December 2014 - Oceana

Good News for the Arctic: Chevron Scraps Plans for Offshore Oil Exploration

Earlier this month, Chevron announced it was withdrawing plans for offshore oil exploration in the Canadian Arctic’s Beaufort Sea in a letter to Canada’s National Energy Board. The oil corporation cited “economic uncertainty in the industry,” as a reason for their decision, according to Reuters.  “Chevron’s decision is further evidence that risky, expensive projects in … Read more

Act: GrubHub, Take Shark Fin Off the Menu!

Shark and ocean lovers may want to think twice the next time they sit down with their computers or smartphones to order some takeout—shark fin could be on the menu. Every day, thousands of people in more than 600 cities order food from tens of thousands of restaurants on GrubHub and its subsidiaries—Seamless, All Menus, … Read more

Presidential Task Force Releases Bold Recommendations for Tackling Seafood Fraud and Illegal Fishing

Today, President Obama’s Task Force on Combating Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing and Seafood Fraud delivered its first recommendations for tackling this issue, which included domestic and international measures to help ensure that seafood sold in the United States is safe, legally caught, and honestly labeled.  Oceana commends the recommendations and says they are … Read more

Western Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Gain New Protections

Western Atlantic bluefin tuna are sleek, torpedo-like fish that can power through the ocean’s depths at over 40 miles per hour. They’re top ocean predators, preying on mackerel, herring, squid, eels, and crustaceans, but they’re also some of the most coveted fish in the world. In fact, western Atlantic bluefin tuna have declined by more than 80 percent … Read more

Coral Reefs Turning Silent from Overfishing, Other Human Impacts

Did you know that coral reefs are home to about one fourth of all marine life? As the most diverse of the marine ecosystems, they’re aptly nicknamed “rainforests of the sea,” says the Smithsonian. With all of the spawning, feeding, and other activity occurring on coral reefs, it’s no surprise that coral reefs are actually … Read more

Bycatch on the Menu at This Foodie Hotspot in New Orleans

In an attempt to highlight the issue of bycatch and change the general public’s opinions on often underappreciated fish, some chefs are serving-up bycatch at their restaurants. Bycatch (the incidental catch of non-target fish and other marine life) is thrown back into the ocean, often dead or dying, for many reasons. It can be the … Read more

Steller Sea Lion Protections Weakened with New Fisheries Ruling

Late last month, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) issued a final rule that weakens protections for the endangered western population of Steller sea lions. The rule would open up previously closed areas around the western Aleutian Islands in the Northern Pacific Ocean—including critical habitat areas that have been closed for more than 15 years—for … Read more