Mundus Maris

08/06/2026

Happy World Ocean Day! The UN motto this year is "Reimagine. Beyond The World We Know, A New Relationship With The Ocean!"
And to do something concretely against staggering pollution, we collected 21 kg of garbage to prevent pollution of a creek in Hilden, near Duesseldorf, Germany. The creeks discharges into the River Rhine and from there into the North Sea and the global ocean. Toxic cigarette butts came first in amazing quantities! Our modest contribution for ocean protection. What did you do the celebrate World Ocean Day?

05/06/2026

While their dazzling bright lights are visible from space, much of the global squid fleet operates in total darkness. Hundreds of former Indonesian and Filipino crew members working onboard squid ships have exposed widespread environmental crimes and human rights abuses on the high seas every day, according to a new report by the nonprofit Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF).

The report focuses on three unregulated regions—the Northwest Indian Ocean, the Southeast Pacific and the Southwest Atlantic—which collectively supply over 60 percent of the planet’s squid. Read the full article.

Former crew members report egregious environmental destruction and labor abuses onboard shadowy squid fishing fleets, due to a regulatory vacuum.

05/06/2026

The Mundus maris May 2026 Newsletter is out with the tag line 'Stop privatisation of ocean spaces!". It's a timely reminder and reflects concerns that reverberated through our activities in the last month. That will continue in months to come because, unfortunately, ocean grabbing is very much alive facilitated by unprecedented concentration of wealth and power in the hands of few companies dominating the maritime economy. Mundus maris instead, upholds the right to tenure, respect, and access to social services for the majority of fish workers and other ocean-related job holders. Enjoy the read and help amplify the message and the actions!

Instead, give tenure to low impact fishers. Keep reading the latest Mundus maris newsletter to find out more!

04/06/2026

by Hafizur Rahman - Maungdaw, Arakan State | June 1, 2026

Fishing nets confiscated from Rohingya and Bangladeshi fishermen in the Naf River have reportedly been sold through auctions by Arakan Army authorities, according to local residents. Sources said the nets were seized on May 20 during an operation conducted by the Arakan Army Coast Guard on the Myanmar side of the Naf River.

by Hafizur Rahman Maungdaw, Arakan State | June 1, 2026 Fishing nets confiscated from Rohingya and Bangladeshi fishermen in the Naf River have reportedly been sold through auctions by Arakan Army a…

03/06/2026

Supertrawlers primarily from Norway and China are stripping the Antarctic food web of krill, the food basis for most species, from whales to penguins. Why that? to feed caged salmon and other carnivorous species in huge quantities... Destroying the wild for company profits. It's a model that needs to stop!

Sea Shepherd protects Antarctica's krill and the Southern Ocean's fragile ecosystem from illegal andindustrial overfishing.

03/06/2026

Only around a quarter of the UK’s largest commercial fishing vessels have clearly identifiable ownership, exposing major weaknesses in fisheries governance and enforcement, according to a new report by ClientEarth as part of the Coalition for Fisheries Transparency. The report, “Whose Boat Is This?”, provides one of the most detailed assessments to date of Ultimate Beneficial Ownership (UBO) in the UK fishing sector, identifying systemic opacity that limits accountability across both UK-flagged and quota-holding vessels.

Coalition For Fisheries Transparency Report Reveals Hidden Ownership Risks In UK Waters and Warns of Illegal Fishing Oversight Gaps

01/06/2026

Some 1,000 people, mostly small-scale fishermen and rights activists, marched on the streets of Manila protesting the state policies that they say neglect their rights and protect industrial fishing in the Catholic-majority nation. The marchers gathered in front of the Department of Agriculture in Quezon City, Manila, on May 28, calling for government action to address their worsening socioeconomic conditions.

Small-scale Philippine fishermen and environmental groups demand a strict ban on commercial vessels in shallow municipal waters, warning of severe livelihood losses and depleted fish stocks

28/05/2026

In 2025, the Business and Human Rights Centre documented nearly 800 attacks (790) against defenders in 80 countries raising concerns about business. This is more than two attacks on average every day and more than we’ve tracked in a single year since 2020. Nearly one third of attacks (30%) were against Indigenous Peoples, who comprise just 6% of the world’s population.
The report is also available in Spanish and French

Check out this page via the Business and Human Rights Centre

26/05/2026

Members of the European Parliament demanded better spatial planning between competing activities in limited marine spaces, particularly areas reserved for small-scale fisheries and more last week. It's an important voice in the quest to safeguard what is good in existing European fisheries and aquaculture legislation and not water rules down that don't deliver because they are not properly enforced.

MEPs push for fisheries and aquaculture priority in EU maritime planning amid concerns over space conflicts and impact on fishermen livelihoods

24/05/2026

Thank you Deutsche Welle for this pertinent documentary about the pillage of African marine resources by foreign industrial fleets threatening livelihoods and food security not only in Senegal, but the entire region. It has to stop!

West African waters once had some of the richest fish stocks in the world. Today they are severely depleted. Fishermen in Senegal fear for their livelihoods....