Last week’s meeting of the Barcelona Convention concluded with no decision – only a delay – on the potential protection of ten species of threatened and endangered sharks and rays in the Mediterranean Sea. Oceana is extremely disappointed by this outcome, given the threatened status of these species in the Mediterranean, and the fact that … Read more
89% of the entire Mediterranean Swordfish fleet belongs to EU member states – 71% belong to Italy – highlighting their clear responsibility to protect this already overfished species. Mediterranean swordfish are overexploited and yet are fished without any management measures, and as has recently been shown, without any clear information behind the reality of the … Read more
It´s widely known that whales are among the largest animals on earth. But what other giants lie beneath the surface of the seas? Unlike giant animals roaming on land such as elephants and hippos, it´s trickier to explore the vast and immense oceans – and so much remains undiscovered. Nevertheless, scientists have encountered a few … Read more
Of all the strange creatures that inhabit our oceans, seahorses are one of the most unique and mysterious. These tiny fish are among the few kinds that swim upright, winding their curly tails around plants to help anchor them against the current. Instead of scales, they have bony plates under their skin, and use their … Read more
We all know that our oceans are home to a dazzling and diverse array of animals like dolphins, whales, fish and corals. But have you heard of ghost shrimp, giant spiny lobster, yeti crab or xenophyophores? These are just a few of many recently discovered species in our oceans, unveiled by the Census of Marine … Read more
We’ve decided to start a new tradition on this blog: every Friday, we’ll share with you a picture of some of the amazing flora and fauna we are fighting so hard to protect and give you a little background on the threats it is facing. We have the advantage of having a terrific team of … Read more
The Biodiversity Summit in Japan is kicking off week 2 and we thought we’d give you a recap with some highlights and news stories from last week. The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity released a report highlighted the enourmous (but necessary) cost of altering the global economy to put value on forests, reefs and other … Read more
Many marine species are at risk from overfishing, climate change and harmful fishing methods. Endangered sea turtles are caught unintentionally, as bycatch, by fishing boats around the world. Shark populations are plummeting as they are killed for their meat, fins and liver oil. Coveted seafood species including tuna and salmon are threatened by overfishing, and … 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.
