Monthly Marine News – January 2025
Welcome to Ocean Optimism! Each month, we spotlight several marvellous marine discoveries, spreading ocean joy around the globe. From conservation success stories to empowering community action, the discovery of new species, and ground-breaking research articles, join us for some ocean joy!
Headline 1 – Ecuador grants the coastal ecosystem legal rights
A new law passed by The Constitutional Court of Ecuador has awarded coastal marine ecosystems in the country ‘rights’, including the right to ‘integral respect for it’s existence, and for the maintenance and regeneration of its life cycles, structure, functions and evolutionary processes’. It is not the first time Educator has established legal rights for nature – in fact, Ecuador was the first country in the world to establish that nature held legal rights when, in 2008, they added rights for Pacha Mama, an ancient goddess. Read more about this new ruling here.
Headline 2 – New research indicates many great whale species have longer lifespans than previously thought
New research has discovered that many great whale species, e.g., fin, blue, and sperm, may have much larger (potential) lifespans than originally thought. Bowhead whales, which have a lifespan of up to 200 years were considered the longest-living whale however this research shows that without environmental and human threats, other species could reach a similar age! Read more here.
Headline 3 – Welsh Government funds national action plan for seagrass restoration
Extra funding (£100,000) has been announced in order to support the Seagrass Network Cymru’s (SNC) National Seagrass Action Plan. Seagrass is a vital ecosystem and provides numerous benefits such as carbon storage. Read more here.
Headline 4 – A river restoration project in Somerset, UK has proven successful just one year after completion
A year on from the completion of a three-year project on the National Trust’s Holnicote Estate in Somerset to reconnect a section of a river to its floodplain – the innovative ‘Stage 0’[1] river restoration technique, first pioneered in Oregon, USA – has been heralded a success. Read more here.
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