Last week in Gothenburg, Sweden, OSPAR (the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic) met for its annual Commission, and we are sad to report that the outcome of it was a huge disappointment. Generally recognized as one of the most effective regional sea conventions in the world, OSPAR has … Read more
WASHINGTON _ Former Colombian President César Gaviria, whose 10-year leadership of the Organization of American States (OAS) revitalized that hemispheric institution, today joined the fight for healthy seas around the world by becoming a member of the Board of Directors of Oceana, the only international conservation group solely dedicated to ocean protection. “As Arvid Pardo, … Read more
The new species was discovered on a seamount 30 miles off the Spanish coast. Oceana and the Centro de Estudios Avanzados de Blanes (CEAB-CSIC) have discovered a new species: a unicellular organism of exceptional size (4-5 cm high), belonging to the phylum foraminifera, which imitates carnivorous sponges in its appearance and way of capturing food. … Read more
Today, on World Oceans Day, Oceana urges the prioritization of scientific research into overlooked and fragile deep sea areas. Despite a massive gap in knowledge of deep sea areas, destructive activities are authorized without any clear insight into their impact on local ecosystems. Slow-growing and vulnerable species and habitats are facing potentially irreversible damage. “Activities … Read more
The seabeds which attract most attention due to their extraordinary wealth are coralligenous seabeds, where illegal trawling is being performed. The authors of the report request that trawling activities move to greater depths. The enlargement of the Cabrera National Park has the support of many researchers who have examined the seabeds surrounding this area. A … Read more
It’s not looking good for habitat and species protection in the Mediterranean, a big deadline is coming up and EU Member States from the region are failing to meet their obligations, despite the looming threat of financial penalties. But let me rewind a bit, to give you a bit of background. The Habitats Directive is … Read more
Oceana welcomes the new Chairwoman of the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (known as HELCOM), Helle Pilsgaard, in her new position, and looks forward to the two-year Danish Chairmanship of HELCOM. In a letter addressed to Ms. Pilsgaard, Oceana marked its appreciation for plans to tackle the human causes of eutrophication by setting country-wide nutrient … Read more
Amidst the heartbreaking news surrounding the deadly capsizing of the Costa Concordia cruise ship, another issue is beginning to emerge – that of the potential environmental impact the wreckage may have on the marine ecosystems. What is particularly concerning is that the ship capsized right next to the largest Italian National Park – an ecological … Read more
EU Energy Commissioner, Günther Oettinger, today presented the long-awaited Commission proposal to regulate offshore oil and gas activities in Europe – a reaction to BP’s Deepwater Horizon disaster, which spilled massive amounts of oil into the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010. Oceana welcomes the intent of the proposed regulation to address current legislative gaps, … Read more
Given the diversity of possible appearances of some habitats contained in the OSPAR List of Endangered and/or Declining species and habitats across the North East Atlantic, a more precise description of the habitat as it occurs in relation to different substrates, depths and regions will need to be developed. When defining habitats, there are several … 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.
