The sea, some say, is the world’s biggest toilet — and that’s a good thing. Because when it comes to keeping ocean ecosystems in tip-top shape, pee is liquid gold. Without urine from fish, whales and other critters, coral reefs and seagrass meadows would struggle. Kelp forests might wither. And there would be fewer phytoplankton, … Read more
Why is it that a young fisherman views his catch of a few scrawny sardines as natural, while an old-timer sees it as the sad scraps of an ocean once brimming with giant wildlife? Two decades ago, renowned fisheries expert Daniel Pauly introduced “shifting baselines syndrome” to explain our generational blindness to environmental destruction. In … Read more
Every family has an overachiever. For fish, that title goes to manta rays. They’re giant, charismatic and basically geniuses. Mantas have huge brains — the biggest of any fish — with especially developed areas for learning, problem solving and communicating. The giant rays are playful, curious and might even recognize themselves in mirrors, a sign … Read more
Monday night, guests including Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen, Sam Waterston, Dean Norris, Bridget Norris, Dylan McDermott, Bill Murray, Brooklyn Decker, Kelly Lynch, Anjelica Huston, Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael, Jackson Browne, Mitch Glazer, Sharon Lawrence, Ed Begley Jr., Peter and Tara Guber, and Tony Thomopoulos attended an exclusive concert by Don Henley and friends Jackson Browne and Bill … Read more
Ted Danson, Sam Waterston, Lily Tomlin, Alison Pill, Angela Kinsey, Oscar Nunez, Stephanie Cayo, Briana Evigan, Heidi Nazarudin, Christina Ochoa, and Sally Pressman were among those who attended the 10th annual SeaChange Summer Party in Laguna Beach on Saturday evening to support Oceana, the world’s largest ocean conservation organization. This year’s SeaChange Summer Party featured … Read more
Even complicated problems can have simple answers. Fishermen prove that in the Pacific Northwest, where shrimp nets accidentally snare tons of threatened little fish, called eulachon, every season. The strikingly straightforward solution to this mistaken catch: exit lights on nets. Bright LEDs, zip tied to shrimping nets, guide the fish out of danger. Shrimp aren’t … Read more
Oceana filed a lawsuit in federal court in California late yesterday challenging the National Marine Fisheries Service’s decision to withdraw a proposed rule that would have protected endangered species, including whales and sea turtles, and taken an important step forward in efforts to clean up one of the nation’s dirtiest fisheries—drift gillnets targeting swordfish off California. The rule would have … Read more
Oceana’s analysis conducted on 16 EU Member States’ plans for measures, has revealed a widespread lack of ambition to effectively use networks of MPAs to contribute to the EU’s objective of achieving healthy, clean and productive seas by 2020, as required under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). The current EU network of MPAs is severely flawed, as protection … Read more
Lionfish are decimating native fish in the Caribbean. They also make flaky, buttery filets. A fish that’s unwelcome and tasty? That sounds like a recipe for guilt-free tacos. But lionfish are venomous too, and can carry naturally occurring toxins. Is eating them a good idea? Marine scientists, conservationists and food safety experts echo a resounding … Read more
Today, the new federal administration withdrew a proposed rule that would have protected endangered species—including whales, dolphins, and sea turtles—caught and killed in the drift gillnet fishery targeting swordfish off California. Today’s decision demonstrates the Administration’s blatant disregard for recommendations of its own fishery advisors and reverses course on commitments made by the previous administration. In September … Read more
Sign up today to get weekly updates and action alerts from Oceana.
We have already protected nearly 4 million square miles of ocean and innumerable sea life - but there is still more to be done.