Habitats Protection Archives - Oceana Europe

Cabliers Bank – a deep-sea jewel one step closer to protection

Until recently, the Cabliers Bank was a hidden jewel in the Mediterranean Sea. This underwater biodiversity treasure has survived throughout centuries, in the Alboran Sea, the westernmost part of the Mediterranean. Here, Mediterranean and Atlantic waters interact, and are very rich in nutrients. This part of the Mediterranean Sea is also one of the busiest … Read more

Oceana expedition to Alboran Sea uncovers underwater oasis and ‘wasteland’

Gathered data will also support advocacy efforts to ban bottom trawling in European Marine Protected Areas Single-use plastics, abandoned fishing gear, and untreated waste most common pollutants found in seven-day expedition Madrid – Oceana concluded its expedition to the Alboran Sea (South of Spain), where the organisation gathered first-hand evidence of plastic pollution and bottom … Read more

European environmental organisations call for a ban on destructive fishing practices in Marine Protected Areas

Just after the UK’s announcement to protect two areas of English waters by banning damaging fishing activities such as bottom trawling, it will be the European Parliament’s turn to show how ambitious it truly is in protecting EU waters. During the first week of May in Strasbourg, members of the European Parliament (MEPs) will have … Read more

As EU celebrates 30 years of Natura 2000, NGOs call for these areas to be actually ‘protected’ and for an EU-wide trawl ban in them

As the EU celebrates the 30th anniversary of Natura 2000, NGOs highlight EU countries’ lax implementation of EU nature laws and permissiveness towards widespread destructive fishing, resulting in the conservation status of threatened marine habitats and species remaining overall dire. NGOs call to quickly redress the balance and create an EU-wide ban on bottom trawling … Read more

Extensive Use of Habitat-Damaging Fishing Gears Inside Habitat-Protecting Marine Protected Areas

Abstract Marine protected areas (MPAs) are critical for halting marine biodiversity loss and safeguarding ecosystems. However, efforts to designate additional areas as MPAs have generally taken precedence over ensuring that designated sites are effectively protected. Serious concerns exist about marine “paper parks” in Europe, particularly in relation to the threat of fishing. We focussed on … Read more

More than 150,000 Europeans call on EU to ban bottom-trawling to protect ocean and climate

A giant colourful pop-up book depicting the devastation caused by destructive bottom trawling – and how the marine environment thrives in its absence – was delivered to European Union (EU) Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevi?ius by NGOs this morning, on behalf of more than 150,000 Europeans who have signed a petition calling for the EU to phase out destructive fishing practices, starting … Read more

Oceana urges Mediterranean countries to make fisheries more transparent and sustainable

The organisation calls on Mediterranean countries to make information on authorised fishing vessels public, to help identify those that fish illegally   Oceana proposes new 800km² fishery closure to protect exceptional deep-sea corals between Spain and Morocco  Oceana is urging the member countries of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) to improve fisheries management and ensure effective enforcement by modernising its Authorised Vessel List. This would mean publicly listing information about fishing licenses, detailing which vessels can legally operate where, when, how and under which conditions, especially for vessels allowed to fish … Read more