Tuesday, April 07, 2009

CIEE (Bonaire) Announces Next Public Lectures

The CIEE Station on Bonaire is offering two new public lectures.  The first is tonight, April 7th, 2009 at 7:00 PM featuring various reports on the studies of the spring semester students.  The second lecture, by Ed Levin of NOAA, will be held on Thursday, April 9th, 2009, also at 7:00 PM.

Tonight’s lecture will feature the following students, who will present their findings of independent research projects:

Julie Sickels (Eckerd College, Florida) on the “Effects of Bird Feeding on Salina Infauna”

Katie Kirschbaum (University of Minnesota) on “Does Food Availability and/or Habitat Structure Attract Juvenile Fish to Mangroves?”

Michelle von Sternberg (Eckerd College, Florida) on “Are Differences in Feeding Strategies of the Bar Jack (Caranx ruber) Related to Foraging Success in Coral Reef Habitats?”

Nate Landry (University of Massachusetts) on “Risky Business: Trade-offs Involved in Shallow Subtidal Feeding Behavior in Parrotfish (Scaridae)”

Marylou Hildebrand (University of California) on “Comparisons of Epibionts in Two Species of Sea Turtle in Bonaire”

Alissa Rickborn (Arizona State University) on “Diversity of Reef Sponges and Their Competition with a Mon-native Tunicate”

Thursday’s presentation by Mr. Ed Levin of NOAA will discuss the “Effects of Oil on the Marine Environment, Contingency Planning and Spill Response.” Ed Levine is the Scientific Support Coordinator (SSC), representing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Response and Restoration (O R & R), in the coastal region from Connecticut through Delaware.

Both lectures will take place at the CIEE Research Station located at Kaya Gobernador N. Debrot 26.  All are welcome and entrance is free.  (Source:  CIEE Bonaire)

Monday, April 06, 2009

Bonaire Marine Park Rangers Ask for Help from Visiting Divers

It has recently been discovered that many divers have been putting dead pieces of coral rubble on top of living colonies to act as markers and ease their navigation back to the starting point of the dive.  Unfortunately, such actions cause the same result as any other contact from a diver--they can cause the corals to die.

In the image above, one can see the “marker” which was placed on top of a living colony of star coral.  Unfortunately, in the image below, one can see the tissue mortality which occurred from the “marker.”

Besides being illegal, this practice is entirely unnecessary if the diver has mastered a minimum of navigational skills.  The wounds produced by these markers are possible points of infection for different diseases such as black band disease or yellow blotch and can cause the corals to die.  The Bonaire National Marine Park is asking for the cooperation of divers to cease using such actions to mark an entrance or exit.  Instead, divers are urged to make inquiries with their diving facility as to other, non-injurious ways to find their way on a dive. (Source:  Bonaire National Marine Park)

Saturday, April 04, 2009

Delta to Add Additional Flight from Atlanta to Bonaire Starting October 2, 2009

Delta, the world’s largest airline, will be adding a second flight from Atlanta to Bonaire effective October 2, 2009, augmenting their already existing weekly non-stop flights from Atlanta and New York’s JFK.

Delta flight #671 will depart Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport at 4:00 PM, arriving into Bonaire’s Flamingo Airport at 8:05 PM on Friday evenings; flight # 670 will depart Bonaire on Saturday mornings at 9:00 AM, arriving in Atlanta at 12:25 PM, which allows plenty of time for onward connections. 

Changes in flight times are anticipated due to the Daylight Savings Time Change and holiday schedules, so Delta’s flight schedule should be consulted for exact times.  Also, during the year-end holidays, the flights for the last two weeks in December will operate on Saturday nights, returning Sunday mornings.  Delta will operate a Boeing 737-800 jet with seating capacity for 160.

Additionally, effective today, Delta’s new schedule will also contain amendments to their Boston timings so that it will be more convenient for those connecting to JFK from Boston. (Source: TCB-Bonaire)

Friday, April 03, 2009

31st Annual Kontest di Fli (Kite-Flying Contest) is Sunday, April 5th, 2009

Each year in the spring months, many children (and adults) on Bonaire enjoy the annual Kontest di Fli, or Kite-Flying Contest, which will be held for the 31st consecutive year this Sunday, April 5, 2009.

The contest will begin at 8:00 AM and continue all day long until 6:00 PM and is held in the Juventus field, located just behind Kooyman’s.  Each young contestant must create their own kite, and each one is unique and a personal work of art.  There are prizes for the smallest, strangest, most beautiful, the biggest, and the most original kites.  A grand prize is also awarded. 

For visitors who are lucky enough to be on Bonaire this Sunday, it’s a fun event to stop by and watch for an hour or two.  The atmosphere is picnic-like, and the children and their kites make great photographic subjects.  All are invited to stop by and watch.  (Source:  Extra)

Thursday, April 02, 2009

STINAPA and DCNA Offer Public Workshop on Invasive Lionfish Approaching Bonaire

As discussed in previous stories, the invasive lionfish is rapidly spreading throughout the Caribbean and it is expected to reach Bonaire’s waters soon.

This species is very well adapted to Caribbean waters, where it does not have any enemies. Lionfish are very successful predators and threaten to displace native fish and disrupt local fisheries. They feed on juvenile grunts, snappers, and groupers, among others. Since these young fish, prey of the lionfish, are not yet ready for reproduction, their removal from the food chain can lower the populations of very important ecological and economic species. Scientists have observed some lionfish eating up to 20 small fish in 30 minutes.

The Bonaire National Marine Park (STINAPA) and the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) are taking pro-active steps to educate both the general public as well as dive operators and their staff about controlling this invasive species. The workshop will be lead by Lad Akins (REEF) and Stephanie Green (Simon Fraser University).  Although some scientists theorize that “there is probably no way to stop the invasion completely,” a well informed community, and especially a well informed and pro-active dive staff, might be Bonaire’s best defense.  There will be workshops held for those working within the island’s dive industry, but a workshop will also be held for the general public, and all are invited to attend.

This workshop will take place on Wednesday, April 8th, 2009 from 7:00 PM until 9:00 PM and will be held in the conference room of Captain Don’s Habitat.  Entrance is free. (Source:  STINAPA and DCNA)