Latest Oceans News

Fourth mass coral bleaching prompts UN emergency session at Colombia biodiversity summit

Oct. 30, 2024 20:48 PM EDT

CALI, Colombia (AP) — The United Nations, scientists and governments made an urgent call Wednesday for increased funding to protect coral reefs under threat of extinction. Research this year shows that 77% of the world’s reefs are affected by bleaching, mainly due to warming...

Recent whale deaths highlight risks from Antarctica's booming krill fishery

Oct. 30, 2024 13:49 PM EDT

MIAMI (AP) — Two humpback whales were found dead and another seriously injured this year in huge nets used to collect krill for fishmeal and omega-3 pills near Antarctica, The Associated Press has learned. The whale deaths, which have not been previously reported, were discussed...

US chooses winning bids in first commercial sale for floating offshore Atlantic wind

Oct. 29, 2024 17:22 PM EDT

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The U.S. government chose winning bids Tuesday to develop wind power off New England in the first commercial sale for floating offshore wind on the Atlantic coast. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management held a lease sale and selected nearly $22 million in...

These artificial reefs off a New York City beach help sea creatures. They might also save lives

Oct. 29, 2024 11:40 AM EDT

NEW YORK (AP) — Almost nothing stood in the way of the pounding waves that crashed into seaside homes in Staten Island's Tottenville neighborhood when Superstorm Sandy struck the city 12 years ago. A narrow strip of sand, some beach scrub and a few lonely trees did almost nothing to slow the...

Commonwealth nations adopt their first ocean declaration

Oct. 26, 2024 10:50 AM EDT

APIA, Samoa (AP) — Commonwealth countries adopted Saturday their first ocean declaration during their summit held for the first time in the Pacific island nation of Samoa as calls from some of Britain’s former colonies for reparatory justice for the trans-Atlantic slave trade grew louder. ...

Storm blows away from northern Philippines leaving 82 dead but forecasters warn it may do a U-turn

Oct. 25, 2024 10:06 AM EDT

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Tropical Storm Trami blew away from the northwestern Philippines on Friday, leaving at least 82 people dead in landslides and extensive flooding that forced authorities to scramble for more rescue boats to save thousands of terrified people, who were trapped, some on...

AP Week in Pictures: Latin America and Caribbean

Oct. 25, 2024 00:20 AM EDT

Oct. 18-24, 2024 Millions of Cubans were left without electricity for days after the nation’s energy grid went down when one of the island’s major power plants failed. The Amazon River naturally fluctuates during the dry and rainy seasons. But a dramatic drop has...

Big offshore wind project proposed for New York as other sites are evaluated in 3 states

Oct. 22, 2024 15:52 PM EDT

BRIGANTINE, N.J. (AP) — Offshore wind energy projects in New York, New Jersey and Maryland are moving forward, as federal regulators examine the proposals and opponents escalate their legal challenges to the work. A large offshore wind farm is being proposed in the waters off New...

8 dead and almost 20 missing after a boat carrying people fleeing the fighting in Myanmar capsizes

Oct. 21, 2024 12:11 PM EDT

BANGKOK (AP) — Eight people were confirmed dead and almost 20 missing after a boat whose passengers included villagers fleeing from fighting in Myanmar capsized in the Andaman Sea, a rescue worker and local media said Monday. Myanmar has been wracked by violence that began after...

Georgia authorities investigating a dock gangway collapse that killed 7 on a historic island

Oct. 20, 2024 18:43 PM EDT

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — Georgia authorities said Sunday they are investigating the “catastrophic failure” of a dock gangway that collapsed and killed seven people on an island off the state's Atlantic seacoast, where crowds gathered for a celebration by the island’s tiny Gullah-Geechee...