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<P><BIG>Hi,</BIG></P>
<P><BIG>It was 7 am on a Saturday on a beach in Marseille just over a week ago.
I was both excited and a little nervous. In about an hour, people would be
diving into the sea to demand that we stop destructive fishing and ban bottom
trawling in protected areas, <B>but would people come?</B></BIG></P>
<P><BIG><B>Would the EU Oceans Commissioner listen to this urgent demand from
those diving and also from 150,000 of us from across Europe?</B> [1]</BIG></P>
<CENTER><FIGURE style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 1em"><IMG
alt="A banner on the beach"
src="https://www.wemove.eu/sites/wemove.eu/files/1a_oceans.jpeg?utm_source=civimail-40147&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20210909_FR"
width="50%" invitant="" affiche=""></FIGURE> </CENTER>
<P><BIG>What a relief as the first people started arriving and getting ready to
dive into the sea. The media started setting themselves up. It was
happening!</BIG></P>
<CENTER>
<DIV style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 1em; DISPLAY: inline-block"><IMG
alt="Mobilisation on the beach"
src="https://www.wemove.eu/sites/wemove.eu/files/2a_oceans.jpeg?utm_source=civimail-40147&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20210909_FR"
width=268></DIV>
<DIV style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 1em; DISPLAY: inline-block"><IMG
alt="Swimmers with a poster in defence of oceans"
src="https://www.wemove.eu/sites/wemove.eu/files/3a_oceans.jpg?utm_source=civimail-40147&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20210909_FR"
width=300></DIV><BR><EM>Photo: Théo Giacometti /Our Fish</EM></CENTER>
<P><BIG><STRONG>After a year and a half of COVID restrictions, it was a joy to
speak to WeMove Europe members.</STRONG> Laurent told me about his experience as
a sailor, having to make his way around massive abandoned nets from trawlers
that were so big that it was incredibly tricky not to get caught up in them. He
had seen the damage first-hand and wanted action.</BIG></P>
<CENTER><FIGURE style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 1em"><IMG
title="Mika Leandro en pleine conversation avec Laurent, un membre de WeMove Europe"
alt="Forefront: profile of woman on left, man on right, looking at each other. People stand behind them on beach."
src="https://www.wemove.eu/sites/wemove.eu/files/4a_oceans.jpg?utm_source=civimail-40147&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20210909_FR"
width="50%"> <FIGCAPTION
style="MARGIN: auto; WIDTH: 50%; DISPLAY: block; FONT-SIZE: 1em"><EM>Our
Campaigns Director, Mika Leandro, speaking to WeMove Europe member, Laurent, who
has had first-hand experience dealing with the destruction caused by
bottom-trawling</EM></FIGCAPTION> </FIGURE></CENTER>
<P><STRONG><BIG>Virginijus Sinkevičius, the Commissioner for the Environment,
Oceans and Fishing stepped onto the beach in his suit. </BIG></STRONG></P>
<CENTER><FIGURE style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 1em"><BIG><IMG
title="Le commissaire européen Virginijus Sinkevičius, en discussion avec nos partenaires Vera Coelho et Maya Gabeira d’Oceana, et Mike Walker d’Our Fish"
alt="Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius, speaking with our partners"
src="https://www.wemove.eu/sites/wemove.eu/files/5a_oceans.jpeg?utm_source=civimail-40147&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20210909_FR"
width="50%"></BIG> <FIGCAPTION
style="MARGIN: auto; WIDTH: 50%; DISPLAY: block; FONT-SIZE: 0.8em"><EM><BIG>Commissioner
Virginijus Sinkevičius, speaking with our partners Vera Coelho and Maya Gabeira
from Oceana, and Mike Walker from Our Fish</BIG></EM></FIGCAPTION>
</FIGURE></CENTER>
<P><BIG><STRONG>He listened</STRONG> to Maya Gabeira, a world champion big wave
surfer, who rides 20m high waves and knows the power of the ocean.</BIG></P>
<CENTER>
<DIV style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 1em; DISPLAY: inline-block"><BIG><IMG
alt="Partner from Oceana speaking"
src="https://www.wemove.eu/sites/wemove.eu/files/6a_oceans.jpeg?utm_source=civimail-40147&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20210909_FR "
width=268></BIG></DIV>
<DIV style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 1em; DISPLAY: inline-block"><BIG><IMG
alt="Group of people about to enter the water"
src="https://www.wemove.eu/sites/wemove.eu/files/7a_oceans.jpg?utm_source=civimail-40147&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20210909_FR"
width=300></BIG></DIV><BR><EM>Photo: Théo Giacometti /Our Fish</EM></CENTER>
<P><BIG>She talked about <STRONG>how much we need the oceans </STRONG>and all
the life down there we can’t see. But bottom trawling in European waters impacts
an area as big as one-third of Europe every year. It leaves nothing but
wasteland where there once was a thriving ecosystem of corals, fish and
underwater mammals. [2] </BIG></P>
<P><BIG><STRONG>Maya mentioned the latest science that shows bottom trawling
releases as much carbon as air travel.</STRONG> [3] </BIG></P>
<P><BIG><STRONG>The Commissioner acknowledged </STRONG>that what Maya has said
is all true, but that economics and livelihoods need to be taken into account.
<STRONG>Yet he also said that it’s hard to ignore the crowd and the discussion
on banning bottom trawling has to happen. </STRONG>He then gave a countdown and
we ran into the sea.</BIG></P>
<CENTER><FIGURE style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 1em"><BIG><A
href="https://www.wemove.eu/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=278174&qid=303256442"
rel=nofollow><IMG title="vidéo des participants se jetant à l'eau"
alt="Video of participants entering the water"
src="https://www.wemove.eu/sites/wemove.eu/files/8a_oceans.jpg?utm_source=civimail-40147&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20210909_FR"
width="50%"></A></BIG> <FIGCAPTION
style="MARGIN: auto; WIDTH: 50%; DISPLAY: block; FONT-SIZE: 1em"><STRONG><EM><A
href="https://www.wemove.eu/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=278174&qid=303256442"
rel=nofollow><BIG>Watch the Facebook live video
here</BIG></A></EM></STRONG></FIGCAPTION> </FIGURE></CENTER>
<P><BIG><B>We know he is under a lot of pressure from the industrial fishing
lobby.</B> So, that’s why we made sure he was receiving thousands of tweets and
emails from all over Europe calling for the ban at the same time as we were on
the beach.</BIG></P>
<P><BIG><B>The story got some great press coverage in many languages and across
the whole of Europe.</B> [4] We know this helps put pressure on
decision-makers.</BIG></P>
<CENTER><FIGURE style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 1em"><BIG><IMG
title="photomontage de la couverture médiatique de l'événement"
alt="Images of news outlets reporting on our action"
src="https://www.wemove.eu/sites/wemove.eu/files/9a_oceans.jpg?utm_source=civimail-40147&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20210910_EN"
width="90%"></BIG></FIGURE> </CENTER>
<P><BIG><B>And we’re not going to stop anytime soon. With our partners Oceana,
Seas At Risk and Our Fish we’re planning</B> a big action in Brussels in
December to ensure the Commission includes a ban on bottom trawling as part of
the EU action plan for the ocean, expected next year. [5] Together, we already
helped get the EU Parliament on board, now let’s work together to get the
Commission to follow through.</BIG></P>
<P><BIG>Thank you for being part of this WeMove Europe community and everything
you do.</BIG></P>
<CENTER><FIGURE style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 1em"><BIG><IMG
title="Mika Leandro tenant une affiche pour la protection des océans"
alt="Mika, WeMove Europe Campaigns Director, holding a banner"
src="https://www.wemove.eu/sites/wemove.eu/files/10a_oceans.jpg?utm_source=civimail-40147&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20210910_EN"
width="40%"></BIG></FIGURE> </CENTER>
<P><BIG>Mika (Bordeaux), Giulio (Rome), Alex (Barcelona) and the whole WeMove
Europe team</BIG></P>
<P> </P>
<P><SMALL>References:<BR>[1]
https:<SPAN>//act.wemove</SPAN>.eu/campaigns/bottom-trawling<BR>[2]
https:<SPAN>//europe.oceana</SPAN>.org/en/press-center/press-releases/oceana-urges-bold-action-ban-bottom-trawling-europes-protected-areas<BR>[3]
https:<SPAN>//www.theguardian</SPAN>.com/environment/2021/mar/17/trawling-for-fish-releases-as-much-carbon-as-air-travel-report-finds-climate-crisis<BR>https<SPAN>://</SPAN>our<SPAN>.</SPAN>fish/publications/briefing-paper-ending-overfishing-is-climate-action/<BR>[4]
Media articles:<BR>In
French<BR>https:<SPAN>//www.bfmtv</SPAN>.com/marseille/bain-de-mer-a-marseille-pour-alerter-sur-l-impact-climatique-du-chalutage-de-fond_AD-202109040141.html<BR>https:<SPAN>//www.rfi</SPAN>.fr/es/sociedad/20210904-campeona-brasile%C3%B1a-de-surf-se-ba%C3%B1a-con-ong-en-francia-contra-la-pesca-de-arrastre<BR>https:<SPAN>//www.sciencesetavenir</SPAN>.fr/nature-environnement/bain-de-mer-a-marseille-pour-alerter-sur-l-impact-climatique-du-chalutage-de-fond_157285<BR>https:<SPAN>//www.msn</SPAN>.com/fr-xl/actualite/technologie-et-sciences/bain-de-mer-%C3%A0-marseille-pour-alerter-sur-l-impact-climatique-du-chalutage-de-fond/ar-AAO5Feb?li=BBKNXVj<BR>https:<SPAN>//www.ouest-france</SPAN>.fr/mer/salon-nautique-de-paris/peche-un-rapport-denonce-un-chalutage-intensif-dans-les-aires-marines-protegees-8e2f2990-0e37-11ec-8af2-d250ac520fa1<BR>In
Spanish<BR>https:<SPAN>//es</SPAN>.<SPAN>noticias</SPAN>.yahoo<SPAN>.com/campeona-brasile%C3%B1a-surf-ba%C3%B1a-ong-095855471.html</SPAN><BR>In
Italian<BR>https<SPAN>://it</SPAN>.<SPAN>euronews</SPAN>.com/2021/09/04/tonno-salvo-squalo-no-la-nuova-lista-rossa-delle-specie-a-rischio<BR>In
Portuguese<BR>https<SPAN>://pt</SPAN>.<SPAN>euronews</SPAN>.com/2021/09/04/quase-30-das-especies-do-planeta-ameacadas<BR>In
Albanian<BR>https<SPAN>://m</SPAN>.<SPAN>youtube</SPAN>.com/watch?v=n-76Ru9dXzM<BR>[5]
https<SPAN>://ec</SPAN>.<SPAN>europa</SPAN>.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12953-Action-plan-to-conserve-fisheries-resources-and-protect-marine-ecosystems_en</SMALL></P>
<P> </P>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=info@wemove.eu href="mailto:info@wemove.eu">Mika Leandro - WeMove
Europe</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Monday, September 13, 2021 3:04 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Swimming to protect our oceans</DIV></DIV>
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