OCEAN: Bottom Trawling in Emperor Seamounts & more – 10th Sep 2024

Ahoy from BA! This is the Rorshok Ocean Update from the 10th of September twenty twenty-four. A summary of what's going down in the 70% surface of the Earth covered in saltwater.

On Thursday the 5th, Greenpeace International shared new video evidence showing extensive environmental damage to the Emperor Seamounts in the North Pacific caused by bottom trawling — a destructive fishing method that devastates fragile ecosystems. The footage, gathered by Florida State University researchers, highlights scars left by trawlers dragging heavy fishing gear across the seafloor, destroying marine life that needs thousands of years to grow.

Greenpeace is calling for the creation of a marine protected area in the High Seas and urging global action to ban harmful fishing practices, especially in vulnerable ecosystems like the Emperor Seamounts.

Still in the Pacific. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries has chosen Sarah Malloy as the new Regional Administrator for the Pacific Islands Regional Office. She took office on Monday, the 9th. Malloy has more than twenty-five years of experience in natural resource management, and will lead efforts to protect endangered marine species, promote sustainable marine life use, and conserve vital habitats. She plans to work closely with the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center to incorporate cutting-edge scientific research into management strategies.

Previously, Malloy has led initiatives on U.S. fisheries, introduced advanced technology for fishery monitoring, and contributed to international resource management discussions.

Since we mentioned marine life, a study published on Wednesday the 4th in the PLOS-ONE journal found that northern elephant seals are attracted to sonar signals in the Pacific. The seals were often drawn to a research site at Barkley Canyon with a depth of 645 meters or more than 2,000 feet, where they hunted sablefish disturbed by camera lights.

Researchers from the University of Victoria, Canada, observed at least eight seals visiting the site over several days, using sonar to locate prey and resting on the seafloor. This unexpected behavior offers new insights into the feeding habits and adaptability of these seals.

From the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. On Monday the 2nd, the Dominican Republic Navy collaborated with the Coast Guard to rescue twenty migrants from a sinking vessel in the Atlantic Ocean. A Coast Guard aircraft detected the vessel thirty nautical miles (almost fifty kilometers) northeast of Samaná, Dominican Republic, and saw the migrants signaling for help. The Coast Guard notified the Dominican Navy, which sent the patrol boat Capella. The crews successfully transferred eighteen men and two women to the boat. Officials warned against dangerous maritime migration and stressed seeking legal, safe pathways.

In other news, on Thursday the 5th, the Japanese research vessel Mirai entered the Arctic Ocean after passing through the Diomede Islands in the Bering Strait the previous night. The ship navigated US territorial waters about eight km (or four miles) northeast of Little Diomede Island, despite foggy conditions that reduced visibility to under 100 meters (or around 300 feet). The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology operated the Mirai, which departed from Sekinehama, Aomori Prefecture, in late August.

The vessel is on a month-long mission to study environmental changes in the rapidly warming Arctic, including shifts in ice cover, changes in marine life, and alterations in oceanic and atmospheric conditions.

Moving on, on Thursday the 5th, Japan demanded that Denmark extradite Paul Watson, the founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, to face trial in Tokyo. Watson was arrested in Greenland in July following an Interpol warrant from twenty twelve. Japan accuses Watson of obstructing the duties of a Japanese whaling ship’s crew in an Antarctic clash in twenty ten by throwing a stink bomb, which allegedly injured a crew member. Watson could face up to fifteen years in prison.

Sea Shepherd argues that what he threw was just rancid butter used to disrupt whaling activities. The Danish court in Nuuk has extended Watson's detention until the 2nd of October, and Denmark is considering the extradition request. The case has sparked international protests, with supporters calling for Watson’s release and questioning the fairness of his potential trial in Japan.

Let’s sail to the Indian Ocean. A study published in the Frontiers Marine Science journal on Thursday the 5th investigates the risks in Pakistan’s seafood trade and explores strategies for marine conservation. It is the first study to examine these issues in depth within Pakistan, aiming to support the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, especially those related to life underwater and zero hunger.

Researchers collected data from more than 600 participants between July and December twenty twenty-three, and found that environmental risks, particularly overfishing, are the most pressing issues, followed by infrastructure and logistics concerns. Additionally, the study notes that factors like seafood pricing and marketing are often overlooked in regulations.

Moving on to the Red Sea, on Thursday the 5th, the shipping companies Ocean Network Express (or ONE) and SeaLead announced new Red Sea services amid rerouted long-haul Asia-Europe routes due to Houthi attacks. ONE launched the Red Sea Gulf India 2 service, which connects the cities of Mundra, Jebel Ali, Jeddah, Sokhna, and Aqaba, enhancing connectivity and frequency in the region. Despite suspending its Asia Red Sea 1 service, ONE continues to serve regional routes.

SeaLead introduced its Far East India Djibouti service, which starts from Shanghai and stops at several ports including Nansha, Port Klang, Colombo, Nhava Sheva, and Mundra before reaching Djibouti. This new route aims to strengthen SeaLead’s coverage in China, India, and East Africa, leveraging Djibouti’s strategic location.

What about the Panama Canal? The Panama Canal Authority recently proposed a 1.6 billion US dollar project to dam the Indio River to mitigate future drought impacts. The plan includes building a reservoir and an eight-kilometer (or five-mile) tunnel to connect the reservoir to Gatun Lake, which supplies water to the canal. This project aims to add up to fifteen daily ship transits through the canal to the current eighteen.

As we talked about in previous shows, the canal faced severe drought conditions last year, which reduced transits from thirty-six to eighteen per day. The new project, which will last over five years, has faced opposition from local communities concerned about flooding in their land. In response to the drought, the Canal Authority is exploring other measures like dredging and adjusting water intakes.

Let’s have a look at deep-sea mining. Greenpeace is currently sailing on its vessel, The Witness, to stop Norway’s plans to deep-sea mine the Arctic Ocean. In collaboration with scientists and activists, Greenpeace is studying whales, dolphins, and other marine animals threatened by the proposed mining in the Norwegian Sea. The area, rich in biodiversity and vital ecosystems, is at risk from mining activities targeting mineral-rich seamounts and hydrothermal vents.

Despite international criticism and opposition from over 800 marine scientists, Norway continues with its plans, which Greenpeace argues will devastate marine habitats.

Next, on Tuesday the 10th, the international Sea Breeze military exercises began in the Bulgarian waters of the Black Sea, involving thirteen countries and running until Friday the 20th. Kiril Mikhailov, the Rear Admiral of the Bulgarian Navy, and Thomas Ishi, the Vice Admiral of the US Navy's Sixth Fleet, announced that the exercise would center around detecting and neutralizing sea mines, both floating and submerged. Ishi noted that they found 105 sea mines in the Black Sea during the Russia-Ukraine war, with several ships damaged.

And to wrap up this edition, the UK government introduced new legislation to curb water pollution in England and Wales. The Water (Special Measures) Bill will impose harsher penalties on water company executives —including potential prison sentences of up to two years for obstructing investigations — and will ban bonuses for failing to meet environmental standards.

Steve Reed, the Environment Secretary, stated the measures are designed to end water companies' harmful practices, but some campaigners criticized the bill as inadequate. The legislation also aims to strengthen regulators' ability to enforce fines and improve the water and sewage infrastructure.

And that’s it for this week!

Thanks for tuning into the Rorshok Ocean Update. You can find us on your Spotify, Apple podcasts and all the other platforms as the Rorshok Ocean Update.

See you next week!