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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)

Thursday, September 19, 2024

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…

The nonprofit Pacific Environment worked with University of California-Berkeley to develop recommendations for decarbonizing oceangoing vessels. (Federico Rostagno/Adobe Stock)<br />

For World Ocean Month, calls to cut emissions, pollution from shipping

June is World Ocean Month and groups fighting climate change are asking President Joe Biden to act to clean up emissions and pollution from the shippi…

Monterey Bay is one of many marine areas to be evaluated for inclusion on the list of places that qualify as

CA makes progress toward conserving 30% of land, water

The public comment period is now open on California's new framework for deciding which managed areas within coastal waters meet the definition of "con…

Marine research on a recent expedition off of Santa Cruz Island in Southern California mapped the habitat of red gorgonian coral, sea stars and sheepshead fish. (Danny Ocampo/Oceana)

Ocean expedition seeks to map CA biodiversity

Marine researchers just wrapped up the first of three ocean expeditions off the coast of Southern California to map the biodiversity and support effor…

Humpback whales sometimes get tangled up in ropes from discarded crab fishing gear. (Jenn Tackaberry/Kiirsten Flynn/National Marine Fisheries Service)

Partial shutdown of crab fishing season considered to protect whales

A working group convened by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife meets today to consider a partial closure of the commercial Dungeness crab …

Many species, including sea lions, are injured or killed by set gillnets, which target halibut and white sea bass. (Robert Schwemmer/NOAA)

CA bill aims to reduce marine mammal entanglements in set gillnets

A new bill aims to reduce the number of sea lions, sharks, rays, skates and giant sea bass dying off the coast of Southern California in huge set …

The Ports for People ordinance calls for more vessels like the Maersk ship Laura, which is the first low-emissions container ship powered by methanol. (Jens Dorhn/Creative Commons)

Conservation group promotes 'Ports for People' ordinance

Groups concerned about air pollution and public health are asking the city councils of Long Beach and Los Angeles and their respective Harbor Commissi…

An octopus hides out while a squat lobster stands guard beneath a vase sponge at a recently identified reef off Santa Barbara Island. (Oceana)

CA coral reefs protected as new fishing areas reopen

Good news for fishing crews and marine conservationists: Large fishing grounds are reopening, while other areas receive new protections. Some 4,500 …

An endangered Pacific leatherback sea turtle swims off San Francisco, in September 2022. (Geoff Shester/Oceana)

Endangered sea turtle killed by discarded fishing gear in CA

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife just announced a marine warden discovered an endangered Pacific leatherback sea turtle dead, drowned …

According to Pacific Environment, wind-assist propulsion can reduce greenhouse gas emissions per cargo ship by 30% over the course of a voyage. (Cargill and BAR Technologies)

Southern CA ports lead the way for 'green' shipping

The importance of making ports and shipping more environmentally friendly was the topic of a town hall meeting on Tuesday. Three California members …

California sea lions off the coast of Santa Barbara. (Oceana)

Analysis: Crews only report 6% of marine mammals caught in set gillnets

A new analysis by Oceana found crews in the California set gillnet fishery have severely underreported the number of seals and sea lions caught and ki…

Fans of Popular Movies, Books Fuel Activism

By Britny Cordera for imagine5.com.Broadcast version by Suzanne Potter for California News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Publ…

People can cut down on single-use plastics by avoiding bottled soft drinks and bottled water, and bringing reusable jugs instead. (Lazyllama/Adobe Stock)<br />

This Year, Declare Your Independence from Single-Use Plastics

This Fourth of July, ocean conservation groups want Americans to declare their independence from single-use plastics. A new report, "Charting a …

A 2022 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service assessment found that reintroduction of sea otters is biologically feasible in California, and may have significant benefits for a variety of species in the marine ecosystem. (Lilian Carswell/USFWS)

Feds Seek Public Input on Whether to Help Sea Otters Expand Range

The public can weigh in on the possibility of reintroducing sea otters to stretches of the California and Oregon coasts at a series of open houses thi…

The bat ray is one of the species often caught, killed and thrown overboard as bycatch by fishing crews using gillnets. (Jami Feldman/Underwater Paparazzi)

CA Considers Regulating “Wasteful” Set Gillnet Fishing Offshore

Massive mile-long gillnets weighted to the seafloor three miles off the California coast are set to catch halibut or sea bass - but end up entangling …

Student leaders learn about the estuary near Morro Rock, which is part of the proposed Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary. (Kai Monge)

Latino Advocacy Week Promotes Environmental Justice

This week, Hispanic environmental advocates are heading to Washington, D.C., from around the country to engage lawmakers on issues affecting us all…

The San Francisco-San Joaquin Delta is the heart of California's water system. (Steve Martarano/USFWS)

Conservation Groups Criticize State Water Board's Side Deals for Delta Water

The State Water Board now says it will take another two years to finalize the San Francisco-San Joaquin Delta water management plan, and it is …

This offshore floating wind turbine was the first of its kind in the country to provide power to the grid. (University of Maine)

Offshore Wind Leases Kick Off Race to Build Renewable Energy of the Future

California's first-ever auction for offshore wind leases just brought in more than $757 million in bids. The Department of the Interior announced …

Kelp-restoration efforts to remove purple urchins are under way or are planned for locations near Fort Bragg, Monterey and Big Sur, as well as in Oregon. (Kevin Joe)

Kelp Restoration Makes Progress in Northern California

Small sections of the kelp forests off the Mendocino coast are starting to recover with improved environmental conditions, thanks to a conservation …

The United States generates more plastic waste than any other country, according to a report from The Pew Charitable Trusts. (EAD72/Adobe Stock)

Hearing Today on Landmark Bill to Reduce Plastic Packaging in CA

California lawmakers are considering a bill today to cut down on single-use plastics that are choking the nation's landfills and oceans. Senate Bill …

There are more than a dozen species of otters around the world. (David Ledig/Bureau of Land Management)

A Big Week for Otters in California

This week, in honor of World Otter Day, conservation groups are looking to raise awareness about efforts to restore sea otters along more areas of …

A bill to phase out plastic packaging has passed several committees and is expected to go to the full California State Assembly for a vote by Friday. (Oceana)

Vote Expected This Week on CA Bill to Phase Out Plastic Mail Packaging

The California State Assembly is expected to vote this week on a bill that would phase out some of the plastics used in online shipping because they …

A short-finned pilot whale is entangled in a drift gillnet. (NOAA, courtesy of Oceana)

Marine Protections in America COMPETES Act Praised

Marine-conservation groups are celebrating after the U.S. House passed the America COMPETES Act on Friday. The bill primarily boosts semiconductor …

Dr. Matt Costa from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and intern Austin Lupo with WILDCOAST, collect soil samples at Brigantine Basin in Del Mar, Calif., to measure the stored carbon. (WILDCOAST)

Groups Urge CA to Harness Blue Carbon in Climate Strategy

SAN DIEGUITO LAGOO, Calif. - Coastal protection groups are pressing California to prioritize so-called "blue carbon" ecosystems in the fight against …

Environmental advocates say drift gillnet fishing gear is a significant threat to the endangered Pacific leatherback sea turtle. (NOAA)

Report: Fishing Crews Greatly Under-report Endangered Bycatch

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- California swordfishing crews failed to self-report any of the sea turtles and more than 98% of the marine mammals they …

Birders place artificial nesting platforms to aid endangered species in the Kendall-Frost Marsh in Mission Bay. (Craig Chaddock)

Report: California Wetlands Help Slow Climate Change

SAN DIEGO -- Ninety percent of California's wetlands are gone, and the movement to restore them has taken on added urgency in light of the climate …

This, year the theme of Sea Otter Awareness Week is the species' key role in the mosaic of the ecosystem. (Wikimedia Commons)

Groups Push for Progress During Sea Otter Awareness Week

MONTEREY BAY, Calif. - This week, conservation groups are celebrating Sea Otter Awareness Week with online and in-person events across the state…

Backers of a new initiative say nearly 9 million tons of plastic waste ends up in the world's oceans each year. (Raftography/Sustainable Coastlines)

Measure to Reduce Single-Use Plastic Qualifies for 2022 Ballot

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- A groundbreaking measure to reduce plastic waste has just qualified for the 2022 ballot. The proposal would give companies a …

A new study says California's eelgrass beds have been decimated by pollution, dredging, development, sea level rise and other problems. (Kathyrn Beheshti/U.C. Santa Cruz)

Loss of CA Eelgrass Leads to Coastal Erosion, Hurts Marine Life

MISSION BAY, Calif. -- An important part of California's coastal ecosystem, eelgrass, is disappearing, with 90% gone since the 1950s. A report …

Conservation groups would like more funding to restore wetlands at the site of the former Hamilton Air Force Base in Novato. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

Groups Call for $10 Billion to Bolster Shorelines Against Sea-Level Rise

SAN FRANCISCO - Sea levels in California are projected to rise up to 55 inches by the end of the century, so climate advocates are calling on …

Sponge beds teeming with life, such as this one in Mendocino, can be destroyed by seabed mining. (Northwest Fisheries Science Center/NOAA)

As WA Bans Seabed Mining, Advocates Call on CA to Follow Suit

MENDOCINO COUNTY, Calif. -- Ocean advocates in California are calling for a preemptive ban on seabed mining, saying the Golden State is the weak link …

Sea otters can weigh 45 to 65 pounds, and can be injured or killed by a boat strike. (Wikimedia Commons)

Otters at Risk for Boat Strikes as CA Salmon Season Opens

MONTEREY BAY, Calif. -- Salmon season starts this coming weekend, and it's expected to draw hundreds of fishing boats to the central coast. …

Gray whales are one of more than 70 species that get trapped in gillnets, which have a large percentage of incidental bycatch. (NOAA)

President Vetoes Bill to Ban Fishing Gear Harmful to Dolphins, Other Sealife

MONTEREY, Calif. -- Groups that fight for healthier oceans are vowing to fight on after President Donald Trump vetoed a bill to ban an outdated type …

Ocean water floods a road in Santa Cruz, Calif., in January 2016. Sea levels are forecast to rise 55 inches by the year 2100. (Amy Foxgrover/USGS)

Groups Press for COVID Stimulus Bill that Prioritizes Climate Change

PACIFICA, Calif. -- Despite party-line disagreements, Congress is expected to take up a new stimulus bill to rescue the COVID-battered economy…

The Tijuana River Estuarine Research Reserve offers midday online programs on a different topic every Tuesday. (Osbomb/Flickr)

California’s Estuaries Go Virtual This Summer

IMPERIAL BEACH, Calif. -- The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way families, educators and students can experience state parks -- through expanded …

The BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill permanently damaged wetlands and continues to affect marine mammal populations. (U.S. Coast Guard)

Lessons Still to Be Learned 10 Years After Deepwater Horizon Blowout: Report

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- A report out today from Oceana says the feds have failed to learn from the biggest oil spill in American history - the BP …

The decline in kelp has contributed to the collapse of abalone populations on the California coast. (Bennilover/Flickr)

Scientists Warn Climate Change is Destroying CA Kelp Forests

MONTEREY, Calif. -- Kelp forests off the West Coast are being decimated at an alarming rate by marine heat waves linked to climate change, according …

Older fishing gear, such as driftnets and shallow-set longlines, are indiscriminate and produce a large bycatch that is dumped back into the ocean. (NOAA)

Fishery Managers May Reconsider Allowing Older, Wasteful Gear

COSTA MESA, Calif. - Federal fishery managers are considering funding a review of existing data to determine whether to allow an older type of …

Long-beaked common dolphins are one species often caught in drift gillnets, which are being replaced on the West Coast with safer fishing gear. (Chad King/NOAA)

Safer Fishing Gear to Replace West Coast Drift Gillnets

LONG BEACH, Calif. - Dolphins, whales, sharks and sea lions on the West Coast may be less likely to die in fishing nets now that authorities have …

The Pacific leatherback sea turtle is one of the species at risk if the Pacific Fishery Management Council authorizes shallow-set longline fishing gear. (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)

Advisory Council Considers Bringing Back Long-Banned Fishing Gear

SAN DIEGO – Conservation and sportfishing groups will pack a meeting Thursday of the Pacific Fishery Management Council in San Diego to try to t…

Offshore-drilling lease sales for California could start next year, first off of Southern California, then off the central and northern coast. (BOEM)

This Earth Day, Conservation Groups Decry Offshore-Drilling Expansion

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Just in time for Earth Day today, the environmental group Oceana is calling for a halt to the Trump administration's …

The oil platform Gail, located near Santa Barbara, is one of 24 rigs in federal waters off the California coast. (California Bureau of Ocean Energy Management)

65 CA Cities, Counties Support Blocking Offshore Drilling

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Two bills designed to thwart the Trump administration's plans for an offshore oil-drilling boom are to come before state …

Oil facilities on several man-made islands off of Long Beach and Seal Beach have racked up 293 state violations since 2015.(Donielle/Wikimedia Commons)

Records: Almost 400 Safety Violations in Offshore Oil Facilities Since 2015

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Offshore oil operations in southern and central California have racked up almost 400 violations over the past three years …

Sea lions and other animals can be injured or killed by lost or discarded fishing gear. (Tom Campbell/Marine Photobank)

Report: "Ghost" Fishing Gear Killing Whales, Seals

MONTEREY, Calif. – About 136,000 dolphins, sea lions, seals and whales are caught in lost or discarded fishing nets each year - and the problem …

Environmental advocates want the Trump administration to block a permit to expand a Bay Area oil refinery. (Jason Pfeifle)

Groups Protest Expansion of Tar-Sands Oil Refining in CA

SAN FRANCISCO – Protesters took to the streets of San Francisco on Monday, to denounce the possible expansion of an oil refinery in the North …

Experts say sea otters keep sea urchins from ravaging kelp forests, maintaining habitat for fish. (Kconnors/Morguefile)

A Win in Court for California Sea Otters

PASADENA, Calif. – A big win for southern sea otters, as a federal judge on the 9th Circuit in Pasadena ruled Thursday that the feds do not …

Conservation groups say new offshore oil drilling on the Pacific coast would be especially harmful to whales, seals and sea lions. (BOEM)

Public Hearing, March Against Drilling Off California Coast

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Trump administration has proposed opening up almost all federal waters to oil and gas drilling, including the …

Scientists say they've encountered many emaciated sea-lion pups in recent years due to dwindling anchovy and sardine fisheries, primary food sources for sea lions. (Oceana)

Court Rejects Federal Quotas, Rules Anchovy Overfished

MONTEREY, Calif. — A conservation group is declaring victory, as a U.S. District Court judge in Northern California has ruled that the federal …

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CA: Oceans