Weekly Marine Policy Round Up – #20

Top Stories

Pacific nations began forming a regional shark sanctuary.   Some question whether the commercial impacts have been thought through. Meanwhile, Oceana called for a ban on shark-derived products from countries with insufficient protections.

The U.S. outlined why it may impose sanctions on Iceland for its whaling.

A small minority in Japan’s Fishing Agency consider ending whaling.

The CoML publishes a paper on the human impacts on the deep-sea, explaining that protections lag far behind exploitation.

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Other Stories

A war of acronyms: The GOP tries to gut the EPA.

Department of the Interior approves Shell’s arctic drilling plans.

Forecasters predict 70 percent likelihood of a major hurricane striking the U.S. this summer.

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Worth Reading / Watching

The use and abuse of shark statistics.

Sophistry to fight the ‘bluies’ who foolishly want to ban FADs.  (Yes, it is worth signing up for a few subscription to Atuna)

Excellent video exploring the Great Cod Collapse (4 mins).

Catch shares in England were a “quiet steal”

Should seafood eco-labels include carbon footprints?

A good quick overview of the Montreal Protocol and its status as one of the few successful international treaties on the environment..

Watching out for anti-environmental ‘riders’ in Congress.

A new paper in MEPS (Marine Ecology Progress Series) describes for the first time the communities—villages, in a sense—of whales and dolphins living offshore in the northwest Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico.  Julia Whitty illustrates and elucidates.

Marine fungi are totally badass.

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Good Stuff

New study finds that fishhooks are a danger to fishermen.

Mariachis serenade a whale.  I think he’s probably had too much tequila.

Lobster webcam.  Oddly hypnotic.

The blenny hunters, after one of favorite dive creatures.