Southern Ocean

Krill-gotten gains to fund Antarctic research

Posted by Willie — 25 February 2015 at 12:42am - Comments
All rights reserved. Credit: Greenpeace
Adelie penguins eat so much krill it can turn their poo pink. They'd probably like us not to eat any.

Scientific research and conservation need more cash. That’s sadly usually true. It’s especially the case in the Antarctic where research is expensive but absolutely essential given the massive environmental changes happening there.

But although new streams of funding should welcomed for Antarctic research, it’s also important to question where that funding comes from. After all, there’s just a sliver of a chance that some seemingly good PR is actually a mind-bogglingly cynical act of greenwashing.

Article tagged as: antarctic, fish meal, greenwash, Happy Feet, hugh's fish fight, keystone species, krill, Marine Stewardship Council, Monty the Penguin, ocean sanctuaries, overfishing, penguins, southern ocean, whales

Waddle you do to celebrate World Penguin Day?

Posted by Willie — 25 April 2014 at 12:10am - Comments
All rights reserved. Credit: Greenpeace
'Give us a kiss, it's World Penguin Day!'

It’s World Penguin Day today, April 25th, and I simply can’t imagine a world that didn’t have penguins in it. So in order to celebrate our funny fine-flippered friends I thought it would be good to pull together some fun facts about penguins. Some are fun, some are facts, and some are both at once. 

Article tagged as: antarctic oceans alliance, antarctica, Batman, CCAMLR, climate change, Feathers McGraw, fish, krill, London Zoo, ocean sanctuaries, Octonauts, penguins, southern ocean, sustainable fish

How are you celebrating World Penguin Day?

Posted by Willie — 25 April 2013 at 10:39am - Comments
All rights reserved. Credit: Mauthe/Greenpeace
This Gentoo penguin is celebrating - are you?

It’s World Penguin Day today, April 25th, and I simply can’t imagine a world that didn’t have penguins in it. So in order to celebrate our funny fine-flippered friends I thought it would be good to pull together some fun facts about penguins. Some are fun, some are facts, and some are both at once.

Article tagged as: biodiversity, endangered species, penguins, southern ocean

Saving the Southern Ocean: the penguins need you!

Posted by Willie — 21 February 2013 at 5:33pm - Comments
King Penguins in the St. Andrews Bay on South Georgia in the Atlantic Ocean
All rights reserved. Credit: Markus Mauthe / Greenpeace
Antarctica's land needs protecting, but so do its oceans

Antarctica is special. It’s home to globally recognisable species that we, as a planet, value. It’s a continent apart from all others, and it’s a place we have all pledged to protect for the future.

But this isolated continent is surrounded by a sea, the Southern Ocean, that doesn’t yet have the protection it needs.

Article tagged as: antarctic oceans alliance, antarctica, fishing, overfishing, southern ocean

Krill intentions: how low can fishing go?

Posted by Willie — 21 February 2013 at 5:14pm - Comments
Red Krill Oil, advertised by Carol Vorderman
All rights reserved. Credit: www.bioglanredkrilloil.com
No fishy taste? Claims that krill fishing is sustainable are hard to swallow

It’s a sad day, but I think I have run out of krill puns. Well, I’ve been banging on about this for a few years now, and since Happy Feet 2 basically unleashed every krill joke possible, courtesy of Matt Damon and Brad Pitt, there’s not a lot left.

And that, dear readers, is my worry about krill itself.

Article tagged as: carol vorderman, fishing, hugh's fish fight, krill, overfishing, red krill oil, southern ocean

Cracks starting to show - Japan's whaling fleet may leave Southern Ocean early

Posted by Willie — 16 February 2011 at 7:46pm - Comments
A Greenpeace boat tries to prevent whaling ship the Nisshin Maru refuelling in t
All rights reserved. Credit: Greenpeace/Jiri Rezac
A Greenpeace boat tries to prevent whaling ship the Nisshin Maru from refuelling in the Southern Ocean, 2008

In this day and age, commercial whaling is out-of-date and should be out-of-the-question. Sadly it isn’t, but maybe the news that the Japanese whaling fleet might be cutting short its stay in the Southern ocean is cause for some optimism.

Article tagged as: japan, southern ocean, whales, whaling

Is the UK finally getting serious on marine protection?

Posted by Willie — 19 November 2009 at 12:04pm - Comments

As you probably know by now, marine reserves have a huge role to play in ensuring a future for our oceans, which is why we fish-huggers campaign so vehemently for them.

The scientists tell us that between 20 and 50 per cent of the seas need to be set aside as fully protected, no-take zones – off-limits to all damaging and destructive activity. That means no mineral extraction, dredging, dumping or fishing.

Getting progress on marine reserves is a bit like juggling with Slinkys  – it's one of those issues where the politics seems to agree with you, but just manages to deliver precious little. Our politicians all say the right thing when it comes to protecting areas of our seas, there are international commitments, and deadlines for creating protected areas, and there is a huge public demand for doing so. Even the fishing industry is not 'in theory' opposed to them.

Article tagged as: EU, habitats, lundy, marine bill, marine reserves, oceans, southern ocean

At last, some good news on marine reserves...

Posted by jossc — 12 November 2009 at 4:34pm - Comments

Location of the proposed new South Orkneys MPA. Map © UKFCO

... or Marine Protected Areas, in government speak. On Tuesday the Foreign Office announced the creation of the South Orkneys MPA. Covering a large area of the Southern Ocean in the British Antarctic Territory, it will be the world's first "high-seas" reserve - off-limits to all types of fishing and dumping.

Article tagged as: marine reserves, south orkneys, southern ocean

Justice for the Tokyo Two - justice for whales, coming our way?

Posted by jossc — 21 May 2009 at 11:20am - Comments

Hannah hard at work colouring in our Tokyo Two manga-style artwork outside the Japanese embassy last week

A big thank you is due to everyone who sent messages of support on behalf of the Tokyo Two last week. We presented two 'wishing trees' (complete with hundreds of 'wish ribbons' bearing your requests that they are fairly treated) to staff at the Japanese embassy, and over 2,200 of you emailed the Japanese ambassador.

Article tagged as: japan, southern ocean, tokyo two, whaling
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