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A gorgeous photograph of a vast blue bay in San Cristobal Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador. Credit to the Galapagos Fragata Yacht Co. In this article, we will discuss the oceans of San Cristobal Island / Chatham Island. San Cristobal Island is a part of the Galapagos Islands Archipelago, located in the southern Pacific Ocean. Out of all the Galapagos islands, San Cristóbal Island is the farthest east. San Cristobal Island is located approximately 501.75 nautical miles (577.403588 miles or 929.241 kilometers) off the central coast of Ecuador. Though San Cristobal Island is not the main Galapagos island, it is one of two islands with an airport. It is the fifth largest of the 127 Galapagos islands. The island has a very low population, with only about 6,000 inhabitants. The island is extremely biodiverse, & has vibrant marine ecosystems that are directly connected with the towns around them. Many consider the sea lions that live on the beaches, walkways, & park benches to be locals. The majority of the beaches, as well as coastal walkways on the island, have these marine mammals on them. A Sea Lion barking along a beach on San Cristobal Island, Galapagos Archipelago, Ecuador. Credit to the Galapagos Aside from the Sea Lions, San Cristobal Island has a variety of other interesting marine species to offer. These creatures range from reef sharks to exotic & colourful fish. One of the most well-known places to find these reef sharks is Kicker Rock. Kicker Rock is located off the coast of the northwestern portion of the island. It is the remnants of a volcanic eruption. The area is most well-known for its magnificent coral reefs that have a large population of Galapagos sharks. Since this group of rocks is so far away from San Cristobal Island, it is only accessible by boat. In this article, we will discuss the Salinity, Tides, Marine Geography, & Depth of the waters surrounding the island, the most prominent marine ecosystems of the island, the marine flora & fauna of the island, & how oceanic rising temperatures, as well as oceanic acidification, are affecting the island. With that being said, let us delve into the oceans surrounding San Cristobal Island.  The Salinity, Tides, Temperatures, Marine Geography, & Depth Of The Oceans Surrounding San Cristobal Island The Salinity around San Cristobal Island is approximately 33.5 parts per thousand. For every 1000 grams of water, there will be a certain number of grams that are pure salt. This is how salinity or saline level is measured. There are also no ongoing factors that would lead to the salinity level being altered. The tidal charts around San Cristobal Island are found on a plethora of websites, a few of which are: https://www.tide-forecast.com , https://www.tideschart.com , & https://www.seatemperatu.re . Generally speaking, the tides rarely get over 6 feet tall. The oceanic temperatures can be found on similar websites, such as: https://www.seatemperature.org , https://seatemperature.net , https://seatemperatures.net , https://www.tide-forecast.com , & finally https://seatemperature.info . The average yearly oceanic temperature is currently 24.7° Celsius (76.46° Fahrenheit). Using this average, it is recommended that swimmers wear a 3 millimeter full suit, or a 2 millimeter short suit. The area is not known to have high riptide, & is perfectly safe for swimming, snorkelling, & scuba diving. There is very little oceanic pollution, & it is considered to be safe for humans to swim in the ocean. In the oceanic areas closer to the coast, the water is known to get at least 130 feet deep. There are no known oceanic canyons near the island, nor are there any seamounts. The Galapagos Islands have several Marine Protected Areas, which are known as The Galapagos National Park Marine Reserve, The Galapagos Marine Reserve, & the Galapagos Biosphere Reserve. For the beautiful coral reefs & expansive forests, San Cristobal Island is extremely popular for Eco-Tourists. The majority of these Eco-Tourists will do hiking, wildlife observation, snorkelling, & scuba diving.  Some of the best beaches for wildlife watchers, swimmers, & snorkelers, are considered to be: La Loberia, Puerto Chino Beach, Cerro Brujo, Playa Mann, Punta Pitt, Playa Punta Carola, Playa Baquerzio, Playa De Oro, Puerto Grande, Playa El Manglecito, Los Marinos, & Muelle Tijeretas.  The Most Prominent Marine Ecosystems Of San Cristobal Island Ecosystem Type No. 1: Fringing Coral Reef Fringing Coral Reefs are the most common, as well as well best-known ecosystem. Around the island, the coral reefs are of the fringing type; hence the name fringing coral reefs. These ecosystems are the most biodiverse, & are extremely important to the island. Coral reefs are used as shelter, spawning grounds, breeding grounds, & hunting grounds. Around San Cristobal Island, there are both shallow & deep-sea coral reefs. These coral reefs range from being 5 to 1,500 feet (1.52 to 457.2 meters) deep. Not only do these coral reefs provide a haven for marine life, but they also act as a natural cushion to the waves & storms around the island. Ecosystem Type No. 2: Coastal Mangrove Forests Towards the southern end of San Cristobal Island, there are multiple areas of mangrove forests. These mangrove forests are extremely important to the island's ecosystem diversity, as they house many different species, a few of which are endemic to the Galapagos Islands. On San Cristobal Island, there are an estimated 4 species of mangrove tree: Laguncularia Racemosa (White Mangrove), Avicennia Germinans (Black Mangrove), Rhizophora Mangle (Red Mangrove), & Conocarpus erectus (Buttonwood Mangrove). These mangroves have incredibly deep waters, so much so that rays can navigate them regularly. These mangrove forests serve not only as a refuge for marine life, but also as a natural habitat for Waterfowl.  The Documented Marine Flora Of San Cristobal Island Being in the Galapagos Islands, the island has a big variety of marine flora as well as fauna. As said in the subsection titled “Ecosystem Type No. 2: Coastal Mangrove Forests”, the primary mangrove species are as follows: Laguncularia Racemosa (White Mangrove), Avicennia Germinans (Black Mangrove), Rhizophora Mangle (Red Mangrove), & Conocarpus erectus (Buttonwood Mangrove). Unfortunately, as for oceanic flora that grows directly in the ocean, there is little to no data. There are no current issues with invasive marine plant species, invasive parasites, or invasive diseases.  The Documented Marine Fauna of San Cristobal Island Marine Fauna around San Cristobal Island is plentiful & very diverse, ranging from colourful tropical fish, to fur seals who are practically citizens. Since San Cristobal Island has both shallow & deep-sea coral reefs, the island provides a very rich habitat. As of 2025, there are at least 5 endemic marine animals, discounting waterfowl.  How Rising Oceanic Temperatures Are Affecting San Cristobal Island Unfortunately, the coral reefs around San Cristobal Island are incredibly easily affected by rising ocean temperatures. During events in which the water temperature spikes, the coral will become stressed out, & will eventually bleach. Once the coral becomes stressed, it is difficult for it to recover. With intervention, Coral can heal within the first few weeks of bleaching. Once it reclaims its food source & zooxanthellae, it will slowly begin to heal. There have been a few mass-scale bleaching events, namely the 1990s & 2010s. As ocean temperatures rise, more of these events could occur, & diminish the coral population even more.  Directories / Credits Citation No. 1: “Wetsuit thickness and temperature guide, Written by Mark Evans, & Published on April 24th, 2023, at 3:05 PM. Published By Scuba Divers Magazine. Retrieval Date: December 12th, 2023. https://www.scubadivermag.com/wetsuit-thickness-and-temperature-guide/#Scuba_diving_wetsuits Citation No. 2: “5 BEST BEACHES INSAN CRISTOBAL, GALÁPAGOS”, Written by Unknown & Published On October 29th, 2022. Published By The Portuguese Traveler. Retrieval Date: December 13th, 2023.  https://theportuguesetraveler.com/galapagos/san-cristobal/best-beaches-san-cristobal/ Citation No. 3: “Creativity in Science: Studying Mangroves in Galapagos” Written by Isabel Grijalva and Nicolálas Moity & Published on March 4th, 2021. Published by the Charles Darwin Foundation. Retrieval Date: December 13th, 2023.  https://www.darwinfoundation.org/en/blog-articles/681-creativity-in-science-studying-mangrove Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast Cash Daniels Tides of Tomorrow Our Loyal Patrons P. R. Ochoa

A gorgeous photograph of the Hawaiian Day Octopus, a creature that we covered in a previous article about the Hawaiian Island of Lanai. This octopus is known for its vibrant blue spots, symbolism in Hawaiian Culture, & conniving intellect. Credit to underwater photographer Teresa Zubi. Today’s map in the Ode to Oceanography series is a lovely, 108-year-old, nautical chart of Hawaii, then referred to as the “Territory of Hawaii”, as it had not yet reached statehood. This chart showcases the entirety of the islands of Hawaii, from Ni’ihau to the Island of Hawai’i. The map features a trove of topographic information, as well as information about coastal communities on the island. The map even includes volcanic eruptions which occurred around the time In addition to this, near the bottom towards the left, there is a table of the approximate distances between Honolulu, the capital of Hawaii, & various major cities. This would have been useful for any sailor of the Pacific, or any scientist looking to sail between Hawaii & any major cities. Although the chart has slight discolouration, it is still concise, with proportions of 33 inches (83.82 centimeters) wide, & 22 inches (55.88 centimeters) long. In today’s article, we will discuss the map itself, & analyze this antique nautical map. With that being said, let us delve into the idyllic tropical islands of Hawaii! The Chart Itself A splendid 108-year-old map of Hawaii from the U.S. General Land Office. This chart depicts all of the Pacific Islands of Hawaii, listed as the “Territory of Hawaii”. The chart was manufactured in 1917, back when Hawaii was a Territory, as it did not reach statehood until 1959. The chart is coloured, with a light blue showcasing the sea, brown shades depicting each island, & red lines on each island depicting routes that one could take should they decide to traverse the island. Sadly, the chart does not include very much Bathymetric information, however, it makes up for it in topographic details. The chart includes a multitude of town names, & other topographic features such as mountains, volcanoes, lava flows, past eruptions, & rivers, extremely useful to any sailor of the era. The chart is also in decent condition, with some slight discolouration, & minor yellowing. An Analysis Of The Chart This map was manufactured in 1917, by the United States General Land Office. During the time of the maps' creation, Hawaii had been freshly made a Territory of the United States by the Hawaii Organic Act of 1900. To establish new infrastructure & connections with the mainland, it was imperative to have a proper understanding of Hawaii’s topography, surrounding oceans, volcanic activity, & similar attributes. It is also important to note that due to this sudden need for information about Hawaii, multiple other cartographers sprang into action & created similar maps. Hawaii was also seen as a paramount part of our connections to Australia, & East Asia, & having an understanding of its distance from these locations would have been very important to many sailors of the Pacific during this Era. This is most likely why it was decided to include the table near the left center, showcasing the distance between various major port cities of the Pacific & Honolulu. Considering the time that the chart was made in, & the fact that it was mass-produced, we believe that this chart was manufactured through lithography. Lithography is a method of printing that arose in the 1820s, & remained the most popular method of printing in both color & grayscale until the early 1960s, when more efficient methods became available. It is still widely used for certain kinds of printing, such as fine art printing today, however, digital printing is far more common. In the lithographic method, the artist will draw directly onto a printing surface, such as zinc, or copper, until they are satisfied with the drawing. After this, the surface will be covered with a chemical etch, which will bond it to the surface. With this process, the blank areas will attract moisture to the plate & repel the lithographic ink, while the areas that are drawn on will hold the ink. Water is then wiped onto the unpainted areas to help prevent the ink from deviating. After the image is inked, the paper is laid over it & covered with a tympan, & the tympan is pressed down. Finally, these materials pass through the scraper bar of the litho-press. Afterward, an exact copy of whatever was supposed to be printed is revealed. It is extremely useful for making high-resolution prints in high quantities. Directories / Credits All credit for this map analyzed today goes to Rare Maps, a California rare & antique maps store. To purchase this chart, antique atlases, or other cartographic objects, please visit www.raremaps.com . To be clear, this is not an advertisement for Rare Maps, as we do not have a partnership with them. Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast Cash Daniels Tides of Tomorrow Our Loyal Patrons P. R. Ochoa

An intriguing photograph of the Galapagos Shark (Carcharhinus galapagensis). Credit to underwater photographer Andy Murch. This month's article series shall discuss the esteemed & magnificent San Cristóbal Island / Chatham Island! San Cristobal Island is a part of the Galapagos Islands Archipelago, located in the southern Pacific Ocean. Out of all the Galapagos islands, San Cristóbal Island is the farthest east. San Cristobal Island is located approximately 501.75 nautical miles (577.403588 miles or 929.241 kilometers) off the central coast of Ecuador. Though San Cristobal Island is not the main Galapagos island, it is one of two islands with an airport. It is the fifth largest of the 127 Galapagos islands. The island has a very low population, with only about 6,000 inhabitants. The island is extremely biodiverse, & has vibrant marine ecosystems that are directly connected with the towns around them. Many consider the sea lions that live on the beaches, walkways, & park benches to be locals. The majority of the beaches, as well as coastal walkways on the island, have these marine mammals on them. Aside from the Sea Lions, San Cristobal Island has a variety of other interesting marine species to offer. One of these species is the Carcharhinus Galapagensis (Galapagos Shark). The Galapagos Shark is a species of reef shark found in various tropical settings, in both the Atlantic & Pacific Oceans. This species is very similar in appearance to a few other species of large reef sharks, making it very hard to distinguish between them. The Galapagos Shark is very rarely found in intertidal zones, & usually stays in open oceanic coral reefs. While diving, one may find these sharks at depths of 20 to 590 feet (6.096 meters to 179.832 meters) deep. Usually they are found alone; however, they are known to form large groups around inlets & seamounts. In this article, we will discuss the discovery & life of the Galapagos Shark, the mating strategies, practices, procedures, tactics, & cycles of the Galapagos Shark, the distribution of the Galapagos Shark, & the scientific details of the Galapagos Shark. With that being said, let us delve into this beautiful requiem shark.  A photograph of a small bay along the coastline of San Cristobal Island / Chatham Island. Credit to travelguidesworld.com . The Discovery & Life Of The Galapagos Shark The Galapagos Shark was discovered by Robert Evans Snodgrass, an American entomologist, & Edmund Heller, an American zoologist. It was discovered in the year 1905. The evolutionary history of the Galapagos Shark is very unclear. It is estimated that they have existed since at least the early Cretaceous period. The Galapagos Shark reaches a maximum of 11 feet (3.3528 meters) long. Additionally, it reaches a maximum of 418.878 pounds (190 kilograms). The lifespan of the Galapagos Shark is 20 to 24 years. The intelligence of the Shark is understudied; however, what is known is that they are not playful. Though they are considered to be potentially dangerous, it is extremely unlikely that they will attack a diver.  As of 2025, Galapagos Sharks are under pressure from the fishing industry, as many local fishermen like to catch & eat them. This is why the localized population in the Galápagos Islands is aggressive towards boats, as well as people. Currently, this species has caused 1 fatal shark attack to a diver in the Virgin Islands. This species is not known to be territorial, though there is a clear hierarchy between the various sharks. Galapagos sharks are solitary animals, only forming groups when they are in a frenzy. Sharks, in particular, can swim by flexing themselves side to side, which propels them forward. They steer themselves using their pectoral & dorsal fins. With these adaptations, they can move through the water column with ease. The average speed of the Galapagos shark is 3.2 kilometers per hour (1.98839 miles per hour). Unlike the majority of fish, sharks do not have swim bladders. Instead of using swim bladders to control their buoyancy, their livers have extra oil in them. Galapagos Sharks are only able to sleep by shutting off half of their brains, & continuing to swim. They usually sleep close to the sea floor. Galapagos Sharks usually have a diet of crustaceans, molluscs, fish, & occasionally small sea lions. Since they swim so close to the bottom, they often feast on bottom dwellers. These bottom dwellers can range from octopi & squid to eels & triggerfish. They are cannibalistic, & are known to occasionally eat their pups. For this reason, the pups will purposely stay in shallower water. Unfortunately, we do not know how much they eat per day, nor do we have any information on their metabolism. These sharks hunt diurnally, & hunt seemingly whenever they can. They locate their food through sight, & ripples in the water. Galapagos Sharks function as predators in the coral reef ecosystem. This species of shark has very few natural predators, aside from local fishermen. The Galapagos Shark is light grey, with a white underbelly. Their upper tail fin is elongated, & their snout is slightly rounded. They are often mistaken for the grey reef shark, as well as the dusky shark. The IUCN Red List has assessed this species, & has thankfully given it the ranking of Least Concern. The Mating Strategies, Practices, Procedures, Tactics, & Cycles Of The Galapagos Shark The Galapagos Shark breeds via sexual reproduction. Galapagos Sharks are not hermaphroditic, & have two distinct sexes. Additionally, they are viviparous, meaning that they are live-bearing. These sharks are considered to be polyamorous, meaning both males & females have multiple partners. In the Galapagos Islands population they are known to breed around the eastern parts of the Archipelago. Both females & males will sexually mature at the age of 10 years. Unfortunately, very little information on their breeding habits is available, so it is unclear what the exact breeding ritual is like. The females will initiate the ritual by releasing a chemical into the ocean. Once the ritual is complete, the males will have no part in the pup's life. Their gestational period lasts approximately 1 year, & each pregnancy yields 4 to 16 pups. Once the pup is born, the mother will most likely not have another litter for another 2 to 3 years. These pups will be 16 to 32 inches (40.64 to 81.28 centimeters) long at birth. More often than not, the pups will be forced to stay away from their parents, & are given little to no care.  The Distribution Of The Galapagos Shark Galapagos Sharks are found in various island chains around the world, & rarely migrate between them. These island chains are Bermuda, the Virgin Islands, Cape Verde, Ascension Islands, Saint Helena, the Galapagos Islands, Walter’s Shoal, São Tomé Island, & the Hawaiian Islands. The Galapagos Shark is found no deeper than 82 feet when they are juveniles, & as adults are found as deep as 919 feet. This species is not migratory at all. They tend to swim at the bottom of the ocean, near patches of loose substrate.  The Scientific Details of The Galapagos Shark By far the most interesting thing about this shark is their large teeth. The Galapagos Shark has 14 large, serrated teeth that are triangular. These teeth are incredibly sharp, & will cause large amounts of damage if they were to bite. Their lower teeth are much narrower, & point straight up with a small base instead of being triangular. Galapagos Sharks are known to have 1 major parasite, which is known as Dermophthirius Carcharhini. This parasite is a species of worm that causes massive infections in these sharks, & can cause loss of scales. In addition to the loss of scales, the worm can cause the death of the shark. Unlike most requiem Sharks, the Galapagos Shark has a mere 58 vertebrae. Their skeleton of this shark is largely cartilaginous, which helps them to swim. Their phylum is Chordata, meaning that they developed these 5 characteristics. All species under the phylum of Chordata develop 5 similar characteristics either in adulthood or as juveniles. The characteristics that they develop include, a notochord, dorsal hollow nerve cord, endostyle or thyroid, pharyngeal Slits, & a post-anal tail. & three middle ear bones. Their class is Chondrichthyes. This is a class of fish that is primarily composed of cartilage. This class can be compared to the class Osteichthyes, which is a class of fish that is primarily composed of bone. A few universal characteristics for any fish in the class Chondrichthyes are that they are all jawed vertebrates, they have paired fins, paired nares, scales, & a heart with chambers in a series. Their order is that of Carcharhiniformes. This order has approximately 270 species categorized under it, & is characterized by two dorsal fins, anal fins, & five gill slits. Their family is that of Carcharhinidae, which are commonly known as requiem sharks. The majority of these sharks are found in tropical areas. This family of sharks has existed since at least the Valanginian age. Their genus is that of Carcharhinus. Currently, there are 35 different species categorized under this genus. Their binomial name is currently Carcharhinus Galapagensis.  Directories / Credits   Citation No. 1: “Carcharhinus Galapagensis” Written By Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Florida Museum. Retrieval Date: December 8th, 2023.   https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/discover-fish/species-profiles/carcharhinus-galapagensis/ Citation No. 2: “Galapagos Shark” Written By Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Shark Guardian. Retrieval Date: December 8th, 2023. https://www.sharkguardian.org/amp/galapagos-shark Citation No. 3: “Galapagos Sharks” Written By Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Galapagos Conservation. Retrieval Date: December 8th, 2023.  https://galapagosconservation.org.uk/species/galapagos-shark/ Citation No. 4: “Galapagos Shark: Carcharhinus Galapagensis” Written By Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by AZ Animals. Retrieval Date: December 8th, 2023.  https://a-z-animals.com/animals/galapagos-shark/ Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast Cash Daniels Tides of Tomorrow Our Loyal Patrons  P. R. Ochoa

An astute headshot of Sabine Castro. Credit to Sabine Castro. Recently, we were truly fortunate to speak with Sabine Castro, the Founder of Dolphin Defenders & an Aspiring Marine Biologist. Sabine Castro founded the ocean education organization "Dolphin Defenders" in January of 2025. Since then, her team has grown to over 20 dedicated & hard-working individuals, who have built partnerships with organizations such as the UN & the Manta Trust. In today’s interview, we sit down with Sabine to discuss her lovely organization, ideas for & efforts in ocean conservation, & advice for young people who are looking to make a change, in a comprehensive 13-question interview. Before delving into today’s interview, please note everything said has been edited for clarity, & that the opinions of our interviewee do not necessarily reflect the views & values of our organization. With that being said, let us delve into the contents of the interview! The Contents Of The Interview Questions About Her Passion: 1. What sparked your passion for marine biology & ocean science? I’m fairly young; however, last summer I was lucky enough to work with the Central Park Zoo. In that role, I dedicated quite a lot of hours, over 200. It was very enjoyable to teach people about conservation, & about what the zoo does. As a part of the zoo, I began advocating for the Hudson Canyon, which is a marine canyon 100 miles southeast of New York, to become a marine sanctuary. I wanted to get involved, which inspired me to create something bigger, & somehow I ended up here! 2. Was there any particular place, person, or moment that assisted in the sparking of your passion? Apart from my time at the Central Park Zoo, I would say that I have always been interested in animals. I have always been interested in paleontology & veterinary studies, & I enjoy it when people come to me & ask about conservation or about what they can do to help. It truly makes me feel satisfied & fulfilled, & makes me feel as if I’m doing something in this world. It’s not necessarily one person or place, but the entire community that inspires me to continue empowering youth to join conservation. 3. What is your favorite marine or terrestrial animal & why? From a young age, my favorite animal has always been the orca! They’re black & white, however, they are far more complex than that appearance-wise, ironically. They are very misunderstood creatures, & are incredibly intelligent. As a species, they have very few human fatalities linked to them, however, there is still this fear circulating about them. I feel that encourages people to try & get a deeper understanding of them, as well as their personalities. 4. What inspired you to take action in the form of your organization? It all started when I was offered the position of ambassador at the Manta Trust, which is a nonprofit organization dedicated to Manta Ray education, research, & conservation. During the initial interview process, my advisor told me that we were allowed to create a project. Right from the get-go, I began thinking about what I could do to make lasting change. I’d been a part of conservation conversations for a long time by this point, & I wanted to create a place where youth could join & all youth could start their projects to contribute to a moment of greater ocean understanding. In wanting to create something that would last, with or without me, I created Dolphin Defenders. Questions About Her Organization: 5. When did you begin your organization, Dolphin Defenders, & how? How large is your team now, & where can people looking to volunteer with you apply? I founded the organization in January 2025. As for current team sizes, our official team recently surpassed 20 members, however, I would say that we have impacted over 500 individuals so far through our various events. If you do wish to check us out, we are currently most active on Instagram, & are preparing to launch our website. 6. Do you mind walking me through the various programs of your organization? One of our most prominent recent programs was our Echoes of the Deep poetry contest, sponsored by the United Nations Decade of Ocean Sciences & Sustainable Development. It was a creative writing contest in which individuals could submit their ocean-inspired poems, stories, or similar works. Along with this, we recently hosted the Global Environmental Youth Forum, which was a forum that brought together youth from around the world in a debate-style stage to discuss various environmental issues. Although we did not agree on everything, everyone was very polite, civil, & formal. In addition to these, we also have our environmental ambassadors program where we empower youth financially, or through advertisements on our social media, & we empower them to create their projects. One of our ambassadors recently won the EarthEcho prize, which offers a year-long mentorship, along with a few thousand dollars. We hope to continue empowering youth to create their projects, & create not just a localized, but a nationwide effect. 7. You recently hosted an Oceanic Poetry Competition titled “Echoes Of The Deep”, in collaboration with the Aldrich Anthology, a Poetry Magazine. Do you mind my asking what inspired you to hold this poetry competition & what insights you & your organization gained from holding it? One way to get youth involved is through art. Art is a huge way to inspire not only creativity, but to inspire community solutions, & form a community of change-makers. We had submissions from individuals who were 17, 16, 15, 14, & the youngest submission was even 8 years old! It wasn’t formal, was very welcoming, & in that way, we can experience how everyone’s ideas come together to form a greater movement of ocean understanding. One of the primary goals in hosting it was to bring youth together from around the world & hear their perspectives as well as relationships with our oceans, & their connections with the water. Due to the fact that it was our first event, we had much organizing & infrastructure to build as an organization, which did make things more difficult due to the amount of trial by error, however, it did work out in the end. About the UN, we have a lot of partnering organizations, which gradually led us to a partnership with the UN. 8. What are your organization's primary goals for 2025 & 2026? Even though we’ve been around for just six months, we have some incredible ideas already. I would say that one of our main goals is to create lasting policy change, particularly through our Marine Bill of Rights, which is a framework for marine protection on a local level. Hopefully, we see permanent change through that framework, & set a precedent for future oceanic protections. In addition to this, we have two in-person events planned, one in collaboration with Sea Shepard as a beach cleanup, & one as a planned marine biological youth summit at the New York Aquarium in August or September. 9. Now, you may not have an answer to this yet, or you may not wish to answer, which is perfectly reasonable & understandable; however, do you intend to pursue marine biology as your career path? I feel that I have a very strong background in marine biology & conservation, from an entrepreneurial perspective, a sustainable finance perspective, & a conservation perspective. It is a massive interest of mine, & I am interested in pursuing it. I’d like to make a lasting change in marine conservation, it’s a balance of individual biology & understanding what is going on in the ocean, & finding innovative solutions to its problems. 10. What has been your biggest triumph or proudest moment concerning your organization so far? This is a very good question. I have had a multitude of proud moments in the organization's history. We have a team of over 20 individuals now, however, we have impacted many more. I think that creating a community is an achievement in it of itself. I think my proudest moment would be winning the National Call for Kindness fellowship, which is a very prestigious fellowship, & allowed me to network with people to create social & environmental change. It was an incredible boost to our organization. With this fellowship, we won 5,000$, which will be used to fund a new program of ours, Mission Manta, & we get 1-on-1 mentoring from their representatives. 11. I’m sure that you have faced just as many challenges & setbacks as you have leaps forward. What has been the biggest hurdle that you have faced in your running of Dolphin Defenders? Additionally, what was the biggest challenge that you faced & how did you overcome it? We’re already at a disadvantage being young, without experience, & formal credentials. It’s difficult for adults to take us seriously, & one of the major problems that we wish to solve. We hope to show that youth will be the ones to bear the burden of all actions related to the environment & climate, so we should have a seat at these tables & a place in these discussions. 12. Do you have any advice for new organizational founders, aspiring marine biologists, young scientists, & those with a passion? I would say that my greatest advice for young people starting to build something is to just start. Start without question, without instruction booklets, all you need is a vision & persistence to keep going. Every startup started somewhere & was built around a vision. If you want to build something, if you want to make a change, all you have to do is start & keep going. 13. Do you have any final words about your organization, marine biology, science communication, or young people making an impact? Stay tuned! Follow our Instagram, & keep updated on what we are up to because we’re going to make a change whether people see it coming or not. Directories / Credits https://www.instagram.com/dolphindefenders?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ== Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast Cash Daniels Tides of Tomorrow Our Loyal Patrons P. R. Ochoa

In today's article, we will be discussing the History of Port Arthur, Texas. Port Arthur is a small town on the Northeast coast of Texas. Port Arthur is approximately 90 miles (144.841 kilometers) east of Houston, & 317.1 miles (510.32298 kilometers) south of Dallas. Port Arthur is extremely economically important to Texas, as Motiva Oil Refinery, the largest oil refinery in the U.S, is located in Port Arthur. As the town is located directly on the coast, the town is only approximately 7 feet (2.1336 meters) in elevation. Due to this low elevation & proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, the town is extremely susceptible to hurricanes. The town is primarily located in Jefferson County, however, it does have a small strip of land in the neighbouring Orange County. The town census-designated area is approximately 144.1 square miles (373.21729 square kilometers), 46.61% of which is covered in water. The town's coastlines have a very high amount of marine mammals, which have been written about in the town's newsletter. These marine mammals can be seen around the port or prancing off the coast in the ocean. As of 2025, Port Arthur is 125 years old, however, the history of the town doesn’t start at its official establishment. The history of Port Arthur starts approximately 1,500 years ago with the Atakapaka Native American Aboriginals. Before Port Arthur was settled, the lake that the town is connected to was used as a base for trading by French, English, & Spanish Explorers. These explorers traded mainly with the natives. Some of these explorers attempted to stay, while the majority didn’t. The first attempt at settling the area was in the area of the community of Aurora. Some plots of land were sold, however, the community never took form. With such a vast history, the town has a few different historical museums that document the history of the town. Unfortunately, we will not he interviewing any museum officials for this article. In this article, we will discuss the history of Port Arthur, the documented aboriginals of Port Arthur, the Most Destructive Man-Caused & Natural Disasters To Affect Port Arthur, & the Economic state of Port Arthur. With that being said, let us delve into the history of this sleepy Texas town.  A photograph of Port Arthur's Pleasure Pier being enjoyed by lively groups of young men. Credit to the city of Port Arthur. The Documented History Of Port Arthur Before Colonization  Historical Events From The 1700s  Port Arthur has been inhabited by the Atakapa Native Americans for 1,500 Years. In the 1700’s, Spanish, English, & French sailors ventured to Sabine Lake, which is a lake connected to Port Arthur. This lake quickly became a a popular trading area.  Historical Events From The 1800s The first group of people to be forced to build a town where Port Arthur now stands was an unfortunate group of British Sailors. A small group of British Sailors crash-landed along the coast, & promptly built a shed & a small garden to live in. The group managed to keep from starvation by planting seeds that they had brought from their ship. Unfortunately, this solution didn’t work forever, & the group soon faced starvation. A group of Mexican Soldiers from Mexico City found them before they could become emaciated, however, the soldiers thought that these British sailors were attempting to establish a British Colony in Texas. Try as they might, they were unable to convince the Mexican Soldier that they were not trying to establish a colony. Unfortunately, these sailors were then taken back to Mexico City, thrown in prison, & left to die. The next person to use the land was a man by the name of Jean Lafitte. Jean Lafitte would use the area as a hideaway, & passing commercial ships. The pirate wouldn’t use the town forever, though, & eventually stopped using it. In the 1840s, a small area in the modern-day Historic District of Port Arthur was almost settled. Some plots of land were sold; however, the community never fully took form. Ultimately, the project was abandoned. There are very few records about anything going on until the American Civil War. During the Civil War, the Union Army noticed that the Sabine River was incredibly important, as much of the cotton exported between Texas & Louisiana went through the river. A few different battles were fought over the river, & ultimately, the river was won by the Confederacy. Approximately 350 war prisoners were the result of said battles, along with mass casualties. In the 1890s, Railroad Extraordinaire Arthur Stilwell was readying himself to build a railroad in Galveston. However, according to him, few brownies came & spoke to him, & told him that he shouldn’t build in Galveston. Brownies are British Fairies that will come out at night when the owners of houses are asleep, & then do household tasks, such as cleaning. They are said to enjoy milk & cream, & are not harmless unless insulted. Additionally, they are said to pull harmless pranks on bad Household Servants. Generally, Brownies are regarded as good. These particular Brownies told Stilwell not to build in Galveston, as there would be large floods. Stilwell listened to the brownies, & instead established Port Arthur, & built a railroad terminal there. These alleged brownies would prove to be somewhat correct, as the 1901 Galveston Hurricane would flood the entire area. In 1895, Stilwell began to settle the city with the financial support of various Dutch Investors. The founder of the Kansas City Southern Railroad began envisioning Port Arthur as a southern terminal for his new railroad, & a new center for tourism, & trade. Before Incorporation, the population was still growing quite fast, & the citizens realized that education was a necessity. They decided on March 28th of 1897, to build a small one-room school. They miraculously completed this in one day, through volunteer labor. The town of Port Arthur was officially incorporated in 1898, when the town was officially incorporated. The rest of the historical events concerning Port Arthur will be under the subsection “After Official Incorporation”. After Official Incorporation   Historical Events From The Rest Of The 1800s Port Arthur was officially established in the year 1898. Around this time, Stilwell began digging the Port Arthur Channel, which is a channel leading from Sabine Lake to the Gulf of Mexico. This channel opened in 1899, & was used for shipping the town of Port Arthur. In the same year, Stilwell invited his close friend John. W. Gates, to view the town. Upon arrival, Gates decided he wanted to be a part of this upcoming town, & wanted to develop it. So, He applied & was denied the position on the board of railroads. Gates promptly had Stilwell's interests declared bankrupt, & became the President of the Kansas City Southern Railroad. Despite getting his position in a rather suspicious way, & he genuinely wanted to develop Port Arthur, & push it forward in the economy.  Historical Events From The 1900s Beginning in the early 1900s, pioneers began moving to Port Arthur, & increasing the population rapidly. Homes were being built at a massive rate, streets were being made, & new businesses were added to the town. Additionally, around this time, Stilwell built a hotel, a swimming pool, & an export pier. Stilwell brought 300 Dutch settlers to begin a new life as farmers, whose culture still survives in the nearby town of Nederland. Beginning in 1901, the Petrochemical industry boomed. Subsequently, the economy of the port quickly shifted to serve the needs of the petrochemical industry. In the same year, the Gulf Oil Corporation set up its first oil refinery in the port. Texaco followed soon after, & quickly set up their oil refinery in 1902. Though these oil refineries were experimental, they would go on to be some of the largest oil refineries on earth. These oil refiners would go on to massively boost the economy, & by 1957, Port Arthur was the center for petrochemicals. In 1909, the first hospital in the area was built by Henry W. Gates. This hospital was known as Mary Gates Hospital. In the same year, Gates founded the Port Arthur Business College, which is modernly known as Lamar State College-Port Arthur. As education became an increasingly popular issue in the U.S, more schools began to be built in Port Arthur. The first of which was Webster Elementary School, built in 1909. The next one to be built was Port Arthur High School in 1911. The last large school to be built was Franklin School, which began construction in 1917 but was not opened until 1919. This school had a massive auditorium, with a maximum capacity of 750. This made the school not only valuable to students, but also valuable to the community. Many theatre performances, as well as lectures, were held on this stage. The school would also use this auditorium for educational films, having at least 1 per week. In addition to the auditorium, the school had 2 separate gymnasiums, one for young men, & one for young women. Physical workshops, such as metal shops, were a part of the school’s curriculum. Modern-day Schools in Port Arthur use a structure of school days known as the Gary System, which is designed so that students don’t get muscle cramps from sitting at their desks, as well as have plenty of time for recreation & study. When World War 1 Struck, large amounts of rice, cotton, wheat, & lumber were sent to be exported from Port Arthur through the Sabine Canal. At this time, the canal was very small, & not built to handle so much commercial traffic. To handle this problem, the canal was to be made 150 feet (45.72 meters) wide, as well as 50 feet (15.24 meters) deep. Thankfully, Port Arthur was not affected by any major damages after this point, & modernly houses the largest Oil Refinery in the United States of America.  The Aboriginals Of Port Arthur The Atakapa Indigenous Aboriginals The Atakapaka are an indigenous group of people who have inhabited a strip of land that borders the Gulf Coast, located between Louisiana & Texas. The name “Atakapa” comes from the Choctaw word for “Eaters of Men”, as this tribe would allegedly practice Cannibalism. It is unclear whether or not this was for sustenance or religious purposes, though. They spoke the Atapakan Language, which is now extinct. This language was a language Isolate, & is not similar to any surrounding tribes' languages. This group inhabited the saltwater Bayous of Western Louisiana & East Texas until the late 1800s. It is not known how long they have inhabited the land, but archeological studies suggest that they have lived on the land since the beginning of the A.D period. Individual villages of Atakapans were composed of small bands that would move around in a set area to hunt & gather more effectively as the seasons passed. The alligator was an important creature to them, as this creature would give them oil, a large amount of meat, & hides. The oil of an alligator can be used as a natural insect repellent, which is useful in the heat of Texas & Louisiana during the summer. These individual villages would trade with other Natives, as well as English, Spanish, & possibly French Explorers. These people were said to be short, & dark skinned. Their Clothing was largely made of Buffalo Hides, & largely consisted of breechcloths.  For children, they would use damp bark for baby carriers, & Spanish Moss for diapers. A custom that was kept amongst Atakapan men was that fathers would rename themselves at the birth of their firstborn son, or rename themselves if their son became notable. Additionally, they believed that if a man died from snake venom, he would be denied an afterlife. Extremely little is known of the Atakapan religion, though their creation myth has been preserved. The Atakapans believed that man was cast out from an oyster shell onto land. Unfortunately, the Atakapans were virtually extinct in 2025. The population of the Atakapans dropped massively, mainly due to disease. By 1805, there were only 175 known Atakapans left, most living in Louisiana. Unfortunately, by the beginning of the 1900s, there were only 8 Atakapans left. Both the Language, & the People are extinct as of 2025.  The Most Destructive Natural & Man-Caused Disasters To Affect Port Arthur Disaster No. 1: Hurricane Harvey On August 25th of 2017, a Category 4 Hurricane named Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Southern Texas. This hurricane lasted from August 17th to September 3rd of 2017. The hurricane caused approximately 20 inches worth of rain in Port Arthur, & turned the streets into streams. Many people were stuck in their homes, & needed assistance, including a 99-year-old man. A large portion of these people had to climb onto their roofs to get away from the floodwater. Over 100 people were taken into shelters after the rain had ceased, & thankfully, no one lost their lives. This event was undoubtedly one of the most destructive disasters to affect the town in recent years. The Economic State Of Port Arthur The economy of Port Arthur is relatively stable, & is rising. The main industry of Port Arthur is Petrochemicals, the largest exporter of which is Motiva Oil Refinery. This refinery is so large that 94 percent of all cargo going through Port Arthur is petroleum-related. Additionally, Motiva Oil Refinery is the largest in the United States of America. Though it is the largest oil refinery, it is not the largest employer in the town. As of 2021, the average household income is 42,933 U.S.D. Unfortunately, the area has a rather high poverty rate, with 25.8 percent of the population below the poverty line. This number is slowly declining, as more employers, & better opportunities come to Port Arthur.  A photograph of Motiva Oil Refinery, the second-largest oil refinery in the United States, producing approximately 720,000 barrels per day. It is responsible for driving much economic growth in Port Arthur. Credit to Motiva Oil. Directories / Credits Citation No. 1: “Jefferson County, Texas History Of Port Arthur”, Written by Leland L. Lacy, & Published at an Unclear Date. Published by Genealogy Trails. Retrieval Date: December 5th, 2023.   http://www.genealogytrails.com/tex/gulfcoast/jefferson/history_portarthur.html Citation No. 2: “A Brief History Of Port Arthur”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Port Arthur Bureau of Visitors. Retrieval Date: December 5th, 2023.  https://visitportarthurtx.com/about/history-of-port-arthur/ Citation No. 3: “Atakapa Indians”, Written By Dorothy Couser, & Published on July 1st of 1995. Published By the Texas State Historical Association. Retrieval Date: December 5th, 2023.  https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/atakapa-indians Citation No. 4: “Port Arthur Faces Harvey Flooding Disaster, 'Our Whole City Is Underwater', Written by Jonah Engel Bromwich, & Published on August 30th of 2017. Published by the New York Times. Retrieval Date: December 5th, 2023.  https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/30/us/port-arthur-flooding.html Citation No. 5: “Port Arthur, TX”, Written by Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Data USA. Retrieval Date: December 5th, 2023.  https://datausa.io/profile/geo/port-arthur-tx Citation No. 6: “Port of Port Arthur”, Written by Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Comptrollers of Texas. Retrieval Date: December 5th, 2023.  https://comptroller.texas.gov/economy/economic-data/ports/snap-port-arthur.php Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors  SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast Cash Daniels Tides of Tomorrow Our Loyal Patrons P. R. Ochoa

Photographed above Dr. Dení Ramírez Macías, standing determinedly as ever. Credit to Dr. Dení Ramírez Macías. This article is part of our collection known as the Marine Hall of Distinction. In this special collection, we will discuss marine biologists who have served marine biology and oceanography the most. We do this to commemorate these marine biologists and show gratitude for everything they have contributed to our oceans. Today's marine scientist is Dr. Dení Ramírez Macías. Dr. Dení Ramírez Macías is one of the world’s foremost experts on Whale Sharks, & one of the leading marine biologists, & scientists in all of Mexico. She is well known for her work with the Save Our Seas Foundation, her organization Whale Shark Mexico, & her expertise on Whale Shark Genetics. For her efforts, she has been added to the Women Divers Hall of Fame, an extraordinarily prestigious feat. Dr. Ramírez Macías has served our oceans honourably, in countless ways. In today's article, we are going to delve into her formative years & education, her personal life & career, & her achievements, accomplishments as well as her awards. With that being said, let us delve into the marvellous career of Dr. Dení Ramírez Macías! Her Formative Years & Education Dr. Dení Ramírez Macías was born on May 9th, 1978, in Mexico City, Mexico. Both of her parents had a great appreciation of the ocean, both having scuba-diving passions of their own. They would often take her on vacation to the coastal regions of Mexico, lending a foundation to her love of the ocean. One day, as a child, while on the beach with her family, she watched a Sea Turtle lay its eggs one by one. Young Dení was fascinated by this, although soon sad, as local people soon came & took the eggs. This inspired her to contribute to conservation, & to protect our oceans, & would spark her desire to save our seas. When she was 7 years old, she did her first scuba dive in Chankanaab, Cozumel, Mexico, off the coast of Yucatan. The experience opened the beauty of the underwater world to her, & showed her all that the ocean held. Young Dení saw vibrant fish, massive rays, & a thriving coral reef. At this point, she made up her mind to become a marine biologist, & research her own boat. Sadly, she did not have the opportunity to return to her beloved Chankanaab Park until she was 17 years of age, at which point she noticed something horrible. The gorgeous reef that she once indulged in as a girl was replaced by a badly damaged one, & the troves of tropical fish were replaced by sparse populations. This further inspired her to become a marine biologist, & sparked a fire in her that led her to become one of the most prominent marine biologists in Mexico. She pursued her dream by beginning her bachelor’s degree in Marine Biology at the University of La Paz, Mexico, graduating in 2002. Soon afterwards, she moved on to her Master's Degree in the same subject, at Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas (Interdisciplinary Center for Marine Sciences), earning her M.S. with honours in 2005. During her Master’s Degree, she did important research on the subject of the genetics of Whale Shark populations within the Sea of Cortez, also known as the Gulf of California. This study was the first of its kind, showcasing the prominence of this research. During this research, she stumbled upon an intriguing phenomenon. Juvenile Whale Sharks routinely migrate out of the Gulf of California, returning year after year, only stopping when they are adults. This begs the question of what causes them to return, & what causes them to suddenly leave? As each shark has a unique colouration & pattern adorning its back, it allows you to name specific individuals, which she did. One female individual in particular, whom she affectionately called Tiki-Tiki. Tiki-Tiki enjoyed diving deep in the ocean, & unfortunately, her tag fell off. When Dení encountered her again, she quizzed “Why don’t you just tell me what you were doing down there?”, illuminating her affection for the species, & connection to individual whale sharks which she has gained over the years. Finally, she successfully earned her Doctor of Science in 2010, from the Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste (The Biological Research Center of the Northwest, also known as CIBNOR), at La Páz, Mexico. Her P.hD was on the subject of Global Whale Shark genetics, taking her to the Philippines, & allowing her to collaborate with numerous whale shark researchers around the world. Her Personal Life & Career Dení always had a passion for the environment, & always had a deep desire to protect it. So, she began by cleaning beaches with friends, removing debris hazardous to marine animals & beachgoers alike. Soon afterwards, she conceived the idea of ConCiencia Mexico, an organization which would ultimately focus on Environmental Education, & conscientiousness amongst people as it relates to the environment. Recently, she has begun doing research in collaboration with the Save Our Seas Foundation, & EcóOceania, to discover more about the Whale Shark populations off the coast of Peru, as there has been an absence of Whale Shark mentions in Peruvian Literature. In order to do this, she visits the North of Peru to interview fishermen about Whale Shark sightings off the coast of Peru, particularly in the Punta Pizarro, Zorritos, Acapulco, Punta Sal, & Cancas areas. Due to their large size, adult Whale Sharks in these areas are feared as many misunderstand their curiosity for aggression. Sadly, few fishermen understand their docile, & relatively friendly nature. Through these interviews, she is also attempting to ascertain whether these communities have potential for Eco-Tourism through these Whale Shark populations, in order to build more industry & attract more resources. Eco-tourism is a kind of tourism explicitly done to tour, enjoy, or interact with the ecosystems of a particular region. This project is called the “Giants of Peru”, project. In addition to this, for this project, she is attempting to see if there is a correlation between whale shark populations in Mexico & Peru, & attempting to see if this is one of the places where all of those juvenile whale sharks from Baja California venture off to. Her Achievements, Accomplishments, & Awards 1. She founded her own nonprofit organization, ConCiencia Mexico, which focuses on the environment of Mexico, conserving it, educating citizens about it, & similar things. 2. She leads the “Giants of our Sea”, program for the Save Our Sea Foundation in Peru. 3. She has orchestrated over 5 research studies, all on the subjects of Whale Sharks. 4. She has published a book in Spanish about the genetics of Whale Sharks, titled “Genética del tiburón ballena y estimación de abundancia en México”, translating to “Whale shark genetics and abundance estimation in Mexico”. 5. In La Paz, Mexico, in Baja California Sur, she has been working with the government to develop a Tourism Management plan. Through this plan, she will attract more people to the reason, shed more light on the plight of Whale Sharks, inspire interest in the species, & inspire people to conserve them. 6. She has had at least 4 research stays abroad at the time of publishing, 2 in 2007, & 2 in 2008. Her research has taken her all around the world to Texas, Pennsylvania, Australia, & the Philippines! Directories / Credits Citation 1: "Project Leader: Dení Ramírez-Macías", Written by Dení Ramírez Macías, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Save Our Seas Foundation. https://saveourseas.com/project-leader/deni-ramirez-macias/ Citation 2: “Dení Ramírez Macías: Scientist Conservationist”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Whale Shark Mexico. https://www.whalesharkmexico.com/who-we-are/ Citation 3: “Dení Ramírez Macías, Ph.D.”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Women Divers Hall Of Fame. https://www.wdhof.org/members/deni-ramirez-macias-ph-d Citation 4: “Dr. Deni Ramirez Macias”, Written by Dení Ramírez Macías, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Independent Academia. https://independent.academia.edu/DeníRamírezMacías/CurriculumVitae Citation 5: “Dení Ramírez-Macías’s research while affiliated with BCS and other places” Curated by ResearchGate at varying dates. Credit to Research Gate. https://www.researchgate.net/scientific-contributions/Deni-Ramirez-Macias-57805839 Citation No. 6: “Jumping Into the Deep End with Whale Sharks in Hawaii”, Written by Karla Lant, & Published on September 25th, 2018. Published by Fond Riest. https://www.fondriest.com/news/jumping-into-the-deep-end-with-whale-sharks-in-hawaii.htm Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast Cash Daniels Tides of Tomorrow Our Loyal Patrons P. R. Ochoa

A photograph of a Goblin Shark in the deep vastness of the ocean. Credit to Ocean Conservancy. This month's article series is going to be about the beautiful body of water known as Tokyo Bay. Tokyo Bay is a large bay that is located next to the cities of Tokyo & Yokohama at the Northern end, & Yokosuka at the Southern End. It is extremely industrialized, with many harbors, & commercial districts along its shore. The bay rests in the Northern Pacific Ocean, on the island of Honshu. Though the bay has an average depth of 130 feet, it can become over 1,500 feet deep in certain areas. The area as well as the bay itself is well known in film, as it is often the place where the fictional kaiju “Godzilla”, emerges from. Godzilla is a fictional Japanese Monster, created by Toho Studios in the 1950’s.  Historically, the bay has been used for trade, & as a strategic location during war.   Islands in the bay both artificial & natural have been used to store artillery during battle, & have been used as fortresses.  The bay is extremely biodiverse, with animals of many varieties living both in its waters & around its shore. One of the strangest of these animals is the Goblin Shark (Mitsukurina Owstoni).  The Goblin Shark is a strange species of deep-sea shark found in coastal deep-sea areas of the world. They are known to inhabit the upper continental slope of the ocean, near where the coastal shelf begins to drop off. The Goblin Shark is a part of an ancient 125-million-year-old lineage of sharks. They are extremely elusive & rare due to how deep in the ocean they live. They are well known for a few of their strange adaptations, such as distinctive pink skin, sharp nail-like teeth, & the ability to protrude their jaws forward when catching fish. Their snout is distinctive as it is long, triangular, & bladelike. Interestingly, the snout is known to decrease in size with age.  In this article, we will be discussing the discovery & life of the Goblin Shark, the mating tactics, techniques, habits, practices, procedures, & strategies of the Goblin Shark, the distribution of the Goblin Shark, & the scientific detailings of the Goblin Shark. With that being said, let us delve into Mitsukurina Owstoni. The Discovery & Life Of The Goblin Shark  The Goblin Shark was discovered in 1898 by David Starr Jordan, an American ichthyologist & marine biologist. Typically, mature Goblin Sharks are between 8.5 & 15 feet long. Individuals will usually not exceed 460 pounds, unless pregnant. In 2024, the longest goblin shark on record was recorded to be 20 feet long, while the heaviest was recorded to be 1,800 pounds.    The life span of a Goblin Shark is approximately 60 years, which is quite long for a shark. Generally, deep-sea sharks tend to live longer as a result of their slow metabolism.  While little is known about their intelligence, it is known that when compared to other sharks, their cognitive abilities are very limited. Overall, they are not very intelligent for sharks. Due to their deep-sea environments, they seldom get to interact with humans. On the rare occasion that they do interact with humans, it is often as a result of being a bycatch from deep sea fishing. They are not adapted to be very active & thus are not very aggressive. Individuals do not seem to be very territorial, & seem to migrate throughout their lives. Goblin sharks seem to be solitary animals, apart from reproduction. They do not have complex social behaviors or social structures.  Individual Goblin Sharks are somewhat poor swimmers, & are able to swim through undulatory swimming. Undulatory swimming involves flexing one’s body back & forth, to propel yourself forward. They are able to swim at a maximum speed of 15 miles per hour. They lack agility, however, their body design didn’t evolve to have much agility. Sharks are able to keep negative buoyancy by keeping extra oil stored in their tissues, making them lighter than the water around them.  Unlike humans, sharks do not have long restful periods in which they rest all of their brains. They are only able to turn off half of their brain, & sleep for short periods of time. Generally, sharks will not sleep for longer than 30 minutes at a time, however, they will take these small amounts of sleep frequently.  The Goblin Shark’s diet consists of many different kinds of fish, cephalopods, & large crustaceans. Goblin sharks will hunt in both the day & the night, depending on when their prey is most active. They are not cannibalistic at any stage in their lives. It is not clear how much they eat per day, however, the fuel that they get from the food they eat is very optimized. Their metabolisms are incredibly slow, as they do not have access to much food at low depths. It seems that they locate food by smell, sound, & feeling their electrical fields through a special sensor in their nose.  Goblin Sharks have distinctive pink or light blue skin, & a long spade-shaped nose. Their bodies are long & flabby, lacking much muscle. They have teeth that are long & needle-like, & protrude from their mouth. As of 2024, they are listed as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List.    The Mating Tactics, Techniques, Habits, Practices, Procedures, & Strategies Of The Goblin Shark  The Goblin Shark breeds via sexual reproduction, & has 2 distinct sexes. The age at which they sexually mature is currently unknown. Once they do mature, they will begin looking for a sexual partner. It is unfortunately not clear if they breed multiple times a year, & how their breeding rituals differ as they age.  After 2 individuals meet & begin to copulate, the male will eject his sperm into the female, fertilizing the eggs through internal fertilization. Once the male has ejected his sperm, it is unclear if he will have any further contact with his shark pups. The pups will gestate for an unclear amount of time. Goblin Sharks are ovoviviparous, meaning that although the female will gestate the children inside of her, & will give birth to live young, the children gestate in eggs & do not develop a placenta. The female will give birth to a small litter of pups, & will not help to raise them, instead leaving them to fend for themselves in the vastness of the ocean.   The Distribution Of The Goblin Shark Goblin Sharks are found all around the world in the Northern & Southern Hemisphere & in the Indian, Atlantic, & Pacific Oceans. They can be found in the Upper Continental Slope, which is the area in which the Continental Shelf will begin to slant into the open ocean. Individuals are able to live in waters as deep as 4,265 feet (1299.972 meters) deep. Throughout their lives, they will not remain in the same place, & will migrate quite a lot. During the daytime, they will remain at very low depths. However, during the night, they will rise to the oceanic surface, or more shallow waters.   The Scientific Detailings Of The Goblin Shark Goblin Shark Teeth are quite long & slender, which is useful for ripping flesh from bone while hunting. Apart from smell & sound, Goblin Sharks are able to hunt by sensing the electrical fields created by their prey. They sense these electrical fields through many electroreceptors, known as Ampullae of Lorenzini, located in their nose. Individuals are able to sense these electrical fields from no more than 3 feet away. Tapeworms are known to inhabit the internal organs of the Goblin Shark, most commonly species Litobothrium amischensis, & Marsupiobothrium gobelinus. Parasitic Copepods may also inhabit the gills of the Goblin Shark, however this is not confirmed.   Their phylum is Chordata, meaning that they developed these 5 characteristics all species under the phylum of Chordata develop 5 similar characteristics either in adulthood or as juveniles. The characteristics that they develop include, a notochord, dorsal hollow nerve cord, endostyle or thyroid, pharyngeal slits, & a post-anal tail. Their class is Chondrichthyes. This is a class of fish that are primarily composed of cartilage. This class can be compared to the class Osteichthyes, which is a class of fish that are primarily composed of bone. A few universal characteristics for any fish in the class Chondrichthyes are that they all are jawed vertebrates, they have paired fins, paired nares, scales, & a heart with chambers in a series. Their order is that of Lamniformes. This is an order of sharks. A few universal characteristics for creatures classified within this order are that they possess two dorsal fins, an anal fin, five gill slits, eyes without nictitating, & a mouth cavity that extends behind the eyes. Creatures from this order also usually maintain a higher body temperature than the water surrounding them. This order has the largest macropredatory shark to ever exist, the Otodus Megalodon. Their family is Mitsukurinidae, a family that contains a lineage of ancient deep-sea sharks. As of 2024, The Goblin Shark is the only living Shark in this family. Their genus is Mitsukurina, named in honor of the Japanese Zoologist Kakichi Mitsukuri. Their binomial name is Mitsukurina Owstoni.   Directories / Credits   Citation No. 1: “Tokyo Bay”, Written by Unknown, & Published on July 20th, 1998. Published by Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieval Date: July 21st, 2024.  https://www.britannica.com/place/Tokyo-Bay   Citation No. 2: “Marine Encyclopedia Of Sharks & Rays: Goblin Shark”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Oceana. Retrieval Date: July 21st, 2024.  https://oceana.org/marine-life/goblin-shark/   Citation No. 3: “The Goblin Shark”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the National Museum Of Natural History. Retrieval Date: July 21st, 2024.  https://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/sharks-rays/goblin-shark   Citation No. 4: “Mitsukurina Owstoni”, Written by Vanessa Jordan, & Published at an Unclear Date. Published by the Florida Museum of Natural History. Retrieval Date: July 21st, 2024.  https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/discover-fish/species-profiles/mitsukurina-owstoni/   Citation No. 5: “Goblin Shark”, Written by B. Finucci, & C. A. J. Duffy, & Last Updated in 2017. Published by the International Union For The Conservation of Nature Red List. Retrieval Date: July 21st, 2024.  https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/44565/2994832   Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler   Our Loyal Patrons Ms. Paloma Rodriguez Ochoa

In today’s article, we will be discussing the oceans surrounding the town of Port Arthur, Texas.  Port Arthur is a small town on the Northeast coast of Texas. Port Arthur is approximately 90 miles (144.841 kilometers) east of Houston, & 317.1 miles (510.32298 kilometers) south of Dallas. Port Arthur is extremely economically important to Texas, as Motiva Oil Refinery, the largest oil refinery in the U.S, is located in Port Arthur. As the town is located directly on the coast, the town is only approximately 7 feet (2.1336 meters) in elevation. Due to this low elevation & proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, the town is extremely susceptible to hurricanes. The town is primarily located in Jefferson County, however, it does have a small strip of land in the neighbouring Orange County. The town census-designated area is approximately 144.1 square miles (373.21729 square kilometers), 46.61% of which is covered in water. The town's coastlines have a very high amount of marine mammals, which have been written about in the town's newsletter. These marine mammals can be seen around the port or prancing off the coast in the ocean. Port Arthur rests along the Atlantic Ocean, more specifically, the Gulf of Mexico. For this reason, the waves are milder along the Port. The beaches along the town are very nice, & are considered to be some of the most pristine in the whole state. The best beaches that the town has to offer for swimming are Macfadden Beach, McFaddin Beach, & Sea Rim State Park. For fishing & kayaking, the list vastly changes. In this article, we will discuss the Salinity, Tides, Temperatures, Marine Geography, & Oceanic Depths of The Waters Surrounding Port Arthur, the marine ecosystems of Port Arthur, the documented marine flora & fauna of Port Arthur, & finally, how rising oceanic temperatures & ocean acidification are affecting Port Arthur. With that being said, let us delve into these Gulf Stream Waters.  A lovely photograph of Mcfaddin Beach along the coast of Port Arthur, Texas, USA. Credit to the city,of Port Arthur. The Salinity, Tides, Temperatures, Marine Geography, & Depth Of The Oceans Surrounding Port Arthur Unfortunately, we could not find the Salinity measurement for the oceans directly around Port Arthur. The salinity levels of the Atlantic Ocean at any given time are between 35.5 & 34.5 parts per thousand, so it can be assumed that the Salinity around Port Arthur falls in between that. Salinity is measured in 1,000 grams of water. For every 1000 grams of water, there will be a certain number of grams that are pure salt, known as parts per thousand or practical salinity units. This is how salinity or saline level is measured. The tidal charts of the oceans surrounding Port Arthur can be found on many different websites, a few of which are: https://tidesnear.me/tide_stations/1708 , https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov , & https://www.tide-forecast.com . Generally, the tide is mild, rarely ever getting over 3.27 feet high. The temperatures can be found on similar websites, such as: https://seatemperature.info , https://tides4fishing.com , & https://seatemperatures.net . The average yearly oceanic temperature is approximately 23.4° Celsius (74.12 Fahrenheit). With this average, a wetsuit thickness of 3 millimeters is recommended. As of 2025, there are no riptides that are strong enough to endanger swimmers. Beaches along the port are safe for swimming, & do not have pollution levels that are harmful to humans. Since Port Arthur rests in a lake that has a canal leading to the Atlantic Ocean, the water around the town is very shallow. The deepest aquatic point in the surrounding Port Arthur is approximately 8.2 feet (2.49936 meters) deep. Eco-tourism is extremely common in the town, as the lakes & piers make the town popular for fishing. Additionally, many bird-watching enthusiasts enjoy the nearby nature reserve. This reserve is known as the McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge. Snorkelling & Scuba diving are not very popular in the area, however, kayaking is. The Most Prominent Marine Ecosystems Of The Oceans Surrounding Port Arthur Ecosystem Type No. 1: Saltwater Bayou  The Saltwater Bayou is located farther inland, towards the western side of Port Arthur. These bayous are a kind of low-lying swamp, with slow-moving water & in certain areas, standing water. These bayous are extremely important for fish, reptiles, & marine flora. These bayous are the natural habitat for many different kinds of fish, as well as different kinds of marine flora. For this reason, it is fairly popular amongst Kayakers. These bayous are generally very shallow, only 3 to 7 feet (0.9144 meters to 2.1336 meters) deep.  A saltwater bayou near Port Arthur, Texas, USA. Credit to the United States Fish & Wildlife Service. Ecosystem Type No. 2: Intertidal Zones  Intertidal zones are located along the coastline, & are very common. What defines an intertidal zone, is an area that will be exposed to air at low tide, & underwater at high-tide. These intertidal zones usually house small crustaceans, such as crabs & bivalves. These zones are the most vulnerable to human activity, due to them generally being very close to the beach.  Ecosystem Type No. 3: Fringing Coral-Reefed Areas  Off the coast of Port Arthur, on the Texas side, there are 3 banks of coral reefs. These banks are known as the East Flower Garden Bank, Stetson Bank, & the West Flower Garden Bank. These coral reefs are considered to be a marine sanctuary.  These coral reefs are located in the gulf itself, & are only accessible by boat. These coral reefs are known to have approximately 23 species of Coral, & 173 species of tropical fish. In addition to these fish, over 300 species of marine molluscs & arthropods inhabit these banks. Coral reefs are extremely biodiverse, & are used as a hunting ground, shelter, spawning grounds, & breeding grounds.  The Documented Marine Flora Of Port Arthur Unfortunately, we have very little data on the marine flora that inhabits the saltwater marshes surrounding Port Arthur.  The Documented Marine Fauna Of Port Arthur Port Arthur is very biodiverse when it comes to marine fauna. For this section, we will only be discussing the marine fauna that is in the Gulf. With the warm water streams, marine mammals will often migrate here in the winter. Additionally, the coral reefs will attract many different types of tropical fish. As said in the subsection titled “Ecosystem Type 3: Fringing Coral Reefed Areas”, the main coral reefs are located in the East Flower Garden Bank, West Flower Garden Bank, & Stetson Bank. As of 2025, there are no endemic marine species in Port Arthur. Currently, there are believed to be 173 species of fish, 300 molluscs, & at least 3 different species of whale.  How Rising Oceanic Temperatures & Ocean Acidification Impacts The Oceans Of Port Arthur Ocean acidification is caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.  Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have increased, largely because of human-caused burning of fossil fuels, & deforestation, for the past 150 years.  When carbon dioxide contacts seawater, it forms carbonic acid.  Carbonic acid gives off positive hydrogen ions, which causes increased oceanic hydrogen ion concentrations & decreased oceanic pH..This off-balance pH can cause the coral around Port Arthur to become stressed out. When coral becomes stressed out, it will expel a kind of algae that is called zooxanthellae. Once the Zooxanthellae are expelled, the coral will bleach, & eventually die. Unfortunately, once the coral is already bleached, it is extremely hard for it to recover. Thankfully, the coral reefs around Port Arthur are not endangered yet, though as ocean temperatures rise, & acidification events increase, the threat of higher coral mortality grows ever higher.  Directories / Credits Citation No. 1: “Wetsuit thickness and temperature guide, Written by Mark Evans, & Published on April 24th, 2023, at 3:05 PM. Published By Scuba Divers Magazine. Retrieval Date: November 29th, 2023. https://www.scubadivermag.com/wetsuit-thickness-and-temperature-guide/#Scuba_diving_wetsuits Citation No. 2: “Flower Garden”: Marine Sanctuary Prepare To Be Amazed” Written by Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Panama Jack.  Retrieval Date: November 30th, 2023  https://panamajack.com/blogs/under-the-sea/flower-garden-marine-sanctuary-prepare-to-be-amazed Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast Cash Daniels Tides of Tomorrow Our Loyal Patrons P. R. Ochoa

Today’s map in the Ode to Oceanography series is a beautiful, 103-year-old map of Antarctica, then referred to as the “South Polar Regions,” by John Bartholomew, an esteemed British cartographer known for his vast collection of maps and for being the man who named Antarctica. This chart covers the entirety of all then-discovered regions of the Antarctic Continent, along with the surrounding oceans. The map features a large amount of bathymetric information, with the colour of the surrounding water indicating its depth. This would have been very useful for any sailor or scientist navigating near the continent at the time. It is in very crisp, clear condition, with proportions of 21.5 inches wide & 16.5 inches long. In today’s article, we will discuss the map itself, & analyze this antique nautical map. With that being said, let us delve into the frigid & inhospitable environment of Antarctica! The Map Itself A gorgeous antique nautical chart of Antarctica. Credit to John George Bartholomew. This chart depicts the entirety of the Antarctic continent in its average ice cover. It is coloured, with blue & white tones. As mentioned in the introduction, it includes a tremendous amount of bathymetric information. Around the continent, the colour of the water indicates its depth, with the lightest colour indicating an oceanic depth of 1 to 100 fathoms, & the darkest colour indicating an oceanic depth of 3,000 fathoms or more. Fathoms are an outdated nautical measurement that were commonly used by sailors to measure the depth of water, & are equivalent to about 6 feet. They are meant to represent the arm-span from finger-tip to finger-tip of an average adult standing with their arms stretched out, similar to the wingspan of a bird. In addition to this, the chart includes explanatory notes at the bottom in a small rectangle. This includes the scale of the map, which is 1:14,000,000, the number of soundings (depth takings), in which the sea floor could not able to be determined, which is 600. This means that there were 600 times in which depth was attempting to be taken; however no sea floor bottom was reached, so depth was unable to be determined. Also, the chart includes a boundary where pack ice is theorized not to be found, which would have been extraordinarily useful to any sailor of the era sailing past, as running into pack ice could seriously damage your vessel in an area where the next supply ship may be 48 hours away. There is also information about where pack ice was previously reported, labelled by year. Paths of previous British expeditions which occurred on the continent, such as the Robert Falcon Scott Terra Nova Expedition from 1910 to 1913. An Analysis Of The Chart This chart was designed by British Cartographer John George Bartholomew, a famed cartographer known for his work with the crown & naming of Antarctica. It was released in 1922 through the Second Generation of the Times Atlas of the World. It includes several mountains, & coastal areas of Antarctica, as well as depicting several different expedition paths. It depicts at least 4 different expeditions, as well as the site of the wreck of the Endurance, which was a ship that crashed into pack ice in 1915, then promptly sank, during the Imperial Trans Antarctic Expedition led by Ernest Shackleton. The expedition was led with the goal of crossing Antarctica on foot, which sadly failed; however, the expedition is one of the most remarkable examples of human endurance, & the indomitable human spirit we possess. A photograph of the Endurance in the Weddell Sea in Northern Antarctica attempting to break through pack ice. Ultimately, it sank on November 15th, 1915; however, all the crew managed to sail to an uninhabited island north of the continent, then from there to the South Georgia Islands, & made it home without any loss of human life. Credit to photographer Frank Hurley. The chart also features the Antarctic Circle in a dashed line. Considering the period that the chart was made in, & the fact that it was mass-produced, we believe that this chart was manufactured through lithography. Lithography is a method of printing that arose in the 1820s, & remained the most popular method of printing in both color & grayscale until the early 1960s, when more efficient methods became available. It is still widely used for certain kinds of printing, such as fine art printing today; however, digital printing is far more common. In the lithographic method, the artist will draw directly onto a printing surface, such as zinc or copper, until they are satisfied with the drawing. After this, the surface will be covered with a chemical etch, which will bond it to the surface. With this process, the blank areas will attract moisture to the plate & repel the lithographic ink, while the areas that are drawn on will hold the ink. Water is then wiped onto the unpainted areas to help prevent the ink from deviating. After the image is inked, the paper is laid over it & covered with a tympan, & the tympan is pressed down. Finally, these materials pass through the scraper bar of the litho-press. Afterward, an exact copy of whatever was supposed to be printed is revealed. It is extremely useful for making high-resolution prints in high quantities. Directories / Credits All credit for this map analyzed today goes to Rare Maps, a California rare & antique maps store. To purchase this chart, antique atlases, or other cartographic objects, please visit www.raremaps.com . To be clear, this is not an advertisement for Rare Maps, as we do not have a partnership with them. Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast Cash Daniels Tides of Tomorrow Our Loyal Patrons P. R. Ochoa

This month's article series will be discussing... Port Arthur, Texas! Port Arthur is a small town on the Northeast coast of Texas. Port Arthur is approximately 90 miles (144.841 kilometers) east of Houston, & 317.1 miles (510.32298 kilometers) south of Dallas. The town is extremely economically important to Texas, as Motiva Oil Refinery, the largest oil refinery in the U.S, is located in Port Arthur. As the town is located directly on the coast, the town is only approximately 7 feet (2.1336 meters) in elevation. Due to this low elevation & proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, the town is extremely susceptible to hurricanes. The town is primarily located in Jefferson County, however, it does have a small strip of land in the neighbouring Orange County. The town census-designated area is approximately 144.1 square miles (373.21729 square kilometers), 46.61% of which is covered in water. The town's coastlines have a very high amount of marine mammals, which have been written about in the town's newsletter. These marine mammals can be seen around the port or prancing off the coast in the ocean. One of these marine mammals is the Sei Whale. The Sei Whale is a species of baleen whale found all around the globe. They tend to live in deeper offshore waters, & prefer to stay away from polar regions. The Sei whale is the third largest Balaenopterid whale on the planet, following after the Blue & Humpback Whale, which was previously covered in The Persaud Catalog on April 10th of 2023. The name “Sei” is very unusual, & comes from the Norwegian word for Pollock. The origin of the word is currently believed to be due to the Sei whale's migration patterns. You see, Sei whales migrate to Norway around the same time that the prime Pollock fishing season starts, meaning that both are seen by Norwegian fishermen at about the same time. As such, they are associated with pollock, & earned this name. The Sei whale has previously had many issues with whalers, which led to them being put on the endangered species list. They are currently internationally protected to help their populations recover, meaning that it is illegal to harvest Sei whales in most cooperating jurisdictions, with a fine of up to 10,000$ per whale in the United States. Like the majority of whales, they have a life span that is about the same as humans, between 65 & 74 years. In this article, we will discuss the discovery & life, the mating procedures, habits, tactics, practices, & strategies, the distribution, & the scientific details of the Sei Whale. With that being said, let us delve into this behemoth.  A heartwarming photograph of a mother Sei Whale & her calf swimming along contentedly. Credit to photographer Christine Khan. The Discovery & Life Of The Sei Whale The Sei whale was discovered by René-Primevère Lesson, a French surgeon, naturalist, & herpetologist, in the year 1828. The Sei whale is approximately 44,092.452437 pounds at adult size, & 14.2 meters (46.58793 feet) long. Some Sei whales can be as small as 12.2 meters (40.02625 feet), while the largest ever recorded was 20 meters (65.6168 feet). They do not grow for their entire lives, & have a set stopping point. As said in the introduction, the Sei whale is the third-largest species of whale in the Balaenoptera genus. The lifespan of the Sei whale is 70 years on average, but it can go up to 74 years. Since this is a cetacean, it is extremely intelligent. They do display some level of intelligence, but in contrast to a bottlenose dolphin or an orca, they are not very smart. However, in contrast to the majority of other oceanic animals, they rank extremely high. They are, in fact, some of the best communicators of the ocean.  They are often solitary aside from breeding, & they do communicate with other whales. Occasionally, they can also be found in very small groups of 2 to 5. With all current fossil records, it can be estimated that this species has existed for at least 13.65 million years. Sei whales are not dangerous to humans or human vessels, & tend to just stay away from humans in general. They used to be captured by humans for their meat & oil; however, with their international endangered status, whalers generally avoid them. Sei whales are not territorial, as they migrate & do not maintain one steady area. Sei whales can swim by moving their lower body up & down, & propelling themselves forward. Their flippers are used for steering, similar to the steering wheel of an automobile. Their buoyancy is maintained by their blubber, as the blubber is generally less dense than the water surrounding it. Being one of the fastest swimming whales, they are able to swim at a maximum of 30 miles per hour. Like the majority of other Cetaceans, they are only able to sleep by turning off half their brain at a time. They tend to “sleep” near the surface, not to drown. These whales primarily feast on krill, copepods, & small fish that can fit through their baleen plates. To maintain their body weight, they have to eat 2,000 pounds (907.1847 kilograms)  of food per day. They hunt diurnally, in 5 to 20 minute dives. Their primary means of locating food is echolocation, similar to that of bats. Due to their behemoth size, they have extremely few predators. Their main predators are larger sharks, & large killer whales, though parasitic crustaceans are common amongst these whales. The Sei whale is dark grey, with a cream coloured underside. Additionally, they have a small protruding dorsal fin about 2/3rds of the way down their back. As of 2025, they have an estimated population of 50,000. In the mid-20th century, 300,000 sei whales were killed for their meat & oil, which led to the massive population decline. Thankfully, their population trend is now considered to be increasing.  The Mating Procedures, Habits, Tactics, Practices, & Strategies Of The Sei Whale The Sei whale breeds via sexual reproduction. This species is not hermaphroditic, & has two distinct sexes. All Sei whales tend to become reproductively mature at 8 to 10 years of age. Their breeding system is polygynous, as one male will mate with multiple females in each breeding season. Breeding occurs during the winter, in temperate oceanic regions, usually in the southern hemisphere. Once the females & the males initiate copulation & complete the mating ritual, the males will not have any involvement in the calf’s life. Their gestation takes 11 to 13 months. One pregnancy tends to only yield 1 child, as the children are so large at birth that the mother has to go through extreme physical strain to gestate more than one. The calf will be 15 feet (4.572 meters) long, & 1,500 pounds (680.3886 kilograms) at birth. The mother will nurse the baby for 6 to 9 months. During the later months, the baby will learn to eat solid foods such as copepods & krill, so that it can get used to that diet. Once the mother is getting ready to stop breastfeeding, she will migrate with the child to one of the optimal food grounds. After the baby departs from the mother to begin a life of its own, the mother most likely won’t have another child for at least a year to recover, & rest. A photograph of a blue whale, a similar species in the same genus, lunging at a large mass of krill, similar to how Sei whales feed. They feed in remarkably similar ways. Credit to Richard Hermann. The Sei Whales' breeding interval depends upon the individual whale, however, it generally doesn’t last longer than 2 years. Interestingly, researchers have noted that there has been a recent increase in pregnancy. It is unclear why exactly this is, but a new hypothesis has emerged dictating that this increase is in response to human predation. The Distribution Of The Sei Whale The Sei whale is found all across the globe, except for in Hudson Bay, Baffin Bay, the Mediterranean Sea, & Antarctic regions. The Sei whale is sporadic in its migrational patterns, as it may visit a certain area, & then not visit for many years after that. Generally, they are observed in deeper waters, though they can occasionally be seen leaping out of the water. It is rare to see them from the coastline, so much so that it is normal not to see Sei whales in a certain location for 2 to 3 years. It is unclear where exactly they breed, as tracking them is extremely difficult.  The Scientific Details Of The Sei Whale Possibly the most interesting thing about the Sei Whale, or whales in general, is their blowhole located atop their skull. What is not often known is that the blowhole on a whale, is that it is their nostril. Since they have a hole atop their head, they do not need to get completely out of the water to breathe. This helps them preserve energy & sleep properly. They use their blowhole by taking breaths of air at the surface, then contracting the muscles around the blowhole so that the blowhole is tightly closed. They close it while underwater so that water does not get into the whales' lungs. When they blow their blowhole, the resulting water stream can be up to 13 feet high. Their bones are not hollow but instead are somewhat thin. Since they are baleen whales, they have tooth plates that they use to strain krill. Additionally, they have frills around their teeth that will catch any debris & dirt from entering the whale's mouth. The sei whale will have 219 to 400 baleen plates in total. These teeth plates are made from keratin, similar to that of a human hair. These teeth are dark in colour, & their frills are white. As of 2025, we are unable to find any records of their fossils that are available to the public domain. Unfortunately, the Sei whale is one of the most understudied baleen whales, so we don’t know very much about their movements, skeletons, or very much of anything else. Their phylum is Chordata, meaning that they developed these 5 characteristics. All species under the phylum of Chordata develop 5 similar characteristics either in adulthood or as juveniles. The characteristics that they develop include, a notochord, dorsal hollow nerve cord, endostyle or thyroid, pharyngeal Slits, & a post-anal tail. & three middle ear bones. Their class is Mammalia. Their order is that of Artiodactyla, which are even-toed ungulates. Species categorized under Artiodactyla are ungulates, hoofed animals which bear weight equally on two of their five toes; these toes are the third & fourth toes. The other three toes are either present, absent, vestigial, or pointing posteriorly. Their infraorder is that of Cetacea. Key characteristics of this infraorder are their fully aquatic lifestyle, streamlined body shape, often large size & exclusively carnivorous diet. Another characteristic is their incredible social intelligence. There are roughly 90 species categorized under Cetacea. Their family is that of Balaenopteridae. All family members have a series of longitudinal folds of skin running from below the mouth back to the navel. These furrows allow the mouth to expand & unhinge in a way when feeding, permitting them to suck in large amounts of food & swallow in one gulp. There are currently 10 species categorized under this family. Their genus is Balaenoptera. There are currently 8 species categorized under this genus. Their binomial name is Balaenoptera Borealis.  Directories / Credits Citation No. 1: “Sei Whale”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by World Wildlife. Retrieval Date: November 22nd, 2023.  https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/sei-whale Citation No. 2: “Balenoptera Borealis: Sei Whale”, Written by Nancy Shefferly, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Animal Diversity Web. Retrieval Date: November 22nd, 2023.  https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Balaenoptera_borealis/ Citation No. 3: “AnAge: The Animal Ageing & Longevity Database”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by AnAge. Retrieval Date: November 22nd, 2023.  https://genomics.senescence.info/species/entry.php?species=Balaenoptera_borealis Citation No. 4: “Sei Whale”, Written by Unknown, & Last Updated on October 30th of 2023. Published by the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration Fisheries. Retrieval Date: November 22nd, 2023.  https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/sei-whale Citation No. 5: “Sei Whale: Balaenoptera Borealis”, Written by J. G. Cooke, & Last Updated on June 25th, 2018. Published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieval Date: November 22nd, 2023.  https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/2475/130482064 Citation No. 6: “Sei Whale”, Written by Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Animalia. Retrieval Date: November 22nd, 2023.  https://animalia.bio/sei-whale# Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast Cash Daniels Tides of Tomorrow Our Loyal Patrons P. R. Ochoa

This article is a part of our collection known as the Marine Hall Of Distinction. It is a different series from our main monthly series & has no connection to the main monthly series. In this special collection, we will discuss marine biologists who we feel have served marine biology & oceanography the most. We do this in order to commemorate these marine biologists & to show gratitude for everything they have contributed to our oceans. This collection has no relation to the main monthly series. This series is published on the 25th of every month, shortly after our article on the oceanic environment of the area of the month on the 20th.  Today’s marine biologist, is British marine biologist & zoologist, Lady Anna Thynne. Lady Anna Thynne is a British marine zoologist known for her expertise related to sponges, & aquariums. She is credited for being the woman who brought Aquariums to London, with the book Theatres of Glass being dedicated to chronicling her work.  In today’s article, we shall delve into Lady Anna Thynne’s Formative Years & Education, Her Personal Life & Career, & her Achievements, Accomplishments, Awards & Honorables. With that being said, let us delve into the life & work of Anna Thynne. Her Formative Years & Education  Anna Constantia Thynne was born Anna Constantia Beresford, in 1806. She was born to Reverend Charles Cobbe Beresford, a priest. It is theorized she was born in Ireland, however that is unclear. Unfortunately, very little is known about her younger years. She developed a love & passion for Zoology from a young age, & was always fascinated by natural sciences.  Her Personal Life & Career   Lady Thynne married Lord John Thynne, an Anglican Priest & Aristocrat, on March 24th, 1823, at the age of 17. Together, they had at least 10 children, with 2 daughters & 8 sons.  Her love for marine biology wasn’t fully developed until a trip to Ireland in 1846 when she came across a Madrepore. Prior to this, she had an interest in sponges, however, she was far more fascinated by Madrepores, a kind of stony cold water coral. She became intrigued by it, as although it seemed like an ordinary rock, it was a living creature. She took a small piece of it back to London with her, & planted it into a glass tank in her drawing room. Due to not having access to constant sea water, the coral would be transferred to different tanks with new water every day. In 1847, she added a few kinds of marine plants to the Aquarium, & created the world’s first balanced marine aquarium, & a small marine ecosystem. Soon after, she built & maintained the world’s first public aquarium at Westminster Abby, in a small tank.  In 1859, she published her first scientific article titled “On the Increase of Madrephores”, in the Annals & Magazine of Natural History, including Zoology, Botany, & Geology. This article can be found at https://archive.org .  Unfortunately, Lady Anna Thynne passed away in 1866, at the age of 60. Her contributions to fish-keeping, marine biology, & marine zoology will not be forgotten, & neither will her love for Madrephores. Her Achievements, Accomplishments, Awards, & Honorables She was the first person to open a public aquarium in London, & pioneered the idea of contemporary fish-keeping.  She directly inspired Philip Henry Goose to open the Fish House at the London Zoo in 1853. The Fish House unfortunately is no longer operational, however it is succeeded by the current Aquarium at the London Zoo. Directories / Credits Citation No. 1: “Anna Thynne: Zoologist”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Prabook. Retrieval Date: October 1st, 2024. https://prabook.com/web/mobile/#!profile/2587974 Citation No. 2: “Inventing The Aquarium: A Short History”, Written by Kevin Edge & Published by the Horniman Museum. Retrieval Date: October 1st, 2024. https://www.horniman.ac.uk/story/inventing-the-aquarium-a-short-history/ Citation No. 3: “Victorian Pioneers Of The Marine Aquarium”, Written by Tim Wijgerde, & Published on February 10th, 2016. Published by the Advanced Aquarist. Retrieval Date: October 2nd, 2024.  https://reefs.com/magazine/victorian-pioneers-of-the-marine-aquarium/ Citation No. 4: “First Public Aquarium”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by London Zoo. Retrieval Date: October 2nd, 2024. https://www.londonzoo.org/zoo-stories/history-of-london-zoo/worlds-first-aquarium Citation No. 5: “Vintage Aquariums”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Aquarium Architecture. Retrieval Date: October 2nd, 2024.  https://www.aquariumarchitecture.com/archive/vintage-aquariums/ Citation No. 6: “When Were Aquariums Invented?”, Written by Dominic, & Published on May 30th, 2022. Published by Kraken Corals. Retrieval Date: October 2nd, 2024.  https://krakencorals.co.uk/blog/when-were-aquariums-invented Citation No. 7: “On the Increase of Madrephores”, Written by Anna Thynne, & Published on April 6th, 1859. Published by The Annals & Magazine of Natural History, Including Zoology, Botany, & Geology. Retrieval Date: October 2nd, 2024. https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_CrBMAAAAYAAJ_2/page/n458/mode/1up Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast StemScribe Our Loyal Patrons Ms. Paloma Rodriguez Ochoa

Recently, we were extraordinarily fortunate to interview Jeffrey Dotzler the III, a Cnidarian Aquarist & Water Quality curator, for a short interview about his work on Jellyfish! Jeffrey Dotzler is a curator of Cnidarians & monitor of water quality at the Cabrillo High School Aquarium, located in Lompoc California. The Cabrillo High School Aquarium is an entirely unique facility, run out of Cabrillo High School, with a volunteer staff of 200 dedicated & passionate high schoolers. In today’s interview, we sit down with Jeffrey to discuss his experience with Jellyfish, his advice for people looking to begin their journey in taking care of jellyfish, & his observations in taking care of them. Before delving into today’s interview, please note everything said has been edited for clarity, & that the opinions of our interviewee do not necessarily reflect the opinions & values of our organization. With that being said, let us delve into the contents of the interview! The Contents Of The Interview Questions About His Passion: 1. What sparked your passion for marine biology and aquariums, & is there any particular thing, such as a person, place, book, or franchise, that sparked your passion? When I got to Cabrillo, I had always heard about the Aquarium program, as they do many tours for grade levels from TK up to 8th grade. When I was younger, I went on a tour of Cabrillo High School Aquarium, & did a lab activity, & it was amazing! It can be a very big moment in someone’s life to get to see these animals up close, & many people don’t have that opportunity to connect with the ocean in this way. 2. When did you begin your work at the aquarium? So I began my work in my junior year, when I joined our Introduction to Aquarium Sciences class, as the majority of freshmen are not allowed to take the class. It’s a highly interesting job working as a student & running an aquarium, we do so many different things. We do everything from feeding the animals, prepping the food, monitoring the water quality, & maintaining the aquariums, which includes the tanks themselves, the substrate, & everything in between. 3. What is your favorite animal, & what is your favorite cnidarian? My favourite animal overall is not an animal from the aquarium, it is based on an experience that I had when I was younger. I was taking a walk down Carpinteria beach when I was younger, which is a beautiful beach by the way. We were walking down & I was simply messing around, as children do, when I saw a plastic bag in a drainage ditch. I went over to pull it out of the water because you don’t want that in the ocean, & noticed something colourful inside. That colourful thing turned out to be a Spanish Shawl inside the bag, wrapped around a piece of rebar. We put the nudibranch inside a cup, & carried it over to a Tide Pool which was further out, & placed it there. Ever since then, they have been my favourite creature. A flamboyant Spanish Shawl nudibranch gliding along the ocean floor contentedly searching for food. Credit to the photographer Jerry Kirkhart. My favourite Cnidarian to work with so far has been the Moon Jelly, Aurelia aurita. For a while I would give tours of our Jellyfish tank, & learned a bit about them in the process, They are such fascinating creatures! Questions Regarding Your Work: 4. How did you begin your work on cnidarians? I did not begin my work on Cnidarians until my Junior Year when I began giving tours. The position of a Cnidarian Curator, or a curator of any kind, is earned through hard work in our aquarium. It is not only earned through the quality of your work & quantity of your hours, but it is also earned through an interview process with our staff advisors. When I applied for the position of Curator, the position of Cnidarian Curator had not been created yet. We had Jelly curators of course, however not anyone specializing in Cnidarians broadly. I find the entire phylum of Cnidaria to be intensely fascinating, because you have your true jellyfish, your box jellyfish, your corals, & your anemones. We got our gorgeous tropical reef exhibit in my junior year, which has a very large coral reef. It is a beauty of a tank. It can be some more work, as it is warm water which is slightly different then water which we are used to, but with the work these students have been putting in, it is well worth it. Now we are installing our tropical fish gallery, we have many new tanks coming in courtesy of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It has been quite the journey. Anyway, Cnidarians are highly interesting to me, which is why I pursued the title of Cnidarian Curator. 5. How many cnidarians do you have at the aquarium, & what are their habitats? Our Cnidarians at the aquarium range from our corals to our anemones, to our jellyfish. We currently have 2 jellyfish display tanks on our main floor, containing our South American, Sea Nettle, & Pacific Sea Nettles. Our corals are located in our tropical reef exhibit, which is a large rectangular tank housing a variety of tropical species. Our anemones are housed in our touch tanks which are quite fun, & don’t require as extensive cleaning but that's another story. We also have them in our wave tank, which is a tank that mimics an intertidal zone by having a large wave come through on a timed setting. It showcases the push & pull that intertidal animals deal with. Those are the main Cnidarians in our aquarium, sadly I don’t have an exact number of species or individuals. We have also had a highly interesting project going on this last year, of strobilating jellyfish, headed by Gavin Rodriguez. We have been strobilating moon jellies for the last few months in-house, which recently moved into our tanks from our marine biology laboratory. It will be interesting to see the long-term results The life cycle of jellyfish begins when two adult Medusae release their gametes, sperm & eggs, into the water around them. These gametes will then meet, & form a larva. This larva will implant itself into the sediment, & form a polyp. A polyp strobilates when it begins to segment, then pop off into several discs, known as ephyra, which will then grow into adult medusae. 6. Jellyfish are a fan-favorite at the aquarium, what is your caretaking experience with them, & what advice do you give those looking to learn more about jellyfish? My personal experience with Jellyfish has been a bit of a journey because there was a learning curve due to their extremely delicate nature. With many other tanks you have animals which tend to stray away from you during cleanings, & caretaking of the tank, however, jellyfish behave differently. First of all, Jellyfish are floating around you, & will not move away from you, meaning that you have to be extremely attentive. You have to be careful not only with your tools, but with the formation of air bubbles, as air bubbles can cause severe damage to the jellies. Even the slightest touch can form a tear in their outer membrane, so we have to take careful diligent care when working with them. For anyone looking to learn more about them, I highly recommend visiting one at your local aquarium which may be difficult in some parts of the country. Go find these jellies, & learn a little bit about them from your local aquarists. 7. For those who don’t have much experience with Jellyfish, how would you describe them? For those who don’t have much experience with jellies, I would describe them as very jelly-like. They are very beautiful, it just depends on how one is viewing them. I have had the amazing experience of seeing jellies out in the ocean, it’s a lot different to see them in the ocean than it is in an aquarium. They can be truly breathtaking. I also find their way of moving through the water to be rather captivating, it’s mesmerizing. 8. If you could summarize your experience with the caretaking of jellyfish in 5 words; what would those words be? The first word that comes to mind is definitely stressful, they can be extremely stressful. However, they can also be quite fun, & therapeutic in a way. Work also comes to mind, they can be very rewarding. Although all of these words might seem contradictory, they truly embody being stressful, fun, therapeutic, work, & rewarding all at the same time. 9. Do you have any final words regarding the aquarium, jellyfish, & your experience taking care of them? I’m so thankful for the program, & for the opportunity to be a part of it. I’m very thankful that you (Our Head writer!) came out to be a part of the community, & to share this message with the world. It has been an honour. Directories / Credits https://www.cabrillohighschoolaquarium.org Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast Cash Daniels Tides of Tomorrow Our Loyal Patrons P. R. Ochoa

A brilliant photograph of a resort on Havelock Island, specifically at Radhanagar Beach. Credit to Seashell Hotels. This month's article series will be discussing the beautiful & esteemed Havelock Island of India’s Andaman Sea. Havelock Island is approximately 324.26 nautical miles (373.151744 miles, or 600.52952 kilometers) off the coast of the mainland country of Thailand. Havelock Island gets its name from Sir Henry Havelock, was British Major-General who served in India. Havelock Island is a part of the Ritchie Archipelago, in the Western Central Andaman Sea. It is important to mention that the Andaman Sea is located in the eastern Bay of Bengal. Due to its location, the island's primary language is Bengali. The island was recently renamed to Swaraj Island, but for this article, we will refer to it as Havelock Island. Havelock Island is most well known for its beautiful beaches, forests, & exquisite marine life. The island is surrounded by coral reefs, which are incredibly biodiverse. The thickly wooded forests on the island clash with the sandy beaches, which create a beautiful & unique environment. These coral reefs are fringing, & can be seen by all who roam the beaches. Snorkelling & Scuba diving are extremely popular for this reason, so much so that this island is widely considered a small slice of paradise. In addition to the island having beautiful oceans & forests, the island has interesting hillsides. The island's highest point of elevation is 167 meters (547.9 feet) high, & is called Yulutang. The island has a population of approximately 6,351, 84% of which are literate. With 92.2 square kilometers (35.59862 square miles) of land, the island has a population density of 68.88286334056399 people per kilometer (178.4057921346389 people per square mile). The majority of the people on the island live in the largest town on the island, which is Govinda Nagar. The government of the Nicobar Islands does have a website, which is http://andaman.nic.in/ . This website is for the entire administrative region, not just the island itself. The website is in English. In this article, we will discuss the history of Havelock Island, the documented aboriginals of Havelock Island, the Most Destructive Man-Caused & Natural Disasters affecting Havelock Island, & the Economic state of Havelock Island. With that being said, let us delve into the history of Havelock Island. The Documented History Of Havelock Island Before Colonization   The first people to live on the island were the Onge, & Jawara Aboriginals. Both of these Aboriginals placed a heavy emphasis on connection with nature & the land. These tribes cultural influence can still be seen around the island in various ways. After Colonization By The British Historical Events From The 1800s Havelock Island was discovered by the British, & was made a British Colony along with the rest of the Andaman Islands. A nearby island known as Ross Island had a penal colony established on it, which impacted the economic & infrastructural growth of Havelock Island. The British created roads, buildings, & water supply on the Island.  Historical Events From The 1900s Starting in the early 1900’s, the island began building an economy on tourism. The islands coral reefs, beautiful forests, & fantastic beaches attracted many tourists. The government recognized the potential of this, & began building government hotels, restaurants, & resorts. The rest of the historical events from this century will be under the subsection “After Indian Independence”, as India gained its freedom in 1947.  After Indian Independence On August 15th in 1947, India gained its independence from British Rule. This helped the local government have more autonomy, & which in turn caused more infrastructure to be built. Aside from the tourism industry growing, very little else has happened for the small Havelock Island.  The Aboriginals Of Havelock Island   The Onge Tribe Of Aboriginals The Onge are a group of Andamanese Islanders who are native to the Nicobar & Andaman Islands. Unfortunately, very little of their once-thriving villages are left as the majority of them were destroyed in the 1940s. Before the British & Indian occupation, they were the only natives on Havelock Island. Their population is currently estimated at 120, a far cry from their once prosperous population of 670. They called Havelock Island, “Goubalambabey”. The majority of this population lives on a small reservation at Dugong Creek. Their diet largely consists of wild boar, wild fish, & various kinds of plants. They also collect honey in the forests, for both consumption & artistic purposes. Currently, they are extremely dependent on the Indian government for food rations, medical, & hygienic supplies. As a part of their culture, they chew bark to turn their teeth red, & they use white & ochre clay to paint themselves in a beautiful artistic tradition. There is no traditional Onge religion, & the majority of Onge today are not religious. They do, however, believe in spirits, & worship nature. Additionally, as a population, they lack medical resources, & have a high infant mortality rate. Unfortunately, the Onge culture is at risk of extinction as a result.. Hopefully, they can navigate these perils, & are allotted better resources & rations.  The Most Destructive Man-Caused & Natural Disasters To Affect Havelock Island Disaster No. 1: 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake & Tsunami  On December 26th of 2004, a 9.1 magnitude earthquake struck off the Northern coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. This event was caused by a rupture along the Burma & Indian tectonic plates. This caused a massive tsunami, which destroyed parts of the harbour on the island, as well as affecting some coastal housing. The tsunami destroyed the mangroves temporarily, & caused many families to be displaced. Unfortunately, there are no statistics as to how many injuries or deaths occurred as a result of the tsunami & earthquake. This event was without a doubt, the worst natural disaster to affect Havelock Island in recent years.  A photograph of the destruction immediately following the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake & Tsunami, taken in mainland India. Credit to World Atlas. The Economic State Of Havelock Island  The economy of Havelock Island is extremely tourism-based. There are a few horticultural products that are exported, such as betel nuts, but they are exported in very low quantities. Generally, Havelock island is a middle-class island, & is not extremely poor, however, it is not very rich either. The island’s products are slightly expensive compared to mainland India, because the island has no production means of its own. Everything on the island is imported to Port Blair, the administrative capital of the Nicobar Islands, & then is shipped to the Island.  Directories / Credits Citation No. 1: “Brief Overview of Havelock Island's location and significance”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the Andaman Islands. Retrieval Date: November 17th, 2023.  https://www.andamanislands.com/content/about-havelock-island Citation No. 2: “Havelock & Neil Islands”, Written by Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by India A2Z. Retrieval Date: November 17th, 2023.  https://www.india-a2z.com/havelock-and-neil-islands.html Citation No. 3: “The Onge” Written By Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Survival International. Retrieval Date: November 17th, 2023.  https://www.survivalinternational.org/tribes/onge Citation No. 4: “Havelock Island” Written by Unknown & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by Yatra. Retrieval Date: November 17th, 2023.  https://www.yatra.com/amp/india-tourism/havelock-island/people Citation No. 5: “The Onge” Written By Ajita & Published on September 26th of 2022. Published by Medium. Retrieval Date: November 17th, 2023.  https://medium.com/the-collector/the-onge-62a525e35fb9 Strategic Partnerships  Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast Cash Daniels Tides of Tomorrow  Our Loyal Patrons P. R. Ochoa

A gorgeous photograph of Marine Biologist, Maritime Heritage Specialist, Zoologist, Fisheries Biologist, & Conservationist Prerana Gawde next to the coastline, smiling brilliantly. Credit to The Interview Portal & Prerana Gawde. This article is part of our collection known as the Marine Hall of Distinction. In this special collection, we will discuss marine biologists who have served marine biology and oceanography the most. We do this to commemorate these marine biologists and show gratitude for everything they have contributed to our oceans. Today's marine scientist is Prerana Gawde. Prerana Gawde is an Indian Marine Biologist, Ecologist, & Ph.D. student at Stanford University. She is an emerging scientist who is known for her own at the Dakshin foundation in India, a foundation primarily dedicated to environmental research & social justice related to the ocean. In today's article, we are going to be discussing Prerana Gawde’s formative years & education, her personal life & career, & finally her achievements, honors, & awards. With that being said, let us plunge into today's article! Bottlenose Dolphins, a kind of Inshore Dolphin, which Prerana Gawde is conducting research into. Credit to The Marine Mammal Center. Her Formative Years & Education Prerana Gawde was born in the late 1980s or early 1990s, in Mumbai, India. As a juvenile, she kept to herself, & would often find herself lost in contemplation. Her parents drove her to be an independent, self-sufficient, liberal young woman, & pushed for her to get an education as possible, not only in an academic sense. She dove into non-fiction books as a hobby, & swam throughout her neighbourhood in freshwater pools. In addition to this, her mother would impart her adoration & appreciation of nature onto her. Both would serve her well in her future career. Of all of these things, one specific interaction with her 8th-grade Science Teacher set her on her track towards biology. One day, after receiving her biology paper back from her then biology teacher Ms. Selvaraj, she noticed a written note saying “Very Good!”. It was this small piece of praise which inspired her to explore biological sciences, & so to speak, catapulted her into a sea of science. In addition to this, she began taking a course with the University of Mumbai’s Department of Extra Mural Studies, a center for extra courses that the general populace can take to learn more about various interesting subjects, for a certificate. This course introduced her to new people from a diversity of backgrounds, & introduced her to scientists, zoologists, & naturalists across disciplines. It is also one of the key factors that pushed her to become a marine biologist, & naturalist. After completing her High School education, she began studying Zoological & Biological Sciences at the University of Mumbai in 2009, Her time was filled to the brim with lectures, coursework, & exam preparation, however, she felt unfulfilled. She had 5 continuous years of rigorous studying in a formal setting discussing everything there was about Zoology, however, very little field experience. This itch to get hands-on experience in the field led her to become PADI-certified as a Scuba Diver, her first step into the underwater world. This certification landed her a position as a Scuba Diving Instructor in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, & helped formally spark her interest in the field of Marine Science. After her time as a Scuba Diving Instructor, she decided to pursue her Master’s degree, & as such, began pursuing a Master’s Degree in Marine Sciences at James Cook University in Australia in 2016. She realized that its proximity to the Great Barrier Reef would allow her to learn more about the ocean, & leapt at the opportunity. She would go on to graduate in 2018. She is currently pursuing her P.h.D at Stanford University in California, studying interdisciplinary research frameworks to study maritime heritage within marine ecosystems, which studies human cultural, & historical interactions with the ocean as it relates to marine ecosystems. This includes studying historical fisheries & their impacts on marine ecosystems, historical mariculture, cultural fishing tactics, & marine animals as cultural symbols. A photograph of Prerana Gawde on a diving expedition near the Andaman & Nicobar Islands of India, with small reddish grey fish schooling around it. Credit to Prerana Gawde. Her Career & Personal Life In her interval between her Master’s Degree & P.hD, she found herself in an odd situation of not being a student, yet yearning for more field experience. So, she began sending emails to professors all around India, until one fateful interview led her to Professor Kartik Shanker of the Indian Institute of Science, & Dr. Naveen Nambroothi of the Dakshin Foundation. The Dakshin Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving India’s environment, & environmental justice. A large part of environmental justice revolves around exploring human relationships with the environment, something Prerana was already interested in. Seeing potential in her, Professor Shanker offered her a volunteer role at ANET however her family was hesitant to allow her to go. Finally, her sister explained that she should be allowed to forge her path in the world, & her parents accepted this opportunity & encouraged her to take the position. After finishing her volunteer role at ANET, she was inspired by a fellow researcher, Mahima Jaini, to stay in the Archipelago. She worked odd jobs as a receptionist & as housekeeping staff for a resort, before becoming a divemaster for a Scuba Diving Agency. This role would give her the experience necessary to return to India after her Master’s Degree in Australia, & finally begin her work with the Dakshin Foundation. Beautifully, the project which she returned to work on was initiated & managed by the very researcher who inspired her to stay, Mahima Jaini. In her studies, she specifically studied small-scale pole & line tuna fisheries, a prominent source of income in the local economy. She studied a specific kind of bait fish, a fish used to bait large predatory fish such as tuna, as the stock of bait fish must be sustainable for the tuna fishery to be sustainable as one depends on the other. She studied the stock of bait fish, developed protocols to help locals ensure sustainability in bait fish stocks, & assisted in the creation of a bait fish map to assist local fishermen & ensure that no one population was being targeted. This helped strengthen her interest in studying human relationships with the ocean, an often destructive & sadly understudied topic. Prerana Gawde is currently studying for her P.hD at Stanford University in Southern California, studying interdisciplinary research frameworks for maritime heritage within marine ecosystems. An incomplete chart of Prerana Gawde’s career journey, beginning with her time at Mumbai University, & ending with her work at the Dakshin Foundation. This chart does not include her current work at Stanford University, any of her volunteer work, or any of her recent publications. Full Credit to Rukhmabai Intiatives, Pragya Solanki, & Sanjana Chevalam. Her Awards, Achievements, Accomplishments, & Honorables She earned the Best Researcher Award for her work in Maritime Heritage at the International Research Data Analysis Summit. She did valuable work on small-scale fisheries in the Andaman Islands with the highly esteemed Dakshin Foundation. She is pursuing a P.hD at one of the most prestigious universities on Earth, Stanford University of Stanford, California. She has 4 scientific publications as of now, including a publication in the prestigious International Journal of Historical Archaeology. During the COVID-19 Pandemic, she worked with multiple organizations to assist with delivering food, transportation, water, & medicine to coastal communities & families across India, including the HelpAge India Foundation. Directories / Credits Citation 1: “Ms. Prerana Gawde | Maritime Heritage Ecology | Best Researcher Award”, Written by Unknown, & Published at an Unknown Date. Published by the International Research & Data Analysis Summit. https://researchdataanalysis.com/prerana-gawde-maritime-heritage-ecology-best-researcher-award-2861/ Citation 2: “Marine Biologist Interview”, Written by Shyam Krishnamurthy, & Published on October 30th, 2024. https://theinterviewportal.com/2024/10/30/marine-biologist-interview-5/ Citation 3: “Prerana Gawde”, Written by Unknown & Published in September of 2024. Published by Stanford University. https://oceans.stanford.edu/people/prerana-gawde Citation 4: “Exploring the depths: The adventures of a marine biologist”, Written by Sanjana Chevalam and Pragya Solanki, & Published on September 18th, 2023. Published by the Rukhmabai Intiatives. https://rukhmabai.com/adventure-driven-young-researcher-in-stem/ Strategic Partnerships Reel Guppy Outdoors SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast Cash Daniels Tides of Tomorrow Our Loyal Patrons P. R. Ochoa

This month's article series will be discussing the beautiful & esteemed Havelock Island of India’s Andaman Sea. Havelock Island is approximately 324.26 nautical miles (373.151744 miles, or 600.52952 kilometers) off the coast of the mainland country of Thailand. Havelock Island gets its name from Sir Henry Havelock, was British Major-General who served in India. Havelock Island is a part of the Ritchie Archipelago, in the Western Central Andaman Sea. It is important to mention that the Andaman Sea is located in the eastern Bay of Bengal. Due to its location, the island's primary language is Bengali. The island was recently renamed to Swaraj Island, but for this article, we will refer to it as Havelock Island. Havelock Island is most well known for its beautiful beaches, forests, & exquisite marine life. The island is surrounded by coral reefs, which are incredibly biodiverse. The thickly wooded forests on the island clash with the sandy beaches, which create a beautiful & unique environment. These coral reefs are fringing, & can be seen by all who roam the beaches. Snorkelling & Scuba diving are extremely popular for this reason, so much so that this island is widely considered a small slice of paradise. One of the beaches with the most coral is Elephant Beach, which is located in the northwestern area of the island. Thankfully, the island is not very polluted, so the coral can be seen from the shoreline. Many creatures ranging from small crustaceans to large cuttlefish can be found roaming the shallower areas, & even more can be found in the deeper ends. These beaches & reefs are not only a source of beauty on the island, though, they are a source of great economic prosperity. One of the island's main economic sectors is eco-tourism. Eco-tourists are not just interested in the reefs, though; they are interested in the beautiful, lush forests of Havelock Island. A lovely photograph of a white sand beach along the shores of Havelock Island. Credit to Andaman Island. In this article, we will discuss the Discovery & Life, the Mating Procedures, Practices, Cycles, Tactics, & Strategies, the Distribution, & the Scientific Detailings of the Broadclub Cuttlefish. With that being said, let us delve into this sleepy little island.  The Tides, Temperatures, Salinity, Marine Geography & Basic Information Of The Oceans Surrounding Havelock Island  Unfortunately, the Salinity of the water surrounding Havelock Island has not been measured as of 2023. Though we do not know the salinity of the waters directly surrounding the island, we do know the salinity of the Indian Ocean. The average Salinity in the Indian Ocean is 34.5 parts per thousand, & can range from 32 to 37 parts per thousand. It is unclear if there are any salt deposits, but more than likely, there are not. Salinity is measured in 1,000-gram water samples. For every 1000 grams of water, there will be a certain number of grams that are pure salt. This is the way that salinity is currently measured. The oceanic temperature charts can be found on a plethora of websites, including but not limited to: https://seatemperature.info , https://seatemperatures.net , & https://www.watertemp.org . The average yearly temperature is 28.966666666667 Celsius (84.1400000000005548 Fahrenheit). For diving in this temperature, there is no wetsuit recommended, & the majority of people can swim in regular swimming suits. The tidal charts can be found on similar websites, which include: https://tideking.com , & https://www.worldbeachguide.com . The tides & surf are not extremely high, & usually do not go over 3.3 meters tall (10.8268 feet). The island does not seem to have any bad currents or riptides that would be dangerous to swimmers. The primary reason for there being a lack of currents is that the coral provides a natural boundary, & softens the effects. The island does not have dangerous levels of oceanic pollution, & is perfectly safe to swim, snorkel, scuba dive, or do oceanic activities in. Unfortunately, we are unable to find any oceanic maps that show the depth of the waters surrounding the island or what the marine geography is like. Some of the highest ranked beaches on the island are considered to be: Elephant Beach, Raghanagar Beach, Vijay Nagar Beach, Govind Nagar, Kala Pathar Beach, Radha Nagar Beach, & Nemo Beach.  The Most Prominent Marine Ecosystems Of The Oceans Surrounding Havelock Island  Ecosystem Type No. 1: Fringing Coral Reefs The coral reefs nearby are usually within 30 feet of surface level & are directly against the coastline. They are absolutely beautiful & attract millions of dollars in tourism each year. These areas serve as a home, a habitat, & a hunting ground for many creatures. Not to mention that the coral itself is alive. The types of coral reefs around Havelock Island are known are fringing coral reefs instead of barrier reefs. Unfortunately, coral is extremely susceptible to ocean acidification, as well as negative human activity. As of 2025, there are an estimated 179 species of coral in the Andaman Sea, distributed amongst 61 genera.  Ecosystem Type No. 2: Seagrass Meadow There are small seagrass meadows found off the coast of Havelock Island. Approximately 7 species comprise these areas. Seagrass meadows are popular areas for breeding, fish spawning, mollusc spawning, & hunting. These seagrass meadows are usually in underwater mudflats, though they occasionally may be growing in sandy intertidal areas. Usually, seagrass meadows are not too close to the coast, as it is extremely difficult for them to grow in shallow waters.  The Documented Marine Flora Of Havelock Island Unfortunately, the exact species of seagrass that grows around Havelock Island is unclear. Aside from seagrass, the oceans surrounding the island are known to have large algae blooms, which cause the water to temporarily turn green. There are mangrove trees around the island, the main species being Rhizophora Stylosa (Spotted Mangrove) & Bruguiera Gymnorhiza (Large Leafed Orange Mangrove). There are at least 10 species of mangrove, 7 species of seagrass, & 61 species of algae across all genera.  The Documented Marine Fauna Of Havelock Island It is very hard to keep track of the marine life that are found around Havelock island specifically, because the majority of the creatures will frequently migrate between the islands. The islands share coral reefs, which enables these creatures to travel very easily. There are at least 1,200 species of fish, & 1,000 marine molluscs. How Ocean Acidification & Rising Ocean Temperatures Have Affected Havelock Islands Coral Reefs Ocean acidification is caused by increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.  Atmospheric carbon dioxide levels have increased, largely because of human-caused burning of fossil fuels, & deforestation, for the past 150 years.  When carbon dioxide contacts seawater, it forms carbonic acid.  Carbonic acid gives off positively charged hydrogen ions, which causes increased oceanic concentrations of positive hydrogen ions & decreased oceanic pH. When the ocean has decreased pH, it effectively acidifies. This can stress out coral & cause them to expel their zooxanthellae. Zooxanthellae are a small species of algae that live on coral, conduct photosynthesis, such that coral can reap the oxygen from, & provide coral with its bright pigmentation. When the coral becomes stressed & expels the zooxanthellae, the coral bleaches & eventually dies. Additionally, the general rising temperatures have caused the coral to be stressed out. If this continues, the robust reef system could be depleted by a large amount. This should be monitored closely, so that conservationists know when to act, & how to act.  A gorgeous photograph of a fringing coral reef next to Havelock Island, Andaman Sea, India. These reefs are coming under increased pressure due to rising ocean temperatures & oceanic acidification. If we do not act, we run the risk of losing these foundation species, & all the animals that they support along with it. Credit to underwater photographer, Francis J. Taylor. Directories / Credits Citation No. 1: “Wetsuit thickness and temperature guide, Written by Mark Evans, & Published on April 24th, 2023, at 3:05 PM. Published By Scuba Divers Magazine. Retrieval Date: November 16th, 2023. https://www.scubadivermag.com/wetsuit-thickness-and-temperature-guide/#Scuba_diving_wetsuits Citation No. 2: “Best Beach In Havelock Island (2023 Edition)”, Written By the Go2andaman Editorial Staff, & Published on February 12th of 2021. Published by Go2Andaman. Retrieval Date: November 16th, 2023.  https://www.go2andaman.com/best-beaches-in-havelock/ Citation No. 3: “Marine Flora of Nicobar Group of Islands in Andaman Sea”, Written By T. G. Jagtap, & Published on March 21st, 1991. Published by the National Institute Of Oceanography, Dona Paula. Retrieval Date: November 16th, 2023.  https://drs.nio.res.in/drs/bitstream/handle/2264/2965/Indian_J_Mar_Sci_21_56.pdf?sequencey Strategic Partnerships  Reel Guppy Outdoors  SharkedSkooler Marine Enthusiasts Podcast Cash Daniels Tides of Tomorrow Our Loyal Patrons P. R. Ochoa