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| MARINE
WILDLIFE
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| Risso's Dolphins |
| Sturgeon |
| Green Ormer |
| Mako or Porbeagle Shark |
| Sperm Whale |
| Bearded Seal |
Andy
Horton spends a year examining the biology and behaviour of the rock
pool fish and other marine life.
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AGE GROUP 
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| Shorewatch
Newsletter
Volume 3 The
first issue for 1999 was sent out to the members that renewed, on 22 January
1999. This issue contained the report of the blue Spider Crabs, a large
Lobster
from
off Sussex, and other news items for the last 2 months of 1998. Features
included a summary of setting up a coldwater marine aquarium (see
Wet
Thumb) on 4 of the 16 pages, an Introduction to Jim Hall's new
Sea
Hunt series, and Rockpooling under
Worthing Pier.
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TORPEDO
33
March
1999
Electronic
News Service
ISSN 1464-8156
"It
has often been said that more people go fishing than watch football matches.
But for every well-equipped adult angler, round the corner are a dozen
muddy little tiddler-catchers.
There
can only be one possible conclusion.
TIDDLER-CATCHING
IS THE MOST POPULAR SPORT IN THE WORLD."
from
"HOW TO CATCH TIDDLERS"
by
Ian Russell
If you receive this Bulletin direct from the British Marine Life Study Society it will contain only *.htm *.gif & *.jpg files. It will not contain Active-X or Java Applets.
Renewals:
Thank you for renewing your subscription as a member for 1999. No further Renewal Forms or Shorewatch Newsletters will be sent out to1998 members.
However a form is available from the web site at:
Renewals 1999
New Members
Subscribers to Torpedo who wish to receive the written material as a New Member can find the Application Form at:
New Members 1999
DIARY
In chronological order, the most recent events are at the top of the page. Events
open to the public, free or for a nominal charge only are included. Most Seminars need to be booked in advance
1999
Wembury
Bay Rockpool Rambles
Contact
Wembury Marine Centre Tel: 01752 862538
Leaflet
from Devon Wildlife Trust Tel: 01392 279244.
12 February 1999
The
World of Seahorse
Exhibition at the National
Marine Aquarium at Plymouth due to open.
Seahorses are currently on display, but the new extended Exhibition will
be open to the public on this date.
National Marine Aquarium at Plymouth
NMA
Events http://www.national-aquarium.co.uk/visitor-events/55_events.html
1-3 March 1999
NEW
INITIATIVES IN COASTAL AND MARINE CONSERVATION
Conference
Plas
Tan y Bwlch Snowdonia National
Park Study Centre
Contact:
Dewi Jones Tel: 01766 590324 Fax: 590274
EMail
plastanybwlch@compuserve.com
Advance registration = £50. Total cost, incl meals = £280
20/21 March 1999
British
Coelenterate Society
Informal
meeting at Dove Marine Laboratory, Cullercoats, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
Contact:
Jeremy Thomason (before 26 February 1999)
Tel: 0191 222 8946
Fax: 0191 222
7891
EMail:
j.c.thomason@ncl.ac.uk
20/21 March 1999
Porcupine
MNH Society
Annual
meeting at Dunstaffnage, near Oban, west Scotland.
Contact: Robin Harvey
VISITORS CENTRE
Coastal
Visitors Centre
Salisbury
Gardens
Dudley
Road
Ventnor
Isle
of Wight
PO38
1EJ
Tel:
01983 855400
EMail:
coastcent@iwight.gov.uk
The
Centre covers many aspects of the coastal zone, which include coastal flora
and fauna, marine and inter-tidal archaeology, coastal defence and particularly
coastal instability issues.
Reports of marine wildlife from all around the British Isles, with pollution incidents and conservation initiatives as they affect the flora and fauna of the NE Atlantic Ocean.
February 1999
Four Risso's Dolphins, Grampus griseus, have been found washed up dead on Cornish beaches this year. Like the Common Dolphins, Delphinus delphis, which are always washed up at this time of the year, the dead cetaceans showed evidence of fishing net entanglements. Risso's Dolphins have only been recorded on Cornish shores 16 times since 1914. One specimen was stranded at Northcott Mouth, Bude, on the north coast.
Report by Colin Speedie, Seaquest SW.
12 February 1999
A Sturgeon, Acipenser
sturio, of 8.05 kg (nearly 18 lb) was
caught in gill nets off Looe, in south Cornwall, and brought into Plymouth
Fish Market.
Report by Alan Knight.
12 February 1999
The World of Seahorse
Exhibition at the National
Marine Aquarium at Plymouth opens. Seahorses
were already on display, but the new extended Exhibition opened to the
public on this date.
1 February 1999
A 3 metres* long Mako Shark, Isurus
oxyrinchus, (the consensus now seems that it
is a Porbeagle) was caught three miles off Brighton by cod
fishermen and brought into Monteum Fish Market at nearby Shoreham-by-Sea.
The shark weighed 172 kg (378 lb). The largest shark normally caught
in Sussex seas is the Tope,
Galeorhinus
galeus, and then only occasionally. Rarely Porbeagle Sharks,
Lamna
nasus, have even been caught, but this is my first report of a Mako.
Reported
in the Shoreham Herald.
[* One report said 2.2 metres, excluding the
tail fin?]
Shark Page
Letter to Shoreham Herald
PS: On further examination the shark looks like
a Porbeagle. Andy Horton 11/2/99.
Further investigation underway.
The consensus now seems that it is a Porbeagle.
Doug
Herdson, Marcus Goodsir, Pål Enger, Steve Barker & others. 16/2/99.
5 Porbeagle Sharks were landed at the fish market
in Plymouth from September 1998 to February 1999, the largest being a female
of 243 cm (115 kg). Doug Herdson.
The Porbeagle has a secondary caudal keel. The
Mako is a southern species, whereas the Porbeagle is a temperate water
species and found all around the British Isles.
Porbeagle Sharks
in the News 1998
28 January 1999
A 12 metre long Sperm
Whale,
Physeter macrocephalus, was
discovered swimming around in Weisdale Voe (off Hellister) at around 7.30
am. It gave excellent views to the numerous folk who congregated on the
shoreline to watch it as it swam around the voe, at times no more than
50 metres from the shoreline, ocassionally lifting its head clear of the
water. By noon it had moved further south, into the mouth of the voe, but
was still not clear of the Scalloway Islands.
More information including photographs can be
found at:
Shetland
Wildlife News Web Site
28 January 1999
A steel canopy is moored over the war grave and
wreck (sunk in 1939) of the Battleship "Royal Oak" in Scapa Flow
in the Orkneys to ameliorate the continual oil flow from the ship.
23 January 1999 to February 1999
A vagrant Bearded
Seal, Erignathus barbatus, has made a sustained visit to Hartlepool
in north-east England. It is over 2 metres long (6-8 ft), grey (more silvery
on underside), very short snout, dark chestnut eyes, long white 'moustache'
reaching to well below chin. It sits in water with head and back
out of water (apparently typical). It has been much photographed
and featured on the local NE BBC TV News on 27
January 1999.
Report by Jeff Higgett (Ipswich).
Seals Web Page
Bearded Seals are a non-migratory Arctic species
that feed on molluscs including clams. It is is so far out of its normal
range (there have only been 8 records in the Shetlands, all since 1977)
that I expressed doubts about its correct identification. Of the two species
of seals resident in British waters it is the Common Seal that has the
longest whiskers and the one that be most likely mistaken for a Bearded
Seal, if was not for the overall size. Common Seals do not exceed 2 metres
in length. Grey Seals reach 3 metres long, are commonly found off north-east
England. AH.
Bearded
Seal, Erignathus barbatus, Hartlepool Fish Quay, Teesside, January
1999
(Martyn Sidwell)
The photograph clearly indicates a Bearded Seal.
sent
in by Steven Gantlett (Editor of Birding
World)
Bearded Seal (More information)
FORUM
The Marine Life Forum is for observations and discussion items. The information of interest of other readers should be EMailed to:
EMail Glaucus@hotmail.com and marked "Forum" in the title of the message.
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FORUM PAGE |
Trent Dolphins
A report of dolphins has been received from the Trent at Gainsborough.
Has anybody seen these cetaceans or able to provide any more information?
Mystery Animal (probably a mollusc)
Found at Beer Cove, near Seaton
Colour is best described as a grey(ish) brown(ish), with off-white under parts.
Length: 37 mm Width 17 mm
The underside is similar to the average mollusc (gastropod [i.e. snail-like, or slug-like] or bivalve [i.e. cockle]?), and has a definite separate mouth part.
Hairs around the edge on mine are white(ish).
Shell is'nt hard as in a snail shell, more along the lines of the outer coating of a squash ball, firm but flexible.(This statement has been revised - now reckoned to be a hard shell when taken out of the tank.)
Yes, my creature does move about the tank quite
a lot, but only at night. Once the main lights have gone off and just the
actinic lamp is on , it will stir it'self and get ready to forage, but
will not come out until the tank is in darkness. Even during a spell of
night time watching with a shaded torch, you'll not see much of it. The
instant the light falls upon it, it's off into the rockwork. Sometimes
the lights do catch it out, and then it's like an aquatic greyhoundantennae
in and flat out for it's bolt hole!
from Richard Huggett (Eastbourne)
EMail: rich@huggett34.freeserve.co.uk
Please also send any replies to the BMLSS
EMail Glaucus@hotmail.com
Hello Andy,
Stone Crab
I am currently involved in an experimental fishery for Northern Stone
Crab (Lithodes maja) in Nova Scotia and have read that this
species occurs in European waters. I have been searching for anything relating
to this species. It seems very little scientific work has been done on
this side of the Atlantic.
We have had moderate success in our first year with catch rates
of up to 4 lb/ trap. Is there a fishery for these crabs in
Europe? Has there been any scientific research done on behavior, reproduction,
or moulting? I would enjoy any response you could give me. Do you have
any questions for me? Don't hesitate to ask.Thank you for your time and
consideration.
Michael Townsend
R.R #1
Sable River, N.S.,Canada
BOT1V0
Phone (902) 656 2428
email mikejewell@auracom.com
Cotton Spinner Holothuria forskali
The puzzle is the Cotton-Spinner's defensive behaviour.When attacked, it is described as turning its rear end towards the threat and expelling a stream of long sticky white threads forcibly from the anus.
And any sea animal that is lifted from the water into air, whether by a rockpooler or in a dredge, will be extremely alarmed and distressed, so probably almost all Holothuria will eject threads in this situation. If I am right, until diving became common almost every Cotton-Spinner people saw had either been exposed by turning rocks on the shore or brought up in a dredge, and ejected its sticky threads in panic; so this was accepted as normal behaviour at any disturbance.
I have corresponded with one or two people about the Cotton-Spinner, but I would welcome any readers' observations which shed further light on these animals, whether confirming my speculations or not.
POPULAR PUBLICATIONS
- Andy Horton's Shore Watch column in the Aquarist & Pondkeeper magazine:
Invertebrates Shorewatch Biological Recording 1998.
None received.
BOOK REVIEWS
RRP £27.95.
Over 500 pages absolutely packed with information about the wildlife, ecology, topography, man’s exploitation, and fishing are all reasonably well written, with a large number of Shetland native names appearing in the text.
The illustrations are by John Busby and their are colour photographs, diagrams and maps throughout the book.
Contents
Foreword by Magnus Magnusson
Preface
Chapters
1. Between the North Sea and the Atlantic
2. The Making of Shetland (D. Flinn)
3. The Holocene and the Shetlander
4. A Fragile Skin
5. By Sea and Air
6. Residents and Migrants
7. The Plankton, the Fish and the Whale (part I. Napier)
8. The Seabird Saga
9. The Fair Isle (R. Riddington and D. Okill)
10. Shetland Naturalists
11. Black Gold or Black Death
12. Sustainability and Survival
Bibliography
Appendices
1. Places to Visit
2. Protected Areas
3. Lists of Species
Glossary
Index
Cover illustration shows Arctic tern and phalarope.
Quotes:
Aquaculture is now more important economically than deep sea fishing .
In Foula the great skua (bonxie) used to be protected
because it mobbed the erne (sea eagle) and prevented it from .
A New Series as part of the TORPEDO initiative is now planned for 1999. This will feature a selected species of fish, crab, molluscs, sea anemone or some other invertebrate every month. If you wish to receive this service please indicate.
Torpedo EMail: Glaucus@hotmail.com
Originally, this service was planned for 1998. Try the following web pages:
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Featured Species Trial DataBase: Black Goby Gobius niger
PHOTOGRAPHS
The BMLSS will be presenting the Annual Photographic Exhibition to celebrate WORLD OCEANS DAY on 8 June 1999.
Print photographs should be sent in to Glaucus
House from March 1999. They could also be used on the BMLSS web sites.
However, if you have a large selection of your
own photographs, I would suggest that you should arrange your own exhibitions
at a Local Library or similar venue. We will help to advertise the event.
World Oceans Day: Details of the BMLSS Exhibitions:
The British
Marine Life Study Society Web Site has been included as an Encylopaedia
Britannica Recommended Site and included on the BBC On-line Internet
Guide.
| NEW | |
| Aquarium Net | Internet Publication for aquarists with extensive marine coverage. Very Good. |
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| Fishing News Homepage | Recommended, especially for books. |
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Contains information on seals and photographs |
| Seaweb | Links and News Bulletins |
| ENN (Environmental) News *** | News and campaigns |
| Planet Ark (Reuters) | News |
| Sea Mammal Research Unit | Update on seal populations,
diets,
telemetry etc. |
| BMLSS GATEWAY 1 |
| BMLSS GATEWAY 2: Britain & Europe |
| BMLSS GATEWAY 3: America & the Rest of the World |
| UK DIVING INFORMATION |
| DIVER MAGAZINE |
| BRITISH SUB-AQUA CLUB |
SPONSORS ARE INVITED FOR THE BMLSS WEB SITE FOR 1999
THE MINIMUM STARTING FUNDS REQUIRED FOR THE
PLANNED BMLSS 2000 SITE IS £150 PER YEAR
WEB SITE PAGE LINKS
| BMLSS (England) HOMEPAGE |
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| BMLSS (Facebook) |
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Some of the images may not display if you have changed your directory for downloaded files.
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Use these links if your are familiar with the scientific classifications of marine life |
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