Ghost nets and plastic waste are severely impacting marine ecosystems in Asia, particularly in Indonesia. Coastal communities and conservationists face the burden of collection, with limited regulations to stop vessels from discarding nets. A 2024 report highlights Indonesia's significant plastic waste production and its discharge into the marine environment.
A Coogee woman, Leah Stewart, 35, was attacked by a suspected great white shark while swimming between flags. The incident has heightened the author's fear of sharks, questioning the balance between the euphoria of ocean swimming and its inherent risks, and sparking debate on shark culling versus conservation.
A 7.8-magnitude earthquake in the Philippines has raised the seabed by up to 2 meters, exposing coral reefs and seagrass beds, and killing marine life. At least 61 people died and 40 are missing.
An earthquake in the Philippines has caused coastal uplift, raising the seabed by up to two meters and exposing marine life. The phenomenon, reported by locals, has extended shorelines and affected areas near the Cotabato Trench.
Cuban scientists and conservationists are facing significant challenges in protecting the island's marine ecosystems due to economic scarcity, US sanctions, and the climate crisis. Despite limited resources, they are employing innovative methods like coral farming and relying on local volunteers to mitigate damage from pollution, invasive species, and coral diseases.
Antarctica's west coast is experiencing a severe deficit of winter sea ice, with an area the size of France missing in the Bellingshausen Sea. This alarming loss raises concerns for penguins, marine life, and global sea levels, and may have intensified a recent heatwave on the continent.
Scientists discovered the deepest, oldest, and largest whale graveyard in the Indian Ocean, with remains dating back 5.3 million years. Thriving ecosystems of marine life feed on the carcasses, revealing insights into deep-sea adaptation.
Hong Kong reports a decline in cetacean strandings to 29 in 2025 from 41 in 2024, with 4 suspected to be linked to human activity, according to a joint government-Ocean Park report.
Papua New Guinea's government warns communities not to fish along parts of the New Ireland coastline due to detected metals in water samples, following months of dead marine life reports and illness among residents.
A new study reveals high levels of toxic Pfas chemicals in the Solent strait, impacting marine life and protected sites. Pollution exceeds safe thresholds, with calls for a blanket ban at source and government action.
Mainland Chinese tourists visiting Hong Kong's Sharp Island for its tombolo also gained an appreciation for local coral reefs and marine life, thanks to increased government promotion and protection efforts.
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department announced extra protection measures for Cheung Chau island during the Labour Day golden week, deploying 11 officers and five marine staff to patrol and monitor visitor behaviour. The department is seeking to turn the bio-sensitive area into a marine protected region to enforce conservation laws. An estimated 1,000 visitors daily are expected during the holiday period, while Hong Kong anticipates 6 million passenger trips from May 1-5.
Hong Kong's Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department announced extra protection measures for Cheung Chau island during the Labour Day holiday, deploying 11 officers and 5 marine staff daily. The department is seeking to turn the bio-sensitive tourist area into a marine protected region to enforce conservation laws. An estimated 1,000 visitors daily are expected during the five-day golden week, with 6 million passenger trips projected across all entry points.
Unwanted vessels left to decay release fibreglass shards into the water, harming marine life. Steve Green – with his trusty van Cecil – is determined to clean things upSteve Green, a boat engineer from Cornwall, was pulled over by the police just before Christmas. He was driving a decrepit-looking VW campervan and towing an even more dilapidated yacht up to Truro. He hadn’t broken any laws, but he admits that Cecil the campervan, which runs on donated chip oil from local pubs and has a crane and a winch on the front, “wasn’t quite what VW intended”.Green (and Cecil) are on a mission to rid the beautiful hidden creeks of Cornwall’s Helford and Fal rivers of 166 abandoned fibreglass yachts, which are leaking plastic and toxins into the predominantly marine waters. Marine biologists have likened the thousands of shards of fibreglass they have found embedded in the flesh of sea-creatures in areas with wrecks such as these to asbestos, a substance known to have a noxious effect on humans.Green uses a detachable crane system at the front of his van to move around bags of plastic after they have been weighed. Cecil is upholstered in recycled denim Continue reading...
