Jean-Michel Cousteau on the Gulf, His Father and Our Oceans’ Future

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January 31, 2011: Our special guest this week is Jean-Michel Cousteau, who leads Ocean Futures Society, a nonprofit marine conservation organization which he founded in 1999 to honor his father’s legacy to carry on his pioneering work in exploring, filming and protecting the oceans.? Jean-Michel has produced over 80 films, received the Emmy and the Peabody Award among others. He was honored with the Environmental Hero Award by the White House. In February 2002, he became the first person to represent the Environment in the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games in Salt Lake City. Jean-Michel led the effort to return Keiko, the captive killer whale of “Free Willy” film fame, to the wild. With his team, Jean-Michel has been working for months to document the impact of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster. Also: Our in-depth coverage of the National? Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill continues.

The Ocean Doctor airs weekly on WebTalkRadio.net. Want to listen on your iPod, iPhone or mp3 player? Download the mp3 file or subscribe on iTunes and don’t miss a single episode. See the complete list of episodes.

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Submit a question and I’ll try to answer it on the air. Even better, record your question or comment on our special message line and I might play it on the air. Call: (805) 619-9194. You can also leave questions and comments for this episode below.

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NOAA Offers ‘How Do We Explore’ – A Free Online Ocean Exploration Course for Teachers and the Public

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A free online educational workshop for formal and informal educators, ocean explorers, scientists and other interested members of the public will be available from NOAA later this month.
NOAA News Releases

Note: Newswire stories are provided as a courtesy of OceanDoctor.org. Content of these articles is provided by external sources.

Sharp rise reported in Scots fish lice chemical (BBC)

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The level of chemicals used by fish farmers to treat sea lice infestations has risen dramatically, a BBC Scotland investigation has learned.

Scottish government figures showed that over the past five years, the industry used a broader range of chemicals and more of them.

Campaigners claim the figures are evidence the natural parasite is becoming resistant to the treatments.

Fish lice have been blamed for damaging salmon and sea trout stocks. Read more

Artificial Reefs: National Geographic Shows Us the Beauty, the Science & the Controversy

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"From Relics to Reefs" can be found in the February 2011 issue of National Geographic magazine, on newsstands January 25, 2011

“From Relics to Reefs” can be found in the February 2011 issue of National Geographic magazine, on newsstands January 25, 2011

They’re favorites among divers and fishermen, they’re teeming with life, and they’re heralded as a way to rebuild dwindling fish populations. They’re also controversial. With the breathtaking imagery of renowned National Geographic photographer David Doubilet, the February 2011 issue of National Geographic Magazine brings us deep into the heart of the artificial reefs found throughout our ocean waters. Read more

Chemical in Dispersants Endured Long After Gulf Oil Spill, Study Finds

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The ingredient was found nearly 200 miles from the wellhead two months after BP stopped applying dispersants. Tests indicate the amount found wasn’t toxic, but ‘we don’t really know what effect it had on the environment,’ the lead researcher says.

By Bettina Boxall, Los Angeles Times

January 26, 2011, 5:33 p.m.

A key ingredient of the chemical dispersants released last summer at BP’s spewing wellhead persisted in the Gulf of Mexico’s deep waters for two months and was carried by currents nearly 200 miles, according to a study released Wednesday.

The research, conducted by scientists from California universities and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts, sheds light on the fate of the 771,000 gallons of dispersants – which had never before been released at such depths – but does not address their effect on deep-sea life, or whether they worked as intended.

BP applied about 2 million gallons of dispersants to break down the oil during the four months it gushed into the gulf and to keep it from reaching sensitive shore environments. More than half that amount was sprayed on the water’s surface, but 771,000 gallons were pumped into the clouds of oil and gas that billowed from the seabed, nearly a mile below.

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Note: Newswire stories are provided as a courtesy of OceanDoctor.org. Content of these articles is provided by external sources.

Less Than Half of Students Proficient in Science

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By CHRISTINE ARMARIO
Associated Press

The nation’s students are still struggling in science, with less than half considered proficient and just a tiny fraction showing the advanced skills that could lead to careers in science and technology, according to results from an exam released Tuesday.

Only 1 percent of fourth-grade and 12th-grade students, and 2 percent of eighth-graders scored in the highest group on the 2009 National Assessment of Educational Progress, a federal test known as the Nation’s Report Card.

“Our ability to create the next generation of U.S. leaders in science and technology is seriously in danger,” said Alan Friedman, former director of the New York Hall of Science, and a member of the board that oversees the test.

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Note: Newswire stories are provided as a courtesy of OceanDoctor.org. Content of these articles is provided by external sources.

Video: Cuba – A Hope Spot

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[youtube 0YIZ7vYbP0k 590 360]

This beautiful video was put together by Kip Evans, Director, Photography and Expeditions at the Sylvia Earle Alliance (SEA). See also Mountain & Sea Productions and Kip Evans Photography.

David E. Guggenheim at Jardines de la Reina, Cuba (Photo by Kip Evans)

David E. Guggenheim at Jardines de la Reina, Cuba (Photo by Kip Evans)

Dr. David E. Guggenheim is President of Ocean Doctor and directs its Cuba Conservancy program.

Saving Our Seas with an eBay Guitar: The Arts and Ocean Literacy

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The Ocean Doctor on WebTalkRadio.net

January 24, 2011: Like it or not, our kids are going to inherit an oiled Gulf and a troubled ocean, and their generation will ultimately have to deal with problems we’ve created. But how do we ensure they’re up to the challenge? If you listen to multimedia artist and conservationist Mark Holmes, reaching our kids through the arts is a powerful approach and that’s exactly what he’s doing with the newly-formed Institute for Ocean Literacy. Mark formerly worked at National Geographic where he launched the NationalGeographic.com web site and designed and art directed National Geographic Magazine. His music, graphic novels, and passion are helping to inspire our next generation. Also: Our in-depth coverage of the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling continues as the Ocean Doctor guides you through the highlights of its final report.

The Ocean Doctor airs weekly on WebTalkRadio.net. Want to listen on your iPod, iPhone or mp3 player? Download the mp3 file or subscribe on iTunes and don’t miss a single episode. See the complete list of episodes.

Follow The Ocean Doctor on Twitter — Become a Fan on Facebook!

Submit a question and I’ll try to answer it on the air. Even better, record your question or comment on our special message line and I might play it on the air. Call: (805) 619-9194. You can also leave questions and comments for this episode below.

Like the show? Learn how to become a sponsor. Read more

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

BP’s Disaster Down Under

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Australians continue to raise their barbie sticks to say “no” to the proposed liquified natural gas (LNG) plant in the country’s pristine, untouched Kimberley region, off its west coast.

Currently, the massive area’s sprinkling of residents enjoy the company of endangered marine life, including snubfin dolphins, sawfish, turtles, dugongs and lots of fish. They are also fortunate to host the world’s largest population of humpback whales. One of the endangered species endemic to this region is flatback turtles, with approximately 1,000 of them nesting annually at an island off the coast.

However, the unspoiled, delicate environment could soon be over-run with visitors from unsavory entities such as Woodside Petroleum, Chevron, Shell, BP and BHP Billiton. If one remembers our Gulf of Mexico disaster last summer, it’s obvious that these companies aren’t exactly ocean-friendly neighbors.

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President Obama Signs Shark Conservation Act

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President Obama has signed into force the Shark Conservation Act, which prohibits almost all shark finning by U.S. vessels and in U.S. waters. The president signed the act on January 4, two weeks after the House and Senate passed the bill.

The act requires any U.S. vessel to land sharks with their fins attached and prevents non-fishing vessels from transporting fins without their carcasses. The new law also allows the United States to block seafood imports from countries that permit shark finning.

Read the rest at SeaWeb…