An EU-wide stakeholder consultation process on the implementation of the MSFD is being organized by the European Commission, and Oceana is an active member of this process. We currently follow several working groups, including on the definition of Good Environmental Status (GES) and on Economic and Social Assessment (ESA). At the regional scale, Oceana being … Read more
Loggerhead sea turtles are currently listed as being threatened with extinction under the Habitat Directive, Barcelona Convention and Convention of Migratory Species. Their numbers are rapidly declining. Loggerhead sea turtles, like other sea turtle species, face many natural and human-induced threats. Scientists have determined that the capture in fishing gear and the loss of nesting … Read more
This Oceana programme was possible thanks to a collaboration agreement with the Fundación Biodiversidad and the help of the SECAC (Society for the Study of Cetaceans in the Canarian Archipelago) and served to draw up more effective protection plans. By satellite tags that were attached to ten turtles, our scientists were able to follow their … Read more
The whale shark is the world’s largest fish, with an average length of 14-20 meters. Yet, their diet consists of one of the ocean’s smallest organisms — plankton. These filter-feeders can live to be 100 years old and may have up to 300 young per litter. A majority of whale sharks are caught before they … Read more
The spiny dogfish, also known as the spurdog, is found within all of the world’s oceans. Spiny dogfish are caught for a variety of purposes which include: fish and chips, shark fin soup, fertilizers, liver oil, pet food and as a popular dissection specimen in academic science labs. A highly valued species in Europe, the … Read more
These small sharks have a light colored body with black spots from nose to tail. Adults often school by sex and eggs are deposited on seaweed throughout the year. Small spotted catsharks are caught primarily as shark bycatch or secondary targeted catch in various artisanal and industrial fisheries, especially in the Mediterranean. Many of the sharks … Read more
Possibly the fastest shark and certainly one of the most active, the shortfin mako is only found in tropical and warm temperate seas. During summer months, shortfin makos follow patches of warm water. Shortfin mako sharks are both targeted by longline fisheries for their meat and caught incidentally as bycatch. They are also a popular … Read more
The distinctive hammer-shaped head may provide improved agility and increased sensor capacity for the scalloped hammerhead shark. A seasonally migratory species, the scalloped hammerhead is often found in schools. The fins are extremely valuable for use in shark fin soup and the scalloped hammerhead is taken both as a target species and as bycatch with … Read more
Sandtiger sharks are also known as the grey nurse shark and the spotted ragged-tooth shark. Sandtiger sharks have one of the lowest reproductive rates of any shark, giving birth to only one or two young every couple of years. Once a population is depleted, recovery is especially challenging due to their life history. Smaller populations … Read more
The Canary Island government compiled a list of species whose catch is prohibited, including crustaceans like the brown spiny lobster (Palinurus echinatus), molluscs from the genus Charonia spp., fish species like the Gorean snapper (Lutjanus goreensis), the goldentail moray eel (Gymnothorax miliaris), etc., although this list was created only for commercial reasons. In addition, the … 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.
