The thick brown plume of ash, steam and volcanic gas rising from Anak Krakatau in this true-color image is a common sight at the volcano. Responsible for one of the largest and most destructive eruptions in Indonesia’s history, Krakatau still erupts frequently.

Throughout the summer and fall of 2010, Krakatau erupted hundreds of times a day, but by November 17, when the Advanced Land Imager (ALI) on NASA’s Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) satellite took this image, activity at the volcano had started to slow. The image was taken as part of Volcano SensorWeb, a program that automatically schedules the ALI and Hyperion sensors on EO-1 to image volcanoes when other satellites detect signs of activity. ALI provides a detailed, photo-like view, useful for tracking ash, while Hyperion records the temperature and position of lava flows. Source : earthobservatory.nasa.gov

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The primary danger during the eruption at Merapi Volcano has been pyroclastic flows. These avalanches of hot volcanic gases, ash, and rocks descend rapidly and violently, occasionally at speeds over 150 kilometers (90 miles) per hour. Pyroclastic flows are usually channeled by the terrain, but large and violent flows can spread over a wide area.

This false-color satellite image from the ASTER instrument on NASA's Terra satellite shows evidence of a large pyroclastic flow along the Gendol River south of Mount Merapi. Light gray volcanic deposits (either from pyroclastic flows or lahars) fill the course of the Gendol. Just north of the Merapi Golf Course  (light red feature) is a much wider area where a pyroclastic flow spread across the landscape, causing almost total devastation. Within this dark gray area, most of the trees were knocked down and the ground was coated by ash and rock. The flow deposits are largely surrounded by healthy vegetation, colored bright red. A light gray ash plume extends the west of the volcano, guided by the prevailing winds. Near the plume, heavy ashfall has coated the fields and forests, coloring them dull red to gray. Source: earthobservatory.nasa.gov

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Two weeks after the April 20 explosion at the Deepwater Horizon rig in the Gulf of Mexico, an oil slick lingered not far from the Mississippi Delta. On May 4, 2010, the MODIS on NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this natural-color image of the oil slick. The slick appears as an uneven gray shape immediately north of a bank of clouds. Sunlight bouncing off the ocean surface gives the oil slick a mirror-like reflection easily detected by satellite sensors.

Although the oil visible in this image appears fairly distant from the coastline, NatureNews reported that the western edge of the slick had been brushing up against the Mississippi Delta since April 30. Model predictions put the oil slick near the coast of Louisiana by May 4 or 5, but changing winds pushed the oil farther away from land on May 4. Ecologists still worried, however, that the oil might drift into the path of the Loop Current, which carries warm water from the Yucatán Peninsula across the Gulf of Mexico and toward Florida. The current had the potential to spread oil to the shores to Mississippi, Alabama, the east coast of Florida, and the Florida Keys.

The European Space Agency's (ESA) Envisat saltellite has captured the changes in direction of the rapidly-growing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico as strong winds pushed it around and hampered clean-up efforts.

In these images, the oil spill is visible due east of the Delta National Wildlife Refuge extending into the Gulf. The white dots are oil rigs and ships.

Wind can easily spread oil on the water, with the course determined by the wind's direction and speed. Following the explosion of the drilling rig on 22 April that produced the oil leak, the winds were blowing west-northwest. On Saturday winds were blowing from the southeast, pushing the slick toward Louisiana.

Radar
Radar is especially suited for detecting oil spills because it works day and night, can see through clouds (unlike optical sensors) and is particularly sensitive to the smoother water surface caused by the oil. Depending on the situation, oil is harder to detect in optical satellite observations because the surface changes are not as pronounced.

In this radar image, acquired from Envisat's Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR) on 2 May 2010 03:45 UTC (Saturday night local time), the oil spill is visible due east of the Delta National Wildlife
Refuge extending into the Gulf of Mexico. The white dots are oil rigs and ships. Radar is especiallysuited for detecting oil spills because it works day and night, can see through clouds (unlike optical sensors) and is particularly sensitive to the smoother water surface caused by the oil.

Read More... “Satellite image of Louisiana oil spill”  »»

Here’s our list of the 7 animals with the longest life spans.

Tuataras
The word “dinosaur” is commonly used to describe an old person, but when it refers to a tuataras, the term is as literal as it is metaphorical. The two species of tuatara alive today are the only surviving members of an order which flourished about 200 million years ago — they are living dinosaurs. They are also among the longest-lived vertebrates on Earth, with some individuals living for anywhere between 100 and 200 years.


Lamellibrachia tube worms
These colorful deep sea creatures are tube worms (L. luymesi) that live along hydrocarbon vents on the ocean floor. They have been known to live 170 years, but many scientists believe there may be some that have lived for more than 250 years.

Red sea urchins
The red sea urchin or Strongylocentrotus franciscanus is found only in the Pacific Ocean, primarily along the West Coast of North America. It lives in shallow, sometimes rocky, waters from the low-tide line down to to 90 meters, but they stay out of extremely wavy areas. They crawl along the ocean floor using their spines as stilts. If you discover one, remember to respect your elders — some specimens are more than 200 years old.

Koi
Koi are an ornamental, domesticated variety of the common carp. The are common in artificial rock pools and decorative ponds. Amazingly, some varieties are capable of living more than 200 years. The oldest known koi was Hanako, a fish that died at the age of 226.

Tortoises
Tortoises are considered the longest living vertebrates on Earth. One of their oldest known representatives was Harriet, a Galapagos tortoise that died of heart failure at the age of 175 years in June 2006 at a zoo owned by the late Steve Irwin. Harriet was considered the last living representative of Darwin’s epic voyage on the HMS Beagle. An Aldabra giant tortoise named Adwaita died at the rumored age of 250.

Ocean quahog
The ocean quahog (Arctica islandica) is a species of clam that is exploited commercially. Researchers have interpreted the dark concentric rings or bands on the shell as annual marks, much like a tree has rings. –Some collected specimens have been calculated to be more than 400 years old.

Geoducks
First on the list are these large saltwater clams that are native to the Puget Sound and have been known to live for at least 160 years. They are characterized by their long ‘necks’, or siphons, which can grow to over 1 meter long.

Read More... “The 7 animals with the longest life”  »»

The year 2009 is likely to rank in the top 10 warmest on record since the beginning of instrumental climate records in 1850, according to data sources compiled by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The global combined sea surface and land surface air temperature for 2009 (January–October) is currently estimated at 0.44°C ± 0.11°C (0.79°F ± 0.20°F) above the 1961–1990 annual average of 14.00°C/57.2°F. The current nominal ranking of 2009, which does not account for uncertainties in the annual averages, places it as the fifth-warmest year. The decade of the 2000s (2000–2009) was warmer than the decade spanning the 1990s (1990–1999), which in turn was warmer than the 1980s (1980–1989). More complete data for the remainder of the year 2009 will be analyzed at the beginning of 2010 to update the current assessment.

This year above-normal temperatures were recorded in most parts of the continents. Only North America (United States and Canada) experienced conditions that were cooler than average. Given the current figures, large parts of southern Asia and central Africa are likely to have the warmest year on record.

Climate extremes, including devastating floods, severe droughts, snowstorms, heat waves and cold waves, were recorded in many parts of the world. This year the extreme warm events were more frequent and intense in southern South America, Australia and southern Asia, in particular. La Niña conditions shifted into a warm-phase El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) in June. The Arctic sea ice extent during the melt season ranked the third lowest, after the lowest and second-lowest records set in 2007 and 2008, respectively.

Regional temperature anomalies

The year 2009 (January–October) was again warmer than the 1961–1990 average all over Europe and the Middle East. The year started with a mild January in northern Europe and large parts of Asia, while western and central Europe was colder than normal. The European summer was also warmer than the long-term average, particularly over the southern regions. A heat wave at the beginning of July affected the United Kingdom, France, Belgium and Germany, and some stations in Norway experienced new maximum temperature records.

India had an extreme heat wave event during May, which caused 150 deaths. A heat wave hit northern China during June, with daily maximum temperatures above 40°C; historical maximum temperature records were broken for the summer in some locations.
The austral autumn (March to May) was extremely warm in Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and southern Brazil. With daily temperatures ranging from 30°C to 40°C, several records were broken during this season.

So far, Australia has had the third-warmest year on record. The year 2009 was marked by three exceptional heat waves, which affected south-eastern Australia in January/February and November, and subtropical eastern Australia in August. The January/February heat wave was associated with disastrous bushfires that caused more than 173 fatalities.

Severe droughts

China suffered its worst drought in five decades. Water levels in parts of the Gan River and Xiangjiang River were the lowest in the past 50 years. In India the poor monsoon season caused severe drought impacts in 40 per cent of the districts. The north-western and north-eastern parts of the country were badly affected. It was reported to be one of the weakest monsoon seasons since 1972.

In North America, Mexico experienced severe-to-exceptional drought conditions by the month of September. In the United States, the western region was the most affected by a moderate-to-exceptional drought by the end of October. Nevertheless, the total area affected by drought in the United States during October was the second-smallest value recorded in this decade.

Drought in Central Argentina caused severe damage to agriculture, livestock and water resources. The situation was most severe at the end of October, with very high temperatures reported as well.

Over the key agricultural areas of the Murray-Darling Basin and the south-western part of Western Australia, rainfall was generally below normal. The passage of another year without any sustained above-normal rainfall has seen long-term rainfall deficits continuing in south-eastern Australia. Sustained dry conditions in the Murray-Darling Basin have now continued for nine years.

End of La Niña and Development of El Niño

La Niña-like conditions were present in early 2009, followed by the development of El Niño patterns starting in June 2009. During June–September 2009, sea surface temperatures were generally about 1°C warmer than the long-term average across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific. An El Niño event is currently underway, with the early phase of the event holding steady at weak-to-moderate levels through July–September. During October, almost all indicators of El Niño became noticeably stronger.

Tropical cyclone season

The 2009 Atlantic hurricane season closed with the fewest named storms and hurricanes since 1997, most likely due to the unfavorable cyclonic conditions caused in part by El Niño. A total of nine named tropical storms were formed, including three hurricanes, two of which were major hurricanes at Category 3 strength or higher.

In the East Pacific, 20 named tropical storms were recorded, eight of which evolved into hurricanes and five of which became major hurricanes.

In the western North Pacific, 22 named tropical storms have been recorded so far, and 13 of them reached the intensity of typhoon, compared to the long-term averages of 27 and 14, respectively.

The Australian and South Indian Ocean cyclone seasons recorded near-average activity. In the Australian region, there were 10 systems during this season, with Hamish the most significant one, although it did not make landfall. It reached category 5 intensity and was the most intense cyclone observed off the eastern Queensland coast since 1918.

Third-lowest Arctic sea ice
According to scientific measurements, Arctic sea ice has declined dramatically over the past 30 years at least, with the most extreme decline seen in the summer melt season. Arctic sea ice extent during the 2009 melt season was 5.10 million km2, which is the third-lowest on record after the 2007 record (4.3 million km2) and 2008 (4.67 million km2), since satellite measurements began in 1979.WMO

Read More... “2009-the warmest since in 1850”  »»

It is difficult to believe in this day in age, with all that we know about sharks' plummeting populations, their critical role in ocean ecosystems and the minimal risk they pose to humans, that the archaic and destructive practice of installing shark nets for "bather protection" still exists. But in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa, a province ironically known around the world as one of the few places left where sharks and the ecosystems they keep healthy still thrive, untold numbers of harmless sharks, turtles, dolphins, and rays meet an untimely and senseless death each year by entanglement in the approximately 28 kilometers of ‘shark' nets that are installed just off the beaches.

Over the last three decades, more than 33,000 sharks have been killed in the KZNSB shark nets. And if that's not alarming enough, 2,000+ turtles, 8,000+ rays, and 2,000+ dolphins were also ensnared and killed.

What are shark nets?
Shark nets are essentially gill nets: long rectangular nylon mesh nets, 200-300 metres in length, that are positioned near the surface of the water and kept afloat with buoys. Sharks swim into these nets and are caught by their gills. The squares of mesh are designed to be just large enough for sharks to become entangled, but not escape. The more a shark or any other animal struggles in these nets, the more hopeless their situation becomes, and the more impossible their chances of escape and survival. The vast majority of these animals die an agonizing death by suffocation. Gill nets are widely considered to be one of the greatest threats to the survival of many species of marine animals.

33% of sharks in nets were leaving beaches!
In South Africa, the shark nets are installed in tiered patterns by the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board (KZNSB). Just beneath the surface, they do not fully extend to either the top or the bottom and do not even come close to fully enclosing the beach areas. The result is that sharks can easily swim around or under the nets and into the shallow waters in which humans swim and surf. In fact, the KZNSB acknowledges on its own website that at least 33% of the sharks killed in these nets were actually on their way OUT from the beaches, rather than on their way in, and other sources estimate that this number is closer to 70%.

Bait is set to attract sharks
You see, the goal is not to provide a physical barrier to keep sharks away from the beaches, but rather to control shark populations by culling them. In many cases, the KZNSB places baited drumlines just outside the shark nets, which are designed to attract sharks in towards the beaches and kill them, either by biting the baited hooks on the drumlines or by entanglement in the nearby gill nets.

Nets installed in Marine Protected Areas!
The process is entirely unselective, with nets installed all along the coast, including in Marine Protected Areas! The sole purpose of these nets is to kill all sharks in the area, including highly endangered species that would otherwise enjoy stringent legal protection, such as whale sharks and the great white shark.

Brutal, indiscriminate killers
Sharks and other animals don't stand a chance against these nets. They are brutal, indiscriminate killers designed to systematically cull a species for no other reason than to boost tourism by giving beachgoers a false sense of security against a severely sensationalized threat.

Shark tourism
Sharks in South Africa contribute a significant amount of revenue to the South African economy and provide countless jobs. Live sharks mean tourists, jobs, and money. And that is recurring income-not the one-time income generated when a shark is killed.

Shark populations endangered
But since then, shark fishing has skyrocketed, eliminating a large percentage of the world's shark populations, and the public has been exposed too much information about the importance of biodiversity conservation and the true nature of shark behavior towards humans. In recent years, it has been proven that a variety of non-lethal shark deterrents, such as the Shark Spotters program funded by private donations and the City of Cape Town, can be equally effective, and that animals need not be killed to allow for peaceful coexistence in their domain. The need for shark conservation is now a well-established fact, as is the fact these animals are significantly misunderstood, with the actual risk of an unpleasant shark encounter infinitesimal.

Read More... “Nets set kill thousands of marina animals”  »»

Typhoon Melor is forecasted to strike the city on Thursday and weather forecasters have made warnings about strong winds and high waves in the sea. Typhoon Melor was swirling with speed of 252 kilometers per hour (156 miles/hr) and bore down in the island of Minami Daito. Typhoon Melor has now slowed down from a Super Typhoon. the Joint Typhoon Warning Center warned of sustained winds of 85 knots (98 mph) and gusts up to 105 knots (121 mph) and waves up to 33 feet (10 meters).

The eye of the storm was completely clouded, and the iconic bands of spiraling clouds that characterize strong typhoons appeared to be blending into a more disorganized deck of clouds and thunderstorms, especially in the northern half of the storm.

The weather agency of Japan has forecasted that the typhoon will have a speed of 180 kilometers per hour near its center. An official at the weather agency has warned the residents that the typhoon will bring furious winds and the sea waves can rise up to 80 meters. Though Japan’s buildings are now stronger than it were in past, weather forecasters have issued warnings to the natives as the violent typhoon may claim deaths. Melor means Jasmine in Malay language. The typhoon Melor will follow the route similar to the deadly typhoon of year 1959; however typhoon Melor is not expected to cause damage on a very big scale. The weather agency has raised a warning of scale 3 which means the cyclone may wreck landslides and flash floods.

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The Lesser Sunda islands stretch out across this image captured by the MODIS on the Terra satellite on August 18, 2009. These islands form the southern border of Indonesia with Australia. The grouping is spread across 1,200 kilometers from the western island of Lombok on the left to the eastern tip of Timor, the largest island in the image. The Islands are surrounded by the waters of the Indian Ocean as well as the Flores, Banda, Sawu, and Timor Seas.

In a few places, bright turquoise-blue spots on the water mark tiny islands surrounded by shallow waters: the Kepulauan Taka´Bonerate islands to the north, the Kepulauan Tukangbesi islands to the northeast, and the Ashmore and Cartier Islands (Australian territories) to the south.

There are a few active fires through the islands - each fire is marked with a red dot. Modis-NASA

Read More... “The Lesser Sunda Islands”  »»

August 12 - 20, 2009, Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Come and join in the international event Sail Bunaken 2009 for sharing new experience and exploring the marine beauty along with the marine lovers from all over the world in a spirit of adventure, graced by the marine paradise of Bunaken Sea.

Sail Bunaken 2009 offers various marine activities, including Indonesian Fleet Review, Yacht Rally, Bunaken Expo & Festival, International Big Game Fishing "KASAL CUP", Diving Competition & Festival, International Seafood Festival, and Bunaken Trans Equatouring Celebes 2009.

World Diving Record Broken at Sail Bunaken

Nearly 3,000 divers set a world record Sunday for the largest group dive by plunging into the famed waters of Bunaken, North Sulawesi.

The information center of the Sail Bunaken 2009 committee said 2,818 people participated in the event, but only 2,805 people stayed underwater for at least 25 minutes. That is the minimum length of time required by the Guinness Book of Records, whose representatives were on hand to witness the new record.

Divers began entering the water at 8 in the morning. By midday, all of them had returned to shore. The mass dive also marked Indonesia's Independence Day, August 17. An Indonesian flag will be unfurled underwater as part of the independence celebrations.



Sail Bunaken 2009 is a momentum to restore the image of Indonesia, as the largest maritime event in the world. This event involving dozens of countries with a war ship and sailor. This is the largest maritime event in 21st that held Sailing and Flying Pass various ships and war planes, an activity that is rarely done in the world.

Sail Bunaken 2009 is jointly organized by the Ministry of Marine and Fishery Affairs, Provincial Administration of North Sulawesi, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and Navy Force of Indonesia, supported by the Directorate General of Immigration and other government institutions.

There are two important issues related to implementation of the Sail Bunaken in North Sulawesi, which is the potential for marine biodiversity and resources of large, highly qualified converted to economic activity for the people. North Sulawesi province got momentum with a very prestigious event, so hopefully the local community able to support the activities. The natural beauty and marine diversity of Bunaken Sea Park in North Sulawesi have long been admired by marine lovers from all over the world, including divers, surfers, and tourists through to marine biodiversity researchers

Then, the Indonesian people can show the strength of defense and maritime security, so that it can not be regarded lightly by any country.

Route Sail Indonesia in Sail Bunaken 2009

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Bunaken is part of the Bunaken National Marine Park, which has some of the highest levels of marine biodiversity in the world. Bunaken is located at the north of the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia. It belongs administratively to the municipality of Manado.

The Bunaken National Marine Park was formally established in 1991 and is among the first of Indonesia's growing system of marine parks. The park covers a total surface area of 890.65 km², 97% of which is overlain by sparkling clear, warm tropical water. The remaining 3% of the park is terrestrial, including the five islands of Bunaken, Manado Tua, Mantehage, Nain and Siladen. Although each of these islands has a special character, it is the aquatic ecosystem that attracts most naturalists. The Park consists of a northern and southern section. The northern section includes five islands, and the coastal area between Molas to Tiwoho called the “Molas-Wori Coast”. Thesouthern section consists entirely of coastal area between Poopoh and Popareng villages, called the “Arakan-Wawontulap Coast”.

The Environment and Biodiversity Condition
The waters of Bunaken National Marine Park are extremely deep (1566 m in Manado Bay), clear (up to 35-40 m visibility), refreshing in temperature (27 to 29 °C) Pick any of group of interest - corals, fish, echinoderms or sponges - and the number of families, genera or species is bound to be astonishingly high. For example, 7 of the 8 species of giant clams that occur in the world occur in Bunaken.

The park has around 70 genera of corals; compare this to a mere 10 in Hawaii. Although the exact number of fish species is unknown, it may be slightly higher than in the Philippines, where 2,500 species, or nearly 70% of all fish species known to the Indo-western Pacific, are found. A snorkler or diver in the vicinity of Lekuan or Fukui may spot over 33 species of butterfly fish and numerous types of groupers, damsels, wrasses and gobies. The gobies, smallish fish with bulging eyes and modified fins that allow them to attach to hard surfaces, are the most diverse but least known group of fish in the park

Biologists believe that the abundance of hard corals is crucial in maintaining the high levels of diversity in the park. Hard corals are the architects of the reefs, without them, numerous marine organisms would be homeless and hungry.

Bunaken Marine Park has become an important example of how Sulawesi, and the rest of Indonesia, can work to protect its natural resources.

Zonation Map.

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Vote Komodo island for the new 7 wonders of the world.[clik here]

Komodo National Park includes three major islands: Komodo, Rinca and Padar, as well as numerous smaller islands creating a total surface area (marine and land) of 1817km (proposed extensions would bring the total surface area up to 2,321km2). As well as being home to the Komodo dragon, the Park provides refuge for many other notable terrestrial species such as the orange-footed scrub fowl, an endemic rat, and the Timor deer. Moreover, the Park includes one of the richest marine environments including coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds, seamounts, and semi-enclosed bays. These habitats harbor more than 1,000 species of fish, some 260 species of reef-building coral, and 70 species of sponges. Dugong, sharks, manta rays, at least 14 species of whales, dolphins, and sea turtles also make Komodo National Park their home.


Komodo National Park is located in the center of the Indonesian archipelago, between the islands of Sumbawa and Flores. Established in 1980, initially the main purpose of the Park was to conserve the unique Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) and its habitat. However, over the years, the goals for the Park have expanded to protecting its entire biodiversity, both terrestrial and marine. In 1986, the Park was declared a World Heritage Site and a Man and Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, both indications of the Park's biological importance.


Threats to terrestrial biodiversity include the increasing pressure on forest cover and water resources as the local human population has increased 800% over the past 60 years. In addition, the Timor deer population, the preferred prey source for the endangered Komodo dragon, is still being poached. Destructive fishing practices such as dynamite-, cyanide, and compressor fishing severely threaten the Park's marine resources by destroying both the habitat (coral reefs) and the resource itself (fish and invertebrate stocks). The present situation in the Park is characterized by reduced but continuing destructive fishing practices primarily by immigrant fishers, and high pressure on demersal stocks like lobsters, shellfish, groupers and napoleon wrasse. Pollution inputs, ranging from raw sewage to chemicals, are increasing and may pose a major threat in the future.


Today, the PKA Balai Taman Nasional Komodo and PT. Putri Naga Komodo are working together to protect the Park's vast resources. Our goals are to protect the Park's biodiversity (both marine and terrestrial) and the breeding stocks of commercial fishes for replenishment of surrounding fishing grounds. The main challenge is to reduce both threats to the resources and conflicts between incompatible activities. Both parties have a long term commitment to protecting the marine biodiversity of Komodo National Park.

Read More... “Indonesia's Komodo National Park”  »»

CO2 levels may already be too high for coral reefs to survive
Unless changes are made soon, our children may be the last generation who are able to see coral reefs and the wonderful wildlife that can be found living on them. Due to the combined effect of ocean acidification and ocean warming, coral reef survival is balancing on a knife edge, warns a meeting of leading scientists.
CO2 levels will be too high for coral reefs to survive

Organised by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), the International Programme on the State of the Ocean (IPSO) and the Royal Society, the meeting identified the level of atmospheric CO2 predicted to result in the demise of coral reefs.

At anticipated rates of emission increase, it is expected that 450 ppm CO2 will be reached before 2050. At that point, corals may be on a path to extinction within a matter of decades. The safe level of CO2 that we should strive for is 320 ppm: 360 is now known to be the level at which reefs cease to be viable in the long term.

Mass coral bleaching events already happening
At today's CO2 level of 387 ppm, repeated cycles of coral death from mass bleaching have already sent most coral reefs into serious decline. By 2050, the remaining coral reefs could fall victim to ocean acidification. Such a catastrophe would not be confined to reefs, but could start of a domino-like sequence of the fall of other marine ecosystems.

Scientific evidence shows that we have long passed the point at which the marine environment offers reefs a guaranteed future. The kitchen is on fire and it's spreading round the house. If we act quickly and decisively we may be able to put it out before the damage becomes irreversible. That is where corals are now.

Now, there is every reason to believe that the oceans may in fact be the most vulnerable sector of our planet to climate change - with dire consequences for us all.Source WildlifeExtra

Read More... “Coral Reefs And Climate Change”  »»

The threat of climate change means that for the first time humanity is faced with the very real possibility of extinction. The root cause of the ecological crisis is capitalism’s drive to maximize immediate profits above all else.

The UN has estimated that the total cost of conserving tropical forests, reforesting the Earth to an environmentally healthy level, reversing desertification, developing renewable energy and implementing energy efficient practices is about the same as just a few months of global military spending.

This is only one example of why this system is profoundly at odds with a sustainable planet. The exploitation of nature is as fundamental to the profit system as the exploitation of workers. Capitalist economics treats the air, rivers, seas and soil as a “free gift of nature” to business. Most major companies aren’t quite so honest. The big polluters spend millions advertising themselves as “green”, while they continue to plunder the Earth to keep the shareholders happy.

The market system can’t help preserve the environment for future generations because it cannot take into account the long-term needs of people and planet. The competition between individual companies to make a profitable return on their investment excludes rational and sustainable planning.

This thirst for profit prevents pro-capitalist governments from responding rationally to the climate crisis — despite the immense scale of the threat.

Stopping climate change is impossible unless the profit motive is removed from the equation. The crisis poses a big choice. We can continue in the ways of capitalism and an inhabitable planet, or we can start down the democratic socialist path — a path of harmony with nature, grassroots democracy and respect for life.

Read More... “Capitalism kills the Earth”  »»

Thunnus is a genus of ocean-dwelling fish in the family Scombridae, all of which are tuna, although other tuna species are found in other genera. The name of the genus is the Latinized form of the Greek θύννος, thýnnos, tuna, the word being first mentioned in Homer. There are eight species:

* Albacore, Thunnus alalunga (Bonnaterre, 1788).
* Bigeye tuna, Thunnus obesus (Lowe, 1839).
* Blackfin tuna, Thunnus atlanticus (Lesson, 1831).
* Pacific bluefin tuna, Thunnus orientalis (Temminck & Schlegel, 1844).
* Northern bluefin tuna, Thunnus thynnus (Linnaeus, 1758).
* Southern bluefin tuna, Thunnus maccoyii (Castelnau, 1872).
* Longtail tuna, Thunnus tonggol (Bleeker, 1851).
* Yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares (Bonnaterre, 1788).


ALBACORE

The albacore, Thunnus alalunga, is a type of tuna in the family Scombridae. This species is also called albacore fish, albacore tuna, longfin, albies, pigfish, tombo ahi, binnaga, Pacific albacore, German bonito (but see bonito), longfin tuna, longfin tunny, or even just tuna. It is the only tuna species which may be marketed as "white meat tuna" in the United States.

It is found in the open waters of all tropical and temperate oceans, and the Mediterranean Sea. Lengths range up to 140 cm and weights up to 45 kg.

The pectoral fins of the albacore are very long, as much as 50% of the total length. The dorsal spines are 8 to 10 in number, and well forward of the rays of the dorsal fin. The anterior spines are much longer, giving a concave outline to the spiny part of the dorsal fin.

Albacore is a prized food, and the albacore fishery is economically significant. Methods of fishing include pole and line, long-line fishing, trolling, and some purse seining. It is also sought after by sport fishers.

The National Scientific Committee (NSC) conducts regularly scheduled stock assessments of Pacific albacore. The 2003 stock assessment found the albacore stocks to be at or near record highs. The North and South Pacific albacore stocks are not over fished. The ISC findings are accepted by the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission and the Western Central Pacific Fisheries Commission and employed in the responsible management of Pacific albacore tuna stocks. Regrettably, the same cannot be said for Atlantic stocks of albacore. Assessments of the North and South Atlantic stocks showed them to be vulnerable and critically endangered respectively, due to significant population reductions measured through an index of abundance and considering "actual or potential levels of exploitation".

SeaChoice ranks albacore as a "best choice" for consumers, although notes some "moderate concerns" regarding the management effectiveness (in particular, no definitive survey of the albacore stock of the Indian Ocean fishery has taken place), and "moderate concern" over the fishing stock, especially regarding the North Atlantic albacore population, which the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) considers overfished with overfishing still occurring. The southern Atlantic stock is not considered overfished. The North Pacific and South Pacific albacore stocks are not overfished and not experiencing overfishing.

Consumers are increasingly concerned about the sustainability of fisheries. A number of programs have been developed to help consumers identify and support responsible and sustainable fisheries. Perhaps the most widely accepted of these programs is that of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). The MSC declared the U.S. North and South Pacific albacore pole & line and troll fisheries ("pole & troll") as the only certified sustainable tuna fisheries in the world. Products from MSC certified sustainable fisheries are readily identifiable by the MSC's distinctive blue and white "eco-label".

By purchasing products bearing the MSC eco-label, consumers express their support for sustainable fisheries and encourage the use of sound fishing methods that promote the future health and abundance of ocean ecosystems.

In some parts of the world, other species may be called "albacore":

1. Blackfin tuna (albacore) - Thunnus atlanticus;
2. Yellowfin tuna (albacore, autumn albacore, yellowfinned albacore) - Thunnus albacares;
3. Yellowtail amberjack (albacore) - Seriola lalandi;
4. Kawakawa (false albacore) - Euthynnus affinis;
5. Little tunny (false albacore) - Euthynnus alletteratus.

BIGEYE TUNA

The bigeye tuna, Thunnus obesus, is an important food fish and highly sought after recreational game fish. It is a member of the true tunas of the genus Thunnus. Bigeye tuna are found in the open waters of all tropical and temperate oceans, but not the Mediterranean Sea. Its length is between 60 and 250 cm (23 and 93 inches). Maximum weight probably exceeds 400 lb with the all-tackle angling record standing at 392 lbs. Bigeye tuna are large deep-bodied streamlined fish with large heads and eyes. The pectoral fins are very long, reaching back as far as the second dorsal fin. There are 13 or 14 dorsal spines.

A longer-lived fish than the closely related yellowfin tuna, the bigeye tuna is thought to have a lifespan of up to 10 to 12 years, with individuals achieving sexual maturity at the age of four. Spawning has been recorded as taking place in June and July in the northwestern tropical Atlantic and in January and February in the Gulf of Guinea in the eastern Atlantic, which is, so far, the only known nursery area for Atlantic bigeye tuna.

Feed items include both epipelagic and mesopelagic species, with deep diving behaviour during the day thought to be related to the seeking of prey. Satellite tagging has shown that bigeye tuna often spend prolonged periods cruising deep below the surface during the daytime, sometimes making dives as deep as 500 metres. These movements are thought to be in response to the vertical migrations of prey organisms in the deep scattering layer.

Physiological adaptations to foraging in these cold (bigeye tuna have been tracked entering water as cold as 5 degrees Celsius) and oxygen-poor subsurface waters include blood that is highly efficient in extracting oxygen from the water even in oxygen-poor conditions, and vision that is highly adapted for effective function in low light conditions. The heart of bigeye tuna also has an unusual ability to function effectively at the low ambient temperatures encountered while foraging in cold subsurface water. Nonetheless, bigeye tuna must make return trips to warmer surface waters to warm themselves up.

Bigeye tuna are amongst the tuna species most threatened by overfishing. Juvenile bigeye tuna associate closely with floating objects such as logs, buoys and other flotsam, which makes them extremely susceptible to purse seine fishing in conjunction with man-made FADs (Fish Aggregation Devices). Bigeye mature at a later age than other commercially important tuna species such as skipjack and yellowfin tuna, and the removal of large numbers of juvenile bigeye before they reach breeding age is a major concern to fisheries managers, scientists and sport fishermen.

NORTHERN BLUEFIN TUNA

The northern bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus), or giant bluefin tuna, is a species of tuna native to both the western and eastern Atlantic Ocean, as well as the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea. Although not native to the Pacific Ocean, the species is now commercially cultivated off the Japanese coast. The species was in the past called the common tunny. It is often referred to simply as the "bluefin" or "bluefin tuna", but this name is ambiguous as it is also sometimes used for the southern bluefin tuna (Thunnus maccoyii) and the Pacific bluefin tuna (T. orientalis).

The body of the northern bluefin tuna is cigar-shaped and robust. Northern bluefin tuna can live for 30 years. Due to overfishing of this species, few known specimens grow to a mature age and typical specimens average 2-2.5 m (6.5-7 ft) long and around 350 kg (770 lb) in weight. The species can reach a maximum length of about 4.3 m (14 ft) and 680 kg (1,496 lb), the largest recorded. Northern bluefin tuna can easily be distinguished from other members of the tuna family by the relatively short length of their pectoral fins.

The northern bluefin tuna typically hunts small fish and invertebrates such as sardines, herring, mackerel, squid and crustaceans.

Bluefin tuna are caught by sports fishermen using heavy-duty rod and reels and by commercial fishermen using purse seine gear.

The northern bluefin tuna is an important source of seafood, providing most of the tuna used in sushi. To supply sushi markets, the bluefin tuna is reported to be fished at 4 times the sustainable rate. As a result, some fisheries of bluefin are considered overfished, and this problem is compounded by the bluefin's slow growth rate and late maturity. The Atlantic population of the species has declined by nearly 90 percent since the 1970s. The species is currently classified as data deficient, unlike the southern bluefin tuna which is critically endangered. Consumers have been recommended to avoid consumption of bluefin tuna until stocks recover.

SOUTHERN BLUEFIN TUNA

The southern bluefin tuna, Thunnus maccoyii, is a tuna of the family Scombridae found in open southern hemisphere waters of all the worlds oceans mainly between 30°S and 50°S, to nearly 60°S. The southern bluefin tuna is a large streamlined fast swimming fish with a long slender caudal peduncle and relatively short dorsal, pectoral and anal fins. At up to 2.5 m (8.2 ft) and weighing up to 400 kg (882 lbs) it is one of the largest bony fishes. The body is completely covered in small scales. The body color is blue-black on the back and silver-white on the flanks and belly, with bright yellow caudal keels in adult specimens. The first dorsal fin color is grey with a yellow tinge, the second dorsal is red-brown, and the finlets are yellow with a darker border.

The southern bluefin tuna is an opportunistic feeder, preying on a wide variety of fishes, crustaceans, cephalopods, salps, and other marine animals.

The southern bluefin tuna is classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Since the 1950s, when industrial fishing commenced, the total population of southern bluefin tuna has declined by about 92 percent.

In 1994 the then existing voluntary management arrangement between Australia, Japan and New Zealand was formalised when the Convention for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna came into force. The Convention created the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT). Its objective is to ensure, through appropriate management, the conservation and optimum utilisation of the global southern bluefin tuna fishery. Later, South Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines have joined, or are cooperating with, the Commission. The CCSBT is headquartered in Canberra, Australia.

YELLOWFIN TUNA


The yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) is a type of tuna found in open waters of tropical and subtropical seas worldwide. Also known as ahi tuna, from its Hawaiian name ‘ahi, yellowfin is becoming a popular replacement for the severely depleted supplies of Southern bluefin tuna. It is an epipelagic fish ranging in the top 100 m (330 feet) of the water column. Reported sizes have ranged
as high as 239 cm (94 inches) in length and 200 kg (440 lb) in weight. The second dorsal fin and the anal fin are both bright yellow, thus the common name, and can be very long in mature specimens, as are the pectoral fins. The main body is very dark metallic blue, changing to silver on the belly, which has about 20 vertical lines.

Yellowfins tend to school with fishes of the same size, including other species of tuna, and larger fish. They are often seen with dolphins, porpoises, whales and whale sharks. Yellowfins eat other fish, crustaceans, and squid.

Recent studies proved that this species is endangered. Especially in the Mediterranean sea, due to over fishing serving commercial interests regardless of high concern from the scientific and environmental community. The extinction of the "yellowfin (ahi) tuna" could occur in the next 15 years if governments don't take serious measures to protect the specie by lowering the fishing quotas tremendously and by reacting to illegal fishing.

Commercial fisheries catch yellowfin tuna with encircling nets (purse seines) and with longlines. The fish are mainly sold in frozen or canned form, but are also popular as sashimi. Otherwise Yellowfin tuna are a popular sport fish in many parts of their range and are prized for their speed and strength when fought on rod and reel as well as for their table qualities. References http://wikipedia.org

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The location of Indonesia Ocean in equator region with tropical climate caused its have much potential fisheries resource. This condition make consequential to fishing gears and technologies development. There are number of fishing gears for marine fish and shrimp in Indonesia that category into 10 types.

1.Shrimp Nets /Trawl (Pukat Udang)
There are 3 types of shrimp nets according to the opening of the trawl mouth: Otter trawl, Beam trawl and Paranzella. The fishing ground of the trawl is Arafuru Sea and Banda Sea to capture shrimps like Penaeus monodon, Penaeus merguensis, Metapenaeus ensis and Parapenaeus spp.

2.Seine Nets (Pukat Kantong)
The design of Seine nets has 3 main part: bag, body, and leg/wing. There are many kinds of seine net: Lampara (payang), Beach Seine (pukat pantai), Dogol. The fishing ground of the gear is in around of Indonesia Ocean especially in Jawa Sea and Sumatera coastal. Capture pelagic and demersal fish and shrimps like Enthynnus spp (tongkol), Rastregiller sp (kembung), and Sardinella fimbriata (lemuru).

3.Purse Seine (Pukat Cincin)
The design of purse seine has ring located in purse line to make the bag in the end of the operation in oerder the fish can’t trough away from the nets. The fishing ground of the gears is Java Sea and Sumatera coastal. The dominan cathcs is pelagic fish like Enthynnus spp (tongkol), Rastregiller sp (kembung), Katsuwonus pelagic (cakalang), and Sardinella fimbriata (lemuru).

4.Gill Nets (Jaring Insang)
The design of gill net according to this operational: Drift gill net (jaring Insang hanyut), Set gill net (Jaring insang labuh), Encircling gill net (jaring ingsang lingkar), and Trammel Net. The fishing ground of the gears is coastal and coral in around Indonesia Sea. The dominant capture is pelagic and demersal fish and shrimps like Sceinedae (tiga waja), Formio niger (bawal hitam), Pampus argentus (bawal putih), Lates calcalifer (kakap), Serranidae (kerapu) and many kinds of shrimps.

5.Lift Nets (Jaring Angkat)
Lift nets is one of the fishing gears which the operational of the gear with vertical dropping and lifting the gears. There are 7 types of the lift nets: Bagang (bagan), Dip nets/Scoop (Serok), Crab lift nets (jaring rajungan/kepiting), lift net (Bondong), Four boots lift net (Soma cang), and Cross lift (anco). The fishing ground of the lift nets is around of the Indonesia Ocean especially in Makasar Sea and many rivers. The dominant capture is small pelagic fish like Stolepharus spp and molussca like loligo spp, Sepia spp, and Octopus spp.

6.Hook and Lines (Pancing)
The design of the gears is made of 2 main components: hooks (mata pancing) and line (tali pancing). There are many types of the hook and line: Longline (rawai tuna), Pole and line /Huhate (pancing cakalang), Troll line (pancing tonda), and Hand line (pancing ulur). The fishing ground of the gears is in Indian Ocean (Northern Java and Sumatera Island) and Pacific Ocean (Southern Sulawesi and Papua Island). The dominant capture is Thunus spp, Katsuwonus pelamis, Scomberomorus comersoni, Sphyraena spp, and Priacanthus spp.

7.Traps (Perangkap)
The main principle of the operation of the gears is setting permanently in the water and attracting the fish to enter the gears. There are many types of the gears: Fish pots (bubu), Half circling traps (Perangkap setengah lingkaran), Stake traps (Sero), and Tidal traps (perangkap pasang surut). The fishing ground of the gears including rivers, lakes, estuaries, mangroves, coral reefs and open seas. The main capture is many kinds of crustacean like Portunus spp, Scylla serata, and Panulirus spp.

8.Drive in Nets
The operational of the drive in nets like traps. The difference of the gears is made from nets with large scale of body and bag. This gear usually is operated in coral reef areas to capture many kinds of coral fish. This gear has 6 types: Muroami, Soma malalugis, Jaring kalase, Jaring klotok, Lari-larian and Jaring Saden.

9.Shell fish and Sea Weeds Collection (Alat pengumpul kerang dan rumput laut)

10.The Others Fishing Gears
There are much fishing gears that uncategorized into nine types of gears. This condition is according the need of fisherman, topography of the sea, resources. The gears are Encircling nets, rake, cover nets, harpoon, rifle, bow, arrow, and etc.

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Sea grasses are seed-bearing, flowering, rooted plants, which grow submerged, exclusively in marine coastal waters and coastal wetlands. There are only about 60 species of sea grasses. The actual number species is being reviewed currently. Like grasses in terrestrial habitats, they form meadows on the bed of coastal seas. They are dependent on light penetration for photosynthesis; therefore they generally grow only in clear, shallow waters, in estuaries and coastal seas. They can not survive out of waters, therefore they often grow where is shelters from a sand bar or coral reefs.

Sea grasses should not be confused with seaweeds. Multi-cellular green and brown algae – also found in marine environment- are usually called seaweeds or kelp. Although they can photosynthesis and make their own food, seaweeds lack complex specialized cellular tissues for transport of food and water that are found in sea grasses. They also lack flowers and fruits –structures that are specialized for reproduction- as well as roots.

WHERE ARE SEA GRASSES ARE FOUND IN THE WORLD

Sea grasses are found in clear, shallow coastal water of every continent expect Antarctica. In tropical oceans, they are nearly always found near mangrove and coral reefs. In temperate areas, they are found near salt marshes and kelp forests. They survive in inter-tidal areas in sites sheltered from wave action or where water is trapped at low tide. About half the world’s sea grass species are tropical, while the other half is temperate. The Indo-Pacific region is the center of sea grass diversity in the world, with 24 species and large underwater meadows.

SPECIAL ADAPTATIONS OF SEAGRASSES

Sea grasses are the only flowering plants that have adapted to a completely submerged life in the sea. Because of this, they have some special adaptations.

1.Adaptations to withstand wave energy
Underground plant parts such as rhizomes (an underground stem that store food and grows horizontally) and roots are extensive and close to each other, providing anchorage in many places to these plants. In addition, leaves of sea grasses are usually flat, ribbon-shaped and flexible; the stems are also flexible (as seen in Enhalus, Thalasia, and Cymodocea spp.). Because of this, the force of waves does not break the leaves. Instead, the leaves bend with the water.

2.Adaptations to growing when completely submerged
Sub-marine pollination.
All except one group of sea grasses are pollinated in sub-marine conditions. Male and female parts of flowers extend well above the petals and so allow foe easy movement of pollen in the waters. Pollen grains are oval-shaped or joined together to become elongated and so move easily in the waters (as seen in Halophila spp.). Further, as flowers are either male or female, cross pollination is favoured. Some species have single sex plants, increasing this cross pollination. Sea grasses also reproduce asexually. They produce new shoots from underground roots and rhizomes as they spread across the sea floor. This produces new units. Remarkably, sea grasses can grow asexually for thousands of years, extending over many hectares.

Air-filled tissues.
Sea grasses have extensive air0filled tissues called lacunae, which contain oxygen that is needed for the life activities of these submerged plants. These lacunae also help in flotation of the leaves. The leaves have very thin cuticle or outer layer. Gas exchange with the environment is facilitated by this thin cuticle and by the air-filled tissues.

Salt tolerance
Compared to land plants, sea grasses can tolerate high salt concentrations found in oceans –up to 36 parts per thousand.

Growth
Sea grasses grow underwater rooted to the sea floor. The underground rhizomes and roots are in black sediments with no oxygen and therefore, need for their survival, sugars and oxygen produced during photosynthesis in the above-ground plants. Thus, sea grasses need more sunlight then alga, which do not have underground parts. This limits the depth to which sea grasses can grow. The need more than 10% of the light falling at the water surface compared to algae, which only 1%

WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF SEAGRASSES MEADOWS

Sea grasses meadows form ecologically and economically important habitats because they provide many ecosystem services.

1.Provisioning services
Many edible fish are found living in sea grasses beds. Sea grasses meadows, like mangroves, are nursery areas for many finfish and shellfish. Because of this, they are critical in coastal fisheries.

2.Regulating services
Sea grass meadows act as filters for coastal waters. The leafy canopy of sea grasses slow down water currents, trapping particles, nutrients organic matter and pollutants washed from inland waters to coastal seas. Because of this, sea grasses act as a filter of coastal waters, clearing and cleaning waters.
Sea grasses meadows stabilize the floor of coastal seas. The underground stems of sea grasses prevent the sediments trapped by leaves from being resuspended, thereby stabilizing the sea beds and preventing sand from being washed away and churned up by wave action.

3.Supporting services
Although they are relatively few species of sea grasses, they can house hundreds of other species –microorganisms, algae, invertebrates and vertebrates. Because of their three-dimensional structure in the water, sea grass meadows provide protection for juvenile fish and many marine larvae. It is estimated that a single acre of sea grass may support as many as 40.000 fishes and 50 million small invertebrates. Sea grasses meadows are the feeding sites of juvenile Horseshoes crabs –which belong to an ancient evolutionary lineage. Globally threatened vertebrate species such as marine turtles and marine mammals (e.g. Dugongs) are also found in these ecosystems in the tropics.

Sea grasses are primary producers. A single acre of sea-grass is estimated to produce over nine tones of leaves per year, providing a vast amount of food for many fauna.

Sea-grasses enrich nutrients in coastal waters. Sea-grassses take up nutrients from the soils and nutrients and carbons from the water column and sediments to use for maintaining their very high productivity. When numerous plants and animals found in this three dimensional habitat –as well as sea grasses- die, the released nutrients enter marine system as carbon and other nutrients.
Sea grasses meadows are carbon sinks. Sea grasses absorb carbon dioxide from the oceans when they photosynthesis. Like forests on land, they fuction, therefore, as carbon sinks, removing carbon dioxide from the seas.

4.Culture services
Recreational services. Beaches are popular for recreation and many people enjoy walking on the beach and paddling on beach fronts. Sea grasses meadows, lika coral reefs, attract divers and snorkellers.
Traditional services. In many countries, traditional fishing practices are supported by sea grasses meadows.

5.other services
biological sentinels. Sea grasses have been called ‘biological sentinels’ or ‘coastal canaries’. Like canaries that were taken into coal mines to test the quality of the air, sea grasses respond to changes in the quality of water, indicating deterioration of the environment by degrading and declining before dying. These changes are visible very quickly so that it is possible to take management actions.

Read More... “WHAT ARE SEAGRASSES?”  »»

Earth Day, celebrated in the world on April 22, is a day designed to inspire awareness and appreciation for the earth's environment. It was founded by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in in 1970 and is celebrated in many countries every year. This date is Spring in the Northern Hemisphere and Autumn in the Southern Hemisphere.

History of the April 22 Earth Day

In September 1969 at a conference in Seattle, Washington, U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin announced that in spring 1970 there would be a nation wide grassroots demonstration on the environment. This occurred during a time of great concern about over population and when there was a strong movement towards "Zero Population Growth."

Responding to widespread environmental degradation, Gaylord Nelson, called for an environmental teach-in, or Earth Day, to be held on April 22, 1970. Over 20 million people participated that year, and Earth Day is now observed each year on April 22 by more than 500 million people and national governments in 175 countries.

Founded by the organizers of the first April 22 Earth Day in 1970, Earth Day Network promotes environmental citizenship and year round progressive action worldwide. Earth Day Network is a driving force steering environmental awareness around the world. Through Earth Day Network, activists connect change in local, national, and global policies. Earth Day Network’s international network reaches over 17,000 organizations in 174 countries, while the domestic program engages 5,000 groups and over 25,000 educators coordinating millions of community development and environmental protection activities throughout the year. Earth Day is the only event celebrated simultaneously around the globe by people of all backgrounds, faiths and nationalities. More than a half billion people participate in Earth Day Network campaigns every year.

Significance of April 22

1. The date as the one that could maximize participation on college campuses for what he conceived as an environmental teach-in
2. April 22 was the birthday of Saint Francis of Assisi, world’s first environmentalist.

3. April 21 was the birthday of John Muir, who founded the Sierra Club. This was not lost on organizers who thought that April 22 was Muir's birthday.
4. April 22, 1970 was the 100th birthday of Vladimir Lenin.
5. April 22 is also the birthday of Julius Sterling Morton, the founder of Arbor Day, a national tree-planting holiday started in 1872.

The Earth Day symbol

The Earth Day symbol adopted from ecology symbol which created by Ron Cobb and was published on November 7th, 1969, in the Los Angeles Free Press and then placed it in the public domain. The symbol was a combination of the letters "E" and "O" taken from the words "Environment" and "Organism", respectively. Look magazine incorporated the symbol into a flag in their April 21, 1970 issue. The flag was patterned after the flag of the United States, and had thirteen stripes alternating green and white. Its canton was green with the ecology symbol where the stars would be in the United States flag.

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Coral reef in Raja Ampat, Indonesia ©Jones/Shimlock-Secret SeaSpanning eastern Indonesia, parts of Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste and the Solomon Islands (see the map), the Coral Triangle is the global center of marine biodiversity and one of the world’s top priorities for marine conservation. This extraordinary expanse of ocean covers an area of 2.3 million square miles (5.7 million km2), the equivalent to half of the entire United States. It is home to over 600 reef-building coral species, or 75% of all species known to science, and more than 3,000 species of reef fish. Over 150 million people live within the Coral Triangle, of which an estimated 2.25 million fishers are dependant on marine resources for their livelihoods.

Coral reefs are productive and diverse ecosystems that cover a mere 0.2% of the ocean floor, yet support an estimated 25% of all marine life. The global asset value of coral reefs has been estimated at nearly US$800 billion over a 50-year timeframe. More than 500 million people depend upon reef resources, and one billion people worldwide are direct beneficiaries of coral reef goods and services.

In the landmark report ‘Reefs at Risk in Southeast Asia’, the World Resources Institute estimates that 88% of Southeast Asia’s reefs are threatened. Among the various types of threats, over-fishing and destructive fishing are the most pervasive. Another key threat is the increased frequency of mass coral bleaching events.

Over-fishing means that fishers extract more fish than nature can produce over the long term. Besides decreasing the profitability and long-term prospects of the fisheries sector, over-fishing results in the extirpation of highly-valued species such as grouper and Napoleon wrasse. Fisheries experts from Indonesia find that the large majority of Indonesia’s fisheries are over- or fully exploited, which means that any expansion of the fishing fleet is ill-advised. Sadly, over-fishing is exacerbated by perverse subsidies that enable the fishing sector to continue fishing already over-exploited stocks.

Destructive fishing not only contributes to over-fishing, it also destroys the habitat on which exploited fish depend. Blast fishing, either with home-made or industrial explosives, is perhaps the best known example of destructive fishing. Other examples are bottom trawling, fishing with poisons, and fishing with certain kinds of fish traps. The loss of income due to blast fishing in Indonesia over the last 25 years is approximately US$3.8 billion. Global warming is already making a significant impact on marine biodiversity and the lives of those who depend on the reefs for income. A major threat to coral reefs comes from the periodic mass bleaching of corals caused by increased temperatures in the seas. In the 1998 El Nino weather event, 75% of reefs worldwide bleached and 16% died. Coral bleaching is predicted to become an annual event within 25-50 years.

MPAs are carefully selected areas where human development and exploitation of natural resources are regulated to protect species and habitats. By providing refugia for exploited fish stocks, MPAs provide benefits for commercial fisheries. Healthy fish stocks in MPAs replenish surrounding fishing grounds with eggs, larvae, and adult fish, and MPAs serve as basis for ecotourism and other livelihoods for local communities. MPAs work to protect functioning ecosystems, bringing benefits both inside and beyond their boundaries to countries, regions, businesses, and people.

The design networks of MPAs is based on the latest scientific principles of resilience, which means that we focus our efforts on reefs that are most likely to survive threats. Our approach to resilience is based on the following four components:
1) Protecting a representative range of habitat types, including critical habitats of target species, and replicating these at multiple locations to spread the risk of total loss of any one type of reef.
2) Protecting coral communities that resist bleaching. For example, coral reefs located where vertical mixing cools the heated surface waters may be less prone to thermal bleaching as sea temperatures rise. These refugia provide secure sources of larvae that replenish damaged areas –a rock-solid investment similar to blue-chip fixed income funds.
3) Understanding coral reef connectivity in order to create MPAs that are linked by ocean currents, larval dispersal patterns, and species movements.
4) Increasing the effectiveness of management to respond to direct threats, especially over-fishing and destructive fishing. Implementation of no-take areas is a critical component in this respect. The healthier the reefs, the more likely they will be to bounce back after a catastrophic event.

Indonesia focuses on three ecoregions in Indonesia (Papua, the Lesser Sundas, the Sulawesi Seas).

Derawan fishing village ©Donald Bason/The Nature Conservancy
Komodo National Park. The park is home to an amazing 1,000 species of fish, 260 species of reef-building corals, 70 species of sponges, 17 whale and dolphin species, two species of sea turtles, and the famous Komodo dragon.

Wakatobi National Park. Wakatobi is the largest marine national park in Indonesia and one of the country’s highest priorities for marine conservation. Furthermore, the partnership has strengthened the Park’s surveillance system, and the partnership has conducted surveys among local communities to solicit inputs for management and to explore opportunities for involvement of local communities in planning and implementation of Park management. Wakatobi’s conservation program further includes scientific surveys of the Park’s natural resources, raising awareness of the importance of MPAs, training park rangers and local NGOs in MPA management, conducting monitoring and surveillance, promoting sustainable resource use, and protecting fish spawning aggregations.

The Raja Ampat Islands. The Raja Ampat, or “Four Kings,” archipelago encompasses more than 9.8 million acres of land and sea and is the diversity epicenter of the Coral Triangle. Scientific surveys of Raja Ampat recorded the highest coral and fish diversities found on Earth, including 537 coral species— an incredible 75% of all known species —and 1,074 fish species.

The Derawan Islands. Renowned by divers for their rich coral reefs and hundreds of manta rays, the Derawan Islands feature some of the most significant green turtle nesting beaches in Southeast Asia and a unique saltwater lake with four endemic, stingless jellyfish species. The area’s reefs are extremely diverse because of the influence of the Berau River on the coastal waters.

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