Ocean Sentry
(From monstersandcritics.com)- The near-eradication of the blue whale in the waters of the Antarctic during the early 20th century led to a paradoxical fall-off in krill. The “Antarctic Paradox” results from a biological cycle in which the whales play a key role in providing the iron to surface waters needed …
August, 2008
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13 August
Navy Sonar Pact is Reached
(From latimes.com)- The U.S. Navy will restrict the use of low-frequency active sonar during training to prevent possible harm to whales and other creatures, under an agreement reached with environmental groups Tuesday. The accord, approved by a federal court in San Francisco, would restrict the use of a type of …
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12 August
5 Guana Fishermen Caught in Arrest Net
(From pontevedrarecorder.com) Florida- State law enforcement officers cast their net over Lake Ponte Vedra last week and arrested five Jacksonville residents they say were using an illegal net to fish in the Guana River Wildlife Management Area. “A gill net is an indiscriminant killer. It’s not selective. Commercial fishing gear …
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12 August
Stop & Shop to Stop Selling Some Fish
(From bostonherald.com)- The Stop & Shop supermarket chain says it will stop selling some species of fish that are threatened by overfishing. Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. announced last month that it would stop buying fresh shark. Tracy Taylor, a senior buyer for the largest supermarket chain in New England, …
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12 August
Elephant Seals Monitor Climate Change
(From news.com.au)- The massive mammals – the male of the species can weigh more than three tonnes – are being fitted with special oceanographic sensors to record data in parts of the ocean traditional monitoring cannot access. The work being done by the elephant seals is particularly critical in light …
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12 August
Surf Event Swells Charities’ Coffers
(From thedaily.com.au) – What was started by a few locals 16 years ago has now turned into a bona-fide international event, and the success of the 2008 Festival of Surfing means the elder statesmen of the water can share their love with charities. Those events raised more than $100,000, which …
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12 August
Bush Seeks to Limit Species Law
(From online.wsj.com) – The Bush administration is proposing to reduce the environmental reviews federal agencies must undertake as part of the Endangered Species Act. The proposal could speed up commercial development, but environmentalists said the changes could threaten the protection of wildlife.
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12 August
Quarter of World’s Whales and Dolphins Face Extinction
(From telegraph.co.uk)- Almost a quarter of the world”s whales and dolphins are now threatened and moving towards extinction, the latest survey reveals. And more than 10 per cent of these – nine species – are now officially listed as either Endangered or Critically Endangered.
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12 August
Humpback Whale Less Under Threat from Extinction
(From afp.google.com) Geneva – Two whale species, the humpback and the southern right, are less under threat from becoming extinct, a new study released on Tuesday showed. “Humpbacks and southern right whales are making a comeback in much of their range mainly because they have been protected from commercial hunting,” …
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11 August
Malaysia’s Fight to Save Rare Turtle
(From news.bbc.co.uk)- Born in captivity, the next few hours are going to be hectic for this baby hawksbill turtle. The straits and the Indian Ocean beyond await them. But most will die young. The survival rate is atrocious – only 1 in 1,000 will make it from egg to adulthood. …
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11 August
Raw Sewage Spills into Bay from Sausalito
(From sfgate.com) Sausalito, San Francisco – A blocked sewer pipe in Sausalito sent sewage spilling into San Francisco Bay on Sunday, officials said, the third major spill this year. It was not yet known how much sewage was spilled. Environmental officials are working to determine the volume of sewage spilled, …
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11 August
Beaches and Wildlife at Risk From Rubbish
(From journallive.co.uk)- Volunteers cleared a record 1.2 tonnes of rubbish off the region’s beaches last year. And marine conservationists last night spoke of their fears that a rise in the amount of plastic being dumped on the shoreline was posing a major risk to wildlife.