As National Ocean Month draws to a close, we need to acknowledge the greatest environmental threat our ocean and planet face: climate change. Climate change is already wreaking havoc on our ocean. Ocean ecosystems and wildlife are struggling as waters warm and become more acidic, while sea-level rise and extreme weather events are damaging and displacing coastal and island communities around the world.
The coming year is a critical moment to get the fight against climate change back on track.
On the international stage, it is a make-or-break moment for the Paris Agreement, which is the guiding pact for countries to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and build resilience to the effects of climate change. In advance of the next U.N. climate summit—which has been postponed a full year given the coronavirus—world leaders must keep up the momentum by coming forward with more ambitious national climate goals and pursuing an economic recovery that secures a sustainable future for people and the planet.
Meanwhile, in the United States, we are coming to terms with years of environmental rollbacks that have unraveled progress on climate change and put the health of our ocean and communities at risk. In addition, we are facing an ever-diminishing amount of time to transition the country to a clean economy and achieve a just and equitable future for all Americans, especially those in underserved and underrepresented communities that historically have been at the front lines of climate impacts and pollution.
For the sake of our communities, economies and planet, we need to bring everything we have to confront the climate crisis, including the power of the ocean. For too long, the ocean conservation efforts and climate efforts have remained separate.
Bringing the power of the ocean to climate action means several things.
First, it means bringing the power of people. Ocean advocates, from major economies to individual ocean lovers, must put their weight behind the suite of sustainable climate policies that are necessary to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas pollution no later than 2050 and limit global warming within 1.5°C over pre-industrial temperatures. These include not only economywide measures but also, because there is no one silver bullet for climate change, policies to decarbonize sectors from transportation and agriculture to buildings and electricity.
Second, it means bringing the power of ocean solutions. We cannot afford to leave any sustainable climate measures on the table, including ocean-based solutions from protecting and restoring blue carbon ecosystems and creating climate-smart marine protected areas to reducing emissions from ports and increasing well-sited offshore renewable energy. The ocean is a source of all of these solutions and more—and they all have a role to play in limiting climate change and adapting to the climate impacts that are here today.
Ocean Conservancy is therefore kicking off a discussion series on the ocean-climate nexus. This week we will release a first set of papers that provide in-depth analyses of some of the most pressing issues and solutions related to ocean-climate action. We also are working with state and national governments as well as international leaders to advance ocean-climate solutions while also increasing climate ambition overall.
But none of this work can be done in isolation from the rest of society. We are committed to ensuring that all ocean-climate action happens in a just and equitable way that will lift up those communities that have been marginalized and forced to endure unjust policies while weathering the worst impacts of climate change.
We hope that all of you ocean lovers and supporters will join us in our critical mission to address the climate crisis and raise the profile of ocean-climate solutions so that the power of the ocean might help keep our planet—and all of us—healthy.
While we’ve come a long way in the past century in regards to ocean exploration, many people may not realize just how much of our ocean is still unexplored. While it certainly feels like we’ve seen a lot when it comes to the beauty and wonder of our ocean, more than 80% of the ocean remains to be seen by human eyes (or through underwater robots and groundbreaking technology, but you get the point). Every year, researchers are making discoveries, uncovering new fascinating phenomena and learning new things about the spectacular wildlife that call our ocean home. Get ready, because I’m about to walk you through just a few of the jaw-dropping oddities discovered and observed in the ocean world, as well as recent research and some theories scientists have about why these curiosities are the way they are in the first place.
There’s a fabulously pink manta ray swimming around the Great Barrier Reef.
Named “Inspector Clouseau” after the protagonist of the film Pink Panther, this stunning creature has only been seen a handful of times since it was first spotted in 2015 and is the only one of its kind ever recorded. The cause of its rosy tint is still being investigated, with suggested potential causes ranging from a diet rich in highly pigmented foods to stress reactions and even to something as simple as a genetic dermal mutation that affects the color of its skin.
Well, sort of. Frogfish, a curious little species that are a member of the family Antennariidae (they’re a type of anglerfish), have little modified pectoral fins that resemble legs, which allow them to move along the seafloor in a way that appears very similar to “walking.” Similarly, some species of shark (known as “epaulette” sharks) have incredibly strong pelvic and pectoral fins that allow them to move along the ocean floor similarly.
Scientists think octopuses might be able to dream.
Studied at Alaska Pacific University, an octopus named Heidi earned her claim to fame on social media earlier this year when a PBS special featured her rapidly changing color while asleep. Recent studies suggest that cephalopods experience a dream-like state reminiscent of REM, the stage of sleep in which humans and some mammals and reptiles experience dreams. While it may exhibit differently in cephalopods than other species, it certainly is fascinating, and begs the question … what could Heidi be dreaming about?
There are restaurants at the bottom of the ocean—well, not for us, but deep-sea critters.
In 2019, NOAA’s Exploration Vehicle Nautilus caught a stunning dinner party on camera: countless deep-sea critters dining on the carcass of a deceased whale, which had fallen from the upper water columns upon death. While it’s certainly not something we see every day, the event illustrated just how much of a bonanza an event like a whale fall can be for the residents of our ocean’s deepest realms. Since food can be hard to come by in the deep sea, and many of such species can go without eating for long periods of time, it’s definitely a party when a pile of food weighing hundreds of thousands of pounds falls into their laps!
An algal phenomenon called “watermelon snow” causes patches of snow to turn—yep, you guessed it—bright red.
Earlier this year, scientists reported red-colored segments of snow on Galindez Island, located just off the coast of Antarctica’s northernmost peninsula. Caused by a species of ice-loving algae called Chlamydomonas nivalis, this natural spectacle is thanks to carotenoids within the algae. These carotenoids are pigments that turn the algae’s appearance bright red once “activated,” which is usually seen during warmer months but can occur during any time of year if the temperatures are right. Its resurgence during normally cooler months has caused scientists to flag it as an important consideration to be included in climate research modeling.
The ocean is home to countless fossils … a few of which are “living.”
Allow me to clarify: each animal hasn’t of course been around for millions of years, but some species are referred to as “living fossils” because their kind has thrived the passing of hundreds of millions of years while remaining mostly anatomically the same as they were when they first appeared. Horseshoe crabs are an excellent example: while these ancient arthropods are estimated to have been around for 450 million years, their overall appearance hasn’t changed much. They’ve adapted, of course, but have remained closer to their original form than can be said about many other species. Another excellent example is the nautilus, which is estimated to be more than 500 million years old. For some jaw-dropping context, the dinosaurs only went extinct about 65 million years ago, and the first dinosaurs to appear only waltzed into the picture around 247 million years ago.
There’s a tiny shark species that—we are not kidding—glows in the dark.
Initially discovered in 2010, the American pocket shark (Mollisquama mississippiensis) was reclassified in 2019, and is one of just two pocket sharks currently known to science. This pocket shark isn’t called a “pocket shark” without reason, either: the species averages an itsy bitsy 5 ½ inches long and uses bioluminescent secretions from tiny glands under its pectoral fins to draw in prey.
Bobtail squid are so good at camouflage that the United States military has studied it.
While they average in just under 2 ½ centimeters long, the capacity of these little cephalopods to transform their coloration for protection is massive. Thanks to its symbiotic relationship with bacteria, the Hawaiian bobtail squid (Euprymna scolopes) is so good at disguising itself with said bacteria’s naturally reflective properties that the United States Air Force studied it in aircraft camouflage developmental research. Wild stuff, right?
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This blog was written by Queen Quet Marquetta L. Goodwine, a published author, computer scientist, lecturer, mathematician, historian, columnist, preservationist, environmental justice advocate, environmentalist, film consultant and “The Art-ivist.” She is the founder of the premier advocacy organization for the continuation of Gullah/Geechee culture, the Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition.
“De wata bring we and de wata gwine tek we bak,” is a proverb from my ancestors here in the Gullah/Geechee Nation. As I walk to the marsh of the Sea Islands or stand on the shoreline of the ocean, I hear these words resonate in my soul. I pause and I take in not only the beauty of the ocean as the waves crash against the sand on which I stand but I also take in 500 years of history since this is the means by which my ancestors arrived on the shores of North America and then built the United States.
As I pay homage to these ancestors and begin to tune into the spiritual energy of the ocean, it always seems that the waves begin to beat in perfect syncopation with my heart which beats out a polyrhythm that we call the “Sea Islands clap.” This percussive sound has been what sustained us over generations of being in what is now called “America” while not being treated like we were part of this place. Our blood, sweat and tears are within every grain of sand from Jacksonville, North Carolina to Jacksonville, Florida. The blood first spilled as folks were beaten in the pestilence houses of Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina where more than 40% of all Africans enslaved in America came through. This was part of a process called “seasoning” which was to prepare this “Black cargo” or “Black gold” to be auctioned in Charles Towne which is now Charleston, South Carolina.
As the sea levels rise on the Carolina coast, the ocean continues to push further and further inland and floods over the places and spaces on which this crime against humanity began. The ancestral bones that lie in the Middle Passage seem as if they are moving about and as we wade in the water GOD is truly troubling the water. However, just as much as the oceans’ droplets contain the pain from the screams of enslavement vessels, it also contains healing. I breathe the healing in via the salt-filled air. I pause and think about those that can no longer breathe. George Floyd and Eric Garner, the Emanuel Nine, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery cannot breathe, but as long as I and others have breath, we will say their names and their spirits will live on just as our ancestors live on through us.
I pause again and I feel an embrace from the wind.
I realize that at this moment in time, embraces mean so much more as we socially distance from one another. Although we aren’t reaching out for hugs, we are reaching out to one another for social justice. We are screaming out in a united voice around the world and breathing in a new way of living. There is finally a flow of justice. I pause. I breathe in this power.
As the power of the rising waves strike my legs, I reflect on how I expected to be in another country this year celebrating World Ocean Day. I reflect on how I’ve stood with many environmentalists over the decades seeking justice and how that path is now intersecting with that of racial justice and equity around the world. If our environment is healthy, it improves the quality of life of the people.
If people are healthy, they can sustain themselves and be in better positions to overstand the value of protecting that which we all are made of—water. So, on Juneteenth, I did a drum call for JUSTICE: Jump Urgently Spiritually Truthfully Into Cultural Empowerment. The more that people tune their spirits into this global moment of truth that we are in, they can come together in their cultural communities and be empowered. This power will then strike the shorelines around the globe well beyond World Oceans Month and maybe we can all breathe it in, then pause and give thanks for the water bringing us all back into balance and healing us as Mother Earth heals herself. While she does, I pray that justice continues to flow.
Our latest guest blog comes from one of our longtime partners Indo Ocean Project. Read about this fantastic initiative, developed in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Positive action in these difficult times!
About Us
The Indo CorALliance is an environmental and social initiative based on the island of Nusa Penida, Indonesia. It was formed in response to the effects of COVID-19 policy on a tourism-dependent island. The outbreak of the coronavirus and the extreme but necessary measures taken around the world has hit the tourism industry hard. Although the break comes as welcome news to conservationists and our marine friends, millions of people have lost their livelihoods overnight.
What We Do
64,080,000 Rupiah raised
With Your Help, We are supporting our local community and protecting our oceans
To purchase the items required and to help our local community we ask for donations to run this program successfully.
Sekecil apapun donasi yang anda berikan dapat membantu kami untuk kegiatan operasional dan pemeliharaan terumbu karang.
“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”
The Arctic is a spectacular place—both beautiful and abundant. Home to Indigenous people, unique wildlife and wide-open expanses of wilderness, the Arctic is awe-inspiring whether you’ve visited or not.
But, Arctic people and wildlife are facing rapid and dramatic environmental changes as climate change hits this important ecosystem … ocean waters warming at unprecedented rates … seasonal ice cover diminishing and permafrost thawing … waters becoming more acidic … coastal erosion increasing … Alaska villages being forced to relocate.
We can all be part of the solution to help protect Arctic waters. No matter where we live, the Arctic affects us all. The Arctic helps control the flow of our atmosphere and ocean, regulating our climate and affecting our weather.
The Arctic needs you. Because, frankly, we need the Arctic.
Here are six ways YOU can help, from the comfort of your home.
2. Dive in and explore the wildlife of Arctic waters.
The Arctic is home to animals found nowhere else on Earth. When it comes to biodiversity, Arctic marine wildlife are some of the most fascinating. Unparalleled in their distinct tailoring to this northerly area, many of the local residents of the animal kingdom call the Arctic—and only the Arctic—their home. There’s an abundance of wildlife in the Arctic—including Arctic terns, crested auklets, bowhead whales, ringed seals, walruses and narwhal.
In addition to stopping the spread of COVID-19, the simple act of staying home is helping the Arctic too. By driving less, flying less and using less fossil fuel, you are helping to reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions. The Arctic is warming more than twice as fast as the rest of the world, and reducing emissions that contribute to climate change will help the Arctic in the long run.
As many of us are spending more time shopping in the grocery store and trying out new recipes in our kitchens, it is important to make informed purchases. Americans are fortunate to have some great sustainable options for local and U.S. caught seafood especially from Alaska! Cooking more U.S. wild-caught seafood at home is a great way to help support fishermen and the fishing industry. It is another simple, yet impactful way to make a difference.
5. Take action to help keep dirty fuels out of Arctic waters.
You don’t need to live in the Arctic to be an advocate for Arctic waters. You can support the Arctic with a gift to Ocean Conservancy today. Your donation supports our fight to prevent the weakening of regulations that protect the Arctic. From the Arctic Circle to the halls of Congress, we’re working every day to protect vital Arctic ocean ecosystems.
As we all continue to look for ways to help during these unprecedented times, I find comfort in knowing that there are still ways to get involved to help protect the future of the Arctic.
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The Arctic is changing fast: it’s warming at more than twice the rate of the rest of the planet, and seasonal sea ice in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas is decreasing in extent, thickness and duration. These changes mean Arctic waters are opening up to more vessel traffic which, if not managed properly, could cause significant impacts.
Fortunately, the U.S. Coast Guard recognized the potential for trouble and began an “Alaskan Arctic Coast Port Access Route Study” to assess current and predicted vessel traffic in the U.S. Arctic and recommend management measures that will improve safety and environmental protection.
The Arctic Ocean can be a harsh and unforgiving place. But it’s also full of life. Arctic waters are home to iconic marine mammals like walruses, bowhead whales and ice-dependent seals. Each summer, millions of seabirds gather in the Arctic to take advantage of its seasonal abundance. Indigenous Iñupiat peoples have lived along the Beaufort and Chukchi sea coasts for thousands of years and continue to rely on healthy ocean waters as a source of food and to sustain traditional cultural practices.
As temperatures warm and sea ice diminishes, the open water season is growing longer and the Arctic is experiencing higher levels of ship traffic. Vessels that use the region include small craft used by Iñupiat hunters, ships and barges associated with community re-supply, tour boats, industry-related vessels, research ships and—increasingly—commercial transit traffic traveling the Northwest Passage.
All these vessels are subject to challenging weather and ocean conditions. The risk of an accident is compounded by the presence of seasonal sea ice, strong currents, adverse weather and inadequate charting. The remoteness of the region—thousands of miles from response capabilities—means that the impacts of a serious vessel accident, especially an oil spill, could be devastating to the marine environment and the people whose lives and livelihoods depend on a healthy ocean. Even without an accident, everyday vessel operations contribute air, water and noise pollution that could have negative impacts on the environment. Increasing vessel traffic can increase the risk of ship strikes, introduction of invasive species or potential interference with subsistence activities.
A network of strong management measures can promote safety, reduce conflicts among waterway users and protect the marine environment from the impacts of vessel traffic. Management options include creating designated traffic routes and specific “no-go zones.” This approach was used successfully in the Bering Strait region. The Coast Guard could consider other management measures as well, including imposing limitations on vessel speed, discharges and icebreaking and implementing rules that bolster protections for nearshore areas and improve communication systems.
As the Coast Guard carries out the Alaskan Arctic Coast Port Access Route Study, it should continue to seek out and incorporate Indigenous knowledge, consult with affected Tribes and seek out input and recommendations from the Iñupiat hunters who have deep knowledge of the Beaufort and Chukchi seas. Strong collaboration with Indigenous residents will lead to better on-the-water outcomes.
As the Coast Guard itself has recognized, successful vessel traffic management in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas will be a balancing act. But by listening to input from stakeholders and thinking creatively about all the different management tools at its disposal, I’m confident the Coast Guard can identify solutions that will improve safety and reduce risks in U.S. Arctic waters. Join us in encouraging the Coast Guard to chart a responsible path forward in this challenging region.
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There is a lot going on. And while there is much uncertainty as to when we will find “normalcy” again, we hope, in the meantime, to help bring a splash of ocean joy to your lives this summer.
Today, we are excited to continue the National Ocean Month celebration with our 2020 Ocean Conservancy Annual Photo Contest—now open for submissions!
Do you have brilliant coral pics from your latest diving trip? How about that beautiful sunset photo from your beach vacation two years ago? While you may not be able to go out and take photos for this contest like entrants in the past have, we know you have photos saved up that are jaw-dropping, and we want you to share them with the world during this time.
Submit your photos before midnight on Friday, July 3, 2020 for the chance to win a cash prize, have your picture featured on our social media channels, as well as an opportunity to have your image featured in our 2022 Ocean Conservancy calendar!
Last year, we were blown away by sensational aerials of a shiver of sharks and tiny fish swimming through bleached coral. Your photographs are a constant reminder to us, and people all over the world, that ocean conservation and biodiversity is so important.
The Baltic Gender project presents new means and tested approachesMarine Sciences—like other natural sciences—are still a male-dominated field with a significant lack of women in leadership and decision-making positions. The EU project Baltic Gender, coordinated by the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, has supported and guided change in its eight partner institutions in the Baltic Sea region since 2016 with the aim of reducing gender inequalities. On its final conference this week, the project has presented new methods and approaches to reach this goal to an international audience.
from "Future Ocean" – News https://ift.tt/3eb9L9v https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
Miami, Florida is the result of more than 400 years of pressure due to human impact. Today, few places remain to catch a glimpse of the city’s past; however, a hidden and unexpected time capsule at the very northern edge of Miami city limits offers a composite of the now and then—a wide and straight river unassumingly named “Little River.” All of the best neighborhoods in the world have one thing in common with the neighborhoods on the banks of Little River: they are microcosms of the world around them—smaller, concentrated reflections of the history and experiences of their surrounding areas.
Little River has experienced all of Miami’s developmental stages, starting as the eastern-most part of the Everglades, housing important transitional waters where saltwater and freshwater meet while also defining ecological borders. Throughout history, alligators have rested on the river’s banks while manatees fed on the lush vegetation along the edges. Before the first European explorers began attempting to settle in the 16th century, the Tequesta people lived on large swaths of Southeastern Florida, and before them, records show at least 10,000 years of human activity.
Fast-forward to the late 1800s and Little River looks quite a bit different. Its waterways were transformed by Miami’s first modern settlers: plantation pioneers who managed to tame the fast-growing flora and push out the frightening fauna. Frost-proof climate attracted investment and infrastructure, flattening ancient pine forests, flattening loosely-linked river plains and straightening meandering rivers.
Once commercialization reached Little River, it helped produce food for a growing nation in the early 1900s. Its tidal waters were a challenge to production and habitation, and the river was consequently dredged and widened like the rest of Miami’s waterways.
Progress of infrastructural development and industrialization near Little River. Maps via Daniel Sebastian Padilla Ochoa.
Today, Little River is home to a medium-density urban setting brimming with modern city woes and struggling to protect its natural environment while preparing for the threat of climate change.
Out of all the threats climate change brings, sea-level rise and more frequent flooding are the most daunting for Little River’s communities. Most of the homes on either side of the river are either slightly below or only slightly above high tide elevation. Crumbling walls along the banks of the river are in desperate need of attention if they are to keep water from eroding the soil beneath residents’ homes. An invisible layer making matters worse is that roughly 50% of homes on the river’s edge are suspected to have on-site septic systems.
Safe septic systems in Florida rely on at least two feet of soil to help filter and process waste and remove nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen before the remaining liquids reach groundwater or filter into nearby rivers and canals. Due to rising water tables, there is not enough soil separating septic systems from groundwater. Phosphorus and nitrogen feed algae, which in high concentrations can cause harmful algal blooms that deprive plants and animals of necessary oxygen. To prepare for the impacts of sea-level rise and flooding, Little River needs community-wide projects such as protected river banks, septic to sewer conversions, aerobic treatment improvements for septic tanks and redrawn river set back standards to protect homes.
At its easternmost extent, Little River empties into Biscayne Bay, a large coastal lagoon housing seagrass meadows that depend on a constant flow of fresh water. Protecting Little River’s communities and water quality helps maintain a healthy Biscayne Bay and vital habitats for ocean life.
Little River’s charm and challenges lie in its natural richness and socioeconomic diversity. You are just as likely to find groups of manatees swimming as you are to see loose trash collecting in its banks. You can row to the middle of the river, turn your head to find a charming well-maintained single-family house on one side, only to look across and see a derelict multi-family building in need of repair. On its banks, you can find spiders, lizards, snakes and iguanas, or you could find used needles, cans, styrofoam cups and plastic bags. Nowhere is this stark contrast as poetically manifested as with a walking bridge that connects a low-income neighborhood from their financially better-off neighbors across the river, where the only problem is that the bridge is gated—its remnant metal door swinging freely.
Little River hosts a vibrant range of life and has the capacity to provide beautiful open spaces for its most vulnerable, and still continues to provide a near-perfect site for its thriving residents and protect the wildlife and natural ecosystems that reside within it. In the coming weeks, we will share ideas, plans and concepts for what we truly believe Little River can become. From linear floodable parks along the river’s banks to education and outreach campaigns to engage residents on the maintenance and protection of Little River, we will be sharing how you can participate to make this wonderful gem of South Florida an even stronger staple of Miami’s legacy.
“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 systems in ways that could be potentially irreversible within human time scales.
At the same time, pollutants and environmental degradation, including fishing and hunting beyond sustainable levels, have caused extinctions at an alarming rate.[2] In the ocean, keystone species from oceanic whitetip sharks—once the most abundant shark on Earth—to bluefin tuna have suffered estimated population declines ranging from 70% to 97% depending on the study and population.[3] In the global ocean, it is estimated that only 10% of the top-predator fish biomass now remains.[4]
The world’s ailing seas are in dire straits, as the time window to prevent the worst impacts of exploitation and climate change is rapidly closing. But a recent review published in Nature[5] offers a glimmer of hope. The authors conclude that “substantial recovery of the abundance, structure, and function of marine life could be achieved by 2050,” if interventions are implemented quickly and at scale. Decisions that governments, businesses, and individuals make over the next decade could stem declines in biodiversity and prevent the worst impacts of climate change. Failing to act in time could exacerbate both.
The Nature study identified four types of interventions that have a track record of success for bringing back marine life: regulation of hunting, management of fisheries, water-quality improvement, and habitat protection and restoration. As stated by the authors, this must include establishing, expanding, and improving the quality of marine protected areas. Protecting natural ecosystems is one of the simplest and most effective tools in our arsenal. Protecting enough of crucial ecosystems to maintain the life-giving services healthy oceans provide, however, requires political will.
A growing scientific consensus makes it clear that protecting at least 30% of the ocean in fully protected areas (areas where extraction—be it fishing, drilling, or mining—are forbidden) or highly protected areas (where only artisanal or subsistence fishing is permitted) is the minimum needed to give marine biodiversity a chance to thrive.[6],[7] That level of protection is needed to maintain healthy ecosystems, and by extension the services they provide, including half the oxygen we breathe, food security and more.
The pace of conservation actions, however, has lagged behind the breakneck pace of climate change and industrial exploitation. Ensuring that marine life indeed can recover by 2050, which the Nature article underscores is possible, requires accelerating ocean conservation.
While global protected area coverage remains below the level needed to maintain healthy systems, tracking coverage over time also shows tremendous progress over the past two decades. From the 1990s to date, ocean protection has accelerated almost exponentially. In 2000, less than 1% of the global ocean was protected. By 2015 that number more than tripled to 3.5% and is on track to double within a decade. Currently, 5.3% of the global ocean is protected in implemented areas, or around 7% if we count unimplemented commitments.[8]
Despite such progress, advances towards the international target of protecting 10% of the ocean by 2020 are halting at best—reaching this goal would require the implementation of protections over millions of km2 of ocean as well as the creation of additional, large new marine protected areas by year’s end.
The international community in 2010 adopted global goals for biodiversity conservation, known as the Aichi biodiversity targets for the city in which final negotiations took place. One of those targets calls for protection of 10% of coastal and marine areas by 2020. It’s a tall order for the international community given current true protection levels remain at 5.3% counting only implemented MPAs, and just above 7% if we also count committed, but unimplemented areas. The challenge of meeting existing conservation targets, however, pales in comparison to the challenge of reaching 30% of the ocean protected by this decade (which scientists insist is the minimum needed to maintain key ocean ecosystem services): almost 120 million km2 of new MPAs globally.
Scientists and the marine conservation community have rallied around the goal of protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030[9]. This ambitious target is congruent with the urgency of the ecological crises we face. If protected area coverage in the ocean continues to increase at the same rate that it has from 2015-2020, less than 15% of the ocean would be protected by 2030. Governments need to at least double the pace of marine protection to give the ocean a fighting chance.
Meeting protection targets is further complicated by the patchwork governance across most of the ocean. Currently, there is no formal process for establishing and implementing marine protected areas within the high seas, the area beyond any one nation’s jurisdiction which encompasses around 60% of the ocean (by surface area). There is hope that may change soon, if nations can agree to final text for the High Seas Treaty which has been under negotiation at the United Nations since 2018 (and required a process of over a decade longer to get to the treaty negotiation). A study published in late March 2020 identified priority areas for conservation in the high seas, and the optimal conservation solution to protect 30% of international waters[10]. Laying the groundwork for truly international MPAs, as accomplished by this study is critical to reaching adequate levels of global marine protection.
As we grapple with navigating new targets and mustering the political will required to meet them, it is worth noting that some nations have already displayed extraordinary leadership on ocean conservation. Chile in the past decade has designated 45% of its EEZ in protected areas—while much of that remains unimplemented, it’s a noteworthy commitment.
Small island nations, often resource-strapped, have led the charge to advance global ocean conservation. This year, Palau implemented its Palau National Marine Sanctuary, covering 80% of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in a highly protected reserve that prohibits industrial fishing. The Seychelles this year finalized a plan that sets aside 15% of its waters as no-take (fully protected) reserves and another 15% under some form of protection, nominally meeting the 30% protection target within its national waters. Niue, an island that barely covers 260 km and has a population of just over 1,600 has just passed regulations for an MPA covering 40% of its ocean jurisdiction, making it one of the largest MPAs on the planet[11]. There’s no reason larger and wealthier nations can’t follow suit with determined leadership.
Indeed, bold and determined leadership from all nations is the minimum needed to secure a livable planet for generations to come. We’ve made tremendous progress over the past 15 years in advancing marine conservation. Yet the future of the ocean still depends on leaders dramatically accelerating conservation. Protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030 requires bold and principled leadership. As Sir David Attenborough has noted, the next ten years will impact thousands of years to come. The survival of marine ecosystems, and our own, is at stake.
Figure 1. Global trend of marine protected area (MPA) coverage, as a percentage of global ocean surface area. Atlas of Marine Protection, Marine Conservation Institute, 2020, www.mpatlas.org/.
[2] IPBES(2019): Global assessment report on biodiversity and ecosystem services of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. E. S. Brondizio, J. Settele, S.
[4] Myers, R., Worm, B. Rapid worldwide depletion of predatory fish communities. Nature423, 280–283 (2003).
[5] Duarte, C. M. et al. Rebuilding marine life. Nature580, 39–51 (2020).
[6] O’Leary, B.C. et al. Effective Coverage Targets for Ocean Protection. Conservation Letters, 9: 398-404. (2016)
[7] IUCN (2016). “WCC-2016-Res-050-EN” in IUCN Resolutions, Recommendations and other Decisions. 118-119
[8] Atlas of Marine Protection. MPAtlas.org, Marine Conservation Institute, 2020, www.mpatlas.org/.
[9] IUCN (2016). “WCC-2016-Res-050-EN” in IUCN Resolutions, Recommendations and other Decisions. 118-119
[10] Visalli, M. et al, Data-driven approach for highlighting priority areas for protection in marine areas beyond national jurisdiction. Marine Policy, 2020
Parasites get a bad rap. Yes, the definition of a parasite is something that takes resources from another organism, while hurting the host in the process. And anyone who has personal experience with parasites (myself included) probably doesn’t have great things to say about the ordeal. However, it’s high time parasites get the recognition they deserve as inventive critters who have developed unusual methods of survival.
What are parasites?
Parasitism is a relationship between two species where one benefits and the other suffers. Although it’s possible that parasites can kill their hosts, it’s not really in their best interest. If parasites kill their host, that means they need to find a new host, which can be hard to do! Parasites often strike a balance between taking enough resources from the host to survive, but without taking too much so they kill the host. There are some organisms, called parasitoids, who do kill their hosts.
Parasites that live inside their hosts are called endoparasites and those who live outside their hosts are called ectoparasites. Some of the more well-known human parasites include ticks and mites (ectoparasites), and tapeworms and roundworms (endoparasites).
What are some examples of marine parasites?
Sea lice: You might have heard of this one—some people attribute a common itchy rash that folks get after visiting the beach to “sea lice.” This rash, also known as “sea bather’s eruption” is actually caused by stinging nematocysts of cnidarian larvae. Sea lice are a real thing, but they are fish parasites and don’t affect humans. There are more than 550 species of sea lice found around the world, and they feed on the skin and blood of ocean fish. Sea lice are considered pests in the farmed salmon industry—they cause lesions on salmon skin which can stunt their growth and make them vulnerable to other diseases.
Tongue-eating louse: Buckle in for this one, because this is a ride. The tongue-eating louse has a very unusual parasitic strategy. You guessed it—the tongue-eating louse eats the tongue of its host. This small isopod crawls into its host through the gills, then nibbles away at the poor victim’s tongue until the organ falls off. Then, the parasite inserts itself into the cavity where the tongue used to be and becomes a “new” tongue. The whole thing is like a Beetlejuice-inspired fever dream.
Lamprey: Lampreys are eel-like fish that have no scales and can grow up to about a foot long. There are almost 40 species of lamprey, but less than half of them are parasitic. Parasitic lampreys (also known as carnivorous lampreys) mostly live in freshwater, although there are some species that migrate between fresh and saltwater. Carnivorous lampreys have a large suction-like mouth filled with sharp teeth and an even sharper tongue. Lampreys use their teeth to clamp onto their prey and use their tongue to slowly scrape away scales and skin. Parasitic lampreys feed by latching their suckers onto large fish like trout and salmon and leave large red sores on the fish when they’re finished.
Fun fact: There was this one time when lampreys in the Arctic rained from the sky in Fairbanks (spoiler alert: it was thanks to birds!)
While yes, parasites might not the cuddliest critters in the ocean, they still deserve our respect. Anything that has evolved to literally replace another animal’s tongue at least has to get points for creativity! So, here’s to our ocean’s marine parasites, and here’s hoping we never come face-to-face with them ourselves.
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Healthy oceans - important basis for many processes on EarthThe exploitation of planet Earth is no longer limited to terrestrial areas. Ruthless over-exploitation is also increasingly taking place in the marine realm. The ocean is being overfished, polluted and increasingly threatened by global climate change. However, a healthy ocean is not only an important basis for the largest ecosystem on our planet, but also for human health and well-being. A study under the leadership of the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, which was published on World Oceans Day in the international journal One Earth, now pleads for a stronger integration of this connection while assessing ocean health.
from "Future Ocean" – News https://ift.tt/3hxKecQ https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
Hannah De Frond is a researcher in the Rochman lab at the University of Toronto, studying plastic pollution. Originally from the UK, Hannah graduated from the University of Leeds with a B.S. degree in Environmental Science and from the University of York with an M.S. in Marine Environmental Management. Her research currently focuses on developing standardized laboratory methods for the analysis of microplastics, in partnership with the Southern California Coastal Waster Research Project (SCCWRP).
Every time you wash your clothes, thousands of tiny microfibers shed from the fabric into wastewaters. As 60% of all clothing is now produced from synthetic fibers (such as polyester and nylon), many of these microfibers are microplastics. Because of their small size, microfibers often pass through wastewater treatment systems, flowing into our waterways and oceans, where they can be ingested by wildlife.
A new study from researchers at Northumbria University and Procter & Gamble estimates that European countries alone release almost 13,000 tons of microfibers to marine environments every year. This is equal to the mass of dumping two garbage trucks worth of waste every day.
However, the study also found that by simply switching from a standard 85-minute 40˚C (104°F) wash cycle, to a cooler and shorter 30-minute 15˚C (59°F) cycle, the release of microfibers reduced by 30%!
Other changes that also reduce microfiber emissions include larger washing loads, and switching from traditional top-loading washers to high efficiency front-loading washers. In the study, high efficiency washers not only reduced microfiber release by 70% for polyester fleece fabrics and by 37% for polyester T-shirts, but also used 50% less energy and water per load. They also found that new clothes release more microfibers than old clothes—a further reason to avoid fast fashion.
Using hypothetical scenarios, they estimated that by using quicker laundry programs and more efficient washers, global microfiber emissions could be reduced by approximately 29%, or more than 80,000 tons per year. What’s more, with a combination of changing consumer habits and increased wastewater treatment, we could reduce global microfiber emissions by a huge 65%.
Other immediate solutions to reduce microfiber emissions include the use of commercially available capture devices for household washers. Examples include filters such as the Lint LUV-R which can be fitted to washing machines, and the Cora Ball which can be tossed in the washer with your clothing. When comparing these two devices, researchers at the University of Toronto and Ocean Conservancy found the Lint LUV-R filter captured an average of 87% of microfibers per by count, compared to the Cora Ball which captured 26%.
Together, these studies have proven that even slight adjustments to our daily habits can have a huge and immediate impact on microfiber shedding and release to the environment. Adopting just one of these small changes is an easy win in the fight against microplastic pollution.
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