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The world's shellfish are under threat as our oceans become more acidic

For the past few million years the world's oceans have existed in a slightly alkaline state, with an average pH of 8.2. Now, with carbon emissions escalating, there is more CO₂ in the world's atmosphere. This dissolves in the oceans, altering the chemistry of the seawater by lowering the pH and ...

The world's oceans are warming faster than predicted

The oceans are warming faster than previously estimated, setting a new temperature record in 2018 in a trend that is damaging marine life, scientists said on Thursday.

The wonder trees that nurture marine biodiversity

This 2020 theme for the International Day of Forests on 21 March is Forests and Biodiversity. It’s an often-quoted fact that forests are home to 80 per cent of terrestrial biodiversity, but did you know that one type of tree also supports marine biodiversity—the mangrove tree?

The tiny sponge that could help preserve our deep oceans

Scientists have collected data on a tiny sponge thought to be at risk from seabed mining. This newly discovered species could be a 'canary in a coal mine' to allow scientists to monitor the impacts of this new industry.

The three global agreements that could change the future of the oceans

The oceans cover about 70% of the planet’s surface and are the main regulators of global climate. They produce much of the oxygen we breathe and support enormous biodiversity, far richer than what we see on land. But they don’t always get the recognition they deserve.

The sharks of the St. Lawrence, managers of the ocean pantry

The basking shark feeds on the surface with its mouth wide open to filter plankton, explains the St. Lawrence Shark Observatory (archives).

The secret world of seagrass meadows

Countless marvelous marine critters live in seagrass meadows which are easily seen in places like the Buccoo Reef marine protected area in Tobago. Dr Anjani Ganase encourages us to learn about their connections to reef and mangrove, and to allow the children to explore them.

The secret world of pygmy seahorses, where males give birth – photo essay

In his new book, marine biologist and photographer Richard Smith reveals the tiny, magical world of pygmy seahorses, one of the most elusive fish on the planet

The seaweed swamping the Atlantic Ocean

A sargassum bloom the width of the Atlantic Ocean caused havoc on beaches, but locals in Mexico and the Caribbean are fast finding ways to turn the seaweed invasion to their advantage.

The radical coral rescue plan that paid off

When Hurricane Iris hit southern Belize in 2001, the country's magnificent corals were wrecked. But within 10 years, a radical restoration project brought the reef back to life.

The oceans have long captured the hearts and minds of people around the world. The mysteries of its depths, the wonder of its creatures and the power of its waves have fed our curiosity and imagination since ancient times.

The oceans absorbed an unfathomable amount of heat this decade

That's because the sprawling seas — some 321,003,000 cubic miles of them — soak up over 90 percent of the heat trapped on Earth by human-created carbon emissions, which are still growing. This colossal heat absorption tempers the continued atmospheric warming of the remote, pale blue dot we inh ...

The ocean is not a quiet place

For a long time, the great ocean explorers used sight to reveal the secrets of the marine environment, downplaying its acoustic aspects. Indeed, the ocean has long been considered a place devoid of any sound.

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.

The new humpback? Calf sighting sparks hope for imperilled right whale

It was a memorable finale to a day out on the Atlantic: a four-metre whale calf gliding past the boat as the divers returned to the Spanish island of El Hierro in the Canaries. Their incredible luck, however, would be made clear hours later, as researchers around the world clamoured for more det ...

The nation finding peace underwater

For many South Africans, the quiet and calmness that can be found in the water – one of the rare places with few, if any, human-related threats – has been transformational.

The models of climate change on marine ecosystems

Modelling is a necessary tool for assessing future impacts of climate change. A major comparative study Sarmiento simulated the effect of greenhouse gas emissions using six Atmosphere-Ocean General Circulation Models (AOGCMs) to examine which aspects of the models determine how ocean biology res ...

The lobster rush

The iconic crustaceans have disappeared in waters to the south. If they keep heading north to Canada, high-flying young lobstermen may pay the biggest price.

The limits of ocean heavyweights: Prey curb whales' gigantic size

At 100 feet long and weighing more than 100 tons, blue whales are the largest creatures to have evolved on the planet. Other whales, like killer whales, are larger than most terrestrial animals but pale in comparison to the size of blue whales.

The last hunt? Future in peril for ‘the unicorn of the sea’

Age Hammeken Danielsen has hunted narwhals since he was a child. He and his father would travel along Greenland’s fjords on a small motorboat, armed with rifles and harpoons and dressed in polar-bear fur trousers and sealskin boots to insulate them against the freezing weather.

The importance of protecting coastal environment gradients ～How can we attain marine Aichi targets ～

The Japanese NGOs in marine fields(Marine and Coastal Biodiversity network-Japan, Nakatsu Waterfront Conservation Association, Kaimin Network, NPO Omotehama network, and Nature Conservation Society of Japan) would like to hold a side event for information exchange of status of coastal areas of J ...

The impacts of destructive fishing practices, unsustainable fishing, and illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing on marine biodiversity and habitats

Achieving a viable balance between human use of marine living resources and conservation of marine biodiversity and habitats is essential to secure long-term ecosystem service delivery, including healthy and productive fish populations. This side event will present a report prepared by FAO,UNEP ...

The history of Lake Cahuilla before the Salton Sea

Today, the Salton Sea is an eerie place. Its mirror-like surface belies the toxic stew within. Fish skeletons line its shores and the ruins of a once thriving vacation playground is a reminder of better days.

The future of the world’s oceans is our future. Yet the present state of the oceans is troubling.

The freshwater biodiversity crisis

The 2018 Living Planet Index (LPI) (1) shows that populations of freshwater species have declined by an average of 83% since 1970, a far steeper drop than for terrestrial or marine species. Extinction rates for freshwater species are also exceptionally high (2).

The far-future ocean: Warm yet oxygen-rich

The oceans are losing oxygen. Numerous studies based on direct measurements in recent years have shown this.

The ecologically or biologically significant marine areas (EBSA) booklet series provide snapshot summaries of the pages upon pages of data compiled by participating experts, to provide an inspiring overview of some of the most ecologically or biologically significant ocean areas in the world. In this edition looking at the North Pacific, discover a region of contrasts, spanning the tips of the tropical waters of the Pacific islands and the warm shores of Mexico, to the windswept cliffs of the Aleutian Islands and the depths of the almost otherworldly deep seabed. It is a dynamic and turbulent region, with churning deep-sea hydrothermal vents, migratory species crossing the vast Pacific, and powerful ocean gyres and currents.

The blue economy – ocean of opportunity or sea of troubles?

For centuries, we have thought of the ocean as unimaginably vast and unchangeable, as a sea of opportunity, spawning fishing fleets and shipping lines, building the wealth of maritime nations. The ocean fundamentally underpins the populations and food of many coastal and island states, and alway ...

The big bang: Climax on the Reef as coral spawns for a second time

It’s the end of the decade and the Great Barrier Reef is going out with a bang. Just a month ago the world watched in awe as billions of eggs and sperm exploded across large parts of the the Reef.

The Western Indian Ocean: Resilient ecosystems for sustainable livelihoods, adaptation, and human security

Discussion and presentations from countries and institutions in the Western Indian Ocean (islands of the Indian Ocean and coastal areas of East Africa) hosted by the Global island partnership. Will including the environmental and climate change needs and threats and how to address these through ...

The United States of America Designates the World’s Largest Marine Protected Area.

The decision by United States President George W. Bush to designate the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and surrounding waters and reefs as a national monument will establish the world’s largest marine protected area, representing an area the size of California. It will protect about 7,000 specie ...

The Top Ten Ocean Stories of 2021

From the discovery of a large bioluminescent shark to the use of an innovative drone to study hurricanes, these are the best marine stories of the year

The Role of Marine Reserves and Wildlife Sanctuaries in Conserving Large Pelagic Species

The side event will consist of a presentation on the current state of global marine biodiversity. Specifically, the presentation will focus on marine biodiversity as it relates to large pelagic species including tuna, sharks and whales. Time will be allotted for discussion and questions.

The Pacific Ocean's Acidification Is So Severe, Dungeness Crabs' Shells Are Dissolving

With the Pacific turning acidic in nature, Dungeness crabs residing in the coastal areas of the ocean are reportedly first to be affected by the ocean's acidification. The Dungeness crab is important to the source of income for fisheries located in the Pacific Northwest but low pH levels in the ...

The Ocean Is in Trouble and Current Global Commitments Aren’t Enough to Save It

As you’ve likely heard, the ocean’s health is in trouble. You’re probably aware of overfishing and the harmful practices of fisheries driving a third of the planet’s fish stocks toward extinction, and you surely know about the unconscionable amount of pollution, in particular plastic, that we du ...

The Ocean Is Running Out of Breath, Scientists Warn

Escaping predators, digestion and other animal activities—including those of humans—require oxygen. But that essential ingredient is no longer so easy for marine life to obtain, several new studies reveal.

The Ocean Conference: "Our Oceans, Our Future: Partnering for the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14"

5 - 9 June 2017, New York, United States of America

The Great Lakes may be souring just like our oceans

Imagine diving into the shallow waters off the coast of Lake Michigan. You can see bare rocks and sand as you descend. Pinky-size spottail shiners swim by, shimmering in silver. When you reach the bottom, an indigenous yellow spotted molted sculpin is lying flat on its belly, flapping its boney ...

The Great Barrier Reef's Secret Climate Change Weapon Is This Switzerland-Sized Meadow Of Seagrass

Tourists frequently flock to Lizard Island, off the northeastern coast of Australia, to marvel the Great Barrier Reef. Among the dugongs, sea turtles, and jewel-toned corals, though, there’s another organism that doesn’t get nearly as much credit as it deserves: seagrass.

The Global Reef Expedition: Kingdom of Tonga

The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation has published their findings from extensive coral reef surveys conducted in the Kingdom of Tonga.Released today, the Global Reef Expedition: Kingdom of Tonga Final Report contains critical information on the health and resiliency of coral reef ecosy ...

The Global Ocean Biodiversity Initiative (GOBI): applying the CBD criteria to identify ecologically significant areas in the high seas

This side event is an introduction to the Global Ocean Biodiversity Initiative (GOBI). Speakers will provide illustrations of how this international partnership is advancing the scientific basis for conserving biological diversity in the deep seas and open oceans. The work under this initiative ...

The First International Marine Protected Areas Congress

23 - 27 October 2005, Geelong, Australia

The First International Conference on Marine Mammal Protected Areas

29 March - 3 April 2009, Maui, United States of America

The Executive Secretary of the CBD invites you to participate in the peer review of the draft report of scientific synthesis on ocean acidification and its impacts on marine biodiversity and habitats. Please submit your comments and suggestions on the draft report to the CBD Secretariat (secretariat@cbd.int) at your earliest convenience, but no later than 15 September 2009.

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.

The Chartered Insitution of Water and Environment Management (CIWEM) Annual Conference 2009 - Water and the Global Environment

21 - 23 May 2009, Toronto, Canada

The Census of Marine Life: A New Scientific Baseline for Policy

The Census of Marine Life, a 10-year scientific initiative to assess and explain the diversity, distribution, and abundance of life in the oceans will be released in October 2010. This unprecedented effort involved over 2500 scientists from 80 countries and spanned all realms of the ocean, from ...

The Bahamas’ iconic conch could soon disappear

When you're a conc, mating is better in a group. In fact, it’s the only way it works. These slow-moving Caribbean sea slugs carry heavy pink and orange shells, which make chasing down mates cumbersome. To be successful, a mating ground must have some 50 or more conchs spawning at once.

The Amazon Reef Is Alive, Growing, and Under Threat—Again

The mouth of the Amazon River, which yawns out of Brazil’s rainforested north, must be a stressful place to call home. Each year, six trillion cubic meters of water—roughly enough to fill the Grand Canyon one and a half times—surge from the river into the Atlantic Ocean.

The 6th International Marine Conservation Congress (IMCC6)

24 - 27 August 2020, Kiel, Germany