Fisheries & Marine Life

 

Whales Face More Fatal Ship Collisions As Waters Warm. According to Associated Press, “Climate change is imperiling the world’s largest animals by increasing the likelihood of fatal collisions between whales and big ships that ply the same waters. Warming ocean temperatures are causing some species of whales in pursuit of food to stray more frequently into shipping lanes, scientists say. The phenomenon already has increased ship strikes involving rare North Atlantic right whales on the East Coast and giant blue whales on the West Coast, researchers say. The number of strikes off California increased threefold in 2018 — to at least 10 — compared to previous years. When whales are killed in a ship collision, they often sink and don’t always wash ashore. So scientists and conservationists say fatal ship strikes are dramatically under-reported. Vessels strikes are among the most frequent causes of accidental death in large whales, along with entanglement in fishing gear. Conservationists, scientists and animals lovers have pushed for the International Maritime Organization to step up to protect the whales, but it won’t happen without cooperation from the worldwide shipping industry. For the right whales, which number only about 400 and have lost more than 10% of their population in just a few years, the death toll is driving them closer to extinction, said Nick Record, senior research scientist at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences in East Boothbay, Maine. At least three right whales died from ship strikes in 2019 — a small number, but still dangerously high for so small a population.” [Associated Press, 3/27/20 (=)]

 

Ocean Health & Management

 

Why A Landmark Treaty To Stop Ocean Biopiracy Could Stymie Research. According to Nature, “In the next few months, barring delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, nations are expected to strike a historic deal to protect marine life in the high seas — the ocean beyond national governance. This region accounts for 90% of Earth’s available living space, and is thought to be home to millions of undiscovered species. For the deal to go ahead, nations must agree to a system for creating large marine sanctuaries on the high seas and must lay out rules for how industry operates in these waters. But by far the most contentious issue they will tackle is how to regulate the use of the genetic resources of the high seas — both the marine creatures themselves and their gene sequences. The goal is to prevent ‘biopiracy’ — attempts by wealthy nations or companies to commercialize biological resources without sharing the benefits with their rightful owners. In the case of the high seas, those owners are all nations. Researchers are overjoyed by the prospects of a high-seas treaty, but they are worried that efforts to prevent biopiracy will curtail their ability to do basic research in the open ocean. It’s not an idle concern. Although almost all details of the treaty have yet to be agreed, the draft text includes several ideas that would change how high-seas research happens. Most notable are proposals that scientists would need to notify the United Nations before conducting research cruises in the high seas, or that they would need to obtain permits for such work, which would require them to share data or other benefits from their research.” [Nature, 3/27/20 (+)]

 

Texas Could To Do More To Create Living Shorelines. According To Public News Service, “As Another Hurricane season approaches, many coastal communities could benefit from more natural infrastructure, or living shorelines. A new report says red tape can be an issue and states such as Texas could be doing more to change that. The National Wildlife Federation research highlights strategies that states are using to ease the often lengthy and expensive permitting processes, and put living shorelines on equal footing with permits for concrete seawalls or bulkheads. Amanda Fuller, deputy director of Gulf of Mexico Restoration for the National Wildlife Federation, says climate driven stressors and rising sea levels threaten more people and wildlife each year. ‘It seems like the last several hurricane seasons have been particularly impactful to the Gulf Coast and parts of the Atlantic Coast, so people are hungry for ways to implement shoreline stabilization and protection projects,’ she states. Living shorelines use plants, sand, rocks and other natural materials for bank stabilization, to fight erosion and preserve habitat. The National Wildlife Federation project evaluated the permitting process in 18 states and based its recommendations on both regulatory and non-regulatory approaches to creating living shorelines. Fuller says the suggestions include educating communities and landowners, and making sure engineers and marine contractors understand what a living shoreline is -- and that it’s just as viable, and often preferable, to hard infrastructure in some areas.” [Public News Service, 3/30/20 (=)]

 

 

Please do not respond to this email.

If you have questions or comments please contact mitch@beehivedc.com