Turkish world record-holder free-diver and divers of the Underwater Federation Sahika Encumen dives amid plastic waste in Ortakoy coastline to observe the life and pollution of Bosphorus in Istanbul,
Topic

Protect Marine Life

Overview

The global ocean teems with life, and it contributes to the vital cycles that keep people and our planet healthy. But the seas are vulnerable to overfishing, loss of habitat such as seagrasses and mangroves, ineffective fisheries management, plastic pollution, and declining biodiversity. These mounting losses affect the coastal communities that depend on the ocean for food and jobs.

Pew’s ocean work supports efforts to build collaborative governance systems to guide activities like fishing, pollution, and conservation, and to create protected areas that maintain and restore the health of marine ecosystems. These activities not only support nature, they also benefit the people who rely on marine resources for their livelihoods.

Featured

UE musi przyspieszyć działania, aby zakończyć przełowienie do 2020 roku

W 2013 roku Unia Europejska przyjęła długofalowy program reform wspólnej polityki rybołówstwa (WPRyb), których nadrzędnym celem była odbudowa populacji stad ryb w wodach europejskich. Nowa WPRyb nakłada na kraje członkowskie obowiązek zakończenia przełowienia w miarę możliwości do 2015, a najpóźniej do 2020 roku, co ma doprowadzić do odtworzenia i utrzymania biomasy stad — czyli łącznej masy populacji ryb — powyżej zrównoważonych poziomów.

10 Powodów, dla Których Powinniśmy Zakończyć Przełowienie w Europie

Podjęcie zalecanych działań przyniosłoby korzyści dla środowiska morskiego, jak również dla obywateli UE i dla rybaków Broszura IX 2016 Opis.

A scientist leans in to look through the eyepieces of a large microscope in a darkened lab. A bright blue light glows from the microscope onto a sample beneath the lens, bathing the room and the researcher's striped shirt in blue.
Scientist Explores How New Tech Can Address Plastic Pollution

To help researchers classify and analyze plastic pollution, Win Cowger, executive director of the Moore Institute for Plastic Pollution Research in Long Beach, California, developed a web-based, open-source tool called Open Specy.

Trust Magazine

5 Steps Can Strengthen Follow-Up Actions to Fishing Rules Infractions

The rules that govern fishing on the high seas include limits on the amount of individual species that vessels may catch, the types of fishing gear they may use, and the location and timing of their fishing activities. However, rules can only contribute to effective governance and management when they are backed by strong enforcement and compliance mechanisms.

Fact of the Matter

90%
OF THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT
is made up of the deep sea, yet scientists have seen less than 1% of it.
10%
OF OCEAN CARBON
is stored each year by seagrass meadows.
25%
HIGHER FISHERIES PRODUCTIVITY
is projected through restoration efforts.
>1/2
OF THE WORLD'S OCEAN
is traversed by industrial fishing vessels.
130M
METRIC TONS OF PLASTIC
enter the environment worldwide each year, equivalent to about 40 pounds per person.
>1/3
OF THE WORLD'S FISH POPULATIONS
are being fished beyond sustainable levels, according to U.N. data.
50%
OF THE WORLD'S MANGROVES
are at risk of collapse by 2050.

OUR WORK

Our Work

Professional psychologist doctor listening and giving the consult to female patients

Good health is important to everyone. Pew conducts research and provides information and fact-based recommendations to state agencies, hospitals, researchers, and other health partners to help them provide better care. We find and share evidence-based practices to improve Americans’ health and well-being, including services that can prevent suicide, improve mental health care, and treat substance use disorder.

Bustleton Free Library in Philadelphia, PA, on Thursday September 12 2024.

Communities throughout the country share common needs: affordable connections to broadband Internet, modern and reliable energy infrastructure, effective responses to mental health challenges, and ways to resolve legal disputes more quickly and fairly. To address these issues, Pew collaborates with states and local governments to find and promote evidence-based solutions that help provide stability and opportunity.

High angle helicopter shot of the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. at twilight on a clear evening in Fall, with Pennsylvania Avenue beyond.

Nonpartisan, fact-based improvements in federal policy can create jobs, lower costs, and help the nation prepare for the future. When our research shows that small changes can have a big impact, we work across party lines to improve national challenges like housing affordability, internet access, energy reliability, and health care.

Economic opportunity is the foundation of American society. Pew supports national, state, and local efforts to expand opportunity and promote financial well-being. Our work helps people pay off student loans, navigate court proceedings such as debt collection, buy or rent a home, access affordable internet, and save for their retirement.

Turkish world record-holder free-diver and divers of the Underwater Federation Sahika Encumen dives amid plastic waste in Ortakoy coastline to observe the life and pollution of Bosphorus in Istanbul,

The global ocean teems with life, and it contributes to the vital cycles that keep people and our planet healthy. But the seas are vulnerable to overfishing, loss of habitat such as seagrasses and mangroves, ineffective fisheries management, plastic pollution, and declining biodiversity. These mounting losses affect the coastal communities that depend on the ocean for food and jobs.

The House Chamber at the Kentucky State Capitol is shown as the legislature tries to wrap up its session

States and cities are the “laboratories of democracy” in America—the places where lawmakers and governors look for new ways to help their communities succeed. Whether in Pew’s hometown of Philadelphia or any of the 50 state capitals, we help elected leaders respond to the needs of their citizens, use public dollars wisely, fix outdated policies, and build a better future for all.

A view of steep cliff, grand canyon and Colorado river from Toroweap overlook.

Conserving natural spaces conveys benefits far beyond the gains to wildlife and their habitats. As scores of studies show, protecting and restoring lands and waters, particularly when done in close partnership with local communities, also improves people’s lives—and local economies—by increasing tourism and outdoor recreation.