Halibut Herald November 7

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ALIBUT HERALD November 7, 2008

Bits and Bites Wonders of the Microscopic World

Brainbow’ Transgenic Mouse Hippocampus

Pleurosigma (Marine Diatoms)

Crystallized Mixture of Resorcinol, Methylene Blue and Sulphur

Recrystallized Vitamin C

On October 16, respected imaging magnate, Nikon, announced this year’s Small World Competition winners. Top entrants ranged from lab-dwelling experts in light microscopy to hobbyists keen on the tiny side of life. Submissions, numbering near twothousand, included magnified glimpses of slugs, crustaceans, algae, and even a CD case, artistically showcasing the invisible wonder hidden within earth’s natural and manufactured ecoverse. READ ON/MORE PICS HERE: http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/wonders-microscopic-world/3275

The Coolest Apartment Block on Earth

Viennese artist, Friedensreich Hundertwasser, has designed what has become one of the more unique and visually stimulating buildings in the world. With over 1000 unique windows, individualized handles on windows and doors, a living roof, café, parking garage, restaurant, bar, playground, and a running stream, the Waldspirale in Darmstadt, Germany is an architectural wonder. Upon first glance, second and third, one is simply enchanted and astonished. The apartment building contains 105 apartments, with no two windows alike. The overall design follows Hundertwasser’s dogma ‘gegen die gerade linie’ (against the straight line), and its offcenter placement of windows is aptly described as ‘aus der reihe tanzen (dancing out of line). Each of has a personality of their own, and no two are alike. A ‘green’ roof, including varied plant species, beech, maple and lime trees, a grand selection of deciduous shrubs and a bed of grass, crown this organic architectural masterpiece. And, within the courtyard, a running stream gently trickles through a children’s playground. READ ON: http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/coolest-apartment-on-earth/2541 ******************************

Blue Planet: Copenhagen’s Amazing New Aquarium Inspired by the swirling currents of the ocean, a new state-of-the-art aquarium due to open in Copenhagen is modelled on a giant whirlpool, giving one the opportunity to view marine life in its element. But are we witnessing a new breed of environmental entertainment?

The building is based around a central ‘round room’ around which different sequences of rooms ‘whirl’, each with its own unique journey into the murky depths. What is most striking is the care taken over the design’s integration into its surroundings and context: a giant glass ceiling refracts shimmering patches of light onto the walls, giving the impression of being underwater. The feeling is heightened by the fact that to look up is to acknowledge that one is effectively at the bottom of a deep whirlpool. Movement through the building is, like water, not static but instead directed by a strong current - the lack of boundaries between different sections even reflects the perceived unity the oceans of the earth share. Approaching on the ground, one will experience the building as floating in a circular reflection pool and a walk through its interior is a travel through several organic worlds. The vast beauty of the marine world is here displayed with a respect for its natural state. READ ON: http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/featured/the-blue-planet-copenhagens-amazing-newaquarium/1400

****************************** CHIANG MAI ZOO - Aquarium Shuts Temporarily After Official Opening CHIANG MAI Technical glitches have forced the new 600-million-baht aquarium at the Chiang Mai zoo to close temporarily only a day after its official opening on Sunday. Zoo director Thanapat Pongpamorn said the aquarium was ordered closed yesterday after it was found that water in the aquarium was too muddy because the water treatment system was not working properly. Besides, an automatic ticket vending machine developed problems and needed to be reprogrammed, he added. The aquarium opened its doors to visitors on Sunday after an opening ceremony presided over by Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat. Claiming to be the largest aquarium in Southeast Asia, it is a joint collaboration between the Zoological Park Organisation and MarineScape (Thailand). Roj Thuwanasin, chairman of MarineScape, explained that the water was muddy because it was being pumped in from a natural water source. The treatment machine was not working fast enough, he said. Staff are fixing the problems and the aquarium is expected to reopen on Nov 15, Mr Roj said.

More than 50 ticket-holders were turned back and refunded. Located on a 10-rai plot in the sprawling zoo, the aquarium takes up a space of 13,895 square metres and is 4.5 metres deep, with a holding capacity of 8,000 cubic litres of water. It houses more than 8,000 aquatic animals of 250 fresh and sea water species kept in two separate compartments. It also features a 133-metrelong tunnel - the world's longest. Its construction started four years ago during the Thaksin Shinawatra administration.

More News Links How To Heat Up Your Room Using Just a Candle: Kandle Heeter! http://www.greenoptimistic.com/2008/11/06/candle-room-heater/

Featured in the WWF Newsletter

READ ON: http://assets.wwfca.panda.org/downloads/livingplanetfall2008.pdf

The Cute Show: Baby Walrus, Brooklyn NYC Video Short: http://www.vbs.tv/video.php?id=1478198709

Belugas in Japan Aquarium Video Short: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCAUleX5h8A &feature=email

Marine Mammal Rescue Update Look how big I am! Daisy, the porpoise, is no longer on a 24 hour watch, Yay everyone!! We have slowly been extending her feeding schedule to allow her, and us, some free/resting time at night without feeding. We have successfully extended this time to 8 hours. Our lil’ girl is growing up! She is still being fed every 2 hours during the day and seems to be really benefiting from "sleep mode" time at night by showing us how active she can be during the day. Because of her huge strides in health and weight gain, now almost 26 kgs, she will no longer need extensive observations done. Staff are now doing her observations a few times a day and monitoring her status. In addition to her increased activity and weigh, she has now started the “weaning” from formula to whole fish! With assistance from our staff, she is being given one small herring five times a day in just prior to her tube feeding. This will slowly increase over the next couple months. She still enjoys getting visitors so that they can toss around her toys and give her belly and flippers a rub. If any of you would like to visit Daisy, please feel free to give us a call (604-258-7325) to let us know when, and come on down and toss her noodle for her to she soooo loves! Marine Mammal Rescue Staff (Picture Courtesy of MMR volunteer Zzachry Charland-Snow)

Library New Journals/Magazines/Newsletters: Conservation; 9(4) Oct. – Dec. 08 National Geographic; November 2008 Natural History; November 2008 Nature: 2Oct2008 Science and Children; 46(3) November 2008 Wildlife Conservation; 111(6) November 2008 New Books:

A Complete Guide to Arctic Wildlife by Richard Sale (2006) – Available for in-library use only Back to Nature Guide to Tanganyika Cichlids 2nd edition by Al Konings (2005) Back to nature Guide to Malawi Cichlids 2nd edition by Al Konings (2003) Fishes: An Introduction to Ichthyology – 5th edition by Moyle and Cech (2004) Lake Victoria Basin Cichlids: a Complete Pet Owner’s Manual by Smith

The Cichlid Fishes: Nature’s Grand Experiment in Evolution by Barlow (2000) Arctic Dream by Lopez (1986) New Movies:

Black Coffee: a Documentary of the Unique and Volatile History of Coffee; 2005 The World According to Monsanto: From Dioxin to Genetically Modified Crops, a Multinational with Your Interest at Heart, NFB (2008).

Archival Photo

Splasher, Terry McLeod 1966-67

Green Team Sustainability Challenge! Enter to win great prizes!!! Participate in Ocean Wise month by eating at an Ocean Wise restaurant! Bring in your receipt(s) to win great prizes - $100 gift certificates for an Ocean Wise restaurant, as well as an Ocean-friendly cook book. Drop off your November receipts in the Green Team suggestion box in the Lounge. Please highlight the Ocean Wise item you ordered, and write your name and extension (or email) on the back of the receipt. The prize draw will happen during the first week of December. Look for a restaurant: http://www.vanaqua.org/oceanwise/

Presented by The Green Team and Ocean Wise

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November is Ocean Wise Month Dining out can make a world of difference! Help us spread the word and celebrate sustainable seafood this November with our 1st Annual Ocean Wise Month! A number of Ocean Wise events are happening this month, so be sure to visit the Ocean Wise website at: www.vanaqua.org/oceanwise In addition you will notice Ocean Wise themed gallery programming, activities, shows and other activities throughout the aquarium. Ocean Wise Month Dine-out is happening throughout the BC Lower Mainland giving diners the chance to win 52 Ocean Wise restaurant gift-certificates, simply by choosing the Ocean Wise identified menu item from participating Ocean Wise Month restaurants. Note: Staff and their immediate family of Vancouver Aquarium and participating Ocean Wise restaurants can not enter the Dineout draw. However the Green Team and Ocean Wise are having a Vancouver Aquarium staff only Ocean Wise Month draw – the prizes? $100 gift certificate to Chambar and a sustainable seafood cookbook! Enter by bringing in your receipt from any Ocean Wise restaurant during November (ballot box is the “Green Team Feedback” box in the Level 2 AquaQuest lunchroom).

1st Annual BC Sustainable Seafood Chowder Competition Thanks to everyone who helped and came out to support the Ocean Wise chowder cook-off on Monday. It was a fantastic success! The finalists were:

William Tse, Goldfish Pacific Kitchen Jonathan Boerboom, Nu Restaurant Jack Eng, Coast Plaza Hotel Quang Dang, C Restaurant Ross Johnston, Fairmont Waterfront Hotel The judging was very close! We are excited to announce the winner was Chef Quang Dang from our founding Ocean Wise partner restaurant, C Restaurant! Chef Dang will be working with Raincoast Trading to develop his winning Smoked Sablefish Chowder into a canned product. Look out for the canned product next year at your local IGA, Capers and Nesters stores!

“Green Bite” Ocean Wise Month Fact: AVOID POND FARMED BLACK TIGER PRAWNS Mangrove forests are among the most threatened habitats in the world. They may be disappearing more quickly than inland tropical rainforests, and so far, with little public notice! Today, less than half the world's original mangrove forest cover remains. As much as 50% percent of mangrove destruction in recent years has been due to clear cutting for shrimp farms. Mangrove deforestation by shrimp farms are contributing to both environmental and socio-economic issues: • • • • •

fisheries declines due to loss of vital habitat including nursery grounds, shelter (including loss of sustenance fisheries for local communities, which in the undeveloped world is quite often their only protein source) pollution and degradation of clean water supplies salinization of coastal soils erosion and land subsidence (as seen with the 2004 tsunami) release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere

Boom and Bust Industry & Exponential Expansion About 3.7 million acres of tropical coastal mangroves have been converted to shrimp farms, destroying important habitat for fish, birds and people. So much waste builds up in the farm ponds that the farmers have to move on, leaving the water polluted and mangrove forests destroyed and the land sterile. Meanwhile, the previous destructive patterns predominately found in Asia - both environmental and social - continue to be repeated in the "new frontier" shrimp countries of Latin America, Africa & the Pacific Islands.

Consumer Demand - The Number 1 Seafood Item in North America! The fate of remaining mangrove forests now rests in the hands of these consumers from wealthy nations which import these luxury shrimp products. Since a highly profitable and expanding market is the driving force behind the shrimp industry, a worldwide reduction in consumer demand for unsustainable farmed shrimp is called for. What can you do? Change consumer demand and choose Ocean Wise! Support sustainable prawn practices and choose ocean-friendly prawns such as BC trap-caught spot prawns. Find out more about which prawns to buy: http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/SeafoodWatch/web/sfw_factsheet.aspx?gid=20

And remember to support your local Ocean Wise restaurant! www.oceanwisecanada.org

Bike to Work Week is Back!!! November 17-23 The VACC wants to help you and your workplace make the move from fair-weather cycling to allweather cycling! Get your workplace team together and start logging your commutes now. Log your commutes from November 17th to 23rd and win great prizes!

http://www.vacc.bc.ca/index.php?task=btw2.main

****************************** Ride-Sharing for Employees of the Vancouver Aquarium The Vancouver Aquarium has its very own Ride Share site for Aquarium employees! Jack Bell Ride-Share allows you to find ride matches with coworkers to fill your personal car, find a driver to carpool with, or use a Jack Bell fleet vehicle! This calculates both costs and greenhouse gas savings at the same time! Registration is restricted to email addresses ending in @vanaqua.org. Register today! 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Go to http://vanaqua.ride-share.com/en/my/ Register for free with your @vanaqua.org email address Enter your home address Search for matching commuters with adjustable search options Click matching commuters to suggest a ride-share Start ride-sharing!

Quick Tip: Did you know that approximately 45% of commuters in Metro Vancouver travel alone in their vehicles? Ridesharing with just 1 other person would eliminate over 1 million cars a day crossing in and out of Metro Vancouver. This is equivalent to 1.6 million litres of gas saved, and 4000 tonnes of greenhouse gases not emitted. Other sustainable modes of transportation: Don’t forget, every day is a good day to walk, bike, or swim to the Aquarium! Did you know that the Vancouver Aquarium has shower and locker facilities as well as secure bike storage for cyclists? Secure bike storage is found on the east side of the building near the Grounds office, and the shower and locker facilities are in the washrooms on the 1st floor (basement) of Aquaquest.

Events

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BC TOURISM INDUSTRY AWARDS CALL FOR NOMINATIONS Do you know of a tourism business practicing industry excellence? Be sure to nominate them in one of the nine categories for the 10th Annual BC Tourism Industry Awards. Winners will be selected by a panel of judges and award presentations will take place during the BC Tourism Industry Conference on February 12, 2009 in Vancouver. Award categories: ·

Tourism industry leader of the year

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Tourism media

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Best tourism marketing campaign

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SuperHost® customer service

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Environmentally responsible tourism

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Technology in tourism

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Foresight sustainability award

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Employees first

· Sport tourism community legacy Find award nomination forms and criteria on Tourism BC's corporate website at www.tourismbc.com. Previous nominees may resubmit as appropriate. Deadline for nominations is November 28

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16th Annual BC Marine Mammal Symposium

Saturday, November 29, 2008 – 9:30am – 5:00pm Sponsored by the UBC Marine Mammal Research Unit and Whale Watch Operators Association Northwest University of British Columbia Science Visualization Room; Ground Floor, Aquatic Ecosystem Research Laboratory (AERL); 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, B.C. Canada V6T 1Z4; Telephone: (604) 822-8181 Registration fee: · ·

Advanced: $0 (pre-register by Nov 21: ([email protected]) Late: $5 (cash only at the door)

Join us for presentations as well as discussion on issues that concern us all. This meeting is open to researchers, educators and businesses involved with marine mammals and anyone in one or more of these categories is welcome to attend. Please email Pamela Rosenbaum @ [email protected] before November 21, 2008, to indicate that you plan to attend. Lunch and refreshments will be provided, but we need to know how many people to plan for. There will also be a social evening (6:00-9:00 pm) where beer and pizza can be purchased. The Agenda will be distributed at the meeting. Please email Pamela Rosenbaum @ [email protected] before November 21, 2008 if you would like to make a five minute presentation about your research. Longer presentations on topics of general interest are welcomed. We would also like to know if there are any issues that should be discussed by the group at large. We look forward to hearing from you and you seeing at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, November 29, 2008

*********************************************** The Vancouver Aquarium connection is that Marcel Gijssen, BC Waters Aquarium Biologist, rode along on part of the journey. The Long Road North is a film playing as a part of the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival. It is the beautifully shot, fascinating and funny story of Gwendal Castelan's bicycle journey from Patagonia to the Canadian Arctic. The film was an official selection of the Vancouver DOXA Documentary Film Festival, nominated for "Best of the Fest" award at France's Strasbourg Film Festival, and received the Audience Choice Award at the Townsend film festival. This is a great film and it is about "green travel" at its best. It will be shown on Nov. 20th, 7 pm (doors at 6), at the Centennial Theatre, 2300 Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver. Tickets: $15 in advance, $17 at the door, available at the Theatre (604 984-4484) and at www.vimff.org. For more info and previews: http://www.longroadnorth.com/