Missed out on August 2022’s ocean news? Here’s a glimpse into what went down in Davy Jones’ Locker this month
Sections
Animals and Plants
Climate
Crisis
Fisheries and
Aquaculture
Marine
Technology
People and the
Sea
Other
Animals and Plants
Wonder if there is any pattern to the stranding of sea turtles, seabirds, or cetaceans in southeast Brazil? Wonder no more with this new (open access) study.
Did you know African penguins adapt their voices to sound like their companions?
What’s going on with the increasing number of orca interactions with boats in the Strait of Gibraltar? One theory is that adults are teaching their young how to hunt tuna.
Behold this 2.5 meter long yokozuna slickhead, a species just described by scientists in 2021.
More orca news - this time surfing ones. New research suggests these giant cetaceans surf for fun and to practice hunting in the surf zone.
No marine critter wants an oil spill, but for anemones, the impacts could be made all the worst with a dash of sunshine.
Sea bees! Well, sort of. Idoteas aren’t really bees (they’re crustaceans) but they are pollinating red algae.
How well eelgrasses may adapt to climate change and other threats may be strongly determined by their Pleistocene genetic history.
Adult sea urchins could be passing on heatwave resistance to their offspring.
Researchers have identified key marine species for monitoring mainre plastic pollution in the North Pacific Ocean. Their work also includes a “systematic framework for collecting data from these marine species to minimize variability in results observed between different organizations.”
The Australian Bureau of Statistics have released their National Ocean Account, Experimental Estimate. These experimental estimates measure changes in Australia’s ocean ecosystems from 1987 to 2021.
A global study has assembled the vertical movements of 38 species of elasmobranchs ( sharks, rays, and skates). Some of the dive depths are impressive, like whale sharks who have been tracked down to depths of almost 2 kilometres!
It seems that in China, dugongs are now functionally extinct. Functionally extinct means that there are some individuals left, but they aren’t able to maintain a viable population.
Apparently, teeth may have evolved from body scales! Recent evidence for this hypothesis comes from fossil sawfish that lived some 100 to 65 million years ago.
In the UK, you’re more likely to see jellyfish now than in the past. The reason? Well, climate change of course!
Climate Crisis
How much carbon can coastal ecosystems soak up? The answer is very difficult to calculate.
Climate change is spelling big trouble for some California Current marine ecosystem species. A new study suggests twelve economically and culturally important species will suffer with “socio-economic consequences felt up and down the West Coast.”
Off the coast of Ireland, climate-change-induced increases in cloud cover may reduce ocean clarity, making it harder for seabirds to find their food.
Data collected by a team of elephant seals (really) equipped with oceanographic instruments suggests that the North Pacific Blob (the 2013-2015 marine heatwave) deeper warming anomalies were more extensive than we thought.
It’s getting hotter in the Mediterranean Sea, and that’s leading to mortalities in at least fifty species across the region.
Kelp’s ability to act as a deep sea carbon store could be reducedas warming sea temperatures increase decomposition rates.
Fisheries and Aquaculture
Milolii-the “last fishing village in Hawaii” has been given a Community-Based Subsistence Fishing Area. The hope is that the designation will “protect and conserve fish populations and habitats by combining traditional Hawaiian fishing practices with modern approaches to conservation.”
In Western Australia, the premier Mark McGowan is defending a recreational fishing ban of certain species for nine months every year for the rest of the 2020’s. Without the ban, he argues, “there won’t be any fish.”
In Hainan Province, China, the first batch of fishing boats from four coastal cities have started fishing again. Fishing was previously banned as part of COVID control policies.
As Cornwall’s fishing industry struggles, one study suggests combining traditional fishing with tourism could help keep tradition alive and create a more sustainable industry.
The UK has released their monthly sea fisheries statistics for July 2022. The statistics cover UK and foreign vessels landings by UK port and UK vessel landings abroad
After criticism from small-scale fishers and marine experts, Indonesia has decided to drop its plans for allowing foreign and domestic fishing companies to operate under a 30-year contract. Instead, they will operate a quota-based system for fishing permits.
Three of New Zealand’s orange roughy fisheries have been recertified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council.
Marine Technology
Researchers in China have developed a neural network approach to rip current detection. The aptly named YOLO-RIP model apparently reached an average detection accuracy of ~92%.
It’s time to bid the Copernicus Sentinel-1B satellite, adieu. Sentinel-1B experienced some trouble in December last year, and has been unable to deliver data since.
NOAA AND CNES are almost ready to launch the Argos-4 satellite which will track the movements of marine mammals and sea turtles and collect environmental data.
The CMA CGM Group has been awarded the Green Transport award at the Singapore Environmental Achievement Awards for their efforts in decarbonising shipping container transportation.
The UK has a new Center for Seabed Mapping and it’s wants to deliver some pretty nifty stuff.
It’s not often marine scientists can say they’ve been inspired by the dentist, but for one researcher, a trip lead to her developing a new non-destructive method for rapidly and safely scanning coral.
Hydrogen-powered AUVs? Cellula Robotics have recently completed several demonstration missions using the hydrogen fuel cell powered autonomous underwater vehicle(AUV), Solus-LR.
People and the Sea
Worried that your sunscreen may be harming marine life? Lab studies certainly show a link, but as a new study committee highlights, what impact sunscreen has in real-world settings is likely highly variable from one location to another. They call for a thorough assessment (and remind everyone to practice sun-safety)
90% of fish consumed in Pakistan is contaminated, putrefied, and unfit for human consumption, says WWF.
Ever wondered how archaeologists preserve boats pulled up out of the sea? It’s a question of chemistry.
For Indians wondering where their “blue economy” policy is, there’s some good news(ish). The minister for Earth Sciences shared that the release date is getting closer (no date given though).
Arnaud Jerlad has broken the world record for deepest dive with bi-fins. He descended down to 120 metres depth in 3 minutes and 34 seconds.
Would you want your home to be floating on the ocean? Ocean Builders are currently constructing Seapods - the “world’s first eco-restorative homes” which, they claim will attract and support sea life (think fish aggregation device).
Canada has some pretty strict rules about getting too close to marine mammals, but some still flout the law. One such individual recently got slapped with a C$12,000 fine for “knowingly interacting with a pod of seven Northern Resident Killer Whales”.
Unfortunately, dumping raw sewage directly into the sea isn’t something new for the UK - nor is the UK the worst offender. Nevertheless, French MEPs are rightly hauling the UK over the coals over the most recent discharges.
Researchers checking in on the state of the Titanic report it is deteriorating rapidly, thanks to hunk metal-eating bacteria.
Over in New Zealand, one family found an unexpected house guest - a seal they decided to name Oscar. Oscar was eventually captured and released back into the sea.
Time for tourism levies to support marine conservation? This new study suggests it is, but with a caveat; that those levies go directly to locally-run conservation projects.
In some disappointing news, the 5th Intergovernmental Conference negotiating the UN High Seas Biodiversity Treaty suspended its session without reaching an agreement. Many are still hopeful though, noting that significant progress has been made, and that negotiations will continue.
ICES - the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea have released their Annual Report for 2021.
If you’re going to London, England, and need somewhere to stay, how about the Staw-Away Waterloo, a hotel created from 26 repurposed shipping containers.
Other
A new study suggests large, coarse sea spray reduces the amount of lightening by up to 90%!
If you find yourself being asked to review a marine data paper, but have never done one before, these five tips may help you create an excellent review.
Being an early career researcher in marine science is tough. How tough? One new study details strong economic barriers, burn out and other mental issues, and ethical issues in the marine sciences. This study was partly made possible by Ocean Oculus readers who responded to the researchers’ call for an online survey through Help A Researcher Out.