July 29, 2014
Ocean News: Cape Cod Embraces Shark Spottings, Rare White Southern Right Whale Calf Spotted off Australia, and More
– A rare white southern right whale calf was recently spotted off southern Australia with its mother. Only about two percent of southern right whales are born white, but remain that color for just a year. Adelaide Now
– In a unique study, NOAA looked at ocean acidification along Alaska’s coastline not just from a biological perspective, but also from a social impact angle. The study found that Alaska’s southeast and southwest regions, who rely on shellfish, salmon, and finfish for the local economy and subsistence, are the communities most at risk from acidification. Alaska Dispatch News
– Long thought to live in solitude, new research points to the fact that Pacific striped octopuses may be social creatures. The researchers also found out clues about octopus behavior, including that octopus may practice senescence, or breeding right before death. National Geographic
Long Read:
– Many people have a significant fear of sharks around the world, largely spurred by the media. But in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, locals started embracing sharks when they started appearing off the coast more often in recent years—so much so that it’s now benefiting the local economy. The New York Times
Op-Ed:
– Much of North Carolina’s economy is based off coastal tourism and coastal natural resources, so the federally approved seismic airgun testing could vastly affect life for many North Carolians. This op-ed calls for North Carolinians and residents up and down the East Coast to voice their opposition “as loudly as the air cannons will be underwater.” News and Observer