STUDENTS CORNER
REPORT ON A VISIT TO THE SEA FISHERIES CENTRE IN MIAMI, FLORIDA, USA
On April 1, 2001 I undertook a two month long research excursion to allow me to complete my M.Sc thesis on "Observations on the southern right whale, Eubalaena australis, in False bay, with particular reference to their distribution and abundance". I worked with world experts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the United States, whose interests lie particularly in the study and conservation of the northern right whale (Eubalaena glacialis). This trip was funded by the US Government Grant associated with the Exchange Support Fund of the Binational Commission between South Africa and the USA. This opportunity affords students the opportunity to be exposed to marine science and research outside of South Africa.
The main objectives for my trip were:
to visit and be exposed to marine mammal science, particularly research concerning the northern right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) and other baleen whales,
to present my preliminary data and findings on the southern right whale (E. australis) collected in 1999 and 2000 around False Bay,
to further analyse my data and better understand the critical need for research management and conservation of southern right whales and complete my M.Sc thesis, and
to create links with other marine mammal researchers and ensure future co-operation.
I was based at the Southeast Fisheries Research Centre in Miami, Florida, which is a division of the NOAA. Under the supervision of Dr. Steve Swartz, I was introduced to many researchers in my field, but also post-graduate students from the University of Miami’s Rosentiel Graduate School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences. I was fortunate to meet scientists like Dr. Ruth Ewing, who is a veterinarian specialising in Cetaceans and particularly whale and dolphin strandings.
One of the most interesting things that I learnt was the major difference in management and conservation between the northern and the southern right whale. Unlike southern right whales, which have an estimated population increase rate of 7%, northern rights are few (a population of ~ only 350 individuals) and have a poor recovery rate. The NOAA has undertaken a major project concerning the conservation and protection of the northern right whale. Remote sensing and strict enforcement by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) has encouraged the recovery of this whale from past whaling endeavours. Whereas, in South Africa all vessels have to maintain a 300 m distance from all whales and most whale-watching activities are conducted from the shore, whale watching in the US is restricted to only certain areas where strict regulations exist, e.g. Alaska, southern California and the New England coast. Due to efforts by the USCG and NOAA, skippers are informed on how to identify northern right whales and are forewarned by means of remote sensing and radio tagging efforts, about whale positions along the US coast.
Whale watching does not occur in southern Florida, and awareness by skippers is crucial. The heavy vessel traffic in and around Biscayne Bay and the Gulf of Mexico have forced strict enforcement of vessel/whale distance and a decreased chance of whale entanglement in stray nets. These efforts have proved to be somewhat advantages as enthusiastic researchers this year have greeted a right whale "baby boomlet". Previously, only one calf was seen off the Atlantic coast last year. This could possibly be the beginning of the much needed northern right whale recovery.
I was able to statistically analyse my data under the direction of Dr. Swartz and Lance Garrison, using Sigma Plot. I eventually concluded that:
a) Wind speed does not influence the abundance of southern right whales in the bay,
b) Wind direction does not influence the abundance of southern right whales in the bay,
c) Sea-surface temperature only affected the abundance of whales in 1999, but not in 2000,
d) All data sets for 1999 and 2000 showed the same general results.
These results contrast with expectations.
Apart from the statistical work, a lot of my time was spent in the Southeast Library, which I was truly grateful to have access to. Almost every research article I searched for I was able to find, or was fortunate to obtain with the help from the librarian, Harriet Corvino. This access helped me in accomplishing my initial aim to complete the written part of my thesis, and also clarify some of the questions I had concerning past studies on the southern right whale and whaling history in South Africa.
I was fortunate to visit some of the sights around Miami, like the Everglades National Park, Biscayne National Park, the Molasses Corals at Key Largo, Key Biscayne State Park and Miami Seaquarium. Visiting these places was certainly a unique and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me. Particularly my visit to the Seaquarium where I was fortunate to see some endangered marine mammal species, like the Florida Manatee, and some more famous marine mammals like "Flipper" the bottlenose dolphin and "Lolita" the killer whale. The work done by the marine scientists at the Seaquarium truly inspired me as they showed great enthusiasm in their work and encouraged me to continue my research.
I would like to thank Dr. Steve Swartz and the staff at the Southeast Centre for their help and effort in making my visit worthwhile. A very special thanks goes to Dr. Brad Brown, former director of the Southeast Centre, for giving me the opportunity to visit the sights mentioned earlier. Also, thanks to Mrs Essie C. Duffie for her help in finding me accommodation, and providing me with support throughout my trip.
Lorne August
University of the Western Cape
A STUDENT’S EYE VIEW ON THE SANCOR STUDENTS WORKSHOP
Put together, 56 marine and coastal science students can work up quite a storm. This was the intention at the recent SANCOR student workshop held at the University of Western Cape. The students were divided into four different groups, each specializing in a particular aspect of marine science. I was placed in a discussion group on feeding and diet. Initially the students were reserved and uncommunicative, but thanks to enthusiastic chairs, common ground was soon reached and lively discussions got underway.
The students ranging from pre-masters to PhD level conversed freely on problems they are experiencing regarding their projects and problems within marine science as a whole. Common problems were the lack of communication between supervisors and students, between the students of different departments and more broadly among universities. Consensus was reached regarding the need to rectify this and contacts were quickly established.
Moving onto the actual thesis problems,students in the latter stages of their theses were of great help to students just starting out. The informal poster session given by each student was very successful with an overview of each project sufficient to generate energetic discussions. Once this was accomplished, the groups elected one/two student per group to give a report back to all the groups at the closing of the workshop. This was a great idea as it gave speakers the opportunity to synthesis the brainstorming sessions into short reviews– good practice for those impromptu talks!
Students were also asked to comment on the workshop, here are some of the comments:
"The workshop should last longer than one day with students encouraged to brainstorm more extensively"
"Workshop was interesting and informative and covered many different marine science aspects"
"Further workshops should be opened to all postgrad and not restricted to NRF funded students only …"
"More workshops like this should be held more often …"
The workshop also brought about the realization that we as the scientists of tomorrow have a long road ahead regarding effective communication of marine science to all. All the students involved would like to thank the organizers, Chairpersons, SANCOR, NRF and UWC for accommodating us.
Pavs Pillay (University of Cape Town)
HAS DEVELOPMENT AFFECTED THE BIOTA OF SALDANHA BAY?
The Saldanha Bay System, which includes both Saldanha Bay and Langebaan Lagoon, is the only natural harbour of significant size on the west coast of South Africa. Mariners have visited Saldanha Bay for centuries, because it provided relatively sheltered waters where they could obtain fresh water, which was in short supply in southern Africa. The Saldanha Bay System is known for its rich faunal and floral diversity, as well as its geological uniqueness and history. The interest in the Bay extended to many scientific fields including zoology, botany, geology, geochemistry and oceanography. Many of the physical processes and biological characteristics were investigated and documented by 1977.
In the early 1970’s, it was decided that Saldanha Bay would be a prime area to develop into a port. Since then, a causeway was built linking Marcus Island at the mouth of the Bay to the main land, the ore jetty and Saldanha Steel Works were built, mariculture facilities and fish factories were established, and the area became a recreational hotspot. What are the physical implications of the development? The causeway acts as a barrier by decreasing wave exposure, and constricts the entrance to the bay. The ore jetty effectively divides the area into two sections, Big and Small Bay, disrupting the water circulation and decreasing the current speeds. This reduction in the water movement has altered the sediment deposition patterns there, favouring finer sediment. Organic loading is occurring as a result of waste from the mariculture facilities as well as from the fish factories. In addition, inorganic pollutants in the form metals have increased since development began.
What are the biological implications? Essentially, the habitat of the biological organisms has undergone a dramatic change. This means that the community of organisms living there are not the same as before. Previous studies in the Bay have concentrated mainly on one aspect of development, for instance the mussel raft area or the ore jetty. These have shown that the communities near these structures differ from communities further away from them. Although these are extremely important studies, they fail to answer the following question:
Has the overall development of Saldanha Bay affected the biota, and if so, how?
This is essentially the question I am trying to answer for my Masters thesis. I have access to data from studies done in Saldanha Bay before construction on the ore jetty began. I am currently repeating the study, sampling areas that were previously researched by using the same methods, namely grab and dredge sampling. This enables me to make a direct comparison with the previous study and should allow me to answer the question above.
Natasha Kruger
University of Cape Town
nkruger@botzoo.uct.ac.za
MEKONG - THE DELTA OF IMPENDING BOOM
Jerome Davis shares some personal observations from an aquaculture study tour in Vietnam
The river
The Mekong River is the fourth largest river in the world and the largest in South East Asia – spanning 5 countries along its diverse course. Born with melting snow in the sky-land of Tibet, it flows through Southern China, Laos and Cambodia where it is fed by numerous tributaries. Before emptying into the South China Sea it spreads out across the entire southern half of Vietnam – the in/famous Mekong delta. The Vietnamese city of Ho Chi Minh is the gateway to the delta and capital of the south. It is a complex mix of isms: communism, colonialism, capitalism, Buddhism and Confucianism. The city takes it’s name from the "father of the nation" Ho Chi Minh - the communist dictator who along with his Viet Kong unified the country after the dramatic withdrawal of American troops in 1975. But the South still remains separate from the North in ideology. This is illustrated by the fact that the friendly locals still refer to Ho Chi Minh City as Saigon– its pre-war name. Can Tho is the next largest city in the region, and the city which plays host to the University of Can Tho and the Institute of marine research. The University was the destination of a team of young scientists from Rhodes University and the University of Ghent, invited to attend a workshop on crab aquaculture. But a lot more than crabs were to be discovered in this watery maze of wonder.
To say that the delta influences the region is a gross understatement. The river infuses everything. We traveled during the dry season and still the water table lay only centimeters below the surface. The rich, brown water is woven through the land like the raw silk through traditional Vietnamese cloth. Rivers, canals, rice paddies, fishponds; smaller canals joining larger ones. The suburbs of Can Tho (an Eastern Venice) are built on pilings. One can take a taxi boat through these poor areas where people bathe in oil slicked floating rubbish dumps. One also has a rather disturbing view between rainwater jars right into the poverty of people’s living rooms and kitchens. All transport is by boat. From fat livestock and crisp vegetables to smiling families and tons of building sand. Boats of every description ply the water powered by roaring diesel outboards which all contribute to the frenetic commercial cacophony that is the Mekong.
Agri/aquaculture
The river sustains agriculture on an enormous scale. The Mekong delta is the rice bowl of the SE Asian peninsula. Farming methods are ancient and nothing goes to waste. Family plots prosper mostly on ancient farming principles: central rice paddies are commonly surrounded by raised levees to protect against flooding. On these levees are planted an abundance of fruit crops (a large portion of which is coconut), which find their way into the markets in a dazzling, exotic array of colours, textures and flavours. The levees are constantly being built and composted by using rice straw from the harvests. On the edges of the paddies, a large variety of cresses (sour, bitter, tangy or hot) are grown which are served in restaurants in generous helpings with all dishes. Fish and ducks play an important role in these systems. Carps, tilapias, snakeheads, giant gouramis and catfish feed in ponds fertilized with animal waste. Every cowshed, chicken coop or pigsty has an accompanying fish pond into which the dung is washed. This turns the water bright green with nutritious algae. Fish ponds also serve to process human waste. Latrines in the countryside are generally simple structures built from fertilizer bags at the end of a pier.
To put it politely, the family squat over the edge and feed the catfish. The fish are eaten after thorough washing. EvenEuropean style WC’s have a discreet 110mm PVC pipes emptying into an adjacent fish pond. In this way, cholera and other water borne diseases are kept away from the rivers. Ducks are often fed on rafts floating on the fish ponds. In fact, duck families are to be seen dabbling everywhere. Privately owned flocks are driven through harvested paddies where they eat wasted rice and pest snails while fertilizing the soil with their droppings and feathers. Almost all duck produced in Vietnam is exported to China. Fish and freshwater prawns (Macrobrachium) are also kept in the paddies as an additional cash crop. Many vine crops are grown on lattices above fish ponds where the fish and ducks limit insect pests. Giant gouramis feast in the shade on dropping fruit, insects and dying leaves - growing to the size of spaniels.
Freshwater fish are highly regarded in Vietnam and freshwater prawns are almost twice the price of marine prawns. All along the rivers are fish traps or floating cages. Most marine fishing effort goes into catching squid from delightfully painted boats and is served in a multitude of fashions; the most delicious being dried and highly spiced like biltong, or fried until very crispy. This can be washed down at street cafes with quantities of cheap but good Saigon beer, Tiger beer or 333, chilled with a large lump of ice floating in the glass. In most of these cafes a trip to the toilet can be an experience in itself –tanks holding water for rinsing glasses and one’s hands, are often inhabited by a big, fat carp or snake head.
Crabs and mangroves in Vin Chau
Where the river meets the sea, centuries of silt have been deposited by the Mekong in a massive mudflat, stretching 10km to the horizon. Historically, these flats were narrower and covered with extensive mangrove forests. These forests have been decimated by abuse and war. The war museum in Saigon sports grisly dioramas of acres of mangroves destroyed by the dioxin agent orange. Testimony to this contamination can be found in some grotesque deformities amongst the numerous city beggars. There is also a large population of Cambodian refugees living in the coastal regions who harvest the trees. The areas were also cleared for salt production in the ‘70s and the prawn-farming boom of the ‘80s completed the deforestation. The area is now a poverty stricken, barren wasteland eroding at up to 50m per year.
The mangroves used to protect the shores from erosion and Tsunamis, besides providing fuel, building poles, nursery areas for marine life, foraging for the locals, commercial fishing and binders of the silt deposited by the river. Reforestation of the intertidal zone in the Mekong is now a government priority, partially funded by NGO’s and foreign donors. The government has passed legislation on reforestation, which requires 60% of the land to be covered with mangrove or other trees. The plantations (mostly Rhizophora apiculata) can take 10 years before becoming economically viable. During this time local subsistence farmers need to sustain themselves.
This is where the crabs come in. Mudcrabs are large, delicious, and thus highly valued on the international market. It is said that the sale of two large crabs is enough to cover a Vietnamese child’s annual school fees. Mangroves are the preferred habitat of the mudcrabs, which use the roots as shelter and consume the small mollusks, organic detritus and carrion found in the water – established mangrove forests are second only to coral reefs as the most productive ecosystems in the world. In Vin Chau, a small plastic fence is constructed around the neat rows of saplings, into which wild-caught juvenile crabs are placed. Recruitment of larvae into the system also occurs with flooding tides. Mudcrabs are often touted as the replacement for shrimp in areas devastated by white spot disease in the 80’s, and which continues threaten prawn culture worldwide.
The Vin Chau area also plays host to a very successful brine shrimp (Artemia) cyst production industry. Vietnamese Artemiacysts are high quality in terms of size and fatty acid content and consequently command a high price on the international market. But it is the crabs that elicit the most exciting prospects. The industry will, however, never develop until the hatchery production of mudcrab seed is reliable. Despite research efforts of countries including Australia, the Philippines, Vietnam, China, Japan, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, South Africa, Belgium and the UK, a shroud of mystery still obscures the factors causing larval mortality. Theories abound, but not one research institution seems to have the larval production under control. Several researchers seem close however, and the Australians and Vietnamese seem to be making the best progress in a species, whose larval stages are proving to be extremely susceptible to bacterial disease and inadequate nutrition.
An Asian tiger cub?
It is difficult to draw conclusions about a nation or country from a single region, despite the strong character of the delta. It is also difficult to make comparisons between African and Asian society. But there is much that we as a developing country can learn from Vietnam, which is slowly emerging from an abusive history of colonialism followed by totalitarian communism. Corruption in government is punishable by execution -Viet Cong style. The policy of the present communist regime in Vietnam is still repressive and described as open/closed. Open to free expression of thought and globalisation, until someone, somewhere decides to shut the door. Diplomacy freezes and everybody watches what they say and to whom they say it. Despite this, the local economy is a frenetic beehive. Theft is rare, street traders sleep next to their wares, and anything is available at a price. Almost everything is locally manufactured, with exceptionally proficient copies of American brands available. I bought an "O’Neil" snow jacket for 270 000 dong ($US18) in the Russian market - the tag was only slightly misspelt. Agriculture is integrated and sustainable. Centuries of seasonal flooding, mulching and organic practices have built up rich soils in the delta and efficient, sustainable systems abound. It is unfortunate that the government is pushing the use of monoculture factory farming, fertilizers, GMO’s and pesticides in a drive for short-term profit on state owned farms. The Chinese are damming the Mekong at its source, which also threatens to have an impact on flooding in the delta. But on the balance, an easing political environment, and the extremely rich natural, cultural and human resources give the region a feeling of impending boom.
Article reprinted with permission of the Aquaculture Association of Southern Africa. Jerome Davis is a PhD student working on the EU funded University of Ghent/ Rhodes University Mudcrab Aquaculture Project.
MONITORING THE GEOMORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES OF THE EERSTE RIVER ESTUARY
Chantel Petersen (MSc. Student, Earth Science Department, University of the Western Cape)
The Eerste and Kuils Rivers flow through highly urbanized areas and have therefore been degraded to a great extent in both water quality and aesthetic value. The degradation is mainly due to increased stormwater runoff and the release of sewage effluent into these rivers. These changes have also caused a deterioration of the estuarine environment and as a result the project was initiated. The Helderberg Administration supported it and a first report on the initial monitoring phase was completed under the supervision of Dr Vincent Taylor and Mr. Stephen Holness from the Department of Earth Science at the University of the Western Cape. The existing data on the physical characteristics of the estuary is outdated and therefore the project will provide data on the present geomorphological state of the estuary.
The estuary is one of eleven estuaries draining into False Bay and is situated approximately 36km southeast of Cape Town. The river begins in the Jonkershoek Mountains where it flows in a northwesterly direction to Stellenbosch and southerly to Macassar to discharge into False Bay. The 40km Kuils River is a major tributary and the confluence with the Eerste River is approximately 4km from the mouth. The Macassar sewage works are located on the western side of the estuary and the eastern side is a security area because the Somchem factory occupies the area.
Sewage works located in the catchment discharge their effluent into these rivers, which have changed the hydrological character of these rivers. The rivers are now perennial and the estuary is open all year. The project documents the rapid migration of the estuary over the last 53 years. Other work includes a detailed examination of the present bathymetry of the estuary and sediment characteristics. Tidal penetration of the estuary is being examined. As the main aim of the project focuses on geomorphological monitoring the profiles will be resurveyed after the rain season and sediment samples will again be collected and analyzed.
"A little touch of madness"
This is a new section where up and coming marine and coastal scientists can explore the humorous side of science. The first insert is by a young masters student at UCT – Ms Nicola McQueen.
Please feel free to make submissions for the next issue.
Bewildered by brain-baffling jargon – now keep alert playing Buzzword Bingo!
By Doze Parker (Daily News 9 July 2001, reproduced without permission)
Do meetings bore you to sleep?
Fear not. Americans – the people who invented the things – have come up with a clever way of staying awake.
Not only that, but their method makes you listen, and it’s more fun than a barrel full of monkeys. Come to think of it, it has much in common with a container load of apes; it’s Buzzword Bingo.
Instead of numbers, this bingo uses words. Not just any old words, but the lingua-franca of business – buzzwords. No self-respecting meeting is complete without torrents of meaninglessness.
This is how to play: before proceedings start, each player is issued a list of vogue words and phrases. The first to tick off five hackneyed sayings shouts "Bingo" before picking up a retrenchment package and heading for early retirement.
To help you get started, here are some expressions doing the rounds: synergy; revisit; ballpark; game plan; proactive; out of/in the loop; win-win (a favourite); benchmark; client-focused; move the goalposts; touch base; results-driven; best practice; empowerment; hard-ball; push the envelope, and a trusty standby, at the end of the day.
Some seasoned players attest: "My attention span at meetings has improved dramatically"; "the atmosphere was tense at the last process workshop as we all listened intently for the elusive fifth".Bingo!
IDEAS FOR CONTRIBUTIONS?
Students want to know about you! Please submit a summary (no more than 1500 words) of your work, an exciting research trip you took, or anything that you think would be of interest to SANCOR students. Your contribution could be published in the next SANCOR newsletter!
For more information, please contact the Students Corner editor: Alison Dainty
University of Cape Town
adainty@botzoo.uct.ac.za
(021) 650-361 (o/h)
