Daily Summary
Arctic Sea Ice Minimum in 2013 is Sixth Lowest on Record
Last year, the summer Arctic sea ice minimum reached a record low of 1.32 million square miles (3.41 million square kilometers). This year, however, the minimum was substantially higher. Arctic sea ice cover shrunk to only 1.97 million square miles (5.10 million square kilometers) due to the unusually cold summer in the northernmost latitudes. The following video shows the ice melt from May 16-Sept. 12, 2013.
Drifting Styrofoam a toxic soup for world’s oceans
Plastic bags and bottles aren’t the only problem for our oceans. Scientists from Japan and South Korea say that Styrofoam also poses a risk to marine life, leaching toxic chemicals that can harm ecosystems on a global scale. When decomposing, Styrofoam releases chemicals called styrene oligomers which contain potentially endocrine (hormone)-disrupting substances. Researchers found the highest level of styrene oligomers in Greece, followed by Costa Rica and Malaysia.
Statement on WWF Canada’s ‘We don’t farm like this’ animation
Last week, World Wildlife Fund Canada launched a controversial video called “We Don’t Farm Like This” which was asking the question: If we don’t farm like this, why is it okay to fish like this? The animated video made the point by showing animals hooked on longlines and dragged along the ground, many caught in a big net and others crushed by a plow that represented a bottom trawler. The video ended with support for Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified seafood, but it was not endorsed by MSC. The animation was quickly removed after receiving negative reactions. Many people noted the lack of similarities between farming and fishing — the two cannot be compared at all so the question is irrelevant. Others said that the animation failed to acknowledged fishers who are doing things right and using sustainable techniques. MSC released a statement in response saying that it “did not participate in the creation of the animation, nor does it endorse it.”
Copyright © 2013 by Marine Science Today, a publication of Marine Science Today LLC.
