The Ocean Brief
Ocean stories and insights covering science, policy, innovation, and the ocean community
The plight of the vaquita
If awards were given to cetaceans, the vaquita (Phocoena sinus) would certainly win a few. Sadly, not all of them would be given for positive things...
How special is a ‘Special Area of Conservation?
With proposals being put forward to open up a Welsh Special Area of Conservation sparking controversy, I ask - What is so special about a Special Area of Conservation anyway?
Oh Canada – what about your ocean?
Scientists call out Canada for undermining it's own ocean protection mandate and putting marine species at risk.
Protecting Kenya’s dolphin habitat
Marine protected areas for dolphins need to focus on their critical habitat if they are to do a good job
The Invisibility of Microplastic Pollution
To tackle plastic pollution, we need to make is visible – and a charismatic problem.
How deep is too deep for commercial fishing?
Can deep-sea fishing ever be sustainable? Joanne Clarke, a PhD student at the University of Glasgow and colleagues suggests that there might be a way to make the practice less damaging.
What 415 million year old fossil plankton tells us about heavy metal pollution and extinction
415 million year old malformed fossils give us clues about extinction events in the ocean
The unique ecology of human predators
The human predator shares many similarities with other animal predators on this planet. But we are not just predators,...we are “super predators”.
Reducing bycatch of skates and rays – stop tickling them!
Bycatch reduction is a win-win for fishers and for the marine life caught. How can we do this? The Marine Scotland Science team shows one possible solution.