Friday, 22 April 2022, 09:25
A group of scientists from the NGO Coral Soul and Coral Guardian have started a project to restore the coral reefs of La Herradura in Granada province. The new organisation has introduced two lots of nursery-grown corals off the coast at a depth of 30 metres below sea level.
The reefs of Punta de la Mona, which lie between La Herradura and neighbouring Almuñécar, are home to dense populations of endangered species of corals, many of which have become damaged, broken and entangled in fishing lines. This ecosystem is one of the most diverse in the Mediterranean and is home to a population of candelabrum coral, which cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
Divers and researchers from the universities of Cadiz, Seville and Granada are taking part in the project and last week during a dive they placed two lots of coral; one at a depth of 34 metres and the other at 37 metres, in a bid to recover damaged corals found in 'gardens' at depths of up to 45 metres.
Marina Palacios, a marine scientist and environmentalist who has been working with cold water corals for six years, is coordinating the plan to clean and repair the seabed of Almuñécar-La Herradura.
In 2021 scientists tested nursery-grown coral at a depth of 30 metres, which has succeeded in restoring 115 coral colonies. Another 94 are currently recovering. However, Palacios warned of the danger posed by fishing at Punta de la Mona.
The team has already removed 800 kilograms of waste, of which they say ninety-five per cent came from fishing. "We are calling for the need to support the proposal to ban recreational fishing, it is necessary to protect the area. We are not against fishing, but we are against the consequences of the activity in Punta de la Mona. There are many places to practise the sport on the coast," Palacios said.
The NGO also carries out environmental awareness activities and is organising a conference, together with Almuñécar town hall and other organisations, which will take place in June in the town’s Palacete de La Najarra, to teach children about the richness of the seabed and the need to protect it.
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Reducing the impact of marine litter in the form of derelict fishing gear (DFG) on the Baltic Sea environment
The Baltic Sea Blueprint is designed to offer guidance to authorities working with DFG on national level, as well as practical instructions for retrieval operations.
The guidelines are divided into 4 pillars:
Pillar 1 is called ‘Mapping of DFG host areas’ and highlights awareness raising and earning the trust of fishers and divers. Additionally, pillar 1 concerns collecting data and information about DFG. Collecting data is an essential part of retrieving DFG. Focus should be on communication with local fisherman and where they believe the DFG are, as well as why they believe that. The goal is to understand where DFG accumulate and why. With the collected information, areas with possible findings of DFG can be mapped.
Pillar 2 is called ‘Retrieval of DFG’, and here the focus areas are environmental impact assessment, cultural heritage analysis during planning of clean-up activities and execution of clean-up activities at sea.
Clean-up activities at sea should always be carried out by experts and/or by people with prior experience. Clean-up activities based on dragging should be conducted by local fishers with experience in retrieval projects. Clean-up activities executed by divers should be conducted by divers with the proper diving-certificate and with previous experience with retrieval operations. There are a lot of risks regarding retrieval operations and safety must always be the priority.
Furthermore, depending on national legislation, retrieved fishing gear can be viewed as lost property. In that case, law enforcement needs to be contacted before the retrieved fishing gear can be recycled.
Pillar 3 ‘Waste management of retrieved DFG’ recommends an increase of collecting and pre-processing facilities in Baltic harbours, as well as material processing facilities and a functional transporting system.
It is important that retrieved fishing gear do not end up forgotten or as household waste due to the hazardous materials such as led, sink and copper in the gear. Apart from an increase of proper facilities, raising awareness is one way to make sure that retrieved fishing gear are handled the correct way.
Pillar 4 ‘Prevention’ highlights the importance of working togheter and beeing inclusive with fishers and the fishing sector. It is important to remember that their role is crucial and without them retrieval and prevention operations can’t be done.
Just as pillar 1 highlihts, understanding why is just as important as understanding where fishing gear are lost. Regional or local environmental factors are just as important to consider as human and technical factors.
For an in depth decription of all pillars, please read the full Baltic Sea Blueprint liked below.
The benefits of the Baltic Sea Blueprint are numerous. Not only does the Blueprint raise awareness regarding DFG and emphasize local knowledge, it also offers guidance to locating and retrieving DFG in a cost effective and sustainable way.
Marint centrum at the Municipality of Simrishamn, is conducting a project on behalf of The Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (SwAM), in order to put the Baltic Sea Blueprint into practice and learn from real-life experience. The national implementation of the Baltic Sea Blueprint is called The Marelitt Blueprint 2.0, knowledge sharing and method development. The project takes place 2022-2024 and will generate valuable new knowledge in terms of local and national adaptations of the Marelitt Blueprint method.


Also known as Cirripathes sp., Whip Coral, Wire Coral, Spiral Coral, Spiral Wire Coral, Black Coral Sea Whip, Spiral Sea Whip, Spiral Whip Coral, Black Wire-coral, Deep-water Wire Coral and Coiled Coral.
Found on coral and rocky reefs on slopes, terraces and drop-off's.
They feed on plankton.
Length - 3m
Depth - 25-40m
They are called Black Corals because the inner skeleton is black, over this they have a fleshy skin that varies in colour with the different corals.
The polyps have six tentacles which although cannot be retracted, may shrink if disturbed.
A number of other animals live in the branches, e.g. Pteria penquin (Winged pearl oyster), Lopha cristagalli (Cock's comb oyster), Periclimenes sp.(Black coral shrimp). (edit)


The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has developed a remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS) used in maritime surveillance operations.
The system has been readily taken up by the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA), who is always on the lookout for new and innovative solutions to enhance fisheries control. EFCA has been using a quadcopter which takes off from the Lundy Sentinel patrol vessel and operates over areas of interest in the Mediterranean Sea, western waters of the North-East Atlantic Ocean, North Sea and Baltic Sea. By flying in the vicinity of a fishing vessel, the remote controlled aircraft can collect data from different activities on board. This data is then transmitted in real time to EFCA’s liaison officer deployed on board the Lundy Sentinel, as well as to EFCA’s coordination centre in Vigo, and EMSA’s headquarters in Lisbon.
See the RPAS section on the EMSA website for more information.
- Publication date
- 6 February 2020
- Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries


The Ultimate Guide to Whale Watching in Sydney
Every year, thousands of beautiful whales can be seen migrating up Australia’s east coast and along Sydney’s coastline towards their mating and calving grounds in the Coral Sea.
Whale watching is therefore an extremely popular activity for tourists and locals alike. The whale watching season provides a unique opportunity to first-hand see the magnificent creatures enjoying their natural playground, and is undoubtedly one of the most exciting activities for the whole family to enjoy.
Seeing these majestic giants breach out of Sydney’s sparkling waters and slap their fins or tail flukes is a sight to behold and one you certainly don’t want to miss out on.
If you’re hoping to catch a glimpse of these gorgeous sea animals, then be sure to have a read of our ultimate guide. Here we’ve explained everything you need to know about whale watching in Sydney, including when and where the best place to see them is.
Whale Migration Season – When Will Whales be Swimming Past Sydney?
Sydney’s whale watching season extends from May through to December, and can be split into two parts: Northern Migration & Southern Migration.
During May, June, July and the start of August, the whales are coming from Antarctica and heading north past New South Wales to the warmer waters of the Coral Sea to mate and give birth.
It is during these months that you’re most likely to get a sight of the whales. The whales use the Inshore Northern Current to help them migrate north, and as this current is typically found within 3 nautical miles of the coast, most of the migrating population will be in between this current and land.
As it’s such a long journey, the whales frequently rest and socialise on the way, which is why they sometimes detour right into Sydney Harbour for a few hours.
It’s also worth noting that not all members of a particular population will travel together, so different groups of whales are likely to pass at slightly different intervals (older juveniles are usually first, followed by mature males and then mothers and calves).
From the end of August to December, the whales are swimming back past Sydney and returning to the south with their calves to feed in the Antarctic waters.
Bear in mind though that it can be much more difficult to spot the whales as they head back to Antarctica. The whales use the East Australian Current to assist them moving south, and although it usually begins around the 3-nautical-mile line, it can peak in strength up to 20 nautical miles from the coast, meaning they’re some distance away from the shore and harder to see from land.
However, mothers and new-born calves usually swim particularly close to the shoreline as they pass south to stop in safe areas near beaches to rest and feed, so it’s possible you’ll get a glimpse of these.
What Type of Whales Will You See in Sydney?
Humpback whales are by far the most commonly sighted wales along the coastline of Australia’s biggest city.
Southern right whales are also common, but they follow a slightly different migration pattern to humpback whales – as they gradually migrate, they seek for places to mate and shelter with their new-born calves, entering and staying in bays or harbours for a few days at a time before moving on.
Killer whales, false killer whales, minke whales and bryde’s whales have all been spotted in and around Sydney’s coastline, but are much less common.
Bottlenose and pacific dolphins are present throughout the year and are frequently spotted on Sydney’s coastline.
Best Places to See Whales in Sydney
Sydney and its beautiful coastline is full of awesome whale watching vantage points – although you’re never guaranteed to see whales, here are some of our favourite lookout points:
Located at Watson’s Bay, South Head offers unrivalled whale watching vantage points. The Gap provides one of Sydney’s most picturesque ocean views, and makes the ideal spot for watching migrating whales.
Palm Beach’s peninsula’s summit is nearly 100 meters above sea level and rewards you with breath-taking views of the glistening waters and a great chance of spotting travelling humpback whales.
From a Boat
Taking a luxury cruise in the ocean waters is another great way of searching for humpback whales. Although it’s not guaranteed you’ll see any, you’re much more likely to catch a glimpse of these mesmerising creatures while out on the open waters. If you are fortunate enough to see any, the unprecedented views you’ll have of them will be something to treasure; it truly is an unforgettable experience and one that will remain with you forever.
You’ll also be able to enjoy stunning and unique views of New South Wales’ beautiful Harbour as you travel to and from the ocean.
The Coast Track
The 26km Coast Track in the Royal National Park stretches along the gorgeous coastline from Bundeena to Otford in South Sydney and provides numerous whale watching spots. The sandstone cliffs offer not only sublime panoramic views, but also plenty of headlands and lookouts along the track, perfect for spending an afternoon searching for the water giants.
Favoured by avid whale watchers, Cape Solander features an unbeatable viewing platform. It’s definitely one of Sydney’s best whale watching spots, especially because in the past whales have been known to swim as close as 200m from its coast.
From the Air
If you’re wanting to get a completely different perspective of the whales, jump aboard a helicopter or seaplane to get a birds-eye view of the warm waters. If you’re lucky you’ll see entire families of whales spread out and cavorting below you, as well as experience an aerial perspective of Sydney’s world-famous beaches.
How to See a Whale
It’s important to remember that the photos you see online and in brochures of whales breaching and enjoying the ocean are the best photos taken from years and years of whale watching – they are not everyday sightings, so try not to be disappointed if you don’t see any.
However, to help maximise the chances of you getting a sight of them, here are a few of our top tips:
- On days when there’s no white caps in the water, you can be sure that any disturbance is likely to be a whale (if you see a big splash, it’s more than likely that you just missed a whale breach).
- Look just above the sea level for its spout of vertical spray.
- It’s easier to spot them on calm days rather than windy.
- Prepare for the longhaul – don’t expect to see any immediately, pack your bags and be prepared to spend a whole day watching (however, you must also understand that you might not see any, even if you do spend a full day watching).
- Have a quick look online to see if any recent sightings have occurred near you – this will help you to understand where the current best places are to go watching.
Luxury Boat Cruises with Karisma Cruises
If you like the sound of hopping aboard a modern vessel and cruising around Sydney’s iconic harbour, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with a member of our friendly team today. Whether you’re looking for a beautiful venue for your wedding, are organising your next corporate function, or want to host the ultimate birthday party, our stunning cruise boat will deliver.
Talk to us today about your next event.
See more: Top 7 Sydney Attractions to Visit in 2018


Tropical Storm Danny, located this morning about 355 miles south of Cape Hatteras, N.C., is expected to stay offshore as it moves north up the East Coast this weekend.
The center of Danny is expected to pass offshore of North Carolina's Outer Banks early Saturday, according to the National Hurricane Center.
As of this morning, Danny's maximum sustained winds were near 40 mph and the storm was moving north-northeast near 9 mph.
Mariners and coastal residents from the Carolinas to New England and the Canadian Maritimes are urged to monitor the progress of the storm as it moves north.
Large swells from Danny are expected to produce dangerous surf conditions and "life-threatening rip currents" along the East Coast this weekend, according to the National Hurricane Center.


A Rapid Marine Biodiversity Assessment of the Coral Reefs of Northwest Madagascar (RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment No. 31)
By: Sheila A. McKenna (editor), Gerald R. Allen (editor)Paperback
1 - 2 weeks availability
This volume, #31 in the series, reports the results of a marine survey in 2002 off the northwestern coast of Madagascar. This marine area is one that many conservationists think has the greatest potential in all of Madagascar for the development of both ecotourism and marine protected areas. The survey documented a rich variety of coral, mollusk, and fish species, and the report makes further recommendations for conservation in the region."
Sheila A. McKenna is director of the Marine Rapid Assessment Program of Conservation International s Center for Applied Biodiversity Science. Gerald R. Allen is a research scientist for the Center for Applied Biodiversity Science."
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Fri 18 Nov 2022 | 10:59
UNEP Goodwill Ambassador Ellie Goulding launched a new initiative at COP27 aimed at protecting colonial animals.
The new initiative came just a week after the British star led an expedition in the Red Sea, off Sharm el-Sheikh.
Speaking to a panel held on the sidelines of COP27, Goulding said, “There’s this pure visual beauty. When you walk past with your mask on and witness this brilliant cornucopia of sea life, it feels like all life is swimming before your eyes. And it reminded me that coral only covers a tiny percentage of the seabed, but it’s home to a quarter of all known marine species.”
Furthermore, Goulding reminded participants that even at 1.5°C of warming, 70-90% of all reefs will be lost; that number jumps to a worrying 99% if our planet warms by 2.0 degrees Celsius.
“It’s one of the most climate-tolerant reefs in the world, and it just so happens to be right here at your feet in Sharm el-Sheikh. And it’s no ordinary reef. It’s one of nature’s great survivors and it could be the key to regenerating other reefs in the future,” she explained.
The singer-songwriter said it was “insulting” that less than 0.01% of climate funding is spent on protecting coral reefs.
“I call on the global leadership community to recognize that coral reefs are one of our greatest collective assets and to be seriously, seriously ambitious and competitive in funding, restoration and protection,” he said. she declared.
It should be mentioned that coral reefs, which provide food and shelter for more than 7,000 other species, are dying due to warming and acidification of the ocean. Plus, the “animal posters” of global warming – starving at the North Pole due to lack of sea ice in a warming world.


Diners who go to select East End restaurants this Labor Day weekend will have a chance to enjoy a meal while also supporting the maritime preservation efforts of the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County.
As part of the new “Back to the Bays” campaign, customers dining at participating restaurants between Saturday, August 31, and Monday, September 2, will have the option of ordering a special “Entrée for the Bay.” For each one ordered, a donation will be made to the Cornell Cooperative Extension’s marine program, which focuses on preserving local habitats, restoring shellfish populations, fisheries research, and education and outreach efforts.
The following restaurants are participating: Dockers Waterside Restaurant and Marina in East Quogue; Canal Café in Hampton Bays; The Lobster Grille in Southampton; and Bay Burger in Sag Harbor.
“We are thrilled to be able to work with these wonderful establishments,” said Chris Pickerell, the director of the marine program for the Cornell Cooperative Extension. “Everything we do within the marine program is aimed at improving our marine environment and working toward sustainable fin and shellfisheries. The ‘Back to the Bays’ event this Labor Day weekend is a great way to celebrate the bounty of our local waters and help to support their continued health and well-being.”
For more information on the work of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County’s marine program, or to make a donation to the “Back to the Bays” campaign, email Cornell Cooperative Extension Habitat Restoration Outreach Specialist Kimberly Barbour at firstname.lastname@example.org, or call (631) 852-8660, ext. 27.


The Ostracoda (Crustacea) from the Cruise of HMS Challenger freely available online: biogeographic and curatorial data, SEM and optic photos and taxonomic revisions assisting global macroecological and biodiversity and climate change studies
The worldwide voyage of the HMS Challenger collected oceanographic and biological samples and the results laid the foundations of almost every...
The worldwide voyage of the HMS Challenger collected oceanographic and biological samples and the results laid the foundations of almost every branch of oceanography as we know it today. Biological samples included virtually all high level taxa, and many thousands of specimens, comprising over 4000 'Types'.The Ostracoda is taxonomically and ecologically very diverse, with +30,000 described species. Due to their calcified carapace, the Ostracoda have an extensive fossil record, and thus represent important proxies in palaeoenvironmental reconstructions and on studies on biodiversity patterns.Almost 150 new species and genera have been described from the Challenger samples (Brady, 1880). Brady figured different species under same name, and information on the lectotypes was very scarce prior to the present project. As a consequence, many species were recorded from distant localities, that has important implications to the biodiversity and biogeographical patterns observed (e.g. cosmopolitan distribution of deep-sea species instead of endemic distribution), which in turn influences decisions on nature conservation.For that reason, we began to revise Challenger ostracod species, verify their previous published records and finally provide online descriptions and illustrations to Encyclopedia of Life and EMU. Additionally, the revised biogeographical information of the Challenger Ostracoda will be uploaded to GBIF.


Dumping mine tailings into the sea via a submerged pipe is a highly controversial practice. While it is effectively banned in Canada under provisions of the Fisheries Act and the Metal Mining Effluent Regulations, Canadian companies practice so-called Submarine Tailings Disposal (STD) overseas. Mining companies operating in island-rich nations in southeast Asia and the Pacific are particularly likely to seek permission to dump their waste into the sea. Papua New Guinea (PNG) has already hosted two STD mines (one of which, now closed, was Canadian). Many more companies are indicating an interest in piping their waste into the seas around Papua New Guinea. Fishing communities near the planned disposal sites of proposed STD mines in Papua New Guinea are expressing strong opposition to ocean dumping of mine waste.
The European Union has collaborated with Papua New Guinea’s Mining Sector Support Programme (MSSP) to fund an independent evaluation of so-called Deep-Sea Mine Tailings Placement in Papua New Guinea. The research is being carried out by the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS). In November of this year, SAMS and MSSP hosted a conference in Madang, PNG, to present the preliminary findings of the research carried out by the SAMS team and to present Draft Guidelines for the use of STD in PNG.
MiningWatch Canada has worked on the issue of STD with partners in Indonesia, the Philippines and Papua New Guinea since 2000. In 2002 MiningWatch Canada and Project Underground published an STD Toolkit that details the scientific and technical concerns associated with STD. The Toolkit also provides six case studies from the Asia Pacific region.
MiningWatch’s Catherine Coumans was invited to present at the conference in Madang and to hear preliminary findings of research being conducted by SAMS. The SAMS research to date recognizes many of the scientific and technical concerns elaborated in the STD Toolkit – among others: the potential for wider than predicted dispersal of tailings along the sea bottom; shearing off of tailings at various sea levels as they make their way to the sea bottom; the problem of pipe breaks at sea; greater levels of dissolved oxygen at depth than predicted in industry consultants’ reports; the potential for metal leaching from tailings in the marine environment; the ecosystem significance of marine biota found in deep sea environments; the inadequacy of baseline data for some STD mines; the importance of vertical migration of species from the deep sea to higher levels for potential metal mobility; and lack of information on potential re-colonization of tailings as biological processes are very slow at 1000 metre depths. Scientific presenters noted that “less is known about the deep sea than about the back side of the moon” raising the need first and foremost for precaution when considering a massive anthropogenic impact on a fragile and not-well-understood ecosystem.
Although the Draft Guidelines SAMS presented are meant to apply to PNG, it is clear that they may potentially form the basis for international guidelines. MiningWatch Canada will continue to monitor the development of these guidelines.


Radiation impact from 137Cs, 134Cs, 90Sr on marine biota was modeled for early period of a hypothetical accident with sunken nuclear submarine K-159 during its surfacing and transportation in the Barents Sea. Dynamics of radioactivity in seawaters was modeled, using analytical 2-dimensional model of radionuclide dispersion from an instantaneous point release in seawaters. Radioactive contamination of waters and bottom sediments with 137Cs, 134Cs, 90Sr was calculated for distances from 200 m to 30 km from the source. Estimated dose of acute exposure accumulated within the first 10 days, was close to 100 mGy for bottom fish at a distance 200 m from the source. The probability of lethal effects in fish at this dose was estimated to be below 1%. Chronic exposures from 137Cs, 134Cs, 90Sr at a distance 200 m from the source during the first year after the accident, were the following: fish - 9,7 mGy/day, mollusks - 11 mGy/day, marine plants – 6,3 mGy/day. These dose rates exceeded the reference level, ensuring safety of marine biota. Therefore, in the vicinity of the accident place, the radiation situation was not safe for bottom fish, mollusks and plants. At distances more than 500 m from the accident place, expected dose rates of chronic exposure to marine biota were below reference level. Doses to biota from a hypothetical accident in the Barents Sea were caused mainly by external exposure from contaminated sediments, also due to accumulation of long-lived radionuclides from sediments to bottom biota.


Star merby curiosity Object
This collectionde 10 species merest magnificent paintings up in a classic style globe Napoleon III.
Bring a style object of curiosity your interior with these paintings under glass.
There are over 1,800 species of dtoile sea. They live on the sandy bottom in coral reefs into the deep sea. They feed doursins; coral or bivalve molluscs. For lanecdote, its shape is so characteristic which door practically the same name in any language even if sometimes it is often more nicknames (cousin sea canvas beautiful mother or christ crown)
They sometimes prolifrent the point which fulfill the trawl fishermen at the expense of prawns or fish. Lorsquelles swarm and they ravage dhuitres benches or St. Jacques shells. Formerly anglers cut into 2 before discharging the water to kill them. But they only promote their proliferation as starfish can rgnrer their arms sils are hits. In some species, the arm stroke can rgnrer the entire body. These surprising faculties are very Videment studied by biologists.


We had almost a week in Cairns and at the top of our to-do list was one thing: Snorkeling/Diving the Great Barrier Reef. We booked a snorkeling excursion and I added an intro dive as part of the experience – which you don’t have to be certified for (Cory chose to just snorkel). We had the perfect day for it – about 90 degrees and hardly any clouds, and we were one of the first groups to explore the reef at the spot we went to. I did my dive first and it was amazing! The first thing I saw under the water was a huge barracuda under the boat. It was probably as long as me – slim and grey with sharp teeth. The crew had already warned us that we would probably see him because he likes to hang around the boat and eat the fish they throw to him. He was harmless to us though and really cool to see. Since it was just an intro dive I had to hold onto the instructor the whole time and we were about 20 ft below the surface. I saw a ton of colorful coral and so many fish – lots of striped ones, tons of different sizes, and a bunch that looked like Nemo. The dive only lasted about 30 minutes and then I snorkeled with Cory the rest of the day. We ended up seeing a stingray, green turtle, and a black-tip reef shark! An amazing experience we will definitely never forget.


Marine Algae Collected during the Marine Biodiversity Mini Expedition 2012 to Sembilan Group of Islands, Perak with One New Record, Parvocaulis parvulus (Solms-Laubach) S. Berger et al. for Malaysia
In May 11 -15, 2012, the Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, University of Malaya organized a marine expedition to the Sembilan Group of Islands, Perak (Malaysia). The objective of the expedition was to document the marine biodiversity in the waters around the islands and the coastal zone as well as documenting physical parameters. Marine algae were among the targeted groups of taxa. A total of 51 algal specimens were collected. All specimens are deposited as herbarium in the University of Malaya Seaweed and Seagrass Herbarium. The algae comprised one family, one genus and three putative species of Cyanophyta; five families, six genera and 13 putative species of Chlorophyta; seven families, ten genera and 13 putative species of Rhodophyta and one family, one genus and one putative species of Phaeophyceae. Of these, the chlorophyte Parvocaulis parvulus (Solms-Laubach) S. Berger et al. is a new record for Malaysia. In 2008, Phang et al. reported that a total of seven families and nine putative species of marine algae were collected during the Scientific Expeditions to the Seas of Malaysia (SESMA) I and II from the Sembilan Group of Islands (Pulau Lalang and Pulau Rumbia) Perak. Of these, an addition of six families and 11 putative species were collected during this present survey.
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Western Morning News
Call for ban on ‘supertrawlers’ in protected seas
GREENPEACE UK has urged the Prime Minister to ban ‘supertrawlers’ from the UK’s network of marine protected areas.
It comes after politicians and conservationists have raised concerns about the giant factory ships threatening to plunder Westcountry waters.
Speaking on BBC’s Andrew Marr Show on Sunday, Boris Johnson said after Brexit the UK “will be able to ban these huge hoover trawlers that come in and hoover up everything off the bottom of the sea”.
Greenpeace UK’s head of oceans, Will McCallum, said: “The Prime Minister has just claimed that, now the UK has left the EU, the Government will take action against the large-scale destructive fishing that is hoovering up fish at an unsustainable rate, often in some of the UK’s most sensitive marine environments.
“If he meant what he said, he should take the immediate step of banning bottom-trawling and supertrawlers over 100 metres long from the entirety of the UK’s network of marine protected areas.
“Unless we start properly protecting these fragile habitats from the most damaging examples of industrial fishing, the UK cannot lay claim to being a world leader in ocean protection.”
Last year, small-scale fishermen and conservationists in the South
West watched with trepidation news of supertrawlers plying the sea off the south coast.
The 142-metre long Margiris, one of the world’s biggest supertrawlers, was netting pelagic species such as horse mackerel and pilchards just a few hours away from Westcountry waters and there were fears it, and others like it, would scoop up vast shoals around our coast.
The Lithuanian-registered vessel – thought to be the secondlargest in the world and owned by the Dutch company Parlevliet & Van der Plas – was banned from fishing in Australian waters in 2013. However, the company says it has an “excellent reputation for sustainable fishing”.
It emerged in 2020 that industrial supertrawlers, which act as floating factories, pumping the catch on-board directly from the net and processing tonnes of fish a day, hugely increased the amount of time spent fishing in the UK’s protected areas of sea – and Plymouth MP Luke Pollard was among those calling for a ban on the vessels in biodiverse protected zones.
An investigation by Greenpeace suggested large, intensive fishing vessels spent 5,590 hours fishing in marine protected areas in UK waters in the first six months of 2020.
That was almost double the 2,963 hours supertrawlers spent fishing in the conservation zones, which are designated to protect wildlife and habitats, in the whole of 2019, the analysis suggested.
In 2020 the industrial fishing vessels, none of which are UKowned, were recorded in 19 marine protected areas.
Greenpeace has been calling for a ban on supertrawlers, which are more than 100 metres long and capable of catching and carrying thousands of tonnes of fish, from marine protected areas.
Polling suggests high levels of public support for a ban on supertrawlers in UK marine protected areas, the campaigners said, while more than 50 MPs signed a letter in 2020 urging the Environment Secretary to make such a move.
Shadow environment secretary Mr Pollard, Plymouth Sutton and Devonport MP, said last year: “The Government needs to step up to properly protect the most sensitive areas of British waters from this industrial scale plunder which is destroying precious biodiversity.”
The Blue Planet Society has warned of the risks of bycatch of common dolphins, endangered bluefin tuna and sea bass.
‘Unless we start properly protecting these fragile habitats, the UK cannot lay claim to being a world leader in ocean protection’


ATHENS, Ga., Nov. 10 (UPI) — New research suggests a chemical dispersant used in the wake of the BP oil spill failed to help, and may have actually hindered, the cleanup.
A study led by researchers at the University of Georgia showed a chemical concoction thought to encourage the oil’s breakdown, in fact, hampers the ability of microorganisms to naturally degrade the hydrocarbons.
Scientists recreated the conditions of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill in the lab, closely monitoring the effects of a chemical dispersant called Corexit 9500 on oil slicks and the microbes that feed on them.
The dispersant didn’t depress the presence of all microbes. Corexit 9500 dramatically boosted the presence of a family of microbes called colwellia. Colwellia’s proliferation, however, came at the expense of a group of sausage-shaped bacteria called marinobacters. Marinobacters are better oil-eaters.
The experiments showed that a diverse community of microbes actually break down the oil much faster in the absence of Corexit 9500.
Researchers published their findings in the journal PNAS.
“The fact that dispersants drove distinct microbial community shifts that impacted oil degradation efficiently came as a big surprise,” lead study author Samantha Joye, a science professor at Georgia, said in a press release. “It is critical to quantify the factors that influence the efficiency of oil biodegradation in the environment, and that includes dispersants.”
Cleanup officials failed to monitor the biological or chemical effects of the dispersants. But visual observations suggested the oil slicks were removed from the surface. The new research suggests much of that oil may have simply sunk.
Joye says the dispersants worked to remove oil from the surface, but not at encouraging microbial oil digestion. And deep water samples suggest microbial conditions beneath the surface weren’t any better.
“During the spill, Marinobacter were not abundant in deep-water plume samples, possibly as a consequence of dispersant applications,” said study co-author Sara Kleindienst, a researcher at the University of Tubingen in Germany. “Whether natural hydrocarbon degraders were outcompeted by dispersant degraders or whether they were directly affected by dispersant-derived compounds needs to be resolved in future studies.”
The findings mean much of the oil may have simply sunk to the bottom, never degraded.
5 thoughts on “Dispersants fail: Half the spilled BP oil may be on Gulf floor”
is there anyone who knows what the hell they are doing in any industry any more ?
“The experiments showed that a diverse community of microbes actually break down the oil much faster in the absence of Corexit 9500.”
Because Corexit wasn’t designed to do what they claimed it was supposed to do. It’s a toxic agent designed for the depopulation agenda.
They just now figured this sh#t out?
‘scientists’… collective idiots.
corexit did just as it was intended to do. poison and sink the oil to the bottom. a two for one deal.
The goal of the corexit was to hide the oil from view and that is exactly what it did,Mission Accomplished as GWB would say!
The Corexit was added to disperse the oil because they’re fined by the quantity of the oil spilled. (and if it’s dispersed, the fine is lower)
If they left it alone, it would have eventually dispersed naturally, but they instead decided to poison the entire gulf to keep their fine lower.
It’s unimaginable that they would let them keep drilling anywhere near this country.


Have you ever thought about how renewable energy from the marine environment is affecting your angling? Do you fish within current offshore wind farms? Do you use sites that may become wind farms in the future? Do you think they affect your angling experiences?
Plymouth Marine Laboratory is running a survey to find out sea anglers’ opinions and experiences of offshore wind farms around the UK. We are particularly interested in how sea anglers interact with offshore wind farms.
Whether you are a regular sea angler or dabbler, a member of a club or not, we would like to hear your opinions. We would also like to hear your views even if you do not fish in areas with existing or planned wind farms. You can find the survey on the PML website or you can access it directly .
Recreation is an important use of our coasts and seas. During June to August this year, an estimated 95.3 million visits were made to the English coast alone. Many of these trips will have involved sea angling. In 2012, surveys with sea anglers recorded 4 million sea angling days throughout the year. Sea angling, along with other marine recreational activities, consequently makes a significant contribution to the economies of coastal towns. If sea angling behaviour changes because of the presence of offshore wind farms, there is a need to know what these changes may be and how they may impact coastal economies.
The UK is the global leader in offshore wind energy generation. By the end of 2014, the UK had 24 offshore wind farms containing 1,301 turbines and with an installed capacity of 4.5 GW (55.9% of existing European offshore wind energy generation capacity). It is expected to achieve over 10 GW by 2020. To put this in context, 5GW will power all the homes in Scotland.
While there have been many studies looking at the impact of offshore wind farms on the natural environment, little is known about how offshore wind farms affect people, especially people who take part in recreational activities along the coast and out to sea. This information is needed if policy-makers are to make well-informed decisions on the use of our marine environment and the role of offshore wind farms within it.


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Take an underwater journey through the world famous SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's, Auckland and discover a diverse collection of aquatic life up close.
See the world’s largest sub-Antarctic penguin colony display, the world’s biggest species of stingray and New Zealand’s largest collection of sharks. Journey through a unique Southern Ocean experience and marvel at our amazing new live jellyfish display and visit the magical Seahorse Kingdom where you’ll find the world’s only display of Spiny Sea Dragons, all this and much, much more.
For the adventurous we have thrilling Shark Adventures, snorkel in our Shark Cage, or dive cage free with Shark Dive Xtreme.
SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's, Auckland, 23 Tamaki Drive , Orakei , Auckland Central, Auckland, 1071, New Zealand.
- Business hours:
- 9.30am - 5.00pm daily (last admission 4.00pm)
- Months of operation:
- All months of the year
Facilities and Features
- Proximity to airport:
- 40 minutes approx
- Proximity to coach terminal:
- 10 minutes drive from central Auckland, free shuttle service hourly.
- Proximity to town:
- 10 minutes drive from central Auckland
Pricing and Conditions
(15 year(s) and under)
- Other charges:
- Under 3's free admission. Online bookings receive 10% discount. Family Passes are available online only.


Food Prices Set To Rise Again: Weather Experts Predict El Niño Comparable to the Destructive 1997-1998 El Niño
The Daily Sheeple
May 20th, 2014
The 1997-1998 El Niño is estimated to have caused over 23,000 deaths worldwide (source). With forecasters saying that the signs point to an 80% chance of a strong El Niño forming towards the end of this year, what impacts can be expected?
While some areas such as the West Coast of the United States could get a massive amount of rain (very welcome after record breaking droughts), other areas that rely on rain for agriculture will be left bone dry. A strong El Niño also increases fears that production of many key agricultural commodities in Asia and Australia will suffer.
Extreme El Niño events develop differently from standard El Niños, which first appear in the western pacific. The extreme events occur when sea surface temperatures exceeding 82°F develop in the normally cold and dry eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. This different location for the origin of the temperature increase causes massive changes in global rainfall patterns which result in floods and torrential rain in some places and devastating droughts and wildfires in others.
Kevin Trenberth, a climate scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, says the coming event could rival the one from 1997. He has been monitoring sea levels with satellite altimetry data and has noticed about a 20-centimeter difference between the western and eastern tropical Pacific.
In the past 15 years, Trenberth says, winds associated with La Niña—El Niño’s sister effect—have piled up warm water in the western Pacific, near the Philippines. Those winds have largely collapsed this year, and so those waters are moving back east. “It’s been waiting to slop back, and is now doing so, and will be very hard to stop,” he says. He also points out that NOAA based its prediction mostly on data from April—and says more recent data show strong signs that waters off the coast of Peru are continuing to warm. “I don’t think we’ve seen anything like this before,” he says. (source)


UN Environment’s Young Champions of the Earth prize is intended to recognize and reward young people with big ideas that address urgent environmental issues in bold and creative ways.
Among the finalists from Latin America and the Caribbean this year is Gator Halpern, a young environmental entrepreneur who is building the world’s first commercial land-based coral farm, located in The Bahamas:
Over 30% of global coral reefs are dead, and more than 75% are projected to die by 2050. This is an ecological tragedy and a serious socio-economic problem, as reefs sustain one-third of all marine life, support ~1B people globally, and generate $30B annually through tourism, fisheries production, and coastal protection. Coral Vita is creating a global network of innovative land-based coral farms, using breakthrough methods developed at the Mote Marine Lab and the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology to grow corals up to 50x faster while strengthening their resiliency to climate change. Our land-based farms are scalable, allowing us to potentially grow millions of corals from a single site. Coral Vita’s business model can support restoration at unprecedented scales, and by taking a community-based approach we integrate local actors to promote long-term reef stewardship.
Visit the Young Champions of the Earth website to cast your vote for Gator and his big coral-saving idea, and to learn about the other Young Champions from around the world.Voting closes Monday June 25, 2018.


Microplastics are plastic particles that are incredibly dangerous to our ocean. And tiny plastic pellets, also known as “nurdles,” can resemble fish eggs and are often ingested by seabirds, turtles, fish and other marine life. Nurdles have been found around many of the world’s coasts and in our ocean, damaging ecosystems along the way.
No place on Earth is immune from microplastic pollution, and that includes our ocean. We need advocates, like you, to help push for policies and innovations that can help keep our ocean—and our beloved sea animals—plastic free.
Join Ocean Conservancy and call on Congress to support the Plastic Pellet Free Waters Act and keep deadly nurdles and other microplastics out of our ocean.


Notes This jelly is a beautiful lavender-blue colour. The fringe of the animal has eight eye notches and organs for balance and tilt. The four lilac coloured horseshoe shapes seen through the animals body are reproductive organs. A collective term for jellyfish is a smack of jelly fish! Contrary to common belief this common jellyfish cannot sting humans. Every few years Otago Harbour gets large numbers of these jellys washing in with the tide in autumn.


The patents presented in this paper relate to power generating apparatus suitable for use in extracting energy from the movement of water, particularly tidal movement. This type of energy is generated by the relative motion of the Earth, Sun and the Moon, which interact via gravitational forces. Periodic changes of water levels, and associated tidal currents, are due to the gravitational attraction by the Sun and Moon. Tidal power generating systems have been studied for a number of years both in the form of barrages (similar to conventional hydroelectric dams in that the power extraction depends on the hydrostatic head), as well as tidal devices which exploit directly the kinetic energy of tidal streams. Modern advances in turbine technology may eventually see large amounts of power generated from the ocean, more precisely tidal currents, which is covered by the more general term “marine current power”. The work starts by examining the role played by Computational Fluid Dynamics in the prediction of the flow in these devices. In addition it reviews some recent and important patents relevant to this type of tidal devices, highlighting the significance and limitations of the patents reviewed. The paper concludes by highlighting current and future developments in the field.
Keywords: Tidal devices, marine streams, energy from seawater, horizontal axis turbines, CFD models, patents
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A whole bunch of dolphins are washing up on France’s Atlantic coast and 1000’s extra are believed killed in fishermen’s nets every year, as environmentalists and Brussels stress the federal government to guard the marine mammals.
On Wednesday, Allain Bougrain-Dubourg, head of the League for the Safety of Birds (LPO), mentioned he would write to President Emmanuel Macron that “the time has come to do our utmost to save lots of dolphins from mistreatment and even extinction.
“This dramatic state of affairs is even much less acceptable provided that it’s avoidable,” Bougrain-Dubourg added.
Surge in dolphin deaths
Professional-dolphin activists say dangerous fishing actions, together with deep-sea and sea-bed trawling, should be halted for a number of weeks within the Bay of Biscay between France and Spain.
The Pelagis ocean observatory has noticed a surge in dolphin deaths on the Atlantic coast, with 127 widespread dolphins washed up in January alone — up from 73 in the identical month final 12 months.
Elevated dolphin deaths are normally seen later within the 12 months, throughout their February-March coastal feeding season that brings them nearer to fishing vessels chasing hake and sea bass.
This 12 months the rise in finds is “particularly early”, Pelagis mentioned this month.
Over the entire of 2022, 669 dolphins washed up — down from 1,299 in 2020.
Scientists imagine that greater than 80 % of useless dolphins sink or decompose at sea moderately than washing ashore, suggesting the true variety of deaths is much increased at as much as 11,000 per 12 months.
Of the washed-up dolphins, “most offered indicators of being caught in fishing tools”, Pelagis mentioned, with the LPO singling out “slices within the tail fins and clear traces of nets” on their pores and skin.
– ‘Half-measures’ –
CIEM, a scientific physique that tracks North Atlantic ecosystems, has for years urged a winter pause for some indiscriminate fishing strategies, assembly fierce resistance from industrial fishermen.
After two years of stress from the European Fee and below the highlight from activists, Paris has up to now provided an eight-point plan with technical measures, stopping far wanting an outright ban.
Measures embody a voluntary observer scheme aboard fishing vessels, satellite tv for pc monitoring and becoming trawlers with cameras or acoustic repellent units that drive the dolphins away.
Many fishing ships are already fitted with the units in a “large-scale experiment” to check their effectiveness, the federal government mentioned.
However the LPO denounced the federal government strikes as “half-measures… that may change nothing and price us treasured time”.
Environmentalist group Sea Shepherd mentioned the repellent units “create enormous exclusion zones in dolphins’ feeding grounds” that threat reducing them off from wanted nourishment.
Paris has not fully closed the door to short-term bans, suggesting “time- and space-limited closures” to fishing might be examined within the Bay of Biscay in winter 2024-25 “if there aren’t any passable leads to lowering unintended catches” of dolphins.
That isn’t quickly sufficient for the activists. Sea Shepherd have filed a felony criticism on January 16 towards individuals unknown over the failure to intervene.


Check out some of Connecticut’s Local Dive Shops!
Scroll down to see the highlights of each shop or simply visit their website (linked below).
Squalus Marine Divers
Check out the latest video from Squalus Marine, a group of divers who love to explore the underwater world, especially that of Long Island Sound. They film all of their dives and share them for divers and non-divers alike to enjoy. For more videos, check out their website SqualusMarine.com


As a beginner scuba diver, it’s essential to prioritize safety, acquire the necessary skills, and make the most of your diving experience. In this article, we will discuss seven crucial tips to help beginners dive safely and maximize their enjoyment while exploring the depths.
- Choose a Reputable Dive Center: Before embarking on your scuba diving journey, research and select a reputable dive center. Look for certifications, read reviews, and ensure the instructors are experienced and well-trained. A professional dive center will provide you with proper guidance, quality equipment, and a safe diving environment.
- Get Certified: Obtaining a scuba diving certification is a must for beginners. Sign up for an Open Water Diver course, which covers essential diving knowledge, skills, and safety procedures. A certification ensures that you are adequately trained and familiar with the basics, making your diving experience more enjoyable and safer.
- Practice Proper Buoyancy Control: Mastering buoyancy control is key to becoming a skilled diver. Maintaining neutral buoyancy helps conserve energy, prevents damage to marine life, and enhances your overall experience. Practice controlling your buoyancy by adjusting your breathing and using your BCD (Buoyancy Control Device) to achieve a comfortable and stable position in the water.
- Always Dive with a Buddy: Diving with a buddy is a fundamental safety rule. Your dive buddy can provide assistance in case of an emergency, help with equipment checks, and enhance the overall diving experience through shared discoveries. Maintain close proximity with your buddy underwater and establish clear communication signals before the dive.
- Plan Your Dive and Dive Your Plan: Before each dive, create a detailed dive plan with your buddy. Discuss the maximum depth, duration, and route you intend to follow. Familiarize yourself with the dive site, including potential hazards, currents, and entry/exit points. Stick to the plan during the dive to ensure safety and avoid unnecessary risks.
- Master Equalization Techniques: Equalizing your ears is essential to prevent discomfort and potential ear injuries during descent. Learn and practice proper equalization techniques, such as the Valsalva maneuver, before your first dive. Equalize early and often, especially during the initial descent, to ensure that you can descend comfortably without experiencing pain or difficulty equalizing.
- Respect the Marine Environment: As scuba divers, we have a responsibility to protect and preserve the underwater ecosystems we explore. Avoid touching or damaging corals, refrain from disturbing marine life, and never remove anything from its natural habitat. Be mindful of your buoyancy to prevent accidental contact with the fragile environment, and strive to leave only bubbles and take away memories.
Conclusion: Scuba diving offers a world of adventure and discovery. By following these seven essential tips, beginner scuba divers can ensure a safe and enjoyable experience. Remember to prioritize safety, invest in proper training, and always be respectful of the underwater environment. With time and practice, you will gain confidence and unlock the endless wonders that the underwater world has to offer. Happy diving!


Variations in reef-associated fish communities in response to different benthic states in the east central Red Sea
Embargo End Date2020-08-01
Permanent link to this recordhttp://hdl.handle.net/10754/656295
MetadataShow full item record
Access RestrictionsAt the time of archiving, the student author of this thesis opted to temporarily restrict access to it. The full text of this thesis became available to the public after the expiration of the embargo on 2020-08-01.
AbstractCoral reefs are priority habitats which are vulnerable to natural and anthropogenic disturbances. These can cause phase shifts from coral habitat to degraded algal-dominated states – and consequent changes in the distribution, abundance and activity of associated fish species. In the eastern Red Sea, human-induced reef degradation is likely to increase with planned development of the Saudi Arabian coast and the changing climate. The present study therefore investigates the ecological effects of coral-algal phase shifts in reef-associated fish communities, using naturally occurring within-reef benthic zones as proxies for levels of habitat health - with a focus on how these responses differ temporally. These zones were dominated by: hard coral (coral zone), coral and turf algae (transition zone), and macroalgal canopies (algal zone). Six inshore reef areas, were studied in periods with low and high densities of Sargassum in the algal zones (May and November respectively). Community composition was assessed via visual census and predation activity predicted using two proxies: in situ experiments and biomass of carnivores. In both periods, we observed distinct fish communities in each zone - with reduced species richness, Shannon-Wiener diversity and predation intensity, from the coral to the algal zones. Decreases in the abundance and biomass of fish also occurred from the coral to algal zones in May but a spike, as well as a shift in community composition, occurred in the algal zone in November. This shift is attributed to the vast increases in grazer biomass, predominantly Siganus luridus, associated with the November bloom of Sargassum canopies. The present study established, the composition and functioning of Red Sea fish communities is spatially and temporally affected by increased macroalgal dominance. This finding supports the need for herbivorous fish to be made a conservation priority in the management and conservation of reef systems in order to prevent phase shifts to algal dominated states. We conclude that if Red Sea reefs are allowed to shift to alternate states, depending on the density of macroalgal canopies, reefs may support high biomass and abundance of fish but the functioning of the fish community will be altered and the diversity lost.
CitationShort, G. (2019). Variations in reef-associated fish communities in response to different benthic states in the east central Red Sea. KAUST Research Repository. https://doi.org/10.25781/KAUST-NN1G6


Species’ ranges changing in a warming world
The world has warmed over the past 50 years and is likely to continue to do so over the coming century. This poses problems for life on land and in the ocean, since most species have a defined range of temperatures within which they can live.
When temperatures exceed the upper limit for a particular species in a particular location, that species can no longer live there. Likewise, places can become newly habitable when temperatures become warmer than a species’ lower limit.
As climate change unfolds over the next century, plants and animals will need to adapt or shift locations to track their ideal climate.
Identifying locations of at-risk species
We worked with an international team of researchers to develop global maps showing how fast and in which direction local temperatures have shifted over the past 50 years. From these climate pathways, we can identify vulnerable environments and the species within them that may be threatened by a changing climate.
Over the past few decades many fish and invertebrate species living in the southern hemisphere have already shifted towards cooler regions. In the waters off south-eastern Australia, range shifts have been observed in around 30 per cent of coastal fish species. On land, species have started to seek relief from warmer conditions by moving closer to the coast, to higher elevations, to shaded hill aspects or further from the equator.
Environmental and economic consequences
Species migration can have important consequences for local biodiversity. For example, warming waters and a strengthening of the East Australian Current have mobilised the long-spined sea urchin (Centrostephanus rodgersii), previously only found as far south as southern NSW, to invade the eastern Tasmania coast. This has resulted in the decline of giant kelp forests with knock-on effects for commercially-fished rock lobsters.
Focusing conservation efforts
Knowing where vulnerable areas occur can help focus conservation efforts and information management decisions.
Areas of slow temperature shifts may be better suited to protecting endemic species or long-lived structural species (such as those forming forests or coral reefs). Areas exposed to significant pressures from climate change may need help to enable climate-driven migration. For species unable to move, assisted movement to new more acceptable places may be needed. For example, active translocation of species, given due care to potential negative ecological and production consequences.
This research provides conservation managers and decision makers a simpler way to look at the effects of climate change on biodiversity, and gives them another tool with which to make informed decisions on how to best manage these changes.


CSUN Professor Monitors Health of Marine Life Off San Onofre’s Shores
The Wheeler North Artificial Reef, where CSUN biology professor Mark Steele and his students are evaluationg efforts to mitigate the damage done to local fisheries by the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. Photo courtesy of Mark Steele.
When the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station opened on the shores south of San Clemente more than four decades ago, it was with the promise of a clean, new energy source that would benefit the state. But the cost to Southern California’s marine ecosystems has been high — from significant damage to a giant kelp forest and the sea life it supported to the deaths of tons of fish, larvae and eggs.
California State University, Northridge biology professor Mark Steele has spent the past five years evaluating the results of the facility’s owner, Southern California Edison, to mitigate the damage, including the construction of one of the world’s largest artificial reefs — 175 acres in size — off the coast of southern Orange County in hopes of restoring lost kelp bed resources, including the fisheries in the area.
“In my opinion, the reef is doing well, but it hasn’t completely succeeded,” said Steele, who has received a $476,760 contract from the California Coastal Commission to evaluate the reproductive, output, growth and feeding success of coastal marine fisheries on the Wheeler North Artificial Reef.
“The power plant has been shut down, but its impact, accumulated over nearly 30 years when the plant’s second the third units went online, remains whether the plant is operating or not,” he said. “It will be interesting to see, given the plant’s closure, whether there will be the political will to keep pressure on Southern California Edison to continue with its mitigation efforts, which are expensive.
“It’s a unique position for someone like me to be in,” he added. “I was trained in basic research. What I am researching has intrinsic value to the citizens of the state of California. There are political aspects to it that one doesn’t see with normal academic science. We are talking about is damage done by a private entity to resources that belong to all Californians.”
Until a small radiation leak shut down the power station in early 2012, its ocean pipes drew in about 2.4 billion gallons of water a day to cool twin nuclear reactors. In the process, the pipes sucked in and killed tons of fish, larvae and eggs. Other casualties included sea lions and harbor seals.
Water leaving the plant stirred up a turbid plume of murky sediment that blocked sunlight from an adjacent kelp forest, destroying much of the forest and the habitat it created for a rich assortment of sea life.
The California Coastal Commission negotiated a mitigation settlement with Southern California Edison that included the construction of the artificial reef, in hopes of creating a kelp bed of a size equal to that lost by the operation of the power plant and that would support about 28 tons of fish, which used to live on the San Onofre kelp bed.
Steele and a team of five to six CSUN graduate students and postdoctoral scholar have spent their summers for the past five years visiting the artificial reef’s kelp forest and nearby natural reefs to monitor efforts to restore healthy reef fish populations to the area. They spend their days scuba diving into its depths to collect fish. They bring those fish back to a campus laboratory to dissect and study their reproductive systems and otoliths, or ear stones, to measure their reproductive rates, growth rates and other data.
The information they gather is an important indicator of how well Southern California Edison’s mitigation efforts are going.
“There are 15 performance standards that have to be met,” Steele said. “While the kelp bed seems to be doing well, one of the sticking points is that 28 tons of fish.”
So far, he said, the number of fish on the artificial reef amounts to about half the target number, or about 14 tons of fish.
“There’s starting to be a discussion between the California Coastal Commission and Edison about whether Edison should be doing something more, such as making the reef larger or changing its design,” he said. “It will be interesting to see how it all plays out. The power company is in the business of making money, and they don’t want to spend money if they don’t have to. But at the same time, they have been very supportive of this project.”
While the politics play out, Steele is committed to ensuring that he and his students will continue their efforts to monitor the health of the coastal ecosystem off the shores of the San Onofre plant.


Shipping companies offer various boat transport services with three basic means of transport: by sea, by land, or by sea. The boat transport cost varies for each of these shipping methods. Sailing a boat through a long narrow channel is an expensive option for transporting a large-size boat across the Atlantic ocean and even within a short coastal distance. The boat transport service that is suitable for this task should be one equipped with powerful engines to facilitate the movement of the boat at high speed. A long narrow channel or even deep sea can be quite a risky environment for the moving boat; therefore it is better to choose another method that involves less risk.
Deep sea transport is a better option as compared to transporting the boat by land because of the extreme nature of the place. There is no way that the boat can be damaged along the journey and the safety of the transported vessel can also be ensured. However, it takes longer time to complete the boat shipping procedure as compared to other methods of boat transport.
The most common way of boat transport that involves less risk is by sea. Usually, the transporter arrives at the destination at the same time as the shipper and unloads the boat at the desired location by lifting off the crane. The boats are either hoisted into the water by a crane or hoisted onto a barge.
If the boat is to cross the ocean by sea, special care must be taken to ensure that the boat is not damaged by heavy waves or currents. To do so, the transporter must have a specially designed trailer that is able to handle larger vessels. Most boat transport companies have specialized trailers that are specially designed to haul both large and small vessels. However, if you are opting for this method, make sure that the company has experience in handling the task.
If the boat transport company opts to use a common trailer, they must take extra precaution to ensure the safety of their goods. They should make sure that the trailer does not carry any dangerous materials. In addition, they should check all welds of the trailer to ensure that the welds are strong and secure. If there are welds that are weak, it might cause the trailer to sink. In case of wooden boats, wooden decking must be used to properly support the boat while it is being transported.
Before hiring the boat transport service, make sure that you check the validity of the insurance policy of the transporter. This is required to cover your transport costs in case of any damage or loss. When inspecting the boat trailer transporter, you must look for damages in welds, areas that have been exposed to water or salt water, as well as any crack or dent in the trailer body. If the boat transport company requires you to pay for a specialized type of boat trailer, make sure that it is within your budget. Most boat shipping companies also provide insurance for your goods during transportation.
Most boat transport companies use refrigerated vessels for transporting boats. Most of these boats are manufactured to withstand harsh weather conditions such as heavy rains and high-pressure. Some of these vessels are manufactured for low-pressure conditions during transportation. These types of vessels are fitted with new drive systems and new hulls, which make them suitable for transporting small to medium-sized boats.
When choosing a shipping company, make sure that the shipping company has experience in boat transport. You should also inquire whether the shipping company offers free insurance for your goods during transport. You should also ask whether the shipping company has contacts with other local boat transport companies. It is also important to inquire about the delivery time of the boat transport company’s boat delivery. Most importantly, you should ask about the rates of the boat transport service, the number of days for shipment, whether you have to bear any extra charges such as customs fees and other charges.


The coral reef scavenger hunt is a unit project completed by the young fives class each year.
Throughout the unit, students learn about the plants and animals that live in the coral reef environment and then use that learning to create the hunt.
Students help to create the background and color many types of fish to add to the project. Students work to create clues based on the fish in the reef. We invite all the other classrooms to participate in the scavenger hunt. It is a highlight for our class, former Young Fives students, and kids throughout the building.


ALEXIS ROSENFELD / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY ALEXIS ROSENFELD / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
Longnose butterfly fish (Forcipiger flavissimus) on a coral reef. This fish can reach a length of around 25 centimetres. It inhabits the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific region. It uses its long snout to pick small crustaceans from nooks in coral.
Model release not required. Property release not required.


Arctic cod are proving highly susceptible to warming ocean temperatures, but the good news is that Pacific cod, the kind caught commercially in pots and trawls around Alaska, not so much.
A NOAA lab in Newport, Ore., is reportedly the first to successfully spawn Arctic cod in captivity, and the resulting science has shown that the species has a very narrow window of temperature viability.
In waters between 32 and 36.5 F., and even colder with the lower freezing point of salt water, Arctic cod do very well. However, water above 41 degrees is fatal to them.
The same lab has done research on Pacific cod and walleye pollock, and found a much higher range of temperature tolerance.
NOAA’s Dr. Ben Laurel said that Arctic cod offer an interesting comparative species to Pacific cod, which has a range from the central Bering Sea to Puget Sound.
His lab did experiments with Arctic cod as the focal species, specimens around 4 to 5 inches, and also brought back Pacific cod and pollock of the same size.
They reared them for six weeks with a consistent diet and temperature range, taking them out every couple of weeks to weigh and measure them, getting a good sense of their growth.
The growth rates were similar in the Pacific cod and pollock, he said.
“They are very adapted to take advantage of a couple ranges of temperatures. From 9 to 12 degrees C. (48-54 F.), these 4-5 inch fish do very well, but they also can survive at higher temperatures with a little bit of decreased growth performance. They also survive very well at cooler temperatures.”
He noted that the magical tipping point seems to be, in terms of their growth performance, around 2.5 to 4 degrees (36.3 to 39.2 F.), and there, he said, Pacific cod start to really out-perform Arctic cod, growing at as much as three times as fast. Pollock seem to be even a bit more cold-adaptive.
“That sort of fits with what our understanding is of their distribution,” Laurel said.
Pacific cod are voracious eaters, they can consume a lot of prey, and put on a lot of growth at those optimal temperatures.
“When you get under 3 degrees C. (37.4 F.), even given all the food they want, the growth rates of Arctic cod are actually higher. So (Pacific cod) have this little glitch,” Laurel said.
Arctic cod have a much higher fat content than Pacific cod and pollock, but researchers do not think that is an issue in their temperature sensitivity.
Laurel noted that warm-blooded creatures use fat as insulation, but cold-blooded creatures are not any warmer than their surrounding environment.
“Why we’re interested in fat is because of its energetic content just for those animals to survive when there’s no food around,” he said. “Overwintering is a real big deal for these guys. There’s not much going on in the system, and they have to sort of feed off fat supplies.”
He said the other big concern is what feeds off them.
“If we don’t have Arctic cod around or if these Arctic cod are sort of burning through their fat just to operate and keep them going in a warmer temperature, they’re less nutritious. There are big consequences.”
Laurel said that ocean acidification does not seem to have a big impact on Pacific cod.
His colleague at the lab, Tom Hurst, is doing that research, and has found that, at least at egg and larval stages, ocean acidification does not seem to have a strong effect on growth and development.
“There are some subtle things there, and whether or not that affects their survival later on is uncertain, but they seem to be pretty robust,” Laurel said.
He added that now what Hurst is doing is looking at some sort of behavioral impacts of ocean acidification on Pacific cod, and those experiments are ongoing.
Kodiak herring has shut down before it really got started due to immature roe, missing year classes and cautious management.
Alaska Department of Fish and Game fisheries biologist Brad Fuerst said a lower harvest was expected this year after looking at the year-classes from last year during the harvest, which dropped the Guideline Harvest Level area-wide.
So far this year, fish were only harvested out of Kiuluda Bay, which had a GHL of 75 tons, and Ugak Bay, which had a GHL of 350 tons.
The GHL in Kiuluda Bay was reached, but not in Ugak Bay.
Fuerst said there were a lot of immature fish and not very many older fish, and area management biologist James Jackson erred on the side of caution and shut things down, at least for now.
“Looking at last year’s scale samples, we’ve got a lot of three- and four-year-old fish coming up, but not much between four- and nine-year-olds.”
He added that there are not a lot of recruitment fish in the mix.
He said there is still quota on the table, and the department is working with fishermen and spotter pilots to watch for fish and let them know if herring show up, but at this point most of the fleet is looking to get switched over to salmon.
He said Jackson and other ADF&G staff were out doing surveys on the west side of Kodiak, but the fish they were finding were either small schools or juvenile fish.
He said there were no gillnetters registered for the fishery, but around 20 seiners had signed up.
He added that dock talk was for prices around $300 per ton, far above the reported price of $50 per ton for the Togiak herring fishery which also is under way.
The spring Kodiak fishery is a sac-roe fishery. The food/bait fishery takes place in the fall.
The Kodiak spring fishery is different from most herring fisheries around the state, where there is basically one large spawning biomass that fishermen target in openings that last from minutes to hours. Kodiak’s fishery opens on set days and times.
Cristy Fry can be reached at email@example.com.
• Effort to get setnet ban on 2016 ballot continues.
• Board of Fisheries still has open seat.


Analysis of a size-age stratified population under a multigear fishery operation: The European hake fishery off Northwest Africa
Date of Award
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
First Committee Member
Nelson M. Ehrhardt - Committee Chair
The fishery for European hake (Merluccius merluccius) off Northwest Africa is characterized by the presence of several fishing fleets which use various types of gears at different depths and seasons. The hake resource that these fleets harvest is size-stratified by depth. As a result, fishing mortality is a complex function of the distribution of effort, the characteristics of the gear, and the spatio-temporal population structure. Analysis of this fishery system is very difficult because most stock assessment methods assume that either animals and/or fishing effort are randomly distributed.A discrete simulation model is developed to evaluate the potential problems of ignoring the spatio-temporal dimension in the analysis of this fishery. The model is based on the traditional fishery formulations that describe mortality, growth and recruitment, but also incorporates a spatial dimension by considering a population divided into compartments. Fishing mortality is modeled as a function of size rather than of age. Growth of a cohort is expressed with deterministic and probabilistic formulations, both of which incorporate distributions of length at age.A new growth curve for the species is estimated by correcting biases due to size-selectivity. An age-dependent migration model is developed to describe the spatial structure of the population.Simulations show that the spatio-temporal dimensions of fishing mortality and population distribution greatly affect the size distribution of the catches. This result has important implications for the estimation of the age structure of the catches from their length distribution. In this context, biases in the estimates of mortality are identified through simulation. The model is also used to evaluate the effects of changes in mesh size, and how forecasted gains are distributed among different segments of the fishery.
Biology, Oceanography; Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture
Die, David Jose, "Analysis of a size-age stratified population under a multigear fishery operation: The European hake fishery off Northwest Africa" (1989). Dissertations from ProQuest. 2801.


Why you should listen
Jeremy Jackson is the Ritter Professor of Oceanography and Director of the Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Painting pictures of changing marine environments, particularly coral reefs and the Isthmus of Panama, Jackson's research captures the extreme environmental decline of the oceans that has accelerated in the past 200 years.
Jackson's current work focuses on the future of the world’s oceans, given overfishing, habitat destruction and ocean warming, which have fundamentally changed marine ecosystems and led to "the rise of slime." Although Jackson's work describes grim circumstances, even garnering him the nickname Dr. Doom, he believes that successful management and conservation strategies can renew the ocean’s health.


The ritual use of scientific models to increase fisheries in South Western Madagascar
(University of Lausanne)
Paper short abstract:
The paper explores the ritualistic use by South Western Malagasy fishing populations of NGO-introduced scientific fisheries models to increase catches, determine "good" fishing grounds and manage risk.
Paper long abstract:
The paper explores the ritualistic use of scientific models by South Western Malagasy fishing populations to increase fisheries and income generated as a result of the integration to collector networks and world markets. Following the observation of the 'miraculous' success of an octopus reserve implemented initially as a demonstration by an international NGO, many villagers of the coastal area of South Western Madagascar started similar temporary conservation enterprises, in the hope that these would provide similar results. The paper explores the ritualised governance of sea resources (via the ownership of spirits inhabiting fishing grounds) and the transposition of the model underlying this governance in the new context marked by marine conservation programmes and efforts to generate alternative livelihoods through different forms of fishing and the integration to international markets for dry fish, shark fin, sea cucumber and octopus.
Economy and ritual


Ask any dive master what the “best dive site” in Cayman is and you will not get a straight answer. Because there isn’t one. With 365 marked dive sites, the appeal of any one site will vary depending on conditions on any given day, the diver’s level of experience and the preferences and interests of the diver: are they avid wreck divers, depth junkies or macro photographers? Rather than listing specific dive sites, we provide a broad overview of the types of dives you will encounter in different areas of the Cayman Islands.
The North Wall, which runs parallel to the north shore, plunges dramatically from around 40ft down many thousands of feet, just a hundred yards or so from shore. There are great wall dives all along the north shore of Grand Cayman with coral gardens at the top of the wall, convenient for safety or decompression stops following a deep dive. There is an abundance of healthy hard and soft corals, including black coral, plenty of overhangs and swim throughs on the wall and always a chance of seeing some pelagic fish out in the blue. Conditions here are best during the summer when seas are calm and you will have a greater chance of seeing schools of spotted eagle rays and perhaps sharks.
The reefs and walls off the west coast, from North West Point to George Town are the most frequently dived sites, as this the leeward shore so conditions are favourable for diving year–round. All the wreck dives are in this area, including the Wreck of the Oro Verde, Doc Poulson and the Kittiwake. There are also some outstanding wall and reef dives, as well as a number of accessible shore dives including Turtle Reef, Eden Rock and Devil’s Grotto. From April to September look out for huge schools of tiny silversides hiding in caves, and the resident tarpon and grouper who feast on them.
The dive sites along the south coast are most often dived during the winter, as they remain calm during nor’westers. The drop offs on the southern side typically start at greater depths than in other areas and there are some spectacular canyons, coral encrusted arches, swim–throughs and caves in this area.
Here you will find the most remote and unspoilt diving on Grand Cayman. Significantly fewer divers come out this far, and with 55 dive sites to choose from in this district, you can easily escape the crowds. A good mix of walls, with drops offs starting at around 45ft, and shallower reefs with soaring pinnacles and canyons can be found in this area. There is good chance of seeing sharks and millions of silversides gather in caves and under overhangs during the summer.
Perhaps best known for the wreck of the Capt. Keith Tibbetts, a 300ft Russian warship, Cayman Brac also has some superb reef and wall dives and visibility typically exceeds 100ft. Diving here is uncrowded with just one dive operator on the island.
Little Cayman offers possibly the best diving in the Caribbean, with pristine corals, abundant marine life and outstanding visibility. The jewel in Little Cayman’s crown is without doubt the legendary Bloody Bay Wall, rated by the likes of Jacques Cousteau and David Doubilet as one of the most dramatic wall dives in the world. It has a perfect vertical drop–off starting at less than 20ft and descends to around 3,000ft with pristine corals and superb visibility.


Dermochelys Coriacea = critically endangered
The Leatherback sea turtle are classified as critically endangered. The exact number of Leatherback turtles is impossible to know. The fact that the male turtles never return to land, makes it impossible to count them. At the moment it’s estimated that there’s only 35.000 nesting females.
To avoid not break as they fall down to the chamber, the eggs have a rubbery shell, which helps to keep them from breaking as they fall into the chamber on top of one another. After hatching the small baby turtles are easy prey for many predators. As long as they stay on the beach they’re prey for gulls, hawks, ghost crabs, vultures etc. Once they are in the ocean, the turtles become potential prey for octopi, sharks, and other large fish. If the Leatherback hatchlings emerge from a nest that is located on a beach that includes or is near a developed area, such as a resort, they may find that the brightest spot on the horizon is not the sea, but rather the light coming from the development. This causes the hatchlings to become disoriented and to head away from the ocean instead of toward it, increasing their risk of predation and dehydration before successfully reaching water.
Predators of the Leatherback
The greatest predator of the Leatherback, however, is people. In some countries, humans kill nesting female turtles and harvest Leatherback eggs to eat. Because the turtles leave a trail to their nests when they make their way back to the water, the nests are easy for egg poachers to locate. Not only killer whales and sharks are the reasons when you see a turtle who has lost a flipper or are injured. Entanglement in fishing gear can result in serious injuries to the turtles, including severe cuts and necrosis or in worst case death. Entanglement can also lead to death by drowning. Sometimes Leatherbacks has the size and power to swim to the surface of the water, when it’s trapped in fishing lines and gear, where they are discovered and released. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.
Polution are killing
Leatherbacks are also at risk from garbage and other pollution in the sea. Eating or becoming entangled in plastic from sheeting, bags, deflated balloons, discarded fishing lines and more has been the reason for the death of many Leatherback sea turtles. It’s believed by many that the Leatherbacks mistake the floating plastic for jellyfish and eat it..
Leatherback | Conservation measures
The fact that the Leatherback never has developed the ability to swim backwards, poses some difficulty when the animal encounters fishing nets and lines in the ocean because it has no hope of backing out of them.
Not able to raise in captivity
It also poses a major difficulty to scientists attempting to raise Leatherbacks in captivity. In fact, Leatherbacks have never been successfully raised to maturity in captivity. Leatherbacks kept in a tank continually propel themselves against the sides of the aquarium as they ceaselessly swim forward. They inevitably damage themselves in the process and develop lethal fungal infections as a result.
Not being able to raise Leatherbacks in captivity means that scientists cannot observe captive specimens to determine how quickly they grow or how long they live. It also means that a “head-start” program cannot supplement Leatherback conservation efforts. A head-start program would keep hatchling Leatherbacks in captivity until they grew to a size that makes them less vulnerable to predators.
The primary step in conserving Leatherback turtles is to implement strict ban on seashore mechanized fishing and in areas of high sea turtle concentration. The Government should declare the coastal region a marine sanctuary or a no-fishing zone. Turtle Excluder Devices (TED) should be employed in trawl nets and made mandatory for trawlers operating in the coastal waters beyond a specific distance from the coast line. TEDs are basically trapdoors which can be connected to trawl nets that allow large animals like sea turtles to break away from the net without major loss of fish catch. However, use of TED alone will not bring down the turtle mortality because turtles are also caught and killed in gill nets and TEDs cannot be used in gill nets. So, strict implementation of the existing law on no fishing zones and the use of TED in other fishing zones appear to be the best response to bring down turtle mortality.
A major step towards saving this population would be giving confined area status to the sea turtle nesting beaches as well as the coastal waters having high sea turtle concentration. It is necessary to protect these areas so that the state Forest Department has jurisdiction over these nesting beaches and can provide protection for adults and hatchlings. On the other hand, it would be a mistake to completely exclude local people from the protection scheme.
In most of the coastal regions, turtles use more than one rookery during a season. This implies that the turtles nesting off the coast may be part of a single population, meaning that turtle nesting at all three rookeries are equally important. Further, if the nesting beach at continues to decline due to geographical factors, these turtles may nest at the other rookeries and it is important that these alternate nesting beaches are ‘turtle friendly’. Thus, the protection of all these three rookeries is extremely crucial for the survival of turtles. The introduction of controlled lighting in coastal areas would greatly reduce hatchling mortality.
These steps would radically lessen mortality of turtles on the coast in the near future. However, the key to long-term saving of the Leatherback is the mobilizing of the local community to participate in this setup which will create awareness among the local community for sea turtle conservation where they would be able to attain jobs, it will yield better results.


Product #: 55080R
Scientific Name: Callinectes sapidus
Country of Origin:
The Atlantic blue crab is a member of the Portunidae swimming crab family. Its Latin name, Callinectes sapidus, translates to "savory, beautiful swimmer". In order to grow, crabs must shed their hard shell and regrow a new, larger shell. It is only during this soft shell state that female crabs are able to mate, thus it is easy to target females crabs that are about to molt by baiting traps with male crabs during mating season. The females are attracted to the pheromones emitted by the male crabs and they enter the traps.
The Atlantic blue crab is native to the western Atlantic Ocean from Nova Scotia to Argentina. The major U.S. producers of blue crab are Louisiana, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina.
Overall, the health of the U.S. blue crab population is fairly good and improving. The Chesapeake Bay is one of the major production areas and has experienced a drastic resurgence of the crab population in the last few years. Some other U.S. populations are at low levels of abundance, but not just due to fishing. Blue crab are highly dependent upon coastal ecosystems, thus loss of habitat and poor water quality hinder their population growth a great deal. Fortunately, crabs are naturally resilient to fishing pressure because they reproduce at a young age and have huge numbers of offspring. Management regulations are in place to control harvest, protect breeding stocks and monitor landings, but there could be better regulations for bycatch reduction, especially for the depleted diamondback terrapin (a brackish water turtle that gets caught in pots and drowns). Most crabs are caught with pots or traps, which have little impact on the environment.
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The storm attained Category 4 force just over 24 hours after becoming a hurricane, packing maximum sustained winds of approximately 145 mph.
It later lost strength over cooler waters midway between Mexico and Hawaii.
Kenneth was expected to be a threat to only shipping lanes during its lifespan.
Hurricane Kenneth Track
Satellite Loop Data: CIMSS


Coalition says poll shows support for marine protected areas
Tuvaijuittuq Marine Protected Area in Nunavut is 1 of 14 protected areas in Canada
There is strong public support for using marine protected areas for ocean conservation, according to a group dedicated to marine conservation.
SeaBlue Canada’s members include Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, the David Suzuki Foundation and Nature Canada.
It found 97 per cent of respondents to a poll it conducted last November support the use of marine protected areas, with 63 per cent saying such areas are “very important” to ocean health. The group announced the results of the poll Feb. 2 in a news release.
“The goal of this poll is to just see what Canadians are thinking: how important are the oceans? how important is protecting the oceans [to them] — particularly now that we have a federal government mandate to do more of that?” said Susanna Fuller, vice-president for operations and projects with Oceans North, which is also part of SeaBlue.
A marine protected area, according to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, is a part of the ocean legally protected to safeguard wildlife populations, habitats and ecosystems.
It may or may not allow commercial activities such as wildlife use, recreation and tourism.
On its website, Oceans North indicates it supports conservation and climate action in partnership with Indigenous and coastal communities.
The poll, conducted from Nov. 17 to 30, surveyed 1,687 Canadians aged 18 and older via a mixed-mode approach: 1,531 interviews were conducted online across provinces, and 176 were conducted by telephone across the territories.
Fuller said respondents provided their perspective on issues such as the value of having a zone or area of the ocean where industrial activities are banned; the issue of environment protection versus its impact on the economy; and whether the federal government is doing an only fair or poor job protecting the oceans.
According to Fuller, the next step is to look at how effectively the federal government funds the creation of more marine protected areas and the way it involves communities on the ground in the process, many of whom are Indigenous.
“[Canada has] a commitment to protect 25 per cent of our coastal and marine environment by 2025,” she said of the approach so far.
“In 2015, we had less than one per cent protected, and right now we are just under 15 per cent. So I think we’re doing fairly well, given where we started in 2015.”
Governments, including Canada’s, recently committed to protecting 30 per cent of the world’s land and coastal areas over the next eight years. Fuller said it will be important to track how quickly and effectively progress is made, especially in the Arctic.
“It takes people’s time and effort and communication,” she said.
“I think particularly in the Arctic, [marine conservation] is ever so important in these regions because people depend on wildlife for food still.
“The dependence on the relatively pristine environment is vital for culture as well as biodiversity protection — those two things go hand in hand.”
Currently, there are 14 marine protected areas across Canada, created through the federal Oceans Act and managed by the Fisheries and Oceans Department.
They comprise more than 350,000 square kilometres, or roughly six per cent of the country’s marine and coastal areas, according to the federal government’s website.
One of the 14 — the Tuvaijuittuq Marine Protected Area — is in Nunavut, off the northwest coast of Ellesmere Island.
There are also national marine conservation areas in the territory managed by Parks Canada, such as Tallurutiup Imanga.
These areas are similar to marine protected areas but are part of one or more Indigenous land claims, which is why the final decision around national marine conservation areas is negotiated by the federal government and “subject to the final resolution of Indigenous claims,” according to the Parks Canada website.
Steven Guilbeault, the federal minister of environment and climate change, announced a new policy to guide establishment and management of 10 new marine conservation areas Feb. 3.
The new policy was created by Parks Canada in consultation with approximately 250 industry organizations and environmental groups, and more than 3,000 individual responses.
It sets out how marine protected areas “can be effectively and equitably managed” and “lives up to our commitment for reconciliation with Indigenous peoples,” according to a federal government news release.
Yes it looks good, now put the St Lawrence, and all the Great Lakes on this also.


A bloom of the red tide organism, Karenia brevis, persists in Southwest Florida. Additional details are provided below.
In Southwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at at background to very low concentrations in Pinellas County, background concentrations in Manatee County, background to high concentrations in Sarasota County, medium to high concentrations in Charlotte County, background to high concentrations in and/or offshore of Lee County, and very low to high concentrations in Collier County. Bloom concentrations (>100,000 K. brevis cells per liter) persist in Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee, and Collier counties. These included coastal sites in Sarasota County, coastal, inlet, and estuarine sites in Charlotte, Lee, and Collier Counties, as well as a sample collected 18 miles offshore of Lee County. High concentrations (>1 million cells per liter) were observed in 47 samples from these counties.
In Northwest Florida over the past week, K. brevis was observed at background concentrations in one sample each from Escambia and Bay counties.
Along the Florida East Coast over the past week, K. brevis was not observed.
In Southwest Florida over the past week, fish kill reports were received for Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee, and Collier counties
Respiratory irritation was reported over the past week in Southwest Florida in Sarasota, Lee, and Collier counties.
Report courtesy of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission


WASHINGTON (May 16, 2018)— As the amount of single-use plastic in the world’s oceans continues to grow, National Geographic is announcing a new, global commitment to tackle this pressing problem. Today, National Geographic is launching Planet or Plastic?, a multiyear initiative aimed at raising awareness of this challenge and reducing the amount of single-use plastic that enters in the world’s oceans. Doing so will not only benefit the thousands to potentially millions of marine animals that become entangled in, suffocated by, or ingest plastic each year, but will also contribute to the overall health of the planet’s marine ecosystems and all who rely upon them.
Today’s guest blog comes from Jason Paul, who is a paddling enthusiast and lifelong lover of the sea. Jason is the lead editor of InflatableBoarder.com and lives in beautiful Panama with his wife and two small children.
Despite nationwide legislation to eliminate plastic bags from our daily existence here in the United States, our oceans are still feeling the choking effects of paper-thin plastic. States like California, Hawaii, and Florida have all introduced new legislation either banning or applying fees to the use of plastic bags, and many individuals and organizations are doing everything they can think of to raise awareness on this issue. Unfortunately, plastic pollution is a global epidemic and national legislation and local initiatives are only a drop in the bucket in comparison to the massive global problem of plastic bag usage. It’s estimated that nearly one trillion bags are used each year around the globe — a staggering figure by anyone’s standards.