Oceana requests explanations from the Spanish Socialist and Popular parties regarding their efforts to increase shark captures

In a letter addressed to the ruling Partido Socialista Obrero Español (Spanish Socialist Party, or PSOE) and to the main opposition force, the Partido Popular (People’s Party, or PP), Oceana, the international marine conservation organisation, requests answers for the recent proposals by their Members of the European Parliament (MEP) to increase shark fin removal, and … Read more

Spain ignores scientific evidence and blocks the UN proposal for protecting sea beds against bottom trawling

“It is an alarmist report with no scientific foundation”. With these disparaging words, Fernando Curcio, the Spanish government’s General Director of Fisheries Resources, dismissed the results of a study prepared under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC). The report was presented in London at the beginning … Read more

Spain, Portugal, France and Poland turn their backs on fisheries management and support depleting deep-sea fish stocks

According to the international organisation for marine research and conservation, Oceana, once again a group of European countries, led by Spain, France, Portugal and Poland are attempting to destroy any initiative taken to stop the deterioration of fish species and marine ecosystems. These governments have continually ignored the warnings given by the scientific community regarding … Read more

According to Oceana, Iceland cannot sell its whale meat, but is still hunting

There is also concern about the health conditions of the meat due to high levels of contaminants accumulated in the tissue of these animals. Sources from the international marine conservation organisation Oceana indicated on Monday that the Icelandic vessel Hvalur 9 had captured a second whale, a lesser rorqual, 200 miles from the coast; this … Read more

New ICES report on dangerous decline in sharks

Responding to the new report from the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) issued today, the Shark Alliance, a coalition of NGOs dedicated to science-based conservation of sharks said: “It’s there in black and white.  The serial depletion of sharks must stop and stop now”. The Report details the dangerous depletion of … Read more

European Parliament votes against serious threat to shark populations

The Shark Alliance today welcomed the European Parliament’s decision to replace recommendations to further weaken already flawed shark finning regulations with calls for much needed improvements to the rules. “We are pleased that the European Parliament has changed course on shark policy by replacing reckless recommendations with those based in science,” said Sonja Fordham, Shark … Read more

Conservationists rally MEPs to make, not break EU ban on shark finning

Member organisations of the Shark Alliance, a coalition of conservation NGOs, today expressed hope that a strong, cross-Party Amendment in the European Parliament can correct troubling calls to weaken the EU’s ban on shark finning contained in the draft report from Parliament’s Fisheries Committee. Oceana, The Ocean Conservancy and The Shark Trust – founding members … Read more

Sharks threatened by European Parliament finning report

The international marine conservation organization Oceana has released a report aimed at European Union (EU) Members of Parliament (Euro MPs) to express its concern about a decision that will be taken in the European Parliament (EP) Committee on Fisheries on August 28th that could support the killing of millions of sharks each year. Oceana calls … Read more