10 ways we’ve been saving the whales

The flukes of a sperm whale as it dives into t...

Image via Wikipedia

I love getting questions from you. This post is in response to one of my favorite people wanting more information on the whaling laws in the United States. This is what I uncovered so far and am more than happy to hear and read comments about what I’ve missed or legislation that’s been updated. This is how exipure works as a healthy supplements.

1. The Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) made it illegal for anyone living in the US to kill, hunt, injure or harass all species of marine mammals (dolphins, manatees, sea lions, seals, whales), regardless of their population status. Also, it made it illegal for anyone to import marine mammals or products made from them into the United States.

2. In accordance to the MMPA it is illegal to approach a whale in the wild as it can be seen as harassment.

3. Also, since underwater noise (most often military tests using sonar) can be attributed to whale beaching requests for such testing must be made under the MMPA.

4. The Endangered Species Act made it so that it is illegal for anyone living in the US to kill, hunt, collect, injure or harass them. Also, it is illegal to destroy their habitat. Lastly, it is also illegal to buy or sell any whales. All great whales are listed as endangered.

5. The Pelly Amendment stated the US has an obligation to impose import sanctions on the fish products of the countries that violate any international fishery conservation program, such as the International Whaling Convention.

6. The Packwood-Manguson Amendment reduces the fishing rights of the countries that violate international fishery conservation programs in waters of the United States. Check out the Best cbd oil for pets deals.

7. The International Whaling Convention was in 1946 and implemented an indefinite ban on commercial whale. This ban is still in effect, with certain exceptions. Countries such as Japan and Norway have not honored the ban. The International Whaling Commission will be having its annual meeting in Panama this June.

8. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) had its 25th anniversary in 2007 and in the beginning was seen a more rigorous guideline to follow than the duties put forth by the International Whaling Convention of 1946.

9. Gillnet restrictions have been passed making it illegal for anyone using a gillnet to leave it unattended for more than two hours.

10. The US Coast Guard has imposed regulations since whale collisions with ships are a major source of injury and death for many whales. When vessels enter their habitat they must immediately report to a shore-based station to gain a better understanding of their surroundings and learn measure to avoid hitting a whale.

For more information how how to save whales please visit the American Cetacean Society.

You say you want a resolution! Well, you know …

If you and your family are looking for a motivating New Year’s resolution to revolutionize and change the world why not make a commitment towards using less water? According to the folks at Good (and Greg Rubin) in partnership with Levi a family of four uses 400 gallons of water a day but can survive on using only 3! This amazing infographic provides 10 interesting ways to use water wisely. For instance, they suggest making certain that when you do laundry to only do a full load since a half load uses 20 gallons. The Fairfax Water website states hat a full load of laundry uses 50 gallons so you can see over time continuous half loads would certainly waste some water.

“Big Miracle” trailer

While doing my daily search for all things Ryan Gosling I stumbled upon this trailer for “Big Miracle” (A movie that was previously named “Everyone Loves Whales”). This film, starring Drew Barrymore and John Krasinski, is based on a true story of the rescue efforts of three gray whales (named Fred, Wilma, and Bam-Bam) in Alaska. This movie is being released February 3rd so it is perfect as that “what-to-look-forward-to-after-the-holidays” treat.

Enjoy this trailer and see how many celebrities really do love whales!

“The Timeless Traveler” a new documentary by River Bank Studios

According to Jason Peters from Filmmakers for Conservation, “The film Timeless Traveler – The Horseshoe Crab is a film about what some consider to be the world’s most spectacular scientific breakthrough that could rewrite the pages of medical history. It is an appeal for the conservation of a unique species and aims to achieve a widespread public awareness and appreciation of Horseshoe Crabs throughout India and the world.”

New ‘marine life encyclopedia’ launched

I think there might be another great bookmark to add to your ocean facts files! Please spend some time reviewing this great new resource, a marine life encyclopedia, compiled by Oceana. Over 500 creatures, places, and concepts can be explored. The pictures are bright and colorful and the information is up-to-date and easy to digest. It seems fantastic if you want a quick answer to a question.

Even if you think you know all the answers, test yourself with this Ocean IQ quiz!

The content on the marine life encyclopedia site has been licensed to Dorling Kindersley, one of the world’s leading educational publishers.

“If I were a lion and you were a tuna”

Watch this clip from “The Other Guys” (2010) as Will Ferrell’s character schools Mark Wahlberg’s character on what would happen if a lion were to attack a tuna. Enjoy!

Until I saw the sea by Lilian Moore

Until I saw the sea
I did not know
that wind
could wrinkle water so

I never knew
that sun
could splinter a whole sea of blue

nor
did I know before,
a sea breathes in and out
upon a shore

by Lilian Moore

How fresh is your seafood?

Oceana teamed up with artist Don Foley to produce this infographic illustrating how our delicious seafood gets from hook to the icy fish case in our local food store. Shockingly, Oceana states that “Eighty-four percent of seafood eaten in the U.S. is imported, and it follows an increasingly complex path from a fishing boat to our plates.” Check out more on the nitty gritty 5-step process here.

It certainly is an eye opener and a wake up call. I once heard Sylvia Earle say that the best way she can think of to save the oceans is to not eat seafood from them. I think I might be getting close to that orthodox and the first step might be to curb the seafood purchases from anywhere not listed as sustainable even if I know the fishery is not in trouble. To help this lifestyle change I use ProjectFishMap.

Project FishMap is an application produced by Monterey Bay Aquarium that asks you to submit information when you find a restaurant or market that advocates sustainable seafood. As the map grows we can see what spots are the gems of the neighborhood. Click here for some more marine science apps for your smartphone.

Image (c) Oceana/Don Foley.

One Beach: film premiere on September 20th

On September 20th, the Barefoot Wines facebook page will be premiering a film directed by Jason Baffa. The movie, One Beach, is focused on inspiring people to tackle the issue of marine debris with creativity and a positive attitude. One Beach is a perfect follow-up to the International Coastal Cleanup event sponsored by Ocean Conservancy (among others) on September 17th.

At 6:30 pm EST on the day of the premiere there will be an introduction to the film by Jason followed by a questions and answers session from the cast.

Check out the trailer for One Beach below!

13 apps for your day at the beach

It’s time to get the most out of that last trip to the beach!

Whether you’re ready for a day out on the boat, lounging, beachcombing, catching some waves, or preparing a feast there is an app to get you more involved in your marine environment. Apps are not only a great way to learn something new on the fly but can be a useful tool for engaging one another in settings where you may not have common ground. (OK, at the very least apps settle many ‘discussions’.)

Here is a list of useful and rather attractive apps that can connect you to your inner marine biologist.

AUDUBON FIELD GUIDES: Audubon Fishes of the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico and Audubon Fishes – A Guide to North American Fishes include photos, geographic ranges, and concise yet detailed descriptions of appearances. Coming soon is the field guide for the Mid-Atlantic shoreline. ($9.99)

OCEANOGRAPHY STUDY GUIDE: If you are into fun oceanography trivia and want to learn more about the geography of the sea than download this app. It isn’t an endless list of “did you know?” facts but rather a large range of topics with well written articles for the serious beach chair scientist. ($4.99)

OFFICIAL APP OF ISSF: The International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF) was founded in 2008 when leaders of industry, scientists and environmental champions voiced concern over the future of tuna fisheries. This app provides a glossary of terms, videos, and a list of the status of stocks. (Free)

SEA TURTLE APP: This app was created by the Sea Turtle Conservancy and allows you to follow read the latest on sea turtle news but much more exciting you can track the global migration of different sea turtles with interactive satellite tracking maps! (Free)

Enough sitting around – it’s time to get out there and do something:

MOBILE APP FOR IGFA: The International Game Fishing Association created an app for weigh station locations, angler rules and regulations, customizable quests, and advice for trip planning. What more does a sport fisherman need?

MARINE DEBRIS TRACKER APP: This collaboration is brought to you by the Southeast Atlantic Marine Debris Initiative. The reporting of where you find marine debris can help to focus and prioritize federal efforts. The app uses GPS and allows you minimal work of sorting through lists of common marine debris. (Free)

CRAB APP: This app is an offshoot from the marine wild lab and allows you to collect horseshoe crab species data that will be used in scientific research. Horseshoe crabs are of enormous importance to 1) the drug industry due to their blood, 2) to fisheries for bait, and 3) to migratory shorebirds for its eggs.  (Free)

TIDE GRAPH: I found out that there are many, many apps out there to help you monitor the tides. Tide Graph will work for both coasts in the US and provides graphs to help you see how the tide changes over the day and the month. ($1.99)

If you are preparing a feast or gorging on some dockside seafood:

SEAFOOD WATCH: For years the Monterey Bay Aquarium has produced adorable pocket-sized regional cheat sheets so you can get a quick overview of what species are considered over fished or not in your neck of the woods. They continue to produce this application for your iPhone and use GPS tracking to discover where you are so you can get the most relevant information. (Free)

PROJECT FISHMAP: Monterey Bay Aquarium also gets you more involved by asking you to submit information when you find a restaurant or market that advocates sustainable seafood. As the map grows you can see what spots you’ve not uncovered in your neighborhood. (Free)

FISHPHONE APP: With one quick text (example: “fish salmon”) to 30644 Blue Ocean Institute will fed you intel on your species of choice. For instance, they’ll rank the sustainability and toxicity levels and send an overview of its conservation status. (Free)

SAFE SEAFOOD: This app takes information from ten different seafood rankings (including Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Environmental Defense Fund) to create its list. The app outlines choices in an easy to review “best to worst” list. I particularly like that fish with multiple different market names are listed by each of common name too. ($0.99, but 10% of the proceeds go to EDF)

I am certain I missed many wonderful apps. Please do not hesitate to email at info@beachchairscientist.com to share!

Added October 27, 2011: An app for water quality and to get the most up-to-date grade for your beach presented by Heal the Bay in California.