Friday, September 25, 2015

Week in Review: Selfies Have Killed More People Than Sharks, Shark Populations on the Rise, and More!

1. Selfies Have Killed More People Than Sharks

According to recent statistics, this year more people have been killed in selfie-related incidents than shark attacks. The list of the selfie incidents are diverse and unique. The underlying message of this data is that although you need to be careful and aware of sharks, there is no reason to be afraid of the species. After spending a full week diving a few feet and surrounded by hammerhead, galapagos, white tip, and tiger sharks, I can say that there's really no reason to be scared of these beautiful creatures.  Read more...

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2. Shark Survey Shows East Coast Populations Improving

This year, US shark researchers are pleased to report that they were able to tag 2,835 sharks along the east coast. In 2012 NOAA's survey reported 1,831 sharks in the area. Although there are some variables in population studies, the increased population is a good indicator of healthy shark populations. The study covered waters from Fort Pierce, FL to Delaware. Scientists recorded thirteen different species- great white, sandbar, Atlantic sharpnose, dusky, tiger, blacktip, scalloped hammerhead, silky, sand tiger, bull, great hammerhead, nurse, and spinner sharks. Read more...



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3. Sea What Sea Otters Do When No One's Looking

Happy Sea Otter Awareness Week! That's right, mark your calendars for next year. Not only is this week an excellent time to appreciate these furry, playful animals but, it is a good time to also understand the threats that this species faces. Otter populations diminished after hundreds of years of otter fur trade. Today, growing populations can be found in Russia, Aleutian Islands, Washington state, and California.  Read more...

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4. Could Global Warming Lead to New Crocodiles?

Cold snap: Climate cooling and sea-level changes caused crocodilian retreatThis week, researchers from Imperial College London, the University of Oxford, the Smithsonian Institution, and the University of Birmingham published an article in Nature Communications about modern crocodilians. Because Crocodilians are dependent on external heat sources for body heat, climate change has impacted the species. Crocodilians include crocodiles, alligators, caimans, gavials, and their extinct ancestors. The study reveals that climate warming may favor crocodilian diversification.  Read more...

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5. Fish Scales to Fangs: How Teeth Got Their Bite


An undated illustration shows the Early Devonian bony fish called Psarolepis romeri found in south China. REUTERS/Courtesy of Qingming Qu and Min Zhu/Handout via ReutersAlmost every year you go to the dentist for a cleaning or check up and the dentist will mention the need to preserve your tooth enamel. Have you ever wondered why the enamel is there? A study reveals that enamel did not originate in the teeth but on the scales of a fish species that lived 400 million years ago. Both the Andreolepis and Psarolepis ancient fish had enamel on their scales. Enamel is the hardest tissue in the human body and the only tissue made entirely of calcium phosphate. Read more...



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6. Can Robots Clean Carbon Dioxide Out of Seawater?


MicrobotsThe answer to that question- potentially! Scientists at UC San Diego have created microrobots that are able to remove 88% of all carbon from seawater and convert it to calcium carbonate. This conversion could help correct the ocean acidification and possibly preserve our ocean environment. The microrobots are powered by a chemical motor that react with levels of hydrogen peroxide in the water. Scientists will continue the development of this technology to use water to power the robots.  Read more...






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7. Rare Snubfin Dolphin Seen Frolicking Off Australia

A rare Australian snubfin dolphin was spotted off of the coast of Hinchinbrook Island National Park. This dolphin has been included on the red list of threatened species published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. The snubfin species ranges from 5 to 9 feet long and are generally a white or brown color. According to WWF, the specie lives in small pods in the tropical waters around Australia and New Guinea. , Read more...

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Be sure to "LIKE" http://facebook.com/SeaSave to ensure our "Week in Review" is delivered to your newsfeed every Thursday. 

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.

Thursday, September 10, 2015

Week in Review: California Comes One Step Closer to Banning Plastic Microbeads!


That’s right everyone, today I’m heading off to Costa Rica to dive one of the most spectacular diving locations in the world- Cocos Island.

 Eight years ago, I went on my first SCUBA expedition to the Cayman Islands with many of the Sea Save members. The trip took me completely out of my comfort zone and I was hooked on both the organization and the sport! Anyone who has been SCUBA diving will tell you that there is a certain magic and freedom to diving in the ocean. I can’t even begin to describe some of the amazing things that I’ve seen over the years.  So, after a long hiatus from the underwater world, I’m finally making my way below sea level again! What am I expecting to see on my trip? Sharks, sharks, and more sharks! I told my boss, a non-SCUBA diver, this same thing and he stared at me with a terrified, concerned, and confused look.

The Week in Review will be on a brief three week hiatus. Along with the most important marine news items, I’m looking forward to sharing some amazing pictures when I get back! 


Before I leave, one very important story below:


California Comes One Step Closer to Banning Plastic Microbead!

MicrobeadsOver the years, research has been conducted that proves that plastic microbeads that are washed down our drains have entered our lakes, rivers, and oceans. You may be asking yourself- what are microbeads? Microbeads are the small plastic particles that are found in many of our personal care products. Good examples are toothpaste, body scrub, facewash, and many more. After work from many organizations, the California State Assembly voted to ban plastic microbeads from products. Now that this has passed the State Assembly, the AB-888 bill will be brought to the State Senate. This is just the start of the national campaign that was launched after 2012 research in the Great Lakes showed micropastic pollution. Although these are tiny particles, they contribute to the 38 tons of plastic that is found in marine and waterways annually. Read more...

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Be sure to "LIKE" http://facebook.com/SeaSave to ensure our "Week in Review" is delivered to your newsfeed every Thursday. 

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.

Saturday, September 5, 2015

Week in Review: Icelandic Whale Meat Arrives in Japan, Seabirds Blighted by Plastic, and More!

1. Icelandic Whale Meat Arrives in Japan Via New Route

RTR24TBQ
This week, the Arctic's untraveled Northeast Passage saw some unfavorable activity. The first major cargo shipment of seafood passed through the passage but, it was hauling 1,800 tons of endangered fin whale meat. The ship took this route to avoid whaling protesters and ports that are closed to ships transporting whale meat. The fin whale is an endangered species under the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Although the Convention on Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) marks the transportation of whale meat illegal, the rule does not apply to Iceland, Norway, and Japan. Japan is one of the few countries where whale meat can still be found.   Read more...

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2. Seabirds Blighted by Plastic Waste

Albatross on Midway
In 1960’s, fewer than 5% of sea birds were found with plastic debris in their system. Today, the number stands at around 90%. The largest number of afflicted seabirds are not in the area where the majority of floating plastic gathers but, where the seabird population is the highest, primarily in a band in the Southern Ocean, near Australia, South Africa and South America. "To the foraging bird, a discarded plastic cigarette lighter or a shiny bottle top can look like a fish". Once this waste is ingested, it will destroy the animal's digestive system. Read more...


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3. Hawaii First to Harness Deep Ocean Temperatures for Power

Hawaii, a state highly dependent on imported fossil fuel, is looking to the ocean as a source of renewable energy. The state plans to meet its goal of  100% renewable-energy by the year 2045. Hawaii inaugurated a small but operational ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) plant this week, making it the first in the world. The plant converts the temperature difference between the sea surface and deep waters into electricity. To learn more about the technology and energy production in the plant read here...


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4. Elusive Sea Creature Spotted After 31 Years

nautilus, rare nautilus, allonautilus scrobiculatus, living fossils, rare sea creatures, nautilus shell, mollusksThe rare Allonautilus scrobiculatus, (a species of mollusk) has been spotted after 31 years off the coast of Papau New Guinea. Initially, this mollusk was misidentified by scientists who categorized it as a  nautilus species. However, this mollusk has a really unique shell – its golden in color with thick, slimy hair. Peter Ward, a professor of earth and spaces sciences at the University of Washington came across the mollusk first in 1984. Ward reports that “  the Allonautilus is so rare likely because it is completely reliant on scavenging to survive”. The mollusk’s habitat is threatened by deep-sea mining operations, which could potentially wipe out the species. Read more...


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5. Green Sea Turtle Record in Florida



The  University of Central Florida (UCF) began work promoting the green sea turtle populations in the 1980s. As a result of this work, green sea turtles have back for 2 years out of three to lay their eggs at the beaches of Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge. From 50 nests a year, the tally is now 12,026 nests along 13 miles of beach. The beaches are visited by green turtles, loggerhead sea turtles and leatherback sea turtles. UCF ensures that the beaches at Archie Carr refuge are hospitable for its ocean-visitors.  Read more...


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6. Mako Shark Phones Home, Revealing Epic Journey

A longfin mako shark that was tagged by U.S.-Cuban scientists in February 2015.In February, researchers from the United States and Cuba put a satellite tag on a rare longfin mako shark found in norther Cuba. Five months later, the shark was found 5,500 miles away off of the coast of New Jersey. It appears that the shark followed the Gulf Stream into the Gulf of Mexico, looped through the Bahamas, and then deep into the Atlantic Ocean. Scientists found that this shark traveled thought the same location as other mako sharks tagged in experiments. It is possible that this location is a mating or feeding hotbed.  Read more...

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7. Oceans Warmed More Than Previously Thought

Cyanobacteria, Trichodesmium, bloom off Queensland, Australia
This week, a study published in Nature Communications reported the impact that climate change will have on an essential ocean species. The bacteria trichodesmium is known for surviving in nutrient-poor parts of the ocean and driving the nitrogen fixation process. This process converts nitrogen gas into material that can be used by a number of marine species. It is possible that the increasing climate could drive the bacterial into reproductive overdrive. The large populations would consume a large quantity of nutrients that are in limited supply in the ocean.  Read more...

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Be sure to "LIKE" http://facebook.com/SeaSave to ensure our "Week in Review" is delivered to your newsfeed every Thursday. 

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.