Our Scans · (LF.14) Life Below Water · Weekly Summary

In September 2015, 193 world leaders agreed to 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development. If these Goals are completed, it would mean an end to extreme poverty, inequality and climate change by 2030.
Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

• [New] The Australian Marine Conservation Society fears the mainland arrival of H5 bird flu could pose a real extinction risk for the endangered Australian sea lion, with only 12,000 remaining along the coasts of South Australia and WA. The Guardian
• [New] The UK could store enough green hydrogen in depleted North Sea oil and gas fields to meet future electricity demand for up to seven years. Electricity Info
• [New] NASA and its European partners are tracking a major buildup of warm water in the Pacific Ocean that could signal the arrival of El Nino later in 2026. ScienceDaily
• [New] Sensitive data such as ocean current dynamics, water temperature characteristics, temperature distribution, and seabed topography, if stolen by foreign intelligence agencies, will seriously endanger China's national security, military security, and economic security. Gizmodo
• [New] The U.S. is projected to account for approximately 88% of North American marine peptide revenue in 2026. Persistence Market Research
• [New] The new HQ and fleet expansion, with three more vessels by 2030, strengthen SCDF's marine firefighting, ensuring Singapore's waters remain protected amidst growing port activity. ST
• [New] With hurricane season approaching and the National Weather Service's announcement this month that El Nino conditions are likely to strengthen in 2027, withdrawing the ocean sensors had worried observers. Scientific American
• [New] NOAA has tracked a large marine heatwave for a year now, and last week announced that a separate strong El Nino has been building and is expected to peak in the coming winter of 2026-2027. / USA SeafoodNews
• [New] A key ice shelf is about to disintegrate from Antarctica's Thwaites Glacier - nicknamed the Doomsday Glacier because its collapse could raise sea levels by 2.1 feet in the coming centuries, flooding coastal communities worldwide. Live Science
• [New] A colossal chunk of sea ice roughly the size of Texas is missing from the west coast of Antarctica, and scientists fear it might never form again. Live Science
• [New] Warming oceans, acidification and shifting species distributions are already disrupting fisheries worldwide, threatening the communities that depend on them. Inter Press Service
• [New] The first land stockpile in the Asia-Pacific is expected to open in 2026 in the Philippines, close to potential flashpoints in the South China Sea. Dawn
• [New] Illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing threatens national and international fish stocks, ocean ecosystems, and global markets. SeafoodNews
• [New] The observed decline in Arctic sea ice is projected to continue, opening shorter trade routes across the Arctic Ocean, with potentially global economic implications. AGU Journals
• [New] Beijing claims foreign intelligence agencies are attaching tracking and monitoring devices to sea creatures to gather information that could expose weaknesses in China's coastal defences. Medium
• [New] The Global Tipping Points Report warns that key marine systems are approaching irreversible thresholds, even under the most optimistic scenarios. Blue Marine Foundation
• [New] Leaders launched a Blue Package roadmap to accelerate ocean climate solutions by 2028. Blue Marine Foundation
• [New] Warmer and drier conditions are expected from June to October because of El Nino and the Indian Ocean Dipole - a climate phenomenon linked to oceanic surface temperatures. ST
• [New] Antarctica's west coast is missing an area of winter sea ice the size of France, sparking concerns for threatened penguins other marine life and global sea levels. The Guardian
• [New] An El Nino is declared when sea temperatures in the tropical eastern Pacific rise to 0.5 °C above the long-term average, leading to high wind shear across the Atlantic Basin, and increasing the risk of heavy rain in some parts of the world, and conversely, drier conditions and drought in others. The Drinks Business
• [New] Governments have promised to protect 30% of the world's ocean by 2030 - the minimum scientists say we need for the ocean to be able to recover. The Guardian
• [New] The European Commission adopted a new initiative, OceanEye, to expand EU's role in ocean observation, with goals to contribute to 35% of the global ocean observing system by 2035. TerraWatch Space Newsletter
• [New] Yemen's Houthis declared a ban on Israeli shipping in the Red Sea and claimed a missile strike on Israel, with the Bab el-Mandeb and Hormuz blockades now simultaneously threatening roughly a third of the world's seaborne oil and gas. Euronews

Last updated: 22 June 2026