Sunday, November 29, 2015

Week in Review: World Leaders Gather in Paris For Climate Change Conference and More!

1. World Leaders Gather in Paris For Climate Change Conference

On Monday, 150 world leaders will be in Paris for the United Nations climate change summit, also known as COP21. The goal of the summit is to achieve a legally binding agreement to keep global warming at a threshold. China, India, and the United States are the world's top three carbon-emitting countries.  Read more... 

To learn more about COP21 and the goals of the summit read here... 

-----------------------------------------------

2. Humpback Whales Solve a Big Problem for Wind Turbines

Any idea what wind turbines and whales have in common? Generally, nothing comes to mind. Believe it or not, wind turbine blade design may incorporate the aerodynamic properties of humpback whale flippers. Researchers at the Naval Academy have studied the movements of the humpbacks to emulate the angle of attack and lift properties. After testing prototypes in a wind tunnel, the engineering team determined that flippers with tubercles increased the amount of lift that can be generated. These principles can now be designed into turbine blades. Read more...

-----------------------------------------------

3. Rapid Plankton Growth in Ocean Seen as Sign of Carbon Dioxide Loading





This week, an article was published in the journal Science revealing that marine alga in the North Atlantic continues to thrive. A team of scientists from Johns Hopkins concluded that there has been a tenfold increase in the abundance of single-cell coccolithophores between 1965 and 2010. Coccolithophores are pale-shelled floating phytoplankton. The research suggests that the high carbon dioxide levels  represent a major shift in ecosystem stability.   Read more...

-----------------------------------------------

4. 337 Whales Dead in Massive Stranding Off Chile

 A total of 337 whales have been found beached along the coast of Patagonia, Chile. Most of these whales are Sei whales which can reach 60 feet long and weigh up to 100,000 pounds. Sei whales are an endangered species and little is known about their migrations and habitats. Scientists are unsure of the reason for the mass beaching but, have started to analyze the corpses for a possible root cause. Read more...

-----------------------------------------------

5. Tidal Lagoon Project to Harness the Power of the Sea


An aerial view of the Rio Doce at an area where the river joins the sea, on the coast of EspĂ­rito Santo in RegĂȘncia village.On November 5th, the mine disaster in Rio Doce killed 12 people, wiped out communities, and is now impacting the oceans. The waste is expected to spread along 5.5 mile stretch of the coastline. This contamination will threaten many species in the area including the endangered leatherback turtle.  Protective barriers have now been installed along the estuary of Rio Doce and the river mouths have been widened to ensure that the mud drifts out to sea as quickly as possible. Read more...



-----------------------------------------------

6. Captivating Blue Dragon Sea Slug Washes Up in Australia

The species pictured on the right is known as Glaucus atlanticus or the 'blue dragon'. The blue dragon is a small sea slug found floating along the surface  in many oceans. This week one was found washed ashore in Australia. This unique species intentionally eats the man o' war's toxic stingers and can impart a nasty sting on any potential predators.  Read more...




-----------------------------------------------


7. The Mystery of Alaska's Sea Otter Deaths Continue to Baffle Scientists

<span class='image-component__caption' itemprop="caption">More than 250 dead or dying sea otters have washed ashore in the Kachemak Bay area in Alaska this year.</span>
This year, more than 250 sick or dead sea otters have turned up on Alaska beaches. This number has doubled from 2014. Based off of the symptoms, scientists believe that toxins from harmful algal blooms and bacterial infections may be contributing factors. Both the Alaska SeaLife Center and the US Fish and Wildlife Service have been working to understand the cause of increase in sea otter deaths.  Read more...

-----------------------------------------------

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, November 19, 2015

Week in Review: Can a Biotech Bid to Take Shark Off the Menu? and More!

1. Can a Biotech Bid to Take Shark Off the Menu?

Thousands of shark fins are laid out to dry on a street in Hong Kong.
A start up company in San Francisco has come up with a new way to try to combat the trade of shark fins. The company, named New Wave Food, developed a genetically modified yeast to produce collagen. This collagen can be duplicate the structure of a shark fin. Although there are many substitutes for the key ingredient in shark fin soup, nothing has been widely accepted. One expert in Chinese cuisine is hesitant on the new development and states that " a lot of the time eating shark's fin is about showing off and spending lots of money and eating something rare and exotic". New Wave Foods is also working on additional seafood substitutes. The overall goal of the company is to "create seafood that doesn't have to be harvested from this highly vulnerable ecosystem". Read more...

-----------------------------------------------

2. Scientists Discover How Ocean Fish Magically Disappear

Have you ever wondered how fish have the ability to just vanish in the ocean? As SCUBA divers, we wonder this quite a bit. A study performed by a team from The University of Texas reported that two ocean fish- the big-eyed scad and the lookdown- both have a method to avoid predators by hiding in light. The fish have a unique and microscopic element on the surface of their skin that reflects polarized light. The US Navy is now interested in studying these species to  see how it could be used to potentially hide deep open water vessels. Read more...

-----------------------------------------------

3. Sea Ice Loss Brings Polar Bears to Land



polar bearThis week, a team of scientists published an article in PLOS ONE revealing that polar bears have increasingly used land habitats as a response to their sea ice habitats. Polar bears will generally use land during the summer season and during the winter for maternal denning. the proportion of bears on land for more than 7 days has increased 18.9%. The implications of the increased land use is unclear but, the  polar bears are now spending more time in areas without access to their marine prey.   Read more...

-----------------------------------------------

4. Life's Good For the Little Guys of the Ocean

Mary Lee great white sharkMonths ago we reported on the famous great white shark named Mary Lee. Mary Lee was tagged by OCEARCH in 2012 and has been tracked up and down the east coast. This week Mary Lee was found off the coast of New Jersey. OCEARCH  has kept track of Mary Lee's movement in hopes to learn more about the evolution of shark habitats. Read more...

-----------------------------------------------

5. UK Reversing and Undoing Climate Change Policies



The UK government is ending subsidies for onshore windfarms in 2016 and cutting other renewable energy subsidies.This week, the UK government announced that it would end the use of unabated coal by 2023 to "improve air quality, protect the health of our population, and reclaim the UK's leadership position in tackling climate change". Although this statement was made, the government has cut energy efficiency policies, closed or cute subsidy schemes for wind and solar power, and put a carbon tax on carbon-free renewable energy. In two weeks, UK and the other nations meet in Paris to discuss the international action required to make and impact on climate change. Read more...

-----------------------------------------------

6. Australian Court Fines Japanese Firm for Whale Kills

A court in Sydney fined a Japanese firm $709,300 for killing Antarctic minke whales in an Australian Southern Ocean sanctuary. The firm harpooned these animals over four different seasons between 2008 and 2013. Japan has hunted whales in the Southern Ocean for years under an exemption in the global whaling moratorium that allows for lethal research. Unfortunately, these hunts are not used for research but processed into food.  Read more...




-----------------------------------------------



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, November 14, 2015

Week in Review: World's Largest Ocean Cleanup Operation One Step Closer to Launch and More!

1. World's Largest Ocean Cleanup Operation One Step Closer to Launch

‘Codends’ filled with plastic particles after trawling the Great Pacific Garbage Patch for one hourThe Great Pacific garbage patch, floating between eastern Japan and the seas north of Hawaii and west of California, has now been estimated to be around 5.8 square miles. Scientists have spent years researching how to clean up the mass of plastic waste and are now one step closer to launching the project! The project has focused on carefully removing the layer of trash without disturbing sea life. The budget for this project is currently 30 million euros that has all been raised through online donations and wealthy sponsors. Approximately 100,000 sea mammals and millions of birds and fish die every year from ingestion of microplastic or plastic entanglement.  Read more...

-----------------------------------------------

2. Costa Rica Bill Would Ban Plastic Shopping Bags


Roughly 8 million tons of plastics end up in the world's oceans each year, according to a University of Georgia study. (Flickr / thebiggoodbye)This week, a bill was presented to Costa Rica's Legislative Assembly to prohibit plastic shopping bags in the country. The bill would ban plastic bags used to bag groceries at check out and would not apply to other plastic products used by retailers. The bill would allow a five-year phase out period before enacting fines.   Read more...




-----------------------------------------------

3. Sea Lion Flippers Could Inspire Stealth Submersibles

Here at Sea Save, we are always fascinated with nature based technological development. An ongoing project at George Washington University has used the motion and shape of sea lion flippers to create super-stealthy underwater vehicles. The engineering team has 3-D printed a robotic flipper to analyze the movement and intricacies for of the mammal. Research continues on how we can apply the unique movements and features of the sea lion in new equipment.   Read more...

-----------------------------------------------

4. Shark's Hunting Ability Impaired with Climate Change

Shark
 According to a recent study at the University of Adelaide, sharks may soon be unable to meet their energy demands which would impact the entire marine food chain. With the increasing levels of carbon dioxide and warm water, energy demands on sharks increase while the metabolic efficiency of sharks decreases. The influence of ocean acidification has remained unexplored for apex and mesopredators. The team of scientists have published the results of the study in Scientific Reports.  Read more...



-----------------------------------------------

5. Sayonara, Shamu!

That's right! This week SeaWorld announced that they will close the killer whale show at their San Diego location. Over the last year, park attendance fell 12% which is the worst admissions decline of the top 20 theme parks. According to SeaWorld's CEO and president, Joel Manby, "2016 will be the last year of our theatrical killer whale experience called One Ocean". Since the release of the 2013 documentary film Blackfin, SeaWorld has been challenged to review and improve their facilities and activities. Read more...





-----------------------------------------------


6. Ray of Hope for Critically Endangered Mekong Dolphin

A new population study done by the World Wildlife Foundation in conjunction with the Cambodian government revealed that the rate of decline of the Mekong River Irrawaddy dolphin has slowed. The annual rate of decline has decreased five percent since 2007. Years of protecting the dolphin's habitat and removing gill nets has improved the population number but, there is still additional work required to enhance the critically endangered species. Read more...

-----------------------------------------------
7. Paris Terrorism Will Not Impact UN Climate Conference

After the horrifying terrorist attacks in Paris on Friday evening, the world has united to support France and the people of Paris. In the midst of the traumatizing atttacks, the United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNCCC COP 21) scheduled for December 2015. Airline and boarder security will be significantly heightened in France. This week, prior to the terror attacks, there were discussions on the climate deal and whether or not it was legally binding. For more detail on the deal, read here...

On behalf of Sea Save, our hearts and thoughts go out to all impacted my these terrorist attacks.  


----------------------------------------------

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.

Friday, November 6, 2015

Week in Review: Costa Rica's Year Long Commitment to Hammerhead Sharks and More!

1. Costa Rica's Year Long Commitment to Hammerhead Sharks
Last month Luis Guillermo Solis, the president of Costa Rica, states that the government will "not propose or support" protecting shark species with commercial value, including threatened or endangered species. This message preceded the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS). This week, Costa Rica's National System of Conservation Areas released a one year moratorium on the exportation of hammerhead sharks. This will now put Costa Rica in compliance with CITES regulations for the year. Read more...

-----------------------------------------------
 2. How Does Your Plastic Bag Get Into the Ocean? 

The Week in Review has included a number of new updates and articles on plastic pollution over the years. One detail that we have never clearly shared is how the 40,000-110,000 metric tons plastic actually gets into the ocean. Because the ocean is always the most downstream point of waterways, it is likely that the majority of the pollution originates from inland waterways- rivers, streams, and lakes. Although it is difficult to pinpoint the exact, studies done in California and Europe revealed the high content of microfibers and petroleum-based fabric strands in lakes and rivers. Although we can not all clean up the numerous floating plastic trash islands in the ocean, we can make a difference by cleaning our local water sources!   Read more...

-----------------------------------------------

3. Hawaii Makes Another Big Move Toward 100% Renewable Energy

<span class='image-component__caption' itemprop="caption">During daylight hours, about 20 percent of the Hawaiian Island of Kauai' electricity will come from the Anahola project.</span>Earlier this year, Hawaii released its aggressive goal to use 100% renewable energy by 2045. Kauai Island Utility Cooperative has completed the largest solar array that will replace 1.7 million gallons of oil per year! The site is located in Anahola and is the size of 45 football fields. This addition will help the island reach 37% of electricity generated from renewable resources at the end of the year.  Read more...

-----------------------------------------------

4. Oil Spill Aftermath: Why Baby Dolphins May Be Rare in the Gulf

An article in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B. reveals that the Deepwater Horizon oil spill continues to drastically impact the Bottlenose dolphin population. Only 20% of pregnant dolphins in Barataria Bay gave birth to healthy calves. Populations in other areas have an average of 83% success rate. After studying the dolphins for four years after the spill, scientists found that the dolphins in the area also have a 60% lower pregnancy success rate. In addition to the concerns about reproduction, many of  females and calves were found with sever lung disease.  Read more...

-----------------------------------------------

5. The Pacific Ocean Becomes a Cauldron

Around the world, weather patterns and climate variation has been extremely unpredictable this year and that's probably putting it mildly!  Hurricane Patricia was a prime example of a surprise. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) geophysical fluid dynamics laboratory has been researching the complex warming and climate change in the Pacific. The Pacific Ocean is an area that is particular threatened and has created storms and issues for humans and marine life. The impacts of the warming water has created a number of issues. To name a few there have been stranded sea lions and fur seals on the CA shores, increase algal blooms, and migratory pattern changes. To learn more on the details of El Nino, "The Blob", and other effects impacting the warming events, read here...

-----------------------------------------------
  
6. Antarctic Coastal Snow Accumulation Rose 30% in 20th Century

This week, a study published in Geophysical Research Letters reported that annual snow accumulation increased in the early 20th century, rising 30% between 1900 and 2010. Over the last 30 years, the ice sheets gained nearly 16 feet more water and has not thickened the ice sheet. This has in fact created loss of ice sheet area. Although the exact reason is unknown, the higher annual snow accumulation in the last 30 years was a result of an intensification of regional low pressure system and more storms. These storms could increase as an impact of climate change. Read here...

-----------------------------------------------


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.