JUNE 11, 2012 — Scraping small black mussels off of slippery rocks in the Pacific Northwest's chilly, wet January weather probably doesn't sound like much fun. However, thanks to the dedicated folks who endure those conditions (and to several other important partners), these mussels and others tested in NOAA's National Mussel Watch Program will keep telling us about water pollution levels and seafood safety for years to come

One of the greatest marine accidents of the 20th century involved an ocean liner hitting an iceberg. The Titanic, a passenger ship bound for New York City, sank in the Atlantic Ocean after colliding with an iceberg on April 15, 2012. Now more than a century has passed since that historic incident, and the dangers of sea ice are still present in maritime travels.

Crude oils can range in color, from black to red to yellow.

When most people picture oil spills, they often think of a heavy continuous coating of oil on the sea or shoreline, and that may be a fair depiction, but after a few hours or days the oil can become patchy, become mixed with water, and change in color and consistency.