P - Australia International Dive Expo

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www.OGSociety.org
OCEAN GEOGRAPHIC Almanac of Our Seas
ISSUE 27:1/ 2014
The BiG Meltdown
the big meltdown
antarctic peninsula
arctic meltdown
Pictures of the year
Shooting for Conservation
Pictures of the Year
Arctic Meltdown
Antarctic Peninsula
Shooting for conservation
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The Polar Edition
ISSUE 27:1/2014
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♠ discount Vouchers worth up to $2oo for any Ocean Geographic Resort and Live-aboard partners
♠ access to Award-wining photography and essays
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♠ $5o voucher for Nautilus Lifeline
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(sign up online or page 96)
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content
ISSUE
27:1/2014
The Polar Edition
On the cover:
Iceberg split
Photo by TOBIAS FRIEDRICH
Winner – Portfolio – David Doubilet
Award for Outstanding Achievement,
Ocean Geographic Pictures of the
Year Competition
This edition’s cover received the most votes
from OG’s Associates, Editorial Board and
Premier Members.
E ss ay s
11
56
68
c a p t u r es
75
The BiG Meltdown
Alex Rose
The Antarctic Peninsula
Erin McFadden
23
so j ou r n s
Mok Wai Hoe
N a u t ilus ’ s w i n d o w
F ou n d i n g S u p p o r t e r s
88
Lions in a Sea Desert
Debi & David Henshaw
o c e a n w at c h
09
84
s a v e ou r se a s fu n d
Krill “KRISIS”
Alex Rose
New Walking Shark
Mark Erdmann PhD
S u p p o r t i n g O r g a n i S at io n s
M e d i a Pa rt n e r
International League
of Conservation
Photogapher(s)
www.ILCP.com
The British Society of
Underwater Photographers
www.bsoup.org
2
OG Essential Photo Masterclass
Part 7
MissionBlue™ Sylvia Earle Alliance
www.thesealliance.org
Editor’s
EPISTLE
Evonne Ong
Chief Editor
Typhoons, hurricanes and severe storms have been sprouting like
mushrooms across our planet. Since 2009, the Philippines has experienced
17 of history’s worst typhoons, with the typhoon Haiyan, or Yolanda as
the locals call it, hailed as the most destructive and powerful tropical
cyclone to make landfall.
Typhoons, hurricanes and tropical storms draw vast energy from the
sea using it to drive the storm, thus, warm sea temperature directly fuels
this vicious weather. Melting glaciers cause sea levels to rise, which in
turn create those colossal waves that crash on coastal areas (the most
destructive feature of cyclones). As the warming ocean intensifies cyclones,
storm surges also get bigger. Greater downpours during the cyclones
also add to increased flooding. What is certain is that extreme weather
events are on the rise globally. The USA alone has experienced 25 extreme
weather events since 2011, each causing over $1 billion in damages.
As the Polar regions control the climate on earth, scientists monitor
the coverage of sea ice in the Arctic and Antarctic each year. Sea ice,
being white, reflects heat from the sun back into space. With rising sea
temperatures however, sea ice melts earlier in the season, resulting in
less reflective surface. Hence, more heat is absorbed by the ocean,
causing the remaining reflective ice coverage to melt even faster, creating
a vicious cycle. The atmosphere and ocean act as “heat engines” to
ensure temperature balance by transporting heat toward the poles, and
our weather is a manifestation of this phenomenon. Storms, which can
be especially strong in winter, are one of nature’s ways of transferring this
heat towards the poles. The oceans on the other hand, transport heat in a
slower, less violent fashion through currents and upwellings that push heat
from the equator to the poles. Changes in the amount of sea ice would
thus cumulatively affect both atmospheric and oceanic circulation; and
scientists estimate that by the 2050s, the Arctic Ocean could be ice-free.
Lightweight,Tech
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(distributed by Maxwell International Australia) is giving
away BONUS Limited Edition Lowepro Headphones via
redemption only. Eligible on all purchases of Lowepro
Sport Series product between December 1st, 2013
and February 28th, 2014. Eligible products include:
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3. Rover Pro Series 4. PhotoSport Series 5. Photo
Hatchback Series 6. Flipside Sport Series.
Redemption claims require a copy of proof of purchase from an
Authorised Australian retailer to be uploaded to www.lpx.com.
au/hear. Redemption period will open at 00:01am December
17th, 2013 and close 11:59pm March 9th , 2014, and only
while stocks last. Approved redemption claims of Limited
Edition Lowepro Headphones will be shipped within 30 days
of receipt of claim.
For further enquiries contact [email protected]
The relationship between climate variables and conflict outcomes has
been observed throughout time and across all major continents. A new
study found that it could increase the likelihood of war and unrest by as
much as 56% between now and 2050. Conducted by researchers at the
University of California at Berkeley, this study analysed 60 investigations on
wars, violent crimes and the collapse of historical empires, and found that
violence and civil unrest increased in correlation with rising temperatures
and extreme weather. A global temperature rise of 2°C could increase
the rate of intergroup conflicts by over 50%. The review also noted that
historically, great upheavals tended to occur during periods of severe
weather. As an example, researchers noted that the collapse of the Mayan
civilization occurred during unprecedented droughts about 1,200 years
ago. This sheds light on the fact that climate shapes human societies.
It is thus critical for us to understand the increasingly severe and potentially
irrecoverable losses due to global climate change. We cannot afford to
waste any more time debating, negotiating, shoving blame and pushing
responsibilities. Things are not going to get better; they are going to
get worse.
As Naderev Sano, head of Philippine’s national climate commission, said
at the recent UN climate conference, “We must stop calling events like
these natural disasters. It is not natural when science already tells us that
global warming will induce more intense storms. It is not natural when the
human species has already profoundly changed the climate.”
We need to take action now.
PS:Your views consummate a meaningful relationship and keep the fire for quality
burning. We value your views. Write to me at: [email protected]
OCEAN GEOGRAPHIC 27:1/2014
3
Michael AW – Founder
Founding Editors
Joe Moreira: David Doubilet : Dr Carden Wallace : Dr Alex Mustard : Dr Gerald Allen: Emory Kristof : Stan Waterman :
Doug Perrine : Jennifer Hayes : Christopher Lee
Charter Members
Adam Read
Adelene Lynch
Adrienne Savage
Agnieszka Malkowska
Alastair Dow
Aleta Pitstock
AmandaDies
Andreas Jaschek
Andrew Carr
Andrew Aylett
Anne-Maree Frost
Anthony Atkinson
Anthony Tan
Aqua Pros Swim School Inc
Armin Geltinger
Barbara Hinton
Bari Gowan
Barry Stimpson
Bernard Hart
Bob Hollis
Brent Bain
Brian Jones
Brian Daly
Brian Newbold
Carl Brandes
Carle Parkhill
Carly Sorensen
Caroline Lim
Charles Bowden
Chris Kowalski
Coreen Lee Pooi Yee
Corpus Christi H School
Craig Koltasz
Craig Grube
Dale Ponsford
Darren Pill
Dave Ball
Dave Sorbo
David Hettich
David Hughes
David Kittos
David Watson
Dean Boyce
Deborah Bowden
Dennis Shepard
Dennis Olivero
Des Paroz
Digant Desai
Dorothy Schooling
Emily Chan
Eric Matson
Eric Winters
Erica Lansley
Ernie Brooks
Faris Alsagoff
Fenella Cochrane
Ferdie Franklin
Freda Ho
Gary Wilson
Gary Samer
Gina Mascord
Gordon Brown
Graeme Thomas
Graham Thompson
Graham Reynolds
Grant Graves
Gwen Shah-Ingram
Gwen Noda
Halszka Antoszewska
Hamish Foster
Heather Sowden
H Bartram & C Alleway
Helke Florkowski
Hellmuth Weisser
Henrik Nimb
Ian Sheffield-Parker
Ian Barcham
Ian Dewey
Ignacio Esparza
Inger Vandyke
Ingvar Eliasson
Janna Jones
Janne Hultberg
Jason Santospirito
Jeffrey Bohn
Jennifer O’Neil
Jeroen Deknatel
Jessica Schoonderwaldt
Jim Morrison
Joanne Marston
Jordan Thomson
Jorgen Rasmussen
Jukka Nurminen
Kal Attie
Kathy Nikas
Kellie Wood
Kian Hing Soo
KL Kwang
Klaas Mekking
Kliment Kolosov
K Bilham & F Cosgrove
Larissa Cheong
Leesa & David Pratt
Leon Ebbelaar
Lex Beatty
Malcolm Neo
Malcolm Peisley
Marcel Eckhardt
Margaret Flierman
Marie Goarin
Mark Gerlach
Mark Seielstad
Mark Templeman
Martin Havlicek
Matt Curnock
Maxi Jennifer Eckes
MelanieTeloniatis
Michael Holme
Michal Krzysztofowicz
Michelle Chua
Mick Moran
Mickey Pascoe
Mikael Jigmo
Natalie Forster
Nicholas Kuhn
Nick Robertson-Brown
Nico Paradies
Nicola Goldsmith
Novianti Songtono
Owen Scott
Patricia Pei Voon Lee
Patrick Schwarz
Paul Castle
Paul Double
Paul Turley
Paul Gagnon
Paul Ryan
Peter Maerz
Petrina Tay
Pij Olijnyk
Ramadian Bachtiar
Rebecca Simpson
Robert Yee
Robert Hughes
Robert Lupo Dion
Ron Currie
Ruben Gamoo
Sam & Jo Bartram
Samuel Ong
Sarah Jacob
Selwyn Gregory Sng
Simon Talbot
Sol Foo
Sonia Gentle
Stacey Herman
Steve Tucker
Susan Howard
Teresa Hemphill
Terry Farr
Tim Gleeson
Tomos Hedges
Tony Manning
Tony & Phyll Bartram
Travis Graham
Troy Horsburgh
Victor Lendzionowski
Virginia Fage
W D Fong
Wayde Simes
Wendy McIlroy
Wendy Campbell
Wyland
Wendy Benchley
Charter membership is now closed. Join now as Premier Member – see p96.
www.OGSociety.org
4
Evolution
in Motion Galapagos Expedition
Imagine swimming alongside seals, whale sharks, ancient
iguanas and schools of hammerheads. Gaze deep into the eyes
of a 100-year-old giant tortoise. Laugh at the clumsy but adorable
blue-footed booby and try to solve the mystery of penguins in
equatorial waters. Nowhere else on our planet, will you be able
to literally see evolution in motion.
J o i n u s fo r th e ex p e r i e n c e o n
board the Galapagos Sky, the best
liveaboard, to the most enchanting
g r o u p of i s l a n d s o n o u r p l a n et.
Michael AW, on an Ocean Geographic
editorial expedition (July 2014).
all images Michael AW.com
This expedition will feature the best of Galapagos, exploring
the best of underwater Galapagos (Cousin Rock, Darwin and
Wolf). We will also be doing night dives at Darwin and land
visits to signature terrestrial sites such as the Darwin station,
Bartolome and Los Gemelos – El Chato.
Limited spots available. Make your reservation now at
OceanGeographic.org
[email protected]
Th e E d i to r i a l B oa r d
Michael AW Director & Board Member
Michael’s saturated colour imageries have earn him more
than 60 international awards; his work have been featured
in BBC Wildlife, National Geographic, the Smithsonian,
GEO, Ocean GEOGRAPHIC, Asian Geographic, Action Asia,
Nature Focus to name but a few. In 2010, he was a recipient of
the WYLAND ICON award for Conservation. His most glorious
achievement is a Palme D’or for “Philippines – Heart of the Ocean”, won at
the World Underwater Pictures Festival, France 2009. He is also a recipient of
three awards from the Natural History Museum BBC Photographer of the Year
Wildlife Competition in 2000, 2010 and in 2006 he won the Best Winner award in
the underwater category. Michael AW is the founder of OceanNEnvironment’s
a charity organization registered with Environment Australia. In 2008 Stan
Waterman conferred Michael with the Peter Benchley Shark Conservation
Award by Sharks Research Institute in recognition of his highly-effective and
unrelenting campaign against shark fin soup consumption in the Asia Pacific
region. Michael is also the founder of Asian Geographic.
Carden Wallace PhD Honorary Editor & & Board Member
Carden’s research has focused on biogeography and
biodiversity, particularly on corals and tropical biota.
Her current interests are directed towards other tropical
countries, especially Indonesia. She feels strongly
that scientists should give back all they possibly can, in
communicating and applying the results of their work. With her
appointment in 1987 as Curator in Charge, Carden Wallace became the first
woman to head the Museum of Tropical Queensland in Townsville. Among
the high points in her career was the POL Prize for Environmental Research,
awarded in 1992 to Carden along with four other scientists from James Cook
University for their exciting discovery of mass annual spawning on the Great
Barrier Reef by over a hundred species of coral. This dramatic example of
sexual synchronization is unique among animals, and its discovery by the team
in 1984 attracted immediate scientific and media attention around the world.
Carden is a board member of OceanNEnvironment
Jennifer Hayes Honorary Editor
Jen is an aquatic ecologist who has collected a couple of
graduate degrees in zoology, marine and fisheries biology.
She came into underwater journalism (photography and
writing) out of sheer necessity to enliven dull scientific
presentations and publications. To put it simply, strong images
of ancient sturgeons spawning, hatching, migrating are infinitely
more captivating to an audience than bar graphs and pie charts. Photography
and science lead to natural history articles and then into popular journalism.
Jen formed a partnership with David Doubilet in 1999 and co-founded the
stock photo company; Undersea Images Inc. Jen and David co-photograph
and write for assignment features for numerous domestic and international
publications, ad shoots and book projects.
David Doubilet
David is the world’s most ce le brate d unde r wate r
photographer with over fifty stories published in National
Geographic. David challenges himself to redefine
photographic boundaries each time he enters the water. His
passion is the undersea majesty of light and how to capture it.
Completely at home on a coral reef, a World War II wreck, a deep
dark fjord or among the great giants in our sea, David has relentlessly pursued
the many hidden layers of coral reefs around the globe. His cold water work has
immersed him in the rich waters of New Zealand, Tasmania, Scotland, Japan,
the Northwest Atlantic and Northeast Pacific. Recent photographic journeys
have taken him into some of the largest freshwater systems on our planet such
as the great Okavango Delta system in Botswana and the St. Lawrence River.
Emory Kristof Honorary Editor
Emory’s photography has discovered the unexplored worlds
of the deep sea. In August 1998 Kristof’s pictures of the
Titanic were presented in the National Geographic magazine
article, “Tragedy in Three Dimensions.” The pictures, taken
in 1991 employing high-intensity lighting systems, achieved
unprecedented detail due to advances in 3-D computer videoediting. Born in 19 42, Kristof studied journalism at the University of Maryland at
College Park and received a bachelor’s degree in 1964. Kristof was a National
6
This is a production from the
hearts and souls of a passionate team.
We are blessed with the support of some of
the most published authors and image makers of
our natural world. OceanNEnvironment
is privileged to introduce the editorial board of
Ocean Geographic
the almanac of our seas.
Board of Directors,
OceanNEnvironment Ltd
Geographic staff photographer from 1964 to 1994 and has produced 39 articles
for the National Geographic magazine. Kristof’s accomplishments have earned
many awards for both writing and photography, including the NOGI Award for
Arts from the Underwater Society of America in 1988 and an Explorers Club
Lowell Thomas Award for Underwater Exploration in 1986. That same year
Kristof received the American Society of Magazine Publishers Innovation in
Photography Award for their photographic coverage of the Titanic. Kristof
was presented with the 1998 J. Winton Lemen Fellowship Award by the U.S.
National Press Photographers Association “for being one of our profession’s
most imaginative innovators with particular attention to pictures from beneath
the ocean brought to the readers of National Geographic magazine.”
Stan Waterman Honorary Editor
Stan has been at the forefront of scuba diving since
its inception as a recreational sport both at home and
throughout the world. Stan was co-director of underwater
photography and the second unit in the production of The
Deep, a movie based on Peter Benchley’s best-selling novel.
More recent productions include documentaries for ABC’s
“Spirit of Adventure” series and the “Expedition Earth” series on
ESPN. Stan has received numerous honours and awards for his work in
television, including five Emmies, two Gold Medals from the U.K. Underwater
Film Festival, four Golden Eagles, a lifetime Achievement Award from the Miami
Expo and from Boston Sea Rovers, the Cousteau Diver of the Year Award,
the Richard Hopper Day Memorial Medal from the Philadelphia Academy of
Natural Sciences, and most recently has been inducted to the International
Scuba Diving Hall of Fame.
Doug Perrine Honorary Editor
Doug is widely regarded as one of the world’s foremost
marine wildlife photographers. His photographs have been
reproduced in virtually every major nature magazine in the
world, as well as in thousands of books, calendars, greeting
cards, posters, etc. His photography has won a number of
awards, including the prestigious BBC/ British Gas Wildlife
Photographer of the Year competition in the animal behaviour category
and the Nature’s Best/Cemex competition in the Professional Marine Wildlife
category. He is also the author of seven books on marine life, and numerous
magazine articles.
Gerald Allen PhD Honorary Editor
Gerald is an internationally renowned authority on the
classification and ecology of coral reef fishes of the Indian
and Pacific Oceans. He is the author of 31 books and 400
scientific publications. He has an intimate knowledge of fish
life on coral reefs, having logged more than 7,000 dives. Field
studies form an integral part of Dr. Allen’s research, probably
more so than any other marine biologist. He received a Ph.D. in marine zoology
from the University of Hawaii in 1971, having done his thesis on anemonefishes.
He served as Curator of Fishes at the Western Australian Museum in Perth for 24
years before leaving to take a position with Conservation International as their
Science Team Leader. He is a past President of the Australian Society for Fish
Biology, an honorary foreign member of the American Society of Ichthyology
and Herpetology, and a recent recipient of the prestigious K. Radway Allen
Award for Outstanding Contributions in Ichthyological Science.
T h e E d i to r i a l B oa r d
Wyland Honorary Editor
Marine life artist Wyland has developed an international reputation for his
commitment to marine life conservation. Most notable, is his monumental
marine life murals, the Whaling Walls. Spanning thousands of square
feet, these massive works of art expose the thrilling diversity and beauty
of life that exists below the surface of our ocean planet to more than one
billion people each year. Today, this multi-faceted artist works in multiple
mediums, from oils, water colours, acrylics, Japanese ink paintings, bronze sculptures, fine
art photography, and mixed media.
Howard and Michele Hall Honorary Editors
Howard and Michele are perhaps best known for their underwater
IMA X® films – Into the Deep 19 9 4, Island of the Sharks 19 9 8
respectively. In 2002 Howard was underwater sequence director and
Michele was location manager for Coral Reef Adventure, a film in which
both he and Michele are featured on-camera. In 2005 they directed and
produced Deep Sea 3D which was awarded Best Picture at the Giant Screen
Cinema Association Conference and Best Large Format Film at Wildscreen 2006. In
2009 the Hall’s released Under the Sea 3D. This film won best cinematography at the
Giant Screen Cinema Association Conference in 2009 and Best Documentary at the
International 3D Society in 2010. Howard’s career as an underwater natural history film
producer, cinematographer, still photographer and writer began in the early 1970’s. His
photographs have been published internationally in hundreds of books and magazines
including: Life, Natural History Magazine, National Geographic, GEO, Terre Sauvage,
London Illustrated News, and BBC Wildlife. Howard has authored several books including
Sharks, Dolphins, The Kelp Forest, Successful Underwater Photography, and Secrets of
the Ocean Realm. Michele Hall is an accomplished still photographer whose images have
been published by National Geographic, Fathoms, National Wildlife, Ocean Realm, and
many other magazines and books. Howard and Michele have won seven Emmy Awards.
Christopher Lee Editor Emeritus
Christopher was the co-founder of Asian Geographic and the managing
editor for six years until 2005. Chris was also behind the successful
transformation of Scuba Diver Australasia, and was its managing editor
until 2005. He has worked on a range of marine conservation issues
including the successful Say No to Shark fins campaign. Chris has also
served on the board of OceanNEnvironment. Building on his early career in
economic research, he is currently a Senior Economist with the Department of Environment
and Climate Change (NSW) in Australia.
Laurent Ballesta Honorary Editor
Laurent is a marine scientist, photo journalist and documentary maker
for the French TV program Ushuaia Nature. He was the youngest
photographer to have won three Gold diver awards at the World Festival
of Underwater Pictures. In In 2005, Laurent authored with Pierre Descamp
“Planète Mers” – the book was later translated into five languages and
published by National Geographic. He was the first to capture the Coelacanth
in their habitat at 110m. Laurent is also the author for “Secrets de Méditerranée” which
was the first to reveal the deep water (180m) of the Mediterranean Sea.
Cabell Davis PhD Oceanographic in Residence
Cabell is a Senior Scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
and is the Director of WHOI’s Ocean Life Institute with over 30 years’
experience in plankton ecology. He has conducted research on 50
oceanographic cruises and co-developed the Video Plankton Recorder,
an underwater video microscope with automatic imaging of high-resolution
fragile plankton data. He recently worked with MIT engineers to develop a
small underwater digital holographic camera for imaging plankton. He is now
modeling the impact of climate change on the fisheries ecosystem.
Evonne Ong CHIEF EDITOR
Dancing. Diving. Drugs. Not necessarily in that order or done in any specific
combination (in case you are wondering). Drugs are her profession. A
pharmacist who has spent most of her career lecturing and training, she
currently oversees the training within Asia-Pacific for a pharmaceutical
company. Diving is her love. An avid diver since 1998, her love for the
ocean and wildlife conservation, led her to progress from land to underwater
photography, and eventually cross paths with Michael Aw. After a good deal of
cajoling by Michael Aw, she finally started editing her first full issue in 2011 and has not looked
back since. She has since written several articles for the magazine as well as newspapers,
been involved in several projects with OG and has also been a judge in several international
underwater photography competitions. Dance is her passion. If you want to know more, you
will have to ask her when you meet her!
director Michael
AW
research & publisher assistant
editor emeritus Christopher
chief Editor Evonne
Ong
Lee
Jannica Jigmo
honorary editors Emory
Kristof, Wyland,
Carden Wallace PhD, Gerry Allen PhD, Alex Mustard PhD,
David Doubilet, Jennifer Hayes, Doug Perrine,
Stan Waterman, Michelle Hall and Howard Hall,
Laurent Ballesta
feature editor Gill McDonald
science editor Alex Rose
field editors Amanda Cotton, Pamela Martin, Steve Jones
copy editors Mathieu Meur, Gill McDonald
oceanographer-in-residence Cabell Davis PhD
photographers-in-residence Mikael Jigmo, Jorgen
Rasmussen, Mathieu Meur, Foo Pu Wen, Christian Vizl
contributors Erin McFadden, Alex Rose, Mark Goyen,
Mok Wai Hoe, Debi & David Henshaw, Mark Erdmann PhD,
Ernie Brooks, Jane Morgan
designer P.S Looi
Production co-ordinator Daniel Tay
advertising & events Cassandra Dragon
accounts & circulation Alison Redhead
correspondents & Executive officers
Gill McDonald (UK), David Borus (USA),
Music Director Eric Bettens
Business Development Manager
Sidney Seok (Malaysia)
customer service [email protected]
editorial enquiries [email protected]
photo submissions [email protected]
advertising [email protected]
Feedback [email protected]
www.OGSociety.org
www.OceanGeographic.org
Supporting Organisations
Published by OceanNEnvironment Ltd
Member of Environment Australia
Ocean Geographic
Australia:
PO Box 2138 Carlingford Court, NSW 2118 Australia
Tel: +61 2 9686 3688 Fax: +61 2 9686 8438
OceanEnvironment.orgOceanNEnvironment.net
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Phone: 61 (02) 9381 3100
Distribution UK:
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Distribution USA:
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Phone: +62 21 4682 1088
Distributor Australia:
MICA (P) 142/08/2013 ISSN 1834-910
All right reserved:
©Ocean Geographic, OceanNEnvironment
Reproduction in any form, electronic, print, photocopy or extracts
whole or in part is prohibited.
7
Save Our Seas Foundation is the conservation unit of
OceanNEnvironment, an NGO with charity status
registered with Environment Australia.
Current Projects
THE PERPETUAL
MOVEMENTS
The PERPETUAL movements that equip the OYSTER models,
through their precision and reliability, play an integral part in the
reputation for excellence of Rolex watches. These mechanical
self-winding movements, all rigorously certified as chronometers
by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC),
are entirely designed and manufactured by Rolex based on
a common architecture and characteristics that ensure high
performance.
From the blank to emblematic and strategic components like the
balance wheel–hairspring and escapement mechanisms, the
PERPETUAL movements are the products of an independent
and integrated watchmaker. Rolex has perfect mastery of the
craft of watchmaking and the state-of-the-art equipment needed
to manufacture its own components.
The PERPETUAL movements reflect the values of Rolex, the
pioneer of the wristwatch. Each element of the watch – case,
bracelet, dial and movement – is made with the strictest respect
for the brand’s quality standards.
• Asia-Pacific Ocean Health Report: Ongoing
Assessment & Conservation Initiatives of Marine
Protected Areas
• Shark Conservation: Say No to Shark Fins Campaign in
East Asia, from 2001 – present
• Coral Reefs: supporting initiatives led by some
of the world’s leading conservation scientists.
SOS contributes to projects that monitor marine
protected areas, status of endangered and threatened
species in the Asia Pacific.
• Visual Index: database of species, habitats,
climate change images for education and
research assessment.
• Ocean Watch: updates and reports by associates
and correspondents
To support SOS as partners or donors,
email: [email protected]
SOS Ocean Watch Partners
“KRISIS”
O c e a n W atc h
KRILL
The Atlantic krill (Euphausia superba) is a tiny crustacean of
tremendous importance. A fully grown adult is no more than
6 centimetres in length, yet due to its incredible abundance
in the Southern Ocean it constitutes one of the richest
sources of protein on earth. Krill is the major food supply for
many creatures that are part of the intricate polar food web
including fish, birds and whales. However, there is also a
growing human demand for the use of krill in pharmaceuticals,
food supplements and the aquaculture industry. Krill contains
the natural colour-enhancing carotenoid, astaxanthin, and
is therefore highly effective in improving the appearance of
farmed fish flesh. It is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids and is
increasingly being used as dietary supplements in the form
of krill oil. Even the exoskeleton of this shrimp-like creature
can potentially be used to manufacture products such as
contact lenses and artificial skin.
Ecologists are seriously concerned that the rapid growth of
the krill fishing industry, in conjunction with the environmental
stress of warming seas, could pose a threat to the sustained
health of the vital krill population. There are calls for more
accurate monitoring and pre-emptive management of the
vast Antarctic krill fishery.
Industrial fishing organisations are upgrading their vessels
in the hope of greatly increasing their annual krill takes.
Their short term goal is intended to capitalise on current
lenient catch limits in this, as yet, unspoiled polar fishery.
According to Dr. Steve Nicol, a senior scientist at the
Australian Antarctic Division, it is difficult to calculate the
amount of krill in the Antarctic, but their volume has been
estimated to be around 500 million tonnes – approximately
five times the total biomass of all other fish species harvested
today. Setting accurate catch limits is extremely challenging
because although these restrictions are typically defined in
large areas, the majority of krill is often harvested from small
sub-regions, making the potential for localised over-fishing
a valid concern.
According to the Commission for the Conser vation
of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), the
S AV E O U R S EA S F U N D
Report by Alex Rose
Antarctic fishing, the total catch limit for krill in 2013 is 3.71
million tonnes. The main fishing ground for Antarctic krill is
the expansive Atlantic-bordering section of the Southern
Ocean, but “current krill management fails to take account
of the subtleties of the ecosystem" says Volker Siegel, a
marine biologist at the Institute for Sea Fisheries in Hamburg,
Germany, and EU representative at CCAMLR meetings.
Siegel is in favour of small-scale regulation as opposed to
ocean-wide catch limits in order to avoid taking too much
krill out of just a few bountiful fishing sites and potentially
disrupting the food chain.
Aker BioMarine is a Norwegian marine biotechnology
company specialising in the development of krill-based
products for aquaculture, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical
applications. They are currently the only Marine Stewardship
Council (MSC) certified krill harvester.
Accounting for 60% of the total permitted krill catch in 2012,
Aker have been internationally recognised for their efforts
to construct a stable and efficient infrastructure for the
sustainable management of this growing fishery. They use
their proprietary Eco-Harvesting™ technology consisting of
a patented trawl system featuring a “direct hose connection
between the trawl and the vessel, equipped with a special
mechanism that singles out unwanted by-catch and releases
it unharmed.” Most other active companies harvest krill with
pair trawlers which are known to snare marine mammals and
sea birds as unintentional by-catch.
Aker’s commitment to environmental sustainability is both
refreshing and encouraging. However, the Atlantic krill fishery
is undergoing accelerated, unmanaged growth and at the
same time, the sea ice along the Antarctic Peninsula, which
acts as a nursery for krill larvae, is shrinking due to rising
sea temperatures. The combined impact of over-fishing and
warming ocean pose an acute threat to the diverse variety
of marine organisms which are dependent on this unique
creature to support life.
organisation charged with evaluating annual limits for
9
The
BiG Meltdown
Essay by Alex Rose
|
Photos by Mark Goyen
THE ENTIRE WEB OF LIFE IN THE ARCTIC
OCEAN WILL BE DISMANTLED
ranging from single-celled algae to massive polar bears, and a
similar fate will eventually befall our world’s oceans.
Ocean Geographic Mag (Jan 2014)
Size: W215 x H275mm
E S S AY
Arctic sea ice will melt, triggering an enormous rise in sea level,
intensifying ocean acidification, and
FUELLING SEVERE CYCLONES.
What do you think the future world of 2100 will be like? We
all have different views of about how different our world will
be almost 100 years from now, but advancements in the
fields of science and technology, faster and more efficient
ways of travel, a deeper understanding of space, and the
prospect of longer lives tend to be pervasive ideas in most
of our conceptualizations.
These hopeful speculations are encouraging and have the
potential to be actualized several decades from now, but
none of these can be known for sure. There is only one
undeniable truth: that our planet will have undergone some
drastic changes primarily brought about by exponential
human population growth.
By the end of this century, anthropogenic climate change will
have caused average global temperatures to rise between
1.5°C—3°C above 19th century pre-industrial temperatures.
Arctic sea ice and part of the Greenland Ice Sheet will melt,
triggering an enormous rise in sea level, intensifying ocean
acidification, and fuelling severe arctic cyclones. The entire
web of life in the Arctic Ocean (from single-cell algae to
massive polar bears) will be dismantled, and a similar fate
will eventually befall our world’s oceans.
Every day that we recklessly burn fossil fuels in the name of progress is
another lost opportunity to protect OUR PRECIOUS BLUE MARBLE.
12
THE BIG MELTDOWN
10-21_(E)_Arctic Melt_V2.indd 12
12/12/13 1:43 am
Polar bears are but one of the many arctic mammals completely
reliant on sea ice for food, reproduction and raising their young.
SHRINKING SEA ICE IS A MAJOR PROBLEM
FOR ARCTIC MAMMALS
as these animals are fundamentally reliant on sea ice for essential aspects
of their lives - hunting, reproducing, and raising their young.
This prediction may sound overly pessimistic, but it is based
on a solid foundation of research and data that points toward
the ever-increasing release of greenhouse gases as the
culprit. While we cannot reverse the damage already done, we
still have the capacity to reduce and mitigate further impacts
on our planet by curbing our release of harmful greenhouse
gases through the burning of fossil fuels, deforestation, and
unsustainable agricultural practices.
There are quite a few complex issues associated with our
changing world, but the melting of arctic sea ice is of primary
concern because of the particularly delicate nature of the
Arctic ecosystem and how much more severely this area
is affected due to the phenomenon of arctic amplification.
My goal is to cover each of the major problems connected
to the loss of Arctic sea ice in order to better illustrate
what our future looks like if we do not start controlling our
insatiable appetite for dirty energy. It is not too late to change
the outcome of our environmental fate, but we are rapidly
approaching the tipping point of a complete Arctic meltdown
from which there is no return.
Arctic sea ice is melting so fast that scientists are having
a difficult time keeping pace with its disappearance. We
must understand the specific processes that are causing
this rapid loss of sea ice so that we can better predict the
environmental changes that will occur and the ramifications
of these changes not just for the Arctic, but for the rest of our
planet as well. What we do know without a doubt is that the
massive floating ice sheet of the Arctic Ocean is being lost
at an increasingly rapid pace as a result of anthropogenic
climate change.
There is a natural expansion and contraction of Arctic sea ice
due to seasonal changes, but with an ever warming climate,
sea ice has been steadily declining in both surface extent
and thickness on an annual basis. According to the National
Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), 2012 saw the smallest
and thinnest ice cover ever reported in the Arctic Ocean, a
mere 51% of the average sea ice extent and only 20% of the
average volume from 1979. The disappearance of this much
ice is particularly disturbing because of the prominent role
Arctic sea ice has in regulating Earth’s climate. Arctic sea ice
is highly reflective so most of the solar energy that hits its
surface is reflected back into space, preventing this energy
from affecting our climate.
13
Michael Valos
E s s ay
ARCTIC SEA ICE IS HIGHLY REFLECTIVE
and as such, reflects most of the solar energy that hits it back out
into space, preventing this energy from affecting our climate.
Sunlight
We are also seeing vast reductions in the amount of multi-year
High albedo
ice – the incredibly thick ice that persists and builds on itself
from one year to the next, as it is replaced by fragile first-year
ice which forms in winter and melts in summer. The NSIDC
reported in 2013 that multi-year ice used to cover 60% of the
Arctic Ocean and now covers only 30%. Not only does firstyear ice disintegrate more easily compared to multi-year ice,
but it also reflects only about half as much solar radiation,
Low albedo
High and low albedo
High reflectivity, also referred to as high albedo, is an
important characteristic of ice; conversely, dark ocean water
is highly absorptive and has low albedo. As ice cover recedes
and more dark water is exposed, less solar energy is reflected
back into space and is instead absorbed, contributing to
the further rise of ocean temperatures and subsequent loss
of Arctic sea ice. This is known as the ice-albedo feedback
mechanism and is a process known to contribute to the
accelerated disappearance of this crucial sea ice.
14
The BiG Meltdown
meaning that it contributes less to global cooling because
this energy is being absorbed/transferred as heat into the
underlying ocean.
The ice-albedo feedback effect also helps to explain the
Arctic amplification of climate change, a phenomenon where
surface air temperatures in the Arctic are increasing two
to three times faster than anywhere else on the planet. As
temperatures in the Arctic increase with the loss of sea ice,
snow cover on land decreases, exposing the dark ground
with low albedo or low reflectivity so more solar energy is
absorbed, warming the area even further. The most important
factor regulating circumpolar temperature is the amount of
Arctic sea ice present.
As Arctic sea ice gets thinner and scarcer, the multitude of
Over 1000 species of ice algae living in direct association
well-being are facing increasing peril. The food web of the
algae, along with some species of sub-ice phytoplankton,
creatures that depend upon its existence and stability for their
Arctic is delicate and comprised of multiple trophic levels, all of
which are heavily impacted by sea ice loss. Primary producers
make up the lowest trophic level and are the base of the food
chain upon which all higher levels depend, and as such are
a logical place to start
with Arctic sea ice require its presence for survival. Ice
are essential food sources for many other animals and their
survival and proliferation are paramount to a healthy food
web. Copepods, amphipods, and other lipid-rich herbivorous
zooplankton are uniquely adapted to eat these primary
producers and are poorly
suited to life in open water.
exploring the complexities
All of these co-dependent
of the Arctic food web.
species will be adversely
Primar y producers use
affected by the loss of sea ice.
photosynthesis to convert
light into usable energy
Many species of animals
in the form of proteins,
including seabirds, whales,
carbohydrates, and fats,
and are then consumed by
Michael AW
herbivorous zooplankton
such as amphipods and
copepods, which are
Zooplankton: the foundation of the arctic food web
in turn eaten by larger
and arctic fishes will have
trouble keeping themselves
fed without a proliferation of
these fatty crustaceans and
will suffer as populations of
zooplankton, fish, seabirds, and even some marine mammals.
ice-associated zooplankton diminish along with the sea
includes animals such as whales, pinnipeds, polar bears,
food and will consequently work harder and expend more
The highest level of consumers at the top of the food chain
and humans.
ice. These creatures will all have to travel farther to find less
indispensable energy to feed themselves and their offspring,
ultimately burning more calories than they can consume,
leading to the demise of many Arctic species.
MORE THAN 1000 SPECIES OF ICE ALGAE
that live in direct association with arctic sea ice require
its presence for survival.
Baby harp seal pup are on ice of the Russian Arctic – White Sea.
Vladimir Melnik
15
E s s ay
It is projected that we will
LOSE TWO-THIRDS OF THE WORLD’S POLAR
BEARS BY 2050.
16
The BiG Meltdown
IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO REIMAGINE OUR FUTURE,
N
but our window of opportunity to incite these critical changes
is closing rapidly.
umerous fish populations will head north as the
ice shrinks in order to find food and appropriate
shelter. Unfortunately, these needs will be
increasingly difficult to meet as they travel away
from the shallower and more biologically productive regions
associated with the continental shelf. Some temperate fish
species will expand their ranges into warming Arctic waters
where they will compete with native Arctic species for
food and spawning habitat, further stressing these already
threatened populations of Arctic fish.
Shrinking sea ice is a major problem for Arctic marine
mammals not just because their sources of food will diminish,
but because these animals are fundamentally reliant on
sea ice for many essential aspects of their lives including
hunting, reproducing, and raising their young. The best known
mammal suffering from the loss of A rctic sea ice is the polar
bear. Their primary prey items are ice-dependent seals and
with the ice thinning and being absent for more of the year,
the polar bears’ hunting season has been cut short. This
results in thinner bears, declining reproductive rates, and
climbing cub mortality rates. It is projected that we will lose
two-thirds of the world’s polar bears by 2050.
Bowhead whales, belugas and narwhals will face problems
including, but not limited to, food shortages due to ice
loss, entrapment in shifting ice and increased predation by
orcas expanding their hunting range into the warming Arctic
waters. Arctic pinnipeds, the seals and walruses, are already
suffering from the troubling effects of habitat loss. Stable sea
ice is a crucial component of successful reproduction and
pup survival in all Arctic seal species. The ice must be solid
enough for mothers to haul out on and nurse their young,
and for some species such as the ringed seal (Pusa hispida),
sufficient snow cover is equally important. Some species
build a birth lair by digging a cave into the snow cover on top
of the sea ice for thermal insulation and pup protection, and
without a proper lair, seal pups will likely die of hypothermia.
17
E s s ay
WALRUSES ALSO NEED A RELIABLE
SEA ICE HABITAT
where they can birth and nurse their calves.
Walruses also need a reliable sea ice habitat where they
are at the very top of this food web and are at risk of having
can birth and nurse their calves, as well as moult. Walruses
to abandon their cultural identities and dissolve their local
are bottom feeders and can spend up to 17 hours at a time,
communities as subsistence living becomes unsustainable
scouring the seafloor of the continental shelf for invertebrates
because wildlife populations are increasingly impacted by
such as clams, crabs and shrimp and then haul out onto the
the disappearance of sea ice.
ice for a day or two to rest. With shrinking or non-existent sea
ice, walruses have to travel much farther and expend more
The melting of Arctic sea ice has other ramifications that must
energy to feed and are also experiencing severe over-crowding
also be taken into account. The Arctic Ocean is particularly
because of the limited space now available to rest on land,
vulnerable to acidification – the process by which carbon
resulting in increased aggression and higher pup mortality.
dioxide is absorbed by the ocean and combines with water
to form carbonic acid. The ability of the ocean to function
The fragile Arctic food web is intrinsically tied to fluctuations
as a carbon sink is a desirable trait at first glance, but the
in sea ice extent and volume and is consequently extremely
constant uptake of excess carbon dioxide has caused ocean
vulnerable to collapse because of warming Arctic temperatures
surface waters to become 30% more acidic since the start
caused by anthropogenic climate change. Indigenous humans
of the Industrial Revolution.
18
The BiG Meltdown
As Arctic sea ice gets thinner and scarcer, the multitude of creatures that
depend upon its existence and stability for their wellbeing
ARE FACING INCREASING PERIL.
The Arctic Ocean is being more rapidly acidified for several
changing climate of the Far North is a crucial factor in shaping
reasons. First, low temperatures accelerate acidification.
the speed and route of the jet stream, the exact forces that
Secondly, lower salinity water is less effective at neutralizing
drove the superstorm Hurricane Sandy to pummel the East
acid formation. Lastly, increased surface area of exposed
coast of the United States last year.
ocean water from sea ice loss allows more carbon dioxide
to be absorbed and further drives acid formation. An acidic
The Greenland Ice Sheet (GIS) is also seeing unprecedented
ocean will prevent calcifying organisms from forming properly
losses along with Arctic sea ice. 80% of Greenland is covered
and will cause harmful sensory and behavioural impairments
by this massive body of ice, which contains a total of about
in a variety of marine species.
2.85 million cubic kilometers of ice. The average annual ice
loss from the GIS increased by 600%, from 34 gigatonnes
Changing weather patterns are also the result of Arctic sea
to 215 gigatonnes, from 2002 through 2011 and these losses
ice recession. As temperatures go up in the Arctic, the air
are already having a measurable impact on sea level rise.
becomes capable of holding more moisture, factors that are
The altered jet stream patterns caused by a warming Arctic
known to strongly contribute to storm development. Arctic
have major implications in melting the Greenland Ice Sheet.
cyclones are predicted to increase in frequency and severity
If the GIS were to completely melt, sea level would rise by 20
as this warming trend continues, threatening communities,
meters; by the end of this century alone it can be expected
ecosystems and infrastructure, in addition to fur ther
to cause a 1.5-meter rise in sea level.
degrading what sea ice is left. The loss of sea ice influences
weather in North America, Europe, and Eurasia as well. The
The arctic wolf (Canis lupus arctos)
19
E s s ay
T
hawing permafrost, or permanently frozen ground,
This “greening” can transform terrestrial ecosystems and
is another major predicament. Permafrost can
cause species decline and even extinction. Near-surface
reach depths of over 700 meters in some areas,
permafrost soils are estimated to contain about 1700
and when it thaws the ice in the soil melts and the
gigatonnes of carbon, which is twice the amount currently
ground collapses. This can result in immense infrastructure
in our atmosphere; 81% of this frozen ground is likely to
damage and more importantly, can release vast amounts
be thawed by the year 2100 releasing 300 gigatonnes of
of sequestered carbon in the forms of carbon dioxide and
carbon pollution into an atmosphere already saturated with
methane into the atmosphere, further contributing to the
greenhouse gases.
warming of the Arctic, a process called Arctic “greening”.
20
The BiG Meltdown
Without huge changes, we may someday be stranded on an iceless,
INHOSPITABLE PLANET WITH NO ONE
TO BLAME BUT OURSELVES.
An Arctic Ocean that is ice-free during the summer months
is a likely reality within the next few decades. Vanishing sea
ice is just the beginning of an imminent climate crisis and
is an indication that we need to act now in order to prevent
further irreparable damage to our planet. Every day that
we recklessly burn fossil fuels in the name of progress, is
another lost opportunity to protect our precious blue marble.
Ocean Geographic has commenced planning a major
expedition to the Arctic in 2015. The Elysium Artists
for the Arctic expedition is about documenting the
splendour of the region to reveal what we will lose
with a warming global climate. The chief scientist; the
visionary scientist for this expedition of the century shall
be Dr Sylvie Earle. If you are keen to participate, see
www.ogsociety.org/expeditions
Each new coal-fired power plant represents another unique
species lost to the immeasurable greed of humans. Without
huge changes, we may someday be stranded on an iceless,
inhospitable planet with no one to blame but ourselves.
21
Exotic Diving Expeditions
by
MSY Seahorse
Indonesia’s Fine Diving Specialist
Fine Diving : Fine Cruising
Fine Dining
Alor : Ambon : Cendrawasih Bay
Komodo : Raja Ampat : Triton Bay
[email protected]
Visit our website : www.aiyanar.com
P f
t
Y
Joaquin Guitierrez
N a u t i l u s ’ s W i n d ow
2013 Winners
Portrait – Emory Kristoff Award for
Outstanding Achievement
WINNER: HOWARD WOMERSLEY
Runner Up: Montse Grillo
Honourable Mention: B
eth Watson, Iyad Suleyman, Davide
Lopresti, Pamela Martin
Fish Behaviour – the Gerry Allen Award for
WINNER: JORGEN RASMUSSEN
Runner Up : Alex Tattersall
Animal Behaviour – Doug Perrine Award for
Winner: AMOS NACHOUM
Runner Up : Marc Casanovas
Honourable Mention: G
oos van der Heide, Marcello di Francesco,
Claudio Contreras, Montse Grillo
Colour Print – Valerie Taylor Award for
WINNER: JUSTIN GILLIGAN
Runner-Up: Marchione Giacomo
Honourable Mention: Pamela Martin
Black and White – Ernie Brooks Merit of
Excellence Award
WINNER : MARCEL GUBERN
Honourable Mention : Paolo Bausani
Seascapes – Carden Wallace Award for
WINNER: DAVID HENSHAW
Runner Up: Octavio Aburto
Honourable Mention: Pietro Cremone, David Salvatori
Creative Vision – Wyland Award for
WINNER: JIM HELLEMN
Runner Up: Ray Collins
Honourable Mention: Dray van Beeck: Matthew Smith
See all results at OceanGeographic.org
24
Pictures Of the Year
Portfolio – David Doubilet Award for
WINNER: TOBIAS FRIEDRICH
Runner up: Domenico Roscigno
Special mention: Amos Nachoum
Honourable mention: Jorgen Rasmussen, Justin Gilligan,
Javiar Sandoval
ONEOCEAN – Sylvia Earle Award for
WINNER: DAVIDE LOPRESTI
Ocean Geographic Photojournalist Award
WINNER: MOK WAI HOE
Runner Up: Scott Portelli, Joseph Tepper
Young Photographers – Alex Mustard Award for
WINNER JUNIOR: NOE SCHULTZ
WINNER SENIOR: AARON LIT
Novice – the Ocean Geographic Merit of
Excellence Award
WINNER: FABRICE JAINE
Runner Up: Foo Pu Wen
HOWARD HALL AWARD for Outstanding
Achievement – short video
WINNER: ERICK HIGUERA
Runner Up: Ed Snijders
Runner Up: Mossimo Boyer
Ron Taylor Merit of Excellence AWARD – feature
length video
WINNER: JOHN BOYLE
Runner Up: A. Molnar, Z.Sasdi
The Master of Competition Award – Wyland
Challenge Humpback Whale Trophy
WINNER - MOK WAI HOE
Portrait – Emory Kristoff Award for Outstanding Achievement
WINNER: HOWARD WOMERSLEY
“I liked this cuttlefish picture the best. The bright brown
colour of the cuttlefish blended very well with the rest of the
background life, but still allowed the starring animal itself to
stand out. Many times the camouflage effect of these animals
is very dull.”
– Emory Kristof
Prize Sponsor:
25
Portrait – Emory Kristoff Award for Outstanding Achievement
Runner Up: Montse Grillo
“I liked this back lit turtle picture. I have seen similar pictures
to this one, but this is the best I have ever seen this image
done. It shows the power of good control and balance over
the lighting, both natural and artificial.”
– Emory Kristof
26
Fish Behaviour – the Gerry Allen Award for Outstanding Achievement
WINNER: JORGEN RASMUSSEN
“This strikingly dramatic image captures the essence of the
predator-prey interaction, a major driving force of life in the
high seas. It also gives testament to the time worn adage of
being at the right place at the right time. Congratulations to
the photographer for capturing such a graphic image in the
unforgiving surrounds of the open sea.”
– Gerry Allen PhD
Prize Sponsor:
27
Fish Behaviour – the Gerry Allen Award for Outstanding Achievement
Runner Up : Alex Tattersall
“This is a great photograph of the feeding behaviour of the
small reef tuna, Rastrelliger kanagurta. It provides an up close
and personal view of one of the more conspicuous members
of the coral reef plankton-feeding community. The photo also
exhibits extraordinary skill on the part of the photographer,
who has captured the fast moving school in a remarkable
head-on confrontation.”
– Gerry Allen PhD
28
Animal Behaviour – Doug Perrine Award for Outstanding Achievement
Winner: Amos Nachoum
“A great photograph not only informs our understanding of the
subject, it also engages our emotions. The emotion generated
by this image is powerful indeed, evoking a primal state of
terror. At the same time, the composition is well arranged,
focused, lit, and exposed, with a pleasing colour palette.”
– Doug Perrine
Prize Sponsor:
29
Animal Behaviour – Doug Perrine Award for Outstanding Achievement
Runner Up : Marc Casanovas
“This image combines both an interesting and rarely
seen behaviour with vivid, saturated colours, and a nearperfect composition, featuring all of the “golden rules” of
composition: rule of thirds, diagonal lines, leading lines,
and even an S-curve of sorts. The focus is tack-sharp on the
mollusc's eye, and the eye of the viewer is drawn irresistibly
to that cold-blooded stare, engaging the audience in a direct
conversation with an invertebrate nearly as alien to us as they
come on this planet.”
– Doug Perrine
Prize Sponsor:
30
Colour Print – Valerie Taylor Award for Outstanding Achievement
WINNER: JUSTIN GILLIGAN
“It is a delight to see these birds in motion feeding together
with the ambient lighting showing off the form of the animals.”
– Valerie Taylor
Prize Sponsor:
31
Colour Print – Valerie Taylor Award for Outstanding Achievement
Runner-Up: Marchione Giacomo
32
Black and White – Ernie Brooks Merit of Excellence Award
WINNER : MARCEL GUBERN
“I chose this picture because the composition is a beautiful grouping
of dolphins. It is a delight to see the animals in free motion and the
ambient lighting shows off the muscular form of the animals.”
– Ernie Brooks
Prize Sponsor:
33
Seascapes – Carden Wallace Award for Outstanding Achievement
WINNER: DAVID HENSHAW
“We may be saturated with anemone photos: however, this one has a remarkable
seascape quality. The Magnificent Sea Anemone characteristically occupies an
exposed position, whereas its close relatives are very retiring. It sits front and centre
of other elements of its environment – corals and reef fish – in the style of an oldfashioned botanical painting. Its exhibitionist characteristics might put it in grave
danger but it doesn't seem to care.”
– Carden Wallace PhD
34
Seascapes – Carden Wallace Award for Outstanding Achievement
Runner Up: Octavio Aburto
“This little fish looks a little overwhelmed in its richlycoloured palace of kelp. The picture draws us in to its
fascinating habitat.”
– Carden Wallace PhD
Prize Sponsor:
35
Prize Sponsor:
36
Creative Vision – Wyland Award for Outstanding Achievement
WINNER: JIM HELLEMN
" This amazing panoramic of a living coral reef featuring a
green sea turtle and shark represents a healthy ecosystem.
Fine art photography can do much to raise awareness about
issues regarding conservation of our water planet. The
detail and radiance of the pristine reef was captured and
stitched to give us a diver's eye view into the ocean realm.
Congratulations to the artist and I look forward to seeing
more images in the future."
– WYLAND, Artist of the Sea
37
Creative Vision – Wyland Award for Outstanding Achievement
Runner Up: Ray Collins
"Wow. Heart of the ocean revealed in a fantastic image inside
the curl of a perfect wave. The image seems to have motion
and the composition is perfect, inviting the viewer to literally
enter the core of the wave. The heart is iconic in this photo.
Congratulations and I look forward to seeing more.”
– WYLAND, Artist of the Sea
Prize Sponsor:
38
Portfolio – David Doubilet Award for Outstanding Achievement
WINNER: TOBIAS FRIEDRICH
“This portfolio is stunning and kept bringing me back and
drawing me in. The range of imagery is broad and strong
taking us on a visual journey from equator to pole and making
me want to be there… that is the power of good pictures
– they create kinetic energy. I feel energy and passion and I
am inspired and motivated by these images.”
– Head of Jury, David Doubilet
Prize Sponsor:
39
Portfolio – David Doubilet Award for Outstanding Achievement
Runner up: Domenico Roscigno
*see complete portfolio at OceanGeographic.org
40
ONEOCEAN – Sylvia Earle Award for Outstanding Achievement
WINNER: DAVIDE LOPRESTI
“It was really hard for me to capture this series of shots of
Edredoni duck trapped in a net. The images show a poignant
encasing the heart, but that screams with a stark message
that cannot go unnoticed.”
– DAVIDE LOPRESTI
Prize Sponsor:
41
Young Photographers – Alex Mustard Award for Outstanding Achievement
WINNER JUNIOR: NOE SCHULTZ
“I like this image because the photographer has found a
charismatic and also endangered species in the green
turtle. The composition is enticing to the eye, with a three
dimensional scene, with the turtle in the foreground and the
sea fan with crinoids behind and then the water column with
fish, completing the image. The image also reveals more
details the longer you look at it, such as the green remora on
the back of the turtle and the fish peeking out from behind
the sea fan."
– Dr Alex Mustard
42
Young Photographers – Alex Mustard Award for Outstanding Achievement
WINNER SENIOR: AARON LIT
"Mandarin fish are a challenging subject, which have
flummoxed many experienced underwater photographers.
So, many congratulations to this young photographer for
capturing not just a species that many divers have not seen,
but also some fascinating behaviour. This shot doesn't
just show mating, but actually a rarer behaviour with three
mandarins in a spawning rise. I also like the presentation,
with the fish in a diagonal composition.”
– Dr Alex Mustard
Prize Sponsor:
43
Novice – the Ocean Geographic Merit of Excellence Award
WINNER: FABRICE JAINE
“This is a compelling capture of an emotional moment,
showing a manta ray dwarfing a spellbound diver. The image
is sharp, colours are crisp, and the timing perfect, with no
bubbles in the frame, and the manta ray just starting to bank
to the side.”
– Mathieu Meur, judge
44
Novice – the Ocean Geographic Merit of Excellence Award
Runner Up: Foo Pu Wen
“This is one of the most lovable animals of our ocean – the manatee.
The image is sharp, colours are crisp, and the timing perfect.”
– Mathieu Meur, judge
Prize Sponsor:
45
Dive Buddy
Behaviour: Cold-blooded Animals
Winner: Luis Javier Sandoval
BBC NHM Wildlife Photographer of the Year
"Up close, turtles look very dramatic. Is it the shape of the
head or is it the combination of colours, which are typical for
underwater pictures?"
– Jan Vermeer, judge
46
Feast of the Ancient Mariner
Underwater Worlds
Winner: Brian Skerry
"One of the world's most mysterious animals, the monstrous
leatherback has roamed our oceans since before the age of
the dinosaurs. I would kill to find one feeding on a gauze-pink
tunicate in crystal-clear oceanic waters. Well done."
– Tui De Roy, judge
47
Pearls of Spring
Underwater Worlds
Specially Commended: Solvin Zankl
"A magical glimpse into the underwater world of Mr and Mrs
Toad; the spawn, like strings of black pearls, seem almost
to entangle the pair. The clarity of this shot is extraordinary
considering the underwater location and movement of the
animals."
– Richard Eccleston, judge
48
The encirclement
Underwater Worlds
Commended: Thomas Haider
"A dramatic photograph; The local batfish that live on the
coral reef are surrounded by a school of anchovies that had
been chased by other fishes. It is a perfect composition."
– Koji Nakamura, judge
49
Best of Méditerranée Prize
Winner Adriano MORETTIN (Italy)
40th World Underwater Pictures Festival
Festival Mondial de l'Image Sous-Marine
50
Ernest H. BROOKS II Best Black and White Picture Prize
Winner: Grégory LECOEUR (France)
51
Ocean Geographic Prize for the Best Sea Jelly Picture
Winner: Werner THIELE (Austria)
52
Portfolio Competition
Silver Diver:
Grégory LECOEUR
(France)
40th World
Underwater Pictures
Festival
Festival Mondial de
l'Image Sous-Marine
Gold Diver
(Palme d’Or)
Winner: Claudio
GAZZAROLI
(Switzerland)
40th World
Underwater Pictures
Festival
Festival Mondial de
l'Image Sous-Marine
53
THEME SERIES (5 Pictures)
Plongeur de Bronze Winner :
Stefano GRADI (Italie)
Call for Entries
Ocean Geographic Pictures of the Year Competition
/ Celebrate the Sea Festival:
competition opens 2 February 2014
OceanGeographic.org : CelebratetheSea.com
BBC NHM Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition
competition opens 9 December 2013
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit-us/whats-on/temporary-exhibitions/wpy/enter/index.jsp
41st World Underwater Pictures Festival :
underwater-festival.com
54
The 100th Year Tribute to
Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance
Antarctic (1914) Expedition
Captured by some of the world’s most celebrated wildlife photographers, the book comprises the best curated from over
finest 20,000 images. Only 1914 copies of this limited edition will be released in 2014 as a tribute to Shackleton’s Endurance
Antarctic (1914) Expedition. This fine art production is printed using state-of-the-art techniques by Colourscan Singapore,
reputed to produce books of superlative quality.
Author
Michael AW
Principal Photographers
Michael AW: Ernie Brooks: David Doubilet
Jennifer Hayes : Andreas Jaschek : Amos Nachoum : Jenny E. Ross
Artist
Wyland
Supporting Photographers
Emory Kristof, Steve Jones, Davide Vezzaro, Edward Dixon, Scott Portelli, Jorgen Rasmussen,
Carl Brandes, Eric Bettens, Emily Chan, Stephen Henshall, Alhay Avila, Bartosz Strozynski, Henry Yip, Elizabeth Quat,
Wendy McIlroy, Gwen Noda, Chris Chan
Special Introductory Limited Release (only 100 copies)
Five ready-to-frame prints packaged with the box bound limited edition book at A$ 198 per copy,
or Classic case bound limited edition A$128
To order autographed copies: [email protected] : ElysiumEpic.org
Part of the proceeds from Elysium Epic sales will contribute to the Ocean Geographic Ocean Change Photographic Index
‐ this index focuses on speciation, habitat and climate change images for education and research assessment.
The
Antarctic
Peninsula
Essay by Erin McFadden
|
Photos by Michael AW
Unfurling in the Hands of
Climate Change
E s s ay
THERE IS NO OTHER PLACE ON EARTH
where the beauty and raw, gnarly power of nature clash on such
a tremendous scale as they do on the Antarctic Peninsula.
M
any of the polar juxtapositions are best
glaciated mountain range, the blue delicately resonating off a
encountered along the Antarctic Peninsula.
mirrored sea surface. The only interruptions to this otherwise
This 1,500 kilometre spit of land stretches
untouched sea are the seamless icebergs. Light emanates
from the Antarctic mainland up towards the
in every direction. Incorporate a bold leopard seal (Hydrurga
tip of South America, from which it is separated by one
leptonyx) buzzing around the dive Zodiac, and plumes of
of history’s most infamous stretches of ocean: The Drake
humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) blows in the
Passage. It is hard to find any other place on earth where
distance, and you have in front of you a genuine Antarctic
the beauty and raw, gnarly power of nature clash on such a
pre-dive scene.
tremendous scale as they do along the Antarctic Peninsula.
Yes it is cold, freezing cold. Yet rewards are bountiful. Extreme
If you are one of the few people who have the rare opportunity
cold often constitutes splendour in nature, and it is splendour
to explore this stunning part of the world, you can expect
on a grandiose scale. While exploring Eastern Greenland in
dives surrounded by a blissful blue panorama that is nothing
the first half of the 19th century, William Scoresby wrote:
short of Scoresby’s phantasmagoria. Indeed, it can be
“The whole exhibition is frequently a grand and interesting
hard to fathom where you are and the overall reality of the
phantasmagoria.” When you define phantasmagoria as “a
situation when a flawless azure sky effortlessly drapes a
sequence of real or imaginary images like that seen in a
58
The Antarctic Peninsula – Unfurling in the Hands of Climate Change
A flawless azure sky effortlessly drapes a glaciated mountain range.
dream”, Scoresby’s description of a polar environment takes
Most dives begin surrounded by azure skies. Then again,
some beating. The landscapes, the ocean, the ice formations
you will begin just as many surrounded by a foreboding sky
and the colours are extraordinary in both their vividness and
so laden with grey, you start to question your decision. As
juxtaposing eeriness.
you await the countdown to roll in, icy sea spray whips at
the Zodiac and gusts of wind are unmistakeable in their polar
Of course, the splendour of extreme cold is just as real when
origin. But this is when you know you are part of it, when there
the environment takes on muted tones and a more dynamic
is no doubt you are experiencing Antarctica.
character, remaining ever ethereal. The weather patterns
along the Antarctic Peninsula are vast, variable and although
Before you even duck under the surface, Antarctica is all
not always inviting to a diver – indeed any human — they are
encompassing. When it comes to taking that first icy plunge,
part of the Antarctic ‘deal’. After all, if you went to Antarctica
however, there is no mistaking the stark reality of Antarctica’s
and only experienced dream-like blue skies and calm seas
embrace – this is cold on another level. This is the kind of cold
would you not leave feeling somewhat short-changed? Being
your body does not adjust to. This is the kind of cold you put
here is about experiencing the environment. To experience
up with because it is your chance to be among Antarctica’s
an environment you need to be part of it.
unique, archaic and gravely endangered marine ecosystems.
59
E s s ay
EXTREME COLD OFTEN CONSTITUTES
SPLENDOUR IN NATURE
and it is splendour on a grandiose scale.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
This is cold on another level. This is the kind of cold your body does
not adjust to. This is the kind of cold that you put up with because it is your
chance to be among Antarctica’s unique, archaic and gravely endangered
marine ecosystems.
Jerry Sutton
The shallow marine ecosystems of the Antarctic Peninsula
Antarctic Peninsula shelf. The ecosystems surviving here
are more akin to a deep-sea environment. The Antarctic
are thus given the fundamental requirements to thrive and
Peninsula was once connected to South America before
this is one reason underwater exploration here is such a joy.
the continents split apart and the Drake Passage was
created, approximately 40 million years ago. One of the
A second reason is the opportunity to encounter an
most ecologically important consequences of this split
ecosystem unlike any other. Along the Peninsula, there
was the creation of a massive ocean current: the Antarctic
has been an absence of durophagous (crushing) predators
Circumpolar Current (ACC). The ACC sweeps around the
such as crabs and sharks – this is the main reason why the
southern ocean and encircles Antarctica with such power
underwater environment here is so unique. There are no
that it is classed as the strongest current in the world. It has
thick-shelled organisms here because there has been no
essentially created an oceanographic barrier; a metaphorical
need for organisms to evolve such defences. Instead, there
fence separating Antarctica from the warmer sea and air
are vibrant walls adorned with soft corals, tunicates, sponges
temperatures further north. As a result, the ecosystems of
and sea stars of colours more flamboyant than anyone would
Antarctica have adapted to a specific suite of environmental
anticipate for a polar environment. The underwater colours
conditions found nowhere else on earth.
are certainly the artist’s palette of Antarctica. The warm
colours that blaze across the seafloor enrich the white and
Whereas the ACC is separated from the majority of the
blue light that reverberates on the surface in the sunlight,
continental mass of Antarctica, along the Western Antarctic
creating Antarctica's very own unique palette of colours that
Peninsula the topography of the ocean bottom allows the
would be the envy of every artist. Even on a muted day, the
current to directly affect the ecosystems here. The ACC
underwater world continues to illuminate the environment.
effectively injects warmer, nutrient rich water into the Western
And therein lies the beauty beneath the waves of Antarctica.
60
It is the extreme cold, however, that has prevented
The influx of crushing predators such as King crabs along
durophagous predators from successfully inhabiting
the Antarctic Peninsula will have huge impacts. Organisms
the Antarctic shelf waters for millions of years. The sea
here evolved without the need for strong skeletal defences.
temperature has simply been too cold for their survival and
The gigantic sea stars that sprawl across the seafloor,
the oceanographic barriers and distances are too great
worms longer than humans, prehistoric looking isopods,
for their successful migration into the environment and
and comical sea cucumbers, are all easy prey. The Antarctic
their subsequent adaptation within it. Until now that is.
Peninsula will cease to be the world’s most unique marine
The Antarctic Peninsula is one of the most rapidly warming
environment as temperatures continue to rise and predators
regions on earth. The extent of the warming, the potential
that have otherwise been absent for millions of years become
and present impacts, are shocking. While air temperatures
a common and dominant sight.
have increased by 5–6°C in the past 50 years, sea surface
temperatures have increased by approximately 1°C. These
may seem like small increases, but the reality is grave. King
crabs (Neolithodes yaldwyni) and spider crabs (Hyas araneus)
have already been discovered along the Antarctic Peninsula;
the slight warming of sea temperature here had facilitated
their dispersal and survival.
Yoland Bosiger
Gigantic sea stars sprawled across the sea floor
Jerry Sutton
61
E s s ay
T
he invasion of durophagous predators is of
calving off the face of a glacier – a sound like no other; it
course just one of a number of spiralling changes
embodies depth in a way thunder can merely mimic. There is
occurring as a result of regional warming along
no mistaking this sound and it is becoming a regular alarm,
the Antarctic Peninsula. The ecosystem regimes
warning us of the fate of the Antarctic Peninsula.
that characterise Antarctica are changing and not for the
better. Losing the charismatic invertebrates is a shame for
Sea ice in particular is the lifeblood of the Antarctic Peninsula's
divers hoping to explore the wonders of the Antarctic marine
marine ecosystem. Its demise has an impact at every level of
world, but for the ocean as a whole, there is so much more
the food web, from the microscopic phytoplankton all the way
at stake.
through to the apex predators. Sea ice cover has reduced by
9 0 days per year in the past 50 years, and with every day that
Every single year, scientists are witnessing the winter sea
is lost, the entire ecosystem becomes under increasing threat.
ice dwindling along the Antarctic Peninsula: both the area
How this regime is impacted is multifaceted and complex.
covered by the ice and the number of days of ice cover are
diminishing. On top of this, glaciers are retreating and ice
Antarctica is a treasure trove of large charismatic marine
shelves collapsing. While exploring the Antarctic Peninsula,
animals. The seals, the penguins and whales of Antarctica
you will more than likely hear the thunderous crack of ice
are recognised by many people worldwide. They are certainly
a major reason many people brave crossing the notoriously
62
The Antarctic Peninsula is an inspiring and poignant place but
THE WHEELS ARE FALLING OFF AND IT IS
CRASHING DOWN.
Sea ice – the lifeblood of the Antarctic Peninsula marine ecosystem.
stormy seas of the Drake Passage. Witnessing a humpback
a delight. Little do the penguins know that as they porpoise
whale mother and calf duo drifting between the impressive
towards their onshore colony, a leopard seal awaits. An
sheer mountain faces of the Lemaire Channel, or coming
observant guide will see what is occurring and alert you to
face-to-face with an overly zealous leopard seal as it sets
the drama that is about to unfold.
its large authoritarian head on the side of your Zodiac and
thoroughly stares you down, are priceless moments that
A penguin firework is a worthy description! A sudden burst
make stories lasting a lifetime of dinner parties.
of black and white sparks radiate in every direction when
the penguins spot the seal. The neat raft instantly becomes
One of the most entertaining tales to tell, albeit a slightly
a frenzied plume of penguins on the dash. If one penguin
morbid one is that of penguins under chase. Gentoo penguins
happens not to be the brightest or quickest spark, then
(Pygoscelis papua) are currently found in large numbers
its chances of ever reaching the colony are slim. On top of
throughout the northern Antarctic Peninsula. They are one
this already impressive display, the leopard seals are not
of a few species of penguin that will porpoise through the
modest when it comes to relishing a successful penguin
water while travelling; a behaviour believed to relate to energy
hunt. Slapping and thrashing the unfortunate penguin on
efficiency when moving through water while simultaneously
the surface, the leopard seal skins and de-feathers its catch.
managing to breathe. The regular flash of black and white is
63
E s s ay
SEA ICE AND KRILL
ARE THE LIFEBLOOD
AND THE LYNCHPIN
of the Antarctic Marine Ecosystem
respectively – but without sea
ice, krill cannot reproduce
successfully.
The seemingly brash nature of these seals means they
are often unperturbed by a boat full of dumbfounded
tourists clad in wet-weather gear, eagerly snapping away
in an attempt to capture the spray of skin and blood (an
image that is best served to your dinner guests after the
meal). Whether this is nature at its finest or vilest is at
the discretion of each enthralled individual. Either way,
there is no denying this is nature as it should be. With
air and sea temperatures continuing to rise markedly in
this part of the world, such “as nature intended” events
will come crashing down as the intricate and archaic
food web unfurls into a bleak future.
We know the future of the Antarctic Peninsula entails
further losses of sea ice. We know that as the sea ice
continues to diminish the entire food web hangs in the
balance. One tiny organism can put the severity and
pervasiveness of this threat into perspective. If sea
ice can be described as the lifeblood of the Antarctic
Peninsula marine ecosystem, then Antarctic krill
(Euphausia superba) can be described as the lynchpin.
Krill is a shrimp like crustacean measuring just a little
over six centimetres and with losses of sea ice krill
numbers are crashing. Without krill, there would be
no leopard seals, no Gentoo penguin fireworks and
no unique diving opportunities. Sitting seemingly
unobtrusively near the base of the Antarctic food web,
krill is, in effect, one of the largest sources of protein
on earth.
( Top) : Krill – the lynchpin of the Antarctic marine ecosystem
(Middle): Pink Road – they are the colour of penguin poo.
Mother Gentoo penguin feeds on krill at sea and
(Bottom): regurgitate to feed her young
64
View of sea ice from below the surface.
SEA ICE COVER HAS REDUCED BY 90 DAYS
PER YEAR IN THE PAST 50 YEARS,
threatening the degradation of the entire ecosystem.
The krill itself feeds upon phy toplank ton, and for a
You may spot a swarm of krill while sailing through the
phytoplankton-feeder, krill is a relatively large organism. In
impressive Antarctic landscape, the giveaway being a pink
the majority of marine food webs there are a number of steps
tinge in an area of water. If your voyage includes visiting
between microscopic phytoplankton and a 6 centimetre
penguin colonies onshore you will be greeted with a much
long crustacean. With each step upwards in a food chain,
more unambiguous giveaway: a pungent fishy krill smell
the amount of energy transferred to the higher organism is
emanating from the pink penguin poo spattered throughout
reduced. This is due to a high percentage of energy consumed
the colony. Krill is the primary food source of Gentoo,
at each level being utilised in metabolic processes. Therefore,
chinstrap (Pygoscelis antarcticus) and Adélie (Pygoscelis
being just one step above phytoplankton in the food chain
adeliae) penguins – all species inhabiting the Antarctic
makes krill an energy rich organism. Couple energy richness
Peninsula and regularly spotted during summer cruises –
with the fact krill can be found in swarms totalling two million
and alarming population declines in the latter two species
tonnes and covering an area up to 450km , the fact that these
are thought to be primarily related to declines in both sea
tiny creatures can sustain the Antarctic Peninsula ecosystem
ice and krill. At the South Shetland Islands on the northern
becomes palpable.
tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, chinstrap and Adélie penguin
2
numbers have declined by over 50% in the past 30 years,
65
E s s ay
T
his is where the importance of both sea ice and
One recent study found krill has been reduced by 80% since
krill – the lifeblood and the lynchpin – comes to
1970 and the knock on effects are undeniably being seen
the fore. Without sea ice, krill cannot reproduce
in the populations of chinstrap and Adélie penguins as well
successfully. In effect the sea ice acts as a
as throughout the Antarctic Peninsula ecosystem. Gentoo
nursery for krill larvae, providing good shelter from predators
populations are one of the few species currently coping with
and a rich source of food thanks to the abundance of
the changes. This has been attributed to Gentoo penguins
phytoplankton found underneath the sea ice. If the current
being an ice-avoiding penguin (avoids ice by breeding on ice-
rate of warming continues along the Antarctic Peninsula
free beaches/shores and spending the majority of its time at
then winter’s sea ice will fail to form and krill biomass will
sea foraging) as well as having life-history traits – including
reduce. Couple this with the current fishing pressure on krill
reaching sexual maturity at a young age and having a “high
as nations race to exploit this apparent health product Krill
reproductive output” — making this species successful at
Oil capsules; you may have spotted krill-oil tablets appearing
adapting to a changing environment. Whether the Gentoo
on the shelves of your local health store. The threat of the krill
penguins continue to tolerate the severity of these changes
population crashing is now more likely than before.
remains to be seen. It is unlikely.
"Hello? Is it me you're looking for?"
A curious penguin peeks into the camera.
66
Leopard seal showing off his "trophy" after a successful hunt.
LEOPARD SEALS ARE
NOT MODEST
when it comes to relishing a
successful penguin hunt. Slapping
and thrashing the unfortunate
penguin, the seal skins and
de-feathers its catch.
The future of the Antarctic Peninsula ecosystem is
evidently reliant on krill, with penguins acting as a major
indicator as to the current impacts of the loss of both sea
ice and krill. We know krill sustains the entire ecosystem
and its importance permeates throughout the food web.
Crabeater seals, fur seals, Weddell seals, humpback
whales, minke whales, southern right whales, skuas and
petrels are not the only a few of the species reliant on
krill. Even blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) feed on
krill. An organism weighing just a little over one gram is
sustaining a whale that weighs over 200 tons on average.
Absolutely nobody can deny the future is grave if krill is
not a part of it. After all, without a lynchpin the wheels fall
off and everything comes crashing down.
Whether you are observing the Antarctic Peninsula on
and poignant place on every level. Being in this stately and
distinctive environment is a pleasure, even if your body is
encapsulated by cold as you study the marine invertebrates
illuminating an underwater wall or witness the gory yet
enthralling spectacle of a leopard seal skinning a penguin.
Unfortunately, it is a pleasure becoming ever more of a chore
for the environment to support, because in reality, the wheels
are falling off and it is crashing down.
About Erin
Erin McFadden is a marine biology
graduate from the University of
St Andrews in Scotland. In 2011,
she was awarded the Our World
Underwater Scholarship Society’s
European Scholarship sponsored by
Rolex. Erin entered the scholarship
as a student and a Divemaster with
a longing to explore and learn more
about the ocean. She ended her
scholarship year as a graduate, a
dive instructor, a commercial diver,
a rebreather diver, a GUE diver and
a cavern diver. Since finishing her
scholarship year, Erin has served as
Dive Guide, Expedition Guide and
Lecturer for expeditions to the Arctic
and Antarctic. Erin adores her work
in the Polar region; they fascinate her
more than any other region on earth.
the whole or at a more intimate level, this is an inspiring
67
O cean W atch
Multiple
Partners
Embark on a journEy of
discovEry and Exploration.
immErsE yoursElf
in thought-provoking issuEs
that inform, inspirE and
invigoratE.
for thE complEtE Edition of
ocEan gEographic
join thE sociEty – www.ogsociEty.org
your mEmbErship Earn
you uniquE privilEgEs and
contributE to og’s savE our
sEas consErvation program
R
e c e nt ex p e r ime nt s c o n du c te d at the
on the Great Barrier Reef. The population collected from
Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)
Magnetic Island near Townsville experiences average ocean
produced striking results, showing for the
temperatures 2 degrees Celcius higher than the population
first time that corals hosting a single type of
collected from the Whitsunday Islands. In experiments at
“zooxanthellae” can have different levels of
AIMS, young corals were treated with one or the other of the
thermal tolerance – a feature that was only known previously
two different populations of zooxanthellae, then exposed to
for corals with a mix of zooxanthellae.
elevated water temperatures, as might occur during bleaching
events.
Zooxanthellae are photosynthetic cellular algae that live within
the tissue of living coral and provide the coral host with energy
The results were striking. Corals with zooxanthellae from the
- this relationship is crucial for the coral’s survival. Rising
warmer region coped well with higher temperatures, staying
ocean temperatures can lead to the loss of zooxanthellae from
healthy and growing rapidly, whilst corals with zooxanthellae
the coral host. As a consequence, the coral loses its tissue
from the cooler region suffered severe bleaching (loss of the
colour and its primary source of energy, a process known
zooxanthellae) and reduced in size as they partly died off.
as ‘coral bleaching’. Globally, coral bleaching has led to a
significant loss of coral and with rising ocean temperatures,
Madeleine van Oppen, ARC Future Fellow at AIMS, says the
poses a major threat to coral reefs.
research results will likely have a major impact on the field, as
corals associating with the same type of zooxanthellae had
It was previously known that corals hosting more than one
previously been viewed as physiologically similar, irrespective
type of zooxanthellae could better cope with temperature
of their geographical location. “Our research suggests that
changes by favouring zooxanthellae with greater thermal
populations of a single type of zooxanthellae have adapted
tolerance. However, it was not known if corals hosting a single
to local conditions as can be seen from the remarkably
type of zooxanthellae could have different levels of thermal
different results of the two populations used in this study.
tolerance, until now.
If zooxanthellae populations are able to further adapt to
increases in temperature at the pace at which oceans warm,
Results recently published in the prestigious scientific journal
they may assist corals to increase their thermal tolerance and
Nature Climate Change showed that corals which host a
survive into the future”, says Emily Howells.
single type of zooxanthellae may in fact differ in their thermal
tolerance. This finding is important because many species of
“However, we do not yet know how fast zooxanthellae can
coral are dominated by a single type of zooxanthellae.
adapt, highlighting an important area of future research”,
says Bette Willis, Professor from the CoECRS at James
PhD student Ms Emily Howells, from the Australian Research
Cook University. Research at AIMS is therefore currently
Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies (CoECRS)
assessing whether zooxanthellae can continue to adapt to
at James Cook University, Townsville, together with scientists
increasing temperatures and at what rate. This research will
from AIMS and CoECRS, collected two populations of a
provide insights into the capacity of zooxanthellae to adapt
single type of zooxanthellae (known as C1) from two locations
to climate change.
Source: Australian Institute of Marine Science
Shooting for
Conservation
or
Controversy?
Essay & Photos by Mok Wai Hoe
Winner of the Ocean Geographic
– Photojournalist of the Year Award 2013
and Winner –
Master of Competition Award
– the Wyland’s Humpback Whale Trophy
E s s ay
WITH ONE CRUNCH,
I
the plastic crate shattered like dry twigs!
wanted to be one of them – a photographer who has
taken a portrait of a tiger shark. I was a mere infant
when it came to underwater photography; I was a sixmonth old DSLR user and had only 100 dives to my
name. The motivation to embark on a 35-hour trip to visit the
legendary Tiger Beach, therefore, seemed to be somewhat
self-centred. I did not think about how sharks were baited
so long as I could have a photo of them.
Shark diving has attracted its fair share of criticism. Since the
death of an Austrian diver in 2008, writers have been calling
for a ban on shark diving in the Bahamas. There are views
that the practice of luring sharks by baiting the water with
crates of “chum” (fish parts, innards and entrails), provokes
aggressive behaviour in sharks. Similarly, putting divers in the
same environment has also been criticized for conditioning
these predators to associate divers with feeding. The counter
argument is that a deeper understanding of sharks could
only be acquired by diving with them. Without making any
judgements, I took note of the polarised schools of thought
and embarked on my first ever shark diving trip.
Upon arrival, the guides of M/V Dolphin Dream set up the dive
site to form a gathering point for the resident sharks for the
next six days. The dive guides ‘chummed’ the waters with a
fine cocktail of fish innards and entrails (you really want to
station yourself upwind when that happens). Plastic crates
filled with chopped fish were used to attract the sharks. A
weighted bait crate was used to gather the sharks at the
sandy bottom of 13 meters. Meanwhile, another bait crate
hovered at around 5 meters to create a stage for the grand
gathering of Caribbean’s resident predators.
An increasing number of sharks gathered each day at the
staged dive site. At any point in time, 10-15 dorsal fins could
be seen from the boat. Whilst diving with these sharks, four
different species were identified and I was fascinated by
their idiosyncrasies. The nurse sharks were particularly coy,
although shameless when it came to feeding off bait that
fell out of the bait crates. The Caribbean reef sharks were
elegant as they glided through the waters. They gradually
warmed up to my outstretched arm that stroked their bellies.
The lemon sharks, however, had little respect for personal
space. They would wriggle between my legs and brush
70
Shooting for Conservation or Controversy?
against my shoulders as if swimming around me was not an
option. Sometimes a lemon would just park itself beneath
my feet but gave clear indications that its interest was not in
the divers, but in the bait crate.
And then there were the tiger sharks… When a tiger shark is
in the vicinity, you will feel its presence before you see it. The
tiger is cautious, often emerging from the shadows and you
would spot it at the corner of your eye. The other sharks make
way when a tiger approaches. The tiger stamps its authority
with its sheer size and majesty. There is no mistaking that
this is the apex predator of the Caribbean waters.
An incident gave me a timely reminder that despite my
growing comfort interacting with the sharks, I was, after all
in feral territory.
the divers. Before I knew it, the tiger sharks threw caution to
the wind and were swimming amongst us. I gained a sense
of false security as I soaked in the rare opportunity of seeing
a tiger shark up close and personal. I maintained eye contact
with the tigers but realised that the tigers’ attention was solely
on the bait crate. Visibility dropped further. As I was busy
taking photographs of the magnificent creatures, one tiger
shark decided that the plastic bait crate was too enticing to
be left alone. The tiger dived towards the crate with its jaws
wide opened and gnawed the bait crate whole. It shook its
head fiercely a few times to rip open the crate, but nothing
gave way. The commotion stirred up the sandy bottom and
worsened visibility. I could barely see my dive buddy who
was only a few metres from me.
The tiger shark made a second attempt. Inexplicably, it
It was 11 am. Seven of us were diving with the usual school of
Caribbean reef and lemon sharks when the current began to
pick up. Visibility dropped sharply and curtains of shadows
formed to set the perfect milieu for the tiger shark to make
its presence felt. Not one, but three tiger sharks prudently
circled us. As the visibility continued to fade, the tiger sharks
inched closer towards the crate of bait that was sitting amidst
drew the excited divers even closer towards the action with
cameras ready, oblivious to the fact that there were two
other tiger sharks in close proximity. The bait crate was
battered this time. The crate found itself between the jaws
of the unrelenting tiger shark. In one solid crunch, the plastic
crate shattered like dry twigs! Bits of dead fish scattered like
confetti. The sharks around us, all 20 of them, went into a
feeding frenzy. Shark was attacking shark, stirring up a mini
A timely reminder that despite my growing comfort interacting with sharks,
I WAS IN FERAL TERRITORY’
The majestic and stealthy tiger shark
– you can sense its presence before you see it.
71
E s s ay
sandstorm. My buddy and I were in a bit of a predicament:
the sharks could not see us and we smelled like dead fish.
SHARKS HAVE BEEN
GUARDIANS OF OUR OCEAN
I backed my scuba tank against my buddy’s and both of us
since prehistoric times.
(bless the 8.5” dome port I bought for the trip). By this time,
Sharks have been guardians of our ocean since prehistoric
their eyes partially closed, I knew I was no longer in a petting
taking as it is surreal. Through awe and admiration, you
were fending off the sharks with our underwater cameras
the three tiger sharks were way too close for comfort. With
times. The opportunity to dive among them is as breath-
zoo. I used my camera port to press against the nose of the
The tiger sharks were way too close for comfort. With their eyes partially
closed, I knew I was no longer in a petting zoo.
tigers and on one occasion, my buddy reached out with his
hand to push a sniffing tiger away.
The divemaster signalled to ascend to the boat. My buddy
and I did, finning backwards to see a small school of sharks
tailing us. Amanda Cotton, a frequent diver at the site,
exclaimed as she surfaced, “What the heck was that?!” I
took a moment to let my racing heart settle before bursting
into utter exhilaration. All six divers were safe, and I had a
story to tell for a very long time to come. More importantly,
the incident helped me to develop a completely different view
about diving with sharks.
72
Shooting for Conservation or Controversy?
develop a certain affinity towards these magnificent
creatures. It creates a thirst to understand more about them
and makes you baulk at the irrational slaughter of their kind.
The practice of baiting sharks is nevertheless, artificial –
sharks do not swim in circles around plastic crates for six
days. Yet, without staging the site, would I have developed
this new found respect towards their kind?
Human rules do not and should not apply
— WE ARE PASSING VISITORS IN AN ARENA WE DO
NOT UNDERSTAND AND HAVE NO OWNERSHIP OF.
A curious shark swimming in to check out the scene.
Perhaps shark diving is not conservation in itself. Diving with
sharks presents only an opportunity, leaving the individual
with the sole discretion of making it meaningful for him or
herself. For me, it is important to acknowledge the inherent
controversies of baiting sharks and recognize that diving with
sharks is not an entitlement, but a privilege.
In hindsight, I had achieved what I set out to do – take
photos of a tiger shark. The photographs I brought home,
however, were hardly trophies. Instead, they served as a token
reminder of how so much more needs to be done about the
predicament facing sharks. The incident with the tiger sharks
also sent me a vivid message: human rules do not and should
not apply – we are but passing visitors in an arena we do not
understand and have no ownership of.
73
The Finest Beach & Dive Resort
in Anilao, Philippines
“Image of Edition” Winner,
ELLEN CUYLAERTS
Tarpon in Baitball
“Every year, tarpons, jacks, groupers, divers and snorkellers await a
feast with the return of the silversides in summer. The mass movement of
the school makes the silversides less vulnerable and their synchronized
evasion tactics are a joy for the eye and a photographer’s dream. The
massive schooling behaviour of the little fishes in the grottoes inspired
me to capture the symbiosis of all the elements. If all the elements don’t
work together, there is no balance and balance is what we need in life.“
This picture was shot at Devil’s Grotto (Eden Rock)
CONGRATULATIONS TO ELLEN CUYLAERTS! You will receive the
‘Image of Edition’ award consisting of a Merit of Excellence certificate
and an A$200 OG expedition voucher.
Finest Accommodation : Fine Dining : Fine Diving
Get YOUR PICTURE Published
in Ocean Geographic. Your images
must be submitted as JPEGs, saved at the quality setting 10 in
Photoshop, and must be 1920 pixels on the longest dimension.
Please name each file using your name and the subject, for
example: JessicaTigershark. Each photo must be accompanied
by a 60-word short story. Email your pictures and stories to:
[email protected]. Your submission may win you the
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and a A$200 cash voucher which may be used to purchase
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constitutes a grant to Ocean Geographic Society to publish the
winners at any time in print as well as online.
The choice of Discerning Divers
Tel. no. : +63 917 866 6332
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email
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Supported by
PART
7
With Michael AW and OG MASTERCLASS PRO - Ernie Brooks, David Doubilet,
Mathieu Meur, Alex Mustard, Jane Morgan and Steve Jones. In this 7th edition of the
Essential Photo MASTERCLASS Series, our teams of professionals focus on
BLACK & WHITE PICTURES
Michael AW
There is an inherent poise to black-and-white images. From
Ansel Adams to William Klein, black-and-white pictures instil
a sense of surrealism, stir dreams and spark imagination.
There are many scenes and portraits of the sea to illustrate
these black and white art forms. Unlike our predecessors
who worked with Kodak Tri X or T Max films, we are now in
a time where black-and-white pictures are predominately
shot digitally in colour then converted to grayscale in the
computer. While it has never been easier to create black-andwhite images, truly stunning underwater black-and-white
images have never been easy!
Though the process of digital photography maybe different
from film, what constitutes an excellent black-and-white
picture remains the same. Essentially, to create a stunning
picture, we need to see and think in black and white. Without
colour, the emphasis is different - these pictures emphasize
shapes, textures, patterns, structures and tonality. Search
for images with these elements; it may seem difficult at first,
but once you learn to see in monochrome, they will become
more apparent. We need to see in grayscale (computer
terminology for black-and-white). We need to see the different
shades of grey (no, we are not referring to the book) between
black and white. These various shades of grey form the
‘colour’ in a black-and-white imagery. Here are the three ‘S’s
for shooting black-and-white pictures.
SIMPLE COMPOSITIONS with minimal elements: the
whale shark image has just three – the whale shark, the
model and the background. Start shooting with ambient light
only (wide angle with big subjects such as whales, sea lions,
sharks) before graduating to strobe-filled compositions.
STRONG LINES AND TEXTURES. Look out for wrecks,
massive table corals, and large sponges.
SERENE COMPOSITIONS help emphasize a clean
negative space and where a subject is easily recognisable.
In the following image with the two sea lions, the negative
space is the background water.
Captures
Michael AW (michaelaw.com)
Black-and-white is akin to fine art, and fine art is pretty subjective. The best way to figure out what
subjects/composition convert best, is to shoot a lot and start playing with your captures postproduction. Play with the contrast, brightness, and tonalities throughout your images and you will
quickly discover what works and what does not.
Sea Lions La Paz, Mexico
One morning, during the boat journey to the sea lion colony at Los Islotes,
we found a group of sea lions. Whilst some were resting on the surface,
I found this pair frolicking in blue water. Immediately, I visualised the two
lions against a white background. I exposed for the animals so that when
I converted to grayscale using Channel Mixer (see pg 80), the blue water
background became nearly white. At just 6 metres beneath the surface,
there is plenty of ambient light and I used 1/8 strobe power to light up the
face of the male sea lion.
Tech Info :
f10 @1/160, ISO 320, Nikon D800E and Nikon 16mm fisheye.
Seacam housing. 2 x Seacam flashes.
Ernie Brooks II
Three Lions
Tech Info :
f8 @1/125, ISO 400,
Plus-X
76
Here they are, 10 metres above the sandy bottom of Santa
Barbara Island. I waited for these three California Sea Lions to
finally stop their chasing each other. It was a misty afternoon
and they were returning from foraging offshore. They began
approaching each other without touching and in an instant, this
composition occurred – Just one click. All has been pre-set on
the camera as you wait for this moment, exposing only for the
shadow to ensure that the background would be pure white and
the subject, black. The dance was captured. This is the purity
of black and white, before the days of electronic manipulation.
This is why I have chosen to remain faithful to black-and-white:
pure light, pure design, without the interference of colours to
distract from the silhouette.
Ernie Brooks II
Curve of Time
Throughout my 65 years as a black-and-white
photographer, I have found it essential to record
all data on each image within my archive. I record
the title of the image at the time of exposure,
location, and date, time of day, exposure factors,
film type and speed. This has provided me and
the publishers, my exhibits and the lectures I
give, with information essential to the success
of capturing the highest degree of continuity in
my work.
It was April 26, 1968. I was diving in Santa Rosa
Island, at 7 am in the morning on a calm and
glassy sea. Here, a new day was just beginning
in the life of this macrocystis. The mature plant is
closest and the new growth is in the background.
I chose the split lighting from highlights to the
shadows to emphasize the roundness of the
pearls and the details within the leaves and
the tips of the fronds. It is the direction of the
ambient light from the sun that caught my eye
and created this lasting expression and statement
about nature’s way.
Tech Info :
f3.5 @1/125, ISO 32, Hasselblad SWC 38 mm.
Preset focus at 12.
My Reflection
My mentors in black-and-white photography are Ansel
Adams, Hans Hass, and Armando Salas Portugal; all of
whom had the ability to visualize an image before making
an exposure so that their statement became the priority. As
I was preparing to dive to photograph a commercial diver
off Platform Helen in 1965, I noticed the silver helmet was
mirror-like on the surface and I could see myself reflected
in the finish. So during the assignment for Oceaneering
International and Texaco Oil, I made a self-portrait for my
journal! At 40 metres, with one exposure remaining, I
captured the one and only “selfie” in my collection: a detailed
black-and-white for the cover of Ocean Quest and a signature
card for my photo assignments in commercial diving.
77
Captures
Jane Morgan (Janemorganphotography.com)
The Giannis D Wreck
Black-and-white photography is a creative genre that works incredibly well with certain subjects,
particularly shipwrecks. Those large, dark, brooding structures that loom out of the blue create
strong compositions and contrast that can be accentuated by the use of monochrome, resulting in
incredibly atmospheric images. The Giannis D is an iconic wreck from Abu Nuhas in the Egyptian
Red Sea and has been photographed numerous times. On a trip in 2005, I decided on a slightly
different approach to a frequently photographed subject. Luckily for me, fellow Masterclass
contributor Alex Mustard, was on board with an array of filters. Using an orange filter for landscape
photography added contrast and darkened the skies, at the same time lightening the clouds,
emphasizing the highlights of the wreckage so my subject jumped out of the picture.
Using a filter enabled me to leave my strobes on board, but when left with just natural sunlight
to enhance the wreck, it becomes incredibly important where you position yourself, as you need
the sunlight behind you to illuminate your subject. Using
filters requires a slightly different approach to taking
the photograph. Ideally, you need to manually white
balance your camera at your chosen depth and adopt
a slightly downward angle to shoot for the best results.
You will also need to compensate for the loss of light of
around 1-1.5 stops. I was slightly surprised when I first
downloaded my photographs as they all had a very green
tinge to them, but once converted to black and white
in post-processing, they appeared to have a 3D-effect,
which was exactly what I had envisaged before the dive.
Tech Info :
f4.5 @1/60, ISO 200, Nikon D70, Natural Light with
orange filter,
16mm lens
Alex Mustard (amustard.com)
Lone Shark
The key to successful black-and-white images is to appreciate that the images are not just colour
photos with the colour drained away. In some ways, it was easier when we shot on film, as the
process of loading a canister of monochrome stock tended to focus the mind. Some photographers
find it helpful to use the monochrome image profile on their camera. RAW files are still full colour,
but the image your camera shows you is in black-and-white. Create a custom profile with extra
contrast and an orange filter, to see great results on your LCD screen. Most important though, is to
use light and subject matter in different ways to when we shoot in colour. Black-and-white images
suit simple compositions, with strong areas of shadow, clear shapes and not too much fine-scale
details. I often shoot across the light when I am composing a monochrome image, so that I get
strong shadows, such as with the ripples in this image.
78
Tech Info :
f11 @1/125, ISO 200,
Nikon D2x and Nikon 12-24mm,
Subal housing.
Barracuda Six
Strong shapes suit the simplicity of black-andwhite, and I certainly thanked my lucky stars
when this school of barracuda pirouetted into the
number 6, right in front of my lens in the Red Sea.
D ownwa r d c a m e r a a n gl e s a l s o of te n s ui t
monochrome, particularly when we have a large
creature, such as a shark or a turtle swimming over
the blue. When converted into mono, the deep blue
water, easily turns to a jet-black background and
the subject is picked out by the light of the sun
and or our strobes. In calm conditions, we can
even get converging sunrays spearing down on
the subject, although these will be bendy if shot
with a fisheye lens.
Tech Info :
f10 @1/100, ISO 400,
Nikon D4 and Nikon 16mm fisheye. Subal
housing, 2x Seacam flashes.
79
Captures
Steve Jones (millionfish.com)
When underwater, choosing which subject is better suited to monochrome is not straightforward, since
these areas form some of the most colour-rich scenes on Earth. In order to make the right choices, you
will require an understanding of the essential elements of black-and-white imagery and you will then
need to visualise how these elements will translate into a monochrome image. Tonal variations are key.
Great black-and-white images must also make good use of shape, form, patterns and texture. Strong
compositions are essential, and the contrast between tones, whether high or subtle, will also have a
profound effect on the image. Lighting therefore is of paramount importance,
indeed never has the right lighting been so essential! There is no rule saying
you cannot use flash, but the important thing is to understand how the light
– ambient, artificial or mixed – will affect the tonal qualities of the image. The
angle of light helps reveal textures, whereas the intensity will affect shadows.
Shapes and patterns that so often go unseen in colour images due to the
distraction of colour may now be revealed in a truly abstract way. In the
world of black-and-white imagery, less is more, and practising your skills in
black-and-white photography will benefit all aspects of your photography.
Leopard Seal
I chose to shoot this image in black and white as I wished to isolate the
main subject to emphasise the curiosity and form of the approaching
seal. The bright blue sea would have been a distraction, and since the
main subject was a significantly different shade of grey to the background
(which of course was blue before the conversion to grey scale), it lent
itself to a black-and-white image. Another aspect to note with this image
is the surface reflection, which helps add depth.
Tech Info :
f8 @1/800, ISO 800, Nikon D700 with Nikon 16mm fisheye in
Seacam housing.
*If you’re struggling to visualise in black and white then note that many modern
D-SLRS have a black-and-white mode. Providing you select to shoot RAW +
JPEG, your LCD will display a black-and-white image, whilst your camera will still
record the original RAW file in colour, allowing you to do all the post processing
afterwards, but still giving you a useful preview of how the image may look in
black and white. You can even simulate the effects of colour filters on many of
the latest cameras!
How to Convert Your Picture to black-and-white
There are many ways to convert images to black-and-white, each has its merits and advantages. There are a dozen methods
in Photoshop alone and there are all sorts of Photoshop plug-ins and 3rd party programs. So where do we start? The options
of most professionals are to convert using Adobe Camera Raw in Bridge or the Channel Mixer adjustment in Photoshop. The
methodologies of both are similar. The channel mixer tool allows you to control how much each of the three colour channels
(red, green and blue) contribute to the final grayscale brightness. It is undoubtedly one of the most powerful black and white
conversion methods.
80
1
2
3
Open a picture. Open Channel Mixer – Menu > Image > Adjustments >
Channel Mixer. Click on the lower left tick box entitled “Monochrome”
for black and white conversion.
It is best to get a feel for the distribution of each colour channel by first
setting each of the colour channels to 100% individually.
Then adjust each of the channel sliders to produce an image to your
liking. For an even more pronounced effect, some colours can even
have negative percentages.
The sum of the red, green, and blue percentages needs to equal 100%
in order to maintain constant brightness; you can also control overall
brightness by adjusting the “Constant” slider at the bottom. If the aim
is to mimic the luminosity perceived by the human eye, set: red = 30%,
green = 59% and blue = 11%.
Hints
The noise levels in each colour channel can be quite
different, with the blue and green channels having
the most and least noise, respectively. Try to use
as little of the blue channel as possible to avoid
excess noise.
*This chapter is adapted from the book “An Advanced Guide for
Digital Underwater Photography” by Michael AW and Mathieu Meur.
To purchase www.MichaelAW.com
Mathieu Meur (MathieuMeur.com)
Bed of Stars – Cocos Island, Costa Rica
Black-and-white images represent the original and quintessential form of photography, since in
the absence of colours, the focus is on light and shapes. For some, converting images to black
and white is often an afterthought, something that is done to try and fix issues with an image.
In reality, to obtain beautiful colourless images, the photographer must capture the image
with this intention in mind. This means seeing the light, playing with contrasts and shapes to
generate interest. For this reason, very large
monochromatic subjects lend themselves
particularly well to black-and-white images.
Their size means that it would be at best difficult
to cover the entire or even substantial portions
of the subject with artificial lights. Consequently,
it is often not even necessary to use strobes at
all. Instead, the idea is to position yourself in
such a way that the light source, typically the
sun, highlights your subject.
Tech Info :
f7.1 @1/160, ISO 400, Nikon D800E, 17-35mm, Seacam Housing,
Ikelite S200 Strobes
Although it is possible to shoot in black-andwhite straight out of the camera, I personally
prefer to focus on the capture process itself,
rather than play around with settings underwater,
thereby losing precious time. Instead, I do the
conversion post-production, which gives more
latitude to adjust the contrast and which part
of the image to emphasise.
81
april 11-13
uw3some.com/adex
Organised by
pictures
of the year competition
ONE competition: 15 Categories
38 Prestigious Awards
Pictures are a powerful medium for conservation. Images reveal untold stories, stir emotions and change hearts. Ocean
Geographic encourages the use of images to
CONSERVE AND CELEBRATE THE BEAUTY OF OUR PLANET.
You are invited to share your experiences and special moments in the sea.
YOUR PICTURES ARE IMPERATIVE TO PROMOTING THE CONSERVATION OF OUR OCEAN.
As your work will influence change, we acknowledge its importance by awarding you with prestigious Awards for
Outstanding Achievement, Merit of Excellence and Special commendations.
The Ocean Geographic Pictures of the Year Awards are named in honour of some of
THE MOST CELEBRATED IMAGE-MAKERS OF OUR OCEAN
Plus cash & holiday prizes
ONE OCEAN Award – the SYLVIA EARLE Award for Outstanding Achievement
Portfolio Award – the DAVID DOUBILET Award for Outstanding Achievement
Animal Portraits – the EMORY KRISTOF Award for Outstanding Achievement
Animal Behaviour – the DOUG PERRINE Award for Outstanding Achievement
Black & White Print - the ERNIE BROOKS II Award for Outstanding Achievement
Colour Print – the VALERIE TAYLOR Award for Outstanding Achievement
Seascapes – the CARDEN WALLACE Award for Outstanding Achievement
Creative Vision – the WYLAND Award for Outstanding Achievement
Feature Length movie – the RON TAYLOR Award for Outstanding Achievement
Fish Behaviour – the GERRY ALLEN Award for Outstanding Achievement
Short Movie – the HOWARD HALL Award for Outstanding Achievement
Young Photographer of the Year Junior & Senior – the ALEX MUSTARD Award
The OCEAN GEOGRAPHIC Merit of Excellence Award for Novice Photographer
THE OCEAN GEOGRAPHIC PHOTOJOURNALIST AWARD
The MASTER OF COMPETITION AWARD – the overall Winner
Submit Your Entries at OceanGeographic.org
O c e a n W atc h
NEW
alking
Shark
Strengthening Indonesian Government’s commitment
to shark and ray conservation
Report by Mark Erdmann PhD
A highly charismatic species of walking shark has been discovered in the remote eastern
Indonesian island of Halmahera. The epaulette (long-tailed carpet) shark, Hemiscyllium
halmahera, uses its fins to "walk" across the ocean floor in search of small fish and crustaceans.
The discovery comes at a time when Indonesia is significantly ramping up its efforts to protect
shark and ray species that are now considered vulnerable to extinction, including whale sharks
and manta rays.
Indonesia is the world's largest archipelagic nation with a marine area of over 5.8 million km2,
and harbours a vast wealth of marine resources. Among these is an amazing diversity of marine
life: besides hosting well over 75% of the world's coral species, Indonesia is also home to at
least 218 species of sharks and rays.
"This is the third walking shark species to be described from eastern Indonesia in the past six
years, which highlights our tremendous shark and ray biodiversity," said Fahmi, a shark expert
at the Indonesian Institute of Sciences. "We now know that six of the nine known walking shark
species occur in Indonesian waters, and these animals are diver favourites with excellent
potential to help grow our marine tourism industry."
84
New Walking Shark
A living manta ray is worth up
to US $1.9 million over the course
of its lifetime, compared to only
US $40-200 for its meat and gills.
Mark Erdmann Conservation International senior advisor to
protect our marine biodiversity and ensure the long-term
the Indonesian Marine Program and regional coordinator for
sustainable use of sharks and rays well into the future," said
the Bird’s Head Seascape Program said, “After nearly three
Saad.
decades as the world's largest exporter of dried shark fins
and other shark and ray products, Indonesia is now focusing
Agus Dermawan, the Director of the Ministry's Marine
on the tremendous economic potential of its sharks and
Conservation Directorate said, "Although we must be mindful
rays as living assets. In the last six months' alone, two of
of the fact that many of our coastal fishing communities derive
the country's top marine tourism destinations, Raja Ampat
significant income from shark and ray fisheries, there is a
and West Manggarai (home of the famed Komodo National
growing awareness in our country of the important ecological
Park) have declared their waters as fully protected shark and
role that sharks play in maintaining healthy fish stocks and
ray sanctuaries. It is great to see our findings supporting
especially in the tremendous economic potential of shark and
the valuation and conservation of this natural capital for the
manta-focused marine tourism. We now know, for instance,
long-term wellbeing of the nation.”
that a living manta ray is worth up to US $1.9 million to our
economy over the course of its lifetime, compared to a value
“This tremendous biodiversity of sharks and rays is a natural
of only US$40-200 for its meat and gill-rakers."
heritage that must be conserved for future generations”
said Dr. Sudirman Saad, the Director General of Coasts
Conservation groups working with the Ministry are delighted
and Small Islands at the Indonesian Ministry of Marine
by the new focus on deriving economic value from living
Affairs and Fisheries, who confirmed the government's
elasmobranchs, and have pledged their strong support to
commitment to manage these important marine assets in a
local and national government agencies working on a more
sustainable manner. He noted that the Ministry is currently
sustainable future for Indonesia's sharks and rays.
developing regulations and management plans to ensure the
conservation and viability of key threatened species of sharks
The new walking shark from Halmahera can serve as an
and rays in Indonesian waters. "In addition to securing the
excellent ambassador to call public attention to the fact that
long-term sustainability of our national fisheries, we have
most sharks are harmless to humans and are worthy of our
launched this initiative to prove Indonesia's commitment to
conservation attention at a time when their populations are
extremely threatened by overfishing.
85
O c e a n W atc h
The NEW WALKING SHARK
from Halmahera can serve as an
excellent ambassador to
CALL FOR PUBLIC ATTENTION.
Bibliographic information:
Allen GR, Erdmann MV and CL Dudgeon (2013). Hemiscyllium halmahera, a new species of Bamboo Shark
(Hemiscyllidae) from Indonesia. Aqua, International Journal of Ichthyology. 19(3): 123-136.
Fast Facts on Hemiscyllium halmahera:
• First photographed by divers in 2008, the ninth known
species of Hemiscyllium epaulette shark, Hemiscyllium
halmahera, has recently been described in honour of its
type locality off the island of Halmahera in North Maluku
Province, Indonesia. Also known as a "walking shark"
due to its peculiar habit of "walking" across the bottom
using its pectoral and pelvic fins while foraging at night
for small fishes and benthic invertebrates, this particular
species is known only from the islands off the west coast
of Halmahera (including Ternate and Tidore) around to
Weda Bay in the south of Halmahera.
• This beautiful new endemic species has a light brown
background colour with leopard-like dark brown spots
alternating with scattered white spots. Unlike its closest
86
New Walking Shark
relatives H. freycineti and H. galei (both from West Papua),
it has relatively few spots on the snout and has a distinctive
pair of dark brown spots on the underside of the head.
• Like its relatives, H. halmahera is generally small and
slender (maximum length of only 70-80cm) and lays
small egg cases under coral ledges. The baby sharks
hatch at approximately 15cm length and generally lead
a sedentary life with very limited dispersal. Because of
this, each of the 9 known species of walking shark has
very restricted ranges and they do not cross deep waters.
For instance, H. halmahera is found only on Halmahera,
H. freycineti is found only in Raja Ampat, and H. galei only
in Cenderawasih Bay in West Papua.
The Greatest Show
Beneath the Seas
Africa’s Big Animals Specialist
Beyond
the Ordinary
Adventures
AfricanWatersports.com
[email protected]
Founder of African Watersports, Walter Bernardis, has
devoted a lifetime of research and work to Tiger sharks,
Great Whites, and the most exciting marine animal interaction
on our planet – the Sardine Run. Discerning underwater
photographic experts such as Michael AW, Amos Nachoum
and Franco Banfi choose to shoot exclusively with Walter.
You too can go with the best!
87
Michael AW.com
Lions
Desert Sea
in a
Essay & Photos by Debi & David Henshaw
MichaelAW.com
Sojourn
ea lions frolicking just beneath the surface, playing with our mooring line.
THE WATER VISIBILITY IS GOOD AT LOS ISLOTES,
with little current and the young sea lions are easily approachable.
S
ea lions had long been on our bucket list. We
Los Islotes is made up of two craggy islands connected by an
were told for the best encounters, we needed
archway; here lie the rookeries of over 400 sea lions in their
to take on a journey to the Baja Peninsula in the
natural environment. Hundreds are often found lazing around
Sea of Cortez, Mexico. However, for optimum
on the rocky terrain, though many are also seen frolicking
photographic opportunities and interaction,
in the shallow grottos. Gathering in closely formed social
timing is important – especially since we wanted to be up
groups, this is where the pups learn survival skills from their
close and personal with the juveniles and enjoy their playful
mum. The imposing 180-metre long rock formation of Los
antics. After much consultation with those in the know, we
Islotes is also home to a plethora of sea birds ranging from
made our journey in late November. Although pups are born
pelicans, cormorants, brown boobies and the forever soaring
between May and August, they only develop their curious
vultures, filling the surface intervals with awe inspiring sights
playful antics in the autumn months and beyond so these are
– the saying “never a dull moment” could have originated
the best times to interact with these sea lions.
from here.
The boat ride from The Cortez Club at La Paz to the Los
Los Islotes is a noisy place; separate family groups compete
Islotes resident sea lion colony is 32 kilometres, and
for space on the rocky terrain, voicing their disapprovals and
depending on sea conditions, the journey can take between
warnings when other sea lions get too close for comfort.
one to one-and-a-half hours. Though the journey is long,
The loudest and most vocal are the territorial males who
there are always surprises along the way; on our days out,
bark continuously during the peak of the breeding season.
we saw humpback whales breaching, a giant pacific manta
Females, on the other hand, use their barks only in aggressive
trailing its wings on the surface and bottle-nose dolphins and
situations or to call their pups.
whale sharks feeding upon a sea of plankton.
90
Lions in a Desert Sea
Our encounter with the Los Islotes sea lions will always remain at the
FOREFRONT OF OUR FONDEST MEMORIES.
91
FOR THE BEST SEA LIONS EXPERIENCE,
take a journey to La Paz, Baja Peninsula in the Sea of Cortez
Upon arrival at the mooring buoys, pups often
come circling around the boat to have a look at
the “latest arrivals” and start their antics with the
current lines by taking hold of them, diving down
to do a twist then turning back up towards the
surface, seemingly beckoning us to join them in
their play. There are no hard and fast “no touching”
rules here, though touching should always be
initiated by the animal. Sea lions, however friendly
they may appear, are nevertheless wild animals
and should be treated with caution and respect.
The water visibility is good at Los Islotes especially
at high tide, with little current and the young sea
lions are easily approachable.
Despite their size and weight when fully grown
(males can exceed 455 kilograms and be over
two metres in length while females weigh about
110 kilograms and measure about two metres
length), they are one of the fastest animals in the
ocean. Watching them manoeuvre and charge
from surface to bottom, their speed and agility
become evident – a natural necessity since their
diet consists of fast moving squid, anchovies,
mackerel and sardines.
Very often, sea lions approach cautiously at first
but after the initial encounter, a closer inspection
from the more daring characters ensues. Anything
( Top) : The Cortez Club at La Concha hotel, gateway to LOS ISLOTES.
(Bottom): LOS ISLOTES, 1.1/2 hour from La Paz
and everything that you wear is an item for a
game, and games are what it is all about – fins,
hoses, hoods are all good items to nibble at, pull
on or twist, triggering more play. It is all taken in
good fun, although you usually do not see them
coming until they get hold of your fins, camera,
hoods, zipper or nibble on your fingers. There is
no knowing just how long they will stay, and they
can disappear as quickly as they appear.
92
Who could resist those eyes when they come beckoning,
asking you to join in their games?
NO HARD AND FAST “NO TOUCHING” RULES HERE,
though touching should always first be initiated by the sea lion.
93
MichaelAW.com
94
Sea lions, however friendly they
may appear, are nevertheless,
wild animals and
SHOULD BE TREATED
WITH CAUTION AND
RESPECT.
The adults, unlike the juveniles, tend to keep their
distance and do not usually approach unless you are
invading their space. The Los Islotes colony does not
seem to have any natural predators within the immediate
vicinity although sharks and killer whales lurk in the
open water of the Sea of Cortez. The adults can cover
distances ranging from 10 to 1,450 kilometres, foraging
for food. Depending on the availability of food in the
immediate area, they can spend up to two weeks at sea.
Fortunately for the resident sea lions, bait balls of scad
jacks are annual visitors to Los Islotes. The immense
shoal stretched across 80 meters of the island wall below
the colony, with a depth and width of five metres. It was
so dense that when we entered the bait ball, we were
engulfed in darkness – light vanished almost completely.
This bait ball is also an annual feast for the cormorants
and pelicans, diving into the midst with precision and
accuracy to quell their appetites.
Our first encounter with the Los Islotes sea lions will
always remain at the forefront of our fondest memories
and we were to fortunate enough to have a few days
with the colony that only compounded just how special
the experience was. It is an underwater image maker’s
dream destination that ticks so many boxes in all aspects
and certainly a location that will make you feel spoilt for
choice of subjects as apart from sea lions, the island and
close by reefs are home to an abundance of beautiful
reef fishes and macro life.
:
s Note lions of Los Isloterste, z Club.
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95
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