Ocean News

IOC-UNESCO has sent a letter to IOC Member States with a request to please review their GOOS National Focal Points and Argo National Focal Points and to update them as necessary using the nomination forms. Completed Argo and GOOS National Focal Point nomination forms should be sent to the GOOS Administrative Support, with cc to the OceanOPS Argo Technical Coordinator and Programme Specialist at GOOS Office for GOOS National Focal […]

Green Tides  is a five-episode podcast series that combines storytelling and expert interviews to explore the science, people, and ideas shaping more resilient coastal futures. Through accessible and engaging narratives, the series addresses some of the most pressing challenges facing coastal areas worldwide, including sea-level rise, coastal erosion, climate change, environmental justice, ocean literacy, technological innovation, and stakeholder engagement. The podcast

To mark its 15th anniversary, JPI Oceans is launching a photo and art competition inviting artists, photographers, and enthusiasts to illustrate the science behind our Joint Actions. Since its founding, JPI Oceans has coordinated European research and innovation on some of the ocean’s most pressing and, at times, overlooked challenges: for instance, the ecological impact

The European Commission has adopted two new strategies, one for EU islands and one for EU coastal communities, setting out for the first time a coordinated European approach to support both types of territories and unlock their long-term potential. The two initiatives introduce a targeted approach, dedicated to the specific needs and unique challenges of 17 million people living on more

The third World Ocean Assessment (WOA III) is the global integrated assessment of the world’s ocean covering environmental, economic and social aspects. This report, produced by the UN, is the main output of the third cycle of the Regular Process for Global Reporting and Assessment of the States of the Marine Environment, including Socioeconomic Aspects. WOA III is now available in a dynamic,

Former EMB artists-in-residence Lera Litvinova and Michael Begg have a new joint exhibition open in Kyiv, Ukraine. This type of collaboration shows the value that EMB’s EMBracing the Ocean artists-in-residence programme continues to have even after the artists’ residency finishes. Their joint exhibition entitled “Shadow Over Water” is dedicated to the fragility of Ukraine’s marine ecosystems and the challenges they face due to climate change, human activity, and the

Which species would you choose to represent the UK on a future banknote? The Bank of England is inviting the public to vote for their favourite wildlife species, from mammals and birds to fish, amphibians and reptiles. The shortlist celebrates the rich diversity of British wildlife and offers a chance for nature to take centre

Head over to OnlyOne to join reef restorers Gimel, Duran, Kate and Alex for a day’s dive. Watch their new short film that explores what is it like to outplant and monitor corals in The Bahamas. Together with scientists, tourists, dive shops and local businesses, they’re helping rehabilitate and sustain vital ecosystems and educate communities

Indigenous leaders, scientists, conservation groups and community members gathered in Prince Rupert, British Columbia, this spring to mark the tenth anniversary of the Lelu Island Declaration, which placed Lelu Island and surrounding salmon habitat in the Skeena River estuary under the protection of Indigenous laws. The declaration was signed in 2016 in response to plans

The PNW Regional Blue Carbon Calculator was developed by scientists, state agencies, and nonprofit partners as an easy-to-use tool for estimating the emissions and sequestration impacts of land management actions such as wetland conservation, restoration, or degradation. It translates blue carbon science into regionally relevant estimates. Coastal wetlands are powerful climate and resilience assets. This calculator makes

The authors of Chapter 3 “Projected futures in the context of sustainable development and climate change” of the Working Group III on Mitigation of Climate Change of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Seventh Assessment Report (AR7), invite researchers to share relevant qualitative scenario/futures materials and resources to support a comprehensive and robust assessment. As part of this chapter, the authors are mandated

On Wednesday, 3 June, EMB and its Young Ambassadors hosted an ECOP Wednesday series event on the topic of “Transformative approaches to Ocean protection, restoration and governance“. The session featured Gro Njølstad Slotsvik as speaker and was followed by an interactive Q&A discussion. In her talk, Gro explored how early career ocean professionals can contribute to transformative change in practical ways.

In Return to the Bering, a short film by Fielder Films available free on YouTube, surfers Noah Wegrich, Pete Devries, Mark McInnis and Alaska surf explorer Josh Mulcoy venture deeper into the remote Bering Sea in search of legendary waves. Along the way, they encounter a rugged, untamed landscape where crystal-clear waters meet beaches crowded

Aotearoa New Zealand has announced its largest expansion of marine protection in more than a decade, creating six new marine reserves and extending protection across parts of the south-east coast of Te Waipounamu/South Island. The measures will safeguard important habitats for species including hoiho/yellow-eyed penguins, New Zealand sea lions, seabirds and marine fish. Read more

World Ocean Day, celebrated annually on 8 June, brings people together worldwide to support ocean conservation. The 2026 Action Theme, Strong Marine Protected Areas for Our Blue Planet, focuses on advancing global commitments to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030. The campaign highlights the role of well-managed marine protected areas in safeguarding biodiversity and

The Antarctic krill fishery reached its catch limit early for the first time in its history, forcing the fishery to close four months ahead of schedule in August 2025. Although the overall catch limit of 620,000 tonnes was designed to protect krill stocks, the lapse of zone-specific restrictions allowed more than 57% of the annual

White-tailed eagles are set to be released in Exmoor National Park as part of a conservation project aimed at restoring the species to southern England. Up to 20 young birds will be released over three years, building on an existing reintroduction programme on the Isle of Wight. Supporters say the project will boost biodiversity and

Scientists have identified 1,121 previously unknown marine species in a single year through the Ocean Census, a global effort to accelerate the discovery of ocean life. Findings include a deep-sea ghost shark, a carnivorous sponge nicknamed the “death ball,” and symbiotic worms living inside glass sponges. Researchers say the discoveries highlight both the richness of

Five months after a major marine crisis began in Papua New Guinea’s New Ireland Province, authorities still cannot confirm what caused it. The event started on 11 December 2025, when fish began dying in Larairu Lagoon near Kafkaf Village. Within weeks, marine die-offs spread along the coast, with community monitors recording 3,451 dead marine organisms

A group of women in Makongeni, Kenya, are being celebrated for protecting both bees and coastal ecosystems through community-led beekeeping. The Makongeni Beekeepers care for nearby mangroves to keep their bees healthy, while the restored mangroves provide vital breeding grounds for fish, supporting local fisheries in return. Led by chairlady Zayneb Hamisi Mandano, the initiative

The UN General Assembly has overwhelmingly backed a landmark International Court of Justice opinion stating that countries have a legal obligation to tackle climate change. The resolution reinforces the court’s 2025 advisory opinion that governments must reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address fossil fuel use. While not legally binding, the decision is expected to influence

Nearly a decade after bottom trawling and dredging were banned in Scotland’s South Arran Marine Protected Area, scientists have recorded a major recovery in seabed life. Surveys found around three times more marine organisms and twice as many species compared to nearby unprotected waters. Researchers documented the return of more than 1,500 species, including worms

After one of the deadliest migration seasons on record for grey whales in San Francisco Bay, scientists have launched a new AI-powered monitoring system designed to help protect the animals from ship strikes. Researchers found that nearly one in five grey whales identified in the bay died there, with vessel collisions responsible for around 40%

The new U.S. Ocean Sound Monitoring and Condition Reporting website uses 12 National Marine Sanctuaries as geographic management areas to present standardized time-series metrics of sound levels, detection products, and other ocean indicators across 29 monitoring stations. The goal is to provide place-based, contextualized soundscape information that aligns with international standards and supports research activities, resource protection, and

SCOR is inviting to contribute to their “Literature Review Spreadsheet” here. This is a structured repository designed to catalogue and analyse research on AI-based sea ice models. It aims to provide a collaborative resource for tracking the evolution of machine learning approaches, including model architectures, training and validation datasets, and evaluation frameworks. The document is

The International Symposium on Transformative Ocean Science is a high-level forum bringing together leading scientists, research organisations, policymakers, and funding bodies to reflect on how ocean science must evolve to meet Europe’s most pressing environmental, societal, and policy challenges. During the first edition, held in Venice from 24 to 27 March 2026, the Symposium focused on the scientific, institutional, and

The European Commission has launched a public consultation on the Birds and Habitats Directives, with contributions feeding into a stress test of both. This is part of the Commission’s wider simplification initiative to strengthen EU competitiveness while continuing to safeguard environmental, economic and social goals. The EU Nature Directives protect birds, other species and habitats in the EU,

The EU Mission Restore our Ocean & Waters (Mission Ocean) is an initiative of the Horizon Europe research and innovation programme for the years 2021-2027 to help achieve the marine and freshwater targets of the European Green Deal. The three objectives of the Mission Ocean are: 1)      Protect and restore marine and freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity; 2)     

EMB’s Annual Report 2025 is now published and available for download. In 2025, we engaged in a wide range of marine science-policy activities, including the publication of the Future Science Briefs on ‘Deep Sea Research and Management Needs‘ and on ‘Monitoring, Verification and Reporting of mCDR’, organising the 9th EMB Forum, and engaging in a number of externally funded projects. EMB maintained its support for

Jersey has nearly quadrupled the proportion of its territorial waters under marine protection, increasing coverage from 6% to 21.7%. The move marks a significant expansion of the island’s marine conservation efforts and aims to better protect vulnerable marine habitats and species. The new measures form part of Jersey’s broader commitment to sustainable marine management and

A Dutch court has ruled that bottom trawling in the Dogger Bank cannot continue without permits and environmental assessments. The court found that the Dutch government’s blanket exemption for trawl fishing in the protected Natura 2000 area was contrary to nature protection legislation. The ruling could enforce governments’ legal responsibility to regulate bottom trawling in

Emperor penguins have become caught in a wider clash between conservation and geopolitics in Antarctica. As delegates met in Hiroshima this week for the 48th Antarctic Summit, conservationists called for stronger protections for the species, which has recently been listed as endangered following severe sea ice loss and repeated breeding failures. The proposal would grant

2026 marks the sixth year of implementation of the Ocean Decade, which kicked off in January with a historic milestone for ocean governance: the entry into force of the BBNJ Agreement on marine biological diversity in the high seas. Building on this momentum, and looking towards the global ocean community’s next milestone gathering at the

On Wednesday, 6 May 2026, EMB and its Young Ambassadors hosted an ECOP Wednesday series event on the topic of “Unravelling Marine Food Webs: From Trophic Ecology to Ecosystem-Based Management”. The session featured Sara Mohamed as a speaker and was followed by an interactive Q&A discussion. If you missed this interesting talk, you can re-watch it now on their YouTube channel!

Conservation organisation Mossy Earth is piloting an innovative new “fish village” as part of its coral reef restoration work in Indonesia. The team has deployed specially designed reef structures to create more shelter and surface area for marine life and young coral recruits, helping to build a more complex and resilient reef ecosystem. Scientists believe

Scientists exploring the remote Mariana Islands have discovered an enormous deep-sea coral colony believed to be among the largest ever recorded. The sprawling coral structure supports a rich diversity of marine life and highlights how little of the deep ocean has been explored. Researchers say discoveries like this underline the ecological importance of deep-sea ecosystems

Scientists have recorded an encouraging rise in births among North Atlantic right whale populations, with recent calving numbers offering hope after years of decline. Researchers caution that the species remains under severe threat from ship strikes, fishing gear entanglement and climate change, but the increase suggests conservation efforts may be starting to make a difference.

Greenpeace has launched a major new scientific mission into one of the planet’s least explored environments: the deep Arctic Ocean. The month-long “Deep Arctic Expedition” will bring together international researchers to investigate underwater mountain ranges and hydrothermal vents thousands of metres below the surface, in ecosystems so remote that scientists believe entirely new species may

This June, real-time CHLA data distributed by the Argo system will undergo a high-impact reprocessing. This update will significantly improve data quality but may also have important implications for end users. How to stay informed We strongly encourage you to join our mailing list to receive timely updates about this CHLA reprocessing and other key future Argo

The new U.S. Ocean Sound Monitoring and Condition Reporting website uses 12 National Marine Sanctuaries as geographic management areas to present standardized time-series metrics of sound levels, detection products, and other ocean indicators across 29 monitoring stations. The goal is to provide place-based, contextualized soundscape information that aligns with international standards and supports research activities, resource protection, and

The Government and Expert Review of the Special Report on Climate Change and Cities Second order Draft (SOD)  will take place from 8 May to 3 July 2026.  It is a key element of the IPCC assessment process. The purpose of this review is to help ensure that the report provides a balanced and comprehensive assessment of the latest scientific findings. All experts who contributed comments

EMB is delighted to announce the newly selected artists-in-residence for the 2026 – 2027 edition of the EMBracing the Ocean programme! Jamie Wardrop is a Glasgow-based artist, visual designer and creative technologist. His practice combines projection, animation, live visuals and digital tools to create atmospheric, communal experiences that explore ecology, place and environmental change. For his

A new report by The Wildlife Trusts finds that existing UK laws are failing to adequately protect whales and dolphins. Despite legal safeguards, cetaceans remain at risk from bycatch, noise pollution and habitat disturbance. The report calls for stronger enforcement, clearer protections and more effective monitoring to ensure these species are properly safeguarded in UK

Ghana has announced its first marine protected area (MPA), marking a significant step for ocean conservation in West Africa. The designation will safeguard biodiversity, support fish stocks and strengthen coastal resilience. By limiting harmful activities and promoting sustainable management, the initiative offers benefits for both marine ecosystems and local communities, while contributing to global efforts

Ocean warming is beginning to leave a measurable mark on life beneath the surface. A recent study highlights a steady and concerning trend: in some regions, fish biomass is declining by around 20% each year. Rather than sudden collapse, the change is gradual – driven by chronic increases in ocean temperature that are reshaping marine

The Reef Resilience Network has launched the new Management Effectiveness for Marine Protected Areas Online Course. This course is designed for MPA managers and staff who are moving beyond area designation and focusing on management effectiveness. Participants will gain foundational knowledge on what makes an MPA truly effective and learn how to assess management effectiveness. Participants

The Collaboration for effective sea action (COSEA) App aims to create an open platform for marine observations, community engagement and project collaboration. Initiatives, organisations, science projects and even small groups of ocean activists can join up and co-use the app toolkit to co-create COSEA together. The COSEA App is currently in the first prototype phase. With every partner, COSEA will work

This self-paced online course aims to support ocean practitioners in understanding how effective data management and ocean observations underpin evidence-based Marine/Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP). It highlights the critical role that reliable, accessible, and well-managed data play in informing planning processes, supporting decision-making, and enabling sustainable use of marine and coastal areas. The course comprises various learning resources, activities and assessments, with

The Commission has launched a public consultation to help shape the European Ocean Act, a key legislative proposal under the European Ocean Pact, set for adoption in 2026. The Ocean Act aims to strengthen ocean governance in the EU, serving as a single reference point for all economic, climate, environmental, and social targets to protect and sustainably use ocean resources. The consultation invites

A new byelaw excludes trawling from much of the Beachy Head East Marine Conservation Zone, marking a major milestone for Sussex marine life. Introduced by the IFCA following statutory consultation, it removes the threat of damage from heavy fishing gear. This significant step strengthens protection for fragile seabed habitats and signals real progress for marine