BREAKING NEWS:

NOAA proposes national marine sanctuary in Papahānaumokuākea

Today, NOAA has released a draft proposal to designate a national marine sanctuary in the marine portions of Papahānaumokuākea. Home to the endangered Hawaiian monk seal, threatened green turtles and many species found nowhere else on earth, the complex and highly productive marine ecosystems of Papahānaumokuākea are significant contributors to the biological diversity of the ocean.

Papahānaumokuākea is of great importance to Native Hawaiians, and Hawaiian culture is a foundational element in its management. It is also home to a variety of post-Western-contact historic resources, such as 19th-century commercial whaling shipwrecks and artifacts and those associated with World War II’s Battle of Midway.

The public is invited to comment on the sanctuary draft proposal through May 7, 2024.

National marine sanctuary designation for Papahānaumokuākea | Office of National Marine Sanctuaries

The proposed sanctuary is a place of unique environmental resources that provide large-scale ecosystem services for the region and the world

sanctuaries.noaa.gov

#EarthIsBlue #Papahānaumokuākea #Pacific Islands #Hawaiian #Culture #National Marine Sanctuary #News #NOAA #pacific ocean #biology

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Smelly Gas Helps Researchers Track Right Whales

In the vast open ocean, how does a large animal like a North Atlantic right whale find enough food to eat? Scientists suspect whales are following odors produced by the natural chemical compound dimethyl sulfide (DMS), a smelly gas released when the copepods eat phytoplankton. To predict where right whales will be aggregating, scientists at NOAA's Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary are conducting groundbreaking research following the same scent trail the whales may be using to locate their favorite food.