• Ocean

One Cool Thing: A Growing Wave of Ocean Innovation

• climate change
• data
• fisheries
• Net Gains Alliance
• ocean
• pollution
• solutions

We like to highlight the truly wonderful things happening in conservation during these difficult times, and opportunities are growing to create innovative solutions to solve the ocean’s biggest and toughest challenges.  The Ocean Solutions Accelerator is a great way to get both access to funders and experienced entrepreneurs who can help young people with great […]

• People

Interview of the Week: Virginijus Sinkevičius, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries

• Europe
• European Commission
• fisheries
• Green Deal
• ocean #environment

ODP: You have just taken over as Europe’s Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries. Tell us how you became interested in conservation and how you have reached such an important position so early in your career? VS:  As I was Minister of Economy and Innovation in Lithuania, naturally, I was expecting rather a portfolio […]

• Ocean

Federal Court Rules Federal Government Cannot Allow Fish Farms in the Gulf of Mexico

• aquaculture
• fisheries
• fishing
• NOAA
• Salmon
• shrimp

This week two Republican-appointee federal judges overturned a Trump Administration-endorsed plan that would have allowed “up to 64 million pounds of seafood” to be produced in fish farms in federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico. 

Why This Matters: Fish farming is happening all over the world — except here in the U.S.  Chances are the shrimp, salmon or tilapia you buy in the store is farm-raised in another country – more than 50% of the world’s supply of fish now comes from aquaculture.

• Ocean

Interview of the Week, Eric Schwaab, SVP, Oceans at the Environmental Defense Fund

• #EDF
• climate change
• electronic monitoring
• Environmental Defense Fund
• fisheries
• technology

We have excerpted portions of his interview below.  Thank you, Eric, for speaking with ODP! ODP:  There have been many studies documenting the impact that climate change is having on fish stocks.  Is EDF seeing this actually play out in its fisheries work here in the U.S. and worldwide? ES: Yes. Ten years ago we […]

• Ocean

The U.S. Challenges China’s Territorial Claims Over Parts of the South China Sea

• China
• distant water fleet
• fisheries
• Law of the Sea Convention
• South China Sea

Late yesterday, the Trump administration challenged China’s “ownership” claims of certain disputed portions of the South China Sea that are valuable fishing grounds and that also, according to the U.S. Energy Information Agency, contain huge reserves of oil and gas, much of which is yet undiscovered. 

Why This Matters:  This may ultimately about all that oil and gas, but the conflict today is overfishing.  China continues to use its military to prevent Vietnamese fishing boats from harvesting in the disputed areas.

• Ocean

Climate Change Impacting Fish Spawning, While Not Enough Habitat Is Protected By Fisheries Managers

• #30x30
• climate change
• fish
• fisheries
• fishing gear
• marine protected areas
• ocean warming

We know that rising ocean temperatures are causing fish stocks to migrate to cooler waters, and now we have new evidence as to why.  A study by German scientists found that juvenile fish and fish that are ready to mate are especially sensitive to changes in water temperature, and as a result, up to 60 percent of all species may be forced to leave their traditional spawning areas as waters warm.

Why This Matters:  Fish populations need functional habitat to survive and procreate.