Comments on: Producer's Notes: Tagging Pacific Predators http://science.kqed.org/quest/2008/05/20/producers-notes-tagging-pacific-predators/ Explore science, nature and environment stories from Northern California and beyond with KQED’s multimedia series Thu, 24 May 2012 05:51:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Chris Bauer http://science.kqed.org/quest/2008/05/20/producers-notes-tagging-pacific-predators/#comment-22744 Chris Bauer Thu, 17 Nov 2011 20:08:39 +0000 http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/05/20/producers-notes-tagging-pacific-predators/#comment-22744 STORY UPDATE: Greenpeace has released new video footage captured by a tuna industry whistleblower revealing the routine slaughter of marine species, including whale sharks, rays and whales. To see the footage go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JlKwoUtMk4 (Warning, contains graphic images) STORY UPDATE: Greenpeace has released new video footage captured by a tuna industry whistleblower revealing the routine slaughter of marine species, including whale sharks, rays and whales. To see the footage go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JlKwoUtMk4
(Warning, contains graphic images)

]]> By: Chris Bauer http://science.kqed.org/quest/2008/05/20/producers-notes-tagging-pacific-predators/#comment-11409 Chris Bauer Thu, 23 Jun 2011 20:34:09 +0000 http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/05/20/producers-notes-tagging-pacific-predators/#comment-11409 STORY UPDATE: The Pacific Ocean's 'corridors of life' - "Two broad ocean highways where countless sea creatures migrate, feed, mate and reproduce have been discovered running across the Pacific by scientists tuning in to thousands of radio signals." Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/06/22/BAMB1JVGU5.DTL#ixzz1Q8Kb5XBA STORY UPDATE: The Pacific Ocean's 'corridors of life' – "Two broad ocean highways where countless sea creatures migrate, feed, mate and reproduce have been discovered running across the Pacific by scientists tuning in to thousands of radio signals."

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/06/22/BAMB1JVGU5.DTL#ixzz1Q8Kb5XBA

]]> By: Chris Bauer http://science.kqed.org/quest/2008/05/20/producers-notes-tagging-pacific-predators/#comment-11406 Chris Bauer Wed, 05 Jan 2011 17:43:48 +0000 http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/05/20/producers-notes-tagging-pacific-predators/#comment-11406 STORY UPDATE: Curious as to why bluefin tuna are disappearing from the world’s oceans? Here’s this report from Tokyo- Yesterday a giant bluefin tuna fetched a record 32.49 million yen, or nearly $396,000 US, in the first auction of the year at the world's largest wholesale fish market. Nearly $400,000 for one fish. To read more, see: http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_17013218?nclick_check=1 STORY UPDATE: Curious as to why bluefin tuna are disappearing from the world’s oceans? Here’s this report from Tokyo- Yesterday a giant bluefin tuna fetched a record 32.49 million yen, or nearly $396,000 US, in the first auction of the year at the world's largest wholesale fish market. Nearly $400,000 for one fish.

To read more, see: http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_17013218?nclick_check=1

]]> By: Chris Bauer http://science.kqed.org/quest/2008/05/20/producers-notes-tagging-pacific-predators/#comment-11408 Chris Bauer Thu, 18 Nov 2010 16:48:43 +0000 http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/05/20/producers-notes-tagging-pacific-predators/#comment-11408 STORY UPDATE: According to an AP report today, "France, Spain and other Mediterranean nations forced the European Union to retreat Thursday from an ambitious plan to save the threatened and prized bluefin tuna." Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=12178850 STORY UPDATE: According to an AP report today, "France, Spain and other Mediterranean nations forced the European Union to retreat Thursday from an ambitious plan to save the threatened and prized bluefin tuna."
Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=12178850

]]> By: Chris Bauer http://science.kqed.org/quest/2008/05/20/producers-notes-tagging-pacific-predators/#comment-11407 Chris Bauer Tue, 11 May 2010 18:43:42 +0000 http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/05/20/producers-notes-tagging-pacific-predators/#comment-11407 STORY UPDATE: Researchers with Tagging of Pacific Predators (www.topp.org), have discovered the young white shark featured on Quest’s “Great White Sharks in Captivity” story (http://www.kqed.org/quest/television/web-extra-), has died after being returned to the wild by the Monterey Bay Aquarium last November. Reports are she was killed after being caught in a gill net off Baja California. TOPP was following the young great white shark using two electronic tracking tags, one of which was recovered by Mexican researchers who collaborate with the aquarium to study migrations of young great white sharks. White sharks are legally protected in both California and Mexico but are often caught accidentally by commercial fishermen. For more information, see: http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/aa/pressroom/web/PressRelease_view.aspx?enc=yGUTaOGs/HnPeMduhRE6sg== One of the things TOPP has discovered through their research on White Sharks is “the Northern California great white shark population is isolated from the world’s other white sharks; other studies suggest the same is true for the population off Mexico.” According to Dr. Barbara Block, a professor of marine sciences at Stanford University and chief scientist of the TOPP program, “Our tagging programs on adults and juveniles along the California coast show that we have several white shark neighborhoods in central California and northern Mexico. Adults from both regions spend half the year foraging around coastal pinniped colonies and the other half far from shore. The juvenile tagging program has helped us to better understand that young-of-the-year pups live close to the coast in warmer habitats, where they’re vulnerable to local fishing gear. By learning where they go, we can help ensure their future by establishing programs to monitor these unique populations.” STORY UPDATE: Researchers with Tagging of Pacific Predators (www.topp.org), have discovered the young white shark featured on Quest’s “Great White Sharks in Captivity” story (http://www.kqed.org/quest/television/web-extra-), has died after being returned to the wild by the Monterey Bay Aquarium last November. Reports are she was killed after being caught in a gill net off Baja California.

TOPP was following the young great white shark using two electronic tracking tags, one of which was recovered by Mexican researchers who collaborate with the aquarium to study migrations of young great white sharks. White sharks are legally protected in both California and Mexico but are often caught accidentally by commercial fishermen.

For more information, see: http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/aa/pressroom/web/PressRelease_view.aspx?enc=yGUTaOGs/HnPeMduhRE6sg==

One of the things TOPP has discovered through their research on White Sharks is “the Northern California great white shark population is isolated from the world’s other white sharks; other studies suggest the same is true for the population off Mexico.” According to Dr. Barbara Block, a professor of marine sciences at Stanford University and chief scientist of the TOPP program, “Our tagging programs on adults and juveniles along the California coast show that we have several white shark neighborhoods in central California and northern Mexico. Adults from both regions spend half the year foraging around coastal pinniped colonies and the other half far from shore. The juvenile tagging program has helped us to better understand that young-of-the-year pups live close to the coast in warmer habitats, where they’re vulnerable to local fishing gear. By learning where they go, we can help ensure their future by establishing programs to monitor these unique populations.”

]]> By: Chris Bauer http://science.kqed.org/quest/2008/05/20/producers-notes-tagging-pacific-predators/#comment-11405 Chris Bauer Mon, 03 May 2010 16:52:50 +0000 http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/05/20/producers-notes-tagging-pacific-predators/#comment-11405 Treehugger gives a sobering report on how the huge BP oil spill will affect critically endangered bluefin tuna. “The Gulf of Mexico, where a massive oil spill is taking place right now, is also the spawning ground for the critically endangered (according to the IUCN Red List) bluefin tuna. Stocks have already fallen about 90% since the 1970s, and they could fall even closer to extinction because of this catastrophe. Indeed, the location of the spill and the timing are particularly bad for the bluefin tuna...” Read more here: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/05/bp-gulf-oil-spill-impact-on-endangered-bluefin-tuna-fish.php?campaign=th_rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+treehuggersite+%28Treehugger%29&utm_content=My+Yahoo Treehugger gives a sobering report on how the huge BP oil spill will affect critically endangered bluefin tuna.

“The Gulf of Mexico, where a massive oil spill is taking place right now, is also the spawning ground for the critically endangered (according to the IUCN Red List) bluefin tuna. Stocks have already fallen about 90% since the 1970s, and they could fall even closer to extinction because of this catastrophe. Indeed, the location of the spill and the timing are particularly bad for the bluefin tuna…”

Read more here: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/05/bp-gulf-oil-spill-impact-on-endangered-bluefin-tuna-fish.php?campaign=th_rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+treehuggersite+%28Treehugger%29&utm_content=My+Yahoo

]]> By: Chris Bauer http://science.kqed.org/quest/2008/05/20/producers-notes-tagging-pacific-predators/#comment-11404 Chris Bauer Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:56:25 +0000 http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/05/20/producers-notes-tagging-pacific-predators/#comment-11404 Biologists from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) are now proposing to designate 70,000 square miles of ocean along the West Coast as critical habitat for critically endangered leatherback turtles. According to the San Francisco Chronicle news report, if approved, “the regulations would restrict projects that harm the turtles or their food. The government would be required to review and, if necessary, regulate agricultural waste, pollution, oil spills, power plants, oil drilling, storm water runoff and liquid natural gas projects along the California coast between Long Beach and Mendocino County and off the Oregon and Washington coasts.” Read more here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/01/06/MNTL1BDUTN.DTL#ixzz0bqqAfIVp And to read the whole report, log onto: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/E9-31310.htm Biologists from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) are now proposing to designate 70,000 square miles of ocean along the West Coast as critical habitat for critically endangered leatherback turtles.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle news report, if approved, “the regulations would restrict projects that harm the turtles or their food. The government would be required to review and, if necessary, regulate agricultural waste, pollution, oil spills, power plants, oil drilling, storm water runoff and liquid natural gas projects along the California coast between Long Beach and Mendocino County and off the Oregon and Washington coasts.”

Read more here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/01/06/MNTL1BDUTN.DTL#ixzz0bqqAfIVp

And to read the whole report, log onto:
http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/E9-31310.htm

]]> By: Chris Bauer http://science.kqed.org/quest/2008/05/20/producers-notes-tagging-pacific-predators/#comment-11403 Chris Bauer Tue, 05 Jan 2010 16:37:11 +0000 http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/05/20/producers-notes-tagging-pacific-predators/#comment-11403 With the sushi economy, bluefin tuna fetch a handsome price on the open market. This has helped lead to over-fishing, making the big fish more scarce and thus, yes, more valuable on the open market… which lead to them being further exploited and over-fished. Today it was reported that a giant bluefin tuna was auctioned off for the insane price of 16.3 million yen ($177,000) at the world's largest wholesale fish market in Japan. To read more about the story see this AP report: http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_14125445?source=rss With the sushi economy, bluefin tuna fetch a handsome price on the open market. This has helped lead to over-fishing, making the big fish more scarce and thus, yes, more valuable on the open market… which lead to them being further exploited and over-fished. Today it was reported that a giant bluefin tuna was auctioned off for the insane price of 16.3 million yen ($177,000) at the world's largest wholesale fish market in Japan. To read more about the story see this AP report: http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_14125445?source=rss

]]> By: Chris Bauer http://science.kqed.org/quest/2008/05/20/producers-notes-tagging-pacific-predators/#comment-11402 Chris Bauer Fri, 12 Dec 2008 19:50:04 +0000 http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/05/20/producers-notes-tagging-pacific-predators/#comment-11402 For people in the Bay Area who are interested in learning more about the Leatherback Turtle, there will be a Pacific Leatherback Turtle Research & Ecology lecture with Scott Benson, Thursday, December 18, 7 pm. at the Randall Museum in San Francisco. Marine Turtle researcher Scott Benson of NOAA will discuss the past, present and future of leatherback turtle research in the northeast Pacific. Leatherbacks have survived in our oceans for millions of years, but in the last 25 years their population has decreased by ~ 90%. Registration is required. Please contact Justin Holl at justin.holl@farallones.gov. Directions to Randall Museum: http://randallmuseum.org. Suggested $5 donation. For people in the Bay Area who are interested in learning more about the Leatherback Turtle, there will be a Pacific Leatherback Turtle Research & Ecology lecture with Scott Benson, Thursday, December 18, 7 pm. at the Randall Museum in San Francisco. Marine Turtle researcher Scott Benson of NOAA will discuss the past, present and future of leatherback turtle research in the northeast Pacific. Leatherbacks have survived in our oceans for millions of years, but in the last 25 years their population has decreased by ~ 90%.

Registration is required. Please contact Justin Holl at justin.holl@farallones.gov. Directions to Randall Museum: http://randallmuseum.org. Suggested $5 donation.

]]> By: Chris Bauer http://science.kqed.org/quest/2008/05/20/producers-notes-tagging-pacific-predators/#comment-11401 Chris Bauer Wed, 04 Jun 2008 20:02:25 +0000 http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2008/05/20/producers-notes-tagging-pacific-predators/#comment-11401 And they're off!! The Great Turtle Race II has begun! Satellite tagged Leatherback turtles from both sides of the Pacific Ocean are "competing" in a trans-Pacific marathon to the international dateline! Our local turtle Saphira II out of Half Moon Bay, California has taken the lead! Go Saphira II! Swim like the wind! To follow your favorite Leatherback turtle, log on to http://www.greatturtlerace.com/ Please, no wagering. And they're off!! The Great Turtle Race II has begun! Satellite tagged Leatherback turtles from both sides of the Pacific Ocean are "competing" in a trans-Pacific marathon to the international dateline! Our local turtle Saphira II out of Half Moon Bay, California has taken the lead! Go Saphira II! Swim like the wind!

To follow your favorite Leatherback turtle, log on to http://www.greatturtlerace.com/
Please, no wagering.

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