Sea Shepherd Returns to Antarctic to Raise Awareness about Krill
in an area between the South Orkney Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula region, an area scientists describe as one of the most important whale feeding grounds in the world, and a proposed marine protected area (MPA).Krill — small, shrimp-like crustaceans — are the foundation of the Antarctic food web. Whales, penguins, seals, and seabirds rely on krill as their primary food source. Without sufficient krill, these species cannot feed, reproduce, or properly recover from past population declines.Sea Shepherd has already reported krill super trawlers hauling nets in the midst of feeding whales
![Microplastic beads seen in the central tube of a copepod [their intestinal tract], as evidenced here, fluorescently labelled beads help with visualization and identification. © PML](https://images.marinetechnologynews.com/images/maritime/w200h200padcanvas/microplastic-beads-seen-166795.jpeg)
Study Records Zooplankton Transporting Microplastics to the Deep Sea
ocean each day.Zooplankton are already emerging as a major biological pathway for microplastics to transport through marine ecosystems. With over 125 trillion microplastic particles estimated to have accumulated in the ocean, understanding how these pollutants are moving through marine ecosystems and food webs is vital for predicting long-term consequences for ocean health.Copepods are widely considered to be the most numerous zooplankton in our ocean, dominating zooplankton communities in nearly every ocean region, from surface waters to the deep sea. Their staggering numbers mean that even small actions
Scientists Collect Biodiversity Data in Argentina’s Submarine Canyons
an array of technologies to collect the most robust data set available about how the major Malvinas ocean current interacts with submarine canyons and influences Argentina’s renowned marine biodiversity. Their goal was to better understand the region’s plankton blooms, the basis of the food web that sustains the Argentinian fishing industry. These plankton blooms are so large that they can be observed from space. The expedition was led by Dr. Silvia Ines Romero of Argentina’s Servicio de Hidrografia Naval. Her team hypothesized that these submarine canyons serve as conduits
Deep-sea Mining Threatens “Twilight Zone” Ecosystem
A new University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa study has found that more than half of the zooplankton forming the ocean’s food building blocks in the “twilight zone” (a vital region 200–1,500 meters below sea level) could be harmed by deep-sea mining, risking bigger creatures further up the food web.The study finds that 53% of all zooplankton and 60% of micronekton, which feed on zooplankton, would be impacted by the discharge of the mining waste, which could ultimately impact predators higher up on the food web.“When the waste released by mining activity enters the ocean, it creates
Marine Heatwaves Impact Food Webs
New research shows that marine heatwaves can reshape ocean food webs, which in turn can slow the transport of carbon to the deep sea and hamper the ocean’s ability to buffer against climate change.The study, published in the scientific journal Nature Communications today, was conducted by an interdisciplinary team of researchers from MBARI, the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, the Hakai Institute, Xiamen University, the University of British Columbia, the University of Southern Denmark, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada.To explore the impacts of
Whale Fecal Samples Link Ocean Warming to Rising Algal Toxins in Arctic Waters
Rising toxins found in bowhead whales, harvested for subsistence purposes by Alaska Native communities, reveal that ocean warming is causing higher concentrations of algal toxins in Arctic food webs, according to new research published in the journal Nature.Researchers from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) were a part of the multi-institutional, multi-year study that focused on this critical issue, which threatens food security for coastal communities that rely on marine life, including clams, fish, and whales, for food and other resources. Communities in Alaska are now asking researchers
An Unintentional Iron Fertilization Experiment
an increase in the supply of iron boosts the spring phytoplankton bloom that is typical in the area. However, as a result of a booming bloom, they deplete other nutrients, especially nitrate, leading to a crash in phytoplankton later in the season.Industrial iron is therefore impacting the base of the food web and the warming of the ocean is pushing these phytoplankton-rich waters further and further away from Hawai‘i, Hawco said.“To the best we can tell, the impacts of anthropogenic iron on ecosystems is most intense in the North Pacific. During our cruises, bad weather prevented us from
The World’s Most Powerful Ocean Current Could Slow by 2050
, it may allow the migration of warmer water towards Antarctica, which would cause more ice to melt and slow the current even more – creating a vicious cycle.And with that warm water comes the potential for migrating invasive species like the Southern Bull Kelp to reach Antarctica, disturbing the food web there – something the ACC may currently help to prevent.There may be global repercussions. A slowdown, along with any decline in ACC strength, is expected to reduce the ocean’s ability to absorb heat and carbon from the atmosphere. This has the potential to speed up climate change &ndash
Autonomous Multi-Vehicle System Designed for Long-Term Arctic Studies
of Arctic sea ice loss, which can guide informed policy and management decisions,” said Stella Batalama, Ph.D., dean of the FAU College of Engineering and Computer Science. “Additionally, there remains much to uncover about Arctic phytoplankton and algae, which play a crucial role in the food web and influence ocean-atmosphere interactions. This new system could enhance our scientific understanding of their ecological significance while supporting Alaska’s indigenous communities in adapting to future changes in wildlife and food resources.&rdquo
February 2026
