Oceana

Overfishing is emptying the oceans.
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- Oceana
- Oceana Advocates
- Overfishing
- Endangered Species
- What can you do
- Get involved
- Privacy Policy
- What is Oceana?
  
  Oceana is the largest international advocacy organization dedicated solely to ocean conservation. Oceana is rebuilding abundant and biodiverse oceans by winning science-based policies in countries that control one third of the world’s wild fish catch. With over 100 victories that stop overfishing, habitat destruction, pollution and killing of threatened species, Oceana’s campaigns are delivering results. A restored ocean means that one billion people can enjoy a healthy seafood meal, every day, forever. Together, we can save the oceans and help feed the world.
  
  Oceana acknowledges the generous support of the
  EU LIFE Programme for this campaign.
- - Members and Activists
    
    Today, more than 700,000 members and e-activists, including many celebrities, support Oceana internationally, through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Google Plus. Discover more about Our Vision.
  - “Let’s dive headfirst into action by respecting and conserving the species within the oceans by fishing less, eating sustainable fish and strongly reducing our plastic usage.”
    
    Ruben Lenten / Kite Surfer & Oceana Advocate
  - “Stocks will rebuild when you give them a break. This is the only way to get sustainability in fisheries.”
    
    Alexandra Cousteau | Oceana Advocate
  - “Saving our ocean is the single most important mission of our time.”
    
    Chris Hemsworth | Actor & Oceana Advocate
  - “I don’t want a future where our children have to surf in dead Oceans.”
    
    Almudena Fernández | Model & Oceana Advocate
- The Causes of Overfishing
  
  Overfishing means catching too much fish and it’s a global environmental problem. In the European Union, 48% of fish stocks in the Atlantic and 96% in the Mediterranean are overfished.
  
  Catch limits often ignore scientific advice and are set above sustainable levels.
  
  Some fishing gears catch unwanted species and/or damage the seabed.
  
  In most cases there are no restrictions to fish in nursery and spawning grounds, and it is legal to catch young.
  
  Stronger monitoring systems are needed to avoid illegal fishing.
  
  Threatened Fish
- What Species should we save?
  
  Oceana has compiled a list of suggestions for green – dare we say blue? – lifestyle choices that can help preserve the oceans for future generations.
  - Seabass
    
    2/3 of Seabass landings in the EU are from French fishing vessels.
    
    86% of the Seabass we consume is European-sourced. Seabass made its way into the headlines recently when the EU adopted emergency measures, including the prohibition of fishing in key fishing grounds.
    
    Scientific studies confirm that many populations of this highly appreciated fish are clearly outside safe biological limits across our waters: from the North Sea to the Aegean Sea.
    
    Greece and Spain are the main countries in Seabass farming, but this practice is not a solution: predators need to eat several kilos of other species in order to put on just one, what on many occasions leads to the overexploitation of these wild populations.
  - Cod
    
    12% of the Cod consumed in the EU is caught in EU waters.
    
    400 If politicians set annual catch limits to scientific advice, Cod catches in the North Sea could potentially increase by 400%!
    
    Several plans to improve the situation have been put in place, but in most cases the stocks remain depleted.
    
    The North Sea, as well as the Eastern Baltic Sea stock, show signs of improvement, but the disappearance of large Cod in the Eastern Baltic indicates that some other factor must be causing distress for the fish. In the western Baltic, high fishing pressure has driven Cod down to the lowest levels ever recorded.
  - Haddock
    
    3 Haddock is the third most consumed species by Brits, after salmon and Cod.
    
    34cm Haddock can reproduce after reaching 34 cm, although individuals caught in the Atlantic can be legally sold at 30 cm and at 27 cm if they come from Kattegat-Skagerrak. There is no minimum size in the Baltic Sea.
    
    Haddock are caught together with other species such as Cod and Whiting. Thus, catching Haddock may also negatively impact severely depleted stocks of Cod for example. New EU legislation is aimed at preventing discarding (the throwing of unwanted dead or alive fish back into the sea), but the new rules are proving difficult to implement.
    
    Research recently released by Oceana calculates that, if catch limits were set following scientific advice, Haddock catches could eventually increase by 4-fold in the North Sea, the Celtic Sea and Rockall waters. Fishing sustainably pays off both for people and for fish.
  - Hake
    
    2/3 Two thirds of Hake consumed in the EU are imported.
    
    50% Half of the Hake caught in the Strait of Sicily are “baby” (juvenile) fish. The worst picture as of today is in the Gulf of Lion (south of France): 15 times above sustainable levels.
    
    The worst picture as of today is in the Gulf of Lion (south of France): 15 times above sustainable levels.
    
    On the other hand, after years of overexploitation, the two major North-East Atlantic stocks are showing signs of a recovery, in particular the northern stock.
    
    Legally, Hake can be sold when it reaches 20 cm in the Mediterranean and 27 cm in the NE Atlantic. However, individual Hake fish cannot reproduce until they reach 35cm and 42 cm respectively, meaning that we are eating young fish that have never had the chance to reproduce.
  - Swordfish
    
    76% of Mediterranean Swordfish catches are taken by the EU fleet.
    
    90cm The international convention regulating Swordfish (ICCAT) sets a 90 cm minimum landing size for Mediterranean Swordfish, making it legal to catch “baby” Swordfish.
    
    There have been no catch limits for Mediterranean Swordfish and two-thirds of the population has simply vanished from the sea. Not only that, seven out of ten Swordfish for sale in our markets are young fish that are caught prematurely and therefore can't repopulate. This puts the long-term survival of the fish population at risk.
    
    In November 2016, a historic recovery plan was put in place to address the dire situation, but this plan still needs to be properly implemented to reverse the damage done to the stock.
- How can you help?
  
  Oceana has compiled a list of suggestions for green – dare we say blue? – lifestyle choices that can help preserve the oceans for future generations.
  
  Check how the fish has been caught and opt for sustainable techniques.
  
  Choose species that are lower in the food chain, rather than predators.
  
  Reject juveniles (“baby fish”).
  
  Check where your fish comes from.
  
  Get your politicians to push for catch limits that are in line with scientific advice.
  
  Spread the word among your friends and family!
- Subscribe to Newsletter
  
  Join the cause by signing up for our newsletter. We’ll send you videos, photo galleries and stories on our latest expeditions and accomplishments.

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- Seabass
  
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  Seabass
  
  In the European Commission’s own words, “we are witnessing a rapid decline in seabass stocks that could lead to a collapse”. This “would have a very serious impact on the livelihoods of many fishermen”.
- Cod
  
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  Cod
  
  Despite Cod being a popular fish dish, most European Cod stocks are in a poor state due to intensive overfishing. It’s typical of Cod to huddle together in specific areas. This means it is easier to catch more of this species at any one time, which can result in Cod being overfished in those areas.
- Haddock
  
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  Haddock
  
  The status of Haddock stocks varies across regions, with some currently in a poor situation due to a historic record of unsustainable exploitation, discards and unreported catches (e.g. the North Sea, West of Scotland, Skagerrak and Faroes grounds).
- Hake
  
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  Hake
  
  Hake is the most overfished species in the Mediterranean Sea.
  On average, the amount of Hake taken out of the seas is almost 7 times above the amount required to not shrink the stock but support the fishery in the long-term.
- Swordfish
  
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  Swordfish
  
  It is a highly migratory species and therefore its fishing management depends on many countries reaching an agreement. In the Mediterranean, this has not happened for over thirty years.