Securing a better future for the oceans and for people
This imbalance was recently recognised by the UK High Court which gave the green light for a full judicial review into whether the UK fishing quota allocation system is lawful under new European law.
Just as all the world’s oceans are one, the challenges of fishermen and women worldwide are interlinked, as is their future. A win for low-impact workers in the UK fishing industry could have far-reaching consequences for other EU countries. In turn, changes in European fisheries will impact upon the rest of the world.
Undeniably, there is still a long way to go before we can embrace the notion of healthy and vibrant oceans, and it is not only the impacts of fishing that must be brought under control.
From the deepest oceans to the icy waters of the Arctic, governments and
corporations are racing to exploit the last living resource, the last drop of oil, the last minerals hidden in the seabed. All while climate change and rising carbon dioxide emissions are pushing ocean ecosystems further towards the brink of destruction.
The science is clear that we urgently need to set aside a global network of large-scale ocean sanctuaries, to allow the oceans the space and time to recover, but still less than 1% of the world's oceans are fully protected.
In both Senegal and Europe, changes came about because peoples' voices became so powerful that they could not be ignored. Together, with millions of people across the world who love the oceans, Greenpeace will continue to bring citizen power to the forefront. Together, we can secure healthy oceans and a sustainable and fair future for all who depend on them.
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