Gulf Hypoxic Zone Found to Be Smaller Than Expected
,” are areas with little to no oxygen in the water, which can negatively impact fish, shellfish, corals and aquatic plants by making critical habitat unavailable to bottom species. The annual hypoxic zone survey was led by scientists at Louisiana State University and the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON). The survey cruise was conducted aboard the LUMCON research vessel Pelican from July 24-30. Data from the survey is available online for the public. The measured hypoxic zone is smaller than anticipated this year due to Tropical Storm Bertha passing through the northern Gulf
ASENAV to Build Hybrid Research Vessel for UC San Diego
, construction, testing, and trials through to delivery of the vessel, projected for July 2028.The ship will be capable of operating more than 200 days per year at sea to fulfill operations demanding the highest scientific, acoustic, and environmental standards.Chilean Naval Engineering at the Service of Marine ResearchThe vessel will be designated in the U.S. Academic Research Fleet as a Coastal Class Research Vessel. It will feature a monohull design, with a length of 38.0 meters, beam of 10.2 meters, and draft of 3.0 meters, propelled by dual azimuthing L-Drive stern thrusters and a bow thruster. The
DNA Technology Solves 176-year old Oyster Mystery
led by Curtin University has put to bed a scientific debate dating back 176 years, confirming that two historically significant oyster species from Western Australia and Fiji are distinct species. By combining historic museum collections with modern DNA technology, the research provides new insights into marine biodiversity across the Indo-Pacific and helps strengthen the scientific foundation for future conservation efforts.The research team revisited a long-standing question about the relationship between Saccostrea scyphophilla, first described in 1807 from Bernier Island in Shark Bay, Western Australia
Multidisciplinary Scientific Expedition Sets Sail July 10 Aboard the CCGS Amundsen
Canada's scientific presence in Arctic waters.Coordinated by Amundsen Science in partnership with the Canadian Coast Guard, this 139-day expedition will enable research teams to explore several key regions, including the Labrador Sea, Baffin Bay, the Northwest Passage, Nares Strait, the Tuvaijuittuq Marine Protected Area, and several fjords along West Greenland and in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. The expedition will involve more than 200 participants, including scientists, students, engineers, research professionals, Inuit and northern partners, artists, and media representatives, from close to
Subsea Hydrothermal Vents Discovered in the Doldrums Region
Scientists on a 35-day research expedition onboard Schmidt Ocean Institute’s R/V Falkor (too) discovered two new hydrothermal vent fields in a region of the middle of the Atlantic Ocean known as the Doldrums Megatransform and Fracture Zone, which lies just north of the equator about 800 miles off the northeast coast of Brazil. This large, tectonically active system cuts across the world’s longest mountain chain, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. While many hydrothermal vents have been found along the ridge, these are the first known vent fields to be discovered in and around the Doldrums system.
Planting the Seeds of Inspiration: Eelgrass Restoration
and planted the seeds of inspiration.”Quite literally this is what happened. In 2015, Vasiluth created an innovative and unique method for planting eelgrass seeds (Zostera marina) in Long Island, New York’s waters that’s helping to revitalize the dying eelgrass population, improve the marine ecosystem, and mitigate climate change.Long Island is a peninsula that stretches out from New York City into the Atlantic Ocean. The waters around Long Island include the Great South Bay in the south and the Long Island Sound in the north.In the past century, these waters have lost nearly 90 percent
DP World Introduces South Korea Seagrass Restoration Initiative
DP World has launched its first global seagrass restoration initiative on Geoje Island in South Korea, supporting efforts to restore 2.4 hectares of coastal marine habitat over the next four years and enhancing marine biodiversity. The initiative in South Korea was formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between DP World, Korea Green Foundation and the Korea Fisheries Resources Agency (FIRA). The MOU establishes a long-term collaboration focused on ongoing monitoring of seagrass meadows, the development of restoration approaches informed by scientific research, and continued
PML: 20 Years of Data Shows Declining Ocean Productivity Around UK
A new study by scientists at Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) has revealed a significant long-term decline in ocean productivity across large parts of the north-east Atlantic. This raises concerns about the future health of marine food webs, fisheries and the ocean’s ability to absorb and sequester carbon dioxide.Using more than two decades of satellite observations, researchers analyzed changes in microalgae net primary production, the process by which microscopic marine plants convert sunlight and carbon dioxide into organic matter, which forms the foundation of marine ecosystems.The study
SAMS Oceanographic Array Will Aid Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation Observations
Marine scientists in Scotland have helped to develop the most comprehensive view yet of how large-scale north Atlantic currents that dictate our climate may be changing.The scientists at the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) in Oban, a partner of UHI, have combined data from a range of sources to measure the mass formation of Atlantic currents, known as the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC).Their Scotland-Canada Overturning Array (SCOTIA) of observations incorporates data from scientific moorings on the existing sub-polar OSNAP array and the 50-year Extended Ellett Line
February 2026
