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Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory

@benioffoceansciencelab

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Working to improve and safeguard the health of our oceans through science and technology 🌊💙
@ucsantabarbara

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Watch our NEW short film about the inspiring work of the Clean Currents Coalition at the link in our bio. 🎥

The Clean Currents Coalition is a network of 8 communities in 8 different countries working collaboratively to clean up rivers in their own backyards. 🌎👥

But, the Coalition is doing so much more than just capturing and removing plastic from rivers. They are raising awareness of the problem of plastic pollution, amassing the world’s largest database on plastic in rivers, educating and empowering their local communities, and engaging policymakers to make better and more ambitious laws and regulations. 🙌🗣️

The goal of the Clean Currents Coalition is to use their projects to drive upstream change so that there isn’t plastic in rivers to be removed in the first place. 🗑️🌊

By working together, the Clean Currents Coalition – community by community, country by country – are adding up to more than the sum of their parts and creating solutions that will make this seemingly impossible, wicked problem solvable. 💧🤝

Learn more about the Clean Currents Coalition at cleancurrentscoalition.org (link in bio)

Sign up to receive the Clean Currents Coalition Newsletter http://eepurl.com/g_7l6P (link in bio)

A huge thank you to @roastnpost_oakland, @1606_studio, @dahuff, and many others for their talent, dedication, and passion to bring the story of the Clean Currents Coalition to life. 💙

#CleanCurrentsCoalition #PlasticPollution #PlasticWaste #NoPlastics #ZeroWaste #ClimateCrisis #CircularEconomy #Community #Rivers #Ocean #CleanRiversCleanOcean by @benioffoceansciencelab

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2 years ago

We are excited to announce the launch of Whale Safe North America – a new tool providing operator adherence across all ship-strike slow zones within North American waters tracking over 8,500 vessels and 2,000 companies. 🐋🚢

“As the maritime industry grows, real-time analytics make it possible for everyone from shipping company logistic planners to the general public to keep track of how ships perform.” – Rachel Rhodes, Whale Safe Project Scientist

Learn more at www.na.whalesafe.com (link in our bio) 💙

Video credits:
@noaa Public Domain
@adamernsterwildlife

NARW photo credits:
Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute. Taken under NOAA Permit #24359.
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Taken under NOAA Permit #24359.
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute/Michael Moore. Taken under NOAA Permit #24359.

#whalesafe #whalesafenorthamerica #whales taken in North America by @benioffoceansciencelab

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2 years ago

🗞️2026 Mid-season results are out, with a record-breaking 63 #shipping and #cruise lines joining the program this year.

🐋 Thus far, participating vessels have voluntarily transited at whale (and clean air) safer 10 knots or less for more than 310,700 nautical miles!

Highlights ⬇️ (including how top performing lines are tracking this season):

> Star Sapphire (90% Cooperation Rate): MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, CMA CGM, COSCO SHIPPING (North America) Inc. / COSCO SHIPPING, Evergreen Shipping Agency (America) Corp., OOCL, APL, The CSL Group Inc., ConocoPhillips - Polar Tankers, Scorpio Group, Swire Shipping, Liberty Maritime, Neptune Pacific Direct Line, Swire Bulk, Virgin Voyages, Toyofuji Shipping Co, NAVARONE S.A., MMS Co, and MSC Cruises.

> Sapphire (75%-89%): Maersk, MOL-ACE, NYK Line, Yang Ming, Hapag-Lloyd, Marathon Petroleum, Wan Hai Lines, OSG Ship Management, Wallenius Wilhelmsen, Eastern Pacific Shipping, BP Shipping, and Anglo-Eastern Ship Management.

> Gold (50%-74%): ONE, K-Line, Hyundai Merchant Marine, Hyundai Glovis, MT Maritime, Tsakos Shipping and Trading, Gulf Energy Maritime Shipping, Precious Shipping, UNISEA, Hakuyo Kisen, and NHAT VIET Transportation.

> Cargo owners and ambassadors who elected to provide detailed shipment data at the mid-season mark and are tracking towards awards include: NX GROUP @nippon_express, The Block Logistics @theblocklogistics, and Honeylove @honeylove.

> The 2026 season expanded the California VSR zone by 115%, for a total coverage of 55,461 square miles of important whale habitat and to protect coastal communities affected by air pollution.

> Enrolled fleets represent 80% of container vessels and 78% of car carrier vessels transiting California waters.

> Preliminary season data indicates that vessel speeds across adjacent waters - including off the coasts of Oregon and Mexico, and offshore of the expanded boundary - have remained stable, suggesting no shift toward higher speeds in surrounding areas.

Congratulations and *thank you* to the many shipping companies and program ambassadors leading the way on responsible shipping! by @benioffoceansciencelab

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a day ago

We are hiring!

We are seeking an Education and Science Engagement Coordinator to create and conduct education and science engagement programming at local schools and community organizations in the Los Angeles/Long Beach area, in particular near the San Pedro port complex.

📢 📚 ✏️ Apply by October 23, 2026 for full consideration! 💻 ☁️ 🏫

👉 link in bio for full job description and application instructions

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

Photo Credit: Nick Souza by @benioffoceansciencelab

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6 days ago

How do you measure plastic pollution the same way in countries with very different data, capacity and priorities? 🌍
Over two days in Geneva, UC Santa Barbara and @worldeconomicforum brought together scientists, policymakers, industry representatives, and implementation experts for an expert dialogue on plastics data in the context of ongoing Global Plastics Treaty negotiations.
The Forum served as an impartial convener, creating space to explore reporting approaches, identify practical trade-offs and discuss how scientifically robust reporting could also work for countries with different capacities.
A few themes came up again and again:
🔹 Consistency: comparable data makes progress easier to track
🔹 Practicality: confidentiality, capacity and reporting burden matter
🔹 Flexibility: different national contexts need room to fit
🔹 Technology: AI and digital tools could make reporting more accurate and efficient
The discussion was meant to contribute technical perspectives to the broader conversation around reporting as treaty negotiations continue.
#GlobalPlasticsTreaty #PlasticPollution by @benioffoceansciencelab

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7 days ago

On September 9th and 10th, Benioff Ocean Science Lab scientist Rachel Rhodes attended the Range-wide Gray Whale Science Symposium coordinated by the Marine Mammal Commission. At the symposium, scientists gathered to share research on gray whale ecology and population health across the Eastern North Pacific and Arctic and identified future priorities. Our lab shared insights from our work with @calacademy and @themarinemammalcenter to reduce ship collisions with gray whales in the San Francisco Bay.

Credit for first photo: Darrin Allen, The Marine Mammal Center, under NOAA Permit No. 26532 by @benioffoceansciencelab

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9 days ago

The High Seas Treaty’s 100th ratification comes as a milestone for the conservation of biodiversity in the high seas, strengthening leadership and cooperation for global ocean stewardship.

The treaty, which went into force in January 2026, provides legal tools for governing and conserving the ocean and seafloor areas that lie outside of any one country’s control. These tools include marine protected areas, environmental impact assessments, resource sharing, and global capacity development.

Countries continue to sign and ratify the treaty, and its first Conference of the Parties is set to take place at United Nations Headquarters in New York City in January 2027.

#BBNJ #highseastreaty #BBNJagreement

Photo Credit: Adam Moore by @benioffoceansciencelab

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12 days ago

🌊🦞In late July, our lab returned to the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary aboard the Spectre Dive Boat with the National Park Service for our final ghost lobster trap removal dive of the season. Our team located and recovered 14 traps while collecting data to better understand the impacts of ghost traps on the ecosystem and the fishery. We also tested Echo-1, an autonomous boat equipped with side-scan sonar that could make locating traps more efficient. We’ll continue refining our techniques for busting ghost traps in April 2027 after the spiny lobster fishing season ends.

Image credits: 1. @k_emery2012
5. @merrillmccauley by @benioffoceansciencelab

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a month ago

New shark findings out of #UCSB: Long before intensive human fishing, Panama’s Pacific reefs supported roughly 20 times more sharks than its Caribbean reefs, an important consideration for future conservation efforts 🦈

Led by UCSB alum Erin Dillon and co-authored by her former advisor @benioffoceansciencelab's Douglas McCauley, this study of fossil scales suggests shark recovery goals must consider how differences in ocean productivity–and not just fishing alone–have shaped shark populations for thousands of years.

Full story at the link in bio 🔬

#UCSantaBarbara #Research #BenioffOceanScienceLaboratory

Image descriptions:
1. Variation in dermal denticle morphology. Denticles were imaged using a scanning electron microscope and false coloring applied.
2. Collecting a reef matrix core in the Gulf of Panama; collecting a bulk sample from a modern Caribbean coral reef.
3. Shark dermal denticles under a microscope; Sediment sample ready to be searched for shark dermal denticles. Variation in dermal denticle morphology. Denticles were imaged using a scanning electron microscope and false coloring applied. taken in University of California, Santa Barbara by @benioffoceansciencelab

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2 months ago

This May, our Whale Safe initiative launched two AI-powered thermal cameras inside San Francisco Bay to help protect gray whales from deadly ship strikes. Now, the gray whale migration season in the Bay has come to a close.

Swipe to see what we learned this season and how artificial intelligence and technology is helping protect gray whales from ship strikes.

Photo credit:
1 & 2: Darrin Allen, 4: Eric Austin Yee, 5 & 8: Gina Lonati, 6: Norely Faz, 7: NOAA permit #26532 by @benioffoceansciencelab

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2 months ago

Deep-sea mining activity is often out of sight and out of mind. Deep-Sea Mining Watch helps change that. 🌊

Developed by the @benioffoceansciencelab and powered by Global Fishing Watch technology, the open source tool provides a window into one of the planet’s most remote and emerging industries.

Using AIS data, Deep-Sea Mining Watch maps current and historical vessel movements linked to deep-sea mineral exploration worldwide, bringing greater transparency to where and when these activities are taking place.

For researchers, journalists, regulators, civil society and policymakers, the tool offers reliable data to better understand deep-sea mineral-related activity and how it overlaps with other industries, including commercial fishing.

👉 Explore Deep-Sea Mining Watch via the link in our bio. by @benioffoceansciencelab

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2 months ago

Whale Safe has expanded to the San Francisco Bay. 🐋

A big thank you to the journalists and news outlets who helped share the story and spotlight this collaborative conservation effort.

This expansion will help prevent fatal ship strikes in the San Francisco Bay, where gray whales are increasingly stopping along their migrations to rest and feed as climate change reduces their food supply. Newly installed thermal cameras use AI to detect whales in real time and alert nearby ships to slow down or adjust course, helping protect the whales.

Read the featured coverage through the link in our bio to learn more. by @benioffoceansciencelab

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3 months ago