Sea Notes

Enjoy a Virtual Aquarium Experience in the Bay Area

The Monterey Bay Aquarium is bringing a virtual Aquarium scuba experience to concertgoers, Giants fans and participants at other public events throughout the Bay Area during a “Share the Love” summer.

How does this virtual Aquarium on wheels work? You  connect to the truck’s wifi connection on your touch-enabled smart phone. Then you can login as a male or female diver and swim around the tank full of sharks, turtles, penguins, sardines and jellyfish, all displayed on the side of the truck. When you encounter one of the creatures, you and the creature react and you win a “badge.” At the end of the interaction, you can post an image of the badges you won on Facebook.

Full schedule appears below.

June 19, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., Sacramento, Rivercats Game: Concourse

June 20, 7 a.m., Sacramento, Good Day Sacramento – On Air Feature

June 22, 12 p.m., Petaluma, Sonoma Marin Fair

June 24, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., San Francisco, Justin Herman Plaza

June 25, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m., San Francisco, Giants Day: Willie Mays Plaza

June 26, All Day, San Francisco, Summerthing Concert: Golden Gate Park

July

July 1, TBD, San Rafael, Marin County Fair

July 2, All Day, Mountain View, Vans Warped Tour: Shoreline Amphitheater

July 3, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., San Francisco, Union Square Day

July 4, 3 p.m. – 9 p.m., Mountain View, SF Symphony 4th of July Firework Spectacular

July 7, All Day, San Jose, Music in the Park: San Jose

July 8, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., San Francisco, Corner of Battery & Sansome

July 9, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., San Francisco, Corner of Powell & Market

July 12, All Day, Monterey, Monterey Bay Aquarium (formerly July 10-12)

July 13, 10 a.m., Walnut Creek, KNBR Baseball Skills Clinic: Heather Farms

July 15, All Day, San Francisco, Hyatt Regency SF: Market and Drumm Street

July 16, All Day, San Francisco, Hyatt Regency SF: Market and Drumm Street

July 17, All Day, San Francisco, Hyatt Regency SF: Market and Drumm Street

July 18, 1-3 p.m., San Jose, Chaves Store with KISS FM

July 21, 10 a.m., Alameda, KNBR Baseball Skills Clinic

July 23, All Day, Santa Clara, KMVQ's Topless Car Giveaway: Great America

July 24, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., San Francisco, Giants Day: Willie Mays Plaza

July 27, 10 a.m., Redwood City, KNBR Baseball Skills Clinic

July 29, 6 p.m. – 11 p.m., Mountain View, Kid Rock/Sheryl Crow Concert: Shoreline Amphitheater

July 30, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., San Francisco, Farmers Market: Harry Bridges Plaza

July 31, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., San Jose, Mi Pueblo Food Center: Story & King

August

August 3, All Day, Mountain View, KFOX Kihncert: Shoreline Amphitheater

August 4, 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m., San Jose, KNBR Baseball Skills Clinic

August 5,  6 p.m. – 1 p.m., Mountain View, Toby Keith Concert: Shoreline Amphitheater

August 6, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Fremont, Fremont Festival of the Arts

August 7, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Fremont, Fremont Festival of the Arts

Tailored for Turtles

Since opening in 1996, our million-gallon Outer Bay exhibit has been home five white sharks, speedy 600-pound tunas, green sea turtles, and an ocean sunfish that grew so large it had to be lifted out with a helicopter and released into the bay. The 54-foot-long exhibit has also been a perennial visitor favorite.

So why tamper with a good thing?

The short answer: time has taken its toll. Since August 2010, we’ve been busy rebuilding, adding new filtration and pumps, and refurbishing the entire wing to make a better environment for our animals and a better experience for you. The new Open Sea wing opened July 2, which means you can see your old favorite animals—plus a few new species like puffins.

Troublesome Tiles

The walls or “eggshell” that forms the interior of the tank was originally covered with thousands of small, half-inch blue tiles grouted to fiberglass, to give the impression of an infinite ocean. But no one anticipated the enormous currents that would be generated by tunas reaching speeds of 18 mph. “It took a while for the tuna to get big enough to create problems,” says Marty Manson, project director. “I’m not sure anyone ever thought we would have 600-pound fish!”

Before long, the walls began to flex and the tiles started to come unglued—a few at first, and then many more.

But the real problem began when naturally inquisitive sea turtles began to ingest the tiles and had to be taken off exhibit for their own safety. (Those turtles “passed” the tiles and are thriving behind the scenes today, awaiting their return to the new, refurbished exhibit in July.)

Labor of Love

Work on the “life support systems,” housed in a labyrinth of passageways deep underground, actually started in 2009. New filters, pumps and other equipment were all added. The tank was then drained, and the windows were polished to improve the view.

Then, in fall 2010, structural work started in earnest. The “skin” was removed from the fiberglass ribs. New 10-foot eggshell sections were then installed using “swing stages:” worker platforms suspended by cables. A new blue gel coat was applied, and water was added.

But there was a problem. “The color just wasn’t right, and it showed underwater,” says Marty. “The only way to make it right was to grind the whole thing down and start over.” This time, for better access, workers used small floating rafts instead of swing stages. They started at the bottom, and simply added water to the enormous tank each week, floating and painting their way to the top until the project was complete.

Fortunately, this time, the color was exactly right!

Some Benefits You’ll Never See

One year and $20 million later, what are the main benefits of the massive renovation? The biggest, by far, is the return of our majestic green sea turtles, among other animals.

But for our husbandry staff, there’s much more.  “We put a lot of energy into things people won’t see,” says Manny Ezcurra, associate curator of elasmobranches, “things like life support systems, filtration and water treatment.” Water supplies to ancillary exhibits, like the jellies and sardine roundabout, will be on separate systems, enabling staff to fine tune the water temperature for each gallery.  The passageway to a holding tank has also been improved, easing animal medical exams and transport.

And of course, the whole structure is stronger, preventing the kinds of problems that caused all this trouble in the first place.

“I don’t ever expect that tank to be empty again,” says Marty. “At least, not on my watch!”

Baby Penguins on Exhibit (Again)!

Our two male African blackfooted penguin chicks—the first ever born at the Aquarium—are back on exhibit in the Splash Zone. Pebble and Tola, born earlier this year, were moved behind the scenes until they learned how to swim and get comfortable with people. On May 17, Aquarium aviculture staff began putting the chicks on exhibit for brief periods.

At first the re-introductions lasted about two hours --then other penguins on exhibit would begin chasing and pecking at the youngsters (normal behavior between adults and chicks). Whenever this occurred, the chicks were taken behind the scenes again

“Every day it got better and better,” says Associate Curator of Aviculture Aimee Greenebaum. “So we would increase the time on exhibit. We tried to let them work it out themselves.”

 

Then, starting June 1, the chicks were able to remain out front full time. There are now 22 penguins on exhibit total!

Although Pebble and Tola are the same size as the adult penguins on exhibit, you can recognize them by  their  juvenile plumage. What does the future hold? As part of the Association of Zoos and Aquarium’s Species Survival Plan, the Aquarium is allowed to breed additional penguins on exhibit. (Eventually some will be transferred to other institutions.)

“We’re really pleased,” says Aimee. “It’s been a lot of work and a learning experience, but it’s worth it. These chicks have distinct personalities, and they’re fun to work with!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Julie Packard: It's Time to Save Sharks

Sharks -- and ocean ecosystems -- are winning big victories these days. It's not a minute too soon.

The United States has banned shark finning in U.S. waters. It's a wasteful practice that involves catching sharks just for their fins, with the animals themselves tossed overboard -- dead or dying -- so the fishing boats have room to pack in more fins.

The fins are primarily used to make shark fin soup -- a luxury item in Chinese cuisine that's sometimes on the menu for festive and ceremonial occasions. While conscious chefs are creating delicious shark-free alternatives , shark fin soup is growing in popularity, costing the lives of tens of millions of sharks each year.

The number is not sustainable: Not for sharks, which reproduce slowly. And not for the oceans, which rely on these top predators to maintain the natural balance that keeps ecosystems healthy.

In recent years, organizations like WildAid have been working to raise consumer awareness in Asia about the plight of shark populations, to reduce and someday eliminate the demand and market for shark fins. Without a market for the fins, they'll stay on sharks -- where they belong.

In 2010, Hawaii became the first state to outlaw the trade in shark fins. Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands have banned the fin trade as well. Earlier this year, the state of Washington joined them. In Oregon, legislation to ban the shark fin trade now awaits the governor's signature.

Now the California State Assembly, on a vote of 65-8, has passed a bill to outlaw the possession and sale of shark fins in the state. The legislation, co-authored by Chinese-American Assemblymember Paul Fong and his colleague Jared Huffman, now heads to the State Senate, where final action is expected this summer. UPDATE: The senate Natural Resources and Water committee will vote on the bill June 28. Committee members need to hear from constituents that they support the bill.)

This is a big step, as California represents one of the largest markets for shark fins outside Asia.
The Monterey Bay Aquarium is a lead sponsor of the bill, along with a broad coalition of environmental and Asian Pacific American groups -- as well as notable chefs like Charles Phan and Martin Yan, and prominent figures such as NBA star Yao Ming, a native of China.

The vote reflected the sentiments of most Californians who, according to an aquarium-commissioned poll of registered voters, overwhelmingly support the ban.

The movement is gaining ground not just in the United States but in China as well. Recently, a prominent Chinese businessman and legislator proposed a ban on selling shark fins in China. According to the Agence France Presse report, such a measure would be highly controversial and take many years to enact. The fact that it's even being discussed is a quantum leap forward. It's likely that he was inspired by the debate taking place in the United States.

We've demonized sharks for far too long. Sharks and our oceans are paying too high a price. Now the tide is turning, and when it does, sharks won't be the only winners. All of us will benefit from a world where ocean ecosystems teem with the myriad species that provide humankind with food and livelihoods, and from the joy of sharing our world with mysterious and beautiful animals like sharks.

Fin-tastic News for Sharks!

Sharks -- and healthy oceans -- won a big victory on Monday, May 23.

That's when the California State Assembly, on a final vote of 65-8, passed a bill that bans the possession and sale of shark fins in the state. AB 376, co-authored by Chinese-American legislator Paul Fong of Cupertino, now heads to the State Senate, where the first committee vote is expected in June.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium is a lead sponsor of the bill, along with a broad coalition of environmental and Asian Pacific American groups -- including Chinese-American chefs like Charles Phan and Martin Yan, and figures such as NBA star Yao Ming.

The vote reflected the sentiments of most Californians who, according to an aquarium-commissioned poll of registered voters, overwhelmingly support the ban.

Acknowledging the concerns of restaurant owners and others involved in the fin trade, Assemblymember Fong amended the bill to give businesses until January 1, 2013 to sell off any stocks of shark fins they already have on hand.

The fins are primarily used to make shark fin soup -- a luxury item in Chinese cuisine that's sometimes on the menu for festive and ceremonial occasions.

If the bill becomes law, California would join Hawaii and Washington state in outlawing the shark fin trade -- an unregulated international fishery that is decimating shark populations worldwide and killing tens of millions of sharks each year. Oregon is considering similar legislation.

Most of the sharks are killed just for their fins, and the sharks themselves tossed overboard -- dead or dying -- so the boats have more room to pack in more fins.

We'll keep you posted on opportunities to weigh in with State Senators. Check our Take Action pages, or sign up for email alerts.

 

 

All Aboard the ARCC

The Animal Research and Care Center, commonly known as the ARCC, is located in nearby Marina. While the building isn't open to the public, it's playing a critical role in housing some of the majestic open-ocean animals that you'll see starting in July. That's when we open our Open Sea galleries—the replacement for the Outer Bay—which will be home to mola molas, sharks, sea turtles, pelagic rays and many other of your favorite species.

The ARCC may be understated on the outside, but it's bustling  with activity inside. Hammerhead sharks carve graceful turns in the biggest, 60 x 40-foot oval tank, along with bluefin tuna and pelagic rays. In the next, 40-foot tank, two enormous green sea turtles swim lazily about in anticipation of the next head of lettuce that will come their way, along with barracuda. The tank also includes yellowfin tuna and bonito. The final tank, measuring 30 feet, includes smaller hammerheads and a sandbar shark.

This Water is Carefully Watched
Along one wall of the ARCC, there's a food preparation room that would rival any restaurant kitchen, with industrial refrigerators and gleaming, stainless steel countertops. Next door, a complete animal health lab is nearing completion.

Enormous filters, underground storage basins and miles of plumbing help ensure that the water is kept at a perfect salinity, pH, temperature and cleanliness for the sensitive animals that live there, according to Scott Greenwald, associate curator of animal holding.

There are enough computers, wiring and technical wizardry to rival the Starship Enterprise. "We have a main computer that logs data 24 hours per day on what the systems are doing and how well they're performing," says Scott. And everything about the building is done in as "green" a manner as possible, from water use to energy needs. All told, it takes half a dozen staff to keep the facility operating and the animals fed and cared for.

One by One and Two by Two
As the Open Sea exhibit nears completion, animals continuously arrive at the ARCC, as well as at the Tuna Research and Conservation Center (TRCC) next to the Aquarium, and behind the scenes at the Aquarium itself. Most of these species are collected by the Aquarium's husbandry staff. The TRCC is home to the five-foot mola mola that was on exhibit back in 2009, along with dolphinfish and additional tuna.

All these animals will be featured in the new, upgraded million-gallon exhibit, along with one of the largest Pacific sardine collections we've ever had. And, of course, if all goes well, we'll have a white shark on exhibit this fall for the first time since November, 2009.

Our Weedy Sea Dragons are Carrying Eggs!

For the first time ever at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, one of our weedy sea dragons (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus) is carrying eggs. In late April, aquarists saw the animals performing a courtship dance. When they came in the morning of April 27, the male was carrying about 30 eggs. (Male seahorses and sea dragons carry the babies, not females.)

At first we didn’t think the eggs were viable. But a few weeks later teeny tiny eyes were peering at aquarists from some of the eggs. We’re not sure how many of the eggs are currently viable, but it’s still a positive sign, and we remain hopeful we'll have baby "weedies" someday soon! Regardless, it’s another success story for our Secret Lives of Seahorses special exhibition; all eight seahorse species on exhibit have now had babies at the Aquarium. Two pipefish species on exhibit have had babies, and one seahorse species not on exhibit has had babies. In the U.S., only three other institutions have had weedy sea dragons reproduce: Aquarium of the Pacific, Georgia Aquarium and Tennessee Aquarium. 

 Unique Life History

Unlike seahorses, who carry eggs in a bulging brood pouch, sea dragons affix them to the undersides of their tails for the duration of the pregnancy. After courtship, the female pushes the eggs onto a soft patch of tissue on the male’s tail. This tissue then surrounds the fragile eggs and holds them in place.

Not all eggs make the transfer; aquarists found some on the bottom of the exhibit. But a large number did make it, and are now clearly visible on the tail of the new father.

What’s Next

In the viable eggs, tiny sea dragon embryos will develop for a period of about five to six weeks. Before then, aquarists will “isolate the male in a small floating cage within the exhibit,” says Jonelle Verdugo, associate curator of fish and invertebrates. “The male can still swim around, but we want to isolate and protect the babies as they hatch.” Once the process starts, she expects all the babies to hatch over the course of a few days. They’ll be about three centimeters at birth.

Once the young sea dragons are born, they’ll be moved behind the scenes to ensure they get enough food.  They would most likely get lost if left on exhibit. Then, if all goes well, they’ll come back on exhibit after four to six months.

A Learning Experience

Raising tiny sea dragons is a fine art, and Jonelle stresses that there are a lot of things that could go wrong. “There’s a high probability that some of the eggs will drop off the male’s tail or that babies will be born not fully developed,” she says. “We don’t expect all the eggs to be there after five weeks.

“We’re really excited to have come this far, but we’re taking it day to day. The fact that this happened means that our sea dragons are doing well. But it’s a learning experience. We hoped this would happen, but we were still caught off guard when it actually did!”

Californians ♥ Sharks!

Golden State voters have a soft spot for sharks. That's the finding of a new poll commissioned by Monterey Bay Aquarium to gauge support for legislation that would ban the sale, possession and trade of shark fins in California.

The poll found overwhelming support among Californians of all ages and backgrounds for AB 376, authored by State Assembly members Paul Fong and Jared Huffman.

The bill (heading to the Assembly floor for a vote) would end California's participation in the global shark fin trade that costs the lives of tens of millions of sharks each year and decimates ocean ecosystems worldwide.

The survey of found that 76 percent of all respondents, and 70 percent of Chinese-American registered voters surveyed, supported the shark fin trade ban.

While shark "finning" -- killing sharks only for their fins and discarding the carcass -- is prohibited in all U.S. waters, federal law does not prohibit the import of shark fins from other countries. That's what AB 376 would do.

Support for the bill is across the board: Californians young and old; Democrats, Republicans and independents; men and women; people with college degrees and those without.

Even people who have eaten shark-fin soup are strong supporters of the ban: 69 percent of those who have eaten the soup –- a luxury dish sometimes served at special occasions in the Chinese-American community -– expressed support for the proposed legislation. That includes 65 percent of California Chinese-American voters. Bill co-author Paul Fong, himself a Macau native, stopped eating the soup several years ago because of his concern about what overfishing sharks means for the health of the oceans.

(Demand for shark fin soup drives the global fin trade.)

Only 14 percent of all voters surveyed oppose the legislation, with 10 percent having no opinion. Among Chinese-Americans, only 18 percent of voters oppose the ban and 12 percent have no opinion.

Monterey Bay Aquarium is a lead sponsor of AB 376 and is working with a broad coalition of Asian Pacific American leaders to win passage of the bill. It's also allied with prominent Asian Pacific American "Chefs Against Shark Fins," who have created recipes for shark fin soup prepared without the use of shark fins.

You can take action to support the bill. And, if you'd like to taste a delicious and ocean-friendly soup, you can go here to find a recipe for faux shark-fin soup created for the aquarium by Chef Peter Pahk of Kingsmill Resort in Virginia.

Here's what Hong Kong-born chef Kin Lui of Tataki Sushi Bar in San Francisco has to say about why he won't serve, sell or eat shark fin.

Julie Packard: Thoughts on the Gulf, One Year Later

One year later, from the shores of beautiful Monterey Bay, the horrific images of the BP blowout seem like a distant memory. Media stories talk of recovery, though it will be decades before we understand the true impacts of this disaster. (A team from the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Stanford University is studying one critical area: the long-term impact on tunas and related species.)

The national oil spill commission, comprised of an outstanding set of citizens with deep expertise, produced an excellent set of recommendations that offers a blueprint for reform in safety and oversight of offshore drilling. Their recommendations are practical and sane -– but will they be implemented? Only if people care.　

Our oceans are an irreplaceable treasure and give us so much, from jobs to food to inspiration. We know this in our hearts -– and yet so often we fail to act on their behalf. But when we do, amazing results can follow.

There’s no better example than along the coast of California, where we can point to the most inspiring demonstration of public will on behalf of the oceans that I can think of. From my lucky vantage point on Monterey Bay, I can see the expanse of the largest National Marine Sanctuary on the coast of North America, a network of fully protected state marine reserves along the shore, and abundant ocean life that’s thriving because we have acted to protect this wild place.

People have taken action on their convictions, from supporting wildlife protection bills and coastal land conservation, to choosing sustainable seafood and investing in the many respected marine science institutions ringing the shore of the bay. Not the least among them, and (of course) my favorite is a place designed to tell these stories –- stories of animals, and of people working together on behalf of the oceans: the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

The story of Monterey Bay and the aquarium is already a source of inspiration for people far and wide, and with your continued support, we’ll carry this message far into the future. We’ve clearly demonstrated how individual actions do make a difference -– whether through your direct support of our work, or your everyday decisions that make a difference for the future of the oceans.

If we take away one lesson from the Gulf of Mexico disaster –- that we truly have the power to make a difference –- then the future is bright for the oceans we all depend upon and love so much.

Julie Packard is the executive director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Cooking Up a Storm!

Back by popular demand, sustainable seafood advocate Alton Brown joins us for a third time at Cooking for Solutions. Our new Coastal Living Pavilion venue will allow Alton fans to spend a full hour with the Good Eats guru, as he takes on saving the oceans one bite at a time. Sustainable Seafood 101 with Alton is sure to be as entertaining as it is informative.

P. Allen Smith is best known for his Garden Home show. His Farm to Table presentation in the Pavilion will focus on the heritage poultry that Allen raises sustainably on his own farm, and the seasonal garden produce he grows (and hopes you might grow, too). His good friend and fellow Southerner, chef Regina Charboneau, will also be doing a cooking demonstration with all of these sustainable goodies.

Nathan Lyon brings his high-rated PBS show “Growing a Greener World” to the Pavilion on Sunday. Nathan is best known for creating simple yet innovative cuisine, using fresh, local ingredients. Nathan will share some of the secrets from his new Discovery show, “A Lyon in the Kitchen.” Find out how you can get the best out of fresh.

Daily admission to the Aquarium is included with your Pavilion ticket, including full access to the weekend’s Sustainable Foods Celebration. Out on the Great Tide Pool deck you can enjoy cooking demos and talks by celebrity chefs Sam Choy, Mark Dommen and Lee Richardson; try tastes of wild Alaska salmon, fresh fruits and veggies at the Whole Foods Marketplace, with Kids Zone. Inside the Aquarium, sustainable vendors and growers will share their stories as you browse their booths.

Go to www.cookingforsolutions.org for the full schedule of events and to buy your online tickets today! Remember, Aquarium Members receive a discount, and some Cooking for Solutions events are exclusive to members only!