Using “big data” to evaluate MPA effectiveness – the case of reefs in EU

The study looked into the fishing activity across marine Nature 2000 sites having a focus on variety of protected features protected by the Habitats Directive. Significant incompatible fishing activity was observed inside Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) across all of the European Union (EU), particularly within reef and sandbank habitats types (codes 1170 and 1110).This poster summarizes … Read more

FAO awards insurance initiative to curb pirate fishing

Oceana and the UN PSI received an award yesterday from the FAO’s General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean for their work on fighting illegal fishing. The recognition, given for best practices to curb illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the Mediterranean region, was presented on Tuesday evening at the high-level MedFish4Ever conference in Marrakesh. … Read more

Achieving Transparency and Combating IUU fishing in RFMOs

Reinforcing the EU’s multilateral actions to promote best practices   The environmental and economic viability of global fisheries remains in crisis, with many fish populations managed within Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs) Convention areas overfished and at times at risk of collapsing. Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing significantly contributes to this problem. Strengthening fisheries … Read more

Responsible sourcing recommendations for the Spanish seafood supply chain

There is increasing interest in the Spanish seafood supply chain for fisheries and aquaculture to be more environmentally and socially sustainable. For businesses to ensure more sustainable seafood is part of their strategic planning and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), they must make specific sourcing policy commitments and set defined, time-bound and measurable indicators. This policy must be public and easily accessible. … Read more

New roadmap targets responsible sourcing improvements in Spanish seafood industry

A coalition of environmental organisations have today launched a roadmap for the Spanish seafood industry to increase responsible sourcing in its supply chain. The coalition, which includes ClientEarth, Greenpeace, Oceana, Our Fish, Sustainable Fisheries Partnership and WWF, launched 10 recommendations detailing how companies can address the growing concern about sustainability throughout the supply chain, from … Read more

Oceana calls out insurer to cancel contract with pirate-fishing ship

Oceana is calling out insurance company Carina to cancel covering the Cape Flower, a fishing vessel that was added in November 2017 to an official intergovernmental blacklist of ships that the South East Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (SEAFO) determined have engaged in illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The internationally blacklisted pirate fishing vessel is currently … Read more

Western Mediterranean: Overfishing crisis: act now, or lose it forever

The Mediterranean Sea is one of the world’s most important seas. However, it is currently the world’s most overfished sea, with more than 90% of stocks fished above what is considered sustainable (i.e. above Maximum Sustainable Yield, or MSY). In the Western Mediterranean alone, overfishing affects 80% of demersal fish stocks, which live and feed … Read more

Risk assessment and control of IUU fishing for the marine insurance industry

Guidelines to control or mitigate the risk of insuring vessels and companies associated with illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing—also known as pirate fishing—is an unresolved and internationally pervasive problem, costing the global economy tens of billions of USD dollars annually.1 Those that participate in IUU fishing break or … Read more