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NATO Undersea Research Centre (NURC) in Italy conducted the CATHARSIS2 sea trial from October 5-20 in the waters near Elba Island, Italy to investigate underwater object detection technologies. On October 20, harbour security demonstration for local military and civilian authorities was conducted at La Spezia, Italy. For the first time, U.S. Navy’s Marine Mammal Fleet Systems participated in these exercises.

Some interesting features of U.S. Navy’s Marine Mammal Systems (MMS), NURC and CATHARSIS2 sea trial are:

• U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Fleet Systems
  • Assigned to the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Group ONE (EODGRU ONE).
  • Uses dolphins and sea lions to find and mark the location of underwater objects.
  • Dolphins with their exceptional biological sonar can detect objects in the water column and on the sea floor.
  • Sea lions have very sensitive underwater directional hearing and exceptional vision in low light conditions.
  • MMS MK 4, MK 7 and MK 8 use dolphins.
  • MMS MK 5 uses sea lions.
  • MMS MK 6 uses both dolphins and sea lions.
  • MMS can be deployed rapidly within 72 hours of notice through ship, aircraft, helicopter, and land vehicles anywhere in the world and they regularly participate in major Fleet exercises.

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Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing is taking place world wide. To conserve and manage the world’s fisheries, more than 17O Members of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) adopted the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries in 1995. The Code is voluntary and is applicable to all involved with fisheries. In 2001, the Members of FAO developed an International Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate IUU Fishing (IPOA-IUU) to address this problem.

IPOA-IUU defines

• Illegal fishing as activities:
  • conducted by national or foreign vessels in waters under the jurisdiction of a State, without the permission of that State, or in contravention of its laws and regulations;
  • conducted by vessels flying the flag of States that are parties to a relevant regional fisheries management organization but operate in contravention of the conservation and management measures adopted by that organization and by which the States are bound, or relevant provisions of the applicable international law; or
  • in violation of national laws or international obligations, including those undertaken by cooperating States to a relevant regional fisheries management organization.
• Unreported fishing as activities:
  • which have not been reported, or have been misreported, to the relevant national authority, in contravention of national laws and regulations; or
  • undertaken in the area of competence of a relevant regional fisheries management organization which have not been reported or have been misreported, in contravention of the reporting procedures of that organization.
• Unregulated fishing as activities:
  • in the area of application of a relevant regional fisheries management organization that are conducted by vessels without nationality, or by those flying the flag of a State not party to that organization, or by a fishing entity, in a manner that is not consistent with or contravenes the conservation and management measures of that organization; or
  • in areas or for fish stocks in relation to which there are no applicable conservation or management measures and where such fishing activities are conducted in a manner inconsistent with State responsibilities for the conservation of living marine resources under international law.

View an interesting video clip: Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing. FAO of the UN

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Here is a network of intelligent buoys to detect the presence of whales in the ocean and advise the ships at sea to avoid collision with whales. The network is operational at the Excelerate Energy’s LNG facility at Northeast Gateway Deepwater Port (Northeast Gateway) located in Massachusetts Bay offshore Boston.

The whale detection and protection system

• is supported by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
• necessary hardware, software and know-how on whale calls are provided by Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
• designing, building and deployment of moorings & buoys are carried out by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI).

The whale detection network to avoid collision with ships at sea works in five steps (Image credit – Cornell Lab of Ornithology) :

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It is amazing to know that a multi specialty hospital called ‘The Turtle Hospital’ is available to treat sea turtles. This hospital on July 04, released a loggerhead sea turtle named after President Barack Obama in the Atlantic Ocean off Key West after treatment.

Some interesting features of the Turtle Hospital are:

• was opened in 1986 as a charitable corporation.
• located at Marathon, Florida in the heart of the Florida Keys.
• aims to
  • treat injured sea turtles and release them to the wild after treatment
  • impart knowledge about sea turtles through outreach programs to local schools
  • conduct and assist research to aid sea turtles in conjunction with state universities
  • work toward environmental legislation to make the beaches and water safe and clean for sea turtles
• provides Guided Educational Experiences to public everyday.
• has necessary infrastructure to treat sea turtles including the latest equipment to perform a variety of surgeries on different species and sizes of sea turtles.
• type of treatment given to turtles
  • flipper amputations caused by fishing line and trap rope entanglements
  • shell damage caused by boat collisions
  • intestinal impactions caused by ingestion of foreign materials such as plastic bags, balloons, and fishing line and/or hooks
  • removal of debilitating viral tumors that affect over 50% of the sea turtles in the Keys and around the world
• carries out research in coordination with University of Florida into the causes of fibropapilloma, the devastating viral tumors which affect sea turtles.
• achievement: has successfully treated and released over 750 Sea Turtles since its founding in 1986.

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Manmade floating islands use recycled plastic from PET (Poly Ethylene Terephthalate) drink bottles. A floating Island is a buoyant mat, made up of layers of nonwoven plastic matrix bonded with an inert marine foam. It is then planted with vegetation and launched in water body for different useful applications.
Some interesting features of floating islands (image credit – Floating Island International) are:

• A new variant of constructed wetlands to act as concentrated wetlands with huge surface area for microbes to remove water pollutants like nitrates, phosphates, ammonia and heavy metals that come from industrial and residential waste.
• The plant roots hang below the floating wetland to take nutrients from water.
• Floating islands can be launched into any waterway either small or big like pond, lake, stream, effluent pond, lagoon, embayment, even the ocean.
• Supports flexible design to be built to any shape and size.
• Buoyancy can be varied.
• Can be free floating or can be anchored or tethered in place.
• Advantages
  • purify water by natural process
  • help to sustain habitat for fish and birdlife
  • help to prevent algae growth
  • beautifies the area

Here is a sketch from BioHaven Environmental that explains the floating island.

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The Royal Thai Navy is doing a commendable job by protecting sea turtles at their Sea Turtle Conservation Center.

Some interesting features of sea turtles and Sea Turtle Conservation Center are:

• Sea Turtles
  • Khram Island is the nesting site for green sea turtles, where hundreds of sea turtles come ashore to lay their eggs
  • Sea turtles in Thailand are being killed by humans for their meat, eggs and their shells which are considered precious
  • Also large number of sea turtles die by getting trapped in fishing nets during migration
  • To save the sea turtles, the Royal Thai Navy has Sea Turtle Conservation Center
• Sea Turtle Conservation Center
  • A research institute of Thai Navy at Sattahip with turtle breeding farms and nursery ponds
  • The eggs of sea turtles are identified by observing the softness of the sand and the eggs are then moved closer to the beach side for further nurturing
  • Eggs are kept inside sixty centimetre deep sand pits for hatching after noting down the number of eggs, the date of nesting and the expected birth date
  • After birth, the new born turtles are taken to tanks for a wash to remove the sand and then are provided with anti-fungus treatment to keep them healthy
  • For almost six months, the baby turtles are looked after and grown up turtles are then released into the sea
  • The center also provides valuable information on sea turtles through lectures, video presentation and exhibitions
  • The center is also opened to visitors

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The Bathini Goud family of Hyderabad in India, treats Asthma patients by putting a live Murrel fish with herbal medicine in the mouth of the patient to swallow. Every year thousands of Asthma patients turn up to take this Bathini Mrugasira Fish. This year the treatment was offered from 1100 hours on June 08 to 1100 hours on June 09. The District Administration stocked up 1.5 lakh Murrel fish for this event.  For vegetarians, the herbal medicine is given without the fish.

Some interesting features of Bathini Mrugasira Fish medicine are:

• administered once every year, on the Mrigasira Karti day of the Hindu calendar, which falls in the first week of June with the onset of the annual monsoon.
• offered by the Goud family, free of cost to patients for the last 163 years as a cure for asthma and other breathing disorders.
• specially formulated herbal medicine by the Goud family, is kept in the mouth of a live Murrel fish of 2 to 3 inches in size and in turn slipped into the mouth of the patient.
• the fish being live and slippery makes it easy to swallow.
• the live fish travels through the throat, wagging its tail and fins and negotiates the phlegmatic congestion, curing hundred per cent.

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For the last 17 years, June 08 was observed as World Oceans Day, unofficially.

The practice of observing World Oceans Day on June 08, by many countries was initiated on June 08, 1992 during the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. World Oceans Day failed to attract global attention, as the United Nations (UN) General Assembly did not formally designate June 08 as World Oceans Day.

Now, the UN has resolved that from 2009, June 08 would be designated by the UN as “World Oceans Day”. This year’s theme of the inaugural observance of the World Oceans Day by the UN is “Our Oceans, Our Responsibility”.

Here is the message from the Secretary-General, on World Oceans Day.

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BBC News, Africa reported that 55 pilot whales with calves were beached at Kommetjie, near Cape Town on May 30. South African rescue teams attempted to send back 20 pilot whales and the remaining had to be put down.

Later, Reuters India reported that all the whales have died as rescue attempts failed.Though the whales were initially reported as pilot whales, later they were identified as false killer whales by National Sea Rescue Institute.

It is also reported that mass beaching of whales has taken place for the first time at Kommetjie Beach and the reasons for beaching is not known.

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The Sea of Galilee, Israel’s largest freshwater lake is shrinking. The waters of Galilee have retreated hundreds of yards. The water level is now so low, the water has to be pumped uphill into the River Jordan.

The Sea of Galilee is

• approximately 53 km in circumference
• about 21 km long
• about 13 km wide
• has a total area of 166 sq km
• has a maximum depth of approximately 43 m

The present state of the Sea of Galilee can be found out from Sky News video clip: The Sea of Galilee

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Here you can have webcam view of underwater penguins of New England Aquarium.

Click the image below to have webcam view.

Post in MarineBuzz on this day a year before:

Arabian Sea to Witness First Indo German Joint Naval Exercise

Oyster shells can be used as an ideal medium for the purification of sewage water. Eiwa Land Environment Co., Ltd. of Japan has demonstrated this in their “AquaMake” waste water recycling system using Oyster shells. The company is also planning to sell this water-saving toilet unit for use in dry areas in Australia, China and the United States.

Some of the interesting reasons to consider Oyster shells as an ideal, high-capacity medium for sewage water treatment are:

• Oyster shells have a high settlement rate for microorganisms due to their large surface area.
• Oyster shells have a complex and intricate composition giving protozoa and other microorganisms ample space to thrive.
• Oyster shells offer higher affinity for microorganisms compared with conventional plastic contact medium.
• When the pH level decreases as the oxidation treatment progresses, the oyster shells naturally dissolve to adjust the pH level.

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Moviegoers, do not miss to watch the movie “Under the Sea 3D” a new IMAX 3D undersea adventure. The movie is due to be released in theaters this Friday, the 13th.

Some of the interesting features of Under the Sea 3D are:

• from Husband and wife team Howard Hall (Director) and Michele Hall (Producer).
• filmed in the Coral Triangle (Indonesia and Papua New Guinea) and South Australia.
• explores the wonders of the oceans.
• gives an opportunity to view the ocean world and helps to understand the marine life.
• bound to create awareness on the impact of global climate change and the need to protect marine life including the reefs.
• pleasure to watch in crystal clear, larger images.

Here is an amazing video clip of Under the Sea 3D.

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Ocean Conservancy is on a mission to promote healthy and diverse ocean ecosystems. They oppose practices that threaten ocean life and human life. Through research, education, and science-based advocacy, Ocean Conservancy informs, inspires, and empowers people to speak and act on behalf of the oceans.

Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup tells us ‘10 Things You Can Do To Stop Marine Debris’.

1.Join Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup.

2.Clean up your trash. Throw all trash away in proper receptacles, even when you’re not on the water. Pick up any debris you see while out.

3.Collect your monofilament fishing line. Don’t leave fishing line behind and retrieve any other line you may find while fishing, but be careful not to tug on snagged lines, which could be caught on habitat below the surface.

4.Contain and properly clean spills when boating. Use oil-absorbent rags and materials to clean spills. Check Ocean Conservancy’s Good Mate manual for helpful tips on reducing your negative impacts on the water.

5.Recycle used motor oil and oil filters. Local gas stations should have appropriate facilities for recycling these materials. NEVER pour oil, paint, antifreeze or other household chemicals into an open sewer or down a storm drain.

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International community is planning to give life to the rapidly shrinking Dead Sea by feeding seawater from the Red Sea. Dead Sea is land locked and its water source mainly comes from Jordan River in South West Asia that flows north-south into the Dead Sea. Jordan River (click the map below) is 251 kilo metres long. The increase in water demand for drinking, farming and industrial use from Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Authority has reduced the flow and the Dead Sea is shrinking drastically. World Bank warns that drying up of the Dead Sea would cause environmental calamity in addition to cultural and economic damage.

Some of the disturbing features of the Dead Sea are:

• Dead Sea has been shrinking at the rate of one metre per year and could dry up within the next 50 years.
• The water level has reduced from 394 metres below sea level in 1960s to 418 metres below sea level in 2006.
• The surface area has shrunk by at least 33 per cent over the last 56 years, roughly from 950 square kilo metres to 637 square kilo metres.
• The average annual inflow has decreased from 1,200 million cubic metres (mcm) of water to around 250 mcm.
• Dead Sea water is ten times more saline than ocean water.

To save the Dead Sea, the Red Sea – Dead Sea Canal (RSDSC) is being planned to supply millions of gallons of seawater to Dead Sea.

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