Today was a big day for us – we presented our proposal to protect 15% of the marine area around the Canary Islands. If our proposal is accepted, it would multiply the current protected area by 100. As some of you may know, the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity requires effective conservation of at … Read more
The Canary Island government compiled a list of species whose catch is prohibited, including crustaceans like the brown spiny lobster (Palinurus echinatus), molluscs from the genus Charonia spp., fish species like the Gorean snapper (Lutjanus goreensis), the goldentail moray eel (Gymnothorax miliaris), etc., although this list was created only for commercial reasons. In addition, the … Read more
The proposal made by Oceana and Fundación Biodiversidad (Spanish) includes 42 measures that address the EU’s requirements. The initiative aims to create a coherent network of marine protected areas (MPA) that also protects a variety of species and habitats that are currently not included in management plans for conservation. As such, many threatened species are … Read more
The Canary Island archipelago is located in front of the coasts of the western Sahara, north of the Cape Verde Islands. Thanks to this location, the subtropical climate leads to the development of unique species and habitats with presence of tropical and southern species as well as a variety of autochthonous species. Studies concerning marine … Read more
The Oceana Ranger research vessel sets sail today from the port of Sagunto (Valencia) to study the seabeds of the Canary Islands and gather information to propose designation of new marine protected areas. The objective of the expedition is to contribute information to help Spain protect 10% of its marine environment by 2012, as required … Read more
Oceana has found around a dozen species in the Canary Islands whose existence in the archipelago was unknown until now. Glass and rock sponges, ball, white and black coral, and armored searobin are some of the species that have been found. A wide variety of rare species, or species for which hardly any biological information … Read more
In honor of World Environment Day on June 5th and to implement the European Union’s commitment with the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Spanish government announced the creation of ten new Marine Protected Areas in Spain’s Exclusive Economic Zone. Oceana has played a key role in identifying and proposing protections for marine areas of interest … Read more
Oceana had access to military declassified documents which highlighted the damage that the use of active sonar produces in cetaceans and marine wildlife.
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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.
