The platisphere, an epic whale migration, and Cambodian catfish
Big Blue Bulletin #38
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 -
🪧 Britain leads the world in cracking down on climate activism, study finds
“Research shows UK police arrest environmental and climate protesters at three times the average global rate.”
🐋 Report released following controversial experiments on whales
“A recently published study on the hearing ability of minke whales has caused more controversy after using data gained from cruelty.”
🐋 Whale makes epic migration, astonishing scientists
“A humpback whale has made one of the longest and most unusual migrations ever recorded, possibly driven by climate change, scientists say.”
“Tourists flock to the country’s dazzling beaches, but its vast, smoking waste sites tell a different story – one that the government is keen to change.”
🦈 Shark and ray populations have halved since 1970 and overfishing is to blame
““Sharks and rays are important predators, and their decline disrupts food webs throughout the ocean", said one of the study's authors.”
📸 How conservation photographer Cristina Mittermeier uses visual storytelling to inspire action
“Cristina Mittermeier, a pioneer in conservation photography, blends art and advocacy to inspire action and amplify often-overlooked voices, particularly Indigenous communities and unsung conservation heroes.”
🌾 Food insecurity rising in UK because of climate breakdown, Defra report finds
“Access to balanced diet also affected by inflation and Brexit, hitting most vulnerable households hardest.”
“What might the early explorers of this icy wilderness think today, upon discovering a continent transformed by permanent fishing activities, research stations, military presence, tourism, and all their environmental impacts?”
❄️ The Arctic tundra has transformed from carbon sink to carbon source, report finds
“Dramatic changes in the Arctic are being driven by high temperatures and intense wildfires.”
🐟 Huge catch in Cambodia boosts hopes for giant catfish survival
“The catching of six rare giant catfish in Cambodia in the space of five days, some weighing more than 120 kg, has raised hopes of a revival of a critically endangered species that is among the world's largest freshwater fish.”
☠️ ‘Forever chemical’ found in mineral water from several European countries
“Contamination thought to stem from the heavy application of pesticides containing TFA, a type of PFAS.”
🇨🇳 China opens world's largest solar farm on site of former coal mine
“China is dominating the world in installed solar capacity, and the launch of its largest solar farm yet will bring it one step closer to a coal-free future.”
🇦🇺 Rare vision of WA’s Scott Reef shows dazzling ecosystem threatened by gas projects
“A dozen marine scientists, film-makers, musicians and conservationists have made an epic voyage to Scott Reef, one of Australia’s wildest and most remote coral reefs.”
🦭 Seal colony thriving 'thanks to secluded site'
“A large colony of seals is thriving on an English coastline thanks to a "lack of human disturbance", according to the site's manager.”
☀️ Is it clouds, shipping or a volcano? Scientists present potential reasons for record heat
“Climate researchers share theories behind apparent surge, though none have a full understanding yet of what has happened.”
🎨 Ocean Artwork
🐋 Why whaling is absolute horseshit -
📸 The 2024 Nature Conservancy Oceania photo contest
❗ Ocean Action
✍️ Stop the hunt of dolphins and small whales
“More than 100,000 dolphins and small whales are hunted and killed every year. Most hunts are unregulated, illegal and unsustainable with unknown impacts on populations.”
Have a great weekend! 📸
Cover image by Camille Seaman.
Mitty (Christina Mittermeier) is one of my favorite instagram follows- her photos are jaw droppingly beautiful, as is her commitment to conservation..
Thank you for this effort!