Marine News Roundup

Welcome to this week's Marine News Roundup! The best of the week's marine stories all in one place!

Flex's relatives tagged by scientists
Last year, scientists tagged 'Flex', a rare western Gray whale, and watched in amazement as it left it's Russian home and sprinted 8,586 kilometres across the ocean to the west coast of North America. This month, they have tagged five more western Grays in the hope of discovering whether they regularly make international trips. A team co-ordinated by the International Whaling Commission hopes to fix satellite tags to at least 12 whales, which spend their summers off Sakhalin Island, Russia. The big question for researchers is whether the western whales mix with the eastern whales as they migrate between Mexico and Alaska. The western Grays were thought to be extinct before the tiny Sakhalin population was discovered about 15 years ago. Once the tagged whales start their migration they can be tracked on the Marine Mammal Institute website.

Jellyfish compete with fish to dominate the sea
A new study published in Science has found that blooms of brainless jellyfish have surprising ecological power to compete against free-swimming fish and can use their efficient, prehistoric methods to dominant vast expanses of the sea when offered the chance. Jellyfish have functionally replaced several overexploited commercial stocks and scientists have warned of, "a future ‘gelatinous’ ocean reminiscent of the early Ediacaran if fishing effort and other anthropogenic stressors remain unchanged".

Hollywood ending for dolphin's tale
Six years ago, a baby dolphin was rescued by fisherman after becoming trapped by a rope and being injured so badly that it's tail was partially severed and even its mother had abandoned it. Nursed back to health at a Florida aquarium, the dolphin - named Winter by staff - shed it's tail after a few days and might never have swum again, were it not for the unique artificial tail he was fitted with. The story has now been turned into a Hollywood film, starring Morgan Freeman, which will be released in the US this week and in Britain next month.

Deadly jobs: Working with water
A new blog by BBC Earth has uncovered three deadly jobs working with water. The first job is performed by fishermen in the Philippines. Some of the most dangerous techniques are adopted by the Pa-aling divers who inhabit the Palawan province. Diving down to 40 metres, these 100 strong crews take their lives in their hands on every trip.  Sadly the benefits do not outweigh the risks with each fisherman reportedly earning an average of $25 US dollars for a week’s work. The second deadly job involves the goose barnacle collectors of northern Spain. These fearless collectors of this strange looking shellfish, battle with ferocious crashing waves (also known as Atlantic Rollers) and jagged rocks to gather their prize. At up to 200 Euros per kilo it is easy to see what the attraction to this lifestyle is. The third deadly job involves fatherhood! In the Zanskar region of the Tibetan Plateau, the school run is an epic six-day trek along the semi-frozen river Zanskar. In the spring the smooth firm ice can start to give way, rapidly turning the trip from a habitual pilgrimage to a perilous expedition. Check out this BBC Earth blog for more details of these dangerous jobs!

Have you seen a Chinese mitten crab?
Chinese mitten crabs are officially listed as one of the World's 100 worst invasive species. They can cause damage to fishing gear and river banks, block intake screens, modify natural habitats and compete with native species. It is this economic and ecological damage that makes this crab such an unwelcome arrival. The full extent of these exotic pests in English and Welsh waters is currently unclear and a consortium of research institutes is requesting mitten crab sightings from members of the public, anglers and waterway workers, to clarify the distribution of this species. You can report your sightings by email, phone, text or online.

Sweden's west coast hit by 'substantial' oil spill
The Swedish coastguard has said that a recent oil spill near the Sweden's southwest coast is the worst in the area in years and the clean-up will take weeks. Coastguard official Birgitta Andersson said authorities suspect the petrol contaminated the sea following a collision between two boats off Denmark's west coast on September 10th. The cleanup operation will take several weeks, but decontaminating the affected beaches will likely take much longer. The coastguard has already collected more than 130 cubic metres (130,000 litres) from Sweden's southwest coast and up to 15 birds covered in petrol have already been discovered.

3,000 blue whales swarm off the coast of California
In a very rare event, a huge pod of blue whales hovers around the coast of Southern California. Weighing up to 150 tons and reaching lengths of 108 feet, these creatures are exceptional in both appearance and strength. Researchers estimate this particular pod consists of an astounding 3,000 whales, as part of the global population merely three times that size. This pod is already exposing eager marine researchers to behaviours uncommon in this setting. In addition to the fact that the pod is unusually close to shore, witnesses have noted that the species is actively courting, breaching the water's surface, as well as willingly approaching kayaks and boats. In combination with this rare mating behaviour, an NBC camera crew was able to record a blue whale song above water. Local experts exclaim that the opportunity to witness this serenade is undoubtedly a once in a lifetime experience.

New Dolphin Species May Already Be at Risk
A dolphin that was previously lumped in with other species of coastal-dwelling dolphins is actually its own Australian species, researchers say. And already, the new Burrunan dolphin may be in danger due to its small population and limited range. The new species of dolphins only live in a tiny region off southern and southeastern Australia, with two small populations making up the entire species (about 150 individuals). The other, more common dolphins in the area are well represented across the globe. This region is located close to many urban and agricultural centres, the runoff of which ends up in the dolphin's habitat. The populations are also in close proximity to major shipping ports, commercial and recreation fisheries, residential, industrial and agricultural stressors. Researchers believe the species should qualify for protection under the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

'Porpicide': Bottlenose dolphins killing porpoises
A harbour porpoise that washed ashore last month at San Francisco's Fort Funston has been identified as a victim of 'porpicide', the deliberate slaying of a harbor porpoise by a surprising and, to most people, unlikely culprit - the bottlenose dolphin. The brutal battering wasn't an isolated incident. Scientists say there has been a dramatic increase in dolphin attacks on harbour porpoises along the California coast over the past few years. Since Aug. 12, six dead harbour porpoises have washed ashore at Ocean Beach, Fort Funston and Stinson Beach. It is not yet clear how they all died, but most of the injuries are consistent with bottlenose attacks. Well over 50 harbour porpoise deaths are believed to have been caused by bottlenose dolphins along the California coast since 2005, when the first fatal attack ever recorded in California was confirmed. A study published this year in the Marine Mammal Science journal documented 44 fatal attacks between 2007 and 2009, mostly off San Luis Obispo and Santa Cruz and in Monterey Bay. Scientists do not know why the highly intelligent species would suddenly start battering its ocean brethren, but have said the perpetrators are probably young, sexually frustrated toughs defending their turf. The killings coincide with the expansion of dolphin territory, but it is believed that the primary motive is not territorial. The two species primarily feed on different things and do not generally frequent the same places at the same times, according to the porpicide study. Scientists are now proposing theories as to why these killings occur.

European fish stocks changing with warming seas
The first "big picture" study of the effects of rapidly rising temperatures in the northeast Atlantic Ocean shows that a major shift in fish stocks is already well underway. But it isn't all bad news. The research, published in Current Biology, shows that some fishes' losses are other fishes' gain. The study included more than 100 million fish, to explore how warming is affecting the commercially important European fishery. The data shows that fish in European waters have undergone profound community-level changes that are related to dramatic warming trends for the region. The vast majority - a whopping 72% - of common fish species have already shown a change in abundance that relates to the rising sea temperatures. Of those, three out of every four fish species have grown in numbers with warming. Catches of cold-loving species, including haddock and cod, have dropped by half in the past three decades, whereas landings of warm-loving species, including hake and dab, have more than doubled. The results show that studies focused only on changes to where particular fish species are found - species ranges - will miss the far more ecologically and economically relevant effects of warming. They also suggest there will be an unavoidable change in what's for dinner. There may be a further decline in cold-adapted species, many of which were the staple for our grandparents. The flip-side is a likely increase in species that for the UK may seem relatively exotic now, such as red mullet and John Dory. Over time, with effective management and an appropriate response in consumer demand, European seas have the potential to yield productive and sustainable fisheries into the future.

That's all for this week - don't forget to leave us a comment and let us know what you think!