Worth Sharing

WS

Ocean

Showing 321 - 340 of 352 Posts
Recent Posts
Major Oyster Reef Rebuilding to Revitalize Texas Coast

Half Moon Reef was once a massive underwater oyster colony in the most productive fishery in Texas, rich with shellfish, blue crabs and shrimp. Today there is barely an oyster left in the 450-acre site. But conservationists are now rebuilding the reef in the heart of Matagorda Bay using huge boulders of Missouri limestone carried down the Mississippi River on 36 barges, building the foundation for revitalizing an entire ecosystem.

Historic 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act Worked, Scientists Say

In the fall of 1972, then-President Richard Nixon signed the Marine Mammal Protection Act, providing sweeping protections for whales, dolphins, seals and other species swimming in U.S. waters whose populations had dwindled due to commercial fishing and accidental killing. More than 40 years later, a new report shows that the law has been very effective.

Ships Rerouted to Save Whales in San Francisco Bay

Federal maritime officials have approved a plan to protect whales in and around San Francisco Bay. Shipping industry representatives joined with whale researchers to establish new cargo lanes that will protect blue whales, the largest marine mammal, in their feeding grounds outside one of the busiest ports in the world.

Aussies Petition Their Government, Secure Historic Marine Protection for Coral Sea

Pushed by a chorus of 486,900 citizens, the Australian government announced Thursday their intention to create the world's largest marine reserve, a highly protected zone in the Coral Sea stretching almost 200,000 square miles -- a historic moment for ocean conservation in Australia and globally. Australia's Coral Sea, east of the Great Barrier Reef, is one of the last remaining intact tropical ocean ecosystems in the world where populations of large ocean predators - sharks, tunas, and marlin - have not been severely reduced. The waters are home to healthy coral reefs, atolls, cays, and islands that provide shelter to reef fish, sea turtles, and seabirds.

Bush Creates Largest Marine Protection Zone in the World

With the stroke of a pen today, President Bush will designate three new areas in the Pacific as Marine National Monuments to create the largest area of ocean protection in the world, measuring 195,000 square miles. The act bans commercial fishing in the coral reef ecosystems within 50 nautical miles around the islands and protects them from oil and gas extraction.

Endangered Green Sea Turtles Make Comeback

In one of nature's best comeback stories, endangered green sea turtles have multiplied in Florida during the past two decades and are now thriving in protected waters. Reported nests have increased more than sixfold since 1990.

Company to Turn Sea Plastic into Bottles in Pioneering Recycling Plan

Ecover, the green cleaning brand, said on Thursday it will use plastic waste retrieved from the sea to create an entirely new type of sustainable and recyclable plastic bottle. The Belgian company is working with plastic manufacturer Logoplaste to combine plastic trawled from the sea with a plastic made from sugar cane ('Plant-astic') and recycled plastic, in what it is calling a world-first for packaging.