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
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
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
The European Commission, scientists, environmentalists and many responsible heads of state are united in their concern for the fate of European fisheries and are trying to work together for their recovery in order to ensure the future long term sustainability of the sector. President Sarkozy’s comments are irresponsible and dangerous for the future of our seas and the survival … Read more
Oceana, the international organization dedicated to conserving and protecting the world’s oceans, emphasizes the inefficiency of the current fish stocks management, which does not reflect real catches. In addition to the amounts of landings decided by the Council, tonnes of fish are also cut out from biological stocks by indirect impacts of fisheries, above all … Read more
Species in danger of extinction, such as hake, anchovy or cod are among the worst managed. While negotiations on TACs and quotas will start next Monday, Oceana reminds EU fisheries Ministers that the last advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) about fishing opportunities for 2008 is alarming. Only 13 … Read more
Oceana and Shark Alliance, a coalition of 42 conservation, scientific, diving and fishing organizations focused on improving European shark policies, are repeating its call for a strong Plan of Action to improve the status of European sharks and rays in response to the new IUCN findings that 42% of shark and ray populations in the … Read more
Today the European Commission published a Proposal for a Regulation to establish a Community system to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, by both the EU fleet wherever it fishes and for all vessels, including from third countries, in Europe’s seas. A prohibition of imports from illegally caught fish, a tightening … 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.
