Merlion Wayfarer Goes Green: Marine Life

Showing posts with label Marine Life. Show all posts

The International SeaKeepers Society Asia - Awards Dinner 2019

11:30 PM Conservation, Marina, Marine Life, Pollution, Sentosa, South

Merlion Wayfarer recently attended The International SeaKeepers Society Asia Awards Dinner. The prestigious event was held at ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove, Singapore.

The event started with an address by Julian Chang, Director and Asia President, of The International SeaKeepers Society, and Richard Snow, President and CEO, and was followed by a sharing by Gail Tay, Director of Operations.

Midway, the presentation by Dr Poh Seng Chee and Dr James Tan of the Universiti Malaysia Trengganu Ocean Monitoring Project, and was followed with a presentation of SeaKeeper Awards, and Closing Remarks.

The ocean-friendly appetizer was Honey Mustard Graviax, Mango Salsa Poached Tiger Prawns, and Peruvian Sea Scallop with shiso cress and xres reduction...

Mains were either the Castaing Duck Confit with apple balsamic-glazed vegetables, whole grain mustard fingeling promme au jus, or the Provencale herbs Cruster White Snapper with vichy carrot, asparagus and grain dauphinoise beurre blanc...

With the dessert being Poached Pear Frangipane Tart with forest berry confiture, vanilla extract and almond crumbs...

About The International SeaKeepers Society

The International SeaKeepers Society supports marine science and conservation by utilizing yachts as platforms for marine research, educational outreach, and to deploy oceanographic instruments. The Society promotes oceanographic research, conservation, and education through direct involvement with the yachting community. It enables the yachting community to take full advantage of their unique potential to advance marine sciences and to raise awareness about global ocean issues. By tapping on yacht owners, expensive vessel costs are reduced while at the same time, permitting scientists to allocate those funds to maximize research potential.

Members of SeaKeepers include influential opinion leaders who believe that the best way to protect the environment is to protect the world’s oceans. They recognize the ocean’s critical importance to the life of our planet and are deeply committed to finding real-world solutions to the problems now plaguing our marine environment. The small but distinguished membership includes entrepreneurs, yachtsmen, corporations, divers, scientists and concerned citizens building a global effort to help restore and protect the world’s oceans. As a private/public collaborative effort, the Society focuses on critical ocean issues in cooperation with government agencies, other like-minded organizations, the academic community, and the public with the motto - "Research, Educate, Protect, and Restore". For more information, visit their website at www.seakeepers.org/aboutus/.

ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove - Man-Made Coral Garden In A Marina

8:47 PM Conservation, Corals, Global Warming, Marina, Marine Life, Seashore, Sentosa

ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove and the Tropical Marine Science Institute (TMSI) at the National University of Singapore have entered a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a man-made Coral Garden for the purpose of advancing reef restoration research and enhancing marine biodiversity in Singapore waters. The first such collaboration between TMSI and a commercial entity, the partnership seeks to boost the rehabilitation of coral reefs in Singapore and improve the local marine ecosystem that is critical for providing habitat and shelter for many marine organisms.

"We are excited to work with TMSI on this project because corals being natural shelters and food for marine creatures are highly critical for creating marine biodiversity. This research work will contribute towards restoring the 60% of coral reefs believed to have been lost in Singapore waters from land reclamation over the years."

--- Teo Joo Leng, General Manager of ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove ---

ONE°15 Marina has apportioned a stretch of 150 meters of sea bed within its marina for coral cultivation and this area currently encompasses specially-designed nurseries to grow young corals and rock boulders with clusters of matured corals. The coral zone will be maintained by researchers and volunteers from TMSI under the supervision of Professor Chou Loke Ming, a veteran in coral ecology.

Multiple nurseries are created along the platform and seeded with native corals transplanted from other areas of the Marina...

"The Coral Garden is envisioned to be a haven for marine biodiversity in a man-made environment and in the long run, it will evolve into an education and research site for students and the public to dive, snorkel and learn about the marine world in a safe and controlled environment."

--- Professor Chou Loke Ming, TMSI Adjunct Research Professor ---

ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove, a certified Fish-friendly and Clean Marina, is a strong advocate of marine life and ocean conservation that has championed several environmental projects and activities including Project Perna (mussels cultivation), Earth Hour, and its bi-annual marina clean-up. The Coral Garden is its latest eco-initiative, which is sponsored by International SeaKeepers Society Asia, Audi Singapore and SC Global Developments.

"Our vision for the coral garden is to educate the next generation on marine life and the importance of conserving it. In supporting this project, ONE°15 Marina is affirming its goal to be a leader and role model in the marina industry where we can create and share best practices with other marinas to create a more holistic marine ecosystem in Asia."

--- Teo Joo Leng, General Manager of ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove ---

A study conducted by the Reef Ecology Laboratory of NUS showed that at least 50 types of animals including worms, crustaceans, brittle stars, sea cucumbers, seahorses, algae and zoanthids inhabit the waters of ONE°15 Marina. The stable marina structures such as berthing pontoons and seawalls has allowed sea life to populate and thrive. The survey also uncovered 22 genera of hard corals, and with new ones forming. Furthermore, the survey found that these hard corals had attracted 29 species of fishes, many of which were reef fishes.

"Global warming and other human activities have had a devastating impact on the world’s coral reefs. It gives me great pleasure to be a part of today’s launch and I hope that there will be many exciting discoveries that will stem out of the research efforts carried out here."

--- Louis Ng, MP, Nee Soon GRC (Nee Soon East) and Chairman of Nee Soon Town Council ---

Experienced researchers from TMSI explaining to visitors on the coral nurseries...

ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove takes a tremendous effort to maintain the pristine nature of the marina, including working with the boat owners and daily clean-up efforts...

ONE°15 Marina is celebrating its 11th Anniversary on 06 October 2018 and supporting this meaningful cause as part of its celebrations. The marina is also putting up an exhibition together with several organizations in the marine community to educate the public on marine biodiversity and conservation efforts via educational displays and videos.

A life-sized sperm whale skeleton replica - In 2015, a sperm whale carcass was found off the coast of Jurong Island. One important discovery was what researchers found in the gut of the whale: Other than the remains of squids - a major part of its diet, they also found plastic cups. This was a telling discovery about the devastating impact of humans on marine creatures. The actual specimen is now displayed in the Lee Kong Chian Museum of Natural History...

Other family-friendly activities for the young and old...

A Game Of Hide-And-Seek

12:14 PM Beaches, Crustaceans, Fishes, Marine Life, North East

North-East, Singapore

January 2014

By nature, beach creatures can be a little shy. Many of them are well-hidden by rocks, sand or gravel...

Myomenippe Harwicki (Stone/Thunder Crab)...

Alpheidae (Snapping Shrimp)...

Gobiidae (Goby)...

Look carefully where you walk next time you are at the beach...

More photos are available on:

Merlion Wayfarer Goes Green's Picasa Web Albums

Science For The Young And Young-At-Heart

3:18 AM "Megabugs Return!", Aquariums, Events, Features, Fishes, Insects, Invites, Marine Life, Science Centre, Spiders, Weather

Science Centre Singapore

Jurong East, Singapore

June 2013

Merlion Wayfarer was recently visited the Singapore Science Centre for Megabugs Returns! ("Facing The Super-Sized" and "Marvel At The Small Things In Life"). What thrilled her was that, to this day, as an adult, the Science Centre still enthralls. Here's why...

InsectMania!, one of the side events from Megabugs Returns! is a talk with hands-on experience about exciting and fascinating bugs like stick insects and the giant hissing cockroaches...

Life stages of the silk worm...

These are not hissing because they are well-fed and relaxed...

Fragile stick insects where their perfect twig-like camouflage...

Bigger than a palm!

Creepy crawlies that are edible or useful...

The aquarium with its fascinating displays of saltwater fishes...

Watch out for the moray eel!

Oh hello, Dory!

Geological exhibits showing meteorites from space, rocks from different parts of Singapore, even benches made from stone...

Try lifting them!

A recipe for a typhoon...

Rocks from all over Singapore...

Merlion Wayfarer's favourite - The Tesla Coil demonstration, a highly dramatic and electrifying live demonstration of high voltage electricity with a 3.5 million volt coil in action, and generating electrical arcs of up to three metres!

Cover your ears!

iZ Hero is a digital exhibition with both panels and games to inform and entertain the young on good cyber habits...

Perennial favourites like the electric chair, the T-Rex skeleton at the entrance, and the Muppet Show's Statler and Waldorf lookalikes...

Candy Unwrapped uncovers the surprising biology, chemistry, physiology and psychology behind the world of candy...

In this display of scores of different types of candies, see how candy companies continue out-gross, out- gore, out-shock and out-sour each other to find the ultimate extreme candy...