U.K. launches world’s largest ocean monitoring system
The U.K. government, under the Blue Belt program, has announced its plan to install underwater camera rigs for monitoring ocean wildlife across over 4 million square kilometers of ocean space.
Marine conservation
India fishermen divert their catch of ocean plastic so it can be used to rebuild roads
The Kerala fishermen’s work has so far amassed 176,000 pounds (80,000 kilograms) of plastic, of which more than half has gone towards creating 84 miles (135km) of road.
Canada launches satellite technology that identifies vessels illegally catching fish
It is estimated that illegal fishing accounts for about 30% of all fishing worldwide, representing up to 26 million tons of fish caught annually at a cost to the global economy of more than $23 billion a year.
Sanctuary containing ‘healthiest coral reefs in the world’ just tripled in size
The Gulf of Mexico’s largest coral sanctuary just got 200 percent bigger, now that the U.S. government formally approved the expansion of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.
Ivory Coast designates first-ever marine sanctuary
The 1,000 square mile area is the first of five that the Ivory Coast government has designated for protection.
Tristan da Cunha establishes a massive marine protected area
The government of Tristan da Cunha, a four-island archipelago of about 250 people, has announced that it will be protecting approximately 700,000 square kilometers of its waters, creating the world’s fourth-largest Marine Protected Area.
World’s largest seagrass restoration project grows from 600 to 9,000 acres off coast of Virginia
Marine scientists and volunteers spread more than 70 million eelgrass seeds off Virginia’s shores. Led by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and with help from The Nature Conservancy, the project has grown to over 8,896 acres.
Samoa pledges to preserve 30% of its ocean
Samoa’s land mass accounts for less than three percent of its territory, and the country is largely dependent upon the ocean for food and income. To preserve this vital resource, the Samoa Government has committed to fully managing its ocean area and protecting 30 percent by 2025 through the Samoa Ocean Strategy.
The startup Running Tide is planting on the seafloor to offset carbon emissions
Running Tide is using seaweed to sequester carbon off the coast of Maine while raising sustainable shellfish. Planting on the seafloor offers even more carbon sequestering capabilities than planting trees on land because kelp that sinks to the seafloor can hold carbon for centuries.
Bangladesh becomes world’s first country to ban thin plastic bags
The South Asian nation took unprecedented action when it found that plastic bags played a key role in clogging drainage systems during disastrous flooding.