Palau reveals new fish species... Pacific dives recover novel fish... The bright blue damselfish is finally in the hands of science, blue damselfish found 120m down off Palau
for the images and Video please go to: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7564126.stm
Pacific dives recover novel fish...Marine biologists being filmed for a BBC TV series have confirmed an astonishing 13 new fish species on a single expedition in the Pacific Ocean.
The bright blue damselfish is finally in the hands of science.
The researchers have a further 15 animals they think may also be new to science but require additional study. The haul comes from deep dives made across reefs in Micronesia. The quest to find the novel fish is detailed in the series Pacific Abyss and includes the capture of a long-sought and spectacular damselfish. The team concentrated its efforts on waters referred to as the "twilight zone".
Sited some 60m (200ft) to 150m (500ft) down, this is a transition region between depths that still receive some sunlight during the daytime and waters that are in perpetual darkness.
The twilight zone is rarely explored, being below the activity of normal scuba activity but above the operations of most submersibles.
The scientists had to use sophisticated closed-circuit rebreather gear to avoid decompression problems. Even so, for safety reasons, their dives were strictly time-limited, and each sortie saw a quick scramble to net as many different fish as possible before the required slow ascent to the surface.
The newly described species include several new colourful damselfish in the Chromis genus; at least one new species of basslet (from the Plectranthias genus); an unusual hawkfish and a new species of butterflyfish.
The most spectacular recovery was of the bright blue damselfish found 120m down off Palau. This was described recently in the scientific literature by team-member Dr Richard Pyle, from the Bishop Museum, Honolulu, Hawaii.
The fish has been named Chromis abyssus in honour of the TV series.
The story is a more complicated one, however, because Dr Pyle first saw this fish more than a decade ago. Other researchers, too, had sightings, including one from a small submersible and another from a Remotely Oerated Vehicle (ROV).
It was during the BBC filming, though, that nine specimens were finally captured, allowing for an official scientific submission this year.
Discovery of a new fish species
Pacific Abyss starts its three-part run on Sunday, 17 August, on BBC One, at 2000 BST
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7564126.stm
Latest NEWS...Press Release from the BELAU ROYAL Yacht CLUB... EARTHRACE returns to Palau, Micronesia,
PRESS
RELEASE FROM PALAU, MICRONESIA!
For Immediate Release from the
Balau Royal Yacht Club
EARTHRACE
returns to Palau,
Micronesia.
What is earthrace?
The goal of Earthrace is to set a new world record
for a powerboat to circumnavigate the globe,
running 100% renewable biodiesel
fuel, and with a net zero carbon footprint.
The amazing Earthrace boat will make the attempt
starting from Sagunto in Spain. Earthrace is also
undertaking a two year promotional tour, visiting 100
great cities around the globe. The crew meet local
people, talk about their experiences, and most of all
connect with people about the need to get renewable
fuels into our energy mix and to inspire them to do
something themselves to minimise their impact
on the environment.
KOROR, PALAU, May 29, 2008:
Earthrace, the world’s
fastest eco-boat returns to Palau on its second
attempt to break the Round-The-World record set by
the vessel Cable and Wireless back in 1998. The
24,000 nautical mile journey began in Spain and has
included crossing the Atlantic Ocean, transiting the
Panama Canal, and crossing the Eastern Pacific
enroute to Hawaii. The current leg of the journey now
underway took EARTHRACE from Hawaii to Majuro,
Marshall Islands with Palau as the next refueling
stop before heading for Singapore.
The complete round-the-world itinerary includes
Sagunto (Spain) – Horta (Azores) – San Juan (Puerto
Rico) – Colon (Panama Canal, Panama) – Manzanillo
(Mexico) – San Diego (USA) – Maalaea Harbor, Maui
(Hawaii) – Majuro (Marshall Islands) – Koror (Palau)
– Singapore – Kochi/Cochin (India) – Salalah (Oman) –
Port Said (Suez Canal, Egypt) – Sagunto (Spain).
EARTHRACE powered in to Hawaii well ahead of the
record time however she suffered a fuel line failure
shortly after departure that reduced her to one
engine, slowing her progress from Hawaii to the
Marshall Islands where repairs were made to get her
back in the race. Even on one engine, EARTHRACE
manages 16 knots so despite the delays, she remains
very much in the race.
Skipper Peter
Bethune
said: “The progress we’ve made so far is nothing
short of outstanding, but it’s nervous times. There
are so many possible situations that can slow
you down when you take on a challenge as ambitious as
this, but the team has so far managed to overcome
every obstacle that’s been thrown at us. “We’ve
conquered the Atlantic and most of the Pacific, at an
average speed of 20 knots. The engine problem is a
setback but we have overcome challenges all the way
through the race so far.”
Earthrace is already beyond the half-way point on its
historic round-the-world record attempt to
circumnavigate the globe in a vessel powered by
renewable bio-diesel, a fuel created from plants and
waste materials. Given diminishing fossil fuel
reserves worldwide as highlighted by rapidly
escalating gasoline costs, EARTHRACES goal to focus
attention on the need to develop renewable sources of
energy makes more and more sense.
EARTHRACE is crewed by skipper Peter Bethune, New
Zealand; Robert Drewett, Britian; Mark Russel,
Britian; and Adam Carlson, Sweden. The Royal Belau
Yacht Club bestowed Lifetime Honorary Membership on
Skipper, Peter Bethune during his last visit to
Palau, recognizing him for his outstanding
accomplishments and contributions to the art of
circumnavigation.
EARTHRACE is scheduled to arrive in Koror, Palau late
Saturday evening, May 31. The public is invited to
join the Royal Belau Yacht Club in giving EARTHRACE
and her crew a warm welcome to Palau at the Royal
Belau Yacht Club, located at Sam’s Tours in Malakal,
immediately following port clearance and refueling,
Saturday evening.
On Sunday, EARTHRACE is open to the public for a
unique opportunity to get a close up view of this
radical wave-piercing high speed craft.
EARTHRACE is scheduled to depart late Sunday, June 1
or early Monday, June 2.
For more information, please contact the
Royal Belau Yacht Club at 488-4382 or contact
Sam’s Tours at 488-7267.
EARTHRACE on-line:
www.earthrace.net
Late NEWS...Ban on live fish export becomes law in Palau Micronesia a step in the right direction to preserve Palau's natural environment and unique Bio-diversity
...brought to you by palautours.com
Ban on live fish export becomes law in Palau Micronesia
a step in the right direction to preserve Palau's natural
environment and unique Bio-diversity.
See below excerps from a News Paper article by the
Horizon News Staff
With a stroke of his pen, president Tommy Remengesau, Jr. has put a stop to the export of live reef fish yesterday in Bai Mengeliakl,
Ngarchelong. Remengesau signed into law the Senate Bill.
President Tommy Remengesau, Jr. makes it clear, the significance of stopping the exportation of live reef fish yesterday.
We are proud to announce...the PALAU Tours website is almost completed...enjoy Micronesia like never before...
GD
© Gunther Deichmann
- Milky Way, Palau Micronesia