Marine News Roundup

Welcome to the latest edition of the Respect Our Seas Marine News Roundup. Please share with your friends and, as always, feel free to comment below.

10 Marine Species on the Brink of Mass Extinction Due to Ocean Acidification
The ocean is a delicate place, and tiny changes to its composition can cause serious devastation. Adding carbon to the atmosphere contributes to global warming and climate change. Another less-discussed impact is ocean acidification - whereby carbon molecules diffuse into the ocean from the atmosphere, causing a steady rise in acidity - even though the impacts are already being felt by many species. Check out these beautiful photos of ten marine species currently under threat from ocean acidification.

Anchovy Explosion
They’re back. After a nearly half-century of rarity, big schools of anchovies - an important prey for both wildlife and humans - are again showing up in Europe’s North Sea. A new study tries to explain why, and finds climate shifts are probably playing a role.

Cargo boat and US navy ship powered by algal oil in marine fuel trials
Substituting biofuel for bunker fuel may bring about revolution in world's shipping fleets. Giant cargo boats and US navy warships have been successfully powered on oil derived from genetically modified algae in a move which could herald a revolution in the fuel used by the world's fleets – and a reduction in the pollution they cause. The results of substituting algal oil for low-grade, "bunker" fuel and diesel in a 98,000-tonne container ship are still being evaluated by Maersk, the world's biggest shipping company, which last week tested 30 tonnes of oil supplied by the US navy in a vessel travelling from Europe to India. Last month, the navy tested 20,000 gallons of algal fuel on a decommissioned destroyer for a few hours. Both ran their trials on a mix of algal oil – between 7% and 100% – and conventional bunker fuel.

Carbon Dioxide Affecting Fish Brains
Rising human carbon dioxide emissions may be affecting the brains and central nervous systems of sea fish, with serious consequences for their survival, according to new research. Carbon dioxide concentrations predicted to occur in the ocean by the end of this century will interfere with fishes' ability to hear, smell, turn and evade predators, the research found. The Australian Research Council's Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies said it had been testing the performance of baby coral fish in sea water containing higher levels of dissolved CO2 for several years.

Seal death mystery could stay unsolved
Scientists examining dead seal pups found on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula say the creatures are so badly decomposed it may not be possible to determine how they died. The bodies of 51 New Zealand fur seal pups and two young adults were found washed up near Port Lincoln and at Wanna Beach in the Lincoln National Park. Post-mortems have been carried out on three of the pups by University of Adelaide veterinary pathologists. There are no signs of malicious treatment. The seals were found along a six-kilometre stretch of shoreline and more bodies were expected to be found as volunteers search nearby beaches. New Zealand fur seals are a protected species found along Australia's south coast and along the coast of New Zealand's South Island. They can grow to weigh up to 250 kilograms, but males usually average about 125kg and are considered docile, although they will attack if provoked.

Man cited for allegedly poaching lobsters inside marine sanctuary State wildlife officials cited a Riverside County man Sunday for allegedly poaching dozens of lobsters inside one of Southern California's new marine sanctuaries, in what authorities called the first major violation of fishing restrictions that took effect January 1st. The state Department of Fish and Game said Marbel A. Para, 30, of Romoland and a companion were diving off Laguna Beach shortly after midnight when wardens stopped them and found 47 spiny lobsters, most of them below the legal size limit. Para was cited for several alleged poaching violations, including unlawful take and illegal possession of lobster and holding more than the legal limit of seven lobsters per diver. His companion was not cited. The lobsters were photographed and returned to the ocean.

Secret sex life to help save world's endangered seagrasses
Sex plays a much more important role in the reproduction of vitally important seagrasses than previously thought, according to important new findings by researchers from The University of Western Australia. Their work, published today as the cover story in the journal Bioscience, forms a major re-think of the way seagrass populations spread and is regarded as critically important to help conserve and restore endangered seagrasses meadows. The research is expected to lead to better ways to help manage and restore depleted seagrass meadows.

Group to develop deep-sea vehicle
A group of small factories mainly in Tokyo has launched a project to build a deep-sea research vehicle that would submerge to depths of roughly 8,000 meters. The group concluded a contract the same day with the state-run Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology to develop the vehicle, called the Edokko 1, aiming to finish it in about two years. The privately run Shibaura Institute of Technology and the state-run Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology will help the group in developing the vehicle, it said. The group plans to hold down development costs to about ¥20 million and said it plans to launch test runs of the vehicle this summer and to complete it in fiscal 2013, which starts in April that year. The team plans to build a research vehicle that can contribute to discovering seabed resources in waters around Japan.

Modified 'bugs' turn seaweed into fuel
Scientists have genetically engineered microbes to process brown seaweed into biofuel. The work could see large underwater farms become a source of renewable energy. Scientists focused on brown seaweed because its high sugar content provides a good biomass, and the seaweed doesn't compete with food crops for land and fresh water. Researchers successfully isolated a 36,000 base pair DNA fragment from V. splendidus which encodes enzymes that metabolise alginate. The researchers say if this process can be successfully scaled-up, seaweed could help meet the growing demand for sustainable fuel, with it being grown on long submerged ropes. Reasearchers hope that, by using three per cent of the world's coastlines, they can replace five per cent of total oil consumption. That's 60 billion gallons of fuel.

Australian divers reach record depths in caves
A group of Australian divers has broken yet another cave diving record in the depths of the Pearse River resurgence and revealed the underwater cave system is linked to Mt Arthur's Nettlebed Cave system. The group returned from the remote Motueka Valley river head after spending a fortnight exploring the intricate underwater cave system. Diver and explorer Craig Challen pushed the human limit, reaching 221m, breaking the 194m record he set in the river cave last January and setting an Australasian record. The 17-hour dive saw him stop four times at underwater "habitats" which were filled with trapped air. They provided a base for divers to rest and decompress before continuing their return to the surface. Team leader Adelaide's Dr Richard Harris said marker dye dropped by Nelson cavers in the Nettlebed system was seen by divers below 200m and indicated the system was more than 1000m long. However, the connection could be proved only when it was travelled and charted. It was the third time the group had explored the system in the last three years.

The cost of captivity - ball removed from dolphin's stomach
Doctors at a Jiangsu Province aquarium in Nanjing, issued an emergency plea yesterday for someone with long arms to retrieve a ball swallowed by a performing dolphin. The ball has now been successfully removed, but at what cost? The SOS issued yesterday by Nanjing Andover Underwater World, came after one of its performing dolphins swallowed his toy volleyball on Wednesday. Five-year-old Jiang Bo was playing with the ball, when he was observed taking it underwater and then resurfacing without it. Attempts to remove the ball had been unsuccessful, forcing Chinese doctors to issue a plea for help from someone with long arms. Eventually, it was removed and the operation was hailed a success. Others however, saw it simply as another sad side-effect of marine mammal captivity. What this dolphin endured during the entire three-hour process was nothing short of horrific, considering he was awake.

Alarms 'saving whales' from shark nets
An underwater alarm has reduced the number of whales becoming entangled in shark nets off Queensland, the state government says. The alarms, known as pingers, transmit a sonic warning to whales, alerting them they are close to the nets that are designed to protect swimmers. From 2000 to 2009, 27 whales were caught in shark control equipment in Queensland. There was just one in 2010 and another in 2011 after the pingers were introduced, Fisheries Minister Craig Wallace said last week. Both of those whales were apparently successfully released. There are 130 pingers between the Gold Coast and Cairns - four on every shark net.

Mussels in protection racket

A £7m fine and more for every day that horse mussels in Northern Ireland are not protected. That is what could be on the cards in a few weeks time following a complaint to Europe over an alleged breach of the EU Habitats Directive. The complaint is over the protection and restoration of reefs of horse mussels on the bed of Strangford Lough. They are one of the main reasons why the Lough enjoys some of the most stringent legislation in Europe. Its unique habitat includes hundreds of species that depend on the mussels for their survival.

Ningaloo manta rays under threat
Ningaloo Marine Park's manta rays are threatened by the growing worldwide demand demand for their gill rakers, according to a new report. The report also highlights the need for protection in Australia waters. Each year large numbers of Manta birostris and M. alfredi, the world's biggest ray species with wingspans of up to eight metres, visit the marine reserve as part of seasonal migrations. These migrations cover hundreds of kilometres, and may follow a similar path to Ningaloo's whale sharks, into Indonesian waters and beyond. Manta rays are filter feeders, and during daylight hours they tend to accumulate in large numbers around 'cleaning stations' where small fish species clean them of any parasites and algal growth. This habit, combined with their large size, makes them highly vulnerable to being harpooned from above, or caught in fishing nets. While they are protected from fishing in the waters of Ningaloo, once they leave the Marine Park, they are at risk of being targeted by fishermen - even in Australian waters where they have no protection.

87 marine mammals still eaten by people
Threats to marine mammals usually include climate change, drowning as by-catch, pollution and depletion of prey - but what about eating marine mammals? A new study in Biological Conservation finds that a surprising 87 marine mammals (including polar bears, small whales and dolphins) have been eaten as food since 1990 in at least 114 countries.

That's all for this edition - come back in two week's time for the next Marine News Roundup.

Seychelles Shark Attack

On Tuesday 16th August, Ian Redmond, 30, from Lancashire, was fatally wounded by a shark as he snorkeled near the shore of Anse Lazio beach on the island of Praslin in the Seychelles. Mr Redmond was on honeymoon with his wife, Gemma Redmond, 27, whom he had married 10 days before. She was sunbathing on the beach when she heard his screams for help. Mr Redmond was pulled onto a small boat and brought onshore, conscious, but died at the scene from his injuries and blood loss, despite attempts to save him. The incident has been heavily reported worldwide and our condolences go out to his family and friends.

Mr Redmond was not the first tourist in the area to have been killed by shark attack recently. In the same month, 36-year-old French diver Nicolas Virolle was also fatally injured by a shark. Mrs Redmond has told the media that they had not considered that the waters were unsafe and that she had been told there were no sharks in the area. This has been disputed by authorities in the Seychelles, who say that, whilst there were no warning signs up on the beach, they had police patrolling the beach and warning tourists of the previous attack. However, they have also added that, in hindsight, they could have done more to warn people of the possible dangers of swimming in the area and could have closed the beach. It is possible that Mr Redmond's death could have been avoided if there were more obvious warnings present or the beach had in fact been closed to swimming following the death of Mr Virolle just over two weeks before.

Several species of sharks are known to inhabit the waters around the Seychelles but attacks are not common. The species of shark which killed Mr Redmond is currently unknown, but is believed to have been a Bull shark or Tiger shark. According to local media reports, the last fatal attack in the Seychelles before these latest two incidents occurred in 1963. Reports have suggested that increased pollution in the waters around the islands is attracting more sharks to the area. A large number of yachts are believed to empty their waste and sewage into the sea and sharks, which are opportunistic feeders, have moved in to take advantage of this food source. Shark expert Jeremy Cliff has warned the local authorities to close beaches as they have, "a serious problem". He believes that changes to the sharks’ environment, possibly caused by fishing methods (e.g. by fishermen discarding part of their catch in shallow water), are bringing sharks closer to the shore. He also said there could be issues with the sea bed or reef, and that changing conditions could also attract sharks.

Fatal shark attacks are uncommon worldwide, with an average of just 4.3 people being killed by shark attack each year between 2001 and 2010. The Seychelles authorities have enlisted the help of the Navy and Coastguard, as well as shark experts from South Africa, to help them catch the shark, or sharks, responsible for the latest two attacks. Seychelles fishermen have also joined in the hunt, with local businesses offering a £3,000 reward for it's capture. However, several groups, including The Global Shark Conservation Initiative and Support Our Sharks, are calling for an end to the hunt as they believe that many 'innocent' sharks may be killed in the hunt for a shark that may not be found, with several species of shark already threatened with extinction due to overfishing. Marine biologists says there are now only 10% of the sharks that were in the oceans 15-20 years ago and this is likely to have a devastating impact on the marine ecosystem.

It is clear that the reasons behind these attacks need to be investigated and improvements made within the local area to keep people safe from possible future attacks. If sharks are being encouraged into the area by discharge from boats and fishing discards, then these practices will have to be changed and new rules and legislation set in place by the authorities. We do not believe that a shark hunt aimed at capturing the "killer shark" in reaction to the recent deaths would be at all beneficial, particularly when the species of shark responsible for the deaths has not yet been determined. Sharks are important apex predators and maintain balance within the marine environment, and they are already being fished to extinction. Whilst the recent deaths have been extremely tragic, many 'innocent' sharks may be killed during the hunt in the hope that the shark responsible for the deaths is caught. Whilst the shark attacks may have a temporary affect on tourism in the area, particularly given the sensationalist reporting we have seen on the incident, the sudden removal of a large number of sharks would undoubtedly have a negative impact on the marine ecosystem in the Seychelles and this itself would impact tourism in a much larger way over a more sustained period. Whilst the authorities must be seen to be doing something, we would not encourage anyone to fish any of these already threatened species and would instead urge the authorities to look at what they can do to discourage large sharks from feeding in the local area.

If you would like to oppose the shark hunt in the Seychelles, you can sign the online petition, or alternatively use The Global Shark Conservation Initiative's 'standard letter' to write to the tourism authorities in the Seychelles.

Focus on: Seal Scotland

Seal Scotland is a Stakeholder Group made up of a number of organisations and individuals committed to end the Scottish Seal Cull. It was created on 15th March following on from a Facebook group set up for 'International Day for Seals', in response to the Scottish Government giving permission for more than 1,000 seals to be shot this year. They aim to protect Scotland's seals and help tourism and business in Scotland.

We first came to notice Seal Scotland through their active Twitter account. They also have an active Facebook page in addition to their website, so there are many ways you can read about them and show your support.

Their website states,

"Seals are seen as scapegoats, they have even been blamed for the decline within our fisheries and fish, they are seen as a menace to salmon anglers and a curse to fin fish aquaculture; the term, “The only good seal, is a dead seal” has been quoted on numerous occasions.

As with mythology, stories grow and change over time, what are the facts and are seals culprits in need of being shot, or convenient excuses for our own miss-management of our seas?

The Facts:
• Most of our Global commercial fisheries are in decline, overfishing is a known cause.
• There has been a dramatic decline in common seals in the UK.
• There has been a marked change in the reproduction rates of grey seals, so much so that the modelling techniques used to count greys has had to be changed to take into account the stable or slowly increasing rate of reproduction.
• Seals are shot regularly by; Salmon farmers, fishermen, salmon netsmen, & salmon anglers.

...The Future
Currently the future for British seals looks bleak, unless the current situation changes. The wildlife tourist industry has the potential to suffer; seals pictured in glossy tourist brochures might say, “What we used to see” or they could even be placed into history books, over the top comment, possibly; but local extinctions are a very real possibility.

...People power works; a massive success in the Canadian seal hunts took place in Europe recently, when the EC banned the imports of seal products. The UK governments may tell you that there is not a “seal cull” going on in this country; but with the licensing of nearly 1400 seals to be shot in Scotland and repeated calls from fishermen for a cull… What do you think?"

Please do take a look at Seal Scotland and show your support for these beautiful marine animals. Seal Scotland have links to several iPetitions you can sign, as well as a list of other seal sites you can check out. Don't forget to stop by the gallery and YouTube channel to see some gorgeous seal images and remind yourself what you're helping to protect!