topic: Marine

topic: Marine

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Indigenous knowledge helps reveal the ties between reefs and mangroves
- A scientific collaboration between Australian scientists and First Nations Bardi Jawi rangers and elders has highlighted how fish species rely on the connectivity of reef and mangrove ecosystems.
- The study found that culturally important fish species, which form part of traditional fishery practices in the Kimberley region of northwestern Australia, migrated between the two ecosystems more than other species.
- The collaboration enabled Western scientists to draw on millennia of traditional ecological knowledge in carrying out the study and interpreting its findings.
- While most of the findings were already part of traditional ecological knowledge, rangers say they learned how certain species may not be able to survive if either reefs or mangroves were threatened by climate change and environmental impacts.

Marine conservation collides with mining in Indonesia’s biodiversity-rich Moramo Bay
- Pressure on a protected marine area in Indonesia’s Southeast Sulawesi province is growing as conservation efforts intersect with mining activity.
- Moramo Bay is part of the Coral Triangle, one of the world’s richest marine biodiversity regions, and provides habitat for humphead wrasse and other protected species.
- Researchers and officials say the health of its coral reefs and marine life is increasingly under scrutiny as development expands around the conservation area.

South Korea’s ‘sea women’ seek justice after marine habitat devastated by harbor work
- A community of hanyeo, South Korea’s free-diving women fishers, accuse a harbor project in their village of devastating the local marine habitat they’ve depended on for decades for their livelihoods.
- The women are demanding compensation from construction giant Ssangyong, taking their fight to Seoul after the loss of their traditional fishing grounds.
- They are considering a lawsuit against either the company or the government, but face a costly, years-long legal battle requiring scientific evidence linking the construction activity to the habitat’s destruction.
- With many of the haenyeo now in their 70s and 80s, time is not on their side — and some say the settlement on offer would barely cover the cost of their fight.

Damselfish-assisted repair of wounded corals surprises scientists
- A new study finds that a coral-associated damselfish may help hasten the healing of wounded corals.
- The research showed a 55% faster recovery rate from larger coral wounds in the presence of damselfish, and a 38% faster rate of healing for smaller wounds.
- Algae living within wounded corals exhibited decreased photosynthetic efficiency, an energy source vital to coral healing, when damselfish were absent.
- Scientists say the findings could inform conservation management plans, focusing more attention on preserving fish habitats to better protect corals.

Namibia greenlights controversial project to dredge phosphate from seabed
- Company Namibian Marine Phosphate has received an environmental clearance for dredging within a concession that spans 2,234 square kilometers (863 square miles) of the Atlantic seabed off Namibia’s coast.
- The company wants to mine phosphate rock, a major ingredient in fertilizers, which has previously only been commercially mined on land.
- The nonprofit Ocean Conservation Namibia (OCN) has strongly criticized the decision to issue the ECC, warning “that the large-scale development could have significant impacts on the Benguela marine ecosystem, Namibia’s fishing industry, and marine conservation.”
- NMP, registered in Namibia, is 85% owned by Oman-based Mawarid Mining LLC and 15% owned by a Namibian company, Havana Investments (Pty) Ltd.

The world’s reefs are disappearing. Coral trafficking is booming
- There are more than 1,300 documented cases since 2000 of live coral smuggling, with many cases sourcing coral from Southeast Asia, including the Philippines and Indonesia, according to data from the wildlife trade watchdog TRAFFIC.
- The cases involve at least 43 countries around the world, with the U.S. by far the biggest importer of corals.
- The cases include 3.15 million pieces of coral, with many shipments intentionally mislabeled as toys, clothes, or food to get endangered species past customs inspectors.
- Experts say there are solutions, including farm-raised coral substitutes and dyeing farmed coral to document that it was not grown in the wild, making it easier for authorities to spot illegally harvested varieties.

Gulf of Mexico’s unique Orca Basin shouldn’t become a carbon dump (commentary)
- Deep in the Gulf of Mexico, an ecosystem exists in water so salty and lacking in oxygen that its marine life is unique and virtually unstudied.
- Called the Orca Basin, it’s now the focus of a corporate effort to profit from fighting climate change by dumping tons of organic waste into its depths, a deep-sea biologist explains in a new op-ed.
- “The Orca Basin is not a waste repository waiting for a use. It is a living system that has been developing for thousands of years, hosting organisms we have barely begun to characterize, preserving a chemical and biological record we have barely begun to read,” the author argues.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

Global sea surface temperatures reach a record high, again
Global sea surface temperatures have reached a record high, raising serious concerns for global Earth systems, according to new data released by the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). On Aug. 22, the daily global average sea surface temperature, outside polar regions, reached 21.1° Celsius (69.98° Fahrenheit), exceeding the previous record set in March […]
A sea cucumber venture in Zanzibar seeks to balance business and conservation
- For decades, conservationists have argued that protecting nature cannot rely indefinitely on donor funding. To endure, conservation efforts must generate enough economic value to sustain themselves.
- That search for sustainable financing has prompted governments, investors and conservation organizations to experiment with models that seek to align commercial returns with environmental protection.
- On Tanzania’s Pemba Island, a company called Asili is betting that sea cucumber ranching can do both. The venture is building the infrastructure needed to cultivate and process sea cucumbers for sale while supporting the restoration and protection of marine ecosystems.
- Yet, significant questions remain. Can enough sea cucumbers be produced to make the business commercially viable? Can profits be shared equitably with local communities? And can a model built around conservation and commerce truly deliver on both promises?

More than 380 coastal World Heritage Sites may face climate risks, new data shows
- Coral reefs, medieval coastal castles and mangrove forests on UNESCO’s World Heritage list now share something in common: Precise digital boundaries.
- A new dataset maps 386 coastal World Heritage Sites, offering the clearest picture yet of what stands to be lost as the world’s climate changes.
- Covering 235 million hectares (~581 million acres) of coastline, the new high-resolution, open-access dataset can be used by researchers and local managers to study flooding, erosion and other climate risks faced by heritage sites.
- The tool is a critical first step to understand climate risks, but not a substitute for the local knowledge needed to help these places survive, some experts say.

A ‘leading’ Chinese miner of Mozambique’s heavy sands linked to environmental destruction
- Rapid loss of mangroves in Mozambique’s Zambezia Province is linked to the activities of Mozambique Heavy Sand Company VIII, which is part-owned by an influential Chinese mining group, Mongabay has found.
- The mangrove loss occurred inside a site considered “one of the most diverse and productive river delta systems in the world.”
- Satellite imagery suggests it was caused by what appears to be a blocked waterway where sand mining activities took place between 2022 and 2026.
- Increasingly, environmentalists are raising the alarm about the environmental impacts of heavy minerals prospecting and mining in vast sections along Mozambique’s coast.

A Sumatran villager lost ground to the sea. So he planted mangroves
In a coastal village on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, an oil palm and pineapple grower named Harisyah is fighting rapid coastal erosion. The region’s northern coastline, which sits on carbon-rich tropical peat soils, is losing ground to the sea at a rate of more than 6 meters (20 feet) annually. Researchers attribute the retreat […]
Nigeria can build the new coastal highway and also protect natural areas (commentary)
- To improve living conditions in Nigeria, new roads like the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway are needed.
- But these can and must be built in such a way that protects mangroves, swamps, and remnant forests, using knowledge and tools like environmental and social impact assessments.
- “The question is not whether Nigeria should develop. It is whether development will be intelligent enough to avoid destroying the natural infrastructure that already protects coastal communities,” a new op-ed argues.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

Blast fishing destroys reefs. Underwater microphones can help detect it
- Once home to a pristine and vibrant network of coral reefs, the Spermonde Archipelago off the coast of South Sulawesi in Indonesia has had its coral decimated by the illegal practice of blast fishing, in which improvised explosives are tossed into the sea to kill and stun fish en masse.
- A new study harnesses acoustic data to produce what is likely the first rigorous estimate of the frequency and intensity of bomb fishing in the archipelago.
- Using low-cost microphones and an easy-to-run algorithm, the researchers detected more than 3,500 so-called fish bombs going off in their study area within the archipelago — an average of 23 blasts a day, or almost one every hour.
- The scientists believe their approach could help communities and NGOs around the world design targeted interventions to combat the practice, which can devastate not only reefs but the broader marine ecosystems.

Scientists discover 149 new deep-sea species at remote Indian Ocean seamounts
- A new study details a deep-sea expedition near the remote Christmas and Cocos islands, where researchers visited unexplored seamounts and identified 149 previously unknown marine species, including black corals, sea worms, sea cucumbers and a variety of fish.
- At a site they dubbed “The Shark Tooth Graveyard,” researchers discovered around 1,000 shark teeth, covering more than 22 million years of evolution.
- Researchers from institutions in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the U.S. surveyed the seafloor down to 5,431 meters (17,818 feet), where conditions are cold, dark and high-pressure with limited food options for benthic species.
- Deep-sea research is notoriously challenging, but scientists stress the importance of exploring these ecosystems as they face growing threats from warming oceans, pollution, overfishing and deep-sea mining.

El Niño is disrupting the Pacific’s marine food web from the bottom up
As the 2026 El Niño strengthens in the equatorial Pacific, satellites are capturing the first major signs of disruption to the marine food web. According to by NASA’s Earth Observatory observations, satellite measurements show a substantial drop in surface concentrations of chlorophyll across the Central Pacific compared with neutral conditions in June 2025. Chlorophyll is […]
In Raja Ampat, children learn that their knowledge can help protect their islands
- Research suggests that children who grow up closely connected to their surroundings can develop sophisticated understandings of their local environment.
- A recent children’s book reading was part of a gathering of Indigenous communities in Arborek that brought together representatives from 20 Indigenous subtribes in Raja Ampat, as well as Indigenous people from other parts of Indonesia and abroad.
- The book turns the biodiversity of Indonesia into a visual story about what could be lost if mining damages the environment.
- The author and illustrator hope that seeing their home, animals and stories represented in a book will encourage the children to tell more stories of their own.

Antarctic krill fishery closes months early amid increasing fishing pressure
- The krill fishery in the Southern Ocean has closed more than three months early after reaching its annual catch limit of 620,000 metric tons — a precautionary quota established to prevent overfishing.
- Krill forms the foundation of the Antarctic food web, with penguins, whales, seals, fish, squid and other animals depending on the tiny shrimp-like crustacean.
- The early closure of the fishery is linked to the growth of the krill-targeting fleet, as well as to what some scientists call an “unprecedented” concentration of fishing activities in areas where krill is most abundant.
- Scientists are raising concerns about the combined impacts of overfishing and climate change on both krill and the Antarctic and Southern Ocean wildlife it nourishes.

A deadly cross over: In South Africa, rabies moves from land animals to seals
- Cape Town, South Africa, has recorded 135 incidents of aggressive seal behavior toward humans since September 2021, including injuries that led to hospitalizations.
- Researchers suspect the cause is rabies, a disease normally associated with land animals but has leapt to Cape fur seals.
- Since May 2024, rabies cases have been confirmed in Cape fur seals along the Western Cape and Northern Cape coastlines of South Africa — the first time the virus has established itself in a marine mammal population anywhere in the world.
- Beyond attacks on humans, researchers worry whether the disease will spread to other marine mammals, as seals interact with different species.

Art and science must come together for coral reef conservation, biologists argue
Art and science can work together to raise public awareness and propel conservation efforts needed to safeguard coral reef ecosystems, a group of coral scientists argues in a new research article published in Science Advances. Coral reefs are among Earth’s most threatened ecosystems amid climate change, coral bleaching and threats from mining. However, most people […]
Spain proposes 23 new marine protected areas in the Canary Islands and Mediterranean
- The proposal represents Spain’s latest effort to advance protection of 30% of its waters by 2030.
- It looks to protect 22,405 square kilometers (8,651 square miles) of marine waters, primarily in the eastern North Atlantic Ocean around the Canary Islands, as well as four sites in the Mediterranean Sea.
- Conservation groups have raised concerns in recent years about the state of Spain’s marine protected areas, highlighting a significant discrepancy between areas designated “on paper” and those that are subject to effective protection.

Hermit crabs and cockroaches emerge as unlikely seed dispersers on a Japanese island
In the humid, coastal forests of Japan’s Ishigaki Island, near Okinawa, a parasitic plant relies on some unusual allies to spread its seeds: land hermit crabs and cockroaches, according to a recent study. The plant, fungus root (Balanophora fungosa), is non-photosynthetic, meaning it lacks chlorophyll and can’t make its own food. Instead, it grows as […]
Climate change drove extreme July heat in European seas, study finds
European coastal waters recorded unprecedented sea surface temperatures in July 2026. A new study has found that human-induced climate change primarily drove the temperature surge, pushing marine ecosystems past their limits. The rapid analysis was conducted by World Weather Attribution (WWA), a global network of researchers who analyze the influence of climate change in extreme […]
Indigenous fishers rethink shark hunting & protect species on Colombia’s coast
- In the Colombian department of La Guajira, at South America’s northernmost tip, Indigenous Wayuu fishers from the community of Punta Gallinas are working with marine biologists to conserve and document shark populations.
- Despite a 2021 law banning targeted shark and ray fishing in Colombia, the meat remains a vital protein source in one of the country’s most remote and food-insecure regions.
- Colombian shark conservation initiative Proyecto Puyuii is working with Wayuu fishers to record shark species in the understudied waters of La Guajira, implementing sustainability measures such as larger-mesh nets, safe release techniques and avoiding longlines.
- With sustainable tourism touted as a potential economic alternative to shark fishing, some fishers argue that compensation will need to be offered before they can afford to stop.

New Zealand opens marine reserves with groundbreaking Māori co-management model
- Five new marine protected areas (MPAs) came into effect in Aotearoa New Zealand in July after more than a decade of grassroots and governmental work — and a sixth is expected to open in the near future.
- The MPAs are no-take marine reserves, areas where all extractive activities are banned, co-managed by the regional Māori tribe Kāi Tahu and the Department of Conservation.
- The reserves are the first in the country to be co-managed by Indigenous people and the government through shared decision-making and a joint ranger team.
- The reserves are the first part of a planned network, called Te Au Roa o Te Rakihouia, which is expected to have not only the reserves but also other types of protected areas that have less strict protections.

On the Great Barrier Reef, management by Traditional Owners is growing
- Joint management of the Great Barrier Reef is changing, with Traditional Owners playing an increasing role in the conservation of one of the seven natural wonders of the world.
- Despite climate change continuing to threaten the health of the Reef, the World Heritage Committee has again decided not to put the Great Barrier Reef on its “in danger” list, and has cited increased levels of Traditional Owner management in its decision.
- Traditional use and management agreements currently cover 43% of the Great Barrier Reef’s coastline and the government has announced new funding and measures to further include Indigenous management.
- There are still gaps in the full inclusion of Indigenous communities in the stewardship of their traditional waters, say Indigenous governance organizations, though strides are being made.

As an industry and a cooking ingredient, seaweed is gaining ground in Brazil
- In Paraty, Brazil, a Caiçara family has transformed seaweed cultivation into gastronomy, educational tourism and a source of income. The venture is driven by strong female participation and a deep connection to their territory.
- Originally introduced in Brazil to supply the carrageenan industry, the macroalgae Kappaphycus alvarezii is also being used as a biofertilizer and increasingly as a food item..
- Its farming also supports ecological balance. It produces oxygen, absorbs carbon and helps improve water quality by filtering out excess nutrients.
- Experts say the expansion of seaweed farming in Brazil faces bottlenecks in credit, marketing, technology and regulation. New research networks and public policies are attempting to organize the sector as part of the country’s growing bioeconomy.

Mobile queen conch hatcheries strive to help the species, engage Caribbean communities
- International demand for queen conch meat and shells has led to severe overharvesting, while habitat degradation, pollution and warming waters add further threats.
- In a bid to slow the decline of the queen conch, researchers are partnering with local conservation organizations across the Caribbean to establish a network of mobile hatcheries aimed at protecting the giant marine snail through its vulnerable early life stages.
- The goal is not only to nurture developing conch, but to create community spaces where local people can learn about the queen conch life cycle and participate in restoration efforts.
- However, some researchers have doubts about whether aquaculture alone can restore wild conch fisheries.

Global marine protected areas fail to safeguard most sharks and rays: Study
- Marine protected areas (MPAs) cover less than 10% of the ranges of most species of sharks and rays, with significant shortfalls for threatened and critically endangered species, a new study finds.
- The analysis also reveals major gaps in reporting on the extent of fishing and harvesting re-strictions in these preserves.
- The study’s authors recommend including biodiversity targets as part of the 30×30 framework and encourage policymakers to consider aligning MPAs with important shark and ray areas to maximize conservation and biodiversity benefits.
- However, some researchers disagree that blanket MPAs would meaningfully benefit shark and ray conservation.

Sand mining plans spark opposition from fishers in Indonesia’s Riau Islands
- Plans to mine marine sand off Indonesia’s Numbing Island have sparked opposition from fishers, environmental groups, and some lawmakers who warn of damage to fishing grounds and marine tourism.
- Although the government describes the project as marine sediment management and no company has begun operations, the proposal has divided local communities over the promised compensation.
- Critics warn the dredging could increase water turbidity, damage coral reefs, alter coastal currents, and weaken natural coastal defenses.
- The dispute has also raised legal and geopolitical concerns, with researchers arguing the Riau Islands’ strategic location makes the environmental risks a national security matter.

Land rights and mangroves entwine in a Brazilian quilombo’s resistance
- Officially recognized as a collection of quilombos, or traditional Afro Brazilian communities, by the government in 2023, Brejão dos Negros is still awaiting the land titles it has been demanding for 20 years.
- The federal land reform agency has demarcated more than 8,000 hectares (19,800 acres) of the territory, but the communities have been authorized to use less than a tenth of this area.
- This delay has left them vulnerable to land disputes; the encroachment of shrimp farms into mangrove areas, which harms fishing and shellfish gathering; and increased salinization of the São Francisco River, which affects their crops and hinders their access to potable water.
- Seeking new income sources, the community members are turning to pesticide-free farming; one of the communities has become the largest producer of agroecological rice in Sergipe state.

Six African countries now support precautionary pause on deep-seabed mining
Three more African countries have joined calls for a precautionary pause on deep-sea mining until the environmental, social and economic impacts of such mining are better understood. This brings the number of African countries supporting a moratorium to six. Mauritius, Mozambique and the Republic of the Congo announced support for the precautionary pause during the […]
On fragile Sumatran peatland, a farmer fights to bring back lost mangroves
- A palm oil grower in an Indonesian village on Sumatra island, around 100 miles west of Singapore, has spent 15 years studying the role of mangroves in coastal ecosystems and pushing local action to restore coastal forests.
- Research shows this area of Sumatra’s northern coastline, which is separated from the Strait of Malacca by a narrow channel and the island of Bengkalis, is experiencing coastal abrasion of more than 6 meters per year, due primarily to mangrove loss.
- Indonesia pledged to restore around 600,000 hectares in five years by 2024, which researchers say was likely the world’s most ambitious reforestation initiative on record. However, only a small share of the planned planted area was successfully seeded.

Illegal mining threatens Ghana’s first marine protected area
- Illegal gold mining in Ghana’s Greater Cape Three Points Forest Reserve threatens vulnerable and endangered species in the protected forest, say conservationists.
- Sediment and toxic chemicals from the mining also threaten the adjacent waters of a newly declared marine protected area just offshore.
- Conservation NGOs want the government to act against illegal miners, including establishing permanent camps in the forest to protect a wider area.

Cambodia’s banned sand trade with Singapore appears to be back
- Cambodia appears to have resumed exporting sand to Singapore, despite a 2017 national ban, with Koh Kong provincial authorities saying a new dredging operation has been licensed.
- Mongabay traced at least four bulk carriers from Koh Kong to Singapore’s Tuas Port, where the site of a massive land reclamation project.
- The dredging is taking place within protected area boundaries and could affect riverbanks, fisheries and wildlife, as well as a major downstream mangrove forest.
- Environmental activists say they hope to draw attention to the renewed sand trade, but Cambodia’s shrinking civic space and restrictions on civil society groups have made standing up to environmental violations increasingly difficult.

How social media and parrotfish poop are protecting the Maldives
- Parrotfish play a vital role in reef ecosystems by producing sand from consumed coral and maintaining healthy reefs by grazing algae; in doing so they support the sediment accretion processes that help low-lying atolls naturally grow and adapt to rising sea levels.
- A grassroots social media campaign in the Maldives raised awareness about the ecological importance of parrotfish, helping build widespread public support for their conservation after the species began proliferating in local fish markets during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Public backing from the #FishForTomorrow campaign led the Maldivian government to ban the catch of all parrotfish species in 2020, making the Maldives one of the first countries to enact national protections based largely on community advocacy.
- Building on this success, the NGO Maldives Resilient Reefs is expanding conservation efforts through sustainable fishing partnerships, seagrass protection and a nationwide initiative to protect 30% of the country’s marine habitats by 2030.

On a Philippine beach, villagers are stepping up to save sea turtle nests
Beaches in San Vicente municipality in the Philippines’ Palawan province are crucial nesting grounds for olive ridley sea turtles. But the turtles and their babies face perilous journeys on those beaches — from dogs, tourism, and increasingly severe storms and high tides. To counter these threats, the NGO Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines (LAMAVE) […]
What happens after a whale strands on a Mumbai beach?
On the morning of June 27, a 7.6-meter (25-foot) blue whale calf washed ashore on a busy beach in Mumbai, India’s financial capital and the capital of Maharashtra state. Whale strandings are rare along the Maharashtra coast, so Mongabay spoke with experts to find out what happened next. “Each stranding incident is a totally unexpected […]
Mining threat persists in Raja Ampat, Indonesia’s ‘Amazon of the Seas’
- The Indonesian archipelago of Raja Ampat is home to some of the world’s richest marine biodiversity.
- A year ago, the Indonesian government suspended mining activities for review and later revoked the permits of four of the five nickel companies operating in Raja Ampat following a public backlash.
- According to a new Greenpeace report, Raja Ampat remains vulnerable to nickel mining, with three companies still pursuing mining rights on its largest island and state-owned PT Gag Nikel continuing to operate.

Deep-sea snails and mussels in Indian and Pacific Oceans contain microplastics, study finds
- A new study has found microplastic particles in almost all sampled mussels and snails inhabiting deep-sea hydrothermal vents in the Indian Ocean and southwestern Pacific Ocean.
- By comparing snails and mussels from hydrothermal vents in two oceans, researchers found stark differences in levels of microplastic contamination between the two.
- The new study suggests the animals’ different feeding mechanisms might influence the amount of plastic pollution in their bodies.

Bangladesh plans to plant 250 million trees. Keeping them alive will be harder
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. Bangladesh plans to plant 250 million trees over the next five years to expand green cover, restore damaged ecosystems, and support its climate and biodiversity commitments, reports Mongabay’s Abu Siddique. The government expects ministries, the army, local authorities, […]
Coral reef experts press on, with climate looming over international conference
- Coral reef scientists, conservationists, policymakers and community leaders from more than 90 countries met July 19-24 at the International Coral Reefs Symposium in Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand.
- Participants discussed how to combat the drivers of climate change, how to characterize and communicate the current condition of coral reefs, and how to empower Indigenous communities and integrate their knowledge systems, among other topics.
- During the week of the conference, a new U.S.-based coral reef research center was launched and the first-ever high-resolution mapping of living corals for the Pacific Ocean was announced.
- The next International Coral Reef Symposium will take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in July 2030.

Drifting tuna fishing gear enter half of marine protected areas: study
- A global study estimates that drifting fish aggregating devices, or dFADs, affect more than half of the world’s protected marine area.
- Researchers documented at least 6,324 dFAD strandings across 174 protected areas in 53 maritime jurisdictions over a period spanning 2007-2023.
- The analysis found no clear evidence that fishing fleets systematically concentrate dFAD fishing around large marine protected areas.
- Researchers and an independent fisheries expert are calling for stronger limits on dFAD deployments, better tracking and for companies to have greater responsibility for retrieving lost devices.

Listening offers a clearer picture of India’s hidden finless porpoises
The Indo-Pacific finless porpoise is one of India’s smallest cetaceans, inhabits turbid coastal waters, and lacks a dorsal fin — all of which make it a difficult species for researchers to spot. Recent research suggests these animals are far more prevalent in Indian waters than visual sightings suggest, yet they may be disappearing before they […]
Wind farms join bottom trawlers and oil rigs in a protected North Sea sandbank
- Dogger Bank is a vast, shallow sandbank in the North Sea that was once among the most productive marine nurseries in Europe, prompting experts to call it the ecological heart of the North Sea.
- While much of Dogger Bank has been protected for its unique seabed habitat, destructive industrial activities like oil and gas extraction as well as fishing practices like bottom trawling have continued, even in the protected zones.
- Now, conservationists have notched a win with a recent court ruling that curtails bottom trawling in Dogger Bank.
- However, they say the threats continue, notably in the form of major wind farm developments rising in a protected area.

UN regulator delays deep-sea mining rules, but extends criticized exploration contract
- The International Seabed Authority (ISA), the U.N.-associated organization that oversees deep-sea mining activities in international waters, held a council meeting July 13 to 24 in Kingston, Jamaica.
- During the meeting, the council extended a deep-sea mining exploration contract for a subsidiary of The Metals Company (TMC), despite the company actively pursuing mining exploration and exploitation permits for the same areas through a U.S. government agency.
- In addition, the council once again failed to finalize the rules needed for commercial seabed mining to commence, with many issues remaining unresolved.

Extreme weather dampens breeding success for marine predators in Tasmania: study
- A recent study found that extreme weather events like storms, heat waves and floods can interfere with the breeding success of marine predators like seals, shearwaters and albatross that raise their young along the coasts of the Australian state of Tasmania.
- While some colonies appeared unaffected by extreme weather, others saw offspring swept away by powerful waves and storm surges, hypothermia during unusually wet episodes, and deadly overheating during periods of high temperatures.
- The researchers noted that these extremes are among many challenges seals, seabirds and other marine predators face, including pollution, disease and declining food supplies, which can also be influenced by extreme weather events.

Winners of the annual Mangrove Photography Awards: See the photos
In celebration of World Mangrove Day on July 26, the U.S.-based Mangrove Action Project (MAP) has announced the winners of its 12th annual photography awards. “Mangroves are the underdog. They will never be as glamorous as the Amazon rainforest or coral reefs. But through photography we can change that narrative, and intrigue people by showing […]
How saline drinking water raises preeclampsia risks in coastal Bangladesh (commentary)
- Climate change and rising sea levels are driving salt water intrusion into drinking water sources in coastal Bangladesh, which research links to an increased risk of preeclampsia, a leading cause of maternal mortality.
- Rural communities lack adequate freshwater infrastructure, which means pregnant women are often forced to consume saline water, making them particularly vulnerable to the life-threatening effects of excessive sodium intake.
- To address this hidden health crisis and prevent further maternal deaths, Bangladesh’s government and partner organizations must take urgent action by subsidizing household rainwater harvesting tanks for the most vulnerable coastal families.
- Since this article is a commentary, the views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Mongabay.

As Australia expands seismic testing, experts warn of profound effects on sealife
- Research has shown the intense, impulsive underwater noise from marine seismic surveys can harm marine animals up and down the food chain. Yet marine scientists say major gaps remain in understanding how the effects of repeated exposure may accumulate across ecosystems over time.
- Even so, the technology is becoming embedded in Australia’s energy transition plans, as projects increasingly rely on seismic surveys not only to search for gas, but also to repeatedly monitor sites where carbon dioxide captured during gas production would be injected permanently into seabed rock formations.
- The process, known as carbon capture and storage, is relatively new, and while proponents say it is the only way to reach net zero goals, major economic and performance challenges remain.
- The expansion of carbon capture and storage could make seismic surveys a recurring feature of Australia’s net-zero ambitions.

What happened to the vessels Panama busted in 2025 for fishing in its flagship MPA?
- In January 2025, Panama’s government announced it had caught more than a dozen vessels fishing illegally inside the country’s flagship marine protected area, declaring it the largest such enforcement operation in the country’s history. Yet the government has released little information about the case over the past year and a half.
- To find out what happened, Mongabay sought information from Panamanian government agencies and reviewed government files that a local nonprofit obtained in freedom of information requests. Much of the information in this article, including about the number and nature of the vessels involved and the status of legal proceedings, hasn’t previously been reported.
- Two government agencies have issued fines against many of the vessel owners, though certain cases have been dismissed and the fines in other cases were reduced upon appeal. The status of criminal proceedings led by the public prosecutor’s office, a third government authority, isn’t known.
- The fishers involved protested the fines on multiple grounds; for one, they’ve said they weren’t in fact fishing. Meanwhile, a representative of the Panama-based nonprofit said the government hadn’t been strict enough in enforcing the MPA’s rules and hasn’t conducted the cases with full transparency. The agencies have rejected the criticisms.

US government announces plans to lease deep-sea mining rights in American Samoa
The U.S. government has taken another definitive step toward launching a deep-sea mining industry, starting in the waters of American Samoa, despite public opposition. On July 17, the Marine Minerals Administration (MMA), a new U.S. agency formed by merging the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, announced intentions […]
Beavers flourish in tidal habitats in the Pacific Northwest, study finds
Beavers are well-known residents of rivers, lakes and streams across North America. New research finds they are also far more common in estuaries and tidal wetlands than was previously understood. The study suggests the rodents are critical ecosystem engineers in a habitat where twice-daily tides raise and lower water levels, bringing saltwater inland from the […]
How a community is helping sea turtles hatch in the Philippines
- The municipality of San Vicente in the Philippines’ Palawan is a vital nesting ground for Olive Ridley sea turtles.
- Nesting turtles and their eggs face an array of challenges. Predation by dogs is the most immediate threat, but rising sea levels, more severe storms and tourism development plans also loom large.
- To try to protect the turtles, Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines, a Philippine-based NGO, runs a research project and works with paid patrollers to monitor and protect turtles and their nests.
- Community involvement is key to the group’s conservation efforts.

Melanesian nations announce intention to create massive ocean reserve corridor
- Solomon Islands is the latest Pacific island nation to sign on to a new network of marine protected areas (MPAs) known as the Melanesian Ocean Corridor of Reserves, or MOCOR, which was announced by Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Fiji at the first Melanesian Ocean Summit in May.
- Located in the southwestern Pacific, Melanesia is a hotspot for marine biodiversity and the discovery of new species.
- While large marine corridors can be more effective than isolated MPAs, researchers caution that robust management and enforcement are necessary to prevent them from becoming so-called “paper parks.”
- Details about MOCOR’s size, configuration, precise location, governance, enforcement mechanisms and community consultation processes are scarce.

From Mardi Gras to marsh: Glass Half Full turns party glass into Louisiana coastline
- A New Orleans based business, Glass Half Full, collects glass from bars, restaurants, and drop-off sites, recycling it into new bottles and fine silica sand.
- The recycled sand is used by ReCoast, the nonprofit’s restoration arm, to restore land by building small experimental islands and berms.
- Louisiana loses roughly a football field of land to the sea every hour, a crisis that Glass Half Full’s young founder, Franziska Trautmann, describes as a looming threat.
- Early results from the glass sand restoration is promising: vegetation is returning, sediment is sticking, and wildlife is moving in; but the work is constrained by two bottlenecks: not enough glass, and not enough funding.

Gray whales are suffering catastrophic population decline in the Pacific Ocean
Gray whales are experiencing a potentially catastrophic population decline, a sharp reversal from what had been considered a conservation success. As of July 6, 2026, there were 145 gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) stranding deaths in the Pacific, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) data. The environmental non-profit Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) […]
Invasive giant prawn spreads through protected areas in Brazil
- A study led by researchers from Brazil and Uruguay confirmed the presence of invasive prawns in several conservation areas along the Brazilian coast, including estuaries listed by UNESCO as Natural World Heritage Sites.
- Considered an opportunistic predator and highly adaptable to different marine conditions, the giant river prawn competes with native species for food and shelter, in addition to being a potential vector for diseases.
- While scientists demand concrete actions to stop the advancement of this intrusive crustacean, small-scale fishers report significant drops in their capture of native animals, warning about the impact of invasive species on their livelihoods.

In the Canadian Arctic, an experiment aims to stabilize thinning sea ice
- Climate tech startup Real Ice is trialing sea-ice thickening in the Arctic coastal community of Ikaluktutiak, also known as Cambridge Bay, in Nunavut, Canada, where thinning ice affects many aspects of residents’ lives.
- The company is attempting to thicken the ice by drilling holes in it and pumping seawater onto the surface during winter, which activates refreezing.
- Work has been limited to a 1-square-kilometer (0.4-square-mile) test site in Ikaluktutiak, but the team hopes to scale up the project if it proves viable and environmentally safe.
- While the results have been promising, geoengineering projects like Real Ice’s work have also attracted controversy for the possible risks they pose to the environment.

‘Bear-dar’ aims to give Arctic communities a heads-up on nearby polar bears
- An early-warning system, aided by radar and AI, aims to help mitigate human-polar bear encounters in the Arctic.
- Bear-dar scans the landscape for polar bears and alerts people if a bear is spotted approaching human settlements.
- In May, the system detected a polar bear family and helped people at a weather station guide them back onto sea ice.
- As sea ice rapidly melts due to global warming, polar bears are losing their habitats; as a result, they’re increasingly foraging for food on land, putting them in growing contact with humans.

How a spiritual practice is preserving Benin’s mangroves
In the West African nation of Benin, Vodun, an ancient spiritual religion rooted in a deep connection between humans and nature, has become a primary tool for protecting the country’s disappearing mangroves. By invoking the authority of the Zangbéto deity, local communities and conservationists create spiritual sanctuaries that forbid the destruction of mangroves under threat […]
The unsung biodiversity of the Mediterranean Sea needs urgent protection
The Mediterranean Sea accounts for less than 1% of the world’s ocean surface water, but it contains roughly 18% of global marine biodiversity. It is home to 150 million people along its coastline (roughly equivalent to Russia’s population). And it sequesters 17.2 million metric tons of CO2 each year. Joining the Newscast this week to […]
Rising seas, garbage and heat threaten Brazil’s migratory shorebirds
- Among the many effects linked to climate change and damages to estuarine ecosystems, research indicates that migratory birds that depend on coastal wetlands could lose half of their habitats by 2050
- The impact is significant for Brazilian shorebirds: besides depending on a continuous chain of healthy wetlands to complete their long journeys between hemispheres, they suffer from the degradation of feeding areas such as mangroves.
- One the most threatened species is the red knot (Calidris canutus): low food availability could impair the bird’s preparation for the 8,000-kilometer (5,000-mile) journey it makes from Brazil’s northeast coast to the U.S. coast.
- Researchers are conducting censuses and conservation projects in areas of high shorebird biodiversity, including the Potiguar Basin in Brazil’s Rio Grande do Norte state, considered a “regionally important site” for these migratory birds.

Why Africa should link nutritional data with fisheries management (commentary)
- The Our Ocean Conference in Kenya last month put Africa’s ocean future in the global spotlight, but the real test now is whether new commitments help countries build the systems needed to manage aquatic foods for people and not just for production, trade and conservation, a new op-ed argues.
- Fisheries ministries count landings, and health ministries count nutritional deficiencies, but rarely do the two talk to each other — a problem which can be addressed when the right data is gathered and communicated.
- “If Africa can pivot to managing fisheries not only for how much is produced, but for what the catch means for its people’s nutrition, the next generation of fisheries management will be able to harness its oceans for greater social impact and inclusive development,” writes Essam Yassin, director general of research organization WorldFish.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

Kent Carpenter spent half a century counting the life of Philippine reefs
- Kent E. Carpenter spent more than 50 years studying the fish, reefs, and marine biodiversity of the Philippines.
- His mapping of 2,983 species helped identify the central Philippines as the “Center of the Center” of marine shore-fish biodiversity. He combined taxonomy, genetics, conservation, teaching, and policy work to document both the richness of marine life and the pressures reducing it.
- At 73, he was still conducting field research and contributing to new surveys of Philippine reefs.
- Carpenter was shot dead at his home in Sibulan, Negros Oriental, on July 12th. An investigation is under way, according to authorities.

Fossil fuel-based mega projects displace locals in Bangladesh, pushing youth out
- The Bangladesh government has adopted a master plan to develop Maheshkhali sub-district through three industrial zones: An energy hub with 13 gigawatts of LNG and coal power plants, a deep-sea port with container and multipurpose terminals, and a special economic zone.
- The development requires about 37,000 hectares of land across Maheshkhali and Matarbari coastal areas, potentially displacing more than 770,000 residents.
- A coal power plant and deep-sea terminal have already displaced 20,000 people by acquiring 2,820 acres of land used for salt production, fish farming and shrimp cultivation.
- The coal power plant and deep-sea terminal have affected more than 90,000 people, leaving many without livelihoods and pushing some to risk illegal migration to East Asia for work.

A marine protected area can ban fishing boats. It cannot stop drifting gear
- Drifting fish aggregating devices, or dFADs, are widely used by tuna fleets to gather and catch fish, but they can drift into marine protected areas without vessels crossing the boundary.
- A new Science Advances study found that dFADs have likely interacted with 53% of the global MPA network by area and stranded in 174 protected areas, including sites that harbor at least 490 at-risk species.
- The problem exposes a weakness in ocean protection: MPAs can regulate fishing boats inside their boundaries, but they are less equipped to manage mobile industrial gear that crosses those boundaries, sinks, breaks apart, or washes ashore.
- The costs often fall on MPA managers, island communities, and conservation groups, making dFADs a test of whether fishing governance can assign responsibility before protected areas become cleanup sites for other people’s gear.

Southeast Asian mangroves shift from historic decline to net growth
For decades, Southeast Asia was the global epicenter of mangrove deforestation, but a recent study reveals a dramatic reversal: Since 2010, the region has transitioned from a net loss to a net gain in mangroves, making it a primary contributor to a global mangrove rebound. The study, which analyzed 40 years of satellite data, found […]
What will Africa’s story on ocean governance be? Interview with David Willima
- With the High Seas Treaty in force, African proposals to designate marine protected areas in international waters are taking shape.
- Maritime security expert David Willima talks about why the West African marine protected area proposal is advanced and why others still require careful coordination.
- Willima says that with the current transformation marine governance is going through, African countries need to be actively engaged in order to have a voice in global decision-making.

Scientists use AI to produce first high-resolution map of global seagrass extent
- Scientists have produced the first high-resolution map of seagrass ecosystems around the world.
- Data from the map reveal that 70% of global seagrass cover is concentrated off the coasts of just five countries.
- The map also found that nearly 80% of seagrass loss happened outside marine protected areas, emphasizing the importance of targeted conservation action.
- Seagrass ecosystems play an important role in protecting coastlines and carbon sequestration; however, they face threats from hurricanes, coastal development, and marine heat waves.

Bangladesh gets ready for its first release of tiger rescued from poachers’ trap
- In early 2026, the Bangladesh Forest Department rescued an adult female Bengal tiger from the Sundarbans from a poachers’ trap set for deer.
- The critically injured tiger was taken to the Khulna Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center. After receiving the treatment, she is now ready to be released back into the mangrove forest.
- Since this is the first release of its kind in the country, the authority is struggling to decide on the best process, including whether the tiger should be fitted with a satellite collar or monitored with camera traps after release.
- Since last year, the Forest Department has taken strict action against deer poachers by conducting raids and seizing large amounts of netting and other traps. The tiger’s rescue from a snare and the increased deer population are results of these efforts.

Can conservation change how the world sees the Strait of Hormuz? (commentary)
- If seen only as an oil corridor, the main question becomes how to keep energy moving, but this overlooks a much more important reality, that the Strait of Hormuz is biologically rich yet fragile.
- Featuring mangroves, seabird colonies, coral reefs, turtle nesting beaches and islands, it is a narrow ecological corridor through which the Persian Gulf exchanges water between the Gulf of Oman and Indian Ocean, connecting nature across borders.
- “If it is also seen as an ecological corridor, another question enters the room: how much ecological capital is the region willing to risk while trying to protect its political and economic capital?” a new op-ed asks.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

Could a blighted urban inlet become a global beacon of waterway renewal?
- A group of advocates is seeking to transform False Creek, a tidal inlet in Vancouver, Canada, from a polluted city inlet into a place where nature thrives and people can safely swim in the water.
- Facing jurisdictional challenges over who gets to decide the future of this once vital marine ecosystem, advocates have explored various governance models for the inlet, such as getting it designated as an urban marine park or granted environmental personhood.
- Not everyone agrees, and now, they are pushing for the surrounding community to voice their desires and negotiate for False Creek’s future.

Illegal fishing takes a toll on Australia’s sea cucumbers
- Researchers blame an increase in illegal fishing for the decline of sea cucumbers in a remote Australian marine park and say many other reefs in the country have also been affected.
- The Australian government has launched an operation to crack down on illegal fishing in the country’s Northern Territory where the problem is acute, including for high-value sea cucumbers.
- But as long as the market for sea cucumbers remains strong in China and other East Asian countries, experts say, wild populations of this slow-growing animal could collapse and put the health of reef systems at risk in Australia and beyond.

Cabo Verde program and its fishers have been protecting the sea for 10 years
- In Cabo Verde, 190 fishers from seven of the archipelago’s 10 islands volunteer with the Guardians of the Sea program, reporting illegal practices and sightings of marine megafauna as they go about their daily fishing work.
- Their presence at sea acts as a strong deterrent against illegal activities and raises awareness among other fishers about the importance of long-term, sustainable marine management, according to a program co-founder.
- Fishers have always been a pillar of Cabo Verde’s economy and identity. The country hosts a fleet of approximately 1,535 vessels, ranging from artisanal to semi-industrial, and the sector provides a livelihood for coastal families.

The Gaza scientist still tracking rays from a war zone
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. Mohammed Abu Daya is a marine ecologist from Gaza. His work focuses on spinetail devil rays, also known as giant devil rays, a critically endangered species that moves through the Mediterranean and beyond. Few scientists specialize in these […]
As East Africa’s oceans change, coastal women build new livelihoods
MALINDI, Kenya (AP) — Across East Africa’s coastline, climate change and industrial fishing are threatening the livelihoods of millions who depend on the ocean. In Kenya, women are turning to community tourism, mangrove restoration and other nature-based enterprises as declining fish stocks force them to adapt. Their experiences mirror a regional push to strengthen coastal […]
Listen to whales to improve connection, care & ocean health (commentary)
- From establishing conservation protections to developing tools to understand whale communication, the work of marine biologist David Gruber and oceanographer Sylvia Earle is grounded in the same belief: understanding leads to connection and care.
- While there have been remarkable conservation successes across the five decades of their efforts, the overall trend is clear: the health of the ocean is declining faster than efforts to protect it.
- “We still have an opportunity to leave future generations an ocean filled with life, wonder, and possibility. But this window is closing. The choices we make in the next decade will firmly shape the future of marine ecosystems,” the co-authors argue.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily of Mongabay.

Brazil’s expanding offshore oil frontier puts biodiversity at risk: study
- Fossil fuel exploration off the northeast coast of Brazil presents a greater cumulative risk of oil spills than previously expected, according to new modeling.
- Seagrass meadows and deep-water reefs in the Potiguar Basin are at greatest risk, as well as portions of the coasts of Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte and Amapá states.
- As the Brazilian government is pursuing rapid expansion of oil exploration in the region, researchers recommend prioritizing preparedness for emergencies where pollution would likely spread, and expanding Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in low-risk areas.
- Campaigners worry that MPAs might restrict local fishing communities or be implemented too slowly.

Australia’s seagrass meadows under pressure as climate change turns up the heat
- Australia is a global stronghold for seagrasses, the flowering plants that grow in coastal waters and bays.
- Seagrasses are unsung but vital ecosystem engineers: They stabilize sediments, provide habitat and food for marine species, help cleanse the water column of pollutants and sequester vast amounts of carbon dioxide.
- Across Australia’s waters, these undersea meadows are suffering as coasts are developed, seas are polluted and climate change continues to raise water temperatures.
- Conservationists are working to restore seagrasses and build resilience to preserve these vital marine ecosystems.

Rare fungi help restore Palmyra Atoll rainforests, new study finds. Here’s how
Palmyra Atoll in the North Pacific is one of the most remote island systems on Earth. A native rainforest tree on the island performs a critical ecological service by providing nesting sites for thousands of seabirds, whose guano fuels the surrounding coral reefs. But a new study revealed that this entire cycle depends on an […]
Can coastal infrastructure be engineered to harbor marine life instead of harming it?
- Living Seawalls is a global initiative that aims to make seawalls, marinas and other hard coastal structures more hospitable to marine wildlife by installing biodiversity-friendly panels, boulders and pilings.
- In 2025, Ireland’s first Living Seawalls installation was established at Kennedy Pier in the port town of Cobh, and marine life is already starting to colonize the panels.
- While researchers say the panels can help marine life colonize hardened coastlines, and stayed cooler than standard flat seawall surfaces, questions remain about their effect on seawalls’ main function of keeping waves at bay, leading scientists to suggest that design modifications may be needed.

Sea level rise is ruining coastal Bangladesh with salty water (commentary)
- Projections indicate that Bangladesh faces an amount of sea level rise that will bring major saltwater intrusion into precious freshwater supplies, plus human health impacts, flooding and rampant erosion across coastal areas.
- Though Bangladesh did very little to cause climate change, the nation is not without answers, including the government’s Delta Plan 2100, but it is not moving quickly enough to act on them in time to avoid the worst impacts, the author writes.
- “What has been missing is not knowledge or technology, but the institutional will to treat this like the emergency that it is,” the writer argues.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

A marine heat wave caused seabird deaths off California. El Nino could worsen the die-off
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Many seabirds are starving to death as a marine heat wave lingers off California and fish seek deeper, cooler waters. That’s according to scientists who say a persistent marine heat wave has shrunk the band of cold, nutrient-rich surface water where krill, anchovies and sardines thrive near the shore. Scientists fear […]
Wildlife’s unpredictable movements make climate-change planning difficult
- Ecologists expected many species to shift northward or upslope in response to warming temperatures, but only about half of observed range shifts so far align with their projections.
- Species responses are likely shaped by multiple factors — changing habitat, rainfall and food availability — not just temperature. Some species may be unable to move, trapped within a fragmented habitat.
- Research shows animals that move toward higher latitudes don’t necessarily fare better.
- These mismatches between predictions and reality create more uncertainty for conservation planning and how best to support species adaptation through corridors.

A coastal Philippine farm offers a blueprint for farming with wetlands
- The Glinoga Integrated Farm in the Philippines’ Quezon province uses permaculture techniques to grow crops in harmony with the surrounding coastal ecosystem.
- One study looking at permaculture farms across 11 provinces in the Philippines found that Glinoga had the highest level of crop diversity among the farms it surveyed.
- Farm operator Ninieveh Glinoga converted the farm to a permaculture system after decades of incapacity by relatives and tenants had left the farms soil degraded.

As Amazon oil drilling begins, scientists warn of risks to a little-known reef
- Brazilian state oil and gas company Petrobras has started drilling in the Equatorial Margin after years of political, scientific and environmental disputes over the risks posed by oil exploration at the mouth of the Amazon River.
- Researchers warn that the Amazon Reef system harbors a wealth of biodiversity and has not been widely studied, despite being close to Petrobras’s exploration block.
- Scientists disagree about the composition and extent of the Amazonian reefs, while environmentalists denounce attempts to downplay their ecological importance.
- Experts warn that an oil spill could reach mangroves, small-scale fisheries, and even neighboring countries, due to strong marine currents in the area.

São Tomé declares first two of eight planned marine protected areas
The West African island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe has formally designated its first two protected sites off its coast. This comes less than a year after presenting its plans to establish a national network of eight marine protected areas (MPAs) covering 93 square kilometers (36 square miles) in the Gulf of Guinea. The two […]
India’s fishers confront homegrown ‘ghost gear’ problem
- Across India’s west coast, fishers often abandon or discard their damaged gear at sea after seabed snags, mounting economic pressures, and increasingly crowded near-shore waters make recovery difficult, creating a constant stream of “ghost gear” into the Arabian Sea.
- Once lost, fishing gear continues to function, whether it drifts through the water column or settles on the seabed, trapping marine life or entangling marine habitat.
- Incentive schemes, retrieval efforts, recycling initiatives and other efforts to reduce harm show promise in some places in India. But experts say they tend to remain piecemeal and face common challenges such as a lack of recycling infrastructure and dependence on short-term funding.
- Many experts say the key to addressing India’s ghost gear problem lies in moving from ad hoc initiatives to institutionalized systems that intervene across the gear’s lifecycle, from design and use to end-of-life disposal.

Our Ocean Conference in Kenya ends with $6.4 billion in pledges, review of past promises
- Governments, nonprofits, institutions and the private sector made more than 300 voluntary commitments and mobilized $6.4 billion for ocean conservation at the Our Ocean Conference in Mombasa, which closed June 18. It was the first time the annual gathering took place in Africa.
- The conference host, Kenya, laid out more than 40 commitments backed by more than $1 billion in finance for the expansion of marine protected areas, fisheries monitoring, climate finance and blue economy.
- With less than five years remaining to meet the goal of protecting 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030, a lot of attention was on governments to accelerate the process, but experts continued to call for strengthening of existing protections alongside expansions.
- Between 2014 and now, more than 3,200 commitments totaling $176 billion have been made at these conferences, and about 85% of those commitments have been fulfilled or are in the process.

Chewing sounds can help decode an animal’s diet using AI, new study finds
- Scientists have developed an AI model that can listen to the chewing sounds of predators and identify what they are eating.
- The tool was trained with audio of whitespotted eagle rays crushing open shells of the mollusks they are preying on.
- It’s crucial to understand predator-prey interactions to figure out the resources the predator depends on and the pressure it puts on prey.

Not all coral reefs are doomed as a result of climate change, study suggests
One third of the world’s coral reefs may be able to withstand the impacts of climate change by 2050, according to a study conducted by the conservation NGO Wildlife Conservation Society and researchers from Macquarie University in Australia. The findings of the study, yet to be peer-reviewed, were presented on June 16 during the Our […]
In Kenya’s Mida Creek, fishers confront a changing ocean with hope
- Scientists say that the oceans are warming and absorbing more than 90% of the excess heat trapped by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. These rising temperatures are placing growing stress on marine ecosystems, fueling coral bleaching, disrupting breeding cycles of marine organisms, and reshaping fish habitats.
- In the Western Indian Ocean – including along Kenya’s coast – warming is occurring faster than the global average in some places, raising fresh concerns for communities whose food security and livelihoods depend on the sea.
- Along the shores of Mida Creek in Watamu, one of Kenya’s best-known coastal destinations on Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast, fishers say they are already feeling the effects. Many report traveling farther offshore in search of fish and returning with smaller catches than they did a generation ago.
- During a recent reporting trip, Mongabay met fishers and women involved in the fish value chain who spoke about declining catches and fears for the future. At the same time, they pointed to local efforts to restore mangroves, protect fish breeding grounds, and clean beaches as reasons to hold on to hope for Mida Creek’s future.

Six marine sanctuaries recognized as Blue Parks, four of them in Africa
- On June 16, the Marine Conservation Institute recognized six marine protected areas, three in Madagascar and one each in Senegal, Chile and Canada, as Blue Parks.
- The awards, announced at the Our Ocean conference in Mombasa, Kenya, recognize MPAs whose management is “durable, equitable and effective” at protecting marine life.
- Under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, countries agreed to protect 30% of the world’s land, freshwater and marine areas by 2030, but experts say that protection must be meaningful, not just symbolic.
- One of the common features of the awardees is the existence of some form of co-management with Indigenous peoples and local communities.

Can globally essential mangroves bounce back from deforestation? New study gives hope
- Human and natural disturbances have driven global declines of mangrove forests, which serve as critical protection for coastlines and fisheries.
- Scientists used satellite imagery of mangroves from 1984 to 2023, and found that after decades of decline, mangroves worldwide began to recover around 2010, mostly by expanding into new habitats, according to a new study.
- Recovery is not evenly distributed, the study found. Southeast Asia slowed mangrove loss while West and Central Africa have seen accelerated deforestation in recent years.

Studying giant devil rays through war in Gaza: Interview with Mohammed Abu Daya
- Mohammed Abu Daya is a marine ecologist in Gaza. His research focuses on spinetail devil rays, a large-bodied species of ray that roams the Mediterranean Sea and beyond.
- Since 2013, Abu Daya has monitored the impact that local fisheries have on spinetail devil rays, which are listed as “critically endangered” on the IUCN Red List. Palestinian fishers occasionally target the rays when they stray into Gaza’s coastal water, as other fishing resources in the area have been depleted due to longstanding Israeli restrictions.
- Displaced by Israeli bombings during the war in Gaza that began in 2023, Abu Daya now lives in a tent, with limited access to basic necessities like food and drinking water, or to the internet. His university office has been destroyed, and he can no longer conduct research at sea. Yet he continues to carry out his scientific work, in the hope that it will help improve the conservation of devil rays globally.
- In 2025, at the height of the war, Abu Daya co-authored an international research paper documenting the behavior of spinetail devil rays and showing the importance of the Levantine region for the conservation of this species.

Saudi parrotfish festival stretches scientific & traditional ecological knowledge (commentary)
- During the annual “hareed” festival in the Farasan Islands — an archipelago in the Red Sea off the coast of Saudi Arabia — hundreds of people run into the water to catch parrotfish, which aggregate there annually since time immemorial.
- Science cannot yet explain this annual phenomenon, but there are clues in traditional ecological knowledge and cultural history, a new op-ed explains.
- “Only by weaving [traditional] knowledge together with science can we begin to understand what we are trying to protect,” the author writes.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

To help combat illegal fishing, 15 countries commit to sharing fisheries data
Fifteen countries from Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe adopted the Mombasa Declaration on June 17, 2026. Together, they committed to advance global fisheries transparency and strengthen efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The declaration was adopted during the 11th meeting of the international Our Ocean Conference, held in Mombasa, Kenya. Africa […]
French Polynesia expands ocean protections to 30% of its waters
The government of French Polynesia announced it is expanding the extent of ocean where extractive industries like seabed mining and industrial fishing will not be allowed. With this move, 30% of French Polynesia’s waters will now be fully protected. Last year on June 8, French Polynesia, a French overseas territory, established the Tainui Atea marine […]
Protect Antarctic krill to preserve the health of Africa’s coastal communities (commentary)
- African leaders must demand an end to industrial krill fishing in the Southern Ocean while at the Our Ocean Conference this week, before irreversible damage is done, Angola’s Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources warns in a new op-ed at Mongabay.
- Antarctica and the ocean systems upon which Africa depends rely on krill — the tiny crustacean that gathers in huge swarms and which whales, seals, penguins and fish species feast upon — so letting business interests dictate how the base of this important food chain, that millions of people also benefit from, is irresponsible, she writes.
- “What happens in Antarctica affects the global ocean. That means the whales migrating along African shores, the resilience of our coastal communities, and the health and livelihoods of our coastal communities,” the minister argues. “Please join me in calling for an end to krill fishing now.”
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

Africa’s community-led marine organizations on which 30×30 depends
- More than 5,000 delegates are gathering in the Kenyan coastal city of Mombasa for a major global conference on the future of the oceans.
- At the heart of the discussions is ocean governance and the global push to meet the 30×30 target — protecting 30% of the world’s land, freshwater and oceans by 2030.
- But meeting that goal will depend not only on governments and international pledges, but also on community-led organizations doing the difficult work of conserving fragile marine ecosystems.
- Across Africa and around the world, thousands of grassroots groups are carrying out this work, often far from the spotlight, helping shape ocean conservation and blue economies that support local livelihoods. Mongabay spoke with representatives of four such organizations working across the continent from the Western Indian Ocean to Africa’s Atlantic coast.

How a popular spaghetti dish is threatening Italy’s marine ecosystem
- In the waters off Naples, Italy, a single 75-minute raid by poachers can net nearly 1,000 sea urchins, an in-demand ingredient in a dish popular with tourists. A haul like that can deal a significant blow to the local urchin population.
- In a healthy marine ecosystem, fish like sea bream feed on urchins, keeping populations in check. When poachers decimate sea urchin colonies, commercial fish move elsewhere to find food, threatening legal fishers’ livelihoods.
- Experts say Italy’s marine protected areas are particularly vulnerable. Although they have criminal penalties to deter poachers, the surrounding waters have been completely stripped bare of urchins, making them attractive targets.
- Now, scientists are collecting data from law enforcement operations to raise awareness and drive regulatory changes.

Teeming with turtles: Cabo Verde island sees 80-fold increase in nesting loggerheads
- A new study finds an 80-fold increase in the population of loggerhead turtles nesting at three beaches in Boa Vista, Cabo Verde’s third-largest island, over 27 years.
- Globally, the loggerhead population has decreased by 47% over the past three generations, a decline largely attributed to anthropogenic pressures such as habitat loss, marine pollution, fishing bycatch, poaching and multiple climate change-driven impacts.
- The authors of this first-of-its-kind study of Cabo Verde’s nesting loggerheads attribute the remarkable local recovery to decades-long conservation efforts.

Plastic food packaging blankets the world’s coastlines, study finds
- A new study analyzed thousands of shoreline litter surveys and other data from more than 100 countries to produce the first global index of macroplastic pollution by type.
- The study found food and beverage plastics were the most common litter type for 93% of countries surveyed, followed by plastic bags and cigarettes; the pattern was consistent across countries, regardless of waste management infrastructure.
- Plastic pollution harms marine life and disrupts ecological services provided by coastal ecosystems like mangroves, coral reefs and seagrass.
- Researchers call for reducing production, warning that waste management alone will not solve the global plastic pollution problem.

Australia establishes the first Sea Country Indigenous Protected Area
Founder’s Briefs: An occasional series where Mongabay founder Rhett Ayers Butler shares analysis, perspectives and story summaries. For the Karajarri people of Kimberley in northwestern Australia, the coastline, reefs, wetlands, beaches and desert-edge country form one estate, held through law, memory, work and obligation. That relationship now has new recognition, reports Mongabay’s John Cannon. In […]
Researchers find dramatic restoration on land and sea after island rat removal
When invasive rats are removed from islands, the ecological benefits can ripple across both land and sea more quickly than scientists expected, according to recent research. Scientists have long assumed that meaningful recovery after the predators are eradicated would take decades. However, researchers with the U.S.-based NGO Island Conservation conducted a rat-removal experiment on Ulong Island […]
‘Flamingo Revolution’ aims to stop Kushner-backed resort on protected Albanian delta
- In April, Albanian authorities allowed bulldozers to tear through the protected Vjosa-Narta delta — home to flamingos, loggerhead sea turtles and the endangered Mediterranean monk seal — without permits or environmental review, sparking mass protests that have shaken the government of Prime Minister Edi Rama.
- The construction is linked to a luxury resort backed by Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners, targeting one of the last intact river-delta wildernesses in the Mediterranean, where only 4% of deltas remain undisturbed.
- As Albania’s anti-corruption authority investigates and the EU warns the development could jeopardize the country’s 2030 membership bid, conservationists say the crisis exposes a pattern of broken promises around the celebrated Vjosa Wild River National Park.

Global ocean faces ‘deepening crisis,’ but governance is improving: UN report
- On June 8, the U.N. released its third World Ocean Assessment, a comprehensive report on the state of the global ocean between 2021 and 2025, compiled by around 600 experts from 86 countries.
- The report highlights a deepening crisis for the global ocean, as human pressures, including pollution, overfishing and climate change, strain marine ecosystems already under extreme pressure.
- It notes that ocean governance is improving, and that models that incorporate Indigenous, traditional owner and local community knowledge are likely to achieve better outcomes.
- However, it also warns that ocean governance remains “fragmented” and insufficient to address the scale of the challenges facing the world’s oceans.

To improve its floundering fisheries, Kenya boosts data collection on artisanal fleet
- In Kenya, fishers are experiencing increased competition for dwindling catches. A lack of data is stymying their decision-making about where and when to fish as well as the governments’ decision-making about how to manage fishing in the country, experts say.
- A new project aims to improve the collection of fisheries data, harmonize them and make them accessible to fishers and the government alike.
- It involves beefed-up data collection methods, the installation of trackers on fishing vessels and a centralized database and digital platform.
- The initiative is modeled around a program in Timor-Leste that began in 2016 and now serves as the country’s national fisheries monitoring system.

‘Chemical cocktail’ of pharmaceuticals found in Djibouti coastal waters
Common medications that billions of people take for ailments like pain, fever and infections were detected in several sites along Djibouti’s Gulf of Tadjourah in East Africa, according to a recent study. Researchers found that untreated urban wastewater contained dangerous concentrations of anti-inflammatory medicine like ibuprofen, caffeine, and the antiepileptic drug carbamazepine, which were contaminating […]
In Indonesia’s Lombok, fishers find food security tied to mangrove reforestation
- On the east coast of Indonesia’s Lombok Island, local people who rely on the local crab fishery have initiated their own mangrove planting program in a bid to resuscitate failing crab habitats.
- The system is known as a silvofishery, which integrates mangrove forests with aquaculture cultivation to raise productivity.
- Instead of catching immature crabs from the coastline for quick sale, some local fishers have started to raise the crabs to adulthood alongside newly planted mangroves, garnering a higher price while overseeing a more sustainable population.
- However, local officials say a lack of technical training means most silvofishery initiatives have been forged through trial and error, and that expanding the system could result in greater mangrove planting in addition to boosting purchasing power in subsistence communities.

Four alleged wildlife traffickers arrested in Guinea, dried seahorses and shark fins seized
- Guinean authorities arrested four alleged wildlife traffickers and seized 41 kilograms of dried seahorses and 26 kilograms of shark and ray fins.
- The suspects are thought to be part of a transnational criminal network operating in West Africa involved in smuggling protected marine wildlife for more than four decades, and now face 1-5 years in prison and fines.
- The arrests were made when the accused were trying to sell seahorses to Chinese nationals in the country, who would then export them to China.
- The seizure highlights the growing role of West Africa as a source of the illegal global trade in marine species protected under CITES, the international wildlife agreement.

Experts say ‘bare bones’ US laws are unfit to regulate nascent deep-sea mining industry
- As the U.S. government prepares to auction off slices of the seabed in federal waters, experts, including the former director of the federal agency overseeing deep-sea mining, say the regulations that would govern this activity are outdated and lack important oversight provisions.
- The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management recently proposed revisions to its rules to streamline leasing and permitting, but critics argue these revisions would weaken oversight by reducing environmental review requirements and limiting opportunities for public input.
- One expert also warned that the U.S. government’s classification of seabed resources as a source of critical minerals may increase the likelihood of exemptions from environmental protections.

A year on, Australia’s biggest harmful algal bloom continues to wreak havoc
- The largest and longest-lasting harmful algal bloom in Australia’s history, which started in early 2025, has potentially affected more than 20,000 square kilometers of ocean waters and about a third of the coasts in the state of South Australia.
- The algal bloom has devastated marine ecosystems and caused significant economic losses in the local fishing, aquaculture and tourism industries.
- As officials, researchers and communities grapple with its ecological, health and social impacts, the bloom has exposed a lack of preparedness at all levels of government for responding to future HABs.

‘Slumping’ afflicted soft corals around a South Korean island in 2024. Will it return this year?
- In 2024, scientists and conservationists documented a soft coral “slumping” event along the southern coast of South Korea’s Jeju Island, which led soft corals to lose their shape, droop, and even die in vast numbers.
- The event coincided with record heat and rainfall, which has led scientists to surmise, in a new paper, that the “slumping” resulted from a combination of thermal stress and changes to salinity and water quality.
- However, further research and testing is needed to determine the actual cause, researchers say.
- Scientists and conservationists say that while widespread slumping did not occur during 2025 or so far in 2026, the “Super El Niño” predicted for later this year could impact Jeju’s soft corals in a similar way.

Despite oil spills in Nigeria’s mangrove forests, Shell continued operations, documents show
- Documents disclosed as part of a lawsuit against UK-based oil company Shell show leadership continued operating a compromised pipeline in Nigeria’s Niger Delta despite knowing it posed a pollution risk in the surrounding coastal wetland environment.
- According to locals in Bille, a town near the pipeline, oil spills between 2011 and 2013 killed thousands of hectares of mangroves and aquatic life that rely on the wetland ecosystem, impacting people who depend on fishing.
- Shell said organized criminal gangs were responsible for the spills and that shutting down the pipeline and removing illegal connections also came with security risks.
- The Niger Delta region is a globally important biodiversity hotspot, hosting four Ramsar Wetlands and the largest mangrove forest in Africa.

Genetic study reveals extinction risk for unique mangrove-adapted pampas cat
- The San Pedro de Vice dry mangrove habitat on the northwest coast of Peru hosts a very small population of desert pampas cats (Leopardus garleppi). It’s part of a population unlike any other across the species’ Latin American range, which stretches from southern Colombia to northern Argentina.
- While the desert pampas cat is normally found in arid deserts, dry forests or grasslands, this small coastal population is one of a kind in that it is uniquely adapted to a dry mangrove habitat bordered by desert.
- While camera-trap data initially suggested a healthy population in San Pedro de Vice, a recent genetic study performed on scat determined there are just nine cats in this isolated area, all of them related, with just two actively breeding — raising concerns this unique population can’t survival without conservation intervention.
- Researchers say this population’s story is a warning to conservationists that other small cat species worldwide thought to be thriving may be facing isolation and genetic bottlenecks in fragmented ecosystems, risking multiple local extinctions. But expensive genetic studies of hard-to-find scat make assessments difficult.

New golf-ball sized blue octopus species now identified in the Galapagos
While on a deep-sea expedition in the Galapagos in 2015, scientists found a golf-ball sized, short-armed blue octopus. In a recent study, they confirmed that it’s new to science. The newly described octopus, named Microeledone galapagensis, was first sighted with a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) near an underwater mountain, roughly 1,773 meters (5,800 feet) below […]
Indigenous communities in eastern Indonesia revive systems for marine protection
Across the small islands of eastern Indonesia that lie within the Wallacea region, one of the world’s richest marine biodiversity regions, coastal communities are reviving ancient customary systems to safeguard marine ecosystems from destructive fishing and habitat loss. This movement is the centerpiece of Jejak Wallacea, a recent documentary highlighting how local empowerment can succeed […]
Sea cucumber tissue survives for years in open water, study finds
Severed tissue from a cold-water sea cucumber can survive, heal, and even move independently for years in natural seawater, researchers recently found. Some animals have the ability to regenerate tissues and body parts. Certain lizards can regrow their tails, for example. Some sea stars and sea cucumbers, including Psolus fabricii that live in the cold […]
Pilot project in San Francisco Bay aims to help ships avoid gray whales
Starting in 2018, gray whales began regularly stopping in California’s San Francisco Bay, where they are vulnerable to ship strikes in one of the busiest ports in the United States. In response, researchers have deployed a monitoring network of thermal cameras and AI software to alert ships when whales are present in the bay to […]
New records of ‘lost’ bamboo shark confirmed in Madagascar
For nearly 20 years, the blue-spotted bamboo shark, found only in Madagascar, went scientifically undetected and unrecorded. But researchers have now found four new records of the “lost” shark while surveying fishing villages and a Malagasy university’s fish collection. These recent records, and interviews with fishers, suggest the species may be more common than previously […]
Scientists warn of climate blind spot as U.S. dismantles ocean sensors
Over the next 15 months, major sensor arrays that have provided crucial, decade-long observations of the ocean, marine ecosystems and climate change will be dismantled. These sensors are part of the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI), a $386 million network of more than 900 instruments funded by the U.S. government’s National Science Foundation (NSF), which has […]
Tiny ‘sesame’ sea slug discovered in Taiwan is first of its genus named in 30 years
Researchers have found a new-to-science species of a tiny sea slug with black and yellow spots resembling “scattered sesame seeds.” Measuring just three millimeters long (0.1 inches long), the researchers have named it Thecacera sesama, according to a recent study. Study lead author Ho-Yeung Chan first spotted the sea slug during a recreational dive in […]
France to send its last captive orcas to marine park, not sanctuary
- In May, the French government announced plans to send its last captive cetaceans — two orcas and 12 dolphins — to zoos and entertainment parks in Spain, sparking an outcry from animal welfare advocates.
- France had previously considered sending the marine mammals to an under-construction sanctuary in Canada, but decided to act more quickly because of deteriorating conditions at the shuttered Marineland Antibes park, where the animals are currently housed, according to a French official.
- The dolphins will be shifted to two marine parks in Valencia and Málaga, while the orcas — a mother and son — will be transported to Loro Parque, a zoo and entertainment park in Tenerife, one of Spain’s Canary Islands.
- Animal welfare organizations have criticized the decision, saying they believe the orcas will be used in Loro Parque’s marine shows and bred, which would go against France’s law banning the keeping and breeding of cetaceans for entertainment.

Uncertainty about weakening Atlantic currents isn’t a reason to wait but to act (commentary)
- The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is the system of ocean currents that mediates weather on both sides of the Atlantic, and research suggests it’s shifting due to climate change in ways that threaten marine ecosystems, wildlife, agriculture and more.
- Though no one can yet prove how it’s changing and how soon, the latest research on the AMOC should be understood as a warning sign that the potential outcomes could be even more severe than projected, a new op-ed argues.
- “Discussions about AMOC weakening should not be confined to maps of temperature and rainfall. They should also be about biodiversity, fisheries, and the resilience of ocean ecosystems already under strain,” the author writes.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

Amazon oil drilling plan excludes unique hybrid manatees too big for rescue
- Brazil’s environmental agency approved oil drilling off the mouth of the Amazon River, even though oil company Petrobras considers it “unfeasible” to rescue large animals like manatees in the event of an oil spill.
- Potential oil spills threaten a unique hybrid manatee population perfectly suited to live in the Amazon River mouth area.
- A simulation testing Petrobras’s wildlife rescue plan showed lack of basic supplies and boat accidents.
- The project is part of a massive new oil frontier in the Equatorial Margin estimated to hold 10 billion barrels of oil.

How we tracked China’s deep-sea mining fleet
- In March, Mongabay’s Elizabeth Claire Alberts and CNN International’s Kara Fox co-published an investigation into China’s deep-sea mining fleet’s ambitions and the alleged military dual uses of its oceanographic research ships. This project was supported by the Pulitzer Center, where Alberts was a 2024-2025 Ocean Reporting Network fellow.
- A key finding was that eight Chinese ships involved in deep-sea mining research only spent about 6% of their sea time over the last five years in internationally designated seabed mining areas, while spending the rest of the time elsewhere, including areas identified by Western experts as strategically important for military reasons.
- The investigation illustrates that the nascent deep-sea mining industry not only poses potential environmental risks, but also presents geopolitical implications.
- This article explains how Alberts and Fox worked together to undertake this investigation, which has drawn international attention and was cited or republished by outlets including The New York Times, Inkstick Media and Island Business.

Shark Meat Nation
Brazil is the world’s largest consumer and importer of shark meat. But it’s not just restaurants and grocery stores — a Mongabay investigation found that the country’s government agencies have purchased thousands of tons of shark meat to serve in schools, hospitals, prisons, military bases, homeless shelters and other public institutions. The findings raise serious […]
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 […]
Hidden ‘bubble cave’ may help world’s rarest seal steer clear of humans: Study
On the Greek islet of Formicula, researchers have found rare Mediterranean monk seals will take refuge in an air-filled “bubble cave,” according to a recent study. This type of hidden chamber, accessible via underwater passages, allows the seals to breathe, and possibly hide from tourists, the researchers said. Mediterranean monk seals (Monachus monachus), the world’s […]
‘World’s deepest banner protest’ launched at the bottom of the sea
Deep below the ocean surface, at roughly the depth of 130 five-story buildings stacked end to end, a robot has unfurled a protest sign that reads: “LISTEN TO THE SCIENCE!” A Greenpeace remotely operated vehicle (ROV) holds the banner more than 2,300 meters (7,500 feet) below the surface of the Norwegian Sea, in front of […]
As economic case for deep-sea mining weakens, industry should halt urgency to begin operation (commentary)
- Deep-sea mining in international waters is a unique proposition, given that the seabed is considered a global commons, so any extraction should be justified for the benefit of all humankind.
- But given the likely environmental and social costs and the increasingly weak economic arguments for it, its proponents must address why there is a supposed urgency to begin commercial production.
- “The financial case for deep-sea mining is being dismantled one argument at a time. As a small number of actors attempt to rush toward seabed mining, it is only a matter of time until more financial institutions join the momentum against [it],” a new op-ed argues.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

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,” […]
US prepares to auction leases for seabed mining blocks in federal waters
- The U.S. government is preparing to conduct lease sales to auction off blocks of the seabed for deep-sea mining in federal waters of American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Alaska.
- If the lease sales proceed, they would mark a major step toward commercial-scale deep-sea mining, making the U.S. one of the first players in the industry.
- While many oppose these plans to start mining the deep sea and say the government’s timeline is rushed, others are more supportive.
- A spokesperson for the U.S. agency managing the sales, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, told Mongabay it is pursuing this process in a responsible manner.

Tracking Lucero: Scientists follow a rare Eastern Pacific leatherback sea turtle
Fewer than 1,000 leatherback sea turtles remain in the Eastern Pacific, nesting along the coastline that runs from Mexico to Ecuador. Scientists have previously fitted tracking devices to leatherbacks on other beaches across Latin America and from bycatch near Ecuador. However, they recently tagged the first nesting leatherback in Ecuador, the southern limit of the […]
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.

Polar bears off the ice: Photo of the week
A polar bear, captured above, sits on a grassy expanse on Kolyuchin Island in the Chukotka district of far-eastern Russia. Several bears made themselves at home in the empty buildings of a Soviet-era research station, abandoned by humans in 1992. Photographer Vadim Makhorov took photos using a drone operated from an expedition vessel about 1 […]
The most underfunded climate opportunities may be at sea
- At the Philanthropy Asia Summit’s “Sea Change” panel on ocean-climate solutions in Asia, speakers highlighted a mismatch between the ocean’s importance to the climate transition and the tiny share of philanthropic funding directed to ocean-climate work.
- Ocean philanthropy has long focused on conservation, fisheries, and coastal livelihoods, but climate change is now threatening many of those gains while also making the ocean central to mitigation through offshore wind, cleaner shipping, blue carbon, and coastal resilience.
- Philanthropy cannot finance offshore wind farms or the decarbonization of global shipping, but it can play a catalytic role by funding policy design, marine spatial planning, community engagement, technical research, coordination, and local capacity.
- Some of the strongest opportunities for funders lie in Asia, where offshore wind, ports, shipbuilding, shipping routes, and coastal communities converge, and where early philanthropic support can help make large-scale transitions faster, more inclusive, and more credible.

West Asia conflict brings Norwegian marine research vessel back to Sri Lanka
- The West Asia conflict unexpectedly redirected Norway’s state-of-the-arts Fridtjof Nansen research vessel to Sri Lanka after a planned survey in Oman was disrupted.
- The month-long expedition surveyed Sri Lanka’s marine ecosystems, fish stocks biodiversity and ocean conditions using advanced acoustic and oceanographic methods.
- Scientists documented around 800 species, including about 125 that may be new records from Sri Lankan waters, along with a few species that could be new to science, pending further detailed analysis of the collected specimens.
- The survey revived a previously cancelled mission due to approval delays and offered Sri Lankan researchers some rare hands-on training aboard the United Nations-flagged research vessel.

World Turtle Day: Important conservation wins amid turtle extinction crisis
World Turtle Day is celebrated every May 23 to raise awareness about the threats faced by turtles and tortoises. Turtles, tortoises and terrapins, which together make up the order Testudines, have evolved over millions of years, dating back to the Triassic period. However, recent reports show that more than half of the world’s 359 turtle […]
AI listens for endangered orcas to help reduce underwater noise exposure
Artificial intelligence is listening to orca calls in real time and helping to reduce their exposure to underwater noise. The effort is focused on an endangered orca subspecies in the Salish Sea, off the coasts of the northwestern U.S. and western Canada, reports Mongabay writer Abhishyant Kidangoor. The southern resident orcas (Orcinus orca ater), made […]
Three Thai nationals suspected of smuggling Galápagos iguanas arrested in Ecuador
The Ecuadorian National Police arrested three Thai nationals on May 19, 2026, at the José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport in Guayaquil on suspicion of wildlife trafficking. They seized 12 marine iguanas (Amblyrhynchus cristatus), endemic to the Galápagos. The reptiles were found stuffed in handbags with their legs tightly bound. One was dead and those […]
Mangroves are ‘powerful and undervalued’ for curbing nitrogen pollution, study finds
Mangrove forests could help sequester more than five million metric tons of nitrogen pollution from coastal ecosystems across the Earth if they are restored and protected, a recent study found. Nitrogen pollution typically comes from synthetic fertilizers largely used in agriculture or from human waste seeping into water sources. Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for […]
More than 1,000 uncharted coral reefs mapped in vast, understudied northern Australia
Scientists have layered hundreds of satellite images to reveal more than 1,000 previously uncharted coral reefs in the turbid waters of northern Australia. The number is comparable to the Great Barrier Reef, though many reefs are smaller in size, researchers say. The reefs of northern Australia, while probably known to locals, had previously largely remained […]
New conservation effort launched to protect coral reefs in Yap
Conservation groups have launched a new initiative to safeguard coral reefs in Yap, a state in the Federated States of Micronesia, through both scientific innovation and traditional stewardship. The Yap Resilience Hub, a partnership between The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation (GBRF), is a three-year project that seeks to support local […]
Thai island community rallies to protect beloved dugongs, revive declining seagrass
- Seagrass beds around the island of Koh Libong in Thailand’s Andaman Sea have died off in recent years, part of wider nationwide declines scientists say have multiple, complex causes.
- The seagrass shortage has devastated the island’s once famed dugong population, jeopardizing tourism businesses and impacting the island community who have long protected them.
- Locals frustrated by slow government seagrass recovery plans are working with researchers and conservation groups to build citizen science skills and trial seagrass restoration techniques.
- Signs of hope are emerging, with recent surveys recording more dugongs in local waters, prompting local leaders to call for increased public awareness and enforcement of protections.

Mexico rejects ‘Perfect Day’ waterpark on Caribbean coast, citing environmental risks
Environmental authorities in Mexico have rejected the proposal for a large waterpark in the southern state of Quintana Roo, citing risks for coastal ecosystems and local communities. Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day Mexico would have covered more than 80 hectares (200 acres) in the village of Mahahual with the “ultimate vacation for families,” including pools, restaurants […]
Ghost shark, carnivorous sponge among 1,000+ newly discovered marine species
The third year of a global Ocean Census has revealed 1,121 potentially new-to-science marine species, including a worm that lives inside a “glass castle,” a ghost shark, and a carnivorous sponge. The Ocean Census, launched in April 2023, aims to discover and describe marine life “at speed and at scale” before it is lost. The […]
A fever of mobula rays off Mexico’s coast: Photo of the week
During the mobula ray’s migration season, which runs from late April to July, the marine animals form massive aggregations called fevers. The image above was captured by Mongabay founder and CEO Rhett A. Butler in Baja California, a northwestern state of Mexico. The region is home to at least five species of mobula rays. Mobula […]
Philippine fishing and Indigenous communities wary of clean energy boom in Marcos stronghold
- The Philippines is currently highly dependent on fossil fuels for energy generation, but the government has committed to reaching 50% renewables by 2050.
- The resulting energy boom — especially in Ilocos North, the president’s home province — has seen an influx of foreign investment, but also raised questions about who will bear the costs of the country’s energy transition.
- Fishers in Ilocos Norte say they worry that wind energy projects in their traditional fishing grounds will disrupt marine life and fishing routes.
- Inland, the Masamuyao Isneg Yapayao tribal council is trying to stop the expansion of a solar farm that officials say failed to obtain the tribe’s consent.

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.

Monica Montefalcone, leading seagrass scientist, dies in Maldives diving accident, aged 51
- Monica Montefalcone, a University of Genoa marine ecologist and leading expert on Mediterranean Posidonia oceanica meadows, died in a diving accident in the Maldives at age 51.
- Her daughter, Giorgia Sommacal, 23, died with her, along with three other Italians, four of whom were connected to the University of Genoa.
- Montefalcone’s work linked field science, conservation practice and public understanding, especially through mapping, monitoring and restoring seagrass meadows and other coastal marine habitats.
- Colleagues and students remembered her as a demanding field scientist, generous teacher and clear communicator who helped younger researchers find their place in marine biology.

Marine conservation suffers when the ocean is not accessible to all, especially on remote islands (commentary)
- Coastal and marine systems across much of the world remain structurally inaccessible to persons with disabilities, older populations, and marginalized communities.
- If people protect what they value, and they value what they can experience, then marine conservation will be a low priority for these people, a new op-ed argues.
- “If the ocean is to be protected, it must first be experienced, but for millions of people, it remains fundamentally out of reach,” the author writes.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

Karajarri celebrate Australia’s first ‘Sea Country’ Indigenous Protected Area
- The Kimberley region of northwestern Australia is a biodiversity hotspot and ancestral home of the Karajarri people, who recently dedicated Karajarri Jurarr Ngurra, Australia’s first “Sea Country” Indigenous Protected Area (IPA), covering around 237,000 hectares (587,000 acres) of marine and coastal ecosystems.
- Proponents of IPAs say they can empower Indigenous Australians as decision-makers in land management, combining traditional ecological knowledge with conservation goals.
- IPAs now account for 54% of Australia’s progress toward protecting 30% of its territory by 2030.
- While research shows every $1 invested in IPAs yields up to $3.40 in social, economic and environmental returns, advocates stress that Indigenous communities still need meaningful, sustained support.

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.

China and Norway push to increase krill harvests around Antarctica
- In Antarctic waters, an international fishery targets krill, shrimp-like crustaceans that form massive schools and support the continent’s iconic wildlife. Krill meal and oil is used primarily in the production of aquaculture feed, followed by pet food and human dietary supplements.
- China and Norway are working to expand the Southern Ocean krill fishery, promoting a new management system for the fishery that would increase harvests while also establishing a long-sought marine protected area.
- The two countries are also continuing to support their krill fleets politically and financially, while adding vessels to increase harvest capacity.
- Meanwhile, several NGOs have recently stepped up their campaigns against krill fishing, arguing that the krill fleet competes for food with Antarctic wildlife species already struggling with climate change and reduced food availability such as emperor penguins and Antarctic fur seals that have both recently been declared endangered.

From caws to code: AI helps decrypt animal communication
- Scientists are increasingly using artificial intelligence models to decode the communications of other species.
- The Earth Species Project has built a generalizable model that could be used across species; the team also works with scientists around the world to develop custom models for specific species.
- In northern Spain, ESP’s AI tools are helping scientists understand how a population of cooperative-breeding crows communicate with one another.
- The technology is also being deployed to understand how orcas communicate with each other, and how underwater noise affects their communication.

The Southern Ocean is key to our planet’s future & we have a chance to protect it this year (commentary)
- The wildlife-rich Southern Ocean is not simply another stretch of water in need of protection: just one part of it — the Antarctic Peninsula — is home to roughly a third of the global krill population, which sustains large populations of whales, penguins, seals, seabirds, fish and more.
- The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) is responsible for governing these waters, and the U.K. is set to chair its pivotal 45th annual meeting this year.
- This is an opportunity to act on Southern Ocean conservation, a new op-ed by former U.K. environment minister Zac Goldsmith argues, but that’s not all: “It would also send a powerful signal, at a time when multilateralism is under strain, that countries can still come together around shared values and act for the global good,” he writes.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

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.

Sawfish in Sri Lanka may be ‘functionally extinct,’ but refuges remain
The sawfish, recognizable by its distinctive saw-shaped snout or rostrum, is now thought to be “functionally extinct” in Sri Lankan waters. This, researchers say, means that while a few individuals may still exist, their numbers are likely too low to maintain a viable breeding population, reports contributor Malaka Rodrigo for Mongabay. In a 2021 study, […]
Sour on the ‘blue economy,’ small-scale fishers seek ‘blue justice’ instead
- The blue economy is a somewhat ambiguous term that’s been used in international policy circles for the past decade and a half.
- The World Bank defines it as “the sustainable use of resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and job creation while preserving the health of ocean ecosystems.”
- In recent years, some small-scale fishers and coastal community members have started to question the blue economy agenda, arguing that it’s bad for them and the ecosystems they depend on — a kind of cover for business as usual.
- Groups of small-scale fishers are now working together across countries and continents to fight for their interests, and some are calling for “blue justice,” a concept that centers human rights and marine tenure rights.

Arabian Gulf’s fragile marine ecosystem threatened by current crisis (commentary)
- During the Iran–Iraq war of the 1980s and subsequent conflicts, large-scale oil spills and fires caused lasting environmental damage in the Arabian Gulf.
- A new commentary by United Arab Emirates special envoy of the minister of foreign affairs for nature Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak explains that recovery of impacted marine ecosystems, where it occurred, took decades, but that this progress is now threatened by the new conflict along the gulf.
- “What is at stake today is not only the repetition of past damage, but its amplification across interconnected systems,” she writes in arguing for an end to the current conflict.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

Ocean philanthropy: small sums for a vast domain
- Ocean philanthropy remains small relative to the scale of the ocean itself, accounting for well under 1% of global charitable giving despite steady growth over the past decade.
- Funding is concentrated among a small group of foundations and continues to focus heavily on marine science, habitat protection, and fisheries, though climate-related ocean funding has risen sharply in recent years.
- Most ocean conservation funding needs lie not in creating protected areas, but in the long-term costs of management and enforcement, with current spending far below estimated requirements.
- Philanthropic funding often plays a catalytic role by supporting early-stage research, policy work, and financing mechanisms such as blue bonds and debt-for-nature swaps that can unlock larger pools of public and private capital.

Vodun’s sacred role in saving West Africa’s mangroves
GRAN POPO, Benin — In Benin, mangroves are said to be protected by the Zangbéto. In the Vodun belief, this deity forbids wood cutting, under penalty of a curse. As a result, in 10 years, more than 500 hectares (1,200 acres) of mangroves have been preserved thanks to this spiritual practice, which protects fragile and […]
A baby boom for North Atlantic right whales, but extinction still a threat
Calving season for the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale has come to a close with 23 new baby whales, the most calves born in a single year since 2009. Part of the baby boom during the winter calving season can be attributed to females giving birth at closer intervals than in years past: 18 […]
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.

Iceland plans to resume whale hunting this summer
Icelandic commercial whaling company Hvalur hf. plans to resume whale hunting this summer, following a two-year pause in commercial operations. In 2024, the Icelandic government issued the company a five-year license allowing it to catch up to 209 fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) annually. However, Hvalur hf. didn’t hunt any whales in 2024 or 2025. Iceland’s […]
Endangered whale protections may be delayed to 2035 under Trump-backed plan
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — For roughly 380 right whales left in the North Atlantic, which can die after getting tangled in fishing ropes or hit by ships, the Trump administration said this month it wants to delay new protections by almost a decade in favor of commercial fishing interests. The sleek black whales, which weigh as much as a […]
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.

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.

World’s largest shark conference is set to begin in Sri Lanka next week
- When Colombo hosts Sharks International 2026 from May 4-8, it will be the first time a global shark and ray science conference is convened in Asia, drawing global attention to the region’s fisheries and biodiversity challenges.
- The conference will bring together leading global experts, policymakers and fisheries managers to strengthen the links between science, policy and practice, particularly in regions where shark fisheries are both economically important and ecologically under pressure.
- Key discussions will revolve around methods to bridge persistent gaps between shark conservation policy and on-the-water reality, and how regulations exist in formal frameworks but fail to translate into consistent awareness and action, compliance and enforcement.
- More than one-third of shark and ray species are now threatened with extinction globally, driven by overfishing, bycatch and international demand, making improved fisheries governance and enforcement a central focus of the 2026 meeting.

Global trade in sea cucumbers ‘alarming’ with many species at risk: Study
- The global trade in sea cucumbers has grown since 2013 and continues to decimate the populations of many species, according to a recent study that cites “escalating impacts” and calls for stronger conservation measures.
- The study found that global capture of sea cucumbers increased from 2013 to the late 2010s and dipped slightly during the peak pandemic years of 2020 and 2021, the last years in the study period.
- China and it’s special administrative region of Hong Kong, where sea cucumbers are used in traditional medicine and consumed as a delicacy on special occasions, are the main importers as measured by dollar value, the study found.

Inside the fight to save the little-known Galápagos petrel
- Galápagos petrels are rarely seen, yet critically endangered. These large seabirds endemic to five islands in the Galápagos archipelago face significant threats from numerous invasive species.
- In the 1980s, their population plummeted to crisis levels, but sustained conservation efforts have since slowed their decline.
- Conservationists are tackling invasive species and efforts are expanding to privately held farms that host important petrel breeding sites.
- Experts point out that the various organizations working on petrel conservation need to coordinate their efforts so that they can plan effective interventions where most needed.

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.

Chesapeake Bay conservation bolstered by the power of business & viral videos
- Austin Lewis is small business owner in the Baltimore area who greatly enjoys his home waters, but he increasingly noticed how much trash floated or coated the bottom of his beloved Chesapeake Bay, and so decided to become part of the solution.
- His often humorous and always educational videos posted to various social media platforms garner huge attention and drive action by viewers to also do their part to improve water quality. The business allows him the flexibility to do this work daily, which in partnership with a local nonprofit, has removed millions of pounds of debris from the bay.
- In a new interview at Mongabay, Lewis shares his motivations and thoughts about the power of business to do good in the world.

Nearly three in four marine protected areas undermined by wastewater pollution
- A global modeling study found that 73% of marine protected areas are exposed to nitrogen pollution from wastewater — often at higher levels than in nearby unprotected waters.
- The findings indicate that marine conservation planning often fails to adequately account for land-based wastewater pollution or to integrate land-sea management.
- Wastewater pollution, largely untreated globally, introduces nitrogen and phosphorous nutrients and other contaminants that degrade marine ecosystems, with impacts on coral reefs, seagrass and water quality, and can undermine the effectiveness of MPAs.
- Addressing the issue is considered feasible but constrained by fragmented governance, underfunding and limited monitoring, despite solutions that include existing technologies, various policy proposals and examples of improved wastewater management.

One of the world’s largest deep-sea coral reefs discovered off Argentina
- Scientists have discovered what may be one of the world’s largest cold-water coral reef systems, located about 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) deep in Argentina’s territorial waters, with much of it remaining unmapped.
- The reef, dominated by the rare coral species Bathelia candida, hosts a surprisingly rich ecosystem, including dozens of deep-sea species new to science.
- Researchers found signs of human impact, including fishing debris and possible trawling damage, and worry the reef area might also be targeted for oil and gas exploration.
- The researchers are testing restoration techniques, including the installation of 3D-printed “artificial corals,” which they hope will encourage the rapid growth of new corals.

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 […]
Chile’s plan to protect another 10% of its ocean is stalled by the new government
The expansion of two vast Pacific marine parks near Chile has been suspended for six weeks, leaving protections for around 337,000 square kilometers (130,000 square miles) of ocean in limbo. Former President Gabriel Boric signed a decree creating marine parks Juan Fernández II and Nazca-Desventuradas II on March 10, his last day in office. Together […]
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 […]
AI tool listens for endangered orcas in real time to reduce human disturbance
- An AI initiative is listening to southern resident orcas in real-time to help them steer clear of vessels and noisy coastal construction.
- OrcaHello builds on a network of underwater microphones to detect orcas and push out alerts that have helped pause coastal construction and redirect boat traffic as the orcas pass by.
- Southern resident orcas are considered an endangered subspecies, with only 76 remaining individuals.
- Major threats to the species include a decline in their food sources, primarily Chinook salmon, along with noise pollution and vessel traffic.

How marine flyways could help save the world’s declining seabird population
The routes taken by migratory birds, known as flyways, often cross vast expanses of ocean. Six of these marine flyways have now been formally recognized by the U.N.’s Convention on Migratory Species, at the suggestion of scientists who published their findings on these flyways in the British Ecological Society’s Journal of Applied Ecology. Tammy Davies, […]
A campaign to protect one of the planet’s only expanding kelp forests takes shape
- Stretching more than 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) along the coast of South Africa, the Great African Seaforest is home to thousands of species, many of them endemic, and is one of the few expanding kelp forests in the world.
- The Academy Award-winning documentary “My Octopus Teacher” was set in the Great African Seaforest.
- Although slivers of the kelp forest fall under marine protected areas, the ecosystem is mostly not conserved.
- Marine scientists are working to inventory the species found here in the hopes of raising its profile, both internationally and among the communities that live alongside it on the South African coast.

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.

Drones aid dugong conservation as threats mount across their range
- Drone technology is revealing new information about the elusive dugong, a marine herbivore classified as globally vulnerable but already extinct in parts of its range.
- Scientists are using drones to improve estimates of dugong numbers and conduct noninvasive health checks.
- Dugongs feed exclusively on seagrass meadows, where their foraging helps to maintain these important carbon sinks.
- Researchers are highlighting the need to link efforts to conserve seagrass meadows with protecting dugongs.

San Francisco Bay emerges as high-risk area for migrating gray whales
Gray whales have one of the longest known migrations of any mammal — from the Arctic near Alaska, to the lagoons of Baja Mexico, where they mate and give birth. This annual migration, longer than 19,000 kilometers (12,000 miles), has been altered by climate change, with profound consequences for the 15-meter (50-foot) mammals. Since 2016, […]
Invasive ferrets removed from an island in a world-first
Rathlin Island off the north of Northern Ireland is now free from feral ferrets that were harming its native seabirds. Conservationists say this is the first time these nonnative animals, which were domesticated from polecats some 2,000 years ago, have been completely eradicated from any island. Ferrets (Mustela furo) were introduced to Rathlin in the […]
Deep-sea wildernesses are more important than the promise of seafloor mining (analysis)
- A scientist who was part of a major 2008 expedition exploring the promise of deep-sea mining writes in a new analysis that what they found offshore of Papua New Guinea ended his enthusiasm for the nascent industry.
- The biodiversity documented by their remotely operated vehicle — added to the fragility and uniqueness of the geology and ecology they documented — was clearly too special to perhaps permanently decimate for electric vehicles and renewable energy.
- “I entered this project in good faith, working with the mining company to help determine whether or not deep-sea mining at Solwara I could be conducted with minimal harm to the marine environment. I exited convinced that there is no viable path forward for hydrothermal vent mining, anywhere in the ocean.”
- This article is an analysis. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

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 […]
This ghost octopus is facing a new threat
China is one of the biggest players in the race to mine the deep sea — and a joint Mongabay-CNN investigation shows that over the past five years, eight Chinese research vessels have been busy exploring for minerals in zones designated to Chinese companies. These eight ships spent more than 800 days inside these deep-sea […]
Council recommends opening US Pacific marine monuments to commercial fishing
A U.S. fishing regulator recently recommended allowing commercial fishing across all four of the country’s Pacific marine national monuments. The Western Pacific Regional Fishery Management Council (Wespac) said the move is “about restoring sustainable fishing.” Conservationists and native peoples, however, say it will damage some of Earth’s most pristine ocean ecosystems. The monuments — Pacific […]
Half of seabirds are declining. Protecting marine flyways could help save them
- Nearly half of migratory seabird species are in decline, in part because conservation systems stop at borders while the birds do not.
- A new study maps six “marine flyways” spanning the world’s oceans, showing how 151 species depend on connected routes across dozens of countries.
- These pathways link breeding sites, feeding areas, and migration corridors, but face persistent threats from bycatch, invasive species, and climate change.
- Coordinating protection along these routes—rather than focusing only on isolated sites—could improve conservation outcomes for seabirds at a global scale.

Antarctic fur seals now endangered as climate change reduces krill for pups
Antarctic fur seals are the smallest of the polar seals and live almost exclusively on the island of South Georgia. The latest assessment by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the global conservation authority, upgraded fur seal extinction threat from least concern to endangered. The last assessment was carried out in 2014. Recent research […]
Emperor penguins are now endangered amid climate change and melting ice
Emperor penguins are native to Antarctica, where record low sea ice over the last decade has dramatically changed their habitat. Populations of the world’s largest penguin have fallen so much that they have now officially moved from near threatened to endangered in the latest assessment by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the global […]
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.

In Indonesia, a coastal vine used as medicine now signals ecological decline
- The beach morning glory (Ipomoea pes-caprae) vine is widely used as a traditional medicine in the north of Indonesia’s Sulawesi Island, and in many tropical coastal communities, to treat common complaints, and by fishers to treat stings from venomous fish.
- In addition to its medicinal use, the plant, also known as bayhops, reinforces beaches by binding sand dunes, increasing the resilience of global coastlines to risks of abrasion and erosion.
- Beach morning glory is a ubiquitous crawling vine, but some communities in Sulawesi’s Gorontalo province say the medicinal plant has disappeared locally due to industrial development and infrastructure construction.

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 […]
24 new species found in ocean zone eyed for battery metals mining
- Scientists discovered 24 new species of tiny crustaceans and an entirely new evolutionary branch from a deep abyss in the central Pacific, some 4,000 meters below the surface.
- The the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) is studded with chunks of fused nickel, cobalt, copper and other minerals, making it one of the most commercially coveted tracts of ocean on Earth.
- An estimated 90% of species in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone remain unnamed even as the U.S. moves to streamline the permitting process to mine the seabed for critical minerals.
- A 2025 study found that a commercial mining test in the zone reduced animal abundance by 37% within the machine’s tracks, highlighting the ecological cost of extraction in a region science is only beginning to understand.

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.

At high seas treaty summit, a dispute over fisheries managers’ role in conservation
- The high seas treaty was agreed to by the world’s nations in 2023 and took effect in January. The treaty created a means to establish marine protected areas (MPAs) in international waters, or the high seas.
- A summit to draft the treaty rules took place March 23-April 2 at the United Nations headquarters in New York City. Five multilateral organizations that manage high seas fishing, known as regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs), jointly proposed changes in a bid to ensure their own work is not duplicated or displaced.
- The draft rules that emerged from the summit, to be voted on at a future meeting, accommodated the RFMOs’ wishes, according to critical observers, who argue the RFMOs are influenced by fishing industry priorities and may use authority conferred by the rules to inhibit MPA creation.
- In other news at the summit, parties also worked on developing rules governing the participation of non-state observers such as NGOs and a process for determining the location of the treaty’s secretariat.

A French city cut its marine pollution — and its seagrass bounced back
- Neptune grass is generally regarded as the most ecologically important seagrass and shallow-water habitat in the Mediterranean Sea, where it is endemic. But the species has been in decline for many decades.
- A new study found that following the introduction of stronger environmental regulations and practices in the mid-to-late 1980s, Neptune grass (Posidonia oceanica) repopulated sampled sections of the waters off Marseille, France, over the ensuing four decades at rates that experts called “exceptional” and “remarkable.”
- The lead author said the study shows the value of passive restoration: letting seagrass meadows regrow on their own after removing the human-caused drivers of decline, rather than focusing on replanting or transplanting the species.

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% of the ocean is protected. Now just 20% more to go
- Data from the World Database on Protected and Conserved Areas (WDPCA) indicate that more than 10% of the ocean is now protected, marking a significant milestone for ocean conservation efforts.
- With a global goal to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030, experts warn that efforts must accelerate dramatically: An area roughly the size of the Indian Ocean must be protected within the next four years to meet the goal.
- While overall coverage is important, protection levels vary widely. For instance, only about 3.3% of the ocean is currently classified as fully or highly protected — and that number may even decrease.
- Experts have also raised concerns about the quality and effectiveness of many areas designated as “conserved,” which are now counted alongside traditional marine protected areas.

Orcas never seen before in Seattle delight whale watchers with a visit
Seattle (AP) — When tourists travel to Seattle, it’s common to take in the Space Needle and the downtown skyline from Puget Sound. It’s an itinerary that a newly arrived pod of killer whales appears to be following too. Three orcas that had not previously been recorded in the Seattle area have delighted whale watchers with several […]
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.

Green and gray: Mangroves and dikes show potential in protecting shorelines together
- A recent paper modeled how restoring mangroves in front of water-controlling infrastructure like dikes might create a hybrid coastal defense system in the face of global sea level rise.
- The model found that this combination, put in place today, could reduce the annual damage from storms and flooding by $800 million, and that 140,000 fewer people would be impacted by these events every year.
- They also found that these numbers would increase over time with the impacts of climate change.
- The researchers also evaluated where these projects would be most cost-effective, finding that the benefits disproportionately help lower-income areas, particularly in Southeast Asia, South Asia and West Africa.

American Samoa said ‘no’ to deep sea mining, Washington heard ‘faster’ (commentary)
- The U.S. government is moving fast to grant leases to corporations for deep sea mining in places like the territory of American Samoa: once issued, these are very difficult to rescind.
- Leaders there have weighed in against this lease on cultural and environmental grounds, but the federal agency in charge has merely acknowledged this dissent while continuing to move forward.
- “American Samoa is not a test case; it’s at risk of becoming the federal government’s blueprint” on deep-sea mining licensing, a new op-ed states.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

State fishing village plan in Indonesian Papua sparks Indigenous opposition
- Indigenous Wiyagar leaders in Indonesian Papua oppose a planned state-backed fishing village, saying it’s being pushed without proper consultation on their customary land.
- The project is part of a nationwide program to build thousands of “modern” fishing settlements, a key plank of President Prabowo Subianto’s maritime development agenda.
- Critics warn the initiative risks “blue injustice,” as top-down planning may sideline local livelihoods, cultural systems and legal rights to participation.
- The dispute underscores broader tensions in Indonesian Papua over Indigenous land rights, with concerns that fast-tracked national projects could deepen land conflicts and environmental impacts.

The underwater meadows that help keep beaches from disappearing
Seagrass meadows, which rarely draw the attention given to coral reefs or mangrove forests, perform a steady but important task: they help hold coasts in place. The plants anchor themselves in sediment through dense root systems that bind the seabed, similar to how forests stabilize soil on land. Oscar Serrano Gras, a researcher affiliated with […]
With high seas treaty in place, West African countries plan for protected area
- West African nations are working on a proposal to establish one of the first high seas marine protected areas located beyond their national waters.
- The focus of the proposed MPA is the convergence zone between the Canary and Guinea currents, covering a biologically productive and ecologically complex marine zone that stretches from the maritime borders of Senegal to Nigeria.
- The region is a global biodiversity hotspot facing threats, including industrial fishing and plastic pollution, and is at risk from future deep-sea mining.
- The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) members are aiming to finalize the proposal by the end of this year, but questions remain about how the management of the area will be financed and on monitoring and enforcement.

Baby octopus in Argentina: Photo of the week
These eggs belong to a small octopus known in Argentinian Patagonia as pulperos. The Patagonian octopus (Octopus tehuelchus) is one of the more common octopus species in the region, but researchers still haven’t been able to determine its global conservation status, although reported catches in Patagonia have declined over the past 50 years. The photo […]
Singapore resort said to halt controversial dolphin sourcing, breeding
- Singapore’s Resorts World Sentosa is to end sourcing dolphins from the wild and has suspended a captive breeding program, according to sources.
- The company is assembling a team of experts to decide the future of more than 20 Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins, most of which were captured from the Solomon Islands in 2008 and 2009.
- The resort has maintained the dolphins are well cared for and the exhibit at Singapore’s Oceanarium serves educational and conservation purposes.
- Experts say that rehabilitation and release of the dolphins is possible, with transfer to a natural sea pen the first step for assessment.

A stranded whale in Germany’s Baltic Sea weakens as hopes of its return to the Atlantic fade
A stranded humpback whale in Germany’s Baltic Sea looks weaker, and experts fear it won’t be able to find its way back to the Atlantic despite several attempts at its rescue this week. A 500-meter (yards) restricted area was enforced around the whale so it could get some rest and hopefully free itself, officials said Sunday in a […]
Marine flyways are the missing map we can use to boost seabird conservation (commentary)
- At the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Migratory Species last week in Brazil, delegates formally established something scientists have long understood but never before mapped at a global scale: marine flyways used by seabirds.
- Seabirds are more than charismatic travelers along these routes, rather, they are indicators of ocean health and can guide conservationists to the most important areas for marine biodiversity.
- “Seabirds have been tracing these routes for millennia. They have shown us the map. Now it is our turn to follow it with urgency, ambition and a shared commitment to safeguarding the ocean that sustains us all,” a new op-ed argues.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the authors, not necessarily of Mongabay.

Traditional protection proves more successful for clams in American Samoa
- A study found that on the most populated island in American Samoa, traditional village-based protections and remote sites had the highest density of giant clams — outperforming federally designated no-take zones in one case.
- The authors suggest that traditional community stewardship could offer a viable alternative to federal restrictions, especially in areas communities rely on for giant clam harvesting, while respecting traditional management practices.
- The giant clams, which are slow-growing, face threats from habitat degradation, ocean warming, watershed pollution and overharvesting.
- The NOAA National Fisheries Service proposed protections for several giant clam species in 2024 which could lead to a top-down ban on harvesting. Some sources say a blanket ban without including communities in conservation strategies would impact people who rely on harvesting.

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.

New strategy to reverse Kenya’s shark decline tries to bring fishers on board
- A new strategy by government agencies, scientists and coastal community members proposes a working plan of 19 goals to reverse the steep decline of sharks and rays in Kenya.
- As small-scale fishers have a lot of influence on the marine species’ populations, most of the goals directly involve fishers or try to get them on board to make the conservation strategy a success.
- Goals include alternative fishing gear, different livelihoods to reduce fishing pressure, increasing the number of locally managed marine areas, involvement of fishers in conservation decision-making and more effective enforcement.
- Community fishing representatives say they are on board with the plan but highlight that a few points, like concrete and viable alternative livelihoods and fishing methods, need to be offered to reach the conservation goals.

Family and friends help sperm whale mother and newborn during birth
With the notable exception of humans, most mammals give birth alone. But in July 2023, researchers in the Caribbean witnessed something extraordinary: sperm whales not only attending a birth but actively helping both mother and newborn. Some of the whales present were not even related to the mother, known as Rounder. “Kinship barriers dissolved,” notes […]
On Manatee Appreciation Day, remember these gentle giants who protect aquatic ecosystems (commentary)
- Slow-moving, peaceful and curious, manatees quietly maintain the health and balance of aquatic ecosystems, from rivers to bays and coasts worldwide.
- Manatee Appreciation Day is observed annually on the last Wednesday of March, and it’s a good time to remember why these animals matter, and the people who have dedicated their lives to protecting them.
- “The gentle giants of our oceans have survived for millions of years. Whether they survive the next century depends on all of us,” a new op-ed argues.
- This article is a commentary. The views expressed are those of the author, not necessarily of Mongabay.

China’s deep-sea mining fleet may also track US submarines
A Mongabay and CNN investigation found the eight Chinese state-owned ships that conduct deep-sea mining research in China’s mining areas allocated by the International Seabed Authority (ISA) actually spent little time in these exploration areas, while spending much of their remaining time operating in militarily strategic waters. Many of these vessels are linked to the […]
The ocean’s enforcement gap
- Governments have designated vast marine protected areas and pledged to conserve 30% of the ocean by 2030, enforcement often lags behind these commitments.
- Research shows that the ecological benefits of marine protected areas depend less on their size than on whether rules are visible, monitored, and enforced.
- New tools—such as satellite imagery, vessel-tracking systems, and data analytics—are making it easier and cheaper to detect illegal fishing and focus enforcement efforts.
- As monitoring improves, the future of ocean conservation may depend less on creating new protected areas than on ensuring existing rules are consistently applied.

PNG’s New Ireland coastal waters causing fish deaths, human sickness
- Communities on the east coast of Papua New Guinea’s New Ireland province report that contact with the seawater there has made people sick since December 2025; residents have also reported spikes in the number of dead fish and other marine life along the shoreline.
- A group of local and international NGOs has responded, providing help with sampling to determine the cause and raising money for the affected villages.
- New Ireland’s coastal communities depend on the sea for food, but government officials have warned against eating fish until the cause of the problems has been identified.
- Government ministries have been aware of the situation for at least two months, and while leaders say that tissue, water and soil samples have been collected, no results have been released yet.

Deep-sea mining rules face delays despite urgent push
Commercial deep-sea mining hasn’t yet begun, but it soon could — with the potential to reshape vast stretches of the ocean as companies move to extract minerals from the seafloor. However, this nascent industry lacks a set of international rules to govern it, and a recent meeting of the regulatory body charged with drafting one […]
Brazil protects huge coastal area with endangered dolphins and megafauna fossils
Brazil’s federal government created a huge conservation area on March 6 to protect a critical biodiversity hotspot in the Atlantic Ocean. The newly created Albardão marine park and coastal environmental protected area are home to at least 25 endangered species and Pleistocene epoch megafauna fossils. The new national park is off the coast of Brazil’s […]
Accidental discovery reveals new climate threat to emperor penguins
- Scientists have discovered new sites in Antarctica where emperor penguins gather for their annual molt, a vulnerable life stage when they shed and replace all their feathers.
- Through satellite data, they also discovered that many of these sea ice sites might have melted from under the penguins.
- The discovery suggests that the threats posed by global warming to emperor penguins might be more dire than previously thought.

Pharmaceutical companies move away from horseshoe crab biomedical testing
Horseshoe crabs were crawling along the shallow sandy bottoms of Earth’s oceans 200 million years before the first dinosaurs came on the scene. But some populations have declined dramatically with the rise of humans, raising concerns they may be headed toward extinction. One of the biggest drivers of their population collapse is their unsustainable harvest […]
An ancient fishing tradition in Indonesia could help build a more sustainable fishery
In the remote coastal areas of eastern Indonesia, a centuries-old tradition is providing a contemporary blueprint for sustainable development. The practice, known as Sasi Laut, imposes temporary fishing closures of six to 12 months to allow sedentary marine species such as sea cucumbers and shellfish to replenish. A new study published in Marine Policy reveals […]
Oil patch appears after IRIS Dena sinking in Sri Lanka; origins still unverified
- Following the March 4 sinking of an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean, fishers and coastal communities have spotted an oil patch along the Hikkaduwa coast in southern Sri Lanka, raising concerns about its origin.
- Authorities are conducting investigations to determine the origin of the oil patch and debris washed ashore.
- Studies show the sea around Sri Lanka as highly vulnerable to oil spills, as more than 25% of oil transported globally passes through Sri Lanka’s exclusive economic zone.
- Legal experts say in the event of confirmed environmental impact due to the ship sinking, the “polluter pays principle” should be applied.

Why saving seagrass meadows could help save the world’s coastlines
- Seagrass is known for its blue carbon potential, but meadows also play an important role in coastal protection by helping reduce wave intensity and stabilizing sediments, both of which are key to reducing coastal erosion.
- Experts point out that seagrass brings multiple other benefits, such as improving water quality that helps the marine environment, including coral reefs.
- Yet seagrass meadows across the globe face declines due to multiple stressors, including climate change.
- Conservationists and researchers are working to restore meadows and help them become resilient to increasing ocean temperatures and potentially devastating marine heat waves.

If Florida reefs aren’t protected, storms will increase flooding & costs: Study
- Coral reefs absorb incoming waves, protecting shorelines from tropical storms.
- A recent Earth’s Future study examines flood risks from tropical storms to communities in Florida, if coral reefs keep degrading at current rates.
- The study finds that future coral reef degradation will increase the annual risk of flooding to people by 42% and to buildings by 47%.
- This increased degradation would predictably cause $412.5 million in damages to structures and economic disruption of $438.1 million annually.

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.

Pascale Moehrle pressed Europe to take its seas seriously
- Pascale Moehrle, who led Oceana’s European office from 2019 to 2025, spent more than four decades working on wildlife conservation and ocean policy.
- Her death was announced by Oceana on March 4, 2026.
- Moehrle pushed European governments to follow scientific advice on fisheries, curb destructive fishing practices and enforce protections in marine protected areas.
- Her work focused on turning Europe’s commitments on ocean protection into practical policy that could restore marine ecosystems and sustain fisheries.

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.

The power of cities over the seas
- Much of what determines the ocean’s condition is decided on land, where ports control entry, cities regulate ship operations, and municipal buyers shape seafood demand. These urban levers can influence marine outcomes at scale even though they receive far less attention than treaties or national policy.
- Port rules on fuel use, emissions, and safety can compel global shipping companies to change behavior, as access to major trade hubs is too valuable to lose. When several large ports adopt similar standards, their combined weight can shift industry norms across entire maritime corridors.
- Public procurement provides another pathway, with city-run institutions able to influence fisheries through what they choose to purchase. Sustainability standards — or public scrutiny, as seen in Brazil’s school meal controversy — can ripple back through supply chains and alter incentives at sea.
- Philanthropy focused on oceans may find high leverage in supporting city-level actions such as port electrification, data-sharing systems, and procurement reform. By targeting where rules meet markets and infrastructure, urban governance can complement national efforts and deliver practical gains even when international cooperation falters.

Avian flu strikes California’s northern elephant seals; area quarantined
- Experts confirmed that seven young northern elephant seals on the beach at California’s Año Nuevo State Park carried a deadly form of avian influenza, H5N1, the first recorded infection in these seals.
- This highly contagious virus has circulated the globe since 2020. The U.N. estimates that as of December 2025, H5N1 had infected some 598 bird species and 102 mammal species. In 2022-23, the virus devastated seal colonies off South American coastlines, sparking increased surveillance of North American marine mammals.
- This northern elephant seal population has been carefully studied for about 60 years. With close monitoring, researchers quickly discovered that sick pups were infected with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1.
- Since this avian flu strain emerged, there have been 131 human infections globally, including 71 in the U.S. As a precaution, California officials have banned visitors from the elephant seal beaches and canceled guided tours.

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.

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.

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