Last month, Oceana submitted a proposal aimed at reducing the amount of wasted catch in New England and Mid-Atlantic gillnet fisheries, which throw away 16 percent of their total catch every year. The Northeast gillnet fisheries were identified in Oceana’s Wasted Catch report as one of the nine most wasteful fisheries in the United States … Read more
It was a year ago this month when champion big-wave surfer Maya Gabeira set out to ride the biggest wave ever ridden by a woman off Nazaré, Portugal. She’s surfed 46-foot waves in South Africa, but nothing like the monstrous 50-foot-plus waves that formed off the underwater cliffs in the Atlantic last October. As Gabeira … Read more
The U.S. offshore wind industry has picked up great momentum over the past year. To highlight recent advancements, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) will host its annual Offshore WINDPOWER Conference and Exhibition on October 7 and 8 at the Atlantic City Convention Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Oceana’s Nancy Sopko will be presenting … Read more
– Scientists have detected a 40 percent decline in calcium carbonate in one section of the Great Barrier Reef near Lizard Island. Calcium carbonate serves as building blocks for coral reefs, so scientists say this study calls for “an arrest to ocean acidification.” The Sydney Morning Herald – A new study shows that one of … Read more
Just as some people have their own sorts of protections from intruders, some corals have their own creative defenses to guard them from predation. It’s a hard knock life for corals: In addition to ocean acidification, overfishing, and nutrients pollution, corals have to deal with sea stars and snails that can devour them. Fortunately, corals … Read more
Late last month, Chile became the first nation in South America to tax carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The new tax—$5 per ton of CO2 emitted—targets 50 megawatt or higher fossil fuel-emitting power plants, while smaller plants and those fueled by renewable sources will remain exempt. Most of the funds will go into Chile’s education system, … Read more
– New research shows that fish aren’t quickly adapting to climate change, and it may take them several generations to do so. Researchers found that young spiny damselfish fish were no better than their parents at adapting to higher CO2 levels in seawater. The Guardian – Last week, officials approved spending $627 million on dozens … Read more
A recent report from the Office of Inspector General (OIG) within the Department of the Interior has revealed some condemning information about the oversight of offshore drilling operations. The analysis conducted by OIG, which is charged with auditing and investigating executive departments, focuses on the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement’s (BSEE) offshore oil and … Read more
In September, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) released new data showing the bycatch reported by federal observers of the California-based drift gillnet fishery that predominantly targets swordfish and thresher sharks. Alarmingly, the data indicates this fishery killed an estimated 53 marine mammals from May 2013 through January 2014. In total—using projections for the two-thirds … Read more
This article, originally published in the summer 2014 issue of Oceana magazine, is the first installment of a new column, Fish Tale. Each issue, we’ll feature a recovering fishery from around the world, detailing why the fishery collapsed and what actions fisheries managers are taking to restore the fishery to its former abundance. Take a … Read more
We have already protected nearly 4 million square miles of ocean and innumerable sea life - but there is still more to be done.
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