Antonio Banderas lends his voice to Oceana

“Hi, I’m Antonio Banderas. I’m not going to talk to you about my latest film today, but one of my other passions: the sea. I’m from Malaga, so I feel a very close bond with the sea. That’s why I’m collaborating with Oceana, an NGO that works actively to protect the oceans. You can support … Read more

Pacific Leatherbacks Gain Protected Habitat

The National Marine Fisheries Service finalized protection of 41,914 square miles of protected critical ocean habitat off the shores of Washington, Oregon and California for the endangered Pacific leatherback sea turtle. This is the first permanent safe haven for leatherbacks designated in continental U.S. waters and is the largest area set aside to protect sea … Read more

Hydrocarbons exploration in Italy threatens ecosystems in the Adriatic and the Strait of Sicily

Oceana is alarmed at recent developments in the exploitation of hydrocarbon resources along the Italian coastline that jeopardize the integrity of fragile marine ecosystems and the livelihood of coastal populations. The international marine conservation organization urges Corrado Clini, the newly appointed Minister of the Environment, and the Italian government to stop new offshore hydrocarbon leasing … Read more

Oceana to the United Nations: Protect the Balearic seamounts

New report details proposal based on four years of undersea research in the Mallorca channel. Oceana has submitted a proposal to protect the main seamounts in the Mallorca channel (known as Ausias March, Ses Olives and Emile Baudot). The document was presented during the 11th session of the Sub-Committee on Marine Environment and Ecosystems of … Read more

ICCAT says “I can’t”

As the 17th Special Meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) closed today in Paris, France, Oceana, the world’s largest international ocean conservation organization called it a “massive failure for bluefin tuna and swordfish, with only modest progress for sharks and sea turtles.” “Despite the flowery rhetoric, it was ‘business … Read more

ICCAT Highlights: News from Paris

We are fast nearing the end of the 2010 ICCAT meeting in Paris. As some of you know, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) is an international body responsible for the conservation and management of tuna and related species, as well as species caught incidentally as bycatch in these fisheries, including … Read more

Oceana calls for protection of ocean’s top predators at upcoming international fisheries meeting

Oceana, the world’s largest international ocean conservation organization, is calling for the protection of the ocean’s top predators at the 17th Special Meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) in Paris, France, November 17 to 27. Specifically, Oceana is seeking protections for several vulnerable and overexploited species vital to maintaining … Read more

ICCAT Improves Conservation Measures for Sharks and Sea Turtles

Though failing to improve protections for bluefin tuna, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) increased the number of shark species prohibited for retention in ICCAT fisheries. Specifically, the group improved conservation measures for oceanic whitetip sharks, hammerhead sharks and shortfin mako sharks. In addition, ICCAT put in place new measures to … Read more

Potential Impacts of Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill on Sea Turtles

Sea turtles have been swimming the oceans for more than 100 million years. They have persisted through natural predators, climatic changes and even the mass dinosaur extinction. They have proven to be important ecologically, economically and culturally both in the United States and abroad. Nonetheless, modern day human activities are killing sea turtles at a … Read more

Why Healthy Oceans Need Sea Turtles

Sea turtles have played vital roles in maintaining the health of the world’s oceans for more than 100 million years. These roles range from maintaining productive coral reef ecosystems to transporting essential nutrients from the oceans to beaches and coastal dunes. Major changes have occurred in the oceans because sea turtles have been virtually eliminated … Read more