PMEL in the News
The Biggest Battle in Five Generations
Deaths of baby oysters in the Pacific Northwest are happening at an alarming rate because of increasing ocean acidification due to climate change. For shellfish farmers and the area that depends on them, it’s a more unwieldy foe than they’ve ever confronted.
Young Pollock Survival Better than Expected During Recent Bering Sea Warm Phase
In 2014 the Bering Sea warmed, raising concerns that pollock populations would plummet as they did in the previous warm phase of 2001-2005. But a new study suggests that this time young pollock had alternative resources that weren’t available during the last warming phase to help buffer ill effects of warming. With 2017 showing signs of cooling, pollock populations may have successfully weathered the warm years of 2014-16.
Climate Change Is Not The Only Cause Of Greenland Ice Melt. Blame Sunnier Days.
Greenland’s ice sheet is melting faster than expected, and this has been accelerating over the past two decades. It is now the biggest single contributor to global sea level rise, accounting for 25 percent of the total. But besides warming climes, there is another culprit for the melt: sunnier days in fair Greenland.
The Most Exciting Drones Aren't in the Air--They're in the Ocean
In July, three odd-looking, 23-foot-long sailboats will launch from a dock in Alaska's Dutch Harbor. They will meander the seas between the U.S. and Russia to track ice melt, measure the ocean's levels of carbon dioxide, and count fish, seal, and whale populations. And they'll do all this without a single human being on board.
Rant & Rave: Interesting NOAA Open House
RAVE To NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) for their excellent June 9 Open House. The exhibits and guided tours were very informative and well coordinated.