News

31 Jul

Part 3 – Whale Watching

Dolphin Encounters on a Whale Watching Tour “Just Around the Corner” As part of Ocean Week, the 5th-grade students were treated to an unforgettable whale watching tour — an experience that left a lasting impression. After an informative introductory talk by Ricarda Scholz at the M.E.E.R. exhibition, the group set off under clear skies and perfect weather conditions for the Atlantic waters off the southern coast of La Gomera. Guided by Captain Noel and marine guide Nicole from the OCEANO Whale Watching team, the nearly three-hour trip was filled with enthusiasm, expertise, and a deep respect for the ocean. Nicole...

31 Jul

Part 2 – Tidepool Station with Marine Biologist Volker Boehlke

Exploring the “Charco del Conde” – Hands-on Marine Research and Conservation A special highlight of the project week was the tidepool excursion in the “Charco del Conde” — a small intertidal zone rich in biodiversity. This station allowed the children to directly experience often-overlooked, small marine organisms and to discover ecological connections in a vivid, hands-on way. Led by marine biologist Volker Boehlke and supported enthusiastically by Rolf and Nicole from OCEANO Whale Watching, the children set out to explore tiny but important life forms in their natural habitat. They were able not only to see and touch the animals...

26 Jul

Blue Water Beings

On July 13, Aquatopia appeared in a prominent location in Hamburg. The Millerntor Gallery hosted the three-day festival for clean drinking water there: THE SOCIAL ART, MUSIC AND CULTURE FESTIVAL FOR CLEAN DRINKING WATER, initiated by Viva con Agua and FC St. Pauli. Each year, the Millerntor Stadium becomes an open platform for dialogue and exchange about how everyone can help reshape the world. Numerous opportunities for interaction turned the roughly 17,000 visitors into active participants in processes of social transformation. Aquatopia, of course, had to be part of it! Amid diverse artworks, we enchanted countless visitors—including many children—during a...

23 Jul

Maritime Education

Towards Responsible Maritime Education for Marine Life Protection In early May, Captain Noel Covian, member of our partner organization OCEANO, published an article in the Journal of Maritime Research focusing on a critical issue: ship collisions with cetaceans—an area of ongoing concern for MEER e.V.. The article, titled “Specific Training for Navigation in Areas with the Presence of Cetaceans”, highlights a serious gap in maritime education: the lack of awareness and training among seafarers regarding marine biodiversity, particularly whales and dolphins. This gap poses risks not only to conservation efforts but also to maritime safety. To address this, Covian proposes...

27 Jun

PR Sylt Wattenmeer

Press Release – Sylt/Berlin, 27.06.2025 – M.E.E.R. e.V. and Schutzstation Wattenmeer Call for Better Protection of Whales in the North Sea In early June, a dead minke whale washed ashore near Rantum on the island of Sylt. The animal had become entangled in a fishing line connected to a crab trap belonging to the Irish company McBride Fishing. The line had wrapped tightly around the whale’s head — a fatal trap. This alarming incident highlights that even large whales in German waters are threatened by fishing gear — sometimes even within designated marine protected areas. Environmental organizations are raising concerns...

25 May

New MEER Vision

For several months now, we have been on a path toward thematic and practical realignment. In addition to the data-based scientific work that we have carried out on La Gomera since our founding — and which remains essential — we also wish to explore new ways of serving the ocean and its inhabitants, including non-academic approaches. As part of this process, we have collectively drafted a vision statement that reflects our aspirations for the future of our activities. This vision forms the foundation for how we will approach our work going forward and how we will communicate it to the...

21 May

Nordwohlde Primary School Visit

On May 21, Fabian Ritter visited Nordwohlde Primary School near Bremen, where he was given an exceptionally warm welcome. In return, he captivated the students of all three classes with stories, images, and sounds of dolphins and whales, and had the pleasure of answering the countless questions from the more than 40 children in attendance. A highlight of the visit was the 8-meter-long fabric humpback whale and the new “whale roll”, which vividly illustrated the immense size of these ocean giants — much to the children’s amazement.

18 May

ECS Workshop 2025

Workshop Summary: “Marine Mammal Conservation: Ethical Perspectives in a Climate of Urgency” As part of the 36th European Cetacean Society Conference held in São Miguel (Azores), a full-day workshop titled “Marine Mammal Conservation: Ethical Perspectives in a Climate of Urgency” took place on May 13. It was organized by Volker Smit (M.E.E.R., Germany), Dr. Luigi Bundone and Barbara Putnam (Archipelagos – Ambiente e Sviluppo, Italy), and Capt. Noel Covian (Oceano Whale Watching La Gomera and University of La Laguna, Tenerife). Noel Covian’s inspiring contribution stood out as a highlight of the workshop, where he introduced his concept “Towards Ethical Navigation:...

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