The oceans have become the world’s biggest rubbish dump – and Africa’s coastlines are under siege. It is now the world’s second most polluted continent. Microplastics, chemical and agricultural runoff, oil, sewage and solid waste are contributing to the polluting of much of the continent’s natural resources warns the African Marine Waste Network (AMWN). But numerous … [Read more...]
Norwegian billionaire funds world’s largest yacht to scoop up plastic
Norwegian billionaire Kjell Inge Røkke has profited from offshore drilling. But now the businessman, who started as a fisherman, wants to give back with a colossal yacht for marine research. The vessel will be able to scoop up around five tons of plastic every day, and then melt it down – all in yet another private effort to help clean up the ocean. Røkke, who’s worth around … [Read more...]
What does Greenpeace’s tuna triumph mean for our oceans?
It took two years of relentless campaigning and nearly 700,000 concerned people from around the world, but Greenpeace have finally convinced the world’s largest tuna company to clean up its act! Tuna giant Thai Union, which owns brands such as John West, Chicken of the Sea, Petit Navire, Mareblu, and Sealect, has committed to a series of changes to its business that will … [Read more...]
Time is running out for the world’s coral reefs after extensive bleaching
There was good news and bad news for the world's coral reefs last week. The good news, announced 19 June, is that the global coral bleaching event that started in 2015 appears to be over, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in Silver Spring, Maryland. The bad news, released 23 June, is that the 3 successive years of bleaching conditions … [Read more...]
Fishing Line Recovery Programme aims to spread responsible fishing
The Fishing Line Recovery Programme, aimed at preserving South Africa’s marine heritage, has extended to now boast 360 bins along the coast. DPI Plastics has been involved with the initiative for the past four years, supplying the pipes and fittings for the manufacture of the specially-designed fishing line repositories, explains Marketing Manager Martine Goodchild. The … [Read more...]
Durban to host the 2017 World Whale Conference
Hosted by the Durban KwaZulu-Natal Convention Bureau and eThekwini Municipality, the 4th World Whale Conference will focus on responsible tourism for whales and dolphins, and will unite national, regional and global stakeholders from whale conservation and welfare backgrounds, the whale watching industry, travel and tourism representatives, and beyond, to share evidence and … [Read more...]
West Africa loses over $2 billion to illegal fishing annually
Greenpeace says poor government communication and coordination is hurting West Africa’s ability to combat illegal fishing, costing it billions of dollars each year in the process. The problem has become so severe that it is threatening food security in the region, the environmental group says in a new report (pdf). “Fish stocks are not restricted to national boundaries, and … [Read more...]
Living on water: are waterborne cities more resistant to climate change?
By the year 2050 about 70% of the world's population of 10 billion people will be living in cities, according to the United Nations. The question is, will there be enough land to go around? Not according to Jason Pomeroy -- founder of Singapore-based green architecture firm Pomeroy Studio -- who believes that due to climate change and rising sea levels, humans will be forced … [Read more...]
Antarctic Expedition to show how we’re destroying the planet
The Antarctic circumnavigation expedition (ACE) ended when the Russian research vessel Akademik Treshnikov sailed into Cape Town last week. But the real work has only just begun. That was the consensus as some of the scientists involved gathered at the first workshop on results on a quayside at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town on the afternoon of Monday March 20. David … [Read more...]
Tourism boosts Iceland’s whaling industry
Ready to try grilled minke whale skewers, the "Moby Dick on a Stick", as the dish is advertised by The Seabaron restaurant, a British tourist observes, "looks like a Turkish kebab." Taking a bite, he adds, "Tastes indeed like red meat and poor ethics." Tourism is booming in Iceland. A record 1.8 million people visited the remote North Atlantic island last year, a 40 percent … [Read more...]
Global plastics industry combats marine litter
Seven new signatories were added to The Declaration of the Global Plastics Associations for Solutions on Marine Litter, also informally known as the “Joint Declaration” in 2016. New participants include the American Fiber Manufacturers Association (AFMA), the Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BPGMEA), the Flexible Packaging Association … [Read more...]
Australia must choose between coal and coral as Reef disaster looms
The Great Barrier Reef needs far more help than Australia claims in its latest reports to Unesco. At first glance, the progress reports on the Great Barrier Reef released last week by the Australian and Queensland governments might seem impressive. The update on the Reef 2050 Plan suggests that 135 of the plan’s 151 actions are either complete or on track. The … [Read more...]
World’s largest marine park created in Antarctica
A landmark international agreement to create the world’s largest marine park in the Southern Ocean has been brokered in Australia, after five years of compromises and failed negotiations. More than 1.5m sq km of the Ross Sea around Antarctica will be protected under the deal brokered between 24 countries and the European Union. It means 1.1m sq km of it – an area about the … [Read more...]
