A few days ago, the Internet was abuzz with news about the Chilean Devil Ray’s ability to reach previously unknown depths. What a perfect excuse to introduce this species to our readers! Despite its intimidating name, this mostly solitary creature (though it can be found in groups) is harmless to humans and feeds on small … Read more
Oceana today proposed a set of measures to tackle the alarming amount of overfishing occuring in the Mediterranean Sea, which affects 88 out of 97 of assessed fish stocks. The percentage of overfished stocks in this sea has been increasing over the years, cementing this region’s position as the worst hit in Europe. The international … Read more
Every year, coinciding with the birthday of Linnaeus, the founder of modern taxonomy, the International Institute for Species Exploration at New York State University (IISE – SUNY) publishes a list of the 10 most interesting species discovered. The latest list, released yesterday, includes a giant foraminifer found on a seamount off Cabo de Palos (Murcia). … Read more
Oceana applauds yesterday’s decision by Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment, to protect the Émile Baudot and Ausiàs March seamounts as well as the Fort d’en Moreu coral reef. The international marine conservation organization spent years documenting these seabeds and actively campaigning for the Spanish and Balearic governments to protect these highly ecologically valuable … Read more
Almost 80% of fish stocks in the Mediterranean Sea are overfished Rome – Today, high-level officials representing Mediterranean countries, including Maria Damanaki, EU Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, expressed their commitment to put an end to overfishing in the Mediterranean Sea while considering marine ecosystems and preserving fragile habitats. This historical step has been … Read more
In reality, business carries on as usual inside so-called protected areas. While the number of marine protected areas (MPAs) in the Baltic Sea and Kattegat continues to increase, the number of areas with actual protection measures unfortunately, isn’t growing at the same rate. Many MPAs completely lack plans that regulate the activities within them. Oceana’s … Read more
Oceana regrets the decision of the Supreme Court to approve the permits that have been granted to Repsol to prospect for hydrocarbons on the eastern coastline of Fuerteventura and Lanzarote. This decision will help to destroy up to 25 marine areas and 82 protected species that were documented by Oceana during its expedition in this … Read more
EU citizens are urged to participate in the Public consultation before June 16th Oceana denounces the European Commission plan to develop deep-sea mining operations, and appeals to EU citizens to oppose this destructive activity by participating in the public consultation, which is open until June 16th, 2014. Deep-sea mining is one of the most extreme … Read more
Oceana calls for the ban to be extended to other fisheries in Portugal and the rest of the EU The Portuguese government has issued a decree prohibiting all deep-sea fishing – with the exception of longlining, which is authorized under certain conditions – in an area spanning 2,280,000 km2, to promote sustainable fisheries and the … Read more
Today, the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) delivered its advice for 2015 catches in the Baltic Sea, including the largest cuts in total allowable catches for cod in years. This move comes after ICES scientists reported a particularly worrying development for eastern Baltic cod: While over the past few years, the … 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.
