Vol. 13, #2, March 2004
BOARD REPORT
A major effort at the February Board meeting was the fine-tuning and approval of the Mission Statement for the FOHB, as follows:
Friends of Hanauma Bay is a voluntary support organization dedicated to con-servation of costal/marine environments, emphasizing stewardship of the natural resources found in Hanauma Bay.
To this end, we embrace the following core values:
- Fostering conservation efforts related to the costal/marine environments
- Serving as an informed advocate for the Bay with government agencies and officials and the general public
- Supporting the Hanauma Bay Education Program in their Mission at the Bay
- Recognizing and supporting the work of the Bay Management and Staff
- Promoting efforts for marine and marine-related research
- Promoting the creation and expansion of other marine protected areas.The Board voted to be involved in the Regional Science Fair, April 5-7, 2004, with John Norris and Barbara Nowak as judges. Roy Gritter will present any awards on Wednesday, April 7, 2004.
The Board decided that it should have its By-Laws and articles of Incorporation reviewed to ascertain if they meet the current laws. It has chosen to contract with a local law firm to assist in this study.
After the Treasurer, Laurel Anderson, was able to purchase 50 coffee mugs with Hanauma Bay on them at a close-out cost of 50-cents each, it was agreed that any new member of the Friends would receive a free mug. However, the person would have to pick up the mug at the Bay. Do you have a friend who should be a member? Does that person need a coffee mug? Act now!
DUES & SYMBOLS
You can now pay your 2004 dues via snail-mail, see other side, or electronic-mail and a credit card, see our new Website: www.friendsofhanaumabay.org or .com.
So you understand, the symbol(s) following your name on the mailing label indicates if you paid your dues for 2004 (*), if you haven't and paid in 2003 (?), if you haven't paid for at least two years ($), if you have a membership via the Education Program (^), and if you are a special person to the FOHB ('). There is no symbols for members of the City Council and State Legislature. Our goal, obviously, is to have everyone on our mailing list a star (*) player!
Bay and Hwy Cleanup
The next Bay and Kalani Hwy quarterly cleanup is scheduled for Saturday, April 24, 2004. This one of all all island cleanups, thus plan now to assist your Friends. Start time is 8:30 am until about 10:30 am, depending on the number of Volunteers.
The Board voted to give a $50 cash award and a copy of the John Hoover book "The Fish of Hanauma Bay" to a Junior High student and $100 plus the book to a Senior High student at the Hawaii Regional Science Fair that have awardable projects in Marine Science. The FOHB will be a co-sponsor of the HBEP's Volunteer Appreciation Banquet by making a $500 grant.
To be able to use the new method of dues paying described above, the Board voted to approve using the Website and PayPal to carry this out.
SYMBIOSIS
I've written in the past about symbiosis and those of you who subscribe to my "Dalies from the Bay" have seen many photos of various critters engaged in symbiotic relationships. Recently, I've run into lots of symbiotic activity and I've therefore decided to make it the subject for this Newsletter. Over the last couple of months, I've seen Jacks (to be referred to as the 'hanger') hanging out with Morays, Goatfish and Octopus (collectively to be referred to as the 'hangee') in hopes of picking up easy 'eats.' When the hangee 'flushes' out critters while looking for chow under rocks, in the sand or in pukas, the hanger (da Jack) will scoot in and pick off the pupu before the hapless hangee has a chance to grab it.
I've also seen symbiosis between Trumpetfish and Chubs where the former uses the latter as cover to swoop in on a hapless fish. I've even seen turtles being cleaned by Surgeonfish (This is only covered under HMSA "high option" plans.) and, of course, there's always the Banded Coral (cleaner) shrimp, Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasses, Pipefish and a host of assorted adolescent Butterflyfish, Wrasses and other critters who get their start by opening a cleaning station to service the reef critters (Check your oil and water sir?).
What's interesting about all this activity is that often its one-sided. Only one critter derives any benefit from the relationship. In symbiotic terms, this is called commensalism and the Jack is a prime example! If anything, he's bugging the hangee to scare him up some grub and the hangee has no say in the relationship! On the other hand (or fin), where both critters derive some benefit from the relationship, we're looking at another form of symbiosis called mutualism. The various aforementioned 'cleaners' are a good example of mutualism. Both they AND their customers are mutually rewarded. The 'cleaner' gets a good meal and the 'cleanee' gets rid of parasites, dead skin and picks up a nice back scratch (Just a little to the left, please!) as a bonus.
In the people world we practice symbiosis on a daily basis as well. Whether at work or play we're constantly 'doing' commensalism or mutualism. Often we male members of the species mistake commensalism for mutualism in our dealings with out 'significant others.'
We think we're both deriving benefit, but THEY know they're not (Hey, give me the remote and I'LL find a program you're interested in!). A dead giveaway for our erroneous thinking is the 'dead stare' - a practice raised to an art form by the distaff members of our species! Sigh! Aloha to all, Larry Winnik
HBEP OUTREACH PROGRAM
3/18/04 "Wayfinders: A Pacific Odyssey" A documentary on the art and history of Polynesian navigation and voyaging.
3/25/04 "Rare Marine Life of Hawaii: An Underwater Photography Slideshow" Bob Kern, Hawaii Underwater Photography Society
4/1/04 "House of the Shark" a special documentary about Hawaii's sharks, produced by Randy Honebrink at the State Division of Aquatic Resources
4/8/04 "Night Life: Creatures of the Deep," See what lurks in the cold, dark deep. New England Aquarium's World of Water Films
4/15/04 "Hawaii's Sharks" Randy Honebrink, State of Hawaii's Division of Aquatic Resources.
4/22/04 "Working Toward a Sustainable Hawaii" Dr. Bruce Miller, Office of Sustainability, UH Manoa
4/29/04 "The Oceans and Climate Change: What We Know and Where We Go From Here" Dr. Valerie Franck, UH Sea Grant
5/6/04 "Palua: Paradise of the Pacific" PBS documentary
5/13/04 "Where Have All the Fishes Gone?" Mary Picket, Waikiki Aquarium
5/20/04 "Empty Oceans, Empty Nets" PBS Documentary.
Remember all talks/FILMS are in the Bay Education Center THEATER on Thursdays at 6:30 pm.
BAY EDUCATION PROGRAMThe Hanauma Bay Education Program hired Gavin Iwai as an Education Program Assistant. Gavin is a graduate student at the University of Hawaii where he received his undergraduate degree in Zoology. Gavin takes the place of Paulo Maurin, who left the program in January to accept a graduate assistantship at the UH's School of Business Management.
Gavin is no stranger to working in the aquatic environment, for he interned at the Anuenue Fisheries, a facility run by the State's Division of Aquatic Resources. He spent some time working for Dr. Clyde Tamaru, head of the Sea Grant Aquaculture Program. Gavin has also participated in the Marine Options Program. He is looking forward to getting his "feet wet" with the Education Program.
Gavin is currently working on Saturdays, but soon will be switching to Sundays. Volunteers and FOHB Members are encouraged to stop by to say Aloha to our newest Staff Member.
Peter Rappa, Director, Hanauma Bay Education Program.
VIP VISITS
The following VIPs visited Hanauma Bay during January and February of this year:
Gale Norton, US Secretary of the Interior. She could not snorkel because of the broken foot.
Congressmen from Taiwan - Peter Rappa's mother-in-law told them about the Bay in Mandarin and they were shown the Education Film in the Chinese Language.
John Ashcroft, US Attorney General, and his Staff. They Staff snorkeled and followed the rules very carefully.
Jack Potter, US Postmaster General. His family and friends snorkeled.
The Mayor's Reception for the "Urban Planning for Sustainable Tourism Conference" was held in the evening at the Bay on Tuesday, February 17, 2004 with attendees from all over the Pacific Rim.
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NANAMOANA is published bimonthly by the Friends of Hanauma Bay,
100 Hanauma Bay Road, Honolulu, HI 96825
Roy Gritter, Editor.
