tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-369322182024-03-04T22:06:49.678-08:00OceanSpot Talk: Discuss Marine and Ocean LifeDiscussion zone for www.OceanSpot.com. Talk about whales, dolphins, sharks, turtles, manatees, penguins, polar bears, seals, sea lions and other marine life.OceanSpothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08614722532752681077noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36932218.post-40435236906287265302009-02-25T22:37:00.000-08:002009-02-25T23:00:47.094-08:00<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Do You Eat Sushi? </span><br />If so, please make sure to download the <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/content/media/MBA_SeafoodWatch_SushiGuide.pdf">2009 Sustainable Seafood Guide for Sushi. </a>Just click the link or the image below and print out the PDF which you can then fold into a wallet card. </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/content/media/MBA_SeafoodWatch_SushiGuide.pdf"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 142px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR50fACGMoU7BJrM-5HxfwPhM6r9Hf_ypbPxHFxGBaslCcuvdm6NaTjTZJUppoqBh8KRDundQVekp5gZ1227wJMoTTkJyEdTDQIDZVjusIzgrLToqCubWnEvq30sa3xvVm3o6O/s400/sushi+guide.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306992908217411202" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Did you know that our love for sushi is severely depleting many of our oceans' fishes? <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/sfw_sushi_tuna.aspx">Bluefin tuna are in particular danger</a> because they have been so drastically overfished. A more responsible alternative to bluefin tuna is albacore tuna (shiro maguro).<br /><br />In addition to downloading your handy sustainable sushi pocket guide, also be sure to download the <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/download.aspx"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">2009 Seafood Watch guide for your local region,</span> </a>as well. We all need to take care of our oceans. Whether dining in or out, be sure to express an interest in sustainable seafood options to your grocer, chef, or restaurant. As long as they know there's consumer demand for sustainable options, they hopefully will make responsible choices about what types of seafood to supply.<br /><br />And remember . . . <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/SeafoodWatch/web/sfw_factsheet.aspx?gid=6"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">never order the Chilean Seabass!</span> </a>This fish has been severly overfished to the point where there is a great deal of illegal fishing taking place. Did you know that the real name of the Chilean Seabass is the "Patagonian Toothfish"? The name was changed for marketing purposes so that it would sound more appetizing to consumers. Let's leave the toothfish alone for a while and try to let them recover. . .<br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.oceanspot.com</div>OceanSpothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08614722532752681077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36932218.post-75862003521599382462009-02-25T22:07:00.000-08:002009-02-25T22:33:50.599-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/episode/kingdom-of-the-blue-whale-3302/Overview#tab-blue-whale-facts"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 181px; height: 106px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0OS39o-SReaguaWvNcjrH4Xc2hzzsBVwwZrOjs9k9jxGjaoytRpUO7DKpuR3A9x-Pe1nSbhgfsOQ7hdJ_7lisEEgnZ7qu_zuLiDkAo1EIQSzswhLS8OEkoDA4wzQFMnxUesKr/s320/nat+geo+logo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306984930911367554" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Kingdom of the Blue Whale: Premieres March 9</span><br />Be sure to tune into the National Geographic Channel on March 9 for the premiere of <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/episode/kingdom-of-the-blue-whale-3302/Overview#tab-blue-whale-facts">"Kingdom of the Blue Whale."</a> They already have some great interactive content to explore on their web site including an interactive Flash module that lets you measure the size of a blue whale as compared with school buses, Triceratops, M1A1 Abrams tanks, the Space Shuttle Orbiter, and more.<br /></span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/episode/kingdom-of-the-blue-whale-3302/Overview#tab-blue-whale-facts"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 54px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIRwHEsC4s6FGEs7iSlkp4QwiWGyT9cs6sKayRL_hPa9IO6P3hLUmGFVSAEeK4Q5_2Y84zMGqh3C2qwW7r0p85HmxNhL-jcVS0AUOYA2AmSvGywCU43Df-_LmO-QKgtAWqeOK4/s320/kingdom+of+the+blue+whale.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306986215007678226" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Also check out the March 2</span><span style="font-size:85%;">009 print issue of </span><span style="font-size:85%;">National Geographic Magazine for the in-depth story and some incredible photos from the field.<br /><br />While whale watching in the Santa Barbara Channel in July of 2008, we came across the R/V Pacific Storm, which is a research vessel from Oregon State University and one of the home bases for their blue whale research. Here are a couple of photos I snapped of the Pacific Storm and its Zodiac boat which was out tagging blue whales. The Pacific Storm is also pictured in the March is</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr7W8aiYY6RNcC_3OFPesjoo5vnkGZmHyLqAIuFJLwkRzOl0PVWxnyNDqxQ_lkRFdGmX2VDkfAlCvg6TdKriRZwHTOp2kGaOpnYrlcxo2PCkPQHZrby0sE-N6dvgScVaZD_2i2/s1600-h/RV+pacific+storm+zodiac.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 143px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr7W8aiYY6RNcC_3OFPesjoo5vnkGZmHyLqAIuFJLwkRzOl0PVWxnyNDqxQ_lkRFdGmX2VDkfAlCvg6TdKriRZwHTOp2kGaOpnYrlcxo2PCkPQHZrby0sE-N6dvgScVaZD_2i2/s200/RV+pacific+storm+zodiac.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306990128392155554" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">sue of National </span><span style="font-size:85%;">Geographic.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguR2NhICEJ6FVMPfjHtv2MGOMuY4o7JheLSq61B_NdAtyhLpM73_lxQP1fVpfxciG1_2gDRVLkQj_m4d1fTJMemkJSc89idn5-vKhpYMROLNK8QcNyuMpiFLGxBOLtIZG3ZplE/s1600-h/RV+pacific+storm+research+boat.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 194px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguR2NhICEJ6FVMPfjHtv2MGOMuY4o7JheLSq61B_NdAtyhLpM73_lxQP1fVpfxciG1_2gDRVLkQj_m4d1fTJMemkJSc89idn5-vKhpYMROLNK8QcNyuMpiFLGxBOLtIZG3ZplE/s320/RV+pacific+storm+research+boat.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306989703972326418" border="0" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.oceanspot.com</div>OceanSpothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08614722532752681077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36932218.post-60932301176846398632009-02-25T21:57:00.001-08:002009-02-25T22:06:35.216-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.whaletrust.org/"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 242px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo11bYiGetYDccdp4pbxC1UyHo7PTwdoEmd7kEkj0-tIHukMTKKWSkqrS5ziOulVJrpF511AXsdaRN2TVVzb9bjCR7MDihPP7SM8MZiVA4d1hWLLcHJ_Q9hPfJLV_37aQi-GLC/s320/whale+quest+kapalua.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306981538301977762" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Whale Quest Kapalua: Maui, Hawaii</span><br />I was lucky enough to attend Whale Quest Kapalua on Maui, Hawaii from February 13-15 this year. It was an amazing event (free to the public) and I hope to be able to attend again next year. One of the things I enjoyed most about this conference was the amazing photos and videos that people brought back from the field. Jason Sturgis showed some unimaginable underwater footage of humpback whales and Adam Ravetch shared excerpts of his upcoming film, "Arctic Giants of the North." There were many informative and educational lectures, as well. To keep tabs on next year's event, visit the <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.whaletrust.org/">Whale Trust</a> web site. </span><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.oceanspot.com</div>OceanSpothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08614722532752681077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36932218.post-9973867507177422572008-11-07T22:30:00.000-08:002008-11-07T23:01:35.364-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.acsonline.org/conference/changing2008/ACS2008Program.html"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 175px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_vUH-Kjy_OQg8aSdxZ06soDDIMV1OPREEbTc3jg8qBmr8295kzyzVoCbEOFiD3OIHrdbwzQqMzf-LiipJIym37bIBAJ4XyNVgKVC5Pt1nNZ0Y35aLf2AlhQZbIdQhhg57KopE/s200/acs+conference+logo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5266178020174396466" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">American Cetacean Society Conference: November 13-16, 2008 in Monterey, CA (registration is still open!)<br /><br /></span>The <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.acsonline.org/">American Cetacean Society (ACS) </a>will hold their 11th international conference in Monterey, CA on November 13-16. This is shaping up to be another remarkable conference and the <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.acsonline.org/conference/changing2008/ACS2008Program.html">conference program</a> looks amazing.<br /><br />Sessions will take place all day Saturday and Sunday and will include scientific discussions, as well as discussions about whaling, human/whale interaction, the environment and in-depth reviews related to specific whale species.<br /><br />There's going to be a banquet on Saturday evening, as well as a photo contest, poster session, art show, and auction. And on Monday, there will be a free symposium on gray whales if you are lucky enough to be able to stay beyond the weekend. And if you can make it out before the weekend, don't forget to sign up for Friday's whale watch in Monterey Bay! There's bound to be some interesting marine wildlife around. Registration information can be found</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.acsonline.org/conference/changing2008/ACS2008Registration.html"> here. </a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"> Online registration ends November 10th, but after that date, you can still register at the door. <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.acsonline.org/conference/changing2008/ACS2008Registration.html"></a><br /><br />While you're at it, consider <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.acsonline.org/aboutus/membership.html">becoming a member of ACS</a>. I'm a proud member and have learned a lot about cetaceans by being part of the organization. In addition to educational benefits, you'll also be helping the great cause of cetacean and environmental conservation.<br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.oceanspot.com</div>OceanSpothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08614722532752681077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36932218.post-4984159446022018682008-11-05T23:04:00.000-08:002008-11-05T23:43:13.851-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://animal.discovery.com/tv/whale-wars/about/"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 52px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmQDAOSSKTBoY4xVvE1zxHNwmU8CSNXfa_E_Vl22FhvPZbKW8ZjvkVeDhlc6LndlWNd5YKXZHunuJdo3xvauZ4DzG-Xtj6PBDIBrteg-g_6QlHELBj-vBUsVVEVm7qe_CDlMFd/s320/whale+wars.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265440658040257746" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://animal.discovery.com/tv/whale-wars/about/">"Whale Wars"</a> Television Series to Premiere on Animal Planet</span><br />This Friday, November 7, Animal Planet will debut a new 7-part weekly television series called <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-weight: bold;" href="http://animal.discovery.com/tv/whale-wars/about/">"Whale Wars."</a> It will follow the mission of Paul Watson's <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.seashepherd.org/">Sea Shepherd Conservation Society </a>as they work aggressively to help stop whaling, poaching, shark-finning and habitat destruction. It's impressive that Animal Planet is devoting so much time to this important topic.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.seashepherd.org/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 297px; height: 64px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnv63Bu8AIVAxt-tGuLRnrC9HPyS9zoch-tSBgOeWimXfKvFyYU52xAW1W8oweWQgXEl0tptIvDS5R6Xop80zqBU1XX3zmZEAW5Jo47vAtErP2yZjpBSNOzFWRrD5F8u-VqarY/s320/sea+shepherd.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265441238353101746" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">If anyone has ever been lucky enough to see a whale in the wild, it's hard to imagine that any human being would want to intentionally kill these magnificent creatures. In particular, Japan, Norway, and Iceland are still aggressively killing whales with no regard for the <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.iwcoffice.org/">International Whaling Commission's</a> guidelines.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">The fact that Japan, Norway, and Iceland have such little respect for the whales and the marine ecosystem makes us seriously question whether we should be spending any money on the products or tourism of these countries. Whaling has no place in today's society--it's a brutal, unnecessary, and inhumane practice. Honestly, what is the point? Whales are in desperate need of our help. Many species are endangered as a result of whaling and their habitats are under constant threat.<br /><br />Thanks to Animal Planet for taking time to educate us on this important topic.<br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.oceanspot.com</div>OceanSpothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08614722532752681077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36932218.post-37471730185986664662008-09-21T20:03:00.000-07:002008-09-21T20:47:08.745-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjylDElr5RSZNGLW87lhx1RFp-rE8_9S-Iqzresk1XctXVgrevtvxZNiDoKb8vjomNOuwpg3CKpGa5uX5rpZNWWr0TBrfkefr1saRR8P_nN31JjobHEjDZgI9LC0PFfglROXkac/s1600-h/DSC06289.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjylDElr5RSZNGLW87lhx1RFp-rE8_9S-Iqzresk1XctXVgrevtvxZNiDoKb8vjomNOuwpg3CKpGa5uX5rpZNWWr0TBrfkefr1saRR8P_nN31JjobHEjDZgI9LC0PFfglROXkac/s200/DSC06289.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248686228073508562" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZSztpNhyphenhyphenldf5VfoeLiRXXKaYmVFjgmiJ_NB568oWJRruaVsMkmVF0N8zMrQd4Z-KFcl1XkNFoHHGV9EfnvjZMUWonyYcDuIST0MuYRWtNipuPnOmkIbAlpE5CoeTYW9iTfEGu/s1600-h/DSC06329.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZSztpNhyphenhyphenldf5VfoeLiRXXKaYmVFjgmiJ_NB568oWJRruaVsMkmVF0N8zMrQd4Z-KFcl1XkNFoHHGV9EfnvjZMUWonyYcDuIST0MuYRWtNipuPnOmkIbAlpE5CoeTYW9iTfEGu/s200/DSC06329.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248677226256012306" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Coastal Cleanup Day at Malibu Lagoon in Malibu, CA</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />This past Saturday, September 20 was <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.oceanconservancy.org/site/PageServer?pagename=press_icc">International Coastal Cleanup Day</a>, which is sponsored by the <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.oceanconservancy.org/">Ocean Conservancy</a>. Here are a few photos of the cleanup efforts at the Malibu Lagoon in Malibu, CA.<br /><br />On my trash scorecard, note that 53 food wrappers/containers were found. This did not even include the countless small pieces of styrofoam that were likely once a cup, food container, etc. It's awful for these things to be</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> laying out in the open so close to bird and marine life. The animals often ingest the waste and cannot digest it and become victim to an untimely death.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZgwT6SUh_VK1sCJ_HJBDu2qDGVovy7lPGGPmbObpHlJqe6GZ33t6Dz8To60rTOwXYCnes4TJovrXmUzMxBRaqZPMRogE25mcJWUum6I2el7ddkevW1tFQMK-LRn6VK3hBrPDE/s1600-h/DSC06321.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZgwT6SUh_VK1sCJ_HJBDu2qDGVovy7lPGGPmbObpHlJqe6GZ33t6Dz8To60rTOwXYCnes4TJovrXmUzMxBRaqZPMRogE25mcJWUum6I2el7ddkevW1tFQMK-LRn6VK3hBrPDE/s320/DSC06321.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248677862931240482" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">With very little effort, I also found 53 cigarette butts. In addition to the fact tha</span><span style="font-size:85%;">t animals ingest cigarette butts, it's awful that so many people discard their smokes in an area that's so full of dry brush and plants. Southern California (and many other areas) are very susceptible to fire and if you recall, one of last year's fires in Malibu was thought to have been started by a cigarette that was thrown out of a car window.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRILV5HbERph8IVad27XLSV9EuZXlhy7AathgmO2UNTFl-NA7Tvkwq4aTKwQ7sq6UgwWGC7cRglFeO8mAXuDCwLzF0q9rIR3qaqXHAEPBrcOm5N4KYowIgUAbvp_lszktkIin4/s1600-h/DSC06319.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRILV5HbERph8IVad27XLSV9EuZXlhy7AathgmO2UNTFl-NA7Tvkwq4aTKwQ7sq6UgwWGC7cRglFeO8mAXuDCwLzF0q9rIR3qaqXHAEPBrcOm5N4KYowIgUAbvp_lszktkIin4/s320/DSC06319.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248685277565901410" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Hundreds of pounds of trash was collected:<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBEiOjXuYlzeK8urMLt-tTZshU2xOTLSI8Ckk1wEzIvy6wZEISTnQVlimkxGbvAdsGSTFIGMNDnBL5GdzE0DacIjp6Egi_rRcK1glL5gARIPMpQ1WApnteoCgMUcYCy0qZ55RW/s1600-h/DSC06306.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBEiOjXuYlzeK8urMLt-tTZshU2xOTLSI8Ckk1wEzIvy6wZEISTnQVlimkxGbvAdsGSTFIGMNDnBL5GdzE0DacIjp6Egi_rRcK1glL5gARIPMpQ1WApnteoCgMUcYCy0qZ55RW/s200/DSC06306.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248684748945139826" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Please do your part to keep beautiful places like the Malibu Lagoon clean and free of trash. If you see trash around any coastal area, please take a moment to pick it up and help keep our environment clean.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3rmIwh87ZYaBdED64tfHd4EZ88nI5UP1PK9h6-ShedaIDDkAFqIZOxDm5IdlxI9Z1YQ9TvuAwQePoCgpGuO0BEG_EQkG23A5EvNQwr9PT55qoMnTsQGF2WtgpJ3abULgYUVLQ/s1600-h/DSC06336.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3rmIwh87ZYaBdED64tfHd4EZ88nI5UP1PK9h6-ShedaIDDkAFqIZOxDm5IdlxI9Z1YQ9TvuAwQePoCgpGuO0BEG_EQkG23A5EvNQwr9PT55qoMnTsQGF2WtgpJ3abULgYUVLQ/s320/DSC06336.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248683819531827234" border="0" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.oceanspot.com</div>OceanSpothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08614722532752681077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36932218.post-90855516692672674892008-09-17T19:52:00.000-07:002008-09-17T20:33:03.222-07:00<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">International Coastal Cleanup Day is this Saturday, September 20, 2008</span><br />If you have a little time to volunteer this weekend, you may want to consider helping out with the <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.oceanconservancy.org/">Ocean Conservancy's </a>International Coastal Cleanup Day efforts. It's a great way to help the environment and to help countless forms of wildlife that depend on coastal or wetland habitats. You don't need to live near the ocean. . . cleanup efforts will be underway in many inland areas as well. You can learn more by clicking the <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-weight: bold;" href="https://secure2.convio.net/toc/site/SPageServer?pagename=icc_registration">Coastal Cleanup Day</a> image below and remember to help keep your environment clean all year around. If you see trash laying around outside, make an effort to pick it up, especially if it's in a coastal area.<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://secure2.convio.net/toc/site/SPageServer?pagename=icc_registration"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh30JjN3GEj6cSpPwhP_fxRKx_quQwCVw2WIRXHUJ4GVT7OERMvrWIEwMSQjB9kIhATpsYoaFGBS-DSahjeag8KVOr9Fj4vDS10SWZc6L7RFXoQ3sFl7Gm_aVLtMurNsvSj9NY8/s320/coastal+cleanup.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247198754096388242" border="0" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.oceanspot.com</div>OceanSpothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08614722532752681077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36932218.post-67574103747895619672008-07-31T22:59:00.000-07:002008-07-31T23:25:38.236-07:00<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Minke Whale Shows Partial Tail Fluke</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />While looking for Blue whales in the Santa Barbara Channel this past weekend, we came across what appeared to be a young Minke whale who was interacting with a California sea lion. It was interesting behavior and before one of its dives it rolled on its side and then showed us a partial tail fluke--pretty unusual behavior for a Minke whale. Here's a video clip of the action:<br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/vtvuXoHBk_M&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/vtvuXoHBk_M&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br />We also spotted at least 10 Blue whales and witnessed a team of scientists tagging the Blue whales with transmitters to monitor location. Note the small yellow/white</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> tag on top of this Blue whale:</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqZcmeQq2sirwnryDUX9LQHtb7AgnElYcBk2WL4EvBs-cPSLPb5PakM08qkeUm4p0pbNLS1BTvY5QpjhUfYBDER9aOzXa6tIwYx1Sx0hBjLqMAJavhyphenhyphenmnXLOfOz4KQcWgZ7O16/s1600-h/blue+whale+with+tag.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqZcmeQq2sirwnryDUX9LQHtb7AgnElYcBk2WL4EvBs-cPSLPb5PakM08qkeUm4p0pbNLS1BTvY5QpjhUfYBDER9aOzXa6tIwYx1Sx0hBjLqMAJavhyphenhyphenmnXLOfOz4KQcWgZ7O16/s320/blue+whale+with+tag.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229431283966003426" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />And here are the scientists from Oregon State University in action:</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://oregonstate.edu/"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhhTOihj5hzdphpcYL8JfmwOIVpmrUEvro4ANNMlK4jMBQeNEpFOVPgUHmHv34qH9AiBUh9aICAN5HpMY3bPCDlGONHp3xZegohxgUdLxfzNrr0HMT8RH58WKv6sIXSZtdxoL9/s320/blue+whale+researchers+from+oregon+state+univ.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5229431442133339042" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://oregonstate.edu/"><br /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.oceanspot.com</div>OceanSpothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08614722532752681077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36932218.post-23347947770534543372008-06-29T23:16:00.000-07:002008-07-05T00:19:04.357-07:00<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Risso's Dolphins in Santa Barbara Channel</span><br />A pod of about 50 Risso's dolphins (Grampus griseus) were active in the Santa Barbara Channel yesterday. They seemed content to casually hang around our boat for a while and there was also a small group of Pacific white-sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens) traveling along with them. At first glance, one of the Risso's appeared to have a dolphin slipstreaming alongside her, but as it turns out, it was a Risso's calf that was probably close to being a newborn. Here are a few</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> photos:</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.oceanspot.com/"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLrDgtjRVF0VU5RPxJcy0Bc61Ol3K_PNtc_KUdoI1MgVWhOLyOjwwXVQt2Ba65ebt1nIx-xzLkdW3UtsKA1WdCtzWny_LM0UePJ2UqBgCGjT1fNQsWTRKgE6SedyKR52EQrmCI/s320/rissos+dolphin+-+june+28+2008.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217563246691974098" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />Mother and c</span><span style="font-size:85%;">alf (calf is on left, very small):</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.oceanspot.com/"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhydsOE9mA9fvh4zyhpflrck6NwJ6IJ1MHxAURDV0iFz5dZWsCrZaZH3fs6k1GOk7uD-wncNM3klkcWNbXW2Roy_bsgfUKaIBy_LNpeOz_IUUFDyppRlKd0EcijdpgZxNSYyyHz/s400/rissos+dolphin+with+calf.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217563567407299170" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">Dorsal fin of a Risso</span><span style="font-size:85%;">'s dolphin (this scarring is the result of the teeth of other Risso's; all of the Risso's have this type of scarring):</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.oceanspot.com/"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGGugYPo6PVmsub0EyCR8IPKZ-UgvrMdEsQR0SYG5xsWXR7RR4SDc76FKR7L_zyAFeSg1WduoRepl9ijJilIRHIUeHvUVuDbDDAnodX33U2-DvBlPUmnS453cIhas-TT3i6ebb/s400/rissos+dolphin+2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217563871319247218" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />And some other marine mam</span><span style="font-size:85%;">mals spotted along the way--a California sea lion who was bowriding right along with a large pod of common dolphins: </span><span style="font-size:85%;"> </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.oceanspot.com/"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqJqEmJoFLIsXf2oSG5gN4qq5F35OdyNcM3SzZCwYWOSB_-Xv5lmGfhKG1q_XEvvUA9HA4Z_CACVhX_UwCrbmSMWcCDboL3HovHDuhpmUhyphenhyphen1odfsVEO_txng4ycA4dA6SkTR6Y/s400/california+sea+lion.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217564098419560626" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.oceanspot.com/"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU368kXVfGPkedWfsS8KXZdryriv9d0JTjJIgm81nE9w44lD-GSMn2h7-1YzFBEUydihip9GwuN98BPvNbeFMUciodfbdiauPXd7lI22plhbc09_liWQWn098h9WFPawi-rGEW/s320/common+dolphins.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217564193510010354" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.oceanspot.com/"><br /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.oceanspot.com</div>OceanSpothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08614722532752681077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36932218.post-68767104972981173932008-06-28T08:48:00.000-07:002008-06-28T10:07:48.846-07:00<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sharks Truly Need Our Help </span><br /><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >My friend Sean hosted a screening of the documentary film "<a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.sharkwater.com/">Sharkwater</a>" last night and I highly recommend this film to everyone. </span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >Humans are decimating the shark population in pursuit of fins to make shark-fin soup. This industry is quickly destroying the entire balance of the ecosystem across our world's oceans.</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><a href="http://www.sharkwater.com/" title="SHARKWATER"><img src="http://www.sharkwater.com/downloads/banners/300.jpg" alt="SHARKWATER" border="0" height="250" width="300" /></a><br /><!-- end banner--></span> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;">Here's some data from both Sean & the movie:<br /><br />- 90% of the world's shark population has been decimated over the past 50 or so years. Keep in mind that these animals have survived four major extinctions and they pre-date the dinosaurs.<br /><br />- 100 million sharks are killed annually to meet the demand of the shark-finning industry.<br /><br />- The majority of sharks are killed by a horrific practice called "shark finning" in which live sharks are pulled aboard a boat to have their fins cut off and then thrown back in the water to sink and die a very slow, painful death. Since there is not much room on boats, there is more space if they discard the body.<br /><br />- Sharks are often caught by the "long-line" fishing practice, where fishing lines with thousands of hooks are dropped into the ocean, catching and killing countless other species such as sea turtles, sailfish, sea lions, and many other species of fish in the process. This by-catch is almost always discarded.<br /><br />- Shark fins are primarily used as an ingredient in shark-fin soup, a traditional meal in Asia that was at one time available only to royalty and is often served at weddings or other special occasions. If you ever encounter shark-fin soup, please do not order it or eat it! Doing so will only further the demand for this industry. [My own recommendation is to boycott any restaurant that is serving it and to help educate the management about the troubles of this industry.]<br /><br />- Sharks reproduce very slowly, some species only have two offspring every two years. Sharks cannot reproduce fast enough to keep up with the current rate of human consumption.<br /><br />- 110 species of sharks are currently listed by the <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://cms.iucn.org/">IUCN</a> as a species under serious threat.<br /><br />- At the rate humans are killing sharks, experts estimate that within 10 years, most species of sharks will be lost.<br /><br />The "<a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.sharkwater.com/">Sharkwater</a>" documentary is available for<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span><a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.amazon.com/Sharkwater-Rob-Stewart/dp/B0013D8LHW/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1214631779&sr=8-1">purchase at Amazon</a> or at <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.sharkwater.com/">www.sharkwater.com</a> and can also be <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.netflix.com/Movie/Sharkwater/70080819?lnkctr=srchrd-sr&strkid=16777472_0_0">rented on Netflix</a>. Also check out some of <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://flickr.com/photos/figueroa_sean">Sean's cool underwater pictures at flickr.</a></span><br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.oceanspot.com</div>OceanSpothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08614722532752681077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36932218.post-13604453360838310842008-05-31T23:31:00.000-07:002008-05-31T23:53:12.478-07:00<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">If You Encounter a Stranded Marine Mammal . . . </span><br />The following tips were provided in the 2008 Vol. 37, Number 1 issue of the Journal Of the <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.acsonline.org/">American Cetacean Society:</a> "Whalewatcher" (and were adapted from <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.marinemammalcenter.org/">The Marine Mammal Center,</a> Sausalito, CA). If you ever happen to encounter a beached or stranded animal, please observe the following precautions:<br /><br />1. Don't touch, don't pick up, and don't feed the animal. Don't return the animal to the water. Seals and sea lions temporarily "haul out" on land to rest, and mothers may briefly leave their pups while at sea. A beached whale or dolphin should be reported immediately.<br /><br />2. Observe the animal from a distance of at least 50 feet. Keep people and dogs away.<br /><br />3. Note the animal's physical characteristics to help inform the response agency.<br /><br />4. Note the animal's condition. Is it weak? Is it underweight? Are there any open wounds?<br /><br />5. Note whether the animal has any identification tags or markings.<br /><br />6. Determine exact location of the animal, note landmarks, and be prepared to provide accurate directions.<br /><br />7. Call the appropriate response agency. To find the phone number for the authorized stranding network organization in your area, visit the <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/health/networks.htm">NOAA Fisheries Web site</a>.<br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.oceanspot.com</div>OceanSpothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08614722532752681077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36932218.post-65203033109254703232008-05-31T23:08:00.001-07:002008-05-31T23:54:26.648-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.oceanspot.com"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsaj0fWAn4-raf0ENyB7EiTVtN5iffh5HKkix4dv7qdLjvMBSzTXk0J6KZ_YaSQbrwAdW6rjV4wdLkiXzGEX7xo1bxOJqorjx9bKERnIC7mdCvCuz_ev7DUOqyRjFxT5XZR0jJ/s200/polar+bear.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5206795049788819010" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Polar Bears Listed as Threatened Species</span><br />On May 15, 2008, the <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.fws.gov/">U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service</a> organization pronounced the polar bear a "Threatened Species" under the Endangered Species Act. The loss of icy polar habitat that the polar bears face as a result of melting sea ice poses a severe problem for them. With less ice, polar bears face a much tougher time finding food and some polar bears even end up drowning because the distance between ice floes is too far for to swim. The categorization of "threatened" means that polar bears are at risk of becoming endangered in the foreseeable future. While it's very sad that things have reached the point of a "Threatened" classification, hopefully, this classification will also help focus needed resources on preserving the polar bears' pristine environment before it's truly too late for them. Here's a link to the <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.fws.gov/home/feature/2008/polarbear012308/pdf/DOI_polar_bears_news_release.pdf">U.S. Department of the Interior's press release</a> on the topic and a link to <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.fws.gov/home/feature/2008/polarbear012308/polarbearspromo.html">polar bear information and videos</a> from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. </span><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.oceanspot.com</div>OceanSpothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08614722532752681077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36932218.post-7173942696069305402008-03-22T22:18:00.000-07:002008-03-22T23:46:36.923-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.aquariumofpacific.org/"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZRDqu55qiBXhglv3rMKtZCy1e8lI_FHldAuCKgffYJMtdL7HiMCGCguicwo-bXHTnvCz_P2U3Cw-yRPFgTezKdubQ2jtEBbzSEb1LrhpkfXb5amNIsz4dDWZ74yIedEm8RkkX/s200/aquarium+of+the+pacific.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180823397578963986" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ten Ways to Help Save the Ocean</span><br />Long Beach's <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.aquariumofpacific.org/">Aquarium of the Pacific </a>suggests following these 10 guidelines to help protect our oceans and conserve resources:<br />1. Eat sustainable seafood. Learn about the status of current species on <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/fishwatch/">NOAA's Fishwatch site</a>.<br />2. Bring your own coffee mug or water bottle. Use fewer disposable items.<br />3. Carpool or use public transportation.<br />4. Bring your own bag. Carry reusable cloth bags when you g</span><span style="font-size:85%;">o shopping. Plastic bags often end up in the ocean and post a risk to marine life.<br />5. Recycle as much as possible.<br />6. Say no to junk mail. Opt out of junk mail by visiting the <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-weight: bold;" href="https://www.dmachoice.org/MPS/mps_consumer_description.php">Direct Marketing Association's web site</a>.<br />7. Sign up to pay bills online to help eliminate paper waste and save money on stamps.<br />8. Protect our waterways. Watch what you wash into storm drains and do not overfertilize your lawn.<br />9. Choose native plants.</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">10. Explore the natural world! Help educate children, friends, and family members about the environment and conservation.</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.oceanspot.com</div>OceanSpothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08614722532752681077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36932218.post-53458875924580121942008-01-05T20:32:00.000-08:002008-01-05T21:25:07.462-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEnCG1ngP6Kcjo56-TSqDCVPkE8beQKlr_PiaWnjf8FlneHg0mPyEwTW7VO9LK48ALwQZ5efAXFS1Q1pni1rNGeLcmC98g8iWcfY72N5OXZQGxyzvxDPHCvF0x75aMOoNEMNpE/s1600-h/malibu+lagoon.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEnCG1ngP6Kcjo56-TSqDCVPkE8beQKlr_PiaWnjf8FlneHg0mPyEwTW7VO9LK48ALwQZ5efAXFS1Q1pni1rNGeLcmC98g8iWcfY72N5OXZQGxyzvxDPHCvF0x75aMOoNEMNpE/s200/malibu+lagoon.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5152228968159797682" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Marine Wildlife Viewing Guidelines</span><br />As you venture out to enjoy some time at the shoreline, please keep these viewing guidelines in mind if you encounter any wildlife. The following list is from NOAA's <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-weight: bold;" href="http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/protect/oceanetiquette.html">National Marine Sanctuaries Ocean Etiquette </a>page (excerpts below were also taken from the print publication "National Marine Sanctuaries of the West Coast"):<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1. Learn before you go. </span>Learn more about the wildlife you may encounter before your visit.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2. Keep your distance. </span>Getting too close to animals can be harmful both to them and to you.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">3. Hands off. </span>Not only is it often illegal touch protected species, it can also injure either you or the animal.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">4. Do not feed or attract marine wildlife.</span> Feeding or attempting to attract wildlife may harm animals by causing sickness, death and habituation to people.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">5. Never chase or harass wildlife.</span> Never surround, trap or separate animals.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">6. Stay away from wildlife that appears abandoned or sick.</span> Animals that appear sick may not be. They may just be resting or awaiting the return of a parent. If you think an animal is sick or injured, contact the local authorities.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">7. Wildlife and pets don't mix. </span>Keep pets leashed and away from marine wildlife.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">8. Lend a hand with trash removal. </span>Carry a trash bag with you and pick up litter. Garbage and fishing debris pose significant threats to marine wildlife.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">9. Help others become responsible wildlife watchers and tour operators. </span>Lead by example and support businesses that follow proper guidelines.<br /><br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.oceanspot.com</div>OceanSpothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08614722532752681077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36932218.post-28142402839528236882007-12-31T20:30:00.000-08:002007-12-31T21:10:40.614-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCjT9aKSKbwyF7zEjG8fFkIz0L2MNM4D7j6TuXP1N43RcfkK358qhI2MI-DD2LugsyCJUqzsRC5dWKFZ1lNJsE16twOP8sH8PyWr4uiT2hnbJijDuhKJyhByVJg04zxaR77P20/s1600-h/humpback+whale.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCjT9aKSKbwyF7zEjG8fFkIz0L2MNM4D7j6TuXP1N43RcfkK358qhI2MI-DD2LugsyCJUqzsRC5dWKFZ1lNJsE16twOP8sH8PyWr4uiT2hnbJijDuhKJyhByVJg04zxaR77P20/s200/humpback+whale.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5150369152831349154" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Japan is Still Hunting Whales</span><br />Although Japan agreed to halt their hunt of Humpback whales on December 19, 2007, they are still actively hunting both Minke and Fin whales. They intend to kill 935 Minke whales and 50 endangered Fin whales under the guise of "scientific" whaling. Although a worldwide moratorium on whale killing was enacted in 1986, Japan, Norway and Iceland have turned their backs on this international agreement and intend to kill over 3,000 whales in 2008. If you have ever been lucky enough to see whales in the wild, it's hard to fathom that they are still the targets of hunters. The methods of modern whale hunting are brutal and the whales usually die a very slow and painful death.<br /><br />There are many ways you can take action to help the whales. Here are a few:<br /><br />1. Contact your congressional representative to voice your opinion. The Pacific Whale Foundation has step-by-step instructions on how to contact your representative as well as text that can be copied/pasted/edited and then e-mailed. <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.pacificwhale.org/issues/issues_details.php?id=387">Click this link </a>and scroll to the bottom of the page for further details. They also have a printable PDF page that you can use to collect signatures and mail to the president.<br /><br />2. Donate to organizations such as the </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.stopwhaling.org/site/c.hhLTK0PDLqF/b.1511185/k.43B6/Stop_Whaling_Now__Whales__Whale_Remix_Project.htm">International Fund for Animal Welfare</a> </span><span style="font-size:85%;">or volunteer some of your time with a local organization. <br /><br />3. Consider where you spend your tourist dollars. Before planning travel to Japan, Norway, or Iceland think about whether you want to spend your hard-earned money in such countries while they are still killing whales. If you do decide to move forward with your travel, consider contacting the consulates of <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/english/html/index.htm">Japan</a>, <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.norway.org/">Norway</a>, or <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.iceland.org/us">Iceland </a>to express your opinion on their whale-hunting practices.<br /><br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.oceanspot.com</div>OceanSpothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08614722532752681077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36932218.post-69383509439598047412007-12-31T19:05:00.000-08:002008-05-31T23:54:42.655-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9f15shm43cCty86W_RDCBl_-9VxQ_AJEUVjoL-JVmkuSMmrr4GtFjubUtMPA0EbwK180HqPC79J7easNkgkJt3u_CYXp1jhfNduH9QV_NFls3lDYBjPaMATcE0_loexAL24eZ/s1600-h/golden+gate+bridge.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9f15shm43cCty86W_RDCBl_-9VxQ_AJEUVjoL-JVmkuSMmrr4GtFjubUtMPA0EbwK180HqPC79J7easNkgkJt3u_CYXp1jhfNduH9QV_NFls3lDYBjPaMATcE0_loexAL24eZ/s200/golden+gate+bridge.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5150350233500410258" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:georgia;" >Ongoing impact of San Francisco Bay Oil Spill </span> <span style="font-family:georgia;">Unfortunately, there is likely going to be an impact on both wildlife and the environment as a result of the Nov. 7 oil spill in the San Francisco Bay for many years to come. Over 58,000 gallons of oil spilled into the bay after a large Cosco container ship hit the Bay Bridge. Although lawsuits are in motion, the cannot do much to rescue an oiled bird or injured marine mammal. As of November 20, 2007, <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.ca.audubon.org/oil_spill_birds.html">Audubon California</a> had logged the following data: </span></span><br /><ul style="font-family:georgia;"><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Birds in care: 1,060<br /></span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Birds washed: 783<br /></span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Birds found dead in the field: 1,702<br /></span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Birds died/euthanized: 573<br /></span></li><li><span style="font-size:85%;">Birds released: 317</span></li></ul><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >This area is host to countless migratory birds and the impact could be very far-reaching due to migration patterns. The oil had also made its way to the Farallon Islands, which are home to over 200,000 Common Murres -- the largest colony south of Alaska. While most of the wildlife that was immediately impacted has likely perished by now, if by chance you do come across an oiled bird, contact the <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.owcn.org/">Oiled Wildlife Care Network</a> at (415) 701-2311 or (877) 823-6926</span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >. If you live in the Bay Area and would like to help with ongoing cleanup or education efforts, contact your <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.ca.audubon.org/oil_spill_CA_chapters.html">local branch</a> of Audubon California. If you ever come across an injured marine mammal, do not attempt to rescue it yourself, but contact the<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> </span><a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.marinemammalcenter.org/">Marine Mammal Center</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> </span>at: (415) 289</span><span style=";font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >-7325.</span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style=";font-family:lucida grande;font-size:85%;" > </span></span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.oceanspot.com</div>OceanSpothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08614722532752681077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36932218.post-38502922338921499742007-09-23T00:26:00.001-07:002007-09-25T22:54:16.480-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhldKrTU8uzvMYwl93IzfzR-LPlE1eTxEGemgthQnv_zClm8vvItaH691h3XpfY4k0Sy0KVDnBW2vjgWzeVsMFfucAeh_usK0yveu8bPpbTfwa6hZpsQYGchIPubTi07gX92rcl/s1600-h/blue+whale_santa+barbara_08_11_07_16.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhldKrTU8uzvMYwl93IzfzR-LPlE1eTxEGemgthQnv_zClm8vvItaH691h3XpfY4k0Sy0KVDnBW2vjgWzeVsMFfucAeh_usK0yveu8bPpbTfwa6hZpsQYGchIPubTi07gX92rcl/s200/blue+whale_santa+barbara_08_11_07_16.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5113301397635165906" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Third Blue Whale Found Dead</span><br />Yet another Blue whale has been found dead in the waters offshore southern California. This time, the whale was found floating belly-up in the Santa Barbara Channel and was then towed to shore to a beach at Point Mugu, where a necropsy was conducted. It was determined that the whale was killed by ship strike. The whale was male, about 60-feet long, and had multiple broken bones & ribs, as well as a smashed cranium. The <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-whale23sep23,1,3797973.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-california"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">Los Angeles Times reports</span></a> that a great white shark attempted to attack one of the boats that towed the whale in. Other reports also say that sharks have been feeding on the whale carcass at sea.<br /><br />As you can see in the photo as well as the video that accompanies this post, Blue whales often linger at the surface while they go through multiple, fairly slow breathing cycles before diving. This summer, there have been more Blue whales than usual in the Santa Barbara channel. When the whales rest in the shipping paths of large container ships, they may not be able to dive quickly enough to escape a strike.<br /><object height="350" width="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/dS4-VYsMmJo"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/dS4-VYsMmJo" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="350"></embed></object><br />While it's unknown whether disease or military-sonar disturbances played any additional roles, it does appear that all three deaths were the result of ship collisions. In addition to the Point Mugu whale, the Faria Beach whale (see earlier post), another Blue whale was found in the Long Beach Harbor and it likely arrived on the bow of a large container ship without the ship's knowledge. It's unfortunate that human activity has caused the loss of these whales because the Blue whale is an endangered species and each individual loss may have consequences for the future population.<br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.oceanspot.com</div>OceanSpothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08614722532752681077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36932218.post-41684814326558002142007-09-15T23:56:00.001-07:002007-09-23T00:26:16.614-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Oc2JX_fgp0zuf199-aR8xY2Q2wZACL0sQMHXylJqxPALNo1ANWn4gOmUT5LNZewjjMCZ1Q4hT4Rn0sXo22h-zvCx7tegbxP4dyJ-QLBTuhrlSH_TuxdZ5OgO0edPCf9TDhBF/s1600-h/blue+whale+carcass2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Oc2JX_fgp0zuf199-aR8xY2Q2wZACL0sQMHXylJqxPALNo1ANWn4gOmUT5LNZewjjMCZ1Q4hT4Rn0sXo22h-zvCx7tegbxP4dyJ-QLBTuhrlSH_TuxdZ5OgO0edPCf9TDhBF/s200/blue+whale+carcass2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5110723650702687490" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">In Search of . . . a Blue Whale Carcass </span><br />My curiosity got the better of me and I went searching for the Blue whale carcass that washed up on the shores of southern, CA (see earlier post). In the coming days, </span><span style="font-size:85%;">I will be posting many photos to the <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oceanspot/"><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">OceanSpot channel of Flickr</span></a> and many videos to the <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.youtube.com/oceanspot">OceanSpot channel of YouTube</a>. Stay tuned for more details... </span><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.oceanspot.com</div>OceanSpothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08614722532752681077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36932218.post-4629523645751410612007-09-15T23:38:00.000-07:002007-09-23T00:25:31.670-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS9XYqypN4kdTxC8gs0wmZ77oNyaSU72_Ob7L9uoROcBAhsXRyqAJ-iqD6Fzxts-h_s2H3E29Is7rdqy9AIFrv2QfpxjgD1-aHHGZet1X8Ii-o2hetu8J6S7e9dffq9apyR5Df/s1600-h/blue+whale+carcass.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS9XYqypN4kdTxC8gs0wmZ77oNyaSU72_Ob7L9uoROcBAhsXRyqAJ-iqD6Fzxts-h_s2H3E29Is7rdqy9AIFrv2QfpxjgD1-aHHGZet1X8Ii-o2hetu8J6S7e9dffq9apyR5Df/s200/blue+whale+carcass.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5110695638925982914" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Blue Whale Carcass Near Ventura California -- Whale Death Was Caused By Ship</span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">by Jennifer Schwartz,<a href="http://www.oceanspot.com/"> <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">www.oceanspot.com</span></a></span></span><br /></span><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:85%;">A Blue whale carcass that washed ashore Thursday evening (September 13, 2007) near Hobson County Park near Ventura, CA was towed to Faria Park in Ventura County, CA this morning. </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />An animal autopsy, or "necropsy," was conducted on the whale, where it was determined that the whale was female, approximately 15-20 years old (note: later reports estimated her age at 3-5 years), had been dead for about 8 days, was approximately 120,000 to 140,000 pounds, and had been struck by a ship, which caused her death. </span><span style="font-size:85%;">The ship strike was severe, causing a 20-foot bruise under the blubber layer of the whale, and most likely causing paralysis. </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibXd2-NZVKZuNxt1GVhjtvUAZyDH80EqJjKI2YDFaSx7KMKOwvjSQc9fVONzHZNv5qBIu-NaCxpeCgnxsRTa9mOrsEHI8QCb6R1QsaCpxAzgA0sMbt7aK9VQqtbkVGQtSN8w4G/s1600-h/Faria+Beach+sign.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibXd2-NZVKZuNxt1GVhjtvUAZyDH80EqJjKI2YDFaSx7KMKOwvjSQc9fVONzHZNv5qBIu-NaCxpeCgnxsRTa9mOrsEHI8QCb6R1QsaCpxAzgA0sMbt7aK9VQqtbkVGQtSN8w4G/s200/Faria+Beach+sign.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5110691812110122130" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;">While</span><span style="font-size:85%;"> the Blue whale is an endangered species, they have appeared in unusually high numbers in the Santa Barbara Channel this summer, most likely a result of </span><span style="font-size:85%;">following their main food source (krill) into the channel.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE1w8clK9YugVehBhaPoXK5VjyvQrp3OY-PL7WgLcI0O5HkGt-gsFEjpGDBK4b08-NcorB6UrotzJZ6J2cXIymUL82fxuNQrEqX8M-38BkfVkzh_U5hrQg_363hLLoap47K3lU/s1600-h/blue+whale+necropsy.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE1w8clK9YugVehBhaPoXK5VjyvQrp3OY-PL7WgLcI0O5HkGt-gsFEjpGDBK4b08-NcorB6UrotzJZ6J2cXIymUL82fxuNQrEqX8M-38BkfVkzh_U5hrQg_363hLLoap47K3lU/s200/blue+whale+necropsy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5110700638267915506" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><br /></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.oceanspot.com</div>OceanSpothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08614722532752681077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36932218.post-57421386036728084142007-09-15T23:07:00.000-07:002007-09-16T03:19:28.055-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAEG7APqPnDKRpnFA32Eh2tGwC0sYkMSQYLrnAITBVpI9BNLDnVUjFBSQsBvV2EkgC1SoqvoOvuMflkiZsU4bMbjA9PyFBLt1UV4VaOhpjS5Avy3Y7TXU-Vf1LeBtgJyPcvo_F/s1600-h/coastal+cleanup+day+at+malibu+lagoon.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAEG7APqPnDKRpnFA32Eh2tGwC0sYkMSQYLrnAITBVpI9BNLDnVUjFBSQsBvV2EkgC1SoqvoOvuMflkiZsU4bMbjA9PyFBLt1UV4VaOhpjS5Avy3Y7TXU-Vf1LeBtgJyPcvo_F/s200/coastal+cleanup+day+at+malibu+lagoon.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5110744030322507026" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Coastal Cleanup Day at Malibu Lagoon</span><br />Today was International Coastal Cleanup day and volunteers around the world helped clean up coastal areas that are littered with far too much waste. I lent a hand at the Malibu Lagoon in Malibu, CA. The volunteer force at this site ended up collecting roughly 470 pounds of trash (or thereabouts). It was pretty amazing to see the types of junk our fellow human beings toss on the ground without a second thought. Food wrappers, plastic bags, styrofoam, cigarette butts, plastic bottles, cans, and more...the list is endless. Each small piece of trash poses a severe threat to marine and bird life. Our trash is often easily mistaken for food and if a bird or marine mammal ingests plastic, it may very well end their lives. Please don't litter! And if possible, please lend a hand to pick up trash when you see it...especially around coastal areas...you may save an animal's life.<br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.oceanspot.com</div>OceanSpothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08614722532752681077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36932218.post-81327548592697328772007-09-04T22:03:00.000-07:002007-09-04T22:30:26.877-07:00<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">New Whale Videos Posted</span><br />This past weekend was yet another amazing one for whale-watching in southern California. Our captain says we spotted 48 Blue Whales on our Saturday outing in the Santa Barbara Channel. Many of these whales were swimming off in the distance, but I'd say we got a close-up view of 20-25 of them. This number is hard to fathom, considering the fact that they are highly endangered animals, as mentioned in an earlier post. Despite the unbearably hot temperatures on land, it was quite chilly out on the water and the water was very rough due to high winds. As a result of the turbulent waters, many of my videos have a dizzying perspective, but there were a few good ones in the bunch and I'll be posting those to the<a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.youtube.com/oceanspot"> OceanSpot Channel of YouTube. </a> Here's a compilation of the whale videos that are currently posted on the <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.youtube.com/oceanspot">OceanSpot Channel of YouTube.</a> This video loop includes various of species of whales in the wild:<br /><br /><object height="366" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/cp/vjVQa1PpcFNyljY1Rt3BOR6cZQ0TnMM1TzSX_jqeCIk="><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/cp/vjVQa1PpcFNyljY1Rt3BOR6cZQ0TnMM1TzSX_jqeCIk=" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="366" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.oceanspot.com</div>OceanSpothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08614722532752681077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36932218.post-14895182369125145862007-09-04T21:23:00.000-07:002007-09-04T21:51:07.843-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0709/new-troglobites/new-troglobites-photos.html"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqfrx9FbwlU_DIkGsmbEAe71jdhGaETNq-6PlsYHZ7Y90uYUfy8HQpsOorrLt0UeE-9p84Vb5t28NiOqMOF6g3qOWqI1VmbfG4CEUPKs84qr9Ll2LSoN3Ixrpw9ppKHIu8BSrB/s200/troglobites+and+troglophiles.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106576666575031346" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Seen Any <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Troglobites</span> Lately? </span><br />If so, then they probably haven't seen you, considering the fact that they are eyeless. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Troglobites</span> live in caves and include various species of millipedes, spiders, worms, blind salamanders, and eyeless fish. Since they live in caves, which inherently have little, if any, sunlight, they have little need for sight and have evolved their other senses more fully.<br /><br />These eyeless cave animals are known as "true <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">troglobites</span>," while the animals who have partial eyesight are known as "<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">troglophiles</span>." <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Troglophiles</span> may live near the entrance of the cave, or in an area where there is partial light. The September 2007 issue of <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0709/new-troglobites/new-troglobites-map.html">National Geographic has an interesting story</a> about these creatures along with many interesting & mysterious photos. As with countless species of animals around the world, even these small critters face an uncertain future due to pollution, vandalism, and quarrying. (The photo in this post appeared in the <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0709/new-troglobites/new-troglobites-photos.html">National Geographic Photo Gallery about this story</a> and was taken by David <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Liittschwager</span>.)</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.oceanspot.com</div>OceanSpothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08614722532752681077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36932218.post-69415494401702653142007-09-04T21:08:00.000-07:002007-09-04T21:23:16.048-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.oceanconservancy.org/site/PageServer?pagename=press_icc"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4-hpLxEpdzYrZoAqlF5xf-KK1YZAX3dv9yq1Cm7bz0WrA6ZXoFsLeKHITURrBcURysxGFf6c9kGpvHYv1XER1O48gcKh0s8UzrN58G3CQXQU1qOC_fPDm1QgaZ-rBEMdbLbG5/s200/international_coastal_cleanup.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106569687253175330" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">International Coastal Cleanup Day: Saturday, September 15, 2007</span><br />If you live in a coastal region and would like to volunteer some of your time to a worthy environmental cause, consider spending part of your day helping to clean up the shoreline. Cleanups are being held in most states within the U.S. as well as in many countries abroad. Volunteers on both foot and in boats are needed. For more information, visit the <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.oceanconservancy.org/site/PageServer?pagename=press_icc">International Coastal Cleanup page on the Ocean Conservancy's web site</a> that has more information about time, location, and more details about how to help. If you can't make it out on 9/15, consider doing a little cleanup on your own time next time you see trash around a beach, a coastal region, or anywhere outside for that matter. Picking up and properly disposing of a single plastic bag can help save the live of a marine animal or bird. </span><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.oceanspot.com</div>OceanSpothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08614722532752681077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36932218.post-74648712249455321252007-08-25T21:08:00.000-07:002007-08-26T23:26:03.144-07:00<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Videos of Blue Whales (near Santa Barbara, CA) </span><br />This has been an amazing season for Blue-Whale watching in southern California. Whale-watching tours in the Santa Barbara area have been spotting as many as 10 or 20 Blue Whales per daily outing, which is an amazing number, especially given the fact that these are endangered animals. I've been lucky enough to get out to see them on many a weekend and have had some amazing adventures. Armed with a new video camera, I now have more footage than I know what to do with. As time allows, I'll be posting the best clips to the <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=oceanspot&p=r"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">OceanSpot</span> Channel of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">YouTube</span></a> and will post some of my favorites here from time to time. Here are a couple of clips to kick things off. The first clip shows Blue Whale lingering very slowly at the surface taking a series of breaths:<br /><br /><object height="350" width="350"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/dS4-VYsMmJo" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="350"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />The next clip shows two Blue Whales surfacing, one of which shows a bit of its rostrum (nose) as it surfaces:<br /><object height="350" width="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5ells_kpmGw"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5ells_kpmGw" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="350"></embed></object><br />To view still photos, click the badge below to see pictures of the Blue Whales I spotted on July 14, July 22, July 28, and August 11, 2007 or <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oceanspot/sets/72157601684140428/show/">click here to go directly to the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">slideshow</span>.</a></span><br /><style type="text/css"><br />#flickr_badge_source_txt {padding:0; font: 11px Arial, Helvetica, Sans serif; color:#666666;}<br />#flickr_badge_icon {display:block !important; margin:0 !important; border: 1px solid rgb(0, 0, 0) !important;}<br />#flickr_icon_td {padding:0 5px 0 0 !important;}<br />.flickr_badge_image {text-align:center !important;}<br />.flickr_badge_image img {border: 1px solid black !important;}<br />#flickr_www {display:block; padding:0 10px 0 10px !important; font: 11px Arial, Helvetica, Sans serif !important; color:#3993ff !important;}<br />#flickr_badge_uber_wrapper a:hover,<br />#flickr_badge_uber_wrapper a:link,<br />#flickr_badge_uber_wrapper a:active,<br />#flickr_badge_uber_wrapper a:visited {text-decoration:none !important; background:inherit !important;color:#3993ff;}<br />#flickr_badge_wrapper {background-color:#ffffff;border: solid 1px #000000}<br />#flickr_badge_source {padding:0 !important; font: 11px Arial, Helvetica, Sans serif !important; color:#666666 !important;}<br /></style><br /><table id="flickr_badge_uber_wrapper" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="10"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://www.flickr.com/" id="flickr_www">www.<strong style="color: rgb(57, 147, 255);">flick<span style="color: rgb(255, 28, 146);">r</span></strong>.com</a><table id="flickr_badge_wrapper" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="10"><br /><tbody><tr><br /><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.flickr.com/badge_code_v2.gne?count=3&display=random&size=s&layout=h&source=user_set&user=51812212%40N00&set=72157601684140428&context=in%2Fset-72157601684140428%2F"></script><br /></tr><br /></tbody></table><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><!-- End of Flickr Badge --><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.oceanspot.com</div>OceanSpothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08614722532752681077noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36932218.post-74634955314870616422007-08-25T14:37:00.000-07:002007-08-25T15:21:56.167-07:00<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The True Impact of Eating Shrimp </span><br />Are you aware of the impact our appetite for shrimp is having on the environment? According to the August 2007 issue of the <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.sierraclub.org/">Sierra Club's</a> "Southern <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Sierran</span>" newsletter, as many as 20 pounds of fish are caught, killed, and discarded as by-catch to obtain every one pound of shrimp. Shrimp trawlers rake the ocean, destroying a variety of life in their path and doing severe damage to the ocean floor. As many as 150,000 turtles are killed every year as a result of shrimp fishing. While about two-thirds of the U.S. shrimp now come from shrimp farms, the Sierra Club says that about 99% of this farmed shrimp comes from coastal areas of developing countries. Due to the billions of tons of organic waste, fertilizers, pesticides, and antibiotics that are dumped into coastal waters as a result of shrimp farming, it is believed that more than one-third of mangrove forests may have disappeared in the last 20 years. The Sierra Club recommends eating more plant-based, organic, and locally-grown food if possible. </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/download.asp"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl8QGpEAhPagOm4GC_INCMJzx3vO7QQOi80_4ZdmVv2VPbXCHh2WxK1MPIGiNfRR56tFUPZ2Ajik90Op3k5RmsQNjzQPaGl3pHHt0trsUaQDN2XsWpmnz9_wWbaPe2tHS0i8d-/s200/monterey+bay+aquarium+seafood+watch.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5102760532297960210" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Monterey</span> Bay Aquarium also has a <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/download.asp">"Seafood Watch"</a> program with handy pocket </span><span style="font-size:85%;">cards that offer recommendations about sustainable seafood. </span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />The pocket cards can be printed out and carried in your wallet. They're available for the following U.S. regions: <a style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255); font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/download.asp">National, West Coast, Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, Central U.S., and Hawaii.</a><br />The Monterey Bay Aquarium also has more information about <a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" href="http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/sfw_resources.asp#ssi">sustainable seafood</a> on their web site. When it comes to your seafood meal, even small personal choices make a big difference, so keep the environment in mind before your next feast! </span><div class="blogger-post-footer">www.oceanspot.com</div>OceanSpothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08614722532752681077noreply@blogger.com