Policy
‘Out of Sight’ Can’t Mean ‘Out of Mind’
Surface marine debris and microplastic pollution has gotten more attention recently—which is great—but there’s another garbage problem we are only starting to get a handle on. Deep in the dark, discarded items litter the sea floor, like dust-bunnies swept along by currents and collecting at rates previously underestimated. Andrea SchlunkI am a former PhD student […]
The Gulf of Mexico Triangle: Assessing Movements of Large Pelagic Fish Across Multiple National Boundaries
Pelagic predators or difficult to manage due to their vast migrations through through multiple countries jurisdictions and international waters. In order to effectively manage these species multinational agreeements are required. However, collecting movement data for species that travel long distances is difficult to collect. Here, researchers look at the movements between countries of 8 species […]
Communication Woes: Are we speaking the same language?
Scientists know communicating the significance of their findings is a huge part of their job. But what happens when the words we use mean different things to different people? When references and metaphors are only understood by certain generations, or by people from specific geographic regions? What hurdles come after the experiments are done and […]
Who Governs the Ocean Around Antarctica?
Antarctica is often considered an untouched wilderness. While its location is remote, the region is hardly undisturbed by human activity. Exploitation of marine species, tourism, scientific research activities, and anthropogenic climate change are all impacting Southern Ocean ecosystems. A recent policy paper examines the governance challenges for the Antarctic, particularly those due to climate change. […]
Killing Jaws: Tackling the Idea of the Bloodthirsty Predator
Even though shark attacks are rare, fear of sharks has led people to support laws that kill sharks en masse. A new study shows that at the root of our fear of sharks is the belief that they intend to hurt us. By thinking about how we talk about shark intentionality in educational settings and […]
Which Paris Agreement Countries Mention the Ocean, and Why?
Do nations mention the impact of climate change on the ocean in their Paris Agreement pledges? And why do some countries include more about the ocean than others? To find out, Gallo et. al pick apart each country’s National Determined Contribution plan. The results are not quite what you’d expect. Julia DohnerJulia is a PhD […]
Fishy Crimes: How Indonesia Is Taking Back Its Fisheries
Fish poaching is a huge problem for countries around the globe, disrupting conservation efforts and damaging local economies. Indonesia, once a country plagued by the practice, has taken hard stances against illegal fishing and turned their fishing economy around. Zoe GentesZoe has an M.S. in Oceanography and a B.S. in Geologic Oceanography from URI, with […]
How just 3% saves 50%: Small expansions of protected areas in “shark hot spots” could save HALF of currently endangered Sharks, Skates, and Rays
The old adage of, “work smarter, not harder” even applies to shark conservation…read on to learn how targeted expansion of marine protected areas could better protect more than 50% of imperiled shark species around the globe. Amanda IngramAmanda Ingram is a Masters of Marine Affairs Graduate Student at the University of Rhode Island. She earned […]
Senators propose bill to ensure independence of federal researchers
Last week, a group of Senators introduced legislation that aims to preserve the independence of U.S. government scientists. The Scientific Integrity Act instructs executive branch administrators to implement policies to ensure that data and results be disseminated in a timely and open manner. The bill, if enacted, would help separate the government’s scientific output from […]
Keeping Up the Fight: Tips for Science Policy Engagement
Concerned for the future of science? I’ve highlighted a few things you can do to stay engaged in 15 minutes a day. Zoe GentesZoe has an M.S. in Oceanography and a B.S. in Geologic Oceanography from URI, with a minor in Writing and Rhetoric. She was recently a Knauss Marine Policy Fellow in the US […]
Citizen Science in the New Year!
Tired of only reading articles about science and wishing you could get out there any join those research teams instead? Well, you don’t need a degree to help out—you can get involved in any number of citizen science initiatives! So, if you feel like chipping in and helping scientists gather data, click here to find […]
What Does the US Election Mean for Our Oceans?
The oceans are subject to the whims of national policy, and yet they know no borders. Being poor ocean stewards here in the US could cause serious problems all over the world, as well as affecting the smidgeon of blue we can see from our shores. In this post, I outline a few ideas about […]
Is ‘Shark Week’ Good or Bad for Sharks?
‘Shark Week’ has become a staple of summer television. It is currently the longest continuously running series on television. It is also a rare example of quality scientific research (in any field) getting prime time television coverage. However, scientists and conservationists have highly criticized Shark Week in recent years for ‘fear mongering’ tactics. What does […]
National Ocean Policy: a look inside Congress
Ever wondered what your government does for the oceans? Here’s a brief glimpse. Zoe GentesZoe has an M.S. in Oceanography and a B.S. in Geologic Oceanography from URI, with a minor in Writing and Rhetoric. She was recently a Knauss Marine Policy Fellow in the US House of Representatives, and now work at Consortium for […]
Room to Grow
When natural ecosystems are destroyed from anthropogenic development there exists a common notion that a replacement can be replanted somewhere else. One has to wonder though; what if the ecosystem destroyed cannot be replaced into the same role it once had. Scientists investigate if planted mangroves in the Philippines change the natural mangrove areas surrounding […]
Ports, Pups, Policy, and Low Sardine Stocks
While sardine stocks are seeing disturbingly low numbers along the US west coast, affecting fishermen and marine mammals that depend on them, scientists are working hard to provide forecast modeling and data than can better assist fishery managers to avoid this situation in the future. Zoe GentesZoe has an M.S. in Oceanography and a B.S. […]
Wanderings through the Western Society of Naturalists
Takeaways and notes from Sacramento and a jam-packed Western Society of Naturalists meeting! Gordon OberPostdoctoral Researcher, Claremont McKenna College I am currently a postdoc at Keck Sciences, Claremont McKenna College. I work with Dr. Sarah Gilman, measuring and modeling energy budgets in intertidal species. I am a climate scientist and marine community ecologist and my […]
Beyond the Science (Part 2): Sci-Com, Media, and Policy at GSA
I attended the annual meeting for the Geological Society of America as a first-timer, joining scientists, educators, policy-makers, industry buffs, and students from the international community at the second-largest geology conference in the United States. I had attended a geology conference before, but I had not been involved to the extent that I was at […]
Will Climate Change Alter How We Vacation?
When we talk about climate change, usually we talk about the effects that it’ll have on the environment and the animals that inhabit it; rarely do we talk about the impact that it can have on something as seemingly unrelated as tourism. However, tourism in regions known for their natural beauty is just as much […]
A First-Timer’s Look at a Scientist Congressional Visits Day
At Geosciences Congressional Visits Day, 2015, I joined a diverse group of over 60 geoscientists that gathered in Washington, D.C. to learn how to speak to policymakers and how to craft our message requesting continued strong federal support for earth sciences. Zoe GentesZoe has an M.S. in Oceanography and a B.S. in Geologic Oceanography from […]
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