My family and I think octopuses are the most marvelous animals in the ocean. My daughter even dressed up as an octopus for Halloween a few years ago. We often watch The Little Mermaid on repeat and while Ursula technically has only six suckered appendages (due to animating difficulties), she technically has eight limbs total if you include her “human” arms.  It’s hard not to love these fascinating creatures. They have impressive camouflage skills, fight off predators by spraying ink and even have three hearts. And what’s more, there are so  ..read more

When thinking about the world, it is easy to forget that the majority of our planet consists of our ocean. As 71% of Earth, it is fair to assume that there is more to explore about all depths of the ocean than we can even imagine. In order to continue to learn from our ocean and all that inhabits it, and better understand how human activities affect it, it is essential that researchers and engineers consistently innovate and reevaluate how we do this.  Never miss an update Enter your email and never miss an update Sorry, but we failed to add you to the list. Please try again or contact 1 ..read more

Raised in Milwaukee, a quaint city on the western shore of Lake Michigan, I’ve always had an intimate connection to water. My favorite childhood memories include navigating beaches, trails and streams along the lake, traversing rock walls to find the best views, and occasionally, taking a dip in its chilly waters. Like many Milwaukeeans, the lake is part of my identity. As a person immersed in this interior, “fresh coast” worldview, I hadn’t spent much time considering how our practices might affect the ocean thousands of miles away.  Love ocean content? Enter your email and never miss an ..read more

This blog was written by Kit Cunningham, a graduate student at University of Alaska Fairbanks and an employee for Alaska Department of Fish and Game. She is from and lives in Juneau, and is passionate about sustainability and conservation in Alaska. Imagine islands full of noise and heartbeats. Never miss an update Enter your email and never miss an update Sorry, but we failed to add you to the list. Please try again or contact 1.888.780.6763 Enter Your Email ...loading Thanks for signing up for Ocean Conservancy emails. There are thousands of sk’yuuwan, which is the word for Steller sea li ..read more

South Greenland is a magical place. A hot spring sits on an open hillside above an iceberg-filled fjord. Inuit sheep farmers have restored an agricultural practice first introduced by Erik the Red and other Norse settlers from Iceland. The sea abounds with fish, seals and whales. A hydroelectric dam provides local power. Brightly painted houses rise above the harbor in Qaqortoq, a community of 3,000 that is the largest in the region. It’s no wonder 45 cruise ships came to visit in the summer of 2022. The influx of tourists is only the latest group of newcomers and only one of the recent change ..read more

In the cold months of wintertime, there is nothing I like more than covering myself with a warm homemade blanket and getting cozy on the couch. Unfortunately, in the ocean, the wildlife living there don’t have such a luxury. Let’s just say that if a fish were to try using a blanket octopus to cover its fins for a little warmth, it might end up as the next meal for the blanket octopus. The blanket octopus Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Mollusca Class: Cephalopoda Order: Octopoda A very unique-looking creature, the blanket octopus (genus Tremoctopus) is rarely encountered by humans in the ocean. Th ..read more

Coral reefs are lifelines of the sea. The role they play in maintaining a healthy ocean ecosystem is immeasurable. Above the ocean surface, reefs are also incredible economic boosters, attracting tourists and ocean enthusiasts alike. Unfortunately, these vital coral reefs are threatened across the entire ocean as they face the impacts of overuse, climate change and other factors. Now, I know what you must be thinking, “I wish we could make more of these wonderful, yet struggling, reefs” Well, turns out we can. Artificial reefs are human-made structures that are meant to resemble the chara ..read more

At first, sea sponges appear to be some of the simplest inhabitants of our ocean. They may even seem dull when compared with some of our favorite ocean critters (besides the legendary Spongebob, of course). While they don’t possess many of the traits we picture when we think about ocean animals (such as hearts, faces or fins), a deep dive reveals that these organisms offer more than meets the eye.  They can be fluorescent. Some ocean creatures, like the angler fish, are well known for their bioluminescence (the ability to emit light). But did you know that some sponges have this ..read more

As 2022 comes to a close, I am reflecting on everything we’ve accomplished together on behalf of our ocean throughout the last 12 months. It’s been an incredibly busy year here at Ocean Conservancy, to say the least. I am ending this year feeling excited—and grateful—for everything we did to promote ocean health and productivity this year. Most of all, I so appreciate all the ocean advocates who stood alongside us to make these wins possible.  Love our content? Sign up to never miss an update! Sorry, but we failed to add you to the list. Please try again or contact 1.888.780.6763 Enter Yo ..read more

If you’re reading this, odds are you’ve already heard of flounder. Maybe you’ve even eaten it or seen it in the wild! But how much do you really know about this flatfish? Read on to learn fun facts about flounder.  1. They’re flat.  Okay, this one might not be considered a fun fact in itself because all you need to do is look at a flounder to know this is true. But since it’s one of the flounder’s most distinctive features, it’s worth talking about!  Flounder are flatfish, meaning they have a flattened body shape that allows them to blend in with the seafloor ..read more