OCEAN: US Expansion & more – 17th Sep 2024

Ahoy from BA! This is the Rorshok Ocean Update from the 17th of September twenty twenty-four. A summary of what's going down in the 70% surface of the Earth covered in saltwater.

The United States has expanded its territory by over one million square kilometers (more than 386,000 square miles), adding to its Extended Continental Shelf. This massive addition is the equivalent of around 60% of Alaska's size. This expansion comes after two decades of detailed seabed research. After collecting data from forty sea missions, the U.S. successfully claimed new territory in areas like the Arctic, the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, and the Gulf of Mexico.

This expansion will allow the U.S. to control potential resources such as oil, gas, and minerals. However, it also raises challenges in balancing economic interests and environmental responsibilities, as well as managing overlapping claims with other nations like Canada.

In other news, on Tuesday the 10th, the Russian Navy launched the naval training Exercise OCEAN twenty twenty-four, in the Pacific Ocean and European waters, involving its Pacific, Northern, and Baltic Fleets, and the Caspian Flotilla. This large-scale exercise will run for a week and involves over 400 ships, more than 120 aircraft, and 90,000 personnel.

The exercise aims to boost operational and combat training, focusing on using advanced weapons. During the drill, the Northern Fleet will simulate adversaries while the other fleets act as friendly forces. China will send four ships and fifteen aircraft. The exercise has drawn attention from other nations, particularly Norway, which is monitoring the activities due to their proximity.

To know more about this story, check out the Rorshok Arctic Update! Link in the show notes!

Now, some updates on the Atlantic Ocean. On Sunday the 8th, a boat carrying migrants sank near Senegal's coast, leading to at least four deaths and several people still missing. The boat left Mbour, Senegal, and was aiming for Europe, but capsized just a short distance offshore. Local fishermen managed to rescue three survivors, while Senegal’s navy still continues to search for more passengers.

As this tragedy remarks, the migration from West Africa to Europe is still growing, especially to the Canary Islands because of their proximity. The Atlantic route has seen an increase in crossings, despite being one of the most dangerous migration paths, with numerous shipwrecks and fatalities recorded this year.

Still in the Atlantic. A recent study published on Tuesday the 10th in the scientific journal Nature Communications revealed that North Atlantic temperature patterns significantly influence oxygen levels in the northern tropical Pacific. Researchers analyzed 200-year records of denitrification, which is a marker of deoxygenation, from sediment cores in the North Pacific.

The study found that changes in North Atlantic temperatures affect underwater currents, which then impact oxygen levels in the tropical Pacific. As temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere go up, the study expects that oxygen levels in these areas will decrease because warmer waters lose the ability to hold dissolved oxygen.

On another note, CNN reported on Tuesday the 12th that Atlanta’s old subway cars are now serving as underwater habitats off Georgia's coast. The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority sank two railcars at the end of last year to help build reef habitats and support marine life. Inspectors from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources recently checked the railcars and found coral growth and various fish species, noting that the railcars are becoming integral to the reef ecosystem.

The Artificial Reef L area also hosts other submerged objects like military tanks and tugboats. This practice of creating artificial reefs by sinking man-made materials has a long history, with similar methods used by Japanese fishermen in the seventeen hundreds.

Talking about marine life, on Tuesday the 10th rescuers found a young orca calf stranded on Carmel River State Beach in California, in the Pacific Ocean. The ten-foot (or three-meter) long calf, about six months old, had been separated from its pod.

State parks and rescue teams from the Marine Mammal Center of the California Marine Mammal Stranding Network worked for nine hours to help the calf and search for its family. They decided to transport the orca to the Long Marine Lab Rescue Center in Santa Cruz, but unfortunately the calf died from cardiac failure during transport.

Also on Tuesday the 10th, Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, met with Salman Al Farisi, the Secretary General of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (or IORA), in Moscow. They discussed key issues on the IORA agenda, such as maritime cooperation, tourism, and environmental protection. They also explored opportunities for Russia, which became a Dialogue Partner in twenty twenty-one, to enhance its role in the association’s activities.

Some IORA member states, especially from South Asia and Africa, remain vigilant of Russia's growing presence in IORA activities.

Let’s sail to the Red Sea. This week, salvage teams will resume their risky operation to recover the Greek-registered tanker Sounion. Yemen's Houthi militants attacked the boat on the 21st of August, causing the ship to catch fire and lose power. The tanker had its operation paused due to safety concerns, but still contains about one million barrels of crude oil.

The salvage effort, which involves two Greek-based tugboats, will be challenging due to the full load and potential for environmental damage. Greece has sought assistance from Saudi Arabia. The EU’s Aspides naval mission, including French and Greek frigates, will oversee and protect the operation.

Heading over to the Panama Canal, The Panama Maritime Authority recently released data about container movement. The Authority reported almost a 20% increase from January to July compared to the same period last year. Additionally, cargo movement at both state and private ports grew by 15%. Domestic passenger transport went up by 1.5%. The Canal seems to be recovering from the drought that impacted it in the previous year —which we reported on in previous shows.

Let’s talk about the Arctic Ocean. Researchers studied microplastic distribution in Svalbard's fjords in twenty twenty-two to assess the influence of rivers on Arctic coastal waters. In a study published on Monday the 16th in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science, they found that microplastics accumulated along the river plume border in populated fjords, with Adventfjorden having the highest concentrations. On the other hand, unpopulated fjords remained free of surface microplastics, because river discharge prevented accumulation. Subsurface microplastics were most concentrated in central Isfjorden, suggesting rivers in unpopulated areas help reduce pollution.

Unlike other regions, Arctic rivers are not a major source of microplastic pollution in coastal waters.

From one pole to the other. A new study published in the journal Nature Communication on Tuesday the 10th, highlights a growing threat to Southern Ocean whales as industrial fishing for krill competes with them for food. Baleen whales like humpbacks, recovering from near extinction, rely on krill, as do fishing boats supplying fish meal for aquaculture. Researchers observed fishing operations directly overlapping with whale feeding grounds.

The fishing industry aims to increase krill harvests, raising concerns about whale populations. Despite international efforts to regulate fishing, proposals to establish protected areas and stricter limits are being blocked by countries like Russia and China. Without stronger safeguards, the recovery of these whale populations could be reversed.

Closing with fisheries. A study published in the journal Nature Climate Change on Thursday the 12th and conducted by the scientists Cruz, Pennino, and Lopes, predicts that climate change will drive fish stocks and global fishing fleets to shift poleward by the end of the century. Polar fishing gears will likely move towards the Arctic Ocean, while tropical fleets will expand within the tropics and beyond.

Tropical countries will probably face challenges adapting, as they heavily depend on coastal gears like trawlers. The study emphasizes the importance of managing these shifts to sustain fish stocks and ensure equitable access for all nations.

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

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See you next week!