The marine environment of the Doñana site is, as occurs in the terrestrial domain, an exceptional site for biodiversity. Situated in the gulf of Cadiz, at the confluence of special geographic, oceanographic and environmental characteristics, the marine area of Doñana is a place of enormous strategic and biological productivity. It is of great importance for … Read more
In addition, because this marine area encompasses almost 300,000 km2 within its territorial waters and Exclusive Economic Zone, the Galicia-Bay of Biscay area is Spain’s second largest ocean area after Canarian waters. Despite this, only 250,000 ha are protected, in other words, less than 1%. Ninety-four percent of this protected area corresponds to the recently … Read more
In 2005, during Oceana’s last expedition to the area, onboard the Oceana Ranger research catamaran, the organization identified around 36 species that had never been previously documented in the seamounts of the Northeast Atlantic. The results were published in the report ‘Seamounts of the Gorringe,” which makes an initial characterization of this submarine elevation and … Read more
The waters within Portugal’s EEZ have few marine protected areas (MPAs), and those that do exist are small and cover only coastal areas and as such, many species and habitats of great ecological importance remain unprotected. Only in the case of Ilhas Berlengas, is an area further off the coast protected, but it focuses on … Read more
Banning bottom trawling in Europe’s marine protected areas An area one third of Europe’s continent is impacted by trawling in European waters every year. Bottom-towed gear is widely used in the EU, including inside marine protected areas, with some studies indicating a higher intensity of trawling inside than outside designated areas. Indeed, a … Read more
Because the species managed by ICCAT are highly migratory, their management depends on cooperation among the countries that capture them. For example, management measures applied in just one part of a highly migratory species’ range are likely to be of limited use, while overfishing in one location could have detrimental effects on stocks shared among … Read more
Despite being the oldest RFMO operating worldwide, GFCM assessments continuously depict an alarming picture of Mediterranean stocks which suggests a lack of effective and enforced fisheries management. Oceana calls upon the 18th session of the SAC to apply the best available scientific advice to halt overfishing and the continuing deterioration of fishing resources and the … Read more
Mediterranean Sea fish stocks are in a dramatic situation with 96% of European assessed stocks in the region reported as overexploited. The reformed Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) requires the EU to end overfishing by 2015 or at the latest by 2020 in order to ensure the recovery of fish stocks. To achieve this objective EU … Read more
European vessels have been fi shing in the world’s oceans ever since the fi rst pioneering English, French, Spanish and Portuguese fi shermen crossed the Atlantic to fi nd cod off the Canadian coast in the early sixteenth century. It is estimated that 28% of the fi sh caught by EU vessels for human consumption … Read more
Overfishing in the Mediterranean Sea began around the ‘70s, when fishing effort increased considerably thanks to technological developments that allowed fleets to fish farther, deeper and find catches more easily. Latest assessments of the situation in the Mediterranean, revealed that 96% of stocks fished exclusively by EU countries are overexploited above what is considered sustainable … 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.
