monterey bay aquarium member magazine shorelines summer 2011

8/7/2019 Monterey Bay Aquarium Member Magazine Shorelines Summer 2011

1/16

M O N T E R E Y B A Y A Q U A R I U M

SH RELINES

3Directors Note Aquarium Adventures

10Cindy Pawlcyn

6New Open Sea Animals

4OceanAction

8

M E M B E R M A G A Z I N E S U M M E R 2 0 1 1

Black sea nettles are among the celebrated animals youll see in the Open Sea galleries.


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We forget that

the water cycle

and the life cycle

are one.

Jacques Yves Cousteau


3/16

Behind the scenes we are already

caring for many of the animals that

will be added to the exhibits: tufted

puffins and other diving birds, sand-

bar sharks and young sea turtles. New

tunas are growing rapidly in our Ani-mal Research and Care Center that

we opened last year with your help.

Our four older sea turtles are there

too, until the day when they return to

the million-gallon Open Sea exhibit.

Your support has been critical to

this project, and to all our efforts to

inspire visitors to care more and do

more to protect the oceans. I hope

to see you at our member and donor

events, celebrating the opening of our

new galleries in July.

In addition to new exhibits, were in-

troducing many new summer pro-

grams that will make your visits even

more memorable. Well have more

sleepovers; sailing and tour opportu-

nities; and extended hours during

Evenings by the Bay each Saturday

and Sunday.

I hope youll join me at our 10th an-

nual Cooking for Solutions celebrationin May. Well host new events and wel-

come culinary celebrities including

Alton Brown, Robert Irvine, P. Allen

Smith and Nathan Lyon. All of these

luminaries share our commitment to

sustainable seafood.

Cooking for Solutions will feature

our honored chef, Rick Moonen, and

our new culinary partner, Chef Cindy

Pawlcyn, who is taking our food serv-

ice to a new level of excellence while

deepening our commitment to serve

food thats delicious and good for

the oceans. You can learn more about

Cindy, and our Cooking for Solutions

events, on page 10.

I would also like to personally thank

everyone who generously gave to our

Saving Ocean Animals campaign. Your

support will help keep our research

teams in the field: studying the con-

nections between the health ofcoastal waters and the survival of sea

otters from California to Alaska; the

impacts of the Gulf of Mexico oil disas-

ter on Atlantic bluefin tuna; and the

migrations of young great white

sharks in U.S. and Mexican waters.

Your contributions help make this

critical research possible and provide

valuable support for our free educa-

tion programs for over 80,000

schoolchildren each year. Thank you

for helping us protect ocean animals

and inspire people to care as deeply

about them as you and I do.

DirectorsNote

J u l i e P a c k a r d

Executive Director

www.montereybayaquarium.org

This is a busy time at the Aquarium, as we prepare for thesummer season and especially the debut of our Open Sea

galleries. Our new exhibits will tell a fresh story about theanimals of the open ocean.


4/164 www.montereybayaquarium.org

NewSteps forSharks,SustainableSeafoodby Michael Sutton

With your help, and that of

thousands of people like you,we can make a big difference

for sharks.

We are a leading supporter of

California legislation (AB 376),

that would ban the trade

of shark fins in the state.

This is significant, be-

cause the bill if passed

into law would remove

the economic incentives

that drive the global

shark fin trade and the killingof millions of sharks worldwide.

(Outside of Asia, California rep-

resents one of the largest mar-

kets for shark fins.)

Our role in the coalition spon-

soring the legislation was an

important factor in winning the

support of key elected officials

and prominent chefs like Mar-

tin Yan and Charles Phan

both past honorees at our

Cooking for Solutions events.

As AB 376 progresses,

well call on you to

voice your support for

sharks. Together, we

can win the votes

needed to provide an-

other layer of protection for

sharks worldwide just as we

did in last years successful

campaign to pass the Shark

Conservation Act, which be-came federal law earlier

this year.

Sometimes it takes a new law

to help protect the oceans.

Sometimes its a matter of peo-

ple stepping up to do the right

thing. Were making that easier

for individuals and businessesby adding some new features

to our Seafood Watch iPhone

and Android apps.

Project FishMap is a new tool

that literally puts sustain-

able seafood on the

map by highlighting the

Best Choices and Good

Alternatives you can find

at your favorite restau-

rant or supermarket.

Nearly 200,000 people have

downloaded the updated

iPhone app; and more than

1,200 individuals have logged

over 2,000 seafood recommen-

dations from nearly 400 cities

nationwide. The list of sustain-

able options is growing every

day, and will grow even faster

now that weve launched an

Android version of the Seafood

Watch app as well.

With your help the

Aquarium has become

a trusted voice for the

oceans an organiza-

tion whose opinions

carry weight with con-

sumers, businesses and

policy-makers in Sacramento

and Washington D.C. Whether

through new legislation or new

tools, well continue to find cre-

ative ways to protect theoceans and the ocean animals

we love.

Taking Action

Michael Sutton is vice president and director

of our Center for the Future of the Oceans.

Bluefin tuna - Thun

Tunas bodies are almost perfectly streamlined to help

conserve energy on their long-distance journeys. And tuna

can retract their fins, making them super-streamlined.

Pacific bluefin tuna

spawn midway be-

tween Okinawa and

the Philippines and

possibly in the Sea of

Japan, then migrate

over 6,000 nautical

miles to the eastern

Pacific, eventually

returning to their

birth waters

to spawn.


5/16www.montereybayaquarium.org

Research on Tuna Comes inAllSizes

In collaboration with Stanford

University, our Tuna Research

and Conservation Center (TRCC)provides a laboratory setting that

allows us to conduct studies that

would be impossible in the wild. In

a lab we can observe how tunas

respond to changes in diet and

temperature. And using our tuna

respirometer, we can

even measure their

physiological perform-

ance much like sports

physiologists do with

elite athletes.

This analogy is especially appro-

priate with yellow and bluefin

tuna the super athletes of the

oceans. Researchers here are

leading the way studying the

molecular, biochemical and

physiological characteristics of

these remarkable fish.

Using a sophisticated technique

in which microscopically-fine

glass electrodes are inserted

into individual tuna heart mus-

cle cells, a group of vis-

iting scientists from

Manchester University

is studying the behavior

of ion channels and ex-

changers embedded

into the surface of

these cells. The movement of

ions sodium and calcium in

particular in and out of a mus-

cle cell is what controls its abil-

ity to expand and contract.When contractions and expan-

sions occur in unison (as they do

in heart tissue), the heart beats

pumping blood through the

rest of the tunas body.

However, the ion channels them-

selves can be affected by a vari-

ety of environmental factors.

If a heart gets too cold or too

warm, for example, the cells lose

their ability to control the flow

of ions effectively shutting

down the organ. Likewise, thepresence of various chemical

compounds can affect heart cell

function leading to impaired

heart function or even death.

By studying the effects of envi-

ronmental factors on

the physiology of indi-

vidual heart cells, TRCC

scientists hope to gain

insight into how wild

tunas could be affected

by changes in their environment. Changes in ocean tem-

perature, for example, might

alter migration patterns. And

environmental pollutants could

affect population size, depend-

ing on where and when they

are exposed.

So whether we are studying the

swimming physiology of whole

tunas, or the electrophysiology

of individual heart cells, our re-

search can help us to under-stand the biology of

these animals around

the globe and, ultimately

how we can help them

survive in the wild.

Your contributions to ou

Saving Ocean Animals campaign

help make this work possible

and were grateful to those of

you who have given generously

to the campaign.

Looking for our Mysteries of

the Deep column? In response

to your feedback, were pleased

to offer an expanded look at

MBARIs latest research on

page 14.

Research Updatehynnus

Unlike most fishes, tunas are warm-blooded and can

heat their bodies to 36 F warmer than the surrounding

water. This added warmth helps their muscles work faster

and more efficiently.

Bluefin tuna aresome of the largest

and fastest fish in

the oceantheyre

powerful swimmers,

built for endurance

and speed. A Pacific

bluefin tuna is

capable of swimming

at speeds of 12 to

18 miles per hour

for brief periods.

Tunas consume as much as five percent of

their body weight daily and must continually

swim with their mouths open to force water

over their gills, supercharging their blood-rich

muscles with oxygen.

You can learn more on the Research and

Conservation pages of our website.



We are making great

progress on our new

Open Sea galleries and

were excited to an-

nounce they will open

on July 1.

Topping the list of returning favorites

is our ocean sunfish. Now more than fivefeet long and doing well in its temporary

home in our Tuna Research and Conser-

vation Center, our mola will soon return

to its million-gallon exhibit home.

The ocean sunfish, or Mola mola, is

more than a crowd favorite and an iconic

exhibit animal. Because of our success in

keeping them on exhibit, were able to

conduct growth studies to learn more

about the diet and caloric needs of the

largest bony fishes in the ocean. In the

wild, molas can reach 14 feet in length

and tip the scales at an SUV-like 5,000

pounds. Molas on exhibit here can reach

a still-massive 1,000 pounds.

As with our work with juvenile great

white sharks, our staff is involved in a

tagging program to learn more about

mola habitat preferences and migratorypatterns in the wild. To date, weve

tagged nearly a dozen molas and gath-

ered information that may be crucial to

the survival of the species.

In California, nearly 30 percent of the

catch in a swordfish boat can be molas

caught by mistake rivaling or exceeding

the number of swordfish landed by fish-

ing crews. Molas are also threatened by

floating trash a growing problem for

many ocean animals and seabirds.

We were one of the

first aquariums to su

cessfully exhibit the

species, and our re-

search with animals

on exhibit and in the

wild is helping to unwrap the mysteri

of the mola. Senior aquarist and residemola expert Michael Howard says,

Theres no written recipe for this. We

always learning.

Our ocean sunfish wont be alone in

the million-gallon Open Sea exhibit. Ou

new Animal Research and Care Center

nearby Marina is holding dozens of an

mals awaiting their return to the Aqua

ium. This includes many other favorite

yellowfin and bluefin tuna, bonito, bar-

racuda, pelagic rays, scalloped hamme


7/16www.montereybayaquarium.org

head sharks, and four large green sea

turtles. Theyll be joined by an all-new

species for us: the beautiful sandbar

shark, and by the largest Pacific sardine

collection weve ever had.

Our white shark team will be in the

field this summer, tagging more juvenile

sharks, and we hope to add a white shark

to this exhibit in the fall.

Well also open a new diving bird ex-

hibit, with tufted puffins, horned puffins

and a pigeon guillemot. And, well feature

never before seen deep-sea jellies along

with black sea nettles, Pacific sea nettles,

moon jellies, crystal jellies and more.

Plan your visit now to see our new Open

Sea galleries when they open in July.

Please see the attached Member

Calendar for early openings and special

evening hours just for members.

Thank You. Over 1,400 members and donors have already

contributed nearly $2 million to our Saving Ocean Animals

campaign and we're deeply grateful.

Ocean animals need us. If you havent already joined this important

campaign, please contact us at 800-840-4880. Make your gift

today and provide critical support for our field work, education and

conservation programs to ensure a future with healthy oceans.

Our Packards Circle donors and campaign donors with gifts

of $250 or more will be invited to special receptions for our

Open Sea galleries:

Packards Circle Preview: Friday, July 1, 7 p.m.

Campaign Donor Reception: Friday, July 8, 7 p.m.


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AquariumAdventures

Our popular summer programs return, with

plenty of dates and times offered so you

can experience them at your convenience

throughout the season.

Advanced registration is required. Visitwww.montereybayaquarium.org for pro-

gram descriptions, dates, times and rates.

Or, call toll free 866-963-9645 for informa-

tion and reservations.

Underwater Explorers

Ages: 8 to 13

Member Fee: $75; General Public Fee: $95

plus Aquarium admission

Come dive with us! In this unique program,

kids are introduced to surface SCUBA with

Aquarium dive staff in our Great Tide Pool.

They'll meet amazing animals while getting

a fish-eye view of the wonders of the bay as

they are safely guided on surface SCUBA

tours. Basic swimming skills required. No

SCUBA experience or equipment necessary.

Sealife Sails: Day Sail

Ages: 8 and older

MemberFee:$45; General PublicFee: $55

Let the animals tell the story of Monterey

Bay. Along the way you may get to see ma-

rine birds, sea lions, seals and sea otters, all

common visitors to the bay. Experience the

natural wonders of our beautiful surround-

ings firsthand as you work alongside

Aquarium naturalists aboard the Derek M.

Baylis, a 65-foot sailboat designed for

ocean research. You may even take a turn

at the helm steering the boat! Day sails are

offered most Thursdays, Fridays and Satur-

days, June 17 through September 3.

Sealife Sails: Evening Sail

Ages: 8 and older


Sip and sail with us! Join us for a spectacu-

lar sail on the waters of the Monterey Bay

National Marine Sanctuary. Watch for

wildlife and enjoy wine and light refresh-

ments as you talk with our naturalist or

simply relax with friends. Evening sails are

offered most Thursdays, Fridays and Satur-

days, June 17 through September 3.

Summer Nights Sleepovers

Ages: 5 and older


Spend the night at the Aquarium! You can

enjoy our new Open Sea galleries at your

leisure and have fun with special activities

before settling in for the night in front of

your favorite exhibit. A continental break-

fast is served in the morning. Sleepovers

are offered on July 2, 16, 23 and 30; August

13, 18 and 27; and September 17.

Behind-the-ScenesToursWhether youve just joined the Aquarium

or are a Charter Member, a tour is the

perfect way to enhance your visit and

learn something unexpected about our

exhibits and animals. We have two newtours this year shorter in length and

themed for your special enjoyment.

Feed the Fish New!

Ages: 6 and older


plus Aquarium Admission

Find out what our exhibit fish eat, peek in

our food rooms, watch a private feeding

the top of the Kelp Forest and help us fee

some fish in this dynamic tour. Offered da

Shark Tour New!Ages: 6 and older



Well introduce you to over a dozen specie

of sharks, skates and rays that call the

Aquarium home, plus share the inside sto

on our great white shark research. Youll

end with a special look at some of our

largest sharks from the top of our Monter

Bay Habitats exhibit. Offered daily.

Summers coming, and for Aquarium members that means more pglimpse at what you can look forward to this summer season. Plea

8 www.montereybayaquarium.org


9/16

ms and more fun for your family and friends to enjoy. Heres ack the attached member calendar for more activities and events.

Behind-the-Scenes Tour

Ages: 6 and older



Follow our guides through the Staff Only

doors and learn what it takes to care for

over 10,000 animals, as well as our ongoing

research on tunas, sea otters and great

white sharks. Offered daily.

Family Tour

All ages allowed



Designed with our youngest visitors in

mind, this interactive tour takes you behind

the scenes with trained naturalists who tell

the stories of our most popular animals.

Hands-on activities make this a great

choice for families with children under 8

years old. Offered daily at 11:30 a.m.

Feeding Frenzy

Ages: 8 and older


plus Aquarium admission

This is a rare opportunity to interact with

our animals as an aquarist would. Your

morning begins with a private sea otter

feeding and training session. Next youll go

on morning rounds to see where food is

prepared and learn what it takes to be an

aquarist here at the Aquarium. Youll even

have a chance to feed some of our exhibit

animals! Offered most Thursdays and

Sundays from 8:15 to 10:15 a.m.

Personal Guided Tour

Member Fee: $120 for up to six people;

$20 for each additional person

General Public Fee: $144 for up to sixpeople plus Aquarium Admission; $24 for

each additional person

This personalized tour caters to your inter-

ests and provides the ultimate insiders

view of the Aquarium in our galleries and

behind-the-scenes.

SummerDeckPrograms&

LiveTheatricalPresentationsFamily-friendly performances featuring a

dynamic cast will entertain and educate

you and your family.

New this year is an exciting performance

that features fun music, stories, animals,

and one-of-a-kind puppets created espe-

cially for the Aquarium by Chris Green Ki-

netics. These groundbreaking works of art,

made from repurposed and recycled mate-

rials, are unlike anything youve ever seen

before at the Aquarium. Well also be offer-

ing Enough Stuff a crowd favorite that

debuted last summer. This short, comedic

musical highlights the charismatic animals

in our special exhibition, Hot Pink Flamingos.

We also have live theatrical presentations

at various exhibits throughout the day.

You may happen upon a magic show

about seahorses, a character from the

old cannery or a larger-than-life waiter at

the Real-Cost Cafe.

All deck programs and theatrical presenta-

tions are presented live from June 18

through September 5. Check our map for

daily schedules when you arrive.

Eveningsby theBaySpend a leisurely summer evening at the

Aquarium when we extend our hours until

8 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday from

July 2 through September 4. Youll enjoy

live music, food, and wine tasting while

strolling past your favorite exhibits.



10/16

Cooking for Solutions May 20-22

New for 2011: Expanded Lineup

Theres still time to be part of our tenth Cook-

ing for Solutions celebration. For details and

tickets, visit www.cookingforsolutions.org

or call our Sales Center at 866-963-9645.

Cooking for

Solutions Gala

Friday, May 207:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Member Fee: $120

General Public Fee: $150

Enjoy our 10th grand culinary celebration,

with gourmet dishes prepared by celebrity

chefs and 70 outstanding restaurants;

organic and sustainable wines from 60

premium West Coast wineries; and the

return of our popular sushi lounge.

NEW: Coastal Living Pavilion Presentations

Saturday and Sunday, May 21-22

Member Fee: $60 per presentationGeneral Public Fee: $75 per presentation

(includes Aquarium admission)

Youve seen them on television and probably

own all of their books. Now you have an op-

portunity to meet your favorite celebrity per-

sonalities and join one (or more) of these fun

events. Youll laugh, while learning about pro-

tecting the planet during two days of special

presentations and cooking demonstrations

from: The Food Networks Alton Brown and

Robert Irvine; P. Allen Smith, host of several

nationally syndicated gardening programs;

and Nathan Lyon, host of Growing A Greener

World on PBS and other national

television programs.

Sustainable Foods

Celebration

Saturday and Sunday,

May 21-22

10 a.m.to 6 p.m.

Included with regular

Aquarium admission

(free for members)

Learn about sustainable seafood, organicagriculture and sustainable winemaking at

information booths throughout the Aquar-

ium. You can attend cooking demonstrations

and sample sustainable seafood, mingle with

growers and producers, and graze on local

produce and artisan foods at Whole Foods

Bay View Market and Kids Zone.

Special thanks to our lead sponsors:

Were delighted to welcome our new culinaand restaurateur Cindy Pawlcyn who, in co

the Aquariums dining experiences.

WelcomeC


Cindy Pawlcyn, award-winning chef and

creator of Mustards Grill and other criti-

cally-acclaimed farm-to-table restau-rants in the Bay Area, brings her cooking

philosophy to all aspects of our food

service, including our cafe and restau-

rant and private event catering.

She emphasizes organic, fresh, local

and seasonal ingredients, and wild-caught

and farmed seafood that adheres to the

highest Seafood Watch standards.

I am so pleased with this new par

nership, says Executive Director Julie

Packard. Cindy has an extraordinary

reputation as a chef and an advocate f

sustainable cuisine. Im delighted that

our guests will be treated to dishes tha

reflect her culinary vision.

Cindy is equally enthusiastic abou

the opportunity.

For 25 years, I have loved coming

to the Monterey Bay Aquarium

with family and friends,

she says. I am excited


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Cindys Menus

For chef Cindy Pawlcyn food isnt just sus-

tenance, its full of delicious memories

and stories. The menus Cindy has created

for the Aquariums Cafe and Restaurant

read like a storybook of her culinary ca-

reer, with signature dishes from her well-

established Napa Valley restaurants to

new dishes designed just for us.

Cindys respect for in-

gredients and details is

apparent with just a

glance at the menu:

Hand-torn croutons for

her signature Caesar

salad, carefully sourced seasonal vegeta-

bles in her Really Good Pasta and daily

selections of sustainable fish in her fa-

mous fish tostadas that adhere to the

highest Seafood Watch standards.

But stellar ingredients and great culinary

technique arent the only important ele-

ments of Cindys cooking. Theres a story

behind almost every dish.

Her Mighty Meatloaf, spiked with pi-

quant horseradish barbecue sauce and

served with creamy garlic mashed pota-

toes, is comfort food inspired by two

moms Cindys own mother, and the

mother of Pablo Jacinto, the first chef at

Cindys Backstreet Kitchen. Its a combina-

tion of our moms, and its great! she laughs

Highly opinionated

about clam chowder,

Cindys recipe is inspired

by French fishermens

stews (think lots of rich,

natural clam juices) with

New England ingredients. I dont thicken

it with a roux, I dont believe in that, she

says firmly. I use the potatoes in the soup

to thicken it, which is very traditional.

On your next visit to the restaurant look

for new additions to the menu, including

Cindys savory Mongolian pork chops fea-

turing a hoisin marinade she learned to

make during her travels through northern

China, and a vegan burger that she prom-

ises will be delectable.

ner award-winning Napa Valley chefion with ARAMARK, is managing

dyPawlcyn


to bring sustainable, locally produced,

farm-to-table foods to enhance the culi-

nary experience of the Aquarium audi-

ence. And, I look forward to working with

farmers, ranchers, fishermen, artisanal

cheese and dairy producers, and purvey-

ors from the Monterey Bay region.

A pioneer in the development of

Wine Country cuisine, Cindy has earned

accolades since she opened the legendary

Mustards Grill more than 25 years ago.

She is also the chef behind Cindys

Backstreet Kitchen and the

West Coast seafood

restaurant, Go Fish.

She has been involved in creating

more than a dozen Bay Area restaurants,

including Fog City Diner, Tra Vigne, Bix,

Roti, Betelnut, Buckeye Roadhouse and,

in Carmel, the Rio Grill. A two-time nomi-

nee for a James Beard Award as Best

California Chef, she earned a Beard

Award for her Mustards Grill Napa Valley

Cookbook, one of her four cookbooks.

Our new executive chef, responsible

for the day-to-day implementation of

Cindys vision, is Jeff Rogers well

known as the former executive chef for

Quail Lodge Resort & Golf Club in Carmel

Valley, and for orchestrating the annual

Masters of Food and Wine, an interna-

tional summit of the worlds best chefs

and winemakers, at Carmel Highlands Inn.We look forward to introducing you

to Cindy and her team at special member

events later this year. In the meantime,

please stop by for a delicious and sus-

tainable meal on your next visit.


12/16

InsideStories

Our new Project White Shark

book gives you insight into our

milestone efforts to exhibit a

white shark and track wild ones.

And the latest Insiders Guide to

the Aquarium coming in July

shares our behind-the-scenes

stories. Both are available in our

Gift & Bookstores.

Check out our Facebook page to fol-

low the adventures of our newest

additions to the African blackfooted

penguin exhibit in Splash Zone.

Hatched on exhibit in January and

February, these young ones are des-

tined to serve very important roles

as education birds.

Android users can now download

the free Seafood Watch app on

their phones. Check out the

Whats New feed and Project

FishMap, a new feature that allows

users to tag ocean-friendly seafood

at more than one million restau-

rants and markets across the

United States.

African blackfooted penguin chickSpheniscus demersus

ProjectWhite Shark

Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV)

Welcome the return of the

humpback, fin, minke and blue

whales to Monterey Baythroughout summer and fall.

Whales can be seen right off of

our ocean-view decks, along

with dolphins, sea otters, harbor

seals, sea lions and numerous

seabirds that call the bay home.

Sustainable seafood options now available for Android users. Summer whale migration


Dont miss MBARIs annual open

house on June 25 from noon to

5 p.m. The event features science

and technology exhibits, deep-sea

videos, robotic submarines, chil-

dren's activities and more. MBARI

staff will be there to share their ex-

citement about the institute's work.

Visit www.mbari.org for details.

Prepare delicious, sustainable

seafood at home using recipes

on our website. Each month well

feature one seafood item with two

original recipes one from one of

the countrys best chefs, the other

from the Aquariums new food

editor Kristine Kidd, who was

Bon Apptit magazines food

editor for 20 years.


13/16

Humpback whale

Megaptera novaeangliae

Humpbacks come to

Monterey Bay from April

to December to feed on

schooling fishes and krill.

Scientists learn to recog-

nize individual animals

by the distinctive mark-

ings on their flukes, or

tails, which they raise

high out of the water as

they begin their dive.

It remains a mystery if

male humpbacks sing

in breeding grounds to

attract mates or ward off

rivals. The complex

songs can last up to 20

minutes and be heard for

over 15 miles.



Thousands of feet below the ocean

surface theres no sunlight, no plant

life and not a whole lot to eat. Most

deep-sea animals eat bits of debris

that sink down from sunlit surface wa-

ters. This debris is known as marine

snow. Despite the pretty name, marine

snow includes stuff like mucus, copepod

feces and the remnants of dead animals

and algae.

Marine biologists used to think that

this slow rain of debris provided a mea-

ger but continuous food supply for deep-

sea animals. However, after 20 years ofresearch, MBARI biologist Ken Smith and

his fellow researchers have discovered

that the amount of marine snow can vary

greatly over time. This can cause big

changes in how many and what types of

animals are found on the deep seafloor.

The amount of marine snow sinking to

the seafloor depends in part on whats

happening at the surface. For example,

each spring, strong northwest winds

along the California coast bring cold, nu-

trient-rich water up to the surface that

fertilizes blooms of microscopic algae

(diatoms). When these diatoms die, they

begin sinking slowly toward the seafloor.

On the way down, the diatoms may be

eaten, excreted, and caught in the mucus

nets of drifting animals. One way or an-

other, the remnants of a diatom bloom

may reach the seafloor months after the

bloom itself. Over time, the fallen marine

snow accumulates to form a soft, gooey

mud carpet at the bottom.

Sea cucumbers, worms and sea urchins

make their living crawling around andslurping up the fallen marine snow. If the

amount of marine snow increases or if

the sinking debris contains just the right

kind of nutrients, some of these deep-sea

animals may grow larger or reproduce

more quickly.

Smiths team observed one of those

population explosions at a study site 140

miles off the California coast, where sea

pigs (a type of small sea cucumber) sud-

denly became 100 times more abundant.

Marine biologists still dont know much

about most deep seafloor animals how

long they live or how often they repro-

duce but they do know that these ani-

mals must adapt to continual changes intheir environment, just like the rest of us.

Kim Fulton-Bennett is a communications

associate for the Monterey Bay Aquarium

Research Institute (MBARI).

Scotoplanes, a genus of deep-sea holothurians

(sea cucumbers) are commonly called sea pigs.

Above: marine snow, including a sinking

mucus net.

Mysteriesof theDeep


15/16

thanks

Business PartnersBusinesses are vital partners

in our endeavors. Their con-

tributions help make possible

free Aquarium visits for over

80,000 schoolchildren each

year, as well as our innovativeeducation programs, new and

compelling exhibits and criti-

cal conservation research.

Business Leaders

$25,000Service Systems Associates

Business Benefactors$10,000 to $24,000

Frank M. Booth, Inc.

Fry's ElectronicsHomer Hayward Family

Pebble Beach CompanyFoundation

Business Stewards

$5,000 to $9,999

The Dow ChemicalCompany

Estancia Winery

Fresh & Easy NeighborhoodMarket

Granite Construction

InterContinentalThe Clement Monterey

MOM's Organic Market

D. E. Shaw & Co., LP

Vital Choice Seafood

Wild Planet Foods, Inc.

Business Patrons$2,500 to $4,999

Chambers & Chambers

Damasco and AssociatesEvan-Moor Educational

Publishers

Finch Montgomery

Wright LLPRudolph and Sletten, Inc.

Business Contributors$1,000 to $2,499

AAA

AT&TBubba Gump Shrimp

Company

Carmel Insurance AgencyCasa Munras,

A Larkspur Hotel

EHDD Architecture

Epicurean GroupFamily in Home

Caregiving, Inc.

Fidelity InvestmentsFirst National Bank

of Central California

Hudson, Martin, Ferrante

& Street

Hyatt Regency MontereyInns by the Sea

Monterey Peninsula Inns

Odwalla

PassionfishPortola Hotel & Spa

Premium Packing, Inc.

Richard T. Dauphine, MD,Center for the Knee

and Shoulder

Spottswoode Estate

Vineyard and WineryStocker & Allaire, Inc.

System StudiesTrust Automation, Inc.

Union Bank

West Marine Products, Inc.

Business Contributors

$500 to $999

AEGAon Risk Services, Inc. of

Central California

Bamboo Reef EnterprisesBig Creek Lumber Company

Dive Club of Silicon Valley

Engine Company 1, LLCThe Fishwife Restaurant

Green Star Produce

Marketing, Inc.

The D. L. James Houseat Searock

Marine Nutriceutical

CorporationMichael's Catering and

Wild Thyme Deli & Cafe

Monterey Bay Boatworks

Noland, Hamerly,

Etienne & Hoss

Recreational Equipment, Inc.Salas O'Brien Engineers, Inc.

Salinas Surgery Center

Seafood Supply Company

Struve Financial &Insurance Services

Tri-County Business

SystemsValic

William C. Vogelpohl, MD

In-kind GiftsThe following recently

gave in-kind services, and

were grateful for their

generous support.

Blanchette Press

Bon Apptit Management

Company

Inns of MontereyJ. Lohr Vineyards & Wines

Knox Brewing

Korbel Champagne CellarsRobin Lehman

Ed Ryder

Silkwood WinerySomersault Snack

Company

Shu Tin StirlenStorrs Winery and Vineyard

tea.zing

the bubble tea truck

Trustees of E. Mark Adamsand Beth Van Hoesen

Wild Horse Winery

Matching GiftsThe following companies

and foundations have

generously matched gifts

made by our members

and donors.

A&B Foundation

Adobe SystemsAetna Foundation

AMD

Amgen FoundationAmica Companies

FoundationApplied MaterialsAT&T Foundation

Bank of America

Barclays Global Investors

BDBlackRock

Boeing

Business WireCA, Inc.

Capital Group Companies

Charles Schwab FoundationChevron Humankind

Cisco Systems Foundation

Citrix Systems, Inc.

The Clorox CompanyFoundation

Diageo North America;

External AffairsElectronic Arts Outreach

Esurance Insurance

Service, Inc.ExxonMobil Foundation

GANNETT

Gap FoundationGenentech

General Electric Foundation

Global Impact

Goldman, Sachs & Co.

Google

The William and FloraHewlett Foundation

Hewlett-Packard

HSBCIBM

Illinois Tool Works

FoundationThe James Irvine

Foundation

Johnson & JohnsonJP Morgan Chase

Foundation

The Henry J. Kaiser Family

FoundationKaiser Permanente

Logitech Inc.

MedImmuneMicrosoft Giving Campaign

Monsanto FundGordon and Betty MooreFoundation

National Semiconductor

CorporationNikon Precision, Inc.

Nordson Corporation

Norfolk Southern

FoundationNVIDIA

Oracle Corporation

Pacific Gas and ElectricThe David and Lucile

Packard Foundation

PepsiCo FoundationPerkins Charitable

Foundation

Pfizer FoundationThe Progressive Insurance

Foundation

Qualcomm

Recreational Equipment,Inc. Charitable Action

Campaign

Rustic CanyonManagement, LLC

SAP

Sun Microsystems, Inc.US Bancorp Foundation

Visa

Wrigley Company

Foundation

BusinessPartnerships,In-kind&MatchingGifts



16/16

shorelines is published formembers of the MontereyBayAquarium; 886CanneryRow; Monterey, California 9394

1023P: 831-648-4800;F: 831-644-7554. 2011 Monterey

Bay Aquarium Foundation. Shorelines,Monterey Bay

Aquarium and the kelplogo areregistered trademarks

ownedby the aquarium. All rights reserved.

Time dated materials enclosed

supervising editor: Ken Petersonart director: Jim Alesvice president, development: Mary Mullensenior designer: Debra Naeve

editor: Karen Jeffrieswriters: Geoff Drake, Angela Hains,Randy Kochevar, Jenny Slafkosky

photo researcher: Gail Skidmoreprinting: Blanchette PressPrinted on recycled paper

vol. 27 no. 2 summer 2011

credits:Jason Bradley (2), Jim Capwell (12 lower right),

Kirsten Carlson illustration (12 lower), Ann Caudle

illustration (4-5), Mark Conlin/Seapics.com (6 lower

left), Alex Farnum (10 center), Richard Herrmann(cover), MBARI 2005 (14 top and bottom),

Debra Naeve (11 top right), Ral Nava (11 lower right),

Flip Nicklin/Minden Pictures (13), Charles Seaborn (4),

Laurie Smith (10-11 lower), Randy Tunnell (8 center and

right, 9 right, 10 top left), Todd Walsh 2008 MBARI

(12 top left), Watanabe family collection (16), Whole

Foods LLC (10 lower left), Randy Wilder (5, 6-7 top, 6

lower right, 8 left, 9 left and center, 12 top right, 15).

Calendar:

Jim Capwell, Nic Coury, Kim Fulton-Bennett 2008

MBARI, Jennifer Hugo, Tyson Rininger,

Steven K. Webster, Randy Wilder.

Family Honors Memory of Carol Michiko Watanabe

8 8 6 C A N N E R Y R O W , M O N T E R E Y , C A L I F O R N I A 9 3 9 4 0 - 1 0 2 3

Carol Michiko Watanabe loved the

oceans and was passionate about

education. This is why her family de-

cided to honor her memory with a

gift to our Childrens Education Fund.

According to her husband, Maynard, the

Aquarium played an enormous role in

Carols life. When guests would visit and

go to the Aquarium, Carol would say to

them, I could go every day. Carol loved

showing our grandson Ryan all of the ani-

mals and explained their importance to

our Earth. She would play with him at

length in the Splash Zone. They were

fascinated by the jellies, otters and

seahorse exhibit.

In 1985, Carol and Maynard attended an

event for San Jose State University at the

Aquarium, hosted by David Packard.

According to Maynard, That night, just

down from the large kelp forest,

I proposed to Carol. The beautiful

setting just seemed perfect.

The Childrens Education Fund is espe-

cially appropriate to honor Carol because

she saw the Aquarium as the present and

the future. In establishing a family trust

Maynard has also included the Aquarium

as the recipient of a bequest and has

joined our Ocean Legacy Circle in honor

of Carol. In doing so he has ensured that

Carols memory will endure and her love

for the oceans will continue.

For further information about bequests or

other estate planning questions, please con-

tact Mary Mullen at [email protected]

or 831-648-4913. If you have named the

Aquarium as a beneficiary, please let us

know so we may thank you and welcome

you to our Jane Steel Ocean Legacy Circle.

Nonprofit

Organization

U.S. Postage

P A I D

MontereyBay

Aquarium

Foundation

Regular hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Holiday & Summer hours: 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Questions: Call the Membership office

at 831-648-4880 or 800-840-4880Monday through Friday,

9 a.m. to5 p.m. Pacific time.

Carol Michiko Watanabe and husband, Maynard.

Carol saw the Aquarium as both the present and

the future.

monterey bay aquarium member magazine shorelines summer 2011

Documents