December 17, 2014
Ocean Roundup: Humpback Whales Communicate to Feed at Night, Bangladesh Oil Spill Threatening Sundarbans Mangroves, and More
– European Union fishery ministers reached agreements on commercial catch regulations for 2015, allowing for increased catches in cod, prawns, plaice, haddock, and more in certain areas. Many conservationists are criticizing the decision, saying it defied scientific advice to decrease many of these catches. The Guardian
– An oil spill that occurred last week in Bangladesh is causing widespread damage to ecosystems and wildlife, in what one official says is an “unprecedented” catastrophe to the region. Oil has coated mangrove trees in that Sundarbans, the largest tidal mangrove forest in the world, and is threatening Gangetic dolphins and other species. National Geographic
– Scientists have known that humpback whales collaborate when hunting for prey at the ocean’s surface, but they’ve known little about how they feed at night in deep, dark water. New research shows that they also collaborate and make “tick-tock” noises, possibly to signal to other whales that food is present. Phys.org
– New studies suggest that previous climate change models significantly underestimated what effect Greenland ice sheet melt could have on the climate and sea level rise—saying that if it were to fully melt, it could raise sea levels by 23 feet. This finding compliments other recent research that found that the West Antarctic ice sheet isn’t as stable as thought. The Washington Post
Long Read:
– Cape Cod Bay has seen roughly 1,200 sea turtle strandings since November—most of them young Kemp’s ridley sea turtles—and it’s a number far higher than strandings in previous years. While scientists aren’t sure why there has been a surge in stranding numbers this year, the attempt to save these turtles has been a joint effort between aquariums and rehab centers along the East Coast and southeast. The New York Times