Posts by Mike Gravitz
NOAA Shirks Responsibility for Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary as Marine Life Declines
Featured Image: At the close of the day, the sanctuary’s waters and sky field a palette of colors. Photo- Anne Smrcina/NOAA Stellwagen Bank, nestled in the ocean between Cape Cod’s curled arm and the New England coast, is such an important and iconic part of our coastal ocean that more than 30 years ago its…
Read MoreAfter 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…
Read MoreAnother 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…
Read MoreBiggest Climate Bill Ever Signed into Law; It’s a Game Changer With some Compromises Wrapped Inside the Inflation Reduction Act
On August 16th President Biden signed the landmark Inflation Reduction Act into law after passage by a vote of 51-50 in the Senate where all Democrats voted for the bill and all Republicans against. Only the presence and tie-breaking vote of Vice President Harris allowed the bill to pass. The new law is a combination…
Read MoreUPDATE: 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…
Read MoreFight to save rare Oculina coral reefs off Florida continues; Round 3 of the battle is on!
Featured Image: Professor John Reed: 200305 Oculina_ROV20 Photo14 anthiid school in live Oculina Sometimes marine conservation groups like ours have to engage in lengthy battles just to protect important marine life that should never be threatened in the first place. In this case, Marine Conservation Institute and its allies in Florida are battling to save…
Read MoreDon’t celebrate Earth Day for the Earth or the Ocean. Do it for yourself, your children and their children!
Don’t try to save the Earth on Earth Day. Does this seem like heresy coming from an ocean conservation blog? The Earth has pleaded her case since the first Earth Day in 1970, over and over for more than 50 years. Many have heeded her cry for help — yet in many ways the world…
Read MoreThe 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…
Read MoreJune Is Abuzz with Ocean Celebrations…but how can you really make a difference?
Oceans are here, there and everywhere in the month of June. June 8th is World Ocean Day, June 8 to June 12 is the UN World Ocean Week, and in the US, the entire month of June has been designated by President Biden as National Ocean Month. The attention is well-deserved: oceans constitute about 70%…
Read MoreBeyond 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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