The number of sea turtles inadvertently snared by commercial fishing gear over the past 20 years may reach into the millions, according to the first peer-reviewed study to compile sea turtle bycatch data from gillnet, trawl and longline fisheries worldwide.
The study, which was published online April 6 in the journal Conservation Letters, analyzed data compiled from peer-reviewed papers, government reports, technical reports, and symposia proceedings published between 1990 and 2008. All data were based on direct onboard observations or interviews with fishermen. The study did not include data from recreational fishing.
Six of the world’s seven species of sea turtles are currently listed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
“Direct onboard observations and interviews with fishermen indicate that about 85,000 turtles were caught between 1990 and 2008. But because these reports cover less than one percent of all fleets, with little or no information from small-scale fisheries around the world, we conservatively estimate that the true total is at least two orders of magnitude higher,” said Bryan Wallace, lead author of the new paper.
Wallace is the science advisor for the Sea Turtle Flagship Program at Conservation International and an adjunct assistant professor at Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment. Most of his co-authors are researchers at Duke’s Center for Marine Conservation.
Their global data review revealed that the highest reported bycatch rates for longline fisheries occurred off Mexico’s Baja California peninsula, the highest rates for gillnet fishing took place in the North Adriatic region of the Mediterranean and the highest rates for trawls occurred off the coast of Uruguay.
When bycatch rates and amounts of observed fishing activity for all three gear types were combined and ranked across regions, four regions emerged as the overall most urgent conservation priorities: the East Pacific, the Mediterranean, the Southwest Atlantic, and the Northwest Atlantic.
“Although our numbers are estimates, they highlight clearly the importance of guidelines for fishing equipment and practices to help reduce these losses,” Wallace said.
Effective measures to reduce turtle bycatch include the use of circle hooks and fish bait in longline fisheries, and Turtle Excluder Devices (TEDs) in trawling. Many of the most effective types of gear modifications, Wallace noted, have been developed by fishermen themselves.
Wallace said the Hawaiian longline fishery and the Australian prawn fishery have significantly reduced bycatch through close working relationships between fishermen and government managers, use of onboard observers, mandatory gear modifications and innovative technologies. TurtleWatch, a real-time database that provides daily updates on water temperatures and other conditions indicating where turtles might be found, has guided fishermen to avoid setting their gear in those areas.
Other approaches, such as the creation of marine protected areas and use of catch shares, also reduce bycatch, preserve marine biodiversity and promote healthy fish stocks in some cases, he said.
“Fisheries bycatch is the most acute threat to worldwide sea turtle populations today. Many animals die or are injured as a result of these interactions,” Wallace said. “But our message is that it’s not a lost cause. Managers and fishers have tools they can use to reduce bycatch, preserve marine biodiversity and promote healthy fish stocks, so that everyone wins, including turtles.”
The study stems from work Wallace began in 2005 as a postdoctoral research associate at the Duke University Marine Lab, where he helped develop the first global bycatch database for longline fisheries. That work was part of a three-year initiative called Project GloBAL (Global By-catch Assessment of Long-lived Species).
Co-authors on the new study – all of whom were part of the Project GloBAL team – are Rebecca L. Lewison of San Diego State University; Sara L. McDonald of Duke’s Center for Marine Conservation; Richard K. McDonald of the Center for Marine Conservation and the University of Richmond; Connie Y. Kot of the Center for Marine Conservation and the Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab at Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment; and Shaleyla Kelez, Rhema K. Bjorkland, Elena M. Finkbeiner, S’rai Heimbrecht and Larry B. Crowder, all of the Center for Marine Conservation. Crowder is director of the center and the Stephen Toth Professor of Marine Biology at the Nicholas School. Lewison formerly was a research associate at the Duke Marine Lab.
By Timothy Lucas
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Showing posts with label marine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label marine. Show all posts
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
The Most Important Jurassic Discovery Ever Made in the Arctic!
/PRNewswire/ -- On the remote archipelago of Svalbard, just 800 miles from the North Pole, a team of paleontologists has made a remarkable discovery. Led by Jorn Hurum from the University of Oslo Natural History Museum they have unearthed the fossilized remains of a huge sea creature from the distant past - which they believe is the most important Jurassic discovery ever made in the Arctic. PREDATOR X is the story of this major Arctic discovery of an entirely new species, 150 million years old. It is a new species of pliosaur, a massive and powerful marine predator estimated to be at least 50 feet long... weighing 45 tons - six times the weight of a Tyrannosaurus Rex - and with powerful jaws that killed with an amazing 33,000-pound bite - four times as powerful as a T Rex.
The two-hour special PREDATOR X premieres on HISTORY(TM) on Sunday, March 29 at 8pm ET/PT.
PREDATOR X follows Jorn Hurum and his team of paleontologists every step of the way, from field work through cutting edge research of this amazing dinosaur-age reptile - one of the most incredible Jurassic ocean discoveries in modern history.
Hurum and team member Patrick Druckenmiller, an Alaskan paleontologist and extreme adventurer, must excavate the find from the ice, transport it back to the lab and bring it back to life using advanced scientific techniques. They travel the globe breaking new ground to scientifically understand and recreate Predator X. Their results are astounding and only now can they fully understand the beast they unearthed. Analysis usually reserved for precision engineering of modern machines, reveals the secrets of Predator X. Their quest takes them from wind tunnels to CT scanners to bio-mechanic and robotic laboratories. In analyzing its body, delving into its brain and witnessing its hunting strategy, the team conclude that they have found a perfectly designed killing machine - the most terrifying beast to patrol the planet's oceans.
As a child, Dr. Hurum had visited the Oslo Natural History Museum, well known for its treasure trove of fossils, and gazed in awe at the fossilized flipper of a prehistoric sea predator. A quarter of a century later, Dr. Hurum was in Svalbard, one of the most inhospitable places on Earth, leading a team of paleontologists committed to finding what they all believed was there. Because of its extreme polar conditions, few paleontologists have ever explored Svalbard's fertile fossil hunting ground; and Dr. Hurum's group along with Dr. Druckenmiller are the first to document this diverse assembly of marine reptiles.
With modern forensic technology, Dr. Hurum and team work to unlock the secrets of the monster. CGI will help bring Predator X to life, in an environment like the one all those years ago. Its anatomy, physiology and hunting technique all point to it being the ultimate predator - the ferocious pliosaur they are calling Predator X. Pliosaurs were a short-necked form of plesiosaur, a group of extinct reptiles that inhabited the world's oceans in the age of dinosaurs. The team is able to determine that their find, Predator X, is indeed a new species based on its incredible size and bone morphology - specifically: the flipper bones, the breast plate, and the neck vertebrae.
Predator X is produced for History(TM) by Atlantic Productions. Executive Producer for Atlantic Productions is Anthony Geffen. Executive Producer for History is Dirk Hoogstra.
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The two-hour special PREDATOR X premieres on HISTORY(TM) on Sunday, March 29 at 8pm ET/PT.
PREDATOR X follows Jorn Hurum and his team of paleontologists every step of the way, from field work through cutting edge research of this amazing dinosaur-age reptile - one of the most incredible Jurassic ocean discoveries in modern history.
Hurum and team member Patrick Druckenmiller, an Alaskan paleontologist and extreme adventurer, must excavate the find from the ice, transport it back to the lab and bring it back to life using advanced scientific techniques. They travel the globe breaking new ground to scientifically understand and recreate Predator X. Their results are astounding and only now can they fully understand the beast they unearthed. Analysis usually reserved for precision engineering of modern machines, reveals the secrets of Predator X. Their quest takes them from wind tunnels to CT scanners to bio-mechanic and robotic laboratories. In analyzing its body, delving into its brain and witnessing its hunting strategy, the team conclude that they have found a perfectly designed killing machine - the most terrifying beast to patrol the planet's oceans.
As a child, Dr. Hurum had visited the Oslo Natural History Museum, well known for its treasure trove of fossils, and gazed in awe at the fossilized flipper of a prehistoric sea predator. A quarter of a century later, Dr. Hurum was in Svalbard, one of the most inhospitable places on Earth, leading a team of paleontologists committed to finding what they all believed was there. Because of its extreme polar conditions, few paleontologists have ever explored Svalbard's fertile fossil hunting ground; and Dr. Hurum's group along with Dr. Druckenmiller are the first to document this diverse assembly of marine reptiles.
With modern forensic technology, Dr. Hurum and team work to unlock the secrets of the monster. CGI will help bring Predator X to life, in an environment like the one all those years ago. Its anatomy, physiology and hunting technique all point to it being the ultimate predator - the ferocious pliosaur they are calling Predator X. Pliosaurs were a short-necked form of plesiosaur, a group of extinct reptiles that inhabited the world's oceans in the age of dinosaurs. The team is able to determine that their find, Predator X, is indeed a new species based on its incredible size and bone morphology - specifically: the flipper bones, the breast plate, and the neck vertebrae.
Predator X is produced for History(TM) by Atlantic Productions. Executive Producer for Atlantic Productions is Anthony Geffen. Executive Producer for History is Dirk Hoogstra.
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Saturday, January 10, 2009
Bill to Protect Sharks Introduced in Congress
The Humane Society of the United States and its global affiliate Humane Society International applauded Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo (D-Guam) for reintroducing the Shark Conservation Act, H.R. 81, in the U.S. House of Representatives. This bill provides increased protection for vulnerable shark species from the disgusting practices of "finning" and overfishing.
"Each year, tens of millions of sharks worldwide have their fins cruelly cut off at sea and are then thrown back overboard to die a lingering, painful death," said Patricia Forkan, president of Humane Society International. "Shark finning threatens the survival of essential marine species, and we commend Congresswoman Bordallo for addressing this cruel and wasteful practice."
Although shark finning was banned in the U.S. by the Shark Finning Prohibition Act of 2000, enforcement is complex and a major loophole allows circumvention of the law. Last summer, the U.S. Department of Commerce implemented regulations in the U.S. Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico requiring that sharks be landed with fins naturally attached to their bodies, the only sure way to prevent shark finning. However, the Pacific Ocean has no comparable regulation, leaving these expansive waters wide open to abuse.
Last year, the previous version of the Shark Conservation Act (H.R. 5741) passed the House in the 110th Congress, but did not advance in the Senate before the session was adjourned. The new legislation contains the same language closing a loophole that currently permits a vessel to transport fins that were obtained illegally as long as the sharks were not finned aboard that vessel. The act also requires that all sharks be landed with their fins naturally attached to their bodies, creating a clear enforcement mandate applicable in both oceans.
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"Each year, tens of millions of sharks worldwide have their fins cruelly cut off at sea and are then thrown back overboard to die a lingering, painful death," said Patricia Forkan, president of Humane Society International. "Shark finning threatens the survival of essential marine species, and we commend Congresswoman Bordallo for addressing this cruel and wasteful practice."
Although shark finning was banned in the U.S. by the Shark Finning Prohibition Act of 2000, enforcement is complex and a major loophole allows circumvention of the law. Last summer, the U.S. Department of Commerce implemented regulations in the U.S. Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico requiring that sharks be landed with fins naturally attached to their bodies, the only sure way to prevent shark finning. However, the Pacific Ocean has no comparable regulation, leaving these expansive waters wide open to abuse.
Last year, the previous version of the Shark Conservation Act (H.R. 5741) passed the House in the 110th Congress, but did not advance in the Senate before the session was adjourned. The new legislation contains the same language closing a loophole that currently permits a vessel to transport fins that were obtained illegally as long as the sharks were not finned aboard that vessel. The act also requires that all sharks be landed with their fins naturally attached to their bodies, creating a clear enforcement mandate applicable in both oceans.
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Thursday, December 18, 2008
Project Listens for Right Whales, in Hopes of Helping Them
Right whales are talking, but is anyone listening? Research planned off the Georgia coast this winter may help scientists determine whether whale calls can be used to protect endangered right whales.
Collisions with ships are a leading cause of North Atlantic right whale deaths. With right whale numbers estimated at only about 400, the loss of one breeding female can affect the species. For more than 20 years, the primary way of reducing ship strikes has been through aerial surveys, which are costly, dangerous and ineffective at night and in bad weather. Thanks to improvements in technology, another method is coming online – locating whales by their calls.
This method, referred to as passive acoustic detection, uses computerized buoys that listen for right whale calls and immediately report those calls to land using a cellular or satellite telephone link.
Scientists from Cornell University and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution recently installed the first full-scale, real-time passive acoustic detection system in Cape Cod Bay. (Check www.listenforwhales.org/ for updates on whales detected.) When a right whale vocalization is detected, certain ships entering Cape Cod Bay are notified and required to slow to 10 knots.
Passive acoustic detection has been proposed as a way to protect right whales in their calving areas along the Georgia and Florida coast. Research has shown that right whales also call in the Southeast, and related projects are in the works, building on years of study in the Northeast. But a central question remains: Do cows with calves vocalize or is it the larger numbers of non-breeding whales that are calling?
Some have speculated that cows with calves may be quieter than other whales, perhaps to avoid attracting predators. If so, passive acoustic detection techniques would be poorly suited to protecting the most valuable demographic component of the population – breeding females.
Biologists from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service hope to answer this question during the upcoming right whale calving season. They plan to attach temporary recording devices called Bioacoustic Probes or B-Probes on the backs of up to 10 right whale cows with calves.
The probe tags are about a foot long and attach to the whales’ rubbery skin with suction cups. The process sounds deceivingly simple: A whale is approached by boat. The tag is attached to the whale’s back with a handheld pole. The probe records vocalizations and ambient sound for up to 12 hours. Then it pops off and is relocated using a VHF radio receiver.
“While maneuvering the 23-foot tagging boat within 15 feet of a 50-foot-long, 50-ton swimming right whale will certainly be challenging, the biggest challenge will likely be whether or not the tags stay on for the full recording time,” said biologist Clay George, of the DNR’s Wildlife Resources Division. “Right whale calves frequently roll back and forth across their mothers’ backs, which may cause the tags to detach prematurely.”
If successful, the project could help determine whether passive acoustic detection is a viable management option in the Southeast. The project will take place from January through March 2009. Scientists at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center will analyze the acoustic data. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Fisheries Service and the DNR’s Nongame Wildlife Conservation Fund are providing funding.
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Collisions with ships are a leading cause of North Atlantic right whale deaths. With right whale numbers estimated at only about 400, the loss of one breeding female can affect the species. For more than 20 years, the primary way of reducing ship strikes has been through aerial surveys, which are costly, dangerous and ineffective at night and in bad weather. Thanks to improvements in technology, another method is coming online – locating whales by their calls.
This method, referred to as passive acoustic detection, uses computerized buoys that listen for right whale calls and immediately report those calls to land using a cellular or satellite telephone link.
Scientists from Cornell University and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution recently installed the first full-scale, real-time passive acoustic detection system in Cape Cod Bay. (Check www.listenforwhales.org/ for updates on whales detected.) When a right whale vocalization is detected, certain ships entering Cape Cod Bay are notified and required to slow to 10 knots.
Passive acoustic detection has been proposed as a way to protect right whales in their calving areas along the Georgia and Florida coast. Research has shown that right whales also call in the Southeast, and related projects are in the works, building on years of study in the Northeast. But a central question remains: Do cows with calves vocalize or is it the larger numbers of non-breeding whales that are calling?
Some have speculated that cows with calves may be quieter than other whales, perhaps to avoid attracting predators. If so, passive acoustic detection techniques would be poorly suited to protecting the most valuable demographic component of the population – breeding females.
Biologists from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service hope to answer this question during the upcoming right whale calving season. They plan to attach temporary recording devices called Bioacoustic Probes or B-Probes on the backs of up to 10 right whale cows with calves.
The probe tags are about a foot long and attach to the whales’ rubbery skin with suction cups. The process sounds deceivingly simple: A whale is approached by boat. The tag is attached to the whale’s back with a handheld pole. The probe records vocalizations and ambient sound for up to 12 hours. Then it pops off and is relocated using a VHF radio receiver.
“While maneuvering the 23-foot tagging boat within 15 feet of a 50-foot-long, 50-ton swimming right whale will certainly be challenging, the biggest challenge will likely be whether or not the tags stay on for the full recording time,” said biologist Clay George, of the DNR’s Wildlife Resources Division. “Right whale calves frequently roll back and forth across their mothers’ backs, which may cause the tags to detach prematurely.”
If successful, the project could help determine whether passive acoustic detection is a viable management option in the Southeast. The project will take place from January through March 2009. Scientists at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center will analyze the acoustic data. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Marine Fisheries Service and the DNR’s Nongame Wildlife Conservation Fund are providing funding.
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Friday, December 5, 2008
Georgia Welcomes Back State’s Marine Mammal: Right Whales
It is seen from a research vessel lookout – a solitary V-shaped “blow” and then something dark on the water’s surface. Often, the return of right whales to Georgia is as subtle as that. But this winter, thanks to a new ruling more of these imperiled whales will have a better chance at making the annual journey safely.
In October, the National Marine Fisheries Service established a rule that will implement speed restrictions for vessels 65 feet or longer. The restrictions call for a speed of no more than 10 knots during certain times of the year in areas designated as critical right whale habitat along the U.S. Atlantic seaboard. The rule goes into effect Dec. 9, 2008. Shipping interests can find additional information at http://www.nero.noaa.gov/shipstrike/.
Biologists with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are spreading the word about the rule while also gearing up for the first few sightings of these rare aquatic giants.
It is important to note that not only commercial ships can cause mortal injuries to right whales. Recreational fishing boats and other large personal recreational boats can also have a devastating impact on the whales, which are found as close as three miles offshore depending on water depth. Although larger recreational boats are not required to adhere to the commercial speed limit, NOAA recommends they heed the rule as well.
North Atlantic right whales spend the summer in the cooler waters off New England and Canada. Each fall, a portion of the population returns to Georgia and Florida for the winter. Annual research done by the DNR Wildlife Resources Division and NOAA from December through March is helping wildlife biologists determine the status of these endangered animals.
Approximately 150 right whales were seen off the Georgia coast during the 2008 season. The total included 19 sets of mother and calf pairs, as well as juveniles and single animals. Whales are counted using aerial surveys and on-the-water monitoring.
2008 marked the first year since 2005 that no adult mortalities were reported. There were two reported cases of calf mortalities last year, both from unknown causes.
Researchers identify right whales by the unique pattern of callosities, or rough patches of skin, found on the whales’ heads and around their mouths. These patches are usually covered with whale lice, crustaceans that make the patches appear white. Photographs are used to tell which whale is being observed.
Right whales are baleen whales with a bow-shaped lower jaw and a head that is up to one-quarter of the body length. Calves weigh approximately 1 ton at birth and adults can reach 60 tons and almost 50 feet in length. They have no dorsal fin and breathe through two blowholes on the top of their heads. These blowholes create a unique V-shaped blow, which also helps researchers identify the whales from a distance.
Right whales were nearly driven to extinction by commercial whaling in the late 19th century. Commercial harvest was banned in 1935. Today the North Atlantic right whale is classified as endangered under U.S. and Georgia law. Right whales are listed as a priority species in Georgia’s State Wildlife Action Plan, the blueprint for conservation in the state. Georgia adopted the right whale as its state mammal in 1985.
Although not hunted now, right whales face conservation problems including ship strikes, entanglement in commercial fishing gear and habitat destruction. Even after nearly 50 years of protected status, there are only an estimated 300 to 400 North Atlantic right whales left.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
** Be wise stewards of Georgia's natural environment and enjoy the outdoors responsibly. If boating off the Georgia coast from December to April, follow the Guidelines for Navigating in Right Whale Waters, available on the DNR Coastal Resources Division’s Web page, http://crd.dnr.state.ga.us . Report right whale sightings by calling (800) 272-8363. For more information, please visit http://crd.dnr.state.ga.us .
** Buy a nongame wildlife license plate. The DNR Wildlife Resources Division’s Nongame Conservation Section, which works to conserve nongame species such as right whales, receives no state appropriations. Instead, the section relies on federal grants, donations and fundraisers like license plate sales. Nongame plates featuring a bald eagle or a ruby-throated hummingbird are available for $25 at all county tag offices, by checking the appropriate box on mail-in forms or through online renewal at http://mvd.dor.ga.gov/tags.
** Donate to the Nongame Conservation Section’s work through the Give Wildlife a Chance State Income Tax Checkoff. Simply fill in a dollar amount on line 26 of the long tax form (Form 500) or line 10 of the short form (Form 500EZ).
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In October, the National Marine Fisheries Service established a rule that will implement speed restrictions for vessels 65 feet or longer. The restrictions call for a speed of no more than 10 knots during certain times of the year in areas designated as critical right whale habitat along the U.S. Atlantic seaboard. The rule goes into effect Dec. 9, 2008. Shipping interests can find additional information at http://www.nero.noaa.gov/shipstrike/.
Biologists with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are spreading the word about the rule while also gearing up for the first few sightings of these rare aquatic giants.
It is important to note that not only commercial ships can cause mortal injuries to right whales. Recreational fishing boats and other large personal recreational boats can also have a devastating impact on the whales, which are found as close as three miles offshore depending on water depth. Although larger recreational boats are not required to adhere to the commercial speed limit, NOAA recommends they heed the rule as well.
North Atlantic right whales spend the summer in the cooler waters off New England and Canada. Each fall, a portion of the population returns to Georgia and Florida for the winter. Annual research done by the DNR Wildlife Resources Division and NOAA from December through March is helping wildlife biologists determine the status of these endangered animals.
Approximately 150 right whales were seen off the Georgia coast during the 2008 season. The total included 19 sets of mother and calf pairs, as well as juveniles and single animals. Whales are counted using aerial surveys and on-the-water monitoring.
2008 marked the first year since 2005 that no adult mortalities were reported. There were two reported cases of calf mortalities last year, both from unknown causes.
Researchers identify right whales by the unique pattern of callosities, or rough patches of skin, found on the whales’ heads and around their mouths. These patches are usually covered with whale lice, crustaceans that make the patches appear white. Photographs are used to tell which whale is being observed.
Right whales are baleen whales with a bow-shaped lower jaw and a head that is up to one-quarter of the body length. Calves weigh approximately 1 ton at birth and adults can reach 60 tons and almost 50 feet in length. They have no dorsal fin and breathe through two blowholes on the top of their heads. These blowholes create a unique V-shaped blow, which also helps researchers identify the whales from a distance.
Right whales were nearly driven to extinction by commercial whaling in the late 19th century. Commercial harvest was banned in 1935. Today the North Atlantic right whale is classified as endangered under U.S. and Georgia law. Right whales are listed as a priority species in Georgia’s State Wildlife Action Plan, the blueprint for conservation in the state. Georgia adopted the right whale as its state mammal in 1985.
Although not hunted now, right whales face conservation problems including ship strikes, entanglement in commercial fishing gear and habitat destruction. Even after nearly 50 years of protected status, there are only an estimated 300 to 400 North Atlantic right whales left.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
** Be wise stewards of Georgia's natural environment and enjoy the outdoors responsibly. If boating off the Georgia coast from December to April, follow the Guidelines for Navigating in Right Whale Waters, available on the DNR Coastal Resources Division’s Web page, http://crd.dnr.state.ga.us . Report right whale sightings by calling (800) 272-8363. For more information, please visit http://crd.dnr.state.ga.us .
** Buy a nongame wildlife license plate. The DNR Wildlife Resources Division’s Nongame Conservation Section, which works to conserve nongame species such as right whales, receives no state appropriations. Instead, the section relies on federal grants, donations and fundraisers like license plate sales. Nongame plates featuring a bald eagle or a ruby-throated hummingbird are available for $25 at all county tag offices, by checking the appropriate box on mail-in forms or through online renewal at http://mvd.dor.ga.gov/tags.
** Donate to the Nongame Conservation Section’s work through the Give Wildlife a Chance State Income Tax Checkoff. Simply fill in a dollar amount on line 26 of the long tax form (Form 500) or line 10 of the short form (Form 500EZ).
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Thursday, October 23, 2008
UWG: Waring Lecture Series Features Reitz October 24
The Antonio J. Waring Jr. Distinguished Lecture Series will present environmental archeologist Dr. Elizabeth Reitz on Friday, Oct. 24, at 7:30 p.m. at the University of West Georgia.
This must see event for anyone interested in archaeology, history and how people use the environment will take place in the Kathy Cashen Recital Hall where the professor of anthropology will share her experiences in the field and in the lab at this prestigious annual event. The presentation is free and the community is invited to attend.
Reitz is a professor of anthropology at the University of Georgia and is internationally recognized as an expert on human use of animal resources, especially in maritime environments. Her lecture, “5,000 Years of Fishing on the Georgia Coast,” is sure to interest science and history buffs of all ages.
“I would like to encourage people to look to the past as a way to understand the present and as a window into the future,” said Reitz. “And to think holistically about the human experience.”
On her website, Reitz wrote: “I base my research on the study of animal remains from archaeological sites, for which purpose I manage the Zooarchaeology Laboratory. The lab specializes in the identification of vertebrate remains and contains a comparative skeletal collection of 4,200 vertebrate and invertebrate specimens from throughout the southeastern United States and adjacent waters, as well as from the Caribbean.”
The lab and its contents have been used since 1977 in support of archaeological research, service and training, during which time more than 200 archaeological faunal assemblages from the southeastern United States, the Caribbean basin, Peru, and Ecuador have been studied. Faunal Assemblage is an archeological term describing fossils found together in the same layer of rock or soil.
Reitz will spend the day on campus as a guest at the Antonio J. Waring Jr. Archeology Laboratory and in several anthropology classes before the lecture. The Department of Anthropology and the Waring Lab will host the annual event.
The lecture series is funded through the largest endowment given to an anthropology department in the state of Georgia. The Waring endowment also funds the operation of the Waring Lab and an endowed professorship in Anthropology at UWG.
For more information, call 678-839-6454.
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This must see event for anyone interested in archaeology, history and how people use the environment will take place in the Kathy Cashen Recital Hall where the professor of anthropology will share her experiences in the field and in the lab at this prestigious annual event. The presentation is free and the community is invited to attend.
Reitz is a professor of anthropology at the University of Georgia and is internationally recognized as an expert on human use of animal resources, especially in maritime environments. Her lecture, “5,000 Years of Fishing on the Georgia Coast,” is sure to interest science and history buffs of all ages.
“I would like to encourage people to look to the past as a way to understand the present and as a window into the future,” said Reitz. “And to think holistically about the human experience.”
On her website, Reitz wrote: “I base my research on the study of animal remains from archaeological sites, for which purpose I manage the Zooarchaeology Laboratory. The lab specializes in the identification of vertebrate remains and contains a comparative skeletal collection of 4,200 vertebrate and invertebrate specimens from throughout the southeastern United States and adjacent waters, as well as from the Caribbean.”
The lab and its contents have been used since 1977 in support of archaeological research, service and training, during which time more than 200 archaeological faunal assemblages from the southeastern United States, the Caribbean basin, Peru, and Ecuador have been studied. Faunal Assemblage is an archeological term describing fossils found together in the same layer of rock or soil.
Reitz will spend the day on campus as a guest at the Antonio J. Waring Jr. Archeology Laboratory and in several anthropology classes before the lecture. The Department of Anthropology and the Waring Lab will host the annual event.
The lecture series is funded through the largest endowment given to an anthropology department in the state of Georgia. The Waring endowment also funds the operation of the Waring Lab and an endowed professorship in Anthropology at UWG.
For more information, call 678-839-6454.
-----
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Saturday, September 13, 2008
Beaked Whale Research off the Coast of Spain
24/7 - A group of Europe's leading marine conservation and research organizations joined forces to carry out crucial research into some of the rarest and most elusive marine animals on the planet - beaked whales. The research program, called "Diver 2008", after these animals' deep diving ability, ran during July 2008 off the northern coast of Spain, within the Bay of Biscay - an area with a number of deep water canyons which is renowned for sightings of these mysterious marine mammals.
The research was important and timely because beaked whales are known to be very sensitive to certain sub-sea noise and there have been numerous cases of mass strandings of these animals which have been linked to concurrent use of military sonar.
Dr Kelly Macleod, Project Coordinator of the Diver surveys and Chairperson of the charity ORCA (Organisation Cetacea), commented: "The team worked extremely well together during the research and had a number of opportunities to investigate these rare whales at close quarters. This has provided the opportunity to really correlate sightings of the whales with underwater features and will help map their preferred habitat".
This was a highly successful trip. During the study program, the research team recorded 120 sightings of whale and dolphins, including nine definite Cuvier's Beaked Whales, seven of which were photographed for future identification purposes. Other species seen included a pod of 13 Sperm Whales, globally endangered Fin Whales, many dolphins and another rarely seen beaked whale species - the Sowerby's Beaked Whale.
Jos Antonio Vázquez Bonales, Sightings Coordinator for AMBAR, said "We were able to take a number of high quality photo-identification images of the whales we encountered which will form part of a catalogue. The distinctive patterns of scratches and marks on the fins and bodies of these whales make each photograph like a fingerprint for that particular animal and will aid identification of the same animals should they be sighted again".
Analysis of the data is still proceeding and a full report will be generated later in the year. However, the top line results demonstrate the success of the project, providing a robust foundation to help underpin future conservation measures for these vulnerable animals.
Dr Tom Brereton, Marinelife Research Director, commented "Through the Diver 2008 project, we have made an important step forward in identifying the range and movements of Cuvier's Beaked Whales. This data is vital if we are to devise effective conservation strategies for these fascinating deep water animals."
The data collected through Diver 2008 will add to the knowledge base on beaked whales developed by Ambar, Marinelife and ORCA which is obtained through surveys on commercial ferries in the region. All three groups share this data and collaborate with other ferry researchers, through the Atlantic Research Coalition (ARC).
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The research was important and timely because beaked whales are known to be very sensitive to certain sub-sea noise and there have been numerous cases of mass strandings of these animals which have been linked to concurrent use of military sonar.
Dr Kelly Macleod, Project Coordinator of the Diver surveys and Chairperson of the charity ORCA (Organisation Cetacea), commented: "The team worked extremely well together during the research and had a number of opportunities to investigate these rare whales at close quarters. This has provided the opportunity to really correlate sightings of the whales with underwater features and will help map their preferred habitat".
This was a highly successful trip. During the study program, the research team recorded 120 sightings of whale and dolphins, including nine definite Cuvier's Beaked Whales, seven of which were photographed for future identification purposes. Other species seen included a pod of 13 Sperm Whales, globally endangered Fin Whales, many dolphins and another rarely seen beaked whale species - the Sowerby's Beaked Whale.
Jos Antonio Vázquez Bonales, Sightings Coordinator for AMBAR, said "We were able to take a number of high quality photo-identification images of the whales we encountered which will form part of a catalogue. The distinctive patterns of scratches and marks on the fins and bodies of these whales make each photograph like a fingerprint for that particular animal and will aid identification of the same animals should they be sighted again".
Analysis of the data is still proceeding and a full report will be generated later in the year. However, the top line results demonstrate the success of the project, providing a robust foundation to help underpin future conservation measures for these vulnerable animals.
Dr Tom Brereton, Marinelife Research Director, commented "Through the Diver 2008 project, we have made an important step forward in identifying the range and movements of Cuvier's Beaked Whales. This data is vital if we are to devise effective conservation strategies for these fascinating deep water animals."
The data collected through Diver 2008 will add to the knowledge base on beaked whales developed by Ambar, Marinelife and ORCA which is obtained through surveys on commercial ferries in the region. All three groups share this data and collaborate with other ferry researchers, through the Atlantic Research Coalition (ARC).
______
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Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Georgia Sea Turtle Center at the 2008 National Marine Educators Association Conference
AAAG Note: Since Dylan the Sea Turtle was released in June, we have been following the Georgia Sea Turtle Center in Jekyll Island as they post information on Dylan and other sea turtles in need. This story is from their blog. We hope you enjoy it. Keep up the good work!
One World, One Water:
NMEA 2008 Conference
Beautiful Savannah, GA was the site for the 2008 National Marine Educators Association (NMEA) conference. NMEA is comprised of educators and researchers devoted to the study of marine and fresh water environments. Attendees gathered from all over the world to share recent research findings and innovative education ideas. The Georgia Sea Turtle Center had a strong presence at the conference as Alicia Marin and myself (Sarah Mathias) both were honored to be chosen to present and exhibit.
Visitors to our exhibit were often greeted by us as they browsed the table filled with info on school programs, adoption and membership options, walkway to wonder brick info, and much more. A laptop computer display allowed passersby to take a virtual tour of the Center, and thanks to the wonderful world wide web we could track our released patients online right at the table!
On the first day of the conference I presented "Swim into Learning with Sea Turtles." The audience was taken on a journey through the Georgia Sea Turtle Center learning how they can utilize our facility either through a virtual visit, our outreach programs, or even through our website! At the end of the program the room was instantly transformed into a treatment room filled with four sick and injured sea turtles, plush ones of course! The audience became sea turtle doctors as I presented "Sea Turtle Rescue 911," an innovative program designed for high school students.
Later in the week Alicia presented her master's thesis "Sun, Sand, and Sea Turtles: Conservation through Non-formal Education. Alicia wowed the crowd as she presented several craft, game, and program ideas that were used for a summer camp she created for children in the Caribbean. At the end of her slideshow she brought the fun of her camp and the GSTC to Savannah as she taught Amazing Adaptations. Amazing Adaptations is one of the GSTC's most popular programs in which one lucky person is turned into a sea turtle and is one of the many activities created for her thesis.
The last day of the conference offered participants the chance to explore Georgia's beautiful coast, and the Georgia Sea Turtle Center was proud to be chosen as a field trip option. Eighteen educators got the chance to take a journey through the Center as loggerhead sea turtles, visit with our patients, and go behind the scenes to view the food prep area, treatment room, surgical suite, and x-ray room.
One World, One Water was a great experience from which we gained new insight into marine science education and visited with colleagues from all over the world. We were proud to be a part of such an extraordinary gathering of exceptional people and hope to attend future conferences.
~Sarah Mathias, Educator
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One World, One Water:
NMEA 2008 Conference
Beautiful Savannah, GA was the site for the 2008 National Marine Educators Association (NMEA) conference. NMEA is comprised of educators and researchers devoted to the study of marine and fresh water environments. Attendees gathered from all over the world to share recent research findings and innovative education ideas. The Georgia Sea Turtle Center had a strong presence at the conference as Alicia Marin and myself (Sarah Mathias) both were honored to be chosen to present and exhibit.
Visitors to our exhibit were often greeted by us as they browsed the table filled with info on school programs, adoption and membership options, walkway to wonder brick info, and much more. A laptop computer display allowed passersby to take a virtual tour of the Center, and thanks to the wonderful world wide web we could track our released patients online right at the table!
On the first day of the conference I presented "Swim into Learning with Sea Turtles." The audience was taken on a journey through the Georgia Sea Turtle Center learning how they can utilize our facility either through a virtual visit, our outreach programs, or even through our website! At the end of the program the room was instantly transformed into a treatment room filled with four sick and injured sea turtles, plush ones of course! The audience became sea turtle doctors as I presented "Sea Turtle Rescue 911," an innovative program designed for high school students.
Later in the week Alicia presented her master's thesis "Sun, Sand, and Sea Turtles: Conservation through Non-formal Education. Alicia wowed the crowd as she presented several craft, game, and program ideas that were used for a summer camp she created for children in the Caribbean. At the end of her slideshow she brought the fun of her camp and the GSTC to Savannah as she taught Amazing Adaptations. Amazing Adaptations is one of the GSTC's most popular programs in which one lucky person is turned into a sea turtle and is one of the many activities created for her thesis.
The last day of the conference offered participants the chance to explore Georgia's beautiful coast, and the Georgia Sea Turtle Center was proud to be chosen as a field trip option. Eighteen educators got the chance to take a journey through the Center as loggerhead sea turtles, visit with our patients, and go behind the scenes to view the food prep area, treatment room, surgical suite, and x-ray room.
One World, One Water was a great experience from which we gained new insight into marine science education and visited with colleagues from all over the world. We were proud to be a part of such an extraordinary gathering of exceptional people and hope to attend future conferences.
~Sarah Mathias, Educator
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Community News You Can Use
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