Positive News

Huge new no-fishing zones give Antarctic marine predators and their prey a break! Following last month's expansion of the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (SGSSI) marine protected area, the SGSSI government further established new no-fishing zones covering 166,000 sq. km and prohibited krill fishing in an additional 17,000 sq. km! This decision continues to safeguards millions of seals, tens of millions of breeding birds, and the largest penguin colony on Earth. 🐧 🦭🧊 | Source: Mongabay

Gray whales generally vanished from the Atlantic Ocean by the 18th century — but just this month, one was spotted off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts! Researchers believe this whale crossed over from the waters of Alaska, finding its way to the Atlantic through a long Arctic journey. 🐋🐳 | Source: ABC News

The Biden-Harris Admidnistration announced a $500 million investment to confront wildfires, with the funds used to expand work on the United States Department of Agriculture's Wildfire Crisis Strategy. Money will be directed toward reducing risks to communities, critical infrastructure, and natural resources posed by the nation's ongoing wildfire crisis, which is exacerbated by climate change. 🚫🔥 | Source: USDA

Canada's only known live coral reef has been discovered off of the coast of British Columbia! Following a tip from the Kitasoo Xai'xais and Heiltsuk First Nations, deep-sea ecologists pinpointed the northernmost reef in the entire Pacific Ocean. To protect the thriving ecosystem, the area has been closed off to all commercial and 🪸 | Source: National Post

An innovative Inuit app blends traditional knowledge with tech for environmental tracking. SIKU, which means "Sea ice" in Inuktitut, is a new social network that enables users to document and share observations about wildlife, ice conditions, and local foods to support community-driven decisions and research. 🌊🧊 | Source: The Daily Climate

In an ambitious directive to more rigorously protect ecosystems across Europe, environmental destruction such as illegal fishing and logging will be met with harsher penalties and enforcement mechanisms. 🐟🌳 | Source: Euronews

8,000 acres of wetlands have been newly preserved in the state of Alabama. The Mobile-Tensaw Delta is home to diverse waterways and vibrant biodiversity, making it one of the most ecologically diverse regions in the U.S. It also offers significant potential for carbon capture projects — protecting its forests allows us to harness nature's ability to mitigate climate change. 🌱 | Source: Good News Network

The United Kingdom increased marine protections in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. The expansion adds 166,000 sq. km, bringing the total protected area to 450,000 sq. km, twice the size of the U.K.! This decision safeguards millions of seals, tens of millions of breeding birds, and the largest penguin colony on Earth. 🐧 🦭🧊 | Source: Pew Trusts

Last year, governments around the world achieved a significant milestone in marine protection by finalizing the High Seas Treaty after 20 years of negotiations. Since then, 87 countries have committed to the cause, including recent signatories Tonga, Uruguay, and Zambia. In January, Palau and Chile led the way as the first countries to ratify the treaty. 🐋 🌊

Over 100 new species have been discovered on an underwater mountain near Chile! These never-before-seen species, which include deep-sea corals, glass sponges, sea urchins, amphipods, and squat lobsters, were discovered at depths of up to 3,530 meters along the 2,900-kilometer Salas y Gómez Ridge, which extends between Chile and Easter Island. 🐠⛰ | Source: Good News Network