Activists from the Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior in the English Channel have intercepted a tanker transporting fish oil taken from West Africa, as an investigation by Greenpeace Africa reveals recent trade figures showing that the fishmeal and fish oil industry in the region has grown at an alarming rate during the COVID-19 pandemic. “This is big business stripping life … [Read more...]
Choose sustainable seafood this Heart Awareness Month
September is Heart Awareness Month and one of the best ways to keep your heart healthy is to eat fish 2 to 3 times a week. With campaign ‘#FeelGoodSeafood’, the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) in partnership with Irvin & Johnson (I&J), encourage South Africans to take care of their hearts and our ocean. Up to 80 percent of heart disease and stroke can be prevented … [Read more...]
A new shark and two rays for Africa
What better way to celebrate Shark Awareness Day (14 July) than with the news of a new shark and two rays (flatsharks) in African waters? A new species of shark and 2 rays (guitarfish/ flatsharks to be exact) have recently been described by Dr David Ebert, an ichthyologist (devoted to the study of fish, including bony fish, cartilaginous fish, and jawless fish) based in … [Read more...]
Restoring our ecosystems one change at a time
Life on earth is symbiotic; each component within the ecosystem plays a significant role. The decline of the bee population and its effect on food systems is a timely reminder of just how interconnected everything really is. However, as urbanization, intensive farming and resource extraction increases, so we are witnessing the fragmentation of the environment even further. … [Read more...]
Complaint issued regarding Powership project in Saldanha Bay
On Monday 31 May, the Green Connection lodged a formal complaint with the Department of Forestry and Fisheries and Environmental Affairs regarding the Environmental Assessment Practitioners’ (EAP) failure to comply with Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) regulations pertaining to the EIA for the Proposed Gas to Power Powership Project at the Port of Saldanha Bay. The Green … [Read more...]
Protecting our oceans to save marine life
During my time as an oceans campaigner at Greenpeace, I’ve sat in a tiny boat in the middle of the Indian Ocean, watching a fishing boat pull in miles of drift nets. The nets were full of tuna, but there were also dead spinner dolphins, manta rays, thresher sharks and more – a grim demonstration of devastation at sea. I’ve been right up close with some of the biggest fishing … [Read more...]
SA hake fishery impacts threatened sharks and rays
In November 2020, WILDTRUST submitted a formal Objection to the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification of the South African Hake Trawl Fishery. MSC certification is an “eco-label” found on seafood packaging, supposedly confirming the products contained came from a sustainable fishery. In its Objection the WILDTRUST cited concerns about the fishery's impact on … [Read more...]
SA hake fishery celebrates fourth certification for seafood sustainability
Supported by government, industry and market stakeholders, the SA hake trawl fishery’s MSC status places it amongst the best managed fisheries in the world – helping to maintain its international market presence and deliver long-term socio-economic benefits to the South African people. The fishery is celebrating 16 years of MSC certification following the announcement of its … [Read more...]
EU Sustainable Taxonomy must be rooted in climate science
The global climate strikes have consistently made a simple demand: listen to the science. We agree. Just as experts and evidence have been key assets in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, so too must they, and not sectoral interests, determine our policies to fight the climate crisis. WWF Central and Eastern Europe, along with a coalition of NGOs, think-tanks, experts and … [Read more...]
30% of all sharks and rays threatened with extinction
The International Union for Conservation of Nature recently released an updated Red List of Threatened Species. The Red List has become the gold standard for measuring species population stability, and it is the world's most comprehensive data source on the extinction risk of species categorising (as either extinct, extinct in the wild, critically endangered, endangered, … [Read more...]
2020 SANCOR awards call for nominations
Every three years the South African Network for Coastal and Oceanic Research (SANCOR) awards excellent performers in science in the marine and coastal environment. Nominations are hereby invited for these prestigious awards in the following categories: The Marine and Coastal Communicator Awards are made to individuals or groups of individuals in recognition of their … [Read more...]
What health risks do microplastics pose to the human body?
The Plastic Health Summit brings scientists, influencers and industry from all over the world together and presents the preliminary results of ground-breaking research by ZonMw. The Plastic Health Summit will be held on October 3rd in Theater Amsterdam. Attendees of this international conference will be the first to hear the initial results of three Dutch studies which map … [Read more...]
Help take care of nature’s gifts this Earth Day
Earth Day is a global event each year, and we believe that more than 1 billion people in 192 countries now take part in what is the largest civic-focused day of action in the world. Nature’s gifts to our planet are the millions of species that we know and love, and many more that remain to be discovered. Unfortunately, human beings have irrevocably upset the balance of … [Read more...]
