Hi John,

We’ve been forced to do the government’s job for them. Activists onboard the Greenpeace Ship, The Arctic Sunrise, have been placing boulders 200km off the coast of Cornwall to stop the vast weighted nets of industrial fishing vessels bulldozing the seabed. 

This is a last resort. We’re having to take matters into our own hands because quite simply, the government has failed to stop the destructive fishing industry emptying the UK’s oceans. But in a week’s time we’ll have a new Prime Minister and a fresh opportunity to convince them to take the action needed to stop the industrial fishing frenzy. Can you sign the petition and tell the government to step up, so we don’t have to continue doing their job for them? The more signatures it receives, the more pressure they will feel to step up on ocean protection.

Our activists were braving the elements 200km off the coast of Cornwall to carefully build a boulder barrier to protect the South West Deeps Marine Protected Area. This wildlife hotspot is home to amazing creatures like whales, seabirds and basking sharks - but every day bottom-trawlers are tearing up miles upon miles of this precious ecosystem, while the government sits back and lets it happen. [1]

Marine Protected Areas like the South West Deeps are supposed to be protected to sustain sea life, but the truth is that currently they are only protected in name - meaning they can be decimated by destructive industrial fishing. And so it’s no surprise that many of these delicate habitats are at risk of collapse. [2]

That’s why we’re calling on the government to ban industrial fishing vessels from all UK Marine Protected Areas. It’s simple - they need to do their job to protect our oceans properly so we don’t have to!

Our oceans are emptying out before our eyes. Two thirds of the UK’s fish population are being overfished - a disaster for delicate ocean food chains and the fishing communities who rely on them. [3]

Although the government knows there is a problem, the pace of change has been far too slow. The last two years have been a missed opportunity and we really don’t have any more time to waste. The government must step up and take the action needed to stop the industrial fishing frenzy - please add your name if you agree.

Thanks for everything that you do,

Aiyan Maharasingam 

Greenpeace UK

NOTES:

[1] Marine Protected Areas at risk

[2] Fishing industry still ‘bulldozing’ seabed in 90% of UK marine protected areas

[3] Only a third of UK’s key fish populations are not overfished

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