United Nations Declares War on Ocean Plastic

Interprets Agency Service News Agency

The available data is enough for the United Nations to literally declare war on oceans plastic: more than 8 million tonnes of it leaks into their waters each year – equal to dumping a garbage truck of plastic every minute, wreaking havoc on marine wildlife, fisheries and tourism, and costing at least 8 billion dollars in damage to marine ecosystems. Story here.

One of the last Obama-era climate reports had a troubling update about the rising seas

The Washington Post

A Mexican beach. PinP photo.

A new report, released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on the last day of Barack Obama’s presidency, presents a series of updated estimates for future sea-level rise, both in the United States and worldwide. It suggests that, under extreme future climate change, global sea levels could rise by more than eight feet by the end of the century — one of the highest estimates yet to be presented in a federal report.  Details here.

Scientists say the global ocean circulation may be more vulnerable to shutdown than we thought

The Washington Post

A Mexican coastline. PinP photo. Intense future climate change could have a far different impact on the world than current models predict, suggests a thought-provoking new study just out in the journal Science Advances.  Story here.

Obama Denies All Pending Permits for Seismic Airgun Blasting in Atlantic Ocean

EcoWatch

The Obama administration formally denied today all pending permits to conduct seismic airgun blasting in the Atlantic Ocean. Seismic airgun blasting, an extremely loud and dangerous process used to search for oil and gas deposits deep below the ocean's surface, was originally proposed in an area twice the size of California, stretching from Delaware to Florida. Story here.

European fisheries ministers turn their back on the economic potential of fish recovery in the North East Atlantic

OCEANA

Catches in NE Atlantic and North Sea could increase by 29% in less than five years if fishing limits followed scientific advice, report finds. Story here.

THE 3RD GLOBAL CORAL BLEACHING EVENT – 2014/2016

SEAVIEW

NOW PREDICTED TO LAST UNTIL AT LEAST THE END OF 2016 – BY FAR THE LONGEST EVENT IN RECORDED HISTORY. Story here.

Corals tie stronger El Niños to climate change

Science

Over the last 7000 years, El Niños waxed and waned. Then, during the 20th century, with global warming taking hold, their intensity began to climb. The trend is likely to continue, boding ever more destructive El Niños. Story here.

Scientists report ‘devastating’ coral death at Great Barrier Reef

The Washington Post

We knew this news was coming, perhaps. Now that it is here, it is no less shocking. Story here.

World's Biggest Sockeye Run Shut Down as Wild Pacific Salmon Fight for Survival

EcoWatch

Adult sockeye salmon. Marvina Munch, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service

For as long as people have lived in the area, salmon have been an important food source. But something is happening to Pacific coast salmon. Story here.
RELATED: "Disastrous Fraser River salmon run eclipses 2009 collapse - Warmer waters, overfishing, fish farm impacts all likely contributed to this year's dismal returns: environmental group"

Summer Arctic Sea Ice Set to Become Second-Lowest on Record (NASA VIDEO)

That information comes from the US National Snow and Ice Data Centre. The video below shows the trends.

Arctic Death Spiral: Icebreakers Reach North Pole as Sea Ice Disintegrates

ThinkProgress

Second-lowest sea ice minimum, lowest average annual sea ice extent. Arctic sea ice continued its long-term death spiral in 2016, thanks to warming-driven ice melt. As the ice sheet shrinks and thins, it’s becoming easier and easier for icebreakers to reach the North Pole. Story here.

Humans Have Pushed Oceans to Their Absolute Limit, Warns Report

CommonDreams

Oceans protected us from worst effects of climate change by absorbing most of humans' CO2 emissions, report finds, but they can't take anymore—and will soon release that CO2 back into the air. Story here.

The Southern Ocean is Getting Less Salty. Here’s What That Could Mean for the Rest of the World

The Washington Post

The ocean surrounding Antarctica has become substantially less salty over the past couple of decades — and until now, scientists weren’t really sure why. But because changes in the Southern Ocean’s salinity have the potential to affect all kinds of important processes, including ocean circulation and its transport of heat and nutrients around the world, researchers have been eager to figure it out. Story here.

Closing the High Seas to Fishing Could Save Coastal Fisheries

EcoWatch

Researchers from the University of British Columbia say that closing the high seas to fishing could help coastal fisheries, increasing catches by 10 percent. But our waters are now more polluted than ever, threatening the entire food chain. Story here.

Obama Promises Huge Marine Reserve (Video)

The world's largest protected area is now four times the size of California. pic.twitter.com/lvtsbzXXJF

— AJ+ (@ajplus) September 1, 2016

Are Climate-Related 'Hot Blobs' Spreading and Killing Marine Life Worldwide?

CommonDreams

Marine heatwaves have killed whales, birds, sea lions, mangroves, and coral—and research suggests they are increasing as the climate warms. Story here.

Humans are Poisoning the Ocean—and It's Poisoning Us Back

CommonDreams 

Photo by Fabio Grasso

New study shows deadly bacteria levels spiking in North Atlantic as ocean temperatures rise. Story here.

Study: Climate Change Causing Widespread Global Coral Reef Degradation

CommonDreams

Abel Valdivia / Center for Biological Diversity

Global Warming Far Outweighs Local Impacts Like Pollution, Overfishing in Harming These Important Ocean Ecosystems. Story here.

Hundreds of Offshore Fracking Wells Dump Billions of Gallons of Oil Waste Into Gulf

EcoWatch by Andy Rowell

As the U.S. shale industry comes under increasing scrutiny for its environmental and health impact, it has emerged that the U.S. has approved fracking offshore leading to billions of gallons of wastewater to be dumped at sea. Story here.

Global Fish Production Approaching Sustainable Limit, UN Warns

theguardian

Around 90% of the world’s stocks are now fully or overfished and production is set to increase further by 2025, according to report from UN’s food body. Story here.