oceans

Scotland is the envy of the world with its rich waters teeming with wildlife and spectacular coastlines and beaches. But it’s increasingly at threat from the scourge of marine plastic pollution.

It was a hot and humid morning in Bangkok but that didn’t stop me from running almost 4 kms in a tuna costume with 20 fellow activists to Thai Union’s headquarters in Bangkok. Was I crazy? Was I hallucinating? No. Over 680,000 consumers from over 130 countries and territories around the world had a message to deliver to Thai Union, urging the company to step forward as a leader on sourcing more sustainable and socially responsible canned tuna, and I was proud to be part of it.

Passing the torch from consumers to Thai Union

“Basking sharks!”

At 5am, these words shatter the silence in the sleeping quarters on the lower deck of the ship.

The crew burst into life, wrestling on clothes, cameras, binoculars.

Up on the helm, eyes pace back and forth across the expansive blue of Gunna Sound – a known feeding ground for these gentle giants off the west coast of Scotland – searching for the elusive fins which moments before pierced the water.

And then… nothing.

No matter which party possible MPs belong to, or which constituency they are campaigning to represent, they all have a responsibility to help end ocean plastics.

Last week I had the privilege to sail along the east coast of Scotland on board Greenpeace’s ship the Beluga II. This is the start of a two-month expedition documenting and investigating the impact of plastic in some of the most stunning and biodiverse areas of the UK.

It's a horror story.