Volume 17, Numbers 5-6 • September-December 1999

Other News Of Note

New Blue Crab Book Gets Funding

At the time of his death, L. Eugene Cronin was working on a comprehensive book about the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus. He was co-editing the book with Victor S. Kennedy, of the Horn Point Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. Cronin will still be named as co-editor of the book, according to Kennedy, who sees the blue crab book as the culmination of Cronin's life-long fascination with the popular crustacean.

During the last year of his life, Cronin had embarked on an ambitious effort to raise funds for the blue crab book, and by the time he passed away had succeeded in raising some $30,000 from federal, state and private donors. It has been extremely gratifying to see the support offered by industry partners, private foundations and Bay-related agencies.

The book, The Blue Crab: Callinectes sapidus, will be published by the Maryland Sea Grant College in the year 2000. It follows The Eastern Oyster: Crassostrea virginica, also edited by Victor S. Kennedy, along with Roger I.E. Newell and Albert F. Eble.

Publications

Marine Mammals Guide

A new publication, entitled Guide to Marine Mammals and Turtles of the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, has been produced by Rhode Island Sea Grant. The attractive 115-page, full-color field guide contains illustrations and information about some 35 whale and dolphin species, as well as seals, manatees and sea turtles. Each two-page spread lists size, color, dive pattern, habitat, life history and other interesting facts about these fascinating sea creatures, from the small harbor porpoise to the giant blue whale.

The guide also includes a glossary and selected reading, in addition to phone numbers to report strandings anywhere along the U.S. Atlantic coast from Maine to Florida and around the Gulf coast to Texas. The guide costs $25.00 and is available from Maryland Sea Grant. Call (301) 405-7500 or visit the web at www.mdsg.umd.edu/store/catalog.html.

Web Sites of Note

Oysters on the West Coast
An informative website by Washington Sea Grant chronicles the history of oyster culture in Washington state and includes sections on anatomy, a timeline of significant dates, historical photographs and a list of publications and web links: www.wsg.washington.edu/oysterstew/oystermain.html.

Loggerhead Sea Turtles
A satellite tagging project that gives biologists a rare opportunity to study one of the nation's most endangered marine animals - loggerhead sea turtles - is being carried out by NOAA Fisheries and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in partnership with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the Caribbean Conservation Corporation. Scientists will attach satellite transmitters to adult female turtles that have just finished nesting.

School children and others can follow the migrations of sea turtles and learn about the threats they face and how to take part in helping ensure their survival at www.cccturtle.org.

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