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☆ What This Year’s ‘Astonishing’ Ocean Heat Means for the Planet
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Elena Shao | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +7 min

Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly on July 31, 2023 –6°F 0° +6° +9° Atlantic Ocean Pacific Ocean Pacific Ocean Indian Ocean Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly on July 31, 2023 –6°F 0° +6° +9°What This Year’s ‘Astonishing’ Ocean Heat Means for the PlanetBrutal heat waves have baked the world this summer and they haven’t been contained to land. Note: Average sea surface temperatures for ocean areas between 60 degrees north and 60 degrees south latitude are shown. The planet’s average sea surface temperature spiked to a record high in April and the ocean has remained exceptionally warm ever since. Some have suggested that international rules aimed at reducing air pollution from maritime shipping could have inadvertently increased ocean warming. Warmer ocean temperatures also provide more fodder for tropical cyclones and atmospheric river storms.

Persons: Jan, ”, Gregory Johnson, El, Michelle L’Heureux, Zeke Hausfather, Hausfather, El Niño, von Schuckmann, Dr, Johnson Organizations: Mar, University of Maine, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Locations: Atlantic, Florida, Berkeley, Tonga

☆ Scientists are racing to explore more of the ocean hoping to discover medical breakthroughs and address the climate crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Tasmin Lockwood | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Two of the Basecamp Research team taking samples in Azores, Portugal. A Heritage Malta diver taking samples. The protocol omitted the high seas, which refers to parts of the seas that are not under territorial control of any specific country. This is particularly important as policy evolves with the ratification of the High Seas Treaty. Joseph MarlowThe treaty also puts into action an agreement to protect 30% of the high seas by 2030.

Persons: Basecamp, Emma Bolt, Rob Finn, Finn, Saif Ur, Rehman, Basecamp Research's Bolton, Joseph Marlow, Bolton Organizations: Service, Basecamp Research, Basecamp, Heritage, Heritage Malta, Heritage Malta Technology Locations: Azores, Portugal, Heritage Malta, Antarctica, silico, Nagoya

When you think of cat food, coral reef restoration may not be the first thing that comes to mind. More coral today, more fish tomorrowIn 2019, the SHEBA brand began its work on Hope Reef, part of a global movement to help restore coral reefs around the world. Unveiled in 2021, Hope Reef — located off the coast of Sulawesi in Indonesia — is one of the world's largest repaired coral reefs. For Kuleana Coral Reefs, responsibility is even in the name. Thanks in part to the SHEBA brand's support, Kuleana Coral Reefs is restoring damaged coral reefs throughout the Hawaiian archipelago so they can persist naturally and without further human intervention.

Persons: Hope, SHEBA, one's Organizations: Google, National Ocean Service, Smithsonian, Global Seafood Alliance, SHEBA, Insider Studios Locations: Hope, Sulawesi, Indonesia, United States

☆ Several shark species are facing extinction. Here’s how you can help
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Cnn Impact Your World | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

But many species of these aquatic apex predators are now in danger of dying out forever. Of the thousand known species of sharks and rays (sharks’ closest living relatives), over a third of them are at risk of extinction. And since sharks are “indicators of ocean health,” as sharks go, so does the delicate balance of marine ecosystems. A 2021 report showed over the last 50 years, global shark and ray populations have fallen more than 70%. Listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, oceanic whitetip shark numbers in the Pacific Ocean have fallen an estimated 80 to 95% within the last 30 years, according to NOAA.

Persons: They’ve, ”, Reinhard Dirscherl, Nick Dulvy, “, Ocean Foundation It’s Organizations: CNN, “ Sharks, Rays, NOAA, Ocean Foundation Locations: Texas

CNN —North Korea has called upon the international community to stop Japan from releasing treated wastewater from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the ocean. Japan plans to release the wastewater sometime this summer. Ground and rainwater have also leaked in, creating more radioactive wastewater now measuring 1.32 million metric tons – enough to fill more than 500 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Overview of the Fukushima nuclear plant. ‘Necessary move’Japanese authorities have maintained that the release is necessary as space runs out to contain the contaminated material – and the move would allow the full decommissioning of the Fukushima nuclear plant.

Persons: Rafael Grossi, ”, ” Grossi Organizations: CNN, Environment Protection Department, International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA Locations: Korea, Japan, South Korea, China, Fukushima, Tokyo

☆ Deep-sea metal rush in doubt as regulatory body meets
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( David Stanway | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Environmental groups expect next week's meeting of the International Seabed Authority (ISA) in Kingston, Jamaica, to rule out any immediate permission for mining to begin. Mining companies say the ocean floor is potentially rich in metals like nickel and cobalt used in batteries for electric vehicles, so their extraction will support the global energy transition. Any permitting delay will hurt the prospects of Canada's The Metals Company (TMC.O) (TMC), which has led efforts to exploit seabed minerals in the Pacific. TMC says that while deep-sea mining will have some ecological impact, it would be less damaging than land-based extraction. "The fact is no one has ever mined the sea floor in any major commercial capacity," said Victor Vescovo, an investor and deep-sea explorer who will attend the meeting.

Persons: Sian Owen, Victor Vescovo, David Stanway, Melanie Burton, Clara Denina, Robert Birsel Organizations: Authority, Mining, The Metals Company, TMC, Conservation Coalition, ISA, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Kingston , Jamaica, Pacific, Nauru, Germany, New Zealand, Switzerland, France, Norway, Melbourne, London

IAEA chief Rafael Grossi arrives to inspect the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant with Japanese officials on July 5, 2023. The report found the wastewater release plan will have a “negligible” impact on people and the environment, adding that it was an “independent and transparent review,” not a recommendation or endorsement. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi during an inspection in Fukushima, Japan, on July 5, 2023. “This is the DNA of the IAEA – to be the nuclear watchdog for nuclear operations, the nuclear watchdog for nuclear safety and security. “If there was one lesson that came clearly after the Fukushima accident, it’s that the nuclear safety standards should be observed to the letter,” he added.

Persons: Tokyo CNN —, Rafael Grossi, “, ”, Hiro Komae, Grossi, Fumio Kishida, ” It’s, –, ” Grossi, Ukraine – Organizations: Tokyo CNN, United Nations, CNN, International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, ”, Pacific Islands Forum, AP International Locations: Tokyo, ” Japan, South Korea, China, Fukushima, Japan, – Japan, United States, Pacific, Australia, New Zealand, Seoul, Ukraine

☆ Norway Opens Door for Deep-Sea Mining of Copper and Other Critical Materials
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Yusuf Khan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +4 min

The target crusts contain copper, zinc and cobalt, as well as some rare-earth elements, according to the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate. A seabed nodule obtained during a Norwegian Petroleum Directorate expedition to the Mohns Ridge in the Norwegian Sea in 2020. Currently, deep-sea mining in international waters isn’t yet legal, but it is expected to become so this year. “To forge ahead and unleash deep-sea mining in the Arctic would be criminal. Companies including Maersk and Lockheed Martin have also been divesting their deep-sea mining investments.

Persons: ”, Terje Aasland, Aasland, Nag, Louisa Casson, Lockheed Martin, Yusuf Khan Organizations: Sustainable Business, Clarion, Minerals, Norwegian Petroleum Directorate, Norway’s, Petroleum, Energy, NPD, International, Companies, Mining, Greenpeace International, Maersk, Lockheed Locations: Norwegian, Europe, Zone, Mexico, Hawaii, Norway, Jamaica, France, Germany, Clarion, yusuf.khan

☆ Norway Opens Door For Deep-Sea Mining of Copper and Other Critical Materials
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Yusuf Khan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +4 min

☆ Ocean census aims to discover 100,000 marine species
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Researchers have embarked on an ambitious global initiative to discover and record marine life hidden in the world’s oceans. Ocean Census aims to identify 100,000 unknown species in the next 10 years, allowing scientists to better understand and protect the deep-sea ecosystem. The initiative builds on past projects such as the Census of Marine Life, which concluded in 2010 and identified 6,000 potential new ocean species. Ocean Census will also help to identify how marine ecosystems are responding to the climate crisis, and assess how marine life could adapt to a warmer climate. The project is being led by Nekton, a UK-based marine science and conservation institute, and funded by The Nippon Foundation, a nonprofit foundation based in Japan.

☆ Ocean acidification is destroying coral reefs. Here's how 2 scientists are using bone research to protect them against climate change.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Tasmin Lockwood | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

It's becoming more acidic — hitting marine ecosystems and causing coral reefs to crumble. Increased acidity could devastate marine ecosystems, which are built upon coral reefs, and in turn, affect the fish and seafood humans eat. Ocean acidification: Lophelia pertusa coral in noncorrosive water off the Southern California Bight. The research began in January and will run for one year, with data collected in monthly intervals to help understand coral responses to ocean acidification and timescales. That's not just ocean acidification, but carbon-dioxide emissions, deforestation near coral reefs, and fishing practices like trawling, he said.

☆ Pollution, bird flu threaten 'very fragile' Chilean dolphin population
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Quilun Ecoturismo Marino/Handout via REUTERSSANTIAGO, April 21 (Reuters) - Growing pollution, industrial activities and now bird flu are threatening the Chilean dolphin, one of the world's smallest cetaceans, in the cold Pacific waters off Chile's western coastlines. "The Chilean dolphin is disappearing at an alarming rate," he said. One official also pointed to the threat of bird flu, which has been detected in Chile's wild birds, marine animals and industrial complex. Soledad Tapia, the director of the country's fisheries service, said two species of dolphins had been infected by the virus. Reporting by Reuters TV; Writing by Natalia Ramos and Sarah Morland; Editing by Leslie AdlerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ The Next Frontier in Farming? The Ocean.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Somini Sengupta | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +10 min

For centuries, it’s been treasured in kitchens in Asia and neglected almost everywhere else: Those glistening ribbons of seaweed that bend and bloom in cold ocean waves. Far beyond South Korea, new farms have cropped up in Maine, the Faroe Islands, Australia, even the North Sea. But even as its champions see it as a miracle crop for a hotter planet, others worry that the zeal to farm the ocean could replicate some of the same damages of farming on land. “Seaweed is not going to replace all plastic, but seaweed combined with other things can tackle single use plastic,” he said. Seaweed farms are a far cry from the rows of corn and wheat that make up monoculture farming on land.

☆ Oldest fossils of remarkable marine reptiles found in Arctic
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Will Dunham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Fossils dating to about 250 million years ago unearthed in a harsh and remote locale - Norway's Arctic island of Spitsbergen - are now providing surprising insight into the rise of ichthyosaurs. The fossils showed this one, which has not yet been given a scientific name, was quite advanced anatomically. The site where the fossils were found is a classic Arctic landscape with high snow-capped mountains along the coast of a deep fjord. The mass extinction shook up land and marine ecosystems and opened opportunities for new species to fill ecological roles vacated by extinct creatures. Fossils show ichthyosaurs giving live birth to their young.

☆ Colorful, 24-legged predators could save marine ecosystems on the West Coast
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Kelp forests, one of the most diverse ocean ecosystems, are dying along North America's West Coast. A new study says recovering sunflower sea star populations could save the forests. The sea stars are voracious predators that feed on urchins and help keep the ecosystem in balance. The authors of a new paper suggest the loss of the sunflower sea stars is to blame. Meet the sunflower sea stars that scientists say could save them.

☆ Plastics Export: How I Keep My Family, Baby Safe From Toxic Microplastics.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Adrienne Matei | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Hardman does research on microplastics — tiny pieces of plastic debris that are broken down from larger plastic items. Microplastics are often too small to pick up or even notice, but they are everywhere: in the air, dust, and rain. Laura HardmanPlastic is a relatively new pollutant, so there's still a lot we don't know about it. In the lab, my team of researchers and I focus on the sources, effects, and fate of plastics in the ocean. The simple answer is we don't know what plastics might be doing to us, but I've started to get really concerned.

☆ COP27: How Lewis Pugh braved sharks and shipping containers in the world's first swim across the Red Sea
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( George Ramsay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Lewis Pugh had to contend with large shipping vessels while swimming across the Red Sea. Pugh completed his swim across the Red Sea -- home to some of the world's most biodiverse coral reefs -- in 16 days. The Lewis Pugh FoundationFor sections of the swim, Pugh was joined by open-water swimmer Mariam Saleh Bin Laden – who became the first Arab, first Saudi and first woman to swim from Saudi Arabia to Egypt – and Egyptian swimmer Mostafa Zaki. The purpose of the swim was to shine a spotlight on the world’s coral reefs – home to the earth’s most vibrant marine ecosystems – and their precarious status amid the climate crisis. The Lewis Pugh FoundationThis week, Pugh has traveled to the COP27 climate summit in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt – a location he passed during his swim across the Red Sea.

☆ The true cost of the green crab invasion — and how whiskey can help
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-12 | by ( Brittany Stephanis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

Green crabs are wrecking marine ecosystems everywhere from New England to the Pacific Northwest. Environmentalists and chefs are trying to create a market for harvesting and cooking them. One distiller in New Hampshire even makes whiskey with them. Loading Something is loading. That's why environmentalists and chefs are turning them into whiskey and bisques.

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