Six Presidential Actions for Our Ocean

On Wednesday, January 27^th, President Biden announced that it was “climate day”–and therefore “jobs day”– at the White House. In signing an Executive Order and Presidential Memo to “Tackle the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, Create Jobs and Restore Scientific Integrity Across the Federal Government,” he also made it a remarkable day for our ocean.

Here are six ways the President’s actions build the foundation we need to ensure a healthy ocean for generations.

Recognizing the serious harm that offshore drilling poses for our ocean and global climate, President Biden paused all new federal oil and gas leasing, including leasing in offshore waters.

Burning fossil fuels is the root cause of climate change and its effects. These effects, such as sea level rise, ocean acidification and ocean warming, are all impacting coastal communities and those who rely on the ocean for their livelihoods and way of life. In order to prevent further harm to our planet and our ocean, we must reach net-zero greenhouse gas pollution by 2050, and stopping new offshore drilling is an important step toward this goal.

The Executive Order directs the Department of Interior to increase renewable energy production, including doubling offshore wind energy by 2030.

Accelerating our nation’s transition away from fossil fuels toward a clean energy future requires putting more effort and resources into developing renewables, such as sustainably-sited offshore wind. This type of renewable energy source improves air quality and reduces the emission of climate change-causing greenhouse gasses. The planning, construction and maintenance of this energy sources directly creates jobs for the communities they’re built in and around while contributing to a healthier climate and ocean overall.

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The President’s order sets an important goal to protect 30% of our lands, water and ocean by 2030, a goal also known as 30×30.

Protecting more of our ocean will not only help preserve its long-term health; it’ll also help preserve the astounding biodiversity that depends on it and support the communities that rely on it. Protected areas can make our ocean more resilient in the face of climate change as well as other threats like oil and gas development or emerging industries like deep sea mining. Ocean habitats, if taken care of and kept healthy, can also naturally store large amounts of carbon, known as blue carbon.

Protecting our ocean and balancing ocean uses, however, requires an all-in, coordinated, knowledge-based and transparent approach. As the new Executive Order illustrates, achieving the 30×30 goal for our ocean will need to include meaningful engagement and consultation with local communities, scientists, the fishing industry, states, Native American Tribes and other interests. Respect for Tribal sovereignty; free, prior and informed consent; and a place for Tribes at the decision-making table are all key elements of an equitable approach to 30×30. Through such an approach, we have the opportunity to strongly protect our ocean and support cultural values and resilient coastal and fishing communities all at once.

The President directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to initiate efforts to collect input from fishers, fishery management councils, scientists and stakeholders to ensure fisheries are resilient in the face of climate change.

Although the U.S. has been a model for sustainably managing fisheries, climate change impacts (including warming waters, ocean acidification and deoxygenation) are putting extra pressure on the fishery science and management system. Our fishing communities are facing increasing challenges due to fish stocks shifting away from traditional fishing grounds, declines in fishery productivity due to changing conditions and flooding due to sea level rise that inundates vulnerable homes and businesses. A robust input process which includes Tribes and stakeholders will help fishery managers ensure they have every science and management tool in the toolbox to keep fish populations healthy and fishing sustainable in the face of changing ocean conditions.

Wednesday’s Executive Order acknowledged that climate action must be centered around social justice and address disproportionate impacts.

Communities that are on the front lines of the effects of climate change are suffering from severely detrimental effects. The air where many these individuals live is polluted, and they lack access to clean water. They’re watching sea level rise overtake their community’s borders, and some are seeing traditional food sources disappear as our ocean acidifies. These individuals that are most affected are often also those that have been marginalized, pushed aside and discriminated against throughout history.

In order to help right these wrongs, environmental justice must be incorporated as a central part of climate resilience and action plans. Now, with the new Executive Order, every agency across the federal government is tasked with developing programs, policies and activities to address and work toward environmental justice initiatives. Further, the Executive Order initiates a Climate and Environmental Justice Screening Tool to identify these disadvantaged communities, ensure benefits from federal investments are targeted to these groups and foster continued equitable decision-making across the federal government.

Finally, President Biden’s Presidential Memorandum on scientific integrity ensures that White House policy is driven by scientific evidence–and that scientific evidence remains free of political pressure.

The Memorandum instructs agencies across our government, from NOAA to the Environmental Protection Agency, to make decisions based on the best evidence, science and data available–not politics. Each agency will also designate a Chief Science Officer to oversee scientific integrity and support scientists and their research. As we have all experienced over the past year, accurate scientific information is essential to sensible decision-making in the fight to further preserve and protect our ocean. Letting politics prevail over science undermines our ability to provide our coastal communities with the information and tools they need. Science must always drive this decision-making and policy formation. The Memorandum signed Wednesday ensures that politics will not warp this process.

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President Biden’s actions give us renewed hope for our ocean and our efforts to solve the climate crisis. We look forward to continuing to work with the Biden-Harris administration as we progress towards a cleaner, healthier and more resilient ocean.

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New Year, New Big Ocean Win

The new year started with a major ocean win that you may have missed. Buried in between the holiday downtime and the start of a new year, the White House level Ocean Policy Committee (OPC) officially became formalized into law as a part of the bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act on New Year’s Day. The OPC is critical for interagency coordination on ocean and coastal priorities related to science and management.

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Solidifying an executive-level committee to manage the environmental and economic health of our ocean is a long-standing recommendation of the ocean community. Dating back to recommendations of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy (2004) and the Final Recommendations of the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force under President Obama, this is the first of such expert panel recommendations to be passed into law. Ocean Conservancy has long championed federal ocean policy, science and comprehensive ocean management and has worked for more than a decade to support the policies of the U.S. Commission Report.

Prior to this legislation, this critical interagency body advancing a national ocean policy was supported only by presidential executive orders that could be repealed or replaced by any incoming president. A similar body was established by President Obama named the National Ocean Council, which President Trump later termed the Ocean Policy Committee in a 2018 executive order. While the respective administrative policies reflect distinctly different viewpoints, the structure of the committee remained nearly identical. The similarity of the committee structure supporting both administrations’ policies reflects the ocean community’s consensus perspective that maintaining consistency and the capacity to coordinate ocean policy over time is critical to effective ocean and coastal management. With this new legislation, the OPC is permanent and will require an act of Congress to alter, ensuring a stable and consistent structure that elevates ocean policy at the White House.

Structure of the Ocean Policy Committee

The Ocean Policy Committee, co-chaired by the White House Council on Environmental Quality and the Office of Science and Technology Policy, will coordinate agency action to implement high-level administration ocean and coastal-related priorities focusing on guiding agencies to work together on common goals. All federal agencies with a stake in ocean and coastal management make up this Committee including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Coast Guard, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and National Science Foundation. As outlined in the new legislation, the OPC will operate with two subcommittees. The Ocean Resource Management Subcommittee will coordinate policy related to ocean resource management across the federal government. The Ocean Science and Technology Subcommittee will coordinate ocean science and technology and oversee a National Ocean Mapping, Exploration and Characterization Council that has broad community and bipartisan support.

With the passage of the new legislation, the National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP) will also now operate under the OPC. The NOPP, led by the Secretary of the Navy in coordination with NOAA, will work to facilitate partnerships between federal agencies, academia, industry and non-governmental organizations to advance ocean research. The bill also reestablishes the Ocean Research Advisory Panel, recommending members be comprised of academia, industry, state, Tribes and the National Academies with expertise in marine science, technology and policy to provide expertise to the OPC.

© Ocean Conservancy

Leveraging the OPC to Build Back Better

The Biden-Harris administration can efficiently leverage the OPC structure to address policy priorities related to marine conservation, justice, sustainable use of ocean resources, ocean science related to climate change mitigation and adaptation, and other priorities as may be directed through executive action. The structure is familiar to staff across federal agencies at the headquarters and regional levels, thereby allowing the Biden-Harris administration to immediately advance its ocean and coastal priorities through nationally consistent but regionally tailored action.

Advancing and leveraging the OPC, the Biden-Harris administration can move forward on its Build Back Better objectives on climate, justice and economy. Specifically, the OPC will be a key coordination mechanism for policy objectives related to climate-ready infrastructure and doubling offshore wind, both of which have the added benefit of boosting the economy. With regard to offshore wind specifically—which is a critical piece of mitigating climate change and moving us toward a clean energy future—the OPC and its two subcommittees can drive policy alignment that would advance the Biden-Harris administration’s wind energy agenda efficiently and sustainably, and in a way that maximizes coordination across agencies with jurisdiction over ocean resources. The strong science and technology components of the OPC, including ocean exploration and characterization to better understand the ocean and climate change, means that ocean management decisions will be rooted in the best available science.

Ocean Conservancy thanks the House and Senate ocean champions for their work to codify this important ocean coordinating body. We are excited to work with the Biden-Harris administration to realize the full potential of the OPC and advance solutions for the health of our ocean and communities.

All in all, a very nice new year’s win indeed.

The post New Year, New Big Ocean Win appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.

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Tripling Protections for Vulnerable Gulf of Mexico Species and Places

A few years ago, I had the privilege of diving in the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. It is one of those special places—astoundingly beautiful, biologically diverse and teeming with life—that captures your heart and imagination.

Last year, we called for your support to encourage the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to pass a proposed rule that would triple the size of the Flower Garden Banks—and I couldn’t be happier to report that this work has come to fruition. Thanks to thousands of ocean advocates that asked for this region to be expanded, our voices were heard! We are also grateful for the hard work of commercial and recreational fishermen and other stakeholders on the Sanctuary Advisory Council who guided earlier proposals and ultimately lent their support. This Council is a model of involving stakeholders, from fishermen and coastal communities to Indigenous groups, in discussions on sanctuary placement or expansion, and we hope other regions and efforts adopt a similar opportunity for stakeholder engagement.

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This month, NOAA issued the Final Rule for expansion of Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. It nearly triples the sanctuary’s total area, extending protections to essential habitats for commercially and recreationally important fish, as well as habitats for threatened and endangered species. The decision to expand was based on more than three decades of scientific exploration, close consultation with stakeholders on the Sanctuary Advisory Council and numerous public calls for additional protections. Thanks to your support and involvement last year, this effort was successful.

© G.P. Schmahl/NOAA

Located 115 miles off the coasts of Texas and Louisiana, NOAA designated East and West Flower Garden Banks as Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in 1992. Four years later, Stetson Bank was added to the sanctuary through Congressional action. The three banks, encompassing approximately 56 square miles, including the northernmost coral reefs in the continental United States, deep-water reef communities and other essential habitats for a variety of marine species.

Expected to take effect in Spring 2021, the new expansion provides protection to 14 additional reefs and banks, slightly adjusts the boundaries of the sanctuary’s original three banks and expands the sanctuary area to a total of 160 square miles.

© G.P. Schmahl/NOAA

As one of the most staggeringly productive places on this planet, the Gulf of Mexico is home to fish, coral, whales, sea turtles, manta rays, dolphins and thousands of bird species. Since its designation as a National Marine Sanctuary, Flower Garden Banks has been a site of several notable discoveries. Just three years ago, a research team published findings of the world’s first known manta ray nursery—an extremely important finding as juvenile mantas are a rare sight.

New invertebrate species have been discovered during expeditions in recent years, including the discovery of a new black coral species at Elvers Bank, just outside of the new sanctuary boundary.

The sanctuary’s expansion provides an excellent opportunity to:

• Further explore the wonders of our ocean
• Study healthy reefs, especially as potential sites to seed and restore future reefs in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean
• Better understand ecosystems in the face of changing climate and pollution
• Connect families and children with our ocean and build stewards through conservation expeditions, conservation programs, and exhibits and outreach

After decades of work in the Gulf of Mexico, I’m incredibly excited to see this expansion—it is a huge win for science, the Gulf and the wildlife that call it home. As the United States initiates efforts to expand ocean protections to mitigate the climate crisis, the Gulf sanctuary expansion process offers an example of an inclusive and robust stakeholder process that respects people, their communities and science. Our ocean needs dedicated advocates now more than ever, and this approved rule is proof of the power in raising our voices for the ocean.

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Apalachicola Bay, You’ve Got a Friend in Ocean Conservancy

Everybody needs a friend. When you’re feeling low, you need someone who gets you, who can listen to what’s troubling you and make it all better with a gentle smile, a knowing nod and a warm embrace.

During the tumultuous times over the past year, when we’ve encountered so much grief and so much loss, many of us have realized that the warmest embrace comes from one of the best friends we’ve ever had: our ocean. We turn to the water when we need relief from the sorrows and troubles of the modern world. We sail, surf, fish, swim, dive—we play in these vibrant ocean waters, and we feel nourished and restored as if we have been hugged by a beloved companion. The ocean is our friend.

As a Florida kid growing up practically immersed in saltwater, I have known of the ocean’s friendship for as long as I can remember. Long, hard day at school? Go to the beach and surf—forget about it. Parents just don’t understand? Go to the lagoon and go fishing—forget about it. Bored? Get out on the water and have fun!

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But friendship is a two-way street. Sometimes our ocean needs a friend too. That’s where Ocean Conservancy comes in.

Just this month, I am so proud to have been able to work on behalf of Ocean Conservancy’s Florida Program and our Legal Affairs team to step up as amicus curiae in a lawsuit aimed at protecting Florida’s iconic Apalachicola Bay.

An amicus curiae, or friend of the court, intervenes in existing litigation to present a perspective on an issue that is not explicitly being raised by the other parties to a suit. The amicus is a friend who gives a voice to something that is voiceless, which is really important because the outcome of the lawsuit could have a great impact on the voiceless party.

In this case, some groups have sued the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for a failure to properly regulate freshwater inputs into the Apalachicola River that originates upstream in the Chattahoochee and Flint River systems in Georgia and Alabama. Without properly regulated freshwater flowing through the Apalachicola River and down into Apalachicola Bay in the Florida Panhandle, there are far-reaching and disastrous implications for Florida’s ocean environment.

A healthy Apalachicola Bay is a critically important nursery for offshore fish in the Gulf of Mexico, such as economically and culturally significant gag grouper. Apalachicola Bay was historically home to one of the most important oyster fisheries in the United States. It is also home to more than 300 species of birds and more than 180 species of fish. These ecosystems are critically dependent on a constant supply of clean, fresh water, mixing with saltwater from the Gulf of Mexico in a giant, teeming lagoon—but when the freshwater is diverted upstream, these ecosystems suffocate, and the downstream impacts are tragic. Late in 2020, for example, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission made the extremely difficult (but extremely wise from a conservation perspective) decision to close the legendary Apalachicola oyster fishery for a period of five years to attempt to allow it to recover after being ravaged by a lack of freshwater inputs into the bay.

Ocean Conservancy has stepped up to be a friend to Apalachicola Bay, the Gulf of Mexico and our ocean, and to point out to the court that upstream decisions in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint System can have tragic impacts on marine resources.

Florida is an ocean state; it is surrounded on three sides by wild, yet revitalizing, waters, and these unique waters make it a special place for Floridians, such as myself, as well as for the millions of visitors who flock to the state every year. Florida’s ocean needs preservation—and I am glad to step up and be there for my friend.

Read more about our involvement in the National Wildlife Federation v. U.S. Army Corps lawsuit.

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3 Simple Ways to Remove Plastics From Your Home

At the beginning of each year, I often find myself looking to make improvements in my life, whether that be in my surroundings, my relationships or my mindset. My energy levels are at an all-time high and inspiration is limitless—the early months of a new year are when I feel most productive and most determined to make meaningful changes.

After three years of working in ocean conservation, my intentions have shifted and I actively seek to make small changes in my life that promote a more healthy and sustainable environment.

I love to cook and am adamant about keeping a clean house. Cooking and cleaning is something we all must do—we all need to eat, wash our clothes and bodies and pick up after ourselves. Unfortunately, many foods and cleaning products are encased in a lot of unnecessary plastic waste which leaves us, the consumers, with the burden of finding options that are not as harmful to the environment.

Our recent study, co-authored by Sea Education Association, DSM Environmental Services and the University of Georgia, reveals that the United States ranks as high as third among countries contributing to coastal plastic pollution.

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We have a massive reliance on plastics, including many unnecessary single-use items. At every turn, we are faced with plastic packaging—in our grocery stores, our places of business and our homes. We need to advocate for policies that ensure responsibility for the full life of a product–from production to disposal. And while we need action on a national scale, I also find that making small changes in my own life helps me feel more confident in myself and my role in the plastic pollution crisis.

If you’re looking to reduce waste in your life, making the right choices can be a lot of work. In order to make it a bit easier, here are some changes that I’ve made in my own life, that you can take, learn from and make into your own.

Food

© Emily Brauner

Last year, for the first time in the history of our International Coastal Cleanup (ICC), food wrappers were the number-one-reported item found along beaches and waterways worldwide. Food wrappers are a uniquely challenging problem because they are effectively unrecyclable and few comparable alternatives are more eco-friendly.

When I go to the market or grocery store, I always keep this in mind. I bring my reusable bags and purchase products that are either made of glass, paper or contain the least amount of plastic packaging. If you are disappointed that one of your favorite brands has a lot of plastic packaging, look for alternatives and let them know that this issue is important to you. Your voice could help sway companies to look for alternative packaging formats.

I mainly avoid pre-made snacks and stick to fruits, veggies and nuts that I can buy in bulk and prepare myself—without all the plastic. And many times this is a much cheaper way to snack as well. But if you are a person who can’t live without your Goldfish and granola bars, try making your own! Even if you’re not super comfortable in the kitchen, it can be fun to try and learn new things, all while helping our ocean.

Already an expert in avoiding food packaging? Put your skills to the test with our Food Wrapper Quiz.

Dishes

© Emily Brauner

With all this cooking and food preparation, I’m often left with a sky-high pile of dishes that would take hours to wash by hand—luckily, I have a dishwasher that can handle the job.

For the longest time, I didn’t have a dishwasher and I grew accustomed to only needing a good sponge (biodegradable or compostable options are great!) and some soap to take care of our dirty plates and glasses. When I finally had access to a dishwasher, I found myself frustrated by not only the price of dishwashing detergents but at the severe lack of products that didn’t contain plastic packaging or offer anything that wasn’t a pod.

This inspired me to make my own detergent—decreasing the cost per wash and creating an option that was more environmentally friendly. I grabbed a big, air-tight jar and combined:

• Two-parts borax
• Two-parts washing soda
• One-part citric acid
• One-part salt

I only need one tablespoon of this homemade mix to have my dishes come out clean and sparkly. And if you like that clean smell that comes with store-bought pods, try adding a drop of lemon essential oil to have your dishes smelling fresh.

Pro tip: Don’t have washing soda? Washing soda can be made from baking soda by “cooking” in an oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately an hour. Mix every 20 minutes with a wooden spoon until the silky, smooth baking soda becomes grainy. It is now washing soda!

Laundry

© Emily Brauner

Just like my frustration with the multitude of plastic-coated dishwashing detergent products, I had the same feeling when searching for laundry detergents and goods.

In my search for products that would keep my clothes smelling fresh and feeling clean, I came across soap nuts. Soap nuts are the dried shells (or husks) from the soapberry nut, which come from the Sapindus mukorossi tree—a unique species native to India and Nepal. Even though they are called nuts, they are actually dried berries (fear not, those with nut allergies!).

So, how does a dried berry clean your clothes? The shell of the soap nut contains a natural soap called saponin. When the shell absorbs water, the saponin is released, which creates a soaping effect. The best thing about these is that they are 100% natural and biodegradable, and often come in cotton sacks or paper packaging. All you need is five to six soap nuts, a small breathable bag and a load of clothes that need some washing. Throw the soap nuts in the small bag and let them do the work. Even better, they have a shelf life of three to five loads—you’ll know they’re ready for composting when the soap nuts are shriveled and the shells are cracked open.

Besides soap nuts, I’ve also switched from dryer sheets to wool dryer balls. Dryer balls are a great alternative to dryer sheets—they absorb heat from the dryer and then roll and bounce around to help dry your clothes more quickly and to prevent clumping. They also last forever (more than 1,000 loads) and give you the option to add scents that you like, with the help of essential oils.

If you are interested in finding more ways you can fight plastic pollution at home, take our Trash Free Seas® Challenge for a healthier future for our ocean and all the wildlife that call it home.

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Aliens From the Deep

Many of us look up to the stars and wonder if there’s life up there. I look down into the deep ocean and while it is on our planet, it is as mysterious, or perhaps even more so. And we know there is life down there—very, very weird life. Every once in a while, a new species is discovered in the ocean that makes you think is this a joke? There are creatures that look like silly string, blobfish and the unfortunately named “Grumpy Cat” of the ocean: the sarcastic fringehead.

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It’s not surprising that when humans dream up aliens from far off planets they tend to seek inspiration from those otherworldly weirdos down below. After all, Jules Verne, one of the first science fiction writers, was not only fascinated by what humans might find on the moon but what lurked Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.

Kang and Kodos in The Simpsons

© Richard Carey/Fotolia

These alien rapscallions appeared frequently in the Halloween episodes of The Simpsons. In their first appearance in a script, they were described as “an octopus in a space helmet with a trail of goo.” Honestly, if I were going to place bets on any ocean animal’s ability for world domination, it would be the octopus. They have large, condensed brain sections entirely dedicated to learning. Could they perhaps be learning things like human weaknesses or Machiavellian political maneuvers? We might never know… until it’s too late.

 

 

Facehugger in Alien

© Eric A. Lazo-Wasem

If you’ve seen Alien, you are all too familiar with the Facehugger. These sneaky creatures inspire fear and make for the coolest mask design I’ve ever seen. These parasites are inspired by a real and, really creepy, ocean creature. Phronima drift through the ocean looking for unsuspecting prey. Once they find a vulnerable creature they barrel in (literally), creating a barrel-shaped hole that kills their host. They then live in their new corpse home, having kids and riding the ocean waves. It’s the white picket fence fantasy that only Buffalo Bill could dream up.

 

The Martians in War of the Worlds

© Ocean River

In his sequel to War of the Worlds, H.G. Wells calls his antagonists “squid-walkers.” In Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds, the aliens still have those creepy tentacles but they used a different ocean creature as a model for their 150-foot-tall aliens: the jellyfish. Jellies are formidable foes: they can produce toxic venom, emit light and they possibly possess the secret to immortality. If earthling jellyfish ever grow to the size of small skyscrapers and learn how to walk on land, I’m totally happy to let them rule the Earth, you can hold me to that.

The Heptapods in Arrival

© Ethan Daniels

The director of Arrival looked at all sorts of ocean creatures for the design of the movie’s extraterrestrials, especially cephalopods like squids, octopuses and cuttlefish. Unlike their Earth cousins, the heptapods in Arrival have seven tentacles which is a significant choice. Most animals on earth have some sort of symmetry. Cephalopods are bilaterally symmetrical, which is a big fancy word you can use at parties to say that their left side matches their right side just like us! That symmetry affects how our brain and neural networks work. By choosing to go with an odd number, the heptapod’s designers are signaling that this alien thinks in a way different than us, which is (itty bitty spoiler alert) the central theme of the movie. However, not having two sides means they probably lose their ability to multitask as brilliantly as the cuttlefish. If swimming between an attractive female and a rival male they can transform half of their body into the appealing colors of love while switching the other half to a pattern that will make the other male back off. Sometimes two halves are better than one with seven tentacles, or… something like that.

The wonder of the ocean has been inspiring human storytellers since the dawn of time. Whether they are cast as alien creatures or down to earth heroes, we can thank them for sparking our imagination and delighting audiences everywhere. They might not be in the running for an Oscar, but they each deserve an award all the same.

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4 Recently Discovered Ocean Species

While it may seem as though modern science has knowledge of the vast majority of creatures that call our planet home, the reality is much different (and nonetheless intriguing). Each year, scientists continue to discover even more species than we ever knew existed.

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However, the fact that these discoveries continue to be documented is relatively unsurprising given that more than 80% of our ocean remains unmapped or unexplored. Over the past 12 months or so, a number of fascinating new marine organisms have been observed. Today, I’m here to walk you through four that I found to be some of the most intriguing. Let’s dive in!

A sea jelly that mimics a hot air balloon

During an expedition in the waters of Puerto Rico, a research team for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) came upon a stunning deep-sea sight: Duobrachium sparksae, a new species of comb jelly. The scientists aboard the vessel reported the specimen as unique based on several factors, including notably long tentacles that seemed to hover near the seafloor and movement similar to that of a “hot air balloon.” This discovery is also the first in which NOAA scientists used only video footage to discover, report and describe a new species.

A sea snail species hiding in plain sight … as another sea snail species

© Daishi Yamazaki, Tohoku University/Phys.org

In December, researchers from Tohoku University and Okayama University studying marine snails happened upon a brand new species: Tegula kusairo. Previously, the edible marine snail species was thought to only include one species, known as Tegula xanthostigma, but differences in both genetics and habitat use drew scientists to conclude that the previously-assumed single species contained two variations of snail, each worthy of recognition as their own species.

A purple and yellow tree-spider crab

© Abdul Riyas/National University of Singapore

In the lush mangroves of Kerala, India, a brand new species of tree-spider crab was observed by researchers at the University of Kerala. The species, named Leptarma biju, has a uniquely “squarish” outer shell (known as a carapace) with notably vibrant purple and yellow coloration. It also displays several distinctive features, such as the size of its legs, the structure of its reproductive organs and unique anatomical setup of the eyes, among others. While there are many of these tree crab species sprinkled throughout ecosystems in Asia, this species is the first of its genus to be discovered in India.

A giant creature that looks just like silly string

While the photo above may look at first glance much like someone threw a massive amount of silly string into the sea, it depicts a mind-blowingly distinct creature: Apolemia, a species of siphonophore. According to the Schmidt Ocean Institute, this creature may be the longest observed on Earth to date. As reported in USA Today, Rebecca Helm of the University of North Carolina at Asheville explained that the photo depicts the creature engaged in an unbelievably intriguing hunting strategy: it’s searching for prey in a “galaxy-like spiral.” One of the wildest parts? Given the size of the creature and the intensely frigid temperatures of the deep sea, this siphonophore could be tens of years old … or hundreds, for all we know.

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Which of these wild discoveries was your favorite? Whether it’s the enormous stringy siphonophore or the colorful crustacean, it’s important to remember that all of these new species need protecting. Just like the creatures we are more familiar with, such as the blue whale or tiger shark, these newly-discovered wildlife species need our protection and advocacy just as much. Here at Ocean Conservancy, we’re working every day to advance science-based solutions for our ocean, the communities that depend on it and all of the precious wildlife that call it home. Donate today and help us ensure these animals thrive for years to come.

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Rejoining the Paris Agreement: A Victory for our Ocean

The United States has rejoined the Paris Agreement. This marks a critical step for the health of our country, our ocean and our planet.

The Paris Agreement is a legally-binding agreement on climate change that was signed in 2015 by almost 200 counties. As signers, these countries committed to identifying emissions reduction goals, reporting on those goals and ultimately mitigating their greenhouse gas emissions to limit the global average temperature increase to below 1.5 °C above pre-industrial temperatures.

The Paris Agreement was—and is—groundbreaking. It marked the largest global effort to address the effects of climate change, and under the Obama administration, the United States was a major leader of the initiative.

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In 2017, President Trump announced that he would withdraw the United States from this critical climate agreement. This was especially monumental considering the United States is one of the top emitters of carbon pollution in the world and we have an obligation to the rest of the world to lead in emissions reductions. This decision was not only short-sighted, it was a message to the world that the United States would choose to ignore the threat of climate change and would be an untrustworthy partner when it comes to tackling climate change.

Of course, this couldn’t be further from the truth—many Americans are living with the harsh daily realities of climate change. Fishermen are struggling as fish stocks move north as the ocean warms. Oyster growers in Washington have already suffered massive losses because of ocean acidification. Communities in Alaska are bracing for a future where they will have to abandon their ancestral homes and become climate refugees. West Coast residents are seeing their homes and towns decimated by climate change-fueled fires.

Despite Trump’s anti-climate policies, many Americans took climate action into their own hands. Business and state and local governments committed to working toward the goals of the Paris Agreement, even in the absence of federal leadership. These coalitions that committed to limiting climate change accounted for almost 70% of the U.S. GDP, half of its greenhouse gas production and almost two-thirds of the U.S. population.

People want climate action—almost 70% of U.S. voters support participating in the Paris Agreement. By rejoining, President Biden is acting on behalf of the American people and sending a powerful message that his administration is ready to prioritize climate action.

This year’s UN climate change conference will be an important milestone in the fight against climate change. All eyes will be on President Biden as a climate-conscious leader of a country with one of the highest greenhouse gas emissions to lead by example. In the run-up to the conference, we hope the President takes ambitious action to reduce U.S. emissions. We look forward to seeing his administration’s plans to become carbon-neutral by 2050, including his plan for sustainable ocean-based climate solutions, from increasing offshore renewable energy to stopping the loss of coastal ecosystems that store carbon.

We are grateful to President Biden and his administration for prioritizing climate change within his first 100 days in office—our ocean, communities and all of us will benefit. We are optimistic this is a sign of great ocean climate action to come.

The post Rejoining the Paris Agreement: A Victory for our Ocean appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.

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6 Ocean Priorities for the Biden Administration

Since President-elect Biden was voted into office last November, he and his team have been sharing what they want to accomplish in their first 100 days in office. It’s no secret that they have a lot on their plate—including managing the COVID-19 pandemic, organizing effective vaccine distribution, juggling international relationships, investing in racial equity and seeking to unify a fractured country.

In the midst of any political transition, it is easy for environmental issues to be pushed aside in the name of more “urgent” issues. We, alongside many other environmental NGOs and individual advocates, are dedicated to ensuring our planet is a priority from the moment Biden steps in the Oval Office.

Fortunately, the new administration has given us promising signals that environmental action is high on their to-do list. Here are six things that must be prioritized in the coming weeks and months:

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Lead the world to eliminate carbon pollution

The United States withdrew from the Paris Agreement, a groundbreaking international pact to address the climate crisis, under the Trump administration. This was a dangerous and devastating move for our ocean and for all of us. The effects of climate change on our ocean are already profound and we know the clock is ticking for meaningful action that will avert some of the worst impacts. Thankfully, the Biden administration has declared rejoining the Paris Agreement as a “Day 1” priority, and we are grateful to have a President that puts climate at the forefront. In addition, we have high expectations that the Biden administration will actively lead the world to eliminate carbon pollution. During the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference in November, we encourage the administration to champion ocean-based climate solutions—which are often overlooked—and represent the United States as a global climate leader.

Undo rollbacks to NEPA

In 2020, the Trump administration rolled back the rules that implement the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), a foundational environmental law that requires government agencies to consider environmental consequences when they consider major federal actions and involve the public in making those decisions. The rollbacks limited opportunities for public input, reduced the number of projects that would undergo an environmental review and sidelined climate change considerations when developing and implementing projects. The Biden administration must strengthen NEPA immediately, restoring the public’s and communities’ voices and requiring that federal projects are thoroughly assessed—including their climate impact.

Reinstate the Northern Bering Sea Climate Resilience Area

In 2016, in response to requests from Tribes and Tribal organizations in the Northern Bering Sea, President Obama established the Northern Bering Sea Climate Resilience Area to give Tribes a meaningful role in the management of the Bering Strait and the Northern Bering Sea and to protect one of the most environmentally and culturally significant places on our planet. The Trump administration promptly undid this progress by revoking the resilience area designation, as well as other rules that prevented offshore drilling in the Arctic. The Biden administration should make it a priority to reinstate the Northern Bering Sea Climate Resilience Area to ensure Tribes in the region have a voice in the management of the ecosystem they have stewarded for tens of thousands of years. This is especially critical now, as the Arctic is warming rapidly and the threats from increasing industrial activity such as oil and gas, shipping and commercial fishing are rising, along with the seas.

Restore and expand marine habitat protections

We made great strides in protecting our ocean under the Obama administration through the expansion of the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument and the creation of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, which is the U.S. Atlantic’s first monument. President Trump issued a proclamation in 2020 to open the Atlantic monument to commercial fishing, which would undermine the goals of the monument. Expanding protections of critical habitat for at-risk wildlife can protect some of our most treasured marine ecosystems and when designed for it, can also contribute to climate change solutions.

Prioritize climate science throughout federal agencies

The Trump administration made things difficult for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), from proposing millions of dollars of cuts to the NOAA budget to contradicting science produced by the agency. More recently, he replaced prominent NOAA scientists with climate change skeptics. As one of his first actions as President, Biden should fill these NOAA leadership roles with people who are dedicated to using science-based solutions to act on climate and conserve and manage coastal and marine systems. The sooner we have climate-focused people in those positions, the sooner we can implement critical policies to protect our ocean and coastal communities from the effects of climate change.

Prevent new offshore oil and gas drilling

Expanding offshore drilling goes against what we want for the future of our country and future generations of Americans. And weakening rules designed to prevent catastrophic oil spills is dangerous and short-sighted. The Trump administration repeatedly pushed for risky offshore oil and gas drilling by proposing a nationwide program that would allow offshore drilling off virtually the entire U.S. coastline and instructed the Department of the Interior to consider rolling-back key rules designed to improve the safety of offshore drilling. The Trump administration repeatedly pushed for risky offshore oil and gas drilling by proposing a nationwide program that would allow offshore drilling off virtually the entire U.S. coastline and weakened key rules designed to improve the safety of offshore drilling. Even in its waning days, it was still pushing to roll back regulations designed to protect the Arctic Ocean. We expect the Biden administration to recognize the harmful effects of offshore drilling by not opening new areas to drilling and keeping important safety and management rules in place.

We look forward to working with the Biden administration and Congress, helping them live up to their promises to protect our ocean and coastal communities and climate. We will push for action every step of the way, alongside dedicated ocean advocates like you.

The post 6 Ocean Priorities for the Biden Administration appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.

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7 Fish Folklore Stories From Around the World

I have always held deep respect and appreciation for folklore. As a storyteller, my favorite part about telling stories is that they transverse time. I love it when two people come together to exchange a past experience or a seed from their own imagination, and the storytelling cycle repeats. Stories also have the special power of preserving memory across generations, particularly in folklore tales. These tales can illustrate a culture’s values, teach life lessons of generations past and simply bring amusement and humor in which everyone can take part.

As a Roger Arliner Young (RAY) Marine Conservation Diversity Fellow in the Fish Conservation Program at Ocean Conservancy (working on fisheries policy and storytelling), coupled with my constant search for stories to keep humbly learning about the world, I sought to gather fun fish stories from all over the world to share with you.

Here are seven, short fish folklore stories, or fish-lore tails from around the globe:

China: The Koi Fish That Persisted

© Jeremy Cai

This Chinese legend features the trek of a large school of koi fish, and one fish in particular that never gave up. Shining brightly like polished jewels in the Yellow River of China, a school of koi fish swam together upstream with every bit of their strength. They swam against the powerful currents of the river and attempted to climb a waterfall. Some fish could not bear the challenge, and so they turned around and let the river take them back downstream. Local deities witnessed their efforts and heightened the waterfall out of spite—more fish turned around. After one hundred years of swimming upstream, one koi fish eventually reached the top of the waterfall. The gods recognized the persistence of this koi fish and turned it into a golden dragon, a symbol of power and strength, hence the waterfall became known as the Dragon Gate.

Brazil, Australia and the Sub-Antarctic: Half-person, Half-fish

Perhaps one of the most familiar creatures in ocean fantasies, mermaids (or merfolk) appear in numerous folklore stories across many different countries.

• From Amazonas, Brazil is the story of a young, Indigenous warrior named Iara. Because of her top warrior skills and strength, she was deemed better than her brothers and her brothers grew envious of her. One day, she learned that her life was being threatened, so she ran to the Meeting of the Waters, the merging point of Rio Solimões (the Amazon River) and Rio Negro. A chaser ran after Iara and threw her into the river, however the fish saved Iara and turned her into a gorgeous mermaid. From that day forward, Iara attracts men with her beauty and song, only to throw them into the river—just as she was thrown into the river that one fateful night. People on the Amazonas still speak of seeing her along the banks of Rio Solimões.

The National Museum of Australia displays Yawkyawk sculptures by two Kunwinjku artists, Marina Murdilnga and Lulu Laradjbi. © National Museum of Australia

• The term Yawkyawk, translating to “young woman spirit being,” comes from the Kunwinjku/Kunwok language of Western Arnhem Land in Australia. Yawkyawks are spiritual beings that reside near freshwater streams and are recounted to have a fish’s tail and long hair that resembles trailing blooms of algae. Yawkyawks are occasionally depicted by artists in the visual arts.

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• The Ningen is an aquatic creature of modern folklore. Originating from online forums in the mid-2000s, Japanese sailors and fishermen recall witnessing this huge, white bulbous creature that roams the waters of the Sub-Antarctic region. The name “Ningen” is said to be derived from the term “ningyo,” directly translating to “human fish,” a mermaid-like creature in traditional Japanese folklore.

Zambia and Namibia: Why Hippos Don’t Eat Fish

© Luke Scholes

In this African folktale, a hippopotamus and its Creator reach a compromise. In the beginning, when the Creator made animals, He designated the hippo to live on land. Longing to be in the cool water and relieve its dry skin, a hippo asks the Creator to be allowed to live on the water. The Creator, along with the other water animals, was worried that the hippo would eat all the fish with its huge mouth. The hippo made a promise to only eat plants and to never eat a single fish. The Creator agreed and granted the hippo permission to finally live in the water. To this day, hippos spread their dung with their feet to show the Creator that there are no fish bones that can be traced. A teaching of this tale is to always keep your word in a promise.

Norway: The Return of the Gold Ring

© Food Safety News

This Norwegian legend is one variation of the popular story of a lost gold ring, which can be found in other countries such as India, Italy and Korea. A merchant and his wife work hard on the farm in a village called Klauva and vow to never become poor. Once, the wife got into an argument with a boatman after the boatman claimed that anyone could become poor. The wife expressed that losing her wealth was as impossible as recovering her gold ring which, under the same breath, she threw into the sea. One day, a villager came into Klauva offering to sell fish. The wife purchased a huge cod, and the villager cut it open with a knife. A gold ring fell at her feet! In shock, she recognized that it was the very ring she tossed into the sea long ago. A short few years later, the merchant and his wife moved out of Klauva as a result of losing their fortunes. The moral? Fortunes can always change.

Menominee People Ancestral Territories (Wisconsin and Michigan), United States: The Chief, the Moose and the Catfish

© Milos Prelevic

In this traditional tale from the Menominee nation, an old chief saw a group of catfish in the water. He told them about a moose that often came to the water’s edge to eat grass. The chief instructed the catfish to watch for the moose so that they could work together to attack the moose and feast on it. The catfish agreed to his request and they scattered across the water bank. When the moose came to the water’s edge, the chief struck his spear into the leg of the moose, and the moose bellowed in agony. Seeing the catfish by its feet, the moose trampled its hooves on them thinking they were responsible for the spear. To this day, this is why catfish look the way they do—they have never recovered from the flattening of their faces.

The vast number of stories and tales about fish are an indication of the importance of these finned denizens of ocean (and fresh) waters around the world and throughout history. The value of fish, from providing food to inspiring stories, is just one reason why it is so critical to protect them and ensure that they are abundant from one generation to the next.

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The post 7 Fish Folklore Stories From Around the World appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.

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