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Previous studies have found profound levels of plastics within dolphins' stomach contents, breath, and even their urine. Now researchers from the College of Charleston want to know just how severe the pollution crisis is by investigating rainfall and red tides. Growing concern among the scientific community over the impact of chemical contaminants derived from plastics upon marine life has prompted researchers in Florida to launch a bold new investigation into the concentration of plastic particles found within the local dolphin population following periods of excess rainfall and red tides. Since 2016, the College of Charleston and its partners at the Sarasota Dolphin Research Programme (SDRP) have been studying plastics pollution exposure in Sarasota Bay’s bottlenose dolphins. Among their most startling findings, these studies have previously uncovered profound levels of plastics within dolphin stomach contents and breath, while the chemicals used to make these plastics – known as phthalates – have been found in dolphin urine. With the aim of delving further and uncovering the extent of the issue, a new study is now looking into how climate-influenced events like major storms, rainfall, and red tides – periods of discolouration of the seawater caused by a bloom of toxic red algae (dinoflagellates) – impact phthalate exposure and the health of Sarasota Bay dolphins. Phthalates are the chemical compounds used to make plastics both flexible and durable and are used as both solvents and stabilisers in the plastic production process. Owing to their ubiquity and widespread occurrence in our everyday lives, they have, in recent years, earned themselves the nickname the ‘everywhere chemical’. These chemicals are easily released as plastics deteriorate and are found in everything from PVC pipes, to food packaging and even cosmetics and perfumes. Exposure is so common that more than 95% of humans have detectable levels in their urine. Original story by rob Hutchins. Click here for full story and images.
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Bordering three iconic national parks, Everglades, Biscayne, and Dry Tortugas, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is home to the third largest barrier reef in the world. The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS) released the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Restoration Blueprint, a major step towards finalizing this long-awaited plan for the Sanctuary. Bordering three iconic national parks, Everglades, Biscayne, and Dry Tortugas, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is home to the third largest barrier reef in the world, and the only one in the continental United States. This national treasure is under threat from marine heat waves, coral bleaching and disease, overfishing, and many other stressors. The long-awaited action plan to address these threats is the Restoration Blueprint – a plan more than a decade in the making that will improve protections for corals, seagrasses, and mangroves that safeguard Florida from hurricanes, while also protecting wildlife, water quality, and the economy of the Keys. “The Restoration Blueprint is the result of comprehensive community engagement, compromise, and input from all the agencies involved in managing the Sanctuary’s one-of-a-kind water, wildlife, and habitats,” said Marisa Carrozzo, National Parks Conservation Association Senior Coastal & Wildlife Program Manager and FKNMS Advisory Council member. “We are calling for all hands on deck to put this plan into action, and protect the Keys and our connected national parks for generations to come.” “As a Keys fishing guide and Councilmember for the Village of Islamorada, I’m excited about this milestone for the Restoration Blueprint,” said Captain Steve Friedman. “Developed with strong input from the fishing community, this plan will help preserve our world-class fishing resources.” For full National Parks Conservation Association Press Release, click here
Clearwater Marine Aquarium on Monday announced it had received more than $17,000 from the Sea Turtle Grants Program. With the new funding, the aquarium says its veterinary team was able to purchase new medical equipment for sea turtle rehabilitation — including a new surgical exam table, a single head ceiling surgical light, a wound VAC and dressings, and a digital camera. Since receiving the equipment, CMA says more than 75 sea turtles have been treated.  The Sea Turtle Grants Program is partially funded by Florida's 'Helping Sea Turtles Survive' Specialty License Plate, according to the aquarium. The license plate is also the primary source of funding for Florida's Marine Turtle Protection Program.
According to CMA, the grants program has awarded more than $2.7 million in grants for research, education and conservation programs to benefit sea turtles in Florida. |
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