Introduction to Sustainable Seas Expeditions Kelp forest © JAMES FORTE by Dr. Sylvia Earle hroughout my Rhoda Goldman Fund announced an exciting T career as a and unprecedented mission into the oceans. scientist and ocean With a five million dollar grant from the explorer, I have Goldman Fund and additional support from the dreamed of making Society, the Sustainable Seas Expeditions, a five- ocean exploration and year project of ocean exploration and conserva- research accessible to tion focusing on NOAA’s national marine more people. Blessed, sanctuaries, was launched. as I have been, with Dr. Sylvia Earle These 12 marine sanctuaries rep r esent the best of the ability to go into the best of our nation’s marine environ m e n t s . the ocean, see its marvels Like our country’ s other crown jewels—the and puzzle over its mysteries, I come back from national parks—they are a legacy of our people every dive longing for others to have such and our ideals. They are the inheritance that we experiences. Children, fellow researchers, pass on to our children, and they to theirs. The politicians, poets—anyone and everyone should sanctuaries contain some of the most importa n t have a chance to explore this ocean planet. With working parts of our ocean life support system— new insights personally gained, there is hope the sheer abundance of species, the processes that that we will be inspired to do what it takes to sustain us, the substances of tomorrow ’ s medi- protect the natural systems that support us. cines, and perhaps, the very secrets of life itself. In 1998, the National Geographic Society Ranging from American Samoa to New England, invited me to become their “Explorer-In- they include Pacific and Atlantic haunts of Residence.” Partly, I think, because of my whales, sea lions, sharks, rays, and turtles; the experiences. But also because of my dream to overwhelmingly complex communities of coral use research and exploration as a way to energize reefs and lush kelp forests; the remains of as many new “Ocean Citizens” as possible. A numerous historically-valuable shipwrecks little later, the National Geographic Society, including the Civil War Monitoroff North the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Carolina—and who knows what else. Administration (NOAA), and the Richard & • 1 • I N T R O D U C T I O N Thomas Jefferson sent Lewis and Clark to explore and record the unknown resources of the American West. Sustainable Seas Expeditionscan produce significant discoveries and extraordinary educational experiences for millions through Beginning in April 1999, I will lead the expe- books, videos, and the Internet. In addition, the ditions to these protected areas, using data gathered during the Expeditionswill provide DeepWorker 2000, a tiny one-person sub- stronger foundations for marine research and mersible capable of exploring 600 meters conservation policies. (2,000 feet) beneath the surface. This innovative Whatever else we achieve, the ultimate success submersible technology will let us: will be to dispel ignorance about the sea. Of ~ Conduct the first sustained piloted explo- all the ocean’s problems, what we don’t know ration of the sanctuary system to depths of poses the greatest threat. My goal is to push that 600 meters (2,000 feet). frontier of ignorance further and deeper—and to return to the surface brimming with knowledge. Capture on tape and film the natural his- ~ Because with knowing comes caring, and with tory of each sanctuary’s algae, plants, and caring comes the hope that an ocean ethic will animals. arise that will secure a sustainable future for ~ Pioneer new methods to monitor and ourselves, our children, and for the seas. document the long-term health of the marine sanctuaries. The success of the Sustainable Seas Expeditions depends on many fellow ocean explorers. To Ultimately, with state-of-the-art exploration date, the Society and NOAA have been joined made possible by the DeepWorker, people will by the United States Navy, National Aeronautics see images and video of the ocean’s deep realms. and Space Administration (NASA), Monterey From inside this small craft, DeepWorker pilots Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), will experience and share a sense of the ocean Mote Marine Laboratory, Center for Marine from within, the way astronauts reported their Conservation, the National Science Teachers view of Earth from space, and opened new Association, and SeaWeb—and the list continues horizons for us all. These small spacecraft-like to grow. Join me and the 60 other DeepWorker submarines are magnets to children and veteran pilots and scores of support technicians, vessel explorers alike. By seeing the DeepWorker subs crew members, scientists, resource managers, up close at open houses and other public events, and other Sustainable Seas Expeditionsteam Sustainable Seas Expeditionswill fuel imaginations members as this dream becomes reality. and foster support for marine sanctuaries and conservation of our oceans. The depths of our ocean are as uncharted as the vast interior of North America when President • 2 • Sustainable Seas Expeditions Web Sites Orange sea star with brittle stars © JAMES FORTE wo web sites host information about Mission Logs—Reports the ongoing story of T Sustainable Seas Expeditions. The official Sustainable Seas Expeditionsincluding events, Expeditionssite reports day-to-day activities. The discoveries, and adventures of the mission second site, NOAA’s national marine sanctuaries participants; background essays about each web site, contains a wealth of information about expedition; interviews with sanctuary the sanctuaries and Sustainable Seas. These sites managers; site characterizations of each offer dynamic research tools that students and sanctuary; and natural and cultural resources teachers can use to explore our nation’s marine of the region. sanctuaries and follow Sustainable Seas Expeditions 2. The National Marine Sanctuaries exploration and research as it happens. The Web Site (http://www.sanctuaries.noaa.gov) major components of the two sites follow. This site provides comprehensive information 1. The Sustainable Seas ExpeditionsWeb Site about NOAA’s national marine sanctuaries. It (http://sustainableseas.noaa.gov) includes general information about the This site hosts the most current day-to-day marine sanctuaries program, specific informa- activities taking place during the Sustainable tion about the sanctuaries, and links to each Seas Expeditionsmissions. It includes features one. This site also includes an entire section such as: on Sustainable Seas Expeditions. Features of this site include: About Sustainable Seas—Describes the Sustainable Seas Expeditionsprogram; Science Investigations—Describes in detail the individual Sustainable Seas Expeditionsmissions Technology—Showcases the DeepWorker at each sanctuary, the scientific projects submersible and other technology such as related to these dives, and profiles of the NOAA ships and camera equipment; scientists; Online Calendar—Provides schedules of Maps and Data—Provides maps and data events including Expeditionsschedules, collected by Expeditionsscientists which open houses, Sanctuary Summits, web chats, students can use in tracking the scientific in- webcasts, and other opportunities at the vestigations or plotting and monitoring real sanctuaries; data. Maps of sea surface temperature will be available for each sanctuary as well as • 3 • S U S T AINABLE SEAS EXPEDITIONS WEB SITES tions of Sanctuary Summits and student projects, teacher workshops, sample activities, and an extensive resource and reference list; Photo Gallery—Displays stunning images that tell the story of each sanctuary. Images are three-dimensional renderings of categorized into The Living Sanctuary, DeepWorker’s undersea path; Habitats, Sustainable Seas Expeditions,and People in the Sanctuary. The Gallery will Education—Provides an updated calendar of also include a collection of student drawings. Sustainable Seas Expeditionseducation and outreach activities at each sanctuary, descrip- Student drawing • 4 • Background Information Siphonophore © MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM RESEARCH INSTITUTE, 1991 he following articles provide background T information that will be helpful when working with your students on the Investi- gations that follow. Each Investigation references one or more articles; some activities require students have their own copies of them to review. • 5 • NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuaries “Today, marine sanctuaries are places in the sea, as elusive In the years since that time, 12 national marine as a sea breeze, as tangible as a singing whale. Theye ar sanctuaries have been created. They include beautiful, or priceless, or rare bargains, or long-term nearshore coral reefs and open ocean, rich banks and assets, or fun, or all of these and more. Above all, sanctu- submarine canyons, intertidal areas, and sheltered bays. aries are now and with care will continue to be ‘special National marine sanctuaries range in size from less than places.’ Each of us can have the pleasure of defining what a neighborhood (Fagatele Bay, American Samoa—0.6 that means.” square kilometers or 0.25 square miles) to larger than the —Dr. Sylvia Earle state of Connecticut (Monterey Bay—13,800 square kilo- meters or 5,328 square miles). Sanctuaries harbor a W H AT ARE MARINE SANCTUARIES? dazzling array of algae, plants, and animals. These In 1972, as Americans became more aware of the protected waters provide a secure habitat for species close intrinsic ecological and