Green sea turtles are an endangered species, at risk from poaching, incidental take in fishing gear, and coastal development. But they also suffer from fibropapillomatosis—the leading cause of death in this endangered species—which causes tumors to grow along sea turtles’ faces, flippers, and internal organs. Scientists recently grew their understanding of fibropapillomatosis, finding that nitrogen … Read more
– It turns out that pollution and runoff may be having a much bigger impact on the Great Barrier Reef than previously thought. New research shows that pollution may be decreasing organisms’ ability to photosynthesize, thereby making it harder to absorb CO2. The Guardian – Little auks, an Arctic shorebird species, are helping scientists understand … Read more
This week marks International Cephalopod Awareness Days, a time to celebrate these invertebrates and bring attention to their conservation. Earlier this week, Oceana discussed octopus vision, and also recently celebrated them during Cephalopod Week. Now, Oceana is bringing attention to a lesser-known cephalopod through a Creature Feature. Over 650 species of cephalopods exist, a … Read more
October is National Seafood Month, a time to raise awareness for sustainable fisheries and celebrate the benefits of seafood in one’s diet. Oceana focuses on sustainable seafood all year long through various campaigns, from the Save the Oceans, Feed the World campaign—which advocates for rebuilding healthy fisheries for a growing global population to enjoy seafood meals—to Oceana’s Seafood Fraud … Read more
On October 9, Oceana and our friends at TOMS are celebrating World Sight Day, a time to raise awareness on blindness and vision impairment around the world. On our end, we think World Sight Day provides an excellent opportunity to also celebrate the truly unique vision in marine animals. The diversity of ocean animal eyesight … Read more
The Great Blue Hole, a Belizean National Monument and World Heritage Site, is one of the most gorgeous marine settings in the world. Situated just over 50 miles east of Belize City in the Lighthouse Reef Atoll, the rare reef formation stretches over 1,000 feet wide and over 400 feet deep. Previously an above-ground cave … Read more
Last month, Oceana submitted a proposal aimed at reducing the amount of wasted catch in New England and Mid-Atlantic gillnet fisheries, which throw away 16 percent of their total catch every year. The Northeast gillnet fisheries were identified in Oceana’s Wasted Catch report as one of the nine most wasteful fisheries in the United States … Read more
It was a year ago this month when champion big-wave surfer Maya Gabeira set out to ride the biggest wave ever ridden by a woman off Nazaré, Portugal. She’s surfed 46-foot waves in South Africa, but nothing like the monstrous 50-foot-plus waves that formed off the underwater cliffs in the Atlantic last October. As Gabeira … Read more
Late last month, Chile became the first nation in South America to tax carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The new tax—$5 per ton of CO2 emitted—targets 50 megawatt or higher fossil fuel-emitting power plants, while smaller plants and those fueled by renewable sources will remain exempt. Most of the funds will go into Chile’s education system, … Read more
This article, originally published in the summer 2014 issue of Oceana magazine, is the first installment of a new column, Fish Tale. Each issue, we’ll feature a recovering fishery from around the world, detailing why the fishery collapsed and what actions fisheries managers are taking to restore the fishery to its former abundance. Take a … Read more
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We have already protected over 4 million square miles of ocean and innumerable sea life - but there is still more to be done.