SEA URCHINS & SEA BISCUITS – BEACHCOMBING TREASURES ON ABACO

August 18, 2012 by Rolling Harbour

SEA URCHINS & SEA BISCUITS – BEACHCOMBING TREASURES ON ABACO

It’s time we had some more shells and other beach treasures on these pages. In the absence of star Abaco beachcomber and blog-contributor KASIA I have taken a closer look at the Delphi Club collection. This has been casually accumulated by the Club, its members and guests during the past 3 years whenever a good specimen has been encountered, and is displayed in the Great Room. The first items to catch my eye were the ECHINODERMS, a family that includes sea urchins, sand dollars, sea biscuits and star fish. Their sun-bleached tests are often found, though in my limited experience the larger they are, the rarer. The link above is to the Wiki-blurb, which has the unpromisingly daunting heading “This article may be too technical for most readers to understand…”. Now there’s a challenge!

First up is a very large SEA URCHIN, a thing of great delicacy and fragility that weighs next to nothing. I have never seen a bigger one. Looking at the fine detail, it is hard to believe that such perfection of symmetry and intricacy can exist in a creature so very painful to tread on.

This SEA URCHIN is smaller, with more prominent nodules and a much more random pattern – reminiscent of a cartoon of some distant white planet. It has cast a fine knobbly shadow.

SEA BISCUITS have similar five-way symmetry to their first cousins SAND DOLLARS but are generally pebble-shaped rather than disc-shaped. I have included 2 close-ups to show the fine details of the pattern – almost like lace-work

This SEA BISCUIT is a different type, with the 5 radials reaching right round it. For some reason it only has 4 and not 5 small holes (as one might expect) at the centre. Unlike SAND DOLLARS they tend to be more oblong than round.

FISH FRENZY AT FOWL CAY MARINE PRESERVE, ABACO, BAHAMAS

August 13, 2012 by Rolling Harbour

FISH FRENZY AT FOWL CAY MARINE PRESERVE, ABACO

This is the first short video from footage taken in June at Fowl Cay, 2000 acres of protected coral reef waters. This was the start of another great day out snorkelling and island-hopping with dive-diva Kay Politano of ABOVE & BELOW ABACO Marsh Harbour. In due course there will be more videos of fish and coral. There is very slight evidence that lessons have been learned since last year’s erratic novice snorkeler / underwater photographer efforts. Still a way to go of course. The production process has been hampered by a major format problem between my camera chip thingy and the Mac I now use. It told me the data was unrecognisable / corrupted / damaged etc, which was massively disappointing. Then I thought of <<techno-tip>> downloading to an old PC and transferring to the Mac on a memory stick. Problem solved.

This huge swirling mass of (tens of) thousands of small fish confronted me as I round one end of the reef. I’ve never seen anything like it before, except on TV. It was an astounding, dizzy-making spectacle. When I swam into the middle of the shoal, I expected to feel tickled all over – but despite the huge numbers of fish, their speed, and their sudden and apparently random direction changes, I wasn’t conscious of feeling them at all. I assume the commotion resulted from the presence of larger fish feeding on the small ones. Or possibly from my appearance…

Music credit: Gordon Giltrap (Hofner champion) ‘Fast Approaching’

BMMRO WHALE, DOLPHIN & MANATEE SIGHTINGS ABACO / BAHAMAS JULY 2012

August 10, 2012 by Rolling Harbour

BMMRO WHALE & DOLPHIN SIGHTINGS ABACO JULY 2012

Last month there were bottlenose dolphins for Abaco; manatees for the Berry Is. [Hi, Rita & Georgie! – check out their progress on FACEBOOK BMMRO] with a first manatee sighting (I think) off the west coast of Long Island; and quite a few whale reports off the east coast of Andros. I wonder why the whales are all in that area at the moment? Maybe the reports are high for that area because that’s where the whale spotters congregated in July…

STOP PRESS Georgie the Manatee is now weaned – for details CLICK===>>> HERE

STOP PRESS 21 AUG As a sad coda to these sightings, the BMMRO has posted news of the stranding and death of pygmy sperm whale on Eleuthera

Stranding Event: August 19th, 2012
A blackfish stranded in Eleuthera:

Photos confirmed the species to be a pygmy sperm whale. The animal stranded alive but later died. Many thanks to Tom Glucksman and his wife for their efforts in providing pictures and getting a skin sample, which will allow us to get even more information about this animal

For more information on how to report a stranding event, please visit http://bahamaswhales.org/stranding

BMMRO (Website)

FACEBOOK BMMRO

BAHAMAS CONCH QUEST – GASTROPODS, SHELLS & CONSERVATION

July 17, 2012 by Rolling Harbour

BAHAMAS CONCH QUEST – GASTROPODS, SHELLS & CONSERVATION

Conchs are among the most familiar of all shells. On Abaco they are everywhere: in the sea, on the beach, used ornamentally in gardens, piled up wherever conch is on the menu… (basically, anywhere serving food)

Conchs have other uses besides being a staple food. They provide sought-after pink pearls. Only about 1 conch in 10,000 has a pearl, so bear in mind that if you miss one during your search, you may have another 10,000 to wade through… Conchs can produce music, of a sort (such as when used enthusiastically by the famous ‘conch-blower’ home-team supporter during cricket Test Matches in the West Indies). They are undeniably decorative on a porch or on a shelf.

Conchs have featured in literature and film. In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies the conch represents power and order. A conch is blown to call meetings of the marooned boys. Its power is symbolised by the rule that you have to be holding it to speak at the meeting (an idea that many – all? – Parliaments could benefit from…)

Ian Fleming mentions conchs in several of the Bond books, all such references being totally eclipsed by the memory of the appearance, in the film Dr No, of Honeychile Rider emerging from the sea, conch in hand. Oh, I see. That’s just men is it? Or (good grief) just me? Anyway, may we all agree amicably that Ursula Andress was a most decorative conch carrier?

CONCH CONSERVATION

The supply of conchs is not infinite. Overfish them, take them before maturity or pollute their habitat and this valuable marine resource depletes – and conchs, as with so many marine species, will become threatened. Fortunately there is a Bahamas-wide conservation organisation with a website packed with interest.

COMMUNITY CONCH is “a nonprofit organization that aims to protect queen conchs in the Bahamas, a species of mollusk threatened by aggressive over-fishing. We promote sustainable harvest of queen conch through research, education and community-based conservation”

“Helping to sustain a way of life in the Bahamas”

Much of the research has been carried out in Berry Is, Andros and Exuma Cays. However the team has recently been based at Sandy point, Abaco. To see some of their work on Abaco CLICK LINK===>> ABACO EXPEDITION

In many past posts I have listed ’10 Essential Facts’ about the topic discussed. In that spirit I have borrowed and slightly edited CC’s conch facts; and added a CC video of a conch’s stately ‘full speed ahead’ progress. NB No zoom…

12 CONCH FACTS

The queen conch is a large edible sea snail native to the coasts of the Caribbean, the Florida Keys, the Bahamas, and Bermuda. Conchs are herbivores – they eat algae and other tiny marine plants
Main predators include nurse sharks, loggerhead turtles, other snail species, blue crabs, eagle rays, spiny lobsters, and other crustaceans
Mating aggregations may contain hundreds or even thousands of individual male and female conchs
Female conchs lay hundreds of thousands of tiny eggs in a sandy egg mass. The larvae emerge after 5 days and may drift on ocean currents for a month before settling in suitable habitat on the sea floor
In their first year conchs live under the sand during the day & come out to feed on the surface at night
A queen conch may take 5 years to reach maturity and can reproduce
They live an average of 7 years, but are known to live as long as 20 – 30 years
Conchs produce natural pearls that come in a range of hues, including white, brown, orange & pink
The conch is listed by CITES as a species which may become threatened with extinction if trade is not tightly controlled
It is now illegal to take queen conchs in the state of Florida due to severe overfishing
80% of legal internationally traded conch is consumed in the United States. The smuggling of conch meat into the U.S. is a significant challenge to conch management in The Bahamas
Queen conch are vulnerable to overfishing because they are (1) relatively slow to grow (2) late to mature (3) aggregate to mate (4) easily harvested in shallow waters

A SPEEDY CONCH

(Conch photos taken by RH / Mrs RH at Sandy Point, Abaco)

BMMRO WHALE & DOLPHIN SIGHTINGS ABACO JUNE 2012

July 12, 2012 by Rolling Harbour

BMMRO WHALE & DOLPHIN SIGHTINGS ABACO JUNE 2012

Actually, I say ‘Abaco’ but the most activity – and the most varied, species-wise – is off the southern coast of Grand Bahama. Abaco sightings are also confined to the south, with shows from a PIGMY SPERM WHALE and a BLAINVILLE’S BEAKED WHALE and dolphins in the arc between Rocky Point and Hole-in-the-Wall. To see recent aerial photos of this section of coast CLICK===>>> HERE

The manatees of the Berry Is. are no longer shown on this map. Their happy story (and their fame) has spread and they now have their own entries on the BMMRO FACEBOOK PAGE, like any self-respecting stars. You can reach it anytime direct from the Sidebar if you you want to keep track of the story of Rita and her calf Georgie’s rehabilitation – and the other manatees they have encountered as they get used to their freedom.

ADDED The latest BMMRO quarterly newsletter has just been published – highly recommended for anyone with an interest in active whale / dolphin research, or in the latest news of the manatees of Berry Is. To see it CLICK===>>> BMMRO NEWSLETTER JULY 2012

BONEFISH! POLING THROUGH THE MANGROVES ON THE ABACO MARLS

July 10, 2012 by Rolling Harbour

BONEFISH! POLING THROUGH THE MANGROVES ON THE ABACO MARLS

I recently posted a short video giving an idea what it is like on a skiff as it skims fast over the water to the bonefish feeding grounds of the Abaco Marls SKIFF VIDEO Having arrived among the mangroves where the bonefish are lurking, the game changes. Instead of the roar of the engine and bump of the waves, the engine is cut and in near-silence the guide poles the skiff very slowly through the low water…

There’s a regular gentle scrape of the long pole on the sea-bed, as all eyes – guide, the fisher ‘up front’, and fishing partner – scan the water and the margins of the mangroves for bonefish or signs of their feeding. There might be tell-tale grey holes in the sandy bottom – or, as below, a ‘push’ wave as one or more bonefish move on to another area

There are bird calls such as the strangely melancholic metallic double-note of the RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD sounding like a rusty door-hinge.

Otherwise, very little noise until… the urgently whispered “Hey! Bonefish 9 o’clock, 30 feet, moving right, 3 of them…” and the hunt is on

This short video shows the skiff’s slow progress across low clear water close to the edge of the mangroves, while we search for the dark shadows cast on the sand by the bonefish as they work their way through the flats hunting shrimps and small crabs… and in due course, with luck a well-placed “Delphi Daddy”

[vimeo https://vimeo.com/45498544]

Credits: Red-winged Blackbird call – Xeno-Canto; Video Music – Albert Ross (formerly of Fleetwood Mac); R-WB below – Cornell Lab of Ornithology

WHERE THE SEA MEETS THE SKY – A SKIFF ON THE ABACO MARLS

June 27, 2012 by Rolling Harbour

A SKIFF RIDE TO THE BONEFISHING GROUNDS OF THE ABACO MARLS

With a film budget of $2 (excluding travel costs to Abaco, incidental expenses at Delphi etc), RH Productions is proud to be able to bring you another movie that is arguably slightly less incompetent than the ones that have preceded it (the wretched STINGRAY; the marginally better BLUE TANG and REEF FISH & CORAL). Parts of this one are almost satisfactory. There’s a beginning, a middle and an end – in that order. And, best of all, it’s only a minute long. So sit back with your tub of popcorn and enjoy… oh, is that it already?

The skiff trip can be as much as 5 miles to reach the best places for bonefishing in the mangroves (I’ll post a video of that later on). The exact location can vary daily and depends on a variety of factors including the state of the tide, the wind strength / direction, and cloud cover. On this day the sea was glassy still; mostly it’s quite a choppy trip across open ocean; and when the wind has whipped up some waves, it is (a) exhilarating and (b) a constant reminder of the thin cushioning on the seats… I mention in passing that apart from topping and tailing the clip, muting the noise of the engine / wind, and adding music, this scene is just as it was live. There’s been no subtle blurring of the horizon or other work done – my editing techniques are far too rudimentary (i.e. non-existent). Best viewed full-screen, if you can find the gizmo (bottom right small square thing)

Music credit to the erstwhile litigious Joe Satriani

BLAINVILLE’S BEAKED WHALES’ FEEDING GROUND ON ABACO / BMMRO MAY 2012 REPORT

June 20, 2012 by Rolling Harbour

BMMRO MAY 2012 REPORT / THE BEAKED WHALES’ FEEDING GROUND

The BMMRO report for May 2012 has just been published. It’s quite short so I am posting it ‘as is’. While I am about it, Charlotte Dunn has just emailed me about an aerial shot we took on a flight from MH to Nassau of the southern stretch of Abaco coast between Hole-in-the-Wall and Rocky Point. She writes “that stretch of dark water is the North West Providence channel and where we often see our infamous beaked whales. They dive down to get their food, diving to 2000m in some cases!” In the top photo, the plane is roughly over Hole-in-the-Wall. Sandy Point Airport is just visible (top centre). The second close-up photo clearly shows how the shallow coastal water quickly gives way to the deeper water of the channel.

BMMRO Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation Banner

BMMRO NEWS MAY 2012

May fieldworkProject: Monitoring beaked whale responses to sonar tests at the Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Centre (AUTEC)
A collaborative effort to deploy satellite tags on odontocete cetaceans on and around the US Navy’s Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center (AUTEC) in the northern Bahamas took place for the seventh time during April – May 2012. This project aims to monitor the movements of beaked whales and other odontocetes in relation to active sonar exercises, and particularly tests around multi-ship sonar exercises, on the AUTEC weapons range. This is a collaboration between the Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation, the Protected Resources Division of the NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center (http://swfsc.noaa.gov/prd.aspx) and the US Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC, http://www.nuwc.navy.mil/), with funding provided by the Chief of Naval Operations Energy and Environmental Readiness Division – N45. Secondary objectives include obtaining photo-identification data and biopsy samples.Below a picture is showing a satellite LIMPET tag being deployed on a Blainville’s beaked whale at AUTEC. These small low-profile tags are attached using a crossbow to deploy the tag on a projectile bolt; on contact with whale this bolt falls away (as shown), leaving only the transmitter tag attached to the animal. Two of these tags were deployed in early May 2012, transmitting dive depth data and location signals for 18 and 28 days.

tag placement on Blainville's beaked whale

The field team worked in co-ordination with NUWC’s Marine Mammal Monitoring on Navy Ranges (M3R) team based at Site 1, AUTEC. M3R vectored the vessel to acoustic detections of cetaceans on the range.

Sightings were made of 3 species: Blainville’s beaked whales (Mesoplodon densirostris), sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), and melon-headed whales (Peponocephala electra). There were 7 satellite tag deployments, 4 on sperm whales, 1 on a melon-headed whale and 2 on beaked whales. Both of the tags deployed on the beaked whales have provided movement and depth data prior to, during and after the multi-ship sonar exercise at AUTEC.

To read more about this project, go to the NOAA website to see their report.
Project: Assessing beaked whale reproduciton and stress response relative to sonar activity at the Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Centre (AUTEC)
Fieldwork took place in south Abaco with the field team based at BMMRO’s research centre in Sandy Point. The effort lasted two weeks and 22 biopsy samples were collected from 23 of the Blainville’s beaked whales sighted during the period, the 23rd animal was a calf and too small to biopsy.

These samples will be used to look at reproductive and stress hormone levels, and will be compared to samples taken from whales residing on the AUTEC range in Andros, during a project scheduled to take place in July this year. This project is funded with a research grant from the Office of Naval Research.

BONEFISH CATCH & RELEASE: A DEMO ON THE ABACO MARLS

June 12, 2012 by Rolling Harbour

BONEFISH CATCH & RELEASE: 5 COUNSELS OF PERFECTION*

1. FISH BARBLESS (OR FLATTEN THAT BARB)

2. WET YOUR HANDS BEFORE TOUCHING THE FISH

3. KEEP THE FISH IN THE WATER AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE

4. MINIMAL TOUCHING OF THE FISH – ITS PROTECTIVE COATING IS EASILY REMOVED

5. DO IT ALL AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE

This post follows on from my recent one BONEFISH RESEARCH: THE IMPACT OF HOOK RETENTION Here’s an example of swift C&R by my boat partner Martin of a small bonefish caught on the Abaco Marls. I say ‘small’ because it was his fish, not mine, so I can! Release is achieved, barely touching the fish, by twisting and loosening the barbless hook while the fish is in the water, and quickly flicking it off the hook without touching the fish’s sides. This preserves its protective coating, which if removed makes it vulnerable to predation and disease. He has in fact omitted Counsel 2 (above), because he has needed no significant contact with the fish. Apologies for the inevitable accompaniments to using Youtube – ads, 20 other vids on offer etc [Later: Mrs RH has spotted that my reef fish Blue Tang movie is amongst them. So have a look. It’s a bit iffy, frankly, but the music is nice, and helps drown out my snorkel-wheezing]

* I have avoided the dread words ‘GOLDEN RULES’ in recognition of the fact that the lofty ideals don’t always work out in practice. The fish itself can dictate the proceedings…

(And apologies for yet another ‘premature release’ (a bit like much of my fishing) of a nearly blank document. I’ve got the ‘Save’ and ‘Publish’ buttons yips)

LIONFISH: FURTHER RESEARCH INTO THE CARIBBEAN POPULATION EXPLOSION

June 11, 2012 by Rolling Harbour

LIONFISH – MARMITE DENIZENS OF THE OCEAN

A short time ago I posted in some detail about the poisonous LIONFISH. I included material about the rapid increase of this Pacific species in Caribbean and Floridian waters following accidental / deliberate releases in recent years. I also included videos from Grand Bahama scuba-expert FRED RIGER to balance the anti-lionfish orthodoxy, showing that the fish in fact do some good on the reefs. The post provoked a few comments, and had a surprising number of hits. Here is some further research courtesy of the excellent SEA MONSTER which adds a dimension to the debate and concludes with a very good point… Incidentally, in a recent morning snorkelling at Fowl Cay Marine Preserve, Abaco, I did not encounter a single one of these creatures (Mrs RH was unluckily stung by a jellyfish, though…). But I guess the Preserve is well policed against such intrusive species, which are otherwise found in large numbers in the area.

Why are lionfish populations exploding across the Caribbean?

Author: John Bruno on June 6, 2012

Lionfish are an exotic fish now found throughout the Greater Caribbean and eastern Atlantic that have become incredibly abundant on many reefs, especially in the Bahamas and off North Carolina. Lionfish are piscivores (fish that eat other fish) and were introduced from the Indo-Pacific by the aquarium trade in the late 1990s off Florida. Mostly likely, someone got tired of their fish and released them purposefully.

One hypothesis explaining their great success is the absence of natural enemies; predators, parasites and competitors. This is probably compounded by the fact that few Caribbean reefs have any predators left that could eat them (thanks to overfishing).

Another – and I think much more likely explanation – is because there is so much to eat in the Caribbean! Not because there are more fish, but because it is so much easier to catch them. Unlike fish in the Indo-Pacific, native Caribbean fishes do not appear to recognize lionfish as a potential threat. So the lionfish gobble them up, grow faster, make more babies, spread to new islands, etc.

Case in point: My lab group was working in Belize last week on the lionfish invasion. One of the things we were doing was collecting the otoliths and gonads from lionfish that we speared on a number of reefs to compare their fitness across the Caribbean (e.g., on reefs with and without native predators, etc). We also looked at stomach contents and many of them had parrotfishes in their tummies or still in their throats! The photo above is of the eggs from one lionfish we caught near Glovers Reef Atoll and the partial contents of it’s stomach (a juvenile striped parrotfish)!

Lionfish appear to be little more than machines that convert parrotfishes to baby lionfishes. Which is pretty much the purpose of all animals (consuming others and transforming them into your own genotype and species). But jeez, couldn’t those aquarium hobbyists have released a herbivore that could be converting macroalgae to fish biomass? That would have been much more useful.

TRAVEL TRIVIA & WORLD OCEANS DAY

June 8, 2012 by Rolling Harbour

We rebooked our storm-tossed flights. We spent an extra night at Delphi and one in Marsh Harbour. We went to check in online. Zilch. Nada. Niente. No trace of Mr & Mrs Harbour. One hour on the phone and it’s sorted, and with an upgrade to World International Club Class Traveller Special Plus or similar ( = more leg room? An extra bacon roll? We’ll see…)

More importantly, though, today is WORLD OCEANS DAY

You can find 100 Ocean-related quotes to sprinkle into your conversation if you tune in to the excellent BEACH CHAIR SCIENTIST from whom I have ‘borrowed’ this sea-loving image

Quote 33 is slightly disturbing…

Apologies for premature publication omitting title and later tweaks. Posting on an iPhone is a fiddly business.

HOLE-IN-THE-WALL ABACO: HISTORIC 1803 DESCRIPTION & AQUATINT

May 23, 2012 by Rolling Harbour

HOLE-IN-THE-WALL, ABACO: A HISTORIC DESCRIPTION & AQUATINT FROM 1803

I recently traced the history of Hole-in-the-Wall, Abaco through maps from the 16th century onwards – its significance, the name changes, and so on. To see that post CLICK HERE . I have just come across some historical material about HITW that is so fascinating that I have awarded the accolade of a separate post, rather than lumping it in with the earlier one. The extract below is from THE NAVAL CHRONICLE (Vol 9) * for January – July 1803. It gives a short but detailed description of the Hole in the Wall in the context of a remarkable sketch (reproduced as a Plate in the book) submitted by the contributor, who signed himself ‘Half-Pay’. That was the name traditionally used in both Navy and Army to refer to the pay or allowance an officer received when in retirement or not in actual service – or, metonomously, to the officer receiving the reduced pay. I greatly like the charming deference with which the contribution is offered.

The whole book is well worth examining for the light it sheds on Naval matters at the very start of the c19. The comprehensive personnel and other lists hold plenty of interest. This was an era of almost continuous major military and naval campaigns on both sides of the Atlantic. The Battle of Trafalgar was still 2 years away when this book was published. If you want to see the downloadable online version CLICK HERE [I had to zoom the page and clip it in two to make it easily readable – hence the gap. And apologies for the purple highlight – it was my place-mark…]

Here is the amazing aquatint by J. Wells of Half-Pay’s sketch, published in the 1803 Naval Chronicle by founder J.Gold of Shoe Lane, London. It’s quite small, measuring 5½” x 9″. You may even be looking at a screen clip of a scan of the book plate of the earliest surviving depiction of Hole-in-the Wall. If anyone knows of an older one, please get in touch. And can anyone identify what kind of sailing vessels these are (I wouldn’t know a brigantine from a clipper…)?

To answer queries arising from my earlier post, I added a map and photos showing exactly where the actual Hole at HITW is, and how to get there (if you are wearing the right shoes). It’s worth revisiting the topic. People are always fascinated by the extremities of land – ‘Land’s End’, ‘Finisterre’, ‘Finistère’ and so on – especially where they are remote and relatively inaccessible. I think HITW qualifies. As far as I am aware, apart from the lighthouse its abandoned outbuildings at the southeast corner of the first map below, there is no other building in the area covered by this map. The nearest road is 15 miles up the inhospitable track to the north of the lighthouse.

Here is the map showing the location of the actual Hole in the Wall, and below that, a distance shot taken at sea

* According to The Philadelphia Print Shop “Between 1799 and 1818, The Naval Chronicle, was the pre-eminent maritime journal reporting news about the British navy. Issued twice a year, it was published during a period in which the British navy fought the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812, and came to “rule the waves.” This wonderful journal included action reports, intelligence on various matters related to the British and other navies, and biographies of naval officers. Many of the reports were accounts by officers directly involved, such as Lord Horatio Nelson. Included with the articles were portraits, images of naval action, and views of the many ports in which the navy called. These are important, first-hand images of this turbulent period”

INTERNATIONAL MARINE BIODIVERSITY DAY – MAY 22

May 23, 2012 by Rolling Harbour

INTERNATIONAL MARINE BIODIVERSITY DAY – MAY 22

Yesterday was an important day in the marine conservation and research calendar. Me neither! I had a heads up from the redoubtable SEAMONSTER late last night. So at least I found out on the right day. I am posting the excellent logo to help to raise awareness retrospectively… I ‘get’ everything depicted in this clever sea creature globe – except for the tiny dinosaur… or is it a sea otter?

CLICK this large logo to link the the relevant website, where there are articles catering for every conceivable marine interest

RITA & GEORGIE’S BIG ADVENTURE: BAHAMAS MANATEES TAKE A TRIP

May 21, 2012 by Rolling Harbour

RITA & GEORGIE’S BIG ADVENTURE

It’s Week 4 since mother and calf were released. Since then, they have made some manatee friends and gradually increased their range of exploration as their confidence continues to grow. The week’s big news is that in five days, Rita and Georgie travelled over 70 miles around Great Harbour Cay, extending their interest further south than ever before. Here are the other mother and calf pair from the area, Gina & JJ

The logo at the top is clickable straight through to the excellent BMMRO weekly reports of the lives of these gentle creatures, where you will find all the details of their progress. I have also add a click-thru’ logo near the top of the sidebar so that manatee-watchers can go straight there from this blog at any time.

So may I encourage all you nice followers out there to keep an eye on the developing story; and remind you in a subtle – oh, ok then, rather direct way – that this kind of vital conservation research in our oceans can only be carried out with support. That could include direct support for the BMMRO’s work… and / or maybe even adopting a manatee (details on the Manatee blog)

Rita and Georgie Tracking Map Week 4

LIONFISH: FACTS, VENOM & CRISIS CONTROL IN THE BAHAMAS – & A COUNTER-VIEW

May 19, 2012 by Rolling Harbour

LIONFISH: UNINVITED GUESTS IN THE BAHAMAS

I recently put some lionfish details and images on my MARINE LIFE page. I wrote: “…their existence and rapid increase in the waters of the Bahamas is a cause of great concern, and they are keenly hunted. Last year’s inaugural Lionfish Derby on Green Turtle Cay brought in more than 1400 of these creatures in the day, ranging in size from a 57mm juvenile to a 349mm fish. Here, from THE ABACO SCIENTIST is where in the world the 2 species of Lionfish ought by rights to be. Well away from the Caribbean, that’s where!

Photo credit: Brigitte Carey of Tilloo Cay

Two great lionfish photos from GRAND BAHAMA SCUBA (thanks to Fred & Melinda Riger )

———————————————————

LIONFISH Pterois

1o UNCOMFORTABLE LIONFISH FACTS

A genus of spiny venomous fish indigenous to the Indo-Pacific area, of which there are 9 species
In the mid 1990s 2 species were introduced to the US Atlantic coast and Caribbean (see below)
Unaccountably popular as aquarium fish; cooked and eaten by people (though not by me)

For recipes see LIONFISH HUNTER
An adult can weigh 1/2 kilo and may live up to 15 years
They have ‘complex courtship and mating behaviour’, presumably to avoid each other’s spines
Females release two egg cluster bombs every month containing up to fifteen thousand eggs…
Lionfish prey voraciously on small fish, invertebrates and molluscs which they gooble up in one gulp
They have bilateral swim-bladder muscles to alter their centre of gravity to attack their prey better
Apart from a tendency to species cannibalism, they have very few predators. The spines work well…
Sharks are not affected by the venom, and attempts have been made to train them to feed on lionfish

LIONFISH STINGS are painful and can take several days to resolve. Tests on frogs, clams and rabbits… well, you don’t want to hear about those. In humans the venom causes systemic symptoms ranging from nausea, vomiting, fever, breathing difficulties and dizziness to convulsions and paralysis. For the very young, the elderly, the allergic or those with immune system weakness the sting can be fatal. TREATMENT: If stung it is recommended that you remove the spine(s) if possible and immerse the wound in hot water for at least 15 minutes… and seek medical treatment as soon as possible

THE CARIBBEAN INVASION supposedly started in the mid-1990s, perhaps following hurricane damage to an aquarium in southern Florida. A few earlier sightings had been recorded, possibly the result of deliberate aquarium releases. Two of the 9 species are involved: the red lionfish P. volitans (93%) and the common lionfish P. miles (7%). It’s a measure of their rapid breeding, habitat adaptability and near-immunity from predation that the first recorded lionfish in the Bahamas was as recent as 2004. A mere 8 years later they’ve spread throughout the region.

POPULATION INCREASE AND CONTROL The population is increasing exponentially despite efforts at control. Their voraciousness and territorial aggression must certainly be affecting the indigenous populations of reef marine life. The problem is already extreme. It is now unlikely that lionfish can ever be eradicated. Even to confine the population to its current level would require more than a quarter of the adult population to be killed monthly. Lionfish are able to reproduce throughout the year, so there is no seasonal respite. In this conservation-minded era, official encouragement of organised hunting bucks the trend towards creature protection. Lionfish do have food value, if natural human reluctance to eat a venomous species can be overcome, and there are now many lionfish recipes. Whether killing lionfish for sport or for food, humans are their only effective predators. Below is an example, from Oceans Watch, of the sort of campaign that will surely become commonplace throughout the region. Time to reach for the speargun…

THE COUNTER-ARGUMENT

The above is the orthodox view, widely held throughout the region. Some will ask whether the arrival of the lionfish in the Caribbean has any positives; whether they actually make a contribution to the ecology of the area; whether there is a convincing case to put forward in favour of the species; whether there is evidence to back it up. So to redress the balance I commend these 4 short videos from the enormously experienced Grand Bahama diver Fred Riger, in which he cogently demonstrates the value of this imported species. In short, the videos reveal that the adverse effect on endemic fish populations is not merely overstated but wrong; that the spreading menace to the coral reefs of choking algal growth is actually reversed by lionfish; and that important grazing crab species are thriving as a result.

I posted the bad lionfish stuff last night; by this morning Fred had rightly taken me to task for only giving one side of the story: “Far from being a pest, lionfish are solving a huge problem created by the mother of all invasive species HUMANS, who have over fished the ocean, wiped numerous species out of existence, killed most of the world’s coral, the very stuff we in the Bahamas live on. Targeting lionfish sets conservation efforts back thirty years or more and contributes to the decline of the coral reef”. So here are the videos giving the case in favour of lionfish, and they certainly provide a fresh perspective and plenty of food for thought…

“LIONFISH IMPACT: THEY ARE NOT SO EVIL AFTER ALL”

BAHAMAS MANATEE UPDATE – CHECK OUT RITA & GEORGIE’S PROGRESS

May 12, 2012 by Rolling Harbour

The BMMRO’s brilliant new charting the progress of mother Rita and calf Georgie after their release (and showing wonderful pictures) is becoming addictive. How far have they ventured this week? Are there any more out there?

Here, Rita and Georgie are wearing their tags. I really recommend a visit to the for the full reports, but here’s a quick review of the highlights of weeks 2 and 3 since their release:

WEEK 2

Rita & Georgie are beginning to attract a bit of a following
During the week their confidence grew and they undertook a longer expedition (see map below)
During their travels they were joined by 2 other manatees, first a juvenile male, then an adult male
Rita’s tag became disconnected. It was retrieved, the data downloaded, and it was successfully reattached
Audio recordings were made of underwater manatee communication
At one stage there were six manatees seen together, with manatees Gina and JJ joining the 4 others

Rita nurses Georgie

WEEK 2 ADVENTURES

A far more complicated pattern than the simple explorations in WEEK 1

WEEK 3

Continued careful monitoring of more complex (= braver) exploration
A great deal of local interest generated.
A ‘Save the Manatee’ campaign started
Presentations for groups of school students, including involving them in actual monitoring.
The juvenile male has stayed with Rita and Georgie.

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Rita examines the camera. Meanwhile Georgie checks out the bottom of the BMMRO boat…

A tender moment between calf and mother

WEEK 3 EXPEDITIONS

Confidence growing, and more interest in investigating to the south

HOOKED! A FANATICAL FISHERMAN’S WIFE TAKES TO THE BONEFISH FLATS

May 5, 2012 by Rolling Harbour

HOOKED! A FANATICAL FISHERMAN’S WIFE TAKES TO THE BONEFISH FLATS

I’m married to a Fanatical Fisherman. I have never shared his enthusiasm, though I have always loved the places where his fishing takes us. However the chance to spend two weeks at the Delphi Club Bahamas on Abaco every year has changed my perspective. This year I thought to myself (in non-fishing terminology, of course) ‘How about giving it a try?’

We waited for a day that was not windy and that would suit the FF’s own fishing convenience. One of the other guests was a kind and patient, not to say a highly eminent fisherperson and she gave me my first ever lesson on the lawn. With much encouragement I went forth. It was a lovely day with the sun beating down, so it was ‘sun block on and all parts covered’.

Skiffs on their way to the bonefishing grounds

We set out in the skiff and after an exhilarating ride we glided to a stop in shallow water. I sat enchanted for a moment, taking in the incredible beauty of the place. Guide Tony provided suitable footwear for me (his son’s); and the relative merits of a ‘Crazy Charlie or a ‘Delphi Special’ were debated. Soon I was wading on the flats, rod in hand. This was my first-ever experience of my husband’s lifetime obsession…

Poling to a good place for wading

Within minutes Tony pointed to a shoal of bonefish… I cast (in a manner of speaking)! I struck! I hooked! I played! And… I lost!

FISH ON!

But that was enough. From then on I was on a mission. I saw the ‘nervous water’ – great shoals of bonefish causing a subtle ripple 0n the surface of the water. When they turned and moved towards me I could hardly contain my excitement. I knew I had to tread carefully underfoot and to keep still as I cast. Silver flashes glinted in the sunlight as the fish started ‘tailing’.

Watch out for ‘Nervous Waters’

Meanwhile the sharks lazily circled us waiting for a chance to grab a prize before we could reel it in. I did hook another bone but it too managed to evade capture. And then suddenly the day was over. How did that happen? In the end I landed no fish but as the skiff sped back across the blue water I knew this was, for me, the start of something wholly absorbing. FF had better look to his laurels.

Lorna Jarman

(All illustrative photos by RH – Lorna was otherwise engaged!)

BONEFISH RESEARCH: THE IMPACT OF HOOK RETENTION

May 3, 2012 by Rolling Harbour

THE IMPACT OF HOOK RETENTION ON RELEASED BONEFISH

Anyone committed to catch and release for bonefish will have wondered about the hooks that from time to time are left in a fish. The issue has now been the subject of a detailed scientific report from ELSEVIER highlighted in the ever-useful THE ABACO SCIENTIST (thanks to Craig Layman). The report’s main conclusions can be summarised as follows:

Hooks, especially shallow ones, are expelled fairly quickly
For deep-hooked fish, barbless hooks are significantly easier for the fish to deal with
The presence of a hook does not appear to interfere with feeding
Hook size is not a material factor
All the test sample fish survived

Overall, therefore, this is a vindication for the policy of barbless hook use for C&R. The report concludes that it’s best simply to leave a difficult-to-remove hook in the fish. Here, guide Ishi prepares to remove a barbless hook from one of my fish caught on the Abaco Marls.

I have included a clip of the report’s front page and Abstract; and the link to a PDF of the full report for those interested in checking out the detailed scientific aspects of this research. To go direct to the general Fisheries Research section click ELSEVIER. The astounding photo is courtesy of Abaco’s conservation organisation FRIENDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT

REPORT PDF

NEW in June 2012 see later post + video CATCH & RELEASE DEMO ON THE ABACO MARLS for a quick release method with a barbless hook involving minimal contact with the fish. It isn’t suitable for deep-hooked fish or large ones, but it shows how quick the operation can be

BAHAMAS MANATEES: INTRODUCING RITA & GEORGIE – FOLLOW THEIR BLOG

April 27, 2012 by Rolling Harbour

BMMRO MANATEE BLOG

A couple of weeks ago I posted about the Manatees of the Bahamas, including the news that a female manatee and her calf had recently been reintroduced into the wild. To see that post CLICK===>>> RITA & GEORGIE

The BMMRO have now set up a Rita and Georgie blog so that the news of their progress and tracking reports can be seen by all. This will be a regular feature on the BMMRO site, and I reproduce with permission the first report below so that you can see what is involved.

To follow the tale of Rita and Georgie CLICK LOGO===>>> I will repeat this logo link in future monthly cetacean sighting reports, with a short summary, so you can get the latest on the sirenian situation. At the end of this page is a map showing their movements for the last week. Here also is a clip of the blog headings so you can see what is covered. Hint-laden note: there is a way to help this valuable research by means of adoption. You don’t get to keep one (or both) in the bath, of course, but you get a certificate and you will know you are helping to protect a species that is all too rare in the Bahamas

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RITA AND GEORGIE ARE RELEASED!

This blog was created to allow the public to follow two manatees, Rita and her calf Georgie, as scientists track them after their release back into the wild. Please return for weekly updates

NOTES FROM THE FIELD – WEEK 1

19-April-2012

At 10:30 am, Rita and Georgie arrived at the Great Harbour Cay Marina in Bullock’s Harbour on the Atlantis vessel Sea Keeper. High school students and interested locals had gathered at the marina for this exciting event. At 11:00 am, Dolphin Cay-Atlantis Animal Rescue Team carefully lowered Georgie into the water, and then Rita followed as quickly as possible. Both animals immediately paired up underwater and surfaced swimming towards the mangroves at the east end of the marina.

During the time of the release, two male manatees were observed in the marina and later paired up with the tagged animals. All four manatees were observed socialising as they slowly travelled out of the marina. Jim Reid (USGS) set up the VHF tracking gear and the tracking team started to track Rita and Georgie from land.

After a few detours through the bush, we found all four animals at the northern end of the T-canal; which is a ‘T’ shape cut in the harbour. We observed both males interacting with Rita while Georgie milled nearby. All four were seen feeding on algae on the canal wall. We left them at 4:30 PM.

20-April-2012

In the early morning, the juvenile male was seen in the marina and came very close to one of our vessels. The single animal remained in the harbor for more than 3 hours. This was a great opportunity for Matt McCoy (Loggerhead Productions) to get underwater footage of the juvenile male, which will be used in an educational film about ‘Manatees in The Bahamas.’

Rita and Georgie were later found in the marina but Rita’s tag was missing! Jim successfully placed a temporary tag on Rita and the original tag was found and later reattached. Kendria Ferguson (BMMRO) made acoustic recordings of both animals, which will be used to identify individuals from their vocalisations.

Later Jim collected genetic samples from both the adult and juvenile males. These samples will be used to determine if these individuals are both offspring of Gina and help to develop a family tree of Great Harbour Cay manatees.

21-April-2012

At 8:30 am GPS locations from the tags showed that Rita and Georgie were in Shark Creek along the west side of Great Harbour Cay, about 2 miles south of the harbour. When the tracking team arrived they found mother and calf both in good health and feeding on seagrass beds in the creek system.

22-April-2012

With winds up to 20 knots the weather was not favorable for the tracking team to hit the open waters in search of Rita and Georgie so we decided to put up manatee warning signs. These signs were provided by Florida’s Save the Manatee Club, along with other educational material that will distribute throughout the island to raise awareness of the local population of manatees.

The tracking team was able to track them by land and both animals were found on the east side of the island swimming along the beach. The tracking team stayed with them for over 3 hours and monitored their breathing and movement patterns. We also got some underwater photos!!

23-April-2012

At 10:40 am local residents of Great Harbour Cay notified the “manatee lady” (Kendria) that four manatees were in front of the marina office. Gina and her calf JJ were both observed feeding on algae on the pilings and JJ was seen nursing occasionally. Both the adult male and juvenile male were there and remained close to Gina and JJ during their stay in the marina.

Jim was able to collect a genetic sample from JJ and also confirm that she is in fact a female calf. Both males continued to remain close and watched Jim constantly!

GPS locations from Rita and Georgie tags showed that they traveled as far south as Ambergris Cays. During the night, the tracking team closely monitored their movements as they were received via satellite. They entered Shark Creek shortly after 6pm from the west side of the island and remained there for approximately 5 hours. During this time, scientists believe that they were feeding and resting, as this area has extensive seagrass bed coverage. The tracking team continued to monitor their movements throughout the night and hoped that they turned to head back north very soon!

24-April-2012

At 4:30am, GPS locations showed that Rita and Georgie took ‘the channel’ cut and headed back north into the harbour of Great Harbour Cay.

At 8am we located both mother and calf under Al’s dock (our local fish provider). Both animals were resting and Georgie was observed nursing. The tracking team obtained photos, videos and acoustic recordings of both animals during this 3.5 hour encounter.

From their departure from the harbour early Sunday morning to their return Monday morning, they managed to complete a 50 mile trip around Great Harbour. A very happy ending to a very long journey!

25-April-2012

Rita and Georgie remained in the marina overnight and at 7:15am were found just a few houses down from the tag team’s home. Both animals swam towards our tracking vessel, “Feresa” and remained in the area for 15 minutes. Georgie has quite the personality! She began sucking on Feresa’s inflatable tubes and eating the algae off another inflatable boat a few feet away.

Both animals remained very close and traveled under the docks towards the end of the marina towards the mangroves. The local residents occasionally report seeing Gina and the other manatees at these mangroves and believe there is a fresh water discharge. This is also very close to the area of Rita and Georgie’s initial release back into the wild.

WEEK 1

BAHAMAS MANATEE & BMMRO SPRING 2012 CETACEAN REPORTS

April 15, 2012 by Rolling Harbour

The BMMRO has just published two online reports that will interest anyone who follows the news about Whales, Dolphins and Manatees in the Bahamas.

The first concerns the reintroduction of manatees to the wild – and offers the opportunity to adopt one of them in order to support the continuing work of the conservation of the small manatee population of the Bahamas. You could have a guess now at the number of recently recorded manatees: the answer is right at the bottom of the page. If you have followed this blog’s cetacean posts, you will have noticed my own interest in the continuing monthly sightings (mainly off the Berry Is.) I have had to reduce the size of the article, but if you click on it once – or twice – it enlarges to make it more legible.

To see the article on the BMMRO website CLICK==>> BMMRO MANATEES

To go directly to my manatee page CLICK==>> ROLLING HARBOUR MANATEES

Click article to enlarge it

BMMRO REPORT SPRING 2012

I have summarised past BMMRO quarterly reports, highlighting particular features and photos. This time I’ve put in the whole report in (I hope) legible format. To see it on the BMMRO site CLICK===>>> BMMRO SPRING 2012