The Balearic Island archipelago is located in the western Mediterranean Sea off Spain’s eastern coast. The archipelago consists of three major islands (Majorca, Minorca, and Ibiza) with other small islands. Inhabited from around 4000 B.C., the first real settlements developed with the arrival of the Carthaginians in 654 B.C. Currently, the Balearic Islands are home … Read more
Oceana’s campaign focuses primarily on one of the biggest human-provoked threats to sea turtle survival: bycatch (link) in commercial fisheries. Oceana works to reduce sea turtle (link) bycatch in EU fisheries through gear modification (link 5) and by advocating for the closure of fisheries at times and in areas where sea turtles are likely to … Read more
The fishing sector requires comprehensive regulation based on the environment’s capacity to produce resources in order to prevent overexploitation and foster long-term responsible fishing activities. The creation of marine protected areas facilitates the adoption of measures to manage the fishing sector by establishing fisheries, quotas and fishing gear adapted to the physical and biological characteristics … Read more
The following effects of climate change will have critical implications for sea turtles: Severe Storms More severe storms, such as hurricanes and tropical cyclones, could increase beach erosion rates, endangering sea turtle nesting habitat. Often severe storms could increase the chance that sea turtle nests will flood, decreasing nesting success rates. Hotter Sands The sex … Read more
Historically, protected areas have had a strong terrestrial component. Currently, the European Commission fosters the protection of marine areas, in keeping with the Habitats Directive (92/43/CEE) and the Birds Directive (79/409/CEE). The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (9388/2/2007 – C6-0261/2007 – 2005/0211(COD)) includes the need to create new marine protected areas from an ecosystem perspective. In … Read more
Along with fishing gear and climate change, there are numerous human activity threats to sea turtles. These threats include coastal development, pollution, direct harvest, invasive species and vessel strikes. Coastal Development With the encroachment of hotels, parking lots and housing along nesting beaches, female turtles are forced to use suboptimal nesting habitats. After emerging from their … Read more
Trawls A trawl is a large net that is pulled through the water column or along the seabed, catching anything that is not small enough to pass through the net’s mesh openings. This fishing gear is typically used to catch fish or shrimp. Catching unwanted species is a problem for trawlers because it is a … Read more
Corallium rubrum is endemic to the Mediterranean and adjacent African Atlantic waters. This species has been harvested since ancient times and is possibly the one in the worst condition. Up to 2,000 vessels have been dedicated to harvesting this coral using such destructive techniques like the crowbar (barra Italiana) or double cross (cruz de San … Read more
Little is known about this typically deep-dwelling species. Like their short-finned relative, longfin makos prefer warmer water, but they are rarely encountered. This species is known to be caught as bycatch in pelagic longline fisheries, though not as often as the shortfin mako. However, catches may be underestimated, since they are commonly misidentified as shortfin … Read more
June 2009: The Spanish Ministry announced the creation of 20 new marine protected areas that will be implemented at the conclusion of the Life Indemares Project in which Oceana participates. This measure adopted by the Spanish government constitutes a new opportunity to conserve deep-sea coral populations in some areas taken into account in the project. … 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.
