FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 10, 2008

Contact: Mary Jane Schramm, 415-561-6622, ext. 205
Sarah Marquis, 949-222-2212

NOAA's Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary Recognizes Student Scientist for "Fishy" Science Project

NOAA’s Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary has awarded the Farallones Young Marine Scientist Award to seventh-grade student Noe Manley for her entry, which compared a fish’s size to its breathing rate in the 26th annual San Francisco Middle School Science Fair.

“Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary is committed to encouraging the next generation of scientists, and Noe Manley is a wonderful example of a young scientist whose work deserves recognition,” said Farallones sanctuary superintendent Maria Brown. “We are proud to present her with this award, and hope she continues to follow her interest in marine science in the future.”

Manley attends the Rooftop Alternative School in San Francisco. For her winning biological sciences project, “Something Fishy’s Going On,” she tested the hypothesis that the size of a fish can determine its breathing rate. She conducted systematic observations of the respiratory rates of several goldfish and found that the larger fish opened their mouths fewer times to breathe, suggesting that they were able to take in more oxygenated water with each gulp than the smaller fish.

After formulating her hypothesis, she obtained fish to study, demonstrated her procedures, processed the raw data, and formed her conclusion: larger fish take fewer breaths over comparable periods of time than smaller fish, indicating a size-breathing rate correlation.

Farallones sanctuary education coordinator Carol Preston judged the entries in the marine sciences division at the science fair, which was held at the Randall Museum. At a Mar. 1 awards ceremony, Preston commended the systematic methods Manley used, saying, “Observation is the foundation of all good science.” Preston also applauded the simplicity and clarity of Manley’s project.

NOAA’s Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary comprises more than 1,200 square nautical miles of nearshore and offshore waters beyond San Francisco’s Golden Gate. Designated in 1981, the sanctuary extends from Bodega Head in Sonoma County, south to the waters off the San Mateo County coast.

NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and information service delivery for transportation, and by providing environmental stewardship of our nation’s coastal and marine resources. Through the emerging Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA is working with its federal partners, more than 70 countries and the European Commission to develop a global monitoring network that is as integrated as the planet it observes, predicts and protects.

- ### -

On the Web:

NOAA: http://www.noaa.gov

NOAA National Ocean Service: http://www.oceanservice.noaa.gov

National Marine Sanctuary Program: http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov

Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary: http://farallones.noaa.gov