The Baltic Sea has the oddly contradictory record of being a frontrunner both in good and bad – on one hand it holds the unfortunate record of being one of the most polluted seas in the world, but on the other, countries in the region have ambitious political plans for its restoration which, if implemented, … Read more
We thought it was high time to bring back a Friday tradition we started a while ago, to introduce our readers to some interesting sea creatures. This week, we are featuring the spiny sea star (Marthaasterias glacialis). Sea stars belong to the Echinodermata phylum, which also includes sea urchins, sea cucumbers and brittle stars. Most … Read more
This week, the future of Baltic Sea fish stocks is being discussed at the Baltfish and HELCOM meetings in Tallinn, Estonia. Representatives and stakeholders from the region are gathered to discuss the implementation of a discard ban, multi-species management and to review the Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP), an ambitious plan they agreed upon in … Read more
Spain’s National Park of Cabrera turns 22 years old today and we’re very happy to say that its creation has been worthwhile. There is enough evidence to show that sea creatures within the protected area grow larger and spawn more, and this wildlife ‘factory’ is a great help when it comes to restoring the surrounding … Read more
This week, representatives from Member States around the Baltic Sea, are meeting in Tallinn, Estonia to discuss multi species fisheries management and a discard ban in the Baltic Sea. Stakeholders have been invited to give their point of view, and Oceana will be there. We’re expecting some interesting discussions between the Member States, fisheries and … Read more
So there you are in your car on the highway, blasting Creedence on the stereo, wind in your hair. Everybody’s speeding a little bit; you just go with the flow. Then all of a sudden a police car shows up and instantly the average speed drops about 20 km/per hour. Have you thought about how … Read more
Enric Sala, explorer-in-residence at National Geographic, has publicly expressed his support for the enlargement of the Cabrera National Park, based on the boundaries proposed by Oceana to José Ramón Bauzá. In a letter to the President of the Balearic Islands, Sala stated that the project would lead to “immediate environmental, fishing production, and economic improvements … Read more
Arthur C. Clarke once said: “How inappropriate to call this planet Earth when it is quite clearly Ocean.” He wasn’t off mark. Did you know that, in terms of volume, the oceans occupy 99% of planet Earth? That’s why we wanted to honour this Earth Day by celebrating our incredible, mysterious oceans. We believe that … Read more
Yesterday an overwhelming majority of the European Parliament voted for a gradual ban on the discarding of unwanted fish in the Skagerrak. Oceana welcomes this bold step towards ending the wasteful practice of throwing millions of tons of fish back into the sea. “It is rewarding to see that the Parliament is sticking to defending … Read more
Sport fishing has throughout history been a way to relax, get away from it all and be closer to nature. Many people think that recreational fishing doesn’t have a big influence on fish populations, but in fact it accounts for approximately one quarter of the total amount of salmon caught in the Baltic Sea region … 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.
