Scientists Discover New Species of Scorpion Fish in Hawaiian waters

[justleesa]

Written by KGMB9 News

Hawaii scientists are back from the first-ever expedition to a coral reef more than 30 miles deep off the coast of Maui.
The team conducted five dives over the six-day expedition using the pisces submersible.
Scientists from Bishop Museum, the University of Hawaii, and state and federal agencies all joined together for the trip to one of the deepest known coral reefs in the world, in the Au'au channel, southwest of Maui.
They said it's an extraordinary discovery.
Along the way, the team discovered what appears to be a new species of scorpion fish.
And the research project has just begun. The team is planning to head back to the depths several times in the next three years.

If you click the link you'll find a small clip

 

[Thalassamania]

Show's you how today's news people are faces without brains.

Is there any water on earth that is 30 miles deep?

Are there any manned submersibles that could go there if there were?

The Au'au channel has some drowned basins that go down to 150 meters but that's as deep as it gets.

The deep areas of the channel are not coral reefs but rather are composed of non-reef building organisms such as black coral.

The Pices V submersible is a 2,000 meter sub.

At least he knows how to pronounce Hawai'i and Au'au.

 

[Teamcasa]

Everyone know the press rarely gets the facts straight.
I’m sure the writer meant “30 miles off the coast of Maui”
Thanks Leesa for posting the link.

 

[Gombessa]

Is there any water on earth that is 30 miles deep?

Now I'm curious. Not that you could dive it, but how far down can water seep into the mantle?

 

[Thalassamania]

Everyone know the press rarely gets the facts straight.
I’m sure the writer meant “30 miles off the coast of Maui”
Thanks Leesa for posting the link.

I'm sure it was just a typo, but for the pretty boy to read it with a straight face, and not KNOW that there is no such thing as a 30 mile deep ocean, well ... that crosses the line into congenital idiocy, don't these people learn anything in school except how to blow dry?

 

[Teamcasa]

I’ve said this before and will no doubt say it again. I believe the press gets the minutia of a story wrong more often than they get it right. But does that stop me from reading the stories? Nope.


Some news writer's need to do a touch more research before foisting it down our throats as fact.

 

[Hank49]

It makes sense too that it would be a scorpion, or ghost pipe, or frogfish type fish that's new, since even the ones that we KNOW about are hard to see.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Looking at this USGS topo map of the bottom in that area, it is possible that going directly from Lahaina to Lanai one might only find a max depth slightly over 100m. Going from Kapalua to Shipwreck Beach (Lanai) you might cross waters deeper than 200m.

That steep slope area dropping from 100-200m has been the site of extensive study on the effects of the invasive snowflake coral on the black coral industry.

This web page on the Lanai to Maui relay swim says the race is 9.2 miles. Wikipedia's Lanai page claims 18 miles as it's maximum width, so 30 miles southwest of Maui would be at least 3 miles southwest of Lanai! (not in Au'au)

An interesting wikipedia note; their description of Au'au channel wrongly states a max depth of 108', which as noted above could possibly correctly read 108m(?). That page also calls the middle of the channel Lahaina Roads, a noted ship anchorage. According to DLNR, Lahaina Roadstead is the name of the anchorage just off Lahaina. This map shows the location of Lahaina Roadstead, definately not in the middle of the channel, although it may be 108' deep.

The moral of this story is to not believe everything you read or hear! I would be interested in more on the scorpionfish!

 

[Cacia]

I tell you what, we need to get these fish collectors out of here, it is reaching poaching levels.

I am reminded because I know these fish are hot items, and it is pretty sad.

maybe there was a time when it provided some environmental appreciation, but we are beyond that place, IMO.

that crosses the line into congenital idiocy, don't these people learn anything in school except how to blow dry?

lol, are they responsible for checking the facts? I have no idea. That would be a lot of homework for a lot of those people.:11doh:

I check my facts with halemano. (good post)

 

[Rickg]

Show's you how today's news people are faces without brains.

Is there any water on earth that is 30 miles deep?

Are there any manned submersibles that could go there if there were?

It doesn't say much for the state of our nation's education system either

Rickg