Habitat Protection Archives

Most EU citizens want political leaders to prioritise ocean protection and to ban bottom trawling in marine protected areas, new polls reveal

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

Reviving Europe’s oceans: Marine wins under the Nature Restoration Law

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

Marine wins in the EU Nature Restoration Law

8 June, World Ocean Day: The ocean is key to securing the EU’s future

On World Ocean Day, Oceana calls on all candidates to the European Parliament to restore ocean health to support our food supply, jobs,and resilience to the climate crisis On World Ocean Day, which this year coincides with the European elections, Oceana urges incoming EU leaders to ensure that ocean life is restored to abundance. A … Read more

Oceana asks the Balearic Government for more protection for marine biodiversity in Cabrera National Park

The extension of the park, effective from 2019, lacks appropriate protection and management measures to protect the area from industrial fishing The Government, responsible for the park, now has an opportunity to commit to real and ambitious protection after years of delay Oceana urges the Balearic Government to effectively protect the Cabrera Archipelago National Marine-Terrestrial … Read more

Nature charities back UK pressing ahead with world-leading sandeel protections, despite EU legal pressure

19 UK and 16 EU conservation groups, are today announcing their strong support for the UK Government committing to closing Scottish and English North Sea waters to sandeel fishing, in the face of EU opposition to the action. The nature groups (including the RSPB, ClientEarth, Oceana, Birdlife International, and the Marine Conservation Society) are calling … Read more

A quantification of bottom towed fishing activity in marine Natura 2000 sites

There are over 2100 marine Natura 2000 sites designated across Europe’s seas under the EU Habitats Directive. Member States have designated such sites to protect and recover both important marine habitats such as reefs and sandbanks and a range of iconic species including the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) and grey and … Read more

EU-wide campaign launched to end destructive fishing in Europe’s protected waters: 90% of ‘protected’ waters still targeted

Leading civil society organisations have launched a campaign calling on the EU to take tougher action against EU countries that still allow bottom trawling in their Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), after a new report reveals that the destructive fishing practice is still taking place in 90% of offshore EU MPAs. The report, co-authored by Marine … Read more

Habitat characterization, anthropogenic impacts andconservation of rhodolith beds off southeastern Malta

Rhodolith beds, including maerl, are structurally complex perennial habitats that support a high species diversity but are threatened by numerous human activities, particularly in the Mediterranean Sea. Despite their global ecological importance, increased research efforts are needed to facilitate development of effective measures to conserve these habitats. Two areas hosting rhodolith beds are known to … Read more

EU countries not on track to meet international marine protection targets, warn NGOs

EU Member States are set to miss targets to protect 30% of EU seas by 2030, warn marine NGOs Oceana and Seas At Risk. In reaction to the EU’s interim evaluation of its 2030 Biodiversity Strategy released on 13 March, the NGOs are today publishing an assessment of Member States’ pledges on marine protection targets. … Read more