More people are giving thought to where their food comes from, and there is perhaps no better example than seafood. With the power of global logistics, it is possible to enjoy fresh lobster, fish, shrimp, and other delicacies of the deep in a restaurant thousands of miles from the nearest coast. However, eco-conscious consumers increasingly want to know where their food originated and whether it was harvested in an environmentally sustainable fashion.
While seafood is a luxury for some, more than one billion people around the world rely on the oceans for their daily nutritional intake. Worldwide, an average of 17 kilograms (kg) of seafood is consumed per person annually, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), making marine wild-capture fisheries one of the most important human food and protein sources. FAO’s charter includes improving global maritime and environmental conditions.
However, these resources are being depleted rapidly due to poor management and overfishing. Globally, more than 30% of fishery catches are illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU). Black-market IUU activities undermine the economic and environmental sustainability of global fisheries and fish stocks and impact all countries.
Shining the light of transparency
A global effort is now under way to increase the transparency of the global fishing fleet to reduce the environmental and economic impacts of IUU fishing activities. The primary focus is on establishing a global record of fishing, which would require a permanent unique vessel identifier (UVI) scheme like the 27-yearold United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO) ship identification system that tracks the world’s large merchant vessels
Under the IMO system, all seagoing merchant vessels of 100 gross tons or more, including container ships, tankers, bulk carriers, and cruise liners, are assigned and must display a seven-digit number throughout their service life, from the construction berth to the breaker’s yard. The number remains assigned to that vessel through changes in ownership, name, and flag state. Vessels identified in this manner can be tracked and monitored at sea and in port for regulatory and security oversight.
Originally established and maintained by Lloyd’s Register, the number issuance scheme is now administered for the IMO by IHS Maritime & Trade. It has been accepted as the best available global identification system because each number is connected with data about the vessel and managed by an independent third party that is held responsible for continually updating and verifying data against multiple sources.
Prior to 2014, fishing vessels were exempt from the requirement to be issued an IMO number. In 2013, the IMO General Assembly removed the exemption for fishing vessels of 100 gross tons or greater, effective in 2014. This means that IMO member states, regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs), coastal states, and flag states could require an IMO number on fishing vessels in this class. This is the first step in establishing the IMO number as the fundamental building block for transparency of the international fishing fleet.
But there is a long way to go. To date, about 22,000 fishing vessels of 100 tons or more have voluntarily acquired an IMO number. Industry estimates suggest there could be as many as 185,000 fishing vessels of that size and possibly three times as many smaller vessels. IHS plans to help boost the database capture of vessels by linking electronic data exchanges among parties that have their own localized fishing vessel databases, such as tuna RFMOs.
The current lack of a universal IMO numbering scheme for the fishing industry means that the operator of a large, ocean-going fishing vessel can easily alter its identity by filing basic paperwork to change its name, radio call sign, and/or registration with another flag state. This makes it difficult, if not impossible, for regulators and law enforcement bodies to monitor fishing catches, vessel movements, fishing rights acquisitions, and other activities for thousands of vessels, especially those whose operators do not wish to be tracked.
Without the transparency and accountability bestowed by an IMO number, fishing vessels are free to engage in a wide range of illegal activities, from direct illegal fishing to associated document fraud, tax evasion and money laundering, trafficking of people, human rights abuses, and illegal working arrangements for crew members.
The absence of a unique identity for fishing vessels has been cited as a major reason that port officials have failed to maintain oversight against illegal fishing operators. Research by the Pew Charitable Trusts found that RFMOs were unable to maintain consistent and accurate records in fishing areas under their purview. Investigators found instances of the same vessel listed under multiple flag states with different names, tonnages, and other specifications and the same radio call sign assigned to many vessels. In other cases, vessels that were reported as sunk were still authorized to fish.
Global fishing stocks under pressure
While fishing has been an important source of food for millennia, only since the advent of onboard refrigeration and large factory ships has it had a globally destructive impact. Today, fishing vessels can deploy lines up to 60 kilometers (km) long, at depths of more than 2,000 meters, according to the Global Ocean Commission Report 2014. Trawlers track fish by sonar, which can cause extensive damage to coral and other fragile habitats, and capture tons of vulnerable deep-sea species for which there is no commercial market.
Fishing fleets have become larger and more advanced, due in part to more than $30 billion in government subsidies, according to the report. The efficiency of these factory fleets has launched a cycle of diminishing returns with larger and more expensive vessels chasing smaller and smaller catches. The Commission estimates the size of the world’s fleet is two-and-a-half times larger than necessary to sustainably catch fish stocks.
According to the FAO, the amount of wild-caught marine fish increased from 3 million metric tons in 1900 to 16.8 million in 1950, reaching a peak of 86.4 million metric tons in 1996. For the past two decades, the catch has remained fairly constant at about 80 million metric tons annually—with the result that 87% of the world’s marine stocks are now fully exploited, over exploited, or depleted. Stocks of some of the largest fish, including tuna and swordfish, are more than 90% below their historical levels and may not be able to recover, according to the Global Ocean Commission Report 2014.
A study by the University of London estimated the economic impact from IUU fishing at $10–23 billion annually, weakening profitability for legally caught seafood, fueling illegal trafficking operations, and undermining economic opportunity for legitimate fishermen.
There is a human cost to IUU fishing as well. Crews on many of these vessels work in understaffed, uninspected, dangerous conditions with little to no regard paid for their hours of service, safety, or the sanitation of their operating environment. The vessels may also be used for other criminal enterprises such as human trafficking, drug smuggling, and terrorist activities.
A crisis of governance
Research by the World Wildlife Fund and Pew Research Foundation indicates that one key factor in fisheries mismanagement is that there is little access to real-time information on fishing fleets, their catches, and their transport routes to ports, processors, and markets. The problem is exacerbated by the difficult nature of physical control of fishing vessels at sea, which are not tracked like aircraft. Vessels often change names, company owners, and flag state—or flag to two or more registries—thus allowing them to avoid what management arrangements do exist. In many respects, the global depletion of fish stocks is a crisis of governance as much as a management failure and represents a serious threat to the rule of law.
Additionally, entities exist that have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo of lack of transparency. Some rogue flag states that are not signatories to treaties such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the UN Fish Stocks Agreement register vessels that fish outside of the management regimes supported by more responsible states.
States control fishing rights access within their exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Corrupt officials may sell rights for under-the-table payments, with no public record of which ships have legal rights to fish in a given area. Lack of transparency contributes to corruption and document fraud in licensing of fishing rights, which ultimately contributes to overfishing.
Vessel transparency is essential to identifying the controlling interests of vessels engaged in IUU fishing in order to hold them accountable. For example, the Australian government between 1997 and 2005 apprehended nine vessels engaged in IUU fishing within the Heard and McDonald Island EEZ. However, in all nine court cases, the government was unable to identify or prosecute any of the beneficial owners of the vessels. The vessel and catch were forfeited and the master of the vessel and the fishing master were prosecuted and received nominal fines. In one case, the address of the registered offices of the company that owned the vessel was actually a vacant lot in Moscow.
Proliferation of ID schemes An independent study commissioned by FAO prior to the 2010 technical consultation on the development of a global fishing record concluded that the existing IMO numbering scheme is the most suitable form of unique vessel identifier. Still, there has been a proliferation of competing proposals put forth dating back to 2005.
In that year, the UN’s Rome Declaration of Ministers on Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing called for the development of a comprehensive global record of fishing vessels (GRFV) within the FAO. The GRFV proposal for fishing vessels is similar to the existing Equasis system for merchant shipping: a core database of vessel information linked to a range of data sources that will allow users to authenticate the identity of a vessel, its ownership, licensed operations, and performance. Like the IMO numbering scheme, the main source of vessel information into the public Equasis database is administered by IHS.
Likewise, Japan has funded a project at the FAO to create a record for tuna fisheries using a unique identifier. Under the plan, once each source is matched to the database fields from information supplied by owners via national registries, ongoing maintenance is mostly automated. However, there is little provision for making corrections or independent verification of official sources of data. Under this scheme, vessels could remain out of the public domain or conceal ownership records. Also, smaller fishing vessels that typically operate close to shore could be assigned identification numbers from their local state of origin, which would mean they might not be incorporated into the IMO or GRFV databases.
Still, momentum is building to improve the global governance of safety, crew conditions, and fishing operations that will help curtail IUU fishing. One major step was the adoption of the IMO Cape Town Agreement in October 2012 that brings fishing vessels within the regulatory safety regimes that apply to merchant shipping. When they come into force, which is expected within the next two years, new Port State Control inspection measures will require comprehensive information on foreign-flagged vessels and their ownership, which lends itself to the expansion of IMO numbering schemes.
Other soon-to-be enacted FAO provisions require foreign fishing vessels visiting international ports to provide advance notice and request permission for port entry. And ports now have the authority to conduct regular inspections with the intention of preventing illegally caught fish from entering international markets. Also, RFMOs and individual member states can mandate the use of IMO numbers within their systems and certification, which would apply to high-seas vessels. Additionally, in June US President Barack Obama signed a presidential memorandum, “Comprehensive Framework to Combat Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing and Seafood Fraud,” to unify US efforts against IUU fishing. While the memo doesn’t specifically support a unique vessel identification scheme, it does state that US policy is to strengthen of relevant existing statutes to improve the transparency and traceability of the seafood supply chain. This may include the allocation of IMO numbers to vessels in their local domain.
Building a consensus
In addition to curtailing IUU fishing and other illegal activities, adoption of the IMO number scheme for fishing vessels offers an array of benefits for consumers and the industry. Currently, when vessel information is received through the supply chain, it is usually vessel name, flag, and fishing gear type. The use of IMO numbers will standardize and channel the information transmitted through the supply chain.
The push for traceability has already started with governments, NGOs, and retailers. For example, the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation requires members to purchase seafood only from vessels that have IMO numbers. Major retailers can use IMO numbers within their supply chains to track the origin of seafood from the ocean to the grocery shelf. This information could be used on produce ecolabels as part of a vetting process to confirm that a vessel was fishing legally in a certain geographic area on the date presented on catch certificates.
Although barriers remain to the adoption of IMO numbers as the de facto identification scheme for high-seas fishing vessels, there is a growing industry consensus pushing for its adoption. Using an existing, proven system would encourage coordination among various regulatory schemes and reduce the amount of time required to implement the system worldwide. Through concerted action, IUU fishing can be curbed, with the goal of ending one of the main forces behind the decline of the oceans and the life within.


Dubai is all about unique experiences that you are unlikely to find anywhere else. Right from visiting the tallest building in the world (the Burj Khalifa) to having a fun time at the largest indoor theme park in the world (IMG Worlds of Adventure), you will find myriads of such attractions with a Dubai visa. One such attraction in Dubai is the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo. The most unique thing about this attraction is that it is located inside a shopping mall. Yes, you heard it right! Located on the ground and second levels of the Dubai Mall, the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo is one of the most popular tourist attractions of the city that is loved by people of all ages. It is also tagged as one of the best things to do in Dubai with family. Moreover, it is also the member of the World Association of Zoo and Aquariums owing to its participation and contribution towards environmental research, environmental education, and wildlife conservation. Here is everything you need to know about the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo.
Dubai Aquarium – An Introduction
The Dubai Aquarium tank, located on the ground level of the Dubai Mall, measures 11 meters in height, 51 meters in length, and 20 meters in width, making it the world’s largest suspended aquarium. This aquarium tank contains 10 million liters of water and more than 30,000 aquatic animals, which includes over 140 species of marine animals. The aquarium is populated with different types of fishes, including more than 300 sharks, manta rays, and sting rays. One of the highlights of the aquarium is that it is home to the world’s largest collection of sand tiger sharks. The aquarium is in the form of a tunnel, and you will get a 270o view of the marine animals swimming all around you.
Underwater Zoo – An Introduction
Just above the Dubai Aquarium is the Underwater Zoo, where you will get to meet some interesting underwater animals. The zoo is divided into 3 ecological zones, namely Rainforest, Rocky Shore, and Living Ocean, depending on the different species of animals living here. The underwater zoo follows a lunar-cyclic lighting system to imitate the natural environment of the animals. The different animals you will find at the Underwater Zoo include otters, giant spider crabs, Humboldt penguins, African Dwarf crocodiles, seahorses, water rats, garden eels, nautilus, archerfish, etc.
Dubai’s Wild Wadi Waterpark and other water parks offer plenty of room to swim, splash and dip, while Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo gives you the chance to swim underwater up-close with diverse marine life. Apart from strolling along the aquarium tunnel and watching the underwater animals, there are plenty of special experiences you can enjoy at the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo. Some of these experiences give you the chance to see the inhabitants of the aquarium and zoo at close quarters.
Shark Feeding Encounter:
Experience ‘feeding frenzy” as you watch couple of sharks coming together to enjoy their meal. The shark feeding encounter is an underwater experience, where you get to watch shark feeding at close quarters, while waiting safely in the shark feeding arena (cage). After the 30 minutes’ experience, you get to go on a behind-the-scenes tour and also get to know about the shark breeding program of the aquarium.
If you want to explore the underwater world of the aquarium, cage snorkeling would help you to do this safely. Here, you will have to wear all the snorkeling gear and get into a cage, which would be then goes down into the aquarium tank. This will give you the chance to see all the different species of marine animals closely.
Sharks are the star attraction of Dubai Aquarium, and shark diving gives you the opportunity to see them up, close, and personal. You do not need to be certified diver to enjoy this experience. During the duration you are inside the water, you will get to see sand tiger sharks, leopard sharks, stingrays, giant groupers, reef sharks, and tawny nurse sharks.
If you want to learn scuba diving, the Dubai Aquarium is a great place not only to learn but also to get a PADI certification. During the 2-days PADI certification course offered by the Dubai Aquarium, you will learn to scuba dive under the guidance of professional divers. With this certification, you can go scuba diving in the ocean as well.
Although similar to shark diving, shark walker gives you the chance to have a close encounter with sharks but while keeping your hair dry. Before you get into the cage, you will get to wear a customized white helmet, which will prevent your hair from getting wet. This underwater experience lasts for 25 minutes and lets you see the different shark species of the aquarium.
Glass Bottom Boat Riding:
If you are not into extreme adventures and the above experiences are not your cup of tea, the glass bottom boat ride is perfect for you. Here you go on a boat tour on the surface of the aquarium. As the bottom of the boat is made of glass, you will get to see to fishes swimming right under you.
Meet the King Croc:
Image Credit: https://www.flickr.com/
One of the most popular experiences offered by the Underwater Zoo is ‘Meet the King Croc’. The King Croc here is more than 40 years old, originally belonging to Australia. Currently, he measures 5 meters in length and weighs 750 kg. He is believed to grow more in weight as he ages.
You get to learn about the habitat and life of Gentoo Penguins during the Penguin Encounter. As you step inside the Penguin facility, you will be transported to their natural habitat, i.e. in the Antarctic Peninsula and Sub Antarctic islands. This temperature-controlled facility mimics the annual light cycle of the Antarctic, ensuring that the penguins live in a place similar to their natural habitat.
Otters are one of the most playful underwater animals, and you get to meet and interact with them here. You will have a great time watching the otters play, run, and paint during this special and fun encounter.
Apart from the underwater world, the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater World offers an exclusive experience where you get to see wildlife from all around the world. The VRZoo experience gives you the opportunity to see a herd of elephants in the Savannah, gorillas in Uganda, whales and sharks in Maldives, etc. The VR experience makes you feel that you are having a real-life experience.
UAE’s Night Creatures:
The Dubai Aquarium & Underwater World is a great place to learn about the native creatures of the desert. Located in a 200 square meters’ space dedicated for the same, the UAE’s Night Creatures lets you see and know about desert beings like fruit bats, camel spiders, veiled chameleons, Arabian toads, etc.
Apart from sightseeing, the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo is also a great place to host birthday parties and go for school excursions. It is open from 10 AM to 10 PM during weekdays and 10 AM to midnight during weekends. So if you have a Dubai tourist visa and are gearing up for a holiday in the golden city, do include Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo in your itinerary for an educational and enriching experience.


The Marine Environmental Specimen Bank (Marine ESB) was established by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in 2002 at the Hollings Marine Laboratory, Charleston, South Carolina. It is devoted to the cryogenic banking of marine environmental specimens (e.g., fish tissues, mussels, oysters, marine mammal tissues, bird eggs and feathers, sea turtle tissues and eggs, coral tissues and coral ecosystem specimens) as part of ongoing research and monitoring programs conducted in the marine and coastal environment of the USA, including Alaska and the Pacific Islands Region. In addition, the Marine ESB houses all samples (e.g., human livers, marine sediments, fish tissues, mussels, oysters, human diet samples) that were maintained at the former NIST National Biomonitoring Specimen Bank (NBSB) which was established in 1979. The Marine ESB is specifically designed to cryogenically store these environmental specimens over long periods of time (50-100 years). A systematic well-designed specimen bank program is not only a valuable component of realtime monitoring and basic research, but it also enables future investigators to extend their research into the past (hind casting) and provides for future verification of analytical results (quality assurance). The Marine ESB is an important resource of research materials that are used to document geographic and temporal trends in “new” pollutants, changes in transport and accumulation of “old” pollutants in the environment that might be related to climate change, and to study temporal changes in marine animal health through application of future new analytical and biochemical techniques. Additionally, samples are not limited to just pollution research but have also been used to determine cellular and biomolecular measurements, RNA analysis for genetics and evolutionary studies, as well as food web studies through stable isotope and fatty acid analysis.
Standardized protocols are developed by NIST for collecting and archiving tissues and fluids which are designed to: (1) provide sufficient material for multiple analyses, (2) minimize the possibility of sample change and/or loss during storage, (3) minimize inadvertent contamination during sample handling and ensure sample integrity, (4) provide for long-term sample stability through cryogenic techniques, and (5) track and maintain a record of sample history.


Every year, around 300 million m3 of seawater is desalinated & lots of researches are involved in the same domain. Various methods & techniques were invented to rise up the level of water purity. One of the largest used techniques in this domain is the Reverse Osmosis, which is a simulation to the natural phenomena called Osmosis that depends on high pressure pumping of the conducted seawater to the RO modules, in order to desalinate the water from salt. However, obstacles were always facing researchers during the realization & also preventing the dispositive from damage while facing the immense seawater pressure (50 to 62 bars). But the worst obstacle is corrosion problem! Due to the high salt concentration in the seawater, what did extend the challenge to find more solutions to increase the yield & decrease the energy consumption with assuring a long-life for desalination dispositive. In 1992, Energy Recovery, Inc.(ERI) was established and manufactured ultra-high efficiency recovery products and technology, specifically the ERI Pressure Exchanger (PX) that is among the enabling technologies driving the rapid growth in seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) using the alumina Al2O3 , known with a thick oxide layer that protects the metal from oxidation. For the first time, a predicted design of the ERI pressure exchanger’s geometry was built, analyzed & verified with a numerical simulation to show the long life time of the ERI PX (up to 20 years & more) & explain the strength, high pressure & corrosion resistance of its forming materials.Keywords: Pressure Exchanger, Corrosion resistance, Seawater desalination
© This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.


13th May 2023, by Sunita Mishra
In a concerning development, the first cyclonic storm of the season, Cyclone Mocha, has formed over the Southeast Bay of Bengal. Experts predict that atmospheric conditions are highly favorable for the intensification of Cyclone Mocha in the coming days. The India Meteorology Department, the country's nodal agency, has forecasted that the storm is expected to make landfall between Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, and Kyaukpyu, Myanmar, as a very severe cyclonic storm by noon on May 14, 2023.
The occurrence of this cyclone in May, the peak month for cyclogenesis in the Indian Ocean, is not surprising. However, the alarming trend of rapid intensification observed in recent cyclonic storms raises concerns among researchers and scientists. They attribute these changes to the increasing global mean temperature, particularly in the Indian Ocean.
According to a study titled 'Changing status of tropical cyclones over the north Indian Ocean,' researchers have noted a decrease in the translation speed of cyclones in the Arabian Sea, indicating slower movement. The intensification of cyclonic activity in the Arabian Sea is closely linked to rising ocean temperatures and increased moisture availability resulting from global warming. The study spanning from 1982 to 2019 shows a significant upward trend in the intensity, frequency, and duration of cyclonic storms and very severe cyclonic storms over the Arabian Sea. While there has been an 8% decrease in cyclone frequency in the Bay of Bengal, there has been a staggering 52% increase in the Arabian Sea during the recent epoch from 2001 to 2019.
Climate scientists have emphasized the impact of warming oceans on cyclone behavior. Dr. Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology and Lead IPCC Author, warns that models often fail to capture the rapid intensification of cyclones due to inadequate inclusion of ocean conditions. Cyclones nowadays can retain their energy for an extended period, as seen in the case of Cyclone Amphan, which caused significant devastation even while traveling over land. Dr. Koll emphasizes that as long as oceans remain warm and winds remain favorable, cyclones will maintain their intensity for a longer duration.
The Bay of Bengal, riding on the wave of global warming in recent decades, has witnessed increased temperatures ranging between 30-32 degrees Celsius. These elevated temperatures play a crucial role in the intensification of cyclonic storms by enhancing convection. Dr. Koll highlights that this rapid intensification has become more frequent in both the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.
The impacts of climate change on cyclogenesis, especially in the Indian Ocean region, have become a cause for concern due to its high population density along the coastlines. According to the Ministry of Earth Sciences Report, climate models project an increase in tropical cyclone intensity and precipitation intensity in the North Indian Ocean basin. A comparison of pre-1950 and post-1950 periods reveals a rise in severe cyclonic storms by 49% in the Bay of Bengal region and 52% in the Arabian Sea region on an annual scale. Observations further indicate an increase in the frequency of extremely severe cyclonic storms over the Arabian Sea during the post-monsoon seasons of 1998-2018, with medium confidence attributing this rise to human-induced sea surface temperature (SST) warming.
The changing climate, primarily driven by increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, has resulted in an energy imbalance in the climate system. Approximately 92% of the energy goes into the ocean, leading to increased Ocean Heat Content (OHC). The IPCC's Special Report on Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC) highlights the rise in global mean surface temperature, sea level, and Ocean Heat Content as primary indicators of climate change. Since the 1950s, the Indian Ocean has experienced the fastest surface warming, with the Ocean Heat Content increasing significantly.
According to the SROCC, future projections indicate a warmer and wetter world over oceans, providing more energy for evaporation and facilitating increased tropical cyclone (TC) activity and rainfall. While there may be fewer cyclones overall, the storms that do form are expected to be more intense, with a higher likelihood of Category 4 or 5 storms. Changes in atmospheric stability and the concentration of energy in a few large storms contribute to this intensification.
Experts highlight the role of the barrier layer, a layer between the top and bottom layers of the ocean, in cyclone behavior. As Ocean Heat Content strengthens, heat penetration to the ocean's bottom layer decreases. Cyclones tend to track where the Ocean Heat Content is higher, and recent observations indicate that cyclones can maintain their strength even when near the coast. This poses a serious threat to the coastal areas of India.
To better understand and predict cyclone behavior, scientists emphasize the importance of incorporating the thermal structure of the upper ocean, rather than relying solely on sea surface temperature (SST), which represents only the skin layer of the ocean. Ocean Heat Content acts as a critical predictor for cyclones, affecting their life cycle, pressure drop, track change, intensity, and storm surge height. Therefore, it is necessary to develop improved parameterization of SST that accounts for Ocean Heat Content, ultimately enhancing cyclone modeling and forecasting accuracy.
In conclusion, the formation and intensification of cyclonic storms like Cyclone Mocha are intrinsically linked to climate change. Rising global temperatures and increasing Ocean Heat Content contribute to the intensification of cyclones in the Indian Ocean region. As climate change continues, the need for robust modeling techniques and accurate forecasting becomes crucial in mitigating the impacts of these severe weather events on vulnerable coastal communities.
Disclaimer: The article is based on information provided by Climate Trends, a research-based consulting and capacity building initiative specializing in environment, climate change, and sustainable development.


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There are several disadvantages of plastic straws:
Environmental impacts: Plastic straws are made from non-biodegradable plastic, meaning they take thousands of years to decompose. This can lead to environmental and ocean pollution, with plastic straws posing a threat to marine wildlife.
Waste: Plastic straws are often thrown away after one use, resulting in a huge amount of waste.
Health: Plastic straws can release chemicals that can be harmful to health. For example, certain types of plastic, such as polystyrene, contain substances that can cause cancer.
Alternatives: More sustainable alternatives are available, such as paper, bamboo or metal straws, which are easier to recycle after use.
It is important to remember that plastic straws are a significant environmental problem and it is wise to consider alternatives that are better for the environment. By avoiding plastic straws and using alternatives, you can make a positive difference to the environment and the oceans.


ASFA Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts
Connect to: ASFA Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts
The ASFA series is a premier reference in the field of aquatic resources. Input to ASFA is provided by a growing international network of information centers monitoring over 5,000 serial publications, books, reports, conference proceedings, translations and limited distribution literature. ASFA is a component of the Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Information System (ASFIS), formed by four United Nations agency sponsors of ASFA and two international partners.


The objective of the project MAGIATIKO is the improvement of broodstock management of greater amberjack (Seriola dumerili) and the production of high quality fingerlings in order to enable the industrial production of the species by the Greek aquaculture industry. There is tremendous interest for this species by the European and Greek sector, as this species has a large body and exhibits very high growth rates. Greater amberjack reaches 3 kg at 2 years and 5 kg at 3 years of age. The proposal MAGIATIKO plans to build on the knowledge acquired by the European project DIVERSIFY (FP7, www.diversifyfish.eu), which is coordinated by the Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture (IMBBC) of the Hellenic Center for Marine Research (HCMR). One of the main goals of this 5-year project was the study of the reproductive biology of the greater amberjack in nature, the recognition of reproductive dysfunctions in captivity and the development of methods to control reproduction, and the development of larval rearing and fingerling production protocols. In the framework of the DIVERSIFY project, IMBBC developed methods for reliable reproduction and egg production in captivity by greater amberjack broodstocks held at commercial aquaculture facilities.
During the implementation of the project MAGIATIKO, the reproduction and larval rearing methods that have been developed so far will be optimized. Work package 1. Broodstock management and reproduction includes a series of studies aimed not only at providing the Greek aquaclture industry with constant production of eggs for larval rearing. Now the objective is to be able to controll (a) by which individual breeders the fertilized eggs are produced, so that breeding programmes can be implemented, (b) at which time period during the reproductive season the highest quality eggs are produced and (c) the nutritional quality of the eggs through the production of a specific broodstock diet. Work package 2. Larval rearing and fingerling productionwill optimize the developed larval rearing protocols and will make them more productive, through the collaboration with recognized academic institutions of Greece. MAGIATIKO will use the most modern rearing methods (with copepods and probiotics) and larval rearing evaluation assessments (histology of organs involved in the detection, capture and process of feed, microbiograms of the digestive tract and skeletal deformities assessment) in order to develop an industrial protocol that will produce fingerlings of the highest quality for rearing in sea cages by the Greek industry.
With the completion of the project MAGIATIKO the Greek aquaculture industry will have at its disposal the necessary methods for (a) broodstock management and reproduction control and (b) larval rearing and production of the highest quality greater amberjack fingerlings. Greater amberjack production will diversify the production of the Greek industry, not only as far as the species is concerned, but also in regards to the products. The large size of the greater amberjack enables a more efficient processing of the fish flesh and the production of value added products, which are more accessible to the consumer of the main European markets, where the Greek industry aims.
You can find more information at https://magiatiko.weebly.com/


9-year-old Molly Sampson has a passion for fossil hunting. Her hobby recently led her to make a rare discovery on the shores of Maryland, where she found a tooth belonging to the megalodon, a shark species that lived millions of years ago. The fossil’s size surprised experts, and it’s just one of the several similar specimens that the young archaeology enthusiast has in her collection.
Molly and her 17-year-old sister Natalie share a love for fossil hunting, with Molly expressing her desire to become a paleontologist in the future. Last year, for Christmas, the sisters requested waders to better pursue their hobby.
On Christmas morning, the sisters and their father went to Calvert Cliffs Park to search for fossils, and it was there that Molly made her discovery. She found a fossilized tooth that was larger than her hand. As with previous finds, the family took the specimen to the Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons for further examination. Paleontologist Stephen Godfrey, who has been evaluating the fossils found by the girls for years, was impressed by Molly’s latest discovery. He confirmed that the tooth belonged to the megalodon, a prehistoric shark that lived around 15 million years ago and measured 13-15 meters in length.
The megalodon, or Otodus megalodon or Carcharocles megalodon, was a species of shark that lived between 23 and 3 million years ago. It was the largest known predatory fish and existed in all oceans except those surrounding Antarctica. According to scientists, megalodons could reach up to 16 meters in length and weigh up to 60 tons.
“Teeth of this size are really rare,” said Godfrey, who added that while megalodon teeth are found regularly along Calvert Cliffs, ones of this size are truly rare. The discovery is a testament to Molly’s passion and dedication to fossil hunting at such a young age. It’s clear that her hobby has led to not just personal joy and satisfaction but also valuable contributions to the field of paleontology.


rap #154 08/04/10
FREEHOLDER VICARI TO HOST DEP SUMMERTIME COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM TO DISCUSS WATER QUALITY
WATER QUALITY will be front and center when state Department of Environmental Protection officials visit Ocean County for a summertime community
outreach on August 19.
"I've invited the DEP here to discuss matters that are important to Ocean County residents," said Freeholder Joseph H. Vicari, who is hosting
the event. "First and foremost is water quality."
Both ocean water and the Barnegat Bay Watershed top the agenda, Vicari said.
Vicari said the meeting developed from conversations he had with DEP Commissioner Bob Martin earlier this summer about the possible impact of
the gulf oil spill on the East Coast.
"We know now we will not be affected by the BP spill, but this disaster has reminded all of us how very fragile our coastlines are," Vicari
Disaster prevention and response along with ongoing issues such as storm water runoff, shore development and the permitting process are all
expected to be addressed.
The public outreach runs from 6 pm to 8 pm in the Ocean County Administration Building, 101 Hooper Avenue in Toms River.
All Ocean County mayors along with business leaders and local environmentalists have been invited. The forum is also open to the public.
"We encourage any Ocean County residents with a concern about the ocean or the Barnegat Bay to attend," Vicari said.


Dive into the curiosities of our vast oceans, captured in stunning detail by photographers.
Alex Dawson of Sweden swam away with the top honor at the 2024 Underwater Photographer of the Year competition for an eerie image titled “Whale Bones.” Photographers from around the world submitted 6,500 underwater photographs, but it was Dawson’s captivating image that won over the judges.
“Whale Bones was photographed in the toughest conditions,” noted Alex Mustard, chair of judging panel. “As a breath-hold diver descends below the Greenland ice sheet to bear witness to the carcasses. The composition invites us to consider our impact on the great creatures of this planet.”
Other notable images from this year’s contest include a shark showing off its toothy grin, a spectacular lionfish out for a swim, and a whale opening its mouth wide for a sardine snack.
“Whale Bones” In eastern Greenland the local hunters bring their catch and share it among each other. From a stable population of over 100,000 minke whales in the North Atlantic the hunters of Tasiilaq typically take less than a dozen. The whale is pulled up on the beach during high tide and many families gather to cut the skin, blubber and the meat off at low tide. Almost all the whale is consumed, however the skeleton is pulled back into the sea by the next high tide and the remains can be found in shallow waters where various marine invertebrates and fish pick the bones clean. Photo: © Alex Dawson/UPY 2024
“Twilight smile” In 2011, the Bahamas declared its waters a “shark sanctuary”. Off the island of Grand Bahama, I witnessed several unforgettable encounters. At dusk, several dozen lemon sharks rise from the depths and surround the dive boat. Perched on the swim-step with my body half-submerged, I set out to take split shots. On this day the sea was rough, it was almost dark, and the sharks were lively and very curious, not hesitating to come into contact with my housing! In these light conditions, I replaced my strobes with 2 headlamps to ensure continuous light. I used the burst mode coupled with a fast shutter speed to better freeze the movement. With a lot of patience and luck, I was able to capture some very close-up shots, and highlight the magnificent colours of the sunset. A striking face-to-face encounter! Photo: ©Rodolphe Guignard/UPY 2024
“Bottled Blenny” Butterfly blennies naturally choose abandoned whelk shells as their home but it seems they can get creative. On the seabed of the river Fal, amongst beautiful pink maerl, many have chosen to use discarded glass bottles as a shelter. Waste not want not. Photo: ©Kirsty Andrews/UPY 2024
“Aquatic Primate” During fieldwork at Phi Phi Islands, Thailand, spanning several weeks, I focused my efforts on documenting the behaviour of the crab-eating macaques, in particularly their water forages. The macaques have adapted very well to living around the sea and will venture into the water for various reasons including transportation, scavenging, cooling down and playing. Highly efficient swimmers, they can dive for up to half a minute and can cover short distances faster than most humans. This photo offers a rare glimpse of the swimming movement of a male macaque. Photo: ©Suliman Alatiqi/UPY 2024
“Octopus Attack” This shot was taken in Lembeh. The coconut octopus was sitting in a small hollow in the sand. In the background there is a shell where another coconut octopus was living. After I took some pictures, the octopus started to touch my lens. So, I was able to get this shoot with the important focus on the eye. Photo: ©Enrico Somogyi/UPY 2024
“Attack from Above” Even more surprising than encountering a bird underwater is having the bird try to attack your camera while hunting for small fish in the kelp forest! Last summer at a popular Monterey dive site, the cormorants seemed to be more active and curious than usual. Knowing this, I planned a dive on a sunny afternoon hoping to catch a cormorant beneath the kelp forest pierced by the afternoon sun. I had numerous cormorants approach me, peck at my head and tank, follow me around, and try to eat my camera. This one paused for a moment, perhaps after the seeing its self-reflection in my dome port, allowing me to capture a head on portrait. Countless species including these cormorants depend on healthy kelp forests to thrive. Unfortunately, local kelp forests have declined by over 80% in size in the last decade due to warmer waters and unchecked predation by urchins. Photo: ©Jon Anderson/UPY 2024
“Lion’s Lair” Raja Ampat, Indonesia is a destination that finds its way to the top of many divers’ bucket lists, and for good reason. The incredible diversity and density of marine life in this region can often verge on sensory overload as you swim and scan the reefscape trying to compose an image in the camera’s viewfinder. My goal on my first visit to this magical destination was to create a photograph that captured the explosion of life, colour and texture that comes to mind when thinking about the “Classic Raja Ampat” marine environment. This lionfish nestled up to a black crinoid feather star and framed by hundreds of tiny glass fish caught my attention and became a favourite image from the year of shooting. A fisheye lens and mini dome allowed me to approach within inches of the subject, filling the frame with the scene. Photo: ©Bryan H. Blauvelt/UPY 2024
“Encircled” Summer 2023 brought the usual small groups of baby barracudas to each coral pinnacle on the house reef at Marsa Shagra, but for the first time in the 11 years I have lived there, they all gradually came together as one giant bait ball in the entrance of the bay, giving divers no choice but to pass through them at the start and end of their dive. Snorkelers spent hours every day floating above them, mesmerised by their movements. One particularly clear and quiet morning, I was able to witness and photograph this free diver as she played amongst them, influencing their formation for as long as her breath would last. As autumn passed, the juveniles grew and the bait ball attracted hunters such as snappers, jacks and bigger barracudas who feasted for several months, and by winter it was if it had never existed. Photo: ©Sarah O’Gorman/UPY 2024
“Mouth To Mouth” This is a photo of two female Zoarchias major eelpouts in a fight. During the breeding season, in order to fight for a suitable spawning nest, not only the males will fight each other, but also the females, and inexplicably, even the males and females will sometimes fight each other. Usually, they can only be found in very few places of southern Japan. I thought long and hard before shooting, how to perfectly present their two biggest characteristics in the shot: their unique spotted pattern inside the mouth and that the mouth that can open up to 180 degrees! My choice was to shoot the fight in its most intense moment, using a snooted strobe to create the black background. I’m very honoured to share this charming moment. Photo: ©JingGong Zhang/UPY 2024
“Chieftain Tanks” Together with an amazing group of photographers I had the honor to be invited to compete in the 1st Aqaba underwater photo competition in Jordan, where a highlight is the underwater military museum. An unusual sight of war machines sunk in 15 to 28 meters of water and stationed along the reefs in tactical battle formation. I wanted to capture the symmetry of the Chieftain Tanks and strong presence of their 120mm guns, but the position where I could shoot that image with my fish-eye lens was occupied by a military ambulance. Therefore, I experimented with a 6 shot panorama from a point between the guns, which allowed me to recreate the virtual position further back, and achieve and elegant symmetry of the tanks, supported by the central focal point of my dive buddy in the back. Photo: ©Martin Broen/UPY 2024


ZubinB | 84 points
World-renowned naturalist Sir David Attenborough returns to present this landmark seven-part series about our planet’s oceans. Blue Planet II explores the latest frontiers of scientific discovery, from icy-white polar seas to vibrant blues of the coral atolls, from the storm-tossed green Atlantic coastline to the black depths of the alien deep.
S01E01 One Ocean
In recent years, our knowledge of life beneath the waves has been transformed. Using cutting-edge technology, One Ocean takes us on a journey from the intense heat of the tropics to our planet's frozen poles to reveal new worlds and extraordinary never-before-seen animal behaviours.
Starting in the tropical coral reefs - the most diverse ocean habitat - a baby dolphin is taught the secrets of a coral reef, as its family rubs against a particular gorgonian which may have medicinal properties. On another reef, a tusk fish demonstrates a surprising level of ingenuity - tool use - as it uses corals as an anvil to break open clams. In the Seychelles, half a million terns nest on an island. Fledglings must eventually take to the wing, but danger lurks beneath the waves - metre-long giant trevally fish leap clear out of the water to snatch the birds.
The tropical oceans drive our planet's weather. Sun heats the sea, creating rain, winds and huge storms that drive up towards higher latitudes. Here, unlike the tropics, the seas change with the seasons. In spring thousands of mobula rays gather in Mexico's Sea of Cortez. At night, in a previously unseen event, tiny organisms that light up when disturbed react to their wingbeats, creating an enchanting bioluminescent firework display.
Phytoplankton produce as much oxygen as all the plants on land and lie at the base of marine food chains everywhere. Where the plankton thrive, fish thrive too, and ocean travellers will migrate thousands of miles to take advantage of these productive seas. Predatory false killer whales off the coast of New Zealand are in search of dolphins. But when they find them, the whales team up with the dolphins to form super-pods - a formidable army to take advantage of the bounty of these seasonal seas.
In temperate seas around the globe, spring brings greening oceans. In Japan, a kelp-covered shipwreck is home to the Asian sheepshead wrasse, or Kobudai. At the start of summer a male mates with the females. But when a female reaches both a critical body size and age, it can undergo an extraordinary metamorphosis. Females change gender, and a new male challenges an older male to a face-off.
Toward our planet's poles, the ocean's surface is locked in ice. But in the Arctic, a warm current from the south keeps some Norwegian fjords ice-free all year round. Here, in winter, pods of orcas use dramatic tail slaps to stun herring, and humpback whales follow the noises to find the feast.
Ocean currents move heat around our planet and maintain a climate favourable for life. But our ocean system, in relative equilibrium for millennia, is changing at a worrying rate. Deep in the polar north, we meet walrus mothers and their newborn calves, searching for an ice floe to rest on. But with rising temperatures, summer sea ice is retreating - their battles to survive are becoming ever harder. As we begin to understand the true complexity of the lives of our ocean creatures, so do we recognise the fragility of their home.


Only one out of ten of the expected bright-red sockeye salmon showed up at Canada’s Fraser River to spawn this summer. Some marine biologists attribute the deaths to the growing number of commercial fish farms that governments on both sides of border have allowed to open.
More than 10 million sockeye were expected to return to the Fraser, but less than 1 million showed up, according to government fish counters.
So what does this mean to consumers?
Of the five major salmon species sold to shoppers and restaurants, fish mongers tell me that most people seem to prefer the sockeye, which is sometimes called Red salmon because of its mild flavor and deep red color.
Sockeye almost always sells for less than the top-of-the-eating-line King salmon.
Canadian Broadcasting reported today that major fish sellers have just about run out of fresh sockeye. But I checked with the Wild Salmon Seafood Market at Seattle’s Fisherman’s Terminal, and they say they can get all the sockeye they need “so far.”
Stan Proboszcz, a fish biologist with “Watershed Watch Salmon Society” told me today that the cause of the sockeye kill-off might be attributed to a marine parasite.
Other environmental activists and some academics agree that the 90 percent drop in the Fraser’s sockeye population can be blamed mostly on sea lice.
These parasites are found in very high concentrations around the sprawling commercial fish farms of Georgia Strait, which runs 170-miles north from the Strait of Juan de Fuca — which separates the U.S. and Canada – to the northeast coast of Vancouver Island.
Proboszcz explained that the juvenile salmon leaving their fresh water birth site — the Fraser River — for the Pacific, soon run into the sea lice from the floating fish farms. The lice attach themselves to the fish and feed on their blood and skin.
The parasites are not unique to the Pacific Coast.
Fish biologists in Maine and in countries bordering the cold waters of the North Atlantic have reported the same problem, that billions of lice can be generated by a single floating salmon farm.
Proboszcz says that while a few lice on a large salmon may not cause serious damage, just a couple on a juvenile salmon, can be harmful or fatal.
Fisheries and Ocean Canada, which, does little to control the hazards from fish farming, has the same conflict of interest that face U.S. agencies, Proboszcz says.
Both groups are tasked with ensuring the health of wild salmon, but also with promoting more commercial aquaculture.
Other causes including over-fishing or an increase in water temperature may add to the sockeye’s demise, the experts say.
Both the B.C. and Washington State governments have approved the construction of more fish farms so the parasite problem, and other harmful spin–offs of the industry, may become worse.
Here is a link to a six-minute bit of animation that can illustrate the hazards faced by spawning fish.


On November 8, the government and treasury of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands issued a new coin in their popular “Marine Life” series. The latest coin features the pilot whale—or, to use their scientific name, Globicephala. These majestic sea mammals are large, robust animals with a bulbous head and no discernible beak. Though they are referred to as whales, they are actually members of the dolphin family, and are second only to the killer whale in size. Pilot whales are mostly dark gray, brown, or black, but have some light areas such as a grey saddle patch behind the dorsal fin. Other light areas are an anchor-shaped patch under the chin, a faint blaze marking behind the eye, a large marking on the belly, and a genital patch. These intelligent marine mammals form extremely cohesive social bonds, and the stranding of several hundred pilot whales at one time is not uncommon as pod members will often stick close together and protect the matriarch of the group. The pilot whale received its name due to a belief that the pod always follows a single leader, which, although not scientifically proven, is commonly believed to be the reason for these tragic mass strandings. The pilot whale can dive as deep as 500 meters when hunting for food, and has a diet consisting primarily of squid, along with fish, octopus, and crustaceans such as shrimp.
Pilot whales have one of the longest birth intervals for this species, calving once every three to five years. Most matings and calvings occur during the summer for long-finned pilot whales. For short-finned pilot whales of the Southern Hemisphere, births are at their highest in spring and autumn, while in Northern Hemisphere, the time in which calving peaks can vary by population.
Population figures for pilot whales are unknown, and even though they are depleted in some areas, pilot whales are not considered to be endangered. There are likely to be almost a million long-finned pilot whales and at least 200,000 short-finned pilot whales worldwide. Between the two species, pilot whales range in waters nearly worldwide, with long-finned pilot whales living in cold waters and short-finned pilot whales living in tropical and subtropical waters.
The 2017-dated crown coin is produced by the Pobjoy Mint, U.K., on behalf of the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands Treasury. The reverse design includes a pilot whale in the foreground in the Antarctic waters with the head of a second whale appearing above the water. The top of a third whale can be seen just above the waterline in the background.
The obverse of each coin features the new effigy design of HM Queen Elizabeth II that is an exclusive Pobjoy Mint design.
|£2||Cupro-nickel||28.2 g||38.6 mm||BU||Unlimited|
|£2||.925 silver||28.2 g||38.6 mm||Proof||10,000|
The coin is available in Brilliant Uncirculated cupro-nickel and Proof sterling silver. The cupro-nickel coin is shipped in a blue protective presentation pouch. The Proof silver coin is shipped encapsulated in an acrylic capsule for protection and housed in a custom red box with a certificate of authenticity. For more information on this and other coins issued by the government and treasury of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, please visit the website of the Pobjoy Mint. International sales dispatched where applicable.


A lagoon is a shallow water body separated from a larger water body by Islands or reefs or shallow ridge. Chilika lake is the largest brackish water lagoon in India and is also the estuary of River Daya draining into the Bay of Bengal. A 32 km long channel forms the mouth of the river joining the sea. This estuarine region is a unique combination of freshwater, brackish water and marine ecosystems. The wetland ecosystem of Chilika is the first Indian wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.


After many unsuccessful “whale watching” trips on both the East and West Coasts (and Hawaii!) over a period of many years, I finally got to see a whale in the ocean. Yes! Not only did I see one. I saw dozens. Off the coast of Monterey, CA. It was The. Best. Day. Ever. Thanks to the Monterey Bay Whale Watch.
My husband Mike and I boarded the Sea Wolf II, a 70′ twin-engined workhorse of a boat that sported an almost all-female crew (save for one deckhand). I mention the gender thing since on our last ocean foray — a sail on the Floridays — the crew was all-female and we had the best sail ever; my spirits and hopes lifted that the women would somehow attract the whales. Stupid thought, but true. Anyway. Off we went, cruising past a spotted harbor seal, a sea otter on its back munching on something and a whole
herd swarm of sea lions (man do they stink). We cruised for miles. The sun was shining, and Mike and I were in shirtsleeves, enjoying the ride. And then?
The crew saw spouts! And from the size of them, they figured humpback whales were right ahead of the boat. As we drew closer Mike and I stood at the railing, anxious to get a peek. I didn’t really know what to expect since I’d never seen a whale in the wild before. That first spout I saw? I was like a little kid. I clapped my hands in delight.
Suddenly, we were surrounded by whales … and sea lions. According to our captain, the fish and krill the whales feed on were in a thick layer in the area we were motoring over. We looked out, saw the hundreds of sea lions bobbing and swimming, then like a ballet, the sea lions parted. And a whale would appear! It happened over and over again. The whales flipped their tails. They bounced up and out of the water then flopped back. They swam in twos and threes. Together. They were having a wonderful time. And so was I. Photo after photo. I never tired of watching them.
By that time we had motored pretty far out and the wind kicked the ocean swells higher. Mike and I pulled on jackets and continued to enjoy our time on the ocean. The Monterey Bay is huge. And it has like a one-mile deep underwater canyon almost cutting it in half. We learned that’s why we saw such a variety of marine life: the canyon attracts all sizes and varieties of fish to its edges and depths. Did I mention the orange-hatted jellyfish?
One of the crew saw larger spouts off in the distance, perhaps a mile or more away. They were pretty sure the spouts were large enough for them to be blue whales, which they had seen on an earlier tip. We took off in the direction. I had my fingers, now safely tucked away in gloves, crossed. I mean, who wouldn’t want to see the largest animal in the world? In its own habitat. The water got rougher the further out of Monterey Bay we travelled. I was thankful that Mike and I are good sailors.; some other folks on the boat weren’t as fortunate.
Before too long we were in the midst of blue whales. To say they are huge is an understatement. They look like submarines when they surface. And the naturalist on board said that the huge portion of the whale that we saw is really only a small portion of it! The blue whales surrounding us dwarfed our 70′ boat; blues can be 90+’ long! And they are so graceful. They spouted. They flipped their tails. One even rolled so it looked like it was waving.
The trip was magical. We left at 2 pm and didn’t return to dock — all bundled up by then — until after 6 pm. The captain and crew were so knowledgable. And careful to keep us a safe distance from the animals. Even so, a couple of humpbacks and blues we saw were curious enough to approach our boat. Like I said: Magical.
Have you ever seen whales in the ocean? What kind?


Dive into a Kaleidoscope of Marine Marvels
Unveil the captivating underwater realm of the Maldives through the art of snorkeling at White Sand Inn. Immerse yourself in a world of vibrant colors, fascinating marine life, and breathtaking coral formations, as you embark on a snorkeling adventure that promises to be both invigorating and mesmerizing.
The Snorkeling Adventure:
Snorkeling is a gateway to the wonders that lie beneath the surface of the Indian Ocean. Our pristine location on Mamigili Island offers convenient access to some of the most spectacular snorkeling sites in the region. Whether you're a seasoned snorkeler or new to the experience, our team is dedicated to ensuring your journey is safe, educational, and unforgettable.
What to Expect:
Gear and Guidance: We provide top-quality snorkeling gear, including masks, fins, and snorkels. Our expert guides will offer a brief introduction to snorkeling techniques and safety protocols, ensuring you're comfortable and confident before you set out.
Colorful Coral Gardens: Explore a world of living art as you glide over stunning coral gardens. Marvel at the intricate formations of hard and soft corals, each teeming with a kaleidoscope of hues and life. The corals provide shelter and sustenance to a variety of marine creatures, creating a vibrant ecosystem.
Exotic Marine Life: The Maldives is a haven for marine biodiversity, and snorkeling is your ticket to witness this splendor up close. Encounter a symphony of fish, from vibrant parrotfish and clownfish to majestic lionfish and elegant angelfish. Keep an eye out for graceful rays, curious turtles, and the occasional playful dolphin.
Easy Access: Many of the best snorkeling spots are just a short distance from the shore, making it convenient for snorkelers of all ages and skill levels to partake in this captivating activity.
Tips for an Enriching Snorkeling Experience:
Buoyancy Control: Practice controlled floating to conserve energy and avoid disturbing the marine environment.
Respectful Observance: Keep a respectful distance from marine life and corals to avoid causing harm.
Breathing Techniques: Focus on slow, steady breathing through the snorkel to enhance comfort and relaxation.
Guided Snorkeling Tours:
For those seeking expert guidance, our guided snorkeling tours offer the chance to explore the best spots alongside knowledgeable marine guides. They'll share insights about the marine ecosystem, point out fascinating creatures, and ensure your safety at all times.
Booking Your Snorkeling Adventure:
To embark on your snorkeling exploration, simply contact our dedicated team who will assist you in arranging the perfect snorkeling experience. Whether you're seeking solo serenity or a family adventure, snorkeling at White Sand Inn promises an enchanting journey into the heart of the Maldives' underwater treasures.
Dive into an extraordinary world where the ocean's beauty and biodiversity are laid bare before your eyes. Your snorkeling experience at White Sand Inn will be an unforgettable chapter of your Maldivian getaway, filled with wonder, discovery, and a profound connection to the natural world.


Ian Sample, for The Guardian:
The infrared maps show that water near the Martian ice caps is enriched with deuterium. The high concentration means that Mars must have lost a vast amount of water in the past, equivalent to more than six times that now locked up in the planet’s frozen ice caps.
The scientists calculate that the amount of water was enough to create a global ocean that covered the entire surface of Mars to a depth of 137m. But Mars was probably never completely submerged. Based on the Martian terrain today, the scientists believe the water pooled into a much deeper ocean in the low-lying northern plains, creating an ocean that covered nearly a fifth of the planet’s surface. The Atlantic, by comparison, covers about 17% of Earth’s surface.


Day 31; February 22, 2009; Southern Ocean, Antarctic Circle
Average Daily Temperature: 33.88˚ F
Average Daily Wind Speed: 10.82 mph
Feels Like: 17.65˚ F
One doesn’t forget the first glimpse of an albatross. With wingspans up to ten feet, they are stunning in flight—ever graceful in the thick ocean wind. Albatross are known for their gliding, and hardly need flap their wings. By using the updraft of the wind off the ocean’s surface and the shape of their long elegant wings they can glide endlessly. I was quite fortunate to see five species today: the majestic wandering albatross, the sooty albatross, the light-mantled sooty albatross, the black-browed albatross and the grey-hooded albatross.
Sitting on up on the monkey deck with birder Dennis Weir, I learned a great many things about the albatross, as well as the many other birds that were emerging as we traversed the latitudes northward. It is quite amazing, these birds that live out here in the middle of the ocean, with only the restless sea to land on! Albatross can go periods of years wandering the sea before returning to the South Atlantic islands where they were born in order to mate.
Several times through the day we also saw Humpback Whales, sometimes in pairs, sometimes in pods, and often near the lone icebergs that still persisted along the horizon. I was thrilled to witness one in the distance leap completely out of the water, and caught glimpses of others waving their fins or tails above the water. These graceful marine mammals had migrated here with their young for the austral summer.
Although we are now far from their origin, the ice shelf, the icebergs endure the distance. The gray and misty day displayed their ghost-like silhouettes along the horizon. Their forms emerged and dissipated as if memories, yet in their fortitude they persevered despite the warming waters that now surround them. I cannot help but wonder at the their fate, and at the fate of Antarctica itself, as well as the Arctic, as ocean waters in general continue to increase in temperature and as Earth’s climate changes. How can we reconcile the loss of these lands and their unique phenomena? How can we bear their possible extinction by what may be our own hand? Can we make the changes necessary to save these environments, these pieces of our natural heritage?
Just after noon, we crossed latitude 66 degrees and 29 minutes, and I left the Antarctic Circle behind. I have spent 26 days in Antarctica, 22 on the continent and four in the Antarctic Ocean. I have been opened to a world that I will not soon relinquish to memory, wanting to carry this experience afresh with me in every moment until I go back. This journey has strengthened my intent with my project, and impassioned me with the courage to accomplish it.


本書は、海洋の極端な高波（freak wave/rogue wave）に関する理解の現状、異論、予測、およびそれらの工学的応用についてとりまとめたものである。若い海洋物理学者や、海洋構造物や海運に対するエンジニアを対象とした包括的な内容となっている。
Science and Engineering of Freak Waves provides a holistic and interdisciplinary view of extreme ocean waves for both scientific and engineering applications. Readers will learn the fundamental theory of extreme waves and the implications they have on coastal structures and methods of prediction through chapters that review the definitions of extreme waves, their history and other important observations. After this, the book's authors describe the theory and modeling of extreme waves that occur in various situations. Final sections provide examples of the application of extreme wave research results to various engineering designs are presented.
This book provides a comprehensive overview of the current status of our understandings on freak/rogue waves, the science of extreme waves, prediction, and their engineering applications. As such, it is a must read for physical oceanographers looking for a better understanding of prediction models and the history of these waves, and engineers looking for more information on preparedness and implications for offshore structures and shipping.


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There is no doubt that Antalya is the most beautiful place in the worldMustafa Kemal ATATÜRK
Antalya Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Muhittin Böcek visited the Marine and Coastal Management Branch Directorate, which started its activities about a year ago, within the scope of 1 July Maritime and Cabotage Day. Mayor Böcek launched Antalya's first sea Sea vacuum cleaner into the Mediterranean.
As part of the July 1st Maritime and Cabotage Day, Antalya Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Muhittin Böcek visited the Marine and Coastal Management Branch Directorate, which was established about a year ago. Deputy Governor and Border Civil Chief Suat Seyidoğlu, Coast Guard Antalya Group Commander Lieutenant Colonel Dr. Murat Sezgin, Coast Guard School Commander Colonel Engin Kuntay, Chamber of Maritime Commerce Antalya Branch President Ahmet Çetin, Antalya Regional Port President Mustafa Yılmaz and Qport General Manager Özgür Sert also attended.
We Own the Sea
We continue to defend our sea and nature in Antalya, working with all institutions and organizations, Mayor Böcek stated, pointing out that the Marine and Coastal Management Branch Directorate has carried out significant effort to maintain the seas clean. We take all essential measures to protect the environment and our medical procedures. Antalya, this is our land. We own the seas. And once again, congratulations on this lovely day.
Metropolitan Will Watch Sea Conditions
Following Mayor Böcek's speech, the director of the Marine and Coastal Management Branch, engineer Kemal Özgün, shared information on the works of the directorate. The "Electronic Ship Inspection System," which is now at the tender stage of the Metropolitan Municipality, was mentioned by Özgün when explaining the measures being made to reduce marine pollution.
The Sea Will Become Safe
The cameras in question, according to Özgün, can even see the fuel pipeline under the sea, therefore this is how we will protect our city from sea pollution. This method will assist us in resolving maritime pollution and accidents. The AIS image and radar image will be superimposed, and artificial intelligence will alert us about marine pollution. With the thermal camera image, when a ship releases water at various temperatures into the sea, we will be able to see it in different color tones. If a ship releases wastewater into the sea, it will be sufficient for us to take administrative action with these images.
Sea Vacuum Cleaner Launched into the Mediterranean
Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Muhittin Böcek also attended the ceremony of launching Antalya's first sea vacuum cleaner, which was commissioned by the Metropolitan Municipality on the Cabotage Festival. Mayor Böcek, was lowered the sea vacuum cleaner named ABB Mavi 07, belonging to the Metropolitan Municipality Marine and Coastal Management Branch Directorate into the Mediterranean from the Fisherman's Shelter with assistance of a crane crane.
Together with our environmental friends, sailors, all institutions and organizations, chamber presidents, non-governmental organizations, and colleagues, we will keep watching Antalya to preserve our seas.We wish to meet in clean seas on healthy and beautiful days," he said.
The sea vacuum cleaner named ABB Mavi 07, was purchased by the Metropolitan Municipality as part of the fight against marine litter. It will collect the physical garbage on the sea surface. Benefiting from solar energy, the sea vacuum cleaner can mow underwater algae and collect pollen, mucilage and petroleum-derived waste.
Alanya, Türkiye'nin Akdeniz Bölgesi'deki Antalya iline bağlı bir turizm ilçesidir. Şehir merkezine uzaklığı 154 kilometredir. Türkiye'nin güney sahillerinde bulunan Alanya, 1.598,51 km²'lik bir alana sahiptir ve 2015'te nüfusu 291.643 kişidir.


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RJT Klein, RJ Nicholls, S Ragoonaden, M Capobianco, J Aston, ...
Journal of Coastal Research, 531-543, 2001
|Variability of shore and shoreline evolution|
MJF Stive, SGJ Aarninkhof, L Hamm, H Hanson, M Larson, KM Wijnberg, ...
Coastal engineering 47 (2), 211-235, 2002
|A summary of European experience with shore nourishment|
L Hamm, M Capobianco, HH Dette, A Lechuga, R Spanhoff, MJF Stive
Coastal engineering 47 (2), 237-264, 2002
|The coastal-tract (part 1): a conceptual approach to aggregated modeling of low-order coastal change|
PJ Cowell, MJF Stive, AW Niedoroda, HJ de Vriend, DJP Swift, ...
Journal of Coastal Research, 812-827, 2003
|Modelling of coastal evolution on yearly to decadal time scales|
H Hanson, S Aarninkhof, M Capobianco, JA Jimenez, M Larson, ...
Journal of Coastal Research, 790-811, 2003
|6G white paper on machine learning in wireless communication networks|
S Ali, W Saad, N Rajatheva, K Chang, D Steinbach, B Sliwa, C Wietfeld, ...
arXiv preprint arXiv:2004.13875, 2020
|Analysis and modeling of field data on coastal morphological evolution over yearly and decadal time scales. Part 1: Background and linear techniques|
M Larson, M Capobianco, H Jansen, G Rózyński, HN Southgate, M Stive, ...
Journal of Coastal Research, 760-775, 2003
|Coastal area impact and vulnerability assessment: the point of view of a morphodynamic modeller|
M Capobianco, HJ DeVriend, RJ Nicholls, MJE Stive
Journal of Coastal Research, 701-716, 1999
|Shoreline evolution of the Holland coast on a decadal scale|
J Guillén, MJF Stive, M Capobianco
Earth Surface Processes and Landforms: The Journal of the British …, 1999
|Nourishment design and evaluation: applicability of model concepts|
M Capobianco, H Hanson, M Larson, H Steetzel, MJF Stive, Y Chatelus, ...
Coastal Engineering 47 (2), 113-135, 2002
|Relationship between beach profiles and waves at Duck, North Carolina, determined by canonical correlation analysis|
M Larson, M Capobianco, H Hanson
Marine geology 163 (1-4), 275-288, 2000
|6G white paper on edge intelligence|
E Peltonen, M Bennis, M Capobianco, M Debbah, A Ding, F Gil-Castiñeira, ...
arXiv preprint arXiv:2004.14850, 2020
|Analysis of field data of coastal morphological evolution over yearly and decadal timescales. Part 2: Non-linear techniques|
HN Southgate, KM Wijnberg, M Larson, M Capobianco, H Jansen
Journal of Coastal Research, 776-789, 2003
|Depth of closure: A contribution to the reconciliation of theory, practice, and evidence|
M Capobianco, M Larson, RJ Nicholls, NC Kraus
Coastal Dynamics' 97, 506-515, 1997
|Depth of closure: improving understanding and prediction|
RJ Nicholls, M Larson, M Capobianco, WA Birkemeier
Coastal Engineering Proceedings, 1998
|MAGIC: An integrated approach for diagnostic data management and operator support|
B Köppen-Seliger, T Marcu, M Capobianco, S Gentil, M Albert, S Latzel
IFAC Proceedings Volumes 36 (5), 447-452, 2003
|Shore nourishment and the active zone: a time scale dependent view|
MJF Stive, HJ De Vriend, RJ Nicholls, M Capobianco
Coastal Engineering Proceedings, 1992
|Impacts of sea-level rise on the Ebro Delta: a first approach|
A Sánchez-Arcilla, JA Jiménez, MJF Stive, C Ibanez, N Pratt, JW Day Jr, ...
Ocean & coastal management 30 (2-3), 197-216, 1996


Why Some Bugs Can Stay Under Water For So Long
Posted on August 10, 2008 at 03:38:31 pm
According to Flynn, the rough, waxy surfaces of insects and spiders are water-repellent. In some species, water-repellency is so pronounced that creatures may survive underwater for indefinite periods. This is achieved by an air bubble called a plastron that the insect traps between its body and its hairs, creating an external lung. This lung facilitates oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange with the surrounding water. “The closer together the hairs, the more pressure the bubble can withstand before collapsing,” Flynn says.
Flynn, and his colleagues at MIT in Massachusetts, found these insects cannot survive in deep waters where the pressure results in bubble rupture, nor can they survive in shallow waters where the bubble surface area is too small. “We were surprised by the fact that, in some cases, bugs may be unable to survive in shallow water. But we did discover they can safely dive as deep as 30 metres.”


Pulau Bohey Dulang is a stunning island located in the Celebes Sea, off the coast of Sabah, Malaysia. Part of the Tun Sakaran Marine Park, this picturesque island is renowned for its pristine white sandy beaches, crystal-clear turquoise waters, and breathtaking panoramic views.
Bohey Dulang Island is a popular destination for snorkeling and diving enthusiasts due to its rich marine biodiversity. The surrounding coral reefs are teeming with vibrant marine life, including colorful fish, sea turtles, and various coral species. Snorkelers and divers can explore the underwater wonderland and discover the beauty of the tropical ecosystem.
One of the main attractions of Pulau Bohey Dulang is its distinctive mountain peak, Mount Bohey Dulang. Rising to a height of approximately 353 meters (1,158 feet), the mountain offers panoramic views of the surrounding islands and the sparkling sea. Adventurous travelers can embark on a trek to the summit to witness the breathtaking vista and capture memorable photographs.
The island also provides opportunities for relaxation and sunbathing on its pristine beaches. Visitors can unwind on the soft sands, soak up the tropical sun, and enjoy the tranquil ambiance of this unspoiled paradise.
Access to Pulau Bohey Dulang is typically by boat from nearby islands or the town of Semporna. Due to its protected status as part of the marine park, visitor numbers are regulated to preserve the natural beauty and ecological balance of the island.
Pulau Bohey Dulang offers a serene escape for nature lovers, beach enthusiasts, and adventure seekers. Its stunning landscapes, vibrant underwater world, and mesmerizing views make it a must-visit destination for those exploring the tropical beauty of Sabah, Malaysia.


March 29, 2021 - Mattress Warehouse (mattresswarehouse.com) is excited to announce the addition of the Beautyrest Harmony and Harmony Lux mattresses lines to our stores and online.
Beautyrest has partnered with Seaqual, a community of individuals, organizations, and companies working together to help clean our oceans and raise awareness of the issue of marine litter by transforming ocean plastics into luxurious fabrics.
There are an estimated 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris in the ocean. Around 10,000 marine creatures die every year from plastic entanglement. On top of that, roughly 500 billion single-use plastic bags are used every year. It can take between 20-1,000 years for a plastic bag to break down and can kill numerous marine animals.
Each mattress in the Harmony and Harmony Lux line is made of up to 50 recycled water bottles pulled from the ocean. Plus, the new sustainable fabrics feature the same premium quality, softness, and comfort you expect from Beautyrest.
“This is a win-win,” said Tracy Jones, vice president of marketing at Mattress Warehouse. “Not only do our customers get a comfortable, luxurious mattress, they’re also helping the environment. We are very happy to have these Beautyrest mattresses on our showroom floors.
About Mattress Warehouse – Mattress Warehouse is the No. 1 independently-owned American retailer with stores throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Serving customers for more than 30 years, it is our mission to provide each customer with a relaxed and educational buying process that provides the best overall sleep experience with quality products at the best possible price.
Contact: Tracy Jones, Vice President of Marketing, Mattress Warehouse ♦ 301-682-8504, Ext. 105 ♦ 4949 New Design Road, Frederick, MD 21703


In recent decades there has been a significant increase in snow melt on the Antarctic Peninsula and therefore more ‘wet snow’ containing liquid water. This wet snow is a microbial habitat In our new paper, we show that distance from the sea controls microbial abundance and diversity. Near the coast, rock debris and marine fauna fertilize the snow with nutrients allowing striking algal blooms of red and green to develop, which alter the absorption of visible light in the snowpack. This happens to a lesser extent further inland where there is less fertilization.
A particularly interesting finding is that the absorption of visible light by carotenoid pigments has greatest influence at the surface of the snow pack whereas chlorophyll is most influential beneath the surface. Higher concentrations of dissolved inorganic carbon and carbon dioxde were measured in interstitial air near the coast compared to inland and a close association was found between chlorophyll and dissolved organic carbon. These observations suggest in situ production of carbon that can support more diverse microbial life, including species originating in nearby terrestrial and marine habitats.
These observations will help to predict microbial processes including carbon exchange between snow, atmosphere, ocean and soils occurring in the fastest-warming part of the Antarctic, where snowmelt has already doubled since the mid-twentieth century and is expected to double again by 2050.


Water Street Bookstore will be hosting famed explorer Fabien Cousteau at the Seacoast Science Center in Rye, NH on Saturday, March 9th at 3pm for a talk and signing of his new children’s book, Fabien Cousteau Expeditions: Great White Shark Adventure.
In Great White Shark Adventure, two young explorers join Fabien Cousteau and his team to get up close and personal with great white sharks in this start to a series of graphic adventure novels. Junior explorers Bella and Marcus join famed explorer Fabien Cousteau and his research team as they embark on an ocean journey off the coast of South Africa, where the world’s largest concentrations of great white sharks are found. Their mission is to investigate a sighting of a massive white shark, and tag it so they can track and protect it. Along the way, they’ll encounter whales, seals, dolphins, penguins, and a colorful array of other marine life. They’ll also enter a shark cage and come face to face with these powerful creatures.
Dramatic, graphic illustrations and a compelling story help young readers discover tons of facts about sharks and other marine creatures. Children will also learn the many damaging myths about sharks, why they are so misunderstood, and what is being done to protect them from further exploitation and possible extinction. (Ages 8-12)
Fabien Cousteau is the grandson of famed sea explorer Jacques Cousteau, and a third-generation ocean explorer and filmmaker. He has worked with National Geographic, Discovery, PBS, and CBS to produce ocean exploration documentaries and continues to produce environmentally-oriented content for schools, books, magazines, and newspapers. Learn more about his work at FabienCousteauOLC.org.
All ages. This event is free though registration is required as seating is limited. Due to high demand, there will be an overflow space with a live video feed of the presentation. All attendees will have the chance to participate in the Q&A and meet Fabien, get books signed, and have photos taken. Copies of the book will be for sale at the event. Doors open at 2:30pm. The event will take place at the Seacoast Science Center at 570 Ocean Blvd. in Rye, NH. For more information or to sign up to attend, call Water Street Bookstore at (603) 778-9731 or email us [email protected].


Coastal Lagoons Management Planning
Gosford's four coastal lagoon systems are a significant geographic feature of the Gosford region and are situated on the Central Coast about 50km north of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
These lagoon systems belong to a special class of estuary known as Intermittently Closing and Opening Lakes and Lagoons (ICOLLs). An ICOLL can also be defined as a ‘shallow coastal water body separated from the ocean by a barrier, connected at least intermittently to the ocean by one or more restricted inlets, and usually oriented shore parallel’.
Each Lagoon is subject to a variety of pressures which may threaten existing economic, social and environmental values. The ultimate development of an estuary management plan for the Gosford Region Lagoons is seen as a positive and essential approach to addressing these issues.
The Gosford Coastal Lagoon systems are a highly valued natural resource for both local residents and visitors alike. They support a network of significant ecological communities as well as a diverse range of recreational uses. However, past land-use changes and human activities combined with a growing population are placing increasing pressure on the natural values and ecological health of the lagoons.
In recognition of some past degradation and continuing threats, Gosford City Council (GCC), in partnership with the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water (DECCW), has resolved to prepare a comprehensive coastal zone management plan for the four coastal lagoons.
Coastal Lagoons Management Plan 1995
The Coastal Lagoons Management Plan was adopted by the Council of the City of Gosford on 25 July 1995 (Minute No 815/95) and was formulated by the then Coastal Management, Lagoon Management and Coastal Planning Committee ("CLP Committee") in accordance with the principles of Catchment Management. Additional principles are contained in The Estuary Management Manual and the Floodplain Development Manual. Council prepared this Plan of Management as part of the ongoing management of the coastal lagoons and their catchments.
The Management Plan identified site specific proposals for each lagoon and recommended general management proposals that apply to all lagoons. The major elements of the plan are:
Control of nutrient generation within the catchment.
Filtration of nutrients and pollutants generated in the catchment through natural areas and through constructed areas.
Management of the lagoon entrances.
Management of lagoon water levels for flooding and aesthetics.
Review local stormwater drainage problems.
Management of infrastructure works such as sewerage and drainage to keep discharges of pollutants to a minimum.
Review the capacity of drainage to reduce flooding effects.
Vegetation management in lagoon catchments.
Control of the level and type of development so that nutrients and pollutants are not generated or are prevented from entering the lagoon system.
Further investigation of the ownership and access to lagoon foreshore.
Management of the recreational usage of the lagoon surfaces and surroundings.
Formulation of community awareness and education programs to clearly explain the management plan and the proposals to the public.
Develop programs to monitor the water quality in the lagoons.
Identification and rehabilitation of degraded habitats.
Some elements of the Management Plan were implemented in the short term as they are involved with current policies and practices of the Council or merely need a change in attitude in the way projects or proposals are handled. Other elements of the plan involved creation of local approval policies, development control plans and local environmental plans to provide statutory support. Details for these elements depend on the attitude of the State Government.
Other elements of the Management Plan required more detailed design considerations including costing to be calculated, funding proposals to be worked out both for recurrent funding and for capital works funding.
This 1995 plan is now under review due to the fact that many management options have been completed, the identification of new information has occurred along with changes to legislation and policy.
Coastal Lagoons Processes Study 2010
Following the completion of the Gosford Lagoons Data Compilation Study in April 2008, Council engaged consultants to undertake the Gosford Coastal Lagoons Processes Study. This was the next step in the revision of the existing Coastal Lagoons Management Plan (1995).
The overall aim of the proposed studies is to provide a comprehensive report on the existing physical, chemical and biological condition of the Lagoons and those processes and interactions that influence their condition, both within and external to the study area. Another aim is to identify enhancement, development and management needs to ensure the long-term ecological sustainability of the Lagoons.
The objectives of the Processes Study were:
To identify and document the physical and chemical functioning of the Lagoons as well as related processes (that is, hydrodynamic and sedimentary processes, including tidal behaviour, freshwater inputs, water balance, mixing, exchange with the Tasman Sea, catchment geology and geomorphological characteristics, sediment movement, sedimentation rates, and sediment types and entrance stability) and interactions (e.g. establishment of the water quality parameters (physical, chemical and biological) of importance to the health of the Lagoons, evaluation of mixing and flushing of pollutants, preparation of a nutrient budget), through investigation and data collection and comprehensive analysis (eg modelling).
To identify and document the biological functioning of the Lagoons and related processes covering flora and fauna, species composition and distribution; the productivity and health of the ecosystems; the range and sensitivity of habitats; and rare and endangered species.
To define baseline conditions of the estuarine processes and interactions on which management decisions can be made.
To review the existing and strategic land use activities that may potentially impact upon the management needs of the Lagoons.
To undertake any further data collection or monitoring to aid the subsequent stages of an estuary management study and formulating an estuary management plan for the Lagoons.
The following documents are available for download
Coastal Zone Management Plan for Gosford’s Coastal Lagoons
Council has been successful in gaining $75,000 grant funding under the NSW Governments Estuary Management Program 2010/11for the development of the Lagoons Management Study and Plan.
Community consultation is an essential component of the estuarine management process. A quality Coastal Lagoons Management Plan will depend largely on the knowledge, involvement and support of the local community. Accordingly, community consultation and participation is an integral element of the planning process. Council will be actively seeking community, user group and stakeholder feedback to assist in Plan development.
Gosford City Council has worked with other government bodies, research organizations and the community to develop the draft Gosford Coastal Lagoons Coastal Zone Management Study which will be made available for public review and comment between 1 December 2012 and 1 March 2013.
The draft Study guides Council and the community in the development of a Plan to appropriately manage activities in and around the lagoons, guide conservation and rehabilitation efforts and ensure people understand the importance of the coastal lagoons for the wellbeing of the region. The Study builds upon the extensive scientific research presented in the Coastal Lagoons Estuary Processes Study developed in 2010. It has been developed through discussions with the communities who live, work and play in the coastal lagoon catchments.
Coastal lagoons are dynamic living entities and an important part of the natural environment. These systems support a range of recreational pursuits while also providing habitat for a wide range of animals and plants. However, Gosford’s coastal lagoons are under pressure through changes to human activities and our use of the surrounding land and creeks flowing into them. Improved planning aims to provide a balance between environmental protection and human activities.
Gosford City Council will be hosting a series of community information sessions on:
Wednesday 5 December at Terrigal SLSC from 6pm – 8pm
Wednesday 12 December at Copacabana SLSC from 6pm – 8pm
Wednesday 6 February at Terrigal SLSC from 6pm – 8pm
Wednesday 13 February at Avoca SLSC from 6pm – 8pm
The exhibition period for the draft Gosford Coastal Lagoons Coastal Zone Management Study is from Saturday 1 December 2012 until Friday 1 March 2013.
A copy of the draft Study will be on public exhibition at Erina, Kincumber and Woy Woy Libraries and Council’s administration building at 49 Mann St, Gosford. It is also available online at http://search.gosford.nsw.gov.au/ and www.haveyoursaygosford.com.au
Comments on the draft Study can be:
The General Manager
Gosford City Council
Attention: Tim Macdonald, Acting Manager Integrated Planning
PO Box 21
Gosford NSW 2250
For further information about the draft Study, contact Council’s Acting Manager Integrated Planning, Tim Macdonald on (02) 4304 7658.
Pearl Beach Lagoon Coastal Zone Management Plan
Pearl Beach Lagoon is a special landscape feature with ecological and localised visual significance in an area that does not have any other alternative substitute for the role that the Lagoon plays in the local ecosystem. The lagoon is an example of the small enclosed saline coastal lagoons which occur along the coast of south-eastern Australia.
However, since urban development the habitat value of the lagoon has declined. This is in response to pressures such as urban runoff, modifications to the natural movement of water (e.g. the weir, drainage channels, groundwater extraction)and weed invasion. These issues are likely to be exacerbated into the future as a result of population increase, climate change impacts and projected rises in mean sea level as well as the cumulative effects of past practices.
The wetland condition and its preservation is of concern to Council and the residents of Pearl Beach. Council, in conjunction with NSW Office of Environment & Heritage, is looking to develop a Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) to assess the health of Pearl Beach Lagoon, engage the local community in contributing to the management process and identify management options based upon sound scientific research.
Your input is important in driving future management of the Lagoon and we encourage you to be involved in the process.
Objectives of the Plan
The objectives for the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) for Pearl Beach Lagoon are to:
- Maintain the condition of high value coastal ecosystems; rehabilitate priority degraded coastal ecosystems.
- To protect and restore the natural lagoon’s aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
- Address the current and future potential risks to lagoon health.
- Protect and preserve lagoon amenity, maintain and improve public access arrangements to foreshores, support recreational uses and protect the cultural and heritage environment.
- Consider the effects of climate change, including sea level rise, on coastal hazards, ecosystem health and community uses
- Base decisions for managing risks on the best available information and reasonable practice, including adopting an adaptive management approach.
- Link Councils coastal zone management planning with other planning processes in the coastal zone to facilitate integrated coastal zone management.
- Involve the community in the preparation of the CZMP, including making information relating to the plan publically available.
- The CZMP will adopt a risk management approach to managing risks to public safety and assets and pressures on coastal ecosystems; including avoiding risks where feasible and mitigation where risks cannot be reasonable avoided; adopting interim actions to manage high risks while long-term options are implemented.
- Management actions in the CZMP will be prioritised based on public benefit, including cost-effectively achieving the best practical long-term outcomes.
We seek your help!
If you are aware of any research, studies, old photographs or surveys that have been taken in the Pearl Beach Lagoon catchment please let us know… by emailing:
For more information please log on to the consultation hub:
A community forum was held on Saturday 19 May about the Lagoon Management Plan which provided a fantastic turn out of residents from all areas of Pearl Beach not just those directly abutting the Lagoon – as it should be as the Lagoon is a community asset that is pivotal to the health of the Pearl Beach environment.