Over 15 years of ocean science and conservation online
In the last month, two major players in the development of the deep-sea mining industry have put their plans on pause, calling for more research and less urgency in the race to the bottom. In November, the Cook Islands opted to extend their current exploration programs for an another five years, giving contractors and scientists … Read More “Norway and Cook Islands put their deep-sea mining plans on pause.” »
Long time friend of the blog, Dr. Jake Levenson, delivers a talk twenty years in the making, about how space technology and open data standards can help protect the ocean.
Sharks are some of the most threatened animals on Earth, and accordingly many scientists who study sharks want their research to be useful for conservation. However, most scientific training does not include a detailed explanation of the policymaking process, resulting in lots of shark research being positioned as relevant to conservation and policy when it … Read More “Shark scientists want their research to help save threatened species, but don’t know how. Our new paper can help.” »
Migratory species depend on a vast, interconnected ocean. Disturbance in the deep-sea isn’t localized, it ripples across a globally-connected ocean and impacts made today may persist long after our species fades. Deep-sea mining is an industry in its infancy. As it has slowly matured towards commercial production, the major focus on the impacts of deep-sea … Read More “What we know we don’t know: impacts of deep-sea mining on whales, dolphins, sharks, turtles, and other migratory species.” »
I was invited by the Sierra Club National Marine Team to talk about the science and policy of deep-sea mining. Watch the panel, above!
Nodules, a new documentary by Clare Fieseler and Jason Jaacks takes a deep dive into polymetallic nodule mining and two recent discoveries that help reshape our understanding of the seafloor. Fieseler explores the discovery of dark oxygen production in nodule fields and the rediscovery of the world’s first deep-sea mining test site on the Blake … Read More “Nodules, Lost Mines, and Dark Oxygen: A new documentary on deep-sea mining asks important questions about the future of the industry.” »
Last month, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, who oversees seabed mineral mining within US water received an application from Impossible Metals to lease an area offshore of American Samoa for deep-sea mining trials. Unlike The Metals Company’s bid to mine the high seas under US license, the Federal Government had clear authority to issue … Read More “The Urgency is Artificial. My comment on the proposed permitting of deep-sea mining leases off American Samoa” »
The Friends of the Mariana Trench extend heartfelt congratulations to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and local leaders from the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) on the momentous occasion of the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Mariana Trench visitor contact station. This important milestone marks a significant step towards enhancing public understanding … Read More “Friends of the Mariana Trench Congratulate U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Local CNMI Leaders on the Ribbon-Cutting of the Mariana Trench Visitor Contact Station” »
It is more important than ever to discuss and create policies that center equity and justice in ocean conservation. Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and destructive, the fossil fuel industry continues to pollute our common resources, critical habitats are increasingly lost to climate change impacts, and the people most affected are those living … Read More “Trump’s DEI Attacks Make Ocean Justice More Important Than Ever” »
Increasing focus on nearshore ocean conservation will benefit people and communities and provide more effective protections for wildlife. The Center for American Progress and several of our partners with the America the Beautiful for All Coalition, including Carolina Ocean Alliance, Endangered Species Coalition, Healthy Ocean Coalition, Minorities in Shark Science, and National Congress of Environmental … Read More “Nearshore Ocean Progress: State and Local Leadership That Works for People and Ecosystems” »
