Protecting Cabliers: Exceptional Mediterranean coral reefs
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Campaign: Habitat Protection
Closing 70% of Europe’s seas to bottom trawling: little loss to fishing sector but huge environmental gains
Advice by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) released today shows that reducing bottom-trawling efforts by 26% could result in protecting 70% of Europe’s Atlantic sea area with small impact on the fishing sector, while delivering huge benefits to the marine environment. These include restoring biodiversity and mitigating climate change. Nicolas … Read more
Overfishing rate back on the rise after a decade of recovery
Brussels. The rate of overfishing has increased in European waters, according to today’s report by the European Commission on the state of play of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Oceana deplores this confirmation that the EU is moving further away from its legal commitment to exploit all harvested fish populations sustainably. To add to this, … Read more
Joint NGO recommendations on Baltic Sea fishing opportunities for 2022
1. Introduction In October 2021, EU fisheries ministers will agree on fishing opportunities in the Baltic Sea for 2022. As the deadline to end overfishing by 2020 at the latest as legally prescribed by Article 2(2) of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP)1 has passed, all fishing limits must be in line with sustainable exploitation rates. … Read more
Oceana calls for urgent action by UK Government to end bottom trawling in Britain’s Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)
New data shows 10% increase in total trawling hours in UK benthic MPAs in 2020, despite COVID19 On World Oceans Day, 8 June 2021, marine conservation groups call on the UK and on devolved Governments to commit to ban trawling in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and properly protect our precious marine environment. This coincides with … Read more
Realising the ambition of the EU Biodiversity Strategy in the ocean
The ocean is key to tackling the climate and biodiversity emergencies Life on Earth depends on the ocean: no matter where you are, you depend on the ocean and its unique and rich biodiversity for the production of oxygen, food, energy, and the enormous amount of heat and carbon it absorbs. Yet, as United Nations … Read more
New study: Oceana detects apparent illegal bottom trawling in the Strait of Sicily
Evidence shows Italian vessels apparently fishing in areas where bottom trawling is forbidden Oceana calls on the GFCM and the EU to increase transparency to ensure sustainable fisheries management in the Mediterranean Oceana has detected two bottom trawlers apparently fishing illegally for 126 hours in one of the three areas of the Strait of Sicily … Read more
Oceana urges bold action to ban bottom-trawling in Europe’s ‘protected’ areas
Oceana is calling on Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) to support a ban on bottom trawling, the most harmful and unselective fishing gear, in all EU marine protected areas (MPAs). The European Parliament’s environment committee (ENVI) will vote on its opinion on the EU 2030 Biodiversity Strategy on 27-28 May. Nicolas Fournier, Campaign Director, … Read more
Oceana demands action by Mediterranean countries to end illegal fishing
Oceana calls on the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) to provide real protection for areas where bottom trawling is forbidden. The members of the GFCM, which include 22 countries and the European Union, are meeting this week to review their actions to tackle illegal fishing, ahead of its plenary meeting in November. “The … Read more
Oceana proposes fisheries management revamp for Cabrera post-expansion
To mark the 30th anniversary in April of the designation of Cabrera national park in the Balearic islands, Oceana is presenting a proposal for better fisheries management of the enlarged area of the park to be considered in the new management plan which will be developed by the park authorities. Our proposal, which includes fisheries … Read more
