Every two years, the FAO releases a report called the State of the World Fisheries and Aquaculture, and every two years, those of us who follow the issue are disappointed by dismal statistics. This year, 87% of evaluated stocks were fully or over-exploited, up 2% from the last FAO report. Our board member Dr. Daniel … Read more
As part of our policy work on reforming the Common Fisheries Policy, Oceana often teams up with other NGOs in the area so as to maximize our influence on decision makers in Brussels and the EU. Here’s a great video that came out of this partnership that clearly explains the scale of the overfishing … Read more
The EU voted in favor of strictly protecting 10 threatened species of sharks and rays in the Mediterranean Sea, under the Barcelona Convention. These species, including hammerheads, tope, and shortfin mako, have declined dramatically in numbers – some by as much as 99% during the last century – while others have vanished from parts of … Read more
Oceana finds the final Rio +20 declaration to be a weak statement of intent, with no legally binding commitment that fails to respond to the urgent conservation and management needs of the world’s oceans. Rio +20 concludes without any real progress towards a sustainable future. However, the international marine conservation organization acknowledges as a positive … Read more
The text, voted by a qualified majority, maintains the most important provisions of the original Commission proposal such as the objective to restore fish stocks at Maximum Sustainable Yield, but postpones all priority target deadlines by several years. “Although this result is highly disappointing, particularly with regards to the discard ban, it is realistically the … Read more
In an effort to achieve an agreement before the conclusion of the Danish Presidency, horse-trading to accommodate all member states has resulted in a significant weakening of the Commission’s reform proposal from June 2011: The required recovery of fish stocks by 2015 [1], already watered down in the Commission proposal, has been further delayed and … Read more
14 stocks of species as common as cod, sole and haddock are at levels below safe biological limits Today, the European Commission unveiled an updated assessment of the status of fish resources and established guidelines for the allocation of next year’s fishing opportunities. Oceana wants to call attention to the regrettable state of stocks and … Read more
Oceana urges the Council to support a CFP that prioritizes environmental objectives, because without healthy seas, there can be no sustainable fishing – and no future for the European fleet. “Years of mismanagement of the marine environment have led us to the economic and social situation we are in now. Postponing difficult decisions will only … Read more
Brussels, 8 May 2012 – A broad coalition of civil society groups praised the European Parliament environment committee for its strong stand today on EU fisheries reform. In a vote on the reform of the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), the members of the Parliament overwhelmingly supported measures to recover fish stocks, promote environmental protection … Read more
For the first time in its 60-year history, the FAO’s General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean took action for shark protection. The Commission adopted measures for the management and conservation of sharks and rays in the Mediterranean, the region of highest risk in the world for these fishes. Twenty-three Mediterranean countries endorsed a proposal from … 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.
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