An update on the CFP: where we stand

It’s been a while since we’ve updated you on where the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) stands. A few months ago, when the European Parliament overwhelmingly voted for sustainable fisheries in Europe, we saw the will of the people turn into reality. That future is not yet set in stone though, and as … Read more

NGOs concerned over threats to block EU fisheries reform

A number of countries, including France, Spain, Poland, Lithuania, Greece and Romania, are resisting efforts to find common ground with the European Parliament on key issues such as fleet management and discards. Coveney must not give in to these short-sighted positions but instead re-double his efforts to win agreement with all fisheries ministers for an … Read more

All Aboard! A campaign to stop the bankrupting of Europe’s oceans.

We’ve teamed up with WWF, FishFight, BirdLife, Paint a Fish, and Ocean2012 to get as many people on board to stop bankrupting our oceans and allow fish stocks in Europe to recover. This interactive campaign allows you to send a message directly to your Fisheries Minister – we’ve already seen the power of citizens when … Read more

Oceana welcomes EU Parliament adoption of Skagerrak discard ban

Yesterday an overwhelming majority of the European Parliament voted for a gradual ban on the discarding of unwanted fish in the Skagerrak. Oceana welcomes this bold step towards ending the wasteful practice of throwing millions of tons of fish back into the sea. “It is rewarding to see that the Parliament is sticking to defending … Read more

Oceana denounces before UNESCO the dumping of polluted waste from Maó

The dumping of the waste into the sea will affect fishing activity, human health, the quality of bathing water, and the conservation of marine ecosystems. Oceana sent today to the Paris headquarters of UNESCO, the body in charge of Biosphere Reserves, a complaint against the project of dumping into the sea the waste materials from … Read more

Fisheries Council scoffs at full discard ban, while Parliament prepares for battle ahead

In another late night Fisheries Council meeting, France and Spain led a group of countries into dismantling a hard earned discard ban that was overwhelmingly passed through the European Parliament earlier this month. All Member States but Sweden, disappointingly agreed to compromise the principle of a full discard ban by allowing up to 9 percent … Read more

Taming the high seas

“The high seas” – Just the term evokes the idea of a wild and lawless ocean that spans as far as the eye can see… and pirates (or is that just me?). The truth is not so far from this. You see, the high-seas fall beyond national jurisdiction and are “governed” by a series of … Read more

OCEANA: Paramount decision adopted today for the future of EU seas

In an historical move, the European Parliament today adopted an ambitious position for the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy. After almost twenty months of debate,  502 of the voting members supported a reform that will ensure that fish stocks are rebuilt above levels which can produce the Maximum Sustainable Yield by 2015, that discarding … Read more

A Postcard from Strasbourg: Make History, End Overfishing

As you may know, there is a big vote happening tomorrow in Strasbourg. Members of Parliament have a chance to make history , and we, along with our colleagues in the NGO community have been working hard for the past year and a half to spread the right information to the right people. Just in … Read more

Dramatic Reforms for Europe’s Fisheries

The European Parliament approved major reforms to the Common Fishery Policy, a law that manages all European fisheries. Members overwhelmingly voted in favor of a comprehensive reform policy that includes amendments – many of which were proposed by Oceana – that require member states to fish all stocks at sustainable levels by 2015 and comply … Read more