Celebrity Support

"Our seas and the people that depend upon them are facing a critical threat. Pirate fishing operations are plundering fish stocks the world over, which in turn undermine all attempts at their sustainable management, already under pressure from widespread misdirection..."

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"EJF’s Save The Sea campaign is more than worthwhile and I am sympathetic to the cause both as a wildlife fanatic and a keen cook who cares about sustainability and quality. Through governments working in union without ego and self-interest alongside charities like EJF, we can combat and eliminate pirate fishing. Our marine environment must be protected from this illegal exploitation of precious resources. An economic principle I was taught as a student is that there are ‘infinite wants yet scarce resources’. We should try to remember as consumers that fish are a delicacy, a privilege."

As a chef it is crucial that I know every step of the supply chain that brings a fish from the sea to my kitchen, ensuring that the fish we serve is caught in a sustainable, ethical and legal manner. The theft of fish from developing countries, particularly in Africa, by pirate fishing vessels means the loss not only of vital food, but also of local people’s livelihoods and future. It also threatens the ecological security and sustainability of our seas and oceans. This is why I strongly support the efforts of the Environmental Justice Foundation to work with local communities, businesses and governments alike to stop the devastation of pirate fishing once and for all.”

It is difficult to overstate the importance of the work EJF is doing to highlight the vulnerability of marine resources, and the destruction caused by pirate fishing. Their work with, and lobbying on behalf of, fishing communities in the developing world crucially links the problem of dwindling fish stocks in foreign waters to the UK consumer, and reminds us to ethically source our fish”

We have to act now if we are to protect marine biodiversity and food security for future generations”

Sustainable and ethical fish supplies must be our central concern if we want to be able to continue to enjoy these dishes. The fact that fish stolen from poor West African countries is so easily accessing our marketplace is something that must be addressed by all of us, chef, consumer and government alike.
I strongly support the Environmental Justice Foundation’s efforts to raise awareness about the issue."

I, with the Environmental Justice Foundation, call upon the European Union and the governments of its Member States to take urgent and immediate action to end the plunder of the world’s marine resources.