How shark dandruff is helping conservation
Plus meth-addicted trout, the latest on Wally the walrus and will boiling lobsters alive be banned in the UK?
Hi pod,
Quick announcement before we kick off: next week, I’m taking the week off to head to Scotland and hopefully see some basking sharks. This means there will be no Baleen next Monday (19th July) but, never fear, it will be back in your inbox and bursting with news the following week. In the meantime, why not check out the archives to catch up on any news you might have missed.
But first there’s been plenty of ocean news to keep us busy this week so let’s dive in!
🐳 Whales
Beached: Investigations are underway to find out more about the cause of death of an entangled minke whale found off Rhode Island (MSN)
Oh, sh*t: We did a call out for whale poo pics last week - here’s why it’s important to conservation (WDC)
Epic pics: these shots of whales breaching are amazing! (USA Today)
Baleen is provided completely free each week to help you keep on top of the latest marine conservation news - if you find it useful, shout me a coffee (thanks!)
🦈 Sharks
Hunting timetable: different shark species may hunt in shifts to avoid each other and share resources (New Scientist)
End shark tournaments: a new petition to remove shark fishing competition funding has over 152k signatures so far (Change.org)
It’s Shark Week: will you be watching any of the shows? (The Sun)
Proper shark communication: the words we use when talking about sharks play a key role in species conservation too (WCS)
Shark finning: EJF evidence leads to fine and suspension for Taiwan vessel but systemic problem remains (World Fishing)
Shark dandruff: reserach into dermal denticles could help shark management and conservation (EurekAlert)
Shark mate: study reveals a new, friendlier image of sharks and finds they can from social associations (Nat Geo)
Know someone who would be interested in the latest ocean conservation news? Share Baleen:
🐬🐙 Marine animals
World’s largest jelly? an enormous 120ft jellyfish has washed up in Ireland’s Co Clare (The Irish Sun)
Wally the walrus: is still on Scilly but quickly becoming less popular due to damage he’s caused to boats (ITV)
Arms made of pig snouts: a brittle star has been discovered which could date back to the Jurassic period (Live Science)
Seal ID: scientists are using photos to study seal population declines (BBC)
Boiling ban: will the UK acknowledge crustaceans are sentient beings and ban boiling lobsters alive? (Yahoo! News)
Critter consciousness: what is consciousness like for other creatures? (New Scientist)
Marine snow: a new study shows how these particles can become colonised by bacteria, which allows for nitrogen fixation (Phys.org)
Name that fish: this fish ID technology is cool - have you ever tried it?
💰 Opportunities
Regional IFCAs: the Marine Management Organisation is looking for nine volunteers to manage inshore fisheries and conservation (Gov.uk)
Science Basecamp: This new polar programme explores topics including geology, marine biology & glaciology (Oceanwide)
Thanks to everyone helping us reach new pod members by sharing Baleen!
🚯 Pollution
EU can’t use that: as of last week, polystyrene and common single-use plastic items have been banned in the EU (Euronews Green)
Eye of fire: a gas leak caused the surface of the ocean to burn last week - it’s been put out and investigations continue (Metro)
Plastic, plastic everywhere: scientists found microplastics in every sample taken from the Bay of Plenty (Stuff NZ)
🐚🐠 Ecosystems
Rewilding the ocean: is it time to start replacing vanishing marine species? (Guardian)
Blue algae: Waters on the Scottish west coast turned a bright turquoise last month - scientists confirm the cause was marine algae (BBC)
In danger: discussions continue around the Great Barrier Reef being added to UNESCO’s in-danger list continue (Guardian)
Meth-addicted troutcould be a huge problem for freshwater ecosystems (Nat Geo)
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🎣 Fisheries
Salmon deaths: Increased mortalities have led to calls to stop salmon farming in Tasmania’s D'Entrecasteaux Channel (ABC)
Destroying nature at sea: campaigners criticise the EU’s fisheries fund, saying it will harm our seas (Express)
🌊 Other news
Hidden lakes: advanced NASA laser technologies are improving maps of subglacial Antarctic lakes (Phys.org)
Algae and… beer? a craft brewery in Australia is working with scientists to use algae to cut CO2 emissions (BBC)
What did you think of this week’s news? Did any particular stories jump out at you?
That’s all folks - I’m logging off to (hopefully) see some sharks IRL (yey). Wish me luck and see you in a couple of weeks!
Melissa
My comms consultancy and copywriting services are now fully booked until mid-August. If you’re interested in working together after then, please get in touch asap as I’m booking up quickly! 🤓