En Oceana creemos que no. Hoy en día, si un barco comete una infracción grave, la UE no le autorizará a pescar en aguas internacionales o de terceros países durante los siguientes 12 meses. Este sistema lleva en vigor desde 2008, pero podría derogarse este año cuando se reforme el reglamento de la flota pesquera exterior. De hecho, algunos eurodiputados españoles, holandeses y polacos proponen que se suprima.

Early this morning, EU fisheries ministers agreed on new fishing limits for the North-East Atlantic Ocean. Oceana is disappointed that, once again, ministers have ignored scientific advice for key commercial fish stocks.

Yesterday we received very good news – the OSPAR expert group on species and habitats agreed to consider protecting Haploops communities! Side note: OSPAR is the international Commission in charge of protecting the marine environment of the North-East Atlantic, and Haploops are tiny crustaceans that live in tubes that they themselves build on muddy sea-beds.

Last month, scientists from all parts of the Mediterranean Sea gathered at the 18th session of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM), the regional body responsible for fisheries management in the Mediterranean Sea. The event once again centred on the bleak situation of Mediterranean fishing resources, in which 97% of stocks assessed are overfished and/or not sustainably exploited.

Anything can happen underwater, and even gardens are not necessarily composed of plants. In fact, one of the most beautiful habitats in the Mediterranean are coralligenous gardens, where trees are replaced by soft corals (gorgonians) and flowers give way to calcareous red algae and animals such as sponges and bryozoans. These wondrous places support a high biodiversity, and steps are now being taken to better protect them.