Mongabay - Marine

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries published a list of 34 priorities in early September that outline its intention to loosen restrictions on domestic fishing. The list …

A new study in Vietnam found coastal plastic pollution costs small-scale fishers thousands of dollars a year in lost earning potential. Fishers lose on average $3,421 per vessel per year …

Offshore wind is expanding as an important renewable energy source that many experts say is essential to meeting climate goals. Ensuring wind farms limit environmental harm and work with nature …

More than 100 organizations have signed the Nairobi Flyways Declaration, pledging to integrate conservation of migratory birds’ intercontinental routes into development planning and finance. The declaration marked the end of …

In Panama, various initiatives are underway to reduce bycatch of sharks and rays, led by biologists, NGOs, politicians, and local restaurants. Many industrial fishing boats carry biologists with them to …

A clownfish’s defense of her eggs became one of the final recorded moments on a Singapore reef buried by land reclamation. Singapore has lost about 65% of its coral reef …

Offshore wind energy is on the rise. Many experts regard it as pivotal to building renewable energy grids around the globe, while also noting that it affects the marine environment. …

Every year, the villagers of Kiang Jifarong in the Gambia contribute their labor and money to building earthen dikes from clay and mud in an effort to keep seawater out …

In a milestone for Caribbean science, researchers recently conducted one of the most comprehensive surveys ever undertaken in the deep-sea waters off the coast of Trinidad and Tobago. It marks …

In recent years, Aotearoa New Zealand has mandated onboard cameras across most of its inshore fleet, alongside other forms of electronic monitoring, covering vessels using six types of fishing gear. …

A scientific collaboration between Australian scientists and First Nations Bardi Jawi rangers and elders has highlighted how fish species rely on the connectivity of reef and mangrove ecosystems. The study …

Pressure on a protected marine area in Indonesia’s Southeast Sulawesi province is growing as conservation efforts intersect with mining activity. Moramo Bay is part of the Coral Triangle, one of …

A new study finds that a coral-associated damselfish may help hasten the healing of wounded corals. The research showed a 55% faster recovery rate from larger coral wounds in the …

Company Namibian Marine Phosphate has received an environmental clearance for dredging within a concession that spans 2,234 square kilometers (863 square miles) of the Atlantic seabed off Namibia’s coast. The …

There are more than 1,300 documented cases since 2000 of live coral smuggling, with many cases sourcing coral from Southeast Asia, including the Philippines and Indonesia, according to data from …

Deep in the Gulf of Mexico, an ecosystem exists in water so salty and lacking in oxygen that its marine life is unique and virtually unstudied. Called the Orca Basin, …

For decades, conservationists have argued that protecting nature cannot rely indefinitely on donor funding. To endure, conservation efforts must generate enough economic value to sustain themselves. That search for sustainable …

Coral reefs, medieval coastal castles and mangrove forests on UNESCO’s World Heritage list now share something in common: Precise digital boundaries. A new dataset maps 386 coastal World Heritage Sites, …

Rapid loss of mangroves in Mozambique’s Zambezia Province is linked to the activities of Mozambique Heavy Sand Company VIII, which is part-owned by an influential Chinese mining group, Mongabay has …

To improve living conditions in Nigeria, new roads like the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway are needed. But these can and must be built in such a way that protects mangroves, swamps, …

Once home to a pristine and vibrant network of coral reefs, the Spermonde Archipelago off the coast of South Sulawesi in Indonesia has had its coral decimated by the illegal …

A new study details a deep-sea expedition near the remote Christmas and Cocos islands, where researchers visited unexplored seamounts and identified 149 previously unknown marine species, including black corals, sea …

Research suggests that children who grow up closely connected to their surroundings can develop sophisticated understandings of their local environment. A recent children’s book reading was part of a gathering …

Cape Town, South Africa, has recorded 135 incidents of aggressive seal behavior toward humans since September 2021, including injuries that led to hospitalizations. Researchers suspect the cause is rabies, a …

The krill fishery in the Southern Ocean has closed more than three months early after reaching its annual catch limit of 620,000 metric tons — a precautionary quota established to …

The proposal represents Spain’s latest effort to advance protection of 30% of its waters by 2030. It looks to protect 22,405 square kilometers (8,651 square miles) of marine waters, primarily …

In the Colombian department of La Guajira, at South America’s northernmost tip, Indigenous Wayuu fishers from the community of Punta Gallinas are working with marine biologists to conserve and document …

Five new marine protected areas (MPAs) came into effect in Aotearoa New Zealand in July after more than a decade of grassroots and governmental work — and a sixth is …

Joint management of the Great Barrier Reef is changing, with Traditional Owners playing an increasing role in the conservation of one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Despite …

In Paraty, Brazil, a Caiçara family has transformed seaweed cultivation into gastronomy, educational tourism and a source of income. The venture is driven by strong female participation and a deep …

International demand for queen conch meat and shells has led to severe overharvesting, while habitat degradation, pollution and warming waters add further threats. In a bid to slow the decline …

Marine protected areas (MPAs) cover less than 10% of the ranges of most species of sharks and rays, with significant shortfalls for threatened and critically endangered species, a new study …

Plans to mine marine sand off Indonesia’s Numbing Island have sparked opposition from fishers, environmental groups, and some lawmakers who warn of damage to fishing grounds and marine tourism. Although …

Officially recognized as a collection of quilombos, or traditional Afro Brazilian communities, by the government in 2023, Brejão dos Negros is still awaiting the land titles it has been demanding …

A palm oil grower in an Indonesian village on Sumatra island, around 100 miles west of Singapore, has spent 15 years studying the role of mangroves in coastal ecosystems and …

Illegal gold mining in Ghana’s Greater Cape Three Points Forest Reserve threatens vulnerable and endangered species in the protected forest, say conservationists. Sediment and toxic chemicals from the mining also …

Cambodia appears to have resumed exporting sand to Singapore, despite a 2017 national ban, with Koh Kong provincial authorities saying a new dredging operation has been licensed. Mongabay traced at …

Parrotfish play a vital role in reef ecosystems by producing sand from consumed coral and maintaining healthy reefs by grazing algae; in doing so they support the sediment accretion processes …

The Indonesian archipelago of Raja Ampat is home to some of the world’s richest marine biodiversity. A year ago, the Indonesian government suspended mining activities for review and later revoked …

A new study has found microplastic particles in almost all sampled mussels and snails inhabiting deep-sea hydrothermal vents in the Indian Ocean and southwestern Pacific Ocean. By comparing snails and …

Coral reef scientists, conservationists, policymakers and community leaders from more than 90 countries met July 19-24 at the International Coral Reefs Symposium in Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand. Participants discussed how …

A global study estimates that drifting fish aggregating devices, or dFADs, affect more than half of the world’s protected marine area. Researchers documented at least 6,324 dFAD strandings across 174 …

Dogger Bank is a vast, shallow sandbank in the North Sea that was once among the most productive marine nurseries in Europe, prompting experts to call it the ecological heart …

The International Seabed Authority (ISA), the U.N.-associated organization that oversees deep-sea mining activities in international waters, held a council meeting July 13 to 24 in Kingston, Jamaica. During the meeting, …

A recent study found that extreme weather events like storms, heat waves and floods can interfere with the breeding success of marine predators like seals, shearwaters and albatross that raise …

Climate change and rising sea levels are driving salt water intrusion into drinking water sources in coastal Bangladesh, which research links to an increased risk of preeclampsia, a leading cause …

Research has shown the intense, impulsive underwater noise from marine seismic surveys can harm marine animals up and down the food chain. Yet marine scientists say major gaps remain in …

In January 2025, Panama’s government announced it had caught more than a dozen vessels fishing illegally inside the country’s flagship marine protected area, declaring it the largest such enforcement operation …

Solomon Islands is the latest Pacific island nation to sign on to a new network of marine protected areas (MPAs) known as the Melanesian Ocean Corridor of Reserves, or MOCOR, …