seagulls overhead, the faint smell of sulfur on the coast, and waves crashing against the cliffs — the uk’s relationship with its shoreline forms a fundamental part of national culture and identity. 

for an island nation with over 10,000 miles of coastline and nearly 40% of its population living within a few miles of the sea, this connection runs deeper than fish-and-chip shops or oceanfront arcades. it is the heartbeat of hundreds of communities.

yet as the climate crisis intensifies, with violent storms and rising sea levels, the cliffs and sea defenses that protect these towns crumble, accelerating the erosion that threatens their future. 

erosion explained 

experts say climate change actively causes an increase in the severity of coastal erosion, but how does this actually happen? 

according to nasa, atmospheric co2 levels have reached an unprecedented level — a staggering 50% increase since the pre-industrial era. these values intensify the natural greenhouse gas effect, leading to higher global temperatures. this in turn raises sea levels and fuels more powerful storms, allowing waves to reach further up the coast and strike cliffs more frequently, accelerating erosion. 

ken buchan is the project delivery manager for stronger shores, an innovative project tasked with mitigating coastal change. he highlighted that shoreline erosion ”makes coastal communities vulnerable” for a reason which may be overlooked in comparison to traditional physical processes. 

“when sea level rises, there’s coastal squeeze where beaches and so on become smaller,” he said, referring to an issue which buchan emphasized depreciates the power of beaches as the first line of defence for many seaside towns across the uk.

building on this, matthew agarwala, ph.d., a professor in sustainable finance at the university of sussex, discussed how the combination of higher seas, storm surges, and strong winds can allow waves to overcome existing man-made sea defenses on the uk’s shores and therefore damage the cliffs supporting these regions. 

for these british towns, long fortified by the fishing industry and tourism, these damages are more than physical: they are a burden on both their financial and cultural stability. for instance, onehome data predicts that by 2100, nearly £600 million [approximately $810 million] worth of assets and over 2,000 properties could be lost in the uk due to coastal battering. experts like agarwala say these losses can take different forms, such as damage to roads or water treatment facilities, posing “big risks” to an island nation.

transcript: that includes stuff like transport infrastructure, like roads, railways, bridges along the coast but it’s also utilities, water treatment facilities, power lines, gas infrastructure — a lot of that’s on the coast as well. and of course it’s tourism assets as well: the beaches, the holiday parks, the hotels, the places we all like to and hang out in the nice weather. so these really are big risks, not just for physical infrastructure but also to some degree the social and cultural identity of an island economy like the united kingdom.

matthew agarwala, ph.d., professor in sustainable finance at the university of sussex

communities in danger 

as some coastal towns respond to rising sea levels by beginning the process of decommissioning (forcing residents to move out as the town dissolves), it is evident that erosion is not a uniform process, with particular areas more at risk than others. a spokesperson for the environment agency, a governmental body tasked with protecting the environment in england, stated that certain geological rock types play a role in this vulnerability. 

in the southwest of england, cliffs are more prone to hydraulic action, where the sheer force of water wears away the rock, due to a mix of hard and soft stone types dominating the region. by contrast, the east coast, with its glacial deposits, sandstone, and clay boulders, experiences a faster erosion climate characterized by rock and sand grinding along the coastline. this is demonstrated by east yorkshire’s holderness coast, one of europe’s fastest-eroding coastlines.

agarwala expanded on this, discussing an interesting correlation he found amongst these vulnerable groups. ”some of the communities that are most at risk from climate change are also the communities that are voting for conservatives or are shifting to reform [uk],” he said in reference to the political parties which are less supportive of environmentalism in their policy-making. 

“there are places that are viable today and that have been viable for centuries in the past, that will not be viable even 20 years into the future,” agarwala said.

zooming in 

in northern england, on the north sea’s boundary, lies the small village of staithes, where maritime industry and seaside tourism form the engine of local life. 

“for a long, long time, fishing was the main job for the people in the village, along with some mining. these days it’s tourism,” said sallie hernandez, a local resident who has lived in the area for 16 years. “a lot of people refer to staithes as their happy place and visit more than once, twice a year.”

despite the area’s economic success and picturesque nature, coastal deterioration has battered the region for decades, with the community pub, the cod and lobster, washing away on multiple occasions. most notably, on the northwest of the village resides a small hamlet known as cowbar cottages, accessible by a singular entry route named cowbar lane.

over many years, this access road has eroded and been rebuilt multiple times under the burden of perpetual wave action from the sea below. resident and local authority concerns are now escalating, following a rockfall event in october 2024 that has placed the route at immediate risk of collapse. 

“walking through today, big chunks are missing,” hernandez said, on one of her daily walks through cowbar. ”all along by cowbar cottages is all fenced off. i recently saw some drone footage of the cliff and it was terrifying to see what was going on underneath.”

a council report published by north yorkshire, redcar, and cleveland borough council — the government bodies responsible for overseeing staithes — have since attributed reasons for the rockfall.  most strikingly, the document acknowledges erosion processes exacerbated by sea level rise, increased storm frequency due to climate change, and foreshore lowering — a process in which wave energy removes protective layers of sediment at the base of a cliff — as integral factors. 

council efforts are advancing to manage the issue and involve a three-phased road realignment, whereby the lane is gradually moved southwards away from the cliff edge over 50 years.

“keeping access is vital. there are cottages down there that are only accessible via that road and the lifeboat station, so all these things would need to move if access cannot be maintained,” hernandez said. 

elsewhere in the village, the council has worked tirelessly, installing sea defenses in the form of rock armor and breakwater piers to protect the harbor from the destructive nature of the north sea. despite this, local anxiety prevails, particularly following the loss of a child’s’s life at seaton garth, staithes, due to a rockfall in the summer of 2018. 

transcript: at the end of the day, the cliffs are soft, water’s harsh, and it’s just going to keep going until it wins. the piers at staithes, i think, were given a 50-year lifespan, at which point that will need to be revisited. but 25 years from now, i think the coastline will look completely different again.

sallie hernandez, a local staithes resident who has lived in the area for 16 years

stemming the tide 

for regions like staithes, mitigation frameworks named shoreline management plans are the leading unit tasked with stemming the tide of coastal erosion. using factors such as population, technical feasibility, and climate change, these models assign a planned course of action to every section of the english coast. 

however, these schemes often focus on hard-engineered solutions, such as sea walls, which sustainability experts like agarwala argue come with significant drawbacks.

enter stronger shores, a £200 million [$269 million] research project focused on innovative ways of improving coastal resilience. having started in 2023 and currently funding 25 different schemes across the northeast oceanfront of the uk, the program is rooted in a philosophy of trial and error.

“at this stage it’s quite experimental, it’s quite research orientated,” said ken buchan, the delivery manager of the project. “if things don’t work, that’s okay. because we are learning from that.”

the focal point of stronger shores targets soft-engineered solutions to climate change, exploring how oyster restorations, kelp forests, or seagrass meadows can improve the robustness of maritime communities.

buchan discussed how one student at newcastle university is actively using artificial kelp structures in laboratory wave tanks to understand biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and wave reduction benefits.

transcript: the hard engineering things include the sea walls and the groynes, rock armor, offshore breakwaters, etc. but these are really quite expensive, they’re difficult to maintain, and the problem with a lot of these hard sea defenses is that you create a solution here that just shifts the problem there. 

matthew agarwala, ph.d., a professor in sustainable finance at the university of sussex

“with the [kelp] fronds being up on the surface of the water as the wave energy comes through, that energy gets dissipated by the top of the plant. it’s like it puts the brakes on as the waves come over,” buchan said, referencing how kelp systems can mitigate erosive forces. 

with the project set to finalize in 2027, one main ambition drives buchan and his team: the creation of a toolkit combining all the research, methods, benefits, and challenges from stronger shores. it will guide coastal engineers nationwide, helping to protect the uk’s enduring bond with its marine identity. 

given the uncertain future, buchan is left asking, “can we [as a nation] be doing things differently from what we’ve currently been doing to try and improve resilience and protect coastal communities?”

a study published aug. 4 in nature ecology & evolution outlines a recent breakthrough in sea star wasting disease (sswd) research: scientists have identified a causative agent.

sswd emerged unexpectedly in 2013 and quickly spread along the pacific coast. it destroys the tissue within sea stars, deforming their arms and causing them to break off. since 2013, it has killed billions of sea stars, including more than 90% of sunflower sea stars.

especially on the coast of california, sunflower sea star populations have been decimated, causing trophic cascades in kelp forest ecosystems. die-offs have led to a boom in sea urchins, which have then depleted kelp, their primary food source.

“there’s a lot of regions along the california coast where the kelp forests are severely declined and that has huge impacts,” a doctoral student in the school of aquatic and fisheries sciences, grace crandall, said.

kelp acts as a carbon sink, making it crucial for combating global warming, crandall explained.

a 2014 study suggested a virus as the causative agent of sswd, leading initial research in that direction. instead, the causation was found to be a bacterium known as vibrio pectenicida.

researchers used a method known as koch’s postulate to identify the cause of sswd. they began by performing a series of experiments to identify whether the disease was transmissible. they then boiled a sample of coelomic fluid, which is comparable to the human bloodstream, of the diseased sea star to determine whether the cause was alive. the boiled sample was no longer infectious, suggesting that the disease is caused by a living source, rather than environmental conditions.

researchers used a subtractive technique to isolate the causative agent; they removed everything from the diseased sample that was also highly present in the healthy sample.

“there’s this one type of bacteria that was hugely abundant in these sick stars that was not present in the healthy stars,” jason hodin, a senior research scientist at friday harbor labs (fhl), said.

this finding was a match for vibrio pectenicida fhcf-3, the same genus of bacteria that causes cholera (vibrio cholerae) in humans.

in early 2024, there was an outbreak of sswd at the friday harbor laboratories (fhl), a uw marine research station. scientists were able to isolate the full sequence of the bacterium from that sample for the first time

“the title of the paper talks about a strain called fhcf-3, and the fh in that is friday harbor,” hodin said.

the bacterium found in sea stars afflicted with sswd was a match to a scallop larval culture in france, indicating that it may have jumped species. identifying what drove the outbreak in sea stars is a next step for the research, according to hodin.

researchers are also looking to breed sea stars with more resistance to the disease. ochre stars, for instance, are already showing signs of recovery, indicating that they’ve developed some resistance to sswd. by breeding the most resistant stars, scientists could utilize artificial selection for recovery efforts. additionally, researchers could inject sea stars with a low dose of sswd, which would function similarly to a vaccine. however, scientists are uncertain whether sea stars’ immune systems work in a way that would be amenable to this.

a treatment for the disease has already been developed by the oregon coast aquarium. the process involves altering environmental conditions so that sea stars have the strength to fight off the disease themselves.

“[sea stars] are actually very robust and adaptable organisms, but they have this specific sensitivity to this disease,” hodin said.

to treat sswd, scientists put the sea stars in cooler water, adjust the ph, clean their wounds using iodine, and add probiotics to the water to support the sea stars’ microbiomes.

that afflicted sea stars heal in colder water is one piece of evidence of a correlation between sswd and warmer water temperatures.

“in 2014, there was a massive marine heat wave that coincided with the outbreak of this disease,” hodin said.

exploring this correlation is another next step for researchers.

if you stumble upon a diseased sea star while tidepooling, crandall suggests documenting it with an app like inaturalist.

“a way that people can help is if they see a sea star that looks like it’s sort of melting or has white spots or its arms are twisted up, to not touch it,” crandall said.

if you do touch the diseased sea star, wash your hands before touching anything else to prevent transmission, crandall recommends.

as the 10^th anniversary of the paris climate agreement quickly approaches, more innovation is needed to discover win-win solutions for humans and marine habitats. could marine protected areas (mpas) lead the way, and what challenges remain with their implementation?

the takeaway: mpas – areas of the ocean designated by a nation’s government for resource protection – present one avenue to help meet the goals established by the paris climate agreement. however, challenges remain with enforcement, buy-in, and deciding which areas need protection.

the statistics: according to the united nations, only about 8% of the world’s oceans are currently protected via mpas. the un’s 30×30 plan, proposed in 2019, aimed to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030. at current rates, it is estimated that mpas will only achieve 15% coverage by that time. 

• beyond the preservation of marine resources, marine protected areas can also serve as carbon sinks. according to stefano pogutz, a professor at milan’s bocconi university, marine protected areas are a key tool for countries looking to further their contributions to the paris climate agreement. this is because the vibrant marine ecosystems created by mpas can sequester carbon more efficiently than areas with degraded habitats.

what the experts are saying: when implemented correctly, marine protected areas can help promote economic growth while protecting key marine resources.

• “i think companies are much more advanced than we think,” pogutz said. in the european union, pogutz argues that many companies realize they are dependent on natural resources. offering tuna producers as an example, pogutz says that firms have recognized that overfishing and habitat destruction will quickly leave them without fish to catch. 
  
• in hong kong, experts see mpas as an avenue to boost ecotourism. writing in the south china morning post, business and conservation experts andy cornish and marine thomas argue that expanding mpas can “generate substantial economic and social returns” as tourists flock to natural areas. however, the two conservation leaders also write that new policy controls are needed to help build out hong kong’s ecotourism infrastructure. 

zooming in: experts have identified hong kong as a region where increased mpa coverage could benefit the local economy and community. 

• in 2018, wwf hong kong released a report designating port shelter as a high-potential candidate for mpa status. home to various types of coral and over 100 species of fish, the location is popular with tourists looking for an outdoor break from hong kong’s bustling business district. 
  
• according to wwf hong kong, port shelter was a candidate area for marine protection in 2009 and 2012. while the movement to establish port shelter as a formal mpa has struggled with momentum, the creation of other marine parks across hong kong has brought increased attention to the subject. 
  

a ticking clock: for mpas to be successful, more work is needed from the business, conservation, and policy communities to identify win-win solutions for all stakeholders.

• according to the inter-american development bank, one of the biggest barriers to the success of mpas is funding. without adequate funds to support enforcement, marine protected areas risk becoming “paper parks.” this occurs when failures in managing mpas render them indistinguishable from other areas of the ocean. 
• as a result, organizations such as the nature conservancy have advocated for innovative mechanisms to secure funding for ocean initiatives. this includes blue bonds, which, according to the nature conservancy, can help a country “refinance a portion of its national debt in a way that secures funding for conservation activities.”

when implemented correctly, refinancing through blue bonds can channel financial resources to protect marine areas and support local communities. like most impactful conservation innovations, blue bonds present an opportunity for win-win solutions that benefit both people and the planet. 

both the paris climate agreement and the un’s 30×30 plan set ambitious yet daunting goals. solutions like mpas – financed with blue bonds when applicable – present one way nations can take a step forward while promoting their communities and economies.

the 11-foot, 4-inch predator seemed to die from a system of catch-and-release or sport fishing.

the international union for the conservation of nature lists great hammerheads as an endangered species due to their high incidental mortality with fisheries as well as their prized fins. with a slow reproductive rate, great hammerheads are distinctly vulnerable to these practices. there are currently no specific initiatives to conserve great hammerhead populations.

however, cameron ainsworth, ph.d., a professor at the university of south florida college of marine science, does not believe that this animal was targeted.

“i find it hard to believe that anyone is targeting hammerhead sharks intentionally,” he said. “i imagine what happened is that it was caught incidentally.”

lori mcrae, ph.d., a biology professor at the university of tampa, agrees.

“most likely, the folks that hooked the great hammerhead originally were not trying to hook a great hammerhead,” she said.

unfortunately, the damage to this vulnerable species was already done.

“hammerheads are notoriously poor survivors after being hooked,” she said, “whether it’s on a longline commercial scenario or it’s by a hook-and-line recreational angler.”

the global threat of by-catch

although this is just one example of a shark affected by recreational fishing, the threat to shark species globally is widespread.

a report by the journal of northwest atlantic fishery science titled catch evaluation of shark fishery of south-eastern australia mentions that hook size and shape could affect catch. however, trawling, the process of towing a net along the ocean floor to capture a specific species, presents the largest issue: by-catch. 

daniel huber, ph.d., chair of the environmental studies department at the university of tampa, explained the problem: “by-catch is the process through which a fishery targets a particular species because it has some economic value, but then incidentally catches other nontarget species,” he said.

a study published by the international council for the exploration of the sea journal of marine science in 2000 detailed that several shark species are particularly at risk, because they are seen as valuable for their fins. consequently, when sharks are accidentally caught in industrial fishing lines, they are ultimately kept and killed because they are seen as profitable. 

the shark research institute writes that shark finning by way of longline fishing is responsible for the largest number of shark losses globally. according to mcrae, this problem may pose a disproportional risk to hammerhead species.

“they have been a historically favored species in the finning trade because their fins are so large,” she said.

however, there have been legislative attempts to fix this issue. the shark fin sales elimination act of 2019 would have made it illegal to sell, possess, or purchase a shark fin in the united states. while the bill failed to pass the senate, it was later passed as part of the national defense authorization act for fiscal year 2023, according to noaa fisheries.

no silver bullet

undoubtedly, shark finning poses the largest threat to shark species. however, huber explains that catch-and-release fishing is not without risk.

“you get up in the north and, pretty much, everything that is caught is released and survives,” he said. “down here, you’re lucky if it’s 50/50.”

according to huber, this difference is largely because of warmer water temperatures worsening the effects of physiological stress.

“most sharks need to swim in order to breathe,” huber said. “if their muscles are so fatigued that they are unable to sort of move themselves through the water, then they can’t get the carbon dioxide out of their gills.”

this build-up causes respiratory acidosis, due to carbon dioxide creating carbonic acid in the circulatory system and leading to the acidification of the circulatory system.

however, huber acknowledged there is no simple solution to this problem.

“interacting with any type of biodiversity facilitates an appreciation for that biodiversity,” he said. “you never want to say don’t go fishing.”

the advice he gave was to follow fishing regulations, including size, catch, and season limits. when asked what people can do to help sharks, huber gave a simple answer.

“don’t eat shark fin soup.”

thousands of hooks, one very long line, and a sea that can no longer afford mistakes. in the galápagos, where every species seems to tell the story of evolution, “longlining” has become the most divisive word in the fishing business. to some, it is a dangerous step backward; to others, it is a necessary solution.

longlining – or the practice of deploying thousands of baited hooks on lines up to 100 km, or over 60 miles, long – is extremely efficient at catching tuna and has been used as a method of commercial fishing for more than 20 years in the waters surrounding the galápagos islands. it’s also the source of major problems for biodiversity in the area, as the long hooks can inadvertently catch and kill thousands of other marine animals in the process. 

the galápagos archipelago, famous for its finches, boobies, and tortoises, is also encircled by the galápagos marine reserve (gmr). ecuador passed fishing-control laws in the area in 1986 and expanded the reserve to approximately 133,000 km² by 1998, according to unesco’s world heritage center. over 2,900 marine species have been recorded in galápagos waters, with 20 percent of them being endemic, or native and only found in the region.

non-target bycatch often includes endangered sharks, turtles, rays, and seabirds. according to the galápagos conservation trust, ecuador banned all longline gear in the gmr in 2000 to protect sharks and other threatened species, but fishers and researchers argue that small-scale longlines could boost incomes and relieve coastal overfishing. 

data from a study by the trust found that in 2012-13, a galápagos longline trial showed staggering bycatch: 4,895 marine animals from 33 species were hooked by just 12 local boats, including 16 species of protected megafauna that include a number of shark species, sea lions, manta rays, green pacific sea turtles, and more. if longline fishing is restored legally in galápagos waters, the galápagos national park estimates it could catch and potentially kill 10,000 sharks annually. however, researchers like mauricio castrejón, still advocate for its implementation and legalization.

although originally from mexico, mauricio castrejón, ph.d., considers himself a galápañeo after more than 20 years living on the islands.

castrejón was a researcher at universidad de las américas for almost four years before he began his role as an investigator and co-founder at a innovapesca cia. ltda, a puerto ayora-based organization that promotes “artisanal tuna fishery development” by diversifying the livelihoods of fishermen. 

with more than 50 publications on fisheries in the region, castrejón says that he is constantly looking for new solutions to remedy the fishing landscape in the galápagos, even if it means employing a controversial practice like longlining.

to castrejón, longlining is only one of the solutions to rectify the overexploitation of fish, specifically tuna, employ better tuna fishery reorganization, and transform what he said is an outdated policy. his goal is to create a circular economy that will one day use tuna across sectors in the galápagos to stimulate economic growth and produce less waste. community engagement is one area he hopes to do this with, not only to promote tuna consumption but to view it as an economic prospect.

even as fish dominate as the islands’ second-largest industry, little of the fish caught actually goes to the galápagos people. the formula of exported fish, over-reliance on imported goods, and a transplant culture devoid of eating fish has created malnutrition in almost one in five children and one in three adults, according to a study. the study found that communicable diseases have a strong link to overweight and underweight individuals due to unhealthy diets and poor water quality.

in publishing his article, “addressing illegal longlining and ghost fishing in the galapagos marine reserve: an overview of challenges and potential solutions,” castrejón not only aims to make longlining realistic through legalization and conservation practices, but also to debunk what he believes to be misconceptions about the practice. one such misconception, he said, is that longlining contributes to ghost fishing. “ghost fishing” refers to the occurrence of abandoned nets and longlines from illegal operations that drift through ocean waters, indiscriminately killing marine life.

translation: standards for mechanisms or reference points should be provided that allow us, as boat operators, to know whether a fishing technique should be permitted, not based on scientific criteria. so that’s not in the fishing regulations. the issue of research is also unclear. longlines aren’t prohibited, but they aren’t allowed, for example. that is, in a clear manner with clear processes, research is at the discretion of the authorities. so, it’s not something that’s mandatory, but rather it’s at the discretion of the authority in charge. what has often happened is that research isn’t done, it’s not feasible. -mauricio castrejón, ph.d.

castrejón asserts that inconsistencies between arguments against longlining and what the data suggests make longlining’s prohibition unjustified if there is not sufficient evidence to prove it has any substantial effect on ghost fishing or unintentional shark catches.

since 2019, ecuador has introduced tougher penalties on ghostfishing and now openly shares its vessel-tracking data (ais) for 1,200 fishing boats to improve transparency and accountability within the community, but the phenomenon still continues to create a profound impact.

this, coupled with fisheries struggling to make capacity, he said, makes it difficult for fishermen to pursue fishing as their sole source of income and feed their families in the process.

in order to engage fishermen and the community in his work, he said that the galápagos needs to create incentives for fishermen to work across different sectors, such as tourism, and start implementing midwater longlining and spearfishing as a way to transition to longlining.

since longlining’s introduction to the region, sharks have remained the primary species at risk from longlining. however, castrejón said that his next venture is to research the true impacts of contemporary longlining on sharks in comparison with other causes of death. he also claims that the endemic species the galápagos is known for are not significantly impacted by longlining either.

ultimately, he said he hopes that in dismantling the ideas around longlining, he can drive more attention toward outdated policies that he claims are hindering fishermen.

translation: if we are naturally successful, the other fishermen, possibly according to the fishermen themselves, their perspective is that other fishermen will want to join this initiative or copy it, not on their part, let’s say, and the idea is to train them, right? i mean, the question here is that they realize that by capturing a deep-sea adult tuna with technology, you are going to earn more. and you are going to risk less because you are going to do it legally, right? so what we are looking for is to regulate tuna fishing, but in a way that is sustainable, with techniques, with technology, with innovation, and at the same time, work on the market issue, work on the consumption issue, create a strategic give-and-take with restaurants, with hotels. -mauricio castrejón, ph.d.

when told that researcher alex hearn would be the next interview, castrejón chuckled to himself and said that they have known each other for years, having met during their time at the charles darwin research center.

but the best of friends can also be their fiercest critics.

a friendly counter-culture

hearn, a professor of biological and environmental sciences at the universidad san francisco de quito with a ph.d. in marine biology, wrote a commentary in 2024 in response to castrejón’s article. in it, he criticizes the lack of attention toward malnutrition on the islands and shark populations that could be threatened.

based in quito, ecuador, hearn lived in the galápagos for almost seven years starting in 2002,  when he led monitoring teams at fisheries as a part of a nonprofit. 

for an issue like longlining that has a long, complex history in the archipelago, hearn believes it is time to turn the islands’ attention toward other social issues exacerbated by the already-vulnerable galápagos economy, which depends heavily on their reliance on imports rather than on locally sourced products.

a world bank report from 2018 lists tuna exports from the galápagos at 118 tons per year, whereas about 8,879 tons of food were imported to the galápagos in 2017, with that number projected to increase to more than 44,000 tons by 2037, according to a study by cambridge university press. 

according to hearn, moving away from an overreliance on imports requires community and interdisciplinary investment that he says is not instilled within galápagos culture.

hearn described the culture as “sectorial,” meaning that each industry — whether it be tourism or fishing — will only go so far as to protect their own interests. at the end of the day, if a particular practice does not harm their particular industry, hearn says they will not care to change.

hearn says that investing more resources in feeding galápagueños and growing a culture of fish-based diets, such as in incorporating fish into school food programs, would go farther toward solving the bycatch problem.

castrejón claims that creating new fisheries will help advance new technologies and local economic independence, but hearn counters that by saying that creating new fisheries is not going to solve the heart of the issue, which is promoting the tracing of the fish and incentivizing local consumption to tackle the islands’ malnutrition. 

with already developed markets and industry investors coming into the galápagos, both domestic and foreign, and projects that he is promoting and believes has promise, hearn said that there should be an extra step in sourcing transparency in order to stop inadvertently promoting longline practices.

although both castrejón and hearn will be arguing on this end for the foreseeable future and resistance against illegal longlining will likely continue to come from fisherman and longlining advocates, hearn shared that he is not worried about longlining being legalized anytime soon in the galápagos.

as castrejón and hearn debate these issues from ecuador’s capital, those working daily in the fishing industry in the islands have their own thoughts on sustainable fishing and what they have the most to lose or gain in the debate around longlining.

fishing responsibly, holding others accountable

at fewer than 12,700 people, puerto ayora is still one of the largest towns in the galápagos. buzzing tourists headed to the charles darwin research center or to the number of locally owned shops that line the streets, but over by the cement ramps leading to sea are the fishermen waiting at their boats.

walter borbor, one of said fishermen, was pulling in his boat for the day when i approached him at the docks.

although not from the galápagos, borbor is a fourth-generation fisherman who has spent the past 30 years fishing within the reserve. after noticing changes and impacts from pollution and overfishing, he joined frente insular, a citizen-led organization leveraging a fisher’s role in protecting the very things they harvest through technological efforts, conscious fishing loads, and keeping polluters accountable.

translation: of course, the resilience we have here is always about conservation, and that’s what drives us. personally, i have a traceability system, i have cameras. how do i make and show you my sustainable catch? so, how do i fish it? the permitted gear i use, how do i handle it, and how do i sell it? so, sustainable fishing. -walter borbor

borbor sells all of his fish on santa cruz island and advocates for locally sourced fish consumption. when it comes to the issue of longlining, he thinks that it is a practice that should stay illegal because it interferes with the conservation efforts he enforces and is not afraid to report those that employ the practice.

translation: i’m a neutral person who, well as i said, likes to preserve and protect. we know that if you use a banned technique, you get in trouble, so why bother? and another thing is that if i see someone doing it, i can also report them. -walter borbor

christian saa, a national park of galápagos naturalist and national geographic lindblad expeditions expedition leader, introduced me to borbor at puerto ayora and spoke vehemently against longlining as a method that undermines conservation. like borbor, he thinks that fishers are at the heart of conservation, reducing overfishing in the islands, and pushing the policy that can save their local industry from foreign threats as well. “i believe that right now, the fishing sector is a good ally of the conservation sector because it’s given its space,” saa said.

the big problem right now is foreign economic interests, which i would say, are more dangerous than the sectors that operate within the galápagos. i’m talking about big capital, not even foreign capital, but rather national capital from those in power in ecuador who want to change the face of the galápagos to a more developed and less well-preserved place like what we have now. -christian saa, translated from the spanish

even as hearn and local fishermen try to squash arguments against longlining, the possibility of its legalization continues to loom from the work of advocates like castrejón that believe it can be done in a responsible way. now, as the ecuadorian government plans to eliminate the agency responsible for environmental protection, there is no telling what direction fishing will take in the coming months.

as hearn emphasized, however, the focus should begin to divert away from this issue and toward using the fishing industry to combat malnutrition on the islands through school and community programs, such as one that hearn said is to start on san cristobal island in late summer. marine animals and birds are not the only ones that depend on the sea on the galápagos. as humans continue to exploit it, the question remains: how can we make sure there is an ocean and fish left to enjoy?

editor’s note: ai transcription and translation was used in the process of editing this article.

editor’s note: lindblad expeditions, our planet forward storyfest competition partner, made this series possible by providing winners with an experiential learning opportunity aboard one of their ships. we thank lindblad expeditions for their support of our project.

join planet forward mystic aquarium fellows cecilia sécola & dre pedemonte on a walk through the aquarium as they explain the association of zoos and aquariums (or aza) species survival plan – a collaborative conservation initiative that aims to protect and preserve endangered species through coordinated breeding, education, and field support. 

mystic aquarium participates in various species survival plan programs, or ssp, including but not limited to those for california sea lions, sand tiger sharks, and african penguins. learn how each ssp is carefully managed through studbooks, genetic testing, and long-term research to ensure healthy, sustainable populations — both in human care and in the wild.

the species survival plan at the heart of mystic

at the center of this tour are the african penguins, whose program mystic has been supporting since its beginning in 1995. in addition to managing nesting and population health on site for a current colony of 34 penguins, the aquarium manages projects in south africa to supervise the well-being of the wild populations by means of conservation and research efforts.

these efforts are strengthened through mystic’s ongoing partnership with the southern african foundation for the conservation of coastal birds (sanccob), a registered nonprofit headquartered in cape town, south africa, which specializes in the rehabilitation and protection of coastal seabirds, including the endangered african penguin.

collaboration is critical

this collaboration is especially crucial now. as of october 2024, african penguins are officially classified as “critically endangered,” with wild populations continuing to decline at an alarming rate. primary threats to the species include overfishing, habitat degradation, oil spills, and climate change — all of which severely impact their ability to forage and breed successfully. faced with such urgent and complex challenges, no single institution can protect this species alone. conservation today depends on long-term, collective efforts across borders and organizations. 

research-supported and cooperative efforts like the species survival plan allow zoos and aquaria to play a critical role in safeguarding biodiversity of wildlife for generations to come.

if you’re interested in learning more about species survival plans, please visit aza’s webpage.

the planet forward mystic aquarium fellowship program was made possible with support by michael lech, david freeman, and the berl brechner fund.

the mystic aquarium in connecticut has been rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing animals for 50 years.

on june 11, the aquarium’s animal rescue team returned two gray seals — caterpillar and beetle, both approximately 3 months old — to the ocean following months at the animal rescue clinic. their release marks the final step in a recovery process made possible by the collaboration of the rescue team,  incredible veterinary staff, and hardworking volunteers. 

from diagnosis to care

young caterpillar was rescued in delaware by the marine education, research and rehabilitation institute (merr) on march 27 after being found on the beach with nasal discharge, coughing, and several wounds. fortunately, he was triaged at the national aquarium before being transferred to mystic aquarium on april 1. meanwhile, beetle was rescued locally from block island, rhode island, after sadly being found with monofilament wrapped around her neck cutting into the skin and tissue.  

at the aquarium’s clinic, both gray seals received dedicated care. caterpillar was given fluids for hydration, antibiotics for pneumonia, and a dewormer for parasites. beetle, on the other hand, was disentangled, given antibiotics for an infection, fluids for hydration, and wound care for the lacerations around her neck. 

thankfully, after two months, veterinary and rehabilitation experts deemed them healthy and fit for release! 

how many gray seals need help?

each year, mystic aquarium’s animal rescue team rehabilitates an average of 25 stranded or injured seals — particularly from around the block island area. remarkably, the program has already rehabilitated 20 seals since the start of 2025. 

most common cases involve entanglement, pneumonia and other infections, predator and conspecific inflicted wounds, malnutrition, and a variety of other health concerns. these efforts are part of the aquarium’s broader mission to protect and conserve marine wildlife. 

ultimately, the release of these animals underscores the crucial role of rescue and rehabilitation programs for our aquatic species, serving as a poignant reminder of the ongoing need for ocean stewardship. 

if you come across an injured or stranded marine animal, contact your local office: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/report.

the planet forward mystic aquarium fellowship program was made possible with support by michael lech, david freeman, and the berl brechner fund.

as fellows at the mystic aquarium, we take part in a wide variety of unique and eye opening experiences — from “fish prep” in the kitchen to writing conservation stories — our days are filled with shadowing, learning, and hands-on activities each week. rather than covering every single moment, i’ve chosen to highlight some of the most memorable experiences from my third week here. i hope these snapshots give you a sense of what life is like “behind the scenes” here at mystic aquarium!

day 1:

the week kicked off bright and early with mystic aquarium’s veterinary team, led by senior director of animal care & welfare, dr. eric anderson. our first stop of the day was visiting the beluga whales, for one needed a tailored treatment. from the viewing area, we watched as the team carefully drew blood and gave her fluids through her fluke (aka, the tail). these are routine procedures, sure — but seeing them done with such skill and care reminded me not only how much work goes into keeping these incredible animals healthy, but also why i want to pursue this line of work in the first place.

next, we made our way to the stingray tank for the annual physical exams — a process that’s way more hands-on than i expected. one stingray immediately caught our eye: it had a mass near one of its eyes and a few scrapes along its side and front. to get a better look, the team gently sedated it. watching the vets in action, working so carefully and precisely with such a unique patient, was fascinating — and i realized this is a “behind the scenes” moment most people never get to see.

after the stingray exams, we got to witness something i’ll probably never forget — a penguin gender reveal! the dad (and foster dad) of this year’s four chicks had their feet painted with non-toxic blue or pink paint, then proudly waddled across a canvas, leaving behind colorful footprints that revealed each chick’s gender. the final tally: two girls and two boys! beyond being adorable, this activity is actually a clever form of training — helping the penguins get comfortable with having their feet handled in case they ever need ointment or health checks down the line.

the morning wrapped up with some hands-on work: organizing and restocking the veterinary supply bins in the hospital clinic. it may not sound glamorous, but it was satisfying to help ensure everything was ready for the next animal in need.

in the afternoon, we caught the sea lion show — a mix of fun and education. aimed mostly at kids, the presentation focused on sustainability and ways we can all reduce plastic use. the message, though, was universal. after the show, we sat in on a training session with victoria shaw, a senior trainer in the marine theater, who gave us a behind the scenes look at how the sea lions are taught behaviors that make their care easier.

for instance, each animal knows exactly where to go at feeding time and practices behaviors that help with health checks — like staying still for an ultrasound, opening wide for a tooth brushing, or presenting a flipper for a blood draw. it was the perfect reminder that every part of their day — from feeding to training — is designed with their well-being in mind.

fun fact: stingray barbs are mostly made of keratin — similar to human nails — which means they, too, grow back if trimmed!

day 2:

after a slow morning spent chipping away at our fellowship deliverables, we geared up for a hands-on afternoon with the fish and invertebrate (or f&i) team. the highlight? welcoming 50 cassiopea xamachana (better known as upside-down jellyfish) born in the odysea aquarium in arizona to their new home at mystic aquarium.

hilariously, they arrived in the mail room alongside other packages, as if someone had casually ordered jellyfish online… however, do not fret, for the f&i team was kind enough to explain all the precautions and safety measures that go into having these animals arrive safely overnight. from ensuring there is no air in the water bags to keeping their temperature regulated by the use of styrofoam insulated boxes and heat packs (given that this is a tropical species) — these jellyfish are definitely better cared for than your average mail package.

we watched as the team carefully set up a tank with a sandy bottom and special lighting designed to support their growth and development (they were still juveniles). getting a behind the scenes view of the exhibit tanks was fascinating — we stood above and behind them to see how all the fish and invertebrates, from stingrays to horseshoe crabs, are fed.

but my personal favorite moment? feeding the sharks. from squid to shrimp to other fish, their menu is as impressive as it sounds. i especially loved watching zelda, the zebra shark, glide around gracefully — her spotted exterior makes her an easy favorite.

later in the day, we met with the planet forward team — kim ossi (one of our mentors) and jamila o’hara — for our usual weekly check-in to discuss our deliverables and capstone projects.

it was one of those days that reminded me how much happens behind the scenes to keep these animals thriving — and just how lucky i am to witness it all.

fun fact: when young, zebra sharks have a striped exterior (closely resembling that of zebras), but as they grow older it changes to a more spotted pattern to camouflage with the sand!

day 3:

wednesdays are our dedicated “project work” days — time set aside to really focus on our deliverables and make progress on our capstone projects. it’s also when we meet with interns from across the aquarium’s many departments: education & conservation, rescue & rehabilitation, marine theater, fish & invertebrates, acpnw (that’s the beluga whale and seals teams), penguin husbandry, and water quality.

during these meetings, we hear from supervisors across different departments. they talk about their paths to where they are now, the bumps in the road they faced, and why they chose this career — it’s always interesting to hear how people who were once in our same shoes found their way here. today we heard from two staff members: tracy camp, assistant curator of birds / manager marine mammal and bird interpretation, and courtney gill, supervisor of california sea lions. while their entire talk was very inspiring and admirable, my biggest two takeaways were the following:

1. even if you think you think you have your future career “set in stone” — say yes to different opportunities that arise, explore different areas and topics, and expand your skill set. there is no “con” to learning and gaining experiences.
2. no matter the career you wind up pursuing, find a “win” everyday. this will keep you motivated and remind you why you chose to be here.

one of my favorite parts of these days is our check-in with the education & conservation interns and sheila smith, program specialist and one of our supervisors. it’s a chance to catch up, swap updates, and share how our work is going.

today’s meeting had an extra addition — we got to welcome the three new electric boat-mystic aquarium fellows! as their fellowship name implies, they’ll be working on a variety of captivating, hands-on projects. in brief, their fellowship is aimed toward environmental stewardship. they will be focusing on the areas of animal enrichment and welfare, and translating how that all ties into manufacturing and sub building. by the end of their time here, they hope to design some tabletop activities to add to the aquarium that engage the public on how nature inspires manufacturing.

with that, we wrapped up the day — a solid mix of project work and good conversations that left me looking forward to the rest of the week!

the planet forward mystic aquarium fellowship program was made possible with support by michael lech, david freeman, and the berl brechner fund.

as co-chair of the house oceans caucus, bonamici dove into her work to introduce the blue carbon for our planet act, which was later strategically renamed to the coastal restoration act to further broaden support.

“blue carbon means the blue economy, the ocean economy, the water economy. but the word ‘carbon’ sometimes concerned people. and particularly some republicans who thought it was somehow a restriction on what they could do, rather than a positive step. so i don’t mind changing the title of the bill,” she said.

bonamici stresses the use of language that emphasizes voters’ financial concerns and everyday experiences, yet still supports broad environmental action. watch above!

this video is an investigation into the relationship between art, science, and the environment, aiming to emphasize the importance of using art to convey science, particularly in the environmental sciences. this story is told through an interview with bonnie monteleone, co-founder of the plastic ocean project, a non-profit focused on the plastic pollution crisis based in wilmington, north carolina.

their mission is based on three pillars: scientific research, artistic storytelling, and collaborative solutions. monteleone, an artist at heart, created the traveling art exhibit “what goes around, comes around”, a mural made of plastic waste collected from the ocean in the shape of “the great wave of kanagawa” by katsushika hokusai.

monteleone is an expert in merging the arts and sciences in environmental storytelling and emphasizes the importance of using art to convey science, “it’s this little dance that we’re constantly doing, just so hungry to share, to communicate with one another. and that’s where, when i started this conversation the science was locked up, and helping people understand how horrible we were treating the ocean because we weren’t communicating.”