OCEAN: Houthi Attack & more – 5th Mar 2024

Ahoy from BA! This is Rorshok’s Ocean Update from the 5th of March twenty twenty-four. A summary of what's going down in the 70% surface of the Earth covered in saltwater.

Let’s kick off this edition with events that took place in the Red Sea. The Belize-flagged, British-owned vessel Rubymar sank due to a missile attack by Houthi militants on Sunday the 18th of February. All members of the crew abandoned the vessel and survived. The sinking raised concern about environmental issues, as the ship was carrying 41,000 tonnes of fertilizers. The US military confirmed the sinking on Saturday the 2nd, and warned about the risks for marine life, especially coral reefs, and shipping lanes. The release of fertilizer threatens marine ecosystems, prompting calls for monitoring and cleanup efforts. This incident increased the tension in the area.

This month marks one year since the UN Ocean Treaty was agreed. So far, only two countries ratified it, Palau and Chile. Even though eighty-seven countries signed it, the Treaty can enter into force in twenty twenty-five if formally ratified by at least sixty countries. On Friday the 1st, Greenpeace called for accelerated ratification processes, stressing that protecting the oceans requires immediate action. The treaty aims at protecting the high seas, which face increasing threats from industrial fishing, pollution, and deep-sea mining. Greenpeace particularly encouraged African nations like Senegal to ratify the Treaty, as the communities affected by overfishing could benefit from it. A study published in January by the journal Nature revealed that 75% of the world's industrial fishing vessels operate out of public view, emphasizing the need for greater ocean protection.

Since we mentioned Senegal, off its northern coast, a shipwreck caused twenty-four deaths. Governor Alioune Badara Samb said that they started recovering bodies on Wednesday, the 28th of February. The ship was overcrowded with migrants and was heading to the Canary Islands, Spain, when it sank in an area famous for its strong currents and mud. Witnesses said that over 300 people may have been aboard, but exact numbers remain unclear as some survivors tried to blend in with locals to avoid getting caught. The vessel departed from Senegal, but one survivor said the captain got lost off Morocco, and the people onboard asked him to bring them back to Senegal. Last year, Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, recorded more than 500 deaths and disappearances on the Atlantic route.

Researchers confirmed the sighting of two whales having sex in a report published on Tuesday the 27th of February in the Marine Mammal Science journal. Despite scientists having conducted research for decades, there is little knowledge about the animal’s sex life. This report marks the first documented instance of humpback whale penetration and the first recorded sexual intercourse between two males. The photographers Lyle Krannichfeld and Brandi Romano captured the images from a private vessel off the coast of Hawaii. The report highlights that the penetrated whale appeared infested with lice, while the other, in good health, was holding him in place with the pectoral fins. Researchers made hypotheses about the motives: they considered mistaken mating attempts, reinforcement of social bonds, dominant behavior, among others.

Still on humpback whales. A study released in the journal Royal Society Open Science on Wednesday, the 28th of February, suggests that marine heatwaves may be the main cause behind a 20% decline in the humpback whale population in the North Pacific Ocean over less than ten years. Until twenty twelve, the whale numbers steadily increased due to the end of commercial whaling in nineteen seventy-six. Researchers compiled a vast photo-identification dataset and tracked more than 33,000 individuals from two thousand two to twenty twenty-one. Up to twenty twelve the population steadily increased, while from twenty twelve to twenty twenty-one, though, there was this sharp decline.

Talking about big fish, a massive one-ton sunfish washed ashore in Cesenatico, in the province of Emilia Romagna, Italy. A team of municipal technicians and volunteers removed the carcass. Sunfish are among the world's oldest and largest bony fish: they can reach up to two tons. They inhabit the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea, with occasional sightings in the Adriatic Sea, where Cesenatico overlooks. The cause of the sunfish’s death is still uncertain, as its carcass doesn’t show any sign of injuries. Environmental factors, like the presence of heavy metals like mercury, will be examined through a necropsy analysis. Cesenatico's Marine Research Center will conduct sampling for further investigation. Similar incidents occurred in Italy in two thousand eight, when a three-meter sunfish that weighed more than 1,000 kilograms (more than 2,200 pounds) washed ashore in Rimini, Italy, and a few days before another one lay at the Lido di Venezia beach.

Israeli investigators from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem discovered direct correlations between Indian Ocean conditions and Middle Eastern precipitation. The study published in Scientific Reports journal analyzes the rising climate indices in the Indian Ocean over the last forty years, highlighting regional climate implications. Researchers analyzed data from October and found a connection specifically between the sea surface temperature of the Indian Ocean and the rainfall in the Middle East, realizing it is possible to even predict rainfall. This study highlights the importance of the Indian Ocean’s temperatures in extreme weather events and Walker circulation, which are some air currents above the ocean.

Still in the Indian Ocean. During a video conference that took place on Thursday, the 29th of February, India and Mauritius inaugurated a new airbase on Agalega, an island in the southwest of the Indian Ocean. Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Mauritius’ Prime Minister, emphasized the base's role in enhancing maritime security, counterterrorism efforts, and combating drug trade in the area. The facility will enable India to monitor the waters and gain more power in the Indian Ocean. The country’s usage of the airbase, though, depends on continued cooperation with Mauritius, which has the overall control over the facility and could be influenced by China's interests in the region.

Moving on to the Antarctic Ocean. Scientists expressed deep concern as Antarctic sea ice levels hit historic lows for three years in a row. On Wednesday, the 28th of February, the US National Snow & Ice Data Center confirmed the record-low minimum sea ice extent, exacerbating global warming and potentially leading to a disastrous rise in sea levels. Half of Antarctica's ice shelves have decreased in volume, releasing water into the ocean, affecting both temperature and salinity. The Spanish planetary geologist Miguel Angel de Pablo warned that it would be difficult to reverse the trend, and urgent actions to limit global warming are needed immediately.

Due to the Panama Canal restrictions, the giant shipping company Maersk is opting for land transport to avoid the Canal, but other liner operators will probably not follow the example, as the cost speeds up by 30%. Companies like ONE and Yang Ming are concerned about the cost-effectiveness of the land bridge alternatives. ONE’s spokesperson said that their land bridge operation, which they have already carried out in the past, is temporary and limited to destinations with low volumes. Yang Ming highlights the substantial cost increase for land transport compared to canal transits.

The family of Michael Holt, who died while rowing the Atlantic Ocean for charity, has raised the 20,000 sterlings (more than 25,000 US dollars) needed to bring his body home. Holt had type-one diabetes and embarked on his journey leaving Gran Canaria to reach Barbados on Saturday, the 27th of January. Unfortunately, he fell ill about 700 miles (more than 1,000 kilometers) into his journey and was found dead aboard his boat off to Mauritania and close to Cape Verde. His brother David said that any surplus funds raised with the crowdfunding will be donated to the causes Holt supported: the Mind and Liverpool Charity and Voluntary Services.

Aaaaand that’s it for this week.

We want to invite you to take a look at one of Rorshok's other projects. The Daily Knowledge is a daily pocket newspaper that comes out Monday through Friday. It is in our Ourzine format, a little booklet that you have to print in order to read. In the Daily Knowledge ourzine you’ll find a collection of interesting newsletters and selected articles that takes about an hour to read. Visit rorshok.com/ourzines/thedailyknowledge to find the latest editions. The link will also be in the show notes.

See you next week!