Thriving Oceans

The Salty Scoop, week 3, which is merely a highlight of the previous week’s news and blog posts I found interesting and pertinent to marine life and ocean conservation.  And by all means feel free to add your recommended posts, news, videos and pictures via the comments section.

Palau to create world’s first shark sanctuary (Sept. 25)
“The tiny Pacific nation of Palau is creating the world’s first shark sanctuary, a biological hotspot to protect Great Hammerheads, Leopard Sharks, Oceanic Whitetip Sharks and more than 130 other species fighting extinction in the Pacific Ocean.”

Warming ocean melts Greenland glaciers (Sept. 23)
“With whale fins splashing in the distance, Ruth Curry hauls up her catch from the blustery deck of an icebreaker.  An orange tube fixed to a metal frame breaks the surface as the motorized winch stops groaning. Inside: data on the water temperature deep down in this glacial fjord off southeast Greenland.”

Hunt for clues to sea life deaths at Farallones (Sept. 22)
“A humpback whale that suddenly rose out of the water and splashed down near the Farallon Islands provided a research vessel full of scientists with a surprising bonanza of research data.”

Emperor Penguins -v- Leopard Seals in Antarctica (Sept. 24)
“Emperor Penguins, Aptenodytes forsteri, return from the seas to feed their young. Dramatic scenes unfold as they hesitate at the edge of the Antarctic sea ice after spotting a Leopard Seal, Hydrurga leptonyx, on the prowl under the Antarctic ice. Narrated by the incomparable David Attenborough.”
Posted by GrrlScientist on Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted)

EU nations fail to agree on bluefin tuna ban (Sept. 22)
“A sharply divided European Union failed Tuesday to protect the threatened bluefin tuna, as the bloc’s Mediterranean nations refused to back even a temporary a ban on catching the fish prized by sushi aficionados.”

Deep-sea trawling debate heats up in France (Sept. 24)
“French deputies are calling on Jean-Louis Borloo, the country’s minister of ecology, energy, sustainable development and sea, to clarify France’s position on deep-sea trawling in international waters and whether the government intends to support a possible United Nations moratorium.”

The Labor Day holiday interrupted last Monday’s  second installment of The Salty Scoop, which is merely a highlight of the previous week’s news and blog posts I found interesting and pertinent to marine life and ocean conservation.  And by all means feel free to add your recommended posts, news, videos and pictures via the comments section.

And now that The Salty Scoop is going on the second week I have found I need to make better on the spot notes. Trying to remember what I’ve read over the course of a week is a daunting task and just not working up to the level I was giving my brain credit for in terms of recall.  Oh well, here ya go…

Protection of Pacific Walrus Under the Endangered Species Act May Be Warranted, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Finds (Sept. 8th)

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced that a petition to protect the Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) under the Endangered Species Act presents substantial scientific or commercial information indicating that adding the species to the federal list of threatened and endangered species may be warranted. This preliminary finding is based, in part, upon projected changes in sea ice habitats associated with climate change.

From Deep Pacific, Ugly and Tasty, With a Catch (Sept. 9)

The answer to the eternal mystery of what makes up a Filet-O-Fish sandwich turns out to involve an ugly creature from the sunless depths of the Pacific, whose bounty, it seems, is not limitless.

Japanese town in ‘The Cove’ setting dolphins free (Sept. 9)

The Japanese town chronicled in the award-winning film “The Cove” for its annual dolphin hunt that turns coastal waters red with blood has suspended killing the animals — at least for this week’s catch — following an international outcry.

Hoping for a Hurricane? Coral Reefs Are (Sept. 9)

Having lived in the hurricane zone for most of the last decade, I have developed a bit of an addiction to The Weather Channel this time of year. Until recently, the general feeling around hurricane coverage and anticipation of hurricane season in the United States has been a fear of “the big one.”

Posted by Stephanie Wear on Cool Green Science

Read the rest of this entry »

Thought I’d introduce a new feature for Mondays that highlights a few of the previous week’s news and blog posts I found interesting and pertinent to marine life and ocean conservation.  I imagine a few sentences lifted from the piece and a link to the exposition will suffice.  I am also running a similar feature over at http://journowl.com regarding wildlife, habitats, and conservation.

And why not open up the comments  for any recommendations on articles or post you find intriguing (and ocean relevant of course). Obviously I can’t catch them all and this might be a great way to get in touch with some blogs of which we are not familiar, news we may have missed, or photos and videos that are must see.  I’m looking forward to your additions to this week’s The Salty Scoop!

Pacific Ocean garbage patch worries researchers (Aug 27)

“Most of the trash has broken into bite-sized plastic bits, and scientists want to know whether it’s sickening or killing the small fish, plankton and birds that ingest it.”

Stranded belugas in Alaska swim free (Aug 24)

“About 20 beluga whales that became stranded in mud during a low tide over the weekend have apparently freed themselves, bringing relief to biologists who have been closely monitoring their plight.”

Research finds higher acidity in Alaska waters (Aug 24)

“Erosion threatens to topple coastal Alaska villages. Melting ice threatens polar bears. Now, a marine scientist says the state’s marine waters are turning acidic from absorbing greenhouse gases faster than tropical waters, potentially endangering Alaska’s $4.6 billion fishing industry.”

Australian oil well to gush for nearly two months (Aug 23)

“A leaking Australian oil well is likely to pour oil into the Timor Sea for nearly two months before it can be stopped, the operator said on Sunday, as environmentalists expressed grave fears for rare wildlife.”

A National Policy for Our Crowded Ocean (Aug 24)

“When we look out to the blue horizon, the ocean seems like a calm, vast space. But what we see on the surface of the water is deceiving — the ocean is alive with activity and it is crowded with wildlife and industrial uses.”

Canadian Survey Receives Go-Ahead from Court (Aug 27)

“A Canadian court has declined to issue a stay to prevent the vents survey from continuing.The ship has reached the research area, and has begun the planned project, which involves laying bottom-mounted receivers and doing ten days of airgun shots.”

Posted on The Acoustic Ecology Institute News & Science Blog/Feed

Ethical debate: endangered species vs. ecosystems (Aug 23)

“At two different conferences I attended this summer, I heard about a hot new topic in the conservation movement. Biologists studying a variety of organisms, from plants to turtles, are debating this all over the world as we speak.”

Posted by Whysharksmatter on Southern Fried Science

k-pod off false bay and red necked (Aug 28)

“Yesterday was sunny and warm, but today it felt much more like fall – overcast and chilly. As we headed down San Juan Channel aboard the Western Prince there were lots of birds to check out: a pair of bald eagles up in a tree, a great blue heron perched on a kelp bed, and on Goose Island double-crested cormorants, pelagic cormorants, glaucous-winged gulls, and Heermann’s gulls.”

Posted by Monika Wieland on Orca Watcher

Two new worms and an ancient crustacean discovered by cave divers in submarine lava tube (Aug 29)

“A previously unknown species of crustacean and two previously unknown species of annelid worms have been discovered during a cave dive near Lanzarote in the Canary Islands off the coast of northern Africa.”

Posted by William on Fish and Acquatic News

Good news for marine habitat in the States  (Aug 26)

“The last few days have seen a flurry of oceans-related activity in the States. Last week, the U.S. government approved an Arctic fisheries management plan that places a moratorium on commercial fishing in the U.S.’ waters in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas.”

Posted by John D. at Coastal Voices

Weekly Dose of Cute: Baby Fish! (Aug 28)

“Sure adult fish are rarely considered cute. But c’mon – their babies are downright adorable!”

Posted by Christie Lynn on Observations of a Nerd

I just couldn’t resist…the baby puffer is very very cute.