Monthly Archives: June 2017

Environment | News releases | Research | Science | Technology

June 1, 2017

The showy lionfish, a predator with venomous spines that has invaded Caribbean coral reefs, has found a new market to exploit: the twilight zone, an area of ocean that lies below traditional SCUBA diving depths, where little is known about the reefs or the species that inhabit them.

Researchers from the University of Washington and Smithsonian Institution have reported the first observed case of lionfish preying upon a fish species that had not yet been named. Their results, published May 25 in PLOS ONE, may indicate an uncertain future for other fish found in the largely unexplored deep-ocean coral reefs.

Lionfish arent going anywhere, and we are faced with the fact that they are permanent residents on Caribbean reefs, said lead author Luke Tornabene, curator of fishes at the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture in Seattle and an assistant professor at the UWs School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences.

The hope is that the learning curve is quick and other fish realize lionfish are predators. Right now, studies have shown some prey species to be pretty nave.

The new species, Ember goby, seen in an aquarium.Barry Brown

The scientists discovered the new fish, which they named Palatogobius indendius (Ember goby), while on several submarine dives off the coasts of Curacao and Dominica. The new species described in the paper has a bright orange stripe down its spine and schools together in masses of about 100 fish starkly different behavior from most gobies that hide as individuals in holes or cracks in the reef, making the new species an easy target for lionfish attacks.

From a submarine, they recorded footage of a lionfish cornering, attacking and eating this new species. Lionfish employ hunting tactics that are unfamiliar to native reef-dwelling fish, such as using their long fins to slowly stalk and push prey into a corner. They also shoot jets of water out of their mouths to disorient their prey, and scientists have even recorded lionfish making a roaring sound to communicate and potentially ward off would-be predators.

The scientists are concerned that lionfish are now swimming to deeper reefs down to nearly 250 meters (about 800 feet) below the surface off Curacao and likely eating fish that live in those largely unexplored parts of the ocean.

Once we discovered invasive lionfish sometimes in huge numbers inhabiting barely explored deep reefs, our concern was that these voracious predators might be gobbling up biodiversity before scientists even know it exists. This study suggests that they are doing just that, said co-author Carole Baldwin, curator of fishes at the National Museum of Natural History.

The good news is the goby species being eaten by the lionfish appears to be abundant throughout the Caribbean. The researchers have observed it in large numbers on many submarine trips around the region. But almost a third of the fish species along deep reefs havent yet been named, and they could be at risk if lionfish continue to raid the area.

The other species still undescribed on these reefs are very rare and occur in lower abundances than our new species. If they are getting eaten by lionfish, they may be in more trouble than the Ember goby, Tornabene said.

There are still many coral reef fish species that are waiting to be described and some of them will inevitably end up in the guts of lionfish.

A school of Ember gobies seen off the coast of Curacao.Carole Baldwin/Smithsonian Institution

As coral reef ecosystems around the world decline because of climate change, pollution, disease, coastal development and overfishing, the deep-water reefs hold a promise of refuge for species that are able to survive in deeper water. The presence of an invasive predator like the lionfish, which likely came to the Caribbean from an aquarium release off Florida in the early 1990s, could be devastating if they are eating native fish and exploiting the ecosystem with no known predators to keep them in check.

The researchers are one of only three teams of biologists in the world collecting specimens in the twilight zone parts of the ocean, and this team is the only one using a submarine to catch and study fish. They have taken about 150 dives to Caribbean reefs using a 6.5-ton submersible with two robot arms that stuns fish for capture by spraying water or anesthetic, then catches them using a vacuum hose.

From inside a submarine, its really hard to catch a small fish that is swimming, and it requires incredibly skilled pilots and scientists and a lot of patience, Tornabene said. Weve been able to do it with such success that we have come back from each trip with thousands of specimens.

The submarine begins its descent to 800 feet in the Caribbean.University of Washington

This summer, they will test a different submarine that can go to depths of more than 800 meters (about 2,700 feet) off the coast of Honduras.

The researchers plan to look inside the stomachs of lionfish captured in deep water to see what, in fact, they are eating. Its possible they may find other new species, Tornabene said, and probably more of the new goby they recently discovered. They also are analyzing the genetics of this new fish from different parts of the Caribbean to see how connected different deep-reef systems are to one another.

The research was funded by a number of Smithsonian Institution grants and awards, and by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation.

###

For more information, contact Tornabene at ltorna1@uw.edu and Baldwin at baldwinc@si.edu.

See more here:

Video shows invasive lionfish feasting on new Caribbean fish species - UW Today

If you thought Norwegian Airlines' $69 flights from the U.S. to Europe was the greatest thing ever for your wanderlust-filled heart, then you'll love their newest inexpensive routes.

According to Travel + Leisure, Norwegian Air has started to offer cheap flights to Martinique and Guadeloupe from Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Providence, Rhode Island. Travelers can now book flights to both French Caribbean destinations starting at $79 one-way and $134 return trips.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Paradise indeed!

"The new connection from Providence, with its great proximity to both Boston and Connecticut, is exciting as it will allow more American travelers much smoother and more affordable access to the Guadeloupe Islands," said Sandra Venite, of the Guadeloupe Islands Tourist Board, in a statement, Travel + Leisure reports.

These flights, which are on sale now, start on October 30 to Martinique and on November 2 to Guadaloupe. Additionally, the airline is preparing to launch flights from the U.S. to Rome, Italy for $189.

So, now seems like to perfect time to plan that fall/winter getaway!

[h/t Travel + Leisure]

Read the original:

You Can Fly to the French Caribbean for $79 - Norwegian Air Cheap ... - HouseBeautiful.com (blog)

NATIONAL CARIBBEAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH, 2017

- - - - - - -

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

National Caribbean-American Heritage Month is a celebration of the accomplishments of Caribbean Americans and our long, shared history with the peoples of the Caribbean. We are grateful for the culture Caribbean Americans have shared with our Nation and the many contributions they have made to our society.

Throughout our history, Caribbean Americans have helped create and maintain the strength and independence of our Nation. Alexander Hamilton, who came from poverty in Nevis, was a key contributor to our Constitution and the first Secretary of the Treasury, helping to establish our modern financial system and to create the United States Coast Guard.

Every day, Caribbean Americans help make America more prosperous and secure. Our Nation is particularly grateful to the many Caribbean Americans who have served and are currently serving in our Armed Forces, protecting our Nation, and promoting freedom and peace around the world. Today, more than four million Caribbean Americans live in the United States and continue to contribute to a vibrant culture that enriches our Nation.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2017 as National Caribbean-American Heritage Month. I encourage all Americans to join in celebrating the history, culture, and achievements of Caribbean Americans with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand seventeen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-first.

DONALD J. TRUMP

Read this article:

President Donald J. Trump Proclaims June 2017 as National ... - The White House (blog)

BY JON CRONIN

As was the case with many immigrants, entrepreneur and motivational speaker Dr. Roy Hastick came to the United States in pursuit of the dream to create a better life for himself, but he never imagined that he would foster the dreams of others as well.

Hastick moved to America from Grenada in 1972 when he was 21 years old.

Every Caribbean person looked to America as the place for the American dream, he said.

He said that with experience in law enforcement in his native country, he was fortunate to have found a job quickly with the Port Authority at the World Trade Center. During his time there, he got to know then-Executive Director Peter C. Goldmark.

We developed a rapport, said Hastick, who later took a job as Goldmarks security assistant. I met many elected officials and I was inspired.

He eventually took positions in other city agencies. In the early 1980s, he began working with a man who published a Caribbean-American newspaper.

I fell in love [with publishing] and started my own paper, said Hastick.

His paper didnt last long, but Hastick said that he enjoyed being part of the community.

While I was publishing, I met many luminaries and entrepreneurs, he said. I was working with a lot of small business owners and, as a result, I started the Caribbean-American Chamber of Commerce and Industry. There was no chamber of commerce in New York City at the time.

He described the chamberwhich was founded in 1985as a nonprofit statewide organization that promotes business between the United States and the Caribbean via offices in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

We represent a sizable amount of folks in Queens, said Hastick.

Today, the chamber boasts a membership of 1,700 in the tri-state area and Caribbean. For the past 32 years, it has promoted economic development on behalf of Caribbean American, African American, women and other minority entrepreneurs.

Hastick, who is the president and CEO of the nonprofit, continues his efforts to create structure and harmony in a diverse small-business community.

In the 1990s, Hastick was presented with an honorary doctorate of humane letters by Medgar Evers CUNY College in Brooklyn.

The chamber will hold its annual celebration on June 8 at Brooklyn Borough Hall as part of Caribbean Heritage month and then have a 32nd anniversary celebration in November.

Hastick has convened more than 700 business development seminars that bring together the chambers membership with other entrepreneurs and the wider business community to network.

During the seminars, he said that he talks about how he started the chamber, its vision and how he partners with other institutions. He also discusses networking with agencies that work locally and internationally and push two-way trade.

The chamber has provided weekly business clinics on access to financing, certification preparation and promoting trade, Caribbean investment and financial literacy.

Under his leadership, the chamber has managed the city-owned, Brooklyn-based micro enterprise incubator, a 9,000-square-foot Flatbush Canton Vendors Market that houses 40 vendors selling a variety of African and Caribbean artifacts and a small business service center.

Hastick is also coordinating the creation of a mixed-use project with a Caribbean American Trade Center, 250 units of affordable housing, an upscale Flatbush Canton Vendors Market and cultural center.

More here:

Promoting Enterprise In The Caribbean Community - Queens Tribune

Five Pirates of the Caribbean movies later, these film critics have decided it's time to abandon ship after watching the latest installation, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.

1. "Its a little less cute these days to watch [Johnny Depp's] Jack Sparrow swish about drunkenly, knowing the actors been accused of being an abusive lush. Equally wearisome is the spectacle of a once-entertaining franchise staggering around, devoid of purpose." New York Post

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

2. "Abandon ship, audiences. Paying cash money to see Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is the equivalent of walking the plank." Rolling Stone

3. "Now, 14 years and four films later, the Pirates franchise has finally delivered exactly what cynics had expected all along. Containing only the faintest traces of the spark that turned this once unpromising idea into a nearly four billion-dollar enterprise, Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandbergs Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is a mercenary, visually unappealing exercise in brand maintenance." Variety

4. "I daresay it is the very best fourth sequel ever made to a movie based on a 50-year-old theme park ride. Bold words I know, but I stand by them, yo-ho, yo-ho." NPR

5. "Dead Men Tell No Tales suggests that there still may be more Pirates of the Caribbean story to discover perhaps a prequel but there are no new treasures to be found in this installment, which is dragged down by the anchor of a prescribed franchise blueprint." Los Angeles Times

6. "This review will be short and dismissive. The movie under consideration Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is, by contrasts, long and punishing. Its pleasures are so meager, its delight in its own inventions so forced and false, that it becomes almost the perfect opposite of entertainment." New York Times

Disney

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

7. "Yes, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales remains true to its Disney theme park roots. Loud, overstimulating and hard to take in all in one sitting, it feels like the vacation that youll need a vacation from." Washington Post

8. "After this fifth episode, you'll wish Disney would just declare the franchise dead and tell no more tales." Associated Press

9. "The dead tell a tale in the latest Pirates of the Caribbean movie, but unfortunately that tale is erratic, filled with holes, peppered with far-too-convenient plot points and tarnished by over-the-top situations that go beyond comical and land in the territory of just plain absurd." Guide Live

10. "Fourteen years have passed since the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie. So its easy to forget just how fresh and funny Johnny Depps Jack Sparrow once was ... That was then, and each swollen successor Dead Mans Chest (2006), At Worlds End (2007), On Stranger Tides (2011) has brought the franchise closer to a thudding now." Boston Globe

11. "The end may be nigh with the fifth film in the franchise, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. Its a muddled mix of fantasy, adventure, adult innuendo and kid-level comedy, but barely works on any of those levels. The movie veers so wildly between tones and moods that it often seems as inebriated as Sparrow himself." Newsday

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

12. "Dead men may tell no tales, but bored audience members do. Open bar, anyone? Can we toast the end of this franchise? Please?" Seattle Times

Disney

13. "But this is the fifth film in the license-to-print-money series based on a Disneyland ride. Thats fitting. Ever ridden an amusement-park ride once and it was really fun and exciting? And then you rode it again and again and it got less fun, until finally you wondered why you liked it in the first place? And here we are." Arizona Republic

14. "There are dead people wanting to come back to life in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, so maybe what we have in this movie is one big, unconscious metaphor: screenwriters hoping to flog a dead concept to life. Actors trying to supply dead vessels with a human soul. And a director trying to pump air and passion into a stinking corpse of a franchise." San Francisco Chronicle

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

15. "But then there are the two romantic leads, who have their own reasons for finding a fabled doohickey called Poseidons Trident (they both involve father issues, the thematic focus of this very special episode of Pirates of the Caribbean) and succeed only in making the shortest movie in the series seem just as long as the rest." A.V. Club

16. "Yes, dead men tell no tales but neither, really, do the Pirates of the Caribbean movies." Village Voice

17. "Depp remains wholeheartedly the focus of this fifth Pirates film, and saying the character's loopy novelty has faded is like complaining that there are maggots in the below-decks gruel: You knew what you were getting when you came aboard." The Hollywood Reporter

Follow Braelyn on Instagram and Twitter, and Cosmo Celeb on Facebook.

More:

17 Meanest Things Critics Have Said About the New Pirates of the Caribbean - Cosmopolitan.com