News clips for Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Endangered Species

• NOAA Staff Free Juvenile Whale in Hawaii- NOAA's National Ocean Service- On Dec. 6, rescuers in Hawaii successfully freed a young humpback whale that had become dangerously entangled in rope. Link has a video showing the whale being freed. Looks like it was a pretty amazing feat.
• NOAA offers reward for info on death of Hawaiian Monk Seal - KHON2- NOAA Office of Law Enforcement is offering up to $5,000 for information leading to the successful arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for killing Hawaiian Monk Seal RI-19 on April 19, 2009.
• How Arctic FoodWebs Affect Mercury in Polar Bears - Science Daily

Climate Change

• UN: 2000-2009 Could Be Earth's Warmest Decade Ever- Associated Press
• Op-Ed Contributor The Earth Is Crying Out for Help- New York Times- By Thomas Lovejoy. Talks about ocean acidification and other climate change effects, including ecosystem failure (cites coral bleaching as one example of this).
• Coal boss takes climate solutions to Copenhagen -ABC Online- The head of Australia's peak coal body and a scientist concerned for the future of the Great Barrier Reef hold high hopes for the outcome of the UN climate change summit in Copenhagen.
• 'Climategate' raises scientific trust issues- Florida Today

Corals

• Scientist says fish can save coral reefs- Providence Journal- Enric Sala, a former professor at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and now a National Geographic Fellow, said damaged coral will grow back if it is in a healthy environment with lots of predator fish.
• Scientists Work To Protect Cuba's Unspoiled Reefs- NPR- see link to see transcript or listen to story.
• Special Report: Business of Green Jewelers Divided Over Use of Coral - New York Times- Robert M. Taylor, president and chief executive of Maui Divers Jewelry, the largest jewelry retailer in the Hawaiian Islands, said he believed in coral conservation. However, he took issue with the “Too Precious to Wear” campaign’s core message that corals are in crisis, suffering from high consumer demand and, hence, should not be used in jewelry. “It’s the opposite of what we feel,” he said. “Precious coral is too precious not to wear.”

Surveillance & Enforcement

• Teledyne Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Completes First Transatlantic Crossing - Recovery of the Scarlet Knight AUV- Consumer Electronics Net
• India to 'fence' naval harbours- BBC News- India is planning to secure its naval harbours with electronic fences, the BBC has learnt. The government plans to install transponders on every fishing vessel and trawler that sails into the high seas, officials say.

Marine Protected Areas

• Government of Canada Takes Steps to Protect Lancaster Sound in Canada's North- Market Wire (press release)