swim at your own risk

I found a really interested interactive map that shows all the recorded shark attacks that have taken place all over the world. Similar to google earth, this map allows you to zoom in to certain areas in the world.
I hope this doesn't scare you out of swimming in the oceans!
http://swimatyourownrisk.com/shark-attack-map/

Huge waves and amazing surf!

I found some really interesting and fun videos on youtube related to waves and surfing!
Here are the links, Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yX_uVQ9OKA&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-MPHrfHpc0&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLUxLE8TqdY&feature=related

New Marine Life in Florida Keys

I found this article on NOAA's website and it was very encouraging to see that there is hope for our oceans!

Thanks to conservation efforts by federal, state, and local organizations, there is a resurgence of reef fish and corals in the Dry Tortugas National Park, located about 70 miles west of Key West, Fla.
In 2001, NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary implemented the Tortugas Ecological Reserve, consisting of 151 square nautical miles of protected marine habitat. To monitor the progress of this protected area, which had suffered from overfishing and other environmental changes, the Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies funded a marine census to examine how the ecosystem was responding after seven years as a protected area.

“We are very encouraged to see that stocks have slowly begun to recuperate since implementing ‘no-take’ marine protected areas in the region,” said Jerry Ault, chief scientist on the project and a professor of marine biology and fisheries at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. “We are currently crunching the data collected to see what adjustments may need to be made to help guide future management decisions to address the issues of biodiversity protection, restoration of ecological integrity, and fishery management.”

As a result of this census, divers from six federal agencies and universities (NOAA, U-Miami Rosensteil School, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, National Park Service, Reef Education and Environmental Foundation, and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington) collected data showing increases in the numbers of snapper, grouper, and corals in the outermost Florida Keys — positive signs of recovery.
Toppled coral.

http://www.noaa.gov/features/monitoring_1008/marinelife.html

Adopt-A-Beach

The state of California seems to be a huge activist in making a difference in cleaning and restoring the oceans and beaches. An interesting program which they have going on now in California is called "Adopt A Beach". Like adopting a highway, California now has a program where a group can adopt a beach! In adopting a beach the group must commit to cleaning it at least three times per year and are encourage to re-adopt it the following year.
I think this is such a great idea!
For more information visit: http://www.coastal.ca.gov/publiced/aab/aab1.html

Help Make a Difference in our Oceans!

I came across some really interesting organizations that are trying to make a difference in helping the oceans and I thought I would share them with you.

Save the Waves is a website that has a bunch of really interesting reports, campaigns and petitions that you can sign. One of the petitions closer to home is the "Seals Nova Scotia" petition, that is trying to stop the shellfish processing plant in Seaforth, Nova Scotia.

To sign the petition visit : http://www.savethewaves.org/petition_seals.asp

The Ocean Conservancy are aimed at restoring substainable american fisheries, protect wildlife from human impacts, conserve special ocean places, reform the government for better ocean stewardship.

To sign up with the Ocean Conservancy to help make a difference visit: http://www.oceanconservancy.org/site/PageServer?pagename=newsletter

The picture above is of a female california sea lion, which normally has strong maternal instinct, biting her pup shortly after giving birth at the Marine Care Center in San Pedro. Sea lions suffering from neurotoxic poisoning usually show no interest in their young, and even attack them when they try to suckle.

This is an image I found off of the Altered Oceans website. An image like this is absolutely heartbreaking to see but makes us realize that we need to start taking action to help out the ocean and their creatures.

(Photography by Rick Loomis)

Altered Oceans

Altered Oceans is a five part series on the crisis in the seas- Kenneth R. Weiss
This documentary is amazing and eye opening!!
This documentary focuses on:

• the changing chemistry of the oceans
• the toxic algae and bateria that are poisoning marine mamales and other sea life
• the red tides that are multiplying and worsening
• the winds are carrying their toxins ashore
• seabron plastic debris posing lethal hazard to wildlife
• seawater in turning acidic, threatening fish, coral and other marine life!

The videos have amazing statistics and information that I was completely unaware of, definately take the time to watch it! Hope you enjoy it!
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/oceans/la-oceans-series,0,7842752.special

United States sets ship speed limit to protect right whales

The right whale has been protected as an endangered species since 1970. Despite warning systems and aerial surveys to locate whales in shapping lanes, only 300-400 right whales exist today. Since 1997, ship strikes have killed one to two right whales per year. In a hope to save the right whales from being further harmed, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Wednesday October 8th 2008 issued a 11.5-mile-per-hour speed limit for ships 65 feet or longer that travel within 23 miles of major mid-Atlantic ports, and in areas where the North Atlantic right whale breeds, feeds and migrates. The regulation will go into effect in December.
Government marine scientists had initially proposed a 34-mile-wide coastal speed zone around the ports. That recommendation was scaled back after the White House questioned the science linking ship speed to whale deaths.
The speed limit will be the first put in place to protect a species along the Atlantic coast. A federal analysis issued earlier this year said that the limit could cost the shipping industry millions of dollars in lost revenue. It would affect most commercial ships, including ferries, cruise liners and even whale-watching vessels.
To learn more about the right whales and help out visit http://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.nero.noaa.gov/shipstrike/&usg=AFQjCNGLZSM9qYksz-yveYb7DFsFigkRAQ

Teach Under the Sea!

In November 2008, six aquanauts will venture into the Aquarius undersea laboratory to live for eight days underwater and study the surrounding coral reef. Along with science, a goal of this, the program’s 100th mission, is to bring the exciting experience of living and working underwater as part of a scientific aquanaut team to classrooms and people around the world. To do this, we are seeking a qualified and enthusiastic teacher to join the mission team and help us to educate students everywhere about the ocean, coral reefs, science, and undersea technology.

The Aquarius undersea laboratory is owned by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and operated out of Key Largo, Florida by the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW).
Aquarius Reef Base includes:
• the Aquarius undersea laboratory;
• an ocean-observing platform with access to real-time data via the Internet;
• a shore-based field station.

Aquarius is the world’s only operating undersea research laboratory. It sits in 60 feet of water within a sandy expanse at the base of Conch Reef, some four miles from shore off Key Largo. It is situated within a specially designated research-only site within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Through saturation diving techniques, Aquarius allows scientists to live and work underwater 24/7 during one to two week missions. This enables them to conduct research, surveys, or undertake in situ experiments that would be difficult, if not cost and time prohibitive, if diving from the surface.

As the participating educator, the teacher/aquanaut will be expected to:
• host several online broadcasts from the Aquarius undersea habitat (with assistance);
• provide online blogs and other web interaction during the experience;
• communicate regularly with classrooms and the media;
• coordinate and host a 1-day professional development workshop for educators in his/her local school district, connecting lesson plans (existing, e.g. NOAA Ocean Exploration, National Marine Sanctuary Program) with the planned mission and encouraging classes to follow along with the mission online;
• connect these education efforts with the Ocean Science Essential Principles and Fundamental Concepts.

This looks like an absolutely amazing experience, and makes me look even more forward to becoming a teacher!

For more information visit http://www.ocean.com/article.asp?locationid=1&resourceid=11115&ProdId=&CatId=1&TabID=&SubTabID=

The Big Swim

I came across a very interesting and unusual fundraising event. The fundraising event called "the big swim" includes 56 participants that have decided to swim 26 miles across the Santa Barbaba Channel. The big swim was the idea of Emilio Casanueva, founder of the "Ocean Ducks". Members of the Ocean Ducks include both men and women from the ages of twelve to sixty aiming to help clean up the oceans. Once the idea of swimming across the channel was official, they teamed up with CEC (community enviorment council). CEC is a non-profit organization and were more than happy to be apart of the big swim. With the help of CEC the money raised by the Ocean Ducks was able to go to various research and organizations that are trying to make a difference in the worlds oceans today.
The big swim ran very smoothly without any shark attacks, which seemed to be a great concern for many of the participants.
Here is the link to the video of the big swim with includes footage of the participants swimming as well as their reactions to taking on such a crazy challenge.
http://www.ocean.com/mplayer/index.asp?resourceid=5119&page=0&channelid=49&URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eocean%2Ecom%2Ffilm2%2Easp%3Fresourceid%3D5119

Energy Ocean 2009

I came across this event and I thought that alot of people would be interested in it because it really isnt too far away. The dates for this expo is june 16-19 2009 in Maine!

EnergyOcean is the world's leading event focusing on renewable and sustainable energy from the oceans. Supported by the five leading international not-for-profit ocean energy organizations, EnergyOcean is the primary education platform and networking event for key players in the global ocean renewables industry.

People attending:Technologists ,Government officials; Federal, State & Local levels
Regulatory Specialists, Environmentalists, Policy Makers, Investors, and Industry Organizations.

For more information and membership registration,go to http://www.oceanenergycouncil.org/.

American President Bush gives speech at the Smithsonian Museum; his views on the ocean!

I came across American President George W Bush Jr.'s speech that took place at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washinton DC on Sept. 26. 08.
In his speech he talks about the Ocean Action Plan, which is aimed at making ocean's coasts and Great Lakes cleaner, healthier, and more productive. Bush has also set a deadline to end overfishing in the United States by 2011. Bush as well has introduced the 'Ten Year Ocean Research Priorties Plan' which is set at reducing the impact of shipping on the enviorment, educate Americans on the ocean, understanding the oceans role in climate change, as well as trying to increase reseach in order to protect Americans from natural disasters like huricanes and tsumanis.

I just thought that this was an interesting speech because it gives us some insight to what the United States is hoping to achieve in regards to the ocean in the years to come!

Heres the link; enjoy! http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2008/images/president_oceanhallspeech.pdf