Extra DNA May Make Unlikely Hybrid Fish Possible

Quanta Magazine — Their mothers were Russian sturgeons — large carnivores with creamy bellies, short, rounded snouts, and green, dragonlike scales. Their fathers were American paddlefish — smooth-skinned filter feeders with sensitive, elongated snouts. “Sturddlefish,” as these hybrids have been nicknamed since researchers in Hungary recently announced their creation, go shockingly Read More…

Mekong Nations Pressed to Share Data as Water Level Falls to New Low

The New York Times — The inter-governmental Mekong River Commission on Friday urged China and Southeast Asian countries to share more data on hydropower dam operations, as water flow in the Mekong hit record low levels for a second consecutive year. A report by the commission attributes the low water level to two years of reduced rainfall and the operations of 13 Mekong hydropower dams - two Read More…

New fish trap on White River can handle 1 million salmon a year,…

The Wenatchee World — They were impaled and exhausted, weakened, or left dying in waves: pink salmon by the thousands, defeated by a nearly 80-year-old fish trap and dam on this waterway that also harmed spring chinook, the prize diet of endangered southern resident killer whales. But no more. At the insistence of tribes and federal fisheries managers, the Army Corps of Engineers Read More…

WDFW asking for feedback on Willapa Bay Salmon Management Policy…

KXRO — The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is seeking public feedback on its proposed Willapa Bay Salmon Management Policy Comprehensive Review, which evaluates the state’s progress on the first phase of its Willapa Bay Salmon Management Policy. “Developed with guidance from our Willapa Bay Salmon Advisory Group, this review is a big step in answering the question of Read More…

Oceans need responsible governance to battle climate crisis

Indian Climate Dialog — Popular images of climate change are often restricted to melting polar ice caps or desertification. However, there is another ecosystem in crisis — the oceans — and the prognosis is not promising. There is now widespread recognition of the increasing urgency for better governance of the oceans. This is particularly true of those parts of the ocean which extend Read More…

Surface clean-up technology won’t solve ocean plastic problem

EurekAlert! — Clean-up devices that collect waste from the ocean surface won't solve the plastic pollution problem, a new study shows. Researchers compared estimates of current and future plastic waste with the ability of floating clean-up devices to collect it - and found the impact of such devices was "very modest". However, river barriers could be more effective and - though they have Read More…

Drought and the Sacramento–San Joaquin delta, 2012–2016:…

PreventionWeb — Droughts are common in California. The drought of 2012-2016 had no less precipitation and was no longer than previous historical droughts, but came with record high temperatures and low snowpack, which worsened many drought impacts. Water supplies for agriculture and urban users statewide struggled to meet water demands. Conservation and rationing, increased groundwater Read More…

Appeals court: NOAA can’t make rules for offshore fish farms

StarTribune — A federal appeals court in New Orleans has upheld a decision that throws out rules regulating fish farms in the Gulf of Mexico. The law granting authority over fisheries to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration does not also let the agency set rules for offshore fish farms, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said in its 2-1 decision on Monday. The farms Read More…

Decomposition of organic matter in aquaculture systems

Global Aquaculture Alliance — Before discussing organic matter decomposition, it will be helpful to mention organic matter production by plants. The end product of photosynthesis is simple sugar (C6H12O6). Plants use some of this sugar directly for energy or convert it to starch for a reserve energy source. They also use the sugar from photosynthesis to make proteins, hemicellulose, Read More…

California Governor Newsom urges Warren Buffett to stick with Klamath…

Klamath Falls News — On July 29th, California Governor Gavin Newsom sent a letter to Warren Buffett and leaders at Berkshire Hathaway urging the company to stick to an agreement to remove four aging Klamath River hydroelectric dams along the California-Oregon border. Berkshire Hathaway is the parent company of PacifiCorp, which owns and operates the dams. PacifiCorp is now threatening to Read More…