New UK Fisheries Act turns back the clock on sustainable fisheries

Oceana regrets that the Fisheries Bill, which has today received Royal Assent making it the Fisheries Act, fails to include a legal duty to fish sustainably, below Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY), for all stocks. The Fisheries Bill originally offered hope of a new gold standard for fisheries management in the UK, which could have served … Read more

Brexit puts Northeast Atlantic fisheries abundance at risk

The future of fish looks bleak in Europe. Nearly nine months since the official Brexit and after multiple rounds of fisheries negotiations, the United Kingdom (UK) and the European Union (EU) are racing against the clock to conclude a fisheries agreement. The problem? The UK is gambling with the long-term health and abundance of the … Read more

Hopes for sustainable fishing flounder as Fisheries Bill passed

The Fisheries Bill concluded in Parliament today (Thursday 12th November) as hopes flounder for the UK to lead the way in sustainable fishing. The Fisheries Bill includes scant legal commitment to fish sustainably, despite having been much lauded by Ministers as the UK’s chance to showcase “gold standard” fisheries management as an independent coastal state … Read more

Oceana urges EU to finally deliver on its duty to stop overfishing

Today the European Commission published its proposal on 2021 fishing opportunities for over 23 stocks in the Atlantic and the North Sea. The proposal covers catch limits for stocks present exclusively in EU waters. While all the proposed catch limits for the fully assessed stocks are in line with the best available scientific advice, around … Read more

EU and UK must ensure protection of deep-sea fish in Northeast Atlantic

Responding to the European Commission’s proposal for deep sea fishing limits for 2021-2022, published today [1], NGOs welcome the positive steps towards following scientific advice. However, the proposal does not go far enough to ensure protection and allow the recovery of these very sensitive and unique species, some of which are the most vulnerable known … Read more

Fisheries Bill could spell the end of the line for sustainable fishing

Today is a final opportunity for MPs to prove that the UK can truly set a ‘gold standard’ for sustainable fisheries – protecting the UK’s valuable fish stocks for generations to come, according to the world’s largest ocean conservation organisation, Oceana.  Ending overfishing is critical to securing the future livelihoods of those working in the … Read more

Blue Manifesto

  A rescue plan that works In January 2020, more than 102 organisations[1], led by five NGOs (BirdLife Europe, ClientEarth, Oceana, Seas At Risk, Surfrider Foundation Europe and WWF), launched the “Blue Manifesto“, a rescue plan that lays out concrete actions by set dates to save our ocean and coastlines by 2030.  At least 30% of the … Read more