Oceans / Public News Service

Osprey, bluefish, red drum and cobia rely on menhaden populations for food. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, February 6, 2025

MD menhaden conservation may benefit from VA bill

Atlantic menhaden weigh less than a pound and measure little more than a foot long but the small fish has big consequences for the Chesapeake Bay ecos…

Menhaden are a critical part of the diet of ospreys in the Chesapeake Bay region. A study showed when menhaden stocks are low, osprey chicks have a diminished chance of surviving to adulthood. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, February 6, 2025

Conservationists: Study of Atlantic menhaden critical to preserving species

A small forage fish near the bottom of the food chain has a significant effect on the survival of several iconic predators along the Atlantic Seaboard…

The Outer Banks is a 200-mile stretch of barrier islands spanning three counties. (oldmn/Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

Outer Banks officials want to make tourism more sustainable

By Taylor Haelterman for Triple Pundit.Broadcast version by Eric Tegethoff for North Carolina News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Netw…

Omega Protein, a Canadian company, removes an estimated 100 million Atlantic menhaden from the Chesapeake Bay each year. (Adobe Stock)

VA advocates push for study on Chesapeake menhaden

A critical fish species in the Chesapeake Bay, the Atlantic menhaden, could be declining rapidly. Or its numbers could be growing. There is no data …

No current offshore oil and gas drilling leases were affected by outgoing President Joe Biden's order to restrict new drilling, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior. (Garth Weals / Wikimedia Commons)

VA coastline protections: Are they safe in the Trump era?

Days before the end of his term, President Joe Biden announced sweeping protections for the nation's coastlines but President Donald Trump has …

Are MD coastline protections safe in the Trump era?

Days before the end of his term, President Joe Biden announced sweeping protections for the nation's coastlines. President Donald Trump has vowed …

Opponents of genetically engineered fish say if they escaped into the wild, they could bring disease and competition to the 25% of freshwater fish, including Atlantic salmon, already at risk of extinction. (Adobe Stock)

MA company ends production of genetically modified Atlantic salmon

Conservation groups are celebrating the end of a Massachusetts-based biotech company's pursuit of bringing genetically altered Atlantic salmon to mark…

According to ClimateCheck, heat risks are highest in Montgomery and lowest in Florence, while precipitation risks peak in Decatur and are lowest in Dothan. Birmingham faces the highest drought risk; Montgomery the lowest. (Adobe Stock)

How Alabama employees can drive climate action in 2025

By Ethan Brown for The Sweaty Penguin.Broadcast version by Shanteya Hudson for Alabama News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Pub…

The oysters planted by the foundation will filter more than 5 million gallons of water each day. (Adobe Stock)

Oyster outlook: Thousands grown in Chesapeake Bay this year

Chesapeake Bay has added more than six billion oysters since 2017 through the Chesapeake Oyster Alliance. And last year, the Chesapeake Bay …

The estimated carbon footprint of a week-long cruise is eight times higher than that of a land-based vacation, according to Friends of the Earth. (Adobe Stock) <br />

Cruise ships in Maine ports get failing environmental grade

A recent report gives the majority of cruise ships anchoring in Maine ports a failing environmental grade. The Cruise Ship Report Card from Friends …

Opah are often caught as incidental catch alongside tuna. (NOAA/Flickr)

When bycatch is on the menu

By Leilani Marie Labong for FoodPrint.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the FoodPrint-Public News Service …

The impacts of offshore transmission on the seabed can be mitigated with micrositing and proactive planning, which is critical for protecting ocean species, according to a report from the National Wildlife Federation. (Adobe Stock) <br />

Federal regulators urged to consider wildlife in MA transmission plans

Wildlife advocates want federal regulators to consider habitats and migratory routes, when planning new transmission infrastructure in Massachusetts …

Offshore wind energy in the Gulf of Maine has the potential to generate up to 156 gigawatts of power, which is more than 70 times the amount of electricity used by the entire state, according to Maine Audubon. (Adobe Stock)

Reports show ME clean energy projects can include wildlife protections

Wildlife advocates say it's possible to transition to renewable energy while protecting vital habitats and species. As Maine builds out its …

Since colonial times, settlers along the coast cut perennial marsh grasses into what they called salt hay. (Naya Na / Adobe Stock)

As saltwater encroaches on farms, solutions emerge from marshes

By Lisa Held for Civil Eats.Broadcast version by Brett Peveto for New Jersey News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public News S…

Offshore wind turbines such as these in Maine are currently in the planning stages at sites off of the coast of Morro Bay and Humboldt. (Jack Shapiro/Natural Resources Council of Maine)

Reports: Transmission grid plans must take wildlife into account

The power grid will need to be dramatically upgraded and expanded in the coming years to handle the transition to renewable energy - and two new repor…

Florida manatees are found throughout coastal Florida and prefer waters above 70 degrees F. in temperature. (NOAA)

New push for protection for manatees, Florida’s 'gentle giants'

With manatee season in full swing, Florida's gentle marine mammals gather in warm waters to escape winter's chill. But these iconic creatures face …

Florida has numerous permitted oil and gas wells, but conservation groups, local leaders and public members oppose a proposed oil drilling project near the Apalachicola River for potential risks to the Apalachicola Bay ecosystem. (Pixabay)

Apalachicola River oil drilling proposal roils the water

A controversial oil drilling proposal near Florida's Apalachicola River is drawing sharp criticism ahead of a key administrative hearing next week…

A new study examined the true sustainability of fish farming. (Lilly Agustina/Act For Farmed Animals/We Animals)

Study: Fish farms consume far more wild fish than previously thought

By Sophie Kevany for Sentient.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collabora…

According to the Florida Department of Agriculture, Florida ranks 15th among states in the number of farms, and 29th for the amount of land farmed in the state. (Adobe Stock)

Farmers, aquaculturists unite to protect Florida's land, water

For decades, Florida's upstream farmers and downstream aquaculturists have been at odds over water quality and environmental impacts. Now, the new …

A 2020 estimate found the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico caused up to $2.4 billion in damages to fisheries and marine habitats each year since 1980. (Adobe Stock)

Growing Gulf 'dead zone' may affect shrimp harvest

Scientists are sounding the alarm about growing dead zones in the Gulf of Mexico and beyond. Dead zones are areas of water with hypoxia, or …

At Ocean Rainforest's Santa Barbara research farm, giant kelp grows at different depths on horizontal lines strung between buoys. (Ocean Rainforest)

Seaweed farming works toward a greener future

By Alexandra Talty for Civil Eats.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Publi…

The Maine lobster industry employs nearly 6,000 independent lobster workers, harvesting roughly 100 million pounds of the iconic crustacean, according to the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative. (Adobe Stock) <br />

ME lobsters change habitats as climate change warms Atlantic

American lobsters along Maine's coast are relocating to new habitats as the Atlantic continues to warm. Researchers with the University of Maine …

In 2023, Shore to Shell recycled more than 72,000 pounds of oyster shells. (Adobe Stock)

GA oyster shell recycling turns restaurant waste into coastal protection

By Isabelle Atkins for Grady Newsource.Broadcast version by Shanteya Hudson for Georgia News Connection reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network…

Countries like Chile are major exporters of farmed salmon. (Ludmila/Adobe Stock)

National Seafood Month: Fish farming crowds out wild salmon

October is National Seafood Month and the fish on your plate might not be coming from where you think. The U.S. imports 90% of the seafood it …

Contents of a net fished in the North Atlantic mesopelagic are being sorted onboard the RV Celtic Explorer. (HulloThere/Wikimedia Commons)

A call for moratorium on catching deep-sea mesopelagic fish

By Shi En Kim for Sentient.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collaboratio…

Their distinctive fins make oceanic whitetip Sharks especially desirable in the international shark fin trade. Fishermen often cut off the fins and sell them. (ThomasEhrensperger/WikiCommons)

Debunking the horror: To oceans, sharks are vital, not villains

As Halloween approaches, a spooky campaign aims to clear up the common misunderstandings about some of nature's most feared creatures. In …

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ME ‘living shorelines’ counter rising sea levels, stronger storms

By Erik Hoffner for Mongabay.Broadcast version by Kathryn Carley for Maine News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public News Ser…

Elkhorn Slough near Monterey is one of many areas likely to be included in the list of protected areas under the state's 30x30 plan. (Kerstin Wasson)

Ocean Protection Council refines plans to protect CA coastal waters

California has set a goal to protect 30% of its land and waters by the year 2030, so the Ocean Protection Council is working on which waters should …

Supporters of large-scale aquaculture say it's needed to meet the growing demand for seafood. U.S. per capita consumption of fish and shellfish rose from nearly 16 pounds in 2002 to more than 20 pounds in 2021, a 31% increase, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. (Adobe Stock)

Federal court rejects permit for industrial aquaculture structures

Ocean advocates are hailing a federal judge's decision that deemed a nationwide permit for industrial aquaculture structures unlawful. The U.S…

The New England Fishery Management Council is developing new management strategies for important forage fish stock off the Massachusetts coast, with the goal of improving river herring conservation. (Adobe Stock)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />

River herring loss in MA part of greater forage stock decline

Members of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head are asking federal regulators to help restore the river herring, a forage fish they said is vital to the …

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., introduced legislation in 2019 to address the management and conservation of forage fish. Although the bill has been reintroduced in every session since, it has yet to pass either chamber of Congress. (Adobe Stock)

CT seeing sharp drop in forage fish population

Connecticut's forage fish population is disappearing. The newest Atlantic herring stock assessment showed aside from overfishing, the species is not …

The menhaden catch limit in the Chesapeake Bay was set in 2006 and lowered to its current limit in 2017. (Bill Perry / Adobe Stock)

Group addressing menhaden decline in the upper Chesapeake Bay

Forage fish, a critical food source for other species, are in decline up and down the Eastern Seaboard but menhaden decline in Maryland waters has …

A 2021 Atlantic herring stock assessment estimated the population at 39,000 metric tons, or roughly 20% of its biomass target, compared with the late 1960s, when the stock was estimated at more than one million metric tons, according to the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. (Adobe Stock)

Northeast anglers: Forage-fish depletion is no red herring

Anglers along the Atlantic coast want stricter regulations to help improve stocks of Atlantic herring, a forage fish vital to a healthy ocean …

A Hispanic Access Foundation poll showed Latinos are extremely concerned about pollution in the Mississippi River and view the presence of microplastics, trash, chemical waste and PFAS, or

Latino voters in AR call on Congress to clean up Mississippi River

Some Latinos in Arkansas were among 400 residents across 10 states polled about the health of the Mississippi River. Both registered Republicans and …

Reports show states across New England have to upgrade distribution systems to accommodate a peak load in 2050, which will be double what New England historically experienced. (Adobe Stock)

CT governor pauses involvement in multistate offshore wind deal

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont is pausing the state's involvement in a multistate offshore wind development deal. Lamont cites the projects' potential …

A 2023 report by Oceana and Turtle Island Restoration Network found that more than half of the animals caught in gillnets are thrown overboard as waste. (Oceana and Blancpain)

Deep dives near CA's southern islands aim to show harm from gillnet fishing

Marine biologists conducting deep dives near five California islands are collecting data they hope will strengthen the case for ending gillnet fishing…

Menhaden are forage fish species and filter feeders, each capable of filtering up to seven gallons of water per minute. (Photo of female Osprey with Menhaden/TRCP)

Menhaden decline threatens Virginia's ecosystem, fisheries

In Virginia's waters, the decline of a small but critically important fish is causing growing concern among conservation groups and fishermen alike…

In 2019, Formosa Plastics settled a $50 million lawsuit after a plant in Texas dumped billions of plastic pellets into Lavaca Bay. (Adobe Stock)

Plastics production highlighted during Pollution Prevention Week

This is Pollution Prevention Week and advocates are renewing their call on one plastics manufacturer to clean up its act. An August demonstration at …

A proposed industrial complex in St. James Parish would be one of the largest plastic complexes of its kind. (Adobe Stock)

Plastics firm's expansion cited during Pollution Prevention Week

This is Pollution Prevention Week and advocates are renewing their call for one plastics manufacturer to clean up its act. An August demonstration …

In 2017, the country's seafood industry supported 1.7 million jobs and contributed $212 billion in sales, according to NOAA's Office for Coastal Management. (Adobe Stock) <br /><br />

Clamming for workers: ME boosts aquaculture training programs

The University of Maine is helping to train the next generation of skilled aquaculture workers. Designs for a new $10 million Sustainable …

Lawmakers are considering a provision in the current Farm Bill to incorporate

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MA fishermen see opportunity as Farm Bill advances

Massachusetts fishermen said they are optimistic the next Farm Bill will provide greater support to smaller, community-based fishing fleets. The …

In 2022, there was a 1,700% increase in hard clams in Shinnecock Bay and more than 110 acres of seagrass was regrown. (Adobe Stock)

NY Indigenous women use seaweed to conserve shellfish

By Alexandra Talty, Pulitzer fellow, for Civil Eats.Broadcast version by Edwin J. Viera for New York News Connection reporting for the Solutions …

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Mainers seek more ‘sustainable’ seafood but labels may be misleading

Mainers are buying more "sustainable" and "humane" seafood but animal welfare advocates said such labels may not be telling the whole story. The …

The Interior Department says it will hold more lease sales in the Central Atlantic in 2026. (Twixter/Adobe Stock)

Offshore wind industry gains momentum in VA

Virginia's Dominion Energy has won a lease to continue growing its offshore wind portfolio near Virginia's coast. The move is expected to grow the …

Among U.S. adults surveyed, 20% said they have heard a lot about Project 2025, while 39% have heard a little and 42% have heard nothing at all, according to a recent YouGov poll. (Adobe Stock) <br /><br />

Conservative plan to ‘drill, baby drill’ threatens ocean health

Critics of a conservative plan to expand offshore oil drilling said it endangers coastal communities who rely on a healthy ocean. Project 2025…

Activists said Wall Street is bankrolling the coal, oil and gas companies, polluting communities. (Nicola/Adobe Stock)

TX climate activists target Wall Street

Environmental activists from across the country, including from Texas, are spending the summer protesting on Wall Street to highlight the effects the …

China is Maine's top export destination for seafood, accounting for 80% to 85% of U.S. lobster sales and bringing in more than $300 million to the state's economy in 2022. (Adobe Stock)

U of Maine study reveals pathways for U.S. seafood independence

A new study from the University of Maine found the nation could reduce the amount of seafood it imports and still meet consumer demand. Americans …

Scientists say a major shift in ocean currents has helped increase the rate of warming in the Gulf of Maine to triple that of the world's oceans with annual average sea temperature now more than 1.9�F above normal. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Protecting 'The Yellowstone of the North Atlantic' – Maine’s Cashes Ledge

Conservation groups across New England are seeking permanent protections for the Cashes Ledge Area in the Gulf of Maine. Often called the …

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Oceans