WILDOCEANS, a programme of the WILDTRUST, is causing quite a stir on social media with the launch of their WE DON’T NEED OUR OCEANS campaign. The environmental non-profit hopes to show South Africa (and the world) what life would be like without our oceans, and subsequently place a spotlight on just how much we depend on them, as well as mobilise a regional movement for … [Read more...]
NPO’s take a stand to halt offshore oil drilling
WILDOCEANS is one of several organisations including Oceans Not Oil, South Durban Community Environmental Association and Green Connection, who have submitted comment opposing the proposed offshore exploration drilling and associated activities by oil company TOTAL. There are procedural, climatic, socio-economic and ecological concerns that WILDOCEANS have raised linked to … [Read more...]
EU commission plans green reset for agriculture
Yesterday, the European Commission published their roadmap for EU policy action on biodiversity and food for the coming decade. In the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak that has brought our relationship with the natural world into sharp focus, the strategies have never been more timely. The EU Farm to Fork and 2030 Biodiversity Strategies launched today are potential game … [Read more...]
Conserving sharks and rays in the Indian Ocean
At a press conference held in Johannesburg recently, the issue of overfishing and overuse of ocean resources was unpacked with a specific focus on the Western Indian Ocean (WIO). WILDOCEANS, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and TRAFFIC collaborated on a presentation given at the conference with a specific focus on overfishing linked to sharks and rays. Rhett Bennett, … [Read more...]
Calling on Azores government to protect threatened sharks
Last year WILDOCEANS, a programme of the WILDTRUST, joined a global movement led by ‘Sharkproject International’ in a bid to put an end to shark finning. A letter was drafted and endorsed by 57 signatory parties from academia, retail, fisheries, the NPO sector and environmental government departments from all over the world. The letter was written to spread awareness about the … [Read more...]
Marine protection expansion project moves towards 10% coverage
On World Oceans Day on the 8th of June 2018, a coalition of organisations including WILDOCEANS (a programme of the WILDTRUST), Ocean Unite, WWF South Africa, Centre for Environmental Rights and the South African Association for Marine Biological Research (SAAMBR), united to advance the protection of the oceans around South Africa within Marine Protected Areas (MPA’s) and … [Read more...]
Wild Oceans to investigate critical shark habitat and movements
Recently the Wild Oceans Research Vessel, RV Angra Pequena, carrying a team of researchers and marine students, set sail to Protea Banks on the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal in order to retrieve telemetry receivers previously deployed in the area. The retrieval of these receivers will give us the ability to investigate the movements of tagged sharks and highlight the importance … [Read more...]
Proposed offshore KZN oil drilling strongly opposed
These are many of the reasons ONO objects to how the EIA process has been handled for the Sasol / ENI proposed exploration for 2019 off the KZN coastline. This letter serves to lodge an objection to the proposed exploration for the reasons listed below. It also serves to highlight numerous contentious issues with this DEIAR process. Our primary concern is that there is clear … [Read more...]
Save the oceans, save the world
A celebratory World Oceans Day event, hosted by WILDOCEANS and the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA), was held at uShaka Marine Worlds’ Aquarium on the evening of the 8th of June. The event, which featured a key note address from the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) Deputy Director General Judy Beaumont – celebrating South Africa’s oceans and … [Read more...]
Report highlights need to invest in marine protected areas
South Africa’s 24 marine protected areas (MPAs) are critical for the health of future fish stock. Yet their significance is not fully appreciated. From coastal residents and fishers through to government prosecutors and judges, a lack of understanding of the importance of these areas continues to hamper efforts to manage MPAs effectively. These are among the findings … [Read more...]
82% of marine ecosystems not well managed
Oceans cover 70% of the Earth's surface, yet less than 1% of these critical systems are under any form of legal protection. The Convention on Biological Diversity's Global Biodiversity Outlook indicates that the world's marine ecosystems are in peril. Along southern Africa's east coast, the dugong is one marine mammal in urgent need of protection. If we do not act … [Read more...]
