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

The UN goes for an international mercury convention

This week, diplomats are in Geneva negotiating a treaty on global mercury emissions. Mercury poisoning is no joke – as this Guardian article states, mercury is “a lethal neurotoxin that includes, among an inventory of grim effects, brain damage and the loss of IQ points in unborn children, injuries to kidneys and heart, and results … Read more

Half of 2013 fishing opportunities set by EU Fisheries Ministers are above scientific recommendations

This morning after an intense two-day negotiation process, EU fisheries ministers reached an agreement on 2013 catch limits for the main commercial species in the North East Atlantic. Oceana in a preliminary assessment of fisheries minister’s agreement describes the decisions adopted as contradictory and regrets another missed opportunity to end the overexploitation of European fishery … Read more

Fisheries Parliament Committee Shines in CFP vote

We knew it was going to be a big week for fisheries in Brussels. The vote out of the EU Parliament’s Fisheries Committee was beyond what even we had hoped for. We are so very proud that the majority of the MEPs fought for a sustainable future for European fisheries. Thank you, for representing the … Read more

An update on fisheries subsidies

With all the cheer around yesterday’s vote on the CFP, we wanted to make sure that a couple of pieces of good news on fisheries subsidies didn’t slip through the cracks. Yesterday, both the Parliament’s Fisheries and Budget committees voted through several amendments aimed at blocking funding for fishermen who do not comply with fishing … Read more

What a week ahead!

There is nothing like ending the year with a bang, and this week, a couple of major votes and decisions are coming up that will affect EU fisheries. Tomorrow, the PECH Committee of the European Parliament is voting on the reform of the CFP – this is the last and most important vote in the … Read more