The Mediterranean Sea is regarded as a biodiversity hotspot and a global priority conservation area. Despite this, it remains under serious threat (overexploited fishing stocks, pollution, habitats destruction, etc.) and y contrast, the current MPA network covers only a minimum percentage of its total surface. This MPA network is neither comprehensive nor representative, as most … Read more
Since its presentation in February 2011, Oceana MedNet has become well known in many international forums as a comprehensive and diverse proposal for a Marine Protected Area (MPA) network in the Mediterranean. This initiative would strongly promote the preservation of sea resources, as the current MPA network is poorly structured, concentrating on the Northern coast, … Read more
Overfishing in the Mediterranean Sea is most commonly believed to have begun around the ‘70s (Quetglas et al., 2013; Tsikliras et al., 2013), when fishing efforts increased considerably due to technological developments that allowed fleets to displace themselves at a greater distance from the coast, fish at greater depths, explore new fishing grounds and thus … Read more
The North Sea (OSPAR Region II: Greater North Sea) is one of the busiest seas in the world. The impacts of intense anthropogenic activities in the area, including industrial fisheries and fossil fuel extraction, have perturbed the natural state of its ecosystems, which currently face major problems such as pollution, overfishing, habitat disturbance and eutrophication. … Read more
The revision of the EU’s external fishing fleet regulation is a critical opportunity to ensure that all of the EU’s vessels, whether operating within or outside EU waters, are subject to common standards and requirements in line with the Common Fisheries Policy and the EU’s global policies. A proposal for a new regulation governing the … Read more
In advance of the Fisheries Council decision in October on fishing opportunities in the Baltic Sea, Oceana releases its recommendations for setting total allowable catches (TACs) for 2017, in line with the most recently available scientific advice and aimed at ensuring Baltic fisheries recover from overfishing before 2020. The end of overfishing is necessary not … Read more
Western Baltic Cod is suffering from high overfishing and the stock currently exhibits dangerously low biomass levels. Cod is an iconic species and plays a key role in the Baltic Sea, both environmentally and commercially, thus Oceana believes that its recovery should be a top priority. Oceana calls for a temporary but total closure of … Read more
The entry into force of the new European Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) in 2014 was an historic benchmark as it defines the path towards European Union (EU) stocks recovery mainly through Multiannual Management Plans (MAP). These should be aimed at rebuilding stocks to Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) levels and implementing an ecosystem-based approach to fishing … Read more
OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic Meeting of the Intersessional Correspondence Group on Marine Protected Areas (ICG-MPA) Isle of Vilm, Germany: 2-4 December 2013 OSPAR’s Network of MPAs Position paper on the status of the network Presented by Oceana
Mediterranean swordfish has been assessed as overfished for the last three decades. The stock has declined steeply since the 1980s, falling to levels that are currently 88% lower than what is considered sustainable. The minimum landing size (90cm) is set much smaller than the age of sexual maturity for the stock (130cm for males, 149cm … 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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