Cleaning up Mirissa Harbour

This sunny Saturday in Mirissa, Biosphere Foundation worked together with local Sri Lankan environmental heroes Tharindu and Raja and their clean-up squad to get the plastic pollution out of Mirissa Harbour. The youth group from Kalamitiya, along with some helpers from Mirissa, University of Ruhuna students, Mir crew members and a few local backpackers cleaned up about 100 bags of trash from in and around the fishing harbor.

The day began with a talk from Tharindu about why plastic pollution is such a big problem. He talked about how plastic doesn’t just make the beaches less beautiful, but also survives in the environment for potentially hundreds of years. Once plastic ends up in our oceans, it can entangle wildlife or be eaten, killing thousands of animals. It also can break down and end up in the food chain, meaning that when we eat fish we could also be taking in plastic and chemicals that are now part of their diet.

Tharindu and members of the Kalamitiya youth group

 

Throughout the cleanup, we tried to minimize the amount of plastic we were using: instead of single-use plastic bottles of juice or water, we enjoyed fresh king-coconut juice; instead of plastic garbage bags we used recycled rice bags and all lunches were wrapped in banana leaves and newspaper.

 Once at the harbor, everyone spread out for almost an hour of solid cleaning. Everyone had a lot of fun, despite the dirty work. The main items we were collecting were single-use plastics, like bottles, bags and food wrapping. This single-use plastic is the biggest problem, as objects that we use for a few minutes are made out of a material that can last a few hundred years. This bad design, along with a lack of knowledge about the problem, has meant that our oceans are slowly filling up with plastic.

It is thought that the Bay of Bengal, due to currents and wind, may be one of the most plastic-polluted parts of the ocean. Biosphere Foundation is looking forward to welcoming 5 Gyres on board this week to journey across the Bay of Bengal with plastic-trawling nets to investigate this problem.  For some information about our journey, check out this link: 5 Gyres Blog - Bay of Bengal

  After piling the rubbish onto a truck to be taken to the new recycling centre in Weligama, we all headed to the beach for an afternoon of volleyball and hanging out, then a beautiful dinner of rice and curry on Mir.

If you want to be part of the solution, try to reduce the amount of plastic you use, particularly single-use plastics. Take your own bag to the supermarket, get a reusable drink bottle & coffee cup and say no to straws. You can also do your own beach cleans, and share the photos online at the Two Hands Project.

 

For more photos of our cleanup, check out our Facebook page:

Mirissa Harbour Beach Clean photo album

A Trip to Trincomalee

Biosphere representatives Ellie and Alice were lucky enough to be involved in an education initiative run by some incredible local Sri Lankans. They travelled to Trincomalee on the 10^th of May and spent a few lovely days being welcomed by local friend Thunga. A friend of the Biosphere Foundation for many years, Thunga worked with Gaie Alling from 1983-1986 on by-catch studies and has remained a friend and carried on the work on his own. He and his family were very welcoming and showed off the beautiful town of Trinco.

Thunga (centre) and Gaie Alling have been friends since the early 1980s.

A group of about 30 children and teachers from 2 local schools gathered on Monday afternoon to hear a presentation by Tharindu Siriwardena about marine mammals. Tharindu is a Sri Lankan with a passion for cetacean conservation who Biosphere Foundation has worked with previously on projects such as the Kalamitiya Beach Clean . He talked about the basic biology of the animals as well as their value, specifically within Sri Lanka which is extremely rich in cetacean species. He highlighted the many ways in which dolphins and whales enrich our biosphere and then looked at some of the effects humans are having on these animals.

Local Trinco. ex-fisherman W.P. Thunga has been studying by-catch since the early 1980s.

 The presentation ended with question time and some movie footage of whales and dolphins. The children were enthralled and many overcame their shyness and asked questions. Interestingly, only one of the group had ever seen a dolphin, despite living on the coast.

 
We were inspired by the interest and enthusiasm of the children, as well as the knowledge and passion of Thunga and Tharindu. Biosphere Foundation hopes to support ongoing education efforts about marine mammals and conservation by such inspiring locals.

There she Blows!

This April, Mir and her crew have been sailing between the Maldives and Sri Lanka recording whales visually and acoustically. There is still much to learn about the populations and behaviour of these magnificent mammals. Biosphere Foundation is collaborating with the University of Ruhuna to create monitoring programs to gather data about the Cetaceans around the coast of Sri Lanka.

On board Mir with Captain Mark are Gaie, Carol, Ellie, Leina, and Alice.

Here are some of the crews experiences:

Alice Forest: “After searching for the whales for so long, particularly the elusive sperm whales, there are 2 memories that stick out, for completely contrasting reasons.

While steering the ship we were on constant lookout for the small white buoys or dark square flags that marked drifting fishing nets. For us, hitting one would mean potentially destroying an engine. For the whales and dolphins we were looking for, hitting a net could mean drowning and death. After a leisurely afternoon following the blows of several sperm whales, their behaviour suddenly changed. The whales were slapping their huge tails onto the water and a huge young male leapt clear from the water and smashed back down on top of the net in what seemed like anger. Previous breaches we’ve seen have been exuberant and graceful, but this was more like aggression. Further along the net another whale did the same and overall we saw 4 or 5 of these breaches. Was it a warning to the other whales? Or to us? Or anger about the animals caught dying out of our sight under the water?

The following day, we had a totally different experience. After more hours of trailing behind the lopsided blows of the sperm whales, the sun was setting. As we drifted along, the whales slowly popped up, one after the other, in line with the bow of Mir. Soon 8 whales were side by side, close enough to touch. After days of trailing behind, it seems they had accepted us into their pod. They hung out for a while as we all stood transfixed on the deck.”

Leina Sato: “There were too many memorable moments during this last expedition to pick just one. The amazing thing, too, was that so much took place in such a short span of time. Due to an unexpected and premature turn of the weather - the southwest monsoon was early and eager- it seemed it all "ended too soon". On the other hand, it also seemed we somehow managed - in the few days that we had- to cram a lifetime's worth of experience. You see, it was that rich and - surreal.

The three days we spent amidst the whales felt like an eternity. As Alice put it, it was as though we somehow transcended time and that we were always teetering on the edge between reality and the stuff of dreams. Actually, I remember her and I talking about our shared impressions - this was the second day, which we spent in the company of blue whales – so many blue whales- from early morning to late afternoon. In mid day, we stopped the engine and there was hardly a breeze or a current. And after a leisurely, hour long swim, drifting around Mir, listening to the chorus of the blue whales' breathing that glided peacefully to and fro a few hundred meters off the ship, we got out, and still dripping wet, had the best watermelon in our lives. With a deep sigh of content, we looked around ourselves and wondered out loud: "Could this be real?" We had bobbed around in the water in the hopes that one of the giants would surface next to us: although that did not happen - so close, but always just a little too far- we felt we were with them. Even without direct visual contact, we could somehow feel their presence all around us, hovering over Mir and the surface of the water.

Gaie estimated there to be about 8 individuals, but because they kept surfacing next to us, the number seemed to be much greater and that we were drifting imperceptibly in the middle of a blue desert surrounded on all sides by great whales. More than anything, the sense of peace was striking.

It is very probable that the surrealism of our experience was exacerbated by everything we'd gone through prior to it. You see, getting to the whales had been no small task- and that is a euphemism. I will spare you the details - suffice to say that we had to move through a lot of noise to arrive to where we were. The challenges arose on all fronts, and on all levels personal and collective - and had been of different natures: political, bureaucratic, societal, environmental, relational...Each appeared as symptomatic of the current state of the Biosphere. The experience was overwhelming: I personally felt to be confronted with all the things that were out of balance in our reality. Or- let me reformulate this in another light- all the things that needed transcending in order to live in a more coherent, healthy and overall happy world.

In the midst of that chaos, the prospect of the expedition- finding whales and hanging out with them- felt like a remote dream, seemingly out of reach. On the other hand, it was like a hopeful beacon, something to hang onto, the promise of better days ahead. I needed a story to stick to in order to tread forward and to keep convinced that this raw energy would somehow culminate in a "happy ending".

Carol Milner: “We were lucky with the weather; for a few days the sea was calm and it was easy to spot the whales. We were also listening on a hydrophone and using the sounds to guide us to the general area of the whales. The most delightful encounters were when the whales and dolphins came to hang around Mir – they found us! When we drifted at night it was possible to hear dolphins coming around the ship and occasional blows of larger mammals.

Listening to the underwater world became quite addictive – hoping for an elusive Blue Whale song or to hear a new call. There is great variety of whistles and clicks. The Sperm Whales were loud clicks and amongst them a big “Clang” which came from the large male we spotted later in the day.The Spinner dolphins and False Killer Whales had distinctive whistles but the Risso’s dolphins we heard and saw made a sound more like a quack of a duck.

      
False Killer Whale and Risso’s Dolphin.

We are very lucky to experience these magnificent creatures which are becoming rare in our troubled and polluted oceans. It will take an international effort to protect their habitat, feeding grounds, breeding grounds and migration paths, and an effort from every individual to make choices that do not compromise the diversity of life and the environment for future generations.”

Shipping lanes affecting whales worldwide

Ship strikes are a growing cause of harm and sometimes death for whales around the world. In Sri Lanka, carcasses have been observed directly on the front of ships and local fishermen reported 30 or more whales observed dead or maimed due to ship strikes in 2012. While there have been no studies published yet about the pygmy blue, Brydes or sperm whales in the Sri Lanka shipping lane, long term studies of blue whales in California showed ship strike as a major cause of mortality: http://www.cascadiaresearch.org/reports/Berman-Kowalewski%20%20blue%20whale.pdf

One of several blue whales that washed up on Sri Lanka's beaches last year as a result of ship strikes

Sri Lanka is situated on a major and fast-growing shipping lane, with some of the highest shipping densities in the world, making boat strike an obvious threat. In 2010, Dr Hiran Jayewardene (National Aquatic Resources Agency) reported that there was increasing numbers of whales being struck after being interviewed when a whale was brought into Colombo Harbor on the bow of a transport ship (Photo above taken from the Sri Lanka Sunday Times, 2010). Other people have referenced this situation online such as Sri Lankan marine mammal researcher Asha de Vos who hosts a blog with images and information about such strikes (http://whalessrilanka.blogspot.com). She was recently interviewed on the matter by the New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/03/science/traffic-in-sri-lankas-waters-threatens-blue-whales.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

 

There is a growing concern particularly for the pygmy blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus spp.), that are found day and night in the shipping lane off Sri Lanka’s southern coast. There are things that can be done to mitigate the problem, but it will take getting information about how many whales constitute the population, what is the behavior and distribution patterns off the coast and what is driving their movements near or far. With this information educated decisions can be made to try and reduce the interaction between feeding/sleeping whales and fast moving ships. Captain Raja (Raja & the Whales) has joined with us to collaborate with the University of Ruhuna in Matara Sri Lanka to start to answer some of these questions.

 

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Care for our blue planet, it’s ours to love.
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“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed individuals can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has” – Margaret Mead

Raja and the Whales

Mir is collaborating with an amazing whale-lover from Sri Lanka, Captain Raja.


Raja and Ellie enjoying king coconuts as the crew sets sail from Sri Lanka for the Maldives.

 

Raja has had a relationship with the sea since he was three years old, during which time he encountered many whales and dolphins and realized how crucial it is to protect the amazing biodiversity of Sri Lanka’s seas. His experience as a seaman and love for marine life has helped him develop a unique connection with cetaceans, which he now puts to use to protect them through education. We had the opportunity to go out on one of his whale watch trips and his love and respect for these magnificent animals was beautiful to witness. His boat follows the international whale-watching guidelines and usually is lucky enough for a private audience with at least one huge blue whale.  If you’re ever in Mirissa, you should go with him and see the whales though his eyes. For more information, check out his website:

http://rajaandthewhales.com/

Raja and Laser enjoy a welcome visit from Raja's ship while at sea.

Despite the threats facing blue whales in the Indian Ocean, meeting Raja made us hopeful for the future of the largest animal ever to have existed on our planet. The Biosphere Foundation are honored and excited to welcome Raja to the Mir crew.

Gulf of Mannar

After saying goodbye to our dear crew member Leina Sato (photo taken of Leina swimming with dolphins in Hawaii - The Sun, UK, March 6, 2013), we busied ourselves for the 2013 New Year with preparations for a Gulf of Mannar survey.

This included an easy sail to Mirissa Harbor with new crew members: Chris Cooke (photo of Chris with musician buddy Tim Esposito on sax - Durango Herald, March 6, 2013), Michele Decoust (http://www.micheledecoust.fr) and Gigi Coyle (http://www.gobeyondboundaries.org).







Gigi Coyle

Howard Martenstyn

We were the team to prepare for our second marine mammal survey with the Center for Research on the Indian Ocean Marine Mammals (CRIOMM) that would take us to the NW of Sri Lanka and into the Gulf of Mannar. Onboard with us for the voyage was the CRIOMM Director of Research, Howard Martenstyn and Roshan Abeywickrama from the National Aquatic Resources Agency.

 

     


Previous sightings of humpback whales on the West coast in the months of January and February were key in the decision to run transects across the Gulf of Mannar towards the Southern coast of India. This is also an area well known to “whalers” as an excellent place to find humpback whales and we hoped to find, photograph and record the songs of these whales to compare them with a population well studied off the coast of Oman. We set off along the southern coast of Sri Lanka on January 15^th with much energy and excitement to be back at sea. After a day of beautiful weather, we encountered gale force head winds (Beaufort 4-6) and persistent white caps that battered Mir. Initial transects were promptly aborted and Mir ran a new course up to the Bar Reef Sanctuary and along the 1000 meter continental shelf drop hoping the island of Sri Lanka would help protect us from the NNE winds.

Captain Mark, Gaie, Chris Cooke, and Michele Decoust

Drop off zones such as these often have upwelling events that trigger primary production and promote zooplankton blooms, which often support large cetacean communities. Thus, even though the weather was against us, we boldly sailed through the swell in hopes of any sign of marine life. Alarmingly, during the ten day voyage, we recorded a total of only ten cetacean sightings, three of which were positive identifications and only two were whales. Spinner dolphins were the most common and one early morning we glimpsed a humpback dolphin. It was on our return leg that 4 blows were sighted off starboard and were thought to be Brydes’ whales by experts onboard.

By the end of the voyage, we were all left wondering, where IS everyone? The lack of dolphin abundance and diversity was extremely concerning in addition to the even larger absence of any great whale species expected to be present. Poor sighting conditions alone were not enough to account for such low numbers.

Ellie Heywood, listening for evidence of whales and dolphins.

There has been a gillnet fishery by-catch of small cetaceans (in particular) that has been well documented over the years that may be responsible for the low number of sightings. On our return to Mirissa Harbor we also learned fishermen do engage in destructive fishing (dynamite and harpoon). On February 2, Emirates reported that about 100 spinner dolphins had been dynamited along with a school of tuna just in the area that Mir had been in the Gulf of Mannar. The use of illegal fishing methods such as laila nets which are often coupled with dynamite are devastating small cetacean populations as well as reefs. Both direct take and indirect take (by-catch) may be reducing many coastal populations of dolphins in Sri Lanka and severely endangering them.

The few sightings of great whales also caused us to discuss and consider what other impacts may be keeping whales away and/or causing harm. Gulf of Mannar is an area where oil drilling has begun and it is well known that seismic surveys can cause harm to marine mammals. The noise created by these surveys negatively impacts their reproductive activity, feeding behavior, and migration as well as an array of direct physical effects which may result in stranding and death. In 2009, the green light was given for a seismic survey of a large area including the Bar Reef Sanctuary and much of our survey route. While the need for petroleum and petroleum-derived products such as plastics often outweigh the negative consequences for the cetaceans as well as the tourism and fishing industries, it is possible to minimize the impact with thorough knowledge about the distribution and seasonal abundance of marine mammals. We truly hope the governments of India and Sri Lanka will help make this possible.

In addition to these threats, cetaceans of Sri Lanka and around the world constantly face other dangers such as ship strikes, plastics, over fishing and pollution. At the end of our voyage we were left saddened but determined as ever to continue efforts in support of the marine mammals we feel such a strong connection with.

Posted by Ellie Heywood

Andaman Islands and Bay of Bengal

The long awaited moment came and we departed Raffles Marina on November 22 for Sri Lanka to initiate research and education programs for the “Indian Ocean Marine Mammal Sanctuary.”
We said goodbye to many friends – Carol Milner, Cynthia Lazaroff, Sierra Silverstone and Yves de Leeneer – at a celebratory dinner by kerosene lamp.


Instead, Anouk Ilangakoon, renowned marine mammal scientist from Sri Lanka, and Dinouk Perera, recent graduate of James Cook University in Australia, joined our crew on behalf of the Center for Research on the Indian Ocean Marine Mammals in Sri Lanka.
Because of the paucity of data about marine mammals in the Bay of Bengal and particularly near the Andaman Islands, we chose a course for the “Ten Degree Channel” thinking we would probably see cetaceans in this region due to several parallel steep underwater canyons that run west to east. Deep drop-off areas usually go hand-in-hand with upwelling and large aggregations of zooplankton, which is the basic food source for larger marine organisms, including the great whales. Although the Indian Ocean Marine Mammal Sanctuary was declared in 1979, very little is still known where these animals migrate and it was our educated guess that they would be found feeding in these deep water troughs. Much to our delight, we sighted sperm whales as we approached the channel just as the sun was setting. Although it was too late to try and get close to them, we were thrilled to have confirmation that these great toothed whales migrate as far as the Andaman Sea.

                                            Photo – Robert Thoren

During the nineteen-day voyage, there were a total of forty sightings, which represented eleven different species. The most spectacular of all was a pod of striped dolphins that came racing towards Mir and danced about us with ecstatic enthusiasm as well as two bottlenose dolphins that joyously summersaulted alongside Mir. We also encountered two Longman’s beaked whales – allusive creatures that rarely are seen alive because they are deep divers that rarely spend time at the surface.
                                                                          Photo – Robert Thoren
All in all we loved the Andaman Sea and our time around the peaceful, undeveloped lovely Islands.
We stopped in Port Blair for fuel and found the port relaxed and easy, but sailors be wary of the Ten Degree Channel! On the day we crossed through the channel and reached the Bay of Bengal, a squall arrived bringing with it a racing current. Even with our sails raised and engine on full, we were moving backwards again through the channel! (Photo – Robert Thoren)
None-the less, our sail across the Bay of Bengal was beautiful and we were greeted in the middle of the ocean by Sri Lankan fishermen who provided us with cool watermelon and smiles about their homeport, Mirissa. With this omen, we arrived Galle Harbor on December 12 and made plans for celebrating the New Year in Mirissa located just around the corner on the Southern coast!

Posted by Abigail Alling.