Seawords September 2003

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Welcome BackAloha new and returning students. Thesummer has washed some changes into

MOP’s world, and our course will be alteredaccordingly. Mänoa MOP will finally be able tore-staff its Coordinator position, and as ofAugust 12th, we are in the midst of a searcheffort.

The need for a new Coordinator becamemore urgent when Agnes Fok retired as Directorof the Biology and BS Marine BiologyPrograms, and I was asked to step into thesepositions as half of my duties. In trade, we areable to hire an Educational Specialist. Thisperson will be a diver and hopefully willreactivate the scientific diving portion of ourprogram. Signe Opheim, former Mänoa MOPStudent Coordinator, is currently "holding downthe fort" and has been joined by a new StudentCoordinator, Kyle Vanderlugt. The tentativestart date for the new person is September. Iwill continue as MOP Director, teaching andcarrying out those Mänoa activities requiringfaculty leadership as well as coordinatingMOP’s systemwide efforts. I think the newlinkages, especially between MOP and MarineBiology will be mutually strengthening. Newcourses coming on line with new facultyinclude: Biology of Marine Organisms, MarineMicrobiology, Advanced Topics in MarineBiology and Field Problems in Marine Biology.

We are also looking into re-entering theworld of maritime archaeology and history in asmall way, probably starting with a revival ofthe annual symposium.

Sometime this Fall, Frank Stanton (LCCMOP) and Donna Brown (MCC MOP) willconduct preliminary dives with the Kahoolawe

Island Reserve Commission staff to prepare sitesfor a baseline survey over spring break inMarch, with a subsequent monitoring program tofollow.

The week of August 18th, the Fallcoordinators’ meeting at WCC reviewed lastyear’s accomplishments and provided guidancefor the coming year. WCC will host the annualMOP Student Skill Project Symposium nextApril. The following Saturday, an organizationalmeeting was held for an alumni reunion/fundraiser, and long-term planning effort.

I encourage all Mänoa students to come tothe orientation at 4:30 pm on August 28th, thefirst Thursday of classes, to learn about andcontribute to plans for the year.

Sherwood

A New OceanographyTeacher at LCCMichael Lane, a long-time lecturer at collegesaround Oahu, has recently accepted a permanentposition teaching oceanography at LCC.Congratulations Michael, we look forward toworking with you. Michael can be reached at e-mail <mlane@hawaii.edu>.

Get the Drift and Bag ItSeptember 20th, 2003This annual event is aimed at ridding Hawai‘i’sbeaches and ocean of marine debris, specificallyon discarded plastics, fishing nets and lines.TheOahu cleanup is being organized by Sea Grant.For more information, contact ChristineWoolaway at phone: 956-2872; email:<woolaway@hawaii.edu>

Seawords September 2003

UH Mänoa . . . . . . . . . . Telephone: 956-8433e-mail: <mop@hawaii.edu>

web: <http://www2.hawaii.edu/mop/>

UH Hilo and Hawai‘i CC . . . . .Telephone: 974-7544

email: <uhhmop@hawaii.edu>web: <http://www.uhhmop.hawaii.edu/>

UH West Oahu . . . . . Telephone: 454-4715e-mail: <hodgson@hawaii.edu>

Honolulu CC . . . . . . . . Telephone: 847-9824e-mail: <gopalk@hcc.hawaii.edu>

Kauai CC . . . . . . . . . . . . Telephone: 245-8251e-mail: <bushnell@hawaii.edu>

Kapiolani CC . . . . . . . . Telephone: 734-9389e-mail: <moeng@hawaii.edu>

Leeward CC . . . . . . . . Telephone: 455-0286e-mail: <fstanton@hawaii.edu>

<http://emedia.leeward.hawaii.edu/mop>

Maui CC . . . . . . . . . . . . Telephone: 984-3203e-mail: <donnabro@hawaii.edu>

web: <http://www.coralreefs.hawaii.edu/mccmop/mop.html>

Windward CC . . . . . . Telephone: 236-9118e-mail: <wccmop@hawaii.edu>

web: <http://www.wcc.hawaii.edu/mop>

August 28th Mänoa MOP Fall Orientation. 4:30 at theMOP Study Center.

September 1st Labor Day (Holiday).

September 2nd UH Scientific Diver CourseBegins.

September 20th Get the Drift and Bag It.MOP will begincleaning the beach atMakapu‘u at 9:00am.Everyone is welcome.

September 27th Hanauma Bay NightDive. 5:30 to 8:00pm.

September TBA Dr. Sherwood Maynarddiscussses GraduateSchool. 4:30 to 5:30pm at theStudy Center.

October 10th, 11th SOEST Open House.

October 11th Tour of the R/V Kilo Moana.

October 25th Barbeque and maybeKayaking, 10:00am to 3:00pm.

November 11th Veterans’ Day (Holiday).

November 22nd Fieldtrip to Coconut Island, 9:00am to4:00pm.

November 27th Thanksgiving (Holiday).

November 28th Instructional Holiday

December 2nd UH Scientific Diver Course Ends.

December 6th Fieldtrip to Sea Life Park, 11:00am to4:00pm.

December 11th Last Day of Instruction.

December 18th Oahu MOP Graduation Ceremony. Timeand place to be announced.

December 21st Commencement.

Fall, 2003 MOP Reunion and Fundraiser.

SeawordsVolume XVII, Number 9, September, 2003

Editor: Brian RichardsonSeawords - Marine Option Program

University of Hawai‘i, College of Natural Sciences2525 Correa Road, HIG 214Honolulu, HI 96822-2219

Telephone: (808) 956-8433, Fax: (808) 956-2417E-mail: <Seawords@hawaii.edu>

Web site: <http://www2.hawaii.edu/mop/>

Seawords is a monthly newsletter of the Marine Option Program at theUniversity of Hawai‘i. Opinions expressed herein are not necessarilythose of the Marine Option Program or of the University of Hawai‘i.

UH Mänoa MOP Events

Please note that the scientific name for the crab on theback page of the last issue of Seawords should have beenDardanus megistos. Sorry for the error.

For more information on MOP events, contactyour local MOP office. Pre-registration is

required for all field trips.

Drawing of Hippocampus bargibanti by Elena Millard

UH Hilo MOP EVENTSFriday, September 5th, 2003

BBQ/Potluck at Marine Science Building with a movie!

Monday, September 26th, 2003Trip around Hilo Bay in the R/V Four Winds

6:00 to 9:00pmDetails on all UH Hilo MOP events can be viewed at: <http://www.uhhmop.hawaii.edu>

SOEST Open HouseOctober 10th and 11th, 2003

SOEST, the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, willbe holding its annual Open House in the second week of October. Therewill be two days of fun-filled activities for people of all ages. The OpenHouse will take place in the Pacific Ocean Science & Technologybuilding, the Hawai‘i Institute of Geophysics building, and the MarineScience building at UH Mänoa. For more information, visit <http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/openhouse>.

Seawords September 2003

EVENTS AROUNDHAWAI‘I

Waikiki Aquarium ActivitiesPreregistration is required for all activities.Please call the Education Department forregistration materials. Phone: 923-9741,Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Formore information on these and other events,visit the Waikiki Aquarium’s web site at: <http://www.waquarium.org>.

Docent Training and VolunteersNot only are there student employment opportunties (which canbe viewed online at <http://sece.its.hawaii.edu> but there are alsoa wide range of volunteer opportunties. Volunteers learn marineeducation skills as they introduce children to the unique marinelife of Hawai‘i. Volunteers can also work school and family groupsas they discover reef life in the wild, at night, and on weekends inthe Aquarium’s Community Enrichment Program. Call JoanKafentzis at phone: 440-9020 for more information.

Stingray TracksSaturday, September 13th, 8:00am to noonWhere have all the stingrays gone? It’s time to find out. This classfor adults and families with older youngsters (10 and up). Sonictags placed on stingrays at the beginning of last summer have beenlogging data into underwater receivers. Now it is time to bring upthe receivers and see what the stingrays have been doing. We startwith a talk at the Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology at CoconutIsland, then head out to retrieve our data and, hopefully, find evidenceof the tagged animals. A snorkel around the island introduces us tothe ray’s habitat. Class size is limited. Pre-registration required: $25/person ($20 for Aquarium members).

Dive/Snorkel the Solomon IslandsOctober 2nd to 16th, 2003Experience the phenomenal diversity of the Western Pacific as youspend 14 nights aboard the 120-foot vessel, Spirit of Solomons withAquarium Associate and naturalist, Ann Fielding. Evening lecturesand field sessions enrich your understanding of reef ecology. Cost:$3,750 for boat portion; airfare, transit, and hotel are separate.

National Marine Sanctuary (Maui)Free Lecture SeriesTuesday, September 9th, 2003 — 7:00 pmWiliwili Forest Conservation at Pu‘uokali Lava Flows; APiece of Near Pre-Contact Hawaiian Vegetation above Kïheiby Art Medeiros, Biologist, United States Geologic SurveyThe lecture series takes place at the Education Center of the HawaiianIslands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, 726 S. KïheiRd., Kïhei. For more information, contact Rhonda Van Wingerden atphone: 879-2818; e-mail <Rhonda.VanWingerden@noaa.gov>.

Coral Reef Fishery ManagementMeetingsNovember 12th and 13thThis series of meetings around Honolulu are intended to developstrategies for research, funding, and ultimately management ofHawai‘i’s coral reef fishery. For more information onlocations and times, pleae contact Alan Everson, NOAAFisheries, Pacific Islands Regional Office, at phone: (808)973-2935, extension 212.

Hanauma Bay Evening TalksSeptember 11, 2003— (How to Avoid) Death and Destructionin Hawai‘i: Severe Weather Hazardsby Dr. Steven Businger, Meteorology Department, University ofHawai‘i at Mänoa

September 25, 2003— Tsunamis: You'll Hear About the Onefrom Alaska, but What About the One from the Big Islandby Dr. Gerard Fryer, Hawai‘i Institute of Geophysics andPlanetology, University of Hawai‘i at Mänoa

October 9, 2003— Submarine Hydrothermal Ventsby Dr. Chris Measures, Oceanography Department, Universityof Hawai‘i at Mänoa

October 23, 2003— Hawaii's Marine Mammals and How toView Them Responsiblyby David Nichols, National Marine Fisheries Service

Lectures are held on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month. Allevents begin at 6:30 p.m. and are held in the new Hanauma BayEducation Center unless otherwise specified. These are open to thegeneral public and free of charge. Please call Shawn Carrier at phone:397-5840; e-mail<carrier@hawaii.edu> if you have any questions.

Aquaculture WorkshopsShrimp Disease Workshopby Dee Montgomery-Brock, ADP Health Management Associate

September 27th, 2003, 12:30 to 4:30pmat Windward Community College

This workshop is co-sponsored with the University of ArizonaShrimp Pathology Lab.

The workshopts are free, but advance registration is required. Call thePACRC office at 808-933-0706 or email <volcanolisa@hotmail.com>to register. Sponsored by the UHH-Pacific Aquaculture and CoastalResources Center.

Workshop on Whales and VesselCollisionsThis workshop, sponsored by the Hawaiian Islands Humpback WhaleNMS and NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, will be heldon Maui at the Wailea Marriott, an Outrigger Resort, September 3 to5, 2003. The workshop will focus on the issue as relevant to the waterssurrounding the Humpback Whale Sanctuary for the first two days,and then take a look a bit more broadly on the last day of the workshopat whether and how the issue might be addressed across the NationalMarine Sanctuary Program. For more information, contact KarenMoore, Pioneer Plaza, 900 Fort Street Mall, Ste. 1540, Honolulu, HI96813. The workshop website can be found at <http://www.hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov/special_offerings/sp_off/Vessel_Collision_Wkshp.html>.

SCUBA Gear for SaleEthan Morgan, a MOP student and the student coordinator atWindward CC, is selling SCUBA gear, including an Octopus, aBRUT 1st stage, a Sherwood BRUT second stage and a Sea QuestAlternative air. Price: $100 OBO. For more information, contactEthan at <ethanlevimorgan@yahoo.com>

Seawords September 2003

Congratulationsand Thanks toLetty!Story by Jeanette Grode and DoreenSeaton

The Marine Option Program has been lucky in havingmany talented people contributing to the program. Oneof these people is Dr. Leticia Colmenares, also known asLetty, who began teaching chemistry at WindwardCommunity College four years ago. She soon learned ofthe Marine Option Program, and began mentoring MOPstudents in water quality studies, one of her preferredareas of research. In her third year of teaching, Lettyoffered to serve as MOP Coordinator for WindwardCommunity College. Now that her two years iscompleted, she has stepped down and Dave Krupp, abiology teacher at Windward, has taken over.

Everyone in the MOP ohana would like tocommemorate Dr. Leticia Colmenares for her hard workand dedication to MOP, and also to offer congratulationson her receiving the 2003 University of Hawai‘i Boardof Regents Excellence in Teaching Award for WindwardCommunity College. This award was given to Dr.Colmenares not only for her excellent teaching, but forher MOP activities as well.

This past MOP Spring Graduation, Letty alsoreceived a certificate of appreciation for MarineEducation at Windward. Sherwood Maynard, MOPDirector, comments that Letty "has been very dedicated,doesn’t punch a time clock, and always devotes her timeto her students".

At Windward Community College, Letty teachescourses in both general and organic chemistry, and inboth of these topics she instills an appreciation ofchemistry in her students. Letty once said that goodteachers are people who are knowledgeable, generous,and excited to share their knowledge — a good teachernever stops searching and learning. Through the praisethat she has received from her students and hercolleagues, Letty obviously comprises all of these traits.

Letty claims that there was no major turn of eventswhich set her on her career path and instilled her

interest in chemistry and the marineenvironment. The development of her interests

and professional skills were a gradual process. Born andraised in the southern territory area of the Philippines, onthe island of Basilan, Letty developed a natural respectfor the ocean. While in the Philippines she took part inresearch on the extraction of natural products from theocean. While a junior researcher at UH-Mänoa, she hadworked with pigment proteins. She eventually earned aPh.D. in Chemistry from Mänoa. In addition, she workedas an environmental chemist at the Wastewater QualityLab at Sand Island, where she analyzed the influent andeffluent wastewater in treatment facilities around Oahufor pesticides. Being a part of a group that monitored thequality of water dumped into the ocean made her feel asense of stewardship towards the ocean. At WindwardCommunity College, Letty and her students do waterquality assessment of local streams. Last year, she alsoreceived funding from NOAA to purchase equipmentand offer students stipends to work on this project, asinterns. The first group of interns constructed a website,<http://www.wcc.hawaii.edu/water>, to publish theirresults.

Now that she is no longer the MOP Coordinator atWindward, Letty will continue teaching and alsocontinue to do research. At Windward, Letty is also amember of the committee developing the AA programon Ocean Recreation and Safety. You can find a list ofwhat she’s up to, and some of her other achievements at<http://www.wcc.hawaii.edu/factstaff/colmenares-1>.

Congratulations Letty!

Seawords September 2003

Wavelets

Proposal SolicitationNOAA's Office of OceanExploration (OE)NOAA is currently seeking pre-proposals to implementits mission to expand our knowledge about the ocean'sphysical, chemical, biological and archaeologicalcharacteristics through expeditions to unknown or poorlyknown oceanic and Great Lakes regions. TheAnnouncement of Opportunity and additional guidancecan be found at <http://explore.noaa.gov>. E-mail anyadditional questions you may have to<oar.oe.faq@noaa.gov>. The deadline for pre-proposalsubmissions is September 3, 2003. E-mail and FAXsubmissions will NOT be accepted.

Oceanography and MarineBiology Instructors

Sea-mester Programs offers the opportunity for highschool graduates and college students to earn collegecredit in oceanography, nautical science andinterpersonal and communication skills while livingaboard sailing vessels voyaging throughout the islandsof the Lesser Antilles. The duration of the program is 80-days full time. Student body is 24 and faculty is 6.

The instructor will teach all aspects of a college level,introductory oceanography course during the fallsemester of 2003 with the possibility of continuing in theSpring 2004. Other duties include playing an active rolein every aspect of life afloat. This will include mentoringthe students, participation in sailing and scuba activities,cooking, cleaning and provisioning. Other duties willinclude student supervision during island activities (bothacademic and non-academic) such as field trips andisland hikes.

Position dates are September 20th through December15th, 2003, and the salary would be $7,000 for thecontract period, plus travel costs to and from theCaribbean, food and lodging. Applications areaccepted on a rolling basis until position is filled.Please send cover letter and resume to:Director, Sea-mester Programs, PO Box5477, Sarasota, Fl 34277 USA. Formore information, e-mail: <info@seamester.com> TheProgram's website can be foundat <http://www.seamester.com>.

Diving Safety Courses atMänoaAll training is done at the Environmental Health and SafetyOffice classroom, 2040 East-West Road, UH Mänoa. Thefee is payable by personal check or University requisitionat the time of the class. For more information or specificcourse dates, contact Dave Pence at (808) 956-6420; e-mail: <dpence@hawaii.edu>. The Diving Safety Officewebsite is at <http://www.hawaii.edu/ehso/diving>.

CPR/First Aid/Oxygen AdministrationFor previously trained providers who need to renew thecertificate (required every two years for UH ScientificDiver authorization). Long-expired certificates require fullre-training. The diver obtains training materials fromUHDSP and reviews independently prior to class. At classtime, diver takes written knowledge evaluation, anddemonstrates provider skills. Cost Recovery Fee is $20.Normally taught on the second Wednesday of the month(September 10th, October 8th, November 12th, December10thetc.), from 8:00am to noon, or 1:00 pm to 5:00pm.

DAN Oxygen First Aid for Diving InjuriesRequired training for qualification as UH Scientific Divers.For divers who have not previously had this training, orwhose certification is expired. Course involves a two hour

lecture/discussion, a one hour lunch break, and a three-hour practical skills session and written exam.

The Cost Recovery Fee is $20. Thecourse is typically taught the third

Wednesday of every other month(September 17th, November19th), 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Seawords September 2003

Spring and Summer Adventuresby Signe Opheim, Mänoa MOP Student Coordinator

Every summer, MOP students travel theglobe as interns, students, employees andtourists. It’s difficult to keep track of who isgoing where and doing what, but wemanaged to catch up with three MOPstudents and have them tell us how theyspent their spring and summer.

These experiences, far from beingrandom or accidental, are an integral part ofthe MOP experience, and often becomecore components of the student’s MOPrequirements. In particular, many of theseactivities will form the basis of MOPprojects. As a result, one of MOP’s keyfunctions is to help students find thesepositions and to benefit as much as possiblefrom them.

Keith KanekoUHM MOP

This summer, I took Animal Science 499 at UHMänoa, a course entitled Prawn Hatchery Lab.

The Prawn Hatchery Lab was the final course Ineeded to complete the requirements of the MarineOption Program at the University of Hawai‘i, Mänoa.The course involved studying the feasibility of designinga low cost prawn hatchery and nursery for educationalclassroom purposes. My project measured the timeinvolved and the operational costs associated with ascience lesson plan. ANSC 499 at the University ofHawai‘i summer session allows the time and facilitiesneeded to complete the research of the hatching andstaging of Macrobrachium rosenbergii larvae in alaboratory setting.

This summer, Dr. Spencer Malecha was the professorfor ANSC 499. He allowed us the use of his lab facilitiesat the St. John Plant Science Lab. I designed a scaled-down version of a prawn hatchery and nursery alongwith a microalgae culture set-up to fit in either aclassroom or a small lab. The rearing of the giantfreshwater prawn from the larval to the post-larval stage

should take anywhere between 25 to 45 days.Daily water changes with microalgae andfeeding are required throughout the eleven

Keith (above) showing parts of his prawn hatchery and nursery. A largefreshwater prawn is shown in the picture to the right.

larval stages. Factors that would influence thesuccessful rearing of post larvae include monitoringmicroalgae, temperature, salinity, and ammonia levels.Artemia salinas (brine shrimp) are hatched daily to feedthe larvae, and nutritional needs are supplemented withfeedings of COMA (a vitamin and enriched proteinfortified egg custard).

The College of Tropical Agriculture and HumanResources (Dr. Spencer Malecha, AquacultureProduction and Breeding) and the Marine OptionProgram (Dr. Sherwood Maynard, Director) fund thisproject at the University of Hawai‘i. The first postlarvae appeared on day thirty-three. As of this date (July31, 2003) twenty-eight post larvae have been producedfrom a volume of 2.5 liters with approximately 50 larvaeremaining. The research will continue until all of thelarvae reach the post larvae stage or expire.

M. rosenbergii, the giant freshwater prawn, waschosen for this project because it is a commercial speciescurrently farmed in Hawai‘i. This locally producedproduct can be found on the menu of fine diningrestaurants and can be purchased live at seafoodspecialty stores like Tamashiro Market. You can alsofind this product in Kahuku at roadside shrimp shackscooked in garlic and butter or spicy chili sauce.

Seawords September 2003

Christina Nicole TomsUniversity of Hawai‘i, Hilo

I am a Marine Science and Psychology major at UHHilo, and for the summer I was an intern in a sea otterbehavior research project in Monterey Bay, California. Iwork for a Ph.D. student, Deborah Benham, who isdoing her project on the interactions between wildliferecreational activities and sea otters (such as the onepictured at the bottom of this page) Her project is acollaborative project, including both biological and

social aspects, designed to hopefully develop sustainablewildlife management.

As a full time intern, I am involved in both parts ofthe research. The biological aspect involves collectingdata not only on the otters’ behavior, but also on theamount of boat and kayak traffic in their habitat and howthis may affect the sea otters’ behavior. The animalsspend a lot of time grooming themselves to maintainbody heat, and continuous stress from tourists maydecrease their health levels.

The social aspect involves conducting interviews oftourists and giving out questionnaires to the public. Thispart of the project is in collaboration with the MontereyBay National Marine Sanctuary and local touristoperators. Questionnaires are given to find out thepublic’s attitude towards wildlife and wildlifemanagement and to determine their opinions on how theresources could be managed to be sustainable foreveryone.

We also radio track individual sea otters one or twodays a week to develop a 12-hour time activity budgeton different age and sex classes of the otters. We use thisinformation to compare sites with more and less boattraffic to determine if the animal’s time activity budgetschange as a result. This will also help in determiningcurrent population levels. And of course as an intern, Ido lots of data entry!

Kyle VanderLugtUHM MOP

This last spring and summer I was on a study abroadprogram to Adelaide, South Australia, spending my timeat Flinders University.

Compared to the United States, the school systemwas much different in terms of academic and culturalexperiences. The differences were a great learningopportunity. On my holidays I made several trips, whichincluded going to places such as Kangaroo Island,Melbourne, and Sydney, as well as touring thecountryside and visiting the wineries. And yes, I did seemany kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, and even a wombat.

Although the courses I was enrolled in were notmarine-related, Flinders University is world-renownedfor its oceanographic community, and I was able to sit inone many lectures given by leading researchers in thefield. All in all, I would say it was slightly above averagespring and summer.

The Flinders University website can befound at: <http://www.flinders.edu.au>.

A Sea Otter at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Seawords September 2003

ShorelineErosionBy Elena MillardShould development be adapted to changing shorelines,or should we change the shoreline to adapt to ourdevelopment?

The profiles of Hawai‘i’s shorelines have beenchanging dramatically over the past few years due tocoastal erosion. Beachfront property has been lost,buildings have been damaged, and natural ecosystemshave been interrupted as beaches recede. Between the1930’s and 1970’s, sand was dumped by the truckloadsonto the shoreline in Waikiki in an effort to widen thebeaches that currently bring in 44% of the state-wide 344billion in tourist dollars each year.

It has been estimated by Chip Fletcher, of the CoastalGeology group with the UHM Department of Geologyand Geophysics, that over 100,000 cubic yards of beachfill sand was carried by waves out onto the reef since1951. This sand has gradually filled in the natural habitatof the reef system, destroying hiding, breeding, andresting spaces for reef fish and also smothering coral.Attempting to "adapt" the shoreline to our needs, in thiscase, failed. The sand temporarilywidened the beaches, butpermanently impacted the coralreefs on Oahu’s southern shore.

At a lecture at Hanauma Bayon Thursday, July 24th, DolanEversole, of the University ofHawai‘i Sea Grant ExtensionService, spoke about coastalresource management in Hawai‘i.His presentation was part of theEducational Lecture Series that isbeing organized by the HanaumaBay Education Program. Mr.Eversole noted the majordistinction between the processesof coastal erosion and beach loss.Coastal erosion is the loss of

coastal land as the beachmigrates land-ward .Beach width remainsrelatively constant, but

land behind the beach is lost. Coastal erosion is the effectof sea level rise, currents and waves moving largeamounts of sand, and seasonal shore profile change.Coastal erosion is a natural process, although this processcan be accelerated by human impacts such as channeldredging, dune leveling and filling, and poor sandmanagement. For instance, sand taken for constructionand industrial purposes from Waimea Bay on Oahu’swindward coast, which is termed "sand mining", causedover 200 feet of erosion to occur at this location. Thissand was typically burned to extract lime, which couldthen be spread around the sugar cane fields.

Erosion becomes a debatable issue when there isvaluable property that is being lost to the sea. Sea levelrise around the world occurs by 1.5-2.2 cm each decade(Hilo shores experience 4 cm/decade rise while Kahului,Maui experience 2.5 cm) and is expected to increase byup to 4.5 times this rate before 2100. S. P. Leatherman hasclaimed that the amount that the beach recedes is 150times the amount that sea level rises. For a 250 cm riseby 2050, for example, sandy shorelines will recede 38 m(118 ft.) (Leatherman et al., 2000).

The process of beach loss occurs when a hard structureintervenes with natural erosion processes. In fear oflosing property for instance, vertical, concrete sea wallsor sloping walls are often built by piling rocks or sandbags (revetments) in front of coastal lands to halt wavesfrom carrying sand away from the dunes. However, these

Photograph by Charles Fletcher of Punaluu on the windward coast of Oahu thatshows the relationship between a stabilized and an unstabiliized beach. The seawallhas increased the rate of erosion on the unstabilized beach.

Seawords September 2003

structures also prevent the beach from receding onto theshoreline and re-supplying the beach with dune sand. Seawalls often reflect waves and pull sand away from theshore, often resulting in poor water quality and increasedalgal growth. Beach loss due to armoring the coastlinesdecreases ocean access, damages the littoral ecosystem,and can impact the tourism economy. End scour, orincreased erosion at the ends of sea walls, encouragesconstruction of such structures for miles along the coast.While many of Oahu’s beaches have experiencedconsiderable erosion, it is also estimated that over a thirdof Maui’s beaches have also been lost due to armoring.The beaches at Lanikai and Central Ewa, and also thebeach that runs from Pupukea to Sunset Beach are threesites that are experiencing major erosion problems onOahu. Along these beaches, there are 232 properties thatare threatened with over $43 million in property damageswithin the next 60 years (Fletcher, 1998).

The controversial issues connected to coastal erosionhave created a heightened debate. Should homeowners beallowed to armor their land and interfere with naturalerosion processes by building sea walls and revetments?Or should the beach be allowed to recede farther ontoshore, allowing the public to have access to the beaches,but forcing property owners to move or lose their homesand businesses. To explore these issues and learn moreabout legislation in Hawai’i concerning erosion pleasevisit the following sites:

<http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/SEAGRANT><http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/coasts/cgg_main.html><http://www.usgs.gov><http://www.mothernature-hawaii.com><http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/response>

The Educational Lecture Series, presented by theHanauma Bay Education Program, is held on the 2nd and4th Thursdays of each month from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., andis free to the public. Featured speakers presentinformation and current research about environmentalissues in Hawai‘i. To inquire about upcoming lecturesplease contact the Hanauma Bay Education Program at e-mail: <hanauma@hawaii.edu>.

ReferencesFletcher, C.H., Mullane, R.A., and Richmond, B.M.,

1998. “Beach loss along armoured shorelines on Oahu,Hawaiian Islands,” Journal of Coastal Research, v.13,no. 1, 209-215.

S. P. Leatherman, K. Zhang, and B. Douglas, "Sea LevelRise Shown to Drive Beach Erosion," Eos,Transactions, American Geophysical Union 81, no. 6(1999): 55-7.

National Coast Week 2003National Coastweek 2003 is being coordinated by theCoastal States Organization in conjunction with NOAA'sNational Ocean Service, state Coastweek and Coast Dayobservances and in partnership with a variety of federalgovernment agencies and national coastal and oceanorganizations. National Coastweek 2003 will be heldSeptember 20-27, starting with the Ocean Conservancy'sInternational Coastal Cleanup, and culminating withNational Estuaries Day. To add a Coastweek activity toour searchable database, e-mail <info@living-edge.org>.For more information visit: <http://living-edge.org/participate/coastweek.html>.

The Dolphin InstituteEducational ProgramOffered through the University of Hawai‘i’s KewaloBasin Marine Mammal Laboratory, this intensive 1, 2 or4 week program, Dolphin Cognition andCommunication, gives students age 16 and up the rareopportunity to work alongside professional researchersin the study of the behavior, sensory process, andcognitive characteristics of the bottlenose dolphin.Students are involved in all aspects of the laboratory,from assisting with the research and working one-on-onewith the dolphins, to participating in our marinemammal lecture series. This hands-on experience givesstudents a unique glimpse into the laboratory study ofmarine mammals and the field of marine mammalscience. For more information, contact April Turner,Program Coordinator, at e-mail: <april@dolphin-institute.org>, phone: (800) 831-8305.

Summer Institute in CoastalManagementCoastal Resources Center,University of Rhode IslandJune 2 to July 1, 2004Participation will be limited to 25 individuals. A non-refundable deposit of $250 is required by March 1, 2004to reserve space. The Center's website can be found at<http://www.crc.uri.edu>. For additional information, e-mail Kim Kaine at <kkaine@gso.uri.edu>.

Seawords September 2003

VOLUNTEERINGCoral Reef Ecosystem ReserveVolunteers are being sought to help run theNorthwestern Hawaiian Islands Coral ReefEcosystem Reserve's Discovery Center on Hilo'sBayfront. Interested individuals should contactMOP alum Jeff Kuwabara, Manager, of theMokupapapa Discovery Center, at phone: (808)933-8195; e-mail <jeffrey.kuwabara@noaa.gov>for details and to set up an interview. Informationon the Reserve and the Center can be found at<http://hawaiireef.noaa.gov/welcome.html>.

EMPLOYMENTPolicy AnalystEnvironmental Law InstituteThe Institute is an internationally recognized,independent research and education center. Thecandidate will work closely with legal andscience/policy staff on collaborative projects inthe Research & Policy Division involvingdomestic environmental and natural resourceprotection law, science, and policy. Applicationmaterials should be emailed to <law@eli.org>(with the subject line "Policy Analyst Search")or mailed to: Policy Analyst Search,Environmental Law Institute, 1616 P Street, NW,Suite 200, Washington, DC 20036. Positioncloses September 10, 2003. For information,search for the job at < http://www.idealist.org>.

Kahuku Shrimp CompanyKahuku Shrimp Company is looking for a recentgraduate with a bachelor's degree in any of thelife sciences for a position in their shrimpreproduction program at Kahuku on Oahu. Noprevious experience necessary (willing to train).Starting pay is $20K/year. Advancementopportunities available in the company. There'sone MOP alum working there now for the pastfew years (Jeff Garvey). Apply to Bruce Smith293-0157. Best to phone before 9am.

Fisheries Technicians — PacificStates Marine Fisheries CommissionApplications are due September 30, 2003. Formore information, visit <http://www.psmfc.org>.

Positions at Hawaiian IslandsHumpback Whale National MarineSanctuaryFour positions have been advertised : a MarineConservation Specialist, two ProjectCoordinators, and a Conservation Planner.Applications are due in September or October.For more information, contact Jeffrey Walters ate-mail: <jeffrey_s_walters@exec.state.hi.us>.The Sanctuary's website can be found at < http://www.hihwnms.nos.noaa.gov>.

STUDENTEMPLOYMENTProgram AideUH Diving Safety OfficeA 10-hour per week position is availablebeginning in September. This position is notfundamentally diving related, but involves officework, record-keeping and lots of computer dataentry. Any diving activity would be ancillary, andonly available after the student has completedScientific Diver qualification. There is room forgrowth in responsibilities over time, includingdiving training and evolution to diving status, asthe program needs dictate. The opportunity for aMOP skill project is also possible as an extensionof the employee's duties after the student isconversant with the duties of the job. UH-Manoastudent must be eligible for student employment.Sophomore or junior is strongly preferred, withan informal commitment for a long term ofemployment, so the program has continuity.Experience with MS Word, Excel, Access, andweb site design and web page maintenance is abig plus. Experience with scuba diving is initiallyvaluable only as it helps the employee understandthe data and paperwork handled. Dependable,meticulous attention to detail and an ability towork with minimum supervision after initialtraining is a must. More information is availablethrough the UH-Mänoa SECE office. Interestedstudents should send a resume, including contactinformation for three references, to Dave Penceat e-mail <dpence@hawaii.edu>.

Oceanic InstituteOI has a position open for a co-op student to workas an aquaculture technician. Duties includerecording data, analysing water quality, andcleaning tanks. The position is part of a researchgrant working with the culture of shrimp. Forinformation, visit <http://sece.its.hawaii.edu> oremail <coop2600@hawaii.edu>

INTERNSHIPSKilauea Point National WildlifeRefuge InternshipFull-time internship; shared housing is providedand the intern receives $350 every two weeks formeals and incidental expenses. For moreinformation, visit <http://www.kilaueapoint.com/refuge/internships/>.

Friends of He'eia State ParkThe Friends if He'eia State Park are offeringinternships. Interns are needed to facilitateenvironmental education programs forelementary students. Classes include marinebiology, ethnobotany, earth science, and Hawaiianstudies. Possible independent credit hours/orstipend available. For more information, contactthe Friends of He'eia at phone: 247-3156.

Oceanic Institute InternshipOpportunities in research programs and othercapacities. To apply, send proposal letterindicating program preference, available time,and if it is for school credit. Send your proposalto The Oceanic Institute, Attention Gary Karr,Training & Education Coordinator, MakapuuPoint, 41-202 Kalanianaole Hwy, Waimanalo, HI96795-1820; fax: 259-5971; e-mail:<gkarr@oceanicinstitute.org>. For moreinformation, visit the Oceanic Institute websiteat <http://www.oceanicinstitute.org>.

SCHOLARSHIPSSigma Xi Research GrantsHeads up for the October 15th deadline for SigmaXi Grants in Aid of Research. Information canbe obtained from <http://www.sigmaxi.org>.

Environmental Leadership ProgramThe Environmental Leadership Program (ELP)invites applications for the ELP Fellowship Classof 2004-2005. Application and informationavailable at: <http://www.elpnet.org>. Theapplication deadline: October 1, 2003

American Association of UniversityWomen — Fellowships for WomenThe AAUW is accepting fellowship and grantapplications for women to perform dissertationor postdoctoral research. American citizens orpermanent residents who are completingdissertations are eligible. The applicationdeadline for most of these awards is November15th. For more information, visit <http://www.aauw.org/fga/index.cfm>.

L'Oreal — Science FellowshipProgram for WomenThe program will provide education and researchgrants to young women pursuing a career inscience. L'Oreal USA will award five annualfellowships to young women who are graduatestudents or postdoctoral researchers in the naturalsciences (biological and physical), engineering,computer science, and mathematics. A fellowshipgrant of $20,000 will be awarded to eachrecipient. The U.S. Fellowship program is openonly to women in their third or fourth year ofgraduate studies.Graduate students andpostdoctoral applicants must be planning topursue their field of study or advanced researchat a nonprofit institution in the U.S. Completeprogram information and application forms areavailable at the L'Oreal USA Web site <http://www.lorealusa.com/forwomeninscience>. Theapplication deadline is November 1st, 2003.

Crown Prince Akihito ScholarshipEstablished to promote understanding betweenthe United States and Japan, the scholarshipoffers students the opportunity to study in Japan.The application deadline is October 27th, 2003.See you Department Office for an informationalpacket and an application form.

Seawords September 2003

CONFERENCES &CALLS FOR PAPERSEstuarine Research Federation ConferenceSeptember 14th to 18th, 2003 — Seattle, WAThe conference will consider ocean forces, influences of the land, andhuman activity. The attributes and influences on Pacific Rim estuarieswill be a special focus. For more information, contact Joy Bartholomewat e-mail <jbarth@erf.org> or visit <http://www.erf.org>.

Marine Biotechnology ConferenceSeptember 21st to 27th, 2003 — Chiba, JapanThe conference is a combined meeting of the Marine BiotechnologyConference and the Asia-Pacific Marine Biotechnology Conference.For more information, contact Haruko Takeyama at email:<marine@cc.tuat.ac.jp> or visit <http://www.tuat.ac.jp/~marine>.

Watershed Approaches to Environmental EducationSeptember 25th to 28th, 2003 — P.E.I, CanadaFor more information on this conference, visit: <http:www.bbema.ca/eecomacap/index.html>.

Oceans 2003 (MTS/IEEE): Past and FutureSeptember 22nd to 26th, 2003 — San Diego, CAThere is a Student Poster program at the conference to encourage theparticipation of scientific and engineering students in professionalconferences. For information, visit <http://www.Oceans2003.com>.

Islands and Coastlines ConferenceOctober 1st to 5th, 2003 — Norfolk Island, AustraliaThe Conference will focus on the maritime history and historicalarchaeology of island and coastal communities. Proposals are due June30th, 2003. For more information, go to <http://www.aamh.asn.au>.

3rd National Conference on Nonpoint SourcePollution Information & Education ProgramsOctober 20th to 23rd, 2003 — Chicago, IllinoisFor more information, contact: Bob Kirschner, Chicago Botanic Garden,1000 Lake Cook Rd., Glencoe, Illinois, 60022; e-mail:<bkirschn@chicagobotanic.org>.

Society for Hawaiian Archaeology ConferenceOctober 24th to 26th, 2003— Kaneohe, HI

The conference, to be held at Windward Community College, willinclude paper presentations, social events, and business meetings. Formore information on the conference, visit: <http://www.sha.hawaii.edu/News/conferences.htm>.

Hawai‘i Summit-to-Sea 2003 — POSTPONEDOctober 26th to 29th, 2003— Honolulu, HI

The announcement is at: <http://www.hawaiiormp.com/main.htm>.

Wetlands Workshop, 2003: Wetland HydrologyOctober 27th to 31st, 2003— Atlantic City, NJFor more information, visit <http://www.wetlandsworkgroup.org>.

Remote Sensing of Environment SymposiumNovember 10th to 14th, 2003 — Honolulu, HI

Sponsored by NASA, the theme of this year’s International Symposiumon Remote Sensing of Environment is "Information for RiskManagement and Sustainable Development." An overview of theconference can be found at <http://isrse.pdc.org>.

Undergraduate Research ConferenceNovember 14th and 15th, 2003 — Los Angeles, CATo be held at the Hyatt Regency Los Angeles. Events include judgedposter sessions with monetary awards, scientific workshops, networkingopportunities with career scientists, interaction with graduate and careerrecruiters. For more information, visit <http://www.sigmaxi.org/meetings/student/index.shtml>.

Environmental Management of Enclosed Coastal SeasNovember 18th to 21st, 2003 — Bangkok, ThailandThe conference is on “Comprehensive and Responsible Coastal ZoneManagement for Sustainable and Friendly Coexistence between Natureand People.” The conference website is <http://www.emecs2003.com>.

The History of Science SocietyNovember 20th to 23rd, 2003 — Cambridge, MAThe History of Science Society annual meeting will be held inCambridge. For more information, visit <http://www.hssonline.org>.The organizers can be reached at e-mail <meeting@hssonline.org>.

HABTech 2003November 26th to 30th, 2003 — New ZealandA workshop on Technologies for Monitoring of Harmful Algal Bloomsand Marine Biotoxi will be held at Nelson, New Zealand. For details,visit <http://www.cawthron.org.nz/habtech03.htm>.

PACON 2003November 30th to December 3rd, 2003 — Kaohsiung, TaiwanThis symposium, originally scheduled for June, 2003, will focus on thetheme of “Ocean Capital”. For more information, visit <http://www.hawaii.edu/pacon/2003Table.html>.

Symposium on Biological IndicatorsDecember 2nd to 5th, 2003 — Hong KongDetails of the second announcement can be accessed at <http://www.cityu.edu.hk/bch/sym2003>.

Historical and Underwater ArchaeologyJanuary 7th to 11th, 2004— St. Louis, MOSponsored by the Society for Historical Archaeology, the general themeof the conference will be “Lewis and Clark: Legacy and Consequences.”Abstracts are due by June 15, 2003 and can be submitted online via<http://www.fuzeventreg.com/sha>.

Ocean Research ConferenceFebruary 15th to 20th, 2004— Honolulu, HI

The Ocean Research Conference, sponsored by the American Societyof Limnology and Oceanography and The Oceanography Society, willhighlight recent advances on the integration of aquatic sciences and thebreadth of ocean research including engineering, industrial, public policyand marine research. The abstract submission deadline and student travelgrant application deadlines are October 1st, 2003. For more information,visit <http://aslo.org/honolulu2004/> or contact Helen Schneider Lemayat phone: (254) 776-3550; e-mail <helens@sgmeet.com>.

World Aquaculture SocietyMarch 1st to 5th, 2004— Honolulu, HI

The conference co-sponsored by the National Shellfisheries Association,the Fish Culture Section of the American Fisheries Society and the WorldAquaculture Society. For more information, visit <http://www.was.org/Meetings/Hawaii/Pages/Hawaii2004.asp>.

Seawords September 2003

ContentsWelcome from the MOP

Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1MOP Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Events Around Hawai‘i . . . . . . . . . 3Congratulations and Thanks

to Letty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4Wavelets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Spring and Summer

Adventures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Beach Erosion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Volunteering, Scholarships

Employment, Internships . . . 10Conferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Coming up in the next issues...

Update on John CravenMOP field tripsFall MOP Fundraiser and ReunionFall MOP Coordinators’ Meeting

Seawords is the newsletter of the Marine Option Program at the University of Hawai‘i.It is published monthly (more or less).

Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Marine Option Program orof the University of Hawai‘i.

Suggestions and submissions are welcome. Submissions can include articles,photographs, art work, or pretty much anything that would be of interest to the marinecommunity in Hawai‘i and around the world.

Our web pages are located at <http://www2.hawaii.edu/mop>.Our e-mail address is <seawords@hawaii.edu>.The Seawords staff are: Brian Richardson (Editor),

Doreen Seaton (Assistant Editor), Jeanette Grode (Assistant Editor),Elena Millard (Graphic artist), and Dr. Sherwood Maynard (éminence gris).

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Chelonia mydas (GreenSea Turtle) beingcleaned by fourZebrasoma flavescens(Yellow Tangs). Drawingby Elena Millard.