West African Communities Rally Against Monster Boats

In a statement sent out in Nouakchott, Mauritania, local fishermen called on West African governments to no longer allow mega trawlers into their fisheries because of the profound impact they have on fishstocks, and local livelihoods as a result.

Slowing The Plunder of Madagascar’s Fish Stocks

The coastline of Madagascar, the world’s fourth largest island, is about 4,800km, providing it with an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of more than 1.2 million square kilometres, but the government has no capacity to patrol, police or monitor its vast maritime asset.

Sea Otters: Combat Water Pollution And Promote Recovery of Seagrass Beds

Seagrass meadows, which provide coastal protection and important habitat for fish, are declining worldwide, partly because of excessive nutrients entering coastal waters in runoff from farms and urban areas. Scientists studying the decline and recovery of seagrass beds in one of California’s largest estuaries have found that recolonization of the estuary by sea otters was a crucial factor in the seagrass comeback.

NOAA Report Highlights Climate Change Threats To Nation’s Estuaries

The nation’s 28 National Estuarine Research Reserves (NERR) are experiencing the negative effects of human and climate-related stressors. Almost 40 percent of all Americans, or about 123 million people, live in the counties directly along the shoreline and depend on these resources for food, jobs, storm protection, and recreation.