Every week Ocean Wise combs international headlines to bring you the most important ocean news. This week: A new discovery on the evolution of the hagfish, sustainable fishing measures in Indonesia, and much more — read on! • An Ecosystem Changed: Research Biologist Laura Borden on zombie sea stars, decimated kelp beds, and why you should care. … Continued
Category: Ocean Wise
Weekly Water Report
Ecosystems and Biodiversity Scientists were recently surprised to discover a small population of Sehuencas water frogs, believed to be extinct in the wild since 2008, in the forests of Bolivia. Their populations had declined due to an epidemic of chytridiomycosis, a fungus that has affected various frog populations across the world. Scientists hope that this … Continued
Ocean Wise welcomes Lasse Gustavsson as new President and CEO
Today, Ocean Wise is pleased to announce the appointment of Lasse Gustavsson as incoming president and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Gustavsson joins the Ocean Wise team in February 2019 to build on its vision of healthy and flourishing oceans. “Following a worldwide search for a transformative leader, the Board of Directors at Ocean Wise are … Continued
A Floating Laboratory
Inside a 20-foot shipping container, Ocean Wise and One Ocean Expeditions are collaborating on an innovative new lab that will help ocean scientists conduct work in isolated coastal areas. The One Ocean custom-tailored lab will soon be installed on all three One Ocean Expeditions (OOE) cruise ships, which travel to the most remote and pristine … Continued
Weekly Ocean News
Ecosystems and Biodiversity Coral reefs are under threat from climate change, but new research suggests that other reef-building animals might be more adaptable. Sponges are an ancient group of animals who often build structures on coral reefs (among other places), and as oceans change they may become more dominant. Via Phys.org Scientists have identified 17 … Continued
Weekly Ocean News
Ecosystems and Biodiversity How long would it take for the Earth to regenerate the biodiversity that’s been lost since the rise of modern humans? A research team from Denmark recently published a paper to answer this question, estimating that it would take 5 to 7 million years. Though conservation biologists note that this is not … Continued
Shedding Light on the Local Kelp Environment
When I think about kelp forests the first thing that comes to mind is tall, canopy kelps that form an underwater forest full of fish and invertebrate life. As a research diver, diving in a kelp forest is a truly amazing underwater experience. However, kelp forests in Howe Sound where I conduct my research look … Continued
Weekly Ocean News
Ecosystems and Biodiversity Fish ear bones are being used as a forensic tool to reveal where illegally introduced fish originated from. State biologists in Montana found two illegally introduced walleyes in Swan Lake, an area that is not native to these carnivorous fish. Lab analysis using the ear bones (otoliths) determined that the fish likely … Continued
Aquaculture 101: Part 2
More than half of seafood consumed globally is farmed. In order to shed some light on the opaque sources of our seafood, I wrote an overview of popular farmed species (see Part 1). Next, let’s address a farmed and controversial species here on Canada’s west coast: salmon. How are BC’s wild salmon populations doing? You … Continued
“Mom, Can You Hear Me?”
With more than 100 drone flights, four weeks of nearly continuous beluga whale recordings, and belugas in Sainte-Marguerite Bay nearly every day, the second season on the research tower in Quebec’s Saguenay-St Lawrence Marine Park was productive beyond our wildest dreams. It is hard to believe that another season has come and gone! This year, … Continued
