Issues such as fish stocks, plastic pollution and the general state of the world seas and oceans are never far away from the news. Indeed, as climate change, environmentalism and conservation continue to move up the political agenda the health of the marine environment will become an increasingly important topic. The articles below look at a wide range of issues relating to conservation and the marine environment.
Plastic Pollution of the World’s Oceans | Tiny pieces of plastic – known as microplastics – are causing serious pollution problems across the world. This article explores these issues.
Illegal Trade in Silver Eels | The demand for silver eels in China is leading to this species being illegally trafficked from Europe to Asia in what is known as the largest wildlife crime on earth.
Europe’s Bass – A Species on the Edge of Collapse? | Recent years have seen bass increase in popularity, and collapse in number. What can be done to halt the decline?
The Troubles of the Ocean Cleanup Project | Ocean Cleanup set out to remove plastic pollution from the oceans using revolutionary new technology, but the project has struggled to achieve many of its initial aims and continues to struggle. Find out more here.
Barriers and Rivers | The number of barriers, such as dams, weirs and sluice gates, built across rivers is having a significant impact on the migration of many species and putting marine and freshwater ecosystems at risk.
Ghost Nets | When fishing gear – particularly gill nets and drift nets – become lost or abandoned at sea they go on catching fish and causing untold damage to the marine environment.
Marine Conservation Zones | Could the establishment of Marine Conservation Zones restore fish stocks and the marine environment around the British Isles? There are plans to put this into practice.
Tuna, Conservation and ICCAT | Tuna are one of the most widely eaten and valuable fish in the world. This article looks into why the management of such an important species has been so poor.
The Friendly Floatees | In 1992 plastic bath toys were lost from a ship crossing the Pacific. Today they are still being found washed up across the world, highlighting the problem of plastic pollution.
IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) | The IUCN is an organisation that campaigns for the conservation of nature and assess the endangered status of animals (including fish).
Which Species of Fish Should be Returned? | Many species of fish are under pressure. However, anglers can help by returning endangered and threatened species.
The Disappearing Aral Sea | The Aral Sea in central Asia has reduced in size due to Soviet-era irrigation plans, leading to an environmental catastrophe that is still having a major impact today.