ Luibueno’s http://luibueno.com/ Ono to Go https://www.facebook.com/OnoToGo Sweet Home Waimanalo http://sweethomewaimanalo. com/ Wahoo’s Fish Taco http://wahoos.com/v2/ Z Pizza https://zpizza.com/

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Features How safe is dolphin safe tuna?

Tuna captured inside purse seine net. (Coutesty of Flickr contributor, NOAA

By Camra Hopper, UHM MOP Student

hunnus albacares, also known as yellowfin tuna, or ‘ahi here in Hawai‘i, are often found off the coast of Mexico and Central America swimming with dolphins in the Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean (ETP). Fisheries in many countries have been attempting to maintain the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) regulations for “dolphin-safe” tuna labels by not killing dolphins since 1990. The label requirements were necessary because yellowfin tuna swim below dolphins. Fisheries in the 1950s used speedboats to herd tuna into large purse seine nets, hung vertically in the water held down by weights at the bottom and by buoys at the surface, in order to catch the tuna swimming beneath them. The bycatch of dolphins in the ETP was high because fishermen used to intentionally capture both tuna and dolphins and then attempt to release the dolphins from the net. However, according to Marine Science Today,

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release wasn’t always successful and the stress alone often caused serious damage to the dolphins and their population becuase they do not reproduce as fast, “the effects of the fishery on dolphin populations have been strong and are relatively well known,” NOAA said. Once the data were made public, the U.S. government imposed an embargo on tuna imports caught with purse seine nets in the ETP, and prevented the use of the dolphin-safe label for tuna caught with this method. The Earth Island Institute states that they “monitor tuna companies around the world to ensure the tuna is caught by methods that do not harm dolphins and protect the marine ecosystem.” Their guidelines include no intentional chasing or netting of dolphins, no drift gill nets are to be used to catch tuna, no accidental killing or serious injuries to any dolphins, no mixing of dolphin-safe and dolphin-deadly tuna, and that any

trip within the ETP by vessels of 400 gross tons and the dolphin-safe label entirely, or make an exception for greater must have an independent observer on board Mexican fishermen.” witnessing the compliance to the rules. Ninety percent As of Tuesday, April 14, 2015 the WTO ruled in favor of world’s tuna companies comply. of Mexico. NOAA has re-drafted the dolphin-safe label These regulations are specific to vessels within the ETP, requirements during the past few months. The new leading to the migration of the majority of U.S. fishing proposal requires only the captain to testify that no fleets to regions where the observer regulations do not dolphins were harmed or killed in the process, and an apply. According to Emily Tripp of Marine Science today observer would only be required “where applicable.” however, this tuna is still being sold as “dolphin-safe”. These new standards won’t change labeling outside Most vessels that fish within the ETP developed new of the ETP zone, continuing the uncertainty for the gear and fishing methods to satisfy these requirements. original 95 percent of tuna from non-ETP regions. The World Trade Organization (WTO) found the regulations of an observer on-board a ship only within the ETP to be discriminatory. In 2014 the U.S. fishing industry of canned tuna had a net worth of $680 million. Mexico claims the U.S. has denied their imports, leading them to only a 3.5% share in those profits. Since the U.S. labeling regulations have been enforced for the past 20 years, Mexico claims that the rules are discriminatory because they disqualify Mexican tuna, and not other countries’. In non-ETP regions the captain is the observer who certifies that no dolphins were killed or harmed, leading to no outside observer guaranteeing that the dolphin-safe tuna is kept separate from dolphin-deadly tuna.

“What we’re trying to do is to bring everybody all around the world to the same standard as we’ve been applying in the Eastern Tropical Pacific,” said Kevin Chu, deputy southwest regional administrator for NOAA.

The ETP is the only fishery in which dolphin-safe regulations are tracked and verified, but if the new regulations are enforced, mortalities of dolphins may continue to occur because each boat will self-certify that no dolphins were killed, whether it’s true or not. If countries do comply with the regulations truthfully, Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) will be used to get a dolphin-safe label. “A FAD is a permanent, semipermanent or temporary structure or device made from any material and used to lure fish,” states the “The regulations do not offer any real protections for Fisheries and Aquaculture Department, and have been dolphins either. Specifically, they call only for a captain’s used in the tuna purse seine fishery since the 1980s. self-certification that no dolphins were killed or The FADs will attract small fish and then larger fish; injured in the capture of the tuna. This puts the power because larger fish tend to be found in deeper waters the of dolphin-safe designation solely in the hands of an devices are not only placed near the surface. Not only economically self-interested party – the captain of the do FADs lure fish, causing a disruption in tuna’s natural vessel,” stated Senator Barbara Boxer said during a press migration patterns, but there has also been a long-term release in 2013. modification of natural habitats. Some ETP fishermen continue to fish using their methods, which involve chasing dolphins to find the yellowfin tuna. Unfortunately, this also results in the accidental capture of dolphins. Although Venezuelan and Colombian fishermen use the same methods, these two countries do not fish within the ETP like Mexico does, allowing them the freedom of having no government observer on board to testify.

NOAA Fisheries Service Sustainable Fisheries Division now operates a Tuna Tracking and Verification Program (TTVP), which randomly spot-checks samples of tuna from retail markets to verify if the product is dolphinsafe, as advertising claims. The WTO has now made it possible for fisheries to share a part of the U.S. fishery value because the ETP is free from having a government official on board the vessel, unless it is “appropriate.” In turn, any regions outside the ETP are open for inspection According to Suzanne Goldenberg, US environment if there are signs of the dolphin-safe regulations being correspondent, “Under WTO regulations, the Obama violated. n administration has about 18 months to do away with MAY 2015 |13

critter of the month

Photo credit: Corey Mutnik, UHM MOP Student

Sandbar shark

Scientific Name: Carcharhinus plumbeus Hawaiian Name: Mano Also known as the thickskin shark or the brown shark, the sandbar shark is a species of requiem shark (Carcharhinidae), a family of sharks known to attack people. However, the sandbar shark is not considered to be a danger to people and they are popular in aquariums. According to marinelifephotography.com, sandbar sharks can be found worldwide in warm seas, commonly on muddy or sandy bottoms in shallow coastal waters but can also be found in intertidal zones and deep coastal waters of up to 200 meters or more. This shark has an arched back, a tall dorsal fin, and is one of the largest coastal sharks in the world. It can attain eight feet in length and is closely related to the dusky shark, the bignose shark, and the bull shark. The color of the sandbar shark can range from blue or brown-grey to bronze with a white or otherwise pale underside. These sharks swim either alone or in sex-segregated schools. They are preyed upon by tiger sharks and occasionally great white sharks; they eat fish, rays, and crabs. 14|â&#x20AC;&#x192;Seawords

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 MAY 2015 |15

May 2015 – Science and You Citizen Science Opportunities in Hawai‘i – Get Involved!

-3 May“Bonefishes in Hawai‘i and the importance of angler-based data to inform fisheries management” by Keith Kamikawa, Fisheries Ecology Research Lab

-10 May-

“OPIHI: Our Project in Hawai‘i's Intertidal” by Joanna Philipoff, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa

-17 May-

“Laulima A ‘Ike Pono: Working Together Toward a Collective Vision community research creating community access” by Judy Lemus, Paepae ‘o He‘eia, Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology

-24 May-

“Eyes of the Reef: Connecting scientists, resource managers, and the community” by Amanda Shore, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology

-31 May-

Kawainui Marsh research and restoration by Jim Cogswell, DLNR, Division OF Forestry and Wildlife

FLASHBACK: 2005

It has been noted that UHM MOP Coordinator, Jeff Kuwabara, has been a part of MOP “since forever.” This prompted us to look back and see when UHM’s beloved coordinator really did join MOP in a professional position. This article from February 2005 shows that Kuwabara has been working at MOP for ten years and four months. Jeff was also a MOP student from 1991-1995 and served as Student Coordinator from 1992-1995. Mahalo for your hard work and commitment to the program, Jeff! If you are a UHM student or otherwise find yourself on the UH Mānoa campus, stop by the MOP office at Dean 105A and meet Jeff. Otherwise, feel free to email us at seawords@hawaii.edu and we would be happy to email you archived copies of Seawords! 16| Seawords

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Sun.

May

Mon. Tues.

MOP & Community Events

Wed. Thurs. Fri.

Sat.

Last Day of Spring 2015 Instruction

8 MOP Graduation Dean Hall 104 5:00-7:00pm

Final Examination Week (May 11th -15th )

16 104th Annual Commencement Ceremony Stan Sheriff Center 9am-5pm

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!