Thriving Oceans

Not much commentary here, but it is always exciting when a population of an endangered/threated species is discovered hiding out in the waters of our planet…

“A huge population of rare dolphins threatened by climate change and fishing nets has been discovered in South Asia. Researchers with the Wildlife Conservation Society estimate that nearly 6,000 Irrawaddy dolphins, marine mammals that are related to orcas or killer whales, were found living in freshwater regions of Bangladesh’s Sundarbans mangrove forest and adjacent waters of the Bay of Bengal. ”

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20090401/sc_livescience/6000raredolphinsfoundinsouthasia

My first introduction the tumor issue plaguing sea turtles came in 2005 on a trip to Maui.  There I was excited to capture on camera my first encounter with a green sea turtle.  However, I was troubled to see numerous growths on its body and one directly above the eye.  I began to notice many of the turtles I happened upon while snorkeling had similar tumors over the body.  Scientists are still not completely sure what is causing the fibropapillomatosis, but evidence is pointing to a herpesvirus.

What is most interesting is the fact that although it has observed back in the 1930s, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of turtles with the disease.  One Hawaiian sample  study resulted in 90% of green sea turtles having symptoms.  Researchers are now searching for the catalyst to this increasing issue, which has been described as “the most important health problem affecting free-ranging sea turtles today (Formia et al. 2007).” 

Two hypotheses are making the rounds – 1) changes to environment have made sea turtles very susceptible to the virus that had otherwise been suppressed by their immune systems 2) the virus has mutated and taken on a more virulent strain that was not previously present or widespread.

[Atlantic bluefin tuna]…the adult breeding population had declined to 10% of what it had been twenty years ago, when regulation of the taking of these great ocean rangers began.  The population as a whole had been reduced by more than half, and most of of what remained were immature.  Stunned, I blurted out, ‘Are we trying to exterminate them? If so, congratulations!  We’re making great progress.’

Sylvia Earle, NOAA’s Chief Scientist 1990-1992 (in Sea Change, 1995)

Well here’s my spin on the formulaic fair and balanced, point counterpoint, cheers and jeers, and so on in regards to some recent happenings at the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). Since listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 2006, there has been another positive move in the protection of Elkhorn and Staghorn corals. These corals once dominated reef building in the Caribbean, but over the years have succumbed to the negative implications of encroaching human activities. NOAA estimates a population loss of 90%, while other organizations like the Center for Biological Diversity reports a 97% decline since the 1970s.

However, these two coral species can count their blessings just in time for Thanksgiving as the new rule on Nov. 21 will…

Prohibit the import, export, take, and all commercial activities involving elkhorn and staghorn corals, including:

• collection or any activities that result in the corals’ mortality or injury;
• anchoring, grounding a vessel, or dragging any other gear on the species;
• damaging the species’ habitat;
• discharging any pollutant or contaminant that harms the species.

Just to throw in some information I keep in my back pocket and regurgitate every now and then is that The U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy’s Preliminary Draft Report in 2004 advised as much as 60% of the coral reefs may be gone by 2035.

As a perfectly ironic segue to my next thoughts (Take a little…),  let’s keep protections moving in the right direction.