Legacy: Mediterranean
Mediterranean countries commit to fight illegal fishing and preserve threatened ecosystems
Oceana applauds decisions to increase fisheries transparency, protect threatened corals and preserve breeding grounds adopted by FAO’s General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) in their 43rd session. The enforcement of these measures’ package will be vital to help revert the overfishing crisis of this sea, since they will create areas where fish can … Read more
Oceana: Widespread engine power fraud calls for stronger cuts in fishing effort in the Mediterranean
Commission to stop the overfishing crisis of hake, mullet, shrimp and Norway lobster Oceana warns that the European Commission’s proposal on fishing opportunities for the Mediterranean and Black Sea falls short in tackling the overfishing crisis of these seas. The acknowledged extent of fraud in vessels’ engine power requires a higher reduction of fishing … Read more
Cold-Water Coral Associated Fauna in the Mediterranean Sea and Adjacent Areas
Recent Discoveries of Extensive Cold-Water Coral Assemblages in Maltese Waters Recent deep-water remotely operated vehicle surveys around the Maltese Islands resulted in the discovery of highly diverse habitats, including extensive hard bottom areas dominated by gorgonians and living cold-water corals with a rich variety of associated fauna. Black coral (Leiopathes glaberrima) forests were dominant at … Read more
Towards the Creation of a Marine Protected Area in the Aeolian Islands
Executive Summary The Aeolian archipelago, off the northern coast of Sicily, has long been recognised as a major area of importance for marine biodiversity. The waters surrounding these volcanic islands are characterised by steeply sloped bottoms that host a wide array of habitats – including seagrass meadows, seamounts, and hydrothermal vents – over a large … Read more
Oceana calls upon Mediterranean countries to protect areas crucial for fish survival to address overfishing crisis
On eve of political summit, Oceana releases online viewer displaying information on crucial lifecycle areas for fish populations, and current sites closed to fishing Ahead of a political meeting to address the overfishing crisis in the Mediterranean, Oceana is calling upon the region’s countries to protect essential fish habitats (EFHs) as an urgent measure to … Read more
Iberian environmental organizations call for measures once again to ensure recovery of the Iberian sardine
Following a workshop organized by the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) in Lisbon to evaluate the recovery and management plan for Iberian sardine (Sardina pilchardus), 15 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from Portugal and Spain[1] are concerned about a plan submitted to the European Commission by the Portuguese and Spanish governments. This plan … Read more
EU Mediterranean plan to allow trawling in fish nurseries
The European Parliament approved today in a plenary vote the first multiannual plan for demersal stocks (fish that live and feed near the sea bottom) for the Western Mediterranean Sea. With 461 votes in favor and 62 against, the legal obligation of reaching sustainable fishing by 2020 at the latest, as agreed under the Common Fisheries … Read more
