Imagine diving into the crystal-clear waters offshore of Miami, only to find yourself surrounded by a scene of devastation. A moonscape. The water, once teeming with life, is clouded with sediment, and vibrant coral reefs are now buried beneath a layer of sand. This is the grim reality made manifest by the PortMiami dredging project that occurred from 2013 to 2015. The project resulted in catastrophic damage to adjacent coral reefs, triggering legal action by Miami Waterkeeper and co-plaintiffs. Despite the dredging company’s initial attempts to downplay the environmental impact, subsequent scientific research uncovered extensive coral mortality, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has now released a report that supports our finding that millions of corals were likely killed and at least 278 acres of the Florida Reef Tract were severely impacted.
What you need to know
The hoiho, or yellow-eyed penguin, is a taonga species and national icon – so important that it appears on our five-dollar note. Yet this rare species is on the brink of extinction, facing a deadly mix of threats including fishing bycatch, starvation, disease, and the impacts of climate change. There are now fewer than 150 breeding pairs remaining in mainland New Zealand.
Without urgent action, we will lose the hoiho to extinction in the next few years.
