Dead dolphin pulled from ocean

MANASQUAN — A dead 350-pound bottlenose dolphin was recovered Sunday morning from the ocean about a half-mile off Manasquan beach by members of the Point Pleasant First Aid Dive Team, said chief diver Chet Nesley.

A private boater reported the animal's location to the Coast Guard about 9 a.m. Sunday. It was taken by members of the dive team to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine.

The animal originally was spotted by mariners aboard the private vessel Double Vision, which reported a bottlenose dolphin floating dead on the surface of the ocean.

The stranding center investigates the deaths of recovered marine mammals and cares for those found in need of care and rehabilitation.

This is the second time in a month that the dive team went out to do a training exercise and ended up working with the stranding center, Nesley said. During Easter weekend, live seals were recovered from beaches in Seaside Heights and Brick. Dive team members were able to visit the recovering seals while they were dropping off the dolphin, Nesley said.

"The dive team was just about to enter Manasquan Inlet for a training dive when we overheard the call," Nesley said in an e-mailed statement. "We contacted the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, who advised us to take the call and recover the body."

TowBoatU.S. donated a boat and a skipper to run the dive team out for the recovery. Divers Tom Conroy and Tom Trafer entered the water and strapped the carcass onto a backboard, and Nesley, dive team member Flo Melo and TowBoat captain Rick Fay pulled the animal onto the boat.

Stranding Center staff noted scratches along the carcass "that could have been bite marks from other dolphins, but they were mostly superficial and unlikely the direct cause of death," Nesley said.

Fishing boat fire prompts Coast Guard response

The U.S. Coast Guard dispatched an HH-65C Dolphin helicopter and a 47-foot motor lifeboat to the fishing vessel Triple Star after the boat reported a major engine room fire early Saturday morning, 21 miles offshore of the Humboldt Bay entrance near Eureka.

The press release stated that the Coast Guard diverted the Dolphin helicopter from its morning patrol, dispatched a 47-foot motor lifeboat, and received replies from numerous mariners, including Humboldt State University's Coral Sea research vessel.

Fifteen minutes later, the fire aboard the Triple Star reignited but was successfully extinguished once again by the crew. The Dolphin helicopter arrived on scene with both dewatering and firefighting equipment, and remained overhead until the Coast Guard motor lifeboat arrived, said the release. After confirming that no further flooding or fires were evident, the Triple Star was towed back to Humboldt Bay.

According to a press release from the Coast Guard, at 10:23 a.m. Saturday, Coast Guard Group Humboldt Bay received an emergency call from the 54-foot Eureka trawler, requesting assistance following a hydraulic steering failure that developed into a major fire aboard the vessel's engine room.

The skipper of the vessel was initially able to douse the fire using the Triple Star's onboard fire suppression system, but could not determine whether it was fully extinguished, or if the fire posed additional danger from flooding, the press release said.

A look at outdoors events in South Florida

Excavator, skippered by Brandon Mullar of Duck Key, took the runner-up spot with 10 sails. Third-place Owl's Nest and fourth-place Lights Out each got eight, but Owl's Nest leads on time.

The top three boats fished live baits suspended from kites in a packed fleet that hugged a north-south color change off Middle Sambo Shoal. The depths of the bites varied throughout the day with the movement of the blue-green current edge.

''The whole fleet was there, rigger to rigger,'' Owl's Nest captain Matt Tambor of Miami Beach said. ``Kites were tangling up, fish jumping everywhere. It kept getting tighter and tighter and tighter. I had words with a couple of my friends.''

Get Lit ''picked here and there'' for most of the day, captain Quinton Dieterle said, releasing its final fish at 2:07 p.m. with nearly 1 ½ hours to go before lines-out.

''It was killing us at the end. We just couldn't get a bite,'' Dieterle said.

But none of the rest of the 77-boat fleet could overcome the leaders as the bite slowed. A total of 216 sails were caught and released.

• Registration is open for Competition Tackle's 13th annual Dolphin Round-up (June 1-28). ''Dolphin Dash for Cash'' one-day tournaments will be held May 17 and 24. Entry is free for the Dolphin Dash if registered by May 16. Entry fee for the Round-up is $175 for a team of four. Call 954-581-4476.

• Bass Busters will hold silver- and gold-division tournaments Saturday and Sunday on Lake Okeechobee at Clewiston. Entry fee for the silver division Saturday is $60 per team ($100 per team for gold division Sunday). Visit bassbustersflorida.com.

High Standard is in fifth place with seven sails. The sixth-through-10th-place boats -- Vitamin Sea Too, Bipolar, EZ Rider, On Belay and Rock Star -- each has six.

Fishing for a share of $1.6 million in prize money continues Thursday, followed by an off day Friday and the final round Saturday. Eighteen of the 77 teams are competing for points in the final leg of the Sailfish Pro Series, where the top six advance to a playoff in Miami Beach in May.

New Boat for Ecotours Coming in May

By: Tom Wagner


In May, The Florida Aquarium introduces a brand new, larger catamaran with three times the capacity for the popular Wild Dolphin Ecotours. This ship, specially made for the aquarium, is 72 feet long and 27 feet wide with two decks and holds 149 passengers.

The first deck is fully enclosed with air-conditioning, three flat-screen televisions for video presentations and large windows on both sides for full viewing of Florida's amazing ecosystems. The top deck is partially covered to offer protection from the sun.

The new catamaran, yet to be named, will mainly be used for daily Wild Dolphin Ecotours but can also be rented out for special events, cocktail receptions with bar and hors d'oeuvres and may even host weddings out on Tampa Bay.

Keep your eyes open for details of the grand christening of the new boat in May and plan your special event starting in June.

Lovely memories of dolphin show

WITH reference to The Herald article about the dolphins going to Hong Kong (“End of era as dolphins head for new home in Hong Kong”, March 27), the first dolphin was Haig, trained by Colin Taylor and Muriel Rowe. Then Dimple was added to the tank.

Subsequently they caught Daan. Dimple and Daan then produced Dolly and also Dolfie.

Last but not least don‘t forget about little Rockie, the penguin with his little boat.

These were lovely shows and bring back good memories. – Wendy Lear, Linton Grange, Port Elizabeth. Wonderful dolphins that will make us feel the wonder of the world and its gift given for us.

Asian Dolphin, Feared Dying, Is Thriving

By ANDREW C. REVKIN

Countering their expectations, biologists working in Bangladesh have found a thriving population of 6,000 Irrawaddy dolphins, a species restricted to brackish bays and rivers from southern Asia to northern Australia that marine mammal experts had worried was vulnerable to extinction.

The population, many times larger than any other known regional groups of the dolphins, was revealed in 2004 in the first systematic survey for marine mammals along Bangladesh’s coast of waterways, bays and mangrove-fringed islands. The full results were described Wednesday in Hawaii at the first international conference on protected areas for marine mammals and in a paper in the winter issue of the Journal of Cetacean Research and Management.

American and Bangladeshi biologists conducted the dolphin survey by boat. The researchers said that the six- to eight-foot dolphins, while apparently thriving, needed to be protected and monitored in view of rising threats like entanglement in fishing nets, a decline in freshwater flows because of dam construction and inland diversions of water along the rivers that sustain the coastal ecosystems.

The scientists also signaled a long-term threat to the dolphins from global warming, which climate studies project will raise sea levels and change the river flows as Himalayan glaciers erode. This would shrink the species’ range, which is restricted to water with low salinity.

The Wildlife Conservation Society, which led the study, is working with the Bangladesh Ministry of Environment and Forests to create protected areas for the dolphin and for another species, the Ganges River dolphin, and seeking money for the effort, said Howard Rosenbaum, a biologist who directs the “ocean giants” program of the nonprofit group. “This mother-lode population in Bangladesh really gives us hope for the survivability of the species in the long term,” Dr. Rosenbaum said.

Dolphin and porpoise species that have adapted to rivers and deltas around the world have long been considered some of the most vulnerable of marine mammals because of their restricted habitats. In 2007, experts concluded that the baiji, a river dolphin that thrived in the Yangtze River for 20 million years in what is today China, had been driven extinct by a variety of activities by the nearly half billion people now living in that watershed.

The vaquita, a porpoise living in waters where the Colorado River empties into the Gulf of California, is critically endangered, biologists say, depleted by fishing nets and the disruptions in the river’s flow from dam construction.

6,000 Rare, Large River Dolphins Found in Bangladesh

A previously unknown population of Irrawaddy dolphins discovered in Bangladesh has given scientists "great hope" for the survival of the rare species, conservationists said Wednesday. Its very unique, I guess its exotic. It belong to those animals that are extinct.

A research team estimated that 6,000 Irrawaddy dolphins thrive in the country's Sundarbans mangrove forests and nearby waters of the Bay of Bengal.

The group is the largest ever found—previously, scattered groups of only about a hundred Irrawaddy dolphins each had been found throughout the dolphin's Southeast Asian habitat, which stretches from the mouths of rivers feeding the Bay of Bengal across open waters to Indonesia (map of the region).

The species' total worldwide population is unknown.

(Related: "Irrawaddy River Dolphin Closer to Extinction Despite Reports, Experts Say.")

"Thats why this is so exciting … ," said Howard Rosenbaum, head of the ocean giants research program at the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), the conservation group that made the discovery.

"Here you have this area where we found nearly 6,000 animals—it gives us hope for protecting the entire species and this really important habitat."

Few marine-mammal biologists had previously explored the diverse water ecosystem where the new dolphin group was found, which ranges from freshwater mangroves to brackish water to deep ocean canyons in just a small area.

Because the 6.5- to 8-foot-long (2- to 2.5-meter-long) mammals surface only occasionally, researchers used a transect method to gather data about the population.

The team steered a boat along a straight line, noting any dolphin sightings along each run.

A wider population estimate was then made from that data, presented Wednesday at the First International Conference on Marine Mammal Protected Areas in Maui, Hawaii.

Fishing report for March 31

In St. Lucie County,

Guide Charlie Conner reports spotted seatrout have been a little tough to entice, but with the wind laying down and water clarity improving Capt. Conner expects the bite to pick up. Snook and redfish can be found along the mangrove shore line early in the morning hitting live shrimp and soft plastic jerkbaits with 1/4 ounce jig heads. Bluefish and Spanish mackerel are hitting spoons and jigs along the beach even further offshore.

The report made an outstanding outcome and it would result for another fishing result.

Brazil's Fernando de Noronha is an eco-paradise

By Robert Hilferty

Following a trail leading to one of Brazil's most beautiful beaches, I was wonder-struck by a craggy, thumb-shaped rock towering 1,060 feet above the shimmering sea. This geological showoff was a signal of more natural splendors ahead.

Morro do Pico (Peaks Hill) is one of many glorious sites on the island of Fernando de Noronha, a former penal colony that once housed gypsies, murderers and political prisoners. Today it's an eco-paradise teeming with marine life and pristine, uncrowded beaches.

Fernando de Noronha is only an hour's flight from Recife, a city on the country's northeastern coast that's cluttered with high-rises and known for murky waters and shark attacks. But the island seems light years away with its sparkling sand, turquoise waters and friendly dolphins and turtles.

The island, once visited by Charles Darwin, is the largest of 21 in a volcanic archipelago named after a Portuguese aristocrat who never set foot on its shores.

After arriving, I wasted no time sampling the beach closest to my pousada, one of about 120 modest inns scattered on the island. My one-star inn (Pousada da Morena) cost $230 a night, but the nicest bungalows at fancier places like Ze Maria and Maravilha can top $1,000 during high season in January, which is Brazil's summer.


On the beach

While walking to Praia da Conceicao (Beach of Conception), I first spotted Morro do Pico, the soaring rock that can be seen from almost anywhere on the island. After almost being flattened by two boys racing on horseback — a surrealistic scene right out of a Bunuel film — I eventually found my way to an immaculate beach where I bathed in equatorial warmth as the sun set.

The pristine environment is no accident.

The area was designated Brazil's first National Marine Park in 1988 and was named a World Heritage site in 2001. You won't find any beachfront Sheratons or Marriotts here. Visitors, whose numbers are limited, are charged an environmental protection tax of about $22 a day. And you can get slapped with a $200 fine for littering.

The next day I woke up with an urge to cavort with sea turtles. While my friend Jorge pursued his scuba passion, I headed to Baia do Sueste (Bay of the Southeast), where I rented snorkeling gear and a guide for about $50. In no time I was swimming within arms reach of a dozen or so of these wondrous creatures, who weren't disturbed in the least by my presence.

Stingrays were also abundant. A few times I found myself inside a kaleidoscopic swirl of blue and orange fish, making me feel like an underwater Doctor Dolittle.

I then strolled to the adjacent Praia do Leao under the beating sun. Though named after a lion, the beach is best known for its turtles. In fact, no one is allowed on it after 6 p.m. between December and June because green turtles come ashore and galumph their way up the strand to dump eggs, a painstaking two-hour process. (Fifty days later, adorable hatchlings emerge from their sandy cribs and make a beeline to the sea — if a nasty bird doesn't snack on them first.)

Jorge's scuba dive was also a success. Armed with an underwater camera, he saw fascinating rock formations and coral in the Buraco do Inferno (Hell Hole), a diving site that features more than 200 types of fish, including peacock flounder, goliath grouper and harmless reef and nurse sharks uninterested in noshing on your limbs.

Grinning dolphins

Dolphins, though, are the islands star attraction. There's even a bay named after them: Baia dos Golfinhos.

To get an up-close view, I recommend a boat trip. Mine left from Santo Antonio harbor at the islands northern tip, traveling south along the coast as far as the Ponta da Sapata, a massive rocky wall punched with a curious hole the shape of Brazil.

After passing the Baia dos Golfinhos, we suddenly found ourselves surrounded by playful dolphins. The most mischievous ones raced ahead of our boat in packs of five or six, periodically peeling off while seeming to flash a grin.

Soon we were treated to a magnificent view of Dois Irmaos (Two Brothers), twin peaks of volcanic rock rising out of the water whose peculiar beauty is enhanced by centuries of guano droppings. I saw surfers riding huge waves on the Cacimba do Padre beach and decided to participate in my own water sport — Plana Sub, a popular activity in which you're dragged by the boat while holding onto a plastic board, alternately skimming and submerging. Just like a dolphin.

One dolphin-sighting tip: Avoid the crack-of-dawn outing to the Mirante dos Golfinhos lookout point. You're too high and too far away to see much of anything. However, it is a good starting point for a hike to the most stunning beach on the island, Baia do Sancho. En route you'll see Mabuya lizards and exotic birds, as well as an indigenous rodent that looks like a rabbit-squirrel mix.

Out of the way

Getting to the beach is tricky. You must descend two rusty ladders positioned in narrow crevices in the cliff before negotiating a steep stony staircase. It's worth the effort. Surrounded by stunning cliffs and swaying palm trees, the bay is glorious. The sand is silky white and the azure water is crystal clear. Best of all, the beach was almost empty.

While the perimeter of the island is gorgeous, the interior isn't. Most roads, aside from the main highway, are unpaved and turn to mud after a heavy rain. And since no accommodations are close to the beach, you must rent a dune buggy for $125 a day or ride pricey taxis, which cost a minimum of $10.

The small village of Vila dos Remedios, the islands town center, has a few good restaurants and cafes, plus one bank. At the outdoor Bar do Cachorro you can enjoy a caipirinha (the national cocktail of cachaca, sugar and lime) and dance to forgo, regional folk music that features an accordion, triangle and zabumba drum.

All while dreaming of your next encounter with turtles, dolphins and empty beaches.

Hundreds of killer whales seen in Gulf of Mexico

By JAY REEVES

It was a fish story that even veteran boat captains found fascinating: As many as 200 killer whales feeding on tuna in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

"It was like being at Sea World because they'd come right up to the boat," said Eddie Hall, captain of the Shady Lady, the 60-foot charter boat that spotted the shiny black sea beasts with white eye patches and undersides. "It was pretty neat."

It was also hard for some skeptics to believe: Orcas, as killer whales are also known, typically are thought to live in cold water and eat seals.

But Hall's description of what he saw last Oct. 31 was no tall tale: A government biologist who saw video taken from Hall's boat confirmed the captain had spotted the creatures. And last week that same scientist, Keith Mullin, explained at a public meeting in Orange Beach, Ala., that yes, contrary to common perceptions, killer whales really do live in the Gulf, far from land.

Mullin, whose outfit has been working for years to get an accurate count of the Gulf's whale population, said it may be time to dramatically increase estimates on how many killer whales are lurking in the deep waters off the Gulf Coast. He's taking part in a research expedition this summer that could determine if his hunch is right.

Scientists believe the whales have been in the Gulf for years, Mullin said, and that their presence — though startling to some anglers — isn't a sign of climate change or other manmade condition. Their relatively small population and the speed at which pods move make them difficult to count, which could have led to lower estimates.

"I've got good records of them in the Caribbean. We see them almost exclusively in deep water, 600 feet and more," Mullin said. "I think they've always been there. It's just in the last 15 to 20 years that we've been trying to study them."

Hall told The Associated Press on Monday that the Shady Lady was 95 miles off the coast of Alabama when anglers and crew saw scores of the marine mammals feeding near an offshore rig in water more than a mile deep.

"There were four different pods. We estimated there were about 200 maximum. One pod had 75 in it," said Hall, who runs charters out of Zeke's Landing in Orange Beach, about 40 miles east of Mobile.

People on the boat took video and photos, including some with the offshore rig in the background to identify their location. But Hall said they got laughed off the dock when they returned.

"It was a joke because no one would believe us," he said.

Hall sent photos and video to Gary Finch, whose Fairhope-based Gary Finch Outdoors company produces a syndicated fishing and hunting television show. Finch then showed them to Mullin, who works at the Southeast Fisheries Science Center in Pascagoula, Miss., an arm of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that researches marine life.

Mullin didn't have to look twice: Hall was right about seeing killer whales, although he couldn't tell by the video how many were near Hall's boat, he said in an interview with AP.

The Shady Lady sighting "created a stir" over killer whales in the Gulf of Mexico, Mullin said; about 80 people attended the informational meeting he held in Orange Beach last week.

Gulf orcas are just like the ones that live in cold water, Mullin said, save for their diet of dolphin and tuna instead of seals. Male killer whales average 20 feet in length and weigh as much as 12,000 pounds, but females are smaller.

Fifteen groups of killer whales have been sighted in the Gulf since deep-water surveys began in 1992, he said. Past estimates have varied widely, from a low of 49 to a high of 277 living in the Gulf north of a line extending from Key West, Fla., to Brownsville, Texas.

The actual number of killer whales in the Gulf could be closer to 500, Mullin said, and a two-month expedition this summer could help nail down an answer. The trip was planned independently of the boat's sighting, he said.

Either way, Hall's glad Mullin's outfit is involved. He knew what he saw, but he was still happy to get confirmation that his eyes weren't playing tricks on him.

Watch out for young dolphins

The Department for Environment and Heritage is warning people to play a part in keeping safe a number of dolphin calves recently born in the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary.

Senior Conservation Officer for the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary, Rob Laver says it is important for the community to be responsible when interacting with the dolphins in the Port River.

“Two of the most important things for people to remember are keeping your distance and lowering your boat speed,” he said.

DEH rangers who operate in the sanctuary often have to caution people who are either harassing dolphins by getting too close or who put them at risk by going too fast in their boats.

By law, boat users need to keep their speed below 5 knots if the vessel is within 150 metres of a dolphin.

Mr Laver says while it's understandable that people are keen to have an ‘up close and personal’ experience with dolphins, they must remember to keep their distance by at least 50 metres.

“Excessive interaction can result in a loss of feeding behaviour, which can impact on both mother and baby. Also calves do not need to be fed by members of the public. Dolphins are wild animals, and it is important for us to respect their habitat," he said.