Ocean science news, explainers, and statistics covering marine environments, currents, climate, coasts, seafloor research, and the changing global ocean.
Microplastics are plastic particles smaller than five millimeters, roughly the width of a pencil eraser or less. Some are manufactured at a tiny size. Many begin as larger objects that crack and fragment under sunlight, heat, abrasion and mechanical stress. NOAA uses the five-millimeter threshold in its microplastics definition. The category covers particles with different…
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Marine aquaculture is the breeding, rearing and harvesting of animals or plants that live in saltwater. Farms may operate in coastal bays, estuaries, offshore waters, or land-based tanks supplied with seawater. They raise seafood such as oysters and salmon while cultivating seaweed. Some operations produce juveniles for restoration and help rebuild depleted populations. NOAA’s aquaculture…
Port is the left side of a vessel when you face forward toward the bow and starboard is the right side. The terms identify fixed sides of the boat, so they stay the same when a person turns around. Mariners use them for clear instructions and collision avoidance; the terms also appear on equipment labels…
A Plimsoll line is the load-line marking painted on a ship’s hull to show the greatest depth at which the vessel may safely sit in the water under specified conditions. It gives crews and inspectors a visible check on freeboard that port authorities can also use. Freeboard is the vertical distance between the water and…
