Lost and abandoned blue crab traps pose a problem in Florida’s commercial and recreational fishing industries by continuing to trap fish and crustaceans. Traps can also pose a marine hazard. Efforts to clean them up are receiving a major boost in 2009, due to a new rule approved by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation…
The spectacularly beautiful lionfish with its undulating venomous spines is quite the sight to see, but its invasion of Caribbean coral reefs may pose a very serious threat. For the past five years or so, I have been reading about the population explosion of lionfish in the Caribbean. However, the magnitude of the problem did…
Many of the issues affecting coastal residents and marine ecosystems are regional in scope, crossing the borders of many states. In the southeastern USA, examples of major regional issues include: protecting coastal communities from hurricanes; understanding the risk of sea-level rise and developing effective adaptation strategies; predicting the occurrence and impacts of harmful algal blooms;…