Law to restore EU seas by 2030 edges one step closer to reality

Today the European Parliament’s plenary has adopted the agreement reached with EU countries on the Nature Restoration Law (NRL). This is good news for the marine environment, say NGOs Oceana and Seas At Risk, because the new law includes binding restoration targets for marine habitats, as well as a new mechanism and a timeline to … Read more

Spain Designates Seven New Marine Protected Areas

 The Spanish government designated seven new marine protected areas (MPAs) in three Spanish marine regions. These areas, rich in biodiversity and vulnerable ecosystems, will be part of the Natura 2000 Network, which includes the natural areas of greatest ecological value in the European Union. With this designation, the total marine area protected in Spain, including … Read more

European Parliament at risk of backpedaling on marine protection ambition

Plenary likely to approve report by Fisheries Committee that supports destructive fishing and undermines Parliament’s position on biodiversity targets Marine NGOs Seas At Risk and Oceana are sounding the alarm that the European Parliament is poised to adopt a report on the Marine Action Plan (1) on 18 January supporting destructive fishing. The report was … Read more

Oceana applauds the designation of seven new marine protected areas in Spain

These sanctuaries are havens of biodiversity and serve as safeguards against climate change To be effective, the designation must be coupled with good management Oceana celebrates the announcement by Spain’s Ministry for Ecological Transition to establish seven new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Rich in biodiversity and home to vulnerable ecosystems, these areas will be included … Read more

Three out of four Spanish trawlers fished in marine protected areas in 2022

The information is distilled from official data from the General Secretariat for Fisheries Trawling, one of the most destructive fishing methods, is allowed in marine protected areas despite being a threat to the ocean and the sustainability of the fishing sector Three-quarters of the vessels that bottom trawled in Spain last year did so, at … Read more

Oceana in Europe: 20 years rebuilding ocean abundance

For the past twenty years, Oceana in Europe has been campaigning for a healthy, abundant ocean full of life. And it has paid off! We have campaigned for many years to increase sustainable fisheries in the North-East Atlantic. When we first started our work in Europe, only 20 commercial fish stocks were exploited at sustainable … Read more

Les pays méditerranéens s’unissent pour protéger un récif corallien d’eau profonde unique contre les effets de la pêche 

Communiqué de presse. Date: 10 novembre 2023 Location: Split Contact: Emily Fairless | email: efairless@oceana.org | tel.: +32 478 038 490 Ces mesures permettront de protéger le Banc de Cabliers, le seul récif corallien d’eau froide connu qui continue de croître en Méditerranée et étudié pour la première fois par Oceana Les États méditerranéens acceptent … Read more

Extending the deep-sea bottom fishing ban in the Mediterranean Sea

The ocean is the largest planetary carbon sink. It stores equivalent amounts of carbon to terrestrial ecosystems and removes around one-third of CO2 emitted by human activity. Healthy marine ecosystems capture and lock in carbon, acting as a nature-based solution to the climate crisis. Deepwater marine sediments and soft bottoms are considered a critical reservoir … Read more