Conserving Marine Life in the United States

To help managers and other stakeholders learn more about mapping, measuring, and managing seagrass habitats for their blue carbon contributions, The Pew Charitable Trusts hosted a webinar on March 28, 2023, titled “Harnessing the Power of Seagrasses in the Fight Against Climate Change,” featuring state, national, and international experts. Environmental officials from the U.S. state of North Carolina discussed their efforts to develop the state’s first blue carbon inventory that includes high-salinity seagrasses, which are the most extensive variety of these plants on the U.S. East Coast. Then, a policy expert who has worked extensively in the Republic of Seychelles provided insights from the perspective of small island states on leveraging seagrass to meet nationally determined contributions, which are countries’ commitments to cut emissions and adapt to climate change under the United Nations’ Paris Agreement.

Large-mesh drift gillnets, which for decades have killed more dolphins, whales, and porpoises than all other West Coast fisheries combined, are finally on the verge of being banned from federal waters.

Coastal habitats in the U.S., many of which are vulnerable and declining, provide significant benefits to people, marine life, and the climate, and would benefit from comprehensive monitoring and management, according to a new white paper from Duke University’s Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment and Sustainability

Salt marshes are grassy coastal expanses with meandering channels that fill with seawater and drain again as tides ebb and flow. They provide food, shelter, and nursery grounds for birds, fish, and myriad other wildlife. Healthy salt marshes filter runoff, reduce erosion, stabilize shorelines, protect against storm surge, and support species that are crucial to recreational and commercial fishing, waterfowl hunting, birding, and other activities.