Ocean Roundup: Costa Rica Restricts Industrial Tuna Fishing, West Coast Sea Stars May Be Making a Comeback, and More | Oceana
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October 24, 2014

Ocean Roundup: Costa Rica Restricts Industrial Tuna Fishing, West Coast Sea Stars May Be Making a Comeback, and More

 

The United Kingdom’s chief scientist is sounding the alarm on climate change, warning that the oceans can only absorb about one-third of what they’re emitting. His warning comes after new studies highlight how ocean acidification affects animals from sea urchins to lugworms. BBC News

– On Tuesday, Costa Rica restricted industrial tuna fishing in international waters—a move that’s one of the first that establishes fishing zones in Costa Rican waters. A 10-year study found that foreign fleets caught 90 percent of tuna in Costa Rican waters from 2002 to 2011, so some say the protections aren’t enough. The Tico Times

Myanmar has proposed establishing a new Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the Myeik archipelago, which consists of coral reefs and 800 sandy islands. Recent studies of the area have uncovered an incredible amount of biodiversity, from 287 species of coral, 365 reef fish species, sponges, and mollusks. Phys.org

– Earlier this month, divers in Oregon discovered thousands of juvenile sea stars. Scientists say this could be a sign of recovery for sea stars, which have been decimated by sea star wasting syndrome over the past year. Statesman Journal

Long Read:

Runoff from the nation’s Corn Belt is the biggest source of nutrient pollution in the Mississippi River, which ends of in the Gulf and contributes to its dead zone. This dead zone has a major impact on fisheries around the Gulf that are already affected by other factors—and particularly takes a toll on shrimp and fish by damaging their habitat. National Geographic