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Fishing restrictions in the Indian Ocean will bring relief for tuna population after a landmark agreement.

An agreement has been reached to end the use of industrial fishing equipment in the Indian Ocean as many states have come to the realization that this is causing huge devastating effects on marine life. 

30 members of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission have decided to go against international pressure and will now introduce these restrictions to ensure that the tuna population has a chance to recover. 

AP News  had a report that highlighted the impact the EU has had on local tuna stock. 
statement
“The EU has previously been accused of “colonial tendencies” in the Indian Ocean and subsidizing their fishing industry through unfair quotas and opaque fisheries. More than 200,000 metric tons of fish are caught annually in the Indian Ocean by its member states.”

It took a lot of wrangling among the member states because many of them are heavily reliant on the EU economy. But it’s great to see that these countries are doing what is right for the environment and not bowing to pressure. 

It will be interesting to see how much impact these actions will have and whether EU officials will take a step away from just focusing on the interests of their own fishing industry. 

Chris is one of GreenCitizen’s writers who has been a long-time advocate of individual responsibility when it comes to the environment. He shares GreenCitizen's passion for making the world a better place every day of the year.

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