Greenpeace International has commenced a programme with the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) coastguard to monitor illegal fishing in the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEC), Oliver Knowles, Senior Oceans Campaigner of Greenpeace UK, said at a press conference in Male’ on Friday.
The Rainbow Warrior – flagship of environmental NGO Greenpeace – is currently visiting the Maldives as part of a two-month tour of the Indian Ocean.
“Greenpeace has come to the Indian Ocean in order to learn about fishing activities in the region, and to talk to communities, governments, officials and the tuna fishing industry, with the intention of working together to combat overfishing and to stop destructive and illegal fishing,” the international organisation stated.