Meet our 2020 Blue Park Award nominees, and help us evaluate them!

By Alyssa Tylor, Marine Conservation Institute Blue Parks Intern.

 

Do you need some positive news? We realize your primary focus these days is the health and safety of yourself and your loved ones in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and our goal is not to diminish those concerns. But if a little ocean optimism could boost your spirits, please read on to meet the 2020 Blue Park Award nominees.

 

Blue Park Awards are given to exemplary marine protected areas (MPAs) whose biodiversity and management have been evaluated using our science-based criteria. They are the MPAs that are in the right places, with the right rules, and the right management to effectively safeguard marine wildlife. We are thrilled to announce 4 nominees for the 2020 Blue Park Awards: Brazil’s Abrolhos Marine National Park, the Netherlands’ Bonaire National Marine Park in the Caribbean, Ross Sea region Marine Protected Area in the Southern Ocean, and Mexico’s Revillagigedo Marine National Park in the Eastern Tropical Pacific.

Abrolhos Marine National Park protects some of the most biodiverse reefs in the South Atlantic Ocean. These reefs include high levels of endemism with about 25% of fish and 30% of scleratin corals reported as endemic. The area is also an important breeding ground for southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae).

 

Bonaire National Marine Park protects healthy coral reefs, some of the highest fish counts in the Caribbean Sea, mangrove and seagrass ecosystems, and important nursery grounds for queen conch.

 

Credit: NOAA

The Ross Sea region MPA is the largest MPA in the world, covering 2,090,027 km² of the Southern Ocean. It is the last remaining, near-pristine open-ocean and continental shelf ecosystem on Earth, and it protects numerous endemic species and half of the Antarctic orca population.

 

Credit: Mexican Government

Revillagigedo National Marine Park, located at the convergence of major ocean currents off the coast of Mexico’s Baja peninsula, is a highly productive area that successfully supports an incredibly biodiverse ecosystem of corals, fish, 28 shark species, turtles, giant manta rays, and humpback whales.

 

These nominees have demonstrated evidence of meeting these criteria, but we need your help to complete this stage of the evaluation. We have posted our evaluation reports for each of the nominees for you to review and comment forms you can use to submit your feedback on the 2020 nominees web page. Particularly if you have experience with any of these nominees, we would love your input! The public comment period will remain open until 6 May 2020 – please help us evaluate the nominees today! Additionally, we are always looking for new Blue Park nominations, so if you know an MPA that should receive a Blue Park Award, tell us about it!

 

After the 2020 Blue Park Awards are announced at the Our Oceans Conference, they will join an international network of outstanding Blue Parks, uniting the global oceans and the people who care about them. In stressful times, Blue Parks continue to provide ocean optimism. You can learn more about Blue Parks by visiting the website: https://blueparks.org/.

We wish you health and hope!

 

from On the Tide https://ift.tt/2zkQiDQ https://ift.tt/2XSeAPK

Protecting Nature from Indoors

Nature is my happy place. When I am stressed or feeling on the verge of a panic attack, I close my eyes and imagine myself back at the Goshen Pass in Virginia. I am sitting down in the rocky river bed, allowing the river to rush over my shoulders, while I look out at the massive walls of the gorge on either side of me. With my eyes closed, I stay in that moment: feeling the chill of the water, hearing the rush of the water, feeling the inner peace one can only find out in the wilderness.

I often think of John Muir’s quote from his writings on Yosemite: “Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul alike.” I’ve been heartened by watching spaces like Yosemite come alive with wildlife during these times. I’ve also loved how many friends have been finding safe ways to hike, walk or otherwise enjoy the solitude and respite in outdoor parks and green spaces. I have re-read my colleague Becca Robbins Gisclair’s blog about twenty times thus far, and find myself longing to be back on the ocean shore. Even for those like me who don’t have the option to go out into nature right now, the memories I’ve created in those spaces help me during troubled times.

Which is why now, more than ever, I can use my time at home to protect nature. From plastic companies using misinformation to promote environmental rollbacks to new threats to the Arctic, our work at Ocean Conservancy has not stopped. We rely on individuals to take a few minutes out of their day to help us advocate for important environmental protections to ensure our ocean has a healthy future. During Earth Week, I want to provide a few ways that you can take action for the natural wonders you love, even if you’re stuck inside.

1. Speak Up for Manatees

Manatees are gentle giants, which is why many people hold them near and dear in their hearts. Unfortunately, manatee populations face many dangers. Many of them bear scars where they have been hit by boat propellers and some have been found with discarded items like fish hooks in their stomachs. You can help by telling Congress to fund manatee research and conservation. This will help scientists understand why manatee populations are decreasing and how we can better protect these amazing animals. Take action for manatees here.

2. Protect the Bering Strait

The Bering Strait is home to one of the largest concentrations of breeding seabirds in North America and it’s an important gateway for one of the largest marine mammal migrations on Earth. There are amazing animals that call it home—from polar bears to ringed and ribbon seals, to walruses and grey whales. As the Arctic is heating up, new threats are coming to this incredible place. It is becoming easier for commercial shipping to pass through the Bering Strait, bringing with it pollution, ocean noise and ship strikes which threaten this region’s inhabitants. Take action to protect this important habitat from increased shipping.

3. Ensure a Thriving Ocean

We are already seeing the effects of climate change in our ocean. Many fish populations are migrating toward the Earth’s poles and into deeper waters as they search for the cool water they need to survive. These shifts mean some animals can’t find food, can’t find the right habitat or can’t mate in the same way. We need to better understand these shifts in order to ensure our ocean thrives. Speak up for legislation that will protect these shifting fish populations.

You can stay up to date on our latest efforts to protect nature by signing up for our email list below or texting “OCEANS” to 69866 for mobile alerts. While you may not be able to visit the ocean right now, you can help ensure these natural wonders are healthy and thriving for generations to come.

The post Protecting Nature from Indoors appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.

from Ocean Conservancy https://ift.tt/2wTX2HM https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Ten Years After the BP Oil Spill, Restoration Offers Hope for the Gulf

This blog post is co-authored by National Audubon Society, the National Wildlife Federation, The Nature Conservancy and Ocean Conservancy.

On April 20, 2010, the BP Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded, killing 11 men and spewing an estimated 200 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico over the following 87 days. It was the largest oil spill in U. S. history, and it wreaked incredible harm on the ecosystem, wildlife and communities of the Gulf.

Such a large and damaging spill necessarily triggered extraordinary legal action. The resulting record-setting legal settlements are funding what is arguably the largest ecosystem restoration effort in history. From the global settlement, $16 billion was directed toward restoration. More than $12 billion remains to be invested—a process that will not be completed until 2032.

Although an impressive sum, $16 billion is still not enough to address the myriad problems facing the Gulf, particularly with the looming threat posed by climate change. Because of that, it is imperative that we make the most out of every dollar available.

For years, our five organizations have worked collectively and with partners to advance projects that will make the most difference and to ensure that the money is spent in a way that is transparent and based on sound science.

To date, all levels of government have acted diligently together, across jurisdictions and party lines to create tangible benefits for communities and wildlife. This money will restore the Gulf ecosystem as a whole with projects in all five states and in the open ocean.

© Lisa Kelly

For example:

• Barrier islands are nature’s first line of defense against storms and they provide important habitats for birds and sea turtles. But the Gulf’s barrier islands are eroding rapidly due to sea-level rise and sand starvation — a process that was sped up by the oil spill. Settlement funds have rebuilt and restored barrier islands in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, and Florida.
• More than 50,000 acres of beautiful and ecologically important coastal lands across the Gulf region are now protected, permanently providing habitats for wildlife and creating new recreational opportunities for coastal communities.
• The Louisiana coastline experiences one of the most rapid rates of coastal land loss anywhere in the world — threatening a particularly rich ecosystem. The State of Louisiana, the Federal Natural Resource Damage trustees, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Army Corps of Engineers are working on projects to allow the Mississippi River to once again replenish coastal marshes and swamps with fresh sediment. Restoring these wetlands and building new ones through natural delta building processes will also help protect the New Orleans area and other coastal communities from future hurricanes and sea level rise.
• Oysters are nature’s kidneys — filtering water and improving its quality and clarity. Furthermore, oyster reefs provide important habitat for fish, crabs, birds and other wildlife, and can provide wave protection for fragile marsh shorelines. Sadly, oysters have been on the decline in the Gulf for decades — and more than eight billion oysters perished as a result of the oil spill and the response. Settlement funds are rebuilding and restoring oyster reefs in estuaries across the Gulf.
• Projects called “living shorelines” use natural features such as wetlands, dunes, and oyster reefs to help protect coastlines from sea level rise while creating and protecting habitats for wildlife.  Settlement funds are building these types of projects across the Gulf — the Lightning Point project in the fishing port of Bayou LaBatre, Alabama is one good example.
• Marine species from birds, to sea turtles, whales and dolphins and fishes and deep ocean habitats are the focus of the largest open ocean restoration initiative ever undertaken. The innovative, science-based approaches will help commercially and recreationally important reef fish rebuild their populations through voluntary use of special devices that improve post-release survival and benefit deep sea corals through expanded seafloor mapping and novel propagation techniques.

Ten years after the spill, the accomplishments are real and offer hope for the future of the Gulf.

This enormous progress is a direct result of dedicated funding, governments working together, bipartisan support, science guiding investment, and involvement from diverse stakeholders at the grassroots level.  As a result, the Gulf has demonstrated that Americans can deliver tangible and lasting benefits for our wildlife, our coast and our communities.

Stay current in ocean news.

Sign up for our emails.

Sorry, but we failed to add you to the list. Please try again or contact 1.888.780.6763

Email Address

...loading

Thanks for signing up for Ocean Conservancy emails.

The post Ten Years After the BP Oil Spill, Restoration Offers Hope for the Gulf appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.

from Ocean Conservancy https://ift.tt/2KmpgOs https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Like today’s crises, BP spill showed Gulf Coast’s resiliency

This blog previously published by The Advocate on April 19, 2020.

Exactly 10 years after the BP Deepwater Horizon tragedy changed the Gulf of Mexico, communities across the Gulf are reeling from the impacts of another emergency.

On April 20, 2010, an oil well ruptured 5,000 meters under the ocean, causing a massive rig explosion that cost the lives of 11 men. Images of the burning rig and an ever-expanding oil slick were broadcasted into homes around the world and became part of our shared public consciousness. But we also witnessed stories of bravery, ingenuity and sacrifice by Gulf residents. In the very first hours of the tragedy, a fleet of shrimp fishermen converted their vessels into oil skimmers and made their way to the site of the oil spill to capture as much of the oil as possible.

© Brandon Shuler

It took 87 days and multiple attempts for the Macondo oil well to be capped. By then, approximately 210 million gallons of crude oil and 1.8 million gallons of chemical dispersants flooded into our ocean. It killed marine wildlife, severely damaged the environment and gutted coastal economies across five U.S. states. It became one of the worst environmental disasters in United States history.

If there is one thing we can learn from the BP oil disaster, it is our resilience to endure and to rebuild after the storm. The world saw it 10 years ago in the Gulf of Mexico. We are still inspired by it today.

Ten years later, communities along the Gulf Coast and nationwide are being put to another test. Unlike the vast oil slicks and chemical dispersants of 2010, the threat today may be invisible but it is already causing devastation. We know that one of the most powerful ways we can stop COVID-19 is by adhering to “social distancing”—a phrase that was unknown to most of us before this pandemic hit our shores—to help our healthcare systems. This sacrifice is hurting Gulf communities that rely on a healthy ocean to anchor a host of industries, like tourism. The shuttered businesses, closed main streets and empty tourist attractions could be bringing back painful memories.

Before COVID-19 swept around the world, Ocean Conservancy had plans to mark the 10^th anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon tragedy with our partners in the Gulf region and in Washington D.C.

We wanted to celebrate the unwavering community response to restoring the Gulf of Mexico.

While there is still much more work to be done, it has been an inspiration to see coastal communities rally with scientists and policy makers to put recovery plans in place to implement projects on shore as well as in the open ocean.

We also wanted to honor the voices of millions of Americans that both rallied against this administration’s reckless proposal on offshore oil and gas development, and supported a permanent moratorium on oil and gas drilling in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico.

Our push for important safety regulations and transparency—put in place as a result of the BP Deepwater Horizon tragedy—remains unchanged. Americans simply cannot afford shortsighted decisions that put us at risk of another major offshore oil spill.

Ocean Conservancy is committed to keeping these important issues in sight, even as we weather this pandemic together. For now, this decadal milestone is a reminder of the inherent resilience and courage that defines the people and communities that make this nation.

If there is one thing we can learn from the BP oil disaster, it is our resilience to endure and to rebuild after the storm. The world saw it 10 years ago in the Gulf of Mexico. We are still inspired by it today.

Stay current in ocean news.

Sign up for our emails.

Sorry, but we failed to add you to the list. Please try again or contact 1.888.780.6763

Email Address

...loading

Thanks for signing up for Ocean Conservancy emails.

The post Like today’s crises, BP spill showed Gulf Coast’s resiliency appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.

from Ocean Conservancy https://ift.tt/2XR87V6 https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Celebrate Earth Day and Our Ocean from Home

Next week we celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of Earth Day. Each year this holiday offers a time of celebration and focus on the environment. Earth Day looks a little different this year with the current challenges we all are facing as we work to #FlattentheCurve. It can be difficult in these times to feel like you have the power to make change when there are such large issues facing our world. Yet Earth Day has always been a reflection point to look at past successes and remember our future actions can still have a positive impact.

This year we’re lining up a series of virtual events, resources and actions that can help us each find ways to impact the ocean from our individual homes. We hope you join us at one of the events below during this week of action to protect our ocean.

Week of Action

Join us all week long as we provide ideas for action on our social media, blogs, email and through mobile messaging. We are kicking off on Monday, April 20, the anniversary of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil disaster, and continuing throughout the week. We will have ideas, opportunities and digital tools for you to protect our ocean. You can follow along by:

• Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter
• Text “OCEANS” to 69866 for mobile alerts
• Sign up for our email list below
• Follow our blog

Sign up for our emails!

Sorry, but we failed to add you to the list. Please try again or contact 1.888.780.6763

Email Address

...loading

Thanks for signing up for Ocean Conservancy emails.

Facebook Live Events

We will be a part of three Facebook Q&As with our experts this week. Don’t miss a chance to learn more about the ocean and our work to protect it.

• We’ll be sharing a special interview with Captain Benny Blanco. Flamingo light tackle charter captain and clean water advocate, and our own J.P. Brooker, Senior Manager and Policy for Florida Conservation for Ocean Conservancy about their work in Florida conservation. Tune in on Earth Day, April 22 at 5pm EST.
• Mike LeVine, Senior Arctic Fellow for Ocean Conservancy, will be answering your biggest questions about Alaska and Arctic wildlife and ecosystems in a special video that will be shared on our social channels. Stay tuned towards the end of Earth Week for this social video premiere!
• George Leonard, Chief Scientist and Becca Robbins Gisclair, Senior Director of Arctic Programs will be joining the Centerplate head chef for the Mariners about sustainable seafood and helping fisherman. Head over to Centerplate’s Facebook page on Earth Day, April 22 at 12:00pm EST to learn more.

Litter-ature for Waste Litter-acy

We’re excited to partner with the University of Toronto Trash Team to present live readings with guest authors and scientists ready to dive into the exciting world of trash. Litter-ature for Waste Litter-acy is a four-week program where we dive into children’s books about plastic pollution in the ocean with very special guests ready to answer questions and inspire action. You can read more about the exciting line up here.

We hope you join us at all of these exciting events next week!

The post Celebrate Earth Day and Our Ocean from Home appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.

from Ocean Conservancy https://ift.tt/3agR41l https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

The Seychelles’ Giant Step in Ocean Conservation: A Cautious Hope for the Ocean

By Sebastian Nicholls, Blue Parks Ambassador.

On March 26th, President Danny Faure of the Republic of Seychelles formalized a marine spatial plan for the entire exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Seychelles, touting “the legal designation of one-third of [the Seychelles’]  ocean territory, as a marine protected area.”^[1] As governments work to make good on commitments to protect 10% of the ocean by 2020, and consider more ambitious targets,^[2] the President’s step of protecting 30% of its ocean territory references the widely supported target that marine scientists and conservationists recommend. It’s a step to be lauded, while recognizing that what is meant by “protection,” is not fully clear.

 

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are most effective when they include strong prohibitions on all extractive activity, like fishing, mining, and oil drilling^[3]—what scientists and MPA managers call “no-take” MPAs. These no-take MPAs result in an average of 670% more fish biomass than adjacent areas without protection and 343% more than areas with weaker regulations.^[4] Highly protected MPAs where no industrial extraction is permitted also result in biodiversity conservation benefits, but no-take reserves remain the most effective. The difference in regulations among MPAs matters.

 

The Seychelles identify 30% of its waters as now being within a marine protected area, and half of that is fully no-take.^[5] The Seychelles’ fully no-take zone (Zone 1 in its marine spatial plan) is something to celebrate—few countries have fully protected as much of their marine jurisdiction as the Seychelles has. Fifteen percent of the Seychelles’ EEZ is an area the size of the U.K! The corals, fishes, seabirds and marine mammals in that area are now safe from fishing and other destructive activities!

 

The other 15% of the Seychelles’ EEZ is in a “medium biodiversity protection and sustainable use zone,” where “some level of extraction and sea bed alteration, with appropriate management”^[6] are allowed. This description is vague enough that it could permit activities that pose threats to biodiversity, abundance of marine animals including fish, and the survival of some endemic species.

 

“Highly protected” areas which forbid industrial extraction, but might permit some subsistence or artisanal fishing can yield substantial biodiversity conservation benefits. However, it is not immediately evident whether the “extraction” and “seabed alteration” referenced in the Seychelles’ plan for Zone 2 meets the criteria for a highly protected MPA. Regulations elaborated to govern activities in this zone will determine if it contributes to truly safeguarding the Seychelles’ biodiversity or falls short.

 

A 2016 review of the scientific literature on area-based protection targets established that a minimum target of including 30% of each biogeographic region in the ocean within no-take reserves and/or highly protected MPAs is strongly supported by scientific literature.^[7] This goal was adopted in 2016 by the IUCN with a resolution calling for 30% or more of the ocean protected within highly protected MPAs, including both no-take areas and areas that prohibit industrial extraction.

 

It’s clear that 15% of the Seychelles’ waters within Zone 1 (high biodiversity protection zone) should count towards the 30% science-based target for effective conservation, as it clearly will be a fully-protected reserve. Whether the other 15% in Zone 2 (medium biodiversity protection zone) will contribute to effective conservation remains to be determined. That will depend on the strength of regulations against industrial extraction within that zone.

 

Furthermore, legal designation is only one step towards effective conservation. Science shows that to bring back biodiversity, abundance, and maintain critical ecosystem services, MPAs need effective management: up-to-date management plans, appropriate monitoring and enforcement strategies, and the budget and staff to execute management plans and enforcement activities.

 

Indeed, this need for effective management, enforcement and regulations, which has at times been overlooked in marine conservation planning is the rationale for Marine Conservation Institute’s Blue Parks Program. Our Blue Parks team conducts in-depth science based assessments of conservation effectiveness for MPAs worldwide, recognizing the best examples with Blue Park Awards. The awards were envisioned as the Oscars^TM or Nobel Prize of ocean protection—something that all policy makers and MPA managers can aspire to. The Blue Park Award affords credibility to MPAs that effectively protect and restore marine biodiversity.

 

Aldabra Atoll, one of the oldest MPAs in the Seychelles earned a platinum-level Blue Park Award in 2019, the highest recognition for MPA effectiveness. Aldabra’s award is a good omen for effective protection of the new areas designated by President Faure in his announcement last week. However, challenges remain—the Seychelles Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust projects costs of $75-$106 per square kilometer per year to manage the Seychelles’ expanded MPA network.^[8] At the upper end of that projection, the costs of enforcement might reach up to $42 million USD per year—a tall order for a small island state.

 

President Faure’s government has taken an important step towards securing its country’s marine biodiversity: fully protecting 200,000 km² is a giant leap for marine conservation. But the success of the Seychelles marine conservation efforts depends on strong regulations in its Zone 2 “medium biodiversity protection zone”—another 200,000 km² – alongside detailed management plans, effective monitoring and enforcement, and enough funding and staff to implement these plans for a vast network of MPAs.

 

For the ocean’s sake, the Seychelles government should be applauded for this significant step forward and should continue to lead with strong regulations in Zone 2. This along with detailed management plans, staffing and budgets for the new MPA network will result in conservation success for the Seychelles. The ocean conservation funding community should help meet President Faure’s commitment with the resources needed to truly safeguard the Seychelles’ ocean. Other nations should follow the Seychelles’ example. If a small island state can set aside 15% of its marine jurisdiction in no-take reserves and slate another 15% for additional protections, it is safe to say that many others can, and must.

 

 

^[1] President Faure’s speech on Seychelles’ designation, available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWs6tX7Ze8k

^[2] UN Biodiversity Plan calls for protecting 30% of the planet by 2030 https://grist.org/politics/u-n-biodiversity-plan-calls-for-protecting-30-of-earth-by-2030/

^[3] Sala, E. and S. Giakoumi, “No-Take Marine Reserves Are the Most Effective Protected Areas in the Ocean,” ICES Journal of Marine Science 75, no. 3 (2017): 1166-68, https://ift.tt/3cpxSzY.

^[4] ibid.

^[5] https://seymsp.com/outputs/zoning-framework/

^[6]Ibid.

^[7] O’Leary, B. Winther-Janson, M et al. “Effective coverage targets for ocean protection Running Title: Effective targets for ocean protection.” Conservation Letters, 2016; DOI: 10.1111/conl.12247

^[8] https://news.mongabay.com/2020/03/seychelles-extends-protection-to-marine-area-twice-the-size-of-great-britain/

from On the Tide https://ift.tt/3ertpi2 https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

New Study from Iceland Tracks Marine Debris

One thing I enjoy most about Ocean Conservancy is that we work hard to ensure our advocacy for the ocean is driven by an understanding of science. Yes, we spend a lot of time giving testimony at public meetings and sitting in windowless conference rooms with government officials, but every now and then we venture out on a research boat or sit down with some of the world’s leading minds in ocean science.

As my program focuses on the Arctic, this means I learn a lot about ice-dependent species and the remote, yet biologically rich, Arctic Ocean and coastal seas of the Arctic states. With the recent COVID-19 pandemic, scientists worldwide have begun an impressive collaborative effort to pool their resources and help guide us toward a better understanding of—and ultimately a solution to—the rapid spread of the virus. One Arctic country is helping lead the way.

Iceland is unique in many ways. It has a small population that can trace their heritage back to a common ancestry. Combined with a low rate of immigration and a dedication to genealogy and scientific pursuits, Iceland has been described by Wired magazine as “the world’s greatest genetics laboratory.” In recent months, that laboratory has been hard at work.

In the newest edition of the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine, Icelandic scientists published the results of a study that included testing 6% of Iceland’s population for infection of COVID-19. The results (which included that women and children are less likely to become infected) were illuminating and are helping scientists and governments worldwide better understand the spread of the virus, and to prepare for eventual easing of physical distancing restrictions.

The Icelandic scientific community is not only focused on COVID-19 of course; they are also doing some interesting work studying ocean currents and the movement of plastics and other marine debris between Arctic countries. At the conclusion of last September’s Arctic Council Protection of the Marine Environment Working Group meeting in Reykjavik (which I will point out was not held in a windowless conference room—thanks Iceland!), we were fortunate to get out on a research boat and watch Iceland’s Minister for the Environment throw things into the ocean. Thankfully, in this case, it was not the sort of debris that volunteers clean up off of beaches during our annual International Coastal Cleanup, but instead was a capsule with a tracking device.

The intent was to let the capsule float freely and give researchers an idea of where marine debris from Iceland ultimately ends up. We were able to follow the capsule as it traveled more than 4,000 miles in 207 days. It ultimately landed on the shore of Tiree, Scotland, showing that yes, what happens in Iceland waters does not stay in Iceland waters.

While this is just one piece of data, it is part of a much larger effort between governments, universities and conservation organizations to understand marine litter in the Arctic as a whole. This project, titled the Arctic Marine Litter Project, is working to establish these connections between all Arctic countries and ultimately help governments work together to provide solutions to marine debris and plastics in our ocean.

We are optimistic that by working with researchers worldwide and forums such as the Arctic Council (currently under the leadership of the “world’s greatest genetics laboratory”), projects such as these and others like them will ultimately help Ocean Conservancy and our partners stem the flow of marine debris at its source and achieve what we like to call Trash Free Seas®.

Sign up for our emails!

Sorry, but we failed to add you to the list. Please try again or contact 1.888.780.6763

Email Address

...loading

Thanks for signing up for Ocean Conservancy emails.

The post New Study from Iceland Tracks Marine Debris appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.

from Ocean Conservancy https://ift.tt/3akLV8q https://ift.tt/eA8V8J