July 23, 2014
Ocean News: Great Barrier Reef Will be “Pretty Ugly” by 2050, Sea Turtle Nests Down in South Carolina, and More
– In an appearance before an Australian Senate this week, researchers said the Great Barrier Reef will be “pretty ugly” by 2050 and that “the reef is in the worse [sic] state it’s ever been in since records began.” The researchers linked the decline to coastal development and government action, specifically nothing their approval of a dredging and dumping project around the Reef. The Huffington Post
– Scientists have linked the deaths of 55 sharks to bottom trawling. Scientists found the sharks last week, including smoothhounds and catsharks, on a beach in South Wales and called it a “horrific” sight. BBC News
– South Carolina’s current 1,700 loggerhead sea turtle nests are sharply down from 2013’s record-breaking 5,200 nests, according to officials. Because sea turtle nest is cyclical, researchers aren’t concerned and say it’s a natural lull. The Post and Courier
Op-Ed:
– The Center for Biological Diversity’s ocean director Miyoko Sakashita calls out the Obama Administration for endangering so many marine mammals with his approval of seismic airgun testing in her piece, “Obama Administration to Whales, Dolphins: You Go Deaf, We’ll Get Oil.” Huffington Post