The Gorringe Bank, located 1600 nautical miles SW off the Portuguese coast, has been object of several studies since it was discovered in 18875 by Captain Henry Honeychurch Gorringe and his crew. After that, in the twentieth century, Prince Alberto I of Monaco developed various campaigns in the area. Ever since, several studies have taken place … Read more
On December 18th, an extraordinary meeting of OSPAR, the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic, marked a historic failure of the Convention to meet its ministerial commitments to develop protection measures for all threatened and/or declining marine species and habitats on the OSPAR List no later than by 2013. … Read more
Coral gardens are vulnerable and sensitive habitats protected by the OSPAR Commission. Knowledge on their distribution is essential to provide protection and integration in marine protected areas and also for marine spatial planning actions. In the southwest coast of Portugal deep water coral gardens (50-80m) are characterized by several gorgonians species such as Paramuricea clavata … Read more
At 5000 m high, the Gorringe seamounts, located in the Atlantic, 300 km off the Portuguese shore, are on their way to becoming a new Marine Protected Area, following their nomination by the Portuguese government[i]. Oceana, which has documented this area on several occasions, is thrilled with this announcement. Since 2005, Oceana has worked to … Read more
Oceana yesterday presented findings from its expeditions to a group of scientists and experts from Norway, the UK, France, Sweden, Germany and Spain gathered in Norway under the framework of the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR). The images and data demonstrate the existence of 28 marine habitats … Read more
Oceana yesterday presented findings from its expeditions to a group of scientists and experts from Norway, the UK, France, Sweden, Germany and Spain gathered in Norway under the framework of the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR). The images and data demonstrate the existence of 28 marine habitats … 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
Oceana identified over 100 different marine species on Gorringe seamount after completing a scientific expedition in the Portuguese Atlantic during recent weeks with support from the Foundation for the Third Millennium. Apart from important kelp forests, the international marine conservation organization documented deep-sea sponge fields, black coral forests, extensive oyster beds and over 100 different … Read more
Less than 1% of the Bay of Biscay is protected, and Spain is lagging in its obligations to create a network of marine protected areas. Following joint studies, Oceana and the Official College of Biologists of Euskadi (COBE), have proposed the creation of a marine ecological corridor in Jaizkibel (in the Basque Country), a major … Read more
Less than one third of the area required by law has been protected, and it barely includes high seas areas. Oceana calls attention to the lack of will of EU states to protect the North-East Atlantic, which constitutes a failure to comply with international legislation and increases the pressure on an area of the Atlantic … 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.
