Long-term ocean warming steadily reduces fish biomass. Short-term warming and heatwaves create local winners and losers, boosting cold-edge populations (+176% biomass) but harming warm-edge ones (-41.6%). For every 0.1°C / decade increase in seabed temperature, biomass declined by 7.22% on average.

The @ec.europa.eu ’s 7th National Report on Biodiversity reports 16 out of 45 targets set under the #KMGBF are on track to be achieved, before CBD COP17 this October. Despite robust framework in place, faster implementation can ensure all 2030 targets are met.

Fish communities are shifting towards smaller, more generalist species, simplifying food webs worldwide. Even without species loss, these changes may weaken ecosystem stability in the Anthropocene. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-global-smaller-fish-shifting-food.html

Do economists and environmental scientists speak the same language when it comes to climate risk? They have different priorities and frameworks; their perspectives are not aligned. A broader, integrated approach could improve outcomes for climate, biodiversity, and human well-being.

The @ec.europa.eu is calling for applications for the High-Level European Ocean Board, a new expert group established under the #EUOceanPact. If you are an expert in areas related to the ocean, maritime economy, and marine or coastal policies, check out the criteria. ↩️

Modern Caribbean reefs are 60-70% shorter and simpler food webs than reefs 7,000 years ago! This loss of trophic diversity could make reefs more vulnerable to future environmental stress. https://scienmag.com/7000-years-of-transformation-how-humans-altered-caribbean-coral-reef-food-chains/

Scientists discovered that plumes below Greenland's ice sheet may have been caused by thermal convection, similar to a boiling pot of pasta. As the climate warms, scientists are racing to understand how exactly it will melt and how fast. https://bit.ly/4qXtb6i

🌿 Seagrasses are unsung heroes in ocean carbon storage, storing vast amounts of #BlueCarbon and providing a crucial habitat for marine life. Protecting these vital ecosystems is essential for both climate action and biodiversity. #WorldSeagrassDay

UNCLOS and the #BBNJ Agreement set the frame for Arctic protection, but leave key gaps. Without clearer guidance and cooperation, practice will stay uneven and trust between states will suffer. Authors call for stronger monitoring, shared science and regionally agreed rules.

Are you one of the 5,000 scientists now gathered in Glasgow for #OSM26? It's the perfect time to join other scientists calling for urgent protection of vulnerable deep-sea ecosystems from destructive fishing practices. Add your signature today! @deepseaconserve.bsky.social @savingoceans.bsky.social

Check out the last 100 years of January sea surface temperature departures in the new ERSSTv6 dataset (up through 2026). 🌊 Learn more about this upgrade in doi.org/10.1175/JCLI... and doi.org/10.1175/JCLI.... If the data latency is similar, I will be using this in replace of my v5 graphics.

Two extreme #ElNiño events (2015 and 2023) caused near-total coral mortality on Mexico’s Pacific coast. With sea-surface temperatures exceeding 32.6 °C, reefs shifted from coral to algae dominance, with coral mortality reaching ~87–95% by 2024. #MarineHeatwaves

🐋 Southern right whales are reproducing less often. Climate-driven changes in #Antarctic sea ice and food supply are linked to longer calving intervals, signalling emerging stress in #SouthernOcean ecosystems. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-36897-1

The #HighSeasTreaty sets out procedures for environmental impact assessments in the High Seas. However, the Agreement has major gaps that could hinder effective protection. Authors propose practical pathways to make the system work.

Add your signature to the petition on our website ↩️

Proposed changes to the US Endangered Species Act could weaken coral protections in Guam. Scientists urge stronger, genus-level safeguards for the endangered 𝘈𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢 to prevent further reef decline. @colinjanthony.bsky.social https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aee4748

Happening this week #OSM26! 📹 @agu.org #OceanSciences #OceanScience #Glasgow

🐬 In Italy 🇮🇹, 1 in 8 dolphins are harmed by fishing gear. Gillnets dominate confirmed deaths, with cases of larynx entanglement and gear ingestion, while trawl bycatch was less frequent. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1097819

Great Channel 4 News report on the latest #AMOC monitoring. "Trouble is: there is now growing scientific consensus that the AMOC is weakening." @noc.ac.uk youtu.be/JpOpsMOBsL4?...

On Greenland’s ice sheet, countless tiny ponds and streams (more than half of the surface-water area locally) darken the surface and soak up more sunshine than satellites capture, adding extra melt energy. The effect could be 3-4 times larger than satellite-based estimates. #SeaLevelRise

🪼 Jellyfish fun fact: they sleep just like we do! A scientific paper shows that the total sleep time is similar, sleep reduces neuronal DNA damage even in animals without brains, and melatonin promotes sleep. https://www.science.org/content/article/jellyfish-sleep-lot-us-and-same-reasons

2023’s record-hot ocean took up less CO2 than expected. #ElNiño boosted the tropical sink, but exceptional warmth in the North Atlantic and North Pacific drove extra outgassing, tipping the balance so the ocean’s overall uptake weakened.

Three global patterns emerge from #MarineHeatwaves. They include hidden subsurface bloom and surface plankton decline. Authors argue that tracking what happens below the surface is essential.

Interested in exploring online marine data? @copernicusmarine.bsky.social led a session on their MyOcean Pro Viewer, outlining the tool's main features and demonstrating how to explore and visualise data. Watch the recording here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2at0x6vcQo

🐋 Humans & whales are more similar than we think! 🎶 Humpback whale songs share statistical patterns with human language 🗨️ Whale vocal sequences follow key efficiency principles found in human language. 👥 Whales exhibit complex social behaviours, group identities & cultural learning. #WorldWhaleDay

A horizon scan for 2026 highlights 15 emerging issues that could shape biodiversity conservation in the coming decade. From new technologies to climate-driven ecosystem change, early attention to these trends could help avoid risks & unlock opportunities. @billsutherland.bsky.social

Some wild statistics (and accompanying visuals/graphics) in this excellent BBC Sport article about the Winter Olympics and climate change. Explores the impact of rising temperatures & lack of snow on elite athletes. www.bbc.co.uk/sport/extra/...

What is the Ocean Equity Index? The first tool to measure fairness of ocean projects, policies and governance processes, identifying and improving equity gaps and supporting better decision-making and accountability. Learn more ↩️ @jessicablythe.bsky.social @joachimclaudet.bsky.social

Today, the world celebrates #WomenInScience. We are proud of the female experts and scientists who have contributed to Ocean IPSO's work over the years. https://stateoftheocean.org/ipso/people/

Scientists warn climate models are missing a key ocean player | Tiny marine plankton that build calcium carbonate shells play an outsized role in regulating Earth’s climate, quietly pulling carbon from the atmosphere and helping lock it away in the deep ocean www.sciencedaily.com/releases/202...

👋 Hello to new and consolidated followers! Let us introduce ourselves. The International Programme on the State of the Ocean (IPSO) brings together science, communications, policy, and legal disciplines to drive ocean solutions.

More than half of the world’s coral reefs experienced significant bleaching during the 2014–2017 global heat wave, impacting ecosystems that provide an estimated $9.8 trillion in annual benefits.

🌊 An important new study led by ACEAS PhD researcher Annika Oetjens from @imas-utas.bsky.social at @utas.edu.au shows the Southern Ocean may be storing 40 to 60 per cent less carbon at certain depths than many climate models assume. Learn more ▶️ antarctic.org.au/southern-oce...

Climate goals may no longer be sufficient to protect key Earth systems. Scientists are calling for more ambitious targets, in light of some critical thresholds being crossed that are putting some ecosystems at risk of irreversible change. #ClimateChange @bberwyn.bsky.social @insideclimatenews.org

It’s official! After years of hard work by IPBES experts, the #BizBiodiversity Assessment Report is approved by the Plenary at #IPBES12! Congratulations to all on this achievement for people and #nature! Thank you to all who contributed to this successful outcome.

Warming waters are changing shark distribution and behaviour on the Australian🇦🇺 east coast. Several shark species are moving farther south than in the past and staying longer in traditionally cooler regions. @jcuofficial.bsky.social @sharksandscience.bsky.social @deakinuniversity.bsky.social

Workshop on Marine Data for #MarineSpatialPlanning. @copernicusmarine.bsky.social and @mercatorocean.bsky.social#MarineSpatialPlanningare organising an event in Brussels to address the growing challenges of managing increasingly busy marine spaces in the context of #ClimateChange. Register today:

The destabilisation of the Atlantic Ocean circulation #AMOC is no longer a distant scenario - it’s a national and global security risk. In this article, PIK director Johan Rockström and Iceland’s Climate Minister Jóhann Páll Jóhannsson explain what to do about it. www.linkedin.com/pulse/climat...

As Greenland loses ice, its land is rising so fast that local sea level is expected to fall by up to metres this century. The change could reshape coastlines, disrupt harbours and create new adaptation challenges for the communities. @lamont.columbia.edu

🆕 Europeans are very concerned about #extremeheat and other #climatechange impacts according to the results of a Europe-wide survey study by the EEA & @eurofound.europa.eu 🔗https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/newsroom/news/climate-change-overheated-and-underprepared

There’s no tipping point beyond which ocean acidification kills corals, new research shows. With every creeping bit of acidification, corals just continue to die off. 🧪🌊 eos.org/articles/cor...

At #IPBES12, @unbiodiversity.bsky.social welcomed the #BizBiodiversity Assessment and highlighted the importance of science as a beacon guiding the implementation of the #KMGBF as a whole. @ipbes.net continues to be a provider of science as a public good, doing so with integrity and rigor.

📣 Call for contributions to the Ocean State Report 11! If you work in ocean sciences and would like to contribute to this publication, apply today! 📅 Deadline: 4 February @copernicusmarine.bsky.social https://marine.copernicus.eu/news/call-contributions-ocean-state-report-11-now-open

Wetlands play a key role in the coastal carbon cycle, yet remain vulnerable to extreme weather. Study by @scrippsocean.bsky.social found that ocean warming will erase much of the recovery & shrink global mangrove area. #WorldWetlandsDay https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/2752-5295/adffa9

Restoring #mangroves alongside coastal defences can substantially reduce flood risk worldwide. On #WorldWetlandsDay, a new study highlights the benefits for low-income coastal communities, making mangrove restoration a cost-effective and equitable strategy for climate adaptation.

⏳ Tomorrow, #IPBES12 begins in Manchester, UK! Over 6 days, representatives of >150 member Governments will consider for approval the IPBES #BizBiodiversity Report. 👉 Follow us for live updates as science meets policy and evidence meets action. Learn more: https://ipbes.canto.de/b/HJAGG

What does the science say about protecting our oceans? 🌊 Discover high-impact research on marine ecosystems, fisheries, biodiversity & conservation from PNAS and PNAS Nexus. Explore SDG 14: https://ow.ly/4nSJ50Y6h0f #MarineConservation #OceanScience

On Spain’s Costa Brava, industry is crowding nature, overlapping protected waters and raising risks for wildlife. Scientists urge local planning that keeps heavy industry out of the most valuable areas. @icmcsic.bsky.social https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-15279-z

Greenland’s meltwater doesn’t just freshen fjords - it lowers coastal CO2 and weakens seawater buffering, so blooms and decay drive bigger swings. 17 years of observation warn that continued freshening will amplify biogeochemical effects on air–sea carbon exchange.

⛰️ A call to strengthen protection for seamounts and vulnerable deep-sea ecosystems. 🔗 Learn more and add your support: 👉 stateoftheocean.org/seamountspro...