by AquaNerd | Mar 19, 2017 | Corals, Reef, Travel
The Caledonian Sky, owned by British company Noble Caledonia Damage accidentally ran aground on a pristine Indonesian coral reef could total well into the millions of dollars in damages, according to environmental groups working in the region. Researchers for Conservation International Indonesia (CII), Papua State University and the Regional Technical Implementing Unit (UPTD) found that the grounding of the 297 foot Caledonian Sky cruise ship on March 4th caused massive damage to several reefs that are unique to Raja Ampat, a remote and idyllic island chain west of Indonesia’s Papua province. “The types of reefs that were damaged by the ship are Genus Porites, Acropora, Pocillopora , Tubastrea, Montipora, Stylopora, Favia and Pavites. It will take decades to restore the reefs,” Ricardo Tapilatu, who headed the research, told by AquaNerd | Oct 20, 2016 | Aquaculture, Conservation, Fish, Reef, Science
It seems Quality Marine is very interested in reef conservation. Lately, it seems every few weeks or so we learn about a new success in the captive fish breeding arena. Below is a press release we just received and we thought our readers would be interested to hear news about the latest captive bred species coming out of Hawaii; Lemon Miliaris Butterflies (Chaetodon miliaris) Rising Tide Conservation and Hawaii Oceanic Institute has done it yet again. The unstoppable duo has announced successfully breeding yet another species – Chaetodon miliaris, Lemon Butterfly, which is another Hawaiian endemic. Quality Marine is excited to be a part of this breakthrough event by receiving some of the fish from the very first batch. This project’s journey first began with by AquaNerd | Oct 2, 2016 | Conservation, Corals, Fish, Invertebrates, Reef
Published August 17, 2016 Introduction The introduction of species into areas outside of their native habitat is a concern for all ecosystems, both terrestrial and aquatic. These non-native introductions occur through a variety of pathways including intentional introductions, accidental releases, and natural events such as hurricanes. The majority of species released into new, non-native areas either are not able to establish within the introduced range, or are able to establish but do not cause significant damage. However, a small percentage of these introductions become established and cause severe environmental and economic damage; these are referred to as invasive species. In the marine environment, accidental release through the ballast water exchange of oceangoing vessels has traditionally been cited as the most likely pathway for marine species by AquaNerd | Sep 4, 2016 | Conservation, Fish, Reef, Science, Travel
OCHEARCH, an ocean research organization, has discovered a Great White nursery/birthing site in the North Atlantic, off the coast of Montauk, Long Island. Chris Fischer, the founding chairman of Ocearch (the organization behind the development) told CBS News that they had “definitely [found]the nursery, likely the birthing site.” The find is “probably the most significant discovery we’ve ever made on the ocean,” Fischer added. Locating sites where North Atlantic great white sharks give birth and raise their young in the North Atlantic can lead to better efforts to protect and better understand these apex predators. Great White sharks are described as “vulnerable.” A vulnerable species is one which has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as likely to by AquaNerd | Aug 25, 2016 | Aquaculture, Conservation, Fish, Invertebrates, Reef, Science, Technology
August 23, 2016 – Los Angeles – Quality Marine is proud to announce the arrival of Aquacultured Royal Grammas from the Batavia Coast Maritime Institute (BCMI) in Australia. A testament to the biologists and aquarists who bred and reared them, these Fairy Basslets are exceptionally robust and healthy. Because of the limited number of specimens, they will only be available to public aquariums and educational facilities at this time. Royal Grammas represent just one of several species being aquacultured by BCMI, a campus of Durack Institute of Technology in Western Australia. 
