UK

Here’s a prediction: the next UK government will do great things for global marine protection.

At this stage in a general election campaign it’s sometimes hard to find something that politicians wearing differently coloured rosettes can agree on, but with an unprecedented bunch of manifesto commitments, there’s a growing certainty that the next UK government will be an ocean champion.

Illegal fishing is a global problem. Between  €9 - €23 billion is lost every year to illegal fishing and often as a result of international organised crime. Previously, imports of illegal fishing products into the EU were estimated at €1.1 billion. It is often linked to environmental crimes which damage marine habitats and animals, not to mention food insecurity in developing countries, human, drugs and arms trafficking, as well as forced labour on board fishing vessels.

Illegal fishing can happen anywhere and at anytime and last week there were two very interesting developments both at home and abroad.