Ángel Borja | Lightnews

Dr Angel Borja @drangelborja.bsky.social · 21h

at the Basque Country, we are restoring #seagrass fields, in estuaries which lost completely the populations, and these actions are being very successful! restoring #biodiversity and #ecosystemservices
#MarineEcology
#Research

GES4SEAS MOOCs @ges4seas-mooc.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy · 22h

Other coastal systems around the world have also recovered thanks to the stewardship of local communities, such as in Palau with #mangroves and #seagrasses, and pangas for fishing. We are happy receiving your comments on similar examples of recovery in your country

image of seagrass and mangrove recovery, as well as a sunset with pangas for fishing

Dr Angel Borja @drangelborja.bsky.social · 21h

#MPAs marine protected areas are good solutions to rebuild depleted resources, as in Baja California, but also in many places around the globe
#MarineEcology
#Research

GES4SEAS MOOCs @ges4seas-mooc.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy · 22h

In Baja California, Mexico, fishing communities organized in cooperatives have established voluntary #marineprotectedareas, kelp forest monitoring and #restoration projects to protect and recover their kelp forests following collapse from extreme hypoxia and marine heatwaves

divers monitoring kelps, credits by Elba López

Dr Angel Borja @drangelborja.bsky.social · 22h

a good exanple is Cabo Pulmo, in Baja California
#MarineEcology
#Research

GES4SEAS MOOCs @ges4seas-mooc.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy · 22h

Participatory studies, conducted with local communities, have shown that depleted species and ecosystems have recovered in many locations around the world, supporting thriving ecosystems and fisheries, as in these photos from Geoff Shester, in Baja California #oceanoptimism

Dr Angel Borja @drangelborja.bsky.social · 22h

some fishing communities are becoming aware about problems at sea and the benefits provided by marine protection. Como with #GES4SEAS to learn in this #MOOC
#MarineEcology
#Research

GES4SEAS MOOCs @ges4seas-mooc.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy · 22h

We follow today with our #ges4seas #mooc on #oceanoptimism. Coastal ecosystems and the fishing communities that depend on them are impacted globally by extreme #Climate events (storms, heatwaves, etc.) and human pressures, as in these lobster and sea cucumber #fisheries

photos showing fishers in a beach, preparing the boats to fish lobsters, and a diver fishing sea cucumbers

GES4SEAS MOOCs @ges4seas-mooc.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy · 22h

Other coastal systems around the world have also recovered thanks to the stewardship of local communities, such as in Palau with #mangroves and #seagrasses, and pangas for fishing. We are happy receiving your comments on similar examples of recovery in your country

GES4SEAS MOOCs @ges4seas-mooc.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy · 22h

Participatory studies, conducted with local communities, have shown that depleted species and ecosystems have recovered in many locations around the world, supporting thriving ecosystems and fisheries, as in these photos from Geoff Shester, in Baja California #oceanoptimism

GES4SEAS MOOCs @ges4seas-mooc.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy · 22h

In Baja California, Mexico, fishing communities organized in cooperatives have established voluntary #marineprotectedareas, kelp forest monitoring and #restoration projects to protect and recover their kelp forests following collapse from extreme hypoxia and marine heatwaves

GES4SEAS MOOCs @ges4seas-mooc.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy · 22h

We follow today with our #ges4seas #mooc on #oceanoptimism. Coastal ecosystems and the fishing communities that depend on them are impacted globally by extreme #Climate events (storms, heatwaves, etc.) and human pressures, as in these lobster and sea cucumber #fisheries

Dr Angel Borja @drangelborja.bsky.social · 3d

there are many nice examples of recovery

GES4SEAS MOOCs @ges4seas-mooc.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy · 3d

Many other large marine vertebrates have also increased in numbers thanks to protection, including #whales and sea #turtles.
All of this is in benefit of #biodiversity, but also on marine health, and human well-being
#ges4seas #mooc #oceanoptimism

this photo from NOAA shows a green turtle in Florida

this graph from NOAA, shows the increasing number of green turtle nests in Florida

Dr Angel Borja @drangelborja.bsky.social · 3d

sea otters are cute animals, very important to maintain marine habitats healthy

GES4SEAS MOOCs @ges4seas-mooc.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy · 3d

Studies have shown that thanks to this recovery, #kelp beds have increased and shoreline erosion has been reduced.
In this photo from Laney White @usgs-quakebot.bsky.social, you can see some sea otters resting in kelps recovered in this coast and providing […]

[Original post on fediscience.org]

otters resting in kelps, photo by Laney White USGS

Dr Angel Borja @drangelborja.bsky.social · 3d

#MarineEcology
#Research

GES4SEAS MOOCs @ges4seas-mooc.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy · 3d

In California, sea otters were once thought to be extinct but an isolated population of about 50 was found in 1914.
Subsequently protected by laws and treaties, they have slowly recovered, as shown in this graphic from @usgs-quakebot.bsky.social
#ges4seas #mooc #oceanoptimism

this figure shows the sea otter recovery in California, since 1990, credit USGS

Dr Angel Borja @drangelborja.bsky.social · 3d

thanks @nancyknowlton.bsky.social for collaborating in this #GES4SEAS MOOC on #OceanOptimism: we need to change the narrative about the ocean!

GES4SEAS MOOCs @ges4seas-mooc.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy · 3d

Marine #megafauna is at risk in many seas
Sea otters are iconic predators in the north Pacific, but they were heavily hunted for their fur in the 18th and 19th centuries, as @nancyknowlton.bsky.social comments in this post
#ges4seas #mooc #oceanoptimism

photo showing the skin of sea otters, in 1892, by @NOAA archives

GES4SEAS MOOCs @ges4seas-mooc.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy · 3d

Many other large marine vertebrates have also increased in numbers thanks to protection, including #whales and sea #turtles.
All of this is in benefit of #biodiversity, but also on marine health, and human well-being
#ges4seas #mooc #oceanoptimism

GES4SEAS MOOCs @ges4seas-mooc.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy · 3d

Studies have shown that thanks to this recovery, #kelp beds have increased and shoreline erosion has been reduced.
In this photo from Laney White @usgs-quakebot.bsky.social, you can see some sea otters resting in kelps recovered in this coast and providing […]

[Original post on fediscience.org]

GES4SEAS MOOCs @ges4seas-mooc.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy · 3d

In California, sea otters were once thought to be extinct but an isolated population of about 50 was found in 1914.
Subsequently protected by laws and treaties, they have slowly recovered, as shown in this graphic from @usgs-quakebot.bsky.social
#ges4seas #mooc #oceanoptimism

GES4SEAS MOOCs @ges4seas-mooc.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy · 3d

Marine #megafauna is at risk in many seas
Sea otters are iconic predators in the north Pacific, but they were heavily hunted for their fur in the 18th and 19th centuries, as @nancyknowlton.bsky.social comments in this post
#ges4seas #mooc #oceanoptimism

Dr Angel Borja @drangelborja.bsky.social · 5d

Is this journal legitimate? This tool can help you decide

Aletheia-Probe provides a one-stop shop to help you assess whether journals and conferences are trustworthy or predatory
#research

www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Is this journal legitimate? This tool can help you decide

Aletheia-Probe provides a one-stop shop to help you assess whether journals and conferences are trustworthy or predatory.

www.nature.com

Dr Angel Borja @drangelborja.bsky.social · 5d

stay connected to our #GES4SEAS #MOOC on #Oceanoptimism, more posts next Friday, and every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, during February
#MarineEcology
#Research

GES4SEAS MOOCs @ges4seas-mooc.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy · 5d

We start our examples of good news with the recovery of the estuary of Bilbao, in Northern Spain
This picture shows the evolution of estuarine #biodiversity in past 30 years
#ges4seas #mooc #oceanoptimism

this graphic, from Consorcio Bilbao Bizkaia, shows the evolution of biodiversity in the estuary, across 30 yr

Dr Angel Borja @drangelborja.bsky.social · 5d

#MarineEcology
#Research
#GES4SEAS
repost!

GES4SEAS MOOCs @ges4seas-mooc.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy · 5d

We start our examples of good news with the recovery of the estuary of Bilbao, in Northern Spain
This picture shows the evolution of estuarine #biodiversity in past 30 years
#ges4seas #mooc #oceanoptimism

Dr Angel Borja @drangelborja.bsky.social · 5d

after biodiversity recovery, this is supporting many ecosystem services, which benefit humans. It is important to note that even the economical costs of restoration can be covered by the services increase! this is good for citizens and managers awareness

GES4SEAS MOOCs @ges4seas-mooc.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy · 5d

Also, it resulted in a recovery of #ecosystemservices, such as recreational fishing and bathing waters, which even cover the costs of #restoration.
This is happening in many other estuaries and coasts being restored across the world!
#ges4seas #mooc #oceanoptimism

graphic by Sarai Pouso, AZTI, showing the recovery of bathing waters and recreational fishing, in monetary terms

Dr Angel Borja @drangelborja.bsky.social · 5d

these photos are iconic: you can see the water turbidity above, a synptom of pollution, and the clear waters below, showing the starting recovery

GES4SEAS MOOCs @ges4seas-mooc.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy · 5d

After decades of degradation and #pollution (mining, industry, discharges), #management measures have dramatically changed the quality of the estuary.
This was because of the European Water Framework Directive #wfd, approved in 2000
#ges4seas #mooc #oceanoptimism

these 2 pictures, from Consorcio Bilbao Bizkaia, show the mouth of the estuary in 1976 (polluted) and in 2005 (clean)

Dr Angel Borja @drangelborja.bsky.social · 5d

the Water Framework Directive was a milestone: the clean-up of the estuary, which started in the 1980s, was completed around 2000s and the estuary took 15-20 years to recover. Good lesson on management decisions!

GES4SEAS MOOCs @ges4seas-mooc.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy · 5d

Now, it has achieved a good ecological status, sensu #WFD, for most of the ecosystem components, such as #phytoplankton, #benthos or #fish….
This has happened in many other European countries, thanks to the #wfd
#ges4seas #mooc #oceanoptimism

graphic describing the recovery of different ecosystem components, by Elliott, M., Á. Borja, R. Cormier, 2025. Managing marine resources sustainably – But how do we know when marine management has been successful? Ocean & Coastal Management, 265: 107623.

Dr Angel Borja @drangelborja.bsky.social · 5d

this was one of the most polluted estuaries in Europe in the 1970s: no life inside, plenty of pollution from mining, siderurgy, chemical, urban.... a disaster!

GES4SEAS MOOCs @ges4seas-mooc.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy · 5d

We start our examples of good news with the recovery of the estuary of Bilbao, in Northern Spain
This picture shows the evolution of estuarine #biodiversity in past 30 years
#ges4seas #mooc #oceanoptimism

GES4SEAS MOOCs @ges4seas-mooc.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy · 5d

Also, it resulted in a recovery of #ecosystemservices, such as recreational fishing and bathing waters, which even cover the costs of #restoration.
This is happening in many other estuaries and coasts being restored across the world!
#ges4seas #mooc #oceanoptimism

GES4SEAS MOOCs @ges4seas-mooc.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy · 5d

Now, it has achieved a good ecological status, sensu #WFD, for most of the ecosystem components, such as #phytoplankton, #benthos or #fish….
This has happened in many other European countries, thanks to the #wfd
#ges4seas #mooc #oceanoptimism

GES4SEAS MOOCs @ges4seas-mooc.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy · 5d

After decades of degradation and #pollution (mining, industry, discharges), #management measures have dramatically changed the quality of the estuary.
This was because of the European Water Framework Directive #wfd, approved in 2000
#ges4seas #mooc #oceanoptimism

GES4SEAS MOOCs @ges4seas-mooc.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy · 5d

We start our examples of good news with the recovery of the estuary of Bilbao, in Northern Spain
This picture shows the evolution of estuarine #biodiversity in past 30 years
#ges4seas #mooc #oceanoptimism

Dr Angel Borja @drangelborja.bsky.social · 6d

look at our #ObamaNext teaser for #ECSA61 #ECSA2026 conference in August, in Brussels

#MarineEcology
#Research

youtu.be/f7UcTwF4WRA

🌍 ECSA 61 | Bridging Science and Policy for Marine Biodiversity

YouTube video by OBAMA-NEXT

youtu.be

Stelios Katsanevakis @skatsanevakis.bsky.social · 7d

Change the narrative about the ocean! 🌍 Dive into our #oceanoptimism Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) with #GES4SEAS — 4 weeks of inspiring learning. Let’s build hope together! 🌟
🧪🌐 #MarineEcology #Conservation
check our ocean optimism video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ozxe...

Dr Angel Borja @drangelborja.bsky.social · 7d

we have prepared a good set of examples worldwide
#MarineEcology
#Research

GES4SEAS MOOCs @ges4seas-mooc.fediscience.org.ap.brid.gy · 7d

You will learn about good practices and examples of recovery and good status of marine ecosystems around the world,
You can share them with your friends, students or family!
It is a good opportunity to change behaviour towards the #ocean
#ges4seas #mooc #oceanoptimism

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