# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
'The fact that 25 governments came together gives us hope that more of the ocean can be protected and used wisely," Jane Lubchenco, an ocean researcher at Oregon State and a founding Climate Central board member, said, praising the marine reserve aspect in particular. "Marine reserves are climate reserves.'

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Read "The Sixth Extinction" by Elizabeth Kolbert: http://amzn.to/1xGKn0K
Rodolfo Dirzo et al. "Defaunation in the Anthropocene" http://bit.ly/1H7JQdw
Stuart Pimm et al. "Biodiversity of Species and Their Rates of Extinction" http://bit.ly/1A5UZJM
Get to know an endangered species: http://discover.iucnredlist.org
Half of world's wildlife has died off in past 40 years: http://bit.ly/1BHl8jR

Until recently, humankind seemed to view the ocean as a source of infinite resources. Its vast size and depth and unexplored frontiers made the ocean appear invulnerable to overexploitation. The truth is that the populations of many species are decreasing at an unsustainable rate, and the number of species listed as endangered from marine life families such as whales, dolphins, manatees and dugongs, salmon, seabirds, sea turtles,and sharks to name a few, are on the rise. The threats to marine species are difficult to perceive because marine animals are not as visible as animals on land. But unfortunately, marine creatures are equally, if not more, vulnerable to problems such as habitat destruction and overexploitation. Shallow water animals that breathe air, like turtles, manatees, dugongs, and whales are often hit by boats and caught in fishing gear. Species such as turtles that lay their eggs on land often lose their nurseries due to coastal development. Animals that have taken millions of years to evolve, that are invaluable to all ecosystems, have and continue to vanish from places where they once flourished.

Loss of habitats, the spread of disease, pollution, and unsustainable fishing practices are directly related to the actions of humans and recovery from these problems is rarely straightforward. Many marine species live in small, specific habitats while others require protection across their migration routes that cover vast areas and include breeding and feeding grounds. Marine protected areas (MPAs) have been designated in many places worldwide, which can help protect and restore threatened species, but MPAs are limited in size and therefore, limited to the marine life that inhabits those areas.

Not Enough Data

Smaller corals, invertebrates, and fish are crucial components to ecosystems. There are about 11,000 species less than 1-2 mm and about 15% of those have highly specific niches. Data on populations of small invertebrates and marine fish is difficult to collect. There is data for larger species that indicates huge losses of parrotfish, humphead wrasse, and grouper. Spiny lobsters are now very hard to find in any coral reef and the coconut crab is now only located in protected areas and tiny islands. Genetic diversity, habitat diversity, and species diversity must work together for global ecosystems to function.

Definitions

The definition of a threatened species is one that may become extinct if measures aren't taken to protect it. An endangered species is one that has a very small population and at greater risk of becoming extinct. Many species that become extinct never make it to the endangered species list.

The Endangered Species Act

In 1969, the Departments of the Interior, Agriculture, and Defense passed the Endangered Species Conservation Act to prevent mass extinctions of certain species. The use of endangered species by humans for food, fur, and other commercial uses was outlawed by this act and by the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972. In 1973, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of Wild Fauna and Flora was implemented to cut back on the trade of plants and animals in trouble. The 1973 Endangered Species Act is one of the most significant environmental laws in America and defines endangered or threatened species, puts plants and invertebrates under protection, requires federal agencies to start programs to conserve important habitats, creates a wide umbrella of laws against hunting for endangered species, and matches contributions from individual states towards the project. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) are responsible for the enforcement of the Endangered Species Act.

Scientific Research

Scientists and the general population are also worried that if the destruction of biodiversity continues at the current rate, a mass extinction event will eventually take place. Many species go extinct before there is time to save them. Without protection, resources like global fisheries and future medicines may be lost forever unless adequate policy, scientific research, and individual actions can prevent further loss.

The North Atlantic right whale is one example of an animal researched at Wood's Hole in response to the mysterious reduction in species number. Scientists think that a number of factors may contribute to the declining number of right whales in the North Atlantic including collisions with boats, entanglement with fishing gear, failure to reproduce, unprotected feeding grounds, and exposure to chemicals. Simply stating that an animal is on a protected list and banning hunting is not enough. There are many other human influences preventing survival.

Controversy

There is great controversy surrounding the endangered species list related to when a species should be considered endangered, when should the species be removed from the list, whether governments can take land to protect habitats from development, and loopholes to the protection laws. Placing a species on the endangered list often causes the value to soar for poachers and collectors.

The Categories

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species provides the conservation status for different species and indicates how many exist, an increase or decrease in numbers, how well they are reproducing and if their populations face potential threats.

Conservation categories include: extinct, extinct in the wild, critical or critically endangered, endangered, vulnerable and secure or low risk ( see Figure 1). The Steller's sea cow is listed as extinct and no one expects to ever see one again. Animals that have gone extinct in the wild but still exist in captivity are, for example, the dromedary camel and Przewalski's horse.

Marine animals teetering above extinction on the critically endangered list are coelacanths, southern bluefin tuna, hawksbills and leatherback sea turtles. Marine endangered animals include: loggerheads, green and olive ridley sea turtles, various species of sawfishes and blue whales. Dugongs, humphead wrasses, whale sharks, humpback whales, grey nurse sharks, and great white sharks are examples of marine animals that will likely go extinct if little changes.

In the low-risk category are animals that do not meet the requirements to be considered on the endangered list. Threatened species are not protected as seriously as endangered species and include many species of whales and sharks. The last two categories are the "data deficient category" and the "not evaluated" category essentially meaning that more data needs to be collected or the species has not been considered yet. There are a great number of endangered species that still need to be put on the list and the definitions of what is considered endangered or threatened can vary greatly.

Listing a Species

Sometimes, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or National Marine Fisheries Service will add a species to the list and other times citizens or groups will petition for the species to be added. Before a species can be placed on the Endangered Species list it must first be on the Federal list of endangered and threatened wildlife and plants. Due to political pressures or time frames, species are often placed on a candidate list before they can be officially considered endangered or threatened. Once on the official list, anyone who ignores the Endangered Species Act can be fined up to $50,000 and jailed for up to one year. A plan is also made detailing how important habitats will be protected and what will be done to assist recovery of the species. Most species placed under protection by the Endangered Species Act have avoided extinction. Another interesting fact about the Endangered Species Act is that it contains a citizen enforcement clause so that the public can "sue" the government to make sure a species with dwindling numbers is listed. The IUCN endangered species red list can be downloaded from: http://www.iucnredlist.org

Loopholes

Sometimes, the preservation of one endangered species can mean a lot more than preventing the extinction of an animal. In the 1970's the Tellico dam in Tennessee not only threatened the survival of the perciform (snail) darter, but also the existence of one of the few remaining wild rivers in the state, sacred Native American land, important farmland, and recreational sport fishing. Using the Endangered Species Act, citizens in 1978 were able to get a Supreme Court ruling to prevent building of the Tellico dam in 1978. Politicians lobbied for a provision to the Environmental Species Act that would allow the dam and other projects to be completed if the benefits of building these structures would outweigh environmental problem caused. Even when it was determined that the dam was not economical, Congress allowed the dam to be built anyway. The snail was found in other places so it was moved down to the threatened list and the farmland, American Indian sites, and recreation on the wild river were lost.

CITES

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) was formed to make sure trade of exotic animals and plants across nations does not put their survival into jeopardy. Over 30,000 species are protected by CITES and none have become extinct due to trading since initiation of the agreement between governments.

IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)

The IUCN Red List does not yet give a complete picture of the number of marine species in trouble, even though they do list larger species like marine mammals, turtles, and seabirds that are considered threatened. The slowly changing lack of information about other species poses an obstacle to the protection of marine invertebrates and many types of fish. Only a few invertebrates exist on the list, including the giant clam. A campaign called " Shattering the Myth" was created to change things for marine species by the IUCN Species Survival Commission. Currently and recently added to the Red List are the swordfish, sawfishes, types of tunas, sharks, groupers, seahorses, manta rays, coelacanths, etc.

NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service)

The NMFS defines an endangered species as "any species which is in danger of extinction throughout all of a significant portion of its range". Mammals listed as endangered with the NMFS are blue whales, bowhead whales, fin whales, Western North Pacific gray whales, humpback whales, northern right whales, sei whales, southern right whales, sperm whales, Chinese river dolphins in China, Indus river dolphins in Pakistan, dugongs, West Indian manatees, Gulf of California harbor porpoises, Western stock of Steller sea lions, Caribbean monk seals, Hawaiian monk seals, Mediterranean monk seals, and ringed seals in Finland.

Marine Mammals

Marine mammals close to becoming an endangered species are categorized under threatened. These include: the Eastern Stock of the Steller sea lion, Guadalupe fur seals, and the California sea otters.

According to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), species can also be called "depleted". A depleted species is one whose numbers have dropped lower than the optimum sustainable population (OSP). The OSP is determined by whether the animals are reproducing in a healthy number that corresponds to the carrying capacity of the environment. When it is determined that a species has been depleted, the NMFS comes up with a plan to research factors involved and to bring the numbers back. Animals considered depleted are the North Atlantic Coastal bottlenose dolphins, Eastern spinner dolphins, North Pacific fur seals, the Northeastern Offshore and Coastal spotted dolphins, and Cook Inlet beluga whales. More information is being collected on "species of concern" which include Cook Inlet beluga whales and orcas (killer whales). Eastern Pacific gray whales has been recovered by the Endangered Species Act and were actually taken off the list. Steller's Sea cows was lost forever shortly before the MMPA and ESA were implemented.

Pinnipeds are seals, sea lions or walruses but are taxonomically relatives of bears, dogs, raccoons, otters or weasels. The families under pinnipedia include Phocidae, Otariidae and Odobenidae which are earless seals, fur seals or sea lions, and walrus respectively. The main reason for the loss of many pinnipeds is the amount of commercial fishing that took place from the 1700's up to the 1900's. Other reasons include the development of coastline and lack of fish due to overfishing.

Another group of marine mammals affected by commercial hunting between the 1700's and the 1900's were the baleen whales. Populations of baleen whales are still low in numbers even though commercial hunting is now mostly illegal. Many whales are still being hit and killed by ships, particularly critically endangered northern right whales. Whales are also tangled in fishing gear or marine garbage. Sometimes something as small as a party balloon can kill a whale by cutting off its digestive tract.

Marine Invertebrates

Marine invertebrates and plants are currently listed under the "candidates or species of concern" category in the Endangered Species Act due to a lack of information or time. These include Brachiopods, Corals, Mollusks, and various plant life. Brachiopods are invertebrates that live on the seafloor and feed through a filter appendage. They are attached to objects in the ocean and resemble a clam. Brachiopods reached the peak of their numbers in the Paleozoic era and were reduced greatly during the Permo-Triassic mass extinction. The two classes or types of brachiopods are the Inarticulata and the Articulata. Reasons for decline in number of brachiopods include habitat destruction, overfishing, pollution and sediment accumulation, general vulnerability to stress, and small numbers.

Corals are made of invertebrate polyps and are either hard or soft. They have been around for 500 million years since the Cambrian period. Hard corals are composed of calcium carbonate and they live symbiotically with zooxanthellae, a type of phytoplankton. Soft corals have calcareous pieces of matter in their structure and are usually found independently in deeper waters. All corals are related to anemones, hydras or jellyfish. There is only one class of coral and that is Anthozoa. Subclasses include Alcyonaria, Ceriantipatharia, and Hexacorallia (Zoantharia). In consideration for endangered status are the elkhorn coral, staghorn, ivory-bush, and Hawaiian reef corals (Order Scleractinia). Corals have declined drastically in numbers due to disease epidemics since the 80's, destruction of habitat, accumulation of sediment, a changing food chain resulting in increased predation, hurricanes, pollutants, alien species, invasive species like green algae, small numbers, fishing practices, and bleaching of corals due to temperature changes, to name a few.

Mollusks are invertebrates and most of them are in the Class Gastropoda which means "stomach foot" in Latin. They have a soft body and are often found with a shell, although they can also have an internal shell or no shell. Related to segmented worms and pogonophora, there are seven Classes of mollusks including: Aplacophora, Bivalvia, Cephalopoda, Gastropoda, Monoplacophora, Polyplacophora, and Scaphopoda. Animals qualifying as species of concern include: black abalone, green abalone, pink abalone, and pinto abalone. The white abalone is currently classified as endangered. The abalone has been overfished, numbers decreased, genetic diversity has been lost, it has been subjected to disease, poachers and changes in the food chain resulting in an increase in predation.

Marine Plants

Most marine plants include types of seagrass, types of mangroves and types of algae. Mangroves and seagrasses are flowering plants and use pollen to reproduce. They are often found close to the coast. Algae can be anything from tiny phytoplankton to huge seaweeds. So far, Johnson's seagrass is listed as threatened, although many other plants should be on the list. Plants are mostly lost when humans change the habitat, natural events change the environment or oxygen is used up by organisms thriving in nutrient-enriched areas (also often caused by humans).

Sea Turtles

Sea turtles are another animal threatened by extinction in the oceans. With aerodynamic bodies, oversized flippers and the ability to breathe air, these unique animals live in tropical or subtropical oceans all over the planet. The United States is visited by six of the seven types of sea turtles including greens, hawksbills, Kemp's ridleys, leatherbacks, loggerheads and olive ridleys. Sea turtles rely on undisturbed beaches to lay eggs and can travel huge distances to feed or nest.

Green sea turtles are endangered or threatened; hawksbill sea turtles are endangered; Kemp's ridley sea turtles are endangered; leatherback sea turtles are critically endangered; loggerhead sea turtles are threatened; and olive ridley sea turtles are endangered or threatened. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) fisheries are primarily in charge of the conservation and restoration of these species although the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service shares jurisdiction.

The major reasons why sea turtles are declining in numbers include: development or destruction of nesting and foraging places, accidental tangling in nets or lines, tangling in marine garbage and being hit by boats or motor craft. Regulations on gillnets, longlines, pound nets and trawls have been established by the NOAA fisheries and certain areas crucial for sea turtles have been roped off at important times. It is also important to handle sea turtles in a certain way and there are now regulations for this as well. Comprehensive strategies, research and management efforts are in the process of being developed so that the sea turtle can recover. In addition to nation-wide programs, the NOAA also has national and international programs.

Marine and Anadromous (freshwater breeding) Fish

Marine and anadromous fish are also under protection by the NOAA. Anadromous fish start out in freshwater, go to saltwater and then return to freshwater to breed. Marine fish spend their entire lives in saltwater. Most fish listed under the Endangered Species Act are Pacific salmonids and have been listed as Evolutionary Significant Units. Other types of fish listed are Atlantic salmon, shortnose sturgeon, smalltooth sawfish and the Gulf sturgeon.

Additional Resources
WHOI : Oceanus : Whither the North Atlantic Right Whale?
Wikipedia Threatened species
Wikipedia: Endangered species
Wikipedia: Endangered Species Act
Wikipedia: Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna
IUCN Red List - Categories & Criteria (version 3.1)
Endangered Species Information, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Status of Marine Mammals Under the Law - NOAA - Office of Protected Resources
Marine Invertebrates and Plants - Office of Protected Resources - NOAA Fisheries
Marine Turtles - Office of Protected Resources - NOAA Fisheries
Pinnipeds - Seals, Sea Lions, and Walruses - Office of Protected Resources - NOAA Fisheries
Cetaceans - Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises - Office of Protected Resources - NOAA Fisheries
Marine and Anadromous Fish - Office of Protected Resources - NOAA Fisheries

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Read "The Sixth Extinction" by Elizabeth Kolbert: http://amzn.to/1xGKn0K Rodolfo Dirzo et al. "Defaunation in the Anthropocene" http://bit.ly/1H7JQdw Stuart Pimm et al. "Biodiversity of Species and Their Rates of Extinction" http://bit.ly/1A5UZJM Get to know an endangered species: http://discover.iucnredlist.org Half of world's wildlife has died off in past 40 years: http://bit.ly/1BHl8jR Until recently, humankind seemed to view the ocean as a source of infinite resources.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
71% of the planet is made up of oceans. There a many different types of sea animals present among these oceans and seas, some of which are still unknown. Unfortunately, with the rise in: water temperature, sea pollution and hunting, comes the reduction in our marine life. Everyday, more and more marine animals are falling under the bracket of ''endangered''. Sadly, the selfishness and little care taken by us humans, is having a huge negative affect on our oceans and our animals. This negative affect is ultimately resulting in a increase of animals in danger of extinction.

Here at AnimalWised we aim to remind you about what is happening within our oceans, by listing the main marine animals that are in danger of extinction. This list however, is but a small example of the problems our oceans have been facing.

Hawksbill Sea turtle

This type of turtle, native to tropical and subtropical regions, is in critical danger of extinction. In the last century, its population has decreased by more than 80%. This is predominantly due to hunting, since its shell is largely appreciated for decorative purposes.

Despite the fact that there is an express prohibition on the trade of tortoiseshell, the black market continues to excessively exploit the selling of this animal's shell.

Vaquita

Vaquitas are small and timid cetaceans which inhabit an area between the high gulf of California and the Sea of Cortez. They belong to a family of cetaceans called porpoises and among them the vaquita is the only one which lives in warm waters.

This animal is in danger of imminent extinction, there are currently less than 60 specimens left in our oceans. Their massive disappearance is due to water pollution and fishing. Although these animals are not necessarily a target, they get caught in the gillnets that are used to fish. Fishery authorities and governments have not yet reached an agreement of prohibiting this type of fishing, despite the ongoing reduction in the presence of these porpoises.

Leatherback turtle

The leatherback turtle is the largest known turtle that exists. This turtle lives in the Pacific ocean and is also considered to be the oldest species of living turtle. However, in just the last few decades, this species has managed to sneak in among those marine animals in danger of extinction. Like the vaquita, the leatherback turtle is in danger of extinction due to uncontrolled fishing.

Atlantic bluefin tuna

The Atlantic bluefin tuna is one of the most sought after fish on the market. It is so popular, that the excessive fishing to which it has been subjected to, has caused its population to decrease by up to 85%. The bluefin tuna is on the verge of extinction due high human consumption. Despite attempts to control it, the fishing of tuna continues to set inflated figures and majority of this is due to illegal fishing.

Blue Whale

The blue whale is the largest animal in the world and unfortunately, falls under the list of marine animals in danger of extinction. The main reason for this, once again, is due to furtive and uncontrolled fishing.

This whale is used for its fat and tissue, with which soap or candles are made. Their beards are used to make brushes and their meat is even consumed in some countries. There are other reasons for the diminishing of the blue whale population, such as acoustic or environmental pollution, which affect the ecosystem of these animals.

If you want to read similar articles to Marine Animals In Danger Of Extinction, we recommend you visit our Endangered animals category.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
71% of the planet is made up of oceans. There a many different types of sea animals present among these oceans and seas, some of which are still unknown. Unfortunately, with the rise in: water temperature, sea pollution and hunting, comes the reduction in our marine life.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How we mapped the Great Pacific Garbage Patch | Research | Cleaning Oceans

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Demystifying ocean acidification and biodiversity impacts

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We all want to do our part. We participate in clean-ups and spread the word about reducing plastic waste. But, as much as we do, we often feel led to do more. One of the best ways to do more in terms of protecting the planet is to support the work of those leading the charge. Here are seven ocean-saving charities divers should support to help protect our playground.

By focusing on community and policy, this organization looks to implement change on the local level, through beach and ocean clean-ups, as well as on a broader scale by pushing for ocean-positive legislation changes. Their focus for 2018 is the fight against plastic debris, as well as protecting sharks and rays. Go online to sign the petitions they support, including ending mako shark fishing. Plus, learn about adopting a dive site, Dive Against Debris® , and more!

Co-founder Adrian Grenier, along with Lucy Sumner, founded this organization after learning of the loneliest whale in the ocean, singing at 52 hertz. Their mission now, in addition to telling the story of this cetacean, is to bring advertising powerhouses onboard to create campaigns that tackle everything ocean related, from their Strawless in Seattle campaign to eradicate drinking straws-thus removing 2.3 million plastic straws-to the #stopsucking campaign to push companies and consumers to forgo single-use plastic straws.

The Sylvia Earle Alliance champions saving what they call Hope Spots, aka areas of ocean most critical to our survival. At present, less than six percent of the ocean is protected. Through awareness and the creation of new MPAs, she and her team are focusing their efforts on areas including the Coral Sea, South Africa's False Bay, the Palmyra Atoll south of Hawaii, and more.

Founded by Paul Nicklen, legendary polar photographer, and conservation pioneer, Cristina Mittermeier, this organization focuses on capturing the beauty of our oceans in photos to spark worldwide passion to save them. Sea Legacy organizes localized social media campaigns to alert citizens of pressing issues. Past campaigns have included a project that highlighted the threat that gas and oil exploration in Lofoten, Norway, posed to cetaceans; they succeeded in persuading the new prime minister to end the practice. Moreover, the organization orchestrates 6 - 12 expeditions a year, actively seeking volunteers for these trips to the Arctic, the Caribbean and everywhere in between.

Since 2002, this Alliance based in Huntington Beach, California, has been tackling marine debris, including removing ghost nets-fishing nets that have been abandoned in the ocean to trap countless marine animals indefinitely. They welcome volunteer divers, as well as deckhands and cooks, to help with the process of using lift bags to retrieve large items, cutting and removing debris, and operating cranes to remove the nets. Participants must hold at least a Rescue Diver certification, as well as current Divers Alert Network insurance to volunteer in the field with this organization.

Through what they call ARTivism, or art-centered activism, this organization promotes ocean awareness. Donors can commission a mural for their community, or encourage their city to allocate funds for a mural or series of murals, which helps in two ways: educating the public about marine life, and raising money for their overarching mission, which is to provide education and outreach to communities through youth workshops and public talks to disseminate groundbreaking research findings. Moreover, PangeaSeed also sells environmental-centric prints and apparel to further fund the cause.
Global Ghost Gear Initiative
Abandoned fishing gear is continually killing off many of the ocean's most beloved animals, from dolphins and seals, to whales and sharks. This organization works worldwide with the fishing industry, governments and a variety of NGOs to remove nets to safeguard ecosystems, marine life and humans spending time in the ocean. Current projects include the recovery and recycling of lobster pots in Maine through NOAA and the Maine Lobster Fisherman Foundation, as well as GhostNets Australia to recycle ghost nets into art, and many more.

Looking to give back to your local dive community? Learn how you can organize your own coastal cleanup.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
7 Ocean-Saving Charities to Support Right Now

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We all want to do our part. We participate in clean-ups and spread the word about reducing plastic waste. But, as much as we do, we often feel led to do more. One of the best ways to do more in terms of protecting the planet is to support the work of those leading the charge.

# data[].attributes.body
this is a good breakthrough

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Inside the Lab That Could Solve the World's Plastics Problem (Unsolvable: Episode 1)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How Much Plastic Is In Our Oceans?- Earth Unplugged

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
See How It Feels to Be an Ocean Animal Stuck in a Plastic Bag | National Geographic

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Ocean Cleanup launches to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
You Are Exploring

Can we use the ocean without using it up? The task is daunting given current trajectories in fisheries, plastics, and other pollutants, and the impacts of climate change and ocean acidification. However, new scientific insights, tools, and partnerships are providing hope that it's not too late to transition to more-sustainable practices and policies. Dr. Lubchenco will draw on her four years as the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and the Administrator of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), her two years as the first U.S. Science Envoy for the Ocean, and her decades of research around the world to summarize the importance to people of sustainable use of the ocean, and approaches that are working.

Dr. Jane Lubchenco: Distinguished Professor, Oregon State University

#OceanHope
Image credit: Joy Leighton

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Dr. Jane Lubchenco - Hope for People and the Ocean

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Can we use the ocean without using it up? The task is daunting given current trajectories in fisheries, plastics, and other pollutants, and the impacts of climate change and ocean acidification. However, new scientific insights, tools, and partnerships are providing hope that it's not too late to transition to more-sustainable practices and policies.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The ocean plastic cleanup of Boyan Slat | VPRO Documentary

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The New Plastics Economy is an ambitious, three-year initiative to build momentum towards a plastics system that works. Find out more about the New Plastics Economy initiative (NPEC): newplasticseconomy.org. Animator: Simon Tibbs

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Reduce the effects of climate change on the ocean by leaving the car at home when you can and being conscious of your energy use at home and work. A few things you can do to get started today: Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs, take the stairs, and bundle up or use a fan to avoid oversetting your thermostat.

Global fish populations are rapidly being depleted due to demand, loss of habitat, and unsustainable fishing practices. When shopping or dining out, help reduce the demand for overexploited species by choosing seafood that is both healthful and sustainable.

3. Use Fewer Plastic Products

Plastics that end up as ocean debris contribute to habitat destruction and entangle and kill tens of thousands of marine animals each year. To limit your impact, carry a reusable water bottle, store food in nondisposable containers, bring your own cloth tote or other reusable bag when shopping, and recycle whenever possible.

4. Help Take Care of the Beach

Whether you enjoy diving, surfing, or relaxing on the beach, always clean up after yourself. Explore and appreciate the ocean without interfering with wildlife or removing rocks and coral. Go even further by encouraging others to respect the marine environment or by participating in local beach cleanups.

5. Don't Purchase Items That Exploit Marine Life

Certain products contribute to the harming of fragile coral reefs and marine populations. Avoid purchasing items such as coral jewelry, tortoiseshell hair accessories (made from hawksbill turtles), and shark products.

6. Be an Ocean-Friendly Pet Owner

Read pet food labels and consider seafood sustainability when choosing a diet for your pet. Never flush cat litter, which can contain pathogens harmful to marine life. Avoid stocking your aquarium with wild-caught saltwater fish, and never release any aquarium fish into the ocean or other bodies of water, a practice that can introduce non-native species harmful to the existing ecosystem.

7. Support Organizations Working to Protect the Ocean

Many institutes and organizations are fighting to protect ocean habitats and marine wildlife. Find a national organization and consider giving financial support or volunteering for hands-on work or advocacy. If you live near the coast, join up with a local branch or group and get involved in projects close to home.

8. Influence Change in Your Community

Research the ocean policies of public officials before you vote or contact your local representatives to let them know you support marine conservation projects. Consider patronizing restaurants and grocery stores that offer only sustainable seafood, and speak up about your concerns if you spot a threatened species on the menu or at the seafood counter.

9. Travel the Ocean Responsibly

Practice responsible boating, kayaking, and other recreational activities on the water. Never throw anything overboard, and be aware of marine life in the waters around you. If you're set on taking a cruise for your next vacation, do some research to find the most eco-friendly option.

10. Educate Yourself About Oceans and Marine Life

All life on Earth is connected to the ocean and its inhabitants. The more you learn about the issues facing this vital system, the more you'll want to help ensure its health-then share that knowledge to educate and inspire others.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Reduce the effects of climate change on the ocean by leaving the car at home when you can and being conscious of your energy use at home and work. A few things you can do to get started today: Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs, take the stairs, and bundle up or use a fan to avoid oversetting your thermostat.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Top 11 issues affecting our Oceans!

Plastic Bags have been banned in some regions, see list under In Action tab, Cities and Towns page.

It is not very often everyone agrees on anything. Remarkably, the world's top scientists and marine researchers virtually all agree on the issues facing our oceans health, and the demands being placed on what is arguably life's greatest resource on the planet. Here are 11 of the top issues facing the health of our oceans, and our planet.

The oceans are among our biggest resource for life on earth, and also our biggest dumping grounds. That kind of paradox could give anyone an identity crisis. We seem to think we can take all the goodies out and put all our garbage in, and then expect them to keep happily ticking away indefinitely. However, while it's true the oceans can provide us with some amazing eco-solutions like alternative energy, they're are undergoing some serious stress factors. Here are the some of the biggest problems facing the oceans. Making changes in our daily lives often starts with awareness. Solutions are as simple as eating the right sort of seafood, to ensuring garbage stays out of our waterways and Oceans.

1) Overfishing

There is much to be desired in the ways we fish. First, we humans use some pretty destructive methods in how we pull catches, including bottom trawling which destroys sea floor habitat and scoops up many unwanted fish and animals that are tossed aside. We also pull far too many fish to be sustainable, pushing many species to the point of being listed as threatened and endangered.

Reasons for overfishing are obvious in some ways, in that there are a lot of people who like to eat a lot of fish. The more fish, the more money for the fishermen. However there are other elements at work that promote overfishing that are less obvious, such as promoting the health benefits of one fish over another, or the health of fish oils.

Source: Tree Hugger www.treehugger.com

2) Irresponsible Fish Farming

Fish farming, or aquaculture, is the growing response to wild fish stocks rapidly depleting. While it sounds like a good idea in theory, it unfortunately has many negative consequences due to poorly managed operations. Nutrient and chemical pollution can occur easily in open-ocean operations when fish feed, excrement, and medication is released into the environment. Farmed fish accidentally released into wild populations can also have destructive effects, such as loss of native stocks, disease transmission, and damaging changes in habitat. Unfortunately, the biggest hindrance to overcoming the challenges of an industry that supplies nearly 50% of the world's fish food supply is that it currently remains relatively unregulated.

3) Ghost Fishing

Ghost fishing is an environmentally harmful issue caused when lost or discarded fishing gear continues to catch fish and other marine life. Often times, the traps trigger a chain-reaction problem when larger predators come to eat the smaller ones that have been ensnared, only to get tangled in the mess themselves. The issue of ghost fishing is most common with passive gear that has been abandoned, and also poses a serious threat to other ocean vessels. Stray gear can be caught in the propeller of a boat, damaging or even disabling it. Many solutions have been offered, such as fishing gear made from biodegradable materials or incentives like the Republic of Korea's buy-back program , which rewards fisherman for turning in old gear.

4) Garbage

6 Garbage Patches in our oceans. This one is the most obvious. It's astounding how much of our trash finds its way into the ocean. Animals become easily entangled and trapped in our garbage, and it can destroy delicate sea life like coral and sponges. In addition, sea turtles and dolphins often mistake plastic bags for their favorite foods, jellyfish and squids, choking them or clogging their digestive system. If that's not bad enough, hopefully the bigger-than-Texas trash vortex in the Pacific Ocean and its smaller cousin in the Atlantic will help serve as a wakeup call. One more depressing one before we move on to something fun and exciting. We certainly can't ignore a giant patch of plastic soup the size of Texas sitting smack dab in the middle of the Pacific ocean.

Taking a look at the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a sobering way to realize there is no "away" when it comes to trash, especially trash that lacks the ability to decompose. The patch was discovered by Captain Charles Moore , who has been actively vocal about it ever since.

Luckily, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch getting a lot of attention from eco-organizations, including Project Kaisei, which is launching the first clean-up effort and experimentation, and David de Rothschild who will sail a boat made of plastic out to the patch to bring awareness to it.

Article: Clean Our Oceans: The Impact of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

http://www.bbcleaningservice.com/great-pacific-gar...

This article was sent to us by David, a student in Colorado, USA. Thank You David.

Please see map of 6 Garbage Patches in our oceans: http://www.worldoceansday.ca/education-resources/6...

have been banned in some regions, see list under In Action tab, Cities and Towns page.

5) Acidification

The ocean absorbs as much as one third of the CO2 emitted worldwide, which keeps us cooler but makes the ocean surface much more acidic. This has the effect of limiting calcium carbonate needed by coral, plankton, and other marine life that use it to build the skeletal frames and shells that protect them. Oceanic acidity has increased by 25% since the industrial revolution, and will eventually destroy much marine life if it increases at this rate.

Ocean acidification is no small issue. The basic science behind acidification is that the ocean absorbs CO2 through natural processes, but at the rate at which we're pumping it into the atmosphere through burning fossil fuels, the ocean's pH balance is dropping to the point where life within the ocean is having trouble coping.

"Ocean acidification is more rapid than ever in the history of the earth and if you look at the pCO2 (partial pressure of carbon dioxide) levels we have reached now, you have to go back 35 million years in time to find the equivalents" said Jelle Bijma, chair of the EuroCLIMATE programme Scientific Committee and a biogeochemist at the Alfred-Wegener-Institute Bremerhaven.

Freaky, right? At some point in time, there is a tipping point where the oceans become to acidic to support life that can't quickly adjust. In other words, many species are going to be wiped out , from shellfish to corals and the fish that depend on them.

6) Dead Zones

Dead zones are areas where the sea floor has little to no dissolved oxygen. These areas are often found at the mouths of large rivers, and are caused primarily by fertilizers that are being carried in the runoff. Unfortunately, the lack of oxygen kills many creatures and destroys entire habitats. At our current rate, dead zones will increase by 50% before the end of the century. Dead zones are swaths of ocean that don't support life due to a lack of oxygen, and global warming is a prime suspect for what's behind the shifts in ocean behavior that cause dead zones. The number of dead zones is growing at an alarming rate , with over 400 known to exist , and the number is expected to grow .

Dead zone research underscores the interconnectedness of our planet. It appears that crop biodiversity on land could help prevent dead zones in the ocean by reducing or eliminating the use of fertilizers and pesticides that run off into the open ocean and are part of the cause of dead zones. Knowing what we dump into the oceans is important in being aware of our role in creating areas of lifelessness in an ecosystem upon which we depend.

7) Mercury Pollution

You can calculate how much tuna you can safely eat , and while the though that calculating your fish intake to avoid poisoning is really depressing, at least we're aware of the dangers so that we can, hopefully, straighten up our act.

8) Offshore Drilling

Offshore drilling continues to be a debate, but it's clear that proceeding with oil production will only exacerbate the dilemmas of our oceans. The use of fossil fuels is the reason our oceans have been heating up and becoming more acidic, but offshore drilling takes the risks even further. When oil is extracted from the ocean floor, other chemicals like mercury, arsenic, and lead come up with it. Also, the seismic waves used to find oil harm aquatic mammals and disorient whales. In 2008, 100 whales had beached themselves as a result of ExxonMobil exploring for oil with these techniques. Furthermore, the infrastructure projects to transport the oil often create worse problems, eroding the coastline. These realities are another reason

9) Whaling and Shark Finning

Sharks are top-of-the-food-chain predators, which means their reproduction rate is slow. Their numbers don't bounce back easily from overfishing. On top of that, their predator status also helps regulate the numbers of other species. When a major predator is take out of the loop, it's usually the case that species lower on the food chain start to overpopulate their habitat, creating a destructive downward spiral of the ecosystem.

Shark finning is a practice that needs to end if our oceans are to maintain some semblance of balance. Luckily, a growing awareness around the unsustainability of the practice is helping to lower the popularity of shark fin soup .

10) Ocean Warming

The oceans are rising and getting warmer faster than predicted. 71% of our planet is covered by oceans, yet we still neglect them, harming the innumerable creatures that live in them, and polluting one of our largest resources.

In the fight for the environment, the health of our oceans should be a top priority. Global warming is creating a climate time bomb by storing enormous amounts of heat in the waters of the north Atlantic, UK scientists have discovered.

Marine researchers at Southampton and Plymouth universities have found that the upper 1,500 metres of the ocean from western Europe to the eastern US have warmed by 0.015C in seven years. The capacity of the oceans to store heat means that a water temperature rise of that size is enough to warm the atmosphere above by almost 9C.

Neil Wells, a scientist on the project at the National Oceanographic Centre in Southampton, said: "People might think it doesn't sound like a big temperature rise but it's very significant." The findings were announced in the journal Geophysical Research Letters as James Lovelock, the UK scientist who developed the gaia theory of life on Earth, warned that such ocean warming could stifle marine life and accelerate climate change.

Professor Lovelock said that thermal mixing of water and nutrients shuts down when the upper layer of ocean water reaches about 12C. "That's why the tropical waters are clear blue and the water in the Arctic looks like soup," he said. Such a change would affect marine life, which research suggests could help form clouds over the oceans. Warmer waters would receive less protection from sunlight, which would warm them further.

The Southampton and Plymouth study suggests heat stored in the oceans could be released into the atmosphere in future, tempering efforts to stabilize global temperatures with cuts in manmade greenhouse gas emissions.

11) Destruction of Habitat and Coral Reefs

Keeping the coral reefs healthy is another major buzz topic right now. A focus on how to protect the coral reefs is important considering coral reefs support a huge amount of small sea life, which in turn supports both larger sea life and people, not only for immediate food needs but also economically .

Global warming is a primary cause of coral bleaching, but there are other causes as well. Science is working on ways , but it also is a matter of setting aside marine conservation areas. Figuring out ways to protect this "life support system" is a must for the overall health of the oceans.

References: Tree Hugger www.treehugger.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Top 11 Issues.............. Affecting Oceans

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Plastic Bags have been banned in some regions, see list under In Action tab, Cities and Towns page. It is not very often everyone agrees on anything. Remarkably, the world's top scientists and marine researchers virtually all agree on the issues facing our oceans health, and the demands being placed on what is arguably life's greatest resource on the planet.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Marine wildlife is in danger. Sharks are killed for their fins and many other marine species suffer due to human exploitation of the ocean. Learn more.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Aquariums and marine mammal theme parks like SeaWorld, the Miami Seaquarium, and Canada's Marineland are part of a billion-dollar industry built on the suffering of intelligent social beings who are denied everything that's natural and important to them.

Wild orcas and other dolphins live in large, complex social groups and swim vast distances every day in the open ocean. In captivity, they can only swim in endless circles inside tanks that, to them, are the equivalent of bathtubs and they're denied the opportunity to engage in almost any natural behavior. They are forced to perform meaningless tricks and are often torn away from family members when they're shuffled between parks. Many die far short of their species' natural life expectancy.

Families Torn Apart

Countless marine animals (even the original Shamu) were taken from their rightful ocean homes and placed in tanks. Tilikum, the orca who lashed out and killed SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau and two other people, died in a concrete prison 33 years after he was taken away from his Icelandic family. Lolita, torn away from her family when she was just a baby, has spent half a century in the same tank at the Miami Seaquarium. Some countries continue to capture wild dolphins and whales.

Captivity's Tragic Consequences

Frequently housed with incompatible tankmates, dolphins, whales, and other marine mammals are often drugged in order to manage stress-induced aggressive behavior and relieve the endless monotony of swimming in circles. They break their teeth chewing on the metal bars and concrete sides of their tanks and are forced to perform tricks for tourists in exchange for food-all in the name of entertainment.

While wild female orcas can live to be more than 100 years old, orcas at SeaWorld often die by the time they reach their teens and rarely approach even the average life expectancy of wild orcas. More than 40 orcas have died at SeaWorld from causes such as bacterial infections and fractured skulls. More than 300 other dolphins and whales along with approximately 400 pinnipeds have also died at the parks.

While Marineland can no longer breed whales and dolphins or confine new ones-thanks to Canada's recent ban on their captivity-it's still imprisoning the animals currently languishing there. Dozens of dolphins, whales, and walruses have died there-including a walrus named Apollo who recently suffered a heart attack. An orca named Kiska-who was abducted from her family in the ocean as a baby 40 years ago-is confined in isolation and can do nothing but swim in endless circles inside her cramped tank.

The Trouble With 'Interactive' Programs

Touch tanks as well as "swim with dolphins" and "paint with dolphins" programs allow the public to pet, kiss, paint with, or even ride these animals. Such programs invade their already diminished worlds and are intrusive, stressful, and even dangerous for them, as well as being risky for human participants.

Animals in "petting pools" are frequently exposed to foreign bacteria and other pathogens, and they can become anxious, frustrated, aggressive, and even neurotic as a result of being confined to shallow tanks and exposed to constant interaction with humans. Members of the public have been injured at SeaWorld's dolphin-petting pools.

Even programs that enable people to swim with dolphins in nature can be invasive. Boats and swimmers may chase, harass, and scare them, interfering with their natural feeding, resting, migrating, and playing behavior.

Poor Government Regulations

Captive marine mammals have some federal protections in the U.S., but enforcement is lax. There are simply too many animal exhibitors for the limited number of U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors-as of February 2020, there were 104 inspectors for 12,851 facilities. Even when exhibitors are cited for violating the federal Animal Welfare Act, they're rarely assessed fines or meaningful penalties.

Keeping Dolphins Free

In nature, orcas work cooperatively in search of food. They share complex relationships in a matrilineal society and-in some populations-rarely leave their mother's pod. They have group-specific food preferences and behavior. These attributes, along with their pods' unique dialects, are considered a form of culture that is unrivaled by any species other than humans.

Other dolphins, too, maintain dynamic relationships within a large social network. They live with up to a few dozen others in a pod and can swim as many as 60 miles each day and dive to depths of nearly 1,500 feet in nature.

The world is moving away from keeping intelligent, sensitive cetaceans in captivity. In the U.S., the National Aquarium is building the dolphins in its care a seaside sanctuary-a safe ocean cove in which captive marine mammals can be released into a protected area of the sea to dive deep, feel the ocean currents, and finally live like they should, all while still receiving care, food, and veterinary support. Two whales have been moved from a marine park in China to a seaside sanctuary in Iceland, and The Whale Sanctuary Project just announced plans for a seaside sanctuary for rescued orcas and belugas in Nova Scotia, Canada.

Governments around the world are also recognizing that dolphins (including orcas) and other cetaceans do not belong in tanks. Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, and Croatia have all banned the practice of keeping cetaceans in captivity. In 2013, India's Ministry of Environment & Forests banned the practice of keeping dolphins captive for public entertainment. Other countries, including Brazil, Luxembourg, Nicaragua, and Norway, have highly restrictive standards that make it nearly impossible to keep cetaceans in captivity. The last dolphinarium in the U.K. closed more than 20 years ago.

What You Can Do

Please don't visit marine parks, and never buy tickets to roadside zoos or aquariums that keep ocean animals in captivity. Encourage your local aquarium to create more space for rehabilitating (and releasing) injured wildlife by refusing to breed more animals.

You can also leaflet at local roadside aquariums or marine parks, pressure officials to avoid subsidizing these facilities with taxpayer money, write letters to the editor of local publications, and support legislation that prohibits the capture or restricts the display of marine mammals.
Please join PETA in urging SeaWorld and other marine parks to stop using animals and to relocate the orcas, bottlenose dolphins, and other animals to seaside sanctuaries, where they can thrive in the enrichment and diversity of the sea while still receiving the care that they require.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Aquariums and Marine Parks are no safe havens for marine mammals like dolphins and whales. Learn more on how you can help animals and not support these facilities.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Plastic Pollution, Our Oceans, Our Future...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Plastic pollution is one of the greatest threats to ocean health worldwide. But, there are many solutions to plastic pollution that you can participate in today. This article covers some of the basic facts about ocean plastic pollution and provides several specific plastic pollution solutions that everyone can take part in.

The Ocean Plastic Pollution Problem

With skyrocketing plastic production, low levels of recycling, and poor waste management, between 4 and 12 million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean each year-enough to cover every foot of coastline on the planet! And that amount is projected to triple in the next 20 years. Let that sink in for a moment.

In the ocean, plastic pollution impacts sea turtles, whales, seabirds, fish, coral reefs, and countless other marine species and habitats. In fact, scientists estimate that more than half of the world's sea turtles and nearly every seabird on Earth have eaten plastic in their lifetimes. Plastic pollution also mars otherwise beautiful beaches, coastlines, and snorkel and dive sites worldwide, even in remote areas such as Midway Atoll.

One of the reasons that plastic pollution is such a problem is that it doesn't go away: "plastics are forever." Instead, plastic debris simply breaks down into ever-smaller particles, known as microplastics, whose environmental impacts are still being determined.

Plastic Pollution Solutions: 7 Things You Can Do Today

Everyone can do something to help solve the plastic pollution problem, and millions of people worldwide are already taking action to reduce their plastic use. Here are seven ways you can make a difference, starting today.

1. Reduce Your Use of Single-Use Plastics

Wherever you live, the easiest and most direct way that you can get started is by reducing your own use of single-use plastics. Single-use plastics include plastic bags, water bottles, straws, cups, utensils, dry cleaning bags, take-out containers, and any other plastic items that are used once and then discarded.

The best way to do this is by a) refusing any single-use plastics that you do not need (e.g. straws, plastic bags, takeout utensils, takeout containers), and b) purchasing, and carrying with you, reusable versions of those products, including reusable grocery bags, produce bags, bottles, utensils, coffee cups, and dry cleaning garment bags. And when you refuse single-use plastic items, help businesses by letting them know that you would like them to offer alternatives.

2. Support Legislation to Curb Plastic Production and Waste

As important as it is to change our individual behaviors, such changes alone are insufficient to stop ocean plastic pollution. We also need legislation that reduces plastic production, improves waste management, and makes plastic producers responsible for the waste they generate. There are a variety of ways that you can support local, national, and international legislation that provide critical solutions to reduce plastic pollution. One such effort in the United States is the 2021 Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act, a comprehensive federal bill that aims to address the plastic pollution crisis, and there are a number of state level initiatives to introduce extended producer responsibility (EPR) legislation that makes plastic producers and distributors responsible for their products and packaging at the end of life.

At the international level, hundreds of organizations and businesses successfully worked together with United Nations member states to enact a global plastics treaty, signed by 175 member states, that will set global rules and regulations to reduce plastic pollution. And legislation that limits, taxes, or bans unnecessary single use plastic items, such as plastic bags, takeout containers, and bottles, has been successfully enacted in many places globally, and you can support the adoption of such policies in your community too. Here is a comprehensive resource and toolkit on legislative approaches to limiting plastic bags, foodware, microplastics, and more.

3. Recycle Properly

This should go without saying, but when you use single-use (and other) plastics that can be recycled, always be sure to recycle them. At present, just 9% of plastic is recycled worldwide. Recycling helps keep plastics out of the ocean and reduces the amount of "new" plastic in circulation. If you need help finding a place to recycle plastic waste near you, check Earth911's recycling directory. It's also important to check with your local recycling center about the types of plastic they accept.

4. Participate In (or Organize) a Beach or River Cleanup

Help remove plastics from the ocean and prevent them from getting there in the first place by participating in, or organizing a cleanup of your local beach or waterway. This is one of the most direct and rewarding ways to fight ocean plastic pollution. You can simply go to the beach or waterway and collect plastic waste on your own or with friends or family, or you can join a local organization's cleanup or an international event like our Global Ocean Cleanup or the International Coastal Cleanup.

Take Our 7-Day Fight Plastic Waste Challenge

Join the global movement to fight plastic waste with our 7-day challenge. With just a few minutes a day, you'll be on your way to reducing ocean plastic pollution from home.
Take the Challenge

5. Avoid Products Containing Microbeads

Tiny plastic particles, called " microbeads," have become a growing source of ocean plastic pollution in recent years. Microbeads are found in some face scrubs, toothpastes, and bodywashes, and they readily enter our oceans and waterways through our sewer systems, and affect hundreds of marine species. Avoid products containing plastic microbeads by looking for "polythelene" and "polypropylene" on the ingredient labels of your cosmetic products (find a list of products containing microbeads here).

6. Spread the Word

Stay informed on issues related to plastic pollution and help make others aware of the problem. Tell your friends and family about how they can be part of the solution, or host a viewing party for one of the many plastic pollution focused documentaries, like A Plastic Ocean, Garbage Island: An Ocean Full of Plastic, Bag It, Addicted to Plastic, Plasticized, or Garbage Island.

7. Support Organizations Addressing Plastic Pollution

There are many non-profit organizations working to reduce and eliminate ocean plastic pollution in a variety of different ways, including Oceanic Society, Plastic Pollution Coalition, 5 Gyres, Algalita, Plastic Soup Foundation, and others. These organizations rely on donations from people like you to continue their important work. Even small donations can make a big difference!

These seven ideas only scratch the surface for ways you can help address the growing problem of plastic pollution in the oceans. The important thing is that we all do something, no matter how small. For more ideas and resources, sign up to join our Blue Habits community of people worldwide committed to joyful daily actions that improve ocean health.

Reduce Plastic Pollution From Home with Our 7-Day Challenge

Join the global movement to fight plastic waste by participating in our 7-day challenge.
Take the Challenge

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
7 Ways to Reduce Ocean Plastic Pollution Today

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Plastic pollution is one of the greatest threats to ocean health worldwide. But, there are many solutions to plastic pollution that you can participate in

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How We Can Keep Plastics Out of Our Ocean | National Geographic

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Species that Suffer from Illegal Activities on the Ocean

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Illegal activities on the ocean include breaking fishing laws, poaching, ignoring marine protected areas, and polluting. Such actions contaminate or destroy delicate marine habitats-including coral reefs or sea turtle nesting beaches-and they deplete fish populations, upsetting the entire marine food chain.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Killer whale and Weddell seal.

Credit: Robert Pitman/NOAA

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Orcas mourn their dead, right whales have accents and dolphins like to have fun (and they "talk" in their sleep). Because of their special intelligence and culture, marine mammals should have their own set of rights, researchers attending the American Association for the Advancement of Science's annual meeting here said.

"Because of their cultural sophistication these are enormously vulnerable individuals," said Lori Marino, who studies brain and behavioral evolution in mammals at Emory University in Atlanta. "We have all the evidence to show that there is an egregious mismatch between how cetaceans are and how they are perceived and still treated by our species."

Giving rights to cetaceans, the name for the group of marine mammals that includes dolphins and whales, would allow them better treatment under the law, including making sure they have healthy habitats and enough food to hunt and survive, as well as getting them out of captivity.

Special brains

Scientists point to a few qualities of marine mammals when suggesting the animals deserve some basic rights: they are self-aware, display complex intelligence and even have culture.

"These characteristics are shared with our own species, we recognize them," Marino said. "All of these characteristics make it ethically inconsistent to deny the basic rights of cetaceans."

And what do they mean by "basic rights?"

"When we talk about rights, that's a shorthand way to talk about the fundamental needs of a being," Thomas White, of Loyola Marymount University in California, said at the symposium. He also draws the difference between "human" and "person," similar to how philosophers distinguish the two: A human is a biological idea - Homo sapiens, to be specific, while in philosophy, a person is a being of any species with a particular set of characteristics that deserves special treatment. [ 10 Things That Make Humans Special]

"You have to have a species-appropriate understanding of rights," White said. These include the basic set of conditions for growth, development, flourishingand even a rudimentary sense of satisfaction in life.

The researchers noted some areas where humans are stripping these animals of their rights. For instance, by keeping them in captivity we are exploiting their right to live in their natural environment without human interference, and taking away their right to physical and mental health, Marino said, adding, "The effects of captivity are well known. These animals suffer from stress and disease in captivity. Many captive dolphins and orcas show physical and behavioral indications of stress." (Some endangered animals are kept in captivity for specially designed breeding programs meant to protect their population from extinction.)

PETA problems

The meeting comes on the heels of a recent ruling in a San Diego court that animals such as whales and dolphins don't have human rights, shutting down a lawsuit from the group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), who had claimed that SeaWorld's orcas were slaves. PETA claimed that the park broke the 13th Amendment of the Constitution - banning slavery - by forcing their animals, specifically the orcas, to work against their will for the financial gain of their owners.

San Diego District Judge Jeffrey Miller dismissed the case before the hearing even began. "As 'slavery' and 'involuntary servitude' are uniquely human activities," he explained in his decision on Feb. 8, "there is simply no basis to construe the Thirteenth Amendment as applying to non-humans."

His statement makes clear, Marino pointed out, why she and others are fighting for "person" status for marine mammals. "Without obtaining legal status as a person in the law there's nowhere to go and there's nothing that judge could have done in that PETA case, even if he wanted to," Marino said. Before we start asking for legal action, she said, we need to get these animals their basic rights.

Follow LiveScience for the latest in science news and discoveries on Twitter @livescience and on .

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Marine Mammals Need Rights, Too, Scientists Say

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Orcas mourn their dead, right whales have accents and dolphins like to have fun (and they "talk" in their sleep). Because of their special intelligence and culture, marine mammals should have their own set of rights, researchers attending the American Association for the Advancement of Science's annual meeting here said.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Kids Take Action Against Ocean Plastic | Short Film Showcase

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
After a 1999 study discovered that less than 0.5% of all resources spent by environmental nonprofit groups in the United States went to ocean advocacy, a group of leading foundations - The Pew Charitable Trusts, Oak Foundation, Marisla Foundation (formerly Homeland Foundation), Sandler Foundation, and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund - banded together.

To fill the gap, they created Oceana: an international organization focused solely on oceans, dedicated to achieving specific, time-bound policy victories that help protect and restore the world's oceans.

The Ocean Law Project - also initiated by The Pew Charitable Trusts - was absorbed into Oceana in 2001. In 2002, Oceana merged with American Oceans Campaign, founded by actor and environmentalist Ted Danson, to more effectively address our shared mission of protecting and restoring the world's oceans.
Since its founding, Oceana has expanded its campaigns to nine coastal countries and the European Union and protected nearly 4 million square miles of ocean.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What does Oceana do? We campaign worldwide for policy change to restore and increase ocean biodiversity and abundance. Get to know our mission, history, and work.

# data[].attributes.body
it is about animal rights

# data[].attributes.headline
I was wondering if I could work on line of inquiry #3 because my research is mostly on the rights of ocean animals 

# data[].attributes.subject
I was wondering if I could work on line of inquiry #3 because my research is mostly on the rights of ocean animals 

# data[].attributes.body
my reason for this is because when I was researching only about plastic for some reason there is almost none of animal poaching