Source: BBC
Author: Martha Henriques
Off the coast of Okinawa, a slim stretch of land among Japan’s southern Ryuku islands, thousands of metres below the surface, there are the remains of extinct hydrothermal vent systems scattered about the ocean floor.
Source: Marine Conservation Institute
Author: Kelly Martin
You’ve probably heard the saying that we know less about the deep ocean than we do about the surface of the moon. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, we have explored less than 5% of the ocean to date, so the saying is pretty accurate. However, as technology improves and scientists are able to learn more about the deep, they begin to more clearly understand its ecological value.
Continue reading The Future of the Deep Sea: Undiscovered Wonders at Risk
Vigo, Spain (September 26th, 2014) – The 36th Annual Meeting of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) closed today in Vigo, Spain. The 12 members of NAFO were presented with comprehensive scientific advice regarding the protection of deep sea ecosystems as well as the conservation of fish stocks in the NAFO Convention Area. NAFO agreed to close two new areas to protect deep-sea ecosystems such as coldwater corals, sponge and seapen ecosystems, but did not adopt the full suite of recommendations to protect sites identified by its scientists as high priorities.
Continue reading New deep-sea protection measures agreed for the Northwest Atlantic
Source: Yahoo News / Reuters
Authors: Sonali Paul & Gyles Beckford
New Zealand decides this week whether to approve an underwater iron-ore operation that would likely become the world’s first commercial metals mine at the bottom of the sea.
Continue reading New Zealand may kick start race to mine the ocean floor
Source: iisd Reporting Services – Linkages
The seventh meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Informal Working Group to study issues relating to the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity beyond areas of national jurisdiction (BBNJ) convened from 1-4 April 2014 at UN Headquarters in New York.
Thessalonika, Greece – Today a joint statement committing to adopt measures to tackle global fleet overcapacity was signed by the EU and major fishing nations including the United States, Japan, Colombia, Philippines and Indonesia.
Continue reading DSCC welcomes an international call to combat global fleet overcapacity
