Coastal Restoration

This report provides an ex post evaluation for the existing Protocol to the Fisheries Partnership Agreement (FPA) between the European Union (EU) and the Republic of Kiribati. The Protocol concerns the access to Kiribati waters of a maximum of 4 purse seiners and 6 surface longliners flying the flag of any EU Member State for fishing of highly migratory species. The evaluation considers the Protocol in terms of its effectiveness, efficiency, economy, coherence and acceptability. It also provides an ex ante evaluation to support the potential negotiation and implementation of a new Protocol. The current Protocol is applicable for 3 years between 16 September 2012 and 15 September 2015.

The total EU minimum financial contribution considered includes annual payments by the EU of EUR 1 325 000 comprising an annual amount for the access to Kiribati fishing zone of EUR 975 000 (74%) for a reference tonnage of 15 000 tonnes and EUR 350 000 (26%) for the support and implementation of Kiribati’s sectoral policy. EU vessels utilising the agreement contribute to the financial transfers to Kiribati budget with
payments of access fees and other contributions towards management costs of the agreement (e.g. observers remunerations) amounting up to a minimum of EUR 1.7 million.

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Final report: http://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/documentation/studies/kiribati-2014/doc/evaluations-kiribati_en.pdf

 Fisheries - European Commission

The West Coast Governors Alliance on Ocean Health is pleased to announce new data and tools available via the West Coast Ocean Data Portal to assist coastal managers and stakeholders to view and explore geospatial data about marine debris cleanup and prevention efforts in our region’s coastal waterways.

It nearly quadruples the amount of US ocean protected from commercial fishing

For some, the irony is almost too much to bear. While Congress is eager to fund a $2 billion expedition to search for oceans beneath Europa, some 95% of Earth's oceans are unexplored. Given the role of oceans in regulating climate, and their untapped potential for food and health, is it time to rethink our priorities?

Two hurricanes continued to head toward Hawaii on Wednesday as officials in Hilo announced school closures and warned visitors and residents to prepare for possible heavy rains, strong winds, dangerous swells and flash flooding.

A video of the shark attack that left a swimmer injured yesterday shows the panic that it caused among those at Manhattan Beach enjoying the holiday weekend.

President Obama launched a plan to create the world's largest marine preserve by adding to the existing national monument in the Central Pacific. Drilling, fishing and other activities would be off limits. Joshua Reichert of the Pew Charitable Trusts and Juliet Eilperin of The Washington Post join Jeffrey Brown to discuss the impetus and potential opposition for the proposed expansion.

Scientists have strapped cameras onto free-swimming sharks, capturing a shark’s-eye view of their underwater world.

The coconut crab is the largest terrestrial arthropod in the world. Feeding its incredible growth is no small task, so this nine-pound hermit crab eats anything it can get its claws on. It has been observed hunting other crabs, young ...

Hundreds of people who had to flee their houses earlier this week as floodwaters tore through Majuro, the capital of the Marshall Islands, are now returning home to pick up the soggy pieces.

Framework for Nature Conservation and Protected Areas in the Pacific Islands Region 2014 - 2020

The Australian government’s environmental protections system has been labelled “broken” after Gina Rinehart’s mining company managed to negotiate d

A US firm has started work on huge floating cages that will hold 1,000 tonnes of fish in the deep sea off Hawaii’s coast.

Hawaii Oceanic Technology Inc. (HOTI) has received permits to build 12 cages, which it calls “Oceanospheres“, in a 247-acre area off the coast of Hawaii, which it has leased out.

The floating fish farms will be 180 feet wide cages submerged at a depth of 20 metres. The farms will raise tuna fish from egg to harvest size in a self-contained system. The company hopes to harvest fish within 18 months.

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HOTI hopes to cash in on ocean fish farming which is estimated to be a US$75 (€56.033) billion market by 2020, West Hawaii Today reported.

Pollution may soon overwhelm deep seas' ability to sequester mercury.

Anglers on a tuna-fishing trip out of San Diego are surprised to find an opah school in their midst; three of the large moon-shaped fish are landed

This is a nice little info graphic which might have some utility/good images for folks making outreach presentations.