[News]: Squid expert's whale theory challenged

[tonmo]

Seems our friend Steve may have stirred up a bit of a froth down in New Zealand.... From stuff.co.nz:

Squid expert's whale theory challenged

 

[um...]

"Mr. O'Shea"? :x

"However, there was more now than just whales to Kaikoura, with marine-based tourism activities involving dolphins, seals and birds." Yeah, but that whole ecosystem thing...

Why do they even need whales (or dolphins, seals and birds) when they've got Pete Townshend (and, presumably, his Magic Bus)? He rocks!

 

[Jean]

Oh Dear the battle of the two Steve's...................

J

 

[cthulhu77]

'Well, that's an alternative idea' [Ed Steve, sorry Greg; don't take offence, please]. Of course the verdamnt squid population is declining, and of course Dr.SOS is correct...I bet that kid's dad is a squid fisherman!
greg
sorry, never really cared much for Townsend...

 

[um...]

'Salright, nobody's perfect. Except maybe Neil, of course.

 

[Steve O'Shea]

I've a pretty thick skin when it comes to these things; I'm not in the least concerned that an alternative opinion has been expressed, or being referred to as Mr, Rick, Fred, Ralph, Mary or John (even Carol). Debate is good - name calling and general pooh-poohing of someone else's theories, in my mind without taking the full facts into consideration, is not good.

We do have a PhD student, XXXX, about to undertake a study looking at the diet of these whales - in particular looking for any temporal trends in the diet of the whales. The worst-case scenario is that trends will become apparent; no matter what happens, however, if any of the squid species in the diet of these whales are presently being impacted by trawl activity, and we know this to be the case already, then remedial action needs to be taken.

I realise that this is an 'octopus [insert squid] magazine online', and it might not be the most appropriate forum in which to openly discuss whale diet with Steve Dawson, but if he choses to discuss this here then we will all benefit. I would like a debate to develop, and I believe everyone here has something to contribute to it. Jean, any chance of getting Steve to post? Discussion is good; perhaps O'Shea is up the creek on this one (although I don't believe that I am).

Ta

 

[cthulhu77]

LOL...much better "phrase-ology" Steve ! Us Danes tend to have something of a temper ! (especially when it comes to whales)
Oh, Um...I certainly never claimed to be perfect...I don't like the Doors or the Rolling Stones either...dyed in the wool Ramones fan am I !!!

 

[cthulhu77]

Slapped nose with newspaper!

 

[Jean]

Jean, any chance of getting Steve to post? Discussion is good; perhaps O'Shea is up the creek on this one (although I don't believe that I am).

Ta

He might, he loves a good debate I've noticed, perhaps if you invited him???? seeing as you is a moderator thingy???????? I can ask if you prefer!


Cheers

J

 

[perke]

Interesting,

There was an article in the malborough express yesterday (the main newspaper which supplies Kaikoura) about this. It was written supporting more of steve's ideas rather than Steve Dawson, in fact he wasn't even mentioned. My favourite part of the article was the quote

"The only thing we can do is to try and educate the whales to change their diet. We could possibly wean them off squid and get them onto crayfish and paua."

 

[Snafflehound]

educate?

flash cards? re-education camps?

 

[cthulhu77]

Tell them to go on Atkin's diet and lose all of that blubber?

 

[OctopusV]

Wow Steve, you're just like Al Franken when he wrote Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot I had no idea that science and politics were so similar except for the fact that there are fat jerks involved.

 

[Steve O'Shea]

Science and politics, death and taxes; certainties.

I'm about to clone myself over here as I've just taken on another battle with coastal developers. The squid/whale relationship will make the news again, have no doubt.

 

[Steve O'Shea]

Yet more drama on the high seas; the relationship between the fishing industry and whales. The threat to the whale is not limited to squid scarcity.
..............
Whale freed off Kaikoura
11 June 2004

Department of Conservation (DOC) staff and Kaikoura crayfisherman rescued a humpback whale when it became entangled in a craypot line this week.

Vic Foster and DOC staff helped free the whale on Wednesday.

DOC no longer allows divers to rescue whales after the death of Kaikoura man Tom Smith, who was hit by the tail of a humpback he was trying to free from a craypot line.

From: http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2937630a7693,00.html