Greenpeace, WWF and MSC has each received a financial support from the Postcode Lottery Project Oceans. This is how they use the funds to help the oceans:
Greenpeace
© Greenpeace/Aslund
Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning organization that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, protect and conserve the environment, and to promote peace.
Supported by the Postcode Lottery Project Oceans, Greenpeace ships will patrol the high seas to expose illegal or destructive fishing. Meanwhile Greenpeace are lobbying politicians to establish a global network of marine reserves, promoting local sustainable and equitable fisheries and asking supermarket retailers worldwide the big question: where does your tuna come from?
WWF
Photo: Mattias Klum
WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organizations.WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature.
Overfishing, largely caused by poor fisheries management, threatens commercial fish stocks and marine life. Fishing boats cast their nets ever deeper and further away from the coast in areas that are outside the territorial waters of coastal countries (known as the high seas).
Various international agreements have been established for High Seas use, but many activities are not restricted and even where regulations do exist, they are poorly enforced. The open ocean and deep sea environments are some of the least explored areas on the planet. A better understanding of the great unknown is needed to protect high seas species and habitats before it is further exploited and lost forever.
Thanks to the financial support of Postcode Lottery Project Oceans WWF now can make an extra effort to protect two inhabitants of the high seas; bluefin tuna and marine turtles.
The Atlantic bluefin tuna is at serious risk of collapse due to overfishing and illegal fishing. Tuna travels great distances across the high seas to feed and spawn. Improved long term science-based fisheries management and a temporary ban on global trade could allow for the recovery of bluefin tuna stocks.
Another inhabitant of the high seas, the leatherback turtle, is also facing extinction. This species has survived for more than a hundred million years, but is declining due to habitat loss and degradation and incidental capture (bycatch). Bycatch can be drastically reduced by replacing J-shaped fish hooks with circular hooks, which makes it less likely that marine turtles will get hooked.
WWF furthermore wants to protect vulnerable species such as blue fin tuna and leatherback turtles by establishing marine protected areas at high seas. At present only 0.6% of all oceans and seas are protected, larger protected areas are needed at relevant sites to effectively protect species and habitats and to create safe migration routes for marine turtles and tuna.
MSC
© MSC / Magali Bragard
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) runs the world’s leading seafood certification and eco-labelling programme for wild capture fisheries. The MSC eco-label provides assurance that the product comes from a well-managed and sustainable fishery and allows consumers to recognize and reward sustainable fisheries management.
Funding through Postcode Lottery Project Oceans will enable the MSC to deliver the following three strands of work, from the fishery sector across the supply chain to the consumer:
Fishery: The demand for credible, third-party certified sustainable tuna continues to outstrip supply. The support of the Postcode Lottery Project Oceans enables the MSC to intensify its outreach to tuna fisheries in the Western and Central Pacific. Just over half of the global tuna catch comes from this region.
Supply chain: More than 120 companies are certified to process MSC-certified seafood in China. These companies process significant and growing quantities of MSC certified seafood. The funds provided by Postcode Lottery Project Oceans allow the MSC to employ an experienced consultant based in Hong Kong to monitor, and where necessary, improve the traceability of MSC-certified seafood in the supply chain.
Marketing and communications: This funding enables the MSC to strengthen its communication in the market place and provide incentives for change to key industry ‘gatekeepers’ and pioneering population segments. We expect this will also help initiate change in other wider groups also.
