June & July SeaSmart News-

Enjoy a double dose of SeaSmart since we will be in Baja for most of July!

Measuring A Manta

 

Sea Lions - Natural Free Divers

 

Dolphin Pee Offers Friend Recognition 

 

Movie Spotlight - Sharkwater: Extinction

 

Follow Our Adventures in Baja This Summer

 

Alumni Spotlight

 

Student & Graduate Opportunities

 

SeaSmart Swag/Past Newsletters/Amazon Smile 

A "Simple" Strategy That Is Working In Conservation - Measuring Mantas

In recent years, populations of these mysterious, winged creatures have plummeted by up to 95 percent in some areas — largely as a result of overfishing or being caught unintentionally (those of you who have taken our classes know about bycatch!)— and scientists are scrambling to better understand and protect them. Now, a new technique for measuring manta rays could offer critical insights into their health, reproductive status, lifespans and whether a population is growing or shrinking. 

 

Developed in partnership with Conservation International, the technique is as simple as it’s effective: A floating PVC pipe deployed near surface-swimming manta rays creates a reference for size, while aerial drones capture images from above to record the animals’ measurements in relation to the pipe. “It’s basically a giant ruler, typically about 2 meters in length,” said Mark Erdmann, a marine biologist at Conservation International. “We’re calling it the ‘MantaMeasure.’ ” Most methods of measuring manta rays — including visual estimates by trained scuba divers, often using underwater lasers or stereo-video cameras — are potentially disruptive. They require divers to swim close to the rays, which can be perceived as threatening to these gentle giants and interrupt their feeding, socializing, or even mating. The MantaMeasure is cost-effective, highly accurate and non-invasive, allowing scientists to record manta rays’ dimensions without stressing them — and providing crucial information for conservation efforts. 

 

“Body size can tell us a lot about the demographics of a manta ray population — from the breakdown of adults and juveniles in a group to the rates at which individuals are growing,” Erdmann said. “This information can provide insights on potential impacts from fisheries, climate change or other threats. Ultimately, that can help countries develop targeted conservation interventions and monitor their effectiveness over time.” The MantaMeasure is currently being used in New Zealand and could expand into other countries in the Pacific. Aerial drones can also be used to count the number of manta rays in larger feeding aggregations and identify nursery areas — something that would be virtually impossible to do from a boat.

How Long Can Sea Lions Hold Their Breath?

Like humans, sea lions are mammals that need oxygen to survive.  However, they've got some adaptations that allow them to live and thrive in the aquatic environment.  Unlike us humans with nostrils that remain open all of time, their nostrils are closed naturally and they use special muscles to open them in order to take a breath.  Sea lions can remain underwater for an average of 8-20 minutes and dive to depths of up to 450-900 feet/135-272 meters. 

Recognizing Urine?

New research suggests the marine mammals actually know the taste of their friends. More specifically, they can recognize comrades by sampling their urine. For bottlenose dolphins, it's the taste of urine and signature whistles that allow them to recognize their friends at a distance, according to a study published last month in Science Advances. The use of taste is highly beneficial in the open ocean because urine plumes will persist for a while after an animal has left. This alerts dolphins to the recent presence of that individual even if it had not signaled its presence vocally.

 

To investigate, the team presented eight dolphins with urine samples from familiar and unfamiliar individuals, finding they spent around three times as long sampling urine from those they knew. Genital inspection, in which a dolphin uses its jaw to touch the genitals of another individual, is common in their social interactions, providing a good opportunity to learn the taste of others' urine.

 

Researchers worked with dolphins and found that when they were exposed to samples of urine from other dolphins they lived with, they would linger three to four times longer than they would with urine samples from unfamiliar dolphins. In another phase of the experiment, the scientists played either the matching signature whistle of the dolphin whose urine was being sampled or the whistle of a different, mismatched dolphin. Again, the dolphins lingered longer with the urine sample when it matched the whistle of the dolphin it came from.

 

This suggests dolphins taste pee to see who's who in the same way dogs sniff butts. In case you were wondering if dolphins might be using their sense of smell rather than taste, it's a little-known fact that dolphins have an underdeveloped sense of smell-dolphins do not have olfactory bulbs, leaving the team certain it was taste and not smell at play. Studies have suggested that their sense of taste is limited to saltiness. Perhaps this helps them distinguish a buddy's pee from the surrounding salt water ocean. 

 

"Given the recognition skills revealed in our study, we think that it is likely that dolphins can also extract other information from urine, such as reproductive state, or use pheromones to influence each other's behavior," the researchers explained. 

Sharkwater: Extinction is a thrilling and inspiring action packed journey that follows filmmaker Rob Stewart as he exposes the massive illegal shark fin industry and the political corruption behind it — a conspiracy that is leading to the extinction of sharks.

 

From West Africa, Spain, Panama, Costa Rica, France, and even in our own backyard, Stewart’s third film dives into the often violent underworld of the pirate fishing trade to expose a multi-billion dollar industry.

 

Shark finning is still rampant, shark fin soup is still being consumed on an enormous scale, and endangered sharks are now also being used to make products for human consumption.  Stewart’s mission is to save the sharks and oceans before it’s too late.

 

But exposing illegal activities isn’t easy; protecting sharks has earned him some powerful enemies. A sequel to his 2006 film Sharkwater, the film, which Stewart was working on at the time of his death in a diving accident in January 2017, was completed by the Rob Stewart Foundation.

Follow Us In Baja This Summer 

We are thrilled to report that our student & adult weeks are full for this summer's programs in Baja, MX. Our participants hail from Washington, Louisiana, Virginia, Maine, Texas, California, New Jersey, New York, and Michigan.

 

So many exciting activities are planned for our week in Baja...from diving with sea lions, to learning about sharks and rays with locally renowned scientists, and getting into the water with them!  

 

If you would like to follow our adventures, we will be posting pictures on our Facebook page (SeaSmart) and Instagram account (@seasmartocean).  You will know us by our logo in the profile pic:

You can also check out the group's personal IG posts via #seasmartbaja2022.

Jason S., who has adventured with us to both Utila and Bimini, graduates high school this year and is headed to Duke to study Economics. You can hear from Jason about his experiences in the link below. Congratulations to Jason! 

Hear from Jason on SeaSmart's Alumni Page

Coral Restoration Foundation Intern Opportunity

Our partners at CRF invite applicants to apply to their internship who are enrolled in an undergraduate program having completed at least two years of study at an accredited college or university,  are in enrolled in a graduate program, or are a recent graduate from a  college or university. Preference will be given to students who have studied or are studying marine science, specifically coral reefs. More information:

CRF Internship

Marine Conservation Fellows Program

REEF is currently seeking applications for three fellow positions. The target audience is college-aged and early career individuals. The program is not limited to US citizens but international fellows need to secure all necessary visas and permits. The review of applications will begin on July 5, 2022, and then review will be on a rolling basis after that. Desired start date for the next round of fellows is August 22, but the actual start date remains flexible for the right candidate. Fellow positions will remain open until filled. Interested candidates apply online, and the application includes an online form, an attachment with cover letter, CV, and answers to several questions, and one letter of reference. Be sure to read each of the position descriptions to understand the scope of responsibilities.

More REEF Info

New Jersey Student Sustainability Coalition Student Reps Program 

This year's student reps program will be taking place during the week of June 26th. The program builds student leaders through training sessions focused on environmental organizing. Applications are due by June 24th.  

 

More details at tiny.cc/njsscstudentreps2022.

SeaSmart Swag: New Styles Added!  

The new Protect What You Love style is available on our super cool sweatshirts, and long & short sleeved T's. Choose from a variety of sizes and colors with proceeds going toward the 2022 Diversity Scholarship. Every ocean lover will want one! 

Purchase SeaSmart Swag

Don't Worry If You Have Missed Past Newsletters  

SeaSmart's monthly newsletters are available on our website.  You can catch up on all of the cool info and opportunities here:

SeaSmart Newsletters

For When You Have To Order on Amazon

No one believes in shopping local and supporting small, eco-conscious businesses more than SeaSmart. However, we recognize there are times when you might just have to order on Amazon.  In a past newsletter, we highlighted how you can request packaging that reduces or eliminates the use of plastic.  

 

Now we have a wonderful opportunity for you to support SeaSmart when you do shop on Amazon. AmazonSmile is a program that donates 0.5% of your eligible purchases on Amazon to SeaSmart. It's the same products, at the same prices-with no cost to you!

 

All you need to do is start your shopping at smile.amazon.com. (You do have to use this link when shopping from a computer, so you may want to bookmark the SeaSmart shopping link.)  Or use the link below to get started! 

 

If you use the Amazon App on your phone,  simply open the app and find ’Settings’ in the main menu (☰). Tap on ‘AmazonSmile’ and follow the on-screen instructions to turn on AmazonSmile, and benefit SeaSmart, on your phone.

 

Every little bit helps, so thanks for supporting SeaSmart with this small step! 

Amazon Smile for SeaSmart
Call for more information:
201.960.2363
or visit SeaSmartOcean.org