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.
