ILLEGAL FISHING

Motion Text

That this House condemns the illegal fishing fleets that are plundering the seas by taking advantage of rules allowing them to adopt flags of convenience; notes that this news comes from a report by the UN International Transport Workers' Federation and WWF which estimates the annual level of illegal fishing to represent a value of £680 million which is also threatening fisheries; further notes that flags of convenience can be bought for just a hundred dollars without the country of origin enforcing international law and taking responsibility for the vessel's activities with most such flags coming from landlocked countries; expresses grave concern that these vessels are predominantly from EU countries with Spain, who receives the most generous EU fishing subsidies, topping the list; and calls on the Government to work through the UN to abolish flags of convenience and stop illegal fishing.