World Fisheries Day is celebrated every year on 21 November throughout the globe. While fishing communities and aquatic consumers salute their delight for maritime produce; climate and plant-based advocates highlight the vital importance of preserving our sea life and environments. According to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, 90 percent of the global fish … [Read more...]
New global fund ‘welcome boost’ to safeguarding biodiversity
A new global environmental fund marks a major step towards securing the wellbeing of biodiversity in developing countries and will help to ensure sustainable utilization of their natural resources, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Friday. The Global Biodiversity Framework Fund, launched at the Global Environmental Facility Assembly in Vancouver, Canada, … [Read more...]
13 Reasons to celebrate MPA Day in 2023
“Research involving visitors to uShaka Sea World revealed that only about half knew what an MPA is. This means that days like #MPADay are vital to building awareness of MPAs and their role in sustainability.” - Dr Judy Mann, Founder of MPA Day What started as a local celebration of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in 2021 grew into a global event in 2022, with the 2023 … [Read more...]
Greater action needed to protect life-sustaining oceans
Over a third of global fish stocks are being harvested at unsustainable levels – just one example of how human activity is harming oceans, which cover more than 70 per cent of the Earth’s surface. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for greater action to protect oceans in his message to mark World Oceans Day. “The ocean is the foundation of life. It supplies … [Read more...]
Marine spatial plan flawed because oil and water do not mix
While it is clear that South Africa is making little headway to resolve the electricity loadshedding crisis – which is where citizens want to see government putting its efforts and delivering results – there is, instead, a lot of movement on other energy projects, particularly for offshore oil and gas. This was one of the concerns raised by The Green Connection, last week (9 … [Read more...]
MSC scales up fund to help end overfishing
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has today announced an ambitious goal to mobilise US$100 million to help safeguard the ocean and sustainable seafood supplies over the next decade. The announcement marks a significant expansion of the MSC’s Ocean Stewardship Fund, which aims to end overfishing. Philanthropic organisations, businesses and governments are encouraged to … [Read more...]
Military puts muscle behind the circular economy
The South African military has put its muscle behind the circular economy with its launch of a separation-at-source recycling initiative in Limpopo. The Lephalale-based South African Military Health Service (SAMHS) training centre, which falls under the Department of Defence, has joined forces with South Africa’s longest-standing producer responsibility organisation, PETCO, … [Read more...]
Improving the welfare of farmed fish
Compassion in World Farming has called out the seafood certification scheme Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) for failing to improve the welfare of the hundreds of millions of farmed fish it certifies every year. BAP, which is administered by Global Seafood Alliance, was chosen as the focus for the campaign as they have done the least to improve farmed fish welfare out of the … [Read more...]
Diving deeper: why we should care more about fish
Fish are the most emblematic animals of the sea, yet they’re seen as little more than food or decorative pets. Just consider the language we use: fish are commonly described as “stock” to be “harvested” and sold by the ton. Today, most people are proud to support the protection of whales, dolphins, penguins, and turtles. Even sharks are finally starting to get the respect … [Read more...]
Seismic surveys a threat to marine ecosystems
Last month, The Green Connection lodged an appeal against the environmental authorisation – granted by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) on 20 December 2022 – which allows Searcher Geodata UK to undertake a number of 3D seismic survey activities off the West Coast of South Africa in an area located between approximately 256km offshore of St Helena Bay to … [Read more...]
Let’s stop deep sea mining in its tracks
Greenpeace is working to prevent a new destructive extractive industry from ever getting started in the oceans. Their position: no deep sea mining, ever. To achieve that, they are joining Pacific communities, champion nations, and dozens of allied organizations across the globe in calling for a UN moratorium on deep sea mining. In a planetary emergency, why would governments … [Read more...]
Underwater noise of Karpowerships not acceptable
On 13 December 2022, The Green Connection and Natural Justice made a joint submission on the draft environmental impact assessment (EIA) report for Karpowership SA’s proposed gas to power project in Saldanha Bay. The eco-justice organisations argue that the environmental authorisation to be refused, highlighting several flawed assessments of marine and socio-economic impacts … [Read more...]
The rewards of sustainable fishing
At 82 years of age, captain Noel Less still works a five-day week as a fishing gear specialist at Sea Harvest’s Viking Fishing Division in Cape Town harbour. Less is regarded as a legend of the South African deep-sea trawl fishery. With a burning passion for fishing, he spent two decades working as a top catching skipper and almost four decades advising and helping other … [Read more...]
