Giant squid found in Western Australian waters in eDNA study.
For the first time in more than a quarter of a century, researchers found traces of giant squid in its waters’ environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis off the coast of Western Australia.
The expedition, conducted aboard the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s research vessel, collected more than 1,000 water samples in a study led by Curtin University. The survey detected 226 species, some of which were recorded for the first time in Western Australian waters.
Their findings also included species that could not be matched to already cataloged records. Using eDNA technology, scientists can assess marine life in specific areas of the ocean in revolutionary ways.
Cyprus trawling ban would protect coastlines at negligible cost.
Industrial bottom trawling has a significant impact on marine ecosystems. The consequences of these practices pose a serious concern for Cyprus’s small-scale fishers and coastal communities.
To address this, local fishers and the environmental NGO Oceana call on the government to establish an exclusive economic zone for small-scale fishers, where bottom trawling is prohibited.
Coral reefs are secretly connected across vast oceans—and that’s crucial for their survival.
Coral reefs may be far more interconnected than previously believed. Coral larvae can travel long distances and help support environmental recovery after climate-related destructive events.
The research, published in the Journal of Applied Ecology, reveals that some reefs play a particularly important role in regional recovery and resilience, making it essential to identify and protect them.
The study also highlighted the need for international cooperation in addressing the global decline of coral reefs and helping stressed ecosystems recover. Protecting these larval corridors, or “marine superhighways,” represents an important step toward preserving the ocean’s rich and diverse marine life.