THE BLACK ABALONE : CALIFORNIA STATE SEASHELL and ECOSYSTEMS : TAKE THE TIDEPOOL FIELD TRIP

LAGUNA OCEAN FOUNDATION

Excerpt: Tidepools are technically pools of water left behind in the rocks when the water recedes during low tide. However, tidepools typically refer to the entire rocky area in the intertidal zone which are submerged during high tide and exposed during low tide. Tidepools are home to many species of animals, seaweeds, and plants. The organisms that live in this habitat are very resilient because of the stress they have to go through on a daily basis due to tidal change and the threat of desiccation (drying out), but humans can cause irreversible harm if we are not careful where we step and how we act in the area.

THE BLACK ABALONE : AN ENDANGERED MOLLUSK SPECIES WE DON'T OFTEN THINK ABOUT

CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY : BLACK ABALONE 

Excerpt : Black abalone were once the most abundant large shellfish clinging to the rocks of intertidal zones between Baja and Oregon. A savored delicacy for sea otters and native coastal people alike, these hard-shelled marine snails were prized for the iridescent colors and the occasional pearl found inside their shells. Like most other species of abalone native to coastal California, black abalone have been decimated by seafood enthusiasts and the fisheries that fill their plates.

OFFICIAL HAWIIAN OUTLOOK ON THE ENDANGERED MONK SEAL : HIGH ESTIMATE IS 1600 INDIVIDUALS

Excerpt: These seals are generalist feeders, meaning they eat all sorts of prey, including sea cucumbers, eel, octopus, lobster, and various reef fish. Seals have never been observed hunting pelagic fish, such as mahi-mahi, ahi, aku, etc. Monk seals can hold their breath for up to 20 minutes and dive to depths of more than 1,800 feet [1]. When searching for food they often flip rocks with their noses to find more cryptic prey [2]. Sometimes sharks and large predator fish follow the seals around and snatch up fish that seals spook into the open [3]. Monk seals spend about one-third of their time resting on land, preferring sandy beaches, tidepools, or rocky intertidal areas to rest away from the crashing surf.

Excerpt: Although they are now protected by federal and state laws, current drivers of this decline are not certain; however, the most likely culprit is inadequate prey availability

DIVISION OF AQUATIC RESOURCES HAWAII : ENDANGERED MONK SEAL

DUSK

 

HAWAIIAN MONK SEALS ENDANGERED SPECIES

WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO SKIP SEAFOOD IF IT WOULD HELP BRING BACK ENDANGERED SPECIES ?

WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO SKIP SEAFOOD IF IT WOULD HELP BRING BACK ENDANGERED SPECIES ?

OVERFISHING, HABITAT DESTRUCTION, and FISHING CAPTURE (BYCATCHING) ENDANGER OCEAN FISH : WORLD WILDLIFE FUND

SLOW REPRODUCTION RATE IS ALSO AN ISSUE...  The list is longer than I thought! There are EIGHTY on the endangered list and many more on the threatened list... 

WORLD WILDLIFE FUND PDF FILE REPORT ON ENDANGERED SPECIES

Excerpt: Since 1970, global populations of marine species utilized by humans have halved, with some of the most important species experiencing even greater declines. There are over 400 known endangered marine species linked to human consumption of seafood. With mindful sourcing, you can help protect them for the future. As the world’s largest conservation organization, WWF combines its scientific foundation and global reach to help ensure that our modern food systems meet the needs of people while also respecting nature. Working with the seafood industry for more than 20 years, WWF has helped companies transition seafood supply chains to more sustainable, responsible and traceable operations. Company commitments to sustainability would not be comprehensive without the inclusion of protective measures for our planet’s most threatened species.

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SIREN HERE!  I BARELY EAT ANY SEAFOOD AS IS, BUT NOW I WANT TO AVOID EATING IT AT ALL.  LET THE WHALES HAVE A MEAL! 

DEVILS HOLE PUPFISH ENDANGERED DUE TO HABITAT DAMAGED BY QUAKES

US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICES : PUPFISH

Excerpt: The Devils Hole pupfish lives in a deep limestone cave in Nevada. This entire population of pupfish feeds and breeds on a shallow shelf only 215 square feet (20 square meters) along one side of Devils Hole. Devils Hole pupfish feed primarily on algae that grows on the limestone shelf and small invertebrates.


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THAT'S RIGHT - THE ENTIRE PUPFISH POPULATION DEPENDS ON A TINY ECOSYSTEM.
I READ FAIRLY RECENT ARTICLES THAT SAID THAT THIS FISH HAD MADE A COMEBACK BUT THE NEW IS BAD:


DAILY MAIL UK : PUPFISH DECLINE TO ONLY TWENTY FISH

Excerpt: The tiny silvery-blue pupfish rely on a shallow shelf at the cave's mouth for their food and spawning, according to the National Park Service (NPS).

But the generally calm and sheltered home for the tiny fish has been prone to water surges caused by earthquakes that displace the algae and invertebrates that pupfish eat, KVVU reported.

Kevin Wilson, Death Valley National Park's Supervisory Biologist and Devil's Hole Program Manager, told the outlet that the back-to-back disruptions to the ecosystem have depleted the Devil's Hole pupfish population by 90 percent.

Through 24/7 monitoring, national park officials are striving to protect and restore the suffering population.

WHO ME?

 

LOGGERHEAD MARINELIFE CENTER JUNO BEACH FLORIDA : HEALING SEA TURTLES

MARINE LIFE ORG : LOGGERHEAD MARINELIFE CENTER  Turtle walks, hatchling discoveries, the release of sea turtles who have been healed.  This is one of the most visited tourist spots in Florida. (Check out that photograph of one massive sea turtles!)

Excerpt:

The research team at LMC monitors a 9.5 mile stretch of beach from March - October. Juno Beach is one of the world's most densely nested sea turtle beaches.

LMC’s research department has one of the longest-running sea turtle monitoring programs in the state of Florida. The program officially began when LMC founder Eleanor Fletcher received her permit from the state of Florida in 1969. Each season, the research team documents all sea turtle activities from March - October along 9.5 miles of beach from the northern Palm Beach County line south to John D. MacArthur Beach State Park.

LMC research biologists have one of the most comprehensive datasets in the world. These datasets are invaluable to scientists and local, national, and international coastal managers. They form the basis for conservation decisions used to promote the recovery of sea turtle populations not only in Florida, but world-wide.

CHECK OUT THE TURTLE TRACKER!

WLRN ENVIRONMENT : DILLY DALLY SEA TURTLE RETURNED TO OCEAN AFTER FLIPPER AMPUTATION   

RED OCTOPUS

 

THE EIGHT SURPRISES OF AN OCTOPUS (SEEMS TO ME THERE'S MORE THAN EIGHT!)

HOW MANY CAN YOU GUESS?

NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM : United Kingdom on OCTOPUS SURPRISES

THEY HAVE MORE THAN ONE BRAIN...

THEY CAN RECOGNIZE PEOPLE ...

THE SEA IS FULL OF ORPHAN OCTOPUSES! ....