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The WWF-SASSI Consumer Seafood Guide is a reference tool that categorizes seafood into three sustainability levels: Green (Best Choice), Orange (Think Twice), and Red (Don't Buy). It emphasizes that sustainability depends on the species, the method of capture or farming, and the geographic origin of the seafood. The guide provides specific examples of sustainable and unsustainable seafood, such as MSC-certified SA trawled hake (Green) and various 'No Sale' species that are illegal to sell in South Africa.

The authors report a 71% decline in global shark and ray populations due to overfishing and bycatch, noting that slow reproductive rates hinder recovery. While some U.S. regions like Florida and Hawai’i show signs of recovery, this has led to increased 'depredation'—sharks taking fish from fishers' lines. The authors criticize the SHARKED Act (S. 2314/ H.R. 207) for potentially allowing shark culls as a mitigation strategy and for excluding Indigenous and tribal communities from its task force. They advocate for collaborative, non-lethal strategies, such as reassessing fishing practices and locations, to ensure coexistence between sharks and the fishing industry.

The document details the link between rising global temperatures and the intensification of extreme weather events in Canada, such as hail, windstorms, and hurricanes. It highlights significant insured losses in provinces like Alberta, Quebec, and Ontario, and notes a trend of tornado-prone areas shifting eastward. The text emphasizes the need for improved early warning systems, resilient building codes, and nature-based coastal protections to adapt to these increasing risks.

Climate change is intensifying extreme weather globally, with warmer temperatures providing more energy for storms. In Canada, this manifests as more frequent and severe convective storms, including hailstorms, windstorms, and hurricanes. Significant economic losses have already occurred, such as a $3.2 billion hailstorm in Calgary in 2024. Regional projections indicate increased storm intensity in the Prairies, eastern Canada, and Atlantic Canada, while the Pacific coast faces a higher likelihood of extreme atmospheric river events. Adaptation needs include improved forecasting, updated building codes for wind and hail resilience, and revised land-use policies to move development away from high-risk areas.

The text emphasizes that Brazil's vast size and climatic diversity require detailed observational studies to distinguish between natural variability and long-term climate change. It highlights that interannual variability, driven largely by El Niño and La Niña, can alter seasonal rainfall in the Amazon by a factor of more than four. The author cautions that most precipitation trends in Brazil are linked to interdecadal oscillations—such as the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) and the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO)—rather than global warming. Additionally, the document notes a trend of increasing air temperatures in the tropics of South America since 1948, contrasting with a negative trend in the subtropics since the mid-1990s, and mentions the influence of land-use change and biomass burning on air temperature in the Amazon and Cerrado.

Climate change increased the maximum wind speeds of every Atlantic hurricane in 2024 by 3 to 14 mph, with some storms moving into higher Saffir-Simpson categories. The analysis, based on a rapid attribution framework, found that human-caused global warming elevated ocean temperatures by as much as 2.5°F, making elevated sea surface temperatures in hurricane tracks up to 800 times more likely.

The document details how rising sea surface temperatures, driven by human-caused climate change, are increasing the frequency and intensity of rapid intensification in tropical cyclones. It highlights that 70% of billion-dollar tropical cyclones in the U.S. since 1980 underwent rapid intensification, contributing to over $1.4 trillion in damages and nearly 7,000 deaths.

The briefing reveals that small-scale coastal fishing (SSCF), despite representing 75% of the EU fleet, received only 20% of European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) spending between 2014 and 2021. It highlights a lack of transparent reporting by Member States on SSCF action plans and notes that higher public aid intensity has not sufficiently increased investments in small-scale projects. The document argues that funding disproportionately favors larger vessels, particularly in the Mediterranean, and recommends that the European Commission mandate more granular data collection and that Member States provide local administrative support to help small-scale fishers access funds.

The document examines how human-caused climate change and warming sea surface temperatures are increasing the proportion of intense tropical cyclones and the frequency of rapid intensification events. It highlights that tropical cyclones are the costliest weather disasters in the U.S., with 73% of billion-dollar storms since 1980 having undergone rapid intensification. The text notes that while landfalling hurricane frequency in the continental U.S. remained stable from 1900-2017, economic losses have risen due to increased population and wealth along the Gulf and East Coasts.

Uruguay's Country Programme to the GCF details the nation's commitment to a low-carbon, resilient economy. It identifies key vulnerabilities—particularly in agriculture and coastal zones—and sets mitigation targets for energy and food production. The document establishes the Ministry of Environment as the National Designated Authority and outlines a pipeline of projects focusing on e-mobility, coastal resilience, and REDD+, while pursuing GCF accreditation for the Corporación Nacional para el Desarrollo (CND) and Banco República Oriental del Uruguay (BROU).

The document argues that fossil fuel extraction on U.S. public lands and waters is incompatible with climate goals, noting that nearly 25% of U.S. climate emissions originate from these areas. It highlights President Biden's early actions, including a pause on new oil and gas leasing and the protection of the Arctic Ocean and Atlantic canyons from drilling. The author calls for further measures, such as reinstating a coal leasing moratorium, strengthening methane regulations, and shutting down the Dakota Access Pipeline.

Marine heatwaves (MHWs) are prolonged extreme warm water events, defined as temperatures above the 90th percentile for at least five consecutive days. These events have increased since the early twentieth century, driven by a 2.3°F (1.3°C) rise in sea surface temperatures over the last 100 years. MHWs cause severe ecological damage, including coral bleaching, kelp forest collapses, and sea bird die-offs, and can disrupt industries through fishery closures. A notable example is "the Blob" in the Pacific Ocean (2013), which lasted 226 days and was 4.5°F (2.5°C) warmer than average.

The document critiques the European Commission's (DG MARE) use of a 99% sustainability figure for fish landings, arguing it masks ongoing overfishing by excluding shared stocks and those without specific scientific advice. It contends that focusing on landing volumes rather than the number of individual stocks ignores depleted species and fails to meet the legal requirements of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). The author recommends shifting reporting to stock numbers and including all harvested stocks to ensure transparency and ecosystem-based management.

The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season was predicted to be more active than normal due to warmer-than-average water temperatures in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico and ENSO-neutral conditions. While climate change may not increase hurricane frequency, it is linked to a 25-30% increase in Category 4 and 5 storms per degree Celsius of warming, more rapid intensification, increased rainfall, and higher storm surges driven by rising sea levels.

The report examines the transition from command-and-control regulatory frameworks to incentive-compatible management (ICM) in highly migratory fisheries, focusing on tuna, billfish, and sharks. It analyzes the use of rights-based management (RBM)—such as individual transferable quotas (ITQs) and vessel day schemes—and market-based tools like Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certifications and Fishery Improvement Projects (FIPs). Through case studies in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, the document argues that secure access rights and market incentives can rationalize fleets, reduce overfishing, and increase resource rents. It emphasizes a 'gradual' approach to implementation, the importance of stakeholder participation, and the need for enabling conditions such as robust monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS) to ensure the success of these interventions.

Earthjustice and a coalition of environmental organizations oppose BSEE's proposed revisions to the 2016 Blowout Preventer Systems and Well Control Rule. They argue the proposed changes—specifically regarding drilling margins, verification organizations, blowout preventer (BOP) requirements, and real-time monitoring—increase the risk of catastrophic oil spills and worker fatalities. The authors contend that BSEE failed to provide the necessary data or quantitative risk analysis to justify these rollbacks and violated the Administrative Procedure Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, and the Endangered Species Act.

South Africa is attempting to leverage its unique geographic position to grow an 'oceans economy' through initiatives like Operation Phakisa, while simultaneously managing maritime security and international partnerships. However, the report finds that progress has been modest, hampered by eroding naval capabilities, a lack of an integrated national maritime strategy, and a policy focus that has disproportionately favored the Indian Ocean over the Atlantic. The document emphasizes the need for better coordination between government departments and stronger alignment with African Union and Indian Ocean Rim Association strategies to ensure sustainable 'blue economy' growth.

A coalition of environmental and animal welfare organizations urges the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to withdraw proposed incidental harassment authorizations (IHAs) for five industrial seismic surveys off the U.S. East Coast. The document argues that NMFS used outdated scientific thresholds to underestimate the 'take' of marine mammals, failed to account for cumulative impacts of multiple surveys, and ignored significant harm to prey species and acoustic habitats. It specifically highlights the risk to the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale, asserting that the proposed activity could be a "tipping point" for the species' survival. The coalition further claims that the proposed mitigation measures, such as seasonal closures and visual monitoring, are insufficient and not based on the best available science.

The document provides scientific justification for the permanent protection of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument (NECSMNM). It highlights the area's extreme habitat diversity, its role as a biodiversity hotspot for deep-sea corals, marine mammals, and mesopelagic fish, and its importance as a carbon sequestration site. The authors argue that the current boundaries are the smallest area necessary to protect these 'objects of scientific interest' and serve as a critical reference site for studying climate change and human impacts in the Atlantic.

This fact sheet advocates for the permanent withdrawal of the U.S. Arctic and Atlantic Oceans from oil and gas leasing. It argues that such a move is necessary to meet Paris Agreement commitments, avoid 'carbon lock-in' from massive infrastructure investments, and prevent severe ecological and economic risks from oil spills. The document highlights that proven fossil fuel reserves already exceed the carbon budget for limiting warming to 2°C and that clean energy alternatives are growing rapidly enough to replace the need for these unproven reserves.