The Ocean Report: 1999

Hosted by Peter Benchley

The Ocean Report files are in Real Audio 28.8 format, and can be heard using the Real Audio Player.

January 1999

Port in a Storm (1/1/99)
A huge number of ships move through America's harbors each year. If just one runs aground, it can cause an economic and environmental nightmare. But a new system of navigation helps pilots avoid trouble.
Listen

Trawling Effects (1/4/99)
To catch scallops or prawns, fishermen drag devices called trawls along the ocean floor. The trouble is, this method of fishing is a lot like clear-cut logging in a forest -- it leaves many animals without a home.
Listen

Living Underwater (1/5/99)
Comfortable. Functional. A lot like camping in a trailer. That's life in Aquarius, a research lab that's under the ocean, near a coral reef off Key Largo, Florida. Scientists can live in Aquarius for days at a time.
Listen

"Funnies" are No joke (1/6/99)
What section of the newspaper do YOU read to learn about the ocean? How about the "comics" section? Cartoonist Jack Elrod has included ocean topics in more than 200 installments of his popular strip, "Mark Trail."
Listen

Kelp Forest Dive (1/7/99)
Take a walk in an undersea forest! When you dive into the watery world of a kelp forest, you'll see water plants as tall as trees suspended all around you. Kelp makes a home for hundreds of other ocean creatures.
Listen

Tagging Turtles (1/8/99)
Say you want to track the travels of a leatherback turtle. How do you attach a high-tech tracking tag to the turtle's slippery shell? Scientists are using a tool that was first developed for human surgery -- tiny bone-anchor screws.
Listen

Salmon and Sea Lice (1/11/99)
Something is killing the sea trout in northwestern Scotland. It's parasites called sea lice. Could the lice invasion have anything to do with the commercial salmon farms springing up along the coast?
Listen

New Shark Nursery (1/12/99)
Even sharks need a safe place to grow up. And the evidence suggests that the Gulf of Mexico off the Louisiana coast may be a kind of "shark nursery." But studies suggest that baby sharks get caught in nets set for other fish.
Listen

Coral Catastrophe (1/13/99)
"Black band disease," "white band disease," and "coral plague." Corals all over the world are succumbing to these diseases. The killers are so widespread, and so fast moving, it's hard to figure out what causes them.
Listen

Sea Slug Love Drug (1/14/99)
Birds do it, bees do it, even sea slugs in the sea do it. But how DO sea slugs find their soul mates? New research shows that the slugs send out a chemical that acts like a waterborne perfume. It sends out an irresistible smell.
Listen

Hanging With Drifters (1/15/99)
"Drifters" are free-floating buoys used for ocean research. If you want to hand around with some drifters, visit the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration web site: www.nbdc.noaa.gov.
Listen

Jamaican Marine Refuges (1/18/99)
Many of Jamaica's coral reefs are in ruins. To restore and protect them, the island nation has created a marine reserve that is bigger than many Carribbean countries. The management plan calls for community participation.
Listen

Environmentalist Profile (1/19/99)
Meet Doug Hopkins, a senior attorney at the Environmental Defense Fund. He grew up near the ocean -- and now, he works to defend it, by serving on the New England Fisheries Management Council.
Listen

DNA and Whale Migration (1/20/99)
You can identify an individual humpback whale by looking for distinctive marks on its flippers. Now, there's another way to identify individual whales -- by examining their genetic material.
Listen

Fish in Frisco Bay (1/21/99)
Fishing on the dock of the bay is how some folks put food on the table. But are those fish safe to eat? A study produced for the "Save San Francisco Bay" Association raises some concerns about contamination.
Listen

Penguin Passion (1/22/99)
Adelie penguins nest on piles of stones. Now, melting snow can flood the nesting grounds -- so the bigger the pile of stones, the more likely the nest will survive. That's why female Adelie penguins trade sex for rocks.
Listen

What's in a Name? (1/25/99)
What would YOU rather eat: "Spiny dogfish" or "rock salmon?" Well, that's a trick question. You get the same fish either way -- only the name has been changed, to boost buyer appeal at the fish market.
Listen

Coelacanth Conservation (1/26/99)
The ancient fish called coelacanths survive in the West Indian Ocean, off Grande Comoro island. Here, people catch these rare fish quite by accident. Conservation is a challenge, since the islanders must fish to survive.
Listen

New Coelacanths (1/27/99)
Once, scientists thought the rare fish called coelacanths lived only in the Indian Ocean. Then, a scientist vacationing in Indonesia made a stunning discovery -- while visiting a local fish market.
Listen

More Mercury (1/28/99)
Scientists who studied museum specimens of birds collected near the islands of the Azores found find mercury in the feathers -- and the amount of mercury has increased in recent decades.
Listen

Sea Cliff Submarine (1/29/99)
Scientists are pulling parts out of an old U.S. Navy submersible to rebuild the legendary deep-diving craft, Alvin. When the upgrade is complete, Alvin will again be at the forefront of deep-ocean exploration.
Listen

February 1999

Underwater Think Tank (2/1/99)
The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute specializes in new ways to explore the ocean. Teams of researchers adapt the latest developments in technology for use in oceanographic research.
Listen

Bluefish Blues (2/2/99)
In 20 years the Atlantic bluefish population has shrunk from 200 million bluefish to only 50 million. "Overfishing" gets the blame-but it may NOT be the only factor. Bluefish undergo a natural cycle of population highs and lows.
Listen

Saved at Sea (2/3/99)
"SARSAT" stands for Search and Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking system. It's an international service that locates boats, planes, and people in distress. And since 1982, it's saved more than 8 thousand lives.
Listen

Hurricanes and Beaches (2/4/99)
Last September, hurricane Bonnie ripped into Topsail, North Carolina, with a vengeance. That was bad for Topsail residents -- but it was good for hurricane researchers who studied how a powerful storm reshapes a beach.
Listen

Big Predictions (2/5/99)
The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration doesn't need a crystal ball to predict the weather. Instead, researchers look to the sky -- and the ocean -- to generate long-range forecasts.
Listen

Penguins Feel the Heat (2/8/99)
In Antarctica, Adelie penguins eat tiny shrimps; the shrimps eat tiny, one-celled plants; and the plants grow underneath the ice that forms around Antarctica. With global warming, there's less ice -- and fewer penguins.
Listen

Sky-based Census (2/9/99)
It's hard to get a head count of the big snails called abalones. But an eye-in-the-sky may help get the low-down on these bottom-dwellers. Remote sensing from airplanes may let scientists study the kelp plants abalone live on.
Listen

Port of Oakland (2/10/99)
When a ship dumps its ballast water in port, invasive species from overseas get dumped out too. California activists have worked for regulations that will require ships in the Port of Oakland to switch to protective practices.
Listen

Unbearable Attack (2/11/99)
In traditional Asian medicine, a polar bear's gall bladder is worth its weight in gold. That tempts hunters to poach the protected bears. One environmental group is working to prevent this kind of "gall bladder attack."
Listen

Shrimp Sex Life (2/12/99)
You could say that shrimp have their sex life under control. At least, some female shrimp do. After they mate, female pinead shrimp store their partners' sperm. So the females decide when the eggs will be fertilized.
Listen

"Project Impact" (2/15/99)
The US Federal Emergency Management Agency has spent $20 billion rebuilding communities after natural disasters. But now there's "Project Impact." It helps seven pilot communities stay safe -- and keep damages low.
Listen

Jamaican Marine Refuges (2/16/99)
Enforcing the rules in Jamaica's marine refuges takes more than grand gestures -- it takes a village. Members of a corps of honorary game wardens work to protect the refuges in their own communities.
Listen

Squid Vision (2/17/99)
How do you hide in open water? Some tiny ocean creatures have see-through bodies-they're almost invisible. But that doesn't protect them from squid. Squid see right through this trick, thanks to a special pigment in their eyes.
Listen

Turtle in Training (2/18/99)
Myrtle the Turtle is lending an ear to science. The quarter-ton green sea turtle is a long-time resident of the New England Aquarium. Now, she's being trained for a special study of how and what turtles hear.
Listen

Entanglement Trouble (2/19/99)
In February, humpback whales congregate around the Hawaiian Islands, Here the females give birth, and raise their young. But February is also the time when whales are most likely to find a tangle of trouble.
Listen

Sapelo Island (2/22/99)
Off the coast of Georgia lies Sapelo Island. It's a place where you can step back in time and see the natural world undisturbed, as it once was. The island is also a U.S. National Estuarine Research Reserve.
Listen

Crittercam (2/23/99)
Scientists are attaching waterproof cameras to the backs of marine mammals such as harbor seals and sea lions. This approach gives researchers a unique view of how these animals make a living in their underwater world.
Listen

Serial Overfishing (2/24/99)
If a serial killer were loose in the Florida Keys, that would be big news. What's happening is more insidious -- it's called "serial overfishing." Fishermen are taking the big fish from the reef, one by one.
Listen

Patagonian Toothfish (2/25/99)
Have you seen "Chilean Sea Bass" at your local fishmarket? That's just another name for Patagonian toothfish. They swim in the icy waters near Antarctica. These slow-growing fish are in trouble because of illegal poaching.
Listen

Penguin Population Crash (2/26/99)
Recently, scientists made the first head count of penguins on the Falkland Islands since the 1930s. They were mystified to discover that the number of penguins on the islands has taken a nose dive.
Listen

March 1999

Bebee's Bathysphere (3/1/99)
Until 1930, the deepest anyone could go in the ocean was a few fathoms. Then Dr. Beebe invented the 'bathysphere," a steel ball lowered from a ship on a long cable, and ocean exploration was changed forever.
Listen

Get the Nitrogen out (3/2/99)
Until recently, even the best sewage treatment plants released nitrogen into rivers and coastal waters. And nitrogen fuels the growth of harmful algae. A new process uses bacteria to get sewage treatment plants to come clean.
Listen

West Coast Cleanup (3/34/99)
Recently, twelve different U.S. government agencies collaborated on the biggest-ever survey along the southern California coast. This landmark effort allowed scientists to draw some big conclusions.
Listen

Find the Titanic (3/4/99)
After the Titanic went down in 1912, finding the ship seemed impossible. But, in 1985, the three passenger submersible called Alvin made it possible for human eyes to look on the ill-fated ship once again.
Listen

Peter's Petrels (3/5/99)
What's in a name? For the tiny seabirds called storm petrels, more than one meaning. "Petrels," from the French for "Little Peter," can also be known as "Mother Carey's chickens." Sailors call on these legendary birds for protection.
Listen

Basking Shark (3/8/99)
The basking shark is one of the largest fish in the ocean, and it lives on the ocean's smallest animals. By mapping this shark's feeding patterns, scientists are tracking larger trends in ocean productivity.
Listen

By a Whisker (3/9/99)
Harbor seals use their whiskers, which have extremely sensitive hairshafts, to detect minute movements in the water. The information helps the seals to zero in on prey. This research shows how well suited seals are to their habitat.
Listen

White Abalone (3/10/99)
Off the coast of Southern California, white abalones used to carpet the bottom. But in just 20 years, abalones have been fished to the point of no return. Without drastic interventions, they'll soon be extinct.
Listen

Life at the Bottom (3/11/99)
Hydrothermal vents are places where superheated water and lava well up from the ocean floor. But a short distance from these vents ' temperatures go down and chemicals are diluted. Here, deep-ocean life finds a home.
Listen

Cyanide Fishing (3/12/99)
A plate of fish lips sells for two hundred dollars at Hong Kong restaurants ... and the price keeps climbing. There's also a hidden cost to this trendy delicacy -- coral reefs are being killed to get it. These lips may be the kiss of death.
Listen

Digging for Dinner (3/15/99)
As you walk along the beach, you may notice shorebirds poking at the sand with their long beaks. It looks like a haphazard way to find a meal. But this is the expert technique of a skillful hunter.
Listen

Fisheries Management (3/16/99)
To keep fish populations healthy, you must promote sustainable fishing practices. Greenpeace has released a document called "Principles for Ecologically Responsible Fisheries," to serve as guidelines.
Listen

Picky Eaters (3/17/99)
Oysters have the amazing ability to filter-feed and separate tiny food particles from the less desirable stuff. Using microscopic hairs called "cilia," oysters can sweep tasty algae deeper into their guts and toss inedible debris away.
Listen

Salmon Farming (3/18/99)
Scotland has more than 350 fish farms where salmon are reared, but there may be a cost to the environment. A recent shows that paint on fish cages is contributing to metal pollution, which may harm seafloor animals.
Listen

Sea Squirts (3/19/99)
Sea squirts are ocean animals that look like kitchen sponges. They live attached to rocks in the tidal zone, so they have no way to run from predators. Instead, they use chemical defenses that may also be cancer fighters.
Listen

Species Shift (3/22/99)
Scientists who study climate change predict that animals will shift their home bases to stay in the right temperature zone. Off the California coast, there's already evidence for this theory. These findings could be globally important.
Listen

Steller Sea Lions (3/23/99)
Stellar sea lions are as much an emblem of Alaska as glaciers or grizzlies. But in the last 20 years, the number of sea lions has dropped 75 percent. Changes in their ecosystem may be affecting their diet.
Listen

Circulation Experiment (3/24/99)
When you get the weather report, the long-range forecast covers no more than a week. Imagine getting a weather report years in advance. To make it work, scientists look at the ocean instead of the atmosphere.
Listen

Fossil Fish (3/25/99)
Scientists once thought the coelacanth was extinct. This unusual fish was known only from fossils. Then, sixty years ago, a living fish was discovered. But will coelacanths still be around in the new millennium?
Listen

Last Frontier (3/26/99)
Outer space and the deep ocean pose similar research questions. Working in both places requires taking your environment with you. The underwater research lab Aquarius takes us closer to understanding Earth's final frontier.
Listen

Decompression Sickness (3/29/99)
Whales and dolphins can dive deep, then swim to the surface quickly. But a human diver who surfaces too quickly will feel the pain of decompression sickness. Today you'll learn why this illness is called "the bends."
Listen

Combatting Sea Lice (3/30/99)
If insects attack a farmer's crops, the solution may be to spray an insecticide. Fish farmers also use insecticides -- to kill parasites called sea lice that attack their fish. Trouble is, insecticides kill more than the pests they target.
Listen

The View from Space (3/31/99)
Astronaut Kathy Sullivan talks about your view of the ocean from space. When the orbital track and viewing angle are just right, the sun's light scattering off the water lets you see internal waves and water flow patterns.
Listen

April 1999

Twenty Questions for Coral (4/1/99)
You've played the old-fashioned game of "Twenty Questions," where you ask, "Is it animal, vegetable, or mineral?" If you ask these questions about coral, the answer, in a way, is "All of these."
Listen

Chesapeake Sturgeon Study (4/2/99)
Atlantic sturgeon were abundant in Chesapeake Bay till fishing took a toll. In response, fisheries managers set limits on the sturgeon catch. Yet even with years of protection, these fish have not recovered-why?
Listen

Too Hot for Guillemots (4/5/99)
When the climate in Alaska grew warmer, the seabirds called guillemots took advantage of the change and started nesting farther north. But then the warmer weather got to be too much of a good thing.
Listen

Shell Collecting (4/6/99)
Beachcombing for sea shells is one of life's little pleasures. Yet shell collecting-and the commercial trade in shells-may be harming some mollusks. Scientists are weighing the impact of selling seashells from the seashore.
Listen

Beringia Park (4/7/99)
Between the United States and Russia is an expanse of islands and oceans called Beringia. The two nations are working together to create an international park that would protect both the land and ocean ecosystems.
Listen

The Law Has a Limit (4/8/99)
Laws can be useful in protecting the ocean. But to solve some problems, you need more than just a legal document. You need policy created at the local level. People are more likely to follow the law when they help create it.
Listen

Ocean Climate Change (4/9/99)
Most scientists agree: The world's climate IS changing. So now it's time to address some related issues: How fast is the climate changing? And what is the ocean's role in the change?
Listen

Fish that Switch Sex (4/12/99)
The tiny fish called blue head wrasse can change their sex, from female to male! Researchers once thought the sex organs controlled the switch, but new studies show the source of the change is all in their heads.
Listen

Bottlenose Whales (4/13/99)
Meet a member of the "beaked whale" family. These small whales were once hunted for their meat and oil. Even though they're now protected, bottlenose whale populations still have not recovered.
Listen

What is a Coral Reef? (4/14/99)
Coral reefs are called "the rainforests of the sea" because they're home to so much life. Coral polyps secrete stony skeletons that are the reef's building blocks; other creatures, like tube worms and mussels, help to strengthen it.
Listen

Navy Bells (4/15/99)
Today, the answer to a question from an "Ocean Report" listener: How does the Navy use bells to keep time on board ship? If you know the answer, just chime in as we toll the bell for the changing of the watch.
Listen

Assess Coastal Health (4/16/99)
A doctor orders tests to check your health. In much the same way, scientists do tests to chart the health of the ocean. And it's not enough to test just the water-you have to also test the creatures that live in it.
Listen

Big By-Catch (4/19/99)
In New South Wales, Australia, shrimp fishermen used to haul in ten pounds of so-called "by-catch" for every pound of shrimp taken. Now, one scientist has developed a new device that lets fish swim free -- reducing the waste.
Listen

Ocean Memory (4/20/99)
NOAA's Dr. James Baker calls the ocean "the memory of the atmosphere." When conditions on Planet Earth change, the ocean remembers -- by recording atmospheric changes as changes in deep-ocean currents.
Listen

Seaweed Scarf (4/21/99)
When you venture out in winter, you probably wear a cozy scarf as protection from the cold. Believe it or not, mussels that cling to rocky shores can also benefit from a warm scarf -- but this scarf is made of seaweed!
Listen

Striped Bass Chronicles (4/22/99)
Today "Ocean Report" reviews a book that's a kind of love story. In 'The Striped Bass Chronicles: The Saga of America's Great Game Fish', author George Reiger mixes his own fish stories with a conservation message.
Listen

Offshore Drilling (4/23/99)
In Sable Gully, off the coast of Nova Scotia, lie rich deposits of natural gas. But Sable Gully is also a home for northern bottlenose whales. And conservationists are concerned about how drilling for gas could harm them.
Listen

Buoy Tender (4/26/99)
When you drive your car, you rely on traffic lights and lane markers to guide you. Boats rely on buoys to navigate in harbors and shipping lanes. Today's show takes you on a tour of a U.S. Coast Guard ship that's a high tech buoy-tender.
Listen

Restoring Coral Reefs (4/27/99)
In many places around the world, coral reefs are being smothered by dense forests of seaweed. But scientists can cut back the overgrown algae and restore the reef using garden-variety technology -- and some elbow grease.
Listen

Keep Track of Krill (4/28/99)
Krill are tiny animals that look much like shrimp. In the Antarctic, they're a major food source for predators such as whales and penguins. But krill are food for humans too -- and that may be one predator too many.
Listen

Nautical Miles (4/29/99)
If you've travelled on a boat, you've probably heard the captain talk about distance in terms of "nautical miles." On today's show, you'll learn the difference between miles on land versus miles at sea.
Listen

Salmon Shift (4/30/99)
Recent climate changes have warmed up the Pacific Ocean. And some ocean creatures just can't take the heat. Scientists say if the trend continues, one species of salmon may no longer swim in these waters.
Listen

May 1999

Humans and Dugongs (5/3/99)
In Australia, the marine mammals called dugong face many challenges to survival. They're hunted for their meat, and they drown in fishing nets. Coastal development and poor farming techniques destroy dugong habitat.
Listen

Bottom Trawling (5/4/99)
To catch bottom-dwellers like shrimp and flounder, fishermen drag heavy nets called trawls. Trawlers used to avoid rough terrain, because the rocks and rubble could damage their nets. But then came the "rockhopper."
Listen

Cold Condensation (5/5/99)
Did you know pesticides that are sprayed on crops in the United States and the tropics end up in the Arctic Ocean? These chemicals ride air currents to the north, then condense in the cold to produce a toxic fallout.
Listen

Boston Harbor Cleanup (5/6/99)
The Boston Harbor Cleanup Project is an environmental success story. Today, fish, seals, and porpoises have returned to waters that once were poisoned by poorly treated sewage effluent.
Listen

Weather Forecasts That Work (5/7/99)
By studying ocean processes, scientists hope to make better weather forecasts. But not the average daily forecast. Instead, experts hope to turn long-term forecasts into tools to plan and protect your investments.
Listen

Scientific Fishing (5/10/99)
Dick Allen has been a lobsterman since 1963. But he's also a fisheries consultant. He says conservation and fisheries management ARE compatible -- and you can actually make money by investing on conservation.
Listen

All About Penguins (5/11/99)
On today's show, meet Dr. Dee Boersma, a professor at the University of Washington. She studies Magellanic penguins, including some pairs of penguin parents that have been together for more than 15 years.
Listen

Faithful Turtles (5/12/99)
Sea turtles spend most of their lives at sea. But they leave the water to lay their eggs. Research shows female turtles return to the beach time after time. The question is, do they return to the beach where they were born?
Listen

New Zealand Trawling (5/13/99)
Spirits Bay, New Zealand, is known to the Maori people as a magical place. But it's also known as a place to fish for scallops. And that's the rub -- or the "drag and scrape." Dredging for scallops is harming other rare species.
Listen

Lobster Boom-and Bust (5/14/99)
Right now, in the Gulf of Maine, lobster fishing is at an all-time high. Does that mean the ocean ecosystem is in good shape? Not necessarily. Lobsters are plentiful now because the fish that once ate them are gone.
Listen

Reefs Now and Then (5/17/99)
Dr. Bob Steneck, a scientist who studies coral reefs, describes his visit to a reef in the Caribbean. On his first visit, 25 years ago, the reef was pristine and swarming with life. Today, the changes are shocking.
Listen

Little Spills, Big Problems (5/18/99)
Big oil spills like the Exxon Valdez devastating. But they mask the fact that little spills can add up to big problems. Small motorboats with outboard engines are some of the biggest pollutors.
Listen

Salmon Farming (5/19/99)
Salmon farms, fish live in mesh pens and get food from a machine. The trouble is, extra food sinks through the pen to the ocean floor, where the fish can't reach it. That pollutes the water. Today, learn about a handy solution.
Listen

The Ocean Points the Way (5/20/99)
Long before such events as El Nino occur, the ocean sends out messages about the coming changes. Luckily, a high-tech system of buoys in the South Pacific is ready to intercept these messages and send them to scientists
Listen

Coastal Clean-up (5/21/99)
On the third Saturday in September, people around the world talk trash about the ocean. They're part of the International Coastal Cleanup. YOU can help in the effort to collect garbage . . . and information.
Listen

Ocean Bowl (5/24/99)
There's the Rose Bowl, the Orange Bowl . . . and then there's the National Ocean Sciences Bowl, where high school students tackle ocean questions. This contest is a great way to get kids hooked on ocean science.
Listen

International Ocean Observing (5/25/99)
To study the entire ocean, scientists need information from around the globe. Two international organizations, called IOCCG and SIMBIOS, make it possible for scientists to share their data.
Listen

Just Another El Nino (5/26/99)
The extent of the weather phenomenon called El Nino may vary. But the tell-tale signs that say an El Nino is on the way stay the same. Scientists can now read the message that the ocean has been sending all along.
Listen

The Dead Zone (5/27/99)
Every summer, rainstorms wash nitrogen fertilizers out of farm fields and down the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico. The fertilizer feeds the growth of algae -- and that robs the water of oxygen, creating a "dead zone."
Listen

Coral Pathology Center (5/28/99)
Take a dive on a coral reef in the Caribbean, and chances are you'll see some pretty sick coral. Right now, there's an epidemic of coral disease. One scientist wants to create a new center to study these diseases.
Listen

Arctic Pollution (5/31/99)
When researchers in Quebec tested mothers' milk for toxic compounds like PCBs and DDT, they were stunned to discover pollutant levels were much higher in samples from the apparently pristine north than the industrialized south.
Listen

June 1999

Museum of Man in the Sea (6/1/99)
For 5,000 years, humans have explored the undersea world. A special museum in Panama City Beach, Florida, run by the Institute of Diving documents the history and technology of underwater exploration.
Listen

Environmental Hotspots (6/2/99)
The ocean holds so many kinds of life, and unfortunately, many lifeforms are threatened in some way. So when you think about a plan for protecting ocean life, you have to ask the question "where do you start?"
Listen

Seaing Eye Project (6/3/99)
In a Boston University program called the "Seaing Eye Project," scientists are using underwater cameras to educate commercial fishermen about how trawling and dredging affect habitat on the bottom of the sea.
Listen

Sea Urchin in the Balance (6/4/99)
Sea urchins graze on kelp, keeping these underwater "forests" under control. But fishermen are taking the urchins, so the kelp is spreading -- and so are tiny crabs that prey on young urchins. The system is unbalanced.
Listen

Crittercam (6/7/99)
Scientists are sticking waterproof cameras on the backs of seals and other sea animals. This new research tool has aided some important research efforts, from studies of harbor seal mating to conservation plans for Hawaiian monk seals.
Listen

Yellowstone Under the Sea (6/8/99)
Never mind the geysers at Yellowstone National Park -- the most numerous geysers on Earth are the "Old Faithfuls" of the ocean. Today, meet a scientist who studies these wellsprings of heat and life.
Listen

Cultural Uses of Dugongs (6/9/99)
In Australia, the slow-moving, plant-eating marine mammals called dugongs are at risk of extinction. And that would be a loss to human culture as well as to the environment.
Listen

Restless Sea (6/10/99)
Fifty years ago, Rachel Carson wrote "The Sea Around Us". One chapter was called "The Restless Sea." Writer Robert Kunzig, inspired by Carson's word, uses this as the title for his new book about the ocean.
Listen

Environmental Education (6/11/99)
Before the ocean environment can change, people need to change their ways. Dr. Laurence Mee says, one way to spark change is through environmental education, especially programs aimed at school children.
Listen

Safeguarding the Ocean (6/14/99)
Groups and governments have great ideas about how to protect the ocean. But Anne Platt McGinn, researcher at WorldWatch Institute, says these ideas won't hold water unless they have strong grassroots support.
Listen

St. Lucie Study (6/15/99)
In the spring of 1998, something disturbing happened in Florida's St. Lucie Estuary. Many of the fish developed ugly sores and lesions. A fungus seems to cause the lesions; why fish are susceptible to the fungus is another question.
Listen

Pollution Problems (6/16/99)
In some developing countries, the only sewage treatment facility is nature. In Tanzania, raw sewage is dumped right into the ocean, and the ocean is just not able to handle the overload.
Listen

Shrimp Cocktail (6/17/99)
Piled on ice at the grocery store, one shrimp looks like another. But two kinds of black tiger shrimp actually exist. And with so many shrimp being raised on farms, scientists are concerned that the two tigers may meet and mingle.
Listen

Birds and Fishing (6/18/99)
If you're a bird, sometimes it pays to hover near a fishing boat. You can feast on the leftovers that get thrown overboard. But then, there are times when the temptation to grab an easy meal ends in death.
Listen

Are the Laws Too Loose (6/21/99)
Scientists who tested whale meat sold in a Japanese department store found that the meat came from a protected species of whale. The meat was for sale, yet no laws had been broken. Are the laws too loose?
Listen

Oyster Parasites (6/22/99)
Some pretty sick oysters live in the Chesapeake Bay. They're infected with a parasite called Dermo. Now, if YOU eat a sick oyster, this parasite will not harm you -- but Dermo still may affect your quality of life.
Listen

The Ocean in the News (6/23/99)
Meet Charles Alexander, International Editor of Time magazine. He says the Year of the Ocean helped focus media attention on the ocean. Time magazine is doing its part with a series called "Heroes for the Planet."
Listen

Amphipod Parents (6/24/99)
Maybe you think cold-blooded sea creatures are also cold hearted when it comes to family values. In fact, responsible parents come in all sizes and species. Today, a look at the family life of the sea creatures called amphipods.
Listen

Fish Know No Borders (6/25/99)
Fish don't follow lines on a map. Though many commercially important fish breed in coastal waters that are governed by the states, they spend the rest of their life cycle out at sea -- often in federally regulated waters.
Listen

Satellite Tracking (6/28/99)
Whales and whale sharks, sea turtles and seals -- they're all being tracked via satellite. YOU can track ocean animals, too -- on the web! Visit whale.wheelock.edu, or check the links at our website: www.oceanradio.com
Listen

Genetic Tags (6/29/99)
Biologists use plastic or metal tags to keep tabs on ocean animals. But they can also use mother nature's tags -- "genetic tags." Scientists can identify individuals and members of populations by looking at their genetic material.
Listen

New Vents, New Life (6/30/99)
On the sea floor, underwater geysers heat up the ocean water. They add chemicals to the water. And they also add . . . life. Scientists have discovered new types of heat-loving bacteria in and around these vents.
Listen

July 1999

Ocean Under Assault (7/1/99)
Everywhere you look, the ocean is under assault. Tundi Agardi of Conservation International says, the biggest problem with the ocean is there are so MANY problems. It's like the proverbial "death of a thousand cuts."
Listen

Gulf of California (7/2/99)
Ocean water is salty. How salty? The answer is pretty important to fish in the Gulf of California. Once, fresh water flowed into the Gulf from the Mighty Colorado river. But then, farmers and thirsty cities diverted the flow.
Listen

Not all Ecosystems Are Created Equal (7/5/99)
There's no question the Exxon Valdez oil spill and the Gulf War oil spill were environmental disasters. But one of these ecosystems is recovering faster than the other. Not all ecosystems are created equal.
Listen

"What is a Sound?" (7/6/99)
Why are Long Island Sound and Puget Sound called "sounds?" The name comes from the Old English word for "to swim." And you'd have to be a good swimmer to cross a sound -- it's a wide channel connecting two seas.
Listen

Ocean Scientists Make a Difference (7/7/99)
When I say "ocean scientist," you probably think of someone in a white lab coat -- or a wet suit and scuba gear. But do you think of someone who makes a difference for his or her community?
Listen

Deep-Sea Micro-diversity (7/8/99)
Deep on the ocean floor, volcanic vents blast out hot water that's rich with chemicals. They also blast out life forms that are new to science. What does that mean for you? These life forms may hold the key to better health.
Listen

Coral Disease Breakthrough (7/9/99)
There's an epidemic underwater -- an epidemic of disease on coral reefs. Without knowing what causes the diseases, scientists have been helpless to find a cure. Now, for the first time, there's hope.
Listen

Pollution from Russia (7/12/99)
When a pollutant is released into the environment, it can travel quite far by air and water. In fact, there's evidence that Russia's use of some chemicals is polluting one of the most pristine regions of the world.
Listen

Sea Urchin Safety Zone (7/13/99)
A sea urchin protects itself with an armor of spines. But these prickly projections protect more than the urchin who wears them. They form a safe haven where urchins can hide from predators.
Listen

The History of El Nino (7/14/99)
Scientists have documented the phenomenon known as El Nino for a few hundred years. This isn't very long in the oceans' total history.
Listen

Glow-in-the-dark Critters (7/15/99)
Why do ocean creatures light up? Some use light in courtship displays -- much like fireflies. Other ocean animals use their built-in flashlights to see their prey, or to coax the next meal to come a little close.
Listen

The Most Invaded Estuary (7/16/99)
With more than 250 exotic species living happily in its waters, San Francisco Bay holds the dubious title of "world's most invaded estuary." It will take new legislation to prevent continued loss of native species.
Listen

Blinded by the Light (7/19/99)
When scientists in submarines travel to the ocean floor, they're just trying to shed some light on the mysteries of the deep. Trouble is, those submarine headlights may be harmful to some shrimp.
Listen

Right Whales Doomed? (7/20/99)
In the north Atlantic Ocean, you'll find right whales -- but not many. Only about 300 of these whales remain. There's more bad news -- a scientist has predicted just when these whales might go extinct.
Listen

Ice Shelf Meltdown (7/21/99)
The Antarctic Peninsula is one of the few places in the world where you find the ice formations called "ice shelves." Suddenly, two of these ice shelves are crumbling. We'll take a look at what's behind the break-up.
Listen

Six-Pack Protection (7/22/99)
A listener asks, should you cut those six pack rings before you throw them away? It IS a good idea to cut your six-pack rings -- or, buy drinks that don't use them. Ocean animals CAN get tangled in the plastic rings and die.
Listen

Marine Reserve Spillover (7/23/99)
A marine reserve is a protected area. Inside its borders, depleted fish populations can recover. Now new studies show that a marine reserve CAN have some impacts that extend beyond its boundaries.
Listen

Hurricane Havoc (7/26/99)
Do you remember Hurricane Georges? When this hurricane blew through the Gulf of Mexico last September, it hit the Chandeleur Islands, near New Orleans. Things haven't been the same for seabirds since.
Listen

Sharks Don't Cure Cancer (7/27/99)
A diagnosis of cancer can be devastating. You may be tempted to try alternative treatments. One popular option is a powder made from shark cartilage. But research shows no support for its cancer-fighting claims.
Listen

Viruses and the Ocean (7/28/99)
When I say "virus," you probably think of something harmful . . . a germ that can cause disease. Today, you'll hear about some viruses that actually play a helpful role -- in the ocean ecosystem.
Listen

Brown Bears and Salmon (7/29/99)
Wild salmon are a symbol of Alaska. They're also a symbol of the connection between land and sea. Today, some words from a man who's working to protect, not just salmon, but the salmon's world.
Listen

Midshipman Fish (7/30/99)
Today, our story is about sneakers. No, not Air Jordans or the latest cross-trainer. The sneakers in this story are a kind of FISH. And when they play the game of love, they've got a sneaky strategy.
Listen

August 1999

Dynamic Coasts (8/2/99)
When you build your home, you expect it to stay where it is. But what if you build by the shore? By its very nature, the coastline is always on the move. Shoreline development must take that into account.
Listen

The Fight Against Super-Algae (8/3/99)
In the Mediterranean, a peaceful underwater metropolis is threatened by an alien invader with super-powers -- a kind of algae. Rescue may come from a super-hero that's slower than a speeding locomotive.
Listen

Fatty Food for Polar Bears (8/4/99)
You've heard what doctors recommend -- you should eat a diet that's low in fat. The prescription is quite different for polar bears in the Arctic. Their good health depends on heaping servings of high-fat foods.
Listen

Frozen Food (8/5/99)
When you're hungry, you can open your freezer and take out a frozen dinner. A world away, in Antarctica, some ocean animals also eat frozen food -- in fact, they RELY on it. But global warming threatens to empty the icebox.
Listen

Bioluminescence (8/6/99)
It's light that's produced by a living creature. Today, you'll hear from Dr. Jim Morin, director of the Shoals Marine Laboratory at Cornell University. He says we have a lot to learn about this phenomenon.
Listen

Arctic Pollution (8/9/99)
Mother's milk. What could be better for baby? But for native people in the Arctic, there's a problem. Pollutants carried on by wind and currents reach the Arctic ocean and move up the food chain.
Listen

Polar Bears (8/10/99)
Imagine a black bear prowling the woods for berries and grubs. Deprived of food, it would starve to death. Now imagine polar bears prowling the Arctic ice. When these bears can't find food they work some metabolic magic.
Listen

Tourism Tips (8/11/99)
Twenty-nine years ago, the first cruise to visit Antarctica had less than 100 people on board. Today the icy waters are a tourist hot-spot, with more than 10,000 visitors a year. Today, some tips if YOU should visit.
Listen

Bryozoans (8/12/99)
If you've ever scrubbed the bottom of a boat, maybe you noticed it had a thin, crusty coating. That's actually a colony of microscopic animals called bryozoans. Today, a close-up look at the creatures called "moss animals."
Listen

Bryozoan Beach (8/13/99)
You've heard the saying, "small things matter." That's true in Florida, where scientists worked to protect a creature that lives on grain of sand. Today, the "David and Goliath" story of the bryozoans and the beach.
Listen

Genetic Differences (8/16/99)
You've heard the saying "a rose is a rose is a rose." But is it fair to say a fish is a fish is a fish? Let's look at the genetic differences in ocean animals.
Listen

Rip Tides (8/17/99)
A question from a listener: "what are rip tides, how are they formed, and what do they do? Today we'll give you the answer.
Listen

Fishing on the Web (8/18/99)
If you work in the fishing industry -- or just want to learn more about it -- there's new a web site you'll want to visit. You'll find a link to the "Heads Up" site at the Ocean Report web site: www.oceanradio.com.
Listen

Adaptive Radiation (8/19/99)
Fourty million years ago, the first fish to swim in Antarctic waters were some plain-looking bottom dwellers. Since then, these fish have experienced what some scientists call "adaptive radiation."
Listen

Scallop Restoration (8/20/99)
Once, Connecticut's Niantic River was famous for its succulent bay scallops. Then, 20 years ago, these shellfish were almost wiped out. Today, the scallops are making a comeback -- with a little help from their friends.
Listen

Swordfish Ban (8/23/99)
North Atlantic swordfish are dwindling in numbers. So this past spring, the United States took action to protect them. Now there's a ban on imports of the smallest swordfish. But experts say this ban may be too small a step.
Listen

Swordfish Plan (8/24/99)
This fall, nations that fish for swordfish in the North Atlantic will meet to consider new conservation measures for these fish. The National Marine Fisheries Service plan calls for almost a one-third reduction in the annual catch.
Listen

Cures from the Sea (8/25/99)
The wonder drug aspirin is based on a compound found in willow bark. Many drugs in your medicine cupboard also contain compounds derived from plants. But someday, you may reach for cures that come from the sea.
Listen

Lobster Losses (8/26/99)
Before Maine lobsters go to market, they may be held for a while in ocean pens called "tidal pounds." For three years, these lobsters-on-hold have suffered unusually high mortality rates. Today, a look at why.
Listen

North Pacific Less Salty (8/27/99)
In the 30 years that oceanographer Tom Royer been studying the North Pacific, the fresh water input from rivers and streams has increased. That makes surface waters less salty -- and less dense -- than deeper waters.
Listen

New Fish in Antarctica (8/30/99)
In Antarctica, the ice-covered Ross Sea is not a place most scientists consider a hotbed of biodiversity. Yet recently, one researcher pulled four new fish species from its frozen depths -- and there are probably more down there.
Listen

Beluga Blues (8/31/99)
If I say, "white whale," you probably think of the albino sperm whale in Herman Melville's "Moby Dick." Today, the story of another white whale -- the beluga. It's a whale that has conservationists singing the blues.
Listen

September 1999

Fish Farm Effects - 1 (9/1/99)
Did you know fish farming has international impacts? That's because farm-reared salmon eat "fish meal" made from wild fish caught elsewhere. It takes four pounds of wild fish to produce one pound of farm fish.
Listen

Fish Farm Effects - 2 (9/2/99)
Although most industries are required to treat their wastes, salmon farms are NOT. A huge amount of untreated waste -- i.e., salmon sewage -- goes right into the ocean waters where the salmon are penned and reared.
Listen

Coral Spawning (9/3/99)
If you could dive tonight on Flower Garden Banks, 100 miles off the coast of Texas, you'd see mounds of coral sending up what look like plumes of smoke. For on the eighth night after the August full moon, the corals spawn.
Listen

Marine Parasites (9/6/99)
You like to eat sushi. Do you need to worry about an unseen ingredient? Raw seafood can be infected with parasites; in fact, scientists have identified more than 50 species of parasitic ocean worms that CAN infect humans.
Listen

Penguin Nest Success (9/7/99)
What do penguins eat? And where do they go on their long-distance migrations? It's hard to find out; after all, when these birds take a dive, you can't swim along. But a tool called satellite telemetry can help.
Listen

Glow-in-the-dark Octopus (9/8/99)
An octopus has eight arms equipped with suckers -- handy for hanging on to rocks, or wiggly prey. Now two scientists have discovered an octopus with suckers that don't stick. Instead, they glow in the dark.
Listen

Unsustainable Seals (9/9/99)
The Canadian government sets a quota for the springtime harp seal hunt. But the quota may be of questionable value. It doesn't account for all the seals that are "struck and lost" -- shot in the water, and never retrieved.
Listen

Beach Clean-up (9/10/99)
Headed for the beach next weekend? Well, you're invited: To the "International Coastal Clean-up." The dress code is casual -- and a trash bag is the perfect accessory. Call 1-800-CMC-BEACH for more information.
Listen

Hotels vs. Turtles (9/13/99)
The beach at Xcacel in Mexico has white sand, emerald water . . . everything you dream of in a tropical beach. It also has nesting sea turtles. Can they co-exist with the 450-room hotel slated to be built here?
Listen

New Plan for Stellwagen (9/14/99)
This year, the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary off the coast of Massachusetts will be the first of 12 U.S. national marine sanctuaries to undergo a formal review and revision of its five-year plan.
Listen

Research in a Bucket (9/15/99)
In the last 20 years, the temperature of surface ocean water off the coast of California has increased by 2 degrees Fahrenheit. That information comes, not from high-tech sensors, but from volunteers armed with buckets.
Listen

Right Whale Mystery (9/16/99)
Female right whales give birth to their calves in waters off the coast of Florida and Georgia. Then, MOST whales head north to the Bay of Fundy for the summer. But other whales go elsewhere -- and just where is a mystery
Listen

Coastal Cleanup (9/17/99)
Tomorrow will be a busy day at the beach. No, it's not a holiday; it's the 14th annual "International Coastal Clean-up," sponsored by the Center for Marine Conservation. For information call 1-800-CMC-BEACH.
Listen

Moray Wheels (9/20/99)
That's the name of a Boston-based scuba club with a special goal: teaching the disabled to dive. Able-bodied divers are also welcome to join. For more information, visit the club web site: www.moraywheels.com.
Listen

Coral Die-off (9/21/99)
1998 was a record year for corals. But the news was not happy: According to a U.S. State Department report, corals experienced the largest mass die-off ever recorded. In one part of the Indian Ocean, more than 70% of the corals died.
Listen

Swept Away by Global Warming? (9/22/99)
Southwest of India, the nation of Maldives is a long chain of coral islands. If global warming brings a three-foot sea-level rise, as scientists predict, four-fifths of this island nation will be under water.
Listen

Frozen Fish Facts (9/23/99)
Once, frozen fish were considered inferior to fresh. But today, with new technology that freezes fish right on board ship, you can be assured that frozen fish are REALLY fresh -- and of the highest quality.
Listen

Satellite View (9/24/99)
Thanks to the U.S. space program, we know quite a bit about the moon and the planets -- but we also know more about the ocean, here on Planet Earth. To see the ocean from space, visit http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov.
Listen

Help from Kelp (9/27/99)
Back in the 1920s, scientists started to explore how to use kelp extracts in commercial products. Today you'll find kelp in literally hundreds of products, from beer to baked goods. The good news: kelp is harvested sustainably.
Listen

Rockfish Diversity (9/28/99)
There are 70 species of rockfish and they come in many colors and patterns. There's red-banded and green-spotted, calico and starry, copper and kelp, tiger and gopher, chili pepper and yellow-tail . . . just to name a few.
Listen

Rockfish Report (9/29/99)
Today's story is about some fish that got sucked into the intake valves of power plants. That sounds like bad news for the fish. But as one scientist has discovered, it's actually good news for fish research.
Listen

Sea Monsters (9/30/99)
How many species of sea monsters are yet to be discovered? If you define "sea monster" as "a LARGE ocean creature," it's not a silly question . . . and one scientist has a mathematical model that answers it.
Listen

October 1999

New Beacons Protect Reefs (10/1/99)
Eight new navigation beacons in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary will help large vessels detect and avoid under-water reefs. That puts the focus on coral reef protection -- rather than restoration.
Listen

Spraying Out Salmon (10/4/99)
Twenty years ago, Canada's evergreen forests were sprayed with insecticide after an outbreak of hungry caterpillars. No one expected an ocean consequence. But in the forest streams, salmon came up missing.
Listen

Great Lakes Sanctuary (10/5/99)
Beneath the waters of Thunder Bay in Lake Huron lie at least 160 shipwrecks. Soon this unique site may be America's newest National Marine Sanctuary. For more information, visit www.sanctuaries.nos.noaa.gov
Listen

Will Culls Help Cod? (10/6/99)
In Canada, a controversial initiative would "cull" harp seals to protect codfish. The irony is, seals don't eat much cod . . . but they DO eat other fish, including fish that eat cod. So fewer seals might mean more cod predators.
Listen

Polar Bear Protection (10/7/99)
A new agreement facilitated by the Kodiak Brown Bear Trust makes the United States and Russia partners in polar bear protection. It also reconciles the goals of conservationists with the needs of native peoples.
Listen

Less Death, More Information (10/8/99)
It used to be, you had to kill a bird to find out what it ate. Times have changed!
Listen

Salty Snacks for Whales (10/11/99)
A whale, when it's feeding, seems to gulp down gallons of salt water. Yet it doesn't get sick from all that salt. Why? The whale is actually filter-feeding -- straining out food particles and spitting the seawater out.
Listen

Safeguarding the Ocean (10/12/99)
A report from the WorldWatch Institute says, though oceans are in trouble, the big news is that today more people are actually taking action: cleaning up a beach, paying a tourism fee on vacation, or even boycotting swordfish.
Listen

Coast Guard Helps Coral (10/13/99)
The coral reefs of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary are far offshore -- seven hours by boat. But thanks to a partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard, staff can keep an eye on the sanctuary from the air.
Listen

I-T-Qs (10/14/99)
The letters stand for "Individual Transferable Quotas." They're a new and controversial tool for fisheries management, and researchers say that they could help put an end to the deadly "race for fish."
Listen

The Dead Zone (10/15/99)
It happens in summer: A "dead zone" forms in the Gulf of Mexico. Below about 30 feet, there's almost no oxygen. Fish swim away; other creatures suffocate and die. Last summer, this "dead zone" was bigger than ever.
Listen

Beluga Decline (10/18/99)
Five years ago, about 600 beluga whales lived in Alaska's Cook Inlet. Today, about 300 of these small white whales remain. The problem is hunting -- but Alaska natives have volunteered to put a halt to the hunt.
Listen

Population Impacts (10/19/99)
There's a tidal wave heading for the coast -- a tidal wave of people. The number of people in coastal areas is on the rise. And this wave threatens the health of the coast with pollution and development.
Listen

Deep-water Whirlpools (10/20/99)
Deep in the ocean, whirlpools form above hydrothermal vents. These columns of spinning water can "bud off" and go whirling away like spaceships. Do the larvae of vent animals ride along inside?
Listen

Mysteries of the Deep 1 (10/21/99)
Pom-pom anemones. File-tail cat sharks. Black Prince copepods. These strange creatures live in deep in Monterey Bay Canyon. But you can see them without a submarine -- in a new exhibit at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Listen

Mysteries of the Deep - 2 (10/22/99)
Collecting the creatures for the new "Mysteries of the Deep" exhibit took some state-of-the-art technology -- a submarine with a robotic arm. But it also took some old-fashioned ingenuity with some low-tech duct tape.
Listen

Antarctic Fish Free-for-All (10/25/99)
This week, representatives from 26 nations will gather in Hobart, Tasmania. Their purpose? To adopt rules that will govern fishing in the 12 million square miles of ocean around Antarctica.
Listen

Killers on the Hunt (10/26/99)
You've probably heard that wolves hunt in packs. They take turns chasing their prey -- a moose or a deer -- till it's tired and weak and easy to catch. Today, a report on the wolves of the sea: Killer whales.
Listen

Stop the Finning (10/27/99)
A bowl of shark fin soup at a Hong Kong Restaurant will cost you 90 dollars. But the real cost is the steep declines in many shark species around the world. A "Shark Action Plan" is in the works -- but will it help?
Listen

Fish Farm Clean-Up (10/28/99)
When insects attack your garden, you can control pests naturally -- for example, ladybugs will eat those aphids! And now, natural pest control is also an option down on the fish farm -- with fish called "cleaner wrasse."
Listen

Satellite Tagging (10/29/99)
A female loggerhead turtle surfaces in the warm waters off the coast of Cuba. She draws a breath. And before she sinks below the waves, a small electronic tag embedded in her shell sends a signal to an orbiting satellite.
Listen

November 1999

Deep-water Corals (11/1/99)
Norway has deep fjords and snow-capped mountains. But it also has coral reefs, growing at great depths in coastal waters. Not long ago, this national treasure was almost destroyed by fishermen. Now it's protected.
Listen

One Whale at a Time (11/2/99)
You've heard how genetic testing is used in the courtroom, to match a murderer with hair or blood left at the scene of the crime. Genetic testing can also help protect ocean life -- one whale at a time.
Listen

Thinning Ice (11/3/99)
Greenland is the world's largest island -- and it's almost entirely covered by a thick slab of ice. A recent report in the journal Science says, in just five years, the Greenland ice sheet has thinned by as much as 30 feet in places.
Listen

Jellyfish in the Chesapeake (11/4/99)
Chesapeake Bay CAN be a great place for a summer swim. But not last summer. The jellyfish called "sea nettles" were everywhere. Today a look at what makes the jellyfish population bubble over.
Listen

Princess America (11/5/99)
This group's motto is "A little boat goes a long way." The Princess America is a 34-foot sailboat that travels in search of ocean adventure -- and then shares those adventures with school children through the internet.
Listen

Market Won't Sell Swordfish (11/8/99)
Swordfish. Marlin. Orange roughy. Chilean sea bass. It sounds like the advertised specials at your grocery-store fish counter. Today you'll hear about a store that attracts customers by NOT selling these fish.
Listen

Save Penguins with Bar Codes (11/9/99)
A supermarket scanner reads the bar code on your box of macaroni. Recently, scientists found a new use for bar codes: To read the weight of so-called "macaroni penguins" that live on an island near Antarctica.
Listen

Pollution and Polar Bears (11/10/99)
A Norwegian researcher named Oystein Wiig studies polar bears in the Arctic. Recently he discovered twin female cubs with male genitalia. Contamination with toxic P-C-Bs is one possible cause of the abnormality.
Listen

Extinct Abalones (11/11/99)
You know why the passenger pigeon went extinct: Because hunters killed so many. Scientists used to say, "That could never happen in the ocean." But the case of the white abalone seems to prove them wrong.
Listen

New Estuarine Reserve Dedicated (11/12/99)
Near Saint Augustine, Florida, three rivers flow into the sea. This mostly unspoiled ecosystem will be dedicated this weekend as America's newest "National Estuarine Research Reserve."
Listen

Two Kinds of Killer (11/15/99)
What's the difference between a "killer whale" and an "orca?" Well, there's NO difference -- those are just two names for the same animal. Now, however, new research suggests, killer whales do come in two categories.
Listen

The View from Space (11/16/99)
Dr. Kathryn Sullivan has flown three space shuttle missions. So she's had a chance to view Earth in a way the rest of us know only from photographs. Today, you'll hear her impressions of this water planet we call home.
Listen

Shark Finning in the Atlantic (11/17/99)
The practice of "shark finning" is cruel and wasteful -- and it harms whole populations. The United States actually banned finning in the Atlantic and Gulf Coast back in 1993. But shark fishing continues.
Listen

Who Pays for the Dead Zone? (11/18/99)
A so-called "Dead Zone" forms in the Gulf of Mexico each summer, where oxygen levels are so low, fish cannot live. This dead zone exacts an economic cost, since fishermen must travel farther yet catch less.
Listen

Think Globally, Fertilize Locally (11/19/99)
Excess nutrients, mostly from farm fertilizer, are behind the formation of a "Dead Zone" in the Gulf of Mexico. One scientist says farmers CAN reduce fertilizer use and still see good crop yields.
Listen

Dolphin Deaths (11/22/99)
Ten bottlenose dolphins swam up on the beach in Matagorda Bay, Texas, and died. No one knows what made these dolphins swim ashore ten years ago. But scientists NOW know the dolphins' bodies contained potent toxins.
Listen

Ghosts in the Forest (11/23/99)
Go for a dive near San Diego, and you can swim through a forest of giant kelp. The kelp looks tall and lush, and it seems to swarm with life. But one scientist sees a forest that's full of ghosts -- ghosts of the fish that are gone.
Listen

P-C-Bs and Albatrosse (11/24/99)
The Midway Islands, far out in the Pacific, were a naval air station in World War Two. Today they swarm, not with planes, but with albatrosses. Yet pollution has reached even this remote location.
Listen

Cyanide on Reefs (11/25/99)
On a Pacific reef, a diver stuns a fish with liquid cyanide. Still alive, the fish can be sold. But the poison has killed the coral. Listener George Samuel of Santa Cruz wants to know, Can we do anything to end this wasteful practice?
Listen

Decline in Fishermen Deaths (11/26/99)
In the state of Alaska, fishing is one of THE most dangerous jobs. Fishermen drown when they're swept overboard -- or when their boats sink in high seas. But thanks to new laws, fishing IS getting safer.
Listen

End of a Marine Pest (11/29/99)
A parasitic marine worm from South Africa that causes snails to grow deformed shells showed up at a California abalone farm -- then escaped to attack wild snails. Luckily, one scientist found a way to eradicate the pest.
Listen

Cross-Dressing Cuttlefish (11/30/99)
Some guys dress to impress the girls. That's also true in the animal world, where bright colors can attract a mate. Today, however, we bring you the story of an ocean animal that gets the girl by dressing in drag.
Listen

December 1999

Tagging Whales (12/1/99)
Starting this week, and on into March, small planes will cruise the coasts of Georgia and Florida. Scientists on board will scan the waters below for signs of endangered right whales -- and warn ships to avoid them.
Listen

Flushing in Florida (12/2/99)
In Key West, Florida, many houses are built close to man-made canals. So are their backyard septic systems. The blue water in those canals may look inviting -- but it can hold unseen dangers, in the form of harmful microbes..
Listen

Volcano Question (12/3/99)
Listener Mary Ann Teed of Carmel, California, wants to know more about the volcano that's growing underwater near the Hawaiian island chain. It's called Loihi -- and instead of growing, it's actually getting shorter.
Listen

Red Tide Question (12/6/99)
Today we reach into our mailbox and answer a question from David Young in Fayetteville, North Carolina. He wants to know about the phenomenon called "red tide" -- and especially, how red tides affect fish.
Listen

Hawaiian Shark Finning (12/7/99)
Which image is more frightening: A shark fin slicing the water? Or a man slicing fins from a living shark? So-called "shark finning" is still legal in some U.S. waters -- but environmentalists have called for a ban.
Listen

Mediterranean Sanctuary (12/8/99)
The Mediterranean is popular for summer vacations. But did you know it's also a summer destination for whales and dolphins? Soon, they may enjoy something better than a seaside resort: an international sanctuary.
Listen

Nitrogen and Algal Blooms (12/9/99)
Scientist say that too much nitrogen is what's behind the recent increase in so-called harmful algal blooms. Now, grab a pencil, because today we have a quiz question: Where does all that nitrogen come from?
Listen

Re-stocking Scallops (12/10/99)
If you cut all the trees in a forest, you can hope that nature will grow some new ones -- or, you can plant new trees yourself. Today, you'll hear how this principle has been applied to scallops in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence.
Listen

Trawling Impacts (12/13/99)
A fishing trawl drags along the ocean floor. That doesn't do much harm in so-called "high energy habitats," where nature routinely rearranges the sandy bottom. The trouble comes in places where natural change is slow.
Listen

Shellfish Contamination (12/14/99)
A sewage treatment plant discharges water in a shallow bay. In the same water, oysters flourish. Are they safe to eat? Routinely, shellfish are tested for E. coli bacteria -- but one scientist says more tests may be needed.
Listen

Dry Tortugas Reserve (12/15/99)
Seventy miles from Key West, Florida lies a chain of desert islands called the Dry Tortugas. They're surrounded by spectacular coral reefs. If all goes well, this area could become America's largest marine reserve.
Listen

Coastal Cholera (12/16/99)
Contaminated water may carry the disease called cholera. If you look at historical records, it's striking how this disease tends to occur in coastal areas. Now scientists think they know how cholera spreads.
Listen

Global Warming Question (12/17/99)
Here's a question from a listener who has heard that continued global warming could cause the sea level to rise dramatically. The question is: just how much land would be flooded?
Listen

Leopold Series - 1 (12/20/99)
The Aldo Leopold Leadership Program, named for the famous conservationist, helps scientists speak out on conservation issues. This week, a special series on the program's "Ocean Team." Today, Dr. Stuart Pimm on extinction.
Listen

Leopold Series - 2 (12/21/99)
Today, in our continuing series on Aldo Leopold Leadership Fellows you'll meet Dr. Mark Hixon. He's working on a question that scientists find hard to answer: What controls the number of fish in the sea?
Listen

Leopold Series - 3 (12/22/99)
Dr. Nancy Rabalais of the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium is known for her studies of the "Dead Zone" -- a low-oxygen zone in the Gulf of Mexico. This Leopold fellow is also studying the life cycle of a lake.
Listen

Leopold Series - 4 (12/23/99)
In Delaware Bay in spring the horseshoe crabs come ashore to mate. But many of them end up as bait in traps for eels or whelks. Today, Dr. Nancy Targett. She's building a better bait -- through chemistry.
Listen

Leopold Series - 5 (12/24/99)
In the 25 years that Leopold Fellow Dr. Nancy Knowlton has studied coral reefs, she's seen shocking declines. Dr. Knowlton says you CAN make a New Year's resolution to help protect coral reefs -- and the ocean as a whole.
Listen

Salmon Without Rivers (12/27/99)
On today's show we talk with fisheries biologist Jim Lichatowich. He's the author of a new book, Salmon Without Rivers. It calls for a change in the way we manage salmon -- and in the way we think about them.
Listen

Fishes in Niches (12/28/99)
40 million years ago, the first fish to swim in Antarctic waters were some plain-looking bottom-dwellers. Since then, these fish have experienced something scientists call "adaptive radiation."
Listen

Hawaiian Bottom Fishing (12/29/99)
In Hawaii, onaga are popular for New Year's dinner These fish are deep red -- and in many Asian cultures, red stands for luck. Now onaga enjoy some luck of their own -- thanks to new fishing regulations.
Listen

Banning Invaders (12/30/99)
If the year 2000 seems like old news, let's talk about the year 2001. That's when new regulations to protect the ocean by preventing ballast water discharges will go into effect in Australia.
Listen

A Message from Sylvia Earle (12/31/99)
The message for the millennium? "Everything's connected." Although it's true that, thanks to the internet, you can link to anyone on the planet, anywhere, there's something else that connects us all: The ocean.
Listen