April 30, 2014 SANTA CRUZ, Calif. —A new health warning has been issued urging people to not eat certain parts of anchovy, sardines, or crab caught in the Monterey Bay. Health officials said they are too toxic and can be… Read More ›
Month: April 2014
“Alarm Bells” Ring. 53% of Sea Snail Shells Dissolving
Until now, the impact on marine species from increasing ocean acidity because of climate change has been something that was tested in tanks in labs, but which was not considered an immediate concern such as forest fires and droughts.
The new study, published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, a scientific journal based in England, changes that.
Researcher’s Nightmare Fish Story: A Tale of Plastic in Fish
Story by Charmaine Coimbra The diminutive Dr. Chelsea Rochman shared a big fish story. She reeled in tiny Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) for research, and landed big results–results that could change the way we consume and what we eat. She calls it “the… Read More ›
Plastics in Great Lakes Research
What’s more concerning is that plastic has been found to act like a sort of sponge, concentrating toxic chemicals that are diluted in oceans and lakes. Such toxins include heavy metals and chemicals that have long been banned, such as DDT or PCBs, that can have severe environmental effects and are known to cause cancer and birth defects.
Right Whale Calving Down Again
Highly endangered North Atlantic right whales number about 500 individuals. They’re so-named because their slow-moving, shore-hugging habits and tendency to float when dead made them the “right” whale to kill. They were hunted to near extinction by the early 1900s.
NWF Reports Gulf Oil Spill Damage: BP Challenges Report
The Christian Science Monitor recently summarized the National Wildlife Federation report issued April 8, 2014, that “…focused on 14 water, air, and land species located in the northern Gulf and affected by the oil spill, using data from independent scientists… Read More ›
Mapping Maine’s Lobsters As Ocean Changes
Scientists in Maine are competing for a share of $11 million of NASA grant money in hopes of creating a real-time lobster distribution monitoring system. The proposed project is a joint collaboration between the Gulf of Maine Research Institute and… Read More ›
Subadult Humpback Whale Successfully Disentangled Near Lahaina
Yesterday a NOAA-led response team successfully freed an entangled humpback whale off Lahaina, Maui. This was a different animal than the ones reported on last week. The entangled subadult humpback whale was first seen and monitored by Pacific Whale Foundation’s… Read More ›
Fishermen: No Debate About Climate Change
For many U.S. fisherman, there’s no debate about climate change. It’s here, and already majorly impacting their industries. In New Jersey, Rutgers scientists have documented for 24 years how climate change is affecting the state’s oceans through weekly fish surveys…. Read More ›
Search for Missing Jet Showcases Ocean’s Pollution
Anticipation has repeatedly turned into frustration in the search for signs of Flight MH370 as objects spotted from planes in a new search area west of Australia have turned out to be garbage. It’s a time-wasting distraction for air and… Read More ›