Carbon dioxide and nutrient input interact with each other to impact algal turf growth

Marine microbes are eating some of the plastic that ends up in the ocean

The ocean is full of litter, and it is difficult to remove it all.  So why not employ the good-will of fishers to remove some of it?

Most life on Earth needs oxygen to survive - even those living in our oceans.  So when oxygen levels in our coastal waters are severely reduced, (hypoxia), and worse still reduced to almost zero levels (anoxia), the impacts can be deadly

Simply calling an area of ocean a 'marine protected area' does not make it so

These days its rare to find humans living far from other animals, even those that spend a large portion of their lives in the sea.  Sometimes, like with the Galapagos sea lions on San Cristobal island, they are very close neighbours.

So my lovely readers living out in the USA, just how much of the marine ecosystem in your state waters is afforded strong protection? Probably not that much.

The Ocean Health Index has been broadened to take into account social and ecological pressures that reduce biodiversity – including looking at the social and governance factors.

36 sunken vessels are deemed to be a potential threat of oil along the coast of the USA, with 17 being recommended for further assessment and potential removal of both fuel oil and oil cargo.