Former OAS chief joins Oceana Board

WASHINGTON _  Former Colombian President César Gaviria, whose 10-year leadership of the Organization of American States (OAS) revitalized that hemispheric institution, today joined the fight for healthy seas around the world by becoming a member of the Board of Directors of Oceana, the only international conservation group solely dedicated to ocean protection. “As Arvid Pardo, … Read more

Antonio Banderas lends his voice to Oceana

“Hi, I’m Antonio Banderas. I’m not going to talk to you about my latest film today, but one of my other passions: the sea. I’m from Malaga, so I feel a very close bond with the sea. That’s why I’m collaborating with Oceana, an NGO that works actively to protect the oceans. You can support … Read more

Environmental NGOS: Call for action to restore threatened Baltic Sea

Governmental representatives will today review the current targets and discuss the future of the Baltic Sea in Helsinki, Finland. In a call for action, the NGOs Coalition Clean Baltic, FISH, and Oceana have made a joint statement and launched a public campaign – Race for the Baltic – to implement the already approved HELCOM Baltic … Read more

Pressure from 12,000 trawlers endangers the future of the fish industry in Europe

Oceana believes that Spain should change its fishing policy to justify its recent appointment as the headquarters of the Community Fisheries Control Agency. The decision of the European Union to establish the Community Fisheries Control Agency in Vigo represents a challenge for the Spanish Government, which at the same time as receiving this news, declared … Read more

A giant protozoon that imitates a carnivorous sponge has been discovered

The new species was discovered on a seamount 30 miles off the Spanish coast. Oceana and the Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC) have discovered a new species: a unicellular organism of exceptional size (4-5 cm high), belonging to the phylum foraminifera, which imitates carnivorous sponges in its appearance and way of capturing food. … Read more

World Oceans Day: Conservation efforts largely ignore threatened and fragile deep sea

Today, on World Oceans Day, Oceana urges the prioritization of scientific research into overlooked and fragile deep sea areas. Despite a massive gap in knowledge of deep sea areas, destructive activities are authorized without any clear insight into their impact on local ecosystems. Slow-growing and vulnerable species and habitats are facing potentially irreversible damage. “Activities … Read more

World Environment Day and Essential Fish Habitats

It’s World Environment Day. We’ve always argued that protecting the marine environment, so that it functions like the well-oiled machine it should be, is the only way to ensure a strong and sustainable fishing industry. There are some areas in the world that are known for their immense contribution to biodiversity, science and productivity. Though … Read more

Consumers unaware of endangered shark liver oil in cosmetics

If asked, “would you spread liver oil from threatened deep-sea sharks on your face?” most people would probably answer “no” – yet many European consumers may do so unwittingly, because they have no way of knowing whether a common cosmetic ingredient is sourced from sharks or from plant alternatives. Oceana is calling on cosmetic manufacturers … Read more

On Cod and the Kattegat

Over the last couple of years, several reports have come out on the come-back of cod in the Baltic Sea. It turns out; a lot of stocks are doing pretty well and are growing. Of course, the fish are still smaller in size than 20 years ago and most scientists advise a cautious approach, but … Read more