Seaw rds The Marine Option Program Newsletter
May 2018
26
“...Marine debris and debris ingestion is a global issue affecting 200 species worldwide and 115 in the United States..”
DIVING ADVENTURE IN TRUK LAGOON NO BUDDY, NO PROBLEM? THE PROS AND CONS OF SOLO DIVING MOP SYMPOSIUM
May 2018 Articles
Volume XXXII, Number 5
Page 3: Letter from the Editor Page 4: Diving Adventure in Truk lagoon Page 12: Thirty-Fifth Annual MOP Student Symposium Page 22: No Buddy, No problem? The Pros and Cons of Solo Diving Page 25: Critter of the Month Page 26: Ocean Art Page 28: Features: Marine Entanglement Page 30: May Surf Report Page 32: How Safe is “Reef-Safe” Sunscreen? Page 34: Shipwreck of the Month Page 36: Marine Mammal of the Month Page 38: Cape Town Water Shortage Page 40: Ocean Updates Page 42: Generation Blue Page 44: Hanauma Bay: Calendar of Events Page 45: Flashback: May 1987 Page 46: MOP Calendar of Events
About the Photography -Cover: Megan Russel, UHM MOP Photography Contestant -Table of Contents: Megan Russel, UHM MOP Photography Contestant -May Calendar of Events: Kimberly Mayfield, UHM MOP Photography Contestant -Back cover: Logan Magad-Weiss, UHM MOP Photography Contestant -Cape Town Water Shortage: Mattharvey1, Flickr. -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. 2| Seawords
Letter from the Editor
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loha!
Welcome to the May 2018 issue of Seawords! Page 4 will take you on an adventure with Dr. Walter Dudley and Dr. Rick Tegeler in the Truk Lagoon in this very special article the two co-wrote and are graciously sharing with Seawords! Don’t miss this memorable article! Kayla Palmer, UHM MOP student, takes on the serious and urgent issue of marine entanglement in her Features article on page 28. Read all about the MOP symposium and the impressive skill projects that MOPers put together on page 12. Have you been trying to decide if you should solo dive or not? Tyler Phelps, UHH MOP Alumnus and UHM MOP Alumna, Jessica Lotts have the pros and cons covered to help make your decision a little bit easier! Want to know what is going on around the world? We got you -- former Seawords Editor and UHM MOP student, Kayla White, covers the Cape Town water shortage on page 38 and Kayla Palmer, UHM MOP student, covers ocean updates from around the globe! Read all of the updates on page 40. Don’t forget! We are always looking for writers and artists to join our team! Don’t miss out on the opportunity to brag to your friends that your writing has been published or that your amazing poem or art piece was featured in a magazine! We welcome submissions from all students from any degree or background! What would you like to see more of in Seawords? Send us your thoughts! Mahalo for reading,
Seawords
Jenny Johnson, Seawords Editor
Volume XXXII, Number 5, May 2018 Editor: Jenny Johnson 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.
MAY 2018 |3
Diving Adventure in Truk Lagoon
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By: Dr. Walt Dudley & Dr. Rick Tegeler
Walter observing his son Christopher hard at work behind the camera on the Yamagiri Maru. Photo and caption by: Dr. Rick Tegeler.
n 1982 the late Sherwood Maynard, father of the could look out the windows and see Truk Lagoon. I had Marine Option Program, organized a test run of always wanted to dive on the famous wrecks there, and what would later become QUEST (Quantitative it was only thanks to reconnecting with my old friend Underwater Ecological Surveying Techniques) us- Rick Tegeler after over 30 years, that the dream became ing the MOP faculty and staff coordinators as guinea a reality. The following story, written by Rick, tells of pigs and diving off Olowalu on Maui during spring our recent diving expedition in Truk Lagoon. break. QUEST would later be tested at HIMB on CocoTHE GHOST FLEET nut Island and by the 1990s move to the Big Island, first off Puako and later in Kealakakua Bay. As word spread, Nestled in the Central Pacific about 1,800 kilometers scientists from around the world began to sign up for northeast of Papua New Guinea and 3,500 kilometers the course and even a U.S. Navy Captain attended. By southeast of Japan at 7 degrees north latitude Truk 1996 there was interest in Lagoon today seems a offering the course for the peaceful tropical paramarine resource managers dise. Given its modern from the Marshall Islands, day somnolent repose, Federated States of Microone can easily envision nesia, and the Northern this idyllic destination as Mariana Islands. Dursomething from the pages ing the summer of 1996, of Somerset Maugham’s this special Quest course south Pacific adventures. was held on the island of This peaceful veneer belies Pohnpei. After the course, a 30-year frenetic military our return flight to Hawaii history culminating with landed on Chuuk and we ‘Operation Hailstone’ carClark’s Anemonefish on the Fujikawa Maru. Photo and caption by: Dr. Rick Tegeler 4| Seawords
ried out by the Americans in WWII on February 17-18, 1944. The result of this action was the ultimate demise of the combined Imperial Japanese naval fleets stationed in the calm waters of the lagoon. To explore the resultant multitude of war wrecks is the reason we have journeyed there. Trukâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s barrier reef has a circumference of approximately 225 kilometers encompassing some 19 lush, mountainous islands of volcanic origin and consists of some 225 coral shoals/islands and reef structures all comprising just over 1,300 square kilometers. Substantial increase in the local population after the war and the change to a cash-based economy promoted by administrators under the Trust Territory resulted in less reliance on historical subsistence living through farming and cultivation and a dramatic change to one of dependence more on imported food. All the major islands are fringed with mangroves and the higher, fertile islands support a variety of local plants and trees including but not limited to banana, taro, mango, breadfruit, and coconut... all of which supported the indigenous existence augmented by fishing until after the war. Likely inhabited for over 3,000 years, the culture of Truk (now called by its traditional name: Chuuck) enjoyed (or suffered through - depending on your viewpoint) Spanish, English, French, German, Japanese and American administrators. Germany ultimately purchased Truk and Micronesia from the United States by arrangement following the Span-
The deck and hold number two of the Fujikawa Maru. Pieces and parts of the infamous Japanese Zero can be found in the holds on this popular wreck. Photo and caption by: Dr. Rick Tegeler. ish-American War in 1898. Then, by a clandestine and controversial pact with Great Britain, Japan seized most of the island groups in 1914 ostensibly to counter German supply routes during the first World War. Japan never looked back and began to militarize the area after being officially mandated control by the League of Nations in 1919 despite strenuous objections from the U.S., Australia and Great Britain. Japan immediately thereafter commenced an intensive policy of immigration to Micronesia to suit their economic and strategic expansion goals and by 1937 Japanese emigrants soon outnumbered the native population of about 50,000.
Walter and Christopher working with the camera on some of the prolific life on the Shinkoku Maru. Photo and caption by: Dr. Rick Tegeler. MAY 2018â&#x20AC;&#x192;|5
The Combined Imperial Japanese Fleet vessels under attack on February 17 -18, 1944 in Truk Lagoon. Image courtesy of: The National Archives and Records. By the late 1930s, the Imperial Japanese Navy had established the largest fleet anchorage outside of Tokyo Bay at Truk complementing the natural and protected, deep water anchorage with airstrips, seaplane bases, headquarters (including that for Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, the architect of Pearl Harbor), repair facilities, fuel tank storage farms, two separate troop garrisons with combined complements of around 40,000 men, and all other associated buildings and centers to supply their combined fleets. This despite the 1919 Treaty of Versailles specifically forbidding any militarization of the area. Because the lagoon is approximately 70 kilometres in diameter, and therefore seemingly immune to naval bombardment from enemy ships, plus with limited access through mined passes in the outer reef, it became known as ‘The Gibraltar of the Pacific’. These facilities were to play major roles in the Japanese expansion in the Pacific including the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. With the establishment of this military and fleet center, the Japanese population in Micronesia grew to over 100,000 souls far exceeding the number of locals. This tsunami of ‘foreigners’ changed forever the cultural heritage of Micronesia. On February 4, 1944 an American reconnaissance flight 6| Seawords
over the lagoon revealed a staggering array of over 60 ships including two fleet aircraft carriers and the Japanese-flag super battleship Musashi among other major capital ships of the Imperial Navy. The Japanese commanders, alerted by this flight, quickly dispatched as many of the warships as possible to nearby Palau realizing that their stronghold might come under imminent attack, the departure of the warships leaving the atoll nearly defenceless. The rest of the fleet made up of mainly transports and supply ships continued unloading to storage facilities ashore. The reconnaissance also showed the American commanders that indeed Truk was a major supply depot and Wing camera of the destruction of the C Lagoon during Operation Hailstone. courtesy of: The National A
anchorage and had to be dealt with to secure Allied control of the area for the ultimate proposed invasion of Japan. In the early morning hours of February 17, 1944, the American attack on Truk commenced and was code named ‘Operation Hailstone’. Task Force 58 launched over 500 aircraft from five main and four light aircraft carriers, the flag battleship New Jersey, six other battleships, a full complement of cruisers and destroyers and a variety of associated fleet vessels... the first solely aircraft operation of the Pacific campaign.
On February 4, 1944 the U.S. flew a reconnaissance flight over the lagoon Operation Hailstone was a disaster at Truk. This is one of the images captured during that flight and shows an for the Japanese as every ship that reamazing number of ships of the Combined Imperial Japanese Fleet. Image mained in the harbor was sunk, 51 courtesy of: The National Archives and Records. of them, most of them still anchored ly known. However, reasonable estimates put the losses and/or unloading cargo at the time of their demise. Additionally, 416 Japanese aircraft were at over 4,000 for the Japanese and in the hundreds for destroyed, mostly still on the ground, at a loss to the the indigenous population. Subsequent to ‘Operation Americans of but 26 planes with many of the downed Hailstone’ the Allies bombed Truk on almost a weekly air crews rescued by submarine and other naval vessels. basis until the end of the war, effectively neutralizing The list of destroyed Japanese ships morphs from time and blockading the base into uselessness. to time over the years as new information continues to The daunting task of management and administration be forthcoming about the wrecks and even new ones of the wreck sites is now the responsibility of the Chuuk have been located as late as in 2002, almost 60 years af- government. However, it is impossible to see or tell ter the attack. Due to the magnitude of the wreckage where any of the many hundreds of thousands of cash and the almost total surprise of it, the raid on Truk has dollars raised each year in ‘dive permits’ and ‘exit fees’ been called... ‘The Japanese Pearl Harbor’. These sup- is being spent. It appears that the dive operators are ply ships carried every con- the only ones caring for, or at least involved, with the ceivable article of supply wrecks in any way and basically, they are in the tourist for an army and navy at business, which is a volume and for profit enterprise. war, including but not lim- These operators are the largest employers beside the loited to: aircraft parts; am- cal government and they are in the business of diving, munition for warships and not historical preservation. The Chuukese economy is troops; foodstuffs; sake; essentially one of subsistence and infrastructure spendbeer; all manner of medical ing appears noticeably lacking given the basic human supplies; fuel, communi- needs of the citizens. While the U.S. contributes subcations equipment; tanks; stantial aid to Micronesia, the local Chuuk population bulldozers; trucks; howit- is impoverished and efforts at historical preservation of zers; bicycles; spare sub- local assets has little or no importance or meaning for marine parts; clothing, etc. them. Some in the local community tend to associate One can still see many of the wrecks with a period in their recent history that is these supplies nearly intact one of death and destruction and the wrecks are only on the wrecks today. Japa- significant as a reminder of such. Therefore, many in nese and local population the Chuuk population tend to avoid much involvement Combined Japanese Fleets in Truk casualties are not accurate- with any efforts to protect what the Japanese see as ‘war
... February 17 - 18, 1944. Image Archives and Records.
MAY 2018 |7
Kensho Maru bridge to engine room telegraph. The pink and red covering is encrusting sponge. Photo and caption by: Dr. Rick Tegeler. graves’. This adds to the complexity of potential efforts at wreck preservation given a subsistence society with such different values and priorities. Additionally, most of the world dive community always has and continues to view Truk as a significant dive destination rather than an important historical site in need of preservation, and this mindset dictates how the wrecks are regarded from the Chuuk government viewpoint... and most particularly, that of world perception. They are a money generating resource. Hampered by overlapping agencies, lack of funds, corruption, and conflicting preferences, historic preservation is an obvious low priority. It has been 39 years since I last visited Truk as it was then known. Legend has it that the Germans had difficulty pronouncing ‘Chuuk’... its traditional name... and the easier pronunciation ‘Truk’ became the namesake until independence. I was anxious to re-visit the many wrecks I explored in previous years and view them again through the prism of time. My impressions are bittersweet after recalling my first visits to this living history book of a location every year for six years during the mid-1970s writing and photographing for a variety of publications (National Geographic, Skin Diver Magazine, The Cousteau Society, Oceans Magazine, The Smithsonian, and others). The wrecks are clearly showing 74 years of exposure to the marine environment and its elements and associated over exploration/exploitation by literally thousands of divers per year. Comprised of steel, iron and aluminum I 8| Seawords
note that they are much more corroded than my memory and earlier camera imagery recalls. Typhoons have taken their toll as well as many of the remains closer to the surface have been degraded or totally destroyed. The superstructures of many of the shallower and thus more popular wrecks for diving have collapsed in on themselves since my last visit in 1979 and the corrosive nature of the underwater marine environment has turned massive steel plates into thin, brittle and dangerous structures... particularly for penetration dives into the interior of some of these vessels. The sheer popularity of the ‘greatest collection of wrecks in the world’ prompted some dive promoters to remove fragile artifacts from their original resting places within to more easily photographable locations... often damaging the ships structural stability and the artifacts themselves. The results of diver’s bubbles tend to degrade the integrity
Most of all the remains of Japanese sailors have been removed from the wrecks and re-repatriated to Japan... some in the early 70s... most of the rest in 2002. I captured this image in the early 70s... located deep within the crew compartments of the Shinkoku Maru. Truly the Ghost Fleet! Photo and caption by: Dr. Rick Tegeler.
day. Moorage buoys are in place on most of the wrecks now but more robust and secure anchorages are sorely needed in order to prevent further degradation of these historic artifacts. Estimates suggest anywhere from 3,000 to 6,000 divers per year journey to Chuuk. This equates to nearly 250,000 divers maximum since my last visit and literally millions of hours of dives on the remains since then. Many of the wrecks contain munitions and the locals have been known to remove them for use in dynamite fishing... often to the serious detriment of the marine environment and the wrecks themselves. Of particular interest is the coral growth, which seems to be thriving on most of the wrecks and mimics what the screen of my memory recalls. Interestingly and scientifically significant is the fact that we know almost to This beautiful invertebrate was found on the wires in the radio room of the minute how old the coral is on each of the Kensho Maru. Photo and caption by: Dr. Rick Tegeler. these artificial reefs and growth and health measurements are easily discernible givof overhead structures, stirring up debris and thereby en this knowledge. Truk Lagoon was basically sterile increasing the speed of corrosion. No one was able to offer me any information on the release of bunker and with regard to coral habitat before Operation Hailstone fuel oil into the lagoon as most of these 51 ships each as its bottom is comprised mostly of silt. Coral larvae had many thousands of gallons of either or both aboard. require some stable structure on which to attach and To my knowledge there have been no studies on what grow. The wrecks provided this structure and the nutrithe release of these fuels might do and are doing to the ent and larvae rich currents flushing through the barrier reef channels provided the ways for this incubation environment within the lagoon. In the past, often I and my small groups of adventuresome divers were the only ones in the water... anywhere in the lagoon. New since my last visit are three charter, dive, liveaboard vessels working the lagoon each with from 8 to 12 divers per week aboard and literally dozens of smaller outboard craft visiting the wrecks daily from shore-based operators often ferrying up to six to eight divers per boat... every day, often three times per
Walter at the bow of the Fujikawa Maru. Photo and caption by: Christopher Dudley. MAY 2018â&#x20AC;&#x192;|9
Walter and his son Christopher inspect the remnants of a huge crane on the Gosei Maru. Photo and caption by: Dr. Rick Tegeler. and the wrecks of February 1944 supplied the means for this amazing blossom of corals and fishes. However, particularly on the shallower wrecks, I note the infestation of massive algae growths on the exteriors... scientific classification - lobophora variegata. I wonder... is this because of the increased effluent being discharged into the lagoon waters from the increase in population
ashore and from the liveaboards, plus the number of shore-based divers impacting the basically closed circuit of the lagoon ecology, or could it be some change in the ocean currents and therefore content entering the various passes into the atoll? Is it because there are still no ‘grazers’ to dine on this growing feast? Spear fishing? Dynamite fishing? Marine life in the form of coral reef fishes and invertebrates is still abundant and appears to be thriving. But again, no larger creatures were observed save a curious grey reef shark and several spotted eagle rays cruising by just off the perimeter on two of the wrecks. Sea urchins and algae devouring ‘grazers’ were noteworthy in their absence.
As I slowly swim down the interior of a ghostly passageway aboard the Fujikawa Maru, a 433-foot long, 6,983-ton passenger/cargo ship whose keel rests in 120 feet of water, I can’t help but think of what a curious and mysterious blend of life and death are these wrecks. I am driven to reflect on the melancholy nature of death this ship represents despite its abundant and vibrant marine life all around me. Again, I think of how nature is absorbing these instruments of war on the one hand, yet on the other strangely preservLionfish on display. Yamagiri Maru... this is one of the larg- ing them. The voices I hear in my mind from the est I have seen on the Truk wrecks. Photo and caption by: dead sailors who once walked this passageway tell me Dr. Rick Tegeler. there are lessons here to be had. I realize, despite the 10| Seawords
obvious deterioration since my last visit, that it will be centuries before the vestiges of manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s folly completely disappear from wrecks of the Ghost Fleet in Truk Lagoon. I see the issues of war here slowly fading away, yet the consequences of war will remain long after the tangible has been consumed. I am big on perspective when it comes to my affect on life and how I interact with those around me and this passageway strikes me as eerily macabre, the overriding sensation I experience perhaps because my presence here makes me realize that those who have passed on are Christopher at work imaging on the Kiosumi Maru. Photo and caption by: definitely still with us in presence. Dr. Rick Tegeler. I venture into one of the compartments off the companionway where silt and debris filled cabin I wonder what lesson those some 40 years ago I found skeletal human remains now long-dead Japanese sailors might impart. My conclulong since removed. Examining the dark and moody sion... for the dead, it is over. It is for the living to carry their burden. As I exit the passage and slowly swim for the surface I bring with me the rueful memories of what I have seen over the 45 years I have dived here and can only imagine the sights and emotions of those living along this corridor during the attack. I begin to understand what these wrecks truly represent. They are not just to show the individual man merely the consequences of war, but for him to understand and evaluate the choices that can lead to war... or peace. With this knowledge comes awareness and from awareness there can be understanding... and for me with understanding there is hope.
End Rick Tegeler is an award winning underwater photographer and photojournalist, lecturer, author and oceanographer. Walter Dudley, former faculty Co-ordinator of the UHH Marine Option Program and his son Christopher, a graduate of UH-Manoa, were invited to journey to Truk Lagoon in Micronesia in February of this year to experience the world famous and historic Japanese wrecks sunk there some 74 years ago. Walter and Rick were college roommates their freshman year at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois in 1964 and last dived together 53 years ago in the Florida Keys. For more images and information, please visit: The interior of a ghostly companionway beneath the bridge www.PhotodiveInternational.com n of the Fujikawa Maru. Photo and caption by: Dr. Rick Tegeler. MAY 2018â&#x20AC;&#x192;|11
Thirty-Fifth Annual MOP Student Symposium
Dr. Doug Dykstra, WCC Chancellor, welcomes everyone to Windward Community College. Photo by: Jeff Kuwabara, UHM MOP Coordinator.
By: Jenny Johnson, Editor
A
pril 21, 2018 marked the Thirty-Fifth Annual MOP Student Symposium held at the beautiful Windward Community College on O‘ahu. 15 students from campuses on O‘ahu, the Big Island and Maui attended the symposium to present their fascinating skill projects. The symposium consisted of four oral presentation sessions and one poster session. Each student’s presentation was remarkable and inspirational on every level. After everyone had presented, the panel of judges faced the unbelievably difficult decisions on who would win the awards: Best Poster, Best Research, Best Internship, Sherwood Maynard ocean Impact, John P. Craven, PACON and the Anna Toy Ng Award.
The symposium started off with a bang from Professor McCoy’s talk on the discovery of a buried city on the Greek island of Santorini. The newly found city of Akrotiri was buried in ash due to a volcanic explosion 3,600 years ago. Amazingly, the ash preserved the re-
Keynote Address: Volcanic Explosions and
Tsunami- the Bronze Age eruption of Santorini, Greece.
Floyd F. McCoy, Professor of Oceanography and Geology and Geophysics, Windward Community College
12| Seawords
Dr. Cindy Hunter welcomes Dr. Floyd F. McCoy. Photo by: Jeff Kuwabara, UHM MOP Coordinator.
mains of the city and unbelievable discoveries were found in this buried city. Massive vases and sculptures were completely preserved and showed the technological advances of Akrotiri. Beautiful paintings and intricate art pieces filled the city and walls. There were even paintings of antelope, which Professor McCoy informed us meant that they were importing these animals 3,600 years ago! Jewelry pieces such as earrings were found with astounding designs and beauty. The city was obviously ahead of its time and if anyone needed further proof, a sealed sewer system was found. The ash had preserved food, clothing, tables, plates and much more, allowing geologists to closely study every aspect of Akrotiri. Session I: Host: Jeff Kuwabara, MOP, UH Mānoa
“A SURVEY OF CORAL NURSERY TECHNIQUES AND APPLICATIONS IN HAWAI‘I” McKenna Lewis, University of Hawai‘i at Manoa Research
UHM MOP Students, Shelby Dolim and Carly Corbisiero wait for the presentations to begin. Photo by: Jeff Kuwabara, UHM MOP Coordinator. the most growth in the intermediate site.
“CORAL IMMUNITY: CHARACTERIZATION McKenna Lewis kicked off the first session of the day AND PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS OF TOLLwith her outstanding research project on coral nursery LIKE RECEPTOR GENES IN MONTIPORA techniques. Her project had two main parts - assess the CAPITATA, THE BROWN RICE CORAL”
techniques of both the ex situ and in situ DAR (Divi- Julia M. Stewart, University of Hawai‘i at Hilo - Internsion of Aquatic Resources) coral nurseries. She began ship her presentation by explaining that Hawai‘i is about 10 years behind other places in their coral restoration ef- Julia Stewart continued the coral research topic in her forts. In doing this project, she wanted to help Hawai‘i inspiring presentation about her analysis of coral immunity. To understand coral immunity is an essential find new coral nursery techniques. For the first part of her project, Mckenna evaluated water systems and curing times for the concrete coral modules in the ex situ Coral Restoration Nursery. Her results included two very important findings: coral in an open water system (sandfiltered water, flow-through tank) had greater growth rates than coral in the “closed” watersystem (sand-filtered, UV-sanitized water) and there was no statistical difference between coral grown on cured concrete in seawater for one week vs. one month. In the second part of her project, Lewis assessed the DAR Corals of Opportunity nursery and focused on location and environmental conditions. She compared three different locations: the reef flat, the lagoon and UHM MOP Student, McKenna Lewis, is first to present. Photo the intermediate site. She found that coral had by: Jeff Kuwabara, UHM MOP Coordinator. MAY 2018 |13
nations in total! While working extremely hard on attaining funding, Nason also had to wait on approvals for each step of her coral tank building process. Once all approvals had gone through, she began building her tank. She met many setbacks but one that stood out the most was when the 7,200 pound tank began to bow and she had to build a new stand. After the extensive work she put in and her outstanding patience- Nason had built a complete coral system tank. Her tank will be utilized by the public, researchers and students. Andrea Ehlers, UHH MOP Student, talks about her renovation of the UH Hilo aquarium. Photo by: Jeff Kuwabara, UHM MOP Coordinator.
Session II: Host: Mackenzie Manning, MOP, Kapi‘olani Community College
“THE RENOVATION OF THE MARINE SCIENCE BUILDING step in the restoration efforts and can be key to the AQUARIUM FOR THE DISPLAY OF CAPTIVE success of these efforts. Stewart’s main focus in her research projects was the Toll-like receptors (TLRs) pres- BRED FISH AND CORAL” ent in the genome and transcriptome of the brown rice coral (Montipora capitata). She chose brown rice coral because it is a “dominant reef-builder” in Hawai‘i and TLRs play a vital role in disease defense and symbiosis (Stewart). Stewart used mechanisms such as the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) in Genbank and other bioinformatics tools for her studies. These instruments allowed her to gather TLR genes, quality control the sequences and generate phylogenetic trees. Her results found that there were five TLR genes in the “transcriptome of healthy and Growth Anomaly-afflicted M. capitata colonies”, including TLR1, TLR2, TLR6 and TLR11 (Stewart). She discovered that TLR1 AND TLR2 work together and that TLRs and proteins work in tandem.
Andrea Ehlers, University of Hawai‘i at Hilo Internship
Andrea Ehlers began Session Two speaking about her renovation of the Marine Science building aquarium
“REBUILDING HAWAII’S REEF ONE FRAG AT A TIME” Michelle Nason, University of Hawai‘i at Hilo Internship Michelle Nason took on the huge project of building a large coral tank for coral fragmentation and propagation. Her tank will also be an area for coral research and student projects. Nason soon discovered that building a successful tank took a lot of patience. This patience was needed during trial and error of her tank building and through the funding and donations process. To obtain the funding she needed, Nason wrote up many letters to potential donors and ended up with $12,387.07 do14| Seawords
UHM MOP Student, Casey Taves, speaks about her internship Kuwabara, UHM M
for the display of captive bred fish and coral at UH Hilo. Her objectives when she began the renovation were to create a refugium, correct water quality, replace lights, remove scratches on the tank, involve other students and exchange current fish with Hawaiian captive bred fish and coral. Ehlers wanted to house captive bred fish and coral because it is more sustainable than housing wild caught fish and coral. She also wanted to increase algae growth by creating the refugium. Water quality was very important to Ehlers so she used water test kits to test the calcium and alkalinity levels. Her next step was to carefully replace the current lights with blue spectrum lights. Ehlers strategically replaced two bulbs a week to not disturb the marine life in the aquarium. Her restorative efforts resulted in MOP students and coordinators talk story while eating lunch. Photo the growth of coral that the aquarium had by: Jeff Kuwabara, UHM MOP Coordinator. previously housed before she began her reno“HAWAIIAN MONK SEAL RESEARCH vation. Ehlers project hit one speed bump the captive bred fish and coral will not be available until PROGRAM” later this year. In the future, Ehlers would like to make Casey Taves, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa the aquarium more automated so that maintaining it Internship will be less labor-intensive. Casey Taves gave an outstanding presentation on her experiences as an intern for National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in the Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program. Taves has been part of the program since June of 2017. Her presentation led us through her daily routine as an intern for NMFS. A usual day is spent receiving emails of Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi) spottings and it is her job to identify the seal in the photograph that was sent to her, and then input that data into the NMFS database. During her photo analysis, Taves must determine the sex of the monk seal, any particular scarring, look for natural bleaching that is unique to each seal and tags that identify the seal and she must keep track of the condition of the seal’s body. Taves found that she has learned an abundance of knowledge and skills throughout her time as an intern. She improved her time management skills and extended her professional network. She now also has extensive knowledge about monk seals and the island of O‘ahu.
p in the Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program. Photo by: Jeff MOP Coordinator.
“MONK SEAL EDUCATION AND CONSERVATION FOR THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION (NOAA) FISHERIES ON MAUI” Lorraine (Lorrie) L. Francis-Profio, University of MAY 2018 |15
Hawai‘i Maui College - Internship Lorrie Francis-Profio kept the Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi) theme going with her presentation on her extensive work as an intern for NOAA fisheries on Maui, specifically the Hawaiian monk seal recovery program. Lorrie started out volunteering as a monk seal responder which entailed two hours of class training and 20 hours on the field training before she could become an official responder. Some of her duties included taking photos of the seals, identifying marking, scars and behaviors, documenting male and female interactions and finally, setting up seal resting areas. After her work as a responder, she began working the 24 hour hotline. Lorrie then took her volunteering to the next level when she made her own monk seal family tree which she calls the “Maui County Monk Seal Lineage.”
Shelby Dolim, UHM MOP Student, presents her poster. Photo by: Jeff Kuwabara, UHM MOP Coordinator.
POSTER PRESENTATIONS
“CONSERVATION AND OUTREACH EFFORTS FOR WAI ‘OPAI TIDE POOLS ON BIG ISLAND, HAWAI‘I” Wheatley Crawley, University of Hawai‘i at Hilo Internship Wheatley Crawley, winner of “The Best Poster” award, really deserved it! Crawley focused on conservation, outreach and education efforts for the coral reefs in the Wai ‘Opae tidepools. Crawley explained that the tidepools are a Marine Life Conservation District (MLCD) but because it is frequently visited, there has been some stress on the reefs due to anthropogenic and environmental factors. Her project consisted of three parts including coral health surveys under Dr. Takabayashi, a conservation poster and an outreach sticker. Crawley surveyed for trematodiasis, bleaching, predation, growth anomalies, pigmentation response, macroalgae and endolithic algae cover. The conservation poster was a group effort, with Crawley receiving help from the Wai ‘Opae Neighborhood Community Committee (WNCC) and volunteers. The poster targeted tide pool etiquette and common species identification. Last but not least, Crawley designed a sticker that was aimed to spread awareness of the chemicals that can be spread 16| Seawords
anthropogenically while people are in the tide pools. These stickers were a hot commodity and luckily, Crawley had a bunch with her that she handed out to everyone attending the symposium! Mine immediately went on my Hydroflask - Thank you, Wheatly!
“SUMMER BY THE SEA PROGRAM, BY THE WAIKīKī AQUARIUM: EDUCATING THE YOUTH & ENSURING OCEAN SAFETY” Shelby Dolim, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Internship Shelby Dolim spent her summer educating and working with children to enhance their relationship with the ocean and better their understanding of ocean conservation. Dolim spent a total of 270 hours on her project. Before she began working with the children, she had to go through lifeguard training and spend many hours researching the subjects that she would be teaching the children. During the program, Dolim worked from 9am to 3pm taking the kids out snorkeling and teaching them about what they had seen, including why it is important to respect marine life and the ocean. At the end of the program, the children were able to identify 20 marine species and give their parents a tour of the Waikīkī Aquarium!
“ASSESSING THE VALUE OF INFORMAL OCEAN EDUCATION WHILE OBTAINING MY DIVE MASTER CERTIFICATION IN HAWAI‘I” Bethany Raypold, Kapi‘olani Community College - Internship Bethany Raypold spread knowledge and awareness of our current ocean issues by working with Waikīkī Dive Center to reach out to scuba divers before their dive trips. Raypold made four infographic slate cards that focused on such topics as turtle conservation, pollution and marine debris, coral bleaching and coral reef and fish identification. Her project consisted of giving educational briefings to divers before their dive trip. Before she gave the briefings, she asked the divers specific questions to get a feel for their knowledge on Bethany Raypold, KCC MOP Student, stands next to her ocean and marine animal conservation. After her poster presentation. Photo by: Jeff Kuwabara, UHM MOP briefings, she then asked the same questions to deCoordinator. termine if their knowledge had improved. Accordect. His reason? The rapid decrease of wild fish stocks. ing to her studies, after every briefing, divers were more According to Evans, “nanobubbles are highly effective knowledgeable about current ocean issues. in improving growth rates in aquatic organisms and “USING NANOBUBBLES TO IMPROVE THE plants.” Evans used a newer and simplified method for SURVIVAL OF FRESHWATER N. DENTICULA- nanobubble collection testing and focused on freshwater shrimp to measure its survival rates and to deterTA SINESIS IN SALTWATER” mine if this new, inexpensive version would be successBrandon Evans, Windward Community College ful. His nanobubble device was successful and he found Research that the survival rate of freshwater shrimp in saltwater Brandon Evans, while still a high school student, took was much higher than the freshwater shrimp without on the innovative power of aquaculture for his proj- the nanobubbles. Session III: Host: Lisa Parr, UH Hilo
“EDUCATION THROUGH ENTERTAINMENT” Carly Corbisiero, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Internship
Brandon Evans, WCC MOP Student, explains his Nanobubble experiment. Photo by: Jeff Kuwabara, UHM MOP Coordinator.
When Carly Corbisiero’s family came to visit Hawai‘i, she was surprised to find out that while they were snorkeling, they had touched a Hawaiian green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas). Corbisiero was very confused as to why they hadn’t seen the sign specifically saying not touch or disturb the Hawaiian green sea turtles. She decided to go investigate how her family could have missed such an important sign. What she found was a very easy-to-miss sign that lacked boldness and attention grabbing features. Instead of getting frustrated, Corbisiero got motivated and did something about it. MAY 2018 |17
First, Corbisiero decided to make an educational video to show to tourists before they entered Paradise Cove. This video resulted in every tourist feeling more educated on the laws regarding protected species. She is cur-
must complete. She created a list of resources for the Pono Project and connected the curriculum to common core, helping many teachers. The students incorporated current ocean issues into their final Pono Projects. Not only was Selig able to connect students to current ocean issues but she also connected with middle school teachers. She presented her work to a group of middle school teachers, who were very thankful for her work.
“FRENCH FRIGATE SHOALS FIELD CAMP RESEARCH ASSISTANT FOR THE MARINE TURTLE BIOLOGY AND ASSESSMENT PROGRAM” Alexandra Reininger, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa - Internship Alexandra Reininger impressed everyone with her presentation about her experience in French Frigate Shoals as a Field Research Assistant. Before she could become a research assistant in French Frigate Shoals, she had to go through thorough training Alexandra Reininger, UHM MOP student, is all smiles before her to be as well prepared as possible. Reininger went presentation. Photo by: Jeff Kuwabara, UHM MOP Coordinator. through training such as: the Motorboat Operator Certification Course (MOCC), survey technique rently in contact with personnel in regards to making practice at Laniakea beach and NOLS Wilderness training. Along with two other field campers, Reininger the sign more noticeable. packed enough water and food to last them from May “KE KAI OLA: AN OUTREACH AND through October. This food included a lot of canned EDUCATION INTERNSHIP” food and non-perishables but according to Reininger the “hot commodity” Gina Selig, University of was the tortillas. While Hawai‘i at Hilo - Internship in French Frigate Shoals, Gina Selig not only inReininger would spend terned for Ke Kai Ola, one week on Tern Island working to educate Uniand two weeks on East versity students about the Island and would perHawaiian Monk Seal Reform basking surveys sponse Team but she also everyday around 4pm. went above and beyond These included walkand helped develop many ing a lap around the isprograms for students in land, etching a tempogrades six through eight. rary mark onto the shell Na Kokua O Ke Kai is a of basking turtles and new 10 lesson curriculum. spray painting the numSelig was able to incorpo- Nikola Rodriguez, UHH Hilo MOP Student, shares her ber for temporary idenrate Na Kokua O Ke Kai journey leading up to her internship. Photo by: Jeff Kuwaba- tification of the turtle. At with Ke Kai Ola, ocean 9pm, Reininger would ra, UHM MOP Coordinator. conservation lesson plans begin her nesting surand the end of the year Pono Project that the students vey, which consisted of taking laps around the island 18| Seawords
and recording the nesting activity of female turtles. Nikola Rodriguez went on a 27 day cruise to Johnston During three weeks of her stay in French Frigate Shoals, atoll while completing her MOP skill project. While on her cruise, she used qualitative and quantitative assessment of the underwater video annotations that the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research (OER) uses Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) to collect. She assessed which videos needed re-annotation to improve description and time data. Rodriguez used a system called Seatube to assess the videos and found that it allowed for quick quality assessments in improving ROV video data and annotations.
“DEVELOPMENT OF DC WATER PUMP” Mario Mora, Windward Community College - Internship Mario Mora took on an issue that many people in marine related careers have faced - faulty water pumps. Mora’s main goal was to create a water pump motor that is easily repairable. He is still currently working on this projReininger was completely alone! Although it may sound scary to some, Reininger appreciates the experience and ect and has been using CAD software and a 3D printer. Mora faced many challenges during his project, includsaid she enjoyed the peace and quiet. ing a power outage that caused him to lose some of his Session IV: Host: Donna Brown, MOP, UH Maui Col- work, but he has stayed resilient and focused through lege many dilemmas. Mora brought in some of his 3D printing pieces to pass around to guests at the symposium. I “QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE had never held or seen anything that has been created ASSESSMENT OF UNDERWATER VIDEO ANfrom a 3D printer, so it was a pretty exciting moment! NOTATIONS” Mora received the PACON International, Hawai‘i chapter award for the best paper integrating marine science Nikola Rodriguez, University of Hawai‘i at Hilo and technology with a Pacific focus. n Internship
Mario Mora, WCC MOP Student, wows the crowd with technology-based skill project. Photo by: Jeff Kuwabara, UHM MOP Coordinator.
MOP students, guests and coordinators wait for the award winners to be announced. Photo by: Jeff Kuwabara, UHM MOP Coordinator. MAY 2018 |19
Best Internship: Alex Reininger, UHM MOP Student
MOP STUDENT AWARD W
Best Research Paper: Julia Stewart, UHH MOP Student
PACON International, Hawai‘i Chapter Award: Mario Mora, WCC MOP Student
*Awarded for the best paper integrating marine science and technology with a Pacific focus
Best Poster: Wheatley Crawley, UHH MOP Student
20| Seawords
T SYMPOSIUM WINNERS John P. Craven Award: Michelle Nason, UHH MOP Student *Awarded for the most inspired and inspirational presentation by a MOP “Child of the Sea”
Anna Toy Ng Memorial MOP Scholarship: Alex Reininger, UHM MOP Student and Julia Stewart, UHH MOP Student
*Awarded to a MOP student exhibiting excellence in marine scholarship, ocean stewardship, and contributions to MOP
Sherwood Maynard Award for Ocean Impact: Lorraine (Lorrie) L. Francis-Profio, UH Maui College MOP Student *Awarded to the student exhibiting the greatest example of ocean stewardship
MAY 2018 |21
DIVE SAFETY
No Buddy, N The Pros & Solo D By: Tyler Phelps, UHH MOP Alumnus
“From birth, man carries the weight of gravity on his shoulders. He is bolted to earth. But man has only to sink beneath the surface and he is free.” These accurate words from Jacques Cousteau are perhaps the most highly quoted in diving because it holds true for so many of us. Diving is a release, an escape from the surface and all the problems we face under normal atmospheric pressure. Most of us are trained to enjoy these undersea therapy sessions with a buddy while others prefer going alone. Diving by oneself or “solo diving” has been around since practically the advent of our sport. With that comes the age old argument: to solo dive or not to solo dive and is solo diving dangerous? Across trade shows and online community threads you will find ongoing heated debates on the merits of solo diving. By “heated” we mean truly passionate. In one corner of the ring, we have the Buddy Team. Buddy Team consists of divers that are out to convince all the solo divers they need to start diving with a buddy because it’s safer. The Solo Team argue the opposite because you only have to worry about yourself and the training you acquire to become “self reliant” actually makes you safer. This article offers opinions and evidence on the safety of solo diving that will also be referred to as “self-reliant” diving interchangeably. Is this article your comprehensive guide to everything related to solo diving? Certainly not. As mentioned, the internet is full of arguments lobbying for each team and it would fill an entire Seawords issue to mention them all. Regardless if you are pro-buddy or pro-solo there is one universal truth that applies to everyone that we cannot deny. Diving is supposed to be fun-- that’s why we all do it in the recreational 22| Seawords
world. As long as you are safe, really who Of course there are certain regulations s UH’s Diving Safety Program that bans so you are diving through an organization, representing your institution. When yo pros and cons if you were to dive by you
Pros
We are all initially trained with a buddy revolves around buddy protocol and re comfort of depending on another is gone no tapping tanks to get your attention, look around and it’s just you and the se diving certainly comes hesitations, it is a confident in problem solving and avoid edness is also a direct reflection of the training = competent divers!
Solo diving is a great time to, “get to kno up gas, you have to learn how to carry incorporate measuring your air consum fectly for YOU. This will give you the kn any circumstance and ultimately improv
Another benefit of solo diving is an inc
No Problem? & Cons of Diving
Diver in Egypt. Photo by: Mal B., Flickr.
and Jessica Lotts, UHM MOP Alumna
ose business is it to tell you how to dive? such as for occupational diving through olo diving to reduce unnecessary risk. If , you must adhere to their policies when ou’re on your free time, let’s discuss the urself.
or even experienced yourself, that constant battle between a buddy group with a photographer in it? How they constantly have to follow and catch the photographer’s attention. Now imagine being able to take all the photos you want without abandoning your buddy & vice versa. It allows you to really focus on the task at hand without the nagging of another.
y, in fact, a good portion of our training esponse! Now imagine being alone. The e. There’s no one else’s breathing sounds, no questions asked or exchanged. You ea; peace and quiet. Although with solo a great feeling to be self-reliant and selfdance. This confidence and level-heade level of training received, ergo, good
Cons
ow yourself ”. Without a buddy for backy your own independent air supply and mption rate into a dive plan that fits pernowledge and ability to be self-aware in ve your diving abilities.
creased focus. Have you ever heard of,
Even with considering the pros of solo diving, it is never recommended to push yourself past your level of comfort. Your buddy is your backup brain and your backup gas supply. We can offset not having a buddy by incorporating some sort of redundant system such cylinders with Y-valves, H-valves, pony bottles or completely independent systems such as in side mount diving. This way if we did have some sort of failure, we have the redundancy to get out of those situations. However unless you have a drone following you underwater, which do exist nowadays, you do not have your backup brain. During training to become a self-reliant diver, you would learn how to handle emergency situations by yourself, such as running out of gas. Some problems, like getting out of entanglement, are much easier to resolve with a buddy. If you have line caught around your first stage, it’s certainly do-able to free yourself but a buddy with an unobstructed view can help more easily. However, there is one category of failures that only your buddy can solve. HuMAY 2018 |23
to get in or out of the water. Other examples could include navigation mistakes that perhaps a buddy could have caught. At the end of the day, solo divers can take care of a lot of problems. Until… you are placed in a situation where your survival is dependent upon your teammates. If you are of an older demographic, you might not be able to recover from an underwater myocardial infarction, a heart attack. Or if you experience Central Nervous Systems (CNS) oxygen toxicity from a high partial pressure of oxygen and suffer a convulsion, your best chance of survival is with your buddy’s help, assuming they have been trained to manage a convulsion. Your value as a buddy and as a diver is limited to your amount of training.
Learning from Solo Diving There are many agencies that now offer self-reliant certification courses due to the high demand. The skills that you would learn in a rescue diver course or self-reliant program will build your confidence and competence even if you are still diving within a team. It is important to be able to take care of yourself in the event that your buddy or teammates aren’t able to. Some pro-solo divers argue that all instructors are in a way “solo divers.” If an instructor is with Solo diver at Ras Mohammad Park. Photo by: Matt Kieffer, a group of brand new divers in training, are they goFlickr. ing to be able to assist them? Are brand new divers going to be able to offer assistance with judgement man error and mistakes in judgement. Sometimes it does take another person to express their concern with calls? Probably not. conditions to not proceed with the dive. In that same Solo diving can be a relaxing escape, an adrenaline rush, situation, if you proceeded with the dive, a lapse in your or a more efficient way to accomplish one’s goals such judgement may have led to run into trouble when trying as photography. Self-reliant divers need to accept the additional risk they encounter when diving by themselves and to prepare themselves by seeking additional training. While the debate will continue if solo diving is safe, it can be uncontested that the safest divers within a team, are also self reliant. n
Diver in French Polynesia. Photo by: Adam Reeder, Flickr. 24| Seawords
critter of the month By: Alina Abramovich, UHH MOP Student
Abbreviated Cone (Conus abbreviatus) - pūpū ‘alā
Distribution: Endemic to the Hawaiian Islands Size: About 1 ¼ inches - 2 inches Diet: Mostly bristle worms Coloration: Tan, olive or gray with small brown dots and coronated spires. Creamy or yellowish in life. The animal within the shell is tan with a pink siphon. Habitat: Common in tidepools and on reefs up to 60 feet Depth: Occurs on shallow reefs and at all sport-diving depths IUCN Red List Status: Unlisted, Insufficient Data
A
Abbreviated cone (Conus abbreviatus). Photo by: Sea-kangaroo, iNaturalist.
n ali‘i among cone shells, the abbreviated cone has the special honor of being Hawai‘i’s only indigenous cone shell that reproduces solely in Hawaiian waters, although it has been occasionally found in the Marshall and Line Islands. When the abbreviated cone does reproduce at home in the Hawaiian waters, it lays its eggs under stones where they resemble tiny pieces of sliced bread all lined up in rows.
Small and tubby, this cone shell is less elongated than most of the others in its family and is a distinct, bright yellow color when it is alive. After the animal inside the shell dies, the yellow color is stripped along with the thin periostracum and the shell appears to be a bluish-grey. Both in life and in death the cone has faint spiral bands and spaced out brown dots. The top, thicker end of the cone is coronate (bumpy around the full perimeter like a crown) which may be worn down depending on the age of the shell. Highly sought after for bracelets and other jewelry, the abbreviated cone can often be spotted on local bangles, as well as in its “puka shell” form - a form of all cone shell spires that get serrated, perforated and worn down while rolling around in the surf. These “puka” (a Hawaiian word meaning “hole”) shells are also often made into bracelets or necklaces. Like most cone shells, the abbreviated cone is capable of stinging in self-defense - to avoid injury it is best to avoid picking these shells up. Although painful, the toxin of the abbreviated cone is not known to kill humans. Like many other cones, the abbreviated cone uses its venom not only as a defense mechanism, but also to hunt its prey - namely the bristle worm in this cone’s case.n MAY 2018 |25
ocean art
Can’t Escape the Beach By: Pohaikealoha Duarte, HCC Student
Beach in Hawai‘i. Photo by: Stefan Klopp, Flickr. 26| Seawords
Pohaikealoha’s poem was chosen from a collection of poems submitted to us by Eric Paul Shaffer, an HCC English Professor, and written by his English 201: Creative Writing class.
As a kid I loved the beach Every aspect of the beach reminded me of my Hawaiian family. My first sight is always sand gathering in pockets between my toes. The sand is warm and inviting, Like how my uncles and aunties would be. I shiver as warmth replaces cold in my body. The sun is overhead showering me in sunlight. I can imagine that the sun Watches over me with quiet observance, like how my father would. The water beyond sand is green and blue. The green-tinted water curls, rolls over the water’s surface, then hits the sand bank and foams. The waves could seduce a passing surfer. The ocean could provide me with food and entertainment, like how my grandmother would. As a kid I loved the beach, but my perspective changed. The sand that invited me, held dangers beneath the surface from my knowledge. Thorns, shards of glass, and coral rocks hid from my sight. The sun that warmly watched over me, now scorches my skin with a hate-filled stare. My back reddens at the contact with the sun’s hate. The ocean that once took care of me, is now a raging tempest seeking vengeance on me. In the ocean’s domain, I stumble through crashing waves determined to strike me down. n
MAY 2018 |27
Marine Entanglement By: Kayla Palmer, UHM MOP Student
A
Broken coral in derelict fishing net. Photo by: NOAA Marine Debris Program, Flickr.
s the body of a decaying Laysan Albatross lays on the floor of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, its revealed stomach displays plastic bottle caps and various other types of plastics. Marine debris and debris ingestion is a global issue affecting 200 species worldwide and 115 in the United States. These 115 species include sea turtles, sea birds, fish and various invertebrates. According to NOAA, the endangered Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi) has a 0.7% rate of marine entanglement which is the highest since 2004. Ingesting marine debris can lead to health issues such as gut blockage, starvation, nutrient deficiency, secondary infection and disease, and immune impairment.
Based on NOAA’S research in the U.S., marine entanglement has occurred in “44 species of sea birds, 13 species of cetaceans, 11 species of pinnipeds, 31 species/taxa of invertebrates, 6 species of sea turtles, and a few fish species.” Even though many marine animals may survive entanglement their injuries such as loss of limbs or deep wound openings may affect their ability to swim, feed, reproduce and can shorten their lifespan.
Before the 1950’s fishing gear and single-use items were manufactured out of biodegradable materials such as hemp rope and paper bags. As the use of plastic became more popular for fishing activities and land-based items, the use of biodegradable products plummeted and marine entanglement and ingestion became a new threat for marine life. Land and ship pollution are the two main contributors to marine debris. During the 1980s the scientific community became increasingly worried about the effect of pollution on sea life, which prompted the start of marine pollution research programs.
Since the early 1800’s through 1900’s Hawaiian monk seals become nearly extinct due to hunting practices. In the 1950’s their population level began increasing but soon declined because of entanglement debris collecting in coral reefs and beaches
28| Seawords
Entangled right whale (Eubalaena). P Research Institu
which are mostly occupied by monk seals. In effort to protect the Hawaiian monk seal species, efforts have been made to remove debris from the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Cetaceans are most likely to be entangled on their flippers, mouths and tails by fishing gear. Entanglement for pinnipeds usually occurs more frequently from land-based debris rather than fishing gear. The overall data for marine entanglement for cetaceans, sea turtles, pinnipeds and many more species show that juveniles have the highest mortality rate from entanglement because of their playful and curious nature. “U.S. pinnipeds were generally observed to be entangled around the head and appendages in net fragments, monofilament line, packing straps, rope, and rubber products. While entanglement can affect all age classes, juveniles and subadults appeared to be the most susceptible”, said NOAA in 2000. Due to the buoyancy of some plastics, many of them get caught in surface currents which leads to a large accumulation of plastic in ocean gyres, which is the same occurrence in the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch.” Surface currents can also cause plastic to collect in convergence zones, which are zones that are high in nutrients which encourages a high food source for a variety marine animals. With plastic mixing in feeding areas, the chance for marine animals ingesting plastic increases. As small organisms or bacteria attach to plastic, animals with a non-selective eating behavior like seabirds, grazing fishes or invertebrates may view marine debris as food and consume the plastic.
Photo by: FWC Fish and Wildlife ute, Flickr.
Entangled bird. Photo by: Ingrid Taylar, Flickr. jellyfish. Albatross adults have been seen to make nests out of debris or sometimes even pass ingested debris to their chicks while feeding. Marine mammal research is often limited to stranded, deceased or captured animals so there is little data pertaining to marine ingestion in wild marine mammals. NOAA states, “Since baleen whales filter extremely large volumes of water while feeding, it is possible that they encounter (and consume) plastic sheets at higher rates than other animals.
There are many health risks associated with consuming debris that can lead to infection and possibly death. Ingested fish hooks are known to pierce the lining of the digestive system causing infection, ulceration, parasitism and inflammation around the area that was wounded. Some marine debris can also contain toxic chemicals “The sheer amount of de- and when consumed by marine mammals can induce bris collecting on beaches, health risks such as cancer, endocrine disruption, imin ocean gyres, and on the mune impairment, and neurological damage. ocean floor suggests that Commenting on how to prevent marine debris pollumany types of marine wild- tion, NOAA concludes that, “Broader policies, both life cannot avoid encoun- national and international, established to reduce the tering with debris,” claims amount of plastic debris entering the oceans will likely NOAA. be the only effective approach moving forward. Policies Marine debris ingestion is a to reduce the amount of plastics entering consumer and recurring threat for all ma- manufacturing markets are currently unlikely to gain rine animals. Sea turtles will traction”. n often consume plastic bags because of their similarity to
MAY 2018 |29
May Surf Report By: Alina Abramovich, UHH MOP Student
30|â&#x20AC;&#x192;Seawords
W
ell, fellow surfers--the time has come to officially hang up our winter guns, slather on some extra sunscreen and break out the summer boards. May is traditionally the month where we wave the winter swells goodbye until next October. Even with this year’s strange and abnormal spikes in NPAC swell activity well into April, there is simply no climatological data (neither through NOAA nor through Surfline) to disprove the sad prediction of a winter season passing us by. To heap some more unfortunate news onto that prediction, it appears that both March and April significantly underperformed in terms of SPAC swells this year, suggesting that, if the pattern holds, the South Pacific might join its colder sister in hibernating this month. On the bright side we will all have fewer distractions for final exams. On the downside, it doesn’t look like May 2018 is going to be any better than last year. Perhaps this is the perfect time to go take that Mentawais trip you’ve always wanted (the swell reports coming out of there for May look pristine). The South Pacific has been severely lacking in powerful activity for a couple of years now, however, we can still plan on some fun, localized surf this summer, and meteorologists do foresee a possible bump in activity this summer compared to the abysmal one last year. The predicted wind patterns look fairly typical across all of the main Hawaiian Islands for May with a foreseen ENE trade domination throughout most of the month. So if and when we do get some waves, at least they’ll be clean. As always, be safe, have fun, hope for waves and book that Southern Hemisphere trip (their winter is coming!). Aloha. n
Surf at banzai pipeline. Photo by: Ms Funny, Flickr. MAY 2018 |31
How safe is “reef-safe” sunscreen? By: Kelsey Loenhorst, UHM MOP Student
Hanauma Bay. Photo by: Prayitno, Flickr.
H
awai‘i’s lawmakers are currently debating a senate bill proposing a ban on sunscreen containing the chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate (except under medical prescription). This bill is an attempt to further protect Hawai‘i’s delicate coral reefs which are currently declining at an alarming rate. Oxybenzone and octinoxate are known to contribute to coral bleaching and possibly stunting the growth of juvenile corals; but is sunscreen contamination really the sole driving force behind coral reef decline in Hawai‘i and other coastal areas of the world?
Hawai‘i’s economy runs off of tourism. Tourism is the largest single contributor to the state’s gross domestic product, representing about 21 percent of its entire economy. Breaking a record in 2017, tourism raked in $16.78 billion in visitor spending and another $1.96 billion in generated tax revenue. Hawai‘i’s crystal waters, pristine beaches and lively coral reefs drive this high volume of visitors. Researchers are concerned that this mass amount of tourists are using sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate, visiting our beaches and therefore greatly affecting the health of Hawai‘i’s coral reefs.
Visitors walking to Hanauma Bay. Photo by: Eugene Kim, Flickr. 32| Seawords
Other reef scientists are more circumspect about the role of sunscreen chemicals in coral reef destruction due to the lack of research done. The predominant study that reports reef effects of oxybenzone and octinoxate (by Henry Lim in 2016, Sujin Kim in 2014, and C.A Downs in 2014) were conducted in a laboratory setting and do not factor in natural settings on the coral reefs. One study even states that the sample obtained for testing from Hawai‘i’s coral reefs had minimally detectable levels of oxybenzone and octinoxate (Downs 2014). With minimal detectable levels one must consider the other components influencing the health
of our coral reefs. “Many factors damage coral reefs”, says Jörg Wiedenmann, head of the Coral Reef Laboratory at the University of Southampton, UK. “Banning sunscreen will not solve other problems: for example, temperature anomalies, overfishing, coral predators and the big issue of coastal runoffs that pollute and destroy reefs,” he says. “But if you have places with a high load of tourists going in, it is not unreasonable to stay cautious and say, ‘yes, there may be additive effects.’” Researchers agree that damage to coral reefs is precipitated by human interaction; but maybe placing a ban on sunscreen in Hawai‘i is distracting from other pressing issues that have a much greater impact.
Dead coral. Photo by: prilfish, Flickr.
cancer each year in the U.S. than all other cancers combined. Sunscreen is a critical part in minimizing these chances of developing skin cancer. Some researchers are This ban also brings up some possible health concerns concerned that placing a ban on sunscreens containing for beach-goers. More people are diagnosed with skin oxybenzone and octinoxate will give sunscreen a negative stigma as being environmentally unfriendly – putting the public even more so at risk of skin cancer. However, switching to reef safe sunscreen is an extremely easy, affordable and accessible step in the right direction in aiding the livelihood of our coral reefs. The Hawai‘i Skin Cancer Coalition members suggest that Hawai‘i’s legislators put forth efforts and resources to utilize the scientific expertise at the University of Hawai‘i to provide sound evidence concerning the effects of sunscreen on coral before placing a ban.
Dead staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis) killed by bleaching on the northern Great Barrier Reef. Photo by: Greg Torda, ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, Flickr.
Although more research needs to be done, this debate highlights the important issue of making switches to more eco-friendly products in your daily routine. Small changes can result in big differences for the life of our coral reefs and our planet’s future. n MAY 2018 |33
Shipwreck of the Month: Queen Anne’s Revenge By: Jeremy Gasta, UHM MOP Student
P
erhaps there is no ancient ship more famous than that of the Queen Anne’s Revenge, the very ship that feared pirate Blackbeard used to terrorize the seas. Despite the pirate - whose real name was Edward Thatch, or possibly Teach - only owning the ship for six months, it quickly went down in infamy as one of the most feared vessels among 18th century merchants. The vessel was originally named “La Concorde” and was a French slave ship, transporting captured slaves across the Pacific to the New World. Blackbeard, who had been known to free slaves in the past, was apparently having none of this and captured the ship in November 1717, dropping its French crew and captives off on a nearby island. However, it’s highly doubtful the pirate did this solely out of the goodness of his heart - slave ships at the
time were known for being heavily armed and boasted ample deck space for extra cannons and weapons, meaning La Concorde, soon renamed to Queen Anne’s Revenge, was the perfect property for a pillage-happy pirate. Despite his bloodthirsty reputation, Blackbeard had a habit of using intimidation instead of brute force to convince crews of targeted vessels to give up their possessions, and not much would be more intimidating than a heavily-armed ex-slave ship captained by the area’s most infamous pirate heading in an early seafarer’s direction. This worked out perfectly for Thatch - much of his pirating required little bloodshed of his crew or his targets, yet he was heavily armed should the need arise. And contemporary excavations of the Queen Anne’s Revenge’s remains have shown this to be true, as 30-40 cannons have been uncovered so far, many more
Cannons from Queen Anne’s Revenge being recovered in Beaufort Inlet, NC. Photo by: Coast Guard News, Flickr. 34| Seawords
Cannon from Queen Anne’s Revenge. Photo by: Coast Guard News, Flickr. than would be expected on a ship of its size.
abrupt end when he ran it aground a sandbar off of North Carolina in May 1718. After this incident, BlackAfter appearing as an omen to all seafarers for six beard promptly took several of his crew and possessions months, Thatch’s use of the famed vessel came to an and made away on a smaller vessel, leaving several of his men stranded with the Revenge. However, it’s been proposed Thatch did this intentionally, as he accepted a government pardon soon after and had a short stint of trying to live a peaceful life, not to mention he had a past habit of stranding crew members when he felt things were getting too crowded. However, the siren call of a pirate’s life was apparently too much for Thatch, and almost immediately he was back on the water capturing Navy ships, before being killed in combat that November.
Cannon being lifted out of water in North Carolina. Photo by: Coast Guard News, Flickr.
The remains of what was thought to be the Queen Anne’s Revenge were found in 1996 by a private research firm a mile offshore of North Carolina, but it took fifteen years of excavations and rigorous study before its identity was officially confirmed in 2011. Many artifacts have been pulled from the wreckage, including cannons, swords, jewelry, coins, bells, medical supplies, and dining utensils, many of which are on display in North Carolina’s Maritime Museum. Many more artifacts continue to be pulled from the wreck to this day and the ship continues to provide valuable insight into life aboard a pirate vessel. n MAY 2018 |35
By: Jeremy Gasta, UHM MOP Student
Chinese White Dolphin Marine Mammal of the Month:
Chinese White Dolphin
T
Species: Chinese White Dolphin Scientific Name: Sousa chinensis chinensis Range: Coastal areas of South China Sea Diet: Fish, cephalopods, and crustaceans Size: 6.5-11.5 feet
he Chinese white dolphin, or Sousa chinensis chinensis, is a subspecies of the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (just Sousa chinensis) that resides in the coastal areas of Southern China.
There is some contention as to whether this Chinese variety should truly be considered a subspecies of the larger Indo-Pacific grouping (which has been found throughout Southeast Asia, Australia, and South Af-
Chinese white dolphin (Sousa chinensis chinensis). Photo by: Gordon Wrigley, Flickr. 36|â&#x20AC;&#x192;Seawords
rica) or is simply a “variety,” a population that has not their light pink skin, with most fully grown animals yet diverged far enough from the others to be consid- having lost all of their grey color. ered genetically distinct. Whether a proper subspecies Chinese white dolphins are a coastal species and are or just a population that tends to keep to itself, the Chimost often associated with estuarine environments, where freshwater meets the sea. The range of the Chinese white population is generally regarded as that of the Pearl River Estuary, which spans several miles along the South China coast, and encompasses Hong Kong, where white dolphin watching has become an important tourist industry. An estimated 2500 dolphins can be found in this population. Unfortunately, the South China Sea - and especially the area near Hong Kong - is one of the most heavily trafficked ports of the world. Boat traffic, pollution, and overfishing present great threats to the dolphins living in the area. Toxins from pollutants are especially harmful, as the dolphins’ milk in recent years has been found to be toxic, making newborn calves unable to live very long. Furthermore, the pollutants also affect dolphin reproductive systems, meaning many are unable to have any offspring in the first place. From a ten-year period of 2003-2013, Chinese white dolphins living near Hong Kong dropped from a population of 158 creatures to merely 61. Other threats include overfishing, vessel strikes, and the usage of highly-destructive gillnets. The animals are medium-sized for dolphins, with adults reaching 6.5 to 11.5 feet in length, and have been recorded living up to forty years old in the wild. They are social, but perhaps not quite as social as other dolphin species, and seem to prefer living in small groups of five or fewer individuals. The dolphins are Chinese white dolphin (Sousa chinensis chinensis) in Australia. rarely seen in pods larger than ten animals, Photo by: Teddy Fotiou, Flickr. with twenty-five individuals being the absolute maximum. Occasionally the cetaceans nese white dolphin is most easily differentiated from the are even seen traveling solo. White dolphins are most other humpbacks by the color of its hide - all Indo-Paoften seen in coastal and shallow waters because they cific humpbacks are known for their pink skin and long prefer to forage for food on the seafloor, and have been snouts (which can cause them to superficially resemble seen temporarily beaching themselves while hunting. n a river dolphin, such as Inia geoffrensis or Lipotes vexillifer), but the Chinese variety has a lighter tone of pink, hence the “white” in its common name. Young dolphins are born grey, which slowly turns into “speckles” against MAY 2018 |37
Cape Town Water Shortage D
By: Kayla White, UHM MOP Student & Former Seawords Editor ue to environmental degradation and climate change, droughts and water shortages have become more frequent and harsh around the entire world, causing many cities to take drastic measures. Global warming over the last century has created many problems, but one that many people aren’t paying attention to is the extreme weather conditions that changing climate brings. Most of global warming is human-induced, but regardless of the cause, extreme weather events, like heat waves and droughts, are the biggest indicators of the effects of a warming planet.
gling to distribute their water, despite the government’s efforts. Because of their rapidly growing population, most rural areas are left out due to the urban area’s overprivatization. Much of this water shortage is blamed on the government’s poor planning and corruption, and if this continues, the country’s water problem will worsen as the years progress.
A drought in Somalia killed up to 75% of their livestock in November, 2017 because of a harsh El Niño in 2015. The country suffered two years of poor rainfall that led to widespread crop failure and much of their livestock dying. Because of these harsh conditions, many rural California was under severe drought conditions for areas in Somalia are facing malnutrition and droughtseven years and most of the state has only recently re- related diseases, resulting in displacements to Ethiopia, covered. Major cities and there is no sign of like Los Angeles are relief. still facing challengAs these disasters bees and are taking all come more common of the measures they around the world, we can to restore their must look at this as a water levels. The call to action to help cause of California’s minimize our impact drought was three on the planet to slow years of low precipidown as much of this tation. In April of global warming as pos2018, an executive sible or we will get to order was issued, ofa point where it is too ficially ending the late to turn back. state of emergency. Four million residents India had the sec- Camps Bay in Cape Town, South Africa. Photo by: Harshil Shah, in Cape Town are Flickr. ond driest January struggling with one of since 1901 this year the worst water crises in history and are hoping for the due to poor water distribution and rapid growth. With best. For the last three years, Cape Town has been unthe second largest population in the world and many der a drought that has BEEN “long predictable.” Annual contaminated drinking sources, the country is strugrains have been sparse, causing the city to slowly be38| Seawords
come drier. Many scientists predicted that the drought would get very bad, but the government didn’t put anything into action which caused their reservoirs to become increasingly shallow. Now, their water levels are at 22.5% with the last 10% unsuitable for drinking. When the reservoirs reach 13.5%, Day Zero will commence, leaving the entire city under strict regulations.
Although some people think desalinization can be the solution to all of Cape Town’s problems, others understand that this is an expensive process. Desalinization is the removal of salt and minerals from oceanic saltwater to make freshwater. Growing up, we were always told in survival guides that if we boiled a pot of water, it would become safe for drinking; doing this on a large scale for four million people isn’t quite as easy though. Boiling Day Zero is the day the Cape Town government will seawater alone won’t make it potable - it also requires a shut off running water to most areas of the city, leaving condensation process. residents to go to collecting sites where they will only be distributed 13.2 gallons a day for showering, dishwash- There are many different ways of desalinating water like ing, cooking, bathroom use and for drinking. Many of reverse osmosis, distilling the water and there is even a us can’t even imagine what this would be like because new way of desalination by freezing the water, but no we don’t think of how much water we use in a day. On matter the option, all come with costs. One of the hardaverage, we use 2.1 gallons per minute in the shower est parts of the process is safely extracting water from and most people take around a 10-minute shower. That the ocean for filtration. When extracting seawater, comis already 21 gallons of water used, neglecting all other panies are required to avoid reefs and areas that flourdaily activities. Needless to say, when Day Zero com- ish with sea life so that no harm comes to those envimences, it will be a struggle for many of the city’s resi- ronments. This means stretching pipes out far into the dents. ocean, which could require chemically intensive materials and lots of time. Most of the city has already tried to implement as many actions as possible in order to push back Day Zero. Another problem with desalination is proper disposal People stand in buckets in the shower to reuse water, of the waste, called brine waste. Brine waste is a highthey don’t flush their toilets, many have started using concentrated salt solution with any other minerals and paper dishware so they don’t have to turn on the sink chemicals that were removed from the water to make it after meals and many don’t shower more than twice a safe for drinking. Disposal of concentrated brine waste week. Because of their conservation, Day Zero has been on land can result in long-term pollution of the surface pushed back many times from April to August and it that could contaminate groundwater resources. Sendnow rests at an undetermined date in 2019. ing the brine waste back out to sea requires extensive dilution and installation of submarine pipelines for disRecently, the Cape Town government has stepped up posal to avoid reefs. and presented some solutions that can help like aquifer drilling. Aquifers lie underground all across Africa, and Despite the costs, Cape Town has invested in three deto Cape Town’s luck, they’ve struck water. By drilling salination plants that should be finished this month into these underwater pools, they are able to extract the which could produce 120 million liters daily, per plant. freshwater to use throughout the city. Because this could Cape Town used to completely rely on rainfall for their be detrimental to the environment if not done correctly, water, but after this scare, the government hopes that each drilling site is monitored by scientists and environ- 12% of it can come from alternative sources like desalimentalists from the University of Cape Town to make nation plants and aquifers. sure these practices are done responsibly. In conclusion, there are many ways Cape Town has Rainfall is predicted to return in August which could avoided running out of water, but this doesn’t solve othsave Cape Town from their struggle. The unfortunate er droughts occurring around the world. As the numpart is that the actual amount of rain that will fall is un- ber and length of droughts increase, we need to trace known. If they receive the same amount of rainfall as them back to their cause and figure out how we can help in previous years, it will only temporarily help things slow down the warming of the climate. If governments for the rest of the year and result in Day Zero in 2019. can have ready solutions to severe weather impacts and If they are lucky though, the rainfall could save them give citizens ways they can help minimize their carbon completely from a horrible water shortage and help re- footprint so that as a whole, we can combat these global store the city. effects and help and make a difference. n MAY 2018 |39
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.
Spaceship Breaks Apart Over South Pacific Ocean orbit it was still able land near the spacecraft graveyard. On April 1, 2018 debris from a Chinese spaceship named Tiangong-1 scattered thousands of square miles above the South Pacific. Tiangong-1 translates into “heavenly place”, and was launched by China in 2011 as a prototype to discover new ways to operate a space station in Earth’s orbit. According to officials, Tiangong stopped functioning in 2016 and as the 18,000 pound spaceship was pulled by Earth’s gravity causing its acceleration into a lower orbit, researchers were uncertain about its specific landing location. As Tiangong-1 fell farther into the Earth’s orbit, researchers were then able to determine its general landing area between California and Hawai‘i.
The remains of 263 dead satellites now rest in the satellite cemetery of Point Nemo.
Emperor Penguins May Become Extinct by the End of the Century
According to researchers from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts, estimates that twothirds of the emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) colonies will decline by more than half by the year 2100 if the rate of temperature increases to the degree predicted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). For each colony, scientists were able to predict the population trends for a 30 year period by collecting data from 1981 Since 1971, many to 2010 through space agencies try satellite imagery to program their and field surveying inoperative sateldata from Antarclites to land in an tica. As increasing area of the South temperatures lead Pacific Ocean, to melting sea ice, identified as a emperor penguins spacecraft cemare losing areas for etery also known nesting and sources as Point Nemo. of food such as krill Space agencies utiand other small orlize Point Nemo as ganisms that sea ice a spacecraft cemeprovides. As a retery due to it being sult of the findings 1,450 miles from from scientists, land and its scarce emperor penguins marine life resultmay gain status uning from the ocean Emperor penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri). Photo by: Funky_pegwid, der the Endangered currents in the area Species Act and Flickr. introducing few marine reserves nutrients that are needed for their survival. Though will be considered to protect fish populations that penTiangong-1 had an uncontrolled reentry into Earth’s guins normally consume. 40| Seawords
Sylvanna Antat and many other women lead conservation efforts in The Seychelles. Photo by: UN Women/ Ryan Brown, Flickr. “We propose that the emperor penguin is fully deserving of endangered status due to climate change, and can act as an iconic example of a new global conservation paradigm for species threatened by future climate change,” said biologist Stephanie Jenouvrier from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI).
Seychelles Swaps Debt for Ocean Conservation
The Seychelles is an island archipelago located in the Indian Ocean, 800 miles off the east coast of Africa that has agreed to a marine conservation plan that will pay for the country’s sovereign debt if government officials protect one third of ocean area. Seychelles depends on fishing and tourism for economic stability, but due to climate change reducing fish populations and the borrowing of finances from other governments has led to the Seychelles’ $400 million national debt. A non-profit organization named Nature Conservatory bought 21 million of the nation’s debt. In exchange, Seychelles will protect 210,00 square kilometers of ocean around Aldabra atoll by 2021. The atoll is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has very unique marine biodiversity, containing the highest population of leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea), endangered sea cows (Sirenia), and is a spawning area for rare fish species. Seychelles has agreed to stop many human activities such as fishing and oil exploration in their marine protected areas. Some of the Seychelles conservation plans will also include restoring coral reefs, protecting endangered species, restoring mangrove plant populations and Sylvanna Antat, Marine Research Officer with the Seychelles providing sustainable tourism. n National Parks Authority, maps coral reefs. Photo by: UN Women/ Ryan Brown, Flickr. MAY 2018 |41
Actions for the Ocean
GENERATION
BLUE
By: Kayla White, Former Seawords Editor and UHM MOP Student
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any people spend lots of time in their kitchen and would prefer a home cooked, healthier meal, to a night out at a fast food restaurant. Fast food gets a bad rep for being wrapped in plastic and producing up to 50 percent of the trash found on the streets, but in our kitchen at home we are still producing more waste than we think we are. There are many little things we can do to help eliminate waste when cooking at home so that we can be even more environmentally friendly and “blue-minded.” n
1:
Switch Plastic Bags for Reusable Bags The average family takes home around 1,500 plastic bags in a year and the majority of those are
thrown away and never used again. When in a landfill, they can take anywhere between 15 to 1,000 years to break down but lots of them end up in the ocean and are ingested by marine animals. Many grocery companies have started offering their own line of reusable bags that can be used in the store, or you can bring your own. By bringing reusable bags, we are able to efficiently transport our groceries, while reducing our impact on the environment.
Saudi Arabian reef. Photo by: Ryan McMinds, Flickr. 42| Seawords
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.
2:
Produce is Healthy but the Plastic It Comes in Isn’t The change to reusable grocery bags is becoming more and more common and is helping a greater cause, but the plastic bags we buy our fruits and vegetables in usually are gone unnoticed. Produce bags do the same harm that plastic grocery bags do so to help reduce waste, many companies have started making alternative produce bags that are even better for your fruits and vegetables than the plastic. Some are cotton, netted, or cloth and each have different benefits for different types of produce. With a little research, you can figure out the perfect reusable produce bags for you and continue to reduce your impact on the environment while still enjoying fresh, crisp produce.
3: 4:
Let’s Talk about Leftovers 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted every year, so saving leftovers for dinner another night can greatly reduce waste. As you go to pour your delicious spaghetti dinner into a plastic container that only gets a few uses before getting tossed to the trash can, is it really reducing waste? When packing a lunch for the day, do the sandwich, chips, cookies and fruit all go into plastic bags? These are things we don’t always think about, but thankfully there are many alternatives. Beeswax wrap is a booming product that can help with your leftovers and food storage. It is a piece of cloth covered in beeswax that can seal, wrap, or cover anything and keep it fresh for days, like any plastic bag or saran wrap. Glass containers offer a more sustainable option than the plastic Tupperware for leftovers and help keep your food even fresher.
What the Heck is Composting? Compost is decomposed organic matter that can be recycled into soil conditioner that is rich in nutrients. Composting is a sustainable way to help your garden and soil, while reducing landfill waste. Up to one third of landfill waste is made up of compostable materials. By removing this from landfills, it means that we can create more space in our landfills and help them last longer. There are many general rules for composting and most of them are specific to each person’s preference and living accommodations. If a yard is available and you would prefer to keep your compost outside, this works great so that it can easily be transferred to the soil or garden. If in an apartment or small home, composting in the kitchen is an equally beneficial option. This means it is easily accessible when in the kitchen but will need to be transferred to soil when ready. There are many different options for each person and it is up to you to decide which is best, but in the end, you are still helping eliminate waste while creating a healthier soil environment.
MAY 2018 |43
MAY 2018
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Environmental Stewardship 24 May 3 May
Hōkūle‘a: Finding A Way • Ka‘iulani Murphy • Polynesian Voyaging Society
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31 May
10 May
Making Community Service Fun • Kahi Pacarro • Sustainable Coastlines
17 May
Let’s Talk Trash • Shanelle Naone, Mark Manuel • NOAA
• NOS Office of Response and Restoration
How has community restoration affected circulation and water quality in He‘eia Fishpond? • Paula Moehlenkamp • University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
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Hawai‘i Conservation Alliance • Emma Anders • Hawai‘i Conservation Alliance
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FLASHBACK: MAY 15, 1987
I
By: Jenny Johnson, Editor
n May of 1987, MOP students toured four aquaculture facilities. These four facilities which included a shrimp, bullfrog, tilapia and limu farm, were described as “experimental” at the time. Students were taken to Kahuku, O‘ahu, where all of the facilities were located. The first stop for MOPers was Marine Culture Enterprises (MCE). This farm is no longer in existence today, but in 1987 MCE was using high-tech farming techniques and machines to pump out mass amounts of shrimp (Penaeus stylirostris). Students witnessed the use of “raceways.” Raceways are tanks that are continuously pumped with saltwater and were thought to be the most efficient and cleanest technique for farming shrimp. The manager of the hatchery facility, Dee Montgomery, was a former MOP student out of Leeward Community College, who actually did not have a marine biology degree but was thankful for MOP opening doors for her. In a quote from the 1987 article, Montgomery said, “I feel I owe a lot to the Marine Option Program. It’s great for contacts and experience.” Team members like Montgomery were dedicated to the success of the farm, but eventually it was bought out.
as expensive feed were just as prominent then as they are today. The farm raised a certain type of tilapia but named the fish Hawaiian sunfish in attempt to distance its farm and fish from the negative connotation that tilapia has in Hawai‘i. Hawai‘i Marine Enterprises (HME), a limu farm, was the last stop of the tour for the 1987 MOPers. HME grew ogo seaweed (Gracilaria parvispora). This limu is still a very popular food in Hawai‘i, especially in poke bowls. The limu farm was run by co-founders Rick Spencer and Fred Mencher and just one employee. Spencer and Mencher allowed students to sample the limu while at the farm. Spencer explained the demand for ogo at the time, “The demand is more than we can satisfy: about 5,000 pounds a week.” This farm does not exist presently, but thankfully there are still limu farms in Hawai‘i, including Marine Agrifuture that is also located in Kahuku. n
Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) farming is likely not something people expect when thinking about Hawai‘i, but in 1987 Malia Crump, owner of the only bullfrog farm on the island, was trying to make bullfrog farming happen. The farm was extremely small, being described as “smaller than the MOP student study center” by Brett Lomont, author of original 1987 article. The small area housed around 5,000 bullfrogs. At the time, the farm had not yet begun making a profit and was still in an experimental stage. Crump was very hopeful for its success, however, today we can see that Rana catesbeiana farming on O‘ahu did not flourish. Tilapia has been on the minds of many scientists as Oceanic Institute is currently trying to create an affordable feed for tilapia farming. When MOPers visited Oceanic Institute in March of 2018, they were informed the feed prices were “killing” tilapia farmers and causing the practice to barely be profitable, running the risk of losing local tilapia farms. In 1987, MOP students visited Fowler Co. Hawaiian Sunfish Farm and issues such MAY 2018 |45
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