news articles
The Black Fish joins coalition to act on overfishing
Today The Black Fish joined the OCEAN2012 coalition as its 150th member organisation. The coalition is the largest of its kind, fighting industrial overfishing by European fishing fleet and pushing for reforms to the EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) which is due for a overhaul this year. Read more
Meet the victims of illegal driftnets
The use of illegal driftnets in the Mediterranean Sea is causing the deaths of hundreds of thousands of animals each year, including whales, dolphins, turtles, sharks, swordfish and tuna. But which species are most at risk? As The Black Fish prepares for its campaign to end the use of these destructive nets, we look at the victims of this criminal fishing activity. Read more
2012: Staying on course
Europe's marine environment is increasingly under threat from overfishing, habitat destruction, illegal fishing and poaching activity. To protect the most vulnerable of habitats and species, The Black Fish is preparing for its most ambitious campaigns to date. In this article we look back on 2011 and ahead at the new year. Read more
Controversial Morocco fishing agreement voted down
In a move which can be seen as a sign of changing times, a majority of the European Parliament voted against the extension of a controversial fishing agreement between the EU and Morocco last week. The agreement, which allowed EU fishing vessels unchecked access to the fishing grounds off Western Sahara, is believed to have caused large damage to marine wildlife in the area. Read more
Vote for the bluefin
In September the Belgian organisation How To Save The Bluefin merged with The Black Fish to build a stronger alliance in the fight against bluefin tuna overfishing. Their video, The Story of the Bluefin Tuna, attracted worldwide interest and you can now help us prepare for action by voting for this video. Read more
Free boat maintenance course on offer
The Sail Boat Project based in Brighton, UK, is offering 10 days of free practical workshops giving you the skills and knowledge for essential boat maintenance. The course, which runs from Thursday 8th March to Sunday 18th March 2012, is free for EU nationals but be sure to register soon as spaces are limited. Read more
Orca Morgan: the missed opportunity (opinion)
Yesterday the Dutch courts ruled that orca Morgan is allowed to be transported to the entertainment park Loro Parque on the Spanish island of Tenerife. A missed opportunity because the orca was one of the best known candidates for release back into the wild. Although we are saddened by the outcome of the legal proceedings, we remain realistic and take a positive look at the work that lies ahead. Read more
Wildlife under threat by illegal driftnets
One the worst types of fishing gear, which poses a major threat to marine wildlife, it is the driftnet. This destructive and cruel fishing method kills hundreds of thousands of animals annually by 'accident' and although its use has been banned by the United Nations for nearly 20 years, the practice of driftnetting continues, even right here in Europe. Read more
The Black Fish expands its fleet
The Black Fish has secured the necessary funding for a second rigid inflatable boat, to be used during its upcoming campaigns in 2012. The Zeno 1325, The Black Fish's first boat, which was acquired last year, will undergo an overhaul this winter. "These two small boats are an important first step to ensure we can get offshore, where some of these practices actually take place. With increasing support, there is more and more we can do", commented Wietse van der Werf, the organisation's co-founder. Read more
Technological fixes won't save the oceans (opinion)
"The dilemma of course is that to the ocean it makes no difference if the enormous take out of fish has a market value or not. Neither does it matter to the fragile sea life what scientists or politicians think is a sustainable level. The pressures which result from the industrial scale of the fishing process is something the marine eco-systems are simply unable to withstand." Read more
EU opens up on secret fishing deals
Ever since us Europeans were able to, we have sent our fishing vessels to go far beyond our own shores and catch fish the world over. With an increasing market demand for cheap fish and overfishing problems in our region we needed to look elsewhere. Now what would be easier than to fish in the waters of developing nations which have little option but to accept little incentives, such as extra humanitarian aid, in exchange for the over-exploitation of their waters? Read more
The Black Fish opens investigation office in Sweden
The Black Fish has opened a new office in Malmö, Sweden, in addition to its location in Amsterdam. The office has been donated by another organisation and will be used for a new investigative project, focused on the effects of industrial fishing around Europe. Selma Möller, one of the people who initiated the project; "It is important that we start investigating the real details of the fishing operations around Europe. Even right here in Scandinavia there are questions to be answered. Read more
True dedication for the oceans
Last month Mitso Kehayioglou and Loukas Pratilas, two of our most dedicated supporters, finished an epic sponsor run for The Black Fish and raised a total of € 920 for our upcoming campaigns. They attempted what was never done before: to complete the formidable Greek section of the European E4 mountain path, covering over 1,600 km in just 29 days. They ran across the entire length of Greece, including the island of Crete. Read more
Organisation merges with The Black Fish to take action on bluefin tuna
The Belgian organisation How To Save The Bluefin is merging with The Black Fish as of today to build a stronger alliance in the fight against bluefin tuna overfishing. The two organisations will continue as one under the banner of The Black Fish. Diederik Jeangout and Michael Dilissen of How To Save The Bluefin are happy with the move: "We need to build a stronger movement to create the necessary change and we feel that within The Black Fish we can make this happen". Read more
First victory for orca Morgan
The Black Fish and other organisations in the Orca Coalition secured a victory in court today for the captive orca named Morgan by having her proposed export to the entertainment park Loro Parque in Tenerife, Spain, blocked. A judge ruled that the Ministry needs to do more to investigate the possibilities of releasing the rescued orca and that the dolphinarium needs to move her to a bigger facility in the short term. Read more
Urgent appeal for orca Morgan
The campaign for the release of orca Morgan is urgently in need of funds to cover legal fees. The coalition of organisations who are fighting Morgan's corner need to raise € 7,000 within the next 10 days to finish the court action and regain the young killer whale her freedom. Mark Wijngaarden, orca Morgan's lawyer, believes the Orca Coalition has a strong case. Read more
World's last travelling dolphin circuses: time to end the cruelty
Indonesia is home to the world's last remaining travelling dolphin circuses. Over 72 bottlenose and stenella dolphins are kept in the most appalling of conditions to preform for audiences across the island of Java. The animals are frequently hauled out of their plastic performing pools and loaded into the back of trucks along with other animals as the circuses move from town to town. The transportation is so stressful for the animals that many of the dolphins die due to this stress and lack of proper care. Read more
Activists free endangered bluefin tuna off Malta
The Black Fish has learned that activists damaged tuna pens in St. Pauls Bay, Malta, last night in an effort to free endangered bluefin tuna fish. It has been reported that a small number of fish managed to escape. We fully support this action and believe it shows there is a growing movement of people who are willing to take action for the threatened species. Read more
Blocking the export of an orca
The Black Fish and other organisations in the Orca Coalition have started court proceedings to block the proposed export of orca Morgan from the Dutch dolphinarium in Harderwijk to the marine park Loro Parque on the Canary island of Tenerife. The dolphinarium had hoped to move her at short notice but the Orca Coalition is now working to block this. Read more
Our new magazine is out!
The new issue of The Black Fish Magazine has just come hot off the press. The exclusive interview about an investigation into destructive fisheries, an overview of the campaign to get orca Morgan back to freedom and a preview of the Zeno 1325, our new direct action boat, are only a handful of the stories featured within. Sign up for membership with The Black Fish today to get your copy. Read more
Our legacy: a dead ocean?
Our oceans are dying at an incredible rate. A scientific report was published today which shows that our oceans are not facing a number of different threats but that many aspects of human activity such as overfishing, habitat destruction, pollution and climate change are all contributing to a giant unstoppable force of destruction. What's more, they are all speeding up the coming of a very significant extinction event. Read more
Support our runners in their epic 1,600 km run
Our dedicated supporters Mitso Kehayioglou and Louka Pratilas will attempt to complete an epic run later this month, covering over 1,600 km in just 25 days to raise funds for the upcoming campaigns of The Black Fish. The track, which is part of the formidable Greek section of the European E4 mountain path, has never been attempted to be conquered in this way. You can help Mitso and Loukas with their mission by sponsoring their efforts. Read more
European whale slaughter in full swing
Whale hunts are now well underway off the coasts of Norway and Iceland. Whaling ships left Iceland on the 27th April and have so far killed four piked whales (more commonly known as Minke whales). Norway officially started their whale slaughter a few weeks ago but reportedly the ships didn't leave until recently, taking 23 piked whales in just the last couple of weeks. Read more
The Black Fish is looking for crew members
In order to be effective in our marine conservation campaigns, we need to be out at sea, opposing the most destructive fishing and hunting activities, where they happen away from the public eye. For this reason The Black Fish is working towards the purchase of an ocean going vessel and is looking for crew members. Read more
The Black Fish need a boat. Will you help us?
The Black Fish has started a fundraising appeal to purchase a rigid inflatable boat that will be used for actions and campaigns in European waters this summer. "What we are seeing are things going seriously wrong in European seas. Illegal fishing and poaching is widespread and this boat would allow us to take effective action where possible." says Wietse van der Werf, spokesperson for the group. Read more
Legal action started for release orca Morgan
The Orca Coalition, of which The Black Fish is one of 7 organisations, now has the support of a lawyer and taken legal steps to move the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation to accept a “second opinion” about the future of orca Morgan. Read more
Your chance to get basic maritime training
Our friends at the UK based Sail Boat Project (SBP) are organising a 5-day basic maritime training in April 2011, which will be very useful for people interested in getting involved in ocean conservation. Read more
Bluefin tuna failed by ICCAT, again
ICCAT is supposed to be in charge of managing the Atlantic bluefin tuna fishery but at their annual meeting in Paris last week, it failed again to make substantial cuts in the bluefin tuna quotas for 2011, leaving the species little chance of survival. Read more
The Black Fish starts European info tour
Most of you will have heard of our actions on the issue of captivity. However, The Black Fish is planning new campaigns and is hitting the road to inform people and meet other organisations to discuss the plans. Read more
The Black Fish launches orca campaign with coalition
The Black Fish launched a campaign today, as part of the new Orca Coalition, to work towards the release of a captive orca named Morgan, in the Netherlands. Morgan stranded on a sandbank in the Wadden Sea 4 months ago and was taken in by the dolphinarium at Harderwijk. The campaign will focus on raising public awareness of Morgan's situation and apply legal as well as political pressure to secure her release. Read more
Lots of support for our efforts in Taiji
Since our action in Taiji, Japan, where divers cut the nets of six holding pens to allow dolphins to escape, we have received overwhelming support for our efforts from people around the world. It is very hopeful to see that many want the end of this senseless dolphin slaughter and the affiliated captivity trade. After their safe return to Europe, the divers of The Black Fish who operated in Taiji this week, responded to some claims that their action might not have been successful. Read more
The Black Fish cuts nets to free dolphins in Taiji, Japan
Divers from the European conservation organisation The Black Fish have last night cut the nets of six holding pens in Taiji, Japan, that were holding dolphins caught during a dolphin drive hunt a few days earlier. Read more
Münster dolphinarium to release dolphins
The Black Fish, WDSF and ProWal which have all campaigned for the closure of a dolphinarium in Münster, Germany, are celebrating today after the announcement that the four dolphins in the facility will be re-homed at the latest by the end of 2012. Read more
German activists take on dolphinarium
"We will not leave Münster until this dolphinarium, in which the dolphins are kept in conditions that do not allow for even their basic needs, is closed," says Arne Feuerhahn, co-founder of The Black Fish. Read more
XminusY fund supports The Black Fish
Thanks to the Dutch based solidarity fund XminusY for supporting our campaign efforts in Münster for the closure of the dolphinarium with a small but much needed grant. Read more
Campaign launched to close down German dolphinarium
"Not only do we have to fight criminal operations and cruelty to animals on the high seas but also take responsibility and direct action to help those who are imprisoned in concrete pools, doomed to entertain us" Read more
...that The Black Fish is part of a growing global movement of people, groups and other organisations that all work towards a common goal of protecting marine species and habitats?
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