Earth Day has us contemplating our relationship with the blue planet in years to come. Last week, the latest report on climate change from the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) laid down a stark outlook about the human role in climate change: If we don’t make changes to the way we live … Read more
Yesterday marked the four-year anniversary of the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Although several years have passed, the people, wildlife, and ecosystems of the Gulf are still struggling to recover from this disaster. I partnered with actor and activist Ted Danson to write an editorial for the Huffington Post … Read more
Yesterday, sharks received a huge victory when a federal district court upheld a California law that prohibits the possession and sale of shark fins throughout the state. California’s 2011 law was originally challenged by a group of shark fin dealers and retailers who claimed the ban was discriminatory and in violation of federal law. The … Read more
In February 2013, Oceana and National Geographic launched a joint expedition to the Desventuradas, two remote, rocky islands off the coast of Chile. A team of all-star scientists explored one of the last potentially pristine marine environments left in South America. Outfitted with a three-person submarine, the team completed over 280 dives, shooting more than … Read more
This story appeared as an editorial on the Huffington Post, authored by Susan Murray, Oceana VP for the Pacific, and Dr. Jeffrey Short. 25 Years Later: Why Alaska Can’t Afford another Exxon ValdezBy Jeffrey Short and Susan Murray The twenty-fifth anniversary of the Exxon Valdez oil spill (EVOS) is upon us as the United States … Read more
Here’s a very simple way to protect marine life—keep drift gillnets out of California waters. Fishermen use this fishing gear to target swordfish and thresher sharks, but they also catch and kill dozens of other important marine species. In 2011, for every five swordfish the fishery landed, one marine mammal was killed and six fish—including … Read more
We can all agree that wasting food is unacceptable. So why are U.S. fisheries allowed to throw away perfectly edible seafood? Many fisheries toss fish and other species overboard, usually dead or dying, simply because it’s not the type of seafood they are trying to catch. And the government allows this wasteful practice. A new … Read more
Nearly one year ago, I wrote to you to announce that Chilean President Sebastián Piñera signed a monumental reform to the Chilean Fisheries Law, requiring that scientific advice guide fishing quotas for important commercial species. I’m now pleased to report back that the law is already making a difference, putting Chile on track to dramatically … Read more
Last week, the Pacific Fishery Management Council rejected a proposal to expand the use of drift gillnets off California. The decision was paired with a request to extend emergency regulations to protect sperm whales from entrapment in drift gillnets until permanent protections go into effect. The meeting in Sacramento drew unusually high numbers of public … Read more
In each issue of Oceana magazine, we review recent victories in our Making Waves section. Read for updates from the Winter 2013 issue. Offshore Wind Energy Gains Momentum on the East Coast On July 31, the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) held its first-ever competitive offshore wind lease auction. The government leased 164,750 acres off … Read more
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We have already protected over 4 million square miles of ocean and innumerable sea life - but there is still more to be done.