Whaling

Surviving fishing gear entanglement isn’t enough for endangered right whales – females still don’t breed afterward

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 13, 2024

On Feb. 14, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that the whale was #5120 in a catalog that tracks individual right whales.

Key Points: 
  • On Feb. 14, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that the whale was #5120 in a catalog that tracks individual right whales.
  • Further, the agency said, rope that had been deeply embedded in the whale’s tail had likely come from lobster fishing gear in Maine.
  • Entanglement in fishing gear is a deadly threat to these critically endangered animals.
  • Scientists estimate that before commercial whaling scaled up in the 18th and 19th centuries, there may have been as many as 10,000 North Atlantic right whales.
  • When whales become entangled in fishing gear, they use extra energy dragging it as they swim.

Smaller females are having fewer young

  • By 2018 there were only about 73 breeding females left, representing roughly half of all females and a sixth of the entire species.
  • Other research has shown that poor health and physical condition are making it harder for these females to even start breeding.
  • Smaller whales have fewer calves.
  • Many organizations are involved in tracking North Atlantic right whales, including government agencies, aquariums and conservation groups.
  • Even females who have previously reproduced are less likely to breed again following an entanglement event.
  • By identifying and photographing whales repeatedly over time, scientists can estimate different stages of their life, such as when females give birth.

Weakness of current regulations

  • If they are larger and enter the blubber, they are classified as moderate.
  • Our research makes it clear that such value-laden terms are potentially misleading because even minor entanglements can threaten whales’ successful reproduction.
  • In our view, these measures do not give enough weight to preventing all types of entanglements, regardless of severity.
  • And the plan closes trap fishing areas seasonally when whales are known to be present in those zones.

Coming back from the brink

  • While these estimates seem promising, females need to start and continue producing calves to increase whales’ numbers.
  • From our work, it is very clear that both lethal and sublethal impacts of entanglements are of grave concern for these whales.
  • She also is a member of the International Whaling Commission Scientific Committee.
  • Peter Corkeron consults for Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility on right whale conservation issues.
  • Rob Harcourt receives funding from the Australian Federal Government Department of Climate Change, Environment, Energy and Water for research on right whales.

Meat is Eating Up The Planet: US Reaches 'Meat Exhaustion Day' Today

Retrieved on: 
Friday, March 8, 2024

Eating meat beyond the recommended amount not only has huge human health risks, the industry also causes massive suffering to animals, with 83.3 billion being slaughtered for meat every year.

Key Points: 
  • Eating meat beyond the recommended amount not only has huge human health risks, the industry also causes massive suffering to animals, with 83.3 billion being slaughtered for meat every year.
  • On average, a person in the US consumes almost 3.6 pounds of meat per week.
  • This is the equivalent amount of meat in 14 burgers per person per week, making Americans the biggest consumers of meat in the world.
  • Global meat consumption is eating up the planet, causing animal and human suffering,” says FOUR PAWS CEO and President Josef Pfabigan.

Diving into February Wonders: Unveiling Extraordinary Marine Encounters in La Paz

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 22, 2024

La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico, Feb. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In the heart of winter, La Paz emerges as a haven for marine enthusiasts, offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to dive into extraordinary wonders beneath the waves.

Key Points: 
  • La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico, Feb. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In the heart of winter, La Paz emerges as a haven for marine enthusiasts, offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to dive into extraordinary wonders beneath the waves.
  • February marks the peak season for remarkable marine encounters in the azure waters of Baja California Sur, positioning La Paz as the ultimate destination for those seeking an immersive and enchanting experience.
  • Majestic Grey Whale Watching: February unveils a breathtaking spectacle as La Paz becomes a haven for grey whale watching.
  • This combination of adventure on the water and culinary delights ensures a memorable and satisfying experience for fishing enthusiasts in La Paz.

Enrollment Opens for Vineyard Wind 1 Fisheries Compensation Program

Retrieved on: 
Monday, March 4, 2024

The launch of the program opens a 90-day window for fishermen to qualify for compensation at www.vw1fisheriescomp.com .

Key Points: 
  • The launch of the program opens a 90-day window for fishermen to qualify for compensation at www.vw1fisheriescomp.com .
  • The Vineyard Wind Fisheries Compensation Fund will bolster our commercial fisheries during this time of transition to clean energy—we hope this fund can be a model for ensuring offshore wind and commercial fisheries thrive together."
  • To support the program, Vineyard Wind 1 has established three escrow funds to compensate affected fishermen in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York.
  • Fishermen will not need to demonstrate economic impacts from Vineyard Wind 1 to qualify for the program or receive compensation payments.

FAMILY-FAVOURITE BRAND CAT & JACK® EXCLUSIVELY LAUNCHES AT HUDSON'S BAY

Retrieved on: 
Friday, March 8, 2024

As a key brand in the kids departments, customers will find a dedicated Cat & Jack experience in every store.

Key Points: 
  • As a key brand in the kids departments, customers will find a dedicated Cat & Jack experience in every store.
  • "As we continue to expand this established area of our business, we're pleased to work with Hudson's Bay to offer our popular Cat & Jack kids brand to Canadian shoppers in all Hudson's Bay stores and via TheBay.com."
  • Cat & Jack will be available in every Hudson's Bay store, beginning March 14 in the majority of stores as well as on TheBay.com.
  • Cat & Jack is available in Canada exclusively at Hudson's Bay.

Marine Conservation Institute Announces Key Partnership with the Edges of Earth Expedition Team to Expand the Nonprofit's Globally-Recognized Blue Parks Initiative

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 6, 2024

NEW YORK, March 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Marine Conservation Institute, a leading non-profit organization committed to ocean conservation, proudly announces their collaboration with the women-led dive team spearheading Edges of Earth; a 2-year expedition traveling to the planet's most remote and interesting locations, telling positive progress stories about people on the frontlines of ocean conservation and the habitats, marine life and communities they work tirelessly to save.

Key Points: 
  • The Edges of Earth ambassadors will explore Marine Conservation Institute's keystone marine protected areas in the Blue Parks Network to chronicle the ocean conservation success stories in key regions—above and below water.
  • The Edges of Earth team will work with Marine Conservation Institute to highlight the people who are responsible for establishing and maintaining the successful MPAs that have earned Blue Parks Awards by meeting science-based conservation standards.
  • Our goal is to assist the Blue Parks initiative in showcasing the critical role of MPAs and the interconnected Blue Parks system, highlighting their significance in ocean conservation."
  • The Edges of Earth team will be venturing to the following locations in partnership with Marine Conservation Institute:

VIKING EXPEDITION TEAM ANNOUNCES DISCOVERY OF NEW PENGUIN COLONY IN ANTARCTICA

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, March 5, 2024

LOS ANGELES, March 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Viking® (www.viking.com) today announced its expedition team supported the discovery of a new colony of chinstrap penguins not previously known to science on Diaz Rock, near Astrolabe Island, in Antarctica. The finding took place in January 2024 when Viking's expedition vessel, the Viking Octantis®, visited Astrolabe Island, a three-mile-long island, located in the Bransfield Strait of the Trinity Peninsula in Antarctica. Astrolabe Island is home to a colony of chinstrap penguins that had not been surveyed since 1987. During the visit, Viking's scientific partner, Oceanites, the leading field research entity in Antarctic penguin monitoring, conducted a visual and thermal aerial survey. The fieldwork documented the first survey in nearly 40 years of the known chinstrap penguin colony of Astrolabe Island and in the process, discovered the additional colony on Diaz Rock. Oceanites will share additional details from the survey in a scientific paper to follow in due course.

Key Points: 
  • LOS ANGELES, March 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Viking® ( www.viking.com ) today announced its expedition team supported the discovery of a new colony of chinstrap penguins not previously known to science on Diaz Rock, near Astrolabe Island, in Antarctica.
  • Today's announcement is an example of Viking's commitment that every expedition voyage on the Viking Octantis and her identical sister ship, the Viking Polaris® , should provide opportunities for meaningful scientific discovery.
  • As scientific partners, Viking supports the fieldwork of Oceanites through mobilizing teams of penguin researchers on its Antarctic expedition voyages and providing thermal cameras.
  • Viking offers destination-focused expeditions in Antarctica, the Arctic and North America's Great Lakes, with an expedition fleet that includes the Polar Class Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris.

Canada to host the 2024 All-Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance Forum to bolster international ocean science collaboration

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, March 5, 2024

The 2024 Forum will focus on opportunities for collaborative science including coordinating efforts on ocean observation and increasing our understanding of the relationship between ocean and climate.

Key Points: 
  • The 2024 Forum will focus on opportunities for collaborative science including coordinating efforts on ocean observation and increasing our understanding of the relationship between ocean and climate.
  • The report, prepared by Fisheries and Oceans Canada with contributions from Environment and Climate Change Canada, gives an overview of the state of Canada's Atlantic Ocean.
  • I am honoured that Canada will be hosting the 2024 All-Atlantic Ocean Research and Innovation Alliance Forum.
  • It encourages partners from around the world to collaborate to advance ocean science to support sustainable development of our oceans.

SightMD Welcomes Cynthia Zara, OD to its expert team in New York

Retrieved on: 
Monday, March 4, 2024

HAUPPAUGE, N.Y., March 4, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- SightMD, a leading multi-specialty ophthalmology platform in New York, welcomes Cynthia Zara, OD to its expert team.

Key Points: 
  • SightMD, a leading multi-specialty ophthalmology platform in New York, welcomes Cynthia Zara, OD to its expert team.
  • HAUPPAUGE, N.Y., March 4, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- SightMD, a leading multi-specialty ophthalmology platform in New York, welcomes Cynthia Zara, OD to its expert team.
  • Cynthia Zara, OD is a board-certified optometrist providing dilation exams, contact lenses and eyeglasses, dry eye treatments, and more.
  • When asked what she is looking forward to most about joining the SightMD Team, Dr Zara said "I am excited to be joining SightMD in Hamptons Bays and Southampton.

SHIPPING SPEED AND WASTE ARE AN 'URGENT' THREAT IN GREAT BEAR SEA, WWF-CANADA STUDY FINDS

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 29, 2024

GREAT BEAR SEA, BC, Feb. 29, 2024 /CNW/ - A new report by WWF-Canada uses data on ship speed and waste generated in B.C.

Key Points: 
  • GREAT BEAR SEA, BC, Feb. 29, 2024 /CNW/ - A new report by WWF-Canada uses data on ship speed and waste generated in B.C.
  • The analysis shows that shipping speeds, combined with billions of litres of waste, pose immediate and cumulative risks to species at risk, including fin whales and humpbacks.
  • It builds on the data and findings from WWF-Canada's Shipping Traffic and Speed in Cetacean Habitats on Canada's Pacific Coast and National Vessel Dumping Assessment .
  • In 2022, an estimated 56 billion litres of waste were generated by commercial ships in the Northern Shelf Bioregion.