Hi John,

It was worse than we imagined. Operation Ocean Witness launched at the beginning of summer to investigate and confront destructive fishing in Marine Protected Areas. 

We spotted countless industrial fishing boats in the protected areas and learnt from local fishers that there are often no fish left for them to catch. It's almost the end of the road for small-scale fishers along the South and East Coast. 

We’re making history. Environmentalists and fishers are sailing up the Thames on September 22nd to deliver the petition to stop destructive fishing, straight to the power brokers at Westminster.

We want to get it to half a million for the flotilla, which is when boats sail together to make themselves bigger and more impressive than on their own. I noticed that you haven’t yet added your voice to the petition, well there’s still time before we hand it in.

I grew up in Grimsby, a town whose fishing industry was lost long ago. I love where I’m from, but it’s hard to explain the effect when the whole community loses their livelihood, it lasts for generations. And spirals out of control when people get forgotten by the government. 

The Prime Minister said that we could be a world leader in ocean protection. Well the reality is a far cry from that with just one third of our fish populations in a healthy state. 

Getting ocean protection done offers benefits far beyond coastal communities. Bottom trawling releases as many emissions as the whole global aviation industry, imagine the positive impact limiting trawling would have? By protecting MPAs our oceans can absorb carbon that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere. It’s a no brainer. 

You have days left to add your name to the 470,000 calling for an end to destructive fishing in protected areas. We want to get it to half a million voices! Do you want to be part of making history?

Thank you for everything, 

Bryony, Fi, Chris & the Operation Ocean Witness team

NOTES: 

• After Brexit, UK Has an Opportunity to Decarbonize its Fishing Fleet
• 26.5 million tonne carbon bomb ticks quietly on UK seabed, as 69% of UK public call for bottom trawling ban
• Bottom trawling releases as much carbon as air travel, landmark study finds
• A Joint Statement: State of Emergency in the English Channel and Southern North Sea

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