Oceana North America Blog: The Beacon

Destructive Fishing Gear Kills 400K+ Seabirds per Year

Justine Sullivan — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 19:23:28 +0000

Hundreds of thousands of seabirds like this critically endangered waved albatross chick are snared and drowned by gillnets around the world every year. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

“Walls of death.” Gillnets have often been described in this haunting way due to their devastating ability to catch all kinds of fish, as well as sea turtles, seals, dolphins, and even whales. Marine creatures of all sizes and species are indiscriminately snared and drowned in these death traps, and a recent report reveals that even birds are being killed by these sea nets. A study in the journal Biological Conservation reported that fishing vessels that deploy gillnets snare and drown at least 400,000 sea birds around the world every year. The actual figure could be even higher.

Meet the Faces of the Ocean Hero Junior Awards!

Sarah Williamson — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 15:03:25 +0000

Winners of the 2010 Ocean Hero Award, the Shark Finatics' most recent project involved plastic bottles filled with important ocean conservation messages.

The Shark Finatics were the 2010 Ocean Hero Awards Junior Winners!

Since winning the Ocean Hero Award in 2010, the Shark Finatics have expanded their conservation work beyond their original shark adoption efforts.

This past fall, they participated in Asher Jay’s “creative diaspora,” when plastic bottles they decorated and filled with important ocean conservation messages were featured in the Washington, DC, exhibit of “Sea Speak Sphere.”

Oceana Testifies in Support of MA Seafood Labeling Bills

Beckie Zisser — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 14:03:40 +0000

Do you really know what you're ordering? Oceana's Beckie Zisser testifies in support of stronger seafood labeling bills in Massachusetts. Photo: Jenn Hueting

The Massachusetts Legislature is currently considering three bills relating to seafood mislabeling, following in the footsteps of Washington state, which just last month enacted its own legislation on seafood mislabeling. I traveled to Boston earlier this week to testify before the Joint Committee on Public Health in support of these bills, which are important for giving consumers fuller and more accurate information about the seafood they buy.

Scottish Government Welcomes New Wind Subsidies!

admin — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 17:51:43 +0000

Scotland hopes to boost development of offshore wind through new federal subsidies. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

In a move to promote the development of offshore wind, the Scottish government has introduced new wind subsidies. Offshore wind is a renewable energy source which will help us transition from polluting fossil fuels to a clean and renewable energy future. For years, Oceana has been working to promote the responsible development of offshore wind energy in the U.S. because we believe that this untapped resource can help mitigate the effects of global climate change and ocean acidification while at the same time boosting our economy with good-paying American jobs.

Puffins Are Struggling with Warming Waters

Matt Huelsenbeck — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 13:54:31 +0000

Puffins like this one have become the "canary in the coal mine," showing us the real threat that climate change poses to the oceans and to the creatures that call it home. Photo: Andreas Trepte

Puffins are rightfully dubbed the “clowns of the ocean” from their animated appearance, but sadly, they might instead serve as the “canary in a coal mine” warning us about climate change threats to the ocean.

The ocean is warming up in the Gulf of Maine from Massachusetts to Nova Scotia where ocean temperatures have hit a 150-year high, and these abnormally warm waters are altering marine food webs. Many fish species are moving into deeper and colder waters, and some are being replaced by fish from the south.

Oceana's Michael LeVine Testifies Against a Reckless Offshore Oil Bill

Alex Bea — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 13:17:09 +0000

Michael Levine testifying before Congress | Courtesy Alaska Wilderness League

Yesterday, Michael LeVine, Pacific Senior Council, Oceana, testified on the “Offshore Energy and Jobs Act” (H.R. 2231) in front of the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources of the Committee on Natural Resources. H.R. 2231 would force the Secretary of the Interior to offer lease sales in vast areas of U.S. ocean waters, including the U.S. Arctic Ocean, where Shell’s 2012 exploration attempt resulted in a season of mishaps and near-disasters.

Oceana Explores the Baltic!

Justine Sullivan — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 16:45:42 +0000

20130607 - Trip Madrid - Malmö from Oceana on Vimeo.

On World Oceans Day this past Saturday, Oceana launched its first ever Baltic Sea coastal expedition. We’ve dedicated this mission to studying the Baltic coastline, and particularly Sweden, Denmark, Poland and Finland, where a number of unique and incredible areas will be explored

Study Shows: Coastal States Failing to Protect Their Waters

Lydia Geschiere — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 17:28:08 +0000

Pacific threadfins in a Hawaiian fishery, courtesy of NOAA

Saturday was World Oceans Day, a day to celebrate the many ways the oceans benefit our lives. These benefits are most obvious to residents of our coastal states, who can regularly enjoy beach outings, fresh seafood, marine life sightings, and an economy that is greatly boosted by tourism. In fact, of the lower 48 states, 35% of the Gross Domestic Product comes from coastal counties alone!

A historic time for offshore wind

Matt Huelsenbeck — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 22:07:08 +0000

The first offshore wind turbine in the U.S. was recently deployed off the coast of Maine. The pilot project uses a floating platform with a small wind turbine affixed to a tower. The project is a small, but significant step toward developing an abundant clean energy resource in the U.S.

VICTORY! EU Shark Fin Ban Loopholes to Be Closed

Justine Sullivan — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 15:17:05 +0000

The European Union closed a final loophole in their shark fin bans, effectively making shark finning forbidden by all vessels in EU waters and by all EU-registered vessels around the world. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

We’ve got some great news to share with you – The European Union (EU) agreed on Thursday to tighten their existing ban on shark finning, and to effectively close a final loophole in the ban on finning. With the change, shark finning will be forbidden by all vessels in EU waters and by all EU-registered vessels around the world. “Shark finning is one of the main threats to the shark population,” Sandrine Polti, policy adviser to the Shark Alliance, explained to the Huffington Post. “We’re now in a much better position to push for a global shark-finning ban.”