WDCS's Origami Dolphin Campaign

Hey guys,

As a follow-up to my last post about Morgan the orca, I thought it would be a great idea if we could get as many people as possible to join the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society's campaign for a dolphinarium-free European Union.

So how do you get involved? Well it's fun and it will only cost you the price of a postage stamp!

Make an origami dolphin (or whale) and send it in to WDCS by the end of March to make a statement against captive dolphins in the EU.

Watch this instructional video to make your own little dolphin:



Your origami creations will be sent to the European Parliament from the people of the world as a petition in favor of free dolphins living their natural lives.

Here's mine!



Click here to be taken through to the campaign website.

Let's make sure this never happens to cetaceans like Morgan again.

Thanks for participating and speaking up for dolphin freedom!


***UPDATE***
Who likes prizes?
Trick question - everyone does.

Have you made your origami dolphin yet? Send me a photo of your little paper creations to be entered into a prize draw!

Don't forget: Your origami dolphins need to reach WDCS by the end of March to be included, so make sure you pop them in the mail soon! Photo submissions for the prize draw will end Friday 23 March (to ensure you have proper posting time!), winner will be selected randomly and announced on the 31^st.

Photo entries will be posted on this blog. Don't forget to leave a way for me to contact you if you've won!

This prize draw is being conducted by the Unemployed Marine Biologist and is not directly affiliated with the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.


***ANOTHER UPDATE***
WDCS has extended their origami dolphin campaign until the end of September. That gives you lots of time to submit your little paper buddies! However, my prize draw will still be ending Friday 23 March, with the winner announced on 31 March.

With all this extra time, maybe I'll do another prize draw in September...?

I'm thinking of some prizes for this go around. Feel free to submit any ideas in the comments!

This prize draw is being conducted by the Unemployed Marine Biologist and is not directly affiliated with the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.

Selfridges' Project Ocean

photo credit Stephanie Dickens

Earlier this summer, Selfridges & Co launched its Project Ocean campaign, focusing on the threats of overfishing and poor fishing practices in the UK and worldwide. Partnering with over 20 environmental groups, Selfridges put together talks, activities, learning opportunities, workshops, information and their famous store-front windows to help raise awareness about the threats the ocean is currently facing.

Here's some lovely numbers:
-Nearly 4 million people saw Project Ocean’s windows
-Over 8 million Britons saw the Project Ocean campaign advertising
-45,000 Selfridges Fish Guides were given away
-More than 17,500 customers took part in an Ultralounge talk or activity, with an average of 700 people each day
-550 people attended the 4 Ocean Talks
-Coley Fish and chips in HIX [Selfridges' restaurant and champagne bar] became the number one selling dish on its menu

Selfridges has also raised over £120,200.00 for the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) to create marine reserves. One area has already been set aside in the Philippines for the protection of fish and other marine life. They're still accepting donations, so if you're feeling generous today and want to be part of a new marine protected area, click here (and after you've sent your donation, click here to see your name on a fish)!

Four talks were held on the subjects of sustainable fishing and marine conservation. The first was called "Fishing in Troubled Waters" and was chaired by End of The Line author Charles Clover, with guests Nigel Edwards of Seachill and Iceland Group, fashion designer Katherine Hamnett, Jeremy Percy of National Under Ten Metre Fisherman's Association (NUFTA) and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall of Channel 4 and Hugh's Fish Fight.

Some highlights of this talk included Clover's statistics: 32% of the world's fish stocks are currently exploited, 85% are at or beyond their limits, and that the human population will rise 1/3 by 2050. It doesn't take a genius to put these pieces together. With a disproportionate amount of the human population relying on the sea for their main sources of food and protein, we are on a collision course with reality if we continue to fish the way we have been fishing.

One particular clip shown by Fearnley-Whittingstall illustrated the complications of fishing laws and waste catch. Fearnley-Whittingstall was filmed on a fishing boat when the haul was brought on board and sorted. Only a few individual fish were kept because they were the allowed and targeted species - the only species that by law the fishermen were allowed to keep. Twenty baskets of bycatch - more than the number of targeted species caught - had to be thrown overboard as waste. The fishermen had never seen it laid out before them like this and were visibly upset - one even lifting up a now-dead "waste" fish and saying that it was a beautiful specimen, one that would be hard to find nowadays, and it is being wasted for nothing. The bycatch caught on this one trip would have fed 2,000 people. It's not always the fishermen's fault that these species die and go to waste; sometimes the laws just aren't up to par.

There is hope, though. Sustainable fisheries and buying fish from healthy stocks is coming to the world's attention slowly but surely. Talks are being held in government buildings in many nations, but the truth is that there is still a long way to go.

But you can help. Change in a consumer market needs to come from the consumers.
◦There are many fish guide apps now available to help consumers be more informed on restaurant and shopping trips. Ask where and how your fish is caught (You'll likely be met with confused looks, but let your providers know you care! They will respond!).
◦Don't buy red-listed fish - if we only support fish from sustainable sources, the market will have to adjust to reap its profits.
◦Spread out your species - did you know that there are over 50 different species of tuna? Why not try skipjack instead of bluefin? Have you tried mackerel? Sprats?
◦Don't eat at restaurants that serve red-listed fish species, and let them know you're not impressed by their "fancy" selection.
◦Spread the word!

Stephanie at Global Ocean was lucky enough to attend all four of these talks. If you'd like their summary, please click through to her write-up!

Free the Steve!

photo credit Sea Shepherd Conservation Society

The Sea Shepherd's methods might be controversial, but one thing is for sure...They get shit done. Even the Japanese admitted it.

But the Sea Shepherd's flagship the Steve Irwin is in danger of being seized and sold. Right now, the British courts are holding the vessel in Lerwick, Scotland because of a civil lawsuit brought against Sea Shepherd for the release of (allegedly) illegally caught endangered bluefin tuna by Maltese fishing company Fish and Fish Limited. The bond demanded for the release of the ship is a whopping $1,411,692.87.

But you can help! I urge you to donate whatever you can to aid this fearless organisation's flagship and to help get it back out onto the seas in time to save the Faeroese pilot whales and the great whales of the Southern Ocean.

I understand times are tough right now and money is scarce for most. Believe me, I understand...this blog ain't called the UNEMPLOYED Marine Biologist for nothin'. However, I do make a little bit of money here and there, and recently I've been really bummed about the state of everything and I've been trying to figure out what makes me happy and what makes the world a better place. I reached two conclusions: 1.) Doing everything in my power to protect and raise awareness about marine conservation is what makes me happiest, regardless of money. 2.) I would be devastated if the Sea Shepherd lost their flagship vessel and wasn't able to protect our seas in that special kick-ass way they do. Also, I hate my fucking "job", so I gave all that misery-money from my check last week to a better cause: Supporting the direct action and conservation of the people at Sea Shepherd.

Whatever you can spare, I urge you to do the same. I promise you won't regret it!

Click here to read (and watch!) a personal message from Captain Paul Watson.

Saving Valentina

Please take a moment to enjoy this amazing video circulating on the net of Michael Fishbach's (co-founder of The Great Whale Conservancy) story of his close encounter and subsequent rescue of a young entangled humpback whale. Great work!!

A Birthday Wish

Hey everyone,

My birthday is on Monday and I'm trying to raise $100 for the Fund for Gulf Coast Restoration. If you love marine biology, the beach, or the environment (or me!) and you're feeling generous, please consider making a small donation to this cause!

Click here! Thank you!! :)


photo credit Cathy Hennessy

***UPDATE***
Thank you to all my friends who helped me reach my goal of $100 for the Fund for Gulf Coast Restoration!! Couldn't have done it without you!

Sharks in Chinatown

Hi all.

The demonstration last Thursday in Chinatown was a great success!


photo credit EcoHustler

I was excited before I even got there. I had read an article the day before we even went over about restaurants that were already pulling shark fin soup from their menus, fearing the bad PR it would bring them.

"'We’ve taken it off the menu,' says Yip-Cheong Wong, manager at the Golden Dragon, pointing to a sticker plastered across the soup section: 'Save the shark: This item is no longer available.'"

And other restaurants have followed suit, how exciting!

Personally, I was a bit worried about going into a cultural center on a big holiday and offending people who value their traditions. I've mentioned here before I don't think aggressive confrontation is always the best way about things. However, I did like the way the EcoHustler blog put it:

"The trouble is, eating shark fin is a cultural phenomenon so you have two choices: be politically correct and look the other way or strap a pair on and have a conversation with the people who like to eat it."

The people of Chinatown seemed genuinely concerned about the shark populations and many of them were very opposed to shark fin soup and the practice of shark finning. It was a very friendly afternoon and we reached a lot of people.

So what did we do?

Well, Matt over at EcoHustler created some nice leaflets (available for download and distribution) for the event with information about the decline of shark populations and a few suggestions for people to take action. Having never handed out leaflets before, I was honestly surprised at how many people took and read them. I always just assumed that no one ever took those things, ha! We also had a lovely shark-person in participation:


photo credit EcoHustler

And shark cookies!




om nom nom
photos are my own

We teamed up with Global Ocean, who is preparing a petition to end shark finning in the European Union. Please take a moment to sign it here. There is only one week left before it must be delivered!!

Conversations worth mentioning were with a restaurateur who owns a chain of Chinese restaurants and was concerned about the image shark fin soup gives establishments who continue to sell it, and a woman raised in China who has known shark fin soup all her life but remains shocked and horrified at the practice of finning and doesn't understand why anyone actually supports it.

All in all, a great day with great people.

Missed the event? No worries. Stay tuned here for future rallies and things you can do on your own. Why not start by refusing to buy from restaurants who continue to serve shark on the menu, and by signing the Global Ocean petition?


Additional Information:
Shark’s Fin Comes Off Menu as Cruelty Campaign Sways U.K. Chefs - Bloomberg
(*Worth noting in this article, Royal China claims to have removed all shark products from their restaurants, but investigation by EcoHustler proves otherwise. It is important to note that many of these restaurants will serve it off the menu as to not attract negative attention)
EcoHustler
Check out EcoHustler's summary of the event here; "We Joined the SharkSide!"
Save Our Sharks leaflets for download
Global Ocean
Global Ocean's petition to ban shark finning in the European Union

Say No to Shark Fin Soup on Chinese New Year

photo credit Shawn Heinrichs

Chinese New Year is Thursday, and celebrations will be happening all week long. While I'm all for dancing dragons, beautiful paper lanterns, fireworks and a shit-ton of rice, one Chinese tradition I will not be enjoying is shark fin soup.

Shark fin soup has been described as "bland" and "gelatinous." Not exactly something appealing. Yet, as a status symbol, it has been gaining popularity for quite some time as the middle class economy in China has grown.

The practice of finning is gruesome and wasteful beyond a doubt. Live sharks of every species are caught and their fins are cut off while the animals are still alive. Only the fins are saved - the rest of the shark is thrown back into the sea. Unable to swim with their fins now removed, the sharks sink to the bottom and die a slow death, often eaten alive by scavengers or smaller fish. Additionally, many shark species need to swim in order to push oxygenated water over their gills to breathe. Without the ability to swim, the sharks slowly suffocate on the ocean floor.

It was recently announced by the Pew Environment Group and a wildlife trade monitoring network called Traffic that the ten-year shark conservation plan set by shark fishing nations has failed. Agreed upon in 2001, recommendations included "identifying and protecting key habitat, ensuring catches are sustainable, and minimising waste and discards."

Of the top 20 shark fishing nations - which account for 80% of the worldwide catch (~100 million animals per year) - only 13 currently have national plans outlined.

"'The fate of the world's sharks is in the hands of the top 20 shark catchers, most of which have failed to demonstrate what, if anything, they are doing to save these imperiled species,' said Glenn Sant, leader of Traffic's global marine programme."

Due to the increase in negative publicity, and the knowledge spreading that shark fin soup is no longer a sustainable dish, many restaurants have been taking positive measures and removing it from their menus.

Says Bernard Ng, Imperial City restaurant manager in London: "Times are changing and this once popular dish has become less fashionable in recent years...I think it's a positive decision that sets us apart from other Chinese restaurants."

But what can you and I do about it?

Well, for starters, don't buy shark fin soup! Don't ask for it, don't order it, don't go to restaurants and events that offer it...Reduce the demand! You are in control of what you support, so make a conscious effort not to support this unsustainable dish.

If you're on Facebook, I highly recommend looking up The Global Shark Initiative. They're a great organisation that offers lots of information and opportunities to take action on behalf of sharks - simple things we all can do to make a difference, like writing letters or sharing information via links. Save our Sharks from a Bowl of Soup is a similar group.

If you happen to be in London, let's go on a date! There will be a gathering of awesome environmentally-minded people in Chinatown this week, organised by EcoHustler:

"On Thursday 03 February people from many walks of life will come together in London’s Chinatown to celebrate the arrival of the Chinese New Year, and also to show their support for local efforts to take shark fin off the menu. The global trade in shark fin is pushing these ancient and awesome creatures to the brink of extinction. Sharks are apex predators, so when they are taken out, ecosystems are pushed out of balance with devastating knock-on effects. It is estimated by scientists that 90% of the global shark population has already been wiped out.

Sales of shark fin traditionally reach their peak at Chinese New Year. By visiting Chinatown on that day with flyers detailing the extent of the problem, with a positive message sustainability, we hope to change attitudes for the better, and persuade consumers to change their dining habits to protect our oceans.

You are invited to join this loose alliance of marine conservation groups, environmentalists, scientists, students and other concerned citizens to make a stand for sharks."

The more, the merrier. :)


image credit The Global Shark Initiative & Din

More information:
Shark Nations Failing on Conservation Pledges - BBC
Shark Fin Soup off Menu at Chinese Restaurants - The Evening Standard
The Global Shark Initiative - Facebook
Save our Sharks from a Bowl of Soup - Facebook
More on EcoHustler's London Gathering

Ten Things Kids Want Us to Know About Trash in the Ocean - Ocean Conservancy

image credit Isiah & Ocean Conservancy

"I was heartbroken. Pollution is ruining the beauty of beaches around the world," says Jocelyn, a fourth-grader who participated in New York City's leg of the Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Cleanup.

Students headed to their local beaches to collect garbage and record the items they found. Here's a bit of what they had to say:

"Some things that are making all these things go on beaches are that people throw things into lakes, rivers and oceans, and those things travel around the world and end up on shores and on beaches." -Juliet

"On Plumb Beach I saw two cigarette liters. You might think that's not so bad but they still had oil in them." -Karin

"I don't want to sound like I'm bossing people around but you guys have got to step up and get tough about this stuff." -Jack

The children sent in their findings to the Ocean Conservancy along with a few suggestions they had about reducing the amount of trash that ends up on our beaches.

Completely adorable. If fourth-graders can go out and actually do something about the problem, why can't adults?

Full article here (Ocean Conservancy)

Save the Whale Sharks!

photo credit PangeaSeed

Did you know that Monday, August 30^th is International Whale Shark Day? And it couldn't have come at a better time, because there are two whale sharks that need your help.

In Cancun, Mexico August 30^th is a day to swim with these gentle giants. Affectionately called "Dominoes" due to their spotted patterns, the sharks migrate to this area and hang out to be adored by locals and tourists alike from May to September. You can even swim with them! But only two people are allowed at a time, you must have a guide, and you must NEVER touch the animals. A proper way to experience the beauty this shark emanates. It's on my bucket list.

But back to business, Japanese (surprise) fishermen have caught not one, but TWO whale sharks, and are keeping them in a mere 50 x 50 meter net until they can profit off their sale to an aquarium. Currently no aquarium can house the huge fish, so they're sentenced to swim in circles until NOVEMBER, upon which the fishermen will give up and release them - if they're still alive. To add insult to injury, 40 divers and a glass-bottomed boat float around in the net to bring in some cash while the sharks await their fate.

"In addition, the tiny enclosure forces the shark to make a lot of sharp turns, causing it to burn off it’s energy very fast. The man-made environment can also not cater to a whale shark's special feeding requirements. In short, its inability to adapt to this captivity will drastically reduce the shark’s lifespan," says a posting from The Global Shark Initiative on Facebook (which obviously I'm suggesting that you join).

So what can you do to help? Simply send an email - and it's already been written for you! Take a moment of your time to help save one of the most beautiful creatures to ever grace the face of this planet. Follow this link to a PDF file that has both the Japanese and the English translation, respectfully calling for the release of the two sharks. Highlight, copy, paste and send it off to the address provided and know you have been a voice in saving these unfortunate individuals. Action needs to be taken now to minimize the effects of captivity!

I did it, will you?

The Global Shark Initiative on Facebook
PDF Letter Calling for the Release of the two Sharks
International Whale Shark Day in Cancun

Gulf Oil Spill - How we can Help - NEAQ

For my 100th post, I'm going to write about something I've been meaning to for a while now...it's only fair.

New England Aquarium (NEAQ) in Boston, Massachusetts. One of my all-time favourite places to check out what's going on in the sea. As a child, my family used to vacation to Boston every summer, and I remember DESPERATELY waiting for the day we'd visit the aquarium. I remember the central Giant Ocean Tank, and always trying to find my favourite fish - the "big nose fish" aka hogfish. I remember FREAKING out at the dolphin show (which the no longer have, thankfully...but what does a kid know?) and waving my stuffed sea lion, Guthry, in the air super-high so I would get picked to have the sea lion in the show give me a kiss. They never picked me, though. Regardless, I truly believe that NEAQ furthered my passion for following marine science. I even got to volunteer there after I graduated college, but that's another story. Anyway, now that I've given NEAQ a proper nod - the real story:

NEAQ is one of the relatively few (as far as I know) aquariums to be involved in lots of other areas outside their main look-at-fish scheme. One of those areas is responding to the Gulf oil spill. NEAQ rescue teams have brought in over 40 oiled sea turtles from contaminated waters for recuperation in rehabilitation facilities based in New Orleans. The turtles were collected by boat and brought back to local facilities at the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas to be cleaned and treated. To see all of the amazing hard work they've done (and photos of happy sea turtles, of course), check out their Marine Animal Rescue Team Blog (This is the first post of the series, for consecutive posts follow the "Oil Spill Posts" menu on the right)!


photo credit NOAA, Georgia DNR, NEAQ

But if that wasn't cool enough, NEAQ is building their own rescue and rehabilitation facility in Quincy, Massachusetts where turtles can come to be properly cared for after environmental disasters such as this spill. If you're feeling particularly generous, why not send a few dollars (pounds, euros, etc.) their way to help raise the $500,000 they need? Think of the happy turtles.


photo credit NEAQ

More information here (NEAQ)

Gulf Farmers Asked to Flood Fields for Migrating Birds - LA Times

This is a pretty cool idea. A federal conservation agency is offering to pay landowners in the Gulf states to flood their fields, in hopes that birds will choose to nest in these areas instead of those that are currently contaminated with oil.

"Landowners would be expected to flood fields and promote the growth of vegetation favored by migratory birds, or to enhance existing wetlands on their properties, for three to five years, said NRCS spokeswoman Chris Coulon. Rice fields and fish farms are particularly suited to the initiative."

Three to five years is a good start. At first I thought this was only for the current season, but obviously the effects of the oil spill will be felt for years to come. I imagine it will take longer to fully clean the area, but hopefully this initiative will be met with success and the program can grow.

"None of this is guaranteed to work," Butcher said. "We're expecting that this will work at least a little bit. We're hoping that it'll help a lot."

Full article here (LA Times)

Oiled Dolphin Found near Ft. Pickens - Fox News

A young female dolphin stranded herself, covered in oil. The rest of her pod swam anxiously by as they cried to each other.

"It had beached itself. Its sides were covered in a quarter inch of oil. We started splashing water, scraped oil off it sides and off its eyes," said Christy Travis, who found the dolphin. "It was very sad, it would make you cry. It was crying. There was pod of dolphins just off surf and they were jumping out of water and they were making noise."

Responders from the Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge came immediately, but the dolphin died shortly after.

Now, I have something to say. It's going to sound heartless, but it's extremely important for anyone who ever finds a stranded animal to know. If you ever find a stranded animal, DO NOT touch it. Do not get close to it. This is not for your protection, this is for the protection of the animal. I know, it's heartbreaking to see an animal like a dolphin suffering and in need of help, but the truth is that this animal most likely died because of the stress caused by being handled by humans - not the oil. This was a young animal, and chances are it had never seen a human before. Now all of a sudden it's caked in a strange toxic substance that's affecting its ability to swim, and people are lifting it out of the water and surrounding it. I know these people meant well - of course they meant well. There is no doubt. But the fact is that dolphins are wild animals that are not used to being handled, and once a dolphin reaches a certain stress point, there is no coming back. It will die.

This is why we have thousands of responders all across the country. They have been trained in the proper techniques for handling and dealing with a stranded animal. Marine animals are particularly vulnerable because they are out of their element - literally. I have been trained as a marine mammal and sea turtle stranding responder, and it's hard work. It's not what your instincts tell you to do when you see an animal that needs help. The best thing you could do for a stranded animal is to stay away, give it some room, try to keep quiet, keep other people at least 50ft away and call a responder. Call the police, call animal control, call your local zoo or aquarium, call someone who is qualified to handle the situation. Your job as the person who found the animal is to protect it from curious people and dogs. Staying away and calling for help is the best thing you can do. I know it's hard, but that is the single best thing you can do. And you will be helping a lot.

For more on what you can do if you ever find a stranded marine mammal, please visit the Marine Mammal Center's stranding information page by clicking here.

Full article here (Fox News)

Hands Across the Sand - A Worldwide Event

image credit Hands Across the Sand

On June 26th at 11am - in your respective time zone - something is happening. We are gathering to take a stand against offshore drilling and the destruction it causes.

"Hands Across the Sand is a movement made of people of all walks of life and crosses political affiliations. This movement is not about politics; it is about protection of our coastal economies, oceans, marine wildlife, and fishing industry. Let us share our knowledge, energies and passion for protecting all of the above from the devastating effects of oil drilling."

There are events worldwide! Anyone can go!

The instructions are simple:
-Gather at your beach/location at 11am
-Join hands in a line at 12pm to take your stand!

For more information, click here!

I'm going, are you?

Girl Uses Art to Raise Funds for Birds in Gulf Oil Spill - CNN

image credit Olivia Bouler

And now for something completely adorable. Seriously, I got all teary!!

Olivia Bouler, an 11-year-old girl from New York, is offering original paintings to the first 500 donors that help her raise $25,000 to help birds victimized by the Gulf oil spill. She has completed about 250 paintings and plans to finish the rest over summer holiday. So far, Olivia has raised over $110,000!

""Many people are outraged and don't know where to vent that because they can't drive to the beach and help. So what Olivia has done has set a beautiful example by using her skills and creating an initiative that is fruitful for everyone," said Delta Willis, the senior communications manager for The National Audubon Society."

To donate to Olivia's fund, click here!

Full article here (CNN)

Dos and Don'ts of Oil Spill Action: How You can Really Help - MNN

"The Gulf of Mexico oil spill is a disaster that cries for action. Fight the urge to race to the Gulf and instead put your energy into these activities."

I am going to disagree with one thing in this article, as many of the commenters have already. I DO think we should boycott BP GAS. As one commenter mentioned, gas station owners make considerably more profit for themselves through the items in their shops, which are usually owned by a separate corporation than the gas provider. Profits from buying gas largely end up going back to the oil companies. So, by all means please go in and buy your Coke Zeros and your Pringles from the shops at BP gas stations, and help out the employees there. After all, this isn't their fault. But DO boycott the GAS FOR YOUR CARS.

Full article here (MNN)