Southern Fried Science

Save the seals. Congress is trying to shoot its way to salmon recovery

July 22, 2026 Southern Fried Science No Comments

Let’s not mince words: current federal ocean conservation policy is a cocktail of chaos and disaster, with a generous sprinkle of incompetence. Following a brutal stretch of legislative and regulatory rollbacks (including the completely indefensible bureaucratic magic trick of removing habitat destruction from the Endangered Species Act’s definition of “harm”) Capitol Hill decided to double … Read More “Save the seals. Congress is trying to shoot its way to salmon recovery” »

First, do no harm.

July 17, 2026 Southern Fried Science

Conservation, Policy, Science

How the Trump Administration has yet again hobbled the Endangered Species Act. The Trump administration has officially finalized a rule stripping habitat destruction from the definition of “harm” under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). In a joint announcement by the Department of the Interior and the Department of Commerce, officials rolled back a 40-year conservation … Read More “First, do no harm. “ »

For when the madness ends: a 5-point plan for getting conservation back on track in the US

July 9, 2026July 7, 2026 Southern Fried Science

Conservation

Let’s not mince words: the last eighteen months have been an absolute nightmare for federal ocean and conservation policy. Landmark environmental protections have been rolled back or severely hobbled, while agency budgets were slashed more than Janet Leigh when Norman Bates was in a particularly stabby mood. But looking towards the 2026 midterm elections, the … Read More “For when the madness ends: a 5-point plan for getting conservation back on track in the US” »

Rice’s whale and the curious case of the disappearing species.

June 25, 2026 Southern Fried Science

Conservation, Uncategorized

Another example of the Trump Administration ignoring science There are many ways to make an endangered species less inconvenient. You can weaken regulations. You can exempt industries from environmental review. You can convene the Endangered Species Committee—the infamous “God Squad”—to override protections. Or, apparently, you can simply question whether the species exists at all. The … Read More “Rice’s whale and the curious case of the disappearing species.” »

Isn’t ironic, don’t you think: dismantling the Ocean Observatories Initiative on World Oceans Day

June 9, 2026June 9, 2026 Southern Fried Science

Climate change, Featured, Policy, Science

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is pulling the plug on the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI), systematically dismantling one of the world’s most advanced deep-sea monitoring networks. This aggressive “descoping” plan means hundreds of high-tech instruments are actively being hauled out of the water. The timing of this infrastructure rollback carries a painful, bitter irony. The … Read More “Isn’t ironic, don’t you think: dismantling the Ocean Observatories Initiative on World Oceans Day” »

Oceans week 2026 – a lost hope

June 5, 2026 Southern Fried Science 1 Comment

Academic life, Climate change, Conservation, Science

This week is National Oceans week. One of the main events in Washington DC is Capitol Hill Ocean Week (or CHOW). This two-day event, sponsored by the U.S. Government, brought policymakers, scientists, and conservationists together for policy discussions, networking, and raising awareness about ocean issues. I went to the event two years ago, and at … Read More “Oceans week 2026 – a lost hope” »

Earth Day 2026: We paved paradise and put up a parking lot

April 23, 2026 Southern Fried Science

Conservation, Uncategorized

Earth Day used to be about the environment. In 2026, it’s about traffic. The Trump administration marked April 22 with a mix of infrastructure announcements, deregulation, and a heavy dose of branding … while environmental protection took a noticeable back seat. Freedom to Drive… Over Everything The headline initiative? A “Freedom to Drive” push from … Read More “Earth Day 2026: We paved paradise and put up a parking lot” »

Loot, pillage and ransack the oceans: unpacking the 2026 Trump Administration ocean science budget

April 13, 2026 Southern Fried Science

Policy

The 2026 budget proposal from the Trump administration just dropped, and if you’re a fan of having a functional ocean, breathable air … or whales, you might want to sit down. We’ve seen “lean” budgets before, but this isn’t a haircut; it’s a lobotomy of U.S. marine science that shifts our entire blue backyard from … Read More “Loot, pillage and ransack the oceans: unpacking the 2026 Trump Administration ocean science budget” »

Playing God – How the ESA “God Squad” just voted for the extinction of a uniquely American whale

April 9, 2026April 14, 2026 Southern Fried Science

Conservation, News, Science

On March 31, 2026, the federal Endangered Species Committee (previously dubbed the “God Squad”) met for the first time in three decades to do exactly what their name suggests: deciding the fate of an entire species. In a record-breaking 15-minute meeting (barely enough time to order a latte), the committee voted unanimously the committee granted a … Read More “Playing God – How the ESA “God Squad” just voted for the extinction of a uniquely American whale” »

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Experts respond to concerns over the relative risks of electric boats and shark encounters

June 9, 2024June 10, 2024 Southern Fried Science 1 Comment

News, Science

A joint statement from David Shiffman Consulting, Inc and Blackbeard Biologic: Science and Environmental Advisors A 2024 presidential hopeful recently expressed concerns regarding the relative risks of electric boats and shark attacks, stating that: “What would happen if the boat sank from its weight, and you have this tremendously powerful battery, and the battery is … Read More “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Experts respond to concerns over the relative risks of electric boats and shark encounters” »