The world's oceans are vitally important to all life on Earth. However, human activities are altering marine ecosystems in highly detrimental ways. To better protect our oceans, we need a greater understanding of how serious threats – overfishing, widespread pollution and global climate change – are altering these environments.
To improve our knowledge of ocean ecosystems and the life they support, the Ocean Science Division pursues a diverse portfolio of projects related to marine conservation. We develop and support scientific research, technical analyses and syntheses of scientific information that help to explain critical emerging issues, inform policy and advance solutions to conservation problems.
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For the first time, scientists have shown that ocean warming has had a global impact on the mix of species caught by fishermen.More
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(Washington Post) Fish and other sea life have been moving toward Earth’s poles in search of cooler waters, part of a worldwide, decades-long migration documented for the first time by a study released Wednesday. More
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Predator-prey relationships can have profound effects on fish populations, but they are generally not considered explicitly in fisheries management. Several methods are available today to incorporate predators, a practical step toward ecosystem-based management.More
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A new study of tuna fishing in the western and central Pacific Ocean finds that restricting the use of fish aggregating devices (FADs) could increase earnings in the fishing industry.More
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Penguins from across the globe represent maine sentinels indicating dangerous conditions in our oceans and on land. Marine biologists Dee Boersma and Pablo Borboroglu of the Global Penguin Society describe their work in studying and protecting these species and how others can help.More
