June 3, 2014
Ocean News: California Gets Closer to Cutting Seafood Fraud, Fabien Cousteau Dives Underwater for a Month, and More
Welcome to the first “Ocean News” post! Going forward, Oceana will be posting a daily round-up of the top ocean news from the previous day, ranging from heart-warming stories of entangled whale rescues to new research on sea level rise. Stay tuned for more!
– In a step closer to cutting seafood fraud, California lawmakers passed a bill last week making it illegal to sell mislabeled seafood. It passed through the Senate in a 36-0 vote, and is now headed to the Assembly. The Los Angeles Times
– Fisheries discards have a huge impact on seabirds, according to a new study. The researchers found that trawlers and fisheries vessels attract gannets from a 13-mile radius, impacting their foraging behavior. Wildlife News
– Jacque Cousteau’s grandson, Fabien, is attempting to push the envelope of underwater exploration. On Sunday, he dove to the Aquarius Reef Base in the Florida Keys, where he will spend 31 days filming a documentary and studying a nearby coral ecosystem. The Huffington Post
– If you’re a fan of the indie band MGMT, you’re not the only one: A pod of humpback whales put on quite the show for the band as they went on a whale watching tour near Prince William Sound over the weekend. Alaska Dispatch
– Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy vetoed a bill on Friday that would have opened Connecticut waters to the million dollar eel fishery, siting that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is still undergoing studies to determine whether the Americal eel is a threatened species. The Associated Press