Experts: Marine Stewardship Council's Certification Failing Basic Science; 'Bureaucracy' Instead Of 'Biology'
Vancouver, BC Canada - Sep 1, 2010 18:00 EST
The world's most established fisheries certifier is failing on its promises as rapidly as it gains prominence, according the world's leading fisheries experts from the University of British Columbia (UBC), Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California at...

Scientists: Sonar Images Reveal Sunken Oil Tanker Off California Coast, Possible Pollution Threat
Monterey, California - Sep 1, 2010 17:39 EST
Experts hope to use sonar images of a sunken ship off California's coast to determine whether the vessel is at risk of leaking oil. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) sent a robotic submersible down to the wreck of...

Scientists: Marine Animals Suggest Evidence For A Trans-Antarctic Seaway; 'We Knew We Were Onto Something Very Interesting'
CAMBRIDGE, U.K. - Aug 31, 2010 19:01 EST
A tiny marine filter-feeder, that anchors itself to the sea bed, offers new clues to scientists studying the stability of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet – a region that is thought to be vulnerable to collapse(1). As part of a...

Researcher: Worry More About Lightning Or Bees Than Shark Attacks; 'A Surfer Looks Like A Seal'
Galveston, Texas - Aug 30, 2010 17:37 EST
Pity the poor shark. If ever a creature needed a good PR campaign, it might be the shark – especially when it comes to those headline-grabbing – but very rare – shark attacks. Studies show that lightning is a far greater...

From Pirate To Prisoner: Animal Planet To Air Whale Wars Special Featuring Eco-Maverick Peter Bethune
Beverly Hills, California - Aug 30, 2010 16:29 EST
Animal Planet today announced it has given the green light for a new WHALE WARS one-hour special series episode featuring Captain Pete Bethune of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. During the two-hour season finale, viewers' last glimpse of eco-pirate and...

Experts: Marine Stewardship Council's Certification Failing Basic Science; 'Bureaucracy' Instead Of 'Biology'
Vancouver, BC Canada - Sep 1, 2010 18:00 EST
The world's most established fisheries certifier is failing on its promises as rapidly as it gains prominence, according the world's leading fisheries experts from the University of British Columbia (UBC), Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California at...

Scientists: Sonar Images Reveal Sunken Oil Tanker Off California Coast, Possible Pollution Threat
Monterey, California - Sep 1, 2010 17:39 EST
Experts hope to use sonar images of a sunken ship off California's coast to determine whether the vessel is at risk of leaking oil. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) sent a robotic submersible down to the wreck of...

Researcher: Worry More About Lightning Or Bees Than Shark Attacks; 'A Surfer Looks Like A Seal'
Galveston, Texas - Aug 30, 2010 17:37 EST
Pity the poor shark. If ever a creature needed a good PR campaign, it might be the shark – especially when it comes to those headline-grabbing – but very rare – shark attacks. Studies show that lightning is a far greater...

From Pirate To Prisoner: Animal Planet To Air Whale Wars Special Featuring Eco-Maverick Peter Bethune
Beverly Hills, California - Aug 30, 2010 16:29 EST
Animal Planet today announced it has given the green light for a new WHALE WARS one-hour special series episode featuring Captain Pete Bethune of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. During the two-hour season finale, viewers' last glimpse of eco-pirate and...

Progress On Vaccine For 'Ich,' Bane Of Fish Farms And Home Aquarium Hobbyists; 'Just One Treatment'
Boston, Massachusetts - Aug 27, 2010 19:20 EST
Tests of the potential vaccine against "Ich" ― the dreaded "white-spot" disease that plagues fish in commercial fish farms, public aquariums, pet fish retail outlets, and home aquariums ― are raising hopes for finally controlling the disease, scientists reported here...

UN Warns Alien Species Are Threatening Biodiversity Of Wadden Sea
Bonn, Germany - Aug 27, 2010 18:05 EST
A wide range of species not native to Europe's Wadden Sea have invaded its ecosystem, threatening the biodiversity of the World Heritage Site, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) said in a report unveiled today. A diverse range of alien species...

Unusual Orange Lobster 'Gumbo' Saved From The Pot; 'I've Never Seen Anything Like It In 25 Years'
London, U.K. - Aug 6, 2010 19:27 EST
What's unusual about this orange lobster? Its alive! Lobsters are usually a brownish-green color when living and turn orange when they have been cooked. But a rare live reddish-orange colored specimen has been spotted in the UK. The North American lobster,...

Researchers Study Undersea Rivers With A Yellow Submarine; 'The Flow In These Channels Is Quite Different'
Leeds, U.K. - Aug 2, 2010 21:16 EST
A team of scientists led by the University of Leeds has used a robotic 'yellow submarine' to observe detailed flows within an 'undersea river' for the very first time. The researchers estimate that the river - known as a submarine channel...

Researchers: Mud-Eating Miracle Fish Holds Together Ecosystem In Southwest Africa
Bergen, Norway - Jul 19, 2010 22:01 EST
Researchers report how a unique fish species has adapted to a hostile environment poisonous to most other organisms. The findings are published in Science. The unique fish is called the Benguela-goby, or bearded goby, and is found only on the anoxic...

University Project Points To A New Way Of 'Finding' Nemo: Breed Them
Townsville, Queensland - Jul 18, 2010 21:03 EST
A world-leading project at James Cook University is breeding popular marine ornamental fish such as the Coral Sea Lyretail Blenny, the Banggai Cardinalfish and various Clownfish. Dr Chaoshu Zeng, who leads JCU's Tropical Aquaculture Research Group in the School of...

Young Marine Biologists Aim To Make A Difference With A Tour Of Papua New Guinea
Brisbane, Australia - Jun 16, 2010 23:36 EST
Eager to save shrinking fish stocks and shape the future of their field, two UQ marine biology graduates will soon dive headfirst into a tour of Papua New Guinea. Peter Waldie and Tane Sinclair-Taylor will join Oceanswatch International next month...

Scientists: One Shot And Fish Forget Their Fears
Hiroshima, Japan - Mar 23, 2010 20:39 EST
Imagine if your fear of spiders, heights or flying could be cured with a simple injection. Research published in BioMed Central's open access journal, Behavioral and Brain Functions suggests that one day this could be a reality. The cerebellum, an...

Japan: Flagless Sea Shepherd Vessel Attacks With Illegal Laser Weapon
Tokyo, Japan - Feb 22, 2010 22:15 EST
Japanese research whalers in the Antarctic claim they have come under attack from an illegal laser weapon aboard the flagless Sea Shepherd Conservation Society vessel Bob Barker. The text of Japan's Institute of Cetacean Research press release from the incident...

Japanese Whalers: Sea Shepherd Engages In Repeated 'Desperado' Attacks
Tokyo, Japan - Feb 18, 2010 19:07 EST
Japanese research whalers in the Antarctic have come under repeated attacks by the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society over the last two days. The Japanese researchers said the activists approached the Nisshin Maru and repeatedly shot acid and paint projectiles....

Japanese: Sea Shepherd Attempts To Foul Prop Of Nisshin Maru, Repeats 'Foolhardy Actions'
Tokyo, Japan - Feb 16, 2010 22:59 EST
Japan’s Antarctic whale research (JARPA II) mother ship Nisshin Maru is being subjected to another hawser attack by the Dutch-registered vessel Steve Irwin. The hawser aims to disable the rudder and propeller of the Nisshin Maru. From around 08:00JST (1200hrs NZDT; 1000hrs...

Researchers: Climate Change Hits SE Australia Fish Species; 'Nowhere To Escape'
Sydney, Australia - Aug 13, 2010 17:55 EST
CSIRO's Climate Adaptation and Wealth from Oceans Flagships have identified 43 species, representing about 30 per cent of the inshore fish families occurring in the region, that exhibited shifts thought to be climate-related. Dr Peter LastThese include warm temperate surf-zone species...

Massive New 'Pacific Oceanscape' Makes History; 'The Dawning Of A New Era For Marine Management'
Port Villa, Vanuatu - Aug 9, 2010 21:42 EST
An unprecedented agreement toward the cooperative stewardship of a vast swath of Pacific Ocean has been reached, and conservationists are heralding it as among the most ambitious, innovative, and collaborative marine initiatives on Earth. Meeting in Port Villa, Vanuatu at the...

Research Aims To Repel Sharks From Fishing Gear To Prevent Deaths
Perth, Australia - Jul 19, 2010 20:43 EST
A greater understanding of shark senses may prevent sharks being accidentally killed in commercial fishing operations, according to a researcher at The University of Western Australia. WA Premier's Research Fellow Winthrop Professor Shaun Collin said large numbers of sharks are taken...

Prehistoric Creatures Provide Clue To Deep Sea Life On Aussie Reef; 'Living Fossils'
St. Lucia, Queensland - Jul 15, 2010 17:58 EST
Scientists from the Queensland Brain Institute have used high-tech equipment to capture underwater creatures at depths not documented from before. Using deep-sea cameras and instrument platforms new to Australia, prehistoric six-gilled sharks, giant oil fish, swarms of crustaceans and many...

Isolation A Threat To Great Barrier Reef Fish; Relatively Fewer 'Immigrant' Fish From Adjacent Reefs
Adelaide, Australia - Jul 6, 2010 19:40 EST
At first glance it may seem like a good idea to be a fish living the quiet life on a small and isolated reef. But a team of researchers has found that the opposite is the case on Australia's Great Barrier...

U.N.: Unsafe Water Kills More People Than War; 'An Affront To Our Common Humanity'
Nairobi, Kenya - Mar 22, 2010 18:56 EST
More people die from unsafe water than from all forms of violence, including war, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, calling for better protection and sustainable management of one of the Earth’s most precious resources on the occasion of World Water...

Tuna Commission Set To Decide The Future Of Mediterranean Bluefin As Populations 'Poised For Collapse'
Marrakech, Morocco - Nov 18, 2008 21:25 EST
The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) will meet from November 17- 24 in Marrakech, Morocco to make decisions on measures to save Mediterranean bluefin tuna from collapse. ICCAT meets this year with mounting evidence of the...

Researchers: New Coral Reef Discovered In The Seychelles; Not 'visible To The Occasional Snorkeller'
Essex, United Kingdom - Oct 23, 2008 17:08 EST
Researchers from the Department of Biological Sciences have discovered a previously unknown coral reef in the Seychelles. Dr Dave Smith and Dr Dave Suggett visited Curieuse Island as part of an ongoing study funded by Mitsubishi Corporation in conjunction with the...

Top Shark Scientist Awarded Gilchrist Medal For Contribution To Marine Science In South Africa
San Francisco, California - Jul 24, 2008 16:56 EST
The Shark Research Institute is proud to announce that Leonard Compagno, Ph.D. has been awarded the Gilchrist Medal for “outstanding contribution to the enhancement of marine and coastal science in South Africa, including the Southern Ocean". The Gilchrist Memorial Medal was...

Russian Deep-sea Divers Missing In Egypt; 'Safety Rules Were Ignored'
Cairo, Egypt - Nov 22, 2007 11:08 EST
The search for Russian divers who failed to resurface in the Red Sea has been suspended for the night. The three divers failed to return to their boat after attempting a particularly deep dive near Elphinstone reef. The rescue operation...

International Tourism Operators Against Elimination Of Las Baulas National Park In Costa Rica
San Jose, Costa Rica - Nov 6, 2009 17:38 EST
10 international tourism agencies that promote Costa Rica as an ecotourism destination have expressed their discontent with bill 17.383, supported by the country's president, to downgrade Las Baulas Marine National Park to a Mixed Wildlife Refuge and allow development therein....

Sea Turtle Wildlife Refuge In Costa Rica Bulldozed By Farming Company; 'Total Disrespect Of Our Courts'
San José, Costa Rica - Sep 8, 2009 22:01 EST
Agropecuaria Caletas S.A., has continued the destruction of wetlands within the Caletas Ario National Wildlife Refuge, created in 2006 to protect nesting olive ridley and leatherback sea turtles, disregarding the mandates of the Environmental Tribune of the Ministry of Environment. Last...

Sea Turtle Satellite Tagging Expedition At Cocos Island, Costa Rica Swims Into Action
Forest Knolls, California - Sep 3, 2009 15:58 EST
A 10-day sea turtle tagging research expedition to Cocos Island National Park, Costa Rica successfully outfitted three green turtles and one hawksbill turtle with satellite transmitters in order to follow their movements, as part of a long-term research project to...

Study: Caribbean Coral Comprehensively 'flattened' Over The Last 40 Years
East Anglia, U.K. - Jun 9, 2009 21:54 EST
Coral reefs throughout the Caribbean have been comprehensively 'flattened' over the last 40 years, according to a disturbing new study by the University of East Anglia (UEA). The collapse of reef structure has serious implications for biodiversity and coastal defences –...

Shark Attacks Surfer In The Galapagos Islands; Foot, Hand Severely Injured
Guayaquil, Equador - Jan 13, 2009 13:01 EST
A surfer has been bitten by a shark while surfing off a beach in the Galapagos Islands. The surfer, identified as Gonzalo Vasquez Alcivar, 22, suffered serious injuries to the leg and hand. The attack occurred last Saturday,...

Oceana: Sharks Threatened By Asian Consumers; Fin Trade 'Driving The Oceans To Collapse'
Doha, Qatar - Mar 16, 2010 19:08 EST
Up to 10 million kg of shark fins (equivalent to the weight of more than 2,000 adult African Elephants) are exported annually to Hong Kong by nearly 87 countries, cites a new report The International Trade of Shark Fins: Endangering...

Researcher Creates 'Boutique' Fish Farms For Ugandans To Combat Lake Victoria's Depleted Fish Supplies
Jerusalem, Israel - Feb 9, 2010 17:27 EST
In a unique project to combat depleted fish supplies in Lake Victoria, researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Makerere University in Kampala, have established 'boutique' fish farms in small villages around the Lake's shore in Uganda. Predators Local fishermen...

Researcher: Tsunami Waves Reasonably Likely To Strike Israel; '5 Meters High And As Far As 2 Km Onshore'
Haifa, Israel - Nov 5, 2009 09:38 EST
"There is a likely chance of tsunami waves reaching the shores of Israel," says Dr. Beverly Goodman of the Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences at the University of Haifa following encompassing geoarchaeological research at the port of Caesarea....

Study: Could Cannon Balls From The Early 19th Century Really Sink Warships?
Haifa, Israel - Jul 20, 2009 21:06 EST
A joint experiment carried out by researchers from the Leon Recanati Institute for Maritime Studies at the University of Haifa and staff of Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. has solved the riddle that has been puzzling researchers ever since they...

Japanese Corals Change Sexes On The Sea Floor; 'Males Are Less Expensive To Maintain'
Tel Aviv, Israel - Feb 20, 2009 18:18 EST
Trees do it. Bees do it. Even environmentally stressed fish do it. But Prof. Yossi Loya from Tel Aviv University's Department of Zoology is the first in the world to discover that Japanese sea corals engage in "sex switching" too. His...

Research: Antarctic Krill Provide Potent Carbon Sink in Southern Ocean; Counteracts 35 Million Cars
British Antarctic Survey, Antartica - Jul 19, 2006 21:35 EST
Scientists from British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and Scarborough Centre of Coastal Studies at the University of Hull discovered that rather than doing so once per 24 hours, Antarctic krill 'parachute' from the ocean surface to deeper layers several times during...

Scientists: Unprecedented Number of Walrus Calves Stranded by Melting Sea Ice
Woods Hole, Massachusetts - Apr 13, 2006 18:19 EST
Scientists have reported an unprecedented number of unaccompanied and possibly abandoned walrus calves in the Arctic Ocean, where melting sea ice may be forcing mothers to abandon their pups as the mothers follow the rapidly retreating ice edge north. Nine lone...

Two new lakes found beneath Antarctic ice sheet; could contain unique ecosystems
Lake Vostok, Antarctica - Jan 30, 2006 00:00 EST
Lying beneath more than two miles of Antarctic ice, Lake Vostok may be the best-known and largest subglacial lake in the world, but it is not alone down there. Scientists have identified more than 145 other lakes trapped under the...

Research: El Nino events affect whale breeding
South Atlantic - Jan 11, 2006 00:00 EST
New research shows that global climate processes are affecting southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) in the South Atlantic. A thirty-year study by an international team of scientists found a strong relationship between breeding success of whales in the South Atlantic...

Global Warming Can Trigger Extreme Ocean, Climate Changes
San Diego, California - Jan 4, 2006 00:00 EST
New research produced by scientists at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego, helps illustrate how global warming caused by greenhouse gases can quickly disrupt ocean processes and lead to drastic climatological, biological and other important...