Whale Dies on Molokai

Tuesday, August 5th, 2008

By Zalina Alvi

The community was out in full force last week Monday when a Cuvier’s beaked whale was found injured and sick along the Kawela coast, but despite the efforts of many, the day ended with a death.

Local residents, marine specialists and firemen spent hours in and around the water trying to help the whale as it struggled just off the coast around mile markers five and six on the East End.

However, on the recommendation of a veterinarian, the whale was eventually put down before being flown to Oahu. While speculations emerge on the possible causes of what is a rare occurrence for a Cuvier’s beaked whale, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has begun analyzing the results of an autopsy performed last week in Honolulu.

A Community Effort
The 2,500-pound whale was found at around 7 a.m. by vacationer Drew Murphy, who noticed the whale struggling in a mud flat and summoned his daughter, Miley, to take their kayaks to try to help the animal back into the ocean.

They were soon joined in their efforts by neighbors Mel Paoa and his boys, as Murphy made a call to NOAA. They pushed the whale back into the water three times and each time it re-stranded itself. By the time NOAA Pacific Island Regional Stranding Coordinator Dave Schofield arrived from Oahu, the whale had swum away from the beach towards Lanai.

Schofield and a few local firemen spent a few hours on jet skis attempting to herd the whale back to Molokai because it was likely injured or ill and would require their assistance.

The whale was eventually eased into the shallow waters and kept safe in a sling as Schofield waited to consult with a veterinarian from NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service who flew over from Honolulu.

“The likely outcome of this situation is that the whale will either perish or be put to sleep,” said Schofield after an initial inspection of the animal.

Members of the Hawaii Pacific University’s Marine Mammal Stranding Team, local NOAA volunteer Diane Pike, local aquatic biologist Bill Puleloa with the Department of Aquatic Resources, and the Department of Public Works were all at the scene to offer their help while the situation was assessed.

A Tough Decision
After inspecting the whale and consulting with the other specialists present, the veterinarian determined that it would have to be put down.

According to Schofield, a whale will not strand itself, especially repeatedly as this whale had done, unless it was very sick and it would most likely die no matter what help they could provide.

He also confirmed that the whale had some cookie-cutter shark marks under its belly, which had been bleeding, but they were likely incidental.

The whale was euthanized on site before being flown to Oahu by the U.S. Coastguard C-130, which was on call at the time.

Possible Causes
It remains unclear what could have caused the whale’s illness. Blood samples were taken and an autopsy was performed in Honolulu last week to investigate.

“Whales and other marine mammals beach themselves for many reasons,” said NOAA spokesperson Wendy Goo. “We don’t have enough information at this time to draw any conclusions.”

Puleloa, however, who has been in contact with representatives at NOAA, said preliminary results from the whale’s autopsy show evidence of a congenital disease in its kidney that likely caused its illness and subsequent stranding. Unfortunately, it will take weeks, or even months, to have definitive results from the investigation.

In the meantime, some are also pointing fingers at Navy sonar testing in the area from the previous day that could have been responsible.

“Sonar is sometimes attributed to cases like this. It’s definitely on the list,” said Schofield.

Action was immediately taken by the national ecological law firm Earthjustice, who sent out press releases explaining how sonar exercises performed by the Navy’s Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) the previous day could be related to the situation on Molokai.

“The impact of Navy sonar on marine mammals goes back more than 10 years,” said Paul Achitoff, an attorney with Earthjustice who has been representing groups in litigation with the Navy to increase protections for marine mammals during sonar exercises.

He also explained how RIMPAC has been repeatedly ordered by the courts to implement mitigation in their sonar exercises, such as starting at a lower frequency so nearby whales have a chance to leave the area before ramping it up. Currently, Achitoff said, RIMPAC 2008 is not employing any of these mitigation efforts.

RIMPAC did not return any calls for comment.

A Marine Mammal Dilemma
To find a Cuvier’s beaked whale stranded is a rare, and unfortunate, occasion. The deep-diving whale is known for being extremely shy, and is potentially more sensitive to certain types of noise than other whales.

NOAA is currently working with the U.S. military to tag some of these marine mammals in order to study their behavior during RIMPAC’s sonar exercises.

The stranding on Molokai is the eighth one this year in the state of Hawaii.

Schofield said that if anyone should find a whale stranded on the island, they should not try to help the whale themselves, but should immediately contact their Marine Mammal Hotline at 1-888-256-9840.

Uncle Merv’s Travels

Tuesday, August 5th, 2008

Local ambassador shares highlights of visit to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.

By Jennifer Smith

Molokai’s own Uncle Mervin Dudoit recently shared the honor of being one of only three individuals from the state of Hawaii to share their local expertise with researchers during a trip to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (NWHI).

“I’m really glad I went,” Uncle Merv said. “It’s a once in a lifetime experience.” While only allowed to bring back memories and pictures from his travels, he said he wants to share the experience with others to help explain the importance of protecting Molokai.

Preparing for the Journey
Uncle Merv joined participants from the Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa, Australia, Palau, and the Marshall Islands on his 12 day expedition. 

In order to prepare for their visits to Nihoa, Mokumanamana, and the French Frigate Shoals, the group spent a few days on Oahu before heading out on one of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) 224 ft. ships.

A hike to the Makapu`u Lighthouse was meant to prepare them to walk on Nihoa, as well as allow them to collect salt for ho`okupu.

The group then made a visit to the Honolulu Aquarium and Hanauma Bay to learn about the fish they might encounter and receive a snorkeling lesson. A well-known diver, Uncle Merv didn’t tell the instructor he had been diving for nearly 50 years.

The participants were also treated to new clothes and gear that had been prepared by freezing them for 48 hours, to ensure no insects traveled with them to the islands.

Touring the Islands
Ready and raring to go, the travelers left at sunup arriving in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands the next morning.

Waking up in what appeared to be the middle of nowhere; Uncle Merv said he couldn’t believe how the Hawaiians found the islands with a canoe. “That place is so unreal.”

At their first stop on Nihoa, the group was careful to follow proper protocol with chants and ho`okupu. “We did everything in the right way,” Uncle Merv said. Having had rough waters for most of the trip, he said when the group did the protocols “the ocean went mellow.”

Once on Nihoa the group took a hike. “I was the oldest guy on the ship (and) I made it right to the top,” Uncle Merv said.

The group also enjoyed some snorkeling. “I saw things I’ve never seen in my life,” Uncle Merv said. “The fan corral is huge (and) the ulua come up and look at you.”

Nearing the French Frigate Shoals “it’s like the island is moving,” he said. With thousands of birds flying through the sky, the island appears as if a can of white paint has been dumped over it.

Culture Clash
Uncle Merv came back with only one misgiving; he couldn’t taste the fish.

While “the scientists were happy they had Hawaiians on the boat,” he said they didn’t allow them to practice traditional fishing methods. When asked to tell the difference in the fish, he responded, “If we can’t eat the fish, we can’t tell the difference.” He said it is part of the Hawaiian culture to fish.

To test the fish the scientist currently take only small samples from the fish before letting them go on their way. But according to Uncle Merv this method can tell very little about the overall health of the fish.

He also expressed a concern with not seeing any moi, aholehole, mullet, or eel. “I think a lot of it has to do with fresh water,” he said explaining that the islands provide very little fresh water run off.

Sharing His Mana`o
While Uncle Merv said he does not enjoy public speaking, he did give a presentation to his fellow travelers about the fishponds on Molokai. A seasoned fisherman, he has spent the last four years volunteering his time to help caretake Ali`i fishpond for Ka Honua Momona.

After watching others present about their homes, and learning about the issues facing the NWHI, he said he came back passionate about the need to teach the younger generations.

“We need to convince them to really take care of this place,” Uncle Merv said. Looking at the clear waters in the NWHI and the abundance of fish, “I kept thinking how over here can look.”

He said the biggest challenge will be changing the mentality of over-fishing. Admitting that he didn’t always take just what he needed, he now knows that in order to ensure future generations can fish; people will need to take care of the resources still available.

“You’ve got to think of the future,” Uncle Merv said. “I think on Molokai we really can” get these resources back.

Saving Water, Feeding Molokai

Monday, August 4th, 2008

Local couple utilizes efficient farming technique.

The Hills are breaking traditional farming convention with their greenhouse based crop productions.  

By Jennifer Smith

When most people think of farming they picture large tilled fields with crops slowly sprouting out of the ground. One Ho`olehua couple, however, is helping to redefine the old image of what it means to farm.

“It’s strictly hydroponic,” Ray Hill said, explaining his tomato planting operations. Utilizing a 34 ft. by 96 ft. greenhouse on their homestead, Ray and his wife Jackie are using soil-free methods that actually save water, and produce more crops per square foot than ground-based productions.

Bringing Success, and Lettuce to Molokai
After taking a class in 1994 on hydroponics at the University of Hawaii in Kona, Ray decided to explore using the new technique to grow crops on Molokai. It took several years of research, business planning, and applying for grants, but finally in 2004 the couple formed Koaniani Farms, which means “a place cooled by gentle breezes.”

With Ray handling the operations side of production, and Jackie working behind the scenes with the sales, the couple successfully sold romaine lettuce for two years.

“It was the most beautiful lettuce in the history of Molokai,” Jackie said with a proud smile on her face. It took about two years to become profitable, but the Hills eventually were selling out, with Molokai Ranch alone picking up 50 pounds of the lettuce twice a week.

Unfortunately, Ray’s on-and–off-again battle with cancer and a particularly hot summer for the crops saw the lettuce production end in 2006. But 2008 has been a good year for the Hills. With Ray back stronger than ever and a new crop of tomatoes they can raise year round, Koaniani Farms is looking to the future.

The Future is Bright
Ray’s new efforts will focus on two varieties of tomatoes. While the new crop is more labor intensive, he believes the taste and quantity produced will be worth it in the end. In a rough estimate, he calculated at full capacity the greenhouse plants could provide 2,600 tomatoes a week.
 
“This type of farming is very similar to organic,” Jackie said. According to Ray, because the hydroponic plants have to be given very fine man-made minerals that plants would normally absorb from the ground, they are not allowed to label the crops organic. He said they are the “same minerals in the water that the plants need and would otherwise get from the land.”

Ray said the benefits of hydroponic farming have far outweighed the challenges up to this point. “You don’t have any bugs, and you don’t have any weeds,” or at least those he has are “minimal and easy to control.” He also said “in a small space you can do a whole lot more,” and faster. From planting to first crop it takes about 65 days.

The operations are also significantly less expensive to run. With lettuce, the Hills were running water almost all day, every day, but their new crop only requires about 20 minutes three times a day. The bags containing the plants absorb the water and nutrients, and all run off is caught and runs back into a tank for recirculation.

The biggest challenge according to the Hills will be the shorter shelf life that tomatoes have.  However, Ray argued that the taste will be worth it. He said 90 percent of tomatoes in stores are bred specifically for color and shelf life, but he is growing his for the flavor.

Spreading Their Seeds
Ray takes a lot of pride in his work and has big plans for the future, and while he has thought of taking on help, he said he has yet to find the interest from people. “I would teach anybody.”

The Hills are especially interested in getting the younger generation of Hawaiians involved. “I would like to see the kids get involved,” Ray said.

With the ability to work in a shaded greenhouse, while producing more per square inch and with less hassling with weeds and bugs, the Hills believe hydroponic farming could be the future of farming.

The couple plans to sell their crops first on Molokai, and then to the surrounding islands. Jackie has spoken with several interested vendors. “They are asking me about the tomatoes already.”

To find out more about Koaniani Farms, or hydroponic farming call the Hills at 567-9407.