Today, the European Fisheries Council opted to listen to the fishing industry over scientific advice at the expense of Baltic Sea salmon and cod. Even though scientific data is clear that larger cuts in allowable catches are needed to transition to Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) by 2015 and reach sustainable levels of fishing, the 2014 … Read more
Data on deep-sea fisheries catches, discards, landings and fishing effort are scarce. However, scientific evidence suggests that most EU deep-sea stocks have been exploited beyond levels that are sustainable. Many stocks are depleted below levels that are considered to be biologically risky, with 21 species now prohibited for retention or landing, due to concerns about … Read more
Two hundred scientists have signed a letter urging the European Parliament to stop investing in the environmentally harmful subsidies that the Fisheries Committee has voted for. On October 23, the Parliament will vote on the new financial mechanism for fisheries for the next seven years– the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). “The Parliament cannot … Read more
As the European Parliament plenary vote on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) approaches, we need to put pressure on MEPs to make sure that they vote for a fund that is in line with the new Common Fisheries Policy’s objectives. The new EMFF will define the way aid is granted to the European … Read more
The deep-sea starts at 200 m below the surface, where sunlight does not penetrate – but where fisheries still operate, reaching down to more than 1500 m. Most deep-sea fisheries in the North-East Atlantic sprang up in the second half of the 20th century, after the decline of traditional continental shelf stocks, and with the … Read more
Bluefin tuna, the iconic Mediterranean species, has for several years served as a dramatic example of how commercial greed can drive a species to the verge of collapse. Its critical situation triggered an international campaign to set reasonable catch limits, and eventually countries agreed to act. But what has become of bluefin tuna since? Has … Read more
Oceana, the international ocean conservation organisation, remains convinced that increasing fuel subsidies is not an appropriate response to rising fuel prices and urges governments to find longer term structural solutions to help the sector adapt to a future with higher fuel costs and ensure the long term sustainability of the sector. Oceana believes that governments … Read more
Discards constitute 8% of total weight of world captures or more than 7.3 million tonnes of fish thrown away at sea. More than 20% of fish is discarded in European waters. On the occasion of a seminar organised by the European Commission on 27 and 28 May, in which experts will discuss their work to … Read more
The international ocean conservation organisation calls for the immediate closure of the Balearic fishing grounds and criticises the contradictory measures adopted by implicated states European funds have been used to finance the overexploitation of bluefin tuna in the Mediterranean. A report published recently by WWF denounces the fleet’s overcapacity. According to Oceana´s data, overcapacity in … Read more
This week, representatives from all EU member states around the Baltic Sea and stakeholders met in Latvia at the Baltfish forum. Baltfish works on two levels – the High Level Group (HLG) and the Forum seminars. The HLG is currently only open to member state administrations and the Baltic Sea director of the EU Commission, … 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.
