Tag: Main Hawaiian Islands

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Hawaiian monk seal recovery actions – PEIS scoping period extension

NOAA / PIRO [via Benn Levine, Environmental Resources Management (ERM), www.erm.com]

The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Pacific Islands Regional Office (PIRO) is proposing to implement specific management actions and administer the associated research and enhancement program for Hawaiian monk seals in the Hawaiian Islands. Public comments were due by November 15, 2010. NMFS has decided to allow additional time for submission of public comments on this action (75 FR 69398-69399). The scoping period for the PEIS is extended to November 30, 2010. Written comments must be received or postmarked by November 30, 2010.

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Please Help the Monk Seals!

Media Watch, Heartbeat of Kauai, 26 October 2010

I was at Ke’e beach around sunset today and was horrified to see about 20 tourists with snorkels following a Hawaiian Monk Seal around the reef, yelling to their friends on shore and making a general commotion in the water right near the seal.

Some of them were getting as close as a foot away from the seal and I went in the water to let everyone know that they should stay away from the animal and leave it alone. Nobody listened to me and they ignored my nice requests to give it some space. I’m a pretty gentle person and I eventually gave up and headed back onto the beach where I told my husband what had happened and he became infuriated that these people were harassing an endangered animal for their own entertainment. […]

Anyhow, I am posting this because I feel very passionate about the subject and I encourage all those who read this to speak up and let people know that the seals need space, peace & quiet and protection when you see them approached by tourists on the beach or in the water. If they ignore you, it might help to let them know that it is illegal to get close to the Hawaiian Monk Seals. Thanks for reading this and please do what you can to protect these sacred animal relatives!

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New technology aids study of pelagic habitat use

NOAA PIFSC, Quarterly Research Bulletin, October 2010

The Center’s Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program is using new technology to better understand the foraging behavior and habitat use of monk seals in the main Hawaiian Islands. The new tool is a telemetry tag that incorporates a global positioning system (GPS) unit, a GSM cell phone module, and standard sensors for recording data on the seal’s surroundings.

The novel tag was developed by researchers at the Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU), University of St. Andrews, U.K., and has greatly increased the ability of researchers to describe habitat use by seal populations. The device increases both the quality and amount of data researchers are able to obtain in marine mammal telemetry studies.

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Hawaiian Monk Seal Recovery Actions

NOAA Fisheries | Office of Protected Resources, 1 October 2010

On October 1, 2010, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Pacific Islands Regional Office provided public notice that it is preparing a programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS) to assess the impacts of implementing specific management actions and administering a research and enhancement program to improve survival of Hawaiian monk seals.

Please read our newsletter for more information regarding the PEIS process and how you can participate.

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Race raises $18,000 for monk seal rehab

Team swimmer Marjorie Boor. © Marine Mammal Center

The swim across the Maui Channel to raise funds for a dedicated rehabilitation unit for the critically-endangered Hawaiian monk seal has raised  $18,130, according to Cheryl Reiss of the Marine Mammal Center.

The all-female team of six from the Center  joined 52 other teams and 20 solo swimmers from around the world in a daring crossing of the Au Au channel, the MMC reported in a post-race statement. The channel is well known for dangers to swimmers such as swift currents, tiger sharks, and the Portuguese Man O’ War.

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Team “Hawaiian Monk Seal” in world’s longest open water relay swim

Media Watch, PR Web, 26 August 2010

On Saturday, September 4, 2010, team “Hawaiian Monk Seal” from The Marine Mammal Center will compete in the Maui Channel Swim to support the Center’s efforts to raise funds to build an urgently needed hospital for monk seals in Kona. The female swimmers will join 52 teams and 20 solo swimmers from around the world in a daring 10 mile crossing of the Au Au Channel from the beach at Lanai to Black Rock on the shores of Kaanapali. The channel is well known for dangers to swimmers such as swift currents, tiger sharks, and the Portuguese Man O’ War. The first Maui Channel Swim took place in 1972 and since then, it has grown to become the longest open water relay swim in the world. To help team “hawaiian Monk Seal” achieve their fundraising goal of $11K and save future populations of Hawaiian monk seals, go to: http://www.marinemammalcenter.org/what-you-can-do/events/team-from-the-marine-mammal.html.

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