EU trawlers spend hours scouring the seabeds of supposedly protected UK waters.
Greenpeace UK created an underwater boulder barrier in 2022 to dam harmful fishing (Picture: Getty)
Ministers should use Brexit powers to finish the “nationwide scandal” of greater than 1.3 million tonnes of fish being taken from the UK’s marine protected areas (MPAs), campaigners say. The catch, which is sufficient to fill 500 Olympic-sized swimming swimming pools, was taken from England’s waters between 2020 and 2024.
EU vessels caught round 800,000 tonnes, whereas UK vessels caught round 545,000 tonnes. Greenpeace stated the UK MPAs are designated to guard marine wildlife and fragile ocean habitats – however these designations are at the moment “nothing greater than traces on a map”
Chris Thorne, senior oceans campaigner at Greenpeace UK, stated: “Simply beneath the floor of our seas, proper right here within the UK, lies a rare world of marine life – from shoals of vibrant fish to dolphins to seahorses – nevertheless it’s dealing with a degree of vandalism better than we’d ever settle for on land. The federal government claims huge areas of UK waters are protected, however the actuality is a nationwide scandal. Since 2020, greater than 1.3 million tonnes of fish have been caught contained in the UK’s so-called marine protected areas.”
Mr Thorne stated: “Safety means nothing if these hulking industrial trawlers are allowed to devastate crucially necessary areas. MPAs must be protected havens the place our unimaginable marine life and ecosystems can recuperate and thrive. As an alternative they continue to be protected solely on paper and treasured ocean life is being pushed to the brink.”
Nearly 40% of England’s seas are designated as marine protected areas.
However the Authorities has failed to make use of its Brexit powers to finish the large-scale industrial fishing that continues to devastate these areas.
Mr Thorne stated: “Since leaving the EU, the UK authorities has had full powers to correctly shield our marine protected areas – a measure that’s wanted not just for marine life itself but additionally to help native fishing communities. But many stay little greater than traces on a map.
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“Banning backside trawling in some websites can be a step ahead, however different harmful fishing strategies would nonetheless be allowed and far of the MPA community would stay weak.
“If the federal government needs to point out actual management on ocean safety, it should cease all industrial fishing in UK MPAs and work with different states to correctly shield 30% of the broader Atlantic Ocean by 2030, together with the Sargasso Sea. That is the one approach to make sure our oceans can recuperate and maintain future generations.”
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