Protection and aid boost for Great Barrier Reef marine turtles

WWF

A new partnership between James Cook University and WWF Australia will help improve protection for marine turtles that depend on the Great Barrier Reef. The joint project aims to supplement and support existing efforts by Reef HQ, through care for sick and injured turtles, by conducting research into turtle disease and health, and by promoting the establishment of protected areas where turtles can be safe from fishing nets and coastal development.

posted by seamas on October 22, 2011 at 7:21 am · filed under

Climate change mixed news for marine species

Feature by Soraya Salleh

We’ve all heard about global warming and climate change†, but what does it mean for our marine life? A rise in temperature, as little as 1 degree, could result in critical changes in marine ecosystems, threaten the lives of countless marine animals and push vulnerable species into extinction.

Read & Comment »

posted by ecomedia on October 1, 2011 at 5:02 pm · filed under

Cod stocks collapse in the EU

The Guardian

European Union commissioner for fisheries Maria Damanaki has warned that if the EU do not make moves to reform their fisheries policies and reduce overfishing, only 8% of the 136 fish stocks in EU waters will be at sustainable levels by 2022. Following the collapse of cod stocks in the Irish Sea and off the west coast of Scotland, the European Commission recommended this week that all cod fishing in the area cease.

posted by ruby on October 1, 2011 at 3:24 am · filed under

Fukushima-Daiichi radiation levels still high

New Scientist

Six months after the Japan’s March 11 earthquake and tsunami, radiation levels remain high at the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear plant. It was expected that the radioactive iodine, caesium and plutonium from Fukushima would disperse into the Pacific Ocean, however current levels indicate that contaminated water could still be leaking into the sea from the nuclear plant, or that the contamination is being trapped in the area by ocean currents.

posted by ruby on October 1, 2011 at 3:16 am · filed under

Agricultural expansion threatens Great Barrier Reef

WWF

A newly launched policy in Queensland promising more than a billion dollars in dams and other infrastructure to increase agricultural production could be a fatal blow for much of the Great Barrier Reef, according to conservation group WWF. “Massive agricultural expansion will mean a new wave of pollution being dumped on the Great Barrier Reef over the coming years, at a time when the Reef’s resilience to climate change and extreme weather events are at an all time low,” said the group’s Freshwater Policy Manager Sean Hoobin.

posted by seamas on September 18, 2011 at 7:11 am · filed under

Government supports active indigenous stake in turtle and dugong conservation

WWF

WWF Australia has applauded Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke’s decision to provide $5 million over 2-years to support indigenous communities to conserve turtles and dugongs and better manage the Queensland coast for wildlife. The funding will help indigenous rangers and other stakeholder work with scientists and conservation groups to understand and respond to threats to these important endangered species.

posted by seamas on September 12, 2011 at 7:21 am · filed under

Visual surveys of Greenland glacier melt shock researchers

The Age

Dramatically increased melting of the Greenland glacier in the space of two years has been shown in photographs taken by researchers from Aberystwyth University in Wales. It’s unclear if the remarkable photos indicate a longer term trend or variations in summer temperatures year-on-year, but they have reportedly left researchers “gob-smacked”.

posted by seamas on September 9, 2011 at 7:45 am · filed under