The largest dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico has been predicted for this summer.  On June 18th, aquatic ecologists supported by NOAA released a forecast, predicting 7,450-8,476 square miles of dead zone to occur in the Gulf of Mexico.  The forecast is a result of the above normal flows in the Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers, about 11% more than average.  Nutrient runoff from these rivers contain high nitrogen levels, resulting in oxygen starvation, excessive harmful algal blooms (HABs) and dead zones.

Photo courtesy of N. Rabalais:  Mississippi River plume meets Gulf of Mexico at Southwest Pass

The Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Watch Task Force will announce the official size of the dead zone after surveys are conducted by the Louisiana University Marine Consortium mid to end of July.  You can check out near real time data from SEAMAP’s (South East Monitoring and Assessment Program) cruise in the northwest and north-central Gulf of Mexico.

For more info. on the Gulf of Mexico dead zone and other dead zones in the states and around the world:

• NOAA’s Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research
• Mississippi River Gulf of Mexico Nutrient Task Force
• Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium
• SEAMAP (South East Monitoring and Assessment Program
• Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute
• World Resources Institute

For more on recent HABs outbreaks, check out our HABs web page.  To help us pass the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2009, contact your Senators and ask them to support the bill.

Recently, there’s been a lot of discussion about the Waxman-Markey energy and climate bill. Most of it focuses carbon emissions and it’s impact on global warming. This is serious stuff, but carbon emissions are causing another crisis that may be even more damaging – ocean acidification. To help push acidification into the conversation, here are a few talking points:

The Basics (I know, bad pun)

• Acidification occurs when atmospheric CO₂ is absorbed by the ocean.
• The ocean is slightly basic, with an historic pH of around 8.2 (7 is neutral). As CO₂ dissolves in seawater, the ocean’s pH declines, becoming more acidic.
• Over the past 200 years, CO₂ absorption has caused the ocean’s pH to decline by .1 (30%).
• If we continue to produce CO₂ at the current rate, the ocean’s pH could drop another .3 units by 2100 – a 150% increase in acidity.

OK, so what?

• Corals, certain phytoplankton, mussels, snails, and certain larval fish require calcium carbonate to develop their shells and skeletons.
• CO₂ dissolved in seawater causes a chemical reaction that removes carbonate ions, which impacts the survival of these organisms.
• The decline of plankton, a vital food source for many species, could alter the food web.
• Coral reefs will rebuild more slowly and lose the ability to fight off bleaching, disease and death. By the middle of this century, coral reefs may be eroding faster than they can be rebuilt.
• About half of all federally managed fisheries rely on reefs for portions of their life cycles.

NOAA’s Richard Feely, an acidification expert, says, “What was projected to occur in the open ocean models by the end of the century, we found is occurring right now along our entire continental shelf as far as we looked.”

From an ocean perspective, this is why Waxman-Markey and its goals of CO₂ emission reduction are so important. If we can’t get our terrestrial act together with clean renewable energy and major lifestyle change, we’ll have more than a global warming problem - we’ll have dead oceans.

So Champs, let’s go preach the message about ocean acidification and drive home the need for emissions reductions, lifestyle change and support for bills like Waxman-Markey that get us going in the right direction. I know this guy is motivated!

To pick up where we left off at the end of May, the Ocean Warriors press on!  Here’s the latest on JUNKride, Roz Savage and the Plastiki:

The JUNKriders have recently passed through Ocean Champions headquarters area, spending a few days down in Monterey at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey Insitute, MBARI and Surfrider to raise awareness on marine debris and the use of plastics.  From their site, “2,000 miles, cycling through 15 cities from Vancouver, BC to Tijuana, Mexico to give away 100 samples of the oceans surface to educators, organizations and legislators.  The Age of Disposable Plastic must end.”  Amen!  You can join them on one of their group rides coming up in the next couple of weeks, go to the agenda on their website.

Ocean Warrior Roz Savage recently crossed the first 500 mile mark on her 2,500 mile journey across the Pacific.  Go Roz!  Take part in Roz’s mission by pledging to walk/cycle more and drive less.  Check out Pull Together.  Read more about her seafaring adventures online through blogs, podcasts, videos and twitter.

The Plastiki is still in construction, aiming to set sail this summer on a journey of 12,000 nautical miles from San Francisco to Syndey on a catamaran made up of approximately 20,000 recycled plastic bottles. David de Rothschild’s expedition will make a significant pit stop at the pacific garbage patch, bringing attention to the oceans and the many challenges they face, as well as rethinking the human footprint and ways to reduce our impact.

Laying on the couch with the flu or a cold is never fun except in one case… when that cold or flu is a cute and fluffy Giant Microbe.  These fun and educational stuffed animals are created by Drew Oliver and make great gifts for children or friends that have a geeky sense of humor.

I remember seeing my first microbe, it was about the time that the mad cow scare was going on.  I was wandering around in a book store and saw a stuffed animal in the shape of a prion (the microbe that is the cause of mad cow).  At first I was shocked, but the more I looked at its little eyes and the cow patterned skin the more I started to laugh.  IT WAS ADORABLE!!!

Of course, you see I have a nerdy personality but it’s hard not to find Giant Microbes cute and fun no matter what your personality is.  The really neat thing about Giant Microbes though is the fact that they look exactly like the actual microbe and that they separate out the collections into the type of microbe.  For the Medical type there’s the Corporeal collection which contains: white blood cells, red blood cells, brain cells, and even fat cells!

What I’m really interested in is the Aquatics Collection. In the Aquatics Collection it’s okay to play with red tide and even with scum. Algae isn’t such an annoyance and you can even pet a krill!  Not only can you befriend these microbes, you can also learn more about each one. The best place to get a look at these furry friends is on the Giant Microbes website, or on thinkgeek.com. Check it out!

I’m sure no one would mind catching one of these colds from a friend.

World Ocean Day is just around the corner, this coming Monday, June 8th.  The ocean continues to provide so much for us, while facing a growing number of threats. Whatdoya say?  Should we get the big blue eco-party rolling, turn our minds on to all things ocean and do some giving back?  Well alright!  Here we go.  A few reminders of simple steps we can take to keep our ocean healthy:

• Recycle, recycle, recycle.
• Reduce and eliminate ‘one use’ plastics & make the plastics pledge.
• Participate in your local beach clean up.
• Eat sustainable seafood.
• Conserve water.
• Reduce what you can, offset what you can’t - carbon, that is.
• Re-engage or continue to engage in ocean politics, take action!

Next time you’re enjoying the ocean, whether it’s on the water, in the water or on the beach, know that all of us at Ocean Champions and others in the ocean community are incredibly grateful for all that you continue to do for the oceans.  Keep the big blue eco-party going champs!

This week, Ocean Champions representatives attended events for two Members of Congress.  On Monday night, we attended a birthday party for Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo (D-GU), who chairs the Natural Resource Committee’s Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife.  While there, we had several lengthy conversations with the Congresswoman and her Legislative Director.  She has a big agenda for her subcommittee this year, and is focused on reauthorizing the Coastal Zone Management Act, the Sanctuaries Act, and the Coral Reef Conservation Act.  She and her LD also showed a lot of interest in our Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) bill, and we promised to follow up with her office when it was introduced in the House.

Pictured: my daughters (Sky on the left, and Summer) preparing to once again defend the oceans!

Today I was sitting on the beach with my family, and my six year old daughter Sky came over to me.  ”Dad, is that a plastic bottle in the water?” she said.

“Yah,” I replied.

“You should go get it,” Sky encouraged.

“Yah, but the water’s really cold…”

Sky challenged me.  ”Dad, aren’t you an Ocean Champion?”

“Yes.”

“Then you should go get it.  Think about the turtles and dolphins that could eat it and die.”

Then she hit me with the killer close.

“Dad, once a Champion, always a Champion!”

So I said, “You’re right, Sky.  I’ll go get it.”

And Sky, me and my eight year old daughter Summer went down to get the bottle.  While we were there, we also waded in to get a plastic bag nearby.  Then, as we were walking the debris back to the recycling bins at the dune crossing, Summer ran over to retrieve a cookie wrapper she saw lying in the sand.

I can’t tell you how proud I was of my little girls, and I think Sky’s message rings true for all of us.  Many of the ocean’s problems are right in front of us, and some can be addressed with just a little motivated action.  Once a Champion, always a Champion.

Picture: Ocean Champions co-Founder David Wilmot between Margo Pellegrino and Roz Savage at the 2008 Ocean Champions D.C. event.

Earlier in the year, we blogged on the incredible work being done to raise awareness about ocean issues by Margo Pellegrino and by Marcus Erikson and Anna Cummins (JUNKride).  Margo just completed her 1,200 mile canoe trip from Miami to New Orleans on May 23rd.  Marcus and Anna have made it from Vancouver to central California.  The dedication and commitment shown by these ocean warriors is incredible, and challenges all of us to do more for the oceans in our daily lives.

With Roz Savage’s departure from Hawaii two days ago, we have the third incredible journey of 2009.  As many of you know, Roz has already successfully paddled across the Atlantic, and last year made it from San Francisco to Hawaii.  She intends to paddle the entire Pacific, and will add another 2,500 miles of open ocean this year, ultimately reaching a small atoll called Tuvulu.  Along the way, you can follow her on her web page (with a Roz Tracker), on Twitter, and on Facebook.

Roz highlights an issue on each leg of her trip, and on this one she’s raising awareness about carbon emissions and climate change.  In fact, she’s tied in a comprehensive plan for delivering a strong message at the climate talks in Copenhagen later this year and all of us have a chance to help her.  Roz has asked as many people as possible to match her 10,000 oar strokes per day with an equivalent number of footsteps - preferably as a substitute for driving.  You can log your footsteps online, and she’ll present the grand total (and associated carbon emissions savings) at the Copenhagen conference.

But wait, it gets even better.  After rowing 2,500 miles across the Pacific, Roz will be presenting her supporters’ carbon savings by WALKING 600 MORE MILES!  That’s right, on October 24th (World Climate Day, for those of you keeping score), Roz will depart from London on foot, and will walk the 600 miles to Copenhagen.  When she arrives, the work she and her supporters have done will be a living wake up call for the attending world leaders.  The message?  If she (and her supporters) can make such incredible sacrifices in order to help the planet, can’t they do the same?  And on that note, can’t we?

 Support Roz Savage and help her deliver a strong message at Copenhagen!

Ahhhh….80 degree water, a south swell, and one of the longest lefts in the world. Does it get any better than that?  Okay, well, maybe we should throw a few mint mojitos in the mix, a comfy place to sleep under the stars and a healthy and protected ocean to surf in.  Now we’re talking.  Back to Pavones, that deliciously long left.  When the conditions are right, a Pavones wave runs the entire length of the little town (about a kilometer). Located in the ‘deep south’ of Costa Rica, this world famous point break is one not to be missed.

A bit of history:  Pavones was first opened up as “tierre libre” (free land), by the Costa Rican government approximately 30 years ago.  Access was via foot trails through the mountains or by boat.  Since then, with the establishment of roads and bridges followed by the arrival of electricity (1995), Pavones has become a tourist destination.  Fortunately, conservation awareness also has it’s place in this remote area of Costa Rica.  Reforestation and wildlife conservation projects have been introduced, along with community beach clean-ups.  The Osa Campaign is a great example of an incredible cooperative conservation effort currently underway in Costa Rica.

With apologies to the Alabama Crimson Tide, it’s time to “Roll Red Tides, Roll!” right out of the ocean.  Red Tides and other Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) are occurring more and more frequently along all U.S. coasts, including the Great Lakes.  They impose huge costs to coastal ecosystems, human health and regional economies.  HABs are caused by many factors, including light, salinity, water temperature, and nutrient levels in the water.  In some regions, the specific sources of the problem are known, and mitigation can proceed.  In others, the causes are not yet well established and more research is necessary.  One thing is clear though, HABs will not go away without action on our part.

Fortunately, our Champions in Congress are ready to lead us into battle.  Two of them (Senators Snowe and Nelson) have introduced a bill that will direct funding toward research, planning and mitigation of HABs, while also establishing the regional structure necessary for coordinated action.  We expect a similar bill to be introduced in the House any day.

Ocean Champions is embarking on a campaign to help pass the HABs bill this year.  That means we’ll be putting out a lot of information.  It also means we’ll be asking for your help from time to time.  You are the voice of the oceans, and we need you to speak loudly and often to generate the support needed to pass a strong HABs bill and begin reclaiming our coasts.  You can start this process by going to our Home Page and following the HAB links to send an email to your Senators, asking them to support the Snowe / Nelson bill.

So, let’s start up the (clean, renewable energy-powered) machine for ocean action and “Roll Red Tides!” out of the ocean.