Hi John,

Right now, we're making a special delivery to Environment Secretary, George Eustice.

Over the past two weeks we've been placing boulders on the seabed of a Marine Protected Area (MPA) in the North Sea, to stop it being ripped up by destructive bottom trawling. Now, we're delivering a 1.25 tonne sculpture - made from the same type of boulder we've been placing in the Dogger Bank - to the government. We're making sure they can't ignore their duty to properly protect the UK's most ecologically important marine areas from destructive fishing.

Can you help put pressure on the government by calling on your MP to contact George Eustice and urge him to ban industrial fishing in Marine Protected Areas?

-----------------------------
Email your MP: [link removed]
-----------------------------

Activists aboard Greenpeace ship Esperanza have been placing these natural boulders on the seabed across a 47 square mile area of the Dogger Bank, a Marine Protected Area. [1]

And now artist Fiona Banner aka The Vanity Press, has turned our North Sea boulder barrier, into art sculptures, one of which we're delivering to George Eustice, to call on him to act.

Bottom trawlers drag heavily weighted nets across the seabed, which is as destructive as it sounds. But this isn't the only type of destructive fishing threatening UK MPAs. Supertrawlers also operate in these areas that are supposed to be protecting important marine habitats and species. And now we know the majority of offshore MPAs are likely to be failing. [2][3]

This doesn't sound like world-leading ocean protection. [4] It's time for the government to take action and to listen to over 240,000 people, over 80 MPs from across the political spectrum, scientists and celebrities who are urging the government to ban destructive fishing from UK's MPAs.

Your MP hasn't yet signed our open letter to support this campaign, so it's even more important that you let them know just how urgent this threat to our oceans is. [5] Can you ask your MP to contact George Eustice to speak up for the UK's important marine ecosystems?

-----------------------------
Email your MP: [link removed]
-----------------------------

It seems like the weight of scientific, political and public opinion is on our side - people from across the country and across the political spectrum want destructive fishing banned from UK Marine Protected Areas. [6]

Help keep the pressure up.

Thank you for everything you do,

Anthony and the Oceans team

Notes:

[1] Artists delivers 1.25 ton sculpture to Defra's front door to protest destructive fishing:
[link removed]

[2] Destructive fishing in UK MPAs:
[link removed]

[3] Bright blue seas MPA report:
[link removed]

[4] Time to step up and save our ocean:
[link removed]

[5] Sir Michael Palin, Gillian Anderson among celebrities calling for UK ban on supertrawlers in marine protected areas:
[link removed]

[6] Four in five want supertrawlers banned from marine protected areas, poll shows:
[link removed]



We don't accept any money from companies or governments so we can be independent and challenge anyone who threatens the planet or peace. To help us keep fighting climate change, defending our oceans and protecting ancient forests, you can become a monthly supporter today: [link removed]. Thank you!
If you no longer want to be in the loop with the latest news from these emails, you can unsubscribe here: [link removed].

You can change the communications you receive from us at any time. Just visit our preference page: [link removed].

We have recently updated our Privacy Policy: [link removed] where you can find out how we use the information you've given us.

Greenpeace Ltd, Canonbury Villas, London N1 2PN (registered in London no 1314381, VAT registration no 625951426)

This email was sent to: [email protected]