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
Less than 5 kilometers off the southern coast of Menorca island lays the Menorca Canyon. In 2006, researchers from Oceana were some of the first to have ever explored the depths of the canyon. The canyon ledge lies in 85 to 90 meters of water and quickly descends over 240 meters — the deepest Oceana’s … Read more
This bottom-dwelling, docile species is found in a variety of habitats which include continental shelves, corals and rocky reefs, mangroves and sand flats. Nurse sharks are equipped with long barbells on their snout to locate benthic prey. Although their meat is not widely commercialized, nurse sharks fall victim to bycatch in gillnets and longlines. Their inshore … Read more
Our team of specialists works in the Copenhagen office to protect this unique sea, which covers 377 thousand square kilometres in the North of Europe and is almost entirely surrounded by nine different countries, from IUU fishing and improve the network of Marine Protected Areas. It is a very shallow sea of “brackish” water, water … 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
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
Its distribution is centered on the Western European coasts between Galicia and Portugal. It frequents shallow waters. Its population in European Atlantic waters is estimated at 385,000 individuals, though 90% is found in the North Sea. The small populations outside this area are critically endangered. Habitats: They have a definite preference for shallow waters. In … Read more
The lemon shark is found down to a depth of about 90 meters, but pups remain in shallow water for several years. They are known to withstand changes in salinity and can even be found in fresh water. Young lemon sharks rely on protected coastal areas, which act as nurseries and are being degraded at … 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.
