Environmental News September 2018

Quote for the week

"When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world."
— John Muir

We’ve Been Drilling Into the Ocean Floor for 50 Years. Here’s What We’ve Learned So Far
September 28, 2018
By Suzanne O’Connell
There is so much we still do not know about the ocean and all its mysterious creatures. Since the beginning of scientific ocean drilling in 1968, the theory of plate tectonics was proven and the field of paleoceanography was created. Today scientists from 23 nations are proposing and conducting research through the International Ocean Discovery Program, which uses scientific ocean drilling to recover data from seafloor sediments and rocks and to monitor environments under the ocean floor. Scientific ocean drilling plays a huge part in making impactful discoveries, and its value will only continue to increase in changing ocean conditions.
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Most Endangered Marine Mammal Targeted By ‘Organised Crime’ Entering China’s Black Market
July 31, 2018
By Kimberly Richards
Greed and ‘Organized Crime’ has become the downfall of the world’s most endangered marine mammal, the vaquita porpoise. Vaquitas’ most common death is from gill nets used to catch the totoaba fish that are of value in the illegal wildlife trade. Although these types of nets are banned in Mexico permanently, that doesn’t stop poor fisherman from using them to catch the money-making fish. So how do you fight an illegal fishery that offers wealth in a climate of poverty? The issue is complicated and therefore requires a lot of attention, but it is worth it save an innocent animal that has been negatively impacted by human decisions.
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What Scarlet the Endangered Orca Who Starved Has Taught Us About Our Impact on the Oceans
September 20, 2018
By Samantha Lipman
On September 13, the public heard the heartbreaking news that the previously ill orca called “Scarlet,” or J50 is presumed dead. Although Scarlet is gone, she remains a symbol of the critically endangered southern resident orca population of which she was a part of. Scarlet is just one of several other orcas who have suffered because of human carelessness and neglect, and the time has come for us to become responsible for our actions and clean up our act— as well as the ocean.
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Researchers Say Food is More Available for Northern Residents
September 20, 2018
By Anna Dimoff
As concern grows over the decline of the southern resident killer whale population following the presumed death of the young female J50, its northern counterparts seem to be doing pretty well. Lance Barrett-Lenard, head of the cetacean research program at the Vancouver Aquarium, says this might be because northern whales have less competition and more options of prey to choose from. However, with stocks of chinook salmon declining across the province, northern residents could very well be in danger soon.
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Tidal Wave of Chinese Marine Parks Fuels Murky Cetacean Trade
September 20, 2018
By Farah Master
Whale shows like the one at Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, located on China's southern coast, are becoming increasingly popular, as demand rises to witness the threatened species put on a show. As widespread opposition has caused these controversial theme parks to sizzle out in the United States and Europe, China has managed to stay out of the conversation and continue on with their marine parks and aquariums. As of today, there are more than 36 large-scale projects set to launch in the coming two years, as demand continues to grow in the heart of China. Nothing is protecting these animals from being captured illegally and used for entertainment, and activists are now worried that the success of these larger marine parks will prompt smaller facilities to look into using marine mammals for show.
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Mosquitoes Are Eating Plastic. Why That’s a Big Problem.
September 20, 2018
By Ashley May
New research says that young mosquitoes who eat tiny pieces of plastic may be contaminating other insects and mammals. Researchers found that when a mosquito larva eats microplastic, that plastic can remain in the insect's body into adulthood. This means that the microplastic could then be transferred to whichever predator decides to prey on the mosquito, like a bird. This was tested in a laboratory, but if the findings are credible, that would imply that microplastics can easily make their way to the top of the food chain and even into our stomachs.
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Another Blow! SeaWorld to Pay $5 Million in Lawsuit Stating They Misled Investors About the Impact of “Blackfish”
September 19, 2018
By Aleksandra Pajda
SeaWorld and its former CEO James Atchison will pay over $5 million to settle claims that the company misled investors over the impact of the 2013 documentary “Blackfish.” After the premiere of the film, which brought to light the cruel reality of orcas in captivity, SeaWorld downplayed the true effect the documentary had on the company’s business, which consequently led to significant financial losses. Once the company finally acknowledged their exploitation of marine mammals, their shareholder value dropped greatly as well. Needless to say, ever since the dangers and cruelty of keeping marine animals in captivity was made public, SeaWorld has been losing support and popularity, from visitors and investors alike.
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With Ocean Noise Increasing, Scientists Explore Relief for Marine Life
September 19, 2018
By Polita Glynn
Each year, the level of sound caused by humans increases in the world’s oceans. This noise can be from a host of sources— shipping, military exercises, and oil and gas industry activity. All this has an impact on all types of marine life, including fish, sea turtles, invertebrates, and mammals who are already dealing with so many human-induced threats. Many marine organisms have a highly evolved sense of hearing and use it to communicate, avoid predators, and locate prey. Anthropogenic noise can interfere with these and other critical activities, including mating rituals and reproduction. Rob Williams, a 2015 Pew marine fellow who is a marine conservation scientist, studies these impacts in Bali, Indonesia by studying marine life during a “silent holiday” with a typical day noisy day.
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Oregon Now Has A Hypoxia Season, Just Like a Wildfire Season
eptember 18, 2018
By Kristian Foden-Vencil
Increasing ocean temperatures are causing Oregon’s waters to lose oxygen in a phenomenon called hypoxia. This is the start of a low oxygen season that will likely cause the death of many marine animals, much as the state’s fire season causes death and destruction in its forests. Some of the first signs came in 2002 when dead crabs were hauled up in crab pots, and now things have only worsened. Warmer oceans can trigger excessive phytoplankton blooms, and when those organisms die they sink to the ocean bottom and suck the oxygen out of the water. Because of the massive deaths of sea creatures, the fishing community has begun to take an interest in solving the issue of hypoxia.
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Australia Has No Climate Change Policy— Again
September 17, 2018
By Adam Morton
Australia’s new prime minister has abandoned the country’s policy for cutting greenhouse-gas emissions. Scientists say the country will now struggle to meet its commitments to the Paris Agreement. Australia now becomes the second advanced economy after the United States to drop emissions-reduction policies since the 2015 Paris climate conference. Australia’s effective abandonment of Paris can be traced back to late August, when former leader Malcolm Turnbull was replaced with Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Morrison continues to claim Australia will continue to cut emissions, but there is a lot of public doubt. There is hope, however, in the fact that there will be a national election by May 2018, which could mean a significantly higher cut in fossil fuel emissions.
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Amazing! Pod of Beluga Whales Have Adopted A Lost Narwhal As Their Own
September 17, 2018
By Nadine Rich
Researchers were shocked to see a single narwhal swimming with a pod of belugas as if it belonged. The narwhal was more than 620 miles away from its usual waters of the Arctic was even blowing bubbles, a typical behavior of beluga whales. Not only that, but researchers concluded that this narwhal was indeed the same one they had observed the previous two years. As climate continues to change, ice will continue to melt and it may become more common for species to be in each other’s company
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Angry At Plight of Southern-Resident Orcas, Speakers Rebuke NOAA in Public Meetings
September 16, 2018
By Lynda V. Mapes
Scores of local residents condemned the federal agency in charge of protecting local killer whales in two packed public meetings over the weekend in Seattle. Attendees criticized NOAA for coordinating the now-canceled rescue effort of the orca J50 with SeaWorld. These public hearings were initially planned to discuss an emergency rescue plan for J50, a southern resident killer whale that was critically ill before being presumed dead on Thursday. Speakers demanded that NOAA take drastic steps to save the orcas, such as shutting down fishing for Chinook, creating a whale sanctuary in known foraging areas, and breaching the Lower Snake River Dams to boost fish returns for the whales.
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Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia Council Makes First Recommendations to State Legislature
September 15, 2018
Over the last two decades, the Oregon coast has experienced several hypoxia events that have led to the die-off of crabs and other marine life. In 2017, the northern state created the Coordinating Council on Ocean Acidification and Hypoxia (OAH Council) to address these issues. Since the beginning of the year, the council has met every month to develop a report and focus on 5 key areas, including strengthening the science, reducing carbon dioxide and water pollutants, promoting adaption and resilience, and finally raising awareness about the issue.
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FJapan Wants to Bring Back Commercial Whaling— Let’s Stop This Now!
September 10, 2018
By Aleksandra Pajda
On the first day of the 67th meeting of the International Whaling Commission, Humane Society International (HSI) addressed Japan’s proposal to repeal the temporary prohibition on commercial whaling. This would result in the killing of many majestic and crucial to the environment animals. HSI also urged welfare improvements for whales who are killed in aboriginal subsistence hunts. Although whales are protected international by law, they still face a number of threats— all stemming from human activity. Japan’s proposal would make the threats drastically more numerous and result in more animals’ needless suffering.
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Oceanographer Sylvia Earle Says the World Must Cut Back on Seafood for the Sake of the Planet
September 10, 2018
By Natasha Brooks
Female pioneer in oceanography, famed Sylvia Earle uses her vast experience of oceans to educate people on sustainable living and ocean conservation. She recently spoke at the Good Food Institute at Berkeley, California, and shared an important message that should be heard around the world. She states that the fish stocks will very likely be depleted by the end of the century. Although it does not cost us money to extract fish from the ocean, there is a cost to taking them out at such an unsustainable rate. This is why she strongly argues against the consumption of seafood, and instead advocates for plant-based and lab-cultured seafood alternatives.
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Yikes! Study Finds Dolphins Have Potentially Harmful Plastic Additive In Their Bodies
September 10, 2018
By Aleksandra Pajda
A new study conducted by researchers from the College of Charleston and Chicago Zoological Society have found chemical additives called phthalates in the bodies of bottlenose dolphins. Considering plastics leach chemical components and 8.8 million tons of plastic are dumped into the ocean each year, it is not surprising that phthalates have started polluting the environment. Earlier studies of phthalates have found that there is a connection between them and cancer as well as reproductive issues in humans, but little is known as to how it can affect dolphins.
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California Moves to Ban Fishing Nets Blamed for Killing Numerous Species
August 31, 2018
By Lorraine Chow
The California State Assembly unanimously approved a bill on Thursday that phases out the use drift gillnets in the state by January 2023. The controversial nets, which can stretch a mile long and suspend 100 feet underwater, is used by fishers to target sharks and swordfish, but the nets inadvertently entangle and kill scores of other marine animals, some of which are endangered species. Should the bill become law, it would create a buy-back program that offers up to $110,000 to fishers to give up their nets. However, some fisherman say the buyout amount isn’t enough and that the bill is unjustly villainizing them when they are just trying to make a living.
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