European seas face catastrophe if industrial fishing boats continue plundering and obliterating fish stocks. We have just 24 hours to call for stronger safeguards before EU decision makers begin closed-door sessions on a new policy.

The EU Fisheries Commissioner is committed to protecting our seas and developing strong new rules, but the industrial fishing lobby is out in full force to protect its outrageous subsidies and profits. Only an urgent and massive public outcry now could prevent the total collapse of future fishing.

The EU public consultation on fishing quotas ends tomorrow -- let’s flood it with messages, and urge our decision-makers to take urgent measures to stop industrial ransacking of fish stocks and impose strict, scientifically calculated catch levels. Click below to send an urgent message to save our seas and forward this email to everyone:

Click here to send a message now!

88% of Europe’s seas are dangerously overfished, and the current EU fisheries policy is a disaster, allowing countries to catch well over their quotas, discard thousands of tonnes of fish and profit from overfishing. Setting viable fishing quotas is a crucial step to helping stocks recover, but the fishing industry is lobbying hard, even seeking to set its own catch limits instead of accepting sustainable science-based ones.

Experts fear that within 40 years our oceans could be completely fished out. Industrial fishing companies say efforts to limit catches are hostile to fishermen -- but on the contrary, only a strong, science-based commitment to resuscitating fish stocks will prevent the total collapse of fishing interests in the coming years.

For too long, we’ve treated these vast bodies of water as indestructible -- vacuuming up fish, dumping our dangerous waste, and assuming that there are no consequences to our actions. We have an opportunity in the next 24 hours to call for policy makers to stop this and take a giant step forward to saving our seas by putting science and the environment in charge of determining our fishing policies, not short-term commercial interests. Click below to send an urgent message and kick-start a new movement to save our oceans:

Click here to send a message now!

We’ve already fought and won on oceans. Actions from Avaaz members were pivotal in a UK government decision to create the world’s largest marine protected area, and over a million of us persuaded the International Whaling Commission to uphold the global ban on commercial whaling. But we’ve still got a long way to go in our struggle to save the worlds oceans. Right now, our fight is right here in Europe, one of the world’s biggest catchers and consumers of fish. Let’s make sure we are a global champion on oceans.

Click here to send a message now!

More information:

EU invitation to the public to discuss EU fisheries management:
http://consilium.europa.eu/homepage/showfocus.aspx?lang=en&focusID=68836

The Guardian “Maria Damanaki unveils EU fishing reforms”:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jul/13/maria-damanaki-eu-fishing-reforms

BBC “Q&A: Reform of EU Fishing Policy”:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-14143606

The Telegraph "European Commission apologises for disastrous fishing policy":
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/eu/8635623/European-Commission-apologises-for-disastrous-fishing-policy.html

Bloomberg “EU plans fishing quotas trade as stockpiles unsustainable”:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-07-14/eu-plans-fishing-quotas-trade-as-stockpiles-unsustainable-1-.html

Deutchse Welle “EU Fisheries proposals get mixed reviews”:
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15233034,00.html

New Scientist "No more seafood by 2050?":
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn10433-no-more-seafood-by-2050.html

Links to partners and friends:

Fish Fight: over 700,000 people have signed their petition calling for an end to wasteful discards under the Common Fisheries Policy -- http://www.fishfight.net/?utm_source=avaaz&utm_medium=email_july&utm_campaign=cfp

OCEAN2012: a coalition of over 100 organisations, working for a brighter future for our oceans -- http://ocean2012.eu/

CFP Reform Watch: 3 Green MEPs providing information and analysis of the CFP reforms -- http://www.cfp-reformwatch.eu/