Monterey sea otters killed by toxic algae
A toxic algae that forms in reservoirs, lakes and stagnant freshwater ponds was responsible for the deaths of at least 21 threatened California sea otters in the Monterey Bay area, a scientific study revealed Friday.
The discovery, reported in the scientific journal PLoS ONE, is alarming because the toxin, called microcystin, had never been linked to the death of a marine mammal and was not believed to be capable of surviving for long periods in saltwater.
"Based on what we know, this is the first documentation of a freshwater algal bloom being transmitted to upper-level marine mammals, specifically a federally listed species," said Melissa Miller, a senior wildlife veterinarian and pathologist for the California Department of Fish and Game and the study's lead author.
The three-year average population of California otters, also known as southern sea otters, declined 3.6 percent this year, the second consecutive drop after a decade of increases. The reason for the decline is a mystery, but scientists believe a variety of causes are at play, including toxic runoff.
There are 2,711 sea otters along the California coast, according to a U.S. Geological Survey study, which also reported an 11 percent drop in the number of otter pups compared with last year.
Study points to algae
Microcystin, which is commonly referred to as blue-green algae, can cause liver damage when ingested. All 21 sea otters that tested positive for the bacteria died from liver failure, according to the study, which was completed with the help of experts from UC Santa Cruz and a variety of state and federal agencies.
It is believed the toxins flowed to the ocean off the coast of Monterey in rivers and creeks. Sea urchins and shellfish near the outflow filtered the water and the poison accumulated in their bodies, which were, in turn, eaten by otters.
It has not yet been determined whether poisoning from blue-green algae is playing a major or minor role in the overall otter decline, but it was at least a factor, the researchers said. The 21 sea otters represent only a fraction of the number of mammals found dead from unknown causes along the Central California coast since 1999. Miller said the full extent of the problem will not be known until further studies can be conducted.
Microcystis is a naturally occurring algae. Its bright green blooms have long been found behind dams, particularly along the Klamath River, and in stagnant pools.
Global concern
But researchers say the microcystin toxin appears to be multiplying in the environment to the point that it is becoming a global health concern. That's because cyanobacteria, as scientists call bacterial blooms, thrive in warm water that is rich in nutrients from lawn, city and agricultural runoff. The warmer the temperatures, the more bacteria there are
Global warming, scientists say, has increased the frequency of deadly green "super-blooms."
Microcystins have been detected in brackish water before, including in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta and San Francisco Bay, scientists say. The bacteria has been linked to the death of cattle and even dogs that drank the water or swam through the green slime and then licked their fur. It is also potentially dangerous to humans.
"What's really astonishing to us is that it had not been on anyone's radar as a problem in the marine environments until now," said co-author Tim Tinker, a research biologist with the U.S. Geological Survey and an adjunct professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at UC Santa Cruz.
The problem was discovered largely by mistake. In 2007, Miller kept running across the bloated, bright yellow corpses of otters near Monterey Bay, indicating acute liver failure. She searched medical journals for things that might have caused the problem and found nothing that fit until she came across blue-green algae.
Suspicions confirmed
Tissue samples confirmed her suspicion. The team of scientists she recruited eventually found high concentrations of microcystin in lakes bordering Monterey Bay and in adjacent rivers.
Blooms were also found in Pinto Lake in Watsonville, which drains into Corralitos Creek and flows into the Pajaro River. Microcystin contamination was eventually detected in the Salinas, Pajaro and San Lorenzo rivers and in the ocean at the Santa Cruz wharf.
The study found that the algae remains extremely toxic for two weeks in the ocean and that the poison can become 107 times more concentrated in shellfish. That means it is a risk to humans who consume shellfish harvested near river mouths. There are no state or federal regulations for exposure to microcystin.
"This definitely highlights the importance of monitoring water quality," Tinker said. "Here is a toxin coming into the ocean, probably affecting a lot of species, and the first indication we have of it is the death of sea otters. It is an early warning for an emerging problem."
Friday, September 17, 2010
San Francisco: Great white sharks swarm to area in summer
Great white sharks swarm to area in summer
Surfers and kayakers often take advantage of summer and fall weather along the California coast, but that bracing dip in the murky Pacific can also be a rather chilling gamble against a ghastly fate.
That's because on the West Coast those seasons belong to the great white shark.
The ferocious predators are out there now patrolling the coastline in what experts believe are increasing numbers.
"There seems to be more sharks in the water, but we don't have enough evidence yet to support that," said John McCosker, a shark expert and chairman of aquatic biology at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. "There have certainly been more sightings."
Kayakers were attacked by great whites on two separate occasions last month, pushing the number of verified great white shark attacks on humans in California to 102 since 1952. Numerous sightings of the giant predators have been recently reported, including the August mauling of a sea lion by an 18- to 20-footer off Pacifica.
The vast majority of shark attacks in California occur between July and November, McCosker said.
"The reason is there are a lot of seals and sea lions in the area at this time of year," said McCosker, who, with Robert Lea, has verified, analyzed and documented every great white attack on humans in the state. "The salmon are returning to the Sacramento River, the sea lions are following them and the sharks are following them. Meanwhile, the surfers are doing their best to imitate shark food."
Breaking new ground
A landmark study released last year by Stanford University determined that this region's genetically unique white sharks begin returning from the deep ocean to Northern California in August and begin leaving in December.
The area where the sharks gather - from the south end of Monterey Bay out to the Farallon Islands and across to Bodega Head - is known as "The Red Triangle," where McCosker said half of the state's shark attacks have occurred.
Eleven people have been killed by sharks off the California coast, the majority of them surfers, since the first documented human attack 58 years ago. The body of a probable 12th victim was never found, so he isn't counted. McCosker said there were no verified attacks before then, probably because previously very few people surfed or went into shark-infested areas for recreation. American Indians evidently knew not to go in the water during shark season, he said.
Surfers are by far the most common human victims, but the last two attacks in California have been on kayakers.
On Aug. 2, Duane Strosaker was attacked by a 15-foot or larger great white as he kayaked 5 miles out from Gaviota State Beach in Santa Barbara County.
"It attacked from my left side, with its head coming up from the water," Strosaker wrote in a blog. "Its mouth wrapped half way around the hull ... Its head was huge, and I remember seeing its eye and a hole on the side of its head, as well as its gray skin."
Strosaker pushed his paddle against the shark's head, but was afraid to hit the bloodthirsty creature out of fear it would thrash and capsize his boat.
"The whole time the shark was latched onto the kayak with my foot inside I was screaming like a little girl," he wrote. "After the longest 10-15 seconds in my life, the shark gently let go of the kayak and slid back into the water."
The same thing happened to Adam Coca of Pinole on Aug. 14. He was paddling off Pigeon Point in San Mateo County when a shark rocketed upward into the nose of his kayak, flipping it over and sending him thrashing into the water. Coca desperately held out his paddle to ward off the brute. It took a bite of the paddle and then swam away, Coca told authorities.
Another kayaker was attacked in 2007 in almost the exact same location, McCosker said.
Great white sharks, known scientifically as Carcharodon carcharias, grow as long as 20 feet and weigh 3 tons. The biggest one ever recorded was caught in 1939. It was 21 feet long and weighed 7,300 pounds, McCosker said.
The toothy beasts live worldwide in cool coastal waters and have a well-developed sense of smell and eyesight. They have an innate ability to sense changes in water pressure and electrical pulses, helping them find prey.
Female white sharks typically visit the Gulf of the Farallones in alternate years, suggesting that their migration pattern is tied to a two-year reproductive cycle. Five tagged sharks were tracked into San Francisco Bay using acoustic tags during the shark study, but there has never been a reported attack in the bay.
Nobody knows why sharks have recently been attacking kayakers. It may simply be because there are more paddlers out there.
McCosker said it would be foolish to think that a kayak is adequate protection, as the first documented great white attack on a kayaker in 1989 showed in gruesome detail. The female kayaker in that case was found floating in the ocean near Malibu. She had a large bite on her left thigh, defensive wounds on her hands and no water in her lungs, suggesting she died from her injuries and not from drowning. Her male companion and his kayak were never found, McCosker said.
The most recent reported sighting of a great white was Aug. 30, when sightseers spotted one attacking a sea lion about 150 yards off Linda Mar Beach in Pacifica.
Fighting helps little
The study of shark attacks by McCosker and Lea concludes that punching sharks in the nose, grabbing the gills or otherwise fighting the animal probably has little effect. Rather, humans' best defense appears to be that their flesh or neoprene is probably distasteful to sharks.
The statistics on attacks do not include the numerous bumpings and brushings of surfers' boards. McCosker also notes that some people who were reported as missing at sea or drowned and not recovered may have actually been consumed by white sharks.
The bottom line, McCosker said, is that right now is not the safest time to swim, surf or kayak in the ocean, especially near the Farallon Islands, Año Nuevo, Point Reyes and Tomales Bay. It is significantly safer to do those things between January and July, when the sharks live in the deep ocean near Hawaii.
Those die-hards who must go in the water in the fall should take a buddy with them, he said. That's because after taking a bite and tasting unappetizing human flesh instead of tasty blubber, a shark often leaves in disgust. But if it does stay to eat, it usually waits for its prey to bleed out.
"If you are attacked, the white shark is not going to consume you until you are dead," McCosker said. "If you don't have anyone to take you back in, you will probably bleed to death. If you have someone to take you to shore, there is a very high probability of survival."
Surfers and kayakers often take advantage of summer and fall weather along the California coast, but that bracing dip in the murky Pacific can also be a rather chilling gamble against a ghastly fate.
That's because on the West Coast those seasons belong to the great white shark.
The ferocious predators are out there now patrolling the coastline in what experts believe are increasing numbers.
"There seems to be more sharks in the water, but we don't have enough evidence yet to support that," said John McCosker, a shark expert and chairman of aquatic biology at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. "There have certainly been more sightings."
Kayakers were attacked by great whites on two separate occasions last month, pushing the number of verified great white shark attacks on humans in California to 102 since 1952. Numerous sightings of the giant predators have been recently reported, including the August mauling of a sea lion by an 18- to 20-footer off Pacifica.
The vast majority of shark attacks in California occur between July and November, McCosker said.
"The reason is there are a lot of seals and sea lions in the area at this time of year," said McCosker, who, with Robert Lea, has verified, analyzed and documented every great white attack on humans in the state. "The salmon are returning to the Sacramento River, the sea lions are following them and the sharks are following them. Meanwhile, the surfers are doing their best to imitate shark food."
Breaking new ground
A landmark study released last year by Stanford University determined that this region's genetically unique white sharks begin returning from the deep ocean to Northern California in August and begin leaving in December.
The area where the sharks gather - from the south end of Monterey Bay out to the Farallon Islands and across to Bodega Head - is known as "The Red Triangle," where McCosker said half of the state's shark attacks have occurred.
Eleven people have been killed by sharks off the California coast, the majority of them surfers, since the first documented human attack 58 years ago. The body of a probable 12th victim was never found, so he isn't counted. McCosker said there were no verified attacks before then, probably because previously very few people surfed or went into shark-infested areas for recreation. American Indians evidently knew not to go in the water during shark season, he said.
Surfers are by far the most common human victims, but the last two attacks in California have been on kayakers.
On Aug. 2, Duane Strosaker was attacked by a 15-foot or larger great white as he kayaked 5 miles out from Gaviota State Beach in Santa Barbara County.
"It attacked from my left side, with its head coming up from the water," Strosaker wrote in a blog. "Its mouth wrapped half way around the hull ... Its head was huge, and I remember seeing its eye and a hole on the side of its head, as well as its gray skin."
Strosaker pushed his paddle against the shark's head, but was afraid to hit the bloodthirsty creature out of fear it would thrash and capsize his boat.
"The whole time the shark was latched onto the kayak with my foot inside I was screaming like a little girl," he wrote. "After the longest 10-15 seconds in my life, the shark gently let go of the kayak and slid back into the water."
The same thing happened to Adam Coca of Pinole on Aug. 14. He was paddling off Pigeon Point in San Mateo County when a shark rocketed upward into the nose of his kayak, flipping it over and sending him thrashing into the water. Coca desperately held out his paddle to ward off the brute. It took a bite of the paddle and then swam away, Coca told authorities.
Another kayaker was attacked in 2007 in almost the exact same location, McCosker said.
Great white sharks, known scientifically as Carcharodon carcharias, grow as long as 20 feet and weigh 3 tons. The biggest one ever recorded was caught in 1939. It was 21 feet long and weighed 7,300 pounds, McCosker said.
The toothy beasts live worldwide in cool coastal waters and have a well-developed sense of smell and eyesight. They have an innate ability to sense changes in water pressure and electrical pulses, helping them find prey.
Female white sharks typically visit the Gulf of the Farallones in alternate years, suggesting that their migration pattern is tied to a two-year reproductive cycle. Five tagged sharks were tracked into San Francisco Bay using acoustic tags during the shark study, but there has never been a reported attack in the bay.
Nobody knows why sharks have recently been attacking kayakers. It may simply be because there are more paddlers out there.
McCosker said it would be foolish to think that a kayak is adequate protection, as the first documented great white attack on a kayaker in 1989 showed in gruesome detail. The female kayaker in that case was found floating in the ocean near Malibu. She had a large bite on her left thigh, defensive wounds on her hands and no water in her lungs, suggesting she died from her injuries and not from drowning. Her male companion and his kayak were never found, McCosker said.
The most recent reported sighting of a great white was Aug. 30, when sightseers spotted one attacking a sea lion about 150 yards off Linda Mar Beach in Pacifica.
Fighting helps little
The study of shark attacks by McCosker and Lea concludes that punching sharks in the nose, grabbing the gills or otherwise fighting the animal probably has little effect. Rather, humans' best defense appears to be that their flesh or neoprene is probably distasteful to sharks.
The statistics on attacks do not include the numerous bumpings and brushings of surfers' boards. McCosker also notes that some people who were reported as missing at sea or drowned and not recovered may have actually been consumed by white sharks.
The bottom line, McCosker said, is that right now is not the safest time to swim, surf or kayak in the ocean, especially near the Farallon Islands, Año Nuevo, Point Reyes and Tomales Bay. It is significantly safer to do those things between January and July, when the sharks live in the deep ocean near Hawaii.
Those die-hards who must go in the water in the fall should take a buddy with them, he said. That's because after taking a bite and tasting unappetizing human flesh instead of tasty blubber, a shark often leaves in disgust. But if it does stay to eat, it usually waits for its prey to bleed out.
"If you are attacked, the white shark is not going to consume you until you are dead," McCosker said. "If you don't have anyone to take you back in, you will probably bleed to death. If you have someone to take you to shore, there is a very high probability of survival."
Cod stocks could recover is measures adopted: WWF
Halifax Canada: Cod stocks could recover is measures adopted: WWF
HALIFAX — An international conservation group says Canada and other nations could rebuild depleted cod stocks if they clamp down on bycatch and develop a recovery plan.
The World Wildlife Fund today issued a set of measures it wants the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization, or NAFO, to adopt at its annual meeting next week in Halifax.
The fund wants NAFO to press countries to reduce bycatch so that stocks on the Grand Banks off Newfoundland and Labrador can rebuild.
Bob Rangeley, vice-president of the Atlantic branch of WWF-Canada, says cod stocks have been increasing steadily over the last several years.
But he says they are still at near historically low levels and won't fully recover unless countries deal with cod bycatch, or fish that are usually caught unintentionally.
Rangeley says consumers and industry are demanding sustainably caught seafood, which could force fisheries management groups like NAFO to better protect the resource.
HALIFAX — An international conservation group says Canada and other nations could rebuild depleted cod stocks if they clamp down on bycatch and develop a recovery plan.
The World Wildlife Fund today issued a set of measures it wants the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization, or NAFO, to adopt at its annual meeting next week in Halifax.
The fund wants NAFO to press countries to reduce bycatch so that stocks on the Grand Banks off Newfoundland and Labrador can rebuild.
Bob Rangeley, vice-president of the Atlantic branch of WWF-Canada, says cod stocks have been increasing steadily over the last several years.
But he says they are still at near historically low levels and won't fully recover unless countries deal with cod bycatch, or fish that are usually caught unintentionally.
Rangeley says consumers and industry are demanding sustainably caught seafood, which could force fisheries management groups like NAFO to better protect the resource.
BP under fire over fish
From The Sun (UK Newspaper)
BP under fire over fish
BP has come under fire yet again after these gruesome images emerged of hundreds of thousands of dead fish in a river in the US.
Wildlife officials have launched a major operation to find the cause of the "fish kill" after oil was spotted in the grisly photos.
The dead fish were found near the mouth of the Mississippi River — an area heavily affected by the BP oil spill.
Scientists had previously cleared the oil company of any blame saying the horror was caused by depleted oxygen levels.
But officials from Louisiana's Plaquemines Parish — where the fish were found — claim traces of oil can be seen in the photos.
Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser called for "extensive testing" to be carried out on the dead fish.
Mr Nungesser said: "We can't continue to see these fish kills.
"We need some additional tests to find out why these fish are dying in large numbers.
"If it is low oxygen, we need to identify the cause."
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The types of fish affected include pogies, redfish, drum, crabs, shrimp and freshwater eel.
A dead baby whale was also found close to the site earlier this week.
BP's Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded off the coast of southern Lousiana in April killing 11 people and leaking about 4.9million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.
Environmental scientist Ed Overton said warm temperatures can drain oxygen from water and cause fish kills.
Mr Overton said: "It is improbable, not impossible, that this is the result of oil toxicity."
BP under fire over fish
BP has come under fire yet again after these gruesome images emerged of hundreds of thousands of dead fish in a river in the US.
Wildlife officials have launched a major operation to find the cause of the "fish kill" after oil was spotted in the grisly photos.
The dead fish were found near the mouth of the Mississippi River — an area heavily affected by the BP oil spill.
Scientists had previously cleared the oil company of any blame saying the horror was caused by depleted oxygen levels.
But officials from Louisiana's Plaquemines Parish — where the fish were found — claim traces of oil can be seen in the photos.
Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser called for "extensive testing" to be carried out on the dead fish.
Mr Nungesser said: "We can't continue to see these fish kills.
"We need some additional tests to find out why these fish are dying in large numbers.
"If it is low oxygen, we need to identify the cause."
Advertisement
The types of fish affected include pogies, redfish, drum, crabs, shrimp and freshwater eel.
A dead baby whale was also found close to the site earlier this week.
BP's Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded off the coast of southern Lousiana in April killing 11 people and leaking about 4.9million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.
Environmental scientist Ed Overton said warm temperatures can drain oxygen from water and cause fish kills.
Mr Overton said: "It is improbable, not impossible, that this is the result of oil toxicity."
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Islands brace for military buildup's impact on reefs
Saipan Tribune: Islands brace for military buildup's impact on reefs
By Haidee V. Eugenio
Reporter
Island nations and partner U.S. agencies have made some progress in protecting their coral reefs in recent years but they are faced with yet another challenge: how to minimize or prevent a massive military buildup from impacting the marine ecosystems not only of Guam, but also that of the CNMI, Palau, American Samoa, the Federated States of Micronesia, and other islands.
This was among the key issues in yesterday's opening of the two-day 2010 U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Meeting at the Saipan World Resort in Susupe.
The U.S. Coral Reef Task Force is one of the foremost policy groups guiding national and international coral reef conservation.
Task Force co-chairs Eileen Sobeck of the Department of the Interior and Andrew Winer of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration joined representatives of federal agencies and governors of U.S. territories and affiliate members at the meeting, which showcased coral reef conservation work, watershed restoration projects, and climate change adaptation strategies, among other things.
Guam Gov. Felix P. Camacho said the military buildup “is the largest threat to coral reefs on this island.”
The military buildup involves the relocation of some 8,600 U.S. Marines and their 9,000 dependents from Okinawa, Japan, to Guam.
It also involves the construction of facilities and infrastructure to support training and operations on Guam and Tinian for the relocated Marines.
“I stress that our ability to manage our resources and our infrastructure during the military buildup and beyond will affect our island and our families for generations to come. The efforts of local natural resource managers will be wasted, if the military buildup is not handled in a manner that respects the people of Guahan [Guam] and the natural resources we rely on-for sustenance, for economic viability, for our culture, and for our way of life,” Camacho said.
One of three major projects related to the military buildup in Guam is a deep-draft wharf for transiting aircraft carriers.
The U.S. Navy earlier chose the Polaris Point in Guam's Apra Harbor as its preferred site for a carrier berth.
This would require some extensive dredging of sand and coral to accommodate the 1,325-foot wharf, designed for the larger Nimitz-class carriers, a “turning basin” in the harbor, and a widened ship channel.
Mitigation strategies
Camacho, in his remarks, asked the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force to help Guam come up with the best possible mitigation strategies for its coral reefs during this time of immense change and growth in the island.
“The members have the ability to direct resources to this important and urgent task, and techniques and strategies developed for Guahan could have future uses in other locations facing major development as well,” he said.
Capt. Peter S. Lynch, commanding officer of the U.S. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, said yesterday that the Record of Decision on the Final Environmental Impact Statement related to the buildup will not reflect a final decision on the location for a carrier berth because there's no consensus yet about the location.
Lynch, one of the presenters at the task force meeting, said the Department of Defense will defer a decision until after getting additional resource data.
He said DOD has identified funding to conduct additional studies that will take place in fiscal year 2011. Lynch said a decision will be based on data and studies that everybody agree on.
But Lynch pointed out that coral reefs are impacted by a lot of things, including runoff from a construction site or wastewater treatment that's not properly treated and could create algae plumes.
“There are the things we need to do regardless of whether we put the carrier here or there,” he added.
The Record of Decision on the Guam and CNMI Final EIS, which Lynch said could only be about 160 pages, will be released on Sept. 20, instead of the earlier schedule of Sept. 10.
The Navy said the delay is necessary to ensure that all comments received on the Final EIS are fully considered in the Record of Decision. In addition, the consultation processes under the National Historic Preservation Act and Endangered Species Act are still ongoing.
Economic benefits
Just like Guam, other islands look to economic benefits of increased military presence in the region but are at the same time bracing for its impact on the environment, including their coral reefs, which help sustain their economy and way of life.
Palau House of Delegates Speaker Noah Idechong said Palau expects to have increased number of soon-to-be Guam-based military personnel and their dependents visiting the island nation for diving and snorkeling, but he said “the downside is the impact on coral reefs.”
“It's a challenge for us,” he told Saipan Tribune in an interview during a break at the meeting.
Idechong said Palau has been investing in educational campaign on protecting coral reefs.
Palau also started collecting in November 2009 a so-called “green fee” from visitors, to be used for preserving protected areas.
The CNMI is also looking forward to increased military training on Tinian, as well as increased visits from military personnel and dependents for rest and recreation.
Climate change
American Samoa Gov. Togiola Tulafono said preparing for and mitigating climate change is the greatest global challenge facing the world today.
He said in American Samoa alone, the challenge is to protect resilient corals that are most likely to survive in the face of climate change.
Tulafono has also established a Climate Change Executive Order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and a Climate Change Local Action Strategy that integrated the climate change goals of the national Coral Reef Conservation Program with the local level.
'We're denied FEMA aid'
A tsunami hit the Samoan archipelago in September last year, killing people, destroying properties, displacing residents, and impacted the reefs.
“What some of you may not know is that our coral reefs suffered a second blow due to inadequate relief. Following the tsunami, large amounts of debris littered our reefs. Removal of the larger debris items is beyond the capacity of the American Samoan government, both in the expertise and the limited capacity of our landfills,” Tulafono said.
He said American Samoa repeatedly asked FEMA to directly assist NOAA by obtaining supplemental funding to remove the debris by activating Emergency Support Functions of the National Response Framework.
“However, we have been consistently denied on multiple accounts due to the loose interpretation of the ESFs by FEMA. Ladies and gentlemen, let me be frank. While it may sound like that this is about our last disaster and our issues with FEMA, they are not. This is not just about American Samoa. Anyone of our jurisdiction can experience a disaster such as our tsunami of 2009, and suffer the same consequences as us,” he said.
Tulafono asked the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force two things.
The first is the need to provide a formal U.S. position that coral reef health is indeed a public health issue for the people of American Samoa and the other insular jurisdictions.
“This would enable the Stafford Act to provide FEMA funding for coral reef restoration activities to address damage caused by natural disasters,” he said.
The second is the FEMA response requirement that differs for jurisdictions outside of the continental U.S., requiring a natural disaster declaration while there is an automatic response initiation for natural disasters occurring within the continental U.S.
“In conclusion, I am confident about the future of the work of this task force. And together, we can continue to enhance conservation strategies and limit threats to coral reef ecosystems, as already demonstrated by the USCRTF and Coral Reef Conservation Program,” he added.
Micronesian Challenge
CNMI Gov. Benigno R. Fitial said while the region has made great strides in the past decade, there continues to be considerable challenges ahead, particularly in coral reef protection efforts and the impact of climate change.
“Today, we will place considerable attention on the Micronesia Challenge-a commitment by the governments of the CNMI, Guam, FSM, RMI and Palau-to address the very issues of coral reefs and climate change,” he said.
The Micronesia Challenge calls for the protection of 30-percent of the islands' marine resources and 20-percent of terrestrial resources by the year 2020.
“The actions we take now to protect, restore and sustain our coral reef ecosystems will undoubtedly play a significant role in shaping the future of our Micronesian region, both economically and culturally. While it is clearly impossible for us to stop the forces of nature, we must remain firm in our commitment to be adequately prepared for what is to come long before it arrives. At the end of the day, it is people who make the difference,” he added.
Vangie Lujan, chair of the U.S. All Islands Coral Reef Committee, said island territories now have more access to federal agency assistance when it comes to coral reef protection.
By Haidee V. Eugenio
Reporter
Island nations and partner U.S. agencies have made some progress in protecting their coral reefs in recent years but they are faced with yet another challenge: how to minimize or prevent a massive military buildup from impacting the marine ecosystems not only of Guam, but also that of the CNMI, Palau, American Samoa, the Federated States of Micronesia, and other islands.
This was among the key issues in yesterday's opening of the two-day 2010 U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Meeting at the Saipan World Resort in Susupe.
The U.S. Coral Reef Task Force is one of the foremost policy groups guiding national and international coral reef conservation.
Task Force co-chairs Eileen Sobeck of the Department of the Interior and Andrew Winer of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration joined representatives of federal agencies and governors of U.S. territories and affiliate members at the meeting, which showcased coral reef conservation work, watershed restoration projects, and climate change adaptation strategies, among other things.
Guam Gov. Felix P. Camacho said the military buildup “is the largest threat to coral reefs on this island.”
The military buildup involves the relocation of some 8,600 U.S. Marines and their 9,000 dependents from Okinawa, Japan, to Guam.
It also involves the construction of facilities and infrastructure to support training and operations on Guam and Tinian for the relocated Marines.
“I stress that our ability to manage our resources and our infrastructure during the military buildup and beyond will affect our island and our families for generations to come. The efforts of local natural resource managers will be wasted, if the military buildup is not handled in a manner that respects the people of Guahan [Guam] and the natural resources we rely on-for sustenance, for economic viability, for our culture, and for our way of life,” Camacho said.
One of three major projects related to the military buildup in Guam is a deep-draft wharf for transiting aircraft carriers.
The U.S. Navy earlier chose the Polaris Point in Guam's Apra Harbor as its preferred site for a carrier berth.
This would require some extensive dredging of sand and coral to accommodate the 1,325-foot wharf, designed for the larger Nimitz-class carriers, a “turning basin” in the harbor, and a widened ship channel.
Mitigation strategies
Camacho, in his remarks, asked the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force to help Guam come up with the best possible mitigation strategies for its coral reefs during this time of immense change and growth in the island.
“The members have the ability to direct resources to this important and urgent task, and techniques and strategies developed for Guahan could have future uses in other locations facing major development as well,” he said.
Capt. Peter S. Lynch, commanding officer of the U.S. Naval Facilities Engineering Command, said yesterday that the Record of Decision on the Final Environmental Impact Statement related to the buildup will not reflect a final decision on the location for a carrier berth because there's no consensus yet about the location.
Lynch, one of the presenters at the task force meeting, said the Department of Defense will defer a decision until after getting additional resource data.
He said DOD has identified funding to conduct additional studies that will take place in fiscal year 2011. Lynch said a decision will be based on data and studies that everybody agree on.
But Lynch pointed out that coral reefs are impacted by a lot of things, including runoff from a construction site or wastewater treatment that's not properly treated and could create algae plumes.
“There are the things we need to do regardless of whether we put the carrier here or there,” he added.
The Record of Decision on the Guam and CNMI Final EIS, which Lynch said could only be about 160 pages, will be released on Sept. 20, instead of the earlier schedule of Sept. 10.
The Navy said the delay is necessary to ensure that all comments received on the Final EIS are fully considered in the Record of Decision. In addition, the consultation processes under the National Historic Preservation Act and Endangered Species Act are still ongoing.
Economic benefits
Just like Guam, other islands look to economic benefits of increased military presence in the region but are at the same time bracing for its impact on the environment, including their coral reefs, which help sustain their economy and way of life.
Palau House of Delegates Speaker Noah Idechong said Palau expects to have increased number of soon-to-be Guam-based military personnel and their dependents visiting the island nation for diving and snorkeling, but he said “the downside is the impact on coral reefs.”
“It's a challenge for us,” he told Saipan Tribune in an interview during a break at the meeting.
Idechong said Palau has been investing in educational campaign on protecting coral reefs.
Palau also started collecting in November 2009 a so-called “green fee” from visitors, to be used for preserving protected areas.
The CNMI is also looking forward to increased military training on Tinian, as well as increased visits from military personnel and dependents for rest and recreation.
Climate change
American Samoa Gov. Togiola Tulafono said preparing for and mitigating climate change is the greatest global challenge facing the world today.
He said in American Samoa alone, the challenge is to protect resilient corals that are most likely to survive in the face of climate change.
Tulafono has also established a Climate Change Executive Order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and a Climate Change Local Action Strategy that integrated the climate change goals of the national Coral Reef Conservation Program with the local level.
'We're denied FEMA aid'
A tsunami hit the Samoan archipelago in September last year, killing people, destroying properties, displacing residents, and impacted the reefs.
“What some of you may not know is that our coral reefs suffered a second blow due to inadequate relief. Following the tsunami, large amounts of debris littered our reefs. Removal of the larger debris items is beyond the capacity of the American Samoan government, both in the expertise and the limited capacity of our landfills,” Tulafono said.
He said American Samoa repeatedly asked FEMA to directly assist NOAA by obtaining supplemental funding to remove the debris by activating Emergency Support Functions of the National Response Framework.
“However, we have been consistently denied on multiple accounts due to the loose interpretation of the ESFs by FEMA. Ladies and gentlemen, let me be frank. While it may sound like that this is about our last disaster and our issues with FEMA, they are not. This is not just about American Samoa. Anyone of our jurisdiction can experience a disaster such as our tsunami of 2009, and suffer the same consequences as us,” he said.
Tulafono asked the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force two things.
The first is the need to provide a formal U.S. position that coral reef health is indeed a public health issue for the people of American Samoa and the other insular jurisdictions.
“This would enable the Stafford Act to provide FEMA funding for coral reef restoration activities to address damage caused by natural disasters,” he said.
The second is the FEMA response requirement that differs for jurisdictions outside of the continental U.S., requiring a natural disaster declaration while there is an automatic response initiation for natural disasters occurring within the continental U.S.
“In conclusion, I am confident about the future of the work of this task force. And together, we can continue to enhance conservation strategies and limit threats to coral reef ecosystems, as already demonstrated by the USCRTF and Coral Reef Conservation Program,” he added.
Micronesian Challenge
CNMI Gov. Benigno R. Fitial said while the region has made great strides in the past decade, there continues to be considerable challenges ahead, particularly in coral reef protection efforts and the impact of climate change.
“Today, we will place considerable attention on the Micronesia Challenge-a commitment by the governments of the CNMI, Guam, FSM, RMI and Palau-to address the very issues of coral reefs and climate change,” he said.
The Micronesia Challenge calls for the protection of 30-percent of the islands' marine resources and 20-percent of terrestrial resources by the year 2020.
“The actions we take now to protect, restore and sustain our coral reef ecosystems will undoubtedly play a significant role in shaping the future of our Micronesian region, both economically and culturally. While it is clearly impossible for us to stop the forces of nature, we must remain firm in our commitment to be adequately prepared for what is to come long before it arrives. At the end of the day, it is people who make the difference,” he added.
Vangie Lujan, chair of the U.S. All Islands Coral Reef Committee, said island territories now have more access to federal agency assistance when it comes to coral reef protection.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Divers Catch More Than 500 Lionfish In Keys Derby
Divers Catch More Than 500 Lionfish In Keys Derby
KEY LARGO (CBS4) ― Click to enlarge1 of 1
CBS
Close
numSlides of totalImages Related Slideshows 2010 Celebrity Deaths Famous Atheists & Agnostics Signs of Fail SeaWorld Animals Invade CBS4 Related StoriesDivers Target Lionfish For Prizes In Keys
(9/11/2010)
Divers To Help Remove Invasive Lionfish From Keys
(8/23/2010)
Conservationists Build Appetite For Lionfish
(8/2/2010)
Lionfish Invasion Spreads To Biscayne Nat'l Park
(6/24/2010)
Divers, Fishermen Battle Keys Lionfish Invasion
(2/8/2010)
Marine Groups Campaign Against Lionfish Invasion
(3/2/2009)
Related LinksBiscayne National Park: Lionfish Information
Forget the snapper and amberjack. More than 100 divers collected 534 Indo-Pacific red lionfish during the first concerted effort to reduce the population of the invasive species in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
The first of three Keys-based lionfish derbies Saturday attracted 27 teams, which competed for cash and prizes to collect the most, largest and smallest lionfish. The top $1,000 prize was awarded to a group that captured 111 lionfish.
The second derby is planned for Oct. 16 at Keys Fisheries Restaurant in Marathon and the third Nov. 13 at the Hurricane Hole Marina in Key West.
Lad Akins, of the Reef Environmental Education Foundation, says unsuspecting pet owners are releasing the nonnative fish into the Atlantic, where they have no natural predators.
The lionfish population has been growing rapidly in waters off the Keys, concerning environmentalists who say they could devastate fragile coral reefs and disrupt the marine ecosystem balance.
The growing population of lionfish is impacting indigenous fish, because they eat important juvenile reef species such as grouper and snapper.
The mane-like assemblage of spines that give the fish its lion-like appearance are tipped in poison that can cause severe pain, swelling, nausea, headaches and convulsions. However, the fish can be safely handled once the spines have been removed and many people fillet lionfish and cook them up just like any other fish.
KEY LARGO (CBS4) ― Click to enlarge1 of 1
CBS
Close
numSlides of totalImages Related Slideshows 2010 Celebrity Deaths Famous Atheists & Agnostics Signs of Fail SeaWorld Animals Invade CBS4 Related StoriesDivers Target Lionfish For Prizes In Keys
(9/11/2010)
Divers To Help Remove Invasive Lionfish From Keys
(8/23/2010)
Conservationists Build Appetite For Lionfish
(8/2/2010)
Lionfish Invasion Spreads To Biscayne Nat'l Park
(6/24/2010)
Divers, Fishermen Battle Keys Lionfish Invasion
(2/8/2010)
Marine Groups Campaign Against Lionfish Invasion
(3/2/2009)
Related LinksBiscayne National Park: Lionfish Information
Forget the snapper and amberjack. More than 100 divers collected 534 Indo-Pacific red lionfish during the first concerted effort to reduce the population of the invasive species in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
The first of three Keys-based lionfish derbies Saturday attracted 27 teams, which competed for cash and prizes to collect the most, largest and smallest lionfish. The top $1,000 prize was awarded to a group that captured 111 lionfish.
The second derby is planned for Oct. 16 at Keys Fisheries Restaurant in Marathon and the third Nov. 13 at the Hurricane Hole Marina in Key West.
Lad Akins, of the Reef Environmental Education Foundation, says unsuspecting pet owners are releasing the nonnative fish into the Atlantic, where they have no natural predators.
The lionfish population has been growing rapidly in waters off the Keys, concerning environmentalists who say they could devastate fragile coral reefs and disrupt the marine ecosystem balance.
The growing population of lionfish is impacting indigenous fish, because they eat important juvenile reef species such as grouper and snapper.
The mane-like assemblage of spines that give the fish its lion-like appearance are tipped in poison that can cause severe pain, swelling, nausea, headaches and convulsions. However, the fish can be safely handled once the spines have been removed and many people fillet lionfish and cook them up just like any other fish.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Billionaire saves marine reserve plans
The Independent: Billionaire saves marine reserve plans
A Swiss billionaire has stepped in to save plans to create the world's largest marine reserve from public spending cuts, it emerged today.
Ministers are in talks over a £3.5 million deal for America's Cup-winning yachtsman Ernesto Bertarelli to fund the policing of the zone around the British-owned Chagos Islands.
The Marine Protected Area (MPA) will cover some quarter of a million square miles of sea around the archipelago in the Indian Ocean and include a "no-take" reserve banning commercial fishing.
It was approved by then foreign secretary David Miliband in April amid complaints that the Government failed to take account of the needs of the territory's exiled inhabitants.
The Chagos have been the subject of a long-running controversy as the islanders exiled to make way for the Diego Garcia US airbase continue a legal fight for the right to return home.
Fears had been raised however that the project could be scrapped without private funding to offset the £750,000 a year set to be lost in fees for lucrative tuna fishing licences.
But campaign group the Blue Marine Foundation said it had secured the backing of the Bertarelli Foundation to provide the necessary financial backing - with ministers agreeing the deal in principle last week and detailed contracts now being drawn up.
Italian-born entrepreneur Mr Bertarelli and his British wife Kirsty - a former Miss UK - are believed to share a £6 billion fortune based on pharmaceuticals and biotechnology.
The deal includes the provision of a patrol boat - named the Pacific Marlin.
Blue Marine said a £1.5 million deal to provide fuel for the patrols had been negotiated separately by the Pew Foundation, part of the Chagos Environmental Network, and the Pentagon.
Junior foreign office minister Henry Bellingham welcomed the initiative - hailing it as a "great example" of how the Government could engage the private sector to find funding.
"As the world's largest marine reserve, the MPA will bring huge environmental benefits to the Indian Ocean and to the world," he said.
"It will double the global coverage of the world's oceans benefiting from full protection. We hope that the UK's example encourages others to do the same in other vulnerable areas.
"We are very grateful to the Bertarelli family, their foundation and to the Blue Marine Foundation for their interest and we look forward to working with them.
"This Government wants to form innovative partnerships with the private sector to deliver ambitious objectives. This is a great example of how this could work in practice."
Journalist Charles Clover, who set up Blue Marine in the wake of making a film - The End of the Line - about global overfishing, said he had feared the whole project could have been scuppered "because of what is, to a government, a relatively small amount of money".
A search by fellow campaigners to find a rich individual willing to help found the Bertarelli Foundation had "the vision and the pockets to match", he said. "Hats off to them."
Conservationists have long campaigned for the creation of a marine reserve to protect some of the world's most unspoilt seas and coral reefs against pollution, climate change and loss of species.
The 55 islands across 210,000 square miles in the middle of the Indian Ocean which form the British Overseas Territory have at least 60 endangered species in their coral reefs and waters.
They are home to more than 220 types of coral, 1,000 species of fish and at least 33 different seabirds and have been described as the most pristine tropical marine environment on Earth.
Diego Garcia is the only one of the coral islands which make up the Chagos archipelago which is inhabited - by the US base.
A Swiss billionaire has stepped in to save plans to create the world's largest marine reserve from public spending cuts, it emerged today.
Ministers are in talks over a £3.5 million deal for America's Cup-winning yachtsman Ernesto Bertarelli to fund the policing of the zone around the British-owned Chagos Islands.
The Marine Protected Area (MPA) will cover some quarter of a million square miles of sea around the archipelago in the Indian Ocean and include a "no-take" reserve banning commercial fishing.
It was approved by then foreign secretary David Miliband in April amid complaints that the Government failed to take account of the needs of the territory's exiled inhabitants.
The Chagos have been the subject of a long-running controversy as the islanders exiled to make way for the Diego Garcia US airbase continue a legal fight for the right to return home.
Fears had been raised however that the project could be scrapped without private funding to offset the £750,000 a year set to be lost in fees for lucrative tuna fishing licences.
But campaign group the Blue Marine Foundation said it had secured the backing of the Bertarelli Foundation to provide the necessary financial backing - with ministers agreeing the deal in principle last week and detailed contracts now being drawn up.
Italian-born entrepreneur Mr Bertarelli and his British wife Kirsty - a former Miss UK - are believed to share a £6 billion fortune based on pharmaceuticals and biotechnology.
The deal includes the provision of a patrol boat - named the Pacific Marlin.
Blue Marine said a £1.5 million deal to provide fuel for the patrols had been negotiated separately by the Pew Foundation, part of the Chagos Environmental Network, and the Pentagon.
Junior foreign office minister Henry Bellingham welcomed the initiative - hailing it as a "great example" of how the Government could engage the private sector to find funding.
"As the world's largest marine reserve, the MPA will bring huge environmental benefits to the Indian Ocean and to the world," he said.
"It will double the global coverage of the world's oceans benefiting from full protection. We hope that the UK's example encourages others to do the same in other vulnerable areas.
"We are very grateful to the Bertarelli family, their foundation and to the Blue Marine Foundation for their interest and we look forward to working with them.
"This Government wants to form innovative partnerships with the private sector to deliver ambitious objectives. This is a great example of how this could work in practice."
Journalist Charles Clover, who set up Blue Marine in the wake of making a film - The End of the Line - about global overfishing, said he had feared the whole project could have been scuppered "because of what is, to a government, a relatively small amount of money".
A search by fellow campaigners to find a rich individual willing to help found the Bertarelli Foundation had "the vision and the pockets to match", he said. "Hats off to them."
Conservationists have long campaigned for the creation of a marine reserve to protect some of the world's most unspoilt seas and coral reefs against pollution, climate change and loss of species.
The 55 islands across 210,000 square miles in the middle of the Indian Ocean which form the British Overseas Territory have at least 60 endangered species in their coral reefs and waters.
They are home to more than 220 types of coral, 1,000 species of fish and at least 33 different seabirds and have been described as the most pristine tropical marine environment on Earth.
Diego Garcia is the only one of the coral islands which make up the Chagos archipelago which is inhabited - by the US base.
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