Sharks are caught for a number of reasons. Fins are the most important ingredient in the Asian status-symbol dish “shark fin soup”. Once only for eaten by emperors and kings, this dish is now standard for weddings and business-dinners and as such is the main driver behind the looming extinction of some of the most … Read more
A rich and varied biodiversity, composed by healthy stocks of marine species, plants and their habitats is crucial for the proper functioning of the Baltic ecosystem. Due to the special conditions of the Baltic, only a handful of the so called “cornerstone” species form the basis of the marine food web. Baltic cod is one … Read more
Marine Protected Areas are an effective way of protecting parts of the oceans from fishing and other maritime activities in order to give ecosystems a chance to recover. Nations agreed during the Convention on Biological Diversity protect 10% of the marine ecoregions by 2012. To achieve this goal, the European Union has built up the … Read more
Overfishing and destructive fishing practices like bottom trawling represent a major threat to the Baltic ecosystems. In 2008, fishermen from all the surrounding countries caught more than 50 different fish species in the Baltic, for a total of 742 thousand tons of fish. Finland, Sweden and Poland are the largest Baltic fishing nations. Sprat and … Read more
Did you know that the climate change is the main cause of the disappearance of corals and gorgonians in the Mediterranean? Increased global temperature is causing a series of significant changes around the world. Melting ice caps and glaciers cause the sea level to rise, hurricanes are stronger and more frequent, droughts alternate with floods … Read more
Oregon is home to a magnificent underwater environment, producing valuable fisheries and diverse seafloor habitats. Deep underwater canyons like Astoria Canyon where the Columbia River meets the ocean are home to a variety of coral and sponge habitats (links). Heceta Bank off the Oregon Coast is a hotspot for black corals. Their complex branches … Read more
Seco de Palos is an undersea mountain range 30 sea miles off the Murcia coast, at a depth of between 100 and 3,000 m. Many pelagic species, such as pilot whales, sea turtles, sea birds, swordfish, and sunfish live temporarily or permanently in the area. Until a few years ago, there was hardly any information … Read more
Deep-sea corals and sponges, some of the oldest animals on Earth, grow at the rate of just a few millimeters each year and can live for thousands of years. In recent years, scientists worldwide have discovered that the majority of the coral species found in the world’s oceans live in deep or cold waters. Deep-sea … Read more
The island of Alborán is the peak of a mountain which existed prior to the birth of the Mediterranean Sea five million years ago. The island itself is a mere 550 meters long and 290 meters wide. Despite its size, the island has a long history of human use due to its strategic location midway … Read more
In order to reduce sea turtle injury and death, modifications can be made to certain types of fishing gear, including the following examples: Circle hooks Circle hooks can significantly reduce the number of hooks that are lethally ingested by turtles. Unlike J-hooks, which tend to be swallowed by sea turtles as they ingest the baited … 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.
