Legacy: Mediterranean

Oceana Discovers Many of the Most Threatened Habitats in the Mediterranean on the Seamounts of the Balearic Islands

The international marine conservation organization’s research catamaran, the Oceana Ranger, in collaboration with Fundación Biodiversidad, has just finished an expedition in Palma de Mallorca. The odyssey lasted almost three months, of which the last two weeks were spent in the Balearic Islands. Oceana has discovered many of the most threatened ecosystems of the Mediterranean among … Read more

Learn more: Archipelago of Columbretes

Located just over 50 kilometers off the coast of Castellón, the Columbretes archipelago is truly a special place. Designated as one of the first Spanish marine protected areas in 1991, the Columbretes archipelago contains 4,400 hectares of protected marine habitat. On land, the Columbretes serve as an important colony site for Audouin’s gulls shag, Cory’s … Read more

Learn more: Seco de Palos Mountains

Seco de Palos is an undersea mountain range 30 sea miles off the Murcia coast, at a depth of between 100 and 3,000 m. Many pelagic species, such as pilot whales, sea turtles, sea birds, swordfish, and sunfish live temporarily or permanently in the area. Until a few years ago, there was hardly any information … Read more

Learn more: Island of Alborán

The island of Alborán is the peak of a mountain which existed prior to the birth of the Mediterranean Sea five million years ago. The island itself is a mere 550 meters long and 290 meters wide. Despite its size, the island has a long history of human use due to its strategic location midway … Read more

Learn more: Menorca Canyon

Less than 5 kilometers off the southern coast of Menorca island lays the Menorca Canyon. In 2006, researchers from Oceana were some of the first to have ever explored the depths of the canyon. The canyon ledge lies in 85 to 90 meters of water and quickly descends over 240 meters — the deepest Oceana’s … Read more

Learn more: The Balearic Islands

The Balearic Island archipelago is located in the western Mediterranean Sea off Spain’s eastern coast. The archipelago consists of three major islands (Majorca, Minorca, and Ibiza) with other small islands. Inhabited from around 4000 B.C., the first real settlements developed with the arrival of the Carthaginians in 654 B.C. Currently, the Balearic Islands are home … Read more

Oceana urges the Balearic Government to prohibit trawling on the continental shelf

Oceana urges the Balearic government to prohibit bottom trawling on the continental shelf or at less than 150 meters depth. The international marine conservation organisation sent island authorities a series of comments on the new Fishing Law of the Balearic Islands that is currently being reviewed. In its analysis, Oceana also disagrees with the reduction … Read more

Italian government keeps challenging EU driftnet ban

With a letter today addressed to Commissioners Dimas and Borg, Oceana, the international marine conservation organization, has called for an end to the illegal use of an Italian driftnet called ferrettara.    The letter, which follows a recent formal complaint submitted by Oceana to the European Commission, provides evidence of the illegal catch of vulnerable … Read more

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