Basking sharks are coming back to Ireland from April to August ! But do you really know who it is ? Second biggest shark species spotted in Ireland, after the Great White Shark (both are often confused), basking sharks have a singular lifestyle based on filter-feeding. Nevertheless, the species are classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and are still threatened by human activities...
On the southern Tuscan coast, in Talamone (Italy), a fisherman put in place a strategy to protect local marine ecosystems, notably against poachers and bottom trawling !
Aquaculture became a hot-topic from the moment when we discovered several threats are linked to this farming. In response to this, scientists and biologists are now developing solutions, to allow more ethical, ecological and sustainalble ways of production. Ireland is the first European country producer of bio-responsible seafood.
Even if today, we are aware about marine pollution, 250 000 tons of microplastic swim in the ocean. Every year, we emit almost 10 million tons, the equivalent of a garbage truck per minute. Scientists who have looked into microplastic research have determined that marine biodiversity is strongly impacted. Microplastics affect it on their diet and reproduction behaviour and could, by the end, even affect humans.
In the Strait of Gibraltar, incidents concerning sailboat damages have been recorded since 2020. These phenomena, caused by orca’s behaviour, raise questions for scientists...
Scientists from the International Whaling Commission demonstrated that “interactions have more elements consistent with fad behaviour or play/socialising”. Nonetheless, marines, fishers, and tourists are afraid of orcas adopting violent behaviour whereas this specific group is critically endangered.
