Oceana Inc

TO ADVOCATE FOR POLICY CHANGES BY GOVERNMENTS AND CORPORATIONS IN ORDER TO PRESERVE OCEAN LIFE AND RETURN THE OCEANS TO THEIR FORMER ABUNDANCE.

INTERNATIONALBELIZEBAN GILLNETSTO COMPLEMENT THE 2020 BAN ON GILLNETS, OCEANA'S FISH RIGHT, EAT RIGHT PROGRAM COMPLETED A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH A RESTAURATEUR TO LEAD ON PROMOTING THE BENEFITS OF RESPONSIBLY SOURCED FINFISH 2021. PARTICIPATING FISHERS ARE USING OUR PILOT APP, DOCUMENTING CATCHES ON CAMERA AND TRACKING LOGISTICS OF SALES TO THAT RESTAURANT. THIS LEVEL OF TRACEABILITY FOR FISHERIES IS A NATIONAL MILESTONE.INCREASE TRANSPARENCYIN JUNE 2021, THE GOVERNMENT OF BELIZE SIGNED AN AGREEMENT WITH OCEANA AND GLOBAL FISHING WATCH (GFW) TO MAKE ITS VESSEL TRACKING DATA PUBLICLY AVAILABLE ON THE GFW PLATFORM. THIS NEWEST ADDITION WILL ALLOW ANYONE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD TO MONITOR BELIZE'S COMMERCIAL FISHING FLEET IN NEAR REAL-TIME. THIS VICTORY FOR TRANSPARENCY IS THE RESULT OF OCEANA'S COLLABORATION WITH THE GOVERNMENT TO ENHANCE ITS MONITORING CAPACITY OF BELIZEAN-FLAGGED FISHING VESSELS ON THE HIGH SEAS AND THE WATERS OF OTHER COUNTRIES. OCEANA STAFF HAVE BEEN WORKING IN BELIZE TO SECURE THIS AGREEMENT AND THE ILLEGAL FISHING AND TRANSPARENCY TEAM HAVE PROVIDED MULTIPLE OVERVIEWS AND TRAININGS TO THE GOVERNMENT ON THE GLOBAL FISHING WATCH PLATFORM AND HOW THE DATA CAN BE USED TO HELP WITH OVERSIGHT AND MANAGEMENT OF THE FLEET. LIKE MANY IN OTHER COASTAL COUNTRIES, BELIZE'S SMALL-SCALE FISHERS DEPEND ON TRANSPARENT, WELL REGULATED, HEALTHY OCEANS TO THRIVE. ADDING BELIZE'S VESSEL TRACKING DATA TO THE GFW PLATFORM WILL FURTHER BUILD ON THE PROGRESS BELIZE HAS ACHIEVED IN THE LAST DECADE TOWARDS PROTECTING ITS MARINE RESOURCES AND THE COMMUNITIES THAT RELY ON THEM.REDUCE SINGLE-USE PLASTICSIN FEBRUARY 2021, BELIZE'S NEW PRIME MINISTER REITERATED HIS SUPPORT FOR SINGLE-USE PLASTICS LEGISLATION AND COMMITTED HIS ADMINISTRATION TO PHASING OUT OF SINGLE-USE PLASTICS BY THE END OF 2021. DESPITE THIS WELCOME PLEDGE, THE STANDARDS FOR THE PRODUCTS THAT WILL REPLACE PROHIBITED PLASTIC ITEMS HAVE NOT BEEN PUBLISHED BY THE GOVERNMENT. ADDITIONALLY, IMPORTATION FEES HAVE NOT BEEN ADJUSTED TO REDUCE THE COSTS OF ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PRODUCTS, WHICH CURRENTLY ARE MORE EXPENSIVE THAN SINGLE USE PLASTICS. IN SPITE OF THIS, WE ARE CONTINUING TO WORK TO ELIMINATE PLASTIC POLLUTION ON THE LOCAL LEVEL, ENGAGING WITH LOCAL MAYORS AND MAJOR SUPERMARKETS TOWARDS THIS GOAL.BRAZILIMPLEMENTING CATCH LIMITS FOR COMMERCIAL FISHERIESON JUNE 28TH, PRESIDENT BOLSONARO ISSUED A DECREE CREATING A TOTAL OF 10 FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCILS FOR MARINE AND ESTUARINE FISHERIES, INCLUDING THE IMPORTANT LOBSTER AND THE RED SNAPPER COUNCILS. THIS IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR OCEANA, SINCE THE FORUMS WHERE FISHING QUOTAS ARE DISCUSSED WERE FINALLY RESTORED. THE RESUMPTION OF THE COUNCILS IS IN RESPONSE TO THE FISHERIES SECRETARY, ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS OCEANA, AND REPRESENTATIVES OF THE FISHING SECTOR THAT CALLED FOR MORE TRANSPARENCY OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS AND FORMAL PARTICIPATION FROM ALL STAKEHOLDERS ON DECISION-MAKING.IMPROVING FISHERIES MONITORINGIN APRIL, THE BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT SIGNED A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU) WITH GLOBAL FISHING WATCH (GFW) TO PUBLICLY RELEASE THE COUNTRY'S VESSEL MONITORING SYSTEM (VMS) DATA. THIS AGREEMENT IS A MAJOR STEP FORWARD FOR SUSTAINABLE AND TRANSPARENT FISHERIES MANAGEMENT IN BRAZIL, AS IT BECAME JUST THE SEVENTH COUNTRY TO AGREE TO SHARE ITS VESSEL DATA ON A PUBLIC PLATFORM.THE OPEN TUNA INITIATIVE, A PARTNERSHIP WITH SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE TUNA INDUSTRY THAT IS FOCUSED ON MAKING TUNA FISHERIES AND THEIR SUPPLY CHAINS MORE TRANSPARENT, WAS A CRITICAL PRECURSOR TO THIS HISTORIC MOU.BY WORKING WITH PRIVATE BUSINESS LEADERS, BUILDING UP TRUST BETWEEN OUR GROUPS, AND HELPING THEM SEE THE VALUE OF FISHERIES TRANSPARENCY, OCEANA AND GFW ALSO HELPED CONVINCE THE GOVERNMENT THAT SUCH ACTIONS WOULD STRENGTHEN THE COUNTRY'S STANDING IN THE GLOBAL SEAFOOD SUPPLY CHAIN. THANKS TO THIS INITIATIVE, VMS DATA FROM 14 INDUSTRIAL TUNA LONGLINERS THAT COLLECTIVELY REPRESENT 60-70 PERCENT OF BRAZIL'S MARKET FOR FRESH BIGEYE TUNA (THAT IS EXPORTED TO THE US) IS NOW PUBLICLY AVAILABLE ON GFW.ONCE THEY ARE PUBLISHED, THESE DATA ON APPROXIMATELY 2,000 INDUSTRIAL VESSELS WILL HELP INFORM FUTURE FISHERIES MANAGEMENT, CONTROL, AND SURVEILLANCE ACTIVITIES. IN THIS WAY, THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN GFW AND THE BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHES A FRAMEWORK FOR THE COLLABORATIVE EXCHANGE OF DATA AND IMPROVES BRAZIL'S TRANSPARENCY AND MONITORING CAPACITIES.LIMIT SINGLE-USE PLASTICSWE ARE ON TRACK TO SUBMIT A BILL TO CONGRESS REQUIRING GRADUAL ELIMINATION OF DISPOSABLE PLASTIC PRODUCTS, SUCH AS STYROFOAM CONTAINERS, UTENSILS, PLATES, AND CUPS. WE HAVE RECENTLY GOTTEN A COMMITMENT FROM A SENATOR TO CREATE A WORKING GROUP WITHIN THE ENVIRONMENTAL PARLIAMENTARY FRONT OF THE CONGRESS. THE WORKING GROUP WILL BE COMPOSED OF KEY STAKEHOLDERS TO DISCUSS THE SCOPE AND SPECIFIC COMPONENTS OF A BILL TO BAN SINGLE-USE PLASTICS. ONCE THE BILL IS DRAFTED AND DISCUSSED, IT WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE SENATE.THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC DRAMATICALLY INCREASED FOOD DELIVERY DEMAND IN BRAZIL. THE BRAZILIAN COMPANY IFOOD HOLDS 70% OF THE MARKET SHARE AND REACHED 60 MILLION DELIVERY ORDERS PER MONTH EARLIER THIS YEAR. OCEANA AND OUR PARTNERS AT THE CLEAN SEAS CAMPAIGN OF THE UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAM (UNEP) HAVE BEEN HOLDING REGULAR CONVERSATIONS WITH IFOOD SINCE MAY. AFTER MONTHS OF INTENSE NEGOTIATIONS, SOCIAL MEDIA MOBILIZATION, AN ONLINE PETITION AND CELEBRITIES' SUPPORT TO OUR CAMPAIGN, IFOOD SIGNED A PUBLIC COMMITMENT IN AUGUST 2021 TO REDUCE ITS USE OF DISPOSABLE PLASTIC BY 2025. WITH OUR GUIDANCE, IFOOD HAS NOW ESTABLISHED A SPECIFIC WORKPLAN AND TIMELINE FOR SUCH PLASTIC REDUCTION, WHICH WILL REDUCE THE DISTRIBUTION OF SINGLE-USE PLASTICS BY 1.5 BILLION ITEMS PER YEAR. IN LATIN AMERICA, BRAZIL ACCOUNTS FOR 50% OF ALL FOOD DELIVERIES, REPRESENTING 1.2 BILLION ORDERS A YEAR. ACCORDING TO A SURVEY BY THE STARTUP MOBILLS LABS, SPENDING ON FOOD APPLICATIONS GREW 103% IN THE FIRST HALF OF 2020. THANKS TO ONLINE ORDERING, TAKEAWAY AND DELIVERED FOOD SALES SECURED INCOME FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM RESTAURANTS AMIDST THE ECONOMIC CRISIS THAT FOLLOWED THE LOCKDOWN. IT IS EXPECTED THAT AS THE PANDEMIC CONTINUES, MORE RESTAURANTS WILL JOIN FOOD-DELIVERY APPLICATIONS OR COMPLETELY MOVE THEIR OPERATIONS TO ONLINE SALES. THE INCREASE IN DELIVERY ORDERS HAS ALSO INCREASED THE USE OF DISPOSABLE PLASTICS ITEMS. BRAZIL PRODUCES 3 MILLION TONS OF SINGLE-USE PLASTIC EVERY YEAR, OF WHICH 13% ARE THROW-AWAY PRODUCTS SUCH AS PLATES, CUPS, CUTLERY, PLASTIC BAGS, AND STRAWS. THIS IS EQUIVALENT TO PRODUCING 200 BILLION THROW-AWAY PLASTIC ITEMS PER YEAR. MOST OF THESE ITEMS ARE NOT RECYCLABLE AS THEY ARE WORTHLESS TO THE RECYCLING CHAIN, SO THEY QUICKLY BECOME WASTE AND POLLUTION. WITH IFOOD COMMITTING TO LOWER THEIR PLASTIC FOOTPRINT, WE EXPECT OTHER APPS, SUCH AS UBEREATS AND RAPPI, TO DO THE SAME.

UNITED STATESIN THE UNITED STATES, OCEANA IS WORKING ON SCIENCE-BASED POLICY CAMPAIGNS THAT SEEK TO ADVANCE RESPONSIBLE FISHING, STOP NEW OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT, REDUCE ILLEGAL FISHING, PROTECT HABITAT, PROTECT THE NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALE, REDUCE SINGLE-USE PLASTICS AND DEFEND THE NATION'S BEDROCK CONSERVATION LAWS.RESPONSIBLE FISHINGTHROUGHOUT 2021, OCEANA CONTINUED TO LEAD EFFORTS TO CHAMPION THE MAGNUSON-STEVENS FISHERY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT ACT (MSA) TO ENSURE THAT IT IS NOT WEAKENED IN CONGRESS. THE MSA COALITION OF NGOS AND CONSERVATION-MINDED FISHING INTERESTS, IN WHICH OCEANA SERVES ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE, HAS HELPED EDUCATE AND INFORM MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WHO HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST IN PURSUING FISHERIES LEGISLATION. IN JULY 2021 LEGISLATION WAS INTRODUCED IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO REAUTHORIZE THE MSA. TO BUILD FURTHER SUPPORT FOR THE MSA, OCEANA CONTINUED ONE OF OUR KEY VEHICLES FOR ENGAGING AND EXPANDING GRASSROOTS CONSTITUENCIES ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MSA OUR #KEEPOCEANSFISHY EVENTS. THESE EVENTS HAVE BEEN HELD VIRTUALLY SINCE THE ONSET OF THE PANDEMIC AND EMANATE FROM COASTAL AREAS ALONG BOTH COASTS. THEY ARE AIMED AT ILLUSTRATING THE IMPORTANCE OF RESPONSIBLE FISHERIES MANAGEMENT AND WHY HEALTHY FISHERIES AND OCEANS ARE IMPORTANT FOR COASTAL COMMUNITIES. ON JUNE 22, OCEANA ALSO PARTNERED WITH WHALE & DOLPHIN CONSERVANCY FOR THE VIRTUAL ORCA WATCH IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST. DISCUSSION FOCUSED ON ORCA AND SALMON CONSERVATION EFFORTS AND THE ROLE OF THE MSA IN MANAGING IMPORTANT FISH STOCKS LIKE SALMON. GUESTS INCLUDED LOCAL PARTNERS, INCLUDING FRIENDS OF LIME KILN STATE PARK, ORCASOUND, BE WHALE WISE AND MAYA'S LEGACY WHALE WATCH. NEARLY 1,000 REGISTERED FOR THE EVENT, WITH 472 VIEWING THE LIVE WEBINAR. IN ADDITION, MORE THAN 400 VIEWED THE FACEBOOK RECORDING OF THE EVENT.STOP EXPANDED OFFSHORE DRILLINGOCEANA AND OUR ALLIES WERE SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING THE FORMER ADMINISTRATION TO DELAY AND ULTIMATELY NOT FINALIZE ITS PROPOSED REVISED FIVE-YEAR OIL AND GAS LEASING PLAN (FOR 2019-2024) THAT WOULD HAVE EXPANDED LEASE SALES FOR OFFSHORE DRILLING IN 94 PERCENT OF U.S. WATERS IN THE ATLANTIC, PACIFIC AND ARCTIC OCEANS. THOUGH THE CURRENT FIVE-YEAR PLAN (FOR 2017-2022) REMAINS IN PLACE, PRESIDENT BIDEN SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER ON JANUARY 27, 2021, PAUSING NEW LEASING ON FEDERAL LANDS AND WATERS. THE ADMINISTRATION IS CONDUCTING A REVIEW OF THE FEDERAL OIL AND GAS LEASING PROGRAM THAT WILL INFORM ITS NEXT STEPS, AND WHICH WE EXPECT MAY INCLUDE ISSUANCE OF A NEW FIVE-YEAR OIL AND GAS LEASING PLAN.REDUCE ILLEGAL FISHINGOCEANA IS CAMPAIGNING TO IMPROVE THE U.S. DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS AND POLICIES TO ADDRESS ILLEGAL FISHING, TRANSPARENCY AND TRACEABILITY. THANKS IN LARGE PART TO OCEANA'S ADVOCACY, IN MAY 2021 THE ILLEGAL FISHING AND FORCED LABOR PROTECTION ACT WAS INTRODUCED IN THE US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. THE BILL CALLS FOR:- EXPANDING AND IMPROVING THE SEAFOOD IMPORT MONITORING PROGRAM (SIMP) TO ALL IMPORTED SEAFOOD SPECIES;- REQUIRING FULL BOAT-TO-PLATE TRACEABILITY FOR ALL SEAFOOD;- EXPANDING THE NUMBER OF U.S. VESSELS REQUIRED TO BROADCAST AUTOMATIC IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM (AIS) DATA; AND- ADOPTING A NATION-BASED SANCTION SYSTEM SIMILAR TO THE EUROPEAN UNION CARDING APPROACH TO BETTER PREVENT PRODUCTS SOURCED BY IUU FISHING FROM ENTERING THE US MARKET.ALSO IN MAY, AN AMENDMENT WAS ADDED TO THE ENDLESS FRONTIERS/US INNOVATION AND COMPETITION ACT THAT WOULD HELP ADDRESS IUU FISHING AND FORCED LABOR. THE AMENDMENT DIRECTS CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION TO DEVELOP REGULATIONS FOR DEALING WITH FORCED LABOR IN THE SEAFOOD SUPPLY CHAIN, A HIGH-RISK INDUSTRY FOR FORCED LABOR. THIS PROVISION ALSO REQUIRES CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION TO DEVELOP A STRATEGY FOR USING DATA COLLECTED THROUGH SIMP IN THEIR EFFORTS. PROTECT HABITATTHE LAST FEDERAL FISHERY MANAGEMENT AREA IN THE NORTH PACIFIC WHERE THE BOTTOM TRAWLING FOOTPRINT HAS NOT YET BEEN "FROZEN" IS IN THE GULF OF ALASKA. THE NORTHEAST PACIFIC OCEAN, WHICH INCLUDES THE NORTH BERING SEA, THE GULF OF ALASKA, AND THE CALIFORNIA CURRENT LARGE MARINE ECOSYSTEM, IS ONE OF THE MOST PRODUCTIVE STRETCHES OF MARINE HABITAT IN THE WORLD. ITS NUTRIENT-RICH WATERS FOSTER UNIQUE AND ABUNDANT BIODIVERSITY, FROM DEEP-SEA CORALS AND GLASS SPONGES TO THE CRITICALLY ENDANGERED NORTHERN RIGHT WHALE. THE GULF OF ALASKA IS ALSO HOME TO SOME OF THE LARGEST AND MOST LUCRATIVE FISHERIES IN THE WORLD. IT IS A MAJOR SEAFOOD PRODUCER DUE TO ITS DIVERSE AND RICH HABITAT. THE KELP FORESTS, DEEP-SEA CORAL BEDS, UNDERWATER GULLIES, REEFS AND CANYONS ARE HOME TO KING CRAB, PACIFIC HALIBUT, SABLEFISH, PACIFIC COD, ALL FIVE SPECIES OF PACIFIC SALMON, POLLOCK, ROCKFISH, SHARKS, SCALLOPS AND OCTOPUS. AROUND 600 MILLION POUNDS OF FISH ARE REMOVED ANNUALLY BY THE FEDERAL GROUNDFISH FISHERIES IN THE GULF OF ALASKA, A THIRD OF WHICH IS CAUGHT BY BOTTOM TRAWLING. ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, BOTTOM TRAWLING IS THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE FORM OF FISHING ON SENSITIVE SEAFLOOR HABITAT. IT IS THE UNDERWATER EQUIVALENT OF CLEARCUTTING TERRESTRIAL FORESTS VESSELS DRAG HEAVY NETS ACROSS THE SEAFLOOR, INDISCRIMINATELY CATCHING ANY WILDLIFE THAT GETS IN THE PATH OF THEIR NETS WHILE DESTROYING THE SURROUNDING HABITAT IN THE PROCESS. THE GULF OF ALASKA IS ALSO UNDERGOING MAJOR ECOLOGICAL CHANGE AS UNPRECEDENTED MARINE HEAT WAVES, LIKELY A RESULT OF CLIMATE CHANGE, HAVE CAUSED FISHERIES TO COLLAPSE AND MARINE MAMMALS AND SEABIRDS TO DIE BY THE THOUSANDS. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THOSE FISHERIES ARE MANAGED IN A WAY THAT PROTECTS HABITAT NECESSARY FOR MARINE LIFE TO GROW AND THRIVE.OCEANA PROPOSES TO FREEZE THE FOOTPRINT OF BOTTOM TRAWLING AND IDENTIFY SENSITIVE HABITAT AREAS THAT CAN BE CLOSED TO TRAWLING WHILE MINIMIZING ECONOMIC IMPACT, AND WE ARE ON TRACK TO HAVE OUR HABITAT PROTECTION PROPOSAL CONSIDERED BY THE NORTH PACIFIC FISHERY MANAGEMENT COUNCIL IN 2022. WE HAVE CONDUCTED THE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, MAPPING, AND ANALYSIS NECESSARY TO DETERMINE WHERE TO FREEZE THE FOOTPRINT OF BOTTOM TRAWLING IN THE GULF OF ALASKA AS WELL AS WHICH SPECIFIC SENSITIVE HABITAT AREAS WITHIN THE CURRENT TRAWL FOOTPRINT TO DESIGNATE FOR PROTECTION. WE NOW PLAN TO SHARE OUR PROPOSAL WITH STAKEHOLDERS TO GET THEIR FEEDBACK. OVER THE PAST YEAR WE HAVE MOVED THIS PROJECT FORWARD BY:- UPDATING THE TRAWL FOOTPRINT IN THE GULF OF ALASKA TO A MUCH FINER SCALE USING NEW DATA FROM GLOBAL FISHING WATCH AS WELL AS NEW DATASETS FROM THE STATE OF ALASKA. BASED ON THIS NEW DATA WE EXPANDED THE RECOMMENDED AREA TO BE PROTECTED. - TESTIFYING AND SUBMITTING COMMENT LETTERS TO THE NPFMC, AND MEETING WITH INFLUENTIAL STAKEHOLDERS AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO OUTLINE CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE BELIEVE SHOULD BE PART OF THE ESSENTIAL FISH HABITAT REVIEW PROCESS. - IDENTIFYING OTHER INTERESTED STAKEHOLDERS TO JOIN OUR EFFORTS, INCLUDING THE NEWLY FORMED ALASKA FISHING COMMUNITIES COALITION OF COMMUNITIES, ANGLERS, TRIBAL MEMBERS AND OTHERS WHO SUPPORT FREEZING THE TRAWL FOOTPRINT IN THE GULF OF ALASKA. - CONTINUING TO EXAMINE AND RESEARCH BROADER ARGUMENTS FOR PROTECTING GULF OF ALASKA SEAFLOOR, SUCH AS NEW SCIENCE TO JUSTIFY BOTTOM TRAWL CLOSURES IN ORDER TO MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS.

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONSKEY ACHIEVEMENTS OF OCEANA'S MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT IN 2021 ARE HIGHLIGHTED BELOW:ONLINE COMMUNICATIONS - OCEANA GREW OUR GRASSROOTS BASE TO 5.6 MILLION ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORTERS. OCEANA HAS MORE THAN 7.6 MILLION SUPPORTERS WORLDWIDE.- OCEANA'S SUPPORTERS ENGAGED WITH OCEANA CAMPAIGNS ONLINE OVER 16 MILLION TIMES.