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...]
Fishing fleets putting livelihoods at risk in the Republic of Congo
TRAFFIC, a partner on the Shark & Ray Protection Project of WILDOCEANS, has released a new study based on the concerns of artisanal fishers in the Republic of Congo about massive over capacity of fishing fleets that have put local food security, livelihoods and shark populations at risk. TRAFFIC’s report found that Congolese artisanal fishers are increasingly turning to … [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...]
Enlightened self-interest needed to protect the ocean and climate
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on the Ocean and Crysophere in a Changing Climate reveals the extent of the crisis facing humanity as the ocean and its services begin to show signs of collapse. Although the ocean is inextricably linked with the climate, the two working together to make planet Earth habitable, this is the first time that … [Read more...]
Shark finning killing 100 million sharks annually
“From a conservation perspective we are very concerned about our sharks,” said Dr Jean Harris of WILDTRUST. “Illegal fishing, bycatch and shark finning are depleting global shark populations at a dramatic rate, resulting in a large percentage of shark species being identified as threatened and endangered.” Shark finning is mainly driven by a demand for a delicacy in the East … [Read more...]
Expanding our marine conservation impact into the Comoros
September 2018 will see the start of an exciting project funded by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) into the Comoros Archipelago. The Comoros coral reefs are an unrivalled marine paradise, with the highest concentration of coral marine species within a small area, in the world. Comoros offers one of the world’s largest coral atolls which parades hundreds of fish … [Read more...]
Bluefin tuna on the brink of extinction
Pacific bluefin tuna has unique worldwide status as one of the most awe-inspiring remarkable creatures on the planet. They grow to 12 feet and 1,500 pounds and live up to 35 years whilst swimming super-fast, crossing the entire ocean in 21 days. They are the essence of nature’s wonderful creativity and beauty. Unequivocally, the bluefin’s days are numbered, almost guaranteed … [Read more...]
Let’s support the plan to protect our dying oceans
Our oceans are collapsing, with vast disturbing dead areas reported to be expanding in the Pacific. But hope is also rising, with more ocean protected last year than ever before! This week could decide whether collapse or conservation wins the race. Scientists say if we conserve 30% of our oceans, that will be enough to regenerate the rest -- and this plan is actually on the … [Read more...]
Fish as serial migrators know no borders
We humans love drawing lines on maps. Over many centuries borders have been created by our peoples or have been imposed on them, separating our languages, our cultures, our traditions. But fish knows no borders, they migrate from the waters of one country to another. In West Africa, millions of people critically depend on fish either because they catch and trade them or because … [Read more...]
Altered marine food webs threaten food security
A new scientific analysis shows that urgent action is needed to reverse the tide of ecological decline in the ocean that threatens economies, societies and nature, says the Global Ocean Commission. The analysis, by leading marine scientists with the International Programme on the State of the Ocean (IPSO) and International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), looks … [Read more...]
Solutions urgently needed for marine debris dilemmas
Plastic bags have been found under the dwindling arctic ice. Inaccessible Island’s beaches are covered in plastic, yet it is 3 000 km’s away from the closest source of plastic waste. Considering that we produce about 300 million tons of plastic per year, the bulk of which is not being reused or recycled, these reports are only going to get more shocking. The first ever … [Read more...]
Marine sanctuaries begging to happen
Could we ever fully appreciate and value the essential role which the oceans play in our world’s ecology and the future health of our planet? Most of us suffer from what is called ‘sea blindness’ - not understanding the role of our seas. I had the privilege to experience a passionate talk by THE Sea Mother, also known as Her Deepness, Dr. Sylvia Earle at the launch of the … [Read more...]
Greenpeace urges South Korea to control fish trade
Illegal fishing scandals and human rights abuses linked to South Korea’s fishing industry have earned the country a bad reputation that is jeopardising its fish trade with the US and the EU, Greenpeace East Asia said. Greenpeace is urging the Korean government to bring its fishing industry under control and adopt a policy that ensures legal and sustainable fishing or risk a … [Read more...]
