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Science
A new fish species has been discovered in the Gulf of Mexico!
For the first time, scientists have captured footage of the deep-sea painted swellshark, thanks to a low-cost camera system.
A new computer model has been created that better simulates marine food webs, integrating complex predator-prey relationships to improve our understanding of ecosystem dynamics and environmental responses.
Fisheries
Overfishing by countries such as the UK and Norway is driving North-East Atlantic mackerel stocks toward collapse, triggering a sustainability downgrade and urgent calls for international action.
Sweden’s EU Affairs Minister has warned that EU member states may block a defence deal with the UK unless key issues, such as European fishing fleets’ access to British waters, are addressed. However, the UK has rejected this condition, insisting that the matters should be negotiated separately.
UK Overseas Territories
Mauritius has expressed gratitude to Donald Trump for endorsing the agreement to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands from the UK to Mauritius, while UK taxpayers have shared concerns over additional financial demands of this deal.
Ministers from Gibraltar and the UK held a virtual meeting this week to advance talks on a new EU-UK treaty, focusing on securing a beneficial deal for Gibraltar.
The Falkland Islands have voiced their astonishment at being unexpectedly added to Trump’s tariff list.
Saint Helena is seeking consultants to help shape a digital strategy aimed at enhancing its self-sufficient economy and boosting services for its 4,400 residents.
Watch this video to discover life in the world’s most remote paradise – Tristan da Cunha!
Marine Protection
U.S. authorities are planning to roll out tests at ports to identify seafood fraud and illegal fish trafficking.
Dugong populations in Thailand’s Andaman Sea could decline by 70% over the next four years, driven by the loss of seagrass due to unsustainable coastal practices and climate change.
Rapidly declining water levels in the Caspian Sea, driven by climate change, are threatening the endangered Caspian seal, disrupting coastal communities, and affecting local industries.
Conservation
AI is transforming mangrove monitoring and boosting conservation efforts, while a Scottish project uses AI-powered facial recognition to track individual flapper skates, offering new hope for the recovery of this critically endangered species.
The Mary River turtle in Queensland, famous for ‘breathing’ through its bum, is endangered, but locals are working hard to save it by moving nests and tackling mysterious predators.
Research reveals that pharmaceutical pollution is altering Atlantic salmon behaviour, while new discoveries of two tapeworm species in wild oval squid from Okinawa suggest these squids serve as hosts for the parasites.
Gray whales are experiencing increased mortality rates, with at least 70 deaths reported in Mexico’s Baja California since January, and additional strandings in California, raising concerns among scientists about potential causes.
As the UK faces potential environmental setbacks from the proposed Planning and Infrastructure Bill and a U.S. foreign aid freeze threatens global reforestation, a concerned scientist warns that continued development in Darwin could destroy the vital habitat of the endangered far eastern curlew, putting its migration at risk.
Climate Crisis
A recent study has revealed that just 122 major fossil fuel and cement companies are responsible for nearly a third of present-day sea-level rise, contributing 45% of global temperature rise since 1854, with even greater impacts projected. As Indonesia’s peatlands face rising flood risks and Australia deals with an extinction crisis, it raises the critical question: How much more can our ecosystems endure, and how will these companies be held accountable for their role in shaping the planet’s future? “Will global climate action be a casualty of Trump’s tariffs?” Perhaps we should look to the Amazon village of Capoto-Jarina, where indigenous leaders are protecting their land through solar panels and forest conservation as a model for adaptation.
Amid these challenges, there is hope: for the first time since the 1940s, clean energy sources met over 40% of global electricity demand in 2024, marking a key milestone in the shift toward sustainable power. Experts have stressed that, to prepare for a hotter world, conservation efforts must focus on enhancing ecosystem resilience by safeguarding large, connected landscapes and supporting species migration.
Plastics
A recent analysis reveals that less than 10% of global plastic production came from recycled materials in 2022, highlighting the ongoing challenges in the plastics industry and the urgent need to boost recycling efforts.
“Alarming” levels of microplastic pollution has been found in major European rivers, with an average of three microplastics per cubic meter, highlighting widespread contamination across the continent.
Aquaculture
A study indicates that by 2100, sea level rise could impact over 43% of Queensland’s aquaculture sites, potentially affecting 98% of prawn farms and leading to significant economic losses.
Misc
This week’s wildlife photos.
“We passed the 1.5C climate threshold. We must now explore extreme options.”
“Humans are more disconnected from nature than ever, partly because technology means we have fewer reasons to spend time in nature—this is what ecologists call the “extinction of experience.” Fewer than half of UK adults feel highly connected with nature; most children can’t identify stinging nettles, bumblebees or robins.” To create a nature-literate society, experts highlight three steps: noticing, naming, and nurturing.
“It’s up to each of us to help save life on Earth.”
