Oceans
The oceans, seas and coasts are under severe strain. Some 250 million people earn their living from fishing, up to 70% of humans rely on fish as their primary source of protein, and more than 90% of our trade is carried by shipping – and yet, less than 1% of the world’s seas are protected.
The results of such pressures have been devastating:
- three-quarters of all major global fish stocks are now fished at or beyond sustainable limits
- every year millions of tonnes of bycatch, including 300,000 mammals, are caught accidentally
- some 10% of coral reefs may now be damaged beyond recovery
- in England and Wales, 75% of our salt marshes – an important home for wildlife, and a useful barrier against severe weather – have been lost.
WWF works with the fishing industry and other businesses, as well as government and local communities – in the UK, EU and globally – to safeguard marine wildlife, the natural environment and the livelihoods of people who depend on the oceans for their well-being.
UK
We are campaigning to strengthen the UK Marine and Coastal Access Bill that is currently going through the parliamentary process, to ensure protection for the UK’s marine wildlife and ecosystems, and manage the growing pressure of human activities. We are also working with retailers and the fish processing industry to ensure they obtain their wild-caught fish from sustainable sources.
Europe
We are seeking to influence two forms of EU legislation – the Common Fisheries Policy and the Marine Strategy Directive – which govern the way the seas are managed and exploited. These laws should to consider the needs of the whole marine ecosystem rather than focus on individual human activities such as fishing.
Arctic
The Arctic faces serious pressures from the impacts of climate change and potentially damaging human activities including illegal fishing, oil and gas development, and shipping. We are working to protect key habitats, close sensitive areas to the oil and gas industry, and ensure fishing is managed sustainably.
Antarctic
Climate change, pirate fishing and marine pollution are just some of the threats facing Antarctica, the surrounding Southern Ocean and the many millions of creatures who live there. We are trying to safeguard the region in a number of ways – including the creation of a 2,000,000 sq km network of protected areas in the Southern Ocean.
South Pacific
More than half the world’s coral reef species can be found in an area called the Coral Triangle which the South Pacific is part of. We want to protect the spectacular biodiversity of the marine environment and provide sustainable benefits for coastal communities.
Meso-American Reef
We are seeking to safeguard coastal communities and coral reefs in this region from the effects of climate change. Declining or depleted fisheries, habitat degradation or loss, and declining water quality are among our main concerns.
Western Indian Ocean
We are working with governments and coastal communities to secure a healthy marine environment in some 4,600 sq km of East African coastal waters. The open waters, coral reefs, mud flats, rocky shores, seagrass beds and mangrove forests support a rich variety of marine life that need urgent protection.
Useful links
Latest news
Spotlight on whaling
The future of whaling will be a focus of international talks this week when the International Whaling Commission (IWC) meets in Madeira.
Antarctic success
The South African government has announced it will create a vast protected area around the remote Prince Edward Islands in the Southern Ocean – and WWF is taking a lead in providing technical and management advice.
WWF and M&S unite to save fish stocks
One of the most unethical and uneconomic issues in our fishing industry is discards – unwanted fish dumped overboard. But it’s a problem that some forward-thinking fishermen are trying hard to resolve by using new types of ‘selective’ fishing nets.
