October 21, 2014
Ocean News: Sea Turtle Nesting in Florida Sees Steady Increase, 2014 Could Be Hottest on Record, and More
– New research shows that male bluefin killifish have varying colorations and markings on their fins to signal different messages. Even though most field guides show one fin of the killifish to be blue, researchers found they also came in yellow and red. Science Daily
– Federal meteorologists say that Earth is on track to tie or break records to be the hottest year on record, just after September became the fourth month this year to break a heat record. The meteorologists attribute the conditions in part to a predicted El Nino for later this year. The Associated Press
– Florida sea turtle nest counts have been steadily rising over the past five years. The surge follows a multi-year dip in nesting which scientists think came about before protections for sea turtles from commercial fishing were put in place. Orlando Sentinel
Long Read:
– Once too costly and difficult of a practice, recent technological advances have paved the way for deep-sea mining. But with over two-dozen international mining permits approved, scientists and environmentalists are voicing their concerns about the lack of regulatory overfish and ecological damage it will cause. Yale Environment 360
– As the U.S. becomes the new leader for the international Arctic Council, many are hopeful for major shifts in its focus since the previous Canadian leadership emphasized economic development in the region. The U.S. is expected to tackle issues like search-and-rescue and oil spill response, and adopting a code for shipping safety. ClimateWire