Management matters: Ridding the Baltic Sea of paper parks

Threats to the marine environment are multiple and growing and the Baltic Sea is no stranger to them. Numerous human activities have put its ecosystems under severe pressure and it has become one of the most polluted seas in the world. In order to safeguard species and habitats, and to recover the healthy status of the sea, one of the most widely recognized and effective … Read more

Evolución de la pesca en Baleares en el último siglo

Realizamos una estimación de las capturas totales reales de las Islas Baleares, obteniendo un resultado de 570.500 t desde 1950 a 2010. Los desembarques oficiales representaron un 44%, seguido por los desembarques que se venden en el “mercado negro” (24%), descartes (18%), pesca recreativa (10%) y pesca de subsistencia (4%). Teniendo en cuenta que las capturas oficiales fueron para ese periodo 248.000 t, las capturas reales … Read more

Unexpected records of ‘deep-sea’ carnivorous sponges Asbestopluma hypogea in the shallow NE Atlantic shed light on new conservation issues

Marine cave communities have been a continued source of ecological surprises, among other things because of their close ecological and evolutionary ties with the deep sea. The discovery of cladorhizid sponges, the deepest occurring poriferan family, in shallow Mediterranean caves in the 1990s was one such surprise, leading to the generally accepted hypothesis that the … Read more

The seamounts of the Gorringe Bank

The Gorringe Bank, located 1600 nautical miles SW off the Portuguese coast, has been object of several studies since it was discovered in 18875 by Captain Henry Honeychurch Gorringe and his crew. After that, in the twentieth century, Prince Alberto I of Monaco developed various campaigns in the area. Ever since, several studies have taken place … Read more

Oceana proposal for Marine Protected Areas

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