As the aquanauts wrapped up their time at Aquarius Reef Base, Sylvia Earle voiced her plea: “It is important for people to actually be in the ocean, in that blue part of the country… We need to understand it.”…

Jim Toomey, who says two of his favorite things to watch on television as a kid were “Peanuts” and Jacques Cousteau programs, offers up inspiring messages about ocean conservation along with plenty of quirky humor in the comic strip “Sherman’s Lagoon.”
Sherman, a great white shark, shares undersea adventures with his pals including camping in a kelp forest and surprising encounters with ocean trash.  Countering the traditional fear factor around sharks, Sherman is “Homer Simpson with fins,” says Toomey. We called the cartoonist to find out more.
1. When did your idea for an ocean-themed cartoon begin?
I started drawing caricatures of teachers back in 2nd or 3rd grade. I switched from teachers to sea critters after a family trip to the Bahamas when I was 12.…

By Chris Pincetich
World Sea Turtle Day commemorates the pioneering sea turtle conservation work of the late Dr. Archie Carr.
To celebrate World Sea Turtle day the California Academy of Sciences dedicated its popular Weekly NightLife event to this beloved animal. The event at the California Academy of Science, located in the city’s iconic Golden Gate Park,  brought together several  conservation scientists and also included a surprise visit from the infamous Mr. Leatherback, a 6-foot tall leatherback sea turtle!
Ocean biologists Dr. Wallace Nichols and Dr. Chris Pincetich kicked-off the evening with a special presentation of  their nearly two decade-long  research supporting turtle conservancy.
Back in 1996, Dr. Nichols affixed a satellite transmitter on a female loggerhead sea turtle in Baja, Mexico named Adelita (after the daughter of the fisherman who helped with the research). …

By Ted Reckas
For six days this month One World One Ocean will broadcast live coverage and in depth reporting of what could be the final mission to Aquarius Reef Base, the world’s last undersea research station, 60 feet underwater in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
The lab allows scientists to live underwater for up to two weeks at a time, pushing the boundary of what we know about the ocean. It is the last vestige of a rich 50-year tradition of ocean explorers living underwater, started by Jaques Yves Cousteau with Conshelf I, in 1962. Aquarius has been cut from next year’s federal budget and may be closed as soon as December.
When there are plenty of ocean issues that deserve attention flying under the public’s radar, why is a team of top-notch cinematographers going to train their lenses on a little-known research base that may be closed by Christmas?…

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 22 June 2012 (IUCN) — Governments are leaving the UN’s Sustainable Development Summit (Rio +20) with a big deal but little action. Groups of civil society and business have proved they can lead the way towards a sustainable future.
“It’s a relief that the outcomes of Rio+20 refer to some basic issues of planetary survival – removing poverty and reviving nature’s health,” says IUCN Director General Julia Marton-Lefèvre. “I’m pleased to see that nature based solutions for the problems facing poor people, forests, oceans and water were firmly on the agenda. It’s only by investing in nature that we can create a green economy and a sustainable future for everyone.”
“But the deal signed here in Rio lays out aspirations rather than specific mandatory goals on issues like food security, water and energy.…

By Brian Clark Howard
In an email to National Geographic News from Rio de Janeiro, National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Sylvia Earle said of the ongoing UN Conference on Sustainable Development, “Concerning oceans, there is reason to suggest that the outcomes could be characterized as Rio+20 minus 40.”
Earle’s words sum up the buzz in the halls of Riocentro—the massive suburban conference center that has hosted tens of thousands of delegates, activists, and journalists this week—as well as among the thousands of protesters that have taken the streets around the Marvelous City.
Still, Earle pointed out, “It is not all bad news, just discouraging to hear the French ambassador say that the will of 183 countries concerning developing a framework for governance of the high seas had come unglued owing to opposition from a small number of powerful countries.”…

To celebrate World Oceans Day, our friends at One World One Ocean have unveiled an animated tale of two young ocean explorers who circle the globe exploring some of the ocean’s most exotic places while featuring an original song set to the tune of Gotye’s popular “Somebody That I Used to Know.”
“The Ocean We Want To Know” follows Mitzi and Ferdie as they make intriguing discoveries, weaving their way through amazing ocean ecosystems, before returning to their school, where they share what they learned with their class.

“Our goal in making this video was to truly celebrate the wonders of the ocean with stunning facts about our connection to the planet’s lifeline, specifically targeting younger audiences, the majority of whom have never heard of World Oceans Day,” said Managing Director of One World One Ocean and the video’s Executive Producer Shaun MacGillivray.…

This week, the Antarctic Ocean Alliance (AOA) is stepping up its campaign to protect the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica. At an event at the British Academy of London on Monday 21st May, the AOA unveiled a new vision for the creation of the world’s largest network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and no-take marine reserves in 19 key Antarctic marine habitats in the Southern Ocean. The AOA is launched a new report ‘Antarctic Ocean Legacy: A Vision for Circumpolar Protection‘ calling on all of the countries involved in deciding the fate of this magnificent environment to support far-reaching Antarctic marine protection.
The launch in London on Monday marked the first AOA event in the UK.
Antarctic marine ecosystems are under increasing pressure.Growing…

Bioluminescence, or cold chemical light made by living creatures, answers a simple question: how can an animal survive in the dark? Making its own light by which it can find food, attract mates or defend itself against predators is an easy fix. This phenomenon has evolved at least 40 times in evolutionary history—a clear indication of how important the trait is for various animals’ survival.
Edie Widder, president and senior scientist at the ocean conservation organization ORCA, has dedicated her career to studying bioluminescence. “Everywhere we look in the ocean, we find animals that make light,” she said. “If we drag a net through the ocean almost anywhere, in many places 80 to 90 percent of the animals will be bioluminescent.…

Since April 1, they Wyland Foundation—a non-profit group that helps children discover the importance of healthy oceans through art and science programs—has encouraged civic leaders across the country to inspire their residents to participate in the National Mayor’s Challenge for Water Conservation. The idea is to reduce water and energy consumption through individual pledges in honor of the 40th anniversary of the Clean Water Act.
The cities with the highest percentage of residents who have signed the water petition will win, and pledge participants from winning cities will be eligible for more than $50,000 worth of prizes, such as a Toyota Prius Hybrid, water-friendly household appliances and Lowe’s gift cards.
Both small and large cities are participating, including Los Angeles, Denver and Honolulu.…