Before NOAA’s oceanic expedition ‘Voyage to the Ridge 2022’ aboard the research vessel Okeanos Explorer took a logistical break from its schedule, followers of its live ROV webcasts were treated to a fascinating ascent along the Western Kane Transform Fault on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Expert commentators described unique geology and identified bizarre creatures as theyContinue Reading To the Ridge and beyond!

Australia has over 30% of its national waters designated as Marine Parks, recognising that they are worthy of protection for nature conservation.  However, like many other such similar areas across national and international waters, there is limited scope to measure and monitor their effectiveness as areas of conservation, or mechanisms by which to improve their efficacy.  AContinue Reading Australia pilots new marine monitoring programme

After months of meticulous and inclusive planning, the long-awaited NOAA oceanic expedition ‘Voyage to the Ridge 2022’ is underway aboard the NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer, with the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge in its sights.  The target and timing of the expedition could not be better, as the governance and management of the ocean above the northern Mid-Atlantic RidgeContinue Reading Voyage to the Ridge 2022

The Summer edition of the GOBI Newsletter is out now, just in time for the UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon. As well as an update on GOBI’s own research – with a focus on stocktaking, partnerships and solutions – it includes news from the wider partnership, ranging from the evolution of the EBSA process inContinue Reading New GOBI Newsletter out now!

The resumption of international travel and in-person meetings has enabled the completion of the last (of the five scheduled) GOBI-sponsored regional IMMA workshop, targeting the South East Tropical and Temperate Pacific Ocean.  This IMMA region comprises 24% of the Pacific Ocean, and nearly half of the world’s whale, dolphin, porpoise, seal, sea lion and otter speciesContinue Reading Covid-postponed IMMA workshop finally takes place

In the latest tranche of projects and actions to receive endorsement from the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, GOBI’s work is duly recognised. Through our current portfolio of work, GOBI will contribute towards the Decade’s mission by: promoting a better understanding of mechanisms to conserve biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction andContinue Reading GOBI gets UN Ocean Decade endorsement

The second half of the 24th meeting of the Convention on Biological Diversity’s (CBD’s) Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA) was conducted in person in Geneva, Switzerland, between 14 and 29 March 2022.  As the first in-person meeting convened by the CBD after the Covid-19 pandemic, and as the final chance to negotiateContinue Reading GOBI at CBD SBSTTA-24

Between 2016 and 2021, eight regional workshops – engaging more than 300 experts – have resulted in the identification of 173 important marine mammal areas (IMMAs) located in 90 countries or territories, across a third of the globe.  IMMAs identified to date provide important habitats for 58 of the 131 recognised marine mammal species. This featContinue Reading The IMMA process in a nutshell

A recently published study – led by Duke University’s Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab (MGEL) with support from GOBI – used satellite tags on sea turtles to analyse complex movements across critical habitats. In total 1,235 sea turtles representing six species were tracked. These highly migratory animals were tagged in 79 marine regions around the world,Continue Reading Sea turtle movements demonstrate marine connectivity across the high seas