Ocean Roundup: Rufa Red Knot Receives Federal Protection, New Ancient Mollusk Discovered in the Arctic, and More - Oceana USA
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December 10, 2014

Ocean Roundup: Rufa Red Knot Receives Federal Protection, New Ancient Mollusk Discovered in the Arctic, and More

– Yesterday, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the rufa subspecies of the red knot as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The new rule prohibits killing, hunting, or harming these shorebirds in any form. The Associated Press

– New research shows that shallow water soft-corals, gorgonian corals, are more resilient to climate change than previously thought. The researchers found the coral was still able to calcify at mid-levels of carbon dioxide. ScienceDaily

Scientists have discovered a new ancient mollusk, Wallerconcha sarae, in the Beaufort Sea off northern Alaska. They incidentally made the discovery when examining sediment cores that were originally extracted to help map the Arctic seafloor. EurekAlert

– A new report found that submarine canyons in the Mid-Atlantic are “treasure troves” of marine life and coral waiting to be explored, but fishing activity threatens these ecosystems. This week, a federal council is meeting to examine a plan that would protect corals from destructive fishing practices. The Baltimore Sun