Thriving Oceans

photo: José Antonio Gil Martínez

Dare I say legal landings…

“From 1961 to 1973, bluefin tuna represented 45 to 80% of the U.S. western Atlantic catch of large pelagic species. Since 1980, the percentage has dropped to less than 15%, reflecting a combination of the decline in the bluefin tuna population, the impact of catch restrictions, and the increasing harvests of alternative species. Landings for 2005, 2006, and 2007 were 718, 472, and 758 metric tons, respectively.”

“Bluefin stocks remained relatively stable until the 1970s when their value soared as sushi and fresh steaks in international markets, particularly in Japan, which led to a dramatic increase in fishing effort by the U.S. and Japanese longline fleet in the Gulf of Mexico. Spawning stock biomass (SSB) saw a steady decline from the early 1970s to 1992, but after that time it has fluctuated between 18 and 27% of the 1975 level.”

 

Data: NOAA

Are you a snorkeler or diver and live within the REEF’s project area?  Why not turn your hobby this summer into a reef survey by participating in The Great Annual Fish Count-

“The Great Annual Fish Count (GAFC) is an event coordinated by the Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) that mobilizes and trains volunteer divers and snorkelers in established methodologies to identify and document fish diversity and population trends in marine ecosystems. This annual event takes place the month of July, and serves to introduce and inspire recreational divers and snorkelers to: participate in REEF’s year-round Volunteer Survey Project; raise awareness among both the diving community and public-at-large regarding marine habitats and trends in fish populations; and provide researchers, marine resource managers and policy makers with this useful information that would otherwise be unavailable.”

Map credit: Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF)

I left for Maui on Saturday morning so by now I should be well into exploring the reefs, capturing pictures and video, and perhaps indulging in a few tropical beverages.  Hopefully I’ll return with some worthy ocean anecdotes and photos to share with the masses.

My last trip to Maui was during the humpback whale season and was truly an unforgettable experience .  From the beaches I watched whales leap into the air and crush the surface of the ocean water while exuding a  colossal splash.  And upon closer inspection of their activities through the Pacific Whale Foundation, I was left in awe by the power of their lungs expunging air through their blow holes.

But, the most relaxing part of the trip was doing the dead man’s float in perpetuity with a snorkel and listening to the humpback whale songs that filled the waters of the shallow reef.

Although I am away, keep checking back as I have scheduled a new post for each day of the week.

Photo credit: Whit Welles Wwelles14