May 2012 - Vol. 17, No. 3

• Ocean Voices: Saving Laolao Bay; Creating Art from Seaweed
• Science in the Spotlight: The "Jellyfish Explosion"; Warm Ocean Currents Main Cause of Antarctic Ice Loss; Involving Local Fishers In Management Shown to Work
• SeaWeb in Action: Fish Talk on the Menu at the European Seafood Exposition

Ocean Voices

Saving Laolao Bay

"My dad was a traditional fisherman," says Roman Benavente. "When I was young, I'd always look forward to our trips to Laolao Bay. Littering wasn't a problem back then. There were few people who used the beach, but those that did, left the grounds even cleaner than when they go there."
Through the Our Laolao campaign in Saipan, Roman and other community leaders and residents are working together to keep Laolao Bay clean for future generations.

Watch the video >>

A Gift from the Sea: Creating Art from Seaweed

"Most people don't think of seaweed as something pretty," says Beth Shady, founder of SeaweedArt.com. "It's more often viewed as that slimy stuff beneath our feet or the nori wrapped around our sushi. It is my goal to use my art to raise awareness about the vast varieties of marine botanicals and vegetations that live beneath the sea."

For the month of May, Beth is donating 10 percent of the proceeds from sales to SeaWeb in support of creating a culture of ocean conservation.

Learn more >>

Science in the Spotlight

The "Jellyfish Explosion:" Hard Fact or Soft Science?

With recent media accounts of jellyfish blooms so large and dense they impede commercial fishing operations and force nuclear power plants to shut down, public concern over an apparent "jellyfish explosion" has grown.

But the evidence is more nuanced, as shown in two new studies that revisit the issue.

Read the full review >>

Warm Ocean Currents Main Cause of Antarctic Ice Loss

Warm ocean waters are melting the base of numerous Antarctic ice shelves, increasing discharge of ice into the ocean from inland glaciers flowing to the coast, according to a study recently published in Nature.

Why is this happening now?

"We think that it's linked to changes in wind patterns," said Dr. Hamish Pritchard, who headed the study. "Studies have shown that Antarctic winds have changed because of changes in climate, and that this has affected the strength and direction of ocean currents."

Read the full review >>

Involving Local Fishers In Management Shown to Work

Previous studies have produced conflicting results, but a new study shows that involving local people in determining fishery resource allocation is more effective than standard 'top-down' management.

The study—the largest investigation ever into the effectiveness of co-managed coral reef fisheries, spanning five Indo-Pacific countries—found that involving local communities can improve fishers' livelihoods while still protecting the resource base.

Read the full review >>

SeaWeb in Action

Fish Talk on the Menu at the European Seafood Exposition

This year's Expo in Brussels marked a particularly notable event in the gastronome's calendar – the announcement of the winners of France's first ever National Catering Competition for Sustainable Seafood, organised in part by SeaWeb's Seafood Choices team in France.

While the young chefs swapped notes, SeaWeb staffers and Expo attendees talked fish, especially sustainability and the upcoming 10th International Seafood Summit in Hong Kong.

Read more >>