Who is actually benefiting from Western African fisheries?

In Africa, local communities that depend on fishing for their food security and livelihoods compete with industrial foreign fleets targeting the same fish. After a seven-month collaboration, Financial Times research using data from Oceana unveiled 39 vessels flagged to Gambia, Mauritania, Senegal, and Guinea-Bissau. Even if the vessels were flagged to these countries, they had ownership … Read more

Oceana’s reaction to the appointment of Ursula von der Leyen

In response to the election of Ursula von der Leyen as President of the European Commission, Oceana issued the following statement: “Oceana congratulates Ursula von der Leyen on being re-appointed as President of the European Commission. The announcement of a European Oceans Pact is a welcome first step, because a healthy and productive ocean is … Read more

Enhancing vessel identification in GFCM

Since 2013, when fishing vessels became eligible to apply for International Maritime Organisation (IMO) numbers, these seven-digit identifiers have gained global recognition as an invaluable tool for vessel identification. Unlike call signs, names, flags, or other registration numbers, IMO numbers remain consistent and permanent throughout a vessel’s lifecycle, from construction to dismantling. They need to … Read more

Call for the Compliance Committee of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean to increase transparency and effectively tackle non-compliance cases and IUU fishing

Ahead of the 17th session of the Compliance Committee (CoC) of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) in Rome, Italy, ClientEarth, Environmental Justice Foundation, Oceana, The Pew Charitable Trusts, The Nature Conservancy and WWF, who work together to protect the Mediterranean Sea against the impacts of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, are … Read more