Marine Impacts Archive 2010

Latest figures on BP oil spill
(Added: 06 November 2010)
Restore the Gulf, the official federal government's website about the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, has issued its latest report in an attempt to track the effect of the BP oil spill on animals in the region.
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Marine mammal behaviour study
(Added: 23 October 2010)
A team of researchers recently completed an intensive two month research project off the Southern California coast, part of a collaboration to study marine mammal behaviour and measure how animals on the US West Coast respond to sounds in the ocean.
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Concerns over Arctic seismic operations
(Added: 09 October 2010)
Special underwater microphones aboard a BP ship in the Beaufort Sea didn't always detect whales despite the animals being in clear view of the crew, new documents show.
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Navy invites public input on sonar testing
(Added: 10 August 2010)
The USA Navy is considering expanding its sonar and weapons testing in waters between California and Hawaii and six public scoping meetings throughout Hawaii have been scheduled to hear comments.
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Five year noise study planned
(Added: 10 August 2010)
In the most extensive project of its kind, US scientists will soon be heading to the Santa Barbara Channel to begin a five-year study on how whales, dolphins and other marine mammals react to man-made sounds such as Navy sonar, ship engines and oil drilling.
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Whale discovered impaled on cruise ship bow
(Added: 01 August 2010)
Tests conducted on a whale found recently on the bow of a Juneau-bound cruise ship confirmed the whale was a fully grown female adult humpback. NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement is investigating the incident and has interviewed the captain of the Sapphire Princess. Humpback whales are protected by both the Marine Mammal Protection act and the Endangered Species Act, and that protection extends to prohibit anyone from disturbing or removing pieces of the whale's carcass.

Russia urged to halt oil survey
(Added: 20 July 2010)
The UK is one of many European countries, jointly pressuring Russia to postpone a seismic survey for oil and gas because of the potential impact it could have on the endangered gray whales that will be in the region, including mothers and calves. Only about 130 of the whales are thought to remain, of which barely two dozen are believed to be females of calf-bearing age. Rosneft, the Russian state-owned energy company, plans to conduct the survey soon in the waters off Sakhalin island even though it is proven that noise pollution in the sea effects whales can feeding and communicating as well as seriously injuring the animals.

Oil spill update
(Added: 28 June 2010)
Tags, tissue samples and sound are among various methods being used on a scientific study to evaluate the effects of the Deepwater Horizon BP oil spill on whales and dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico.
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High level toxins found in whale tissue
(Added: 28 June 2010)
A new report recently released shows sperm whales feeding even in the most remote reaches of Earth's oceans have built up stunningly high levels of pollutants.
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Possible Seismic Testing in designated national marine park
(Added: 06 June 2010)
The recent decision to give the go ahead for seismic testing in pristine Lancaster Sound in Canada's Arctic has sparked controversy raising fears that plans to designate the Sound as a national marine park may be delayed if oil and gas deposits are found.
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Whales at risk from oil exploration plans
(Added: 20 May 2010)
Marine Connection has concerns over oil exploration plans in waters near Kangaroo Island, South Australia as it's the only known feeding area for a rare beaked whale species. The Federal Government recently granted the two drilling leases which also fall within one of only two known blue whale feeding areas. Further updates when available.

Oil spill threatens wildlife
(Added: 30 April 2010)
The recent Gulf of Mexico oil rig disaster has developed into one of the worst spills in US history. BP, which leases the Deepwater Horizon platform, has been operating four robotic submarines some 1500 metres down on the seabed to try to cap two leaks in the riser pipe that connected the rig to the wellhead but so far the oil continues to spread.
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Navy facility studies marine mammal behaviour
(Added: 24 April 2010)
For many years, due to various strandings of dolphins and whales worldwide that coincided with military sonar exercises, the US Navy has sponsored research to help better understand why some sonar has an effect on these marine mammals.
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Rare beak whale found dead
(Added: 18 April 2010)
The body of a six-metre long Cuvier's beaked whale was recently found on a beach off Galicia , Spain. It is believed to have died after swallowing a rubber gardening glove that blocked its digestive system, highlighting once again the number of cetaceans that are dying because they swallow plastic bags and other man made rubbish. It's skull will now go to form part of an exhibition at Ferrol's Museum of Nature, which has the biggest collection of cetacean skeletons in Spain.

Concerns over Alaska sonar training
(Added: 20 January 2010)
NGOs and Alaska residents have been voicing their concerns over the US Navy's plan to train with mid-frequency active sonar in the Gulf of Alaska beginning in the summer of 201 because of the impact it could have on the marine life.
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