With Little Oversight, Ships Continue to Breed Toxic Behavior

In 1989, the US Congress passed a law requiring captains to report sexual assault allegations to the coast guard. But the absence of strong enforcement has left mariners vulnerable to abuse.

Jun 2, 2021 | 800 words, about 4 minutes

Three Days in the Theater of Old-Growth Logging and Protest

A drama 150 years in the making is playing out as logging companies and police clash with First Nations and protesters over one of British Columbia’s last remaining stands of unprotected old-growth forest.

Jun 1, 2021 | 6,100 words, about 31 minutes

Greenland Votes to Move Whaling Away from Tourists’ Eyes

In a bid to boost the whale watching economy, a new law bars Greenlanders from taking humpback whales near the capital.

May 20, 2021 | 650 words, about 3 minutes

Brazil Looks Set for a Shipping Boom—Leaving Some Concerned about a Lack of Oversight

For coastal environments, the country’s pending push to increase how much freight is carried by sea may be one step forward, two steps back.

May 19, 2021 | 850 words, about 4 minutes

Facing Lockdown at Sea

Barred from docking, deprived of medical access, and left with little oversight, migrant fishers have faced abuses and vulnerabilities because of pandemic lockdowns.

May 7, 2021 | 850 words, about 4 minutes

Poachers’ Catch Suggests the Gulf of California Is an Overlooked Home for Great White Sharks

The existence of an artisanal great white shark fishery in the region shows that these key predators may be more than just occasional visitors.

Apr 14, 2021 | 1,100 words, about 5 minutes

The Quest for a Floating Utopia

Can casting away from established society to inhabit sea-based colonies save us from the problems of modern life—or are we bound to repeat our mistakes?

Apr 6, 2021 | 6,200 words, about 31 minutes

Comparing the Collateral Damage of US Fisheries

A new technique is giving scientists a way to judge the relative threat of different fisheries to vulnerable and non-target species.

Mar 26, 2021 | 700 words, about 3 minutes