The Shark Ate My Homework: NRDC Submarine Attacked by Shark
Posted August 24, 2010 in Moving Beyond Oil, Reviving the World's Oceans, Saving Wildlife and Wild Places
I couldn’t help but chuckle a bit when I read Ali’s recent post about “Waldo,” the autonomous submarine launched by NRDC, Oceana, and the Mote Marine Laboratory this past July to explore the waters off the Florida Keys for plumes of underwater oil. Waldo’s mission, it seemed, was cut a bit short (as was Waldo) by a shark. And during Shark Week, to boot.
In a way, it was a a bit of good news. As Lelia points out, all is not well with sharks, and populations of many shark species around the world have plummeted in response to overfishing, bycatch, and shark “finning,” a particularly brutal practice. So at least we know that one shark is alive and well off the Florida coast.
Even better, despite its slightly abbreviated mission, Waldo did not detect any strong indicators of oil. That’s good for the Keys, because some studies indicate that as much as half of the oil spilled by BP still hovers under the Gulf’s surface (although others differ), and the gentle giants of the shark world, whale sharks, may already have suffered from the spill.
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Comments
Bob Smith — Aug 25 2010 12:00 PM
Is the AUV destroyed / lost?
Andrew Wetzler — Aug 25 2010 12:15 PM
Good question Bob. The AUV was damaged (its left wing was lost and the rudder damaged) but recovered.
Brian Bonner — Aug 25 2010 03:19 PM
I am absolutey SICK with what man has done to this planet. And they call US the smartest beings on the planet. Hardly the case.
And I really wish the world would do something severe to those that are destroying and hurting the shark populations! Finning. I don' t know what that is but it sure sounds horrifying!!
Robert Meehan — Aug 27 2010 01:54 PM
Finning is the practice of netting sharks, cutting off the dorsal fin and dumping the maimed shark overboard. The shark cant swim, is bleeding and dies eventually. The fins are sold in markets around the world for soup, and pharmacological purposes. Man is NOT the most intelligent animal on the planet. But we sure can kill in some creative ways.