Photograph courtesy Kim Shiflett, NASA

The first Gulf sea turtle hatchlings enter the Atlantic Ocean in early summer 2010.

It may be 15 years before these hatchlings mature and return to Gulf waters to nest themselves, Hoggard said—if they do at all.

“We’re giving up a whole generation of turtles,” he said, “with the hopes that they’ll come back.”

View more pictures and a story about the relocation of turtle eggs in the Gulf of Mexico on National Geographic.

Covering 72 percent of the Earth and supplying half its oxygen, the ocean is our planet’s life support system–and it’s in danger. Watch this video to learn why a healthier ocean means a healthier planet, and find out how you can help.

Roz Savage gave up her life as a management consultant to row across the Atlantic in 2005. Her mission now is to row across the Pacific, from the West Coast to Australia, raising awareness along the way of plastic pollution, climate change and eco-heroism.

Photographer Brian Skerry shoots life above and below the waves — as he puts it, both the horror and the magic of the ocean. Sharing amazing, intimate shots of undersea creatures, he shows how powerful images can help make change.

There’s a tight and surprising link between the ocean’s health and ours, says marine biologist Stephen Palumbi. He shows how toxins at the bottom of the ocean food chain find their way into our bodies, with a shocking story of toxic contamination from a Japanese fish market. His work points a way forward for saving the oceans’ health — and humanity’s.

In this bracing talk, coral reef ecologist Jeremy Jackson lays out the shocking state of the ocean today: overfished, overheated, polluted, with indicators that things will get much worse. Astonishing photos and stats make the case.

An exclusive look at the oil spill with a dive team who explored how the oil is impacting the Gulf of Mexico.

View video on The New Zealand Herald.

Whale sharks, katipo spiders and all giant weta will now be absolutely protected under changes to the Wildlife Act, Minister of Conservation Kate Wilkinson announced today.

They are among 12 previously unprotected species of invertebrate and a number of marine species, including manta ray, giant groper and corals, which have had their protection status upgraded.

“All native species are special and have evolved key functions in our unique biodiversity, whether they are weevils, weta or beetles they deserve an appropriate level of protection,” Ms Wilkinson says.

“Giant groper, whale sharks and manta ray are all highly valued, particularly by divers, in New Zealand. The upgrade in their protection status, and that of corals, recognises how unique they are in our waters.”

Read full article from the Department of Conservation.

Hundreds of convictions involving people arrested in undercover Fisheries Ministry paua sale operations since 1996 could be overturned following a High Court decision involving a major Wellington paua poaching bust.

High Court judge Ailsa Duffy issued a May 18 decision which found the law was so poorly worded it did not allow penalties to be imposed if illegal paua had been purchased from undercover fisheries officers.

Justice Duffy has recommended the law be rewritten.

“This is another occasion where the court has found that a drafting mistake in the Fisheries Act has had the result of making the enforcement of the offence provisions in the act ineffective,” Justice Duffy said.

The case involved a Manukau District Court conviction of Vietnamese woman Thin Thi Vu for aiding and encouraging Huong Ly to purchase paua from an undercover fisheries officer operating under the assumed name of Brett Stevens.

Read full article from Stuff.

Fish are being threatened by rising levels of man-made noise pollution.

So say scientists who have reviewed the impact on fish species around the world of noises made by oil and gas rigs, ships, boats and sonar.

Rather than live in a silent world, most fish hear well and sound plays an active part in their lives, they say.

Increasing noise levels may therefore severely affect the distribution of fish, and their ability to reproduce, communicate and avoid predators.

Read full article from BBC Earth News.