2015 marks the 40th anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and 40 years since movie goers were introduced to Hollywood’s portrayal of the great white shark in Jaws.
Within days of the release of Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster movie‘ Jaws’ in June 1975, CITES entered into force.

The European Union’s Blue Growth agenda aims to harness further the potential of Europe’s oceans, seas and coasts for jobs, economic value and sustainability. A new report published today by the European Environment Agency (EEA) shows that, despite some improvements, the way we use our seas remains unsustainable and threatens not only the productivity of our seas, but also our well-being.

Global event tackles solutions for a world where plastic is used, but without its current footprint.

A total of 7.5% of all European marine fish species are threatened with extinction in European waters, according to the European Red List of Marine Fishes published today by IUCN and the European Commission. While some species are recovering, marine management has been less successful for many other commercial fishes: 40.4% of European sharks, rays and chimaeras face an elevated risk of extinction.

A report released today by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) on the occasion of World Oceans Day recommends a precautionary approach toward microplastic management, with an eventual phase-out and ban of their use in personal care products and cosmetics (PCCP).
The study, entitled Plastic in Cosmetics: Are We Polluting the Environment Through our Personal Care: Plastic ingredients that contribute to marine microplastic litter' is a compilation of currently available knowledge on the linkages between cosmetics and plastic pollution in the oceans.

Obama Proclamation On National Oceans Month 2015: This summer, millions of Americans will take in the beauty and natural splendor of our oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes. As destinations for recreation and tourism, these bodies of water rejuvenate our spirit and cultivate a love of our great outdoors. And no matter where you live or who you are, a healthy and thriving ocean is essential to all people all year. Our marine environments contribute to our food supply, bolster our economy, strengthen our national defense, and support important scientific research and innovation.

This year’s European Maritime Day #EMD2015 is taking place at the port of Piraeus in Greece on 28-29th May, and will be focused on the theme of ports and coasts as gateways to growth.

Let’s start with the good news: Fisheries around the world are catching far fewer sharks than they used to.
Shark catches are down more than 20 percent from their peak in 2003. That year fishing fleets around the world netted 900,000 metric tons of sharks.
Sharks and related species such as rays and skates—collectively known as chondrichthyans—have been overfished for so long that at least 25 percent of the 1,000-plus known species are threatened with extinction.

Micro-plastics – tiny pieces of plastic or fibres which may act as a pathway for persistent, bio accumulating and toxic substances entering the food chain – are increasingly being found in the oceans and may prove to be as harmful to marine life as more obvious, larger debris, such as plastic bags, according to a new report.

As the world population, economy and consumption grows, a complex and multi-dimensional approach is needed to manage a rising tide of solid waste, researchers say in a study published in the journal Waste Management.
The research is by Lilliana Abarca-Guerrero, now at the Costa Rica Institute of Technology, along with colleagues at the Eindhoven University of Technology in The Netherlands and Linnaeus University, Sweden.