Oceana believes it is necessary to study and create marine protected areas in order to halt the degradation of the marine environment. In addition, the information allows management measures to be established for the activities developed in it, including fishing. Consequently, protection can be increased for marine and coastal areas, activities in this environment are … Read more
There are hundreds of species of sharks, ranging in size from the spine pygmy shark (7 inches) to the whale shark (40 feet), inhabiting all ocean waters and consuming a variety of prey species. Contrary to popular belief, sharks don’t eat anything and everything in the sea; many sharks have specific prey. For example, whale … Read more
In 1991, the United Nations General Assembly put into effect an international moratorium prohibiting the use of drift nets. In 1992, the EEC prohibited the use of drift nets longer than 2.5 kms. On 1 January 2002, the EU approved a new regulation prohibiting the use of driftnets to catch species including bluefin tuna, swordfish … Read more
Bycatch is a term used to refer to any species caught accidentally while fishing for other species. According to the FAO, there are few fisheries that don’t catch sharks as bycatch, and some fisheries actually catch more sharks than their targeted species. Estimates suggest tens of millions of sharks are caught as bycatch each year. … Read more
Today, just 600 people live on Robinson Crusoe Island, the largest of the Juan Fernández Islands at 58 square miles. The islands remain one of the world’s great natural laboratories with a strikingly high percentage of unique native species. The islands are also home to the Juan Fernández fur seal, once thought hunted to extinction, … Read more
Shark fin soup was once an Asian delicacy reserved for the wealthy but with a growing middle class, shark fin soup is now becoming common fare at weddings, banquets and business meetings. A bowl can cost up to US $100, making the fins easily the most lucrative part of the shark. Since shark meat is … Read more
Pollution of the air, water and soil is a worldwide crisis that affects billions of people. Global air and water currents bring a dangerous amount of the world’s pollutants to the Arctic. As a result, the Arctic holds a disproportionate amount of the world’s fouler poisons, including DDT and other persistent organic pollutants (POP) and … Read more
Along with CO2, ships emit various global warming pollutants, including black carbon (BC), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and nitrous oxide (N2O). These pollutants all contribute to global climate change either directly, by acting as agents that trap heat in the atmosphere, or indirectly by aiding in the creation of additional greenhouse gases. Reducing black carbon from … Read more
Sharks must be landed with their fins attached. The capture of commercially exploited shark species by EU vessels must be regulated under the Common Fisheries Policy, with fishing limits and quotas. Shark fisheries must be controlled wherever the EU fleet operates – in European waters and worldwide. Migratory shark species exploited on the high seas … 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.
Oceana in Europe gratefully acknowledges EU funding support.
