Mercury is a dangerous chemical, finding its way into the oceans and the seafood we eat. Mercury released to the environment from industrial sources ends up in our oceans, contaminating seafood. Because it builds up in wildlife through a process called bioaccumulation, animals high on the food chain carry the most mercury. Many of the … Read more
European fisheries are managed through the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), which is a set of regulations covering all aspects of fisheries management from technical measures to Total Allowable Catches and fishing subsidies. The current CFP was adopted in 2002 but has failed to put a stop to the overexploitation of European fishing grounds. Since 2009, … Read more
The Italian Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Policy published an ambiguous decree yesterday which eliminates the limits on distances from the coast for the use of driftnets known as ferrettaras. These nets, which in theory are used to catch small pelagic fish (sardines, anchovies, etc.), have been authorised with a mesh size of 18 cm … Read more
The bluefin tuna fishery closes today for most industrial seiners, except for those that have requested additional days due to bad weather. The fishing season was marked by illegality and lack of transparency. Oceana points to the Italian and Turkish fleets as the main cause of overfishing. Oceana also points out that the end … Read more
With a letter today addressed to Commissioners Dimas and Borg, Oceana, the international marine conservation organization, has called for an end to the illegal use of an Italian driftnet called ferrettara. The letter, which follows a recent formal complaint submitted by Oceana to the European Commission, provides evidence of the illegal catch of vulnerable … Read more
The IPPC Directive is a binding instrument for all the Member States. It requires them to reach a specific, precise result, which is that all existing installations have an integrated permit that fulfils the minimum requirements, which includes the implementation of BATs, by 30 October 2007 at the very latest. The implementation of BATs means … Read more
Oceana, the international marine conservation organisation, and Fundación Marviva have been urging the Commission to support the listing of bluefin tuna on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Last week it sent letters to the President of the European Commission, Mr José Manuel Barroso, the Fisheries and Maritime Affairs … Read more
Most of large pelagic species like tuna, sharks and swordfish are overfished in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, due to the extremely high prices their meat or fins can reach in most of world’s markets. Bluefin tuna is on the verge of collapse due to overfishing, mismanagement and illegal fishing, Sharks are extremely vulnerable … Read more
According to conventional wisdom, small, fast-growing fish are impossible to overfish because their populations are so large and grow so quickly. Yet we are now seeing disquieting signs that conventional wisdom is wrong. Most significantly, scientists are reporting ocean predators emaciated from lack of food, vulnerable to disease and without enough energy to reproduce. Scrawny … Read more
Baiona, Spain –.The environmental organizations, Ecologistas en Acción, Greenpeace, Oceana, Seas At Risk and WWF present in Baiona (Spain) at the Ministerial gathering of 47 countries from the five continents[i] emphasize the ministers’ recognition that “a new scenario for the seas and the oceans” is urgently needed and that the chronic overcapacity of fishing fleets … 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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