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Hidden science superheroes: Meet the Seattle Aquarium’s water quality team

Posted on by Emma Leiser
Seattle Aquarium Nerdy Science Series logo of an illustrated microscope.

This story is part of our Nerdy Science Series—how we’re using research and technology in service of a healthy ocean.

From basket stars to fur seals, what do all animals at the Seattle Aquarium have in common? They need just the right conditions in their water to flourish. The mission of maintaining the Aquarium’s water quality every minute of every day is undertaken by a small but skilled group of chemists using both new technology and ancient solutions.

Water Quality Manager Hannah Mewhirter says her team is usually the first to notice when there’s a problem with a habitat’s water. That’s mainly because many water quality issues don’t change the water’s appearance.

The team tests 20–40 water samples from the main Aquarium and offsite Animal Care Center each day. They check several physical properties of the water like salinity, pH levels, dissolved oxygen levels and temperature. And they test for nutrients like ammonia, nitrate, nitrite and phosphate. All these parameters need to be balanced for aquatic animals to thrive.

The team also collects daily data, which helps them identify changes and guides their actions. When they notice an imbalance, they work with members of the engineering team and animal care teams to identify what caused the issue and how to amend it.

“It’s a collaborative process,” Hannah says. “We tell the animal care teams what their water quality looks like. They tell us what they need for their animals, and we work together. It’s like creating a customized plan.” 

Many species at the Aquarium are from the Puget Sound region. To accommodate them, the Aquarium brings in seawater from Elliott Bay. After a little filtration and supplementation, this water is pumped into our animal habitats. We then filter and return the water back into Puget Sound. 

Seattle Aquarium Water Quality team members Angela Smith, Keenan Wong and Hannah Mewhirter standing together and smiling in front of the Salish Sea.
Seattle Aquarium Water Quality team members Angela Smith (left), Keenan Wong (center) and Hannah Mewhirter (right) keep our aquatic habitats clean and safe.

Although seawater looks like an unlimited resource, it’s not. We want to be the best stewards of that seawater because it is the lifeblood of the Seattle Aquarium.

Hannah Mewhirter
Water Quality Manager, Seattle Aquarium

Ocean Pavilion brings changes

The Ocean Pavilion—which opens in 2024 and will feature tropical plants, fish and invertebrates from the Coral Triangle region of the Pacific Ocean—uses a different system. It’s designed to clean and recirculate 96% of the salt water in its habitats, saving both water and energy. Recaptured heat from the warm water will also help heat the building.

“The Seattle Aquarium has embraced a paradigm shift,” Hannah says. “Water quality is far more complex and sensitive in a closed-mode aquarium than in an open-flow aquarium. That will require daily testing and looking at more parameters because we are intentional about reusing the water.”

Innovative technology helps the team stay on top of water quality testing. One tool that Hannah is particularly excited about is the ion chromatograph, which tests nine different chemical properties at once. The tool not only cuts down on the time, energy and chemical reagents needed to conduct those individual tests but also reduces the amount of plastic packaging.

“Ammonia is one of the most sensitive parameters we test,” Hannah says. “We’re never going to miss ammonia testing. If anything, we’re going to add ammonia testing, especially in a fully recirculating water system. But thinking of doing that while adding environmental costs with all that plastic—it just didn’t sit well with me. So, we’re going to pursue a greener method using an ion-selective electrode.”

These sustainable choices also align with the Aquarium’s goal of becoming a zero-waste operating facility by 2025.

Angela Smith testing water quality samples in a lab. She wears safety glasses and a white lab coat speckled with blue and green.
Our water quality team works at the Aquarium and off-site at our Animal Care Center (pictured here).

Finding solutions

The most powerful tool the team uses to keep water clean is low-tech but no less meticulous: bacteria.

When animals eat food, they convert some of it into energy and the rest into waste products, which contain a lot of nitrogen. In large quantities, nitrogen could create harmful conditions.

Nitrifying bacteria break down the nitrogen-rich waste products and help balance the chemistry in animal habitats. These bacteria create their own waste that other bacteria eat in turn, creating a sustainable cycle. The water quality team monitors the bacterial population to create a biological filtration system that maintains water quality 24/7.

Hannah sees her work as a puzzle with many pieces. Chemistry, creativity and collaboration help Hannah and her team keep the Aquarium’s water in the clear.

“Things are relatively stable from day to day—and we want them to be. But when they’re not, that is a challenge that brings out the joy of problem-solving. I like figuring out what has changed and collaborating on how we need to fix it,” Hannah says.

Keenan Wong pouring a solution into a graduated cylinder. Keenan wears a multicolored, tie-dyed lab coat.
Water quality specialists test multiple parameters in every water sample.

It’s all connected

Posted on by Emma Leiser

Why is the Seattle Aquarium bringing tropical ecosystems to people in Seattle? After all, the Pacific Northwest, our own backyard, is home to vibrant and diverse marine life.

That’s certainly true. What’s also true is that ocean health is part of a bigger picture. Actions by people in other parts of the world impact our local waters and the animals who live there. And what we do here affects animals and waters far away.

Regenerating a healthy ocean begins with understanding how one ocean connects us all.

An illustration of the Spilhaus projection, an alternative world map that centers our ocean instead of landmasses. The oceans and landmasses are labeled, with Seattle and the Salish Sea circled in the bottom right. Text in the bottom left corner of the image reads "Our waters connect us. What happens when we look at Earth through a new lens?"

In school, many of us learned about five oceans or seven seas. A mind-bending image called the Spilhaus Projection shows us another way of looking at the blue planet. It focuses our gaze on one connected ocean, a place where animals move freely across vast, borderless waters. Can you spot home on this map?

An illustration of the Spilhaus projection, an alternative world map that centers our ocean instead of landmasses. The map is surrounded by simple line illustrations of plastic pollutants like straws, water bottles, and disposable bags and silverware. Text in the bottom left corner reads "Our actions connect us. Pollution doesn't stay put."

Scientists have identified human-made chemicals and plastic debris in the deepest, most inaccessible parts of the ocean, ferried there by a complex system of currents. What’s more, the carbon we emit into the atmosphere makes the ocean warmer and more acidic everywhere. How we live and the actions of our businesses and governments affect the health of our entire planet.

An illustration of the North American west coast shoreline. The states of Alaska, Washington, and Oregon are highlighted. An orange arrow goes from Oregon, up to Alaska, and then back down to Washington. Text on the image reads "Animals connect us. When they migrate, they become part of multiple human communities." Beneath this text is an illustration of a school of salmon.

Marine animals hold cultural and economic importance to people in multiple regions. For example, some “Alaskan wild-caught” salmon spawned in Washington streams (or hatcheries) just a few years earlier. Policies to protect salmon here also protect the livelihoods of people in Alaska. And likewise, how fishing is managed in Alaska affects salmon populations here and local animals that feed on them, including critically endangered southern resident orcas. As climate change drives some animals into unfamiliar waters, new communities will join their network of stewards. Now consider how these ideas apply to an animal with a huge migratory range, like a humpback whale! Some humpback whales can migrate 3,000 miles, from the waters off Alaska to the waters of Hawaiߵi. Imagine all the other ecosystems and communities they touch!

A split illustration of two different marine ecosystems. The illustration on the left shows the Seattle skyline and two fish swimming underwater amongst purple crabs, sea stars, barnacles, and sea grass. The right illustration shows large mangrove trees stretching into the water; yellow tangs and white spotted boxfish swim beneath the mangroves amongst anemones and corals. Text in the top left corner of the image reads "Our problems connect us. We face common challenges."

Like the Salish Sea, the Coral Triangle is a place of beauty and biodiversity. Because of the number and variety of species in the Coral Triangle, some people call it the “Amazon rainforest” of the ocean. Sadly, in both the Salish Sea and Coral Triangle, overfishing, pollution, development and climate change are taking a heavy toll. We’re losing iconic animals (like orcas and whale sharks), habitats that serve as fish nurseries (like eelgrass and mangrove forests) and important species that are sensitive to changes in ocean acidity (like oysters and coral reefs). We have much more in common than it might seem.

An illustration of a family overlooking a pod of orcas swimming in the Salish sea. The sun is setting over the water. Text in the top right corner reads "Our futures are connected. That gives us a big opportunity."

Shared problems can mean shared solutions—and hope. Did you know that governments in all six Coral Triangle countries—Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste and the Solomon Islands—have established marine protected areas that strictly manage human activities? Similarly, the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary helps animals off the coast of Washington thrive. Bans on lightweight plastic bags, a major contributor to ocean pollution, have flourished in recent years. In addition to states like Washington, countries including Botswana, Haiti, Morocco, New Zealand and dozens of others have banned them. Rewilding initiatives—like ReShark, which was cofounded by the Seattle Aquarium and has 90+ global partners—are breeding and restoring wild populations of threatened species. Young people, including the Seattle Aquarium’s Youth Ocean Advocates, are making their voices heard worldwide. Indigenous communities around the world are playing leading roles in the climate justice movement. Looking for a way into this work? There are many. Find an effort that excites you and get involved.

Make new connections

When the Aquarium’s new Ocean Pavilion opens in 2024, you’ll be able to explore habitats that reflect the exquisite biodiversity of the Coral Triangle and the precious animals there. You’ll hear stories about leaders who are making a difference in ocean health. And get ready to join them!

Seattle Aquarium unveils two new murals from Ray Troll, Marvin E. Oliver and Grace Freeman

Posted on by Emma Leiser

The Seattle Aquarium is proud to display two new murals from celebrated artists Ray Troll, Grace Freeman and the late Marvin E. Oliver (Quinault/Isleta Pueblo). “Salish Seascape” and “Ocean Travelers” now adorn the walls of the Aquarium’s Marine Mammals habitat.

“Salish Seascape” celebrates the diverse array of life that make their homes in and along the Salish Sea, which is a coastal extension of the Pacific Ocean that includes Puget Sound. The fish are drawn in Ray’s signature style, which has been dubbed “scientific surrealism.” For this piece, Ray dug deep into the catalog of drawings he’s created over his decades-long career. Many of the fish featured in this mural are ones Ray originally created for the University of Washington in 2010.

“This mural is a combination of a career’s worth of work with all my fish stuff from the Pacific Northwest,” Ray says.

The mural came to life when artist Grace Freeman digitized Ray’s designs and added her own touches, like the mermaid swimming around in the upper right section. The artists added other hidden gems to the seascape, including a pencil, paintbrush and portrait of Ivar Haglund, founder of the seafood restaurant chain Ivar’s.

Artist Ray Troll at the Aquarium's September 2023 dedication of his new Aquarium mural “Salish Seascape.”
Artist Ray Troll at the Aquarium's September 2023 dedication of his new mural “Salish Seascape.”
Ray Troll and Owen Oliver standing in front of a large blue mural depicting salmon.
Artists Ray Troll and Owen Oliver (Quinault/Isleta Pueblo), son of the late Marvin E. Oliver (Quinault/Isleta Pueblo), discuss “Ocean Travelers,” which combines Ray and Marvin’s work into a single image.

“Ocean Travelers” features a run of salmon in the styles of Ray and the late Coast Salish artist Marvin E. Oliver. Ray and Marvin ran adjacent art studios in Ketchikan, Alaska before Marvin passed in 2019. Throughout their long friendship, they discussed doing a collaborative piece. This mural fulfills that wish.

“A friend of mine once said that art stands in the river of time,” Ray says. “And I’ve always liked that phrase. Marvin is no longer with us. But Marvin is still with us through his art.”

Marvin’s son, artist Owen Oliver (Quinault/Isleta Pueblo), said the work is a testament to the friendship between his father and Ray. It also pays homage to Indigenous values, as Coast Salish people have looked after these waters since time immemorial and continue to do so today.

A CHANCE TO GIVE BACK THROUGH ART

Ray has lived in Ketchikan for the past 40 years, but Seattle holds a special place in his heart. He moved to the city in 1977—the same year the Aquarium opened—and sold his prints at Pike Place Market. Since then, he’s spent a lot of time at the Aquarium because he considers it one of the best places to see fish in action without having to take a dive.

Ray has long been fascinated with underwater creatures, a feeling he hopes to share through his art. He’s proud to have his work displayed in the Aquarium that helped feed his curiosity and continues to inspire that same feeling in others.

“If you get people to stop for a second and marvel at something as tiny as a Pacific spiny lumpsucker, you have fostered a sense of wonder and awe and fascination,” Ray says. “And if you become fascinated by something, you begin to care for it.”

The Aquarium would like to thank Marvin’s family, Ray and Grace for allowing us to display their art. We are proud to showcase art from such talented, passionate people who care deeply about nature. These murals reflect our S.A.L.I.S.H. values, which include inspiring a sense of excited curiosity in our guests and honoring the Indigenous peoples who were the original stewards of this area and currently play a valuable role in guiding its conservation.

Come check out the new murals on your next visit to the Aquarium.

Grace Freeman speaking. A photographer stands behind her.
Artist Grace Freeman, whose digital design skills brought the murals to life, at the Aquarium’s September 2023 dedication.

She sees sea otters by the nearshore: Tracking sea otter populations with Dr. Shawn Larson

Posted on by Emma Leiser
Seattle Aquarium Nerdy Science Series logo of an illustrated microscope.

This story is part of our Nerdy Science Series—how we’re using research and technology in service of a healthy ocean.

Guests at the Seattle Aquarium know how fun it is to watch sea otters eat and play. But for sea otter researchers, watching these adorable animals on Washington’s outer coast also provides valuable scientific information. By keeping track of wild sea otter populations through regular surveys, Dr. Shawn Larson of the Seattle Aquarium and her team hope to better understand the important role otters play in the marine ecosystem and what the future might hold for them.

Dr. Shawn Larson standing on a rocky shore and holding a small telescope.
Senior Conservation Research Manager Dr. Shawn Larson studies wild sea otter populations and diets.

Searching for sea otters on Washington’s outer coast

Each June for the past 23 years, Seattle Aquarium researchers have participated in a statewide, multiday survey of the Washington sea otter population, organized by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Shawn and other Seattle Aquarium staff assist by forming ground teams at specific locations along the coast to carefully count all the otters in an area. The team usually leaves bright and early to hike to the observation point, where they set up their spotting scopes and start looking for otters.

Three researchers observing sea otters on a beach; three of the researchers are holding binoculars up to their eyes.
Researchers from the Seattle Aquarium and Oregon Coast Aquarium look for sea otters off the Washington coast.

They also record information on the otters’ ages and behaviors. During the survey, a plane circles above large groups of otters—known as rafts—to take high-quality digital photographs. Researchers count the otters in these photos later.

The otters tend to float about a kilometer (a little over half a mile) from the shore in groups of up to 1,000. It can be hard, at that distance, to distinguish rafts from clumps of kelp floating nearby. But Shawn, a seasoned otter spotter, knows to look for heads and flippers. Otters also tend to appear black, while kelp looks dark brown.

A sea otter floating on its back in the ocean.
A sea otter floating off Washington’s outer coast.

The Seattle Aquarium also does surveys of the local population monthly, documenting their numbers and diets. Like us, otters have preferred foods. If they’re available, otters will go for sea urchins, crabs and clams. When those become scarce, otters will turn to snails, mussels and sea cucumbers. Shawn has even seen otters eat a giant Pacific octopus!

“Their diet starts to diversify…and that’s when we know that their population has pretty much reached its carrying capacity—meaning the limit for that area,” Shawn says.

Happily, the sea otters in Washington are doing well. Their population is steadily growing with an increase of about 10% each year. They’re growing large and raising many pups, suggesting that these days, there’s plenty of their favorite foods on the outer coast.

Scientists still have a lot of questions about sea otters

Despite decades of research, scientists are still uncovering new information about sea otters. We know that otters eat sea urchins that would otherwise consume kelp. So, where there are otters, there are usually also healthy kelp forests, which serve as habitats for an array of nearshore marine life. However, researchers seek a deeper understanding of how sea otters impact nearshore environments.

"They're kind of a mystery in a lot of ways. There's a lot we do know about them, but there's a lot we don’t."

Dr. Shawn Larson, senior conservation research manager, Seattle Aquarium

“We know that sea otters tend to structure the nearshore where they live, but exactly how does that work? What are the pieces of the puzzle that make it work?” Shawn says.

To unravel the mystery, the Aquarium is in the early stages of using a remotely operated vehicle, or ROV, to study otter foraging behavior in kelp forests on the outer coast. By going underwater to where the action is, the ROV will provide in-depth footage and data on sea otter foraging behavior.

A better understanding of sea otters and kelp can’t come soon enough. Kelp is highly effective at sequestering carbon, which could help offset some effects of climate change.

"I hope that we continue to do this work for decades to come… The food sea otters are able to catch really will show how they are able to adapt or not to oceanic changes."

Dr. Shawn Larson, senior conservation research manager, Seattle Aquarium

Another question researchers are exploring is how sea otters will react to climate change.

With up to 1 million hairs per square inch, their dense coats keep them warm in the chilly waters of the Pacific. But otters have trouble expelling heat. Rising ocean temperatures could push them farther north. At the same time, otters tend to thrive in nearshore environments. Rising sea levels and melting sea ice could provide more habitat for them.

“We just don’t know. There could be dramatic negatives with climate change for sea otters and there could be dramatic positives,” Shawn says.

Two researchers stand on a beach overlooking the ocean searching for sea otters.
Researchers Katie Shelledy from the Seattle Aquarium, left, and Brittany Blades from the Oregon Coast Aquarium search for sea otters.

How to help sea otters in the wild

One thing we do know is that sea otters need a clean home. Trash that ends up in the sea can reach them via ocean currents. By properly disposing of trash, you can help keep the ocean clean for sea otters and other marine life.

Consider reducing plastic consumption and choosing reusable options when you can. Better yet, volunteer at a beach cleanup to remove plastic and other trash from our shores. You can even get your friends involved!

For more ways to help the ocean and all that depend on it (including humans!) check out our Act for the Ocean page.

What “green building” standard is the Ocean Pavilion targeting?

Posted on by Emma Leiser

Editor’s note: As of spring 2024, the Seattle Aquarium is targeting Zero Carbon Certification, a different certification offered by the International Future Living Institute (ILFI). Though our target certification has changed, the building sustainability features detailed in this story remain the same. We’re proud to be the first aquarium building in the world seeking certification from the ILFI, and we hope to be the first of many. Learn more about Zero Carbon Certification here.

Aquariums are complex buildings. They need to be, to keep aquatic animals safe and healthy.

But can a building as complex as an aquarium also meet some of the world’s toughest green building standards? We think so—and we’re designing our new Ocean Pavilion to do just that.

The Seattle Aquarium already offsets more carbon than we emit and has ambitious goals for energy, water, materials use and zero waste. Building the Ocean Pavilion gave us the chance to go even further.

An illustration of the Ocean Pavilion. Text on the illustration reads: "The Ocean Pavilion is designed to: Use carefully chosen materials, recirculate 96% of salt water in the building, recapture heat from the warmed water to warm the building, operate 100% fossil fuel-free...and much more!"

Challenge Accepted!

With the Ocean Pavilion, we’re taking part in a global sustainability certification program called the Living Building Challenge. Created in 2006, the Challenge guides participants to dramatically raise the bar from “doing less harm” to serving as stewards of our environment and co-creators of a future in which all living beings thrive.

Today, many green building experts consider the Living Building Challenge to be the most advanced measure of sustainability—beyond the more widely known Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. Quick note: The Ocean Pavilion will also be LEED Gold-certified, as required for new City of Seattle-owned buildings.

Why are Living Building Challenge certifications so highly regarded?

  • Performance over plans: Living Building Challenge certifications are based on a building’s actual performance data. To earn the certification we’re seeking, we’ll need to show measurable proof of how the Ocean Pavilion operates and uses energy and water for 12 consecutive months. That’s a step beyond LEED certifications, which are based on building plans.
  • A holistic view: Living Building Challenge certifications look at the usual technical performance areas, like energy and water use. But they also depend on demonstrating whether a project’s design helps people and communities thrive.

Petals, as in ... flower petals?

In the language of the Challenge, performance areas are called petals. That’s because the creators of the Challenge believe that the ideal building functions as efficiently and is as beautiful as a flower.

We’re working toward Living Building Challenge Petal Certification. To earn it, we’ll need to meet requirements in key performance areas (or petals, in Challenge-speak). The petals we’re currently targeting are energy, water, beauty, equity and place.

As we continue to revitalize our full Aquarium campus, we’re planning to pursue the remaining petals (materials, health and happiness) on the path to full Living Building Challenge certification. Dive deeper into the intent and requirements for each petal.

Why this matters

We all impact the ocean through our actions. The Aquarium is no different!

We’ve designed the Ocean Pavilion to:

  • Operate 100% fossil fuel free.
  • Recirculate 96% of the salt water in the building.
  • Recapture heat from the warmed water to warm the building, a 91% energy savings.
  • Use carefully chosen materials, like the Alaskan yellow cedar exterior panels, which will be Forest Stewardship Council-certified and procured from an Indigenous-led company.
  • And much more!

Watch the video to explore how salt water works in the Ocean Pavilion!

As we revitalize our other buildings, we envision contributing to Seattle’s renewable energy grid and building a mechanism to filter and clean water before returning it to Puget Sound. 

This goal complements the work we’re doing every day to conduct research, advocate for ocean-friendly policies, rescue animals, provide exceptional animal care and restore endangered species—all of which are possible with support and engagement from our community.

Background on this growing movement

The Living Building Challenge was created by The International Future Living Institute—a global nonprofit that certifies advanced sustainable and regenerative buildings.

As we push the boundaries for sustainable aquariums, we’re building on the momentum of other leaders:

  • PCC Community Markets is the first grocery store in the world to pursue Petal Certification.
  • Global companies Google and Etsy both have office buildings that are Petal-certified.
  • Climate Pledge Arena is pursuing Zero-Carbon Certification, also offered by the International Future Living Institute.
  • The Bullitt Building, one of the world’s greenest commercial buildings, is a local example of a fully Living Building Challenge-certified project.   

We look forward to sharing our progress as we work toward Living Building Challenge Petal Certification! To learn more about this exciting project, visit our Ocean Pavilion webpages.

Seattle Aquarium welcomes adorable new addition: A tufted puffling!

Posted on by Emma Leiser

The Seattle Aquarium got a little (or a lot) cuter on August 3 when we welcomed a new tufted puffin chick, aka a “puffling!” This fluffball is the first puffling chick to hatch at the Aquarium since 2019.

The doting parents are longtime bonded pair Dora (who wears a yellow band on her left leg) and Boots (who sports red and blue bands). Tufted puffins generally mate for life and raise one chick at a time. Couples share parenting duties, like nest building, egg incubation and feeding their chick.

Like most animals, birds are vulnerable when they are young. Sadly, in the wild, many tufted pufflings don’t survive to adulthood. At the Aquarium, this chick is benefiting from a protected space and top-notch care from both animal and human caretakers. Dora and Boots, along with our dedicated Birds & Mammals team, have been keeping a close watch on the little one.

So far, the chick has a healthy appetite and is doing well. Talk about a tough little puff!

Privacy for the puffling

Dora, Boots and their little one have a nest in a secluded burrow in the upper section of their habitat. The chick will stay out of sight for a while, taking time to grow. Our team expects the puffling to fledge, or leave the burrow and join other members of the habitat, this fall.

In the meantime, Aquarium guests can check out other seabirds—including SEAlebrity tufted puffin Phelps—in the Birds & Shores habitat. You might even catch Dora or Boots gathering fish to bring to the chick or just taking a rest. Parents need breaks too!

To learn more about tufted puffins, aka the “parrots of the sea,” check out their fact page.

P.S. Our Birds and Mammals team is still deciding on a name for the little fuzzball. Keep an eye out on the Aquarium’s social media channels for the name reveal!

How can we stop sharks from going extinct?

Posted on by Emma Leiser
Seattle Aquarium Nerdy Science Series logo of an illustrated microscope.

This story is part of our Nerdy Science Series—how we’re using research and technology in service of a healthy ocean.

Sharks have roamed the ocean since before dinosaurs walked the earth. But today, around a third of the world’s 500+ shark species are threatened with extinction. New research co-authored by Riley Pollom of the Seattle Aquarium offers a way forward.

Why are sharks going extinct?

In a word: overfishing. Fishing—legal and illegal—kills around 100 million sharks every year. Sharks are targeted as sources of food and products; they’re also caught as bycatch in the hunt for other species. Because sharks take longer on average than other ocean animals to mature and reproduce, their populations often don’t recover quickly. Sometimes they don’t come back at all.

When shark species go extinct, the loss has a ripple effect. Ocean food webs are delicate, and the disappearance of a major predator can wreak havoc, sometimes causing the populations of other animals in the system to swell or shrink in unpredictable ways. The impact of these big changes often falls on coastal communities who rely on small-scale fishing for food and income. But as we lose species at an unprecedented rate, all of us will be affected.

Aquariums have the knowledge and capacity to play an important role in population management when things get dire. There’s a point of no return, and we need to avoid it.

Riley Pollom, species recovery program manager, Seattle Aquarium

A clue on how to turn the tide

A team of researchers that included Riley analyzed shark populations throughout the Western Atlantic Ocean over decades. 

The team’s newest paper, “Conservation successes and challenges for wide-ranging sharks and rays,” focuses on 26 wide-ranging coastal sharks and rays in the Western Atlantic. All are on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. For decades, the Western Atlantic has faced a heavy demand for fishing. And sharks there have suffered, often as bycatch in the industry. 

But—as the research team found—sharks in the Northwest and Western Central Atlantic are now making a comeback. In fact, some species that were on the verge of collapse in the 1980s and 1990s are now at stable or even growing populations.

Meanwhile, the situation is very different in the Southwest Atlantic. There, almost all populations of shark species—including many of the same species that are recovering in other regions—are still in trouble.

What’s fueled the difference? The answer, researchers found, is strong fisheries management.

Species recovery program manager Riley Pollom posing with a baby lemon shark on a beach.
Riley doing field work on lemon shark populations in the Bahamas.

Fisheries management refers to setting, enforcing and monitoring strict limits on how many animals can be caught, where and when they can be caught, and other important rules. Where these practices are robust, like the Northwest and Western Central Atlantic, shark and ray populations are rebounding. Where they are weak or nonexistent, many species are on the verge of extinction or heading that way. 

“If strong fisheries management measures are implemented elsewhere, we would expect to see similar recovery,” Riley says.

A Bonnethead shark swimming.
The Bonnethead shark (Sphyrna tiburo), pictured here, is now making a comeback in the Northwest Atlantic.

Avoiding the extinction vortex

As the new research shows, protective measures work. But in some cases, those measures aren’t enough.

In a situation that conservationists call the “extinction vortex,” the population of an endangered species drops so low that even if other threats are removed, the species will not recover and may still go extinct. That’s because when populations are small enough, males and females have trouble finding each other. Those that do risk inbreeding, introducing genetic defects and weakening fitness. 

In some cases, direct intervention by people might be the only way to avoid the extinction vortex. Increasingly, aquariums are getting involved in this work. 

In 2020, the Seattle Aquarium helped launch ReShark—a global collective to recover threatened shark and ray species. ReShark’s first project is to breed and release Indo-Pacific leopard sharks, which have all but vanished from their home waters off the coast of Raja Ampat, Indonesia. Projects like this are still novel for aquariums—but so far, ReShark has had early success rearing shark eggs born in aquariums for release into their marine-protected home waters. (Read National Geographic’s coverage.)

An Indo-Pacific leopard shark swimming along the ocean floor.
The Seattle Aquarium helped launch a global partnership to recover endangered sharks, beginning with Indo-Pacific leopard sharks (Stegostoma tigrinum) like this one.

As species recovery program manager, Riley is helping to lead the Aquarium’s growing programs and partnerships to bring back threatened species in Washington State and internationally.

What can individuals do?

Wherever you live, “Vote with the ocean in mind,” Riley says. “Learn and understand politicians’ stances on ocean policies and fisheries management policies.” When we’re informed, we can advocate for setting and enforcing strong fisheries management. Join the Aquarium’s email list to receive alerts on how you can support our state and federal advocacy on behalf of the ocean.

Hawai’i is facing more marine heatwaves. What does that mean for its fish?

Posted on by Emma Leiser
Seattle Aquarium Nerdy Science Series logo of an illustrated microscope.

This story is part of our Nerdy Science Series—how we’re using research and technology in service of a healthy ocean.

During 2014, a mass of warm water nicknamed “the blob” simmered and spread in the Pacific Ocean. It lingered until early 2016, wreaking havoc on marine ecosystems and causing a mass coral bleaching event in Hawaiʻi’. Then in 2019, another marine heat wave struck Hawaiʻi, reminiscent of the blob. Smaller heatwaves have followed.

Seattle Aquarium research technician Amy Olsen was born and raised on Hawaiʻi’s Big Island. Rising ocean temperatures, which most scientists attribute to climate change, are transforming her home. Today, as a marine scientist for the Aquarium, Amy is leading scientific papers that analyze how those changes are affecting fish populations off the Big Island’s coast.

"By 2025, marine heatwaves are likely to occur every year. There is an urgent need to see what’s happening now and how we can anticipate and mitigate those changes."

Amy Olsen, research technician, Seattle Aquarium
Amy Olsen waving at the camera while diving underwater. She is wearing full SCUBA gear and holding a round tape measurer.
Seattle Aquarium researcher Amy Olsen in action.

Working Far Beyond our Walls

For nearly 40 years, Hawaiʻi ecosystems have been part of the Seattle Aquarium experience. If you’ve visited the Aquarium, you’ve likely marveled at Pacific Coral Reef, a lush community of corals, puffers, tangs, wrasses and other members of tropical reefs. 

But what isn’t visible to Aquarium visitors is the scientific research that takes place outside its walls. Since 2009, Aquarium researchers have traveled to Hawaiʻi and donned scuba gear to track fish populations in eight locations off the west coast of the Big Island. 

Their goal: to provide long-term data on the health of fish populations.

An infographic titled "Seattle Aquarium: Hawai'i Research Sites." The subheading reads: "Measuring changing fish populations along the Big Island's west coast." The right side of the image contains a green graphic of Hawai'i's Big Island with eight research sites noted along its western coast. The bottom left corner of the infographic contains five pictures of fish along with their common and scientific names. The fish are (going clockwise): Lavender tang (Acanthurus nigrofuscus), blackfin chromis (Chromis vanderbilti), yellow stripe goatfish (Mullaidichthys flavolineatus), yellow tang (Zebrasoma flavescens) and goldrim (kole) tang (Ctenochaetus strigosus).

Connecting Research and Home

“This research is a way to give back to the place where I was raised,” Amy says. 

She joined the Aquarium’s Hawaiʻi research team in 2014, the same year the blob struck. She later decided to focus her master’s thesis on how marine heat waves affected groups of fish, using Aquarium data gathered between 2009 and 2019. 

Amy works closely with Dr. Shawn Larson, senior conservation research manager—who launched the Aquarium’s Hawaiʻi research—and a multidisciplinary Aquarium team that includes conservation researchers, dive experts and scientists who specialize in fish and invertebrates. 

The team uses a unique method to measure fish populations each year. It’s the same method we’ve used to monitor local Salish Sea fish populations for decades. Researchers dive along defined 100-meter sections (transects) of the ocean while wearing underwater cameras. As they swim along a transect, they speak into a microphone, narrating the species and number of fish in their line of sight and creating a recording that can be analyzed later. The team uses GPS coordinates and visual notes to return to the same spots year after year without leaving behind physical markers that could impact marine life.

This method proved so efficient in the Aquarium’s Hawaiʻi research—where divers often had more than 100 species in sight—that the team published a special methods paper to share it with other researchers.

Dr. Shawn Larson, Chris Van Damme, and Amy Olsen sitting on a wicker bench. Alan Tomita and Joel Hollander are standing behind the bench.
Seattle Aquarium researchers from a past Hawaiʻi project (left to right: Alan Tomita, Dr. Shawn Larson, Chris Van Damme, Amy Olsen and Joel Hollander).

Troubled Findings and a Call to Action

Amy’s thesis—published in the journal Marine Ecology Progress Series last year—analyzed changes in different subgroups of fish following the heatwaves.

The groups included predators, “secondary consumers” (typically small fish that eat other fish or plants), planktivores (animals that eat plankton), corallivores (animals that eat coral), browsers (which eat algae), grazers (which eat short, fibrous turf algae) and scrapers (which effectively clear algae from corals). Why so many groups? Each plays a unique role in their delicate food web.

A large group of yellow tang swimming near the ocean floor.
We’re researching how warming waters are affecting populations of fish, like these yellow tangs and kole tangs, in Hawaiʻi.

The research showed that after the 2014–2015 heat wave, fish populations in all groups increased. The group that grew the most were the grazers, tiny fish that eat turf algae. 

“One hypothesis is that the heat wave encouraged more algae to grow,” Amy explains. “Fish that graze on it did well because they had more food.” 

But any change to ocean food webs is complex. The same warming events that benefitted fish are devastating coral. The breakdown of coral will mean less food for the creatures that eat coral and fewer hiding spots for larger fish. The bottom line: Pulling a thread in ocean food webs can unravel the entire sweater.

My goal is that our scientific partners use this research to inform decision-making and policy. For individuals, I hope it encourages curiosity, behavior change and hope—because our actions do make a difference.

Amy Olsen, research technician, Seattle Aquarium

What can individuals do to help slow marine heatwaves and protect reefs? 

A lot, Amy says. One simple action is to use reef-safe sunscreen, whether we’re swimming in Pacific Northwest or tropical waters. Coral reefs exist in both. With this small step, we can do less harm to wild populations of coral, which are already stressed.

Climate change remains one of the biggest challenges we and the ocean face. Shifting our day-to-day habits—from how much we drive to what we eat—matters. So does large-scale policy change. The Aquarium advocates for policies that address climate change and protect our ocean. Get involved by learning more and signing up for Seattle Aquarium action alerts.

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