Fishing on the high seas-areas beyond the 200-nautical-mile jurisdiction of coastal states-is increasing, largely driven by advanced vessel and gear technology, which facilitates fishing far from shore. High seas fisheries are overseen by various regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs)-intergovernmental bodies made up of nations that have agreed to cooperatively manage fish stocks beyond their national … Read more
Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico The spill raises serious concerns about drilling in sensitive habitats from the Gulf to the Arctic Ocean, as well as broader questions of national energy policy. The environmental implications of the oil spill intersect with a number of the Pew Environment Group’s campaigns including securing protections for bluefin … Read more
We know that there are a number of causes for these problems-unregulated fishing, unintended climate change, and uncontrolled pollution-but what we don’t know is how to reverse this trend and move toward a healthier and more productive future for coral reefs. For the coming month, a team of scientists from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, San … Read more
Last summer, minutes before leaving port on a voyage to the North Pacific Ocean Gyre, Chief Scientist Miriam Goldstein was frank about what might and might not be encountered during the expedition to a place that’s become known as the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch.” Goldstein made it clear to fellow scientists, cruise volunteers, and a … Read more
According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, seven of the 23 commercially fished tuna species, including bluefin, northern albacore, bigeye and yellowfin, are overfished or depleted. An additional nine species are on the brink of being overfished. The boats seeking these tuna are responsible for more hooks and nets in the water than … Read more
The issue of climate change has received so much attention in recent years that it has become difficult for interested citizens and policymakers to separate facts from fiction. Climate change is one of the most cutting edge research fields in modern science, but the field has existed for more than a century and much knowledge … Read more
Currently, several federal agencies manage industrial activities in our oceans under a number of statutes, and there is little coordination or consideration of the cumulative impacts their decisions have on the health and productivity of marine ecosystems and coastal communities. Among its cardinal recommendations, the Pew Oceans Commission called for establishing an enforceable national policy to protect, maintain and restore … Read more
Just a week ago I arrived in Madang, Papua New Guinea, after rowing a total of 8,000 miles across the Pacific in a 3-stage journey that started under San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge in 2008. Coupled with my solo row across the Atlantic in 2005-6, I have now spent cumulatively nearly a year of my … Read more
Sharks today are facing the threat of extinction. It is estimated that nearly 100 million sharks are needlessly harvested from the ocean each year. Scientists believe that if sharks become extinct we will essentially destroy the delicate balance that is necessary for the survival of thousands of marine species! Severe depletion of certain species is already revealing … Read more
Often not thought of as ‘invasive’ at the time of introduction, these species make their way into new ecosystems both intentionally-exotic pets, hybridization, food, pest control, landscape ornamentals-and accidentally such as ‘stowaways’ that attach themselves to shipping ballast tanks, shipping crates, travelers, or become mixed into seed purchased from other countries. While 90 percent of … Read more
