Artisanal fishers can be almost as accurate as satellite data when it comes to their awareness of features that can be found in the marine environment, a new study has shown. Published in the journal Ocean and Coastal Management, the research set out to establish the value of local ecological knowledge (LEK) and its ability to…
This chapter explores the growing threats faced by top predators in the Mediterranean Sea. Climate change, overfishing, and plastic pollution may affect their migration patterns and lead them to abandon established reproduction areas. For instance, tuna might not find its spawning grounds due to warmer water, sea turtles might fight against plastic debris to lay…
There is a critical link between reduced river flow into the Mediterranean and the health of the Mediterranean marine ecosystems. New research underscores the urgency of integrating water resource management to properly safeguard the rich biodiversity of seas and ocean and the economies it supports. Climate change impacts such as more frequent and more severe…
Photo Credit: iStock Officials say mussel farming in Greece is close to collapsing as record-warm water temperatures take a toll on the industry. Our overheating planet has farmers worried about how they will provide for their families. What’s happening? The latest report by the National Centers for Environmental Information suggests this year is a virtual…
Freshwater fish populations that dwell nearer the poles are outperforming their equatorial counterparts, researchers have found. Large-bodied migratory species such as Atlantic salmon are thriving as warming temperatures opens up new habitats at the poleward edge of their ranges. The study, published today in PNAS, was based on a dataset of over 10,000 time series…
“If I had the support of the government, I would never have stopped fishing,” says Yiorgos Charalambous, a Cypriot from a fishing family who left the sea in 2015 when he needed more money to support his family. Although he also knitted nets for the fishermen, he has had to look for a second job…