Three leaders of West African fishing communities arrived in the UK this past week to reveal how massive European fleets are not just destroying ocean ecosystems in Africa, but also lives and communities.
Giant foreign trawlers dwarf the traditional Pirogue boats of The Gambia, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Mauritania and Cape Verde. Located far out to sea, the trawlers are plundering the fish stocks of these nations, stealing from coastal communities.
Their destructive methods are creating 'ocean deserts,' leaving local fishermen struggling to feed themselves - let alone their nations, where fish is a vital food source.
So high ranking fishermen from these six nations have been touring Europe to educate the public, fishmongers and policy makers on how our fleets are pillaging their waters - and get them to stop.
Already, our trio have had brilliant successes (more on that soon) in the UK, but for some eye-opening background on what's happening in West Africa, watch this video from our colleagues at Greenpeace France, that bears witness to Europe's secret sea swindle: