1. Will Costa Rica Set a New International Tone for Shark Protection?
This article serves as an informative follow up to the shocking news from Costa Rica last week. In 2012, Costa Rica banned shark finning and closed private docks notorious for not abiding by fishing regulations. Recently, Costa Rica proposed the inclusion of two species of hammerhead sharks in Appendix II of CITES. Mora’s statement last week was allegedly prompted by violent protests last month by fisherman. The article reports that Mora said that ” the main issue is the growing popularity of shark meat in the local market, which has made sharks more valuable to local fisherman”. Costa Rica was considered a world leader in ocean conservation and shark protection, will these new statements impact the international action? Read more…
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2. More Than 3 Tons of Shark Fins Seized in Mexico
Mexican authorities seized 3.5 tons of shark fins from a shipping container in the coastal city of Manzanillo. The container full of both shark fins and sea bass swim bladders were bound for Hong Kong. The animals were originally caught in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. Sharks are included in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Read more…
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3. Freshwater Sharks Rediscovered in Papua New Guinea Fish Market
This is a very, very upsetting headline. While scientists were on an expedition in Papua New Guinea, they came across a rare freshwater shark fins and jaws in a fish market. There were two species found the Speartooth and New Guinea River sharks. The species have not been documented since the 1970s and are critically endangered sharks on Earth. Scientists will now work with the local villagers to educate them on the threatened and understudied species throughout the Indo-Pacific. Read more…
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4. ‘Saving Sharks’ Exhibit Opens at Texas State Aquarium
This week a new “Saving Sharks” exhibit opened at the aquarium in Corpus Christi. The exhibit cost $325,000 and allows visitors to track sharks that have been tagged. This exhibit is supported by OCEARCH, the Houston Museum of Natural Science, and the Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. Read more…
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5. Scientists Identify Climate ‘Tipping Points’
This week, a study was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) revealing some potential ‘tipping points’ where abrupt regional climate shifts could occur due to global warming. There was evidence of 41 cases of regional abrupt changes in the environment. According to scientists, examples of those tipping point are sea ice and ocean circulation patterns as well as shifts in vegetation and marine productivity. Read more…
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6. Too Many Female Sea Turtles?
This week, a paper published in the journal Endangered Species Research reported that the climate change may impact the the sex of baby loggerhead sea turtles. Loggerheads develop into males or females during the egg incubation period. Both rainfall and temperature may impact the sea turtle sex ratio. Scientists are currently seeing a high ratio of females to males in the loggerhead populations in Florida. This is an important finding in a species that is already listed by the federal government as endangered or threatened. Read more…———————————————–
7. Warming Oceans Drive East Coast Fish to Cooler Waters
After years of charting fish movement along the Atlantic coast of the US, the National Oceanic Administration has noticed that the distribution of fish larvae has changed over the last 40 years. Spawning and juvenile development are occurring in different habitats which may impact fish development. In addition to that, the larvae that are shifting habitats are not matching the shift of the adults. According to the study, 43% of larval taxa and 50% of the adult taxa have shifted. Read more…———————————————–
8. Manta Ray-Shaped City Is A Floating University
Would you live in a floating city? With recent studies indicating that the Earth will see continuous sea level rise, it’s an interesting to think about. Scientist have recently designed a floating university in the shape of a manta ray. The ‘city’ can carry up to 7,000 students, researchers, and professors. The vessel is 3,000 feet long and is a completely self sufficient and sustainable environment. Read more…
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Sea Save Foundation is committed to raising awareness of marine conservation. The Week in Review is a team effort produced by the Sea Save staff to provide a weekly summary of the latest in marine research, policy, and news.