Week in Review: Preferred Conservation Polices of Shark Researchers

1. What Do The World's Leading Shark Researchers Think of Shark Conservation Policy?

The University of Miami Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy researchers recently surveyed over 100 scientists and natural resource managers to assess the collective expertise of the world's largest professional shark research societies. The survey results were published this week in the journal Conservation Biology. The survey responses indicated that most scientists do support conservation policies but, the majority support regulations that allow for sustainable fishing over attempts to eliminate all fishing when possible. Respondents were also concerned about some bad actors in the environmental community who use incorrect facts to focus on issues that are flashy but not the most pressing. Interested in reading the details that the study revealed? Read here...

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2. Coalition of US States Pledge to Accelerate Renewable Energy Efforts

This week, governors from 17 states have signed a pledge to accelerate their efforts to create a green economy. The governors are from California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington. Andrew Cuomo, governor of New York, said that the coalition of states can effectively " develop an effective national energy policy to ensure a safer, greener, and more sustainable future for all". Last year, wind and solar energy accounted for 5.4% of the nation's energy.  Read more...

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3. Ocean Oases: How Islands Support More Sea-Life 

This week, an article was published in Nature Communications that proved a 60 year old theory to explain why seas surrounded by islands and atolls are more productive. The Island Mass Effect is a hypothesis that explains why waters surrounding small islands, reefs, and atolls support a greater abundance of sea-life than is found in the near-by open ocean. The marine biologist from Bangor University's School of Ocean Science and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration measured the phytoplankton populations in the waters surrounding 35 small islands. They recorded 86% more phytoplankton in those waters than open ocean. The increase in microscopic organisms has an effect right up the food chain to the top predators.  Read more...

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4. Female Bamboo Shark if Due for Virgin Birth at Sea Life Centre in UK

A female shark who has had no contact with males of its species for more than two years is currently pregnant! The white-spotted bamboo shark currently has produced two fertile eggs by the process called parthenogenesis. Parthenogenesis is when females manage to add an extra set of chromosomes to their eggs to produce offspring that are either clones or half-clones of themselves.  Read more...

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5. Baby Dolphin Killed By Tourists

This week, a baby dolphin was killed after it was pulled out of the ocean because tourists wanted to take selfies with it. The rare La Planta dolphin was on the beaches of Argentina and was manhandled by humans and unprotected under the hot sun. To see the videos of the horrible act, click here...

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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.