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Oceans Are Running Out Of Oxygen At Record Speed, Scientists Warn

oceans running out of oxygenPexels

Oceans are running out of oxygen at an unprecedented rate as a result of the climate emergency, scientists have warned.

A large number of vital ecosystems are in danger of collapse, with sharks, tuna, marlin and other large fish species found to be at particular risk.

Dead zones – where oxygen is effectively absent – have quadrupled in the last half-century, and there are at least 700 areas where oxygen is at dangerously low levels, up from 45 when research was first undertaken in the 1960’s.

Under the ocean

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature presented the findings on Saturday, December 7, at the UN Climate Conference in Madrid, where officials are negotiating ways to tackle the climate crisis.

Grethel Aguilar, the acting director general of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), said the health of the oceans needs to be a key consideration in the talks. ‘As the warming ocean loses oxygen, the delicate balance of marine life is thrown into disarray,’ she said, as per The Guardian.

The director general continued:

The potentially dire effects on fisheries and vulnerable coastal communities mean that the decisions made at the conference are even more crucial.

Some ocean areas are naturally lower in oxygen than others, and these areas are even more susceptible to damage when their oxygen levels are depleted further, the report’s authors said.

oceans running out of oxygenPexels

Species that can more easily tolerate low oxygen levels – such as jellyfish, some squid and marine microbes – can flourish at the expense of fish, upsetting the balance of ecosystems even further.

And while all fish need dissolved oxygen, the biggest species are particularly vulnerable to depleted oxygen levels because they need much more of it to survive. Evidence shows these depleted levels are forcing them to move towards the surface and to shallow areas of the sea, where they are more vulnerable to fishing.

In recent years, the threat to the oceans has become more severe due to climate change and global heating. As more carbon dioxide is released – enhancing the greenhouse effect – much of the heat is absorbed by the oceans, with these warmer waters holding less oxygen.

In fact, oceans are expected to lose around 3-4% of their oxygen by the end of this century.

oceans running out of oxygenPexels

Changing the outcome of what will happen to the oceans is the responsibility of the world’s political leaders, which is why the report has been launched at the UN Climate Conference.

If you have a story you want to tell send it to UNILAD via story@unilad.com

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Scientists call for a complete ban on GLITTER because the particles are polluting oceans | Daily Mail Online

Glitter may be sparkly, but reports show it also has a dark side. 

These tiny particles are making their way into water sources, leading scientists to call a complete ban on glitter saying it is causing an environmental disaster.  

Because glitter is so small, marine life is mistaking it for food, which in turn is damaging their livers and affecting their behavior functions.

And every tiny sparkly bit takes thousands of years to break down. 

Dr. Trisia Farrelly of New Zealand’s Massey University told CBS News in 2017, ‘I think all glitter should be banned because it’s microplastic.’

‘Producers should not get away with making a profit out of the production of disposable, single-use plastics, while bearing little responsibility for the damage.’

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Glitter making their way into water sources, leading scientists to call a complete ban on glitter saying it is causing an environmental disaster. Because glitter is so small, marine life is mistaking it for food, which in turn is damaging their livers

The US and UK have taken steps towards banning glitter, by outlawing cosmetics and care products containing microbeads.

The move is aimed at protecting the marine environment from one source of plastic pollution, as microbeads are washed down the drain and can enter the seas and be swallowed by fish and crustaceans with potentially harmful effects.

And now they are calling a ban on glitter for similar reasons.

Glitter is made from tiny pieces of plastic — making it as bad for the environment as the toxic microbeads.

Like other microplastics, they may be consumed by plankton, which are eaten by fish — meaning they enter the food chain and could end up back on your dinner plate. And every little bit takes thousands of years to break down

Typically, it consists of a layer of plastic, a thin colored layer and a reflective layer — often made of aluminium.

These are bonded into a thin sheet, then cut into tiny shapes.

Considering how difficult it is to clean glitter up in a home after using it for arts and crafts, it may not be a surprise of the mess it can make in our oceans.

The reason for the ban is that glitter is made of a polymer called polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or Mylar, and winds up in landfills or washed down drains – eventually making it to water sources.

These microplastics account for 92.4 percent of the total 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic floating around in the ocean.

There, the particles can absorb chemicals and pollutants, making them ever more toxic.

And every tiny sparkly bit takes thousands of years to break down.

Like other microplastics, they may be consumed by plankton, which are eaten by fish — meaning they enter the food chain and could end up back on your dinner plate.

There’s no way to keep glitter out of the food we eat.

Alarming levels of microplastic contamination have also been found in tap water.

The Royal Society of Chemistry said: ‘There is a need to change the way plastic is viewed by society: from ubiquitous, disposable waste to a valuable, recyclable raw material, much like metal and glass.’

‘It’s hoped this will increase the economic value of plastic waste in a circular economy.’

REPORT REVEALS 95% OF PLASTIC POLLUTING THE WORLD’S OCEANS COMES FROM JUST TEN RIVERS

Up to 95 per cent of plastic polluting the world’s oceans pours in from just ten rivers, according to new research.

The top 10 rivers – eight of which are in Asia – accounted for so much plastic because of the mismanagement of waste.

About five trillion pounds is floating in the sea, and targeting the major sources – such as the Yangtze and the Ganges – could almost halve it, scientists claim.

Up to 95 per cent of plastic polluting the world’s oceans pours in from just ten rivers, according to new research. The top 10 rivers, including the River Niger (pictured) accounted for so much plastic because of the mismanagement of waste

Massive amounts of plastic bits that imperil aquatic life are washing into the oceans and even the most pristine waters.

But how it all gets there from inland cities has not been fully understood.

Now a study shows the top 10 rivers – eight of which are in Asia – accounted for 88 to 95 per cent of the total global load because of the mismanagement of waste.

The top 10 rivers – eight of which are in Asia – accounted for so much plastic because of the mismanagement of waste

The team calculated halving plastic pollution in these waterways could potentially reduce the total contribution by all rivers by 45 per cent.

They analysed data on debris from 79 sampling sites along 57 rivers – both microplastic particles measuring less than 5 mm and macroplastic above this size.

They said microplastics in particular can damage the health of marine life but cleaning it all up would be impossible. However stemming the tide could help reduce the potential harm.

Scientists call for a complete ban on GLITTER because the particles are polluting oceans

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British girl, ten, left bloodied and bruised after two dolphins attack her in Mexico | Daily Mail Online

Lexi Yeo was attacked by them in Cancun

A ten-year-old British girl has been left bloodied and bruised by two bottlenose dolphins during a terrifying encounter in Mexico.

Lexi Yeo was attacked by the animals when she took to the water with them as part of a holiday event in Cancun.

Her mother Laura-Jane Yeo, 40, from Barkingside, east London, was horrified to watch the pair ‘dragging’ her underwater in the sea pen.

The animals would not stop attacking her despite pleas from the trainers, but she was rescued after managing to keep on her bodyboard.

Yet she did not escape unscathed, as she got deep bite marks, cuts and horrendous bruises.

Organisers from Dolphin Discovery put the bad behaviour down to bad sea conditions which made the animals ‘distressed’.

Her mother Laura-Jane Yeo (left, with her daughter), 40, from Barkingside, east London, was horrified to watch the pair ‘dragging’ her underwater in the sea pen

The bosses added it was also down to a male dolphin that ‘shouldn’t have been in the pen’.

Ms Yeo, who is a nursery nurse, told the Sun of the trauma last month: ‘It was terrifying. I thought she was going to die.

Organisers from Dolphin Discovery put the bad behaviour down to bad sea conditions which made the animals ‘distressed’ (file photo)

‘But I’ve not even had a card, flowers or teddy bear for Lexi from TUI. They have washed their hands of us.

‘More concerning, the dolphins are still swimming with tourists and TUI are continuing to work with the company.’

The company has said it is looking into the incident.

Do dolphins like swimming with humans?

It is not known exactly why dolphins attack humans or large animals like porpoises as, unlike sharks, they do not eat their victim.

An expert from the IWDG told BBC News it is impossible to know if a dolphin was deliberately attacking a man, or if it was trying to play with him.

Dolphins often engage in rough play, holding each other down and giving chase, so it is possible that the dolphin was playing, but some dolphin experts claim that the creatures sometimes attack humans when they are feeling amorous.

Bottlenose dolphins can display violent mating practices where they act in groups to chase and mate with a female of their own species over weeks, whether she is interested or not.

Male dolphins are also known to fight and kill rivals and offspring, suggesting they could also turn on humans mistakenly.

Trevor Spradlin, a US Federal dolphin expert told The New York Times dozens of bites to humans have been reported and people have been pulled under the water by bottlenose dolphins, which can measure 12ft (3.7 metres) long and have sharp teeth to tear fish and squid.

In one example, he said: ‘A woman who fed a pair of dolphins and then jumped into the water to swim with them was bitten. ”I literally ripped my left leg out of its mouth,” she said during her one-week stay in the hospital.’

British girl, ten, left bloodied and bruised after two dolphins attack her in Mexico

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Brit girl, 10, savaged by two dolphins as they went berserk and ‘dragged’ her under the water

A FAMILY’S dream holiday turned into a nightmare when a young girl was attacked by two crazed dolphins.

Lexi Yeo, ten, was left bitten, bloodied and bruised when the mammals went berserk during a dolphin swim experience.

Andrew Styczynski – The Sun

Lexi Yeo, ten, was savaged by two dolphins during a dolphin swim experience in Cancun, Mexico[/caption]

Andrew Styczynski – The Sun

Her horrified mum told how she watched as a pair of bottlenose dolphins tried ‘dragging’ screaming Lexi under the water[/caption]

Andrew Styczynski – The Sun

She suffered bite marks, puncture wounds, deep cuts and bruising to her legs and feet in the horror attack[/caption]

Horrified mum Laura, 40, watched as a pair of bottlenose dolphins tried “dragging” screaming Lexi under the water in a dedicated sea pen.

They rammed, bit and gnawed at her and refused to respond to the trainers’ desperate pleas to stop their attack.

Lexi was only saved by clinging to the top of her bodyboard before a trainer dragged her to safety.

The hysterical youngster suffered bite marks, puncture wounds, deep cuts and bruising to her legs and feet.

Bosses at the “ethical” Dolphin Discovery experience in Cancun, Mexico, claimed bad sea conditions caused the dolphins to become “distressed”.

They also blamed a rogue male dolphin that “shouldn’t have been in the pen” for sending other animals insane.

‘I THOUGHT SHE WAS GOING TO DIE’

The attack cut short the Yeo family’s £7,000 TUI holiday in Cancun, Mexico last month.

Mum Laura, a nursery nurse from Barkingside, East London, said: “It was terrifying. I thought she was going to die.

“But I’ve not even had a card, flowers or teddy bear for Lexi from TUI. They have washed their hands of us.

“More concerning, the dolphins are still swimming with tourists and TUI are continuing to work with the company.

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“How long before this happens again — with even worse consequences?”

Dolphin attacks on humans are extremely rare, with just one recorded case of a bottlenose dolphin killing a human.

TUI said it is investigating and will contact the family immediately.

Andrew Styczynski – The Sun

Lexi luckily managed to cling to the top of her bodyboard before a trainer could drag her to safety[/caption]

Andrew Styczynski – The Sun

Mum Laura claims the dolphins that attacked her daughter are still swimming with tourists[/caption]

Andrew Styczynski – The Sun

Bosses at the ‘ethical’ Dolphin Discovery experience put the mammals’ crazed behaviour down to bad sea conditions[/caption]


GOT a story? RING The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL exclusive@the-sun.co.uk


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Sea turns red with blood as dolphins are slaughtered in Taiji, Japan | Daily Mail Online

Heartbreaking footage has emerged of a pod of dolphins being driven into a cove then slaughtered in Japan.

Video recorded near the town of Taiji, around 75 miles south of Osaka, shows the waters run red as a team of divers and fishermen kill 32 striped dolphins in a grim spectacle that takes hours to finish.

In a vain attempt to hide what they are doing, the hunters use canopies suspended over the cove, but at least one badly injured animal broke out into the open where it was captured bleeding heavily on drone cameras. 

A pod of 32 striped dolphins were filmed being herded into a cove near Taiji, Japan, before being slaughtered in footage captured by a drone

Fishermen attempted to hide what they were doing underneath large tarps, but at least one badly wounded animal escaped and was seen bleeding heavily into the water

The video was captured by Dolphin Project, which campaigns to end the hunts, in February this year.

As the video starts, a pod of striped dolphins can be seen being chased into the cove by fishing boats.

The hunters do this by lowering mental poles into the water then banging on them with hammers, creating a ‘wall of sound’ that disorients the dolphins.

Once their prey is inside the cove, the fishermen draw nets across the mouth, trapping them inside.

The dolphins are then driven towards the rear of the cove, where large beige tarps have been suspended over the water to hide what they are about to do.

Distressed dolphins can be seen throwing themselves against the walls of the enclosure in a desperate but vain bid to escape.

Fishermen chased the dolphins down, lashed them to the sides of their boats, and then dragged them under cover so they could be killed

The hunt was filmed in February 2019. A total of 234 striped dolphins were killed in this cove alone during the 2018/19 season, according to Dolphin Project

Once the pod is underneath the tarp, divers go into the water in order to catch the animals while the fisherman dispatch them.

At least one badly wounded animal escapes the tarps and can be seen bleeding heavily into the water as a diver tries to catch it.

It is then tethered to the side of a boat and dragged back under the covers so the butchering can continue.

In the 2018/19 season, a total of 234 striped dolphins were killed in Taiji, just over half of the government quota of 450.

Over the course of the whole season, which runs from September to March, 556 dolphins were killed and a further 241 captured at this one cove.

While that number has reduced to just a quarter of what it was two decades ago, campaigners are calling for the practice to end entirely.

Despite the declining popularity of dolphin and whale products, Japan decided to restart commercial whaling this year despite international condemnation.

It is unclear how many whales Japanese fishermen have caught in total since hunting resumed in July. 

Sea turns red with blood as dolphins are slaughtered in Taiji, Japan

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Fears over ‘monster’ ship off coast of UK that threatens lives of dolphins

Fears over 'monster' ship off UK coast Picture: Wikicommons

Margiris is one of the biggest fishing ships in the world and it’s off the UK coast (Picture: Wikicommons)

Environmental concerns have been raised after a ‘monster’ supertrawler ship was spotted off the south coast of England.

The Lithuanian-registered Margiris fishing boat – once considered the second largest in the world – was banned from fishing in Australian waters in 2013.

Now the controversial boat, which has a deadweight of 6,200 tonnes, has been spotted off the coast of Sussex and Portsmouth over the last several days, according to MarineTraffic.

The 142-metre long Margiris is owned by Dutch company Parlevliet van der Plas, which says it has an ‘excellent reputation for sustainable fishing’.

A spokesman for the Blue Planet Society said: ‘The capacity of these trawlers is equivalent to dozens of small-scale fishing vessels, and sustainable small-scale fisheries cannot compete with industrial supertrawlers.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Olaf Kraak/EPA/REX (8340405a) Greenpeace Activists Block the Super Trawler Margiris in the Dutch Port of Ijmuiden the Netherlands 02 July 2012 Activists Are Trying to Prevent the Ship From Leaving For Australia where It Would Empty Vulnerable Fishing Grounds They Have Put a Chain Around the Anchor and Two Climbers Are Hanging Off the Lines Tying the Ship to the Quay Netherlands Ijmuiden Netherlands Greenpeace Protest - Jul 2012

The ship is capable of taking on board huge volumes of fish (Picture: Rex Shutterstock)

‘Supertrawlers are effectively floating factories and able to stay at sea for considerable periods of time. Margiris can process 250 tonnes of fish per day whilst at sea.

‘Local, smaller fishing boats have to return to port to offload the fish prior to processing.

‘We think the supertrawlers Margiris and Annie Hillina are targeting mackerel off Sussex. This will undoubtedly put them in contact with short-beaked common dolphins, endangered bluefin tuna and overfished sea bass.’

Clive Fennell, who lives in Littlehampton in West Sussex and runs the Littlehampton Environment and Places Facebook page, said he fears the supertrawler will have a ‘devastating’ effect on local fish supplies.

‘Like with all environmental issues many people are very concerned, and worry about the future.’

Fishing in the Channel is governed by the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), a set of rules laid down by the European Commission.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Olaf Kraak/EPA/REX (8340405c) The Super Trawler Margiris is Seen As Greenpeace Activists Are Trying to Prevent It From Sailing in the Dutch Port of Ijmuiden the Netherlands 02 July 2012 Activists Are Trying to Prevent the Ship From Leaving For Australia where It Would Empty Vulnerable Fishing Grounds They Have Put a Chain Around the Anchor and Two Climbers Are Hanging Off the Lines Tying the Ship to the Quay Netherlands Ijmuiden Netherlands Greenpeace Protest - Jul 2012

Supetrawler Margiris is a controversial fishing vessel – in 2012 Greenpeace activists targeted it in the Netherlands (Picture: Rex Shutterstock)

A Commission official said: ‘The Commission is aware of concerns among NGOs concerning the activity of large trawlers (in UK waters).

‘All vessels operating in EU waters, large and small, have to abide by the rules and this is controlled by the Member States’ inspection and control services. It is a priority that all Union vessels comply with the legislation in force.

‘Therefore, if there is a suspicion that vessels infringe rules then the Commission would like to be informed and receive concrete facts.

‘Moreover, fisheries inspection authorities in the Member States also need to be informed about this.’

The Margiris was refused fishing licences in Australia in 2013, according to Greenpeace.

At the time, Greenpeace Australia spokesman David Ritter said: ‘This monster is the biggest ship never to have fished in Australian waters. Like most Australians, we’re happy to see the back of it.’

Greenpeace protesters confronted the Margiris – previously known as Abel Tasman – in West Africa in March 2012 and in the Netherlands and Australia in 2013.

A spokesman said at the time: ‘We share the view of the small-scale fishers whose livelihoods would be destroyed by monster boats like the Abel Tasman: no monster boats here, not anywhere.’

Fishing company Parlevliet van der Plas includes the Margiris on a list of pelagic trawlers on its website.

The website says: ‘Pelagic fish shoals are located with the help of echo-sounding equipment. From the echogram it is possible to estimate the depth and the size of the shoal.

‘The net is towed behind the ship just below the water surface or further down the water column, but does not reach the sea bed.

‘Pelagic fishing gear is constantly undergoing further improvements to ensure a responsible fishery through better selectivity.

‘Special measures and aids – such as large mesh sizes in the front part of the net – are being developed to prevent the catch of un-wanted species or undersized juvenile fish.’

The company’s website says it has an ‘excellent reputation for sustainable fishing’.

‘Our catch quotas are dictated by government and EU regulations, and are based on scientific advice.

‘We fish without causing damage to the seabed, and without disturbing the ecological system.’

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