Conservation

More than ever, the fate of the ocean is in our hands. Learn about different threats to the ocean and its organisms, successful conservation stories, and what you can do to help.

EDUCATOR RESOURCES

LATEST TODAY'S CATCH


					The Great Pacific Garbage Patch May 6, 2013 - 8:10AMThe “garbage patches,” as referred to in the media, are areas of marine debris concentration in the North Pacific Ocean, circulated by the North Pacific gyre. The gyre spreads across the Pacific Ocean from Japan to the western US...

Ocean Acidification with Dr. Francisco Chavez

Apr 30, 2013 - 9:29AM

Dr. Francisco Chavez of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute...

Investigating Nutrient Pollution's Impact on Mangroves

Apr 26, 2013 - 9:47AM

At Carrie Bow Cay in Belize, Dr. Candy Feller explains her research on the...

Sea Grapes: A Google Earth Tour Dec 16 2011 - 11:16am “Sea grapes” may sound like something Poseidon would snack on, and not a killer algae. Yet Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea poses a serious threat to marine life. Spread by the bilge water of boats, this fast-growing alga is quick to take root, squeezing out native species.	Animals and the Oil Spill: What Can You Do? Jun 16 2010 - 1:40pm Lately we’ve been fielding questions from Smithsonian visitors wondering how they can help with the oil spill cleanup in the Gulf of Mexico. If there is any good news coming out of this situation, it’s that thousands of people across the U.S. care deeply and are finding ways to respond to the oil...
The Oil Spill, Two Years Later Apr 20 2012 - 2:44pm Two years ago last week, on April 20, 2010, an explosion on the oil-drilling rig Deepwater Horizon caused the largest marine oil spill in history, gushing nearly 5 million barrels of crude oil over the course of three months.	Coral at the Great Barrier Reef Oct 2 2012 - 3:04pm This colorful coral lives in Australia's Great Barrier Reef. On the whole, this coral reef is the largest single structure built by living organisms and can be seen from space! Although more than one-third of the reef is protected from fishing and other human impacts, it is still 50% smaller than...
Alaska SeaLife Center Delegation Feb 7 2011 - 8:00pm What can students do to help the ocean? It turns out, a lot! These students from Alaska are among dozens from the U.S. and Mexico who are developing action plans on ocean and climate-related issues in their local communities. They’re getting advice from their teachers and experts at aquariums and...	Buoy Collects Data on the Open Ocean Mar 25 2010 - 11:32am Sponsored by the United Nations, the Global Ocean Observing System is committed to sharing observations about the ocean to all nations. Some of the data they collect comes from buoys like the one shown here. The buoys help scientists investigate a host of environmental questions and issues,...
Educational Uses of Gyotaku or Fish Printing Jul 18 2011 - 12:01pm Gyotaku is a traditional form of Japanese art that began over 100 years ago as a way for fishermen to keep a record of the fish they caught. They would apply sumi ink to one side of a freshly caught fish, then cover the fish with rice paper and rub to create an exact image of the fish. The ink...	Dauphin Island Sea Lab Delegation Feb 8 2011 - 6:11pm What can students do to help the ocean? It turns out, a lot! These students from Alabama are among dozens from the U.S. and Mexico who are developing action plans on ocean and climate-related issues in their local communities. They’re getting advice from their teachers and experts at aquariums...
Ballast Water in the Port of Oakland Jul 27 2011 - 1:09pm When people sail the sea, marine organisms tag along. If carried long distances, these hitchhikers can invade and disrupt ecosystems far from their natural homes, pushing out the local species. Some invaders catch a ride by attaching themselves to the sides or bottoms of boats. But many more stow...	2011 Student Summit on the Ocean & Coasts Webcast, Part 2 Mar 28 2011 - 2:59pm Recorded Feb. 15, 2011, this video from the Third Student Summit on the Ocean and Coasts includes public awareness and education presentations that were presented by delegations from the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher (2:20), Shedd Aquarium (17:30), Veracruz Aquarium (30:15) and the...
Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch National Guide May 21 2010 - 12:42pm View the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch National Guide.	The results are in... Oct 30 2009 - 6:00pm In September, during the Sant Ocean Hall's first anniversary celebration, the Ocean Portal Team hit the museum floor to tell visitors about the OP and get some early feedback. Let's face it, we spend a lot of time at our computers, so we were very excited to meet people face-to-face. We asked...
Zooxanthellae Dec 3 2009 - 1:14pm Tiny plant-like organisms called zooxanthella live in the tissues of many animals, including some corals, anemones, and jellyfish, sponges, flatworms, mollusks and foraminifera. These microscopic algae capture sunlight and convert it into energy, just like plants, to provide essential nutrients to...	The Gulf Oil Spill: Effects on Marine Life Jun 9 2010 - 3:48pm The Deepwater Horizon disaster has imperiled the ecosystem along the U.S. Gulf Coast. Most oil spills have occurred at the ocean surface. This one, originating at the ocean floor and rising up through the water column, has the potential to affect the marine environment at every level. More about...
Forces of Change in the Ocean Oct 5 2010 - 3:58pm The ocean covers more than 70 percent of the Earth and is essential to all life. But forces of change, from overfishing to climate change, are affecting the ocean and humanity's relationship with it. The Census of Marine Life, a decade-long effort to study marine life in greater detail than ever...	Be a Picky Eater Apr 22 2013 - 9:43am When it comes to many of our once-favorite seafoods, there aren't always plenty more fish in the sea. In fact, some studies estimate that up to 90 percent of large predatory fish (those that eat other animals—and usually end up on our dinner plates) have disappeared since humans began heavy fishing.