Big Fish Surveys

I have been a volunteer and science intern at TRACC for just over two months and the journey has been amazing. The work and effort that TRACC has put into conserving and rehabilitating the marine creatures has shown a significant difference since they first started. There are many conservation projects that TRACC does but one of my favourites is the large fish survey. 

Plectropomus are indicative of healthy reef.

The very first large fish survey was done in 2011 when TRACC first arrived on Pom Pom Island and the fish are still being surveyed and added as data. The reason for this is because we want to know if the coral restoration and artificial reefs are attracting fishes. According to the data, there has been a drastic increase in the number of large fishes since 2011.

Before my first large fish survey, Tom, the senior science officer, made sure that we knew how to identify the large fish families such as sharks, rays, triggerfish, groupers, sweetlips etc. As soon as we'd gone through the fish identification, we jumped into the water right away. On that very first fish survey dive, I had trouble identifying all the different types of large fishes but Tom guided and made sure I improved at identifying the large fishes. Thanks to him, by the time I'd done 3 fish surveys, I felt like a pro! Now, after weeks of surveying, I am taking over and leading the fish survey with new volunteers that are in TRACC.

I personally think that a fish survey is like a treasure hunt. Every large fish that we find is like finding gold! And stingrays are like finding platinum! One of my favourite fish surveys was when we saw three eagle rays in one survey and one of them swam right over our heads. That was one of the best dives I've ever had; not just to see an eagle ray but also to see it swimming so close.

Bolbometopon also need healthy coral

Another great fish survey experience was when I saw my first bumphead parrotfish. Those parrotfishes were about a meter long and had teeth that were so big they looked like they were wearing hockey gum guards. They seemed intimidating but they are one of the gentlest creatures I've ever met. During my survey, 13 of them parrotfishes were eating in a land full of corals. Somehow they really reminded me of a herd of cows.

These are only some of the many things I've experienced during my science internship and I'm only just beginning. Through diving and fish surveying, the ocean never fails to surprise me. I am learning new things about the ocean everyday and there is never a dull moment. I am definitely looking forward to getting on with the next fish survey and I will be sure to go in to the water with an expectant heart, knowing that in every fish survey that I do, I will be in awe.

Natalie surveying for big-fish at TRACC

If you want to help with any marine conservation activity, please 
check our website http://tracc.org or e-mail info@tracc-borneo.org 

For more updates on TRACC check out our Facebook, Twitter or Google +

More Marine conservation projects

Reef conservation would not be possible without generous financial support from

GEF /SGP for Malaysia who are helping our community activities and coralreefcare.com who generously provided materials to build the new reefs.

If visits to Tracc are not possible then please help with financial support and follow their projects on Facebook.

Fantastic 2016 marine science A level results.

Tracc are very proud to announce our 2016 A-level results! 3 A*, 2 A and 3 B!! All our candidates worked exceptionally hard and should be very pleased with themselves. We certainly are. Well Done Everyone!!
 
 More info on the course and how we have achieved amazing results for several years. 

marine-science-course-a-level-9693

Photos of  the practical classes,
 

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If you want to help with any marine conservation activity, please 
check our website http://tracc.org or e-mail info@tracc-borneo.org 

For more updates on TRACC check out our Facebook, Twitter or Google +

More Marine conservation projects

Reef conservation would not be possible without generous financial support from

GEF /SGP for Malaysia who are helping our community activities and coralreefcare.com who generously provided materials to build the new reefs.

If visits to Tracc are not possible then please help with financial support and follow their projects on Facebook.

Marine life identification

Close association by different organisms
is the norm in the ocean. 
These are white ascidians, Tan feather like hydroids
and red sponge.

The marine science A level students have been learning about taxonomy and classification.  From the huge differences between different phyla to the difficulties of identifying marine life to species.  The first practical was to look at rare and unusual marine life so diving gear on, the students jumped into the ocean at the TRACC house reef.


We found no mammals - except the Pilot whale :-)  and the Dolphins,  Plus the cuteist baby shark,  Wow and double wow,


The more unusual marine life yielded a wide range of phyla,  many sponges, ascidians, hydroids, molluscs and crustaceans.  If you don't know what all these are and why they are important parts of the biodiversity then you need this class!!!

Black coral which is actually BARBIE PINK !

More blogs on Marine science class 2016
More info on the Cambridge Marine science A level class

Become a volunteer in 2016 here

Conservation projects 2016

For more information, please check our website or e-mail info@tracc-borneo.org 

Ceranth anemone (Phyla Anthozoa)

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Colonial ascidian (Phyla Tunicates)

Gorgonian (phyla Anthozoa)

Worms in calcium tubes. (Phyla

marine biology fieldwork -jetty communities

Rocky shore Zonation practical for the Cambridge (CIE 9693) A level Marine science course.  TRACC teach this class once each year from January to April.  The first fieldwork practical of the course was a study of the zonation on the man made wooden jetty on Pom Pom Island, Sabah Malaysia.

The students marked the posts at 50 cm intervals relative to the tidal chart datum (lowest astronomical tide).  The location of the barnacle zone and the snail zone was measured in relation to this fixed chart datum.  The vertical position relative to the tide of all of the visible snails was measured for 7 jetty legs.   Observations were made that the snails were more abundant on the N side legs (shaded by the jetty above) and on the South side legs (not shaded from above) the snails were mostly on the side of the leg away from the sun.

The results showed clear concentration into discrete zones by both barnacles and snails.  The barnacles were concentrated into the zone from 50cm above cd to 90cm above cd with a few on the shady North legs at upto 110cm.
The snails were more abundant on the North legs (average 14 per leg) than on the South Legs (average 5 per leg).  The snails were also found higher up the Shady legs (average position of top snail was 1.7m (N legs) compared with 1.4m (S Legs).  The zonation of the snails is on the kite graph and the snails were most abundant at 1.4m above CD.

It is clear that the snails are actively choosing the shady jetty legs and if they are on the sunny side legs then they find the shadiest spot.  On the shady legs they can also rest between tides higher up the leg presumably because it is cooler.

These results lead to more questions about ecology and behaviour that the A level class will be answering in the near future.

More blogs on Marine science class 2016
More info on the Cambridge Marine science A level class












 Become a volunteer in 2016 here

Conservation projects 2016

For more information, please check our website or e-mail info@tracc-borneo.org 

The main website is at tracc.org
Check out our social media posts on our activities
on fb tracc.borneo
on twitter tracc_borneo
on google + tracc 
Instagram  traccborneo

Coral planting on reef crest undergraduate project

TRACC is learning how to improve our conservation efforts. Every year we have undergraduates come to us in order to conduct undergraduate projects. At TRACC, we have marine biologists, divemasters and volunteers all keen to help with scientific investigation, making it a great place to conduct a project.

Planting coral on a damaged reef crest.

We recently hosted two students from the University of Swansea; Dan Stevens and Jack Gourlay who worked on reef crest restoration and artificial reef fish assemblage respectively. This blog post is a brief summary of Dan's project.

One of the main conservation activities at TRACC is replanting hard corals to restore 3D structure and biodiversity to severely degraded reefs. Reef crest restoration is something we aspire to become extremely efficient at as without a healthy reef crest entire islands can change shape and even slowly erode away. Dan chose to conduct a project to determine which restoration methodology is best at reintroducing hard coral to reef crests.  

Two sites were selected upon the TRACC crest reef approximately 100 meters apart. Two areas of 2 x 10 meters were marked out upon the reef crest and then sub divided into three 2 x 2 meter experimental quadrats with two 1 x 2 meter control patches between. In each of the larger squares one treatment was added as shown below. The red crosses represent controls i.e areas of the reef crest with no treatment given.

Plan of experimental layout

For each treatment, 63 Acropora pieces were labeled using coloured beads and a cable tie. These pieces were then placed evenly apart and there movement and health were monitored. In addition to this 3 surveys were continuously conducted as follows;

Dive Reef crest surveys – The entire reef crest area where the experiment was conducted was split into 5 different 50 meter sections. The survey would involve 2 divers drifting and tallying all the fish in each section. The aim of this survey was to see whether there is a movement of fish from the already restored area to the newly restored sites. These surveys were conducted twice daily.

Snorkel reef crest surveys – Snorkelers would swim from one end of the reef flat to the other – a length of 250m. This was split into two separate zones. In each zone all individuals in the following groups were counted; Butterfly fish, Triggerfish and Sea Urchins plus any other interesting fish/turtles. These fish families were chosen as they are reef health indicator species.

reef crest corals after 2 years of growth.

Point count surveys – 2 divers swim over the sites counting all the fish which within the quadrats. Divers would then hover 3 meters away from the sites, tallying the fish which move into the sites.

Preliminary results show concrete wedging to be the most effective treatment for reef restoration.

Marine science fieldwork on Mangroves

Getting up close and personal with mangrove ecosystems

The marine science A level taught by TRACC each year has lots of practicals so students get fieldwork experience in a wide range of ecosystems.

Update Overall results 2015 are awesome plus Tom Gibson was the best marine science student in the world.

These are some of the photos taken during our trips to study mangrove forests.

Other field trips studied Fisheries, Rockyshores, Coasts, plus underwater biodiversity and ecology studies.

Floating quietly around the mangroves we caught glimses
of the biggest herbivore
- the endangered, endemic proboscis monkey

 The 2016 Marine Science A-level will be running from 18th January - 2nd May (following the Cambridge exam timetable). 

For more information, please check our website or e-mail info@tracc-borneo.org

Serious science looked at biological adaptations
to the environment - these are mangrove seeds
which are producing roots before they leave the tree.

The best way to understand mangroves
is to get up close and personal with the mud

Marine Science A Level Fisheries Fieldwork

Parrot fish from coral reef fisheries

The Marine Science A level class had a lot of fun and learnt a lot by being in the environment during fieldtrips.  The students and staff from TRACC had lots of fun doing many practicals in mangroves, rocky shores and underwater on coral reefs. These are some of the images from the Fisheries fieldwork done by the 2015 Marine Science A level class.

UPDATE

One of our students was the Best #Marine #Science #student in the world. What an honour. Congratulations #TomGibson http://goo.gl/mTx4ge 

Huge diversity of fish species

Liz studying a guitarshark

Sorting a purse seine catch
from left - Liz, Gon, Tom, Matti, Kit and Sonny