Defend oceans

Our beautiful oceans are home to a staggering 80% of life on Earth. But destructive fishing, pollution and climate change are damaging them on a scale unimaginable to most people. Species are being driven towards extinction because of overfishing and habitat destruction. We are campaigning for marine reserves, and for an end to unsustainable fishing.

Oceans campaigns

Protect the Antarctic Ocean

We're campaigning for the creation of the world’s largest protected area – a massive Antarctic Ocean Sanctuary. This would create a safe haven for incredible wildlife like whales and penguins, putting the waters off-limits to the industrial fishing vessels sucking up the tiny shrimp-like krill, on which all Antarctic life relies.

Plastics

Right now an estimated 12.7 million tonnes of plastic – everything from plastic bottles and bags to microbeads – end up in our oceans each year. That’s a truck load of rubbish a minute.

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Tuna

The UK eats more tuna than any other country except the USA. Tuna also provides a critical part of the diet of millions of people across the globe. Sadly, rampant overfishing is pushing some species, like the magnificent bluefin tuna, to the brink of extinction.

Overfishing

Many marine ecologists think that the biggest single threat to marine ecosystems today is overfishing. Our appetite for fish is exceeding the oceans' ecological limits with devastating impacts - and there is now estimated to be four times more global fishing capacity than there are fish left to catch.

Whaling

Over-exploit, cheat, deplete. The cycle of greed behind the global whaling industry drove one whale population after another toward oblivion. It is still not known if some species will ever recover, even after decades of protection.

Sustainable seafood

If your supermarket, fishmonger or restaurant does not have a good policy on sourcing sustainable seafood, you will need to do the hard work yourself. Asking questions about your seafood sends a clear message to supermarkets and restaurants that people do care where their seafood comes from.