Study: Humans 'Damaging The Oceans' In Profound Ways; 'New Age Of Climate Change'
Queensland, Australia - Aug 11, 2009 18:53 EST
There is mounting evidence that human activity is changing the world's oceans in profound and irreversible ways, according to a recent study. For instance, the climate is currently warming faster than the worst case known from the fossil record, about 56...

Aussie Scientists: Communique On The Future Of Coral Reefs And The Human Communities That Depend On Them
Brisbane, Australia - Aug 11, 2009 18:34 EST
Leading Australian scientists released on August 6 the following call for action to save the world’s coral reefs, at a scientific symposium in Brisbane: Coral reefs are irreplaceable and far too valuable for human societies to allow their continued destruction....

New Vessel To Help Aussies Open Up Oceans Of Research Opportunities; 'There Is Still A Lot To Discover'
Victoria, Australia - Aug 7, 2009 17:46 EST
In its May Budget, the Commonwealth Government committed AU$120 million to the purchase of a new 85-metre research vessel for the Marine National Facility, together with an additional AU$30 million for the operation and maintenance of the current Australian research...

Oceanographers: Highest-ever Winter Water Temperatures Recorded Off Tassie Coast
Victoria, Australia - Aug 5, 2009 23:18 EST
Satellites have given oceanographers an insight into a remarkable phenomenon – a significant extension of the Leeuwin Current curling around the southern tip of Tasmania and reaching as far north as St Helens. Remote sensing specialists at CSIRO's Wealth from Oceans...

7000-year Old Corals Of Moreton Bay Tell Their Story; 'Curious Growth Episodes'
Queensland, Australia - Aug 5, 2009 22:38 EST
The 7000-year-old coral communities of Moreton Bay are telling a curious tale, expanding when sea-levels rise or water quality improves, then declining when current circulation becomes more restricted. Intriguing new insights into the behaviour of corals and fish under changing...

Australia's First Full Coral Genome Project Gets Green Light; 'A Genuine First For Australian Science'
Queensland, Australia - Jul 30, 2009 15:37 EST
One of the corals that form the backbone of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is to become the first complex animal to have its genes fully explored in Australia. Plans to sequence the entire genome of Acropora millepora, a branching...

Science Adopts A New Definition Of Seawater; 'Should Be In Widespread Use Within 18 Months'
Paris, France - Jul 7, 2009 21:58 EST
In Paris late last month the General Assembly of UNESCO's Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) accepted the case for the introduction of a new international thermodynamic description of seawater, cast in terms of a new salinity variable called Absolute Salinity. Hobart-based CSIRO...

From The Deep: Brisbane Scientist Discovers New Species Of Fish; 'A Most Exciting Discovery'
Queensland, Australia - Apr 29, 2009 16:57 EST
A University of Queensland researcher has returned from where no person has been before – deep in the western Pacific. PhD student Adrian Flynn, from UQ's School of Biomedical Sciences, was part of an international team investigating never-before explored areas...

Solomon Islands Dolphin Trade To Be Scrutinized By International Body; 'This Should Be A Wake-up Call'
Washington, D.C. - Apr 28, 2009 17:43 EST
The Solomon Islands controversial trade in wild-caught dolphins is to be subject to an in-depth review under the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), as decided by the CITES Animals Committee at...

Doom And Boom: Scientists Astonished By Great Barrier Reef's Recovery From 2006 Bleaching Event
Queensland, Australia - Apr 21, 2009 19:00 EST
Marine scientists say they are astonished at the spectacular recovery of certain coral reefs in Australia's Great Barrier Reef Marine Park from a devastating coral bleaching event in 2006. That year high sea temperatures caused massive and severe coral bleaching...

Research: Stressed Fish Mothers Produce High-strung, Sometimes Abnormal Babies; Cortisol Link
Queensland, Australia - Apr 16, 2009 18:00 EST
Stressed reef fish mothers produce highly active babies, and this affects survival and has important implications for fish populations in a changing environment, according to new research. Dr Monica Gagliano, a research fellow with the AIMS@JCU joint venture, worked with colleague...

Scientists: Stalagmites Reveal Rapid Sea Level Rise; Ice Sheets Might Melt Faster Than Previously Thought
Canberra, Australia - Apr 8, 2009 17:32 EST
The world’s ice sheets might melt much faster than previously thought, according to a new study that used submerged stalagmites to provide some of the first firm evidence of ancient sea level rise. Researchers from Australia and Europe dated the age...

Research: Big-clawed Crayfish Win Fights By Cheating; 'Size Was Not An Accurate Indicator Of Strength'
Queensland, Australia - Mar 26, 2009 18:20 EST
A study conducted at UQ's Moreton Bay Research Station has found, when it comes to crayfish, size really does matter. Dr Robbie Wilson and researchers from UQ's Integrative Ecology Lab found crayfish with larger claws could trick opponents into believing...

Kiwi Study: Scat And Regurgitate Reveal Seals Eating Fish With Little Or No Commercial Value
Wellington, New Zealand - Feb 26, 2009 14:07 EST
Every so often departmental staff are asked the question: ‘Are seals to blame for reduced fish catch?’ A recent study, undertaken by the Department of Conservation (DOC) has looked at the diet of New Zealand fur seals/kekeno around Banks Peninsula,...

Report: Japan's Whalers Actions 'Inconsistent With The Antarctic Legal Regime'
Sydney, Australia - Jan 19, 2009 18:15 EST
An independent group of Antarctic law and policy experts, convened in Canberra by IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare), has released a report detailing options available to the Australian Government to challenge Japan’s whaling program through the Antarctic Treaty System...

Aussie Scuba Certification Agency Releases New Certification Card Design Amid Global Push
Victoria, Australia - Jan 10, 2009 09:33 EST
Associated Underwater Scuba Instructors (AUSI) has released a new certification card design; the new card became available on 1 January 2009. Mr Steve Sinclair, AUSI’S Chief Executive Officer, said the new card design is exciting because it better reflects AUSI’s global...

Scientists: Trees, Mangroves Won't Stop Tsunamis; Assumption 'Was Not Well Founded'
Townsville, Queensland - Dec 25, 2008 18:35 EST
Claims that coastal tree barriers can halt the might of a tsunami are false and dangerous, a team of international marine scientists said today. There are many reasons for preserving the world's dwindling stocks of mangroves, but protecting people from tsunamis...

Scientists: New 'Seawater' Definition Needed; 'Absolute Salinity' And 'Conservative Temperature' More Accurate
Hobart, Australia - Dec 22, 2008 17:38 EST
The science case for a change in the definition of seawater was first agreed to in 2006 when the international guiding body, the Scientific Committee on Oceans Research (SCOR) established a working group, chaired by Dr Trevor McDougall, of CSIRO's...

Scientists: Urgent Action On International Coral Reef Crisis; 'The Need For Region-wide Action Is Paramount'
Townsville, Australia - Nov 10, 2008 21:55 EST
Coral reef scientists and policy makers from the world's most prominent coral reef nations are meeting in Australia this week to develop urgent action plans to rescue the world's richest centre of marine biodiversity from gradual decline. Human pressures on the...

'Electronic Dive Buddy' Set To Make Scuba Diving A Much Safer Sport; Automatically Adjusts Buoyancy
Aukland, New Zealand - Oct 20, 2008 01:26 EST
An Electronic Dive Buddy built by University of Auckland engineering students could make scuba diving a much safer sport. Anatoly Kudryashov and Jenny Xu from the Department of Mechanical Engineering’s Mechatronics Engineering specialisation have designed a computerised system to automatically adjust...

Scientific Hunch Poised To Save Thousands From Toxic Ciguatera Poisoning
Queensland, Australia - Oct 20, 2008 01:14 EST
A neuroscientist at UQ's Queensland Brain Institute has found a way to combat a debilitating illness that affects an estimated 50,000 people a year in tropical regions. Ciguatera poisoning – which often results in acute nausea, vomiting and painful gastrointestinal...

Research: Pairing Up Is Better Than Being Single In The Sea; 'you End Up Providing A Better Service To Your Client'
Queensland, Australia - Oct 16, 2008 16:47 EST
UQ research has confirmed teamwork is key to any good relationship, even those between parasite-eating fish. Dr Alexandra (Lexa) Grutter, from UQ's School of Integrative Biology, along with colleagues from Stockholm University and The University of Neuchatel, Switzerland, found cleaner...

Kiwi Fisheries Minister Rebuts New Anti Shark Finning Campaign; 'Not Particularly Relevant'
Wellington, New Zealand - Sep 3, 2008 18:08 EST
“Forest and Bird’s shark finning campaign is not particularly relevant to New Zealand” Ministry of Fisheries Chief Executive, Wayne McNee, said today. It is already illegal to take the fins off live sharks in New Zealand, it is an offence under...

Study: Pets’ Gourmet Tastes Are Putting Pressure On Dwindling Fish Stocks
Melbourne, Australia - Aug 25, 2008 18:25 EST
The fine dining habits of pet cats are placing pressure on dwindling fish supplies that might be better used for human consumption, according to a Deakin University fish nutrition scientist. Dr Giovanni Turchini, with colleague Professor Sena De Silva, has found that an...

14-year-old Kiwi Lands 'World Record' 268kg Bluefin Tuna; 'He Played It Brilliantly'
Christchurch, New Zealand - Aug 22, 2008 18:03 EST
Fourteen-year-old angler Andrew Hargen may have netted himself a world record when he hooked this bluefin tuna off Westport. Andrew, of Christchurch, caught the 268kg (590 pound) pacific bluefin tuna off the charter boat Te Ariki Nui on Thursday. The fish took...

Oceans On The Precipice: Scientist Warns Of Mass Extinctions And 'Rise Of Slime'
San Diego, California - Aug 13, 2008 17:59 EST
Human activities are cumulatively driving the health of the world's oceans down a rapid spiral, and only prompt and wholesale changes will slow or perhaps ultimately reverse the catastrophic problems they are facing. Such is the prognosis of Jeremy Jackson, a...

Angler Snares 'Record' Tiger Shark In Western Australian Waters; 'Lots Of Scientific Data'
Dampier, Western Australia - Aug 5, 2008 12:52 EST
An angler has caught what is believed to be the biggest Tiger Shark ever captured in Western Australian waters. The 3.6 metre shark weighed nearly 285 kilograms. It was caught on a 10 kilogram line during the Dampier Classic fishing competition at...

Aussie Biologist: Satellite Tracking Technology To Shed Light On Tiger Shark Behavior
Queensland, Australia - Jul 21, 2008 18:32 EST
A University of Queensland (UQ) marine biologist will use satellite technology to track tiger sharks as part of a project to better understand the greatly feared sea dwellers and prevent future attacks on bathers. UQ PhD student Bonnie Holmes said...

Research: Exploited Fish Make Rapid Comeback In World's Largest No-take Marine Reserve Network
Townsville, Australia - Jun 30, 2008 19:09 EST
No-take marine reserves, in which fishing is completely banned, can lead to very rapid comebacks of the fish species most prized by commercial and recreational fisheries, reveals a new study of Australia's Great Barrier Reef published in the June 24th...

Researchers: 'World First' As Scientists Reveal Whale Shark Diving Behavior; 'Double Life'
Murdoch, Australia - Jun 17, 2008 17:23 EST
The secret double life of Ningaloo’s whale sharks has been discovered by Murdoch University scientist Brad Norman and his Swansea University (UK) colleague Professor Rory Wilson. In a world-first scientific discovery, the two Laureates of the international Rolex Awards for Enterprise...

Aussie Trawler Nets Giant 20-foot, 500-lb Squid; 'Pretty Unusual'
Victoria, Australia - May 26, 2008 20:11 EST
Australian fishermen were squids in when they hauled this 20-foot long sea monster from the ocean. Skipper Rangi Pene said the 500-pound giant squid was already dead when it was caught in the trawler’s nets last night off Australia’s southeastern...

Pictures Reveal Shark Vs. Crocodile Battle Off Aussie Coast; 'We Heard Some Splashing'
Northern Territory, Australia - May 23, 2008 17:56 EST
There'S no need to be scared of sharks when you're in the Territory -- the crocs usually get to them first. Paul van Bruggen snapped these amazing pictures of a 2.5m saltie dining out on a shark on the banks...

Explorers Marvel At 'Brittlestar City' On Seamount In Powerful Current Swirling Around Antarctica
Washington, D.C. - May 18, 2008 18:36 EST
Census of Marine Life-affiliated scientists, plumbing the secrets of a vast underwater mountain range south of New Zealand, captured the first images of a novel “Brittlestar City” established against daunting odds on the peak of a seamount – an underwater...

Research: Fish Diet To Avoid Fights With Slightly Larger Rivals; Males Prefer 'Fatter' Females
Townsville, Australia - May 12, 2008 16:25 EST
People diet to look more attractive. Fish diet to avoid being beaten up, thrown out of their social group - and getting eaten as a result. That is the fascinating conclusion of the latest research into fish behavior by researchers...

Sydney Harbor's Contaminated Seaweeds A Deadly Diet For Sea Creatures
Sydney, Australia - Apr 7, 2008 14:24 EST
Contaminated seaweeds in Sydney Harbour could be threatening the small animals that feed on them, according to a new study revealing that the harbour's seaweeds have the world's highest levels of copper and lead contamination. Up to 75 percent of the...

Scientists: Sea Rabbits May Save The Great Barrier Reef; 'Came Out Of Nowhere'
Townsville, Australia - Mar 18, 2008 15:15 EST
While rabbits continue to ravage Australia's native landscapes, rabbit fish may help save large areas of the Great Barrier Reef from destruction. The reason, say scientists, is the same in both cases - both rabbits and rabbit fish are efficient...

Study: Continental Drift, Sinking Ocean Basins Major Factor In Sea Level Changes
Sydney, Australia - Mar 11, 2008 07:52 EST
Sea levels were 550 feet (170 m) higher in the late Cretaceous period, about 80 million years ago, than today, shows a new reconstruction of historic ocean basins published in the journal Science. The authors say the work may help...

World's Largest Marine Protected Area Created In Pacific Ocean; 'A Commitment Of Historic Proportions'
Arlington, Virginia - Feb 14, 2008 17:24 EST
The small Pacific Island nation of Kiribati has become a global conservation leader by establishing the world’s largest marine protected area – a California-sized ocean wilderness of pristine coral reefs and rich fish populations threatened by over-fishing and climate change. The...

Economists: Reduce Fish Catch Now For Bigger Net Profits Later; 'bigger Stocks Mean Bigger Bucks'
Sydney, Australia - Dec 6, 2007 18:12 EST
A new and compelling argument for reducing fish harvests – the profit motive – could persuade world fishers to endure the short-term pain of lower catches for the long-term gain of higher returns for their labor, according to authors of...

Sea Shepherd Renames Ship 'Steve Irwin', Launches 'Operation Migaloo' To Defend Whales
Melbourne, Australia - Dec 5, 2007 18:48 EST
Terri Irwin has granted the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society permission to rename its ship currently known as Robert Hunter in honor of her late husband, Steve Irwin. Captain Paul Watson, founder and president of Sea Shepherd and Terri Irwin officially...