A recent front page story in the New York Times highlighted both the successes and perils that small island nations face when confronted with foreign fishing poachers.
The story, titled “Palau vs. the Poachers,” opens with a man named Bjorn Bergman sitting at his desk in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, using satellite data to track a Taiwanese pirate ship fleeing authorities in Palau. Continue reading
Credit, Charos Pix, Flickr.
Many people have heard of the Great Pacific garbage patch, the amorphous mass of plastic waste that according to conservative estimates, is the size of Texas, and floats within a system of circular currents within the northern Pacific Ocean.
According to new research, however, by the year 2050 the amount of garbage polluting our oceans could get even worse. Continue reading
If you scroll through Twitter or scan YouTube in any West African country, chances are you’ll find many recreational fishers shooting video or snapping images of their latest slippery, gilled prize.
In a recent paper published in Palgrave Communications, Dr. Dyhia Belhabib and other collaborators looked to better understand the amount of fish being pulled out of West African waters by recreational fishers. Continue reading
Water holds about 30 times less oxygen than air—and water that’s being warmed holds even less for fish to breathe.
In the video above — produced by Oceana — hear Daniel Pauly describe how warming waters worldwide are driving fish toward more oxygen-rich waters near poles.
“A changing planet affects all of us,” he says, “including the fish who are finding it harder and harder to take a breath.”
Silverside puffer fish (photo: FishBase)
The recent expansion of the Suez Canal in August 2015 doubled its shipping capacity, yet many scientists are worried that an increased flood of invasive species will enter the Mediterranean along with the increased marine traffic.
A recent New York Times op-ed, written by Rachael Bishop, included two Sea Around Us collaborators who study the devastating effects of invasive fish in Mediterranean waters. Continue reading