Second seismic blasting proposal sparks urgent calls for marine protection

The proposal, submitted by geotechnical company CGG, has been progressing through regulatory channels and could receive approval as early as February 7. Read more here.

‘Overwhelming political mandate’ for protecting oceans – polls

The finding comes from a new poll by Horizon Research, commissioned by WWF New Zealand and released exclusively to Newsroom, into attitudes on marine protection. The research found 71 percent of respondents wrongly believed more than 1 percent of the country’s oceans were currently protected. Read more here.

Unique coral landscape closed until 2026 after devastating act of vandalism

Bottom trawlers — the type of boat responsible for the destruction — tow nets to catch fish and other marine species living on or close to the seabed, the Marine Stewardship Council explains. Read more here.

Newly discovered giant sea bug name after Darth Vader

This “supergiant” crustacean reaches lengths of over 32.5 cm and weighs more than a kilogram, placing it among the largest marine isopods ever recorded. Its name, inspired by the iconic helmet of Darth Vader, captures the distinctive rectangular shape of its head and its striking appearance. Read more here.

250kg of debris cleared from Sindhudurg reefs

India’s first largescale ocean floor cleanup operation was launched in Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg coral reefs Wednesday, with seven certified scuba divers collecting around 250kg of non-biodegradable waste from the seabed. Read more here.