Along the last three weeks, the Oceana Ranger catamaran has sailed a thousand miles in the Thyrrenian sea, close to the south Italian and Sicilian coasts. The Ranger crew has been able to report the activity of dozens of fishing boats using driftnets which were banned by the European Union four years ago. These boats … Read more
Last Friday, the research catamaran Oceana Ranger intercepted two boats using driftnets, which were fishing making use of that gear, which is prohibited by the European Union, and which even violates the contradictory Italian legislation. The Oceana boat was anchored in the port of Ponza in the late afternoon of last Thursday when it observed … Read more
Miguel Bose participated for a week in the actitivities of Oceana, the international conservation organisation. The singer joined the catamaran, Oceana Ranger, during its stay in the Corsican harbour of Bastia, to work with its crew of biologists, divers and campaigners. He joined the Ranger directly from Peru where, for the previous weeks, he had … Read more
At midnight Oceana’s research catamaran left the harbour of Portoferraio in Elba and headed to the fishing grounds of the Western Mediterranean, where a fleet of dozens of Italian fishing boats continue to use driftnets, in defiance of the European Union ban. Driftnets were banned from 2002 because of their total lack of selectivity and … Read more
The conservationist organisation, Oceana, has announced that the Spanish shipowner, Antonio Vidal Pego, who has turned himself in to U.S. authorities in Miami, is being also sought by other international authorities, including INTERPORL, in three continents for pirate fishing. “We are pleased that Mr. Vidal is finally in the hands of the judicial system. The … Read more
On some occasions, the activities of these vessels have extended into Spanish waters. The research catamaran of the Oceana organisation, the Ranger, has been carrying out “in situ” surveillance of the illegal Italian driftnet fleet since the beginning of July, which operates out of bases in Sicily, Sardinia, around Naples and Sorrento, and the small … Read more
A few days ago, over 3 km of illegal driftnets were seized in Italy. It’s amazing, and disturbing that more than a decade after a driftnet ban was put in place in the EU – we are still seeing regular cases of infractions, particularly by the Italian fleet. Driftnets do not discriminate. The enormous nets … Read more
Oceana believes that it is crucial that all European States display the same level of commitment in application of Regulations. Oceana appreciates the political U-turn taken by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and the Environment to fight illegal fishing. The General Secretary for Fisheries, Carlos Domínguez, yesterday presented data on control of fishery product imports … Read more
Did you know that illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing accounts for 15% of catches worldwide and that this business amounts to 10 billion euros annually? If you want an order of comparison, it is as if IUU fishing was the second biggest fishing “nation” in the world after China. In Europe, we at Oceana … Read more
Today, the European Commission identified eight third-countries failing to fulfill their duties to fight Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported fishing (IUU). Their decision grants Belize, Panama, Cambodia, Fiji, Guinea, Sri Lanka, Togo and Vanuatu, six months to address the European Union’s concerns. If they fail to respond adequately, a series of measures will be implemented, including … 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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