Oceanography

Fishing has become a problem all over the world because of many reasons. Some of these reasons are due to improper fishing techniques have done damage to the environment, pollution has contaminated fish, and some species of fish and other sea life have been driven to extinction. Fishing in the Atlantic has fallen into very tough times. This is due to the accumulated chemicals in the environment due to contaminants from pollution and waste in any water source which at the end gets to the…

The Sea Lamprey is a dangerous and destructive fish for the great lakes ecosystem. This species feeds on a great lake fish and needs to be put under control in order to save fish populations in the great lakes and it needs to be stopped. One of the biggest problems with Sea Lamprey is that “Sea lamprey acts as parasitic and invasive species in each new habitat. It attacks and decreases the population of native fish and disturbs the natural balance of the ecosystem”(Softschools.com). An…

As I peered down the bluff, I saw the magnificent black-and-white beasts breach the water of the Salish Sea. The L-pod resident orcas were gliding past Henry Island in the San Juan Islands of Washington State. This sight reminded me why I was in the San Juans in the first place: to appreciate nature and do my part to protect it. I finally got to experience these natural beauties that I had heard oh-so-much about from the locals. The sea breeze flowed onto my face, and I appreciated the wonder of…

Introduction Invasive species are continually documented as a major risk to ecosystem health and worldwide biodiversity. Invasive marine fish introductions are still considered relatively rare and historically the environmental effects are often discounted. This is different from historically famous invasive species such as the zebra mussels in The Great Lakes, which caused well-documented harmful economic and environmental effects. While these are considered rare, they have been documented,…

There are no doubt many threats to our oceans and waterways at this point in time. However there is one major threat to water quality that humans are responsible for. When we burn fossil fuel, there are many gaseous compounds released into the atmosphere. Doesn’t sound that bad does it? However, when some of these compounded gases react with water, the water is now acidic. The gas that is produced when burning these fuels is carbon dioxide (CO2). Ocean acidification is when carbon dioxide…

The Deep Water Horizon disaster had and still has a major impact on the Gulf coast of America. The millions of barrels of water that gushed into the ocean in April 2010 had a significant impact on the environment and the economic impact on the gulf coast. Even though the British Petroleum company and the US government tried to clean up the oil spill, there are till remnants of oil still in the gulf today. A couple weeks after the disaster occurred, the residents of the coast can see the impact…

The global temperature has risen by 0.6°C and is projected to continue to rise. Anthropogenic effects are contributing to the destruction of animal wild life, and the ecosystem. Life is delicate, and changes in the ecosystem due to climate change is endangering wild life. Leatherback turtles or Dermochelys coriacea migrate across the entire basins and according to the 2010 IUNC red list are now critically endangered. The nesting populations for D.coriacea in the Pacific Ocean have steadily…

In January the Obama administration planned to allow offshore oil drilling in the Atlantic ocean. This plan included Virginia down to Georgia. Oil drilling has been banned in the Atlantic ocean for 30 years. If there were to be an oil drill built off the coast of the Atlantic, it could end up putting more marine life in danger than the oil drills in the Gulf of Mexico. In addition, it would put many coral reefs in danger as well. There are many harmful effects caused by drilling. This includes…

A Few Facts About the Pacific Ocean and Environmentalism If you’re taking a trip to Kailua-Kona, then you probably have some idea of how magnificent the Pacific Ocean is. This majestic body of water provides the setting for countless adventures and memorable vacations. The climate in this region is one that people across the world may envy, and the water itself is home to millions of unique plants and creatures. The land nearby has been populated for several centuries, and this makes sense…

Dangers of Underwater Exploration There are over fifty careers that have a sort of connection to underwater exploration. Many people explore for a living and others only for personal interest such as scuba diving. There have been many theories about objects getting lost in the ocean and many people go deep in the ocean to find them. For example, the lost land of Atlantis is said to have silver and gold (Drye). Based on Plato’s writings, philosophers say that as punishment to the…