Deirdra Kennedy

2008-11-26T18:44:00.001-08:00

Here is a video about the oceans and the dangerous state it is in! Hopefully this video will make people realize how serious of a matter ocean pollution is and to do something about it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfsTwAYJd3Y

Protecting our worlds Oceans!

2008-11-26T18:40:00.000-08:00

Slow progress on ocean protection
By Richard Black Environment correspondent, BBC News website

Protected areas should also replenish catches for fishers, scientists say
Less than 1% of the world's oceans have been given protected status, according to a major survey.
Governments have committed to a target of protecting 10% by 2012, which the authors of the new report say there is no chance of meeting.
Protecting ecologically important areas can help fish stocks to regenerate, and benefit the tourism industry.
The survey was led by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and is published in the journal Conservation Letters.
"For those of us working in the issue full-time it's not a surprise, we've known all along that marine protection is lagging behind what's happening on land, but it's nice to have it pinned down," said TNC's Mark Spalding.
"It's depressing that we've still got so far to go, but there are points of hope," he told BBC News.
Coastal concentration
Four years ago, signatories to the UN's biodiversity convention - which includes almost every country - pledged to protect at least 10% of the oceans in a way that makes sense ecologically.

The hippos of the Bijagos Archipelago are benefiting from protection
Protecting them does not mean banning activities such as fishing or shipping completely, but making sure they are carried out sustainably.
All of the areas currently protected fall into countries' Exclusive Economic Zones, and the majority are along coasts, the study finds.
Even so, only about 4% of coastal waters are protected.
Countries diverge widely in how much protection they have mandated; around the Mediterranean, less than 2% of the coastline is protected.
In the developing world, Dr Spalding cites Guinea-Bissau as a country that has had invested in protection, particularly in the Bijagos Archipelago, which is home to a community of hippos dwelling along its mangrove coast, as well as more conventional marine species.
Palau, Indonesia, Micronesia and several Caribbean states are also making significant progress, he said.

Save Our Seas

2008-11-26T18:17:00.000-08:00

Save Our Seas Foundation is a non-profit making organisation headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. Its purpose is to implement and support diverse programmes centered around the protection of the Earth's marine environment. Its Advisory Committee discusses allocation of funds, sponsorship and policy; the Foundation is privately funded and has sufficient means to cover its administrative costs, insuring that all future donations and sponsorships are able to go directly towards helping worthy marine projects.

While browsing through their website I came across a really interesting and informative map that allows one to see all of their ongoing projects taking place all around the world. I definately think its worth the time to check it out!

http://www.saveourseas.com/Projects

Re think the Shark

2008-11-26T18:12:00.000-08:00

I came across this article and I really enjoyed it, hope you guys do was well!

By perpetuating the 'Jaws' myth these films do nothing to promote shark conservation and the cruel fact that man is killing 100 million of them each year, pushing sharks toward their final cut – extinction.
In one giant step towards promoting natural history films that tell the whole story and engage viewers with the big 'C' (concervation), the Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF) took home the most prestigious award in natural history filmmaking – the Panda Award – for its campaign film 'Rethink the Shark'.
A great campaign film considers the audience, provides a key message in a compelling way, and hopefully challenges preconceptions. According to the judges SOSF's 'Rethink the Shark' did this with "a sharp eye for detail, extreme wit and good humour."
SOSF, in partnership with Saatchi and Saatchi's Cape Town division of the global advertising agency, created a film that ends the stereotypical view of 'Jaws'- with an ironic twist.
Drawing from its scientists around the world SOSF's HD films are based on cutting edge research and designed to educate, delight and inspire the audience to take action and conserve our marine environment.
"Last year 791 people were killed by faulty toasters. Only 4 by sharks. Rethink the Shark".
The film, part of an awareness campaign driven by the SOSF, urges people to 'Rethink the Shark'. It challenges the media-driven public perception of sharks as man-eaters to looking at these key ocean predators in their real light.
SOSF is a non-profit research and education organization that is dedicated to raising awareness about the state of our oceans and highlighting the negative consequences of removing sharks and rays from the marine ecosystem.
So, next time you crisp your bread spare a thought for the sharks out there that are rapidly becoming toast due to over-fishing and finning.
For more information or to download 'Rethink the Shark' visit: www.saveourseas.com

Heal the Ocean

2008-11-26T17:59:00.000-08:00

Heal the Ocean focuses on wastewater infrastructure - sewers and septic systems - as well as other municipal operations that contribute to ocean pollution. We have five goals:

Reduced stormwater contamination

Elimination of ocean dumping

Elimination of coastal landfill

Zero pathogens in sewage discharges

A significant reduction in use of septics

Heal the Ocean's Philosophy: It's simple: The ocean can no longer be used as a dump. Heal the Ocean is attacking all sources of ocean pollution.
Heal the Ocean Course of Action: We follow a basic premise: instead of lobbying the government for action on ocean-pollution issues, we study the problem ourselves and recommend practical solutions.We undertake scientific studies to identify sources of pollution - from leaking sewer pipes, offshore sewage disposal, leaking coastal landfills or septic systems.We test for viruses in the ocean, creeks and groundwater to determine if human sources of pollution are present, and what are the likely sources. In cooperation with Santa Barbara County, Heal the Ocean pioneered both the use of environmental DNA testing and virus testing in the local area. We have commissioned numerous engineering studies and environmental assessments to determine the cost and feasibility of replacing septic systems, upgrading sewage treatment plants and installing stormwater treatment technology.We have found that once the problem is known and cleanup costs are understood, the public is eager to move forward with cleanup, and more willing to pay the price.

To get involved and/or donate visit: http://www.healtheocean.org/hto_index.html

Shedding light on reef health

2008-11-26T17:45:00.000-08:00

The picture to the right is a satellite image of Earth at night.

These pictures are no longer just symbols of human impact, however, but can be used to objectively measure it, according to a study in the December 2008 issue of Geocarto International, a peer-reviewed journal on geoscience and remote sensing.
Travis Longcore, a USC geographer and expert in light pollution, collaborated with an international team, led by Christoph Aubrecht of the Austrian Research Centers, to develop the index.
"Coral reefs are incredibly important—but unfortunately they're also incredibly fragile," Longcore said. "Using night light proximity, we were able to identify the most threatened and most pristine spots in an objective and easily repeatable way."
The researchers did this by first classifying the light into three separate sources: urban areas, gas flares and fishing boat activity.
Each of these sources puts stress on reefs: urban areas cause sewage and polluted runoff, oil platforms cause leakages and spills, and commercial fishing boats deplete marine life and impair the ecological balance.
The closer a reef is to one or more of these sources, the higher the index number and the greater the stress on the reefs.
While previous assessments of coral reef health, like the 1998 Reefs at Risk survey, considered more variables, the LPI yields similar results, Longcore added.
"As a first-pass global assessment, light pretty much correlates with human impact on the oceans," he explained.
In this way the index uses light as an indirect measure of coral reef health, which could help inform conservation policy.
But the LPI is also a direct measurement of coral reef stress, since light itself also affects marine life, according to the study.
"The lights themselves are a stress in terms of changing the ecology in the environments around them," Longcore explained.
In terms of coral reefs, more research is needed on light's direct effects, but lab studies show that light can disrupt coral reproduction, which is timed to moonlight.
"Light at levels that would seem insignificant to humans can be incredibly significant to marine organisms and even terrestrial organisms," Longcore said.
As a rule of thumb, artificial light tends to benefit predators, which is why many organisms rely on darkness to maximize their odds of survival.
Light can also disrupt migration patterns of birds. In fact, Shell and Philips recently teamed up to change the lighting schemes on North Sea oilrigs for this reason.
In addition, communications towers, mainly because of their flashing lights, attract and kill about 4-5 million birds a year in North America, Longcore noted.
Yet despite its significance, light pollution is only one of many stresses facing coral reefs, which act synergistically to threaten their survival.

Researchers discover the secret of speedy dolphins

2008-11-26T17:40:00.001-08:00

Since dolphins are my favorite animal I was super interested and excited to find new research on dolphins. For decades the puzzle has prompted much attention, speculation, and conjecture in the scientific community. But now, armed with cutting-edge flow measurement technology, researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have tackled the problem and conclusively solved Gray’s Paradox.
To read about this amazing article go to:
http://www.innovationsreport.de/html/berichte/physik_astronomie/
gray_s_paradox_solved_researchers_discover_secret_123172.html

First Ever Evidence Of Natural Disease Resistance In Tropical Corals

2008-11-26T17:11:00.000-08:00

I came across a super interesting article from underwatertimes.com

In recent years, tropical coral reefs have become drastically altered by disease epidemics. In a new study published by PLoS ONE, lead author Steven V. Vollmer, assistant professor of biology at the Marine Science Center at Northeastern University, finds that acroporid corals listed on the US Endangered Species List due to epidemics of White Band Disease can recover because up to six percent of the remaining corals are naturally resistant to the disease. This is the first evidence of natural disease resistance in tropical reef corals.
Reef-building corals have generally been susceptible to the global rise in marine diseases. As foundation species on tropical reefs, the impacts of White Band Disease (WBD) and other coral diseases have rippled throughout the ecosystem. Recuperation of these formerly dominant corals has been slow.

“Our study has shown that there are disease resistant corals, which means that these corals and thus the shallow water reefs of the Caribbean can be recovered.”
The study, titled “Natural Disease Resistance in Threatened Staghorn Corals” examines the potential for natural resistance to WBD in the staghorn coral. Using genotype information and field monitoring of WBD, the study found that six percent of staghorn coral genotypes are naturally resistant to WBD.
These resistant staghorn coral strains might explain why pockets of coral have been able to survive the WBD epidemic. Identifying, protecting and farming these disease resistant corals provides a clear avenue to recover these corals.

- http://www.underwatertimes.com/news.php?article_id=62017531098

Cranking up the volume

2008-11-23T13:38:00.000-08:00

This illustration shows the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which leads to an increase in the acidity of seawater, which in turn allows sounds (such as whale calls) to travel farther underwater.

Sounds travel farther underwater as world's oceans become more acidic

2008-11-23T13:37:00.000-08:00

It is common knowledge that the world's oceans and atmosphere are warming as humans release more and more carbon dioxide into the Earth's atmosphere. However, fewer people realize that the chemistry of the oceans is also changing—seawater is becoming more acidic as carbon dioxide from the atmosphere dissolves in the oceans. According to a paper to be published this week by marine chemists at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, these changes in ocean temperature and chemistry will have an unexpected side effect—sounds will travel farther underwater.
- For more information on this subject visit : http://www.mbari.org/news/news_releases/2008/co2-sound/co2-sound-release.html

Oceans dumping sites

2008-11-23T13:30:00.000-08:00

While looking in to some information about pollution in regards of the ocean i found a map showing where exactly these dumping groups are in the ocean.

The following map is for the north east altantic and baltic ocean

Polluting the ocean

2008-11-23T13:28:00.000-08:00

It appears there is a lot of garbage dumped into the ocean each year...over 14 billion pounds.
Here is a source that gives a general idea of the scale of the problem we have created.
The "Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch" is being creating by ocean currents Source: http://science.howstuffworks.com/great-pacific-garbage-patch.htm

"According to the U.S . Coast Guard, recreational boaters dump an average of more than one pound of trash into the ocean every time they go out. Trash is also dumped into the ocean by military, cruise and merchant ships. Merchant ships generate almost 90 percent of all wastes found in the world's oceans. Every day, the world's fleet discards 5.5 million containers, including plastics, into the sea. Not all marine debris is generated by boats and ships. Coastal sewage systems account for at least 1% of ocean debris.

"Every year approximately 14 billion pounds of tires, cardboard boxes, plastic cups, bottles, cans, and other trash are dumped into the ocean. Some of this trash sinks, and some of it is eatenby ocean creatures. Most of this trash, especially plastic, floats and eventually this floating refuse, carried by ocean currents and waves washes up on beaches. Even in remote areas like Antarctica, researchers have found plastic bottles, bags, and sheeting washed ashore . Almost all of this trash can create problems for wildlife and people. The plastics, which can persist indefinitely, can be especially harmful.

Measuring water from space

2008-11-23T13:21:00.000-08:00

ScienceDaily (Nov. 16, 2008) — Observations from satellites now allow scientists to monitor changes to water levels in the sea, in rivers and lakes, in ice sheets and even under the ground. As the climate changes, this information will be crucial for monitoring its effects and predicting future impacts in different regions.
Here is the link to the article which is super informative!
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081113080001.htm

Whales returned to ocean after mass stranding!

2008-11-23T13:10:00.000-08:00

Eleven whales that survived a mass beach stranding on Tasmania's far north-west coast have been returned to the open ocean.
Rescuers have been working since early yesterday to save the long-finned pilot whales, the only survivors from a pod of 65 that became beached near Stanley.
It is hoped the group will be able to rejoin another migratory pod.
Parks and Wildlife Services manager Chris Arthur says 12 whales, up to three metres long, were transported 17 kilometres along the Bass Highway on trucks equipped for the purpose to deep water at Godfreys Beach.
"Unfortunately, one whale died as we were returning it to the water," Mr Arthur said.
"The efforts of the volunteers and the Circular Head community has been outstanding."
Mr Arthur says the surviving whales are a mixture of young and old.
Satellite tracking devices were placed on some of the whales and a reconnaissance plane will undertake a flight on Monday to check their progress.
Samples for scientific research have been taken from the dead mammals and a mass burial will be arranged.
Mr Arthur says whale strandings are not uncommon in Tasmania.
"The area where they have stranded this time is an area where there have been strandings for hundreds of years," he said.

This article and pictures come from http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/11/23/2427396.htm

Stealing beach sand results in a lawsuit

2008-11-23T13:05:00.000-08:00

"A developer is suing two Spanish-owned hotel groups for allegedly stealing nearly 100 truckloads of sand from a beachfront property in Jamaica."
Here is the link to read more about this! http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/8065743

Sea Explorer Jacques Piccard dies Nov.02.08

2008-11-02T19:53:00.000-08:00

ABC news announced early today that a deep sea explorer named Jacques Piccard died today, November 2 2008, at the age of 86.
The Swiss marine explorer and inventor Jacques Piccard in 1960, with a co-pilot took a submarine developed by his father to the deepest point on the earth's surface (the bottom of the Mariana Trench in the western Pacific).
It was a seven-mile descent that has never been repeated.
He continued his deep sea exploration until he was 82.

For more information about Jacques Piccard and his influence go visit:
http://www.enotes.com/earth-science/piccard-jacques-ernest-jean

Maping the Unknown Arctic

2008-11-02T19:44:00.000-08:00

Below is an article I found on www.theoceanchannel.com about the upcoming event of mapping the Arctic seafloor. During our trip at BIO we were told briefly about it, here is precisely what is going to happen.

A scientific expedition this fall will map the unexplored Arctic seafloor where the U.S. and Canada may have sovereign rights over natural resources such as oil and gas and control over activities such as mining.
Both countries will use the resulting data to establish the outer limits of the continental shelf, according to the criteria set out in the Convention on the Law of the Sea. The extended continental shelf, the seafloor and subsoil beyond 200 nautical miles from shore that meet those criteria, is an area of great scientific interest and potential economic development.
The expedition will be collaboratively undertaken by the U.S. and Canada using two ships. The U.S. Geological Survey will lead data collection from September 6—October 1 on the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy to map the Arctic seafloor. The Geological Survey of Canada, Natural Resources Canada will follow Healy on the Canadian Coast Guard ship Louis S. St. Laurent (Louis) and study the geology of the sub-seafloor.
"The two-ship experiment allows both the U.S. and Canada to collect and share complementary data in areas where data acquisition is costly, logistically difficult, and sometimes dangerous," said USGS scientist Deborah Hutchinson, who will sail aboard Louis. "Both countries benefit through sharing of resources and data as well as increasing likelihood of success by utilizing two ice-breaker ships in these remote areas of the Arctic Ocean."
"Healy will utilize an echo sounder, which emits sounds signals in the water, to map the seafloor. This will be done using a multibeam bathymetry system," said USGS scientist Jonathan Childs, chief scientist on Healy during the September cruise. "Unlike conventional echo sounders, which measure the water depth at a point directly beneath the ship, the multibeam system collects a 'swath' of depth information about 3 km wide along the ship's path, creating a three-dimensional view of the seafloor."

Tips to avoid shark attacks!

2008-11-02T19:24:00.000-08:00

The following are some tips on how to avoid being attacked by sharks.

Stay out of the water at night, dusk, or dawn. Sharks are most active at night.
Swim in a group. Sharks prefer to attack lone victims.
Keep close to shore. It will be easier for help to reach you in an attack.
Avoid sandbars and sharp drop-offs where fish congregate.
Stay out of polluted or murky water.
Avoid areas being used by fishermen.
Be wary of feeding birds, or porpoises, which indicate the presence of fish.
Do not swim if you are bleeding. Sharks can detect tiny amounts of blood.
Do not wear shiny jewelry; underwater it resembles fish scales.
Avoid bright swimsuits and uneven tanning. Contrasts attract sharks.
Do not splash a lot, since it attracts sharks.
Keep pets out of the water. Erratic movements attract sharks.
Never try to touch any type of shark.

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/sharks1.html

The Misinterpretation of Sharks

2008-11-02T19:13:00.000-08:00

I found some really interesting and reassuring facts about sharks and shark attacks that I think everyone will be relieved to read about.
The following statistics were taken from http://www.infoplease.com/spot/sharks1.html :

What Are My Chances of an Attack?

In the U.S., your chances of getting killed by lightning are 30 times greater than dying of a shark attack.
Bees, wasps, and snakes kill more people each year than sharks.
In 1996 in the U.S. there were 18 reported injuries and deaths from shark attacks, but 198,849 injuries from working with screws, nails, tacks, and bolts; 138,894 injuries from ladders; 43,687 injuries from toilets; and 36,091 injuries while pruning, trimming, or edging plants.
In 1987, New York City reported the following number of people bitten by dogs: 8,064; other people, 1,587; cats, 802; rats, 291; squirrels, 95, raccoons, 11; ferrets, 7; skunk, 3. There were 13 shark injuries reported nationwide the same year.

Shark infested waters of Florida

2008-11-02T18:54:00.001-08:00

While browsing threw some Internet articles about sharks I came across some frightening pictures of shark infested waters. The sharks in the pictures above are located in the popular family destination of United States, Florida. In all three of these pictures the sharks are not far from shore or from humans.

swim at your own risk

2008-10-26T19:28:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-10-26T19:08:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-26T18:43:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-16T22:38:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-10-16T21:59:00.001-07:00

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

2008-10-16T21:35:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-16T20:32:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-12T18:49:00.000-07:00

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!

2008-10-12T18:33:00.001-07:00

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

2008-10-12T17:00:00.000-07:00

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

2008-10-05T19:12:00.001-07:00

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!

2008-10-05T18:09:00.000-07:00

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