Australian Fossil Unlocks Secrets To The Origin Of Whales; 'A Bottom-feeding Mud-sucker'
Victoria, Australia - Dec 22, 2009 22:50 EST
Museum Victoria palaeobiologist Dr Erich Fitzgerald has made new groundbreaking discoveries into the origin of baleen whales, based on a 25 million year old fossil found near Torquay in Victoria. Dr Fitzgerald's study, which is published in the Zoological Journal of...

Dive Rite Wings Recalled Due To Drowning Hazard; Rusting Over Pressure Valve Blamed
Washington, D.C. - Dec 22, 2009 22:37 EST
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. Name of Product: Dive Rite Wings Units: About 16,000 Manufacturer:...

New Study Finds Catch Shares Improve Consistency, Not Health, Of Fisheries; No 'Panacea'
Washington, D.C. - Dec 21, 2009 22:08 EST
Catch share programs result in more consistent and predictable fisheries but do not necessarily improve ecological conditions, according to a new study published online this week by the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Employed by nations around the...

MARES Initiative To Provide Comprehensive View Of South Florida Marine Ecosystems
Miami, Florida - Dec 21, 2009 21:15 EST
Marine and Estuarine Goal Setting for South Florida (MARES) is a new collaborative initiative, funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), designed to guide regional resource managers in protecting the fragile marine coastal environment in South Florida. Through...

Florida Wildlife Commission Expects Record Number Of Manatee Deaths In 2009
Tallahassee, Florida - Dec 19, 2009 11:33 EST
Biologists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's (FWC) Fish and Wildlife Research Institute documented 419 manatee carcasses in state waters as of Dec. 11. This preliminary data indicates that the total number of manatee deaths for 2009 has...

What's The Deal With Fish Oil? Omega-3 Industry Responds To New York Times Editorial 'Misinformation'
Sunrise, Florida - Dec 18, 2009 14:57 EST
In Op-Ed piece in the New York Times on December 15, 2009 (A Fish Oil Story by Paul Greenberg) raising concerns that fish oil supplements are a major contributor to depleting supplies of menhaden, a fish that plays an important...

Endangered Turtle Flies Home, In Passenger Cabin Of Commercial Airplane
Wilmington, North Carolina - Dec 18, 2009 14:40 EST
An endangered turtle named Anita made history on Dec. 15, when she became one of the only live marine turtles to ever fly in the passenger cabin of an airplane, thanks to a one-time exemption by American Airlines and the...

Study: Boating Pours $8.5 Billion Into Florida's Economy
Tallahassee, Florida - Dec 18, 2009 14:25 EST
A four-year study of Florida’s boating facilities and the economics of boating in this state is just in, and the numbers are enough to make your head swim. For instance, Florida boaters spent $3.384 billion on boat trips in 2007. That’s...

First As ROV Captures Images Of The Deep-sea Volcano Erupting Molten Lava; 'It Happens So Quickly'
Woods Hole, Massachusetts - Dec 18, 2009 14:14 EST
Oceanographers using the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Jason discovered and recorded the first video and still images of a deep-sea volcano actively erupting molten lava on the seafloor. Jason, designed and operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution for the National...

Animal Planet's Whale Wars Leaves Port For New Season Of Sea Shepherd's Anti-whaling Campaign
New York, New York - Dec 16, 2009 21:44 EST
The Jolly Roger flies high again as Captain Paul Watson and the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society return to the high seas in their fight to save whales from Japanese vessels in the icy waters of the Antarctic Ocean. Yesterday, the...

Scientists: Zoning The Ocean May Help Endangered Whales To Recover; An Idea 'Rife With Human Conflict'
Hoboken, New Jersey - Dec 16, 2009 21:20 EST
Scientists in Scotland, Canada and the US have proposed a new method to identify priority areas for whale conservation. The team's findings, published in Animal Conservation, suggest that even small protected areas, identified through feeding behavior, can benefit highly mobile...

New 'Watch List' Helps Citizens Report Invasive Marine Fish; 'Non-native Fishes Can Have Cascading Effects'
Washington, D.C. - Dec 15, 2009 21:13 EST
For the first time, a field guide for non-native marine fishes can be used to help prevent the establishment of invasive species that could pose risks to Florida’s coastal ecosystems. A team of scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric...

NOAA Assesses Post-Tsunami Marine Debris In American Samoa, Effects On Corals
Washington, D.C. - Dec 14, 2009 23:55 EST
A NOAA team has begun a survey of marine debris generated by the devastating September 29 tsunami in American Samoa. The team is carefully measuring the amount and impact of debris such as roofing and domestic goods in coral reef...

Researchers Reveal That Environmentally Devastating Zebra Mussels Can Be Controlled; Reproduction 'Can Be Impeded'
Troy, New York - Dec 14, 2009 23:48 EST
While a lone zebra mussel is relatively harmless, its appearance usually indicates the arrival of thousands of the unwanted visitors. In waterways around the globe, the mussels are outcompeting native animal species for food and clogging industrial water systems. Scientists and...

Research: Bigger And Bossier Better For Cichlids Fish Families
Hamilton, Ontario - Dec 14, 2009 23:43 EST
If you are spending the holidays with big Uncle Frank or bossy Aunt Minnie and wondering whether you would be better off with another family, spare a thought for the humble cichlid fish. A research team from McMaster University and the...

UN-backed Experts Propose Ban In Trading In Endangered Bluefin Tuna And Certain Types Of Sharks
New York, New York - Dec 14, 2009 23:15 EST
Trade in Atlantic bluefin tuna would be banned and trade in certain types of shark controlled if the recommendations of a United Nations-backed group of independent experts are accepted by the parties to an international treaty on endangered species. The proposals...

Study: 'Triple Whammy Effect' Eroding Portions Of Arctic Coastline With No End In Sight
Boulder, Colorado - Dec 14, 2009 22:20 EST
The northern coastline of Alaska midway between Point Barrow and Prudhoe Bay is eroding by up to one-third the length of a football field annually because of a "triple whammy" of declining sea ice, warming seawater and increased wave activity,...

Abundance Of A Look-alike Species Clouds Population Status And Recovery Planning For A Million Dollar Fish
Fort Lauderdale, Florida - Dec 12, 2009 18:23 EST
The prized white marlin, sought by anglers in million dollar prize tournaments and captured incidentally in commercial fisheries, is among the most overfished marine species under international management and the subject of contentious debate on how to best achieve its...

Florida Acts On More Protection For Sharks 'to Help Ensure The Sustainability Of Our Marine Ecosystem'
Tallahassee, Florida - Dec 11, 2009 17:54 EST
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) on Thursday approved a series of rules to enhance its long-standing policy to protect stressed shark populations in Florida waters. These rules also are generally consistent with recent management measures that have...

High-resolution Computer Simulations Helping Scientists Understand Ocean Climate
Southampton, England - Dec 11, 2009 17:40 EST
High-resolution computer simulations performed by scientists at the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton (NOCS) are helping to understand the inflow of North Atlantic water to the Arctic Ocean and how this influences ocean climate. The summer of 2007 saw a record...

Florida's Operation 'Mack Attack' Takes Bite Out Of Illegal 'Back-door' Fish Sales
Tallahassee, Florida - Dec 9, 2009 21:19 EST
Six thousand pounds of fish bought and sold. Ten thousand dollars in money exchanged. Six charter boats cited. Forty-two charges filed. These are the results of a three-month Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) investigation...

Fish Venom Finally Gets The Attention It Deserves; 'Possibly Over 1600 Species Of Catfish May Be Venomous'
London, England - Dec 5, 2009 17:43 EST
In contrast to the exhaustive research into venom produced by snakes and spiders, venomous fish have been neglected and remain something of a mystery. Now, a study of 158 catfish species, published in the open access journal BMC Evolutionary Biology,...

Guy Harvey Catch And Release Shark Tournament Hailed As A Model For Fishing Enthusiasts And Marine Conservationists
Fort Myers, Florida - Dec 4, 2009 10:50 EST
Jack Donlon, original founder of The Ultimate Shark Challenge Tournament Series, and his co-directors, Sean Paxton and Brooks Paxton II, have teamed up with renowned marine wildlife artist, scientist and conservationist Dr. Guy Harvey to present an innovative competitive event...

Researchers Make Unexpected Discovery Involving Devastating Freshwater Fish Parasite 'Ich'
Athens, Georgia - Dec 3, 2009 04:43 EST
Researchers from the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine have made an "unexpected" dual discovery that could open new avenues for treating Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, or "Ich", a devastating single-celled protozoan parasite that commonly attacks freshwater fish. With the aid of...

Researchers Collecting Marine Invertebrates In DNA Sequencing Effort For Entire Pacific Island
Gainsville, Florida - Dec 3, 2009 04:21 EST
University of Florida researchers are collecting marine invertebrates on the French Polynesian island of Moorea as part of a massive effort to inventory the DNA sequence of every living species there. The genetic information collected by scientists from UF’s Florida Museum...

New Forensic Technique Gives Clues About Sharks From Bite Damage; 'There's A Psychological Need'
Gainsville, Florida - Dec 3, 2009 04:16 EST
Hit-and-run attacks by sharks can be solved with a new technique that identifies the culprits by the unique chomp they put on their victims, according to a University of Florida researcher and shark expert. In a method analogous to analyzing human...

Deep-sea Finds Make King Crab Family Bigger Than Ever; Known Species At 113
Southampton, UK - Dec 3, 2009 04:10 EST
Sally Hall, a PhD student at the University of Southampton's School of Ocean and Earth Science (SOES) at the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton (NOCS) has formally described four new species of king crab, all from the deep sea. Hall discovered the...

Scientists Surprised As Some Ocean Dwellers Increase Shell Production In CO2-rich Environment
Woods Hole, Massachusetts - Dec 3, 2009 04:05 EST
In a striking finding that raises new questions about carbon dioxide's (CO2) impact on marine life, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) scientists report that some shell-building creatures—such as crabs, shrimp and lobsters—unexpectedly build more shell when exposed to ocean acidification...

Aussie Scientists Create Giant 'Rogue' Waves To Test Oil Platforms; 'Waves Are Extremely Difficult To Predict'
Canberra, Australia - Dec 2, 2009 18:42 EST
The computer modeling project compares how different types of semi-submersible oil rigs withstand the effects of giant waves in the open ocean. Rogue waves are rare, extreme events that pose a risk to shipping and offshore structures and can lead to...

NOAA Proposes To Protect 3,000 Square Miles As Critical Habitat For Endangered Whales
Anchorage, Alaska - Dec 1, 2009 23:39 EST
The federal National Marine Fisheries Service today took an important step toward protecting critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act for the Cook Inlet beluga whale in Alaska by proposing to designate more than 3,000 square miles of the imperiled...

Numerous North Atlantic Fish Populations Decline 95%; 'It's Shocking'
Syracuse, New York - Dec 1, 2009 23:13 EST
Populations of numerous migratory fish species in the North Atlantic have declined by more than 95 percent, threatening not only food supplies and economic systems, but also the way humans perceive the health of the planet's ecosystems, according to a...

Hong Kong Shark Fins Traced To Their Geographic Origin For First Time Using DNA Tools
Stony Brook, New York - Dec 1, 2009 22:58 EST
Millions of shark fins are sold at market each year to satisfy the demand for shark fin soup, a Chinese delicacy, but it has been impossible to pinpoint which sharks from which regions are most threatened by this trade. Now,...

Research: Pregnant Pipefish Dads Cannibalize Young 'To Improve Their Own Well-being'
Gothenburg, Sweden - Nov 27, 2009 17:35 EST
The pipefish, which is related to the seahorse, has an unusual way of organising childcare. In this fish species it is the father who takes care of the eggs, which he receives from one or more females and then looks...

Keep Austin Weird: Texas Fish Store Owner Goes Topless In Titillating Black Friday Promotion
Austin, Texas - Nov 26, 2009 15:44 EST
An Austin, Texas, tropical fish and aquarium store is pulling off all the tops in a special "Black Friday" sales promotion. Caroline Estes, owner of Amazonia Aquariums, will go topless this Friday in hopes of boosting tropical fish sales. Her...

Rocket Science Leads To Discovery About Whale Hearing; 'Potential For Evaluating And Directing Mitigation Efforts'
Arlington, Virginia - Nov 24, 2009 19:53 EST
Rocket science is opening new doors to understanding how sounds associated with Navy sonar might affect the hearing of a marine mammal – or if they hear it at all. The same type of large industrial sized X-ray scanners that NASA...

Thousands Of Strange Creatures Found Deep In Ocean; 'The Deep Sea Is Full Of Mysteries'
New Orleans, Louisiana - Nov 22, 2009 18:19 EST
Census of Marine Life scientists have inventoried an astonishing abundance, diversity and distribution of deep sea species that have never known sunlight - creatures that somehow manage a living in a frigid black world down to 5,000 meters (~3 miles)...

WHOI'S Bruce A. Warren Is Awarded Sverdrup Gold Medal; 'Man Wants To Know'
Woods Hole, Massachusetts - Nov 21, 2009 16:39 EST
Bruce A. Warren-- one of the world's pre-eminent researchers of deep ocean currents and scientist emeritus at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI)—is the 2010 winner of the prestigious Sverdrup Gold Medal, awarded by the American Meteorological Society (AMS). In announcing...

Paleontologists: Extinction Rates Higher In Open-ocean Settings During Mass Extinctions
Cincinnati, Ohio - Nov 21, 2009 16:36 EST
Arnie Miller, University of Cincinnati professor of paleontology in the McMicken College of Arts & Sciences, and co-author Michael Foote of the University of Chicago publish their research in the Nov. 20 issue of Science with their paper, "Epicontinental Seas...

Odyssey Marine Exploration Acquires Stake In Venture To Pursue Exploration Of Deep-Ocean Gold And Copper Deposits
Tampa, Florida - Nov 21, 2009 07:44 EST
Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc. (NasdaqCM: OMEX), a pioneer in the field of deep-ocean shipwreck exploration, has acquired a minority interest in SMM Project LLC, a company funded by a group of investors to bring together the exclusive licenses and skills...

Ocean Conservancy Welcomes Shark Conservation Act Introduction In The U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. - Nov 19, 2009 14:18 EST
Ocean Conservancy is applauding today’s introduction the "Shark Conservation Act of 2009" by Senator John Kerry (D-MA). The bill, a companion to legislation introduced by Rep. Madeleine Bordallo (D-Guam) and already approved in the U.S. House of Representatives, aims to...