AWI Provides Support for Israel Tar Cleanup
In February, in what is being described as one of the worst ecological disasters in Israel’s history, a massive oil spill in the Mediterranean Sea caused hundreds of tons of tar to wash ashore along...
Please see the below articles about Marine Wildlife from past editions of the AWI Quarterly.
Ringing Up No Sale on Shark Fins
The Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act (HR 2811), a bill that would prohibit the sale of shark fins, was reintroduced in the House of Representatives this past Earth Day with 104 members signing on as...
Texas Storms Bring Misery to Humans and Animals
February saw a rare winter storm hit southern US states, including an unprecedented blackout that caused multiple human and animal deaths. In Texas, the storm affected natural gas plants and pipelines, nuclear power facilities, coal-fired...
Cuttlefish Show Cognitive Complexity
In a landmark new study, scientists have shown that cuttlefish are capable of delaying gratification, and that those who choose to delay longer are also more intelligent (Schnell et al., 2021). Cuttlefish are only the...
NOAA Proposes Rule to Curb Right Whale Deaths
After years of delay, NOAA Fisheries released a proposed rule in December 2020 to reduce the number of North Atlantic right whales killed by gear in northeast lobster and Jonah crab fisheries. More than 900,000...
New Report Examines How Biodiversity and Economic Health Intertwine
A February 2021 report commissioned by the UK government provides a sobering economic analysis to explain why we must change the way we interact with nature if we wish to avert disaster. The Economics of...
Aquarium Import in Flux After Belugas Fall Ill
AWI and a number of allies and partners have been working to minimize the harm to five beluga whales scheduled for import to Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut from Marineland in Niagara Falls, Ontario, for research...
Licensing Program Proposed for Puget Sound Whale-Watch Vendors
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has published a draft rule to establish a commercial whale-watching licensing program in Puget Sound. AWI submitted comments supporting strong oversight to maximize protection of Southern Resident orcas...
Paul Hoetjes: Defender of Caribbean Wildlife and Environment
The Wider Caribbean Region has lost a wonderful conservation champion. Paul Hoetjes of Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands, died in November after a short illness. AWI was fortunate to have worked with Paul over the past two...
New Whale Species Identified in Gulf of Mexico
Scientists from NOAA Fisheries have identified a new species of baleen whale in the Gulf of Mexico. The new species, previously thought to be a subspecies of the Bryde’s whale, has been named Rice’s whale...