• Impacts of COVID 19 on the fishing industry

    The previously unknow word “Covid-19“ is finding its way into nearly every conversation taking place around the globe. The whole world seems to be holding its breath while waiting for the mid and long term impacts of the pandemic to fully unfold on their lives. From daily activities to summer holiday plans, from local shops to the the global economy, everything and everyone seems to be experiencing repercussions from Covid-19.

    The outbreak of the Corona virus is also taking its toll on the fishing industry, both locally and globally. Read our full blog post HERE.

  • Until every fish is gone?!

    The year comes to an end and we take stock. Despite the legal requirement to end overfishing in the EU until 2020, 41 percent of all fish stocks are still overfished. This year the ministers ignored the advice of their own scientist - again - and decided on much higher quotas for many species in the North Sea and Baltic Sea. In addition ministers voted to reintroduce harmful fishing subsidies, that spend European citizen’s tax money to directly encourage overcapacity of the fishing fleets.

    All in all, the irresponsible attitude of EU ministers in times of a global climate and biodiversity crises is making us furious. Therefore, another fish disappears from our logo this year. But we will not give up and will not stop to speak up and take action to protect all life in our ocean! And you can support us! It‘s time to act! It‘s time for FishAct!

  • The CFP has failed!

    The Common Fisheries Policy of the European Union has failed. The CFP came into force 2014 and required all member states to end overfishing until 2020. The plan should have been implemented by using all fish stocks sustainably, reducing the large amounts of bycatch and following the scientific advice for fishing quotas.

    41 percent of all fish stocks in European waters are still overfished. In October this year the ministers ignored the advice of their own scientist - again - and decided on much higher quotas for herring and cod in the Baltic Sea. A fishing ban for the critically endangered European eel was rejected in Brussels in 2017. And only last week the European Parliament’s Committee on Fisheries voted to reintroduce harmful fishing subsidies that spend European citizen’s tax money to build new fishing vessels and to increase the efficiency of fishing gear.

  • Awards, awards, awards!

    Over the last couple of months FishAct and design agency MUTABOR won multiple design awards for the rebranding of the organization and the interactive microsite. We are very grateful for the support of the creative team of MUTABOR, that has been working hard to make our work against overfishing more visible and tangible!

    We received the following awards in different categories:

    Red Dot - Brands & Communication Design - Microsite

    ADCE - Gold - Interactive / Mobile - Website

    Corporate Design Preis - Corporate Design Launch

    Corporate Design Preis - Corporate Trademark und Logotype Design

  • The 2020 deadline is close - joint letter to remind ministers

    The upcoming Agriculture and Fisheries Council deliberations on fishing limits for 2020 will take place in a very specific context: this Council represents the last opportunity for member states to meet the 2020 deadline to end overfishing in European waters as legally required by the Common Fisheries Policy. Together with 85 other NGOS FishAct sent an open letter to the ministers to call on them to champion complete implementation of the policy without delay, lead the fight to end overfishing and meet the objectives of the CFP in this critical year.

  • FishAct joins global climate strike

    On September 20 thousands of young climate strikers around the world will take to the streets and demand an end to the age of fossil fuels.Over the last year the "Fridays for Future" have woken up much of the world with their powerful school strikes for the climate. Now they have called on the rest of us to join them! We will join the global climate strike on Friday to demand immediate action to address the global climate crisis. Because, protecting the climate means protecting the ocean!

  • Our new documentary is out now!

    In September 2018 our activists investigated the illegal catch of juvenile swordfish along the coast of Sicily. During the two weeks of undercover work we were accompanied by our friend and super talented videographer Tom Vierus. Now Tom has created an exciting documentary about our campaign, which is showing our activists at work and sharing their motivation and hopes for the future.

    Watch it here: https://vimeo.com/327427618

  • FishAct @ Artifishal Film Screening Frankfurt

    The migration of salmons is one of nature's most dramatic and exciting journeys. Born in rivers, they migrate to the ocean to grow up and eventually return to the same river they were once born to reproduce. By polluting rivers and blocking the salmons' migration routes with dams, humans have now pushed this fish species to the brink of extinction. Artifishal is a documentary by Patagonia about people, rivers and the fight for the future of wild fish and the environment.

  • FishAct @ forumscamp

    From the 16. - 19.05.2019 outdoor and nature lovers from Germany are getting together to spend a weekend in nature and share experience and stories. We'll be joining this event and holding a workshop on the ocean and overfishing to inspire a new audience to protect what they love. Visit www.outdoorseiten.net to find out more.

  • Ghostnet surveys in the Baltic Sea with scientific divers and NGOs

    Today the Scientific Diving Association Kiel, OneEarth OneOcean and FishAct kicked off the ghostnet surveys in the Baltic Sea. With a larger scientific vessel of OEOO and a smaller RIB of FishAct the divers could retrieve several ghostnets. These lost fishing nets continue to kill marine wildlife for decades if they are not collected and disposed.

  • FishAct kicks off it’s work in The Netherlands with a new team

    Today several activist met in Amsterdam for a kick-off meeting to start a network of FishAct in The Netherlands. First steps will include translating flyers and social media content in Dutch, before we will start a series of events and public talks around the country.

  • EU bans electric pulse fishing

    After a long and hard fight NGOs finally succeeded as the EU voted for a complete ban of electric fishing today. Electric pulse fishing is a very destructive fishing method with unknown long-term impacts on the seabed and benthic species. After years of campaigning the NGO collective pushed for an end of this method before it even started!

  • FishAct donates old merchandise to refugee center

    Today activists of FishAct have donated over 200 T-Shirts and hoodies to Hanseatic Help, a NGO distributing clothing to refugees in Hamburg. Due to the rebranding the old merchandise could not be sold and used for ocean conservation, but will help another important cause!

  • Investigating illegal bottom trawling in the gulf of Gabès, Tunisia

    In October 2018 a team of four Citizen Inspectors from three different countries gathered in Tunisia. Their aim was to investigate the use of illegal bottom trawls, locally referred to as “Kiss” (“bag” in Arabic), in the Gulf of Gabès and to count the vessels equipped with the prohibited gear to provide a realistic estimation of the total number of illegal trawlers operating in the area.

  • The Encyclopedia of Fish

    We are very excited to announce a new project, that will help to highlight the beauty and importance of fish. The Encyclopedia of Fish will give you an idea how amazing and interesting fish species really are.

  • Crowdfunding campaign to save Europe's swordfish

    In September 2018 a small team of FishAct is heading to Sicily to document and expose the illegal catch of juvenile swordfish. Swordfish are large ocean predators and extremely important for the ecological balance of the ocean. Over the last decades the population of swordfish in the Mediterranean has been decreasing by nearly 70 %, due to overfishing and the illegal catch of juveniles.

  • Art for ocean conservation - with Florian Schalinski

    Florian Schalinski, a Borkum-based media designer and illustrator, always had a special relationship to the ocean. Growing up in a marine region, he knows at first hand what happens on the spot and how the pollution increasingly affects the beachside. That’s why, three years ago, he decided to use his artistic talents to support FishAct. Since then we are happy about Florian's graphics and illustrative support and his strong will to change something.

    We hope that many people will follow his example. Every commitment helps us to prevent the extinction of fish in 2048.

  • Fish dependence day

    On the 3rd of May FishAct took part in an event in Bremen to highlight the Fish Dependence Day 2018, which falls on the 4th of May in Germany. During this public event fisheries scientists, policy experts and NGO experts from 8 different institutes and organization discussed the future of fisheries in the EU.