topic: Fish

topic: Fish

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Offshore wind power cables can affect sensory system of sharks and rays: studies
- A series of studies found that electromagnetic fields from offshore-wind farm cables can trigger various effects in bottom-dwelling sharks and rays depending on species and life stage.
- Experiments on small-spotted catsharks and thornback rays showed behavioral and developmental responses.
- The researchers concluded that electromagnetic fields may increase predation risk during early development by altering natural behaviors linked to predator avoidance.
- eDNA surveys detected multiple shark and ray species inside offshore wind farms, suggesting they may serve as potential refuge areas, though major knowledge gaps remain.

Fisheries and climate research would be hit hard in Trump’s proposed budget
- In April, the Trump administration released its proposed fiscal year 2027 budget for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
- The proposed budget would slash around $1 billion from the agency, terminate or reduce dozens of programs, and eliminate more than 1,000 positions, with particularly deep cuts aimed at NOAA Fisheries and climate research.
- While the budget proposes many cuts to NOAA’s operations, it also recommends increased financial support for deep-sea mining development, vessel development, and the seafood industry.
- Experts say delayed release of already-approved funding is disrupting research, threatening long-term scientific data sets and hampering fisheries management, species protection and weather and climate monitoring. However, the Office of Management and Budget, which is responsible for dispersing NOAA’s funding, denies there have been delays.

Global sand demand is outpacing nature’s ability to replenish it, UN says
The global sand mining industry removes around 50 billion metric tons of material each year, outpacing the rate at which sand replenishes through the slow geological processes of weathering, reports Mongabay’s Carolyn Cowan. According to a report by the U.N. Environment Programme (UNEP), the demand for sand is expected to grow by 45% by 2060 […]
Davis “Yellowash” Washines, Yakama elder who spoke for the river and salmon
- Davis “Yellowash” Washines, a Yakama elder, public servant, ceremonial leader, and former police chief, devoted much of his life to defending Yakama treaty rights, clean water, and the Columbia River, known to the Yakama people as Nch’i-Wána.
- Drawing on his background in law enforcement, he described the toxic pollution at Bradford Island near Bonneville Dam as a crime scene, with the water, salmon, and people who depended on them as victims.
- His work joined law, culture, education, and public service: he served as Yakama Tribal Police chief, Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission police chief, Yakama Nation General Council chairman, counselor, language instructor, trustee, and board chair.
- The 2022 designation of Bradford Island as a Superfund site reflected years of persistence, but he saw the deeper goal as clean, healthy fish, safe water, and the fulfillment of responsibilities to future generations and those unable to speak for themselves.

New species of ghost pipefish named after Sesame Street character found in Australia
It’s “hairy,” bright orange or red and “exceptional” at camouflaging. Meet the hairy ghost pipefish, whose recent formal description demonstrates that even well-studied marine environments like the Great Barrier Reef still hold remarkable secrets for science. In a recent study, researchers shared the name of the ghost pipefish, Solenostomus snuffleupagus, for its “conspicuously shaggy appearance,” […]
Iceland must protect wild salmon and reject new aquaculture legislation (commentary)
- Aquaculture and other factors like climate change pose a potentially mortal threat to wild Atlantic salmon, so a new bill in the Icelandic parliament should be rejected, Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard argues in a new op-ed.
- More than 65% of Icelanders polled agree with him in opposing open-net salmon farming, which the bill would allow to expand despite the fact that it employs a small fraction of those working in the tourism sector, and which relies heavily on the nation’s natural beauty and healthy wildlife populations.
- “Icelandic ministers can listen to reason and citizens and set an example of responsibility, rather than giving in to the worldwide aquaculture industry,” Chouinard writes.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

Countries push new protections for the Amazon’s iconic migratory catfish
- Around the world, migratory freshwater fish are in peril from activities including overfishing and, more recently, dams blocking their migratory routes.
- The most threatened species include two large Amazonian catfish, and an inaugural conservation plan will be implemented by the five countries where they range.
- Connected river habitat is crucial for the gilded catfish and Laulao catfish: They undertake some of the longest known river migrations in the world, traveling up to 12,000 kilometers (7,500 miles) over their lifetimes.
- The main challenge in saving these migratory catfish and many other aquatic species is maintaining connectivity among rivers, which in the Amazon are increasingly being affected by dams and shipping.

Kenyan communities protest planned nuclear plant near Lake Victoria
On May 21, residents of Sakwa, in southeastern Kenya, gathered to protest the government’s plan to install a nuclear power plant near their homes, along Lake Victoria. Sakwa, in Siaya County, is home to the Luo tribe and lies along the shores of Africa’s largest freshwater lake, which Kenya shares with Uganda and Tanzania. In […]
Indian Ocean tuna regulator eases yellowfin fishing curbs amid sustainability concerns
- During its annual meeting this month, the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) reframed management measures for yellowfin tuna following a determination that the species’ stock health has improved.
- Industry representatives welcomed the decision, but conservationists are urging caution, citing the long history of yellowfin overfishing and the difficulties in monitoring and curbing overexploitation.
- The IOTC also moved on regulating the swordfish fishery in the Indian Ocean by determining enforceable catch limits for members.
- Manta and devil rays are especially at risk in tuna fisheries; the IOTC adopted guidelines for their handling and release to reduce bycatch mortality.

Rising waters and mounting pressures collide on Kenya’s Lake Turkana
- Lake Turkana in northern Kenya has risen by as much as 10 meters (33 feet) over the past 15 years, displacing communities, flooding infrastructure and reshaping fisheries in one of the country’s most climate-vulnerable regions.
- Scientists and local residents are still debating the causes of the lake’s expansion, with theories ranging from heavier rainfall linked to climate change, to tectonic and groundwater shifts, while researchers say Ethiopia’s Gibe III Dam upstream has also altered the lake’s ecological dynamics.
- Fishers around the lake say catches have declined sharply in recent years as changing water levels alter breeding grounds and fish distribution, while drought drives more pastoralists to rely on fishing for survival.
- Researchers and local advocates say Lake Turkana suffers from decades of poorly planned development and limited scientific monitoring, though new efforts are underway to improve data collection and guide more sustainable management of the lake and its fisheries.

‘Turkana has always adapted to change’: Interview with environmentalist Ikal Angelei
- Local livelihoods around Kenya’s Lake Turkana have long shifted between pastoralism, fishing, farming and trade as people adapted to a landscape defined by fluctuation.
- But as the scale and intensity of erratic climate patterns, mounting pressure on its fisheries, and conflict over resources has increased, their space has shrunk.
- The lake has long been a place where the poorest could make a living, but as the economic value of resources here increases, there is a risk that they will be pushed out by those better placed to access infrastructure and opportunities.

Who controls Indian Ocean tuna?
The Indian Ocean hosts one of the world’s largest tuna fisheries, supplying global seafood markets and sustaining livelihoods across dozens of coastal nations. But scientists warn some stocks are under mounting pressure as foreign-owned industrial fleets continue to overfish tuna and coastal countries expand their fisheries — intensifying disputes over how the resource is managed. […]
19,000 Great Pyramids a year: Report flags unsustainable rate of sand mining
- A new analysis of global sand extraction indicates the industry is removing roughly 50 billion metric tons a year, a pace that far outstrips natural replenishment.
- Experts say the loss of sand from landscapes, river deltas, and coastal zones threatens ecosystems, livelihoods and many processes on which life depends.
- Although the sand mining industry is operating at unsustainable levels, experts say measures exist to lessen its impact.
- Solutions include coordinated governance, stronger monitoring and long-term, cross-border planning.

European bottom trawling costs billions every year in climate impacts, study finds
Europe’s fishing industry makes around 180 million euros ($210 million) every year in profits from bottom trawling, which involves dragging heavy fishing gear along seabeds. But a new study found when climate costs associated with the practice are calculated, society is paying a price up to 90 times higher than the fishing industry profits. “Bottom […]
Egyptian teens use robots for ‘smarter and more responsive’ way to protect Earth
- A team of Egyptian students was among five from Africa shortlisted for this year’s Earth Prize, which recognizes the efforts of 13- to 19-year-olds offering innovative solutions to pressing environmental challenges.
- The “TerraSkipper” robot they designed is inspired by the real mudskipper fish, with a body and feet that “skip” through wet, salty and degraded farmland, collecting data on soil conditions like salinity and pH levels.
- The goal is not only to build the prototype, “but to contribute to a smarter and more responsive way of protecting our planet,” 16-year-old Mustafa Mohammed, one of the team members, told Mongabay.

Seabed life triples after bottom trawling ban in Scotland protected area
Nearly a decade since Scotland established the South Arran Marine Protected Area and banned bottom trawling across much of it, life on the seafloor has thrived, a new study has found. Scientists surveying the area found three times more seabed organisms and twice as many species compared to nearby unprotected waters. “What looks like […]
At world’s largest shark conference, scientists warn of a grim outlook across the board
- Hundreds of researchers and conservationists met in Colombo from May 4-8 for Sharks International, held once every four years.
- Major topics at the conference included the trade in shark and ray meat, reducing shark bycatch, and the use of new technologies in conservation.
- Participants also highlighted innovative programs that encourage community-based conservation, and grappled with the contentious topic of closing fisheries to aid recovery of threatened species.

In eastern Indonesia, communities revive customary systems to protect the seas
- A new documentary, “Jejak Wallacea,” highlights how coastal communities across eastern Indonesia are reviving customary marine management systems to protect ecosystems threatened by destructive fishing, turtle hunting and habitat loss.
- Communities featured in the film use locally rooted approaches including seasonal fishing closures, turtle hatcheries, mangrove restoration, customary sanctions and community patrols to manage reefs, fisheries and coastal forests.
- Conservation groups behind the project say community-led systems rooted in Indigenous and local knowledge can succeed where top-down conservation models and formal protected areas alone often fall short.
- The initiatives have helped protect species including sea turtles, dugongs and thresher sharks, but organizers say long-term success depends on stronger government recognition and support for community-based conservation.

Who are the women sustaining luxury fishing in Brazil’s Pantanal?
- In the heart of the Pantanal wetland, women from riverine communities spend up to 12 hours a day in murky waters, surrounded by caimans and snakes, to gather live bait that feeds a multimillion-dollar fishing tourism industry.
- Sportfishing in the Pantanal generates around $20 million a year, but the gatherers receive only a few cents for each piece of bait.
- During the close season, from November to February, when fishing is banned, they are supposed to receive compensation from the state; but this season there was still no payment as of early February.
- According to government data, women make up 40% of professional fishers in Brazil’s two Pantanal states, and they do most bait collection in the biome.

Dangerous arsenic levels detected in Thailand’s Mekong mainstream for first time
- Thai authorities have detected dangerous levels of arsenic contamination in sediment from the Mekong River mainstream and three of its tributaries in the country’s north.
- The contamination has been widely linked to a surge in unregulated mining, including for rare earth minerals, upstream in Myanmar’s Shan state.
- Experts warn that toxic heavy metals could threaten aquatic ecosystems, fisheries and the livelihoods of millions of people who depend on the Mekong Basin.
- Regional coordination and monitoring remain limited, with the Mekong River Commission lacking authority over key upstream areas in Myanmar and China.

In Senegal, artisanal fishing kills a surprising number of sharks and rays: study
- A study at two fish landing sites in southern Senegal found artisanal fisheries catch large numbers of sharks, rays and guitarfish, most of them threatened species.
- The authors suggest artisanal fishing may have a greater impact on these species than industrial trawling due to its large scale and limited monitoring and enforcement.
- Much of Senegal’s trade in artisanally caught sharks and rays is poorly monitored and exports take place without required permits, raising concerns about ongoing species population declines in the region, experts say.

A 10-year whale shark satellite study helps create new protected area in Indonesia
- Fishers and scientists joined together in Indonesia for a 10-year study to protect whale sharks (Rhincodon typus).
- The bagan fishers’ unique relationship with the endangered whale sharks enabled scientists to satellite tag the fish.
- The data from the decade-long study revealed previously unknown migration routes, feeding grounds and a whale shark nursery.
- The data will be used to help create a marine protected area designed for whale sharks.

With its first marine reserve, Ghana protects its ocean to secure its future (commentary)
- Last month, Ghana made news when it declared its first marine reserve and sited it in one of the nation’s most ecologically and biologically significant marine environments.
- Ghana’s minister for fisheries and aquaculture explains in a new commentary that the Greater Cape Three Points reserve will help restore marine ecosystems and protect the livelihoods of 21 coastal communities, while advancing the nation’s 30×30 conservation goal ahead of next month’s Our Ocean Conference in Kenya.
- “We urge governments everywhere to follow in Ghana’s footsteps to protect more of our ocean, invest in effective management, and ensure communities are at the heart of these efforts,” the minister writes.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

Cambodia tested waters amid pollution claims; months later, still no public results
- Following local Indigenous Brao reports of health issues stemming from water since gold mining began in the area in 2023, Cambodian authorities tested water and sediment from the O’Ta Bouk River in February.
- To date, no results of water, sediment or fish sampling has been made public, despite experts urging more comprehensive testing and communities languishing in uncertainty over the safety of the river.
- All of this is taking place in Virachey National Park, one of Cambodia’s oldest and most remote protected areas, home to many endangered species, where the Cambodian government awarded an 18,900-hectare mining exploration license to a politically connected company.
- Brao fishers who live along the banks of the O’Ta Bouk River say there are no fish in the water, which they attribute to persistent problems linked to pollution; farmers who use the O’Ta Bouk’s waters for irrigation question whether to plant another year’s crops.

Tierney Thys, marine biologist and interpreter of the sunfish
- Tierney Thys spent decades studying the giant ocean sunfish, using its improbable form to ask broader questions about life in the open ocean.
- Trained as a marine biologist, she moved between research, filmmaking, and public storytelling, helping make complex ecological processes accessible to wider audiences.
- In later years, her work extended beyond the sea, linking issues such as textiles and microplastics back to ocean health.
- Across her career, she returned to a central concern: how people come to value the natural world, and what sustains that commitment over time.

Migratory freshwater fish are in trouble: Will we act in time to save them?
- Migratory freshwater fish have declined by an estimated 81% since 1970 yet remain largely overlooked in global conservation policy. At the latest meeting of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS), a new assessment identified 325 species worldwide in urgent need of coordinated protection.
- These long-distance swimmers underpin inland fisheries that feed hundreds of millions of people across the Amazon, Mekong, Congo and other river basins. By moving through river systems, they connect habitats, sustain food webs and support local economies.
- Dams, water extraction and habitat loss are rapidly severing migration routes, often cutting off access to spawning and feeding grounds. Scientists warn that without stronger protections, many migratory fish species — and the river systems they sustain — face an uncertain future.

Cocaine exposure drives salmon to alter movements
Young Atlantic salmon exposed to cocaine and its breakdown product, benzoylecgonine, swim farther and more widely in the wild, a new study shows. This behavioral change can put them in risky situations, researchers say. “[T]he effects of illicit drug pollution on aquatic wildlife is not just a laboratory finding — it can measurably alter wildlife […]
Marine resource conflicts in Africa revolve mostly around access: Study
- A new study identified more than 1,000 conflicts in Africa over an 11-year period and found that nearly 75% were disputes over access to spaces and resources.
- The study calls for more participatory and transparent governance to reduce conflicts, warning that without such reforms, conflicts could derail African policymakers’ sustainability and equity goals.
- The analysis, based on media reports and academic articles, found that the underlying drivers of the conflicts, some more direct than others, included illegal fishing, changes in distribution of benefits, weak governance and resource degradation caused by human activity.

NPFC adopts illegal fishing measures — but no Emperor Seamount protections
- The 10th annual meeting of the North Pacific Fisheries Commission (NFPC) took place April 14-17 in Osaka, Japan.
- While the NPFC members enacted new measures to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, leading NGOs criticized the commission for failing to act on bottom trawling in the Emperor Seamount Chain, a biodiversity-rich volcanic submarine mountain range in the Northwest Pacific.
- Some NPFC members and observers also expressed disappointment about backtracking on stock management and conservation for the Pacific saury, which is targeted by fishing fleets of several member countries.

Photos: A shark meat processing village and market in Indonesia’s Lombok
Shark meat has quietly surpassed shark fins in international trade volume and value. In East Lombok it sells for as little as 29 cents a skewer. Photojournalist Garry Lotulung documented the shark trade at Lombok’s Tanjung Luar fish market and nearby Rumbuk village, an important shark meat processing center. EAST LOMBOK, Indonesia — Indonesia consistently […]
Oil spill continues in Gulf of Mexico vulnerable habitats, while Pemex admits fault
- An oil spill has contaminated 933 kilometers (about 580 miles) of shoreline along the western Gulf of Mexico, impacting the Mexican states of Veracruz, Tamaulipas, Campeche and Tabasco in eastern Mexico.
- After two months of contradictory theories about what could have caused the spill, Mexico’s national oil company, Pemex, admitted the spill was caused by a leak in one of its pipelines.
- Local communities have had to reduce or stop their fishing and ecotourism activities due to a lack of information from authorities about the risks of coming into contact with the water, and despite a government-led cleanup, residents continue to document damages to the environment, such as oil-slicked vegetation and intoxicated or dead fauna.
- Conservationists say the containment of the spill is urgent for the protection of more than 1,000 marine species, among them, endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtles whose nesting season is underway on the beaches of northern Veracruz and Tamaulipas.

Study finds bottom trawling nets 3,000 marine fish species, including threatened ones
How many marine fish species do bottom trawls catch? Researchers now have a list, and it’s long, running to some 3,000 species, according to a recent study. Bottom trawling is a commercially popular, and controversial, fishing method in which boats drag weighted nets along the seafloor. Usually they target commercially valuable marine life at the […]
Goldman Prize winner Alannah Hurley fights Pebble Mine “from a place of love”
- Alannah Acaq Hurley, executive director of the United Tribes of Bristol Bay, has been awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize for organizing opposition to what would have been the largest open-pit mine in North America, called Pebble Mine.
- Proposed in 2001, Pebble Mine was vetoed in 2023 by the Environmental Protection Agency for posing a major threat to the abundant salmon fishery of Bristol Bay, in southeast Alaska. That veto received additional support this year in court by the Department of Justice.
- In an interview with Mongabay, Hurley discussed the long path she and the United Tribes of Bristol Bay’s coalition have walked to defeat Pebble, as well as the hurdles that remain ahead as the fight moves to court, and as UTBB pursues more comprehensive protections for the Bristol Bay watershed.

Landmark US Magnuson-Stevens fisheries law turns 50 amid budget cut concerns
April 13 marked the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA), a landmark conservation law credited with saving numerous U.S. fisheries from collapse and protecting vital ocean habitats. Despite decades of success, conservationists warn that recent federal funding cuts could undermine those gains. The MSA was passed in 1976, in the same decade the […]
In Tasmania, the mines have closed but the rivers remember
- Legacy copper mining in Tasmania, carried out for more than 100 years, has left parts of the King River ecosystem severely degraded, with scientists describing sections as “biologically dead” due to acid mine drainage and metal contamination.
- Globally, legacy mine waste has polluted hundreds of thousands of miles of rivers, exposing an estimated 23 million people to toxic metals, mostly through long-term sediment contamination rather than major disasters.
- Long-closed mines, which often operated with minimal or no environmental oversight, continue to leach waste from quarry and mine sites and tailings piles, causing long-term and ongoing contamination of rivers, streambeds and floodplains. Remediation across widely polluted landscapes is difficult and costly to carry out.
- Tasmania’s rivers are now a test case for the world: Despite decades of research and mitigation efforts, legacy pollution persists there, offering a warning as demand for critical minerals accelerates globally, with large amounts of copper and other metals required for electric vehicles, AI data center servers and other uses.

From carp to hippos, 43% of large freshwater animal species spread far beyond native ranges
From fish and turtles, to hippos and crocodiles, about 43% of all known large freshwater animal species have been deliberately introduced into ecosystems outside their native ranges, a recent study finds. Most species were introduced to boost fisheries, food security or tourism, but many have had unintended consequences for local wildlife, habitats and people. Fengzhi […]
Ghana declares its first marine protected area
Ghana has declared its first marine protected area after more than 15 years of efforts to bolster marine conservation and safeguard its depleting fish stocks. Vice President Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang announced the creation of the MPA on April 14. It marks a “historic moment,” according to Ghana’s fisheries commission, Benjamin Campion. The designated area covers […]
In northern Kenya, a shifting Lake Turkana reshapes traditional livelihoods
- According to Kenya’s environment ministry, water levels in Lake Turkana have risen by several meters in the past decade, expanding its total surface area by around 10%.
- The rise, mainly caused by increased rainfall far upstream, has affected communities and infrastructure on the lake’s shores, as well as disrupted fishing in its changing waters.
- Extended drought in surrounding areas has drawn thousands of new fishers to Lake Turkana, sometimes sparking conflict.
- The people who have lived here the longest are negotiating their survival in what a researcher calls “a system with many variables, both natural and human.”

Creating the North Atlantic’s largest MPA network: Interview with Azores President José Manuel Bolieiro
- In May, José Manuel Bolieiro, president of the Portuguese-administered Azores region, will be honored at the international Peter Benchley Ocean Awards, known as the “Oscars for the Ocean.”
- Bolieiro played a key role in the recent expansion of the archipelago’s existing ocean protections with the establishment of the Azores Marine Protected Areas Network, now the largest MPA network in the North Atlantic.
- He spoke to Mongabay about the importance of ensuring adequate funding and enforcement for the new MPA network, his hope that Portugal can be a global reference for ocean conservation, and how growing up in the Azores fostered his deep love of the sea.

How the US rebuilt a collapsed fishery
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. After this piece was published, we were informed that Aaron Longton had passed away. On the docks of Port Orford, a small fishing town on the southern coast of the U.S. state of Oregon, Aaron Longton runs a […]
Migratory species summit adopts new marine protections amid extinction warnings
- Delegates to the latest meeting of the Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals adopted new protections for 40 migratory species, including 33 marine animals like sharks, seabirds and shorebirds.
- The convention’s 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15), held in Brazil March 23-29, recognized the importance of “marine flyways” for migratory birds and highlighted key marine biodiversity areas.
- It also urged protection of seamounts from destructive fishing practices and a precautionary approach on deep-sea mining to address potential impacts on migratory species.
- Conservation advocates lauded the steps taken at COP15, but the summit also issued stark warnings that extinction and species decline are accelerating.

Microplastics found in fish in Tuvalu, a remote South Pacific nation
Tuvalu is a remote Polynesian nation made up of three reef islands and six atolls. Home to fewer than 11,000 people, Tuvalu is 1,100 kilometers (680 miles) from its nearest neighbor in Fiji. Yet dispite its isolation and small population, new research shows that the ocean ecosystems around Tuvalu are polluted with microplastics. A team of researchers […]
Latin America’s largest hospital complex cancels plan to buy shark meat
- Last month saw a series of new policy developments for sharks in Brazil.
- Brazil’s biggest hospital complex said it would strike shark meat from a planned 2026 procurement, though the boneless fish could still be served at some of its institutes.
- The environment agency issued a host of new rules, including a ban on shark fins detached from the carcass, drawing ire from industry groups.
- A court ruled that federal procurements of shark meat for public institutions must meet new species labeling and traceability requirements.

Is the Galápagos damselfish extinct?
- A once-common reef fish in the Galápagos has not been seen since 1983, raising the question of whether it has already disappeared.
- A recent study by Jack Stein Grove and colleagues concludes the species is likely extinct, based on decades of failed searches and historical records.
- Its disappearance is linked to the severe 1982–83 El Niño, which disrupted the islands’ nutrient cycles and food webs.
- The case highlights how even well-known marine ecosystems can lose species quietly, with declines only becoming clear in hindsight.

10 years after Vietnam’s Formosa steel plant spill, justice for victims remains elusive
- This month marks the 10th anniversary of a marine disaster in Vietnam, caused by the release of toxic chemicals by the Formosa steel plant off the coast of Hà Tĩnh province.
- At least 100 metric tons of dead fish washed ashore beginning April 6, 2016, sickening thousands of people and shutting down the fishing and tourism industries.
- After widespread public mobilization, the company admitted responsibility and agreed to pay $500 million in compensation.
- Thousands of Formosa victims say they have not been properly compensated; lawsuits against the company are stalled; and victims and their supporters face repression, including imprisonment, inside Vietnam.

Talks to reduce funding for overfishing remain stalled at WTO meeting
- Delegates at a recent World Trade Organization summit in Cameroon agreed to continue “Fish Two” negotiations aimed at a deal to curb government subsidies that support unsustainable fishing, but progress remains limited, with just three countries blocking consensus despite broad support.
- The first phase of the deal, “Fish One,” entered into force in September 2025 and now has 116 ratifications; but key fishing nations, including India and Indonesia, have not joined.
- Disputes over Fish Two center on fairness: Developing countries argue the draft text disadvantages them, particularly through sustainability-based exemptions that favor wealthier nations with better scientific capacity.
- A four-year “sunset clause” triggered by Fish One’s entry into force now puts pressure on talks: If a full agreement is not reached by 2029, the entire deal, including Fish One, risks collapsing.

A ‘big book’ documenting Cameroon’s sharks & rays fills critical conservation gap
- Between 2015 and 2023, researchers working with fishers recorded more than 7,000 sharks and rays caught at sea and landed along Cameroon’s coast.
- The recorded animals represent 45 species, of which 13 are critically endangered.
- Their research found that most sharks and rays landed in Cameroon’s fisheries are juveniles, raising serious concerns about population recovery.
- The data help scientists better understand species composition, catch trends and conservation priorities along Cameroon’s coast.

Investigation of permit violations in South Africa’s shark fishery pending
- In June 2025, South African authorities fined a shark fishing vessel caught violating its permit conditions.
- It is not the first time the country’s small shark fishery has made headlines, including for breaches of conditions by fishing in protected areas and illegally cutting heads and fins off of its catch, preventing effective monitoring.
- In October, the fisheries department said it would consider further action; no updates have been made public, but satellite data suggest the Zanette has fished inside a marine protected areas on at least four occasions since then.

325 Long-neglected migratory freshwater fish species need protection now: Report
- As national representatives gather at the UN COP15 Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) meeting this week in Brazil, a new global report has been released profiling a dangerously neglected category of migratory animal: the world’s freshwater fish.
- Migratory freshwater fish populations have fallen by 81% since 1970, says the report, with 325 species worldwide urgently needing coordinated international conservation action. However, only 23 migratory freshwater fish species are currently listed under CMS.
- More than half of the 325 at-risk freshwater migratory fish species documented by the report are in Asia, with the Mekong River of major concern. While international conservation cooperation is urgently needed, China and other Mekong basin nations are non-parties to CMS, as are the U.S. and Russia.
- What is needed now, conservationists say, are transnational migratory freshwater fish species conservation action plans that cover entire river systems, with those plans managed cooperatively by multiple nations within each river basin.

World Water Day: Earth’s freshwater reveals new species & faces mounting threats
Water covers most of our planet, yet less than 3% of it is freshwater and most of it is contained in glaciers, making it not readily usable. Contamination and overuse threaten the valuable supplies of freshwater that humans and other animals, especially aquatic organisms, depend on to live. On World Water Day, a United Nations […]
Eight arrested as Europe cracks down on lucrative eel smuggling syndicates
- Authorities in France and Spain have arrested eight suspects tied to a cross-border syndicate, accused of trafficking critically endangered European eels.
- Investigators say more than 7 million juvenile glass eels, worth nearly 600,000 euros (690,000 dollars), were smuggled over two years’ time.
- The arrests follow a year-long joint probe by investigators from the two countries into illegal fishing and laundering of eel catches.
- The case highlights the scale of an illicit trade that persists despite bans and trade protections for the species.

A fish a day: More than 300 freshwater species described in 2025
Taxonomists described 309 new species of freshwater fish in 2025, according to a report released by SHOAL, the IUCN Freshwater Fish Specialist Group (FFSG) and the California Academy of Sciences (CAS). With nearly one new description each day of the year, the tally is the highest since 2017, and the third-highest since 1758, when scientists […]
Outlook for migratory species worsens amid habitat loss & avian flu, report finds
- A U.N.-backed report finds that nearly half of the world’s migratory species protected under a global treaty are now decreasing — and about one in four now faces extinction.
- Habitat loss and degradation as well as hunting and fishing are driving these declines, but a deadly virus, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, is also taking a heavy toll on bird populations.
- Wildlife corridors and protected ocean networks can play a pivotal role in conserving imperiled species: Animals need to move to find food, a mate and migrate.

Marine biologist Edie Widder chases bioluminescence in new ‘Life Illuminated’ film
- The new documentary “A Life Illuminated” traces the career arc of U.S. marine biologist Edie Widder, an expert on bioluminescence who’s made headlines for decades.
- The film documents her team’s attempt to capture a remarkable deep-water phenomenon called “flashback” on camera. (Spoiler alert.)
- Bioluminescence serves a variety of functions for deep-sea creatures, and flashback may originate from bioluminescent bacteria on drifting organic matter, Widder said.
- “A Life Illuminated” will make its Washington, D.C., premiere on Mar. 19, the first night of the D.C. Environmental Film Festival, where Mongabay is a media partner.

Modest controls put on freewheeling squid fleet at South Pacific fisheries meeting
- The 14th meeting of the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO) took place in Panama City from March 2-6.
- The intergovernmental organization regulates fishing activities in the high seas of the South Pacific, a vast area encompassing about 59 million square kilometers.
- Key decisions concerned tightening regulation of the jumbo flying squid fishery following increased fishing activity and signals of overfishing, and adopting measures to reduce illegal fishing practices and labor abuses in the squid fleet.
- Decision-makers also took steps toward finalizing a new management procedure for jack mackerel. Negotiations over regulating bottom trawling, a source of disagreement at recent SPRFMO meetings, remained stalled.

Bangladesh sees rise in ray, shark fishing as traditional seafood species dwindle
- Bangladesh has seen a sudden rise in illegal shark and ray fishing and consumption in recent years.
- A decrease in catch of traditionally consumed fish species and the lower prices of sharks and stingrays have led to this rise in popularity. Additionally, traders export ray skins and shark parts to East and Southeast Asian countries.
- Sharks and rays are protected species in Bangladesh and existing laws prohibit their catching, selling and consumption.
- Conservationists blame the weak law enforcement and lack of awareness among fishers and suggest that the government initiate stricter conservation measures besides providing subsidies to the poor fishers.

Belugas facing euthanasia at shuttered Canada theme park may find new homes in US
- In August 2025, Canada’s only entertainment park with cetaceans, Marineland of Canada, closed for good, prompting concern about the fate of 30 beluga whales and four dolphins remaining at the facility.
- After a plan to transfer them to a theme park in China was blocked by the Canadian government, Marineland called for euthanizing the animals. The Canadian government has now conditionally approved their possible transfer to four U.S. institutions.
- Keeping highly intelligent and social creatures in concrete-lined tanks adversely affects their health and well-being, experts say.
- With changing public perceptions and a growing number of countries, including Canada, banning the keeping and breeding of whales and dolphins, conservationists are calling for alternatives to house the more than 3,700 cetaceans in captivity worldwide, including building seaside sanctuaries.

Plastic, from home and abroad, spills into Türkiye’s waters
- Türkiye has become a major destination for plastic waste recycling, notably from Europe and the U.K. Most of this scrap heads to the roughly 180 waste facilities handling plastic in Adana province.
- But large quantities are dumped along riverbanks or escape the facilities through their wastewater and eventually flow downstream into the Mediterranean Sea.
- The resulting pollution is taking a toll on riverine and marine ecosystems, including important sea turtle nesting sites.
- Some experts say Türkiye should stop importing plastic altogether to stem the tide of pollution, but the government has said the recycling industry plays an important economic role.

The promise and perils of the 1995 Mekong River Agreement (commentary)
- Thirty years after the 1995 Mekong Agreement, the treaty and the Mekong River Commission have failed to stop cumulative damage to the river from dams, sediment loss, sand mining and altered flows.
- Hydropower expansion and major projects such as Laos’s mainstream dams and Cambodia’s Funan Techo Canal are accelerating ecological decline, harming fisheries, sediment flows and the Tonle Sap–Mekong system despite consultation processes meant to prevent such impacts.
- “This is not cooperation,” the author writes of the agreement. “It is a rat race tearing the Mekong apart.”
- This post is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

Cambodian market survey a snapshot of a resilient — but stressed — Mekong
- In February, an international team of researchers conducted a two-week survey of fish species sold in markets in the Mekong River towns of Stung Treng and Kratie in Cambodia.
- The survey builds on a benchmark set by a 1994 survey in Stung Treng, allowing scientists to detect patterns in the size and diversity of fish being pulled from the river.
- The team identified 130 species, compared with 113 in the 1994 survey; 46 species were newly documented, many of them linked to aquaculture, while 29 species documented in 1994 were not found.
- Survey members say the tally shows the resilience of the Mekong, especially in places like Stung Treng where it remains undammed, but also points to worrying trends such as smaller fish dominating catches.

Antarctic krill sustainability label questioned
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) recently released a draft report for its fourth recertification of krill fishing in Antarctica by Aker QRILL Company. The certification would allow Aker to put an MSC label on its products that tells consumers the krill came from a sustainable well-managed fishery. However, the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition (ASOC), […]
25 years after ‘disaster’ declaration, major U.S. fishery makes a comeback
- In 2000, the U.S. commerce secretary declared the groundfish fishery on the U.S. West Coast a “disaster,” with 10 key species overfished to below a quarter of their healthy levels.
- Fisheries authorities empowered by federal conservation laws took drastic action: They cut off vast tracts of the ocean to trawling, slashed fishing quotas and bought fishing vessels to remove them from operation. Many fishers were thrown into painful retirement.
- Careful management and innovation in the intervening years has led to a remarkable turnaround: In October 2025, fishery officials declared the last of the 10 overfished species to be rebuilt, years earlier than expected, and fishers have catches they thought would never be possible again.
- Even so, fishers’ profits have been low, and experts worry that key conservation programs could lose their teeth to cost-cutting measures and deregulation.

Seafood fraud is rampant, imperiling fish populations, report finds
- Up to roughly 20% of aquatic products are intentionally mislabeled as the wrong species or otherwise fraudulent, posing environmental and health risks, according to a new report.
- Inaccurate representation of species is one of the most frequent forms of fraud, the report says.
- Other cons include misrepresenting place of origin or eco-certification status, and adulterating a product to affect its weight or appearance of freshness.
- The report calls for governments and industry stakeholders to establish better traceability systems, use advanced detection methods, and educate the public. An NGO expert says government action on traceability is key.

China’s Pacific squid fishery rife with labor, fishing abuses: Report
- A new report from U.K.-based NGO the Environmental Justice Foundation draws on interviews with 81 fishers, mainly Indonesian sailors who worked between 2021 and 2025 on 60 Chinese vessels targeting jumbo flying squid (Dosidicus gigas) in the Southeast Pacific Ocean.
- It documents frequent labor abuses affecting crew members, including several indicators of forced labor as described by the International Labour Organization.
- The report also documents regular shark finning, targeted hunting of marine mammals, and involvement in suspected illegal fishing incidents, often inside Ecuador, Peru or Chile’s exclusive economic zones.
- The report was launched days before the annual meeting of the commission of the South Pacific Regional Fishery Management Organisation, the intergovernmental body that manages the fishery. Officials with fishing organizations mentioned in the report and members of China’s delegation to the meeting did not respond to Mongabay’s request for comment on the report.

Guinea-Bissau’s transitional government bans fish meal production
- On Jan. 29, the government of Guinea-Bissau issued a flat ban on fish meal production, citing threats to marine ecosystems and food security.
- In recent years, as West African coastal nations — most notably Mauritania — increasingly clamped down on the industry, Guinea-Bissau emerged as a new regional fish meal hub.
- The first Chinese-owned fish meal factory vessel arrived in its waters in October 2019, followed by a second one in May 2024; both were supplied by Turkish-flagged industrial purse seiners that had previously fished for fish meal factories in Mauritania.
- The production also expanded on shore: In April 2025, Guinea-Bissau’s then-president inaugurated a fish meal plant, and as of February 2026, at least one other facility was under construction.

Displaced for conservation, South Africa’s Thonga try to keep a fishing tradition alive
- A Thonga community on South Africa’s northeast coast is the custodian of a centuries-old fishing custom and its ecological knowledge with a light touch on migrating juvenile fishes.
- These fishers have limited access to their ancestral lands and lakes now, since they were evicted when the region was declared a protected area four decades ago, which later became the iSimangaliso Wetland Park.
- Three generations of fishermen talk about how they’re trying to keep the culture alive in a fast-changing world.
- The park’s management authority says they are inclusive of communities in public participation processes while officials promise that tourism would be the most viable development boost for the area.

How cockfighting imperils Peru’s critically endangered sawfish
- Mongabay’s new film “Why cockfighting is threatening Peru’s last sawfish” investigates how the critically endangered largetooth sawfish has become a victim of Peru’s legal cockfighting industry.
- Although the species has nearly disappeared from Peru’s Pacific waters, its rostral “teeth” continue to circulate in informal markets, prized for use as cockfighting spurs.
- A single sawfish can yield dozens of spurs, each worth up to $250, creating powerful economic incentives for artisanal fishers facing financial hardship.
- Through interviews with fishers, scientists and cockfighting industry leaders, the film explores whether cultural change within the sport can outpace the illegal trade before the species disappears entirely.

Mongabay shark meat exposé wins national journalism education award in Brazil
- On Feb. 24, Mongabay won first place in the higher education category of Brazil’s National Association of Directors of Federal Higher Education Institutions (Andifes), a top journalism education award in the country, with an investigation that revealed Brazilian state-run institutions were bulk-buying shark meat for public schools, hospitals and prisons.
- “The work stands out for its expert input from specialists and researchers, who contribute to the analysis of the environmental, health and regulatory impacts of the issue,” Andifes said in the announcement.
- In collaboration with the Pulitzer Center, the investigation published in July 2025 tracked 1,012 public tenders issued by Brazilian authorities since 2004 for the procurement of more than 5,400 metric tons of shark meat, worth at least 112 million reais.
- In December 2025, the investigation won second place in the national category of the 67th ARI/Banrisul Journalism Award, one of Brazil’s most prestigious journalism prizes.

Ocean Equity Index aims to measure justice at sea
- Researchers have developed an Ocean Equity Index that seeks to measure how equitable ocean initiatives are based on 12 criteria.
- The index, which was introduced alongside an academic study, can be used by governments, companies and community or Indigenous groups; the authors hope its use will be institutionalized globally.
- Assessing equity quantitatively is challenging because of the subject’s complexity and because perspectives of equity vary widely across actor groups, experts say.

Photos: In the Colombian Amazon, fishing binds a community to river and forest
- For members of the Macaquiño community in the southeastern Colombian department of Vaupés, fishing forms part of the deep cultural and spiritual connection they have with their waters and the species that inhabit it.
- The introduction of more intensive modern fishing gear, such as using longlines and mesh nets, has had an impact fish populations and has contributed to a decline in the use of some ancestral fishing practices, they said.
- Community elders told Mongabay that while some traditional fishing tools are still used today, few people know how to make them, raising concerns that fishers may eventually turn to other techniques that can damage habitats and reduce fish species.

Indigenous Ikoots community prepares to relocate as the Pacific floods their town
- On Mexico’s Pacific coast, sea level rise and infrastructure projects have eroded 8.4 meters of coastline per year since 1967.
- In the community of Cuauhtémoc, San Mateo del Mar, at least 900 Indigenous Ikoots people are increasingly affected by flooding, as homes and streets give way to the sea.
- The community voted to relocate in May 2025, but bureaucratic delays are hindering the process, and many lack the funds to leave the community on their own.

Amazon riverfolk warn blasting rocks for shipping route will kill fisheries
- As Brazil moves to explode the deep, rocky river territory of the Lourenção Rocks, locals on the Tocantins River say the government’s refusal to recognize them as “impacted” excludes thousands of fishers from protections.
- Scientists compare the 43-kilometer (26.7-mile) rocky stretch to an “underwater Galapagos,” warning that detonations will destroy the quiet water pockets and deep rocks where rare species breed.
- The industrial shipping route is designed to accelerate global exports of soy and minerals, a move critics say prioritizes corporate profit over the survival of traditional peoples.

Azores dodges proposal to overturn no-fishing zones in its giant new MPA network
- A law establishing the Azores Marine Protected Areas Network was approved in October 2024 and took effect recently, on Jan. 1 this year.
- The network now safeguards 30% of Azorean waters, 287,000 square kilometers of seascape sheltering a rich array of marine life, and makes up the largest MPA network in the North Atlantic Ocean.
- Not two weeks later, on Jan. 15, the Azores Parliament voted on a measure that upholds a core provision of the MPA network, after it came under fire in recent months: No fishing inside the fully protected areas, which constitute half the vast network.
- Conservationists expressed satisfaction, broadly, with the agreement, but fishers’ groups expressed disappointment.

Migrant fishers’ deaths at sea tied to unchecked captain power, study shows
- A new study finds migrant fishers’ deaths at sea stem from systemic labor and governance failures, not isolated safety lapses.
- Far from shore, captains control food, medical care and even how deaths are recorded, with little oversight or accountability.
- Researchers documented 55 cases of Indonesian fishers who died or went missing, showing deaths occur through both direct abuse and prolonged neglect.
- The authors call for stronger international cooperation, mandatory death reporting and supply chain transparency, arguing existing rules alone cannot prevent further fatalities

New study assesses geoengineering marine ecosystem risks, knowledge gaps
- A new review study examines the current research regarding the risks that various geoengineering approaches pose to marine ecosystems.
- The study looked particularly at a range of marine carbon dioxide removal (mCDR) methods, along with solar radiation modification (SRM) technologies, and found that some approaches carry fewer risks than others.
- Electrochemical ocean alkalinity enhancement and anoxic storage of terrestrial biomass in the deep ocean (utilizing crop waste, for example) carry fewer risks to marine ecosystems than some carbon dioxide removal methods, such as those that would add nutrients to seawater to promote major plankton growth.
- However, better models, increased field testing, and better geoengineering regulatory oversight are needed to fully assess potential geoengineering marine ecosystem impacts, especially if commercialization proceeds. Public fears over field testing also need to be allayed.

Fishers denounce plummeting fish stocks following Amazon hydroelectric dam
A hydroelectric dam impacting Brazil’s Amazonas and Rondônia states have slashed fished populations by as much as 90% in some locations, according to a new a study based on on-the-ground research in partnership with riverine communities. The 2008 construction of the Santo Antônio hydroelectric dam dramatically reduced the natural flow of the Madeira River, which […]
Farmers fear displacement, drought, flooding tied to Cambodia’s Funan Techo Canal
- The Cambodian government is set to begin construction of the Funan Techo Canal, a nearly $1.2 billion, 180-kilometer (112-mile) waterway navigation project that will cut across four provinces to connect the Mekong River to the sea.
- The primary rationale for building the canal is to reduce Cambodia’s shipping costs, as well as to generate jobs and economic development.
- Mongabay has followed this mega-project’s development for more than a year, speaking with more than 50 people living along the canal’s proposed route. Virtually everyone we spoke with noted that the government has provided very little information about the project, and amid the uncertainty, fear has taken root.
- In inland communities in the rich floodplains of the Mekong River, farmers we spoke with said they worried they’d lose their homes or land, and that construction would disrupt the annual months-long inundation of the wetlands they rely on for planting rice as well as for fishing, crabbing and raising livestock.

Sustainable fisheries can’t be built on exploited labor (commentary)
- The connection between human welfare and ocean conservation is direct and unavoidable, a new op-ed argues, because lawlessness toward people often goes hand in hand with lawlessness toward the ocean.
- Although there is an international legal framework governing crew welfare on fishing vessels at sea, these protections remain uneven, weakly enforced, or entirely absent for too many fishing crews, particularly migrant workers deployed on distant-water fleets.
- “We cannot reasonably expect crews to comply with complex fisheries regulations including logbooks, bycatch mitigation, finning bans, spatial closures and other requirements when they are overworked, underpaid, isolated and afraid,” the author writes.
- This post is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

‘Free for all’ — Dominican Republic withdraws trade protections, the latest blow to American eels’ future
- The Dominican Republic withdrew a proposal to regulate commercial trade of its American eels under CITES, an international wildlife trade treaty. Its decision came on the heels of a failed effort to end unsustainable trade in all freshwater eels at the November meeting of delegates from 184 nations and the European Union in Uzbekistan.
- Freshwater eels are in high demand as a culinary delicacy in East Asian cuisine, and juveniles are bought and sold both legally and on the black market for aquaculture. But illegal trade has soared in recent years.
- With unrelenting demand, European eels are now critically endangered. Their cousins, the American and Japanese eels, are endangered, with their numbers plummeting.
- Conservationists say the Dominican Republic’s failure to enact protections that would monitor trade is disappointing and further threatens the future of an imperiled species.

Trump opens only US marine national monument in Atlantic to fishing — again
- U.S. President Donald Trump issued a proclamation on Feb. 6 to open the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, a marine protected area off the northeastern U.S., to commercial fishing.
- Trump wrote that reopening the area will not endanger marine species and will help the fishing business, and industry groups praised the proclamation.
- Conservationists decried the move, saying the monument is a critical sanctuary for marine life and the food webs that serve the interest of the U.S. public.
- The Trump administration has also moved to deregulate the other U.S. marine national monuments, which are in the Pacific Ocean.

Cambodia’s canal mega-project threatens coastal communities and marine life
- The Cambodian government is set to begin construction of the Funan Techo Canal, a nearly $1.2 billion, 180-kilometer (112-mile) waterway navigation project that will cut across four provinces to connect the Mekong River to the sea.
- The primary rationale for building the canal is to reduce Cambodia’s shipping costs as well as to generate jobs and economic development.
- Mongabay has followed this mega-project’s development for more than a year, speaking with more than 50 people living along the canal’s proposed route. Virtually everyone we spoke with noted that the government has provided very little information about the project, and amid the uncertainty, fear has taken root.
- In coastal communities in Kep province, where the canal will meet the sea and a new port and deepwater shipping lanes will be built, fishers we spoke with said they worried they’d lose their homes and that construction would render their already meager fishing grounds barren and inaccessible.

Abandoned tuna-fishing devices pollute the Galápagos Marine Reserve
- The tuna industry commonly uses fish aggregating devices (FADs) to efficiently collect large volumes of fish; when these devices are lost or abandoned, they can harm marine wildlife and habitats.
- In Ecuador, lost FADs can drift into the Galápagos Marine Reserve, a protected area with hundreds of endemic and threatened species, where they pollute the environment with plastic, harm reefs and entangle wildlife.
- Local agencies and organizations are developing ways to prevent FADs from entering the marine reserve in the first place and trying to clean up the mess they make when they do get in.

Critical shark and ray habitats in Western Indian Ocean largely unprotected: Study
- Almost half of the Western Indian Ocean’s shark and ray populations are considered threatened with extinction, as populations decline.
- The Important Shark and Ray Areas (ISRAs) project has mapped out 125 areas across the Western Indian Ocean that are critical for the survival of many species.
- Yet only 7.1% of these ISRAs fall within existing marine protected areas, and just 1.2% are in fully protected areas where fishing is prohibited.
- Researchers identified challenges related to fishing pressure as the most significant threat to sharks and rays in the region.

Malaysia lost 20% of its coral reefs in three years
Malaysia’s coral reefs are shrinking at a pace that is hard to ignore. According to the latest national survey by Reef Check Malaysia, about one-fifth of the country’s coral cover has been lost since 2022, a decline compressed into just three years. What had been gradual erosion now looks more like a slide. The 2025 […]
Whale sharks released from nets along India’s coast as fishers turn rescuers
- Once hunted and butchered for oil and meat, whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) are now being rescued by fishers along India’s western Arabian Sea coast.
- Since 2001, the nonprofit Wildlife Trust of India has been educating fishing communities about whale sharks, training fishers in safe disentanglement techniques and offering compensation for destroyed nets.
- During that time, more than a thousand whale sharks have been released from accidental entanglement in fishing nets along India’s west coast.
- However, experts say the compensation for rescues remains insufficient and that social security, insurance, training and livelihood-linked incentives should be offered to protect the fishers who engage in whale shark rescues.

‘Holy river’ carries industrial waste & sewage from Nepal to India
- The Sirsiya River, once central to daily life, agriculture and religious rituals in southern Nepal, is now heavily polluted with industrial waste and sewage, turning it into a public health hazard.
- Factories in Nepal’s industrial corridor discharge untreated effluents as weak enforcement, ineffective regulation and unimplemented wastewater plans allow pollution to persist.
- Pollution flows into Raxaul, India, contaminating water and harming crops, while residents on other side of the border say Indian efforts to treat local sewage can’t offset the influx from Nepal.

Mauritania’s fishmeal fever ends as government tightens regulation
- Until recently, Mauritania was a major fishmeal producer, home to the world’s second-highest number of processing plants, with the boom driven largely by lax regulations and the rapid issuance of permits between 2007 and 2021.
- By 2021, more than half of Mauritania’s total pelagic fish catches were being used for fishmeal.
- That same year, however, the government began introducing stricter regulations and strengthening enforcement of rules governing the sector.
- Only eight fishmeal plants in Mauritania remain active as of September 2025, according to Mongabay’s estimates, and fishmeal production has fallen by more than half since its peak in 2020.

Cowboy boots made from pirarucu leather fund Amazon’s sustainable fishery
- Sustainable pirarucu fisheries in Brazil’s Amazonas are restoring once-depleted populations of this freshwater giant, thanks to community-led management systems and sales to brands overseas.
- Selling pirarucu skin to the fashion industry, especially for Texas-bound cowboy boots, is key to financing the fishery, helping maintain fair prices for fishers and cover part of the high costs of transport, storage and community monitoring.
- The system depends on heavy collective labor and constant protection against illegal fishing, with communities traveling long distances, patrolling lakes and facing armed threats — all while receiving limited recognition or policy support from authorities.

Azores must respect its exceptional network of marine protected areas (commentary)
- Just over a year ago, the Azores created the largest network of marine protected areas (MPAs) in the North Atlantic, becoming a beacon of hope and a global leader in ocean conservation.
- Then, in early 2025, a proposal to allow tuna fishing in “no-take” areas there was submitted to the Regional Assembly; this is currently under discussion and could come to a vote this week or next week.
- “Such a retreat from ocean protection would not only be a local tragedy but also a disheartening contribution to the global backpedaling on environmental political will,” a new op-ed argues.
- This post is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

Fish deformities expose ‘collapse’ of Xingu River’s pulse after construction of Belo Monte Dam
- Independent monitoring has found a high prevalence of deformities in fish in the Volta Grande do Xingu area of the Brazilian Amazon, following the construction of the massive Belo Monte dam.
- Potential factors could include changes in the river’s flood pulse, water pollution, higher water temperatures, and food scarcity, all linked to the reduced flow in this section of the Xingu since the dam began operating in 2016.
- Federal prosecutors are scrutinizing the dam’s impact, alongside independent researchers, and at the recent COP30 climate summit warned of “ecosystem collapse.”
- Both scientists and affected communities say the prescribed rate at which the dam operator is releasing water into the river is far too low to simulate its natural cycle, leaving the region’s flooded forests dry and exacerbating the effects of drought.

Fishing ‘modernization’ leaves Tanzania’s small-scale crews struggling to stay afloat
- Tanzania’s boat modernization program aims to empower small-scale fishers with affordable, government-distributed vessels, but has instead left many struggling with unreliable vessels and unsustainable loans.
- In Kilwa district, fishers say the boats they received were poorly equipped, costly to operate and prone to mechanical failure, forcing them to rent missing gear and spend more on fuel.
- Mounting repayment pressure is driving some fishers toward illegal or risky fishing practices, undermining the project’s goal of promoting sustainability.
- Experts warn that poor consultation, mismatched designs and a lack of community input threaten to turn Tanzania’s fisheries modernization plan into a long-term burden rather than a solution.

Amazon fishers help scientists map dam harms to Madeira River stocks
- Having fishers as protagonists, a recent study disclosed unanswered details about the Amazon communities and fish species most affected by two Madeira River dams.
- The dams limited the natural flow of the Madeira, disrupting the currents that fish need and causing up to a 90% reduction in stocks in some locations; species like pirarucu and tambaqui have largely disappeared from traditional fishing communities.
- The research serves as evidence to support the decade-long legal battle by fishers in Humaitá who are seeking compensation for losses caused by power plants.

Top ocean news stories of 2025 (commentary)
- Marking the midway point in the U.N. Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, 2025 was a key year for the ocean.
- The past 12 months brought landslide multilateral wins for ocean policy, unprecedented ocean financial commitments, and increasing momentum to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030.
- Here, marine scientists, policy experts and a communications expert lay out the key ocean stories from the past year.
- This post is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily Mongabay.

Mongabay shark meat investigation wins national journalism award in Brazil
- A Mongabay investigation that revealed Brazilian state-run institutions bulk-buying shark meat for public schools, hospitals and prisons won second place in the ARI/Banrisul Journalism Award, one of Brazil’s most prestigious journalism prizes.
- In collaboration with the Pulitzer Center, Mongabay revealed how authorities had issued 1,012 public tenders since 2004 for the procurement of more than 5,400 metric tons of shark meat, raising environmental and public health concerns.
- In a statement, the Rio Grande do Sul Press Association (ARI) said the award “recognized the talents” in professional and university categories amid a record number of entries, up 40% from the 2024 edition.
- Following the revelations, the investigation sparked several impacts, from a call for a public hearing in Brazil’s lower house of Congress, a citation in a lawsuit to ban shark meat from federal procurements, to an industry debate questioning the harms of shark meat consumption.

Mekong sand mining risks collapse of SE Asia’s largest freshwater lake, study finds
- Surging demand for sand used in construction projects poses an existential threat to Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake, new research indicates.
- The seasonal expansion and contraction of Cambodia’s Tonle Sap Lake is often referred to as the Mekong River’s “heartbeat” due to its fundamental role in sustaining ecosystems and human lives across the region.
- Sand mining in the Mekong River, particularly in Cambodia and Vietnam, has deepened the river channel, effectively halving wet season flows into Tonle Sap Lake between 1998 and 2018, the study found.
- The stark findings underscore the severity of sand mining impacts, adding urgency to calls for improved and coordinated river governance throughout the Mekong Basin.

In Nepal, the world’s smallest otter continues to elude researchers
- The Asian small-clawed otter was rediscovered in Nepal in 2024 after 185 years. Since then, however, it’s gone dark again, with no more confirmed sightings.
- Identifying the animal remains challenging due to its small size, dietary overlap with other carnivores, and resemblance to common species such as the crab-eating mongoose.
- Funding and logistical constraints impede targeted surveys, as conservation priorities in Nepal focus mainly on larger, charismatic species such as tigers and rhinos.
- Despite this, conservationists are already planning measures to reduce potential threats to the animal by including it into the national otter conservation action plan.

A flood of logs post-Cyclone Senyar leaves Padang fishers out of work
- Flash floods in late November swept timber and mud from upstream forests into coastal waters around Padang, blocking access to the sea and cutting off the livelihoods of hundreds of fishers.
- Fishers say massive floating logs have damaged boats and halted daily incomes, forcing many families to rely on credit to meet basic needs.
- Marine scientists warn that suspended sediment and decaying timber threaten coastal ecosystems by blocking sunlight, disrupting food chains and degrading water quality.
- Environmental groups link the disaster to illegal logging and weak forest governance upstream, calling for stronger law enforcement, national disaster status and urgent government action.

The lab-in-a-backpack busting illegal shark fins: Interview with Diego Cardeñosa
- Diego Cardeñosa chose lab-based DNA research over fieldwork during his Ph.D. on sharks, betting it could deliver greater conservation impact despite being less glamorous.
- He developed a portable, rapid DNA test — like the kits used during the COVID-19 pandemic — that allows inspectors to identify shark species from fins on the spot, solving a key bottleneck that let illegal shipments slip through.
- The tool has evolved from identifying a handful of protected species to distinguishing among more than 80 sharks and rays in a single test.
- Now deployed across multiple countries, the relatively low-cost kit is expanding through grant support, with plans to adapt the technology to other trafficked wildlife beyond sharks.

Earth’s freshwater fish face harsh new climate challenges, researchers warn
- Climate change is rapidly altering freshwater ecosystems — raising temperatures, altering flood pulses and oxygen levels — and driving complex, region-specific changes in how fish grow, migrate and survive.
- Long-term U.S. data show sharp declines in cold-water fish as streams and lakes warm, while warm-water species gain only slightly. Some cold-adapted species are now disappearing as deep waters cease being a cold refuge.
- From Africa to the Arctic, impacts are emerging, including stronger lake stratification, declining fisheries and rivers turning orange as thawing permafrost releases toxic metals. Declining freshwater fisheries increasingly put food security at risk, especially affecting diets and health in traditional and Indigenous communities.
- Scientists say management and conservation techniques rooted in past conditions no longer work. New approaches must anticipate shifting baselines as climate change rapidly accelerates.

Pacific fisheries summit gives a boost to albacore & seabirds
- The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), a multilateral body that sets fishing rules for an area that covers nearly 20% of the planet, held its annual meeting Dec. 1-5 in Manila, the Philippines.
- The parties adopted a harvest strategy for South Pacific albacore (Thunnus alalunga) that will set near-automatic catch limits based on scientific advice, considered a best practice in fisheries management. Conservationists celebrated the move.
- The parties also adopted a measure that aims to keep seabirds from drowning on industrial fishing lines.
- They didn’t adopt any new rules on the ship-to-ship transfer of fish and other goods at sea, a practice known as transshipment that’s been linked to illegal fishing and other illicit activity.

Brazilian government serves shark to infants, prisoners and more: How Mongabay broke the story
Mongabay senior editor Philip Jacobson joins Mongabay’s podcast to discuss a two-part investigation published this year in collaboration with the Pulitzer Center about how state governments in Brazil have been procuring shark meat — which is high in mercury and arsenic — served to potentially millions of schoolchildren and thousands of public institutions. With Mongabay’s […]
Artisanal fishers in Liberia question benefits of new tracking devices from government
- The Liberian government earlier this year distributed 400 automatic identification system (AIS) transponders to small-scale fishers in the counties of Grand Cape Mount, Grand Bassa, Margibi and Montserrado.
- The devices transmit a vessel’s position and speed via radio signals, and Liberian authorities say they hope it will help in speeding up responses to vessels that are in distress.
- However, many small-scale fishers appear reluctant to adopt the new device, with some saying they would prefer GPS-equipped devices that let them track their own location.
- The Liberia Artisanal Fishermen Association (LAFA), an advocacy group, blames the low adoption rate on the inadequate involvement of fishers during the design and rollout of the project.

Study finds more ‘laggards’ than ‘leaders’ among high seas fisheries managers
- A new paper suggests that regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) haven’t done a very good job setting up systems to conserve fish stocks and broader ecosystems.
- The paper questions RFMOs’ readiness for a coming new era of marine governance, with the high seas treaty set to take effect in January.
- The authors rated 16 RFMOs based on 100 management-related questions, such as “Are there consequences for violations of conservation measures …?” and used the answers to help identify “leaders” and “laggards.” The average rating was 45.5 out of 100.
- They also determined that on average, more than half of RFMOs’ target stocks are overexploited or collapsed, reinforcing previous research.

As fish catches fall and seas rise, Douala’s residents join efforts to restore mangroves
- Cameroon’s coastal fisheries are in decline, leaving fishers with dwindling catches — a crisis linked directly to the depletion of the country’s mangroves, experts say, which are breeding grounds for fish.
- The expansion of urban settlements, conversion of coastal land for agriculture, and sand extraction drives mangrove loss in Cameroon; another key driver is the use of mangrove wood for smoking fish.
- The Cameroon government and NGOs have set themselves an ambitious goal of restoring 1,000 hectares (nearly 2,500 acres) of mangrove forests by 2050.
- A key strategy involves engaging local communities in the replanting process and providing alternative livelihoods, such as urban farming and beekeeping, to reduce dependence on mangrove wood.

With a target on their bellies, can California’s sturgeon survive?
- California’s green sturgeon and white sturgeon face numerous threats from dams, harmful algal blooms and overfishing.
- White sturgeon are highly prized for their eggs, which are made into caviar.
- Their numbers have dropped so precipitously that they’re now being considered for protection under the California Endangered Species Act.
- The state banned commercial sturgeon fishing in 1954, but the amount of poaching and caviar trafficking is unknown, and there have been cases linked to criminal networks involved in other illegal activities.

‘Myopic’ fisheries managers toy with a new ‘tragedy of the commons’ (commentary)
- There are many examples of “tragedies of the commons,” whether in the atmosphere as a result of carbon dioxide pollution, or in the oceans because of marine plastics. But arguably the largest in the world is caused by overfishing, a new op-ed argues.
- The general absence of effective fisheries regulations that ensure the conservation of healthy fish populations endangers whole oceans and the billions of people who depend upon fish for their livelihoods.
- “Currently, fisheries ministers are myopically obsessed with the pain the industry always claims it would suffer next year if the right conservation policies were adopted. They should look instead at how long we have been getting it wrong, and how quickly things could be turned round,” a new op-ed argues.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

New underwater acoustic camera identifies individual fish sounds, helping track threatened species
- More than 35,000 species of fish are believed to make sounds, but less than 3 percent of species have been recorded.
- A new audio and visual recording device allowed scientists to identify the most extensive collection of fish sounds ever documented under natural conditions.
- Labeling the unique sounds of fish will allow conservationists to better track the behaviors, locations, and populations of threatened fish species.

South Africa withdraws abalone listing even as illegal trade threatens species
- Ahead of the recent CITES summit to hash out wildlife trade regulations, South Africa was expected to table a proposal that would have tightened the legal trade in South African abalone, a shellfish in high demand in East Asia.
- The proposal was aimed at protecting an endangered species that’s been severely depleted by a massive illegal trade driven largely by organized crime.
- However, the South African delegation withdrew the proposal at the last minute, amid ongoing tensions in the country between conservationists, abalone farmers and coastal communities dependent on income from the illegal trade.
- A recent report by wildlife trade NGO TRAFFIC calls for coordinated international action to curb the illegal trade, including a CITES listing.

Healthy oceans are a human right (commentary)
- In 2022, the United Nations affirmed the basic human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.
- The idea is straightforward: people’s fundamental human rights to health, food, security and even life rely on a healthy environment.
- But we are still far from ensuring that these rights are protected for the coastal communities living with the consequences of ocean decline every day, a new op-ed argues.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

Behind Sri Lanka’s ‘fish rain’ lies a web of migrations now blocked by rising dams
- Sri Lanka recently reported a “fish rain,” where fish were found far from water bodies after heavy rains; but rather than falling from the sky, experts say these were amphibious fish that “walked” overland after the rains, making a rare but real phenomenon appear mysterious.
- Events like this highlight the subtle yet vital migrations that many freshwater species undertake — from overland movements by climbing perch and snakeheads, to upstream monsoon breeding runs by small fishes, to the epic sea-to-river-to-sea journeys of eels navigating rocks, dams and reservoirs.
- Such migrations are ecological lifelines, linking wetlands, rivers and coastlines, enriching ecosystems (as with salmon), and ensuring the survival and reproduction of a wide range of freshwater species.
- But in Sri Lanka, a growing network of dams, mini-hydro barriers and irrigation weirs is fragmenting rivers and blocking these ancient routes; despite fish ladders being proposed by dam developers, they’re rarely built, leaving many species unable to complete migrations essential for their survival.

45 more shark species up for CITES protections; tight vote expected
- Twenty-nine houndsharks and 16 gulper sharks are up for listing on CITES Appendix II at the wildlife trade regulator’s summit in Uzbekistan this week.
- Conservationists expect the vote to be close, with critics saying “lookalike” species shouldn’t face trade restrictions. Proponents argue it’s necessary given the lack of knowledge among customs officials.
- Houndsharks are widely consumed for their meat in Europe and Australia, while gulpers are hunted for their liver oil.

The roughed-up roughy fish (cartoon)
The orange roughy may be among the oldest living deep-sea fish in the world, with a lifespan of up to 250 years. But bottom trawling practices in Australia and New Zealand might have already decimated their slow-breeding populations beyond recovery.
Toxic runoff from politically linked gold mine poisons Cambodian rivers, communities
- Communities along Cambodia’s O’Ta Bouk River are experiencing severe water contamination, skin ailments and the collapse of fish stocks, which they blame on an unregulated gold mine operating upstream inside Virachey National Park.
- Satellite imagery analysis shows more than 2,400 mining sites across Mekong river basins — including alluvial and heap-leach gold mines — whose toxic runoff threatens rivers, floodplains, farmland, wildlife and millions of downstream residents.
- Communities downstream of the gold mine told Mongabay that authorities have failed to act on the problem, despite multiple indicators suggesting the pollution of the river is linked to mining activity.
- Documents show that a company linked to tycoon Try Pheap controlled the mining area at the time when communities reported pollution that’s left them fearful for their health, livelihoods and food security.

For sharks on the brink of extinction, CITES Appendix II isn’t protective enough (commentary)
- Listing shark species under CITES Appendix II, which allows for well-monitored sustainable trade, has helped to save some sharks from extinction. But some species are so threatened that they need to be listed on Appendix I, which bans all trade.
- New research has revealed that many fins belonging to sharks protected by Appendix II are still being sold in large numbers in Hong Kong, one of the biggest markets, supporting the need for action on Appendix I listings for some species at the CITES COP20 meeting that commences next week in the Uzbek city of Samarkand.
- “Governments meeting at COP20 in Uzbekistan should follow the science, support these proposals, and help save these sharks and rays from the brink of extinction. It’s the only way to give these species a fighting chance at survival,” a new op-ed argues.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

Study finds important Nassau grouper spawning site in Belize near collapse
- The Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus), a large-bodied top predator, was once the most abundant and commercially important fish in the Caribbean.
- Each winter, the groupers gather en masse at special places to breed, but many of these so-called fish spawning aggregation sites have been dwindling or succumbing entirely to overfishing.
- A new study looked at an important spawning site at Northeast Point on Glover’s Reef Atoll in Belize and found that the number of Nassau groupers attending the annual gathering declined by 85% over the past two decades and is now “on a trajectory towards local extirpation.”
- It attributes the decline to the government’s limited capacity to enforce regulations aimed at protecting the groupers from fishing at the remote site.

Trade in marine fish for aquariums includes threatened species, lacks oversight: Study
- A new study of major U.S.-based online retailers of marine fish bound for aquariums found that nearly 90% of traded species are sourced exclusively from the wild, including a number of threatened species, and that the trade is poorly tracked.
- The study raises concerns about the ecological impact of the trade on marine ecosystems, including around coral reefs, in countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines, where the fish are caught.
- Experts called for more work to develop sustainable fisheries and aquaculture in coastal communities in the Global South, and for building consumer awareness and establishing eco-certification schemes.

Study maps whale shark stranding hotspots in Indonesia, highlights conservation needs
- A new study has identified whale shark stranding hotspots in Indonesia and linked them to seasonal ocean conditions, offering scientists a clearer picture of when and where risks are highest.
- The researchers found that most strandings involved juveniles and often occurred during upwelling seasons; they highlighted that human pressures such as fishing gear, ship traffic and pollution may further increase the danger.
- The study calls for stronger rescue networks, better community training, and international cooperation to improve survival rates and protect these migratory animals across the region.

Pakistan declares its third marine protected area, but has a long way to go
- In September, Pakistan declared its third marine protected area, around Miani Hor Lagoon on the country’s central coast.
- The biodiversity-rich lagoon hosts a lush mangrove forest, numerous bird species and threatened marine mammals.
- Conservationists welcomed the new marine protected area as a baby step toward meeting the country’s so-called 30×30 commitment to protect 30% of its land and sea by 2030. However, the new addition puts Pakistan’s total protected marine area at just 0.23% of its marine and coastal jurisdiction.
- The scope of protections for the new protected area remains to be determined. Local people expressed concern that restrictions could upend the livelihoods of the local community, which depends on the lagoon and mangroves and already lacks basic necessities.

Are Belize’s fisheries policies delivering?
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. Belize has built an enviable brand as a small country taking on a big problem: how to keep the sea alive while sustaining the people who depend on it. The story sells well. A 2021 debt-for-nature “blue bond” […]
Photos: Drones help First Nations track down cold-water havens for salmon amid warming
- Indigenous fisheries association and river guardians, representing several Mi’kmaq nations in eastern Canada, have launched a drone-based thermal-mapping campaign to locate and protect cold-water refuges vital for threatened Atlantic salmon.
- Warming temperatures are pushing the Atlantic salmon beyond their ideal thermal tolerance, compounding existing pressures on the species, such as overfishing.
- Warming waters and declining river flows during droughts are impacting both the fisheries and the cultural lifeblood of Mi’kmaq society.
- Indigenous river guardians hope the project will pre-emptively shield cool-water habitats before key spawning and migration corridors become unviable.

Embrace ‘blue’ foods as a climate strategy at COP30, fisheries ministers say (commentary)
- The “blue” or aquatic foods sector is often overlooked as a climate strategy, despite its potential to help meet demand for protein with a smaller environmental footprint, fisheries ministers from Brazil and Portugal argue in a new op-ed at Mongabay.
- Many blue foods generate minimal carbon emissions and use modest amounts of feed, land and freshwater, and their increased consumption could cut annual global CO₂ emissions by a gigaton or more.
- “Brazil and Portugal stand ready to champion global efforts to harness and safeguard blue foods for climate mitigation and adaptation strategies, generating multiple benefits across sustainable development goals. We call on more countries to implement measures across the blue food sector that strengthen food security and climate strategies at COP30 and beyond,” the authors write.
- This post is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily of Mongabay.

Researchers define the importance of the ‘circular seabird economy’
In a review article published in Nature Reviews Biodiversity, researchers have introduced a new term to describe the importance of seabirds across land and marine ecosystems: the circular seabird economy. Although seabirds spend most of their lives at sea, they return to land to breed, often forming colonies of thousands of individuals. This influx of […]
Healthy rivers, healthy people: A Brazil project links human & ecosystem well-being
- A night fishing trip 30 years ago showed Brazilian public health doctor Apolo Heringer the meaning of health: a clean river full of fish — a notion that inspired the Manuelzão Project to restore the Velhas River Basin in southeastern Brazil.
- The basin includes Belo Horizonte Metropolitan Region (BHMR), capital of Minas Gerais, the third-largest metropolitan region in Brazil and home to approximately 5.7 million people in 34 cities; here, the combination of high population density, inadequate urban planning and lack of infrastructure has damaged the rivers that cross the region.
- After sewage treatment plants began operating in the area, fish started returning to the waters; the dorado (Salminus franciscanus) was chosen as an indicator of good water quality since it needs a lot of oxygen to survive and polluted waters have low oxygen levels.
- Connections between the river, its health and people’s understanding are crucial to the Manuelzão Project and its goals for collective health.

Scientists call for stronger action to save Indonesia’s vanishing seagrass meadows
- Marine experts at the Indonesian Seagrass Symposium in Bali warned that seagrass ecosystems — vital for carbon storage, biodiversity and coastal protection — remain largely overlooked in national policy and conservation efforts.
- Seagrass coverage in Indonesia has fallen from around 30,000 km2 in 1994 to about 8,000 km2 today, with losses driven by pollution, mining, coastal development and sedimentation that reduces water clarity and habitat quality.
- Indonesia holds some of the world’s most extensive remaining seagrass meadows, estimated to store more than 30 million metric tons of CO2, making their protection crucial for both national and global climate goals.
- Scientists and conservation leaders urged stronger data collection, funding and institutional capacity to support restoration, monitoring and community participation, positioning Indonesia as a potential leader in seagrass conservation.

Thai agri giant CPF sues activist over claims linking it to invasive fish outbreak
- The head of a Thai NGO focused on agricultural monitoring and food sovereignty is being sued by agribusiness giant Charoen Pokphand Foods (CPF) for alleging the firm is linked to the outbreak of an invasive fish species in Thailand’s waterways.
- The lawsuit has been slammed as a SLAPP (strategic lawsuit against public participation) and a tactic to divert attention away from containing the outbreak and identifying the source and parties responsible.
- The blackchin tilapia has spread to at least 19 provinces, where it outcompetes wild and commercially viable aquatic species, disturbing ecosystems and devastating farmers’ livelihoods.
- The case comes as Thailand awaits public hearing of new anti-SLAPP regulations aimed at curbing judicial harassment.

Chaos on Cambodia’s Coast
Along Cambodia’s rapidly transforming coastline, illegal trawling, elite-backed development, and weak enforcement are driving marine ecosystems and fishing communities to the brink. This 2024 series investigates the institutional breakdown behind the country’s marine crisis, from ineffective patrols in protected areas to billion-dollar land deals displacing small-scale fishers. It examines the competing interests reshaping Cambodia’s coast, […]
Belize’s blue reputation vs. reef reality: Marine conservation wins, and what’s missing (commentary)
- For over a year, journalists from Mongabay and Mongabay Latam have been digging into issues related to the Mesoamerican Reef, the Western Hemisphere’s largest barrier reef system, which runs from Mexico’s Yucatán through Belize and Guatemala to Honduras.
- As part of that effort, which involves exploring both problems and solutions, Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler spoke to experts and reviewed many reports, scientific papers, and stories.
- With its early leadership and significant funding, Belize has emerged as a linchpin in Mesoamerican Reef conservation and fisheries management. This summary brings together what various experts have said—highlighting gaps, issues, and actionable recommendations as they relate to Belize.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

Night dives reveal hidden alliances between young fish and larval anemones
- A new study, drawing on nighttime underwater photography, documented previously unknown “symbiotic associations” between juvenile fish and larval anemones, with some fish staying close to the anemones, and others carrying them around.
- The study suggests the fish may gain protection from predators by associating with the toxic anemones, while the anemones could benefit from being transported by the fish to new parts of the ocean.
- An outside expert also proposed that anemones might receive additional benefits, such as nutrients from the fish’s excretions or from food scraps left behind.
- All of the experts emphasized that more research is needed to fully understand the dynamics of these relationships.

UK fish stocks in trouble as catch limits exceed scientific advice: Report
Nearly half of the United Kingdom’s most commercially valuable fish populations are either overexploited, critically low or both, according to a new report warning that the government continues to set catch limits above scientific advice. The report, “Deep Decline,” by conservation nonprofit Oceana UK, found that 17 of 105 U.K. fish stocks are both overfished […]
Global conservation body takes first step to protect ocean’s twilight zone
- Delegates at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi voted to adopt a motion urging precautionary measures to protect the ocean’s mesopelagic zone.
- The nonbinding motion calls for prospective activities such as fishing in the mesopelagic zone, deep-sea mining and geoengineering to be guided by the best available science and approached with caution.
- Both conservationists and industry representatives expressed support for the motion, highlighting the mesopelagic zone’s ecological importance and potential as a sustainable resource.

Why is protecting this Honduran lagoon so dangerous?
LAGUNA DE LOS MICOS, Honduras — Tension swirls around the Laguna de los Micos in northern Honduras, which is a critical marine ecosystem surrounded by mangroves and serving as a home and nursery for many species of coral reef fish. The communities living around the lagoon have voluntarily agreed to suspend fishing for two months […]
Ghost nets entangling turtles, marine life in Sri Lanka’s waters
In Sri Lankan waters, there’s a growing problem of ghost nets that are entangling sea turtles, fish, dolphins and seabirds, reports contributor Malaka Rodrigo for Mongabay. “Ghost nets” are fishing gear that have either been abandoned, lost or discarded into the sea. As these drift with the ocean currents, they continue to trap marine animals […]
Negro River study finds genetic damage in fish after oil spill
- Scientists assessed harmful effects on Amazonian fish after a barge capsized in 2013 with approximately 60,000 liters of petroleum asphalt cement in Manaus.
- Although the concentration of the contaminant decreased with rising water levels, the fish continued to exhibit effects of exposure three months after the accident, including DNA damage and neurotoxicity.
- The Negro River’s waters are rich in dissolved organic matter, which may increase the toxicity of the chemical compound.
- This research adds to other studies that attest to the harmful effects of oil on vertebrates, aquatic insects and plants in the Amazon, given the pressure for greater exploration in the region.

South African sharks threatened by fisheries, weak enforcement
- The only permit holder in South Africa’s demersal shark longline fishery has been reported breaching permit regulations, raising questions about the sustainability of the fishery.
- The fishery targets critically endangered and endangered shark species with no catch limits in place to prevent overfishing.
- Target species are already depleted, according to scientific assessments, while little is known about bycatch of other protected and endangered species.

Mining the deep-sea could further threaten endangered sharks and rays
- A new study indicates that deep-sea mining could threaten at least 30 species of sharks, rays and chimaeras, many of which are already at risk of extinction.
- The authors found that seabed sediment plumes and midwater discharges of wastewater from mining activities could cause a range of impacts on shark, ray and chimaera species, including, but not limited to, disruptions to breeding and foraging, alterations in vertical migration, and exposure to metal contamination.
- The authors recommend precautionary measures, including improved baseline monitoring, the development of protected zones, and discharging wastewater below below 2,000 m (about 6,600 ft).
- With companies planning to begin deep-sea mining in international waters as early as 2027, the authors say more research is urgently needed to understand the full ecological impact of this emerging industry on biodiversity.

20 animal species on the road to recovery: IUCN Red List update
From three species of Arctic seals to more than half of all birds globally, several animals have slipped closer to extinction, according to the latest update of the IUCN Red List. However, 20 species have seen a positive change in their status: they’ve moved farther away from the threat of extinction, thanks to effective conservation […]
Losing Nemo: In the Red Sea, clownfish vanish as anemones bleach
- A 2023 marine heat wave in the central Red Sea caused 100% of monitored sea anemones to bleach, followed by the death of 94-100% of clownfish and 66-94% of the anemones across three surveyed reefs.
- The findings challenge the belief that Red Sea marine life, already adapted to naturally hot water, would be protected from climate change, showing instead that rising temperatures are pushing even these heat-adapted organisms past their survival limits
- While six other Indo-Pacific regions experienced similar bleaching events with anemone deaths below 3%, the Red Sea’s 78% mortality rate reveals that 22 degree heating weeks marks a critical breaking point where these ancient partnerships fall apart.
- Researchers are calling for more monitoring of anemones worldwide while Saudi Arabia responds with expanded conservation efforts, including the world’s largest coral nursery and experimental probiotics to help reef organisms survive heat stress.

First oarfish sighting in Sri Lanka highlights citizen science in marine protection
- Scientists have documented the first-ever record of an oarfish (Regalecus russellii) in Sri Lanka, a 2.6-meter (8.5-foot) specimen caught off the country’s western coast.
- The find expands the known distribution of oarfish into the Indian Ocean, offering a new baseline for studying this rarely seen deep-sea species.
- Meanwhile, another oarfish was recorded in India’s Tamil Nadu this year, while within 20 days, three oarfish have been recorded from Australia and New Zealand, puzzling naturalists.
- The importance of promoting citizen science and raising awareness among fishers is needed.

Global treaty to end subsidies for destructive fishing takes effect
A landmark global treaty to curb billions of dollars in government subsidies for overfishing took effect on Sept. 15, Mongabay contributor Elizabeth Fitt reported. The agreement marks the first time the World Trade Organization (WTO) has approved an environmental sustainability agreement in its 30-year history. The deal came into effect after Brazil, Kenya, Tonga and […]
Cameroon inaugurates controversial dam despite local dissent
- The inauguration of Cameroon’s Nachtigal dam has boosted the country’s electricity supply.
- The dam’s construction has also led to loss of livelihoods for fishers and sand miners on the Sanaga River around the dam site.
- In 2022, these workers received compensation from the dam, but as the full dimensions of their losses emerge, they say this was inadequate.

Will California’s marine mammal conservation success come undone?
- With protection, many of California’s marine mammals — including whales, sea lions and seals — have made remarkable recoveries over the last half-century since bipartisan passage of the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act.
- However, climate-linked changes have now pushed the gray whale population into a state of collapse.
- Despite comebacks, marine mammals face a plethora of threats from pathogens, pollutants — including oil and plastic — disappearing food and more.
- In California, people and institutions are fighting for marine mammals and ocean biodiversity, but federal protections could be substantially weakened if proposed amendments to the Act move ahead.

A protected mangrove forest stands strong as Metro Manila’s last coastal frontier
- A Ramsar site described as the Philippine capital region’s last remaining functional wetland, Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park is a vital sanctuary for more than 160 local and migratory birds.
- The wetland also serves as a haven for fish reproduction, bolstering regional fisheries, and serves as a buffer zone during storms.
- In March, the agency responsible for overseeing investments in large-scale reclamation projects put out a call for “lease or joint venture” proposals for the site.
- After facing public backlash, the agency quietly deleted the call, saying it is aware of the site’s ecological importance and does not plan reclamation projects within the park.

Africa’s largest freshwater lake could be site of Kenya’s nuclear power plant
- The proposal to build a 1,000-MW nuclear power plant on Kenya’s southeastern coast has faced strong opposition from residents and environmental experts, who warn of potential harm to communities, fisheries and the environment.
- Government agencies are now holding consultations at another prospective location on the other side of the country, near Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest freshwater lake.
- Kenya’s energy needs today are met mostly from low-carbon sources, and the country is on track to achieve universal energy access by 2030, but authorities say nuclear power is needed to meet future development goals.
- Some experts, however, warn about the high costs, delays, and long-term environmental risks associated with nuclear power projects.

Philippines protects coral hotspot
The Philippines recently protected 61,204-hectares (151,200-acres) of the seas around Panaon Island, home to some of the healthiest and most climate-resilient coral reefs in the world. The waters are also rich in fish and host several threatened species such as the endangered whale shark (Rhincodon typus), the critically endangered hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), the endangered […]
Indonesia eyes seagrass zoning for blue carbon; experts urge community benefits
- Indonesia is moving to designate 17 seagrass habitats as national strategic areas for blue carbon, a plan that promises climate and community benefits but raises concerns over safeguards.
- The fisheries ministry says the zoning will help cut emissions, protect marine ecosystems and boost coastal livelihoods, with seagrass storing carbon far more effectively than rainforests.
- Experts welcome the initiative but warn it must avoid privatization, ensure fair benefit-sharing and guarantee transparent governance to prevent conflicts and elite capture.
- With Indonesia holding 11.5% of the world’s seagrass meadows, scientists stress the urgency of protection as the ecosystems vanish globally at alarming rates.

Illegal fishing threatens unique marine ecosystem in Peru
- Park rangers who patrol Illescas National Reserve often confront fishers who use chinchorros, a type of fishing net that is banned in Peru.
- The reserve is designated solely as a terrestrial protected area, which often limits the park rangers’ ability to act, as the marine area is outside their jurisdiction.
- Conservationists warn of the urgent need to safeguard this important marine area and its rich biodiversity.

Hope for the iconic Yangtze sturgeon (cartoon)
After losing two of the Yangtze River’s native wildlife icons — the baiji (a river dolphin) and the Chinese paddlefish — to dams and overfishing, and almost losing the Yangtze sturgeon, China seems to be taking measures to correct the course. The demolition of dams along the Chishui He, a major tributary of the Yangtze River, […]
Study spotlights West Papua habitat as whale sharks face increased pressures
- A new study shows the Bird’s Head Seascape in West Papua is a crucial nursery for juvenile whale sharks, where most sightings involved young males feeding around fishing platforms.
- Researchers documented 268 individuals over 13 years, with more than half showing injuries tied to human activity, raising concerns about fisheries, tourism and emerging mining pressures.
- Scientists warn that protecting these habitats with stricter rules and better management is essential for the survival and recovery of the endangered species.

Long-lost white shark tag traces remarkable journey from South Africa to SE Asia
- The discovery of a satellite tag from a subadult female white shark in Indonesia marks the first recorded connectivity of white shark movement between South Africa and Southeast Asia.
- The white sharks found in South Africa and Australia belong to different genetic pools, which makes the two populations distinct from one another, even though they share the same migratory route.
- The biggest threats facing white sharks in South Africa and Indonesia are unsustainable fishing, where the sharks become both the bycatch and main catch.
- While there are attempts to support local fishers to pioneer shark conservation instead of hunting them, such efforts are thwarted by lack of funding.

How we probed a maze of websites to tally Brazilian government shark meat orders
- A recent Mongabay investigation found widespread government purchases of shark meat in Brazil to serve in thousands of public institutions.
- The series has generated public debate, with a lawmaker calling for a parliamentary hearing to discuss the findings.
- Here, Mongabay’s Philip Jacobson and the Pulitzer Center’s Kuang Keng Kuek Ser explain how we built a database of shark meat procurements.

From Chile to Greece, ‘ghost gear’ from fish farms haunts the seas
- Studies and NGOs have documented lost or abandoned gear from open-net aquaculture operations in coastal areas across cold and temperate latitudes, where fish farming in the sea expanded rapidly in the 1980s and ’90s.
- In Chile, Greece and Canada, for example, observers have reported finding disused buoys, sections of rusting platforms, expanded polystyrene, net cages and other debris washed up on shorelines, or sunk in the water.
- Guidelines published by the Global Ghost Gear Initiative (GGGI), a worldwide alliance of groups seeking solutions to fishing gear pollution, say neglected or mismanaged aquaculture gear can disperse in the environment and break down into debris of various sizes, posing risks such as entrapping marine life, damaging habitats or contributing to microplastic pollution.
- Some industry groups say current regulations and practices suffice to prevent ongoing pollution and they are working to resolve legacy contamination.

Indigenous fishers lead science-backed conservation of Colombia’s wetlands
- A community-based monitoring project is helping protect the rich diversity of freshwater fish species in the Ramsar-listed wetlands in the Colombian Amazon.
- By combining ancestral knowledge with scientific tools, Indigenous Amazonian leaders say their communities are strengthening their connection to their territory.
- Community monitoring and training efforts have helped inform fishing regulations to better protect ecosystems and ensure the sustainability of local populations’ livelihoods.

Mongabay shark investigation cited in motion to ban Brazil fin exports
Brazil’s top environment council cited a recent Mongabay investigation as it weighed a ban on shark fin exports and the use of wire leaders, a type of industrial fishing gear, within marine protected areas, Mongabay staff writer Karla Mendes reported. Brazil’s National Environmental Council, known as CONAMA, voted in favor of recommending a ban for […]
EV trial among Bali east coast fishers shows promise amid headwinds
- A social enterprise initiative to equip traditional fishing boats in east Bali with battery-powered engines has shown some encouraging responses among the trial cohort.
- More than 90% of the world’s 40 million fishers are small-scale operations working from small boats, which policymakers say are better suited to adopt electric vehicles compared with larger vessels.
- Azura Indonesia, the company manufacturing electric maritime engines, hopes new charging infrastructure will help overcome commonly cited challenges, including the need for inexpensive, frequent charging required by traditional fishers.
- The electric vehicle trial in Kusamba village was conducted under the Bali Net Zero Emissions Coalition’s energy transition work on the island of 4.5 million.

São Tomé and Príncipe commits to creating a marine protected area network
- São Tomé and Príncipe will establish eight marine protected areas (MPAs) covering 93 square kilometers (36 square miles) of coastal habitats in the Gulf of Guinea.
- The island nation aims to protect its marine environment while improving the lives of fishing communities, who rely heavily on fish for protein.
- Current challenges include the decline of pelagic fish stocks and loss of biodiversity due to indiscriminate fishing practices and climate change.
- The law designating the MPAs is expected to be enacted in September.

Pet sharks have become cool, but is owning them ethical?
- Owning a shark and keeping it in a home aquarium has become cool — and it’s no longer just the province of tech bros and celebrities.
- But experts note that most home aquariums are inadequate and can lead to stunted growth, deformities and early death.
- Yet sharks are often easy to buy, with some selling for as little as $90 online; zebra sharks (Stegostoma tigrinum), which are endangered, go for around $6,000.

24 years on, part one of WTO treaty curbing fisheries subsidies takes effect
- The first part of the WTO’s treaty banning harmful fisheries subsidies, known as Fish One, entered into force Sept. 15 after more than two decades of negotiation and three years of ratification.
- It bans subsidies for IUU fishing and exploitation of overfished stocks while requiring parties to the treaty to disclose detailed data on fleets, catches and subsidy programs.
- Yet it allows certain subsidies to persist; for instance, for fishers targeting unassessed fish stocks or “managed” overfished stocks.
- The treaty will lapse in four years if no follow-up “Fish Two” deal can be reached, but negotiations remain stalled.

Countries shorten tuna fishing closure at Pacific summit with few conservation ‘wins’
- The Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC), a multilateral body that manages tuna and other fish stocks in the Eastern Pacific, held its annual meeting Sept. 1-5 in Panama.
- Commission members agreed to shorten an annual fishing closure from 72 days to 64 days, which was in keeping with recommendations from the IATTC’s scientific committee.
- The members also agreed to move toward adoption, in 2026, of a long-term harvest strategy for bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus).
- They didn’t adopt proposals to increase monitoring of longline tuna vessels and strengthen shark protection measures, due to resistance from East Asian members.

Researchers describe three new-to-science snailfish species off California coast
In 2019, researchers surveying the seafloor off the coast of California came upon three unusual species of small fishes with large heads: one with bumpy pink skin, and the other two both black in color. The team collected the fish using underwater research vehicles and later analyzed their DNA and bodies. Their analysis showed that […]
Indonesia’s giant Java seawall plan sparks criticism & calls for alternatives
- Indonesia has launched a massive new project on Java’s northern coast, framed as protection for millions of residents from worsening environmental threats.
- The plan has drawn sharp criticism from experts and activists who question its methods, costs and potential impact on vulnerable communities.
- Calls are growing for deeper public consultation and long-term solutions that go beyond quick fixes.

Scientists are breeding rare and endangered animals in China’s longest river
WUHAN, China (AP) — A dozen sleek grey Yangtze finless porpoises glide inside a vast pool at the Institute of Hydrobiology in Wuhan as scientists find ways to protect and breed the rare mammals in China’s longest river. The Yangtze River is one of the busiest inland waterways in the world with 16 major ports. […]
Scientists capture rare video of bumblebee catfish climbing waterfalls in Brazil
In November 2024, members of Brazil’s environmental military police and scientists observed a “massive aggregation” of small catfish making their way up waterfalls in Brazil. These first-of-their-kind observations of the rare bumblebee catfish likely migrating upstream to spawn were published in a recent paper. The researchers’ video footage shows thousands of bumblebee catfish (Rhyacoglanis paranensis), […]
Scientists reconfirm rare shark sightings after 50 years in PNG
In 1973, researchers scientifically described a species of shark based on a single specimen: a pregnant female caught a few years earlier by a fisherman near the mouth of the Gogol River in Astrolabe Bay, Papua New Guinea. They named this new-to-science species the sailback houndshark (Gogolia filewoodi). And then, for the next half-century, they […]
A ‘sea war’ brews off Gambia as desperate local fishermen attack foreign vessels, and each other
BANJUL, Gambia (AP) — A “sea war” is brewing off the West African nation of Gambia as desperate local fishermen attack foreign commercial fishing vessels, and each other. The fight is driven by market forces and foreign seafood appetites that are far beyond their control. The Associated Press exclusively obtained video of one attack that […]
Climate change is driving fish stocks from countries’ waters to the high seas: Study
- A new study found that more than half of the world’s straddling stocks will shift across the maritime borders between exclusive economic zones (EEZs) and the high seas by 2050.
- Most of these shifts will be into the high seas, where fisheries management is much more challenging and stocks are more likely to be overexploited.
- Among the most serious potential consequences is a loss of fisheries resources for many tropical countries that did little to create the climate crisis, including small island developing states in the Pacific Ocean.

Scientists warn ocean-based climate fixes lack rules and oversight
- Marine-climate interventions have received increased money and attention in recent years.
- While many projects and ideas may be well-intentioned, they’re generally not subject to strong governance or oversight, and they often pose risks of social and ecological harm, according to a new paper.
- The authors call for local, national and global rules that will make interventions “safe, equitable and effective.”

Shrinking Mekong megafish underlines risks to the river, study finds
- A new study has found that the Mekong River’s largest freshwater fish are shrinking in size, with critically endangered species like the giant catfish and giant barb now averaging less than half their historical size.
- Researchers analyzed more than 397,000 samples of 257 species across Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, finding that fish longer than 60 centimeters (2 feet) are shrinking fastest, while smaller species show little change.
- Overfishing, habitat loss, dam construction, sand mining, pollution and climate change are driving the decline, raising fears of collapse in one of the world’s most important inland fisheries.
- Scientists warn the trend mirrors global declines in large freshwater species, such as in the Amazon and Nile basins, but recent discoveries of massive fish like a 300-kg stingray show it’s not too late for recovery if urgent action is taken.

Ghana passes landmark legislation to protect artisanal fisheries
- Ghana has passed a new fisheries act which aims at strengthening the artisanal fishery sector, restoring fish stocks and tackling problems with illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing.
- A major change is the expansion of the country’s inshore exclusion zone, which will double in size, expanding from 6 to 12 nautical miles (11 to 22 kilometers) from shore.
- The law has been welcomed by artisanal fishers who have been struggling with declining pelagic fish stocks due to destructive fishing practices within the IEZ.

Indonesia’s Bajau fishers lament nickel mining’s marine pollution
For many members of the nomadic Bajau sea tribe on Indonesia’s Kabaena Island, growing up meant swimming and fishing in clear waters, just outside their homes built on stilts. However, in 2010, the water turned red, which the villagers blame on runoff from nearby nickel mining, Mongabay’s Hans Nicholas Jong reported in July. “Now, I […]
Brazil cities vow to stop buying threatened shark meat after Mongabay probe
Several government agencies in southern Brazil have said they will stop ordering angelshark meat for public meal programs, in response to a Mongabay investigation that highlighted the widespread consumption of the threatened species. Shark meat is often served in public schools, hospitals and other institutions due to its low cost and lack of bones. The […]
Philippine fishers struggle as LNG ‘superhighway’ cuts through biodiversity hotspot
Fishers in the Philippines’ Batangas Bay are struggling to make ends meet and feed their families as nearby coastal areas are developed into a natural gas import hub, Mongabay contributor Nick Aspinwall reported in July. Families that have been fishing in Batangas Bay for years have been asked by local officials to leave to make […]
Community efforts yield new marine protected area in the Philippines
The Philippines has officially designated a new marine protected area after an 18-year campaign by local communities, fisher associations, civil society organizations and government agencies, the Wildlife Conservation Society announced Aug. 13. The newly created Bitaug Marine Protected Area (MPA), which covers nearly 150 hectares (about 370 acres), is the largest MPA in Siquijor province […]
Indonesia’s aquafarm revamp sparks fears for fate of farmers and mangroves
- Indonesia plans to revitalize 78,000 hectares (193,000 acres) of state-owned aquaculture ponds, starting with 20,400 hectares (50,400 acres) in West Java province, aiming to boost yields, create 119,000 jobs and attract investors.
- Small-scale farmers like Warno in Karawang district, who rent and maintain ponds from the state, say they fear losing their livelihoods without compensation if the government takes over their farms.
- NGOs and experts warn the program could fuel mangrove clearing, coastal damage and privatization of coastal areas, while sidelining local communities’ rights and voices.
- Critics also raise concerns over the government’s push for more farming of saltwater tilapia, citing risks from the invasive species and an industrial aquaculture model that could reduce locals to laborers.

Whale shark hotspot discovered along the Great Barrier Reef
- Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) are the largest fish in the world and are endangered but are hard to study because they’re largely solitary creatures that roam great distances.
- There are only about 30 sites worldwide where they’re known to aggregate — and scientists have finally identified one of them along the Great Barrier Reef, a new study reveals.
- It’s the first known aggregation found in eastern Australia and in the entire southwest Pacific Ocean.
- The finding is significant for whale shark research and conservation efforts, experts said.

Ocean-based carbon storage ramps up, bringing investment and concern
- Storing captured carbon in the subsea — in depleted oil and gas wells or in aquifers — is ramping up as a climate solution, with projects planned across the globe by industry and governments.
- Tipped as a way to address “hard-to-abate” emissions from industries such as cement, steelmaking and chemicals, it’s hailed by proponents as a viable and necessary part of the transition to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.
- But critics say offshore CCS poses great risks and will perpetuate a history of failure that has plagued onshore efforts to store carbon.
- It also raises environmental concerns, such as the potential for carbon leakage that could undermine climate efforts and harm marine life, contributing to already increasing ocean acidification.

There’s hope for sunflower sea stars, with their killer unmasked and reintroductions pending
- Since 2013, sea star wasting disease, worsened by warming oceans, has wiped out 99% of sunflower sea stars from Washington state to Mexico, collapsing kelp forest ecosystems.
- Researchers from the University of British Columbia and the Hakai Institute in Canada have pinpointed the bacterium Vibrio pectenicida as a key cause of the epidemic, confirming its lethal effects through lab experiments that replicated symptoms seen in the wild.
- A coalition of aquariums, nonprofits, Indigenous groups and government agencies has successfully bred sunflower sea stars in captivity for the first time, experimenting with fresh, frozen and cryopreserved sperm, and raising 72 juveniles in a Monterey facility with plans for controlled releases.
- Guided by the Pycnopodia Recovery Working Group and a 2024-2027 conservation plan, efforts have now turned to breeding, disease research, habitat protection, regulatory engagement and public outreach, with broad community support — including from fishers — for restoring this keystone predator.

How will fisheries change in a hotter world? Experts share
- Fifty years from now, in 2075, global ocean temperatures are forecast to rise by between 2° and 5° Celsius (3.6° and 9° Fahrenheit). Warming is already reshaping fisheries worldwide, and even more dramatic changes are expected as fish largely move to cooler latitudes.
- These fish migrations will change ecosystem patterns and will likely have unexpected consequences even in places far from the fish themselves. They also may devastate fishing communities, both on an economic scale and a social one.
- However, there are potential solutions to avoid the most catastrophic effects for fishers and ecosystems alike, including setting aside some ecosystems as marine protected areas, changing fisheries management strategies and retraining communities to provide supplemental income.

Can we undo extinction? A growing effort to restore lost sharks
- ReShark is the world’s first shark rewilding program, aiming to restore Indo-Pacific leopard sharks to reefs where they’ve disappeared, starting in Raja Ampat, Indonesia.
- The initiative repurposes surplus eggs from aquariums, transporting them across oceans and rearing them in locally managed hatcheries before releasing them into the wild.
- A growing community of Indonesian conservationists—including trained “shark nannies,” students, and villagers—is central to the project’s success and sustainability.
- With global collaboration and scientific rigor, ReShark aims to produce a model for reversing extinction—one grounded in genetics, local stewardship, and public engagement.

Displaced and dispossessed, Cambodia’s ethnic Cham fishers struggle to survive
- Ethnic Cham fishers in Cambodia say they face repeated evictions from their floating homes, often timed with major events and justified as environmental protection.
- They report unequal treatment by authorities, with harsher crackdowns on their small-scale fishing while larger, illegal operations go unpunished.
- Displacement and enforcement have pushed many into poverty, with little access to alternative livelihoods or support systems.
- Experts and advocates warn that current policies risk erasing Cham culture and call for more equitable, historically informed solutions.

Revealed: Brazilian state buys endangered angelsharks for school lunches
Endangered angelsharks have been served to schoolchildren in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul for years, as well as in hospitals, clinics, shelters and other public institutions, Mongabay has found. We identified 52 tenders totaling more than 211 metric tons of “peixe anjo,” a common name for angelshark, issued by the state and city […]
Anchovy-rich diet linked to vitamin deficiency and deaths among salmon, study
A new study links widespread deficiency of vitamin B1, or thiamine, among California Chinook salmon to their deaths. This adds yet another challenge for this iconic species whose population is already imperiled by climate change, habitat loss and overfishing. Salmon serve a critical ecological role in the Pacific Northwest, transporting marine nutrients from the ocean […]
Encouraging signs from a no-fishing zone in Comoros could inspire others
- Signs of improvement in fisheries arising from a small no-fishing zone in the Indian Ocean nation of Comoros could inspire the establishment of more such zones across the archipelago.
- A fishers’ group installed the first no-take zone inside a marine protected area off the island of Anjouan in 2021. The group’s president told Mongabay fishers are now encountering more fish nearer to the shore outside the zone’s bounds.
- Buoyed by the results, a local nonprofit plans to establish five no-take zones in Anjouan over the next two years, covering 425 hectares (1,050 acres) of coral reefs.
- Earlier efforts to enforce temporary fishing closures to promote octopus fisheries for export and reduce pressure on fragile coral reef ecosystems didn’t lead to the anticipated benefits.

Upmarket fish maw trade in Singapore & Malaysia includes endangered species: Study
- A new study using DNA barcoding reveals that Singapore and Malaysia’s fish maw markets include species listed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered, many of which are poorly monitored and sourced from unmanaged fisheries.
- Researchers identified 39 species from 503 dried maw samples, including critically endangered large yellow croakers and European eels, highlighting the scale and complexity of this high value, underregulated trade.
- Experts warn that the trade poses a growing threat to marine biodiversity, and with nearly 30% of samples coming from species lacking IUCN assessments, it makes sustainability difficult to evaluate.
- Researchers and conservationists urge governments to expand CITES protections, enhance species monitoring, educate stakeholders, and improve international coordination to prevent more marine species from being pushed toward extinction.

Paul V. Loiselle, champion of cichlids, died April 15, aged 79
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. Among those who cared about freshwater fish — and there were many — Paul Loiselle stood out not for how loudly he spoke and cared, but for how deeply he understood. His grasp of ichthyology was vast, his […]
Devils Hole pupfish hit by micro-tsunami from 8.8-magnitude Russian earthquake
A powerful 8.8 magnitude earthquake that struck near Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on July 29 sent ripples nearly 4,000 miles across the Pacific, disturbing one of the most fragile ecosystems in the United States: Devils Hole in Nevada’s Mojave Desert, according to park officials. The quake generated 10-inch waves inside the narrow, water-filled cavern—a dramatic but […]
UN meeting closes with no moratorium on deep-sea mining; groups lament
Civil groups expressed dismay as the 30th International Seabed Authority (ISA) session recently ended in Jamaica without a moratorium on deep-sea mining, a process of extracting minerals from the seafloor, which experts say can damage marine ecosystems. The ISA Council finished the second reading of the draft regulations for the commercial exploitation of deep-sea minerals. However, the […]
When the sea takes over: Voices from a climate-displaced community in Mexico
TABASCO, Mexico — Flooding caused by rapid sea-level rise and increasingly intense storms has decimated the coastal town of El Bosque in Tabasco, Mexico. Between 2019 to June 2024, at least 70 homes in the community were destroyed by the sea. Most of its residents have been relocated to a site further inland by the […]
‘Nothing about us without us’: Inuit leader Sara Olsvig on ocean politics
- Sara Olsvig chairs the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC), which represents some 180,000 Inuit people across Alaska (in the United States), Canada, Kalaallit Nunaat (the Inuit name for Greenland) and Chukotka (in Russia).
- Climate change has reduced the extent of sea ice in the Arctic Ocean, opening up new shipping lanes and increasing interest in various forms of resource exploitation, including for oil, gas and minerals.
- The ICC is engaged in negotiations over the development and implementation of major international agreements on shipping, plastics, and the management of biodiversity in the high seas, all under United Nations bodies.
- In all of these forums, the ICC is pushing for input into international rules that affect Inuit livelihoods and the Arctic environment.

As gas giants move in, Philippine fishers fight for their seas and survival
- Fishing communities along the Philippines’ Verde Island Passage, a haven for marine biodiversity, say the development of a natural gas import hub in the area is leading to environmental degradation.
- Fishers say their catches have declined since a liquefied natural gas plant was built in the area a decade ago, and that they’re being turned away from remaining fishing grounds due to the ongoing construction of an LNG terminal.
- The Japan Bank for International Cooperation, a key funder of the LNG project, denies these claims, saying in a recent report that it didn’t find evidence that LNG development had led to environmental degradation or a reduction in income for local fishing communities.

Batang coal plant’s seawater permit imperils marine life, fishing communities
- The Batang coal-fired power plant in Central Java, now legally permitted to use vast amounts of seawater for cooling, has raised alarms among experts over its impact on marine ecosystems and traditional fisheries.
- Since operations began, the plant has displaced fishing communities, polluted coastal waters with heated discharge and caused up to a 50% decline in shrimp catches, particularly affecting traditional fishers in Roban Barat.
- Community resistance was met with intimidation and arrests, while some residents accepted compensation from the operator, PT Bhimasena Power Indonesia, further dividing the local population.
- Critics, including Greenpeace and KIARA, say the project reflects Indonesia’s coal-centered energy policy, undermining both environmental justice and climate goals, as the country continues to expand fossil fuel use despite international pressure to shift toward renewables.

Sri Lanka hit by plastic pollution after cargo ship sinks off Indian coast
Sri Lankan authorities, locals and environmentalists say they’re deeply concerned about the possible impacts on the country’s marine ecosystem and coastal communities from the sinking of a container ship off the southern coast of India in May, Mongabay contributor Malaka Rodrigo reported in June. The Liberia-flagged ship MSC Elsa 3 sank on May 25 about […]
Darkest-ever dwarfgoby fish gets named after Darth Vader
From the volcanic fjords of Tufi in Papua New Guinea, researchers have described a new-to-science species of a coral reef fish called a dwarfgoby with an unusual purplish-black color. The tiny fish is the “darkest of all described dwarfgobies,” the researchers say in the study, naming it Eviota vader after the Star Wars villain Darth […]
Evolution in overdrive as Baltic cod shrink due to fishing pressure, study shows
- The eastern Baltic cod has shrunk dramatically in size in recent decades due to rapid evolution — changes at the genetic level — caused by decades of intensive fishing, a new study says.
- Eastern Baltic cod, which are a distinct subpopulation of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua), lost nearly half of their length and four-fifths of their weight from 1996 until 2019.
- It’s one of the first studies to show that a marine species has evolved in response to fishing pressure.
- An expert said the shrinking of the cod was “alarming,” and called on fisheries managers to work to protect fish biomass and size, given this new evidence of fisheries-induced evolution.

Conservationists raise sharks to restore reefs in waters around Thailand
- A new rewilding program aims to boost the local population of bamboo sharks in the waters of Khao Lak, Thailand.
- The species, classified as near threatened on the IUCN Red List, used to be abundant in the area, but has declined as a result of overfishing and habitat destruction.
- Since the project launched in 2018, with the support of luxury resorts in the area, it has released 200 bamboo sharks into the wild.
- A separate program that started in May 2025, is breeding leopard sharks, which are listed as endangered. They will be released in the waters off Phuket, and eventually the Gulf of Thailand.

Indonesia moves to revise sea sand export policy after court ruling
- Indonesia’s Supreme Court earlier this year struck down key parts of a 2023 regulation allowing sea sand exports, citing legal contradictions and environmental risks.
- The annulled policy had reversed a two-decade ban and faced backlash for potentially harming marine ecosystems and coastal communities.
- The government now says it’s revising the regulation, arguing that dredging can benefit ocean health and support domestic infrastructure projects.
- Critics warn the practice threatens fisheries, marine carbon stores and long-term sustainability, and call for a shift toward restoration over exploitation.

Global tracking study reveals marine megafauna hotspots lie largely unprotected
- A global study tracking nearly 13,000 marine animals representing 111 species reveals they spend 80% of their time in just 63% of their range, yet only about 5% of these high-use ocean areas are currently protected.
- The research identifies Important Marine Megafauna Areas (IMMegAs) as ecological hotspots that span national waters and the high seas, where governance and protection are often lacking.
- Findings show that the global target of protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030 is insufficient to safeguard migratory species unless paired with additional mitigation measures outside protected areas, like bycatch reduction and ship speed regulations.
- Researchers call for stronger international coordination and more dynamic, movement-informed conservation strategies to effectively protect wide-ranging ocean wildlife.

Canada’s Pacific Coast hit hard by trawling, with limited transparency: Report
- Trawling vessels pursuing fish are damaging marine ecosystems in Canada’s West Coast waters and could be operating illegally in some cases, and yet they work with insufficient transparency, a new NGO report says.
- Nine large trawlers have together trawled swaths of the ocean collectively larger than the size of Ireland since 2009; they have likely trawled in prohibited zones at least 47 times and have disrupted Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) migratory routes, which are foraging areas for an endangered population of killer whales (Orcinus orca), the report says.
- A trawling industry group dismissed the NGO’s findings, saying they lacked context and the fishery was very well regulated.
- A Canadian regulatory agency said the fishery was well managed, with strict monitoring and enforcement of rules.

Sharks didn’t rebound—so Mark Erdmann is putting them back
- For over 30 years, Mark Erdmann has combined scientific discovery with grassroots conservation in Indonesia, helping communities protect their reefs from destructive practices and documenting more than 220 new species.
- As a leader behind Raja Ampat’s pioneering community-governed marine protected areas, Erdmann has shown how local stewardship can revive ecosystems—bringing back sharks, rays, and sustainable tourism.
- Despite new threats like over-tourism and revived mining, Erdmann remains hopeful, pointing to rising public resistance, tech-enabled rewilding programs like ReShark, and a new generation of Indonesian conservationists.
- Erdmann spoke with Mongabay Founder and CEO Rhett Ayers Butler during a voyage in the Pacific in June 2025.

Locals fear Chile’s new port project for green energy will disrupt ecosystems
- A new private port for public use near Punta Arenas, a city in southern Chile’s Magallanes and Chilean Antarctic Region, has been approved for multipurpose services, such as the development of green hydrogen and salmon industries.
- The region has recently attracted a lot of attention due to its enormous green energy potential.
- The company concerned told Mongabay that this port will reduce the need for developers of green hydrogen and other projects in the region to build their own private ports as there is currently a limited capacity.
- Environmental organizations and local residents fear the port’s construction and operations will impact marine ecosystems and boost industries that will likely cause greater environmental impacts, such as contamination from salmon farms.

Brazil court halts plan to blast 35-km river rock formation hosting endangered species
A federal court in Brazil has blocked the start of planned explosions along a 35-kilometer (22-mile) rock formation called Pedral do Lourenço in the Tocantins River, pausing a major infrastructure project until a judge can inspect the site. The decision suspends the federal government’s attempt to clear the way for large cargo ships to travel […]
A new data hub helps small-scale fishers adapt to climate change
Roughly 40% of the global fish catch comes from small-scale fisheries. It’s one of the food production systems most vulnerable to climate change, and governments are lacking data to help fishers adapt. To help address that gap, the global research partnership CGIAR recently launched its Asia Digital Hub at WorldFish’s headquarters in Penang, Malaysia. The Hub […]
Will temperate seas act as refuge for coral reefs? Not in time, study says
- Some scientists have held out hope that, given the threats tropical corals face from climate change, they could improve their viability by expanding their range — by finding refuge in more temperate seas.
- However, a new study found that coral reef decline will far outpace expansion into temperate waters. Most of the damage to corals will be done in the next 40 to 80 years, but expansion will take centuries.
- The severity of coral loss will depend on levels of greenhouse gas emissions in coming decades.

Listings of Indonesian islands renew fears of privatization for coastal communities
- Listings of Indonesian islands on a foreign real estate site have sparked concerns about privatization, prompting the government to block the site domestically and clarify that islands cannot be sold to foreign entities under national law.
- Officials said the listings were likely aimed at attracting investment, not outright sales, but critics warn such practices enable control over island and offshore areas, often displacing fishers and triggering land conflicts.
- A 2021 regulation allows foreign investors to lease small islands for up to $1,900 per km² per year, and a government portal launched in 2024 streamlines permits for islands smaller than 2,000 km², accelerating commercialization.
- Watchdogs say 254 small islands have already been privatized, often without adequate oversight, and warn that unchecked investment could jeopardize fisher livelihoods and national sovereignty over maritime territories.

As Thailand’s fishing cats face habitat loss & conflict, experts seek resolution
- Fishing cats have lost vast swathes of their former range in Thailand, where decades of wetland conversion to fish farms, shrimp ponds and plantations have decimated their numbers.
- With habitats shrinking, these wild cats have been driven to living in human-dominated landscapes, where conflicts often arise.
- Fishing cats perceived as competing with farmers for fish and chickens are sometimes killed in retaliation.
- Activists and NGOs are working to reduce these conflicts and encourage landowners to preserve patches of remaining habitat suitable for the cats.

A Kenya marine biodiversity credit program restores mangroves — and livelihoods
- The decline of mangroves significantly weakens Kenya’s coastal protection, leaving shorelines susceptible to erosion, storm surges and rising sea levels, disrupting marine ecosystems, depleting fish stocks, leading to reduced biodiversity — and lost livelihoods for locals.
- A U.S.-based organization called Seatrees is working with the local Community Based Environmental Conservation (COBEC) and residents of Marereni to restore and protect coastal and marine ecosystems as a natural solution to climate change.
- Since 2024, Seatrees has offered donors the option of buying $3 “biodiversity blocks,” each of which represents a single tangible conservation action: planting one mangrove tree on site in Marereni.
- The work goes beyond just planting trees, as community members turn mangrove restoration into a livelihood by establishing and maintaining nurseries — and, in some cases, starting side businesses with the income.

With coral-rich Churna Island now an MPA, Pakistan takes baby steps on ocean protection
- In September 2024, Churna Island and the sea surrounding it became Pakistan’s second designated marine protected area, home to a variety of corals and serving as a nursery for fish.
- It followed the 2017 designation of the country’s very first MPA around Astola Island, a haven for coral, birds and sea turtles to the east.
- While Pakistan’s first two MPAs are small and have yet to be fully implemented, they represent baby steps in the country’s nascent effort to protect its marine environment.
- The country still has a long way to go to protect 30% of its ocean by 2030, as mandated by the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity.

Two coasts, one struggle for octopus fishers battling overfishing and warming waters
- In Spain and Mexico, demand for octopus is up, but octopus populations are down.
- In both countries, artisanal octopus fishers are sticking to traditional fishing techniques while joining eco-certification schemes with tighter regulations, hoping to protect not just the cephalopod population, but their own livelihoods.
- But while this may offer a lifeline to the fishers’ economies, it may only work well for the octopus populations when all fishers in an area join in, experts say — and that’s not the case in Mexico, where illegal octopus fishing is rampant.
- Moreover, factors beyond fishers’ control, like warming waters, may affect the fishers and the octopuses alike.

First-ever assessment highlights threats to Atlantic cold-water corals
- A new study published in the journal Marine Biodiversity delivers the first global IUCN Red List assessments for 22 cold-water coral species in the Northeast Atlantic.
- More than 30% of the species are at risk of extinction due to bottom-contact fishing, habitat destruction and climate change, with white coral (Desmophyllum pertusum) listed as globally vulnerable.
- Experts say the findings highlight gaps in conservation, especially for deep-sea species often excluded from monitoring and protection efforts.
- The study’s release comes at a key moment, as international talks continue under the Beyond National Jurisdiction Treaty to improve high seas biodiversity protections.

Illegal fishing and its consequences: the human toll of migration in Senegal
- In 2024, more than 2,000 people are believed to have died at sea while attempting to reach Spain’s Canary Islands from Senegal and the Gambia.
- According to the NGO Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF), people from Senegalese fishing communities are tempted to migrate to Europe due to declining fish stocks, owing in part to illegal fishing by European and Asian fleets.
- Illegal fishing, along with trawler fishing, are among the main drivers of this depletion of marine resources, depriving small-scale fishers in Senegal of a livelihood.
- Advocacy groups Oceana and ClientEarth have taken the Spanish government to court for failing to investigate — and, where appropriate, sanction — Spanish vessels that go dark by failing to transmit their location, and for not effectively monitoring the fishing operations of Spanish companies in West Africa.

Predatory snakehead fish poses invasive threat after sighting in Sri Lanka reservoir
- The giant snakehead (Channa micropeltes), a predatory fish native to Southeast Asia, has been found in Sri Lanka’s Deduru Oya reservoir, raising concerns over the invasive species’ potential impact on native freshwater biodiversity and inland fisheries.
- With the ability to grow up to a meter (3 feet) in length, the giant snakehead is larger and more aggressive than Sri Lanka’s largest native snakehead species, posing a threat of outcompeting them and disrupting local aquatic ecosystems.
- Introduced through the aquarium trade, these snakeheads have already become invasive in countries such as the United States and Malaysia, triggering ecological crises that have led to bans, public awareness campaigns, and targeted removal programs.
- With more than 30 invasive fish species now established in Sri Lanka’s waterways, experts warn that weak enforcement and poor regulation over exotic fish imports and aquaculture practices are increasing the risk of further biological invasions.

What happens to artisanal fishers when a deep-sea fishing port comes to town?
- A new fishing port slated for completion in June will bring huge commercial vessels into the artisanal fishing community of Shimoni, Kenya.
- Local fishers fear that once the new port comes online, their fishing will become impossible in the near-shore waters they have fished for ages, and the huge vessels will disrupt local seafood markets.
- In 2023, President William Ruto promised to equip the local fishers with boats capable of fishing in the deep sea, but more than a year later, this promise has yet to be fulfilled, and local fishers say that boats the county delivered aren’t up to the task.
- Moreover, they say training will be essential to operate any deep-sea fishing vessels, along with mechanical support, and they worry they won’t be able to afford the upkeep costs.

Vanishing giants: The Indian Ocean’s biggest fish need saving (commentary)
- New research confirms the decline of predatory and large-bodied fishes in the western Indian Ocean due to overfishing, unregulated fishing practices and climate change.
- The lead author of a new paper published in the journal Conservation Biology argues that these fish must be protected to ensure healthier reefs, marine ecosystems and adjacent human communities.
- “This issue isn’t just about protecting fish, but also maintaining a healthy ecosystem, supporting a crucial food source for millions and sustaining the livelihoods of many coastal communities. If we act now, we can still turn the tide,” the author writes.
- This post is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

Endangered humphead wrasse gets a lifeline from facial recognition tech
- The endangered humphead wrasse, a reef fish that swims the seas from Africa to the South Pacific, is in high demand in mainland China and Hong Kong as a luxury culinary delicacy.
- Despite harvest limits, trading regulations and fishing bans, it’s overfished and illegally traded.
- Researchers in Hong Kong have developed a new AI-based photo identification smartphone app, Saving Face, to help enforcement officers identify individual fish using their unique facial patterns with just a photo.
- Researchers say they hope the app can address both illegal laundering of humphead wrasse and mislabeling of wild-caught fish as captive-bred; its developers say it can be tweaked to identify other species that have unique markings.

As a fishing port rises in Kenya, locals see threats to sea life, livelihoods
- In Shimoni, Kenya, a new fishing port is slated to open in June.
- While the government promises local people opportunities for jobs and businesses once operations start, some residents foresee more harm than good from the port.
- Some conservation activities — including seagrass, coral and mangrove restoration projects as well as fishing, seaweed farming and tourism operations — have already suffered during the port’s construction phase, which began in 2022, local people say. They fear it may get worse once the port opens, especially if planned dredging proceeds.
- A county government official said Kwale county is monitoring the situation and pledged to mitigate any impacts and safeguard fishing activities and conservation efforts.

Seaweed farming as an eco-friendly alternative for Tanzanian fishing communities
Climate change, overfishing and habitat loss have caused a sharp decline in fish stocks around Pemba Island, off the coast of Tanzania. To find a new income from the sea, women from Pemba are turning to sustainable seaweed farming, Mongabay’s video team reported in May. Seaweed farming was introduced to the island in 1989. It […]
Glass eel smuggling booms despite bans, leaving species on the brink
- The illegal trafficking of critically endangered European glass eels continues to thrive, generating up to 3 billion euros ($3.5 billion) in peak years, with more than 1 million live eels seized in 2023 alone — mostly en route to East Asian aquaculture farms where they’re raised to maturity to produce the delicacy unagi.
- Europol describes the trade as a highly organized transnational crime involving smuggling, document fraud and money laundering, with sophisticated players using scientific expertise to keep smuggled eels alive during transit.
- Conservationists warn that removing juvenile eels from the wild disrupts their life cycle and ecosystem functions, worsening the species’ 90% population decline since the 1970s and threatening biodiversity in connected marine and freshwater systems.
- Experts call for stronger enforcement, improved monitoring, public awareness and habitat restoration to combat the trade and avert further ecological damage.

Ghana to expand artisanal fishing zone amid trawler violations
Ghana has announced plans to expand the area in which small-scale fishers can operate, in response to persistent violations by industrial trawlers encroaching into this zone. The country’s inshore exclusion zone, or IEZ, will now extend 12 nautical miles (22 kilometers) from shore, up from 6 nmi (11 km) currently. Emelia Arthur, Ghana’s newly appointed […]
Tanzania’s Mafia Island eyes sea cucumber farming to prevent extinction
Residents of Mafia Island in Tanzania don’t really eat sea cucumber; they call it jongoo bahari, or “ocean millipede” in Swahili. But sea cucumbers are a prized delicacy in East Asia, where demand has fueled a black market for the spiny sea creatures, Mongabay’s Ashoka Mukpo reported in May. A kilogram of dried sea cucumbers […]
Whales still aren’t ‘eating all the fish’ (commentary)
- Estimating the amounts of krill or fish consumed by whales has long been an obsession of the proponents of industrial whaling, who argue that these amounts are too large and then use the figures as justification to hunt whales.
- However, this research is pseudoscience, a new op-ed argues, and badly misunderstands — or willingly misrepresents — established principles of marine ecology.
- “In order to counter the wild imaginings of how marine ecosystems work put forth by whalers and their bureaucratic enablers in whaling nations, new thinking is required,” the former NOAA scientist writes.
- This post is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

When heat waves hit, clownfish shrink to survive, study finds
- Clown anemonefish (Amphiprion percula) have a surprising survival strategy: they shrink in length — not just lose weight — to survive marine heat waves and avoid social conflicts, boosting their heat wave survival odds by up to 78%, a new study finds.
- Researchers tracked 67 breeding pairs of clownfish in Papua New Guinea through a severe marine heat wave, measuring fish size repeatedly and finding that synchronized shrinking between mates helps maintain social hierarchies and improves survival chances.
- The study raises bigger questions about whether this shrink-to-survive mechanism is widespread among fish, potentially explaining global trends of shrinking fish sizes amid climate change, and calls for controlled lab experiments to uncover the physiological causes.

Peru’s new bycatch training aims to help save hooked sea turtles: Q&A with fisher Gustavo Rosales
- Sea turtles often get caught on hooks intended for mahi-mahi in the waters off the coast of southern Peru.
- The government is training fishers in best practices for releasing turtles, seabirds and other species accidentally caught by fishing gear.
- A 2022 regulation for the mahi-mahi fishery requires that at least one crew member per boat has obtained a training certificate.
- “If it weren’t for the turtles, there would be no balance,” says Gustavo Rosales, a fisher from the city of Ilo, who says the training has been beneficial.

On its 50th anniversary, ‘Jaws’ continues to provoke shark conservationists
- This month marks the 50th anniversary of the release of Jaws, a Hollywood blockbuster that depicts a series of attacks by a massive great white shark — a “man-eater” — in a fictional New England beach town.
- Shark populations have plummeted since the film was released, and experts agree that Jaws misrepresented the nature of sharks and likely had a net negative impact, however small, on their population sizes and conservation status.
- Most of the experts reached for this article said the film had spurred interest in sharks, some of which was channeled in positive directions. In fact, some people who worked on the film later advocated for shark conservation.

Another way to check the health of a coral reef: Study the microbes in the seawater
- An increasingly common way to keep tabs on coral reef health is by measuring microorganisms in the local seawater.
- Microbial-based coral reef monitoring is excellent at detecting nutrient and health changes on a reef and can draw attention to environmental disturbances; microbes are particularly good at sending such signals because they react quickly to pollution.
- This type of monitoring can help provide a fuller, faster and lower-cost picture of reef health than visual surveys alone, the most common current method.
- Two marine scientists explain the “why” and the “how” of microbial-based reef monitoring in a recent paper.

Endangered angelshark decline may be overestimated, study shows
Previous reports of drastic declines in the elusive angelshark in Wales, U.K., may be overestimated and may be partly explained by changes in fishing trends throughout the past decades, according to a recent study. The angelshark (Squatina squatina), listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List in 2006, is a bottom-dwelling shark that can […]
‘It’s our garden’: PNG villages fight to prevent mine waste dumping in the sea
- Communities in Papua New Guinea filed a lawsuit asking for a review of an environmental permit awarded in 2020 to companies for the Wafi-Golpu copper and gold mine. But a decision from the country’s Supreme Court had been delayed several times, before happening on June 12, even as other officials have signaled the government’s apparent support for the project.
- The villages are located near the outflow of a proposed pipeline that would carry mining waste, or tailings, from the mine and into the Huon Gulf.
- The companies say the method, known as deep-sea tailings placement (DSTP), would release the waste deep in the water column, below the layer of ocean most important for the fish and other sea life on which many of the Huon Gulf’s people rely.
- But community members are concerned this sediment and the potentially toxic chemicals it carries could foul the gulf — risks they say they were not adequately informed of.

French Polynesia creates world’s largest marine protected area
French Polynesia has announced the creation of the world’s largest marine protected area. Speaking on the first day of the United Nations Ocean Conference in France, French Polynesian President Moetai Brotherson said the MPA will cover the territory’s entire exclusive economic zone (EEZ), or 4.8 million square kilometers (roughly 1.9 million square miles). “We have […]
‘Madness’: World leaders call for deep-sea mining moratorium at UN ocean summit
- World leaders have renewed calls for a global moratorium on deep-sea mining at the 2025 U.N. Ocean Conference (UNOC) in Nice, France, as the U.S. moves to mine the deep sea in international waters under its own controversial authority.
- Four additional countries have joined the coalition of nations calling for a moratorium, precautionary pause, or ban on deep-sea mining, bringing the total number to 37.
- The U.S., which did not have an official delegation at UNOC, is pushing forward with its plans to mine in international waters — a decision that has drawn criticism from the international community.

Death of tagged white shark on bather protection gear in South Africa sparks debate
The recent killing of a juvenile great white shark on a drum line — a shark control method consisting of baited hooks attached to floating drums — off the east coast of South Africa has sparked a debate over the measures employed to protect swimmers at the expense of the threatened species. The 2.2-meter (7.2-foot) […]
In Nepal, northernmost sighting of Eurasian otter raises hope, concerns
- The northernmost Eurasian otter sighting in Nepal was recorded in the Karnali River, raising hopes for the species’ range expansion. But as the animal was found dead in a fishing net, conservationists highlight challenges to the species’ conservation.
- Researchers emphasize the rarity of such sightings in high-altitude, remote areas like Humla, where otters had been considered cryptic or absent for decades.
- The discovery builds on a series of recent sightings across Nepal, including in urbanized Kathmandu Valley, suggesting a wider distribution than previously known.
- Threats to otters include overfishing, poaching, hydropower projects, sand mining and net entanglement, all of which imperil not just the Eurasian otter but also Nepal’s two other otter species.

Bumble Bee asks court to dismiss lawsuit alleging forced labor in tuna supply chain
- In March, four Indonesian men filed a landmark lawsuit in the U.S. against canned tuna giant Bumble Bee Foods, accusing the company of profiting from abuse and exploitation aboard Chinese-owned vessels supplying its tuna.
- The plaintiffs described brutal conditions while working on vessels that allegedly supplied albacore tuna directly to Bumble Bee, including physical violence, inadequate food, lack of medical care and withheld wages.
- Despite claims of traceability and sustainability, Bumble Bee and its parent company, Taiwan-based FCF, have been linked to a network of vessels implicated in labor abuses. Critics argue the company failed to act on repeated warnings from rights groups and resisted regulatory changes.
- On June 2, Bumble Bee filed papers requesting the federal court handling the case dismiss it on legal grounds. The next step will be for a judge to decide whether to dismiss it or let it proceed.

In a big win, Yurok Nation reclaims vital creek and watershed to restore major salmon run
- Four dams are now down on the Upper Klamath River in northern California in the largest river restoration project in U.S. history. But a rarely mentioned cold-water creek is essential to restoring health to what was once the third-largest salmon run on the West Coast of North America.
- Blue Creek is located just 25 km (16 mi) from the mouth of the Lower Klamath at the Pacific Ocean. Critically, it’s the first cold-water refuge for migrating salmon that enables the fish to cool down, survive, and move farther upriver to spawn. The dams and logging have damaged this important watershed for decades.
- The Yurok, California’s largest Indigenous tribe, lost ownership of Blue Creek to westward U.S. expansion in the late 1800s. In 2002, a timber company, negotiating with the Yurok, agreed to sell back the 19,000-hectare (47,100-acre) watershed to the tribe.
- It took Western Rivers Conservancy, an Oregon-based NGO, nearly two decades to raise the $60 million needed to buy the watershed. In a historic transition, Blue Creek returns this spring to the Yurok for conservation in its entirety. The tribe considers the watershed a sacred place.

Villagers in Sumatra bring ancient forest flavors back to the table
- Women living around the 7th-century Muaro Jambi temple complex in Sumatra, Indonesia, have revived ancient ingredients and cooking techniques to serve one-of-a-kind meals to visitors.
- Their dishes are inspired by the plants and animals depicted on the bas-reliefs of another ancient Buddhist site: Borobudur in Java.
- The ancient menu has proved popular both among visitors and locals, who are rediscovering their agrobiodiverse heritage.
- The women have nurtured an ancient food forest and garden in Muaro Jambi to conserve the diverse wild plants and varieties in their menus.

Samoa’s new marine spatial plan protects 30% of the country’s ocean
- The Samoan government announced June 3 that it has enacted a law establishing a marine spatial plan to sustainably manage 100% of its ocean by 2030.
- The country has also created nine new marine protected areas that cover 30% of its ocean.
- Fishing is prohibited in the new protected areas, which include a migration route for humpback whales.
- The plan became law on May 1.

Marine artificial upwelling, problematic climate solution slow to advance
- Artificial upwelling is a form of geoengineering that aims to use pipes and pumps to channel cool, nutrient-rich water from the deep ocean to the surface. In doing so, it could fertilize surface waters, prompting the growth of plankton, which can then absorb and store large amounts of atmospheric carbon.
- Long considered a potential marine carbon dioxide removal (CDR) method, artificial upwelling has more recently been coupled with seaweed farming to potentially soak up even more atmospheric CO2.
- But technological challenges have plagued open-water upwelling experiments, while environmentalists worry that large-scale use could ultimately prove ineffective and ecologically harmful.
- Experts state that though upwelling could prove a viable solution to improve fisheries and protect coral reefs from marine heat waves, more research is needed. Considering the rapid current pace of climate change, it’s debatable as to whether implementation at scale could come in time to stave off dangerous warming.

Only a tiny % of the deep seafloor has ever been visually observed: Study
- Just 0.001% of the deep seafloor has ever been captured by photo or video images, a new study finds.
- That which has been captured is “biased” and potentially unrepresentative: 65% of observations have been in the waters of the United States, Japan or New Zealand, according to the study.
- Experts told Mongabay that policymakers at a wide range of international institutions should bear the study’s findings in mind, including those governing high seas fisheries, deep-sea mining, and the use of marine carbon dioxide sequestration systems.

New map highlights complex web of marine migrations
- Scientists have launched a new database on marine migratory patterns to address gaps in the knowledge of policymakers and conservationists.
- The Migratory Connectivity in the Ocean (MiCO) database pulled data from 1,300 existing studies in the scientific literature to describe the migratory patterns of 109 mammal, bird and fish species.
- The database highlights the interconnected nature of marine migrations, and underscores the need for cross-border collaboration in conservation efforts.

Tuna fishing devices drift through a third of oceans, harming corals, coasts: Study
- Drifting fish aggregating devices (dFADs) are floating rafts with underwater netting used by fishing vessels to attract tuna.
- A recent study estimated that between 2007 and 2021, 1.41 million dFADs drifted through 37% of the world’s oceans, stranding in 104 maritime jurisdictions and often polluting sensitive marine habitats.
- Strandings were most frequent in the Indian and Pacific oceans, with the Seychelles, Somalia and French Polynesia accounting for 43% of cases; ecosystem damage and cleanup costs fall on local communities.

In Pakistan, desert irrigation plans spark protests & fears among Sindh farmers
- In Pakistan, thousands of protesters have fought against the Cholistan Canal Project, which would divert water from the Indus River to irrigate millions of hectares of desert for corporate farming.
- Opponents say the project would threaten local desert species and leave small-scale farmers and fishers in Sindh province without the water they need; this comes on top of an existing water shortage in the region.
- Water has been one of the region’s most contentious issues, dating back decades and causing a rift between Sindh province and the Federation of Pakistan; now, the future of Pakistan’s water is even more uncertain since India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, which governs shared waters between the two countries.

Central Java villages take fast fashion to the cleaners at Indonesia’s Supreme Court
- Indonesia’s Supreme Court recently confirmed the bankruptcy of the country’s largest textile group, Sritex, which made garments for global fast fashion retailers like H&M.
- The court also awarded damages to 185 people in Central Java province who had filed a class action suit against a Sritex subsidiary over toxic gas leaks and river pollution.
- More than 10,000 Sritex workers lost their jobs as the heavily indebted firm collapsed, but local residents say the environment has showed signs of recovery since the subsidiary stopped producing synthetic fibers near Java’s longest river, the Bengawan Solo.

The blobby little sea squirt that stowed away across the Pacific to California
- In 2023, scientists found a nonnative species of marine invertebrate in a private marina near Los Angeles, California.
- The arrival of this new member of California’s marine fauna highlights the massive, largely uncontrolled movement of marine species via ships that travel the world.
- Concerned about potential ecological and economic impacts, the state of California has tried to curb the movement of nonnative marine species through regulations of large ships and commercial ports, but the regulations don’t apply to smaller vessels.
- Beginning in 2025, California will have to comply with less-stringent federal biofouling and ballast water regulations.

Venomous snakes, freshwater fish among legally traded species most likely to become invasive in US
- The U.S., the largest importer of wildlife products in the world, brings in nearly 10,000 species of plants and animals into the country legally, some of which have a high potential to become invasive species.
- A recent study assessed these imported species and identified 32 as having the highest risk for becoming invasive, posing threats to local ecosystems and to human health.
- These include venomous reptiles like puff adders and spitting cobras, and freshwater fish; similar species that have already established themselves as invasives have wrought havoc on native wildlife and caused widespread economic harm.
- The researchers say their findings can help authorities regulate the imports of such high-risk species and add them to watchlists to prevent them from becoming invasives.

How extreme droughts could redefine the future of Amazonian fish
- The most severe Amazon drought on record, in 2023, followed by a new high in 2024, triggered multiple threats to Amazonian fish biodiversity, such as warming waters, loss of habitat, limited reproduction, and compromised growth.
- Fish are the main source of protein and other nutrients for those who live in the region; species most threatened by droughts include several that are important to local fisheries.
- Stronger droughts are already projected in the region in a scenario where global warming reaches 1.5°C (2.7°F); if it exceeds 2°C (3.6°F), the risk of prolonged, severe and frequent droughts increases significantly, with impacts on food security and Amazonian biodiversity.
- Short-term policies can be adapted to this new reality, such as adjustment of closed seasons, when fishing of certain species is banned; in the medium term, it’s crucial to invest in modernizing the monitoring of fish stocks, experts say.

New study maps the fishmeal factories that supply the world’s fish farms
- In April, scientists published the first-ever open-source map of fishmeal and fish oil factories around the world.
- The scientists found 506 factories across some 60 countries, and in most cases were able to identify the companies that own them.
- Fishmeal and fish oil production is controversial because it can incentivize the overexploitation of ocean ecosystems, depleting marine food webs, and negatively impact coastal communities that rely on fish for nutrition and livelihoods.
- In addition to location data, the scientists collected data on the types of fish many of the factories use and whether the raw material they process is fish byproduct or whole fish, which critics view as more problematic.

Community-led system boosts fisheries in a corner of fast-depleting Lake Malawi
Lake Malawi’s fish stocks are declining, but one community stands apart: around Mbenje Island, a traditional fisheries management plan has ensured thriving fish populations for generations, Mongabay contributor Charles Mpaka reports. Landlocked Malawi is highly dependent on the lake, which supplies 90% of the country’s fish catch; more than 1.6 million people rely directly or […]
Angling for answers, this saltwater fishing group boosts research for better conservation
- Though anglers aren’t generally thought of as environmentalists, many people who fish are conservation minded, whether because it’s an outdoor pursuit, or because they wish to ensure future harvests.
- Whatever their reasons, there aren’t many groups that help anglers advocate for sustainable fishing regulations based on solid science, nor ones that also work to generate new data that helps them argue for better conservation.
- “Until we came along, there was no voice for those saltwater anglers who cared about conservation, but didn’t have enough time to put into it to really understand it,” says American Saltwater Guides Association vice president Tony Friedrich.
- His team not only helps its members articulate the need for conservation and regulation, they actively participate in developing data that helps managers set better limits, through projects like their GotOne App.

European body proposes mass killing of cormorants to protect fish stocks
A regional fishery body is seeking to reduce cormorant numbers across Europe through “coordinated” culling, citing the aquatic birds’ reported impacts on fisheries and aquaculture. The European Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Advisory Commission (EIFAAC), a body under the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the U.N., published its draft plan on April 25. The proposal […]
World’s top seafood firms lobby against ocean conservation measures: Report
- The world’s most influential seafood companies and industry associations mostly lobby against environmental protections, a report by the U.K.-based NGO InfluenceMap found.
- The report assesses the biodiversity-related lobbying efforts of a list of the 30 most influential seafood companies in the world and 12 of the main industry associations they’re members of.
- The vast majority of the companies and industry associations engage in lobbying that’s misaligned with international biodiversity goals agreed to in a 2022 treaty.
- Industry associations told Mongabay that they support science-based policy and that the report is flawed.

Dredging and pollution threaten fishing in the Niger River
- Some fishers in Bamako, Mali’s capital, are raising concerns about dredging of the Niger River in search of gold.
- They say the combination of dredging and increasing plastic pollution is causing fish stocks to decline.
- Damage to the river’s ecosystems is taking a toll on their livelihoods, with some forced to give up fishing for the more lucrative, but environmentally destructive, activity of river sand mining.

Scientists warn of S. Korea airport project’s impact on migratory bird habitat
Scientists have raised the alarm about biodiversity loss if construction of an airport near South Korea’s west coast begins as proposed this year. In an open letter published in the journal Science, they highlight the loss of migrating birds from the Sura area, the last remaining tidal flat within the once-thriving Saemangeum estuary, where saltwater […]
Warming seas and illegal trawlers threaten West Africa’s fishing future, study warns
A new paper paints a grim picture for the future of fishing communities in the Gulf of Guinea along coastal West Africa. Faced with increasing ocean warming and declining fish stocks, fishing communities in Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria struggle to survive. The paper’s authors advocate for income diversification among fishing communities as a critical […]

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