A Big Wave Production in association with Blue Marine Foundation
For the last few months our founder, Sarah Cunliffe and Assistant Producer, Nathalie Grace have been filming a really important story about the state of our fish stocks and the decline of our inshore fishing fleet.
On March 5 2025, the ocean conservation charity Blue Marine Foundation goes to court in London, accompanied by inshore fishermen, to challenge the UK government for setting fishing opportunities higher than scientists advise.
The charity’s leading counsel, David Wolfe KC, will argue that the government’s unsustainable management of fish stocks is an irresponsible use of national assets and against the interests of the majority of fishermen as they will run out of fish to catch.
Decades of prioritising short-term commercial considerations over responsible management has led to the depletion of key species such as mackerel, Celtic Sea cod, Channel pollack and Irish Sea Whiting.
Full film to be released soon.
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Publicity
Charles Clover, co-founder of Blue Marine, said: “By continuing to allow exploitation above sustainable limits for so many species the government is not only putting fish populations at risk, but everything that relies on them including marine ecosystems and the fishing industry itself' - Blue Marine Foundation
‘Irresponsible’ UK fishing quotas lead to Blue Marine court action - The Grocer
UK's overfishing problem goes to court, as species teeter on brink - Oceanographic Magazine