Daily Archives: May 20, 2022

DULUTH, Minn. The newly constructed USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul, the second naval warship to honor the Twin Cities, is docked in Duluth ahead of its weekend commissioning.

The ship, the first U.S. Navy vessel to dock in Duluth since 1993, when the Navy conducted regular Great Lakes tours, was outlined in festive bunting Thursday while berthed at Rices Point.

The nearly 400-foot warship is scheduled to be commissioned into the Navy during a ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday.

On that day, most of its 110-member crew will be asked to run aboard in Navy tradition by sprinting up the gangway to populate the ship.

Im more than proud, said Cmdr. Alfonza White, the officer in charge of the vessel, during a Thursday media tour. Ive been in the Navy 27 years. The best part of the Navy are the people. Everything about this ship is foremost about the people and who takes care of it.

A Freedom-class littoral combat ship, Minneapolis-Saint Paul is designed for defense and combat within 25 miles of shore. It reaches speeds near 50 mph, and its main gun on the forward deck can fire artillery that explodes on impact or in the vicinity of targets within 9 nautical miles.

It has its homeport at Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville, Fla. But from there, the possibilities will be endless.

We are trained to sail the high seas, and we are prepared to do so, said White, who began his career on the since-decommissioned USS Duluth.

Built in Marinette, Wis., by Fincantieri Marinette Marine on Lake Michigan, the $360 million ship has struggled through fits and starts to reach its commissioning. The ship was christened and launched in the Menominee River on June 15, 2019, at the Fincantieri yard, but a design defect associated with bearings in the combining gears high-speed clutch surfaced during trials.

Commissioning, which will be the first for a Navy vessel in Minnesota, was delayed in both 2020 and 2021.

The crew is resilient, White said. We took it in stride and now were here.

The crew has spent the past two years in Florida training aboard other vessels to prepare to operate Minneapolis-Saint Paul.

I know the ship was being built up here in the Midwest, but two years ago-plus we started building a crew, and that is really the bread and butter of what brings the ship to life, said Command Senior Enlisted Leader Edward Pare, the vessels top enlisted man. Were going to go through a commissioning ceremony, but this crew has jelled and come together for many years, and it shows.

The vessel is highly maneuverable and is propelled by water jets instead of the more traditional propeller-and-rudder system.

White explained that when the Minneapolis-Saint Paul is opened up, its jets process an Olympic swimming pools worth of water every second.

Thats how much thrust vector we generate, White said.

The crew is trained to navigate the vessel in tight spaces without the aid of tugboats. On its 37-day voyage up from Florida, the crew gained valuable experience traversing the Soo Locks and other Great Lakes.

If youve ever been out on Lake Superior, it is awesome, White said. Coming through the Soo Locks was a great experience for the crew, and then entering Lake Superior beautiful lake, beautiful scenery. We couldnt ask for more.

The vessel is of a class of ship thats typically named for major cities.

The naming of the Minneapolis-Saint Paul was made possible by Jodi Green, former deputy undersecretary of the Navy and a Minnesota resident.

The Minneapolis-Saint Paul will be the second naval vessel named after both Twin Cities. The submarine USS Minneapolis-St. Paul served from 1984 to 2008.

White said the Twin Cities and Duluth should be proud to be a part of the commissioning of a ship that figures to be called into action anywhere in the world.

Worldwide access, White said of why the vessel was in Duluth. This is part of the world. Were happy to sail all over the world, and this is proof that we can access so many different venues around the world.

Read the original here:

USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul will sail the high seas after Duluth commissioning - St. Paul Pioneer Press

Non-governmental organizations dedicated to the protection of wildlife and the environment welcomed the new guidelines that the UN-affiliated International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted for its member states to help cut down on the prevalence of wildlife trafficking in the global shipping industry.

Maritime shipping accounts for an overwhelming majority of the worlds trade and illegal industries such as wildlife trafficking are no exception. (Photo: kees torn, Flickr, License)This endorsement by the United Nations specialized agency sends a strong message on the growing international engagement against the illegal wildlife trade (IWT) and its impacts on global biodiversity, directly threatening the survival of many species in the wild, Traffic, an NGO which monitors the illegal trade said in a statement.

This is the first time the IMO has taken a bold step to combat IWT exploiting the maritime shipping industry, it said.

The illegal trade in endangered wildlife and their parts including both flora and fauna is a massive global industry valued at billions of dollars per year. Maritime shipping accounts for an overwhelming majority of the worlds trade, and illegal industries such as wildlife trafficking are no exception.

With 90% of the world trade being seaborne and an estimated 72-90% of illicit wildlife volumes being trafficked through maritime transport, the sector holds a responsibility to engage against this transnational organized crime, Traffic said.

The guidelines include measures to prevent, detect and report trafficking as well as practices emphasizing due diligence, responsibility-sharing and cooperation all along the supply chains.

These guidelines present a gamechanger in the fight against the illegal wildlife trade, Dr. Margaret Kinnaird, the Global Wildlife Practice Leader of the World Wide Fund for nature, WWF, said.

Through dedicated and expert support from IMO member states and partners, government authorities and companies can implement greater safeguarding measures to protect their employees, business, and nature, critical to protecting the integrity of maritime supply chains from operational, economic, security, and zoonotic health risks, she explained. The adoption of these guidelines will catalyze global cooperation in the maritime sector to fight IWT.

The guidelines were formally submitted to the 46th IMO conference by Brazil, Colombia, Germany, Kenya, and Tanzania, alongside several international bodies.

According to the World Bank, Kenya has lost over the last several decades more than half of its wildlife resources due to a variety of reasons, including poaching and trafficking.

Kenya expressed its gratitude to all member states who supported the development and adoption of these guidelines, saying that they will greatly help protect the countrys wildlife.

Read the rest here:

IMO Adopts New Guidelines for Fighting Wildlife Trafficking on the High Seas - OCCRP

Orofinos Maniac drama, choir, band, culinary, and art classes teamed up again to produce a fantastic evening of entertainment on May 4. The drama class performed the dinner theater piece, Murder Ahoy by Michael Druce.

The full-length comedy-mystery is set onboard the cruise ship Thanatos. The alumni of Broken Rattan High are gathering for their 30th class reunion when mayhem erupts. OJSHS choir, with Carrington Rinehart as director, stepped up as alumni vocalists and sang several songs from the good old days.

The band jumped in with background music and some carefully placed songs. The culinary class under the leadership of Mike Tetwiler served a hearty buffet taco bar and provided dessert during intermission.

Sonesa Lundmark guided students in designing large porthole paintings to circle the room. Michelle George directed the talented actors.

The night was a hilarious success, and the students presented it again to the school on Monday, May 9.

Approximately 140 people attended the evening performance. Unfortunately, tickets were not sold to the general public as seating was limited and performers had first access to the tickets for family and friends.

Big thanks to everyone for their support.

Original post:

Murder on the High Seas with Orofino's Performing Arts - Clearwater Tribune

But honestly, none of that was as difficult for me as being in the middle of Covid and wearing glasses with goggles and a mask and visor. I didnt quite realize how much I communicate through my face a lot of director-actor relationships arent about giving a line reading but through the way that you interact and the nonverbal cues. The pandemic gear got in the way of all that.

How much input did you have on the visual design? Was there any illustrator or director you were looking to for inspiration?

Tim and Blur had been working on the story for a long time, and they had a lot of production art that felt Thief of Baghdad-adjacent. I felt the world itself needed to be a little less phantasmagoric and a little more Deadliest Catch. My whole thing was I wanted the people to be at risk of being washed off the deck at any moment. Theyre either going to get chewed apart by these blunt-nosed sharks, or theyre going to be dismembered by these pincers of these giant crustaceans.

It must be easier to rip characters apart and spill their guts when youre working in animation.

Yes, and on the water! Like Jim Cameron and Kevin Costner will tell you, there are such things as forces of nature. If you ever do a story that takes place on the high seas, do it in C.G., because youre not going to be chasing the sun, and you wont be worried about people being crushed between boats or drowning. And youll never be waiting around for the wave machine.

Is there anyone youd like to bring into the fold if you get to make a Season 4?

There are a lot, but look, this show takes a while. This episode I did took, like, 18 months. We originally started off wanting to do this with Ridley Scott, Jim Cameron, Zack Snyder, Gore Verbinski. So many friends of mine I went to and asked, Would you want to do something like this?, and they were like, Yes! But the reality is that the only way this show is affordable is if the people who are making it dont mind losing the money they could be making doing something else.

Are we hoping that the world embraces this show on a heretofore unseen level, making it a no-brainer to increase the subsidy for it? Yeah, that would be great. Until that happens, its hard to get the director of Avatar or the director of Pirates of the Caribbean to drop everything theyre doing and come and play with us.

Continue reading here:

David Fincher Tries Animation in Love, Death + Robots - The New York Times

DULUTH The first U.S. Navy vessel to dock in the local port since 1993, when the Navy conducted regular Great Lakes tours, was outlined in festive bunting Thursday as it docked on Rices Point.

The hulking, nearly 400-foot war ship USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul is scheduled to be commissioned into the Navy during a ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday.

On that day, most of its 110-member crew will be asked to run aboard in Navy tradition by sprinting up the gangway to populate the ship.

Im more than proud, said Cmdr. Alfonza White, the officer in charge of the vessel, during Thursdays media tour. Ive been in the Navy 27 years. The best part of the Navy are the people. Everything about this ship is foremost about the people and who takes care of it.

A littoral combat ship, Minneapolis-Saint Paul is designed for defense and combat within 25 miles of shore. It reaches speeds near 50 mph, and its main gun on the forward deck can fire artillery that explodes on impact or in the vicinity of targets within 9 nautical miles.

Brady Slater / Duluth News Tribune

It has its homeport at Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville, Florida. But from there, the possibilities will be endless.

We are trained to sail the high seas, and we are prepared to do so, said White, who began his career on the since-decommissioned USS Duluth.

Built in Marinette, Wisconsin, by Fincantieri Marinette Marine on Lake Michigan, the $360 million ship has struggled through fits and starts to reach its commissioning. The ship was christened and launched into the Menominee River on June 15, 2019, at the Fincantieri yard, but a design defect associated with bearings in the combining gear's high-speed clutch surfaced during trials.

Commissioning, which will be the first for a U.S. Navy vessel in Minnesota, was delayed in both 2020 and 2021.

The crew is resilient, White said. We took it in stride and now were here.

The crew has spent the past two years in Florida training aboard other vessels to prepare to operate Minneapolis-Saint Paul.

Brady Slater / Duluth News Tribune

I know the ship was being built up here in the Midwest, but two years ago-plus we started building a crew, and that is really the bread and butter of what brings the ship to life, said Command Senior Enlisted Leader Edward Pare, the vessels top enlisted man. Were going to go through a commissioning ceremony, but this crew has gelled and come together for many years, and it shows.

The vessel is highly maneuverable, and is propelled by water jets instead of the more traditional propeller-and-rudder system.

White explained that when the Minneapolis-Saint Paul is opened up its jets process an Olympic swimming pools worth of water every second.

Thats how much thrust vector we generate, White said.

The crew is trained to navigate the vessel in tight spaces without the aid of tug boats. On its 37-day voyage up from Florida, the crew gained valuable experience traversing the Soo Locks and other Great Lakes.

If youve ever been out on Lake Superior, it is awesome, White said. Coming through the Soo Locks was a great experience for the crew, and then entering Lake Superior beautiful lake, beautiful scenery. We couldnt ask for more.

Brady Slater / Duluth News Tribune

The vessel is of a class of ship thats named for major cities. Larger vessels are named for important historical figures, while submarines are named after states.

The naming of the Minneapolis-Saint Paul was made possible by Jodi Green, former deputy under secretary of the Navy and a Minnesota resident.

White said the Twin Cities and Duluth should be proud to be a part of the commissioning of a ship that figures to be called into action anywhere in the world.

Worldwide access, White said of why the vessel was in Duluth. This is part of the world. Were happy to sail all over the world, and this is proof that we can access so many different venues around the world.

See the article here:

War ship prepped to start its career in Duluth - Brainerd Dispatch

With China and the United States now seemingly locked in an era of great power competition, the U.S. and Chinese navies have been maneuvering in a series of cat and mouse games that show no sign of stopping anytime soon.

The U.S. Navy, for example, conducted dual-carrier operations in the Pacific last year to synchronize its air-power projection capabilities, exercise its increased sortie rates, and hone its multi-domain networking between the ships and their respective aircraft carrier air wings. Several months after this development, the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) responded with its first dual-carrier operations, in which it launched fighter planes from its first two carriers in coordination with each other.

The PLAN clearly seeks to counter the U.S. Navys forward presence in the Pacific Ocean, where the United States intends to maintain open access to international waterways and defend Taiwan from Chinese aggression. In fact, these are the primary rationales for the U.S. Navys maritime operations in the region and naval exercises with key allies such as Japan. Operating in close proximity to these key hotspots, the U.S. Navy intends to be close enough to respond with long-range cruise missiles and sea-launched fifth-generation F-35 stealth fighter aircraft. Indeed, used effectively, these assets could help the United States blunt, incapacitate, or even destroy a Chinese amphibious assault on Taiwan.

Of course, China is well aware of these dynamics and has conducted a series of live fire war drills in the South China Sea, East China Sea, and other areas throughout the region. For example, just last week, a large contingent of Chinese warships operated in close coordination with land-launched fighter jets to encircle and threaten Taiwana transparent effort to show the United States and its allies that China will not be easily deterred from advancing its interests.

Large scale, competing exercises and saber-rattling are just part of this equation, as individual Chinese and American warships often trail one another on patrol in sensitive areas throughout the Indo-Pacific. Recently, a U.S. Navy cruiser, the USS Port Royal, recently transited through the Taiwan Strait in an effort to express U.S. resolve in defending free navigation and Taiwanese autonomy. This U.S. ship was tracked, monitored, and closely followed by a Chinese warship, according to the Global Times, a Chinese government-backed newspaper.The Global Times reported that the Chinese warship shadowed the Port Royal through the strait and quoted Chinese military experts making threatening comments about the U.S. militarys defense of Taiwan.

The US, Taiwan secessionists and other external forces that attempt to interfere in the Taiwan question must understand that the island is an inalienable part of China, and the PLA [Peoples Liberation Army] has the determination and capability to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity the paper quoted PLA senior colonel Shi Yi as saying, before adding that a single US warship can do nothing but make a political show.

Certainly, the PLAN wants the United States to know that its ships will not sail alone in the western Pacific. As the Global Times report stated, Shi stated that The PLA Eastern Theater Command organized forces, tracked and monitored on high alert the US vessel through its entire course.

Kris Osborn is the defense editor for the National Interest. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a Highly Qualified Expert with the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the ArmyAcquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Master's Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.

Image: Flickr.

Here is the original post:

Across the Pacific, the U.S. and Chinese Navies Are Competing on the High Seas - The National Interest Online

Doha: Hot days with slight blowing dust are expected at some places during the weekend. Qatar Meteorology Department (QMD), in its weather forecast, also warns of strong wind and high seas offshore.

The temperature is also expected to reach a maximum of 44 degrees Celsius and 32 degrees Celsius at the lowest.

On Friday, sea heights inshore will range from 3-5 ft and 5-9 ft rising to 12 ft offshore. On Saturday, sea heights will also range 3-5 ft inshore and 6-10 ft rising to 13 ft offshore.

Visibility during the weekend will mainly vary between 4-8 kilometres or less at times.

Al Bawarih wind will also start at the end of May until the middle of July. According to QMD, Al Bawarih wind is a well-known local term in the gulf region that refers to northwesterly fresh to strong wind.

This is a result of the "extension of Indian monsoon low over the region along with the presence of a high-pressure system over Northern Arabian Peninsula."

"The most impotant feature of the Al-Bawaris wind is its gradual activity with sunrise reaching its peak during the afternoon," QMD said on Twitter.

This also causes blowing dust and low horizontal visibility at times alongwith low relative humidity and high sea waves.

More:

Higher temperatures during weekend; QMD warns of strong wind and high sea - The Peninsula

Today: Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Highs around 83 near the shore to 66 to 71 at 4000 feet. Southeast winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy. Scattered showers in the evening, then isolated showers after midnight. Lows 65 to 70 near the shore to around 54 at 4000 feet. Southeast winds around 10 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.

Friday: Mostly cloudy. Isolated showers in the morning, then scattered showers in the afternoon. Highs around 83 near the shore to 66 to 71 at 4000 feet. Southeast winds around 10 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Today: Mostly cloudy. Isolated showers in the morning, then scattered showers in the afternoon. Highs 81 to 86 near the shore to around 66 near 5000 feet. Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph shifting to the west in the afternoon. Chance of rain 40 percent.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy. Isolated showers in the evening. Lows 68 to 75 near the shore to around 55 near 5000 feet. Northeast winds around 10 mph in the evening becoming light. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Friday: Mostly cloudy. Scattered showers in the afternoon. Highs 81 to 86 near the shore to around 66 near 5000 feet. Southwest winds up to 10 mph shifting to the northwest around 10 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Today: Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Highs around 82 near the shore to 66 to 77 near 3000 feet. Southeast winds around 10 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy. Scattered showers in the evening, then isolated showers after midnight. Lows around 67 near the shore to 55 to 62 near 3000 feet. East winds up to 10 mph in the evening becoming light. Chance of rain 40 percent.

Friday: Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Highs around 82 near the shore to 66 to 77 near 3000 feet. East winds up to 10 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Today: Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Highs around 82 near the shore to 66 to 77 near 3000 feet. Southeast winds around 10 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy. Scattered showers in the evening, then isolated showers after midnight. Lows around 67 near the shore to 55 to 62 near 3000 feet. East winds up to 10 mph in the evening becoming light. Chance of rain 40 percent.

Friday: Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Highs around 82 near the shore to 66 to 77 near 3000 feet. East winds up to 10 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Today: Breezy. Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Highs around 84 near the shore to around 70 near 5000 feet. East winds 15 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40 percent.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy. Breezy. Isolated showers in the evening. Lows around 69 near the shore to around 54 near 5000 feet. East winds 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Friday: Mostly cloudy. Breezy. Isolated showers in the morning, then scattered showers in the afternoon. Highs around 84 near the shore to around 70 near 5000 feet. East winds 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40 percent.

Today: Mostly cloudy with scattered showers. Highs around 83 near the shore to 66 to 71 at 4000 feet. Southeast winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy. Scattered showers in the evening, then isolated showers after midnight. Lows 65 to 70 near the shore to around 54 at 4000 feet. Southeast winds around 10 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.

Friday: Mostly cloudy. Isolated showers in the morning, then scattered showers in the afternoon. Highs around 83 near the shore to 66 to 71 at 4000 feet. Southeast winds around 10 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Today: Mostly cloudy. Isolated showers in the morning, then scattered showers in the afternoon. Highs around 85 near the shore to 67 to 73 above 4000 feet. Northeast winds around 10 mph shifting to the west in the afternoon. Chance of rain 40 percent.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy with isolated showers in the evening, then partly cloudy after midnight. Lows 69 to 75 near the shore to 51 to 58 above 4000 feet. Light winds. Chance of rain 20 percent.

Friday: Partly sunny. Scattered showers in the afternoon. Highs around 85 near the shore to 67 to 73 above 4000 feet. Northwest winds up to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Lingering clouds and showers will persist across the state today. The threat for flooding and heavy rain is greatest over Kauai, but expecting improving conditions by this afternoon. Brief periods of locally heavy rain are possible through Friday statewide. A more typical trade wind pattern is expected by Sunday.

The stalled front near the western end of the state continues to bring clouds and showers to the region, however the bulk of the showers have moved through. There has been a noticeable downtrend in rainfall across Kauai, Oahu and the islands of Maui County overnight. However, satellite shows another band of clouds to the northwest of Kauai. Radar is not picking up much in the way of showers with this band, especially in comparison to the area that moved through overnight, however the high resolution and global models are all in good agreement with more showers expected.Knowing that the ground on Kauai got decent saturation yesterday and last night, will be leaving the Flash Flood Watch in effect for today. Anticipate improving conditions, however with the saturated grounds, any heavy rainfall could cause localized problems. The overnight sounding from Kauai shows a substantial decrease in instability, as was expected. Still keeping the mention of a slight chance of a thunderstorm in through this morning, but confidence is low that any will depend.The main area of clouds and rain has moved down the island chain and has thinned some over night. Radar shows rain has diminished in this area as it has moved over Maui County and the Big Island. Rain gages across those areas indicate only a few hundredths inches of rain has been received.Have made some tweaks to the forecast, but as expected, no discernible changes to the overall forecast philosophy with the morning package. As the associated low lifts northeastward on Friday, we can expect the southerly flow to weaken, giving way to some afternoon sea breezes. The low level moisture will remain focused over Kauai and Oahu, which means afternoon showers could be heavier than normal at times. Trade winds should return over the eastern half of the state Saturday, and spread to the remainder of the state by Saturday night. Drier trade wind weather will return by early next week as surface ridging shifts westward and upper troughing near the islands becomes zonal.

A rather diffuse frontal boundary appears to be less than 150 nm west-northwest of Kauai early this morning. A northeast to southwest oriented surface ridge is also in the vicinity of the Big Island. The tight pressure gradient between these two features is producing strong south to southwest winds across the the western islands. This strong flow will continue to transport abundant moisture up into the state. This excess moisture combined with unstable atmospheric conditions will support clouds and showers this morning, with the greatest threat of locally heavy rainfall and thunderstorms near the westernmost islands. The band of layered mid- and upper-level clouds, which was over the western and central islands last evening, has pushed east over Maui and the Big Island early this morning. There is mainly stratiform rain falling from some of these layered middle and high clouds. This band will continue to move east today. Additional upper-level clouds are also moving in from the west over the state, so expect high cloud cover to prevail over many areas this morning.Local sea breezes are possible over some sections of the state this afternoon, especially if the middle and high clouds thin out later this morning. This could lead to cloud build ups and showers over some areas, in addition to clouds and showers being transported within the deep southerly flow. Widespread MVFR conditions remain possible over most of Kauai and Niihau today. Low clouds and showers and may also develop in the vicinity of Oahu, so periods of MVFR conditions are possible there through this afternoon. Brief periods of MVFR conditions may occur over some sections of Maui County and the Big Island today.AIRMET Sierra for mountain obscuration continues for Kauai and Lanai. This AIRMET may be needed for additional islands later today. In addition, AIRMET Zulu notes that TEMPO light icing is possible this morning in clouds for the entire area within the layer from 14,500 to 25,000 feet.By tonight, local land breezes may reduce the coverage of low clouds and showers over some of the islands. However, there remains a chance of clouds and showers through early Friday morning, since the unusual moist conditions will remain, even though some gradual stabilization of the atmosphere may begin to develop.

Strong southerly winds will continue over Kauai waters through today as a slow moving cold front stalls just west of the island of Kauai. These southerly winds and a long period south swell are producing rough seas over southern leeward waters near Kauai and Niihau that are normally protected during a typical trade wind weather pattern. A Small Craft Advisory (SCA) remains in effect for all waters around Kauai including the Kauai Channel through the afternoon. Expect locally higher winds and seas near heavy showers and thunderstorms. The latest model guidance shows the front weakening as it lifts northward later this evening with a sharp drop in southerly wind speeds expected. The SCA will likely be dropped for the western waters near Kauai by tonight. A high pressure ridge will begin to build back in over the region on Friday with trade winds strengthening from east to west across the area through the weekend. SCA conditions will likely return to the typical windier waters and channels near Maui and Hawaii Counties on Saturday and Sunday.Surf heights along south facing shores will remain elevated into the weekend as the current south swell becomes reinforced today. In the long range, models show quite a bit of activity in the southern hemisphere, which could translate to a few south shore surf events over the next week or so.Surf along north and west facing shores will trend up today as a small, medium-period northwest (300-320 degrees) swell arrives. A return to small, summer-like conditions is expected over the weekend and into the first half of next week as this swell energy fades.

Flood Watch through this afternoon for Niihau, Kauai,Small Craft Advisory until 6 PM HST this evening for Kauai Northwest Waters, Kauai Windward Waters, Kauai Leeward Waters, Kauai Channel.

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Data Courtesy of NOAA.gov

Originally posted here:

Hawaii County Weather Forecast for May 19, 2022 | Big Island Now - Big Island Now

Large fish in the open sea have declined by at least 90 percent over the past century due to overexploitation.

To pull fish like tuna, swordfish, and marlin back from the brink, scientists argue we need to protect their migration superhighways known as 'blue corridors'.

A recent study on the Pacific Ocean has mapped the busiest of these underwater traffic lanes using a fish's tendency to return to its birthplace.

This behavior is known as philopatry, or natal homing, and it's not just an impulse for salmon.

Other fish species also return to their birth location to reproduce, and experts want to use that information to reveal where we need to limit or ban fishing.

Tracking large fish as they swim across vast swathes of ocean is incredibly difficult, which means scientists don't know much about migratory routes in the high seas.

If some fish are assumed to return to their spawning grounds, however, then their travels should create an annual loop through certain parts of the ocean.

Comparing data on where fish are caught most and where fish spawn, researchers at the University of British Columbia have inferred the migration loops of 11 fish species in the Pacific Ocean.

The 11 species considered were skipjack, yellowfin, bigeye tuna, albacore, pacific bluefin tuna, swordfish, common dolphinfish, striped marlin, black marlin, wahoo, and Indo-Pacific sailfish.

The results are only tentative and are based on several assumptions, but they provide important clues about where fish might be swimming at certain times of the year.

When all the migration pathways are superimposed on a map, the overlap reveals several "high priority" and "very high priority" areas for conservation.

Below is the final map, showing which areas of the Pacific should receive protection first.The red and orange spots represent ocean regions traversed by all or nearly all of the fish species considered in the study.

(Relano and Pauly, Sustainability, 2022)

Above:Habitat use maps for large pelagic species in the Pacific, generated by superposing the habitat use maps of the different stocks.

In the busiest blue corridors, the authors recommend banning or reducing industrial fishing of large pelagic species, like skipjack tuna, yellowfin, striped marlin, and swordfish.

"Those high-traffic areas, two of which are in northeastern and central sections of the Pacific Ocean and two in the southwestern and central sections, should become parts of blue corridors, which are routes where strict fisheries management measures or partial bans of industrial fishing ought to be enforced to allow for increased connectivity of habitats and thus allow populations of marine species to maintain themselves," says Daniel Pauly, the principal investigator at the UBC's research institute, the Sea Around Us.

Today, very few marine reserves exist in the open ocean. Blue corridors could help extend the protection bestowed on coasts right out into the high seas, ensuring both large fish and whale migration routes remain relatively undisturbed.

For large pelagic species that roam far and wide, blue corridors are especially important. And the bigger, the better.

"[T]he best-case scenario for conserving and rebuilding stocks," the authors write, "would be an even larger and continuous blue corridor extending from 30 N to 40 S and from 160 E to 110 W of the Pacific."

A blue belt of that size could help rebuild fish stocks and boost fisheries throughout the Pacific.

The study was published in Sustainability.

Original post:

Mapping The Pacific's Busiest 'Blue Corridors' Could Help Us Save Fish Populations - ScienceAlert

Any week I get to use a ska-related headline pun is a great week for yours truly (PICKITUP PICKITUP PICKITUP). And this week on Top Chef Houston, we were down to just five chefs (again!). Its the fiiiiinal chef doooooowwwwn.

For this most-crucial-of-episodes-so-far challenge, Tom Colicchio tossed the chefs some Dramamine and told them to get their asses to the docks. Theyd be tossing aside the usual Quickfire Challenge like an undersized flounder and taking to the high seas instead, where the chefs would literally fish for their suppers, eat what they catch, teach a man to fish, and other turns of phrase. They went fishing, you get it.

In honor of the occasion, Tom Colicchio resurrected his classic comedy character, Boat Deck Tommy:

Do not adjust your TVs jauntiness levels, folks, that really is a bandanna ascot. Bandannascot? Anyway, there are also fancy Croakies (Excuse me, these are tactical Croakies) and what I truly hope is a rash guard underneath it all. You do not want to get rashy while youre reeling in a lunker, I get it.

The chefs would get to prepare TWO DISHES, using anything they caught, plus anything they bought. With a budget of just $200, to feed seven diners, including chefs Aaron Bludorn, Daniel Boulud, and Stephanie Izzard. Bludorn, Boulud, and Izzard? What, was there no chef Bludendorf they couldve called? Sorry, Ive been playing a lot of Wordle lately.

Alliteration aside, we learned many things in this episode, like that Damarr had never been fishing, Evelyn doesnt like catfish, Buddha grew up in Port Douglas in far north Queensland, and Nick pronounces Chipotle chip-oltee.

AKA: Domingo. Chocolate Mormon. The Count. The Mississippi Baker.

Dish One: Fried redfish taco with pickled peppers and smoked tomato crema.Dish Two: Breadless seared bull redfish cake with lemon beurre blanc and mushroom ragout

Quotable Critiques:

The crunch on the fish in the taco is fantastic and the seasoning is great. Its almost tough for fish, and its dry, and the tortilla is dry so theres no relief. It definitely needs extra sauce. Its missing the herbs or something fresh. The pile that he gave us, it wasnt a cake. Really great seasoning on both of Nicks dishes.

Breakdown:

There were some eliminated competitors from this season that definitely couldve given the show some more entertainment value like Stephanie, the angrily provincial midwesterner booted in week two, or that grilled potatoes maniac who looked like Ness from Smash Bros who went home a week later but Nick is the first elimination of this season that made me genuinely sad. Nick is always a calming, sincere presence, whos so true to his aw shucks Dad persona that he even mispronounces chipotle.

Gotta love that guy, but his elimination this week was fairly anti-climactic by the time the judges table came around. Time got away from Nick this week, and his big boner was getting all the way down to the last six minutes before realizing that hed forgotten his fish binder. Oh no! Now youll never get into fish college!

A fish cake that isnt a cake is basically a fatal flaw at this stage of the competition, and as if that werent bad enough, it also meant he didnt have time to get his tortillas buttoned up or his taco proportions figured out. One judge described his fish cake as the pile that Nick gave us, so by the time Padma said well, it looks like we have some tough deliberations ahead of us she was self-evidently lying her (surely supple supermodel) ass off.

And so we bid the Chocolate Mormon adieu, to return to his brood of alliteratively named children and what will surely be a lucrative future in the spice rub industry. Im giving Nick a 26-spice salute to honor his memory.

AKA: Ms. Marvel. Lula Roe. Aunt Frances. Kooky Librarian.

Dish One: Pseudo crudo pickled gulf snapper with silken tofu and kraut brothDish Two: Pastrami Sandwich Smoked red drum with pastrami spice, carrot butter, and Parisian gnocchi.

Quotable Critiques:

So smooth and silky. The broth is absolutely delicious. Every element was perfectly executed. My mind was blown.

Breakdown:

The producers opened this weeks episode with a nice Sarah flashback package, with her describing her absurdly charismatic sister as fiercely loyal to her family, so she will literally murder someone if they make me cry so watch out, Tom.

SMASH CUT TO: Tom describing Sarahs dish, It just doesnt eat well.

Is there any more enjoyable food show critique than when something does or doesnt eat well? Its like watching Gruden call someone a real football guy in his broadcasting days.

I do tire of Sarahs overwrought-yet-hackneyed turns of phrase, so it was kind of fun watching Tom shit on her in the most succinct, inarticulate manner possible. But that edit, along with the extended drama of whether Sarah would actually catch a fish, turned out to be a mere setup for this weeks big twist ending. Sarah won!

Obviously, Im still sandbagging her a little at number four, but that pastrami sandwich smoked fish thing with the fried gnocchi did look good as hell. Im just desperate for something, anything to come out of Sarahs mouth that doesnt sound like someone trying to be cute on Tumblr.

AKA: Catchphrase. James Beard. Screech. Dusty. Drew Barrymahi.

Dish One: Snapper crudo with apples, radish, and coconut vinaigrette.Dish Two: Blackened bull redfish with marinated vegetables and herb salad.

Quotable Critiques:

It presents beautifully, but for me the fish is bland. I think when you have a fish this delicate, it doesnt matter what sauce you put around it, if the fish is bland its gonna stay bland. We just didnt get all the way there.

Breakdown:

Im calling this guy Drew Barrymahi on account of hes never been fished.

Yes, this week Damarr revealed that before this episode, hed never been fishing. Fishing was one of those things that my dad desperately tried to get me into, but it turns out that ADHD and sitting quietly on a dock arent a great mix. Now that Im an adult and I can mix in catching a socially acceptable beer buzz to the dock-sitting routine I like it a lot better.

I will say that Damarrs first fishing expedition occurred under ideal circumstances. The best way to fish is on somebody elses boat, with somebody elses gear, with somebody else doing the rigging. Most fishing trips are like 5% fishing and 95% incredibly tedious tasks, like trying to tie a lead weight the size of a cats balls to an invisible rope with your large clumsy hands while jouncing up and down to the rhythm of the waves. That part sucks ass. (I also suck at video games and crafts, though I do excel at opening jars and smashing walnuts, in case you were wondering).

Aaaanyway, this was the week that finally knocked Damarr out of the top two for me. I still believe in him, but this weeks offerings honestly did look like fairly pedestrian, prototypical Top Chef dishes. A kind of bland crudo and then a fish filet with a kind of half-assed Southeast Asian-inspired slaw. No papaya! Pivot to jicama!

In my heart, Im giving Damarr the benefit of the doubt and saying that this was a momentary hiccup. He said he wanted to show the judges his range (note to future contestants: no one gives a shit about your range. Be like Ilhan Hall from season two and cook the same goddamned food the entire season; if its good you will win), and hell, it was also his first fishing trip. Give the guy a break!

My brain says I have to drop Damarr down to number three but I still like him the best.

AKA: Cuddles.

Dish One: Caldo De Pescado with poached redfish and roasted vegetables.Dish Two: Redfish taco al pastor with roasted redfish and pineapple chili salsa

Quoteable Critiques:

I really love the flavor of the caldo. I would prefer a little more fish in here.I thought the tortilla was very thick, it sucked all the moisture out of the taco for me. Too precious for a taco. Incredibly safe.

Breakdown:

Sheesh, what was it with all the dry tacos this week? If I wanted a dry taco Id call my editors mom.

Okay, so it wasnt exactly a dominating performance from Evelyn this week. But I also feel like the judges were kind of grasping at critiques and maybe hated on her for cooking Mexican food. Oh, was the caldo was too pedestrian for you, Monsieur Boulud? You can calgo fuck yourself. Meanwhile, Stephanie Izzard basically said, this probably wouldve been really good if Id been more drunk. (A critique that frankly applies to most foods).

Luckily Evelyn did get the line of the episode: I cant believe Daniel Boulud ate my taco!

AKA: Mr. International. Big Pun. Asian Ben Mendelsohn. The Salad Nazi. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The Terminator. Moneyball. Big Data.

Dish One: Steamed bull redfish with shrimp farce.Dish Two: Fish In Chips fried flounder with vadouvan sauce and potato gribiche.

Quotable Critiques:

Buddhas food is beautiful. Fish was cooked beautiful, it was so moist.Very satisfying. Fish does eat slightly dry but I can get over it because of this vadouvan sauce. I think Buddha knocked this out of the park.

Breakdown:

Sometimes I think Buddha is moneyballing his way through this competition using Big Data, but other times I think hes just really f*cking good. This week Buddha attempted his own play on a Daniel Boulud classic, seabass in potato, with his own typically punny Fish In Chips. This was Buddhas attempt to cook redfish inside crispy, spiralized potatoes. Even more so than usual, that seemed like a really good idea. I will eat anything inside crispy potato. Has anyone attempted a potato-based corndog? Get the scientists working on this immediately.

But Buddha couldnt quite make his blanched potatoes work as a wrapper (Bro, just grill them! -Ness). He tempura-battered them and put them on top of the fish. Not quite as clever or pretty (and probably was enough to cost him the victory), but delicious nonetheless.

Buddha narrowly finished in second place this episode, but after these last few episodes its hard to imagine anyone beating him.

For next weeks episode, Padma announced that the show would be traveling to one of only two cities in the US that is designated as a UNESCO city of gastronomy.

Not for a million dollars could I have predicted the city that was about to come out of her pillow lips: Tuscon, Arizona! Ah, yes, that famous mecca of cuisine. No offense, but I always assumed most of Arizona was just Las Vegas with an associates degree. Arizona, the place where future porn stars go to get one semester of college experience.

Care to try to guess the other American UNESCO city of gastronomy? Thats right, San Antonio, Texas. DUH. Go home, UNESCO, youre drunk. (Im allowed to say these things because I live in Fresno, California, an official UNESCO city of getting dunked on by other cities. Its called punching up.).

Read the rest of our Top Chef Power Rankings here. Vince Mancini is on Twitter.

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Top Chef Power Rankings, Week 12: We're Down To The Top 5 - UPROXX