The word submarine resounds the pictures of wars and underwater invasions. No doubt the submarines were introduced with the warfare purpose, there is definitely more to this technological masterpiece. Everyone knows that a submarine is nothing but a ship floating underwater. It not only allows the privilege of sailing in a concealing manner but also creates an environment to stay below the water for months together.
In this article we won’t be focusing on the utility aspect but on the technical ones. How a submarine dives and surfaces in the water? How it maintains a healthy environment and from where does it gets its power. A submarine does not fall strictly in the category of types of ships but is certainly an underwater ship. Learn about these interesting and technically complex machines in the article below.
Submarine Application in Brief
Submarines were introduced with the sole purpose of fighting wars. They were extensively used in world war- I & II . Submarines were used for protecting aircraft carriers, for blockade running, for patrolling a country’s boundaries etc.
Nowadays the use of submarines have proliferated across many fields. Today they are used for marine sciences research, underwater oil and minerals exploration, salvaging and surveying purposes, underwater cable repairs and also for tourism purpose.
A submarine also works on the same principle as that used by other ships, i.e Archimedes Principle of buoyancy. A normal surface ship sails on water by creating a positive buoyant force, by displacing more water than its weight. But in order to submerge a ship hydrostatically, a negative buoyant force needs to be generated. This can be done by increasing the weight of the ship or by reducing the amount of water displaced. For this purpose, ballast tanks are used.
Submarines can easily control their buoyancy. When the submarine is at the surface, its ballast tanks are filled with air, thus increasing making its density less than that of the surrounding water. In order to submerge, the ballast tanks are filled with water, making the overall density of the ship higher than the surrounding water. When the submarine submerges in the water, a continuous supply of compressed air is supplied in order to support life inside it. Also the air from the ballast tanks is pushed out with the help of pumps. Hydroplanes, small movable wings at the stern helps to adjust the angle of dive. The wings are so arranged that the water moves over the stern area, pushing it upwards and thus alligning the submarine in a downward angle.
Once underwater, the desired crusing depth is maintained by neutralizing the bouyance force. This means that a balance of air and water is maintained inside the tanks in order to equalize the buoyant force of the submarine and the water surrounding it. This is known as neutral buoyancy. On reaching the crusing depth, the hydroplanes are leveled and thus the submarine can travel parallel to the water level. The port and starboard movement is controlled by tail rudder.
Contruction and Design
Almost all the submarines are cigar-shaped. This is done in order to reduce the hydrodynamic drag when the submarine is in water. The pressure hulls are made spherical instead of cylindrical for even distribution of stress at great depths. The raised tower on submarine is where the navigation system is fixed. It accommodates a periscope, radio, electronic radars and other navigation systems.
The hull and outer body are made extremely thick and of a material that can resist excessive stress when the submarine is at greater depths.
The main propulsion systems that a submarine uses are steam turbines, nuclear reactors or diesel engines. The electric power on the ship is mainly supplied by the diesel engines. An emergency backup system is provided by using batteries, which can be charged using propulsion systems. There are more than 2 diesel engines on each submarines.
Nuclear reactor submarines are the most commonly used ones as they don’t require a continuous fuel supply and produces zero pollution.
Parker. J. (2007) The World Encyclopedia of Submarines: An Illustrated Reference To Underwater Vessels Of The World Through History, From The Nautilus And Hunley To Modern Nuclear-Powered Submarines. London: Lorenz Books


Join us and a special guest speaker at the National Aquarium to get a behind the scenes tour geared towards sustainable seafood! Learn what Baltimore and the Chesapeake Bay are doing to help educate commercial fisherman and famers, distributors and local market owners. After the talk and tour, you will be able to explore the aquarium and see the tropical forest exhibits, watch the dolphin show, and see shark alley! all on the other side of the Inner Harbor just a short walk from the conference hotel.
Linking Landscape Heterogeneity and Socio-Environmental Systems
2017 Annual Meeting
Baltimore, MD | April 9-13, 2017


Sep 11, 2014
Three Humboldt State faculty members have received a $272,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to study the effects of low pH and low dissolved oxygen on marine organisms along the North Coast.
The researchers—Eric Bjorkstedt, Jeffrey Abell and Brian Tissot—will be looking at how low pH ocean acidification and low dissolved oxygen hypoxia impact the behavior, physiology and genetics of juvenile rockfish.
“While most research examines either low Ph or low dissolved oxygen, we will be examining the effects of both low Ph and low oxygen in various combinations,” says Tissot, director of HSU’s Marine Lab and the principal investigator on the grant.
Ocean acidification and hypoxia are emerging threats to marine ecosystems driven by growing concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere. Off the North Coast, brief exposures of low pH and low oxygen conditions occur naturally during extended, strong upwelling events. These conditions are expected to increase in frequency, duration, and intensity as climate change progresses.
“One concern is that greater exposure to low pH and hypoxia will put juvenile rockfish at risk of increased predation as they transition to benthic life in kelp forests and on rocky reefs,” says Bjorkstedt, a scientist with the NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service and an adjunct faculty member. “This is a critical stage in the life cycle, when increased predation can have strong effects on future abundance.”
The researchers will test the effects of exposure to acidified water and hypoxia on fishes’ swimming performance in flow tanks with progressively faster currents—a fish treadmill—as well as their ability to detect predators and exhibit escape behaviors. By identifying genetic effects—what genes are turned on and off during exposure to stressful conditions in the laboratory—researchers will have a tool for assessing whether low pH and hypoxia events are affecting juvenile rockfish in natural settings.
The HSU researchers will focus on juvenile rockfish since they’re both commercially and ecologically important in nearshore ecosystems. Their research—conducted in collaboration with Cal State Monterey Bay, NOAA Fisheries and Moss Landing Marine Labs—will be used as a model for other marine organisms.


Aerosol Characteristics over Bay of Bengal During W-ICARB Cruise Campaign
Detailed observations of aerosol optical and physical properties were carried out to study variability at the sea surface, along vertical profiles and total column during the Winter-Integrated Campaign on Aerosols, Gases and Radiation Budget (W-ICARB) from 27 December 2008 to 30 January 2009 in the Bay of Bengal (BoB). The results show large heterogeneity in aerosol load and characteristics; dominance of anthropogenic aerosols over the northern BoB, along the eastern Indian coast and in Far East BoB region and higher fraction of coarse-mode aerosols over the southern parts of BoB. The aerosols over the area are highly influenced by the Indian continental outflow and the biomass burning in the Southeast Asia. On the other hand, the larger fraction of coarse-mode aerosols over the southern BoB is closely associated with intense sea-surface winds producing coarse-mode sea-salt aerosols. The vertical profiles of aerosols obtained via CALIPSO data also exhibit considerable vertical heterogeneities.
KeywordsAerosol Optical Depth Aerosol Layer Spectral Aerosol Optical Depth CALIPSO Observation Indian Space Research Organization Geosphere Biosphere Program
The authors are thankful to Director, NRSC and Dy. Director (RS&GIS-AA) for necessary help at various stages and ISRO-GBP via W-ICARB project for funding support. We also thank the Department of Ocean Development for giving the opportunity to conduct measurements on board Sagar Kanya.
- Moorthy KK, Beegum SN, Babu SS, Smirnov A, Rachel SJ, Kumar KR, Narasimhulu K, Dutt C, Nair VS (2010) Optical and physical characteristics of Bay of Bengal aerosols during W-ICARB: spatial and vertical heterogeneities in the MABL and in the vertical column. J Geophys Res 115:D24213. doi: 10.1029/2010JD014094 CrossRefGoogle Scholar


Explore the underwater marvels of Costa Rica, from the coral reefs along Guanacaste’s coast to the nearby Caño Island. And let’s not forget the famous Coco’s Island.
Close to the shore, the water might not be as clear as other top diving spots worldwide. But, the diversity here is impressive. You’ll see large schools of fish, a variety of marine creatures, and enjoy the perfect water temperature.
For the avid divers, there’s Coco’s Island. Located two days from our Pacific Coast, this lush, green, uninhabited island lies 342 miles offshore. UNESCO recognized it as a World Heritage site in 1997. The rocky pinnacles around the island attract big sea animals and promise exciting encounters. You can see hammerheads, white-tip sharks, mantas, tuna, turtles, giant frogfish, and even whale sharks. Weather allowing, we also offer hikes through the island’s jungles. For diving at Coco’s Island, we recommend a 3-5 mm wetsuit. Get ready for seven days of unique diving with Team Tachiz. We’re all about creating unforgettable Diving Adventures of a Lifetime.
Write us now to start working on your dream Costa Rica Diving Adventure of a Lifetime. Once we speak and best understand your wishes and interests, we will send you a free fully-customizable detailed proposal with incredible accommodations, prices, special meals, choices of unique bilingual guided activities and more.


Locals have seen a massive increase in sea life since COVID cancelled cruising.
It was said not even God himself could sink that ship.
The industry met with Tourism Minister Stuart Nash.
All crew and passengers are vaccinated.
Ideal for when you're…. on a break.
He played the iconic Captain Merrill Stubing.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, cruise operators are still investing in the future.
The COVID-19 pandemic made more marine traffic disappear from the Carribbean than the Bermuda Triangle.


Leeuw, G. de
TNO Fysisch en Elektronisch Laboratorium
|Source:||Bissonnette, L.R., SPIE Proceedings - Propagation and Inaging through the Atmosphere II, 22-23 July 1998, San Diego, CA, 53-62|
|Proceedings of SPIE|
Physics · Bathymetry · Coastal zones · Energy dispersive spectroscopy · Mathematical models · Particle size analysis · Sea spray aerosols · Atmospheric aerosols
The first results are presented from a quantitative model describing the aerosol production in the surf zone. A comparison is made with aerosol produced in the surf zone as measured during EOPACE experiments in La Jolla and Monterey. The surf aerosol production was derived from aerosol concentration gradients measured downwind from the surf zone, after correction for the background size distribution that was measured upwind from the wave breaking zone. The aerosol production model was originally developed from measurements performed along the Baltic coast. The model predicts the aerosol production from the total energy dissipated in the wave breaking zone, calculated from the coastal bathymetry and deep-water surface wave field. In the present work, the parameterization of the aerosol production in the wave breaking zone is maintained, but the energy dissipation in the wave breaking zone is calculated using a different model that produces more realistic surf zone widths. Wave data were obtained from buoys off the Californian coast, while bathymetry data were supplied by the Scripps Institute of Oceanography. Observed and predicted aerosol production in the surf zone are in good agreement, for both sites. The predicted aerosol flux reproduces the day-to-day variations and even some of the observed variations on a time scale of several hours.


North Sea cod stocks are improving rapidly and could be certified as sustainable within five years, according to fresh analysis.
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Deforestation, erosion, and water pollution are among the most significant environmental problems in St. Kitts and Nevis. Deforestation has affected the nation's wildlife population and contributed to soil erosion. The erosion of the soil produces silt, which affects the living environment for marine life on the coral reefs.
Water pollution results from uncontrolled dumping of sewage into the nation's waters. Another contributing factor is pollution from cruise ships which support the nation's tourist trade. In an effort to establish a framework for the regulation of environmental issues, the government has introduced legislation. The National Conservation and Environmental Protection Act, along with the Letter Act, are aimed at monitoring the nation's most pressing environmental concerns.
Endangered species in the country include the red-bellied racer, green turtle, leatherback turtle, and the hawksbill turtle.


Feeding mainly on catfish, the beaked sea snake will also feed on pufferfish and occasionally other fish or squid species (2) (4) (7) (8). Prey is thought to be located by touch and by detecting movement, rather than by vision, allowing the beaked sea snake to hunt in low-visibility waters (4) (8). Prey is swallowed whole, head first (7), after first being overcome by the snake’s powerful venom (3).
Sea snakes are among the most venomous of the world’s snakes (3), and the beaked sea snake is one of the most dangerous (1) (2). Most sea snakes rarely bite, and often do not inject much venom when they do, but this species is more aggressive than most (2). Just 1.5 milligrams of the beaked sea snake’s venom is enough to kill a human, with a full dose estimated to be enough to kill 22 people. Most fatalities from beaked sea snake bites occur where it frequently comes into contact with humans, such as in shallow estuaries or when it is removed from fishing nets (1) (4).
The beaked sea snake mates in September and October, and breeding is likely to be annual (8). Female sea snakes give birth to relatively large, live young, and this species produces the largest litter of any sea snake, giving birth to an average of 18 young, but sometimes up to 30 or more (3) (4). Mortality of young beaked sea snakes is likely to be high (4) (9), but those that survive grow rapidly. Maturity is reached at around 18 months, the female usually giving birth to the first clutch of young at around 24 months (9).


Say No To Bottom Trawling: A Damaging & Wasteful Fishing Technique Bottom Trawling: How Does It Impact The Environment? Bottom trawling is a fishing technique whereby the net is towed along the seafloor to trap and catch [...]
Mutual respect between teachers, students and parents is important for a better future of our education system.
Mutual respect & understanding towards other religions for a better world.
Stop the Hatred, Spread the Love Our Prayers go to all the victims Christchurch Attack


Short Neck Clam
The short-neck clam Mesodesma indicum Lamarck, 1818 is a commercially valuable bivalve mollusc of the brackishwater Ashtamudi Lake in Kerala. It has been exploited indiscriminately and heavily by local fishermen for many years. The size composition of M. indicum population from various locations in this lake was studied by collecting samples twice a day at two m depth. Age-determination of M. indicum was undertaken by examination of mantle margin, shell thickness, and the growth lines in the shells obtained from both natural and cultured populations.
The minimum legal size (MLS) for Mesodesma indicum is 225 mm long, 125 mm wide and 30 mm thick. Samples of these molluscs were examined microscopically to study the variation in shell characters between males and females, within the same length class.
Recently, the Muscula genus of bivalve molluscs (Family: Veneridae) has been reported for the first time from Kerala. The brackishwater Ashtamudi Lake is an estuarine ecosystem extending to about. It contains 39 species of bivalves and gastropods. Eleven species are Terebratulidae, 6 species are Cyrenidae, 6 species are Corbiculidae, 4 species are Hiatellidae, 3 species each of the genera Dreissena and Anadara, 2 species each of the genrea Arca and Cerastoderma. Two species are the genera Solen, Muscula, Pisidium, and My sinum. Only one species was reported in the genus Galeodea, Seila, and Lucinoma.
The genus M uscula is comprised of two species viz., M. galloprovincialis and M. perna . The former has a broad distribution range in the Indo-West Pacific region. Whereas the latter has a narrow distribution range in European waters, the Mediterranean Sea, and southwards along the west coast of Africa to South Africa. M. galloprovincialis is more frequently found in the soft bottoms of the coastal waters, whereas M. perna prefers hard surfaces with low salinity levels.
However, recently both these species have been reported from the brackishwater Ashtamudi Lake which has a salinity level below 9 ppt, without being able to establish their exact distributional ranges.
Additionally, the prevalence of M. galloprovincialis has been reported in a coastal region in south Ceylon and has been considered as a serious invasive species because it competes with the local mussel population which could bring about a fundamental change in the marine ecosystem. To corroborate the present findings, an ongoing field survey on the benthic fauna of Ashtamudi Lake is ongoing.
The possible biological requirements of M. galloprovincialis and M. perna in Ashtamudi Lake are discussed with reference to their distribution patterns reported from other coastlines around the world. The economic and ecological impact of the M. galloprovincialis and M. perna on Ashtamudi Lake are also discussed.
Global short neck clam production
The short-neck clam is a type of bivalve mollusk that is found in marine environments all over the world. These clams are harvested for their meat, which is considered to be a delicacy in many cultures. The short-neck clam is also known by its scientific name, Tapes philipinarum.
Short-neck clams are found in a wide range of habitats, from shallow waters to depths of over 1,000 meters. They are most commonly found in sandy or muddy substrates. Short-neck clams can also be found in estuarine and brackish waters.
The short-neck clam is a filter feeder, meaning that it feeds by filtering water through its gills. This process captures small particles of food, which the clam then ingests. Short-neck clams are known to eat a variety of food items, including algae, bacteria, and other small organisms.
Short-neck clams are harvested for their meat, which is considered to be a delicacy in many cultures. In Japan, short-neck clams are used in a dish called hamaguri soup. This soup is traditionally made with chicken broth and vegetables, and the addition of short-neck clams gives the soup a unique flavor.
In the United States, short-neck clams are most commonly found in New England. They are harvested from the wild and are also farmed in aquaculture facilities. Short-neck clams can be found fresh, frozen, or canned.
The short-neck clam is an important species in the global seafood industry. In 2018, the global production of short-neck clams was estimated to be worth over $1 billion. The majority of these clams are harvested in China, Japan, and Korea.


|Publications | Institutes | Persons | Datasets | Projects | Maps|
OCEAMM harbor porpoise sightings in the North Sea
Bouveroux, T., Kot, C. 2011. OCEAMM harbor porpoise sightings in the North Sea. Observatoire pour la Conservation et l'Etude des Animaux et Milieux Marins (OCEAMM).
Contact: Bouveroux, Thibaut
Other online datasets:
Availability: This dataset is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
In this study, systematic surveys were conducted to document the distribution of the harbor porpoise observed in the English Channel (North Sea, France). more
Small cetaceans can use a variety of habitats and are generally wide-ranging. For this reason, extensive sighting surveys to assess their distribution, abundance, and habitat preference are needed. In this study, we conducted systematic surveys to document the distribution of the harbor porpoise observed in the English Channel (North Sea, France). The English Channel is an epicontinental sea. It constitutes a relatively narrow link between the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea and is influenced by strong tides and freshwater inputs, which create well-mixed waters. The harbor porpoise is placed under Appendix II of the European Union Habitats Directive, and an assessment of his status and distribution in the English Channel, very exposed to human activities, is much needed to identify conservation and management strategies. Therefore, we conducted surveys following a series of predetermined saw-tooth transect lines to study the distribution of the harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). Boat transects were conducted using a Sealine Stateman 35, equipped with two 230 hp Volvo inboard engines at speed around 10 knots. Surveys were made as many days as possible throughout the season at sea state of Beaufort 3 or less, between March 2009 and September 2011. For each animal sighting, the species, angle of sighting, the distance from the boat, the group size and composition, the general behavior and the swimming direction were recorded.
Biology > Mammals
Marine, Cetacea, Marine mammals, Porpoises, ANE, Belgium, Belgian Continental Shelf (BCS), ANE, English Channel, Cetacea, Phocoena phocoena (Linnaeus, 1758)
ANE, Belgium, Belgian Continental Shelf (BCS) [Marine Regions]
18 March 2009 - 3 September 2011
Dataset status: Completed
Data type: Data
Data origin: Research: field survey
Metadatarecord created: 2012-05-14
Information last updated: 2012-06-12


Satellite imaging has revolutionized the way we monitor and detect algal blooms. Algal blooms are a natural phenomenon that occur when algae grow excessively in water bodies. While some algal blooms are harmless, others can be toxic and pose a threat to human and animal health. The detection and monitoring of algal blooms are crucial for managing their impact on the environment and public health.
Satellite imaging is a powerful tool for detecting and monitoring algal blooms. It allows scientists to track the growth and movement of algal blooms over large areas and long periods. This technology has been used to detect and monitor algal blooms in lakes, rivers, and oceans around the world.
One of the main advantages of satellite imaging is its ability to provide a comprehensive view of algal blooms. Traditional methods of algal bloom detection, such as water sampling and laboratory analysis, are limited in their scope and accuracy. Satellite imaging, on the other hand, can cover large areas and provide real-time data on the extent and severity of algal blooms.
Satellite imaging also allows scientists to track the movement of algal blooms. Algal blooms can be transported by wind and water currents, and their movement can be difficult to predict. Satellite imaging can provide valuable information on the direction and speed of algal bloom movement, which can help in predicting their impact on coastal communities and ecosystems.
Another advantage of satellite imaging is its ability to detect algal blooms in remote areas. Traditional methods of algal bloom detection require physical access to the water body, which can be difficult in remote areas. Satellite imaging can detect algal blooms in even the most remote areas, providing valuable information on the health of aquatic ecosystems.
Satellite imaging can also provide information on the environmental factors that contribute to algal bloom formation. Algal blooms are often caused by an excess of nutrients in the water, such as nitrogen and phosphorus. Satellite imaging can provide data on the concentration of these nutrients in the water, as well as other environmental factors such as temperature and light levels. This information can help scientists understand the conditions that lead to algal bloom formation and develop strategies for preventing them.
In addition to detection and monitoring, satellite imaging can also be used to assess the impact of algal blooms on the environment and public health. Algal blooms can have a range of impacts, from reducing oxygen levels in the water to causing respiratory problems in humans and animals. Satellite imaging can provide data on the extent and severity of these impacts, which can help in developing strategies for mitigating their effects.
Overall, satellite imaging plays a crucial role in identifying and monitoring algal blooms. Its ability to provide a comprehensive view of algal blooms, track their movement, and detect them in remote areas makes it an invaluable tool for managing their impact on the environment and public health. As technology continues to advance, satellite imaging will likely become an even more important tool in the fight against algal blooms.


The elusive Cuvier’s beaked whale, already known for its prowess as a diver, turns out to have even more staying power than scientists thought.
|The Cuvier's beaked whale, whose deep dives can last an hour or more, typically spends only minutes at the sea surface before plunging back underwater. Credit: Todd Pusser/NPL|
The champion diver among whales can stay underwater for more than 3½ hours — an unparalleled diving record for any mammal.
Cuvier's beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris), which live in deep waters around the world, are capable of reaching depths of almost 3,000 metres when hunting for squid and other food. Scientists had previously estimated that these whales could hold their breath for around 30 minutes before exhausting their oxygen store. But observations among Cuvier’s whales foraging off the coast of North Carolina suggest they can dive for far longer.
Nicola Quick at Duke University in Beaufort, North Carolina, and her team fastened satellite-linked tags on 23 whales and obtained records from almost 3,700 deep dives over a 5-year period. The data reveal that the median duration of foraging dives was around a full hour, before the animal returned to the surface to recover.
One individual made two extreme dives of 2 hours 57 minutes, and 3 hours 42 minutes, respectively, which might represent the true limit of the species’ extraordinary diving capacity, the researchers say


BANKS, shoals (EN: banks; DE: Banken; FR: bancs; ES: bancos; RU: банки) are
1) The underwater shoals and barriers, which have emerged as the consequence of the deposition of sand or silt by water, or as the result of the life activity of the benthic reef-building organisms, namely, corals, brachiopods, mollusks, algae. The banks may be the elements of the residual relief of the dry land, and within the oceans of the volcanic or coral origin. Depending on the genesis and forming material, they distinguish the sandy, corally, shelly, stony, and other banks. The sandy banks can change their outlines and situation under the influence of the currents. There are named as banks also the clusters of the fossil shells within the sedimentary rocks (biostells).
2) The ore filling of the hose-like shape, which is parallel to the stratification (according to K. I. Bogdanovich, 1913).
3) The large ducts within the delta of the Volga river, which are flowing into the Caspian sea, and are having the continuation on the sea bottom (the term of the local significance).
|A a||B b||C c||D d||E e||F f|
|G g||H h||I i||J j||K k||L l|
|M m||N n||O o||P p||Q q||R r|
|S s||T t||U u||V v||W w||X x|
|Y y||Z z|


National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.
Temporary Rule; decrease of landing limit.
This action decreases the Georges Bank (GB) yellowtail flounder trip limit to 2,500 lb (1,134 kg) for Northeast (NE) multispecies days-at-sea (DAS) vessels fishing in the U.S./Canada Management Area. This action is authorized by the regulations implementing Amendment 13 to the NE Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP) and is intended to decrease the likelihood of harvest exceeding the total allowable catch (TAC) for GB yellowtail flounder during the 2009 fishing year (FY). This action is being taken to optimize the harvest of transboundary stocks of GB yellowtail flounder, haddock, and cod under the authority of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).
Effective June 5, 2009, through April 30, 2010.Start Further Info
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Douglas Potts, Fishery Policy Analyst, (978) 281-9341, fax (978) 281-9135.End Further Info End Preamble Start Supplemental Information
Regulations governing the GB yellowtail flounder landing limit within the U.S./Canada Management Area are found at 50 CFR 648.85(a)(3)(iv)(C) and (D). The regulations authorize vessels issued a valid limited access NE multispecies permit and fishing under a NE multispecies DAS to fish in the U.S./Canada Management Area, as defined at § 648.85(a)(1), under specified conditions. The TAC for GB yellowtail flounder for the 2009 fishing year (May 1, 2009 —April 30, 2010) was set at 1,617 mt (3,564,774 lb) (74 FR 17030; April 13, 2009), a 17-percent decrease from the TAC for FY 2008. The same regulatory action for FY 2009 implemented a trip limit of 5,000 lb (2,268 kg) for GB yellowtail flounder, less than the default initial trip limit of 10,000 lb (4,536 kg). A 5,000 lb (2,268 kg) trip limit was implemented based on data from FY 2008, in order to allow harvesting of the TAC, and to minimize the likelihood that further restriction of catch rate through additional trip limits would be necessary.
The regulations at § 648.85(a)(3)(iv)(D) authorize the Administrator, Northeast (NE) Region, NMFS (Regional Administrator) to increase or decrease the trip limits in the U.S./Canada Management Area to prevent over-harvesting or under-harvesting the TAC allocation. According to the most recent Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) reports and other available information, the cumulative GB yellowtail flounder catch is approximately 16 percent of the TAC as of May 21, 2009. Of this total, approximately half is , I sattributed to fish that have been discarded at sea. A previous analysis of fishing behaviour in fishing year 2007, found that vessels that fished in the U.S./Canada Management Area were more likely to direct effort onto species other than yellowtail flounder when the yellowtail flounder possession limit dropped below 5,000 lb (2,268 kg) per trip. Therefore, decreasing the trip limit from 5,000 lb (2,268 kg) to 2,500 lb (1,134 kg) is expected to reduce the number of trips made to the Western U.S./Canada Area to target yellowtail flounder, decrease landings of yellowtail flounder without increasing discards, and result in the achievement of the TAC during the fishing year without exceeding it. Attainment of the TAC prior to the end of the fishing year results in the loss of yield of other stocks caught concurrently with yellowtail flounder. Based on this information, the Regional Administrator is decreasing the current 5,000 lb (2,268 kg) yellowtail flounder trip limit in the U.S./Canada Management Area to 2,500 lb (1,134 kg) per trip, through April 30, 2010.
GB yellowtail flounder landings will continue to be closely monitored. Further inseason adjustment to increase or decrease the trip limit may be considered, based on updated catch data and projections. Should 100 percent of the TAC allocation for GB yellowtail flounder by projected to be caught, all vessels would be prohibited from harvesting, possessing, or landing yellowtail flounder from the entire U.S./Canada Management Area, and the Eastern U.S./Canada Area would be closed to limited access NE multispecies DAS vessels for the remainder of the fishing year.
This action is authorized by 50 CFR part 648 and is exempt from review under Executive Order 12866. Pursuant to 5 U.S.C 553(b)(3)(B) and (d)(3), there is good cause to waive prior notice and comment for public comment; as well as the delayed effectiveness for this action, because prior notice and comment, and a delayed effectiveness, would be impracticable and contrary to the public interest. The regulations under § 648.85(a)(3)(iv)(D) grant the Regional Administrator the authority to adjust the GB yellowtail flounder trip limit to prevent over-harvesting or underharvesting the TAC allocation. This action will implement a more restrictive trip limit for yellowtail flounder in order to ensure that the TAC is not overharvested, and the biological and economic objectives of the FMP are met.
It is important to take this action immediately because, based on current data and a projection, continuation of the status quo trip limit of 5,000 lb (2,268 kg) will result reaching the GB yellowtail flounder TAC prior to the end of the fishing year. Attainment of the TAC prior to the end of the fishing year on April 30, 2010 (and closure of the Eastern U.S./Canada Area) would result in the loss of yield of other valuable species caught in the Eastern U.S./Canada Area.
The information that is the basis for this action is recent catch data. The time necessary to provide for prior notice and comment, and delayed effectiveness for this action would prevent NMFS from implementing a reduced trip limit in a timely manner. A resulting delay in the curtailment of catch rate of GB yellowtail flounder may cause closure of the Eastern U.S./Canada Area early in FY 2009. Such a closure would result in less revenue for the fishing industry and be counter to the objective of optimal yield.
The Regional Administrator's authority to decrease trip limits for GB yellowtail flounder in the U.S./Canada Management Area to help ensure that the shared U.S./Canada stocks of fish are harvested, but not exceeded, was considered and open to public comment during the development of Amendment 13 to the FMP and Framework Adjustment 42 to the FMP. Therefore, any negative effect the waiving of public comment and delayed effectiveness may have on the public is mitigated by these factors.Start Signature
Dated: June 3, 2009.
Kristen C. Koch,
Acting Director, Office of Sustainable Fisheries, National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. E9-13347 Filed 6-3-09; 4:15 pm]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-S


"You know how muddy it is there — how could there possibly be a reef there?” she recalled thinking.
Nevertheless, Yager, a marine science professor at the University of Georgia, helped the fellow researcher, Rodrigo Moura of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, get the equipment he needed to dredge the sea floor. What he pulled up astonished them both: vibrant corals, brittle stars, sponges, spiny lobsters and an array of fish. The find, reported Friday in the journal Science Advances, covers about 3,700 square miles off the coasts of French Guiana and northern Brazil — all where scientists had assumed corals just couldn't grow.
“This is something totally new and different from what is present in any other part of the globe,” Fabiano Thompson, an oceanographer at the Federal University in Rio, told Smithsonian magazine. “But until now, it’s been almost completely overlooked.”
The find comes at a time when reefs worldwide are under immense stress. Last week, a task force in Australia reported that 93 percent of the Great Barrier Reef has suffered at least some bleaching. The warming of oceans because of climate change and El Niño have weakened the world's coral for months, scientists say, causing damage from Hawaii to the Indian Ocean.
But the ecosystem at the mouth of the Amazon seemed to be doing well, despite the muddy water there blocking much sunlight from reaching the reef. In the northern part of the plume, where the sea floor is shielded from sunlight much of the year, sponges and carnivorous creatures dominated. In the sunnier south, colorful corals — which depend on a symbiotic relationship with photosynthetic algae and reef-building organisms called polyps — became more common.
All told, the researchers in Brazil found 61 species of sponge, 73 types of fish, 35 species of algae, 26 soft corals, 12 stony corals and more. Dozens of those are thought to be previously undiscovered species.
Their existence demonstrates that reefs can thrive even in suboptimal conditions, Moura and his colleagues wrote. Although the Brazilian reef is less diverse than the vast, colorful cities of ocean life that spring up in the crystalline waters of a place such as Australia or Belize, it is still a successful ecosystem. Studying it could give insight into how corals survive when circumstances aren't in their favor.
But the mouth of the Amazon is likely to become even less hospitable to sun-seeking marine life, the researchers note.
“In the past decade, a total of 80 exploratory blocks have been acquired for oil drilling in the study region, 20 of which are already producing,” the study authors wrote. “... Such large-scale industrial activities present a major environmental challenge."
High levels of fishing in the area also pose a threat to the reef, Yager told the L.A. Times. And since environmental-impact assessments were conducted before the reef was discovered, it's not clear how much damage drilling and fishing might cause.
“Isn’t that always the case?" she said. "You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone.”


The capture of the short-beaked garfish,Belone svetovidovi Collette & Parin 1970, off the Cornish coast is of particular interest in that it represents an easterly extension to the known range of this species in the eastern North Atlantic, and the first record in British waters.
In August 1990 seven garfish were angled, on mackerel bait, in Mount's Bay, Cornwall. The captor, Mr A.C. Cass, believing the garfish to be different from the common garfish,Belone belone (L.), sent the largest one to the laboratory of the Marine Biological Association for identification. The specimen was provisionally identified as the short-beaked garfish B. svetovidovi and later verified by one of us (A.W.). The other six specimens were not available for examination.
Garfish, sometimes called needlefishes, have elongated bodies. Both upper and lower jaws are long and beak-like, with sharp teeth. They are epipelagic, feeding near the surface and are often observed leaping and skittering over the surface of the water. Only two species are recorded in the genus Belone in the north-eastern Atlantic.Belone belone (including subspecies) is commonly found off the European Atlantic coast as far north as Trondheim, Norway. It is also found in the North Sea, the southern Baltic seas, the Mediterranean and Black Sea where it is commercially exploited (Collette & Parin, 1986).Belone svetovidovi has only recently been distinguished from B. belone, and consequently its abundance and distribution are less well known. It was first identified in northern European waters by Dorman (1984,1987) from southern Ireland.


San Francisco Bay’s water level is expected to rise over the coming decades. Even using the moderate estimates of three feet over the next eighty years, the resulting damage could resemble the recent hurricane-caused havoc on the East Coast.
Scientists estimate the cost in the Bay Area of a major rainstorm plus a three foot rise in the Bay’s water at $70 billion, with losses to homes, businesses, and critical public infrastructure like roads and wastewater treatment plants. Flooding could reach more than 1,000 industrial sites around the Bay’s shoreline and release toxic pollutants from these contaminated lands into the Bay. Toxins in the water would harm wildlife, including millions of migratory birds, and make recreation on and in the Bay dangerous.
Recreational opportunities around the Bay would also be scarcer, because sea level rise would shrink existing shoreline parks. San Francisco’s Crissy Field may completely erode away. Trails at parks like Martin Luther King Jr. Shoreline in East Bay and Don Edwards Wildlife Refuge in South Bay could become flooded and inaccessible.
Impacts like these can be averted, but it will take bold action now. Baykeeper has some recommendations:
Wetlands, not seawalls. Wetlands are the Bay Area’s best defense against sea level rise. They soften waves, provide a buffer against flooding, filter pollutants from water, and stabilize shorelines. But wetlands need tidal action, with time above and below water each day. Wetlands won’t survive if rising seas submerge them continuously.
To preserve the Bay’s wetlands, Bay Area leaders need to make sure that no more are destroyed by development. Another fix is to halt excessive sand mining from the Bay floor. If too much sand isn’t removed, the Bay’s sand will naturally wash up on wetlands, and help raise them.
Dredging practices in the Bay also need to be modernized. Right now, clean mud and sediment is dredged up to keep shipping channels open, then dumped far out in the ocean. That clean sediment should instead be used to build up and restore Bay wetlands. And if there’s undeveloped land adjacent to wetlands, it should be protected from development. As tides rise onto the formerly dry land, wetland plants and animals can migrate uphill, if there’s room.
Preserving wetlands is a much better strategy than concrete seawalls. A higher, stronger seawall on one part of the shoreline can increase flooding elsewhere on the shoreline.
More green infrastructure. Green infrastructure along shorelines and in urban areas can also help protect against sea level rise, by providing flood protection and filtering pollutants. Examples include planted areas along sidewalks and permeable pavements. Green infrastructure provides additional benefits by greening neighborhoods and recharging groundwater for use in future droughts.
Coordinated region-wide planning. Most importantly, communities around the Bay Area cannot tackle sea level rise in a piecemeal way. The Bay Area needs coordinated regional planning that protects the ecosystem, economy, and communities. And a top priority is to regionally identify the more than 1,000 industrial sites along the shoreline that could release toxic pollution into the Bay when flooded. Coordinated, expedited cleanup of these sites, starting with the most dangerous sites first, will help prevent harmful pollution from getting into the Bay and hurting wildlife and people.
For more about how the Bay Area can meet the huge challenge of sea level rise in San Francisco Bay, visit Baykeeper’s new ShoreView website. ShoreView is a Google Impact Challenge Grant project. It includes Street View-style images of the Bay shoreline, plus maps of toxic industrial sites around the Bay and of shoreline areas at risk of being underwater.
Photo of Bay Bridge approach durng the year's highest tides by Robb Most.


1960s: Oysters fall into the water. Two men operate dredge inside boat full with oysters on the deck.
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When it comes to keeping invasive species out of the Great Lakes, ballast water has long been seen as the bad guy.
Ballast is the water that oceangoing ships carry into the lakes, and scientists say it carries a host of unwanted organisms that can foul Michigan waters and choke out natural plants and fish.
But new studies suggest it’s not the only way potentially dangerous stowaways can hitch a ride.
Researchers are now turning their microscopes on another area of those ships — the hull — as a possible entry point for invasive species into the lakes.
The mass of plants, algae and organisms that latch on to ships beneath the water line — called biofouling — may contain life-forms that could be harmful to Great Lakes. It’s a potential problem that has received little attention from legislators and conservationists, who have focused on ballast water bills now before Congress.
Biofouling for years has been considered a second-tier concern in the fight against invasive species because organisms coming into the Great Lakes from the Atlantic Ocean are thought to thrive only in saltwater. The presumption was that exposure to the lakes’ freshwater would kill them off.
But in one of the first examinations of biofouling on an oceanic/Great Lakes vessel, samples from a single ship produced more life-forms than expected. Those samples, taken by two California-based researchers and analyzed over the past several years, found eight species that previously had not been seen in the Great Lakes.
“Overall invasion risk from biofouling may be comparable or exceed that of ballast water discharge,” concluded researchers John Drake and David Lodge, of the Santa Barbara, Ca.-based Environmental National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis.
“This finding implies that even if policies aimed at ballast water and sediment discharge are successful, future invasions may continue at a high rate unless biofouling is also addressed.”
Hull fouling has been identified as “the next big issue on the national scale now that (fixes for) ballast water have been created,” said Dave Reid, a senior physical scientist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory in Ann Arbor.
“In the Great Lakes right now, it’s a question of how big an issue it should be. There is little known about it.”
Similar studies are under way in the Northwest. Ian Davidson, a researcher with Portland State University and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, has taken hull samples off ships that cruise the Columbia River in Oregon — a waterway that, like the Great Lakes system, can be accessed from the ocean.
“It is much harder to do sampling for hull fouling than for ballast water,” Davidson said, because of difficulties researchers face in getting access to ships and docks. “But we need to determine how serious a threat fouling is as a vector for invasive species.”


June 15 is
National Lobster Day
Most people don’t encounter lobsters except for an occasional tank at the supermarket or in a toasty buttered bun. But these humble crustaceans have a special place here at the New England Aquarium and in New England lore. On National Lobster Day today, let’s meet some of these handsome critters—and not just the American lobsters you may be thinking of!
When we talk about lobsters, the image that pops into a New Englander’s head is probably the American lobster. These are the mottled brownish critters that are a delicacy on dinner plates. You’ll find them in North Atlantic waters from Canada through North Carolina, and they can get as big as 40 pounds! The big guy in our Boulder Reef display in the Gulf of Maine exhibit is around 20 pounds. Genetic mutations cause these creatures to come in a variety of hues, including blue, orange, and even split half-and-half. Shell color can also be determined by diet, as is the case with some of the baby lobsters in our Blue Planet Action Center nursery with bluish shells.
Take a walk around the Aquarium to see if you can spot these American lobsters in our cold water exhibits!
The Caribbean spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) can be found from North Carolina and Bermuda south to Brazil—and in the Aquarium’s Blue Hole exhibit. They are about a foot long, though they can grow to be longer than 3 feet and weigh 15 pounds in the wild! Caribbean spiny lobsters are one of approximately 30 different spiny lobster species found in tropical and subtropical waters around the world. Unlike the American lobster, they lack large claws and have spines covering their body for protection. Like their American lobster cousins, Caribbean spiny lobsters have long antennae on the front of their carapaces for defense.
One of the more unusual lobsters at the Aquarium is the slipper lobster. See if you can spot them crawling on or hiding in the coral habitat in the frogfish exhibit in the Yawkey Coral Reef Center at the top of the Giant Ocean Tank. Slipper lobsters look very different from the other lobsters at the Aquarium, and actually they’re not considered true lobsters. They have enlarged antennae, which project forward from the head as wide plates.
Spending some time with the lobsters at the Aquarium is just one way to enjoy National Lobster Day. If you choose to celebrate with some lobster on your dinner plate, please look for sustainably caught seafood and help protect our blue planet!


Legacy Plastic: 100% Post-Consumer Plastic Pellet From Shoreline, Ocean and Used Marine Gear
PRESS RELEASE December 14th, 2021
OCEAN LEGACY PRODUCES FIRST COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE 100% POST-CONSUMER PLASTIC PELLET IN NORTH AMERICA FROM SHORELINE, OCEAN AND USED MARINE GEAR
Ocean Legacy has produced the first commercially available plastic pellet in North America made from 100% recycled plastic collected during ocean, shoreline, and marine equipment cleanup. Legacy Plastic™ is a watershed in addressing the ocean plastic crisis.
“We are very excited to now be able to produce recycled plastic pellets (Legacy Plastic™) from ocean, shoreline and marine equipment materials for brands to incorporate into their products,” announces co-founder Chloé Dubois. Legacy Plastic™ is comprised of fishing rope, buoys, floats, oyster trays and other plastic debris collected from cleanup activities and reprocessed to create a high-grade, 100% recycled plastic pellet to be used in the manufacturing of new durable products.
With the introduction of Legacy Plastic™, companies are now able to source marine plastics for use in their products, creating a closed-loop system for these materials. “I am excited to support the gathering of plastic from our beaches that we can recycle into paddles or other items to be used by paddlers who love the water they paddle in,” explains Tim Niemier, founder of Ocean Kayak and Origami Paddler. “As a business owner and a human, I feel that it is my responsibility to help leave our paddling environment cleaner than when we started paddling there. This project is great because it cleans the environment and makes recycling commercially profitable, which means that it can be economically sustainable.”
Examples of commercial fishing rope and the resulting Legacy Plastic™.
“Canada has become a leader in the global effort to eliminate and prevent ghost gear pollution in our oceans. Through our Ghost Gear Program, we’re working with incredible organizations like Ocean Legacy, to protect and regenerate our marine ecosystems by removing this harmful waste.” explains The Honourable Joyce Murray, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard. “I am so inspired by the tremendous work done so far, and I look forward to more progress as we work together to tackle ghost gear in Canada and abroad.”
“We are looking to partner with leading brands in the fight to address the ocean plastic crisis,” explains Gil Yaron, Director of Sales and Marketing for Ocean Legacy. By using Legacy Plastic™, companies become part of a market for ocean plastic that will drive its recovery and prevent used marine gear from making its way into the world’s oceans.
For more information about Legacy Plastic™ and to obtain product samples, please visit www.legacyplastic.ca and contact:
Gil Yaron, Director, Sales and Marketing
DOWNLOAD THIS PRESS RELEASE: Legacy Plastic Press Release- FINAL


Vol. 46, n.4, December 2005
pp. 329 - 344
A Mediterranean and Black Sea oceanographic database and network
The MEDAR Group
C. Maillard, M. Fichaut, G. Maudire, C. Coatanoan, Ifremer, Centre de Brest, France.
E. Balopoulos, A. Iona, A. Lykiardopoulos, P. Karagevrekis, Hnodc, Anavyssos, Greece.
J.-M. Beckers, M. Rixen, Gher, Univ. de Liege, BE4000, Liege, Belgium.
M.-J. Garcia, Ieo, Madrid, Spain.
B.B. Manca, A. Giorgetti, A. Mosetti, OGS, Trieste, Italy.
N. Mikhailov, E. Vyazilov, A. Kuznetsov, N. Puzova, Rihmi-wdc, Obninsk, Russia.
R. Boukortt, B. Boudjellal, N. Eddalia, Ismal, Alger, Algeria.
H. Dooley, Ices, Copenhague, K, Denmark.
A. Drago, Pou/Um, Msida, Malta.
S. El-agami, Enodc/Niof, Alexandria, Egypt.
G. Kortchev, Inst. Meteo. Hydrology, Sofia, Bulgaria.
I. Gertman, Y. Tsehtik, Iolr., Haifa, Israel.
S. Lakkis, Ncmr, Batroun, Lebanon.
G. Manzella, Enea-cram, La Spezia, Italy.
I. Oliounine, Unesco/Coi/Ioc, Paris, France.
A. Orbi, J. Larissi, S. Zizah, Inrh, Casablanca, Morocco.
M. Ozyalvac, F. Berkay, Hs/Tn, Istanbul, Turkey.
N. Pinardi, M. Zavatarelli, Laboratorio Sincem, University of Bologna, Italy.
A. Suvorov, A. Khaliulin, Mhi, Sevastopol, Ukraine.
G. Zodiatis, Cynodc/Dfmr, Nicosia, Cyprus.
K. Bilashvili, Z. Savaneli, Nocg/Ug, Tbilisi, Georgia.
V. Dadic, Iof, Split, Croatia.
V. Diaconu, Ircm, Constanta, Romania.
R. Gelfeld, Wdca, Noaa, Silver Spring, Usa.
C. Sammari, Instm, Salammbo, Tunisia.
Received April 8, 2003; accepted October 29, 2004
The basic characteristics of a large multi-parameter ocean database for the Mediterranean and the Black Sea are described. The database has been developed through close cooperation between National Oceanographic Data Centres (NODCs) of IOC/UNESCO and specialized marine research institutes, within the framework of the MEDAR/MEDATLAS Concerted Action, supported by the European Union (EU). The data used in developing the database have been collected by about 150 scientific laboratories from 33 countries and consist of vertical profiles of in-situ temperature, salinity and bio-chemical parameters. In all, the database includes 285 879 qualified hydrographic stations of mechanical bathythermographs (MBT), expendable bathythermographs (XBT), CTDs and bottle casts. As regards the studied regions, these data increase (almost double) the volume of the ocean data made available to the user community greatly, when compared to earlier initiatives. They are published on a set of four Cd-roms, which include other products such as a Cruise Inventory, a Climatological Atlas of gridded numerical fields with vertical sections, maps (static and animated to illustrate the annual cycle), as well as, a selection and visualisation software. Although there are still some gaps before a complete data service can be provided, this important concerted action has contributed in developing data management standards and methods, in drawing attention to the necessity of acquiring professional data archiving systems and, finally, in increasing data and information circulation on the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.
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Our Changing World for Thursday 5 March 2009
Life in the deep ocean
The deep sea is the largest biome on the planet. Deep-sea ecosystems have the largest biomass and largest undiscovered biodiversity of any of the world's biomes. Deep-water fisheries in New Zealand's large Exclusive Economic Fishing zone are worth tens of millions of dollars each year, and include deep-sea fish such as orange roughy, hoki and oreo dories. These fisheries have traditionally been managed as single species, but there is a recent recognition that sustainable fisheries management needs to take into account the whole ecosystem.
Matthew Jones' (pictured on the left) work is part of a new effort to understand the complexity of the deep-sea ecosystem, and focuses on the feeding interactions between predators and prey, and between commercial and non-commercial species. His work has identified about 40 new species, including a new species of cat shark.
This viper fish has a large bite mark on its back: it was found inside the stomach of another deep sea fish, and in turn its stomach contained yet another, smaller fish. Images: Alison Ballance
Victoria University's new Coastal Ecology Laboratory in Island Bay, Wellington. Image: Jeff Shima
The offspring of most coastal marine organisms - fish and invertebrates - develop in offshore waters for long periods of time. During this time, the young can travel large distances and may never return to their natal stretch of coast or reef. Instead, they may join more distant populations - and this process is what marine ecologists call population connectivity.
Jeff Shima, an ecologist at Victoria University (pictured above with PhD student Anna Smith; image: Elizabeth Connor), says population connectivity underpins the population dynamics and evolution of most marine species, determines the efficacy of marine reserve designs, and influences the response of natural systems to external effects, including pollution, invasive species, climatic anomalies, and fishing.
With funding from the Royal Society of New Zealand's Marsden Fund, he and his research team use the commonly found triplefin (pictured on the right; image: Shane Geange) as a model species and they analyse the ear bone (otolith) of juvenile fish for "environmental fingerprints" as markers of their geographic origin.
A juvenile snapper near biogenic habitat made up of soft corals attached to a horse mussel. Image: Kerry Webster
Snapper is New Zealand's largest recreational fishery, and one of the country's largest coastal commercial fisheries with an annual export value of $32 million (2008). But in recent years some stocks have failed to recover from historical overfishing, with some commercial catch quotas for snapper being cut recently to protect the species.
NIWA scientists have discovered that nearly all snapper on the west coast of the North Island come from nurseries in just one harbour. In 2003, they collected juvenile snapper (pictured on the right; image: Crispin Middleton, NIWA) from seven estuaries along the west coast of the North Island. By testing their ear bones (otoliths) for eight different chemical elements, scientists were able to create a 'chemical signature' to identify which estuary the fish came from. They found that 98 percent of the adult snapper were originally juveniles from Kaipara Harbour. NIWA Fisheries Ecologist Mark Morrison says these findings show how fragile some New Zealand snapper and other coastal fish stocks could be.
Antarctic sea ice
The University of Otago team at work out on the sea ice.
There are three types of ice on Antarctica. The ice sheets are the thickest (up to 4km) and cover the entire continent. Ice shelves are giant slabs of floating ice that stretch out across bays along Antarctica's coast. Sea ice is the blanket of ice that forms around Antarctica when the ocean freezes during winter.
This annual change from dark ocean to white ice plays an important role in global climate, reflecting light from the sun back out into space and influencing how heat and moisture are exchanged between the ocean and atmosphere. Also, as the ocean freezes, it releases brine into the deeper water, which in turn drives global ocean currents. Through this process, Antarctic sea ice contributes to a global ocean current that transports heat around the planet and between the hemispheres.
Most research on sea ice has been carried out in spring, when it begins to break up again, but now a team of scientists from the University of Otago, NIWA, Industrial Research Ltd and Victoria University is focusing on the processes that take place just beneath the sea ice during winter. Two members of the team, Alex Gough and Andy Mahoney, are settling in for a long and dark winter on ice to monitor the start of the planet's biggest seasonal event. The project is funded by the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology as part of New Zealand's contribution to the International Polar Year.


Whether it’s accidentally using plastic as food or accidentally swallowing it while filtering seawater, marine animals will always inadvertently ingest plastic products.
So as filter feeders, how much plastic do blue whales eat each day?
The way blue whales eat is to open their mouths, filter the food from the seawater and swallow it. According to a US study, blue whales eat 10 million pieces of plastic every day, and the culprit is not sea water, but krill.
The research builds on more than a decade of data collection and analysis through drone observations, non-invasive tags, whale feeding areas and krill colonies, and the team combined this information with measurements of microplastics off the coast of California stand up,
They found that whales move between 50 and 250 meters underwater, which is where the density of microplastics is highest in the ocean.
Matthew Savoca, a marine biologist at Stanford University, said that while blue whales are big. But in fact, their position in the food chain is lower than imagined, so there will be so many microplastics, that is, “krill eat plastic, whales eat krill”.
It is estimated that blue whales eat about 10 million pieces of plastic debris every day, which is about 45 kilograms (100 pounds).
At the same time, the team also studied the ingestion of plastic particles by humpback whales and fin whales.
Microplastic on Fish and Krill
The average humpback whale is about 15 meters long, about half the size of the blue whale, and feeds mainly on herring and anchovies.
About 200,000 pieces of microplastics are ingested per day; fin whales, whose menu includes both krill and fish, are estimated to consume 10 million pieces of microplastics per day, or about 43.5 kilograms (96 pounds).
Shirel Kahane-Rapport, lead author of the study, believes that more research is needed to understand the effects of microplastics on krill, fish, and whether they will feel full from eating plastics.
It ends up making the krill, known for their krill oil, less nutritious, or the fish emaciated and less plump.
Kahane-Rapport believes that if there is a lot of food without a trace of nutrients, then the whales are wasting time eating junk food.
Therefore, the next step for the team is to understand the impact of microplastics on krill and fish.


Tortugas & CenoteS snorkel With Turtles Tour
- Live Guide
- Instant Confirmation
- Pickup Service
- 5 hr
Explore the fascinating underwater world of Turtle Bay on a leisurely snorkel tour in search of 3 of the world’s 7 sea turtle species. Brightly colored tropical fish, spectacular coral, amazing rock formations, rays and unbelievable visibility makes this an unforgettable experience. Then journey deep into the subtropical rainforest of the Yucatan to relax, swim and snorkel in the crystal clear fresh waters of a massive “cenote”, and marvel at the thousands of spectacular stalagmites and stalactites that surround you at every turn.
Operated by: Paradise Adventours
We going to do snorkel in akumal or tulum zone where is a huge possibility to see turtles and swim in the beautiful and fresh cenotes.


US Offshore Wind Segment Showing No Signs of Slowing Down
The U.S. offshore wind segment shows no signs of slowing on its journey to deploy 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind by 2030 and 110 GW by 2050. Based on current project activity we anticipate around 60 GW of offshore wind capacity to be installed by 2035.
By 2035, we will see offshore wind turbines operating in the Atlantic and the Pacific and probably the Gulf of Mexico. We will also see an emergence of commercial scale floating wind farms around the end of the decade. Floating wind farms bring a whole range of interesting technical challenges and opportunities for the supply chains that are currently not seen with the Atlantic bottom-fixed projects.
Among foundations for the positive outlook, two major Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) projects with around 940 megawatts (MW) of capacity have reached final investment decision (FID) and have commenced onshore construction, 11 OCS developments with a potential for more than 17 GW are undergoing federal permitting review and 17.5 GW of project capacity has secured offtake commitments from states. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has completed a successful Carolina Long Bay auction and has launched the leasing process for over 4.5 GW of floating wind capacity offshore California, while further auctions are planned for the South Atlantic, the Gulf of Mexico, the Central Atlantic, Oregon and the Gulf of Maine before the end of 2024. In addition, an unsolicited request has been submitted to develop a 2 GW floating wind farm in Washington State. Meanwhile, turbine component, foundation and cable factories and Jones Act wind farm vessels are being built in the U.S., and offshore wind port development is accelerating.
Intelatus Global Partners has just released the latest in its series of market reports identifying the opportunities and challenges associated with the U.S. offshore wind industry. Our forecast accounts for projects that will install close to 70 GW of capacity in this and the next decade. The forecast capacity will require capital expenditure amounting to $205 billion to bring onstream, a recurring annual operations and maintenance spend of $7 billion once delivered, and close to $31 billion of decommissioning expenditure at the end of commercial operations:
•Two offshore wind projects have passed the FID stage, have finalized major contract commitments and have commenced onshore construction.
•An FID is expected within the next 18 months for four OCS bottom-fixed project and two demonstration projects, one of which floating wind technology.
•16 projects are in the midterm planning stage where an FID is expected between 18 and 36 months.
•Seven projects are in the early planning stage where an FID is expected to be taken in 36-60 months.
•Another 13 areas will support close to 17 GW of future offshore wind projects and where an FID is expected after 60 months.
•There are a further 27 offshore areas at the planning stage in the Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf of Mexico that will support the longer-term U.S. ambition of deploying 110 GW of offshore wind by 2050.
Details of all U.S wind projects and developments are discussed in Intelatus Global Partners’ June U.S. Offshore Wind Report. Also in the project section of the report are details for over 60 projects in the planning stage, two projects in construction, and two wind farms currently in service. The report is accompanied by an online database. Information is current as of June 1.
For more information about Intelatus Global Partners' U.S. Offshore Wind Market Forecast, visit www.intelatus.com or contact Michael Kozlowski at +1 561-733-2477or Philip Lewis at +44 203-966-2492


Some of the open opportunities are shown below. There is also certainly scope to discuss ideas for projects.
Here is a list of current open opportunities:
The RV Pelagia is crossing the Atlantic and there’s a chance to join.
A new MSc project investigating biogeomorphodynamics in Sint Maarten coastal bays, in collaboration with Deltares.
A new MSc project with SWAN on Caribbean coastal bays.
A new MSc project in physical oceanography applying EOF analysis.
A new MSc project in physical oceanography.
A new MSc project investigating the protection offered by coastal wetlands.
A MSc project evaluating the potential for extracting energy from the ocean around Curaçao, in collaboration with Bluerise.


Every year thousands of visitors flock to Monterey Bay, California to enjoy one of the most amazing coastlines in the world. With rough ocean waters swirling around jagged rocks, the view from the shore only hints at the beauty beneath the surface.
The Monterey Bay is referred to as the Grand Canyon of the ocean with depths reaching over a mile. The variety of life found in the Bay is unique to this area with many species yet to be discovered in these deep mysterious waters. Most of us will never have the opportunity to explore the underwater world of the Monterey Bay, so the next best thing is to find hotels near the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Visiting the Monterey Bay Aquarium is an experience that will delight the entire family. There is something to see here for every age and interest. test website speed . If you plan a visit to the Monterey Bay Aquarium this year, here are a few tips that will make your day more enjoyable.
Top 7 Tips for Visiting Hotels Near the Monterey Bay Aquarium
- Visit during the week rather than the weekend if possible. The weekends are typically busier than other days of the year and visiting off-season may also prove less crowded.
- Check for other local events taking place in the Monterey Bay area to include in your visit. There are many world-class events such as the Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca events, and concerts at the Monterey Fairgrounds that recently featured popular bands such as Mumford and Sons.
- Bring cash for parking meters. Street parking in Monterey can be a bit pricey at $15 a day. There are parking lots adjacent to the Aquarium that charge less but fill up fast as well as a multi-story parking structure near Cannery Row.
- Break up your visit with a stroll down the beautiful coastline. You can have your hand stamped and come and go as you please.
- Stay for several days in order to enjoy all that the Monterey, California has to offer. Plan a whale watching tour, take a Segway ride, drive through Pebble Beach, or just spend a few days enjoying the sand on the long beach of Asilomar.
- Visit historical Pacific Grove, the sister city to Monterey visiting the unique shops and historical architecture.
- Become a member of the Monterey Bay Aquarium. It may save you some money especially if you plan more than one visit in a year. Your membership helps fund the work and preservation of this valuable world eco system.
If you plan to stay overnight in Monterey, be sure and check with the front desk at Monterey Bay Park Hotel. We have several package deals that will help you save money and make your visit a memorable one including, discount 2-day tickets to the Aquarium. At the door adult tickets are $34.95 and children $21.95. Save even more – with our two-day passes for the price of one. Ask at the front desk for more information.
Written for the Bay Park Hotel by local photographer and writer Laura Wrede.