Alaska SeaLife Center Joins Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums (AMMPA)

We were advised last Friday by the Accreditation Committee and the Alliance Board of Directors of the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums (AMMPA) that Alaska SeaLife Center has been awarded full accreditation.   AMMPA was founded in 1987. It is headquartered in Washington, DC and is an international association representing more than 50 marine research and education facilities and professional associations. The Alliance is dedicated to the highest standards of care for marine mammals (see http://www.ammpa.org/).

Following evaluation of our history, governance and programs and an on-site review of our facilities by independent AMMPA accreditation inspectors in November, the ASLC received word that the evaluation report was exceptional and that we have been formally accepted.  The ASLC is the only permanent marine mammal rehabilitation facility and the only public aquarium in Alaska housing marine mammals. This accreditation demonstrates the significance of the work being done by our husbandry and education staff, and reflects the high standards of animal care and research practice at the Alaska SeaLife Center.

Accreditation by AMMPA is also a major step on our path to better integrate and share knowledge with our global peers. It is one of our key action steps under our 2020 strategic plan, and represents the culmination of more than a year of effort by many staff, particularly our Director of Husbandry Brett Long, Mammal Coordinator Lisa Hartman, Senior Veterinarian, Carrie Goertz, Education Director Nikki Nelson and our expanded husbandry, life support and education teams. 
We are looking forward to working closely with our peers in AMMPA accredited institutions to promote sharing of specialized husbandry knowledge and promote joint education programs.

Holiday Bliss: Reading for Relaxation

I have decided to allow myself he luxury of a week off to do nothing but read and take walks/ski with my wife (and dog) between Christmas and New Year. Those who know me will appreciate that such relaxation is a rare allocation of time. From my perspective, it’ll be great to be at home in Alaska enjoying winter, but also enjoying being away from the constant distraction and demands of emails, meetings and telephone calls. In some ways this break is a regression to my early student days when I would finish an exam, rush to the airport to fly somewhere and en route buy a book to enrich my journey. Of course I did lots of reading (maybe not enough) for my courses, and still do in my professional life, but there is something very different about recreational reading.

There are, in my mind, few things as satisfying or stimulating as reading. The ideas and images that great (and even not so great) writers convey, the illusions that they conjure up and the sheer immersiveness of being in a new places with a bunch of new characters and events to discover creates an amazing sense of adventure.

After many years of reading vociferously I have become more and more selective about what I choose to become immersed in. As Karla will attest, watching me skim the usual airport book selection for an hour only to select nothing is thus increasingly common. I justify that selectivity by not wanting to be disappointed. I mean, how frustrating is to begin a promising “new” novel and then discover you have read that plot (or one just like it) 3x previously? There is increasingly little fiction written these days that does not disappoint me because of that lack of originality. Hence my first scan now is usually of the nonfiction book selection – I have increasingly begun to appreciate the truth of Mark Twain’s comment that “truth stranger than fiction, because fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; truth isn't”.

So what am I going to read in that week? I have 2.5 books picked out (this is not a Santa wishlist):

First on my list is Nancy’ Lord’s new book Early Warming – see http://www.nancylord.alaskawriters.com/. Nancy has just concluded her term as Alaska State Laureate and is an author whose work I seek out because of her  great Alaskan experiences and ability to describe nature with the unique insight of someone who has both been a keen observer of ecosystems (as a commercial fisher) and someone who understands the craft of nature writing.

Second is perhaps a surprise pick – I was recently doing some research on the famous Dutch naturalist Rumphius (whose amazing beach walks in Indonesia in the 1600s helped frame modern taxonomy – long story!) and rediscovered his classic “Ambonese Curiosity Cabinet”. I also found out that Yale Press are bringing out some of his other works in March 2011 and so wanted to reconnect with the writer – colonial Dutch nature writing is unusual genre, but offers some amazing insights into modern science!

Finally, the half choice. I’m mulling over reading on a topic that I have not read much about to date but which would help me to better understand Alaskan native culture and traditional use of resources in South Central Alaska.
Any recommendations?

Alaska Marine Gala 2011 - Register Early and Often!

http://www.alaskasealife.org/alaskamarinegala/

Thought I should open with a screen shot of the Alaska Marine gala website as its a true one stop shop - you can find out about the program, register and pay for your tickets, learn about our incredible guest speaker, track and support our generous sponsors, nominate candidates for Alaska Ocean Leadership awards, anticipate the amazing array of auction items and even arrange your dance card!  ...well maybe the latter is a bit of stretch, but you get the idea!

After months of great lead up work by a very dedicated team led by Nikki Nelson, our Director of Education, we are now in the final stages of preparations for the 2011 Alaska Marine Gala.  The event will again be held at the Dena'ina Center  in downtown Anchorage on the 16th of January which is the Sunday night immediately before the 2011 Alaska Marine Science Symposium.  We were a little nervous about whether a Sunday night event works in the middle of winter in Alaska, but our very positive experience with the 2010 gala (see http://sealifeceo.blogspot.com/2010_01_01_archive.html) indicated that time works well.  It seems that there was a pent up demand for such an event among the Alaskan marine community - we continue to be asked about future events and we have been overwhelmed by the support of our donors, members and friends to this event!

Initial response to opening the 2011 gala site for registrations has already been phenomenol - we have sold some 200 seats within the first 2 weeks and so once again expect a sold out event!  hence my suggestion to register early...

Our special guest for 2011 is one of the world's leading photographers, Joel Sartore (read his bio on the gala website).  I have been a fan of his photography for many years (mostly via his National Geographic assignments), and first met Joel in person at a similar event in Vancouver a few years ago. I was struck by the thoughtful approach he brings to his work - his planning for assignments is meticulous.  I was also struck by his great humility - after accomplishing so much, he is still keen to learn more about the natural world and to do more to engender in others the same sense of awe about that world.  I am truly delighted that  he accepted our invitation to come up to Alaska for this event and can't wait to see what he has in his presentation!

This year we have re-arranged the ballroom and auction spaces and have added another big screen to ensure everyone has a better view of Joel's images.  We have also added a few very very cool exhibits from the Center to amuse everyone before dinner... and did I mention the auction items??  I could go on and on about what a fantastic night we have planned for our guests but that would spoil the surprise(s) that Nikki and team have in store for you. 

So I encourage you to look at the website, organize your table, polish those dance shoes and register soon - we really hated having to turn folks away last year...

Conservation Action Planning - Tool Bridging Science and Stewardship

Conservation Action Planning Cycle

(courtesy D. Salzer, TNC)

Last week I joined more than 150 conservation coaches from around the world to share knowledge and discuss the current state of practice of conservation planning at the 2010 Conservation Coaches Rally in Santa Cruz, CA. The 2010 rally was the fourth gathering of coaches. I had the privilege to join the previous two in 2006 and 2008. This year was the first since the conservation coaches network strategic plan was completed – it was great to see a process that I had been so actively involved in just two short years earlier flourish and take shape!

The Conservation Coaches Network is an organized and supported network of peers that spans six continents and 25 organizations. The mission of the network is to catalyze effective conservation across lands and waters worldwide through supporting sound action planning, coaching, knowledge sharing and innovation. (see http://conserveonline.org/workspaces/cbdgateway/cap/efroymson_network/index_html)

While much of my experience with the network was based on my previous experience leading and coaching Conservation Action Planning teams in The Nature Conservancy, since assuming my new role at the Alaska SeaLife Center in late 2008, I have also been involved in teaching Federal, University, industry and fellow non profit partners in Alaska about this process. Conservation Action Planning (and its related parallel systems such as the “Open Standards for Conservation”) are now widely used as the basis for species and area management and have even gained widespread use for cultural heritage conservation.
One of the most widely appreciated features of conservation action planning (CAP) is the systematic approach it provides. CAP enables scientists, communities, academics, resources managers, industry and business stakeholders to share their vision and work on strategies in a transparent manner. The knowledge generated can then be used to develop a project management plan that enables not only process milestones to be tracked, but which ultimately enables outcomes to be measured and strategies to be adapted/adjusted as the project team gains experience.

CAP has now evolved to a point where there are both “basic” and more sophisticated planning tools available and there are even common methodologies (see http://www.conservationmeasures.org/) and reporting systems (see http://conpro.tnc.org/) to enable organizations to share knowledge and experience easily. One of the most exciting developments in recent years has been the establishment of a dedicated new CAP software known as Miradi® which enables users to rapidly move between the various stages of CAP whilst using a common visual tool for framing strategies (see https://miradi.org/) .

CAP has many potential applications in the work we do here at the Alaska SeaLife Center and is increasingly of interest to our many research, education and stewardship partners. For that reason, I’ll be conducting a CAP orientation training here at the Center on Monday 13th December at 4pm as part of our monthly science lecture series – all are welcome to join! I’d be happy to repeat this workshop for our partners in other centers in Alaska also if there is demand.

Giving Blood - Giving Back

Last week our amazing AmeriCorps volunteers, Minna Abassi and Hannah Feltes worked with the Blood Bank of Alaska to coordinate a successful community blood drive.  The Bear Mountain conference room of the Alaska SeaLife Center  was temporarily comverted into a blood handling center and we had a steady stream of staff and community volunteers.  There is no permanent venue or system for blood donation in Seward and so the Blood Bank folks were delighted to once again travel down to secure these critical supplies.

Minna (l) and Hannah (r) - organizers and donors extraordinaire!

In all some 28 pints of blood were collected, which the Blood Bank calculates as having the potential to save up to 84 lives!  I was so moved by their efforts that I also stepped up... it has been a long time since I gave blood.  Back in October 2002, we were living in Indonesia and were asked to be emergency blood donors for victims of the Bali bombing.  I recall giving blood every 7-10 days for about three months as there was an acute shortage of my negative blood type.

Jen Curl - another satisfied donor!

I had forgotten how important those supplies are, but the Blood Bank of Alaska (a fellow charity organization) reminded us of the challenges of meeting demands for blood in Alaska and so I have now committed to joining many staff at the Center in offering to become a more regular donor... its great to give back!  And its great to see the Alaska SeaLife Center serve as a true community resource for a great cause.

I encourage all of you to do check out how you can support organizatons such as the Blood Bank of Alaska to continue their vital work in our community.

De-Oiling Marine Mammals - Improving the State of Practice

How does one de-oil a marine mammal? That is more than just a fascinating animal husbandry question. As we learned from the Exxon Valdez oil spill incident, when some 2,500 sea otters were affected by oil, it is critical for all involved in oil spill response to be prepared and know what to do when the animal “patients” start being admitted for cleaning and care.

 

Workshop participants discussing priorities for increasing response effectiveness

Using experience gathered from the Exxon Valdez spill, other global oil spill incidents and research and from experience gleaned in our ongoing marine mammal and seabird strandings program, the Alaska SeaLife Center is uniquely positioned to provide guidance on how to de-oil and rehabilitate marine mammals. However, our experience with some marine mammals is limited (e.g. there have only been a few instances of polar bear treatment after oiling) and there are still key gaps in our knowledge of best treatment protocols (e.g. which method of de-oiling is most efficient in various treatment stages).

Pat Lampi (AK Zoo), Brett Long (ASLC and Pam Yochem (SeaWorld) reviewing the finer points of sea otter treatment

Last week, with the support of Alaska Clean Seas, WWF and BP and with the assistance of experts, Dr Pam Yochem and Bill Winhall from SeaWorld, ASLC Vets Drs Pam Tuomi and Carrie Goertz and Catherine Berg and Susan Miller from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, we convened a workshop of more than 30 first responders to share knowledge about de-oiling practice. Over two days we evaluated current practice standards and protocols, gained hand on experience in de-oiling marine mammals (our sea otter model has never been cleaner!) and evaluated what more we need to do to both build response capacity and address knowledge gaps.

Breakout group defining future training needs

The workshop was judged an outstanding success by all participants – not only did all involved gain new knowledge, they also built a network of contacts who will prove helpful in further response planning and/or in the event of an oil spill involving marine mammals in Alaskan waters. ASLC Husbandry Director, Brett Long is currently developing a workshop summary report and we shall be convening further trainings of this type in conjunction with our strandings meetings and our ongoing work with the oil industry. Please contact Brett if you would like further details (brettl@alaskasealife.org).

Ocean Zoning - a Useful New Book

I just acquired a copy  of Dr Tundi Agardy's new book "Ocean Zoning: Making Marine Management More Effective".  This is a very timely publication given the new US National Ocean Policy (see http://sealifeceo.blogspot.com/2010/07/new-national-ocean-policy-perfect.html) and given the initiative to establish a series of Regional Ocean Partnerships in nine regions of the USA (Alaska is one region) that will give effect to that policy (see http://www.csc.noaa.gov/funding/PDFs/noaa-nos-csc-2011-2002721-ffo-report.pdf).
Under the new National Ocean Policy, Coastal and Marine Spatial planning (CMSP) has been emphasized as "an important planning tool for regional ocean governance. CMSP is a comprehensive, adaptive, integrated, ecosystem-based, and transparent spatial planning process, based on sound science, for analyzing current and anticipated uses of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes areas".

Agardy's book begins with an interesting discourse on how CMSP and ocean zoning differ (they are often confused by critics of ocean governance).  She uses her extensive knowledge of  global marine planning to tap into a network of experts and experiences to describe why a big picture approach to ocean management is needed.  She then systematically examines global experience with the application of zoning and CMSP from the small scale (e.g. Asinara Marine Park in Italy) to the large scale (e.g. the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park). 
Having spent several years in the early part of may career working on planning of the Great Barrier Reef and then tracked the evolution of governance there, it has proven to be a great case study of how the competing demands of different industries (tourism, fishing, shipping and conservation) can be met, whilst still protecting the ecological resources and services on which those industries depend.
I commend this book to anyone who would like to know more about CMSP and ocean zoning -  it serves as a great primer to the types of governance innovations that the new National Ocean Policy should generate and  could be used to "jump start"  new CMSP initiatives - there is, after all, little point reinventing a wheel that has been around for more than three decades!

2010 - the International Year of Biodiversity - how are we doing?

This week, some 16,000 scientists, natural resource managers, advocates and politicians are gathered in Nagoya, Japan for the 10th Conference of the Parties (COP10)  to the Convention on Biodiversity (see http://www.cbd.int/cop10/).  This is a particularly auspicious meeting in many respects. 
Some of you may recall from my blog last February (see http://sealifeceo.blogspot.com/2010/02/2010-international-biodiversity-year.html), that 2010 was declared by the United Nations as the International Year of Biodiversity.  As such it is the culimination of many years of global programs designed to accelerate the rate of biodiversity conservation and/or reduce threats to biodiversity.  I was involved in the design of several of those initiatives over the preceding decade (see http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/summary/307/5707/212) and so am particularly interested in checking in on the outcomes of that work.

To help with that assessment, a paper was published in Science yesterday by dozens of  leading biologists - see www.sciencexpress.org / 26 October 2010 / Page 1 / 10.1126/science.1194442. The paper draws largely from the increasingly comprehensive IUCN Red List which now has data on nearly 28,000 species.  The results show a continuing downward trend in the diversity of life on earth.  For example, nearly one fifth of all vertebrate species are threatened  ranging from 13% of birds to 41% of amphibians.  One mammal is thought to have gone extinct (the Yangtze River dolphin) in the past 10 years, making it the first such megafauna species loss since the Caribbean monk seal in the 1950s.

Not surprisingly, conservation programs have clearly been most effective in developed countries, but are still barely adequate to keep pace with major threats such as habitat loss, invasive species and climate change.  Of particular interest to programs at the Alaska SeaLife Center have been global efforts to reduce some fishing impacts on marine mammals and seabirds.  The recovery of the humpback whale is cited as a particularly successful, but rare, example of effective international efforts.

Reading this paper and the daily reports from Nagoya, it is clear that much needs to be done if our children are to enjoy the same diversity of life on earth that we have experienced.  I welcome your thoughts on what more the Alaska SeaLife Center might do to promote greater stewardship of species under immediate threat as well as those species that we all depend on for our long term well being.

To See Ourselves as Others Might: Snapshot of 2010 Visitor Survey

This year we again took the pulse of our summer visitors to explore what they liked or disliked and to learn a little more about their expectations and experience.  Thanks to everyone who participated in the survey!  Of the 144 visitors randomly surveyed, 90% were from the USA with 10% international.  The most common States of visitor origin were Alaska, followed by California, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Ohio and Texas.  Unlike 2009,when 30% of our participants in the survey were repeat visitors, this year 88% of our visitors were first time visitors... we believe that reflects the strong growth in independent travel to Alaska this summer as well as the inclement weather that was experienced throughout the summer (causing more visitors to seek "all weather" experiences).  Our summer overall visitation was up nearly 16% over 2009 (but still down some 15% from 2008 numbers).

Some key findings about our visitors:

Evidently our tourism brochures and "word of mouth" advertizing (through hotel and tourism networks or friends and relatives) are key to atracting new visitors to the center.  With Lexie Mizeras as our new VP or Marketing and Philanthropy, we'll continue to further evaluate additional marketing options in the year ahead - for example, our social media membership increased by >300% in 2010... how might that help visitor marketing in 2011?

It is always interesting to assess what role a major destination such as the Alaska SeaLife Center plays in the regional tourism economy.

These data reaffirm the economic significance of the SeaLife Center to Seward and the South Central Alaska tourism industry generally and reinforce casual feedback from guests about the value of having the Center so conveniently located to the majority of Alaska's population and visitor pathways.

Most Enjoyed:

This graph shows the most popular exhibits and reinforces the importance of live animals to the visitor experience.  Interestingly, visitors this year also mentioned more than 25 other elements of their experience specifically (from Puffin encounters to OTK Exhibit) which gives a good sense of the diversity of attractions that the Center has for different audiences.  Equally significantly 82% of visitors did not identify anything about their experience that they disliked!  The only aspect of visitor experience that was mentioned more than once as a 'dislike" was the early closure of our cafe!  We are currently evaluating how we might expand that service in 2012.

Want to See

We again asked visitors what they would most like to see in future visits to the SeaLife Center.  Not surprisingly, sea otters were most frequently mentioned, followed by whales and interactive exhibits.  That feedback continues to guide medium term exhibit and capital development planning - stay tuned!

Visitor Perception of the Condition of Alaska's Seas

This year we also sought to assess the impact of our exhibits on visitors.  While the data are only preliminary, it was interesting to see, how people perceive the condition of Alaska's marine ecosystems before and after their visit.  Clearly our messages about Alaska's sustainable fisheries management programs and other aspects of marine stewardship have an impact on their perception!  At the same time, 75% of visitors expressed concern for the (current and potential) impacts of climate change on Alaska's seas so there is evidently a strong undercurrent of concern for the future condition of Alaska's seas. Equally interesting was their feedback about specific new knowledge they had obtained as a result of their visit - respondents cited more than 30 new "factoids" ranging from biology (how to distinguish puffin species) to behavior (how sea urchins "give hugs").

Finally, we asked visitors to sum up the 'value for money' of their experience at the Center - the results were a very encouraging reinforcement of our mission efforts to "generate and share scientific knowledge to promote understanding and stewardship of Alaska’s marine ecosystems".

In the year ahead we will continue customer surveys to better understand our visitors (and non visitors) and what more we might do to broaden our visitor base and ensure the effectiveness of our messaging - those results will be used to guide marketing, education and stewardship programs - we welcome your ongoing feedback.

Getting Ready for A Whale's Tale

The movie "Everybody Loves Whales" is currently being filmed in Alaska (see http://www.adn.com/2010/06/11/1319289/hollywood-comes-to-alaska-to-shoot.html).  Filming moves down to the Alaska SeaLife Center later this week and so as part of our annual maintenance cycle and in preparation for the film crew, we have temporarily drained our large sea lion exhibit and are working on cleaning the acrylic windows and some minor renovations to the rock work.

It is a rare sight to see Woody temporarily displaced from this window by our hardworking facilities and husbandry team and so I thought you'd enjoy seeing just what it takes to maintain our exhibits from the inside perspective!  We completed the same task last year in the harbor seal exhibit and the results were outstanding.  I'm looking forward to seeing how this exhibit appears once it receives "the Hollywood treatment"!

For anyone planning a visit to Seward this week, please note that all galleries will be closed on Friday 8th October, however the gift shop will remain open and we'll be open as usual on Saturday at 10 am - we regret any inconvenience. 

Keefer Brown - Making a Difference

Keefer Brown preparing to handover his gift

(pictured here with his mother, Kim Brown and Seward City manager, Dr Phillip Oates).

Today we had the privilege to host a remarkable young Alaskan.  Twelve year old Keefer Brown, of Wasilla, Alaska presented the Alaska SeaLife Center with a donation of $1,300 which he has raised over the past summer to promote harbor seal research and rehabilitation.    Keefer was accompanied by his parents and grandparents who helped him to design and market a range of candles which he had decorated with items he found on the beaches of Seldovia, such as shells and seaweed.  Keefer spent much of this summer chatting with visitors and tourists alike at the Herring Bay Mercantile in Seldovia and at the Seldovia Harbor ramp selling his candle creations. 

Keefer's Candles (photo courtesy Kim Brown)

Initially, Keefer’s goal was to raise $50 to “adopt” a harbor seal through the ASLC SeaStars program. However, once he discovered the interest of visitors and the community in marine issues, he quickly raised his fundraising target by several orders of magnitude. Such was his success in fundraising that he also managed to convince visitors to also donate to marine research and education! He recounts with his wry sense of humor how he had to explain to one visitor just what a donation actually means…. clearly he is an amazing communicator, an exceptional entrepreneur and a practicing philanthropist.

Keefer learning the tricks of the trade - a budding mammalogist in the making?

Keefer’s is most passionate about protecting the environment and its wildlife. He walks the talk in the way he lives his life – he makes healthy food choices, practices recycling and uses strict criteria to determine what he purchases so as to avoid over consumption. His absolute favorite animals are harbor seals, although he also learned today, while visiting with Maxwell and Mocha, that spotted seals can also be pretty cute.

Keefer, his parents and our talented Mammal staff learning about  harbor seals

His mother, Kim Brown describes Keefer as a “wonderful young man who is always ready with a smile and possesses an unfailing kindness that touches everyone he meets.” Those qualities were evident in abundance as we spent the day wending our way around the SeaLife Center – he was enthralled by everything that we do and has endless enthusiasm to learn more. He faces a tough choice as he moves forward with his career education – paleontology or marine biology or both?

Keefer enjoying the antics of our harbor seals in their main exhibit

Words cannot adequately express just how moving it was to receive this generous gift from Keefer – the closest analog to how I think we all felt during this morning’s ceremony was that we were witnessing a true environmental hero emerging just like being ringside at the annual CNN heroes program  – Keefer is an inspiration to us all. Perhaps Mayor Willard Dunham, who has been a driving force in establishing the Center, summed it up best when he noted with just a hint of a proud tear in the corner of his eye, that “seeing Keefer’s commitment today reminds us all of why the SeaLife center was built and of how inspirational it has become to young Alaskans”.

Keefer with Seward Mayor and long serving ASLC Board Member, Willard Dunham

I have asked Keefer and his parents to be our guests at the 2011 Alaska Marine Gala – I hope you have the chance to meet him there.

Ocean Today Kiosk at ASLC to Develop Local Content

Describing OTK design and development to Coastal America Partners

(all photos by Nate Chambers who was also a member of the OTK design team)

Yesterday, Alaska region representatives of the 16 Federal agencies who comprise the Coastal America partnership (see http://www.coastalamerica.gov/) met at the Alaska SeaLife Center to review the new Ocean Today Kiosk (OTK). Installed in the early summer, the ASLC OTK is the latest addition to the national OTK network. The OTK network began with a major installation on the floor of the Sant Ocean Hall at the Smithsonian Institutions’ National Museum of Natural History in 1998 and now comprises some 17 aquaria who are designated by Coastal America as Coastal Ecosystem Learning Centers.
The kiosk provides informative, entertaining and up-to-date short videos from researchers, managers and educators under the four main headings of:
• Ocean news

• Ocean Life

• Ocean Science and Technology

• Recent Discoveries

Smithsonian staff work closely with NOAA staff to generate content for the kiosk and content and updates are then ‘pushed’ out to each OTK daily.

OTK Installation features two display screens and is located on the core visitor traffic route at the ASLC

Technology for the OTKs is sponsored by Panasonic. Funding for the OTK was provided by Coastal America partners, with additional installation support provided the National Parks Service Ocean Alaska Science and Learning Center. The ASLC OTK has greatly enriched visitor understanding of national ocean issues – we estimate that between 15-20% of our visitors pause to interact with the exhibit. Interaction time varies from 1-20 minutes.

Network members are now exploring how to upload local content to share with other network members – the Alaska Coastal America team yesterday approved a proposal to generate one video in each of the four core menu areas ready to share nationally by May 2011.
We welcome your suggestions – what Alaska content do you believe is most likely to have national interest?

And the winner is...

Events Coordinator Julie Jokinen and Aviculturists Heidi Cline and Seth Wagner pictured with Princess Cruise staff and Ididaride tour staff

Photo courtesy of Princess Tours

We were delighted to receive news this week that the Alaska SeaLife Center & Puffin Experience has been selected as the shore excursion of the season in the Port of Seward in 2010.  Awarded by one of our leading tourism partners, Princess Tours, this prestigious award is fitting recognition for the extraordinary efforts of our marketing, education, exhibits and husbandry staff.  Our behind the scenes (BTS) encounters have proven exceptionally popular this summer and so it is gratifying for all staff involved to know that their hard work and expertise is appreciated by our visitors and partners.

For anyone who has not yet been on a BTS, we strongly encourage you to do so - not only are they a great opportunity to learn about our animals and birds, they also provide you with a personalized glimpse into the skill that underpins our animal husbandry program.

Thank you again to Princess Tours and the many visitors who supported our BTS programs in 2010 - we are continuing to work on those programs and expect to offer additional encounters in 2011 - stay tuned!

SeaLife Abounds in Palmer!!

Wineck Barn: The ASLC Pavilion at the 2010 State Fair

(right next to the Red Gate)

(all photos here courtesy of Nate Chambers)

Last Saturday I had the pleasure of showing my visiting family from Australia some of the very best that Alaska has to offer as we toured around the 2010 State Fair in Palmer.  My sister was simply amazed to find jellyfish and other assorted marine life in the midst of an inland agricultural town!

Perhaps she would not have been so amazed if she understod just how skilled our education, exhibits and husbandry teams are at promoting public understanding of marine life - the State Fair exhibit is just the latest in a long line of public outreach events where we magically give the public a chance to experience Alaska's amazing marine life from the comfort of a dry vantage point.

The theme of this years exhibit is "Growing up in Alaska's Ocean Nurseries" and each element of the exhibit picks up on the theme of just how important our oceans are as nurseries for the many species we depend on and enjoy.  The eider exhibit above is just one example of species that has local, national and global significance.

Perhaps the most visually compelling element of the exhibit is the collection of milk bottles (Matanuska milk of course!) that demonstrate the role of milk in mammalian development...

The State Fair exhibit really highlights the amazing creative design skills of our staff and their ability to deliver a high quality education and entertainment experience. For example, I had watched Laurie Stuart draw the whale that is the backdrop to the milk exhibit and was incredibly impressed by her artistic talents - my sister was equally entralled with the story that her drawing told!  That same theme of great story told thru great exhibitry was replicated as we moved through the barn - it really was hard to believe that were in a barn in Palmer... and I guess that is the epitome of an effective exhibit.

If you haven't already been to the State Fair, you really should plan to go and make sure you stop by the Wineck Barn before this amazing, but temporary, exhibit is temporarily dissassembled... if you really can't make it, the good news is that all these exhibits are designed to be re-used; the main tanks (provided with the generous support of the Rasmuson Foundation) will be a mainstaty of future outreach exhibits... their next public outing will likely be at the Alaska Marine Gala in Anchorage on January 16th... stay tuned!

Fish On! Invitational 2010

The catch of the day from F/V Legend

For more than a decade, Congressman Don Young has graciously acted as host of the Alaska SeaLife Center Invitational – a weekend of fishing and fundraising for the Center’s programs. After a one year break in 2009, the Invitation returned again this year. Unfortunately, the weather was not in our favor -- Anchorage had just set a new record – 31 straight rain days and that same grey sky extended over Seward for much the same period.

However, as the photo above attests, the fishing was sensational! More than 60 participants joined the fishing both days of the event and most fishers caught their limit. As I said at the Friday night dinner fundraising event, “that catch is both a wonderful indicator of the health of the ecosystems and the quality of fisheries management systems in Alaska. The vision for the Alaska SeaLife Center is for future generations to continue to enjoy the bounty of Alaska’s oceans -- we clearly need to keep our relentless focus on improving the science that underpins good fisheries management and on providing the education that helps Alaskans and visitors to contribute sustainable fisheries management”.

We are indebted to Congressman Young for helping us realize that vision. His support for the Center over many years has enabled us to build and strengthen the research and education programs that underpin our work and which have a huge benefit to Alaska’s tourism, fishing and other marine-resource dependent industries. He has very generously acted as our host for the Invitational which attracts a strong level of participation by many Alaskans as well as other business leaders from the Lower 48.

We encourage you all to mark your calendars for mid August 2011 when we plan to run our next summer invitational fish celebration and fundraiser.

Remembering Ted Stevens: A Great Alaskan and Champion for our Oceans

Senator Stevens with Nereus the rescued walrus that was rehabilitated at the Alaska SeaLife Center and transferred to the Indianapolis Zoo in 2003.

(photo by Aaron Saunders)

The Alaska SeaLife Center staff are joining all Alaskans today in sharing their grief over the tragic loss of Senator Ted Stevens. We extend our deepest sympathy to his family for their loss and to the families of the other passengers killed and injured in the plane crash on Monday.

Senator Stephens played an integral role in establishing and promoting the Alaska SeaLife Center. With his deep interest in a healthy fisheries industry and sound governance of the larger Alaska marine ecosystem, he saw the value of opening a public aquarium and promoting marine research in his home state. Senator Stevens legacy will in part be defined by the value he placed on protecting our marine resources and his leadership in supporting scientific research to understand and sustain those resources.
His work to restructure commercial fishing to protect the sustainability of that industry has revolutionized fisheries management in the North Pacific and beyond. His ability to balance economic and environmental needs of the state was remarkable and admirable. As an institution we are indebted to Senator Stevens for his years of service to our state, his contributions both political and private to the wellbeing of the Alaska SeaLife Center and for serving as an advocate of environmental stewardship that we can all learn from.

We share in the nation’s sorrow as we have lost a champion of our cause and a wonderful friend to all who care about the future of our oceans.

On behalf of the Board, staff and volunteers at the Alaska SeaLife Center, the citizens who helped create and maintain the Center, the science community which has benefited by the research conducted here and the two million visitors who have learned about the wonders of Alaska’s seas as a result of its creation, we pledge to continue to honor Senator Stevens legacy and further the important marine research and education work that he long ago recognized as profoundly important to the future of Alaska.

Tazo - the latest Alaskan Ambassador for a National Marine Wildlife Strandings Response Network

Tazo, the northern sea otter rehabilitated at the Alaska SeaLife Center and now transferred to the New York Aquarium

I really didn't intend to put this awesome picture on the blog this morning.  I figured that with all the media coverage Tazo's transfer had attracted in the past 24 hours (see, for example, http://community.adn.com/adn/node/152649) that everyone would have seen enough of him.
But then I went for coffee and meetings uptown and just happened to overhear numerous passionate conversations about "how cute sea otters" are and even good natured debates about whether he should have "been allowed to leave" Alaska.  Clearly Alaskans have a great affection for sea otters!
Those debates reminded me again of how important the strandings science and stewardship work that we do in partnership with agencies like the US Fish and Wildlife Service is.  The Alaska SeaLife Center plays a unique role in marine mammal and seabird strandings in America's largest marine State - we have the only purpose designed facility for that work in Alaska.  Our talented husbandry and veterinary team has an exceptional record rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing or transferring injured animals and in undertaking studies of dead animals.  Both live and dead animal responses provide us with data that is incredibly valuable in understanding that species and the wider marine ecosystem.  In the wake of the Gulf oil spill, we have been actively campaigning for greater support for a national network of institutions like ours to be able to respond to injured marine wildlife such as Tazo - that work has no dedicated funding source currently!
Whether you visit Tazo at the New York Aquarium or encounter sea otters in their natural habitat in Resurrection bay, spare a thought for the safety net that national marine wildlife strandings response institutions provide.... can you imagine how much poorer our seas and lives would be if we were to lose these ambassadors?

Coastal Fishes of the Pacific Northwest - a Great Field Guide!

The cover of the new 2nd edition (ISBN 9781550174717, paper, 354pp)

As a relative newcomer to Alaska's shores (a mere four years), I am all too often reminded of how little I know about most of the marine life that I see on beach walks, tide pool excursions, fishing trips or, on those few occasions when I actually look, underwater.  Much of my recent Alaskan marine education has been very kindly provided by our outstanding husbandry staff at the Alaska SeaLife Center.  Our incredibly knowledgeable team of aquarists, particularly Richard Hocking and Jared Guthridge have patiently walked me through the nuances of fish life in the Gulf of Alaska. 
There is still work to be done though and so I am most grateful to have recently acquired the newly released second edition of Coastal Fishes of the Pacific Northwest by Andy Lamb and Phil Edgell.  Coastal Fishes has just been republished in Canada and is fully updated and expanded. Every fish is illustrated by a labelled drawing and superb underwater photos - featuring contributions by Nate Chambers from our Exhibits team. I especially appreciated the many photos that show juvenile and adult life stages - they will really help me improve my identification of sculpins and other species that I currently find particularly confusing.
Another feature that many users will find helpful is a series of icons that target information for the different "fish stakeholders" - scuba divers, anglers, seafood fanciers, etc.  This really is a book with wide appeal.
So Richard - next time I misidentify one of the rockfish in our aquaria, you'll finally be able to refer me for some taxonomically correct, and throughly enjoyable, "remedial reading"!

Recognizing Our Amazing Volunteers and Interns

Intern Emily Smith describing her cool buoyancy project to ASLC staff

Photo: Nate Chambers

Yesterday was one of those fun fun fun summer days at the Alaska SeaLife Center.  Beginning with the Intern Fair, we had the opportunity to see each of the our 2010 Interns demonstrate their projects and give feedback.  It is simply breathtaking to see the creative work these talented young scientists and educators are doing this summer - from cool new science projects to innovative ways to interpret our work to visitors.  The SeaLife Center is benefiting greatly from their enthusiasm, skill and fresh perspectives. All projects enrich our knowledge base and stimulate our staff - as they move into implemenation, I have no doubt that they will also enrich our visitors experience.

Volunteer and Intern Dinner MC, Daniel Barth

Photo: Nate Chambers

Last night, we had the opportunity to recognize the work being done by our interns and volunteers and to celebrate their many achievements.  Led in inimitable style by Daniel Barth, our relatively new HR Specialist and volunteer and intern program coordinator, awards were given to the following Interns for their projects:
• Most Useful Intern Project Award – Caitlin DeGrave (Eider intern)
• Best Intern Display Award – Adrienne Fisher (Laboratory intern)
• Most Creative Intern Project Award – Anne Winters (Interp/NPS intern)
• Best Overall Intern Project Award – Andrew Hayes (Aquarium intern)
• Honorable Mention – Jessica Vitale (Chiswell Research intern)
• Honorable Mention – Jessica Sellers (Interp/Dive intern)

2010 ASLC AmeriCorps Volunteers (l to r)

Noel Sutton, Rebecca Taylor, Christine Metzger and Matt Myers)

Photo: Nate Chambers

During the dinner, we also had the opportunity to recognize the extraordinary contributions of our 100 strong Alaskan-based volunteers (Anchorage, Seward, Homer and other centers)  and 2010 AmeriCorps volunteers and their supervisors.  Over the past year, our AmeriCorps volunteers alone have collectively provided some 5,500 hours of service to the Center and to the community of Seward!
Awards were presented to:
• Volunteers of the Year Award – Terril Efrind and Brian Hutchison (Dive volunteers)
• Intern of the Year – Caitlin DeGrave (Eider intern)
o Honorable Mention for Intern of the Year – Brenna O’Gorman (Interp/Mammals intern)
• Supervisor of the Year – Amber Stephens (Mammals department)
• AmeriCorps Member of the Year – Christine Metzger (Avian)
o AmeriCorps Honorable Mention – Noel Sutton (Mammals)
o AmeriCorps Admirable Mention – Rebecca Taylor (Education)
o AmeriCorps Worthy Mention – Matthew Myers (Education)

A light hearted moment with Richard Champion, our longest serving volunteer

Photo: Nate Chambers

It was a terrific evening and demonstrated again the very close bonds between staff, volunteers and interns - each plays a key role in the success of the Center and we appreciate both the diversity of their skills and the infectious enthusiasm they bring to our work.

Winston Churchill once remarked that "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give". 
Thank you again to everyone who gives so very generously of their time and skill to the work of the Alaska SeaLife Center - we are a better organization for all that you do.

New National Ocean Policy - Perfect Timing for ASLC!

Many of you will have already seen the historic announcement by President Obama on June 19th of a new National Ocean Policy - the full policy is presented on the White House website -  http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/oceans.

The policy is the culmination of a year long effort by an Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force that was charged with developing recommendations to enhance national ability to "maintain healthy, resilient, and sustainable oceans, coasts and Great lake resources for the benefit of present and future generations".  The Alaska SeaLife Center provided written input to the Task Force and I also gave public testimony at their hearing in Anchorage on August 24th (see SeaLife Ship's Blog August, 2009)

The policy adopts the recommendations of the Interagency Task Force.  Key initiatives include:

* establishment of a high level National Ocean Council that works in close coordination with a range of existing agencies (e.g. Ocean Research and Resources Advisory Panel which is meeting at the ASLC next week) and in close consultation with Regional Advisory Committees which will oversee spatial planning efforts in 9 regions - Alaska/Arctic is defined as one of those regions;

* development of a framework for stewardship of oceans and coasts that coordinates Federal activities with those of other levels of government, the public and private sector - coastal and marine spatial planning will be a major element of that framework.  Coastal and marine spatial planning identifies areas most suitable for various types or classes of activities in order to reduce conflicts among uses, reduce environmental impacts, facilitate compatible uses, and preserve critical ecosystem services to meet economic, environmental, security, and social objectives;

* mechanisms to enable international coordination, including pursuing US accession to the Law of the Sea Convention (a topic that was the subject of an international meeting in Seward last year); and

* support for ocean stewardship in a fiscally responsible manner.

The Alaska SeaLife Center has been working with our many Federal, State, local, academic and non-government partners to provide input to the new policy and is seeking to play an even greater role in implementation of this new policy in Alaska as part of our mission commitment to improved ocean stewardship.  This initiative comes at a perfect time for the Center as it meshes perfectly with our Deep Blue 2020 vision and strategic plan. 
Over the next few months we expect to ramp up our efforts to promote public understanding of key elements of the policy (e.g. to help Alaskans understand what coastal and marine spatial planning is and is not).  

Please let us know what more we could do to help you better understand this new policy and engage in the new initiatives it will spur.

2371 FB Friends and Counting!

I just learned that Facebook now has more than a half billion members which makes it the world's third largest discretely identifiable human community (after China and India)!  It really amazes me just how quickly Facebook has become part of our way of life since its humble beginnings just seven years ago.  But then again, perhaps I should not be surprised with that dramatic growth given the power of social networking that is so readily evident with Facebook. After all, success breeds success.

Since the start of 2010, Alaska SeaLife Center Facebook fan membership has increased by 350% and is continuing to grow both in engagement and in influence.  For example, fans quickly tell us what they like (and don't like) as we share program news... and we have had the experience where organizations who track web activity in Alaska or on marine topics generally have been prompted to engage with ASLC initiatives as a result of member posts - it is really fantastic to know that FB comments have great reach and immediate impact!

That is due in no small part to the great work done by Jenna Miller, our social media intern, who worked with Amy Haddow and Nikki Nelson to set up our current FB page last year, and is continuing to manage our FB site this summer.
As a result of their efforts, and with the arrival of Lexie Mizeras, our new VP of Marketing and Philanthropy, we are hoping to mount an even more cohesive social media campaign to better link ASLC staff, members and partners... So please keep the comments coming and please keep encouraging your friends to add ASLC to their FB links!

To join or refer ASLC to friends already on FB, use the link below once you are logged in...
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Alaska-SeaLife-Center/

Good Luck to our Mt Marathon Runners on 4th July!

Few cities are as defined by their scenery as is Seward.  Among all the rugged peaks that tower over the city, all of us have a special relationship with Mt Marathon.  It is the massive backdrop to the city that dominates ones view from nearly all city streets - indeed, one of my friends from China last year described Seward as "a cute little city that clings to the base of this mountain in order to avoid falling into the sea!"

Seward Mural Society

All visitors soon learn about the the famous 4th of July Mt Marathon race and there is an amazing race history that is now well described in various murals and posters (see http://www.sewardak.org/news-events/marathon/marathon.htm).  Alaska's best known mountain race shall be run for the 83rd time this weekend and already Seward's campgrounds and RV parks are full with visitors anticipating another dramatic and fun 4th of July!

Jessica Vaughn at the summit for the first time last year.

On Sunday, eight ASLC staff Amy Haddow, Susheela Roach, Lisa Hartman, Tim Lebling, Elizabeth Moundalexis, Jessica Vaughn, Christy Phillips and Nancy Anderson as well as several former staff and close partners like Clarence Pautzke from the NPRB will again take on the mountain. 

This amazing race is a true test of stamina and strength - the mountain is steep up and down and, as last year's race demonstrated so vividly, can be challenging for top level athletes!

We wish all our colleagues and friends on the race a safe and fun day - who knows, maybe you'll inspire the other 90% of ASLC staff who didn't sign up for the race this year to get in shape for the 84th race in 2011?! (nudge, nudge...)

Honoring Senator John Kerry's Contributions to Coastal Stewardship

I had the privilege last night to participate in the Coastal America Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership (CWRP) 10th Anniversary Celebration during which the Senator John H. Chafee Coastal Stewardship Award was presented to Senator John Kerry. 

Senator Kerry has been a true oceans champion and sponsored many important pieces of legislation related to coastal and ocean management, including the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the National Sea Grant College Program Act.  He has also been a long term supporter of the Coastal America program (http://www.coastalamerica.gov/).  In 1996, he led the designation of the New England Aquarium as the first National Coastal Ecosystem Learning Center (CELC) -- there are now 23 such Centers around the country and the Alaska SeaLife Center is playing a key role in that network.  Next year will be the 15th anniversary of the CELC network and the 20th Anniversary of the Coastal America program.

It was a truly inspirational event and I greatly enjoyed hearing from such ocean leaders as Leon Panetta, the first recipient of the Chafee Award and now CIA Director, Dr Larry Robinson, Assitant Secretary  for Oceans and Atmosphere in the Dept. of Commerce, Virginia Tippie, Director of Coastal America and Pat Hester from Spectra Energy who is Chair of the CWRP. 

Events like this are a tremendous oportunity to reflect on both the difference that committed leaders can make and of the importance of persistence!  US coastal and ocean policy has been a 'work in progress' for a long time.  In order to understand why things are the way they are and where the proposed new ocean policy (see http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq/initiatives/oceans/interimreport) is heading (and why), it is helpful to hear directly from the people involved.  I'll share some more observations on that with staff when I get back home to Alaska.