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Author: Crystal Gammon Source: Our Amazing Planet July 30, 2012 "When you think of coral reefs, you probably picture scuba divers gliding through warm, crystal-clear waters. And for the most part, you'd be right: more than 90 percent of the world's coral reefs are located in the tropics. read more More...

Author: Sarah Wilson Source: Earth Times July 28, 2012 read more More...

Author: Deborah Sullivan Brennan Source: North County Times July 25, 2012 "Birch Aquarium and a sister aquarium in Taiwan will educate kids about coral reef conservation by engaging 30 middle school students to set up live coral reef aquariums. The students, from High Tech Middle School in San Diego, and Pingtung, Taiwan, will work with coral scientists and aquarium staff to create coral reef displays that represent ecosystems in each other's country. read more More...

Author: Ronnie Cherise Camacho Source: Saipan Tribune July 27, 2012 read more More...

Source: The San Francisco Examiner July 24, 2012 "Shark fin soup is an almost-tasteless delicacy that is more notable for its texture. But all across Asia and the Pacific Rim, Chinese consumers have historically viewed it as a mark of success and wealth. read more More...

Author: Alastair Bland Source: Smithsonian Magazine (blog) July 24, 2012 read more More...

Author: Stephen Leahy Source: IPS July 24, 2012 "Most corals thrive only in shallow waters, where there is enough light for them to grow. But the rapid rise in sea level, due to the melting of polar ice, is making these conditions increasingly scarce. read more More...

Source: The Miami Herald July 21, 2012 "South Florida congressional representatives are scuba diving to an undersea research lab that's set to shut down. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration owns the Aquarius Reef Base in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The lab allows scientists studying coral reefs to live and work underwater for days at a time without needing to come up for air. read more More...

Author: Jennifer Viegas Source: MSNBC July 24, 2012 "A human hunger for shark fin soup, fisheries and other human-related activities threaten sharks worldwide, but researchers have identified one place where sharks appear to rule, living out their lives in tropical splendor. read more More...

Source: Saigon Giai Phong July 23, 2012 "Every year tens of thousands of tons of coral are illegally exploited in the coastal province of Khanh Hoa, home and reserve of an abundant variety of coral species. Corals are concentrated in three major spots of Cam Ranh Bay, Nha Trang Bay and Van Phong Bay in Khanh Hoa Province. read more More...

Source: The Newsport Daily July 24, 2012 Small communities from around the world will be better able to protect coral reefs after successfully securing grants announced at the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) general meeting in Cairns last week. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority Chairman Russell Reichelt said more than $32,000 in grants had been provided by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID). read more More...

Author: Michelle Nijhuis Source: The New York Times July 23, 2012 "COCONUT ISLAND, Hawaii — Just before sunset, on the campus of the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, Mary Hagedorn waited for her mushroom corals to spawn. As corals go, Fungia is fairly reliable, usually releasing its sperm and eggs two days after the full moon. Today was Day 3. “Sometimes we get skunked,” she fretted. read more More...

Author: Mike Coots Source: CNN July 23, 2012 "The latest string of fatal shark attacks in Western Australia is creating a climate of fear that could haphazardly undo a very important environmental law that protects great white sharks. read more More...

Author: Lorianna De Giorgio Source: Toronto Star July 22, 2012 "Does seagrass hold the secret to saving the world’s coral reefs from extinction? A team of scientists from the U.K. and Australia seem to think so, testing the theory that the photosynthetic rates of the flowering underwater plant can make seawater less acidic. read more More...

Source: Underwater Times July 20, 2012 "Humans get most of the blame for climate change, with little attention paid to the contribution of other natural forces. Now, scientists from the University of Toronto and the University of California Santa Cruz are shedding light on one potential cause of the cooling trend of the past 45 million years that has everything to do with the chemistry of the world's oceans. read more More...

Author: Ben Raines Source: AL.com/Press-Register July 22, 2012 "A small fish nestled among swaying stalks of sea whip coral about 11 miles off the Alabama coast may be poised to shift the balance of life in the Gulf of Mexico. While it has been less than two years since scuba diver Lawren McCaghren made the first confirmed sighting of a lionfish off Alabama, the animals are now so common that McCaghren said he routinely sees 50 or 60 during a single dive on local reefs. read more More...

Author: Kim Fulton-Bennett source: Phys.org July 20, 2012 read more More...

Author: Eri Goto Source: The Asahi Shimbin July 22, 2012 "Shapes in the coral in the Sumatra Basin have left a terrifying message for Indonesians. Kerry Sieh and Danny Natawidjaja studied patterns in the reefs created by hundreds of years of seismic activity and believe the area may be entering a high-activity phase that could hammer the area with a series of massive earthquakes. read more More...

Source: Trade Only Today July 19, 2012 "NOAA said it has collected nearly 50 metric tons of marine debris, which threatens monk seals, sea turtles and other marine life in the coral reef ecosystem in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. The NOAA ship Oscar Elton Sette arrived back in its home port of Honolulu on Saturday after a month in Papah More...

Author: Stephen Pincock Source: ABC Science July 20, 2012 "Thousands of kilometres of ocean may separate Tonga's many volcanoes and Australia's iconic Great Barrier Reef, but researchers have found an interesting connection. The unexpected connection is pumice, a lightweight, frothy rock that forms when molten lava cools rapidly in the air or ocean, explained geologist Dr Scott Bryan from the Queensland University of Technology. read more More...

Author: Brent Richter Source: North Shore News July 20, 2012 "WHEN Jenny Chau and Ben Lai tie the knot atop Grouse Mountain next month, they'll be leaving behind generations of Chinese wedding tradition. The two have opted not to serve shark fin soup to the 140 guests at their wedding banquet, taking a stand on an environmental and ethical food debate that's cropping up across the Lower Mainland. read more More...

Source: Current July 19, 2012 "The world’s largest and best protected coral reef will be doomed by Australia’s unprecedented scale of planned coal and gas development, experts say. The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest reef system, with 3,000 reefs running 2,300 km along most of the state of Queensland’s coast. read more More...

Source: The Washington Post July 19, 2012 "IN THE OCEAN OFF KEY LARGO, Fla. — Ocean explorer Sylvia Earle sported one Rolex dive watch on each wrist as she slipped beneath the balmy waters of the Florida Keys for a weeklong stay at an undersea research lab where marine biologists have kept constant watch on a coral reef. read more More...

Source: The Wall Street Journal (Scene Asia blog) Author: Adam Liaw July 19, 2012 "Whether it’s drowning a tiny ortolan in Armagnac, live-filleting fish for Japanese ikizukuri or dunking shrimps in alcohol before eating them alive for Shanghainese zui xia, the history of food is peppered with acts of cruelty. The idea of eating something esoteric or exotic has titillated diners since the beginnings of gastronomy – but are these delicacies really all about taste? read more More...

Author: James Wagstaff Source: News.com.au July 19, 2012 "The Weekly Times reports that The Humane Society International has called on the West Australian Government to look into all aspects of shark behaviour* and the possible connection with the export of live sheep from the port of Fremantle. There have been five fatalities to sharks in WA within the past 10 months, the most recent being an attack on a surfer at Wedge Island, 180km north of Perth. read more More...