A record 175 documents proposing new measures and policies on international trade in wild fauna and flora were submitted by the 27 April deadline for consideration at the World Wildlife Conference - the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES CoP17). Among these documents, 60 are proposals to amend the lists of species subject to CITES trade controls were submitted by over 80 Parties from across the world.

With an international net closing in on the trade in threatened species of aquatic life, countries in Asia and the Pacific are working to implement tools that will offer a balance of protection while ensuring trade in seafood is not adversely affected, an FAO convened meeting has concluded.

The world's largest shark fin industry lies in the heart of the Coral Triangle, a region of the Indian and Pacific Oceans home to the world's most diverse coral reefs and known as the Amazon of the seas. This idyllic-sounding environment sustains an industry responsible for the deaths of over 3 million sharks a year. With a reported annual catch of 100,000 tons, Indonesia's shark fishery contributes more to the international shark fin trade than any other nation.

Researchers at the University of Miami (UM) Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science published new findings that suggest the expansion of protected areas into U.S. federal waters would safeguard 100 percent of core home range areas used by three species of sharks tracked in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean.

Australian scientists managing the Great Barrier Reef have lifted their emergency response to the highest level following the publication of video footage of damage caused by coral bleaching.
Authorities this month said that areas of the World Heritage site were experiencing the worst bleaching in 15 years, at least partially as a result of the current El Niño, one of the strongest in two decades.
Coral bleaching is a process by which coral expels living algae, causing it to calcify. Coral can only survive within a narrow band of ocean temperature.

From majestic ruins of bygone civilizations to bustling urban centers, Jordan inspires with breathtaking sights and plenty to do. This desert land features dramatic red sands, towering cliffs, vast plains of volcanic basalt and hills rich with olive trees. In addition, Jordan has a well-earned reputation for excellent cuisine, a wide range of places to stay (from five star hotels to Bedouin-style camps) and for making visitors feel welcome.

Toxic plastic is wreaking havoc on marine life – and University of Queensland researchers fear it could be making its way up the food chain and ending up on our dinner plates.
UQ School of Biological Sciences' Dr Qamar Schuyler said studies had found that marine creatures as small as plankton were found to have ingested plastic in the open ocean.

Environment Minister Greg Hunt has threatened to introduce a law to ban microbeads, the tiny particles that are found in face scrubs and body washes, if companies do not adhere to a voluntary phase-out.
As state and federal ministers met for the roundtable on plastic bags in Sydney today, Mr Hunt said the government was taking a "stronger stance" on this "important environmental issue".
"We will continue to work with companies towards a voluntary phase-out of microbeads," Mr Hunt said in a statement.

The Cayman Islands’ three world-class dive destinations have attracted scuba divers since scuba diving was invented. Known for amazing wall dives, beautiful coral reefs and visibility that often seems infinite, the Cayman Islands offer some of the best scuba diving in the Caribbean. Of the three islands, Grand Cayman is the most visited by scuba divers. Grand Cayman’s North Wall plunges deeper than 1800 metres/6000 feet and offers beautiful wall diving with opportunities to see spotted eagle rays and sea turtles.

New Florida State University research appearing today in Scientific Reports, a Nature journal, challenges a 2007 study published in Scienceclaiming that shark declines led to rising populations of cownose rays, which were responsible for the collapse of oyster and shellfish industries along the Atlantic coast.
The new research is significant since the previous study led in part to the creation of fisheries and bow-fishing tournaments for cownose rays such as the “Save the Bay, Eat a Ray” campaign that could put ray populations in jeopardy.