To Save the Whales, Crab Fishers Are Testing Ropeless Gear

From devices designed to automatically cut the line, to crab pots that use no ropes at all, scientists are working to ease the threat posed by trap fishing.

Jun 24, 2019 | 1,000 words, about 5 minutes

Two Flies Walk into a Barnacle

Then they mate and their babies eat the barnacle. Seriously.

May 9, 2019 | 650 words, about 3 minutes

Parasites Are Helping California Mussels Beat the Heat

The parasites change the mussels’ shells from black to blue-gray, causing them to absorb less sunlight.

Apr 29, 2019 | 600 words, about 3 minutes

Clam Digging through 3,500 Years of Indigenous History

Newly dated clam gardens show the technology is much older than previously thought.

Feb 27, 2019 | 850 words, about 4 minutes

In the Chesapeake Bay, Shell Mounds Show a Long History of Sustainable Oyster Harvests

Indigenous peoples in the Chesapeake harvested oysters sustainably for thousands of years—until the introduction of new techniques by Europeans decimated the stocks.

Nov 22, 2018 | 650 words, about 3 minutes

Near Fish Farms, Lobster Catches Plummet

Proximity to open-net-pen aquaculture seems to have a big influence on the lobster catch in southwestern Nova Scotia.

Nov 1, 2018 | 600 words, about 3 minutes

Thousands of Tonnes of Shellfish Have Died in Southern France

Despite the losses, hopes remain high that environmental management measures can save the shellfish industry from even more devastation.

Sep 14, 2018 | 600 words, about 3 minutes

Brown Crabs Are Attracted to Undersea Power Cables

Electromagnetic fields have complex and possibly harmful effects on the valuable brown crab.

Jul 30, 2018 | 850 words, about 4 minutes