Ocean Sediment Yields Climate Record For Past Half-million Years; 'Unprecedented Among Marine Records'
Columbus, Ohio - Jun 15, 2009 21:16 EST
Researchers here have used sediment from the deep ocean bottom to reconstruct a record of ancient climate that dates back more than the last half-million years. The record, trapped within the top 20 meters (65.6 feet) of a 400-meter (1,312-foot) sediment...

Michigan Researchers Discover Caribou Hunting Structures Under The Surface Of Lake Huron
Ann Arbor, Michigan - Jun 15, 2009 21:05 EST
University of Michigan researchers recently announced the groundbreaking discovery of archaeological remains under the surface of Lake Huron — the first such find on the bottom of the Great Lakes. The researchers found caribou hunting structures and camps preserved 100 feet...

Loggerhead That Checked Itself Into Florida Turtle Hospital Checks Out After Ten Week Stay
Marathon Key, Florida - Jun 15, 2009 20:39 EST
A loggerhead sea turtle, that was ill and coincidentally found its own way to The Turtle Hospital in Marathon, was released Sunday off the Florida Keys. Staff members of The Turtle Hospital saw the turtle swimming near a dock, just 20...

'Jellyfish Joyride' A Threat To The Oceans; 'Fish Normally Keep Jellyfish In Check'
- Jun 14, 2009 18:46 EST
New research led by CSIRO Climate Adaptation Flagship and University of Queensland scientist, Dr Anthony Richardson, presents convincing evidence that this 'jellyfish joyride' is associated with over-fishing and excess nutrients from fertilisers and sewage. "Dense jellyfish aggregations can be a...

Bahamas Resort And Scientist Partner On Shark-Free Marina Initiative; 'Action Is Required On Every Level'
Cape Eleuthera, The Bahamas - Jun 12, 2009 18:07 EST
To combat the unnecessary killing of sharks, The Shark-Free Marina Initiative (SFMI) launched last month with support from researchers and marinas around the world. The Cape Eleuthera Institute's (CEI) Shark Program, led by Edd Brooks, is now an advisor to...

Florida Shark Fin Dealer Pleads Guilty To Illegally Trafficking In Fins From Protected Species
Washington, D.C. - Jun 12, 2009 17:57 EST
Mark L. Harrison, a resident of Southport, Fla., and Harrison International LLC, a Florida corporation, today pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Atlanta to violating the Lacey Act, a federal fish and wildlife trafficking law, by dealing in shark...

Research: Fish Show Evolution Can Occur In Less Than Ten Years
Riverside, California - Jun 11, 2009 16:23 EST
How fast can evolution take place? In just a few years, according to a new study on guppies led by UC Riverside’s Swanne Gordon, a graduate student in biology. Gordon and her colleagues studied guppies — small fresh-water fish biologists have...

Odyssey Motion Granted To File Objections In 'Black Swan' Treasure Case; 'I Have Confidence In Our Legal System'
Tampa, Florida - Jun 11, 2009 11:13 EST
Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc. (NasdaqCM: OMEX), pioneers in the field of deep-ocean shipwreck exploration has announced that U.S. Federal Court Judge Steven Merryday has granted Odyssey's Motion for Extension of Time to Respond to Report and Recommendation. He will allow...

Hatchery Fish May Hurt Efforts To Sustain Wild Salmon Runs; 'The Data Are Now Pretty Clear'
Corvallis, Oregon - Jun 10, 2009 22:11 EST
Steelhead trout that are originally bred in hatcheries are so genetically impaired that, even if they survive and reproduce in the wild, their offspring will also be significantly less successful at reproducing, according to a new study published today by...

Scientists Discover Methylmercury Contamination In Groundwater; 'Surprisingly High Levels'
Santa Cruz, California - Jun 9, 2009 21:35 EST
For the first time, scientists detect a highly toxic form of mercury in groundwater flows at two coastal sites in California. The UC Santa Cruz researchers who led the NOAA California Sea Grant-funded project believe these flows represent a significant and...

Swimming With The Sharks: Interview With Vivian Toro, One Of Stuart Cove's Female Shark Feeders
Nassau, That Bahamas - Jun 9, 2009 21:25 EST
One of the few things you won’t see on the average person's resume, even dive resume, is 'Shark Feeder.' Yet everyday, one of Stuart Cove's dive staff does just that. Under the watchful eye of Stuart Cove and his senior...

Florida Governor Proclaims June 27 – July 3 As Dive Flag Awareness Week; 'It's Time Folks Pay Attention'
Tallahassee, Florida - Jun 9, 2009 21:15 EST
In the past five years, 22 divers in Florida’s waters have been killed or injured after a boat struck them. Many of these incidents could have been avoided had the boaters been on the lookout for divers-down flags, or if...

World Ocean Day: UN Secretary General Warns World's Oceans Need Rescue From Human Carelessness
New York, New York - Jun 8, 2009 22:51 EST
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today marked the first United Nations World Oceans Day with a warning of the “terrible toll” human activity exacts on the world’s oceans and seas, with a new report highlighting the threat of the rising tide of...

Odyssey Provides Additional Update On 'Black Swan' Treasure Case; 'Judges Are Not Infallible'
Tampa, Florida - Jun 8, 2009 22:24 EST
Since the announcement of the Magistrate's recommendation in the "Black Swan" case, intense international media coverage has led to many questions that Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc. would like to address. What was this recent court filing by the Magistrate? This...

Fossil Shark And Seal Bone Bed Helps Reconstruct Life Along California's Ancient Coastline
Berkeley, California - Jun 8, 2009 22:14 EST
In the famed Sharktooth Hill Bone Bed near Bakersfield, Calif., shark teeth as big as a hand and weighing a pound each, intermixed with copious bones from extinct seals and whales, seem to tell of a 15-million-year-old killing ground. Yet, new...

Researchers Dive Into Ancient Greek Treasure; 'This Site Is Of Rare International Archaeological Importance'
Nottingham, U.K. - Jun 8, 2009 21:56 EST
Archaeologists from Britain's University of Nottingham and Greece's Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities of the Ministry of Culture are using digital equipment to unlock the mystery behind the ancient Greek town of Pavlopetri, thought to be the oldest submerged town in...

Video Released Of Underwater Photographer In Amazing Encounter With Humpback Whales Off Tonga
Carle Place, New York - Jun 8, 2009 21:42 EST
Author and underwater photographer Paul J. Mila has released a four-and-half minute video clip showing Pacific humpback whales playing with divers, and then attempting to make contact with them, in Tonga. Mila took still-photos of the encounters, while Rob Barrel,...

Canadian-based UN Coral Reef Expert Dr. Peter Sale Honored At World Meeting In Australia
Perth, Australia - Jun 4, 2009 14:10 EST
World experts meeting in Australia have presented a Canadian-based UN coral reef specialist with a distinguished award for his lifetime of achievement in marine research. Peter Sale, Assistant Director for Coastal Zones at the United Nations University's International Network on Water,...

Florida Treasure Hunters Lose Court Battle, Ordered To Turn Over 17 Tons Of Gold And Silver To Spain; 'We Will Object'
Tampa, Florida - Jun 4, 2009 09:24 EST
Odyssey Marine Exploration, Inc., pioneers in the field of deep-ocean shipwreck exploration has announced plans to file a written objection to the U.S. Federal Court Magistrate's recommendation that Spain's Motion to Dismiss the "Black Swan" case be granted and that...

Scared For Sharks: Oceana Launches Public Service Announcement Campaign With Actress January Jones
Washington, D.C. - Jun 3, 2009 22:52 EST
Oceana launched a new public service announcement (PSA) campaign today that features Golden Globe nominee January Jones swimming with sharks. Jones is best known for her role in the American Movie Channel’s (AMC) critically acclaimed Emmy, Golden Globe and...

Study: Estrogen Exposure Linked To Lowered Immunity In Fish; 'May Make Fish More Susceptible To Disease'
Washington, D.C. - Jun 3, 2009 22:33 EST
Exposure to estrogen reduces production of immune-related proteins in fish. This suggests that certain compounds, known as endocrine disruptors, may make fish more susceptible to disease. The research may provide new clues for why intersex fish, fish kills and fish lesions...

Poll: Spaniards Unwittingly Eat Shark Meat; 'Accurate Labeling Is Essential'
Madrid, Spain - Jun 3, 2009 22:19 EST
A new TNS Demoscopia poll, commissioned by the Shark Alliance, has revealed that people in Spain are unwittingly eating shark meat. Although 96% of those polled said that they did not eat shark, 76.4% were not aware that “cazón” and...

How To Find A Plane At The Bottom Of The Ocean; 'They'll Have To Work With Flotsam'
College Park, Maryland - Jun 3, 2009 14:22 EST
As search crews found debris fields Tuesday in the area where Air France flight 447 apparently crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, John Perry Fish was waiting for the phone to ring. Fish's company, American Underwater Search and Survey on...

In The Turf War Against Seaweed, Coral Reefs More Resilient Than Expected
Chapel Hill, North Carolina - Jun 2, 2009 23:15 EST
There's little doubt that coral reefs the world over face threats on many fronts: pollution, diseases, destructive fishing practices and warming oceans. But reefs appear to be more resistant to one potential menace – seaweed – than previously thought, according...

Hybrid Remotely Operated Vehicle 'Nereus' Reaches Deepest Part Of The Ocean; 'The Pinnacle Of Technical Challenges'
Woods Hole, Massachusetts - Jun 2, 2009 22:07 EST
A new type of deep-sea robotic vehicle called Nereus has successfully reached the deepest part of the world’s ocean, reports a team of U.S. engineers and scientists aboard the research vessel Kilo Moana. The dive to 10,902 meters (6.8 miles)...

Disappearing Dolphins: Is The West Coast Of Scotland Getting Too Hot To Handle?
Aberdeen, Scotland - Jun 1, 2009 23:03 EST
White-beaked dolphins have almost completely disappeared from the West Coast of Scotland in the last few years. Once one of the most commonly seen dolphin species, new research has found that they are now rarely sighted in these waters, with...

Researchers: Squid 'Sight' Not Just Through Eyes; Evolution 'Uses The Same Toolkit Again And Again'
Madison, Wisconsin - Jun 1, 2009 22:37 EST
It's hard to miss the huge eye of a squid. But now it appears that certain squids can detect light through an organ other than their eyes as well. That's what researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison report in the current...

The Pool Is Open: Divers Descend On The Vandenberg; 'It's The World's Best Wreck Dive'
Key West, Florida - Jun 1, 2009 22:06 EST
A retired Air Force missile-tracking ship intentionally sunk to create an artificial reef in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary opened Saturday, May 30, to the public. The 523-foot-long Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg is situated about seven miles south of Key...

Dolphin's Death Concludes Mote's Longtime Study Of Its Life; 'We Will All Miss This Old Girl'
Sarasota, Florida - May 29, 2009 17:56 EST
A female wild dolphin monitored for 38 years by the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program based at Mote Marine Laboratory died May 22, leaving behind two documented generations of offspring to continue her legacy. Waterfront residents found the 46-year-old dolphin — known...

Massachusetts Man Indicted For Trafficking In Illegally-Imported Sperm Whale Teeth
Washinton, D.C. - May 29, 2009 17:40 EST
A Massachusetts man has been charged in U.S. District Court in Boston with crimes related to the illegal importation and illegal trafficking of sperm whale teeth, the Justice Department announced today. On May 13, 2009, a federal grand jury sitting in...

Study: Height Of Large Waves Changes According To Month; 'Not The Same Height In Winter And Summer'
Madrid, Spain - May 29, 2009 16:34 EST
"Anybody who observes waves can see that they are not the same height in winter and summer, but rather that their height varies over time, and we have applied a 'non- seasonal' statistical model in order to measure extreme events...

Vandenberg Artificial Reef Open On Saturday For Diving; 'We Waited For It A Real Long Time'
Key West, Florida - May 29, 2009 15:38 EST
The new Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg artificial reef is scheduled to open to the public Saturday morning, project officials said Friday. The installation of mooring buoys was completed Thursday, according to Kent Edwards, Lower Keys regional manager of the Florida Keys...

Non-toxic Hull Coating Resists Barnacles, May Save Ship Owners Millions; 'Very Promising'
Raleigh, North Carolina - May 28, 2009 17:50 EST
North Carolina State University engineers have created a non-toxic "wrinkled" coating for use on ship hulls that resisted buildup of troublesome barnacles during 18 months of seawater tests, a finding that could ultimately save boat owners millions of dollars in...

Studies Shed Light On Collapse Of Coral Reefs; Biologists 'Starting To Think More Outside The Box'
Corvallis, Oregon - May 28, 2009 15:41 EST
An explosion of knowledge has been made in the last few years about the basic biology of corals, researchers say in a new report, helping to explain why coral reefs around the world are collapsing and what it will take...

Satellite Breakthrough Made In Assessing Marine Phytoplankton Health; 'Until Now We've Really Struggled'
Corvallis, Oregon - May 28, 2009 15:28 EST
Researchers from Oregon State University, NASA and other organizations said today that they have succeeded for the first time in measuring the physiology of marine phytoplankton through satellite measurements of its fluorescence – an accomplishment that had been elusive for...

Melting Greenland Ice Sheets May Threaten Northeast United States, Canada; Impacts 'This Century'
Boulder, Colorado - May 27, 2009 18:53 EST
Melting of the Greenland ice sheet this century may drive more water than previously thought toward the already threatened coastlines of New York, Boston, Halifax, and other cities in the northeastern United States and in Canada, according to new research...

'A Gift To History': The 'Vandenberg' Slips Below The Waves As The Second-largest Intentionally Sunk Ship; Sinking Picture Gallery
Key West, Florida - May 27, 2009 18:28 EST
Thirteen years in the making, the plan to sink the decommissioned military ship “Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg” finally came to fruition today. At 10:24 a.m. EST, cutting charges were detonated and ship quickly sank below the waves 114 seconds...

'Vandenberg' Artificial Reef Successfully Deployed Off Key West, Florida; 523-foot-vessel Sinks In 114 Seconds
Key West, Florida - May 27, 2009 17:37 EST
The highly anticipated placement of the world’s second-largest ex-military ship as an artificial diving and fishing reef, near Key West, is finally a reality. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) worked closely with its many project partners to...

Spectacular Deep-water Coral Province Discovered Off Ireland's West Coast
Galway, Ireland - May 26, 2009 19:40 EST
NUI Galway researchers, during a recent deep-water expedition, have confirmed the existence of a major new coral reef province on the southern end of the Porcupine Bank off the west coast of Ireland. The province covers an area of some...

Four Angel Sharks Born At San Francisco Aquarium; 'We're Thrilled To Have These Rare Births'
San Francisco, California - May 26, 2009 17:57 EST
Keeping in line with the pupping season for many local shark species, Aquarium of the Bay welcomed the births of four Pacific Angel Sharks in its Under the Bay exhibit today. Aquarium of the Bay is the only nature center...