Learn to Free Dive with Adventure Photographer Kellon Spencer
Free diving is breath hold diving. You have a mask, wetsuit, fins and your lungs. That’s it. Take a deep breath, dive down, hold it, and whatever you do. Don’t. Let. Go. Sound easy? It’s not.
But it’s worth it. When you scuba dive, you’re a visitor to the underwater world. It’s loud and often scares away the marine life. With breath hold diving, you’re a part of it. You see the ocean on its own terms: silent, unencumbered and free.
In this episode, we follow in the fin steps of adventure photographer Kellon Spencer as he learns to free dive. Kellon specializes in underwater photography. But he soon realized that to get the best images, to get as close as possible to the marine wildlife without scaring them away, he would have to ditch the scuba gear and learn breath hold diving for himself. There was just one problem. He was terrified.
Kellon excels at adventure sports, and had worked as scuba guide for many years. But he’d heard the horror stories, and he knew about the dangers: underwater blackouts, loss of motor control, blood dumps. In one five year study, 75% of all free diving accidents were fatal.
Follow his journey from his first free dive in The Blue Hole, New Mexico to the tropical waters of Grand Cayman and beyond. Dive with him as he overcomes his fear and learns to see the ocean through new eyes. Far from being an extreme activity, Kellon realizes that breath hold diving is actually more like underwater meditation than an adrenaline sport. He learns to master his anxiety, to control the panic, and comes out stronger, bolder and more connected to the ocean than he ever was before. And as for getting closer to that marine wildlife, let’s just say he succeeds in a BIG way – and he tells us about that too.
· Hear what breath hold diving feels like, unencumbered by scuba gear, silent and free
· Want to learn to free dive? Listen to a first-hand account of beginner, and pro level, breath hold diving courses
· Follow Kellon down to 100-feet deep, the equivalent of 10 atmospheres of pressur
· Hear what it feels like when you hit the ‘free fall zone’, which Kellon describes as “sky-diving underwater”
· Learn the techniques that teach you how to hold your breath for three minutes or more – often achievable in just a few days
· Discover the superhuman feats of champion free divers, including deepest dive, longest breath hold and more
· Learn the theory behind breath hold diving, including the mammalian dive reflex and how human beings are genetically programmed to free dive
· Find out how to apply free diving breathing techniques in your everyday life to lessen the effects of anxiety and stress
· Join Kellon as he experiences one of the most incredible marine wildlife encounters in the world: free diving with a 40-ft whale in Roatan
WHO’S THE GUEST?
Kellon Spencer is a professional adventure photographer and free diving instructor. He has embarked on over a decade of expeditions with the collaboration of various clients, including the National Forest Foundation, Royal Enfield Motorcycles, Ocean First, another. His passion is using the power of imagery to bring awareness to the importance of conservation and wildlife preservation. See Kellon's work at: www.kellonspencerphotography.com.
BOOK THIS TRIP
Please visit the individual episode pages of the Armchair Explorer website to find out how you can do this journey, and others inspired by it: www.Armchair-Explorer.com
The Armchair Explorer: the world's greatest adventurers tell their best story from the road. Instagram @AaronMWriter / Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast


RV Cefas Endeavour 07/10
Cruise summary report
|Ship name (ship code)||RV Cefas Endeavour (74E9)|
|Cruise period||2010-03-31 — 2010-04-03|
|Port of departure||Swansea, United Kingdom|
|Port of return||Swansea, United Kingdom|
|Objectives||The cruise was the fourth of five plankton surveys in 2010 to estimate the Spawning Stock Biomass (SSB) of plaice, cod and haddock in the Irish Sea by the Annual Egg Production Method (AEPM). These cruises are basically a repeat of a similar series of surveys conducted in 2008.
In addition to plankton sampling at 106 pre-selected stations, various supplementary data was obtained ranging from environmental data to acoustics.
|Chief scientist||Stephen Paul Milligan (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science Lowestoft Laboratory)|
|Project||Irish Sea Egg Production Surveys (ISEPS)|
|Cruise programme||(0.04 MB)|
|Cruise report||(0.16 MB)|
Irish Sea and St. George's Channel
|Specific||Irish Sea and English Channel|
|Track charts||(0.03 MB)|
|Surface measurements underway (T,S)||Quantity: track kilometres = 3704|
Description: Continuous logging of sub-surface (3m) salinity, temperature, fluorescence, etc.
|Water bottle stations||Quantity: number of samples = 53|
Description: Sub-surface water bottle samples collected underway for salinity, chlorophyll and nutrient analysis.
|Biology and fisheries|
|Eggs and larvae||Quantity: number of stations = 106|
Description: Gulf VII type plankton sampler, deployed on double oblique 'V' profiles whilst steaming at 4.5 Kts. The samplers utilise a calibrated CTD. Zooplankton samples analysed for fish eggs only.
|Moorings, landers, buoys|
|Instrumented wave measurements||51° 26' 9" N 3° 55' 51" W — 09/04/2010. Recovery of old (non-functioning) Scarweather bank Waverider Buoy|
|Instrumented wave measurements||51° 25' 55" N 3° 55' 51" W — 31/03/2010. Deployment of replacement Scarweather bank Waverider Buoy|


Greater numbers of wild coho salmon are expected to return to Puget Sound later this year, according to forecasts released last week, but threatened Puget Sound Chinook stocks are likely to see another decline.
The 2021 salmon forecasts were announced Friday during an online video conference with sport and commercial fishers and other interested people (TVW telecast). The annual meeting serves to launch negotiations that, when completed in April, will prescribe fishing seasons for the coming summer and fall.
Protecting so-called “weak stocks” from fishing pressure continues to be a challenge. Salmon managers with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will consult with representatives of area tribes to identify times and places for fishing that will still allow adequate numbers of spawning salmon to get back to their home streams.
Low numbers of salmon predicted for some areas of Puget Sound will force managers to make some tough choices, said Fish and Wildlife Director Kelly Susewind.
“If every salmon run across the state was healthy, our jobs would be easy,” he said in a news release. “But the unfortunate truth is that some stocks just won’t be able to support fisheries and are likely to impact fisheries even for healthier runs. We’ll work hard alongside the co-managers to stay within our shared conservation goals while still offering chances to get out and fish this year whenever possible.”
Some 246,000 wild coho are expected to return to Puget Sound this year, up about 51 percent from last year but still 15 percent below the 10-year average, said Chad Herring, a fishery policy analyst for Fish and Wildlife. In contrast, hatchery coho are expected to increase by 8 percent.
While fishing opportunities could come from the increased coho run, managers must be careful to protect wild Chinook, which remain at risk of extinction. This year’s total Chinook run size (hatchery and wild, not including spring Chinook) is estimated to be down 11 percent from last year’s forecast of 233,000 fish and 2 percent below the recent 10-year average. Keep in mind that the recent 10-year average for wild Chinook is 24 percent below the 10-year average recorded when Puget Sound Chinook were placed on the Endangered Species List back in 1999 — so things are not looking good for Chinook.
The Department of Fish and Wildlife recently began increasing production of Chinook at some hatcheries in an effort to help the Southern Resident Killer Whales, which frequent Puget Sound and consume a lot of salmon, primarily Chinook. The result of that increased production could be seen in coming years, although the effects on wild Chinook have been hotly debated.
Wild Chinook make up just 12 percent of the total run size, with hatchery Chinook making up the remainder, so one strategy for increasing fishing opportunities while protecting wild fish is to shift fishing efforts to “terminal areas” closer to the hatcheries during carefully timed periods.
To protect wild Chinook and coho, anglers may be allowed to keep only hatchery fish while releasing wild fish. Young hatchery Chinook and coho are typically marked by removing their adipose fins before release. During the COVID-19 pandemic, marking equipment housed in special mobile units went into operation around the clock to get the work done while limiting the number of staffers working in confined spaces, according to Kelly Cunningham. director of the Fish Program for WDFW. The marking program successfully handled between 140 million and 160 million juvenile salmon with no delay in their scheduled release, he said.
Chum salmon, largely taken by commercial fishers, have been in a general decline since their historical peak in 2002, research biologist Mickey Agha said during Friday’s conference.
“Last year, I noted that in 2019 we had the lowest Puget Sound return since 1979,” Agha said. “Unfortunately, preliminary estimates for 2020 are revealing a return only slightly higher.”
The graph showing the chum forecast, shown on this page, includes a year-old forecast of a higher run last year, because the hard data about the actual run size are still being compiled. That goes for the other species as well.
“As many of you in the chum industry are aware, it was a rather poor year fishing for the limited opportunity that was available,” Agha said. “South Puget Sound and Hood Canal returned poorly, as compared to the long-term averages. Nevertheless, there were some bright spots where we met conservation goals head-on and reached our escapement goals (for the number of spawners reaching their home streams). That was along the coast for a few populations and for a few populations in the Central to North Puget Sound.”
Chum returns to Puget Sound this year are expected to be only slightly better than for 2019, one of the worst years on record. Hatchery fish make up roughly half the run size of fall chum salmon. The total run size this year is estimated at 526,000.
Meanwhile, 2021 will be a “pink year,” as it is called, reflecting the fact that the vast majority of pink salmon spawn in odd-numbered years. The past decade has been a period of both boom and bust for pinks, which are almost all wild salmon. This year, about 2.9 million pinks are expected to return to Puget Sound, vastly outnumbering chum. That return would be similar to 2019, following a very low year in 2017.
Elsewhere, anglers online for Friday’s presentation heard some welcome news about coho in the Columbia River. The forecast calls for 1.6 million fish among the early and late runs, a dramatic increase from last year’s 363,000, according to estimates.
Although that big number is encouraging, there is a need to protect other at-risk stocks in the region, said Kyle Adicks, intergovernmental salmon manager for Fish and Wildlife.
“All of our forecasting indicates a strong coho return to the Columbia, but a lot can change between now and when the fish start to arrive, including out in the ocean,” Adicks said in a news release. “We’ll be keeping a close eye throughout this year’s salmon-season-setting process on stocks of low abundance.”
Fishing along the Washington Coast is expected to be a mixed bag, with some stocks up and others down. Poor returns anticipated for the Queets and other coastal rivers could limit fishing off the coast, despite the large numbers of coho returning to the Columbia River.
All these forecasts are based on computer modeling that factors in many variables, from the number of juvenile salmon that leave the streams to the number of adult salmon returning in the previous cycle to the number of “jacks” that return a year before they are due. Also considered are ocean conditions, such as temperature, which have a major influence on the movement of salmon and their food supply.
Higher surface temperatures in the ocean off the West Coast in recent years are believed to be a major factor in the decline of salmon, which tend to do better in cooler waters. Global warming can affect salmon through every life stage, from the stream where they hatch out of gravel to the Pacific Ocean where they grow and mature.
Making things worse is a recurring patch of warm ocean water nicknamed “the blob” by Washington State Climatologist Nick Bond. Sometimes stretching from California to Alaska, the highest temperatures since 1982 were recorded during a period from 2014 to 2016. (See map at top of this page.) Last year, the blob’s reappearance brought temperatures nearly as high.
Since then, ocean temperatures have declined to more normal conditions, which should benefit salmon, according to Marisa Litz, research scientist for Fish and Wildlife who spoke during Friday’s meeting. Other good news is the current mountain snowpack of between 95 and 150 percent of normal, which should help provide adequate flows of cool water during the critical spring period for young salmon, she said.
The Pacific Ocean currently remains in a cooler phase called La Niňa, which has resulted in below-normal ocean temperatures from the west-central Pacific Ocean to our region along the coast, according to a report released yesterday by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center (PDF 3.3 mb).
“In the last week, negative anomalies strengthened across most of the equatorial Pacific Ocean,” the report says, providing additional atmospheric evidence of La Niña conditions.
The federal forecasters say there is a 60-percent chance that our current ocean conditions will transition by June to neutral — that is more average conditions midway between the cooler La Niña and the warmer El Niño. These more normal conditions are likely to persist into fall, according to most models.
These cooler ocean temperatures should help with the growth and survival of salmon that return to Puget Sound in the next couple years, although many other factors also play a role in the lives of salmon.


As we near the official start of summer, it’s also the start of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs June through November. Last year the United States and its territories saw major devastation, as hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Jose and Maria blew through and made landfall.
This month’s boating tip from National Marine Underwriters and International Marine Underwriters provides a forecast from the Insurance Industry Institution (I.I.I.) into the 2018 hurricane season, in addition to statistics from past hurricane seasons. Read the full article here, and visit nmu.com and imu.com for more tips and insights.


Join us for a one-hour panel discussion on ocean and coastal acidification’s impact on scallops and softshell clams, methods of remediation, and future projections for the Gulf of Maine.
This online talk will be moderated by Dr. Libby Jewett, Director of the NOAA Ocean Acidification Program and MCCF Board Member. Panelists include, Dr. Samantha Siedlecki, University of Connecticut; Dr. Nichole Price, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences; and Dr. Robert J Holmberg, Downeast Institute.
To register, visit: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_LebPx-JyQoC7RAIW6K79jQ
This talk is hosted by Maine Center for Coastal Fisheries.


Worshipped and revered in several Indo-Pacific countries, and mostly feared among the western world, sharks are an old group of vertebrates dating back to the Devonian-Silurian boundary (~400Ma). Constantly represented as human predator by occidental movies, sharks have a spiritual appeal for several Indo-Pacific cultures. In contrast with this spiritual significance, in China sharks are a fierce animal believed to give strength and health for those whom consume their fins. They are also considered as a signal of prosperity and wealth. Fished for their meat and fins, several species are considered under high threat and are now facing extinction, with about 93% of nominal species included on the IUCN Red List. Mainly relying on the inefficiency of law enforcement authorities, the shark finning industry is a growing business with global scale actors and consequences. Understand the relation between spiritual beliefs, wealth and vitality, and the consumption of shark fins and meat is needed to precisely delineate the shark finning problem and to the development of efficient management and conservation policies. Molecular methods provide a valuable option for the identification of shark meat and body parts such as fins, although it still not consensual which one is the most appropriate.<
Keywords: Sharks; Finning; Perspectives; Population genetics; Species identification; Forensics
The Elasmobranchii is considered one of the most ancient and successful vertebrate lineages, been the most diverse clade of large predatory fishes with about 1200 species spread all over the world’s seas [1,2], and including ocean- and freshwater-dwelling fishes, such as sharks, skates and rays. Sharks species play a crucial ecological role by acting as primary predators  and occupying an important position in marine ecosystems .
In the last decades, several studies prompted the accelerated depletion of natural stocks of several shark species in a global scale. Population declines ranging from 50% to almost extinction (about 99%) have been reported by several authors [5-10]. Constantly associated to uncontrolled exploitation of wild stocks the observed population decline is also due to some restrained biological features of sharks such as a slow growth rate, late sexual maturity associated with low fecundity levels and a high longevity .
Fished for their meat and fins, several shark species are considered under high threat and are now facing extinction , with about 93% of nominal species included on the IUCN Red List. Fourteen of these species figure as major targets for the shark finning industry: the blue shark Prionace glauca, the shortfin mako Isurus oxyryhnchus, the silky shark Carcharhinus falciformis, the dusky shark Carcharhinus obscurus, the sandbar shark Carcharhinus plumbeus, the tiger shark Galeocerdo cuvier, the scalloped hammerhead shark Sphyrna lewini, the smooth hammerhead shark Sphyrna zygaena, the great hammerhead shark Sphyrna mokarran, the common thresher shark Alopias vulpinus, the bigeye thresher shark Alopias superciliosus, the pelagic thresher shark Alopias pelagicus, the bull shark Carcharhinus leucas, and the oceanic whitetip shark Carcharhinus logimanus.
Shark finning is the fishing practice where sharks have their fins removed prior to the body being discarded , sometimes while they are still alive. Mainly guided by an association of traditional culture, spiritual beliefs, and social reasons, it is a banned fishing practice in several countries all around the world. Albeit illegal, it still remains as a lucrative option since high values are obtained with the fins. A mix of cultural and social behaviours allied with the needs of replenishment of a growing market made the shark finning a very profitable activity. Mainly relying on the inefficiency of law enforcement authorities, the shark finning is a growing business with widespread actors and consequences. The present manuscript reviews some of the published literature on shark finning and molecular identification of sharks, and delineates how the molecular approach could help on the implementation of management and conservation policies by law enforcement authorities.
Worshipped and revered in several Indo-Pacific countries, and mostly feared among the western world, sharks are a controversial group of old vertebrates. Constantly represented as human predators in occidental movies, sharks indeed have a spiritual appeal for several Indo-Pacific cultures . Regarded as mythological deities, sharks are worshipped in Japan  and Fiji Islands, while in Vietnam the whale shark (Rynchodon typus ) is revered, with sacred burial rituals given to its body remains . In Hawaiian culture, sharks also have spiritual significance since they are regarded as similar to high royalty members [15-17], while in China, in contrast with this spiritual significance, sharks are regarded as a fierce animal, believed to give strength and health for who consume their fins. The consumption of shark fins is also considered as a symbol of prosperity and wealth.
Considered a part of the Chinese culture at least since the Sung dynasty (AD 960-1279), shark fin soup is a traditional dish served for the Japanese imperial lineages , since the risk and difficulty associated to its capture is regarded as a tribute to the emperor and its lineage [19,20]. Shark fins are also regarded as aphrodisiac and tonic , related with the traditional belief that eating them could bring health benefits. An additional social parameter should be considered since in China, seafood consumption is associated with the concept of wealth and prosperity . As presented by Cheung and Chang , the consumption of shark fin soup can be regarded as a cultural product since serving seafood and especially the shark fin soup is commonly used to reinforce social position and respect among Chinese people .
Ranging from U$10 up to U$180 per bowl, depending on the species and the amount of fins used, Chinese consumers consider the species exclusiveness and some properties of the fin such as its color, thickness, and texture of the fin rays  when buying them for soup preparation. At the end of the line, these features directly influence which shark species are the most desirable for consumption and also the most exploited ones. This is the case for the hammerhead sharks of the genus Sphyrna, and carcharhinids such as Carcharhinus longimanus, Carcharhinus leucas, Carcharhinus falciformis, Carcharhinus plumbeus, for the threshers Alopias superciliosus, Alopias pelagicus, and Alopias vulpinus, the mako shark Isurus oxyrinchus, the basking shark Cetorhinus maximus, and also for the whale shark Rhincodon typus and for the great white Carcharodon carcharias.
Despite the high values associated with the shark fins market, and the fact that it is widely accepted as the major factor for the shark populations decline, international managers still consider sharks as a by catch rather than a group of species which indeed require management from international authorities [13,20,23-25].
One of the most critical problems faced by law enforcement authorities on the control and management of oceanic sharks is the large absence of data . Mainly due to species identifications issues, the under report of shark catches in fishery statistics is common. Clarke et al.  observed that shark species identification is often unreliable with more acceptable results limited to a few geographical locations, such as for the western North Atlantic, Japan, New Zealand, and several Pacific islands [8-9,25,27-32].
Obstacles on species identification are a global issue and the development and use of genetic approaches to achieve reliable species identification is globally disseminated [33-36]. Several recent studies addressed specifically the problem related with the identification of shark species using molecular approaches [37-43].
During the last decades several molecular identification techniques have been proposed to deal with shark species delimitation problems. Methods such as protein electrophoresis [41,44-46], restriction length polymorphisms (RFLPs) [39,42], PCR methods [40,47-53], species identification using insertion-deletion regions (indels) , and the nucleotide sequencing approaches mainly focused on mitochondrial genes and commonly using the DNA barcoding methodology, such as presented by several studies [55-70]. Pank et al.  used the nuclear ITS 2 regions to identify two Carcharhinus species (C. plumbeus and C. obscurus ). The same methodology was later used by several authors which expanded it with the addition of several new species [43,52,71]. Abercrombie et al.  used the same method but with distinct primers for the identification of three large hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini, S. zygaena, and S. mokarran), and confirmed the commerce of these species. Clark et al.  approached the shark fins and meat trade in Asian markets using a statistical approach based on the molecular identification of shark species by multiplex PCR methods. Some other studies using the 5S rRNA for shark species identification were also produced during the last decade. Pinhal et al.  used a 5S rRNA analysis on the identification of eight shark species (Alopias superciliosus, Sphyrna lewini, Isurus oxyrynchus, Carcharhinus leucas, Carcharhinus obscurus, Carcharhinus limbatus, Carcharhinus acronotus, and Galeocerdo cuvier). Pinhal et al.  expanded their previous analysis for the successful identification of two Rhizoprionodon species (R. lalandii and R. porosus ). Morgan et al.  proposed a real-time qPCR approach on the identification of three closely related carcharhinid species (Carcharhinus limbatus, C. tilstoni, and C. amblyrhynchoides) based on the mitochondrial ND4 gene.
Among the nucleotide sequencing methods, Heist and Gold  used mitochondrial DNA sequencing on the identification of eleven species of Carcharhiniformes. Douady et al.  also used the mitochondrial DNA to examine the phylogenetic relationships of shark orders, and Greig et al.  used the same approach to identify thirtyfive shark species from the North Atlantic. Rodrigues-Filho et al.  used mitochondrial DNA on the identification of eleven shark species exploited by fisheries in Brazil. Naylor et al.  presented a sequence-based approach using the mitochondrial NADH2 gene on the identification of 574 shark species from all around the world, while in the same year Caballero et al.  proposed a mix of new and previously published PCR multiplex on the identification of shark landings on the eastern tropical Pacific. Fields et al.  validated a mini-barcoding essay for use on degraded material such as processed shark fins, from where they identified seven of the eight CITES listed shark species (the porbeagle, Lamna nasus, oceanic whitetip, Carcharhinus longimanus, the scalloped hammerhead Sphyrna lewini, the smooth hammerhead, S. zygaena, and the great hammerhead S. mokarran).
Still using nucleotide sequencing methods but now in a DNA barcoding context , several authors used the first 650bp of the mitochondrial COI gene on shark species identification. One of the first DNA barcoding studies on sharks, Ward et al.  used mitochondrial COI barcoding sequences on the identification of sixty-one distinct shark species. Moura et al.  also used DNA barcoding methods on the identification of northeastern Atlantic deep-water sharks, discussing the use of the barcoding methodology as a tool for the assessment and implementation of management policies. Ward et al.  used COI sequences on the identification of 123 shark species, being successful for the vast majority of them. Wong et al. , although analyzing the barcoding region, proposed a character-based approach on the identification of 74 shark species, while Holmes et al.  focusing on dried fins retained by law enforcement authorities from illegal fisheries, identified and quantified the relative abundance of 20 shark species.
In the present decade, DNA barcoding remains a very popular tool. Barbuto et al. , used the classical DNA barcoding approach on the successful identification of frauds related with shark products sold as the species Mustelus mustelus and Mustelus asterias in Italy. Nicolè et al.  also used the methodology together with some secondary markers on seafood products identification, with a high success rate. Carvalho and Freitas  used the barcoding methods on the identification of shark fins from illegal fisheries retained by the Brazilian authorities, and successfully identified the species Prionace glauca, Sphyrna zygaena, and Isurus oxyrinchus. Liu et al.  analyzed the species composition of shark meat from fish markets in Taiwan, pointing the species Alopias pelagicus, Carcharhinus falciformis, Prionace glauca, and Isurus oxyrinchus as the most prevalent species on the Taiwan fin trade, while some CITES species were also found such as the great white Carcharodon carcharias, the oceanic whitetip shark Carcharhinus longimanus, and two hammerhead sharks Sphyrna zygaena and Sphyrna lewini. Espinoza et al.  presented the Mexican first efforts to combat the shark fin trade on the Mexican Pacific waters. The authors used DNA barcoding on the identification of six shark species (cf. Prionace glauca, Carcharhinus falciformis, Carcharhinus limbatus, Alopias pelagicus, Mustelus henlei, and Rhizoprionodon longurio) from confiscated samples provided by the Mexican Government Agency from exportation vessels at Mazatlán and Manzanillo ports. Sembiring et al.  and Prehadi et al.  successfully identified shark landings from Java Island, Indonesia using a molecular approach and discussed the diversity decline observed for the Indonesian sharks, while Bineesh et al.  used the same approach identifying sharks from the Indian commercial fishery. Recently Steinke et al. 2017 used a DNA barcoding approach coupled with a secondary barcoding marker, the 16S rRNA, to identify dried fins and gill plates from Canadá, China, and Sri- Lanka, founding twelve species cited or approved to be listed by CITES, with more than half of the identified species included within the IUCN Red List categories “Endangered” and “Vulnerable”.
However, despite the large number of available studies using the DNA barcoding methods, its use for species identification is far to be consensual since some studies argue that a single and short DNA region is not as reliable for species identification as the traditional systematic approach is . Abercrombie et al.  pointed that one the most economical and streamlined approach for shark species identification is the one presented by Pank et al.  and Shivji et al. . Their approach uses a multiplex of species-specific primers to produce specific amplicons related with each screened species. Without any post-amplification processes such as enzymatic digestion or nucleotide sequencing, the method exhibits a short hands-on time and low cost, perfectly fitting on low budgets such as those observed on countries from where the resources for biological management and conservation actions are limited.
Following a forensic standard approach, Pereira et al.  and Carneiro et al.  proposed a forensic method for species identification using mitochondrial insertion-deletion regions. This approach was recently applied to shark species identification by  that used indel regions from the mitochondrial 16S rRNA on the identification of shark species, including several figured on the IUCN Red List, and also included between the most prevalent species targeted by the shark finning industries. As presented by Carneiro et al. , indels are a rare type of polymorphisms that are less prone to recurrent and back mutations, therefore reducing the chances of misidentification. The authors observed that a high level of species discrimination could be easily achieved by determining and combining the length of hypervariable regions with indel variants. Some advantages of the method relate to its usefulness on diverse low-cost genotyping platforms and reagents such as conventional agarose or polyacrylamide gels. The method also enables inter laboratory comparison and permits the identification of samples from admixtures, being appropriate for low quantity and/or degraded DNA samples.
As can be foreseen, although with several identification methods available, the wildlife species identification, including shark fins or body remains, still struggles to achieve methodological consensus among researchers. Although a large number of results and methods are available in the literature, several of them are not inter comparable; the constructed databases are often unavailable for scrutiny, and reliable public databases are still unavailable for the vast majority of shark species.
In summary, wildlife researchers and government authorities working on shark finning and shark species conservation still struggle with the lack of standards for procedures and analyses, a condition needed for an efficient translation between the scientific knowledge and the development of management and conservation policies for wildlife species, including sharks. Although all methods exhibit advantages and disadvantages, the forensic approaches tend to be a bit more intelligible for government authorities. The presented information could be easily discussed among wildlife researchers, law enforcement entities, and also by judicial authorities within a court environment, from where several commercial disputes take place.
Shark finning is far to be under control and to understand the relation between the cultural and social aspects, the dynamics of the international illegal fishery, and the consumption of shark fins is crucial to precisely delineate the problem due to the large role it plays in sharks exploitation, and also in the global decline of shark populations. The molecular methods brought a new perspective for sharks management and conservation actions, since they provide scientifically reliable tools for data collection and analysis. The new sequencing technologies allied with a more comprehensive population sampling are also important since they made possible the identification of raw and processed materials such as fins and all sort of body remains, and a more reliable population assignment, therefore enhancing law enforcement mechanisms of monitoring and control of illegal shark fisheries.


MIAMI — As Miami prepares to dredge its port to accommodate mammoth freighters, environmentalists are making a last-ditch effort to protect threatened coral reefs and acres of sea grass that they say would be destroyed by the expansion.
The state's Department of Environmental Protection is on the verge of granting a final permit to the Army Corps of Engineers, which will be free to conduct 600 days of blasting to widen and deepen the channel for the port of Miami, across from the southern part of Miami Beach.
"It won't fare well for us, the bay, the coral reefs, the fish stocks and the sea grass," said Laura Reynolds, the executive director of the Tropical Audubon Society.
"You can bring this all back to the economy," Reynolds said. "People come here to fish, boat, sail, snorkel, and dive and go to the beach."
Florida has seen steep declines in coral in the last 25 years, and last year's cold snap devastated the reefs closest to shore. Some of those lost 70 percent to 75 percent of their coral, said Diego Lirman, a University of Miami scientist who was part of a team that conducted a survey of the coral last year and published its findings in August.
Environmentalists also question whether the potential harm to Biscayne Bay, with its pristine waters and sea life, is too high a price for a port expansion that may not bring the economic windfall that is expected.
Shipping consultants say the port of Miami is in fierce competition with other Eastern ports — including Port Everglades, just an hour away in Fort Lauderdale — to receive the superfreighters that will sail through the Panama Canal in 2014 once it has been widened. South Florida, because of its location, is not likely to become a hub compared with cities farther north, like Savannah, Ga., and Charleston, S.C., experts say.
"The prospect of Miami becoming a big hub, this is not going to happen," said Asaf Ashar, a ports and shipping consultant. "Miami is the end of the peninsula. It's difficult to get into it."
But with ports around the country moving forward with dredging plans, cities do not want to be left behind. In Miami, the actual dredging is expected to begin next year.
State environmental officials said there were plans to mitigate the damage to coral, sea grass and the bay, some of which is part of a state preserve. About 7 acres of coral is expected to be directly affected by the blasts, and the Army Corps of Engineers will be required to transplant much of it to a trough between two reefs.
All stony coral larger than about 4 inches will be chiseled out and moved to the trough. All soft coral greater than about 10 inches will also be transplanted. Elkhorn and staghorn coral, which are categorized as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, may be sent to a coral nursery, according to the plan.
The state also temporarily increased the threshold of just how milky the water can get in the area of the dredging — another concern for environmentalists — but officials said the silt and sediment plume would largely be contained, in part, by underwater curtains.
"The damage is the minimum amount necessary to do the project," said Mark Thomasson, the director for the water resource management division at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, which issues the permits.


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- Certificate expires :
- 16 Dec 2021
Mackerel is widely distributed in the Northeast Atlantic and plays an important role in the ecosystem, both as predator and prey. It feeds on zooplankton as well as larval and juvenile stages of small fish and molluscs. In turn it provides food for whales and larger fish.
Along with herring and blue whiting, mackerel is one of three important midwater species targeted by the Faroese Pelagic Organisation (FPO), who share their certificate with Felagið Ídnaðarskip (FIV). 11 boats and around 300 fishers in total fish with pelagic trawl and some purse seine nets. The catch is stored in refrigerated seawater on board before it’s processed for sale to Denmark, France, Poland, Russia and Romania.
Mackerel fishing in the Atlantic has faced difficulties in recent years, with changing migration patterns for the fish and quotas issues between fishing nations. In 2014, the EU, Norway and the Faroe Islands agreed a new tripartite agreement for 2014-2018. This sets a clear framework for sustainable mackerel fishing and cooperation between the states. The next milestone in this dialogue is to agree long-term quota allocations for Iceland and other countries.
Mackerel (Scomber scombrus) image © Scandinavian Fishing Year Book


“It seems to have been floating for a long time, looking at the sea with my eyes. I also don’t want to tell anyone that enjoying a person’s life, loneliness will not make me lose myself, the sea breeze blows by my side, one person wanders; one person preys; one People, one person, accustomed to living alone, one person living quietly…” Recently, a 392-year-old Greenland shark caused heated discussions among netizens.
This 392-year-old Greenland shark was found in the Arctic Ocean and has been wandering alone in the sea for nearly 400 years since 1627. If its memory does not degenerate, then how powerful it needs to be to sustain so many years of loneliness!
A netizen said: “This lonely Greenland shark was born in the first 100 years of the industrial revolution in the era of King Charles in Britain. It is like a fossil, telling the world its existence.”
Today, we will take a look at this ancient race-Greenland Shark.
Greenland shark, also known as sleeping shark, is one of the largest sharks, known for its ugly appearance and slow movements. It is widely distributed, and traces of this shark can be seen in the Arctic and North Atlantic waters at a depth of 1,200 meters, and to the south to Argentina and Antarctica, people have also found this shark.
The Greenland shark is the longest-lived vertebrate in the world. It has a huge cylindrical body, a short round nose, and a body length of up to 5 meters. The food of Greenland sharks includes fish and crustaceans, as well as some mammals, such as dolphins, and occasionally polar bears and turtles.
Greenland sharks grow only one centimeter a year and can live for hundreds of years on average. They do not mature until they are 150 to 160 years old and begin to reproduce. According to the British “Sun” report, scientists are currently studying 28 Greenland sharks, and this 392-year-old Greenland shark is undoubtedly the oldest of them. It may have witnessed the founding of the United States, the Napoleonic Wars and the sinking of the Titanic. And other major international events. Another netizen joked: “If a shark has a memory, I would like to know how it spent the more than 300 years in its memory? Of course, I would like to know how people judge the age of this shark?”
In the 1930s, fish biologists marked a total of 400 sharks. The only result was the discovery that Greenland sharks grow approximately 1 cm per year. However, the scientists at the time were unable to determine the age.
A long time later, John Stephenson, a marine biologist from the University of Copenhagen, tried to find a basis for judging age from the vertebrae of Greenland sharks. However, he did not find the “annual ring” he was looking forward to. So he turned to Jan Heinemeier, a carbon isotope dating expert from Aarhus University in Denmark. Heinemeier’s suggestion is to study the eye lens of sharks and measure the carbon isotope inside.
After spending several years and collecting enough Greenland shark carcasses, Stephenson and Julius Nelson embarked on the “carbon-seeking journey in the eyes of sharks.” A nuclear test in the mid-1950s helped them. The nuclear explosion added carbon-14 to the ecosystem and helped Stephenson successfully confirm the age of two Greenland sharks less than 2.2 meters long. They are all “post-60s.”
With these three reference values-carbon isotope determination, the length of the Greenland shark when it was born (approximately 42 cm), and their growth rate (1 cm per year), Stephenson made a guess about the age of the shark. It turned out that the oldest Greenland shark was 392 years old. Although the error of the estimated result is as high as 120 years, it is estimated in the worst case. Of course, the age of the Greenland shark also broke the record of vertebrates at that time.
This lone walker has survived for nearly 400 years and has accompanied mankind for nearly four centuries. He says that “accompaniment is the most affectionate confession”, then can we treat this walking living fossil “confessor” with gentleness What?


From the Fifty Fathoms to marine adventure photography and real 'Ocean Commitment'.
There are plenty of watchmakers that have paddled in the ocean from time to time. Hell, there’s barely a Maison out there without a fleet of diving watches to their name. Yet, there are few with quite the marine relationship that Blancpain has – and even few watches more influential to diving than the Fifty Fathoms.
There are a strict set of rules governing what makes a diving watch. It needs a unidirectional rotating bezel, a rugged case and a luminescent dial, all of which were characteristics laid down by the first Fifty Fathoms created by Blancpain for the French Navy back in 1953.
Since then, the watch has been at the core of Blancpain, even as they create more and more classical dress watches and high complications. It’s not something the watchmaker has forgotten either; they owe a great deal of their success to the ocean, so they’ve been giving back too.
In 2011, Blancpain began what they call their ‘Ocean Commitment’. As the name suggests, it’s a pretty broad project, but mainly involves the sponsorship of key expeditions and partnerships with some of the world’s most renowned underwater photographers.
Needless to say, there have been some watch tie-ins – Blancpain need to get something for their money after all, they are a business – but the results of the Ocean Commitment have been ground-breaking. Take as an example their latest aquatic star, Laurent Ballesta.
At a dinner under The Natural History Museum’s mascot, Hope the Whale, Blancpain introduced us to Laurent and his work. It goes without saying that he is an astounding photographer. His images of icebergs, icy anemones and seals are like nothing you’ll have seen before. But it’s the work he did on the Gombessa project that’s really special.
The Gombessa is essentially the missing link between fish and life on land. It’s a prehistoric fish whose fins are the closest thinks to land-lubber limbs in the oceans. Until recently it was also thought extinct. Yet when a fisherman off the coast of South Africa found one in his net, the illusion was shattered.
Laurent led a team of divers on a 40-day deep water diving expedition to search for the legendary fish – more technically referred to as the cœlacanth. He found it, two metres long and peacefully meandering around at a depth of well over 100 metres, making one of the most important underwater discoveries of the decade. It likely made the full day of decompression that little bit more bearable.
This kind of story isn’t a one-off, but in the world of watchmaking there’s nothing quite like it. Despite every watch house out there dabbling in diving, none have stuck their necks out quite like Blancpain. It’s a good thing that the brand is able to reap the rewards; it shows that there’s worth in their Ocean Commitment.
The cynical among us will still see it as a ploy to keep the Fifty Fathoms relevant and that’s partially true; yet that particular watch will remain a horological legend and, if Blancpain keep up their underwater work, will be the least of what they have to talk about in the future.
Writer: Sam Kessler
Photography: Laurent Ballesta for Blancpain


SAN DIEGO - Powerful waves pounding the San Diego-area coastline Tuesday prompted lifeguards to temporarily close Ocean Beach Pier as a public safety precaution.
A National Weather Service high surf advisory was in effect amid breakers of 5 to 8 feet and local sets to 9 feet along the coastline south of Del Mar. The alert was scheduled to expire Tuesday evening.
Lifeguards shut down the city pier at the terminus of Niagara Avenue in the late morning as breakers crested the fishing and sightseeing platform atop it, according to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.
The landmark structure was reopened to the public about 3 p.m., following repairs to minor railing damage caused by the crashing walls of water, SDFRD spokesman Lee Swanson said.
A second swell is expected to bring similarly large and potentially damaging surf with local sets to 12 feet late Thursday and into the weekend.
The large waves, which may break over jetties and sea walls, and strong rip currents are expected to combine to create dangerous swimming conditions.
Minor beach erosion will possible with slight coastal flooding during high tides, according to forecasters.


Posted by Mojo Mike on December 27, 2004 at 14:28:57:
In Reply to: tsunami posted by corrina on December 27, 2004 at 14:09:22:
The way I understand it. If you are far out to sea you are safe and I doubt if you feel the effect. Boats at sea are completely safe. It is only when the wave breaks that death and destruction results.
If you are making a shallow dive near shore. You most likely will be sucked out at first. Then your body will be washed ashore as the wave breaks. If I was at a ocean beach and saw the ocean elevation drop a great deal. I would run like hell. If you are ashore or in very shallow water. You are screwed like everyone else. Who didn't head for high ground.
Post a Followup


Each year in the faroe islands up to 1000 pilot whales are killed during the grindadrap.
The grindadrap is the harvesting and slaughter of long-finned pilot whales.
Faroese claim this is a tradition.
The majority of North Atlantic cetaceans give birth to their calves in the warm waters of the equator before migrating past the Faroe Islands to feed in the rich waters of Svalbard and the Arctic. Long-finned pilot whales pass by the North Atlantic islands while pursuing squid, their main source of food.
Recorded first as early as 1584, the Faroese developed a method of whaling that involves stranding entire pods of small cetaceans on certain designated beaches. When a pod of cetaceans are spotted offshore, the hunt (grindagrap) commences.
Once the hunters have approached the pod, the boats form a small half-circle behind the dolphins. Small rocks attached to lines are thrown into the water to create a wall of bubbles to reflect the sonar of the pilot whale. The cetaceans interpret the bubbles as a cliff wall that they must steer away from – because of this, the small boats are able to herd the cetaceans towards a low-lying shore. As the pod approaches land, the boats continue to harass and frighten the mammals until they’re washed up on the shore. Once beached, a knife is used to cut through the veins and arteries that supply blood to the pilot whales head. Some pilot whales suffer for as much as 30 seconds while others can take up to four minutes to die.
Those pilot whales that do not wash ashore have a gaff hook beaten into their blowhole and are then pulled ashore by rope. The blocking of the cetacean’s airway is incredibly painful and results in panic and injury. The fear and suffering is no less mitigated by the sea water that quickly turns red with blood while the animals have been killed.
As the entire human community partakes in this violent “tradition”, the whale meat is divided up among the locals although many times the whale meat is simply justify to rot on the beach. Up to 1,000 pilot whales are killed annually in this manner, primarily in the months of July and August.
Imagine how terrible must be for those animals to be hunted, to be killed all together, to hear their calves screaming, to swim in their own blood.
In 2016 we beleive that faroese population can find a different way to provide themselves food.
Pilot whales must be protected, therefore we invite you to send a letter of protest to the faroese and danish governments in order to stop this cruel and brutal tradition.
Stop the grindadrap!


Yellow Eye - Sebastes ruberrimus (the information below is for this species)
Black - Sebastes melonops
Brilliant white to off white.
Snapper is mild with a lovely, heavy flake. It's my favorite for blacken fish tacos and fish and chips.
Up to 36 inches
From the Aleutian Islands to the Baja Peninsula.
Brilliantly colored from orange-yellow to orange-red, yelloweye rockfish are one of the most well-known and prized of Alaska’s rockfish species. Deserving of their name, yelloweye are easily recognized by the bright yellow of their eyes. Individuals have been known to grow up to 36 inches which makes them one of the largest of rockfish species. A lighter colored line is usually distinguishable along the lateral line of the body and fins are often tipped in black. Yelloweye have several small spines on their head and a raspy ridge is found on the heads of large adults. Juveniles look very different from adults with dark red-orange coloration and two white stripes along the body. Fins of juveniles can be tipped in white or black.
Yelloweye are often called red snapper, but should not be confused with the red snapper found in the Gulf of Mexico, which is a different species. Other names for yelloweye include Pacific red snapper, red rock cod, and yellow belly.
Reproduction and Development
Females produce a large number of eggs (up to 2,700,000) and give birth to live larval young. Larval release occurs between February and September. Larval yelloweye may be dispersed over a wide area as they drift with ocean currents. Their survival is affected by ocean conditions such as temperature, currents and the availability of food. Only a small percentage of larval yelloweye will survive to reach maturity.
While in the larval stage, yelloweye feed on algae, other single-celled organisms, and small crustaceans. As they grow to adulthood, yelloweye shift to a variety of prey including other rockfish, sand lance, herring, flatfishes and crustaceans.
Growth and Maturity
Yelloweye are slow to mature but are very long lived. One individual was aged at 121 years old. In Southeast, Alaska yelloweye males mature around the age of 18 while females mature around 22 years old.
When yelloweye larvae are born, they are carried with ocean currents and eventually settle onto the ocean floor where more protection from predators can be found. As juveniles mature they will move into deeper water habitat. Adult yelloweye, like many species of non-pelagic rockfish, have small home ranges. Some may live their entire adult life on a single rock pile.
Yelloweye are found along the western coast of North America from the Aleutian Islands to the Baja Peninsula. Adults are often solitary and inhabit steep rocky areas with nooks and crannies that they can seek shelter in. Usually found near the bottom, yelloweye rarely venture far from shelter. They are most commonly found between 300 ft and 600 ft but have been found in water as shallow as 48 ft and as deep as 1,800 ft.
Information but the Alaska Department of Fish & Game


Father-of-three snaps his five-year-old daughter next to giant 6ft lion's mane jellyfish washed up on Welsh beach
- Dom Faux, 42, and daughter Eryn went for a walk on Colwyn Bay Beach, Wales
- They came across a huge stranded lion's mane jellyfish measuring six feet across
- Lion's mane are one of the largest jelly species, measuring up to seven feet wide with tentacles 120 feet long
A dad has captured an unnerving photo of his five-year-old daughter dwarfed by a giant 6ft 'sea demon' jellyfish that washed up on a Welsh beach.
Dad-of-three Dom Faux, 42, and Eryn Faux were having a father-daughter day at Colwyn Bay Beach in North Wales on Sunday when they spotted the huge lion's mane jellyfish.
The whopping crimson sea creature, which electrician Dom said measured about 6ft across, was stranded in the sand waiting for the tide to come in and wash it back out to sea.
Dad-of-three Dom Faux, 42, and Eryn Faux were having a father-daughter day at Colwyn Bay Beach in North Wales on Sunday when they spotted the huge lion's mane jellyfish
Careful not to let Eryn too close due to its powerful sting, Dom quickly snapped a shot of her posing next to the stunning animal for scale.
Dom, of Llanddulas, Conwy, said: 'I have never seen a jellyfish that big before, it was really quite amazing.
'We were just walking down towards the sea line and there was a big shadow. As we got closer, I just couldn't believe the size of it.
Dom, of Llanddulas, Conwy, said: 'I have never seen a jellyfish that big before, it was really quite amazing'
'If you go out on the pier, you can see the lion's mane jellyfish in the water but I've never seen one up close like that. I was really surprised.
'Eryn didn't know what it was at first so I explained and she was really happy to get to have her photo taken with it.
'Everyone who's seen the photo has been stunned by it, my wife couldn't believe it.
'It's going to be such a cool photo for Eryn to have when she's older.'
Lion's mane jellyfish - named for their showy, trailing tentacles - are one of the largest known species of jellyfish (stock photo)
Lion's mane jellyfish - named for their showy, trailing tentacles - are one of the largest known species of jellyfish.
The biggest ever specimen was recorded off the coast of Massachusetts in 1865 with a bell diameter of 7ft and tentacles around 120ft long.
These giants of the ocean are commonly spotted along the UK coast during the summer months.
After sharing the snap on social media, Dom has been flooded with comments from people blown away by the creature's sheer size.
And many social media users have made funny comments comparing the jellyfish to demonic and otherworldly entities.
Gareth Walsh said: 'Either someone's been sick or summoned a sea demon.'
James Moran commented: 'Looks like a wormhole to another dimension.'
Other terrified commenters said they will not be swimming in the sea again after seeing this 'huge beast'.
Alison Savory said: 'Never going in the water again.'
And Alyson Kerr added: 'Another reason not to swim in the sea. Good find.'
The Lion's Mane: Nature's Biggest
The lion’s mane jellyfish is one of the largest jelly species in the world, measuring up to seven feet in diameter with tentacles stretching up to 120ft long.
Most lion’s mane jellyfish live in the Arctic and North Pacific Ocean from Alaska to Washington where the waters are cool.
Its ‘mane’ of long, hair-like tentacles hanging from the underside of its bell-shaped body is the inspiration behind the lion mane’s common name.
The jellyfish also possesses a powerful sting in its tentacles that contain a poison that stuns prey when they are enveloped.
Humans have little to fear from the lion's mane, but its poison is more than enough to scare away enemies, thus creating a safe space for both the jelly and other species that are lucky enough to be immune to the toxin.
Scientific research has suggested that jellyfish actually thrive in areas that are affected by human activity. Overfishing, climate change and pollution have helped promote more frequent jellyfish swarms while reducing the jellies’ main predators and competitors and increasing their prey.
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Black Water Drift Dive May 14th
Looking for a different and new way to explore the ocean world?
Join us Saturday, May 14th aboard Sirena for a Black Water Drift Dive! Check-in begins dockside at 7:00pm. We depart at 7:30pm.
Come experience a different type of diving. Drift near the surface in 400-600ft. of water at night and experience sea creatures rarely seen. See breathtaking bioluminescent creatures, jellies, squid, and the larvae stages of many reef creatures. Each Black Water night dive is different and unpredictable. We never know what animal will pay us a visit. We encounter everything from tiny fluorescent-colored eels to adult sailfish and dolphins.
This is an experience you won’t want to miss! For reservations call or email.
Must be advanced open water certified or equivalent with excellent buoyancy skills. Night diving experience required.
Want to learn more about black water dives and the creatures you may encounter, or tips for getting the perfect photograph? Join us Friday, May 13th for Social Night where guest speaker Lazaro Ruda will be presenting.


Diving in heavy neoprene
Trip Start Mar 06, 2013
30Trip End Apr 04, 2013
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What I did
The Wreck of the Canturbury
The first dive for the day was the Canterbury, a wrecked ship about 40 minutes boat ride off of Paihia. There was a good swell today so everyone was pretty much nailed to their seats on the way out. The Queen Mary 2 was in the bay for the day so we got to see it close at hand on the way out. After diving the Canterbury we were thinking what an awesome dive the Queen Mary would be... Maybe later.
The Canterbury, we were told, was 'a man's dive' as compared to the other local wreck, the Rainbow Warrior. Upon seeing the Canterbury, I didn't see why this would be manly. Small patches of the ship are now covered in brilliantly pastel jewel anemones in purple, blue, pink and peach that would make any teenage girl a lovely prom dress. Perhaps because the Rainbow Warrior has been down 15 years longer it may, indeed, look like a fallen prom queen.
The wreck of the Canterbury ( http://www.divethecanterburywreck.com/gallery/ ) is now home to a few thousand fish in festive colors and at least one 15 pound scorpion fish lolling on the side of the boat. We got to swim through the upper decks, entering through the gaping maw of the helicopter hangar. The top decks are at 30 meters so novice divers do not get to go deeper.
After lunch and a surface interval we got to try a 'reef' dive Paihia style. We descended into a sunny jungle of South Pacific kelp which is short and looks a bit like miniature palm trees. From the top you feel like you are swimming through the lettuce aisle in the grocery store but under the palms was a shady grove for fish and lots of large, black sea urchins. An unlucky day for sea urchins as they were being turned into fish food and/or brought back to the boat to be turned into a second lunch for some of the divers on the ride back
There was one small cave to explore and then we moved in to the shore wall. This move triggered a bit of an unexpected adventure when Gail got caught up in a swell and was taken directly to meet the shore--happily well cushioned with seaweed. That and a bit of miscommunication diverted our entire group of divers into doing some white water diving followed by a good bit more swimming than was originally planned. By the time we all made it back to the dive boat the dive master was very concerned that we had not had a good enough dive and urged everyone to grab a new tank and go back down. All invited divers were worn out enough to decline the offer.
We retreated to our room at the B&B for the remainder of the afternoon to process pictures and video while doing laundry. Seems to be a common thing here to have a washer and dryer in hotel rooms. I'm guessing that not all of the dryers are mounted upside down, hanging from the ceiling as ours is here. This variation does not apparently affect the function. Who knew.
Doedo is getting better at driving here. He only turned on the windshield wipers once when trying to indicate a turn.


Embark on a journey into the hidden world of coral reefs in this all-digital planetarium show exploring some of our planet’s most biodiverse—and critically threatened—ecosystems. Dive into the heart of the Academy’s iconic Philippine coral reef tank as thousands of tropical fish flutter by. Travel the globe to explore coral reefs teeming with life and learn how scientists are racing to develop sustainable solutions to protect these vitally important ecosystems for the future. Along the way, discover how corals live, breathe, and reproduce, supporting a quarter of all marine life on Earth and providing critical benefits to human communities in our ever-changing world.
- Planetarium passes are required for the 7:30, 8:30, and 9:30 pm shows
- Passes are $3 each and may be purchased online or at the ticket window. Since shows do sell out, we always recommend buying in advance.
- The 6:30 pm live show is always free. Seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Please arrive at the planetarium 15 minutes before your ticketed showtime for seating. We run a tight spaceship!


You may think of the sea as being quiet and peaceful, but it’s actually quite noisy down there! Some of the sounds in the sea are made by marine animals, some are made by people, and some of the sounds are made by weather and other natural events. You’ll be surprised to see who’s saying what! Meet Terran and join us for this interactive, informative – and noisy! – dive into the loud world underwater.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Library.


The Unexpected Excellence Of Algae Oil.
There's a few reasons. Algae oil is the only vegan, direct source of the Omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. Fish eat algae to get their Omega-3s, so when you consume algae oil, you’re getting them straight from the source. Algae oil supplies all the same important benefits commonly found in fish oil, in a form that is plant-based and sustainable. Pretty excellent if you ask us.


Partnership will help researchers better understand ocean health; Arizona State now has two research centers devoted to monitoring the Atlantic and Pacific oceans
“BIOS has very generously provided the Ministry of Health with an ultra-low temperature freezer; a specialist piece of equipment to supplement the freezers that the Ministry has also procured.
New research shows that pulses of cooler deep water reduced heat stress responses in corals.
New research relates shell shapes and body geometries and sizes with swimming abilities and sinking behaviors, which impact vertical migration and distribution.
Today [June 5] marks the one year anniversary of the Bermuda Ocean Prosperity Programme [BOPP], a partnership to create a binding marine spatial plan to sustainably manage Bermuda’s ocean environment and identify sustainable growth possibilities for ocean industries like fishing and tourism.
BIOS scientist to speak at Bermuda Principles Foundation Conference, with this year’s event focused on transcriptomics.
Today [June 5] the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Waitt Institute, and Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences [BIOS], signed a Memorandum of Understanding [MOU] to form the Bermuda Ocean Prosperity Programme.
The [Princess] also increased its support for BIOS’s bid to reduce the number of invasive lionfish in Bermuda’s waters by buying more fish from the organisation.
An oceanographer is deploying an undersea glider to take measurements during the Category 3 storm, which is expected to hit Bermuda. Hopefully, the rare underwater perspective will yield insights that can be used to develop forecasting models.
An underwater glider will examine the impact of hurricanes on our ocean.
Hazardous waste from the Hamilton Seabright sewage pipeline has been contaminating the waters off South Shore beaches, according to a 2013 water-quality study — but only during rare, sustained weather patterns.
A new study has discovered a dramatic drop in the levels of mercury found in pregnant women in Bermuda in the last decade.
A study published in PLoS ONE has detailed a dramatic reduction in blood concentrations of methyl mercury in pregnant women in Bermuda.
Between April 1, 2011 and April 1, 2012, a total of 622 babies were born at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital. The wellbeing of these babies and their mothers is of great importance to the health and vibrancy of the local community. To this end, Laval University’s Atlantis Mobile Laboratories, stationed at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences and supported by a grant from the Lepercq Foundation, is facilitating a National Maternal Nutrition Survey to assess the nutritional status and needs of pregnant women in Bermuda.
The Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences is pleased to announce the return of the Atlantis Mobile Laboratory, owned by Universite Laval, to the BIOS campus to continue its work on environmental and human health issues in Bermuda.


Dwindling, Delicious Lobster Focus of Possible Fishing Ban
Look at the lobster. Mottled. Spiny. Ugly. Like the clam and the shrimp, the conch and the scallop, it's an alien little creature that must be hauled to the surface at great effort and boiled alive in order to be consumed.
Its problem, of course, is that it is delicious. And like the bluefin and the Atlantic cod before it, that quality may all but doom it to near-extinction.
In yet another case of human appetite and environmental upheaval merging to threaten a marine species, lobster populations in southern New England are in such decline that a regional fisheries board recently considered giving them almost whale-level protection.
On the table at a July 22 meeting of the American Lobster Management Board was a five-year moratorium on lobster fishing for an area that stretches from southern Massachusetts to North Carolina, according to the AP.
Called the “Southern New England” region of lobster habitats, it has seen the estimated population fall from more than 35 million individuals just a dozen years ago to about 15 million today.
“The Southern New England stock (SNE) is critically depleted and well below the minimum threshold abundance,” reads the opening of a report prepared by the American Lobster Technical Committee in April for the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.
The report states that the lobster isn’t actually being overfished, really, but that fishing, combined with environmental conditions and a slew of potential contributing factors (a shell-disfiguring disease, an old oil spill) are combining to decimate the lobsters to the point that they can not recover.
In the face of such decline, the technical committee had a simple, economically brutal solution: stop all lobster fishing from Cape Cod to Kitty Hawk until 2015.
It was a suggestion that drew thunderous outcry from a predictable group: lobstermen.
Calling the ban everything from “catastrophic” to “almost biblical” to “the bullet in a gun that was pointed to our head,” by moratorium opponents and lobster fishermen, the idea was shouted down at the July 22 meeting—but not completely taken off the table, the AP reports.
Other solutions discussed included catch quotas reduced by 50 to 75 percent, which were also deemed as lethal industry-killers by lobstermen, according to various media accounts of the board meeting.
But if enforced, would it mean the end of the lobster bisque special at your local seafood hot spot? No, lobster-lover, it wouldn’t. The Southern New England region supplies just 5 to 7 percent of the total Northeast lobster catch, according to the AP. The Gulf of Maine is home to about 116 million lobsters—about 100 million more than the SNE stock.
So the lobster would survive, and continue to stain the shirts of Red Lobster enthusiasts for years to come, but the issue raised is the familiar one: economy versus sustainability, desire to consume versus willpower to go cold turkey.
In August, the board will meet again to reconsider ways to deal with the plummeting SNE lobster population. Despite the economic pain, the clear issue remains: unless the population is saved, even by drastic quota cuts, won't the lobstermen be out of a livelihood anyway?


Test results are in for oil material found in Pensacola Bay late last month, and the numbers are frightening.
A lab experienced in testing petroleum products determined that the oil’s toxicity levels are sky-high.
“In its natural state, the numbers are off the chart,” said Heather Reed, the environmental expert for the City of Gulf Breeze who made the discovery. “It’s extremely toxic to human health.”
Lab workers had to dilute the sample 20 times just to get a reading. Reed said samples are usually diluted only once.
“The oil is very well preserved,” Reed added. “It smells very strong when pulled out of the water. It made me nauseated.” Reed in late September discovered a significant amount of oil buried in submerged sediment near Fort McRae in Escambia County while conducting independent research.
“The oil was in about 3 feet of water and was buried pretty deep in the sediment,” Reed recalled. “The mats where between 6 inches and a foot in diameter, but some were more than 2 feet in diameter. I kept digging and finding more and more.
“Finding this submerged oil is very alarming to me because it’s in such large mats,” Reed explained. “I believe it came into (the bay) in June with the initial impacts.”
Reed on Sept. 30 revisited the site and another near Barrancas Beach with BP and Coast Guard officials to inform responders of her discovery. She also discovered oil present at Johnson Beach, Fort Pickens and Orange Beach through research she conducted in September.
The topography near Fort McRae helped preserve the submerged oil. Because the area is a secluded cove, very little water flows through it – resulting in low oxygen levels.
“(The oil) is in an anaerobic environment, so there is not a lot of bacteria to break it down,” Reed explained.
Reed said that similar samples that might possibly remain submerged in the Gulf of Mexico could be extremely damaging to the marine ecosystem.
“I am concerned about upwelling events,” Reed said. “Strong currents draw up nutrient rich water and sediment from the sea floor that nourishes plankton and other organisms that are the foundation of the marine food chain.
“If an upwelling event brings up any oil material with these toxicity levels, it could be harmful to any animals near the upwelling plume.”
Reed is unsure of the effects of the oil on the water quality near Fort McRae.
“The surface area is very large, and it gets pretty deep, so there could be a lot of dilution,” she said. “Because it sank and is submerged, it will stay there.
“I would not recommend going into the water.”
She explained that the effects near the beach would be different because of more aeration.
Though no oil has been reported on Gulf Breeze shores or in local bayous, those areas could be at risk.
“We don’t have any barriers, the Coastwatchers aren’t patrolling anymore, and there has been no communication to the city of this oil entering the bay,” Reed said.
If oil entered any of the Gulf Breeze bayous, Reed explained that it would sink and become submerged just as it had near Fort McRae.
“It would definitely sink and be preserved,” Reed said. “And it would be very difficult to find.”


UBC Theses and Dissertations
Sources, fractionation and fate of polybrominated diphenyl ethers and polychlorinated biphenyls in the Strait of Georgia, Canada Sun, Yuanji
The sources, dispersion, fractionation and fate of two persistent organic contaminants, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), were studied in the Strait of Georgia (SoG), by measuring dissolved (< 2.2 μm) and particulate (> 2.2 μm) PCBs and PBDEs concentrations in seawater at various Salish Sea stations from 2013 to 2018. Our results show that the primary sources of particulate PBDEs (pPBDEs) into the southern SoG are effluent particles from Vancouver’s main wastewater treatment plant at Iona Island and sediment resuspension in Burrard Inlet. In contrast, dissolved PBDEs (dPBDEs) in the southern SoG are generated from the desorption of PBDEs from these particles during their transport with the SoG water circulation, leading to high dPBDEs and low pPBDEs concentrations. These findings were supported by changes in particulate PBDEs contribution to the total PBDE concentrations at various stations, as well as the systematic fractionation of PBDE congeners during desorption from sewage particles and re-adsorption onto marine particles. In addition, the SoG estuarine circulation (including tides) leads to substantial temporal variability of dPBDEs concentrations in southern SoG and near Bowen Island. Most PBDEs in the SoG are eventually removed to the sediment through particle scavenging, leaving the less brominated congeners in the dissolved phase to be exported to the Pacific Ocean. The box model simulation demonstrated that the Fraser River is an important PBDE source due to its high flow rate, despite its low dPBDEs concentrations. Low modelled dPBDEs concentrations, compared with what we measured, point to unquantified sources or an increase in the PBDEs Iona discharge. PCBs have been banned for decades, and showed very different behaviour to PBDEs in SoG. Our limited data suggest that industrialized areas in Burrard Inlet are the main sources to SoG, and not the Iona outfall. Furthermore, the PCB homologs’ distribution supports preferential removal of the more hydrophobic dissolved PCBs congeners added to SoG from Burrard Inlet by particle scavenging. Once PCB-contaminated seawater and particles have been in contact long enough in SoG there is a clear increasing trend in particulate to dissolved partitioning with the degree of hydrophobicity of the PCB homologs.
Item Citations and Data
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International


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Dr Beth Mouat
Joint Head of Marine Science and Technology
Tel: 01595 772310
Beth manages NAFC's Marine Science department with responsibility for marine research and development work in the fields of fisheries, marine spatial planning and aquaculture. Her role includes strategic and operational planning for the department, project and financial management and quality assurance. The role also includes liaising with key external groups and organisations such as industry representatives, Marine Scotland, MASTS, SAIC, and HIE.
Beth continues to have an active role in the delivery of research and consultancy work relating to inshore fisheries and wider marine management. She has strong working links with Marine Scotland and has been involved in a range of projects which have provided advice to Marine Scotland and Inshore Fisheries Groups around Scotland.
The NAFC Marine Centre is an academic partner in the University of the Highlands and Islands and Beth is an appointed member of the University Research and Knowledge Exchange Committee and co-convener of the Marine, Environmental Science and Engineering Research Cluster. She is currently co-supervising four PhD students.
Fisheries biology, fisheries management, sustainable marine resource management.
Beth completed her BSc (Hons) degree in Zoology (Marine and Fisheries Biology) in 1998 at the University of Aberdeen, where she worked with NAFC on phytoplankton and jellyfish threats to aquaculture. She stayed on at Aberdeen University to complete an MSc in Marine and Fisheries Science in 1999, where she specialised in squid fisheries biology.
Following this she moved to the University of Glasgow to carry out her PhD researching Nephrops fisheries in the Clyde with UMBS Millport, and around Scotland with FRS Marine Laboratory (now Marine Scotland).
Following on from her studies, Beth worked for two years as an Inshore Fisheries Advisor for Scottish Natural Heritage, providing advice on all aspects of fisheries from biology to management. She was also involved in research projects on fisheries for Nephrops and Littorinids, and the development of GIS tools for shellfish fisheries management.
Beth was very keen to return to Shetland, and NAFC, and took up the post of Senior Shellfish Scientist in late 2005, following a period as Marine Farm Services Manager for SSQC.
Fraser, S., Shelmerdine, R.L., Mouat, B., 2018. Razor clam biology, ecology, stock assessment, and exploitation: a review of Ensis spp. in Wales. Welsh Government. 62 pp.
Dees, P., Bresnan, E., Edwards, M., Johns, D., Mouat, B., Whyte, C., Davidson, K., 2017. Harmful algal blooms in the Eastern North Atlantic Ocean. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 114 (46): E9763-E9764. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1715499114.
Batts, L., Shucksmith, R., Shelmerdine, R.L., Macdonald, P., Mouat, B., 2017. Scotland's fishing industry - guidance for decision makers and developers. Fisheries Innovation Scotland. 21 pp.
Batts, L., Shucksmith, R., Shelmerdine, R.L., Macdonald, P., Mouat, B., 2017. Understanding and influencing the marine management and development processes - best practice guidance for fishers. Fisheries Innovation Scotland. 11 pp.
Shelmerdine, R.L., Shucksmith, R., Mouat, B., 2017. Fisheries management in the context of shared seas. Fisheries Innovation Scotland. 55 pp.
Shelmerdine, R.L., Mouat, B., Shucksmith, R., 2017. The most northerly record of feral Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas (Thunberg, 1793) in the British Isles. BioInvasions Records, 6: 57-60. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3391/bir.2017.6.1.09.
Shelmerdine, R.L., Mouat, B., 2015. A multidisciplinary approach to the collection and use of VMS data from an inshore scallop fishery. Edinburgh, Scotland: The Scottish Government. 23 pp.
Little, A., Bailey, N., Cook, R., Fox, C., Curtis, H., Heath, M., Marshall, T., Mouat, B., Fernandes, P., 2015. A review of Scotland's capture fisheries: stock status, knowledge gaps, research requirements and stakeholder engagement. Fisheries Innovation Scotland. 118 pp.
Shelmerdine, R.L., Stone, D., Leslie, B., Robinson, M., 2014. Monitoring habitats: how useful are points on a map, predicted habitats, and historic data?
Shelmerdine, R.L., Stone, D., Leslie, B. & Robinson, M., 2014. Implications of defining fisheries closed areas based on predicted habitats in Shetland: a proactive and precautionary approach. Marine Policy, 43: 184-199.
Leslie, B., 2014. Data Requirements for Inshore Fisheries Management. Marine Scotland. 21 pp.