State of the Oceans — Log 77
YOUR WEEKLY BRIEFING FROM PARLEY
This image by The Ocean Agency, header image by Rick Miskiv
OCEAN RECOVERY
A landmark study published in Nature shows that the oceans could recover from human exploitation as soon as 2050. Citing success stories,such as the return of humpback whales and elephant seals, the authors demonstrate that we have the tools and knowledge necessary to restore the blue planet in just one generation.
The research also shows that global fisheries are gradually becoming more sustainable and that the destruction of ocean habitat is slowing. From Tampa Bay, Florida to locations in the Philippines, there is even evidence that seagrass meadows and mangroves are returning.
Meeting this goal would require a worldwide doubling of conservation and climate mitigation efforts, which the authors emphasize is difficult but not impossible: “If you stop killing sea life and protect it, then it does come back. We can turn the oceans around, and we know it makes sense economically, for human well-being, and of course, for the environment.”
CONSERVATION
The good news continues as the Seychelles have announced new marine protected areas that will cover 30% of the republic’s waters. 158,000 square miles of pristine ocean habitat – an area larger than Germany – will be preserved under this groundbreaking debt-for-conservation deal, which could serve as a model for other island nations. As the country’s president said, “Seychelles is ultimately an Oceanic State and our people are connected to the ocean. By protecting these large areas, we are not only safeguarding our marine environment but also balancing economic growth through the management of resources that the sea provides. We are proud of this accomplishment and hope that other nations will follow suit.”
KELP
Kelp forests sequester carbon, create habitat, and they may be more resilient to climate change than scientists previously thought. The latter finding comes from a new survey of kelp forests in the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, South America’s southernmost point. The researchers concluded that these ecosystems were as vibrant and diverse as they were in 1973 – when this site was last surveyed. “It is surprising and encouraging to see a place that has remained virtually unchanged in the 45 years since it was last studied,” one author said, “This should be a clarion call to address climate change, because it’s not too late.”
MARINE LIFE
This week, 97 endangered hawksbill sea turtles successfully hatched on a beach in Paulista, a town in northeastern Brazil. Due to social distancing brought on by the coronavirus, this hatching event was quieter than usual. Only government workers were there to observe the newborn hawksbills, a name the turtles have earned with their particularly pointed beaks. Brazil’s coasts provide critical hatching grounds for multiple sea turtle species, and in Paulista alone 300 individuals have already hatched this year. “It’s really beautiful because you can see the exact instant they come of the eggs and watch their little march across the beach,” said the local environmental secretary, “It’s marvelous. It’s a wonderful, extraordinary feeling.”
CLIMATE CHANGE
A newly discovered group of bacteria could help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the Arctic. As the poles warm, permafrost thaws and releases methane – a greenhouse gas 25% stronger than carbon dioxide – which leads to further warming. However, a recent paper shows how methanotrophs (methane-eaters) in upland Arctic environments could mitigate this feedback loop. “This group of bacteria utilizes atmospheric methane as an energy source,” said the lead author, “The emissions from wetlands will potentially be quite large, but if you consider the uplands, the net emissions will be much smaller than previously thought.”
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