Goodbye to coal, fish with feelings, and a whaling moratorium meeting

Big Blue Bulletin #30

Oct 04, 2024

Welcome to the latest edition of the Big Blue Bulletin – a weekly roundup of marine conservation news and updates. Expect good news, bad news, and a cute creature in your inbox every Friday.

Let’s dive in 🐬

Ocean news

🗞️ Big news of the week -

🐋 IWC member states block plans to restart commercial whaling

“In its annual meeting, the International Whaling Commission has reaffirmed the moratorium on commercial whaling, with a majority of members states rejecting a controversial proposal to end the four-decade-old ban.”

🏭 How the UK phased out coal in 12 years by nudging power plants to close and boosting renewables

“The country’s final coal-fired power station was desynced from the grid on 30 September, bringing an end to 142 years of burning coal for electricity.”

🐧 Penguin chicks survive tearaway iceberg

“In May a huge iceberg broke off from an Antarctic ice shelf, drifted, and came to a stop - right in front of “maybe the world’s unluckiest” penguins.”

🏞️ How drug pollution flooded the UK’s waterways – and put human health at risk

“High levels of antibiotics and other drugs have been found in water in the country’s most treasured and protected landscapes, raising concerns over antimicrobial resistance.”

🌍 Earth in ‘critical condition’ as six of nine planetary coundaries breached

“Six out of nine processes have breached the safe levels, with all six showing trends of increasing pressure in all control variables, suggesting further boundary transgression in the near future.”

🐋 Pro-whaling nations BLOCK any real progress at international commission meeting

“At the 69th International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting in Peru last week, pro-whaling nations shut down the possibility of creating a South Atlantic whale sanctuary.”

🇨🇦 ‘I won’t believe it until I see it happen’: Could a ban on sea farms save Canada’s salmon?

“A row over sea life, lice and livelihoods is dividing communities as the government plans to end open-net pen farming in British Columbian waters.”

🐋 Too hot for humpbacks: The race to protect Pacific whales

“Move over Moby Dick. Big Mama, the first humpback whale to have returned to the North Pacific's Salish Sea after decades of absence, is telling a new story about the global threat to whale populations.”

🏔️ Why are Italy and Switzerland redrawing their Alpine border?

“Unlike most border changes that often happen due to conflicts, there is no dispute between Italy and Switzerland over this shift.”

🦑 The ancient method boosting cuttlefish numbers in the Mediterranean

“A project on Spain’s Costa Brava is reviving dwindling populations of the prized seafood – and keeping small-scale fishers in business.”

🏆 Omega-3 algae and eDNA: The Earthshot Prize selects Europe’s most promising climate solutions

“From sustainable fish feed to environmental DNA, these are Europe's finalists for the global environmental award.”

🎣 Fishing waste chokes marine wildlife, threatens human health in Patagonia

“Mountains of plastic waste from the fishing industry have covered the coast along the Valdes Peninsula in Argentina's Patagonia, threatening the lives of sea lions, fish, penguins and whales and also endangering human health.”

🥤 New coral discovery may solve the ocean’s “missing plastic” mystery

“Researchers have discovered microplastics in all components of coral, including its skeleton.”

🐟 Do fish have feelings? Scientists believe they’re getting closer to an answer

“Research suggesting certain species can learn, experience pain and form relationships has implications for our attitude to world’s most-eaten animal.”

🎨 Ocean Artwork

📸 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards 2024

“Loved-up brown bears and whispering raccoons feature in this light-hearted look at a selection of finalists from the Nikon Comedy Wildlife awards. A winner will be announced on 10 December.”

🐋 The 'mind bomb' photos that led to a global whaling ban