Maria Damanaki, European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries decided to close the bluefin tuna fishery to purse seiners in the Mediterranean and Eastern Atlantic, due to the exhaustion of the quotas allocated to them, in early June.

France, Greece and Spain were informed of this decision which became effective as of 10th June. The closure of the purse seine fishery was necessary to protect the fragile stock of bluefin tuna and to ensure its recovery as envisaged by the recovery plan of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT). The Commission has declared a zero tolerance approach towards overfishing and will take all necessary measures to ensure full compliance across the board.

We dived and saw what could be the remaining Mediterranean fish!

Please sign the petition: www.ocean2012.eu/petition

Will there be any fish left for future divers to visit?

Transforming European Fisheries from OCEAN2012 on Vimeo.

Please sign the petition:  www.ocean2012.eu/petition

Join us on a special dive to learn about the state of EU Fisheries

Fun fish ID Eco Boat Dive over the endangered seagrass meadows followed by free buffet & showing of End of the Line film

Sun 6th June at 13.00 at International Diving Center, The Port, L’Escala

Years of intensive fishing in European waters have led to dramatic declines in once abundant fish populations. Eighty percent of assessed EU fish stocks are overfished and more than 30 per cent are outside safe biological limits.

The 2012 reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) is an opportunity to stop overfishing, end destructive fishing practices and deliver fair and equitable use of abundant fish stocks. OCEAN2012 is an alliance of organisations dedicated to transforming European fisheries policy and to facilitating greater participation in the reform by broadening stakeholder involvement.

European Fish Week 2010 will take place from June 5^th to 13^th. It is a unique opportunity for everybody across Europe to play their part in making this a truly fundamental reform of the Common Fisheries Policy.

OCEAN2012 member groups and friends will be organising events and activities throughout Europe, such as film screenings, panel discussions, food tastings, beachside activities and much much more. Together, we will be calling on the Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Maria Damanaki, to make environmental sustainability a prerequisite for a reformed Common Fisheries Policy. Make your voice heard!

To register for this special dive please contact gaynor@kennaecodiving.net

Wonderful photos from the making of Ocean movie:

http://www.coml.org/comlfiles/press/GalateeBrochure_14January2010.pdf

Here is a link to the English language version of the report:

SILMAR Project 2009 Report (English language)

Volunteers please note that all our marine conservation work is carried out in English.

SILMAR Project Report of Marine Conservation Activity by Eco Dive Volunteers during 2009

Online Publishing from Yudu

Come and enjoy a Mediterranean diving trip at a fraction of the normal cost by volunteering as an Eco Diver

Eco Dive volunteer

Eco Divers are needed each year from April to October to help gather data on Mediterranean key species and habitats. This data is essential for conservation planning and coastal management.  Volunteers enjoy unlimited  warm water diving whilst volunteering and holidaying in the Mediterranean at subsidised rates starting from ONLY 148 Euros per week.

We carry out marine reseach in Cala Montgo, near L’Escala, on the Catalan coast,  as voluntary coodinators for the SILMAR Project, and conduct regular clean up activities for Project Aware.

Eco Divers

This is a great opportunity to build up your log book, practice your bouyancy and underwater photography skills, learn about marine ecology and gain fieldwork experience.

Visit our Eco Divers’ website for more information and to book your place.

The marine research  is progressing well documenting the ecosystems and key species present in Cala Montgo as part of the SILMAR project mapping of coastal habitats around the Iberian peninsular.

Last week we had a camera crew from the spanish channel TV3 who came out to dive with us to document the importance of the marine conservation work that we are doing.

We still need the help of volunteer divers during April to October every year. Come and get involved!

You’ll enjoy unlimited Mediterranean diving from the lovely town of L’Escala, staying at subsidised rates on the sunny Costa Brava!