May 2021 Seawords

SEAW ORDS TheMarineOption Program Newsletter

May 2021

Volume XXXVI, Number 5

Aloha, and welcome to the May issue of Seawords!

This month, we're showing you the highlights of the incredible MOP symposium held in April of this month! Read all about the amazing work done by MOP students across the various UH campuses on pages 4-12. Additionally, you sent in questions to our panel of sea creature experts, and they have answers for you! Find them on page 24. Turn to page 16 to learn about the day octopus, or to page 22 to find out how marine life has been affected by the quieter oceans resulting from COVID-19. We'll see you this summer!

W hat would you like to see more of in Seawords?Send in your thoughts, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @mopseawords!

Zada Boyce-Quentin, SeawordsEditor, & Matilda Phillips, Associate Editor

2 | Seawords

Contents 2: LETTER FROM THE EDITOR 4: THIRTY-EIGHTH ANNUAL MOP STUDENT SYMPOSIUM 12: FRESHW ATER PLUMES AT SEA 14: UNCERTAINTY ABOUT CLIMATE PROJECTIONS 16: CREATURE OF THE MONTH: DAY OCTOPUS 20: DDT OFF THE CALIFORNIA COAST 22: YEAR OF QUIET 24: ADVICE FROM A SEA CREATURE 28: MOP EVENTS CALENDAR

Photo Credits Fr ont Page: Day octopus. By: Doug Finney, Flickr.

Tabl e of Contents: Stingray. By: tchami, Flickr.

Page 24-27: Box jellyfish by Rickard Zerpe, Flickr. Pallid ghost crab by Arsen Gabdullin, Flickr. Green sea turtle by Laura Gooch, Flickr.

Back Cover : Hermit crab. By: Sergio Boscaino, Flickr.

MAY 2021

| 3

Kauai shore. Photo by: informedmindstravel, Flickr.

Thir ty-Eighth Annual MOP Student Symposium The 38th annual MOP student symposium was held virtually this year on April 17, 2021. Hosted over Zoom, the organizers this year were Emily Broderick, the Marine Science and Biology Instructor at Kauai Community College, and her colleague Steve Taylor, who work as the MOP Coordinators for the Kauai campus.

Each student presented their hard work and incredible accomplishments in PowerPoint form, following which the panel of judges convened and made their final decisions on who would win the various awards: Best Research Presentation, Best Internship Presentation, the PACON award for the paper which best integrates marine science and technology, the John P. Craven award, the Sherwood Maynard award, and the Anna Toy Ng Memorial award.

The event began with an oli led by the Hawaiian Studies chair professor of KCC, Pua Rossi-Fukino, in order to set the intention for the symposium.

4 | Seawords

Keynote Address: This year's keynote was delivered by Dr. Heather Ylitalo-Ward from the Kauai Division of Aquatic Research, or DAR. Having worked on Kauai for around a year and a half, she has made quite a splash in DAR's ongoing research and gave an enlightening talk about the current projects DAR is managing on the island. Dr. Ylitalo-Ward began by explaining the mission of DAR to work with the people of

Hawai?i to "manage, conserve, and restore the state's unique aquatic resources and ecosystems for present and future generations." Under this purview falls the managing of aquatic resources out to three miles, including streams, estuaries, anchialine pools, and coral reefs.

Dr. Ylitalo-Ward outlined much of the amazing work being done on Kauai, including management of estuary and stream habitats, marine mammal and turtle monitoring, watching over coral reef fishes and habitats for bleaching and disease, research into aquatic invasive species, surveys of shoreline use and marine recreational fisheries, and the Kokee trout fishery. The talk provided a fascinating and comprehensive look into the wide range of marine science work being pursued in order to protect and preserve Hawaiian marine habitats!

Kauai beach. Photo by: benchristen, Flickr.

MAY 2021

| 5

PRESERVING PAPAH?NAMOKU?KEA MARINE RESOURCES THROUGH HAWAIIAN CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE (WINNER- Sherwood Maynard Award) Grant Goin, University of Hawai?i at M?noa Delving into Hawaiian cultural history and the central importance of marine life, particularly corals, viewed as the first marine organism and an ancestor which protects the oceans and coastlines as well as providing innumerable benefits to marine ecosystems and humans alike, Grant Goin's powerful talk explored various avenues by which traditional Hawaiian values may be integrated into modern preservation methods, including 'Creature Feature' pages to highlight organisms found in the monument and their role in Hawaiian culture, a book which compiled Hawaiian proverbs for outreach, awareness, and daily use, a Hawaiian language guide, a Hawaiian word of the day initiative, and a marine debris collection project in Lalo, or French Frigate Shoals. Goin's presentation underlined the importance of instilling conservation and outreach efforts with traditional Hawaiian values of stewardship and care.

STATISTICS WORKFLOWS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL DNA OBSERVATIONAL DATA (WINNER- PACON Award) Grant Sanderson, University of Hawai?i at Hilo Through an internship with NOAA, Grant Sanderson studied the role of environmental DNA, or eDNA, in marine science and aimed to simplify, as well as standardize, statistical analyses of the results of eDNA research. eDNA is unincorporated genetic material found in an environment which can be traced back to the organism from which it originated. This material is suspended in the water column for up to 21 days and is being increasingly recognized as an important tool in the field of ecology for its non-invasive and cost-effective collection practices. Sanderson's presentation outlined two of the primary platforms for analysis of eDNA, Qiime2 and DADA2, covered current shortcomings in the process of studying results, and went through the goals of his internship: to become familiar with the tools for processing and analysis of eDNA, simplify NOAA's eDNA research, and to create a block of R code which would provide a standard set of statistical tests for future studies. Sanderson's work will greatly simplify

and streamline the process of analyzing eDNA by making workflows more accessible to all.

6 | Seawords

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING AT THE HAWAI ?I INSTITUTE OF MARINE BIOLOGY PELAGIC LAB (WINNER- John P. Craven Award) Kelsey Maloney, University of Hawai?i at M?noa Kelsey Maloney's talk covered the responsibilities of her internship at the HIMB

Pelagic Lab, including animal husbandry and maintenance of the tanks at the lab.

Additionally, Maloney discussed her fieldwork opportunities such as hammerhead pup fishing and sixgill shark tagging. Maloney also tagged tiger sharks and placed acoustic receivers on a cruise in French Frigate Shoals, as well as tagging scalloped hammerhead sharks upon her return to Coconut Island and subsequently retrieving those tags, then analyzing the data. Through the Hawai?i Ocean Time-Series Project, Maloney proposed the design for and implemented the Woods Hole Hawai?i Time-series site (WHOTS) Shark Receiver, and later joined the Hawai?i Hammerhead Project, aiming to locate and tag scalloped hammerheads.

Her concluding point, "Don't let school stand in the way of your education", makes a fantastic point about the incredible opportunities awaiting every student! ?IKE HAWAI?I, ?? LELO HAWAI?I, AND SCIENCE IN HAWAI?I'S SCHOOLS THROUGH VIDEO MEDIA Darienne Kealoha, University of Hawai?i at Hilo

Kicking off her talk with a discussion of traditional Hawaiian environmental management practices and educational systems, Kealoha outlined the process of Western education introduction and its effects on Hawaiian cultural values and understanding. She discussed the reincorporation of these practices in modern curricula and the positive impacts that have been seen as a result. Her project took place through the Kumuola Marine Science Eduction Center, the mission of which is to conduct outreach through Hawaiian culture-based knowledge. The collaboration involved production of a video about pipipi , as well as distribution on YouTube for educators to incorporate into lessons. The video created a story following the journey of a pipipi as it meets different snails and learns about their biology and communities. The project went beyond creating a resource and involved collaboration with local educators and community members.

MAY 2021

| 7

BIODEGRADATION OF MICROPLASTICS IN PROCAMBARUSCLARKII (WINNER- Best Research Presentation) Jacob Clayton, University of Hawai?i at M?noa The goal of Jacob Clayton's experiment was to find evidence of biodegradation of plastics in an aquatic species. The organism he chose to study, Procambarusclarkii, or the red swamp crawfish, is found in both fresh and saltwater environments. Over the course of the experiment, Clayton prepared the materials for the care and keeping of the subjects, collected the crawfish, performed daily feedings, analyzed their intestinal contentsvia microscope imaging, analyzed the data and reported his findings, before repeating the process on a monthly basis. The results indicated that microplastics were ingested and fragmented in the intestines of the crawfish, no matter whether the concentration of plastic outweighed the concentration of food or vice versa. The experiment indicates the nature of microplastic consumption and its journey through the digestive systems of marine organisms.

FIELD RESPONSE TEAM INTERNSHIP WORKING WITH ENDANGERED HAWAIIAN MONK SEALS ON O?AHU Kyra Kawamoto, University of Hawai?i at M?noa

This presentation outlined Kyra Kawamoto's internship with Hawai?i Marine Animal Response, or HMAR, through which she provided outreach to the public about Hawaiian monk seals and marine conservation, as well as surveying and providing shoreline responses to Hawaiian monk seals following sightings.

Kawamoto also analyzed animal behavior through basic assessment and photo documentation. This information was collected and further studied by HMAR, then reported to NOAA. In her internship role, Kawamoto patrolled sectors of the island in response to sightings and attempted identification of individual seals via tags, scars, and other features, as well as working the hotline and collecting reports for HMAR. She also conducted public outreach at various events in order to disseminate information about Hawaiian monk seals and responsible environmental interactions to both children and adults.

8 | Seawords

GE-ARG-RAPHY OF PIRATES: AN INTERACTIVE MAP OF THE GOLDEN AGE OF PIRACY Lucian Anderson, University of Hawai?i at M?noa The inspiration for Lucian Anderson's project came from a collection of books about pirates which detailed first-hand accounts of their journeys, and his aim was to better visualize their travels by way of an interactive map. To do so, he selected 8 pirates (Edward Teach, Henry Avery, Anne Bonney, Black Sam, Black Bart, Black Caesar, Thomas Tew, & Charles Vane), 3 areas of interest in the form of pirate bases, researched these and utilized Google Earth to compile his findings and create his map. His presentation detailed the history of piracy and the most important locations upon which they depended. He further discussed shortcomings in knowledge about pirates and led a tour of his map which covered points of particular activity or historical events, as well as known or theorized locations in which pirates congregated. His project highlights how modern mapping technology can help us visualize the past.

REEF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FOUNDATION (REEF) CITIZEN SCIENCE VOLUNTEER FISH SURVEY TRAINING FOR THE UH HILO MARINE OPTION PROGRAM Alexandria Cain, University of Hawai?i at Hilo

Inspired by her introduction to fish surveying and her QUEST ID classes, Alexandria Cain's presentation detailed her partnership with REEF to bring a fish survey training program to the UH Hilo Marine Option Program. She discussed the importance of coral reefs and the devastationg effects of climate change and human behavior on reef fish populations and diversity, and explained why surveys of these habitats are so essential, as well as the role of citizen science in expanding knowledge and providing data for research organizations. Her talk also covered the history and online training methods that REEF uses in order to educate volunteer surveyors. Cain's implementation of these enabled her to bring similar techniques to her training for MOP students, held over a 2-week period over Zoom before surveying field trips were held. Cain's trainings resulted in 46 new trained surveyors who can use their skills to assist in citizen science endeavors, and she aims to expand this program to other campuses in the future!

MAY 2021

| 9

ANALYZING INTERACTIONS AND RESULTING BEHAVIORS OF SPINNER DOLPHINS AND HUMANS IN RESTING BAYS ON HAWAI?I ISLAND Lindsey Rohlf, University of Hawai?i at Hilo Lindsey Rohlf's experiment centered on Hawaiian spinner dolphins, a native species to the Hawaiian islands approximately 3,200 in number. Specifically, she concentrated on their movement to 'resting bays', where dolphins rest during the day. The study was conducted in two bays which are popular tourist sites in order to study how much rest dolphins in these crowded places lost as a result of human interaction. Rohlf intended to study surface behaviors to quantify resting time, observing dolphins from the shore. She counted swimmers and boats every hour, and planned to count dolphins as they entered the bay, monitoring any close interactions (less than 10 meters apart) between humans and dolphins, and the resultant behaviors. She analyzed her data to investigate the density of swimmers and boats at both locations by time, but was unable to find dolphins at either locations over the period of study. As a result, she created a website called the Hawai?i Island Whale & Dolphin Tracker to allow citizens to record

observations of dolphins and other cetaceans.

HAWAI?I MARINE ANIMAL RESPONSE INTERNSHIP Danielle Caron, Honolulu Community College

Danielle's internship with HMAR occurred over a period of 4 months, the first of which was dedicated to training. Her presentation outlined the goals of HMAR, as well as the main organisms on which HMAR concentrates its efforts, including Hawaiian monk seals, sea turtles, and seabirds. She discussed the role of HMAR and its relationship to NOAA, as well as her various duties as an intern: sighting response, in which she would locate an animal which had been called in, evaluate its condition, attempt to identify it, and report on whether it had offspring or was under threat from hazardous materials or illness. In addition, Caron worked in outreach , educating the public on the importance of marine fauna and the threats they face. She also assisted with rescue, helping animals who had been stranded or were entangled in nets or wires, as well as sick animals. Her speech covered the wide range of responsibilities she held and the many facets of marine science.

10 | Seawords

OUR PROJECT IN HAWAI?I'S INTERTIDAL: INVESTIGATING THE EFFECTS OF INVASIVE ANTS OF NATIVE GHOST CRAB SIZE DISTRIBUTIONS (WINNER- Best Internship Presentation) Stephanie Siow, University of Hawai?i at M?noa Stephanie Siow's research project occurred in collaboration with Our Project in Hawai?i's

Intertidal, or OPIHI. This organization is a citizen science program that allows students to work with community partners on O?ahu and learn ecological surveying techniques. Siow worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at James Campbell National Wildlife Refuge to study invasive yellow crazy ants and their impact on the size distribution of ghost crabs at the research site. To do this, she and her team mapped the coastline of their study location, then collected data on both invasive ants and ghost crab burrow size. The results indicated no statistical significance between ants and crab size, but crab size did differ significantly from year to year. Siow concluded that while her initial hypothesis was not supported, there is still a possibility that ants do affect crabs and that crab sizes are being affected by another factor. Her team also conducted a beach cleanup at the refuge and are crafting an art piece for outreach purposes.

As always, the student symposium truly captured the talent and passion of MOP students for marine research and conservation! A fascinating range of topics were covered this year, highlighting the exceptional accomplishments of each presenter.

Especially taking into account the setbacks and challenges that COVID-19 has wrought, it was amazing to see how dedicated and thorough each student was to their project and how they had dealt with those issues.

Huge thanks to the MOP coordinators at Kauai Community College, the judging panel, and each and every presenter for such an inspiring event!

MAY 2021

| 11

Beach. Photo by: Jenilee Holbert, Flickr.

Freshwater

Plumes at Sea By: Caitlin Tsuchiya, UHH MOP Student 12 | Seawords

University of Hawai?i at M?noa researchers have made a breakthrough discovery of freshwater plumes off the coast of Hawai?i Island - which has profound implications for many fields of study in the future.This project was supported by the Hawai?i EPSCoR (Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research) ?Ike Wai project and is the first of its kind to demonstrate the surface-towed CSEM (controlled-source electromagnetic) imaging method of mapping these freshwater plumes.This study was recently published in Geophysical ResearchLetters.

Eric Attias, the ?Ike Wai research affiliate who led the study, says that this is the first time the CSEM method of imaging has been used to map freshwater in the ocean water column.

It has previously been used to map other targets like oil, gas, and freshwater beneath the seafloor, such as in another breakthrough study where large volumes of freshwater were discovered off the coast of Hawai?i Island - an extension of this project. These freshwater plumes were able to be mapped in high resolution.

Submarine groundwater discharges, the flowing of cold and buoyant freshwater from the seafloor to the ocean surface, are key in the formation of these plumes. They are a vital water source for people and supporting sea life, and contain carbon, nutrients, metals, and greenhouse gases. They can change coastal waters?oceanographical and biochemical properties. However, according to UH M?noa Department of Earth Sciences associate professor and study co-author Henrietta Dulai, predicting their locations is difficult because of unknown underlying geology and groundwater conduits.

It was found that these freshwater plumes approximately 3 kilometers off the coast of Hawai?i Island contained up to 87%fresh water, implying that substantial bodies of fresh water are present in the area between the seafloor and the ocean?s surface. A conservative estimate puts the volume of these plumes at 10,720 cubic meters - or four Olympic-sized swimming pools!

The implications of this study are varied and great in the fields of oceanography and hydrogeology. Now that this new method has been proven successful it can help pinpoint specific locations of submarine groundwater discharges, which opens up new opportunities for study. Attias plans to extend the use of CSEM to further prove its application in imaging freshwater at other volcanic islands around the world.The methodology used can also be applied to other coastal areas worldwide - improving future hydrogeological models and calculations.It can also help water planners optimize sustainable yields and aquifer storage calculations.

Locally, understanding groundwater mechanisms can help with better resource management in Hawai?i. In a world facing climate change, this research is vital in our understanding of freshwater as it is important for public health, agriculture, the economy, and the ecosystem.

MAY 2021

| 13

Uncertainty about Climate Projections By: Georgia Johnson-King, UHM MOP Student

A new study published in the journalGeophysical Research Letters,conducted by researchers at MIT, points to significant uncertainty in the ocean's ?biological pump,?a broad term used to describe the various ways the ocean takes up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

This oceanic biological system is a key indicator of the global climate forecast.

The research has found that the equation used to calculate the strength of the pump has a larger margin of error than previously thought. This means predictions on how much carbon the ocean will absorb could be off by 10 to 15 parts per million. ?This larger error bar might be critical if we want to stay within 1.5 degrees of warming targeted by the Paris Agreement,?says Jonathan Lauderdale, a research scientist in MIT?s Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences. ?If current models predict we have until 2040 to cut carbon emissions, we?re expanding the uncertainty around that, to say maybe we now have until 2035, which could be quite a big deal,?Lauderdale continued.

This five-year error in climate target was estimated based on the world CO2 emissions being at an annual rate of 2.5 parts per million.

One of the processes that contributes to the biological pump is known as ?marine snow,? which is a term used to describe the dead phytoplankton that sinks through the water soaking up carbon dioxide as they descend.

This marine snow and the level of carbon absorption was used to create a mathematical relationship to calculate the strength of CO2 absorption. This equation was named the Martin Curve after a team member. In simple terms, the Martin Curve describes how much marine snow reaches various depths in the ocean. The more marine snow, the more CO2 uptake.

14 | Seawords

?The Martin curve is ubiquitous, and it?s really the gold standard [used in many climate models today],?Lauderdale says of the discovery made in the 1880s. However, the Martin Curve is not the only mathematical model that could fit the observations on marine snow.

Based on the speed at which particles fall, the absorption rate significantly changes.

In the new study, Lauderdale researched the impact on carbon stored deep in the ocean if the researchers changed the mathematical description of the biological pump. Using six equations known as ?remineralization curves,?the team looked at how the climate predictions would be impacted based on the six new equations.

Each of the equations fits the same data points on the Martin Curve for accuracy in their alternate equations before running each equation through software that stimulates oceanic processes. ?The surprising part was that even small changes in the amount of remineralization or marine snow making it to different depths due to the different curves can lead to significant changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide,?Lauderdale says. ?We definitely need to make many more measurements of marine snow to break down the mechanisms behind what?s going on,?Lauderdale adds. ?Because probably all these processes are relevant, but we really want to know which are driving carbon sequestration.?These results suggest that it is still unclear how much carbon is being absorbed into the marine snow.

Marine snow. Photo by: NOAA National Ocean Service, Wikimedia Commons.

MAY 2021

| 15

16 | Seawords

Day octopus. Photo by: Doug Finney, Flickr.

CREATURE OF THE MONTH: DAY OCTOPUS By: Al exandr ya Robinson, UHM MOP Student MAY 2021

| 17

Looking out on the reef, oftentimes you will see a whole host of colorful species that call the reef home. However, in order to see one of these interesting organisms, you have to look a bit closer. Octopuscyanea, better known as the day octopus or he?ein Hawai?i, has the ability to change colors with specialized chromatophore cells that, when squeezed or relaxed, change color. This makes the day octopus highly adept at camouflage.

Additionally, the fact that these cephalopods can easily maneuver into very small and tight spaces allows them to hide and escape predators including sharks, dolphins, large fishes, eels, and Hawaiian monk seals.

For divers seeking out these cool creatures, looking for little caves with broken shells littering the sand outside, often called octopus gardens, can help. The shells belong to bivalves, shrimps, and crabs, the main prey of the octopus. Since the main active feeding hours of this species are during the day, there is a good chance for divers and snorkelers to catch sight of feeding octopods. A rarer sight, only occurring during certain times of the year, is the female day octopus tending to her eggs instead of hunting.

Day octopus. Photo by: Doug Finney, Flickr.

18 | Seawords

Day octopods mating. Photo by: Jeff Kuwabara, UHM MOP Coordinator.

The mating process of this octopus is unique. When females are approached by a male, a specialized arm filled with spermatophores is inserted into her mantle cavity, which contains her oviducts. Here, the eggs are fertilized, and the female octopus goes to her den where she lays her brood. During this time, the mother moves oxygenated water over the eggs constantly while they incubate. That means she never leaves their side, even to eat, which ultimately results in her starving. However, her hard work pays off when a whole new generation of octopods are hatched. In this planktonic stage, the juvenile octopods feed on other small animals within the water column. Keep an eye out for these incredible cephalopods on the reef!

MAY 2021

| 19

DDT off the Cal ifor nia Coast By: Chloe Molou, UHH SeawordsLiaison In March 2021, a team of 31 scientists and crew members set off on a two-week expedition to map the barrels of toxic DDT waste leaking into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of southern California. The team used remote-operated robots with SONAR to map the 50,000 acres of seafloor between Long Beach and Catalina Island.

The team was assembled in just five months, after a Los Angeles Times report featured the work of a University of California marine scientist, David Valentine. In 2019, Valentine published a paper documenting his investigation of the dumped barrels in 2011 and again in 2013. These leaking barrels are laced with DDT, a pesticide invented in 1939 that was later banned in 1972 after being found to be toxic ten years prior.

The largest producers of DDT, Montrose Chemical Corp, dumped toxic waste into the LA County sewers, and barrels into the ocean some 15 miles from shore. The corporation faced legal repercussions in 2000, along with a handful of other companies, for dumping millions of pounds of toxic waste into the county sewers that emptied into the Palos Verdes Shelf. The lawsuit came after the area was declared a superfund clean-up site by the Environmental Protection Agency in 1996.

20 | Seawords

Shoreline. Photo by: arttmiss, Flickr.

The crew that investigated the dumping site off the coast of Southern California is expected to publish their report by the end of April. W ith the final number of barrels still being tallied, the team reported tens of thousands of targets found using SONAR. From this expedition, we will have a better understanding of the degree of contamination still being caused by these barrels, since very little is known about them and the effects they are having on the surrounding environment.

One suspected effect comes from a report published in December 2020 by the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, California. They published a 30-year study of the sea lions they have rehabilitated and found that 25%of adult sea lions had cancer. In all cases, the sea lions?blubber had elevated levels of DDT and PCB, another toxic substance banned in the 1970s. These sea lions are thought to have been contaminated near their breeding site on the Channel Islands that are located off the Southern California coast.

W ith more information about these barrels and the damage they are causing, we will hopefully be able to find a way to remove the barrels safely, while combating the effects they are having on the surrounding wildlife.

MAY 2021

| 21

The Year of Quiet By: Brenna Loving, UHM MOP Student The COVID-19 pandemic was the source of one of the largest global shutdowns in history. Travel, shipping, and production came to a near halt in March of 2020, as did the noise pollution that came along with it. This presented an incredibly rare opportunity for marine scientists to study the ocean?s relationship with mankind?s booming existence. Generally, it has been understood that man-made noise in the world?s oceans have devastating effects on the marine life.

Sounds in the ocean can be heard miles away from their origin, thus creating confusion for a number of marine species that rely on sound for survival and migration, such as whales. W ith hundreds of hydrophones placed all around the world on some of the busiest coastlines, scientists are not only able to analyze how the organisms in our oceans responded to the silence, but also to assess how badly we have damaged marine ecosystems due to noise pollution, shipping routes, and naval activity.

According to Professor Jennifer Miksis-Olds from the University of New Hampshire, the goal is to accumulate data to create a ?global ocean soundscape map?from these hydrophones and other similar technology to locate areas of high human productivity, and assess marine organism responses. Not only can constructed sound interfere with the migration patterns of countless species, but it also increases stress for these animals, which can lead to strandings.

The silence as a result of COVID-19 has caused a temporary quiet for marine wildlife around the world, but it is ending swiftly as industries resume normal production, and lockdowns are lifted. As life with COVID-19 continues, the noise levels in the oceans will steadily increase. These new data to be collected will help in determining the best course of action in regards to how we can limit our devastating impact on the oceans and the life that inhabits them. As Professor Tyak from the University of St. Andrew?s stated, ?the thing about noise is that it is relatively easy to turn down the volume.?W ith continued research and collaborative efforts, we will be able to find new ways to be better to the world?s oceans, and turn down the volume.

22 | Seawords

Humpback whale. Photo by: Alejandro Rdguez, Flickr.

MAY 2021

| 23

Advice from a

Last month, you all sent in your questions fo the answers you've been waiting for! Get all more b Q: W hich breakfast cereal will make me the most popular?

My friend, popularity is as fleeting as a wave on the sea.

One moment you are lifted high by the swell, but the next you are crashing back to earth. The question is not which cereal will bring you popularity, but which one will bring you the most joy. That being said, Coco Pops are very trendy right now. Or was it copepods?Either/ or.

Q: Mr. box jelly, do you ever feel like a plastic bag?How do you cope with these feelings?

Personally, I find that once made, the mistake is rarely repeated. On a broader scale, we are constantly evolving and changing- during times of transition or stress, it is easy to feel distant from yourself and like you're simply floating around with no control over your destination.

This is especially true for me, as a planktonic organism, but we often have more power over a situation than we think! The wind may carry you in favorable directions, but don't be afraid to seize the reins if you drift too far.

24 | Seawords

a Sea Creature

or our panel of marine experts, and they have l the guidance you need about life, love, and below.

Q: Dear jellyfish, I want to open up to people emotionally but don't know how... Help me be a normal human!

Ah, this is a very human struggle indeed- after all, not all of us can be entirely transparent. Opening up is a great risk! It's very easy to be stung when you do, so naturally it's just as easy to convince yourself not to do it.

Of course, never feel like you must open up before you're ready; with time comes trust and natural vulnerability.

Just remember that some rewards outweigh the risk of pain.

Q: I'm feeling so homesick lately! How do you deal with that?

The thing is that due to my infallible sense of direction, I know that I'll be back home one day. Really though, home is whatever and wherever you make it. It's natural to miss those who aren't with us now, and the familiar things we've left behind, and it's healthy to let yourself feel those emotions rather than trying to shove them down, but remember to keep looking forward rather than behind you!

MAY 2021

| 25

Q: Dear turtle, what's the best way to unwind when stressed?

I've always been partial to basking in the sun! The health benefits of time by the sea have been studied for centuries, after all. But you know yourself best! The first step needs to be a step back from the source of your worries. Set them down for a bit and do whatever helps you recharge; pushing yourself through when you need a break will never yield the best results.

Q: My "friends" are always saying I am crabby. Should I pinch them?

There's never a bad time to pinch someone! Especially those who don't appreciate natural crabbiness. There's nothing wrong with a bit of sharpness, and your true friends will welcome it! That being said, even I will acknowledge that there is such a thing as too much crabbiness. Patience and optimism are difficult traits but definitely worth practicing.

26 | Seawords

Q: Ser Crab, lately I've been feeling as though people are only pretending to like me. How might you suggest dealing with those feelings?

These are very natural emotions! W hile overcoming this fear is a long process, one thing that can be helpful is separating feelings from fact- this is a difficult thing to do, but it can be very useful in recognizing that the evidence doesn't match what your mind is telling you.

Have faith in the people around you and in yourself!

Q: Dear ghost crab, how do you handle feeling stuck in life?

A very common problem! Life will often stick you between a rock and a hard place. W hen you're in a pinch, it's often helpful to take a step back and look for a new perspective. Approach the situation from a different angle, or maybe take a short break and come back fresh later when you have a clear head!

MAY 2021

| 27

M OP Even t s Calen dar

M AY Su n .

M on .

Tu es.

Wed.

4

5 Last day o in st r u ct ion

For more information about events, contact UH Manoa: mopsc@hawaii.edu UH Hilo: uhhmop@hawaii.edu

2

3

9

10 11 Fin als Week Begin s

12

16

17

18

19

23

24

25

26

30

31

Starfish.

By: Jamie Anderson, Flickr.

Th u r s.

Fr i.

Sat .

1 UHH: 1 UHM : 2

6

of n

7 UHM : M OP

8

Gr adu at ion 5-7PM

13

14 15 Fin als Week En ds

20

21

22

27

28

29

KEY: 1: M OP Calibr at ion Su r ver y 9-12PM 2: Resu m e/ Applicat ion Wor k sh op 10-11AM

Vol u m e XXXV, Nu m ber 6 Editor : Zada Boyce-Qu en tin Dr. Cyn th ia H u n ter (em in en ce gr ise) Jeffr ey Ku wabar a (em in en ce gr ise) Seawor ds- M ar in e Option Pr ogr am Un iver sity of H awai ?i , Col l ege of Natu r al Scien ces 2450 Cam pu s Road, Dean H al l 105A H on ol u l u , H I 96822-2219 Tel eph on e: (808) 956-8433 Em ail : <seawor ds@ h awaii.edu > W ebsite: <h ttp:/ / www.h awaii.edu / m op> Seawor ds is th e m on th l y n ewsl etter n ewsl etter of th e M ar in e Option Pr ogr am at th e Un iver sity of H awai?i. Opin ion s expr essed h er ein ar e n ot n ecessar il y th ose of th e M ar in e Option Pr ogr am or of th e Un iver sity of H awai?i.

Su ggestion s an d su bm ission s ar e wel com e. Su bm ission s m ay in cl u de ar ticl es, ph otogr aph y,ar t wor k , or an yth in g th at m ay be of in ter est to th e m ar in e com m u n ity in H awai ?i. an d ar ou n d th e wor l d.

All photos ar e taken by M OP unless other wise cr edited.