Captive Aquatics: An Aquarium and Ecology Blog

Earthquake in Indonesia!

An earthquake has hit off the Indonesian Island of Bali early Thursday morning causing many injuries and property damage throughout the island.

 

The U.S geological survey said the earthquake was a 6.0-magnitude and hit about 62 miles southwest of Bali.

 

So far 50 people have been taken to local hospitals with only five suffering from major injuries. 

 

Indonesia is located on the "Ring of Fire" which is a arc of fault lines circling the Pacific Basin.  This makes the area prone to earthquakes from the constant motion of the faults moving on each other.  In fact, Indonesia suffered a 9.1-magnitude earthquake that occured underwater and caused a tsunami that killed more than 200,000 people in 2004.

 

For this earthquake the U.S Geological Survey has issued no stunami alert and hopefully those who have suffered will recover soon.

 

Picture from www.worldwidehomestay.com

Afraid of Sharks?

So it is officially Shark Week on the Discovery Channel where they are highlighting "shark attacks, killer sharks, rouge sharks" and every other negative aspect about sharks that a human can concentrate on.  I feel as though the entire week is garbage and is used to draw audiences through "fear".  The Consortium for Ocean Leadership posted an article regarding the population decrease of sharks in the ocean due to human activities.  I found the article to be very interesting and I would like to highlight specific parts of the article. 

Where have all the predators gone?

A study in Science put in perspective the current decline of predators and the affects of their loss on the environment.  The study was conducted by a international team of scientists whom looked at predators in terrestrial, freshwater and saltwater ecosystems.  The study concluded that "the loss of apex consumers is arguably humankind's most pervasive influence on the natural world." and claims that humankind has only seen the beginning changes that are occurring in ecosystems.  See why below!

Sustainable Aquatics Launches a New Website

I like to keep aquarists informed of the latest from companies that go above and beyond, and whos actions benefit people, the environment, push the hobby forward, or all three. Ultimately how a hobbyist spends his or her dollar that dictates where this hobby goes, so spending wisely is important for the future of our hobby and ecosystem.

The Demise of Bluefin Tuna

Once again the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has decided to not put Bluefin Tuna on the Endangered Species Act. They feel the species does not need protected but worldwide collaboration in the sustainabilty of the Bluefin Tuna.

"Based on careful scientific review, we have decided the best way to ensure the long-term sustainability of bluefin tuna is through international cooperation and strong domestic fishery management," said Eric Schwaab, assistant NOAA administrator for NOAA's Fisheries Service."

The Marine Aquarium Hobby in Retrospect: 2010

 
In my 2009 retrospective write up I predicted that we'd see a shift towards efficiency, increased legislation, and more captive breeding in 2010.  Let's see whether or not I was correct...

Species Rebound after Gulf Fishing Moratorium

The results of the moratorium on fishing in the gulf are starting to come in, and they look very promising.  All species sampled have experienced a population rebound, especially in species with a short life cycle. 

The Multibillion Dollar Tuna Black Market

I've reported the plight of the bluefin tuna a few times, but a new investigative report details the plight of this species that should already have been placed on the endangered species list - and probably would have, except tuna are worth too much money to bother regulating or protecting.

Money talks, and Japan's black market on tuna is worth $2 billion a year alone.  "The fisheries industry is one of the most criminalized in the world", says Daneil Poley of the University of British Columbia.  National fisheries administrations of various countries are a joke: for example, French fisherman undergoing trial all state that their own national fisheries ministry routinely violated their own laws. 

Gulf of Mexico Reef Ecology "Dodged a Bullet" - Mostly

Deepwater reef ecosystems a mere twenty miles from BP's oil leak appear to have "dodged a bullet" according to Steve Ross of the University of North Carolina.  Plankton, anemones, coral. and other invertebrates appear to be alive and well, except for those in the immediate vicinity of the leak. 

The New England Aquarium Explores Fiji

Known to aquarists for their ongoing work in coral flourescence and the Fiji clownfish, the New England Aquarium 'global explorers' team is back at it, researching the remote Fiji reef of Vatu-i-Ra.