Week in Review: Record-Beating Pacific Ocean Heat Seen Strengthening El Nino, Exploring Evolution Via Electric Fish, and More!

1. Record-Beating Pacific Ocean Heat Seen Strengthening El Nino

El Nino has increased our sea surface temperatures over the 1997 record. Scientists from Australia's Bureau of Meterology predicts that we will see this weather patter continue into 2016. According to NOAA, "in more than 135 years of global temperature data, four of the five hottest months on record all happened in 2015: February, March, May, and June". Read more...

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2. Exploring Evolution Via Electric Fish Hybrid Zone

Michigan State University is using the National Science Foundation grant to study the evolution of electric fish signals. Scientists will study the Mormyrid and African freshwater fish which live in the Bongolo Falls. Although these two fish populations normally live in different areas of the falls, a flood in the area has bridged the two populations and the two species have mated to produce fish with hybrid electric signals. The project will study the complex communications and gene sequencing in this new species of fish.  Read more...

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3. Beautiful Maps Show the World's Oceans in Motion

The NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio has released a series of maps of the world's oceans. These maps show the warm and cold ocean currents, ocean eddies, and the Gulf Stream. The beautiful images created by scientists give the public a clear depiction of ocean movement.   Read more...

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4. Authorities Cracking Down on Illegal Shark Fishing Activities in Delaware

This week, the Division of Fish & Wildlife Natural Resources Police of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) reviewed 16 violations of shark fishing that were reported in the state. Shark fishing along the coast has been popular in the Atlantic Ocean and the Delaware bay. The state prohibits removing any species of shark from the water by any means. The 16 violators have been  reprimanded by the state government. Read more...

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5. One Whale Helps Scientists Discover Secret Whale-Migration Patterns

Isabella is a blue whale in the eastern south Pacific who is showing scientist a whole new side to whale migration. Although the blue whale is one of the largest animals in history, many of the behaviors of this animal are still unknown. A study published in Marine Mammal Science reported that Isabella traveled over 3,000 miles to the Galapagos to breed in the winter. Read more...

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6. Five Things Learned From Swimming with Sharks

Did Discovery's Shark Week wet your appetite to see some sharks up close and personal? Here are five facts that tell the truth about the relationship between humans and sharks.    Read more...

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7. The Surprising Importance of How We Label the Fish We Eat

Do you know what kind of fish you're eating? Where it was caught? How it was caught? If the label lines up with the product? The Food and Drug Administration reported that ,between 2013 and 2013, 15% of fish that was tested was mislabeled. Fish have not been correctly labeled under their FDA approved market names but instead under common names.  Read more...

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8. What Oysters Reveal About Sea Change

 Every small change in the ecosystem has a huge impact on the food chain. This month, New York Times put together a series of videos about sustainable agriculture. One video discusses the Hog Island oysters and the high mortality rate due to ocean acidification. The struggle that the oyster population faces is representative of the instability of the marine ecosystem.  Read more...

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9. On the Trail of the Sea Bass Pirates

Overfishing has depleted global fishing stock and now many international organizations have establish protection efforts for many species. This week, Thai customs stopped a boat suspected of holding $5 million worth of illicit "Chilean sea bass". This article describes the many cases of illegal fishing and fish transportation that occur throughout the world.  Read more...

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Sea Save Foundation is committed to raising awareness of marine conservation. The Week in Review is a team effort produced by the Sea Save staff to provide a weekly summary of the latest in marine research, policy, and news.