Today the European Fisheries Council is discussing and agreeing measures for some of the most threatened stocks their fleets catch. The international marine conservation organisation Oceana makes an urgent call to the EU Fisheries Council to adopt effective management plans that will stop the decline of these species and ensure recovery of their populations. Among … Read more
Oceana and Shark Alliance, a coalition of 42 conservation, scientific, diving and fishing organizations focused on improving European shark policies, are repeating its call for a strong Plan of Action to improve the status of European sharks and rays in response to the new IUCN findings that 42% of shark and ray populations in the … Read more
As of 6 July, 2013, all sharks caught in European waters or by European vessels will have to be landed with their fins still naturally attached. Celebrating the arrival of the long-awaited, strict EU ban on shark finning, Oceana welcomes the new EU regulation’s entry into effect, on Saturday. It ends nearly a decade of … Read more
Today, on World Oceans Day, Oceana urges the prioritization of scientific research into overlooked and fragile deep sea areas. Despite a massive gap in knowledge of deep sea areas, destructive activities are authorized without any clear insight into their impact on local ecosystems. Slow-growing and vulnerable species and habitats are facing potentially irreversible damage. “Activities … Read more
The European Parliament approved a strict ban on shark finning, closing a crucial loophole in EU law by requiring that all sharks caught in EU waters, and by EU vessels in international waters, be landed with their fins attached. This is a monumental achievement for sharks and one that Oceana campaigned for. The EU is … Read more
The EU voted in favor of strictly protecting 10 threatened species of sharks and rays in the Mediterranean Sea, under the Barcelona Convention. These species, including hammerheads, tope, and shortfin mako, have declined dramatically in numbers – some by as much as 99% during the last century – while others have vanished from parts of … Read more
For the first time in its 60-year history, the FAO’s General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean took action for shark protection. The Commission adopted measures for the management and conservation of sharks and rays in the Mediterranean, the region of highest risk in the world for these fishes. Twenty-three Mediterranean countries endorsed a proposal from … Read more
Carnivorous sponge (Asbestopluma hypogea). Typical species in environments with little suspended organic matter, which could explain its carnivorous and non-filtering behaviour. Oceana documented this species for the first time outside caves in the underwater mountains of Ausias March (Balearic Islands) and Chella Bank (Seco de los Olivos, Alborán). Its uncommonness and fragility make it a … Read more
Oceana is part of ACCOBAMS and has the status of observer in OSPAR, HELCOM, ICES and ICCAT, and in international and fishing management conventions directly or indirectly linked to the conservation of threatened marine species. Our objective is the inclusion of new species in the protection lists of these conventions and the adequate management of … 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.
