B is for Blue

Every day during the BLUE Ocean Film Festival, scientist Michelle Johnston will be providing live broadcasts via   OceansLIVE.org.  Sanctuary hosts will be interviewing ocean explorers, film makers, and special guests, such as Prince Albert II of Monaco, to get their views on how to better understand the ocean that surrounds us. Tune in to watch shows on OceansLIVE.org at noon Pacific time each day (2 p.m. Central, 3 p.m. Eastern,  8 p.m. UK time) 

BLUE Film Festival Kicks Off Today

Today sees the start of the Blue Film Festival in California, which showcases the world's finest ocean films and award winning marine photography along with a film makers marketplace, science and conservation seminars, international policy discussions and a robust ocean media industry conference.

Lots of Talk, No Action

NAFO debates but fails to deliver deep sea protection.  Ignoring new scientific evidence about the extent of fragile coral systems within their waters and a range of international commitments, the 34th annual meeting of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) closed today in St Petersburg, Russia without adopting any significant deep sea safeguards.

The Inside View from IUCN WCC

As the IUCN WCC approaches its closing days, Charlotte Smith from Oceans inc speaks to Susan Lieberman and Amanda Nickson from the Pew Environment Group and Kristina Gjerde from IUCN for an update on the week's developments from Jeju, Korea.

What's Next for Areas beyond National Jurisdiction?

Kristina M. Gjerde, Senior High Seas Advisor to IUCN Global Marine and Polar Programme and Member of the High Seas Alliance explains what is next for areas beyond national jurisdiction, and the need for accelerating progress post Rio+20.

The Pew Environment Group at the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2012

The Pew Environment Group is attending the IUCN World Congress to advance work on pressing global conservation priorities and has a small team covering a range of ocean issues (tuna, sharks, marine reserves as priorities) and the Boreal forest in Canada. 

Launch of a new report on Protected Areas

Protected Areas – parks, nature reserves and other natural areas– assist in reducing deforestation, habitat and species loss, and support the livelihoods of over one billion people, while containing 15 % of the world's carbon stock, according to a new report released today at the World Conservation Congress.

IUCN Congress kicks off in Korea

The IUCN World Conservation Congress, the world’s largest and most important conservation event, began yesterday on Jeju Island, South Korea.

More than 8,000 people from more than 170 countries are in Jeju to discuss, debate and vote on solutions to some of the globe’s most pressing environmental and development issues.

The Last Fishermen

An overhaul of the law that governs fishing in Europe only happens every 10 years, so we need to make sure that this time, it works. Watch this Greenpeace video that promotes the need for a Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) that supports sustainable fishing, ends discards and puts the health of our seas first. Be a fisherman's friend at www.facebook.com/beafishermansfriend.
Photo courtesy of Greenpeace