Ocean Stories

By Mera McGrew
Mission Blue is offering an exclusive online preview of New York artist, Asher Jay’s, newest art installation — Sea Speak Sphere: Message in a Bottle. The art installation is part of a larger conceptual, collaborative campaign that aims to highlight various ocean initiatives and advocates marine conservation.
Jay told Mission Blue, “ I just wanted to come up with a way in which I could speak up for the oceans but that would also encompass all the voices that are doing something similar.”
The art installation is made up of 100 painted bottles that bring to life personal statements or “blue memos” about the world’s ocean from some of the biggest names in marine biology, conservation, photography, exploration, journalism and more.…

June 1, 2012San Francisco
June 1st brought 250 of the most ocean-loving folks on the planet to the California Academy of Sciences for the Peter Benchley Ocean Awards. Ocean luminaries gathered from across the globe to celebrate just a few of the individuals and groups making an extraordinary contribution to saving the world’s ocean.
For more on the awardees and the Blue Frontier Campaign, check out our May 2nd feature article with David Helvarg and Mera McGrew: The 5th Annual Peter Benchley Ocean Awards.…

By Mera McGrew
This past week, we read reports of radioactive contamination of Pacific bluefin tuna caught off the California cost. The mighty bluefin carried traces of radiation that leaked from Japan’s tsunami-damaged Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant, which is located some 6,000 miles away in Japan.
The contamination of these Pacific bluefin tuna will likely tighten global tuna supplies, resulting in an increase in demand for Mediterranean bluefin tuna. Japan, which consumes 80 percent of Pacific and Atlantic Bluefin tuna is expected to drive much of that demand. Ocean advocates warn, that this could encourage the illegal fishing of Mediterranean bluefin tuna by all eager to profit.
According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) prices of Mediterranean bluefin are trading at historical highs.…

By Kip Evans

Bottlenose Dolphin (c) Kip F. Evans/Mission Blue

An early sunrise cast a warm hue over Conception Island this morning, setting the stage for what was to be our final day exploring the warm waters of the Bahamas.  With only hours remaining, we set off early to sneak-in a dive before our impending departure.  We rolled off the boats, kicking hard to avoid being swept away by the current. As we descended to 95 feet, we were greeted by a single Caribbean Reef Shark and a small school of goatfish.  Everyone was at ease this morning as we slowly drifted toward the edge of the wall.  Along the way we took images of sponges, sea fans and each other as we contemplated our last moments underwater together.  …

In a new video, cartoonist, Jim Toomey, creator of Sherman’s Lagoon, adds his voice in support of the Bermuda Blue Halo initiative, which proposes the designation of a large marine reserve that would protect Bermuda’s unique marine environment. For more on the initiative click here.

Be a believer. Support Bermuda’s Blue Halo. Visit BermudaBlueHalo.org…

By Mera McGrew
Since 2002, the MarViva Foundation has been working to protect the unique and critical marine habitats in the Eastern Tropical Pacific.
The MarViva Foundation is an international, non-governmental, non-profit organization that is dedicated to conservation and sustainable management of marine and coastal resources. MarViva’s General Director, Jorge Jiménez, told Mission Blue that “Marviva was born out of the interest and love that the late Erica Knie, a Swiss philanthropist, had for the Eastern Tropical Pacific.”
The Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean extends from San Diego, CA, west to Hawaii and south to Peru. It is one of the world’s most productive tropical oceans. It has a high degree of ecological interconnection and complex oceanographic characteristics — Numerous oceanic currents merge in the region, facilitating the dispersal of marine larvae, affecting migrations of marine species, and making it home to a diverse and unique range of marine life.…

By Mavis McRae and Kip Evans

Ann Luskey with Stingray (c) Kip F. Evans/Mission Blue

Sirenuse headed back into open water on Friday night for the 10-hour journey north from Hawksbill Cay to Conception Island.  After a somewhat bouncy night, we awoke to sunshine and gin-clear blue water. The island is home to one of the newer marine protected areas in the region, Conception Island National Park. Covering over 25,000 acres, the park is an important sanctuary for migratory birds, nesting sea birds and green turtles.
As it became evident that the weather was going to hold, we loaded our equipment and boarded the tenders, excited to experience the Bahamian reefs in bright sunlight. The first dive took us to the wall, a stunning drop off with colorful corals, sponges and sea fans. …

By Mera McGrew
Bermuda— Key leaders come to Bermuda this week to support what could be the world’s largest no-take marine reserve in the Atlantic Ocean. Conversations will focus on the importance of preserving the Sargasso Sea, a 2 million-square-miles gyre, home to a number of endemic and threatened species.
The Blue Halo initiative refers to the proposed marine reserve that will encompass much of Bermuda’s Exclusive Economic Zone (E.E.Z.) within the Sargasso Sea. The landmark initiative proposes the creation of a halo-shaped protected area that would extend from the shores of Bermuda out  200-miles in every direction. The Pew Environment Group’s Global Ocean Legacy Program is currently working with the government of Bermuda, Mission Blue and other non-governmental organizations to ensure the establishment of this landmark protection program.…

Tenders in the Storm (c) Kip F. Evans/Mission Blue

By Mavis McRae and Kip Evans
After being out of the water yesterday, we were anxious to dip our flippers back into the beautiful blue water, but the weather had other plans for us.  As we examined the ships radar and local weather reports, all we could see for miles were bands of thunderstorms – bright red blotches moving ominously towards our position. Tropical Storm Beryl, which made landfall in Northern Florida and is now moving up the East Coast was forming up over us.
By mid-morning, lightning lit up the dark cloudy sky above us, as claps of thunder shook the boat.  It wasn’t long before someone called out that a waterspout was forming and the team did what came naturally – grabbed our cameras and prepared to get wet. …

By Mera McGrew
What is it about being on a white sandy beach that makes people happy? Why does the sound and smell of the ocean make people feel relaxed? Why is “ocean-view” the most valuable phrase in real estate?
This coming weekend, cognitive neuroscientists, conservationists, researchers, artists, and members of the press are gathering on the Outer Banks of North Carolina to explore these questions and the emotional connection between the ocean and humans as part the BLUEMiND2 summit.
The summit will explore the relationship between the ocean and the human brain. It will be a scientific exploration as well as a celebration of the emergence of neuroscience as a tool as it relates to the ocean biosphere.
“It is only recently, in the past two decades, that neuroscience has really expanded,” said BLUEMiND founder, Dr.…