Published by Ocean Conservancy This blog was written by Sophie McCoy, a marine scientist who studies ecological responses to pollution and climate. Sophie is a Lang Early Career Fellow of the Phycological Society of America and a Steering Committee Member of NOAA’s Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Acidification Network (GCAN). We know COVID-19 is affecting every […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy On July 25, the MV Wakashio was grounded on a coral reef off the coast of Mauritius. Since then, the ship has released 1,000 tons of fuel into the sea, where it has fouled the region’s biologically rich waters and coastlines. The unfolding oil disaster in Mauritius is sadly and predictably all […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy Ocean Conservancy has partnered with the City of Miami, Florida through the Shores Forward initiative to protect ocean and coastal habitats, species and communities. Partnering with a municipality as large and complex as Miami requires a strong and invested partner. Since launching eight months ago, Ocean Conservancy has been collaborating with Miami’s […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy What’s at the bottom of the deep dark abyss that is our ocean? This centuries-old mystery has been ingrained in cultures around the world and fuels our imaginations to this day. Mermaids, giant sea monsters, ancient civilizations, ghosts, aliens—you name it, there’s some mythical, “Buzzfeed Unsolved-esque” lore about it that starts at […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy What lives in the sea and has eight arms covered with suckers? We all know the answer: an octopus! What lives in the sea and can change both color and texture? Also an octopus! What lives in the sea and can walk on the bottom and shoot through the water? Still an […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy This post was authored by two of the founders of Minorities in Shark Sciences (MISS): Jasmin Graham and Carlee Jackson Representation Matters If you’ve ever watched Discovery Channel’s Shark Week, you might think that all shark scientists are white dudes. Although the field of shark science has a long way to go […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy I think that I shall never see A poem lovely as a (mangrove) tree. As a kid growing up on the Indian River Lagoon in East Central Florida, the paramount importance of red, black and white mangroves and buttonwoods was not lost on me. These humble trees that line huge swaths of […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy This post was authored by the founders of Minorities in Shark Sciences (MISS): Amani Webber-Schultz, Jasmin Graham, Carlee Jackson and Jaida Elcock When you ask a child what they want to be when they grow up, their answers are endless and ever changing. One second they want to be a firefighter, a […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy Dr. David Shiffman is a marine conservation biologist and public science educator based in Washington, D.C. Renowned for his witty social media presence, he has written for the widely-read ocean science blog Southern Fried Science, and his science writing has appeared in publications including the Washington Post, Scientific American, Gizmodo and Scuba […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy Historical illustrations give us a glimpse into the scientific research of the past—and they can be very cool to look at! We can view thousands of historical illustrations of marine life thanks to the Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL). The BHL is the largest open-access digital library for biodiversity archives. They work with libraries around […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy COVID-19 has exposed how vulnerable individuals are, and how important it is to use data to make good public policies. It has also underscored the inequities inherent in our social systems, as the accumulated weight of decades of discrimination against Black people and other minorities are manifesting in who contracts COVID-19. By […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy Today marks the United States Coast Guard’s 230th birthday. That’s 230 years of protecting more than 100,000 miles of U.S. coastline and waterways and the communities who call them home. Today is the perfect time to celebrate and recognize the important work the Coast Guard does for our ocean. First, the Coast Guard protects those of us […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy Thank you for taking the time to enter your photographs and vote for your favorites during our 2020 Photo Contest this summer. I am blown away by the entries and I hope you enjoyed seeing all the incredible submissions we received from around the world. Love our content? Sign up to never […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy This blog was written by Guy Forchion, the Executive Director of Historic Virginia Key Beach Park. Ocean Conservancy has held a number of Cleanups in partnership with the phenomenal team at Historic Virginia Key Beach Park in Miami, Florida. We are excited to share this guest blog. In the past, August 1 […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy By visually capturing life underwater, photographers give individuals that may never experience journeying to the depths of our ocean, the opportunity to view the incredible lives and habits of marine wildlife. Thanks to underwater photography and videography, millions of people are able to see how wonderful the world beneath the waves is […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy You might not feel particularly motivated to get to know the sea urchin. And I get it! Their spiny bodies, slow pace and generally muted colors don’t exactly make them the most charismatic critters in the sea. But I guarantee that the more you learn about sea urchins, the more you will […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy Last week, the journal Science published an article by our colleagues at The Pew Charitable Trusts and SYSTEMIQ modeling various plastics pollution scenarios over the next 20 years. The results were alarming. According to the study, if we continue to produce, consume and dispose of plastics at our current rate, we will […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy Protected parcels of lands and waters—often dubbed parks, reserves or sanctuaries—are critical conservation zones that not only sustain vibrant plant and animal communities but also inspire visitors to explore and steward some of the world’s most exceptional places. There are currently about 4,000 land-based National Parks worldwide, including 419 in the United […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy The ocean is essential to the way we live—it gives us life, it feeds us and it is an infinite source of inspiration. Unfortunately, the ocean faces an unprecedented crisis. The plastics we use are leaking into the ocean, threatening the health of the ocean and the resources we depend on. During […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy “I would love to free dive with great whites off the coast of South Africa one day.” That’s the kind of leisure activity you’d expect to hear from an NFL defensive lineman, who also happens to be passionate about the ocean. Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Khalid Kareem’s passion for the water started […]