Oxford University reveal that a fishy diet can improve reading and concentration in kids
Omega-3 fatty acids called EPA and DHA, found in fish and seafood, are essential for the brain’s structure and function as well as for maintaining a healthy heart.Research carried out at Oxford University and published in the journal PLOS One, found children’s blood levels of DHA “significantly predicted” how well they were able to concentrate and learn.Blood omega-3 levels were studied in 493 UK schoolchildren aged from seven to nine.Read the full story here.
Fishery Stock Assessments—It's All About the Science
NOAA Fisheries’ scientific stock assessments are critical to modern fisheries management. Using data gathered from commercial and recreational fishermen and our own on-the-water scientific observations, a stock assessment describes the past and current status of a fish population or stock, answers questions about the size of the stock, and makes predictions about how a fishery will respond to current and future management measures.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UbWMdpavUE&feature=player_embeddedRead more here.
How to prepare squid: How to clean, prepare and cook squid.
These are a few tips from our friends in the UK on how to clean, prepare and cook squid, note that the squid is a little larger than California squid, but the process is similar.
Points to remember:
- Pull out the tentacles from the main body. Cut just below the eye and discard the innards. Discard the beak and then trim the long tentacles level with the rest.
- Pinch the two fins together, thread thumb underneath and pull them away from the body, along with the membrane and discard.
- Pull out the shell or 'quill' and then remove the innards using the back of a knife.
- Cut the squid open, and scrape any more innards out and discard. Cut into slices, or score the squid and cut into pieces.
- You can now cook the squid. Frying is a popular method - squid pieces just need to be cooked for 30-40 seconds on a very high heat. Serve immediately.
Inked In Black: The Value Of Market Squid In Monterey Bay
Market squid create one of California’s most valuable fisheries. Due to its high quality as a fishery product, these squid are much sought-after by seafood traders around the world. In fact, California has become one of the world’s biggest squid suppliers. A growing taste for squid in restaurants has created a demand that now exceeds supply. As a result, the value of squid is on the rise. Check out the video below on the value of market squid in Monterey Bay from the perspective of a scientist, a student, a restauranteur, and fisherman.http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QbAK7GIi4l4A Native California Species:Several species of market squid inhabit the world’s oceans. However, California’s species (Doryteuthis opalescens) is native to the Pacific coast of North America. These squid range from Baja (Mexico) to southeastern Alaska. The biogeographic distribution of market squid is similar to Pacific salmon and steelhead trout, which are also native to California.Market Squid Fishery Management:
Squid catch is landed at six California ports. The fishery is divided into northern and southern regions. The northern fishery is active from April – September while fishing operations in the south run from October to March.Monterey Bay and the Channel Islands form the centers of the northern and southern market squid fisheries in California. Today, these centers lie within two marine sanctuaries. Several Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Preserves have been established on traditional squid fishing grounds, as well. Commercial fishing in these areas is now limited or restricted. One benefit of MPAs and marine preserves is to create replenishment areas for market squid and other fishery species. In the case of Año Nuevo, which is an island known for its elephant seal and sea lion rookeries, restrictions help ensure adequate squid for the diets of these federally protected marine mammals.California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is responsible for managing the market squid resource. Goals of the Market Squid Fishery Management Plan are:1.) to ensure long-term sustainability and conservation of the resource, and2.) develop a management framework that is responsive to environmental and socio-economic changes.Read the full story here.
Harvard study finds eating tuna, mackerel, swordfish boosts memory
Eating tuna could boost memory and slow age-related mental decline, say researchers from Harvard Medical School.They looked at the diet of 6,000 women with an average age of 72 and monitored them for nearly ten years, measuring their memory and mental ability at different points.The women who ate tuna, mackerel or swordfish once a week had significantly better verbal memory compared to women who did not regularly eat the fish. There were no links between memory and consumption of light-meat fish or shellfish. It's thought the benefits are down to the high omega-3 content in tuna and mackerel — other studies suggest this may help boost memory.Read the full story here.
Gritty wharf at Port of L.A. will become marine research center
On a recent weekday morning, Daniel Pondella strode along a century-old stretch of concrete pylons and shabby warehouses in San Pedro.As kelp swayed in the waves and terns circled overheard, Pondella recalled an elementary school field trip he took 40 years ago to this gritty wharf known as City Dock 1: "That was the day I decided to become a marine biologist."Now, Pondella is involved in transforming the wharf into a marine research center at the heart of the Port of Los Angeles, the nation's busiest.When City Dock 1 opened in 1913, it turned on a spigot for the Southern California economy through which $283 billion a year in international commerce now flows. Plans call for it to be converted into a nexus of laboratories and classrooms, fish hatcheries and berths for research vessels, which will explore the flows of Pacific currents, solutions to oceanic pollution and coastal erosion, and the rhythms of sea creatures from bacteria to 150-ton blue whales.Read the full story here.
Warming, Rising Acidity and Pollution: Top Threats to the Ocean
Ocean plants produce some 50% of the planet’s oxygen. Seawater absorbs a quarter of the carbon dioxide we pump into the atmosphere. Ocean currents distribute heat around the globe, regulating weather patterns and climate. And, for those who take pleasure in life’s simple rewards, a seaweed extract keeps your peanut butter and ice cream at the right consistency!Nonetheless, those of us who can’t see the ocean from our window still feel a disconnect—because the ocean feels far away, it’s easy to forget the critical role the ocean plays in human life and to think that problems concerning the ocean will only harm those people that fish or make their living directly from the sea. But this isn’t true: the sea is far more important than that.Every year, scientists learn more about the top threats to the ocean and what we can do to counter them. So for tomorrow’s World Oceans Day, here’s a run-down of what we’ve learned just in the past 12 months.Read the full story here
.
Sperm as superfood? It's a healthy snack for squid and other critters
Certain females consume male ejaculate and sperm as if they were food, using the nutrients to fuel their own bodies as well as their eggs, according to new research.
The study, published in the journal Biology Letters, adds yet another dimension to the battle between the sexes."If males have their sperm consumed, rather than used for egg fertilization, they will lose that reproductive opportunity. Therefore, it is in the male's best interests to try to ensure at least some of his sperm reaches the female’s eggs," lead author Benjamin Wegener, a researcher at Monash University’s School of Biological Sciences, explained to Discovery News.
Read the full story here.
