More management measures lead to healthier fish populations

Boats in a harbor.

Fish populations tend to do better in places where rigorous fisheries management practices are used, and the more measures employed, the better for fish populations and food production, according to a new paper published Jan. 11 in Nature Sustainability. The study, led by Michael Melnychuk of the University of Washington’s School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, draws upon the expertise of more than two dozen researchers from 17 regions around the world. 

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From tiger sharks to grey wolves, predators shape our world

Wolf and snow

In many ecosystems, a well-balanced yet delicate relationship exists between predators and their prey. Like two dancers anticipating each other’s moves, predator and prey often find themselves entangled in a sophisticated battle for survival, and whoever adapts to the other first holds the advantage. Prey often find ways to avoid, deceive or confront their carnivorous counterparts, and predators find new ways to hijack their defenses. 

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Seattle MESA delivers STEM virtually

'MESA kit' modeling smart city design

In pre-pandemic times, Seattle MESA coordinators Martha Flores Pérez and Brian Tracey could  be found in six high schools and five middle schools in the Mukilteo, Seattle and Tukwila school districts, supplementing science and math classes with hands-on learning to expose students to the joys and excitement of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math). The goal of the program is to build a pipeline for students from communities that have been historically underrepresented in the sciences to pursue STEM in universities and professionally, and to help develop their identities as scientists.  

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Bait and switch: Mislabeled salmon, shrimp have biggest environmental toll

A raw salmon filet

Seafood is the world’s most highly traded food commodity, by value, and the product is hard to track from source to market. Reports of seafood mislabeling have increased over the past decade, but few studies have considered the overall environmental effects of this deceptive practice. A study by Arizona State University, the University of Washington and other institutions examined the impacts of seafood mislabeling on the marine environment, including population health, the effectiveness of fishery management and marine habitats and ecosystems. 

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Coral recovery during a prolonged heatwave offers new hope

Danielle Claar near Christmas Island.

Coral reefs serve important ecological functions, from providing habitat for countless species to protecting shorelines from erosion. Reef-dependent fisheries are also a vital source of food and income for hundreds of millions of people in tropical island nations where coral reefs are valued at $6.8 billion annually. The pressing concerns of climate change have placed the long-term health of the world’s coral reefs in jeopardy. 

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