Shrimps Devastate Monterey Bay AquariumMantis shrimps are wreaking havoc in a splash zone exhibit at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Hermit crabs, snails and barnacles, which all help filter algae from the tanks and keep them clean, are disappearing daily by the handful. Two small fire fish also disappeared recently. Roy Caldwell, a professor of integrative biology and a mantis shrimp specialist at the University of California at Berkeley, has identified the pesky aquarium shrimp as a small variety of a smashing stomatopod. Other stomatopods, known as spearers, attack by using their sharp, formidable claws like blades. These “thumb-splitters” can cut through a person’s finger in milliseconds, and probably arrived by hitchhiking on one of the other aquarium’s exhibits. So far all attempts to catch the mantis shrimp have failed.
State Parks to get a Face Lift and Users Will See reduced Fees.
Starting in January, under orders from Gov. Gray Davis, the entrance fee at all 266 state parks will be cut in half from $6 to $3 at many parks, and from $5 to $2 at others. These are the lowest entrance fees since 1986. Boat launch fees will be eliminated, state museums will be free for children under 16, and camping fees, which now can reach $37.50 a night, will fall to $12. These changes are due to a thriving state economy and budget surplus and the passage of Proposition 12 last March. In addition to lower fees, look for the backlog of maintenance to be completed shortly at your favorite park.
Volunteers Take Pulse of Monterey Bay
The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and local conservation groups recently released a report summarizing the efforts of trained citizen volunteers who sampled water quality in the Sanctuary’s watersheds. “The ‘Snapshot Day’ report summarizes information from the largest simultaneous water quality monitoring event to occur in California,” said Linda Sheehan, Director of the Pacific Region for the Center for Marine Conservation. During this event, conducted on April 22, 2000 (Earth Day), volunteers tested 89 rivers and creeks at 122 different sampling sites, spanning 300 miles of the Central California Coast. The results compiled in the recently released report showed water quality in many of the Sanctuary’s watersheds to be generally good for the limited set of contaminants which were monitored last spring. The volunteer data did indicate problems, however, in several watersheds. Eighteen sampling sites displayed high levels of fecal coliform bacteria. Visit the Sanctuary’s website at www.mbnms.nos.noaa.gov/Resourcepro/reports/snapshot2000/ for more information. A new snapshot day monitoring event is planned for the upcoming Earth Day on April 21, 2001, and participants are hoping to obtain funding to support the event.
Toxin Threatens California Whales
Two years ago toxins released from an algae bloom were responsible for the deaths of more than 50 sea lions in California. Domoic acid is produced by the algae attacks the nervous system of birds and mammals. This summer there was another bloom and the foods of humpback and blue whales are contaminated. No whales have died from the toxin as yet.
Lobster Season Ends March 21, Late Season Great Time to Hunt
Lobster season will end Wednesday, March 21. Late in the season is often an excellent time to hunt for lobster. Most of the flurry of activity for the lobster hunt, both commercial and sport, takes place early in the season during October, November and tapers off in December. Commercial trappers begin pulling their traps as early as January due to diminishing returns and bad weather. In March, competition from the commercial trappers becomes almost non-existent. Even sport divers lose interest.
Late in the season lobsters come out of hiding and move around or back into easy to reach dive sites. And those lobster that were just barely undersized at the beginning of the season may have now grown just enough to be legal.
Several dive charter boats have trips either the last few days of the season or weekend before season close. Check in the California Scuba Calendar section of this publication for trips during that period.
Make a Date for Halibut Hunting on the Full Moon
Halibut begin moving into shallow water in spring. Hunters gear up to stalk these tasty fish. The best time to hunt halibut is in the spring in days preceding, during, and immediately after a full moon. For March, the full moon falls on Thursday the 8th. In April the full moon falls also on the 8th. Be sure to check current fish and game regulations before heading out.
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Symposium: Fishing for Our Future
Researchers, educators, students and the public are invited to learn about salmon, steelhead, and marine fisheries conservation and management issues in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. This is a free two-day event, Friday, March 16 and Saturday, March 17, 2001, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Coconut Grove, Santa Cruz (at the Boardwalk). Registration takes place at the symposium. For more information, call Liz Love at (831) 647-4255, or e-mail liz.love@noaa.gov
DUI Owners Group or “DOGs”
Diving Unlimited International (DUI) has been making top-quality thermal protection for divers for over three decades. Over the years DUI has maintained close contact to divers using their products. DUI has introduced the undertaking of formalizing this group. This group is called DUI Owners Group or “DOGs.” DUI will offer DOGs newsletters, special DOG events and rallies, special trips only DOGs can take, demos and more. DUI is even offering DOGs their own free “DOG” tags when they sign up. And by registering their dry suit and BCS, the serial number will be registered in their name in DUI’s database should they ever need it.
For more information about this new program or DUI, contact Susan Long-Holland, VP Sales & Marketing, DUI, Phone 619-236-1203 x312, email Susanlh@DUI-Online.com or visit www.DUI-Online.com on the web.