Oceanographer: Nitrous Oxide Emitting Aquatic 'Dead Zones' Contributing To Climate Change
Cambridge, Maryland - Mar 20, 2010 17:45 EST
The increased frequency and intensity of oxygen-deprived "dead zones" along the world's coasts can negatively impact environmental conditions in far more than just local waters. In the March 12 edition of the journal Science, University of Maryland Center for Environmental...

Report Finds Delta Water Pumping Restrictions To Protect Fish 'Scientifically Justified'
San Francisco, California - Mar 19, 2010 19:13 EST
The National Academy of Sciences today released a peer-review report that validates recent federal “biological opinions” and federal actions, particularly seasonal reductions in water pumping, to protect endangered fish species in the San Francisco Bay-Delta. “The Academy of Sciences report confirms...

Iceland Illegally Exporting Whale Meat To The European Union; 'Riding Roughshod Over International Law'
London, England - Mar 18, 2010 19:54 EST
Icelandic government records state that the country is exporting meat from slaughtered whales to Latvia and Denmark, as well as Japan - in defiance of international law and a global whaling ban. Data from Statistics Iceland, the source for official Icelandic...

Scientists Rush To Examine Seafloor Off Chilean Coast Following Earthquake; 'This Is A Unique Case'
San Diego, California - Mar 18, 2010 19:16 EST
Scientists from Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego will explore the earthquake rupture site of the Feb. 27 massive 8.8-magnitude Chilean earthquake, one of the largest earthquakes in recorded history. Scripps scientists hope to capitalize on a unique scientific...

Researcher: Seven Unprovoked Shark Attacks Along U.S. Pacific Coast In 2009; Attacks Trending Up Sharply
Los Angeles, California - Mar 18, 2010 19:06 EST
Shark attacks are trending up for the U.S. Pacific Coast according to new statistics released today by the Los Angeles-based Shark Research Committee. According to Ralph Collier, who heads research for the Shark Research Committee, the average number of...

Oceanographer: Nitrous Oxide Emitting Aquatic 'Dead Zones' Contributing To Climate Change
Cambridge, Maryland - Mar 20, 2010 17:45 EST
The increased frequency and intensity of oxygen-deprived "dead zones" along the world's coasts can negatively impact environmental conditions in far more than just local waters. In the March 12 edition of the journal Science, University of Maryland Center for Environmental...

Report Finds Delta Water Pumping Restrictions To Protect Fish 'Scientifically Justified'
San Francisco, California - Mar 19, 2010 19:13 EST
The National Academy of Sciences today released a peer-review report that validates recent federal “biological opinions” and federal actions, particularly seasonal reductions in water pumping, to protect endangered fish species in the San Francisco Bay-Delta. “The Academy of Sciences report confirms...

Scientists Rush To Examine Seafloor Off Chilean Coast Following Earthquake; 'This Is A Unique Case'
San Diego, California - Mar 18, 2010 19:16 EST
Scientists from Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego will explore the earthquake rupture site of the Feb. 27 massive 8.8-magnitude Chilean earthquake, one of the largest earthquakes in recorded history. Scripps scientists hope to capitalize on a unique scientific...

Researcher: Seven Unprovoked Shark Attacks Along U.S. Pacific Coast In 2009; Attacks Trending Up Sharply
Los Angeles, California - Mar 18, 2010 19:06 EST
Shark attacks are trending up for the U.S. Pacific Coast according to new statistics released today by the Los Angeles-based Shark Research Committee. According to Ralph Collier, who heads research for the Shark Research Committee, the average number of...

Researchers: 'Pregnant' Fish Fathers Abort Babies Of Unsexy Females; 'Males Tend To Seek Out Larger Females'
College Station, Texas - Mar 17, 2010 18:26 EST
Male pipefishes and their seahorse cousins are the only males that actually become pregnant and give birth, but pipefishes likely will never win any Father of The Year awards – their attitude towards their offspring can range from total love...

Iceland Illegally Exporting Whale Meat To The European Union; 'Riding Roughshod Over International Law'
London, England - Mar 18, 2010 19:54 EST
Icelandic government records state that the country is exporting meat from slaughtered whales to Latvia and Denmark, as well as Japan - in defiance of international law and a global whaling ban. Data from Statistics Iceland, the source for official Icelandic...

Jaws B.C.: 4 Million-Year-Old Shark Attack Reconstructed; 'The Only Evidence To Go On Was The Bite Marks'
Pisa, Italy - Mar 17, 2010 19:00 EST
It might sound like a mashup of monster movies, but palaeontologists have discovered evidence of how an extinct shark attacked its prey, reconstructing a killing that took place 4 million years ago. Such fossil evidence of behavior is incredibly rare,...

Research: 'Opportunist' Sharks Eat Whatever Food Is Available In The Environment
Madrid, Spain - Mar 17, 2010 18:10 EST
A team of Spanish researchers has studied the diet of three species of sharks living in the deep waters in the area of El Cachucho, the first Protected Marine Area in Spain, which is located in the Cantabrian Sea off...

Study: Ocean Geoengineering Scheme No Easy Fix For Global Warming; 'There Remain Many Uncertainties'
Southampton, UK - Feb 20, 2010 18:36 EST
Pumping nutrient-rich water up from the deep ocean to boost algal growth in sunlit surface waters and draw carbon dioxide down from the atmosphere has been touted as a way of ameliorating global warming. However, a new study led by...

Researchers: Carbonate Veins Reveal Chemistry Of Ancient Seawater; 'A Major Challenge For Earth Scientists'
Southampton, UK - Feb 11, 2010 17:52 EST
The chemical composition of our oceans is not constant but has varied significantly over geological time. In a study published this week in Science, researchers describe a novel method for reconstructing past ocean chemistry using calcium carbonate veins that precipitate...

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...

Governments Agree To Protect Endangered Sharks Under Un-Backed Treaty; 'A Decisive Step Forward'
Manila, The Philippines - Feb 16, 2010 21:26 EST
A landmark agreement to protect shark species threatened with extinction was reached today by over 100 countries signed up to a United Nations-supported wildlife treaty, according to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). The 113 countries that are party to the UNEP-administered...

Whale Wars: Sea Shepherd Activist Boards Japanese Vessel In Attempted Citizen's Arrest
Tokyo, Japan - Feb 15, 2010 20:53 EST
In another strange twist to the on-going battle between Japanese research whalers and the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, activist Peete Bethune boarded the Japanese vessel Shonan Maru 2 in an attempt to make a citizen's arrest of the vessel's captain,...

Scientists: Southern Ocean Winds Open Window To The Deep Sea; 'We Now Have Seven Years Of Year-Round Observations'
Clayton South, Australia - Mar 15, 2010 17:52 EST
The researchers’ findings – published on-line today in Nature Geoscience – provide new insights into natural processes which have a major influence on the rate of climate change. The surface-mixed layer is a crucial pathway between the atmosphere and the deeper...

Shark Pups Born In Bizarre Caesarean Released Back Into Wild; 'They Have Grown Strong And Healthy'
Auckland, New Zealand - Mar 10, 2010 17:40 EST
Eight baby School shark pups born in a bizarre caesarean section at Kelly Tarlton’s last year are being released back into the wild this week. The pups made international headlines last November when they were born, premature but healthy, from a gash their...

Aussie Researchers Document Shark And Manta Ray 'Clean, Wax And Polish' Stations Along Great Barrier Reef
Townsville, Queensland - Mar 8, 2010 17:48 EST
Sharks and manta rays gather in large numbers at special spots on the Great Barrier Reef and Osprey Reef for a regular “clean, wax and polish”. Researchers at James Cook University set up cameras at a number of spots on the...

Ancient Corals Hold New Hope For Reefs; 'Remarkably Successful In Surviving Large Environmental Disturbances'
Queensland, Australia - Feb 28, 2010 19:15 EST
Fossil corals, up to half a million years old, are providing fresh hope that coral reefs may be able to withstand the huge stresses imposed on them by today's human activity. Reef ecosystems were able to persist through massive environmental...

Research: Fish Use 'Secret' Ultraviolet Vision To Distinguish Between Species
Sydney, Australia - Feb 28, 2010 18:45 EST
In a remarkable new finding, scientists have reported that certain coral reef fish use ultraviolet (UV) vision to tell the difference between their own and other similar species. Indeed, the otherwise rather plain-looking Ambon damselfish may even be able to...

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...

South Africa Surfer Attacked By Great White Shark Hours Before 'Jaws' Broadcast; 'Lucky To Be Alive'
East London, South Africa - Nov 5, 2007 15:55 EST
A South Africa surfer was recovering in hospital yesterday after being attacked by a monster shark – just hours before the movie Jaws was being rebroadcast on national TV. The shark, believed to be a Great White, shattered Lee Mellin’s surf...

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...