Oceana proposes that Finland and Sweden create a transboundary marine protected area in the Quark, as current protections are patchy and do not guarantee the preservation of this unique area. The Quark (Kvarken in Swedish, Merenkurkku in Finnish) is one of a kind in Europe, because of its unusual geological formations and its mix of … Read more
The waters of the Sound – the shared strait that lies between Denmark and Sweden – host a high level of biodiversity, and a unique mosaic of marine communities and habitats, including stone reefs, seagrass beds, horse mussel beds, and kelp forests. This diversity is due to the specific characteristics of the area, the combined … Read more
In October 2014, the Danish government published a new report – a plan for the Danish Nature. As a marine NGO, Oceana was of course highly interested in seeing how much the plan dealt with the marine environment, but it really was a pleasure to learn that the marine environment was not neglected in the … Read more
Several scientific studies provide proof of the successes of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in enhancing biodiversity and benefiting sea life. MPAs provide threatened species and living breeding grounds a place to rebuild and flourish. For example, areas facing reduced pressure, where fisheries have been banned or restricted, have healthier communities and often host fish that … Read more
We thought it was high time to bring back a Friday tradition we started a while ago, to introduce our readers to some interesting sea creatures. This week, we are featuring the spiny sea star (Marthaasterias glacialis). Sea stars belong to the Echinodermata phylum, which also includes sea urchins, sea cucumbers and brittle stars. Most … Read more
Arthur C. Clarke once said: “How inappropriate to call this planet Earth when it is quite clearly Ocean.” He wasn’t off mark. Did you know that, in terms of volume, the oceans occupy 99% of planet Earth? That’s why we wanted to honour this Earth Day by celebrating our incredible, mysterious oceans. We believe that … Read more
Aside from the important scientific data we gather to use in promoting the designation of Marine Protected Areas, one of the best (and my favorite) outcomes of our at-sea expeditions are the incredibly beautiful images that our photographers capture. The Baltic Sea isn’t known in Europe for its beautiful underwater life; that reputation generally belongs … Read more
You may remember last year around this time, we launched our first ever expedition into the Baltic Sea. It’s that time of year again! Our chartered research vessel, the Hanse Explorer, set sail yesterday. Our team will spend two months covering 7,000 miles through the waters of the nine countries bordering the Baltic Sea (Denmark, … Read more
Oceana scientists and marine investigators undertake at-sea expeditions to document Baltic Sea habitats, species and fisheries. Divers and underwater robots (ROVs) help them gather evidence to support the protection of areas of ecological interest and information on illegal fishing. Upon conclusion of the expeditions, Oceana publishes reports and GIS maps that include all relevant findings. … 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.
