Global Scans · Life Below Water · Weekly Summary

In September 2015, 193 world leaders agreed to 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development. If these Goals are completed, it would mean an end to extreme poverty, inequality and climate change by 2030.
Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

• [New] Desert Ocean proposes using cyanobacteria as feedstock to produce algal biofuel, and plans to enhance algal growth in a 'water farm' using AU. Geoengineering Monitor
• [New] As Antarctic marine protection stalls, exploitative krill fishing threatens whales, wildlife, and one of Earth's most vital climate regulators. Florida Oceanographic Society
• [New] Third, increasing militarization of the Indian Ocean could heighten risks of maritime incidents and strategic confrontation around critical chokepoints such as the Strait of Malacca and the Bay of Bengal. Khabarhub
• [New] Measurement could be improved in the contentious Upper Klamath River of southern Oregon where there are competing demands between fish and farmland. Circle of Blue
• [New] The biggest reservoir on the Colorado River is less than 6 feet from its record low, and 11 feet from the elevation at which hydropower generation will be substantially cut. Circle of Blue
• [New] The Australian Marine Conservation Society fears the mainland arrival of H5 bird flu could pose a real extinction risk for the endangered Australian sea lion, with only 12,000 remaining along the coasts of South Australia and WA. The Guardian
• [New] NASA and its European partners are tracking a major buildup of warm water in the Pacific Ocean that could signal the arrival of El Nino later in 2026. ScienceDaily
• [New] Sensitive data such as ocean current dynamics, water temperature characteristics, temperature distribution, and seabed topography, if stolen by foreign intelligence agencies, will seriously endanger China's national security, military security, and economic security. Gizmodo
• [New] The Canadian Food Inspection Agency framework is expected to expand approvals for marine-derived functional food ingredients. Persistence Market Research
• [New] Without coordinated action across climate and food systems, the growing impacts of ocean acidification will continue to undermine fisheries and aquaculture that underpin global nutrition and livelihoods. The Fishing Daily - Irish, UK and European Fishing Indu
• [New] NOAA has tracked a large marine heatwave for a year now, and last week announced that a separate strong El Nino has been building and is expected to peak in the coming winter of 2026-2027. / USA SeafoodNews
• [New] A key ice shelf is about to disintegrate from Antarctica's Thwaites Glacier - nicknamed the Doomsday Glacier because its collapse could raise sea levels by 2.1 feet in the coming centuries, flooding coastal communities worldwide. Live Science
• [New] A colossal chunk of sea ice roughly the size of Texas is missing from the west coast of Antarctica, and scientists fear it might never form again. Live Science
• [New] The UK could store enough green hydrogen in depleted North Sea oil and gas fields to meet future electricity demand for up to seven years. Electricity Info
• [New] Japan is expected to represent approximately 32% of Asia Pacific marine peptide revenue in 2026. Persistence Market Research
• [New] The U.S. is projected to account for approximately 88% of North American marine peptide revenue in 2026. Persistence Market Research
• [New] Even a partial loss of ecosystem services like marine fisheries or crop pollination could cut global GDP by $2 trillion a year. ASLA
• [New] Warming oceans, acidification and shifting species distributions are already disrupting fisheries worldwide, threatening the communities that depend on them. Inter Press Service
• [New] The last ice area is projected to be the last place on Earth to retain year-round sea ice by 2040. The Conversation
• [New] The first land stockpile in the Asia-Pacific is expected to open in 2026 in the Philippines, close to potential flashpoints in the South China Sea. Dawn
• [New] Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing threatens national and international fish stocks, ocean ecosystems, and global markets. SeafoodNews
• [New] The observed decline in Arctic sea ice is projected to continue, opening shorter trade routes across the Arctic Ocean, with potentially global economic implications. AGU Journals

Last updated: 28 June 2026