OCEAN: Earthquake off Ecuador’s Coast & more – 29th April 2025

Ahoy from BA! This is the Rorshok Ocean Update from the 29th of April twenty twenty-five. A summary of what's going down in the 70% surface of the Earth covered in saltwater.

A powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck off Ecuador’s Pacific coast on Friday the 25th, shaking the northern region of the country. According to the US Geological Survey, the tremor was centered thirteen miles (or twenty-one kilometers) northeast of the city of Esmeraldas (northwestern Ecuador) at a depth of about twenty-two miles (or thirty-five kilometers), and caused some damage to houses. Officials reported no injuries or casualties.

Ecuador’s risk management agency said that the earthquake affected at least ten provinces and they are still monitoring the situation. Authorities initially warned residents of a potential tsunami, but they lifted the alert shortly after.

In more news from the Pacific Ocean, the Global Environment Facility recently approved 15.6 million US dollars for the project Beyond 30x30, which aims to improve the resilience of the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor. This initiative focuses on strengthening governance, improving regional connectivity, and supporting climate-resilient management across the Eastern Tropical Pacific.

The project seeks to protect over sixty-four million hectares of marine habitat, benefiting countries like Ecuador, Costa Rica, Colombia, and Panama. It will promote sustainable practices and strengthen marine protected areas while addressing environmental threats like overfishing, pollution, and climate change.

The project supports the global goal of protecting 30% of the oceans by twenty thirty.

From the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. Colorado State University researchers anticipate a very active twenty twenty-five Atlantic hurricane season, expecting between seventeen and nineteen named storms. Nine of them are likely to become hurricanes, with four potentially reaching major hurricane status.

The forecast is based on unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the subtropical eastern Atlantic and Caribbean, which create favorable conditions for hurricane formation by weakening high-pressure systems and reducing wind turbulence. Warm waters provide hurricanes with the energy they need and contribute to a more unstable atmosphere.

Still in the Atlantic Ocean. On Saturday the 26th, North Carolina's Marine Fisheries announced the opening of the Atlantic Ocean commercial flounder season. The rules set a 15,000-pound trip limit for trawlers. Licensed vessel captains may carry fish for other states but cannot unload them in North Carolina. Officials will close the fishery either when it reaches 80% of the annual state quota or on the 10th of September, whichever comes first. The minimum size limit remains unchanged, prohibiting the harvest of flounder under fourteen inches (or 35.5 centimeters).

This proclamation aims to control harvest periods and trip limits, ensuring North Carolina stays within its assigned quota under the joint Summer Flounder, Scup, and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan. This plan covers commercial fishing operations from Maine to North Carolina.

Let’s have a look at the Arctic Ocean. On Tuesday the 22nd, the newspaper The Guardian published an article about Operation Nanook, in which Canadian military pilots searched for thick sea ice to land their heavy planes just this February but came up empty. During the Operation, troops from Canada, the US, and other allies struggled against a brutal cold that broke equipment, stalled helicopters, and slowed everything down.

Maj Matthew Hefner, senior advisor for Arctic Operations, emphasized that in the Arctic, the cold remains the first threat. Both locals and soldiers experienced firsthand how fluctuating temperatures, thawing permafrost, and weakening ice are transforming the region. With no solid sea ice, teams had to land planes on frozen lakes for the first time. As the Arctic warms faster than expected, military leaders are realizing they can’t count on the cold to protect the north anymore.

Want to read the full article? Follow the link in the show notes!

From one Pole to the other. Norwegian and South Korean fleets are overfishing Antarctic krill, which is processed into omega-3 products and fish feed for aquaculture. The global krill oil market is expected to reach one billion US dollars by twenty thirty, with krill catches currently at high levels and expected to increase significantly in the next few years.

In a context with climate change and bird flu killing numerous seals and birds in the Antarctic, the addition of krill overfishing could be significant. The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, responsible for fishing quotas, is divided along political lines, with Russia and China pushing to increase krill fishing. Current quotas rely on outdated scientific surveys, and the rising demand for krill oil and aquaculture is putting the Antarctic food chain at serious risk.

Let’s sail to the Indian Ocean. The Indian Naval Ship INS Sunayna, as part of the Indian Ocean Security mission for Security and Growth for All in the Region, arrived in Port Louis, Mauritius, on Sunday the 27th, after completing Phase One of joint surveillance with the Mauritius National Coast Guard. The vessel, which departed Karwar, India, on the 5th of April, carries forty-four personnel from nine Indian Ocean nations, including Mauritius.

During its two-day stay, the crew visited local military units and interacted with police and diplomatic officials. The ship hosted visitors and organized team-building events. After this stopover, Sunayna will continue its mission with Phase Two of the joint surveillance before heading to Seychelles.

In other news, on Saturday the 26th, US President Donald Trump demanded that US commercial and military vessels receive free passage through the Panama and Suez canals, saying that both canals owe their existence to the United States. In response, Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino stressed that the Panama Canal Authority, as an independent body, determines toll rates and that there is no other agreement.

Earlier this month, Pete Hegseth, the US Defense Secretary, visited Panama City and suggested a deal allowing free and prioritized transit for US warships, which Panama rejected.

Meanwhile, Egypt’s Suez Canal continues to suffer from Houthi rebel attacks in the Red Sea, which have forced ships to reroute, reducing canal revenues by 60%. Trump vowed to maintain military strikes against the Houthis until they no longer threaten international shipping.

Let’s have a look at the Black Sea. The Istanbul-Burgas ferry line will launch this summer, aiming to boost southeastern Bulgaria’s economy (where Burgas is located) and attract more tourists. The Burgas Chamber of Commerce and Industry plans to actively promote the line to local businesses and the tourism sector, stressing its role in strengthening economic and cultural ties between Turkey and Bulgaria.

Scheduled to start in mid-June, the ferry with a Turkish operator will run regular trips throughout the summer. This project supports a broader initiative to encourage sustainable transport and encourage cross-border cooperation across the Black Sea region.

More news from the Black Sea, as on Thursday the 24th, Ukraine presented a new concession project for its Chornomorsk seaport during an investment conference in Warsaw, Poland. The forty-year concession covers a container terminal and a universal terminal, capable of handling up to 760,000 twenty-foot containers and over five million tons of cargo annually.

The project supports the Ukrainian Black Sea Corridor, aiming to diversify cargo routes, strengthen trade reliability, and streamline customs processes. Poland’s Ministry of Agriculture has explored options to lease or purchase a port in Odessa, Ukraine, for grain exports, while the Danish shipping company Moeller-Maersk expressed interest in pursuing a terminal concession at Chornomorsk.

From the Black to the Mediterranean Sea, where on Monday the 28th Tunisia's coast guard recovered eight bodies after a boat carrying African migrants sank off the coast near Sfax, Tunisia.

The boat was heading toward Europe when it capsized. Rescuers saved twenty-nine people, and search operations continue to find missing individuals.

Closing with watersports. Ben Pritchard's team on the sailing yacht Akheilos won the Cape 31 UK Season Opener at the Royal London Yacht Club over the weekend. After eight thrilling races, Akheilos finished ahead of the competing yachts Katabatic and Khumbu.

In the amateur division, Toucan grabbed first place. The event was full of close competition and surprises, showing how intense and fun the sailing season could be.

Aaand that’s it for this week! Thank you for joining us!

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See you next week!