Spring herring and Atlantic mackerel fisheries are among the most lucrative in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and brought in more than $1.3 billion to Québec and Atlantic fishers in 2020.
(Shutterstock)
One of the oldest industries, fishing, is entering the world of advanced analytics and data-driven planning. With oceans under stress and key fish stocks dwindling, can precision fishing help?
An underwater forest formed by the purple gorgonian (Paramuricea clavata) off Marseille at a depth of 60 metres.
Romain Bricoult / CC BY-NC-ND
For the opening of the One Ocean Summit in Brest from February 9 to 11, 2022, France’s marine research institute looks at promising avenues of research to protect the planet’s largest ecosystem.
Sharks and rays have ruled the ocean for 420 million years, but that reign may be slipping.
(Mark Erdmann)
Nearly all species of sharks and rays are captured in fishing operations. But research shows that fishing quotas and closing some areas to fishing can help rebuild threatened populations.
Giant jellyfish are being spotted along the Scottish coast.
Shutterstock
The WTO is set to wrap up negotiations on harmful fisheries subsidies This could help rebuild the oceans’ fish stocks, and support the communities that rely on them.
Warm-blooded fish can swim 1.6 times faster than their cold-blooded relatives.
Whooping cranes were hunted extensively through the early 1900s, and by 1941, only 22 remained. They breed in Wood Buffalo National Park, in Alberta.
(Shutterstock)
Indigenous marine governance is experiencing a revival throughout Oceania, building on traditional worldviews that acknowledge connections between people and all parts of ocean ecosystems.
Blue sharks, which are prized for their fins, swimming off Cape Point in South Africa.
Morne Hardenberg
Alison Kock, South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity
Sharks grow slowly and produce few young compared to bony fishes. In many cases, this means that their populations are fished out faster than can be replenished if not well managed.
Seabirds journey vast distances across the Earth’s seascapes to find food and to breed. This means their biology, particularly their breeding success, can reveal what’s happening in our oceans.
Local support might be the most important factor for a successful marine protected area.
Anastasia Quintana
In the design of marine protected areas, new research suggests that it might be better to start small in order to gain local trust and support that leads to larger long-term benefits.
The Pacific Ocean produces oxygen, helps regulates the weather, provides food and livelihoods. It’s a place of fun, solace and spiritual connection. But its delicate ecology is under threat.