WWF

Hobart, Australia: WWF, as part of the Antarctic Ocean Alliance (AOA), is calling on the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) to step up to its conservation commitments and agree to lasting and significant Southern Ocean protection. At a meeting in Hobart, Australia the commission will be discussing the designation of marine protected areas in the Ross Sea and East Antarctic. A joint United States-New Zealand government proposal to protect over two million km 2 of the Ross Sea was put forward last year but did not gain full support. The AOA originally recommended full protection of 3.6 million km 2 in the Ross Sea, often referred to as "The Last Ocean" as it is one of the most pristine oceans left on earth. But a new proposal was announced prior to the Hobart meeting with a reduction in size bringing it down to 1.32 million km 2 . A second proposal from the Australian government, France and the European Union for East Antarctic protection is also on the table to protect 1.6 million km 2 designated as multiple use, in which future fishing activities would have to be approved by consensus. "CCAMLR prides itself on a comprehensive approach to its conservation of marine life in the Southern Ocean," said Bob Zuur, manager of WWF's Antarctic program. "This meeting provides CCAMLR an opportunity to deliver on its promise of a system of marine protected areas and show that the Convention is not just about managing fishing." The Southern Ocean is home to more than 10,000 unique species including most of the world's penguins, whales, seabirds, colossal squid and the commercially targeted Antarctic toothfish. The region is critical for scientific research, both for studying how intact marine ecosystems function and for determining the impacts of global climate change. The Antarctic Ocean Alliance partners are attending the meeting in Hobart, working to ensure delegates step up to the challenge and designate the Ross Sea and East Antarctic proposals.

Strasbourg, France: Earlier today the European parliament plenary voted on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and decided against the reintroduction of subsidies for the building of new boats. Parliamentarians also included a package on jobs for young fishermen and training for sustainable fishing practices that is essential for fishing communities. The vote also resulted in a doubling of investment in data collection, control and regulation enforcement. This means that fisheries authorities have a real chance of winning the fight against illegal fishing.  More funding for data collection will give experts a complete picture of fish stocks and allow them to advise which stocks need more time to recover and which can be safely exploited.  WWF applauds this decision as it will give decimated fish stocks a real chance of recovery. We are however concerned with the continuation of funds for engine replacement which will give small vessels, of under 12 metre, the capacity to stay out at sea longer and increase their operational range. Quote from Tony Long, Director, WWF European Policy Office: "Today's decision gives European fish stocks a real fighting chance. Funding for fleet renewal ended in 2002 and a reintroduction of these subsidies would have dangerously increased the capacity of the fleet, given boats a longer range and resulted in the destruction of the few remaining healthy fish stocks." "Today we have dodged a bullet as the proposal on the table would have made fish stock recovery measures agreed in the summer pointless." "This is good news for conservation of fish stocks and fishing communities who can look to a more secure future. Importantly, MEPs also decided to invest in data collection, control and enforcement of fisheries, by increasing the budget available. This will give authorities the ability to really fight against illegal fishing in European waters which accounts for up to 40 per cent of landings* and allows us to gain an accurate insight into the recovery rate of the most vulnerable stocks." *For figures on illegal landings please go to the New Economics Foundation Report, Unknown Waters 2013 http://s.bsd.net/nefoundation/default/page/-/publications/EMFF2_Briefing_ENGLISH.pdf

Washington, USA: A unique panel of business, government, conservation and academic leaders has agreed a global strategy for aligning ocean health and human well-being. The Blue Ribbon Panel, which includes 21 global experts from 16 countries, emphasizes that without action to turn around the declining health of the ocean, the consequences for economies, communities and ecosystems will be irreversible.   Recent science from the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the International Programme on the State of the Ocean has intensified the focus on declining ocean health. "Ocean change is climate change and vice versa," said panel chair and ocean adviser to the IPCC Ove Hoegh-Guldberg. "With looming threats of rising sea levels, warmer waters and a growing human population we need healthy oceans and coasts to mitigate climate change, feed billions and protect coastal communities." But there is good news: solutions exist that benefit both oceans and economies, according to the panel's report. Convened by the World Bank to advise the Global Partnership for Oceans, the panel includes high-level players ranging from CEOs of some of the largest seafood companies in the world - including Thai Union Frozen Products, Bumble Bee Foods and High Liner Foods - to government officials and prominent marine conservationists. According to the panel, fragmented approaches that fail to consider social, political, economic and ecological relationships will fail to meet the complex challenges facing ocean health. The report calls for an integrated approach to ocean investment and emphasizes the essential role of public-private partnerships.   The panel agreed that the Global Partnership for Oceans is a platform that brings together the multi-stakeholder support, technical expertise and finance needed to change the course on oceans. "Getting to healthy oceans is a global challenge that needs the concentrated effort of big and small business, government, science and the people," said Ove Hoegh-Guldberg. "Though they brought very different world views, everyone on this panel agreed that we can't keep going with business-as-usual and all parts of society must be part of the solution." The panel agreed there is no silver bullet to resolving urgent ocean challenges. It proposes these five principles to ensure effective GPO investments: sustainable livelihoods, social equity and food security a healthy ocean effective governance systems long-term viability capacity building and innovation The Panel's principle-based strategy provides an approach to prioritize where, when and how the GPO can take action with high impact. The panel recommends that the principles be incorporated into all levels of reform - from fisheries management to incentives for pollution reduction to habitat restoration. "Probably what impressed me most is that every member of this group was prepared to put aside their differences to work towards solutions to the problems affecting our oceans. Just goes to show what could be possible on the scale of the Global Partnership for Oceans." John Tanzer, Marine Director, WWF International.

Hanoi, Vietnam: Bobby Chinn, celebrity chef and award-winning TV host, joined forces with WWF today to promote responsible seafood. WWF has been working with Bobby to promote responsible seafood production, retail, and consumption to help address dwindling fish resources in the Coral Triangle—an area in Asia Pacific that contains one of the highest concentrations of reef fish on the planet, many of which are exported to Vietnam. "As a publicly-known chef and restaurateur, I'm in a unique position to help educate fellow seafood retailers and consumers on how their choices can help transform the fishing industry for the better," said Bobby. As a personal commitment to the cause, Bobby introduced a responsible seafood menu at his restaurant using responsibly-sourced products from seafood companies that comply with best management practices in seafood production, some of which have been certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC). Dwindling fish stocks Unsustainable fishing practices are causing tremendous stress on the region's marine resources, brought about by increasing seafood demand from around the world. Destructive fishing methods are still rampant in some parts of Asia Pacific and are rapidly destroying critical coral reef ecosystems. "Without urgent transformative measures from fishing companies, seafood retailers, and consumers, fish stocks will continue to decline and we may not have enough fish resources left in the near future to secure our food and livelihood," said Ngo Tien Chuong, WWF-Vietnam's Aquaculture Coordinator. Improving fisheries WWF has been working closely with the private and public sectors to help improve fishing practices through fisheries and aquaculture improvement projects that help fisheries adopt better management practices, and assisting them to eventually attain MSC and ASC certification. In Vietnam, for example, WWF helped the clam fishery in Ben Tre to be the first in Southeast Asia to get MSC certification in 2009, increasing its export price by as much as 50 per cent. In line with the government's goal to attain responsible pangasius production, WWF has also been working with pangasius exporting companies and has helped the industry achieve its first target of having 10 per cent of its total production ASC certified in 2012. An additional 15 per cent is expected by the end of 2013. These two sustainably certified seafood products are on Bobby Chin's menu. "This is a new model of cooperation and we hope that it will multiply and be applied to other industries in Vietnam. The success of this model will help Vietnamese industries, especially fisheries and aquaculture, to achieve its target toward sustainable development," said Ms. Tran Thu Nga, Chairwoman of Ben Tre Fishery Association. "More people need to understand the direct link between the seafood on their plate and the state of our ocean's resources," explained Bobby. "I hope that through collaborative efforts like these, we can make a bigger impact on the way people choose seafood."

Penang, Malaysia – Fish farmers and fish feed producers from the Coral Triangle region today released a draft of the inaugural fish farming Standards for grouper, snapper, and sea bass also known as barramundi—popular farmed seafood species in dire need of better management.  The draft Standards is the product of a two-day Aquaculture Dialogue, which marked the first of what is deemed to be a series of regional dialogues designed to enable a range of stakeholders to actively participate in the development of best-practice Standards for these farmed species. The goal is to have the Standards in place and utilized by 2015. "The need for more responsible farming of grouper, snapper, and barramundi has been identified in recent years by government and non-government agencies and more recently, by a more vocal industry, in response to both environmental and market access issues," said Carol Phua, WWF-Malaysia's Marine Programme Head. While best aquaculture practices for grouper have been previously developed by other regional bodies and have been used to work with farmers to notionally improve farm operations, measurable standards for this suite of species have not previously been discussed and drafted. "The emphasis of previous programs has been on the management of small-scale farmers and on livelihoods, but the rapid growth in commercial-scale farming and the impacts of these farmed fish species in particular, on the marine environment has necessitated us to look more deeply at measures that can help us address this industry's poor sustainability record," added Phua. High demand, high footprint species Grouper is one of highest-valued species of economic importance in the world. In the past decade, the global production and output of grouper aquaculture has developed rapidly, especially in China and Southeast Asian countries. At face value, figures suggest an increase in overall production between 2000 and 2010 of more than 700 percent. "Grouper, snapper, and barramundi farming have significant environmental impacts, and yet no collective efforts have been made to reduce such impacts," said Dr. Geoffrey Muldoon, WWF Coral Triangle Strategy Leader. Adverse modifications to natural habitats, harmful impacts of pollution and waste discharge, drug and chemical use leading to poor water quality and fish health, removal of juvenile fish from the wild before being able to replenish fish populations, and heavy dependence on fish feed are just some of the numerous problems plaguing the farming of these species. "Such unsustainable practices are not only threatening the biodiversity of the Coral Triangle but also the livelihoods dependent on these resources. Implementing measurable and performance-based Standards for responsibly-farmed seafood is of critical importance, not only for Malaysians but for the wellbeing of all in the Coral Triangle," said Phua. "The countries of this region see the export of grouper, snapper, and barramundi as continuing to contribute significantly to their respective economies, however the markets into which these products are being sold are increasingly demanding better performance. We see these Standards helping the sector to expand in a responsible way that minimizes environmental and social impacts," said Dr. Muldoon. The participants of the dialogue collectively agreed for the standards to address the following issues: natural habitat and local biodiversity conservation; socially-responsible farm operations; sustainability and traceability of feed ingredients; and fish health maintenance, among others. The long-term goal is to evolve these Standards to the extent that they will be recognized by global certification bodies such as the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC)—the most credible certification and eco-labelling organization for farmed seafood, and international Standards setting bodies such as ISEAL. The dialogue was officiated by Dr. Afif Bahardin, Penang Agriculture, Agro-based Industry, Rural Development and Health Committee Chairman. ENDS ----------------- Notes to the Editor: The Coral Triangle—the nursery of the seas—is the world's center of marine life, encompassing around 6 million sq km of ocean across six countries in Asia-Pacific – Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste. The initial draft of the Standards for grouper, snapper, and barramundi is the first of many steps, which will involve conducting public consultations, applying revisions, enlisting the participation of more industry players and consumer markets, and eventually establishing an advisory group to oversee the implementation and monitoring of the Standards. For further information: Paolo Mangahas, Communications Manager, WWF Coral Triangle Global Initiative, Email: pmangahas@wwf.org.my Nadiah Rosli, Communications Officer, WWF-Malaysia Peninsular Malaysia Seas Programme, Email: nrosli@wwf.org.my

Norway, October 2013: The new government of Norway has committed to protecting valuable areas of the ocean from being impacted by petroleum activities, putting the value of nature in front of the need for oil. "This is not just a victory for all of us who have spent countless hours and years fighting for it. It is first and foremost a great victory for nature, including cod, seabirds, the world's largest coldwater coral reef, and for renewable jobs and the transition to a 100% renewable society," said Nina Jensen, CEO of WWF-Norway.  During 2013 WWF-Norway ran a campaign to keep the coasts of Lofoten, Vesterålen and Senja free from oil and gas exploration. Oil and gas activity in this area would threaten the world's largest cod stock, the world's largest cold water coral reef and mainland Europe's biggest seabird colony. Uncertainty grew during the Norwegian election campaign on whether a new government would open up areas of Lofoten, temporary protected since 2001, for oil drilling as a reaction to pressure from the industry. But minority parties fought hard to ensure a permanent ban was in place to prevent any oil drilling and ensure these areas remain oil-free. "This decision has bigger implications than just nature conservation. As Norway is one of the world's largest oil and gas developers, with an economy largely dependent on the oil sector, suggesting it should keep some oil in the ground has been considered radical by some. " said Ms Jensen. In the past year the debate on carbon risk highlighted the need for an urgent shift from traditional energy sources like oil to renewable sources. With this decision the new government has opened up a space for public debate and they have opened political space for WWF and a united NGO community to keep influencing and achieving big wins!

Hong Kong, September 2013: WWF-Hong Kong congratulates the HKSAR government for issuing a shark fin and bluefin tuna ban for their official dining. This is a bold and encouraging step taken by the government on the conservation of sharks and bluefin tuna. WWF hopes that more people would support this action by not consuming or serving shark fin and bluefin tuna, and support choosing sustainable seafood. It is hoped that the government can continue to show its support by improving trade transparency and extending relevant international conventions into Hong Kong. Shark fin ban The number of shark species being listed either on The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List or the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has been increasing in recent years. According to IUCN, out of 468 shark species, 74 are listed either as threatened species. Annually, up to 73 million sharks are killed to satisfy the enormous demand. Hong Kong is named as "shark fin capital" as it handles about half of the global trade in shark fin every year. Bluefin tuna ban Bluefin tuna are particularly vulnerable to overfishing. The fisheries management is neither comprehensive nor effective, leaving all 3 species of bluefin tuna facing the threat of overfishing. Over the last four decades, the Atlantic bluefin tuna has declined by at least 51% and is now listed as endangered by the IUCN Red List. Its conservation status is similar to that of pandas and tigers. Meanwhile the Southern bluefin tuna adult fish has experienced an 85% decline, resulting in its critically endangered status. Forging ahead The government's internal ban of shark fin and bluefin tuna sends a strong conservation message to the broader society in Hong Kong. WWF applauds such initiatives and at the same time hopes that the action of the government would not stop here. Mr Gavin Edwards, Conservation Director of WWF-Hong Kong said, "Currently in the market we have no way to know what species of sharks are involved in the shark fin trade and we may unknowingly consume a lot of endangered species. The government`s commitment to ban shark fin from their dining tables is an excellent opportunity to improve transparency of the trade and monitoring of shark and bluefin tuna." WWF-Hong Kong promoties and educates the public on shark and bluefin tuna conservation. They have been encouraging caterers and corporations not to serve and consume shark fin respectively. Currently 154 corporates pledged not to consume shark fin and 115 catering businesses pledged to providing shark-free menus. In order to conserve bluefin tuna, WWF launched the "Bluefin Saver" campaign in 2009, calling on all consumers and suppliers to avoid consuming and serving the species. Currently 26 restaurants pledged not to serve bluefin tuna.

A new TRAFFIC study examines how tighter trade controls can ensure that seven species of sharks and manta rays are only sourced sustainably and legally before entering international trade. The study, Into the deep: Implementing CITES measures for commercially-valuable sharks and manta rays, was commissioned by the European Commission and written in the wake of these marine animals being listed in by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in March this year. The oceanic whitetip shark, porbeagle shark, three species of hammerhead shark and two manta rays, all of them subject to continued overfishing, were included in Appendix II which will regulate trade. "There was great elation when these sharks and manta rays were listed by CITES, but although it was a significant moment for the conservation world, now comes the task of making these listings work in practice as time is running out for some of these species," said Glenn Sant, TRAFFIC's Marine Programme Leader. "CITES listings do not take away the need for comprehensive fisheries management, they represent one critical part of that management through aiming to control trade and prevent international trade in products of these species being sourced from unsustainable or illegal fisheries." The new study aimed to identify which of the 178 countries signed up to CITES will be affected by the listings; the relevant existing international, regional and domestic regulations; the main challenges facing implementation of the measures; and any additional capacity building needs to ensure those countries catching and trading in these species can validate their sustainability and legality before issuing permits. The study revealed a lack of basic information on the levels of catch and population status of the newly listed species, with an urgent need to improve the identification of species in trade, reporting of their trade and for further research, assessment and monitoring to determine the impacts of trade on populations. It highlighted the need to ensure domestic regulatory frameworks and administrative structures are adequate to support the implementation of CITES trade controls. The study also examined the very different dynamics influencing the trade in the species concerned. Manta rays are chiefly traded for gill rakers, used in traditional Asian medicines. Of the sharks porbeagle is mainly caught for meat, hammerheads for local consumption of meat and international trade of fins and the larger oceanic whitetip is highly valued for fins, destined for markets in Asia, particularly Hong Kong. Some of the species examined are specifically targeted by fishing operations, while others are a secondary, but valuable, catch when targeting other species such as tuna. Given the different markets involved in the trade and uses involved, this creates highly complex trade chains which the new study attempts to unravel. About TRAFFIC TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, works to ensure that trade in wild plants and animals is not a threat to the conservation of nature. TRAFFIC is a strategic alliance of IUCN and WWF.

Bremerhaven: WWF has expressed deep disappointment that, after years of work negotiations on the establishment of marine protected areas (MPAs) around Antarctica failed to achieve any outcome as a result of opposition from Russia. The Antarctic Ocean Alliance, of which WWF is a member, today called the Russian delegation's blocking of proposals for large ocean sanctuaries in Antarctic waters, "an extraordinary missed opportunity for the global marine environment." The special meeting of the 25 members of the Commission for the Conservation on Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) was specifically tasked to consider two proposals to protect areas of the Ross Sea and East Antarctica. 'It is indeed regrettable and worrying that CCMALR has not seized the opportunity to put in place large-scale ocean protection," said John Tanzer, WWF International Marine Director. "This was a clear opportunity for action which has been missed. The oceans are under increasing pressure and urgent action to protect critical and vulnerable areas like the Antarctic is required. There is no good reason to postpone these actions and a great deal is at stake here," he added. The two proposals that CCAMLR failed to pass were a joint US-New Zealand proposal to designate a Ross Sea MPA of 2.3 million Km2, including a fully protected area of 1.6 million Km2; and a proposal from Australia, France and the European Union that would designate a cluster of seven marine protected areas in East Antarctica, covering about 1.63 million Km2. "WWF is incredibly disappointed that CCAMLR missed this opportunity to protect the home of more than 10,000 species including seabirds, whales, seals and most of the world's penguins," said Bob Zuur, Manager, WWF Antarctic and Southern Ocean Initiative. "Antarctica's ocean is one of the most vulnerable on Earth. We urge CCAMLR to create these critical protected areas at the next meeting in October." The Southern Ocean is critical for scientific research, both for studying how intact marine ecosystems function and for determining the impacts of global climate change. "WWF has contributed significantly to the science that supports these proposals. We are looking forward to further engagement in the next meetings in Hobart, " said Zuur. "We hope that the Russian delegation will work in the spirit of international cooperation to realise this historic opportunity to comprehensively protect some of the world's most pristine environments," he added.

Today public hearings closed at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the case between Australia and Japan over whaling by Japan in the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica. In May 2010, the Australian government initiated legal proceedings in the ICJ against the government of Japan alleging that so-called 'scientific' whaling by Japan is in breach of the country's international treaty obligations. Whaling for commercial purposes has been banned internationally since 1986 and the Southern Ocean was declared a whale sanctuary in 1994 affording it an additional layer of protection. The Australian government has requested the ICJ to order the government of Japan to cease its 'scientific' whaling programme in the Southern Ocean, and to provide assurances and guarantees that it will not take part in any further 'scientific' whaling in this zone. New Zealand has intervened in support of Australia's case. After extensive commercial whaling in the twentieth century brought most great whale species in the Southern Ocean close to extinction, the governments party to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) established the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary, recognizing the critical importance of protecting whales in this special place. Japan exploits a clause in the IWC treaty that allows for the killing of whales for "scientific purposes." "Since the whaling treaty was signed there have been great scientific advances that allow data about whales to be obtained through non-lethal means. The International Court of Justice has heard abundant evidence on why hunting hundreds of whales in the Southern Ocean is not necessary for science," said Wendy Elliott, species programme manager at WWF. "In this day and age there is no reason to kill whales for scientific research and WWF strongly hopes for a positive ruling by the court that will end whaling in the Southern Ocean."

Bremerhaven, Germany: The Antarctic Ocean Alliance (AOA) and its partners say the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) has a landmark opportunity to protect the Antarctic`s Southern Ocean this week. CCAMLR members will decide the fate of two key proposals for Antarctic marine protection, either of which would create the world's largest marine protected rea (MPA) if designated. "Marine protected areas promote scientific research in Antarctica and ensure the regions ocean resources are well managed for future generations," said Bob Zuur, WWF's Antarctic and Southern Ocean Initiative.  "Antarctica's ocean is the least protected on Earth.  We ask CCAMLR to act on the best available scientific evidence and create these critical protected areas." The special CCAMLR meeting has been called because the Commission couldn't come to a consensus on the two proposals at its meeting in October 2012. The United States and New Zealand propose that CCAMLR designate a Ross Sea MPA of 2.3 million Km 2 . The Ross Sea is often referred to as the last ocean because it is one of the only large ocean habitats that is still relatively intact and home to a dazzling array of marine wildlife. A second proposal from Australia, France and the European Union would designate seven marine protected areas in East Antarctica covering about 1.63 million Km 2 . The Southern Ocean is home to more than 10,000 unique species including most of the world's penguins, whales, seabirds, colossal squid and the commercially targeted Antarctic toothfish. The region is critical for scientific research, both for studying how intact marine ecosystems function and for determining the impacts of global climate change. The AOA partners are attending the CCAMLR meeting in Bremerhaven working to ensure CCAMLR delegates step up to the challenge and designate the Ross Sea and East Antarctic proposals. "The world is watching the outcome of this CCAMLR meeting," said Steve Campbell, Campaign Director of the Antarctic Ocean Alliance, a group of more than 30 environmental organizations. "The Southern Ocean is a global commons like no other and protecting these vital marine habitats would benefit all of us, now and in the future."

Auckland: Some of the world's leading whale, dolphin and porpoise scientists have expressed their 'extreme concern' about the survival of New Zealand's Maui's dolphin , urging the government to take immediate action to ensure 'full protection of Maui's in all areas throughout their habitat'. The Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) acknowledged in its 2013 report , released this weekend, that Maui's will decline to just 10 adult breeding females in six years and become functionally extinct in less than 20 years—unless their full range is protected from gillnetting and trawling. This followed a similar call from the IWC in 2012. Global conservation organization WWF presented a paper to the IWC Scientific Committee 65th meeting in Jeju, Korea in June that highlighted the lack of progress from New Zealand to save the last estimated 55 Maui's dolphins. WWF-New Zealand's Executive Director, Chris Howe, said: "One year after the IWC urged immediate action to protect our critically endangered dolphins, it is unacceptable that Maui's are still at risk of dying needlessly while we wait for adequate protection. "The government needs to step up now to do everything in its power to save Maui's dolphins. We call on Conservation Minister Nick Smith and Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy to announce permanent measures that remove fishing gear which kills dolphins from their waters, and help affected fishermen adopt dolphin-friendly methods. Anything less will not give the species a fighting chance at survival." The government announced interim protection measures in June 2012, but dangerous fishing activity is still allowed to continue in parts of Maui's habitat, including off the Taranaki coast and inside harbours. Eight months ago a public consultation on the Threat Management Plan for Maui's dolphin closed, yet the government has yet to make a decision on protecting them. Scientists' estimate that over 95% of unnatural Maui's deaths are caused by entanglement and drowning in gillnet or trawl fishing. An expert panel convened by the government in 2012 estimated that around 5 Maui's are killed each year in fishing nets, a rate 75.5 times what the population can withstand. Howe said: "The world is watching and waiting for New Zealand to take action to save these small and critically endangered dolphins. Both the survival of Maui's and our international reputation is on the line."

The Australian Marine Conservation Society and WWF-Australia said today that Australia's governments are putting the Great Barrier Reef at risk by failing to implement the World Heritage Committee recommendations around rapid industrialisation. WWF- Australia's Richard Leck, who has been attending the World Heritage Meeting as an observer, said Australia had been put 'on notice' by the World Heritage Committee. "Australian governments now have a firm deadline of June 2014 for action to avoid the global icon being placed on an international list of shame. This will be a crucial 12 months for ensuring the future of our reef and the AU$6 billion tourism industry that relies on it," Mr Leck said. "The decision reinforces the strong concerns that scientists, fishers, local communities and people around the world have for the reef, "The World Heritage Committee was explicit that the most precious pristine areas of the reef including Keppel Bay, north Curtis Island and the northern section of the reef need to be protected," said Mr Leck. Felicity Wishart Great Barrier Reef Campaign Director said that the government had made some progress on water quality and farm runoff but that these gains could be overshadowed by millions of tonnes of dredging and dumping for planned mega-port development along the coast. "Both major political parties had the opportunity to support the recommendations of the World Heritage Committee through changes to Australian environmental laws put before the Australian Senate on Monday night. Both political parties refused. "We need both major political parties to recognise just how serious the threat to the reef is. Australian scientists are concerned, the World Heritage Committee is concerned, and yesterday millions of people tweeted their concerns. "Yet the Queensland Government continues to fast track large scale port developments on the Great Barrier Reef and the Australian Government is failing to stop them. "Australian state and federal governments must heed the World Heritage Committee recommendation and put the brakes on the rapid industrialisation of the coastline. There should be no more port development or dredging and dumping until a plan to properly protect the reef is in place. "Right now there is a proposal to dredge millions of tonnes of seafloor less than 50kms from the Whitsunday Islands on Environment Minister Burke's desk. What will Tony Burke now do? Australians and the world deserve to know. "We will continue this campaign to protect the reef from unacceptable industrialisation" concluded Ms Wishart. BREAKING NEWS: Decision through - Australia's rapid industrialisation of the Great Barrier Reef denounced by World Heritage Committee. — Fight for the Reef (@fightforthereef) June 18, 2013

Bucharest, Romania – Ongoing illegal fishing and trade in caviar in Romania and Bulgaria is threatening the survival of sturgeons in the Danube river basin, finds a new report by WWF and TRAFFIC. The report's findings are based on interviews with caviar retailers and DNA analyses of samples obtained from selected shops, restaurants, markets, street vendors and sturgeon farms in Romania and Bulgaria. Significant information was also obtained in discussions with fishermen. In both countries, a fishing ban currently is in place until 2015. However, Bulgarian fishermen told researchers they used modern equipment such as sonar and GPS, as well as the forbidden traditional hook lines – "carmaci" – to catch wild sturgeons. "Romania and Bulgaria are home to the only viable wild sturgeon populations left in the European Union, and unless this sophisticated illegal fishing is stopped, these fish are doomed," said WWF's Jutta Jahrl, author of the new report. In total, 30 caviar samples were obtained and analysed during the latest study to determine the species of origin (14 in Romania, 14 in Bulgaria and two of Bulgarian farmed caviar in Austria). Of five samples said by vendors to be from wild-caught sturgeons, four were shown to be from the highly sought-after beluga sturgeon (Huso huso). Five of the six sturgeon species native to the Danube river basin, including the beluga, are critically endangered. Illegal fishing – principally for their caviar – is the main direct threat to their survival. "The survey demonstrates that caviar allegedly from wild sturgeons is still being offered for sale in Bulgaria and Romania, despite the current ban," said Jahrl. Although trade in farmed caviar is permitted if containers are specially labeled, eight of the caviar samples bought in fish shops or from street vendors did not have the mandatory labels and codes required under CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) to indicate their legal origin. Of three samples that did possess CITES labels, DNA analysis indicated they were from species or hybrids other than those declared on the label. Furthermore, five samples were mixtures containing more than one species of sturgeon, which is not permitted under the strict CITES rules (except for so called "pressed caviar"), while a further six samples were shown not to be sturgeon caviar, despite being explicitly sold as such. "These cases demonstrate that Bulgaria and Romania need to improve significantly their implementation of European Union Wildlife Trade Regulations and CITES labelling provisions," said TRAFFIC's Katalin Kecse-Nagy. "Consumers should only buy caviar that has authentic CITES labeling, or risk being ripped-off or worse." In 2011, a TRAFFIC study compiled for WWF revealed illegal caviar from Bulgaria and Romania was regularly being seized elsewhere in the EU. "Two years ago, attention was drawn to the need for Bulgaria and Romania to implement stronger controls over the caviar trade, but progress seems to be lacking," said Kecse-Nagy. Researchers also found that vendors in both countries, especially those offering supposedly illegal caviar, only sell to people they trust. The result is a covert chain of custody from poachers to customers involving middlemen and indicating a criminal network. "The illegal caviar trade is not just a wildlife protection issue. It also involves contraband and organized crime, loss of tax revenue for the countries concerned, and there are health and veterinary issues, too," said Kecse-Nagy. "Effective enforcement is a vital prerequisite for a successful fight against poaching and illegal wildlife trade. Tight inland and border controls are crucial, especially at the external frontiers of the EU, such as Moldova, Ukraine and Turkey, together with good national and cross border cooperation." The report also recommends the use of modern technology, such as DNA analysis, to help monitor the caviar trade and for strict control measures to regulate online caviar sales and sturgeon aquaculture operations. The report, Illegal caviar trade in Bulgaria and Romania, was funded by The Mohamed bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund and WWF.

Gland, Switzerland: Some of the world`s most iconic oceans are also the most at risk according to a new study on shipping accidents released by WWF for World Oceans Day. The South China Sea and East Indies, east Mediterranean and Black Sea, North Sea and British Isles were found to be dangerous hotspots for accidents involving ships. "Since 1999 there have been 293 shipping accidents in the South China Sea and east Indies, home of the Coral Triangle and 76 per cent of the world's coral species." said Dr Simon Walmsley, Marine Manger, WWF International. "As recently as April this year we`ve seen a Chinese fishing boat run aground on a protected coral reef in the Philippines that had already been damaged by a US Navy ship in January." Fishing vessels accounted for nearly a quarter of the vessels lost at sea but general cargo ships account for over 40 per cent. Cargo ships often operate short shipping routes, associated with the tramp trading where ships don't have a set route and pick up opportunistic trade, particularly in Southeast Asia. The risk to the environment is directly linked to the type and amount of hazardous substances, including oil, being transported and the sensitivity of the marine area where any accident could occur. In 2002, the Prestige oil tanker sunk resulting in over 70,000 tonnes of oil being released into the Atlantic Ocean off the Spanish coast. "The Prestige oil spill caused not only environmental impacts but economic losses estimated at €8 billion. Even small scale accidents in very sensitive environments, like the Great Barrier Reef, can have profound environmental consequences." said Dr Walmsley. Climate change models show increased storm surges, changing wind and wave patterns and extreme weather events which are likely to exacerbate the risks of foundering leading to potential catastrophic environmental destruction. Fifty per cent of all accidents are caused by foundering, where a boat sinks due to rough weather, leaks or breaking in two. As the global fleet continues to expand rapidly and begins to operate routinely in more risky areas the probability of accidents and likely severity of impacts will again increase unless precautionary measures are put in place to address identifiable risk factors. "We really want to see the shipping industry promote greater owner and operator responsibility and encourage owners to register with better flag states, the country which a vessel is registered to." "Additionally, irresponsible and badly performing owners and countries need to be exposed in order to motivate them to significantly increase their standards which will decrease the number of accidents we see still occurring today" said Dr Walmsley.

Brussels, Belgium: Early this morning negotiations between the Irish Presidency and the European Parliament concluded with an agreement on the basic regulation of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). WWF is concerned that some key issues are being ignored such as decisive actions badly needed to replenish seriously depleted fish stocks.   Despite efforts to reach a deal on this issue by member of the European Parliament, Ulrike Rodust, and her parliamentary negotiating team, the Irish Presidency, representing a divided Fisheries Council led by countries with large fishing industries, preferred to defend a business as usual approach that might delay fish stock recoveries. "WWF acknowledges the constructive role played by the European Parliament in its attempt to bring about a deal that would reinvigorate a failed fisheries policy. While almost two-thirds of the assessed fish stocks in the EU are overexploited and many fishermen face bankruptcy, the majority of EU's governments have decided to stonewall negotiations and have refused to accept an agreement that would allow a full recovery and increased income for fishermen within the next 10 years." Tony Long, Director of the European Policy Office. The new EU-CFP reform cannot continue the 40 year pattern of negotiations and self-congratulation by politicians, while fish stocks continue to decline. "Even if the new CFP does not address the deep problem of overcapacity, WWF hopes that we do not return to the old wasteful way of managing EU's fish stocks. We will continue to ensure that fishermen, and stakeholders, with the support of the scientific community, will have a decisive say over how the industry is run." The European Parliament and Mrs Rodust's negotiating team and the Irish Presidency should be commended for their endeavour to provide a real transition to a sustainable CFP despite the Fisheries Council inability to support ambitious goals. The agreement includes some positive elements but fails to end overfishing in the coming generations. The new deal needs to become a legal framework that helps reverse the current frenzied grab for threatened fish, the overcapacity of fishing fleets and a regime whereby the industry is forced into noncompliance.   "We call on all concerned stakeholders to quickly start working within the new legislative framework for multi annual plans to be drawn up and implemented urgently. The plans need to become the backbone of the new CFP. They must be framed to deliver on the most urgent needs for fish stocks and the marine environment recovery. We also hope that the new CFP provides the basis for forging a truly sustainable foreign dimension for the EU's fleets. While negotiating partnership agreement with Third Countries, the EU shall act in line with international commitments, obligations and policy objectives to achieve sustainable fishing operations outside EU's waters".

Russian has passed a long-awaited law to protect the country's seas from oil pollution after 120,000 Russians signed a petition as an Earth Hour 2012 conservation challenge. WWF-Russia has been working with the Russian authorities on a law since the catastrophic oil spill in the Kerchensky Strait of Southern Russia in 2007. In 2011 the State Duma approved a first hearing of a draft law that did not adequately protect the marine environment against oil spills. In response, WWF-Russia used the Earth Hour I Will If You Will challenge platform to motivate citizens to campaign for a more complete version of the law. Celebrities filmed video pledges about what they would be willing to do if 100,000 people signed the petition. Most completed their promises within three weeks from when the goal was reached. WWF-Russia, the Ministry of Natural Resources and a specialized State Duma committee worked together to redraft the initial draft law into a robust protection against oil pollution. The new law defines rules for extracting and transporting hydrocarbons and requires operating companies to take increased responsibility for preventing oil spills. If a spill does occur, the company holding the licence must now make full restitution to the environment, even if one of their contractors was at fault. The law also includes measures to coordinate response to a spill and will enable volunteers to help with the clean up. WWF-Russia used the Earth Hour 2013 I Will If You Will challenge platform to promote a petition to ban industrial logging in Russia's protective forests and will continue to campaign for further measures to protect the seas against oil pollution. WWF's Earth Hour started in Sydney, Australia, in 2007 as a citizen initiative to protest against climate change, and call for urgent action. People were encouraged to switch off their lights as a symbolic action to demonstrate their commitment to a sustainable future. Since then, Earth Hour has grown at a huge pace to become the world's largest mass participation environmental movement, active in over 150 countries, and has gone "beyond the hour" to become a platform where people can mobilise action on climate and other environmental priorities. Posted: January 4 2013  Updated: May 27 2013

Brussels, Belgium: Despite negotiating through the night to save fisheries in Europe it is becoming clear that certain European Union (EU) countries with large fishing industries, supported by the Irish Presidency, are using bullying tactics with members of the European Parliament (MEP) to push them into accepting a deal that will result in overfishing until 2020, and does little to support coastal communities. "MEPs like Ulrike Rodust have admirably defended their parliamentary mandate in negotiations over recent weeks, and have strongly resisted pressure from Fisheries and Agriculture Council to throw in the towel and reach a quick but weak compromise. The council's attitude of non-negotiation goes completely against the spirit of co-decision with parliament and is completely unacceptable." Roberto Ferrigno, WWF's Common Fisheries Policy reform coordinator "WWF calls on parliament and council to agree on a policy that effectively stops overfishing and allows fish stocks to recover in order to support fishermen in the long term." Threats by some fisheries ministers to walk out of negotiations and abandon the whole Common Fisheries Policy reform are a slap in the face of the widespread public support for an ambitious deal which spurred an overwhelming majority of over 500 MEPs in favour of strong reform earlier this year. WWF calls on the fisheries ministers and the European Parliament to agree on the fastest full recovery targets for fishery stocks. They have it within their powers to ensure that discards, fishing subsidies and stock management are addressed immediately and effectively so that we can reverse, within ten years, the situation where almost two out of three assessed stocks are at crisis level.  "This is not just the view of WWF, it is also held by progressive fishermen, scientists, industry and the public who all want real and sustainable reform. This deal will guide EU fisheries policy for the next 10 years and in the current situation of depleted fish stocks, we may not have another chance to get it right." Andrea Kohl, Programme Director with the WWF European Policy Office. "We need a strong reform allowing fish stocks to recover. WWF is looking very carefully at the non-transparent negotiations which appear to contradict the principle of co-decision and permit blackmail threats to the MEPs by certain countries."     Common Fisheries Policy reform Nearly two out of three assessed fish stocks in Europe are overfished. WWF believes that the current reform of the EU's Common Fisheries Policy must aim to ensure that by 2020 no more stocks are overfished through meaningful reform of the Common Fisheries Policy. Building on a draft European Commission plan, the European Parliament adopted a legislative proposal in February with an overwhelming majority that would end overfishing in Europe. According to recent research, the current position of the European fisheries ministers, would allow overfishing to continue for more than 100 years. Ministers and Mrs Rodust, should respect their democratic mandate and look for real compromise in negotiations this week. How it works In the trilogue negotiations, the Council of Ministers of the 27 EU fisheries ministers is represented by Simon Coveney, Irish Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine Affairs, who holds the Presidency of the Council and speaks for all of the EU's fisheries ministers. The European Parliament is represented in the negotiations by Ulrike Rodust, rapporteur of the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy and a member of the European Parliament. The Council of Ministers is not willing to negotiate with the parliament on an equal basis, as provided by the Lisbon Treaty, and is trying to force the parliament to drop its ambitions to achieve a swift recovery of fish stocks, and accept a reform that will continue the status quo. Otherwise, they threaten to stop the entire reform process.

20 May, 2013: Fishermen in the Sonmiani Bay have successfully released a juvenile whale shark trapped in their fishing nets. A tuna gillnet operating along the Balochistan coast caught the 3.5 metre whale shark accidentally. The captain of the vessel, Muhammad Ismail, a fisherman trained by WWF-Pakistan to release endangered animals trapped in nets, took great care to ensure the whale shark was freed. It took more than an hour to get this struggling animal free without harming it. In the past local fishermen killed whale sharks for their liver oil which was smeared on the hull of fishing boats. Whale sharks are occasionally reported from the area but the status of their population is not known in Pakistan. They can be seen along coastal offshore waters of the country which is their feeding, breeding and basking ground. Mr. Rab Nawaz, Director WWF-Pakistan stressed the need for protection of this species in Pakistan because of their dwindling population. There is no known natural predator of this large fish but they often die by entanglement in fishing gear. In order to protect the whale shark, WWF-Pakistan is lobbying for provincial wildlife departments of Sindh and Balochistan to include whale sharks in Appendix-I  of the respective wildlife acts so that these gentle giants may be given the status of a protected animal. In recent years WWF-Pakistan has involved all major stakeholders in creating awareness among fishermen to not kill or harm these and other endangered species. It is due to these efforts that rescue and release activities are being reported more frequently.

Brussels, Belgium: After pulling yet another all-nighter, fisheries ministers unfortunately remained predictable with little effort being made to meet the European Parliament half way on their ambitious proposal to save fisheries in Europe. "The devil is in the detail as they say, but in this case it's the lack of detail, as fisheries ministers decided on a legally neutral text with few binding timelines and concrete measures. If implemented it would enable them to continue badly managing our oceans and ruining our fish stocks for yet another decade."  says Roberto Ferrigno, WWF's Common Fisheries Policy reform coordinator. "On the opposite side of the coin, the European Parliament demands an ambitious reform that would deliver new fishing laws aimed at restoring fish stocks, through transparency, fixed timelines, accountability and enforceability" "This new law that is currently in the making will be used for the next 10 years to protect our oceans and fish stocks. A new WWF analysis¹ shows that recovery of fish stocks could take more than 100 years under current proposals by EU Fisheries Ministers, whereas with the Parliament's offer, it could only take 10 years for 75% of the stocks to recover – the latter is by far the better deal and it's what we urgently need", concludes Ferrigno. The council has dealt its cards and it is now up to the European Parliament, led by MEP Ulrike Rodust, to decide whether they accept the so-called 'compromise' that the council is offering - or whether they reject it and stand their ground by sticking to their ambitious position for reform. It remains to be seen if they will use their new co-decision powers to say "no deal now is better than a bad deal for the next 10 years", or not.