Latest news with #oceanhealth
E&E News
5 days ago
- Business
- E&E News
Former acting NOAA administrator joins National Marine Sanctuary Foundation board
Former NOAA acting Administrator and retired Navy Rear Adm. Tim Gallaudet has joined the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation's board of trustees, the organization announced Thursday. Gallaudet, who served in multiple senior roles at NOAA and the Commerce Department under the first Trump administration, brings heft to the foundation's board as marine sanctuaries face an uncertain future under the second Trump presidency. 'We are honored to welcome Admiral Gallaudet to the board of trustees at a pivotal time for the future of America's national marine sanctuaries,' said Joel R. Johnson, the foundation's president and CEO, in a press release. 'His deep understanding of how to unite national security, economic growth, and ocean health makes him an invaluable guide as we accelerate public-private partnerships in marine sanctuaries and enterprise-level opportunities nationwide.' Advertisement President Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency has made drastic cuts to NOAA, including to the National Ocean Service that oversees the National Marine Sanctuary System. Trump has also issued executive orders aimed at curbing restrictions in marine protected areas to bolster the nation's fisheries and fossil energy sectors.
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Inside the lab trying to change people's minds about sharks
Pulling a seven-foot shark out of the water to flush its stomach is just another day at the office for marine scientists at Oregon State University, who have spent years trying to change public perception about the sea creatures. Under the leadership of Dr. Taylor Chapple, scientists at the Chapple Big Fish Lab spend their time studying more than 300 sharks of varying species in Washington state's Willapa Bay, just north of the Oregon border. By examining a shark's stomach contents, researchers like Jessica Schulte can better understand the animal's health and also the water quality in the bay. A healthy shark means a healthy ocean. "We actually collect the stomach contents of the shark by basically puking it," Schulte told CBS Saturday Mornings. The sharks are released shortly after being caught and studied, and their stomach contents are taken back to the lab. While the sharks in Willapa Bay make up just a portion of the shark population worldwide, these scientists are learning essential information about the broader health of the ocean. Trying to change people's minds about sharks has been difficult, given the fish's reputation. "It's been hard to get people excited enough to support it," Chapple says. "People are interested in sharks, they like to watch a show about sharks," he says, but "when it comes to people opening their wallet to support the research, it's difficult." Several people missing from Texas summer camp amid deadly flooding, officials say What a new DOJ memo could mean for naturalized U.S. citizens July 4 holiday week expected to set record for travelers
CBS News
05-07-2025
- Science
- CBS News
Inside the Oregon lab trying to change people's minds about sharks
Scientists are trying to change people's minds about sharks Pulling a seven-foot shark out of the water to flush its stomach is just another day at the office for marine scientists at Oregon State University, who have spent years trying to change public perception about the sea creatures. Under the leadership of Dr. Taylor Chapple, scientists at the Chapple Big Fish Lab spend their time studying more than 300 sharks of varying species in Washington state's Willapa Bay, just north of the Oregon border. By examining a shark's stomach contents, researchers like Jessica Schulte can better understand the animal's health and also the water quality in the bay. A healthy shark means a healthy ocean. "We actually collect the stomach contents of the shark by basically puking it," Schulte told CBS Saturday Mornings. The sharks are released shortly after being caught and studied, and their stomach contents are taken back to the lab. While the sharks in Willapa Bay make up just a portion of the shark population worldwide, these scientists are learning essential information about the broader health of the ocean. Trying to change people's minds about sharks has been difficult, given the fish's reputation. "It's been hard to get people excited enough to support it," Chapple says. "People are interested in sharks, they like to watch a show about sharks," he says, but "when it comes to people opening their wallet to support the research, it's difficult."
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Locals alarmed as 'swarms of alien jellyfish' wash up on popular beaches: 'They can find themselves stranded on the shore'
The beaches around a popular English seaside destination are being overrun with vast numbers of moon jellyfish. Though generally harmless to humans, the sight is a warning sign of a more serious problem. The Mirror reports that "swarms of alien jellyfish" are washing up on the beaches around Torquay in southwest England. Despite their otherworldly appearance, moon jellyfish are actually native to the coastal waters of the U.K. and are common throughout the world. They are almost entirely water and lack both a brain and a heart. Unlike their venomous cousins, moon jellyfish pose no threat to people. They are weak swimmers, and as Alexandra Bulgakova of the Marine Conservation Society explained to The Mirror: "Warm waters and abundant food can lead to jellyfish blooms, and if combined with onshore winds, they can find themselves stranded on the shore." Moon jellyfish are plentiful and occupy a low position in the food chain. They serve as an essential food source for many marine species, including sea birds, fish, sharks, and turtles. According to the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, moon jellyfish are an indicator species. When their numbers explode, it's a sign that the health of the ocean's ecosystem is declining, as there are fewer predators to keep their numbers under control. In the historically temperate U.K., soaring ocean temperatures and vast blooms of jellyfish are a sure sign that something's amiss. In general, warmer waters are conducive to extreme weather events, and British authorities issued heatwave and storm warnings in June 2025, per the BBC. Keeping moon jellyfish under control and, by extension, improving the overall health of the ocean begins with raising awareness of key environmental issues. Another practical and key step to ensuring less plastic ends up in the ocean is by reducing plastic waste. It's also essential to support local initiatives and back political candidates who prioritize the environment. Do you think your city does a good job of managing trash and waste? Yes Usually Only sometimes Not at all Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
CNN
27-06-2025
- Science
- CNN
Lost underwater forests are returning to Sydney's coastline
Crayweed, a large, golden-brown seaweed, found along Australia's southeastern coast, plays a crucial role in ocean health. Its underwater forests capture carbon, create shelter for marine species and serve as a nursery for creatures like abalone and rock lobsters. Once widespread along Sydney's coastline, it disappeared from a 70-kilometer stretch around the 1980s, at a time when sewage was being discharged into the sea, according to Operation Crayweed. The conservation initiative, primarily run by scientists from universities and research institutes, aims to restore 60 hectares of forest in shallow rocky reef habitats. 'We're not just bringing back one species, we're building an entire ecosystem,' says Dr. Adriana Vergés, a professor of marine ecology at the University of New South Wales Sydney, and co-founder of Operation Crayweed. Improvements in sewage disposal mean the water around Sydney has become clean enough to support crayweed, according to the group, but for it to make a return, it must first be planted and then successfully reproduce. At designated restoration sites, scientists and volunteers attach healthy male and female crayweed collected from wild populations onto biodegradable mats fixed to reefs. Crayweed reproduces when male plants release sperm into the water, which fertilizes eggs from the female plant. These fertilized eggs grow into young crayweed, known as 'craybies,' which anchor to the seafloor and grow into new forests. Once established, the mats are removed, and the forest continues to grow and spread on its own. Since Operation Crayweed began over a decade ago, it has targeted 16 sites along Sydney's reefs, seven of which now have established self-sustaining crayweed populations. The restored forests cover over two hectares, and microscopic animals are already returning, according to Vergés. Three new sites, Lurline Bay, Dee Why, and South Maroubra, were added in 2024. Dee Why alone jumped from just 10 crayweed plants to 466 juvenile crayweed in a single year and by early 2025, more than 1,500 craybies had established themselves at South Maroubra, according to Operation Crayweed. 'I get a real kick out of seeing it. And now it's expanded so much that you can see it even without getting in the water,' says Vergés. 'When the tide is low, you can see the crayweed swaying as the water pulls away from the coast.' The team plans to restore 10 more sites in the next two and a half years. Dr. Prue Francis, a senior lecturer in marine science at Deakin University, who isn't part of Operation Crayweed, says the project can have a wider impact in the area. 'People often focus on the dramatic bleaching of coral reefs, but with kelp forests, the decline is quieter, until it's too late. These underwater forests are supporting a whole ecosystem. When they're gone, like in parts of Sydney where crayweed has vanished, nothing grows back,' she told CNN. 'Restoration efforts like Operation Crayweed aren't just about bringing back seaweed, they're about saving an entire web of life that depends on it,' she added. As well as planting crayweed, the team is using advanced techniques to help it survive in a world where climate change is making oceans warmer, and environmental conditions more extreme. It has successfully mixed genetic populations sourced from north and south of Sydney, which enables the restored populations to reflect the natural genetic diversity and structure of healthy existing populations — 'an important innovation,' says Vergés — and is testing whether crayweed genetics or its microbes (tiny living organisms that live on its surface) play a greater role in helping it survive rising ocean temperatures. The team is also looking to build up a 'biobank' of crayweed populations as a contingency in case they are wiped out by a heatwave. 'In Western Australia, such a marine heatwave erased entire crayweed populations. To prevent similar losses, we are turning to cryopreservation,' says Vergés. 'We collect the sperm and eggs from different populations and freeze them at ultra-low temperatures.' While other kelp species have been cryopreserved in research labs around the world, no one had successfully applied the method to crayweed, says Catalina López-Bermúdez, who is working on freezing efforts as part of her PhD at the University of Sydney. 'We don't have any genotypes or biobanks for these species,' she explained. 'So, if we lose a population, it's gone forever.' Beyond the technical challenge, the work has a deeper meaning for López-Bermúdez: 'Sometimes, as a young scientist, it's hard not to feel hopeless. But this feels like something real, something that can make a difference,' she says. 'It gives you hope.' The efforts of Operation Crayweed are part of wider global efforts to recover lost kelp habitat. The Kelp Forest Challenge aims to restore four million hectares of kelp globally by 2040. For Vergés, the success of the project is both scientific and personal. 'I swim in the ocean on weekends, and everywhere I go now, I see crayweed again,' 'she says. 'It was gone, and it never would've come back by itself.
