Federal Judge Rules to Protect Whales, Sea Turtles From Dangers of Drift Gillnets
A Federal judge ruled in favor of Oceana in a lawsuit challenging the National Marine Fisheries Service’s decision to withdraw a proposed rule to place strict limits on the number of protected species that can be killed or injured in the California-based swordfish drift gillnet fishery.
A Federal judge ruled in favor of Oceana in a lawsuit challenging the National Marine Fisheries Service’s decision to withdraw a proposed rule to place strict limits on the number of protected species that can be killed or injured in the California-based swordfish drift gillnet fishery.
October, 2018
Peru’s Vessel Tracking Data Now Publicly Available Through Global Fishing Watch
As world leaders gathered in Bali, Indonesia for the fifth-annual Our Ocean conference, Peru took bold action to make its national vessel tracking data publicly available for the first time through Global Fishing Watch (GFW). Anyone can now view Peru’s commercial fishing vessels via GFW’s map platform, in near real time, for free.
As world leaders gathered in Bali, Indonesia for the fifth-annual Our Ocean conference, Peru took bold action to make its national vessel tracking data publicly available for the first time through Global Fishing Watch (GFW). Anyone can now view Peru’s commercial fishing vessels via GFW’s map platform, in near real time, for free.
October, 2018
Oregon Governor Prohibits Offshore Oil Drilling Activities off the State
Today, Oregon Governor Kate Brown issued Executive Order 18-28 directing state agencies to protect Oregon’s coast from offshore oil and gas drilling. The Executive Order specifically made it the official policy of the state of Oregon to oppose oil drilling activities from shore to over 200 miles off the state, and to prevent the development of any new infrastructure that would serve offshore drilling operations.
Today, Oregon Governor Kate Brown issued Executive Order 18-28 directing state agencies to protect Oregon’s coast from offshore oil and gas drilling. The Executive Order specifically made it the official policy of the state of Oregon to oppose oil drilling activities from shore to over 200 miles off the state, and to prevent the development of any new infrastructure that would serve offshore drilling operations.
September, 2018
California Phases Out Destructive Swordfish Drift Gillnet Fishing, Protecting Marine Mammals, Turtles and Sharks From Bycatch
Despite 30 years of management measures aimed at reducing bycatch, the California swordfish drift gillnet fishery had remained one of the nation’s dirtiest fisheries, killing more dolphins than all observed U.S. West Coast fisheries combined. Thanks to a years-long campaign by Oceana and our allies, a new law will clean up the fishery, phasing out the use of drift gillnets through a buyout transition program and incentivizing the use of cleaner fishing gear. These measures will eventually eliminate nets that have frequently entangled, injured and killed marine mammals like whales, dolphins and sea lions as well as endangered sea turtles, sharks and other important fish species.
Despite 30 years of management measures aimed at reducing bycatch, the California swordfish drift gillnet fishery had remained one of the nation’s dirtiest fisheries, killing more dolphins than all observed U.S. West Coast fisheries combined. Thanks to a years-long campaign by Oceana and our allies, a new law will clean up the fishery, phasing out the use of drift gillnets through a buyout transition program and incentivizing the use of cleaner fishing gear. These measures will eventually eliminate nets that have frequently entangled, injured and killed marine mammals like whales, dolphins and sea lions as well as endangered sea turtles, sharks and other important fish species.
June, 2018
More Than 300 Square Miles of Deep-Sea Corals Protected in Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council approved a plan to protect over 300 square miles of deep-sea corals in the Gulf of Mexico. The plan, titled “Amendment 9,” will protect 21 distinct areas, ranging from Florida to Texas, which scientists have identified as special coral habitats. Oceana has worked for more than a decade to identify and protect deep-sea corals from harmful fishing gears in United States waters and around the world, and has won victories for corals in the U.S. Atlantic and Pacific.
The Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council approved a plan to protect over 300 square miles of deep-sea corals in the Gulf of Mexico. The plan, titled “Amendment 9,” will protect 21 distinct areas, ranging from Florida to Texas, which scientists have identified as special coral habitats. Oceana has worked for more than a decade to identify and protect deep-sea corals from harmful fishing gears in United States waters and around the world, and has won victories for corals in the U.S. Atlantic and Pacific.
April, 2018
Corals, Sponges, Underwater Canyons Get New Protections off U.S. West Coast
In a unanimous vote, the Pacific Fishery Management Council acted to protect more than 140,000 square miles of seafloor from bottom trawling, a destructive fishing practice in which heavy fishing gear is dragged across the seabed. This action will safeguard a unique variety of coral gardens, sponge beds, rocky reefs, and deep-sea ecosystems that provide nurseries, food and shelter for many species — including lingcod, sablefish, flatfish, sharks, rays and more than 60 species of rockfish — important for both ocean abundance and commercial and recreational fishing. This victory for ocean diversity will more than double the area of protected seafloor in U.S. waters off California, Oregon, and Washington. The fishery council’s action will also restore fishing opportunities by opening some historic fishing grounds that were previously closed to bottom trawling while overfished rockfish populations recovered. This outcome comes after a decade of campaigning by Oceana and its allies and builds on previous work which secured more than 135,000 square miles of West Coast seafloor protections in 2006. Once these new measures are implemented, more than 90 percent of the U.S. West Coast’s Exclusive Economic Zone (3-200 miles from shore) will be protected from bottom trawling.
In a unanimous vote, the Pacific Fishery Management Council acted to protect more than 140,000 square miles of seafloor from bottom trawling, a destructive fishing practice in which heavy fishing gear is dragged across the seabed. This action will safeguard a unique variety of coral gardens, sponge beds, rocky reefs, and deep-sea ecosystems that provide nurseries, food and shelter for many species — including lingcod, sablefish, flatfish, sharks, rays and more than 60 species of rockfish — important for both ocean abundance and commercial and recreational fishing. This victory for ocean diversity will more than double the area of protected seafloor in U.S. waters off California, Oregon, and Washington. The fishery council’s action will also restore fishing opportunities by opening some historic fishing grounds that were previously closed to bottom trawling while overfished rockfish populations recovered. This outcome comes after a decade of campaigning by Oceana and its allies and builds on previous work which secured more than 135,000 square miles of West Coast seafloor protections in 2006. Once these new measures are implemented, more than 90 percent of the U.S. West Coast’s Exclusive Economic Zone (3-200 miles from shore) will be protected from bottom trawling.
August, 2017
U.S. Court Upholds Rule Requiring Traceability for At-Risk Seafood Imports
A federal court ruled in favor of upholding the Seafood Import Monitoring Program, rejecting a lawsuit that would have invalidated the rule. The program helps to reduce illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and seafood fraud by increasing seafood traceability. The Commerce Department program, also known as the Seafood Traceability Rule, was implemented by the US government following campaigning by Oceana. It requires seafood importers of species like tuna, grouper, swordfish, red snapper and blue crab to provide specific information before their products can enter the United States, including what kind of fish it is, as well as how and where it was caught or farmed. Oceana (represented by Earthjustice), the Center for Biological Diversity and the Natural Resources Defense Council filed a joint amicus brief in support of the Seafood Traceability Rule.
A federal court ruled in favor of upholding the Seafood Import Monitoring Program, rejecting a lawsuit that would have invalidated the rule. The program helps to reduce illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and seafood fraud by increasing seafood traceability. The Commerce Department program, also known as the Seafood Traceability Rule, was implemented by the US government following campaigning by Oceana. It requires seafood importers of species like tuna, grouper, swordfish, red snapper and blue crab to provide specific information before their products can enter the United States, including what kind of fish it is, as well as how and where it was caught or farmed. Oceana (represented by Earthjustice), the Center for Biological Diversity and the Natural Resources Defense Council filed a joint amicus brief in support of the Seafood Traceability Rule.
