Imported: Imported from Basic Pages
Feature: Global Warming Causes the Disappearance of Corals and Beaches
Did you know that the climate change is the main cause of the disappearance of corals and gorgonians in the Mediterranean? Increased global temperature is causing a series of significant changes around the world. Melting ice caps and glaciers cause the sea level to rise, hurricanes are stronger and more frequent, droughts alternate with floods … Read more
Pacific Northwest
Oregon is home to a magnificent underwater environment, producing valuable fisheries and diverse seafloor habitats. Deep underwater canyons like Astoria Canyon where the Columbia River meets the ocean are home to a variety of coral and sponge habitats (links). Heceta Bank off the Oregon Coast is a hotspot for black corals. Their complex branches … Read more
Learn more: Deep-sea Corals and Sponges
Deep-sea corals and sponges, some of the oldest animals on Earth, grow at the rate of just a few millimeters each year and can live for thousands of years. In recent years, scientists worldwide have discovered that the majority of the coral species found in the world’s oceans live in deep or cold waters. Deep-sea … Read more
Learn more: Other Threats to Sea Turtles
Along with fishing gear and climate change, there are numerous human activity threats to sea turtles. These threats include coastal development, pollution, direct harvest, invasive species and vessel strikes. Coastal Development With the encroachment of hotels, parking lots and housing along nesting beaches, female turtles are forced to use suboptimal nesting habitats. After emerging from their … Read more
Learn more: Fishing Gear
Trawls A trawl is a large net that is pulled through the water column or along the seabed, catching anything that is not small enough to pass through the net’s mesh openings. This fishing gear is typically used to catch fish or shrimp. Catching unwanted species is a problem for trawlers because it is a … Read more
Learn more: About Sea Turtles
There are seven species of sea turtles swimming the world’s oceans. Six of the species can be found in EU waters: greens, hawksbills, loggerheads, leatherbacks, olive ridleys and Kemp’s ridleys. (link to our species content) A seventh species, the flatback, only inhabits the waters around Australia. Female sea turtles, like all other reptiles, lay eggs. Most … Read more
Learn More: About Sharks
There are hundreds of species of sharks, ranging in size from the spine pygmy shark (7 inches) to the whale shark (40 feet), inhabiting all ocean waters and consuming a variety of prey species. Contrary to popular belief, sharks don’t eat anything and everything in the sea; many sharks have specific prey. For example, whale … Read more
Learn more:The Case of France
French drift nets known as thonailles were used to catch pelagic species, including immature bluefin tuna in the Gulf of Lion. This illegal gear was used with connivance and support from the French government, taking advantage of a legal loophole in EU legislation. However, Oceana reported these vessels since the ban on drift nets came … Read more
Learn more: Boat Description
Name: Ranger Official Number: 921593 MMSI: 235116965 Call Sign: 2JLQ9 Flag: United Kingdom (UK) Port: Falmouth Gross Tonnage: 43,80 Type of boat: Aluminium Catamaran designed by Lock Crowthers, built in 1986 in Oregon. It is one of the largest doublemasted catamarans in the world. Dimensions: Length: 71 feet (21,64 meters) Breadth 32 feet (9,63 meters) Engines: … Read more
