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Virtual Intersessional Workshop for the Sustainable Ocean Initiative (SOI) Global Dialogue with Regional Seas Organizations and Regional Fishery Bodies

29 September - 1 October 2021, Online

The Deep Seas Near New Zealand Have Yielded 6 New Species of Bizarre Sponges

The biodiversity of the deep ocean is difficult to track, given its inhospitality to us – soft, air-breathing land dwellers. Down in the darkness, there's much more life than we have accounted for.

Region of ‘Super Corals’ Discovered

In 2019, a hydrology professor at The University of Texas at Austin set out on a research project to see if he could identify harmful nutrients flowing through groundwater into a delicate coral reef sanctuary in the Philippines.

The ocean has lost half its coral reef coverage, study finds

A Canadian-led team of scientists has concluded that tropical coral reefs that feed millions around the world have lost about half their ability to support human communities since 1950.

Marine experts flag new Peru marine reserve that allows industrial fishing

When Peru declared the creation of the Nazca Ridge National Reserve in the country’s southern waters this past June, it also increased — in one fell swoop — the proportion of its maritime area under protection from less than 1% to nearly 8%. But the move has sparked an outcry from conservationis ...

Manatee deaths in Florida point to a global decline in seagrass ecosystems

In July 2021, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service announced that 866 West Indian manatees (Trichechus manatus) had died in the state of Florida in the first seven months of the year alone. The news shocked and saddened many Floridians, for whom the gentle, slow-moving mammal is a statewide mascot, ...

In a First, Scientists Record Blue Whale Songs off the Lakshadweep Islands

One hot 2019 afternoon in Lakshadweep, as marine mammal scientist Divya Panicker sat engrossed in listening to recordings retrieved from underwater sound recorders, she came across low blue-whale moans amid the cacophony of a rooster crow.

Underwater gardeners restore seagrass meadows to keep oceans healthy

A group of researchers is preparing to dive into the shallow waters of Dale Bay in Wales. They’re on a mission to monitor the restoration of the local species of seagrass, Zostera marina, also known as eelgrass, as part of a program spearheaded in 2014 by Project Seagrass, a U.K.-based charity t ...

Venomous Snake Chasing You Through the Ocean Just Wants to Be Friends

Sea snakes are total nightmare fuel, but new research suggests their frequent “attacks” on scuba divers are in reality botched attempts to get lucky.

Gigantic 400-Year-Old Coral Is The Widest Ever Seen in The Great Barrier Reef

Towering beneath sparkling waters off the coast of Australia's Palm Islands is an ancient coral community that predates the European settlement of its neighboring continent.

Great Barrier Reef: accept ‘in danger’ status, there’s more to gain than lose

No one denies the cascade of climate-induced coral bleaching that devastated huge portions of the Great Barrier Reef in 2016, nor the subsequent bleaching. No one questions the Queensland government’s 2019 report (see go.nature.com/3ckg) that the reef’s condition near the shore is poor.

Highly restricted dispersal in habitat-forming seaweed may impede natural recovery of disturbed populations

Marine forests (i.e. seascapes dominated by habitat-forming seaweeds1) are among the most productive ecosystems in temperate rocky coasts, enhancing biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and habitat complexity2,3.

Spain prosecutors launch inquiry into mystery fish deaths

Prosecutors in the southern Spanish region of Murcia have launched an investigation after hundreds of dead fish began washing up along the shores of one of Europe’s largest saltwater lagoons.

11 Fascinating Facts About Eels

Eels are a diverse group of fish that tend to look pretty slender; you might even call them “eel-longated.” Some are big, some are small, and more than a few come with nightmarish jaws. Naturalists have been probing their mysterious habits for millennia, and here are 11 things we’ve learned abou ...

Podcast: What can seashells tell us about the health of the oceans?

On today’s episode of the Mongabay Newscast we discuss what seashells can tell us about the state of the world’s oceans, and we hear about the challenges facing the Philippines’ marine protected area system.

Bermuda’s coral reefs ‘doing well’ but future is uncertain

Bermuda’s coral reefs could help to protect the island from strengthening storms – if we are able to keep them healthy. Robbie Smith, curator of the Natural History Museum at BAMZ, said at an online round table on the Bermuda Ocean Prosperity Programme that safeguarding the marine environment co ...

Separate coral reef bureau needed to preserve PH reefs – expert

A marine biology expert said the country needs a dedicated bureau for coral reef management amid the challenges in preserving the marine environment in Philippine waters.

Protecting Colombia’s shark paradise: Q&A with Sandra Bessudo

500 kilometers (310 miles) off the Pacific coast of Colombia lies Malpelo Island, a barren rock that marks the center of the Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary World Heritage Site. While Malpelo is virtually devoid of vegetation larger than a shrub, it is considered a biological treasure for its ...

Sexy secret life of basking sharks uncovered in Hebrides

Fin-to-fin synchronised swimming, thought likely to be part of courtship, has been seen in groups of basking sharks for the first time. Video cameras attached temporarily to the sharks gave scientists an unprecedented view of their hitherto secret underwater world.

Deadly coral disease sweeping Caribbean linked to wastewater from ships

A virulent and fast-moving coral disease that has swept through the Caribbean could be linked to waste or ballast water from ships, according to research.

167th session of the FAO Council

19 July 2021, Rome, Italy

Undersea volcanoes are home to more life than we know

Bill Chadwick has seen things you wouldn’t believe. He’s observed an undersea volcano oozing carbon dioxide, which turned into an eerie, milky liquid under the intense water pressure. “That was crazy,” Chadwick tells Vox. He witnessed another eject a toxic plume that was killing and stunning fis ...

How Shells Tell Secrets Of The Sea

One hundred thousand years ago, a human cousin walked a rock-​ribbed beach along the Mediterranean Sea, her head lowered and her large eyes scanning the shoreline. Now and again she stopped, bent her strong body, and picked up a seashell.

Deep-Sea Study Records Species Found Nowhere Else on Earth

A new study is shedding light on what lies in the deep. This first-ever deep-sea survey of both ends of the Salas y Gómez and Nazca ridges has revealed unique and fragile species. It also spurred a call for the protection of deep-sea habitats.

The 59th meeting of the Standing Committee of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

21 - 25 June 2021, Gland, Switzerland

How oysters and seagrass could help the California coast adapt to rising seas

On a sunny afternoon in April, Katie Nichols crouched over the edges of a small oyster reef in Newport Bay, California, peering into the mud that had been exposed by the receding tide. Where all I saw was a jumble of interchangeable shell fragments, Nichols quickly spotted what she was looking for.

Ocean Microbes Act As ‘Methane Sinks,’ Can Help Tackle Climate Change: Study

Microorganisms found in the ocean may play an important role in the process of mitigating climate change by acting as “methane sinks” on ocean floors, a new study has found.

Victorian Science’s Great Unsolved Murder Mystery

In the summer of 1893, an unusual volume appeared on the shelves of London booksellers. The Great Barrier Reef of Australia: Its Products and Potentalities, published by

Documentary commissioned by Rolex explores the need for ocean conservation

As fashion embraces sustainability, more efforts are being taken to spread awareness on the subject. Rolex's latest endeavour is a documentary telling the story of ocean conservation.

Earth now has a 5th ocean, according to National Geographic, which upgraded the status of the waters around Antarctica

National Geographic announced this week that it is officially recognizing a fifth ocean: the Southern Ocean. This body of water lies around the Antarctic, stretching from the coastline to the 60 degrees latitude mark.

International team maps world's giant kelp forests

The world's giant kelp forests—vital marine wildernesses as important to Earth's ecology as rainforests and coral reefs—are being mapped by a team of international scientists.

Ocean: What are 'dead zones' and why are they getting worse?

When you hear the phrase "dead zone" you likely think of a desolate area that's barren of any cellular signals — but there are actually parts of the world called "dead zones" that are much more terrifying.

World Oceans Day

8 June 2021, New York, United States of America

Public grasps threat to ocean even as leaders fail to meet targets, poll finds

As people mark World Oceans Day today, an overwhelming 94% of people in England and Wales believe the fate of the oceans and humans are inextricably linked, while more than half rate global ocean health as “poor or very poor”, according to a government survey.

Why it’s time we woke up and listened to the ocean

The importance of protecting biodiversity is not lost on Tanzanians. Our country is well known for its incredible beauty and diverse ecosystems: home to an incredible 24 percent of the world’s biodiversity hotspots.

In Gabon, a new partnership for sharks and rays announced on World Ocean Day

The Government of Gabon has passed landmark measures to manage and protect the country’s sharks and rays: over the past decade, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has worked with the Gabon government to identify 69 species in the country’s waters, highlighting the diversity that these measures ...

China marks World Oceans Day with a focus on protecting marine biodiversity

Countries across the world will observe World Oceans Day on Tuesday. This year's theme, "The Ocean: Life and Livelihoods," highlights the importance of oceans for the life and activities of the global community.

Statement by Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity on the occasion of WORLD OCEANS DAY 2021: “The Ocean: Life and Livelihoods”

Statement by Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity on the occasion of WORLD OCEANS DAY 2021: “The Ocean: Life and Livelihoods”

Turkish leader vows tackle outbreak of "sea snot" blamed on pollution and climate change

Istanbul — Turkey's president has promised to rescue the Marmara Sea from an outbreak of "sea snot" that is alarming marine biologists and environmentalists. A huge mass of marine mucilage, a thick, slimy substance made up of compounds released by marine organisms, has bloomed in Turkey's Marmar ...

Strange Sea Creature Found in Oceans Around the World May Improve Health of Marine Ecosystems

Florida State University researchers have more insight into a strange sea creature found in oceans around the world and what their presence means for the health of a marine ecosystem.

Lake habitats are disappearing as the climate changes

Global warming is increasing the temperatures of lakes worldwide—are species finding the temperatures they need to survive? Researchers led by scientists at the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) have quantified the long-term temperature changes in 139 lakes world ...

Underwater ancient cypress forest offers clues to the past

When saber-toothed tigers, woolly mammoths and giant sloths roamed North America during the last Ice Age about 18,000 to 80,000 years ago, the Gulf Coast's climate was only slightly cooler, more similar to regions to the north like Missouri and North Carolina's climate today.

Video: Humpback whales spotted 'bubble-net feeding' for the first time in Australia

If you gaze at the ocean this winter, you might just be lucky enough to spot a whale migrating along Australia's coastline. This is the start of whale season, when the gentle giants breed in the warm northern waters off Australia after feeding in Antarctica.

World’s Lakes Losing Oxygen Rapidly As Planet Warms – Biodiversity and Drinking Water Quality Threatened

Oxygen levels in the world’s temperate freshwater lakes are declining rapidly — faster than in the oceans — a trend driven largely by climate change that threatens freshwater biodiversity and drinking water quality.

Rivers are key to restoring the world’s biodiversity

In October 2021, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) will meet in China to adopt a new post-2020 global biodiversity framework to reverse biodiversity loss and its impacts on ecosystems, species and people. The conference is being held during a moment of great urgency: According to a re ...

3rd session of the Intergovernmental Technical Working Group on Aquatic Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

1 - 3 June 2021, Rome, Italy

Divers discover coral garden in Manila Bay

Just when people thought that portions of Manila Bay are dead and incapable of sheltering marine life, a group of divers accidentally discovered a coral garden in Ternate, Cavite last May 17.

Sharp rise in Florida manatee deaths as algal blooms hasten food depletion

Environmental groups in Florida are warning that unusually high numbers of manatee deaths in the first five months of the year, blamed in part on resurgent algal blooms contaminating and destroying food sources, could threaten the long-term future of the species.

There's a growing focus on ocean resilience in China – and the positive impacts could be global

Like many coastal nations, China has also been facing an acute decline in the health of the ocean along its coastline caused by both terrestrial and marine development. The rapid expansion of the ocean economy, as well as increasing discharge of land-based pollutants, have exerted a heavy toll o ...