This morning Greenpeace activists are taking action to defend the proposed Dogger Bank Marine Reserve in the North Sea from destructive fishing methods.
This morning Greenpeace prevented a fishing vessel from fishing in the proposed Dogger Bank Marine Reserve. Five activists in three inflatable boats blockaded the English owned Dutch operated beam trawler 'Johannes Calvijn', by positioning themselves along a line with buoys in the path of the vessel. The trawler passed the people in the water and sailed on.
The activists then approached another UK owned Dutch operated beam trawler 'Grietje Klaas' and attempted to prevent it setting its nets. The action is continuing now.
At 9am Greenpeace activists in 3 rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) dropped buoys to prevent a Dutch beam trawler 'the Gorge Johannes Klazina' from setting its nets. Before taking action the activists had called on the trawler's captain to leave the Dogger Bank Marine Reserve.
Six other Dutch beam trawlers then joined the scene, surrounded one of the Greenpeace RIBs and threw missiles at the activists. One of the trawlers then approached the Greenpeace ship Esperanza and fishermen wearing ski masks shot three flares at the ship. One flare hit Esperanza's mast, but no one was injured.
Greenpeace ship the MV Esperanza, currently in the Dogger Bank area of the North Sea, was yesterday presented with a huge pile of discarded fish and other marine life by a Belgian fishing vessel.
Greenpeace ship Esperanza has completed the demarcation of the proposed Dogger Bank marine reserve in the North Sea. The demarcation, which started on 4th August, involved setting ocean buoys around the perimeter of the proposed reserve. As the demarcation was completed Greenpeace divers unfurled an underwater banner saying 'Dogger Bank - protect it for future generations'.
Underwater cameramen operating off Greenpeace Ship Esperanza in the Viking Bank and Dogger Bank areas of the North Sea have captured beautiful images of life beneath the waves.
Contrary to the image of the North Sea as dead and lifeless, the underwater shots reveal a world of colour and variety. Soft coral known as 'dead men's fingers', octopus, lion mane jellyfish and strawberry rose anemone are just a few of the species already captured on film.
This report describes the multiple threats now jeopardising the marine life and ecology of the North Sea and Baltic Sea. It proposes an approach to countering these threats involving the establishment of networks of large-scale marine reserves in which fishing and other extractive activities are prohibited. Finally, it considers what progress has already been made towards the effective conservation of the North and Baltic Seas, and assesses the opportunities towards that goal afforded by recent political developments.
