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Author: Jennifer Moreau Source: Burnaby Now August 15, 2012 "The days of shark fin soup could be numbered as Burnaby, Vancouver and Richmond enter discussions about a coordinated ban of the fins. The soup is served as a prestigious dish at Chinese wedding banquets in restaurants throughout the Lower Mainland, but activists concerned about shark populations and the cruelty involved in fin harvesting have been pushing municipalities to ban the delicacy. read more More...

Author: Ashley Fetters Source: The Atlantic August 13, 2012 "On Sunday evening, Shark Week kicked off its 25th annual TV marathon devoted to the world's deadliest creatures. Which means that for the next six nights, Americans will be able to marvel, shudder, and peek between their fingers at what Shark Week's executive producer Brooke Runnette calls one of the last wild things—maybe the last truly wild thing—on the planet. read more More...

Source: redOrbit August 14, 2012 "As the Discovery Channel kicks off its annual Shark Week, conservation groups are petitioning the government to protect the ferocious ocean predators living off the coast of California. Citing a declining population, Oceana, The Center for Biological Diversity, and SharkStewards filed a scientific petition with the National Marine Fisheries Service seeking to protect great white sharks living off the West Coast under the Endangered Species Act. read more More...

Author: Lily Kosmicki Source: Green Answers August 15, 2012 "The extra carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that contributes to global warming doesn’t just mean trouble for land inhabitants; the ocean is growing more and more acidic due the excess carbon dioxide floating around. The ocean has absorbed the extra carbon dioxide, which has surprised and concerned scientists. read more More...

Source: Travelers Today August 14, 2012 A study published in Environmental Health Perspectives journal found that ultraviolet filters in sunscreen cause viral infections in the algae that keeps coral healthy and bleaches hard corals. From the study authors found that sunscreen could play a damaging role in coral reefs, while some scientists say it's not a pressing issue. read more More...

Source: Underwater Times August 13, 2012 "CORAL GABLES, Florida -- The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) announced changes to the lionfish harvest at a media event today in Coral Gables. Harvesting invasive lionfish no longer will require a fishing license when using certain gear, and there is no recreational or commercial bag limit. The FWC is taking these actions to encourage more Floridians and visitors to harvest lionfish. read more More...

Source: Smithsonian Magazine August 14, 2012 "A real-life drama, tragically similar to the story line of the 1974 film Jaws and replete with sharks, a reluctant town mayor and hired fishermen, has erupted on a small island in the Indian Ocean. read more More...

Author: Randal C. Archibold Source: The New York Times August 13, 2012 "CANCÚN, Mexico — Most people head off to an art exhibit with comfortable shoes and a deep appreciation for creativity. Jason deCaires Taylor’s work requires flippers and, to really appreciate it, a depth of at least 12 feet. read more More...

Source: Fish Info and Services August 13, 2012 "A team of federal and university scientists on a 10-day expedition in the Gulf of Mexico has discovered Lophelia coral growing deeper than previously seen anywhere in the Gulf. Newly available information on Lophelia’s growth rate and conditions will inform future environmental review and decision-making for the protection of deep-water coral habitats. read more More...

Source: Fish Info and Services August 13, 2012 "A team of federal and university scientists on a 10-day expedition in the Gulf of Mexico has discovered Lophelia coral growing deeper than previously seen anywhere in the Gulf. Newly available information on Lophelia’s growth rate and conditions will inform future environmental review and decision-making for the protection of deep-water coral habitats. read more More...

Author: Ed Wong Source: Nature August 13, 2012 "For centuries, the people of the Gilbert Islands in the central Pacific Ocean have crafted weapons from shark teeth. Joshua Drew, a conservation biologist at Columbia University in New York, has used these teeth to show that the waters around the islands — part of the Republic of Kiribati — were once home to three species of shark that no longer live in the area. read more More...

Author: Briana Saati Source: Miami New Times August 9, 2012 "What does a species more than 400 million years old have in common with a pair of espadrilles? Not a whole lot -- until TOMS and University of Miami's RJ Dunlap Marine Conservation Program decided to team up and protect marine life in style and comfort. Days before the national frenzy over Shark Week, TOMS released its newest design, the Shark Shoe, after more than a year of collaboration between RJD and the popular shoe company. read more More...

Author: Kevin Spear Source: Orlando Sentinel August 8, 2012 "Imagine a bowl of steaming soup with succulent morsels severed from the tail of a cruelly slaughtered manatee. It sounds awful but isn't far-fetched. Sharks are served in restaurants around the world in fin soup, even though about one-third of the 450 species are threatened with extinction. And there's no way for diners to know the type of shark they are consuming. read more More...

Author: David Fleshler Source: Sun Sentinel August 8, 2012 "A bizarre experiment in marine conservation rests on the ocean floor off Lauderdale-by-the-Sea. An electrified artificial reef, powered by solar panels on buoys, went into operation in June, in an attempt to bolster the biologically and economically critical coral reefs of southeast Florida. And early reports say oysters, algae and various fish species have established themselves among the electrified structures. read more More...

Author: Cammy Clark Source: The Miami Herald August 8, 2012 "At precisely 9:47 one night last week, corals shaped like Greek columns began spawning in shallow water off North Key Largo in a place known as Pillar Coral Forest. The cloud of milky sperm was in clear view under a nearly full moon. Six minutes later, the girl pillar corals did their part for reproduction of the threatened species, releasing little white eggs that looked stringy when clumped together. read more More...

Author: David Fleshler Source: Sun Sentinel August 6, 2012 "The University of Miami has agreed to pay $482,000 for damage done to a coral reef when the university's research ship ran aground in Biscayne National Park. The R/V Walton Smith, a 96-foot catamaran, is the primary research vessel for the university's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. The vessel grounded on a coral reef before dawn on Oct. 13, 2007, remaining on the reef until refloated by a rising tide. read more More...

Source: RedOrbit August 4, 2012 read more More...

Source: Phys.org August 3, 2012 "A team of international scientists, including a researcher from The University of Western Australia, has found that soil erosion, land degradation and climate change pose a mounting threat to coastal reefs and their ecosystems in the western Indian Ocean.The study examined sediment and freshwater discharge over recent decades in two catchments in Madagascar's Antongil Bay and the island nation's Great Barrier Reef of Tulear, and the climatic processes that drive them. read more More...

Author: Matthew Hoekstra Source: Richmond Review August 3, 2012 "Shark defenders gathered Wednesday to award a newlywed couple a week-long trip to the Galapagos for going “fin free” at their wedding reception. Amy Li and Jackson Wan were one of 80 couples who avoided shark fin soup on their banquet menus this year and entered the third annual Happy Hearts Love Sharks contest offered by Shark Truth, a group dedicated to promoting awareness and education for shark conservation. read more More...

Author: DJ Yap Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer August 3, 2012 "Most coral reefs located in Philippine waters are under dire threat, save for three marine habitats that serve as havens for fish, whales and dolphins and replenish the country’s lost sea riches. read more More...

Author: C. Premananthini Source: New Straits Times August 3, 2012 "In collaboration with several* non-governmental* organisation (NGO) partners, Berjaya Hotels and Resorts (BHR), Berjaya Cares Foundation (BCF) and Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) have embarked on a 15-month coral reef rehabilitation programme. Called Restore Our Awesome Reefs (ROAR), the programme was launched in conjunction with World Ocean Day* celebrated every June 8. read more More...

Author: Jessica Aldred Source: The Guardian August 1, 2012 "The mayor of a town on Réunion Island has been forced to back down from a decision to pay fishermen to hunt and kill sharks because it contravenes French conservation law. read more More...

Source: Phys.org July 31, 2012 "Rapid rates of coral reef growth have been identified in sediment-laden marine environments, conditions previously believed to be detrimental to reef growth. A new study has established that Middle Reef – part of Australia's iconic Great Barrier Reef – has grown more rapidly than many other reefs in areas with lower levels of sediment stress. Led by the University of Exeter, the study by an international team of scientists is published today in the journal Geology. read more More...

Author: Terry Hughes Source: Cosmos July 31, 2012 "The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is a valuable natural asset that provides $6 billion per annum to the Australian economy and supports more than 50,000 jobs, primarily in tourism. It’s an irreplaceable resource, a national and international icon and it is slowly declining. read more More...

Source: The Age July 30, 2012 "West Australian fisheries and federal environment authorities have met to discuss the protection of great white sharks, following the state's fifth fatal shark attack in 10 months. The West Australian Fisheries Department confirmed to AAP today that director of research Rick Fletcher had met the federal Department of Environment last week to discuss joint research into great white shark numbers and behaviour, which may lead to a review of their protected status. read more More...