Published by Ocean Conservancy Last month, the Trump administration announced plans to weaken offshore drilling safety rules that were put in place to prevent incidents like the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster, which killed 11 workers and spilled 210 million gallons of oil into the ocean. Tell the administration that you oppose efforts to weaken offshore drilling safety […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy For most people on most days, the ocean is out of sight and out of mind. But not today. On World Oceans Day, we celebrate the beauty and bounty of the most defining feature of our planet—the big, blue ocean. Many of us feel a pull to it—that irresistible impulse to marvel […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy What’s tall, covered with solar panels and antennas and standing in the middle of Tampa Bay? Boaters might (or might not) be asking each other that very question this spring as they pass by the ocean acidification monitoring array that was installed this past winter in Tampa Bay, Florida. The Tampa Bay […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy Late Sunday night, just before the midnight deadline, Governor Jerry Brown continued his and California’s leadership on the ocean and climate by signing Senate President pro Tempore Kevin de Leon’s parks and water bond, SB 5. This is a key step toward protecting our ocean, as the governor’s signature means that the […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy A large area of valuable seagrass was protected from expanded shellfish farming thanks to the California Coastal Commission, a state agency tasked with protecting the California coastline. The initial proposal by Coast Seafoods (a subsidiary of Pacific Seafoods) aimed to farm 922 acres of shellfish in eelgrass habitat. If the vote had gone through, […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy Here at Ocean Conservancy we are keeping a close eye on the NOAA budget allocations for the next year because we know how important NOAA is to people across the country. And like you, we want to see NOAA fully funded. This week marked another milestone for NOAA’s budget with the House […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy Restoring an ecosystem the size of the Gulf of Mexico is not an easy task. Therefore it’s necessary to have a good plan and even multiple plans for how to be successful in this endeavor. The latest addition to these plans is a series of strategic frameworks released last week by the […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy On May 31, President Trump declared June National Ocean Month. Despite this proclamation, in just a few short months his administration has demonstrated a notable disregard for the ocean and the people and communities that depend on a healthy ocean. Since January, the administration has: Proposed slashing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy Today is a big day for our ocean. World Oceans Day comes around once every year, and we’re all for celebration. To commemorate this special day, we’re here to equip you with ten simple yet valuable steps you can take to protect this iconic space. 1. Skip the straw Did you know […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy by Alan Barton, Production Manager, Whiskey Creek Shellfish Hatchery, Netarts Bay, OR Life working in an oyster hatchery is, at its core, just like any other type of farming. We’re largely at the mercy of our environment, and each season is full of peaks and valleys. But in the fall of 2007, […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy It’s no secret we here at Ocean Conservancy love our shellfish! For many, oysters, clams, scallops and other bivalves say “home”—shellfish capture the flavors and smells of the coastal waters we love. More than just a fun-time food, shellfish have sustained our coastal communities by providing food and income for generations, from […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy Together we can get to a Gulf that is restored, healthy and thriving once more. April 20, 2017, marks seven years since the BP Deepwater Horizon oil disaster began, taking the lives of 11 people and severely impacting the Gulf of Mexico. As someone who grew up and works in the Gulf, […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy Amy is a stream ecologist who, before working at Ocean Conservancy, conducted research focusing on small stream food webs and the predator and prey dynamics of salamanders. Amy has conducted research in Chile working with the government on invasive beavers and water quality issues as well as nutrient effects on small streams […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy This piece was written by Mike Martinsen, Co-founder and Co-president of Montauk Shellfish Company Inc. For forty years, I have worked as a bayman in New York’s rich waters. You could find me bullraking hard clams, sail dredging oysters, dredging bay scallops and potting lobster. I have earned a living from these […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy What do eelgrass, the California state legislature, crabbers, and Ocean Conservancy have in common? They are all part of the solution in California’s remarkable actions this past week to address the threats that ocean acidification presents to California’s healthy fisheries, marine habitat and coastal jobs. Governor Jerry Brown just signed into law […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy Can you imagine a family in the same business for eight generations? Talk about dedication and deep expertise! That is what struck me when I met the Haward family, who has been farming oysters since the 1700s. Last month in West Mersea, England, I had the privilege of visiting Richard Haward’s Oysters. […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy I don’t always drink beer. But when I do, I drink it while eating oysters. Or at least that’s what I did in London a few weeks ago, with oyster farmers shucking local oysters right on the pub tables. One of the perks of my job is to talk with oyster farmers, […]
Published by Ocean Conservancy As the state representative for the Florida Keys and South Miami-Dade County, there are few things more important to our well-being than the health of our unique marine environment. We are home to the Everglades, the 3rd largest barrier reef in the world and the only living barrier reef in the continental […]