Increasing factory and auto emissions disrupt natural cycle in East China Sea
China’s rapid ascent to global economic superpower is taking a toll on some of its ancient ways, patterned around the vast fisheries of the East China Sea. But now those waters are increasingly threatened by human-caused, harmful algal blooms that choke off vital fish populations.
Warmer West Coast ocean conditions linked to increased risk of toxic shellfish
Hazardous levels of domoic acid, a natural toxin that accumulates in shellfish, have been linked to warmer ocean conditions in waters off Oregon and Washington for the first time by a NOAA-supported research team, led by Oregon State University scientists.
U.S. agency says no to requests for ocean surveys with airguns
Federal officials have turned down six applications to use airguns to look for undersea sites that might yield oil and natural gas up and down the East Coast, on the ground that the risks to marine life outweigh the potential benefits of seismic surveying along the Outer Continental Shelf.
Christmas Revelers Leave 15 Tons of Trash on Australian Beach
Coogee beach – a popular destination in the Sydney suburb for backpackers on Christmas Day – was left strewn with a reported 15 tonnes of garbage by an estimated 10,000 resellers…
Age-Old Problem: River in Jordan Polluted by Copper 7,000 Years Ago
The first river polluted by humanity may have been discovered in the Wadi Faynan region of southern Jordan, contaminated by copper about 7,000 years ago, a new study finds.
All Human-Made Objects on Earth Amount to 30 Trillion Tons
Scientists recently discovered that all objects on Earth created by people adds up to an astoundingly large figure. All of these objects are collectively known as Earth’s “technosphere.” Distributed evenly over the planet’s surface, the technosphere would translate into about 110 pounds (50 kilograms) for every 11 square feet (1 square meter).
Princess Cruises Hit With Largest-Ever Criminal Penalty For ‘Deliberate Pollution’
The California-based cruise operator, Princess Cruise Lines, will pay a $40 million fine for “deliberate pollution of the seas and intentional acts to cover it up,” according to the Department of Justice, which calls it “the largest-ever criminal penalty involving deliberate vessel pollution.”
UN maritime agency to limit carbon emissions from international shipping
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki called on International Maritime Organization (IMO) members, in partnership with the maritime industry, to promote further progress on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from ships to contribute to the objective of the Paris Agreement on climate change, which enters into force on 4 November 2016…
Beach asphalt removal project underway; Gulf Islands National Seashore
The goal of the $10.85 million project, which began earlier in October, is to clean decades of debris from blacktopped roads and parking lots eroded by tropical storms and hurricanes. This work to remove small asphalt chunks from miles of gleaming white beachfront is expected to take years.