Getting the drift: Sargassum

Disclaimer: taken from my personal wordpress blog.

Sargassum: Who, What, Why, Where, When?

Sargassum is a brown seaweed (moss) that is usually attached to the bottom of the ocean but has gas filled berries that help it to float if ripped up by wave action. There are many species, two of which never have contact with the sea floor and live as free floating moss or in the case of recent years, slicks or mats.

Sargassum on the South-East coast of Barbados.

This seaweed originally comes from the Sargasso sea in the North Atlantic gyre. However,  ongoing studies including satellite observations suggest potentially new areas of origin & different sources such as the mouth of the Amazon, an area that had not been previously associated with the growth of this seaweed.

It is not uncommon to see two of these species in the Caribbean but what is alarming is the quantity beginning with the 2011 event. A lot is still unknown stemming from the influx of pelagic sargassum onto the coastlines of many Eastern Caribbean countries as well as West Africa such as Ghana & Sierra Leone in 2011.

One set of ocean currents come to the Eastern Caribbean from northern Brazil, French Guiana, Suriname & Guyana and it is believed that the Guyana current is responsible for transporting some of this moss into the Caribbean whereas some is travelling in an equatorial counter-current and reaching the West Coast of Africa (currents are some amazing things!)

Sargassum floating in the sea.

So what does this sargassum mean for Barbados and the rest of the Caribbean and Africa? There are both positive and negative impacts associated with it. Some of these affect the fishing industry through entangled lines & nets, clogging of engines as well as have negative impacts through reducing light levels for fish. However, this seaweed can provide habitat for juvenile fish & sea turtle hatchlings and provides nutrients, supports food webs and acts as both a nursery & spawning area.

In Barbados in 2011, baby dolphinfish arrived earlier but the flying fish season ended earlier and this is being voiced once again this year with the price of flying fish apparently declining from $18 to $15 for 10 flying fish.

Another major negative impact of this moss is the effect on the aesthetics of our advertised pristine beaches for tourism. The moss gives off quite a  smell, which can be a bother for locals and tourists alike and has resulted in expensive & often damaging and fruitless attempts at removal.

Rope entangled with Sargassum seaweed on the East Coast of Barbados.

So many unanswered questions remain: why this increase and what is the best way to utilize it and even profit from it? It may be linked to above normal rainfall and thus run-off filled with nutrients in the outflow of rivers.

Is there enough to create a sustainable industry in the form of eating, drinking, fertilizers, export? Perhaps if more people follow the lead of Barbadian Mr.Callender and become more innovative, yes there could be a market!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nkRU0-4Kf8

So for now, why not pick up some, let the rainwater clean it and dry it if using as fertilizer for those kitchen gardens while removing African snails as well?!

Hope that you have gotten the drift on Sargassum!

(I must give credit to Hazel, who taught me much of this information.

Sharks

It's the Discovery Channel's shark week; arguably one of the best weeks on TV! To coincide with this, I thought I would do a shark post. I had wished to do this a few weeks ago when some of us here in Barbados had our very own shark week but thought I would let things simmer down and do more of a factual post so Sharks 101 coming right up!

Sharks, believed to be older than dinosaurs are fish that rely on gills to breathe while underwater. Most sharks must swim continuously in order to maintain a steady flow of water over their gills, allowing them to breathe. However, some species such as the nurse shark can actively pump water over their gills while resting on the sea floor. 

Sharks inhabit all of the World's oceans from coastal, inshore waters to the open oceans with some species being found in freshwater lakes and rivers. There are approximately 500 shark species known with many of them having rough tooth-like skin that feels like sandpaper when touched. Some shark species are oviparous, meaning that they lay eggs while others are viviparous and give birth to live young and have a placenta. The young are born fully formed and as soon as they pop out, they must fend for themselves.  When a shark loses a tooth,  another moves forward from the rows of backup teeth. A shark may use over 20,000 teeth during its life with teeth in some species being replaced every 8-15 days as a result of heavy use as an efficient weapon. As predators, sharks also have acute senses and make good use of smell which aid them in finding prey. They have a large oil filled liver which helps them maintain buoyancy but is also extracted for uses such as Vitamin A for humans.

These cartilaginous fishes play a valuable role in maintaining balance in an ecosystem. They are apex predators sitting (or rather swimming) at the top of the food chain. When sharks are removed, their interaction with other species is disrupted and some populations are no longer kept in check. 

Due to being a long-lived species that takes many years to mature and having only a few young at a time, sharks are vulnerable to overfishing for their meat, liver oil, fins and skin. Due to this slow rate reproduction and growth, these species cannot sustain heavy fishing pressure.  However, humans are not the only enemies of sharks. Killer whales, parasites and other sharks are also responsible for eating sharks. 

Populations are declining globally, many of this attributed to the shark fin trade where an estimated 100 million sharks are killed per year. Many fins are cut off and the sharks are thrown back into the water and die as a result of drowning, bleeding or being eaten by others.

Image via phys.org

There is still a lot of talk  that sharks are the deadliest predator but this is false! Yes, it is true that people have more regular encounters with the things mentioned in this video but it is still interesting. Take a look:Things deadlier than sharks.

So now that we have covered some of the basics on sharks, let's talk about Barbados. There are many shark species in and around our waters including the nurse shark, reef species such as the smoothskin (silky shark), black tips, tiger sharks, hammerhead sharks with sightings of bull sharks occurring as well. With that being said, the chances of the average Bajan having an amazing shark encounter are slim. The local population is not known and thus it is hard to even give an estimate of the number of sharks in our waters. This would be further complicated by some species being migratory. However, there does seem to be an increase in the population, perhaps as a result of increased turtle populations (however no bite marks have been found on the turtles monitored) or due to increased species feeding under and off of the seaweed. 

So next time you see a shark or hear of one being caught, let me know so that we can start to get an idea of numbers together and proceed from there.

Happy Shark Week!

Respect for marine life

RESPECTING MARINE LIFE

Disclaimer: There are many definitions of the word, 'respect' but since this is not a blog on specifics of grammar of the English language, it is the word that I will continue to revisit throughout this post; suppose you could say it's the theme.

The sea, ocean and the diverse life that it contains has so many uses; intrinsic and extrinsic values; supports so many and still has great potential for the future and should be protected, cared for and respected.

This practice of "respect" can begin in your home, even if it is located at some distance from the sea since many things that you do at home can trickle (literally) into and affect the sea. For example, some of that dishwashing liquid that you just used to clean that dish may end up in the sea later on in the day or week after it leaves your pipes and enters the drainage system or what about those pesticides that leach into the soil and into our water source and eventually flow out to sea? Hopefully by now you are thinking, "hmmmm" and I have sparked a piece of awareness in you. Let's move a little closer to our subject. What if you are on the beach and leave a plastic bag? This can enter the sea and turtles may mistake it as jellyfish and choke on it, leading to their death.  Now let's enter our subject- walk into the sea with me. The sunscreen that you have on is most probably leaving your skin and entering the water- look for a oily film around you. This may contribute to smothering some species of corals.  I am not saying do not use sunscreen but why not spend some time getting to know your products; read labels or try making your own (digressing a bit here!)

You are now snorkelling and see a beautiful starfish 8 feet below you. I am almost positive that many of you will first think, "ohhh so pretty, let me go closer or pick it up and take a picture". Well you can get closer but refrain from picking it up! With an increase in star fish in some areas in Barbados and having seen a few pictures on social media of people posing with these has sparked the inspiration (rant?) for this post.

Starfish, despite their name are not fish but echinoderms. Furthermore, they are keystone species which means that they play a critical role in maintaining balance in the ecosystem and if removed can affect this delicate and unique balance often resulting in loss of other species that rely on its' role. There have been massive die-offs of a few species of sea stars globally in recent times with reasons being attributed to a wasting syndrome and others to changes in temperature, among others. 

You may think nothing is wrong with holding that starfish for 30 seconds but think how many people hold that same starfish everyday causing stress to the animals when being lifted out of the water. These animals spend their lives submerged in water and diffuse oxygen from the water through the small tube feet on the underside of each of their legs. Moreover, star fish have eye spots that serve as receptors at the end of their arms/legs so when you pick them up, it's like poking their eyes (image being poked in your eyes a few times a day). Hopefully next time you see a star fish, instead of picking it up, take a picture of it underwater where it belongs and remember not to poke it in its eye. 

I simply chose starfish for the core of this post but much of this information could relate and apply to many other marine and terrestrial species. Now that you have read this essay, imagine that you are swimming along and catch a glimpse of a sea turtle in the distance. You kick as hard as you can to try to catch it and hold on for a ride- it is also advised that you do not do this! This may be one of our biggest attractions and we need the money from tourism but simply seeing these creatures in their "natural" habitat can be amazing. Remember, you are in their home so enter and leave without changing anything. Also, many of these species use defense mechanisms and if you make them feel threatened, you very well could end up becoming injured or harmed so also look out for yourself!

Turtle on the West Coast of Barbados

I simply chose these topics to discuss because these are things that more people come into contact with often and felt that it was a relatively easy thing to start making a change. There has been quite some discussion on social media this past week on the shark fishery of the island which is an issue that may be the subject of another post in the future. However, while your brains are ticking and becoming more aware of our surroundings and impacts that we can have on the marine environment both from home and at the beach or in the sea and how we may change these, why not also think about this and other fisheries and the interactions between people (cultural & livelihoods), money (economic) and the environment itself (ecological impacts)? 

Happy sea-ing and respecting!

Sea The Change Crew*

Marine mammals in captivity

Jump right in! A "dolphinarium" petition directed to the Coastal Zone Management Unit (CZMU) created by the Future Centre Trust (FCT) was all over my facebook recently and has sparked the idea for this post. It also made me think quite a bit more than regular on this issue and how I feel about it.  If you care to read on, you will see where I currently stand. 

In my opinion, the petition has garnered fantastic support and gives hope for public pressure creating change. We definitely need to see more of this in Barbados where the people can make a change and this petition has proved that many people are passionate about issues such as this and is a great step in the right direction. However, from my knowledge the petition should be directed to the Town and Country Planning Department (TCPD) and the Minister for Planning (the prime minister) as these agencies are in charge of approval for planning. CZMU  serves a very important advisory role but has already given their expertise advice to the relevant agencies and thus this issue is out of their hands as they do not approve planning. 

With that being said, let's swiftly move along and get to the point, something I haven't mastered as yet. The main issue of my post is not the petition but rather the main theme of marine mammals and more specifically dolphins in captivity as this species is more relevant to the proposed "dolphinarium". Digressing a bit here to give a greater picture on this issue- there is very little public information on the dolphinarium, simply it being announced at an event and later an article in a newspaper so will stick to this limited information given to the public.

Bottlenose dolphin calf in the Bahamas. Image via moi

However, the dolphins would probably be of the bottlenose species type (Tursiops truncatus) so here are some quick facts on them to get you further oriented: 

• These dolphins are well known as the intelligent, charismatic and friendly species often due to their "smiling" appearance as a result of mouth structure and their playful behaviour
• They travel in social groups and communicate with each other by a complex system of squeaks and whistles (echolocation).
• They can weigh up to over 1000 lbs with an average adult length ranging from approx 8-12 feet with males often being larger
• They have a lifespan of 20-40 years with gestation period being 12 months
• An adult can consume from 15-30 lbs per day (fish, squid, crustaceans)
• They can travel great distances often at fast speeds of up to 18 miles per hour!
• Dolphins must consciously swim to the surface to breathe through their blowhole
• This also means that they can never fully sleep and that half of their brain must remain active 

Under the sea. Image by me.

So why do I not like the idea of dolphins in captivity?

The point is that I am against dolphins in captivity and in this location for many reasons, with the main and underlying one being more of an animal rights/ethics issue:

• These species would be in a very unnatural habitat 
• Would have been accustomed to swimming great distances, playing and foraging and would have been removed from tightly knit pods (if not captive bred)
• The capture and transportation can be traumatic
• They require shade and greater depths than shallow pools or sea
• There is lack of capacity for vet care and appropriate housing 
• They can cause damage to humans through bites, ramming, disease
• What about damage to their area during a hurricane?
• This area is also very close to a prime hawksbill turtle nesting area
• Near to a sewage outfall
• People may argue that it is educational but would this really be education if the mammals are in an unnatural habitat performing odd behaviours?
• Bad for tourism: most places are moving away from this and we would move towards it?

Getting a little more technical now: Furthermore, Barbados has ratified the SPAW Protocol. This is the Protocol Concerning Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife to the Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region.  Annex II lists animal species that are designated for total protection and recovery. Since we have ratified this protocol, we must abide to this (just another reason why this should not happen). 

If you are not yet convinced why marine mammals should not be in captivity, watch Blackfish.

This is an extremely powerful documentary and a great way to end this post with a boom!

Until next time which will hopefully be in the near future,

Nikola*

Lionfish Derby

 Spear vs Spine: Barbadian Lionfish Derby

Just around the corner on Saturday May 24th is a lionfish derby right here in Barbados!

Who? Coastal Zone Management Unit in collaboration with many sponsors and friends

What?  Lionfish derby and cookoff

Why? To: increase awareness on these invasive and predatory creatures including how to handle and cook them; increase efforts on culling to lessen their numbers and thus impacts on coral reefs and associated species, fisheries and tourism

Where? Island wide diving except no spearing in Folkestone Marine Park followed by weigh in and cook off at Harbour Lights, Bay Street

When? May 24th, 2014 Sunrise to Sundown with weigh in starting at 12pm followed by a 1pm cookoff

What is a lionfish?

Lionfish are members of the scorpionfish family native to the Indo-Pacific but now found in many other waters including the Caribbean. They are voracious predators that reproduce year-round and have venomous spines which if not handled properly can inflict harm (apply hot water if this does happen!)

The Pterois volitans species of lionfish

What is a derby and why are we having one?

A derby is a large scale culling event where divers and fishers will compete to catch as many of these predatory fish as possible.
We are usually taught that something of this sort would be frowned upon in conservation but due to the invasive nature, reproductive ability and absence of natural predators of the lionfish, a drastic measure such as ongoing derbies are needed to increase efforts to reduce these fish. 

Details of the derby: 

Teams will go out from sunrise to 12 pm where fish will be weighed in, followed by a 1pm cookoff by divers and some of the island's top chefs; Marco Festini-Comer of Daphne’s Restaurant, Danny Oshea of Mojos restaurant, Renrick Williams of Bajan Boyz Entertainment, Henderson Butcher of Divi Southwinds and Oliver Hinds of the Waves Hotel. There will also be an educational booth with safety demonstrations on handling of the fish as well as a first aid station if needed. 

Prizes to be won include a sling spear from Hazell's Water World, vouchers for a cruise on the Jolly Roger ship, an afternoon dive from Dive High Tide Watersports, a $500 value prize from Eat Street & Co., lionfish prints and more!

If interested in being part of a team, there will be a captain's meeting on Thursday 15th May, 2014 at 7pm at the Fisheries Division where at least one member from each team must be present. 

Check out the Lionfish Barbados Facebook page, contact me for more information on the event, to sign up and receive liability forms and waivers and keep an eye out for information in the newspapers, on radio stations and tv like this article: http://www.barbadostoday.bb/2014/05/07/lionfish-derby-cook-off/

Hope to see you on Saturday 24th May at the lionfish derby where you can sample some of this delicious fish and have a great day!

Nikola*