Batteries at the bottom of the ocean
How can serious conservation efforts contend with the tide of bizarre and often misleading shark stories that break during summer ?
PHOTO : NOAA
Metallic nodules act like weak batteries , providing enough voltage to split seawater into hydrogen and oxygen
Batteries at the bottom of the ocean
Scientists have discovered that metal nodules on the seabed can create ‘ dark oxygen ’, independent of the sun ’ s influence . “ I first saw this in 2013 - an enormous amount of oxygen being produced at the seafloor in complete darkness ,” explains lead researcher Prof Andrew Sweetman from the Scottish Association for Marine Science . “ I just ignored it at the time , because I ’ d been taught - you only get oxygen through photosynthesis .”
Prof Sweetman and his colleagues carried out research on the abyssal plain between Hawaii and Mexico – a vast tract of seabed covered with these nodules . They form when dissolved metals in seawater collect on fragments of marine debris , a process that takes millions of years .
Almost half the oxygen we breathe comes from the ocean . But , before this discovery , it was believed to all come from kelps and seaweeds photosynthesising , powered by sunlight . Several mining companies have plans to collect the nodules , which marine scientists fear could disrupt the newly discovered process - and damage any marine life that may depend on the oxygen they create .
Silly season for sharks
How can serious conservation efforts contend with the tide of bizarre and often misleading shark stories that break during summer ?
I
should ’ ve known better but I did it anyway . I went on holiday . In July . Approximately 27 hours into my holiday the first call comes in . I missed it . I ’ m in the water ! But they keep ringing . And keep ringing . So , eventually , I take the call .
“ Hi Paul , it ’ s Amy from Talk Radio . Would you be able to come on this evening and talk about the sharks that have tested positive for cocaine . We ’ d like to know how cocaine affects sharks ”. I did the decent thing and suggested they call the office . Sorry .
A day later , it was the sighting of a ‘ shark ’ ( even the print media were careful enough to use the speech marks ) in the Thames . A little earlier in the month we had a video of a great white purported to have been filmed in Irish waters – a little digging revealed it was actually filmed in Australia . There ’ s never a shortage of shark stories in July .
It ’ s a long-held complaint from colleagues in shark world that the ‘ spawn ’ of Shark Week is a flurry of sensationalist and , in many cases , inaccurate media coverage . I have no idea if it ’ s true , but a journalist once explained that there ’ s a Catch 22 at play – shark stories get picked up in July , so media outlets create more stories . So , more stories get picked up and round it goes . It does seem that the number of calls for comment on one story or another increases exponentially . July ,
Thames-side scenery – where would you say the sharks reside ? for good or for bad , is most definitely Shark Month .
So , it makes sense to join the party . For our part , it ’ s as good a time as any to create a buzz around sharks . This year , in Plymouth , we teamed up with a host of local businesses to create a month of themed events ; Great Whites wine tasting evenings , a month-long Oceanic31 exhibition , a range of evening talks , a showing of Jaws , a beer partnership and quiz night with a brewery , a stand-up paddle parade , kids art activities and a live music session .
On top of that we had the third year of our Great Shark Snapshot , with sightings coming in from around the world . And in the US , we worked with aquarium colleagues to promote a range of activities around Shark and Ray Awareness Day . Thousands of US aquarium visitors learned more about sharks , took part in Great Eggcase Hunts and signed up to our Big Shark Pledge .
The serious business of shark conservation goes on . But we have to take a break from taking ourselves too seriously . The nonsense about sharks won ’ t go away . But we can try to drown it with positive stories and by getting out there and celebrating sharks with as many different people as possible . That ’ s what July should be about . That and taking a holiday . www . sharktrust . org
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