Background - November 1, 2011
Greenpeace investigations have uncovered major fishy scandals involving illegal and destructive fishing, funded by European taxpayers' money. The reform of EU fisheries policy is the last chance to stop the rot and save our seas!
This animation tells the tale of illegality in the Spanish fishing industry. The case exposes "Toño", one of Spain's notorious illegal fishing barons and the head of the Vidal family network, and the vested interests of the Spanish government, who receive billions of euros in EU fishing subsidies.
Since the publication of the Greenpeace investigation (below left) into the international Vidal network, Toño was found guilty of fraud and condemned to one year and eight months in prison.
The following issue of the Ocean Inquirer (below right) exposes how the EU Common Fisheries Policy is allowing large quantities of subsidies to go to deep sea bottom trawling, one of the most destructive forms of fishing. Greenpeace points the finger at France and Spain, the two biggest players in this destructive fishery, which would be unviable without subsidies.
