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Robot subs inform protection of English deep-sea corals

A fleet of robotic submarines, based at the National Oceanography Centre (NOC), head-quartered in in Southampton, have been used to map vulnerable cold-water coral reefs in the deep ocean off southwest England.

Man-made heat absorbed by oceans has doubled since 1997: study

WASHINGTON -- The amount of man-made heat energy absorbed by the seas has doubled since 1997, a study released Monday showed.

Statement by Mr. Braulio F. de Souza Dias, CBD Executive Secretary, at the opening of the Sustainable Ocean Initiative (SOI) Capacity-Building Workshop for East Africa, Nosy Be, Madagascar, 18-22 January 2016

Statement by Mr. Braulio F. de Souza Dias, CBD Executive Secretary, at the opening of the Sustainable Ocean Initiative (SOI) Capacity-Building Workshop for East Africa, Nosy Be, Madagascar, 18-22 January 2016

Sustainable Ocean Initiative (SOI) Capacity Development Workshop for East Africa

18 - 22 January 2016, Nosy Be, Madagascar

Britain's 'Blue Belt' haven for our marine life doubles

Almost two dozen new conservation zones protecting UK waters will save rare and exotic creatures from fishing and seaside development Spiny lobsters, "upside-down" stalked jellyfish and native oysters are among species ministers have promised to protect through a new series of marine conservatio ...

Hunting for marine secrets

The sea is much more than what one sees from the shore. Underneath the rolling and heaving waves is a world that one forgets exists — a world as vibrant and colourful, diverse, and threatened as what lies above.

Seagrass meadows around British Isles in 'perilous state'

Most seagrass meadows around the coast of the British Isles are in a "perilous state", say scientists.

Oh, snap! What snapping shrimp sound patterns may tell us about reef ecosystems

If you put a microphone underwater near the oyster reef in North Carolina's Pamlico Sound, you can hear it: a crisp, crackling noise that sounds like someone just dumped a ton of Rice Krispies into the ocean.

Beware of fish that eat microplastics - you may end up getting a double serve

Is it dangerous to eat fish that eat microplastics? Researchers in Germany say not all fish eat them. But of those that do, it's unclear whether the plastics get into the fish's bloodstream - and then ours.

Thousands of starved birds found on Alaskan beaches

KODIAK, Alaska, Jan. 12 (UPI) -- Thousands of dead and dying common murres, one of the most common seabirds in the Pacific Northwest, have been washing ashore in Alaska. Federal scientists are currently investigating the cause.

Heart is fishy defense against ocean’s Dead Zones

New research has revealed how the heart is one of the major factors which determine whether a fish lives or dies in oceanic Dead Zones.

Peru to protect world’s largest-known population of giant Manta Rays

On December 31, 2015, Peru’s Ministry of Production passed a resolution banning fishing of manta rays, according to a release by WildAid, a nonprofit organization.

Mosquito nets decimate Malawian fish stocks

Lake Malawi has more species of fish than any other freshwater lake in the world, but overfishing poses a threat to their survival. A simple scheme could provide a solution.

Maharashtra: Government launches artificial coral reef project in Malvan

To prevent the degradation of corals and enhance biological diversity off Maharashtra's coastline, the state government has launched a first-of-its kind project to set up artificial reefs and transplant corals at Malvan in Sindhudurg.

Most Oil Needs to Pass Through at Least One of These Tiny Spots

he world's enormous thirst for oil is quenched by supertankers that move nearly two-thirds of all global crude from producers to markets via the high seas. But the business isn't all smooth sailing. That oil must flow through a series of geographical chokepoints, and disruptions to these vital a ...

Baby fish will be lost at sea in acidified oceans

The ability of baby fish to find a home, or other safe haven, to grow into adulthood will be severely impacted under predicted ocean acidification, University of Adelaide research has found.

Statement by the Executive Secretary at the opening of the CBD Regional Workshop to Facilitate the Description of Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs) in the Seas of East Asia, Xiamen, China, 14 - 18 December 2015

Statement by Mr. Braulio F. de Souza Dias, CBD Executive Secretary, at the opening of the CBD Regional Workshop to Facilitate the Description of Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs) in the Seas of East Asia, Xiamen, China, 14 - 18 December 2015

CBD Regional Workshop to Facilitate the Description of Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs) in the Seas of East Asia, and Training Session on EBSAs

13 - 18 December 2015, Xiamen, China

Oceans May Be Left Out of Climate Plan, But Here’s What’s at Stake

Troubles in the Mediterranean and potential fixes in the Seychelles show why the world’s seas need more attention during the climate negotiations.

Galapagos expedition reveals unknown seamounts, new species

The Galápagos Islands have long offered researchers a natural laboratory in which to study unique volcanic features and a diverse population of native plants and animals

Coral reefs could be more vulnerable to coastal development than predicted

For years, many scientists thought we had a secret weapon to protect coral reefs from nutrients flushed into the seas by human activity.

UNEP/CBD/EBSA/WS/2015/3/3

Data to Inform the CBD Regional Workshop to Facilitate the Description of Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas in the Seas of East Asia, and Training Session on EBSAs

More than 330 dead whales point to environmental mystery in southern Chile

Months ago, more than 20 Sei whales were reported stranded in Patagonia. Now, research in southern Chile has uncovered the full extent of the horror: It is possibly the worst disaster ever of its kind.

Protecting ocean species

Thousands of marine species with mapped locations worldwide remain largely unprotected, according to a new study by a team of international marine scientists, including UC Santa Barbara's Ben Halpern.

More than 330 dead whales point to environmental mystery in southern Chile

Months ago, more than 20 Sei whales were reported stranded in Patagonia. Now, research in southern Chile has uncovered the full extent of the horror: It is possibly the worst disaster ever of its kind.

Palau becomes first Pacific nation to join global pact to curb illicit fishing to protect biodiversity

1 December 2015 – Taking a massive step towards ocean conservation, the island nation of Palau is the latest in a growing number of countries- and the first Pacific island state- to ratify an international agreement to combat illegal fishing, which is estimated to deprive the global economy of u ...

Madagascar: The Endangered Lifeline of Madagascar's Sharks

Nosy Andranambala, Madagascar - It's 40 years this year since the first Jaws film came out. The Hollywood blockbuster and its sequels traumatised generations of cinema-goers with tales of vengeful predators stalking the shallows, baying for human blood.

Hong Kong’s pink dolphins could disappear due to airport expansion and bridge construction

Future of the Chinese white dolphins — also called pink dolphins — in Hong Kong waters could be severely imperiled. Proposed expansion of the Hong Kong airport and ongoing construction of a new bridge from Hong Kong to Macau could be a “nail in the coffin” for the dolphins, conservationists say.

Can the net transform the world's fishing industries?

Local fishing communities in Indonesia are beset by a multitude of connected challenges, from illegal fishing to declining fish populations to their own personal safety in the country’s turbulent seas.

Japan set to resume whaling operations

Tokyo has defended its decision to continue whaling, describing its hunt as scientific research. The Japanese fleet is ready to set sail despite an international ban on whaling for meat.

Rapid plankton growth in ocean seen as sign of carbon dioxide loading

A microscopic marine alga is thriving in the North Atlantic to an extent that defies scientific predictions, suggesting swift environmental change as a result of increased carbon dioxide in the ocean, a study led a by Johns Hopkins University scientist has found.

Reminder and Extension of Deadline: Request for views and information on practical options to further enhance scientific methodologies and approaches for the description of areas meeting the EBSA criteria

Reference: SCBD/SAM/DC/JL/JA/JG/85006 (2015-136)
To: CBD National Focal Points and SBSTTA Focal Points; other Governments; relevant organizations; indigenous peoples and local communities

Seaweed cultivation ushers waves of change in the Sundarbans

In Bengal's mangrove forests, the effects of climate change are forcing men to leave their families in search of work. But now, seaweed farming is offering the women left behind financial stability and empowerment.

What's killing Hawaii's coral reefs? Aquariums, say some experts

The 50th state has announced the aquarium fishery trade can continue without further regulation, despite pleas from organizations and agencies to curb aquarium collecting for the reefs' sake.

In the Caribbean, a stinking seaweed menace spurs invention

KINGSTON, Jamaica, Nov 17 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - An unwelcome visitor sailed onto Caribbean beaches this year: huge rafts of seaweed.

El Nino sends rare tropical visitors to California waters

El Nino's warm currents have brought fish in an unexpected spectrum of shapes and colors from Mexican waters to the ocean off California's coast, thrilling scientists with the sight of bright tropical species and giving anglers the chance of a once-in-a-lifetime big catch.

Flying under the radar: Seabirds hold the key to healthy fisheries

Seabirds are being severely threatened by fisheries, pollution and invasive species. Scientist and conservationalist Ross Wanless explains to DW why the birds of the sea could be pivotal for survival of the planet.

Acidic Ocean Benefits 'Killer Algae,' Jellyfish

About a quarter of all the carbon dioxide pumped out by humans’ burning of fossil fuels goes into the oceans, and it's causing a nasty phenomenon called ocean acidification.

Scientists learn how some fish can supercharge their vision

Superman can use his X-ray vision whenever the need arises. It turns out that in real life, some fish and amphibians can do something nearly as super when it come to their sight.

Scientists attempt to breed 'super coral' to save threatened reefs

Researchers in Hawaii are using an assisted evolution experiment to grow coral that can withstand the hotter and more acidic oceans caused by global warming

Scientists release first video footage of Omura's whale

WOODS HOLE, Mass., Nov. 2 (UPI) -- Last month, scientists published the first field observations of the Omura's whale, a rare species scientists had for decades misidentified.

Northern Atlantic cod making a comeback

ST. JOHN'S, Newfoundland, Oct. 27 (UPI) -- With so many stories of imminent ecological collapse, mass extinctions and dwindling biodiversity, it's nice to get a little good news now and again.

Europe's Wadden Sea seals on the 'up'

Seals in the Wadden Sea area of the North Sea were once in danger of dying out. Now they are thriving.

First adult American eel documented in Sargasso Sea

QUEBEC CITY, Oct. 27 (UPI) -- The first time in history, an adult American eel has been spotted and documented in the Sargasso Sea. The discovery brings a bit of closure to a scientific mystery more than 100 years old.

First field observations of elusive Omura's whales

WOODS HOLE, Mass., Oct. 22 (UPI) -- The first field observations of Omura's whales were published this week in the journal Royal Society Open Science.

Deep Sea Mining a New Ocean Threat

Adding to concerns about the disastrous decline in ocean ecosystems, now there is another emerging threat - deep sea mining.

Is your sunscreen killing coral reefs?

An ingredient found in more than 3,500 sunscreen brands may be contributing to the decline of coral reefs at popular beaches in Hawaii, the Caribbean and the US Virgin Islands, a study published Tuesday suggests.

Warming Oceans May Threaten Krill, a Cornerstone of the Antarctic Ecosystem

SYDNEY, Australia — Every day for a week, So Kawaguchi peered intently into the jars of cold water holding harvested krill eggs. None were hatching. In his laboratory in Hobart, Tasmania, on the edge of the Southern Ocean, he could see that the carbon dioxide he had pumped into the icy seawater ...