Ocean Pals Poster Contest
2001-2002 Theme: Aliens in Our Waters
 Grade K-2
Sean Powell,
Indialantic, FL |
 Grade 3-5
Sara Yancovitz,
Bronx, NY |
 Grade 6-8
La Shae Marie Herman,
Conover, NC |
 Grade 9-12
Marianne Spatz,
Garden City, NY |
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Grade K-2 |
Grade 3-5 |
Grade 6-8 |
Grade 9-12 |
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2nd place |
Jacob Sapp
Indialantic, FL |
Aaron Simon
Las vegas, NV |
Chativa Bowen
Middletown, NY |
Josh Bogart Speer
Tulsa, OK |
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3rd place |
Caleb Agosto
Palm Bay, FL |
Amanda Smith
Hudson, FL |
Alisha Scott
Gulf Breeze, FL |
Lindsay Decker
Port Jervis, NY |
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Honorable Mention |
Elena Anderson
Bronx, NY |
Rebecca A. Wing
Palm Bay, FL |
Alfonso Garcia
Plantation, FL |
William Wang
Garden City, NY |
Illustrated by invasive exotic species which are alien to the ecosystem. These invasive species can be plants, animals or other organisms. Why the concern? What do they look like? Where have they invaded? How do they spread? How can they be stopped? What can you do?
Ocean Pals News Flash! At Risk! All coastal marine life as destructive seaweed (Caulerpa taxifolia) threatens kelp forests and their related fish, marine mammals and sea birds. Tiny invaders in America's rivers, lakes and streams are disrupting our marine ecosystems. Alien jellyfish, the Terminators, are clogging fishing nets and decimating shrimp larvae and fish eggs.
Alert! One of the newest invasive species to hit U.S. waters, the fishhook flea, is thriving in Lake Ontario and the Finger Lakes. Marching on and on and on, green crabs have successfully established residency on the East Coast and now in California. Hydrilla, another aquatic weed, has clogged lakes and rivers as far west as California and Washington. Hitching a ride are the zebra mussels, a tiny animal with the power to shut down entire electric utilities by clogging water intake pipes. Turn over almost any rock uncovered by low tide in the Northeast and you will probably uncover a small purplish-black alien, the Pacific crab. Several human activities contribute to the long distance accidental transport of aquatic organisms. However, not all alien invaders are from far away lands. The flathead catfish, native to our land, now inhabits 18 states where it was previously unknown. It lives for 20 years, weighs 50 pounds and feeds mostly on other fish.
Awareness is Urgent! The rate of invasions has been rapidly increasing. To learn more about them and what we can do to prevent further invasion, check the web site below. Put your findings into a poster to show the world how we can act NOW to recognize and stop these aliens in our waters.
Winners were presented on Sunday, March 24, 2002 at Beneath The Sea 2002's Ocean Pals Theater, which featured slide presentations, sea songs, hands-on workshops, contests, prizes, and special guest appearances.
Funding for this project was made possible through Beneath the Sea and grants from the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism, the Children's Hospital at Westchester Medical Center, and the Scuba Network.
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