Oil Spill Pushes Biologists to Count Sharks

From CBS News: Oil Spill Pushes Biologists to Count Sharks

Just off the coast of Pascagoula, Miss., the waters are still teeming with 10 species of sharks 15 days after an offshore rig blew up, killing 11 workers gushing oil out of an undersea well.

"We haven't had any indication that there's oil in this area," said Eric Hoffmayer, a marine biologist at the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory.

Marine biologists are rushing to establish a baseline sample of the shark population by documenting their size and overall health before the oil hits, CBS News Special Contributor Jeff Corwin reports. The oil is a threat to more than 600 animal species.

CBSNews.com Special Section: Disaster in the Gulf
Gulf Oil Spill, by the Numbers

The biologists are especially worried because waters near Pascagoula are a fragile nursery for young sharks. This is a critical time for these sharks.

"We don't know what the implications are going to be with exposure to this oil, but in theory it could have a tremendous impact on the pups that are born this year and the populations that we have here in the north are critical to the Gulf of Mexico," Hoffmayer said.

Even if the oil doesn't get to the sharks, the sharks may get to the oil.

"These things could probably swim between 10, maybe 15, 20 miles a day," Hoffmayer said.

If a shark is capable of swimming 20 miles a day, it's capable of swimming where the slick is, so it could be in healthy waters one day and poison waters the next.

If sharks come in contact with oil, two things can happen. They can suffocate to death because they breathe water through their gills. Also, if the fish they hunt is contaminated by oil, they can be poisoned by eating the toxic chemicals in the crude.

Dolphins, on the other hand, are mammals and like human beings breathe air into their lungs to survive. If they come up to the surface of that water and there's oil floating on top, they can breathe in that oil into their lungs through their blow hole and can suffocate as well.

Also like the sharks, they're targeting fish that could be contaminated.

All species in the Gulf, either creatures living along the coastline like the birds or the animals in the water, are vulnerable to this very toxic oil spill.

University divers plumb new depths in Egypt

From BBC America: University divers plumb new depths in Egypt

University of Ulster divers have been passing on their expertise to maritime archaeologists in the historic Egyptian port of Alexandria.

Staff from the UU's maritime archaeology centre conducted a 10-day training workshop for 15 archaeologists from north and east Africa who wanted an insight into the challenges of working underwater.

During their stay the UU divers were granted a rare opportunity to explore the underwater remains of the famous Pharos lighthouse - one of the wonders of the ancient world.

Work on the great lighthouse began in 290 BC and when it was completed 20 years later, it was the first lighthouse in the world and the tallest building in existence with the exception of the Great Pyramid.

'Under threat'

The course, hosted by Alexandria University's new Centre for Maritime Archaeology and Underwater Heritage (CMA), involved all aspects of survey, documentation and management of archaeological sites and artefacts from maritime environments and enabled students to gain practical experience by diving in Alexandria's eastern harbour.

Dr Colin Breen from the UU Centre for Maritime Archaeology acted as a consultant during the new centre's establishment as a state-of-the-art facility.

"This course builds upon previous specialised workshops the university has delivered aimed at improving awareness and developing management skills in dealing with maritime archaeology under threat in Africa," he said.

Dr Wes Forsythe, also based at the CMA, said: "The training programme provided a great opportunity not only for the region's archaeologists, but for us to use the best facility in Africa and of course dive on one of the world's greatest underwater archaeological sites."

The course was carried out in collaboration with staff from Alexandria University, Southampton University, the Nautical Archaeology Society and the British Museum.

Australia's only dolphin in danger of extinction

Rescue plan for Australian dolphin


Experts are working on a rescue plan to save the only dolphin unique to Australia.

The snubfin dolphin is in grave danger of extinction from the combined threats of fishing nets, boat strikes, increased shipping and large scale coastal development.

Researchers know there are isolated pods of the dolphins in Australia's tropical waters, and are working to determine how many might be left.

What is certain is that without a detailed strategy to protect the mammals and their habitat, the species is doomed, the conservation group World Wildlife Fund (WWF) says.

The federal environment department is meeting marine mammal experts in Townsville today and tomorrow to get the latest information on the status of the species.

"These animals are right on the edge. The loss of just two or three dolphins off Townsville in one year, for example, could trigger the extinction of this local population," says Lydia Gibson, tropical marine species manager for the conservation group WWF.

WWF says one of they key issues that will determine the snubfin's fate is how well Australia manages large-scale coastal developments.

"It's no secret that coastal development along the Queensland coast and across tropical Australia is accelerating at a very rapid pace. Without designated sanctuaries and a strategic approach to development we stand a very real risk of losing these unique animals," Ms Gibson says.

Large-scale LNG developments proposed for Gladstone, plans to expand Townsville's port, and oil and gas expansion in Australia's north-west, along with fishing activities, are all threatening snubfin habitat, WWF says.

"The recent likely extinction of the Yangtze river dolphin is a stark reminder of the need to protect inshore dolphins," Ms Gibson says.

"It is vital we lead the way and take decisive action to ensure our only endemic dolphin does not suffer the same fate."

WWF is also pushing for the establishment of dolphin sanctuaries, go-slow zones for recreational boaters in critical snubfin habitat, and more money for indigenous sea rangers.

Sea lions may face control program on Ore. river

From the Democrat Herald

Sea lions may face control program on Ore. river

(My question is this: "The sea lions are eating an increasing number of threatened and endangered salmon that need protection while damaging a sportfishing industry that is a major part of the state economy, Hunt said"

So are the sportfishing people killing these threatended and endangered salmon. or what are they killing? Or do sportfishing people throw the salmon back?

Oregon House Speaker Dave Hunt says hungry California sea lions that gobble up salmon on the Willamette River may face a tougher control program that includes killing some repeat offenders.

Hunt says fishermen at Willamette Falls in Oregon City have told him the sea lion problem is getting worse, with some of the animals stealing salmon off fishing lines or out of nets right next to boats.

The sea lions are eating an increasing number of threatened and endangered salmon that need protection while damaging a sportfishing industry that is a major part of the state economy, Hunt said.

"It's a very significant issue and something that requires careful action, but action," Hunt said Tuesday.

At a public hearing he organized Monday night in Oregon City, Hunt heard plenty of stories about the huge animals _ some approaching half a ton _ creating a nuisance and a potential safety hazard on docks and in the river.

One fisherman, Bruce Polley, said Tuesday in an interview he had a male sea lion snatch a fish off a line as he was hauling it in to determine whether it was a wild or hatchery salmon.

"This 800-pound sea lion comes out from under my boat and literally took it off the line, within a foot of my hand for sure," Polley said. "It scared the heck out of me."

Another fisherman, Chad Beatty, said the animals have become so accustomed to humans they understand that fishermen have landed a salmon when they stand up in a boat or raise a net.

"Every year they just seem to figure it out," Beatty said. "If you're fishing near them, they know it. So everybody stays seated and tries to keep their nets down, and reel it in without the sea lions noticing. But it takes away from the experience."

So far, attempts to haze the sea lions to back them off the fish ladders at the falls during the past month have failed to keep them from returning.

Hunt said hazing also failed on the Columbia River at Bonneville Dam, where the state was granted permission two years ago to trap and kill some California sea lions that have become persistent pests.

Critics of removing sea lions by lethal means include the Humane Society of the United States, which went to federal court to block killing the animals but lost.

The Humane Society has said that hydroelectric dams and fishermen account for nearly all the salmon taken in the Northwest, and sea lions account for only a tiny fraction.

Hunt, however, said the number of salmon is significant and a long-term solution may require an amendment to the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act because sea lions appear to be thriving while salmon remain at risk.

He said a short-term solution to the problem at Willamette Falls may be to increase the hours for state workers who are hazing the animals to drive them downriver.

At Bonneville, meanwhile, one more California sea lion was added Tuesday to the list of those to be killed, bringing the total to 10 this year on the Columbia, said Rick Hargrave, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife spokesman.

Five other sea lions trapped at Bonneville were tagged Tuesday with acoustic tracking devices that are glued to their fur to allow biologists to monitor them until they shed the devices during molting, Hargrave said.

Three were protected Steller sea lions and two were California sea lions. Those that had not already been branded were marked so they can be identified if they return to the dam, Hargrave said.

Scientists Alter Developing Fish Brain To Resemble That Of Another Species; 'Late Equals Large'?

From the Underwater Times
Scientists Alter Developing Fish Brain To Resemble That Of Another Species; 'Late Equals Large'?

ATLANTA, Georgia -- Scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology have found that by applying chemicals to manipulate genes in a developing embryo, they've been able to change the brain of one type of cichlid fish to resemble that of another. The researchers also discovered differences in the general patterning of the brain very early in development before functional neurons form in a process known as neurogenesis. This finding is at odds with a well-held theory known as "late equals large." The research appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Online Early Edition beginning May 3, 2010.

In the mid 1990s, the hypothesis called "late equals large" was put forth to explain the way brains evolve across species. The brain begins as a blank slate. In early development, the anterior, or front, part of the brain is specified from the posterior, or back, part. After that, neurogenesis occurs as precursor cells mature to become neurons. These precursors can replicate endlessly, but once they become functional neurons, replication ends. The later the switch from precursors to mature neurons, the larger the brain, or brain region, becomes. The "late equals large" model holds that the brains of different species, for example humans vs. mice, are similar early in development and differ because of the later process of neurogenesis.

"We found differences in the general patterning of the brain as early as 48 hours after fertilization, before neurogenesis begins," said J. Todd Streelman, associate professor in Georgia Tech's School of Biology.

Streelman, Ph.D. student Jonathan Sylvester, and their colleagues studied brain development in six species of cichlid from Lake Malawi stock, three species from the rock-dwelling lineage and three species of their sand-dwelling cousins.

"We repeated our tests from two to four days after fertilization and found that sand–dwelling cichlids exhibited a larger expression domain of the gene wnt1, known to be an important factor in the development of the posterior brain. This correlates with a larger thalamus, a posterior forebrain structure used in the processing of vision," said Sylvester.

The sand-dwelling cichlids use their vision to detect plankton prey, so their brains are heavily devoted to integrating visual signals. However, the rock-dwelling species feed by scraping algae from rocks and possess larger cerebra, or telencephala, perhaps to aid in navigating their complex 3D environments.

"The genomes of these species are very similar," said Streelman, "almost as similar as those of any two humans, and yet their brains vary as much as some mammal groups, one from each other."

Most of the data supporting the "late equals large" hypothesis hasn't been drawn from species that are as closely related as these cichlids, added Streelman.

"Among primates, for example, most of the links between species have been severed long ago. So, it is difficult to study developmental patterning because subtle differences are often confounded by large differences in brain size," said Streelman.

In another part of the study, the team wanted to see if they could use chemicals to change the patterns of gene expression and hence the brain development of the embryos. Could they, in fact, alter the brain of a rock-dwelling embryo to that of a sand-dwelling embryo? Turns out they could.

Sylvester treated the embryos with lithium chloride for three to five hours during an early stage of anterior-posterior patterning. After treatment, he returned the embryos to fish water and then took samples for study at different developmental stages. He found that each time he checked, treatment with lithium chloride up-regulated Wnt signaling, which led to a reallocation of brain precursors to the posterior thalamus.

"Neurogenesis is still a very important process in brain development and evolution," said Streelman. "We've just shown that there are differences in the developmental process much earlier than previously suspected and that these changes are also relevant for brain diversity."

"We're interested in what these early differences have to say about early behavior," said Streelman. "Because if we think in terms of the 'late equals large' model, it means that early in development, brains don't differ that much. But now that we know species possess divergent brains early on, we can begin to assess how early behaviors may differ as well."

Other members of the team include former Georgia Tech undergradate Constance Rich, current Biology PhD candidate Eddie Loh, former post-doc toral fellow in Streelman's lab Gareth Fraser and Moira van Staaden from Bowling Green University. The research was supported by funding from the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

Students Discover Deep-Sea Canyon Off Aussie Coast; 'A Deep Cleft In The Continental Shelf'

From Underwater Times:

Students Discover Deep-Sea Canyon Off Aussie Coast; 'A Deep Cleft In The Continental Shelf'

PERTH, Australia -- A deep-sea canyon new to science has been discovered on the continental shelf near the Montebello Islands by students from The University of Western Australia, James Cook University and the University of Tasmania.

They made the exciting and unexpected discovery on a voyage from Hobart to Broome via Fremantle to determine the biological and physical signature of the ocean.

The group of 14 sea-going oceanography students from the three Australian Universities forming the Australian National Network in Marine Science (ANNiMS) were on a training voyage on board the Marine National Facility the RV Southern Surveyor.

Chief Scientist on the voyage, UWA's Professor Anya Waite, said the Southern Surveyor was fitted with a swath mapper that uses sonar to map the sea floor.

Collecting plankton and studying the Leeuwin Current - the primary focus of the journey - the students were navigating around the oil rigs off the Pilbara coast on the Exmouth Plateau near the Montebello Islands. Some were watching flying-fish and whales when others noticed odd-looking contour lines on the bathymetric chart.

"The students found a deep cleft in the continental shelf," Professor Waite said. "Their measurements also suggested that the canyon might be associated with "upwelling" to the continental shelf, a physical process known to make the surface ocean more productive with plankton, the sea's main fish food."

The area is home to more than 150 species of coral, dugong, many kinds of Indo-Pacific reef fish, four species of turtles, 15 species of seabirds, and 10 species of whales. One of the islands in the group was the site of one of the first European shipwrecks in Australian waters - the British East India Company's Tryal in 1622.

Oil spill serves as testing ground for futuristic high-tech cleanups

Oil spill serves as testing ground for futuristic high-tech cleanups

Although cleanup methods for the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico are still somewhat low-tech, high-tech solutions are on the way.

This ANASA/NOAA satellite image shows the position of the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. US officials have approved a "controlled burn" to protect ecologically fragile coastlines from a spreading oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico.The drastic move to set the sea on fire is seen as necessary after a giant slick growing by 42,000 gallons a day moved within 20 miles of Louisiana's wetlands -- an important sanctuary for waterfowl and other wildlife.

The Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is pushing current oil cleanup technology to its limits, but also serving as a testing ground for futuristic decontamination methods.

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But other long-touted measures, such as oil-eating microbes, however, are not yet ready to fight large spills.

Responders have their hands full

As the Deepwater Horizon cleanup effort is demonstrating, many of the current methods of cleaning up oil spills are decidedly low-tech.

At least 70 response vehicles have fanned out in the Gulf and are using conventional physical containment methods such as floating tubes called booms and skimmers that slurp up mixed oil and water from the sea surface.

Tens of thousands of gallons of chemicals called dispersants that break the crude oil down into fine droplets for dilution (and eventual breakdown by oceanic microbes) have also been sprayed thus far.

Dispersants have proven far more effective than skimmers, which may only be able to soak up 10 percent of the spill, the Coast Guard said today.

Controlled burns of patches of oil are also set to start tomorrow, an approach sometimes adopted when containment and recovery become impossible.

Beneath the ocean, robots are trying but so far failing to fix the valve that would shut off the oil leaking from pipes that once connected to the Deepwater Horizon rig that caught fire on April 22.

BP, owner of the rupturing oil reservoir under the ocean floor, has said it will begin drilling an 18,000-foot (5,486 meters) relief well tomorrow, in part to relieve pressure from the main well. But the $100 million operation will take months.

Gerald Graham, president of Worldocean Consulting, a marine oil spill prevention and response planning firm based in British Columbia, described the response as a "full-court press."

But despite the Herculean efforts, cleanup crews may not prevent the dangerous oil slick, now spanning 600 miles (about 970 kilometers), from making landfall in areas along the Gulf Coast in several days.
Envisioning the slick

Conventionally, responders fly over slicks in aircraft and report back information to a command center about a spill's extent. Recently developed multispectral and thermal imaging sensors have aided in this effort by seeing slicks in ways human eyes cannot.

Oil and other hydrocarbons look different than water, both in the light that our sees and also in infrared, or "heat" signatures.

Two NASA satellites with the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument onboard have already given responders a multispectral "God's-eye" view of the spreading blemish of crude oil in the Gulf of Mexico.

But the distant satellites cannot glean important information of slick thickness, which is crucial for knowing where skimmers can do the most good in gobbling up hefty, floating deposits.

"With this particular spill, it is so large they can use satellite imagery to get a gross outline, but they are not able to get thickness variations," said Judd Muskat, an environmental scientist the Office of Spill Prevention and Response (OSPR) at the California Department of Fish and Game.

For that, responders will likely turn to OSPR's special, portable multispectral sensing equipment for use on aircraft. Muskat said he and his colleagues expect to be deployed to the Gulf of Mexico in the coming days to assist with the disaster effort.

A benefit of the OSPR multispectral and thermal imaging system is that it helps takes human subjectivity during flyovers out of the equation, Muskat said.

In the future, Muskat hopes that multispectral systems will be incorporated into unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, to beef up coverage and data collection.

Digitizing the disaster plan

Another computerized method for fighting the Deepwater Horizon spill is special software programs such as ADIOS2 (Automated Data Inquiry for Oil Spills).

Developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), ADIOS2 helps responders make real-time decisions about where to deploy their cleanup resources.

With ADIOS2, "you just key in all the details of the parameters of the spill, from the type of oil to wave conditions, winds, sea temperatures, what have you, and the software tells you the fate of the oil over an extended period," said Graham, who has worked on software solutions for oil spills.

These and other programs will improve as they incorporate more data from different sources, including satellites, and each spill is a learning experience, Graham said.

Putting a lid on the spill

Among the innovative options under consideration for quashing the Deepwater Horizon spill at its source is a giant underwater containment dome being investigated by BP and the Minerals Management Service of the United Sates Department of the Interior.

The dome would cap the leaking wellheads and then funnel the captured oil to the Gulf's surface for collection.

The Coast Guard has said that such collection domes have been used in the past, but never at the considerable depth of 5,000 feet. Details remain sketchy about the dome's specifications and how it might work, though the Coast Guard has admitted it will likely take two to four weeks to finish construction.

Microbes to the rescue?

For decades now, an area of great promise in the remediation side of cleanups has been microbes that break down oil and remove it from the environment. Many thousands of organisms do this in the wild and efforts using microbes to fix up toxic sites have succeeded on land.

However, breeding legions of oil-eating microbes and shipping them to the site of an emergency spill at sea is not really practical yet, said Larry Nies, a professor of civil engineering at Purdue University

For starters, the chemical composition of crude oil or other hydrocarbons spilled in waterways varies widely, depending on the oil's geological origin, and some of those compounds take longer for microbes to digest – if they are even edible at all.

"In a spill situation, time is of the essence," Nies said. "Even in the best of circumstances, [biological breakdown] is not an instantaneous process."

Plus, floating crude oil on the water does not readily lend itself to biological degradation, because the organisms cannot penetrate into the crude oil; rather, they munch at the boundary where water and oil meet.

For the foreseeable future, spill response will still rely on trapping the oil just as it does today, said Nies. "Physical means are generally most effective if you get there in time [and are] the first line of defense."

As the spreading slick in the Gulf of Mexico is still some 20 miles (32 kilometers) offshore, it's still possible that response crews can corral the spill before it reaches land. But the window of opportunity to do so is rapidly closing.

"If [the responders] are thinking about setting this thing on fire, they must be getting desperate," Nies said.
Denise Chow contributed to the reporting of this piece.