Researchers reveal Shark Week's flaws 🦈
Plus a can't miss opp for UK charities to tap into £250m in donations
Hi Pod,
After a bit of much needed Vitamin Sea (but no basking sharks or minke whales…boo!), we’re back. As you might expect, there’s been lots of ocean news while we were away so let’s dive straight in to catch up. Enjoy!
📛 COP26
Final countdown: there are now fewer than 100 days to go until COP26 in Glasgow (Sky News)
Time is ticking: protesters are calling on the UK prime minister to take the talks seriously and prioritise the climate (Guardian)
🐠 What’s going on with the Great Barrier Reef?
Historic decision: UNESCO recommended the GBR was listed as ‘in danger’ (Guardian)
In danger: so, why is the GBR in trouble? (BBC)
Celeb support: the likes of Joanna Lumley and Jason Momoa backed the proposed listing (Guardian)
Strong opposition: but the Australian government wasn’t happy and lobbied against it (Guardian)
Not listed: The World Heritage Committee agreed not to place the GBR on the in danger list (Guardian)
At risk: whatever its listing, the GBR is threatened by climate change (Guardian)
Urgent action needed: as there is significant risk areas of the reef may not recover from bleaching (IUCN)
🐳 Whales
Where’s Wally? Experts have built a pontoon for Wally the Walrus to keep him safe in the Iscles of Scilly (Daily Mail)
Keep your distance: and experts are reminding people to give him plenty of space as he’s likely struggling in the heatwave (Metro)
World’s loneliest whale: a new documentary is trying to find out more about an individual struggling to be heard by other whales (Guardian)
Beluga whale: spotted in Shetland waters for the first time since 1997 (Shetland News)
Ivory poaching: UK could extend the Ivory Act to include whales, walruses and hippos (BBC)
Slow down: report finds most vessels are exceeding speed limits in areas designed to protect North Atlantic right whales (Oceana)
Out of the blue: how citizen science can help whale research (The Conversation)
Toa: the orphaned baby orca that stranded in New Zealand has died (Stuff NZ)
First ever: killer whale match between Scotland and Norway (Ross-shire Journal)
Know someone who would love Baleen?
🦈 Sharks
Potential birthing area: the first recorded sighting of a newborn tiger shark leads scientists to wonder if tiger sharks could go to Cocos Island to give birth (DIVE)
Big Bull: the offspring of one of the world’s biggest bull sharks has been found (Nat Geo)
Meet me in St. Louis: Two bull sharks swam up the Mississippi River to St. Louis (Fox7 Austin)
No more shark attacks: experts in Queensland are trying to shift to using the term encounters instead (Sydney Morning Herald)
Sharks, lies and videotape: researchers highlight Shark Week’s flaws in a new study (Allegheny College)
🐬🐙 Marine animals
Glass octopus: rare footage of an octopus with transparent skin (BBC… Mariana, this one’s for you!)
New nesting spots: The reduction in tourists due to Covid is changing where seabirds nest on the Farne Islands (Guardian)
Alarming death rate: more manatees in Florida have already died this year than any other year on record (CBS)
Record breaking heatwave: shellfish in Canada boiled to death in extreme heat (Insider)
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🎣 Fisheries
Getting to the bottom of the problem: trawling in marine protected areas compared to bulldozing a nature reserve (ITV)
Highly vulnerable: overfishing and the climate crisis threatens access to nutrients in fish (Guardian)
No idea: Labour has suggested the UK government has no idea of how many fish are being caught by EU boats in UK waters (BBC)
🚯 Threats
Point of no return: scientists warn we’re approaching a plastic pollution tipping point (Futurism)
Breaking the plastic wave: a new report says we need drastic measures to prevent more plastic entering the ocean (Pew Charitable Trusts)
Future = reusables: new report shows reusing 10% will prevent almost half of plastic waste entering the ocean (World Economic Forum)
Deep sea mining: how can this environmental disaster be prevented? (New Scientist)
Why we need a ban: more info on the deep sea mining debate (Independent)
Sewage seas: Southern Water was fined £90m for dumping billions of litres of raw sewage into the sea (Guardian)
The future does not lie in oil: Greenland to stop all oil exploration (EuroNews)
Plastic Fishing Tournament: Beer brand Corona has challenged local fishermen to catch… plastic waste! (Ad Age)
💰 Opportunities
Nectar Donate: new partnership will allow UK charities to tap into £250m worth of donations - sign up now to become a recipient! (Crowdfunder)
Ocean Awards 2022: nominations are now open until 24 Nov 2021… go go go! (Boat International)
Report your sightings: If you’ve seen jellyfish or turtles, let MCS UK know!
Sustainable seafood: MCS UK is looking for a Good Fish Guide rating support officer. Deadline 29 July 2021.
Maldives Resilient Reefs: BLUE is looking for a resort research and fisheries officer to work with local fishermen. Deadline: 10 August 2021
Love these opportunities? Are they missing the mark? Would you like to put forward your own opportunities for inclusion? Let me know what you’d like to see by leaving a comment!
🐚🐠 Ecosystems
World first: scientists have observed stony coral cells engulfing algae (Phys.org)
Stony coral tissue loss disease: could be spread by ships’ ballast water (IFL Science)
Oyster restoration project: new trial aims to restore native oysters and saltmarsh ecosystems together (BLUE)
Action needed now: coral reef scientists are concerned about climate change decimating vital ocean ecosystems (The Conversation)
Seafloor mapping: scientists aim to map the ocean floor by 2030 (The Conversation)
Seagrass planting: shows you can restore marine ecosystems (The Current)
❄️ Ice, ice, baby
Citizen Sc-ICE-ence: uploading sea ice photos to an AI app could help researchers prevent disasters (Maritime Executive)
Increasing ice cover: scientists are trying to figure out why Antarctica’s sea ice is increasing (The National News)
Thanks, as always, for reading. If you enjoyed this issue, consider saying thank you with a virtual coffee. ☕
Thanks again!
Melissa