Category Archives: Global Climate Change

Saving Grand Cayman’s Killer Pillar

Posted on 18 January 2019 by Ret Talbot

I recently published a story about coral disease in Yale Environment 360, and I’ve had a lot of follow-up through social media. One of the top questions/comments I’ve received concerns Killer Pillar, a Grand Cayman dive site mentioned in the … Continue reading →

Posted in coral, Endangered Species Act (ESA), Forida, Global Climate Change, Southeast Fisheries | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

As Disease Ravages Coral Reefs, Scientists Scramble for Solutions (Excerpt from Yale E360)

Posted on 10 January 2019 by Ret Talbot

The following is an excerpt of my article on climate disease fromYale Environment 360. Click “CONTINUE” at the end of the excerpts to read the full article at https://e360.yale.edu. In September 2014, William Precht received an alarming phone call. “I’m … Continue reading →

Posted in coral, Developing Nations, Forida, Global Climate Change, Hawaii, Indo-Pacific | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

NMFS Solicits Public Comment on Protective Regulations for Listed Coral Species

Posted on 13 January 2015 by Ret Talbot

Today the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration‘s (NOAA) National Marine Fishery Service (NMFS) officially began soliciting public input as they consider developing a section 4(d) rule for the 20 species of coral recently listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). “Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and … Continue reading →

Posted in Endangered Species Act (ESA), Global Climate Change, Indo-Pacific, Ornamental Fisheries | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Why Giving away Dogfish at the Food Pantry May be a Bad Idea

Posted on 8 December 2014 by Ret Talbot

If you visited the Falmouth Service Center’s food pantry last week, you may have been offered a fillet of spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias). Brenda Swain, the service center’s director, says they have “been working really hard on nutrition,” and she’s thrilled … Continue reading →

Posted in Ecolabels, Global Climate Change, Groundfishing, Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI), Human Health, Maine Fisheries, Massachusetts, Mercury, Northeast Fisheries, Overfishing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

President and CEO of PIJAC Continues Spread of Disinformation

Posted on 19 November 2014 by Ret Talbot

The president and CEO of the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC), Ed Sayres, attended the Aquatic Experience this past weekend and blogged about it on Monday. In his blog entry, Sayres asks, “[W]hy is the aquatics community under attack by … Continue reading →

Posted in Endangered Species Act (ESA), Global Climate Change, Hawaii, Indo-Pacific, Legislation, Ornamental Fisheries | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Assessing Cause and Effect with Data in Hawaii’s Aquarium Fishery

Posted on 7 November 2014 by Ret Talbot

Yesterday I reported on the 2015 commercial northern shrimp fishery moratorium in New England, an event where ocean warming, rather than poor fishery management, is likely responsible for fishery collapse. Today, I want to take a look at Hawaii, where anti-aquarium fishery … Continue reading →

Posted in Global Climate Change, Hawaii, Ornamental Fisheries, Overfishing | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

2015 Commercial Northern Shrimp Fishery Moratorium Announced

Posted on 6 November 2014 by Ret Talbot

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) has for the second year in a row issued a moratorium on the commercial northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) fishery. The decision was made Wednesday in Portland, and it’s one that will no doubt hurt … Continue reading →

Posted in Global Climate Change, Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI), Maine Fisheries, Northeast Fisheries, Overfishing | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Local Food – Risks and Benefits

Posted on 31 October 2014 by Ret Talbot

I eat local more often than not, especially since I moved to Maine. Maine is on the front lines of the local food movement, earning the number two slot on the 2014 Locavore Index behind Vermont. Being a so-called locavore is not without … Continue reading →

Posted in Global Climate Change, Human Health, Maine Fisheries, Mercury, Northeast Fisheries, Overfishing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How Many Wild Orange Clownfish Does the Aquarium Trade Harvest? (Excerpt)

Posted on 18 September 2014 by Ret Talbot

The following excerpt is from an online article published yesterday by Reef to Rainforest. One addition is that the blogger in question–the one who appears to have first used the statistic of 200,000 orange clownfish imported–corrected his mistake when I … Continue reading →

Posted in Endangered Species Act (ESA), Global Climate Change, Indo-Pacific, Ornamental Fisheries | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Is the Aquarium Trade under Attack?

Posted on 12 September 2014 by Ret Talbot

In recent days, the number of marine aquarium trade media outlets and trade advocates repeating some variation of the phrase “Our Hobby is under Attack” has increased exponentially. But is it true? Is the aquarium hobby or trade really under … Continue reading →

Posted in Endangered Species Act (ESA), Global Climate Change, Hawaii, Indo-Pacific, Legislation, Ornamental Fisheries | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments