EDITION

ELYSIUM EPIC EDITIONISSUE 18:4/2011

AN UNLIKELY FARMER A GLOBAL WARNING TO TOUCH OR NOT TO TOUCH TO SWIM WITH SIRENS

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ecological, sanitary and industrial disasters, as well as to build

a better future for the next generation by ensuring people

practice sustainable economy.”

The festival was fi rst organized to provide the elite in Europe,

the Middle East and Asia to network potential business

partnerships, through a superb line-up of convivial activities.

In the last few years, an esteemed guest list comprising of

royalty, celebrities, well-known business personalities and

socialites have come together for this prestigious event held in

Singapore. Since the inaugural Green Festival event in 2003,

attending luminaries include Her Royal Highness Princess

Madeleine of Sweden, Mom Ratchawongse Chatumongol

Sonakul, Dr. Ashok Khosla, founder of Development

Alternatives, Francis Yeo, Chairman of YTL and celebrities

like Gong Li, Michelle Yeoh and Charlie Webster.

The h igh l ight of th is year ’s fes t iva l inc ludes the

Asia’s premiere of “The Coral Eden”, a documentary

produced by Mattias Klum, a National Geographic’s

contributing photographer and a

photographic exhibition of his

works at Indochine. Another

important event is the Mission

Blue Forum, a panel discussion

with Mattias Klum, Pierre-Yves

Cousteau and representatives

from IUCN, exploring topics

on mar ine b iodivers i t y and

conservation. In association

with the festival, ar tist Sun Yu Li will hold a public

a r t e ve n t f o r yo u t h s to p r o m o te e nv i r o n m e n t

sustainability. For the complete up-to-date information

on the various events of the Green Festival, please visit

www.indochinegroup.com

THE FESTIVAL IS A SERIES OF LIFESTYLE EVENTS

targeting business leaders, senior executives, the movers and

shakers in the business community. Its mission is to promote

environmental awareness and encourage decision-makers in

the corporate world to dynamically effect positive changes

for the environment.

IndoChine has a strong corporate policy of conservation

through recycling and an environmentally sustainable business

philosophy where no endangered species are served on

the menu. Sensitive to the issue of global warming, the air

conditioning of properties uses a heat exchange system to

conserve energy. Collaborating with the International Union for

the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the festival aims to promote

greater awareness of global warming and the deterioration of

our natural environment.

“We have always been actively involved with preserving

the environment”, said Michael Ma, CEO of the IndoChine

group. “We supported development alternatives, founded by

Dr. Ashok Khosla.“ The Green Festival emphasizes IUCN’s

message of “eco-responsibility” to business leaders, partners

and participants attending the series of events. According to

Dr. Ashok Khosla, being “eco-responsible” means “managing

the impact of everyday actions on the environment such as

OFFICIAL MEDIA PARTNER:

“Eco-responsibility” means “MANAGING THE IMPACT OF EVERYDAY

ACTIONS ON THE ENVIRONMENT such as ecological, sanitary and industrial disasters,

as well as to build a better future for the next generation.” DR. ASHOK KHOSLA

CONTENTSISSUE 18:4/2011ELYSIUM EPIC EDITION

E S S AY S

15 In the footsteps of Shackleton Michael AW

39 An Unlikely FarmerIvan Lawler and Helene Marsh with photos by Doug Perrine

48 A Global Warning OG Report

O C E A N ’ S H E R O E S A N D E X P L O R E R S

82 Michael Ma – Catalyst for ChangeEdward Dixon

N A U T I L U S ’ S W I N D O W

61 To Touch or Not To Touch Stephen Frink

73 Mattias Klum – an unwavering conservation photographer

C A P T U R E S

94 A Turtle DittyProse by Gillian McDonaldPhoto by Cassandra Dragon

S O J O U R N S

85 To Swim with Sirens Mike Ellis

O C E A N W A T C H O S A V E O U R S E A S F U N D

10 A Milestone for Saving Sharks

13 Ocean Geographic Photographer of The Year Competition

ON THE COVER:

CHARACTERIZED BY THE WHITE BAND OR CROWN that extends across the top of their heads from one eye to the other, this image of the Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) was captured during the Elysium Epic shoot on the Antarctic Peninsula. Michael AW

This edition’s cover received the most votes from OG’s Associates, Editorial Board and Premiere Members.

F O U N D I N G S U P P O RT E R S S U P P O RT I N G O R G A N I S AT I O N S

Wyland Foundationwww.wylandfoundation.org

The British Society of Underwater Photographerswww.bsoup.org

International League of Conservation Photogapher(s)www.ILCP.com

PS: Your views consummate a meaningful relationship, and keep the fi re for quality

burning. We value your views. Write me at: editor@OGSociety.org

“If you think the ocean isn’t important, imagine Earth without it. Mars comes to mind. No ocean, no life support system...

SAVE AND RESTORE THE OCEAN,THE BLUE HEART OF THE PLANET”

SYLVIA EARLE

This quote by Sylvia Earle just about sums up this issue of OG; it brings to mind the importance of the ocean to life on this planet, the urgency in saving the ocean, what we can do and what we are doing.

Scientists have been trying to make themselves heard for decades, warning us about the potentially catastrophic effects of rising carbon emissions and global warming. Meanwhile, oil-industry propaganda keeps many ignorant of how global capitalism is rapidly destroying our natural world through climate change and pollution. The mass media is also partly responsible for creating a population of ‘ignorant non-believers’, serving as outlets for corporate messaging, much of it overtly anti-scientifi c. This issue, we are reminded that we are very close to the brink of collapse in ‘A Global Warning’ – we know now, if nothing is done by 2012 (yes, 2012, next year), it might be too late.

While it is frustrating (not to mention baffl ing) to know there are many naysayers out there despite years of research and tons of scientifi c evidence on global warming, it is just as heartening to see others doing their part for the environment and wildlife conservation. ‘A Milestone for Saving Sharks’ saw 1,000 children pledge not to eat shark fi n soup. ‘In the footsteps of Shackleton’, you will read about an amazing team comprising 57 people from 18 countries and their epic voyage to Antarctica, to observe fi rst-hand how this region is being affected by human activities and produce a visual library to inspire future generations to rise to preserve our planet.

In line with OG’s modus operandi of using images to evoke compassion for other species, encourage greater appreciation of the marine environment and promote conservation of the natural world, we are launching the inaugural “Ocean Geographic Photographer of the Year” competition. So dust off your camera and start shooting! (pg 13)

It has been said, “Many things in life will catch will catch your eye but only a few will catch your heart. Pursue those.” That is simply what we all do here at OG regardless of our role (writers, editors, photographers, marine biologists, artists or fi lmmakers) – pursue our love for the ocean. And we hope to infect others with the same passion to conserve the ‘blue heart of the earth’ through compelling images, through education. Because, as Baba Dioum said, “In the end, we will conserve (protect) only what we love, we will love only what we understand, and we will understand only what we are taught.”

EVONNE ONGEditor

EDIT R’S EPISTLE

3OCEAN GEOGRAPHIC 18:4/2011

Adam ReadAdelene LynchAdrienne SavageAgnieszka MalkowskaAlastair DowAleta PitstockAmanda DiesAndreas JaschekAndrew CarrAndrew AylettAnne-Maree FrostAnthony AtkinsonAnthony TanAqua Pros Swim School IncArmin GeltingerBarbara HintonBari GowanBarry StimpsonBernard HartBrent BainBrian JonesBrian DalyBrian NewboldCarl BrandesCarle ParkhillCarly SorensenCaroline LimCharles BowdenChris KowalskiCoreen Lee Pooi YeeCorpus Christi H School Craig KoltaszCraig GrubeDale PonsfordDarren PillDave BallDave SorboDavid HettichDavid HughesDavid KittosDavid WatsonDean BoyceDeborah Bowden

Charter membership is now closed; Join now as Premier Member – see p96

www.OGSociety.org

Dennis ShepardDennis OliveroDes ParozDigant DesaiDorothy SchoolingEd DixonEmily ChanEric MatsonEric WintersErica LansleyErnie BrooksFaris AlsagoffFenella CochraneFerdie FranklinFreda HoGary WilsonGary SamerGina MascordGordon BrownGraeme ThomasGraham ThompsonGraham ReynoldsGrant GravesGwen Shah-IngramGwen NodaHalszka AntoszewskaHamish FosterHeather SowdenH Bartram & C AllewayHelke FlorkowskiHellmuth WeisserHenrik NimbIan Sheffi eld-ParkerIan BarchamIan DeweyIgnacio EsparzaInger VandykeIngvar EliassonJanna JonesJanne HultbergJason SantospiritoJeffrey BohnJennifer O’Neil

Jeroen DeknatelJessica SchoonderwaldtJim MorrisonJoanne MarstonJordan ThomsonJorgen RasmussenJukka NurminenKal AttieKathy NikasKellie WoodKian Hing SooKL KwangKlaas MekkingKliment KolosovK Bilham & F CosgroveLarissa CheongLeesa & David PrattLeon EbbelaarLex BeattyMalcolm NeoMalcolm PeisleyMarcel EckhardtMargaret FliermanMarie GoarinMark GerlachMark SeielstadMark TemplemanMartin HavlicekMatt CurnockMaxi Jennifer EckesMelanie TeloniatisMichael HolmeMichal KrzysztofowiczMichelle ChuaMick MoranMickey PascoeMikael JigmoNatalie ForsterNicholas KuhnNick Robertson-BrownNico ParadiesNicola GoldsmithNovianti Songtono

OCEAN GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETYCharter Members

Owen ScottPatricia Pei Voon LeePatrick SchwarzPaul CastlePaul DoublePaul TurleyPaul GagnonPaul RyanPeter MaerzPetrina TayPij OlijnykRamadian BachtiarRebecca SimpsonRobert YeeRobert HughesRobert Lupo DionRon CurrieRuben GamooSam & Jo BartramSamuel OngSarah JacobSelwyn Gregory SngSimon TalbotSol FooSonia GentleStacey HermanSteve TuckerSusan HowardTeresa HemphillTerry FarrTim GleesonTomos HedgesTony ManningTony & Phyll BartramTravis GrahamTroy HorsburghVictor LendzionowskiVirginia FageW D FongWayde SimesWendy McIlroyWendy CampbellWendy Benchley

4

THE EDITORIAL BOARD

Geographic staff photographer from 1964 to 1994 and has produced 39 articles for the National Geographic magazine. Kristof’s accomplishments have earned many awards for both writing and photography, including the NOGI Award for Arts from the Underwater Society of America in 1988 and an Explorers Club Lowell Thomas Award for Underwater Exploration in 1986. That same year Kristof received the American Society of Magazine Publishers Innovation in Photography Award for their photographic coverage of the Titanic. Kristof was presented with the 1998 J. Winton Lemen Fellowship Award by the U.S. National Press Photographers Association “for being one of our profession’s most imaginative innovators with particular attention to pictures from beneath the ocean brought to the readers of National Geographic magazine.”

STAN WATERMAN HONORARY EDITORStan has been at the forefront of scuba diving since its inception as a recreational sport both at home and throughout the world. Stan was co-director of underwater photography and the second unit in the production of The

Deep, a movie based on Peter Benchley’s best-selling novel. More recent productions include documentaries for ABC’s “Spirit

of Adventure” series and the “Expedition Earth” series on ESPN. Stan has received numerous honours and awards for his work in television, including fi ve Emmies, two Gold Medals from the U.K. Underwater Film Festival, four Golden Eagles, a lifetime Achievement Award from the Miami Expo and from Boston Sea Rovers, the Cousteau Diver of the Year Award, the Richard Hopper Day Memorial Medal from the Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences, and most recently has been inducted to the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame.

DOUG PERRINE HONORARY EDITORDoug is widely regarded as one of the world’s foremost marine wildlife photographers. His photographs have been reproduced in virtually every major nature magazine in the

world, as well as in thousands of books, calendars, greeting cards, posters, etc. His photography has won a number of

awards, including the prestigious BBC/ British Gas Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition in the animal behaviour category and the Nature’s Best/Cemex competition in the Professional Marine Wildlife category. He is also the author of seven books on marine life, and numerous magazine articles.

GERALD ALLEN PHD HONORARY EDITORGerald is an internationally renowned authority on the classifi cation and ecology of coral reef fi shes of the Indian and Pacifi c Oceans. He is the author of 31 books and 400

scientifi c publications. He has an intimate knowledge of fi sh life on coral reefs, having logged more than 7,000 dives. Field

studies form an integral part of Dr. Allen’s research, probably more so than any other marine biologist. He received a Ph.D. in marine zoology from the University of Hawaii in 1971, having done his thesis on anemonefi shes. He served as Curator of Fishes at the Western Australian Museum in Perth for 24 years before leaving to take a position with Conservation International as their Science Team Leader. He is a past President of the Australian Society for Fish Biology, an honorary foreign member of the American Society of Ichthyology and Herpetology, and a recent recipient of the prestigious K. Radway Allen Award for Outstanding Contributions in Ichthyological Science.

MICHAEL AW DIRECTOR & BOARD MEMBERMichael’s saturated colour imageries have earn him more than 60 international awards; his work have been featured in BBC Wildlife, National Geographic, the Smithsonian, GEO, Ocean GEOGRAPHIC, Asian Geographic, Action Asia,

Nature Focus to name but a few. In 2010, he was a recipient of the WYLAND ICON award for Conservation. His most glorious

achievement is a Palme D’or for “Philippines – Heart of the Ocean”, won at the World Underwater Pictures Festival, France 2009. He is also a recipient of three awards from the Natural History Museum BBC Photographer of the Year Wildlife Competition in 2000, 2010 and in 2006 he won the Best Winner award in the underwater category. Michael AW is the founder of OceanNEnvironment’s a charity organization registered with Environment Australia. In 2008 Stan Waterman conferred Michael with the Peter Benchley Shark Conservation Award by Sharks Research Institute in recognition of his highly-effective and unrelenting campaign against shark fi n soup consumption in the Asia Pacifi c region. Michael is also the founder of Asian Geographic.

CARDEN WALLACE PhD HONORARY EDITOR & & BOARD MEMBERCarden’s research has focused on biogeography and biodiversity, particularly on corals and tropical biota. Her current interests are directed towards other tropical

countries, especially Indonesia. She feels strongly that scientists should give back all they possibly can, in

communicating and applying the results of their work. With her appointment in 1987 as Curator in Charge, Carden Wallace became the fi rst woman to head the Museum of Tropical Queensland in Townsville. Among the high points in her career was the POL Prize for Environmental Research, awarded in 1992 to Carden along with four other scientists from James Cook University for their exciting discovery of mass annual spawning on the Great Barrier Reef by over a hundred species of coral. This dramatic example of sexual synchronization is unique among animals, and its discovery by the team in 1984 attracted immediate scientifi c and media attention around the world. Carden is a board member of OceanNEnvironment

JENNIFER HAYES HONORARY EDITORJen is an aquatic ecologist who has collected a couple of graduate degrees in zoology, marine and fi sheries biology. She came into underwater journalism (photography and

writing) out of sheer necessity to enliven dull scientifi c presentations and publications. To put it simply, strong images

of ancient sturgeons spawning, hatching, migrating are infi nitely more captivating to an audience than bar graphs and pie charts. Photography and science lead to natural history articles and then into popular journalism. Jen formed a partnership with David Doubilet in 1999 and co-founded the stock photo company; Undersea Images Inc. Jen and David co-photograph and write for assignment features for numerous domestic and international publications, ad shoots and book projects.

DAVID DOUBILETDavid is the wor ld’s most celebrated underwater photographer with over fi fty stories published in National Geographic. David challenges himself is to redefine photographic boundaries each time he enters the water. His

passion is the undersea majesty of light and how to capture it. Completely at home on a coral reef, a World War II wreck, a deep

dark fjord or among the great giants in our sea, David has relentlessly pursued the many hidden layers of coral reefs around the globe. His cold water work has immersed him in the rich waters of New Zealand, Tasmania, Scotland, Japan, the Northwest Atlantic and Northeast Pacifi c. Recent photographic journeys have taken him into some of the largest freshwater systems on our planet such as the great Okavango Delta system in Botswana and the St. Lawrence River.

EMORY KRISTOF HONORARY EDITOREmory’s photography has discovered the unexplored worlds of the deep sea. In August 1998 Kristof’s pictures of the Titanic were presented in the National Geographic magazine

article, “Tragedy in Three Dimensions.” The pictures, taken in 1991 employing high-intensity lighting systems, achieved

unprecedented detail due to advances in 3-D computer video-editing. Born in 1942, Kristof studied journalism at the University of Maryland at College Park and received a bachelor’s degree in 1964. Kristof was a National

This is a production from the hearts and souls of a passionate team.

We are blessed with the support of some of the most published authors and image makers of

our natural world. OceanNEnvironment is privileged to introduce the editorial board of

OCEAN GEOGRAPHICthe almanac of our seas.

Board of Directors, OceanNEnvironment Ltd

6

Email: watersports@icon.co.za

WYLAND HONORARY EDITORMarine life artist Wyland has developed an international reputation for his commitment to marine life conservation. Most notable, is his monumental marine life murals, the Whaling Walls. Spanning thousands of square feet, these massive works of art expose the thrilling diversity and beauty

of life that exists below the surface of our ocean planet to more than one billion people each year. Today, this multi-faceted artist works in multiple

mediums, from oils, water colours, acrylics, Japanese ink paintings, bronze sculptures, fi ne art photography, and mixed media.

HOWARD AND MICHELE HALL HONORARY EDITORHoward and Michele are perhaps best known for their underwater IMAX® films – Into the Deep 1994, Island of the Sharks 1998 respectively. In 2002 Howard was underwater sequence director and Michele was location manager for Coral Reef Adventure, a fi lm in which

both he and Michele are featured on-camera. In 2005 they directed and produced Deep Sea 3D which was awarded Best Picture at the Giant

Screen Cinema Association Conference and Best Large Format Film at Wildscreen 2006. In 2009 the Hall’s released Under the Sea 3D. This fi lm won best cinematography at the Giant Screen Cinema Association Conference in 2009 and Best Documentary at the International 3D Society in 2010. Howard’s career as an underwater natural history fi lm producer, cinematographer, still photographer and writer began in the early 1970’s. His photographs have been published internationally in hundreds of books and magazines including: Life, Natural History Magazine, National Geographic, GEO, Terre Sauvage, London Illustrated News, and BBC Wildlife. Howard has authored several books including Sharks, Dolphins, The Kelp Forest, Successful Underwater Photography, and Secrets of the Ocean Realm. Michele Hall is an accomplished still photographer whose images have been published by National Geographic, Fathoms, National Wildlife, Ocean Realm, and many other magazines and books. Howard and Michele have won seven Emmy Awards.

JOE MOREIRA MANAGING EDITORJoe is an adventurer, speaker, thinker, trainer and counselor. An early career in the military, offered opportunities to learn, develop, teach, strategise and validate new ideas in the highly specialized fi elds of demolitions and mine warfare. Gifted with a richly timbered voice, it has been used to speak,

train and facilitate with impact and conviction to audiences ranging from heads of states and foreign armies to the ordinary man. He found synergy with

the Ocean Geographic Society’s vision and goals. A longtime advocate that good leaders decide the fate of good corporate culture and governance, which must include the need to protect our environment and synergizing with nature, stayed the course in the face of many challenges to this belief.

CHRISTOPHER LEE EDITOR EMERITUSChristopher was the co-founder of Asian Geographic and the managing editor for six years until 2005. Chris was also behind the successful transformation of Scuba Diver Australasia, and was its managing editor

until 2005. He has worked on a range of marine conservation issues including the successful Say No to Shark fi ns campaign. Chris has also

served on the board of OceanNEnvironment. Building on his early career in economic research, he is currently a Senior Economist with the Department of Environment and Climate Change (NSW) in Australia.

ALEXANDER MUSTARD PhD HONORARY EDITORAlexander Mustard worked as a marine biologist but now works as an underwater photographer. His photographs are widely published in magazines and newspapers and have also won many awards including

being a multiple winner in both the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year and World Festival of Underwater Photography. Alex was an early

adopter of digital cameras and has pioneered several of the techniques of digital underwater photography. He is the Digital Offi cer for the British Society of Underwater Photographers.

CABELL DAVIS PhD OCEANOGRAPHIC IN RESIDENCECabell is a Senior Scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and is the Director of WHOI’s Ocean Life Institute with over 30 years’ experience in plankton ecology. He has conducted research on 50 oceanographic

cruises and co-developed the Video Plankton Recorder, an underwater video microscope with automatic imaging of high-resolution fragile plankton

data. He recently worked with MIT engineers to develop a small underwater digital holographic camera for imaging plankton. He is now modeling the impact of climate change on the fi sheries ecosystem.

OCEAN GEOGRAPHIC AUSTRALIA:

PO Box 2138 Carlingford Court, NSW 2118 AustraliaTel: +61 2 9686 3688 Fax: +61 2 9686 8438

OceanNEnvironment.com.au

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MICA (P) 142/08/2010 ISSN 1834-910

ALL RIGHT RESERVED:©OCEAN GEOGRAPHIC, OceanNEnvironment

Reproduction in any form, electronic, print, photocopy or extracts whole or in part is prohibited.

Published by OceanNEnvironment LtdMember of Environment Australia

THE EDITORIAL BOARD

DIRECTOR Michael AW

EDITOR EMERITUS Christopher Lee

CHIEF EDITOR Joe Moreira

EDITOR Evonne Ong

HONORARY EDITORS Emory Kristof, Wyland, Dr Carden Wallace, Dr Gerry Allen, Dr Alex Mustard, David Doubilet, Jennifer Hayes, Doug Perrine, Stan Waterman, Michelle Hall and Howard Hall

SCIENCE EDITOR Alana Kirchhoff

FEATURE EDITOR Edward Dixon

OCEAN WATCH EDITOR Emma Bastian

LEGAL COUNSEL Nuraliza Osman

OCEANOGRAPHER IN RESIDENCE Cabell Davis PhD

FIELD EDITORS/UW PHOTOGRAPHER Mathieu Meur, Stuart Ireland

PHOTOGRAPHERS IN RESIDENCEMikael Jigmo, Jorgen Rasmussen

RESEARCH & PUBLISHER ASSISTANT Jannica Jigmo

CONTRIBUTORS Mattias Klum, Mike Ellis, Stephen Frink, Ivan Lawler, Helene Marsh

DESIGNER SW Lee

PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR Daniel Tay

ADVERTISING & EVENTS Cassandra Dragon

ACCOUNTS & CIRCULATION Alison Redhead

CORRESPONDENTS & EXECUTIVE OFFICERS Gillian MacDonald (UK), David Borus (USA), Lesley Rochart (South Africa), Ronny Renkung (Indonesia)

MUSIC DIRECTOR Eric Bettens

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Ivan Choong (Singapore), Sidney Seok (Malaysia)

CUSTOMER SERVICE info@OGSociety.orgEDITORIAL ENQUIRIES editor@OGsociety.orgPHOTO SUBMISSIONS images@OGsociety.orgADVERTISING ads@OGsociety.orgFEEDBACK info@OGSociety.org

www.OGSociety.orgwww.OceanGeographic.org

SUPPORTING ORGANISATIONS

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OCE AN WATCH SAVE OUR SE AS FUND

A MILESTONE FOR SAVING SHARKS1000 Kids from the capital of shark fi ns consumption band together for one message“I am the future, I won’t eat Shark fi ns”

On 9th July 2011 in Hong Kong, under a scorching summer sun,

children aged 7 to 18 were joined in their pledging ceremony by

international luminaries of the sea, David Doubilet, Sylvia Earle,

Jennifer Hayes, Michael AW, local celebrities Elizabeth Quat,

Tat Dik, Kay Tse, as well as representatives from all leading

shark conservation NGOs. Committed to the cause, the adults

and children celebrated with song and dance performances

prior to affi rming the pledge. Making the pledge qualifi ed all

participants as shark ambassadors.

Director and Board Member of Ocean Geographic Society,

Michael AW said, “Children are our future. Their decision

made today to abstain from shark fi ns will greatly reduce

future demand. This shark saving campaign is an ongoing

and result oriented endeavour. They have participated in

different activities to encourage their families and friends

to abstain from shark fi ns, and will continue to spread the

message far and wide.”

The Founding President of Energy Saving & Environment

Concern Alliance, Elizabeth Quat said, “Each year, over

73,000,000 sharks are killed to feed the growing demand for

shark fi ns. This has pushed many shark species to the brink

of extinction. The balance between nature and human beings

is gravely skewed. The, introduction of this ‘Save the Sharks

Collaborating with the HK Energy Saving & Environment

Concern Alliance and Cyberport HK, Ocean Geographic

Society braced for battle in the shark fi n consumption

capital of the world with 1000 Kids pledging the message

“I am the future, I won’t eat Shark fi ns”.

10 A MILESTONE FOR SAVING SHARKS

Campaign’ in Hong Kong is to raise

the awareness of shark preservation

in the next generation and restore the

balance.” Cyberport’s Chief Operating

Offi cer, Mark Clift said, “Cyberport has

always been a supporter of protecting

the world’s resources and particularly

the marine ecosystem. . We think it is

important to respond to this issue at

the individual, company and society

levels. For a long time our company

has had a policy of banning the serving

of shark fi ns at any company banquet or function and we

encourage all of our partners to do likewise.”

Associated with the 1000 Kids ONE Message project was

the “Save the Sharks Video Competition”. The three highest-

scoring winners from primary and secondary schools were

presented with the “Celebrate the Sea” Merit of Excellence

and Outstanding Achievement awards for their video message

on shark conservation. All three winners are very excited

about their once-in-a-lifetime experience swimming with

whale sharks in the Philippines, sponsored by Donsol Eco

Tours. They are also eager to take up the responsibility of

marine protection and shark preservation.

On the 10th of July, as part of the 1000 Kids One Message

project, Elizabeth Quat and Michael AW kicked off the “Beauty

of Sharks” and Antarctic photo exhibition at the Olympian City

HK, featuring images contributed by David Doubilet, Amos

Nachoum, Chris and Monique Fallows, Amanda Cotton,

Brian Skerry, Doug Perrine, Henry Yip and Michael AW. This

two-month long exhibition will move through eight shopping

malls across Hong Kong, raising public awareness on sharks

and ocean conservation.

THE 1000 KIDS ONE MESSAGE PROJECT

– AN OCEAN GEOGRAPHIC INITIATIVE

www.1000KidsOneMessage.org

http://energysaving.hk/sharks

RELATED LINK

http://blog.sylviaearlealliance.org/2011/07/1000-kids-

pledge-to-save-sharks-in-hong.html

SUPPORTING NGOS

OceanNEnvironment Australia : Sharks Research Institute –

SRI : Sharks Saver Hong Kong : Sharks Research Institute :

Hong Kong Sharks Foundation : WWF – Hong Kong

EACH YEAR, OVER 73 MILLION SHARKS ARE KILLED to feed the growing demand for shark fi ns, pushing many shark species to the brink of extinction.

CHILDREN AGED 7 TO 18 were joined in their pledging ceremony by international luminaries of the sea. (left)

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“

“ WE ARE AT THE TIPPING POINT… If there’s no action before 2012, that’s too late. What we do in the next two to three years will determine our future. This is the defi ning moment.”

DR. RAJENDRA PACHAURI, Chair of the IPCC

A GLOBAL WARN NG

An OCEAN GEOGRAPHIC Report

u r o c e a n s a b s o r b

carbon dioxide from the

atmosphere, playing a

critical role in regulating

the climate and also helps mitigate

climate change. But the unprecedented

amount of carbon dioxide created by

human induced activities has surpassed

what the oceans can healthfully absorb,

changing ocean chemistry and making

water much more acidic.

Ocean acidity has increased by thirty

percent globally during the last two

hundred years. The changing acidity

of the oceans threatens to throw off

the delicate chemical balance upon

which marine life depends for survival.

Increased acidity in the oceans would

lead to a shortage of carbonate, a

key building block that some animals

(and plants) need to build their shells

and skeletons. These animals include

shellfish like clams, oysters, crabs,

lobsters and corals. Corals are the

framework builders of reefs, by far the

most diverse ecosystems of our oceans.

The effects of acidifi cation will not stop

with coral reefs; corals are simply the

first piece of the domino effect with

a sweeping impact that will be felt

throughout the oceans.

OYSTER FARMS FAIL

Shellf ish farmers may already be

feeling the devastating impacts of

ocean acidifi cation on their livelihood.

Since 2005, they have had diffi culties

raising oyster larvae and this is likely

due to more acidic conditions along the

U.S. Pacifi c Coast. Molluscs, such as

oysters, mussels, scallops and clams,

all create calcium carbonate shells

(a process particularly vulnerable to

rising ocean acidity) to protect their

soft bodies from predators, disease

and harsh ocean conditions. Increasing

acidity slows shell growth, which means

these molluscs are less able to survive,

which in turn, impacts commercial

fi sheries like the 111 million dollar oyster

industry in the West Coast.

CORAL REEF HABITATS COLLAPSE

Coral reefs have also star ted to

show signs of decline due to ocean

acidifi cation. Some of the largest reef-

building corals in the Great Barrier

Reef are showing more than fourteen

percent reduction in skeletal growth

since 1990 - the largest decrease in

growth rate in the last 400 years. At this

rate, tropical coral reefs could die off

by middle to end of this century (yes,

THIS CENTURY). Some 500 million

LET THIS BE A WARNING TO HUMANITY… We should all be afraid. Our use of fossil fuels, deforestation and land use

changes are wreaking havoc in the oceans. Besides causing global climate

change, the release of carbon dioxide from these activities is causing sea water

to become more acidic (in scientifi c jargon, it is known as ocean acidifi cation).

people worldwide depend on reefs for

coastal protection, food and income.

Economists value reefs at between 30

to 172 billion dollars per year. In Hawaii,

coral reefs generate 364 million dollars

annually through tourism. If coral reefs

collapse, coastal communities will

bear the brunt of these losses and

severe consequences would ensue

for the estimated 30 million people

who rely almost solely on coral reef

ecosystems for protein and protection.

The ripple effect of potential losses

from a decline in coral reefs in even

the smallest coastal communities will

be felt throughout the global economy.

Even though coral reefs cover just over

one percent of the world’s continental

shelves, they are home to at least a

quarter of the entire biological diversity

of the oceans and serve as an important

habitat to as many as three million

species including more than twenty-fi ve

percent of all marine fi sh species. These

millions of species feed, reproduce,

shelter larvae and take refuge from

predators in the vast three-dimensional

framework offered by coral reefs.

By the middle of this century, if carbon

dioxide emissions continue unabated,

50 A GLOBAL WARNING

coral reefs could be eroded faster than

they can grow their skeletons due to

the combined pressures of increasing

acidity and global warming. Reefs may

become nothing more than eroded rock

platforms, threatening the survival of

millions of reef dependent species.

Sea turtles rest and feed within coral

reefs. A turtle’s ability to dig a nest

and successfully incubate eggs has

also been connected to healthy coral

reefs, as these activities are linked to

the type and quantity of sand on nesting

beaches. Beach sand near coral reefs

is most often made up of the skeletal

remains of plants and animals that live

on the reef, including parts of the reef.

As ocean acidification worsen, the

abundance of reef species will likely

diminish, which in turn changes the type

and amount of sand reaching nesting

beaches, negatively impacting the sea

turtles’ ability to successfully produce,

reducing the population size of these

already endangered species.

As many as four thousand species of

fi sh depend on coral reefs for food,

shelter and nurseries. Some of these

fi sh, such as the butterfl y fi sh, feed

exclusively on the coral itself. Loss

of coral reef-dependent fi sh can be

“ Ocean acidifi cation really scares me, because

THE EFFECTS COULD HIT US IN OUR LIFETIME and the potential disruption to the marine food chain would be catastrophic.”

DR. BOB RHEAULT, President of the East Coast Shellfi sh Growers AssociationSource: Oceana.org

expected as reef habitats become less

available. In Papua New Guinea, coral

bleaching caused 75 percent of the

coral reef fi sh species to decline and

several species went extinct, giving us a

glimpse into a bleak future should coral

reefs die-off due to rising ocean acidity.

THREAT TO FOOD WEBS

Pteropods, tiny swimming sea snails,

can reach densities of thousands

per cubic meter and are particularly

51OCEAN GEOGRAPHIC 18:4/2011

important in the polar and sub-polar

regions. They are an important part

of the diets of zooplankton, salmon,

herring, birds and baleen whales.

Pteropods also build calcium carbonate

shells, a process that is particularly

vulnerable to increasing ocean acidity.

I f they are unable to form these

shells, their populations will plummet,

resulting in a ripple effect throughout

the food web. Declines in the smallest

of species, like pteropods and other

plankton, could reverberate throughout

the oceans, ultimately impacting the

largest marine species.

The Chukchi and Northern Bering Seas

are some of the richest fi shing grounds

in the oceans and are home to predators

such as gray whales, seals, sea ducks

and walruses that all depend on marine

calcifi ers such as pteropods for food.

By the end of this century, parts of

these seas will be inhospitable to many

shell-making organisms, causing the

food chain to collapse. The North Pacifi c

salmon depend heavily upon pteropods

for food and the salmon fi sheries there

in turn provide three billion dollars’

worth of income and 35,000 jobs. Other

commercially important fish species

that eat pteropods include mackerel,

herring and cod. Even apex predators

like the emblematic killer whale would

also suffer as 96% of their diet is made

up of salmon. This iconic species and

important tourist attraction could be

threatened by cascading impacts from

the loss of pteropods.

THREAT TO INVERTEBRATES

Sea urchins help to protect the reef

by eating algae that might otherwise

encroach on corals and displace them.

They also provide a lucrative income,

bringing in nearly six million dollars in

revenue for the state of Maine in 2009.

Sea urchins reproduce by releasing

eggs and sperm directly into the

surrounding seawater. Even under

normal conditions, a majority of sea

urchin embryos and larvae are eaten

by fi sh, leaving only a few survivors to

mature into adults. To make up for this

low success rate, sea urchins normally

release millions of eggs and sperm

into the surrounding water. However,

more acidic conditions could reduce

the number of sperms released and

cause the sperm to swim more slowly,

reducing their chances of fertilization.

Like many other calcifiers, such as

corals and oysters, sea urchins are

likely to fi nd it more diffi cult to build

their calcium carbonate skeletons in

an acidifi ed ocean. Young sea urchins

grow slower and have thinner, smaller,

misshapen protective shells when raised

in acidified conditions, making them

vulnerable to predators thus reducing

their ability to survive. Sea stars are

predators, helping to maintain diversity

on a reef by keeping the populations of

other species in check. Sea stars do

not have a continuous skeleton made

up of calcium carbonate; rather they

have hundreds of tiny calcium carbonate

plates embedded within their tissue.

This may explain why sea stars appear

to respond differently to increased

ocean acidity compared to other marine

calcifi ers that have continuous calcium

carbonate shells and skeletons such as

corals and oysters. Increased acidity

decreases calcifi cation but increases

overall growth in purple sea stars. This

increase in growth rate could lead to

increased feeding rates, putting more

pressure on preferred food sources

like mussels, causing their population

to decline. As mussel populations

are already declining due to ocean

acidifi cation, these sea stars could be

forced to switch to other food sources

or suffer population decline themselves.

The Sun star has also been found

to increase its growth rate in acidic

conditions which decreases the time

it takes for its larvae to develop.

Decreased larval development times

could mean that larvae develop into

juveniles earlier, but this new timing

could be out of sync with other factors

that favour survival of juveniles , such

as water temperature, food availability

and lack of predators. Developing too

early could put juveniles in adverse

“IF ACIDIFICATION IS TO CONTINUE UNABATED, the impairment of sensory ability will reduce population sustainability of many marine species, with potentially profound consequences for marine diversity.”

DR. PHILIP MUNDAY, Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies

52 A GLOBAL WARNING

conditions that prevent them from

growing appropriately or even surviving.

Brittle stars play a crucial role as

burrowers; burrowing stirs up sediment

mixing in oxygen, a process, which is

important to many bottom-dwelling

species. As their name implies, brittle

stars are quite fragile, but this trait is

to their advantage. The spindly arms

of a brittle star break off when the

animal senses danger and can quickly

regenerate. However, this ability to

regenerate is likely to be disrupted

as the oceans become more acidic.

Studies have shown that brittle stars

can still regenerate their arms under

acidic conditions but do so with less

muscle mass than usual;it appears

brittle stars sacrifi ce building muscle in

order to create the calcium carbonate

parts of their arms. As a result, there is

insuffi cient muscle mass for their new

arms to function properly, reducing

their ability to fi nd food and burrow

in sediment. Increased acidity is also

likely to threaten brittle star larvae; it

is likely that they will have diffi culty

developing and many, if not all, are

expected to die after exposure to

acidifi ed conditions. Thus, brittle stars

are extremely vulnerable to increasing

ocean acidity both as adults and larvae,

which could result in severe population

declines in the future.

Lobsters: under more acidic conditions,

their larvae develop thinner, lighter

shells, making them more susceptible

to predation and less able to survive.

Declines in lobster populations may also

result from losses in food sources, such

as sea urchins, which are also vulnerable

to increased acidity. Lobsters and other

crustaceans such as crabs periodically

moult throughout their lives and grow

new shells out of calcium carbonate

and chitin. Calcium carbonate is used to

harden their shells and this process of

calcifi cation confers protection against

predators and disease. Increasing ocean

acidity may drive some lobsters to create

larger shells. The exact reason for this is

unknown but it will most certainly result

in energy being diverted away from

other activities that are vital to survival.

Reduction in the survival of lobsters

and crabs due to increased predation

and abnormal shell growth could have

serious implications for the economies

of many local communities. In 2008, the

U.S. lobster fi sheries alone brought in an

estimated 300 million dollars.

Squids: these cephalopods are the

fastest invertebrates, able to propel

“ WE ARE PUSHING THE OCEANS BACK TO THE DAWN OF EVOLUTION, a half-billion years ago when the oceans were ruled by jellyfi sh and bacteria.”

DR. JEREMY JACKSON, Scripps Institution of Oceanography

up to 35 kilometres an hour. This form

of high-energy jet propulsion requires

large amounts of oxygen. Increased

ocean acidity is likely to inhibit their

ability to transport the large amounts

of oxygen required, making hunting

and avoiding predators difficult. A

decline in squid populations could be

bad news for many of the commercial

species that feed on i t , such as

king and coho salmon, lingcod and

rockfi sh. Declines in squid populations

would also have drastic consequences

for squid fi sheries, which are important

to California, where they are caught

and exported all over the world. In

2008, the squid market in California

provided 25 million dollars in revenue.

THE ECOLOGICAL BENEFACTORS

– ALGAE, SEA JELLIES AND

INVASIVE SPECIES

There will likely be some species that

are able to fl ourish in an acidifi ed ocean,

either because increased carbon dioxide

levels benefi t them directly or because

their competitors are directly harmed

by it. Unfortunately, marine species that

appear to be best suited to prosper in

high-carbon dioxide conditions are

those we currently see as a nuisance.

Jellyfi sh may be one of the “benefi ciaries”

of a more acidic ocean. It is unclear

whether increasing acidity is directly

related to the recent increases in

jellyfi sh prevalence, but it does appear

that ocean acidifi cation does not harm

jellyfi sh reproduction or the formation

of their internal structures, as it does

for many other forms of marine life.

It is likely that even if acidification

is not directly responsible for their

54 A GLOBAL WARNING

recent increased prevalence, it may be

creating ocean conditions that are ripe

for jellyfi sh to fl ourish. Jellyfi sh blooms

could have disastrous impacts. Previous

outbreaks have been responsible for

decreasing commercial fi sh stocks due

to competition and predation, as well as

harbouring various fi sh parasites. They

also represent a threat to beach-goers

and can harm economies that depend

on coastal tourism.

Algae and sea grasses are likely do well

in an acidifi ed ocean. These species

take up carbon dioxide and sometimes

directly compete with calcifi ers. So as

acidity increases, conditions will likely

shift in their favour and they may be able

to move into areas where they have not

previously fl ourished. Observations at

natural carbon dioxide vents give us a

glimpse into what the future oceans may

look like. Naturally occurring carbon

dioxide vents off the coast of Italy

have 30 percent less species diversity,

especially of calcifi ers. Some of these

calcifi ers near the vents have weakened

and dissolving shells. The areas near the

vents also had higher levels of invasive

algae species, including some that

are already recognized as stubborn

invasives in other marine systems. These

vents serve as an example of how future

oceans may look after acidifi cation sets

in — one that is dominated by algae and

invasive species.

FUTURE OCEAN AND HUMANITY

The results from a global experiment

conducted by climate change science

are starting to come in, and they are

confi rming our worst fears — that rising

acidity will have widespread impacts on

many types of marine life, change entire

ocean ecosystems and inevitably will

cause food webs to collapse. Though

there will be ecological winners and

losers, but overall, marine ecosystems

will change for the worse. They will

become less vibrant and diverse,

devoid of the animals we love and

depend upon, and full of those that

have less value. Undesirable species

are likely to be among the winners as

declines in their direct competitors and

predators will allow them to fl ourish.

Some species will even increase their

growth rates and abundance because

of increasing carbon dioxide but these

resilient communities do not mirror

a healthy ocean; rather, they reflect

an overall decline in biodiversity and

signify an ocean out of balance. As

56 A GLOBAL WARNING

transition to cleaner, renewable sources

of energy and prevent the need for

large-scale adaptation. Transitioning

to a new energy economy is not only

the best and most cost ef fective

way forward, it is also the only way

to protect our planet. This transition

will not be easy, but with current and

emerging alternative technologies and

improvements in energy effi ciency and

conservation it is possible, and for the

sake of the oceans and humanities, it

is a necessity.

SENSIBLE SOLUTION

Adopt a Policy of Stabilizing

Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide

at below 350 ppm

In order to best protect the oceans and

the goods and services they provide, we

must strive to return the level of carbon

dioxide in the atmosphere to 350 parts

per million (ppm) from the current level

of 390 ppm. This will be a monumental

task, one that will require emissions

to be drastically reduced within the

decade. Industrialized nations will have

to reduce their emission 25 to 40 percent

below 1990 levels by 2020 and 80 to 95

percent by 2050, and global emissions

will need to be reduced at least 85

percent below 2000 levels by 2050.

Conserve Energy and Shift to

Alternative Energy Sources

Energy should be conserved at every

opportunity by adopting widespread

energy effi ciency standards for homes,

businesses and transportation. The

energy needs that remain should be

met by alternative energy sources,

such as offshore wind. Governments

should implement programs that curtail

subsidies to fossil fuel production

and redirect those funds towards

alternative energy production and

energy effi ciency programs. Alternative

energy can be viable and effective and

when it is put on a level playing fi eld with

fossil fuels, alternative energy sources

show that they are not only safer and

cleaner but also more cost effective.

Stop Offshore Drilling

To combat ocean ac id i f i ca t ion

and cl imate change, destructive

practices such as offshore drilling

need to be stopped. Not only is oil

pollution damaging to marine life

and ecosystems, the emissions from

the continued use of oil are driving

acidif ication and climate change.

To both protect our oceans and

reduce carbon dioxide emissions, new

offshore drilling should be banned,

and we must transition from oil to

alternative energy.

Promote Offshore Wind Energy

An essential way to transition to clean

energy is to support offshore wind

development. Offshore wind utilizes

the oceans in a cleaner and safer

way than offshore drilling. To facilitate

the growth of wind energy, federal

subsidies for fossil fuels should be

Jeremy Jackson PhD, Scripps Institution

of Oceanography says, “We are pushing

the oceans back to the dawn of evolution,

a half-billion years ago when the oceans

were ruled by jellyfi sh and bacteria.”

Ocean acidifi cation is rapidly changing

the conditions to which marine species

have adapted to for millions of years,

threatening to push species that

cannot adapt beyond their limits of

survival. Some species are already

challenged by current conditions, but

these changes are just the tip of the

iceberg. If ocean acidifi cation continues

unabated, many more species will be

pushed to the edge. As the oceans

become less vibrant and diverse, the

many goods and services they provide

will dwindle, forcing millions of people

to fi nd new food sources, new homes

and new sources of income. Some

of the most vulnerable communities

will not have alternatives available to

make up for the loss of marine goods

and services. Adapting to these losses

will take huge resources from the

global community and in some cases

adaptation will not be possible.

A smarter future is one where we

reduce carbon dioxide emissions,

“ THESE ORGANISMS [CORALS] ARE CENTRAL TO THE FORMATION AND FUNCTION OF ECOSYSTEMS AND FOOD WEBS, and precipitous changes in the biodiversity and productivity of the world’s oceans may be imminent.”

GLENN DE’ATH PhD and colleagues, Australian Institute of Marine Science in Townsville

57OCEAN GEOGRAPHIC 18:4/2011

simultaneously struggling to overcome

other threats. It is clear that ocean

acidifi cation poses a serious threat to

marine life and to the ocean-derived

goods and services that we depend on.

The only way to prevent these potentially

catastrophic changes from taking place,

is to drastically reduce our carbon

dioxide emissions. Our actions over

the next few years will determine how

acidic the oceans will become. Without

any changes the oceans are expected

redirected to renewable energies.

Tax credits for investment in wind

technology should be extended, and

policy mechanisms that increase the

long-term demand for and supply

of renewable energies should be

developed and used. Finally, the

electrifi cation of the transportation fl eet

must be accelerated and infrastructure

should be established to allow maximal

use of this new technology.

PRESERVE NATURAL RESILIENCE

The natural resi l ience of marine

ecosystems should be maintained by

curtailing other human-caused threats,

such as offshore drilling and overfi shing.

Ocean acidifi cation and climate change

are not isolated threats but act in concert

with others. Ocean ecosystems will

have a chance of surviving the pressures

of ocean acidification if they are not

to become more acidic in the coming

decades than at any time in at least

the last 20 million years. The speed at

which we are changing ocean acidity is

unprecedented. This is highly concerning

because most marine organisms living

today have never adjusted to such rapid

changes in pH. Luckily, this does not have

to be the oceans’ fate. We must reduce

the risk of catastrophe by quickly and

comprehensively reducing our carbon

dioxide emissions.

“OUR OCEANS FACE ENORMOUS CHALLENGES FROM THE CARBON DIOXIDE IN THE ATMOSPHERE ALREADY. Further increases threaten to destroy the ocean services upon which we all depend. The implications are extremely serious.”

DR. OVE HOEGH-GULDBERG, University of Queensland, Australia

58 A GLOBAL WARNING

EXPEERIENTIAL TRAVELLING AND

BREATHTTAKING MOMENTS

NAUTILUS ’ S WINDOW

“As I raised my hand, I saw some enormous masses pass noiselessly by, emitting a phosphorescent gleam as they went. My blood ran cold. I recognized the shark. They were two terrible specimens, with enormous tails, a dull glassy stare. Their enormous fi ery mouths could engulf a man whole within those fearful teeth. I do not know whether Conseil amused himself in classifying them, but for my own part, I regarded their shining bellies, and their formidable throats bristling with teeth, in a a very unscientifi c manner, and more from a victim’s than from a naturalist’s point of view.”

Jules Verne, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

TOTOUCHNOT TO TOUCH

OR

NAUTILUS ’ S WINDOW

TO TOUCH OR NOT TO TOUCHA portfolio by Stephen Frink

There was a time when the sea seemed an inexhaustible resource, with fi sh beyond our capacity to consume and coral reefs immune to our transgressions. All of this was not so long ago really, in geologic terms. The 40 years I have been diving are but a nanosecond in our planet’s evolution, yet the changes I’ve seen are profound and disturbing.

Clearly, our interactions with marine life and the coral reefs have to be more restrained and enlightened these days, in recognition of a resource that is under pressure and simply with the knowledge that we can do better. The egregious photographs of divers holding infl ated pufferfi sh or riding turtles are so obviously wrong for so many reasons that no magazine should ever publish them, no stock photography house should ever distribute them, and anyone who cares about the marine environment should not be taking such photos to begin with.

Yet, some marine life interactions are less intrusive. Are all tactile interactions between diver and marine life wrong? Does it hurt the marine life? Can it hurt the diver? The answer is yes, no, and it depends. I am not a marine biologist. These are merely opinions driven by observation and experience. In the end, it is probably better not to touch any marine life rather than risk the pain and suffering of either or both species – that is the politically correct and safe box to build around all interactions with marine life. Yet, in the real world there are distinctions and it is possible to be benign, respectful, and cop a feel now and then.

Chambered NautilusKavieng, Papua New Guinea

I doubt there is anything wrong with minimally touching a chambered nautilus as the model does in this photo. The more controversial aspect is how the animal got to within scuba diving limits. They live in waters several thousand feet deep and are lured into traps during the night using raw chicken. Once the trap is brought to the surface, the chambered nautilus is released along a shallow reef adjacent to the drop-off. Divers get their photos and then the chambered nautilus is released back over the wall. The more ecologically sensitive dive operations will actually swim them down to 120 feet or so before releasing them, to ensure they would not be eaten by reef fi shes. I am confl icted about this photo because I do not know enough about the physiology of the chambered nautilus. I try not to anthropomorphize, maybe this does no harm. I just do not know. Perhaps that is just the point – if we do not know with certainty that it does no harm, it is better to leave them alone.(front page)

Manta RaysSocorro Islands

Manta rays may not come close enough for us to physically touch them. but if you stay still long enough, they just might. Mantas often hover over divers’ exhaust bubbles, as if they enjoy the sensation. They almost seem to present themselves to divers to scratch their undersides (as seen in the photo) like we are some kind of cleaner wrasse. It takes a pretty restrained diver to not reach up to touch when a large manta ray is hovering just a few feet above. I do not think it does any harm and in any case, with just one fl ap of their wings, they would be 18 meters away. This is also not a photo I keep in wide circulation as I do not wish to unnecessarily encourage divers to chase and touch mantas. (right)

62 TO TOUCH OR NOT TO TOUCH

NAUTILUS ’ S WINDOW

Southern StingraysGrand Cayman, The Sandbar

I have been stung by a stingray before; the venom felt like a viscous poison running through my veins until it exploded in my heart. I was trying to coax that stingray into a close-up framer for a student’s Nikonos and the stingray felt threatened. Lesson learnt. Yet, with several world-famous stingray interactions in places like Grand Cayman and Moorea, the more relevant question is, are we harming the stingrays with a gentle touch? Certainly not that day, that single touch. But, compounded by the day-after-day interaction with snorkellers and the sheer volume of possible interactions having a cumulative negative effect, it is probably safer to abstain. But, if you have a bit of squid in your hand and are getting mugged by a ruffi an stingray looking for a handout, a little caress won’t seem unreasonable. (top & right)

64 TO TOUCH OR NOT TO TOUCH

NAUTILUS ’ S WINDOW

TurtleThe Maldives

Typically, I’d say divers or snorkellers should not touch turtles. Turtles need to swim up to the surface to breathe and we never know how close they are to swimming up for their next breath when we encounter them so we should never chase or grab on to a turtle underwater. So, the safest and most prudent option would be to leave them alone. This photo is different; it shows David Mesnard of the Ocean Dancer in the Maldives rehabilitating a baby turtle that was caught in a fi sherman’s net. He exercised the turtle each day, swimming alongside and when the turtle got tired, he let him rest on his chest, all with the eventual goal of release back into the wild. Aside from very unique circumstances like this, it should be hands-off all turtles.

66 TO TOUCH OR NOT TO TOUCH

ManateeThree Sisters Spring, Crystal River, Florida

The preference is no touch. Yet, I saw this manatee pictured nuzzle close to the snorkeler and then actually roll over on its back to have its belly scratched. Was that so wrong? Probably so in the eyes of the wildlife offi cials charged with overseeing the health and wellbeing of the manatee population. But to that snorkeller, that day, it seemed the right thing to do. I do not normally publish this photo, so as to not encourage touching manatees. Considering the many challenges manatees currently face and the vast number of visitors fl ocking to Central Florida during manatee congregations, maintaining a respectful distance is best.

67OCEAN GEOGRAPHIC 18:4/2011

NAUTILUS ’ S WINDOW

Great white shark (top)

Gansbaai, South Africa

Tiger shark (right)

West End, Grand Bahama

Watching sharks indulge in rough play when attacking bait (or prey), I cannot imagine we are hurting them by touching their snout or rubbing their sandpaper skin. I suppose a bare hand would be better than a gloved hand (gloves remove much more of the protective mucus on their skin) but I do not know that for a fact. In any case, I would assume the risk to the shark issmall (the greater risk is most likely ours). Withoutbaiting the sharks however, we are unlikely to havethem close enough to touch to begin with. The baitingor feeding of sharks is another controversial subject altogether, one which I will not delve into here.

68 TO TOUCH OR NOT TO TOUCH

69OCEAN GEOGRAPHIC 18:4/2011

NAUTILUS ’ S WINDOW

Starfi shLittle Cayman

I do not think anyone will harm a starfi sh with a light touch. Lifting it out of the water however, is absolutely inadvisable and it is best (photographically) to communicate a passive interaction by not actually lifting or holding the starfi sh at all. But, in this photo with the model merely reaching out to the starfi sh, no harm done.

DolphinFreeport, Grand Bahama

It is not likely that a dolphin in the wild will allow you close enough to touch, so this is semi-rhetorical. Although, there have been numerous wild dolphins that have become habituated to human interaction; I can think of Spot off Cayman Brac, Honey in Belize, JoJo in the Turks and Caicos, and Sandy off San Salvador. There are also dolphins trained for open-ocean release to swim with divers off Freeport, Grand Bahama and Roatan, Honduras. It is better not to touch, and certainly photos showing proximity without direct physical contact sends a better environmental message. Yet, when my 3-year-old daughter swam alongside a friendly bottlenose dolphin back in 1996, I was happy enough to have her connect physically and emotionally with it. It remains a meaningful photo for me, and for her, a magical memory. I am convinced by the dolphin’s actions that day, that she too was amused by it all. (right)

70 TO TOUCH OR NOT TO TOUCH

About Stephen FrinkStephen Frink is among the world’s most frequently published UW photographers, and is a Canon EXPLORER OF LIGHT, the only marine specialist within this very elite group of photographers. He is also the publisher of a beautiful new quarterly magazine for the Divers Alert Network, ALERT DIVER. Previously, his editorial work appeared in SCUBA DIVING as Director of Photography, and as a contributing photographer for SKIN DIVER magazine for 17-years. Frink has authored a coffee table book entitled WONDERS OF THE REEF, and teaches Masters level courses of Stephen Frink School of Underwater Digital Imaging in his home waters of Key Largo, Florida. Other Frink enterprises include a dive travel company, WaterHouse Tours and Reservations and a stock photo agency, Stephen Frink Collection. Stephen Frink Photographic is the North American distributor for SEACAM underwater photo equipment. Stephen and his family live in Key Largo, where he operates a studio and gallery at Mile Marker 102.5, Bayside. www.stephenfrinkphoto.com

Editor’s NoteHumans are by nature, tactile creatures – touch is after all, one of our fi ve senses. So it is understandable we feel the urge to touch marine animals, especially the big and beautiful. While we do not promote or encourage divers touching everything on sight, neither do we wish to impose on everyone a “strictly no touching” rule. At theend of the day, it is left to our own discretion and good judgement (operative word being “good”), whether or not our interaction is appropriate, whether or not it will cause stress or harm to marine life (or ourselves). I would like to believe that because we love marine life and do not wish to harm them, we would treat them withcare, consideration and respect during close encounters.

71OCEAN GEOGRAPHIC 18:4/2011

Ocean GeographicEssential Underwater Photography Workshop @ Scuba Seraya Resort

Bali 5-11 December 2011

‘Absolute Essentials for Successful PicturesBeyond Basic Techniques : Macro / Wide Angle Techniques : Elements to Successful Composition : How to Get the Most Out of your camera : How to Shoot for Competition : How to shoot with Models : How to get published Essential & Advanced lighting Techniques : Post Processing – Photoshop & Printing Techniques : Audio Visual Presentation, Conservation photography & much more.

Awards and dive holiday prizes for Best & Most improved Candidates

Mathieu MeurAuthor Essential & Advanced Guide to Digital Underwater.

Photography, jury member CMAS World Championship of

Underwater Photography. www.mathieuMeur.com

Michael AWAuthor Essential & Advanced Guide to Digital Underwater Photography, 3 times winner BBC Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer, 10 times winner at World Festival of Underwater Pictures, 3 times winner Nikon International Photographic competition.www.michaelaw.com

Package6 boat dives, 6 guided shore dives, unlimited shore dives, Workshop & Critique sessions, 12 contact hours. 7 day/6 night twin share, full board; transfers, welcome & farewell BBQ. Plus Event T-shirt, Essential Digital Underwater photography guide, course notes, Ocean Geographic Academy certifi cate and Society membership with one year E subscription to Ocean Geographic; current OG member, USD150 off package.

From USD1685pp; Scuba Seraya is an offocial Ocean Geographic Photographic Centre with excellent dives right at the door step; the Tulamben wreck is just 10 mins by boat and the critters at Seraya Secrets rival those of Lembeh Strait. With average water visibility of 15m, and tons of subject, it is like shooting in a studio. To participate: eq@underwaterartists.com

www.OceanGeographic.org

Raves for OG Workshopsaves for OG Essential Workshops “As a new photographer this course took me to my dream of publishing underwater photos in a magazine. Looking at the rest of the participants I was watching them produce photos that could be on the dive magazine covers.” Ian Wallace, Australia “My involvement in the Essential Photography Workshop at Scuba Seraya Resort was a turning point for my Underwater Photography. For some years I have fumbled on my own. Your guidance and expertise has allowed me to shoot a nice shot, not just by mistake or because the conditions were good.” Dr Rod Willet

“The digital workshops are absolute success; it has skyrocketed my knowledge of underwater photography and has shown me how to use light in different ways and be creative with exposures. Michael and Mathieu’s help with composition has been invaluable, as well as being an inspiration and someone to aspire to. Tony Atkinson

Learn from Professionals with a Proven Track Record

SOJOURNS

SwimSirens

To

with

MIKE ELLIS

here is a certain simplicity to snorkelling

–the freedom from cumbersome dive gear,

enabling one to get closer to these shy exotic

animals. Not being a Florida native but rather, a transient

f rom Southern Cal i fornia , th is winter swim was a

welcome break from my real job in the Bahamas. As we

pulled away from the dock, we noticed a light foggy mist

hanging on the mirror-calm water. Poseidon was on our

side. The sun was just about to rise over the horizon.

This was the golden hour for photographers and prime

time for manatee encounters.

The history of the manatee dates as far back as 45 million

years, believed to have evolved from a wading, plant-eating

land animal. The West Indian manatee is related to the West

African manatee, the Amazonian manatee, the dugong,

and Steller’s sea cow, which was hunted to extinction in

1768. Although their bulbous face makes it hard to believe,

manatees are probably the source of legends about

mermaids. Their human-like eyes must have captivated

the early European sailors who caught fleeting glimpses of

them swimming in the warm waters of the West Indies in

the 17th century.

The early January morning had a chilly bite to it.

I hoped for a break in the rain and for warmth to make

an appearance for us. As my friends and I loaded the

pontoon boat with cameras and snorkelling gear, there

was an arcane excitement in the air. We were heading

out to Crystal River to swim with the “Sirens of the

Sea” – the Florida’s West Indies manatees.

“Although their bulbous face makes it hard to believe,

manatees are probably the source of legends about mermaids. Their human-like eyes must have captivated the

early European sailors who caught fleeting glimpses

of them swimming in the warm waters of the West Indies

in the 17th century.”

86 TO SWIM WITH SIRENS

SOJOURN S

88 TO SWIM WITH SIRENS

SOJOURN S

“To my surprise, I was greeted by a

youngster and his mother. For reasons I do not understand, the

little guy was very interested in me and my camera’s dome port.”

89OCEAN GEOGRAPHIC 18:4/2011

“It appeared to be large boulders grouped together

but they were in fact, about a hundred manatees

resting and sleeping in the early

morning hours!”

As we motored slowly through Crystal River in the light fog,

towards Three Sisters, we spotted several ‘sirens’ swimming

in pairs with their young, on the way to the springs after a long

night of feeding. Three Sisters offer the manatees a safe and

somewhat warmer and clearer sanctuary than the bay as there

is a fresh water spring that feeds it. Pulling up, we noticed

a few other brave and hardy boats with school children and

families, also hoping to catch a glimpse of these enigmatic

sirens. As we slipped silently into the chilly18°C water, all

thoughts of being cold leave us upon our first sighting of

these manatees. I am greeted like an old friend by a younger

male with an itch that needs to be scratched and promptly

does a barrel roll for me.

Swimming further back into the Three Sisters, I encountered

several ‘sirens’ swimming in the narrow channel connecting

Crystal River with the Sisters. The water is a lovely hue of

Bombay Sapphire. It is hard to believe that these beautiful

sea creatures are shrinking in numbers now when they were

once abundant and thriving. Once they were widespread

in rivers and along coasts, but were hunted extensively in

the 18th and 19th centuries. They are now fighting a losing

battle against the rising demand for river front properties

and heavy boat traffic. Manatees exist today only in a few

small, isolated populations.

90 TO SWIM WITH SIRENS

SOJOURN S

91OCEAN GEOGRAPHIC 18:4/2011

Entering the first of the Three Sisters, it appeared to be large

boulders grouped together; but they were in fact, about a

hundred manatees resting and sleeping in the early morning

hours! Looking closer, I noticed propeller scars on these

gentle giants.

A short swim to the second of the Three Sisters, there

was more vegetation along the banks, with a deep water

centre containing a large population of fresh water fishes.

Here, I came face-to-face with two ‘mermaids’ having an

algae snack on the trunk of a fallen palm tree. Giving me a

‘go-get-your-own-trunk’ look I politely returned to the third

pool. The smallest of the Three Sisters, it was more secluded,

a little more private, suitable for females with their young.

A youngster and his mother greeted me. The little guy was

very interested in my camera’s dome port and me.

Time spent with animals are always special and among them

some are very rare and memorable such as this experience

with the sirens of the sea.

Ed Note: The best time to swim with manatees is from late November to January. Contact: Francis at www.crystalriverresort.com

92 TO SWIM WITH SIRENS

SOJOURN S

CAPTURE

Turtles are legends,Living for generationsTraveling the vast oceansSometimes alone for miles on end,Sometimes partying with strangers and friends

Pictures by CASSANDRA DRAGON

Prose by GILLIAN McDONALD

A Turtle Ditty

Green sea turtles(Chelonia mydas)

Sipadan, Malaysia

94

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