Posts Tagged ‘protection’
A Glimmer of Hope for Ailing Seas; Scientists publish a timeline for turning the tide on marine ecosystem degradation
By Sebastian Nicholls, Blue Parks Ambassador. “What we do in the next ten years will profoundly impact the next few thousand.” – Sir David Attenborough Since 1956, scientists have provided evidence of mounting anthropogenic climate change.[1] The mounting evidence tells a clear and scientifically certain story: human actions are degrading the planet’s living…
Read MoreCalling on Marine Scientists to Support Protecting at least 30% of the Ocean by 2030 (30×30)
By Lance Morgan, President at Marine Conservation Institute There is growing scientific evidence and support for protecting at least 30% of the planet. The 2019 report from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) highlights the dire future of biodiversity on our planet if we do not act decisively now. Seagrass beds,…
Read MoreExplore California’s Seamounts Using Our Interactive Story Map
By Samuel Georgian, Marine Biogeographer at Marine Conservation Institute We invite you to take a trip with us to the unusual, deep underwater mountains off California’s coasts called seamounts. You will tour the California Seamounts, as they are called, using a Story Map (from Esri) that allows viewers to take a virtual, interactive look at a…
Read MoreMystery in The Deep: How Models Can Help Us Understand the Full Impact of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
Featured Picture: A host of squat lobsters and brittle stars adorn a large pair of Paramuricea corals at a depth of 3,200 feet in the Gulf of Mexico. Photo courtesy of Ocean Exploration Trust and ECOGIG. By Samuel Georgian, Marine Biogeographer at Marine Conservation Institute Given the depth of the spill, it should not be surprising…
Read MoreWho Needs the Deep-Sea, Anyway?
Featured Picture: Life is both weird and beautiful in the deep ocean. Here, a Schaefer’s Anglerfish (Sladenia shaefersi) uses modified fins to walk along the seafloor in search of prey. Photo courtesy of NOAA. By Samuel Georgian, Marine Biogeographer at Marine Conservation Institute The deep sea is so remote that many people are completely unaware of…
Read MoreMalpelo: A Blue Park Exploding with Life
Featured Picture: Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary. Photo courtesy of Ramón Pulido. By Sebastian Nicholls, Blue Parks Ambassador. Surrounded by mangroves that grow on low-lying islands and the mainland coast, the Port of Buenaventura bustles with activity—it’s a gateway to that largest of oceans, the Pacific, and the diverse wildlife that calls the Colombian Pacific…
Read MoreThinking Beyond the Reefs: the role of culture in marine protected areas
Featured Pic: Seabirds perched atop stone temples on Mokumanamana Island. Photo Source: Kekuewa Kikiloi By Christina Hoenow, Marine Conservation Institute Science Intern The terms conservation and marine protected areas (MPAs) often conjure images of pristine reefs and marine environments with no sign of humans to be found. However, ignoring the connection between humans and the…
Read MoreSharks on Seamounts
By Nikki Harasta, Marine Conservation Institute Science Intern Sharks are incredibly important components of many different marine ecosystems. Unfortunately, sharks often enter our consciousness only when a shark attack on a beachgoer makes the news. Take a closer look at the numbers however, and you’ll see that they’ve been given a bad rap. The…
Read MoreSeven of the Biggest Problems Facing Fish in Our Oceans
Robert Woods has been a fish keeping enthusiast ever since his parents bought him is first tank at age 4. Since then, he has gone on to keep hundreds of different species and now educates aquarists through his online publication Fishkeeping World. Evidence points to the fact that we are currently facing the Earth’s sixth…
Read MoreEvolutionary Effects: How Marine Reserves Create Cautious Fish
A recent study published in the journal Evolutionary Applications provides new insights into the effectiveness of no-take marine reserves for protecting large pelagic fish. The benefits of marine reserves for migratory and pelagic fish species have long been questioned because these protected areas often only encompass a small fraction of the habitats these fish use…
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