Fish for the People
A
s Ben Hyman ticks off his injuries, he
starts to sound like a pro wrestler. He has a bulging disc in his back, he’s due for shoulder surgery this year, and a jagged bone in his knee creates a visible protuberance under his blue jeans. The 34-year-old Hyman is a commercial fisherman who says his injuries are part and parcel of a dangerous profession, but the way the seafood business runs is not helping. So he’s setting out to change the system. Traditionally, fishermen have felt they are at the mercy of brokers who buy the bulk of their catches at “rock-bottom prices” and then resell them at exponential markups; the Internet confirms those suspicions. However, the Web has also made it possible for fishermen to market directly to buyers. Three years ago, Hyman got his broker’s license and created wildlocalseafood.com. Growing up surfing and fishing the Central Coast, Hyman adheres to a strong environmental ethic and only sells local seafood fished through sustainable practices. Whereas the concept of “sustainability” can seem abstract, when it comes to fishing, there is a clear correlation between how we treat the ocean and whether there will be fish to catch in the future. To that end, Hyman promotes a new Android and iPhone app called Fishline, which connects buyers directly with fishermen. This way, buyers attain fresh local fish, and fishermen don’t get nickeled-and-dimed by a middleman. Founded in Morro Bay and already operating in seven ports along the California coast, Fishline will soon be available in Santa Barbara, Oxnard, and Ventura. While it stresses local over eco, it has smartly chosen environmentally conscious fishermen like Hyman to be the face of its rollout in new markets. It bothers Hyman when he sees fishing practices that are unsustainable and damaging to sea life, for instance the use of pursainers — large circular nets — in Mexico, or even the use of long lines off the California coast that “snag everything in their path.” He does not blame the fishermen themselves; if they were educated, he believes they would go about things differently. A graduate of UCSB who studied history, Hyman once dreamed of becoming a teacher. He sees his burgeoning business as a way not only to make a living but also to educate the public. “[Fishing] is the hardest job I’ve done,” Hyman said. “There’s no human-resources lady, no hours, no complaining, no guarantee of getting paid. But you work in the most beautiful environment on Earth.”
— Brandon Fastman
living UP FROM THE DEPTHS I cont’d
Science
Robert Ballard’s New Adventures in Exploration
n 1985, Dr. Robert Ballard became an international name when he and his crew discovered the sunken wreckage of the Titanic splintered across the ocean floor. Although he’d spent decades surveying the wonders of the seas, his work had never before garnered attention outside the science community. “I got 15,000 letters from kids in a matter of days,” he said in a recent phone conversation. “I’d done some heavy-duty science — like studying thermal vents, the origin of life on Earth — but I never got letters. But when I found this rusty old ship, and I got inundated, and I thought maybe we can turn this tragedy into something [educational].” Four years later, Ballard created the JASON Project, whose mission is “to inspire and educate kids everywhere through real science and exploration” by providing “multimedia curricular experiences in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).” Today, Ballard still believes engaging youth is fundamental to our survival. After finding the Titanic, you really moved into an educational aspect of your work. I started the JASON Project 25 years ago.
We’ve had about 15 million kids go through it. We have 2 million kids in the program right now. We have over 100,000 kids right now in Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs. We have zillions in museums, aquariums, and science centers, and then our National Geographic specials … We’re really trying to get kids wanting to be scientists and explorers and engineers. We believe it’s not about selling science; it’s about selling scientists and engineers, and we create a team that reflects the demographics of the country. For example, I’ve mandated that 55 percent will be women, in positions of leadership and authority. Why do you feel that’s so important? [Laughs.] Given the
lifestyle of Americans, if we don’t do it, we’re gonna be left in the dust.
We’re only 5 percent of the population of the planet, and so unless we are competitive, we are toast … We need people who are developing patents and dreaming up new things and are in the driving engine of ingenuity that feeds a nation. So we can’t just have people being lawyers, and we can’t have people just being doctors and taking care of sick people. We have to be on the front lines of productivity. Everyone’s born a scientist if they want to know, “Where am I? What’s going on here?” And our goal is to not let that flame of curiosity be extinguished. COURTESY INSTITUTE FOR EXPLORATION
Apps
Robert Ballard
So you aren’t a research ship, but exploratory. We open-source our data
as we collect it, which is heresy within the academic world … We have something that’s called Doctors on Call, which is this amazing telecommunication technology that allows us to replicate the ship’s bridge wherever we want … We give the remote command centers a call if something’s going on and say, “Boot up your laptop to take a peek.” Since we don’t know everything, we want to access [experts] and get a consensus of whether [what we are viewing] is important or not.
What new adventures are you pursuing? Oh my god, they’re never ending. I’m really having fun bringing the next generation online … . I created my own trust, the Ocean Exploration Trust [oceanexplorationtrust.org]. Our [mission] is to go where no one else — Michelle Drown has gone on planet Earth [such as the ocean].
4·1·1
Robert Ballard will speak about his new adventures in deep-sea exploration Sunday, April 27, at 3 p.m., at UCSB’s Campbell Hall as part of Arts & Lecture’s National Geographic Live program. Tickets are $25 (general), $15 (youth and UCSB students). For information, call 893-3535 or visit artsandlectures.sa.ucsb.edu.
Gardening
Poppy Time Glorious Bursts of Color from the State Flower
S
pringtime in California is heralded by a glorious burst of color as the state flower, the California poppy (Escholtzia californica), blooms in a continuous wave from south to north. Its popularity may stem from the fact that it grows in almost any soil type and climatic zone, including inland deserts, foggy coasts, and the high meadows of the Sierra. It is happy in a cow pasture or along a highway roadcut — and it is extremely easy to grow in gardens, too. This poppy is usually an annual — blooming, spreading seed, and dying in just a few months, although in areas with mild winters, it may persist as a perennial for several years. Its gray-green foliage forms a ferny rosette about eight to 12 inches tall topped by flower stalks that grow several inches higher. Each flower lasts just a few days, but the show continues as more are produced through several weeks or more. Once the first wave has passed, cut the whole
plant down, and another surge will follow. There are some fabulous cultivated selections that range from palest ivory to lemon yellow, fire-engine red, and even lavender. Some varieties are crimped and crinkled; some are semi-double. Check the seed racks at area garden centers or online catalogs for the full array. There is another spectacular native poppy. As you’re speeding along the highway, the flowers look like sunny-side-up fried eggs. On closer inspection, they may seem like a fabrication of crepe paper and pipe cleaners. To touch, of course, the Matilija poppy (Romneya coulteri) is quite real. And up close, the fabulous, sweet fragrance will definitely enchant. These beguiling blossoms are enhancing the roadsides all over the county right now, sometimes in the least urbane of places. Roadcuts, railroad rights-of-way, and other disturbed places are often colonized. Starting seeds of this perennial is possible; some of the tips for success mention burning pine needles on top of the seed flat. It’s probably much easier to buy or propagate from already rooted shoots. Divisions of established plants should include well-rooted portions of the underground rhizomes. This can be tricky, so head into the middle of the clump for more mature portions in favor of the newer outer shoots. Nurseries also carry well-started plants. Once planted, as California natives, they don’t require summer water except in drought years. In the fall, cut all the foliage down close to the ground and wait for the new shoots to emerge after the first rains. Other poppy relatives are available to add to the native garden. The bush poppy and island bush poppy (Dendromecon rigida and D. harfordii) grow as sturdy shrubs or small trees with grayish-green leaves. They sport two-inch, bright yellow flowers mostly in spring and early summer with a few popping out the rest of the year. Another useful shrubby poppy is the Mexican tulip poppy (Hunnemannia fumariifolia). Small, clear yellow poppy flowers top the blue-green foliage that grows only two to three feet high. Enjoy the state flower and its relatives while traveling this spring and maybe even include them in — Virginia Hayes your landscape for patio viewing. april 24, 2014
THE INDEPENDENt
39