Surviving fishing gear entanglement isn’t enough for endangered right whales – females still don’t breed afterward

Even when female North Atlantic right whales survive entanglement in fishing gear, it may affect their future ability to breed, increasing the pressure on this critically endangered species.

Rob Harcourt, Professor of Marine Ecology, Macquarie University • conversation
March 13, 2024 ~10 min

Sharks, turtles and other sea creatures face greater risk from industrial fishing than previously thought − we estimated added pressure from ‘dark’ fishing vessels

The toll on wildlife from illegal fishing, bycatch and entanglement in fishing gear is likely underestimated, because it doesn’t account for ‘dark’ fishing vessels, a new study finds.

Heather Welch, Researcher in Ecosystem Dynamics, University of California, Santa Cruz • conversation
March 6, 2024 ~7 min


A Supreme Court ruling on fishing for herring could sharply curb federal regulatory power

An important but controversial legal doctrine, known as Chevron deference, is at issue in two fishing cases. The outcome could affect many sectors across the nation.

Robin Kundis Craig, Robert C. Packard Trustee Chair in Law, University of Southern California • conversation
Jan. 10, 2024 ~10 min

Farming tuna on land heralded as a win for sustainability – but there are serious concerns around animal welfare

Breeding tuna in captivity is a promising solution to overfishing, but there are concerns surrounding fish welfare.

Wasseem Emam, Researcher, University of Stirling • conversation
Oct. 31, 2023 ~7 min

Horseshoe crab blood is vital for testing intravenous drugs, but new synthetic alternatives could mean pharma won't bleed this unique species dry

Horseshoe crabs play a unique role in medicine, but they’re also ecologically important in their home waters along the Atlantic coast. Can regulators balance the needs of humans and nature?

Jolie Crunelle, Master's Degree Student in Science, Technology, and Public Policy, Rochester Institute of Technology • conversation
Oct. 12, 2023 ~10 min

Removing dams from the Klamath River is a step toward justice for Native Americans in Northern California

The largest dam removal project is moving forward on the Klamath River in California and Oregon. Tribal nations there have fought for decades to protect native fish runs and the ecology of the river.

Robert Lusardi, Assistant Professor of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology and California Trout-UC Davis Coldwater Fish Scientist, University of California, Davis • conversation
July 12, 2023 ~11 min

Sawfish, guitarfish and more: Meet the rhino rays, some of the world's most oddly shaped and highly endangered fishes

Rhino rays, which are close relative of sharks, are some of the most fascinating – and most threatened – fishes that you’ve never heard of.

David Shiffman, Faculty Research Associate in Marine Biology, Arizona State University • conversation
July 11, 2023 ~7 min

Invasive lionfish have spread south from the Caribbean to Brazil, threatening ecosystems and livelihoods

One of the most damaging invasive species in the oceans has breached a major barrier – the Amazon-Orinoco river plume – and is spreading along Brazil’s coast. Scientists are trying to catch up.

Osmar J. Luiz, Senior Research Fellow in Aquatic Ecology, Charles Darwin University • conversation
June 1, 2023 ~11 min


Lobsters versus right whales: The latest chapter in a long quest to make fishing more sustainable

To fish the oceans sustainably, nations must reduce bycatch, or accidental catches. But fishermen often resist changing gear or techniques that kill nontargeted species.

Blake Earle, Assistant Professor of History, Texas A&M University • conversation
Jan. 12, 2023 ~10 min

Shark fishing is a global problem that demands local solutions

Countries have voted to limit the international shark trade, but this fails to account for the diversity in fishing contexts around the world.

Hollie Booth, Nature Positive Senior Specialist at The Biodiversity Consultancy, and Post-Doc Research Associate, University of Oxford • conversation
Dec. 12, 2022 ~7 min

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