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Science
The Southern Ocean absorbs more carbon dioxide than previously thought, and a new oxygen discovery defies knowledge of the deep ocean.
A ‘new’ El Niño has been discovered south of the equator.
For seals, big hearts mean big dives!
Fisheries
There are updated fisheries measures in the North-East Atlantic and the European’s Parliament Committee on Fisheries elects its new chair and vice-chairs. A new handbook sheds light on the fishing gears used by EU fleet. The European Commission has dropped possible legal action against five member states for failing to police ban on discarding fish, failing to crackdown on overfishing. There are fears that Starmer will give EU fishing boats access to UK seas.
More seabirds are threatened by trawl fisheries than predicted.
Cornwall IFCA announces a consultation on crustacean fishing vessel limits, and the MMO has opened a consultation for an annual seasonal closure of the crawfish fishery in ICES area 7.
British Overseas Territories
Nine dead after Spanish fishing boat sinks off Falkland Islands!
Conservation collides with local rights in a fight over the Chagos Islands. Evicted local people say the surrounding marine protected area is a colonial imposition.
Will India’s support of Mauritius on Chagos affect ties with the West? Kier Starmer is warned that the Falklands and Gibraltar could be next if the UK abandons Diego Garcia.
The former MP for Crawley has blamed the local council for Chagos Islanders arriving in the UK being forced to live in makeshift accommodation at a community centre.
Conservation
Not something you read often: Scientists find traces of cocaine in sharks caught off the coast of Brazil.
A female whale shark with a satellite transmitter has shown consistent migrations for a record-breaking four years, and the first images of a shark being struck by a boat have been recorded.
In choice of mangroves or livelihood, Vietnam shrimp farmers choose the latter.
Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) are investigating the deaths of around 850 wild Atlantic salmon.
Some research shows the ocean is becoming too loud for oysters.
Drone footage is being used to map invasive species.
The Clean Catch programme is seeking an English fishery to get involved in a new bycatch monitoring and mitigation trial, which will test ways to address bycatch of one or more species groups from among marine mammals, seabirds, sharks, skates, and rays.
Climate Crisis
Climate change is dramatically increasing the frequency of extreme high temperatures in the UK, floods in Germany and wildfires in Greece. Researchers are enhancing a tool to better predict where and when wildfires will occur.
There has been accelerated warming in the North Pacific since 2013.
Where does Kamala Harris stand on climate? Starmer is taking on Labour councils that block pylons in a race to deliver clean energy. However, the US and the UK are among the countries with low dependence on fossil fuels, yet they are surging in new oil and gas exploration. They have been criticised for ‘hypocrisy’ on their climate pledges. Canada is proposing to lead on climate, whilst it doubles down on oil??? Is there a window of opportunity for climate change and biodiversity? Forging a joined-up approach at COP29 and COP16 is vital for urgent action for climate and nature.
Misc
Estuaries and coastlines capture the most plastic before moving out to sea…can we utilise this to reduce plastic pollution?
The company behind an ambitious seaweed farm in the North Sea says it will be the world’s first offshore facility of its kind on a commercial scale.
‘I’m obsessed with ocean sounds. I can’t see but I can hear the whole reef, like an orchestra’.
The arrest of Paul Watson has been condemned as “politically motivated” and supporters are calling for his release.
