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Science
For the first time, the colossal squid has been filmed in its natural habitat.
“Humanity depends on the ocean”, but what ocean science do we need to prioritise?
New discoveries have revealed that bleached coral recovers more quickly on artificial structures than on natural reefs, and that coral reefs release a variety of chemicals that marine microbes use to break down matter and recycle nutrients.
Fisheries
Seychelles has become the first country to fully comply with the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) standard, making key fisheries information publicly available online.
It has been noted that the current EU fisheries policy appears to benefit large-scale industrial operations more than small-scale fishers. However, Oceana has emphasised that “rather than losing precious time on a reform, better implementation of the current CFP by EU countries would support jobs, food security, and climate resilience.”
A 2025 groundfish survey has shown mixed trends in Iceland’s fish stocks, meanwhile, Australia’s southern bluefin tuna fishery has received its first-ever MSC certification, following years of overfishing.
Irish fishermen have won a Supreme Court appeal blocking Northern Irish vessels from accessing mussel fishing zones.
UK Overseas Territories
The world’s largest iceberg has lost approximately 4% of its area, potentially signalling the beginning of its disintegration as it drifts toward warmer waters near South Georgia.
A supporter of the Marine Conservation Society has shared her inspiring journey from studying Environmental Sciences at Oxford to leading marine turtle nesting surveys on East Caicos.
There is a webinar on how Caribbean Island communities are contributing to shaping turtle conservation policy on 29th April 2025.
“Mauritius must act like a small boat in turbulent waters.”
Marine Protection
Iceland has cancelled its 2025 fin whale hunt due to the low prices of whale products, driven by global trade wars, making the hunt “commercially unviable” this summer.
NOAA has removed Dungeness crab and California spot prawn fisheries from its 2025 study on the impact of West Coast commercial fishing on migrating whales.
Conservation
Unique reproductive adaptations in seals are offering valuable insights for advancing human reproductive health, while new research reveals that plankton-feeding fish display a surprising variety of body shapes, challenging previous assumptions of uniformity.
A recent surge in toxic algae blooms along Southern California’s coast is causing widespread poisoning among California sea lions and pelicans.
Climate change is driving significant declines in seabird populations, with Scotland‘s numbers nearly halved since 1986, while migratory and specialised bird species across Europe face increasing threats. Similarly, seagrass, which has supported human life for over 180,000 years, is crucial for marine ecosystems but is declining, particularly in Florida’s Indian River Lagoon, leading to malnutrition and higher mortality rates in bottlenose dolphins. Despite these challenges, seagrass ecosystems show surprising resilience, unlike the common dolphin, which is experiencing more disease-related deaths due to rising sea temperatures and pollution.
Climate Crisis
It has been revealed that global warming has tripled the duration of marine heatwaves since 1940, posing major risks to marine ecosystems and coastal communities, while also projecting a 1,000% rise in heatwave exposure in Central Asia’s croplands by 2100 and growing salinity in estuaries worldwide. Even the Gulf of Aqaba’s “supercorals“, once thought to be resilient to heat, bleached during the 2024 heatwave, marking a first for the region. As the Great Barrier Reef faces its sixth mass coral bleaching event, Australia’s upcoming government may hold the key to its survival, while Colombia’s peatlands emerge as a critical tool in the fight against climate change. Some experts suggest that the ‘nature crisis is more urgent than climate.’
Greenpeace USA has criticised Impossible Metals’ application for a deep-sea mining lease off the coast of American Samoa, calling it a “reckless and desperate attempt to prop up a speculative and struggling industry by exploiting one of Earth’s most fragile and least understood ecosystems.” Additionally, a new study has been released, emphasising the numerous risks associated with deep-sea mining.
Misc
“We are exposing all wildlife to plastic, to toxins, to pollution, to global warming — we are doing a giant experiment right now.”
“This could be the tipping point, where suddenly the fundamental question of whether we’re alone in the universe is one we’re capable of answering.”
