NGOs – the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC), Seas At Risk, Oceana and ClientEarth – welcome last night’s Swedish government proposal to amend legislation, paving the way for a future ban on bottom trawling in Swedish marine protected areas. NGOs celebrate this as an important milestone and urge other EU governments to follow the … Read more
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are vital for protecting the oceans and addressing the threats it faces from overfishing, habitat destruction, and climate change. Since 2005, Oceana has conducted 31 at-sea research expeditions in the Atlantic, Baltic, and Mediterranean seas. These efforts have helped protect marine habitats, restore degraded ecosystems, and establish new MPAs to safeguard marine … Read more
The report highlights the ecological risks of deep-sea bottom fishing in the Mediterranean, emphasizing that activities below 800 meters threaten vulnerable marine ecosystems. Oceana supports extending these protections to safeguard biodiversity hotspots and enhance the Mediterranean’s climate adaptation capabilities. Version in French Version in Spanish Version in Arabic Version in Turkish
This week, Mediterranean countries have failed to adopt permanent measures banning destructive fishing practices – like bottom trawling – over parts of the Cabliers Bank, a 400,000-year-old coral reef in the Alboran Sea. Oceana strongly criticises this decision, which leaves such a biodiversity hotspot vulnerable to fishing impacts, and weakens the prospects of establishing a … Read more
With Ocean Week taking the stage this week in Brussels (30 September- 4 October), 138 organisations call on the newly elected EU institutions to take a series of bold measures to stop the EU’s ocean and coastlines being pushed to the brink, including launching a Ocean Fund and proposing new legislation to ban destructive activities … Read more
Imagine a world where the ocean teems with life, marine ecosystems flourish, and where coastal communities thrive in harmony with nature. This vision is not just a dream; it’s an achievable reality, and the Blue Manifesto is our urgent call to action to make it happen. Civil society organisations across Europe have united to provide … Read more
In response to the election of Ursula von der Leyen as President of the European Commission, Oceana issued the following statement: “Oceana congratulates Ursula von der Leyen on being re-appointed as President of the European Commission. The announcement of a European Oceans Pact is a welcome first step, because a healthy and productive ocean is … Read more
Polls expose gap between people’s opinion of marine protection in Europe and the stark reality Nearly 9 in 10 citizens (86%) surveyed across seven EU countries expect their political leaders to prioritise the protection of marine biodiversity, according to the results of national polls conducted by Sapience and published today. The study further identifies that, … Read more
The EU Council has officially adopted the Nature Restoration Law today, marking the first major piece of legislation aimed at restoring nature in the past thirty years! This regulation mandates the restoration of marine habitats and addresses destructive fishing practices, thereby enhancing the ocean’s role as the planet’s largest carbon store and bolstering biodiversity and … Read more
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We have already protected nearly 4 million square miles of ocean and innumerable sea life - but there is still more to be done.
Oceana in Europe gratefully acknowledges EU funding support.
