Overfishing

Since 1976 the US has relied on the Magnuson-Stevens Act to protect fisheries, first extending national waters to 200 miles to exclude foreign trawlers, and later setting sustainable catch limits. Now, the Republican-led House of Representatives has recently reauthorized Magnuson-Stevens and critics say some changes to the law could hurt sustainability.

In a new book, The Perfect Protein, Oceana CEO Andy Sharpless says that through better fisheries management, we can find “the potential for unimaginable, renewable abundance” that will be able to feed a rapidly growing human population in the coming decades. He also gives five tips for eating seafood.

Google has teamed up with two other organizations with the hope of fighting illegal fishing on the high seas. The digital mapping organization SkyTruth and marine advocacy group Oceana are pushing to create technologies that can help change the way we fish.

In the Pacific Ocean, west and south of Hawaii, is what was until recently one of the largest marine sanctuaries on earth. Now, however, it has been expanded — to nearly six times its original size. And scientists are thrilled.

With corals in trouble around the world, researchers are examining the role of smell in telling fish to come to a healthy reef or stay away. That may help scientists find ways to manipulate the smells to help damaged reefs recover.