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After 50 years of National Marine Sanctuaries, can we please put the real meaning of the word ‘sanctuary’ into the program

It’s been 50 years since the passage of the National Marine Sanctuary Act in 1972, and we have reason to ask, ‘How effective are US marine sanctuaries at conserving marine life in US oceans?” Are they doing the job of protecting and conserving our nation’s most valuable marine ecosystems? Unfortunately, the answer to that question…

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Another Earth Day Comes and Goes

I’ve been celebrating Earth Day since 1970 when I was in high school; and now I am a 70-year old man. I’ve seen a lot of Earth Days come and go, some with a fanfare of government announcements and others with an insipid nod to Mother Earth. I get that there are a lot of…

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UPDATE: Florida Keys and Oculina Coral Reefs

Florida’s abundant and diverse marine life – snappers, groupers, sharks, marlin, sea turtles, manatees – and special habitats like the Florida Keys coral reefs have made it an important destination for millions of visitors and new residents for decades. But these rich marine and coastal ecosystems are fraying at the edges or in sharp decline…

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The U.S. Wants to Save 30% of the Ocean. But Real Conservation Will Take More than Numbers—Here’s How

How to address catastrophic climate disruption? How to approach our treatment of nature? These are important choices that the US faces. For over 150 years, American conservation efforts have seesawed between strict protection of unique, natural places and an approach that can be summarized as ‘multiple use’ or ‘sustainable use’.  Thinkers and conservationists like Henry…

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Beyond Seaspiracy: here’s what we know about fishing and what you can do about it

https://marine-conservation.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Bottom-Trawling-Blog.mp3 From pink nigiri pressed softly atop rice, to buttery seared salmon that melts in the mouth, seafood has long been a culinary pleasure, a lauded source of protein and Omega-3 fatty acids . . . and a problematic indulgence in a world imbalanced by destructive fishing practices, biodiversity loss, and climate change. Fish farms…

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