From the seawire: ocean news in October 2023
Missed out on October 2023’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
Oceanography
People and the Sea
Animals and Plants
For decades, fish-eating killer whales in the Pacific Northwest have been observed harassing and even killing porpoises without consuming them — a perplexing behavior that has long intrigued scientists. A study, co-led by Deborah Giles of Wild Orca and Sarah Teman of the SeaDoc Society, a program of the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, looked at more than 60 years of recorded interactions between Southern Resident killer whales and porpoises in the Salish Sea to better understand why they exhibit this behavior. Read more.
Both elegant and fierce, killer whales are some of the oceans’ top predators, but even they can be exposed to environmental pollution. Now, in the largest study to date on North Atlantic killer whales, researchers report the levels of legacy and emerging pollutants in 162 individuals’ blubber. The animals’ diet, rather than location, greatly impacted contaminant levels and potential health risks — information that’s helpful to conservation efforts. Read more.
Under normal conditions, the floating macroalgae Sargassum spp. provide habitat for hundreds of types of organisms. However, the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt (GASB) that emerged in 2011 has since then caused unprecedented inundations of this brown seaweed on Caribbean coastlines, with harmful effects on ecosystems while posing challenges to regional economies and tourism, and concerns for respiratory and other human health issues. Read more.
A newly-discovered, bright yellow snail has been discovered in the Florida Keys and named in honor of Jimmy Buffet’s song ‘Margaritaville.’ The lemon-colored marine snail, along with its lime-green cousin from Belize, is the subject of a recent study ; researchers think these snails’ bright colors might help deter predators. Read more.
Jellyfish are much more advanced than we thought. A new study has shown that the Caribbean box jellyfish (Tripedala cystophora) can learn at a much more complex level, using knowledge from past experiences just like humans, mice and flies. The findings, the researchers said, could change what we know about how cognition works. Read more.
When a group of deep-sea fishermen off the coast of India reeled in their nets, they thought they had another routine catch on their hands. But enmeshed in their trawl nets — which had been dragged 1,000 feet under the waves — were five peculiar creatures. The slimy, serpentine fish, as it turns out, belonged to a previously undocumented species of snake eel. Read more.
Antarctic fur seals that were hunted to near extinction have recovered but now face dangerous decline because of a lack of food, new research suggests. Read more.
A bacterium found in the sea can degrade a plastic that otherwise resists microbial breakdown in marine environments. Read more.
When Hurricane Ian struck southwest Florida in September 2022, it unleashed a variety of Vibrio bacteria that can cause illness and death in humans, according to a new study. Read more.
Phytoplankton, tiny photosynthetic organisms in the ocean, play a crucial role in the global carbon cycle and influence Earth’s climate. A new study reveals how variations in the physiology of phytoplankton, particularly regarding nutrient uptake, can impact the chemical composition of the ocean and even the atmosphere. This suggests that changes in marine phytoplankton physiology can affect global climate. Read more.
Dynamic and changing Arctic Ocean conditions have likely caused three major mortality events in the eastern North Pacific gray whale population since the 1980s. Read more.
Hong Kong has added two major shark families to a list of endangered animals whose trade in the city will be tightly controlled under Cites regulations. The city is one of the world’s largest markets for shark fin, which is viewed by many Chinese communities as a delicacy and often served as a soup at expensive banquets. Read more.
The fossils of a 170-million-year-old ancient marine reptile from the Age of Dinosaurs have been identified as the oldest-known mega-predatory pliosaur – a group of ocean-dwelling reptiles closely related to the famous long-necked plesiosaurs. The findings are rare and add new knowledge to the evolution of plesiosaurs. Read more.
Research conducted by marine biologists from the University of Sydney has found juvenile crown-of-thorns starfish can withstand tremendous heatwaves well above levels thatkill coral. These starfish then develop into carnivorous predators that devour reefs just as they begin to regrow. Read more.
The symbiotic communities of invertebrates in dead coral gravel on the shallow, warm-temperate coast of the Kii Peninsula in western Japan. New bivalve species and sideswimmer have been found to live communally with the greenish Bonellia spoonworm. Live-in symbionts share the burrows of other organisms in sand and mud on the seabed. However, studies on burrow niches in rigid substrates, such as rocks on the seabed, have been scarce. Read more.
Evolutionary biologists have for the first time decoded the genetic lineage of a famous killer whale and a pod that once worked alongside whale hunters off the coast of Australia. In the Australian tradition of claiming New Zealand’s celebrities as its own, Old Tom, the leader of a pod of killer whales that famously helped whalers hunt baleen whales in the 20th century, has ancestral links to modern-day killer whales in New Zealand, according to new DNA research. Old Tom also shared a common ancestor with killer whales from Australasia, the North Pacific, and North Atlantic Oceans, but is most similar to modern New Zealand killer whales. However, most of Tom’s DNA code is not found in other killer whales globally suggesting that the killer whales of Eden may have become extinct locally. Read more.
Biodegradable plastics may not be the solution to plastic pollution many hoped for, with a University of Otago study showing they are still harmful to fish. Read more.
The unique wildlife of Haida Gwaii’s 150 islands is under attack by invasive crabs, rats and deer – echoing how local people also became vulnerable to outside forces Read more.
Climate Crisis
Due to the changing climate, the underwater world is getting ever noisier. That is the main conclusion of a study that was published today in the scientific journal PeerJ. “In some places, by the end of this century, the sound of ships, for example, will be five times as loud,” the article’s first author, NIOZ oceanographer Luca Possenti says. “That will interfere with the behavior of many species of fish and marine mammals.” Read more.
One of the building blocks of ocean life can adapt to cope with the effects of climate change, according to new research. The discovery holds promises for biotechnology developments that could counter the negative effects of changing environmental conditions, such as ocean warming and even the reduction in the productivity of crops. Read more.
More than 40 percent of Antarctica’s ice shelves have dwindled in the past 25 years, potentially accelerating sea level rise by allowing more land ice to flow into the ocean. Read more.
More than 200 scientists from 19 countries want to tell us the Southern Ocean is in trouble. Read more.
Scientists have discovered the deepest known evidence of coral reef bleaching, more than 90 metres below the surface of the Indian Ocean. Identified during a research cruise, the damage to the deeper reefs in the Central Indian Ocean has been attributed to significant changes in the region’s ocean temperature caused by the Indian Ocean Dipole. The researchers have also warned such incidences are only likely to increase as a result of present and future climate change. Read more.
A team has studied the mountainous star coral, Orbicella faveolata, to determine whether coral populations that have survived higher temperatures can pass their heat tolerance on to their offspring. To the scientists’ surprise, the results showed the opposite: The offspring from a population that is less heat-tolerant performed better when exposed to high temperatures than their counterparts from a heat-tolerant population. The findings counter the commonly held notion among scientists that if coral parents can handle the heat, so should their offspring. Read more.
The West Antarctic Ice Sheet will continue to increase its rate of melting over the rest of the century, no matter how much we reduce fossil fuel use, according to new research. A substantial acceleration in ice melting likely cannot now be avoided, which implies that Antarctica’s contribution to sea level rise could increase rapidly over the coming decades. Read more.
Global coastal adaptations are ‘incremental in scale’, short-sighted and inadequate to address the root causes of vulnerability to climate change, according to an international team of researchers. Read more.
Fisheries and Aquaculture
Tens of thousands of endangered sharks and rays are caught by small-scale fisheries off the Republic of the Congo each year, new research shows. Read more.
Innovative fishing gears are developed to have less of an impact on target species, non-target species, and the environment. Efficiency and sustainability is the primary goal for gear innovations. The uptake of innovative fishing gears, however, is not straightforward. Gear uptake is a social process and involves a deliberate change. And there can be many factors for fishers that create barriers to these changes. Read more.
Canada forges agreement to help Philippines track illegal fishing vessels using satellite technology Read more.
Chinese fishing vessels stay at sea for years at a time, forcing their crews to confront severe malnutrition. Americans who eat seafood are implicated too. Read more.
Fish waste to future wealth: How Namibia’s fisheries are collaborating on sustainable innovation Read more.
Alaska fishermen will be able to harvest red king crab for the first time in two years, offering a slight reprieve to the beleaguered fishery beset by low numbers likely exacerbated by climate change. Read more.
Billions of snow crabs have disappeared from the ocean around Alaska in recent years, and scientists now say they know why: Warmer ocean temperatures likely caused them to starve to death. Read more.
Do I need a descending tool onboard when fishing from my vessel for reef fish in Florida? The answer is “yes.” Read more.
Three years after a First Nation started a self-regulated lobster fishery that sparked protests and violence in Nova Scotia, federal prosecutors are pressing ahead with charges against dozens of Indigenous fishers, some of whom are planning constitutional challenges. Read more.
The Council of the European Union reached an agreement on the fishing opportunities in the Baltic Sea for 2024, following the Commission proposal made in August this year. Read more.
The delegations of the European Union, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Norway and the United Kingdom reached an agreement on the management measures for mackerel, blue whiting and Atlanto-Scandian herring in the North-East Atlantic for 2024. Read more.
Marine Technology
Researchers have unpicked the mechanism behind a marine feeding strategy that could provide a valuable renewable source of biofuel. Read more.
Berge Bulk, a leading dry bulk ship owner, has announced the launch of a newcastlemax bulk carrier retrofitted with four WindWings, a technology that uses wind power to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. Read more.
Machine Learning Provides a Clearer Window into Ocean Motion. A new method could translate satellite information about sea surface heights into insights on current, heat flow, and—ultimately—climate change. Read more.
52 The ocean is one of our most important allies in combating harmful carbon pollution, and California-based startup Equatic plans to give it an assist with technology that tackles two key challenges: removing harmful carbon pollution and reducing the use of dirty energy. Read more.
Saildrone, the California company best known for sending its ocean drones into the hearts of hurricanes, has achieved a new milestone. Its fleet of uncrewed surface vessels has surpassed an incredible cumulative distance of 1,000,000 nautical miles during more than 32,000 days at sea, deployed on missions around the globe. Read more.
Researchers have developed soft yet durable materials that glow in response to mechanical stress, such as compression, stretching or twisting. The materials derive their luminescence from single-celled algae known as dinoflagellates, which are embedded within the materials. The work was inspired by the bioluminescent waves caused by dinoflagellates during red tide events at San Diego’s beaches. Read more.
Ireland was being tipped up as a potential offshore fish farming pioneer two decades ago. What happened? Read more.
The EU Commission sets out immediate actions to support the European wind power industry Read more.
Oceanography
Scientists using natural tracers off Queensland’s coast have discovered the source of previously unquantified nitrogen and phosphorus having a profound environmental impact on the Great Barrier Reef. Groundwater discharge accounted for approximately one-third of new nitrogen and two-thirds of phosphorus inputs, indicating that nearly twice the amount of nitrogen enters the Reef from groundwater compared to river waters. Read more.
Researchers have compared long-term data on the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation from two different latitudes and discovered a statistical correlation. Their aim was to investigate how the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation has developed over a period of 25 years, based on moored observation stations. These data will help to refine climate models in the future. Read more.
The Gulf Stream is intrinsic to the global climate system, bringing warm waters from the Caribbean up the East Coast of the United States. As it flows along the coast and then across the Atlantic Ocean, this powerful ocean current influences weather patterns and storms, and it carries heat from the tropics to higher latitudes as part of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation. A new study now documents that over the past 20 years, the Gulf Stream has warmed faster than the global ocean as a whole and has shifted towards the coast. The study relies on over 25,000 temperature and salinity profiles collected between 2001 and 2023. Read more.
A new study has investigated how future changes in weather patterns could affect the tropical Pacific Ocean and its ecosystems. The research, based on complex computer models, has shown that these changes will have far-reaching consequences for ocean circulation. The authors stress the need to take this more into account in future climate models. Read more.
As the climate warms, there is major concern that Earth’s ocean will lose oxygen. A study has revealed that locked in ancient deep-sea sediments is evidence for oxygen loss in the world’s ocean during past glacial periods, indicating that widespread oxygen loss with current climate change may not be permanent. Read more.
Ocean currents determine the structure of the deep-sea ocean floor and the transport of sediments, organic carbon, nutrients and pollutants. In flume-tank experiments, researchers have simulated how currents shape the seafloor and control sediment deposition. This will help in reconstructions of past marine conditions. Read more.
New research reveals a chain of environmental disasters. These took place in what is today’s South Africa, during an ancient time period called the Early-Middle Devonian. The crises led to the extinction of a unique group of marine animals called the Malvinoxhosan biota. Read more.
People and the Sea
Oceana and Seas At Risk are urging Spain to designate 50 marine sanctuaries to move towards the strict protection of at least 10% of its waters by 2030 and contribute to the targets of the EU Biodiversity Strategy. Oceana has carried out an analysis based on its expeditions and other scientific information and has made recommendations to boost the process, as the current percentage of strictly protected areas in Spanish waters is derisory (0.00025%). Read more.
Scientists from around the globe will be able to explore some of the world’s most untouched marine habitats and potentially discover new life underwater thanks to the creation of a new marine science base on the remote Pitcairn Islands. Read more.
Every year, around 1,200 and 1,400 artificial turf sports fields are installed in the European Union. These fields are made up of synthetic fibers, mainly plastics, that mimic the appearance of natural grass. Recently, scientists conducted a study that characterizes and quantifies the presence of artificial turf fibers in samples collected from surface waters of the Catalan coast and the Guadalquivir River. The findings indicate that artificial turfs can be an important source of pollution in the aquatic environment, accounting for up to 15% of the plastics larger than 5 mm in length that are found floating in the aquatic environment. Read more.
Horseshoe crab blood is vital for testing intravenous drugs, but new synthetic alternatives could mean pharma won’t bleed this unique species dry Read more.
A new study that examines both the physical and socioeconomic effects of sea-level rise on Florida’s Miami-Dade County area finds that in coming decades, four out of five residents may face disruption or displacement, whether they live in flood zones or not. As inundation spreads, the effects will be felt predominantly by lower-income people as habitable areas shrink and housing prices rise, says the study. Only a small number of affluent residents will be able relocate from low-lying or waterfront properties, while many others without sufficient means may be trapped there, it says. Read more.
Scientists measured microplastic concentrations in the highly productive Barents Sea and suggest that ocean circulation, ice melt, tourism, inadequate waste management, shipping and fishing are all likely contributors. Read more.
Incredible photograph of nautilus floating on ocean debris wins prestigious Ocean Photographer of the Year competition. Marine biologist and amateur photographer Jialing Cai has been named Ocean Photographer of the Year 2023 with his photograph of a nautilus floating on a piece of ocean debris. Read more.
The EU has announced further plans to crack down on microplastics after its ban on glitter came into force. Read more.
BirdLife Europe & Central Asia, ClientEarth, Oceana, Seas At Risk, Surfrider Foundation Europe and the WWF European Policy Office have published a joint Manifesto for the 2024 European Elections. Read more.
Wall Street urged to back Indigenous peoples as protectors of forests and oceans. Read more.
After more than 80 years on the seabed, what is probably the wreckage of the British submarine HMS Thistle has been discovered outside Rogaland, Norway. Read more.
Taiwan based Formosa Taffeta Co., a large supplier of tire core material to leading bicycle tire manufacturers, is helping move away from virgin oil in tires by recycling fishing nets into tire base. Read more.
Many people have experienced a muddy off-flavor in farmed fish. While the aquaculture industry has known about the problem for 20 years, it continues to impact the consumption of otherwise healthy and potentially sustainable fish. Now, researchers have been able to pinpoint exactly when the off-flavors emerge. And this can make it easier to deal with the compounds that turn people away from farmed fish. Read more.
Researchers say they have found ‘definitive’ archaeological evidence that seaweeds and other local freshwater plants were eaten in the mesolithic, through the Neolithic transition to farming and into the Early Middle Ages, suggesting that these resources, now rarely eaten in Europe, only became marginal much more recently. Read more.
It’s time for us to go’: the Mexican fishing village swallowed by the sea. Since 2019 more than 60 homes in El Bosque have disappeared into the ocean as the climate crisis brings severe weather to the peninsula. Read more.
Iceland’s fish farming industry is “a couple of wild guys who want to make money quick and sacrifice nature”, the Icelandic singer Björk has said before the release of a “lost” song to help fight the increasingly controversial practice. Read more.
Co-creating a sustainable blue economy for sweden: how the MISTRA C2B2 programme is working to bring about transformative change in participatory ocean governance in Sweden Read more.